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| Sunday, December 10, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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Madhu to move court on inaction too Haryana venue for Kisan Morcha meet Iftar not for mileage, says Chautala Marriage brawl case VC seeks nod for new recruitments Bhuna sugar mill starts crushing 13 hurt in mishaps |
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Haryana forms economy panel Infant’s body found Several injured in clashes 
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Madhu to move court on inaction too CHANDIGARH, Dec 9 — Ms Madhu Anand, who had moved the court for an enquiry in the Ruchika molestation case, and her husband Anand Prakash, will submit an application in the special court at Ambala for prosecution of all those who were responsible for putting the alleged incident in the backburner. It may be recalled that the Special Court, while condoning the delay in the case in its order on December 5, had observed, "persons responsible for governmental inaction also deserved prosecution and punishment under appropriate provisions of the law but unfortunately there is no prayer and proceedings for this purpose". The husband-wife duo, who had pursued the case for a decade, told TNS that they would move an application in the court on January 11, when the trial of Mr S. P. S. Rathore, the accused in the case who was holding the post of DGP of Haryana till he proceeded on leave following the court order condoning delay in the case, would begin. The Prakashs said they were preparing an application with legal advice for prosecution under Section 120 (B) of the IPC of all those who were responsible for inaction in the case which took place in August, 1990. The IPC section is relating to punishment of criminal conspiracy, and it is defined as, "whoever is a party to a criminal conspiracy to commit an offence punishable with death, imprisonment for life or rigorous imprisonment for a term of two years or above, shall, where no express provision is made in this code for the punishment of such a conspiracy, be punished in the same manner as if he had abetted such offence". The couple alleged that the accused was responsible for Ruchika's suicide which resulted from various mischiefs engineered by Mr Rathore, including framing of theft cases against her brother, Ashu. They said that the application would also contain a prayer for prosecution of Mr Rathore under Section 306 of IPC (abetment of suicide), and added that the officials who were reluctant to take any action against Mr Rathore despite he was found prima facie guilty by an enquiry conducted in September 1990, were guilty of connivance with the accused. It may be stated that following the enquiry report submitted by Mr R. R. Singh, who was the DGP at that time, the Home Commissioner advised on April 4, 1990, that a case under Sections 354 and 342 of the IPC be registered against Mr Rathore and got investigated from the Crime Branch of the CID. This was, however, disapproved by Mr Sampat Singh, who was Home Minister at that time in view of Mr Rathore's representation to him, alleging the enquiry to be one-sided in a sub-judice matter. The HM also wrote that the girl was expelled from school on moral grounds and asked, "Can FIR be lodged or not ?" The case was referred to Mr R. K.
Hooda, who succeeded Mr R. R. Singh as DGP, and he recommended departmental action against Mr Rathore on March 11, 1991. Despite advice of the Legal
Remembrance that the Haryana Government was not competent to issue any charge sheet and it would be legal and proper to get an FIR registered, a charge sheet was filed which was subsequently withdrawn on July 30, 1992, due to lapse of time. The case was then referred to the Chief Secretary for advice in August, 1992 . It was put in the cold storage and in January, 1994, the Under Secretary (Admn) conveyed that the case was examined in the Service Department, and their decision, after approval of the Chief Minister, was that "considering the fact that a considerable period had elapsed and the allegedly aggrieved private party had not agitated the matter further, nor it appeared to have taken any action to file a complaint against Mr S. P. S. Rathore, IPS, the complaint against Mr S. P. S. Rathore, IPS, may be filed".
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Haryana venue for Kisan Morcha meet GURGAON, Dec 9 — The newly constituted executive committee of the Kisan Morcha of the central unit of the BJP will hold its two-day meeting at Dumaspur-Nayagaon village, near here, from December 26. The meeting will be inaugurated by the BJP President, Mr Bangaru Lakshman, and the concluding session will be presided over by the Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani. The meeting holds significance as the Kisan Morcha has chosen Haryana as the venue. The newly appointed national president of the morcha, Mr Mahadeorao Shivankar, is understood to have selected Haryana after considerable deliberation within the party and as a calculated move. According to observers, another testimony to the importance attached to Haryana by the morcha is the fact that Mr Ishwar Singh of the state has been made one of its four national vice-presidents and Rao Shiv Rattan Singh has been inducted into the executive. Incidentally, while Mr Ishwar Singh, is a former president of the Haryana unit of the morcha, Rao Shiv Rattan is considered to be a prominent Ahir leader from the state. Mr Harjeet Singh Garewal, a national vice-president of the morcha, who along with other office-bearers, en route to the venue of the proposed meeting, told TNS this afternoon that the agenda included formation of core committees on various issues germane to farmers. Mr Garewal is in charge of farmers’ affairs in Punjab. The committees, to be headed by the executive members and office-bearers of the morcha, will study the ground situation on the subjects concerned and submit it to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre. Under agriculture produce, the items included are cotton, paddy, sugarcane, dairy development, animal husbandry, fishery, tobacco, jute and oil seeds. Other substantive issues are inter alia agriculture farm engineering, agriculture information technology, agro-based industries, energy for agriculture, agriculture finance, agriculture insurance, village development programme and landless labour. The executive is likely to raise the issue of the early completion of the much-delayed construction of the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal project. The project is the bone of contention between Haryana and Punjab. According to reports, only less than 10 per cent of the work remains to be completed. The unconstructed parts fall in Punjab. Political leaders of Punjab, especially the Akalis, have been opposing the construction of the SYL which is meant to harness the Ravi-Beas waters. The move to raise farmer-related issues by the morcha is likely to raise the hackles of the BJP allies — the INLD (the ruling party in Haryana) and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in Punjab. In Punjab, the BJP is the coalition partner with the SAD. The SAD and the INLD are concerned with farming and “encroachment” in their political space is bound to create suspicion. As it is, the overt pro-farmer moves of the Haryana unit of the BJP in the recent past have not gone down well with the INLD cadre. It is learnt that the Chief Minister and INLD supremo, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, had also taken up the issue with the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee. However, the national General Secretary of the morcha, Mr Madan Lal Saini, a BJP stalwart from Rajasthan, tried to rationalise the situation, saying that water dispute among the warring states could be solved amicably as was done between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. He stressed that there should be pragmatic national policy on the sharing of waters. |
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Iftar not for
mileage, says Chautala BHIWANI, Dec 9 — The Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, today made it clear that the motive to host Iftar at Nuh was not to gain any mileage but to strengthen the bonds of brotherhood and amity among all communities including Hindus and Muslims. He said he had also hosted Iftar last year on the eve of Ramzan in Mewat from his party resources. He said he usually arranged such parties on auspicious occasions. Mr Chautala was addressing a press conference after presiding over the monthly meeting of the District Public Relations and Grievances Committee here today. He made it clear that Iftar would be hosted with the party resources and not a penny would be spent out of government exchequer. Lashing out on the statement of Mr Khurshid Ahmed, Congress MLA, the Chief Minister said that he had never made any sincere effort for the development of Mewat although he remained minister several times in previous regimes. Mr Chautala alleged that he deceived the people of the area and never risen to the expectations of the electorates. To a query about the statement of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee regarding the construction of the Ram Temple at Ayodhya, Mr Chautala said it might be his personal views or his parties’ opinion but he made it clear that the construction of the Ram Temple was not the agenda of the Indian National Lok Dal. The matter was sub judice and the verdict of the court would be honoured. The Chief Minister reiterated his commitment that sufficient water for irrigation would be made available. He had directed the officials of the Irrigation Department that equal distribution of the canal water be assured and all canals, drains and distributaries be cleaned for carrying water to the tail-end. Intensive patrolling would be made to check the theft of water. He said sarpanch and nambardars had been requested to note the reading of gaze reader. Strict action would be taken against those who would try to mislead the authorities. He said Rs 12 crore had been given to the Punjab Government for desilting and strengthening the embankments of the Bhakra Canal so that state could get its full share of water. |
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Marriage
brawl case AMBALA The inquiry has also recommended disciplinary action against other ranks who were involved in the attack which left at least 14 persons injured. An officer said that strict action has been recommended against an officer of the rank of Lt-Colonel, “whereby one gets censure of appropriate authority”. Warning has been recommended for the two Captains. The officer said that disciplinary action against other ranks depends on the commander and the gravity of the situation. The
Tribune had reported the incident in which the Army had launched an investigation into a vicious attack by a group of armymen on a marriage party in Ambala Cantonment that left at least 14 persons injured, including serving senior Army officers. The attack by the Army personnel on the marriage party took place on the night of October 7 when armed with mosquito net rods, hockey sticks and belts, the group of armymen pounced upon the unsuspecting baraatis, who were about to enter the marriage venue at a local hotel. Too stunned to react at first, pandemonium broke out among the marriage party even as the faujis rained blows on them. The army men were hitting at random which led to injuries being sustained by serving and retired Army officers, civilians, including two women, who had come to attend the marriage ceremony of the son of a retired Army officer, Colonel Joshi. The incident lasted for a few minutes. The attacking army personnel then realised that one of the persons injured in the attack is a senior officer from their own brigade and they left as suddenly as they had come. People sustained injuries on their body, including hands and legs. While one serving Colonel posted at Ambala Cantonment sustained injury in his arm, another person was injured on the head. Some of the injured have gone back to the places from where they had come after attending the marriage ceremony. An Army officer, referring to the incident, said that the army is a well-disciplined force. “However, whenever mistakes are committed, we definitely take action. Our effort is always to maintain an excellent rapport with the people,” he said. |
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VC seeks nod
for new recruitments ROHTAK, December 9 — The Vice-Chancellor of Maharshi Dayanand University has sought authorisation from the Executive Council at its meeting slated for December 11 to make appointments on contract basis despite a ban imposed by the state government on new recruitments. The government has, vide letter dated March 16 last, imposed a ban on recruitment, creation and upgradation of posts with a view to overcoming the financial crisis by curtailing expenditure. The ban on recruitments includes a bar even on appointment of daily-paid workers. According to the agenda for the Executive Council meeting, scheduled to be held on December 11, the Vice-Chancellor has sought authorisation to make appointments on contract basis for the posts carrying higher pay scales. These are Technical Adviser to the Vice-Chancellor, Finance Officer, Director of Distance Education, Senior System Analyst, Architect, Director Computer Centre and Lecturers, Readers and Professors (on temporary basis) to maintain the minimum number of teacher-student ratio, as per conditions of various statutory bodies. The agenda (item no 235) has surprised members of the Executive Council, who said that the power to make new appointments was the original and inherent power of the Executive Council and could not be delegated to the Vice-Chancellor under any circumstances. Section 9-A (5) of the Maharshi Dayand University Act provides that “the Vice-Chancellor may, if he is of the opinion that immediate action is necessary on any matter, exercise any power conferred on any authority of the university by or under this Act, except in the matters involving creation or abolition of a faculty, department or post, the matter involving appointment or removal of an employee”. Surprisingly, a senior member of the Executive Council told The Tribune that the Vice-Chancellor was
still seeking authorisation even though the Director, Local Fund Account, Haryana, has already refused to accept payment of salary to incumbents appointed by the outgoing Vice-Chancellor. The authorisation being sought to fill senior administrative position without following proper procedure may also tantamount to violation of the University Act and statutes because such senior positions could be filled through Statutory Selection Committees only, he said. Interestingly, all these administrative posts, like those of finance officer, Director of distance Education, Senior System Analyst, Architect, etc, have been lying vacant for the past many years and were always manned by inside cadres without causing any financial liability to the university. “How come that all of a sudden a need has been felt to fill these posts”, another member of the Executive Council asked. The state government has imposed a ban on recruitment to effect economy but Maharshi Dayand University would incure liability worth lakhs per month, he added. The university has sought approval of the Executive Council to discontinue the existing system of running distance education through study centres and in its place the candidates may be supplied study material from the coming academic session. It has also proposed introducing diploma courses in Computer and Information Technology through the Directorate of Distance
Education in the Centres being run some reputed computer companies. The Vice-Chancellor has also sought authorisation to enter into a MoU with select computer companies after working out the viability of these courses based on the response in the market. Kurukshetra University is also running computer courses through distance education in the centres of computer companies. |
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Bhuna sugar mill starts crushing FATEHABAD, Dec 9 — The Bhuna Co-Operative Sugar Mills has set a target of milling 26 lakh quintals of sugarcane in the current milling season. The mill has been in loss since it was started. Deputy Commissioner Anil Malik inaugurated cane crushing today by putting sugarcanes in the mill. The Deputy Commissioner told reporters that total area under cultivation of sugarcane this season was the highest ever since the mill had been started. He said this time sugarcane had been cultivated on 16000 acres of land in the area while during the previous year it had been sown on 13000 acres only. The mill, he said, expected the arrival of 5 lakh quintals of sugarcane more than what it received last year. The yield of earlier variety of sugarcane is 14% of the total production. Mill management is also expecting better recovery of sugar from the earlier variety of sugarcane. Earlier this recovery has been only 7.90 per cent. There has been a slight improvement in it during the past two years. Due to this the mill was in a position to clear all due of the farmers last year. It paid Rs 22 crore last year and did not owe anything to the farmers now. Mr Malik said that after the decision of the state government to offer the better support for sugarcane in the country, more farmers were attracted to the cultivation of sugarcane. The mill Managing Director Mr Inder Singh, assured that farmers would not have to face any problems in current milling season. |
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13 hurt
in mishaps SONEPAT, Dec 9 — Seven persons, including the driver, were injured when a Haryana Roadways bus bound for Chandigarh collided with a parked truck on the GT Road, 10 km from here, last night. According to preliminary reports, all injured persons were taken to the local Civil Hospital where they were discharged after first-aid. According to another report, six persons were injured when a car collided with a truck on the GT Road, near here, last night. According to the report, the car was on way to Vaishno Devi in Jammu and Kashmir. The car driver tried to overtake the truck when it was hit by the truck resulting in the accident. All injured persons were hospitalised immediately. The Murthal police has registered both cases. |
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Haryana forms economy panel CHANDIGARH, Dec 9 — The Haryana Government has constituted a Resource and Economy Committee under the chairmanship of Mr Vishnu Bhagwan, Chief Secretary, to suggest measures of resource augmentation and expenditure containment. The other members of the committee are Mr A. N. Mathur, Financial Commissioner, Finance, Mr M. Shanker, FC, Excise and Taxation, and Mr S. Y. Quairishi, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister. Mr P. K. Das, Joint Secretary, Finance (Budget), will be its Member-Secretary. The committee will suggest measures for the generation of additional resources from non-tax resources and reduction in non-plan expenditure and for optimising productivity in government organisations. The committee, which will submit its report within three months, will also examine the scope of economising in expenditure of autonomous bodies (PSUs), universities, etc. |
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Infant’s body found ROHTAK, Dec 9 — The police found the body of a one-and-a-half-month-old baby from an isolated place in Basant Vihar locality here last evening. A bed sheet was reportedly tied around her neck and a tape put on her nose and mouth. The body was covered with pieces of clothes. The body has not been identified so far. The police has registered a case under Sections 302 and 201 of the IPC. Meanwhile, a buffalo of a farmer was electrocuted at nearby Kharainti village today. In his complaint the farmer, Dalbir, stated that the buffalo died on the spot when it was caught by a broken high voltage electricity cable. Demanding adequate compensation for his loss due to the alleged negligence of the authorities, he warned that some major mishap might occur in the village if no action was taken to rectify the fault. |
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Several injured in clashes FARIDABAD, Dec 9 — Several persons, including some women, were injured in various incidents of group clashes in this district. According to information, two groups of residents of Bhatola village in old Faridabad zone clash with each other over the fencing of a field. Surjeet and Dharamvati, a pregnant woman, were injured in the fight. A case has been registered against 10 persons. In a similar incident, Girdhari, his wife Vijay Rani and his daughter-in-law Sushila of Rajiv Colony were injured when they were attacked with sharp-edged weapons over the “draining” of waste water. In another incident, Surender of Aleeka village was allegedly beaten up by some persons. |
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High Court Bench at Manesar sought REWARI, Dec 9 — The Nyay Aap Ke Dwar Abhiyan Samiti has demanded the establishment of a Bench of Punjab and Haryana Court at Manesar, near Gurgaon, for the convenience of people of south Haryana comprising the districts of Rewari, Mahendragarh, Gurgaon, Faridabad, Jhajjar, Bhiwani and Hisar. Mr Naresh Chauhan, convener of the samiti, as stated that the high court at Chandigarh was far away from those districts of south Haryana. |
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Postal strike for fifth day SONEPAT, Dec 9 — Postal employees continued their strike for the fifth day today in the district. The striking employees assembled outside the Head Post Office and raised slogans against the government. They also burnt the effigies of the Prime Minister and the Union Communications Minister. |
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