SPECIAL COVERAGE
CHANDIGARH

LUDHIANA

DELHI



THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS
50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS
H A R Y A N A

Chautala moots all-party meet on SYL canal
Om Prakash ChautalaChandigarh, June 7
The Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, said here today that he would shortly convene an all-party meeting so that all political parties could join hands for an early completion of the SYL canal in Punjab. He said he would also move a resolution in the forthcoming session of the Assembly on this issue.

Cong MPs, MLAs to meet PM
Chandigarh, June 7
Congress MPs and MLAs of Haryana would soon meet the party President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, and the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, to press for early implementation of the Supreme Court orders on the SYL canal.

Birender Singh flays Akalis

No CBI report filed in SC JBT teachers recruitment scam
Chandigarh, June 7
Contrary to expectations, the CBI did not file any report to the Supreme Court about its findings in the JBT teachers recruitment scam. The CBI had earlier raided the houses of two close aides of the Chief Minister in connection with the scam.

Haryana PMT under scanner Tests on June 21, 27
Rohtak, June 7
Even as the local Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences today announced the new dates for the test for admission to undergraduate courses in medical, dental and ayurvedic colleges of Haryana, the legal competence of the test is being questioned.

Haryana aviation institutes flying high
Panchkula, June 7
The three Civil Aviation Institutes in the state are flying high again. The ambitious plan introduced by the Directorate of Civil Aviation, Haryana, for over hauling and reviving its civil aviation clubs in Pinjore, Karnal and Hisar, and make them self-sustaining, is now beginning to show results.


Stories from Haryana towns falling in the National Capital Region are put in 
Delhi & neighbourhood.


YOUR TOWN
Ambala
Chandigarh
Hisar
Jind
Panchkula
Rohtak


EARLIER STORIES
 

Public Service Commission results

Ruchika molestation case: 3rd witness cross examined
Ambala , June 7
The third witness in the Ruchika molestation case was cross examined in the court of Special Magistrate for CBI cases, Mr Y.S. Rathore, here today. Mr Manish Kumar, running an advertising agency in Chandigarh, appeared as one of the main witnesses in the court. The cross examination could not be concluded today and would continue tomorrow too.

Hard work has paid off, says CBSE PMT topper
Yamunanagar, June 7
Shena Aggarwal, daughter of Dr C.K. Aggarwal and Mrs Pinki Aggarwal has brought laurels to Yamunanagar by securing the first rank in the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) PMT, 2004.

Haryana ex-MLA Peer Chand dead
Hisar, June 7
Peer Chand, a former Haryana MLA, died here last evening after a prolonged illness. He was 85. Chand was elected MLA from the Barwala seat of the Haryana Assembly in 1972 on Congress ticket. He became a legislator from the Ratia (reserved) seat in 1977 on Janata Party ticket and in 1991 on Haryana Vikas Party ticket.

Four more held for killing 5 of family
Jind, June 7
The police today arrested four persons on a charge of murdering five members of a family of Khunga Village in this district. Mr Manjit Singh Ahlawat, SP, Jind, said here today that arrested persons had been identified as Raja and Satpal of Khunga village and Sukhbir and Phool Kumar of Taloda Kheri village in this district.

Leaf from History
Ambala draws name from Ambika Devi temple
AMBALA:
draws its name from an old temple as well as now virtually extinct mango groves. Ambika Devi Mandir, which is considered to be one of the oldest temples here, is located in Ambala city. The temple is believed to have been constructed even before the Britons arrived in Ambala.

HSGPC to field 11 candidates
Sirsa, June 7
The Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (regd) has decided to field candidates for the 11 seats in the state. While announcing the names of nine candidates the committee spokesperson, Mr Gurjeet Mann, said here today that the committee had decided to field their candidate to highlight the problems being done to the Sikhs in Haryana.

Special arrangement for viewing transit of Venus
Ambala, June 7
Police DAV Public School, Ambala city, has made special arrangement for scientific viewing of `transit of Venus’ tomorrow. The school Principal, Dr Vikas Kohli, said the event should not be seen with naked eye as the rays could caused damage to the eyes. Dr Kohli has undergone a special national level training at Shimla on how to view this event safely.

Green Circle members plant saplings
Ambala, June 7
Members of Green Circle, Ambala Cantonment, observed the World Environment Day yesterday by planting saplings in Indira Park. Among others, Mr S.K. Aggarwal, Mr R.P. Gupta, Mr Bhushan Gupta, Dr J.S. Nandra, Dr O.P. Sehgal, Col S.K. Gupta, Mr Brij Mohan Kohli, Mr N.C. Jain and Mr Ashok Sharma were present on the occasion.

Multi-purpose health staff body

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Chautala moots all-party meet on SYL canal
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 7
The Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, said here today that he would shortly convene an all-party meeting so that all political parties could join hands for an early completion of the SYL canal in Punjab. He said he would also move a resolution in the forthcoming session of the Assembly on this issue.

Talking to newsmen Mr Chautala appealed to the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, to get the canal completed without delay as the economy of the nation was based on the agricultural sector. He also urged the newly elected Congress MPs from Haryana to impress upon the Congress Government in Punjab for early completion of the canal.

He said if all political parties of Punjab could join hands on the SYL issue, why the Haryana parties could not do so. Instead of issuing press statements to get credit for the recent verdict of the apex court, the Congress MPs of Haryana should impress upon the Prime Minister to complete the canal at the earliest. He said though the Congress had boycotted the last all-party meeting convened by him on the issue, he would still appeal to the leaders of all political parties to come on one platform to put pressure on the Centre for completing the canal at an early date.

Mr Chautala said he was hopeful that Dr Manmohan Singh would certainly take steps for an early completion of the canal as he was a true statesman, whereas the earlier Prime Ministers used to politicise the issue.

He said he was not keen to get credit for the completion of the SYL canal. He would like to give credit to even those who had done little in this regard. He claimed that his sole aim was to make the SYL canal functional.

Describing the statement of the national President of the Youth Congress, Mr Randeep Singh Surjewala, as “childish”, Mr Chautala said Mr Surjewala was not aware of the facts and, therefore, he should not speak on such issues. Mr Surjewala had said that Mr Chautala and his father had created hindrances in the completion of the SYL canal.

Mr Chautala said Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh’s demand for setting up a new tribunal for reallocation of the river waters among Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan was illogical. He said the apex court’s direction to the Central Government to appoint an agency to complete the canal within four weeks had no connection with the demand of the Punjab Chief Minister, who, he said, was trying to mislead the people.

He said the Supreme Court’s verdict had to be honoured because otherwise it would lead to a catastrophe. He said Haryana’s case was not of a riparian state as claimed by Capt Amarinder Singh. Haryana was a successor state because it was carved out of Punjab, which, being like an elder brother, should not raise such issues. He said while Punjab could file a review petition it was for the court to decide its fate.

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Cong MPs, MLAs to meet PM
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 7
Congress MPs and MLAs of Haryana would soon meet the party President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, and the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, to press for early implementation of the Supreme Court orders on the SYL canal.

Announcing this in a statement issued here today, the Congress MP from Bhiwani, Mr Kuldeep Bishnoi, said the party had sought appointments with these senior leaders.

Mr Bishnoi said the delegation would also include former MPs, former MLAs and former ministers.

Criticising those political parties which were claiming the credit for the apex court judgement, Mr Bishnoi said had the Chautala family really wanted the SYL canal would have been completed much earlier. But, he said, Mr Devi Lal and Mr Om Prakash Chautala always used the issue for their political interests.

He said Finance Minister Sampat Singh was misleading the people by claiming that the petition filed by Mr Devi Lal had paved the way for the Supreme Court orders. Mr Bishnoi alleged that if Mr Devi Lal really wanted the SYL canal to be completed he would have contested the case before the Supreme court in the right earnest. But the Chautalas had always sacrificed the interests of Haryana in view of their personal friendship with former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

Mr Bishnoi claimed that Mrs Indira Gandhi had planned the canal in the presence of his father, Mr Bhajan Lal. Even the HVP chief, Mr Bansi Lal, wanted to remain active in politics by claiming the credit for the Supreme Court judgement. He said Mr Bansi Lal had withdrawn the petition filed by Mr Bhajan Lal and refiled the same petition only to take the credit. He claimed that 90 per cent of the work on the canal was completed during his father’s tenure as the Chief Minister.

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Birender Singh flays Akalis
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 7
A former Haryana Congress President, Mr Birender Singh, today criticised the Akalis for threatening to launch an agitation on the SYL issue.
Talking to newsmen here, Mr Birender Singh said the Akalis had no moral right to launch an agitation on this issue because their leader, Sant Harchand Singh Longowal, had agreed to the construction of the SYL canal under the Rajiv-Longowal accord.

Mr Birender Singh said all those leaders who were trying to claim credit for the SYL canal were talking through their hat because the only person who deserved the credit was Mr Rajiv Gandhi. 

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No CBI report filed in SC JBT teachers recruitment scam
Shubhadeep Choudhury
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 7
Contrary to expectations, the CBI did not file any report to the Supreme Court about its findings in the JBT teachers recruitment scam.
The CBI had earlier raided the houses of two close aides of the Chief Minister in connection with the scam.

The CBI was asked by the Supreme Court to complete its investigation within six months. The CBI did not file any report to the court on May 25 when six months were over from the day of the court order. It was then anticipated that the CBI would file a compliance report to the court on June 7, counting six months from December 7 when it reportedly received a copy of the court order.

A source, who was also a party in the case filed in the Supreme Court, claimed that the court had today sent a letter to the CBI by a special messenger inquiring about the status of the JBT teachers recruitment probe. The court reportedly also asked the CBI to seek additional time from the court, if necessary.

CBI spokesman G. Mohanty, when contacted over the phone in Delhi, however, said no such letter had been received by the CBI office in Delhi. Mr Mohanty said the SC had not asked the CBI to file any report on its finding. Quoting the court order Mr Mohanty said the court had only asked the agency to show results within six months.

He said the CBI had complied with the order by filing FIRs against various accused, including two aides of the Chief Minister, before the expiry of the six-months deadline.

This means an indefinite wait for those who were waiting for the CBI to net the elusive “big sharks” allegedly involved in the recruitment controversy.
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Haryana PMT under scanner Tests on June 21, 27
Tribune News Service

Rohtak, June 7
Even as the local Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences today announced the new dates for the test for admission to undergraduate courses in medical, dental and ayurvedic colleges of Haryana, the legal competence of the test is being questioned.

The test was scheduled to be held on May 28. It was to be conducted by Maharshi Dayanand University which was declared as the competent authority for the purpose. However, the state government postponed the test indefinitely on May 21. Later, the order was modified and the Director of the PGIMS was declared as the competent authority to hold the test.

According to a notification issued by the PGIMS this evening, the test for ayurvedic courses would now be held on June 21. The test for admission to medical and dental colleges would be conducted on June 27. There would be no change in the roll numbers, centres of examination and the timings as already notified to the candidates.

Legal experts said the whole exercise could be futile because the government had not given any cogent reasons for changing the authority. According to a senior local lawyer, Mr Bharat Bhushan Batra, the change of competent authority was unlikely to stand judicial scrutiny for several reasons. Firstly, how did the government consider the MDU as incompetent for holding this test when it had been doing so in the past for both undergraduate as well as postgraduate medical courses?

Secondly, he said, if the MDU was competent to specify syllabi, affiliate institutions and hold all other examinations, how did the government suddenly conclude that it could not be entrusted with the conduct of the PMT? In the absence of any solid grounds for barring MDU, prima facie it was apparent that this had been done with ulterior motives, he claimed.

The legalities did not end here. The new competent authority – the director of the PGIMS – had no powers to utilise the services of MDU staff for the purpose because the university was an autonomous body. In the present case the state government, while changing the competent authority, had in its order stated that the “process already started by MDU shall be taken (sic) from the stage now it has reached”. This means that the test would practically be conducted by MDU personnel albeit under supervision of the PGIMS Director and not the VC. Legal experts said the government had no power to place MDU staff at the disposal of the PGIMS.

The order also stated that the director of the PGIMS would be “responsible for setting of question papers, its evaluation and declaration of result”. While directing that 50 per cent of the fee received by the MDU from the candidates would be transferred to the PGIMS, the government also stated that a nominee of the MDU and the DG, Health Services might be associated for “maintaining transparency and fairness”. Legally, the government could not direct the sharing of the fee as the university was an autonomous body, experts maintained. The PMT was introduced after the apex court decided in a case a few years ago that those states with more than one university should assign the job annually to one of these institutions for conducting the test.

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Haryana aviation institutes flying high
Ruchika M. Khanna
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, June 7
The three Civil Aviation Institutes in the state are flying high again. The ambitious plan introduced by the Directorate of Civil Aviation, Haryana, for over hauling and reviving its civil aviation clubs in Pinjore, Karnal and Hisar, and make them self-sustaining, is now beginning to show results.

For the first time in the past four years, the three Haryana Institutes of Civil Aviation (HICA) have managed to meet their target in flying and exceed the targets in gliding at the Hisar and Pinjore institutes. While a new Hansa Aircraft is being procured from the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for HICA, Karnal, the Directorate proposes to procure a second hand Cessna VT for HICA, Pinjore, besides equipment like wench machines.

As of now, the Hisar institute has one Cessna VT aircraft, one Ardhra Glider VT , one Super blanic glider (presently under repair at Delhi Flying Club) and a Swati aircraft ( which has been grounded). The institute in Karnal has one Pushpak aircraft, and two Cessna aircraft(one of which is grounded), while the Pinjore institute has four Pushpaks (one grounded and another one under repair), one Piper Cherokee, one Super blanic glider, and one Swati aircraft ( which has been withdrawn) .

Says the Director, Civil Aviation, Mr Rajiv Arora, “ Even as we are working to get the Certificates of Air Worthiness (Co A) for the grounded Cessna, Piper Cherokee and Pushpak aircraft , and the Super Blanic glider in the three institutes, we have managed to increase the flying hours and launches. With the subsidy of Rs 40 lakh from the DGCA, we have managed to break even financially “.

It is learnt that the department has set a target of 1500 flying hours each for the three flying institutes. In Hisar and Pinjore, where gliding is also offered, the department has set a target of 2500 launches and 3000 launches each, respectively. While HICA,Hisar, has managed to have 990 flying hours and 4340 launches, HICA, Karnal, has been able to achieve 1553 flying hours. Though the institute at Pinjore has managed to have merely 371 flying hours, it has had 5104 launches in gliding as against a target of 3000 launches.

It may be noted that power flying in HICA, Pinjore, remained grounded for almost one and a half years (including the first half of the year 2003-04), ever since the Chief Flying Instructor ( CFI), G.S. Cheema, retired in July, 2002. Though a new CFI was appointed in May, he left shortly thereafter. The flying was resumed only after Mr Cheema was reappointed as the CFI.

It may be noted that all three institutes had hit hard times as the cost of aircraft fuel ( 100 LL ) increased several times over and people lost interest in flying. The fee for training was not increased and a situation reached where even the employees of one of these institutes was not paid salaries for several months. Promises Mr. Rajiv Arora, “By the end of this year, we will be able to turn around the institute at Karnal in power flying and at Hisar and Pinjore in gliding, into profit-making ventures.

Last year, we had revised the cost for training in power flying ( Rs. 3000 per hour on Piper Cherokee, Rs. 2800 per hour on Cessna and Rs. 2400 per hour on Hansa) and for joyrides ( Rs. 900 for a 10-minute trip on aircraft and Rs. 175 for 10- minute ride on a glider), and this has not been increased.”

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Public Service Commission results
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 7
The Haryana Public Service
Commission has declared the results of various posts against roll numbers as given below.

In the A category college lecturers in various subjects in Education Department - Botany: General 1, 6, 8, 81, 103, 108, SC - A 58, SC B 43, Chemistry: General 11, 12, 43, 131, 142, 174, 182, 191, 203, SCA - 121, BC 10, PH 66, Commerce: General 39, 46, 103, 111, 114, 125, 133, 147, 154, SCA - 3, SCB 65, 80,131, BC 160,163, ESM 97, Economics: General 5, 19, 31, SCA 48, 62, 90 SCB 42, 51, 81 BC 87, 88, 146 ESM 86, 93 PH 101, English General 4, 8, 11, 16, 20, 30, 32, 33, 35, 42, 54, 61, 64, 66, 73, 77, 81, 93, 98, 100, 108 BC: 2, 24, 89, SCB 40. Geography: general 23, 25, 26, 35, 40, 99, 106, 108 BC: 4, 20, 68, 113, SCA: 79 SCB 43, 45, 50, 60, History, General: 16, 37, 42, 50, 53, 85, 86, 120, 149, 150, 159, 179, 191, 208, 210, BC: 164, 181, SCA 113, 146, 217, SCB 106, 122, 165, PH: 27, 138, ESM 99, Home Science: General 32, 64, 68, 83, SCA 42, BC 27, Mathematics: General 1, 28, 71, 80, 84, 86, 109 BC: 13, 47, 113, SCB: 73 PH: 24 ESM: 91, Music(I): General 6 SCA 16, Music (V): General 2, 14, 19, 46, SCA: 1, PH: 9, Philosophy: General 4, Physical Education: General 2, 10, 15, 43, 49, 59, 69, BC 6, SCB: 22, 58, Physics: General 2, 7, 71 Political Science: General 8, 11, 51, 59, 81, 83, 117, 167, 179, BC: 123, 155, SCA: 146 SCB: 88, PH: 48. Psychology: General 1, 7, 10, 26, 27, 48, 62, BC: 46 SCA: 58 SCB: 43, ESM: 13, PH: 49, Public Administration: General 9, Punjabi: General 21, SCB 16, Sanskrit: General 33, 57, 72, PH: 102, Sociology: General 3, Zoology: General 27, 53, 55, 61, 95, 99, 100 and 103, SCA: 16, 97, SCB: 91, BC: 29.

Category-B, Medical Officer, HCMS-II in Health Department, Haryana - General 10, 27, 36, 92, 145, 183, 219, 260, 272, 284, 297, 304, 318, 337, 340, 343, 364, 377, 382, 385, 386, 403, 466, 503, 518, 558, 573, 661, 674, 693, 701, 716, 774, 775, 838, 899, 901, 902, 912, 917, 927, 970, 1001, 1013, 1041, 1072, 1099, 1108, 1137, 1145. BC: 88, 332, 336, 442, 504, 605, 887, 1109, SCA: 280, 359, 469, 554, 718, 735, 997, 1132, SCB: 120, 127, 142, 409, 435, 461, 672, 1157, ESM: 373, 415, 1021, 1119, PH: 362, 999.

Senior Medical Officer HCMS (Group A) in Health Department, Haryana: Gene-ral: 1, 15, 20, 23, 31, 51, 69, 74, 92, 100, BC: 52, 84, SCA: 22, 33, SCB: 18, 29, ESM: 72

Professor/Teacher (Lecturer) in PGIMS, Rohtak-Professor (Medical): Anaesthesiolo-gy: General 1, Surgery SC 1. Teacher (Lecturer) (Medical/Non Medical): Physiology: General 1, 2, Pharmacology: General 1 and 3, Bio-chemistry: General 4 and 5, Micro-biology: General 1, Tea-cher (Lecturer) (Medi-cal): Medicine: General 2, Obst. & Gynae: General 1, Surgery: General 8, Patho-logy: General 7, Radiology: General 3, Paediatrics: General 2, Teacher/ Lectur-er (Super-specialities): Cardiac Surgery: General 1, Cardiology: General 3, Teacher/ Lecturer (Dental): Operative Dentistry: Gene-ral 1, Orthodonitcs: General 1, Oral Surgery General 1, Teacher/Lecturer (Phar-macy): Pharmaceutics: General 3.

Senior Residents and Demonstrator in PGIMS, Rohtak: Sr. Resident (General Surgery), General 3, BC 1, Senior Residents (Paediatrics Surgery) General 1 and 2, Senior Residents (Paediatrics): General 2, HCMS: 4, Senior Residents (Radiology): General 1, HCMS: 4, Senior Residents (Medicines), General 1, 3 and 4, Senior Residents (Anaesthesiology): HCMS: 3, Senior Residents (Opthalmology): General 1, HCMS: 4, Senior Residents (TB and Chest), General 1, Senior Residents (Psychiatry): General 5, Senior Residents (Orthopaedics), General 7, HCMS 6, Senior Residents (Urology): General 2 and 5.

Demonstrator (Physiology): HCMS 6, SCA 5, Demonstrator (Pharmacology) General 1, HCMS 9, SCA 12, Demonstrator (Immunology), General 3, Demonstrator (Anatomy) HCMS 6, SCB 7, Demonstrator (Biochemistry): HCMS 3, Demonstrator(Pathology): HCMS 5, BC 4, SCB 18, SCA 9, Demonstrator (Microbiology: SCA 2, Demonstrator(Forensic Medicine) SC 2, Demonstrator (Dental) General 41, 45, 46, BC 25, HCMS 29.

Post of Misc. Class-II in PGIMS, Rohtak: Physotherapist (Orthopaedics Deptt.) General 2, 11, Speech Therapist (ENT Department) General 1 and 4, Hed Glucose Manufacturing (Glucose Deptt) General 3, Chief Pharmacist (Glucose Deptt) General 3, Manufacturing Pharmacist (Glucose Deptt) General 1, Physicist (Radiology Deptt) General 1, Clinical Psychologist (Psychiatry Deptt) General 7 and 18, Psychiatric Social Worker (Psychiatry Deptt.) Generl 6 and 16, Statistician (SPM Deptt), General 3, Child Psychologist (Paediatrics Deptt) General 8.

Post of SDAO/APDO/ ACDO/SMS, HAS Gr.B in Agriculture Department, Haryana: General 3, 74, 141, 213, 290, 292, 508, 554, 555, 566, BC: 61, 180 SCA: 174, 320, 456, 521, SCB: 30, 163, 354, ESM: 333. Assistant Geologist (Group B) Agriculture Department, General 6 and 32, Assistant Statistical Officer Group B, Agriculture Department: General 19, Assistant Agriculture Engineer (Group B), Agriculture Department, General 13, SCA 14.

Deputy Director Agricul-ture (Group A) Agriculture Deptt: General 17, 24, 73, 115, 133, 173, 185, 231, 238, BC: 237, SCA: 110, SCB: 136, Senior Analytical Chemist (Group A) Agricuture Department, General 6, 14, 20 SC: 8, Hydrologist (Group A), Agriculture Department, General 11, Deputy Direc-tor (Time Recording Scheme) Group A, Agricul-ture Department, SCA 4, (Three posts reserved for PH) Post of SDAO/APDO/SMS, HAS (Group B) in Agriculture Department: Physical handicapped: 2, 7 and 10.

Lecturer Swastha Varitha (Group B) in Shri Krishana Govt. Ayurvedic College, Kurukshetra, General 11, Women and Child Devel-opment Department, Har-yana: Child Development Project Officer (Group B) General 4, 10, 23, 47, BC 25, SC: 14, 18, 48, ESM: 33, PH 44, Manager Pangiri Plant (Group B) Gen: 13, 27, Programme Officer (Group B): General 20, 23,

Forensic Science Laboratory, Madhuban, Karnal in Home Department, Karnal, Haryana: Sr. Scientific Officer (Scene of Crime): General 1, 3, 18, BC: 6, SCB: 24, Senior Scientific Officer (Lie-Detection) General 11, Assistant Director (Chemistry) Group-A: General 1, Assistant Director (Sero-logy) (Group A): General 2, Legal Officer gazetted unclassified in Develop-ment and Panchayat De-partment, Haryana General: 6, SCA: 16

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Hard work has paid off, says CBSE PMT topper
Our Correspondent

Shena AggarwalYamunanagar, June 7
Shena Aggarwal, daughter of Dr C.K. Aggarwal and Mrs Pinki Aggarwal has brought laurels to Yamunanagar by securing the first rank in the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) PMT, 2004.

Shena told mediapersons today that she passed class X from Sant Nischal Singh Public School, Yamunanagar, securing 95 per cent marks and Class XII from Dayanand Public School, Nabha, with 92 per cent marks. She said she was expecting a good result, but never thought she would get the first rank in the CBSE PMT.

She said she had cleared the written test of the Armed Forces Medical College. She said consistent hard work and proper guidance was the secret of her success. She said she was getting NTSE scholarship.

Shena said her parents and younger Shivin had been a great source of inspiration for her. She also attributed her success to the Almighty and teachers.

Dr Aggarwal, a dental surgeon, said he had a lot of hopes from his daughter, who was intelligent, submissive and polite.

He said he wanted his daughter to join Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi.

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Ruchika molestation case: 3rd witness cross examined
Our Correspondent

Ambala , June 7
The third witness in the Ruchika molestation case was cross examined in the court of Special Magistrate for CBI cases, Mr Y.S. Rathore, here today. Mr Manish Kumar, running an advertising agency in Chandigarh, appeared as one of the main witnesses in the court. The cross examination could not be concluded today and would continue tomorrow too.

Mr Manish Kumar used to play lawn tennis at the Haryana Lawn Tennis Association in Panchkula, along with the deceased Ruchika Gahrota and other tennis players, around a decade back when Mr S.P.S. Rathore was the chairman of the association.

The complainants in the case, Ms Madhu Prakash and her husband Mr Anand Prakash, have already appeared as a witnesses in this case and were also cross examined by Mr Rathore and his lawyer

The former DGP, the alleged accused in the case, and his wife Abha Rathore, an advocate in Chandigarh, argued the case in the court today . They cross examined the witness without the assistance of any local lawyer. Mr Anand Prakash was also present during the proceedings in the court .

The former DGP made several inquires from Mr Manish Kumar regarding the functioning of the Haryana Lawn Tennis Association and about the memorandum submitted to the then Home Secretary, Haryana, after the death of Ruchika Gehrotra . The senior council of CBI, C.S. Sharma objections on several inquiries made from Mr Manish Kumar by the former DGP during the cross examination.

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Haryana ex-MLA Peer Chand dead

Hisar, June 7
Peer Chand, a former Haryana MLA, died here last evening after a prolonged illness. He was 85. Chand was elected MLA from the Barwala seat of the Haryana Assembly in 1972 on Congress ticket. He became a legislator from the Ratia (reserved) seat in 1977 on Janata Party ticket and in 1991 on Haryana Vikas Party ticket.

He also worked as Chairman of the Haryana Marketing Board and Hafed. Chand was also associated with various social organisations of the state.

Chand, who was cremated here today, is survived by wife, two sons and five daughters. — PTI

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Four more held for killing 5 of family
Our Correspondent

Jind, June 7
The police today arrested four persons on a charge of murdering five members of a family of Khunga Village in this district. Mr Manjit Singh Ahlawat, SP, Jind, said here today that arrested persons had been identified as Raja and Satpal of Khunga village and Sukhbir and Phool Kumar of Taloda Kheri village in this district. He said two more persons involved in these murders had been identified as Prem of Khunga village and Surinder of Dalamwala village. He claimed that they would be arrested very soon. The SP said that these six persons had shot dead Raghubir Singh, his wife Harnandi, his son Naresh, daughter in law Krishana and his daughter Sushila last month on May 20.

Due to some enmity motorcycle-borne armed persons had first shot dead Harnandi and Sushila in the local Om Nagar Colony and then had immediately gone to Khunga village and murdered Raghubir Singh, Naresh and Krishana in a broad daylight. Murder of five members of Raghubir Singh’s family had caused panic in Jind city, Khunga village and surrounding areas. Last week a panchayat of several villages of Kandela Khap was held at Khunga village on this issue. The panchayat, by a resolution, demanded immediate arrest of all persons involved in the murder of Raghubir Singh’s family. Representatives of panchayat had also met the Deputy Commissioner and the Superintendent of Police and submitted memorandas to them in this regard.

The SP said that the police had already arrested five persons for hatching a conspiracy in this case. He said those arrested included Dhajja Ram, a Sarpanch of Khunga village.

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Leaf from History
Ambala draws name from Ambika Devi temple
Rahul Das

Old Ambika Devi Mandir in Ambala City
Old Ambika Devi Mandir in Ambala City. — Photo by Neeraj Chopra

AMBALA: draws its name from an old temple as well as now virtually extinct mango groves. Ambika Devi Mandir, which is considered to be one of the oldest temples here, is located in Ambala city. The temple is believed to have been constructed even before the Britons arrived in Ambala.

The temple has a special religious importance for the city. Faithfuls say that the Devi Mandir was constructed in memory of Amba, Ambika and Ambalika of the Mahabharat period. The old structure of the temple reflects its age. A highlight of the temple is the paintings done on the upper walls. With the passage of time, the paintings have begun to fade.

It is said that Ambala has got its name from Ambika Devi Mandir. Although there is no historical reference to this inference, there is a possibility that Ambala could have derived its name from the old Ambika Devi Mandir.

Besides the old Ambika Devi Mandir, it is also said that Ambala draws its name from the mango groves which used to abound in the region. The reference to the mango groves can be found in documents dating back to the British period. Since there were mango groves in the region, the area was possibly referred to as ‘Ambwala’. The words Ambwala later became Ambala.

However, the Britons did not refer to the area as Ambala. Instead, they called it ‘Umballa’. Interestingly, Indian Railways is the only organisation in the country which continues to refer to Ambala as ‘Umb’ in all its documentation.

Dr N.C. Jain, senior vice president of the Haryana Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that word Umballa seems to be the result of difference in pronunciation between Britishers and Indians. “Ambala derives its name from the old Ambika Devi Mandir and the mango groves,” he surmised.

He said that mango groves have now nearly become extinct. “The mangoes of Ambala were famous for their sweet taste. Two types of mangoes were available. While one was the type which needed to be cut, other variety was referred to as ‘chausa’,” he explained.

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HSGPC to field 11 candidates
Our Correspondent

Sirsa, June 7
The Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (regd) has decided to field candidates for the 11 seats in the state. While announcing the names of nine candidates the committee spokesperson, Mr Gurjeet Mann, said here today that the committee had decided to field their candidate to highlight the problems being done to the Sikhs in Haryana.

The names of the candidates announced today are Dr Gurcharan Singh Sandhu from Sirsa Mr Jagdev Singh Mathdadu from Dabwali, Mr Surjeet Singh Mamera from Dabwali, Mr Khushapal Singh Ambala, Mr Joga Singh from Yamunanagar, Mr Baldev Singh Kamboj from Hissar, Mr Avtar Singh Chakku from Kaithal, Mr Deddar Singh from Kurukshetra and Mrs Ravinder Kaur Ajranan from Kurukshetra. The candidate for the Sirsa and Karnal seats would be announced shortly, the spokesperson of the Haryana Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, stated.

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Special arrangement for viewing transit of Venus
Tribune News Service

Ambala, June 7
Police DAV Public School, Ambala city, has made special arrangement for scientific viewing of `transit of Venus’ tomorrow.
The school Principal, Dr Vikas Kohli, said the event should not be seen with naked eye as the rays could caused damage to the eyes. Dr Kohli has undergone a special national level training at Shimla on how to view this event safely.

He said that Haryana State Council for Science and Technology has provided a special telescope and activity kit on transit of Venus to the school. He said that interested persons can come to the school at 11 am.

Dr Kohli explained that when moon comes in between the Earth and the Sun, it is the solar eclipse. However, when either Mercury or Venus come between the Sun and the Earth, it is called a transit.

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Green Circle members plant saplings
Tribune News Service

Ambala, June 7
Members of Green Circle, Ambala Cantonment, observed the World Environment Day yesterday by planting saplings in Indira Park.
Among others, Mr S.K. Aggarwal, Mr R.P. Gupta, Mr Bhushan Gupta, Dr J.S. Nandra, Dr O.P. Sehgal, Col S.K. Gupta, Mr Brij Mohan Kohli, Mr N.C. Jain and Mr Ashok Sharma were present on the occasion.

A meeting of Green Circle was also held in which it was demanded that funds must be released urgently for the upkeep of the park. They demanded that a separate submersible jet pump be set up in the park for an independent supply of water for plants.

The members demanded that the ban on polythene bags must be strictly implemented throughout Haryana.

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Multi-purpose health staff body
Tribune News Service

Ambala, June 7
A meeting of the multi-purpose health employees association was held here today.
The meeting was presided over by Mr Subhash Chandra Kathuria. The following office-bearers were elected: President — Mr Jagir Singh, general secretary — Mr Vishal Kaushik, senior vice presidents — Ms Nisha Sharma, vice-presidents — Mr Kuldeep Chopra and Ms Vinod Bala, treasurer — Mr Gulshan Kumar, organising secretary — Mr Jai Bhagwan; joint secretary — Mr Hoshiyar Singh, auditor — Mr Subhash Kathuria and media secretaries — Indira Rani and Mahinder Singh Sahni. Ms Pramod Bala and Ms Nisha Puri are executive members.

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