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INLD in poll mood Bhajan’s promise to take back
CBI constitutes SIT in JBT recruitment scam The CBI has constituted a special investigation team to inquire into the recruitment of about 3,200 JBT teachers in Haryana. The SIT has been constituted in pursuance of the Supreme Court orders on a petition filed by a 1985-batch Haryana cadre IAS officer, Mr Sanjiv Kumar, last month. |
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Villages in grip of water shortage Haryana can expect better observation of human rights 8 posts of Asst Engineer, PWD,
abolished HUDA rebuts MLA’s charge Ambala Diary
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INLD in poll mood Fatehabad, December 14 The party MP from this constituency, Dr Sushil Indora, MLAs Vidhya Beniwal and Bhagi Ram, besides various government officers were present. The village meetings will continue tomorrow. Though village touring is not a new phenomenon for the Haryana Chief Minister and his sons, the tone and tenor adopted by Mr Abhey Singh during the meetings indicated that the party is gearing up for the forthcoming elections. The victory of the BJP in three states and the subsequent hints of early poll given by the central leadership of the party appear to have weighed upon the INLD for launching its campaign. Talking to mediapersons, Mr Abhey Singh said Mr Chautala, his elder brother Ajay Singh and he planned to tour all Assembly constituencies in the near future. He chatted informally with villagers and heard their grievances. He asked the Executive Engineer of the Water Services Department to remove water problems of the villagers within a week. Talking to mediapersons at Kharaiti Khera village, he said the INLD was ready to face parliamentary elections whenever they were announced. However, he ruled out the possibility of holding Assembly elections together with the parliamentary poll. He said the INLD was satisfied with its performance in the Rajasthan poll. He said the INLD went to Rajasthan projecting the development activities carried out by it in Haryana. |
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Bhajan’s promise to take back retrenched staff Mullana, December 14 Addressing a gathering at the Mullana grain market, he said if their party came to power, all retrenched employees would be taken back into service and one educated person from each family would be given employment. He said value added tax (VAT) and Forms No. 38 would be withdrawn. “House tax provisions will be reviewed and old-age pension will be hiked to Rs 300,” he said, “I must stress that north-south divide is unnecessarily being harped upon by some persons. We have always treated Haryana as one state and there has been no favouritism towards any particular area. We have worked for all-round development of the state,” he said. Criticising the Chautala government, he said, “Chautala government has taken away jobs from people. Mr Chautala has not kept his electoral promises and people are disenchanted.” “The Lok Sabha elections may be held sooner. We are working on our strategy for Haryana. The key issues will be the unkept promises of Mr Chautala, corruption and the deteriorating law and order situation,” he said. He said they would go all alone in the elections in the state. Former minister Phool Chand Mullana said the village vikas samiti funds had been taken off the audit preview. “People are unhappy with the Chautala government and they must support the Congress in the forthcoming elections,” he said. Mr Ashok Jain, Ms Kiran Bala Jain, Mr Dharam Pal Malik, Mr Kripa Ram Punia, Mr Raj Kumar Saini, Mr Tara Singh, Mr Mange Ram Gupta, Mr Lahiri Singh, Mr Arjun Lal Kalra, Mr Balwant Gupta, Mr Om Prakash Malik, Dr Pradeep Chauhan and Dr Viresh Shandilya were also present. |
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CBI constitutes SIT in JBT recruitment scam Chandigarh, December 14 Mr Sanjiv Kumar alleged in his petition that the Haryana Government was harassing him because he had not obliged the powers that be when he was the Director, Primary Education. He alleged the Chief Minister wanted him to replace the list of candidates short-listed for appointment as JBT teachers with another list of candidates prepared subsequently. Ordering the CBI to investigate the JBT teachers recruitment scam, the apex court asked it to complete the investigation “preferably within six months”. The SIT is headed by Mr Ganpati, DIG. Among its other members are Mr Harbhajan Ram, S.P., and Mr R.N. Azad, Additional SP. According to information received here today, the SIT lodged an FIR on December 12 in order to initiate a preliminary inquiry. It has already recorded the statement of Mr Sanjiv Kumar. After completion of the preliminary inquiry, the SIT, if necessary, may register a regular case. It is learnt that in his statement Mr Sanjiv Kumar not only gave details of the recruitment scam in the Directorate of Primary Education, he is also believed to have told the SIT how a similar scam took place in the Directorate of Secondary Education in 2000. |
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JBT interview from today Bhiwani, December 14 Commission sources said in case candidate does not receive the call letter by December 28, he or she should contact the office of the Commission from December 29 to January 2 during office hours for receipt of duplicate roll number along with original marksheet in support of his qualification and proof of having deposited the requisite fee. |
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Villages in grip of water shortage Narnaul, December 14 Having hit the headlines in February, 2000, by boycotting the Assembly elections to protest against the indifference of the government to their demand for water, the residents of these 25 villages are not averse to a repeat during the next elections in the state, given the circumstances. Plagued with drying up of wells and a falling water table, there is no water even at a depth of 1500 feet in some of the villages in the area. Amidst great fanfare, in August this year, Mr O.P. Chautala, Chief Minister, had declared that problems of the villagers falling in Dohan Pachisi would end with this project of the Irrigation Department whereby the drain would recharge the underground water through the dam and, in turn, lead to the rise of the water table for villages along the Rajasthan border. Sure enough, the water did return with the monsoon rains. The drain brought some water in the dam and some of the dry wells, too, filled up much to the relief of the villagers. Only, the dream didn’t last and the end of the monsoon spelt doom for the farmers of this belt. “After the take off of this project, the water table rose in villages adjoining the dam, bringing water to the dry wells. With the initiation of the scheme and a good monsoon this year, the hopes of the villagers, too, were revived. However, the end of the monsoon dashed all our hopes to the ground with water paucity back,” says Manoj Kumar of Hamidpur village. “A ‘jal dhara’ rally on the banks of the Dohan river was also held after the project began. However, one-and-a-half months into it, and we are back to square one. The dam is dry and the water problem is back. Our only demand is that the dam should remain full of water round the year or else we will
boycott elections yet again,” adds Ram Kumar of Balahan village. In the last elections, the boycott had “earned” the villages a Rs 35 lakh scheme of the drain, initiated in 2000 and completed in 2003, which has now fallen flat and the arid land continues to yearn for water. “We are meeting our water needs by boring deeper tubewells every year on account of the falling water table. However, some farmers are tired of undertaking the exercise and have got their tubewell connections cut,” claims Chajju Ram of the same village. Almost four decades ago, the Dohan river used to feed 25 villages, sometimes even flood them, and the first dam on the river was constructed in Hamidpur in 1965. This was later made pucca in 1975. However, around the same time, people in the villages of Rajasthan, too, began constructing dams on the river and water flow stopped completely over the years. This marked the beginning of the trouble for these villages and the underground water depleted gradually. Things have come to such a pass that the farmers have turned to the rain gods to save the mustard crop they have sown in their fields. The Deputy Commissioner of Mahendragarh, Mr O.P. Indora, when contacted, said, “The fear of the villagers that the dam would not be filled again is unfounded. The dam will be fed in rotation and the CM has even ordered that the drain be made pucca.” He also claimed that the dam would have water throughout the year, though, presently the dam is dry and availability of water continues to be a distant dream. |
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Haryana can expect better observation of human rights Chandigarh, December 13 With a man with a doctorate in human rights as its head, the state police will now be increasingly expected to set up an excellent record in observation of human rights. Dr Malik, who concedes in his study that the international humanitarian law and provisions to deal with international issues are insufficient, says though the violation of human rights is in all walks of life, the police becomes the only scapegoat. Agreeing that the human rights cannot be given a go-bye even during insurgency, Dr Malik, an ex-serviceman, says awareness about the human rights is at its best in the armed forces, followed by the paramilitary forces. Of course, the police is worst among the uniformed forces in observing the human rights. He says despite an array of human rights instruments and a plethora of laws, a gross violation of the human rights continues in relations between a master and a servant, between a husband and a wife, between a doctor and a patient, between a parent and his ward, and so on. Dr Malik believes that laws alone cannot adequately protect the human rights. Each country needs to strengthen its social norms, institutions, legal framework and economic environment for protection of human rights. He also advocates the enactment of law to provide compensation to victims of unlawful detention by the state. Similarly, the criminal justice system must be strengthened so that the human rights of victims of crime were protected by ensuring them a speedy justice. Delay in punishment to a criminal by the legal system, he says, is also a violation of the human rights. He claims that Haryana, being a small state, has a responsive administration, which is alive to the human rights violations. The main focus of the human rights cell, he says, is on the prevention of custodial deaths, rape in police custody, disappearance from custody and other forms of cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment. Dr Malik says the curricula of the Haryana Police Academy, Madhuban, has been expanded to include a subject on protection of human rights. He says in the case of custodial deaths the mandatory directives of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) are observed. Special efforts have been made for ensuring the implementation of the Supreme Court's directions in the D.K. Basu versus West Bengal case. In order to create awareness about these instructions, the Haryana police recently conducted an examination of non-gazetted and gazetted officers on the protection of human rights. Besides organising national seminars on human rights, the Haryana police, he says, also organised eight two-day workshops "to improve awareness for better human rights practices in custody management". Dr Malik says the number of complaints per 100 policemen in Haryana is lower in comparison to that in other progressive states of the country. While the all-India average of complaints is 5.3, in Haryana the average is 4.8 against 11.9 in Punjab, 14.5 in Delhi, 7 in Maharashtra and 22 in Madhya Pradesh. He says the state has so far paid Rs 6.25 lakh to the victims of human rights violation or their nominees in nine cases on the recommendations of the NHRC. |
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8 posts of Asst Engineer, PWD, abolished
Yamunanagar, December 14 The Haryana Government had issued an order on November 21, 2003, to abolished the 16 subdivisions. The subdivisions which have been abolished include Subdivisional Engineer (SDE) Provincial Subdivision-III Yamunanagar, Subdivision Electrical Division Yamunanagar, SDE, PSD-III Ambala, SDE, PSD-V Hisar, SDE-IV (National Highway) Rohtak, SDE, PSD-II (National Highway) Palwal, SDE Mechanical Survey and Project Subdivision Sonepat, SDE Survey and Project Subdivision Hisar, SDE PSD-II Bhiwani, SDE PSD-VII Gurgaon, SDE Mechanical Subdivision Jind, SDE PSD Rajaund, SDE Subdivision No. 1 Ambala, SDE Mechanical Ambala, SDE Mechanical Gurgaon, SDE, Subdivision Bhiwani. Eight posts have been also abolished of Assistant Engineer Design of Public Works Department (B&R) with immediate effect. All eight posts are related to Head Quarter Chandigarh. |
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HUDA rebuts MLA’s charge Chandigarh, December 14 The spokesman said here yesterday that these allegations were baseless, unfounded and motivated. The rate proposed for plots in the marble market was Rs 9311 per sq. m. (Rs 7,785 per sq. yard) under the rehabilitation scheme, which had been specially launched for decongestion of the Mehrauli-Gurgaon road where a large number of marble vendors were located and creating traffic problems. A similar situation also prevailed on the Sheetla Mata Mandir road. A similar rehabilitation scheme for the marble market was launched in 2001-2002 at Faridabad in Sector 21-C where large number of marble dealers located near the Delhi-Mathura road were shifted to Sector 21 and the rate charged was Rs 6000 per sq. yard. The allegations the HUDA spokesman said, about a change in the existing development plan were also unfounded because Sector 33 and 34 were industrial sectors in which all uses relating to service industries were permitted. A Software Technology Park was already existing in a separate area in Sector 34 and there was no violation of the development plan. |
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Ambala Diary Politicians normally play with words. But a politician playing a mouth-organ is indeed a rarity. This was evident during the visit of Congress Working Committee member and AICC general secretary Oscar Fernandes to St. Paul’s Church. He was the chief guest at the Haryana Harvest Christian Network Congress. Mr Fernandes immediately established a rapport with the audience through his simple speech in broken Hindi. But it was his playing the mouth-organ on his wife Blossom’s request which enthralled the gathering. He observed that women should be empowered and should be on the forefront. “You see, my wife accompanies me to different functions. When we got married the priest said we are no longer two persons but one. So, wherever I am invited she accompanies me and wherever, she is invited, I accompany her,” he said with a smile. BSP holds demonstration The district police has invited flak for the recent murders of two youths within a span of a few days. Although political parties are claiming that the law and order situation has deteriorated, but the police on its part states that they had taken quick action, which according to them has gone
unnoticed. Meaqnwhile, Bahujan Samaj Party activists held a demonstration over the law and order situation and gave a memorandum to the district administration.
New DAV school building DAV Public School, Ambala
Cantt, has now shifted to its new building constructed just across the Tangri river. The new building has come up well and the glass facade gives an impressive look to it. Mrs Rita J.P. Singh has taken over as the new Principal and she has brought with her a rich teaching experience. The school has started doing well in various spheres. However, the academic results coupled with the performance of students in different sports meets will be the litmus test.
Fashion-designing A month-long fashion designing programme in collaboration with NEED society for career vision has been started at Babyal village. The programme was inaugurated by Mr Suresh
Yadavendra, Director, Small Industries Service Institute, Karnal. Mr Yadavendra stressed that the participants should start their own small-scale units.
Low power lines Low power lines and transformers in busy places are proving to be a matter of conern for local residents. Haryana Vikas Party’s youth president Jaspal Singh Raja has demanded that the low power lines should be raised appropriately. He further said the problem of low power lines was mainly in colonies on the outskirts. Jaspal Singh said a man lost his arm due to electrocution a few years back and in September this year, a youth, Lalit Kumar, was electrocuted. He was saved due to prompt medical attention. Mr
R.P. Gupta of the Traders Federation observed that a transformer located near the SD Senior Secondary School should be given a protective net covering immediately to avoid any untoward incident. It has been suggested that a committee comprising senior electricity officials and local people be formed for visiting different places to take stock of the situation. — TNS |
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Colourful show by tiny tots Ambala, December 14 Dr
K.D. Sharma was the chief guest while Mr G.P.S. Kalra was the guest of honour. Tiny tots presented a colourful programme based on the glimpses of India. About 30 toddlers participated in the fancy dress competition. English dance by the children was followed by foot-tapping Jingle Bells. |
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