Ambala, June 15
Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said that the extremist organisations would not be successful in their mission, as the Union Government had decided to fight extremism boldly at every cost.

Mr Hooda was addressing a rally at Ambala city organised by MLA of Naggal Nirmal Singh today. He said that some of the foreign powers had been trying to damage the unity of the country but they would not be allowed to harm the communal harmony of this country.

He said that the Congress had a glorious history and a number of its leaders, including the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, former Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi and Indira Gandhi had made supreme sacrifices for protecting the unity and integrity of the country and he is proud of such party which is being headed by the All India Congress Party President, Sonia Gandhi.

The Chief Minister said that the country would become number two or three supreme power in the world in the years to come as the growth rate of India was 8 per cent. He said that this progress was not digested by some vested interests so they were inimical to the progress of the country and these forces had fomented trouble in the Jammu and Kashmir and other states.

Mr Hooda said that the common man had high hopes from Mrs Sonia Gandhi as this party was doing the welfare of the people without considering any caste, creed and religion. He said that the country had made rapid progress under the guidance of Mrs. Sonia Gandhi and sagacious leadership of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

While referring the power situation in the state, the Chief Minister maintained that the power availability was 4000 MW in the state as against the demand of 9000 MW. He expressed anguish that a number of people had ruled the state for more than 10 years but they had not solved the power problem. He asserted that power was essential for the development of the State.

The Chief Minister announced that a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) would be set up at Ambala and 50 per cent land would be made available by the government for this SEZ. He said that a special economic zone was already being set up in the state, which would generate the employment for the five-lakh people. He said that during next five years, an investment of Rs 2 lakh crore would be ensured besides providing employment to 10 lakh people in the state.

The Urban Employment and Poverty Alleviation Minister of State, Ms. Selja said that sincere efforts were being made to check the growing rising prices in the country by the Prime Minister and Mrs. Sonia Gandhi. She said that the oil prices had touched a new high in the international market at the rate of $ 75 per barrel. She said that the Haryana Government was formulating such a policy so that equal development of all constituencies could be ensured.

The HPCC working president, Dr. Ram Parkash maintained that the statues of Rajiv Gandhi would be installed at Ambala city and Ambala Cantt. He said that the present government had executed a number of development works, which had not been executed even in the last 40 years. The organiser of the rally Mr. Nirmal Singh presented some demands of his constituency, which were accepted by the Chief Minister.

The Power and PWD Minister, Mr. Venod Sharma said that eight hours power had been ensured for the agriculture sector and a nuclear power plant would be set up in Fatehabad district. The site for the same had already been approved. With the commissioning of this power plant the dreams of the people of getting 24 hours power supply would be visualized.

Yamunanagar, July 15
In a shocking incident, two primary school teachers allegedly molested an eight-year-old student of Government Primary School, Beachpari, in Chhachhrouli block, around 40 km from here, yesterday.

The two teachers were suspended this afternoon and the police was in the process of registering a case against them when the reports last came in.

Police sources said Narinder Kumar, a teacher working at Government Primary School, Malipur village, had gone to the school to visit his friend and teacher Surinder Singh.

As per police sources, Surinder Singh asked the girl, a Class IV student, to bring water in their room.

When the girl entered the room with water, the teachers allegedly caught hold of her and molested her. The girl then raised the alarm.

The two let go of the girl, who went straight to an anganwari teacher and reported the matter to her.

In the evening, the anganwari teacher reported the matter to the girl’s parents.

This morning, a panchayat meeting was called and the girl, a Class IV student, narrated the sequence of events.

The panchayat members brought the matter to the notice of Block Education Officer (BEO) Anand Chaudhary, who in turn informed the head office in Panchkula.

District Primary Education Officer (DPEO) Sharda Kalra has placed the two teachers under suspension and reported the matter to the police.

Jhajjar, July 15
Two persons were killed when their car collided with a truck coming from the opposite direction near the Rohad bypass on National Highway 10 here last night.

According to information, members of the family of Rajender were going from Hisar to Delhi when they met with the accident.

Rajender’s grandson Kartik and Rajender Prasad, driver of the car, were killed in the accident.

Rewari, July 15
The “Lalkar Rath Yatra”, launched by Ateli MLA Naresh Yadav and president of the Haryana Yuva Kisan Sangharsh Samiti (HYKSS) to mobilise farmers against the establishment of a special economic zone (SEZ) by Reliance Industries in south Haryana, has started gaining momentum.

Addressing a press conference here yesterday, Yadav claimed that the yatra, which had so far covered 60 villages in Gurgaon and Rewari districts, had received an enthusiastic response from farmers of the villages that will be affected by the SEZ.

Asserting that SEZ would uproot the peasantry of south Haryana, he said he would seek amendment to the Land Acquisition Act, 1931 by raising the issue in an appropriate manner in the next session of the Vidhan Sabha.

Flaying the Hooda government for its apathetic treatment towards south Haryana, he alleged that Hisar and Sirsa had remained the favourite regions of previous Chief Ministers, while the present Chief Minister had been giving preferential treatment to Rohtak, neglecting Rewari, Mahendergarh and other areas of south Haryana.

Ambala, July 15
Health Minister Kartar Devi asked the non-official members of the District Grievances Committee to bring the problems of the people in the notice of district officers so that those could be resolved at the earliest.

While presiding over the meeting of the committee, she directed the officers to solve the public problems on a priority basis. He asked the head of Departments to remain present in their offices on Monday so that the aggrieved persons could meet them. He said strict action would be taken against the officers found absent from their duty.

Around 200 persons kept their problems before the minister. Sher Singh of Khudda Kanan village complained that the smoke of a factory had been polluting the entire area. The Minister directed the Environment Department to take action against the factory owner.

Prem Chand of Badi Basi village said he had applied for a tubewell connection in 2002 and deposited 50,000 with the Electricity Department but no connection was released to him till now. A deputation of Haryoli village complained that some influential persons had encroached 37.5 acres of land of panchayat but no action was taken against him despite repeated complaints.

Deputy Commissioner O.P. Langiyan, Superintendent of Police, Mr Amitabh Dhillon, SDM, Mukesh Ahuja and several non-official members were also present at the meeting.