H A R Y A N A

6 killed as jeep, truck collide
HISAR, March 21 — Six persons, including two women, were killed and eleven were injured, some of them seriously, when a Jeep carrying them collided with a private truck near Hisar cantonment, about 15 km from here, today.

Different maths question papers in board exams
AMBALA, March 21 — For some students it was godsend, while for most others it was an uphill task when board exam students took their mathematics examination here with two different sets of question papers.

Drug pricing racket of crores detected
ROHTAK, March 21 — A drug pricing racket to cheat patients has been detected by the Drug Control authorities here. At least one pharmaceutical manufacturing company and some persons have been booked. A criminal case has been filed in the District and Sessions Judge's court here by drug officials.

35 brick-kiln workers freed
SONEPAT, March 21 — On the direction of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, a warrant officer, accompanied by the police, conducted a surprise raid on Surya brick-kiln at Shekhpur village under the Ganaur police station area of this district yesterday and succeeded in getting then released around 35 workers said to have been taken hostages by the kiln owner Mr Rambir and his associates.

Chautala mourns killing
CHANDIGARH, March 21 — Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala today condemned the killing of 35 persons belonging to the Sikh community by terrorists in Anantnag district in Kashmir valley last night, and described the incident as "inhuman and barbaric".

Couple commits suicide
YAMUNANAGAR, March 21 — A couple ended its life allegedly by consuming poison here on Holi yesterday.

Youth murdered, five booked
KAITHAL, March 21 — Jasmer Singh, a local youth, was murdered here yesterday.

Hartal in Jagadhri
YAMUNANAGAR, March 21 — Jagadhri remained closed today in protest against the murder of a 22-year-old boy yesterday, on the day of Holi.

6 killed as jeep, truck collide
From Our Correspondent

HISAR, March 21 — Six persons, including two women, were killed and eleven were injured, some of them seriously, when a Jeep carrying them collided with a private truck near Hisar cantonment, about 15 km from here, today.

All injured were hospitalised.

According to report, the ill-fated jeep carrying the passengers was on its way from here to Hansi. When the Jeep reached near the cantonment area, a speeding truck came out from cantonment and dashed against jeep, killing six persons on the spot.

Four of the six bodies has been identified. They are of Lalit Kaushik, a lecturer in Government College, Hansi, H.L. Jhamb of Sector 13, Hisar, Balwant, a resident of Neolikalan in Hisar district, and the owner of the jeep, Anup, a resident of Bhatol Jatan in Hisar district.

The injured — Bhan Singh of Khnank, Raj Kumar (Rawalvas) Cahan, Naryan and Suman (Neolikalan), Major Singh and Bhupender (Durga Colony, Hisar). Mahabir (Shoori Nagar, Hisar), Sukhbir (Satroad) and Dalip of Kherempur have been admitted to the Civil Hospital here.

In a separate incident, Mahender Singh, aged about 20, was allegedly stabbed to death by six persons in Uklana bus stand, about 40 km from here, yesterday, the police said today.

The cause of the murder is still unknown.

The police has registered a case under Sections 302, 147, 148 and 149 of the IPC against six persons — Mukesh, Dalbir, Tulsi Ram, Rosha, Richhpal and Ram Sarup of Uklana village. No arrest has been made so far.

Different maths question papers in board exams
From Rahul Das
Tribune News Service

AMBALA, March 21 — For some students it was godsend, while for most others it was an uphill task when board exam students took their mathematics examination here with two different sets of question papers.

While the class XII students at most centres were given a question paper which is said to be difficult, the students at a centre in Ambala Cantonment were given a maths question paper which is said to be comparatively easier to solve.

The students at various centres at Ambala, including SD Kanya Mahavidyalaya, were given the maths question paper “131/Spl./2000”, while the students at Jain school were given the mathematics paper “131”.

Maths students say that the paper 131/Spl/2000 is much more difficult compared to the paper 131 which is comparatively easier to solve.

According to mathematician A K Gupta, to whom The Tribune, showed both the mathematics question papers, “the paper 131/Spl/2000 is definitely more difficult to solve and is also lengthy compared to the maths paper 131.”

He pointed out that there were several questions which were much more difficult than those which are given in the other question paper.

Comparing the limits question, Dr Gupta said that while question no.8 in 131/Spl/2000 required trigonometrical formula and then adjustment to form the limit after putting the square outside, a similar question no.4 of limits only needed applying of direct formula after taking ‘e’ common.

He said that question no.3 of the spl. paper needed calculation of co factors and a product and a determinant while question no. 3 of paper set ‘131’ requires only transposition which needs no calculation.

Question no. 10 in ‘131/Spl/2000’ paper required first finding centre, draw radius, double the radius and writing the equation and then simplification. A similar question no. 5 in the other paper required direct application of two point form of straight line.

In the case of determinants, in the 131/Spl/2000 paper, question no. 13 requires tricky transformation and a lot of calculation while a similar question no. 13 in the paper set ‘131’ requires routine transformation and a very little calculation, Dr Gupta said.

Comparing the differentiation in questions, the mathematician said question no. 15 of the spl paper requires logarithmic differentiation and trignometrical differentiation and substitution for the second part and also requires substitution in trignometrical form, simplification of trigonometry, differentiation and then division. The question no. 15 in the paper ‘131’ requires only a substitution and a trignometrical simplification and differentiation.

District Education Officer, Dharampal Sharma, said that he is going to investigate into the matter. “I have received a call from the board to find out the reason for the mix-up in the mathematics question paper,” he said.

Regarding the forthcoming Class VIII examinations to start this week, Mr Sharma said they have received directions that strong action will be recommended against any employee who is absent on duty when the examinations are on.

Drug pricing racket of crores detected
From Bijendra Ahlawat

ROHTAK, March 21 — A drug pricing racket to cheat patients has been detected by the Drug Control authorities here. At least one pharmaceutical manufacturing company and some persons have been booked. A criminal case has been filed in the District and Sessions Judge's court here by drug officials.

The racket perhaps, the first of its kind unearthed by drug officials in the past several years is reported to be inter-state one and likely to involve several crores of rupees per year. The drug manufacturing company and some other persons booked have been charged with violating the Drug Price Control Order of the Union Government, with a view to earning huge profit from the margin left between the factory price and the retail cost of the medicines. It is alleged that the pharmaceutical company in connivance with certain wholesale dealers had been deliberately printing much higher price or rate on the labels of the medicine or drug for higher profit. As a result not only the provisions of the Drugs Price Control Order 1995 have been found violated but the patients have been found to be overcharged. It is reported that an antibiotic drug (Ciprofloxacin), widely used for the treatment of several kinds of infections has been found to sold to a T.B. patient by a retailer for Rs 70 (for 10 tablets) while the manufacturer had supplied this drug at the rate of Rs 16 (for 10 tablets) to the wholesaler. This indicates that a margin of about 500 per cent has been taken from the patient while the DPCO Act allows 100 per cent margin on the product price to the manufacturer. Moreover the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authorities (NPPA) which issues the ceiling price of all essential drugs regularly has put the retail price of such a drug at Rs 59.72 only for 10 tablets.

The Haryana State Chemists Association's (HSCA) secretary Mr Balraj Singh admitted that the HSCA had lodged a complaint in this regard already. He said it was a violation of the DPCO Act and the manufacturer should be held responsible and not the chemists. The Drug Controller, Haryana, Mr M.L. Garg, when contacted said that drug officials at district headquarters had been authorised to take legal action.

The drug authorities have also taken samples of Ciprofloxacin tablets sold under various 'brand names' including Icocip, Ciprobiotic forte, Ciproflex, Lofloxa, Citrek and Zipron-500. It is learnt that the manufacturing company belonging to Gujarat has reportedly admitted that officials who got suspicious of such a racket started investigation in February last year. A survey by the Drug Authorities have reportedly found that there were numerous brands of drug and medicine available in the market which openly violated the Price Control Order and it pointed towards the involvement of certain wholesalers, retailers and even some doctors who work from behind the curtain. It is learnt that 'strong' third generation antibiotics are prescribed by some physicians to the patients who do not require such drugs otherwise but are given with a view to getting good profit from the sale of such drugs.

Haryana steps to bloat coffer
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, March 21 — With the projected deficit in the next financial year touching close to Rs 195 crore in Haryana, the Finance Minister, Mr Sampat Singh, has come out with some innovative ideas to boost the state’s coffer.

If the finance minister has his way, there will be an entertainment centre at Gurgaon with a casino, a health club, a swimming pool and other five star paraphernalia. Haryana Tourism already owns 75 acres of land at Gurgaon, situated close to Delhi airport, which could be used for the purpose. As Gurgaon is located near Delhi and its culture is more in tune with the latter than with the rest of Haryana, therefore even the vanguards of Haryanvi culture will have no reason to object to having a casino in the five star complex, the finance minister reportedly feels. Private parties will be invited to set up the complex with zero investment by the state government.

The finance minister is also keen on going ahead with his pet project of introducing on-line lotteries in Haryana in the model of Western countries. Although a union government directive, banning lotteries had created some problems for this scheme, Haryana reportedly would still like to introduce the on-line lotteries in the state.

Finance department sources pointed out that lottery was a state subject. Besides, while the union government objected to state government running lotteries, it did not debar the state governments from authorising private parties for organising lotteries. The scheme, which is in the pipeline, will materialise in month or two and tenders will be invited from private parties for the purpose, the sources said.

The on-line lottery would ensure the state of assured incomes in the form of fees from the lottery runners. Further, the state government would also tax a certain percentage of the income of those engaged in the lottery trade.

While these steps are being envisaged to mobilise additional revenues, the finance department is going to introduce some hi-tech methods to plug the loopholes of fiscal management. This includes complete computerisation of the treasury accounts to prevent delay, mismanagement and malpractices. While Rs 6 crore will be needed to computerise the treasury accounts, it will eventually lead to an extra income to the tune of Rs 100 crore, the sources said.

Computers will also be introduced for collecting market fees from the market committees. With the introduction of computers for collection of market fees, the system will get streamlined and it will lead to enhanced collection, the finance minister reportedly opines.

Mr Sampat Singh had earlier said in the Budget session of the Assembly that more than Rs 150 crore would be received by Haryana in the next financial year in the form of arrears due on account of states’ enhanced share of central taxes as per the recommendations of the 10th Finance Commission. An estimated Rs 75 crore, according to the Finance department, is also expected to be mopped up by Haryana with the introduction of the uniform sales tax structure.

The sources said with mobilisation of an estimate Rs 225 crore from these two sources, the deficit would go down to nearly Rs 75 crore. This deficit could be taken care of by the revenue earned from the entertainment complex, the on-line lotteries and so on, feels the finance minister.

When the new schemes come about, and tax collection machinery also gets streamlined, Haryana may become gradually a revenue surplus state, according to the finance Minister.

A Sanskrit-speaking hamlet
From Bijendra Ahlawat

ROHTAK, March 21 — It might be a surprise to know that there is a village in India where the entire local population, transcending all age groups, converses only in Sanskrit. It is often said Sanskrit is very difficult to master, but this Sanskrit hamlet has proved otherwise.

Dr K.N. Mamgain a journalist and renowned Sanskrit scholar from here, who visited the village recently to celebrate Sanskrit Year there, said this remote village, Matur, located about 10 km from Shimoga in Karnataka, was now popularly known as Sanskrit gram. He said the village had adopted Sanskrit despite the fact that the language was not its mother-tongue.

He said in Karnataka there was a "Pejawar Math". Not too long ago, the chief of this math Mahatma Shri Visheshwar Tirth, while addressing people at Matur village recited a shaloka in Sanskrit to bless the village and said it might become famous as Sanskrit gram. This declaration combined the guru’s wish and his fiat. Following the mahatma’s directions, the village folk set out to adopt the "language of the gods" as their own.

Devotion towards the swami: brought about a miracle. All village residents, literate or otherwise, worked together to fulfil the swami’s wish and adopted Sanskrit as a regular conversing language. Matur is the only village in the country to have gained such a versatility in Sanskrit, he added.

According to Dr Mamgain these efforts have been augmented by workers of the Hindu Seva Pratisthan who organised several training camps for the villagers where oral skills in Sanskrit were imparted. The camps were generally for 21 days. Some Sanskrit scholars from Varanasi also visited Matur in this period to participate in the efforts to educate the villagers in Sanskrit. Following basic oral rules, the villagers were trained in grammar. Those who managed to complete this course successfully, then went on to teach others in the village, including women and children, in their free time.

A similar effort is being spearheaded in neighbouring Hosali village where several residents, while being able to understand the language, are not in a position to converse in it.

About 2,250 persons reside in Sanskrit gram. At the break of dawn, the village begins to resound with "Ved mantras" being recited by residents. Dhoti-clad children are seen walking to the classrooms to learn the Vedic mantras. Several hutments proudly display signboards to the effect that one can converse in Sanskrit in this household. Being "Kannada", one often finds Kannada-Sanskrit translation charts of common words in the houses and shops.

This village is a quaint sight, with the general use of Sanskrit giving it a Vedic-era flavour. All functions and festivals organised in the village are also in Sanskrit now. Some booklets have been circulated to aid villagers in their daily verbal usage.

Dr Mamgain recalled that the renowned Sanskrit scholar, Dr Sampoornanand, had dreamt of such a village where every resident, from the lowest social strata to the senior-most administrator, converse in Sanskrit. While in his lifetime this dream was not fulfilled, the Matur success would be fulfilling his wish. Dr Mamgain said this had shown that what could not be achieved by the government despite spending crores had been achieved by the determination of the residents of Matur, even with limited means.

New method to curb copying
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, March 21 — The Board of School Education, Haryana will introduce a new method of examination for X and plus two classes from the next academic year to check copying.

Prof Jagdish K. Sihag, Secretary of the board, stated this here today. He was talking to reporters.

He said five sets or series of a question paper would be distributed among the students of Xth and plus two classes so they were able to get undue help from the students sitting just ahead or behind them.

He said nearly 900 cases of copying in X and plus two classes were detected this year. Besides nine cases of impersonation were caught by the flying squads and an FIR was registered against them.

The secretary added the board had set up 380 flying squads which raided various examination centres three to six times. As many as 18 examination centres were shifted to other places on receiving complaints of serious irregularities. Cases of nearly 20 teachers were sent for departmental action for dereliction of duty.

He said an inquiry committee was formed to investigate the complaints of irregularities into the award lists of the students who got top 10 positions in middle and matric classes last year. He admitted that the complaint was found to be true and the award lists concerned were tampered with.

Prof Sihag said the board had prepared an extensive plan to check copying in the examinations of middle class scheduled to be held from March 24.

He said 1480 centres had been set up all over the state to conduct examination to class VIII of nearly 3,70,000 students. The chairman, secretary and other high officials of the board along with the flying squads would supervise different examination centres.

He said different examinations of class X at 61 centres in the state had been cancelled which would be held soon.

35 brick-kiln workers freed
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, March 21 — On the direction of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, a warrant officer, accompanied by the police, conducted a surprise raid on Surya brick-kiln at Shekhpur village under the Ganaur police station area of this district yesterday and succeeded in getting then released around 35 workers said to have been taken hostages by the kiln owner Mr Rambir and his associates.

According to a report, this followed a complaint sent to the court by Mr Radhey Sham a brick-kiln worker that about 35 workers were being held hostage by the brick-kiln owner.

The raiding party had also arranged a truck for the transportation of released brick-kiln workers. As truck was near to destination the brick-kiln owner and his armed associated stopped the truck and allegedly kidnapped Mr Radhey Sham. They also reportedly threatened other workers with dire consequence if they raised the alarm. Thereupon panic gripped other workers and one of them Mr Bal Krishan grappled with the kidnappers resulting into his death under the truck wheels.

Couple commits suicide
From Our Correspondent

YAMUNANAGAR, March 21 — A couple ended its life allegedly by consuming poison here on Holi yesterday.

According to complaint lodged by the Sarpanch of Shadipur village, near here, at Yamunanagar Sadar Police Station yesterday, three persons went to the residence of Mr Devi Parshad Mishra, a pandit of a temple, and his wife Ram Dulari, on March 17 and threatened them for allegedly misusing their vote in the election for sarpanch. They threatened the couple with dire consequences.

The couple met the sarpanch of the village and complained about the incident. The sarpanch reassured them, after which they went back to their home.

According to a report, around 4 a.m. yesterday, the couple allegedly consumed poison out of fear. Ram Dulari died on the spot while her husband was taken to hospital, where he was declared dead. The police has registered a case against the accused under Section 306/34 of the IPC .

Youth murdered, five booked
From Our Correspondent

KAITHAL, March 21 — Jasmer Singh, a local youth, was murdered here yesterday.

According to information, the victim, a 22-year-old of the local Arjan Nagar area was called out from his residence by five persons and done to death with a sword.

The police has registered a case under Section 302, IPC, against Neenu, Bahbal and three others in this connection.

Chautala mourns killing
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, March 21 — Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala today condemned the killing of 35 persons belonging to the Sikh community by terrorists in Anantnag district in Kashmir valley last night, and described the incident as "inhuman and barbaric".

Mr Chautala in a statement here said such cowardly and nefarious designs of the militants should be condemned severely by all sections of society, and the culprits nabbed immediately.

He expressed his heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved families.

Hartal in Jagadhri
From Our Correspondent

YAMUNANAGAR, March 21 — Jagadhri remained closed today in protest against the murder of a 22-year-old boy yesterday, on the day of Holi.

According to Jagadhri police sources the bazars of Jagadhri remained closed till afternoon and the people demanded the arrest of five accused still absconding. On a complaint of Amit Kumar, son of Darshan Lal, alleged that he along with his cousin, Tony were going somewhere yesterday at Jagadhri, when Jagadhri-based five persons namely, Shiv Charan, Swaran Kumar, Summant, his brother and one more person surrounded them and beat up with iron rods. Tony was injured seriously and taken to the hospital where he succumbed to his injury. The police has registered a case under Sections 302/148/149/323/325 of the IPC but no arrest has been made so far.