Hisar, June 28
Factionalism and infighting in the Congress came to the fore in the elections to the posts of president and vice-president of the local Zila Parishad. Thanks to this, the Congress virtually gave the post of vice-president to the INLD on the platter, despite the fact that in the House of 29, the Congress has 24 members, while the INLD has five.

Mr Brij Lal was unanimously elected president and Mr Ranvir Gangwa captured the post of vice-president of the parishad. Though the Zila Parishad elections are not fought on party symbols, Mr Brij Lal was supported by the Congress, while Mr Gangwa was an INLD nominee.

An interesting aspect of the parishad elections was that several senior Congress leaders got involved in the local politics to strengthen their mass base and to settle political scores with their rivals within the party.

While local Congress MP Jai Prakash and MLA Chhattarpal Singh openly participated in the parishad poll activities, Haryana Congress President Bhajan Lal and state Transport Minister Randeep Surjewala were indirectly involved.

So much so Mr Puran Singh Dabra, president of the local unit of the INLD, categorically stated that their party had been benefited by the infighting and factionalism in the Congress, which had come to the fore in the parishad poll.

“We were not in a position to get the post of the Zila Parishad chief, but we managed to wrest the vice-president’s post in a political bargain,” he remarked. Interestingly, only five INLD-supported candidates were elected to the 29-member parishad.

Encouraged by its “achievement”, the local unit of the INLD now targets the forthcoming elections of the president and vice-president of the local Municipal Council.

Kurukshetra, June 28
Arrangements to deal with floods have been made and 23 villages declared sensitive in respect of floods.

Deputy Commissioner, T.K. Sharma stated that the sensitive villages under Thanesar sub-division were, Nalvi, Raipur, Raimajra, Basantpur, Mandheri, Shanti Nagar, Ajrawar, Sulkhani, Malikpur, Daamli and Ram Nagar while under Pehowa sub-division were Jakhwala, Naissi, Jalbera, Diwana, Shergarh, Madadon, Gangheri, Adhoya, Tangoli, Tabra, Mohanpur and Kara Sahib.

The DC added that a flood control room with telephone number 221035 had been set up in the office of the district revenue officer here besides control rooms at tehsil offices of Pehowa and Shahabad as well as Block Development Offices, Ladwa and Babain. Flood control rooms will start functioning from July 1, 2005 to September 15, 2005 and would function round the clock.

Under flood relief programme the villages on the banks of Shahabad Markanda, Mr Sharma said that Rs 13.7 crore had been spent for the safety of this population and of this sum Rs 33.17 lakh had been spent to prevent floods to villages Julmat, Kalsa, Mohanpur, Karaha and other deraas near Jalbera head. To save villages including Kathva, Mugal Majra, Naissi, Jakhawala, Madadon and Ram Nagar from floods, ring studs had been constructed.

The Deputy Commissioner added that to drain off flood water, 11 electric motor pumps had been installed at the villages Dubera, Kirmich, Bhorsaidaan, Garhiroran Lukhi and Samaspur and to provide information on floods, wireless sets were being installed by the police at villages Jaaltyuker, Murtzapur, Jhansa, Jyotisar and Pehowa. The police would start patrolling from July 1, 2005, Mr Sharma added.

Meanwhile, the District Foods and Supplies Department had been directed to secure sufficient quantity of grains during rainy season while the Animal Husbandry Department had been asked to take steps to save animals from epidemics. Similarly, the Public Health Department had also been directed to provide chlorinated drinking water to protect people from water-borne diseases.

Chandigarh, June 28
The Haryana Education Department has decided to put under suspension principals of 69 government schools in the state for the poor performance of the students of these schools.

These schools had the rather shabby distinction of zero success by the students in either matric or middle or senior secondary examinations. Faridabad, Bhiwani and Gurgaon districts each have four schools from which all the aspirants flunked in the matriculation examination held this year. There is one such school in Ambala district, two in Fatehabad district, one in Hisar district, one in Jhajjar, one in Jind, one in Karnal, two in Mohendragarh, three in Sirsa and one in Sonepat.

Schools in Faridabad, Bhiwani and Gurgaon also topped as far as the results at the middle examinations are concerned. Eight schools in Bhiwani, eight in Faridabad and nine schools in Gurgaon recorded zero success in the middle examinations conducted in February 2005.

One school in Ambala, two in Bhiwani, one in Faridabad, one in Fatehabad and one in Rewari showed zero success in the senior secondary level.

The principals of these schools, after being put under suspension, will be asked why their services should not be terminated in view of the poor performance of the institutions headed by them.

Chandigarh, June 28
The scheme of waiving of arrears of electricity bills on payment of current bills in rural areas of Haryana is fast getting momentum.

While claiming this here today, a spokesman of Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) said that 20,109 electricity consumers in its area had made a payment of Rs 80.16 lakh of their current bills and got the benefit of the scheme launched recently.

The beneficiaries were 13,427 domestic and 6682 tubewell consumers.

He said in Bhiwani circle, 7288 consumers had paid Rs 28.58 lakh for their current bills and this was the highest payment in any circle till now. In the operation circle of Narnaul, 1547 consumers and in Faridabad circle 1297 consumers had made the payment of their current bills.

In the Hansi block, 20736 consumers had paid over Rs 10 lakh up to yesterday. In Hansi, one-third of the total tubewell consumers paid their current bills while 1819 domestic consumers of the same block also paid their current power bills.

Rohtak, June 28
The local Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS) has debunked the objections raised by the Medical Council of India (MCI) regarding grant of permission for filling 35 additional seats for the sixth year in succession.

The PGIMS had been allowed to fill these 35 seats after the students of the Agroha Medical College in Hisar district were shifted here as guest students in 1999. The first batch of these students passed out last year. The MCI had sent a team of experts here earlier this month to consider the PGIMS request.

The MCI’s first objection that the Director is a non-medico has been overruled by the PGIMS, saying that only one of the three top functionaries — the Director, Medical Superintendent and Dean — had to be a medico as per the MCI norms. The institute already has medicos as Dean and Medical Superintendent. It has also pointed out that the government has nevertheless appointed a panel to recommend names for appointing a medico as the PGIMS Director.

The present Director, Dr N.C. Wadhwa, is holding the post in addition to his duties as Commissioner, Rohtak Division.

The MCI team had also pointed out that the PGIMS was short of teaching staff at various levels to the tune of eight per cent. However, in its reply the PGIMS has pointed out that the number of teachers met the MCI norms and they all had more professional experience than that specified by the council. However, in some cases their designations were lower but their promotion cases were already being processed.

The MCI team had, in its report, stated that the licence of Blood Bank was due for renewal and the PGIMS authorities have informed the council that it has already been renewed. Regarding the increase in the number of books in the departmental libraries, the authorities have stated that more books have been added although the number of books in the institute’s central library was considerably higher than that specified in MCI norms.

The PGIMS had sent the reply yesterday. Dr Wadhwa followed this up with a meeting with MCI officials in New Delhi today. The exercise will pave the way for raising the number of seats in the medical college from 115 to 150 permanently.

Karnal, June 28
The Haryana State Legal Services Authority is actively considering to constitute local committees for disposing of petty cases on the doorstep of people in the state. The authority proposes to include retired judges, retired officers and other eminent persons in these committees.

This was disclosed by Mr Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, who is also the Chairman of the Haryana State Legal Services Authority, while presiding over a meeting of judges and senior district administration officers at the Judicial Complex here today.

Mr Justice Goel said more than 30 per cent pending cases in courts could be settled easily with the cooperation of senior citizens and local public representatives at the ward or village level. Such small cases not only wasted the prescious time of courts but also created tension for litigants, he said.

He said the proposed advisory committees would utilise the services of eminent citizens who wished to render voluntary services to the public, courts and the administration on an honorary basis. He said these committees would provide a forum for informal redressal of disputes in rural areas.

Mr P.L. Ahuja, District and Sessions Judge, revealed that 68 lok adalats had been held in the district so far in which 42,695 cases were put up for discussion. Of these, 21,382 cases were decided on the spot.

Mr Shyamal Mishra, Deputy Commissioner, and Mr Najar Singh, Chief Judicial Magistrate and Secretary of the District Legal Service Authority, also spoke.

Ambala, June 28
Fed up with the indifference of the authorities concerned about their plea to clear filth and squalor from near their houses, a retired armyman and his family members have sought permission from the President of India, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, to commit mass suicide.

Retired Army Havildar Ram Krishan, his wife Bimla Rani and their daughter Neha have sought permission from the President to commit mass suicide as they feel that their requests are not going to be heard. “It is better to die than to lead this miserable life,” they say.

The family is residing in Dalipgarh in Babyal village. The residence of the former soldier is located next to a dairy, whose owner dumps waste on the road leading to the house. The condition is such that the road has been practically blocked and the situation worsens during the monsoon season. Ram Krishan said he was a heart patient and was not in a position to argue with his neighbours. “I have repeatedly tried to make them understand that they are making life miserable for us but they have failed to understand,” he said.

Ms Bimla Rani said as her husband was not keeping well, she had to personally go and meet the authorities concerned. “I have submitted written request to village Sarpanch, Additional DC, DC and Commissioner but to no avail. I even personally met the Inspector General of Police, Ambala. Thereafter, I also wrote an application to the Haryana Governor on March 23. Now, I believe that my humble submission for protection of life and property will not be heard in the present circumstances,” she said.

She said due to the present condition, they were unable to bear any more social humiliation and mental torture. “As no justice is expected from the administration, we want to end our lives by committing mass suicide,” she said.

To a query, Ms Bimla Rani said she was not aware of the legal ramifications of their decision to commit suicide. She said basic civic amenities should be accorded to the people. “If we do not get the basic amenities, then what is the purpose of life. We cannot continue to lead a life in such misery,” she said.

Chandigarh, June 28
Thirteen year old Anant Rajpurohit from Ambala is among three young equestrians to be selected for representing India in children’s category at the International Show Jumping Competition, scheduled to be held in Colombia from July 13—17. Riders from 21 nations are expected to participate in the event.

Son of an Army officer, Anant had been declared as the best rider in the sub-junior category during the Chandigarh Horse Show held here in November. During the Junior National Equestrian Championships, which concluded in Bangalore in January this year, he had bagged a gold in children’s hacks and a silver in tent pegging.

Anant said he practiced two hours every morning and evening at the Shivalik Riding Club in Chandimandir to prepare for the forthcoming event. Earlier, he used to commute by bus from Ambala, where his father, Col N S Rajpurohit is posted. Now he is staying at Chandimandir.

He is a student of class-IX at Army School, Ambala. Anant had taken to riding when he was studying in class-III and entered competition in 2003. 

Ambala, June 28
The Vikas Parishad today held a protest march through the markets of Ambala Sadar to protest against power cuts.

Former Cantonment MLA Anil Vij said the government had let down the people. He said the Congress government had not been able to provide basic services to the residents.

Mr Vij said the workers of the Vikas Parishad won’t remain silent over the injustice being meted out to the people. He said that on one hand, the Hooda government was charging heavily from the urban consumers while the villages had been given the benefit of their bills being waived off.

Chandigarh, June 28
The Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, has expressed shock and grief over the demise of Mr H.D. Shourie, former ICS officer and a leading consumer activist, in Delhi today.

In a message issued here today, Mr Hooda said his death had especially shocked people of Rohtak who still remembered.

Mr Shourie for the number of developmental works he had undertaken in the area during his tenure as Deputy Commissioner of Rohtak from July 10, 1952, to May 
24, 1954.