Chandigarh, March 17
The Jat reservation agitation has caught main political parties of Haryana in a cleft stick. They can neither support the demand nor can they oppose it for fear of losing votes of the dominant community.

These parties also know that if the demand for reservation, which is so far confined to a quota in the Central services, is also made for the state services, there will be a strong reaction from other communities. Otherwise also, a major share of the state jobs are being cornered by the dominant community in Haryana since long. In fact, already some of the communities, which are not getting benefits of reservation, have started making a similar demand.

The president of the Haryana unit of the Akhil Bharatiya Aggarwal Sammelan, Kulbhushan Goyal, said here today that his organisation supported the demand of the Jats for reservation in services under the OBC category but with certain conditions. While granting reservation to the Jats, the government must exclude the creamy layer from this benefit. Secondly, economically weaker sections of other communities, which have so far been deprived of the reservation facility, must also be given a quota in the jobs.

The INLD had made a similar demand in the last session of the Assembly but it had not talked about the creamy layer among the Jats. Of course, the party wanted reservation on the economic criteria for all those communities which do not have reservation at present.

The Congress stand is that the reservation for the Jats in the Central services is OK, but in the state they do not need any such concession. Its leaders say that the INLD demand for reservation on an economic basis is just a gimmick to mislead both the Jats as well as the other communities. If reservation is granted on the economic criteria then where is the need for a special provision for the dominant community. It will also fall in the same category.

Those communities which are enjoying reservation under the OBC category fear that if the Jats are also clubbed with them, the dominant community will eat into their share.

INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala says since the community has got a similar concession in the neighbouring states of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, why should it be left out in Haryana.

Congress leader Sampat Singh says reservation for the Jats in the Central services is necessary because they cannot compete with students coming from metropolitan cities as the education facilities in rural areas are poor.

However, he does not elaborate on other communities staying in villages. Or does he think that only Jats inhabit villages?

When the demand for a resolution supporting the demand of the Jats was raised in the Vidhan Sabha, sensing the mood of representatives belonging other communities, leaders of major parties preferred to let the issue be just “talked out”.

It is obvious that politicians fear losing their votes more than taking a principled stand.

The Backward Classes Commission had turned down the demand for reservation for the Jats in 1997. After 14 years, how can one say that the community has suddenly become backward, that too educationally and socially! 

Sirsa, March 17
The Haryana Government seems to be taking retrogressive steps as far as providing healthcare to its people is concerned. In a recent order, it has withdrawn 285 Medical Officers working in various primary health centres (PHCs) and posted them to the General Hospitals at various district headquarters.

Pulling out a Medical Officer each from the PHCs at Mallekan, Keharwala, Desu Jodha, Jutianwali, Kaluana, Kalanwali, Panniwala Mota, Darba Kalan, Ding, Randhawa, Darbi, Rori, Jagmalara, Kharia, Dadupur and Ganga, the government has sanctioned 13 additional posts of Medical Officer for the General Hospital, Sirsa.

Likewise, Medical Officers from 11 PHCs of Fatehabad district (Badopal, Bothan Kalan, Jhalnia, Mohammad Rohi, Pirthala, Nehla, Kulan, Meond Kalan, Mamupur, Bangaon and Bhirdana) will be pulled out and the General Hospital in Fatehabad, which has 29 sanctioned posts, will get 13 additional posts of Medical Officer.

As many as 12 PHCs and two community health centres (CHCs) in Ambala will be left with one Medical Officer less while the General Hospital in Ambala has been sanctioned 10 additional posts, raising the strength of the Medical Officers there to 42. Likewise, the Bhiwani General Hospital will get 11 more Medical Officers and the General Hospitals at Faridabad and Gurgaon 24 more each.

The hospitals in Hisar, Panchkula and Palwal will also have more Medical Officers. The government’s decision is against the spirit of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM). The preamble of the NRHM states that its “goal is to improve the availability of quality healthcare to people, especially those residing in rural areas.”

The orders issued by Rajan Gupta, Principal Secretary, Health, say: “It has been observed that the workload of patients is less in certain PHCs whereas the workload in district hospitals is constantly increasing.

“Therefore, it has been decided that one out of two doctors in PHCs/CHCs, where the workload is less, will be transferred to district hospitals in public interest.”

Dr Rajeshwari, Associate Professor, Kurukshetra University, who has undertaken several studies on issues relating to health, says the step will prove detrimental to the health services in rural areas. “It is a well-known fact that there is a shortfall not only in terms of infrastructure (there is a PHC for every 30,000 persons) but also human resources. According to a survey, 68 per cent posts of Lady Medical officers are lying vacant in various PHCs.

“Against the national average of one doctor per 3,000 persons, the state average is one doctor per 12, 582 persons.” 

Chandigarh, March 17
The Haryana Government is in a spot with people from various walks of life - politicians, social activists, former judges and bureaucrats -joining hands to demand a CBI probe into the case of harassment of IFS officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi after he opposed irregularities in the state Forest Department.

AB Bardhan, secretary-general of the Communist Party of India, RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal, social reformer Swami Agnivesh, senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan, who exposed the 2G scam, and retired police officer Kiran Bedi have come to the aid of the officer.

They have approached the Prime Minister’s Office, seeking its intervention in the matter. An inquiry committee constituted by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF) had found that the officer had been falsely implicated by senior government officials in connivance with certain politician. It had recommended that the charge sheet against the officer be dropped and the matter be investigated by the CBI.

The ministry has sent two reminders to the Haryana Government, asking if any action has been taken by the government against the guilty officers and politicians. So far, the government has remained mum on the issue.

Sanjiv Chaturvedi was hounded by state government functionaries for exposing violations in the Saraswati Wildlife Sanctuary at Kurukshetra and preventing misuse of government money for plantation to be undertaken on a piece of land owned by a MLA said to be close to the then Haryana Forest Minister.

For daring to stand up against the high and mighty, the officer had to face 12 transfers in five years and was suspended but the suspension orders were revoked by the President of India. The officer was falsely implicated and charge-sheeted until the President of India ordered that the charge sheet against him be quashed.

In separate representations to the Prime Minister, these eminent citizens have raised their concern not just about the harassment faced by the officer, but also regarding the misappropriation of public funds for ‘fake’ plantations and destruction of natural resources. 

Panipat, March 17
The All-India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF) has written to the Prime Minister demanding that all top posts in the power sector, including that of Secretary, Power, at the Centre as well as in states be filled by competent power engineers to ensure a more professional approach for achieving the targets.

Shailender Dubey, secretary-general of the AIPEF, said despite a yearly revision of the power capacity targets, the country had not able to achieve even the reduced targets, which was an alarming situation. Dubey said at the present pace, it was clear that only 48,000 to 50,000 MW could be added in the 11th Plan against the revised target of 62,374 MW. He said according to economic experts, to sustain growth in all sectors, the power sector should grow at least 1.2 per cent for every 1 per cent rise in the GDP.

“Capacity addition involves challenging tasks, which cannot be handled by bureaucrats,” claimed Dubey. He said if the governments at the Centre and in states were really serious about overcoming the growing shortage of power, then the role of the Secretary, Power, and Chairman or CMD of the power utilities was critical and competent engineers should be allowed to handle these posts.

In context of Haryana, Dubey said the post of Chairman of the power utilities was lying vacant for the past one year and the Financial Commissioner given the additional charge against the norms. 

Sirsa, March 17
Some armed persons allegedly made an attempt on the life of Jagga Singh Brar, brother of slain Congress leader Chander Singh Brar, while he was going to the Sirsa courts in connection with a hearing of his brother’s murder case today.

The incident that occurred near Odhan village on the Dabwali-Sirsa stretch of the National Highway No. 10 left motorists as well as farmers working in their fields on the roadside panicky.

Jagga Singh Brar, a key witness in the murder case, was on the way to Sirsa for the hearing, when seven persons standing near a Bolero vehicle parked on the roadside near Odhan, allegedly fired shots at two vehicles in which Brar and some others were travelling.

Lakhbir Singh, the driver of a car in which Brar was travelling, was injured in the incident. Brar and his men took positions behind their vehicles and returned the fire. The attackers tried to escape on seeing the police, which arrived within minutes of getting information about the attack.

However, the police succeeded in apprehending Chhottu Bhat, Harpal, Naveneet and Karanjit Singh from the spot. A jam on the national highway by relatives of a suicide victim proved helpful for the police and it was able to nab the assailants soon after the crime.

The police has registered a case under Sections 148, 149 and 307 of the IPC and various provisions of the Arms Act against the assailants.

A police spokesperson said the FIR had been registered on a complaint of Jagga Singh and investigations into the case were in progress.

Jagga Singh has alleged that the assailants - Chhotu Bhat from Chautala village and the others - were close aides of those facing trial in his brother’s murder case and added that their intention was to eliminate him.

Chander Singh Brar, a prominent Congress leader of Dabwali, was murdered on April 29, 2006.

Some armed persons had taken away Brar on the pretext of some property deal and later his body was found near Goriwala village.

Brar had died of bullet injuries and his family members had alleged that it was a political murder.

The police had booked INLD leaders Pardeep Godara, Vinod Arora and some other persons in this connection. A most-wanted criminal, Shah Alam, was also named in this case.

He was, however, killed in an encounter with the police in Uttar Pradesh later.

New Delhi, March 17
Upset over some Mirchpur Dalits' reluctance to return home after the violence against them last year, a Delhi court has said their lack of trust in law enforcing agencies is not proper.

"I need not remind the victims that every inch of this country belongs to all of us and there is no reason why the victims have a trust deficit in law enforcement agencies and the justice delivery system.

"They have refused to return to their village where they have their roots, and that too when all necessary steps as contemplated and required have been taken to protect and reassure them," Additional Sessions Judge Kamini Lau said.

Nudging the victims to return home, the judge said the court had already issued directions to the authorities regarding their protection. Noting that after its earlier order, many victims and their families had returned to the village, the court was upset over the reluctance shown by some victims to return hto Mirchpur.

"I find no palpable reason why others have chosen to stay away and reside at some private farmhouse," it said.

The court said “the expenses on the protection arrangement for victim or witnesses in Haryana shall be borne by the Haryana Ggovernment.

"However, if the situation arises where the victims or witnesses are required to stay in Delhi, pursuant to the directions of the court, then under these circumstances the additional protection and expenditure for the same shall be borne by the Delhi Government."

The court had earlier framed charges against 98 upper caste men for their role in burning alive a 70-year-old Dalit man and his teenaged daughter at Mirchpur village in Hisar on April 21 last year. -PTI

Chandigarh, March 17
“Police helplessness” in dealing with kidnappings and killings of minors in the state of Haryana has come under the Punjab and Haryana High Court scanner.

The Bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Augustine George Masih has issued notice of motion to the state and other respondents for June 1 after taking cognisance of a complaint forwarded by the chairman of the Haryana State Human Rights Organisation, Baljit Singh Nayak.

In his complaint, Nayak had contended that criminals were becoming daring and innocent children were being targeted, while the police was helpless.

Nayak also asked for the initiation of steps to check lawlessness after seeking a report from the Chief Secretary, the Home Secretary and the DGP

Rohtak, March 17
A haemophilia nodal centre may be set up at the PGIMS here. A meeting was held between Pt BD Sharma University of Health Sciences and the Society of Haemophilia Care here today in this regard. It was felt that there was a need to provide such a facility at the PGIMS Hospital.

A person suffering from haemophilia has the tendency to bleed excessively. The disease is mostly seen in young children.

Stating that haemophilia was a serious blood disorder, the VC, Dr SS Sangwan, said there was a need to provide the best possible treatment to those suffereing from it. Talking to a delegation led by Vijay Kaul, director, Society of Haemophilia Care, New Delhi, he said the PGIMS had the facility to detect such a disorder and a patient or his kin could contact the clinical pathology department. He said while the PGIMS was ready to set up a haemophilia nodal centre, he had been in constant touch with the state government on the matter.

He said there was a proposal to set up four centres that would collaborate with the nodal centre at the PGIMS. According to the PGIMS authorities, 55 patients of haemophilia registered with its clinical pathology department had been facing several problems such as proper blood supply. 

Chandigarh, March 17
The Planning Commission has approved the four-laning project of the Kharak-Bhiwani-Dadri-Mahendragarh-Narnaul-Nangal Choudhary Kotputli road for grant of 20 per cent viability gap funding (VGF).

Having length of 151 km, it will be laid on BOT basis at a construction cost of Rs 1,366.95 crore. The request for qualification (RFQ) has already been received and work is expected to be awarded to the concessionaire by the end of May.

Disclosing this here yesterday, Randeep Singh Surjewala, Haryana Public Works (Buildings and Roads) Minister, said keen on accelerating the pace of infrastructure development in the state, the Haryana Government had taken the Public Private Partnership (PPP) route in the road sector. The project of four-laning of the Yamunanagar-Ladwa-Karnal section of the state highway number 6 and 7 on BOT basis with a length of 54 km and estimated cost of Rs 435 crore had also been sent to the Planning Commission for grant of the VGF, he added. Surjewala said the state government repaired 1,611 km length of roads that was extensively damaged in unprecedented rains and floods during the last monsoon at a cost of Rs 988 crore up to December 31, 2010.

Besides, a number of roads that remained closed to traffic due to floods were reopened in record time. Despite less availability of material due to a ban on quarrying in the state, roads had been kept at a satisfactory level of service by launching a persistent campaign to do the patchwork and repair the potholes.

Faridabad:The BJP on Thursday demanded imposing of temporary check on import of wheat and mustard as both the crops would be ready to arrive in the markets shortly.

It suggested that in case the Centre was not able to check the imports, it could impose heavy duties on the imported items.

It also demanded raising of the government’s procurement price of wheat from Rs1,120 per quintal to Rs 1,500 per quintal, and that of mustard from Rs 1,800 per quintal to Rs 2,500 per quintal.

A meeting of farmers from all over Haryana had been convened at Rohtak on March 27 to get their inputs for the proposed amendment to the Land Acquistion Act. — TNS

Sirsa, March 17
Irked by the alleged police inaction in arresting the mother-in-law of a suicide victim, villagers today blocked the national highway near Odhan village.

Hundreds of vehicles were stranded as the blockade continued for over three hours. The police diverted the traffic via an alternative route. Karamjit of Lohgarh village committed suicide on March 3. The police booked her husband and in-laws for abetment to suicide, but no arrest has been made yet.

Sirsa, March 17
The police has arrested a domestic help who tried to extract ransom money from his employer by making a threat call.

The accused, Angrez, was working with a rich farmer, Dilpreet Singh, and he was familiar with the daily activities of his employer.

He allegedly conspired with another person, Inderjit Singh, alias Golu, and called on Dilpreet’s number to demand a ransom amount of Rs 3 lakh.

Dilpreet told his parents, who brought the matter to the notice of the police.

The police traced the call to a SIM card issued in the name of Angrez and arrested him for the crime.

His accomplice Inderjit Singh is at large.

Angrez Singh was remanded in police custody for a day by the court yesterday.