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HVP eyes
anti-incumbency vote Rohtak sits on tinderbox No elections for 33 yrs to Ayurvedic board Kundi connections made powerless |
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Rules flouted in allotting land, alleges Dalal Doctor booked over kidney transplant The Haryana police has registered a case against a doctor from Amritsar allegedly for duping a man in a kidney transplant case. The crime branch of the police has found that a labourer was operated upon and his left kidney was removed by Dr Praveen Sareen of Kakkar Hospital, Amritsar, in June, 2001, for a patient from Yamunanagar. 2 labourers killed at power station Two labourers have been killed in a week while working for installation of the seventh and eighth unit of Tau Devi Lal Thermal Power Station. Balbir Singh (26) was killed yesterday while he was working for the installation of the chimney in the seventh unit. Major Amit Ahuja remembered 2 IAS officers transferred Animal genetics programme ends 1,400 to be recruited for industrial security Guru Ravidas was great social reformer, says Governor Bhajan, Hooda hail Bofors case verdict
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HVP
eyes anti-incumbency vote Chandigarh, February 5 It is this thinking, the sources say, which has encouraged the HVP leadership to contest the Lok
Sabha elections in the state in a big way. The party feels that since the Congress is a house divided and the BJP is perceived as
an appendage of the INLD, those angry with the Chautala Government would vote for the HVP. It
also thinks that if its candidates are able to perform well in the
parliamentary poll, the HVP’s claim to form the government in the
state after the Assembly elections would strengthen. Moreover, the
party’s power to bargain with its prospective alliance partners in
the Assembly elections would also increase manifold. The sources say the party has already decided its
candidates in several constituencies in which these candidates have been campaigning for the past several months. The
party’s Secretary-General, Mr Surender Singh, who is also a son of
the party chief, Mr Bansi Lal, is the obvious choice of the HVP to
contest from Bhiwani, the native district of the Bansi Lal family.
Since he has gone on record that he would contest against Mr Ajay
Singh Chautala, elder son of the Chief Minister, he may shift from
Bhiwani if Mr Ajay Singh moves to some other constituency. In the last
elections Mr Ajay Singh had won the Bhiwani Lok Sabha seat by over two
lakh votes. From Kurukshetra, the sources say, the HVP’s
candidate would be Kaka Jatinder Singh Khurdban, who has been nursing
the A former Haryana minister,
Mr Kanwal Singh, who is known as a “gentleman politician”, may be
fielded by the HVP from Hisar. The sources say if Mr
Surender Singh takes on Mr Ajay Singh in Bhiwani, the HVP would nominate Mr Jangbir Singh Malik from Sonepat. Mr Malik, also a
former minister, belongs to Gohana. From Mahendragarh, the lone Lok Sabha seat in the Ahirwal (Land of the Ahirs) area, the HVP plans to field a new face in Ahir politics. A local businessman, Rao Anil, is likely to represent the
party there. For other seats, the sources say, the HVP is
considering the possible candidates because there are more than one
claimants. |
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Rohtak sits on tinderbox Rohtak, February 5 Over the years, the town has grown haphazardly in all directions and large commercial and residential areas are separated by several railway tracks running through the middle of the town at many points. Just one rail track near the old bus stand has an overbridge. Local firemen say they keep their fingers crossed over what will happen should a fire break out in one such area and the railway crossing is closed. The rail tracks intersect main roads at eight points. Almost every important road has a railway crossing. These are the Rohtak-Bhiwani road, the Kaccha –Beri road, the Jhajjar road, the Circular road, the
Sonepat road, the Bajrang Bhavan road and the Delhi road bypass, the last being intersected at two points. All these railway crossings are closed several times a day to enable trains to pass. Crossings near the railway station are closed for long durations. Traffic jams at the crossings is a regular feature here. Firemen say should a fire break out in any area beyond any of these crossings, it will prove disastrous as the fire brigades will not be able to reach there in time. The fire station itself is located on a busy road. The fire brigades have only one proper water-filling point at the station. All other emergency fire hydrants have been buried under roads over the past two decades. In case of a major fire, the fire brigades will have to return to the fire station for refilling, which can prove disastrous. The local fire station has five fire brigades. Barring one, the rest are in a bad shape. The staff has had a tough time getting the vehicles clear the annual test for roadworthiness. Funds had to be diverted for repairs to get the clearance for the old engines one by one. Despite this, the transport authorities had to ignore several points to issue the certificates. The fire station is housed in an old building, built in 1932. The fire officer’s office is located in a ramshackle corridor, converted into a room. The office does not have cupboards to store official files. Firemen have not been receiving their salaries in time for the past few years. The arrears of salary have been pending for two months. Uniforms and equipment are also not being provided. Mr A.K. Jain, executive officer, municipal council, admitted that the firemen had been paid salaries till November last. The arrears for the past two months were yet to be paid, he added. He denied having any information about fire hydrants buried under roads. Ms Pratibha Suman, chairperson of the council, said a new building for the fire station was under construction in the compound of the old building. She said there was an urgent need for constructing flyovers over the railway crossings, but there were no funds at the moment. Firemen say municipal bodies all over the state do not have adequate funds for fire services. They suggest shifting of fire brigades from the purview of the municipalities to that of the state government for smooth and efficient functioning as the change could boost fund allocation to the department. The town has over 12 cracker units, which manufacture and store fireworks the year round. In 1993, a fire in one of the units caused over 12 deaths. The unit was located in an easily accessible area. These units have since been shifted to the outskirts and in case of a fire, the engines will have to negotiate railway crossings to reach any of these. |
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State Budget on February 13 Chandigarh, February 5 As the session is slated to start on February 9, the ruling INLD is calling the Congress a “non-serious outfit” which does not do its home work properly. Mr Sampat Singh, Parliamentary Affairs Minister of Haryana, says Congress legislators cannot decide as to who will speak on an issue. As a result all of them start speaking at the same time. The allegiance of Congress MLAs is divided between HPCC chief Bhajan Lal and CLP leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda while there are some who do not pay heed to either of the two Congress leaders, Mr Sampat Singh says. Mr Ajay Singh Yadav, Mr Dharam Vir, Rao Inderjit Singh and Mr Jai Parkash come under the last category of MLAs with high self-esteem. On the other hand, the Congress says the Speaker does not allow it to raise any issue on the floor of the House. Since the first session of the Assembly in March, 2000, not a single notice of adjournment by the Opposition has been admitted by the Speaker. The occasions, when call-attention notices were admitted by the Speaker, are also few and far between. This apparently has prompted the Congress to announce to the press before the start of a session various notices given by it to the Speaker and then brief the media after the end of the session about the rejected notices. Official sources said the plan was to propose continuation of the session at least till February 20. While the session would start with the Governor’s Address on the inaugural day, the Budget for 2004-05 was slated to be presented on February 13. |
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No elections for 33 yrs to Ayurvedic board Chandigarh, February 5 The duration of the interim board has been extended periodically even as regime changes have brought new persons as Chairman and Registrar of the Board. The interim system was having a life span of 33 years when the Om Prakash Chautala-led government recently gave it a further extension of five years. An ordinance issued by the state government last month said the term of the Board was extended up to November 25, 2006, following the expiry of the previous time limit of the Board on November 25, 2001. The Board, existing under the Punjab Ayurvedic and Unani Practitioners Act, 1963, is to promote Ayurveda and act as a registration agency for private Ayurvedic and Unani practitioners. Over the time, however, promotion of Ayurveda had become a totally forgotten agenda and the Board was functioning only for offering registration to traditional healers. The state government, explaining in a note the necessity of giving five-year extension to the Board, said the Board under the 1963 Act could not be formed as the election of the members of the Board could not be held for want of funds. The present Chairman of the Board, Mr Ram Kumar Saini, an MLA from the ruling Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), is himself a registered Ayurvedic practitioner and a licence holder in manufacturing Ayurvedic medicines. The fund crunch has no bearing on the Chairman’s perks including a car, a salary of Rs 10,000 per month and other allowances. The Registrar also enjoys salary and travelling and daily allowances. If elections of the Board are conducted then seven registered Ayurvedic and Unani doctors would be inducted who would form the majority in the 11-member Board. The state government apparently is not interested in such an exercise as it may lead to fresh complications. The recent ordinance was obviously issued by the government to enable the interim board to have an uninterrupted stint and avoid holding of elections. Mr Saini, when contacted, however, claimed that elections to the Board were on the cards. The process had been started with the appointment of a Returning Officer (RO) for the elections. He said though he himself was supposed to act as the RO, he had given the responsibility to Ms Vimla Chaudhary, the Registrar. Vimla Chaudhary also asserted that elections of the Board would take place for the first time in three decades. She said the electorate, comprising 21,000 registered Ayurvedic and Unani doctors, would send their ballots by post to choose seven members for the Board. The remaining four members of the Board would be nominated by the state government, she said and added that notification for election would be issued sometime in March. |
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Kundi connections made powerless Panchkula, February 5 The authorities have already implemented the scheme in over 35 villages in the state on experimental basis and prevented the power pilferage amounting to several crores of rupees, sources told The Tribune here today. Not only this, the line losses have significantly been reduced. Now the department is toying with the idea of replacing all wires in the state with the insulated cables. A proposal to this effect would be sent to the Haryana Government soon, the Chairman of the Power Transmission and Distribution Corporations, Maj-Gen BS Rathee (Retd), said here. Officials highlighted that out of total losses of 40 percent, the power pilferage through kundi connections amounted to almost 20 percent, Initial field reports claim that the power pilferage through kundi connections had come down to 15 percent in the 35 villages covered in the first phase. The removal of kundi connections by the authorities led to confrontation with the unscrupulous elements and caused law and order problems. Besides changing cables the department also organised a mass contact programme to educate the general public about the adverse affect of the power pilferage on the economy. The replacement of the existing cables would serve a twin purpose. While on the one hand, the
worn-out cables would be replaced, on the other the number of accidents due to electrocution would come down. Meanwhile, over 55,000 illegal power connections have been regularised by the department including slum areas, the officials informed. |
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Rules flouted in allotting land, alleges Dalal Chandigarh, February 5 Talking to newsmen here yesterday, Mr Dalal alleged that the government had allotted land to the holder of a general power of attorney (GPA) at Gurgaon without following rules and regulations in this regard. Mr Dalal claimed that the government released two showroom sites to a GPA holder in Sector 10-A of Gurgaon. Two more showroom sites were allotted to the same person. Besides four residential plots were also released to the same GPA holder by the Urban Estates Department vide its letter of August 21, 2003. He said the government had already paid compensation to the party concerned for the land acquired earlier. He urged the Governor to intervene and order cancellation of allotment. He also urged him to order registration of an FIR against the guilty officials. Mr Dalal said the Speaker had not yet recognised the Haryana Republic Party formed by him after breaking away from the RPI. He said only after his party was recognised would he decide with which party it should be merged. Mr Dalal dared the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, to break the alliance with the BJP following the statements to this effect by the state unit of the party. |
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Doctor booked over kidney transplant Yamunanagar, February 5 Besides Dr Sareen, Kulvinder Singh, who was allegedly the middleman, was booked last night. The Yamunanagar SP said the case was registered on the basis of the complaint of Mayunudin of Tharvativa village in Champaran district of Bihar. The complainant had informed the police that he was in search of a job when, he went to Amritsar and was sitting in a park when Kulvinder Singh met him. Mayunudin was offered a job at Kakkar Hospital. He was taken to Dr Sareen, who asked him to give one kidney in lieu of Rs 2 lakh. Meenakshi of Yamuna-nagar was running from pillar to post for a kidney. She and her husband approached the hospital authorities in this connection. They demanded Rs 3.5 lakh for the kidney, to which the patient agreed. After some days, Mayunudin and Meenakshi were operated upon successfully. Mayunudin was paid Rs 40,000 and told to go back to his native village. He was assured that he would be given more money shortly. He went back, but developed some stomach ailment. He rushed back to the hospital. Mayunudin demanded his balance amount from the doctor, to which he refused. He approached Meenakshi’s husband, who gave him some financial help. It was after this that he approached the crime branch. |
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2 labourers killed at power station Panipat, February 5 Meanwhile, labourers at the power station said that safety arrangements for workers were insufficient. They said all labourers had not been provided helmets, belts and other safety equipment. Even the helmets available were not of good quality. That is why Balbir Singh, despite wearing a helmet, lost his life, they added. When contacted, Chief Engineer (construction wing) of the station, Mr M.S. Dhanda, said the BHEL had made best safety arrangements here. He added that all workers were insured. |
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Major Amit Ahuja remembered Ambala, February 5 Speaking on the occasion, the SDM, Mr Narsingh Dhull, said martyrs do not belong to any caste or creed instead they were priceless national treasure. He said the youth should learn from their lives and they should discharge their duties towards the country with honesty. Mr Dhull said during the freedom struggle as well as in the Kargil operation, youths from Haryana had made commendable contribution. At least 36 students from 19 colleges participated in the contest held to mark the martyr’s 29th birth anniversary. The overall trophy was won by the local Dev Samaj College. The first prize was won by Pooja Kaushik of Dev Samaj College while the second prize went to Nidhi Jain of the same college. The third prize winner was Satwinder of Arya Girls College, Shahbad. The consolation prize winners were Neeraj Arora of MDSD Girls College, Ambala City and Wasim Akram of DAV College, Chandigarh. The college Principal, Mr
V.K. Sehgal, said Major Amit Ahuja had made the supreme sacrifice while defending the nation’s territorial integrity in the Gurez Valley on August 22, 2001. He said Major Ahuja had studied computer science and he passed out in 1996. He had cleared the CDS examination in the first attempt and he joined the Indian Military Academy. He had joined the 2 Dogra regiment. Mr Yashpal Ahuja, the father of the martyr said a trust had been formed which would undertake social work to help the needy. A conference hall in DAV College has been named after martyr Major Amit Ahuja. |
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2 IAS officers transferred Chandigarh, February 5 Mrs G. Anupama, Additional Director, Industries-cum-Additional Chief Coordinator, Industrial Assistance Group, Delhi, has been posted as Coordinator, Foreign Investment Promotion Board, Delhi. She has been given the new posting following the abolition of the post of Additional Director, Industries, and the merger of the Industrial Assistance Group with the Foreign Investment Board. Mrs Anupama will, however, continue to be the Managing Director of Haryana Minerals Limited, Gurgaon, and the Additional Resident Commissioner, Haryana Bhavan. She would also continue to assist Dr N.C. Saxena, who has been appointed Commissioner by the Supreme Court.
— TNS |
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Animal genetics programme ends Karnal, February 5 As many as 18 dairy scientists had come from Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Uttaranchal to participate in this advanced study programme in animal genetics and breeding. Dr Nagendra Sharma, Director NDRI, in his concluding remarks stressed the need for stepping efforts for the conservation of germplasm of the indigenous dairy breeds. Dr Avtar Singh, a senior scientist of dairy cattle-breeding division of the
NDRI, said farm animal genetic resources were represented by a large number of native breeds. Dr
B.K. Joshi, head of the cattle-breeding division of the NDRI said the scientists also discussed various livestock Acts. |
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1,400 to be recruited for industrial security
Chandigarh, February 5 Of the total 1400 persons to be recruited for raising two battalions of the force, 20 per cent would be women. — TNS |
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Guru Ravidas was great social reformer, says Governor Chandigarh, February 5 The Governor said Guru Ravidas was one of the greatest saints of the Bhakti Movement, who preached against social evils like casteism, untouchability, communalism and superstition. The Chief Minister described Guru Ravidas as a great social reformer and said that his teachings were even more relevant even today. He said the real tribute to the saint would be to take a pledge on this day to create a new social order by eradicating social evils from society. |
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Chautala opens MC office Kurukshetra, February 5 This was stated by Mr Chautala at Paehowa while addressing the gathering after inaugurating the newly-constructed office of the Pehowa Municipal Committee. It had been constructed at a cost of Rs 35 lakh. |
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Bhajan, Hooda hail Bofors case verdict Chandigarh, February 5 The Congress leaders said the political rivals had tried to tarnish the image of the former Prime Minister by levelling baseless charges. |
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40 ultrasound machines seized Chandigarh, February 5 This was disclosed at a meeting of the State Supervisory Board presided over by the Minister of State for Health, Dr M.L. Ranga. Out of 22 complaints, six were from Faridabad, five from Gurgaon, two each from Rewari and Rohtak and one each from Ambala, Bhiwani, Jhajjar, Hisar, Kurukshetra, Panipat and Yamunanagar. |
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Declamation
contest
Ambala, February 5 The contest was organised by Commerce society of Hindu Girls College,
Jagadhari, and won third prize. — TNS |
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