Chandigarh Panipat Rohtak Hisar Sirsa

BJP leaders await high command's nod
ROHTAK, June 15 — The state unit of the BJP awaits the decision of the party high command on the issue of its alliance with the Haryana Vikas Party.

Chautala alleges bungling in World Bank loan
PANIPAT, June 15 — The Indian National Lok Dal leader and former Chief Minister, Mr Om Parkash Chautala, has criticised the Bansi Lal government for befooling the people of Haryana by promising to provide round-the-clock power supply after June 30.

Former student leader shot
ROHTAK, June 15 — A youth was allegedly shot dead by a group of some unidentified persons at the Local Kamal Colony last night. The deceased was a former student leader of Maharshi Dayanand University.

Technique to check synthetic milk
HISAR, June 15 — A scientist from CCS Haryana Agricultural University here has devised a simple and quick way to detect synthetic milk.

Robbers raid houses, kill 1
SIRSA, June 15 — About seven persons robbed some houses in Shahpur Begu village in the District killing one and injuring others, according to sources.

• Homage paid to Indian soldiers
• Anticipatory bail plea fails

Sonia to launch campaign at Sonepat
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 15 — The Congress President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, will launch the campaign for the Lok Sabha elections in Haryana at Sonepat on June 26.

Announcing this, the Haryana Congress President , Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, told newsmen that his party was capable of facing the coming elections by itself.

After a meeting of the state office-bearers, heads of district units , various cells and other frontal organisations , MPs and MLAs, Mr Hooda told newsmen that his party had decided to maintain an equidistance from the HVP-BJP combine and the Haryana Lok Dal ( R). However, he said his party's doors for other political groups would remain open. Although, a decision was yet to be taken , the sitting MPs were likely to be retained for the party ticket in the Lok Sabha elections.

The Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, he said, should realise the situation in which he was placed now. He should resign on moral grounds and hold the Assembly poll along with the Lok Sabha elections in order to save the cost of holding elections separately. He said all state Congress leaders had decided to stand unitedly behind all those candidates who would be given the ticket for the Lok Sabha poll. There would be no room for indiscipline.

Mr Hooda also told newsmen that Mrs Gandhi had constituted a 125-member state level campaign committee for the elections. Mr Hooda said yesterday's meeting had demanded a minimum of Rs 5 lakh assistance for all those hailing from Haryana who were killed in the Kargil action. Martyr was a martyr irrespective of his rank. The meeting condemned the barbaric and inhuman treatment meted out to Lieut-Saurav Kalia and other brave soldiers who were taken hostage while on patrol duty in the Kaksar sector of Jammu and Kashmir on May 14.

The Congress leaders , he said, also condemned the discriminatory attitude of Doordarshan in its treatment of reports about the Indian National Congress.

The meeting, which was attended by prominent Congress leaders , including Mr Hooda's detractors, was, however, not attended by the two MLA sons of Mr Bhajan Lal.

Mr Satya Narayan Rao , AICC observer for Haryana's Lok Sabha and organisational elections, who was also present at the press conference, told newsmen that efforts would be made to give preference to women, youth and persons from weaker sections while giving the party ticket for the Lok Sabha poll. Those who have already completed two-terms might not be preferred. Similarly, new comers might not find place straight away. However, there could be exceptions.

Mr Rao will tour the Lok Sabha constituencies in Haryana from June 28 to July 6.

Another administrative reshuffle
in Haryana
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 15 — In yet another administrative reshuffle, the Haryana Government today shifted nearly two dozen officers. These included half a dozen IAS officers.

The government has posted Mrs Shakuntala Jakhu, Commissioner, Finance and Ex-Officio Special Secretary, Finance, as Director, Higher Education, Languages, Archives and Archaeology departments and Project Director, Haryana State Prathmic Shiksha Pariyojna Parishad (HSPSPP) in addition, relieving Mr S.K. Saxena of the charge of Director, Higher Education, Languages, Archives and Archaeology and Mr Sanjiv Kumar of the charge of Project Director, HSPSPP.

Mr P.K. Mahapatra, Deputy Commissioner, Sonepat, has been posted as Director, Supplies and Disposals and Director, Sports, Students Youth Welfare in addition, relieving Mr P.K. Gupta of the charge of Director, Supplies and Disposals and Mr S.K. Saxena of the charge of Director, Sports, Students Youth Welfare.

Mr Anil Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, Rohtak, has been posted as such at Sonepat and Mr Arun Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, Jhajjar as such at Rohtak.

Mr Lal Singh, Additional Deputy Commissioner-cum-Chief Executive Officer (ADC-cum-CEO), District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), Panipat (designate), has been posted as Joint Secretary, Local Government, relieving Mr Ramesh Krishan of the charge of Deputy Secretary, Local Government.

Mr Sandeep Garg, ADC-cum-CEO, DRDA, Sonepat, has been given the additional charge of ADC-cum-CEO, DRDA, Panipat.

Mr Shrikant Walgad, ADC-cum-CEO, DRDA, Jhajjar, has been posted as Deputy Commissioner, Jhajjar.

Mr Shiv Parshad, Subdivisional Officer (Civil), Hodal, has been given additional charge of Secretary, RTA, Faridabad, against a vacant post. Mr U.S.Sohal has been posted as SDO(C), Nuh.

Mr M.P. Bansal has been posted as Officer on Special Duty, CADA, Panchkula. Mr Anand Sharma, Secretary, HUDA, Panchkula, has been given additional charge of Administrator, HUDA (Headquarters), Panchkula.

BJP leaders await high command's nod
From Jatinder Sharma
Tribune News Service

ROHTAK, June 15 — The state unit of the BJP awaits the decision of the party high command on the issue of its alliance with the Haryana Vikas Party (HVP).

Although the state executive and the legislative wing of the party have adopted unanimous resolutions urging the high command to withdraw support to the HVP, the central leadership is reportedly divided on the issue. This has caused restlessness in the party's rank and file, including state leaders and legislators.

The pradesh BJP chief, Mr Om Parkash Grover, today admitted that it would be very difficult for the state BJP to go back on the resolutions for snapping ties with the HVP. He, however, added that they would abide by the decision of this central leadership.

Mr Grover told TNS on the telephone that the delay in taking any decision by the party high command was due to the unexpected developments in the Kargil sector. Since the Prime Minister and other central leaders were occupied in tackling the Kargil issue, Haryana could wait for few days more, he said.

He admitted that the state unit of the BJP had suffered a setback due to delay in taking any decision by the central leadership on the alliance issue. In the absence of any decision, the party was unable to draw up its strategy for the coming parliamentary elections, he said.

Although Mr Ram Bilas Sharma, Education Minister and leader of the BJP Legislature Party has not attended to the official files concerning his ministry from his residence at Chandigarh today. He avoided, as per reports reaching here, going to the office in the civil secretariat.

Mr Grover has urged the Haryana Government to provide a job each to the dependants of those servicemen who had laid down their lives defending the country in the Kargil sector. He has also appealed to the government to enhance the amount of compensation for the families of such soldiers.

Meanwhile, the state unit of the BJP has decided to observe June 23 as "Kashmir day" by holding rallies and seminars at all district headquarters in the state. Mr Grover said it was on June 23, 1953 that Dr Shyama Prasad Mukerjee laid down his life while demanding abrogation of permit system for entry into Jammu and Kashmir and the total merger of the border state with India.

The BJP Kisan Morcha has demanded the early construction of the SYL canal and severe punishment to those indulging in the sale of spurious fertilisers, pesticides and seeds. The morcha, at a rally here today demanded that the roads passing through villages should be carpeted and farmers should be paid interest on their share money in co-operative banks.

The morcha, through a resolution thanked the Vajpayee government for earmarking 58 per cent of the Union Budget for rural development and the introduction of the credit card system for the farmers.

The Union Minister of State for Agriculture, Mr Som Pal and state Education Minister, Mr Ram Bilas, who were slated to attend the rally, did not come.

Former student leader shot
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, June 15 — A youth was allegedly shot dead by a group of some unidentified persons at the Local Kamal Colony last night. The deceased was a former student leader of Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU).

According to police sources, the victim identified as Subhash Rohil had been a resident of Tilak Nagar here and had been engaged in real estate business. He had been a close associate of a former president of the Students Union of MDU, Devender Conch. Conch was murdered in broad daylight on the campus about a year ago when he had gone to appear in an examination.

It is reported that Rohil was in a car and had been moving towards his house at about 9.30 p.m. when two cars came, one from front and another from behind and signalled the victim to stop his vehicle. As soon he came out of the car to inquire about the matter the assailants numbering at least six opened fire from their weapons. The victim is reported to have been hit by at least 15 to 20 bullets, mostly in the head. He succumbed to his injuries on the spot.

While the motive behind the murder is not known, certain people suspect that some old enmity between two groups of former student leaders may be one of the reasons behind the incident. The assailants left in their cars.

A case has been registered but no arrests have been made so far.

Chautala alleges bungling in World Bank loan
From Our Correspondent

PANIPAT, June 15 — The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leader and former Chief Minister, Mr Om Parkash Chautala, has criticised the Bansi Lal government for befooling the people of Haryana by promising to provide round-the-clock power supply after June 30. He pointed out that the World Bank loan which was obtained for strengthening the power distribution and transmission system had not been utilised properly.

Mr Chautala, who was addressing a public meeting at Naultha village, 15 km from here, yesterday alleged that a large chunk of this loan had been misappropriated and the state had been brought under a debt of Rs 5000 crore.

He reiterated that the Bansi Lal government would not complete its 5 year-term as it had lost the confidence of the people of the state. They were disillusioned with the policies and programmes of Mr Bansi Lal, he said.

Mr Chautala came down heavily on the Congress President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, and held various Congress leaders responsible for the pathetic conditions of the farmers and the weaker section, after Independence.

Mr Chautala was presented a purse for Rs 1 lakh and a turban. Others who addressed the public meeting included former MLA Satbir Singh Kadian, Ramesh Khatak, MLA, Ashok Kumar, MLA, Ram Pal Majra, MLA, Krishan Kumar Pawar, MLA, and mahila leader Phulwati Kumari.

Technique to check synthetic milk
Tribune News Service

HISAR, June 15 — A scientist from CCS Haryana Agricultural University here has devised a simple and quick way to detect synthetic milk.

Due to paucity of milk during summer season, certain person supply synthetic milk in the market. Dr Gulshan Narang, an assistant scientist in the Department of Veterinary Public Health and Epidemiology the technique besides being reliable will save a lot of time.

A drop of test solution is put on a filter paper and an equal measure of the sample (milk) is put on it. If a yellow ring is formed around the drop of milk, it confirms that the milk is synthetic, he explained.

Dr D.N. Garg, ADR Veterinary and Animal Sciences, said synthetic milk will cause damage to vital body organs like liver, kidney and heart.

Dr Narang, who took about six months to develop this technique, said pure milk contains about 0.07 per cent urea per mililitre. But the urea content in the synthetic milk exceeds 1 per cent. The technique developed by him can detect the urea content as low as 0.4 per cent.

Robbers raid houses, kill 1
From Our Correspondent

SIRSA, June 15 — About seven persons robbed some houses in Shahpur Begu village in the District killing one and injuring others, according to sources.

They raided the house of Mangee Ram at midnight. When he resisted they injured him and his relative. The robbers also raided the house of Asa Ram and injured Lala Ram, Chuni Lal and his wife, Sharbati. Chuni Lal died at the local Civil Hospital. The police has sounded a red alert at all police check-posts.

A case was registered under Section 302, 460, 458, and 34, IPC.

Anticipatory bail plea fails
From Our Correspondent

SIRSA, June 15 — District and Sessions Judge Nirmal Yadav turned down the petition filed for anticipatory bail by Dr Vinita Jhunthra of the local Jhunthra Nursing Home in a case of negligence registered against her on the complaint of a resident of Chattargarh Patti village of the district. Dr Jhunthra was booked under Section 201, 383, 420, 337 and 34, IPC.

Homage paid to Indian soldiers
From Our Correspondent

SIRSA, June 15 — A public meeting was held at the local Subhash Chowk to pay homage to the Indian soldiers who had laid down their lives in Kargil sector. The meeting was attended by various important persons from different walks of life.

The speakers appealed to the Prime Minister to deal with Pakistan with an iron hand.