Panipat, August 20
Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today called upon the youth to work unitedly to achieve the goals set by former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Addressing a gathering at a “sankalp rally” organised by the president of the state Youth Congress, Sanjay Chhokar, the Chief Minister said the youth should follow the high standards set by Rajiv Gandhi.

Paying tributes to the former Prime Minister on his 65th birth anniversary, Hooda said he had played an important role in ushering in a new era of development in the country, the fruits of which were being reaped by the countrymen today.

Striking a cord with the youth, he said it was Rajiv who had reduced the voting age from 21 to 18 to empower the young generation so that they could participate in the democratic process of the country.

Stating that the Assembly elections in the state were “close by”, Hooda said the youth should come forward to further strengthen the state Congress.

Earlier, the Chief Minister unveiled a statue of freedom fighter Chaman Lal Ahuja.

REWARI: Hooda garlanded a statue of Rajiv Gandhi at Rajiv Chowk here on Thursday.

He later unveiled a life-size statue of the late Rao Abhey Singh, father of a local minister, Capt Ajay Singh Yadav, at Rao Abhey Singh Chowk. He also inaugurated the new Police Lines complex here and the academic block of the Postgraduate Regional Centre in Mirpur village near here.

Setting at rest all criticism from the Opposition regarding the speculative displacement of the Central university, the Chief Minister said the university would be established in Pali Jat village in Mahendragarh.

SIRSA/FATEHABAD: The birth anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi was celebrated as Sadbhavana Diwas.

Deputy Commissioner Yudhbir Singh Khyalia administered the oath of communal harmony to employees in the local mini-secretariat.

CG Rajini Kaanthan, Deputy Commissioner, Fatehabad, administered the oath outside the mini-secretariat in Fatehabad.

Government Sanskriti Model Senior Secondary School organised a rally of schoolchildren to mark the Rajiv Gandhi Renewable Energy Day at Sirsa.

A seminar and slogan competition on renewable energy was organised in the seminar hall of Chaudhary Devi Lal University, Sirsa.

KURUKSHETRA: On the birth anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi, the Sangharsh Samiti of the Ladwa-Babain Assembly constituency celebrated Sadbhavana Diwas on the premises of the new grain market, Pipli, 5 km from here, on Thursday.

Chandigarh, August 20
Speculation about an early poll in Haryana may eventually end tomorrow with a Cabinet meeting to decide on the dissolution of the Assembly. Although indications of the Cabinet recommending the dissolution of the House have come from government quarters and liberal hints have been given by central leaders of the Congress in this regard, the final decision on whether the elections will be advanced from February next year to October will taken at this crucial meeting.

This Cabinet meeting was to be held on August 18 right after a meeting of the Congress which was addressed by party in charge of Haryana affairs Prithviraj Chavan. However, the meeting had to be pushed forward following the death of Cabinet Minister Kartar Devi and the declaration of three-day mourning in the state.

Sources said the Cabinet would, in all probability, recommend the dissolution of the Assembly to Haryana Governor Jagannath Pahadia and it would be forwarded to the Election Commission as well.

The Congress government in the state has been keen on holding early elections in the state. A section of the Congressmen, enthused with the performance of the state government, were pressing for a poll along with the parliamentary elections. However, the idea did not click with the central leadership of the Congress and the matter ended.

With a near-sweep registered by the Congress in the general election, the demand for an early Assembly poll again began to gather momentum. It is learnt that leaders of the state unit met UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and urged her to consider an early poll.

At one point the rising voices of Congressmen advocating an early poll became somewhat subdued in the wake of the rising prices of essential commodities and deficient rain resulting in drought-like conditions.

However, the meeting of the central leaders, Chavan and B.K. Hariprasad, with MLAs and block presidents of the Congress and their message of poll readiness has indicated that early elections are on the cards. Also, in reply to a question, Chavan said it was the party high command and Election Commission’s prerogative to announce an early poll, adding that problems like drought-like conditions were dealt with by the government in a routine manner and could not be a reason for delaying the poll.

Gurgaon, August 20
The state government has fixed tariffs for purchasing electricity generated from renewable energy sources and signed an MOU with private investors for generation of 215 MW electricity with an investment of about Rs 1,000 crore. This was revealed by PWD and Irrigation Minister Capt Ajay Singh Yadav in the state-level Rajiv Gandhi Akshay Urja Diwas Programme organised at Apparel House here today.

The programme was organised to mark the birth anniversary of Late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. The minister also inaugurated the Rajiv Gandhi Akshay Urja Park constructed at a cost of Rs. 2.06 crore.

Capt Yadav said the state government had introduced a renewable energy policy under which electricity generation through renewable sources was given status of industry.

The minister said the state government had also introduced a new scheme named ‘Shiksa Deep’ to generate awareness about use of non-conventional energy devices through students. Under the scheme, the girl students who stood first in classes V, VIII, X and XII in their school in the rural areas would be presented a solar LED lantern free of cost.

He honoured the village panchayats for adopting renewable energy appliances. The panchayat of Jattal village in Panipat bagged first prize of Rs 4 lakh at the state level while panchayat of Durana village in Ambala stood second and was presented a cheque of Rs 3 lakh. The panchayat of village Bhagwanpur in district Panchkula was adjudged third and was given a cheque of Rs 2 lakh. Similarly, Laxmi Devi, Sarpanch of Iqbalpur village, stood first in Gurgaon and was presented a cheque of Rs 50,000 while Ganga Devi, panch of Nakhrola village, was rewarded with Rs 25,000 for being second. According to the minister, prizes of Rs 24 lakh were given to the village panchayats in the state.

In the state-level poster making competition, Chetna, a student of class IX, of Model School, Rohtak, bagged first prize of Rs 21,000 while Aarush, a student of class VIII, of Rishikul Vidyapeeth, Sonepat, stood second and was awarded Rs 15,000. Mitesh Kadian, student of class IX of DAV Centenary Public School, Rohtak, stood third was awarded with Rs 11,000.

Earlier in the morning, ‘Akshay Urja Daur’ (Run) was also organised to spread message of making optimum use of renewable energy appliances in which about 2,000 students participated.

Meanwhile in Sonepat, more than 500 students from different schools in the town today organised an awareness rally on the occasion of 65th birth anniversary of late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi being celebrated as Renewable Energy Day.

Karnal, August 20
The Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) planned to construct 17 power substations, including a 220 KV substation at Bastara and six 132 KV substations at Staundi, Dabri, Byana, Sita Mai, Nadana and Balla, to ensure better voltage and a regular supply of electricity to the rural areas of Karnal district.

The nigam also proposed to construct 10 new 33 KV substations at Gullarpur, Shahpur, Barauta, Kaimla, Kalram, Chochra, Shekhpura, Dadlana, Dabri and Raipur, besides commissioning half a dozen substations under construction, Chief Minister B.S.Hooda announced today.

The Chief Minister, who was on an inauguration and foundation stone laying spree during a tour of the district, inaugurated 132 KV power substations at Bhadson and Ramba and laid the foundation stones of 33 KV substations at Rindle and Rinsal in Karnal district.

Hooda also inaugurated a new subdivision at Indri.

He also laid the foundation stones of various projects and works to be executed at a cost of Rs 57.18 core.

Rohtak, August 20
The 40-day-old dharna by two kids and their grandparents to seek justice in the Alka suicide case and the consequent arrest of her husband came to an end after they were forcibly removed from the site last night.

The kids have reportedly been lodged in a children’s home. Nitisha (8) and Himanshu (7), who were on dharna since July 11 along with their grandparents, are demanding the release of their father, Sunil, and the withdrawal of the case against him, besides the arrest of those involved in the alleged gangrape of their mother, Alka, who had committed suicide outside the IG’s office here on May 6.

They have alleged that Sunil has been framed by the police in a bid to hide its ‘failure’ to arrest the culprits of the gangrape, which led to the death of their mother.

“The action by the authorities took place last night when a large number of officials and policemen in plainclothes, led by a DSP, reached the spot and asked the family to pack up and come with them.” When they resisted, the cops forcibly “bundled” them into a vehicle, claimed Sheela, sister of Sunil. She said the kids, who were crying, were separated from them and had been taken to an unknown place and they had not been allowed any contact with the children.

“No one from the administration or the police has been cooperating with us to get in touch with the children,” she claimed. The Deputy Commissioner, however, said the kids had been lodged in a children’s home at Rai in Sonepat district. He said the grandparents of the kids had accompanied them to Rai.

Justifying the action, he said everything was done as per the norms of the Juvenile Justice Act.

Meanwhile, Sunil, who was produced in a local court today, claimed that he was innocent and had been framed. He also moved the local court seeking direction to the authorities concerned for tracing his kids and parents, who were evicted from the dharna site last night.

The judicial remand of Sunil was extended till September 3. In 2006, Alka, wife of Sunil, was allegedly gangraped. After three years’ wait for justice, Alka and Sunil consumed poison outside the IG’s office here. While Alka died, Sunil survived and was arrested on July 11 after a case was registered against him.

Meanwhile, within hours of being removed from the dharna site, Sunil’s parents - Roop Chand (70) and Savitri (60)- came back here and sat in dharna again on Thursday.

Sirsa, August 20
The CBI continued its investigation in the case of the disappearance of Fakir Chand, a former manager of Dera Sacha Sauda, for the second day today.

SP Singh, SSP of the CBI, who led the team here on Wednesday, went back to Chandigarh today, while DSP Satish Dagar continued the investigation. Dagar recorded a detailed statement of Ram Kumar Bishnoi, on whose petition the Punjab and Haryana High Court had directed the agency to probe the case.

Dagar also grilled some followers of the dera in the local PWD Rest House.

Later, he recorded the statement of Anshul Chattarpati, Editor of a local evening daily and son of slain journalist Ram Chander Chhatarpati. Chhatarpati’s murder case was also probed by the CBI earlier and the case is now before the CBI court in Ambala.

Anshul had published a news item regarding the disappearance of Fakir Chand in his paper Poora Sach in 2004. The CBI team procured a copy of that day’s paper from Anshul.

Yamunanagar, August 20
All the mining sites of the district were auctioned for six months for an amount worth Rs 40.20 crore at the mining office here today.

The auction of sites turned out to be of much significant for the state, as it got an amount eight times more than what it had fetched last year. Besides Yamuna and seasonal rivulets, areas where a large number of mining sites are available include Chhachhroli and Khijrabad.

Although the government has increased its revenue, the rise in the price of auction sites will also led to hike of sand and stone rates. As a result, the cost of construction for common man would also increase. The sites were auctioned for six months only, as after this stipulated period it will become mandatory for the state government to get the clearance from the Centre as mandated, revealed the sources.

The auction was conducted by a five-member committee headed by Deputy Commissioner Amit Kumar Agarwal. A large number of police personnel were also deployed at the auction site, apprehending a law and order problem. The administration had fixed the reserve price of the mining sites Rs 40 crore. When the auction of the sites was held, a Delhi-based firm offered the highest bid of Rs 40.20 crore for the sites and contract was awarded to it.

Earlier, the auction was postponed to August 6 after a number of contractors had appealed to the DC to postpone the auction following a case related to it was pending in the high court.

Giving details, Deputy Commissioner Amit Kumar Agarwal said last year all the mining sites had been auctioned for Rs 10 crore for a year.

Chandigarh, August 20
The inordinate delay in conducting raids on traders by the Food and Supplies Department of Haryana to check the hoarding of essential commodities seems to have given them enough time to shift their stocks to “safe places”. No wonder, these raids have had no effect in controlling the spiralling prices of most food items across the state.

Though the state government had ordered the Food and Supplies Department to conduct searches of the premises of traders on August 12, the search operations actually began on August 17. This four-day delay in initiating the stock checking of traders allegedly gave the latter sufficient time to shift their stocks (beyond the limit prescribed by the state government) to “safe places” in the countryside. As a result, the raids conducted by the department on 559 traders have failed to find even a single defaulter.

Sources amongst the sugar traders informed The Tribune that traders in the state had hoarded a minimum of 1.25 lakh tonnes of sugar. This sugar was allegedly bought by the traders in March-April this year, when the wholesale sugar prices were hovering around Rs 2,500 per quintal. “The market was abuzz with news that the area under sugarcane cultivation was likely to remain low and that the sugar prices would shoot up. The traders had thus hoarded huge quantities of sugar. Now, the wholesale prices have gone up to Rs 3,250 per quintal and retail prices to Rs 3,500 per quintal. But because of the delay in checking the stocks of these traders, they have managed to shift their huge stockpiles to “safe places”, while maintaining the prescribed limit of sugar stocks (250 quintals for wholesaler and 25 quintals for retailer) at their godowns,” informed a sugar trader.

Officials in the Food and Supplies Department agree that there has been delay in conducting the raids. “We had issued the necessary directions to our field staff . But because August 14 to 16 were holidays, no raids could be conducted. However, we are on the job and will not allow any hoarding to take place,” said a senior official of the department.

He said that of the 559 traders, whose premises have been searched, 361 had already declared their stocks to the department, while the remaining 198 were found to have stocks according to the prescribed limit. 

Chandigarh, August 20
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has asked the Haryana Mining Commissioner and the Director, Department of Mines and Geology, to look into the allegations of illegal sand removal from Yamuna riverbed.

The directions by the Division Bench of Chief Justice Tirath Singh Thakur and Justice Kanwaljit Singh Ahluwalia follow a petition filed in public interest by Chand Singh and others.

The petitioners had contended the lessees were mining sand from Yamuna riverbed, without complying with the requirements of obtaining prior environmental clearance from the state-level environment impact assessment authority in terms of conditions in the auction notice.

The petitioners had further alleged representation to the Mining Commissioner had “fallen flat on the authorities”. As a result, illegal removal of sand at site without any clearance from the Environmental and Mining Department was going on unabated.

Haryana’s Additional Advocate-General Randhir Singh, on the other hand, submitted the Director and the Mining Commissioner could examine the petitioners’ representation. He also assured the court steps would also be adopted to ensure mining operations were not carried out without complying with the legal requirements of obtaining prior environmental clearance from the competent authority.

The Bench asserted: “In the circumstances, we see no reason as to why we should continue with the present proceedings especially when the question whether any environmental clearance has been obtained and in case no such permission has been obtained what action can be and ought to be taken against the defaulters, is a matter that can be effectively be handled by the Department of Mines and Geology.

“We, accordingly, dispose of this petition with a direction to the Director, Department of Mines and Geology and the Mining Commissioner, to look into the allegations of the petitioners regarding illegal removal of sand from the Yamuna riverbed and in particular regarding the absence of environmental clearance from the authority concerned and to pass appropriate order on the subject expeditiously but not later than six weeks from the date of the order’s copy is received by the Director and the Commissioner”.