NGO in the dock for asserting right to info
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 29
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) purportedly violated the Delhi Right to Information Act with the registration of a complaint of harassment against an NGO when it sought information regarding development work done in the trans-Yamuna area.

The NGO, Parivartan, had asked for ‘sample material’ of a street-laying work being carried out by the corporation in the Sunder Nagri slums. When it was approached time and again, the MCD slapped a case of ‘harassment of public officials’ against it, Parivartan spokesman Arvind Kejriwal alleged.

However, the MCD Executive Engineer in the area, Mr Hamid Ali, said he had informed the local police that the NGO had obstructed the ongoing construction work of a footpath in Sunder Nagri. “People can access information. It is their right, but they cannot impede government work. It is being done for them”, he maintained. He said he had no problem with Parivartan. Even the police had been asked to take back the complaint.

Under the Delhi Right to Information Act, one can obtain sample material of any work.

Parivartan had recently organised a public hearing on development works being carried out by the MCD in Sunder Nagri and Seemapuri in the past two years and exposed large-scale corruption.

Mr Kejriwal said the incident dated back to February when the inhabitants of Sunder Nagri stopped street-laying work in their area, which was being carried out by the Slum and Jhuggi-Jhopri Department of the MCD, alleging that the cement was not being used in the correct ratio. Further, ordinary sand had been substituted for red sand.

The Junior Engineer was called on the spot. He admitted to the deficiencies and offered to rectify them. However, the people insisted that the Junior Engineer along with those responsible be suspended, he said.

Later, on the Junior Engineer’s plea for mercy, the Executive Engineer offered to transfer him besides replacing the material and getting the lane re-laid, which was done in the next few days.

“Trouble started when for the sake of verification, sample of material used in the freshly made lane was sought under the Right to Information Act and an appeal posted to this effect before the Public Grievance Commission (PGC). The commission, in the second week of July, ordered that the sample be provided within 10 days.’’

On the basis of the order, when the Executive Engineer was contacted he threatened to file police cases against the NGO and refused to provide the sample, Mr Kejriwal said.

Later, the Additional Commissioner (and the Commissioner of MCD) was approached who said the sample could be collected from the XEN within seven days, failing which the application to this effect would be treated as dead, Mr Kejriwal said.

“The police later summoned a Parivartan worker, who was also the applicant under the Right to Information Act in this case, to the police station. Another co-worker’s wife and friends were contacted by the MCD people to plead on their behalf and influence our stand,’’ the spokesman said.

However, Mr Hamid Ali said the NGO should have asked for the sample material while the work was going on and that they had applied for it two months after the work had finished.

“The Right to Information Act clearly states that sample of material used in the work can be asked for. They should have got it while the work was being carried out. We can’t have the material when the work is over,’’ he added.

On shying away from providing samples when there was nothing to hide, he said, ‘’We had got the samples checked at our laboratories at regular intervals, so there is no question of hiding anything.’’

Election I-cards are OK, but BJP maangey more
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 29
Election identity cards are OK, but the Delhi Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wants “multi-purpose identity cards” to be issued instead to the people living in NCT of Delhi. The party reasons that the multi-purpose identity cards will not only help keep a track of people coming into NCT of Delhi every year but also help in countering terrorism and weeding out the illegal migrants.

The demand for multi-purpose identity cards came on a day when the Delhi Assembly took up for discussion the Co-operative Bill that seeks to relax the rules and regulations governing the co-operative group housing societies in NCT of Delhi. (The Bill, when it becomes an Act, will make the management committees accountable to the members, including those who have purchased flats on power of attorney.)

Addressing a joint news conference on Tuesday, the members of Parliament from NCT of Delhi – BJP Parliamentary party spokesman Vijay Kumar Malhotra, Delhi Pradesh BJP President Madan Lal Khurana, Union Labour Minister Sahib Singh Verma, Anita Arya and Lal Bihari Tiwari, said the party has asked the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to issue multi-purpose identity cards to deal with problems of terrorism, land grabbing, illegal construction, mushrooming of slums, illegal migrants and population influx.

BJP Parliamentary Party spokesman Vijay Kumar Malhotra told mediapersons that due to the absence of such a card, it was difficult to screen or keep a tab on the influx of people into NCT of Delhi. “There are people who come in search for jobs … Then there are illegal migrants from Pakistan and Bangaldesh who take refuge here … Some of them engage in terrorism …. The multi-purpose identity card would go a long way in dealing with these problems,” Mr Malhotra said.

Union Labour Minister Sahib Singh Verma, in turn, said he had first raised the demand for multi-purpose identity cards when he was the chief minister of NCT of Delhi. He said the then Prime Minister I. K. Gujral had agreed in principle to the proposal. “Had that demand been implemented, NCT of Delhi would have been saved from many problems,” he said.

Delhi Pradesh BJP president Madan Lal Khurana, who lost no opportunity to pat himself on the back for the new guidelines to Delhi Master Plan 2021, said the BJP was trying to find a solution to the problems besetting NCT of Delhi.

Why is the nursery of soldiers being denied a sainik school?
Nawal Kishore Rastogi

Rewari, July 29
Taking strong exception to the inconsistent and lopsided approach of the Defence Ministry and the successive governments of Haryana towards the setting up of a long sanctioned sainik school at Pali Gothra village in Rewari district, the Rezangla Shaurya Samiti has decided to file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition. Besides, the Samiti delegation would meet Defence Minister George Fernandes and place the facts before him.

These decisions were taken in a meeting of the Samiti held at Kanina House here on Sunday.

In a press release, the Samiti’s general secretary, Mr Naresh Chauhan, revealed the “contradictory” contents of two important letters – one recently received by Dr Sudha Yadav, MP, from Prof Chaman Lal Gupta, Minister of State for Defence, and the other received by the Samiti from Mr Bal Ram Verma, Under Secretary, Defence (SSC).

In his letter dated June 9, 2003, the Minister of State for Defence said: “A proposal was received from chief minister of Haryana for setting up two sainik schools — one at Pali Gothra in Rewari district and the other at Matanhale in Jhajjar district — with the suggestion that the state government was willing to incur 50 per cent of the expenditure on the capital cost provided by the Government of India. It was suggested to the state government that setting up of one sainik school be considered instead of two, so that there could be optimum utilisation of the funds. However, a confirmation in this regard from the state government was awaited.

Contrary to this, the Under Secretary, Defence (SSC), Mr Bal Ram Verma, through his letter, dated July 8, 2003, informed Mr Naresh Chauhan, advocate and general secretary of the Samiti, that appropriate proceedings for setting up a sainik school at Pali Gothra would be initiated only after they received a proposal with full financial commitment from the Haryana government. Simultaneously, the Samiti meeting also noted the statement given by Defence Minister George Fernandes in Lok Sabha on December 19, 2002. The Defence Minister had informed the House that a request had been received from the Haryana government for opening of two sainik schools at Matanhil village in Jhajjar district and Pali Gothra village in Rewari district. He added that the Haryana government was yet to indicate whether it would provide the necessary infrastructure and meet the financial commitment.

The Samiti meeting has taken the aforesaid “inconsistency” seriously and decided to move the apex court through a PIL.

The two-decade old story started on September 4, 1983, at the ex-servicemen’s rally at Narnaul. It was announced by the then Defence Minister, Mr R. Venkataraman, that a sainik school would be opened in the district.

Children of the poor need not study beyond primary classes?
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 29
A student of class V, Chandni, is unable to attempt simple sums of multiplication. Yet, she is convinced that if her school were to furnish a roof over her head, instead of a tent, and provide a toilet, she may not drop out of school like her friends. Chandni’s friends Sadhna and Neelu dropped out of school because they just could not manage without water, electricity and toilets.

“We have to seek permission and go to a toilet in a colony outside the school, where we also have to pay,’’ said Neelu.

These children, drawn from resettlement colonies, including Bhalswa and Bakkarwala, have been denied a chance to receive quality education. “With a population of about 25,000, Bhalswa has just two primary schools, that too run by incompetent teachers who have been appointed on contractual basis”, pointed out Mr Vinod Suri of the Bachpan Bachao Aandolan (BBA), highlighting the poor quality of education being give to the children in the resettlement colonies.

The BBA cites cases where children, who were in schools prior to being moved to the resettlement colonies, had to drop out because the new schools are only up to the primary section.

“It seems the government has presumed that children of the poor will not study beyond primary classes”, said Mr Suri. He cites the case of Anil to buttress his claim. Anil was a student of class VI before moving to Bakkarwala, where he found there was no school. Now, he has been admitted to another school three miles away, but in class V.

“The BBA carried out a year-long survey in 29 slums in the Capital. The results have proved that despite the claims made by the Centre and the state government, the condition of education is dismal. Resettlement colonies like Holumbi Kalan, Yamuna Pushta and Bhalswa Dairy have no resources for educating children”, said Mr Kailash Satyarthi, Chairperson of the BBA.

The survey points out that resettled colonies do not have middle schools. Result: Jobless adults often neglect the education of children. “The existing schools have a teacher student ratio of 1:125. Almost 70 per cent of the students in these schools have poor academic records. They do not even understand the language spoken in rural areas, say, Haryanvi, which the teachers use”, points out the survey.

The BBA is now pressing for setting up new schools and also upgrading the existing schools. “Efforts should be made to retain these students in schools. The infrastructure should be provided and appointment of teachers on contractual basis should be stopped”, said Mr Satyarthi.

LOVE’S LABOUR LOST
Lover’s kin assault girl, leave her for dead
Ravi S. Singh
Tribune News Service

Sohna (Gurgaon), July 29
One has to pay the price for being carried away, but 15-year-old Neetu (name changed) had hardly reckoned that a love affair could turn out to be a harrowing experience.

Last Friday, her lover, Rajiv, a resident of Andheria More, brought her to Neemka village in Faridabad district. Having left her at his relative’s place in Neemka, the boy allegedly returned to his parents’ house. (Incidentally, Rajiv’s relatives were dead against the match).

Three relatives of Rajiv allegedly brought the girl to Sohna and assaulted her with weapons, leaving her for dead near a farmhouse at Gangoli village. The girl had received three cuts in the neck.

She was spotted by the villagers who brought the incident to the notice of the nearby Nigot police checkpost.

After she gained consciousness in a government hospital in Sohna, she narrated her ordeal to the police. An FIR has been registered against the three relatives named by her. The local hospital referred her case to a Delhi hospital on account of the seriousness of her injuries. According to the police, a probe is on. No arrest has been made so far.

The crime highlights a dubious trend: Sohna and nearby places have become the favourite haunt of people with homicidal tendencies. There have been times when the criminals have picked their targets elsewhere, especially Delhi, and executed crimes in the Sohna area; or at least dumped the bodies there.

NET SAVVY
All Haryana police stations may go online
Tribune News Service

Panipat, July 29
All police stations will soon be connected online in Haryana, possibly the first state in the country to achieve this distinction. For this purpose, a Rs 11 crore proposal is under the consideration of the Central government, the DGP, Mr M. S. Malik, said at a press conference here this evening.

Mr Malik, who inspected the Police Lines earlier in the day, claimed that the state police had busted 206 gangs till June and recovered stolen property worth Rs 13.30 crore.

Answering a query on Operation Talaash, launched by several states of North India to nab anti-social elements, including illegal Bangladeshis, Mr Malik claimed there had been a continuous exchange of data among the states. He, however, avoided answering any question on the detention of illegal Bangladeshi settlers.

Two labourers mowed down by train

Jhajjar: Two persons were mowed down by a train, about 2 km from Asaudha railway station, near Bahadurgarh, today.

According to information, the deceased, identified as Rajender and Guddu, both hailing from Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh, were working at Hanuman Plywood Factory in Rohad village. OC

POLITICS

Master Plan guidelines ‘poll stunt’
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 29
The Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) on Tuesday termed the decision of the Union Ministry of Urban Development, to recommend new guidelines for the Delhi Master Plan 2021, as a “gimmick” and an “election stunt”.

DPCC president Prem Singh said the BJP was adopting these populist measures to confuse the people ahead of the Assembly elections. “The latest directive to the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) sends out confusing signals … it is not a well-meaning policy to solve the long-pending demands of Delhiites.

Over 40 lakh people are living with the sword of uncertainty hanging over their heads due to the BJP’s reluctance to regularise unauthorised colonies,” he said.

Singh said the Government of NCT of Delhi had not been even as much as informed about the decision by the Union Ministry of Urban Development.

“The Government of NCT of Delhi was not taken into confidence before the Union Ministry of Urban Development made the dramatic announcement,” he said.

Singh further said the Union Government, instead of making the announcement, should notify it so that the changes are implemented in letter and spirit.

STATEHOOD
Confusion clouds govt vision: BJP
Tribune Service News

New Delhi, July 29
Continuing with its tirade against the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) for not taking enough initiatives to get NCT of Delhi declared a State of the Union, the Delhi Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday said the Government of NCT of Delhi is confused and did not have the clarity of vision on what shape the State of NCT of Delhi should take.

Union Labour Minister and member of Parliament from Outer Delhi Sahib Singh Verma said the Bill might be introduced in the ongoing monsoon session. The former Chief Minister of NCT of Delhi, however, evaded giving a categorical response when asked if, and when, the Bill would be introduced.

“I hope that it (Bill regarding statehood for NCT of Delhi) will be taken up in the (ongoing) session,” Mr Verma said.

Criticising Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit for not taking enough initiatives on the statehood issue for the last five years, he said, “The Government of NCT of Delhi is not clear on its position in demanding the statehood.”

On the Third Front’s allegation that both the BJP and the Congress were responsible for the delay, Mr Verma said he agreed with the Front’s attack on the Government of NCT of Delhi but denied any responsibility of his party. Asked who would be the BJP’s candidate for chief minister, Mr Verma said, “Madan Lal Khurana will lead the party and become the chief minister and the Congress is all set to go out of power.”

Chautala accuses Cong of creating rift in society
Our Correspondent

Jhajjar, July 29
The Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, said his government has put the state firmly on the path of development during the last three years, while the Congress party, which had been in power for most of the 37 years since the formation of Haryana, had created rift in the society on the basis of rural-urban divide.

The Chief Minister blamed the Congress for making false promises and pursuing discriminatory policies.

Mr Chautala was addressing a gathering in Dubaldhan village after presiding over `Sarkar Apke Dwar’ programme held in Beri Assembly constituency today.

The Chief Ministers attended to the complaints of the people of the villages in Beri block.

He claimed that Haryana was making ‘record-breaking’ progress in every field and more than 40,000 development works had been completed under the ‘Sarkar Apke Dwar’ programme.

COMMUNITY

Parking stands: Grin and bear the high charges
Tribune News Service

Faridabad, July 29
The system of auctioning parking stands is quite complex. There are wheels within wheels. First, the rates charged by the contractors are exorbitant; then the authorities fail to ensure that the prescribed rates are duly displayed. To cap it, they are hiked every now and then.

Mr K. L. Gera, a social activist based in Sector 15-A here, said the system of auctioning of cycle, scooter and parking stand had become an easy source of income for the municipal corporation and other bodies.

He said the revenue generated through this approach was ultimately paid by the consumers. It was unjustified on the part of the authorities to hike the auction rates each year as the contractor who got the tender, hiked the parking rates indiscriminately.

He said while the parking rates in parts of the national Capital had been lower than those in Faridabad, the authorities should fix the rates. A majority of the contractors had been charging according to their sweet will. Anybody who opposed the practice was in for a sour experience, he said.

Mr Rajkumar Gaur, a political activist, said while a parking stand mafia had been existent, the persons operating the ‘illegal’ stands had the blessings of the police. He said it was wrong to turn every spot outside a bank, post office or any public place into a paid parking area.

He said a majority of the parking contractors who issued receipts did not mention the rates in printed form but charged a fancy price. It was amazing that despite the provision of paid parking, two to three vehicles were being stolen every day in the town.

He said parking outside the civil hospitals, banks, post offices and other offices of the state government should be free as a majority of the visitors were from the poor and the middle class.

Mr Kailash Sharma, a local resident, said it was ridiculous that every person who visited the office of the district authorities like the Deputy Commissioner, the SDM, the City Magistrate and the Tehsildar was asked to pay for parking a cycle, scooter or any other vehicle.

He said the parking fee of Rs 5 for a two-wheeler was too much. It should not exceed Rs 3.

Rajesh of Jawahar Colony said a majority of cycle stands had been operating on the green belts which was an encroachment.

He said many buildings in the NIT area had not only usurped the green belts, but had been running cycle stands illegally.

He said the Municipal Corporation, Faridabad, and the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA), which auction several parking contracts each year, had failed to make any pronouncement about the rates to be charged by the contractor. The vehicles of the district officials and the police were not charged at these stands.

The parking contract of the town park in Sector 12 had been cancelled recently in view of certain irregularities.

Organisations seek probe into graft in Irrigation Dept
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, July 29
Representatives of various farmers’ organisations, gram panchayats, block samitis and the Sonepat Zila Parishad today expressed their grave concern over the inefficient working of the vigilance wing of the Irrigation Department in the district. They urged the state government to order a high-level probe into the complaints about the misuse of public funds in the ongoing cleaning operations of the canal network by certain officials.

In a joint memorandum sent to the Chief Minister, a copy of which was released to the press here, they alleged that the bulk of the amount spent on the irrigation schemes had been misappropriated by the officials. Some of the works executed during the past few years remained on paper only and the officials had made payments for the same, they alleged.

The memorandum pointed out that the state government, with an aim to root out corruption from the Irrigation Department, had appointed an Executive Engineer and two SDEs (Vigilance) to supervise the works relating to the maintenance of the canal network as well as check malpractices in the utilisation of public funds by the officials, but the vigilance officials had failed to inspect the sites of works so far. Hitherto, only one SDE (Vigilance) was entrusted with the job in this area.

In the absence of any checking by the higher-ups, most of the irrigation schemes in this district were infested with corrupt practice and had come in handy to some unscrupulous officials to mint money at the cost of the department, the memorandum alleged.

The memorandum further alleged that one of the SDEs, Mr S. K. Tyagi, never attended his headquarters but was duping the government exchequer by receiving house rent and CCA. A high-level inquiry was likely to expose the misdeeds of the officials and scandalous working of the department in this district.

The memorandum said that the vigilance wing of the Irrigation Department had become a den of corruption as the funds allotted for various schemes were being misutilised by the officials concerned. The officials of the wing always preferred to get the amount of commission on the “Letters of Credit” received by various Water Service Divisions and the Construction Divisions, for overlooking the lapses and other malpractices in the execution of the works. These officials never bothered about the public complaints about the use of sub-standard materials in the construction works as well as the inefficient deweeding and desilting of the canal network.

Gohana MC fails to seal meat shops in town
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, July 29
Despite the instructions from the Chief Minister’s office and the police presence, the Municipal Committee of Gohana has failed to seal the meat shops at Samta Chowk in the town. The municipal authorities were forced to postpone its action on Monday after three hours of discussion with the meat shop owners.

According to information, a group of persons led by one Raj Kumar Kaushik has been fighting a legal battle for shifting the meat shops from Samta Chowk and elsewhere in the town. The group had succeeded in obtaining orders from the high court in the past for shifting the shops. When the municipality failed to execute the court orders, the group again filed a case of contempt of court.

Following this, the Chief Minister’s office in Chandigarh reportedly instructed the municipal authorities to speed up action in the matter. In compliance with the instructions, the municipal authorities issued a 24-hour notice to the meat sellers to close their shops in the town. But shop owners did not respond, feigning that they had not received the notices.

After the expiry of the notice period, the Municipal Secretary, Suraj Prakash Bahal, along with the SHO of the City police station and police force started sealing meat shops on Monday afternoon.

The process continued without any opposition in Devi Nagar and Khatik mohallas. But the operation had to be halted at Samta Chowk when the shop owners raised some legal problems.

The meat sellers are demanding compliance of the Gohana SDM’s order, dated October 24, 1997, which was rejected by the Additional District Sessions Judge of Sonepat but was later upheld by the Punjab and Haryana High on July 29, 2002.

On the basis of this, the owners are now demanding alternative sites before closing or shifting their shops from Samta Chowk. They have threatened to file a case of contempt of court if their shops were sealed without providing them with alternative sites.

SPECIAL FOCUS ON GURGAON
Revamping ITIs to suit industry needs the need of the hour
Abhay Jain

Gurgaon, July 29
There is a strong feeling among students, teachers and entrepreneurs here that the existing Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) run by the state government must be upgraded.

They say that the ITIs in the state are not in a position to provide quality manpower to the industries. They do not have the proper infrastructure to do so.

“We are lacking proper planning with respect to the generation of employment and sourcing of manpower. Both aspects are important and any disparity between these two may damage the prospect of providing employment to the people of the state,” observed Mr K. C. Papreja, the general secretary of the Gurgaon Industrial Association.

An instructor of the local ITI, on the condition of anonymity, said that the government should give more emphasis on the modernisation of these institutions. The changes should also be effected in the organisational set-up.

The current level of educational standard is not sufficient and it needs to be improved quite a lot, added the instructor.

A better opportunity should be given to the students of the ITIs to get good exposure to the industries coming up in the state, he said.

As the industry cannot compromise on the recruitment of manpower in the units, they expect disciplined and qualitative manpower.

“If we can provide them as per their expectations, it is going to be an advantageous step for the students and the upcoming industries,” he concluded.

Rakesh Sharma, a student of the ITI here, said that the creation of skilled people every year does not mean that all of them will be absorbed by the industries being set up in the state. The students must be trained in such a fashion that they should have the confidence after completing their formal education to set up their own ventures, said Rakesh.

The Gurgaon Industrial Association has also requested the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, to revamp the ITIs in the state.

The GIA president, Mr J. N. Mangla, has recommended the formulation of training programmes as per the needs of the industry.

There must be proper planning in plant training in industries for the students, Mr Mangla said. He has also demanded that there should be a provision of quality infrastructure facilities and latest technology equipment in these institutes.

Mr Papreja said that there should be regular entrepreneurship development programmes for the students by the experts of different fields.

He said that training with the help of modern equipment and developing managerial skill will definitely help the new generation to bring growth in our country

Army to recruit religious preachers
Our Correspondent

Bhiwani, July 29
The Army Recruitment Office has invited applications from male candidates for the posts of Junior Commission Officers (Pandit, Sikh Granthi, Mullah, Missionary and Buddhist Monk) for Religious Teacher Courses 41 and 42. These teachers will preach through religious and holy books to Army personnel and perform various yajnas in the religious institutions of different regiments and units.

As many as 36 posts are vacant for Courses 41 and 42. The last date for sending in applications is August 25. A written test will be conducted on November 2.

Their area of work of the recruited officers will include preaching to officers, soldiers and their families, looking after their welfare, besides performing last rites, giving religious deliberations to patients in hospitals, reading of religious books to the patients, preaching to the soldiers undergoing punishment and giving special religious education to the children and recruited youths.

In a press release, Lt Col R. K. Bali said today that for Religious Teacher Course 41, the minimum age of the candidate should be 27 years as on March 22, 2004 and not more than 34 years (i.e. born not before March 22, 1977). For Course 42, the candidate should be minimum 27 years on April 5, 2004 and not more than 34 years (not born before April 5, 1977). The candidate should be a graduate in any subject from a recognised university besides having the required eligibility in the particular religion, according to his religion. The candidate should have passed class 12 for Buddhist Monk post.

HRC intervention sought to trace lost son
Our Correspondent

Rohtak, July 29
An aggrieved father, whose son has been missing for the last 20 days, has appealed for the intervention of the Human Rights Commission and security to the members of his family as the district police have allegedly been harassing him.

In his complaint, Mr Vishwanath Goyal, a resident of Rama Colony here, stated that his son, Akhil Kumar, was missing after he had gone to the grain market on July 10. He said he reported the matter to the police, which refused to register an FIR in this connection. He said he had sought the help of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which had directed the police to register an FIR on July 17.

However, he alleged the police officials refused to accept the copy of the order.

The complainant said the police was forced to register the case on July 19 after he sent a copy of the court order through registered post.

However, he alleged that the police had failed to take action to trace his son so far. Moreover, he alleged that ASI Raghuvir Singh had been indirectly intimidating him to withdraw the case.

Move to oppose ‘anti-worker’ policies

The All Haryana Power Corporations Workers' Union affiliated to Sarv Karamchari Sangh (SKS), Haryana, has appealed to the employees to express their solidarity against the 'anti-employee' policies of the Chautala government.

A decision to this effect was taken at a convention of the union held under the presidentship of Mr Jagroop Singh, secretary, Rohtak circle of the union, here today. Hundreds of employees of Rohtak circle comprising Rohtak, Jhajjar and Bahadurgarh towns attended the convention.

Addressing the employees, Mr Azad Singh, secretary, Rohtak unit discussed the various problems faced by the employees and appealed to them to stand up against the 'anti-employee' policies of the government. He criticised the government policies of privatisation and retrenchment and urged the employees to launch an agitation against such policies.

The leadership appealed to the employees to attend the proposed convention of SKS on August 3 and the Rohtak rally of Sanyukta Karamchari Sangh slated for August 24 in large numbers.

Chaudhary indulged in ‘filmi flimflam’
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 29
The ongoing spat between Deputy Speaker of Delhi Assembly Kiran Chaudhary and former BJP MLA Karan Singh Tanwar took another turn on Tuesday when the latter demanded her resignation for “faking” injuries allegedly sustained by an Army bulldozer during the demolition of slums in the Cantonment last week.

“While the bulldozer was retreating from the demolition site, Ms Chaudhary, the local MLA, tried to climb on it in a ‘filmi’ style and created a scene to gain publicity,” Mr Tanwar claimed.

Addressing a news conference, Mr Tanwar said Ms Chaudhary had tried to concoct reports about her injuries to seek political mileage in view of the coming Assembly elections.

The BJP leader said the entire episode smacked of “a reprehensible conspiracy” plotted at the behest of the Deputy Speaker in collusion with the Station Commander of the Delhi Cantonment.

He referred to the denial by the Cantonment Board authorities to buttress his argument. The authorities had denied reports appearing in a section of the press, which said the Deputy Speaker sustained injuries when she tried to prevent demolition of about 200 slums near Kirby Place. An official statement by the Board said Ms Chaudhary was cautioned and asked to move out of the area to avoid injury. However, she did not heed the advice and climbed on the blade of a bulldozer. Despite repeated requests, she did not come down and slipped while the heavy machine was reversing. A Cantonment official even threw himself on the ground to cushion Ms Chaudhary in order to prevent her from getting injured, the statement said.

All set for ‘Jal Yudh’ in Haryana
Our Correspondent

Rohtak, July 29
The state president of Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), Swami Indervesh, has claimed that arrangements have been completed for the proposed ‘Jal Yudh’ (fight for water) to be launched all over the state in protest against the ‘inordinate’ delay in completion of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link canal.

Addressing newsmen at the party office here yesterday, Swami Indervesh said several towns in the state had been facing acute scarcity of irrigation water due to the delay in the completion of the SYL canal.

He alleged the government had been providing water from the Bhakra Dam only to Sirsa, Fatehabad and half of the Hisar districts.

He said this was injustice to the rest of the cities in the state.

The RLD leader alleged that the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, and the HPCC chief, Mr Bhajan Lal, had been adopting a casual attitude towards the completion of the canal.

He alleged the farmers had not been receiving adequate irrigation water at the tail end villages as the authorities had failed in getting the canals desilted.

Redefine household units: PHDCCI
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 29
Reacting to the guidelines of the Delhi Master Plan 2021, the PHDCCI has said the proposals would only lead to further congestion and chaos in the Capital.

The PHDCCI said the Master Plan should instead provide for more areas being earmarked for commercial activities.

“Allowing mixed land use in residential areas would be contrary to encouraging the usage of such planned commercial areas,” it said.

What is needed, the statement read, is new planned mixed use areas with well-defined norms that promote investments and land mark developments.

This would motivate the shifting of unwanted activities and generate scope for new real estate developments.

Opposing the proposal of regularising residential areas with over 70 per cent concentration of industries as industrial areas, the Chamber says the government should focus on improving the infrastructure in the approved industrial areas and expediting the development of new industrial areas.

“The growth of unplanned industrial activity in the residential areas has been the result of poor implementation of the Master Plan and lack of alternate sites for relocation of industries,” the PHDCCI said.

The PHDCCI sought the redefining of household industries in the Master Plan by suitably modifying it to make it more pragmatic particularly in terms of permissible power load and employment.

IN PARLIAMENT
12,325 held from jhuggi clusters for anti-social activities
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 29
In the Lok Sabha today, Dr M P Jaiswal and Mr Ram Tahal Chaudhary have questioned the Deputy Prime Minister whether anti-social elements are on the rise in the jhuggi-jhompri areas of Delhi. They asked for the number of drives launched by the government and the Delhi Police to detect the anti-social elements and the number of persons arrested.

Mr Harin Pathak, Minister of State for Home Affairs and Public Grievances in a reply said that the Delhi Police have arrested more persons this year and intensified the night patrolling. Regular briefing has also been given to the beat staff to watch their movements.

The minister said that the Delhi Police have arrested at least 12,325 persons from the jhuggi clusters.

Power to challan: In a question by Manikrao Hodlya Gavit whether the power to challan is being withdrawn from the Delhi Traffic Police and whether the court shall have the right to realise the amount of challan, Mr Pathak said that the power still lies with the traffic police and the supervisory officers of the traffic police carry out the checks regularly to ensure that the traffic police personnel are present at their assigned places of duty and perform their duties effectively.

Corruption in MCD: When Shivaji Mane and Laxman Giluwa raised a query whether the government is aware that corruption in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is rampant and the number of officers and employees terminated for their involvement in corruption, Mr Pathak said that there have been isolated cases in which some MCD employees were found to have indulged in corrupt practices.

During the last three years from July 2000 to June 2003, the government has dismissed or terminated the services of 14 persons in the MCD.

Bawana industrial land: In another question by Nawal Kishore Rai and Dr Sushil Kumar Indora that the rate at which the land at the Bawana Industrial Area in Delhi is being sold per square meter at present, the Minister of State for Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation said that the government of NCR has reported that the industrial land at Bawana has been allotted at the rate of Rs 4,200 per square meter.

NCR BRIEFS
Boy crushed to death
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, July 29
A seven-year-old boy, identified as Nadeem, was knocked down and crushed by a truck on the Sonepat-Meerut inter-state road near Khewra village, about 13 km from here yesterday. According to a report, the boy was crossing the road when the accident occurred.

The police have registered a case of rash and negligent driving and causing death against the truck driver.

The boy along with his parents had come to the house of his relatives at Jhundpur village. The mishap occurred on the return journey.

Villagers protest against power disruption

Large number of residents of Jasrana village held a demonstration in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office here yesterday to register their protest against the non-supply of electricity to the village for the last one month.

According to a report, the irate residents shouted slogans against the state government and the Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN).

The residents also sat on a dharna and held a rally there.

Later, they submitted a memorandum to the DC demanding immediate restoration of power supply in the village. The memorandum alleged that the officials of the UHBVN had failed to replace the faulty transformer in spite of repeated complaints made to the executive engineer and the SDO concerned.

The memorandum demanded stern action against the UHBVN officials found responsible for the delay in the replacement of the transformer.

Held for auto thefts

The special staff of the Sonepat police arrested one youth, Rajeev, alias Raju, of Mohana Nagar in connection with auto thefts in Delhi, Faridabad and Sonepat areas. According to a report, the police also recovered five scooters, motorcycles, coloured TV sets and VCD players worth several lakhs of rupees from his possession.

During interrogation, the accused confessed to his involvement in a series of auto thefts in parts of Haryana and Delhi.

Two assaulted

Two persons, identified as Balbir and Sukhbir, sustained knife injuries when they were assaulted allegedly by one Jagdeep, alias Babua, at Juan village, about 15 km from here last evening.

According to a report, both the injured were immediately hospitalised. The Mohana police have registered the case against the assailant and further investigations were in progress.

Country-made pistols seized

Rohtak: The police arrested two youths and seized two country-made pistols from them in separate incidents in the district during the past 24 hours.

In the first incident, the police frisked Rajesh of Barhana village on suspicion and seized a country-made pistol from him on Jhajjar chowk here on Monday.

In the second incident, Sukhbir of Kharawar village was arrested by the police from Ismaila turn and a country-made pistol and five cartridges were recovered from him. Separate cases under Arms Act were registered in both the cases.