Judicial officers made Lok Adalat judges
Tribune News Service

GURGAON, Aug 27 — The Additional District and Sessions Judge, Gurgaon, Dr Bharat Bhushan Parsoon, has been designated as a judge of Lok Adalat (Gurgaon).

The designation is a follow up action to establish permanent and continuous Lok Adalats in the districts and at the subdivisional level in the country for the implementation of legal aid-programme.

According to an order of the office of the District and Sessions Judge, Gurgaon, the Lok Adalat judge at the district headquarters will go into cases triable by District/Additional District Judges. Incidentally, the District and Sessions Judges are also Chairmen of the Legal Services Authorities in the districts concerned.

The Chief Judicial Magistrate, Gurgaon, has been designated judge of the Lok Adalat to go into cases triable other than by the District/Additional District Judge.

Mr S.K.Garg, Judicial Magistrate I Class, Nuh, has been designated judge for the Lok Adalat at Nuh sub-divisional headquarters. Mr Baljit Singh, Sub Divisional Judicial Magistrate, Ferozepur Jhirka, has been designated judge for the Lok Adalat at Ferozpur Jhirka headquarters.

Mr Justice Adarsh Sein Anand, Judge of the Supreme Court and Executive Chairman, National Legal Services Authority, in a communication to the Chief Justices of High Courts in the country had desired that the Lok Adalats should not remain occasional in character or confined only to motor accident cases but be permanent and continuous in nature. Justice Sein had specifically said that the Lok Adalats could try different categories of cases like matrimonial dispute, bank loan matters, land acquisition cases, matters relating to industrial disputes, landlord tenant controversies and petty criminal cases etc.

According to sources, the proposal to have permanent and continuous Lok Adalats is also part of the action plan for 1998-99 drawn by the Union Ministry of Law and Justice.

As per the guidelines of the National Legal Services Authority to its state units, the cases between different departments of the government, state owned corporations etc, could also be settled through Lok Adalats. To this effect Justice Jain had observed that this would be possible if the Chief Justices of the High Courts initiated a dialogue with the state governments to persuade them to settle their disputes through Lok Adalats instead of resorting to litigation which was not only expensive and additional financial burden to the state exchequer, but was also time consuming.

The constitution of permanent Lok Adalats was in the wake of amendment to the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1997, effected in the year 1994. The amended Act provided a statutory base to Lok Adalats by adding a separate chapter to it. Lok Adalat Judges have been conferred wide powers through section 22 of the Act, in the matter of summoning and examining witnesses on oath, discovery and production of documents, reception of evidence on affidavits, requisitioning of public records or documents etc. The awards passed by Lok Adalat Judges would now be deemed to be decrees of a civil court and the Court fee paid in such cases was liable to be refunded in the manner provided under the Court Fees Act, 1870. These awards are final and binding on all the parties to the dispute and no appeal lies to any court against these awards.

Government challenges court order
Tribune News Service

HISAR, Aug 27 — The Haryana Government has challenged the order of a lower court, restoring state grant to Agroha Medical College, in the court of the District Judge here.

The government had stopped the grant to the medical college sometime back. However, a lower court recently directed the state government to restore the grant to the college.

An appeal against the order of the lower court was filed in the court of the District Judge yesterday. The government has sought stay on the order of the lower court.

However, the management of the medical college had already filed a caveat urging that no exparte order be passed in case the government challenged the order of the lower court.

Agroha Medical College was set up on July 6, 1990. The petition alleged that the then Chief Minister, Mr Banarsi Dass Gupta, was at that time the patron of the trust, which started the college. It alleged that the trust had been given undue favour for the setting up of the college.

The petition mentioned that there was no time limit set for continuing the recurring and non-recurring grants to the college. It also gave details of the assistance provided for the establishment of the college. Two hundred and sixty seven acres of land was provided to the trust on lease on a nominal rent of Rs 1 per acre per year. The trust was given Rs 5 crore besides other concessions and facilities were provided to the students of the college, the appeal said.

The government has alleged that the college management was charging capitation fee from the students against the set norms.

The government has also challenged the order of the lower court on the ground that the college had sought only the resumption of the recurring grant, while the court had ordered the resumption of both recurring and non-recurring grant.

Badal's plea opposed
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Aug 27 — The Haryana Pradesh Janata Dal President, Mr Ved Parkash Vidrohi, today opposed the demand of the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, for scrapping the Eradi Commission.

Talking to mediapersons, here, he reminded Mr Badal that the commission was set up after the Rajiv-Longowal accord. He said the attitude of the Punjab Government was anti-Haryana in respect of the construction of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal and this had resulted in delay in the canal's completion in Punjab territory.

Mr Vidrohi said the Akalis were exploiting the policies of the central government which was ignoring the just demands of Haryana. He warned that people of Haryana would never allow the designs of the Akalis on the issues of territorial and river-water disputes to succeed.

He urged the Haryana Chief Minister, to convene a meeting of all parties to decide the future strategy of the state on the issues.

Alarming rise in crime in Rohtak
From Jatinder Sharma
Tribune News Service

ROHTAK, Aug 27 — The alarming rise in the incidents of murder, highway robbery and theft here has created a feeling of insecurity among residents, especially the trading community.

The deteriorating law and order situation has also unnerved the district administration. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Anil Kumar, convened a meeting of city SHOs on Friday and advised them to be vigilant and alert.

According to figures available here, at least seven murders and an equal number of highway robberies took place between August 1 and 23 in the district. There were 12 incidents of snatching of car and scooter during the period.

Discussing the reasons for the deterioration in the law and order situation, a former Minister of State for Home, Mr Subhash Batra said the upgradation of the post of the SHO from the rank of Sub-Inspector to Inspector had made the Superintendent of Police a "symbolic" head as only the DIG had the power to transfer an SHO. Therefore, the SP had no effective control over the SHO.

The posting of constables in their home districts and at places near their homes had also led to the deterioration in the law and order situation, he said. This had badly affected night patrolling and had "in fact, given anti-social elements a free hand to indulge in crimes of their choice", Mr Batra added.

The former Home Minister said the successive governments and the police authorities had failed to increase the number of police stations, posts and chowkies in proportion to the increase in the population. Most of the police posts and chowkies had been set up "unofficially" and could not, therefore, be provided with basic equipment like vehicles and telephones.

Mr Batra said the formation of a union by the policemen and its recognition by the government had also led to indiscipline in the force which was the custodian of law and order.

In the past, the DIG (range), who was the supervisory officer as per the Police Rules, used to write the ACRs of the SP but the government had now empowered the deputy commissioners to initiate the ACRs of police personnel. This had disturbed the chain of command and the SP now had two bosses — the DIG and the DC.

Finally, the politician-criminal nexus was another point which had been discussed widely in the Press and public, but to no avail, Mr Batra said.

Cell to monitor compassionate
appointments
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 27 — The Haryana Government has decided to set up a special cell under the administrative control of the Chief Secretary to monitor ex-gratia appointments on the basis of category-wise priority list to be maintained by the cell.

The cell will deal with the cases of those persons who fail to get jobs on compassionate grounds, due to non-availability of vacant posts in the departments or offices, where the deceased employees was working.

If the appointment on compassionate grounds cannot be made by the concerned head of department or head of office where the deceased employee was serving, then an intimation along with each application submitted by all such persons seeking appointments should be sent to the cell within three months of the date of receipt of the application. As far as possible, the applicant will be appointed in other department or office by the cell strictly in order of priority.

Each head of department or office send a statement every three months to the cell of the posts which are available for compassionate appointments.

The Government has also decided that every head of department and head of office should maintain categorywise priority list or seniority list of the persons who seek appointment on compassionate grounds. The appointments should be made against the available posts meant to be filled by direct recruitment strictly in accordance with the priority or seniority position, subject to the fulfilment of other conditions.

Meeting to discuss JEs' promotion
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Aug 27 — The Haryana Government has convened a meeting of Commissioners and Engineer-in-Chiefs of PWD (B and R) and Public Health and Irrigation Departments on September 1 to discuss the promotion quota issue of Junior Engineers of Haryana.

According to official sources, a deputation led by Mr Jagdip Singh Sangwan, general secretary, Haryana Diploma Engineers Association, met Mr R.S. Verma, Chief Secretary, Haryana, and discussed its long-standing demands, which include their promotion at least once in their service period.

Other demands of the Junior Engineers included maintenance of 25 per cent promotion quota forever from the rank of Junior Engineer to SDO for all times to come, deputation of seniormost Junior Engineer as SDO with Panchayati Raj, removal of anomalies in pay scales, grant of scales of SDO as first assured, career progression scheme and that of Rs 10,000-14000 on second ACP after five and 11 years of service.

The Chief Secretary reportedly assured the delegation that its demands would be implemented shortly.

HLD (R) activists hold rally
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Aug 27 — Activists of the Haryana Lok Dal (Rashtriya) have demanded the dismissal of the HVP government due to its "failure" on all fronts.

A large number of party workers led by former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala took out a protest march from the railway station to mini-Secretariat today and raised anti-government slogans.

The demonstration was organised by the district unit of the HLD (R) in protest against the increasing prices, "deteriorating" law and order situation, frequent power cuts, scarcity of potable water, corruption and alleged irregularities in police recruitments.

Loan recovery rate "encouraging"
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 27 — The Haryana Harijan Kalyan Nigam has provided financial assistance to the tune of Rs 3.61 crore to 1794 beneficiaries belonging to the Scheduled Castes under various income generating schemes upto July end during the current financial year.

This was stated by the Social Welfare Minister, Dr Kamla Verma, here today.

She said that this amount involved a subsidy of Rs 98.02 lakh, margin money of Rs 44.65 lakh and direct loan of Rs 60.46 lakh. Besides a loan of Rs 157.89 lakh was arranged through banks. The margin money was being provided to the beneficiaries by the Nigam at the rate of 4 per cent marginal rate of interest. The recovery of loans was very encouraging as the Nigam had recovered Rs 109.48 lakh so far during the current financial year.

She said the Nigam had also provided Rs 45.54 lakh to 224 scavengers and their dependents for setting up various income generating schemes. The financial assistance also involved a subsidy of Rs 19.23 lakh.

CM, others file reply
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 27 — The Chief Minister of Haryana, Mr Bansi Lal, the Deputy Commissioner of Panchkula, Mrs Saroj Siwach, the SP of Panchkula, Mr Alok Mittal, the Tehsildar of Panchkula, Mr G.S. Virk and DSP Rajbir Singh today filed reply to the suit for damages filed against them by Mr R.S. Malik, former IAS officer of Haryana.

Mr Malik has claimed damages of Rs 1 crore for registering a "false" criminal case against him. The case alleged that he grabbed six kanal of shamlat land.

In their reply the Chief Minister and the officials stated that the case was registered by responsible officers in the discharge of their duties.

The other cases against Mr Malik were either investigated or were pending for trial in courts.

This case was filed in the court of Mr B.C. Gupta.

Teenager killed in accident

AMBALA, Aug 27 (PTI) — One person was killed and three were injured when a tourist bus collided with a truck on the G.T. Road near Ambala city early today.

The deceased was identified as Narinder Kaur (18).

According to the police report, the bus was coming from Nanak Matha (U.P) and was on its way to Jalandhar. The police has registered a case.

A youth was electrocuted in a factory at Lalru, 10 km from here. Geeva Singh, who died on the spot, belonged to Ambala.

Highway plan approved
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 27 — The revised plan of National Highway No 1 from Murthal to Karnal has been approved by the Union Ministry of Surface Transport (MOST) to give impetus to complete the remaining work on this highway.

Stating this here today, Dr Dharam Vir Yadav, PWD (B&R) Minister, said that MOST had approved this project in 1986 alongwith strengthening the existing carriageway divided by a central verge. But the project could not be completed in the stipulated period. He said the work had been assigned again during last month and the work would be undertaken after the rainy season.

Mr Yadav said that the remaining work from Murthal to Samalkha, would be completed by the end of March next at a cost of Rs 1.62 crore.

The Minister said that the work on portion of National Highway No 1 from Samalkha to Panipat had already started. The Ganda Nallah Bridge in Panipat would be ready by March next. He further said that the work on second carriageway on bye-pass at Karnal was expected to be completed by June next and the bridge on drain No 2 near Babarpur would also be completed by March next.

Lok Adalat at Kurukshetra
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 27 — Haryana's first permanent Lok Adalat will be inaugurated by Mr Justice V.K. Bali, Judge, Punjab and Haryana High Court and Executive Chairman, Haryana State Legal Services Authority, on August 29 at Kurukshetra.

According to Mr Nawab Singh, member-Secretary and Additional District and Sessions Judge, Haryana State Legal Services Authority, the 879th Lok Adalat of Haryana and 69th of Kurukshetra will also be inaugurated by Mr Justice S.S Sudhakar, Judge, Punjab and Haryana High Court, on the same day.