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Thursday,
November 29, 2001, Chandigarh, India  
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Murder embarrassment for Chautala
government Kapal Mochan mela draws
lakhs Implement
UGC norms in toto: KUTA chief Teachers
resent MDU’s indifferent attitude |
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Hookah
lovers upset over ban Water
conservation project for Haryana Enhanced DA for
UHBVN employees Rally against female foeticide
Tight security on day
two of KU fest No clue
yet in bank looting case Legal
literacy drive launched Polio eradication
programme
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Murder
embarrassment for Chautala
government Chandigarh, November 28 Though murders on court premises are no longer unheard of in Haryana, it is perhaps the first such murder in which the involvement of the family of a political bigwig is being alleged. A similar incident at the Jhajjar courts a few months ago was sought to be explained away by the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, in the Vidhan Sabha during the last session by terming it as the result of rivalry between two groups of antisocial elements. He went on to allege that one of the persons involved was related to a Congressman who contested the last Assembly elections on the party ticket. But the Panipat victim, Ms Joginder Kaur, had no known association with antisocial elements. She was busy teaching in a school till last year when her house was unauthorisedly demolished allegedly by close relatives of the Speaker, Mr Satbir Singh
Kadian, at night. They even allegedly went to the extent of kidnapping her. It was only a strong spontaneous reaction by her neighbours which forced the police to act and save her from the clutches of the kidnappers. Though she named influential persons involved in the incident in a statement recorded under Section 161 Cr PC, the police did not arrest them. It acted against ordinary persons only. Even a token security was provided to her only at the intervention of the court. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Bhajan Lal, had written in August, 2000, to the Governor seeking his personal intervention in the matter in view of the involvement of the politically influential persons. But even that did not move the state apparatus against the mighty. Though Mr Chautala today tried to control the damage by transferring the case to the Crime Branch, unfortunately the credibility of the state investigating agencies has been eroded so much over the years that any investigation by these agencies in cases involving political personalities lacks conviction. Already motives are being imputed to Mr Chautala’s decision. Several Congress leaders, including Mr Bhupinder Singh
Hooda, party president, and the Deputy Leader of the CLP, Capt Ajay Singh
Yadav, alleged that Mr Chautala was trying to pull a fast one by transferring the case to the Crime Branch in view of the notice issued by the Punjab and Haryana High Court yesterday. They said since the Crime Branch, too, was under the control of the INLD government, its impartiality could be no better than that of the Panipat police which did not act for over a year to provide adequate security to the hapless woman and to apprehend the real culprits behind her kidnapping. The Congress leaders said nothing short of a CBI inquiry into the case would satisfy the people, who had again been reminded by the Panipat incident of the “dark days” of the earlier Chautala regime when anyone even remotely connected with the ruling party could dispossess a citizen of his or her property with impunity. If Mr Chautala did not take immediate action against Mr
Kadian, it would belie the Chief Minister’s claim that he was a changed person. It may be recalled that when a petrol station owner of Ambala city, S.S.
Sekhon, was murdered when Mr Bhajan Lal was the Chief Minister, Mr Chautala had led an INLD dharna to demand a CBI inquiry because of the alleged involvement of a political personality. The CBI had found Mr Nirmal Singh, a member of the Bhajan Lal Cabinet, guilty. He was later acquitted on the charge of murder by the Sessions Court, which, however, indicted a number of his associates. An appeal is pending in the high court against the decision of the lower court. The Panipat incident has provided fresh ammunition to the Congress against the Chautala government, provided the party cashes in on the opportunity unlike the one provided by the new house tax policy. It can do a lot to embarrass the government. Meanwhile, Mr Kadian has denied his involvement in the murder of Ms Joginder Kaur. However, he was silent about his relatives. He said the murder had pained him. He urged the government to immediately get the case investigated. The culprit should be nabbed at the earliest and stringent action taken against him. |
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Murder at court complex condemned Rohtak, November 28 The state secretariat of the party, in a statement here today, said this dastardly act had once again exposed the nexus between politicians and criminals. The CPM has, meanwhile, welcome the step of the Punjab and Haryana High Court taking a suo motu cognizance of the Panipat episode and expected effective intervention towards pressursing the government and the administration to ensure security and right to life to citizens. |
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Kapal Mochan mela draws lakhs Yamunanagar, November 28 Most of the pilgrims are from the Malwa region of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. The administration expects the pilgrim rush to be heavy this year because the law and order situation in Haryana is good. The emphasis of the mela is Hindu-Sikh unity. A large number of members of these two communities will take a dip in the three sarovars of Kapal
Mochan, Rin Mochan and Suraj Kund in the early hours of November 30. According to the myth, all those who take a dip in these sarovars are rid of their sins.
Kapal Mochan has been declared a state mela and the Haryana Government has sent Rs 5 lakh for it. Balbir Singh (38) of Moga in Punjab says that he has been regularly taking a dip in the sarovar for the past 25 years. He said he was happy with the arrangements made by the administration this year. Jarnail Singh of the Tuddi area in Punjab said that he gets peace after spending three days at the mela. Surjeet Kaur (60) and Mukhtiar Kaur (57) of Kussa village in Moga have also been regularly visiting the mela for the past 25 years. However, Joginder Kaur (70) of Faridkot complained that the river waters had not been cleaned properly. A few pilgrims alleged that liquor was being sold at Bilaspur, near the mela site, and rehris selling eggs were also doing business. The family members of the late Pandit Karamchand who are running the historical mandir at the Kapal Mochan sarovar site said that they have been serving here for the past 300 years. They also showed the “Tamra
Patra” in Gurmukhi which was given by Guru Gobind Singh in 1736 to Pandit Ram Nath
Mishra. The foundation stone of Rin Mochan was laid on November 28, 1955, by Bhim Sen
Sachar, the then Chief Minister of Punjab. Pappu of Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh who is running a shop of bangles, has come here for the first time after hearing a lot about the mela. Surinder Kaur, a Sarpanch of Punjab, who was lost in the crowd, was found and handed over to her family here. Mr Rajiv Sharma, Deputy Commissioner of Yamunanagar, who is camping at the mela site said till now Rs 80,000 had been collected as a toll tax. Last year, Rs 2.53 lakh was collected. He appealed to the pilgrims to follow the instructions issued by the mela administration to avoid any confusion. Mr
R.K. Sharma, convener of the mela, said that 30 handpumps, 100 urinals and 100 latrines had been installed. Three motorboats had also been pressed into service in the three
sarovars. Three transformers of 200 kv, six transformers of 100 kv and fours generators were fixed to ensure an uninterrupted power supply. Mr Narender Singh, General Manager, Haryana Roadways, Yamunanagar depot, said adequate arrangements had been made to ensure proper facilities for the pilgrims. He said a fleet of 125 buses had been put on duty. Mrs Sunita
Mahenra, who has come from Ludhiana, said that it is for the first time that the Sahaj Yoga has put up stall in the fair. Disciples of the Sahaj Yoga have come from Delhi, Chandigarh, Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh to get self-realisation as mentioned in the holy Granth Sahib and other holy scriptures. A historical gurudwara is also located here. In 1687, Guru Gobind Singh had come to Kapal Mochan to wash his weapons in the sarovar after winning several wars. It is said that Guru Nanak Dev also visited the gurdwara in 1584. The Haryana Government has decided to construct a museum at the site where weapons of Guru Gobind Singh will be kept. It has also been the workplace of Maharshi Ved
Vyas, writer of the “Mahabharata”, and five Pandavas washed their weapons after the battle of Kurukshetra here. Mr Mahender Singh
Ahlawat, Superintendent of Police of Yamunanagar, informed that the mela had been divided in the eight sectors and every sector had a duty magistrate and police force to ensure proper law and order. Fifteen doctors have been deputed and life-saving drugs kept at the mela site. |
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Implement
UGC norms in toto: KUTA chief Kurukshetra, November 28 Dr
Chauhan, who was addressing his first press conference in the presence of the newly elected office-bearers said most of the teachers were disappointed and disillusioned due to the
non-fulfilment of the long pending demands. While discussing the future course of action, he said so, he would present a demand charter to the Vice-Chancellor which would broadly include implementation of the UGC norms in
toto, expediating the CAS/personal promotion policy, restoration of university autonomy, application of university calendar in all decisions, expediating the clearance of outstanding cases of all kinds, parity of working days with non-teaching days (five days a week), implementation of policy of giving each teacher an annual contingency grant of Rs 1,000 against Rs 500, developing more medicare facilities, enrichment of libraries, providing Internet facilities in each department and annual plans for holding national and international seminars and conferences. He further said that to encourage teachers to go for higher research, more incentive packages should be introduced and laboratory facilities upgraded. Vacant posts should also be filled up on priority basis and demanded that housing facilities should be improved and more teacher flats constructed. The specifications of already existing houses should also be reviewed and modified, Dr Chauhan added. Dr Chauhan demanded that the teachers’ representation in the executive council should be increased and extended to all teachers. The policy of appointing the Emeritus Professor should be made objective, he added. The KUTA president said the association would urge the
authorities concerned to grant the Central University status to Kurukshetra University. |
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Teachers
resent MDU’s indifferent attitude Rohtak, November 28 The Maharshi Dayanand University Teachers Association (MDUTA) said teachers feel demoralised as the university authorities toppers non-serious about solving their problems. There has been no meeting with the Vice-Chancellor, Mr Himmat Singh Ratnoo, secretary, MDUTA, said. The MDUTA demanded an end to the delay in the promotion of teachers and pay fixation. It demanded immediate restoration of teachers’ representation to the university court and the executive council through elections and rotation. The association said in matters relating to the size of class, tutorial groups, minimum students for optional subjects, duration of periods, teaching methods and workload norms, no arbitrary changes be made by bypassing academic bodies because of extra-constitutional interference, including government diktats. All such orders issued by the Vice-Chancellor should be withdrawn immediately, Mr Ratnoo said. The MDUTA further demanded interest on the delayed payment of arrears to the teachers and details of arrears due to pay revision. It further said the democratic functioning of university bodies should be ensured by minimising agenda items and proper recording of dissent. The departmental committee be made statutory body under the Maharshi Dayanand University Act and its powers, functions and composition be incorporated, it added. The MDUTA said the university land was being passed on to the government in the name of war memorial, power corporation, central school and houses for police officials. It sought the revival of the practice of contribution to the Teachers’ Welfare Fund from the remuneration paid for the evaluation work of the university. The use of the fund should be decided by
MDUTA. The association stressed for the re-opening of the university evening college. It has pleaded for the introduction of five-day week for teachers. It said vacant posts of teacher should be filled in a fair and transparent manner and not on contract or as guest faculty. It said the reserved posts be filled in accordance with the constitutional norms and rules through a special recruitment drive. |
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Hookah lovers upset over ban Hisar, November 28 The hookah is the most shared commodity in villages, which binds rural folks like nothing else. It is smoked groups and refusal to accept the “nail” (long smoking pipe) is an insult bordering on abuse. Its
importance in rural society can be gauged from the fact that social boycott of family or individual effectively means — hookah-pani bund — a kind of hukamnama that even the most rebellious villager dreads. Traditionally, hookah is smoked more in public places than the confines of a home. Every “chaupal”, which is generally constructed and maintained by panchayats, maintains a hookah where villagers gather and exchange gossip. It is difficult to imagine a “chaupal” without a hookah. Likewise, every Chaudhry in the village takes pride in keeping a hookah outside his house under a tree where villagers gather and play cards through the day. The land outside the house is generally shamlat and therefore a public place. The number of such houses in the villages can be imagined when one realises that almost every villager worth his salt considers himself a Chaudhry. Hookah-smoking has been a tradition in Haryana since the Mughal period. As the habit caught on, it occupied centre stage in rural homes. Cow dung fire smoulders in every rural home round the clock to keep the “chillum” hot. It is the first to be given an almost ceremonious bath in the morning. If the family elder is fit, he does the honours. Otherwise, it could be a grandchild or the “bahu”. The hookah’s water is flushed out and the brass container polished with ash. The “nail” is cleaned and scrubbed as lovingly as a soldier would the barrel of his gun. The “chillum” is cleaned and tobacco leaves mixed with molasses is kept below a small clay hot plate over which smouldering cow dung cakes are placed. Once the hookah is placed before men, the youngest of them takes the first few puffs till the “chillum” is hot enough to maintain a regular supply of the aromatic smoke that comes filtered through the water container. The “chillum” is filled several times a day since a cold hookah is considered to be an ill omen. In several villages, even elderly women own small hookhas though their tribe is vanishing fast. A tour of nearby villages revealed that villagers are not aware of the ban. Many ruling party workers who knew of the ban were quick to realise the political damage it could do to their party. They argued that the ban covered only “bidi” and cigarettes and not hookah. But that did not cut much ice. The villagers were both
angry and defiant. This is how one of them reacted: “Sarkar ab tak bijli bill nahin le saki, hookah kya bund karegi. Agar koshish ki to hum alag party banayenge jiska chunav chinh hoga hookah”. |
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Water conservation project for Haryana Gurgaon, November 28 The SWC Mission headed Mr S.Y.Quraishi, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, is understood to have completed the spadework for designing the plan for water conservation, involving 20 key departments of the government. According to a high-ranking IAS officer in the
government, the project, especially the scale on which it has been planned, is a novelty on the issue of water conservation. Prior to it, the Andhra Pradesh Government, has implemented a similar kind of project. The mission is said to have pushed a new component social marketing — in the
project. This entails undertaking mass awareness campaigns regarding the availability of water, and importance of water conservation. The state has already conducted surveys on the present availability of water and the quantity that will be required in 2020. Some of the important departments that have been included in the Mission are Agriculture, Education, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, Industries, MITC, HUDA and the HSIDC. The mission has already had three meetings for the finalisation of the draft plan. With regard to agriculture, which consumes lot of water, the draft paper recommeded measures like practising “laser assisted land labelling and zero tillage techniques”. There is a proposal to bring one lakh hectares under the zero tillage
technique immediately after the implementation of the project. The Education Department has proposed rain gaugers in 1,900 high schools in the state which have established eco clubs coupled with the setting up of water-harvesting structures. The Fisheries Department’s proposals include setting up of canal loops along main canals to prevent loss of water through seepage and run-offs. The MITC has plans to assign about 5,000 of its staff the task of surveying dark development blocks in the villages. |
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Enhanced
DA for UHBVN employees Panchkula, November 28 Pensioners and family pensioners of UHBVN have also been given dearness relief with effect from July 1, 2001 on the government pattern. The rate of relief on revised pension/family pension has now been raised to 45 per cent and rate slabs on unrevised pension/family pension would now be 262 per cent upto Rs 1,750, 196 per cent up to Rs 3,000 and 170 per cent on all above. A spokesperson of the Nigam said that the enhancement of dearness allowance involved an expenditure of about Rs 250 lakh, benefitting 17,000 employees. About 436 pensioners would also be benefitted as a result of the increased dearness relief, which involved expenditure of about Rs 1.48 lakh. Meanwhile, in view of the overwhelming response to the ongoing surcharge waiver scheme, the UHBVN has decided to keep all its cash collection centres in Panchkula, Ambala, Yamnuna-nagar, Karnal, Kaithal, Panipat, Kurukshetra, Sonepat, Jind, Rohtak and Jhajjar open on November 30, otherwise a gazetted holiday. |
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UHBVN centres
to be open on Nov 30 Chandigarh, November 28 |
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Rally against female foeticide Ambala, November 28 The rally, organised by the Haryana unit of the Indian Medical Association, was flagged off by the City Magistrate, Ms Pratibha Chaudhary, from DAV Public School, Ambala City. The rally passed through main markets. The schoolchildren carried placards, flags and posters condemning female foeticide. The IMA Haryana unit president, Dr D.S. Jaspal, while strongly condemning female
foeticide, said the IMA was normally and ethically against sex determination tests. “We are committed to fight against female
foeticide,” he said. Among others, Dr V.N. Sood, Dr Dev Raj Gupta, Dr Rita Jaspal, Ms Reena
Nagrath, Dr Usha Majithia, Dr Prabhakar Sharma, Dr K.K. Bhatia, Dr
S.K. Bansal, Dr T.L. Ghelhotra, Dr S.C. Sikka and Dr Virender Arora were present on the occasion. |
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Tight security on day
two of KU fest Ambala, November 28 Except for a stray incident of a verbal altercation between a group of boys and girls, the festival was peaceful. Security was tight with NCC cadets and college staff keeping a vigilant eye on the crowd of college students. Among others, Dr Desh Bandhu, Dr Bhagwan Dass Nirmohi, Ms Kiran Angra and Ms Ashima Joshi were present. In folk song Haryanvi (solo), GMN College, Ambala Cantt (recommended), Government College, Ambala Cantt (recommended), SD College, Ambala Cantt (commended), DAV College, Sadhaura (commended) and Government College, Kalka (commended). In Sanskrit Drama, MPN College, Mullana (recommended), SD College, Ambala Cantt (commended) and Government College, Ambala Cantt (commended). Best actor-Paramjit Singh of MPN College, Mullana (recommended), Sandeep Kumar of SD College, Ambala Cantt (commended) and Vishal of MPN College, Mullana (commended). Best actress — Punita of MPN College, Mullana (recommended), Anju of SD College, Ambala Cantt (commended) and Deepika of DAV College, Naneola (commended). In mimiery: MPN College, Mullana (recommended), Government College, Ambala Cantt (commended) and Government College, Panchkula (commended). In Indian orchestra: SA Jain College, Ambala City (recommended) and Dev Samaj Girls College, Ambala City (commended). In classical instrumental solo: SD College Ambala Cantt (recommended), MDSD Girls College, Ambala City (commended) and SA Jain College, Ambala City (commended). In classical solo: GMN College, Ambala Cantt (recommended) and SA Jain College, Ambala City (commended). |
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No clue yet in bank looting case Fatehabad, November 28 Three armed men had come to the bank in a maroon Qualis at about 10.30 a.m. After looting the bank, they left towards Sirsa. Their vehicle hit a scooterist near Nagpur village and then went towards Jhaneer village in Punjab. A police party chased them till Nagpur but lost track. The police went uptil Sardulgarh in Punjab in their search but could not find any clue. The SP said the police was collecting records of the criminals of that area and hoped to find some breakthrough in the case. |
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Legal literacy drive launched Chandigarh, November 28 This was stated here today by Mr Justice V.K. Bali, Executive Chairman, HSLSA, while inaugurating the office complex of the organisation in Sector 34 of the city. Mr Bali said the campaign would be a regular feature in every district, under which panches, sarpanches and nambardars would be apprised regarding the ways and means available to the people for protecting their rights. He also advised that people should shun lengthy legal battles and settle their disputes at the pre-litigative stage in Lok
Adalats. |
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Polio eradication
programme Ambala, November 28 The Deputy Commissioner, Mr D.D. Gautam, said the first dose of OPV would be administered to nearly 1.26 lakh children in the district in the age group of 0-5 on December 2 at Seva Samiti Girls School Ambala Cantt by the Commissioner, Ambala Division, Mr Maha Singh and the second dose on January 20, 2002, through 586 posts in the district, besides 32 mobile teams. The District Immunisation officer, Dr P.S. Ahuja, stated that each of the 586 posts in the district would be manned by a team consisting of four members, including one trained health personnel, one anganwari worker, one helper and MSS workers, besides voluntary and social service organisations. |
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Park to be developed as tourist spot Chandigarh, November 28 Mr Chautala, who was presiding over a meeting of the Departments of Irrigation and Tourism here, directed the Commissioner and Secretary, Irrigation, Mr Chander Singh, and his counterpart in the Tourism Department, Mr Bhaskar Chatterjee, to prepare a plan to develop a picnic spot at the Rs 28 crore Ottu Weir in Sirsa district. He directed them and the Chief Secretary, Mr L.M. Goyal, to visit the site. Mr Chautala directed the Irrigation Department to ensure the desilting and cleaning of all canals, especially in Bhiwani district, within a fortnight to ensure the timely sowing of crops. |
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Nursery
classes in govt schools Chandigarh, November 28 |
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