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H A R Y A N A |  |
 Saturday, May 22, 1999 |
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Railways to buy power
from NTPC, NHPC
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Behl's remand extended |
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Delegation praises Pak hospitality Highest-ever foodgrain production
in Haryana Tree clones developed in Haryana |
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Railways to buy power from NTPC, NHPC AMBALA, May 21 (PTI) — The Railway Department is planning to buy electricity directly from National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) instead of the electricity boards and corporations of different states. Railway sources said here yesterday that the Railway Board has sent a report to its ministry in this regard. If the railway starts buying electricity directly for NTPC, the electricity bill of the department would be reduced by 25 to 30 per cent. Railways need the electricity to run the electricity trains. Some states have been charging almost 25 to 30 per cent more from railway than the rate charged by the NTPC. The Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam (HVPN) and the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) have also been charging high rate from the railways while both the boards have been getting electricity at the cheaper rate from NHPC, the sources claimed. The NTPC has principally
agreed to sell electricity directly to the railway as it
feels that railways is a good pay master, while there are
some states those have to pay the arrears of crores of
rupees to central electricity agencies. |
Bhatotia
is Haryana DGP CHANDIGARH, May 21 — Mr A.S. Bhatotia is the new Director-General of police, Haryana. A 1968-batch IPS officer, Mr Bhatotia was earlier Director of the Haryana State Vigilance Bureau. However, he was given the additional charge of DGP, when Mr S.K. Sethi proceeded on leave for about a month in the last week of April following differences with the state government over the posting of certain field officers. The Haryana Government today ordered the regular appointment of Mr Bhatotia as the DGP. Winner of the President’s Medal for Meritorious service, Mr Bhatotia served in the Army for about six years before he joined the IPS in 1973. Because of his Army service, he was given seniority from 1968. Mr Bhatotia, who was imparted police training in England, has wide field experience. Having worked as Superintendent of Police in four districts, he also served as DIG, Gurgaon, and Rohtak ranges. He also worked as chief of the Intelligence agency of Haryana. The government also
ordered that Mr V.B. Singh, Inspector-General of Prisons,
also hold the charge of Director, State Vigilance Bureau,
in addition to his present duties. |
Student
not a ‘consumer’ CHANDIGARH, May 21 — The Haryana State Consumer Redressal Commission allowed two separate appeals filed by the Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, and set aside the orders of the District Forum, Rewari and Hisar, whereby Rs 50,000 and Rs 10,000, respectively,were granted compensation to Subhash and Ashok on the ground that there is a deficiency in rendering service on the part of the university because the results of the complainants were declared after and inordinate delay. The university contended before the commission that in disputes on academic matters, the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act cannot be invoked, as a student is neither a consumer nor does the university render service for consideration. After considering the
facts the commission comprising its president Mr Justice
Amarjit Chaudhary and members Ms Sushil Paul and Mr A.D.
Malik held that the district forums ought not to have
granted compensation to the complainant especially when
he is not a consumer. The commission further held that
the preposition of law has been settled by the National
Commission that a student is not a "consumer"
qua the university and his case does not fall within the
ambit of the Consumer Protection Act. |
Behl's
remand extended FARIDABAD, May 21 — A local court today extended the police remand of Sunil Behl, the self-styled senior vice-president of the World Bank and his wife Savita, who were arrested here on a cheating charge on May 15 till May 26. Huge assets worth crores of rupees, both immovable and movable, were found at the couple’s residence in Sector 16-A in a raid conducted by various state and central agencies on their house and business premises. A team of the Customs yesterday came to his house to investigate whether he had paid duty as innumerable foreign goods were also recovered during the raid. Information collected by TNS revealed that Sunil Behl allegedly cheated a Chennai-based company of Rs 7 crore on the pretext of getting a World Bank loan and land at a concessional rate from the Haryana government. Police sources said he gave back Rs 20 lakh to the company as the first instalment of the loan. He told the company officials that the remaining amount of the loan would be handed over at a function to be attended by the President of India and the head of the World Bank. But he later informed them the function had been postponed. Behl also purchased decoration pieces from a Delhi export house worth Rs 75 lakh but paid only Rs 5 lakh. The South Korean Embassy in Delhi has denied that two Koreans who figured in media reports as Behl’s associates were not its diplomats but Korean nationals only. But the investigating agencies believe that they were quite friendly with Behl. It is learnt that he also forged some documents which were sent to the Chennai company. The investigators are also trying to find out from various Indian and foreign banks about the activities of Behl. Meanwhile, the police
today appealed to the people to come forward to inform it
if they had any more knowledge about the activities of
Behl.
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Delegation praises Pak hospitality PANIPAT, May 21 (PTI) — The 10-member delegation of Panipat residents which has returned here after a fortnight's visit to their ancestral places in Pakistan was accorded a warm welcome by the people of Pakistan in general, and residents of their birthplaces in particular. "We do not have the words to explain the magnitude of the hospitality given to us during this memorable visit", said every member of the delegation. These views were expressed by the visitors at a reception given to them by the Association of the People's of Asia here at Shaheed Bhagat Singh Memorial yesterday after their return from Pakistan. Prominent citizens of the town, including comrade Raghubir Singh state Secretary of the CPI, Mr Fateh Chand Vij, were present at the function which was presided over by Ms Prakashvati Malik, a social worker and President of the Mahila wing of the Bharatiya Kisan Union. The leader of the delegation, Mr Ram Ditta, who went to his birthplace Kalinwala in Multan, said the people of Pakistan were of the firm opinion that the people of both countries must take an initiative to develop people-to-people contacts by encouraging reciprocal visits and trade and cultural activities. Dr B.L. Dua, who visited his birthplace Moradabad where he was studying in class VII at the time of partition, told that the son of Malik Karim Baksh came from the village to Multan where we were staying, and pleaded that if we did not take, "khana" (meal) at his residence in the village, his mother will not allow him to enter the house. Dr Bahadur Chand Khurana, who visited Maniwala village in Multan said not only the people of the village were very enthusiastic and hospitable, even the "tongawala" with whom we were going to the village from Nankana Sahib, said, "aapke sath rahne mein mazaa aa raha hai" (I am enjoying your company). Mr Nand Lal also went to his ancestral Jangan Bhadiala village in Multan district said the villagers offered us gifts as a token of love and affection. Visitors were of the
opinion that the people of Pakistan in general wanted
that visa restrictions be relaxed so that more number of
people from the two countries could visit their ancestral
villages. |
Highest-ever
foodgrain production in Haryana CHANDIGARH, May 21— Haryana has achieved the highest-ever foodgrain production of 119 lakh tonnes in 1998-99 as against a target of 118.50 lakh tonnes despite large-scale devastation of crops during kharif 1998 because of untimely rain and flooding. The previous best production of foodgrains was of 114.47 lakh tonnes in 1996-97. The production of wheat alone during the outgoing rabi season has been estimated at 82.50 lakh tonnes as against the target of 78.50 lakh tonnes. This information was given at meeting of state-level coordination committee for Agricultural Production held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister, Bansi Lal, here today. The Commissioner, Agriculture, Mr Naseem Ahmad, said a target to produce 37 lakh tonnes of kharif foodgrains had been fixed for the current year as against last year's figure of 31.54 lakh tonnes. He said cotton production was only 8.73 lakh bales as against the target of 15 lakh bales. Answering a query by the Chief Secretary, Mr Ram S.Varma, about the steps taken to combat the leaf curl virus disease in cotton, Mr Ahmad said that effective steps were underway to face the disease in the state in consultation with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi. The committee was informed that 85,013 quintals of certified seed of different kharif crops were available for distribution as against a target of 55,700 quintals. Mr Bansi Lal said that although sufficient quantity of seeds was available, arrangements should also be made to meet any contingency so that farmers would not suffer. Referring to the availability of fertilisers, Mr Ahmad said a target to distribute 3.64 lakh tonnes of fertiliser nutrients had been fixed for kharif, 1998, showing an increase of 11 per cent. Fertilisers like urea, DAP. Kisan Khad, Murriate of potash and zinc sulphate, etc, were available. Mr Bansi Lal directed that the fertiliser, particularly DAP, should be stocked in time in mini-banks so that farmers could get quality fertilisers. The Commissioner,
Agriculture, said that adequate quantity of weedicides
and pesticides had been stocked and farmers were being
guided in the use of pesticides. |
Tree
clones developed in Haryana CHANDIGARH, May 21 — The Haryana Forest department has developed tree clones for the first time in the state. This was disclosed by the Minister of State for Forest, Mr Jagdish Yadav, here today. He was presiding over the meeting of all the senior officers of southern and western zone of the Social Forestry Project, Community Forest Project, Territorial Wing and Development Circle of the department. He said the shisham clones particularly 203 of Gonda (UP) and Badrachalam clones particularly 3&7 of eucalyptus were doing very well as compared to other clones. These clones would be introduced on a large scale in Haryana for better timber supply and higher return. He appreciated the department for setting up a seed orchard of shisham and eucalyptus at Bithmara village in Hisar district. Mr Yadav directed the
officers to raise plantations in such a manner that
shaded tree species like neem, ailanthus, bakain, rohera,
shisham, jand, papri, peepal be planted. He said the
plantation of acacia species should be reduced, keeping
in view the changed environmental conditions in the
southern and western zone of the state and there should
be no gap planting along the strip forests. |
'No
threat' to Bansi government SONEPAT, May 21 — Mr Rajiv Jain, Political Press Adviser to Chief Minister Bansi Lal, claimed here today that there was no threat to the HVP-BJP government and that the Chief Minister enjoyed the support of both the HVP and the BJP legislators in the state. In a press statement, he
also asserted that the Bansi Lal Government would
complete its full term. Neither the INLD chief, Mr O.P.
Chautala, nor the former Chief Minister, Mr Bhajan Lal,
would be able to overthrow the present government. |
Teachers’
plea for release of grant YAMUNANAGAR, May 21 — A deputation of the Haryana College Teachers Union (HCTU) met Mr Vishnu Bhagwan, Financial Commissioner and Education Secretary Haryana, here today and apprised him of the delay in the issuance of the notification regarding revised pay scales and the implementation of the pension scheme for aided colleges. Mr Devinder Singh Dhaliwal, President of the union, said here today that the Education Secretary had assured him that the formalities regarding the revision of grades and the implementation of the scheme would be completed by next week. Mr Dhaliwal said the delay had caused resentment among teachers of the state. He disclosed that more than 5,000 teachers had not been given salaries for the past two months. He urged the Education
Secretary and the Financial Secretary to immediately
issue grant to the colleges. |
‘Withdraw
support’ to Bansi Lal govt YAMUNANAGAR, May 21 — The district unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has demanded that the BJP leaders at the centre should withdraw their support to the Bansi Lal Government to save the image of the party in the state. The district president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, Mr Bhupinder Saini, the General Secretary, Mr Rakesh Tyagi, and a former state general secretary, Mr Ashok Sharma wrote a letter to the party president, Mr Kushabhau Thakre, as well as the state observer, Mr Narinder Modi, and apprised them of the fact that the BJP had lost its vote base in Haryana. They alleged that the Chief Minister had always embarrassed the party workers and humiliated them on a number of occasions. In a letter addressed to the party leaders they termed, Mr Bansi Lal as a dictator. They said their demand to abolish octroi had not been accepted which sent wrong signals to the business community. They demanded high-level
inquiry into problems being faced by the party workers,
ministers and other office-bearers. |
Pensioners
want pay panel report implemented CHANDIGARH, May 21 — Haryana pensioners have demanded that the state government should implement the recommendation of the Fifth Pay Commission as regards pensioners in toto. In a statement here today the organiser of the Pensioners Discussion and Recreation Centre, Faridabad, Mr B.R. Malhotra, said the government had so far not released 50 per cent amount of the arrears of the pension which had been withheld, though the same had been paid to the serving employees. Similarly, he said, the Haryana Government had not followed the instructions of the Central Government on fixation of pay for the purposes of calculating pension. The state government should raise the limit of leave encashment from 240 days to 300 with days effect from January 1, 1996, instead of July 1, 1996. Mr Malhotra said the
Haryana Government had not followed the Central pattern
on revision of gratuity of those who retired between
March 31, 1985, and December 31, 1985. |
Woman
strangled ROHTAK, May 21 — Naresh, wife of Rajesh, of Dobh village was allegedly strangled in her in-laws' house yesterday, according to police sources. She was later cremated without informing her parents at Baland village. A case has been registered against the husband on a complaint of the elder sister of the deceased, who was living in the house. Meanwhile, in another
incident, Rakesh, alias Babloo, was killed when his cycle
was hit by a Tata 608 vehicle near Patwapur village. |
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