CPM writes to Oppn parties on Rathore case
From Jatinder Sharma

ROHTAK, Nov 27 — In view of the ‘adamant’ attitude of the Haryana Government in not removing DGP S.P.S. Rathore despite his being chargesheeted by the CBI, the CPM has called upon all Opposition parties in the state to join hands and raise a united voice over the issue.

The CPM state committee today wrote a letter to this effect to the leaders of all Opposition parties. Although all the parties in the state had separately demanded suspension of the DGP and charged him for abetment to commit suicide after being molested, the state government had not relented.

The CPM State Secretary, Mr Inderjit Singh, said it was doubtful whether justice would be granted especially if the accused remained at the topmost position. The letter also mentioned instances of torture perpetrated on the family members of the victim, especially on Ruchika’s younger brother against whom nearly half a dozen false cases were framed with the sole intention of suppressing the case. The letter also underlined the urgency of punishing the police officers who tortured the boy.

The CPM has pointed out that the adamancy of the Chief Minister was sending wrong signals to all institutions of democracy.

Copies of the letter had been sent to the Congress, the CPI, the HVP, the RPI, the NCP, the RJD, the SUCI, the BSP and the RLD.

HUDA to float new schemes
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Nov 27 — The Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) today decided to float new schemes of group housing in various towns of the state in December, besides allowing an extension of five years, with some extension fee in high, medium and low-potential zones, for the construction of flats.

This was stated by the Haryana Town and Country Planning Minister, Mr Dhir Pal Singh, after presiding over a meeting of HUDA here.

He said the new group housing schemes would be floated under the same terms and conditions of allotment of land as were applicable at present. The decision to give an extension of five years to group housing societies to construct flats, as against the present maximum period of five years from the date of possession, would enable such societies to complete construction work on sites, he added.

Mr Dhir Pal Singh said a policy decision had been taken to maintain the land between the metalled road and the boundary wall of residential houses in urban estates of HUDA which had been got vacated by removing encroachments. He said these vacated areas were normally being kept green, but now the owners of houses would be able to cover these areas with pucca layers with the permission of HUDA. However, the level of these areas would have to be kept at the average level of verges in the sectors. Also, in the case of ramps in front of the main gates, a slope with a gradient of six inches would be permitted from the top level of the curb.

He said it had been decided to waive the condition of obtaining the domicile certificate at the time of allotment of a plot of HUDA under an economically weaker section scheme in the same district. Now the applicant would be asked to submit a certificate of Haryana domicile while applying for a plot under the scheme. He said the water by- laws were approved on the pattern of the bylaws applicable to Chandigarh and in adjoining states.

He said it was also decided that the records of the Town and Country Planning Department would be computerised as being done by HUDA. A sum of Rs 50 lakh would be spent on this by HUDA.

He said it had been decided to allot a site of the Urban Estate Welfare Association in Sector 1, Ambala, for the construction of a temple. It had also been decided to undertake the construction of a modern central jail being set up in Gurgaon.

Pay $ 29, take part in foreign lottery
From Raman Mohan

HISAR, Nov 27 — If there is a gambling streak in you, you never had it so good. Here’s why. Cashing in on the popularity of soap-casinos, foreign lottery companies have begun to target the burgeoning Indian upper middle class.

While, Internet gambling sites are sending invitations by e-mail to play on their sites, international lottery subscription services based in Australia are wooing potential customers by sending invitations by post.

Playing on Internet sites like freelotto.com is free. However, subscription services are seeking anything between $ 29 to $ 89, depending upon the group (bronze, silver and gold) in which you want to play. The number of play chances goes up with the amount.

Enquiries by The Tribune reveal that site hits from India on freelotto.com have gone up astonishingly after Delhi resident M. Basha hit the $10 million jackpot in October. The popularity of soap-casinos like KBC and SDCK have boosted interest in free onsite gambling and playing official lotteries like the $ 1.2 billion El Gordo, the Spanish National Lottery.

Many Internet gambling sites are offering freebies for e-mail addresses of friends of visitors to their sites. These companies then keep mailing auto-generated personalised invitations every day until you one day play onsite. Besides, the big prize money, these sites are offering chances to win luxury cars, dream houses and electronic gizmos as further attractions for the players.

These sites have links to so many other sites that once on their site, a visitor can end up spending hours playing to win one thing or the other. The next day, you can expect dozens of invitations in your e-mail account. Almost every site you visit through these links offers you a freebie for your friends’ e-mail addresses.

These companies also provide the facility of sending the results of the daily draws by e-mail. Their sites also provide links to sites that offer to enter you for worldwide draws for laptops, desktops and cars for just registering with the particular site.

On the other hand, Australia-based lottery subscription services have procured addresses of subscribers to popular Indian magazines and Indian credit card holders. They are now being flooded with junk, mail luring them with attractive chances of winning anything up to $ 2.36 billion by playing various lotteries.

The agencies are also enclosing attractive sample tickets and scratch cards for free bonus chances of winning the lottery. You have to pay by a credit card because these subscription services do not accept cheques or money orders. 

BJP cries foul over sale of trees
From Our Correspondent

HISAR, Nov 27 — The Bharatiya Janata Party claims to have exposed an alleged scam involving felling and sale of thousands of trees worth crores in the Central Sheep Breeding Farm here.

Addressing a press conference here today, Dr Rajender Singh Malik, president of the party’s local unit, alleged that officials of the Haryana Forest Development Corporation were also involved in the scam.

He said the farm authorities had sought permission for selling 20,000 trees including 12,000 eucalyptus and 8,000 shisham, neem and other trees from the Union Agriculture Ministry in 1998. The ministry had sanctioned disposal of only 8,000 eucalyptus trees.

Dr Malik alleged that the then director of the farm allowed the HFDC to fell 8,000 other trees also. He said the farm officials had not maintained record of actual growth and age of these trees. They had also not marked numbers on trees. As a result, the actual value of the wood removed could not be ascertained.

He said evaluation of the trees had been done only by the HFDC, to which these were sold. According to rules, it was necessary that the evaluation should also be done by an independent agency. He alleged that the farm authorities did not invite tenders for the same which was a clear violation of the rules.

Dr Malik further said a departmental committee set up to investigate the matter had found irregularities in the sale but no action was taken against those responsible. He added that the Accountant-General (Audit) had written to the Union Agriculture Ministry several times to take stern action against the officials concerned. However, no action had yet been initiated.

He said a delegation of the party would meet the Union Agriculture Minister, Mr Nitish Kumar, and demand strict action against those involved in the scam.

Rail employee’s house ransacked
From Our Correspondent

BHIWANI, Nov 27 — Six unidentified persons ransacked a house at Kaunt road and at least five persons threatened a TV showroom owner with dire consequences for not giving a television set on credit in two separate incidents here yesterday.

Six persons, a few of them with masks on faces, knocked and entered the house of Mahender Singh, an employee with Railways. They terrorised the women of the family with a sword and a pistol and then fled away with cash and gold ornaments. The police has registered a report but no arrest has been made so far.

In another incident, five persons arrived at the Hari Electronics and selected a television set but refused to pay the price. When the owner did not allow them to take the TV on credit, they threatened him with dire consequences. A report has been lodged with the police.

A meeting of senior citizens was held at the PWD rest house yesterday in which the deteriorating law and order situation in the district was discussed. Theft cases, threatening calls to the industrialists and teachers for ransom were discussed. The meeting was presided over by a former minister, Mr Sagar Ram Gupta. Mr Dharmbir, MLA, Mr D.B. Vashisth, Congress leader, Mr Ranbir Singh Mahendra, Mr R.K. Aggarwal, advocate Mr Avinash Sardana, Mr Sohan Lal Makkad, Mr Sandeep Singh and HVP leader, Mr Pyare Lal Rangwala also attended and spoke at the meeting.

It was decided to keep an eye on the anti-social elements. The advocates were urged not to take cases of hooliganism.

Mr Aggarwal suggested that a committee should be formed that would look into such cases.

6 more employees dismissed
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Nov 27 — The Haryana Government today dismissed six more employees from service in a bid to contain the strike by the General and Backward Classes Employees Organisation of the state demanding the reversion of seven under-secretaries belonging to reserved categories.

Ran Singh Dahiya, Ramnarain Yadav, Ajay Kumar, Shamsher Singh, Hari Singh Gosain and Ram Saran were dismissed from service, taking the total number of employees dismissed for participating in the strike to 38.

This action of the government, however, has failed to produce any tangible result till date as despite the earlier dismissals, it was an impressive crowd which gathered in front of 30 Bays building today and sat there throughout the day protesting against the government's decision to hold back the implementation of its order on October 16 reverting the under-secretaries as superintendents. A large posse of Chandigarh police was posted near the venue of the demonstration.

While Congress MLAs Jai Parkash and Sher Singh had last week paid "personal" visits to the venue of the meeting , today it was Mr Pawan Bansal's turn to land up there. According to a press note issued by the Haryana State General Category and Backward Classes Employees Action Committee, Mr Bansal, Congress MP from Chandigarh, called on the Haryana Government to implement the order in the Janjua case. He reportedly also assured the employees that he would talk to the UT Administrator and the IGP to restrain the Chandigarh police from harassing employees. Employees leaders from Punjab and the Railways also addressed the rally and condemned the action by the Haryana police against employees and the harassment of their families.

The agitators, however, have so far failed to bring into their fold the personal staff of ministers and senior officials. The strike also has remained confined to Chandigarh and Panchkula as employees from the districts are not participating in it.

Meanwhile, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today heard the counsel of Mr Sadhu Singh and Mr B L Grover, who had moved the court challenging the Haryana Government's interpretation of the Supreme Court order in the Ajit Singh Janjua case. The Judges heard the counsel for about half an hour and asked him to resume his arguments at 1.45 p.m. tomorrow.

Haryana village attracts IT major
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Nov 27 — The Haryana village of Carterpuri is back in the news. Its attempts to attract the attention of US President Bill Clinton during his March visit failed, but it has won over the heart and minds of a American IT major.

Hughes Software Systems, a subsidiary of the US multinational, has dedicated an information technology (IT) laboratory and a primary wing at the government school at Carterpuri.

“The opening of this IT lab is part of our endeavour to provide infrastructure to students at the school to facilitate the spread of computer education,” Mr Arun Kumar, president and director of the company said in a press note today.

Under the present initiative, the company has installed five PCs at the school and has build a classroom for the primary school wing as part of its long term goal to provide education infrastructure at the village.

CM forced to divert route
From Our Correspondent

KAITHAL, Nov 27 — Agitated truck drivers blocked National Highway No 65 near Kalayat town of this district, this morning, forcing the Chief Minister to divert his route to reach Narwana from Kaithal.

According to information reaching here a long number of truck drivers were protesting against the head injuries caused to one of their colleagues by a policeman.

The reports said the truck driver Suresh had loaded paddy from Kalayat mandi last night and as he left for Kaithal his truck collided with another truck near Ramgarh road near Kalayat bus stand and his truck overturned. The SHO Kalayat police station, Mr Rajinder Singh reached the spot and directed the driver to remove the truck from the site. The driver alleged he demanded Rs 1,000 from him, which he refused to pay, following which the SHO, allegedly hit him on head with a ‘danda’, causing head injuries to the driver. 

Demand of lawyers conceded
From Our Correspondent

KAITHAL, Nov 27 — The demand of lawyers for construction of advocates’ chamber and a shed for litigants here in the Judicial Complex, under construction, has been conceded by Mr Justice V.K. Bali of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Mr Janeshwar Dass, President, District Bar Association, said here today that the PWD authorities had not made any provision for these two facilities in the Judicial Complex building and advocates had already expressed their concern over this lapse on the part of the authorities, but they did not care to make suitable amendments in the construction plan.

However, this matter was brought to the notice of Mr Justice Bali when he came to the district courts here on Saturday to attend lok adalat, who assured the Bar President and other advocates that appropriate action would bee taken, he added.

Martyr cremated with honours
From Our Correspondent

FARIDABAD, Nov 27 — Lance Naik Amarnath of 16 Rashtriya Rifles, who died fighting terrorists in Surankot of Rajouri sector in Jammu and Kashmir, was cremated with state honours at his native village in Beegawali in the district yesterday.

According to Subedar Kuldeep Singh who accompanied the body, Lance Naik Amarnath, who was seriously injured in an encounter-cum-ambush, succumbed to his injuries later. He is survived by his wife and two daughters aged four years and four months respectively. His elder brother is also serving in the Army.

The Animal Husbandry Minister Mohammed Ilyas, who attended the cremation, announced a help of Rs 10 lakhs to the kin of the martyr. The government school of the village has been named after him. A large number of local residents attended the funeral.

Residents allege shortage of forms
From Our Correspondent

FARIDABAD, Nov 27 — Complaints regarding unavailability of forms in the ongoing process of revision of voters’ list in the district have surfaced even as the authorities claim to have launched an extensive programme in this regard.

Some local residents alleged that the application forms (form-6) were not available at a booth set up for revision of voters list at a school located in Sector 22 here. Similar position has been reported at the booth situated at senior secondary school, new town.

Several complaints had been lodged in the last elections regarding non-inclusion of the names of a number of voters.

One dies after consuming spurious liquor

HISAR, Nov 27 (PTI) — A person died after consuming spurious liquor in Surewala village of the district, while another has been admitted to a private hospital at Barwala town, about 20 km from here, the police said here today.

They had allegedly purchased the liquor pouches from a grocery shop in the Surewala village. Dilip Singh (70) died on the spot while Karambir, who complained of low eyesight, was immediately taken to a hospital where his condition is stated to be out of danger.

After the incident, the police raided the village and arrested Pyare Lal and his son Ishwar in this connection.

They were produced before the Duty Magistrate, Mr Pradeep Kumar, who remanded them in police custody till November 28.

Illegal use of black film
From Our Correspondent

AMBALA, Nov 27 — Some MLAs and office-bearers of political parties have been violating the order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court by using black films on the glasses of their vehicles. However, unauthorised use of the red light has been checked to a great extent.

The state government has issued a list of VIPs who are entitled to fixing red lights on their vehicles but the district police or the challaning authorities do not have this list.

According to official sources, about 300 vehicles have been running in the state with black films on their windows without any legal sanction. Some of these are owned by MLAs, HCS and IPS officers. Some leaders of political parties have also been using black films as well as red lights on their vehicles.

13 remanded in judicial custody

HISAR, Nov 27 (PTI) — All 13 persons arrested in connection with the murder of Manoj Kumar, a student of XI class on November 22, were remanded in judicial custody for 14 days by a court in Hansi yesterday.

The arrested persons include Harpal, Vijay, Joginder, Ashok, Shamsher, Vijay Kumar, Virender, Sukhbir, Sunil, Rajesh, Kulwant, Kulbir and Narender. They were produced in the court after the completion of police remand.

A case under Sections 302, 307, and 323 of the IPC has been registered against them.

Three die of poisoning
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Nov 27 — Three persons, two of them women, died of poisoning in different incidents in the district in the past 24 hours.

Meena of Lakaria village died at the PGIMS today. She was admitted to the institute last night when she took poison.

In a similar incident, Poonam of Thamaspur village was declared dead by the doctors at PGI last night. She had also reportedly consumed some poisonous substance.

In another incident, Vedpal of Sector 1 here committed suicide by consuming poison. He died at the PGIMS today.

Kisan sangh threatens stir
From Our Correspondent

YAMUNANAGAR, Nov 27 — The Bharatiya Kisan Sangh has threatened that if sugarcane crushing was not started immediately, they will be forced to launch an agitation.

Addressing a rally in front of gate of the Sarawati Sugar Mill here today, the state vice-president, Mr Ghanshyam Dass, said earlier the mill had decided to start crushing on November 28 because of which the farmers had started their operation and even loaded sugarcane in their vehicles. 

Consumer forum sans chairman
From Our Correspondent

AMBALA, Nov 27 — The post of the chairman of District Consumer Forum has been lying vacant for the past six months. The last chairman, Mr U.B. Khnaduja, retired on May 7 last. Since then no new chairman has been appointed.

A number of cases are lying with the forum undecided in the absence of a chairman. Consumers are now shy of taking their cases to the forum.