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Rajiv Gandhi Thermal Power Plant
Hisar, February 2 Ashok Lavasa, financial commissioner and principal secretary (power) and chairman, HPGCL, told TNS that about 60 per cent work had been completed. The first unit of this mega project would be commissioned before December this year. The second unit would go on stream before March 2010. The synchronisation of the first unit was planned during September. He said so far Rs 1,439 crore had been spent on this project against total engineering, procurement and construction cost of Rs 3,775.43 crore. Major construction activities like boiler and turbine erection, construction of cooling towers, chimney and 400-KV switchyard were going on as per schedule or ahead of schedule. The cooling towers of the project would be the tallest in the country with a height of 173 m, out of which casting of more than 168 m had already been completed in the case of unit-1 and 82 m in the case of unit-2. The height of the chimney of this project was 275 m and it was the tallest structure of the project. Lavasa has asked officers of the irrigation and the public orks department to expedite the construction of the water inlet channel before the middle of May this year to enable the authorities to complete the tests for commissioning of the plant. He also asked the Haryana State Road & Bridges Corporation to expedite the construction of the barracks meant for the Central Industrial Security Force and the residential accommodation for the employees. The construction work of this 1200 MW mega project was awarded on January 29, 2007, to Reliance
Infrastructure Limited on turnkey basis. A green-field project of this capacity takes at least 39 to 42 months for commissioning. However, for this project an aggressive commissioning schedule of 35 and 38 months has been envisaged which is the shortest commissioning schedule in the country for such a large project. The authorities are further targeting a best effort schedule of 34 and 36 months for early availability of power from these units. This is the first project in northern region to be awarded mega project status with attached benefits under the mega project policy of government of India. This has resulted in the reduction of project cost and inter alia lower cost of generation and tariff. With the commissioning of these two units, 288 lakh additional units per day will be available to Haryana. A colony for operation and maintenance staff having 417 residences and other non-residential buildings is under construction.
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Good response to power theft info scheme
Chandigarh, February 2 The information of pilferage of power in the state is being registered at this telephone number with a provision of giving a secret code to the informer for claiming the amount of reward. Under the scheme floated by the Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam, every informer is paid Rs 1,000 immediately after the detection of theft. Also, there is a provision of paying 40 per cent of the total recovered amount as an incentive to the informer under the scheme and there is no maximum limit of the incentive amount. The scheme makes it mandatory for the informer to provide details about the theft, the details of person stealing power along with its mode. The informer is given a secret code word for claiming the reward while the telephone operator records the secret code word against each complaint in the register maintained exclusively for this purpose. The nigam has already decided to pay 20 per cent of the total recovered amount as an incentive to officers and staff of the raiding party. The members of the raiding party will be paid 12 per cent whereas four per cent will be given to SDO, commercial assistant and LDC. The executive engineer, head clerk and divisional accountant will get 2 per cent and 1 per cent each will be paid to the chief engineer and superintending engineer concerned. However, despite the success of the scheme, the nigam, in an attempt to increase its popularity, has decided to initiate a publicity campaign for the scheme for greater success. “We plan to inform the public about the scheme through media, display on poles, transformer plates and distribution of pamphlets. It has been decided to display the telephone number of the control room on energy bills to facilitate the registration of information. The salient features of the scheme will be sent to all consumers through pamphlets along with power bills,” says MD, UHBVN, Vijendra Singh. The chief engineer, Panchkula, has been authorised to pay reward to the informers of Panchkula, Ambala, Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, Kaithal and Karnal districts. The informers of Rohtak, Jhajjar, Sonipat, Jind and Panipat district will be able to claim the reward from chief engineer, Rohtak. This, the nigam feels, would help minimise the theft of electricity which leads to its unauthorised use, damage to distribution system and the shortage of power.
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Thefts irk Sirsa residents
Sirsa, February 2 These incidents have raised a big question mark on the working of the police, which has invited criticism of the political parties and caused resentment among residents. Some other such incidents have been reported in the past some days. The thieves targeted a mobile shop near the local Industrial Training Institute, two grocery shops on the Janata Bhawan road and a medical store in the General Hospital. Gold ornaments, valuables and cash were stolen from the Gandhi colony residence of Kashmir Kamboj, when the family members were away. Paneer, butter and desi ghee were stolen from the Kamboj Dairy Farm near the
old fire office. Owners of Des Raj Kirana Store and Sadaram Kirana Store on the local Janata Bhawan Road complained the refined oil and cash had been stolen from their shops. The locks of Kochar Medical Store in the general hospital complex had been broken but the thieves failed to find anything from there. The Indian National Lok Dal had questioned the functioning of the police. President of the district unit of the INLD Padam Jain alleged that the law and order in the state has been in a shambles. SHO of the local city police station Ajay Sharma called a meeting of the prominent persons of the town and representatives of the traders for effective patrolling of the town. It has been decided that representatives of the traders would join the police patrol by rotation to ensure that cops did not shirk their duties. President of the District Beopar Mandal Hira Lal Sharma, President of the Hotels and Guest Houses Association Anand Biyani, President of the Handloom Association Kedar Pahwa, President of the Wholesale Shoe Association Roshan Lal Goyal and several other representatives of the traders participated in the meeting.
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Traffic chaos
Faridabad, February 2 The reason is lack of traffic management both by the school authorities and the district administrations concerned.Added to this is the managements not fulfilling their obligation to create proper parking slots in and around the institutions. Parents feel they and their wards often stand the risk of getting hurt in road accidents on account of the huge traffic outside the schools. While some of the institutions provide transportation,a number of them such as Joseph Convent School here don’t do so.The students have to make their own arrangements. As a result of no proper vehicular movement, there are often traffic snarls for a long time.While the students have to undergo the ordeal in the afternoons,the parents who drop and pick up their
A common phenomenon of the two cities is that land is at a premium and private schools have mushroomed in the past few years.Still, their number continues to swell.They do not abide by the norms and as per the general complaint,are guided simply by commercial interests.The general feeling is that if the situation is not remedied now, it could get out of control in the coming years. The complaint of the parents is that the school authorities have set up other structures in the areas meant for parking. As a result, they have to wait in the streets and bylanes of residential colonies and sectors located near the schools. This also puts a great stress on the residents in the colonies and sectors.
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Ambala civil hospital gets herbal park
Ambala, February 2 The park has been developed on six acres that had been lying waste behind the hospital building for the past several years and was being used for dumping the hospital garbage. Earlier, such a park was developed close to the Officers Colony a year ago. One more herbal park was developed near Sena Nagar on the land of the Air Force that falls in the middle of Ambala city and Ambala Cantt. The forest department has developed the park in a month and spent Rs 20 lakh on its construction. Besides, various herbal plants, two fountains and swings for children have also been provided. The proposal of the park was mooted when around a month ago, Deputy Commissioner Samir Pal Saro inspected the civil hospital and found that a big piece of land was lying abandoned in the hospital campus and was proving as a breeding centre for mosquitoes. He summoned the senior officers of the PWD and the Forest Department there and announced the construction of the park. DFO, Ambala, Jag Mohan Sharma told that besides ornamental trees, a number of herbal plants like Arjun, Harar, Bahera, Awla, Rudraksh, Kapoor, Sarwgandha and Sarpgadha had been planted in the park. Former union minister and local MLA Venod Sharma inaugurated the park on Republic Day and announced that three more such parks would be developed in the city on this patron. He further announced that the municipal park located near the city bus stand would also be renovated.
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Surgeons’ forum constituted
Kurukshetra, February 2 Stating this, DSF secretary-cum-treasurer Dr Surender Mehta said the meeting in a resolution decided that the forum would give free medical treatment to families falling under the below poverty line (BPL). It would also cooperate with the people in their social work activities. Mehta further said other elected office-bearers were patron, Dr KC Aggarwal (Kurukshetra), president Dr KB Jain (Pehowa), vice-president Dr Gurdeep Singh Hayer (Shahabad) and secretary-cum-treasurer Dr Surender Mehta
(Kurukshetra).
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Vital EC instructions on LS polls
Jhajjar, February 2 As per the instructions, polling agents of parties will not be able to carry copies of electoral rolls available with him outside the polling station during the course of the polling, either by themselves or through their relieving agents. The EC has issued the directive to prevent fake voting. A communication in this regard has been sent to the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of all the states and the union territories. The CEOs have been directed that under no circumstances, the polling agents could be allowed to carry the electoral roll with them outside the polling station till the polling was closed. Apart from this, the agents have also been disallowed to send slips outside indicating the serial numbers of the voters who had voted or not voted. Sources said a tick marked electoral roll could be supportive to the workers of the political parties in getting fake votes polled as the tick marks were sufficient for confirming that any particular votes had been polled or not. In its letter no. 464/INST/2008/EPS, the EC has stated that during recently concluded assembly elections in five states, some of the observers, keeping in view the possibility of fake polling, had asked the EC that whether the polling agents could be allowed to take the electoral roll copies available with them outside the polling station during the polling process. After contemplating over the issue, now the EC has directed the CEOs that the polling agents may be allowed to carry their copies of electoral rolls inside the polling station and make tick marks whenever voters cast their vote. Under no circumstances, the polling agents could be allowed to carry the electoral rolls with them outside the polling stations. Besides, the EC has also directed that an extra polling officer would be deputed on those polling stations where the number of electors was more than 1,200. The officer will share the duty of second polling officer and will be responsible for maintaining the register and making all relevant entries therein. He will also issue a voter’s slip to each elector after making entry of elector’s particulars in the register in accordance with the prescribed procedure.
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Kaithal to have highest National Flag
Kaithal, February 2 This flag will stand 61 ft higher than the flag in Chennai which is the highest in the country so far. The flag will be installed by the Flag Foundation of India (FFI). The pole weighing 12 tonnes has already been installed. The flag will be of 72 ft x 48 ft measurement. Weighing about 40 kg, the flag will cost around Rs 30 lakh, according to CEO KV Singh, commander of the FFI. Mumbai-based Bajaj Electronic Company has prepared the flag in six weeks. It will be hoisted and lowered through motorised mechanism. The process of hoisting will take about five minutes while in normal case it is 30 seconds. The flag was hoisted on trial basis under the supervision of experts on the Republic Day. Meanwhile, FFI president and Kurukshetra MP Naveen Jindal has appealed to the people to hoist flags atop their offices and houses. He says the tricolour reflects our national feeling and helps unite the people of the country.
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LS polls
Rewari, February 2 Affirming the manch’s commitment for the “transformation of the prevailing dismal political, economic and social scenario”, Davender Singh, state president, and Anirudh Yadav, district secretary, said after their first convention in Rewari, the manch would now organise conventions in Sirsa (February 7) and Fatehabad (February 8). While addressing the participants at the conference held in Rewari recently, political analyst Yogender Yadav, who was the chief guest on the occasion, said while politics had encompassed almost all spheres of life, it was worrisome that political values had degenerated rapidly. Asserting that initially politics was a potent mechanism of public service for its adherents, he deplored that with the entry of some selfish elements it had undergone enormous vitiation which needed expeditious reformation. Listing the vital issues which were on the agenda of the manch, Davender Singh said in the first place the bureaucratic machinery as well as the legislative set-up, which were required to be subservient to the public, had been functioning like masters. Besides rampant corruption, the lack of accountability and nexus between officials and politicians had added to the woes of the hapless citizens. The manch had been working for an overhauling of the system to ensure supremacy of the people in letter and in spirit, he added. He said employment for all, availability of requisite educational facilities as well as proper medical treatment to millions of poor and underprivileged people were other priorities of the manch. He hoped that with the active participation of the people, the manch would eventually pave the way for the establishment of a just system of governance as well as an egalitarian social order.
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Setting an example in selfless service
Rohtak, February 2 Being the caretaker of the only old-age home for women in Rohtak, Malik has put almost 18 years of his life for a social cause and is still continuing the work despite his old age. After retiring from the Army in 1954, Malik became a social activist in early 90s after the death of his father. He started his association with the activities of the Manav Sewa Sangh, a social organisation of Haryana. The sangh started old-age homes in the city several years ago, which included a shelter for aged women in Srinagar Colony here in 1999. It was built with the help of donations received from public and since then it has been a source of solace for many. These include 50 aged women of whom nearly half are mentally challenged. There are about four minor girls who were brought here after they were found deserted. Malik, who hails from Farmana village in the district, is like a head of the family for the destitute women and girls lodged here, says an employee of the ashram, who has been working as a helper here for the past many years. He (Malik) had even donated in cash and kind for the ashram before joining here, she adds. Malik says the ashram is more than a house for the inmates aged between eight and 95, who get full attention and care. He says a young married woman, who was mentally challenged, was brought here along with her child and after proper treatment she was sent back to her home near Amritsar. “Some of the inmates who are now under treatment or have been cured of their disease could have been a victim of beggary if not brought here,” claims the caretaker. “The ashram does not get even a single penny or help from the state or the union government. However, it has a large number of donors who keep donating in cash and kind. The coffers of this home are full and we do not require any grant to serve the poor,” says Malik. Not a single day passed in last month when the daily meals of the ashram were not sponsored by any individual, he says, adding that while there are about 60 regular donors, people from distant places keep offering help. The sangh was honoured by the district administration in 2004 for social service. Its various initiatives include free ration to 350 widows and poor women in the district, financial help in marriages of poor girls and free medical service through its dispensary at the ashram.
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Exhibition on fashion designing
Fatehabad, February 2 Fashion designing has been included as an add-on course in the college at the undergraduate level. The exhibition provided students an opportunity to showcase their talent and harness their skills. Creations like bandhani, fabric painting, block painting, stencil painting, embroidery and boutique were prepared. Head of the Home Science Department Jyoti Nagpal said the students had been trying to learn the nuances of fashion designing and had improved much in a short span of time. Earlier, local lawyer and social activist Anup Dhuria inaugurated the exhibition. Principal of the college honoured the participants and lauded their efforts. Historical items on display
Old stamp papers from 1884 onwards, coins of the erstwhile Bhopal estate, Dhar estate, Ranjit Singh's kingdom, Datia estate, Madhav Rao estate, Maratha estate, Amritsar Taksal, Ghulam vansh, Kutabuddin era, Mohamed Tughlaq era, British era, Kushan era, Jalaluddin era and Morya dynasty, encyclopedia of India published in 1871 by the Scottish Publishers, Madras, old manuscripts of Indian astrologers and of Haryana's Mange Ram Pujari and several other items of historical importance adorn the two-day exhibition on the "Freedom Movement of India" that began in the local Manohar Memorial Post Graduate College here recently. The Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary, State Archive Department, RR Fuliya, inaugurated the exhibition organised jointly by the History Department of the college and the Archives Department of the state. Deputy Commissioner, Fatehabad, JS Ahlawat, president of the college management society Dev Raj Batra, SDM JK Abhir, Principal DK Kaushik, Principal of the MM College of Education Mamta Chaudhary and several other distinguished guests were present. Deputy director, Archives, Dr Rajwanti Mann and Assistant Director, Archives, Rajesh Kumar Srivastava explained the importance of historical items displayed in the exhibition. Portraits of freedom fighters from the state, who played an important role in the freedom struggle, were also displayed. The portrait of Ranbir Singh Hooda, father of chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, was also displayed. A private collector of historical items from Jind, Gulshan Bhardwaj, also displayed his collections during the exhibition. The exhibition was historians' delight. Later, a seminar on the topic "Freedom Movement of India" was also organised. Fuliya said in his address that the students needed to get more such exposure to get complete knowledge of India's history. Noted historians Dr Jaiveer Dhankhar from the Maharishi Dayanand University, Dr M. M. Juneja from Hisar, Yogesh Sihag of the Yuva Kranti Mission, Dr Mohinder Singh from the DN College, Hisar and Dr Rajwanti Mann of the Archive department delivered their lectures in the seminar.
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Sonepat admin reconstructs flood-hit Bihar village
Sonepat, February 2 This was stated by deputy commissioner Ajit Joshi while talking to mediapersons here. He said Mussehri was adopted and rehabilitated by the district administration of Sonepat within
three months. He informed that social and voluntary organisations, government employees, educational institutions and people of Sonepat district donated around Rs 1.37 crore for the construction of 100 new houses, a link road, community centre and community toilets, repair of 123 damaged houses, installation of the drinking water pumps, brick-lining and solar lighting of the streets etc. The deputy commissioner said a seven-member team of the administration, led by additional deputy commissioner Anita Yadav, went to the village and prepared a rehabilitation project. More than 90 per cent of the work had been completed, he added. He also informed that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda would jointly hand over the possession of the newly constructed and repaired houses to beneficiaries and would also inaugurate Sonepat-Seharsa Maitri Chowk on the Patna-Seharsa highway near Mussehri village. Yadav and other members of the team, including assistant education officer Jagbir Singh Malik, JE Vinod Dahiya, were also present in the press conference.
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Sonepat jail inmates to get computer training
Sonepat, February 2 The state social welfare department has sanctioned a scheme to impart computer and painting training to the inmates. The training will be of six-month duration and after its completion, inmates would be issued certificates. This would not only help them to devote their time in constructive activities but also make them employable after their release from
the jail. On the initiative of the District Red Cross Society, the inmates have been learning yoga and music on a regular basis. The society has engaged Yash Pal Arya, a yoga teacher, who takes classes ever day, on a monthly remuneration of Rs 2,500. Similarly, the society has hired a music teacher against a monthly payment of Rs 2,000. Arya was honoured by state Health Minister Katar Devi on the occasion of Republic Day function in Sonepat recently for rendering free service to the inmates for about two years before fixing his monthly honourarium of Rs 2,500 about four months ago. Arya disclosed that the inmates had been practising various asanas, which were beneficial for their physical health. “Classes are being taken for about 90 minutes daily and almost all inmates take part,” he said and claimed that some of the inmates could become good instructors. There are around 90 inmates and the Observation Home authorities feel that such programmes will change their mindset towards positive thinking and constructive activities.
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Sampat flays govt for low wheat MSP
Sirsa, February 2 Talking to mediapersons here recently, the INLD spokesperson also criticised the government for passing on less benefit of falling crude oil prices to the common people. The INLD leader said the government had announced an MSP of Rs 1,080 per quintal for the wheat while it was already selling at Rs 1,100 per quintal in the open market. He said the concept of the MSP was to provide better prices to farmers and not to make them sell their produce at a price lower than the market price. He demanded an MSP of Rs 1,500 per quintal. Sampat Singh also alleged that the government was fleecing the consumers by passing on very little benefit of the considerable fall in the prices of crude oil. Terming the recent decrease in the prices of the petrol and diesel as too less, he said such small reductions would not suffice and the government should bring the prices down in accordance with the fall in prices of the crude oil witnessed recently. He also suggested that the practice of control over oil prices should be stopped and it should be allowed to be decided by the market forces as were being done during the NDA regime.
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Concern over skewed sex ratio
Kurukshetra, February 2 Dewan said the ratio of girls in comparison to the boys has been miserably falling in the states of Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan. Unfortunately, when the current year was being celebrated as a year of the girl child and there were women as leaders of various political parties and working in various fields, even then the crime against women has been on the rise. Former director of Haryana Sahitya Academy Chander Trikkha in his presidential address pointed out that the literature has been dying because it had not been properly related to the problems of the common man. He also appreciated the efforts made by Kataria to highlight such a problem through her third book ‘Shivaa Mann’, dedicated to her mother Shanta Kataria. Virender Kataria, Sumedha Kataria’s elder brother and former Rajya Sabha member, Dr Dinesh Dadhichi, Chairman, Department of English, Kurukshetra University, Dr Viney Kumar Asthana, Dr Shameem Sharma, Dr Rama Kant Sharma and Mr BD Kalia also spoke, while district sessions judge RC Bansal, deputy commissioner Pankaj Aggarwal and district police chief KV Ramana were among those who were present on the occasion.
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Physiotherapy institute organises competitions
Sirsa, February 2 In the quiz contest, team B, comprising Jyotsana, Tamanna, Harpreet and Pradeepika, was adjudged first. Tanisha Sharma won the poster-making competition while Gunjan Sharma was given the consolation prize. Director-general of the Vidyapeeth Dr Kuldeep Singh Dhindsa was the chief guest on this occasion. Principal of the Institute of Physiotherapy Dr R.K. Sinha presided over the function. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Dhindsa said such competitions prepared students for their future.
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Railway Colony houses in bad shape
Kalka, February 2 The residents of the colony on condition of anonymity said more than 75 per cent of the residential houses of the Narrow Gauge Railway Colony , the Broad Gauge Railway Colony, including double- storeyed houses , and the colony adjacent to Kalka Railway Branch School , have been in a deplorable condition for the past many years . The houses have been facing the problem of leakage in the roofs due to non-maintenance. The windows and doors need to be replaced immediately. In many houses, the old electricity wiring system poses a threat. Although the residents have brought these problems to the notice of the IOW department many times , there has been no action so far. They added that heritage residential buildings near the narrow gauge diesel shed , Railway Gurdwara , Railway Workshop and near the old running room , which were more than 95 year-old were also in deplorable condition . They further alleged that the residential houses, especially the single-room quarters, have not been even whitewashed for the past several years. Children’s parks in the colony are a shambles.The link roads have also not been re-carpeted.
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Medical camp held
Gurgaon, February 2 Doctors of internal medicine, orthopeadics, obstetrics and gynaecology,ophthalmology, ENT, pediatrics and dieticians examined more than 400 residents. A talk on common surgical problems was delivered by Dr Vidur Jyoti, senior consultant, general surgery at the hospital. He spoke about how gastrointestinal diseases and malignancies such as gall bladder stones, hernia, rectal bleeding, intestinal tumours and ulcers could profoundly affect a person's well being, if these were not prevented and treated.
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Letter
The Haryana Government recently decided that from now onwards,bus passes for students will be made for six months instead of three months.It has been claimed that the decision has been taken in view of difficulties faced by students in getting their
passes renewed.
In a year, the students have many holidays at different times depending on their courses of studies e.g. summer vacation, preparatory holidays, result- awaiting period etc. Till now, students were at liberty to opt for the pass facility for any particular quarter or not, depending upon their needs. But now, it will not be the same as the students will have to pay for the whole year. Instead, the government should simplify the cumbersome process of bus passes, if it wants to help the students. Hardesh Goswami,
BHIWANI Readers are invited to write to us. Send your mail, in not more than 200 words, at adalat@tribunemail.com or write in at: Letters, Haryana Plus, The Tribune, Sector 29, Chandigarh-160030.
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