SC upholds order of Haryana Govt
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Feb 6 — The Supreme Court has upheld the executive order of October 7, 1999, of the Haryana Government equating three years’ diploma in electrical engineering awarded by the State Board of Technical Education with the diploma in the same field from a recognised university for promotion and recruitment to the posts of executive engineer.

The apex court gave the ruling while setting aside two judgements of different Division Benches of the Punjab and Haryana High Court which held to the contrary and quashed the promotion of three executive engineers on the grounds that they did not possess the requisite qualification as per the proviso to Article 309 of the Constitution.

A two-Judge Bench of the Supreme Court comprising Mr Justice S. Rajendra Babu and Mr Justice K.G. Balkrishnan, while upholding the promotion of the appellants Mr O. P. Lather and two others to the posts of executive engineer, said, “We do not find any illegality in the order passed by the Government of Haryana promoting the appellants”.

The Judges noted that as per the relevant rules, the requisite academic qualification for the said post was degree or diploma in electrical engineering from a recognised university. Since no university in Haryana awarded the said degree, the government had, by an executive order, accepted the diploma given by the State Board of Technical Education, they said.

Delivering the judgement for the Bench, Mr Justice Balkrishnan stated, “In the instant case, the government order of October 7, 1999, was only supplemental to the rules already framed under the proviso to Article 309 of the Constitution. It does not have the effect of altering the rules nor is it inconsistent therewith.”

Mr Justice Balkrishnan held, the stand taken by the high court that the order was passed subsequent to the quashing of the promotions and direction for reconsideration of the case of the respondent in the case and did not have retrospective effect, was wrong.

“We do not think that the stand taken by the high court is correct. The executive order issued by the government was only clarificatory in nature and the ‘equivalent qualification’ which formed part of the rules was explained by that order,” the Judge held and added, “When expert qualification is fixed by competent authority, ordinarily courts shall not interfere with such matters.”

High Court
Show-cause notice to civic body Secy
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 6 — The Punjab and Haryana High Court today asked the Secretary of Rohtak’s Municipal Corporation, Mr Chuni Lal Verma, to show cause why proceedings under the Contempt of Court Act be not initiated against him for alleged violation of an order regarding the release of retiral benefits to an ex-fire station officer.

He had further stated that his General Provident Fund, along with PPF, leave encashment, gratuity and monthly pension, were not paid to him on retirement.

Notice to Haryana Home Secy

On a petition seeking the initiation of contempt of court proceedings against Haryana’s Home Secretary Mr Bhagwan Dass Dhalia and four other respondents in a promotion case, Ms Justice Bakhshish Kaur of the High Court today issued notice of motion for May 15.

In his petition, Sub Inspector Deep Chand, posted with Haryana Telecommunications at Hisar, had earlier alleged that the respondents had not decided his claim for promotion on the basis of reservation despite the expiry of the specified period.

Giving details, the petitioner had added that the respondents were directed by the court on July 5 last year to dispose of his claim for promotion on the basis of reservation within five months.

Dangi’s remand extended
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Feb 6 — The Special Judge, Mr Shiva Sharma, today extended the judicial custody of former Revenue Minister Anand Singh Dangi till February 19. Mr Dangi is currently lodged in district jail in connection with a multi-crore land allotment scam. Proceedings of the court were held on the jail premises for security purposes.

NCP leader’s charge against NDA govt
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Feb 6 — Mr Tareeq Anwar, national general secretary of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), has charged the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance Government at the Centre as well as the Indian National Lok Dal Government, headed by Mr Om Parkash Chautala, Chief Minister, in Haryana with adopting anti-farmer policies and said farmers were being exploited and denied remunerative prices for the produce marketed by them during the procurement season.

Addressing a public meeting organised by the party at Aterna village, about 25 km from here, on Sunday, he opposed the setting up of an industrial complex on 560 acres already acquired by the state government for establishing Asia’s biggest fruit and vegetable market at Rai in the district and said it was anti-farmer. He said his party was prepared to launch an agitation on this issue, if the people and farmers of the area were united in this regard.

He also said his party planned to strengthen its base in the urban and rural areas of the state and the office-bearers of all district units had been elected and asked to mobilise people against the anti-people policies of the Central as well as the state government.

Mr Zaffar Akhtar, national secretary of the party, Mr Ved Pal Singh, president of the kisan cell of the party and others criticised the Central and Chautala governments for exploiting the farmers on some pretext or the other.

They also urged the Central Government to announce the support price of wheat in the interest of the farming community.

Gujarat quake hits rice exporters
From K.G. Dutt

KARNAL, Feb 6 — Rice exporters of Karnal and Taraori areas and the wood contractors have been hit hard by the earthquake in Kandla, Bhuj and Gandhi Dham (Gujarat) areas.

According to reports gathered by this corespondent, the rice exporters of Taraori have suffered heavy losses as the consignment sent by them to the Kandla port for export to Arabian countries, Thailand and USA could not be unloaded because the port was made unoperational due to the quake.

About 150 truckloads of rice from Taraori area were reportedly sent to Kandla on January 24. However, when the quake struck the area and damaged all roads leading to the Kandla port. These trucks could not reach the port. Some of the trucks have already reached the town.

The exporters here are a worried lot as they are sure that the Arabian countries will cancel their export orders, provided the consignments are not received in time. One of them told this correspondent that it was not possible in the immediate near future to send the consignments again to the port as it was yet not fully operational.

There are about 250 rice shelling units in Taraori and Karnal. These units export about 6,000 quintals of rice every month to the Arabian countries and Thailand. On reporting back the exporters have to pay the hiring charges of trucks. Each truck charges between Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000 to take a truckload of rice from Taraori to Kandla port. The exporters also stated that in view of the damage by the quake the labour at the port was not available in adequate strength to unload the trucks there. The only silver lining for the exporters was that all these trucks and their drivers and cleaners were reportedly safe by and returning to Taraori and Karnal areas.

The wood contractors of Karnal, Yamunanagar and southern Haryana areas who had gone to Gujarat some years back and set up their business establishments in Gandhi Dham (Gujarat) are also a harried lot. Most of them have decided to return to their native places because the wood trade in Gandhi Dham area have been totally ruined. There were thousands of small traders and labourers from this area who were involved in wood trade in Gandhi Dham. They fear that in the wake of earthquake, the prices of plywood, sunmica, etc., would go sky high. This would also affect their trade in cities like Karnal, which have etched its name in the furniture market in the country.

Enquires made by The Tribune showed that a section of traders of this area and of southern Haryana, like Bhiwani, had shifted to Gujarat because of a ban imposed on cutting of jungles in Assam, five years back. Prior to that the wood contractors depended on markets in Assam for the supply of wood to them. The traders went to Gujarat with the hope that wood from countries like Australia, Nigeria and Malaysia could be easily imported to Kandla port. These wood traders set up their small units at Gandhi Dham in this regard.

Gandhi Dham also falls in the vicinity of Kandla, 14 km from the port. These traders supplied teak wood, pine wood and kail, etc. to the traders in northern India. A large number of them hailed from Karnal, Kaithal, Yamunanagar, Charkhi Dadri, Bhiwani and Rohtak areas. Besides, thousands of labourers from this area had also gone to Gandhi Dham to help the wood traders. Likewise, trucks of this area also used to transport wood and furniture from Gandhi Dham to the cities of northern India.

But now Gandhi Dham presents an altogether different scene after the quake. Thousands of labourers engaged in the trade have been rendered jobless and a large number of them have started coming back. Some of the families have also lost their near and dear ones.

They are panicky about the future of the wood trade at Gandhi Dham. Some of them have suffered losses up to crores of rupees. There is little possibility in the immediate future that ships laden with wood from Austrialia and Malaysia would be able to unload their consignment at the Kandla port.

The official in charge of Rapar taluka relief operation, Mr A.K. Sharma, said in the taluka the 1.98 lakh people had been affected, including 1.73 lakh in the rural areas. He said 10,211 people were injured and 611 lost their lives. As many as 2,827 head of cattle perished and 90 per cent of the houses were damaged.

Disaster management ‘inadequate’
From Our Correspondent

FARIDABAD, Feb 6 — There is no proper disaster management plan for Faridabad, which has a big population, to deal with calamities like earthquake. While the Capital and some of the satellite towns are reviewing or drawing plans to handle such eventualities, there is no such move here.

Although the authorities from time to time have claimed that strategies are prepared annually to tackle floods and accidents, there is no specific plan.

This town has a population of over 14 lakh and is reported to be in same seismic belt as Delhi.

The authorities need to approve norms that will ensure that the buildings are quake-resistant. Also there is need to maintain temporary shelters, water and power supply and communication network. Resources like cranes, earth-moving equipment, fire-fighters and trained volunteers should be on stand-by.

Many officials believe that such a plan would have to be made at the state level and it was not in the hands of the district administration.

Last year, the authorities held a seminar on disaster management. Experts had stressed on the proper training and awareness of masses to tackle such disasters.

Though Faridabad is a strategic district as it is located on the main national highway and has a rail track which connects the Capital with southern parts of the country, nothing concrete programme has been launched.

It is reported that about 90 volunteers were given training in this connection by the Nehru Yuvak Kendra and the Commissioner’s office, Gurgaon division, in 1999.

After the earthquake in Gujarat, some of the public schools have decided to provide basic information with regard to emergency situations.

The district fire department is not equipped to handle major incidents of fire. Although there are six fire stations, the number of fire engines and staff is inadequate. Out of a total of four fire engines in the town, only two are in good condition. 

Convicts prepare tents for quake victims
From Rahul Dass
Tribune News Service

AMBALA, Feb 6 — Convicts too have a heart and when it came to lending a helping hand in relief measures for the quake-hit they were not left behind.

Little will the people of Gujarat realise that tents sent from Ambala, which are offering them protection against inclement weather, have been prepared by convicts lodged in the Central Jail.

The convicts, working in the factory located on the jail premises, have prepared and handed over 70 full-size tents to the district Red Cross for its onwards journey to Gujarat.

Jail Superintendent, Mr Amar Singh, said that convicts are enthusiastically cooperating in preparing tents and tent accessories. He said that about 300 convicts are currently working in the factory located in the jail. “Right now we are laying emphasis on tent accessories. Besides that, we make tents and tarpaulin on demand for the police, PWD and the Electrical Department,” he said.

The tents which have been despatched for Gujarat are nominally priced. “The cloth for the tent is supplied to us by the Directorate, Supplies and Disposal. Convicts are capable of preparing ten tents in a day. They work under the supervision of a master. There is a division of labour which starts with cutting by the master, tailoring, putting rings, rope section and then the accessories,” he said.

A convict, who prepares tents, said that they were putting in extra time out of their own willingness. “We derive a lot of satisfaction from the fact that we are helping others in this time of need,” he said.

Another convict said that when they were informed about the need to prepare tents for Gujarat by the Jail Superintendent, they began work in right earnest. “We wanted to make a difference,” he said.

Besides preparing tents, a number of other activities also take place in the factory. The convicts are engaged among others, in carpentry, weaving, tailoring, leather work and printing of stationary for the jail.

Deputy Commissioner of Ambala, Mr D.D. Gautam, said that the tents for the police are sourced from the jail. “Regarding relief material of Gujarat, the tent accessories are being prepared in the Central Jail,” he said.

During the Kargil War, the staff and the prisoners of the Ambala Central Jail had contributed Rs 70,000. This time, while the prisoners have laid stress on preparing tents and accessories, the staff has donated one-day salary for the quake victims.

Wakf council raises Rs 5 lakh as relief
From Our Correspondent

PANIPAT, Feb 6 — The Central Wakf Council (CWC) has set up an earthquake relief fund with an initial contribution of Rs 5 lakh. The Punjab Wakf Board (PWB) has contributed Rs 2,51,000.

Stating this to mediapersons today, the Administrator of the PWB, Mr M.R. Haq, said the decision to set up the fund was taken at a meeting of the planning and advisory committee of the CWC held recently in Delhi and the decision had been approved by its chairperson, Mrs Manika Gandhi.

He said all employees of the PWB which exercise jurisdiction over Wakf properties in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal and Chandigarh had donated their a day’s salary amounting to Rs 1,18,000. All 24 Wakf boards in the country would contribute to the relief fund, he said.

Children of the minority community who had become orphans would be given annual scholarships of Rs 6,000 each to enable them to continue their studies, he added.

This amount had been contributed by employees of Confed.

Steps on hospital waste disposal
Tribune News Service

AMBALA, Feb 6 — Haryana has initiated the process of implementing the crucial Biomedical Waste Rules, 1998, with the deadline for the institutions generating biomedical waste to apply for authorisation expiring on January 31.

With a view to stop the indiscriminate disposal of hospital waste biomedical waste, the Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of India, has issued a notification on biomedical waste management under the Environment (Protection) Act. The government in its amendment notification dated June 2, 2000, has authorised the state Pollution Control Board for the purpose of granting authorisation for collection, storage, treatment and disposal of biomedical waste and to implement the Biomedical Waste Management Rules, 1998.

The defaulting hospitals nursing homes are liable to be penalised as per the provision of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and other pollution control Acts.

In Haryana, the members of the Indian Medical Association have been offered incinerator facility at district hospitals at 11 places, including Ambala, Panchkula, Kurukshetra, Panipat, Karnal, Gurgaon, Hisar, Sirsa, Bhiwani, Faridabad and Sonepat on payment of charges which are to be worked out by Civil Surgeons keeping in view the recurring expenditure involved in running the incinerators.

According to Biomedical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998, “Every occupier generating the biomedical waste needs to install an appropriate facility in the premises or set up a common facility to ensure requisite treatment of waste in accordance with Schedule I and in compliance with standards prescribed with Schedule V.”

“The biomedical waste needs to be segregated into containers/bags at the point of generation in accordance with Schedule II, prior to its storage, transportation, treatment and disposal. The container shall be labelled according to Schedule III,” the rules state.

The colour coding and the type of container used for disposal of biomedical waste has been given. In yellow bag, the treatment is through incinerator/deep burial. In red bag, the treatment is through autoclaving/microwaving/chemical treatment. In blue/white translucent bag, the treatment is through autoclaving/microwaving, chemical treatment and destruction. In black bag, the disposal is in secured land fill.

The District Health Officer, Dr Umesh Lamba, said the work on the implementation of the Biomedical Waste Rules, 1998, had begun in right earnest. “The incinerator here is working for two days in a week to burn the biomedical waste,” he said.

He said at a IMA meeting, the details of the rules had already been given. “We have informed them about the rules. As a matter of fact, a large number of clinics, nursing homes and private hospitals have filled up the authorisation form,” he said.

The rules on biomedical waste applies to hospitals, nursing homes, veterinary hospitals, pathological labs and blood banks, generating hospital waste.

The Haryana IMA president, Dr D.S. Jaspal, while welcoming the implementation of the Biomedical Waste Management rules, has said that there is a need to adopt modern methods for disposal of hospital waste.

Dr Jaspal said according to a Ministry of Environment and Forest Notification, deep burial was the method of choice where the population was less than five lakhs. “Landfills are a cheap method for disposal of biomedical waste,” he said.

A medical expert was, however, of the opinion that incinerators are an outdated technology which are being phased out the world over. “It has been observed that incinerators can be a health hazard, violate standards of air pollution, can cause acid rains and a health concern for handlers,” he said.

“Incidentally, the running expenses of incinerators are high which is not suitable for a developing country like ours.

Hisar team starts work at Rapar
From Raman Mohan

HISAR, Feb 6 — The relief team of 112 officials sent from the Hisar Division yesterday started its work in the quake-hit villages of Rapar block of Bhuj district in Gujarat.

Mrs Umesh Nanda, Commissioner, said here yesterday that Haryana had adopted villages in Rapar block for relief work and rehabilitation. The four teams, one from each division of the State, are equipped to handle relief and rehabilitation work. The teams include doctors, paramedical staff, engineers and other technical officials.

Quoting Mr S.P. Chaudhary, District Education Officer, who is heading the team, she said that the quake victims primary need at the moment was tents. There was no shortage of eatables. The Hisar Division had sent tents, blankets, durries, clothes and food worth over rupees one crore.

The team was presently pitching tents to provide shelter to the roofless. The work of restoration of essential services and providing medical help was also started early yesterday morning.

The Commissioner said that there was complete coordination between teams from all the four divisions of Haryana and relief work was progressing speedily. The Deputy Commissioner Mr Anurag Rastogi said that relief material worth Rs 11 lakh had been sent on Sunday. The first lot of 42 trucks carrying relief material worth Rs 52.50 lakh was sent on January 31. 

Transformers worth Rs 1.5 cr for Rapar
From Our Correspondent

YAMUNANAGAR, Feb 6 — The Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, has announced that transformers worth Rs 1.5 crore will be sent to the quake-hit area of Rapar in Gujarat since the power supply had been affected.

Giving this information during an interaction with mediapersons after the “sarkar aapke dwar” programme at Jagadhri on Sunday evening, the Chief Minister enlisted six items of priority which were being despatched to Rapar for rehabilitation of people of the area. These included tents, blankets, utensils, electricity equipment, water and medical aid. The second lot of relief material had also been sent to Gujarat.

A team of 45 doctors and officials of the electricity and Public Health Departments had been directed to stay at Rapar till the rehabilitation work had been completed. All facilities for their boarding and lodging would be provided to them from the state. He said 15 villages of Rapar area had been adopted by Haryana.

Replying to a query , Mr Chautala said he had recently met Mr George Fernandes, Defence Minister, and had suggested that a natural calamity division should be set up in the Army for handling emergency situations. He was of the view that only the Army could handle such situations. He said this division should be equipped with modern gadgets and trained personnel.

He said he had already taken up the matter with Mr Raj Nath, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, to send tents which were being used for the Kumbh Mela to Gujarat as there was a shortage of tents. He said solar lights would also be despatched.

He said he was in constant touch with the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, about help to the victims in Gujarat. He said a special telephone facility had been provided at village in Rapar Taluka.

Mr Chautala stated that he had instructed Deputy Commissioners to arrange all possible assistance for the Gujarat victims. He said he had spoken with officers of the Air Force of the transportation of goods. As many as 400 trucks of different items of daily need had already been sent there.

The Chief Minister said after the recent foreign tour, investments worth over Rs 20,000 crore had been received by the state. The flow of investments had already begun with Denso, a Japanese firm which had already established itself at Gurgaon.

Regarding the units which had been asked to shift operations from Delhi by the Supreme Court, he said the Haryana Government had received 6,000 applications from such units and land had been allotted to 3,000 units, especially in the industrial areas of Kundli, Bawal, Manesar and Bahadurgarh.

Referring to the problems of power supply, the Chief Minister said the Union Petroleum Minister had given an approval for the setting up power units in Yamunanagar, Hisar and Faridabad.

He said relations were cordial with the BJP.

Earlier, the Chief Minister inaugurated a new building of Government Primary School in Sector 18 at Jagadhri.

The Chief Minister heard the problems of 107 villages of Jagadhri and 23 wards of the municipal committees of Jagadhri. He suspended the Assistant Registrar of the Co-operative Society Mr Kanwer Bhan, following complaints. Two drafts for Rs 51,000 each were presented to the Chief Minister for earth-quake victims of Gujarat by the Jagadhri Bar Association and Swami Vivekanand Senior Secondary School.

A two-minute silence was also observed on the occasion.

Survey for assessing house tax starts
From Our Correspondent

PANIPAT, Feb 6 — The survey for the assessment of house tax has been started in different wards of the local municipal council by a private company under the direct supervision of the council’s field officers.

According to available information, the council has hired a private company to conduct house to house survey in localities of all 31 wards of the council and this work is to be completed by April-end.

As per the agreement, the survey teams are required to submit reports everyday to the officers concerned. The company will be paid survey charges at the rate of Rs 6 per house after recommendation of the officers concerned. After the fixation of new house taxes, the distribution of house tax bill will also be done by the private company.

The council proposes to fix house tax on the basis of house conditions — Rs 300 per yard on a house with RCC roof and Rs 150 per yard on a wooden roof house. These two slabs have been fixed by the state government. However, the old houses will be given concession while fixing the house tax, an official of the council stated.

He also stated that after fixation of the new house tax the council’s annual income was likely to increase from Rs 1.50 crore to over Rs 8 crore. As there are about one lakh houses here falling under the council’s jurisdiction.

Lecturers resent MDU move
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Feb 6 — Resentment prevails among lecturers working in government as well as privately-managed colleges against the move of Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU), Rohtak, to appoint the supervisory staff of the same colleges at the centres created there for the annual university examinations commencing from April 2.

Opposing the move of the university, a majority of the college lecturers said the university would not be able to curb the menace of copying due to many reasons. They also described the move as a mockery of the annual examinations and said the lecturers would be forced to render help to the students patronised by the heads of the college, politicians and bureaucrats.

Many college lecturers alleged that the principals of the college would exploit them and not allow them to work as superintendents and deputy superintendents as they would oblige their favourites by recommending their names to the university for these jobs.

Meanwhile, it has been confirmed from various sources that the principals in the district and elsewhere have recommended the names of some lecturers for the jobs of the superintendents and deputy superintendents having less experience than others in contravention of the university’s instructions that only seniors and experienced lecturers having not less than 10 years’ service should be recommended.

Haryana police-public sammelan
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 6 — The Haryana police will organise a state-level public-police sammelan at Panchkula on February 20.

Mr M.S. Malik, Director-General of Police, Haryana, said the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, would be the chief guest and Mr Ajay Singh Chautala, MP the guest of honour.

Mr Malik said the main attraction of the event would be the display of skills by jawans of the Haryana police, the BSF, the Army, the Punjab police and the ITBP.

He said the Chief Minister would also give away prizes to police personnel who had rendered extraordinary service to humanity.

Panel for probe into student’s death
From Our Correspondent

PANIPAT, Feb 6 — Samalkha town in the district witnessed protests from hundreds of residents of Ugalda and Namunda villages yesterday. They demanded arrest of the students allegedly involved in injuring a student of Namunda village who later succumbed to injuries in PGI, Rohtak, on Saturday last.

The protesters forced the shopkeepers to close their shops and business establishments. They also staged a demonstration and sat on dharna in front of the DSP’s office.

Later, the DSP, Samalkha, Mr Kuldeep Singh, held a meeting with representatives from both villages and formed an eleven-member committee of the villagers to help the police in the investigation of the case. He also assured the villagers that the police action would be completed within three days.

Meanwhile, the police has taken into custody three students who had been booked on the basis of the written statement of father of the deceased.

One held in double murder case
Tribune News Service

AMBALA, Feb 6 — The police today achieved a major breakthrough in the double murder of two sisters with the arrest of the person who reportedly committed the crime.

The Superintendent of Police, Mr Sandeep Khirwar, said Dinesh, alias Neelu, a resident of Dalipgarh, has been nabbed. “Neelu, during questioning, has said his sister was engaged to a brother of the deceased sisters, Krishna and Rani. After the engagement, Neelu began to frequent their residence. About six months back, the engagement was called off and Neelu demanded the money spent on the engagement,” he said.

Mr Khirwar said on January 23, the day of the incident, the husbands of the deceased sisters, Ram Murath and Ram Surat, were not present at Patel Nagar, Ambala Cantonment residence. On that day, Neelu again went to their house and asked for the money spent on the engagement and the photographs.

This reportedly led to an altercation between Neelu and Krishna. Neelu stabbed Krishna on the neck. On hearing the commotion, Rani who had gone upstairs to dry the clothes, ran down and she too was stabbed by Neelu. After Rani fell down, Neelu stabbed her on the neck. He then ran away from the spot.

The police team which investigated the case includes SI Jaipal, SHO Mahesh Nagar police station, HC Narender, HC Krishan Lal and constable Ram Kumar.

It may be recalled that on January 23, two sisters, Rani and Krishna, were brutally stabbed to death in their Patel Nagar residence. The sole eyewitness to the double murder case was four-year-old Arun who saw his mother, Krishna, and his aunt, Rani, being murdered. Incidentally, the sisters are married to two brothers.

The assailant was given chase by two local residents but the murderer had managed to escape. The volume of the music system was high and the television was also on at the time of the murder.

Gang of dacoits busted
From Our Correspondent

JIND, Feb 6 — The police busted a gang of dacoits by arresting 5 of its members yesterday. Mr O.P. Singh, Superintendent of Police, told mediapersons here today that the arrested persons had identified as Gurnam Singh of Khark Kadiya village, Laik Ram of Ladot village, Gulab Singh of Gatauli village and Naresh and Mohinder of Kalwa village. One pistol, two cartridges, two iron rods and two motorcycles had been seized from them, he said.

The SP said the police had received an information that some armed youths were hiding in a deserted petrol station between Taloda and Jamni villages and were planning a dacoity. A police party was sent which nabbed five dacoits whereas three dacoits managed to escape.

The absconding gang members are Ramesh of Raichand Wala village, Kailash of Nagura village and Bhupender of Gatauli village. Ramesh is wanted by the police in a number of cases. During interrogation the gang members confessed that they were planning to loot Mr Bhagat Ram, trader of Pillukhera grain market in the district.

Headmaster shot at
From Our Correspondent

KAITHAL, Feb 6 — The Head master of Government High School, Chandana, was seriously injured when he was shot at by three unidentified youths yesterday afternoon on the school campus. According to official information he was rushed to Civil Hospital, Kaithal, and later shifted to the PGI, Chandigarh, in critical condition.

The Headmaster, Mr Pawan Aggarwal, 54, was sitting with another teacher in the school when the miscreants, who come in a car, shot at him with a pistol.

In his statement to the police he said his brother, who is running a commission agency shop, in the local Grain Market, was receiving threats on the telephone from certain persons to pay Rs 10 lakh or his family members would be harmed.

In an another incident four youths today looted cash from a liquor shop at Badsikri village falling under Kalayat police station. It is believed that members of the same gang were behind the two crimes.

The SP A.S. Chawla, said a special team had been constituted to nab the culprits and a number of places had been raided.

Witness in murder case shot dead
From Our Correspondent

JHAJJAR, Feb 6 — Two assailants shot dead an eyewitness in a murder case at Arya Nagar near the sessions court here today.

According to the district police, the deceased, Devendra, along with his father Jagjeet Singh and his grandfather were going towards the sessions court to appear in a murder case in which Rampal, cousin of Jagjeet Singh, was allegedly killed by Nafe Singh and others in a land dispute four years ago. When they reached near the court, Vijay and Satya of the Jargadpur village came from behind and fired at Devendra.

The assailants managed to flee on a scooter after committing the crime. Devendra died on the spot.

A case under Sections 302 and 34, IPC, and Section 25/54/50 of Arms Act on the complaint of the deceased’s father has been registered. The police said Vijay was released on bail and had been declared a bail jumper and proclaimed offender.

Chautala condemns killings
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 6 — The Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, today condemned the killing of eight Sikhs in the Kashmir valley on Saturday.

In a statement Mr Chautala expressed his deep anguish over the massacre which, he said, was aimed at disrupting communal harmony in the valley.

Extending his condolences to the members of the bereaved families, he lashed out at Pakistan for sponsoring cross-border terrorism and encouraging militancy in Kashmir.

One drowned in Tilyar Lake

ROHTAK, Feb 6 (UNI) — A tourist from Delhi today died of drowning at Tilyar Lake near here after the boat, which he was rowing along with his companions, overturned.

The deceased, Manoj Upadhyay (35), was an employee of a Delhi-based hotel, who had come for a picnic along with his colleagues at the Tilyar tourist complex of the Haryana Tourism Department, the police here said. 

Morning film shows banned
From Our Correspondent

Meanwhile the owners of cinema houses have decided to defy the orders of the district administration

Lecturers seek hike in grade
From Our Correspondent

PANIPAT, Feb 6 — The Haryana School Lecturers Association has urged Om Prakash Chautala to implement promises made at the state-level convention of the association on November 5, 2000, regarding gazetted class II status and hike in the grade of the school lecturers.