Congress agitation call political stunt: CM
Our Correspondent

Kaithal, July 30
The Congress Party’s call to launch an agitation against the INLD government in Haryana on August 9 was a political stunt and drama to earn political mileage.

This was stated by Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala while addressing people at Pundri during the fourth phase of the “Sarkar Aapke Dwar” programme today. He said on this day Mahatma Gandhi had launched Quit India Movement when it was foreign rule in India, but now a democratically elected government was functioning in the state which was working according to the expectations of the people. He warned that anyone disturbing peace in the state by creating a law and order problem would be sternly dealt with. He remarked that the Congress MLAs had not submitted their resignations in spite of announcements by their leaders.

Speaking on the SYL canal issue, Mr Chautala said that the Act passed by the Punjab Assembly recently had posed a serious challenge to the federal structure of the country which could take the country towards anarchy. He said that it was a well thought of move by the Punjab Government which was an undemocratic step. The government should have fulfilled its constitutional obligations. He said it seemed that passing of the Punjab Termination of Agreements Act was an act of connivance between Punjab and the Central Government. He said the Supreme Court had already given verdict in favour of Haryana and he was hopeful that even again the court would decide in favour of Haryana and the Centre and the Punjab Government would be forced to construct the remaining part of the SYL canal.

He criticised the Haryana Congress leaders for their stand on the introduction of VAT in the state. He said that though the Congress had opposed this move in Haryana, now the party Central Government had announced to introduce it from the next financial year in the country.

He reiterated his commitment to do everything possible to help the drought-affected population in the state. He said he had issued directions to the departments concerned to repair all roads by December 31. He announced to make available Rs 2.25 lakh to the panchayats which were ready to contribute Rs 75,000 for construction of a stadium in the village. He announced a number of development projects worth Rs 4 crore for the Pundri area and reviewed the development works of 61 panchayats, including 15 in Kurukshetra and three in Karnal district.

Mr Ram Pal Mazra, Chief Parliamentary Secretary, and Mr Leela Ram and Mr Amar Singh Dhandey, both MLAs, Mr Naranjan Dass Bansal, Chairman, HWC, Mr Narinder Sharma, former minister, Mr H.S. Malik, Deputy Commissioner, and Mr Ranbir Sharma, SP, were also present on this occasion.

Punjab told not to close Narwana branch
Shubhadeep Choudhury
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 30
The Haryana Irrigation Department has asked its counterpart in Punjab to refrain from closing down the Narwana branch for three days for repair works as it will create serious water shortage in areas depending upon supply through the branch.

Sources in the Haryana government told TNS that a part of the Narwana branch near Kapoori area of Punjab recently developed a leak, following which the Punjab Irrigation Department wrote a letter to Haryana saying that the canal would be shut down for three days for repairing the leak. The letter, written yesterday, also asked Haryana to give Rs 10 lakh to Punjab to repair the point identified as RD 144815.Haryana Government sources said that large tracts of Haryana as well as Delhi were being supplied water through the canal. If the canal was closed down for three days, it would lead to a crisis in these areas. The sources said that given the fact that shutting down of the canal for three days would create acute shortage of water in these areas, the Haryana Irrigation Department asked Punjab to carry out temporary repair works on the leak and wait for some more time before repairing the leak permanently.

The sources said that a Chief Engineer from Haryana Irrigation visited the damaged site and suggested temporary measures for plugging the leak. "The leak will have to be repaired permanently. But for that we have requested Punjab to wait till there was excess of water in the canal. The demand of water in Delhi and Haryana will decrease at that time and shutting down of the canal will not create problems in either Haryana or Delhi", the sources said.

BJP threatens stir on SYL issue
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, July 30
Mr Kishan Singh Sangwan, MP and national secretary of the BJP, today described the scrapping of the river water agreement by the Punjab Government as unconstitutional and arbitrary and said the BJP would launch an agitation on the issue on August 4. He alleged that both Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and the Congress were befooling the people of the state in this connection.

Referring to the delay in the monsoon, Mr Sangwan urged the Central Government to declare Haryana as drought- affected state and provide relief to the affected farmers. He also demanded compensation of Rs 10,000 per acre to those farmers whose crops had been damaged. Another BJP leader Veer Kumar Yadav accused the Congress of making a mockery of the SYL issue.

Verma panel indicts Bansi Lal, son on prohibition
Yoginder Gupta
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 30
The former Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, and his son, Mr Surender Singh, are believed to have been indicted by the Justice J.C. Verma Commission of Inquiry set up by the Chautala Government to probe into various aspects of the prohibition imposed by the HVP-BJP Government in the state and its subsequent lifting.

The commission submitted its 190-page report to the Chief Secretary, Mr Sunil Ahuja, in a sealed cover here this evening. The report includes seven annexures also.

According to informed sources, the four-part report has also indicted at least two former ministers, who belonged to the BJP. An adverse reflection has also been cast on the wards of these ministers.

The sources say though it came out during the inquiry that there was large-scale evasion of government revenue by some distilleries working in Haryana, which exported potable spirit in the garb of non-potable spirit, the commission has refrained from expressing its findings against any distillery.

This, the sources say, was done in view of a stay order obtained by the Haryana Distilleries, Yamunanagar, from the Punjab and Haryana High Court, restraining the commission from recording its findings against the petitioner.

Interestingly, the Haryana Distilleries was issued a notice under Section 8-B of the Commission of Inquiry Act by the Chehal Commission, which was also set up by the Chautala Government to go into the prohibition. The Haryana Distilleries challenged the notice in the High Court. However, before the High Court could dispose off the petition, the appointment of the Chehal commission was quashed.

When the Verma commission was set up, the Haryana Distilleries moved an application for impleading the Verma commission, as if it was a successor of the Chehal commission. The Division Bench comprising Mr Justice N.K. Sud and Mr Justice A.K. Mittal restrained the commission from recording any findings against the petitioner.

The sources say several politicians like Mr Karan Singh Dalal, Mr Jai Prakash Barwala, Mrs Krishna Gahlot and Mr Rajiv Jain, former press secretary to the then Chief Minister, have been let off by the commission because the complainants against them later retracted their affidavits.

The Chehal commission had also submitted its report to the Chief Minister. But before it could be made public, the commission’s appointment was quashed. The Verma commission’s appointment has also been challenged by Mr Bansi Lal. The case is scheduled to come up for hearing next month.

Mr Pankaj Chandgothia, an advocate, says since the High Court has not stayed the proceedings of the commission, the government can accept its report and make it public.

However, he said that if the court quashes the appointment of the commission after the report is accepted and made public by the government, the report would lose its legal sanctity as it would be void abs initio.

When contacted, Justice Verma refused to disclose the contents of the report. He said the report was confidential and it was for the government to make it public.

Justice Verma, whose term expires tomorrow, will start practicing law in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Though he was appointed Additional Judge in the High Court here, he was made Permanent Judge of the Rajasthan High Court.

Haryana Board to set up control rooms
Our Correspondent

Bhiwani, July 30
The Haryana School Education Board has, for the first time, decided to set up five control rooms to ensure copying-free supplementary examination, which begin from August 11.

Stating this today, a spokesperson for the board said besides a control room at the headquarters of the board here, four control rooms would be set up at the district headquarters of Kurukshetra, Fatehabad, Gurgaon and Rohtak. The control rooms would be equipped with facilities like telephone and FAX to exchange important information with the board headquarters. Nineteen special task force teams would operate from these control rooms, for which ex-servicemen would be engaged.

He said the control room to be set up at Kurukshetra would monitor Ambala, Kaithal, Karnal, Yamunanagar and Panchkula districts, while the control room at Fatehabad would cover Sirsa and Hisar districts.

The control room at Rohtak would monitor Sonepat, Panipat and Jind and the control room at Gurgaon would monitor, Faridabad and Rewari districts. The control room at the board headquarters at Bhiwani would monitor Mahendragarh and Jhajjar districts.

Haryana takes over Shaheed Udham Singh college
Tribune News Service

Karnal, July 30
The state government has taken over Shaheed Udham Singh National College, Indri in Karnal district, this was announced by the Chief Minister of Haryana, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, here today.

Earlier, he promised a deputation of 113 village panchayats of Indri block while paying tributes to martyr Udham Singh in connection with his martyrdom day yesterday that this private college would be taken over by the government within 24 hours.

The college had been managed by the Shaheed Udham Singh National College Educational Society since 1997. The order to take over the college was issued by the state government today, said the CM.

Mr Chautala said the educational institutions in the state were being named after the great martyrs and patriots so that the future generation could be acquainted with their ideals.

In this sequence, the polytechnic at Loharu had been named after Jhansi Ki Rani Laxmi Bai, he said. The polytechnic at Narnaul had also been named after Shaheed Sukhdev and Women Polytechnic, Ambala, after the famous astronaut and great scientist Kalpana Chawla. Similarly, a few schools were also being named after those great people, who sacrificed their lives to protect the honour of our country, he said.

He appealed to the people to frustrate the evil designs of those people who wanted to undermine national unity and integrity by spreading communalism in the society. This would be the true homage to our martyrs, he added.

Undertrial shot in court complex

Fatehabad, July 30
An undertrial prisoner was shot dead in the local district courts complex today by a person attired as an advocate, the police said.

The police said as soon as a police party came out of the court of District and Sessions Judge R.K. Sondhi after producing murder case accused Yuv Raj, one person dressed as an advocate approached them, saying he wanted to talk to the accused.

The alleged attacker then took out a country-made pistol from under the files he was carrying and fired at him from a close range.

Yuv Raj died on the spot, the police said, adding the attacker, who surrendered to the police, had been arrested.

The dead was a resident of Pilli Mundan village in the district, while the alleged attacker identified as Kalu Ram was stated to be a resident of Dikhtan village.

Inter-group rivalry was suspected to be the reason for the murder, police sources said. — PTI

Congress women protest against rising crime
Tribune News Service

Hisar, July 30
Members of the women wing of the rural and urban units of the District Congress Committee today held a protest march against the increase in crime against women, especially during the past four years.

In a memorandum submitted to the Haryana Governor through the Deputy Commissioner, the leaders demanded the dismissal of the Chautala-led state government for the deteriorating law and order situation in the state.

The women activists were led by Ms Bimla Dalmiya, president of the women wing of the DCC (urban), and Ms Krishna Yadav, chief of the DCC (rural) women wing.

Municipal Councillor and Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (women wing) secretary Shobha Nehru was also present.

They threatened to intensify their stir if no action was taken to check crime against women.

Woman, student killed in mishaps
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, July 30
A woman was killed and a girl sustained serious injuries when they were hit by a tractor at Tihar Malik village, about 20 km from here, last night.

The woman has been identified as Sumitra (45) and the girl as Suman (18). The girl was taken to the local Civil Hospital, where she is stated to be out of danger. The driver of the tractor managed to escape.

The police has registered a case for rash and negligent driving and causing the death of the woman against the driver. The body of the woman has been sent to the Civil Hospital for a post-mortem examination.

According to another report, a student was killed and two others sustained injuries when their motor cycle was hit by a three-wheeler on the Gohana-Jind road, near Butana village, about 50 km from here, today. The victim has been identified as Radhey Sham while the injured as Pradeep and Ajmer. The two were hospitalised and stated to be out of danger.

The police has registered a case.

VC hails team work of plant breeders
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 30
The National Bureau of Plant Genetic Research (NBPGR), New Delhi, has registered 10 germplasm lines of ‘dhaincha’ (a green manure) identified by Ch. Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, for having peculiar characters of quick growth, high biomass, more number of nodules, succulent and early decomposition under green manuring.

While disclosing this here today, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Mr M. K. Miglani, said that with the identification of these lines, the work on development of improved genotypes of ‘dhaincha’ would get a boost in the country.

He described it as a good work of a team of varsity plant breeders, who had put in hard labour to collect these germplasm lines from Tohana, Meham, Patran, Naggal, Nanheri and Ladwa villages of Haryana and Punjab.

Mr Miglani said that keeping in view the role of ‘dhaincha’ in improving soil quality and fertility, the varsity had given it due priority in research. He said the varsity had already released its one variety, DH-1 at the national level, while two more, varieties, DH-6 and DH-9, were at the testing stage.

Woman’s suicide: husband gets 7-year term
Our Correspondent

Ambala, July 30
The Additional Sessions Judge, Mr Sanjeev Kumar, today sentenced a man to seven years’ imprisonment for compelling his wife to commit suicide.

According to the prosecution, Mr Jagdish Chander, father of the deceased, had registered a case against Surender, husband of his daughter and three of his family members in this regard.

His daughter was married to Surender on April 13, 1993. Soon after the marriage, in-laws of his daughter had started torturing her for bringing insufficient dowry, he had stated.

He said in the complaint that on June 12, 2003, he got a message over telephone that his daughter had committed suicide. he alleged that her in-laws had forced her to commit suicide. The judge acquitted other members of her in-laws’ family by giving them the benefit of the doubt.

Woman dies, brother-in-law attempts suicide

Ambala, July 30
Mystery shrouds the death of a woman and the subsequent attempt to commit suicide by her brother-in-law at Sapehra village last night.

Gurpreet Kaur, who was married to Gursewak, died last night. The exact cause of her death is not yet known. Thereafter, her brother-in-law, Kaka Singh, consumed some poisonous substance. He was taken to a private hospital from where he was referred to the Civil Hospital, Ambala cantonment. The reason for his attempt to commit suicide is also not known.

Gurpreet and Gursewak had got married a few months ago. A panchayat was held in the village to discuss the issue. The police is investigating into the causes of Gurpreet's death and her brother-in-law's suicide attempt. TNS

New norms on B.Ed, law colleges
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 30
The Haryana Government has issued new guidelines for the opening of new general B.Ed. and law colleges in the state on self-financing basis.

While stating this here today, an official spokesman said that for opening of these institutions, full justification along with estimated population of the area and estimated number of students would have to be submitted by the concerned management or trust which wanted to open such an institution.

It would also have to mention the proposed name of the college or institute along with original registered documents showing ownership of sale seed of the land. They would also have to submit change of land use certificate from the competent authority, site plan, building plan and registered architect duly approved by the competent authority.

He said that the proof of adequate working capital in addition to endowment fund and cash flow statement for the next two years would also be required.

Mahila Congress holds demonstration
Tribune News Service

Ambala, July 30
Mahila Congress activists today broke earthen pots to protest against water and power scarcity as well as rising crime against women in Haryana.

The 'matka phod’ demonstration took place at Sadar Chowk under the leadership of Satya Bharati. The demonstrators started from Congress Bhavan and passed through Nicholson Road. Mahila Congress activists raised slogans against the Chautala government.

They said there was acute scarcity of water and power in Ambala. They stated that women were feeling unsafe in Haryana as crime against women had risen steadily in the state.

After holding the demonstration at Ambala Sadar, the Mahila Congress activists proceeded to Congress Bhavan, Ambala City. From there, they proceeded to the Deputy Commissioner’s office. The activists passed through different markets.

They later submitted a memorandum demanding that water and power supply must be restored immediately.

High Court
Notice issued
Our High Court Correspondent

Chandigarh, July 30
The High Court on Friday issued notice on a petition filed by Haryana Director-General of Police (Rules) Kanwar Nirmal Singh, seeking quashing of the adverse entries in his annual confidential report (ACR), allegedly at the behest of Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala.

After hearing his counsel, the Bench of Mr Justice Swatanter Kumar and Mr Justice Amar Dutt issued notice for November 18.

Names sought

A Division Bench of the High Court headed by Mr Justice G.S. Singhvi on Friday asked the Haryana Public Service Commission to submit within 10 days names of two experts for setting papers of the Haryana Civil Service (Executive).

This direction was passed on a petition filed by one Ram Pal Kundu in which he had stated that most of questions in one of the papers for the exam were out of syllabus.

Paint factory gutted
Our Correspondent

Jhajjar, July 30
A paint-producing factory was gutted when a fire broke out in the Modern Industrial Estate in Bahadurgarh town of the district today. However, no human loss was reported as all 16 workers who were inside the unit came out safely after noticing the fire. Fire tenders were able to extinguish the flames after a struggle of three hours.

According to information, about a 100 drums filled with a certain highly inflammable chemical used in paints were stored in the unit, Vemley Paints and Hardware. The chemical, known as NC cotton, instantly caught fire after a short-circuit in the factory.

Eyewitnesses stated that a blast was heard and more followed for three hours. The production manager of the unit, Mr Sajjan Kumar, put the loss at Rs 25 lakh. The factory, owned by Mr H.S. Lamba of Punjabi Bagh, in Delhi, was insured, he said.

However, none of the workers were allowed to talk to the mediapersons with regard to the accident.

Eight fire engines were called from Delhi, Jhajjar, Rohtak, Sonepat and Bahadurgarh. Fire officer Krishan Godara is investigating the cause of the incident.

Mr Suraj Bhan, SDM, and Mr Rajender Singh, DSP, inspected the gutted factory.

Another fire occurred at Matan village last night in which the house of Ramphal was gutted. According to information, a short-circuit was to be the cause of the fire.

Rs 11 cr for amenities in Haryana villages
Tribune News Service

Indri, July 30
The Haryana government had decided to check unplanned growth of villages and provide amenities to people in villages. Chief Minister Om Parkash Chautala said at a ‘Sarkar Aapke Dwar Programme’ of Indri Assembly constituency here, yesterday. He heard grievances of more than 100 panchayats and announced works worth Rs 11 crore.

He asked the panchayats to implement ‘Swar Jal Dhara Scheme’ to provide potable water to rural people. Under the scheme, a panchayat will deposit 10 per cent of the cost of project to get it sanctioned. The remaining amount will be provided by the government.

He directed officers of the Power Utilities to charge old wires, iron poles with cemented ones and install transformers to avoid tripping. He said seventh and eighth unit of the Tau Devi Lal Thermal Power Plant would be commissioned by year-end and the state would get 500 Mega Watt of additional power.

The Chief Minister approved construction of community centres, boundary walls of schools, veterinary hospitals and chaupals besides construction of rooms in schools of many villages. He also sanctioned tubewells for a number of villages.

Local independent MLA Bhim Mehta who recently parted company with the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) did not turn up at the CM’s programme.

Earlier the CM paid tributes to late Swami Kalyan Dev at a function at Shukartal in Uttar Pradesh yesterday. He distributed blankets among the poor and also paid tributes to martyrs at the memorial constructed in the memory of Kargil martyrs.

Work to review voters’ lists begins
Our Correspondent

Kaithal, July 30
The work to review voter lists in all five Assembly segments of this district has been started and the same will be completed by September 10. The preliminary publication of voter lists will take place by September 15.

This information was given by the Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Election Officer, Mr H.S. Malik, after addressing a meeting of representatives of various political parties, municipal councillors, returning officers and the assistant returning officers here today.

He said the objections on preliminary lists could be filed till October 15. The decision on all objections and claims would be taken by December 1 and the work to add or delete names and to correct mistakes would be completed by December 31. The final publication of voter lists would be on January 3.

He said the survey teams would ensure that name of a voter was not registered at two places. He said anyone completing 18 years on January 1, 2005, could get his name registered in the voter list after furnishing the proof of age.

SI cremated
Our Correspondent

Rewari, July 30
The body of Sat Prakash Sharma, a sub-inspector of the 65th battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force ( CRPF ), was cremated with state honours at his native village, Jiwara, 22 km from here, last evening.

Sat Prakash Sharma, along with four other CRPF personnel, was killed when two Lashkar-e-Toiba militants carried out a suicide attack on a CRPF camp, housed in Leward Hotel in the Dal Lake area in Srinagar on Tuesday night. His body reached here last evening. A wreath, on behalf of the district administration, was laid on the body by Mr Dharambir Singh, SDO (Civil). Sat Prakash Sharma, who joined 65th Bn CRPF as sub-inspector in 1988, is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter.

Power relaxation to industrial units
Our Correspondent

Bhiwani, July 30
The Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam has allowed partial relaxation in power consumption to some industrial consumers who have one MW and above electricity load.

A spokesperson for the nigam today said to meet the needs of units engaged in milk chilling process, which in turn needed extra power, a relaxation of upto 50 per cent of the average power consumption per day had been allowed. However, the milk plants would use their captive generation to the full.

Case against ex-sarpanch recommended
Our Correspondent

Bhiwani, July 30
The district administration has recommended the registration of an FIR against a former sarpanch of Kheri Batar village on the charge of embezzling fund allocated for development works.

The Deputy Commissioner said an inquiry had been instituted on a complaint against the erring sarpanch and had been held guilty. The former sarpanch, Sumer Singh, had misused fund and misappropriated a sum of Rs 3,44,403 allocated for various development works, he said. The SP had been informed for legal action in this case.

He further said action was being taken against erring sarpanches and stern action would be taken against those found guilty.

Factory making spurious pesticides unearthed
Our Correspondent

Kaithal, July 30
The police in a raid conducted at Kailram village unearthed a factory manufacturing spurious pesticides yesterday.

The raid was conducted on the basis of a secret information. Ishwar Singh was arrested by the police. Spurious pesticides, raw material and articles used in their manufacturing were seized.

The district authorities were reportedly receiving complaints that some pesticides used by farmers to save their crops from pests were not showing any results.

SDOs transferred
Tribune News Service

Yamunanagar, July 30
Five Subdivisional officers (SDOs) posted at Model Town and Subdivision-I (Yamunanagar), Mustafabad, Shehzadpur and Bilaspur here have been transferred. SDOs of Radaur and Industrial Area, Yamunanagar swap positions. Mr S.C. Goel, Executive Engineer, has been transferred to Kurukshetra.