2 die of cholera, 125 taken ill
BHIWANI, July 11 — Two persons died and more than 125 persons have reportedly been suffering from cholera which broke out at Karitokha village in Loharu subdivision of this district. The situation was so grave yesterday that no one could be available for the cremation of the bodies. Almost every person is suffering from cholera in the 150 houses of the village. The victims were being brought to the local civil hospital till late at night, whereas figures of the victims admitted to private hospitals are not available.

Two held for youth's murder
SONEPAT, July 11 — With the arrest of two youths, the Rai police claims to have solved the murder of another youth Devinder of Nahri village in the district. The body of the youth was found in a canal near Shahbad Dairy village (Delhi) last month.

NGO appeals for population control
HISAR, July 11 — A non-government organisation Save Earth Save Humanity Movement (SESHM), organised a meeting of the citizens and passed a resolution urging the Union Government and the people to jointly work for the control of population, to mark the World Population Day here today.

Violence, roadblocks ‘manifestation’ of farmers’ wrath
CHANDIGARH, July 11 — The president of the Haryana Krishak Samaj, Mr Shamsher Singh Surjewala, said today that paddy growers in the state were doubly cursed because not only the monsoon had been truant but the state government had also failed in fulfilling its promise of providing round-the-clock power after June 30.

"Cataract prevalent in age group of 60 to 69 years"
ROHTAK, July 11 — The cataract, which is a major cause of blindness, has higher prevalence rate in a particular age group in the region here. It has been revealed in a survey conducted by a student of the Department of Social and Preventive Medicines of Pt B.D. Sharma Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, recently.

HVP-Cong ties in fluid state
by Gobind Thukral
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, July 11 — Despite clear options and a newly acquired political relationship, the two major Haryana parties, the Haryana Vikas Party and the Congress are yet to evolve a consensus and define their relationship clearly.

The Congress helped the beleaguered HVP-led government survive during the vote of confidence. The help was rendered partly to stop the formation of the Indian National Lok Dal and the BJP leading government and partly to help garner support of the HVP for any future political battle in the state. Both the HVP and the Congress succeeded in this crucial battle.

The calculation of the INLD and some BJP leaders that the government would lose the vote of confidence on that fateful midnight came a cropper.

As per the understanding, the Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal met Mrs Sonia Gandhi, Congress President in Delhi on July 5. The meeting described "very cordial" by Mr Bansi Lal, who claimed his age old links with the Congress, however, did not clinch the basic issue. What relationship the two parties would have and also to address to the urgent question as how to go about the government.

Here three distinct views prevailed. One option was that the HVP merges with the Congress and it rules State till next elections. The other option was that the two parties form a coalition government with Mr Bansi Lal continuing as Chief Minister for the next two years when elections take place. Third was that Mr Bansi Lal seeks the dissolution of the assembly and there are simultaneous elections with the Lok Sabha in September. It is believed that all these options were discussed threadbare in that meeting. But no final decision was taken. Both leaders agreed that final decision should be as per the Congress party's announcement at the time of support to Mr Bansi Lal that Mrs Gandhi and Mr Bansi Lal would keep the interests of the people and of the state of Haryana in mind while taking any decision. While a lot is being written and stated, matters rest there. No further meeting has been fixed as yet to take a final look at the core issues.

There is a very strong opposition to the question of dissolution of the state Assembly by the HVP and its supporting independent MLAs. And they are a 42-strong group in a House of 90. The Congress has 12 MLAs and one independent in its bag. Mr Bansi Lal is personally is opposed to the move. He feels that some major efforts regarding development about power, irrigation and roads etc are beginning to show results and the two parties could go to the people and have the advantage of this improved situation. Also, who knows what the results are after the elections. Two years is a long period to enjoy power. It could be the last choice, a difficult one.

It is also noted by HVP leaders that the Congress has helped not out of any benign attitude but due to its own compulsions. It could not afford to let the BJP play its game and form a government with Mr Om Prakash Chautala of the INLD as leader, although some Congress MLAs did prefer that too. Second, the HVP could not be broken despite a very heavy pressure. To the HVP this has given added confidence to negotiate with the Congress.

While HVP leaders would welcome the second option for forming a coalition government, the Congress is yet to firm up on that. A section of the Congress here as well as in Delhi would like to have the assembly dissolved. But there is a section which would like to exercise other options. HVP leaders feel that this option should be exercised before any other option is discussed.

Third option of the merger of the HVP with the Congress has some strong votaries in both parties, although many HVP leaders oppose this too. Similarly, some leaders like former Chief Minister, Mr Bhajan Lal and a former state Congress president, Mr Birendra Singh oppose this. They would not like to carry the baggage of the HVP government whom they have been attacking day in and day out. But the state Congress chief, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, and many other leaders feel that the Congress with the HVP would form a formidable alliance if it is a partnership, and if the two parties merge, it could still be better.

In HVP too, Mr Surendra Singh, son of the Chief Minister and a hard campaigner feels that merger could be a better alternative. It is a fact that Mr Bansi Lal over the past three years had kept himself away from the Congress, but he has lot many friends in that party. It could just be the return of the prodigal.

Interestingly while some BJP MLAs who lost power are yet to come out of the shock of abandoning Mr Bansi Lal, feel uneasy with the INLD. Mr Chautala, they understand, would act tough as he has done in the past. He won't offer anything in the platter. The two parties forming a government in Haryana at this juncture looks a distant dream.

A former Education Minister, Mr Ram Bilas Sharma, who boasted of having 20 HVP MLAs in his pocket failed in his mission. On the other hand, Mr Chautala is aiming at the next battle during the elections. He is not bothered having lost the chance. Dissolution of the Assembly suits him also as he is confident of forming the next government. But the BJP has the lurking fear of being left out. It is only hoping that a turnaround in the Kargil situation might help.

Low voltage plagues PGI
From Vipin Sharma

ROHTAK, July 11 — Mr Bahadur Chand (82), who suffered fracture in the left thigh, and is admitted to ward number 1 at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences here, has been waiting for his X-ray for the past three days. His attendant says the doctors have asked them to wait for another few days as the wild fluctuations accompanied with very low voltage can damage the machine.

Ms Pushpa, a patient suffering from throat cancer, is admitted to ward number 7. Her attendant regrets that she has been facing acute hardship due to the same problem. He says the patient is unable to bear the sweltering heat in the absence of proper voltage and it has been worsening her condition.

It is to be mentioned here that wards 1 and 7 are the special wards of the institute. Although the doctors have advised complete bed rest to most of the patients, they have been forced to spend sleepless nights at these special wards for the past nearly 20 days due to low voltage and frequent fluctuations.

Wards 2,3,4,6,9, and 11 and the Glucose Department, the CSSD Department and the cancer ward of the institute are also in the grip of the same problem. The voltage at these wards reportedly remains below 100 most of the time. The attendants of patients admitted to these wards have repeatedly complained to the authorities concerned but to no avail.

When contacted, Mr K.K. Bhatla, SDO (Maintenance) of the PGI, said the institute was getting low voltage supply from the power sub-station. He said the problem could be solved only after the rains.

However, Mr H.K. Sharma, Superintending Engineer, Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam, refuted Mr Bhatla's statement and said proper power was being supplied to the PGI. He pleaded the whole town was being supplied adequate power then how could the HVPN ignore its first priority, the PGI. Moreover, he claimed Mr Bhatla had admitted that the fault was "internal" at a meeting with Dr D.S. Dubey, Director, PGI, on June 29.

Certain members of the PGI admitted the fault was internal. They said they had been facing hardship in locating the fault without the help of merger, a device to detect short circuits and other faults in power lines.

Besides, the attendants alleged almost all water coolers installed in the wards were non-functional and they had to fetch drinking water from distant places. They said the medical authorities used to direct them to be cautious against the consumption of contaminated water but practically no arrangements had been made to ensure the supply of safe drinking water to the patients at the only PGI of the state. When this correspondent visited the institute he found a majority of water coolers were not in working condition.

It is learnt the electrical staff employed at the PGI is under the PWD and, therefore, least bothered about the directives issued by the PGI administration. This has reportedly resulted in chaos at the PGI.

Situation turns murkier
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, July 11 — Officials of the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam and the other power companies are praying to rain gods to help them fulfil the promise of the political leadership to provide round-the-clock power supply in the state. Delayed monsoon and humid conditions have led to an enormous increase in the demand for power, both in urban and rural areas.

It seems when the D-day was fixed for June 30, the planners had been taken in by prediction of weathermen about early monsoon this year. With the prophecy turning out to be false, all the plans have gone awry.

Jatinder Sharma from Rohtak reports that because of the failure of the monsoon the HVPN needs an additional four lakh units of power daily to meet the demand of the farm sector in the Rohtak circle alone.

The Superintending Engineer (Operation), Mr M P Tyagi, says: "We are praying to Indra Devta to help us fulfil our promise of providing 24-hour electricity to the consumers."

Against a demand of 24 lakh units per day, the Rohtak circle, comprising Rohtak and Jhajjar districts, get between 21 lakh units and 23 lakh units. As the system is fully loaded because of the failure of the monsoon, the power supply is switched off for one to two hours when the frequency of current goes down.

Mr Tyagi claims that the two-phase supply is maintained in the rural areas round the clock and three-phase supply is ensured for eight hours for the agriculture sector. But there are at least 61 villages in the two districts where all consumers do not get power.

He says the consumers who have not paid the dues for electricity for the past couple of years have only been denied power supply. Efforts have been made to ensure power supply to those consumers who have paid their bills even in such villages.

However, the farming community, by and large, feels that the supply in the rural areas has not improved after June 30. Mr Hari Ram, a farmer of Sunderpur village, said the supply had become more erratic. It remained switched off for hours together during daytime, and even during night the situation was no better.

Mr Hans Raj of Gugaheri village is very bitter. He says the power situation has worsened instead of showing any improvement after June 30 as has been repeatedly claimed by the government. The supply is switched off at 8 a.m. and is restored around noon. It is again switched off for unlimited period after the sunset. The villagers have to go many a night powerless.

A resident of thickly populated Guru Nanak Pura Colony, Mr Mohinder Batra, here complained that incidents of unscheduled power cuts had increased after June 30. HVPN officials, he said, switched off power on one pretext or the other without any notice to consumers. The voltage too was very low.

Vimal Sumbly reports from Hisar: Unannounced, but regular, power cuts continue to be the routine here, despite the claims of the government of providing round-the-clock electricity. However, officials of the HVPN are not prepared to admit that power cuts are a routine.

Particularly after July 1, the power cuts have been introduced in almost all the areas of the city at different times. For example in Sector 15 the supply is stopped from 7 a.m. to 7.45 a.m. and from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the evening. According to Dr Rajesh Malhotra electricity was switched off four times in three hours at 7 a.m., 8.30 a.m., 9.45 a.m. and 10.30 a.m. yesterday.

In other areas like Prem Nagar, Urban Estate, Vijay Nagar, Model Town, Rampura Mohalla and various other localities the power supply is interrupted at least twice in a day for two hours. According to Mr K.B. Kapoor of Vijay Nagar, supply to their area is switched off everyday at five in the morning and again at five in the evening for one hour.

Mr Bhupinder Singh of Prem Nagar disclosed that electricity to their area was disconnected everyday from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.

While these power cuts are regular and scheduled, there are also unscheduled power cuts which occur several times during a day.

In the agriculture sector the power is supplied for eight hours for irrigation purposes and 16 hours for lighting purposes. However, contrary to the claims of the government, Bhalia Ram of Ghirai said whether for domestic purposes or irrigation purposes the power situation had not improved. He pointed out that power was supplied irregularly and farmers had to wait for hours to irrigate their fields. At the domestic front, he claimed, power cuts last for as long as eight to 10 hours a day.

The plight of the industrial sector appears to be no better. According to Mr R.C. Gupta, managing director of the R.C. Ispat Limited, the power situation is at its worst. He claimed that besides low voltage the power cuts continued to be the routine. He pointed out that the cuts are for as long as eight hours.

His argument was supported by Mr S.K. Sharma, general manager, Rawalwasia Ispat Limited.

However, Brig Pritam Singh of Aravali Pipes felt that there were not any major cuts but for maintenance problems.

On the other hand the Chief Engineer, Operations, HVPN, at Hisar, Mr D.P. Mittal, refused to agree that there were any power cuts in Hisar. He claimed that except for some villages in Fatehabad district power was provided to the people round the clock.

When his attention was drawn to the regular power cuts introduced in various areas of the city at various hours, he said it was at the behest of the Public Health Engineering department that the power was switched off in various localities. He said this was done to prevent the misuse of unauthorised motors used by people for storing water. According to his claims, power supply was stopped only at the time of water supply so that water could reach the tail.

However, his argument had little substance. For example, water in Sector 15 is supplied between 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. and between 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. The electric supply is stopped from 7 to 8 in the morning and evening.

About the agriculture sector, Mr Mittal said, sometimes there were power cuts resulting from breakdown. But the farmers were compensated with supply of power for additional hours. On the frequent power failures during day and night, he said this was caused by the problem of "tripping" which resulted from overload and high temperature. (Concluded)

They proudly show their injuries

AMBALA, July 11 (UNI) — Lying on hospital beds with multiple injuries suffered on the Kargil front, they talk of going back to the battle field to teach the enemy a lesson.

They proudly show their injuries to the reporters while narrating the stories of their valour and adventure at the front.

As many as 29 jawans are undergoing treatment at the military hospital in Ambala cantonment here.

Lance Naik Inderjit Singh from 18 Grenadiers, who suffered multiple injuries, said his unit was ordered on May 20 to march towards Tololing which was occupied by the intruders.

He said the unit had to lose two officers — Lt Col R. Vishwanathan and Major R S Adhikari along with nine jawans. Several others were injured.

"Fighting was so fierce that we had to leave two out of nine bodies in the deadly terrain," he said.

The intruders suffered big casualties and had to vacate five bunkers after 17 of them were killed.

On June 15, the Indian Army captured the Tololing mount.

Rifleman Vinod Singh of Rajputana Rifles unit, who suffered injuries in his right thigh and waist, recollected that after occupying the Tololing Hill, they proceeded further to scale Tiger Hill which, he said, was a very difficult job as they were unaware of the topography of the hills.

On June 27, their unit started moving in vehicles from the base camp and came under fierce attack from the enemy at the dead of night at around 3 a.m. without knowing from which direction the bullets were being fired.

One of his comrades was killed and six were injured in the attack.

"But we continued to proceed under orders from our commanding officers and killed five intruders," he said.

"But suddenly a bullet struck me and I fell unconscious. When I regained consciousness after two hours, I came to know of the victory over Lone Hill," he said, lying in his hospital bed watching television.

The colour TV set was gifted to them by the Army Women Welfare Association.

Hospital Superintendent Brig M.M. Singh said gifts were pouring in from different voluntary and welfare associations in recognition of bravery of the jawans.

2 die of cholera, 125 taken ill
From Our Correspondent

BHIWANI, July 11 — Two persons died and more than 125 persons have reportedly been suffering from cholera which broke out at Karitokha village in Loharu subdivision of this district. The situation was so grave yesterday that no one could be available for the cremation of the bodies. Almost every person is suffering from cholera in the 150 houses of the village. The victims were being brought to the local civil hospital till late at night, whereas figures of the victims admitted to private hospitals are not available.

According to Mr Balbir Singh, Sarpanch of the village, the outbreak of cholera could be the result of mass deaths of hens in two hatchery farms situated in the village. A few residents tried to see the Deputy Commissioner but he was not available. A team of two doctors from here and two doctors from Gopi village, however, visited the affected village but their treatment did not show any results.

Apprehension of the outbreak of cholera was growing in the neighbouring villages. One of the patients said he felt uneasy and fell unconscious thereafter. He did not know who took him to the hospital. Arrangements there seem to have fallen short with two patients having to share one bed.

Hospital sources said only 50 patients had been admitted while two or three had been discharged after being given treatment. The sources said some of the patients had been kept under observation and the others had been shifted to the wards.

A villager disclosed that cremations could not be performed due to panic in the village till 5 p.m. yesterday.

The outbreak of cholera in another village, Dhudhwa, has also reported but according to hospital sources special teams of doctors sent there from Bhiwani have brought the situation under control.

Two held for youth's murder
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, July 11 — With the arrest of two youths, the Rai police claims to have solved the murder of another youth Devinder of Nahri village in the district. The body of the youth was found in a canal near Shahbad Dairy village (Delhi) last month.

The SSP, Mr K. Selvraj, told mediapersons here today that the arrested youths had been identified as Joginder and Krishan of the same village and they had confessed to their involvement in the murder.

He said the arrests followed the investigations of the police after the registration of the case with the Rai police. Mr Krishan brother of the deceased had alleged in his FIR that his brother Devinder had gone to his fields for irrigating the land on June 25 last but never returned to his house. He named eight persons — Ranbir, Balwan, Ram Kumar, Satpal, Rambir, Sumandar, Narinder and Pyare — who, he alleged, had kidnapped his brother after a quarrel with him on May 29 last.

According to the SSP, the investigations revealed that the deceased had illicit relations with a girl. The brothers of the girl had seen Devinder along with their sister in a compromising way and this had led to the murder by them.

He said the culprits strangulated Devinder with the ‘chunni’ of Poonam and fled after throwing the body into a nearby canal. The police had also seized the car used in taking the body to the canal and the ‘chunni’ used to murder Devinder.

The SSP claimed that innocent persons named in the FIR were let off by the police after thorough investigations of the case.

NGO appeals for population control

HISAR, July 11 (UNI) — A non-government organisation (NGO) Save Earth Save Humanity Movement (SESHM), organised a meeting of the citizens and passed a resolution urging the Union Government and the people to jointly work for the control of population, to mark the World Population Day here today.

Speakers expressed concern over the burgeoning of population. Later, the SESHM activists led by Mr Pawan Mittal submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner addressed to the President, Prime Minister and Haryana Chief Minister.

The memorandum said, "For a qualitative, secure and healthy life of citizens our country needs immediate check on population. India requires population control more than any other nation in the world".

"Through the involvement of the people and non-government organisations the government should launch ‘one couple-one child’ movement on a war-footing", it said.

SESHM lauded the work being done by the Population Foundation of India (PFI) through educating the representatives of rural areas and had urged Union Government to extend full help to the organisation.

Later, SESHM members took part in a cycle rally organised by the district administration.

The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Apoorva Kumar Singh, flagged off the rally in which hundreds of students, players and youths participated with placards in their hands advocating "One couple and one child, shall make our problems mild".

Violence, roadblocks ‘manifestation’ of farmers’ wrath
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, July 11 — The president of the Haryana Krishak Samaj, Mr Shamsher Singh Surjewala, said today that paddy growers in the state were doubly cursed because not only the monsoon had been truant but the state government had also failed in fulfilling its promise of providing round-the-clock power after June 30.

Mr Surjewala in a statement here said even canal water was not available in adequate quantity for irrigation. Those farmers who were misled by prediction of early monsoon and the government's promise of 24-hour power supply and had sowed paddy were in distress. The paddy crop which had been transplanted in the past two weeks was suffering on account of soaring temperature and lack of water. If the monsoon failed to arrive by next week the crop would wither away.

Mr Surjewala said the farmers' anger against the HVP Government was reflected in the increasing incidents of roadblocks and violence that were being reported widely from Haryana.

He urged the state and central governments to resort to emergency measures to salvage the paddy crop.

Meanwhile, a former Organising Secretary of the Haryana Congress, Mr Om Prakash Malik, said the Congress must create circumstances leading to the resignation of Mr Bansi Lal and the dissolution of the Assembly if the party wanted to make electoral gains in Haryana.

"Cataract prevalent in age group of 60 to 69 years"
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, July 11 — The cataract, which is a major cause of blindness, has higher prevalence rate in a particular age group in the region here. It has been revealed in a survey conducted by a student of the Department of Social and Preventive Medicines of Pt B.D. Sharma Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, recently.

According to the study, a higher prevalence of cataract has been detected in the persons above the age of 40 years. The prevalence is more in rural areas than in urban areas.

The study was conducted in Rohtak and Jhajjar districts from where as many as 4,000 persons were selected randomly from a population of 19,000. However, the maximum number of cases of cataract were detected in the age group of 60 to 69 years.