Bhajan charges Chautala with political vendetta

By Our Special Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, JUNE 16. The former Haryana Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, Mr. Bhajan Lal, has sought to give a political colour to the sealing of his son-in-law's liquor distillery at Hissar for allegedly flouting pollution norms.

According to Mr.Bhajan Lal, the Om Prakash Chautala Government is indulging in ``political vendetta'' against his son-in-law to settle political scores with him (Mr.Bhajan Lal), because of his ``popularity.''

The Associated Distilleries has been sealed for the second time since 1996 by the State Pollution Control Board for allegedly flouting pollution control norms.

He said the INLD Government, ``riddled with internal bickerings,'' was diverting the people's attention from its `failures' by harassing the opposition leaders.

Claiming that the distillery was observing the norms, Mr.Bhajan Lal said the erstwhile Bansi Lal regime, which had sealed the distillery in December 1996, had to eat a humble pie, when a court ordered restoration of status quo.

The Pollution Control Board Chairman, Mr. H. S. Bains, denied any political vendetta behind the action. He said the Associated Distillery was a highly polluting unit. It discharged 375 kilo litres of effluent per day, affecting the sub-soil water.

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