Chandigarh, February 9
The Haryana Congress president, Mr Bhajan Lal, has sought the explanation of nine Congressmen to explain why disciplinary action should not be taken against them for working against party candidates in the Assembly elections.

On the complaint of Mrs Prasanni Devi, candidate from Naultha, the explanation has been sought from a former minister, Mr Bijender Singh Kadian; a former treasurer of the party, Mr Dalbir Singh Jaglan; and Mr Khushi Ram Jaglan, a party worker.

While Mr Kadian is close to Mr Bhajan Lal, the two Jaglans are considered to be close to the former party chief, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

Similarly, on the complain of Prof Chhattar Pal Singh, party nominee from Ghirai in Hisar district, show-cause notices have been issued to Mr Ishwar Singh Punia, Mr Vikas Punia, Mr Rajender Sura and Mr Dharam Singh Punia.

In the Hansi constituency, the notices have been issued to Mr Attar Singh Saini, a former minister, and Mr Radhey Shyam Gehlot, party activist, on a complaint lodged by the candidate, Mr Amir Chand Makkar.

Yamunanagar, February 9
After about three months the Western Yamuna Canal (WYC) yesterday carried water to the fields located at its farthest tip in the state.

The four hydroelectric power generation units setup on the WYC also started generation to their capacity thanks to the heavy rainfall in the upper Himalayas and in the catchment areas of the Yamuna for the past couple of days.

According to sources in the Haryana Irrigation Department, the water level recorded at the Hathnikund Barrage here was 6,400 cusecs on Tuesday. The river had reduced to a seasonal rivulet from the middle of November last.

Subsequently the power generation from the hydel project had also suffered. Haryana has set up four power generation units (with two power generating units each) on the WYC.

The units produce 64 MW power when the water level in the river is 5400 cusecs or more but were producing only 10 – 20 MW for the past several weeks.

The power generation from the four units on Tuesday was about 49 MW (one unit each at the Nanowala and Begampura have been shut for maintenance). The power generated from the units is pooled in the national power grid.

Uttar Pardesh has also set up hydel power generation units on the Eastern Yamuna Canal but no power is being generated as the canal is under repair.

According to sources in the Haryana Irrigation Department, now Uttar Pardesh is getting 1496 cusecs, Delhi 1116 cusecs and Haryana 4748 cusecs.

160 cusecs of water from the common pool is left in the river for the consumption of wild animals.

Because of the paucity of water in the canal, a large parts of Haryana dependent on the canal for irrigation were left dry. The sources said water was now reaching up to Narnaul.

Sonepat, February 9
The Ganaur police recovered the body of a trader lying in the forest area at Naya Bans village about 20 km from here, today.

According to the police, the body was identified as that of Mr Aziz Khan, a resident of Kutana village in Baghpat district of Uttar Pradesh.

The victim used to purchase and sell milch animals and he had visited the village for this purpose. The body bore several injuries inflicted with sharpedged weapons. The police believes it to be a case of murder and has started investigation into the case.

It is stated that some shepherds spotted the body lying in a pool of blood. They informed Mr Inder Singh, sarpanch of the village, about the body. The sarpanch in turn, informed the police.

According to another report, the Ganaur police recovered the half-burnt body of Chander (45), a chowkidar lying near a tank at Purkhas village, about 20 km from here, today. The police has sent the body for post-mortem examination.

Rewari, February 9
Mr. Rakesh Gupta, Secretary, Haryana Board of School Education ( HBSE), said here yesterday that to bring about a qualitative change in the schooling, 2005 would be observed as a year of " Education-Examination Reform" by the board.

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday he emphasised the urgency of making the middle, Matriculation and senior secondary examinations of the board immune from copying to enhance the quality of schooling in Haryana.

He said the board had taken specific measures to ensure the smooth conduct of these examinations. He said photographs and signatures of candidates appearing in these examinations would be printed on their admit cards, signature charts and the certificates to eliminate any chance of impersonation.

Besides the allotment of examination centers to both categories of regular and private candidates as well as the appointments of supervisory staff and examiners would be made through computer system to rule out the alleged menace of favouritism in such matters.

Simultaneously the marking of answer scripts would be got done through a scientific marking scheme which would be finalised by the subject experts.

Mr. Gupta further informed that the board had also introduced a 'one- time cash award' scheme in place of the old scholarship scheme just to speed up the disbursement of scholarships. Besides the earlier provision of parents' income ceiling had also been scrapped in this 'one- time cash award' scheme.

Ambala, February 9
Industry and trade representatives from Ambala held a meeting today with Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) officials to discuss their demands.

The meeting was presided over by Mr Mohinder Singh, Director Finance, UHBVN, at Dhulkot Electricity Rest House. Senior UHBVN officials were present at the meeting.

The industry and trade representatives who attended the meeting included Dr N.C. Jain, Mr A.D. Gandhi, Mr B.B. Jain, Dr Jai Dev, Mr Gian Chand Aggarwal, Mr R.P. Gupta, Mr V.P. Walia, Mr D.R. Dhawan, Mr M.S. Tandon and Mr S.K. Sadana.

The representatives demanded that Ambala Cantt should be placed at par with Panchkula in distribution of electricity because the former is having over 1,000 cottage and small scale industries in which more than 15,000 workers are employed.

The electricity department recovery in Ambala Cantt is 95 per cent, which is the highest in the whole of Haryana.

It was pointed out that in case of power cuts, industries should be informed in time.

“It is suggested that one day is to be fixed for power cuts so that the remaining six days, industry can work without any interruption. It is also suggested that standby transformers should be available during emergency breakdowns.”

Dr N.C. Jain, senior vice-president of Haryana Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said they suggested that all worn out and damaged electricity poles should be replaced to avoid accidents and frequent breakdowns. “The electricity department has agreed to look into the complaints on priority basis and a survey team is to ascertain the replacement requirement,” he said.

The representatives suggested that all tube wells in Ambala Cantt should be provided regular power supply.

“The electricity department has also informed that fourth day of every month a bijli adalat will be held in Ambala Cantt to redress the grievances.

“It was suggested to the department that the Superintendent Engineer should hold a bi-monthly meeting to redress the grievances of the industry and trade.

The department has agreed to the suggestion.” Also, the trade representatives demanded re-introduction of meter reading cards.

Yamunanagar, February 9
Twelve couples tied nuptial knot at two separate mass marriage organised here today. The couples were also given household items, including sewing machines.

Seven couples got married at a function organised by the Shri Hari Krishan Devta Manch at Kanhari Kalana village of the Mustfabad Block.

One of the couple belonged to the Muslim community. Mr Sheetal Chauhan, president of the manch, said the function was considered auspicious for the village.

The second mass marriage function was held at Shri Ram Baba Balak Dass Ashram at Chhachhrouli where five couples belonging to the Muslim community got married. Baba Balak Dass said they had been organising mass marriages every year. 

Chandigarh, February 9
Haryana bureaucrats had started calling on Congress leaders from the state right after the results of the Lok Sabha polls in which the Opposition Congress made a clean sweep in nine out of the 10 seats in Haryana.

Now the exit poll surveys as well as the media predicting a Congress victory in last week’s assembly elections in the state, all hell has broken lose among the bureaucrats who are rushing to Delhi to meet Congress leaders who could become the next Chief Minister.

One big problem the visitors are facing is that they are not yet certain who will get the top job in a Congress government and can arrange a cosy posting. However, the officers, an enterprising lot by all accounts, have worked out a simple solution to overcome the problem. They try to meet as many contenders of the CM’s post as possible while giving the impression to each of these leaders that it is he (or she) only that the bureaucrat in question percieves as the next Chief 
Minister.

All the senior Congress leaders of the state have got houses in Delhi and they are staying put in the capital because it makes the AICC headquarters easily accessible to them. Their presence in Delhi has made the city the political capital of Haryana also for the time being. Mr Bhajan Lal’s house in Golf Green area and Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s and Ms Selja’s official residences and Mr Shamsher Singh Surjewala’s house in Greater Kailash area, are getting a steady stream of visitors in the form of Haryana bureaucrats coming to make “courtsey calls”.

The officers are trying to keep all the contenders for the CM’s post in good humour, while at the same time shrewdly assessing which Congress leader has the maximum chance of becoming the next Chief Minister. If the bureaucratic intuition turns out to be correct, it will be Mr Bhajan Lal.

One bureaucrat, who paid his respects to Mr Bhajan Lal, Ms Selja, and another leader during a recent trip to Delhi, found Mr Bhajan Lal most upbeat among the three. Ms Selja too was optimistic but not as much as Mr Bhajan Lal. The third leader apparently showed signs of despondency.

Mr Bhajan Lal’s MP son Mr Kuldeep Bishnoi’s official residence at Pandara Road in Delhi has also become a stop-over for officers keen to get plum postings. “A few Haryana officers are already sitting there when I went to Kuldeep’s house”, an officer said. Mr Bishnoi, who won from Bhiwani Lok Sabha seat in a clash of titans, had an appointment with Mr Rahul Gandhi and the message did not go unnoticed by those who had assembled at the house.

Two senior Haryana cadre IAS officers, posted in Delhi on central deputation, have also started cosying up with Mr Bhajan Lal and his son in view of the expected change of scene in Haryana.

Not that all the officers agree with the view that Mr Bhajan will be the next Chief Minister. “ The pro-Bhajan Lal officers are finding him more upbeat than others. It is their subjective perception”, an IAS officer said. He rued that officers 
personally meeting probable CMs for getting “good postings” was a recent phenomenon which was unheard of earlier.

Kaithal, February 9
Following the death of four labourers two days ago in a hooch tragedy, the police has registered a criminal case against a labourer and another unknown person who is reported to have given a bottle of liquor to a labourer which was subsequently consumed by the victims causing their death.

Out of the two survivors, who were admitted to the Civil Hospital here, one was shifted to the PGI, Rohtak.

Four labourers hailing from different parts of Uttar Pradesh died after allegedly consuming liquor given to one of them by a member of a marriage party here . The four who died after consuming the hooch were cremated secretly by those working with them ,while two others who fell unconscious and became serious were admitted to hospital here.

Yamunanagar, February 9
In two different incidents, villagers seized two trucks carrying carcass of three cows and eight oxen here this morning. In both cases the smugglers managed to flee leaving the vehicles carrying dead, injured and ailing cattle. The postmortem of the carcass of the oxen revealed that the animals died of suffocation.

The police impounded a truck carrying the carcass of a cow and four injured head of cattle yesterday. On February 5 also the police had impounded a truck with 11 cows allegedly being taken for slaughter to Uttar Pradesh from here.

As per information available, residents of Unheri village noticed a truck moving towards the Unheri Ghat on the Yamuna at a fast speed. The villagers got suspicious and blocked the way near the ghat using animal-driven carts. The occupants of the truck panicked and fled leaving the truck. Later it was found that there were 25 oxen in the truck with eight of them dead. Another eight were seriously ill.