Man held for cheating Principals
FATEHABAD, April 24 — A man who had allegedly been collecting donations from local public schools by showing fake identity cards of a well-known welfare organisation landed in the police net yesterday.

Raids yield 2 lakh as market fee
HISAR, April 24 — A team of zonal officers of the Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board conducted a surprise raid at Bhattu Kalan Mandi today and detected cases of evasion of market fee.

Honest woman
SIRSA, April 24 — Mrs Chando Devi, widow of Ramji Lal of Chaterian village in this district, set an example of honesty by returning a bag containing Rs 1 lakh to the owner yesterday.

10 hurt in group clash
AMBALA, April 24 — Ten persons were injured, four of them seriously, when two groups clashed at Rangia Mandi near here today.

Woman, 3 children die in fire
ROHTAK, April 24 — An ex-serviceman allegedly set ablaze his wife along with his three minor children by pouring kerosene over them at Sauladha village in Bahadurgarh subdivision yesterday.

Car lifters gang busted
AMBALA, April 24 — The district police claims to have busted a gang of car lifters with the arrest of Yashpal Singh, a resident of Defence Colony, near here.

BSF jawan wins gold in shooting
AMBALA, April 24 — On the third day of the 42nd All-India Police Duty Meet, shooting competition was held today at the Babyal firing range, near here.

Murder: police ‘inaction’ decried
ROHTAK, April, 24 — A former minister, Mr Krishan Murti Hooda, has criticised the police for its alleged inaction in the case in which two schoolboys were murdered at Jassia village, about two months ago.

Voluntary bodies ignored in literacy drive
From K.G. Dutt
Tribune News Service

KARNAL: The adult education programme is limping in Haryana. The National Literacy Campaign was launched with great fanfare in 1988 to banish illiteracy from the country. It is aimed at providing functional literacy to about 80 million people in the 15-35 age group. This was to be provided in two phases by 1995.

The earlier programme of "each one, teach one" launched in 1986 did not really take off because of its inherent drawbacks. Likewise, an evaluation of the adult education programme in Sonepat district and other areas of the state indicates that it has so far remained a pipedream.

According to Mr R.N. Mehlawat, chairman of the Indian Adult Education Association, which has nine branches in the country, the adult education programme has fallen prey to the whims of the Collectors or Deputy Commissioners in the districts. For one, there is no accountability. When a Collector is transferred from one district to another, the programme suffers immensely. Basically, it is the DC who runs the show in the districts.

Mr Mehlawat, who was here to organise a workshop of the senior functionaries including chief project coordinators, coordinators and NGOs, told TNS said constraint of funds was a big hurdle in its implementation. There was no follow-up action once the post-literacy programme is completed. He stated that the government provided only Rs 60 per head while the expenditure came to Rs 3,000/- per head for teaching adults. That was why senior functionaries took little interest in the programme. He wanted that the programme should be considered a priority one to achieve its aim. He disclosed that the campaign on a voluntary basis could not meet the needs, and demands of the people. Ill-trained staff, unimaginative projects, inadequate attention to the production of right type of material and unsatisfactory follow-up action all contributed to the near-stagnation of the programme. The main drawback was that government organisations in the form of NGOs took the programme in their hands under the control of the Collectors, brushing aside the grassroot level voluntary organisations which could have played very pivotal role in it. As a result, the targets had remained practically unfulfilled so far.

Another drawback was that after one became literate, little was done to keep interest alive. No good literature was provided for further studies. Interestingly, the volunteers who ran this programme did not get any remuneration. How then could they contribute their mite to the success of the programme? He demanded that volunteers involved in the adult literacy programme should be given incentives. Moreover, the campaign had been running for the past five to six years. No campaign could last so long without proper back-up, feedback and monetary incentives.

Mr Mehlawat demanded that a separate adult education channel should be started on Doordarshan for the benefit of illiterate people. Non-governmental organisations should be directly involved in it. There should be no lapses in follow up actions and programmes. The programme should not be left to the whims of the Collector or Deputy Commissioner.

The literacy programme was being run in all the 16 districts of the state under the National Literacy Mission.

Dr M.L. Ranga, Vice-Chancellor of Kurukshetra University, who interacted with the functionaries during the workshop, stated that proper evaluation of the programme should be made at regular intervals. He suggested the maximum participation of women should be ensured in the programme. For this, the services of retired lady doctors and nurses etc. should be enlisted in order to provide health education to illiterate women folk in the villages. This would also benefit expectant mothers in the rural areas.

The Vice-Chancellor further suggested that NGOs involved in the National Literacy Campaign could do yeoman's service provided they identified the dropout cases in schools at the beginning of the school year — April. These NGOs should meet the parents of the dropouts and persuade them not to take away their wards from school, which was mostly done for economic reasons. Dr Ranga argued that once the dropout rate was checked, illiteracy would automatically go down.

Furthermore, the campaign could involve itself in removing the "purdah system" and bad social customs. The campaign should focus on dowry deaths, their bad consequences and social stigma attached to it.

Dr Ranga also suggested that ex-servicemen services should enlisted in each village for the success of the programme. Almost every village in Haryana had on an average 20 to 30 ex-servicemen. Their time could be gainfully utilised provided they were involved in the literacy programme. The Vice-Chancellor wanted the programme to be aim at checking absenteeism amongst teachers in rural schools. They could also review the role of the teachers in primary schools.

Mr Prem Chand from the National Literacy Mission also provided valuable suggestions for making the programme successful which had so far not even reached the take-off stage, despite tall claims made by the bureaucracy.

Man held for cheating Principals
From Our Correspondent

FATEHABAD, April 24 — A man who had allegedly been collecting donations from local public schools by showing fake identity cards of a well-known welfare organisation landed in the police net yesterday.

The suspect, Prem Kumar, a resident of Masudpur village in Hisar district, allegedly went to the local Daya Ram Public School, D.A.V. School, Little Flowers School and some other public schools. He told the Principals that he represented Save Our Souls (SOS), an internationally renowned social welfare organisation committed to the welfare of schoolchildren.

The man sought donations for the organisation by giving forms and brochures to the Principals and asking them to collect donations through their students. A school Principal felt suspicious and asked him to come back on April 22 to collect money. She confirmed from the Delhi office of the organisation and found nobody had been authorised to collect donations on behalf of the SOS from Fatehabad. She brought the matter to the notice of the Superintendent of Police, Mr Rajbir Deswal.

Meanwhile, the suspect collected donations from another school. The Principal of that school too lodged a written complaint. The police laid a trap. When the suspect went to collect donation from another school, the police nabbed him. A case under Section 419 and 420 of the IPC has been registered.

Mishap victim gets Rs 2.25 lakh
From Yoginder Gupta
Tribune News Service

AMBALA, April 24 — Kanwar Pal, a mason by profession, was injured grievously when the scooter on which he was pillion-riding was hit by a jeep on June 13 last. Since then, he had been coming to the courts for compensation and today, his efforts bore fruit.

Held under a banyan tree, a Lok Adalat ordered the National Insurance Company to pay Rs 2.25 lakh to Kanwar Pal as compensation. A doctor was at hand to examine him and to testify his disability. The dispensers of justice were Mr Justice V.K. Bali of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, who is also the Executive Chairman of the Haryana State Legal Services Authority, and Mr R.C. Bansal, Additional Sessions Judge, Ambala.

Suresh is an unemployed youth. He took a loan of Rs 25,000 from the Bank of India. Somehow, his modest venture did not succeed. The bank sued him for Rs 70,000 (including interest). The Lok Adalat decided that Suresh would pay another Rs 26,000 in four instalments in addition to the Rs 12,000 already paid by him. The bank and the loanee both gladly accepted the Lok Adalat's decision.

Similarly, Gurdeep of Chudiala had taken Rs 56,000 from the United Commercial Bank in 1985. The bank got a decree for Rs 1.79 against him from a lower court, which also imposed a 15 per cent compound interest on the sum till the date of payment. His appeal was pending. Today, the bank and Gurdeep agreed before the Lok Adalat that the interest rate would be reduced to 6 per cent simple if he cleared his dues within six months.

Jassi Devi of Uttar Kashi died in a road accident near Ambala last year. Her heirs were so poor that they could not file a claim before the Motor Accident Claim Tribunal. A local advocate, Mr O.P. Malik, took up their case at the suggestion of Mrs Pushpa Devi, President of SEWA, Haryana, a voluntary organisation, on humanitarian grounds. The Lok Adalat awarded a compensation of Rs 1.25 lakh to the family.

However, not all petitioners got justice in the Lok Adalat. Mr Parveen Goel, a partner in a liquor firm, against whom the State Bank of India had filed a suit few years ago, had to return disappointed because no one had turned up on behalf of the bank. Mr Goel told Mr Justice Bali that a bank official had defrauded the bank and several of its clients, including him. Though the bank had sacked the employee, it was suing the clients for recovery of the amount already paid by them. The Judge trying the case issued personal summons to the Deputy General Manager of the bank.

The 12 judges holding the Lok Adalat decided 170 cases including 45 cases of motor accident claims, 19 of disputed bank loans, three matrimonial disputes and 16 criminal cases.

A special feature of today's Lok Adalat, the 1044th in Haryana, was the bank loan cases. Mr Justice Bali said the endeavour was to experiment with all types of cases. Earlier, he told litigants and advocates that in bank cases, the borrower had to not only pay avoidable interest, but also had to get his property mortgaged with the bank at a low price. Therefore, it was better if a compromise was reached between the bank and the creditors at an early stage.

He said that since he was lawyer first and a judge later, he would like to assure his advocate colleagues that the system of Lok Adalat would not harm their interests in the long run.

He announced the appointment of a retired District and Sessions Judge, Mr Raj Kumar Gupta, and Mr Charanjit Singh Sawhney as members of Ambala's permanent Lok Adalat.

The State Legal Services Authority would soon appoint advocates for two regular courts in the state to look after the interests of those who could not hire the services of an advocate and were facing criminal charges.

The authority had also decided to pay honorarium to chief judicial magistrates in the state. As and when the funds were available, similar incentives would be given to the other judicial officers also.

The Member-Secretary of the authority, Mr Nawab Singh said the police had been directed to provide copies of the FIRs and other documents to anyone on the deposit of the requisite fee.

Among those present at the inaugural ceremony were the State Transport Commissioner, Haryana, Mr Naresh Gulati; the DIG, Ambala range, Mr Resham Singh; the District and Sessions Judge, Ambala, Mr Surinder Singh; and Mr S.K. Sharma and Mr S.S. Rao, Presidents of the Ambala City and Ambala Cantonment Bar Associations, respectively.

Fire in cotton mill
From Our Correspondent

HISAR, April 24 — Cotton bales, thread and other property worth lakhs of rupees were destroyed in a fire that broke out in Radhika Cotton and Spinning Mill near Hansi, 23 km from here, last night.

According to a report, the fire incident took place at 1.30 p.m. The fire was brought under control by the fire engines from Hansi in six hours. The cause of the fire is not known.

Raids yield 2 lakh as market fee
From Our Correspondent

HISAR, April 24 — A team of zonal officers of the Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board (HSAMB) conducted a surprise raid at Bhattu Kalan Mandi today and detected cases of evasion of market fee.

The team collected Rs 2 lakh as market fee and Haryana Rural Development fee from commission agents and dealers in agriculture produce on the spot.

The team which raided the godowns consisted of Mr Rajesh Jagpal, Zonal Administrator, Mr Chander Sain, Zonal Marketing Enforcement Officer, and Mr Nachattar Singh, Secretary, Market Committee, Fatehabad.

Mustard seed, cotton and gram worth more than Rs 50 lakh was detected on which market fee HRDF and sales tax had not been paid.

The Zonal Administrator issued show cause notices to some dealers for the cancellation of licences. Mr Jagpal said the recovery of market fee in Hisar zone had been increased by 228 from April 1 to April 21 this year as compared to the corresponding period last year.

Honest woman
From Our Correspondent

SIRSA, April 24 — Mrs Chando Devi, widow of Ramji Lal of Chaterian village in this district, set an example of honesty by returning a bag containing Rs 1 lakh to the owner yesterday.

According to sources, Mr Ajit Singh, a resident of DC Colony here, posted in the Forest Department at Badagudha, was going to his office on a two-wheeler. The bag containing the money fell near Chaterian village.

Mrs Chando Devi, who was returning from fields, found the bag. Later, after verification she returned the bag to Mr Ajit Singh.

10 hurt in group clash
From our Correspondent

AMBALA, April 24 — Ten persons were injured, four of them seriously, when two groups clashed at Rangia Mandi near here today.

Three of the seriously injured, Mr Sarwan, Mr Ravi and Mrs Laxmi Devi, suffered bullet injuries and were rushed to the PGI, Chandigarh.The fourth, Mr Trilok Singh, who received head injuries, was also referred to the PGI.

The S.P, Mr M.S. Malik, and the D.S.P., Mr J.S Lamba, visited the injured.

Warrants against film lyricist
From Our Correspondent

HISAR, April 24 — The Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr S.K. Goyal, today issued bailable warrants against Mr Dev Kohli, lyric writer of Hindi film "Kudrat", to appear in the court on May 24 in connection with an obscene song, "Ab tak puri azadi, mangni hui hai nahin ye shaadi, gal hai kachchi pakki, ja behn dee takki."

Though Mr Kohli had received the court summons he failed to appear in the court today. Mr Kohli in his communication has requested the court that the line found offensive in the song, "ja behn dee taki," has already been removed from the song and so the case may be dropped against him. The court turned down his request and issued bailable warrants.

Playback singer Purnima who had also received court summon earlier failed to appear in the court today but requested a copy of the case. The court issued fresh summons to her for May 24.

The court also issued fresh summons to music director Rajesh Roshan, playback singer Abhijit, film producer and director R.N. Sippy and others.

In criminal suit, Mr Rakesh Sethi, an activist of the BJP, had sought a ban on this song as the use of the words "behn dee takki" were an abuse used in this part of the country and had outraged the religious feelings of the Hindi and Punjabi speaking people of northern India.

Woman, 3 children die in fire
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, April 24 — An ex-serviceman allegedly set ablaze his wife along with his three minor children by pouring kerosene over them at Sauladha village in Bahadurgarh subdivision yesterday.

While Ms Santosh Devi (30, wife) succumbed to her burns Poonam (8), Titu (4) and Mohit (1.5) are battling for a life at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences here. They have received 65 per cent to 90 per cent burns according to medical authorities.

However, Mr Arun Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, Jhajjar, said the fire started from a room where dry fodder was stored and the victims were caught by the fire during sleep.

Car lifters gang busted
From Our Correspondent

AMBALA, April 24 — The district police claims to have busted a gang of car lifters with the arrest of Yashpal Singh, a resident of Defence Colony, near here.

He was arrested on April 22 when he was driving a stolen Tata Sumo. The vehicle had been lifted from Ziarkpur

According to the police, the other member of the gang, Jagmohan Singh has been identified.

In another incident, two persons, Saroj and Ishu, were killed and five others injured when a Maruti car in which they were travelling was hit by a truck near Markanda river under the Mullana police station yesterday.

A case has been registered.

BSF jawan wins gold in shooting
From Our Correspondent

AMBALA, April 24 — On the third day of the 42nd All-India Police Duty Meet, shooting competition was held today at the Babyal firing range, near here.

Head constable Ram Chander of the BSF won gold medal in the attack position from 30 metre. Inspector Santosh Singh of the Punjab police got silver medal in a tie-up. Both the shooters hit 60 points.

The bronze medal went to head constable Tulsi Ram of the CRPF.

Mr S. Banerjee, Additional Director-General of the police, Gujarat, gave away the medals.

In the competitions held yesterday, the ITBP won the rifle shooting championship with 534 points. The Tamil Nadu police and the BSF secured second and third positions, respectively, with 511 and 505 points.

In the 300 yards snap shooting by rifle, head constable Jaswinder Singh of the BSF won gold medal by hitting perfect 10. Head constable Lal Singh of the CRPF won silver with 27 points. Constable Pandian of the Tamil Nadu police won bronze.

Mr B.N. Chaturvedi, DIG, BSF, gave away the medals.

Murder: police ‘inaction’ decried
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, April, 24 — A former minister, Mr Krishan Murti Hooda, has criticised the police for its alleged inaction in the case in which two schoolboys were murdered at Jassia village, about two months ago.

In a statement issued here today, Mr Hooda alleged that the case had been hushed up following pressure from the local MP, who was close to the Chief Minister.

Though a month ago, it had been declared that the case would be handed over to the CBI, no action had been taken in this regard.

Mr Hooda added that he was opposed to CBI probes as they ‘failed’ to solve any case. He cited the Ranbir Suhag case, Renuka murder case, Sushila and Draupadi murder cases in this regard.