Gurgaon, April 19
Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda reprimanded representatives of DS Construction Company, the concessionaire entrusted with the work of the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) expressway for the delay in the completion.

During his recent visit to the district to inspect the progress of work on the project, the Chief Minister directed them to expedite the work and also ordered state as well as district officials to keep reviewing the progress and send the report to him.

Accompanied by government officials and advisers, Hooda first had an aerial inspection of the KMP Expressway from Kundli to Manesar and then his helicopter landed at Manesar from where he inspected the progress of the work by road.

The CM’s cavalcade then reached Pachgaon village in the district, where the KMP expressway intersects the national highway no. 8. On noticing that the work of raising pillars for the elevated expressway across NH-8 was left midway and no work was going on, Hooda sought an explanation from DS Construction Company.

Gurgaon deputy commissioner Rajender Kataria apprised the Chief Minister with the progress of the work on the flyover, which has been lying abandoned for more than two months. YS Malik, state financial commissioner (industries) maintained that the concessionaire had been given the possession of the land acquired for the expressway.

The company authorities promised could have suggested such measures to plug revenue leakage. But it is for the political rulers to judge if a bureaucratic measure would suit their constituency or not. It seems advisers to the Chief Minister failed to advise him properly about the implications of the extension of the scope of form ST-38.

The traders were of the view that the form would only lead to corruption and be a source of harassment for them. The INLD and the BJP also supported the traders.

Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has ordered that the notification should be withdrawn immediately.

Meanwhile, in view of the bumper wheat crop, the government has withdrawn the stock limits fixed early this year. Now anyone can stock any quantity of wheat, but retailers, wholesalers and distribution agents would have to inform the Food and Supplies Department after every 15 days about the quantity of the wheat stock with them.

Hisar, April 19
State Information Commissioner Meenaxi Anand Chaudhry has imposed a penalty of Rs 25,000 on the State Public Information Officer-cum-Assistant Registrar, Kurukshetra University, for delaying and supplying inaccurate and incomplete information to an applicant under the Right to Information Act.

Significantly, this is the highest penalty the SIC can impose on a PIO for delaying or supplying wrong information to an applicant. The SIC is empowered to impose a penalty of Rs 250 on a PIO for each day of the delay subject to a maximum of Rs 25000.

A local RTI activist, Anil Bhatiya, had sought to know from Kurukshetra University the rule under which it was sending its nominees and subject experts on selection committees constituted by the DAV College Managing Committee, New Delhi, for appointment of principals and lecturers of DAV Colleges in Haryana.

In reply the university stated on October 12, 2009, that it was sending its nominees and approving the selections under clauses 5 and 7 (I) of the Haryana Affiliated Colleges (Security of Service) Rules, 2006.

Dissatisfied with the response, the applicant went in appeal before the SIC. Meanwhile, in response to the same query raised by Bhatiya in another application, the university submitted on March 9, 2010, that it was sending its nominees as per directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in the writ petition 7388 of May 21, 1990.

Observing the discrepancy the SIC noted in her order that the university not only delayed the supply of information, it supplied different information under different applications raising the same query. She also observed that the university's earlier contention that it was sending nominees under the Haryana Affiliated Colleges (Security of Service) Rules was wrong as these rules empowered only the governing body of the college concerned to exercise such functions and receive approvals.

In effect, this implied that the DAV College Managing Committee, New Delhi, had no locus standi in the matter.

Chaudhry noted in her order of April 5 that the respondent, SPIO Ram Kishan, had failed to explain the delay of 138 days in furnishing accurate and complete information to the applicant. She also stated that the SPIO concerned had failed to show that he had acted diligently in discharge of his obligations under the RTI Act.

She imposed a penalty of Rs 25000, being the maximum penalty that could be imposed, on the SPIO. The amount has to be deposited in the treasury within 20 days of the issue of the order. She also directed that if the SPIO failed to deposit the penalty within the stipulated period, the drawing and disbursing officer of Kurukshetra University will deduct the amount from the SPIO's salary for April payable in May.

RTI activists have hailed the decision, saying that it would serve as a warning to the PIOs supplying misleading information to applicants under the RTI Act.

Sukhbir Kataria, Haryana Minister of State for Agriculture and Cooperatives, Rao Dharampal, Badshahpur MLA, SS Deswal, Gurgaon police commissioner, and Alok Mittal, joint commissioner of police were also present.

It may be recalled that the construction of the 135.65-km-long KMP expressway commenced in 2006.

The expressway, originating from Kundli in Sonepat district, would culminate at Palwal after passing through Jhajjar, Rohtak and Gurgaon districts. It will connect four national highways, including NH-1, NH-10, NH-8 and NH-2. It will also connect state highways no. 19, 22 and 13.

The 30-m-wide expressway has 287 pipe culverts, 61 pedestrian crossings, 31 cattle crossings, 33 agriculture vehicle underpasses, 36 major and minor bridges and four railway over-bridges (ROBs). It will have 10 toll plazas and four lay-byes for trucks and buses. 

Ambala, April 19
Surender Kaur, captain of the national women hockey team and recipient of the Arjuna Award, has recently engaged to a local boy, Nitin Sabharwal, who is also passionate about hockey. He has several times represented Haryana in the interuniversity hockey championships.

Nitin, son of a senior hockey coach and a resident of Ambala City, has done M Phil in physical education and has recently got a government job. The ring ceremony was solemnised recently.

Surender Kaur, a hockey player of international fame, has brought laurels to her native town, Shahbad. Now after her getting married in Ambala, the city would get an opportunity to be proud of this champion.

Surender came to be known as "goal machine" after she hit 15 goals in the Junior Asia Cup in 2000. Being a national sports personality, the state government has decided to appoint her as DSP.

Surender, who was the lone Indian player in the World-11 hockey team, gives credit of her success to her coach Baldev Singh. Prem Nath, father of Nitin, said Surender would participate in various hockey championships to be held in New Zealand, France and China.

“She would be having some free time after participation in the Commonwealth Games by the end of November this year. Only then both families would decide on the marriage date,” he added.

Naresh Sabharwal, Nitin’s mother, said the girl had desired to continue playing hockey even after marriage. “Nitin is very happy as his wish of marrying a player would be fulfilled,” she added.

Ambala, April 19
Members of the Ambala Bar Association are upset over the decision of the police administration not to allow them to park vehicles in the court complex at Ambala City.

With around 700 lawyers practising in Ambala courts, and they need sufficient space for parking their vehicles. The offices of the DC, SDM, tehsildar, DDPO and other senior administrative officers are located adjoining to the court complex. Hundreds of people visit these offices everyday and park their vehicles there , creating chaos outside the court complex.

Since the shifting of courts to the new court complex, no proper parking arrangements were made for the lawyers, forcing them to park their vehicles here and there. Most lawyers earlier used to park their cars in the open space of the court complex but after the murder of a gangster in the court complex a month back the police tightened security and prohibited the entry of lawyers' vehicles in the court complex.

The lawyers alleged that the police had been allowing the vehicles of employees of various courts and other offices but not those belonging to the lawyers.

The agitated lawyers have organised a meeting of the Bar on this issue. The president of the Ambala Bar Association said that a five-member committee of senior lawyers had been constituted to finalise the new site for parking of lawyers' vehicles. He expressed hope that the matter would be resolved soon.

Chandigarh, April 19
The Food and Supplies Department has issued model citizens' charter for the targeted public distribution system (TPDS) to ensure its effective implementation to the best advantage of beneficiaries with full transparency and efficiency of operations and accountability of the authorities implementing it.

As per the charter, the TPDS benefits the poorest of the poor identified families under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and those categorised as BPL. As regards people above the poverty line, the benefits under the TPDS are restricted as per instructions issued from time to time.

As per the Union Government, in Haryana, there are 7.89 lakh BPL families. The identification of BPL and AAY families is being done by the departments of rural development and urban development of the state. As per the survey conducted by these departments, there are 12.97 lakh BPL families. The families that had not been included in the Union Government's list of BPL families have been put into a separate list termed as the state BPL list.

The APL/BPL/AAY families are issued green/yellow/pink coloured ration cards, respectively. The BPL and AAY families are given 35 kg of wheat per ration card per month. The BPL families are given wheat at the rate of Rs 4.84 per kg and AAY families at the rate of Rs 2.10 per kg. These families are also given 2 kg of sugar per ration card per month at the rate of Rs 13.50 per kg.

The Haryana State Federation of Consumer's Cooperative Wholesale Stores Ltd. (CONFED) is the wholesale nominee of the state government to lift food grains from godowns as per allocation and ensure the doorstep delivery of the same at each fair price shops latest by the 10th of each month. Only food grains of fair average quality duly approved by the district-level committees are lifted.

Inspectors and sub-inspectors of the Food and Supplies Department inspect each fair price shop and submit a monthly PDS diary of the shops allotted to them. Details about the distribution of essential commodities are highlighted in the PDS diary. All district food and supplies controllers, district food and supplies officers and assistant food and supplies officers are required to submit a monthly PDS diary of 2, 2 and 8 fair price shops, respectively. These shops are also inspected by senior officers of the Directorate of Food and Supplies Department from time to time.

In the charter, the citizens have been urged not to misuse the facilities and indulge in or encourage any malpractice and if they find any irregularity in the distribution of essential commodities, they should immediately report the matter to the authorities.

Sonepat, April 19
The newly formed Teachers' Welfare Association of Bhagat Phool Singh Mahila Vishwavidyalaya, Khanpur Kalan, has put forwarded a number of demands to the university authorities for the welfare of students, faculties and non-teaching staff of the university which came into being about four years ago.

In a press statement, Dr Pawan Kumar, president of the association, demanded setting up of a club for teachers and students in the university to promote academic interaction and suggested developing one of the professors' quarters as teachers' club till an independent teachers' club building comes up.

He urged the authorities to set up a shopping complex in the university as it was situated in a rural area without any market. Setting up of a separate library with ultra-modern facilities has become the need of the hour and it should remain open round-the-clock for the students staying in the campus, he added.

He appreciated the Chief Minister of the state for allocating a sports complex to the university at a function held on August 14, 2009, but pointed out that nothing substantial has been done so far by the university administration in the regard.

Demanding free medical consultation facilities for the faculty on the pattern of Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, he asked the university to appoint a panel of physicians of different specialisations for the same.

He suggested that ultra-modern teaching methods should be adopted in the university and for the same the authorities should equip the faculty members with laptops and classrooms with LCD projectors.

He also demanded that the administration should sponsor four academic conferences/symposiums/seminars/workshops for every teacher per year instead of sponsoring one as the case was now.

He also pointed out that the university was still deducting a licence fee of five per cent of the basic salary for the houses allocated to the faculty members in spite of the fact that the above mentioned fee was fixed at the above rate in view of the fact that the state government provided Rs 398 only on account of HRA to the faculty members before the Sixth Pay Commission. However, now a teacher is entitled to 10 per cent of the basic salary as HRA and in view of this fact, the licence fee should be reduced to one per cent of the basic salary, he added. 

Yamunanagar, April 19
It is an irony that the old railway station situated in the town is still known as Jagadhri railway station which has been a source of inconvenience to locals as well as visitors.

The locals have demanded that the name should be changed to Yamunanagar-Jagadhri railway station or Yamunanagar railway station.

Besides, an overhead bridge at the railway station for pedestrians is a longstanding demand and lots of people have lost their lives while crossing the railway track.

People from distant places usually fail to find Yamunanagar railway station, complain the locals. Even the Yamunanagar-Jagadhri Chamber of Commerce and Industry recently gave representation to the Minister of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation and Minister of Tourism, Kumari Selja, expressing their problems and demanding that Jagadhri railway station to be renamed as Yamunanagar-Jagadhri railway station.

Giving details, Samira Saluja, president of the Yamunanagar-Jagadhri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the Chamber has requested the Union Minister that Yamunanagar is a big industrial town and a number of visitors come here by train. They have to cut a sorry figure whenever a ticket for Yamunanagar is asked. So we request for the benefits of the visitors and the locals that the railway station should be renamed.

"Township is 4-5 km away from the railway station. In olden days, there was a narrow gauge connecting Jagadhri to Jagadhri city, which was the reason for our railway station being called Jagadhri junction. Now, no narrow gauge even exists," she added.

Besides, there was a need to upgrade Jagadhri workshop to a railway coach factory. Now, it has only a railway coach repairing and dismantling facility. With a significant shift away from road travel to railway transport and metro, we, as industry, strongly recommend economical and financially viable intercity links, monorail type, and upgrading of the workshop facilities to a railway coach-making facility, she further said.

"We have been demanding an overhead bridge at the railway station here for pedestrians. There is a large number of population which lives on the other side of the railway track. Besides, there is great amount of industrial activity divided equally between the two sides of the track. In this connection, the Municipal Committee has also passed various resolutions, but nothing happened till date," said Devinder Singh, a resident of Sector-17, HUDA; and Jagbir Singh of Yamunanagar.

Sirsa, April 19
The Haryana government has approved an ambitious Rs 359-crore project for Sirsa district to provide 70-litre drinking water per day per person in the rural areas.

This was disclosed by Gopal Kanda, Home, Industries and Sports Minister, while addressing a public meeting at Ding Mandi in Sirsa after inaugurating a tubewell for Dhani Majra.

Kanda said the Public Health Department had sanctioned schemes worth Rs 298 crore for the construction of water house and sewerage system in the district.

A Rs 40-crore drinking water project has been sanctioned for Ellenabad and adjoining cities, while another project worth Rs 11 crore has been sanctioned for Kalawali. Besides, Rs 1 crore is being spent on setting up tubewells, with 15 having already been installed.

Kanda directed officers to ensure adequate water in ponds for cattle in the rural areas. Sirsa district, he said, is far ahead of others in terms of development and in power sector alone, projects worth Rs 300 crore had been sanctioned.

As many as 15 powerhouses would be built and a 440KV power plant, connected with Khedar, would be set up in Nuhiyawali village to ensure 18 to 20 hour power supply in the district.

Earlier, the minister switched on the project connecting Ding village with urban power system which would ensure the people of Ding and adjoining villages to get power on the pattern of the urban areas.

Kanda also inspected the construction work on the railway over bridge at Sirsa and said it would be dedicated to the people by September.

He assured the people of Ding that all their demands would be considered sympathetically by the government. A sports stadium would be constructed at Ding at the cost of Rs 60 lakh, he added.

Rohtak, April 19
Four students of a private school here attended a two-day research programme at the Giant Meterwave Radio Telescope (GMRT) at Khodad in Maharashtra recently.

GMRT is a wing of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR). GMRT is the world's largest radio telescope and a worldclass instrument for studying astrophysical phenomena at low radio frequencies (40 to 1450 MHz).

The students were selected by Arun Kumar, an IIT alumnus, who has been involved in programmes aimed at popularising space science and robotics among school students. This was the first batch from the north zone. While four students were from Pathania Public School (PPS), Rohtak, one student was from Loyala School of Jharkhand.

The Rohtak students, Dipanshu Tyagi, Pulkit Balhara, Abhishek Saini and Hardik Sikka, said they were overwhelmed by the visit, which was very informative and educative.

Claiming that he wanted to make the arena of robotics and space science popular, Arun revealed that he was inspired by the work and support of eminent scientists like Dr JJ Rawal and Dr Narendra Bhandari.

Arun has decided to hold special summer camps on the subject in collaboration with various institutions in Himachal Pradesh this year.

Sonepat, April 19
The Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) and the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam (HVPN) have jointly made a comprehensive plan of above Rs 400 crore to strengthen the distribution and transmission system in the district in view of the annual load growth of over 12 per cent.

A spokesman said under the plan, setting up of one 400 KV substation at Deepalpur village, four 220 KV substations each at Mohana village, Nangal Kalan, HSIDC Barhi and HUDA Sector-6 in Sonepat had been approved. The power utilities had also sanctioned the construction of five 132 KV substations each at Nahra village, EPIP HSIDC Kundli, TDI Nangal Kalan, Bega and Khewra.

The case of construction of 33 KV substations at HUDA Sector-2, 3 and 12 in Sonepat, Nahra, Chatia, Umedgarh, Bhawar, Sargathal, SP Majra, Khanda, Kheri Gujjar and Sersa village were being examined. The UHBVN will also consider a proposal for the augmentation of the capacity of 33 KV substations at Barota, Firozpur Bangar, Sardhana, Kailana, Atterna, Kundli, Farmana, Kathura, Khewra, Suraj Steel and Bhatgaon.

The spokesman further stated that the HVPN plans to set up a 400 KV substation at Deepalpur where two power transformers of 315 mega volt amperes (MVA) each, two transformers of 100 MVA each and one transformer of 20 MVA would be installed. The substation will transmit electricity generated by upcoming thermal power station at Jharli (Jhajjar).

In order to make the distribution system more reliable, it has been planned to install 500 new distribution transformers in the district. Simultaneously, weak and worn out conductors will be replaced with aerial bunched cable (ABC) for which an action plan was being prepared.

Referring to the works carried out in the district under the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojna, he said about 14,000 domestic connections had been released to people living below poverty line (BPL), low tension lines were erected and new transformers had been installed in villages.

The UHBVN has segregated the domestic and agricultural load of 11 KV feeders supplying power to the rural areas. As many as 73 new feeders have been created to supply power to tubewells.

Rohtak, April 19
Affordable health technology is the need of the hour and it should be developed within a proper time frame and available resources.

This was stated by Dr VM Katoch, Director-General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), and Secretary to the Government of India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, while speaking as chief guest at a three-day national conference on “Medical Biotechnology - Vision 2020” which commenced on the Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) campus here recently.

In the programme organised by the centre for biotechnology of MDU, Dr Katoch said technology for the people should be the topmost priority today. While combating viral diseases was a major challenge area, more research work to find easy and viable solutions to recurrent problems should be the broader aim of scientists, he added.

In the keynote address of the inaugural session, Dr Rajesh Gokhale, Director, Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Delhi, said getting the password to biological processes was quite a challenge. He urged the researchers to decode this password to combat various diseases. He advocated multi-stage and multi-target approach to drug discovery.

In his presentation on “Decoding Biological Systems: Diversity and Metabolic Networks”, he threw light on drug mechanism to combat tuberculosis and other diseases. He elucidated the potential of genome sequencing projects as it provided an inventory of genes and helped in reconstruction of metabolic pathways.

Eminent zoologist Prof RP Maleyvar, former professor of Kurukshetra University, said scientists must work to alleviate sufferings of the masses due to various health reasons.

Director, Centre for Biotechnology, Prof SK Gakhar briefed about the objectives of the conference.

A large number of delegates from all over the country are taking part in the conference which is likely to focus on genomics, proteomics, vaccines, drug designing, stem cells, infectious diseases, non-infectious diseases, bio-informatics and human genome.

Ambala, April 19
The Haryana BJP has committed to mobilising at least 50,000 persons for the national rally against price rise to be held at Ramlila Grounds in New Delhi on April 21,said Anil Vij, MLA, Ambala Cantt, and former MP Rattan Lal Kataria here.

Anil Vij said the government had failed in controlling inflation, adding to the woes of poor people. Traders were fleecing people by charging more than the retail price in the name of transportation costs, he alleged.

Former Ambala MP Rattan Lal Kataria said the present government had only worked to increase the prices of almost all essential commodities, including the petroleum products.

He further said that the transportation costs were bound to go up as a result of the hike in the prices of petroleum products, thus resulting in a cascading effect leading to a rise in the prices of milk, vegetables, foodgrains etc. There was control on the price line during NDA rule and most commodities needed by the common man were easily available.

He alleged that the Hooda government had failed to provide adequate water and power even though it was claimed in 2005 that power woes would end within two or three years.

Sirsa, April 19
Mehar Mittal, who ruled over Punjabi cinema for decades, has finally decided to call it a day now as far as acting in films is concerned.

Having already crossed the age of 75, he has just completed the shooting of his film "Gud Kha Ke Mar Jawaan".

This, he says, will be his last movie and adds that he will not accept any assignment in future.

Participating in "Hello Sirsa" programme of Community Radio Station run by Chaudhary Devi Lal University recently, Mittal said he enjoyed his long innings in Punjabi films.

Answering the questions of station director Virender Singh Chauhan and his co-anchor Mukul Monga, the legendary actor said for the past one-and-a-half year he was spending a lot of time in spiritual activities.

Mittal, who has worked as a comedian in over 200 films and produced a few of these himself, claimed that for over 10 years not even a single Punjabi film could be made without him.

Mittal said he moved to cinema at the age of 35. He said he was married and had kids by that time and it was a risky track that he chose to tread on.

Responding to a query, the legendary comedian observed that the talent or art with which he amused cine viewers for over 35 years was a God gift. He said dialogues and situations that he used in his films were drawn from the routine life of common man in Punjab.

About the growing obscenity and vulgarity in the name of comedy, Mittal said market forces that work on the principle of demand and supply were responsible for the dominance of low-grade content. He said he himself was accused of using dialogues having dual meanings in his films.

Mittal confessed of having done so in a film under pressure from a well-known and influential producer. But at the same time he claimed that his comedy was more or less free from vulgarity.

Asked to give a message to those aspiring to make a career in films, he said only those youths should think of trying their luck in the cine industry who are ready for a tough struggle in the initial years.

He said on the basis of his own experience, he could say that a majority of youngsters from Punjab who go to Mumbai with golden dreams of the silver screen ruin themselves.

Sonepat, April 19
A meeting of the district-level vigilance and monitoring committee held recently under the chairmanship of MP Jitender Singh Malik reviewed the progress made in the implementation of various welfare schemes in the district during 2009-10.

Jaiveer Balmiki, chief parliamentary secretary, Kavita Jain and Jaitirth, both MLAs, Ajit Joshi, deputy commissioner, Kamla Bhawar, zila parishad chairperson, Dr SS Dalal, additional deputy commissioner, and other district officers attended the meeting.

Giving details of completed works, the DC informed that under the Swaran Jayanti Rural Self-Employment Scheme, Rs 1.99 crore was spent and subsidy of Rs 1.19 crore was released to 113 self-help groups, benefiting 1,220 members. As many as 207 new groups were formed against the target of 255 during the year.

Under the Indira Awas Yojna, the DC said, Rs 4.69 crore was released for the construction of houses for the weaker sections of society and out of this, more than Rs 4.23 crore were spent for completing the construction of as many as 1,134 houses. The construction work on 222 other houses was in progress, he added.

An amount of about Rs 5.65 crore was spent under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme to benefit the families of 23,398 job cardholders, he said and added accounts of 12,740 families were opened in various banks and post offices in the district for payment of the wages. He also gave details of the works completed under IWDP, Rural drinking Water Supply scheme, distribution of old age, widow and disability pensions and Member Parliament Local Area Development Fund.

However, MLA Kavita Jain raised the objection over an increase of 50 to 100 per cent in collector rates in the district and said the increase should not be more than 10 per cent.

Karnal, April 19
Abhishek Dhindsa, a dental surgeon of Shahbad Markanda in Kurukshetra has been conferred with “Shiksha Rattan” award for 2010 in recognition of his services in the field of dental sciences, including teaching, research and dental practice.

Dr DY Patil, Governor of Tripura. bestowed the award upon Dr Dhindsa in New Delhi recently.

A child dentistry specialist Dr Dhindsa has published several research papers on pedodontis (for children below the age group of 15 years).

Besides the “Shiksha Rattan” award, the 36-year-old surgeon has also been awarded a “Certificate of Excellence” by the India International Friendship Society.

A reader at MM University, Mullana (Ambala), Dr Dhindsa is running an evening dental clinic at Shahbad Markanda equipped with all modern facilities 

Kurukshetra, April 19
Friendly relationship between the Bar and the Bench is sine qua non for maintaining the dignity of the legal profession.

These observations were made by Justice Jasbir Singh, Judge, Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chandigarh, while delivering a talk on “Role of Ethical Values in the Legal Profession”, organised by the Department of Law, Kurukshetra University, here recently.

Jasbir Singh highlighted the objective of law as an instrument of social change. He talked about many problems such as population explosion, poverty and corruption. He laid stress on the need for accomplishing the values enshrined in the preamble of the Constitution of India.

Lt-Gen Dr DDS Sandhu, Vice-Chancellor, Kurukshetra University, in his presidential address, highlighted the need for efficient and fair lawyers. He said the legal profession was not overcrowded and the ratio between the lawyers and the people of the country was far below the ratio that exists in many developing countries.

An advocate practising law was under a triple obligation - towards his clients, profession and the judiciary, he added.

Earlier, Prof Versha Razdan, Dean, Faculty of Law, KU, said nobility came to a profession through noble words and deeds of its members. A legal professional had a noble responsibility and had to function within a framework of ethics.

Rewari, April 19
Capt Ajay Singh Yadav, Finance, Irrigation, Forest and Environment Minister, laid the foundation stone of a peacock and chinkara breeding centre at Jhabua village, near Bawal, recently. A sum of Rs 20 crore would be spent on the establishment of the centre which would be developed on a 60-acre piece of land.

The Minister said while it was the first procreation centre for peacocks, it was the second such centre for chinkaras in the state.

A Chinkara Breeding Centre was earlier set up in Bhiwani district. He further said efforts would be made to develop the breeding centre at Jhabua into a tourist spot as well, which would provide an added prominence to Jhabua.

Expressing concern at the fast declining habitation of peacocks and chinkaras in the state and elsewhere, the Minister exhorted one and all to come forward to save them from impending extinction.

Describing the growing destruction of peacocks by electrocution as shocking, he called upon the DHBVN authorities to insulate all uncovered HT cables in the rural areas to ensure the safety of peacocks.

The recent demand made by the Sarv Khap Mahapanchayat at Kurukshetra calling for amendment to the Hindu Marriage Act (HMA), 1955, to prohibit marriage within the same gotra as well as between inhabitants of the same village is unwarranted and illogical. Any legislation ought to reflect the viewpoint of a majority of civil society rather than of a confined khap. No prevailing custom, howsoever ancient, can override the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution.

At present marriage within the same gotra is valid under the HMA. Even if owing to pressure tactics, provisions are made in the HMA to ban such marriages, but then there is the Special Marriage Act (SMA), 1954. In a majority of the cases, young couples solemnise their marriage under this Act before a marriage registrar. A wedding under this Act are more liberal than those under the HMA as there is no caste or religion bar. Would the khaps then urge amendments to the SMA too?

In July, 2006, the Supreme Court in the Lata Singh case had expressed concern over the increasing cases of harassment, threats and violence against young men and women who marry outside their caste and held that such acts were illegal and those who commited them must be severely punished.

The apex court observed that once a person becomes a major, he or she could marry whosoever he/she likes. If the parents of the boy or girl don't approve of such inter-caste or inter-religious marriage, the maximum they can do is that they can cut off social relations with the son or daughter. It directed the administration/ police authorities in the country to ensure that such couples willing to get married should not be not harassed or subjected to threats or acts of violence.

Hemant Kumar, Ambala City

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