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Sunday,
July 13, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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Central project helps reduce Flood threat: officials told to stay at headquarters Panchayat repoll schedule Martyr’s mother feels neglected
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High Court Arms supplier arrested Healthcare plan for ex-servicemen Chautala mourns Sahni’s death Prashant wins eco-quiz Hearing in Ruchika case
on Aug 23
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Central project helps reduce forest fires Panchkula, July 12
Officials in the Forest Department, Haryana, inform that each year five to 10 per cent of the forest cover in the lower Shivalik region in the state is lost to forest fires. Generating awareness on preventing forest fires, creating and maintaining fire lines and procuring modern fire-fighting equipment this year has helped reduce the damage caused by forest fires in the region. The forest cover in Haryana is 3.5 per cent of the total area in the state (1.5 lakh hectares), whereas the tree cover (including the tree cover outside notified forest areas) is 7.8 per cent of the total area. Forest Department officials inform that the forest cover in the country extends to 640 lakh hectares . Officials maintain that more than 300 lakh hectares of this forest cover (almost 50 per cent of the total area under forests) is susceptible to forest fires, especially in the bamboo, chil , sar and khair forests, during the dry summer months. The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests had initiated a Rs 5 crore project for the state in order to prevent and detect forest fires in the year 1999-2000. However, delay in releasing the money sanctioned by the Central Government had marred the implementation of this project for the past three years. In fact, the Inspector-General of Forests, Forest Protection Division, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Mr. V.K. Bahuguna, had expressed displeasure with the state government during his visit to the state last year for failing to implement the project and, thus, saving the forest wealth. Under this project, modern fire-fighting equipment is being introduced and locals are being educated about the damage caused by forest fires. Creating and maintaining fire lines, employing fire watchers, training forest staff, construction of fire observation towers, procuring fire tenders, mobile wireless sets and vehicles etc form part of this project. The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Haryana, Mr J.P.L. Srivastava, told TNS that this year a sum of Rs 30 lakh had been spent on buying three fire tenders (one each for North, South and West Haryana), erecting watch towers at a distance of every 8 sq km area and creating fire lines other than the river-beds and nullahs passing through the forests. He said two new jeeps for patrolling (one each for the forests of Panchkula and Yamunanagar) had been bought last year. “Since 99 per cent of the fires are caused by human negligence, a lot of emphasis is being laid on educating people residing in the forests/ near the forests, about fire prevention methods,” he added.  |
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Flood threat: officials told to stay at headquarters Kaithal, July 12 The heavy rains during the past 48 hours in the district has brought cheers to all, specially the farmers. The farmers, who started the paddy plantation last month, badly needed the rains and this spell has provided a much desired relief to them, the power board authorities and the Irrigation Department who were finding it difficult to meet prolonged needs of the farmers. Not only this dry spell was broken and the high temperature has come down considerably. The rains also affected the normal life as the poor drainage system resulted in water logging of many places in the town. Number of roads remained submerged for hours causing great inconvenience to the commuters. Due to the choked drains some low lying residential areas were flooded. The staff of the Public Health Department and the local Municipal Council were seen moving from one area to the other to another for clearing the choked sewer lines and drains. |
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Panchayat repoll schedule Chandigarh, July 12 Stating this here today, Mr T.D. Jogpal, State Election Commiss-ioner, said nominations would be received at the block headquarters from July 29 to July 31 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Scrutiny of nomination papers would be done on August 2 and the date of withdrawal of candidature was August 4. Polling, if necessary, would take place on August 10. The counting of votes for the panches and sarpanches would be undertaken on the polling day at the polling station itself after polling. The counting of votes for elections to wards of panchayat samitis would be done at the block headquarters on August 11. |
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Martyr’s mother feels neglected Ambala, July 12 With tears in her eyes, martyr Yogesh Gupta’s mother, Mrs Lalit Mohini, told Chandigarh Tribune today that her son had made the supreme sacrifice for the nation last year and on his first death anniversary, “We are all alone”. Mrs Mohini said, “I feel very distressed in the manner in which my son’s martyrdom has been forgotten by the people. “On his death, there is not even a single condolence message from either the Army or anybody else,” she lamented. “My only desire is that a memorial should be built in my son’s name, which will help in keeping his name alive,” she said. However, a Zila Sainik Board official stressed that Major Yogesh Gupta’s martyrdom had not been forgotten. “We are in touch with the next of kin of Major Gupta. The next of kin is his wife and not his parents,” he said. He said that Major Gupta’s wife has got a commission in the Army. “I am in touch with Col Vijay Singh, father of Major Gupta’s wife. As a matter of fact, his wife is currently in Chennai,” he said. The official pointed out that while Major Gupta was cremated in his ancestral place in Patiala in Punjab, his parents are in Ambala. Major Gupta was killed during an anti-terrorist operation in Surankot in the valley. The battle casualty report states “based on specific information, a joint ops `Op Prachand Prahar’ was launched with 9 PARA (SF). One coln ex-Kopra, led by Major Yogesh Gupta, was tasked to carry out search and occupy Ranjati, MY-3360.” “At 0430 h, contact was established with terrorists at Ranjati (MY-3360) and in the ensuing fire fight, Major Yogesh Gupta suffered severe GSW (gunshot wounds) on the abdomen. Despite being severely injured, Major Yogesh Gupta continued to engage the terrorists valiantly and killed four dreaded terrorists,” the report states. “A total of five hardcore terrorists were killed in the fire fight. Major Yogesh Gupta attained martyrdom at 0700 h. Major Yogesh Gupta was evacuated to 169 MH at 0730 hrs and was declared `brought in dead’,” the report adds. Mr Umesh Jindal, a cousin brother of Major Gupta, observed that the Commanding Officer of his unit had mentioned about his name being forwarded for a gallantry award. “We have not heard anything since then,” he said. “Let me stress that the question here is not of money. Instead, it is a question of honouring a martyr and remembering his brave deed,” he said. “We have distributed food at the Missionaries of Charity and the Deaf and Dumb School in Ambala Cantt on his martyrdom day,” he added. He said that Major Gupta’s school, Sainik School, Kapurthala, had paid homage to the brave officer by instituting a best student award and volleyball running trophy in his name. |
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High Court Chandigarh, July 12 Appearing before the Bench headed by Mr Justice J.S. Khehar, counsel Rajbir Sehrawat asserted that the rules regarding the appointment of candidates to Haryana Civil Services (Judicial branch) would be finalised and notified within three weeks. He added that the vacancies would be advertised two weeks after the notification of the rules. The undertaking is significant as about 68 posts of Judicial Magistrates-cum-Civil Judges are lying vacant in the state. As a result of shortage, the pendency of cases was on rise in the state. The petitioner, Narwana-based advocate Sushil Kumar Sharma had earlier claimed that at an average about 3000 cases were pending in each court. The petitioner had added that the heavy burden of pending cases was also forcing the judges to fix the next date of hearing after a gap of about one year in some cases. He had added that the shortage was further forcing the over-burdened judges to do five to eight times additional work. This, he had submitted, was unjustified as the judges had to go through each and every file, record evidence, hear arguments and deliver the judgement after going through the documents. Quoting a Law Commission report, Dr Surya Parkash had submitted on behalf of the petitioner that there should be 50 judges per million people. At present there were just over 10. Regarding the cases before the courts, he had asserted that the number of files pending before a judge should not be more than 400 to 500 at any given time. The reality was, however, different. A visit to the courts revealed that about 2,500 to 4,000 cases were pending before each court. He had added that as per the directions issued by the high court, and the Supreme Court of India, the public service commission was required to send the complete list of qualified candidates to the state in order of merit. The state, on the other, had to forward the same to the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The respondents, he had claimed, were required to “make public the requirement” and invite the candidates to compete for the posts.
Ex-CM’s security On a petition filed by Haryana’s former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal for providing “necessary security cover by a central agency”, the Union of India and the state of Haryana have sought time for filing additional documents pertaining to the provision of security cover to the VIPs. Taking up the petition, Mr Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel of the Punjab and Haryana High Court fixed July 18 as the next date of hearing in the case. Seeking directions to the Union of India, the Director General of National Security Guards, besides the state of Haryana, the petitioner had earlier claimed that the state was informed by the Central Government regarding the decision to replace the NSG security cover with the local police. His counsel had added that the state was also asked to inform Mr Bhajan Lal regarding the move to change the security arrangement following which he had forwarded representations to the Union Home Minister and the Prime Minister but had not received any reply. |
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Arms supplier arrested Kurukshetra, July 12 Stating this here today, the district police chief, Mr Desraj Singh, said that the arms supplier had been identified as Rakesh, alias Rajesh, a resident of Baaju village near Kalayat. Mr Desraj Singh said that Rakesh told the police that he had supplied arms to the alleged robbers and had purchased these from a gang of “Baawarias” hailing from Uttar Pradesh. Meanwhile, both arrested men — Vinod Kumar and Paramjeet — after their three-day police remand, were produced in the court of Mr Rajender Goyal at Pehowa yesterday and remanded in judicial custody for 14 days. The police has registered a case against Rakesh and efforts were on to arrest the other members of the gang, Mr Desraj Singh added. |
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Healthcare plan for ex-servicemen Chandigarh, July 12 Stating this here today, a spokesman of the Haryana Sainik Board said under the scheme, the lumpsum amount to be paid had been determined as per the monthly pension and rank of the ex-servicemen. He said those with a monthly pension of Rs 3000 would have to pay Rs 1800 in one go for availing of the health benefits. Similarly, Rs 4,800 would have to be paid by those drawing pension above Rs 3000 but less than Rs 6000, Rs 8,400 by those with a monthly pension between Rs 6001 - Rs 10,000, Rs 12000 by those with a monthly pension of Rs 10001 -Rs 15,000 and Rs 18,000 by those drawing pension above Rs 15000. |
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Chautala mourns Sahni’s death Chandigarh, July 12 In a message, he has said Mr Sahni would be remembered for his writings on the agony of Partition. Mr Chander Trikha, Director of the Akademi, said it was a strong coincidence that Mr Sahni breathed his last on the day when bus service between India and Pakistan was resumed. |
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Prashant wins eco-quiz Chandigarh, July 12 |
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Hearing in Ruchika case on Aug 23 Ambala, July 12 The former DGP, Haryana, Mr S.P.S. Rathore and the complainants Ms Madhu Parkash and Mr Anand Parkash were present in the court. The statement of Mr Anand Prakash is being recorded these days. |
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