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Sugarcane SMP falls short of
expectations Haryanavi women taking to ‘hookah’ I-cards for exam supervisory
staff BJP not to ditch alliance partners, says Union
minister Teachers’ body seeks VC’s
suspension |
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Four killed in accidents HPCC criticises hike in fuel
prices 12 arrested on charge of bootlegging
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Sugarcane SMP falls short of
expectations Chandigarh, January 3 The central government has increased the MSP by Rs 9 per quintal from last year’s price. This is far less than the Rs 20 per quintal increase wanted by the state government. The state government, in a communication to the Commission for Agricultural Cost and Price (CACP), had said that the cost of production of one quintal sugarcane came to about Rs 98 in Haryana. The issue was again taken up by state government officials during a recent meeting with CACP representatives in Delhi. Given that the cost of cultivation was coming to Rs 98 for each quintal of cane, the SMP should be around Rs 110 per quintal, argued the Haryana officials in their attempt to bring parity between SMP and the state advised price (SAP) of the crop. Earlier, the state government had decided while 12 cooperative sugar mills of the state would pay the farmers as per the state advised price (SAP) of cane, the three private sugar mills located respectively at Yamunanagar, Naraingarh (Ambala district) and Bhadson (Yamunanagar district) would pay the farmers according to the SMP. The decision regarding the rate of payment of private sugar mills was taken in view of a court case filed by private mills challenging a state government directive asking them to pay the farmers as per the SAP. The SMP varies according to the amount of sugar extracted from a particular variety of cane. Last year the private sugar mills, armed with a court order, paid the farmers as per the SMP and the maximum payment obtained by the cane growers from private mills came to about Rs 89 per quintal. This was considerably less from the SAP which was Rs 110, Rs 106 and Rs 104, respectively, for three different varieties of canes. The disparity in rates had triggered off violent agitation by farmers bonded to the private mills. This year the state government retained the previous year’s SAP while it tried to persuade the Centre for a liberal hike in SMP so that the difference between SMP and SAP was not so much as it was the case last year. However, the SMP, announced by the Centre last week after much delay, will only marginally bring down the difference between payments received by two sets of cane growers for their produce. While admitting that the disparity in prices would cause resentment among the cane growers of Yamunanagar and Ambala districts, a Haryana Government official said given the slump in sugar trade, the increase in cane price this year could have been lesser than what was finally announced. “The impression is that the SMP was increased by Rs 9 because the ruling NDA was planning to hold the Lok Sabha polls this year,” he said. According to the official, the decrease in the area under the cultivation of sugarcane by about 20 per cent in the state might auger well for the sizeable number of farmers who were bonded to the private mills. As a result of short-supply of cane, private mills as well as the ‘gur’ manufacturers would purchase cane by paying over and above the SMP, he claimed. |
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Haryanavi women taking to ‘hookah’ ROHTAK: ‘Hookah’ has staged a comeback in the dreary lives of young rural women in Haryana. “Hookah” remained the hot favourite of rural women in the state till about 50 years ago. However, the next generation of women began to shun the addiction to tobacco and within a couple of decades one could find only very elderly women smoking “hookah.” The use of “hookah” declined so much over the years that in the event of the death of a woman addict, the instrument was discarded to the cremation ground since it was felt that no else in the household would use. However, in the recent past more and more young women cutting across caste and community lines have got addicted to “hookah,” The new addicts to have a marked preference for the smaller version of “hookahs” called “kali.” Whether by design or chance, “kali” has added a feminine touch to the addiction. Village elders say several factors have facilitated the return of “hookah.” In the past girls were not generally asked to prepare the “chilum” or add embers to it for “hookah” used by the family elders. The job assigned to male children or the addicts themselves. Male children encouraged by their fathers to keep drawing in the air till the smoke in “hookah” was adequate for the men to smoke. Over a period this led to male children becoming addicts. However, there is hardly any restriction now on the girls performing this ritual. And, in turn, they too are getting addicted to “hookah.” Women, on the other hand, cite other reasons, too. Krishna, a 50-year-old woman hailing from Nindana village, near here, says Haryanvi women lead dreary lives in the villages. The only event they look forward to in the day is when women go out in groups to fetch water late in the afternoon. It is at this time that they gossip and have some fun. With the winds of change sweeping the rural society, it was natural for women to add some flavour to their gatherings and “hookah” was the choice. Sociologists agree with this theory. They say it difficult to pinpoint whether women made their choice by design or accident, but it was a perfect one. The men could hardly object because of their own addiction as also because they had all seen their mothers or grandmothers pulling at the long pipe. However, what is more alarming is that rural teenagers studying in colleges in nearby towns and staying in hostels are graduating to smoking
cigarettes and “bidis” depending on their monthly allowances. Since no hostel will allow a “hookah” in
inmates’ rooms, girls addicted to “hookah” opt for cigarettes and “bidis” to satisfy their craving. Others who do not smoke “hookah” take to these just to project themselves as a modern
liberated woman no less emancipated than their counterparts in the metros. Doctors see this as an alarming development. Many of them say smoking is more harmful to women than men because it can create problems during pregnancy and childbirth. The chances of the baby being born with tobacco addiction are also high. Nothing is, however done to check “hookah” addiction. They stress the need for launching awareness campaigns at the government and NGO levels. |
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I-cards for exam supervisory
staff Bhiwani, January 3 Giving details, a board spokesperson said supervisors would be required to attach these I-cards on their chest pockets so that the flying squads could check the identification of the supervisory staff. She said the I-cards would be handed over to the centre superintendents through District Education Officers a day before the commencement of the examination. The spokesperson said examination duty had been made compulsory and strict disciplinary action would be taken by the Education Department, Haryana, against those who remained willfully absent from duty. She said the duties of supervisory staff would not be changed and in case of emergency, appointment of supervisors would be allowed only from the reserve list provided by the board. She said the teachers contributing towards checking the use of unfair means would be honoured. Stern action would be taken against those teachers found guilty of conniving in the use of unfair means. |
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BJP not to ditch alliance partners, says Union
minister Karnal, January 3 When categorically asked about the BJP’s relations with the INLD in Haryana, the Union Minister said: “The BJP will not ditch its alliance partners. The state leadership might have its grievances but it is in the hands of the Central leadership to decide whether to continue its relations with the INLD or not.” However, having realised that the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Mr I.D. Swami, and the president of the state unit of the BJP, Mr Ganeshi Lal, were sitting alongside, he said the senior leaders from the state would be consulted to take any final decision on this issue. Mr Swami and Mr Ganeshi Lal had been demanding from the high command to snap ties with the INLD. Sources close to Mr Swami said the Central leadership of the BJP was not interested in snapping ties with the INLD. Mr Ganeshi Lal said he along with the state working committee of the party would meet leaders of the high command later in the month to apprise them of the prevailing political situation in the state. |
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Teachers’ body seeks VC’s
suspension Rohtak, January 3 In a press note issued here the association maintained that there were serious allegations against the Vice-Chancellor and his continuance in office pending a probe was not proper. It added that if he could not be suspended before the meeting of the Executive Council slated for January 9, he should be sent on long leave. It also demanded the withdrawal of the agenda item pertaining to the proposed disciplinary action against Mr Vazir Singh Nehra, president of the MDUTA. The association said since the Vice-Chancellor was party to several items to be discussed at the meeting, he should in no case be allowed to chair it. |
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Four killed in accidents Yamunanagar, January 3 In another accident, a cyclist died last evening when he and his friend were going Pansara village near here. They were hit by a tractor-trailer near the village. Ghasitu Ram died on the spot while his friend Satpal is struggling for life at hospital. The police has registered a case. An unidentified person fell from a train last night. He was around 60 years old and a post-mortem has been conducted at the Civil Hospital. Meanwhile, Rishipal, working in a plywood industry here as chowkidar, died last night when his shawl got caught in a generator and his head hit a machine lying nearby. He died on the spot. In another accident, three persons were injured in a collision between a mini truck and a jeep. |
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HPCC criticises hike in fuel
prices Chandigarh, January 3 The BJP-led Centre has increased the prices of petrol and diesel on 14 occasions since it came to power. Strongly opposing the latest hike in petrol and diesel prices, the PCC spokesman alleged that the NDA government was paying attention only on how to safeguard the interests of the rich. |
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12 arrested on charge of bootlegging Fatehabad, January 3 The SP, Mr Saurabh Singh, told mediapersons here today that the police seized 84 bottles of illicit liquor and 450 kg of lahan from the
accused. The police also recovered Rs 9,310 from 19 persons accused of betting. Cases have been registered. |
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