Rail mishap averted
PANIPAT, July 27 — A major accident on the Delhi-Panipat-Ambala section of Northern Railway was averted by the alertness of driver Ishwar Dass and assistant driver Harish Kumar of 2925 up Bombay-Amritsar Paschim Express today, about 5 km from Panipat towards Sonepat.

PGIMS security officer attacked
ROHTAK, July 27 — An Assistant Security Officer of the B.B. Sharma Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences and Research here was injured badly when he was attacked by some persons on the medical college campus today. He has been admitted to the institute for treatment.

Mobile phone shop looted
GURGAON, July 27 — Three armed youngsters robbed a mobile phone outlet on the Delhi road here this afternoon.

HAU teachers oppose Dr Dalal's transfer
HISAR, July 27 — The Haryana Agricultural University Teachers Association (HAUTA) has opposed the transfer of Dr R.S. Dalal, Technical Adviser to the Vice-Chancellor, to the newly-created department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Extensions at the College of Veterinary Sciences.

Protest against police 'laxity'
ROHTAK, July 27 — Activists of various unions and associations today held a march in the town in protest against the "laxity" of the police administration in connection with the alleged murder of Mrs Saroj Vasisht and her six-year-old daughter Vishakha a few days ago.

Lawyers' strike enters seventh day
FATEHABAD, July 27 — The indefinite strike by the local Bar Association continued for the seventh consecutive day today.

HPCC meeting at Sonia's house
From Jatinder Sharma
Tribune News Service

ROHTAK, July 27 — As the infighting in the Pradesh Congress has sharpened following the installation of the Chautala-led government in Haryana, the party high command has reportedly decided to intervene and retrieve the situation.

The party president, Ms Sonia Gandhi, has convened a meeting of top leaders of the Pradesh Congress at her residence on July 29 to advise them to sink their differences and work unitedly for the success of party candidates in the ensuing Lok Sabha election.

Besides the PCC chief, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, others who have been asked to attend meeting include former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal, Mr Birender Singh, Mr Harpal Singh, Mr Shamsher Singh Surjewala, Mr Sultan Singh (all former PCC presidents), leader of the legislature party Mrs Kartar Devi and the AICC observer for Haryana, Mr S.N. Roy.

The Pradesh Congress Committee leaders, who failed to prevent the INLD-BJP combine from capturing power, appear to be licking their wounds after the INLD chief, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, was sworn in Chief Minister on Saturday last. The strategy adopted by the Pradesh Congress of lending support to the Bansi Lal government on June 25 and later withdrawing it has landed the party in deep waters.

A senior Congress leader told TNS in confidence that certain Pradesh Congress leaders, keen to grab power, acted in a non-political manner and have damaged the party beyond repair. The failure of this group in preventing Mr Chautala from coming to power has intensified the power struggle in the party, he said.

While the mood of the INLD workers was upbeat following the installation of Mr Chautala as Chief Minister the Congress workers were feeling demoralised. They blame the party leadership for the present day situation.

Another senior Pradesh Congress leader said the party should have not committed political harakari on the eve of the elections. He said he had never seen such bitter infighting in the party throughout his life and the leadership had not acted in a mature manner.

He, however, was of the view that the "unprincipled" ruling alliance would not be able to provide stability and the Chief Minister would not be able to satisfy every faction. The installation of INLD rule would also lead to polarisation among the rural and urban voters, he said.

But this assessment of the Congress leader has not found support among independent political observers. A senior Professor in Maharshi Dayanand University, who is well-informed about the political scenario in the state, says Mr Chautala will not repeat his past mistakes as he has learnt many lessons over the years.

Meanwhile, the screening committee set up by the party high command to select candidates for the 10 Lok Sabha constituencies in Haryana is likely to meet on July 31.

The committee comprises Mr Pranab Mukerjee, AICC General Secretary and in-charge of Haryana affairs, Mr Jitender Prasad, Mr Ahmed patel, Mr Mukul Wasnik and Mr S.N. Roy party observer for Haryana. The PCC chief, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, and leader of legislature group, Mrs Kartar Davi, will also participate in the screening committee meeting.

Bid to kidnap boy alleged
Tribune News Service

ROHTAK, July 27 — Mr Devender Hooda, district unit president of the Sarv Karamchari Sangh has alleged that an unsuccessful attempt was made today to kidnap his 11-year-old son, Amit by certain unidentified persons.

He said that for the past four days unknown persons had been making threatening calls at his residence warning him against pursuing the murder case of Ms Saroj Vashisht, a general secretary of the Haryana Sarv Karamchari Sangh, and her daughter. The caller had threatened to kidnap his son if this did not happen, Mr Hooda alleged.

Amit, a student of class V in DAV Centenary Public School, Arya Nagar, escaped from the clutches of his alleged kidnappers and entered a nearby house to dodge them. After reaching school, Amit narrated the incident to his teachers who in turn informed his parents. Mr Hooda resides in Bijlee Colony situated on Circular Road.

Activists of the Sarv Karamchari Sangh, the Janvadi Mahila Samiti, CITU and the Anganvari Workers Union today took out a procession and submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner demanding a high-level inquiry to find out if other persons or agencies besides the husband of Ms Saroj Vashisht were involved in her murder and of her daughter.

The demonstrators alleged that the police had adopted an indifferent attitude to their demand. The police was also informed about the threatening calls being received by Mr Hooda but it failed to take any action.

The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Arun Kumar, said he had asked the Deputy Superintendent of Police to inquire into the whole incident.

Cleanliness a far cry
From Sushil Manav

FATEHABAD: Though more than two years have passed since this town was elevated to the status of a district headquarters, but the living conditions of residents here continue to cry for improvement. The town lags far behind other district headquarters in civic amenities. Though the people have been raising their voice for improvement, authorities concerned remain unaffected.

The sewerage of the town is in bad shape. Most of the residential areas wear a shabby look. Heaps of garbage and refuse all over the town presents a dirty picture of this district headquarters situated on the National Highway (No. 10). Be it Jagjeevan Pura or Sunder Nagar or Ashok Nagar or Basti Bhiwan sanitary conditions are bad in every locality.

Municipal committee safai karamcharis is a rare sight. They are much less in number than the actual requirement. The garbage collected in trolleys is dumped in parks and spaces near the electric transformers where it rots for days together. As a result pigs and other cattle can be seen wallowing in these heaps.

More than a dozen parks in the town, including Ambedkar Park, Thana Park, Rajiv Gandhi Park, Lajpat Park and parks around Model Town are feeding places for stray animals.

The supply of clean potable water is far from satisfactory. The samples of the drinking water taken from various places in the past have revealed that the water was highly contaminated. It is not only the quality of water but its quantity also has become a cause of concern for residents. Drinking water always remains in short supply in Model Town, Old Tehsil, Ashok Nagar and Tibba Basti. The residents of these areas have made representations to the authorities, but none cares to listen.

Steps to regulate power supply
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, July 27 — The Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam (HVPN) has taken a series of steps to ensure regular power supply to farmers in the paddy growing belt of the district.

Mr S.K. Handa, Superintending Engineer (Operations), Sonepat circle of the HVPN told mediapersons here today that due to scanty monsoon rain, the power load on the system had already increased manifold resulting in low voltage and under frequency. The tubewells were being run by the farmers despite a warning given by the HVPN authorities that the power supply was being given through two phases for lighting purposes only.

He disclosed that the main problem being faced by the HVPN authorities of the circle was frequent operation of under-frequency relay installed at the 220 KV substation of the BBMB at Narela (Delhi). As soon as the frequency came below 47.98 the power supply from Narela tripped automatically and was restored after several hours. This led to the stoppage of power supply to the entire city and its suburbs and inconvenience to thousands of consumers.

Mr Handa said the power supply would improve only after adequate rain in this region.

He also said that the HVPN had taken more steps to strengthen the distribution system.

Rail mishap averted
From Our Correspondent

PANIPAT, July 27 — A major accident on the Delhi-Panipat-Ambala section of Northern Railway was averted by the alertness of driver Ishwar Dass and assistant driver Harish Kumar of 2925 up Bombay-Amritsar Paschim Express today, about 5 km from Panipat towards Sonepat.

According to available information, the train was running at an approximate speed of 80 km per hour while coming from Delhi. When the train was about 5 km away from Panipat railway station the drivers noticed a three-wheeler tempo on the track and applied the emergency brake and managed to stop the train before it could hit the tempo.

Inquiries revealed that the "boom" of level crossing gate number C 49/2 was not working and the gateman also did not have an iron chain to block the railway crossing. However, he was managing the traffic by using red and green flags.

When the gateman was holding the traffic before crossing of this train a tempo suddenly passed by the sides of parked vehicles and appeared on the railway track. The railway authorities have initiated action against the tempo driver.

PGIMS security officer attacked
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, July 27 — An Assistant Security Officer of the B.B. Sharma Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences and Research here was injured badly when he was attacked by some persons on the medical college campus today. He has been admitted to the institute for treatment.

According to the institute sources the official, identified as Sanjay Rangwan, was attacked with lathis and bricks by some unidentified persons, when he and some of the employees of the security staff of the institute tried to remove some khokhas from the campus near the 14-J quarters, which houses the Class IV employees, at about 11 a.m.

Some anti-social elements had set up some khokhas "unauthorisedly" in the residential area of the campus. While such encroachments have been removed from time to time, some persons re-establish khokhas or encroach the area after some time.

The security staff led by Mr Rangwan asked the khokha owner to remove it, but the owner called several persons on the spot and allegedly started threatening the security staff. While both sides had an heated argument, some persons took out lathis and sticks in order to threaten the employees. One of them hit Mr Sangwan on the head and shoulders. He was rushed to the emergency ward of the hospital. The Director of the PGIMS, Dr D.B. Dubey, said the police had been called and the case was being handed over to it for investigation and action against the culprits.

Mobile phone shop looted
From Our Correspondent

GURGAON, July 27 — Three armed youngsters robbed a mobile phone outlet on the Delhi road here this afternoon.

According to the information available, the robbers came to Jain Communications at 3.00 p.m. posing as customers and asked the owner of the shop Mr Mohit Jain, to show some mobile phones. While he was busy showing them these phones the robbers took out revolvers and picked up 10 cellular phones, cash card, Rs 50,000 in cash, batteries, car chargers and some files and left in a Maruti car.

In celluloid style, the robbers disclosed their identities as being a members of a ‘fauji gang’. One of them said that his name was Banjara. They did not harm anybody. The police reached the spot within minutes of receiving information. Mr Navdeep Singh Virk, SSP, himself visited the shop.

HAU teachers oppose Dr Dalal's transfer
From Our Correspondent

HISAR, July 27 — The Haryana Agricultural University Teachers Association (HAUTA) has opposed the transfer of Dr R.S. Dalal, Technical Adviser to the Vice-Chancellor, to the newly-created department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Extensions at the College of Veterinary Sciences.

In a letter to the Vice-Chancellor, HAUTA President, Dr Dalal Singh and Secretary, Dr H.K. Verma, described it as "an undue favour" and said Dr R.S. Dalal had been transferred to allow him to act as Head of the Department and enjoy the powers and privileges of the post, ignoring the claims of other senior faculty members.

The letter said Dr R.S. Dalal was Associate Professor, drawing a pay-scale of Rs 3,700-5,700, whereas there were three other faculty members of the rank of professors drawing a higher pay-scale of Rs 4,500-5,700. They were much senior to Dr R.S. Dalal in the discipline of extension education and had yet to be given the opportunity of becoming Head of the Department. This had caused resentment among these faculty members.

HAUTA has urged the Vice-Chancellor to cancel the transfer to respect the university norms, rules and regulations.

Protest against police 'laxity'
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, July 27 — Activists of various unions and associations today held a march in the town in protest against the "laxity" of the police administration in connection with the alleged murder of Mrs Saroj Vasisht and her six-year-old daughter Vishakha a few days ago.

Mrs Vashisht was allegedly battered to death by her husband, Prem Singh. He has been arrested by the police and has confessed to have committed the crime.

Members of the Sarv Karmchari Sangh, Janwadi Mahila Samiti, Haryana State Electricity Board Workers Union, Municipal Employees Association, CITU, Aaganwari Workers and Helpers Union, Khet Majdoor Union, Janwadi Naujwan Sabha, Roadways Workers' Union Van Karmchari Sangh and Lal Jhanda Bhatta Majdoor Union marched through the main markets and reached the Deputy Commissioner's office where they submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Arun Kumar.

The protesters alleged that the police had ignored a written complaint against the accused on July 17 which had encouraged him to commit the gruesome crime.

Lawyers' strike enters seventh day
From Our Correspondent

FATEHABAD, July 27 — The indefinite strike by the local Bar Association continued for the seventh consecutive day today.

Five members of the association sat on a dharna on the court premises. The advocates have been on an indefinite strike since Wednesday and have been demanding the setting up of a district court here.

While talking to this correspondent, Mr Rajesh Bharat, a local lawyer and a former secretary of the association, said the state government was giving step-motherly treatment to Fatehabad.