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| Tuesday,
November 21, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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Rs 201 cr sanctioned
for power schemes EMPLOYEES’ SUSPENSION Haryana employees intensify Haryana to have more LPG agencies Aided colleges’ body
demands salary |
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High court Haryana delays
decision on Under Secys Irate mob jams
highway
Rail traffic disrupted Sanatan sabha asked to hold poll Dacoits strike again Paswan to float
party on Nov 28 Zonal youth fest ends Workshop on
census work Residents block highway Rewari-Narnaul phone calls to
be local 1 killed in
road mishap 2 of family killed in car accident 
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Rs 201 cr sanctioned
for power schemes SONEPAT, Nov 20 — The Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam has sanctioned Rs 201 crore for launching new power development schemes to ensure round-the-clock power supply to all categories of consumers in the state. This was stated by the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, while addressing a public meeting at Khewra village, 13 km from here yesterday. He said the state government had taken a series of measures to strengthen the transmission lines and lay new lines at a cost of Rs 250 crore. This would improve the distribution of power in the state, he said. The Nigam would construct eight new power sub-divisions and lay 280 km long transmission lines in the state. Moreover, the capacity of 62 power sub-stations would be increased to meet the rising demand of electricity. Referring to the drought-like condition in different parts of the state due to the lack of rains and consequent delay in the winter rains. Mr Chautala said the state government was struggling hard to provide adequate power supply and canal water to the farmers for running tubewells. The state government, he said, was purchasing power at higher rates from other states to meet the requirements of the farmers for sowing rabi crops. He also highlighted various schemes launched by the government for improving information technology in the state. He said computer courses have been started in the technical institutions for the benefit of the educated unemployed youths. The state government, he said, was trying to eliminate unemployment. |
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Power
shortage
affects farmers SONEPAT, Nov 20 — The delay in winter rains and shortage of electricity supply have adversely affected the sowing of rabi crop in Sonepat district. Repeated announcements made by the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, that the Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) will ensure the regular supply of electricity to tubewells in the rural areas have proved to be an empty promise. Farmers complain of frequent power cuts, breakdowns and trippings on account of which the tubewells get electricity for only two to three hours. The supply of water through canals, distributaries and minors has also not been regular. Notwithstanding the high cost of operating a diesel pump, a large number of farmers are using these pumps to irrigate their fields in view of the erratic power supply to the tubewells. According to some farmers, it has become necessary for every farmer to maintain a diesel pump as a standby during the kharif and rabi seasons. This has added to their expenses. Farmers all over the district are disturbed over the delay in winter rains. They point out that it is only the wheat crop which gives comparatively good returns and they are likely to lose even that. They said if there was no rain for one more week and the government failed to make arrangements for irrigation water, there could be irreparable loss to the rabi crop particularly oilseeds and wheat. Meanwhile, the canal water theft has assumed an alarming proportion in the district, particularly in the areas falling under the jurisdiction of the Gohana Water Service Division, due to the failure of the authorities to check it. Non-maintenance of the headquarter by the officials of the Irrigation Department is the main reason that the canal water theft is continuing in Gohana subdivision of the district. These officials allegedly duping the state government by charging house rent and other allowances regularly. |
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EMPLOYEES’ SUSPENSION CHANDIGARH, Nov 20 — Confusion prevailed among officials of the Chandigarh Police soon after 13 striking employees of the Haryana Government were booked under the Essential Services Maintenance Act. It ended with the cops seeking the cancellation of the First Information Report. Initially, an FIR was registered by the Chandigarh Police on November 18 under Section 70 of Haryana ESMA after a letter, requesting for booking the striking officials, was reportedly addressed by a senior Haryana government official to the Senior Superintendent of Chandigarh Police, Mr Parag Jain. The Joint Secretary Horticulture and Service with the Government of Haryana had been named as the complainant. The case, maintain sources, could not be registered by the Haryana Police as the offence of resuming the pen down strike had allegedly been committed in Chandigarh. "Had the offence been committed in Haryana, the Police could have arrested the offender, even if they were residing in some other state, by sending their officials there. Informing the local police about the arrest was all that was required," say sources. "But here the offence had been committed in another state". Acceding to the request, the UT police registered a case. But later on they realised that "Haryana Essential Services Maintenance Act" was not applicable in Chandigarh and the employees could not be apprehended. "Haryana ESMA is a State Act and is applicable in that State alone, not in Chandigarh"says a senior police official. Realising their mistake, the police has sought the cancellation of the case. A report for the same, say officials, has been filed in the Court of competent jurisdiction. It may be recalled that 13 government employees were put under suspension by the government for the alleged resumption of pen-down strike from Thursday last which reportedly crippled the functioning of the government departments and directorates at Chandigarh and Panchkula. |
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Haryana employees intensify CHANDIGARH, Nov 20 (PTI) — The five day-long indefinite pen-down strike by Chandigarh based 10,000 non-quota Haryana Government employees demanding reversion of SC employees as per an apex court order, was intensified here today by the General and OBC categories Employees Federation. The strike assumes importance in the wake of Haryana being the only state in the country not to have yet implemented the Supreme Court ruling with regard to seniority of the non-quota and quota employees, strikers claimed. The movement leaders who have accused the government of delaying the implementation of the court order even after contempt petition of SC's has been dismissed by the Supreme Court, have gone underground to keep the movement alive till Haryana Government sends a written order for replacing SC promotees with non-quota employees. Prithvi Singh Layal, who has sat on a fast unto-death since the second phase of the strike on November 16 and was forcibly taken to hospital yesterday and charged with attempt to commit suicide under Section 309 of the IPC, has again joined the strike after being released on a personal bond. The state government got a setback yesterday when the arrested leaders of the federation were released by the Chandigarh police saying that ESMA was not applicable on then which the government had promulgated for six months. |
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Haryana to have more LPG agencies CHANDIGARH, Nov 20 — The Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, today urged the Manager of the Indian Oil Corporation to ensure that those who sought new gas connections were not coerced by LPG agencies into buying gas stoves. Mr Chautala said there were numerous complaints from the public in this regard. He said the network of LPG agencies would be expanded in the state to benefit the people. Presiding over the first meeting of the recently constituted State Food Advisory Committee, the Chief Minister said 61 more gas agencies would be set up in 25 blocks by March next, raising the total number to 249 covering 73 blocks. The state government had urged the Centre to set up more gas agencies to cover the remaining 41 blocks. The Chief Minister asked the Food and Supplies Department to ensure that the existing 188 LPG agencies supplied gas cylinders at the doorstep of the consumers and that the booking of gas cylinders was done on the telephone. He also asked it to take stern action against those licensees of gas agencies who failed to follow the prescribed norms. He said keeping in view the growing demand for cooking gas, it had been decided to permit LPG agencies to cover
consumers within a radius of 30 km instead of the earlier limit of 15 km. He said the state government had decided that in future new fair price shops would be allotted through village panchayats by inviting applications. Earlier, these fair shops were allotted by the respective Deputy Commissioners. Mr Chautala asked the Managing Director of Confed, Mr H.S. Rana, to make available packets of the leaves for sale at fair price shops. Consumers should not be forced to purchase iodised salt from fair price shops. He also asked Mr Rana to make functional the fair price shops set up at Rewari in the larger interests of consumers. He urged the Senior Regional Manager of the FCI, Mr Dhanpat Singh, to speed up the lifting of wheat from godowns. The Commissioner and Secretary, Food and Supplies Department of Haryana, Mr Dharamvir, said the department had launched a campaign to weed out bogus ration cards. He said out of a total of 7795 fair price shops, 5278 were in rural areas and 2517 in urban areas. |
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Aided colleges’ body
demands salary AMBALA, Nov 20 — The Haryana Non-Government Colleges Principals Association has expressed its concern over the non-payment of salaries to the teaching and non-teaching staff of the government-aided colleges for the past four months. In a press release issued here today, the president of the association, Dr D.P. Asija, urged the state government to release the grant-in-aid of these colleges at an early date. He said that the problem of achieving a target of 180 teaching days in a session would not end with the abolition of December tests of the students as desired by the university. He said the problem lay elsewhere. The academic session which should start in July was delayed because the results of most of the classes were declared very late by the university. And it is not possible for the students who are admitted in October and November to complete these 180 days after the declaration of results. Even this year the results of certain classes have not been declared so far. He said December tests also from part of the working days and curtailing December tests would not be a wise step and it would have an adverse affect on the achievement of students in the university exams. The students need to be given practice in the internal exams for appearing in their final examination. Members of the association, according to Dr Asija, also reacted to the demand of the Director, Higher Education, for carrying all college records to the DHE office for audit. They said that this producer of audit would invite a lot of trouble for them and carrying all records for the DHE office would involve a lot of expenditure and inconvenience. The association demanded that the auditors of the DHE office should visit the college for audit as is already being done. Dr Asija said the proposed ordinance of the state government on constituting a selection committee for the recruitment of lecturers, readers, principals and professors in the university and colleges is likely to breed corruption and malpractices. |
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High court CHANDIGARH, Nov 20 — On a writ petition seeking an inquiry into a scandal amounting to Rs 40 crore in Haryana Animal Husbandry Department, Mr Justice Amarbir Singh Gill and Mr Justice V.S. Aggarwal, comprising a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, issued notice to state of Haryana, the Chief Minister, the Chief Secretary and others for February 2. Qua the punishment, the petitioner withdrew his case. The petition was filed by Dr Prem Sarup Gaur, Milk Commissioner-cum-Director, Dairy Development. He sought direction to the state government to entrust investigation into the scandal, reported by the petitioner to the Governor, to the CBI and for recovery of the amount involved from the various accused. The petitioner submitted that many of the scandals had already been proved by the state Vigilance-Department, the Chief Minister’s Flying
Squad. Accountant-General in his report of December 8, 1999. He submitted that no appropriate action had been taken against the guilty officers. He named Dr S.N. Sharma, the then Director of Animal Husbandry, Dr D.H. Dahiya and Dr Mukhtiar Singh Malik and Dr K.S. Dangi, who is alleged to be involved in 18 scandals and irregularities at sheep breeding farms in Hisar. It was alleged that Dr Dahiya paid 25 to 30 per cent of the amount of the purchases in the department to middlemen and stockists for personal pecuniary gain, in respect of medicines, drugs etc., which were purchased at retail rates from private traders. Notice on plea
against unseating Mr Justice A.S. Garg today issued notice to the respondents on a writ petition filed by Mr Kartar Singh Badhana, seeking a stay against the order passed by the court on November 10 setting aside his election from Samalkha in Panipat district. Mr Badhana has pleaded before Mr Justice Garg that the order passed by his court on November 10 may be stayed for some times as the petitioner desired to appeal to the Supreme Court. Mr Justice Garg issued notice to the respondent, Mr Hari Singh Nalwa, who has now been declared elected from the Samalkha Assembly constituency, for November 22 which was accepted by his counsel, Mr R.K. Malik. |
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Haryana delays
decision on Under Secys CHANDIGARH, Nov 20 — The Haryana Government today delayed taking any decision regarding the reversion of seven Under Secretaries belonging to reserved categories, even as the pen-down strike resorted to by General and Backward Classes Employees Welfare Organisation demanding the reversion of the Under Secretaries was observed for the third day in the government offices here. The Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, who returned to Chandigarh today, had a meeting with his aides about the situation and Chief Minister reportedly asked the officials to take stringent action against the striking employees. Meanwhile, a press note issued by the Haryana unit of the All-India SC/ST and Backward Classes Confederation, said a meeting of the confederation was held today at Guru Ravi Dass Mandir here. It was demanded in the meeting that instead of implementing the Supreme Court order in the Ajit Singh Janjua case, the Haryana Government should implement the decision of Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court delivered on February 10, 1995, in the ‘R.K. Sabharwal v/s Punjab State’ case and should get the reserved category employees promoted against reserve roster point fixed in Haryana Government’s reservation policy dated February 9, 1979 and should also fix their seniority as per roster points so that the prescribed percentage of these categories was achieved first. |
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Irate mob jams
highway YAMUNANAGAR, Nov 20 — An irate mob jammed the Saharanpur-Kurukshetra highway here this morning near Jubbal village about 15 km from here, demanding the arrest of the accused who were allegedly involved in a murder case. According to information received here today, the marriage ceremony of Balinder Singh of Thaska Khadar village was held last evening. This was well-attended by residents of the village and the youth’s relatives. During the ceremony a few persons of the same village attacked Raj Kumar (29), son of Kali Ram, with blunt weapons. In a critical condition he was shifted to hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. The Jathlana police has registered a case under Sections 302, 148, 149 and 323 of the IPC, but no arrest has been made so far. The irate mob jammed the traffic this morning. The villagers alleged the accused had links with persons in power and the police was favouring the accused in a bid to save them. The crowd also raised anti-government slogans. On hearing the news, Mrs Renu Phulia, SDM, Jagadhri, reached the spot and pacified the villagers, assuring them that prompt action would be taken against the accused. She further assured them a case against a former Sarpanch of Thaska village and four others had been registered at the Jathlana police station and nobody would be spared. On her assurance the villagers lifted the dharna. |
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Rail traffic disrupted AMBALA, Nov 20 — The obstruction on the Ambala-Delhi rail section between Sonepat and Delhi disrupted rail traffic at Ambala today. Around half a dozen trains was diverted via Saharanpur so that they could reach to their destinations. According to information, 4660 Amritsar-New Delhi Express, 5078 Amrapali Express, 2012 Shatabdi Express and 2926 Paschim Express were sent to Delhi via Saharanpur. Two trains from Delhi to Amritsar were also diverted through the Saharanpur route. One of the passenger trains was also delayed at the Ambala Cantt railway station. According to a railway official, no other train was affected due to this obstruction. |
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Sanatan sabha asked to hold poll ROHTAK, Nov 20 — The Additional Civil Judge (Senior Division), Mr R.K. Sharma, has directed the managing committee of Sanatan Dharam Sabha, a local religious and social organisation, to conduct elections of the sabha within one month. The Judge has also appointed Mr O.P. Gupta, a senior member of the district Bar as Local Commissioner so that the Formalities required for the smooth conduct of the elections could be worked out and entire election process takes place under his direct supervision. The Sanatan Dharam Sabha, Rohtak, is a religious society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 and has a vast following in the town and adjoining villages. The society, which was founded by Guru Charan Dass, is running and managing an education society named Sanatan Dharam Education Society which is also running a ‘putri pathrshala’. It has a written constitution which stipulate elections to the managing committee every year. Interestingly, the elections to the sabha have always been conducted under the orders of the court as whoever becomes its president, never tries to hold elections as stipulated under its constitution. The present president had even not cared to abide by the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to hold elections every year. The last elections of the sabha were held in 1994 on the directions of Mr Justice H.S. Bedi, Judge, Punjab and Haryana High Court. Since the last elections, Swami Laxaman Dass Yati, successor to Guru Charam Dass, has nominated 29 persons as members of the sabha and appointed different persons for running the management of the sabha. The order said that Swami Laxman Dass Yati had nowhere mentioned any reason for appointing and nominating different persons on different occasions. Without mentioning special reasons, he (Swami) had no power to nominate or appoint any office-bearer of the sabha, the order added. Even otherwise when there is a special clause for the election to the sabha, the right to run its affairs belongs to the elected representatives and there is no scope to adopt a backdoor entry by nominating the persons of choice to run the affairs of the sabha. Swami Laxman Dass Yati, the Judge said, had not shown any interest to conduct the election to the sabha and instead of taking steps to implement the orders of the high court, he had nominated 29 members to the sabha. In a democratic set-up, the law should prevail and not the person. Nomination of 29 members by Swami Laxman Dass Yati is not a justifiable act in any manner “it is further made clear that election would be conducted on the basis of voter list on basis of which elections were conducted in 1994”, the Judge ordered. |
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Dacoits strike
again FARIDABAD, Nov 20 — The law and order situation in the residential sectors of the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) here seems to have taken a turn for the worse following a string of dacoities and robbery attempts in the past few days. A gang of armed robbers struck again and left a man and his wife seriously injured in a dacoity bid in Sector 16-A here last night. This is the fourth such incident reported in the past one week, leaving the residents scared. According to information the armed youths numbering four entered house No. 73 in Sector 16-A belonging to Mr Sanjay Jain at about 3 a.m. this morning. According to family members, the dacoits went to the first floor and entered a room by removing the iron grill. They reportedly awakened the servant and his wife. It is learnt that while they tied up the servant they asked the maid to wake up the owner. The robbers started beating the owner and his wife Vibhu. It is reported that both of them have received serious stab wounds. The dacoits were forced to flee when the family raised the alarm. The condition of Mr Jain and his wife is reported to be serious. The two have been admitted to Escorts Hospital here. It is learnt that a policeman reached the site of crime after about an hour of the incident. The office of the SSP is located nearby in Sector 16. |
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Paswan to float
party on Nov 28 REWARI, Nov 20 — Mr Ram Vilas Paswan, Union Minister for Communications and Dalit leader, will float a new political outfit on November 28 at a rally in Delhi. He made this announcement at a press conference here last evening. He said the main objective of his new party would be to promote communal harmony and strengthen secular ideology and also to provide a new thrust to elimination of corruption at various levels. He further said his party would put emphasis on checking population explosion in the country that had been negating all progress and development. “One Australia is added every year to India’s population”, he said, while advocating the two-child norm should be made compulsory by the government. He also wanted India to take a cue from China where, highly effective and strong measures had been taken to successfully arrest population explosion. Mr Paswan claimed that his new political outfit, which would be floated on national level, was getting enthusiastic response from the people of various states, including the southern states. Besides, his new party was also attracting a sizable section of legislators and MPs from UP and certain other states. |
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Zonal youth fest ends SIRSA, Nov 20 — The three-day long festivals of the zonal youth festival hosted by the local government came to an end last night with great fanfare. It was a rare achievement for the host college known earlier for its indiscipline to have conducted this festival with appreciable discipline. The credit for this goes to the able leadership of the present Principal, Dr R.C. Punia, and a batch of his sincere team. This festival hosted by this college after 14 years will be remembered for a long time as it saved it from sinking into anonymity. Dr Punia proved a dedicated leadership can get any work done. He rightly won the auditorium for his college by successfully completing the mission. It was a precondition of the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, during his inaugural address that the college would get an auditorium if it succeeded in finishing this festival without any untoward incident. |
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Workshop on
census work YAMUNANAGAR, Nov 20 — A two-day workshop for census officials started here today. Mr Sunil Gulati, Director, Census Operations, imparted instruction regarding census work. The census work would be based on general families, institutional families and roofless families, he added. The SDM, Jagadhri, Mrs Renu Phulia, District Revenue Officer, Mr S.K. Ranga, District Development and Panchayat Officer, Mr Raj Kumar Sharma, District Public Relations Officer, Dr Kuldip Saini were also present. |
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Residents block highway HISAR, Nov 20 — Residents of Police Line Colony blocked traffic on the Hisar-Chandigarh national highway here last night in protest against disconnection of power supply to the colony. The supply was disconnected due to non-payment of arrears of power bills. There was a single meter for the entire colony and the bill had been paid due to a dispute over the fixation of amount to be charged from occupants of houses in the colony. Hundreds of residents, including women and children, squatted on the national highway and blocked traffic. After some time there were long queues of vehicles on both sides. The residents said they had been paying bills regularly. The Superintendent of Police, Mr Sandeep Khirwal, reached the spot late in the night and assured them that the supply would be restored. |
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Rewari-Narnaul phone calls to
be local REWARI, Nov 20 — Telephone calls between Rewari and Narnaul will be treated as local from December 1. This was announced by the Union Communication Minister, Mr Ram Vilas Paswan, at a press conference here yesterday. In response to a demand raised by local leaders, he also directed the authorities to set up a Head Post Office in Rewari. The minister also said that negotiations had been held with Nokia, Motorola etc and tenders from the setting up of 1.5 million cellular lines would soon be floated. Out of these 1.5 million lines, 43,000 had been allotted to Haryana. |
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1 killed in
road mishap AMBALA, Nov, 20 — One person was killed and two others were seriously injured in an accident on the Ambala-Jagadhri road near Mulana, 40 km from here last evening. According to the police, Ravi Pathania of Rajpura died on the spot when the jeep in which he was travelling collided with a truck near Mulana. Two other persons travelling in the same jeep sustained serious injuries. Ravinder, the driver of the jeep, was shifted to the PGI, Chandigarh, while one other passenger Tarsem Lal was admitted in Mulana hospital. The police has registered a case against the truck driver. |
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2 of family killed in car accident AMBALA, Nov 20 — Two persons were killed and three injured when a car collided with an Army vehicle on the Ambala-Chandigarh road, near Jharmari village, 5 km from here, this evening. All the five members travelling in the Maruti car belong to the same family. The deceased were identified as Parveen (23) and his mother, Ilaychi Devi (50). The injured have been admitted to Civil Hospital, Ambala city. According to a relative of the family, Mrs Ilaychi
Devi, along with her family members, was coming to Ambala from Parwanoo after attending a marriage ceremony. |
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Raising day
celebrated HISAR, Nov 20 — The Dot-Armoured Division celebrated its 19th raising day at the cantonment here yesterday, The division also organised a fair on the occasion. Addressing the select gathering, the G-O-C Maj Gen I.A. Satur, said the division had played an important role during floods in Hisar, Rohtak and Jind districts in 1995. The division provided help after the air crash near Charkhi-Dadri in 1996 in which over 400 persons had died. It also helped after a super cyclone had hit Orissa last year, he added. |
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Child killed JIND, Nov 20 — A five-year-old boy Prince was killed on the spot when he was hit by a Haryana Roadways bus at the local bus stand yesterday evening. Bhavna the elder sister of the deceased was injured. The police has registered a case and arrested the driver for rash and negligent driving. |
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Seminar held JIND, Nov 20 — The local unit of Indian Medical Association organised a seminar at the local Civil Hospital yesterday in connection with “New Born Week” being celebrated from November 15 to November 21. Dr R.K. Sethi, president of the Jind unit of IMA said precautions should be observed during deliveries. Among other participants were Dr S.S. Bhatti, Civil Surgeon, Jind, Dr Remesh Kumar, former Civil surgeon, Jind, Dr Parveen Gupta, Dr Subhash Aggarwal and Dr Chatter Singh
Ahlawat. |
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