Chandigarh, February 22
A walkout by the INLD and the BJP preceded by a war of words between the Treasury and Opposition Benches over short duration of the sessions of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha were the highlights of the first day of the budget session today.

As soon as Speaker Kuldeep Sharma read out the schedule of the 18-day budget session, INLD leader and former Speaker Ashok Arora, who led the INLD charge, was on his feet protesting against short duration of the Vidhan Sabha sessions which left little time for MLAs to air the grievances of their respective areas. Arora, who was joined by his colleague Ram Pal Majra, asserted that even in this session the House would not transact any business for nine days on account of holidays.

At this juncture, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Randeep Surjewala tried to shrug off the Opposition allegations, claiming that during the INLD regime the sessions were far shorter and even in short sessions now the main opposition party shied away from any meaningful debate.

Even as Surjewala’s remarks invited sharp reaction, Leader of the BJP Legislative Party Anil Vij took potshots at the Congress for lower number of House sittings. Vij’s uncharitable remarks against Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda that barring a few days of House sittings, the rest of the year witnessed Hooda’s tyrannical rule again led Surjewala taking strong exception of the remarks.

Kuldeep Sharma and Surjewala reasoned that the schedule for the House meetings was chalked out by the BAC in which BJP’s Kishan Pal Gurjar, was also a member. Surjewala took a dig at Vij saying that perhaps he did not agree with Gurjar on certain issues apparently referring to reported differences within the party over alliance with the HJC.

Speaker’s jibe in endorsing Surjewala’s remarks, saw Vij alleging discrimination with the Opposition members in allotment of time by the Speaker. However, the Speaker disallowed further discussion on the issue beyond the role BAC forcing the Opposition INLD and BJP-HJC alliance to stage a walkout.

Meanwhile, the House extended the date of the preliminary reports of the Committee of Privileges regarding four privileges motions against Leader of the Opposition Om Prakash Chautala till the first sitting of the next House.

Earlier, the House paid tributes to former ministers, MPS, former MLAs, among others, who had died after the last session. 

Hisar, February 22
A married woman from Bass village of Hisar fell prey to H1N1 infection in the AIIMS, Delhi, last evening. This is the second death due to swine flu in Hisar since January. Earlier, a 20-year-old woman from Lohari Jatan village of Hisar had died of H1N1 virus infection in a private hospital here on February 2.

Eleven persons have died of swine flu in Hisar since January this year, including nine from other districts who were shifted to private hospitals here for treatment.

Dr Sushil Garg, nodal officer for swine flu in Hisar, said three of the 12 samples had tested positive for H1N1 virus.

As many as 54 positive cases of swine flu have come to the fore in Hisar since January. 

Jind, February 22
In one of the fastest delivered judgments in rape cases, the district court today awarded life term to two of the main accused of the gang rape of a 16-year-old Dalit girl at Sachakhera village of Narwana subdivision of the district last October. The victim had immolated herself after the incident.

The gang rape convicts being taken away from a Jind court on Friday. Photo: Manoj Dhaka

The incident hit national headlines following the visit of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and a delegation of the Standing Committee of the Parliamentarians for SC/STs to the victim’s family at the village.

As the verdict came in a record time of four months, the district court which had found Pardeep and Sanjiv guilty of the crime a couple of days ago, today pronounced life term to both the convicts.

Though a case had been booked against five persons, including a constable of the Haryana police and his wife, both of them were acquitted by the court due to lack of evidence against them. Navin, the fifth accused who had also been charged with rape, is a minor and his case has been transferred to a juvenile court.

All five accused are residents of the same village.

The incident took place around 10 am on October 6 last year when the girl who was out for some work near her house was forcibly taken to a nearby house and raped by three persons -- Pardeep, Sanjiv and Navin.

The girl immolated herself soon after the incident. She had revealed the names of the accused in her dying statement before the duty magistrate. It was alleged that as the crime was being inflicted on the girl, two others identified as Manoj, a police constable, and his wife Meena stood guard outside. But lack of adequate evidence led to their acquittal in this case.

However, Rajkali and Bintoo, mother and cousin, respectively, of the victim appeared dissatisfied over the verdict as they claimed that the convicts ought to have been given the death sentence in view of the seriousness of the case.

They said they would approach the higher court in this connection. 

Faridabad, February 22
The Railways today did not go ahead with its plan to demolish houses and other unauthorised constructions on its huge chunk of land here. Slums have come come up on the land which encompasses Azad Nagar, Gaekward Colony and a part of AC Nagar.

While Railway officials evaded giving the reason for the change of their stand, Faridabad Congress MP Avtar Singh Bhadana claimed that he had intervened with the authorities on the issue.

He said, “I requested the railway authorities not to dislocate the residents till the state government had worked out an arrangement to rehabilitate them.”

Land will be identified shortly with the help of local authorities for the proposed rehabilitation of those ousted from homes.

Fatehabad, February 22
The 12-day “open Army recruitment rally” started in the Police Lines at Fatehabad today. Nearly 1,500 candidates turned up for recruitment on the day reserved for Ramdasia Sikhs, Gurkhas and Defence Services Corps (DSC).

After the initial 1600-metre run to test their stamina, nearly 300 were left in the Ramdasia Sikh category, 25 from the DSC and just two out of 14 Gurkha youths who appeared for the physicals tests.

Officers of the Army Recruitment Office, Hisar, who are conducting the entire recruitment drive, found six candidates carrying fake matriculation certificates issued by the Board of High School and Intermediate Education, Allahabad, UP.

They were shown having appeared as regular students of a private school in Gonda (UP).

One of the candidates confessed that they had procured these certificates from a study centre owner of Narwana for Rs 25,000 each.

The army, later, handed over these youths to the local police.

Brig Ajay Kumar, Deputy Director-General of the Ambala Recruitment Zone, said: “We are observing complete transparency in the recruitment process as biometric impressions of the candidates were being taken to eliminate the chances of impersonation in thewritten test.”

The Army authorities are expecting a turnout of over 40,000 candidates in the 12-day rally meant for Hisar, Sirsa, Jind and Fatehabad districts.

Colonel Ranjan Minocha, Director of the ARO, Hisar, said three categories of soldiers - soldier general duty, soldier clerical/ storekeeper and soldier technical are to be recruited during this rally.

certificates sold
One candidate confessed that they had procured these certificates from a study centre owner of Narwana for Rs 25,000 each.

Hooda Govt under CAG scanner

Haryana PSUs' total loss pegged at Rs 8,622 crore (2011-12)
Loss over Rs 3,000 crore more as compared to 2010-11
Losses pegged at Rs 2,541 crore, double than Rs 1,239 crore in 2010-11
UHBVN leads loss-making units with Rs 2,011-crore loss.
Investment in PSUs grew from Rs 12,311 crore (2006-07) to Rs 30,881 crore in 2011-12

Ambala, February 22
In view of the non-availability of senior officials in the partner states, the BBMB has proposed its own cadre of class I and II officials, which would result in Haryana and Punjab losing posts in the board.

The BBMB has envisaged its own cadre which would have 25 per cent posts of class I and II officers as there is a shortage of senior officials in Haryana and Punjab to work on deputation in the board.

The BBMB has already discussed this issue in its last meeting held on January 13 after which the matter was sent to the Haryana and Punjab Governments.

Sources in the BBMB stated that in order to expedite the process to get approval of the partner states it had been decided to hold the next meeting within 15 days.

A memorandum has already been circulated (a copy of which is available with The Tribune), seeking suggestions from the partner states.

It was learnt that the BBMB had proposed that 174 of the total 669 sanctioned posts should form the BBMB class I and II cadre. A proposal to create 16 additional posts was also put up before the partner states.

The BBMB had sought two posts of Chief Engineers, seven posts of Superintending Engineer, 31 posts of XENS and 85 posts of SDO along with 13 doctors in its own cadre along with posts which the board shares with the partner states.

The BBMB also claimed that there was one post of Chief Engineer, two of Superintending Engineer and 43 posts of SDO that were lying vacant in its irrigation wing. It observed that Himachal was the major defaulter as it had not sent any officials on deputation.

As Haryana and Punjab are already facing a shortage of class I and I officials, these could not send officials on deputation to the board.

One post of Chief Engineer, two posts of Superintending Engineer, six posts of Executive Engineer and 56 posts of SDO have been lying vacant in the power wing. Most of these posts belong to Haryana.

R S Dahiya, president of the HSEB Power Engineers Association, said that the BBMB move would affect the career prospects of its engineers.

The PSEB Engineers Association has also decided to oppose the move vehemently. 

Gurgaon, February 22
Mewat residents have launched a struggle to get the district’s first railway line with the village representatives launching an indefinite dharna outside the District Headquarters to urge the Railway Minister to provide rail transport in the coming budget.

The protesters plan to march across the district to garner support of the residents.

“We had met Pawan Bansal along with Rao Inderjeet Singh. Though no commitment was made, the minister promised to help us. We will not wait for another year. A train will have to be announced for our district,” said Nooruddin Noor, vice-president of the Mewat Zila Parishad.

Mewat district comprises 431 villages and 297 panchayats and a population of 10 lakh, but it has no direct rail link.

Despite repeatedly proposing an Alwar-Palwal railway line through Hathin, Pinangwan and and Ferozepur-Jhirka and a Gurgaon-Nuh-Alwar railway line, nothing much has been done by the successive governments.

After the Rewari-Jhajjar-Rohtak train was inaugurated recently, the struggle for a train intensified. The representatives have reportedly met the Chief Minister many times who cited pending survey and budget modalities as key reasons for the delay.

“For our politicians, nothing exists beyond Rohtak. We have been hearing the same survey and budget excuses for the past 20 years. The nearest railway station is around 30 km away. How can you expect us to go out and study or work? We have launched this struggle to ensure that this rail budget gets us something,” said another representative.

The nearest railway station is Patli railway station, Manesar, Gurgaon, which is located 27.5 km from Mewat. — TNS

Bhiwani, February 22
Standing crops in more than 40 villages of Bhiwani have suffered damage due to a hailstorm and rain that lashed many parts of the district last evening. The hailstorm has cause extensive damage to wheat and gram crops in certain areas.

Madholi Kalan, Madholi Khurd, Jhumpa, Dhani Bhakran, Bidhwan, Talwani. Kalali, Mithi, Morkan, Matani, Siwach, Hariyawas and Gopalwas villages are among the worst hit due to the hailstorm.

Ram Singh Morkan, a farmer, said he has not seen such a heavy hailstorm in his life.

In Tosham block of Bhiwani too, heavy hailstorm hit Kairu, Roda and some other villages.

Bhiwani Deputy Commissioner Ashok Meena said reports of hailstorm had been received from over 40 villages of the district.

“Teams have been sent for conducting a survey of the loss of crops due to the hailstorm. If the damage is more than 25 per cent, I will write to the state government with a recommendation of special girdawri,” Meena added.

Faridabad, February 22
Two unidentified men allegedly opened fire on an employee of a private company from close range and snatched from him a bag containing Rs 15 lakh here this evening.

The criminals, who were on a Splendour motor cycle, escaped with the money.

The victim, identified as Bobby of Kosi Kalan in Uttar Pradesh, died on way to hospital.

Faridabad Deputy Commissioner of Police (Headquarters) Vinod Kaushik said a case has been registered.

Bobby, an employee of Faridabad-based Radiant Cash Management Private Ltd, was to deposit the cash in a bank at Hodal in Palwal district. However, he could not deposit the money and came here from Hodal by bus.

He alighted at the NHPC and headed towards the nearby office building. The two men on the motor cycle pulled up behind him and tried to snatch the money bag from him. When resisted, they shot him with a pistol on his head. Both had donned helmets.

Vinod Kaushik said a police team reached the spot within three minutes of the incident. The victim was rushed to a nearby private hospital, but he died on the way.