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Saturday,
October 27, 2001, Chandigarh, India  
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DALAL CASE Govt to hold auction
of mines on Oct 30 Farmers protest against delay in buying crops JD (U) chief urges use of solar power
IN FOCUS |
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IN FOCUS IN FOCUS Sampat
opens water channel
Scooter taken away by
armed youths Woman hacked to death Passenger crushed under train Samiti opposes move to replace meters
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DALAL CASE Chandigarh, October 26 The records produced by the bureau in the Punjab and Haryana High Court has given the lie to the facts recorded by it in an FIR registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act and various provisions of the IPC against the RPI MLA, Mr Karan Singh Dalal. The FIR, registered at the Rohtak police station of the bureau, alleged that Mr Dalal misused his powers as Forest Minister for the purchase of spurious bio- fertiliser worth Rs 1 crore from Messrs Bio-Fertiliser, Panipat, by various divisions of the Forest Department. The FIR was lodged following an inquiry into a complaint by the then SP, Vigilance, Gurgaon, Mr O.P. Singh, who concluded, among other things, that Mr Dalal got purchased 50,418 kg of bio-fertiliser worth over Rs 25 lakh, at a rate of Rs 50 per kg, while this fertiliser was available at Hisar and Ghaziabad at Rs 17 per kg. Thus, by purchasing bio-fertiliser at a rate three times the prevalent market rate Mr Dalal caused a loss of Rs 16,63,794 to the state exchequer. Mr Dalal moved the high court for anticipatory bail. Mr Justice Nirmal Singh directed the investigating officer(IO), DSP Diwan Singh, on July 25 last to produce the records of the department with regard to the purchase of bio-fertiliser since 1993. The records produced by the IO on October 23 reveal that during the time Mr Dalal was the Forest Minister, the department purchased 14,068 kg of bio-fertiliser worth a little over Rs 7 lakh, against over 50,000 kg worth more than Rs 25 lakh as alleged in the FIR and the inquiry report. The matter does not end here. After Mr Dalal ceased to be the Forest Minister, the department remained under the charge of Mr JagdishYadav, Mr Ram Bhaj and the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, for various periods during which also the department purchased bio-fertiliser at the same rates and from the same source as was done when Mr Dalal was the Minister in charge. The records produced by the IO reveal that the department purchased 33,975 kg of bio-fertiliser worth a little more than Rs 17 lakh when Mr Yadav was the Forest Minister from January 14, 1997, to June 6, 1999. When Mr Ram Bhaj held the Forest portfolio from June 7, 1999, to July 23, 1999, 5,340 kg of bio-fertiliser worth Rs 2,67,000 was purchased. The purchase of bio-fertiliser did not stop even with a change in political guard in the state. The Bansi Lal government was toppled in July, 1999. Mr Chautala became the Chief Minister on July 24, 1999. He kept the Forest Department with himself. As per the records before the high court, the department purchased 4,780 kg of bio-fertiliser worth Rs 2.39 lakh during the period between July 30, 1999, and October 11, 1999. One of the allegations in the FIR against Mr Dalal was that the proprietor of the Panipat firm was an activist of the Haryana Vikas Party of Mr Bansi Lal, a bete noire of Mr Chautala. For reasons best known to it, the bureau did not bother to inquire into the purchase of bio-fertiliser by the department once Mr Dalal relinquished its charge, though the so-called controversial purchases continued even after that. There is one common factor which links Mr Yadav, Mr Ram Bhaj and Mr Chautala. All are members of the ruling INLD. A secretary of the Haryana Congress, Mr Sat Pal Kaushik, alleges that the Dalal case is a classic example of how the bureau is selective in investigating corruption charges. “It sees the ‘corruption’ of only the political adversaries of the INLD,” he says. |
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Govt to hold auction
of mines on Oct 30 Faridabad, October 26 According to well-informed sources, the auction of the mines will not only generate higher revenue for the government, but it will also help the top authorities to save themselves from the allegations of corruption and favouritism in the matter of awarding lease contracts to their own men or influential persons. The reserve price for the nine mines has been kept about Rs 36 crore per year with each mine having a separate reserve tag. One of the mines located in the Manger area in the district is reported to have a reserve price of about Rs 10 crore per year. The reserve price will be hiked by 50 per cent after every three years. It is learnt that the new system could bring a “windfall” of revenue for the government as in the past it was not getting more than one-third of the reserve price kept for these mines. Moreover large-scale evasion of royalty and Sales Tax by lease holders had also become an issue of concern for the authorities. The mines to be auctioned this time are those whose lease contracts have expired or those which have been ‘surrendered’ to the government by the loss making Haryana Minerals Limited
(HML) in the recent past. There are still a large number of mines located in Faridabad, Gurgaon and Mahendergarh districts which are still on lease contract system. While some of them are given for a long term, others are being renewed on 30 days basis. It is learnt that at least 1,000 applications had been received by the government for the 50 lease contracts, it wanted to give recently. But the government decided to auction these mines this time. |
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Farmers protest against delay in buying crops Faridabad, October 26 Demanding an end to the “parta system” in the purchase of paddy, the morcha leader criticised the abolition of the “quota system” for sugarcane growers. Asking the state government to immediately start crushing sugarcane at Palwal Cooperative Mills, the farmers said they were worried this time as the state government had allowed the purchase of paddy and sugarcane from the neighbouring UP also. They alleged that the sugarmill had not started “bonding” work so far which had led to severe resentment. Mr Dalal announced that a committee of farmers would be set up to see the functioning of the mill and take up the problems of farmers with the mill management. The protesters also submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner, warning that they would launch a stir if the demands were not met with. |
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JD (U) chief urges use of solar power Faridabad, October 26 Claiming that these districts, including Rewari, Mahendergarh Gurgaon and Jhajjar, had been facing an acute shortage of power, he said farmers of the region had not been able to sow their crops on time. Stating that 99 per cent of agriculture and irrigation work in the region depended on tubewells, he alleged that the power supply was short. He said measures like solar energy could help in coping with the problem. Mr Vidrohi said the region had been ignored by various governments in the matter of setting up of power generation units. |
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IN FOCUS Kalka In 1980, when the proposal to construct the market was approved, it was hoped that the farmers of Doon, Raitan and adjoining areas of Himachal Pradesh would bring their produce to this market instead of going all the way to Chandigarh. The Market Committee was also expected to earn some revenue. But all these hopes have been belied and the grain market which should have become functional several years ago, has not started functioning yet. After laying the foundation stone of the market, about 50 plots were also auctioned for the construction of booths and shops. But after the auction, the Marketing Board lost interest in the development of the grain market and the money the traders had spent on the purchase of plots got blocked. Those who did construct their shops and booths are doing other business there but even that is not proving profitable as there is hardly any business in the deserted market. Even the office of the Market Committee is in a dilapidated condition. The floors have sunk and cracks have appeared in the walls. It has become an unsafe building. Haryana Roadways is using the place as a make-shift bus stand. Though the land belongs to the Market Board, an Adda fee is being charged by Haryana Roadways. A former chairman of the Kalka Market Committee, Mr Vijay Bansal, has demanded that in the interest of the farmers of this area, the construction of the grain market should be started immediately. He has also suggested that the fee in this market should be lower than that of markets in Chandigarh and Himachal Pradesh so as to make it attractive to the farmers. |
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IN FOCUS Kalka The library is housed in two dingy rooms, one of which was originally meant for children but now is being used as a store. The building is in a dilapidated condition and a taxi stand and rehris parked around it so obscure the view that one hardly notices its existence. The roof leaks and the walls remain damp, damaging the books. Wild vegetation has grown on the roof, further endangering the building. The furniture is broken and termites have damaged the books which are kept in wooden almirahas. There are about 10,000 volumes in the library, some of which are known to be rare books. For want of proper upkeep most of the books have got torn. Members face problems to locate a book as each shelf has two rows of books, one behind the other. The lighting is insufficient and readers find it difficult to do any reading in the library. The wire mesh on the windows and the doors has been damaged and flies and mosquitoes abound in the rooms. The building has not even been whitewashed for years. Members of the library feel that the noise from the taxi stand and the rehris makes it difficult for anyone to study any book in the library. Members also feel that if the library is taken over by the state government, it may get more funds for its maintenance. The municipal committee is perpetually short of funds and is unable to ensure its proper upkeep. They also feel that the library is short of material on information technology and employment avenues. |
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IN FOCUS Ambala The spacious old-age home has 20 rooms including five double-bed rooms with kitchen. The society charges a rent of Rs 300 a month for a single-bed room and Rs 500 for a double-bed room. At present five couples and 11 single senior citizens are staying in the home. The society has provided a colour TV set and a refrigerator for the inmates. Besides a spacious lawn for morning and evening walk, there is provision for different indoor games and newspapers. Doctors from the civil hospital visit the home regularly. To began with, it remained vacant for months but gradually it started attracting people. Now a large number of persons from the adjoining area come in the morning to read newspapers. Mr Vishw Mitra Joshi, who has taken residence here after retiring from government service, says that his sons have settled in other cities because of their jobs. He was feeling lonely in his house, so he preferred to stay in the old-age home. An ex-serviceman, Mr Ranjit Singh, a resident of Mani Majra, has been staying here for the past six months. he says that after the death of his wife and young son, he was feeling lonely. Some one advised him to move to the old-age home. Such homes, he says, are useful to persons like him. A retired teacher, Mr Ramnath Bhatia, and his wife Motia, have been living here for several months. When his five daughters who are married, came to know about his stay in the old age home, they objected to it but he was able to convince them and has since been living here happily with his wife. The Deputy Commissioner of Ambala, Mr D.D. Gautam, said that 74 more old age homes had been constructed in the villages of Ambala district. He said that the administration made all efforts to provide every possible facility to senior citizens living in old-age homes. |
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Sampat
opens water channel Fatehabad, October 26 Mr Sampat Singh said the government had taken steps to ensure that irrigation water reached the tailend of all water channels. He said in a state like Haryana, which depended on agriculture for its economy, it was important to have an irrigation system that could cater to the needs of farmers. He said people of Banmandori and Pilimandori villages had been demanding this water channel since 1997, but only the present government had fulfilled their demand. |
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850 kg of ganja seized Ambala, October 26 The personnel of the Railway Protection Force under the supervision of Inspector D.J. Singh and SI Anil Kumar had acted on a tip-off regarding certain suspicious movement of goods from West Bengal. When the bundles of bamboo baskets arrived at the railway station, there had been no immediate claimants. Yesterday, a man came to claim the goods from the parcel office. When the man, Ranjit asked for the goods he was accosted by an RPF man who was keeping a lookout. On being accosted, Ranjit tried to run away but he was nabbed from near the Washing Line. Ranjit is said to be originally hailing from West Bengal but currently settled in Delhi. The modus operandi was to have a few good baskets at the top and bottom of the bundle. The baskets in between had the outer covering but without a bottom. The sacks containing ganja were hidden in each bundle. About 35 bundles containing sacks of ganja were seized. The bundles had been booked from Chautara to Ambala Cantonment. Ranjit and the sacks of ganja were handed over to the GRP. Ranjit is being questioned by the GRP personnel. |
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House tax policy
opposed Ambala, October 26 “The Congress is opposed to the new house tax policy. People are being forced to install new electronic meters and the law and order condition in the state has deteriorated.” “When we come to power we are going to implement the old house tax policy.” He said they had sought to move a no-confidence motion against the Speaker due to various reasons. “Farmers are unhappy with the support price: “We are going to hold a rally at Hisar soon. The date for the rally will be fixed in a day or two,” he added. |
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Scooter taken away by
armed youths Rohtak, October 26 According to sources, Dhanpat of Kiloi village was going to Rohtak on his scooter. He was intercepted by five youths who took out knives and forced him to hand over the vehicle to them. They allegedly snatched Rs 250 from him and drove off on the vehicle. In a separate incident, Mandroop Singh of Janta Colony here alleged in an FIR that ornaments worth nearly Rs 5 lakh were missing from his locker at Union Bank on the Jhajjar road here. He said he had reported the matter to the bank authorities yesterday, but they failed to give a satisfactory answer. In another incident, nine computers worth nearly Rs 4 lakh were stolen from a computer centre located near Bajrang Bhavan here last night. In yet another incident, a Maruti car and a scooter were stolen from the town last night. Ajay Kumar of Rama Colony and Asha Rani of Sri Nagar Colony stated in FIRs that their car and scooter, respectively, were stolen from their houses. |
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Woman hacked to death Jhajjar, October 26 A police spokesman said here today that there was a dispute over the positioning of the main gate between the houses of two families. When Dhanpati, wife of Surajbhan, objected to the positioning of the gate, Suresh and Vijay of the other family attacked her with an axe. She was rushed to the PGIMS, Rohtak, but was declared brought dead. A case has been registered against the accused who are reportedly absconding. In another incident, Jai Bhagwan, was crushed to death by a truck near Silani gate here yesterday. Ramkishan, brother of the deceased, reportedly told the police that he was travelling in a truck driven by his brother Jagdish when Jai Bhagwan rushed towards the truck, signalling them to stop. However, the truck ran over him. A case has been registered under Sections 279 and 304-A of the IPC. |
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Passenger crushed under train Gurgaon, October 26 According to railway police sources, Badri Prasad (45) boarded he Haryana Express at about 9.15 am today. As he boarded the train, his lunch box slipped from his hand and fell under the train. As he tried to retrieve it he fell and came between the train and the platform. He died on the sport when the train started moving. |
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Samiti opposes move to replace meters Karnal, October 26 The samiti also pointed out that while the UHBVN authorities were replacing the meters, its headquarters in Panchkula through circular on August 31 by the SE (Commercial) had desired that only defective meters in the 35 subdivisions should be replaced. |
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