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Thursday,
October 18, 2001, Chandigarh, India  
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Haryana
Cong gives call for bazar bandh Ministers
may get luxury cars 5 refused
bail in Poonia murder case ASI adopts
three Jhajjar monuments Hooda
joins issue with Chautala |
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Power
staff hold demonstration People
urged to give up use of polythene bags Martyr’s gallantry gone unsung Dean
reverted for irregularities Tenders invited for thermal plants Memorial lecture
on Oct 19
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Haryana
Cong gives call for bazar bandh Chandigarh, October 17 Addressing a press conference here, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, HPCC president, said that the party had decided to give a call for a bazar bandh on November 2 to protest against the new house tax policy, introduction of entry tax and steps such as the installation of electronic power meters. Mr Hooda said that the decision to give a call for the bandh was taken at a meeting of the PCC here today which was attended by state executive members, MLAs and other senior leaders of the party. He added that earlier at a meeting of the CLP on October 11, party MLAs had also suggested that a statewide strike should be organised against the house tax policy. Asked why the Congress did not give a call for a general strike on November 2, Mr Hooda said that since markets were controlled by common people, a bazar bandh would effectively reflect the popular mood against the government. He added that in the next phase of the agitation, the party would enforce a statewide “chakka jam” call. Mr Hooda said that though Mr Bhajan Lal, leader of the CLP, did not attend today’s meeting, the latter had a telephonic conversation with him yesterday .Mr Hooda said that Mr S.S. Surjewale and Mr Harpal Singh were present at the meeting. Mr Birender Singh, also a former HPCC chief, however, did not come. While launching the agitation against the house tax policy, the Congress would simultaneously take up issues relating to farmers, Mr Hooda said. He said the Congress would organise a token fast in front of the Rohtak sugar mill on November 19, on the occasion of Indira Gandhi’s birth anniversary, to protest against the “anti-farmer policies” of the state government. The HPCC chief said that he had visited seven mandis of the state so far and saw large-scale bungling in the purchase of paddy by official agencies forcing the farmers of Haryana to go to mandis in Punjab with their produce. The government was yet to clear the payments of sugarcane farmers, he alleged. He also alleged there was distress sale of bajra by farmers. |
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Ministers
may get luxury cars Chandigarh, October 17 The sources say it has been left to the Chief Secretary, Mr L.M. Goyal, to finalise which luxury car will be suitable in Haryana conditions. Opel Astra, Ford Ikon and Ford Escort are some of the cars under consideration. After a Cabinet meeting here on September 20, the Ministers had requested the Chief Minister that they should be given the luxury cars as travelling in Ambassador cars, according to them, was not convenient. Mr Chautala had asked the Transport Minister, Mr Ashok Arora, to send a proposal in this regard. Last year, on the pretext of an economy drive, the Chief Minister had withdrawn Contessa cars from the Ministers as well as officers and they were asked to travel in Ambassadors. He himself initially surrendered his Mercedes in favour of an Ambassador. The Finance Minister, Prof Sampat Singh, too, had to surrender his Mercedes. The decision to provide the Ministers with luxury cars can given birth to a controversy. On the one hand the government has given the marching orders to over 2,000 employees in order to cut its wage bill while on the other hand it will be spending a huge amount on purchasing luxury cars. Moreover, even if the Ministers are to be given luxury cars, why not use the old Contessa cars, which otherwise will not fetch much in resale. |
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5 refused
bail in Poonia murder case Hisar, October 17 Sonia’s father-in-laws, Anoop Singh, mother-in-law, Rajbiri Devi, brother-in-law, Subodh Kumar, and other two relatives Rajender Singh and Raj Pal Singh have been in judicial custody since September 8. The prosecution had opposed their bail saying that the accused were in jail in connection with a heinous crime and could not be released on bail. After the hearing, the court rejected their bail applications. It was learnt that the court had accepted the bail of three other in-laws of Sonia, namely Satender, Devender and Virender last week. But, they could not be released on bail as they had failed to produce sureties. The main accused Sonia and husband, Sanjeev Kumar, are also in judicial custody. |
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ASI adopts
three Jhajjar monuments Jhajjar, October 17 These historical monuments will be protected, preserved and possibly developed into tourist destinations by the ASI. “Three outstanding works on architecture of the 16th and 17th centuries will be included in ASI’s next master plan commencing in March next year”, informed Ms Shashi Gulati, Deputy Commissioner. She said a team comprising archaeologists, archaeological engineers and subject specialists was scheduled to visit these places on October 19. The Deputy Commissioner said the damaged structures of Kalalaon ka Makbara and Nawab ka Mahal would be reconstructed and a water body would be built at Buwa Ka Talab. She informed that besides fencing these places, electricity and parking facilities would be made available there. She further said restaurants and fast-food joints would also be developed around them. Nawab ka Mahal had been changed into a tehsil office which would be shifted to the under-construction Mini Secretariat. While Buwa ka Mahal and Kalalaon ka Makbara, situated at the outskirts of the city on the Bahadurgarh road, remained abandoned. According to residents here, Nawab ka Mahal was built by Nawab Abdul Rahman Khan who was the ruler of Jhajjar riyasat from 1845 to 1857. Buwa ka Talab was dug by Kalals in the 16th century. |
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Hooda joins issue with Chautala Chandigarh, October 17 He was reacting to Mr Chautala’s statement issued yesterday in which the latter had ridiculed Mr Hooda for making demands for holding a special Assembly session to discuss issues such as house tax, the law and order situation in the state, etc. Talking to reporters here, Mr Hooda said, the “Congress is prepared to participate even if the Assembly session is convened from tomorrow”. He also accused the government of cutting short the last session of the Assembly to two days from the initial schedule of four days. |
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Power staff hold demonstration Hisar, October 17 Addressing protesters, Mr Pratap Singh, state president of the union, alleged that instead of solving their problems, the state government was harassing them. He said nigam officials were exploiting employees by forcing them to do work for 12 to 14 hours in a day against all norms. He demanded that the government should remove anomalies of pay scales at the earliest and withdraw charge sheets against employees regarding revenue losses. He also demanded ex gratia bonus of Rs 5,000 to employees and benefits of the ACP scheme to all employees. Mr R.C. Jagga, state secretary of the union, criticised the Chautala government for stopping annual increments of the employees who had participated in national or state-level strikes in the past. Later, union leaders submitted a memorandum to the director in which they threatened that if their demands were not met soon, they would hold a state-level demonstration in front of Shakti Bhavan at Panchkula on November 21. |
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People urged to give up use of polythene bags Faridabad, October 17 Senior district officials who addressed the participants before a three-km run, urged them to give up the use of polythene bags. They also reminded the local residents that the Haryana government had banned the use of “poly” bags through an act promulgated in 1998, but “failed” to give any satisfactory answer about its implementation. Polythene and plastic bags have became major health hazard for human and animals, these lead to choking of drains in every nook and corner of the town and district. A social activist described the rally only a publicity stunt. |
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Martyr’s gallantry gone unsung Ambala, October 17 Even as the memorial constructed in his memory at Tapla village on the Jagadhari road is being spruced up for his martyrdom day on October 19, his father, Lieut-Col Inder Singh (retd), is deeply saddened by the fact that despite his son’s
conspicuous courage, no gallantry medal has been awarded to him. The
memorial has been constructed at the spot where Major Gurpreet Singh’s body was consigned to flames. With the backdrop of the green fields of the village, the memorial of the Major is befitting a martyr. Lieut-Col Inder Singh (retd) said it took about three months to build the memorial. The dome was constructed by a local artisan and the design was by Panchkula-based architects. He said 16 Engineer, Bridge Regt, was sprucing up the memorial for the wreath-laying ceremony to take place later this week. Referring to the gallant action of his son, Lieut-Col Inder Singh said, “I fail to understand why my son’s courageous act has gone unnoticed and my pleas for a gallantry award for him seem to have fallen on deaf ears.” “I believe that some follow-up action has been initiated and I am hoping that this lapse is going to be corrected at the earliest,” Lt Col Inder Singh, a retired Dogra soldier, said. |
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Dean reverted for irregularities Hisar, October 17 The university authorities had ordered a probe into the irregularities and the charges were established against him. He has also been directed to deposit Rs 3,70,000 to compensate for the losses caused to the university. |
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Tenders
invited for thermal plants Panchkula, October 17 He was addressing a gathering while laying the foundation stone of a Rs 3.35 crore 66 KV substation near Mata Mansa Devi shrine here today. The Chief Minister said global tenders had also been invited to set up a power plant at Yamunanagar. “An MoU has been signed with the Central Government to set up three gas-based power stations in the state. The Indian Oil Corporation is also setting up a 360 MW power plant near its oil refinery in Panipat. The state government is committed to enhance power generation capacity in state,” he said. |
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Memorial
lecture
on Oct 19 Chandigarh, October 17 The Chairman of the foundation, Dr N.C. Jain, said here today that the well-known scientist and Director, Light Combat Aircraft Programme, Aeronautical Development Agency, Bangalore, Dr Kota Harinaryana, would speak on “The role of aviation in the national security and wealth generation”. The Project Director of the foundation, Dr Anil Jain, said the foundation would also confer the Scientist of the Year Award on Mr Yogesh Kumar, General Manager, Light Combat Aircraft, Aircraft Research and Design Centre, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Bangalore, on the occasion. Mr Yogesh Kumar, who belongs to Ambala, has so far authored 23 scientific and technical papers. His paper on “Co-generation” won the prestigious “Noel-Deerr” Gold Medal in 1987, whereas the other paper on “Managing energy in public enterprises” won the national award in 1988. |
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