The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Haryana hikes water, sewerage charges Shubhadeep Choudhury Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 1 The Haryana Government has increased the water and sewerage charges for all categories of consumers in municipal areas. While for the domestic category the increase is about 20 per cent, it is around 25 per cent in the case of commercial, industrial and institutional consumers. A state government notification, which came into effect today, fixed the new charges. The notification replaces the old rates which were introduced in 1994. In 2001, the Chautala regime had also tried to enhance the water and sewerage charges but backed out in the face of widespread protest. Defending the Hooda-led government's move to enhance the rates, an official here said the Union Government had been insisting that Haryana should introduce “more realistic rates” for water supply and sewerage. This would enable Haryana to get loans from funding agencies to upgrade its water supply and sewer network, the official said. According to the notification, the flat rate for an unmetered domestic water connection having more than one tap with a ferrule connection up to 10 mm would be Rs 48 per month. The earlier rate was Rs 40 per month. The flat rate for a water connection at unmetered homes with a ferrule size of up to 12 mm (any number of taps) will now be Rs 120 per month from the earlier Rs 100. For ferrule sizes of 15 mm, 20 mm and above 20 mm, the rates will be Rs 150, Rs 180 and Rs 240, respectively. The corresponding rates earlier were Rs 125, Rs 150 and Rs 200. At metered houses, the rate for water supply remains unchanged at Re 1 per kilolitre. For commercial, institutional and industrial users, however, there is an increase of about 25 per cent in the charges. For commercial users, the rate will be Rs 2.50 per kilolitre from the previous Rs 2 per kilolitre. The rate for industrial supply has gone up to Rs 3.15 from Rs 2.50 per kilolitre. The sewerage charge in the case of domestic connections for toilets has been made Rs 6 per unit from Rs 5. In the case of urinals it will be Rs 1.50 per unit from the earlier Re 1. For commercial, institutional and industrial users, the rates have become Rs 6.25 for toilets and Rs 1.85 for urinals per unit per month. The notification said that unmetered connections in commercial, institutional and industrial establishments would not be allowed in future. It added that the existing unmetered connections in such establishments would be converted into metered connections within three months from the date of the notification. Otherwise, such establishments would be charged Rs 1,000 per month. The notification, issued on April 28, added that water supply or sewer connections would be charged at commercial, institutional or industrial rates even if the industrial or commercial activity was undertaken in a residential area. The levy of commercial or institutional or industrial rates on an establishment would not confer any right on it to get the advantage of being treated as commercial or industrial or institutional premises by any other government agency or department. The notification said the Superintending Engineer of the Public Health Department of the area concerned would act as an arbitrator in the case of any dispute arising between the department and a consumer. It also added that any connection not in conformity with the rules would be disconnected immediately without giving any notice and be restored only after the necessary rectification and payment of Rs 500 as fine by the consumer.
	Prashant new Chief Secy Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 1 Mr Prem Prashant, an IAS officer of the 1970 batch, was today appointed the Chief Secretary of Haryana. Before becoming the Chief Secretary, Mr Prashant was the Home Secretary of the state. While making Mr Prashant the Chief Secretary, the Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, ignored two other officers of the 1970 batch whose names figure before that of Mr Prashant in the Gradation List of IAS officers of Haryana. The official justification offered for choosing Mr Prashant before any other batchmate was that he would have a longer tenure as the Chief Secretary which would be a good thing for the administration. Mr Prashant, soon after taking over as the Chief Secretary, went to the New Secretariat building to meet his batchmates, Mr K. C. Sharma and Ms Asha Sharma, who had missed the bus because of his elevation as the Chief Secretary. "They had greater claims than I had to the Chief Secretary's post. I have always got their affection and nothing is going to change between us”, Mr Prashant told mediapersons who had assembled in his room. Mr Sharma told this reporter that he was happy to see Mr Prashant become the Chief Secretary. “I am a large hearted man and I will fully cooperate with the Chief Secretary, who is like my younger brother”, Mr Sharma, Revenue Secretary, said. Mr Prashant, who retires on August 31, 2007, will remain the Chief Secretary for 16 months unless some unexpected development necessitates his removal from the post. None of the other Haryana Chief Secretaries in recent times has had such a long tenure as they were appointed to the top administrative post at the fag end of their careers. Mr Sharma and Ms Asha Sharma are slated to retire on August 31, 2006, and February 28, 2007, respectively. Thus, they would have had a shorter stint than that of Mr Prashant as Chief Secretary had either of them been appointed to the post. Mr Prashant is a native of Agra. He did his postgraduation in physics from Allahabad University.
	I enjoyed each day of my career: ex-Chief Secy Yoginder Gupta Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 1 “Excellent and extremely satisfying”. This is how the first woman Chief Secretary of Haryana, Ms Meenaxi Anand Chaudhry, described her 37-year-long stay in the elite Indian Administrative Service, a day after her superannuation. In a telephonic talk to The Tribune, Ms Chaudhry said she had enjoyed each day of her career but the last six months had been particularly exciting. She said as the Chief Secretary she was given a lot of space to work by the Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda. Contrary to the public perception, she said she also enjoyed excellent relations with the Chief Minister's office headed by his Principal Secretary, Mr M.L. Tayal. Talking high of Mr Hooda, she said the Chief Minister was a person with a great vision and leadership qualities, which motivated people, like me her, to work for the state. Was being a woman an asset or handicap? “Neither”, she said, adding that it did not come in her way while dealing with politicians, colleagues, subordinates and the public. “I got tremendous respect from the public which is my reward,” she added. Ms Chaudhry was not inclined to get into any discussion on the issue of the Haryana Government's proposal to grant her extension and which was declined by the Centre. on her future plans she said:“ I have worked enough. I plan to lead an active retired life” .
	Case against Abhey Chautala out of frustration: Sampat Singh Our Correspondent Fatehabad, May 1 Former Haryana Finance Minister, Sampat Singh today castigated the Bhupinder Singh Hooda government for registering false and politically motivated case against Mr Abhey Singh Chautala. Mr Sampat Singh was talking to reporters here INLD MLAs, Dr Sushil Indora and Mr Gian Chand Odh, former MLA, Ms Swatantar Bala Chaudhary and INLD Women’s wing district president, Ms Krishana Poonia were present. Mr Sampat Singh said that the Hooda government had been acting against INLD leaders out of frustration as it had proved to be a failure on all fronts. He said the Congress government had come to power in Haryana with a massive mandate and people had expected the government to perform better than the previous government. But the government, he said, had disappointed various sections of society. The INLD leader alleged all development activities had come to a standstill in the state ever since this government came to power. The Congress had promised to take the retrenched employees back but had instead rendered jobless over 25000 youths. He said that the INLD government had made a policy of giving 25 per cent reservation to all retrenched employees, but the present government had not provided a single job to those employees. He said both farmers and the traders were suffering losses due to government policies. While the farmers had not been getting remunerative price for their produce, the government while purchasing mustard crop of the farmers had bypassed traders operating in the grain markets. Mr Sampat Singh decried power situation in the state and said that the Hooda government did not have vision. The government had, so far not, worked on any power generation project and the power problem was likely to worsen. He said the lack of vision on the part of the state government could be gauged from the fact that it started construction of the Hansi-Butana Link channel without getting the consent of Punjab, Rajasthan and the Central Water Commission (CWC). He feared the money spent on the canal could prove to be wasted. Mr Sampat Singh alleged only work the government had done so far was to remove name of Chaudhary Devi Lal from Panipat Thermal Plant, removing the foundation stone placed by Mr Om Parkash Chautala and registration of false cases against its political opponents. He said the case of Mr Abhey Singh was not an isolated case of the Hooda government acting out of political vendetta. The government, he said, had already registered criminal cases against former minister Jaswinder Singh Sandhu and Mr Umed Lohan. Earlier, the party organised a demonstration in the town. Workers went to the local mini secretariat in procession and gave a memorandum to the district authorities.
	Jail warden held in dealer’s murder case Our Correspondent Kaithal, May 1 The police has arrested Ashok Kumar of Katwal village in Jind district, a suspended warden of the Karnal jail, in connection with the murder of plywood dealer Narinder Arora here on the night of March 17. The warden had reportedly provided a revolver, 10 cartridges, four mobile phones and four SIM cards to members of the Surinder Geong gang. The revolver was reportedly used to kill Arora, who had refused to pay Rs 50 lakh as extortion money to them. During interrogation, the warden had given vital information, the police said. The accused had revealed that a member of the gang belonging to Jind district had handed over a revolver and 10 cartridges to him, which was later given to Joginder Geong and his friend. He had also revealed that four mobile phones and four SIM cards, purchased from Kaithal, Panipat, Sonepat and Karnal on the basis of fake identification, had been given to him by two youths of Kaithal district, a gangster from Delhi and a member of the gang out on parole then and had reached Surinder through him. He had further revealed that a number of wardens of the Karnal jail had developed intimacy with Surinder and Anil Gurana and they used to enjoy the hospitality of jailed gangsters and accept tea and cigarettes from them. The police had arrested 21 persons in connection with the murder and recovered nine mobile phones, nine SIM cards and three motor cycles used by the criminals. Eighteen of the accused, already in judicial custody, were today produced in the court of the CJM, who extended their judicial custody by 14 days. Four criminals wanted for their alleged involvement had been evading arrest despite raids on their possible hideouts. The Haryana police had declared rewards of between Rs 75,000 and Rs 1 lakh for their arrest.
	Karamchari Sangh burns CM’s effigy Tribune Reporters Panipat, May 1 A protest against the state government by various worker unions marked May Day here today. Various workers’ fronts organised rallies and showed their deep concern over the poor condition of the working class. The Sarv Karamchari Sangh, a body of the state government employees union today burnt the effigy of the Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda. Led by the district president of the sangh, Mr Narinder Khokhar, supporters of the sangh held a protest rally against the privatisation of the Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs). Slogan-raising workers blocked the GT Road near Lal Batti Chowk for half an hour this afternoon and urged the state government to withdraw the plan of handing over the ITIs to private companies. Hundreds of workers from the pitloom industry gathered at Circus Ground and staged a demonstration against the state government. Leaders of the union blamed the Hooda government for not listening to the problems of the workers of the loom industry of Panipat. KURUKSHETRA: “To commemorate International Workers Day and for making the Indian vision 2020 of a developed nation a reality, we need to create work culture, which is otherwise deteriorating due to so-called labour unions with vested interest and making India Strikers’ paradise in the name of right.” “So far the condition of workers in India is concerned, it continues to be the same because of the labour leaders becoming pawns for the political bigwigs. Thus, we need to search alternatives to labour unions to improve the lot of workers for whom such safeguard was originally planned.” Observing this here today, Prof M.M. Goel, a nationalist thinker and development economist teaching at Kurukshetra University, said: “We need to motivate manpower in the real sense and spirit of Lord Vishvakarma practised for qualitative endeavour of hard work and sense of sacrifice to substitute group greed and desires under mob mentality of labour union movement in India.” “To create a conducive work culture in India, there is need for converting holiday culture into holy-day culture,” stated Professor Goel.
	HAU don accused of molestation suspended Students lathicharged as rival groups clash over issue Tribune News Service Hisar, May 1 The atmosphere on the Haryana Agricultural University (HAU) campus here remained charged day today with a number of students staging a protest and demanding action against a faculty member who had allegedly molested a girl student. The protesters boycotted their classes, locked the entrance gate of the university library and sat in dharna in front of it. However, another group of students came out in support of the Associate Professor against whom the allegations had been levelled. Both groups raised slogans in support of their demands throughout the day. At one point, a clash broke out between the rival groups of students, following which the police personnel deployed on the campus swung into action and lathicharged the students. The students also pelted stones at the police personnel and damaged university property. The students canvassing for the teacher maintained that it was a conspiracy hatched by two girls whose lectures were short. Meanwhile, the university authorities have suspended Associate Professor B.S.Beniwal of the Department of Animal Product Technology, who had been charged with molesting and making sexual advances at a girl student. He has also been transferred to the HAU centre at Sadalpur. However, even the suspension orders failed to placate the protesting students, especially girls, who were demanding the teacher’s immediate dismissal. So intense was their anger that while a meeting of university top brass was going on at the Vice-Chancellor’s office, the girls forcibly entered the room and raised slogans in support of their demands. Earlier, following a written complaint against the teacher’s misconduct lodged by 47 girl students of the university, the Vice-Chancellor, Dr J.C.Katyal, constituted a committee to look into the matter. The views of the complainants were heard, following which the HAU Registrar, Dr M.S.Kuhad, announced that the university authorities had suspended Dr Beniwal with immediate effect. The situation remained tense and volatile even after the decision was announced. At the time of filing this report, the Vice-Chancellor was busy at a meeting of the senior university officials for maintenance of law and order. A committee has been formed under Dr Lalli Yadav to look into the matter and submit its report within 10 days.
	Traffic woes of Ambala Sadar Tribune News Service Ambala, May 1 Traffic jams, haphazardly parked vehicles and lack of proper parking space are a major problem in the Ambala Sadar area. While efforts have been initiated from time to time by the police to streamline the traffic in the Sadar area, the results have been far from satisfactory. The roads in the busy market area are a motorists nightmare. Local residents are now hopeful that there could be improvement in the traffic scenario since the new Superintendent of Police, , Mr Amitabh Dhillon, is said to have a rich experience in traffic. The traffic problem is compounded by the fact that there is considerable encroachment in the Sadar area. The temporary encroachments by the shopkeepers eat up road space. This leads to motorists finding it difficult to navigate through the area. The Municipal Council, Ambala Sadar, runs drives to clear encroachment but these re-surface as soon as the municipal team leaves the area. There are certain areas in Ambala Sadar which are worst affected due to haphazard parking as well as rehris on the roadside. The traffic moves at a snail's pace in different parts of Ambala Sadar, including the area near the main bus stand, DC road, Gur Mandi, Subzi Mandi, Nicholson Road and Bazaza Bazar. In the area near the main bus stand and vegetable whole sale market, the roadways drivers find it difficult to pass through the area. Rehris are parked on both sides of the road and even the road berm is used to sell vegetables. Eventhough the parking of rehris there is not considered to be valid, little action has been forthcoming to ensure that the rehris move out of the area. A few years ago, an ambitious plan had been drawn up by the then SP, Mr Manoj Yadava. The plan included having one way traffic so that the flow of traffic is not hampered. Proper parking space was also envisaged in the plan. However, the plan failed to take off the ground. Lack of proper parking space in the Sadar area is hampering business growth in the area too.
	One held for fraud Our Correspondent Kurukshetra, May 1 The police has arrested Salinder Singh of Kainthla village, under Pehowa sub-division, in this district for bid to get Rs 9.90 lakh from a bank by presenting a person in his father’s place and mortgaging his father’s land. District police chief Sanjay Kumar said today the sub-divisional officer (civil), Pehowa, Ms Sumedha Kataria, got a case registered at Pehowa police station in this district, saying Salinder Singh, son of Bachan Singh, of Dera Dharmgarh, Kainthla had tried to get loan Rs 9.90 lakh by presenting another person in place of his father. The case was witnessed by lambardar Masura Ram, of Asmaanpur village and Duni Chand of Sarsa village in this district. She also informed the police that involvement of a bank manager could not be ruled out. The case was registered under Sections 419, 420, 468, 471 and 120 B of the Indian Penal Code. Mr Kumar said during interrogation Salinder Singh told the police that he had tried to get money from his father Bachan Singh at various occasions, but failed. Ultimately, he presented ‘Khemu’, son of Phulgeer, resident of Kainthla village, in place of his father and got witnessed from Masura Ram and Duni Chand at the time of the approval of the loan. Salinder Singh was arrested, produced in a court and remanded in judicial custody for 14 days.
	Body identified Tribune News Service Raipur Rani, May 1 The body of a 30-year-old man which was found dumped with multiple stab injuries in fields of Mauli village yesterday, was identified as Naresh Kumar, alias Neetu, a resident of Sector 19, Panchkula. The family members of Neetu identified the body from his clothes. According to family members, Neetu used to run a juice bar in Manimajra. Brother of a woman advocate practicing at Panchkula district courts, Neetu went missing on April 29. The body was cremated after postmortem this afternoon.