 |
|
Govt to tighten control over aided colleges
6 firms ready to take up express
Elections bells begin ringing in Haryana
'Cong behind trouble during yatra'
Jogpal joins Congress
Workshop pleads for exemption
of wood from sales tax
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
INLD ‘stopping’ people from going to Kamera Utsav
Cancel marriage, orders panchayat
Hanspal flays seer’s arrest
Lawyers observe strike
Selja to take up lawyers’
problems
Farmers want water shortage
probed
National Bravery Award for Rewari girl
4 women die in mishap
18 hurt as bus, truck collide
Rs 40,000 snatched from trader
99 killed at Sonepat station in one year
Lakhs converge on Kapal Mochan
fair
Exhibition on freedom movement from Nov 29
Births and deaths
|
|
Govt to tighten control over aided colleges
Rohtak, November 23 This follows complaints of large-scale violation of government directives, fudging of performance records, exploitation of teachers and appointment of teachers and principals by way of transfer by DAV colleges. Sources in the Higher Education Department said these irregularities had been going on for several years. The government had taken serious note of a communication sent by the staff of aided colleges to the Commissioner, Higher Education (CHE), Mr Dhanpat Singh, in this regard. The Director has directed principals of all aided colleges in Haryana to send specific replies to revelations made in this communication. The staff of aided colleges has taken exception to the fact that none of these colleges are maintaining record of attendance of principals because of which many principals remain absent from duty for days together on one pretext or the other. Since there is no leave record, they tend to avail more leave than allowed under the rules. The Director has been informed that these colleges had been supplying his office fudged records of performance. These colleges also resorted to this practice whenever information was required by the University Grants Commission and the universities concerned to seek funds for introducing new courses or creating infrastructure. A common practice has been to count students placed in the compartment category in university examination as among those who had passed the examinations. Non-teaching staff of these colleges has pointed out that they continue to be neglected and teachers are being favoured. These colleges tend to deny this category of staff the pay scales and other benefits due to them. The Director has been informed that annual confidential reports are kept blank or changed at will. Favourable and unfavourable remarks are entered to favour or harm employees, depending upon the will of the managing committees and principals. An important issue of transfers by DAV colleges has been raised in the communication. It has been pointed out that though there are separate managing bodies for every college, these colleges have been appointing teachers and principals by way of transfer from within or outside the state. Terming this as illegal, the communication says 20 years ago the government had asked the DAV Managing Committee to prepare a common seniority list to solve this problem. This had not been done. Legally, such a list was not possible and it would also violate university rules and the Haryana Affiliated Colleges Security of Service Act. Sources said the government planned to verify the replies sent by these colleges and take action if these were found false. |
|
6 firms ready to take up express highway project
Chandigarh, November 23 Sources in the Haryana State Industrial Development Corporation (HSIDC), which is the nodal agency of the government for spearheading the project, said six reputed companies had responded to the advertisement regarding the highway project. The six companies include L&T Ltd (Larsen and Toubro Ltd) and Gammon India, which has roped in the Videocon Group also for constructing the highway. Kundli-Manesar-Palwal express highway has been proposed to be constructed in view of pressure of traffic in the Haryana sub-region of the National Capital Region. The salient features of the express highway would be a non-stop four lane high speed toll road only for fast moving vehicles. It would be elevated at the junction of any road, and have under passes for cattle, carts and tractors in the countryside at the existing tracks. It would have barricades to control the entry of animals and have arrangements for quick removal of any vehicular breakdown. HSIDC sources said they were now going through the credentials of the applicant companies in the light of the financial and technical perimeters of the work drawn up by the Rites Ltd, a Government of India enterprise, which has prepared the detailed project report of the express road. “We shall make a shortlist of the companies and then ask them to submit their request for proposal (RFP) between November 25 and 29", the sources said. They said HSIDC, the Haryana Urban Development Agency (HUDA) and the state government would share the burden of compensating village panchayats for the land being acquired for constructing the 130 km road. The investment needed for construction of the road would be borne by the company which would build the road on BOT basis. The company would recover the expenses — with a margin of profit — by collecting tolls from the vehicles using the road. There is no immediate plan for recovering the fund being spent by the state government and the HSIDC and HUDA — the two latter organisations also controlled by the state government — for acquiring land. Sources in the HSIDC said since the private builder would hand over the road to the state government after recovering the capital cost with the agreed margin of profit, the road would be eventually generating huge revenue for the state government. |
|
|
Elections bells begin ringing in Haryana
Chandigarh, November 23 According to informed sources, the commission has written to Mr Ahuja that all those employees, who are to be involved in the election process and who have served at one place of posting in the field for three years, should be transferred immediately. The commission has also asked the Chief Secretary to ensure that no officer or official connected with the election work should be appointed in his or her home district. When contacted the secretary to the commission, Mr K. Ajay Kumar, confirmed having sent a communication in this regard to the Haryana Chief Secretary. However, he added that similar letters had been sent by the commission to the Chief Secretaries of Bihar and Jharkhand, where also the Assembly elections are due along with Haryana. The instructions regarding posting in the home districts would be applicable on Deputy Commissioners, Additional Deputy Commissioners, SDMs and tehsildars. On the police side, the commission has informed the Chief Secretaries of the three states that its instructions would be applicable on officers of the level of Inspector-Generals of Police, down to the level of Sub-Inspectors. Mr Ajay Kumar said these were routine instructions issued by the commission before every election. Already several categories of field officers, including Deputy Commissioners and SDMs have been deemed to be on deputation with the Election Commission since July last because of the on-going revision of electoral rolls. This is the reason why the state government, which had been transferring field staff frequently in the past, has not been able to reshuffle the district administration for the past few months. It can transfer the officers engaged in the election work only after obtaining permission from the commission, which asks for a panel of officers before permitting the state government to do so. Early this month, the commission had ordered the transfer of the SDM of Narwana, Mr Satbir Singh, after its team found substance in the allegations levelled against him by Mr Shamsher Singh Surjewala, a former Haryana Congress president, regarding irregularities in the revision of electoral rolls. |
|
|
'Cong behind trouble during yatra'
Panipat, November 23 While talking to mediapersons here on Tuesday, he said some miscreants had been provided liquor in Kandela village since Monday morning and as soon as the yatra reached the village, the miscreants started showing black flags and pelted the yatra with stones. Mr Chautala said the villagers had decided to welcome the yatra, but few Congress workers had shown the disrespect to the farmer leader by opposing it. Kandela village had witnessed the worst of the farmers' crisis during the present INLD government in which 10 farmers were killed in police firing, he added. Mr Chautala said the INLD would file a defamation suit against the Congressmen who had levelled baseless allegation against its supremo Om Parkash Chautala of amassing huge property through corrupt practices. |
|
Jogpal joins Congress
Chandigarh, November 23 Mr Jogpal, whose formal admission to the Congress was announced on Sunday, had been working closely with the party shortly after he retired as the Election Commissioner on July 14 last. He is believed to have played a key role in preparing the objections to the controversial working paper of the Delimitation Commission. These objections were placed before the commission by the former Haryana Congress president and MP from Rohtak, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, at its first meeting. The chairman of the commission, Justice Kuldeep Singh, had declared the working paper as “null and void”, giving relief to a large number of Haryana politicians. Mr Jogpal, who belongs to Bhiwani district, is hopeful to contesting the next Assembly elections from Bawani Khera reserved constituency of the district on the Congress ticket. He has been active in the area for the past several months. It is expected that in him the Congress would get an expert on election law. |
|
Workshop pleads for exemption
of wood from sales tax
Chandigarh, November 23 This was one of the recommendations made by two working groups on the second day of the three-day workshop today. It was also suggested that the export of farm-grown timber and bamboo should be allowed to promote agro-forestry. The Union Government should also review the import policy to allow the import of only specified hard wood of good quality to discourage the flooding of domestic market with imported wood of inferior quality. Prominent environmentalists and experts on agro-forestry and afforestation participating in the workshop felt that since the national vision of bringing 33 per cent of the country’s area under tree cover could be realised only through agro-forestry, these steps were necessary to promote it. The working groups recommended that the agro-forestry should find an important place in the schemes being funded by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests and it should also be included as an important sub-component of the National Employment Guarantee Scheme aimed at providing rural employment. The experts stressed the need for making concerted efforts to develop the cultivation practices of appropriate species as it is felt that there was a paucity of suitable species of trees for various agro-climatic zones, especially the dry arid zones. The cultivation of medicinal plants should be actively promoted under agro-forestry and research and development support should be provided by the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education. The State Forests Departments should set up agro-forestry demonstration centres. The bamboo cultivation should be promoted by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests in view of its wide utility. They were of the view that farmers should be provided incentives for taking up agro-forestry and cooperative societies of the farmers should be formed to provide them institutional finance at low rate of interest for growing trees. Such projects should be directly financed by NABARD. The Union Government should either subsidise the cost of seedlings or supply them free of cost to the farmers. It was felt that there should be organised marketing through the official agencies and active participation of agro-forestry-based wood industry. There should be separate regulated timber markets for ensuring transparency in transaction and checking exploitation of farmers. Farm-grown timber should be exempted from transit and felling permits. The experts also suggested that the procedure for setting up of farm-grownwood-based units should be liberalised. The government should facilitate registration of clones and certification of seeds as well as planting material to ensure highest quality standards. The lending rates for agro-forestry projects should be lowered because they had a long gestation period. The market intelligence and information system should be strengthened for the benefit of the farmers and consumers. The government should also liberalise the limit of land ceiling for agro-forestry on the pattern of crops. Prominent experts taking part in the workshop included the well-known environmentalist, Mr Chandi Prasad Bhatt; a former Director, Forestry Operations, Food and Agricultural Organisation, Mr K.D. Singh; a former Director-General of Forests, Mr S.K. Pandey; and Dr V.P. Singh from International Committee for Research on Agro-forestry, South Asia. |
|
INLD ‘stopping’ people from going to Kamera Utsav
Panipat, November 23 This allegation was levelled by former state Congress president Chodhury Birender Singh, grandson of Sir Chhotu Ram, while talking to mediapersons at a press conference here today. Choudhury Birender alleged that several private vehicle owners were being forbidden by INLD leaders not to go to Kamera Utsav. Despite the efforts of INLD leaders, a large number of people would reach the venue, he claimed. In reply to a question, he termed the accusation levelled by INLD MP Ajay Chautala as baseless in which the latter had alleged that Congress workers had thrown stones on a procession organised in memory of Sir Chhotu Ram at Kandela village in Jind on Monday. Mr Birender Singh said the farmers of Kandela and surrounding villages were agitated as the INLD government had not fulfilled its promises made to them during a compromise after their agitation about two years ago and they wanted to show their resentment and that was why they had shown black flags to INLD leaders. Replying to a query, he said that efforts were made to bring back belongings of Sir Chhotu Ram from Pakistan six years ago but at that time the relations between India and Pakistan were tense. He said several of his belongings were still in Pakistan and efforts would be made to bring them to Haryana, he added. |
|
Cancel marriage, orders panchayat
Hisar, November 23 However, the girl’s father refused to do so. He said if the panchayat had objection over the marriage of his daughter at Jakholi village, he would get the marriage ceremony arranged at Kaithal. The panchayat was held at Narnaund village, 55 km from here, yesterday. In the beginning, Mr Pratap Singh had maintained that he would accept the decision of the community. But on being told to snap ties, he disagreed. His supporters demanded some more time from the panchayat. Following Mr Pratap Singh’s statement, some members of the khap supported his stance while others insisted that he should snap ties with the Jakholi family. Ultimately, a majority
of the members voted against the proposed marriage. The panchayat then gave Mr Pratap Singh a deadline of December 5 in this regard. He was told to snap ties or be prepared to face the consequences of disobeying the panchayat’s decision. The panchayat was headed by Mr Ramdiya Lohan. Some members of the Lohan community from Jakholi village also participated in the panchayat. They told the panchayat that the social boycott of the members of their community was still continuing at Jakholi village. They asserted that they would not allow the proposed marriage. Earlier, heated discussions took place between members of the khap mahapanchayat, who had come from 17 villages. Those who were against the relationship maintained that since the marriage had not taken place, there was no harm in snapping ties. The next khap mahapanchayat will now be held in Narnaund on December 5, when a final decision in this regard will be taken. |
|
|
Hanspal flays seer’s arrest
Sirsa, November 23 Lamenting the Jayalalitha government, he said the government should have understood the sensitivity of the matter before arresting the seer. He said the action seemed to be political centred and it should have been avoided in the public interests. Talking to the reporters here, he said Punjab had not reduced the water share to Haryana. He blamed the Badal government for delaying the completion of the SYL canal and alleged that both Mr Badal and Mr Chautala had hands in glove and instead politicising the SYL issue. He said Punjab had tabled the facts regarding the canal in the Apex court and would abide its ruling on the matter. He stressed upon the need to tap river water flowing to Pakistan as cultivable land has increased manifolds in Punjab. He said the Central Government had to take the decision as water levels had gone down in the state. |
|
Lawyers observe strike
Kaithal, November 23 Though the accused identified as Udayveer of Sisai village
(Hisar) was overpowered and the arm seized by police personnel posted in the court, this incident has put a question mark on the security of Judges, lawyers court staff, litigants and all others coming to the courts. The accused was produced in the court of Mr
S.P. Singh CJM here today under tight security and remanded in police custody for three days . The police had made elaborate security arrangements when the accused was produced in the court . Not taking any chances, the police checked all those coming to the court with metal detectors and armed personnel were deployed at all entry points to. In a statement, Mr Ranbir Parashar, President, District Bar Association, while strongly condemning the shooting incident in the court room has demanded that the administration should take all possible steps to ensure safety of those coming to the courts. |
|
Selja to take up lawyers’
problems
Ambala, November 23 The association had organised a meeting to welcome her. Mr Shyam Singh, president of the association, presented a memento to Ms Selja. The MP said lawyers were opinion makers and could play a significant role in guiding society. She said Ambala had been ignored for long, but now she would make every effort to make it a beautiful city. Senior Bar member D.S. Punia while raising the issue of chambers for lawyers, said they were facing difficulty in functioning in the absence of proper office space. He asked the minister to grant at least 25 per cent of her development fund of Rs 2 crore for the construction of chambers. A former president of the Bar, Mr Sardara Singh, said the lawyers while coming to the court’s had to cross heavy traffic on the overbridge. He demanded that a sub-way should be constructed under the railway crossing near Aggarsain Chowk. Lawyers also raised the parking problem in the court complex. Ms Selja announced a grant of Rs 1 lakh for the Bar from her fund. |
|
|
Farmers want water shortage
probed
Sonepat, November 23 In a joint memorandum sent to the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, a copy of which was released to the Press here. They expressed concern over the unsatisfactory working of the Rai Water Service Division and demanded immediate suspension of the Executive Engineer, the SDOs and the subordinate officials concerned. The memorandum blamed the officials of this division for not cleaning the canals and distributaries properly despite clear instructions issued by the Chief Minister and allocation of funds for this purpose. It alleged that the desilting and deweeding operations carried out occasionally by officials were merely an eyewash as tail-end farmers had been facing shortage of canal water. They said the sowing of wheat was likely to be hit badly if the supply of canal water was not ensured immediately. |
|
National Bravery Award for Rewari girl
Chandigarh, November 23 Priyanka had saved two other children, six-year-old Mohit and five year old Rajni, from drowning. On July 22, the bus of a private school dropped these two children outside Gujriwas when it was raining heavily. The road to the village got inundated by rain water and the two children fell in a pond. Priyanka, who was at her home, heard their cries and rushed to the village pond to save them. The Deputy Commissioner of Rewari had already honoured this brave girl on August 15. He also forwarded her name to the State Child Welfare Council recommending National Bravery Award and now she would be getting
that award. |
|
4 women die in mishap
Hisar, November 23 The marriage ceremony of Pankaj Chawla of Jakhal was organised at Meham. The jeep was returning to Jakhal after the function when the mishap took place. Four women of the marriage party — Saroj, Shanti, Usha, and Asha — and the jeep driver,
Kukoo, were killed in the accident. One of the deceased, Saroj Rani, was the mother of the groom. The injured were taken to a hospital at Hansi. Four of them, who were serious, have been referred to the Rohtak Medical College and Hospital. The police has registered a case in this regard. Meanwhile, a woman and her seven-year-old grand-daughter were killed when their car fell into a ditch near Hansi today. Three others were injured in the accident. The deceased have been identified as Lakshmi Devi and Ashima. |
|
|
18 hurt as bus, truck collide
Panipat, November 23 Eleven injured have been admitted to Panipat Civil hospital while the others have been sent to Samalkha civil hospital. The condition of seven of them was reportedly serious. The injured include the driver and the conductor of the bus. Some of the injured have been identified as Barkat Singh, Mohammad Maqsood, Mohammad Kalim, Mohammad Hamid, Mohammad Quam and Liyakat Hussein of Rajouri district in Kashmir province, Abdul Waheed of Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir state, Jamla Singh, driver of the bus, Gurjinder Singh and its conductor Sukhbir |
|
Rs 40,000 snatched from trader
Sonepat, November 23 However, the gangsters could carry only Rs 40,000 and instead leave behind their motor cycles which have been taken into possession by the police. According to information, Ghanshyam was returning to the mandi after drawing the money from the State Bank of Patiala, Gohana, when he was stopped by the gangsters. Before the gangsters could snatch the money, he scattered the cash on the road and shouted for help. The gangsters could collect only Rs 40,000 and fled the scene. In protest against the incident, traders of the mandi blocked the highway for more than two hours demanding the arrest of the gangsters. |
|
99 killed at Sonepat station in one year
Sonepat, November 23 The monthwise figures about the killed and injured passengers are as follows: November, 2003 (8 killed and 12 injured); December (11 killed and 18 injured); January, 2004 (7 killed and 22 injured); February (15 killed and 20 injured); May (six killed and 14 injured); June (5 killed and 16 injured); July (5 killed and 11 injured); August (five killed and 17 injured); September (13 killed and 21 injured); and October (13 killed and 20 injured). There are three platforms at the railway station and about 40,000 passengers visit one station daily. Of these, 20,000 passengers are those who daily commute between Sonepat and Delhi and vice-versa. They have monthly season tickets and travel in suburban and long-distance mail and express trains which are often over-crowded. At least 25 up and 26 down trains pass through Sonepat railway station everyday. There were six suburban trains bound for Delhi in the morning and four bound for Sonepat in the evening. Whenever train arrives at the station, a large number of passengers pass through the railway tracks and not use the overbridge for the purpose. This leads to The violation of the Railway Act attracts the punishment of three-month imprisonment or a fine of Rs 1,000 but the passengers are always seen violating the Act. |
|
|
Lakhs converge on Kapal Mochan
fair
Yamunanagar, November 23 According to an estimate till this evening two lakh pilgrims had visited the place. The visitors are expected to cross the one million mark on Kartik Purnima (November 26). The pilgrims took holy dip in the four holy tanks (Kapal Mochan, Rin Mochan, Suraj Kund and the one at the Kapal Mochan Gurdwara) and paid visits to the ‘Gau Bachcha’ temple and the Kapal Mochan Gurdwara. For those who could not visit the historical mela – the Kapal Mochan mela resembles fairs shown in old Hindi movies, with kiosks selling bangles, utensils, religious insignia, toys and cosmetics. Wrestling contests, school competitions, bhajan, kirtan and cultural programmes marked the first day of the mela, which has been declared a state fair. The Additional Deputy Commissioner, Mr Supraveen Kumar, formally inaugurated the mela. Several video parlours situated along the road leading to Kapal Mochan displayed ‘objectionable posters’ of movies. The Haryana Government has pressed into service over 400 buses for the benefit of pilgrims. The district administration has set up a dispensary and hospital. |
|
Exhibition on freedom movement from Nov 29
Chandigarh, November 23 While stating this here yesterday, a spokesman of the department said that old and rare historical documents on the freedom movement in Haryana would be displayed in the exhibition. Revolt at Ambala on May 10, 1857, trial and hanging of Raja Nahar Singh, representation of Haryana in 5th Session of Indian National Congress, protest against the Rowlatt Act, arrest of Mahatma Gandhi at Palwal, boycott of foreign clothes and refusal of arms licence to Congress supporters etc. would be highlighted of the exhibition. Rare photographs and manuscripts would also be displayed in the exhibition, he added. He said that the scientific method used in preserving archival material by the Archives Department would also be displayed in the exhibition. |
|
|
Births and deaths
Chandigarh, November 23 The incharge of the primary health centre concerned has been appointed as Registrar, Births and Deaths, for this purpose. This was stated here today by Haryana Chief Registrar (Births and Deaths) and Director-General, Health Services, B.S. Dahiya. |
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
