• Use of Art 356 in Bihar: dharna today
• In-service training for teachers
• Surprise checking by Verma
• Poisoned to death by in-laws
• Row over naming market
• Bajra crop damaged

FCI-agencies row delays procurement
From Our Correspondent

FATEHABAD, Sept 24 — Row between the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and the State Government agencies over the procurement of paddy, besides an inclement weather has delayed the start of paddy procurement here.

According to sources, procurement of paddy in the local grain market was to begin on September 15. But till date it has not started. A dispute between the FCI and procurement agencies is said to be the reason behind the delay. According to sources the FCI and Hafed, a state government agency were entrusted the procurement of paddy from Fatehabad grain market. The FCI has refused to procure paddy from the local grain market this year.

According to sources, the Senior Regional Manager, of the FCI has asked his officials here, not to procure paddy from the Fatehabad, Rattia, Nangal, Kutabgarh and Bahbalpur grain markets of this district. Alleged discrimination at the time of procurement of wheat this year is said to be the reason behind these orders. According to sources the state government allotted most of wheat procurement, considered to be profitable to state government agencies, while the FCI was left with very little quota of wheat for procurement.

In the aforesaid five grain markets of the district, the central agency was not allotted wheat quota for procurement. As paddy procurement is not considered profitable due to a quality of paddy it loses weight during storage, no agency likes to take this assignment. According to sources, senior FCI officials are of the view that the state government should allot quota of paddy procurement to different agencies, according to wheat procured by these agencies. As the FCI was not assigned procurement of wheat from these grain markets including Fatehabad, the corporation has refused to buy paddy from these markets this year. As officials of the FCI have refused to relent on this issue despite orders of the administration to this effect the latter is still undecided on which agency would be entrusted the job in the absence of the FCI. This has led to delay in the start of procurement here.

Inclement weather in the area for the past few days has also delayed the procurement work. Not much of paddy has yet arrived the markets till date due to bad weather. Paddy which arrived in the market earlier has been rendered unfit for government procurement due to heavy moisture contents.

According to sources, procurement of paddy is going to be a losing proposition this year. As moisture content in the crop has increased due to unseasonal rains, paddy is sure to lose weight after some time. In case custom milling of paddy procured this year is delayed for a year or two, which is a normal situation, the storage loss could be considerable. As rains have lashed the standing crop this year, in this area, the crop, it is feared will be of low yield. Discolouration of the crop is also not ruled out at a later stage.

The rice millers of the area, who already suffered heavy losses last year, are unlikely to venture procurement of paddy procurement this year. The farmers, whose cotton crop this year has also been hit by the rains, are banking heavily on paddy crop. But uncertainty over its procurement has been haunting them.

Hooda condemns move to
sack Rabri government
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 24 — Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, MP, President, Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee has flayed the BJP-led Central Government for recommending imposition of President's rule in Bihar by dismissing the Rabri Devi Government on the pretext of deteriorating law and order situation.

In a statement issued to the press here today, Mr Hooda said that this step of the BJP government tantamounted to murder of democracy. He alleged that the BJP government was adopting double standard in dealing with the law and order situation in different states. While it wanted dismissal of the Rabri Devi Government, it was sitting as a silent spectator in the matter of Haryana, where the law and order situation was worse than Bihar.

Mr Hooda said that the Central Government did not take action against the BJP-Shiv Sena Government of Maharashtra and Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray despite being indicted by the Shri Krishna Commission. Mr Hooda said that the then Gujral Government, on the report of the Governor, had recommended dismissal of Kalyan Singh Government and imposition of President's rule, but the President, Mr K.R. Narayanan, had returned the recommendation and asked for a review thereof.

Mr Hooda said that the Chief Minister of Bihar, had proved her majority on the floor of the House just two days back. "In these circumstances, there does not appear to be any legal and logical justification in dismissing her government", Mr Hooda asserted.

Mr Hooda charged the BJP-led government with resorting to blatant misuse of authority by invoking Article 356 and recommending dismissal of the Bihar Government. Such a measure taken to serve the partisan political interests of the ruling coalition constituted a gross authoritarian attack on the Indian Constitution, he asserted.

Mr Hooda requested the President to outrightly reject the same to save democracy.

Mr Hooda also demanded immediate convening of an urgent session of Parliament to discuss this recommendation.

Resentment over Mewat model school
From Ravi S. Singh
Tribune News Service

GURGAON: There is wide spread resentment among the people of Mewat area over the way Mewat Model Schools in Nuh, Ferozpur-Jhirka and Taoru were managed by Delhi Public School Society (DPSS).

A number of residents, including parents, have made representations to the Chief Minister and the Union Ministers for Home and Human Resources Development urging for a probe into the management of the schools by the DPSS, including utilisation of the funds given by the Haryana Government as grants to it. The state government was reported to have given a sum of Rs 48 lakh since the society took over the schools in September, 1977.

In a bid to improve the literacy level in Mewat, considered to be Haryana's most backward area, the state government had set up model schools under the aegis of the Mewat Development Agency (MDA). The MDA, controlled by the Mewat Development Board, headed by the Chief Minister, had created Mewat Model School Society to manage the schools. The first school was set up by the MDA at Nuh in 1995.

Subsequently, schools were set up at Ferozpur-Jhirka, Punhana, Taoru and Nagina. Subsequently, the Haryana Government entered into an agreement with the DPSS and handed over the management of the schools in Nuh, Taoru and Ferozpur-Jhirka, last year. The schools were to be denominated as DPS: Mewat Model Schools.

As per the agreement, admissions would be made to residents of Mewat and children of government employees posted in Mewat only. The MDB was to make a payment of Rs 50 lakh to the DPSS in three annual instalments for upgradation of infrastructure in these schools.

There is a feeling among a section of area residents that some bigwigs, including some bureaucrats, were giving leeway to the society even though they were aware of the alleged mismanagement of the schools and funds. However, Dr G. Prasanna Kumar, Commissioner of Gurgaon Division, who is the MDA Chairman as well as the Haryana Government nominee on the society board, denied the allegations against the management. He came out in support of the DPSS saying that it was a premier organisation known for providing quality education. He attributed the allegations to some "disgruntled elements" who were not bothered about the low literacy rate in the Mewat area. The director and headmasters of the schools concerned were not available for comments despite several attempts.

However, inquiries by The Tribune, reveal that the government has initiated a probe into the allegations against the functioning of the schools.

Some of the allegations in the memorandum to the Chief Minister and the Union Minister are that a teacher appointed as the principal for the three schools assumed the designation of director on the first day of joining without taking government permission. This was done by misleading the government, it was added. This led to mismanagement of the government grant as more perks and salary were availed of by the appointee. Besides, the same Director has set up office in Gurgaon, about 50 km from this area, the memorandum added. Thus the parents found it difficult to contact the director on account of the office being far away from the schools. It was further alleged that the government had so far shelled about Rs 48 lakh to the DPSS for upgradation of infrastructure in the schools and to meet the deficit. The management of the schools have spent about Rs 23 lakh by way of salaries to the staff, but were not giving details of the remaining account, it was added.

It has been pointed out that the results in the board examination had nose-dived after the change of guard. It was also mentioned that for the first time the staff of the schools went on a strike, after the DPSS took over, in protest against non-payment of salaries.

According to a document available with TNS, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MDA, an IAS officer, wrote a letter to the director of the schools, a few days ago, asking for explanation regarding more than Rs 1 lakh given by the MDA for making payment of a video film. The money was to be treated as grant given by the MDA to meet the expense for the film. However, Dr G. Prasanna Kumar said that the letter has been withdrawn as it was written on account of a "communication gap".

Poll staff's plea for pay put off again
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 24 — Working in a constitutional body, employees recruited by the Haryana State Election Commission have been given a raw deal by denying them salary for six months.

Having been reduced to the state of starvation, these employees have sought the intervention of the Punjab and Haryana High Court for the release of their salary.

In their 42-page petition that came up for hearing yesterday but was adjourned to Monday, the petitioners alleged that the "whole problem is created by the Chief Secretary who considers himself to be Administrative Secretary of the commission." The delay on his part to accord the necessary sanction for their posts has let to denial of salary to them since the beginning of the current financial year.

The petitioners maintained that the financial and administrative powers of Administrative Secretary insofar as it related to the state Election Commission, were delegated to it by the state government vide its order dated March 28, 1995. Therefore, the state Election Commissioner was the administrative and financial head of the commission. Even otherwise, the Chief Secretary was not concerned at all with the election to panchayat institution or municipalities.

Filed as far back as May 6,1998, the petitioners claimed the Chief Secretary had informed the commission on July 17, 1995, that "no employee of the Civil Secretariat is willing to serve the state Election Commission". Therefore, the Election Commission sent a requisition to the employment exchange for filling various posts. To begin with the appointments were extended for 89 days. However, on September 17, 1996, they were made regular employees. Some of the petitioners were promoted to higher posts and were granted additional increment on qualifying the typing test in both English and Hindi.

The petitioners added that the commission had sent the file to the Finance Department on November 22, 1996, for according the necessary approval for 1997-98. The Finance Department had approved the continuation of the posts. However, before the commission could get the file back, it was removed from there by an employee of the Political Branch headed by the Chief Secretary.

The Chief Secretary has now accorded sanction for the continuation of only those 19 posts held by deputationists.

The stand of the government, on the other hand, was that it had imposed a ban on ad hoc appointments. However, to ensure that government work did not suffer, appointment on contract basis was allowed.

Veterinarians' dharna on Sept 27
From Our Correspondent

YAMUNANAGAR, Sept 24 — The Haryana Veterinary Association has decided to hold a protest dharna in front of the residence of Mr Jaswant Singh, Animal Husbandry Minister, at Hisar on September 27.

Dr Ashok Arora, spokesman and organising secretary of the association, said here yesterday that this step had been taken by the association in view of the indifferent attitude of the Minister towards the genuine demands of the veterinarians.

He explained that veterinarians were suffering a huge loss in term of pay fixation in the revised scale. He said the selection grades were not given to the eligible 150 veterinary officers and the equal number of veterinarians were denied the second assured career progression scale of Rs 12,000. He said more than 40 senior officers were awaiting their longstanding promotion in the posts of Assistant Director and Deputy Director.

Mr Arora said a delegation had met Chief Minister Bansi Lal in August to apprise him of the difficulties of veterinary officers. The Chief Minister had assured it that he would take up the issue with the Minister concerned.

Mr Arora said that parity was suggested with medical officers in the fifth Pay Commission recommendations, but the State Government, had not accepted them in term of senior veterinarians.

He said the other main demands include removal of pay anomalies, release of revised non-practising allowance at the rate of 25 per cent, creation of the post of veterinary surgeon at the veterinary dispensary level and implementation of the India Veterinary Council Act and the drug and Cosmetics Act in the state.

Financial aid sought for workers
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Sept 24 — Mr Hawa Singh, vice-president of the Haryana committee of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) yesterday urged the State Government to grant financial assistance of Rs 500 per month to each worker of those industrial units which had been closed illegally by the managements.

In a press statement issued here, he said this practice was already in operation in West Bengal and this would help the jobless workers to meet their daily requirement.

He also urged the State Government to take immediate steps to restart Bharat Steel Tubes at Ganaur which had not been started as promised by its owner, Mr Raunak Singh, at a public meeting held on the premises of the factory on May 17 in the presence of Mr Ramesh Kaushik, Labour and Employment Minister, and officials of the Labour Department.

Sushma's telegram delayed
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Sept 24 — The telegrams sent by the private secretary of the Union Communication Minister, Mrs Sushma Swaraj, to four senior BJP leaders — Mr Gulshan Bhatia, office secretary of Haryana-BJP, Mr Ramesh Dagar, Chairman of the Sonepat Zila Parishad, Mr Suman Singh Sharma, Dr Dharamvir Nandal and Mr Kishan Singh Sangwan, MP, Indian National Lok Dal were received at the Departmental Talegraph Office (DTO) here yesterday more than 16 hours after these were sent from the Central Telegraph Office (CTO), New Delhi. The distance between the two cities is just 48 km.

According to official sources, the telegrams were booked on September 22 at 19.50 hours and received at the DTO Sonepat, at 12.30 p.m. yesterday. The purpose of these telegrams was to inform the leaders about the visit of Mrs Sushma Swaraj to Ambala.

Enquiries reveal that telegraph services between Sonepat and the rest of the country have been hit due to a major fault in the microwave as well as the VFT systems. All telegrams are being sent either by post or a special messenger. Similarly, all incoming telegrams are being received by post.

3-yr moratorium on loan recovery sought
Tribune News Service

GURGAON, Sept 24 — The Congress today urged the Vajpayee government to evolve a consensus among all political parties on the CTBT issue before committing to it.

A CWC member, Kanwar Natwar Singh, told newsmen that defence issues were the concern of the entire nation and were not the ‘monopoly’ of the BJP.

Later, addressing farmers, he emphasised on education for females and the need to control population growth in the country.

The convention was organised under the aegis of the Haryana Krishak Samaj. The president of the Haryana unit of the Krishak Samaj, Mr Shamsher Singh Surjewala, expressed concern over the large deaths of farmers in the state in the past three years.

The convention passed a resolution urging the government to impose a three-year moratorium on the recovery of outstanding loans. It also demanded that the penal interests of the past should be waived and the bank interest reduced.

The president of the district unit of the Krishak Samaj, Mr Pradeep Singh (Jaildar), Mr Dharamvir Gabba, local Congress MLA, and Mr Tejinder Singh Mann and Mr Mahender Pratap, both former ministers, were among those present.

In-service training for teachers
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 24 — The Haryana Government has launched an ambitious plan for imparting in-service training to college teachers with a view to bringing about qualitative improvement in the higher education system in the State.

Disclosing this, the Education Minister, Mr Ram Bilas Sharma, said that the topics like latest developments in higher education, teaching methodology, women empowerment, teachers’ accountability and moral education would be included in this programme. He said that as many as 200 teachers from government and non-government colleges would be imparted in-service training and refresher courses during the year. This would help them in updating their professional skills as also enable them to keep abreast with the latest technique.

Surprise checking by Verma
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 24 — The Chief Secretary of Haryana, Mr R.S. Verma, today conducted a surprise checking at the new secretariat building in Sector 17 to see whether officers and employees reached their offices in time.

Mr Verma and Mr Vijay Vardhan, Joint Secretary, Secretariat Establishment, positioned themselves at the main gate of the secretariat at 9.17 a.m.

They found that three Commissioners, Mr Nasim Ahmed, Mr K.C. Sharma and Mr S.C. Chaudhary, all Joint Secretaries, had reached their offices well in time.

Informed sources revealed that a majority of other senior Commissioners and Financial Commissioners were late by half an hour to one and a half hours.

Row over naming market
From Our Correspondent

FATEHABAD, Sept 24 — Controversy has arisen over the name of the local Hans Market, one of the busiest markets in the town, with two warring traders' unions announcing their own executives.

The market was named after Mr Hans Raj Sachdeva, a goldsmith, who happened to be the first settler in the market. Mr Sachdeva was till recently vice-president of the Shopkeepers Union of the market.

Last week, a faction of the market called a meeting of the Shopkeepers Union and elected Mr Vijay Sethi its president. The election was held under the supervision of Mr Sunil Godara, a grandson of the Haryana Home Minister, Mr Mani Ram Godara. But the faction led by Mr Sachdeva refused to accept the new president and declared the election of Mr Sethi a farce. The second faction also called a meeting on Wednesday and elected Mr Sachdeva its president.

Meanwhile, the faction led by Mr Sethi has announced its decision to change the name as Shaheed Bhagat Singh Market. The faction led by Mr Sachdeva has challenged the authority of the other faction in changing the name of the market.

Use of Art 356 in Bihar: dharna today
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Sept 24 — Activists of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) will hold a dharna in front of the office of the Deputy Commissioner on September 25 in protest against the ‘biased’ invocation of Article 356 of the constitution by the Centre in Bihar and bringing the state under President's rule.

At emergency meeting of the RJD yesterday evening the district president, Mr Satyawan Satya, appealed to the President not to dismiss the Rabri Devi government. He said that if Article 356 was imposed in Bihar in the name of deterioration in law and order, it should also be invoked in Maharashtra, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana as law and order situation in these states was worse.

Poisoned to death by in-laws
Tribune News Service

FARIDABAD, Sept 24 — Rupwati of Pelak village in Palwal subdivision was allegedly poisoned to death by her in-laws yesterday for failure to meet the demand for more dowry, reports said.

The woman was married to Raj Singh on March 11, 1995. Her husband and in-laws were not satisfied with the dowry given by her father, Mr Arjun Lal, at the time of the wedding and had demanded a colour television set and cash. This Mr Arjun Lal could not do.

As the body of Rupwati was being taken for cremation after sunset, the villagers got suspicious and informed the father of the victim who in turn informed the police. The body was handed over to Mr Arjun Lal after post-mortem.

The police has arrested Raj Singh and his father.

Bajra crop damaged
Tribune News Service

FARIDABAD, Sept 24 — Fifteen per cent of the Bajra crop in an area of 17,000 hectares in the district has been damaged due to the unseasonal rain this month.

Agriculture Department officials said if the rain continued for some days more, the sowing of sarson would be affected. Five per cent of paddy in an area of 22,000 hectares had also been damaged by the hopper insect.