Development plans of towns approved
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 27
The Haryana Town and Country Planning Department today approved the developmental plans of Ambala, Yamunanagar-Jagadhri, Saha, Kurukshetra, Nilokheri-Taraori, Rohtak, Nuh, Taoru, Meham and Gurgaon-Manesar urban complex till 2021.

The plans were approved by a state-level committee headed by the Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

A spokesman of the department said that most of the towns had been planned with the peripheral road of 75 to 100 metres width keeping in view the increase in traffic. Major town roads would also be of 60 metres width. In case of Gurgaon, the peripheral road would be 150 metres wide.

He said special care had been taken to provide wide vistas within the town with shopping and institutional uses on each side. He said Yamunanagar-Jagadhri had tremendous tourism potential with three canals passing through the area. He said that sufficient space had been provided to improve the tourism potential.

He said Mr Hooda emphasised upon planning the towns in such a manner that various problems being faced by the general public could be sorted out. He said Rohtak town had been well planned to provide for a new educational hub on the lines of one being planned at Kundli. Besides this, industrialisation was also coming up in a big way in the town. He added that Industrial Model Township (IMT) was being planned on about 8000 acres at Rohtak. He stated that a similar IMT was being planned at Yamunanagar-Jagadhri. 

Chandigarh, June 27
The Haryana Excise Department has swung into action against defaulting liquor contractors following reports that certain big contractors have been trying to buy out small contractors by selling liquor below the minimum prescribed price fixed by the department.

The defaulting contractors include both of country liquor(L-14A) and Indian made foreign liquor (L-2).

The Collector, Mr S.K. Sharma, today suspended the licences of 10 liquor contractors in Ambala district, for allegedly selling liquor below the minimum price in order to under cut other contractors.

The Excise and Taxation Commissioner, Mr H.S. Rana, told TNS that earlier the department had imposed hefty fines of Rs 15,000 each on such contractors in Panchkula district. He said the department had already challaned about 70 dafaulting contractors in the entire state. Instructions had been issued to the field staff to expedite further action against those who had been challaned.

The contractors whose licences have been suspended for one week in Ambala district are Amrit Singla (L-14A), Amba Market, Ambala city; Sachin Kumar(L-2), Lal Kurti, Ambala Cantt.; Gurmit Singh (L-2) Circular Road, Ambala City; Surinder Singh(L-2), Sector 9, Ambala City; Karamvir(L-14A), Chhachhlu Majra; Mukesh Kumar(L-14), Naraingarh; Yash Pal Jindal(L-14A), Mohan Nagar, Ambala City; Sat Pal Jindal (L-2), Naraingarh; Pradeep Mittal(L-2), Capital Chowk, Ambala Cantt., Radha Ram(L-2), Kakkar Majra.

Mr Rana said if complaints were received against these contractors again, the suspension period could be increased. The department had the power to even cancel the licences, he added.

The department has convened a meeting of the Deputy Excise and Taxation Commissioners posted in districts as well as other field staff to keep a strict vigil on unscrupulous contractors, who might to try to defeat the purposes of the government’s new excise policy — to break the monopoly and to encourage small contractors in the market.

Sirsa/Hisar, June 27
The Haryana villages paying 100 per cent electricity bills will now get power facilities like ones provided in metropolitan cities. In case a cluster of villages supplied power by a common feeder achieve 100 per cent bill payment, these will get round-the- clock power supply.

The scheme has been launched by the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (BHBVN) to encourage timely payment of bills by villagers.

Addressing a training camp of sarpanches organised by the Haryana Rural Development Institute, Nilokheri, Deputy Commissioner Vimal Chandra said here today old electricity wires and transformers would replaced in the villages which had cleared all power bills.

Officials sources in the DHBVN maintained that world-class power distribution network would be provided to such villages, besides ensuring a regular and uninterrupted power supply at proper voltage.

Sources said necessary steps in this regard would be taken with the provision of infrastructure required for the purpose.

The Deputy Commissioner said in another scheme, the panchayats of the villages in which all residents were using in-house toilets would be provided cash incentive of Rs 5.5 lakh by the government.

He disclosed three such villages had been identified in Sirsa district which included Jogewala, Tejakhera and Rajpura in the Dabwali block. A survey by the district administration revealed that all residents of these three villages used toilets constructed in their homes.

Mr Chandra stated a special grant for development would be provided to the villages which had adopted the Total Sanitation Campaign and paid 100 per cent electricity bills. The district administration had prepared a plan on the basis of survey, he added.

Sirsa, June 27
Expressing serious concern over the lack of basic facilities at Chaudhary Devi Lal University (CDLU) here, the Vice-President of India, Mr Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, has directed the Haryana Governor and CDLU Chancellor, Dr A.R. Kidwai, to take prompt action in this regard.

Mr Shekhawat called up Dr Kidwai and asked him to take the necessary steps regarding the provision of facilities and filling of vacant posts in the university after a delegation of the Shiksha Bachao Abhiyan from Sirsa met him in New Delhi late last evening and intimated him of the step-motherly treatment with the university.

The Shiksha Bachao Abhiyan, which comprises a number of prominent residents of Sirsa, apprised the Vice-President of the critical situation of the university and urged him to intervene in the matter.

The delegation members told Mr Shekhawat that of the 302 posts sanctioned for the university, only 35 had been filled on a regular basis so far. Moreover, the vital posts of Vice-Chancellor, Registrar and Controller of Examinations are awaiting regular appointments for a long time.

The Vice-President was also told about the discriminatory attitude of the state government towards the university in the allocation of funds. Besides, the delegation members pointed out that the colleges earlier affiliated to the university were disaffiliated from it. They said due to the prevailing situation, the future of the students studying at the university was at stake.

Ambala, June 27
Ten passengers were caught travelling on MP quota at the Ambala Cantt railway station early this morning.

They were travelling on Jhelum Express from Jammu to New Delhi. A team headed by Senior Divisional Commercial Manager M.S. Chahalia along with Vigilance personnel found them travelling in the AC coach.

Mr Chahalia said: “We have fined them. The fine amount is Rs 8,935. They were using the MP quota of MPs D. Singh, R. Sakhya and D. Yadav,” he said.

An MP from UP, Mr S.P. Baghel, was travelling in the coach. “The persons who were fined were travelling along with Mr Baghel. They were to go to Agra from Delhi,” he said.

A railway official said the raid was carried out following a tip-off about the alleged misuse of the MP quota.

An MP from Etawah in Uttar Pradesh, Mr Raghu Raj Singh Shakya, when contacted, said he had just learnt about the incident. “I demand that stern action must be taken against the persons who were misusing the MP quota. Only strong deterrent action will ensure that such incidents do not take place in the future,” he said.

An MP from Saidpur (UP), Mr Tufani Saroj, whose quota has also been misused, said he learnt about the incident from the media. “I do not know how this took place. The truth must come out. We must know who bought the tickets in my name. The authorities concerned must ensure that the name of an MP is not misused,” he said.

Former MP from Ambala Ratan Lal Kataria said a high-level inquiry must be conducted. “MP quota is a facility given to Members of Parliament. Any unauthorised persons availing the qouta is a loss to the exchequer,” he said.