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Kaithal hospitals in pitiable state
Face staff shortage, laboratories ill-equipped
Kaithal, December 26
The 100-bed Indira Gandhi multi-speciality hospital is yet to attain the status of a multi-speciality hospital, despite tall government claims. The shortage of doctors, paramedical staff and required machinery in some departments has affected its functioning adversely.

Commonwealth fellowship for PGIMS professor
Gurgaon, December 26
Prof SK Dhattarwal of the Department of Forensic Medicine at PGIMS, Rohtak, has been selected for the Commonwealth Academic Fellowship for 2012. Dr Dhattarwal will undergo training at three UK institutions, including the Health Protection Agency, Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire; Cabinet Office Emergency Planning College, Howkhills Easinwold York; and King’s College, London; for one month each.

State fails to form eco panel
‘Self-certification regime has failed in MP’
Gurgaon, December 26
Dozens of public as well as private sector developmental projects are hanging fire in Haryana as the state government has failed to constitute a committee to grant the mandatory environmental clearance for these, Getamber Anand, vice-president of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers Associations of India (CREDAI), said at a news conference here.



EARLIER EDITIONS


Haryana emerges as leading sports state, says minister
Minister for Local Urban Bodies and Home Gopal Kanda addresses villagers in Sirsa. Tribune photoSirsa, December 26
Minister for Local Urban Bodies and Home Gopal Kanda said Haryana had emerged as a leading state of the country in sports besides becoming an educational hub at the global level. Speaking to mediapersons during his tour of several villages of Sirsa Assembly seat, Kanda said the state government had provided Rs 995 crore during 2011-2012 for the promotion of sports, arts and culture.

Minister for Local Urban Bodies and Home Gopal Kanda addresses villagers in Sirsa. Tribune photo

HC verdict
Opp hails decision on ‘unattached’ MLAs
Rohtak, December 26
Leaders of various political parties have hailed the Punjab and Haryana High Court decision of declaring 5 legislators of the state Assembly, who had allegedly defected to the Congress after being getting elected on HJC ticket as ‘unattached’.

People sit around a bonfire on a cold night in Rohtak.
COLD COMFORT: People sit around a bonfire on a cold night in Rohtak. Photo: Manoj Dhaka
Lead actor of “Ghost” Shiney Ahuja with music composer Tushi during a
Lead actor of “Ghost” Shiney Ahuja with music composer Tushi during a 
function in Gurgaon. Tribune photo: Sayeed Ahmed
Residents queue up outside a gas agency for LPG refil in Rohtak.
Residents queue up outside a gas agency for LPG refil in Rohtak. Photo: Manoj Dhaka
Students of Savitri Polytechnic Nehru Ground celebrate Christmas in Faridabad; and (right) a child dressed up as Santa Claus looks on at an image of Santa at a Church in Gurgaon.
Students of Savitri Polytechnic Nehru Ground celebrate Christmas in Faridabad; and (right) a child dressed up as Santa Claus looks on at an image of Santa at a Church in Gurgaon. Tribune photo: Sayeed Ahmed

Students perform during the annual function of Delhi Public School in Rohtak. Photo: Manoj Dhaka

Martyrs’ Memorial Conference at Rewari
Rewari, December 26
Representatives of various voluntary organisations, educational institutions and village panchayats participated in a Martyrs’ Memorial Conference held under the auspices of Desh Bhakt Yuva Sangthan (DBYS) at Shaheed Anil Yadav Memorial Complex at Pahadi village, 12 km from Rewari, recently.

Farmers seek loans at 4 per cent interest
Farmer commission report inadequate, says Akhil Bhartiya Kisan Sabha
Jind, December 26
The state unit of the Akhil Bhartiya Kisan Sabha has criticised the first report of the Haryana Kisan Aayog (Haryana Farmers’ Commission). The members termed the report ‘incompetent’ to retrieve the farmers from the crises that had engulfed them due to loan burden and the rising cost of of agriculture production.

DAV school holds Gita Diwas Samaroh
Panipat, December 26
In order to inculcate moral values among school-going children, the Haryana Sanskrit Academy organised “Gita Diwas Samaroh” at DAV Public School, Thermal Colony, Panipat, in collaboration with the Sri Gita Prachar Samiti, Panchkula, as part of the national integration and harmony programme.

Jhajjar school collects 109 units of blood
Jhajjar, December 26
Government Senior Secondary School, Dujana, has collected 109 units of blood at a blood donation camp organised by its National Service Scheme (NSS) unit on the school premises here recently after breaking its earlier record of accumulating 107 units of blood two years ago.

Entrepreneurship development cell at Sirsa college
Sirsa, December 26
With an aim to creating entrepreneurial culture in the institution and to foster entrepreneurship and employment, the Jan Nayak Chaudhary Devi Lal College of Engineering recently set up an Entrepreneurship Development Cell (EDC).

Vodafone launches 3G Android phone in Haryana
Ambala, December 26
Vodafone India, one of the leading telecommunications service providers in the country, announced the launch of Vodafone Smart - the new revolutionary 3G Android phone, for all its customers in Haryana.

‘Technical fault led to false calls on 100’
Faridabad, December 26
The Faridabad police has finally traced the source of innumerable blank calls on the emergency number 100. A major technical flaw in the system of cellular service providers was detected which accounted for large number of blank calls on number 100 in the district Police Control Room.

240 prisoners examined at eye check-up camp
Kurukshetra, December 26
Dina Nath Arora Chairman District Consumer Forum, Yamunanagar, urged the people to take a pledge to donate their eyes after death.

‘Need to strengthen democracy’
Kurukshetra, December 26
“During the Partition, our leaders had the option to choose for a Hindu nation, but our visionary leaders could sense the darkness which would follow such a decision. They chose to remain a secular nation unlike Pakistan and today we can see the result”.

Murthal varsity takes steps to check copying
Sonepat, December 26
The Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram University of Science and Technology, Murthal, has taken all necessary steps to curb the habit of copying in the ongoing first semester examinations of engineering classes and timely declaration of the results. After the affiliation of 25 engineering colleges in Sonepat district with the university from this academic year, the university had set up 16 examination centres, including three, on the university premises for around 8,000 students of the first semester. As many as 13 flying squads had been put on duty to ensure copying-free examinations.

E-Disha centre in Rewari
Rewari, December 26
E-disha Single Window Service Centre has been set up by the administration at the district secretariat here for the convenience of the public. It consists of eight computerised counters as well as a waiting room. It was inaugurated by TR Sharma, Commissioner, Gurgaon division, recently. Soon after the inaugural ceremony, the Commissioner examined the services which the centre would provide to the citizens.

Crime awareness conference held
Rewari, December 26
Senior police officials, functionaries of various mercantile, educational and voluntary organizations, municipal councillors and other prominent citizens participated in a Crime Awareness Citizens’ Conference held under the joint auspices of the district police administration and its NGO, Police Dost, in the city police station complex here recently.

Book on campus life released
Kurukshetra, December 26
"I Am Heartless - A Real Confession”, an English novel based on the energetic youthful campus life of Kurukshetra University, was released by Anoop Lather, director, Department of Youth and Cultural Programme, Kurukshetra University, at Shrimadbhagwadgita Sadan on the university campus here recently.

Smart cards replace old ration cards in Haryana
Gurgaon, December 26 Old ration cards in Haryana have now given way to smart cards, benefiting the poor as well as the state exchequer.

Sonepat girl to take part in R-Day parade
Sonepat, December 26
Poonam, a student of the local Hindu Girls College, and a NSS volunteer, has been selected to participate in the Republic Day parade this year. She is the only student of Maharishi Dayanand University (MDU), Rohtak, who has been selected for the parade.

Rajiv Gandhi information centres to be set up in Sirsa
Sirsa, December 26
The government will set up Rajiv Gandhi information centres in rural areas of Sirsa district at a cost of Rs 12.50 crore to make Panchayati Raj Institutions hi-tech in Information Technology. This was stated by Dr Ashok Tanwar, MP, Sirsa, while addressing villagers at Rupana Bishnoian in the district.

IGP: Effective steps must to maintain law, order
Kurukshetra, December 26
Balbir Singh, Inspector-General of Police, Karnal Range, has directed the Superintendents of Police to take steps to curb crime by making elaborate security arrangements in their respective districts.

SP office gets ISO certificate
Panipat, December 26
The office of the Superintendent of Police, Panipat, has become the first in the state to be awarded the ISO certificate. Stating this here recently, district police chief Pankaj Nain said the certificate was awarded to his office after its working was found to be in accordance with the standards set by the International Organisation for Standardisation.

Ambala institute organises placement drive
Ambala, December 26 As many as 27 students of Shri Atmanand Jain Institute of Management and Technology (AIMT), Ambala City, were selected during a campus placement drive at the college campus here recently.

Employment drive held
Yamunanagar, December 26
The Yamuna Group of Institutions, Gadholi, organised a campus placement drive for MBA final year students here recently in which Eureka Forbes Private Ltd selected four students for the post of territory manager, Punjab.

Letter
Power of judicial review
The decision of a Division Bench of Punjab and Haryana High Court directing the Haryana Speaker to decide within four months i.e. before April 30, 2012 the pending disqualification proceedings against five erstwhile members of Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) for their alleged ‘en-bloc defection’ into the Congress Legislature Party under the guise of ‘merger’ over two years ago in November, 2009 once again substantiates the supremacy of the power of judicial review.

 



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Kaithal hospitals in pitiable state
Face staff shortage, laboratories ill-equipped
Satish Seth

Kaithal, December 26
The 100-bed Indira Gandhi multi-speciality hospital is yet to attain the status of a multi-speciality hospital, despite tall government claims. The shortage of doctors, paramedical staff and required machinery in some departments has affected its functioning adversely.

As against 102 posts of medical officers (MOs) in the district, only 64 posts have been filled in the district. The district level hospital here has no physician, ENT surgeon radiologist, pathologist and a general surgeon.

As many as 24 doctors are working against 42 sanctioned posts of medical officers in Kaithal General hospital. An X-Ray machine and ultrasound machine are yet to be installed in the hospital.

According to information, as many as four posts of deputy civil surgeon have been lying vacant for long in the Civil Hospital, Kaithal. Two posts of senior medical officer in Kalayat and Kaul are also vacant. Out of 12 sanctioned posts of dental surgeons in the district, five have been lying vacant. One post lies vacant in GH Kaithal, one each in Rajound and Pundri CHCs and one at Dhand PHC.

In general hospital, Kaithal, 18 posts of MOs are vacant. The district has six CHCs where one post each of MO is lying vacant - one each in Guhla, Rajound, Kaul and three in Kalayat. The district has the sanctioned strength of 25 laboratory technicians, out of which seven are lying vacant. Out of these one each is vacant in Kaithal, CHC Guhla, Siwn, Pundri and Kalayat and two in Rajound.

Out of the sanctioned strength of 143 female multi-purpose health workers MPHW(F), 64 are lying vacant. As many as 11 posts are vacant in CHC Guhla alone.

The district has 114 sanctioned posts of MPHW(M) and 37 had been lying vacant out of which nine in Guhla, six in Kaul, three in Siwan, six in Pundri, five in Rajound and seven remain vacant in Kalayat .

The sanctioned posts of staff nurse in the district is 67 and 19 are vacant out of which four posts in Kaithal, four in Kaul, three in Siwan, one in Pundri, five in Rajound and two in kalayat are vacant.

One post each of Pharmacist is vacant in Kaithal, Kaul and Pundri.

SK Nain, civil surgeon, said more doctors were needed to provide good service to the patients, but the existing team of doctors in various fields was working with dedication. The bed occupancy was 120 per cent and at times doctors had to make extra arrangements to meet the rush of patients. The X-Ray machine and new ultrasound machine would be installed soon, he said.

The ministers and government functionaries had been claiming the Indira Gandhi multi-speciality hospital to be developed into a smaller version of PGI, Chandigarh, where all kind of special treatment would be available so that the patients do not have to go to other towns for treatment.

The hospital works like any other district- level hospital and lacks many facilities which are urgently required. Due to lack of facilities, the patients continue to be referred to other hospitals. The patients and doctors have demand that the government should act fast to make it a multi-speciality hospital.

Despite tall claims made by the government, the shortage of doctors and para medical staff has adversely affected the functioning of the government Hospital in Kaithal and community health centres and primary health centres in different parts of the district.

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Commonwealth fellowship for PGIMS professor
Tribune News Service

Gurgaon, December 26
Prof SK Dhattarwal of the Department of Forensic Medicine at PGIMS, Rohtak, has been selected for the Commonwealth Academic Fellowship for 2012. Dr Dhattarwal will undergo training at three UK institutions, including the Health Protection Agency, Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire; Cabinet Office Emergency Planning College, Howkhills Easinwold York; and King’s College, London; for one month each.

Emergency Planning College is an internationally acclaimed centre for disaster management training where experts from reputed agencies like Interpol and Scotland Yard Police participate.

Prof (Dr) Dhattarwal has about 100 publications, including 28 international publications, to his credit and has attended more than 80 conferences and presented about 100 papers on various important medico-legal subjects.

He has contributed in two textbooks of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology and is a recipient of the Haryana Chikitsa Ratan Award and the National IMA Award for maximum publications in a year.

He is also the Editor-in-Chief of Haryana Medical Journal and Associate Editor of an international journal, Medico-Legal Update.

Dr Dhattarwal, who has been instrumental in solving several complicated cases involving suspicious deaths for the CBI and the Haryana Police, is the first faculty member from the Department of Forensic Medicine (Established in 1962) who has been selected for the Commonwealth Fellowship training in the UK.

His name was recommended by University of Health Sciences Vice-Chancellor Prof SS Sangwan.

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State fails to form eco panel
‘Self-certification regime has failed in MP’

Tribune News Service

Gurgaon, December 26
Dozens of public as well as private sector developmental projects are hanging fire in Haryana as the state government has failed to constitute a committee to grant the mandatory environmental clearance for these, Getamber Anand, vice-president of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers Associations of India (CREDAI), said at a news conference here.

He said on approaching the Central authorities concerned, they were told that the Haryana Government had not filed its reply on the availability of water at the project sites, without which the desired clearance could not be given.

“Hence, the costs of the projects are escalating and in the long run, the consumers (read commoners) will have to bear the burden,” he said, adding that at least 40 per cent of the project capital went into seeking the requisite approvals.

“The grant of the necessary approvals should not take more than three months, but we usually have to wait for up to a year or so,” he revealed.

In response to a query, Anand asserted that the self-certification regime recently introduced in Haryana had already failed in Indore (Madhya Pradesh) as the architects had started employing the same tactics as government babus.

“The need of the hour is to introduce a streamlined online regime which does not require any human interface,” he observed.

Anand, who is also the CMD of ATS Infrastructure Ltd, was here to launch a ATS Kocoon, the group’s first residential project in Gurgaon.

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Haryana emerges as leading sports state, says minister
Tribune News Service

Sirsa, December 26
Minister for Local Urban Bodies and Home Gopal Kanda said Haryana had emerged as a leading state of the country in sports besides becoming an educational hub at the global level. Speaking to mediapersons during his tour of several villages of Sirsa Assembly seat, Kanda said the state government had provided Rs 995 crore during 2011-2012 for the promotion of sports, arts and culture.

He said the sports development fund had also been created in the state to provide financial assistance to sportspersons for preparing themselves for sports competitions, besides providing them insurance cover.

He said the youth of Haryana were pursuing games as a profession and they were beginning to see their future in games.

The state government had appointed outstanding sportspersons to the post of DSP, inspector, sub inspector and constables in the Police Department, he said.

They had been given appointments in other departments also, he added.

Referring to sports facilities being provided in Sirsa district, Kanda said besides setting up academies for men's hockey and kabaddi, wings of various sports had also been set up.

The Astroturf hockey ground in Sirsa would go a long way in the promotion of hockey in the state, the minister said.

Kanda announced a sum of Rs 1 lakh from his discretionary fund to Maharaja Agarsen Senior Secondary School, where he presided over the school’s annual function. He also announced a sum of Rs 1.51 lakh to the children taking part in the cultural and other activities.

The minister laid foundation stones of six new roads in different villages of his constituency.

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HC verdict
Opp hails decision on ‘unattached’ MLAs
Bijendra Ahlawat
Tribune News Service

Rohtak, December 26
Leaders of various political parties have hailed the Punjab and Haryana High Court decision of declaring 5 legislators of the state Assembly, who had allegedly defected to the Congress after being getting elected on HJC ticket as ‘unattached’.

Describing the interim order of the High Court as historic and remarkable, the state unit of the CPI(M) hoped that it would help in curbing defection. The High Court decision has given a severe jolt to the Congress party which had allegedly resorted to the ‘shameless act of horse trading’ in order to muster majority in the Assembly, said the party general secretary Inderjit Singh, in a press statement.

He said his party was in favour of disqualifying all the five legislators immediately.

He said the party wants that the anti-defection law should be suitably amended so that precious time was not wasted in penalising the elected representatives indulging in defection, he added.

The district unit of Kuldeep Bishnoi led HJC has also hailed the court verdict and has claimed that the present state government had been left with no moral right to remain in power after this decision. The party will leave no stone unturned to get the defector MLAs disqualified from the state Assembly as they had violated all the democratic norms and had cheated the voters, claimed Yogender Nath Malhotra, local HJC leader. The district unit of the BJP and the INLD have also welcomed the court decision of declaring the legislators as ‘unattached’ and have sought the resignation of Hooda government.

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Martyrs’ Memorial Conference at Rewari
Nawal Kishore Rastogi

Rewari, December 26
Representatives of various voluntary organisations, educational institutions and village panchayats participated in a Martyrs’ Memorial Conference held under the auspices of Desh Bhakt Yuva Sangthan (DBYS) at Shaheed Anil Yadav Memorial Complex at Pahadi village, 12 km from Rewari, recently.

Swami Dharam Dev, chief of Hari Mandir Ashram, Pataudi, was a celebrated visitor, and Yadvender Singh, grandson of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, was the chief guest. Social activist Bir Singh presided over the proceedings while Hari Ram Arya, chairman of the Haryana Swatantrata Senani Samman Samiti, was the guest of honour.

Soon after unveiling the newly-installed statues of Shaeed Bhagat Singh and Chandra Shekhar Azad at the above complex, Swami Dharam Dev exhorted everyone to rise above parochial considerations of religion and caste and put in strenuous efforts for the unity and welfare of the nation.

He impressed upon functionaries of social organisations as well as youth to work for the accomplishment of the martyrs’ dreams.

Describing martyrs as a valuable legacy of the nation, Yadvender Singh stressed the need for the optimum utilisation of youths’ vast energy for nation-building and other positive purposes.

Bir Singh expressed concern at the devaluation of political, social and cultural excellence of the Ahirwal region. He also urged youth to imbibe their ancestors’ meritorious points.

Terming the contribution made by the freedom fighters as unforgettable, Hari Ram Arya lamented that their dreams were still lying unaccomplished.

Vinod Yadav, convener of DBYS, reiterated their resolve to organise such functions in the future as well. Shaheed Anil Yadav’s father Gajraj Singh Yadav, mother Mishri Devi and wife Sushila Devi were honoured on the occasion.

Anil Yadav had recently laid down his life while combating militants in a fierce encounter in the Baramulla area of Kashmir.

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Farmers seek loans at 4 per cent interest
Farmer commission report inadequate, says Akhil Bhartiya Kisan Sabha

Bijendra Ahlawat
Tribune News Service

Jind, December 26
The state unit of the Akhil Bhartiya Kisan Sabha has criticised the first report of the Haryana Kisan Aayog (Haryana Farmers’ Commission). The members termed the report ‘incompetent’ to retrieve the farmers from the crises that had engulfed them due to loan burden and the rising cost of of agriculture production.

Phool Singh Sheokand, president of the state unit of the Kisan Sabha, said that though the state government had formed a commission under the chairmanship of RS Paroda, the measures taken so far by the state and union governments were inadequate to meet the challenges faced by majority of the farmers.

He said unless the government does not provide loans to farmers at 4 per cent interest, it was nearly impossible to help the farmers. The cost of seeds, fertilisers and pesticides has gone up sharply in the past and the farmers had become dependent on government subsidy, he rued.

Besides low interest rate, the government should provide insurance cover to the main crops, he lamented. He said while the farmers demand regular power and water supply at affordable rates, the authorities have been increasing the power bill without the assurance of adequate supply.

The commission had failed to come up with any concrete suggestions so far, he said. Demanding a clear-cut policy on land acquisition in the state, the farmers’ body asked the government to create infrastructure which could help farmers to diversify the crop pattern and to get maximum return from the allied activities like horticulture, poultry and dairy farming. It may be recalled that Jind has developed as a poultry hub over the years besides the traditional farming of crops.

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DAV school holds Gita Diwas Samaroh
Tribune News Service


From (R): Dr DD Vidyarthi, Director Principal, DAV School, Panipat, Dr Sudhir Kumar, Director, Haryana Sanskrit Academy, and Additional Deputy Commissioner, Panipat, gives away prize to a winner on the occasion of Gita Diwas Samaroh in Panipat. Tribune photo

Panipat, December 26
In order to inculcate moral values among school-going children, the Haryana Sanskrit Academy organised “Gita Diwas Samaroh” at DAV Public School, Thermal Colony, Panipat, in collaboration with the Sri Gita Prachar Samiti, Panchkula, as part of the national integration and harmony programme.

More than 200 students from SD Vidya Mandir, SD Girls Senior Secondary School, SD Boys Senior Secondary School, DAV Public School, Sector 6, Delhi Public School, Bal Vikas Progressive School, DCM Public School and Jimwani Bal Bharti School, Panipat, participated in the event.

The samaroh was organised to strengthen the spiritual base of children at their formative age and to acquaint them with the importance of the country’s rich tradition. The event started with the lighting of the ceremonial lamp followed by Saraswati Vandana.

RS Verma, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Panipat, was the chief guest, while D. Vidyarthi, Director Principal of the school, presided over the ceremony.

In his address, the director lauded the efforts of the samiti and exhorted them to promote and preserve the ancient tradition. He further appealed to the students to protect the ancient tradition by putting their sincere efforts altogether with zeal and enthusiasm.

The spokesperson of the samiti said decline in moral values was a global phenomenon. He said the samiti was also constantly focusing on instilling moral values in students so as to make them good human beings and it should be an ongoing process.

He said: “Teachers should inculcate moral values among children. Children should develop good habits like respecting parents and elders, speaking truth and working hard. There is a vital need for reviving the ethical values, honesty and spirit of service to the nation. Since inception of the samiti, it had covered 98 schools belonging to Haryana, Chandigarh and Punjab. Around 6,000 students have participated in these programmes, out of which 1,800 have been honoured with trophies and cash prizes”.

Various competitions were held in this event. SD Girls Senior Secondary School, Panipat, stole the limelight by giving nice presentation in group recitation and got the first prize comprising of Rs 1,000. Radhika from SD Vidya Mandir bagged the overall first cash prize, while Komal from DAV Public School, Thermal Colony, got the second prize of Rs 700. Nishant Rana from Bal Vikas School received the third prize of Rs 500.

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Jhajjar school collects 109 units of blood
Ravinder Saini


Jhajjar Deputy Commissioner Ajit Balaji Joshi during a blood donation camp at Dujana village in Jhajjar. Photo by writer

Jhajjar, December 26
Government Senior Secondary School, Dujana, has collected 109 units of blood at a blood donation camp organised by its National Service Scheme (NSS) unit on the school premises here recently after breaking its earlier record of accumulating 107 units of blood two years ago.

A plantation drive was also organised during the camp where hundreds of saplings were planted on the school campus. Jhajjar Deputy Commissioner Ajit Balaji Joshi was the chief guest on the occasion, who inaugurated the camp.

While addressing the gathering, Joshi said there was an urgent need for creating an awakening among the masses to donate blood. Calling upon the students and volunteers of the school to donate blood, he said, “Donating blood voluntarily shows responsibility towards society, which youth understands now”.

Saying that plantation is essential for protecting environment, the DC said plantation was the fundamental duty of every citizen. Joshi also lauded the efforts of the school management and its volunteers for organising such sort of camps for the noble cause.

A team of doctors from local civil hospital collected the blood while the chief guest awarded certificates of honour to the blood donors. Dr Praveen Khurana set an example of social service by donating blood for the 28th times in the camp.

Earlier, NSS volunteers presented a cultural programme to motivate the people for curbing the social evil of female foeticide.

Jhajjar Civil Surgeon Dr Bharat Singh Bishnoi also gave information about the steps being taken by the government to root out the evil of female foeticide from the state. Beri SDM SN Roy, BDPO Ram Karan Sharma, NSS in charge Manoj Ahlawat, village sarpanch Lakhi Ram, Vijay Pal, Pawan Sharma and Ved Prakash Numberdar were among those who were present on the occasion.

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Entrepreneurship development cell at Sirsa college
Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Kanta Singh, wife of Ellenabad MLA Abhey Singh Chautala, inaugurates an entrepreneurship development cell at the Jan Nayak Chaudhary Devi Lal College of Engineering in Sirsa.
Kanta Singh, wife of Ellenabad MLA Abhey Singh Chautala, inaugurates an entrepreneurship development cell at the Jan Nayak Chaudhary Devi Lal College of Engineering in Sirsa. Tribune photo

Sirsa, December 26
With an aim to creating entrepreneurial culture in the institution and to foster entrepreneurship and employment, the Jan Nayak Chaudhary Devi Lal College of Engineering recently set up an Entrepreneurship Development Cell (EDC).

Kanta Singh, wife of Ellenabad MLA Abhey Singh Chautala, inaugurated the cell at a function held in the college.

Dr Gurcharan Dass, principal of the college, said the EDC was sanctioned by the AICTE with a view to encourage technical students to consider self-employment as a career option and provide training in entrepreneurship development through modular courses and increase the relevance of management, particularly in the non-corporate and under-managed sectors.

Pradeep Aggarwal, chairman-cum-MD, Prime Gold Group of Industries and CB Singh Sheoran, superintending engineer, Irrigation, Hisar Circle, were also present on the occasion.

Kanta Singh said the main role of the EDC was to exploit the potential of young technocrats and make them ready for entrepreneurial challenges.

Sheoran emphasised on blending the technical inputs with entrepreneurial and management skills to train young technocrats and make them ‘job generators’ rather than ‘job seekers’.

In the welcome speech, principal Dr Gurcharan Dass pointed out the relationship of academics with entrepreneurship in the campus.

Dr Shamim Sharma, Managing Director, JCD Vidyapeeth, in her address said the EDC would act as a catalyst to create entrepreneurial ventures from the college and the major objective was to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in the campus.

A book ‘Applied Chemistry” authored by Dr Gurcharan Dass was also released on the occasion.

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Vodafone launches 3G Android phone in Haryana
Attar Singh
Tribune News Service


Ishmeet Singh, chief operating officer of Vodafone, launches 3G Android phone in Ambala. Tribune photo

Ambala, December 26
Vodafone India, one of the leading telecommunications service providers in the country, announced the launch of Vodafone Smart - the new revolutionary 3G Android phone, for all its customers in Haryana.

Powered by Qualcomm Incorporated’s Snapdragon S1 processor and Android 2.2.1 OS, Vodafone Smart is designed for tech-savvy customers providing them access to exciting mobile apps, games, Internet and social networking platforms on-the-go.

Attractively priced at Rs 4,995, Vodafone Smart will enable customers to enjoy hundreds of thousands of Android applications on a high quality 3G Android handset with two years of warranty. Vodafone subscribers will also enjoy a special introductory limited period offer of Double Data Benefit on their 3G subscription.

Speaking on the launch of Vodafone Smart, Ishmeet Singh, chief operating officer, Haryana, Vodafone India, said: “At Vodafone, we understand the pulse of the urban Indian youth who are extremely brand conscious and have shown a great response to smart phones. Vodafone Smart is one such smart phone that is sure to delight our young audience with its stylish looks, smart features and 3G connectivity at an affordable price”.

Announcing the launch of this service, Ishmeet Singh said: “The Vodafone Fun Zone is an innovative service for our subscribers in Haryana. The service will keep our customers updated on infotainment content on a daily basis at reasonable rates”.

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‘Technical fault led to false calls on 100’
Ravi S.Singh
Tribune News Service

Faridabad, December 26
The Faridabad police has finally traced the source of innumerable blank calls on the emergency number 100. A major technical flaw in the system of cellular service providers was detected which accounted for large number of blank calls on number 100 in the district Police Control Room.

The errant service providers operating in the NCR are said to have admitted to the fault and have taken corrective measures. Except for Reliance and Tata Indiacom, all other service providers had developed a technical snag.

S Kapur, Police Commissioner, Faridabad, said: “Major chunk of the calls received on the dial-100 system in the control room were generated through the server of the errant service providers. This was due to wrong configuration of the main switch of the concerned service providers”.

Consequently, calls made to 911 and 112 were also diverted to the police emergency number, he said.

He further said the fault resulted in a deluge of unwanted calls on 100. It kept the telephone line clogged which deprived the public from reaching to the police through the Dial-100 in emergency, he added.

Kapur said after the anomaly was detected and rectified, the number of blank calls had reduced drastically. “On a given day out of about 700 calls on 100, now only about 80 of them were blank calls. Earlier there number used to be about 300 or more,” he added.

“This experience will be shared at the state and national level,” Kapur added.

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240 prisoners examined at eye check-up camp
Our Correspondent

Kurukshetra, December 26
Dina Nath Arora Chairman District Consumer Forum, Yamunanagar, urged the people to take a pledge to donate their eyes after death.

Arora was speaking as a chief guest at a free eye check-up camp organised by Gow (Cow) - Geeta - Gayatri Satsang Sewa Samiti, Kurukshetra, on the premises of the District Jail here recently. Arora also advised the prisoners to take care of their eyes.

Expressing his gratitude to the organisers, District Jail Superintendent Aatma Ram Bishnoi said the prisoners would be benefited by the efforts made by the samiti by organising this camp.

He also advised the samiti to continue organising such camps from time to time for the benefit of society.

The eyes of as many as 240 prisoners were checked up by Dr Aman Aggarwal of Aggarwal Nursing Home, Kurukshetra, and free medicines were given to the needy. Out of them, 75 prisoners were identified with weak eye sight and they will be given spectacles free of cost by the samiti and Lala Darshan Lal Padmavati Charitable Trust (regd.), Ladwa.

Meanwhile, Arora interacted with the prisoners and took a round of the jail barracks and parking site on the jail premises and praised the Jail Superintendent as well as Deputy Superintendent Deepak 
Sharma, especially for maintaining cleanliness on the jail campus.

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‘Need to strengthen democracy’
Our Correspondent

Kurukshetra, December 26
“During the Partition, our leaders had the option to choose for a Hindu nation, but our visionary leaders could sense the darkness which would follow such a decision. They chose to remain a secular nation unlike Pakistan and today we can see the result”.

This was stated by VN Rai, Vice-Chancellor, Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya, Wardha (Maharashatra), in his key note address while emphasising the need of strengthening democracy and shielding secularism in the country.

He was speaking on “Communal Riots, Police and Media” organised by the Institute of Mass Communications and Media Technology (IMC & MT) of Kurukshetra University here recently.

Talking about the need of unbiased stance of police during sensitive situations arising out of any kind of communal disturbance, he said the police should have extra sensitivity in handling communal riots.

He further stressed on the objectivity of the media and responsible coverage during critical situations like communal riots. Prof Rajbir Singh, director, IMC & MT, Kurukshetra University, introduced Rai, who is a retired senior IPS officer, a writer and a social activist.

“Shehar Mein Curfew”, “Loktantra”, “Tabadla” and “Ek Chhatra Neta Ka Rojnamcha” are some of the important literary works by Rai. The National Police Academy of Hyderabad has also awarded him a fellowship on ‘Police Neutrality’. Ajit Rai, a senior journalist, shared his experiences of objective reporting with the students and advised them to follow fair and unbiased reporting. The lecture was followed by an interactive session.

Dr Dev Vrat Singh, associate professor from the institute, presented the vote of thanks and Ashok Sharma, assistant professor of the institute, anchored the event.

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Murthal varsity takes steps to check copying
BS Malik

Sonepat, December 26
The Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram University of Science and Technology, Murthal, has taken all necessary steps to curb the habit of copying in the ongoing first semester examinations of engineering classes and timely declaration of the results.

After the affiliation of 25 engineering colleges in Sonepat district with the university from this academic year, the university had set up 16 examination centres, including three, on the university premises for around 8,000 students of the first semester. As many as 13 flying squads had been put on duty to ensure copying-free examinations.

HS Chahal, Vice-Chancellor of the university, said the examinations started from December and answer sheets had already been sent to evaluators to ensure that the results were declared within the scheduled time.

The VC, who himself had inspected a number of the examination centres, said: “Each university has set rules to award punishment to those students who use unfair means in the examination”.

It was the duty of all to enforce these rules strictly without any kind of bias and the vice-chancellors should constitute the committee of those faculty members who had long experience of teaching and were academically honest, he said and opined that state governments should also make some legislation to prevent this nuisance.

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E-Disha centre in Rewari

Rewari, December 26
E-disha Single Window Service Centre has been set up by the administration at the district secretariat here for the convenience of the public. It consists of eight computerised counters as well as a waiting room. It was inaugurated by TR Sharma, Commissioner, Gurgaon division, recently. Soon after the inaugural ceremony, the Commissioner examined the services which the centre would provide to the citizens.

While mentioning about the state government’s resolve for a time-bound provision of services linked with various public dealing departments, he told the district officials that issuance of SC, BC, OBC, residential and income certificates, different types of driving licences, NOCs, duplicate registration certificates of vehicles and registration of new vehicles were imperatively among the services, delivery of which was to be ensured to the citizens within a set time frame. While counselling the officials to go in for certain changes in the present procedures, the Commissioner also cautioned them against any laxity on their part in the execution of services within a specified time frame

Deputy Commissioner CG Rajini Kaanthan assured the Commissioner that his instructions would be followed in letter and in spirit. — OC

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Crime awareness conference held
Our Correspondent

Rewari, December 26
Senior police officials, functionaries of various mercantile, educational and voluntary organizations, municipal councillors and other prominent citizens participated in a Crime Awareness Citizens’ Conference held under the joint auspices of the district police administration and its NGO, Police Dost, in the city police station complex here recently.

In his keynote address, Amit Swami, secretary of the NGO, highlighted the ways and means to avert thefts, burglaries, eve-teasing, road accidents and other such crimes while seeking citizens’ positive cooperation to curb crime in the district.

Similarly, while appreciating the move initiated by SP Vikas Arora to tone down the activities of criminals in the district, trade associations’ functionaries Ratnesh Bansal, DK Jain, Ashok Yadav, Pooran Chand Agarwal, Dr Adesh Saxena, Dinesh Kapur, Suresh Saini and others put forward certain suggestions to make the campaign a success and extended their whole-hearted support as well. Inspector Dhanpat Singh, SHO of the city police, thanked all for their participation in the conference.

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Book on campus life released
DR Vij

Kurukshetra, December 26
"I Am Heartless - A Real Confession”, an English novel based on the energetic youthful campus life of Kurukshetra University, was released by Anoop Lather, director, Department of Youth and Cultural Programme, Kurukshetra University, at Shrimadbhagwadgita Sadan on the university campus here recently.

The novel has been penned down by Vinit K Bansal, former student of the university, who now works as a banker in State Bank of India, Delhi.

Lather said the story of the novel not only portrayed love, relationships and youthful charms of the college students but also extends in itself a message to all parents.

It is an eye-opening feat that travels through the lanes and by lanes of the university and it makes the students relate to the university and stay attached to it.

The author said, “The aim of penning down the novel was not just to write a story but to bring to the forefront the situations and circumstances the protagonist went through, which shall prove to be an example for others so as not to commit the same mistake that the protagonist did”. Vinay Dutta of Mahaveer Publishers, Kamlesh Bhartiya, vice-president of Haryana Literary Academy, Vishwaraman, an artist, Saurabh Arya, Gagandeep Chauhan, Suket Kalagruha, Pravin Sharma, Balwindra Singh Vikki, Pawan Saunti, Bhavna, Rahul Tonk, Raja Ghosh, Sudhir Saraswat, Pravin Kadiyan, Ishwar Sharma, Neeraj and Vimal were also present on the occasion.

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Smart cards replace old ration cards in Haryana

Gurgaon, December 26
Old ration cards in Haryana have now given way to smart cards, benefiting the poor as well as the state exchequer.

The project has been started in Haryana's four blocks of Ambala, Sonepat, Sirsa and Gharaunda on pilot basis and will cover the entire state by June 2013, Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary of Food and Supplies Department Shakuntala Jakhu has said. The smart cards, which would be linked to the Unique Identification Card (UIC), would usher an era of transparency in the public distribution system (PDS), she said.

Huge quantities of essential commodities were reaching black market resulting in massive loss to the exchequer. Now, the new cards would check corruption and put an end to the problems faced by the consumers, she said. — PTI

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Sonepat girl to take part in R-Day parade
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, December 26
Poonam, a student of the local Hindu Girls College, and a NSS volunteer, has been selected to participate in the Republic Day parade this year. She is the only student of Maharishi Dayanand University (MDU), Rohtak, who has been selected for the parade.

According to Nirmal Jabbal, principal of the college, a one-day camp was organised on September 14 by the NSS Students Activities Department of MDU for the selection of students for the R-Day parade. All colleges of MDU and BPS Mahila Vishwavidyalaya, Khanpur Kalan, participated in the camp and two NSS volunteers - Poonam and Harleen of the college - were selected for Pre-Republic Day parade camp organised at Multanimal PG College, Modinagar, by NSS Regional Centre.

The principal said as many as 32 volunteers from the state participated in the Pre-Republic Day camp and out of them, eight volunteers had been selected for participation in the Republic Day parade.

Poonam is only girl selected from MDU who would represent the university in the parade, she added.

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Rajiv Gandhi information centres to be set up in Sirsa
Tribune News Service

Sirsa, December 26
The government will set up Rajiv Gandhi information centres in rural areas of Sirsa district at a cost of Rs 12.50 crore to make Panchayati Raj Institutions hi-tech in Information Technology. This was stated by Dr Ashok Tanwar, MP, Sirsa, while addressing villagers at Rupana Bishnoian in the district.

He said one Rajiv Gandhi information centre would be set up in each block of the district at a cost of Rs 25 lakh and such centres would also be set up at 101 big villages of the district at a cost of Rs 10 lakh each.

The centres would be constructed on the special design provided by the Rural Development Department of the Government of India. Keeping in view the future needs, facilities would be provided in these centres, he added.

He said block development and panchayat officers had been asked to identify 15 such villages in each block which had maximum panchayat lands.

All these Rajiv Gandhi information centres would be made extremely beautiful and ornamental plants would be planted on the premises of these centres.

Tanwar distributed cheques among 800 farmers for the loss of crops due to last year’s rains.

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IGP: Effective steps must to maintain law, order
Our Correspondent

Kurukshetra, December 26
Balbir Singh, Inspector-General of Police, Karnal Range, has directed the Superintendents of Police to take steps to curb crime by making elaborate security arrangements in their respective districts.

He was addressing a press conference held at the Police Lines here recently. He said effective steps should be taken to maintain law and order situation in the state.

“A special campaign to control crime and arrest proclaimed offenders is being launched while directions have also been issued to ensure security of cow sheds,” he said.

Balbir Singh said his priorities would be to get the maximum cooperation from the public so that the common man might go to the police fearlessly.

After discussing with the district police chiefs of the four districts, it was decided to make the beat system more effective.

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SP office gets ISO certificate
Tribune News Service

Panipat, December 26
The office of the Superintendent of Police, Panipat, has become the first in the state to be awarded the ISO certificate. Stating this here recently, district police chief Pankaj Nain said the certificate was awarded to his office after its working was found to be in accordance with the standards set by the International Organisation for Standardisation.

He said with the new recognition it had become more important for his office to maintain high standards.

He said special instructions had been issued to make certain that high standards were maintained while dealing with the public. Besides, the department had also started a woman PCR service in the city area in order to curb the incidents of snatching and eve teasing, the SP said.

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Ambala institute organises placement drive

Ambala, December 26
As many as 27 students of Shri Atmanand Jain Institute of Management and Technology (AIMT), Ambala City, were selected during a campus placement drive at the college campus here recently.

Three companies held the placement drive for the recruitment of final year MBA students. The first organisation to visit the institute was Angel Broking, which selected five students. The second organisation which visited the campus was Bajaj Capital Limited, which selected 18 students.India Mart was the third company and it selected four students by conducting a telephonic interview. Angel Broking team members Vasundhara Kaul and Dinesh Kumar and Bajaj Capital Ltd team members Akhilesh Mishra and Naresh Gupta visited the campus for the recruitment process.

As many as 27 students were selected and would be placed in the respective companies after they pass their MBA.

Director of the AIMT SC Aggarwal and training and placement officer Abhinav Ranga congratulated the students and wished them success for their future endeavours. — OC

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Employment drive held

Yamunanagar, December 26
The Yamuna Group of Institutions, Gadholi, organised a campus placement drive for MBA final year students here recently in which Eureka Forbes Private Ltd selected four students for the post of territory manager, Punjab.

For the selection purpose, Rama Sharma and Avisha Kyuria from the HR Department of Eureka Forbes visited the Yamuna Group of Institutions. Dr Sarvjeet Kaur, director, Yamuna Group of Institutions, congratulated the selected students and said cent per cent placement was their target. Chairman of the Yamuna Group Rajinder Singh and Director-General Dr SR Mehndiratta congratulated all the selected students. — TNS

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Letter
Power of judicial review

The decision of a Division Bench of Punjab and Haryana High Court directing the Haryana Speaker to decide within four months i.e. before April 30, 2012 the pending disqualification proceedings against five erstwhile members of Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) for their alleged ‘en-bloc defection’ into the Congress Legislature Party under the guise of ‘merger’ over two years ago in November, 2009 once again substantiates the supremacy of the power of judicial review.

It may perhaps be a sheer coincidence that the order of Division Bench has come exactly a year after a Single Judge of the HC had passed similar directions to the Speaker on December 20, 2010. Pertinent to mention that two of the 5 ‘unattached’ MLAs are cabinet ministers and one is the Chief Parliamentary Secretary in Haryana Government. The issue which had already been pending for almost two years indeed merits expeditious adjudication. Although HC directions to a constitutional functionary to decide an impending issue within stipulated time looks highly exaggerated. The principles of natural justice demand that if an adjudicating authority sits over a matter for considerable long period, the higher courts can not remain a mute spectator. Without prejudice to the right and remedy of the Speaker and the five erstwhile HJC MLAs to move a SLP in the Supreme Court, let us hope that the Haryana Speaker would comply the latest directions of HC in letter and spirit and decide the already much delayed matter expeditiously.

HEMANT KUMAR, Ambala City

Readers are invited to write to us. Send your mail, in not more than 200 words, at haryana@tribuneindia.com or write in at: Letters, Haryana Plus, The Tribune, Sector 29, Chandigarh-160030.

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