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Saturday,
June 2, 2001, Chandigarh, India  
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Demand to lift ban on
tuitions UGC leave package
sought Chautala govt for Jain’s
pardon
No psychiatric hospital for detaining patients Task force formed to control floods |
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Steps for rail passengers’
safety 4 remanded in judicial
custody Development schemes worth
15.24 cr completed Panchayats can
upgrade schools: Chautala A.L. Choudhary takes over Haryana decision on holiday Subsidy limit enhanced 4 Bangladeshi women arrested
Anti-malaria month
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Demand to lift ban on
tuitions Rohtak, June 1 The step is considered to be a counter-attack by the affected section of society against the recent government directive to the principals of colleges asking the college lecturers to furnish affidavits that they are not giving private tuitions. In a letter written to the Chief Minister today, a large number of aggrieved parents have requested him to review the decision in the interest of students. They said the pitiable academic standard of government as well as private schools in the state was an open secret. They claimed that a majority of school teachers were not capable of imparting quality and competitive education to students. In these circumstances, they said, their wards were receiving private coaching from different college and university lecturers for better score in board examinations and competitive tests. But, they lamented, that the recent ban imposed on private tuitions had deprived them of this facility. They said they were now forced to send their wards to Delhi for coaching classes. It had not only enhanced their tuition expenses but also wasted the precious time of their wards. They apprehended that the students of the state would lag far behind the students of Delhi and Chandigarh in the national-level competitive examinations, like the IIT, as the ban on private tuitions was imposed in Haryana only. However, they said, if the private tuitions was considered to be a social menace, the bureaucrats and politicians in Chandigarh who were opposing it tooth and nail in Haryana must furnish affidavits that their wards were not receiving or would not receive private tuitions in future. Describing the step as “hurriedly taken”, they said it had rendered thousands of students in the state helpless as they would not be able to receive private tuitions from other tutors in the mid session. Rejecting straightaway the suggestion of the Commission and Director, Higher Education, Ms Anuradha Gupta, that the students could receive private coaching from the retired teachers, they categorically stated that the retired teachers, particularly those of science, were not well-versed with the latest type of questions being asked in competitive exams. An extensive survey conducted by this correspondent in several adjoining districts revealed that the number of college students receiving private tuitions from college teachers was less than 1 per cent in each district. A majority of these students was from plus one and plus two classes of different schools. It was further observed that on an average Rs 3,000 was being charged from a student for completing the course of one subject which requires a period of around six months. Strangely, several bureaucrats and academicians condemned the “menace” of private tuitions in principle but they evaded the question when asked whether their wards were receiving private tuitions or not. |
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UGC leave package
sought Karnal, June 1 The agreement was reached when a high-level delegation of the Kurukshetra University Teachers Association (KUTA) led by its President, Dr Hari Singh, met the Education Commissioner to discuss various problems of the teaching community. Dr Hari Singh told The Tribune today that the KUTA delegation also raised the issue of curtailment of the number of public holidays to two weeks as proposed by the UGC so that the number of teaching days could be increased. The KUTA delegation wanted that the universities in Haryana should follow the leave “package” of the UGC in toto. The UGC has provided for eight casual leaves in a year but made liberal provisions for leave for academic purposes. The UGC has also framed liberal rules for participating in research-level conferences and seminars, delivering lectures in colleges, spending time in institutes of higher learning for research and other such activities. During its talks with the Commissioner of Higher Education, the KUTA delegation stressed the need for promoting quality teaching and research in the universities. This would help students to find better placement in public and private sectors in India and abroad. The delegation also apprised Mrs Gupta on the need to re-orient priorities in higher education as far as research was concerned. Prof Hari Singh maintained that Mrs Gupta had agreed to discuss all anomalies at the high-powered committee meeting scheduled for June 7. The KUTA also discussed with the Commissioner the issues workload of professors, period of probation, UGC leave package, relaxation of two hours in teaching work for research supervisors and also the age of superannuation in universities. |
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Chautala govt for Jain’s
pardon Chandigarh, June 1 If in 1999, the then Governor, Mr Mahabir Prasad, acting on the advice of the then Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, accepted the mercy petition of Shrians Kumar Jain, one of the persons sentenced to life imprisonment by the courts, in 2001 the INLD Cabinet has recommended Jain’s request for pardon to the Governor, Mr Parmanand. Krishan Khandewala was murdered in Hansi, in Hisar district allegedly by supporters of the BJP, after a dispute arose during the civic body elections when
Chaudhary, Devi Lal was the Chief Minister in 1987. After a long trial in which a BJP MLA P.K. Chaudhary was also one of the accused, along with Jain, Krishan Kumar Jakhar, Gurvinder Singh and Ramnath Bhumla, the trial court held all five guilty. The high court acquitted Chaudhary, Jain and Bhumla. On December 10, 1998, the Supreme Court, however, upheld the acquittal of P.K. Chaudhary alone while concurring with the decision of the sessions court about sentencing the other four. Instead of surrendering before law, Jain filed a mercy petition on January 15, 1999, under Article 161 of the Constitution. Ten days later, his petition was accepted by Mr Mahabir Prasad on the advice of Mr Bansi Lal. The Governor’s decision was, however, challenged before the Supreme Court by the widow and a brother of Mr Khandewala. Quashing the Governor’s decision the apex court came down heavily on the state government. Incidentally, after the apex court quashed the decision of the Governor, the widow and children of Mr Khandewala were killed in a road accident. |
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No psychiatric hospital for detaining patients Chandigarh, June 1 A letter written by Mr R S Virk, member-secretary of the HSLSA, on behalf of Justice V. K. Bali, Chairman of the HSLSA, to the Financial Commissioner and Secretary, Health Department, observed that no one seemed to know where persons suffering from mental disorders were to be kept. “This is a unique problem inasmuch as neither the judicial officers nor the executive officers seem to know as to where females suffering from mental disorder are to be detained in the state of Haryana and they all are passing orders to keep such persons at Nari Niketan, Karnal, though the said institute is governed by the Haryana State After Care Home Girls Rules which clearly stipulate that persons suffering from mental disorder shall not be admitted to the said institute. Furthermore, nobody seems to know where adult males or children suffering from such mental disorder are to be kept “, the HSLSA stated. When contacted by Tribune News Service, Health Department sources said earlier the system was to shift persons suffering from mental illness to the Punjab Mental Hospital at Amritsar. However, this system was abandoned and now the policy was to send psychiatric patients to the Shahdara Hospital in Delhi for detention. Female patients were sent to Karnal since there was no other place for keeping them, they said and added that at the PGIMS at Rohtak, there was a facility for treating mentally ill patients. However, the HSLSA letter took into account the explanations of the Health Department while pulling up the government for not setting up any psychiatric hospital or nursing home in Haryana. The member-secretary pointed out in his letter that no person suffering from mental disorder could be detained in the observation ward of a general hospital or nursing home for a continuous period exceeding 30 days. Consequently, the psychiatric ward at the PGIMS Hospital, Rohtak, was neither equipped nor competent to keep persons suffering from mental illness for a period beyond 30 days, he wrote. The HSLSA also referred to a document furnished by the Health Department on this issue, and stated that it did not make any mention of its financial arrangement with the psychiatric hospital at Shahdra regarding the expenses on the treatment and stay of such patients. The HSLSA also criticised the state government for using the words “lunatic asylum” in the document submitted by it. “ I wish to highlight here that by virtue of the Act of 1987, the words lunatic asylum are abhorrent to the said Act whereunder the words ‘psychiatric hospital or ‘psychiatric nursing home’ are to be used”, wrote the member-secretary. The letter, addressed to the Financial Commissioner, Health, Ms Veena Eagleton , said that the HSLSA was authorised to take up the issue by virtue of Section 7(2) C of the Legal Services Act, 1987, and asked the government to clarify whether there was any psychiatric hospital in Haryana and what the state government’s financial arrangement was with the mental care home at Shahdra for keeping patients from Haryana. The Financial Commissioner was reportedly yet to reply to the letter which was sent to her on May 4. |
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Task force formed to control floods Ambala, June 1 Talking to mediapersons here today, Mr D.D. Gautam, Deputy Commissioner, said that the district task force would undertake risk identification, reduction and risk management. He said that there are three vulnerable factors for Ambala-Tangri, Ghaggar and Markanda. “We will check-up whether people will face any threat during floods. Then we will see that the risk is reduced by shifting them. We will arrange for the shelter, food and medicines before hand,” he added. Mr Gautam said the district task force would function like a standing committee, with its role not confined to floods alone. “ Issues like cleanliness, pollution, bio-waste, traffic and beautification of the city also needs to be tackled,” he added. The committee will presently comprise 25 members. The committee members include the Deputy Commissioner, the Superintendent of Police, the ADC, the SDM, the Joint Excise and Taxation Commissioner, Mr Rajinder Nath, Dr Deshbandhu, Civil Surgeon and XEN. Out of 684 development work announced in the first phase of the “sarkar apke dwar” programme, a number of them have been completed. He said the district had got first position in 20-point programme and also secured first position in census operation. He stated that in the sugar mill, out of 40 crore, 28 crore had already been paid. The Deputy Commissioner said power supply was satisfactory in the district. He pointed out that drains are being cleaned so that water does not accumulate. |
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Steps for rail passengers’
safety Faridabad, June 1 A meeting of senior officials of the GRP, RPF and police was held here today in which measures to be taken to increase safety along the Tracks in trains were discussed. Mr Sudhir Mohan, SSP (GRP), Mr N.K. Saksena, Senior Commandant (RPF) and Mr Om Prakash, DSP, Palwal, took part in the meeting. The authorities decided to send additional GRP and police force for round-the-clock patrolling along the tracks. It is learnt that sniffer dogs and powerful torches will be provided for the purpose. It is reported that signal points at two places were damaged on Wednesday night and attempt to loot passengers on a Chennai-bound express train were made. However, the attempt was foiled by the RPF and GRP personnel. Some women passengers were also robbed of their ornaments. |
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4 remanded in judicial
custody Bhiwani, June 1 Police sources said, eight accused had been named in this case. One of them was already in jail whereas six others have been arrested. The court of Mr R.K. Tewatia, Additional District and Sessions Judge, stayed the arrest of R.K. Gupta till June 5 yesterday. The sources said Deputy Superintendent (Jail) Sewa Ram and Assistant Superintendent (Jail) Dharm Bahadur during interrogation have conceded their role in preparing fake papers for release of the TADA detenue Zile Singh. Two junior employees of the jail clerk, Naresh Kumar, and Anju Devi accepted disposing of the record. They have disclosed the place where documents were destroyed. The sources said Pankaj confessed that he had taken his father in his car to a safer place to avoid the arrest. The prime accused admitted that fake documents for his release were prepared with the help of R.K. Gupta, Dhani Ram and
Balwan. |
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Development schemes worth
15.24 cr completed Sonepat, June 1 Mr S.N. Roy, Deputy Commissioner, told mediapersons here today that 559 development works in different Assembly segments of the district were presented before the Chief Minister, who gave his approval and directed the district authorities in this regard. The schemes included the construction of street pavements, boundary walls in schools, hospital buildings, cow-shelters and provision of drinking water in villages. The Deputy Commissioner said 181 development schemes at a cost of Rs 3.85 crore in Rohat assembly constituency, 151 schemes at a cost of Rs 2.22 crore in Baroda, 84 schemes at a cost of Rs 1.47 crore in Gohana, and 124 schemes at a cost of Rs 7.43 crore in Rai assembly segment, totalling to 540 schemes, have so far been completed. |
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Panchayats can
upgrade schools: Chautala Sirsa, June 1 He said the government had decided to impart education to the children between the age of six to 14 years. Any panchayat can get their school upgraded to higher level by providing five acres of land and 16 rooms. Similarly, the school can be upgraded up to senior secondary level if panchayat builts 20 rooms on six acres of land. Mr Chautala said the government had decided to provide 70 liters per head of potable water and for that purpose the water works of various villages would be augmented and if necessary boosting stations would be installed. He said the government would give funds to the gram vikas samiti to carry out the developmental works in their respective villages. |
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A.L. Choudhary takes over Chandigarh, June 1 Dr Choudhary, a PhD from the University of Ohio in the USA, has rich experience in the field of animal production. He is a former Vice-Chancellor of CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar. He had served as the Chairman of the Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board, New Delhi, and remained the Director of the Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute, Avikanagar, Rajasthan. Haryana decision on holiday Chandigarh, June 1 An official spokesman said that it had also been decided that no holiday would be declared in future except in the case of death of the state Governor or the Chief Minister. |
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Subsidy limit enhanced Chandigarh, June 1 The Minister of State for Social Welfare, Mr Risal Singh, said the benefit of enhanced subsidy would be provided in cases which had been sponsored by the district managers of the corporation. |
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4 Bangladeshi women arrested Sonepat, June 1 According to a report, all arrested women along with their children were produced before Mr J.P. Thamman, City Magistrate, who sent them to the women’s jail at Rohtak till June 14. |
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Anti-malaria
month Chandigarh, June 1 The Health Department had also made it mandatory for blood banks in the state to test all blood units for the Hepatitis-C virus. |
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Thanesar SHO suspended Kurukshetra, June 1 However, according to reliable sources, the behaviour unbecoming of a public servant, was the reason for Mr Sharma’s suspension. |
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Man murdered by gang of
six Rohtak, June 1 The deceased has been identified as Ram ‘pehalwan’. According to police sources, the victim was returning from his fields with his son Monu at Ladhaut village when he was attacked by six persons who were waiting for him near his Maruti car. They attached him with knives and later shot him. The victim died on the spot. The attackers fled in the Maruti car of deceased when villagers working in adjacent fields rushed to help the victim. |
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Land dispute: 8 hurt in attack Bhiwani, June 1 According to reports, over 24 youths armed with lathis, iron-rods attacked the persons constructing a boundary wall of Dadi Sati mandir and opened fire. Murti (40), Karambir (45), Sanjay (10), Sunder (30), Chintu (13), Ashok (23), Atul (25) were injured. A relative of the injured, Vijay Kumar said a case in connection with the land of the temple was pending in the court for the past two years. |
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10 hurt in mishap Sirsa, June 1 According to the information received today, the accident took place when a private bus coming from Ellenabad to Sirsa dashed against a truck. |
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