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MLAs step aside, ask Sonia to nominate CM New Delhi, December 9 Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Prem Singh moved the resolution and Tajdar Babar seconded it. The legislators welcomed the adoption of the resolution by raising slogans. The meeting passed another resolution expressing gratitude to the people of Delhi for their renewed mandate to the Congress by giving the party a two-thirds majority. “The Congress would not be found wanting in its endeavour to provide a good and transparent governance with focus on an all-round development,” the resolution read. The resolution also thanked Mrs Sonia Gandhi for leading the party from the front and marshalling her resources to ensure the party’s victory at the hustings. A newly elected MLA said there were no “fireworks” and that the meeting was conducted in a cordial atmosphere. “We exchanged our views freely and frankly,” he said. The meeting though was not without a discordant note. Certain legislators insisted that the observers appointed by the All India Congress Committee (AICC) also meet them individually. Congress Working Committee’s member Pranab Mukherjee, who chaired the meeting, reassured the MLAs that their opinion would be sought before a new leader was named. After the resolution was adopted unanimously, the observers met with the newly elected MLAs and elicited their views on who they thought should be elevated to the post of chief minister. The decision to seek the opinion of every member of the CLP is seen as a deft move to prevent any wrangling in the faction-ridden party after the party high command makes up its mind. The delay in electing the leader of the CLP is also seen as buying time by Sheila Dikshit’s detractors to have a say in the constitution of the Council of Ministers. Sources said the matter has been left to the party high command and that its decision would prevail even as hectic lobbying was on to secure a berth in the Council of Ministers. With only six berths up for grabs, the party has to walk a tightrope. The exercise becomes tougher still since caste considerations would have to be balanced. The venue of the CLP meeting was changed at a late stage after differences arose over whether the newly elected legislators should meet at the Old Secretariat or the DPCC office. The party had named Mr Pranab Mukherjee and Mr PM Sayeed as the observers for the CLP meeting. AICC secretary Anil Shastri and Ahmed Patel were also present.
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bloody encounter Ghaziabad, December 9 One constable Ashok was also injured in the encounter. SSP Jaynarayan Singh said that some criminals had looted copper wire bundles from Hapur’s Parshotam Singh’s electrical godown in Triveni Ganj and were loading in their Tata 407. Parshotam’s partner, Vivek Tyagi who lived on the top floor of the godown was woken up by the commotion. As he saw the criminals loading the wire bundle into mini trucks, he raised the alarm and informed the police. The Hapur police had flashed the information to all police stations as the criminals had sped away in the truck. As Mussori police tried to block their way, the desperadoes turned the vehicle towards Dholana. Ultimately the Tata-407 was blocked on Dholana-Mussori Road where the police engaged the criminals in an encounter. As firing ensued from both sides, the criminals were seen abandoning the truck and running for cover when three of them were shot dead. Two revolvers, one rifle and live cartridges were recovered from their possession. Injured policeman Ashok Kumar of Mussori police station was rushed to Sarvodya Hospital. SSP said the mini trunk No.MP-13-F/3696 used in the loot was from Bulandshahr which had six tonnes of goods loaded in it. They were worth Rs 6 lakh. The toll tax receipt recovered from the truck proved that it had gone to Hapur at 1.10 am in the night. SPP Singh expressed suspicion that the criminal’s gang used to take the truck along to commit dacoities. The police are trying to verify as to how many crimes have been committed by this gang in the surrounding areas. SSP and DIG Meerut have recommended rewards of Rs 2,500 and Rs 5,000 to the police team for the “good work”.
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Desperate cry for adopting an abandoned girl Sonepat, December 9 The couple is issueless and has even reportedly submitted in writing to the authorities that they were willing to transfer their property in the name of the child. According to information, the child was found abandoned near Deepalpur village in the district on October 17 and it was reported to the police by the village sarpanch. When no one claimed the baby, she was taken in custody by the police and was admitted to the local civil hospital for treatment. However, when her condition deteriorated, she was shifted to the PGIMS Rohtak. Incidentally when the baby was admitted to PGIMS, a couple—Rajbir and Reena—had also come for treatment in the PGIMS. They came to know about the baby there and reportedly made up their mind to adopt the child. As stated by Rajbir, they were married about eight years back and have no child. The doctors have also confirmed after the medical examinations of the couple that they would remain issueless. The couple reportedly contacted the PGIMS doctors for adopting the child and Rajbir’s wife Reena started looking after her in the hospital. Proper care and Reena’s motherly affection helped in the speedy recovery of the child. After discharge from the PGIMS, the baby has been lodged in Bal Gram Rai (Sonepat) by the administration. Meanwhile, Rajbir applied to the Deputy Commissioner, Sonepat for adopting the child, submitting their family background, details of property and willingness of his wife Reenu. But the administration has not yet reportedly responded to Rajbir’s request. |
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Officials wink at encroachments in Faridabad Faridabad, December 9 The authorities had launched a campaign to remove the encroachments a few years ago but without much success. One violation was the opening of rear doors by the house owners into the green belt provided by Huda and using the residential areas for commercial activities. While the land worth several crores was recovered from the encroachers between 2000 and 2002, the campaign seemed to have lost its steam in the past about six months. A resident of Sector 16-A said the residents having links with the influential persons have occupied the green belt of Huda in front and rear of their houses. He claimed that several illegal fencings removed by Huda in year 2001-2002, had again emerged. A resident of Sector 14 said that the residents of many houses lining the dividing road between Sector 12-17, 14-15 and 15-16 had again made the rear door entry of the kothis operational while, these had been sealed up by the authorities a couple of years back. According to reports, the violators include certain influential persons. According to a particular case, a senior official of the power department had not only made the rear entry of his house (into the green belt) in Sector 17, but had got a sodium halogen light beaming on the back door leading to the dividing road. Mr Vyayendra Kumar, the then Huda administrator in 2001-02, had directed all the residents welfare associations in the sectors to keep open all the iron gates into the pockets open during daytime, but this order seems to have been given the go-by. A social activist S L Gera had filed a PIL in the High Court demanding the removal of encroachments outside a government school in Tikona Park. According to Mr Gera, precious land worth hundreds of crores was still occupied by the builders and influential persons on Mathura Road, NiT and other parts of the town.
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in a nutshell Sonepat, December 9 According to a report, both the sisters were medically examined by a team of doctors in the civil hospital here last night after the police party had brought them from Shimla. The youths had lured Seema and her elder sister and later succeeded in kidnapping them. Both the sisters were taken to Shimla where one of them managed to contact her parents who immediately informed the police about the whereabouts of the girls. On receipt of information, the police team left for Shimla. The cops managed to trace the girls and the alleged kidnappers. Both the sisters had gone to purchase household articles form Ganj Bazar on Friday. ‘Husband’ kidnapped: The woman is reported to have received an information about the second marriage of Balloo. She along with her relatives reached Liwan village in Sonepat district where the relatives of Balloo were present and the youth was about to leave along with the marriage party to the house of the bride. The incident has cast a gloom in the bridal home where the parents and her relatives were waiting for the ‘baraat’. |
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Rs 1 lakh in ‘alms’ Noida (Dadri), December 9 Bansal had withdrawn Rs 1 lakh from a bank and kept the bag by his side in the car. Soon after setting the engine right, he left for home. To his chagrin, he found the bag missing after reaching his house. He came back to the same spot but could not find the beggar. He reported the matter to the police, saying that a beggar girl had approached him for alms when he was examining the engine of his car. The police could not trace the girl either. |
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in parliament New Delhi, December 9 This was disclosed in the Lok Sabha today by the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Mr I. D. Swami. He said the recovery of dues from defaulting departments by the NDMC was a continuous process and non-payment may result in disconnection of supplies. Non-payment of licence fee, said Mr Swami, might lead to eviction. The defaulting departments include the Sports Authority of India, which owes Rs 1156286 for electricity and water, the Central Provident Funds Organisation owing Rs 11118424, the MTNL with Rs 2737030, the DMS with Rs 5040749. The offices, which are yet to pay the licence fee are the Directorate of Estate, the Ministry of Urban Development with an outstanding amount of Rs 896603954 and the Ministry of Home Affairs with Rs 23334843. Others in the list are the Ministry of External Affairs, the Ministry of Health and the Department of Telecommunications. Mr Swami also informed the House that 2004 cases of drunken driving had been detected in 2003 till the end of November. He said Rs 463150 had been recovered as fine for the same during the same period. The Minister of State for Home Affairs, Mr. Haren Pathak, in a written reply to the Lok Sabha said that the Government of NCT of Delhi had on an experimental basis installed a biometric finger identification system in one of the jails of the Tihar Jail Complex. This enables the prisoners to be photographed along with taking the fingerprints. The system is expected to help proper identification of the prisoners ordered to be released and also identify the repeat prisoners. The Minister of State for Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation, Mr Bandaru Dattaraya, informed the Lok Sabha the DDA had awarded the work for construction of 9611 LIG flats, 350 MIG and 140 HIG flats on turnkey basis to pre qualified construction agencies at the rate of Rs 7190 per square meter of the plinth area of dwelling unit.
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Farmers huff and puff at canal water shortage Sonepat, December 9 According to a report, the farmers who had sown the wheat crops today needed canal water for irrigation purposes, but the officials of the division have utterly failed to ensure regular water supply even during the rotation period. Many farmers alleged that theft of irrigation water was the main cause for not reaching the canal water in their fields, which are situated at the tail end of the distribution system. It is also alleged that a number of farmers who allegedly enjoy the patronage of the ruling party MLAs and other politicians, are indulging in large scale theft of canal water. The farmers whose fields are situated at the tail end bear the brunt of the theft. Expressing anguish over the inadequate and erratic supply of irrigation water, the sarpanches and panches of the villages as well as the members of the block samitis and Sonepat Zila Parishad say that the farmers are ready to pay the revenue for their share of water, but the government should ensure regular supply of canal water. The maintenance of canals, distributaries and minors continue to remain a major problem despite heavy expenditure incurred on them in Gohana sub-division. Farmers who are supplied water by Israna minor, Butana distributary, Gangesar, Bichpari, Baroda and Busena tails, have made series of complaints to the authorities concerned about the non-supply of canal water, but no action has so far been taken in this regard. The farmers demanded an inquiry into the scandalous working of the officials of Gohana Water Service Division and immediate transfers of the Executive Engineers, SDEs and the junior engineers to ensure an independent and impartial inquiry. Meanwhile, the farmers of several villages, including Garhi Ujjale Khan, Gahri Sarai Namdaar Khan, Gamri, Khanpur, Kakana, Kasanda, Kasandi, Nagar and Sainipura, are facing an acute shortage of canal water for irrigating the land and have appealed to Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala to provide immediate relief to them. Representatives of various farmers organisations have urged the Chief Minister to order a high level probe into the complaints of the farmers about the erratic supply of canal water and punish those officials who are found responsible for it. |
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SPECIAL
FOCUS ON GURGAON Gurgaon, December 9 The Haryana Government plans to acquire land in the villages for the purpose of setting up development of integrated complex for industrial, institutional, commercial and recreational and other public utilities. The land is sought to be acquired for Haryana State Industrial Development Corporation (HSIDC), an agency of the state government to promote industrialisation. The process for acquisition is in the advanced stage,
as the notification has been issued under Section 6 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894. About 200 small and medium sized industrial units have been operating in the villages, with some of them having more than two decades of existence. The land sought to be acquired also encompasses the sites of the units and also the land surrounding them. The GIA feels let-down, as it had taken up the issue with various authorities, including the Commissioner and Secretary, Industries, Haryana, Mr S. C. Chaudhary, who had assured it to omit the land of the existing units form the compass of the acquisition. The GIA had approached the authorities immediately after the government notification under Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act. The president of the GIA, Mr J. N. Mangla, said that the industry was really shocked to see the notification under Section 6, wherein all the existing units have been covered. The GIA’s demand is that the government should omit the present industrial plots where the industries are located and also the plots purchased for industrial purpose or expansion purpose before the date of issue of notification under Section 4. The industry’s case is that the units were not at a fault as they had set themselves in these villages when there was no development plans. They had set themselves after procuring the necessary permission. Also, the GIA is surprised that the government appears to be changing its original purpose for acquisition of the land. According to it, as per
the earlier plan the acquisition was only for setting up a special economic zone. It feels that the impression given to it during initial days was that the proposed zone would only house industrial units. But now the government has broadened the spectrum of purpose for acquiring the land. Whatever be the government’s compulsion the units in existence should not be put at a loss, the GIA added. |
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Delhi Govt demands Rs 7 cr from MCD for New Delhi, December 9 The Delhi Government has prepared the GIS in which details of all constructed buildings are given. The MCD wanted to know the exact number of buildings constructed on the national highways (NHW) and other areas. However, today the corporation passed a preamble in the Standing Committee to prevent the unauthorised construction on highways through the GIS. It has also decided to seize the property constructed on a plot measuring more than 300 square metres. This decision was taken following the submission of a report by a committee constituted by the Standing Committee to prevent unauthorised construction on the national highways. The committee decided to seek the report of the GIS prepared by the Delhi Government in which the exact number of buildings constructed so far is given. The committee also suggested confiscating the buildings constructed unauthorisedly after getting the GIS report. The report said that the GIS was prepared by the Urban Development Department of the NCT Government of Delhi which provided information of all existing property already constructed. The corporation should also know the proposed amendments in the Delhi Master Plan 2021 regarding the present building bylaws and land use and the policy likely to be adopted in respect of legalisation of violations. It will avoid future complications. The committee further suggested that policy be framed to check the future unauthorised constructions and misuse of land use. The commercialisation of residential areas on the main road which is the fountainhead of corruption in the Building Department should also be discouraged. Meanwhile, Chairman of the Standing Committee Ram Babu Sharma directed the corporation to implement the report of the sub committee led by him which suggested application forms of any contractor should not be submitted after the due date. He also directed making an inquiry into the case of the company whose papers were submitted before the due date. He said that before privatisation of the toll tax the total collection of tax was between Rs 35 crore to Rs 40 crore. When it was privatised the collection rose up to Rs 71 crore. |
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Ministerial staff threaten to go on strike Sonepat, December 9 The announcement was made by the state president of the association, Mr Amar Singh Yadav, while addressing a staff-level sammelan of the association here on Monday. Giving this information to mediapersons, the district president of the association, Mr Sukhbir Singh, stated that a percentage of posts of inspector were to be filled by promotion from the clerical cadre. But the employees in the field offices were being neglected and discriminated against by the authorities at the headquarters as most of the posts were being filled from the ministerial staff at the headquarters. The association has been demanding that the promotions be given to employees working in the field as per the ratio of their strength. The demand did not involve any additional financial burden but the authorities had been adopting an indifferent attitude, he alleged. The association would also observe protest meetings at the district level from December 10 to 18 and strike work on February 11 if the demands were not accepted, he stated. Meantime, the employees affiliated to the Haryana Government PWD Mechanical Workers Union (B and R) organised demonstrations against the department authorities for not fulfilling their demands and threatened to launch an agitation if their demands were not fulfilled. According to district general secretary Ram Bhagat Sharma, the main demand included promotion on the basis of seniority, payment of TA bills, annual increments, payment of arrears and issuance of dress and other equipment. He informed that the authorities had agreed to meet the demands in writing on September 13 last. The union has threatened that if their demands are not fulfilled members will go on a hunger strike and launch an agitation from December 18 onwards. |
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And finally a drizzle Sonepat, December 9 Meanwhile, the dense fog has disrupted the rail and road traffic in the region. The Amritsar-bound Flying Mail was cancelled on account of its late running for about 25 hours between Darbhanga and New Delhi yesterday. This train reached second day in New Delhi. This caused inconvenience to thousands of passengers at Sonepat and other railway stations who are stranded at the platforms. Similarly, the
Amritsar-Baroni Express and Saryu-Yamuna Express, popularly known as Shaheed Express, ran behind schedule for 8 hours and 13 hours respectively. The Malwa Express and the
Dadar-Amritsar Express passed through Sonepat one hour and 30 minutes behind schedule respectively. Several other passengers, express and mail trains also ran behind schedule on this section. Five hurt in collision:
According to a report, the injured persons were identified as Mr Ram Singh, his brother Sham Sunder, Rakesh, his wife Mrs Seema Devi and her daughter Seema. All the injured persons were rushed to a private nursing home in Delhi, where the condition of Mr Sham Sunder and Ms Seema is stated to be serious. The police are investigating into the case. However, no arrest has been made in this connection. |
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Scribes to observe anti-repression day
Rohtak, December 9 According to the president, Haryana Union of Journalists, Mr Virender Chauhan, mediapersons at all district headquarters in Haryana would hold protest meetings and dharnas and take out processions on December 15. They would submit memorandums through respective Deputy Commissioners on that day to highlight the issues of freedom of the press, atrocities on journalists and undue interference in the affairs of journalists. He appealed to all organisations of working journalists in the state to make the anti-repression day programmes successful across the state. OC
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Bodies of teacher, sons recovered Sonepat, December 9 Om Parkash Hooda, a schoolteacher, along with his two sons, namely Shiv (5) and Sanket (3), had jumped into JLN Canal and committed suicide. However, the cause of the suicide was yet to be known. The police are still investigating. Power supply resumes:
Power supply to Jatwara Mohalla was resumed on Monday after 30 hours by the Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN). According to a report, the area remained in darkness after an electricity transformer was burned. According to another report, an electricity transformer in Nahra village on the Majra road had burnt five days back. A complaint was lodged in the sub-station at Kundli but the transformer was still not replaced. As a result, the area remained in darkness. This caused inconvenience to thousands of residents living in the area. They also faced drinking water shortage and had to fetch water from distant places to meet their requirement. Suicide by youth:
Woman killed:
According to a report, the body still remains unidentified and the government railway police have sent the body for a post-mortem examination. |
Cashier in LIC office robbed of Rs 9 lakh Rewari, December 9 The Branch Manager, Mr Sanjeev Khanna, tried to chase them in his car but the desperadoes’ car had gone out of sight sooner than expected. The nakabandi of the police also proved to be of no use. A case of robbery under Section 392 of the IPC and Sections 25/54/59 of the Arms Act has been registered. It is stated that finding the main gate of the LIC office closed two armed youths entered the building through the backdoor while their third accomplice kept vigil at the door. Two other accomplices kept the Indica car parked outside the LIC office in a ready-to-start mode. The youths reportedly made some inquiries at the counter after which they forced their entry into the cashier’s cabin from where they took a money bag containing the huge amount after terrorising chowkidar Anil Kumar and cashier Ashok Kumar Yadav with their revolver.
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Liquor shop salesman killed Loni(Ghaziabad), December 9 He had gone to bed at the usual hour the previous night. When the other salesman, Vachiter Pal, reached the liquor shop at 9.45 am he found the shop closed. He pushed open the door as it was not bolted from inside. He found Deepak’s body on the bed and Rs 5,400 in the cash box were missing. According to the police, the victim had been strangled to death during the night. 10-yr jail for attempt to murder:
According to the prosecution, Kani Singh of Sector 9, Vijay Nagar, had married his daughter to Deepak, alias Pappu. But Deepak was ill-treating his wife and would often stay at his friend Satish’s house. Kani Singh consulted his brother in-law Dharmapal and both decided to meet Pappu to sort out the problem. So Kani Singh, Dharam Pal and Satish all went to counsel Pappu at his residence on February 25, 1999. But Pappu attacked the three who had come to counsel him with a knife. Dharam Pal had lodged an FIR. |
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Miscreants drive away with car at
gunpoint Sonepat, December 9 The miscreants asked them to get down from the car and thereafter they drove away the car.
The police have registered a case and further investigations are in progress. According to another report, three unidentified armed motorcycle-borne miscreants also reportedly took away a motorcycle from a youth, Mr Ram Chander, of Kami village on the Sonepat-Kami road near here yesterday. The miscreants reportedly fired shots in the air and grappled with the youth. The youth fell down and sustained injuries. On receipt of information, the police arrived on the scene and started searching the miscreants by giving a chase to them. The miscreants, however, managed to escape after leaving the motorcycle. The injured youth was rushed to the local Civil Hospital for treatment. The police have registered a case against the miscreants. |
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Delhi digest New Delhi, December 9 The accused were later identified as Ramzan Ali, Mohammad Shamim, Mohammad Shahid and Mohammad Noor. The gang members also robbed a passenger of Rs 10,000 last month in the train. Duplicate CDs seized:
Based on secret information, the sleuths raided Siddhartha Building in Nehru Place and seized the CDs. The sleuths also claimed to have arrested Saurav Lamba in this regard. Boy sodomised:
He took the victim to a deserted area and sexually assaulted him. The victim who later reached the house narrated the incident to his parents. The victim’s parents complained to the police about the incident. A case has been registered and the police have now launched a manhunt to trace the accused.
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30,000 new
SIM cards for Rohtak: BSNL chief Rohtak, December 9 Talking to newsmen after inaugurating the upgraded customer service centre and releasing the Rohtak telephone directory, he admitted that the BSNL mobile customers had been facing hardships on account of non-availability of sim cards. He claimed that there would be no problem in getting new BSNL mobile connections - pre-paid or post-paid, after the Nigam received new sim cards, the order for which has already been placed. Mr Nagpal said that the mobile phone base of the BSNL was 1.5 lakh at present, nearly 60,000 more than its nearest rival. One lakh more cellular connections would be made available through capacity augmentation in the next phase. He said that BSNL would install 80 more base terminal stations (BTS) in addition to the existing 104 BTs in different parts of the state. This would result in the BSNL cellular network coverage in 37 more towns of Haryana in addition to 43 cities and towns, where presently mobile telephone service was available. Mr Nagpal said that the BSNL in the first phase had set up 70 fully computeris4ed customer service centres in Haryana covering all the nine secondary switching areas (SSAS), having 400 to 500 online terminals. All these customer service centres would be inter-linked within this month during the phase of the Haryana Telecom Circle drive to set-up fully equipped customer service centres across the state for providing various services to its subscribers under one roof. He hoped that the process of inter-linking of these centres would be completed by January 1. The Rohtak Telecom District General Manager, Mr suresh Bhargava, informed that the distribution of the new telephone directory to subscribers in Rohtak SSA would start within a week. He said that the Wireless in Local Loop (WLL) services would also be made available to the Rohtak district subscribers soon, and new telephone connections would be available on demand by the end of the current financial year. |
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Manufacturers’ body meeting on Dec 11 Faridabad: The fourth meeting of the Executive Committee of the Manufacturers Association will be discussing schemes of the Haryana State Industrial Development Corporation (HSIDC) regarding loans and notices issued by the Haryana State Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC) regarding the use of power generation sets by the industrial units. The meeting will be held at Delite Hotel in the NIT area on December 11, according to the general secretary of the association.
TNS |
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