Sirsa, July 28
The Haryana government has given the work of the maintenance of roads, power and water supply, and sewerage in industrial sectors to the Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC). Gopal Kanda, Minister of State for Home, Industries and Urban Local Bodies, said this here recently.

He said the action plan for the development of industries was being implemented in 110 blocks of the state.

The government, he said, had declared Sirsa district as an industrially backward area. There was a plan to set up agro-based industries in the district, he added.

He said the government was creating an industrial-friendly environment for the growth of industry and for attracting investment.

Investment proposals worth Rs 55,000 crore had been implemented under the new industrial and investment policy whereas investment projects worth Rs 1 lakh crore were in the pipeline. “Today, Haryana is at the top in terms of per capita investment,” the minister claimed.

With a view to increasing investment, the Investment Promotion Board and the Investment Consultation Council have been set up in the state.

He said with a view to providing employment to youth passing out of industrial training institutes, entrepreneur bridge schools would be set up so that students could be given training as per the requirement of the industries.

Industrial houses and entrepreneurs have been urged to set up such schools by coordinating with the industrial training institutes.

To redress the grievances of entrepreneurs and provide them more facilities, a single-window system had been introduced.

Kanda said the grievances of those getting various kinds of pensions under the social security schemes were being redressed on a priority basis. The government had made arrangements to give them pension at their doorsteps.

He said such beneficiaries were being issued smart cards and bank accounts.

He said the bank accounts of 96 per cent of beneficiaries had been opened in Sirsa district. Also, 1.10 lakh pensioners had already received their smart cards. He said the bank accounts of the remaining beneficiaries would be opened by July 31. He added that people whose pension was delayed would get it along with interest.

Gurgaon, July 28
The Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) has started the foot survey and mapping of feeders for the execution of a World Bank project for strengthening the power distribution system in Gurgaon. The execution work of the Rs 120-crore project is likely to start within a month.

This was stated by Mohammed Shayin, managing director, DHBVN, while delivering his keynote address at a workshop on “Capacity Building” organised in connection with the execution of the said project here today.

Shayin told the participants that this scheme of strengthening the power distribution system in Gurgaon was part of the Rs 430-crore World Bank project meant for strengthening and augmenting the power distribution system in Gurgaon, Faridabad and Charkhi Dadri towns of Haryana.

Under this project, Rs 167.41 crore will be spent to strengthen the power distribution system in Faridabad, Rs 119.43 crore will be spent in Gurgaon and Rs 27.10 crore will be spent to strengthen the system in Charkhi Dadri town.

An amount of Rs 116.54 crore has been earmarked for the advance metering infrastructure (AMI) project of the DHBVN.

The work on the scheme meant for Charkhi Dadri is already in progress and is likely to be completed within this financial year, while the schemes meant for Gurgaon and Faridabad are likely to be completed by March 2014.

Shayin said that 80 per cent cost of the project would come as loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) while 20 per cent of the cost of the scheme would be contributed by the borrower as equity.

The major objectives of the project are reduction in transmission and distribution losses and improvement in revenue collection efficiency, along with giving better quality of power supply to consumers.

Under this ambitious plan, the DHBVN has identified 93 feeders of 11 KV-level for High Voltage Distribution System (HVDS), where the system is overstretched, particularly in the areas having unplanned growth of residential and commercial establishments.

While laying this system of international standard, the complete network of the feeders, right from their emanating point to the consumers’ end, will be renovated and additional transformers wii also be set up, according to the requirement.

Benefits of HVDS include ensuring of good quality electricity supply, bringing down losses and the consumers, who have been hooking on to the system without a valid connection, will have to apply for new connections.

Old, worn-out and undersized conductor will be replaced with the new one and Aerial Bunched Cable (ABC) will be used wherever finding right of way for over-head conductor is not possible.

The MD said the bifurcation of more than 109 feeders had been planned and the existing 11-KV lines would be extended to take these as close to the load centre as possible.

“Loading on distribution transformers will be kept under check and in case of a system getting overloaded, a transformer of a higher capacity will be installed to cope with the load. Energy meters will be installed at all distribution transformers for an accurate account of energy flowing down the transformers,” he said, adding that this would act as a deterrent against the theft of power and also provide useful data about transformer loading and load balancing.

Under the AMI scheme, there is a provision of installing ‘intelligent’ meters supporting an advanced metering infrastructure on all 78,000 non-high tension consumers in the DHBVN operation circle who have a connected load of more than 10 kilowatt. 

Pritpal Singh Pannu, chairman, NIFAA, said the association had been organising such events for past six years in collaboration with Japan Information Centre, Embassy of Japan. Last year, a similar type of function was organised at Delhi. In a rare opportunity to NIFAA and also to the budding artists of this region, selected paintings of this contest would be exhibited at Hiroshima Peace Memorial during the Hiroshima Peace Ceremony on August 6.

With the success of this event, NIFAA will not only spread the message of universal brotherhood but also make a Guinness World Record under the category, “The Most People Drawing Simultaneously-single venue” with the participation of such a larges number of participants at a single venue, The record was earlier created by 3,653 people in Luoang city of Chine in 2009. If achieved, the record would be a second Guinness World Record for NIFAA as well as for Karnal.

Chandigarh, July 28
The state government has notified the Haryana Legal Metrology (Enforcement) Rules-2011 and repealed the Haryana Standards of Weights and Measures (Enforcement) Rules-1995.

Mahender Partap Singh, Food and Supplies Minister, said here under the rules, every manufacturer, repairer or dealer would have to make an application for a licence to the Controller, Legal Metrology.

However, no licence to repair would be required by a manufacturer to repair weight or measure manufactured by him and used in a state other than the state of manufacture of the same, but the manufacturers had to inform in advance the Legal Metrology Officer concerned about the repair.

Every manufacturer, repairer or dealer would make an application for the renewal of a licence within 30 days before the expiry of validity of the licence to the Controller, he added.

The minister said every licence issued to a manufacturer, repairer or dealer would be valid for a minimum period of one calendar year and on payment of specified fee, it might be renewed for a period of one year to a maximum of five years. The fee payable for the alteration of a licence or for the issue of a duplicate licence would be one half of the prescribed licence fee. The Controller would maintain a register of licenced manufacturers, dealers and repairers. Every licence issued or renewed under the Act would be displayed in a conspicuous place.

The Controller, if he had reasonable cause to believe that the holder of any licence had made any incorrect or false statement, could suspend such licence. However, no licence would be suspended without giving reasonable opportunity of showing cause to the holder of licence, he added.

The minister said the Legal Metrology Officer would inspect and verify weight or measure and he would stamp every weight and measure if he was satisfied that the weight or measure confirmed to the standards prescribed under the Act. He would mark the year and its quarter of stamping on every verified weight or measure.

Ambala, July 28
PKR Jain Vatika, Ambala City, organised an environment week on the school premises during which sapling plantation, debates of pollution and natural calamities were oganised. During the morning assembly, the students are informed about the causes of pollution and its prevention.

In the debate competition, various houses of the school took part. Komal, Harshita and Anuvanka got the first, second and the third positions, respectively. In the essay competition, Kanshi Vatika House topped while Atam Vatika and Anand Vatika houses secured the second position. Padam House remained third in the competition.

Anu Sharma, principal, asked the students to plant at least one sapling in their house every year. She said pollution could only be prevented if more and more trees were planted. She said natural calamities were rising as the people had been disturbing the natural circle.

Bharat Bhushan Jain, chairman, school management committee, said the environment week was orgainsed to make the students aware of the pollution problem. He said the use of polythene should be banned to keep the environment clean. He asked the students not to use eatable items packed in polythene. Manager Umesh Jain and secretary Rajesh Jain also addressed the students. The winners were given prizes on this occasion. A cultural show was also presented by the students.

Rewari, July 28
Deputy commissioner Ajit Balaji Joshi laid the foundation stone of a shopping complex at Rao Tula Ram Stadium here recently. As many as 88 shops, 44 each on the ground floor as well as on the first floor, will be constructed in the complex here at a cost of about Rs 1.50 crore.

Joshi said while the shopping complex would be instrumental in providing employment to jobless youths, it would also serve as a hub for the citizens to purchase essentials commodities under one roof. Besides, the rent accrued from these shops would enable the Sports Department to spend adequately on the maintenance of the stadium as well as the promotion of sports activities here.

The deputy commissioner also informed that while a sum of Rs 25 lakh would be spent on the construction of additional rooms, volleyball, football and boxing grounds would be constructed in the stadium, respectively, by Hero Honda Motors Ltd, Kingfisher Company and Shri Cement Industries which would provide ample opportunities to sportspersons to hone their skills.

Bahadurgarh (Jhajjar), July 28
Inspector General of Police (IGP), Rohtak Range, V. Kamaraja, the recipient of the International Jurist Award-2011, was felicitated by residents of this industrial town at a function held at Goraiya Tourist Complex here recently. Bahadurgarh MLA Rajender Singh Joon presided over the function while Jhajjar SP Patram Singh was the guest of honour.

Greeting the IGP for receiving the international award, Joon said it was a matter of pleasure for not only the Haryana police but also the people of the state that one of their officers had been selected by an international ogranisation for his remarkable contribution in social service and in preventing criminal activities through his novel plans.

He informed that Kamaraja was the lone police officer from the country who got this prestigious award. The IGP was recently honoured with the International Jurist Award-2011 by the President of UK Supreme Court during an international conference in London. Hundreds of delegates from different countries had participated.

Kamaraja said he firmly believed in working for the people and tried to provide succour to the poor and deserving. It was the foremost reason that the public also trusted him and did not hesitate in discussing their grievances with him, he maintained.

While interacting with the mediapersons, Kamaraja informed them that he had planned to set up a crime prevention wing at the district police headquarters in five districts: Rohtak, Jhajjar, Panipat, Karnal and Sonepat.

“A limited number of residents of every colony and each village of the district concerned will be associated with the wing who will not only apprise the police of controversial issues of their areas but also inform the police in time about any possible crime or related information so that the police can take initiative to control the crime before its happening,” said the IGP.

“The police alone cannot control the entire criminal activities without the support of public hence the people must also come forward to help the police for checking the crime,” he added.

Jhajjar SP Patram Singh and Bahadurgarh DSP Rajeev Deswal were also honoured by the residents on the occasion for maintaining law and order in the town. 

Kurukshetra, July 28
To create awareness of science among young scientists is necessary so that they can do commendable work in the subject.

This was stated by deputy commissioner Rajnikanthan after having a look at the models prepared by students at a three-day science exhibition which concluded at Government Senior Secondary Model School here recently.

Rajnikanthan advised the students to work hard in the subject so that they could fulfill their dream of becoming scientists and bring laurels to the country.

He appreciated the students for making the models and also gave away Science and Mathematics Inspiration Awards to the participants.

Addressing the students, district education officer Saroj Lohchab said the exhibition was organised annually with the aim of creating interest towards science among the students. The students drawn from throughout the district participated enthusiastically and made the models on the subjects of science and technology, environmental change, green energy, new inventions in science and technology as well as human science, she added.

As many as 34 participating students who were selected for the prizes included Mahak Sangwan, Maharana Partap School, Kurukshetra; Manya Dave, Gita Niketan Residential School, Kurukshetra; Vaishali, Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Kurukshetra; Saurav Sharma, Government Senior Secondary School, Deegh; Daljeet Kaur, Kanya Gurukul, Bachgawan; Balram, Government Middle School, Neemwala; Manu Rani and Aman Kumar, Government High School, Bapda-Bapdi; Balvinder, Government Senior Secondary School, Shahabad (M); Arzoo Saini, Prachaya Shikshalaya, Kheri Brahmnan; Vinay, SGNP School, Ladwa; Sukhchain, GM Senior Secondary School, Ismailabad; Ritu Singla, AK DAV School, Ismailabad; Pawani Gupta, APS, Kurukshetra; Rahul Saroe, Government Middle School, Jalaluddin Majra; Vikas, Government Senior Secondary School, Samalkhi; Pankaj, Government Senior Secondary School, Kanipla; Prateek, Government Senior Secondary School, Ladwa; Chhavi Bansal, Maharishi Vidya Mandir, Sanwla; Anjali Rana, Guru Nanak Vidya Bhavan, Ismailabad; Ramdev, Government High School, Ban; Palak, Nishchal School, Ladwa; Samridhi, Government Middle School, Sector-13, Kurukshetra; Sushma, Government High School, Berthala; Anchal, Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Brot; and Gaurav Kumar, Government Senior Secondary School, Kurukshetra.

About 600 students drawn from various schools in the district exhibited their models in the exhibition.

Rewari, July 28
With a concerted drive to seek effectual linkage of various sections of society with the INLD, party supremo and former chief minister Om Prakash Chautala addressed conferences of members of the backward classes, Scheduled Castes and the trading community at Rewari, Bawal and Kosli recently.

To mobilise mass support, Chautala used the growing disenchantment of the people with the ruling brass as a potential weapon in his speeches.

Telu Ram Jogi, state chairman of the INLD’s BC Cell; Balwant Singh Sadhaura, state president of the party’s SC Cell; INLD legislator Rameshwar Dayal; former deputy speaker of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha Gopi Chand Gehlot; district party chief Sunil Chaudhary; district mahila wing president Kamla Sharma; former zila parishad chief Satish Yadav; and several others constituted Chautala’s entourage.

Launching a scathing attack on the “anti-people” policies and programmes of the Congress-led UPA government, the INLD supremo lamented that while the government policies helped enrich the coffers of an affluent section of society, millions of the poor people had been reduced to utter penury to their dismay.

Mentioning about the huge amount of black money stashed in foreign banks, Chautala asserted that since a major chunk of it belonged to Congress leaders, they could not be expected to bring the guilty to justice.

Similarly, flaying the Hooda regime for the people’s problems pertaining to the paucity of power and drinking water as well as the deteriorating law and order situation, the INLD chief deplored while the state was steeped in heavy debts, a major section of the ruling brass had been indulging in property dealings.

Seeking the ouster of the Congress regime in the interest of the people, Chautala exhorted party activists to make earnest efforts for speedy return of the disgruntled workers to the party fold to ensure INLD’s enthronement in Haryana.

Jind, July 28
The district police has asked the residents welfare associations to employ watchmen at their respective localities to curb the rising cases of theft and burglary.

The district police chief has also directed the SHOs and those in charge of police posts to step up vigil and patrolling in the sensitive areas.

In a statement issued by the Police Department here , the residents and their associations have been asked to cooperate with the police on the measures to be taken to check crime in the district.

Residents have been asked to employ watchmen and caretakers at various localities and keep an eye on the movement of anti-social and unwanted elements and report about them to the police.

Police officials say the main cause of thefts and burglaries in the district has been the absence of watchmen in various localities.

“Hundreds of theft cases get reported in the city and other parts of the district each month and with several cases still remaining unsolved, resentment has been prevailing among residents,” claims a local resident.

The rising crime has been a cause of concern, said sources in the police department. This has perhaps been the reason that the residents have been asked to help the police check crime, said an official of the department.

Hisar, July 28
The Congress leadership in this district has launched a campaign to mobilise support for the August 6 Om Parkash Jindal Smriti Rally being organised here.

The rally has assumed significance in view of the impending byelection to the Hisar Lok Sabha seat, which got vacated due to the death of sitting MP and former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal.

Jindal’s widow and former minister Savitri Jindal, who represents the Hisar assembly segment in the state assembly, and her son Congress MP from Kurukshetra Naveen Jindal are leading the current campaign. Savitri Jindal has addressed dozens of meetings so far.

Naveen Jindal has been addressing meetings for the past two days in different parts of the city. In his meetings he said the rally would be addressed by Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and he was expected to announce a string of development schemes which would change the face of the city as well as the district.

He said his late father Om Parkash Jindal who founded the multibillion industrial empire starting from here always remained attached to his hometown. He first served the people by generating jobs and creating new markets through his industrial units.

Later, as a legislator, MP and minister, he served the people through his social and political work till his tragic death in a chopper crash, he added.

He said whenever he went to different parts of the country and abroad people asked him about the skewed sex-ratio in Haryana. He said the problem had to be solved by creating awareness in society. He said children were the creation of God and a child of any sex was welcome.

He said the country would become a superpower only if such evils were eradicated as early as possible. He asked the people to participate in the rally and ensure rapid development of the area.

Rewari, July 28
Activists of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and various other voluntary organisations held a demonstration in protest against the proposed Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence Act, 2011, here recently.

Describing it as a “sinister” attempt on part of the ruling Congress to appease a particular minority community, the irate activists burnt copies of the proposed legislation at Moti Chowk here.

Mentioning about the contents of the proposed legislation, district VHP chief Laxmi Narain Sharma asserted that it was entirely communal and its enactment could jeopardise the law and order situation.

Similarly, terming the legislation as a potential weapon in the hands of the Congress to effectually stabilise its vote bank among minorities, Satya Prakash Goyal expressed the apprehension that it could even lead to large-scale alienation as well as defenceless conversion of major communities. Prof Anirudh Yadav, founder president of Pavitra Pritishthan, feared that if the Act was enacted, it could lead to the eruption of chaotic conditions in the country.

Later, the protesters marched to the district secretariat where they presented a memorandum to SDM Arvind Sharma that was addressed to the President of India.

Kurukshetra: Workers of the local unit of the VHP unit, led by Suresh Joshi, burnt an effigy of the Congress government here recently in protest against the proposed Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence Act. The workers also raised anti-government slogans. The agitated workers submitted a memorandum to the deputy commissioner to be forwarded to the President of India.

Commenting on the Bill, VHP spokesperson Dhuman Singh Kirmach alleged that after studying the basic structure of the Act, it had been found that the law might divide the country again. Kirmach said, “The Act will affect the fundamental structure of our constitution and aims at dividing all communities.”

Madan Mohan Chhabra, convener of Hindu Helpline, Haryana; Om Prakas Gupta, Pritam Singh and workers of the ABVP were among those who joined the protest.

Panipat, July 28
After being served with a 45-day ultimatum by the state power engineers, the Minister for Power has finally invited the engineers for talks to discuss various issues raised by them.

In a communique sent to the HSEB Workers’ Union and the Haryana Power Engineers Association (HPEA), the minister has invited their representatives to hold talks on August 4.

The issues, including restructuring of the discoms, pay anomalies, retirement of directors who attain the age of superannuation and filling of vacant posts will be discussed at the meeting.

The power engineers had been repeatedly seeking redressal of their pending demands. The restructuring of the discoms has been due for the last 12 years and despite strong pleas put up by the engineers the state government has been some what reluctant in re-organising the distribution companies.

The engineers had also been demanding parity in the pay scales of the Assistant Engineers (AEs) working in discoms and that of the state engineers. Though, the Haryana Power Generation Corporation Limited (HPGCL) has granted a pay scale of Rs 14,880 to the AEs, but the other three utilities have so far denied the same scale to their engineers.

RS Dahiya, president of the HPEA, said they were quite hopeful that the talks with the minister would yield some positive results.