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Tuesday,
October 16, 2001, Chandigarh, India  
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Haryana BJP sees UP poll as chance to break free
Ambitious IT project in treasury offices Poonia ‘khap’ mobilising support Biotech policy for Haryana |
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Ruchika case adjourned to Oct 20 Chautala announces school upgradation Record set in rural postal insurance Rs 100 crore for industrial units Paddy growers ‘exploited’ SI booked on corruption charge Rapist gets life term Minor girl
raped Governor’s appeal to NGOs on human rights
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Haryana BJP sees UP poll as chance to break free Chandigarh, October 15 Despite intense hostilities between the BJP and INLD in Haryana, which has often spilled out into the open, the two parties have still managed to cling to each other in the state primarily because of the INLD’s usefulness as a partner in the BJP-led coalition at the centre. On various issues such as house tax, the education policy of state government, entry tax, etc, the BJP has opposed the state government. Frequently BJP leaders, including Mr Rattan Lal Kataria, chief of the party’s Haryana unit, has lashed out against the state government in the press. If the idea was that the open criticism would make Mr Chautala, Chief Minister and INLD supremo, snap ties with the BJP, it did not happen. However, Mr Chautala has not entertained the state BJP’s sentiments including its most important demand of forming a committee with legislators of both parties to make the latter a part of the decision making process. However, Haryana BJP, which is keen to wear the garb of an opposition party in Haryana, sees a silver lining for itself in the UP elections. “If the INLD does not tie up with the NDA in UP for fighting the assembly elections, it will precipitate a crisis between the BJP and INLD at the Centre — consequently the BJP’s Haryana unit will get a free hand in the state to oppose the state government”, a senior BJP leader said. Mr Om Prakash Chautala, who has already addressed a number of rallies in western UP to prepare the ground for putting up INLD candidates in the country’s most populous state, has not yet spelled out whether the INLD will contest the elections as part of the NDA. There had been, however, no let-up in attacks by Mr Chautala on Mr Ajit Singh even after the latter was given the Union Agriculture Minister’s portfolio. Mr Chautala even addressed a rally at Baghpat, Mr Ajit Singh’s home turf. |
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Speaker biased, alleges HPCC chief Rohtak, October 15 He said the government should convene on Assembly session to discuss the deteriorating law and order situation in the state. He said the tool of the Opposition to boycott the Assembly session had now been adopted by the ruling party. Mr Hooda said the government should fix the minimum duration of the session to ensure deliberation with people’s representatives regarding various problems and issues concerning development. He suggested that it should be mandatory to hold the meetings of the Legislative Assembly at least 60 days in a year. He described the demolition drive launched by the district
administration as a dictatorial attitude of the government. |
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Bodies of Magistrate, brother found Rohtak, October 15 Both brothers had drowned in the canal, which is referred to as “khooni nehar” when they were to immerse the remnants of a havan performed in the family. Divers from the Army, Irrigation Department and voluntary organisations were engaged in fishing out the bodies but the search was suspended as the flow of the waters was very fast. The operations resumed in the wee hours today after the flow of water was stopped. Mr Ajay Singh Chautala, MP, Mr R.S. Madan, District and Sessions Judge, and Mr Anil Malik, Deputy Commissioner, supervised the operations. While the body of Mr Sanjay was found near the rail tracks, that of Mr Rajesh was fished out from the canal near Beri in Jhajjar district. Mr Anil Malik, said the bodies would be handed over to the family concerned for cremation after a post-mortem examination. He said the administration would honour the volunteers who found the bodies. The Deputy Commissioner has imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144, CrPC, and banned bathing and washing clothes in the canal. He also appealed to religious leaders not to encourage people to immerse remains of religious functions into the canal. He said a fence would be put up on both sides of the canal so as to prevent people from bathing or washing clothes. The police department would be asked to set up a police post near the canal. When flowing at full capacity the canal carried nearly 3,000 cusecs of water. Normally, the flow of water in it was around 1,500 cusecs, Mr Malik said. |
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Ambitious IT project in treasury offices Ambala, October 15 The On Line Treasuries Information System in Haryana is likely to be more advanced than similar systems currently available at the tech-savvy state of Andhra Pradesh. The pilot project is already under way in Ambala at the district treasury office, and the software for the system has been designed by National Informatic Centre. Sources said with the introduction of the information technology system in the treasury office, not only will the office become paperless, more importantly it will bring an end to favouritism. “The heavy ledgers and other paper work will become history. Now work here will be conducted smoothly through computers,” he said. He started that favouritism would come to an end since the computer software was designed in the first-in-first-out concept. “For instance, if there is a token entry, that token entry will have to be taken up first and it would not be possible to clear any other bill. Only after the bill process has been completed in the computer, will the next item come up for consideration,” he said. The different treasury functions like token, bill passing, pension and receipt will now be computerised. Each person will be given a password for only one function and the person who logs on, for example to pension, will only be able to carry out work in the pension section and the person will not be able to intervene in some other area. The On Line Treasuries Information System will be linked up with the subtreasury and the district office on the one hand and their directorate located in Chandigarh on the other. In effect, the authorities at Chandigarh will be able to find out the exact treasury position by the time the day ends. Earlier, the exact status could only be known when the ledgers used to be sent to Chandigarh for compilation. Now it will be possible to know details at the press of a button. The pilot project at Ambala is going to be copied soon at different districts throughout the state. This will enable senior officials at the headquarters to know the precise treasury status throughout the state. The system will also be linked to the bank concerned so that when a particular bill has been passed finally, it will automatically move to the computer located at the bank. The bank will again have to take up the bills for payment on the basis of the order given in the computer. Jumping the queue will not be possible. Also, in case a bill is not cleared that day, then the bill will be reflected first among the pending bills. Finally, after payment has been made by the bank, a scroll will be forwarded by the bank to the treasury office, which will be used to tally the bills with the payment made. “We are sure that information technology in the treasury offices is going to smoothen functions, ensure error-free work, speed up operations and end favouritism. That in a nutshell is our attempt, which we are sure is going to be a success and an example for others to emulate,” he said. |
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Poonia ‘khap’ mobilising support Hisar, October 15 The Sangharsh Samiti constituted by the Poonia ‘khap’ to mobilise support for this demand has been touring these states for the past several days seeking help and extending invitations for the proposed Sarv Khap Panchayat proposed to be held at Litani village, near here, on October 23. Its members have toured dozens of big villages in Haryana and its neighbouring states in this regard. The samiti chief, Mr Bhim Singh, and its spokesman, Mr Uday Vir Poonia, told The Tribune today that they had secured the support of more than 40 khaps which would send delegations to the October 23 panchayat. These included: Meham Chaubisi, Kadian, Sangwan, Sheoran, Satrol, Bohar Athgama, Gathiwala, Dalal, Rathi, Satgama, Barakhap, Ahlawat, Barah, Athgama Rohtak, Dhanker, Mann, Lather, Phogat, Ismaila, Palam 360 and Poonia 'khaps' of Punjab and Rajasthan. This is the first time in several years that a ‘sarv khap’ panchayat is being organised at this scale. The main reason why it has drawn so much support from even outside Haryana is that nobody believes that it was Mr Poonia’s daughter Sonia and her husband who murdered the former legislator and seven of his family members. Members of the community suspect the hand of hired professionals in the gruesome crime. The community leaders are also extremely suspicious of the role played by the local police in the initial stages of the investigation. They allege that the evidence was tampered with and the FIR was written in a manner to weaken the entire case during trial. The samiti members met the Chief Minister, Mr Om Parkash Chautala, who transferred the case to the Vigilance Department. But barring the arrest of Sonia’s husband Sanjeev Kumar, the department, too, has not made much progress. From the very outset the samiti has been demanding that the case be handed over to the CBI, but the government has not yet accepted the plea. The samiti has been pointing an accusing fingers at the SP, Mr Rajpal Singh, and seeking his transfer. However, the government has yet to respond to this demand. The samiti chief says this has forced the hands of the samiti which would decide its next course of action at the proposed ‘sarv khap’ panchayat. Mr Poonia has left behind a huge fortune of which a large part is in the shape of black money. So far as the legitimate property is concerned, it will be hard to find a legitimate heir as all the possible legal heirs have been murdered. Sonia is the sole surviving heir of Mr Poonia. However, her claim may now be legally questioned since she has herself confessed to murdering her father, mother, brother, sisters and Mr Poonia’s daughter-in-law and grandchildren. The Sangharsh Samiti is trying to find all those who owed Mr Poonia money. Since black money was involved, no transactions were on paper. Most of those who owed money are now coming forward to repay it. All these factors have lent added importance to the proposed panchayat which can have a long-term political fallout too. |
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Biotech policy for Haryana Chandigarh, October 15 The state is likely to introduce bio-technology in the academic curriculum. It is yet to be decided at what level bio-technology would be introduced as a subject. According to informed sources, the state’s Science and Technology Department, which has been given the responsibility of preparing the
SBP, has identified 40 areas in which the application of bio-technology will contribute immensely. These include improvement of productivity, nutritional quality and shelf-life of food and animal feed;
development of disease-resistant crops; conservation and safe exchange of plant, animal and microbial germ plasm, improved diagnostic techniques and vaccines for the prevention and spread of diseases and identification of more productive strains of fast-growing trees, especially for fuel wood. The Chief Secretary, Mr L.M. Goel, has convened a meeting of the Administrative Secretaries concerned with these areas in the first week of next month to finalise an action plan. Once the plan is ready, it will be put before the Cabinet for approval by the end of November. The sources say the Central Government has desired that the SBP should “reflect the state’s 10th Plan perspective and this in turn should translate into a definite action plan comprising schemes, projects and financial requirements”. The Science and Technology Department has asked various departments to keep the following objectives in mind while preparing their action plans — to set up a bio-technology park; to fully exploit the cheapest form of bio-technology (tissue culture) to cater to regional needs; to ensure safeguards and regulation for keeping bio-technology in the private sector and to have a mechanism for continuous private sector and government interface. The department has also circulated an over 30-page approach paper to the departments for their guidance. |
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Ruchika case adjourned to Oct 20 Ambala, October 15 The argument on the application of Mr Rathore filed earlier under Section 258, Cr PC could not be taken for arguments today. Counsel of Mr Rathore prayed the court to dispose of the application filed by Ms Prakash first and only then the application of Mr Rathore should be taken up for hearing. They sought adjournment for filing the reply on the application of Ms Prakash in which she prayed to add the offence under Section 306, IPC, in the charge sheet filed by the CBI. The CBI will also file its reply on this application on October 20. The counsel of the CBI requested the court to take up the application of Mr Rathore in which he requested the court to dismiss the charges levelled against him in the charge sheet filed by the CBI for hearing today. After hearing the argument of both sides the Special Magistrate, Mr J.S. Dhanjal, fixed October 20 for filing reply on the application. |
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Chautala announces school upgradation Jind, October 15 This was stated by the Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, while addressing a gathering at Karela-Jhamola village after unveiling the statue of Chaudhary Devi Lal, 35 km from here, last evening. The Chief Minister said Chaudhary Devi Lal opposed such policies and programmes which were against the interest of the farmers. He said he never succumbed to any pressure while protecting the interests of the farmers and poor people. The Chief Minister announced the upgradation of primary girls school of Karela village to the level of middle school. He accepted the demand of the villagers for opening an Ayurvedic dispensary, provision of potable water and bricklining of all water courses of the village. Later, presiding over the meeting of the District Public Relations and Grievances Committee here the Chief Minister ordered the suspension of Dr Jayanti Varma, a medical officer, posted at Primary Health Centre, Dariyawala village, for remaining absent from duty. A complaint in this regard was made to the Chief Minister by the panchayat of village. He also ordered the suspension of a multi-purpose health worker of the centre. Mr Ram Phal Kundu, Chairman, HARCO Bank, Mr Ram Kumar Katwal, MLA Rajound and Ms Sumitra Devi, Chairperson, Zila Parishad were also present. |
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Record set in rural postal insurance Karnal, October 15 The Assistant Superintendent, Post Offices (Jind), Mr A.J. Kalia and the village branch Postmaster, Mr Pawan Kumar Sharma, worked hard to make this camp a success. Ms Bansal has decided to honour these officials and also to recommend their names for Meghdoot Award. What is unique about this achievement is that Ratauli is a small village. As many as 172 persons in this small village came forward on the spot to go for the insurance. Ms Bansal feels that rural postal insurance is a very beneficial scheme for the villages. It is convenient for them since they can deposit the premium in the village post office. Since there no agents are involved in this scheme unlike other insurance schemes like the LIC, the entire profit goes to the insurance. She says it is her aim to take the benefits of this scheme to nook and corner of every village. |
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Rs 100 crore for industrial units Faridabad, October 15 Our of the total aid, Faridabad district may get a grant of about Rs 18 crore for the project. It is reported that an amount of Rs 6 crore would be spent on providing better roads in Sectors 24 and 25 here where about 100 export-oriented units are located. The Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA), which has developed these sectors, proposes to lay an efficient sewerage system and an effluent treatment plant (ETP). While the sewerage network could cost over Rs 2 crore, the ETP may require a budget of about Rs 1.5 crore. It may be recalled that the EOU in the district had exported products worth Rs 2,140 crore last financial year. The office of HUDA has prepared a proposal for seeking about Rs 18 crore from the centre. |
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Paddy growers ‘exploited’ Chandigarh, October 15 In a statement issued here today, a party secretary Mr Satpal Kaushik, alleged that due to the “wrong” policies of the Centre and the state government more than half of the paddy being brought to the Haryana mandis was being purchased by the private traders at Rs 60 to Rs 100 below the minimum support price. He said the state procurement agencies were refusing to purchase certain varieties of paddy whose seeds had been distributed among the farmers by the Agriculture Department. Procurement agencies were claiming that the government had told them not to buy these varieties. Mr Kaushik alleged that once the agencies reject particular lots of paddy on the pretext that their quality was not up to the mark, the farmers were compelled to sell these to traders at a low price. It was shameful that while the growers had to sell their paddy at Rs 400 a quintal, the husk was being sold at Rs 200 per quintal. He said a meeting of the Kisan Khet Mazdoor Congress had been convened for tomorrow at the party’s head office here to chalk out an action plan to stop irregularities in procurement. |
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Procurement
of paddy Chandigarh, October 15 Kurukshetra district was leading the state with the arrival of over 2.70 lakh tonnes, followed by Karnal with two lakh tonnes, it added. |
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SI booked on corruption charge Kaithal, October 15 On September 2, Khushi Ram came to know that the Rajaund police had recovered a headless body of a girl. He contacted Sub-Inspector Karam Singh and told him the whole story. The Sub-Inspector asked him to identify the body as that of Jatinder Kaur of Dera Habri. Later, he called Karnail Singh to the police station and threatened to book him for the murder of his daughter and asked him to pay him Rs 20,000. On September 5, Khushi Ram told the SHO that the body was not of Jatinder Kaur but the SHO asked him to keep his mouth shut. Mr Chawla said recently when Karam Singh was transferred from Rajaund police station, Khushi Ram made a complaint to him against the Sub-Inspector following which the matter was investigated and a case was registered against the Sub-Inspector under the Prevention of Corruption Act. It is learnt that the headless body recovered by the police was of some another girl. |
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Rapist gets life term Panipat, October 15 Dr Shangla said the convict had committed a heinous crime and the accused needed to be kept away from society as long as possible. The judge said the rapist had not only violated the victim’s privacy and personal integrity but caused serious psychological and physical harm to her. The court further held that in default of the fine the convict would undergo rigorous imprisonment for one more year. |
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Minor girl
raped Ambala, October 15 According to information, the mother of the four-year-old girl residing in the Maheshnagar area works as a cook in several houses. On Sunday evening when she came back, she found her daughter missing from the house. She started searching for her with the help of her mother-in-law. According to a police report, the mother saw one person along with her daughter sitting in bushes on the banks of the Tangri. As soon as the accused noticed the people coming toward him, he fled away from the spot. The girl was rushed to a local hospital in serious condition. The condition of the girl is stated to be out of danger. |
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Governor’s appeal to NGOs on human rights Sonepat, October 15 He was speaking at a seminar on “Human Rights”, organised by the Society for Civil and Human Rights here yesterday. He said there should be no discrimination on the basis of caste, creed, religion or colour in respect of fundamental rights. The Governor said it was a matter of grave concern that even after 54 years of Independence, most of the people had not been able to protect social, political, cultural and economic rights. |
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Fearing fine, man jumps from train Narnaul, October 15 Kishore Kumar reportedly could not produce the ticket when asked by the TTE to show it. Fearing imposition of fine and charges, he jumped from the moving train. |
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Work plan for 27 schemes Chandigarh, October 15 The schemes cover organic farming, popularisation of certified seeds, mechanisation of agriculture, integrated watershed management and other such areas, it added. |
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Verma is Kaithal City Magistrate Chandigarh, October 15 The state government has also cancelled the transfer orders of Renu S Phulia, and Mr M K Ahuja, who will continue to work as SDO (Civil), Jagadhari, and SDO (Civil), Ambala, respectively. |
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Rewards for catching smugglers Chandigarh, October 15 |
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