Bitta slams Bansi Lal for being "casual" to martyrs
GURGAON, July 12 — Former president of the Indian Youth Congress(IYC) Maninderjit Singh Bitta today charged the Bansi Lal government with adopting a casual approach towards the families of the Jawans killed in Kargil.

• Bitta for snapping ties with Pak

Poetic tributes to soldiers
KAITHAL, July 12 — The Bharat Vikas Parishad here organised a poetical symposium 'Ek sham shaheedon ke naam', last night to pay homage to soldiers killed during the Kargil operations.

Rs 5 lakh relief for HVPN staffer’s kin sought
HISAR, July 12 — The Haryana Employees Joint Action Committee has demanded Rs five lakh compensation for the family of Prahlad Singh, a foreman in the HVPN, who was killed by mob at Garondah a week back.

6 convicted for girl's abduction
FARIDABAD, July 12 — Mr Surinder Kumar, Additional District and Sessions Judge, today convicted Rajbir Angoori, his mother, Kirat Chand, Jagdish and Lal Chand for abducting a minor girl to Allahabad district in UP in May 1997. Kirat and Rajbir also raped her there.

Cholera cases on rise
BHIWANI, July 12 — There is an atmosphere of fear in the Badhra area of this district because of the spread of cholera in Karitokha village. There has been a continuous increase in the number of cholera patients in the village. Even today around 36 patients were admitted to different hospitals.

Sharif effigy burnt
SONEPAT, July 12 — Women activists of the BJP, agitated over the Kargil situation, spank the effigy of the Pakistan Prime Minister, Mr Nawaz Sharif and burnt it amidst the shouting of anti-Pakistan slogans, at Kharkhauda town, 19 km from here yesterday.

No coalition with HVP: Cong
CHANDIGARH, July 12 — The Haryana Congress President, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, today ruled out the possibility of his party forming either a coalition government with Mr Bansi Lal's HVP or entering into an electoral alliance with the latter.

Haryana staff resent disparity
HISAR, July 12 — The Haryana Civil Medical Services Association has expressed resentment over the disparities in the revised pay scales for various posts.

Bomb scare delays train
SONEPAT, July 12 — A Panipat-bound 7 DPM passenger train was delayed for two hours when it was detained at the railway station here last evening following a bomb scare.

Man robbed of Rs 60,000
GURGAON, July 12 — Four armed youths looted about Rs 60,000 from an employee of a mining firm near Fazilpur village today at 4.30 p.m.

CM pays tribute to Kargil martyrs

AMBALA, July 12 (PTI) — As many as 72 martyrs from Haryana out of 325 have made supreme sacrifice during the ongoing ‘Operation Vijay’ in the Kargil sector, Chief Minister Bansi Lal said today.

Addressing a gathering after inaugurating newly constructed 18 bays bus stand at Ambala cantonment built at a cost of Rs 3.61 crore here, he paid rich tributes to the martyrs of Kargil saying our valiant solider were fighting in Kargil and Dras sectors and they had set up a record of bravery while fighting with the intruders to maintain unity and integrity of the country.

He said so far 69 brave soldiers of Haryana have sacrificed their lives and three more bodies of martyrs would be reaching today.

He said he had assigned the duties to the ministers to attend the last rites of the martyrs in the state.

The Chief Minister disclosed that all ministers of Haryana, including himself, had contributed a month’s salary towards the Haryana War Heroes Relief Fund.

He appealed to the people to contribute liberally towards this fund.

He became very emotional and tears rolled down his eyes while narrating an incident of a martyr’s family. As a mark of respect to the martyrs a two minutes silence was observed.

The Tribune correspondent adds that the Chief Minister, however, seemed to very particular in observing the directives of the Election Commission while delivering his speech.

On several occasions he interrupted the local MLA, Mr Anil Vij, and the State Transport Minister, Mr Raj Kumar Saini, who wanted to highlight the achievements of the government.

Bitta slams Bansi Lal for being "casual" to martyrs
Tribune News Service

GURGAON, July 12 — Former president of the Indian Youth Congress(IYC) Maninderjit Singh Bitta today charged the Bansi Lal government with adopting a casual approach towards the families of the Jawans killed in Kargil.

Mr Bitta, who visited Gudhi and Mumtazpur — the villages of deceased Lance Naik Ahmad Ali and Azad Singh expressed concern that Chief Minister Bansi Lal had not visited the homes of the Jawans of the state killed in "Operation Vijay" against the Pakistani army regulars and mercenaries.

Talking to reporters, Mr Bitta said that unlike Mr Bansi Lal in Haryana, Punjab Chief Minister, Prakash Singh Badal was announcing promptly all possible help to the family members of the killed jawans from his state. Among others Mr Badal was offering promptly jobs to the family of the heroes, he added.

He took a dig at the Bansi Lal government saying that the intelligence personnel in Haryana were pressed into service only to spy the movements of its opponents and its own functionaries. He made these observations in the context of alleged intelligence failure on the initial intrusion of the Pakistani army personnel and mercenaries.

Mr Bitta said that he would tour his home state Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, and meet family members of all the jawans who lost their lives. He added that he would organise public functions in Delhi to felicitate the family members of the killed jawans and also raise funds for them.

Bitta for snapping ties with Pak
From Our Correspondent

PANIPAT, July 12 — Chairman of the Anti-Terrorist Front, Maninderjit Singh Bitta has demanded that India should snap all ties with Pakistan until Pakistan stopped aiding terrorist activities in the country particularly Jammu and Kashmir.

Lahore Bus service should be stopped immediately and the Indian government should adopt a tough posture against Pakistan in future, he added.

Mr Bitta was talking to reporters here after visiting families of four martyrs — Amardeep Singh of Bandh village, Rishi Pal Tyagi of Sanoli Khurd, Vijay Singh of Puthar village and Mohd Riyasat Ali of Adhmi village of this district to pay homage to the martyrs.

Demanding that ex-gratia payment to the families of the martyrs should be up to Rs 10 lakh, Mr Bitta pointed out that during his visit to the martyrs families in Yamunanagar, Karnal, Panipat and other areas of Haryana, he was informed that most of the families in Haryana had not got the full ex gratia payment and so far the state government had not given any written assurance for employment of at least one member of the bereaved family.

He underlined that along with the martyrs of Kargil front the Central as well as state governments should not ignore bravery and patriotism of the soldiers injured and disabled in 'Operation Vijay'. He demanded that the central government during its talks with the Pakistan government should press for the release of about 70 to 80 Indian soldiers languishing in Pakistani jails since 1971 war.

2 held for illegal medicines’ sale
From Vipin Sharma

ROHTAK, July 12 — The illegal sale of unaccounted medicines in Haryana has reportedly been causing financial loss worth crores to the state exchequer. According to reports, the sale is going on at a large-scale at Rohtak, Bhiwani, Hansi, Hisar, Sirsa, Jind, Narwana, Jakhal and Tohana.

As part of a campaign against the illegal sale of medicines the district drug control team, comprising the Civil Surgeon, Dr B.D. Kalra, Senior Medical Officer, Dr R.K. Chaudhary, and Senior Drug Inspector, Mr Girdhari Lal Singal, raided a coach of the Delhi-Jakhal train yesterday and seized 64 kinds of illegal medicines. Similarly, 104 types of medicines were seized in another raid yesterday. Ramesh Khurana of DLF Colony and Rajesh Ahuja of Dayanand Tej Colony here have been arrested in this connection.

The value of the seized medicines is reported to be about Rs 50,000. Samples of certain medicines have been sent to a laboratory at Chandigarh for testing. The Chief Judicial Magistrate has ordered that these medicines should be impounded.

Various types of tablets, capsules, needles and syringes were seized. The medicines seized included amoxycylin, oxalgin, anacin, disprin, voveran, alprax, aciloc, valium, phensidyl, taxem, reglon, corex and injections of tetanus and insulin.

The injections of tetanus and insulin are required to be kept below a temperature of 4° C for effective use, but all these precautions were thrown to the winds by the accused.

The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Arun Kumar, said the accused revealed that they used to buy the medicines from Bhagirath Place in Delhi and sell it to doctors and chemists in the city at cheaper rates.

At least 400 persons are reportedly involved in the illegal sale of medicines in the state. They used to buy medicines worth about Rs 10 lakh everyday from Delhi as per the "orders of various chemists".

According to information, 8.8. per cent sales tax and 4 per cent central tax has been imposed on medicines in Haryana. The illegal sale of medicines has been causing huge financial loss to the state government on account of evasion of these taxes. A medicine supplier, on condition of anonymity, disclosed that he had been earning from Rs 200 to Rs 1,000 daily due to this racket.

People misled on 24-hour power: BJP
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, July 12 — Various political parties have charged the Bansi Lal Government with misleading the masses regarding consumption and supply of power and asked for a white paper on the issue immediately.

At a party meeting held at the BJP office here, Mr Pradeep Jain, district President of the party, alleged that the promise of round-the-clock power supply in the state after June 30 had turned out to be a deception of the people. He further alleged the deceitful promise by the government had crushed the hopes and aspirations of the masses, who were anxiously waiting for 24-hour power supply for the past few months.

He claimed the power supply position had deteriorated in the region after June 30 and resentment prevailed among the farmers, traders and other consumers.

Dr Virender Pal, Indian National Lok Dal MLA and an agricultural scientist, alleged the people were not getting 24-hour power supply even in a week. The government should come out with a white paper regarding the generation, supply and consumption of power in the state, he demanded.

Meanwhile, the district unit of Socialist Unity Centre of India (SUCI) alleged the promise of round-the-clock power supply had met with the same fate as that of prohibition. Mr Anoop Singh, secretary of the district unit of the SUCI, said the "false" statement of the government had been causing confrontation between the people and the power employees. He called upon the people to launch a joint agitation against the government on the issue.

Poetic tributes to soldiers
From Our Correspondent

KAITHAL, July 12 — The Bharat Vikas Parishad here organised a poetical symposium 'Ek sham shaheedon ke naam', last night to pay homage to soldiers killed during the Kargil operations.

The programme started with the lighting of a lamp by the chief guest followed by observance of two minutes' silence in memory of the slain soldiers.

Twenty ex-servicemen were presented siropas. Later, patriotic poems were recited by a group of local poets.

Mahinder Khanna recited a Punjabi poem, "Saheedon te lahu di jum gai dhar' kahe, ki hoya asin mar gaye, desh ta jinda rahya." Gulshan Madan saluted the brave soldiers with these words, "Kargil ke sab jawano ko salam, hansten hansten ho gaye kurban jo, desh ke aise jawano ko salam".

Ashok Bharati called upon the youth to rise to the occasion by saying, "Jawano tumhari jawani kahan hai, vo josh vo ravani kahan hai". B.S. Sandha recited the poem, "Miti apne watan di, aaj choom ke mathe nall laliyo."

Reetika Aggarwal was the next to express her feelings, with, "Kaya kaha Kashmir de doon, desh ki jagir de doon." The Swaranjali group presented a Quwwali, "Milgayc jab hamare kadam se kadam, raste mein ujale bichanyege ham." The artiste of this group also presented a play, "Lahore se Kargil tak," which received thundrous applause from the audience.

Later the chief guest, Mr Anil Shorewala, President of the RKSD College Governing Body, paid his tributes to the brave soldiers and announced a donation of Rs 5100 to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund, Maj M.S. Malik (retd) presided over the function.

Rs 5 lakh relief for HVPN staffer’s kin sought
Tribune News Service

HISAR, July 12 — The Haryana Employees Joint Action Committee has demanded Rs five lakh compensation for the family of Prahlad Singh, a foreman in the HVPN, who was killed by mob at Garondah a week back.

A meeting of the committee was held under the chairmanship of Mr R.C. Jagga.The meeting among others was attended by senior leaders, Dhara Singh, M.L. Sehgal, Baldev Singh, Phool Kumar, Satpal Siwatch, Harphool Bhatti and Joginder Singh.

The committee blamed the Chief Minister for the death of Prahlad Singh and expressed concern over the "provocative language being used by the Chief Minister and other ministers against electricity workers to cover up government's failure to maintain 24-hour power supply from June 30."

Besides Rs five lakh compensation, the committee demanded employment for one family member of Prahlad Singh and immediate action against the guilty police officer on duty for his "negligence".

The committee also decided to hold condolence meetings at all levels on July 15 in memory of Prahlad Singh which would be attended by all the employees.

6 convicted for girl's abduction
Tribune News Service

FARIDABAD, July 12 — Mr Surinder Kumar, Additional District and Sessions Judge, today convicted Rajbir Angoori, his mother, Kirat Chand, Jagdish and Lal Chand for abducting a minor girl to Allahabad district in UP in May 1997. Kirat and Rajbir also raped her there.

The judge sentenced Rajbir and Kirat to 10 years imprisonment and to pay a fine of Rs 500 each under Section 376 (2) (G), IPC. All other accused were sentenced to three years rigorous imprisonment under Section 363 and five years RI under Section 366.

The judge also sentenced Gangadhar to seven years RI under Section 376, five years RI under Section 366 and three years RI under another Section for abducting and raping the minor girl of Palwal.

Cholera cases on rise
From Our Correspondent

BHIWANI, July 12 — There is an atmosphere of fear in the Badhra area of this district because of the spread of cholera in Karitokha village. There has been a continuous increase in the number of cholera patients in the village. Even today around 36 patients were admitted to different hospitals.

It may be mentioned here that cholera had spread in the village a few days back due to drinking of contaminated water from a Public Health Department source of water supply. It is reported that two persons have died due to cholera and condition of four patients is serious, while about 100 patients have been sent to various hospitals for treatment.

The local administration has taken samples from the tubewell from which after taking water people have suffered from cholera and sent to medical college, Rohtak for analysis.

Sharif effigy burnt
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, July 12 — Women activists of the BJP, agitated over the Kargil situation, spank the effigy of the Pakistan Prime Minister, Mr Nawaz Sharif and burnt it amidst the shouting of anti-Pakistan slogans, at Kharkhauda town, 19 km from here yesterday.

The women demonstrators of the Mahila Morcha of the party, led by Mrs Bharpai Chahel, marched in procession passing through the main bazaars of the town. All office-bearers of the Mahila Morcha Kharkhauda including Mrs Shakuntala Raj, Ms Karamwati, Ms Chanderwati, Ms Pushpa Munjal, Ms Roshni, Mr Randhir Singh Dahiya, president of the Rohtak unit of the party and Mr Ramesh Lamberdar participated in the procession.

Earlier, a rally was also held in the town. It was addressed by the leaders of the BJP and the Mahila Morcha of the party. They warned Pakistan to withdraw the infiltrators from Kargil and other sectors in Jammu and Kashmir.

The leaders also lauded sacrifices of officers and soldiers of the Indian Army, urged the government to grant more ex-gratia to martyrs' families.

No coalition with HVP: Cong
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, July 12 — The Haryana Congress President, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, today ruled out the possibility of his party forming either a coalition government with Mr Bansi Lal's HVP or entering into an electoral alliance with the latter.

Mr Hooda said the Congress had bailed out the Bansi Lal Government in the Vidhan Sabha on June 25 only to prevent the "unholy and unprincipled alliance" of the INLD and the BJP from coming to power in Haryana. The party had, however, retained its right to criticise the Bansi Lal Government for its non-performance and failure on all fronts as the Congress had been doing for the past three years in discharge of its responsibilities towards the people of the state.

The Congress leader said his party would never form a coalition government with the HVP in Haryana. He also did not see any possibility of the Congress entering the electoral arena in alliance with the ruling party of the state.

When asked about the possibility of a merger between the Congress and the HVP, Mr Hooda said in such matters the Congressmen would abide by the decision taken by the AICC President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi.

Mr Hooda reiterated his demand for the publication of a White Paper on the power situation in the state which, he said, was far from satisfactory despite tall claims made by the Bansi Lal Government. He said the HVP had come to power primarily on the basis of two promises — total prohibition and 24-hour power supply. The party had miserably failed to fulfil both promises.

Haryana staff resent disparity
Tribune News Service

HISAR, July 12 — The Haryana Civil Medical Services Association has expressed resentment over the disparities in the revised pay scales for various posts.

In a statement, the President of the association, Dr D.B. Rawal, pointed out the disparities of the state medical officer's grades with those serving in the Central Government and in neighbouring Punjab at various posts.

While the Central Government had revised the pay scale of Rs 3000-5000 to Rs 10,000-15,200, the same scale in Haryana had been revised to Rs 10,000-13,900 only. Similar disparities existed in almost all scales, he claimed.

He said in Punjab, after four years of service, a medical officer gets the scale of Rs 10,000-15,100, while in Haryana, after five years of service a medical officer gets the scale of Rs 10,000-13,900 only.

The association President also criticised the government for the delay in releasing the 25 per cent non-practising allowance, which is due since 1996. He urged the government to remove all these disparities immediately and release the non-practising allowance.

Bomb scare delays train
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, July 12 — A Panipat-bound 7 DPM passenger train was delayed for two hours when it was detained at the railway station here last evening following a bomb scare.

According to official sources, the train left Delhi for Panipat on schedule and reached here at 9.10 p.m. As soon as it arrived, the ASM on duty received an information about a bomb in the train.

A thorough search of all the bogies of the train revealed that there was no bomb on the train.

The train was allowed to proceed towards Panipat around 11.30 p.m. However, the Railway police seized some consignments of goods which were being taken to Panipat without making the payment of sales tax.

Man robbed of Rs 60,000
From Our Correspondent

GURGAON, July 12 — Four armed youths looted about Rs 60,000 from an employee of a mining firm near Fazilpur village today at 4.30 p.m.

According to the information available, the employee was returning after collecting money from mines when the youths stopped his vehicle and robbed the money. SSP Navdeep Singh Virk has rushed to the spot.