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Fear of epidemic stalks villagers
Two extortionists arrested
Village big supplier of vegetables
Need for sensitising cops on SC/ST Act
More land to be acquired for Army firing range
Abandoned baby finds home at hospital
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HAU students stage protest
Plea for self-sufficiency in oilseeds, pulses
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Fear of epidemic stalks villagers
Dabwali, August 8 Birbal and his son Jagga died due to the fever on August 1, while an eight-year-old girl Pooja died due to the fever on last Saturday evening. District health officials confirmed the deaths, but ruled out the possibility of an epidemic, including malaria or diarrhoea in the village. The village located on the Dabwali-Rajasthan road falls in the Dabwali sub-division and it usually remains waterlogged. A visit to the village reflects the pathetic view of cleanliness. Stagnant water in lanes and village pond has become breeding source for mosquitoes. The health authorities said the fever could have been caused due to high humidity and waterlogged areas in the village. But they say that nothing can be said precisely until through investigations are conducted in all three cases. Talking to this correspondent, Dr G.K. Kataria, Senior Medical Officer (SMO), Civil Hospital, Dabwali, ruled out the outbreak of malaria but failed to name the disease responsible for the deaths. He admitted that a number of cases of fever had been reported for the past one month and medical teams from the Dabwali Civil Hospital had been stationed in the village. None of the three deaths, added Dr Kataria, occurred in the government hospital. One of deceased, Pooja, was brought dead to the hospital. He said the health authorities were providing medicines and motivating the villagers to protect themselves from the seasonal fever. Villagers said despite repeated complaints to the administration regarding the poor state of cleanliness nothing had been done. They complained that water in the village too was not clean. According to doctors in the Civil Hospital, the cause of deaths was yet to be ascertained as people had been taking treatment from private doctors. However, the SMO said preliminary reports revealed that the villagers were approaching quacks and tantriks for treatment. He added that people should approach the hospital. |
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Two extortionists arrested
Panipat, August 8 Mr Rajinder Singh said accused Wazir and Balinder, alias Bittu, both of Matloda called the businessman from their mobile number 9896065199 and threatened him on July 30. They asked the businessman, Mr Vinay Kumar Jain, a resident of an area on the GT Road here, for a ransom of Rs 10 lakh. They used the name of an undertrial Surendra Kala lodged in Rohtak jail for extorting money from Mr Jain. The SP further said the culprits had threatened that if Mr Jain did not give them the money demanded, they would eliminate him and his family members. Following the threat, Mr Jain contacted Mr Rajinder Singh, who constituted a team led by the DSP City, Mr Ashok Saini, to deal with the case. The DSP with the help of an Inspector of the CIA, Mr Ashok Kumar, and other police personnel nabbed the accused. The accused were also presented before the mediapersons. Wazir told mediapersons that they started extorting money some time ago. They had already extorted Rs 2 lakh from a doctor, whose hospital is situated on the Jind Road. Wazir said they had extorted money from the doctor as he had charged a huge amount for treating his ailing mother, who was a cancer patient. His mother did not live long. He said they then found that extortion was an easy way of making big money. |
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Village big supplier of vegetables
Takhana, August 8 For scores of motorists driving down the busy National Highway No.1 or the Grand Trunk Road in Haryana, the name Takhana may not ring a bell. That is because few know that the vegetables they eat every day come from Takhana village located just 15 km from Karnal. The village has carved out a place for itself for being one of the biggest and most consistent suppliers of fresh vegetables amounting to several thousands of tonnes a month. The supply caters to Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Uttaranchal, Rajasthan and Chandigarh. Residents of the village gave up traditional wheat and paddy farming over two decades ago and diversified into vegetables. Today, no one is regretting the decision. Vegetables have spelt prosperity. The villagers’ lives now revolve around tomatoes, okras, green chillies, spinach, mint, cabbage, cauliflowers and a host of other vegetables grown in the very fields that are known to be historic battlefields. The fort of the Hindu king Prithviraj Chauhan 2 km from the village stands testimony to its rich history. Eighty-year-old Takhana resident Kali Ram said his village and the surrounding areas had earned a name by growing vegetables in abundance and supplying them to markets across India’s north. “In villages like Takhana, Padhana, Gangar and Butana, all types of vegetables are grown. But tomatoes and okras are the most popular,” said Kali Ram. Between 50 and 200 quintals of tomatoes are produced per acre, depending on the season. The cost of growing tomatoes in one acre ranges from Rs 10,000-12,000, but it yields returns of Rs 70,000-80,000 a month. Farmers Banarsi, Dheera and Puran, who grow okras in good measure, said by investing Rs 10,000 in this vegetable, the returns could go up to Rs 60,000. The net profit per acre for this crop ranged from Rs 30,000-35,000. But there have been some years when crops failed or the markets crashed due to a glut of certain vegetables, causing huge losses for the farmers of Takhana and its neighbourhood. Takhana village headman Teg Singh said the fertile soil of the area gave farmers here an edge. The village, with a population of just over 4,000, has 350 acres of land, including privately owned land. Buoyed by the prosperity, Takhana residents are sending their children to schools, colleges and universities. They are also against social evils such as female foeticide and want the government to do more on this front.
— IANS |
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Need for sensitising cops on SC/ST Act
Chandigarh, August 8 A government committee headed by a nodal officer (who is a Principal Secretary to the Haryana Government) exists to monitor the implementation of the 1989 Act in the state. The committee had last met here on July 29 to review the number of cases registered under the Act. It was found that only a small number of cases had been registered. Only 20 cases were registered under the Act in the state last year. There were more than 200 cases relating to violence against Dalits. These included 54 cases of murder, 45 of rape, 58 of assault, 25 of molestation and 13 of sodomy. The crime figures for the four years before last year also reveal the same pattern as far as the implementation of the Act is concerned. Under the Act, financial assistance is provided to the members of the SCs who become victims of atrocities.To compensate them relief ranging from Rs 15,000 to Rs 2 lakh is given in cases like damage to irrigation well, loss of property, grievous hurt, rape and murder. But as things stand now, the victims or the family members of the victims are, on most occasions, deprived of compensation. The committee had earlier written to all district Superintendents of Police regarding the necessity of registering cases under the Act. Mr Alok Joshi, IPS, who is a member of the committee, wrote that it had been observed that the provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act were not being implemented properly in Haryana. He added that during 2002 as many as 291 cases of crimes against Dalits were registered out of which only 24 cases were registered under this Act. Similarly, 254 cases were registered during 2003 out of which the cases registered under this Act numbered only 26. |
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More land to be acquired for Army firing range
Naraingarh, August 8 The field firing range was not being used by the Western Command for heavy artillery for the past couple of years. Large tracts of land in this area, however, continue to be used as firing ranges for small arms. The Army proposes to acquire over 34,000 acres of land in Haryana and about 8000 acres in neighbouring areas of Himachal Pradesh for the field firing range. Other than 1281 kanals of land in three villages here, 11, 0999 kanals in 23 villages of Raipur Rani, 2831 kanals in six villages of Morni block and 20, 315 acres of land in the forest areas of the lower Shivalik mountain range are proposed to be acquired for the Naraingarh Field Firing Range. The notification for acquiring land was issued by the Department of Law and Justice, and the land acquisition proceedings is to be initiated from June 2003 to year 2008. The Army authorities have already done a preliminary survey of the land to be acquired, along with officials of the Revenue Departments of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. The Deputy Commissioners of the three districts have now been asked to furnish details of individual ownership of land, revenue sketches, cost of land as per collector rate, and, total area of the villages which will fall under the field firing range. They have also been asked to give details of land which will be acquired (government land or private land); cost of compensation and rehabilitation of civilians. A letter issued by the Ministry of Defence says that “the acquisition process has to be completed at the earliest. We would also like to get a no objection certificate from the Deputy Commissioners for the purpose.” |
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Abandoned baby finds home at hospital
Fatehabad, August 8 Gayatri, as she has been named by Dr Mrs Ramesh Chakarvarti, in charge of the female ward, was noticed by Manoj Kumar. He informed the police, which took the child to the Primary Health Centre, Bhattu Kalan. From the health centre the baby was taken to the local General Hospital last night. Since then, the female general ward of the hospital has become the home for the little one. Lying in her cradle, Gayatri looks at every visitor unaware of what destiny had done to her. Nurses attending on her say that she seldom cries. Dr Chakarvarti told this correspondent that the girl was quite healthy. |
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HAU students stage protest
Hisar, August 8 The protesters demanded that normal fee be charged from the students of paid seats whose degree could not be completed within the stipulated period. While the degree is to be completed in two years, the period was extended as some research work was pending. Due to the delay, the students have to get themselves registered in the fifth semester. For this, the students of paid seats have been told to deposit the full fee of Rs 80,000, which is the annual fee. Meanwhile, the HAU Registrar, Dr M.S.Kuhad, has asserted that since the students had got admission on paid seats and the degree could not be completed in time, they would have to pay full fee as per the rules. |
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Plea for self-sufficiency in oilseeds, pulses
Karnal, August 8 Dr S.L. Goswami, Joint Director (Research), NDRI, said further increase in area and yield of commonly grown pulses would help reduce import of pulses and improve soil health for sustainable agriculture production. |
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Martyr cremated with honours
Yamunanagar, August 8 |
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