• Judicial complex wing inaugurated
• 7 held for murder

Appointment of GJU VC may be delayed
From Vimal Sumbly

HISAR, Nov 15 — The appointment of a regular Vice-Chancellor for Guru Jambeshwar University GJU is likely to get further delayed in view of the university executive council's decision to defer the constitution of a search committee for the time being.

The executive council (EC) which met in Chandigarh on November 12 deferred its decision on the constitution of the search committee for appointing new Vice-Chancellor to GJU. Sources said the decision was deferred without mentioning any reason.

GJU has been without a regular Vice-Chancellor since October 20, when Prof K.L. Johar completed his term. Presently, Commissioner, Hisar Division, Mr Dharamveer, is holding the charge of Vice-Chancellor.

For appointing a new VC the government needs to constitute a search committee for recommending the names of at least three persons. The final selection will be made by the government. While one member in the search committee will be nominated by the Chancellor, the other two are to be nominated by the EC.

Although no specific date has been mentioned for constituting the committee, sources said it would be decided in the next EC meeting for which date would be announced later on.

Other major decisions taken by the EC, include constitution of a committee, which will re-examine the selection of 23 lecturers, who were appointed by the university in August and whose appointment was approved by the EC on August 11. However, on the objections raised by the Director, Higher Education, who is also one of the members of the EC, it was decided that the matter would be re-examined.

Sources said the purpose was to establish the credibility of the selections as doubts had been raised about the fairness in the selection procedure. This was not being done with any malafide intention or motive to turn somebody out, sources sought to clarify.

Of the 23, only two had joined, while the remaining could not join due to the ban imposed by the Haryana Government on recruitment in three universities of the state. Significantly, no selection has been challenged in the court of law.

The committee, which will re-examine the selection includes Vice-Chancellor, Education Secretary, Secretary Technical Education, Dean Academic Affairs and Registrar. The committee will submit its report in the next meeting of the EC.

The EC also decided to merge three departments of computer sciences and two departments of environmental sciences. Besides, new faculty of Media Studies has also been created to cater to the growing needs of the media professionals, particularly in electronic fields like the Internet.

The EC also approved the decision to absorb all employees in the university in accordance with the government rules. This will benefit the non-teaching employees of the university. The VC has also been authorised to revise the pay scales of the non-teaching employees on the pattern of the Haryana Government.

Kartik festival inaugurated

BALLABGARH, Nov 15 (UNI) — Haryana Governor Mahabir Prasad today inaugurated the seven-day third Kartik cultural festival at historic Raja Nahar Singh Fort here in Faridabad district.

State Tourism Minister Ram Bhajan Aggarwal, Kartik Cultural Society and Haryana State Tourism Promotion Board Chairman S.K. Misra and Chief Secretary Ram S. Varma accompanied him.

The festival has been organised by the Kartik Cultural Society in collaboration with Haryana Tourism, Union Ministries of Tourism and Human Resource Development, Department of Culture Youth Affairs and Sports, Department of Cultural Affairs Haryana, North Central Zone Cultural Centres of Allahabad and Patiala, Ballabgarh Development and Beautification Society, National School of Drama, Indian Council for Cultural Relations and National Institute of Fashion Technology.

The inaugural ceremony was marked by a Kalash Yatra which enacts dances based on water and a Swaang performed by Haryanvi artists.

Gurgaon Division Commissioner G. Prasanna Kumar, Tourism Commissioner Sanjay Kothari, Haryana Tourism Corporation Managing Director K.K. Khandelwal, Public Relations and Cultural Affairs Director R.K. Khullar, Faridabad Deputy Commissioner B.K. Panigrahi and other senior officers of district administration were also present on the occasion.

The festival, which has been planned to promote rich cultural heritage of the country, will include a group of luminaries from various performance genre, a day-time series of folk dance and theatre performances.

Other cultural activities during the festival will include by Amrita and Anil Sabri (Nov 16), Santoor Vadan by Pt. Shiv Kumar Sharma (Nov 17) and Ustad Shafaat Ahmad Khan on Tabla (Nov 17), Aditi Mangal Das would perform Kathak dance (Nov 18), Nigerian dances (Nov 19), fashion show (Nov 20) and Bharatnatyam by Malavika Sarukkai (Nov 21).

Swaang of Haryana, Tamasha of Marathi, Nautanki of UP, Khyaal of Rajasthan, Therukuttu of Tamil Nadu, Bidesia of Bihar and Shri Krishan and Radha Raas Leela dance ballet — all folk performances would be organised everyday at Raja Nahar Singh Palace.

2 diarrhoea deaths in Ambala
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Nov 15 — The Ambala District Administration has taken effective steps to check the problem of diarrhoea in Machhi Mohalla and its adjoining areas in Ambala Cantt.

Making this claim the Deputy Commissioner, Mrs Navraj Sandhu, said today that a team of doctors had been deputed to treat the affected people besides launching a cleanliness drive and urging the people to get their damaged pipes of drinking water replaced at the earliest possible so as to check the spread of this disease.

She said 80 cases of diarrhoea had been reported from the affected areas during the past three days. Two persons, including an eight-year-old child, suffering from this disease had so far died whereas six cases had been referred to the PGIMER, Chandigarh.

She said the affected people were being provided medicines free of cost besides giving them free treatment even in private hospitals. As many as 50,000 halogen tablets had been distributed. One tablet would be enough to clean one bucket of drinking water. Also, the people were being advised to drink boiled water. Samples of drinking water were being collected and sent for tests to the laboratory at Karnal.

She said a committee had been constituted by the Public Health Department to replace the damaged pipes of drinking water in the affected areas. Hand pumps installed on pipe lines were also being removed. She said 50 safai karamcharis and two additional trollies had been specially deputed to make the cleanliness drive effective. The nalahs were being cleaned and heaps of garbage were being removed.

AMBALA (FOC): The Director-General of Health Services, Haryana, Dr P.L. Jindal, said here today that 19 persons suffering from gastroenteritis were still admitted in the civil hospital in the cantonment.

Dr Jindal said a Rs 131-crore World Bank-aided reproductive child health project had been launched in the state. Under the project, Rs 10 lakh would be spent for repair of operation theatres, labour rooms and maternity wards at each district hospital. He said Rs 10 lakh would also be spent on the community health centres and primary health centres.

Dr Jindal said special teams would be constituted for the pulse polio drive on December 6 and January 17 next to ensure maximum coverage. Sanction had been granted for installing equipment for laproscopic operations for removal of stones in kidneys at the civil hospitals at Bhiwani and Panchkula and five hospitals would be covered in the next phase.

FCI puts millers in dire financial straits
From K.G. Dutt
Tribune News Service

KARNAL : Rice millers are facing a serious financial crunch. Consequently they are unable to pay the paddy procurement debts to arhtiyas. As a result, the arhtiyas are unable to lend money to farmers for rabi sowing.

This circle of payment has been upset by the reluctance of the Food Corporation of India to buy rice from the millers. So far not even a single grain or bag had been bought by the FCI from millers, according to Mr Ishwar Chander Gupta, additional president of the Karnal Rice Millers Association. Mr Gupta, along with Mr Satya Pal, maintained that the godowns of the millers were filled to capacity and there was no place left with them to store the shelled rice. This had affected the shelling capacity of the millers and some of them had also closed their shellers.

Mr Jai Prakash Gupta, former Excise and Taxation Minister of Haryana, also a rice miller, told this correspondent that the FCI's inability to buy rice so far had badly affected the economy of both farmers and millers.

The Haryana Rice Millers Association, at a stormy meeting held here earlier this week, also urged the Haryana Government and the FCI to purchase the rice stocks lying with them. The meeting was attended by about 200 rice millers from all over the state. The meeting witnessed tension as a group of rice millers was upset that the present leadership of the association was not taking up their demands 'vigorously and properly' both with the FCI and the state government.

There are about 1200 rice mills in Haryana. The FCI procures about nine lakh tonnes of rice annually from millers. But so far the FCI has not despatched even a single wagon from the state nor it has accepted any consignment from millers.

Both Mr Gupta and Mr Satya Pal stated that the millers had brought their problems to the notice of the Food and Supplies Minister, Mr Ganeshi Lal, and the Commissioner for agriculture on a number of occasions. A meeting was even held recently at Karnal Lake. But so far there has been no concrete result emerged from the meeting.

Talking about the problems of the millers, a number of association members stated that levy was the main problem being faced by them. They disclosed that 98 p.c. of the total paddy arrivals in Haryana were bought by millers. The specifications of the government vis-a-vis the procurement of rice were so tight that no lot of levy rice could be prepared meeting the specifications. They point out this year it had become more difficult owing to unseasonal rain which had damaged paddy and turned it into a colourless commodity. If the specifications were not relaxed, the millers were likely to suffer heavy financial losses and the rice stocks would continue to pile up. More so they would not be able to pay back the arhtiyas who would keep the payment to farmers pending. This would affect the entire economy of the millers, arhtiyas and farmers.

Another problem voiced by the millers related to the fulfilment of levy target. It was pointed out that some millers had not been able to meet their target of levy rice. Therefore, they had requested the government not to press for the pending levy consignments. The Punjab Government has already given relaxation in this field. The millers demand that they should also be exempted from fulfilling this condition.

Another demand is that non-basmati, which was exportable, should be exempt from levy which is sold on. H form. In previous years, this was exempted. But now the government was not fully implementing the Centre's directions in this regard.

Another major problem being faced by millers is that the government demanded 67 per cent rice yield from paddy. But the millers point out that this was not possible as the yield came only between 60 to 62 p.c. They further maintained that the millers had to resort to unethical practices to meet the government demands with regard to the rice yield. The millers had been requesting the government to send special teams to assess the rice yield. But so far the government has not acted. The millers also demand that incidental charges given to them should be revised. These were low, while the labour rates had gone up.

Because of numerous problems, paddy procurement has been low and the farmers had been getting low rates. In fact, the rice economy of the state has been badly hit by rain and the faulty policies of the state government as well as the FCI.

Forest staff to stage dharna
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Nov 15 — The district unit of the Forest Department Mazdoor Union has decided to stage a dharna on November 19 in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office here, join the proposed state-level rally at Bhiwani on November 29 and take part in the countrywide strike on December 11 in protest against the failure of the BJP-led coalition government at the Centre to check the price rise and the non-acceptance of employees' demands by the HVP-BJP alliance government.

Announcing this here today, Mr Anand Sharma, president of the union told mediapersons here that the Forest Department had terminated the services of several employees who had put in 15 to 20 years' service.

This action, he said, was illegal and unjustified and had caused widespread resentment among the workers. He said the department under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, should have served a two-month notice on the employees before their retrenchment, granted compensation and given 15 days' wages in one year's service, but it had violated government rules. He warned that if the department failed to implement the rules and regulations and continued to retrench the employees, the union would have no alternative but to launch a statewide agitation and gherao the Chief Conservator of Forests and other authorities.

Mr Sharma alleged that the state government had been suffering huge losses on account of planting of saplings every year and pocketing money after preparing bogus bills.

He also alleged that the department had not revised the minimum wages of the workers and they were being paid Rs 1,642 per month as salary. He alleged that the authorities had not been giving double payment to the workers who were forced to work on Sundays and other holidays.

Mr Howa Singh, president of the district unit of CITU, criticised the state government for its failure to revise the wages after every two years. This, he said, had caused widespread resentment among the workers of the Forest Department who had been agitating for seeking wages under the Minimum Wages Act.

Soil convention begins today
Tribune News Service

HISAR, Nov 15 — The annual convention of the Indian Society of Soil Sciences will begin at CCS Haryana Agricultural University here tomorrow.

According to Prof MS Kuhad, organising secretary of the convention and Head of the Department of Soil Sciences here, about 400 delegates from India and abroad are expected to participate in the convention.

Prof Kuhad said the convention was being held at a time when soil management had become an important aspect of the agricultural study.

He said declining fertility of soil and problems of rising and falling water-table will come up for discussion at the seminar.

According to Prof Kuhad, a national seminar on "Developments in Soil Science-1998" has also been planned on this occasion. The convention will continue till November 19.

Prominent among those who are likely to attend the convention include Dr JPS Yadava, former chairman of the Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board, Dr DR Bhumbla, Dr SS Khanna, Dr GS Sekhon and Dr YP Kalra.

Haryana staff hold rally
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Nov 15 — A large number of Haryana employees today held a rally in the Capital to protest against the privatisation of the Haryana State Electricity Board and other profit earning public sector undertakings.

The rallyists had come to Delhi from different parts of the state on the call given by the Haryana Karmchari Mahasangh.

Mr S. D. Kapoor, President of the Mahasangh, addressing the gathering at the Ram Lila grounds, urged the state government to accept their 18-points charter of demands.

The demands include grant of pay-scales on the central government pattern for all employees; sanction of dearness allowance instalment from July 1998; vacation of victimisation of union activists; regularisation of all adhoc, daily-wage, contract-based workers; revision of house rent, medical, travelling and other allowances on the basis of the revised pay, a press note said.

The Mahasangh president threatened that Haryana employees would resort to "indefinite" strike in December if the state government failed to accede to their demands.

The protestors marched from the Ram Lila grounds towards Prime Minister’s residence, However, stopped near Parliament Street Police Station. A copy of the memorandum was later submitted to the PMO, the press note added.

7 held for murder
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Nov 15 — The Ganaur police has so far arrested seven persons, including two jawans of Ahulana village, in connection with the alleged murder of Mohinder Singh, a former sarpanch, on October 17.

The SP told Mediapersons here today that the arrested persons have been identified as Suresh, Ishwar, Bijender Ram Singh, Maha Singh, Yudhvir and Raj Kumar.

The arrests followed an FIR lodged by a close relative of the deceased, alleging that the victim was going on his motor cycle when he was shot dead by the culprits.

According to the SP, a property dispute is stated to be the reason behind the murder.

Judicial complex wing inaugurated
From Our Correspondent

PANIPAT, Nov 15 — Mr Justice Swatantra Kumar of the Punjab and Haryana High Court laid the foundation stone of the extension wing of the judicial complex at local courts here yesterday.

Later he inspected new court rooms being built in the judicial complex for judicial officers. He asked the Deputy Commissioner to arrange proper water supply in the complex and arrangement for the construction of judicial lock-up in the district courts.