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Political rallies choke highway
Panipat, March 6 GOVERNANCE n Traffic jams due to protest rallies or welcome marches are routine on the NH-1 n
In most cases despite prior information, the district authorities fail to ensure smooth traffic n
Local residents have sought strict action against erring officials and unruly workers/protesters It is becoming common here these days where protest rallies or welcome marches comprising hundreds of unruly workers on motorbikes, cars and jeeps block the road. Though the processions, which are many times led by top leaders of different parties, raise their voice for the people, the slogan-raising brigades leave no stone unturned to cause inconvenience to thousands of motorists. It is mandatory to inform the district authorities before taking out any kind of procession. Sources say a detailed route of the procession is also to be given in advance to make law and order arrangements. However, it is observed that hardly any effort is made by the district authorities to ensure smooth flow of traffic on the NH-1. The tightlipped officials, too, admit that the politicians from all parties take liberty in maintaining decorum on the GT Road. In the past two months, at least two major traffic blockades were reported from this township. On January 20, traffic on the highway was disrupted for more than one hour when local Congress MLA Balbir Pal Shah arranged a rousing welcome in support of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. In another instance, the “vijay sankalp yatra” organised by the BJP caused traffic jam on March 3 when “overexcited” workers encroached upon the entire stretch from Baburpur to Noorwala on the GT Road. Despite all this, the authorities concerned have not done anything. Instead, they have readily available excuses for not taking any action against the peoples’ representatives. But the residents have demanded strict action against such people so that smooth flow of traffic can be ensured. “It is shameful that politicians, including those from the governing party, make a mockery of the law. The administration should take preventive action,’’ said Surinder Suneja, a local resident. Another resident said the top party leadership should act responsibly and avoid processions on the busy roads.
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Literacy drive makes rural women see life
Fatehabad, March 6 Parmeshwari Devi (33) has been coming to this bank every year for the renewal of her crop loan and the manager used to get her thumb impression on the papers. However, ever since she came in contact with volunteers of the Zila Saksharta Samiti (ZSS), her life seems to have changed forever. Parmeshvari was illiterate when she came to her husband’s house after marriage 18 years back. Now, she can not only write her name but also read newspapers. Not only this, she along with other women of her neighbourhood now plan to start their own candle-making venture, the training for which, too, was provided by the ZSS. Narrating her experience during a meeting of neo-literates held at the local mini secretariat recently, Parmeshwari said she faced a lot of problems whenever she had to come to the town alone. While catching a bus for going back to the village she had to face embarrassing moments whenever she asked someone where that bus was bound. She usually got terse reply, “It’s written on the board”. Now, she does not have to depend on anyone for boarding the right bus, thanks to the training received at the hands of “akshar sainiks” of the ZSS. The post-literacy campaign of the district is in its final stages and deputy commissioner O.P. Sheoran, who is also the chairman of the ZSS, went a step further by not only providing basic education to the rural women but also providing them some vocational training. The DC tied up with the directorate of extension education, Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, for this purpose and till now two batches of 50 neo-literates each, mostly women, have received training in candle making, bee keeping, mushroom growing, vermin compost making, pickles and jam making. Many more are in line for getting the training. Satish Jain, city magistrate, Talking to The Tribune, Sheoran said the authorities had planned to constitute self-help groups of neo-literates and provide them loans with subsidies from various government departments and banks. When some people start a venture collectively by setting up self-help groups they not only become eligible for many government schemes but could also look after all aspects of the business like production and marketing effectively, he added.
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Separate gurdwara panel
Chandigarh, March 6 Immediately after forming the government, the Congress showed enthusiasm and even drafted a Bill for the creation of a separate SGPC for Haryana. However, at the last moment, the government did not introduce the Bill in the assembly, though parliamentary affairs minister Randeep Singh Surjewala had told newsmen before the session that the draft Bill was ready and would be introduced. The protagonists of the separate SGPC like Didar Singh Nalvi, general secretary of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Prabhandhak Committee ad hoc, feel that the last minute-change of heart was induced by the intervention of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who did not want to give an excuse to the Akalis to dub the Congress as “anti-Sikh”. Instead the government resorted to the well-tried delaying tactic - it constituted a committee under the chairmanship of the then Speaker Harmohinder Singh Chatha to study all aspects of the issue. Later, Chatha became the agriculture minister, but he continues to head the panel. The Chatha committee invited affidavits in support/opposition of the separate SGPC. It is believed that almost all affidavits received by the committee were in support of the separate SGPC. Still the committee has not been able (or not willing) to submit its report. Though Chatha had told newsmen a few weeks ago that he would submit the report during the forthcoming budget session of the assembly, it is learnt that it may not be so as Chatha is “studying” all legal aspects of the issue. The HSGPC has now again written to AICC president Sonia Gandhi and Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, urging them to introduce a Bill for the creation of a separate committee for managing gurdwaras in Haryana. Reminding Sonia about her party’s promise,
leaders of the HSGPC regretted that the failure of the Congress government to fulfill its promise had “caused unprecedented disappointment, gloom and frustration among the Sikhs of Haryana.” They alleged that “obviously, the Haryana government has succumbed to the veiled or unveiled pressure of Prakash Singh Badal and has decided to ignore the interests of its own over 17 lakh Sikhs spread over more than 30 assembly constituencies of the state.” The HSGPC recalled that when the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, was passed, the Akali representatives in Parliament had “voluntarily agreed to the formation of a separate committee for the management of gurdwaras in Haryana, by the Sikhs of Haryana, independent of the SGPC, Amritsar.” They assured Sonia that “secular Sikhs of Haryana sincerely want to strengthen secular forces in the state, the Congress being the leading player in this game. We, the Sikhs of Haryana, again extend our hand of sincere cooperation on the pattern of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee if the Bill to form the separate HSGPC is passed by the Haryana assembly during its budget session starting March 7.” In their letter to Hooda, the HSGPC leaders wrote, “Rightly or wrongly, an impression has gone that if the separate SGPC is not formed during this budget session, it would not be formed thereafter. If it so happens, the Sikhs of Haryana shall nurse the feeling that actually the Haryana government never wants the Sikhs of the state to be independent of Akalis of Punjab. It is, therefore, most appropriate time to cash in on the sympathy of the Sikh masses generated during the past eight years.” Reminding Hooda of the words of Sir John Webster that “we think caged birds sing, while indeed they cry,” the letter said these words summed up the fate of the Haryana Sikhs.
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Yamunanagar tops in vasectomy
Yamunanagar, March 6 In 2006, the local branch topped in NSVs with 561 cases, followed by Hyderabad (89) and Pune (51) branches. It is to be mentioned here that no NSV was performed in Panchkula, Solapur, North Kanara, Jabalpur, Kanpur, Dindigul, Dharwada, Chennai, Bijapur, Bidar, Bangalore and Ahmedabad branches of the FPA. Our branch is the pioneer in NSVs, claims Manisha Bajaj, president of the FPA, Yamunanagar. In 2006, 561 NSVs were performed at our branch which is by far the highest among all 42 FPA branches in the country and in 2007, we motivated 275 persons to adopt this method of family planning, she says, adding that this February, 76 males of the district got NSV done at the FPA hospital here. “In the latest camp, two acceptors of NSV had only one child and 33 had two children,” informs Manisha. “Two-third of the acceptors were less than age of 35 years,” she adds. The purpose of promoting NSV technique is not just to pull up the number of acceptors but also to make men aware on their contribution in improving the health of women. It has generally been seen that most of the family planning contraceptive methods are being used and applied by women that ultimately affects their reproductive health. “Even if a woman does not want to give birth to a child, she will have to face the burden of undergoing abortion, which affects the overall reproductive health of women,” Manisha says.
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History backs HC bench in Rewari
Rewari, March 6 The demand has been endorsed by justice Pritam Pal of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and administrative judge of sessions division, Rewari, who described it as appropriate when a memorandum in this regard was presented by Naresh Chauhan, advocate and convener of "Nyay Aap Ke Dwar" campaign, to Chief Justice Vijender Kumar Jain, here recently. The demand also found a robust protagonist in Raghu Yadav, a firebrand politician of Ahirwal. While asserting that Chandigarh was beyond the reach of lakhs of poor people of South Haryana (comprising Rewari, Mahendragarh, Gurgaon, Faridabad, Mewat and Jhajjar districts), owing to its remoteness and non-availability of cheap and convenient means of transport, Chauhan and Yadav asked if it was not the consequential responsibility of the successive state governments to bring high court's services within the easy and inexpensive reach of these hapless people. Regarding the justification of its establishment in Rewari, it has been pointed out that in the first place, Rewari, known as the London of Ahirwal, is very well connected by rail and road with other parts of the state, particularly South Haryana. Secondly, it is the native town of the late Sir Shadi Lal, who was the first Indian Chief Justice of the then Lahore High Court (from 1920 to 1934) and played a prominent role in the legal history of Punjab. Thirdly, the existence of Mufti ki Haveli (stately mansion of Islamic jurists) in Mohalla Muftiwara here graphically signifies that the Mogul rulers set up a court of justice in Rewari in the early 18th century. Further, it was just equivalent to a Bench of our present high court where even capital punishment was awarded to hardened criminals by the Muftis (prominent Islamic jurists). Thus, according to Chauhan and Yadav, the setting up a Bench here would just be a revival of the Mufti's court which very much existed here in the 18th and early 19th centuries. Stating that if a Bench of the high court is established here and named after Sir Sahdi Lal, they said it would be a befitting tribute to this eminent son of Rewari. They also wanted local ministers, legislators and other prominent citizens to take up the issue with the higher authorities concerned to ensure its expeditious accomplishment.
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Special occasion for special kids
Sirsa, March 6 Disha, an institute for the rehabilitation of special children, had organised this programme recently on its annual day. Poonam Natrajan, chairperson of the National Trust, set up for the welfare of special children under the ministry of social justice and empowerment, was the chief guest of the occasion. Fancy dress competition, group dance, Rajasthani dance and group songs by the children were liked by one and all present on the occasion. Speaking on the occasion, Natrajan said the administration was in the process to start health insurance for persons suffering from the above-mentioned disabilities and talks were afoot with several insurance companies. She said the scheme would be launched on March 26 and initially it would be implemented in 10 districts as a pilot project. She added that the Trust had sent a proposal to the central government that subjects relating to the treatment of persons suffering from these disabilities should be included in the syllabi of all medical colleges providing MBBS degrees so that medical graduates could be taught and sensitised towards the needs of such persons. K.C. Bhardwaj, vice-chancellor of CLDU, Sirsa, said the university would explore the possibility of starting B.Ed (Special Education) course looking into the demand of the area. Deputy commissioner V. Umashankar exhorted people to come forward for the welfare and rehabilitation of special children. SP Vikas Arora said NGOs had a greater role to play in this direction though the government had initiated several schemes for special children. Surender Bhatia, secretary of the organisation, gave an account of the activities of Disha, while Geeta Kathuria compeered the function.
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Strict norms to check vector-borne diseases
Panchkula, March 6 n
Amendments proposed to municipal bylaws n
Stress laid on the use of medicinal plants n
Doctors to be trained in the homoeopathy, Unani and Siddha systems Apart from other provisions, the amendment would make it mandatory for the owners of residential and commercial properties not to have any breeding spot for vector. Commissioner and secretary, health, Navraj Sandhu while presiding over a meeting of the state-level malaria working committee last week said one would have to take anti-larval measures right from the start of the construction activity. Reviewing the strategy to check the menace of four vector-borne diseases namely malaria, dengu, Japanese encephalitis and chikungunya, Sandhu stressed that in addition to usual measures, the Department of Ayurvedic, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) would also be actively involved in this drive. AYUSH would train doctors of homeopathy, Unani and Siddha systems of medicines in the prevention and treatment of vector-borne diseases, she said. Stressing upon the use of plants with medicinal values, Sandhu said people should be educated in the use of those medicinal plants. It was informed in the meeting that citronella grass could effectively meet such requirements. Oil extracted from this grass, if rubbed on body, can repel mosquitoes. It was suggested that this grass could be grown on wastelands or commercially. It was also informed that another plant known as "kalmegh" was being successfully used for the same purpose in Chhattisgarh and this could also function as a liver tonic. It was also suggested that "desi aak" (calotropisprocera), being insect repellant, should not be uprooted from areas around ponds.
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Inside Babudom
Chandigarh, March 6 This, however, does not mean that IPS officers are not happy with the regime headed by Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. The state government has been quite generous with the demands coming from the police headquarters from time to time. Recently, the government conceded to the demand of giving laptops to all IPS officers. Malhi and Sinha, it is believed, are keen to go on central deputation because the long tenure of the incumbent Haryana DGP R.S. Dalal does not leave any opportunity for either of them to ever become DGP of Haryana. The other IPS officers, making a beeline for central deputation, are probably of the view that a stint with the central government will be good from the career perspective. Two IPS officers are also slated to return to the state from the centre. One of them is Sudhir Chowdhary and the other is B.K. Sinha. Incidentally, Sinha, who was working with the Sports Authority of India (SAI) in New Delhi, had run into some trouble while working as the secretary, SAI. The month of April, which is also the month when the new financial year begins, is the time when transfer and postings of police officers usually take place. While Sudhir Chowdhary and B.K. Sinha are expected to figure in the list of transfers and postings, there may be changes in district SPs also around that time. This is because Alok Mittal, SP, Faridabad, and A.S. Chawla, SP, Karnal, are both in the queue for promotion as DIGs. Once these two are promoted, new SPs will have to be appointed in the two districts. The promotion of one IPS officer as ADGP is also on the cards. R.N. Chahalia, ADGP, will retire at the end of this month. Shriniwas Vashisht, IGP, is expected to get promotion as ADGP after Chahalia's retirement. Vashisht is the only 1981-batch IPS officer in the state.
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Citizens’ Grievances
Haryana is heading towards medieval times. If you want to see how people lived in ancient India without electricity and water supply, come to Ambala. Thanks to the Uttar Haryana Viduit Vitran Nigam Ltd and the state government, who have failed miserably in providing adequate water and power supply to its people. The residents here are using kerosene lamps to light their homes. Students, too, are forced to read under candlelight. And for water wells and hand pumps come in handy in the absence of piped water supply. Rakesh Chaudhry, Ambala Cantt Anticipated posts of HCS
A special selection committee of the Punjab and Haryana High Court which conducted the recruitment in the cadre of HCS (judicial branch) late last year had even advertised and filled the anticipated vacancies of civil judges in addition to the actual posts. The advertisement for the recruitment had cited the ruling of the Supreme Court in a case titled "Malik Mazhar Sultan Vs UPPSC" of 2006. However, the aforesaid ruling had nowhere directed to fill the anticipated posts in advance. Instead in an earlier ruling, the SC had deprecated the practice of filling additional posts in advance as it deprives the candidates, who were not eligible at the time of advertisement but acquire eligibility later on, of an opportunity to compete for public employment. The Haryana government should look into the matter and ought to remove this discrepancy lest the courts take a stern view. Hemant Kumar, Synthetic milk products
The sale of adulterated milk and synthetic milk products goes on unabated in the town but no steps are being taken to curb it. About 250 milkmen from surrounding villages supply milk here daily. To make up the difference between the demand and supply, various methods are being used to prepare artificial milk. A bag of milk powder that costs around Rs 80 produces 10 lt of milk and is usually mixed with equal quantity of natural milk. This process costs the seller Rs 200 per 20 lt of milk while the same is sold at the rate of Rs 16-17 per lt. Some milkmen even mix dirty water from ponds in the milk to make it viscous. The chemicals used for the preservation of milk, including hydrogen peroxide, urea, common salt, caustic soda, boric powder etc, are injurious to health. Surinder Pal Singh Wadhawan,
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More funds sought for sainik schools
Rewari, March 6 Describing the present allocation of Rs 44 crore for these schools as a paltry sum, Naresh Chauhan, general secretary of the RLSS, said these needed preferential treatment in the matter of allocation of funds. Pleading for a special provision to provide at least 50 per cent of the total annual expenditure on these schools out of the defence budget, Chauhan urged the finance minister to raise the existing number of sainik schools from 22 to 30.
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Loan waiver dates back to 1980s
Hisar, March 6 Political analysts say the INLD could have easily stolen at least a part of the thunder from the Congress had it been quick to claim the credit for being the party that first raised the issue and actually delivered a waiver in 1990. But, this did not happen and the party's response to the issue was highly subdued. Analysts said the INLD, being an avatar of Devi Lal's erstwhile Lok Dal, was the only party that could have actually gained from the Congress largesse. Devi Lal had raised the demand in mid-eighties but delivered the waiver in 1990 after he became Deputy Prime Minister in the V.P. Singh cabinet. At that time, the centre had announced that all outstanding farm loans to the extent of Rs 10,000 per farmer would be waived off. The waiver became a reality only because of Devi Lal's stubborn insistence on this issue in the wake of stiff opposition within the government both at political and bureaucratic levels. This was despite the fact that the then Janata Dal under V.P. Singh had promised a waiver in its poll manifesto. Devi Lal's loan waiver demand was initially restricted to Haryana as till 1987 his political ambitions were restricted to ruling Haryana. As Devi Lal consolidated his position in the run up to the 1987 elections on this issue, both Bansi Lal and before him Bhajan Lal pooh-poohed the whole issue saying it was impossible to write off farm loans. Bansi Lal even pleaded with the people that had it been possible to write off farm loans, he would have been the first to do so. The Congress had taken this stand in Haryana before the 1987 elections despite the fact in the early eighties Rajiv Gandhi himself had toyed with the idea of a waiver. The vehement opposition to Devi Lal's promise by the Congress failed to bring it back to power in Haryana and Devi Lal decimated the Congress in 1987. Later, when he began hobnobbing with the likes of N.T. Rama Rao and V.P. Singh, he took up the issue at the national level. A quick tour of the countryside after the waiver announcement revealed that despite hastily organised celebrations by the Haryana Congress leaders after the announcement of the budget to claim credit for the waiver, the fact remained that the farmers in general did not fail to remind anyone who cared to listen that it was Devi Lal who had shown that it was entirely possible to gift such a huge waiver to farmers. The peasants were also quick to recall that both Bhajan Lal and Bansi Lal the then leading lights of the Congress in Haryana had dismissed Devi Lal's demand as utter nonsense coming from an illiterate politician. While the merits of such a waiver are being debated, it remains a fact that Devi Lal's waiver had brought the banking system in the country to a halt. It hurt the cooperative banks more so and ruined their economies. While it took a long time for big banks to recover from the after effects, the cooperative banking system is still reeling under its impact.
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Remains of Indus age found in Jhajjar
Jhajjar, March 6 The archaeologists have been carrying out excavations at a place known as Baba Sarang Dev, over one acre of land, for about a week. The excavators recovered pottery during their early phase, which indicated the historical significance of the site. Inspired by the initial findings, the team began its mission and started digging five different trenches measuring 4 by 4 m. Dr Amar Singh, head of the MDU team, said the recovery of articles such as pottery, goblets, and maniks (used in manimala, a string of pearls) reminiscent to the remains of Indus Valley civilisation. The remains indicated that it was a small helmet during the Indus civilization. "The excavation could help explore rural life of that civilisation. We will reach up to the natural soil deep at the site and it could take a few months time," Dr Amar Singh, professor of the archaeology, said. He said that must be a rural hamlet located at an elevated area here. The total area of the site is around one acre or 5,000 sq yd. He said there were many sites, which had given a glimpse of the urban life in the Indus civilisation, but this site would reveal about the rural way of life of the corresponding times. He informed that Kurukshetra University professor Suraj Bhan had discovered this site about 30 years ago, but not much work was done here. However, a research scholar from Delhi University came to the site for research work about a month ago and found remains of ancient pottery. "After that, we along with a team from Delhi University led by Dr R.N. Thankran approached the Archaeological Survey of India for permission to carry out excavation," Dr Amar Singh said. He added that the entire excavation process was likely to continue for more than a month. More teams from Delhi University followed by Jawahar Lal Nehru (JNU) University would arrive here for excavation purpose, he said.
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Ambala MC loses battle against stray cattle
Ambala, March 6 The cattle can be seen everywhere, in the main markets like Sadar Bazaar, Rai Market, Nicalson Road and the bus stand area. The situation in the outer colonies is worst. A campaign launched by the council failed to yield any result. Recently, a few social organisations have decided to take up the issue, and launch an agitation if the council failed to take concrete steps in this regard. Chairman of the Manav Sewa Kendra Vimal Prakash Aggarwal said various orgainsations would jointly put pressure on the council to check the menace. He said everyday a number of citizens have to face this nuisance. He alleged that the council president had never taken up this issue in a serious way. Chairman of another social organisation Geeta Gopal has suggested that a meeting of prominent citizens should be summoned on this issue. The office-bearers of goshalas have also offered their support. A senior lawyer of Ambala Cantt, Ajay Jain, said it was one of the major problems of the cantonment, but the authorities never took it seriously. It is to be mentioned that that more than 300 dairies exist in the Ambala Sadar area. During the regime of previous government, a scheme was finalised to shift the dairies outside the area. A piece of land was also acquired for the purpose in an adjoining village, but the council did not follow it the case in a proper way even though the government had provided grant for the purpose. Neelam Sharma, chairman of the council, said the council had been doing every effort to check the menace.
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RTI Act simplified
Gurgaon, March 6 Dr Abhe Singh Yadav, additional deputy commissioner, Gurgaon, has tried to simplify the law for the common man by writing a book titled "Right to Information Act 2005 - An Analysis". The book is available in both English as well as Hindi languages. While talking to the Tribune, Yadav, a student of law, revealed that he found it very strange that even though the RTI Act had come into force, government machinery and citizens were not utilising it properly. He said his working experience in the State Information Commission, Haryana, inspired him to author a book, which was free from legal complexities and help the public to understand the Act. Yadav said the government officials were still afraid of making disclosures, which might be in the interest of the public. He said in his book, he had tried to highlight the basic provisions and norms of the Act for the education of the public and also suggested how the government machinery should follow it. He revealed that there was no doubt that this Act had simple and easy provisions. People were steadily coming to know of their rights under the law and it would take some time before they question the government on matters detrimental to the public interest. He said he tried to touch all possible problems faced by the public as well as the government officials relating and had made an effort to give simple and brief solutions. Yadav said the Act provided a ray of hope to the affected people as it could be used to expose and penalise people responsible for misadministration. He was of the opinion that if the law was properly implemented, the problems of the corruption, misuse of power and harassment of the common people would be resolved. It would also make the system transparent, accountable and simple. This act would empower the people, especially in the rural areas, who were hoodwinked in the name of development to question the authorities about the end results, he added. Yadav said his next book on writ jurisdiction and its efficacy would be on the shelf by the end of next month. He said in the book, he had added the blueprints of his Ph.D on the efficacy of writ jurisdiction in socio legal critiques.
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Samiti to form society on Indian warriors
Kurukshetra, March 6 The members expressed their concern over the pampering of foreign invading kings like Akbar, Babar and Aurangzeb at the cost of nationalist Hindu warriors of the medieval period. They alleged that movies like “Jodhaa Akbar” pamper foreign invading kings like Akbar, who was involved in looting and killing of thousands of innocent Indians. Such movies give a bad presentation of history to young students. The meeting also decided that a memorial would be located between Panipat and Rewari and the formal inauguration of the society would be held on April 7 at Panipat.
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