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Monday,
March 10, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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Ex-BCC chiefs resent
removal, write to Sonia Debt trap: cooperative farming is the answer No-confidence vote:
two councillors change mind HCTU against cut in college grants MP’s assurance to college teachers Lecturer suspended for molesting student |
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In-laws booked for woman’s murder Patwari held on
graft charge AIDS
centres sans facilities Wild animal causes scare among villagers Residents seek CM’s intervention
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Ex-BCC chiefs resent
removal, write to Sonia Chandigarh, March 9 Party sources said the Presidents of 55 of the 135 Block Congress Committees in the state had been removed so far. Those removed were affiliated to CLP leader, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Rao Inderjit Singh, former union minister Selja, former PCC chief Harpal Singh and others. The block Presidents had sent separate appeals to Ms Sonia Gandhi in which they have said that proper procedure had not been followed while dismissing them. The sources said the block Presidents, who were elected in 2000, had not been given any charge sheet till date explaining the action. New Presidents were named and the outgoing chiefs had been given only copies of the letters issued to the new incumbents. The removed office-bearers also pointed out to Ms Gandhi that the matter was not brought before the executive committee of the PCC. They reportedly also argued that they had not committed any act of indiscipline warranting such action. They had also threatened to hold a sit-in in front of the AICC office in Delhi in protest against the PCC step. Earlier, Mr Bhajan Lal also issued quit orders to the chiefs of 16 District Congress Committees (DCCs) but the orders were stayed following intervention by AICC General Secretary Mohsina Kidwai. Since then Mr Bhajan Lal has constituted adhoc committees in four districts to avoid any procedural violation. The removed block presidents included two members from the Scheduled Castes and one from a religious minority community. They had been replaced by members of upper castes and the majority community, respectively, the sources said. |
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Debt trap: cooperative farming is the answer FATEHABAD: Mr Gurdarshan Singh, a farmer from Karnoli village in this district, purchased a tractor in 1995 by procuring a loan of Rs 1.30 lakh from the Hinjrawan branch of Punjab National Bank. For this he hypothecated his 14 acres of agricultural land with the bank. He was supposed to repay the loan in six monthly instalments of Rs 20,000 each. He paid two instalments. But after that a phase of bad crops followed. The cotton crop was damaged due to bollworm for the six consecutive years. During all these years it was not possible to manage both ends meet. The repayment of loans was just out of question. Though the crops are better now and he says that the annual proceeds from the agricultural land are somewhere near Rs 2 lakh. But this earning is sufficient only for meeting the needs of the family and arranging inputs for the farming. Despite all efforts, he has not been able to repay the loan instalments ever since he became a defaulter. The loan amount has now swelled to Rs 3.40 lakh with the accumulation of interest and penal interest. The bank’s counsel has served a legal notice on him to repay the entire amount in one go or face litigation. Mr Gurdarshan Singh is now requesting his bankers and its lawyer to give him some more time. Though he promises to repay the entire amount on the next crop, he knows this is not possible for him. He cannot even repay the loan by selling a part of the land as the land is already mortgaged with the bank. He wants to avoid litigation as in that case the court fee and the counsel’s fee would be added to his loan amount. Mr Mani Ram, another farmer from Baropal village in this district, was not so lucky. He purchased a tractor in 1997 by procuring a loan of Rs 1.98 lakh from the State Bank of India. He also mortgaged his land with the bank. After repaying some instalments, he too became a defaulter as damage to crops did not leave any option for him. After receiving the legal notice he too tried to evade litigation but the bankers had their own limitation. He now faces a legal suit for the recovery of Rs 3.58 lakh plus future interests. A sum of Rs 18,000 (approximately) as court fee and Rs 9,000 (approximately) as counsel’s fee that the bank has incurred during the institution of suit will also be added to the loan amount. These are not isolated cases of farmers going in dire straits after procuring loans from banks for agricultural purposes. This is the story of almost all small and medium farmers in this part of the state. Almost all farmers have procured agricultural loans on one pretext or another by hypothecating their agricultural lands. Many can be seen visiting banks with revenue records of their land. Most of the loans are for purchase of tractors. Many others have taken cash credit limits for agricultural purposes. Agriculture experts cite several reasons for this sorry state of affairs, the farmers find themselves in. The first and the foremost of course is bad patch in agriculture production during the past few years, the last two years being exception. An increase in the cost of inputs like diesel, power, pesticides, fertilisers and seeds have also taken a heavy toll on the farmers’ pockets. A decrease in land holdings due to family partitions is another reason cited by experts. But the most important reason, experts say, is a sort of competition among the farmers to have a tractors of their own. Tractor has of late become a status symbol among the farmers. So much so that in this part of Haryana, no well-to-do farmer is willing to marry off his daughter in a house that does not own a tractor. Experts feel that owning a tractor is not a problem in itself. The problem starts when farmers do not make the optimum use of the tractor. The experts suggest a farmer ought to have a minimum of 20 to 25 acres of land holding for making the optimum use of a tractor. In case the land holding is less, he utilises the tractor for job work in other farmers’ fields. It is here that Haryanavi farmers fail to compromise. Working on others’ fields is considered to be below status by most of the farmers. The tractors, in turn, are used as a vehicle to visit towns, thereby further increasing the maintenance costs. The total cost of the tractor plus equipment attached to it comes to be somewhere near Rs 4 lakh. The wear and tear of the tractor is such that if a farmer wants to sell his tractor after using it for a year or so, he may not get even 60 per cent of the actual cost. Mr Sudershan Batra, an agricultural expert, revealed that another trend has also emerged among the farmers. He said that many farmers purchase new tractors by procuring loans from banks and then sell these at prices 25 to 30 per cent less than the actual rate. |
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No-confidence vote:
two councillors change mind Ambala, March 9 The applications of municipal councillors Guklesh Awasthi and Bhagwati were submitted at the Deputy Commissioner’s camp office. The application states, “Being one of the signatory to the no-confidence motion submitted to yourself against vice-president Suresh Garg on 28.02.2003, hereby withdraw my name from it. This is in accordance with provisions of the Haryana Municipal Elections Rules, 1978, Section 72 A (1), which provide that the member who has made such a motion may withdraw the same before meeting is convened for the purpose.” The withdrawal has sent BJP activists in a tizzy. BJP Ambala Cantt mandal president Shish Pal Bhola had gone to meet Ms
Bhagwati, but she assured him that there was nothing to worry. However, Ms Bhagwati’s husband, Mr Ram Lal, was non-committal when contacted by Chandigarh Tribune. “Let it be a secret. Tomorrow, you will come to know,” he said. He stated that his wife was busy in a marriage. The withdrawal comes a day before the municipal councillors, who had signed for the no-confidence motion, were asked to be present in the Deputy Commissioner’s office tomorrow. Ambala Cantt MLA and vikas parishad chief, Anil Vij opined that the no-confidence motion could not be introduced as the number of signatories had fallen below the required number following the withdrawal of names by two municipal councillors. “As a matter of fact, both municipal councillors have been taken into our fold,” he asked. |
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HCTU against cut in college grants Hisar, March 9 Addressing a state-level convention of college teachers at the CRM Jat College here last evening, Mr K.S. Dhillon, president of the union, said the teaching community was concerned over the proposed plan. He said the affiliated colleges in Haryana were not in a position to pay salaries to the staff. If the plan was implemented, it would spell doom for higher education in the state. He said it was late Devi Lal, former Deputy Prime Minister, who enhanced the grant-in-aid up to 95 per cent and made the provision of salaries through bank which ended the exploitation of college teachers and ensured timely payment of salaries to the teachers. He also urged the government to remove anomalies in the pension scheme for the aided colleges. Terming the pension scheme as incomplete and inadequate, he said the college teachers, unlike other government employees, were not being paid DA on pension. He urged the Chief Minister, Mr Om Parkash Chautala, to make pension on a par with the university teachers. Mr Dhillon also urged the government to evolve a pattern for the appointment of teachers and the payment of salaries on the Uttar Pardesh model. He said in UP the salaries and pensions were being paid through treasury, and college managements were directed to contribute certain amounts to the state exchequer direct. He demanded that the appointment of college teachers should be done through the centralised board set up by the state government. |
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MP’s assurance to college teachers Hisar, March 9 Addressing a state-level convention, organised by the Haryana College Teachers Union here last evening, he said the state government would also sanction travelling and other allowances to the teachers of affiliated colleges in the state. He also assured the teaching community that the government would consider all their other demands sympathetically as it wanted to provide a healthy educational environment in the state. He said the government was committed to improving the standards of higher education in Haryana and some important steps in this direction would be taken soon. There would be no scarcity of funds for the development and improvement of education in the state. The government wanted that teachers give quality education to students, he added. Mr Bahadur Singh, Education Minister, Mr Subhash Goyal, Local Bodies Minister, and Mr Puran Singh Dabra, legislator, were also present on the occasion. |
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Lecturer suspended for molesting student Hisar, March 9 The action was taken following a complaint lodged by the girl who stated that the teacher allegedly molested her when she went to him in connection with class attendance and some guidance. Before the complaint, the girl’s mother, after knowing of the incident, went to the college along with another woman and thrashed the teacher. The college management took the complaint seriously and convened a meeting and placed the teacher under suspension. The teacher, however, has refuted the charges.
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In-laws booked for woman’s murder Sirsa, March 9 According to information, a married woman, who was pregnant, was allegedly poisoned by her in-laws on Friday. The police has registered a case on the complaint of Ranjeet Singh of Gudiakhera village against four persons of Rohranwali village. In his complaint, Ranjeet has alleged that he had married off two of his daughters in a single family of this village. Both were tortured by the in-laws for dowry. His elder daughter, Sarla, was brought to his house a few days back but Sunita, who was pregnant, was kept by her in-laws. He got a message on Friday that his younger daughter was admitted to the Civil Hospital. When he went to the hospital he found her dead. He alleged that Rajesh and Rakesh, along with their father, Ranbir, and mother, Dhappa Devi, poisoned her to death. The police has registered a case against all four under Sections 498A and 304B of the IPC. No arrest has been made so far in this case. An autopsy report is still awaited and a sample has been sent to Madhuban for detailed investigation.
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Patwari held on
graft charge Ambala, March 9 Ex-serviceman Shadi Lal Saini had submitted an application with Patwari Devender Kumar for the mutation of his land. The patwari reportedly demanded Rs 3,000 from him for this work. Later it was settled at Rs 2,000. Mr Saini paid Rs 1,000 as advance while the rest of the amount was to be paid today. Mr Saini had filed an application with the Superintendent of Police, Vigilance Bureau, alleging that the patwari had been demanding money from him for the mutation of the land. The SP detailed a party under Inspector Sham Lall, ASI Tajinder Sharma and Head Constable Ramesh Kumar. Mr Ashok Bhasin, SDO, Panchayti Raj, was included as the executive Magistrate. As
soon as Mr Saini handed over the amount to the patwari in his office
near Mahesh Nagar today morning, the vigilance team arrested the
patwari. |
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AIDS
centres sans
facilities Ambala, March 9 According to the sources, around 20 HIV-positive patients have approached the AIDS counselling centre at Ambala City during the past few months. Besides, there are a few more cases which were detected during tests conducted at the blood bank here, which normally does not disclose this even to the blood donor even if HIV symptoms are detected. However, they maintain the records of these patients, which is communicated to the Haryana AIDS Control Society. According to the sources, most of the HIV-positive patients who have approached the Ambala centre were drivers by profession. Most of them used to go on the Kolkata, Delhi and Mumbai routes. Although, most of the centres in the state have qualified physiologist counsellors but a few of these do not have even proper building and other facilities. The counselling centre here is also located in an old building. It does not have even the HIV testing facility. It depends on the pathologist lab of the Civil Hospital for conducting tests in this regard. A senior officer of the Haryana AIDS Control Society said the society had chalked out a plan to provide every possible facilities to these centres. |
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Wild animal causes scare among villagers Kaithal, March 9 A team of wildlife experts from Dehradun has reached the area after its services were requisitioned by the district administration. But it has not been able to locate and trap the animal. According to some villagers, the animal is a wolf, while the others maintain that it is a leopard. The presence of this wild animal was first noticed in the area when if killed as many as 22 sheep at night in the Jakholi village area about a fortnight ago. The sheep owner Rangi Ram noticed the dead animals early next morning. In the second incident which took place two days after the first incident the animal killed three stray dogs. The villagers allege that the animal could not be caught as the staff put on this job is not available at night. The villagers are agitated over the indifferent attitude of the district administration which they allege has not taken up the matter seriously. |
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Residents seek CM’s intervention Kurukshetra, March 9 One of the residents, Ms Sarla Chauhan (75), a social worker, in a letter addressed to Union Tourism Minister Jagmohan and Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, has complained that almost for the past 30 years, this road has been re-constructed for about seven times but did not last for more than a month every time. |
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