Chandigarh Jind Rohtak Gurgaon Hisar

Congress to continue its tirade: Hooda
CHANDIGARH, June 29 — In sharp contrast to the impression given by two AICC observers on the day of voting on the motion of confidence in the Haryana Assembly, the state Congress today clarified that it had attached no pre-condition to its support to the Bansi Lal Government.

Funds swell for Kargil martyrs
ROHTAK, June 29 — Schools in the native villages of the martyrs will be named after them in commemoration of their heroic deeds.

• 1 killed in group clash
• House prorogued

600 villages may not get 24-hour power
From Vimal Sumbly
Tribune News Service

HISAR, June 29 — Notwithstanding the tall claims of the Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, about providing round-the-clock electricity in the state from July 1, about 600 villages will not get regular power supply from this date, highly placed sources in the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam (HVPN) admitted today.

The sources said that due to the availability of infrastructure and outdated power supply lines, it would not be possible to provide round-the clock electricity. Although these villages fall in almost all the districts of the state, however the worst-effected would be the districts of Jind and Fatehabad, where about 30 to 40 per cent villages would not get round-the-clock electricity.

Only the other day, the Haryana Power Minister, Mr Attar Singh Saini, told a press conference, that 458 villages would have to wait for some time to get this facility. The HVPN released advertisements in newspapers putting the figure at 320. But senior officials admitted the figure was likely to be more than that.

The HVPN also attributed it to the recent political developments claiming that they had an "adverse effect" on the situation.

The officials assured that all these villages would get regular and round-the-clock electricity before the year end as the "work is going on at top speed on the sub stations covering these villages". However, it was clarified that besides eight-hour supply to agriculture tubewells and two-hour supply in the morning and evening hours for drinking water, two phase supply would be available for most of the time in these villages even now.

The sources disclosed that the issue was raised at high level meetings with the Chief Minister and it was clarified to him that it would not be possible to cover these villages before June 30. It was decided that the issue would be made public only at the time, when round-the-clock power would be made available in the rest of the state, i.e. June 30.

The sources pointed out that the July 1 date was technically not feasible had the date been fixed after the monsoon, the commitments would have been fulfilled in toto, because electricity consumption after the monsoon usually came down.

For providing round-the-clock electricity the HVPN needed 60 lakh additional units of power. For this purpose 30 new substations were set up and 10,000 new transformers installed. The Nigam has also laid down 600 km of power lines in the state for the purpose.

Congress to continue its tirade: Hooda
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 29 — In sharp contrast to the impression given by two AICC observers on the day of voting on the motion of confidence in the Haryana Assembly, the state Congress today clarified that it had attached no pre-condition to its support to the Bansi Lal Government.

The party president, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, in a statement here today said that the Congress decision to support Mr Bansi Lal was mainly taken to prevent a communal, fascist and casteist combine from coming into power in Haryana and save the people from the Meham-like situations.

Mr Hooda said the future course of action regarding the relationship between the Congress and the HVP would be decided only after a meeting between Mr Bansi Lal and Mrs Sonia Gandhi.

Reiterating that the Congress decision to support Mr Bansi Lal was in the "larger interest of the state and not to derive any political benefit from the situation", Mr Hooda thanked his party MLAs for "solidly abiding by the party whip" and for "exhibiting exemplary loyalty in the leadership of Mrs Gandhi".

However, Mr Hooda asserted that the Congress still stood by "its tirade it has been carrying on against the Bansi Lal Government for its misrule, failures on all fronts, including law and order situation, rampant corruption and non-governance. The Congress would not lag behind in discharging its responsibilities towards the people of the state, "whenever any situation affecting the interests of the people adversely arises".

Reacting to the allegation levelled by INLD leader Om Parkash Chautala that the Congress had betrayed the people by extending support to Mr Bansi Lal, Mr Hooda said Mr Chautala should not forget how he overnight announced support to the Vajpayee Government after securing an assurance from the BJP following the intervention of Punjab Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal that Mr Bansi Lal would be ditched and Mr Chautala would be made chief minister. He alleged that Mr Badal was under obligation to Mr Devi Lal and Mr Chautala who had allotted the Akali leader a piece of prime land in Gurgaon.

Mr Hooda also criticised the BJP Legislature Party leader, Mr Ram Bilas Sharma, for saying that the Congress had "sold" its support to Mr Bansi Lal. It did not behove a person like Mr Sharma to indulge in mudslinging after enjoying fruits of government for three years under Mr Bansi Lal leadership.

Electorate reminded of Emergency days
Tribune News Service

PUNHANA (Gurgaon), June 29 — The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), the main Opposition in the Haryana Assembly, yesterday put the "dictatorial" image of the Congress of Emergency days before the electorate here.

Addressing INLD's election rally in the Ferozepur Jhirka Assembly segment of the Mahendergarh parliamentary constituency, Mr Om Parkash Chautala alleged that the people of the state will not forgive the Congress for bailing out the Bansi Lal Government after the BJP withdrew its support to it.

The INLD leader said that the Minister of State for Fisheries, Mr Azad Mohammad, and former minister, Mr Shakrullah Khan, will be put behind the bars if his party came to power in the state.

He also announced former minister, Mr Ilyas Mohammad, as his party's nominee from Ferozepur Jhirka for the next Assembly elections.

‘Regularise ad hoc teachers’
From Our Correspondent

JIND, June 29 — A joint convention of the Rajkiya Adhyapak Sangh Haryana (affiliated to the Sarv Karamchari Sangh, Haryana) and the Haryana Rajkiya Adhyapak Sangh (affiliated to the Karamchari Maha Sangh, Haryana) was held here yesterday.

The General Secretary of the Adhyapak Sangh, Mr W. Singh, said the Haryana Government was pursuing anti-employee policies. He demanded that the services of ad hoc teachers should be regularised.

Speaking at the convention, Mr Satya Pal Siwatch, General Secretary of the Sarv Karamchari Sangh, demanded that the dismissed employees, including 34 nurses should be reinstated. He appealed the employees to participate in demonstrations to be held on July 7 in the state, the call for which has been given by the employees joint action committee.

The teachers also decided to contribute their one-day salary to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund to help the Kargil martyrs’ families.

Funds swell for Kargil martyrs
From Tribune Reporters

ROHTAK, June 29 — Schools in the native villages of the martyrs will be named after them in commemoration of their heroic deeds.

Mr Sat Narayan Lathar, Housing Board Minister, said this at the condolence meetings of Lance Naik Rajbir Singh of Lakhan Majra (Meham) and jawan Jasbir Singh of Seesar village yesterday. He said the approach roads going to these villages would also be named after the martyrs.

Mr Arun Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, announced that the wards of martyrs would be provided free education up to Class XII. Besides, dependants of the deceased would be given free travelling facility through roadways buses, he added.

Meanwhile, the district branch of the Indian Medical Association donated Rs 11,000 to each of the bereaved families and provided, them with free medical treatment from any of their members in the district.

Mr T.K. Sharma, SDM, Meham, donated Rs 10,000 to each of them martyr's families on behalf of Meham Sugar Mills.

The panches and sarpanches of the Meham block made a fixed deposit of Rs 50,000 in the name of the son of Jasbir Singh and gave Rs 25,000 to the family of Rajbir Singh, both killed in operation.

REWARI: Various industrial units, commercial establishments and prominent citizens of the district have contributed Rs 8 lakh towards the Rewari District Relief Fund instituted by the district administration. Mr Rajni Sekhri Sibal, Deputy Commissioner said the money collected would be spent on the marriage of the daughter of the martyrs as well as the education of their children. A seven-member committee to operate and manage the fund had also been constituted, he added.

PHAGWARA: A newly floated youth outfit, Bandey Mataram Committee, on Tuesday collected donations for Kargil martyrs. They pitched a tent near the bus stand here and its activists holding bowls in hand stopped all types of vehicles and asked for donations.

Mr Ashu Sharma, President of the Committee claimed that they had already collected Rs 1 lakh.

NAWANSHAHR: The local Doaba Ladies Club here on Tuesday at a meeting paid tributes to the Kargil martyrs and donated Rs 11,000 to the Kargil Martyrs Family Welfare Fund. The staff of the local branches of Indian Bank and Bank of India have also donated one day's and three days' salary, respectively, amounting to Rs 5,705 and Rs 12,501.

FAZILKA: All 62 revenue patwaris of Fazilka tehsil at a meeting unanimously resolved to contribute one day's salary to the Prime Minister's Relief Fund. A Ramayan path was also held.

DHARAMSALA: The Kangra unit of the Himachal Medical Officers Association has decided to donate one day's salary towards the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.

The President of the association, Mr Kaushal, said the doctors had even offered to go to the border areas in Kargil if their services were required.

BILASPUR: The BJP state President, Mr Suresh Chandel presented Rs 5,100 to the Chief Minister, Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal for the Sainik Welfare Fund at a function held at Dabat village, 85 km from here on Sunday. Mr Lakhvinder Rana, President, Nalagarh BJP unit presented Rs 11,000. Mr Rohanlal Rana, Chairman, Shri Naini-Devi Temple Trust, and the SDM, here presented Rs 2,51,000 on behalf of the trust. The Temple Trust Employees Union presented Rs 16,217 and the Chief Medical officer, Dr M.L. Mahajan presented Rs 68,501 on behalf of the entire staff of district hospital here. Mr Harbans Lal Soni, Headmaster, Government High School, Galian, presented Rs 15,501 on behalf of school staff, students and people of nearby villages of Machhwan, Karloti, Sunali, Galian and Makda.

1 killed in group clash
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, June 29 — One person was killed and another injured when they were attacked by a group of persons at Bahu Akliarpur village in the district in connection with a dispute over a piece of land.

According to police sources, Dalip Singh and Dharamvir were allegedly attacked with sharpedged weapons by Ramesh, Ved Prakash, Azad, Biloo, Sanjay, Tinkoo, Vinod, including three women.

They were reportedly having a dispute over the ownership of a piece panchayat land in the village. Dharmavir, who was injured, later succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. A case had been registered.

House prorogued

CHANDIGARH, June 29 (UNI) — Haryana Governor Mahabir Prasad has prorogued the state Assembly, a Vidhan Sabha notification said here today.

The Vidhan Sabha had adjourned sine die on June 25 after its one-day session summoned to enable Chief Minister Bansi Lal to seek a vote of confidence.