Middle exam's pass percentage up
BHIWANI, Dec 13 — The results of the middle supplementary examination, 1999, show an upward rise in the pass percentage as compared to previous years, like the results of the matric and senior secondary (academic and vocational) examinations, 1999.

Murder suspects produced in court
JHADLI (MAHENDRAGARH), DEC 13 — The police today produced five of the 10 suspects, including a brother-in-law of a prominent BJP leader, Prof Ram Bilas Sharma, in the sensational murder of four brothers in the court of the Judicial Magistrate in Mahendragarh.

Panipat corridor project cleared
PANIPAT, Dec 13 — The Haryana Government and Ministry of Surface Transport have set in motion the process of erecting a five-kilometre-long elevated corridor on National Highway 1.

Red card to cut red tape
AMBALA, Dec 13 — The Deputy Commissioner of Ambala has adopted an innovative "complaint card system". Whenever any complaint comes to the Deputy Commissioner he notes down his grievances on a white card and send, it to the officer concerned.

Two commit suicide
PANIPAT, Dec 13 — As many as three persons have died and three others injured, in various incidents in the district during the past 24 hours.

Khurshid: DPS to act as catalyst
GURGAON, Dec 13 — The president of the Delhi Public School (DPS) Society and chief of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee, Mr Salman Khurshid, yesterday said the DPS chain of schools in the country would strive to increase its role of a "catalyst" in developing the personalities of students to meet the challenges of the next century.

Bus conductor kidnapped
SONEPAT, Dec 13 — A bus conductor, Devinder, of Silana village was allegedly kidnapped by three unidentified persons while he was waiting for a bus at the Kharkhauda bus stand, 19 km from here, yesterday.

HC takes note of Judge's complaint
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Dec 13 — The Punjab and Haryana High Court today took cognisance of a complaint lodged by Mr R.K. Saini, Civil Judge (Senior Division), Faridabad, against Mr O.P. Sharma, an advocate of Faridabad, and Mr Satish Kumar, Publisher, Printer and Editor of Majdoor Morcha, a Hindi newspaper brought out from there.

Mr Justice Jawahar Lal Gupta and Mr Justice V.M. Jain, before whom the complaint was listed for launching criminal action against the contemners, granted time to the respondents for filing a reply to the complaint. They ordered that the case be listed for December 20.

In his complaint Mr Saini stated that Faridabad Civil Courts were closed from November 6 to November 9 for Divali holidays. He was celebrating Diwali at his residence. Around 8 p.m. on November 6, Mr J.K. Sud, a former Additional District and Sessions Judge, accompanied by his son, went to this house to wish him. He pointed out that some persons outside his house had taken photographs of his house when Mr Sud and his son were entering it.

Mr Saini added that he immediately went out of his house and found that a white Maruti Zen (registration No. HR-51-E-8262) suspected to be involved in taking the photographs was taking reverse on the road in front of his house. This car was driven by Mr O.P. Sharma and three other persons sat in it. And when he was questioned what was he doing there, Mr Sharma said: "Kuchh nahai, nahi" and went away. Mr Sharma and his associates kept on roaming around his house and taking photographs till late in the night and also the next day. He claimed to have reported the matter to the Sessions Judge, Faridabad, on that day (Nov 6) itself.

Mr Saini alleged that when the courts opened on November 10 a news item appeared in Majdoor Morcha newspapers containing "malicious, scandalous and contemptuous allegations," against him. He attached a copy of the reports with his complaint.

He alleged that earlier Mr Rakesh Singh, another judicial officer, had filed a complaint against Mr L.N. Prasher, Mr Om Parkash, Mr Surender Kumar and Mr Rajinder Singh, all Faridabad advocates. The High Court had already issued contempt notices to them.

Mr Saini also brought to the courts notice that even the Deputy Commissioner of Faridabad had also lodged a complaint against these persons with the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana.

Dalai Lama trust buys land in Palwal
Tribune News Service

FARIDABAD, Dec 13 — The Dalai Lama Charitable Trust, Dharamsala, has purchased 144.06 kanal of land for the construction of offices of the Tibetan govt in exile and a cottage for the spiritual leader at Bhagola and Mirapur villages in Palwal subdivision of Faridabad.

Official sources told TNS that the land had been purchased from Mr Rajesh Goenka, of Greater Kailash, in Delhi and Mr Shushil Kumar of Panchkula at a cost of Rs 1.15 crore.

The land is located 26 km from Faridabad on the Delhi-Mathura national highway. It has been purchased by Mr Doshi Narboo Phunchok, a representative of the Tibetan govt-in-exile. On July 30, this year a training centre will also be built there.

The charitable trust was registered in Calcutta on February 26, 1964. The registration of the sale deed and mutation has already been made. The permission of the Ministry of Home Affairs and a no objection certificate from the Reserve Bank of India is still awaited. This is necessary as foreigners are not allowed to purchase land in India.

It is learnt that the rates of land in the surrounding areas of Bhagola and Mirapur villages have recorded a sharp increase after the purchase of land by the Tibetans.

Earlier the Tibetans had made an attempt to purchase land in Gurgaon district in 1994 but it was given up for reasons not known.

The same year the Financial Commissioner (Revenue), Haryana wrote to the Deputy Commissioner of Gurgaon that foreigners were not allowed to purchase land. The FCR again sent a communication to all registrars in the state pointing out that there were reports about foreigners, especially Tebetans purchasing land in the area. It was not allowed without the prior permission of the Reserve Bank of India under Section 31 of the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act.

Army expedition returns
Tribune News Service

AMBALA, Dec 13 — An Army adventure expedition, organised by the 65 Engineer Bridge Regiment, to commemorate its silver jubilee, was flagged in here today.

Receiving the team members at Trishna Parade Ground, Commander 474 Engineer Brigade, Brig Charanjit Singh complimented them on the success of the expedition. He said more such expeditions should be organised. He suggested that a similar expedition for children also be organised in the near future.

The expedition had been flagged off from Ambala on November 26 by the General Officer Commanding, 2 Corps, Lt Gen G.S. Sihota. Its various aspects included cycling, white-water rafting and trekking, besides interacting with ex-servicemen, war widows and the youth.

The unit's Commanding Officer, Col K. Shankar Rao, who also took part in the expedition, said the most common query from youngsters was: ‘‘why entry into the Army for girls was not allowed at the class - XII stage?’’ Unlike the entry procedure for boys, who are eligible to join the National Defence Academy after passing 10 plus two, eligibility criterion for girls entails a degree at the time of joining the Officers Training Academy.

‘‘We are putting up this point to Army Headquarters in our feed-back report. There was a lot of enthusiasm among girls to join the Army,'' Col Rao said.

The team comprised 12 permanent members, including two officers and four JCOs. All officers of the unit, including two women officers, took part in the expedition at various legs. The expedition covered a distance of 765 kms.

The cycling part involved a distance of 657 kms, moving from Ambala to Roorkee and then to Rishikesh. Rafting was undertaken over a 25 km stretch from Rishikesh to Shivpuri and back. The team then cycled 53 kms to Devprayag from where it trekked 40 kms to Pauri, before switching back to cycles for the return leg through Satpauli, Lansdowne, Hardwar, Dehra Dun, Poanta Sahib and Nahan.

For the two women officers, Capt Charoo Mundepi and Lt Poonam Joshi, both daughters of Air Force officers, it was a first-time experience. Cycling from Kotdwar to Hardwar, the area from which she hails from, Capt Charoo said that she was impressed by the hospitality shown by villagers enroute. ''When ever we passed a farm, the villagers invited us in and piled up things we required,'' she said.

‘‘The experience was very good. The scenic beauty of Nahan, especially the sunrise was very memorable, said Lt Poonam, an engineering graduate who got her commission in March this year. She would also be the only woman officer to take part in the SAARC Trishna sailing expedition, which was flagged off from Mumbai a few days ago. ''I will be joining the expedition at Penang in Malasiya and be onboard till Singapore and disembark again at Malasiya after a month's cruise,'' she added.

‘‘Enroute we met a veteran of the 1962 Indo-Chinese conflict, who had lost both his feet and arms. He is still to receive the benefits of the Fifth Pay Commission. We will be putting up his case to higher authorities,'' said Lt Abhishek Pokhriyal, the officer-in-charge of the expedition. He added that cycling in the hills had been the toughest part and at times they had to carry the bicycles while negotiating steep climbs. ''They trekked where there were no paths and navigated with maps. It took us over eight hours to cover about 40 kilometres, most of which was virtually a straight climb,'' he said.

Power suspension disrupts life
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Dec 13 — The city remained without power for about six hours today following the suspension of power supply by the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) from Ganguwal at 6 a.m. due to a plunge in the frequency of power in the system.

The supply of power remained suspended from thermal power stations of Panipat and Narela too hitting normal life. Industrial and business activity also came to a standstill. Essential services like drinking water supply were the worst-hit.

Similar switching power supply off also caused a total blackout in the city and its suburbs yesterday for about half an hour.

Officials of the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam (HVPN) who were helpless despite their concerted efforts to get power supply from Ganguwal and Narela, said they had activated the under frequency relays. These relays are instruments which cut off supply to an area whenever the frequency of power dips. These are installed to save the entire system from collapsing.

Meanwhile, representatives of various political, social, and trade unions today protested against the prolonged switching power supply off from Ganguwal and urged the state government to speed up the work on the 220 kv grid power substation at Sonepat.

They also regretted that the state government and the HVPN had failed to provide funds for the early completion of this power substation.

Mr Dev Raj Diwan, MLA, expressed resentment against the non-completion of this power substation which had caused a serious power crisis in the area.

Middle exam's pass percentage up
From Our Correspondent

BHIWANI, Dec 13 — The results of the middle supplementary examination, 1999, show an upward rise in the pass percentage as compared to previous years, like the results of the matric and senior secondary (academic and vocational) examinations, 1999. The results of this examination were declared today.

Announcing this, the board secretary, Mr Jagdish Kumar Sihag, told mediapersons here today that this year, 77.92 per cent candidates got through the examination, whereas last year, the pass percentage was 75.69. In 1997, the pass percentage was 59.71 and in 1996, it was 66.23.

Mr Sihag said that 31,458 candidates appeared in the examination this year, 24,511 were declared pass and 6,683 were placed in compartment.

He said that 18,814 boys appeared in the examination and 14,757 were successful and 3,906 were placed in compartment, giving a pass percentage of 78.44. On the other hand 12,644 girls appeared in the examination and 9,754 were successful while 2,777 got a compartment, showing a pass percentage of 77.14.

The secretary further said that for the information of the candidates, the results were being published in three Hindi dailies. The results would also be available at the offices of District Education officers, District Public Relations officers, the district level Co-ordination centres of the Board and Board Head office at Bhiwani. The fail/compartment/re-appear cards of the candidates would be sent within one week and pass certificates would be sent within two weeks at the addresses mentioned by them in their forms.

On the basis of this results, the candidates who wanted to appear in the annual examinations in February, 2000, could sent their forms without any late fee up to December 19, 1999. After this date, a late fee of Rs 200 would be payable up to January 13, 2000.

Murder suspects produced in court
Mr Ravi Shankar Singh
Tribune News Service

JHADLI (MAHENDRAGARH), DEC 13 — The police today produced five of the 10 suspects, including a brother-in-law of a prominent BJP leader, Prof Ram Bilas Sharma, in the sensational murder of four brothers in the court of the Judicial Magistrate in Mahendragarh. The court accepted the plea of the police for their remand for seven days.

Those arrested include Mr Durga Prasad, brother-in-law of Prof Sharma, and his son, Mr Nand Kishore Sharma alias Babli. According to the police, the other accused will be arrested shortly.

Last Friday, the suspects hailing from this village had allegedly assaulted Mr Nityanand of the adjacent Chittroli village resulting in his death. His four brothers who had rushed to the spot for his rescue were also attacked, resulting in death of three of them. The youngest survived as he fled the spot. He along with a few persons of Chittroli have received injuries. The police had registered an FIR under Sections, 302, 148, 149 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code on a complaint of Mr Gopi Ram Yadav, father of the deceased.

Incidentally, all the suspects of this village are relatives.

According to Mr Dutta Ram Sharma, sarpanch of this village, Mr Nityanand had come here with two other persons and had tried to kidnap a grandson of Mr Durga Prasad. On the alarm raised by the inmates of the house, his relatives attacked him. His brothers and some residents of Chittroli had come to the spot after the two unidentified youths, accompanying Mr Nityanand informed them of the attack on him. Significantly, the suspects have not registered a counter-FIR.

This village is dominated by the Brahmin community. The deceased are from the Ahir community.

The violence on Friday has roots in developments that took place more than a year ago. Mr Prasad was a regular visitor to the house of Mr Lal Chand, one of the suspects in the murder case. He used to force himself in the house of Mr Lal Chand.

At Mr Lal Chand’s house and reported the matter to the police. He was arrested and released on bail the next day. On the following day Ms Anita Sharma, sister of Mr Lal Chand Sharma, was found missing. Reports have it that the girl was seen at the house of Mr Nityanand in Chittroli, Mr Harphool Singh Dhankad also concurs with this development. A day after the girl was found missing, she was located by her relatives at the nearby Khedi bus stand in a semi-conscious state. The day after she died in mysterious circumstances. Although the police registered a case against the girls’s relatives in connection with her death and tampering with evidence, no arrest was made by the police. The Superintendent of Police, Mahendragarh, Mr R C Sharma, said that no arrest was made as there was no witness in the case.

The sarpanch of this village and other residents alleged that Mr Nityanand used to visit their area and misbehave with women. He had also faced trial in a court on the charge of kidnapping a boy in Charkhi in Bhiwani district. The Rajasthan police was on the look-out for him in connection with several crimes. The sarpanch of Chittroli also confirmed this report.

According to the relatives of the deceased, Mr Gopiram had visited Jhadli on the day of the violence to meet its sarpanch for transferring his name from the voter list from Chittroli and for change in the venue regarding payment of house tax. He wanted to become a resident of Jhadli. The sarpanch of Jhadli said that the deceased met him on the issue and he had rejected the proposal.

Mr Datta Ram Sharma said that Mr Nityanand and his associates had been doing rounds of the village and crossed the house of Mr Durga Prasad several times in a menacing manner. According to him, the relatives of Mr Durga Prasad and the family members of Mr Nityanand were at daggers drawn since the death of the girl. Inquiries reveal that both the sides had made a bid on the lives of the rivals before the incident on Friday.

The incident has assumed political overtones as the suspects are relatives of the leader of the BJP in the Haryana Vidhan Sabha. With assembly elections round the corner, political opponents have obviously pitched in their lot to bring the issue on the centre stage. Prof Sharma hails from Mahendragarh district.

In a significant development, the police authorities have kept out the district police Chief, Mr R C Sharma, from the investigation into Friday’s incident. The relatives of the deceased had alleged that the police chief had always played a partisan role in favour of the relatives of the BJP leader in disputes between the two parties.

Talking to Tribune News Service, Mr R.C. Sharma rebutted the allegations against him. He further said that it was at his insistence that the investigation into the case has been handed over to the Rewari police.

Meanwhile, several political leaders opposed to the BJP, including Rao Inderjit Singh of the Congress and Mr Raghu Yadav of the BSP, have expressed concern over the incident and said that it reflected the deteriorating law and order in the state.

Panipat corridor project cleared
Tribune News Service

PANIPAT, Dec 13 — The Haryana Government and Ministry of Surface Transport have set in motion the process of erecting a five-kilometre-long elevated corridor on National Highway 1. Tenders are to be floated soon according to Education and Tourism Minister, Mr Om Prakash Jain.

He was speaking at the opening of a five-day management development programme on export management jointly organised by the Industrial Area Manufacturer's Association (IAMA), Panipat and Small Industries Service Institute, Karnal.

The plan to construct the corridor was conceived by the Ministry to decongest the stretch of NH-I passing through Panipat

The proposed corridor will be constructed at a cost of about Rs 112 crore. The project will be on a Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis, and the constructing agency will recover the cost of its construction through a toll tax. The project is expected to take atleast three years to complete.

The Tourism Minister, Mr Jain said that the Om Prakash Chautala government was ready to extend help to investors willing to set up industry in Haryana.

Replying to a series of complaints aired by the industrialists regarding lack of infrastructure and poor conditions in Panipat, Mr Jain, who is also the local MLA, said while it was correct that the government had not been able to pay much attention towards the development of Panipat there were certain other bottlenecks hindering growth.

Giving an example, he said the plan to build a mini-secretariat on about 66 acres of land on the national highway could not be given concrete shape as the land in question belonged to the defence authorities, who demanded an alternate piece of land of equivalent value.

"Now the matter seems to have been decided with the government finding some alternate pieces of land in Ambala, from which the defence authorities will choose", he said.

The Director of the Small Industries Service Institute, Karnal, Mr M.K. Verma said that the handloom and handicraft industry of Panipat fetched precious foreign exchange for the country and at present the district was earning Rs 600 crore through exports.

Red card to cut red tape
From Our Correspondent

AMBALA, Dec 13 — The Deputy Commissioner of Ambala has adopted an innovative "complaint card system". Whenever any complaint comes to the Deputy Commissioner he notes down his grievances on a white card and send, it to the officer concerned.

The concerned officer, after enquiries, writes down his remarks and hands it back to the complainant. If the complainant is not satisfied with the action taken he can again visit the office of the DC, whereupon he is issued a green card.

In the second attempt too if the complainant is not satisfied the DC issues him a red card which is brought to a monthly meeting. Where the complainant the concerned officer and DC are present.

After hearing the arguments of both sides the DC gives his decision on the spot.

According to the DC, Mr Ram Niwas generally 40 to 50 complainants come to his office daily and they are given white cards. Of them only 25 to 30 per cent come back to express dissatisfaction. He said that he had given as many as 3000 white cards to complainants during the past three months and several green cards but no one ever came back for a red card. Officers have started taking the cards seriously.

He said that as per his experience the card system can root out the redtapism from the administration. Earlier too as DC at Rewari, Hisar and Faridabad he had conducted this experiment successfully.

Two commit suicide
From Our Correspondent

PANIPAT, Dec 13 — As many as three persons have died and three others injured, in various incidents in the district during the past 24 hours.

According to information, a woman of Matlauda who was married to Pratap Singh of Kathura village in Sonepat district committed suicide by consuming poison at her father's house. A family dispute is stated to be the cause of suicide.

Jai Bhagwan of Utla village too died after consuming poison. Both of them were admitted to the local Civil Hospital, but could not be saved.

Sher Singh of Panipat was knocked down by a car near a Babar Pur petrol station yesterday. He was brought to Civil Hospital in serious condition but succumbed to his injuries.

In another road accident, Ranjit and Ram Mehar of Bhandari village were seriously injured when their motor cycle collided with a tractor near Madloda bus stand. They have been admitted to civil hospital.

Young Ravi of Subzi Mandi, Delhi received serious injuries when he came in contact with a live electric wire at Panipat railway station. He has been admitted to hospital.

Khurshid: DPS to act as catalyst
Tribune News Service

GURGAON, Dec 13 — The president of the Delhi Public School (DPS) Society and chief of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee, Mr Salman Khurshid, yesterday said the DPS chain of schools in the country would strive to increase its role of a "catalyst" in developing the personalities of students to meet the challenges of the next century.

Mr Khurshid, who was the chief guest on the occasion of an annual sports meet of the primary wing of the (DPS) (Maruti Kunj), 15 km from here, said the response of the public, especially parents, to the DPS Society’s educational programmes had been enthusiastic.

The Principal, Mr Stalin Malhotra, said physical education was an integral part of the total education process.

According to the Vice-Principal of the primary wing of the school, Mrs Shalini Kashyap, 16,500 students took part in the function, the theme of which was peace and love. There were several items relating to the Army. One item named "Kargil race" was an instant hit with the audiences and projected the valour of the Indian armed forces. This was juxtaposed with love and compassion, and other emotions forming part of the "milk of human kindness", portrayed through the nurses who nursed injured jawans.

The tiny-tots competed for completing the gamut of emotions of war, including injuries and the concomitant treatment by the nurses, to be in line for the prizes. Equally popular was an item named "Army race."

Mrs Lewis Khurshid,wife of Mr Khurshid, released the sports day brochure.

Bus conductor kidnapped
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Dec 13 — A bus conductor, Devinder, of Silana village was allegedly kidnapped by three unidentified persons while he was waiting for a bus at the Kharkhauda bus stand, 19 km from here, yesterday.

According to preliminary reports, the bus conductor was taken to nearby fields where he was beaten up mercilessly. When he became unconscious, the kidnappers managed to escape.

The bus conductor reported the case at the Kharkhauda police station after he gained consciousness. The police immediately launched a massive hunt for the kidnappers who are still at large.