Letter helps solve murder mystery
YAMUNANAGAR, Aug 1 — An anonymous letter unearthed the mystery of a murder of a youth and rape of a 15-year-old girl.
Dharna held for second day
HISAR, Aug 1 — The protest dharna for the restoration of the status and glory of Guru Jambheshwar University (GJU) entered its second day here today.
HAU to help seed agencies
HISAR, Aug 1 — CCS Haryana Agricultural University has taken steps to meet the demand for quality seeds of farmers in the state.
Haryana order on recommendation for awards
CHANDIGARH, Aug 1 — The Haryana Government has directed all Divisional Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners to send their recommendations for awarding Padma awards, namely Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri, by August 20.

Tourist resort near Kalesar approved
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 1 — The Haryana Tourism Promotion Board, which met here under the chairmanship of Mr S.K. Mishra, today approved the proposal of setting up of environment friendly tourist resorts in the joint sector near Kalesar on the Yamunanagar-Paonta Sahib highway and near Hathni Kund Barrage.

The board also approved the proposal of setting up a tourism project at village Kultajpur located in Mahendragarh district.

It also accorded approval for the repair and maintenance of the Gurgaon-Sultanpur road keeping in view the flow of tourist to the beautiful tourist complex at Sultanpur bird sanctuary. The board also decided to set up an amusement park at Chakravarty Lake, Karnal, and at Surajkund, near Delhi.

Mr Mishra asked the tourism authorities to set up their own travel agency for the benefit of tourists, both domestic and foreign. He suggested that a comprehensive beginning should be made with the consultation of the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.

Mr Mishra stressed the need for promoting tourism in the state with a professional angle to make it more viable and modern to cater to the needs of tourists, especially foreigners. He said that health clubs/spa, health resort, swimming pool and play grounds should be added in the tourist resorts.

Mr Mishra stressed the need for developing Chakravarty Lake in a comprehensive manner. He said that tennis courts, golf courses, water parks, conference halls and other modern amenities should be provided to cater to the needs of tourists travelling on National Highway No.1.

The Haryana Chief Secretary, Mr Ram S. Varma, emphasised the need to tap the possibility of constructing a dam on the river Ghaggar for developing a tourist lake with an estimated cost of about Rs 4 crore to Rs 5 crore. It would not only solve the water problem of the adjoining areas of Panchkula and Chandigarh, but also be a resort for the tourists.

Mr Bhaskar Chatterjee, Commissioner and Secretary, Town and Country Planning, disclosed that an ambitious plan has been chalked out by the HUDA to develop six acres of land in sector 29 at Gurgaon which would be developed as shopping complex-cum-restaurant. Besides, an auditorium-cum-city centre costing Rs 12 crore would be taken up at Panchkula by the end of this year, he added.

Mr Sanjay Kothari, Commissioner and Secretary, Tourism Department said that Haryana Tourism Corporation would be the first state-owned corporation under the control of the Government of Haryana to be on the internet.

Letter helps solve murder mystery
From Our Correspondent

YAMUNANAGAR, Aug 1 — An anonymous letter unearthed the mystery of a murder of a youth and rape of a 15-year-old girl.

According to reports received here, the Deputy Commissioner, Yamunanagar, received a letter carrying information about the mysterious death of a youth, Baru of Tigra village, near here.

Baru was found dead at his residence on June 28. The members of his family buried the body as per Muslim rites.

The Deputy Commissioner directed the CIA staff to verify the facts. The police started investigation during which it was decided to dig out the body.

The Deputy Commissioner directed the Subdivisional Magistrate, Jagadhri, Mr Narinder Singh, to remain present at the site along with a team of doctors.

Yesterday the body was recovered and a panel of three doctors suggested that a post-mortem should be conducted at Rohtak Medical College as the body was badly decomposed.

A case under Section 302, 376, and 34, IPC, has been registered on a complaint lodged by the brother of the deceased in which the names of four persons have been mentioned.

According to a report on June 24 Ramesh raped a 15-year-old girl who was a cousin of the deceased. The deceased came to know about the incident and he was killed by Ramesh along with his three accomplices Sadhu, Billo and Gokhali Khan.

According to Mr Sheel Madhur, Superintendent of Police, it was revealed that the accused had threatened the girl that if she disclosed the incident then the entire family would be eliminated.

However, all accused have absconded.

KU council approves additional DA
From Our Correspondent

KURUKSHETRA, Aug 1 — The executive council of Kurukshetra University at its meeting held here last evening approved the instalments of additional dearness allowance on a par with government employees.

The Vice-Chancellor Dr M.L. Ranga, said that the non-teaching staff had also been allowed the incentive of one additional increment for acquiring proficiency in typewriting in the second language which help to completely switch over the office work in Hindi.

In another important decision, a provision in the ordinance of 'Residence, Health and Discipline' had been made for strict disciplinary action against those indulging in any kind of ragging on the campus and its hostels.

He said Dr S.P. Singh, who retired as Professor of Chemistry in April this year, had been conferred with the title of Professor Emeritus, Dr M.L.H. Kaul appointed as Professor of biotechnology, Dr K.R. Aneja as Professor of Microbiology, Dr N.K. Matta as Professor of Botany and Mrs Chand Dutta as Principal University College.

The appointments of two coordinators for hostels for women and boys had also been approved while the post of a lady warden and a hostel supervisor for the newly constructed hostels for boys and girls had also been created.

The appointment of Dr Reicha Tanwar who had been working as Director of Women Studies Research Centre, had been regularised on the post of Reader Director of the centre. Dr Indu Sharma, Dr S.D. Sharma and Dr Krishan Lal who were earlier Professor under the Personal Promotion Scheme, had been appointed as Professor in Sanskrit, English and Chemistry, respectively, against open posts while Dr G. Varandani had been promoted as Professor in Law under the Personal Promotion Scheme. Dr R.S. Dwivedi, Professor of Management had also been nominated on the Library Committee of the university as a nominee of the executive council.

To enable the use of computers and attain self-sufficiency in use of computers the qualifications for the post of typist and clerk had been suitably modified to provide for data entry test on computer.

Dharna held for second day
Tribune News Service

HISAR, Aug 1 — The protest dharna for the restoration of the status and glory of Guru Jambheshwar University (GJU) entered its second day here today.

Following the government decision to convert GJU into a residential university, residents of this industrial town and its surrounding areas formed an Action Committee to protest against the disaffiliation of technical colleges from it. The non-political action committee is headed by Dr Inderjit, president of local IMA unit.

The Action Committee, in a memorandum submitted to the Governor and Chancellor of the University, Mr Mahabir Prasad, has described the government action as "highly discriminatory and biased against the residents of Hisar and is surrounding areas".

The memorandum said GJU was essentially a technical university as is evident from various provisions of the Guru Jambheshwar University Act, 1995. As per the Act, GJU was established as a teaching-cum-affiliating university to facilitate and promote studies and research in emerging areas of higher education with focus on new frontiers of technology, pharmacy, environmental studies, non-conventional energy sources and management studies.

Further, there are various provisions in the Act whereby on the academic and executive bodies of the university, experts from the field of industry, technical universities and other emerging areas of technology have been associated. This was not so in case of other universities of the state. The Commissioner Technical Education, Haryana Government, was a prominent member on every decision-making body of GJU, the memorandum added.

The Action Committee said that the government decision to take away the technical college from the GJU and affiliating them with the Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, for reasons of geographical proximity was unconvincing because in that case, the affiliation of all colleges in the districts of Hisar, Bhiwani, Fatehabad, Jind and Sirsa for the promotion of all types of education, including technical education, should have been affiliated to GJU.

But this has not been done and this speaks of the highly discriminatory attitude of the state government and an effort to kill this infant university, the Action Committee alleged.

The memorandum said that the university had made a name for itself in the academic world in a short span of two and a half-years. It has also achieved landmarks in the matter of receipt of grants from the UGC and generated its own resources to put the minimum burden on the state exchequer. "The university was able to achieve all this despite great financial constraints put in by the state government", the memorandum said.

The Action Committee sought intervention of the Governor and urged him to advise the government to review the decision of disaffiliating colleges from GJU. It said the Action Committee has decided to launch a state-wide agitation to press its demand in case the university's lost status and glory was not restored by the government immediately.

According to the strategy adopted by the Action Committee, 11 members from various social and trade organisations would stage a dharna every day and hold demonstrations in different localities so as to mobilise public opinion against the government decision.

Meanwhile, some faculty members of GJU said that the Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar, established in 1997, was based on the model adopted by this university. Clause 5(1) of Punjab Technical University Act says, "The territorial limits in which the university shall exercise its powers and perform its duties shall be the whole of state of Punjab and other regions outside the state of Punjab as may be decided by the Board of Governors from time to time, subject to any regulation and statues".

GJU, they said, was a technical university as was clearly stipulated in the University Act. Where was the need to take away the technical institutions from this university and affiliate them with other universities of the state which were not technical in character and do not have technical experts on their Executive and Academic Councils, they asked.

It would be in the interest of technical education, that the wrong done to GJU was rectified. They suggested that a meeting of experts from UGC, AICTE and Vice-Chancellors from the universities in Haryana should be convened to deliberate the issue and reach some definite conclusions.

HAU to help seed agencies
Tribune News Service

HISAR, Aug 1 — CCS Haryana Agricultural University has taken steps to meet the demand for quality seeds of farmers in the state.

Besides producing seeds at its own farm, the initiative taken by the university includes extending technical help to seed agencies and undertaking seed production at its outstation centres.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof J.B. Chowdhury, said at present the university was producing nearly 110 quintals of breeder's seed and 10,000 quintals of founder's seed of different crops but this was not enough to meet the demand of the farmers.

He said the university has started collaboration with private seed agencies. Under the agreement, the agencies would purchase seeds of different cereals, oilseeds, cotton etc from the university for producing certified seeds and scientists of the university would render them technical guidance for seed multiplication.

The university, he said, had undertaken the task of increasing its own seed production at its research stations and krishi vigyan kendras. Presently, there are eight such kendras in the state and nearly 50 acres of land was being attached to them. He said the state government, too, has allotted 4,000 acres near Hisar to the university which would be developed to produce quality seeds.

Prof Chowdhury said importance was being given to developing hybrids of rice, maize, cotton, pearlmillet, jowar, fruits and vegetables which would have more yield potential than their conventional varieties.

Horticulture scientists, he said, had identified flower species like marigold, gladioli, rose, chrysanthemum and tuberose that could be grown in Haryana following scientific recommendations.

Haryana order on recommendation for awards
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 1 — The Haryana Government has directed all Divisional Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners to send their recommendations for awarding Padma awards, namely Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri, by August 20.

An official spokesman said here today that Padma awards are conferred by the Government of India in recognition of distinguished services rendered in various fields which include art, social work, public affairs, science and technology, literature and education including journalism, trade and industry, medicine, civil service, sport, protection of human rights and environment.

The spokesman said that efforts would be made to identify persons belonging to scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, other backward classes, handicapped persons and women whose services need recognition and deserve to be decorated with the awards. While selecting a person for the "award his achievement in the field of public service would be considered", he added.

The Padma awards are very prestigious and are among the highest civilian awards which are announced every year on Republic Day, the spokesman said.

Seven booked for gangrape
From Our Correspondent

FARIDABAD, Aug 1 — A middle-aged woman was raped by more than seven persons in Aurangabad village, about 45 km from here according to late information received here today.

The woman in her written complaint to the police alleged that five persons came to her house during the late hours and forcibly took her to nearby fields on some excuse where three other persons were waiting.

At gun-point, all persons raped her turn-by-turn and threatened her that she would be killed if she cried or disclosed the matter to any one.

She alleged that on her complaint, the police had registered a case under Sections 376, 452, 506 and 34 of the IPC but not arrested any person due to political pressure of a minister and other influential persons.

Mr R.K. Malhotra, vice-president district Congress, has demanded the arrest of the accused.

Bansi govt directionless : Chautala
From Our Correspondent

REWARI, Aug 1 — The HLD(R) chief Mr Om Prakash Chautala, alleged that the Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal's government was corrupt, directionless and anti-people.

He said this while launching the second leg of his "jan jagran abhiyan" at Kamalpur village near here, today. Mr Chautala said two major factions — one led by the present sarpanch and the other by a former sarpanch and staunch Congress supporter — had jointly organised this meeting.

Later, he addressed meetings at six other villages of the Bawal constituency of Rewari district.

KU teachers' stir on August 4
From Our Correspondent

KURUKSHETRA, Aug 1 — In response to a call to cease work given by the All-India Federation of University and College Teachers Organisation (AIFUCTO), members of the Kurukshetra University Teachers Association (KUTA) will observe strike on August 4.

Speaking to mediapersons here today, Dr S.S. Randhawa, joint secretary, KUTA, said a decision to this effect was taken by the executive committee of the association at a meeting held here recently.

Dr Randhawa said the executive committee, in a resolution passed unanimously, expressed its anguish over the indifferent attitude of the Human Resource Development Ministry in announcing the revised pay scales. He said the executive committee rejected the new pay scales unilaterally announced by the ministry, saying that these were unacceptable because they were not according to UGC recommendations. Moreover, the ministry did not take the teaching community into confidence and played a very cruel joke on teachers, Dr Randhawa alleged.

JD expels Karnal unit chief
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Aug 1 — The Haryana Pradesh Janata Dal today expelled Mr Chashampal Nain, former president of its Karnal district unit, from the party for six years for his anti-party activities.

Announcing this, Mr Ved Parkash Vidrohi, president of the state unit of the Janata Dal, said that this action had been taken against Mr Nain following numerous complaints received by the party from leaders of the Karnal district unit.

CPM flays hike in legislators' pay
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Aug 1 — The state secretariat of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has criticised the "considerable" enhancement in the salaries of ministers and legislators of Haryana. A resolution in this regard was passed on the last day of the assembly session recently.

Reacting sharply to the "unjustified" increase in the salary, Mr Inderjit Singh, secretary of the state unit of the CPM said the nurses of Haryana, a few months ago had launched an agitation in support of their demand for various allowances. Rejecting the demand, the government reportedly pleaded when the nurses were being paid their salaries, the demand of various allowances was unjustified. But now, he said, the government was keeping regarding the increase in salaries and various allowances of the ministers and legislators, who were already being provided with "unrestrained" facilities.

The party sought immediate withdrawal of the enhancement and relief for the poor who were forced to lead a miserable life due to the rising inflation.

International speed post centre
From Our Correspondent

AMBALA, Aug 1 — The Chief Postmaster General of Haryana, Mr T.R. Sharma, today inaugurated a national and international speed post centre at the Ambala Cantonment General Post Office.

Addressing a gathering on the occasion, Mr Sharma said that the states three centres at Faridabad, Gurgaon and Ambala would be connected with 81 national speed post centres and 97 international network centres. He said arrangements had also been made for "round-the-clock" booking of speed post articles at the Ambala railway mail service speed post booking counter.

Mr Sharma said that point to point speed post service was available for Bhiwani, Hisar, Jind, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Panchkula, Panipat, Rohtak and Sonepat.