H A R Y A N A

CM slams Pak for promoting terrorism
Fatehabad, January 27
Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala said yesterday that the struggle for safeguarding the independence of the country and upholding democracy would continue till the perpetrators of terrorist activities in India were taught a lesson.

• Flag hoisted at Cong head office

Kadyan appointed KU Controller of Exams
Karnal, January 27
The executive committee of Kurukshetra University has appointed Mr Jagdish Kumar Kadyan, a lecturer from Government College, Gurgaon, to the post of Controller of Examinations.

Haryana abolishes post mortem exam fee
Kaithal, January 27
Haryana Health Minister Dr M.L. Ranga said here on Friday that the government had decided not to charge any fee from those injured in accidents and brought to government hospitals for treatment. Also fee chargeable for postmortem examination of bodies has been abolished.

A leafless tree waits for the season to change even as the sun plays hide and seek over Ambala. —photo N. Chopra

Kisan Sabha to organise sammelans 
Jind, January 27
The Executive Committee of the Kisan Sabha, Haryana, at a meeting here on Friday decided to launch an agitation in phased manner to protest against the reduction of subsidies to farm sector, forcible recovery of government loans, sale of substandard insecticides and seed, distress sale of farm produce, theft of canal water and at other issues of farmers. 

Funds for VIP visits, but not for roads!
Kaithal, January 27
A glaring example of how the state government and it’s various departments work has come to light. On the one hand a number of busy roads and other link roads in the town continue to remain neglected and have become non-motorable due to presence of big potholes for the past over two years as the government has failed to spare funds for these.

Hailstorm damages mustard crop 
Rewari, January 27
There are reports that the recent hailstorm has damaged extensively the mustard crop in Kapriwas Joniawas Malpura Jarthal Asiaki Pachore Sampli and several other villages of the Rewari region.

• Woman dies of burns

CM slams Pak for promoting terrorism
Tribune Reporters

Fatehabad, January 27
Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala said yesterday that the struggle for safeguarding the independence of the country and upholding democracy would continue till the perpetrators of terrorist activities in India were taught a lesson.

Addressing people on the 53rd Republic Day function in the local Manohar Memorial College grounds here today, the Chief Minister slammed Pakistan for promoting cross-border terrorism against India.

Mr Chautala said this year’s Republic Day had come with a new meaning for Indians as now any citizen could unfurl the Tricolour atop his or her residence or establishment with pride. The Supreme Court had done justice with the people of Haryana by telling the Punjab Government to complete the SYL Canal within a year, he said.

Earlier, the Chief Minister unfurled the Tricolour in the college grounds and inspected the parade. He also took the salute of the march past. Mr K. Venkat Rammana, an IPS officer, led the parade. Contingents of the Haryana Armed Police, the district police, the Home Guards, the NCC and Girls Guides participated in the parade.

KURUKSHETRA: On the occasion of Republic Day, the Haryana Social Welfare Minister, Mr Risal Singh, unfurled the Tricolour at Dronacharya Stadium here on Saturday. He called upon people to pledge to uproot terrorism unitedly. About 3,000 school students presented a cultural programme on the occasion.

Meanwhile, the Kurukshetra University Vice-Chancellor, Mr R.S. Chaudhary, unfurled the Tricolour in the courtyard of university Bhagwadgita Sadan here on Saturday.

Addressing the students, members of teaching and non-teaching staff of the university, the Vice-Chancellor called upon them to perform their duties with patriotic spirit.

YAMUNANAGAR: Mr Mohammad Ilyas, Animal Husbandry Minister, Haryana, unfurled the Tricolour here at Tejli sports complex during the Republic Day celebrations on Saturday. He paid tributes to martyrs and freedom fighters. The minister took the salute from the police, Home Guards, NCC girls and scouts.

JIND: A function to celebrate Republic Day was organised at the local Government College on Saturday. Mr Subhash Goyal, Urban Development Minister, Haryana, unfurled the Tricolour and took the salute of the march past presented by contingents of the Haryana police, NCC, Home Guards, Boy Scouts and Girl Guides.

KAITHAL: The Health Minister, Dr M.L. Ranga, hoisted the Tricolour at a district-level function in the Police Lines ground here on Saturday. He took the salute of the march past presented by contingents of the Haryana police, Home Guards, NCC cadets, Girl Guides and Boy Scouts.

Social workers and government employees were among those honoured on the occasion. The local MLA, Mr Leela Ram, the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Phateh Singh Dagar, the SP, Mr A.S. Chawla, besides judicial officers and other district officials were also present.

In a separate function on the local jail premises, the SDM, Mr Ashok Bishnoi, and the DSP, Mr Amir Singh Sabharwal, asked prisoners to take a pledge to become law-abiding citizens. 

Flag hoisted at Cong head office
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 27
The Haryana Congress president, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, hoisted the National Flag at the head office of the party here on the occasion of Republic Day. He exhorted the people, particularly the party rank and file, to rededicate themselves to strengthening the democratic institutions at all levels. He said our democratic system had stood the test of time.

Among those present were Mr Satvinder Singh Rana, chief organiser, Haryana Congress Seva Dal; Mr Kamal Sharma, secretary, Haryana Congress and Mr Jagdeep Singh Cheema, chairman of the party’s minority department.

Kadyan appointed KU Controller of Exams
Our Correspondent

Karnal, January 27
The executive committee of Kurukshetra University has appointed Mr Jagdish Kumar Kadyan, a lecturer from Government College, Gurgaon, to the post of Controller of Examinations. The committee, at its meeting held on Friday, approved the selection of Mr Kadyan against strong opposition by the Kurukshetra University Non-Teaching Employees Association (KUNTEA).

Interestingly, when the committee was approving the appointment of Mr Kadyan, KUNTEA members were holding a demonstration at the venue of the meeting against the move of the university authorities to consider the issue.

Prior to this, two leaders of KUNTEA, Mr Karan Singh, its president, and Mr Madan Gopal Sharma, general secretary, had met Haryana Governor Babu Parmanand, who is also the Chancellor of the university, to protest against the appointment of an “outsider” to the post of Controller of Examinations. Mr Sharma told this correspondent that they had brought to the notice of the Chancellor that earlier only internal candidates had been promoted to the post. Five senior officials of the university who had risen from the ranks had held this post.

Even before its advertisement, the post was held by Mr Romesh Sharma, the seniormost Deputy Registrar.

The KUNTEA delegation also told the Chancellor that the new precedent would adversely affect the promotion chances of university employees. Mr Madan Gopal Sharma maintained that the Governor had assured them that he would take up the matter with the Vice-Chancellor, Mr Radhey Shyam Chaudhary.

The KUNTEA delegation also took up with the Governor the issue of a five-day week in the university. A move was afoot to enforce a six-day week, to which university employees were opposed. According to Mr Madan Gopal Sharma, the Governor told them that he would not change the present arrangement of a five-day week.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that Mr Romesh Sharma had challenged the selection by the selection committee in a court of law. But the court rejected the plea on the ground that as the selection had not been approved by the executive committee, the court could not take note of it. He reportedly challenged the selection in the sessions court also.

The main opposition to the selection is that the selection committee has not fully considered the norms laid down in the advertisement regarding experience in education administration. The university had desired eight years’ experience in education administration. Only the internal candidate, Mr Romesh Sharma, possessed this experience out of the eight who appeared for interview. The selected candidate, Mr Kadyan, has no experience in education administration.

Haryana abolishes post mortem exam fee
Our Correspondent

Kaithal, January 27
Haryana Health Minister Dr M.L. Ranga said here on Friday that the government had decided not to charge any fee from those injured in accidents and brought to government hospitals for treatment. Also fee chargeable for postmortem examination of bodies has been abolished. Mr Ranga said more decisions to provide relief to those coming to hospitals for treatment had been taken, details of which would be communicated soon to the authorities concerned.

Dr M.L. Ranga who presided over the Grievances Committee meeting here on Friday directed the Deputy Commissioner and other senior officers to ensure punctuality in offices and speedy disposal of files.

He said that some officers and employees come to the office late in the morning and leave office before the closing time. The files put up before the officers concerned and other staff were not disposed of expeditiously which caused inconvenience to the people. He said that a time limit should be fixed for disposal of files. He also directed the heads of various departments to hear grievances of the people coming from long distance on priority.

Dr Ranga also directed the officers of Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam to attend the public complaints on priority and replace the defected transformers at the earliest. He urged the officials of the sports department to identify the good sportsmen and provide them appropriate facilities. Later the minister heard complaints in the grievances committee meeting. Mr Dina Ram MLA, Deputy Commissioner Phateh Singh Dagar, Mr A.S. Chawla S.P. and Suprabha Dahiya ADC were present on this occasion. 

Kisan Sabha to organise sammelans 
Our Correspondent

Jind, January 27
The Executive Committee of the Kisan Sabha, Haryana, at a meeting here on Friday decided to launch an agitation in phased manner to protest against the reduction of subsidies to farm sector, forcible recovery of government loans, sale of substandard insecticides and seed, distress sale of farm produce, theft of canal water and at other issues of farmers. Mr Bawa Singh, state president of the sabha presided over the meeting. It was attended by all office-bearers and senior functionaries of the sabha.

Mr Krishan Sarup, state general secretary of the sabha, said the sabha had decided that in the first phase of agitation worker’s sammelan would be organised at different places in the state. He disclosed that workers sammelan of Panchkula, Yamunanagar, Ambala and Kurukshetra districts would be held at Pehowa on February 7, sammelan of Kaithal, Karnal and Panipat districts would be held at Asandh on February 8, sammelan of Jind and Sonepat districts would be held at Jind on February 11, sammelan of Rohtak, Jhajjar and Bhiwani districts would be held at Rohtak on February 12 and sammelan of Hisar, Sirsa and Fatehabad districts would also be held on February 12.

Mr Krishan Sarup disclosed that in the second phase of its agitation farmers meetings would be organised in the villages of the state to inform the farmers about the anti-farmer policies of the government. He said at these meetings farmers would be persuaded to join hands with the Kisan Sabha to intensify agitation.

The sabha urged leaders of Punjab not to give misleading statements on the Sutlej-Yamuna Link canal issue but help complete the canal so that the farmers of Haryana could get their share of river water.

By a resolution the sabha urged the Haryana Government not to recover forcibly pending power bills from the farmers. The sabha pointed out that the ruling party had promised free power to the farmers before election. Now arrears of electricity bills have accumulated and the farmers were not in a position to pay these so the government should waive the pending bills.

Funds for VIP visits, but not for roads!
Our Correspondent

Kaithal, January 27
A glaring example of how the state government and it’s various departments work has come to light.

On the one hand a number of busy roads and other link roads in the town continue to remain neglected and have become non-motorable due to presence of big potholes for the past over two years as the government has failed to spare funds for these.

On the other hand the state’s Public Works Department and the civic body have been painting dividers, roundabouts and other government buildings for Republic Day and visits of the VIPs, including the Governor, Chief Minister and other dignitaries to the town and other parts of the district. On every such occasion labourers and safai karmcharis are withdrawn from their regular duties and pressed into service to decorate roads. This exercise is being repeated this year too and thousands of rupees are being spent on it. From where do the funds come for these avoidable expenses? People lament that they can live without painted roundabouts and dividers and installed flags but find it hard to drive on roads with pothole. 

Hailstorm damages mustard crop 
Our Correspondent

Rewari, January 27
There are reports that the recent hailstorm has damaged extensively the mustard crop in Kapriwas Joniawas Malpura Jarthal Asiaki Pachore Sampli and several other villages of the Rewari region.

Congress Legislator Capt Ajay Singh Yadav and the Haryana Pradesh Janta Dal (united) leader Ved Parkash Virodhi have urged the Chief Minister to direct the Administration to conduct a special girdawari to assess the crop loss. They have also demanded adequate compensation for all affected farmers.

Woman dies of burns
Tribune News Service

Ambala, January 27
A woman died of burn injuries in Ambala city yesterday.

The family members of the woman, Shalu, have alleged foul play. A case has been registered against her husband, mother-in-law and brother-in-law. Shalu was brought to the Civil Hospital, Ambala city, where she succumbed to her burn injuries.

Shalu, who hailed from Pinjore, had got married in 1998.