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H A R Y A N A |  |
 Thursday, May 6, 1999 |
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Power scenario worsens in Haryana KARNAL, May 5 — Unprecedented power cuts in Haryana has made the lives of both rural and urban people miserable during the summers. The power cuts vary from six to eight hours daily. Cong
begins poll exercise |
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 ChandigarhKurukshetra Karnal Jind Rohtak Gurgaon Hisar Yamunanagar
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Municipal councillors go
on fast JIND, May 5 — Six municipal councillors have started an indefinite fast in front of the office of the Municipal council since yesterday in protest against the alleged illegal passing of several resolutions by the council at its meeting on March 31. 64
schools sans heads UNFPA
sanctions Rs 15.6 cr aid for Haryana Education
scheme extended to three districts Wheat
purchase by govt agencies maximum: Minister Young
woman hangs herself in hotel room BJP
strategy for September poll
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Power scenario worsens in
Haryana KARNAL, May 5 — Unprecedented power cuts in Haryana has made the lives of both rural and urban people miserable during the summers. The power cuts vary from six to eight hours daily. The situation is same at each village and town situated on either side of the GT road from Ambala to Delhi. Notwithstanding the claims made by the authorities concerned to provide round-the-clock power supply by June 30, the situation in villages in worse where consumers get power supply on alternate days. While people are reeling under 43°C, the HVPN authorities never made any announcement regarding power cuts in the state. But still power cuts have been imposed for six to nine hours daily here and in surrounding areas. These cuts in some areas start from 12 noon to 5 pm when the heat wave intensifies. This is the time when people cannot even go outside. But the HVPN authorities, it seems, instead of providing some relief to the people add to their woes. The authorities concerned explain that power cuts are imposed during daytime to save more power as it is peak time. The electric gadgets like T.V. air-conditioners, coolers, refrigerators etc have been rendered useless due to these power cuts. Ms Rajni Madan and Ms Poonam, residents of a posh colony, here, said almost all their electric gadgets had been rendered useless because of these unscheduled power cuts in the city. These cuts have affected the mid-day water supply in many areas of the city as well as in nearby villages and towns. One public health official admitted that instead of two to three hours of mid-day water supply, they could now give water for only one hour. Ms Pooja Dutta, a housewife said the HVPN had brought back the kerosene lamp days as from 8 p.m. onwards parents had to arrange lamps for their children who had to sit for exams. These children were the worst hit as the hot conditions added to their woes. On some days this continues much beyond mid-night. Can the people sleep during this period? The situation in villages is even worse. Power supply to rural areas is available on alternate days. Because of the poor transmission system, even this is disrupted. Villagers are angry about the present situation and want the HVPN authorities to wake up and do something to improve the situation. Why the HVPN seems to be oblivious of the sufferings of the people. There moto seems to ensure continuous power supply to the houses of senior district officials and politicians. The supply is reportedly disrupted when the feeders are switched off from Panipat main station itself. Similarly, the HSEB Colony, where the top brass of the HVPN lives is attached to the main feeder of the power house. They also enjoy uninterrupted power supply. There are also some who enjoy the benefit of 24-hour power supply by allegedly bribing linemen of the HVPN. But the authorities have no information about this. ROHTAK (FOC): With the heat wave getting stronger the problem of power shortage is getting acute with each passing day in the district. Residents here have nightmarish experience due to these cuts in the supply at any time during the day and night. While the average cut or loadshedding in urban areas of Rohtak circle, including Rohtak and Jhajjar districts, is between four to six hours a day, the cuts in rural areas range from 12 to 16 hours daily. According to the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam (HVPN) sources, the main reason behind the problem had been the short supply of electricity in comparison to the growing demand, especially during the summers. The daily demand had reportedly shot up to 25 lakh units while the available supply had been hovering around 17 lakh units. As a result the nigam has to resort to power cuts even at odd hours. Though the power authorities here have reportedly asked for the revision of the allotted quota of supply from the present 17 lakh units, the nigam authorities express unhappiness whenever there is any overdrawal of power by the circle. The Superintending Engineer (SE) of the circle, Mr M.P. Tyagi said efforts were being made to improve the supply in the near future. But on other hand
sources at the nigam reveal that Rohtak circle (including
Jhajjar district) is among those circles which is getting
the lowest allotted quota of power in the state. As per
the available figure this circle gets 17 lakh units
(Rohtak and Jhajjar district getting 8.30 and 8.70 lakh
units, respectively). |
Cong begins poll exercise GURGAON, May 5 — The Congress in Haryana has started its exercise for the mid-term Lok Sabha elections in the state. Sources in the Congress said a meeting of the party's state executive, members of the AICC, state office-bearers, district presidents and the legislators had been convened for May 10 at Faridabad. The meeting, which will discuss issues relating to the Lok Sabha elections, will be presided over by a general secretary of the AICC and in charge of party's affairs in Haryana, Mr Pranab Mukherjee. A senior office-bearer of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) said the party would try to prepare its poll strategy unmindful of whatever political alignment the BJP decided for. The Congress was better placed even if the BJP, the HVP and the INLD joined hands against it. However, others in the party continue to be guarded in their optimism about its prospects in the eventuality of a BJP-HVP-INLD alliance. More so, when the party is plagued with factionalism. A number of Congress nominees in the last Lok Sabha poll had complained to the central leadership that certain leaders were working against them in "collusion" with the INLD. Mr Bhajan Lal, a former Chief Minister has already set the cat among the pigeons by stating that a number of his supporters wanted him to contest the Faridabad Lok Sabha seat. Mr Bhajan Lal, whose home district is Hisar and whose traditional Adampur Assembly constituency fell in Bhiwani parliamentary seat, contested from Karnal. This development had upset the Brahmin community as it claimed right on the seat on account of its pre-dominance in the area. The fact that the community was tried to be placated by nominating one of its member for the Kurukshetra seat served no purpose. Rather, the Punjabi community got alienated from the Congress as it had to forfeit its claim on the Kurukshetra seat. Now with Mr Bhajan Lal showing inclination for the Faridabad seat the faction headed by former president of the HPCC is alarmed. The Congress MLA from Nuh (Gurgaon) Mr Khursheed Ahmed, considered to be close to Mr Birender Singh, had contested the seat and is a front runner for the party ticket again. Incidentally, Mr Bhajan Lal had once won from this Lok Sabha seat. On the other hand the INLD is the tuning its strategy. It has already started analysing about prospective candidates for some of the seats. A leader of the INLD
said party was also preparing it strategy in the
eventuality of going to the polls alone. If the mood of
senior leaders of the INLD is any indication, the party
does not appear to be optimistic about possible tie-up
with the HVP. The party leaders have started recalling
the situation obtaining before the last assembly
elections in Haryana. The BJP was having talks both with
the Haryana Lok Dal (it was later rechristened as INLD)
and the HVP for an alliance. |
Municipal councillors go on fast JIND, May 5 — Six municipal councillors have started an indefinite fast in front of the office of the Municipal council since yesterday in protest against the alleged illegal passing of several resolutions by the council at its meeting on March 31. The agitating members alleged that several items were taken out of the agenda and resolutions were passed without discussing them in the meeting. They said that the resolutions were illegally recorded in the proceeding after the meeting was over. They said the controversial resolutions adopted out of agenda in the meeting were now in the interest of the council. They said these resolutions included by allotment of municipal land to two shopkeers in the market without auction and sanctioning of building plans against rules. A few days ago eight
members of the council had requested the chairman of the
council and the Deputy Commissioner to convene a special
meeting of the council to discuss the issue of passing
resolutions out of agenda. The agitating members said
that they would continue the fast till the illegal
resolutions were withdrawn. |
Silent enteritis epidemic? ROHTAK, May 5 — The delay on the part of the state government in issuing a notification to ban the sale of sliced fruits has led to a steep rise in gastroenteritis cases in the district with slum areas and villages worst affected. The 7 paediatricians of the town are treating almost 700 affected children daily. Dr Satish Sharma, a leading paediatrician in the town, said 90 per cent of his patients suffered from enteritis. Commenting on its causes he said the disease had been spreading mainly due to consumption of contaminated water. He said the condition of patients from villages was miserable as they could neither get good drinking water nor treatment. Dr Hawa Kaur, another paediatrician, held icecream and ice candies made from impure water responsible for the disease. She said the majority of those affected belonged to villages. According to information enteritis cases are on the rise at Bohar, Bhalaut, Pakasma, Makrauli, Ajaib, Kheri, Sunarian, Chamarian, Basantpur and Jassia villages while Garhi Mohalla, Salara Mohalla, Janta Colony, Chinnot Colony, Jagdish Colony, Sukhpura Chowk and Kartarpura Localities are the worst affected in the town. When contacted the Civil Surgeon Dr B D Kalra, said no case had been reported to the department from any part of the district so far. He said the department would certainly take action if any case was reported to it. Nevertheless doctors had been directed to test samples of drinking water at different places. Meanwhile, complaints of supply of contaminated water at several localities have been received. Officials of the Public Health Department admitted the complaints were genuine and said leakage from sewer lines caused the problem at some places. FARIDABAD, TNS adds: Two persons have so far died this summer owing to gastroenteritis in Faridabad which is showing an upward trend due to contaminated water and the continuing sale of cut fruit. It is learnt 174 cases of the disease were reported in April against 96 during the corresponding period last year. Five cases of cholera were also reported from a local private hospital. Mr B.K. Panigrahi, Deputy Commissioner, appealed to the people to drink only boiled water, not to eat cut fruit and observe simple rules of hygiene. He said that during the
health awakening programme launched on April 26 it was
found that 4211 persons were suffering from sexually
transmitted diseases (STD). They had been provided free
treatment by the Health Department |
64 schools sans heads YAMUNANAGAR: The concept of providing 100 per cent literacy on the pattern of Ernakulam (Kerala) seems to be lying in the cold storage. In spite of the tall claims made by the Haryana Government Yamunanagar district is being neglected in the matter of education. Once, Mr Dhanik Lal Mandal, then Governor of Haryana, had advocated the concept of total literacy in Haryana. But according to statistics available, 64 posts of Principal/Head-Master have been lying vacant for a long time in the district. 441 posts of teacher are yet to be filled. No one is taking any concrete step to solve this problem. It will not be wrong to say that Yamunanagar district is being given a step motherly treatment. The building of a number of schools are in a dilapidated condition. No free education is being imparted to girls in most of the schools of Yamunanagar district although the government had decided to impart free education to all girls of Haryana. The government is not giving any aid for this purpose. It is high time the government wakes up from slumber and improves the education facilities. Yamunanagar, a potential area for industry and education, is lagging behind probably because there is no political heavyweight in this region. Interestingly it is observed that in most of the schools headmasters take two to three classes to fill the absence of teachers. Yamunanagar has 27 senior secondary schools, 53 high schools and 60 middle schools. It is learnt that 12 schools are prepared to be upgraded for which a proposal has been sent to the Finance Department. In these schools 11 posts of Principal, 89 of lecturer two of headmaster and 59 of master/mistress, 18 of DPE and 46 of art and craft teacher are lying vacant. Interestingly one post of principal is being vacant in Lalhari Kalan, native village of Mr M.L. Verma, Additional Principal Secretary to the then Chief Minister, Mr Bhajan Lal. Mr Verma was gunned down by terrorists. Many politicians and bureaucrats have given assurances that the posts will be filled but nothing has been done so far. In the native village of Mr Suraj Bhan — Mehalwali in Jagadhri block — the post of Principal was filled only two months back. Eleven posts of Principal in senior secondary schools one in high school 29 in middle schools are lying vacant. Further it is learnt that a number of posts of teacher are lying vacant which include 18 art and craft teachers, 18 Hindi, 5 Sanskrit, 1 PTI of classical and vernacular teacher are lying vacant. The posts of 27 social study master, 16 in science, 12 maths, 2 home science, 18 DPE and 89 lecturer are also lying vacant. Interestingly the posts of 20 peons are also lying vacant. It is further learnt that number of buildings in most of the schools have been declared unsafe including 4 rooms of Kotkalsia village school. It is further learnt that in 1998-99 a grant of Rs 2,10,000/- was given to 9 schools and under non plan Rs 5 lakh was given to 12 schools for repair. According to sources under Haryana Education code 1973 Act 3 government-aided schools can be provided Rs 3 for each girl from class I to V, Rs 10 from class VI to VIII, Rs 12 from class IX to plus-I and Rs 15 for the girl students of plus-2. But all these schools have been deprived of the aid resulting in the burden on the parents. Besides, most of the
aided schools are charging Rs 50 to Rs 200 as computer
fee amalgamated fee, health fund and child welfare fund
from girl students. But the education department is
keeping its eyes shut. |
Award for giving information
on CHANDIGARH, May 5 — The Haryana Minister of State for Power, Mr Attar Singh Saini, has announced a cash award scheme up to Rs 20,000 for furnishing information to detect theft of electricity and other malpractices, including violations of power regulatory measures, unauthorised extensions, unauthorised supply and tempering with meters. Mr Saini said here today that the scheme would cover two categories of the informants. The first category would cover members of the public and those employees of the distribution companies who were not responsible for detection of offences, while the other would cover the employees of the distribution companies who were responsible for detection of offences by electricity consumers. The informants of the first category would be required to tip off about power theft to the Deputy Commissioner, the Senior Superintendent of Police, the Subdivisional Magistrate or the Deputy Superintendent of Police of the local area who would, in turn, take necessary action in consultation with the Superintending Engineer (Operations) concerned of the distribution companies. They would be eligible for a cash award up to Rs 20,000. Half the amount of the cash award would be given within two days and the balance on the finalisation of the case. In case information leading to the detection of an offence does not bring any additional revenue to the distribution company, a reward of Rs 1000 would be given. The informants of the second category would be eligible for cash award not exceeding half the amount of reward specified under the first scheme. The identity of the
informer will be kept secret and will not be divulged to
the officer of the company who is deputed for
investigation. |
UNFPA sanctions Rs 15.6 cr aid
CHANDIGARH, May 5 — The United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) has sanctioned a financial assistance of Rs 15.61 crore for implementing the second phase of integrated women empowerment and development project. The project has been extended to the entire districts of Rewari and Mahendergarh. This was revealed by Dr Kamla Verma, Social Welfare Minister, Haryana, here today. Dr Verma said as a result of the successful implementation of this project, UNFPA extended the project period up to 2001. This would give a boost to women empowerment in these backward districts. Earlier this project was being implemented in Mahendergarh district and 70 villages of Rewari district. The minister said the unique project had proved a boon in bringing out a social change in the present scenario by generating awareness among women and mobilising them besides inculcating leadership qualities in womenfolk. Dr Verma said for
empowerment of women, jagriti mandlis had been set up to
mobilise women. Each jagriti mandli had a trained
animator called Sanjeevani. The main aim of Sanjeevanis
was to guide the jagriti mandlis and create awareness
among women. As many as 534 Sanjeevanis had been trained
so far and 480 jagriti mandlis were functioning. |
Education scheme extended to CHANDIGARH, May 5 — The Haryana Government has earmarked Rs 1206.90 crore for the expansion and promotion of education in the state in the current financial year. Stating this here today the Education minister, Mr Ram Bilas Sharma, said special emphasis was being laid on the development of primary education. In order to extend primary education, reduce dropout rates and to promote infrastructural facilities in the state, the state government had extended the World Bank assisted District Primary Education Project (DPEP) to three more districts of Gurgaon, Bhiwani and Mahendergarh. He said the government had allotted 50 additional seats of JBT in each for the Government Elementary Teachers' Training Institute at Morni and Ferozpur Namak to over come the shortfall of teachers in the Mewat and Shivalik regions. He added that the number of seats in diploma-in-education and OT had been increased from 2,180 to 3,510 and from 300 to 850, respectively. The number of state awards had also been increased from 11 to 32 and now these were being given subject wise. The government had upgraded 753 schools in the past three years. The minister said that
one school in each district had been converted into a
model school to provide quality education and for
allround personality of children. |
Wheat purchase by govt
agencies maximum: Minister CHANDIGARH, May 5 — In view of rising temperature, Prof Ganeshi Lal, Food and Supplies Minister, Haryana, has directed all six wheat procuring agencies to clear the mandis on a priority basis. Haryana expects procurement of more than 38 lakh tonnes of wheat in this season for the Central pool as the daily arrival is about 70,000 metric tonnes in the state mandis. He appealed the Senior Regional Manager, Food Corporation of India, Haryana region, to take maximum local deliveries of wheat from the procuring agencies besides arranging despatch of foodgrain by rail and road from Haryana to other states. The minister said
maximum wheat was being procured by government agencies
and purchases by the traders were minimal as the wheat
procuring agencies had procured 36.18 lakh tonnes of
wheat till yesterday out of the total arrival of 36.38
lakh tonnes. Of this, the Food and Supplies department
had procured 8.01 lakh tonnes of wheat, Hafed 13.15 lakh
tonnes, FCI 5.89 lakh tonnes. The Haryana Agro Industries
Corporation 2.68 lakh tonnes, the Haryana Warehousing
Corporation 3.73 lakh tonnes and Confed 2.07 lakh tonnes
of wheat. |
Young woman hangs herself YAMUNANAGAR, May 5 — A young married woman ended her life by hanging herself from a ceiling fan in one of the leading hotels of Yamunanagar. According to information received here today a Delhi girl, Sangeeta, a law graduate was married to a Yamunanagar boy, Ajay on June 10,1998, at Sharma Garden here. The duo allegedly had strained matrimonial relation. Yesterday evening Ajay rang up his in-laws at Delhi and pleaded with them to reach Yamunanagar immediately to resolve issues between them. A short while later he again called his in-laws to say that he was going to hand their daughter over to the Yamunanagar police on the apprehension that she might hurt herself. It is learnt that following this Sangeeta's brother, Sanjay Pandey, rang up the Yamunanagar police to say that no action should be taken in the case until they arrived and Sangeeta should instead be put up in a hotel. Sanjay arrived at the hotel at 3.30 a.m. at night. But when he knocked on door of Sangeeta's hotel room he did not receive a reply. Presuming his sister was asleep he left, saying he would talk to her in the morning. In the morning, when there was again no answer, the room was opened with the hotel's master key. Sanjay found that Sangeeta had hung herself from the ceiling fan with the hotel's bedsheets. She left a note saying she was ending her life herself and nobody should be held responsible for her act. The body has been sent
for a post mortem. |
BJP
strategy for September poll ROHTAK, May 5 — The BJP has started mobilising party workers for the Parliamentary elections scheduled to be held in September and October. The city unit of the BJP yesterday held a meeting to plan strategy for the coming elections. The party decided to divide the city in seven zones, each zone covering 20 to 25 polling booths. The party also decided to hold separate meetings in each zone and nominate polling agents to ensure maximum voting on the appointed day. The meeting was attended by Swami Indervesh, the party candidate in the last Lok Sabha election. The youth wing of the
party has decided to celebrate May 11 and 13 as 'jagrat
Bharat divas' to mark the first anniversary of the
nuclear blast at Pokhran. The party also plans to hold a
rally here to celebrate the occasion which will be
addressed, among others, by former Rajasthan Chief
Minister Bhairon Singh Shekhawat and state BJP chief, Mr
Om Parkash Grover. |
Cobbler who is also philanthropist HISAR, May 5 (UNI) — Soma Devi is not only Hisar's only woman cobbler but also a philanthropist in her own way, setting broken bones for free. When her husband died about 35 years ago, she was left with no other recourse but to take up his profession, that of a cobbler. Now 62, she still remains busy in her little hut. Soma Devi has learnt the art of bone setting from her father. She refuses to accept any money for the treatment and if any patient insists on giving some money, she buys fodder for stray cows with it. Whenever her son, who
now has a government job, insists that she leave the
profession and stay at home, she refuses saying that she
likes the work and the social service of treating people. |
Haryana schools to close from
May 10 CHANDIGARH, May 5 — Haryana schools will close for the summer vacation from May 10 instead of May 25 as planned earlier. This was announced here today by the state Education Minister, Mr Ram Bilas Sharma, who said that the decision to advance the vacation had been taken in view of the prevalent heat wave in the region. Mr Sharma said the
vacation would be of 42 days. |
KU
admission process begins KURUKSHETRA, May 5 — Kurukshetra University (KU) has started the admission process for various professional and other courses. Stating this here today, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Dr M.L. Ranga, said from this academic session, in accordance with the instructions of the state government, the university had also been given the responsibility of holding entrance tests and completing the admission process for some courses available at MDU, Rohtak, and institutions affiliated to it. Dr, Ranga said the
prospectuses for various courses of KU were available and
the dates for the entrance tests had been fixed. |
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