Power network to be linked
FARIDABAD, June 4 — The electricity network of the entire country will be connected through the National Power Grid within the next three years, according to Mr U.C. Mishra, Executive Director, Power Grid Corporation of India, Northern Region (1), Faridabad.

Haryana floats bachat puraskar yojana
CHANDIGARH, June 4 — The Haryana Government has launched a triple draw "Pragatisheel Bachat Purraskar Yojana" from May 1, 1999 to March 31, 2000.

Keep environment clean: Prasad
CHANDIGARH, June 4 — The Haryana Governor, Mr Mahabir Prasad, today urged the people of the state to extend their cooperation in keeping the environment clean for cumulative development of all species by adopting afforestation.

Train services hit by derailment
SONEPAT, June 4 — Train services remained disrupted for several hours following the derailment of at least six coaches of a goods train near Narela Railway Station, about 16 km from here, last night.

Life term for killing friend
SIRSA, June 4 — The District and Sessions Judge, Ms Nirmala Yadav, sentenced Harbajan Singh to life imprisonment and fined him Rs 200.

Alert constable nabs robber
ROHTAK, June 4 — The alertness of a police constable here led to the capture of one of the three robbers who looted Rs 1.40 lakh from employees of Pt. B.D. Sharma Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences on Civil Road here yesterday.

Haryana Govt bans Pak TV
CHANDIGARH, June 4 — The Haryana Government has prohibited the transmission of Pakistan Television programmes in the state through the existing cable networks.

Bansi to open KU Nivas at Shimla
KURUKSHETRA, June 4 — The Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, will inaugurate the Kurukshetra University Nivas at Cart Road in Shimla tomorrow.

Proposal to install Maharana's statue
GURGAON, June 4 — The district administration is considering a proposal for installation of a statue of Maharana Pratap on the Jaipur highway in Gurgaon.

MDU to start diploma course

Martyrs’ kin to get higher ex-gratia
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 4 — Acting reportedly on a "directive" from the Governor, Mr Mahabir Prasad, the Haryana Government today raised the ex-gratia amount to be paid to the families of the armed forces personnel belonging to the state and who laid down their lives while defending the country's frontiers.

The announcement came amidst mounting Opposition criticism of the state government for allegedly not paying due respect to the martyrs belonging to Haryana while the other states had already taken the initiative in this regard.

The Leader of the BJP Legislature Party and Education Minister, Mr Ram Bilas Sharma, called on the Governor this morning and raised the issue of due respect to the martyrs. Mr Sharma told TNS that he urged the Governor to use his influence to ensure state honours were extended to the martyrs. He said the Governor agreed with him and immediately asked the sate government to take necessary steps.

The Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, in a statement here today said the government had yesterday taken a decision whereby the family of a commissioned officer would be given Rs 2 lakh as ex-gratia, Rs 1 lakh to a JCO's family and Rs 50,000 to the families of other ranks as against the present rates of Rs 50,000, Rs 30,000 and Rs 20,000, respectively.

Similar ex-gratia amount would now also be paid to the families of paramilitary personnel belonging to Haryana.

Mr Bansi Lal said all the DCs had been directed to ensure that the last rites of such personnel were conducted with full state honours. The funeral of such personnel would be attended by a Minister, Deputy Commissioner, Superintendent of Police and other senior officers of the district.

He also urged the Defence and Home ministries to intimate the names of such martyrs to the state government for taking appropriate action.

The Chief Minister also directed the Chief Secretary to urge the CII for owning social responsibility towards the families of such martyrs and provide jobs to the dependants of martyrs.

Earlier in the day Mr Kailash Sharma, independent MLA from Narnaul, who recently withdrew support from the Bansi Lal Government, accused Mr Bansi Lal and the State administration of "being disrespectful towards the martyrs". Mr Sharma said though Mr Bansi Lal was in Mahendragarh on May when the body of Deputy Commandant Sukhbir Singh Yadav was brought to a nearby village for cremation, yet neither the Chief Minister nor the Deputy Commissioner cared to attend the last rites of the martyr.

He regretted that the State Government had made no arrangements for extending state honours to five martyrs of Kargil sector and who belonged to Ahirwal.

The INLD President, Mr Om Parkash Chautala, also criticised the Bansi Lal Government for allegedly bringing "humiliation" on the martyrs of the Kargil sector and demanded a grant of Rs 10 lakh for each bereaved family.

He said: "While about 12 brave soldiers of Haryana have sacrificed their lives to defend the nation, Mr Bansi Lal is totally occupied in saving his Government."

Mr Chautala also deplored the fact that no representative of the state government was present at the cremation of the martyrs.

The Haryana Congress President, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, demanded that the widows of the soldiers killed in Kargil should be declared "war-widows" and every effort should be made to rehabilitate their families.

Clear bills by July 16: HC
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 4 — The Punjab had Haryana High Court today set July 16 as the deadline for the Punjab, Haryana and the Union Governments and the Chandigarh Administration for clearing payment of bills of former Advocates-General.

This order was handed down by a Division Bench consisting of Mr Justice Jawahar Lal Gupta and Mr Justice N.K. Aggarwal.

Speaking for the Bench, Mr Justice Gupta observed: "It has been brought to our notice that the States of Punjab and Haryana and the Union of India and the Chandigarh Administration have not been making payment to their Advocates-General and other counsel regularly. In particular it has been pointed out that the States of Punjab and Haryana have not made payment of former Advocates-General for a period ranging from 20 to 30 years even for such cases which had been settled three decades."

"It is unfortunate," observed Mr Justice Gupta, "that the court has to intervene for getting payments cleared of those who held the august office of Advocate-General. We trust and hope that the respective state governments will make payment without further delay."

Earlier, Mr H.L. Sibal brought to the notice of the court that his bills pertaining to the period 1969 to 1971 had not been settled. Mr U.D. Gaur, former Advocate-General of Haryana, told the court that his payments for the period 1979 to 1981 had been withheld by the state government. He submitted a list of 800 cases payment for which had been withheld by the Haryana Government.

Among those who voiced their grievance were Mr Jagan Nath Kaushal, Mr Harbhagwan Singh and Mr M.L. Sarin. All are former Advocates-General either of Punjab or Haryana.

Mr H.S. Hooda, Advocate-General of Haryana, told the court that every possible effort would be made to settle the bills of various Advocates-General before the deadline set by the court.

"The position of Punjab is more pathetic than Haryana. The Punjab Government has not made payment of Mr Sibal's bills pertaining to the year 1969," observed the Bench.

Mr Ashok Aggarwal, standing counsel for the Chandigarh Administration, revealed to the court that the Administration had made payment for 70 per cent of the total bills it received. He, however, assured the court that the payment of the remaining bills would also be made by the deadline set by the court.

Mr Ashutosh Mohunta, standing counsel for the Union of India, brought to the notice of the court that out of 486 bills, payment of 471 had already been made by the Department of Defence Estates.

Haryana scene hazy still
By Yoginder Gupta
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 4 — The political scene in Haryana continues to be hazy with trouble-shooters of Chief Minister Bansi Lal going all out to save his government and the BJP rank and file holding its breath over the outcome of the party’s parliamentary board meeting to be held on June 8.

It goes to the credit of Mr Bansi Lal’s trouble-shooters that they have succeeded in winning over a hardcore dissident like Dr Dharambir Yadav, the sacked PWD Minister, who had once described Mr Bansi Lal as a "Vinash pursh" and not a "Vikas pursh". Dr Yadav had gone to the extent of saying that he would prefer death than to be seen in the company of Mr Bansi Lal.

Today the ministerialists notched another success when the Minister of State for Fisheries and Wakf, Mr Azad Mohammad, who had accused the Chief Minister of being discriminatory in attitude towards districts other than his native district of Bhiwani, expressed his "full faith" in the leadership of Mr Bansi Lal. The dissident-turned-loyalist minister said the state could progress only under Mr Bansi Lal’s leadership.

Mr Mohammad said the government was making all efforts for the development of the Mewat area in which his constituency fell. He said he had nothing to do with disgruntled elements and neither was he sent on any "Bharat darshan" tour.

Sources close to the ministerialists claim that another dissident leader will soon express his or her faith in Mr Bansi Lal.

The BJP rank and file is confused over the attitude of its state leaders as well as the silence being maintained by the high command after the Haryana Legislature Party as well as the organisational wing recommended unanimously to the high command that the party should withdraw its support immediately to the Bansi Lal Government.

The BJP leaders led by the Education Minister and the leader of the Legislature Party, Mr Ram Bilas Sharma, had said that it was no longer possible for them to put up with the humiliation brought on the BJP men by the Chief Minister.

Informed sources say that certain BJP ministers and MLAs held a meeting in the Vidhan Sabha complex last evening and decided to meet the party high command in a bid to persuade it to continue the party’s alliance with the HVP in Haryana. Consequent to the decision, interpreted as a move to isolate Mr Sharma in the party, certain ministers left for Delhi where they reportedly met senior party leaders, including Prime Minister Vajpayee, today.

Just as the outburst of Mr Sharma and Mr Om Prakash Grover, president of the Haryana BJP, were considered to have the blessings of at least one section of the party high command, similarly the move of some of his ministerial colleagues, known to be loyal to Mr Bansi Lal, is believed to have been initiated at the prodding of another section of the high command.

Mr Sharma, however, does not seem perturbed over the moves of his colleagues. He said the recommendation to withdraw support from the Bansi Lal Government was made unanimously by state leaders. Moreover, he said, in a party like the BJP it was the high command whose word mattered. Once the high command announced its decision all BJP MLAs and ministers would abide by it.

Mr Sharma said the "judgement has already been written. It is to be only pronounced." He was hopeful that the state unit’s recommendation would be accepted by the parliamentary board on June 8.

The Leader of the BJP Legislature Party tried to dismiss the reports about yesterday’s meeting in the Vidhan Sabha as "handiwork of rumour mill of the enemy camp". He said the Food and Supplies Minister, Prof Ganeshi Lal, had met Mr Vajpayee in Delhi today to extend an invitation to the Prime Minister for his daughter’s marriage.

A senior functionary of the party remarked that Mr Bansi Lal knew how to be in the good books of women leaders of the BJP. He was obviously referring to the closeness of Mrs Sushma Swaraj at the Central level and the Local Government Minister, Dr Kamala Verma, in the state to the HVP president.

Meanwhile, the loyalists in the HVP, who have regained their confidence of late about the government’s survival, say it will be very difficult for the BJP leadership to upset a state government in which its own party is a partner at a time when the nation is battling armed intruders in Kargil.

Haryana DGP files reply
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 4 — The Director-General of the Haryana Police today filed before the Punjab and Haryana High Court a detailed reply to the writ petition by Mr Shugan Chand, a former Sarpanch of Nissing village in Karnal, seeking directions for the registration of a case against Mr Bhagwant Singh, also a former Sarpanch of the same village, for allegedly misappropriating panchayat funds.

In his reply, the Haryana DGP stated that instructions had been from time to time for registration of cases. The report showed that the instructions had been issued on November 13, 1997, May 18, 1998 and June 3, 1999.

About 71709 FIRs were registered during 1996, 106383 FIRs recorded during 1997 and 69495 FIRs registered during 1998. The District Superintendents of Police had been directed on June 3, 1999, to initiate strict departmental action against police officers who delayed registration of FIRs on complaints received on cognisable offences.

Mr Justice T.H.B. Chalapathi, before whom the case came up for hearing, held: "In view of the report submitted by the Director-General of Police, Haryana, no further directions need to be issued. In the present case the petitioner seeks registration of the case against the respondent on account of offences of misappropriation. Counsel submits that in the private complaint filed by the petitioner, the Magistrate directed the registration of a case under Section 156 (3), Cr P.C., and the case has been registered as per directions of the court and the investigation is still pending."

"In these circumstances, "the Judge observed, " I direct the S.S.P. of Karnal to get the case registered against respondent No 3 and take action."

Power network to be linked
Tribune News Service

FARIDABAD, June 4 — The electricity network of the entire country will be connected through the National Power Grid within the next three years, according to Mr U.C. Mishra, Executive Director, Power Grid Corporation of India, Northern Region (1), Faridabad.

Mr Mishra told TNS in an interview here today that this would result in stability of the grid leading to uninterrupted power supply throughout the country and equi-distribution of electricity among surplus and deficit states.

However, reliable sources said that the end of the shortage of power in the country was still a distant dream unless matching generation commensurate with the increase in demand was taken care of.

The Northern Region (1) operates and maintains 7,000 circuit km of transmission lines in UP, Rajasthan, Delhi and parts of Haryana through eight high-voltage substations.

Four projects in various parts of the country were in an advanced stage of construction to set up the national grid. To supply power to be generated from the ongoing Tehri Dam project to Delhi, two 800 KV lines from Meerut to the National Capital would be laid by 2001. At Meerut, an 800 KV substation was also being constructed. It would connect Delhi through Mandola in Ghaziabad (UP).

The first 250 MW unit of the Tehri Dam is likely to start generation of power by March 2002. All states in the country would get their share of power from the 2400 MW Tehri project.

A 400 KV substation was coming up at Allahabad to connect the eastern region with the North, and the other at Jeypore (Orissa) to link Visakhapatnam to connect the southern region with the East which had surplus power.

Work was also in progress for laying transmission lines to link Sasaram (Bihar) with Allahabad. Cables had already been laid between Chanderpur (MP) and Ramagundam (Andhra).

Mr Mishra disclosed that negotiations were under way to have a power grid of seven SAARC countries — India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the Maldives.

Meanwhile, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between the Power and Communication Ministries for laying optical fibre cables on the 35,000 circuit km lines of the Power Grid Corporation of India for improving the communication network in the country.

While the Power Grid would lay the optical fibre cables, the Videsh Sanchar Nigam would set up terminals and telephone exchanges. Work had already started in the northern and southern regions.

In the first phase, metro cities would be connected.

Haryana floats bachat puraskar yojana
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 4 — The Haryana Government has launched a triple draw "Pragatisheel Bachat Purraskar Yojana" from May 1, 1999 to March 31, 2000.

Stating this here today, Mr Charan Dass Shorewala, Finance Minister, said the scheme had been initiated to attract more investment in small savings as the state government got 75 per cent money so invested as long-term loan from the union government for implementing developmental projects.

Under the scheme 16,074 prizes would be given to investors, draws for which would take place in three lots. The first draw would take place for the deposits made during May 1, 1999 to August 31, 1999. The second draw would be held for investments from September 1 to December 31, 1999. The coupon numbers which would be unsuccessful in winning in first and second draw would also be included in the final draw to be held for the investment in January 1 to March 31, 2000.

Mr Shorewala said the first prize would consist of three cars (air-conditioned), second three prizes ½ kg gold (24 ct) each, third prize three tractors, fourth prize 60 colour TV 14", fifth prize 60 semi-automatic washing machines, sixth prize 60 refrigerators (165 litres) seventh prize 105 stereo-two-in-one, eighth prize 150 mixer-grinder, ninth prize 600 electric cooker, 10th prize 1200 coffee-tea maker, 11th prize 1200 polyfilled quilt, 12th prize 1200 electric dry iron, 13th prize 1200 sandwich toaster, 14th prize 1500 suitcases 15th prize 1500 wrist watches, 16th prize 2625 lunch-boxes and 17th prize 4605 non-stick frying pans.

Keep environment clean: Prasad
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 4 — The Haryana Governor, Mr Mahabir Prasad, today urged the people of the state to extend their cooperation in keeping the environment clean for cumulative development of all species by adopting afforestation.

In his message on the eve of World Environment Day, Mr Prasad said the Haryana Government had made concerted efforts in the direction of environment protection by imposing a ban on the use of polythene bags and by launching "Green campaign" through its Forest department

He said the union government had taken effective steps in the direction of environment conservation. Forest, wildlife and environment protection had been included in the principles of national policy formulation by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment of 1976. Preservation and conservation of one's surrounding environment formed part of fundamental duties of every Indian citizen as incorporated in Article 51(A) of the Constitution.

The Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, in his message said Haryana had taken a lead by setting up Special environment courts at Faridabad, Hisar and Karnal to ensure speedy disposal of cases involving environmental offences.

An environment protection council was functioning under the chairmanship of the Governor to discuss the important matters relating to environment protection. All the related departments of the government were represented on the council which laid guidelines for different agencies and monitored their work.

Train services hit by derailment
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, June 4 — Train services remained disrupted for several hours following the derailment of at least six coaches of a goods train near Narela Railway Station, about 16 km from here, last night.

According to reports, the rail traffic on the up track was the worst hit as a result of the derailment, leaving thousands of passengers stranded, especially at Sonepat.

The Amritsar-bound Barauni Express, Dadar-Amritsar Express, Shan-e-Punjab and Shatabdi Express, the Ambala-bound Unchahar Express and the Kalka-bound Himalayan Queen were either cancelled or diverted. Similarly, some suburban and DPM trains for Panipat, Kurukshetra and Ambala were cancelled in the morning.

However, train services on the down track remained unaffected and almost all trains passed through Sonepat on schedule.

The up track on this section had become unfit for the movement of trains after about 1,000 cracks developed on it between Delhi and Ambala in December last year.

PANIPAT: Thousands of commuters were stranded at the Panipat, Samalkha and Ghanaur railway stations due to the derailment.

Shan-e-Punjab and Himalayan Queen were diverted via Rohtak.

Life term for killing friend
From Our Correspondent

SIRSA, June 4 — The District and Sessions Judge, Ms Nirmala Yadav, sentenced Harbajan Singh to life imprisonment and fined him Rs 200.

According to information received today, Harbhajan Singh of Baragura village in the district was facing trial for killing his friend Mander Singh in March last year. The body of Mander Singh found on March 1 in the Sem nullah. The police took it as a case of accident as Mander Singh was heavily drunk. The post-mortem report from Rohtak established the death of Mander as a case of murder by strangulation. The police arrested Harbans Singh who confessed to having killed his friend.

Alert constable nabs robber
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, June 4 — The alertness of a police constable here led to the capture of one of the three robbers who looted Rs 1.40 lakh from employees of Pt. B.D. Sharma Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS) on Civil Road here yesterday.

The police has recovered most of the cash from the arrested robber.

According to police sources, Rohtash, a resident of Asan village, was nabbed by a policeman, Jai Bhagwan, who was on traffic duty when the three robbers snatched the bag containing the cash. Rohtash was chased and caught by Jai Bhagwan. Rohtash reportedly tried to fire at the constable with his country made revolver, but was unable to do so.

The other accused are Rajesh and Vikram, residents of Isherheri and Bambhewa villages, respectively.

The police also seized a country-made pistol and Rs 11000 in cash from the possession of Rohtash.

Haryana Govt bans Pak TV
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 4 — The Haryana Government has prohibited the transmission of Pakistan Television programmes in the state through the existing cable networks.

A spokesman of the Home Department said here today that the decision had been taken keeping in view the increase in telecast of programmes of anti-India nature by PTV. In addition to this, the Pakistan TV was also denigrating the country and its armed forces, which had raised serious apprehensions about the inciting of communal discord.

The state government had decided to prohibit any programme being transmitted or retransmitted whenever considered necessary in public interest.

All Deputy Commissioners have been asked to ensure compliance of the orders.

The ban has been imposed under Section 19 of the Cable Television Network (Regulation) Act, 1995.

Bansi to open KU Nivas at Shimla
From Our Correspondent

KURUKSHETRA, June 4 — The Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, will inaugurate the Kurukshetra University Nivas at Cart Road in Shimla tomorrow.

The university assigned the construction work of this building to the Himachal Pradesh Housing Board, Shimla, which completed it in a record time of 18 months at a cost of Rs 95 lakh.

According to the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Mr M.L. Ranga, the three-storeyed Nivas was equipped with modern amenities.

It had been built to extend staying facilities to the students and faculty of the university and its affiliated colleges and non-teaching employees.

The foundation stone of the building had been laid by the Haryana Governor Mr Mahabir Prasad in 1997, a university spokesman said.

Proposal to instal Maharana's statue
Tribune News Service

GURGAON, June 4 — The district administration is considering a proposal for installation of a statue of Maharana Pratap on the Jaipur highway in Gurgaon.

The proposal has been made by the Gurgaon Rajput Sabha.

According to office-bearers of the sabha, the administration has been urged to allow the installation at either IFFCO Chowk or Rajiv Gandhi Chowk.

Meanwhile, the sabha has constituted a committee to oversee the celebrations of birth anniversary of Maharana Pratap in Gurgaon on June 16.

The President of the Committee, Mr Y.P. Rana, told newspersons that a former Prime Minister, Mr Chandra Shekhar,the Minister for External Affairs, Mr Jaswant Singh, Minister of State for External Affairs,Mrs Vasundhara Raje Scindhia, a former Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Mr Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, a former union minister, Mr Sawai Singh Sisodia,the Speaker of the Haryana assembly, Mr Chattar Singh Chauhan, and the Minister for Revenue from Haryana, Mr Suraj Pal, are some of the dignitaries who have so far consented to take part in the proposed celebrations.

MDU to start diploma course

ROHTAK, June 4 — Maharshi Dayanand University is introducing one-year post-graduate diploma course in the management of inland aquaculture from November '99 in its Bio-Sciences Department in collaboration with Central Institute of Fisheries Education (Deemed University), Mumbai. CIFE will provide the core support to this course through its centre located at Lahli, near here.

The decision was taken at a meeting held on May 4 this year. Besides conducting this course, the two varsities will also collaborate in research, teaching and other programmes in fisheries.