New Delhi, November 11
The Haryana Government is considering an alternative route for a metro link between Gurgaon and Delhi, instead of the one for which the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) prepared a Detailed Project Report (DPR) in November 2004.

Sources in the state government said even as Haryana recently agreed in principle to sanction Rs 1.25 crore for conducting feasibility studies for metro links between the Capital and its two important NCR townships- Faridabad and Bahadurgarh- the fact is the state government’s dream project of linking Delhi with Gurgaon is at a standstill.

While they say the state government is not responsible for the delay, the fact is delays mean that the cost of the construction goes up and the state has to shell out more.

The state government is seriously considering exploring an alternative plan to bring the metro to Gurgaon, by extending the Dwarka to Dwarka sub-city line, which is due to become operational by March next year, instead of the earlier plan of extending the Central Secretariat- Qutub Minar segment in Delhi to IFFCO Chowk in Gurgaon.

In September, while the GoM, headed by Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, gave a go ahead to majority of links in the Phase-II, it struck down the NCR links to Noida and Gurgaon, saying that the funding patterns and the alignment of lines were not clear.

But if the sources in the Haryana Government are to be believed, as far as Haryana is concerned, the funding pattern of the link between Delhi and IFFCO chowk are quite clear. Instead, it is the Delhi Government which is playing the spoilsport, they say, adding that Delhi is not interested in going beyond Qutub Minar since it was not a financially viable proposition. “If the metro does not reach the Delhi border, how will it go beyond to Gurgaon.”

“The Haryana Government is keen to bring the metro to Gurgaon by the 2010 Commonwealth Games deadline. But for this we need the support of the Delhi Government as well as the Centre, as a metro link to Gurgaon will largely help the Delhi Government in decongesting the Capital,” they say.

So while funding remains a major question mark for the two state governments, for the DMRC it is an altogether new experience. For the first time, the metro is crossing the border and the DMRC will deal with a state government other than Delhi Government in a metro project. In the Dwarka link, while cost of the rolling stock was borne by the DMRC through the JBIC loan and the Centre’s contribution, other costs were handled the Delhi Government, the DDA and the Centre

As per DMRC spokesperson Anuj Dayal, they have not received any request from the Haryana Government for carrying out a DPR of an alternative route to Gurgaon. “ The DMRC is also not in the position to answer any question on funding as any decision in this regard has to be taken by respective state governments and the Centre,” he said.

Sonepat, November 11
Mr M.K. Lamba, Superintending Engineer of the Yamuna Nagar Service Circle of the Irrigation Department held an open darbar at Kharkhauda town about 19 km from here today and listened to the complaints of the farmers about the supply of canal water.

According to a report, Mr Lamba said that the Irrigation Department was fully ready to meet the requirement of farmers and there should not be any shortage of canal water anywhere in the circle. He also claimed that the department has already taken a series of measures to ensure the supply of canal water at all the tail-end villages and fields of the farmers. He has not received any complaint about the erratic supply of canal water from the farmers so far.

He also disclosed that the channels of Delhi area, which were lying abandoned, are also being restored on the demand of the farmers and the political bosses. The state government has already ordered that desilting of the channels of Delhi area would also be carried out so that the farmers could get the maximum supply of canal water for the Rabi crops.

The Irrigation Department has drawn up an ambitious scheme for the desilting and deweeding of the channels. He said there were 47 tails which fall in the Delhi circle and the department had ensured maximum supply of canal water during the outgoing Kharif season. This resulted in the growing of record crop by the farmers of this circle.

Hisar, November 11
The Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) has demanded strict action against the persons who had gunned down 38 bus passengers near Daryapur village in Fatehabad district on July 7, 1987.

Following the massacre, riots broke out in the city and surrounding areas.

Addressing a news conference here today, Mr Sukhsagar Singh, the president of the local unit of the SAD, sought strict action against the accused and adequate compensation for the family of the victims of the massacre and ensuing riots.

Holding the then Union Home Minister, Mr Buta Singh, responsible for the riots, the Akali leader demanded his resignation from the post of Bihar Governor and strict legal action against him.

A local court had recently acquitted Gurnam Singh of Ferozepore district in Punjab due to lack of evidence. The judgment was delivered by Additional District and Sessions Judge Raj Kumar Tewatia after hearing the case.

It is pertinent to mention here that Gurnam Singh was the last of the 10 accused in the case.

All other accused in the case had already been acquitted as none of the 57 witnesses listed by the police registered their statement.

The SAD has alleged that the accused could not get any punishment due to the lackadaisical attitude of the police and administrative authorities as well as the government.

It alleged that the police did not even register the FIRs on the complaints of riot victims, nor was any action taken on the complaints registered. The party has demanded that the victims of the massacre and riots be provided adequate compensation and the administrative officials and leaders who remained mute spectators to the tragedy be punished.

The Akali Dal also urged the Union Government to enact a law on the pattern of TADA and POTA to check such incidents of communal riots in the country.

Sonepat, November 11
On the orders of the Supreme Court, the district administration has launched a special campaign for the removal of encroachments by the owners of dhabas, restaurants and hotel on the G.T. Road between Murthal and Ganaur in this district.

According to official sources, the owners of these establishments had built structures and occupied illegally public land in the controlled area declared by the Country and Planning Department.

The Supreme Court, it may be recalled, had already dismissed the petitions of the owners of dhabas of Murthal and ordered the removal of all kinds of encroachments on the National Highway No. 1 passing through this district and elsewhere.

The officials of the district and police administration, headed by Mr Narinder Solanki, Divisional Town Planner (I) have so far demolished as many as 14 unauthorised structures on the G.T. Road near Murthal. The officials were backed by a large contingent of police to maintain law and order and prevent the owners of eating establishments from interference in the official work.

The Deputy Commissioner, Ms Neerja Shekhar, has already appointed Mr Amarjit Singh Maan SDM, Sonepat, and Mr Ram Dhull, SDM Ganaur, as Duty Magistrate for monitoring the anti-encroachment campaign. The DSP Ganaur, Mr Shiv Dayal was also deputed to assist the officials.

Chandigarh, November 11
The ruling Congress in Punjab has started an elaborate exercise to announce development projects worth crores of rupees at the proposed Lambi rally, which will be held next week.

Informed sources said that all ministers had been asked to prepare lists of the development projects to be initiated and completed during the next one year.

The Local Bodies Minister, Chowdhary Jagjit Singh, said today that there was a programme to provide the drinking water facility in left-out areas in all cities and towns in the state.

He said about Rs 450 crore would be spent on this project. An official announcement regarding details of this project would be made at Lambi, which is the constituency of the SAD chief, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, by the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh.

Chowdhary Jagjit Singh said the rally was to be held on November 14. However, it was being rescheduled because of the death of former President K.R. Narayanan.

It was clear from the talk of Chowdhary Jagjit Singh that the Congress wants to make the rally a big success, projecting it as a “show of strength”. Both Capt Amarinder Singh and the President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, Mr Shamsher Singh Dullo, are actively engaged in mobilising party workers for the rally.

Sources said that besides drinking water, the government would also announce its programme with regard to the repair and widening of certain roads and the construction of railway bridges.

The sources said the government would also fix the date for abolishing octroi in the state at the rally.

There are reports that the government wants to announce development projects worth Rs 1,000 crore at the rally, which will be used to launch the campaign for the Assembly elections.

Ambala, November 11
The police today claimed to have solved the murder of a child studying in Atam Ballabh Jain Gurukul in Ambala city.

Neeraj Jain, a 10-year-old student of the Gurukul, was found dead under mysterious circumstances yesterday. He had been strangulated to death.

The Superintendent of Police, Mr Rajbir Deswal, said the Gurukul cook Karan Bahadur had been arrested. He said Karan Bahadur had tried to sexually assault Neeraj Jain and he had murdered him out of fear for this incident coming to light.

Mr Deswal said Neeraj Jain was found dead under his bed in the Gurukul. His father Mr Harish Jain, a resident of Ludhiana, had told the police that Mr Arvind Jain, Secretary SA Jain Senior Secondary School had telephonically informed him about the death of Neeraj Jain.

Mr Harish Jain said on arriving at the school, he saw that his son’s body was lying in the verandah of the first floor. He said that he noticed injury marks on Neeraj’s neck, stomach, waist and feet.

Mr Deswal said that during investigation led by DSP Ms Smiti Chaudhary, the accused Karan Bahadur admitted that on the night of the incident, he had picked up Neeraj Jain while he was asleep. He had then tried to sexually assault the child but he failed.

In the meantime, Neeraj awoke and Neeraj told Karan Bahadur that he would inform everybody about the incident. Mr Deswal said that Karan Bahadur then strangulated the child and put the body under his bed.

Rewari, November 11
Of late there has been a spurt of obscene acts by youths harassing young women in rural areas of the district.

A young man, who was inebriated, allegedly resorted to obscene utterances and gestures towards a young married woman in Mundi village, 12 km from here, on Wednesday.

The woman who suffered agonising torment and humiliation made a complaint to the Khol police which, after registering a case of obscenity and misconduct under Sections 294, 510 of the IPC, has arrested Naresh Kumar of the same village.

In another incident, village youth Dinesh allegedly misbehaved with a teenaged girl in Buroli village under the Khol police station of the district on Wednesday.

He too has been booked on charges of obscenity and misbehaviour by the police.

Jhajjar, November 11
A youth was killed and his brother injured seriously when their motorcycle was hit by a Haryana Roadways bus from behind near the Asauda police post on the National Highway No 18 here today.

According to information, two brothers, Praveen and Sanjay, residents of Gohana in Sonepat, were going to Bahadurgarh.

However, the bus which was following them, ran over their vehicle killing Praveen on the spot and injuring Sanjay seriously who was rushed to the hospital.

The bus driver fled from the spot leaving behind the bus. The police has registered a case against the driver.

Sonepat, Nov 11
The Sonepat Municipal Council has put off the auction to November 16 next for the sanitation work of 10 wards in the mandi area of this city.

This has been done as officials from the state headquarters failed to turn up for the auction. The council, has been facing shortage of the safai karamcharis for the past few years and it had decided to hand over the sanitation work to a private contractor.

Official sources also revealed that the council had received 22 applications and the contractors turned up for bidding yesterday, the date fixed by the council for this purpose. However, they returned disappointed when they were told that the auction had been put off to November 16.

Mr N.C. Wadhwa, Commissioner, Ambala Division expressed grave concern over the insanitary conditions in this city and directed the Municipal authorities to improve sanitation.