The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Khaki fascinates educated youth
Graduates, PGs among newly recruited constables
Sunit Dhawan/TNS

Gurgaon, September 20
The perception of Haryana policemen being impolite and discourteous towards the state residents and visitors seems all set to change for good. With more and more educated youth being attracted to the uniformed job, the state police force will now also be known for its professionalism and courteous outlook.

“More than 200 of the 638 newly recruited constables are graduates while nearly 40 are postgraduates in different disciplines. Many of them have professional backgrounds in information technology, commerce, literature, music and fine arts,” said Sudhir Chaudhary, Inspector-General of Police at RTC, Bhondsi.

The 638 recruits form the sixth batch of the Haryana Police constables who will join the force at the Centre in Gurgaon district tomorrow. State Director-General of Police Ranjeev Singh Dalal is slated to be the chief guest at the ceremony.

Chaudhary maintained that the training procedure of the Haryana Police was being synchronised with the latest socio-economic trends as well as technological advancements.

“The state police force is also swiftly marching towards modernisation and adopting a professional outlook in order to be of optimum benefit to the civil society,” he asserted.

The IGP observed that the recruitment of highly educated youth in the constabulary, which was the backbone of the police force, was a matter of pride and he hoped the bright young recruits would prove to be an asset for the organisation.

He congratulated the outstanding recruits and stated that they would also be honoured by the DGP at the passing-out ceremony.

World Junior Softball Championship
Two Haryana lads selected in national team
Ravinder Saini

Jhajjar, September 20
Two promising players of Haryana, Raj Kumar Hooda and Sumit Kumar, have been selected in the Indian Softball Squad for the Ninth World Junior Softball Championship scheduled to be held from November 1 to 8 in Tarana (Argentina).

Selection of both the players has been done on the basis of their performance in various national softball championships. This is for the first time when two players of Haryana have succeeded to secure berths in the Indian softball team.

Stating this while interacting with mediapersons here, Joginder Arya, coach of the players, said the Indian Softball Team for the prestigious championship was announced after a training camp organised by the Softball Association of India in Anantpur city of Andhra Pradesh recently.

Both, Raj Kumar Hooda and Sumit Kumar, were also a part of this camp where they not only worked out at various techniques the game to make them technically sound but also received valuable tips from experts for maintaining their physical and mental fitness to perform well in the championship.

“Besides Haryana, four players from Madhya Pradesh, three each from Kerala and Maharashtra, two from Punjab, one each from Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Chhatisgarh and Andhra Pradesh have been selected Two Haryana lads selected in national team in the Indian squad,” said the coach.

Hooda had been selected as ‘pitcher’ in the team while Sumit would play the role of a ‘hitter’ in this global event. Hooda was a Class X student in Government Senior Secondary School at Girawar village while Sumit was pursuing Bachelor of Art (BA) from Jat College in Rohtak, he added.

“Fifteen-year-old Hooda is one of the few players in the nation who have the ability of throwing the ball at a pace of 120 km per hour. Following his outstanding skill, Hooda has been declared as the ‘best pitcher’ in national games twice,” said Joginder Arya, adding that he had also bagged several awards during the past couple of years in state-level softball tournaments. Similarly, Sumit Kumar had also performed well in different national-level softball tournaments. He had been chosen as the ‘best hitter’ in a national championship, said the coach.

PUNISHING ERRANT PUBLIC SERVANTS
Lokayaukta institution lacks sufficient powers
Raman Mohan
Tribune News Service

Hisar, September 20
Is the Lokayukta in Haryana a toothless institution? Going by the provisions of the Act, the manner of appointment and the information procured by social activists under the Right to Information Act, the institution needs to be given more powers for it to be really effective against errant public servants.

A social activist and President of the All-India State Government Employees Confederation, ML Sehgal, says the Lokayukta is appointed on the recommendation of the Chief Minister which ensures that the incumbent cannot be expected to act against the Chief Minister or a minister.

Sehgal says the Lokayukta does not have the power to punish errant officials. Instead he can only recommend action against a guilty official. The Act also does not empower the Lokayukta to enforce his own orders.

Regrading the findings of the investigation by the Lokayukta, Section 17.1 (b) of the Act states that: all or any of the allegations or grievances have or has been substantiated either wholly or partly, he shall, by report in writing, communicate his findings, appropriate recommendations and suggestions to the competent authority and intimate the complainant and the public servant concerned about his having made the report.

Under the Act, once the Lokaukta has forwarded his recommendations to the competent authority “the competent authority shall cause the report to be examined and communicate to the Lokayukta within three months of the date of receipt of the report, the action taken thereon”.

This, says Sehgal, effectively means the Lokayukta has no power to punish errant government servants.

Information procured under the RTI Act also reveals that the procedure adopted by the Lokayukta to deal with complaints is flawed. Instead of seeking comments of the officer against whom a complaint is received, the Lokayukta office seeks the comments of his superior officer who generally justifies the action of his junior especially when the junior had acted on orders of his superior.

The presence of the officer against whom a complaint is being investigated is not mandatory in a hearing. The government officials are even paid their travelling allowances by the government even as the complainants are left to bear their own expenses.

According to Sehgal, Section 24 of the Act clearly states that a complaint to the Lokayukta will not be a bar on the complainant seeking a remedy under any other law. However, he said the Lokayuta was refusing to entertain complaints if the complainant had availed of other statutory remedies.

A senior local advocate says that before a complainant approaches the Lokayukta, he has to protect his statutory rights by filing writs, suit or departmental appeals within a stipulated period after the injury arises or else he loses his legal rights. He adds that since the Lokayukta lacked sufficient powers, a complainant was forced to approach the courts, too. However, the Lokayukta has been rejecting complaints on the ground that the issue was pending elsewhere, too.

Finance company told to refund over Rs 2 lakh
Manish Sirhindi
Tribune News Service

Yamunanagar, September 20
Taking back a truck following default in the payment of two instalments cost a finance company dear. The local Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has ordered a refund of Rs 2,67,335 to the owner of the truck who had suffered at the hands of the finance company.

Shriram Transport Finance Company had approved a loan of Rs 3,60,000 to Jagir Singh, a resident of Luxmi Garden, Yamunanagar, who had purchased an old truck in December 2003 for Rs 4,60,000.

Jagir Singh, after paying instalments for Rs 2,57,835 failed to deposit two instalments in 2005. Following this, the finance company confiscated Jagir’s truck in violation of the norms.

As Jagir Singh went to the Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum in 2005, it directed the finance company to release his truck within seven days. However, the finance company decided to file a revision petition with the State Commission, which dismissed the petition in 2011.

However, the truck remained in possession of the finance company, which according to the complaint continued to use it for personal use. The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum observed that Jagir Singh had made a payment of Rs 2,47,835 to the finance company and only because he could not deposit two instalments in time, they took possession of his vehicle illegally, thus harassing Jagir Singh.

The forum observed that the financier remained in possession of the vehicle owned by Jagir Singh for more than six and a half years during which the vehicle was rendered unfit for use.

Earlier, the forum ordered that the finance company should refund Rs 2,67,335 to Jagir Singh for taking illegal possession of his truck and using it all these years.

The forum also directed the finance company to pay Rs 50,000 as punitive damages for dragging the complainant in unnecessary litigation as the complainant had incurred a lot of expenditure for defending his case from the district forum to the state commission.

Sonepat school tops in sports education category
Our Correspondent

Astroturf ground at Motilal Nehru School of Sports, Rai, for hockey players. Photo: BS Malik

Sonepat, September 20
Motilal Nehru School of Sports (MNSS), Rai, Sonepat, has been ranked as the top boarding school in the sports education category in the country for the second time on the basis of its world-class infrastructure and performance in sports events throughout the year.

According to principal and director of the school VK Verma, Education World, a leading magazine in the field of education, and ‘C-fore’, a Delhi-based market research and opinion polls agency, had been publishing annual survey of the most reputed schools of the country on the basis of 14 parameters, including academic reputation, faculty competence, leadership qualities, sports education and value for money, during the past five years.

For the 2012 survey, over 450 of the country’s most well-known schools were included and MNSS was adjudged the best in the sports education category, he said.

The MNSS was also ranked at the third position in infrastructure provision and value for money, 8th in leadership and management quality and 10th in life skills and conflict management, he said. He gave credit for this achievement to the state government and in particular to Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, for providing world class sports infrastructure, which included hockey astroturf, multipurpose hall, cricket pavilion, swimming pool and synthetic tennis courts.

Flood control room in Haryana

Chandigarh, September 20
To keep a round-the-clock vigil in flood-prone areas of Haryana, the state government has set up a flood control room in Yamunanagar district.

The centre had been set up at the district secretariat in Yamunanagar to deal with flooding in the hilly areas at the northern end of Yamunanagar in the state and also in adjoining Himachal Pradesh and Uttrakhand, a spokesman said here recently.

Apart from this, flood control rooms have been set up at sub-division level in Jagadhari and Bilaspur, block development and panchayat officer’s office, Radaur, tehsil office, Chachrauli and office of water services divisional, Jagadhari and Hathni Kund Barrage. These would work till October 15, he said. — PTI

Horticultural crops big hit among farmers
Manish Sirhindi
Tribune News Service

Ambala, September 20
With more than 32,425 square metres of land brought under horticultural crops, the lure of earning profits from fruit, vegetables, mushrooms, flowers, spices and medicinal and aromatic plants is fast catching up with local farmers.

Assisted by the local climate, which is considered suitable for the growing horticultural crops, more and more farmers are taking up cultivation of a wide range of crops. The Department of Horticulture, Haryana, is also implementing two centrally sponsored schemes in the district, including the National Horticulture Mission (NHM) and the National Mission on Micro Irrigation (NMMI) to promote horticultural crops in the district.

The National Horticulture Mission (NHM) was launched in 2005-2006. During the last fiscal year, a total of Rs 204.33 lakh was spent to promote fruit plantation, spice and pollination support for bee keeping.

For the promotion of protected cultivation in the district, a total area of 32,425 square metres was brought under poly houses and net houses and on which Rs 1.25 crore was spent. Under protected cultivation, 65 per cent subsidy was given to the farmers on poly houses, net houses, walk-in tunnels and mulching.

Senior officials of the district administration said there was a tremendous pressure on land and water resources due to which the authorities had stressed upon diversification of crops and the horticultural crops and farmers had also readily adopted these.

Under the NMMI, which was launched as a mission from June 2010, a total of 46.94 lakh was spent to provide irrigation on a total area of 51.8 hectares.

Besides, a Front Line Demonstration Centre (FLDC) was being established at Holi village in the district on which a total of Rs 25 lakh were being spent. Out of this, Rs 2.50 lakh had been contributed by the villagers. This project would act as a demonstration centre for a high-tech vegetable cultivation centre where the farmers would get first-hand information about a naturally ventilated poly house, walk-in tunnel, insect net house, vegetable cultivation with mini sprinkler, vegetable cultivation with drip irrigation, planting material for structures, cultivation in open field, pack house, store room and working shed, water storage structure and control room for irrigation systems.

Career orientation programme held
BS Malik

Sonepat, September 20
There is no shortcut to success. Hard work is the only key to success and students should develop this habit to achieve targets. This was stated by Vice-Chancellor of Law University, Delhi, Dr Ranbir Singh, while addressing the students of Women Law College of Bhagat Phool Singh Women’s University, Khanpur Kalan, at a career orientation programme organised on the premises of the law college recently.

He acquainted the students with new regulations in legal education and explained new methods of learning and teaching to them. The study of law should be consultative and consultative, he added.

Prof PS Jaiswal, Vice-Chancellor of Rajiv Gandhi University, Patiala, threw light on modern trends in law education and exhorted the students to have determination and strong will power for hard work.

The Vice-Chancellor of National University, Chennai, and Prof Vijay Kumar said law education should be imparted with new techniques and scientific methods to match the standard of teaching of the leading institutions.

Scheme for development of panchayats
DR Vij

Additional Deputy Commissioner Sumedha Kataria (extreme left) and zila parishad president Praveen Chaudhary address a press conference at the mini-secretariat, Kurukshetra. Photo by writer

Kurukshetra, September 20
The Zila Parishad, Kurukshetra, has launched a new scheme, Sampuran Swaraj Protsahan Puraskar, for the all round development of gram panchayats. This new scheme is a first of its kind not only in the state but also in the country.

Stating this to mediapersons at a press conference held under the chairmanship of Additional Deputy Commissioner Sumedha Kataria at the mini-secretariat here recently, zila parishad president Praveen Chaudhary said the ‘Sampuran Swachhata Abhiyan’ had now been renamed as the ‘Nirmal Bharat Campaign’.

Chaudhary said the main purpose of the campaign was to develop every area under gram panchayats.

He said under the new scheme, every gram panchayat would be awarded marks for different development works like plantation, water conservation, abolishing female foeticide, holding gram panchayat meetings regularly, proper utilisation of funds, implementing MNREGA scheme properly, celebrating national festivals, enrolling all children in schools and sports and sanitation system. The gram panchayats doing commendable work securing first, second and third positions at district level would be rewarded 2.5 lakh, 1.5 lakh and 1 lakh, respectively.

Kataria said the gram panchayats securing first, second and third positions at the block level would be given Rs 50,000, Rs 30,000 and Rs 20,000, respectively.

District development and panchayat officer Ishwar Chand Pundir, zila parishad vice-president Subhash Bhateri, and zila parishad member Chander Bhan Balmiki were present on the occasion.

RBI should cut CRR to 3pc: Don
Our Correspondent

Kurukshetra, September 20
The measures announced by the Governor of the RBI on September 17 are necessary but not sufficient. To remove resentment among stakeholders, the economy needs close coordination between monetary policy and fiscal policy.

This was stated by Dr MM Goel, professor of economics and dean, faculty of social sciences, Kurukshetra University, here recently.

To create faith and confidence in the entrepreneurial instinct among Indians for facing the challenges caused by FEAR (false evidences appearing real) of the global financial crisis and unhealthy competition, the RBI should further reduce the cash reserve ratio (CRR) to 3 per cent in a phased manner, Professor Goel said.

There is a strong case of adopting inflation targeting as an instrument of building trust among various stakeholders of the banking and financial system in the country, he sad.

“Let the people be sensitised on the ABC of banking and finance. There are 600 million people in the country who lack a bank account. We must bring them into the mainstream. We cannot have equitable growth without financial inclusion,” he said.

“Inclusive banking has moved to the top of the agenda. But patronising a financial institution doesn't mean that people escape the attention of moneylenders and other unscrupulous elements. To avoid them and the dangers they bring, we require banking and financial literacy,” Professor Goel added.

612 units of blood collected

Yamunanagar, September 20
Mukand Lal National College organised a blood donation mela here recently in which 612 units of blood was collected by the teams of doctors from PGI, Chandigarh, and district Red Cross Society. Ashok Kumar, chairman, Mukand Lal National College Governing Body, was the chief guest on the occasion.

He honoured star donors which included Dr Ramesh Kumar, general secretary of the College Managing Committee, Arun Aggarwal, Lakshender Kumar Goyal, Parveen Moudgil Birji, Sudhir Vaid, Ajay Dutt Vashistha, Satyapal Panwar, among others. — OC

Sirsa college holds blood donation camp
Sushil Manav
Tribune News Service

Sirsa, September 20
Jan Nayak Chaudhary Devi Lal (JCD) Vidyapeeth organised a mega blood donation camp in collaboration with the Akhil Bhartiya Tera Panth Yuvak Parishad to mark the birth anniversary of former Deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal.

Krishan Kamboj, MLA from Rania, inaugurated the camp. Bhagi Ram, a former MLA from Ellenabad, and Shamim Sharma, MD, JCD Vidyapeeth, presided over the camp, while district INLD president Padam Jain was the guest of honour. Kamboj, while motivating the donors, said this was the greatest gift one could do for humanity, adding that voluntary blood donors were saviours of mankind. Shamim Sharma stressed the need of voluntary blood donation.

“Though we have made tremendous discoveries and inventions in science, we are not yet able to make the magic potion called blood. Human blood has no substitute. Hence the requirement has increased and regular blood donations are vital for blood transfusion services,” she said.

Jain appreciated the hard work of volunteers and organisers of blood donation drive. The camp was organised under the supervision of Gurcharan Dass, principal, JCDM College of Engineering, and NS Bhal, senior adviser-cum-chief coordinator, JCDM College of Engineering.

About 500 units of blood were collected in the camp. The students of JCDM College of Engineering participated and displayed posters.

Jain said the parishad had organised 400 such drives across the country, which included 35 camps in the state under a unique drive.

Poverty-alleviation scheme yields encouraging results
Sushil Manav/TNS

Sirsa, September 20
The Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Scheme for poverty alleviation being implemented by the Haryana Forest Department with the help of Japanese Bank has yielded encouraging results in empowering women and making them financially strong.

The JICA is an independent institution of the Government of Japan responsible for the international cooperation and development agenda of the country.

It aims at reducing poverty and enhancing the process of socio-economic development in poor and developing countries around the world.

In its poverty alleviation agenda, it provides support towards enhancing employment opportunities and ensures provision of basic services such as healthcare and education to communities.

Sirsa MP Dr Ashok Tanwar inaugurated a workshop for the self-help groups (SHGs) of women working in this field here recently.

Speaking on the occasion, Tanwar said the scheme was being run in the state for poverty alleviation and to empower women.

He said 2,200 SHGs had been formed in 800 villages under the JICA scheme.

More than 25,000 families have been earning their livelihood through this scheme and have become financially strong by starting their own employment ventures after taking financial help under the JICA.

He said committees had been constituted at village level in the state for the successful execution of various programmes for the welfare of women.

Under this scheme, 6,033 committees have so far been constituted in the state.

He urged women to come forward and avail benefits of various schemes being implemented by the state government to enhance their socio-economic status.

Speaking on the occasion, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Amarinder Kaur said financial assistance of Rs 16 crore was being given to 2,200 SHGs under the JICA in the state which had directly benefited 25,000 women in the state.

With this financial assistance, women have established their self-employment ventures and have so far generated income of more than Rs 13 crore.

She said women between 20 and 50 years of age had been included in SHGs under the JICA. Each such SHG gets financial assistance of up to Rs 2 lakh as loan to facilitate women in setting up their own ventures.

Ladwa college holds talent-hunt competition
Our Correspondent

Kurukshetra, September 20
Indira Gandhi National College, Ladwa, organised a talent-hunt competition on the college premises recently and paid floral tributes to Goddess Saraswati. The event was inaugurated by District Congress Committee president Jai Bhagwan Sharma and a Kurukshetra Zila Parishad member, who were the chief guests on the occasion.

Sharma said co-curricular activities were essential for the integrated development of an individual.

College governing body president Pawan Garg congratulated the participants and motivated all students to take part in co-curricular activities to develop their overall personality in the competitive world.

The Principal of the college, Dr PK Gupta, said such competitions were organised to tap the latent talent in the students. She emphasised that such activities enhanced self-confidence among students.

Cultural programme convener RK Chauhan said the participants drew sketches on various topics such as female foeticide, dowry and themes of social importance in the painting competition.

A speech competition and a poetical symposium were organised where the students shared their views on social issues like gender discrimination, patriotism, prohibition and literacy.

As many as 100 boys and girls participated in painting, quiz, speech competitions, poetical symposium, solo dance, solo songs, mimicry, mono acting and instrumental music.

Questions related to current affairs, general knowledge, history, general science, general awareness and Indian economy were put before the participants.

Results:

Painting: I Sarita, II Monika, III Surbhi; Quiz: I Ravi Kant, II Sourabh Gagain, III Shubham Panjeta; Speech: I Saurabh, II Komal, III Poonam; Poetical Symposium: I Suman, II Poonam, III Bhavna; Singing: I Sarvjeet Kaur, II Harjeet Kaur, III Harpreet Kaur; Dancing: I Priti, II Virender, III Sarvjeet Kaur; Mono acting: I Bhavna; Mimicry: I Aman Kumar; Playing Instrument: I Harjeet Kaur, II Kritika, III Sarvjeet Kaur

Applications invited for energy conservation awards
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 20
The Haryana Renewable Energy Department has invited applications for the State-Level Energy Conservation Awards-2011. While stating this here recently, Renewable Energy Minister Harmohinder Singh Chattha said these awards would be given to consumers of various categories, who had made significant contribution in energy saving by adopting various energy conservation measures in their units and buildings during 2011.

These categories are large-scale industries, small-scale industries, government or semi-government buildings, educational institutions (schools), educational institutions (vocational and colleges), commercial buildings (hotels/shopping malls/plazas etc), municipal committees and municipal corporations, hospital (private and charitable) and hospital (government).

He said there would be a prize for an individual person who had made a new innovation or technology augmentation in renewable energy or energy conservation.

Sirsa lad shines as yoga guru
Sushil Manav/TNS

Sirsa, September 20
Acharya Rakesh Machra, a local youth, has carved a niche for himself in a span of a few years and has made a name for himself as a yoga guru. The skill has not only provided him a decent living, but it has also helped him work in several countries.

At present working as a yoga guru at Sirsa’s “One Life Club” and his own centre, Yoga Fragrance, Rakesh has been making people’s life healthier by teaching them yoga, meditation, yoga therapy, power yoga and other forms of exercises.

“After completing my education, I took yoga classes in Chandigarh for a few months before moving to Bangkok, where I worked as yoga instructor for two years. Then I moved to Hong Kong and conducted workshops in Singapore, Japan, Macau, South Korea, China and some other places. “Yoga is a gift to the world. The word yoga is derived from the Sanskrit root ‘yuj’, which means union”.

“In yogic terminology, this union connotes the union of one’s soul with the supreme soul or the supreme power called God. “In simple words, yoga can be delineated as an outstanding method of self-development and self-realisation,” Acharya Machra said.

He explained that the yoga sutras or the eight stages or paths of yoga are popularly known as the “Eight Limbs of Yoga” and they constitute the following: yama - social behaviour, niyama - inner discipline, asana - physical postures, pranayama - breath control, pratyahrya - discipline of the senses, dharna - concentration, dhyana - meditation, samadhi - self-realisation.

“With yoga, we can get reverse ageing. Even a person of middle age can feel young by practicing Yoga for an hour every morning,” he said.

Balmukund Gupt memorial conference held
Nawal Kishore Rastogi

Literature lovers pay homage to Babu Balmukund Gupt on his 105th death anniversary. A Tribune photograph

Rewari, September 20
The literati and literature lovers from Rewari, Mahendergarh, Gurgaon, Jhajjar, Hisar, Delhi and several other places of Rajasthan participated in a memorial conference held under the joint auspices of Babu Balmukund Gupt Patrakarita Avam Sahitya Sanrakshan Parishad and the Haryana Sahitya Akademi (HSA) to mark the 105th death anniversary of Babu Balmukund Gupt, a superb journalist and an epoch-making Hindi writer of the last quarter of the 19th century, at the Brahmgarh complex here recently.

While Dr Chander Trikha, a former director of the HSA, and a veteran author, was the chief guest, Hari Ram Arya, chairman of the Haryana Swatantrata Senani Samman Samiti, presided over its proceedings.

Paying homage to Babu Balmukund Gupt, Dr Trikha stated that his valuable contribution, which enriched Hindi journalism and Hindi prose, would be cherished as a treasure trove for the generations to come.

Similarly while Hari Ram Arya paid tributes to Gupt as an icon of robust nationalism and cultural renaissance, Viajy Sehgal, a former editor of Dainik Tribune, who was the main speaker at the conference, dilated upon the relevance which Gupt’s fearless and nationalistic penmanship held even in the present times.

Simultaneously while Ghamandi Lal Agarwal, a noted author of children’s poetry and prose, and Dr Uma Shanker Yadav, a prominent littérateur and novelist, were honoured with the prestigious Babu Balmukund Gupt award, Radhe Shyam Shukla, a veteran rhymer from Hisar, Satya Vir Nahariya, a Haryanvi versifier, Surekha Sharma, a promising writer from Gurgaon, and Kanwar Kusumesh, a lyricist from Luknow, were honoured for their selected anthologies.

Besides the newly published works and anthologies of veteran versifier Rohit Yadav (Mahendergarh), rhymer Krishan Lata Yadav (Gurgaon), senior versifier Darshana Sharma Jigyasu (Rewari) and Ram Asre Goyal were also released and dedicated to the public.

Online payment of power bills catching on
Tribune News Service

Hisar, September 20
Online payment of power bills is catching the fancy of power consumers. The number of electricity consumers using the facility of online payment of bills has increased from about 1,200 in August 2010, when the facility was introduced, to 6,900 during August this year.

A spokesman of the DHBVN said here today that this facility was made available through the DHBVN’s web site www.dhbvn.com to about six lakh consumers of 18 urban operation subdivisions. Electricity consumers in Faridabad, Gurgaon and Hisar need not stand in queues or go to offices of the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam for payment of electricity bills. They can pay their bills any time from home through internet.

For making online payment, a consumer will have to go at the DHBVN’s website www.dhbvn.com and click on the link “online payment”. The website will ask for unique ID code of the consumer called “K number” which is mentioned on the bill of each consumer. After filling in the K number, details of the consumer’s account will be displayed. The consumer can login and choose the service number and mode of payment (credit card, debit card, internet banking).

Depending upon the choice of the bank, the website redirects them to that bank’s website for completing the transaction (debiting from the consumers’ account and crediting into the DHBVN’s account). However, the bank’s site will ask for user ID and password. On logging in, the amount to be paid has to be filled. The consumer can press the button “pay”. A message will appear indicating that the “hot payment is successful”. Online receipt will be generated and print of the receipt can also be taken.

The payment can be made through internet banking, credit and debit cards issued by 27 banks. These are: Axis Bank, Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait, Bank of Maharashtra, Central Bank of India, Corporation Bank, Deutsche Bank, Development Credit Bank, Dhan Lakshmi Bank, Federal Bank, ICICI Bank, IDBI Bank, Indian Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, Indus Bank, Karnataka Bank, Karur Vysya Bank, Lakshmi Vilas Bank, Oriental Bank of Commerce, Punjab National Bank Corporate, Punjab National Bank Retail, Shamrao Vithal Co-op Bank Ltd., South Indian Bank Ltd. State Bank of Hyderabad, State Bank of India, Tamilnad Mercantile Bank, Vijaya Bank and YES Bank.

NFL to pay Rs 38.3cr dividend for FY12
Bhanu P Lohumi
Tribune News Service

Panipat, September 20
National Fertilisers Limited has declared dividend of Rs 38.27 crore for the financial year 2011-12. The dividend, which will go to the Union Government and holds 97.64 per cent shares in the NFL, was declared at the 38th Annual General Meeting.

The NFL has been a profit-making company since its inception and earned a profit of Rs 184.20 crore before tax and net profit of Rs 126.73 crore during 2011-12. By utilisation of 105.3 per cent capacity to produce 34.01 lakh tonnes of urea, the company got excellent? rating under MoU System consecutively for the last eleven years.

Highlighting the achievements of the company, Sham Lal Goyal, CMD, NFL, said the Urea Capacity Enhancement Project at Vijaipur - I and II had already been commissioned during the current financial year and the company was in the process of converting its feedstock from fuel oil to natural gas/liquefied natural gas at its three plants at Panipat, Bathinda and Nangal, which were likely to be commissioned in the current financial year.

This would not only reduce the cost of production of urea, but also reduce the subsidy component borne by the government, he added.

The company operates five urea plants located at Nangal, Bathinda and Panipat, which are fuel-oil based and two natural gas-based plants at Vijaipur in Guna district of Madhya Pradesh.

Fatehabad singers enthral audience
Sushil Manav/TNS

Fatehabad, September 20
Local singers enthralled audience at “Ghazal - Ek Ehsaas”, a programme of ghazal singing organised by the organisation Sur Taal Kala Sangam at Tagore Model School in Fatehabad recently.

Dr Anil Sharma, an assistant professor in the Music Department of Manohar Memorial Post Graduate College and his singer wife Rajnish Sharma set the tone of the evening by their rendition of a duet “Tanga Wale Nain Kade Sukh Naal Soan Ge”.

This performance was followed by “Katchi Deewar Hun, Thokar Na Lagana Mujhko” by Ashwani Sharma, also a music teacher.

JL Thakkar, a former lecture in English, captivated the audience with his rendition of “Yun Rang Zindgani Mein”. Banwari Lal Taneja, founder of the host school, sang “Musafir Chalte Chalte Thak Gaya Hai”.

The audience also applauded Vinod Rahi’s rendition of Ghulam Ali’s ghazal “Humko Kiske Gham Ne Mara, Ye Kahani Fir Sahi” profusely.

“Rafta Rafta Wo Meri Hasti Ka Saman Ho Gaye” by Ravi Wadhwa and “Is Kadar Uska Etbaar Kiya” also received applause from the audience.

Besides, young and budding artists Mamata, Rajesh, Amit Munjal, Altania Sarbata, Ravi Grover, Bal Krishan, Manpreet Kaur, Mann Kaur and Bhawna also gave performances and received appreciation of the audience.

Deepak Bhirdana, vice-chairman of the zila parishad, was the chief guest, while Satish Charaipotra, chairman of the Apex Group of Educational Institutions, presided over the evening.

Poonam Khursija, principal of Daffodils Public School, Om Prakash Bishnoi, president of the Private School Association, Saravjit Singh Mann, Madan Gilhotra, RK Narang and Baldev Mehta were special guests on the occasion. Shalen Bhaskar compared the show.

LR Bhayana, Veena Bhayana, Jyoti Shalen, Umashankar and several other guests were also present.

Demanding alterations, samiti stages protest
BS Malik

Sonepat, September 20
The Railway Overbridge Sudhar and Nirman Sangharsh Samiti started an indefinite dharna at a level crossing near the railway station here recently in support of their demands for making necessary alterations in the approved design of the under-construction railway overbridge (ROB) at the level crossing.

Led by social activist Ravinder Jatheri, a delegation of the samiti met KS Dangi, Superintendent Engineer of the PWD (B&R) Department, here recently and handed over a memorandum to him addressed to the PWD minister and engineer-in-chief of the department.

The main demands of the samiti included decreasing the length of the retaining walls to one-fourth, construction of ROB on pillars in place of retaining walls and provision of both way traffic on the ROB from the Mission Chowk.

In the memorandum, the samiti alleged that while preparing and finalising the design and drawing of the ROB, the authorities had overlooked the interests of hundreds of shopkeepers and traders on the Gohana road, Rohtak road and Geeta Bhawan Chowk road in the town.

Moreover, the samiti had been knocking at all the doors of authorities concerned during the past six months, but to no avail. The samiti has urged the authorities to intimate the decision taken on their demand by September 25.

Varsity honours Mt Everest conqueror
Suman Bhatnagar

Mamta Sodha

Ambala, September 20
MM University, Mullana, honoured Mamta Sodha, who had climbed the Mount Everest, at a function recently.

“It was a difficult task and I had to keep myself mentally and physically fit for that,” she added. She urged students to fight against social evils like female foeticide, dowry and drug addiction. Taresem Garg, Chancellor of the university, congratulated Mamta for scaling the world’s highest peak. He said Mamta had set an example for the youth to persuade them to achieve the highest goal of their lives.

“We are proud of Mamta's feat and her wonderful courage,” he added. SG Damlle, Vice-Chancellor of the university, and finance secretary Vishal Garg also welcomed her.

Haryana to provide health cover to injured workers

Chandigarh, September 20
The Haryana government has decided to provide health cover to the workers injured as a result of an accident during employment under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

Also, the family of the worker would be entitled to full cost of hospitalisation and treatment and ex gratia in the unfortunate event of his death after hospitalisation as a result of the accident in course of his employment under the MGNREGA, a spokesman of Development and Panchayat Department said.

He said such workers would be given free of cost medical facilities and they would be entitled to daily allowance at the rate of half of their wage per day. The workers would be provided free treatment in government hospitals. He said the Haryana government had also decided to make the payment of wages under MGNREGA through smartcards so as to ensure transparency in payment system.

The spokesman said the government would provide 128.75 lakh ‘mandays’ under the MGNREGA during the current financial year. The budgetary provision of Rs 433.89 crore has been made for this purpose.

He said so far 100 per cent employment had been provided to the families under the scheme. — PTI

Seminar on community radio
Our Correspondent

Yamunanagar, September 20
A two-day UGC-sponsored national seminar on community radio was organised by the Department of Mass Communications and Media Technology of Guru Nanak Khalsa College, Yamunanagar.

It was inaugurated by Prof DD Arora, dean, colleges, KUK, and the keynote address was presented by secretary general of the Indian Community Radio Association and director of Radio Sirsa and chairperson of the Department of Journalism and Mass Communications of Choudhary Devi Lal University, Sirsa, Prof Virender Singh Chauhan.

College principal Dr Virender Kaur welcomed the chief guest, other guests and delegates from across the country.

During the valedictory session, Director, Doordarshan, Chandigarh, Dr KK Rattu, was the chief guest, while Prof and Head, Department of Journalism and Mass Communications, PU, Patiala, Dr Navjit Singh Johal, was the guest of honour.

Sub-tehsil in Ballabgarh brings cheers to villagers
Ravi S Singh
Tribune News Service

Faridabad, September 20
The launch of a new sub-tehsil in Ballabgarh has brought cheers to the villagers of the area as their long-standing demand for it has been fulfilled.

The sub-tehsil at Mohana village, which will be concerned with 28 villages of the area, was promised by Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda at a public meeting in Jasauli village in March last year.

The villages attached to the sub-tehsil include Mohana, Mohiapur, Javan, Aterna, Heerapur, Ballipur, Chaisa, Makanpur, Atalipur, Mauzpur, Fazzupur Khadar, Mothuka, Arua, Chandpur, Nagla Majra, Panhera Khurd, Narhauli, Shahjahanpur, Bhikuka, Latifpur and Sahupura Khadar.

The villages were earlier directly attached with Ballabgarh tehsil out of which the sub-tehsil has been carved out. The villages are part of the Prithla Assembly constituency, at present represented by Congress MLA Raghuveer Singh Tewatia.

Earlier the residents of a number of villages, located in Prithla, had to travel about 20-30 km to Ballabgarh tehsil office with regard to official work. The sub-tehsil now falls within a five-km ambit.

Balraj Singh, who jointly inaugurated the sub-tehsil with Tewatia, said at the inauguration ceremony that registry-related work in it would be addressed every Tuesday and Friday.

Speaking at the ceremony, Tewatia said the present government had accomplished a number of development projects in Prithla. He named the sub-tehsil as one of them. He said the government had so far sanctioned Rs 47 crore for projects. He said the Mohana-Ballabgarh road, which is the lifeline of Prithla, was being repaired and widened at an estimated cost of Rs 17 crore. Also, repair works on the Mohana-Gopikhera-Palwal road was underway, he added.

A large number of villagers present at the inauguration ceremony expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda for sub-tehsil. Even without cues,
they periodically raised slogans in his favour during the ceremony.