INLD to raise diesel hike issue in House
HISAR, Oct 25 — Members of Parliament belonging to the Indian National Lok Dal will raise the matter of hike in diesel rates in Parliament urging the Union Government to take back the hiked rates, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, Chief Minister, Haryana, said last evening at Agroha while talking to presspersons after addressing the Sharad Purnima annual function of Aggarwals.

• Cong protest against diesel price hike

Havildar Man Singh cremated
NARNAUL, Oct 25 — Hav Man Singh of Rajputana Rifles is another martyr of Mahendragarh district. He was a resident of Kheri village, situated on the link road along on the Haryana Rajasthan, 25 km from here, was cremated with full state honours late last evening at his native village Kheri.

Valmik representation on HPSC mooted
JIND, Oct 25 — Addressing a state level function to commemorate the birth anniversary of Maharshi Valmiki here yesterday, Mr Om Parkash Chautala, Chief Minister, announced that proper representation would be given to persons belonging to the Valmiki Samaj on the Haryana Public Service Commission and Haryana Staff Selection Commission.

Probe sought against Chautala, Sampat
KARNAL, Oct 25 — Mr Pratap Singh Chautala, a former Haryana Legislator, has demanded a CBI probe into the charges of corruption against Mr O.P. Chautala, Chief Minister, Haryana, and Mr Sampat Singh, Finance Minister, and threatened to start an indefinite fast at Rajghat in Delhi if the demand was not accepted.

• 6 pupils drowned
• Conference of ophthalmologists
• Kidnapped boy murdered
• Haryana releases grant to private colleges

• New fish market at Yamunanagar
• Reward for giving information of undertrials
• Three of family die in mishap

Govt orders probe into land racket
From Ravi S. Singh
Tribune News Service

GURGAON, Oct 25 — The Haryana Ministry for Town and Country Planning has ordered a probe into a land racket in the developed cities of Gurgaon, Faridabad and Panchkula, involving a nexus between the mafia, real estate dealers and personnel of the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA), which has been going on for the past eight years.

The Minister for Town and Country Planning, Mr Dhir Pal, said here that a large number of plots and land belonging to HUDA had been illegally bought and sold by scamsters with the connivance of HUDA officials in these cities.

The purchase and sale of the HUDA plots was done through forged documents and bogus registries. In a large number of cases, constructions had already been done on these plots. The constructions had been done on the illegally acquired plots so that these could not be taken back without a long drawn out legal process.

He said that the racket involved several crores, which HUDA had lost.

The Minister, who was here to open Sector 38 of HUDA and to lay the foundation stone of a community centre in Sector 39, said that his government’s policy was to provide adequate civic amenities to the villages whose land was acquired by HUDA for developing various sectors. This would be done by "adopting" them.

He alleged that the preceding governments in the state had "milched" HUDA, which was earlier considered the most well-off government agency. The earlier governments had often forced HUDA to deviate from its prime responsibility of providing shelter to the commoners at affordable prices, he further alleged.

However, he evaded a reply when asked about ongoing agitation by farmers of more than a dozen villages in Gurgaon subdivision following conflicting orders of a lower court and the Punjab and Haryana High Court on the payment of enhanced compensation by the HUDA.

The lower court had recently enhanced the compensation in several cases. The sum was paid by HUDA to them at the court’s interference. However, the High Court overruled the lower court’s decision and reduced the compensation.

The case related to the land acquired by HUDA in the past decade for launching residential and commercial centres.

The High Court had reduced the compensation during the Bansi Lal government. The INLD leaders were then in the forefront of the agitation of the farmers to press the then government to resolve the tangle.

However, Mr Dhir Pal reiterated the earlier stand of the government.

North reels under power cuts
From K.G. Dutt
Tribune News Service

KARNAL, Oct 25 — The entire northern region is reeling under crippling power shortage because low production in different power plants in North India. The power cut varies from nine hours to 12 hours in different cities of Haryana. This has thrown normal life out of gear.

Inquiries made from authoritative sources revealed that there was a shortage of 5,000 mw per day in power output in the northern grid. consequently, the areas falling under the grid have to suffer the restrictions imposed because of 5,000 mw short age of power supply in the grid per day. The grid comprises the states of Haryana, Delhi, western UP, Himachal Pradesh and parts of Rajasthan.

Sources maintained that the shortage of power production was due to of annual repairs which were continuing in various power plants in the northern grid. For instance, the annual repairs are continuing in Faridabad and Panipat power plants in Haryana. Elsewhere, in Uttar Pradesh from where the grid is fed, annual repairs were continuing.

The sources added that annual maintenance repairs were being undertaken during the rainy season every year. But as this year there were less rains and the pressure on power production was more, the annual maintenance repairs could not be undertaken in time. Normally, maintenance repairs take between 15 days to one month. During this period, the power plants are kept shut down. Consequently, the production of power falls.

The sources further disclosed that this year there was more pressure on the power grid and various production plants because of scanty rains in Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh. Because of deficient rainfall, more power was needed to run tubewells to irrigate the fields before wheat sowing. The sources also said there was overloading between 15 to 20 per cent on all rural feeders because of the need of the farming community to irrigate fields. Consequently, the authorities had to impose severe power cuts on domestic as well as industrial consumption. However, he clarified, that the power cuts varied from district to district and town to town on industrial and domestic consumers depending on the need of the rural feeders in that area. Anyway, the power cut in industry averaged seven hours per day.

Due to over-loading on the system, fluctuations are too frequent. This affects electric gadgets of domestic consumers. Further more because of the fluctuations, it is difficult to guess when the power cut would occur.

These factors have also affected the water supply in the towns as well as the rural areas. Even thefts in some cities witnessed an increase because of frequent power cuts during nights.

The authorities however, maintained that such a situation was likely to continue during the coming fortnight also. The situation may ease when the annual maintenance repairs were over and the demand of the rural feeders falls after the first irrigation was over.

Power crisis to continue till Nov
By Rakesh Lohumi
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 25 — The severe power crisis, which has crippled industry and affected farm operations and drinking water supply in parts of Haryana, is likely to continue till the end of November.

The state has been facing an acute shortage of power due to fall in generation in the northern region where more than a dozen power plants have been shut down either for annual maintenance or other problems.

These include Rihand plant (500 MW), Narora (220 MW), Ropar (210 MW) and Bhadarpur (210 MW). In all the generation capacity has declined by 2780 MW. Besides, the generation in various hydel projects has also started declining. For instance, the Bhakra project is generating only 60 to 65 lakh units daily as against 120 lakh units in the past.

The annual maintenance of most of the plants was deferred because of the Lok Sabha poll as a result of which an unusually large number of plants had to be shut down simultaneously.

The increasing demand in the agriculture sector on account of deficient rainfall have made things worse. The tubewell load has increased sharply as irrigation is required for late-sown basmati and potato.

According to official sources the overall shortage ranges from 20 to 25 per cent. Against a requirement of over four crore units about 350 lakh are available. There is crisis even though the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam is supplying 16 to 17 per cent more power compared to the last year. As many as 357 lakh units are being supplied daily as against 304 lakh units last year.

The Nigam, which has been overdrawing 40 to 50 lakh units from the northern grid, was forced to impose power cut after the regional load dispatch corporation threatened to disconnect supply. The huge overdraws affected the frequency which could destabilise the entire grid. The imposition of power cut about a week ago has brought down the overdrawals from 49 lakh units on October 16 to 12 lakh units yesterday.

Mr Y.S. Malik, Managing Director of the HVPN, said the situation would ease considerably over the next one month during which additional 1500 MW would be available. The plants partially shut down for maintenance, including Rihand, Ropar Panipat and Bhadarpur will become functional. In all about 45 lakh units of electricity will be added to the supply.

Meanwhile, a World Bank team headed by Mr D. Mostefai is arriving here tomorrow on a week’s visit to review the progress of reforms in the power sector. The bank has sanctioned a loan of $600 million to the state for the restructuring of the state electricity board out of which the first instalment of $ 60 million has already been released.

There have been slips in the implementation of reforms and the restructuring programme. The change of government has put a big question mark over the reforms with the Chief Minister publicly expressing himself against privatisation and restructuring of the Board.

While the power tariff for the farm sector has not been increased as agreed while negotiating the loan, the privatisation of distribution has not had much headway. The four corporations set up for generation, transmission and distribution have not become functional at the field level. So far, in fact the government has not been even able to decide on the headquarters of the corporations.

All these issues will come under scrutiny during the visit of the World Bank team.

INLD to raise diesel hike issue in House
From Our Correspondent

HISAR, Oct 25 — Members of Parliament belonging to the Indian National Lok Dal will raise the matter of hike in diesel rates in Parliament urging the Union Government to take back the hiked rates, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, Chief Minister, Haryana, said last evening at Agroha while talking to presspersons after addressing the Sharad Purnima annual function of Aggarwals.

Mr Chautala said he was the first political leader to oppose the hike in diesel rates and was still against it. The upward revision of rates would affect not only farmers but every section of the society. INLD MPs would raise the issue in Parliament but they would not create difficulties for the Central Government.

Referring to paddy purchase in the state, Mr Chautala said the state agencies viz Hafed, Food and Suply Afro and Confed purchased paddy 50 times more compared to last year despite containing 27 per cent moisture which was much more than the specification laid down by the Government of India. Higher percentage of moisture in paddy was because of harvesting with machines and the early reaping of the crop. Higher percentage of moisture could lead to an increased rate of damage to the paddy in stores, but the government purchased it in the interest of the farmers, he added.

Replying to a question, Mr Chautala said the power position in the state was not so satisfactory because of frequency problem and low availability of power in the northern grid. However, the government was striving hard to meet the demand of the agriculture sector for rabi sowing. To meet the demand, the government would purchase power from neighbouring states like Punjab, Himachal etc even at high rates. The previous government had left the power transmission and distribution system in a deteriorating condition which caused problem in the power supply. The state government would also apprise the Centre regarding the power position as well as other development works in the state.

A meeting would be held with the World Bank this week in which matters of reform and restructuring of power sector in Haryana would be discussed, he said.

Replying to a question Mr Chautala said the SYL canal was not a matter of dispute between Punjab and Haryana, but a matter of the Central Government. The Centre was to construct the canal and provide Haryana its full share of water. Petty disputes like paving of roads, water channel etc had already been resolved and were being resolved, he added.

He said law and order situation in the state was not out of control. There was considerable improvement in the situation. The police had been successful in nabbing a number of gangs of criminals like the Kachhadhari gang and vehicles and chain snatchers. He said the INLD workers were well disciplined and cooperating with the administration.

Mr Chautala welcomed the decision of the Central Government regarding the inclusion of Jats in Other Backward Classes category. However, the Jats of two left districts of Rajasthan and other parts of India, including Haryana, should also have been given the benefit of reservation. He would request the Centre to include all Jats in the OBC category.

Earlier, addressing the Aggarwal sammelan, Mr Chautala said socialism in real sense was started from Agroha as Maharaja Aggarsain started there a policy of giving Re 1 and one brick to each newcomer family of any caste to settle in the township of Agroha. Quoting the names of Lala Lajpat Rai and Jamna Dass Bajaj, Mr Chautala said the contribution and sacrifices of the Aggarwal community during the freedom movement had been laudable.

He said the government would consider the demands of the construction of a grain market, stadium and withdrawal of the Controlled Area Order, raised in the sammelan.

Mr Sampat Singh, Finance Minister, Haryana, speaking on the occasion advocated the allround development of Agroha, the birth place of Maharaja Aggarsain, and reinstatement the Agroha Development Board. He criticised previous Chief Ministers for their indifferent attitude towards the development of Agroha and Maharaja Aggarsain Medical College.

Mr Surinder Singh Barwala, MP, Hisar, Dr Sushil Indora, MP, Sirsa, Mr Chiranji Lal Garg, Food and Supply Minister, Punjab, Mr Nand Kishore Goyanka, president, Agroha Development Trust, Mr Ram Bhagat Gupta, member secretary, Agroha Trust, Prof Teja Singh, Chairman, 20-point Programme, Mr Puran Singh Dabra, President of district unit of the INLD, Mr Rajmal Kajal, member secretary, Khadi Board, were among those who addressed the sammelan.

Havildar Man Singh cremated
From Our Correspondent

NARNAUL, Oct 25 — Hav Man Singh of Rajputana Rifles is another martyr of Mahendragarh district. He was a resident of Kheri village, situated on the link road along on the Haryana Rajasthan, 25 km from here, was cremated with full state honours late last evening at his native village Kheri.

The body of Man Singh reached his native place in the afternoon. Haryana Revenue Minister Kailash Chand placed a wreath on behalf of the Haryana Governor and Raja Shekhar D.C Narnaul on the behalf of the Chief Minister Dr R.C Mishra SP and RC Sharma SDM, Narnaul along with large number of people from all walks of life paid floral tributes to the martyr.

Tejpal, the elder son of Hav Man Singh lit the pyre amidst chanting of "Amar shaheed amar rahe."

Sub Man Singh Hav Jaya Singh, Maden Singh (elder brother of the martyr) and Lance Naik Rajinder Singh (all of Rajputana Rifles) said on October 20 night the martyr Man Singh was on patrol duty, during that period he sacrified his life.

Man Singh leaves behind 75-year-old widow mother, Rambai, Bimla (wife), Tejpal (15) and Rinku sons and two daughters and Pinki Tinki. The father of Man Singh who died 12 years before was also in Rajputana Rifles as a soldier. Mr Kailash Chand Sharma, the Minister, assured of providing all possible help to the kin of the martyr. Mr Raja Shekher DC Narnaul, gave a sum of Rs 5,100 as exgratia to the widow Bimla Devi from the district administration.

Valmik representation on HPSC mooted
From Our Correspondent

JIND, Oct 25 — Addressing a state level function to commemorate the birth anniversary of Maharshi Valmiki here yesterday, Mr Om Parkash Chautala, Chief Minister, announced that proper representation would be given to persons belonging to the Valmiki Samaj on the Haryana Public Service Commission and Haryana Staff Selection Commission. He also announced that the government would ensure that municipal employees got their salaries in time in future and added that all employees affected due to the abolition of octroi would be adjusted in other departments.

Mr Chautala said that the government employees who were either suspended or sacked by the previous government would be taken back and reinstated. He assured that all false cases registered against the employees would be withdrawn and the adverse remarks recorded in the ACRs of the officers would be rectified. He also announced the reinstatement of Mr M.P. Bidhlan, an IAS officer with immediate effect.

While paying obeisance to Lord Valmiki the Chief Minister said that Lord Valmiki was not Guru of any particular community or caste but he belonged to entire humanity.

Mr Chautala said his government would provide all facilities to the poor and down-trodden and they would be given priority in every sector, including government services, he said.

Among others who spoke on the occasion were Mr Brij Mohan Singla, Industries Minister, Haryana; Mr Surender Singh Barwala, MP; Mr Banta Ram MLA; and Mr Ramesh Khatak, MLA. Mr R.S. Chaudhary, Deputy Chairman, Planning Board, Haryana and Mr Sat Narain Lather, MLA, were also present on the occasion.

Probe sought against Chautala, Sampat
Tribune News Service

KARNAL, Oct 25 — Mr Pratap Singh Chautala, a former Haryana Legislator, has demanded a CBI probe into the charges of corruption against Mr O.P. Chautala, Chief Minister, Haryana, and Mr Sampat Singh, Finance Minister, and threatened to start an indefinite fast at Rajghat in Delhi if the demand was not accepted.

Addressing a press conference here today, he said while Mr Sampat Singh had been already facing trial under the Prevention of Corruption Act, he had got registered an FIR against Chief Minister. The charges levelled in the FIR could properly be investigated only by a central agency like the CBI.

Mr Pratap Singh also released a copy of the letter written by him to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, urging him to ensure that a tainted leader like Mr Sampat Singh was dropped from the Ministry.

While the removal of Mr Buta Singh and Mr Sukh Ram who were facing charges, was a laudable step, induction of Mr Sampat Singh, who was similarly placed in the ministry was a shocking moral lapse which showed the BJP in poor light. Being an ally of the Indian National Lok Dal in Haryana the party could not be absolved of the sins committed by the Chautala government, he added.

Power crisis in Sonepat circle
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Oct 25— The Haryana Nagrik Samiti today criticised the reduction in power quota for the Sonepat circle by the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam and urged the state government to increase it so as to ensure regular power supply to consumers.

In a press note the samiti has pointed out that the Sonepat circle needs between 18 lakh and 20 lakh units of power daily as compared to 16 lakh units allocated by the nigam. This has led to a power crisis in the area. Though the local HVPN authorities are making efforts to regulate distribution by enforcing a four-hour power cut daily it has been facing people's wrath for one reason or the other.

The samiti also warned that if the HVPN failed to increase the power quota for the Sonepat circle, it will resort to an agitation. Demonstrations and rallies, besides gheraos of HVPN officials would be part of this agitation.

Meanwhile, representatives of various political parties, social and other organisations and trade unions have urged Haryana Chief Minister Mr Om Parkash Chautala to immediately intervene and direct the HVPN authorities to enhance the power quota for the Sonepat circle.

Cong protest against diesel price hike
From Our Correspondent

BHIWANI, Oct 25 — The Bhiwani District Congress Committee (urban) under the leadership of its president, Dr Vasudev Sharma, today held a demonstration to protest against the hike in diesel prices non-supply of electricity and shortage of canal water in the state and the worsening law and order situation. A 13-point memorandum was submitted to the Governor of Haryana through the Deputy Commissioner, Bhiwani.

Dr Vasudev Sharma addressing Congress workers lambasted the central government for betraying farmers and the people in general. He said that the hike in diesel prices would increase inflation and there would be rise in the prices all around.

He said that due to drought-like conditions in the district labourers and farmers were already facing famine like conditions. He demanded immediate withdrawal of hike in diesel prices. Mrs Chandrawati, former Governor demanded that bank loan's recovery in the rural areas should be postponed for two years and interest thereon remitted.

Mr Dharam Vir former Minister asked Mr Om Parkash Chautala, Chief Minister to fulfil his promises to the people during Lok Sabha elections.

Mr Sandeep Singh, former state president NSUI demanded that fee of students in the drought-affected areas be remitted and free bus passes issued to them.

Mr Jagan Nath, former Minister, Mr Ranbir Singh Mohindra, elder son of Mr Bansi Lal, Mr Mira Nand Arya, former Finance Minister demanded that government should purchase paddy from the farmers at support price as at present they are forced to resort to distress sale to the traders.

Dr Vasudev Sharma and Mr Dharam Vir told reporters that the Congress party would start agitation against the anti-people policies of the Indian National Lok Dal and the BJP alliance government in the state and expose them for telling lies and holding out false promises to them.

The Congress demanded immediate elections to the Haryana Vidhan Sabha.

6 pupils drowned in canal
From Our Correspondent

SIRSA, Oct 25 — Nearly six school children were drowned in a canal in Ellenabad subdivision of this district this morning. According to information a rickshaw carrying the students of a private school overturned on the canal bridge at Saharani village. Seven students and the driver fell into the canal. Passersby rescued the driver but current of the Rajasthan canal swept away seven children. Only one body has so far been recovered. The Chief Minister, Haryana, who happened to be in the district immediately went to the Saharani village to sympathise with the bereaved families.

New fish market at Yamunanagar
From Our Correspondent

YAMUNANAGAR, Oct 25 — The Fisheries Department has constructed a fish market at a cost of Rs 40 lakh for the welfare of fish farmers.

Mr Akram Khan, Minister of State for Fisheries, Wakf Board and Home, last evening while addressing the fish farmers on the occasion of the 14th state-level angling competition held at Dadupur, about 20 km from here, said Haryana had taken a lead in annual angling competition.

As many as 801 participants from Haryana, Himachal Pardesh Uttar Pardesh and Delhi participated. Mr Akram Khan said the Haryana government had banned catching of mahasher fish in the upper catchment of Yamuna river.

Mr B.S. Saharan, Director, Fisheries Department, said the Haryana government had decided to provide all basic facilities to fish farmers. Mr P.K. Kaushik, Financial
Commissioner, Haryana Fishery Department, presided over the function. Mr Akram Khan gave away the prizes to the winners. In the competition the Best Angler Prize was given to Mr Julian of Saharanpur.

Conference of ophthalmologists
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Oct 25 — The North Zone Ophthalmological Society has called for adoption of villages by eye surgeons so as to get rid of the cataract which is a major cause of blindness in the country.

Speaking at the concluding day of the two-day annual conference of the association at the PGIMS here last evening, the new president of the body, Dr Ishwar Singh, observed that cataract had been preventable if the doctors and the people become aware to accept the challenge. He emphasised the members of the association to adopt a village so that the disease could be brought under control.

During the conference various subjects like cataract backlog, corneal ulcer, glaucoma and squint were discussed. The conference, which attracted about 250 delegates from Punjab, Himachal , Delhi, Chandigarh, Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana, was inaugurated by Padma Shri Dr Madan Mohan. Dr J.K.Pasricha, vice- president , All-India Ophthalmological Society, was the guest of Honour and the Director , PGIMS, Dr S.B. Siwach, presided over the conference.

Reward for giving information of undertrials
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Oct 25 — The Director-General of Police, Mr S.P.S. Rathaur, today announced a reward for providing information regarding any of the three undertrials who had escaped from the district jail on October 17 last.

A cash amount of Rs 25,000 would be awarded to the person providing information about Jitender, son of Rajender of Rasoi village in Sonepat, and Rs 10,000 to the person informing about Ajay, son of Hawa Singh of Mandhoti village in Jhajjar, and Anil, alias Bhagta, son of Pratap Singh of Kundli village in Sonepat.

The absconded undertrials are allegedly involved in several cases of murder, dacoity, robbery and kidnapping.

Kidnapped boy murdered
From Our Correspondent

FARIDABAD, Oct 25 — A 14-year-old boy was killed after being kidnapped by some unidentified persons from Sector 23 here last evening when he was playing near his house.

The boy was first killed at some unknown place and his body was then thrown from a moving train.

The deceased was identified as Rajit and is body was found from near the railway track near the Neelam-Bata road.

A note was found from the pocket of deceased written by kidnappers in which they said that they had mistakenly killed the boy as they wanted to kidnap and kill some other boy from the same locality.

The police has registered a case.

Haryana releases grant to private colleges

HISAR, Oct 25 (UNI) — The Haryana government has sanctioned 95 per cent grant to private colleges in the state to enable them to release new pay scales to lecturers, said Haryana Finance Minister Sampat Singh here today.

He said that about 3000 teachers working in 100 such colleges would be benefited by this decision.

Mr Singh said that a uniformity had been maintained between government and private colleges in this regard.

A deputation of the Haryana College Teachers Union called on Prof Sampat Singh to express gratitude for release of the grant.

Three of family die in mishap
From Our Correspondent

YAMUNANAGAR, Oct 25 — Three members of a family were killed in a road mishap here last evening.

According to police sources, Alim and his wife, Tasleef, and their son, Rahees, of Buddakhera village of Saharanpur district were coming towards Yamunanagar on a scooter when a truck (HR-02A-9763) rammed into the scooter, killing them on the spot.

A case has been registered against the truck driver under Sections 279 and 304-A, IPC, and the bodies have been sent for a post-mortem examination at the local Civil Hospital.