Bogus muster rolls cost
govt dear
SONEPAT, Aug 7 — The Haryana Government has been suffering a huge financial loss due to the preparation of bogus muster rolls by certain junior engineers of the Irrigation Department in this region.

21.4 per cent in Rohtak live below poverty line
ROHTAK, Aug 7 — Nearly 21.4 per cent of the population in this ancient town lives below the poverty line as per a survey conducted by the District Urban Development Agency.
56 criminals arrested
CHANDIGARH, Aug 7 — The Haryana police has claimed to have busted 12 gangs of criminals involved in dacoity and burglaries recently.
Subzi mandi an eyesore
SONEPAT, Aug 7 — The vegetable and fruit market here has virtually been turned into a slush and become a health hazard.
'Change in attitude towards women must'
FARIDABAD, Aug 7 — Mrs Vidyaben Shah, Chairperson of the Central Social Welfare Board, today said a change in attitude towards women was a must to end atrocities on them.
HSEB union calls for strike on Sept 16
ROHTAK, Aug 7 — The HSEB Workers Union has called upon its members to observe a token strike on September 16 to protest against the non-acceptance of its demands.

Alarming rise in crime rate
From Shiv Sharma

BHIWANI, Aug 7 — The deteriorating law and order situation has changed this city, once known as "Chhoti Kashi" or "Mathura", into one of the most unsafe cities.

Increasing traffic, rise in crime and unplanned colonies and prolonged power cuts are the salient features of the city. Unsolved cases of murder and rape have further made it unsafe. There is a long list of crimes committed during the past year in this city having a population of about 1.6 lakh.

In a recent incident, a minor of Hetampura village was allegedly raped and murdered and her body was thrown into a well. A minor from Jagat Colony was also raped in a remote area of the city.

A family residing at Krishana Nagar Colony had to migrate when their seven-year-old daughter reportedly raped on the premises of the local Civil Hospital.

Last year, a minor girl student, who was waiting for a bus outside the school, was abducted by a youth. He beat her but she managed to escape.

A renowned child specialist, Dr Raman Bhandari, was shot dead in November last year when he was on his way to his house. The wife of an officer of a local textile mills was murdered last week while a businessman of Charkhi Dadri was shot dead in broad daylight. A strike was also observed here in this connection. Two brothers of Sanwad village were murdered near their village.

There are several unsolved cases which put a question mark on the efficiency of the police.

An entrepreneur was robbed of Rs 1,400 by four motor cycle-borne youths at Rohtak Gate recently. In another incident, two youths looted lakhs of rupees from a salesman on the Malgodam road.

Phool Singh of Nangal village was robbed of Rs 2,500 by some miscreants while five days ago, some men snatched a gold chain from a woman.

Some women who were molested alleged that the police had not registered a case. Rather, they said, the police had threatened to register a case against them for assaulting two "innocent" persons.

In yet another incident, some persons went to an electronics shop at Naya Bazar and demanded Rs 50,000 but shopkeepers nabbed them and handed them over to the police.

Incidents of petrol stations being looted have also risen. Some Maruti-borne youths looted Rs 40,000 at gunpoint from a petrol station at Beeran village last week.

Different reasons are being cited for the sudden spurt in the crime rate. Some feel that lifting of prohibition is the prime cause of the rising crime as those who were involved in the smuggling of liquor have now turned to ransacking and robbery.

Mr K.K. Sindhu, SP, however, said only three cases of robbery had been registered this month. One case had been solved with the recovery of stolen property worth Rs 6.57 lakh. Only 22 cases were registered this year against 15 cases in 1997, he said. He, however, denied that there was any crime wave in the district.

Notwithstanding this claim, some striking facts are that only two police assistance booths have been set up. There are not enough traffic policemen to regulate traffic. Need is being felt for regular open police darbars.

Bogus muster rolls cost govt dear
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Aug 7 — The Haryana Government has been suffering a huge financial loss due to the preparation of bogus muster rolls by certain junior engineers of the Irrigation Department in this region.

According to sources, whenever canal cuts are made by farmers, the junior engineers concerned seize the opportunity to misappropriate the public funds by preparing bogus muster rolls and pocketing the huge amount on this account, in connivance with the authorities concerned.

Meanwhile, the maintenance of canals and distributaries continues to remain a major problem despite the heavy expenditure incurred on them in this district. Though the state government has been allocating crores of rupees to the Canal Department every year for the cleaning and desilting operation, the position has hardly improved.

Most of the fields at the tail-end of the canals and distributaries have remained without water and this has caused a huge loss to the farmers. Embankments of various canals and distributaries have been facing the problem of siltage, which has resulted in the waterlogging of large areas.

Representatives of various farmers' organisations have alleged that many officials of the Irrigation Department are minting money by appointing 'fake' labourers. These appointments only exist on paper. They have demanded a probe into the "scandalous" working of the department.

As far as the bricklining and construction of the water courses by the CADA in this area goes, some of the work done is definitely sub-standard.

Emulate Aurobindo's teachings: Ranga
From Our Correspondent

KURUKSHETRA, Aug 7 — Kurukshetra University today began its new academic session with a seminar on "The philosophy and yoga of Sri Aurobindo" to commemorate the 125th birth anniversary of great Indian philosopher.

The seminar was sponsored by the Haryana Government and organised by the Department of English. The Vice-Chancellor of Kurukshetra University, Dr M.L. Ranga presided.

In his presidential remarks, Dr Ranga emphasised the relevance of the teachings in the Gita and those propounded by the great philosopher, Sri Aurobindo.

Dr Ranga said the humanitarian approach espoused by Sri Aurobindo was the only solution to the social problems confronting the nation. He called upon the audience to endeavour to emulate the great philosopher's spirit of nationalism and present his thought in simple terms for the benefit of the young generation. Sri Aurobindo's approach was a fine synthesis of the teachings in the Gita and the humanitarianism of Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi.

Prof Kireet Joshi, president, Dharam Hinduja International Centre of India Research, deliberated on Sri Aurobindo's contribution to yoga and his synthesis of different systems of yoga called supermental yoga which was to him a mode of life rather than a system of thought.

In his keynote address, Dr S.P. Singh, Director, Dharam Hinduja International Centre of India Research, drew the attention of the audience towards Sri Aurobindo's Vedanta which sought to provide not personal salvation alone but salvation for the entire human race.

A large number of participants from various colleges and universities attended the seminar. Other distinguished scholars included Dr Shyam Asnani, Head, Department of English, H.P. University, Dr D.S. Mishra, Head, Department of English, Sardar Patel University.

Dr S.D. Sharma, Chairman, Department of English Kurukshetra University, welcomed the Chief guest and other distinguished participants. Dr S.K. Sharma, Reader, Department of English, talked about the significance of the subject of the seminar.

Dean, Arts and Languages, Kurukshetra University. Dr S.L. Paul, proposed a vote of thanks.

21.4 per cent in Rohtak live below poverty line

ROHTAK, Aug 7 — Nearly 21.4 per cent of the population in this ancient town lives below the poverty line as per a survey conducted by the District Urban Development Agency.

The survey has revealed that 9,365 families out of the 43,794 families living within the municipal limits of Rohtak, have a per capita income below Rs 337.42 per month.

Almost an equal number of the population lives in various colonies and sectors that have come up over the years on the outskirts of the town. This population has not been covered in the survey that concluded last month.

It has also revealed that the incidence of poverty was higher in the smaller towns: In Meham, out of the 2,828 families, 940 (33 per cent) live below the poverty line. The population that lives below the poverty line in Kalanaur town is as high as 39.5 per cent.

Lack of employment and self-employment opportunities in smaller towns are believed to be major reasons for the high incidence of poverty.

According to the survey, 23.3 per cent of the families living below the poverty line in the general category are headed by women. This figure for the Scheduled Caste families is only 7.3 per cent. The majority of the families living below poverty line are concentrated in the slums and Harijan-dominated mohallas.

56 criminals arrested
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 7 — The Haryana police has claimed to have busted 12 gangs of criminals involved in dacoity and burglaries recently.

A police spokesman said here yesterday that by launching a special campaign 56 criminals, including chiefs of 12 gangs of dacoits, had been arrested. Property worth about Rs 3.50 lakh had been recovered from them.

The Rohtak police arrested three members of a gang headed by Raj Kumar of Ghaziabad and recovered four revolvers, 11 bullets and one hand grenade from their possession. The district police also arrested Dharampal alias Mallar of Karor village in Rohtak district along with five members of his gang. A car, three 12-bore pistols and 12 bullets were recovered from their possession.

This gang was responsible for snatching a car of the Haryana Minister of State for Housing, Mr Sat Narain Lather. The gang members also admitted the theft of a car from Sampla, nine typewriters from Asodha and the murder of Balwan of Matan village, whose dead body was thrown in the Dubaldhan minor.

The spokesman said the Sonepat police had arrested a gang of dacoits headed by Pappu alias Satbir of Tohana. The gang members admitted committing dacoities in farm houses located at Kanjhawla, Nangloi, Bahadurgarh, Sultanpur Lake, Chanduhera (Gurgaon), Narela, Alipur and Chhawla. A three-member gang of stereo thieves was also arrested and property worth Rs 51,000 was recovered from it.

Another gang of dacoits headed by Yogesh alias Bablu of Mahendipur village was also nabbed by the Sonepat police which recovered four pistols, 15 bullets and three knives from them. This gang had admitted the murder of a father and son duo at Kanondha village, burglary in moon light factory and snatching of Tata-407 vehicle from Chhara road, Jhajjar. They had also admitted lifting of cars from Palam, Nangloi, Rohini bus stand, Delhi and Narela.

He said the gang of transformer thieves comprising Ramphal and Triloki, both of UP, and Arjun from Azadpur, Delhi, had been arrested and aluminium coils worth Rs 80,000 were recovered from their possession. The police also recovered three motorcycles from the gang headed by Satpal alias Pala of Thitholi village in Rohtak district. Pala along with his two accomplices had been arrested. They had admitted lifting motorcycles from the Panipat, Hisar, Gurgaon, Ambala and a scooter from Jind.

The Karnal police had busted a gang of dacoits headed by Chandi, resident of Didoli village in Jind district. Property worth Rs 90,000, a pistol and two knives were recovered from the gang members. The police recovered a pistol, four bullets, a knife, a motorcycle and a scooter from a five-member gang of dacoits.

The Panipat police had arrested a gang of burglars headed by Bijender Singh of Jind and recovered property worth of 60,000 from it. A seven-member gang headed by Rampal was nabbed while conspiring to commit a dacoity. A jeep and four pistols were recovered from the gang members.

Similarly a three-member gang of burglars headed by Dharamvir of Karnal was also arrested and three pistols, six bullets and a knife were recovered from them. They had stolen a car from Rohini, Delhi.

Subzi mandi an eyesore
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Aug 7 — The vegetable and fruit market here has virtually been turned into a slush and become a health hazard.

The sanitary conditions in and around the market are totally unsatisfactory. Heaps of garbage and filth are scattered everywhere in the absence of any regular cleaning in it. Slush-like conditions, leaves of the vegetables, dung of stray cattle and stagnant water are other eyesores. Owing to non-spraying of insecticides, the stagnant water has become a breeding place for the mosquitoes and flies. The foul smell makes it difficult for the passers-by.

Complaints to the executive-cum-secretary of the market committee have fallen on deaf ears. Instead, he is reported to be harassing arhtiyas, vegetable growers and the retailers on some pretext or the other to mint money for his own pocket, it is alleged.

Because of the low lying area, a little shower turns the area into a pool and makes it difficult for the people to walk on foot. The authorities of the market committee have failed to improve the sanitary conditions and provide better roads and other drainage system in the market.

The vegetable growers coming from far off places to the subzi mandi to sell their produce have to face many difficulties. Because of poor street lighting, they feel insecure when they have to stay during the night there. Non-supply of drinking water during the summer season, has added to their woes.

Meanwhile, it is alleged that arhtiyas and retailers are evading the market fee in collusion with the staff of the market committee.

It is also alleged that vegetables and fruits are passed on to bureaucrats and politicians free of cost by the staff.

'Change in attitude towards women must'
Tribune News Service

FARIDABAD, Aug 7 — Mrs Vidyaben Shah, Chairperson of the Central Social Welfare Board, today said a change in attitude towards women was a must to end atrocities on them.

Addressing a function organised by the Haryana Social Board here, she regretted that women did not enjoy equal status with men in society. The percentage of women in jobs was woefully low as compared with menfolk. She said in one state 105 girls were killed daily either before birth or soon after. This had led to a fall in the sex ratio in the country.

Mrs Shah said the number of rape cases had increased manifold. Every minute 33 girls, mostly in the age group of 10 and 16, were raped.

She wanted both media and the police to play a role in uplifting the lot of women. Efforts were on to set up family counselling centres in each district of the country. She praised Haryana for its "apni beti, apna dhan" scheme.

Mrs Lajwanti, Chairperson of the Haryana Social Board, said the family counselling centres set up by the board in various parts of the state had saved a number of families from breaking up. She wanted coordination among social workers, the police and the media in eliminating atrocities on women.

Mr C.D. Verma, a journalist, said women should not be treated as weaker sex. Mrs Neelam Kesni, Additional Director, Women and Child Welfare, Haryana, said law alone would not be able to solve women's problems as a change in the behaviour of people towards women was a must.

HSEB union calls for strike on Sept 16
Tribune News Service

ROHTAK, Aug 7 — The HSEB Workers Union has called upon its members to observe a token strike on September 16 to protest against the non-acceptance of its demands.

The demands include removal of anomalies in old pay-scales, amendment in recruitment and promotion policy, discussion on the Electricity Reforms Bill adopted by the Vidhan Sabha, revision of allowances, payment of shift and risk allowances and creation of additional posts as per work load as on March 31.

The union spokesman, Mr Bharat Bhushan, said the notice of strike as per the provisions contained in Section 22 (I) of the Industrial Disputes Act had already been served on the HSEB and the state government.

He said the strike would begin at 10 p.m. on September 15 and would end at the same time on September 16. He said the future course of action of the union would be announced after the strike. The next action would largely depend on the reaction of the state government and the HSEB, he added.

The HSEB Workers Union, with a view to mobilise its members for the proposed strike, has announced holding of dharnas at the offices of the Deputy Commissioners from August 6 to September 2. It has asked its members to take mass casual leave on the day of the dharna and clearly mention in the leave application that they want to take leave to participate in the dharna.

However, the employees working in the 11, 33, 66, 132, and 220 KV substations have been exempted from participating in the dharna so as to avoid inconvenience to consumers.

9 criminal gangs busted
From Our Correspondent

JIND, Aug 7 — The Jind police has busted nine gangs of criminals during the last three months in the disttict. Stating this here today, Mr Ranbir Sharma, Superintendent of district Police, said the police had arrested 35 members of these gangs and traced 34 crimes committed by them. He said the gangs had been invloved in a number of crimes in Jind, Panipat, Hisar, Kaithal and Bhiwani districts and parts of Rajasthan adjoining Haryana. These gangs had looted petrol stations, kidnapped persons for ransom, stolen vehicles and committed robberies.

The prominent gangs busted by the police include Jagta gang, Kuldeep gang, Satish gang and Satbir gang.

Car taken away, recovered
Tribune News Service

ROHTAK, Aug 7 — Four unidentified men taken away a Maruti Zen car from a woman, Dr Sameeksha, at gun-point in broad daylight here today on the medical college campus.

According the eye-witnesses, the men pushed Dr Sameeksha aside when she opened a car door and was about to sit in it. The chowkidar on duty closed the gate on seeing this, but the men crashed through the gate and escaped.

The men also fired in the air to scare away the persons present at the site.

The Superintendent of Police, Mr K.K. Sharma, later said that the stolen car had been recovered from near the Baniani village. The men, however, managed to escape. Mr Sharma claimed that the men had been identified and they belonged to the neighbouring Gurgaon district.

Congress to spread wings in Bhiwani
From Our Correspondent

BHIWANI, Aug 7 — The Haryana Congress decided to challenge the ruling Haryana Vikas Party by spreading its wings in the district.

The Congress will organise a high-profile public meeting at Badhra village a Jat-dominated assembly constituency. Senior Congress leader Kanwar Natwar Singh, former Minister of State for External Affairs Meera Kumar, MP, HPCC (I) president Bhupinder Kumar Hudda are among those who will address the meeting.

The Congress will organise a public meeting at Badhra on August 9 on the occasion of Quit India day.

BJP women burn SP's effigy
From Our Correspondent

GURGAON, Aug 7 — As many as 300 workers of the BJP's Mahila Morcha held a dharna in front of the office of the SP and burnt his effigy here yesterday.

They were demanding registration of a case against those persons who had reportedly mandhandled activists of the morcha last week.

They raised slogans against the SP and blocked the gate of his office.

The protesters had come from Rohtak, Ballabhgarh and other places.

Doctors seek action against assailant
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Aug 7 — The Resident Doctors Association (RDA) of Pt B.D. Sharma PGIMS here has demanded action against the persons responsible for manhandling and misbehaving with a doctor of Civil Hospital, Ambala City, recently.

In a letter written to the Chief Minister, the general secretary of the RDA, Dr J.B. Jatain, condemned the incident and said that the authorities should ensure that a government doctor was able to perform his duties without any fear. Claiming that such incidents had increased in the recent past, he demanded action against the culprits.

Snag in plant hits power supply
Tribune News Service

ROHTAK, Aug 7 — The power crisis in the state worsened yesterday when the Panipat thermal power plant came to a halt.

The unit V (210 mw) of the plant was closed at 11.37 a.m. on Thursday following development of a snag in its boiler. Units I and II were also closed due to tripping. At 4.45 p.m. the unit IV also tripped, thereby bringing generation to halt in the oldest power plant of the state.

According to sources, unit V would take another two days to start the generation.

HSEB officials told TNS that despite closure of the Panipat thermal power plant, the availability of power was 415.45 lakh units on Thursday as compared to 405.15 lakh units on August 6, 1997.