The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Traders block traffic against police inaction Tribune News Service Panipat, April 29 Protesting traders blocked the GT Road for half an hour this evening against the inaction by the police. Slogan raising protesters alleged that the local police had falsely implicated two traders in an attempt to shield a relative of a judicial officer posted at Panipat. Traders on the railway station road closed the market in the protest against the arrest of Vinod and Aman, local traders who had allegedly manhandled a relative of a judge. Led by the executive president of the district Congress, Mr Mukesh Tuteja, the protesting traders blocked the GT Road at 5 p.m. and lamented the role of the local lawyers who allegedly succumbed to the pressure of the administration for not taking up the case. Last evening, a relative of the judge had met with an accident near the railway station market. Following heated exchanges between the two parties, other traders reached the spot and allegedly manhandled the relative of a judicial officer. Shopkeepers and traders alleged that they had to hire an advocate from Karnal after the Panipat-based lawyers refused to take up the case. Relative of the judge had lodged a complaint with the police against the two and both were sent on 14- days' remand.
	Anti- ‘saathi’ campaign successful Our Correspondent Fatehabad, April 29 The campaign of the state agriculture department to dissuade farmers from sowing summer paddy, also known as saathi paddy, has been proving a tremendous success in this district. Though the agriculture authorities claim to have achieved success up to 98 per cent in either dissuading farmers from sowing the crop or ploughing the fields, where it had already been planted, but it is true that saathi paddy is not visible in most parts of the district this year. Dr Rajesh Khullar, Director, Agriculture, Haryana, had launched a campaign to dissuade farmer from growing saathi paddy in the state. The idea behind this was conservation of water as saathi, which was planted in April-May months needed much more water than the normal paddy as evaporation of water from the fields was much higher during these hot months. Saathi is such a variety of paddy that it has no takers for its own nutritious or taste qualities. But due to its shape being identical with basmati rice, it is used as a duplicate for basmati rice. The saathi crop not only put pressure on the sub-soil water resources, but it also drained much power during these electricity scarce months. The Agriculture Department took upon itself the task of discouraging farmers from planting this crop this year and Dr Khullar had himself organised farmers' camps in all five districts of Haryana, where saathi was being sown. Fatehabad is one of those districts where saathi was common. As an impact of the campaign many farmers, who used to plant this crop, preferred not to go for saathi this year. The authorities have now began ploughing fields of those who had planted saathi despite counseling to the contrary. Mr R. C. Poonia, Deputy Director, Agriculture, told this correspondent today that saathi was planted on around 4,500 acres of land last year. This year, he said, the department succeeded in dissuading these farmers from planting this crop, which was detrimental to society in general. He said his department ploughed plantations of saathi meant for 250 acres of land at Bharpoor village today. Yesterday, the department ploughed plantations meant for 1,700 acres of land at Shakarpur village in the district. He said the department was not using any force to plough fields and in most cases either the farmers were coming forward on their own, or the village panchayats were giving resolutions that they did not want saathi paddy to be sown in their villages.
	Teachers divided over college status Tribune News Service Rohtak, April 29 The conversion of the University College of Maharshi Dayanand University to Government College for Boys has created a controversy and left the teaching community divided. While the MDU Teachers Association (MDUTA) has vehemently opposed the decision, the Haryana Government College Teachers Association has welcomed it. In a press release, the MDUTA said today that the college was till 1980 a government college. It was handed over to the MDU in 1980, which became the basis for recognition of the university by the University Grants Commission. Therefore, there was no moral justification for the government to take it over. It said the teachers of this college would be put to great disadvantage, as there was a proposal to accord it the status of a central varsity. If that happened, the retirement age of teachers will go up to 62 instead of 58 in the government. The association of the college with the MDU had given incentives to teachers to do worthwhile research which was evident from the number of publications brought out by its teachers compared to their counterparts in government colleges. It said the only justification behind the decision was to enable male teachers in government service to be posted at Rohtak since there was only a women's college here where they could not be posted. It demanded the immediate reversal of the decision. Earlier delegations of university college teachers met the Congress MP Deepender Hooda in this regard and sought his intervention. Similar pleas were made to the Speaker of the Vidhan Sabha R. S. Kadian and Meham MLA Anand Singh Dangi.
	Girl alleges molestation by HAU teacher Tribune News Service Hisar, April 29 An Associate Professor serving at the Department of Animal Product Technology under Centre of Food Science Technology at Haryana Agricultural University (HAU) here has been accused of molesting a girl student. According to university sources, the girl complained to the HAU Registrar, Dr M.S. Kuhad, stating that the teacher, who was in charge of milk distribution at the centre, made sexual advances at her and molested her in his room. As soon as the matter came to light, students came out in support of the girl and staged a protest demonstration on the university campus. Since the HAU Vice-Chancellor, Dr J.C. Katyal, was away to Delhi, the Registrar, the Dean, Postgraduate Studies, Dr S.S. Dahiya, and other senior faculty members went to the agitating students and assured them of prompt action in this regard. The teacher, Dr B.S. Beniwal, has been divested of his charge and asked to proceed on leave till the matter is decided. The issue will be taken up after the Vice-Chancellor returns.
	Boy shot dead Our Correspondent Jhajjar, April 29 A teenaged boy was shot dead by a youth of the same village in Bahu village of the district last night. The police has registered a case against three persons on the complaint of the victim’s family, but no one has been arrested so far. According to information, Kudeep Singh (15), son of Ishwar Singh, was sleeping in his house last night, when Ajay, son of Katar Singh, barged in and shot at him. He was rushed to the Civil Hospital here but succumbed to injuries on the way. His father had named three persons; Ajay, his brother Akshay and their mother Ramrati, in his report to the police. The cause of the crime could not be established so far. The Deputy Superintendent of Police also went to the spot crime.
	2 cops get two-year jail term Our Correspondent Rewari, April 29 Mr Virender Malik, Additional Civil Judge (senior division), Kosli, has sentenced two policemen, Sub-Inspector Badri Prasad, the then Station House Officer of Jatusana police station of the district and Assistant Sub-Inspector Inder Singh, to undergo imprisonment for two years. The judge held them guilty of brutally torturing a murder case complainant Mukat Singh of Nathera village, near Kosli, at the Jatusana police station for several days in July, 1995. The judge has also imposed a total fine of Rs 1500 on each of the two convicts. The SI, Badri Prasad, has retired while the ASI, Inder Singh, is still in service. When the Jatusana police ineptly handled the murder case of Mukat Singh's grandfather Toda Ram, who was done to death by unknown assailants in Nathera village on the night of June 21, 1995, Mukat Singh, alongwith his father Udai Ram and some elders of the village, met the then SP here and sought his intervention to expedite the apprehension of the killers. This infuriated the then SHO Badri Prasad who summoned Mukat Singh on July 14, 1995, to the police station where at his alleged behest Mukat was mercilessly beaten up by ASI Inder Singh and kept in wrongful confinement for several days consecutively. Mukat suffered a fracture in his foot because of the torture at the hands of the policemen. However, when all their efforts to seek justice from the police administration failed, Mukat filed a petition in a local court which issued a directive following which a case of grievous hurt, wrongful confinement and criminal intimidation under Sections 325, 343, 506 of the IPC was registered against the two erring police officials who were then prosecuted in the court accordingly.
	Man sentenced to life for murder Tribune News Service Ambala, April 29 A city court today sentenced a kidnapper to life imprisonment for murdering the kidnapped child. Rahish Khan, a resident of Muzaffarnagar, had kidnapped a seven-year-old child for ransom. On December 22, 2003, Surjeet Kaur, wife of Jarnail Singh, resident of Yamuna Nagar, had lodged a complaint with the police saying that her husband, father-in-law and brother-in-law were lodged in the Ambala Central Jail. In the jail, her husband had become friendly with another prisoner Harish. After a few days, Harish was released from the prison and started visiting their house One day, Harish called her up and said on December 22, he would be going to the Ambala Central Jail and she should reach the jail alongwith her adopted son Ramandeep. On December 22, 2003, she reached the Ambala Central Jail to meet her husband. Harish was present there and he took Ramandeep away saying that he would get something for him. However, Harish did not return with Ramandeep.
	Mill GM remanded in police custody Tribune News Service Ambala, April 29 Shahzadpur Sugar Mill General Manager Hem Raj was today remanded in police custody by a city court yesterday. Hem Raj has been remanded in two-day police custody. He was arrested on Thursday following a complaint lodged by the owner of the Shahzadpur Sugar Mill, Mr B.S. Kang. Mr Kang has levelled an allegation of embezzlement against Mr Hem Raj. A large cache of arms and ammunition was recovered by the police team from the residence of Mr Hem Raj. The police recovered six weapons and about 1200 live cartridges from the residence of Mr Hem Raj. The weapons recovered are a single-barrelled gun, two .315 bore rifle, a .32 bore revolver, a .25 bore pistol and a double-barrelled gun. A case has been registered against Mr Hem Raj at Shahzadpur police station.
	Convict found guilty of murder inside jail Dharmendra Joshi Tribune News Service Karnal, April 29 Completing hearing within two years, a city court found a convict of the Karnal district jail guilty of murdering his brother on the intervening night of February 29 and March 1, 2004. Declaring Jai Bhagwan guilty of killing in the district jail, his brother Prem Pal of Daya Nagar Taroari, the Additional Sessions Judge, Mr Satish Ahlawat, yesterday reserved the pronouncement of the sentence till May 1. Jai Bhagwan was found guilty under Section 303 of the IPC for killing his brother while undergoing life imprisonment in another murder case. The minimum sentence under this section is hanging till death. Section 303 is imposed on that person who commits murder while undergoing sentence. It was found during hearing of the case that the convict killed the victim as he suspected the latter had illicit relations with his wife. FIR number 75 was registered six days after the crime was committed at the concerned Civil Lines police station on March 6, two years ago, after getting the then ADC's inquiry report in this case. Jai Bhagwan and his brother Prem Pal were lodged in the same barrack and the former murdered Prem Pal by hitting the latter on his head. Jail authorities came to know about the murder in the wee hours on March 1, two years ago. The Additional Sessions Judge declared him guilty after hearing the pleas of public prosecutors S.K. Mittal and Narayan Singh from the prosecution side and advocate R.R. Sharma from the accused side. Interestingly, both Jai Bhagwan, Prem Pal, their another brother Pritam and their associates were already convicted and were undergoing life imprisonment in a murder case. They had committed the crime in the area falling under the jurisdiction of the Butana police station in October, 1999. FIR number 445 was lodged against them under Sections 302, 148 and 149 at the Butana police station on October 30, 1999.
	Self-assessment of house tax likely Shubhadeep Choudhury Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 29 The Haryana Government is gearing up to set the ball rolling for modifying the house tax policy. It is learnt that the Minister of State for Urban Development, Ms Savitri Jindal, has convened a meeting in Hisar on May 5 to discuss the house tax policy with elected representatives of the urban local bodies. The executive officers of the civic bodies will be also present at the meeting. The purpose of the meeting is to sound the representatives of the civic bodies on the self-assessment of house tax by payers. Under the existing system the value of the property on the basis of which tax is imposed is determined by the collector's rates. The staff of the civic bodies work out the house tax in accordance with the value of the property and give notice to its owners asking them to deposit the tax. One problem with the system is that people complain against the unilateral assessment of the tax by the civic body staff. Sometimes payers also claim that they have not received the notice from the urban local body concerned. In view of these problems, the state government has decided to introduce a printed form to be filled by the property owners themselves to furnish the necessary details regarding the house tax payable. Official sources said this system would put the onus on the civic staff to get the forms filled by the payers and then see if there was any anomaly. The proposal will be put before the representatives of the civic bodies on May 5 for consideration. The house tax policy laid down by the previous Chautala-led regime had attracted considerable opposition in the state. The Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who was then the chief of the state unit of the Congress, had also protested against the policy. The policy was later modified by the INLD government when the party's victory margin came down drastically in the byelection to the Fatehabad Assembly seat. However, the opposition to house tax does not appear to be a significant phenomenon anymore. This was evident from the reaction of two MLAs contacted by this reporter to the proposed meeting in Hisar. Mr Ramkumar Gautam, BJP, and Mr Radheshyam Sharma, Independent, both seemed to be unaware of any popular opposition to the existing house tax policy. In the case of Mr Gautam the reaction was all the more surprising
	Kaithal registers highest wheat arrivals Our Correspondent Kaithal, April 29 The Kaithal district remains ahead of all other districts of Haryana in wheat arrivals and procurement till date during the present season. Giving this information to mediapersons here today, the Deputy Commissioner, Mr B. S. Malik, said with wheat arrivals touching 4.62 lakh metric tonnes and government agencies purchasing 4 lakh metric tonnes, this district is at number one and followed by Karnal district where arrivals had touched 4.32 lakh mt and government agencies have purchased 3.48 lakh mt. Fatehabad district is at number three with arrivals touching 3.88 lakh mt and government agencies have procured 3.12 lakh mt. Mr Malik said during the beginning of the current season all the mandis and purchase centers were flooded with wheat stocks which initially affected the lifting of stocks but soon the situation was controlled and now about 95 per cent of the total arrivals had been lifted from the mandis and other centers and the payment to farmers were being made expeditiously. The SDM, Mr Ashok Garg, said purchase and lifting of wheat stock went on smoothly due to cooperation extended to the administration by the farmers and commission agents. He said the administration had to intervene and take steps to check illegal hoarding of wheat. Mr U. S. Mohan, SDM, Guhla, said steps were taken to ensure that the farmers faced no difficulty in selling their produce brought to the mandis. The DFSC, Mr A. K. Gaur, said posting of special officers in mandis by the Deputy Commissioner to supervise the purchase and lifting of wheat stocks also helped in the smooth process of wheat purchase.
	Hisar sizzles at 45°C Chandigarh, April 29 The heat wave which is sweeping most parts of north India continued relentless, with mercury soaring to 45 degrees celsius at Hisar in Haryana. While the maximum at Hisar yesterday was recorded six degrees above the normal range, Ambala also had a hot day today at 39.8°C, up two degrees, the Met said here today. The high at Karnal settled at 38.6°C, up two degrees. Today, the maximum at Chandigarh settled at 39.4°C, up three degrees while in neighbouring Patiala it touched 40.2°C, two above normal. Amritsar also braved a hot day at 41°C, up five, while Ludhiana too sweated it out at 41.2°C, four above normal. The mercury has also been rising steadily in the hills of Himachal Pradesh. Shimla today registered a high of 26.3°C, up five from normal while Sundernagar and Bhuntar recorded respective highs of 36.2°C and 33.9°C, both up by five degrees each. Kalpa, however, had a pleasant day at 22.9 degrees celsius. Srinagar recorded a high of 28.4°C, up seven degrees while the maximum temperature at Jammu settled close to 41°C. — PTI
	10 years’ jail for 5 poppy husk smugglers Our Correspondent Kaithal, April 29 The court of Additional District and Sessions Judge, Dr Neelima Shangala, here has sentenced five poppy husk smugglers to 10 years’ imprisonment and fined them Rs 1 lakh each after convicting them under the NDPS Act. In case the convicts fail to pay the fine, they will have to further undergo imprisonment for three years each. Giving this information to mediapersons here today, SP Navdeep Singh Virk said a police party, headed by Sub-Inspector Jai Mal Singh of Guhla, had laid a naka at T-point Dussairpur when a canter coming from the direction of Augondh village was noticed and police party signalled it to stop. Two persons were sitting inside the vehicle but four others sitting in the rear portion jumped from the vehicle and managed to escape under the cover of darkness. However, Sukha Singh of Karnal and Suba Singh of Daban Kheri were overpowered by the police. The vehicle was searched and 280 kg of poppy husk concealed in eight bags was recovered. During interrogation, the arrested persons revealed that those who fled from the scene were Sadha Ram of Bajigar Dera Chanchak, Mohar Singh of Daban Kheri, Suba Ram of Dera Sultania and Jit Singh, a resident of Ravar, Karnal district. Out of these, former three were arrested and Jit Singh was declared an absconder.
	Vet use of Diclofenac: meeting to be called Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 29 The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, today assured the Haryana Minister of State for Forests, Ms Kiran Choudhary, of soon calling a meeting of the ministries concerned to ban the veterinary use of Diclofenac. The drug has proved fatal to vultures which feast on the carcasses of animals. Ms Choudhary had met the Prime Minister today in New Delhi and raised the issue of banning the use of the drug.
	Over 200 cases settled at Lok Adalat Tribune News Service Karnal, April 29 A rural Lok Adalat was organised by the Haryana State legal Services Authority (HALSA) at Assandh, 50 km from here today. More than 225 cases, including mutation cases of Assandh and Balla tehsils were settled at the adalat. Inaugurating the 79th Lok Adalat of the district, Justice Adrash Kumar Goel, Executive Chairman of HASLA said that rural Lok Adalats had proved to be effective and relevant platform to spread the legal literacy among the masses besides providing them free and speedy justice. Speaking at the function, District and Sessions Judge PL Ahuja said as many as 24,133 cases had been settled in 78 Lok Adalats organised earlier in the district.