Chandigarh, January 4
In a move which will further endear him to the farming community of not only his own state but of all wheat-growing states, the Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, today wrote to the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, to raise the minimum support price (MSP) of wheat to Rs 850 per quintal. No Opposition leader has made this demand so far.

After last year's fiasco on wheat procurement, the Centre had to import wheat to bridge the gap between the demand of the public distribution system and the procurement of wheat by the Food Corporation of India, seriously endangering the food security of the country.

The government could not procure the required quantity of wheat because private parties purchased it direct from the farmers at prices much higher than the MSP of Rs 650 per quintal announced by the Centre. The situation did not improve even after the Centre announced a bonus of Rs 50 per quintal later.

To encourage more wheat sowing the Centre this year announced Rs 750 per quintal as the MSP. This hike of Rs 100 in the MSP was a record of sorts in the sense that never before had the MSP of wheat been increased by such an amount.

However, market watchers feel that the farmers may not sell their produce to the government even at this rate.

Private parties are likely to offer them more than the MSP. Since the government agencies purchase wheat only at the MSP, the FCI is likely to again fail this year to build up sufficient buffer stocks in the country.

Pointing out this possibility to the Prime Minister, Mr Hooda said even after the payment of a bonus of Rs 50 per quintal, the government agencies could procure only 22.29 lakh metric tonnes (MT) in Haryana last year as compared to 45.29 lakh MT in 2005. On the other hand, private parties purchased 7.43 lakh MT of wheat in Haryana at prices much higher than the MSP, whereas in 2005, they had purchased only a small quantity of 0.62 lakh MT.

Mr Hooda, sources say, has written to Dr Manmohan Singh that the cost of cultivation over the years had been increasing in view of the escalation in the cost of inputs. He said the MSP of Rs 750 per quintal did not cover the cost of cultivation of wheat, which in Haryana was about Rs 800 per quintal.

Mr Hooda cautioned that if the MSP was not further enhanced appreciably, the government agencies would face the same dilemma this year also as they faced last year in procuring wheat for the public distribution system.

Mr Hooda said in the interest of the farmers and to protect the food security of the country, the MSP of wheat must be increased to Rs 850 per quintal. 

Yamunanagar, January 4
The Punjab Police has failed to make any headway in the alleged kidnapping of a junior engineer of the Postal Department (Civil) who exposed irregularities in Jalandhar. The police has registered a case of kidnapping and criminal conspiracy against three officials of the department and a government contractor in 2005 but no arrest has been made.

There is no news about the JE Satish Kamboj. Her wife Veena Kamboj has no source of income and depended on her in-laws and own parents to look after her son Aman, (7) and daughter Aakshi (4).

The Kamboj family has made several rounds to a Jalandhar police station and met senior officials.

After intervention of the Prime Minister’s Office and Haryana Chief Minister’s Office, the Punjab Police constituted a special investigation team (SIT) under Superintendent of Police Jaskirit Singh.

A police official said the accused were questioned by the SIT but nothing concrete came out. The police later issued look out notices.

Satish had gone missing on September 5, 2005. He had ‘blown whistle’ against irregularities at the site (Rudka Kalana, Jalandhar).

Fed up with the tardy investigations of the Punjab Police, the family has demanded a CBI inquiry in the case and the request has been made to the Prime Minister through Kurukshetra MP Naveen Jindal.

“He did not discuss official matters with me but he had talked about irregularities there”, said Ms Kamboj. “There are evidence against the accused and yet the Punjab Police has not made any arrests”, rues Ms Kamboj. She alleged that his department, instead of helping her, was harassing the family.

Yamunanagar, January 4
The alleged gang rape case of a Dalit woman and payment of Rs 30,000 to her for a compromise today took a new turn when residents of the Bank Colony, where the accused in the case lives, and others submitted a memorandum to the Superintendent of Police claiming that the allegations were manipulated.

As per the memorandum signed by about 150 persons including a woman an office-bearer of the Haryana Kalyan Manch which claimed to help the woman to get the case registered, is a property dealer and the woman was being used to settle a property dispute against the accused.

On the other hand, the Haryana Kalyan Manch here today alleged certain ‘influential residents’ of the district were trying to save the accused.

It has also alleged the police did not name a third accused in the FIR. The police registered a case against two persons under Section 376 of the IPC. However, no arrests have been made. The matter was still being investigated, said police sources.

The woman (25) and mother of a one and half year old boy had alleged she was gang raped by three persons in Kansapur on the eve of New Year and later the police had forced her to reach a compromise and she was paid Rs 30,000.

Karnal, January 4
Scientists at the newly developed tissue culture laboratory are all set to bring biotech revolution in the state as they have started working to rejuvenate the once-commercially profitable saccharum officinarum or the COJ- 64 variety of sugarcane.

A few years ago, the variety was preferred by farmers in the entire north India due to its high quality. But for the past 2-3 years, farmers in the region, including Haryana, had stopped sowing it as the variety is susceptible to red rot and mosaic diseases.

However, Dr Sunil Pathak, head of the lab, informed TNS that with the help of the tissue culture technique, scientists were hopeful about preparing a hybrid seed of COJ-64. He said experiments were on to make disease-free and healthy seed, which would add significantly to the farmers' economy.

He added the technique would benefit the commercial production of sugarcane and would try to bring a biotech revolution. He said the team here was working to develop the hybrid sugarcane seeds of other varieties, including CO-116, CO-237, COH-76 and COH-98.

The tissue culture lab with the ultra-modern facilities is believed to be only in the country dedicated exclusively to sugarcane. The technical staff of the unit is looking after the lab housing on the Karnal Cooperative Sugar Mills here.

Managing Director of the mills R. C. Bidhan said the lab management would start distributing hybrid seeds developed here through the 10-odd sugar cooperative mills of the state.

By the coming sowing season, the mill would be able to distribute approximately 3 lakh seeds in March this year. It would touch the figure of 8 lakh next year, added Mr Bidhan.

Panchkula, January 4
The Haryana Government is alive to the problems of the physically and mentally challenged as also the visually impaired and will initiate steps to address these on priority. The Government will also consider a proposal of granting a two-year extension in service to the national awardees among the handicapped.

Announcing this at a function of disabled organised by the National Handicapped Welfare Council, Haryana, on the 198th Louies Braille Anniversary here today, Mr Phool Chand Mullana, Education Minister, said the state government was planning to institute some new welfare schemes for the disabled to involve them in the public and private sector. Ms Meena Mandal, State Minister of Corporation and Archaeology, presided over the function also assured full support to them.

Dr A.C.Jagga, a visually challenged national awardee, presented a charter of demands to the Education Minister and Corporation Minister. The demands included extension of two years service for National Awardee, Constitution of a handicapped welfare board headed by educated and diligent disabled person, reservation of plots in group housing society to handicapped, appointment of disabled person as disabled commissioner, posting of employee married to a disabled persons at the place of their choice.

Professor I.J. Bharti, president of the council, highlighted its activities and urged the government to make this council a Nodal Agency for the supply of artificial limbs and calipers and crutches and other material for disabled under the integrated education for disabled under the integrated education for disabled persons.

Mr K.C.Wadhawan, Project Director, while speaking on the occasion disclosed that the proposed national disabled institute at Panchkula will start functioning in April this year where vocational and technical training to disabled persons will be imparted to make them self dependent.

Mr Wadhawan further stated that these courses of 22 trades will be got recognised by the technical education and education department, Haryana so as there could be no problem in getting jobs.

The Education Minister also distributed Louies Braille Memorial Award to seven on their outstanding performance in the field of welfare of visually impaired and physically disabled. A cultural programme was also performed by the physically challenged and visually impaired children on the occasion.

Ambala, January 4
The cutting of trees in Ambala Sadar is gradually snowballing into a major issue. Even before dust could settle down over the cutting of a few trees in a hotel located on Staff Road yesterday, Municipal Council officials today asked the police to registration a case against authorities of a well-known school where a couple of trees, located at the school boundary wall, were cut.

Mr K.K. Jain, Executive Officer, Municipal Council, Ambala Sadar said, "After we learnt about trees being cut by the school authorities, we sent them a notice. However, we did not receive a response. So we have sent a letter to the police recommending that a case be registered. We have also sent a communique to the Forest Department informing them about the same."

A forest official stated that trees cannot be cut. "It is clear that only dead trees can be cut, that too only after due permission has been taken," he said.

Mr R.P. Gupta, president of Green Circle, which works for the betterment of the environment, stated that the cutting of trees should be strongly condemned. "We are shocked that trees are being cut. We have been working day and night to plant saplings, looking after plants and beautifying parks. On the other hand, people are mercilessly cutting trees," he said in disbelief.

He added that cities in Haryana have turned into concrete jungles. "Few trees are left and if those too are cut, then there will be only barren land," he said.

Kaithal, January 4
A man murdered his wife and seriously inured his daughter with a sharp-edged weapon in the Shiv Shakti colony here last night . The accused is absconding. The police has registered a case under Section 302 and 307 IPC.

According to the FIR, accused Jaswant used to beat his wife as he was doubtful of her character. She was recently taken to her native village Chakku Ladana by her parents but the accused brought her to Kaithal a few days ago.

Last night, Jaswant asked his 5-year-old son to sleep outside his house. When the boy could not face the chill in the wee hours, he got awakened and went in the house and he noticed that his mother was lying dead and his sister Pammi (15) was also seriously injured.

The boy raised an alarm following which neighbours reached the spot . They immediately informed the parents of the deceased and rushed the injured girl to the Civil Hospital here.