 |
Sunday,
September 7, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
|
Governor’s remark creates a flutter Liquor mafia blamed for deaths, 2 held Delay in
release from Pak jail
adds to kin’s anxiety Authorities
scuttling probe, claims NGO Days spent in ESI hospital not work: HC |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Farmers advised to check pest attack Quantity of paddy restricted Enforcement Officer remanded till Sept 19 Nirmal Singh joins issue with Sampat 2 chemist shops raided, expired drugs seized Students demand arrest of rape accused Cong, HVP back students’ stir Shatabdi held up over faulty AC DC reviews development work Kanungo, patwar circles refixed 12-year jail for bid to rape minor daughter 2 of family killed in mishap Complex owner booked
|
|
Governor’s remark creates a flutter Chandigarh, September 6 The Governor’s admonition of the state government asking it to maintain “total transparency” for selecting teachers for giving the state awards has created a flutter in the officialdom of Haryana. Officials today claimed that teachers were selected for the awards strictly on the basis of the criterion laid down for this purpose. “Initially the date for submission of application for this year’s awards was April 30. But it was extended to June 30 so that more teachers could apply for the award,” an official here said. He added that eventually 57 applications were received from teachers, of which 23 had to be rejected since the applicants did not meet some of the fundamental requirements for the awards. The officials said that while nominations for the awards were forwarded by district-level committees, the names of the recipients were finalised by a committee headed by the Director, Secondary Education. “The process could not be made any more transparent. However, the Education Department possibly can give more publicity about eligibility for the award so that more people can apply for it,” said an anguished official. Incidentally, the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, as if anticipating that the Governor would direct some broadside against the government in the function, skipped it and attended a function at Rewari where he honoured nine teachers. The Rewari function was also dubbed a state-level function. It was perhaps for the first time that two state-level functions were held in Haryana simultaneously on the occasion of Teachers’ Day. Mr Bahadur Singh, Minister of State for Education, Mr M.L. Tayal, Commissioner, Education Department and Mr Roshan Lal, Director, Secondary Education, were present on the dais with the Governor when he made his speech. Babu Parmanand also expressed surprise at only seven teachers being selected for the award and said that at least one teacher from each of the 19 districts of the state should be given the award. Government officials, however, said that if the Governor’s suggestion was accepted it would affect the quality control for the selection of the award. The officials said that there was provision for giving 32 awards to teachers under different categories but only the most deserving teachers were given the awards. They added that there was a total of 80 points in the scorecard for the awards and a teacher getting 50 points or above was considered for receiving an award . “If one teacher from each district has to be given the award, a deserving candidate from one district may be left out, while an undeserving candidate from another district may get the award,” the officials said and added that under the present system all the recipients could be from one district if they fulfil the criterion. |
|
|
Liquor mafia blamed for deaths, 2 held Taraori (Karnal), September 6 Police sources said another, person, Som Pal, died last night while three workers Tejpal, Om Prakash and Pratap, of a liquor vend at Padhana, near here , were said to be in a critical condition. The sources said two persons, Ram Kishan, son of Mr Narayan Dass, and Balbir Singh, son of Mr Kartar Singh, had been arrested by the police after a complaint was lodged against them under Section 304 and 328 of the IPC by Ms Neelam Rani, President of the local municipal committee. The Deputy Commissioner of Karnal, Mr R S Doon, said an inquiry had been ordered into the tragedy and the authorities concerned had been directed to stop the illegal sale of liquor by agents of liquor vends. The local residents had revealed that apart from the authorised liquor vends, two agents, who had been arrested, were selling liquor illegally for many years without check. The arrested agents, involved in the business, were allegedly patronised by liquor contractors who made profits by reaching the doorsteps of people living in areas far from the authorised vends through these agents. The residents of the area revealed that they met the Deputy Commissioner of Karnal district before the tragedy when he had come to the village on June 10 to hear the grievances of the local people in a khula darbar and complained about the illegal sale of liquor, but no action was taken. A resident of Taraori village told TNS that an unauthorised agent was selling liquor in the Purana Kila area for the past many years. He sold liquor at a little less price than that charged at the authorised shops. Since most of the population of this village is inhabited by marginal farmers belonging to the lower middle class and labourers, they mostly prefer cheaper countrymade liquor. On the condition of anonymity, the villagers spoke volumes against the liquor mafia. A young boy in his teens said “Yeh dhanda kaise band ho sakta hai, theke to Chautala ke hain (How this business would stop as liquor vends belong to Chautala).” Another one commented, “The state government will try to do its level best to hide the exact cause of these deaths since all liquor contractors are closely related to the persons in power”. They say the freedom of selling liquor illegally under the nose of local administration cannot be enjoyed by the traders unless they are supported from those in power. |
|
Delay in
release from Pak jail
adds to kin’s anxiety Ambala, September 6 Talking to Chandigarh Tribune, Balwinder
Kaur, Sukhwinder’s sister, said they were elated to learn that he
was going to be released from a Pakistani prison. “We have been very
worried for the past two months. We are now looking forward to meeting
Sukhwinder,” she said. Balwinder Kaur said they learnt about his
being lodged in a Pakistani prison on receiving a letter from him.
“We were distressed to know that Sukhwinder was lodged in a prison
of Pakistan,” she said. She said Sukhwinder had gone to Lebanon
about five years ago. “We have our relatives in Lebanon and
Sukhwinder began working there. He went there soon after completing
his matriculation,” she said. Balwinder Kaur pointed out that
Sukhwinder was approached by an agent who assured him of bright
prospects in Europe. “Sukhwinder considered the idea and decided to
go there. A deal was struck for Rs 3 lakh,” she said. She stated
that Sukhwinder was keen to go to Greece. “However, he was taken to
Turkey from where they were sent to Iraq. Thereafter, they were
shifted to Jordan and ultimately, they reached Pakistan. In Pakistan,
they were nabbed by the authorities and put in prison,” she
said. “After being lodged in a Pakistani prison, he sent us a
letter. Since then, we have been concerned about his well-being,”
she said. Balwinder Kaur said Sukhwinder used to write a letter every
two or three months. “He did not mention anything specific in the
letter. He would write that he would discuss everything only after
reaching home,” she said. The letters did not mention his harrowing
experience when he was shunted from one country to another, she
added. She said her parents had gone to Amritsar after learning about
his release from the newspapers. “They have already left for
Amritsar. After reaching there, they learnt that it had been
postponed till September 8. They are going to wait in Amritsar,” she
said.“When he enters India, Sukhwinder will first go to the Golden
Temple to pay obeisance. Then, he will come home to Ambala,” she
said. Incidentally, Inderjit Singh, also from Barara, is also
scheduled to be released by the Pakistani authorities on Monday.
Relatives as well as local residents are eagerly awaiting the arrival
of both youths. |
|
Authorities
scuttling probe, claims NGO Chandigarh, September 6 Speaking to TNS, Mr Rishi Kant, Director of Shakti Vahini, said the
authorities were trying to prove that a girl recently rescued by the
NGO along with Faridabad police from Chaiyyansan village in Hathin
block, was a major. He said the girl, Sabina Begum, had herself
claimed to be 16 years of age, when the members of the NGO went to
rescue her along with the Hathin police. “The girl had said she was
16 years of age. An Assistant Sub-Inspector of Police and two woman
constables are witness to this,” he said.
However, the authorities now claim that the girl is a major and
about 19 years of age. “We want that a medical board consisting of
doctors from PGI, Rohtak, be set up to assess the age of the girl,”
he said.
Mr Rishi Kant said the local police had made no effort to arrest
one of the persons in this village, Mehboob, who is known to get girls
from Baripada in Assam and selling them here. “Mehboob is now
absconding with 13-year-old Majida.
Its been almost 72 hours since we raided his village to arrest him,
but he managed to escape with the girl. God knows what this girl will
be going through and if he has further sold her off to avoid any legal
action against him. The police just tell us that Mehboob has escaped
to Rajasthan, but no efforts are being made to arrest him from
Rajasthan,” he said.
Mr Kant said he had recently visited Burakshar village and found
out that the family of Hanif (the latter had been arrested on June 23
on charges of selling a 15-year-old girl to Rehana for her three
sons), and found out that they were meeting the rescued girl in Nari
Niketan, Karnal. “The authorities do not realise that they can be
influencing the girl in Nari Niketan. It is total failure of the
social justice department,” he said.
Meanwhile, senior police officials in Faridabad, requesting
anonymity, said they had been making all-out efforts to check human
trafficking in Mewat.
“We have deployed our Intelligence sources and as soon as we get
information about new girls being brought here, we swing into action
and arrest the accused. In the past two years, we have registered
several FIRs against those involved in human trafficking and recently,
we also rescued four girls,” said the officer.
He added that because of the widespread social sanction given to
this practice in the region, the police, too, was sometimes helpless.
“We have taken video recordings of several major girls, who have
been bought here and claim they are living happily, and sent these to
National Human Rights Commission and the President of India,” he
said.
|
|
|
Days spent in ESI hospital not work: HC Chandigarh, September 6 In his petition, a helper with a Faridabad-based tractor manufacturing unit, Mr Hukam Chand, had claimed that he was admitted to hospital with a fractured leg after meeting with an accident in December, 1994. He had claimed that he remained on leave till September 1995 and was again engaged. But his services were later terminated even though, the workman claimed, that he had completed more than 240 days of service. In a demand notice, Mr Hukam Chand had added that he had met with an accident “due to negligence of the officials” and his services were illegally terminated while workers junior to him were retained. Denying the allegations, the respondents had asserted that the petitioner had worked for only about 40 days. Taking up his case, the Labour Court had held that the workman was discharged after the specific period of temporary employment expired and, as such, it did not amount to retrenchment. The court had further concluded that the period spent by the petitioner in the ESI Hospital could not be taken into account for working out the continuous length of service. Moreover, the petitioner had worked only for about 40 days. As such, no relief was granted to him. Aggrieved by the order, the petitioner had filed a writ petition in the high court seeking directions for quashing the award, besides “consequential relief of reinstatement with full back wages”. After hearing the arguments in the case and going through the record, the Bench, headed by Mr Justice S.S. Nijjar, ruled that the employer had placed on record sufficient material to prove that the workman had not completed 240 days in the year preceding the date on which his services were ordered to be terminated. Speaking for the Bench, Mr Justice Nijjar added that the period spent by the workman in the ESI Hospital between December 1994 and September 1995 could not be added to the number of days he had worked during the preceding year. Upholding the Labour Court orders, Mr Justice Nijjar concluded that the award did not suffer from any error apparent on the face of the record and petition was being dismissed. |
|
Farmers advised to check pest attack Fatehabad, September 6 Giving details of the life cycle of the bollworm, Dr Godara said the female bollworm lays eggs on the soft parts of the cotton plants. The eggs are converted to larvae in three or four days. The larvae became pupa in 17 or 20 days and remain in this stage for 10 to 12 days. In this way, seven or eight generations of the bollworm are completed in a single season. He said to know the economics threshold level (ETL), the farmers must see whether on an average 20 eggs were found on 20 plants, 10 pupa on 20 plants, three or four male bollworms were trapped in the feroman’s traps and over 5 per cent loss was observed in the fruit of the crops. He said the mechanical control involved trapping the boll worms on Feroman’s and light traps. The biological control involved the use of practices like tricograma and the chemical control involved the use of certain pesticides. Dr Godara said integrated pest control (IPM) schools were being run in various villages of the district. |
|
Quantity of paddy restricted Chandigarh, September 6 According to Mr H.C. Disodia, Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary, Food and Supplies, 2,500 metric tonnes of paddy would be allocated to a miller having a daily capacity of one metric tonne. Additional 2,500 metric tonnes would be allocated for additional milling capacity of one metric tonne, adding that in no case more than 5000 metric tonnes of paddy would be allocated to one miller for custom milling. The millers undetaking custom milling would have to execute an agreement with the procuring agencies and deposit the requisite security amount along with a bank guarantee. They would have to adhere to the time schedule finalised by the department for delivering rice to the Central pool after the milling of paddy. In the past couple of years a large number of millers had sold paddy allocated to them for custom milling or rice prepared from it in the open market or to the FCI itself in the hope that when the prices of rice would fall, they would make up the shortfall. However, many a miller failed to return the rice prepared from the paddy allocated to them for custom milling by government agencies. Mr Disodia said the paddy production was expected to be about 43 lakh tonnes this year as against 37 lakh tonnes last year. About 35 lakh metric tonnes of paddy would arrive in the mandis, including 25 lakh metric tonnes of leviable paddy and 10 lakh metric tonnes of basmati. Leviable paddy would be purchased by the millers and six procuring agencies. |
|
|
Enforcement Officer remanded till Sept 19 Hisar, September 6 According to the police, the Enforcement Officer was on an official tour of the city to inspect records of local hotels, nursing homes, schools and factories. During one such inspection he pointed out some irregularities in the record of a school. He asked the director of the school to pay Rs 5000 to him. The director asked the officer to come back after an hour. Meanwhile, the director contacted the police and a trap was laid. The raiding team included a local DSP and a city magistrate. As soon as the director handed over the money to the officer, the police arrested him. Kalra has been booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act. |
|
Nirmal Singh joins issue with Sampat Chandigarh, September 6 In a statement issued here Mr Nirmal Singh said Prof Sampat Singh was wrong in saying that by raising his voice against discrimination, he was instigating regional sentiments. Such sentiments were aroused only by discriminating against various regions of the state as “the successive governments had been doing in Haryana”. He alleged that Prof Sampat Singh was trying to defend the “policy of discrimination” because he wanted to prove himself to “be more loyal than the king”. Moreover, Prof Sampat Singh, was not feeling the “pinch of discrimination” as the area he belonged to had been getting preferential treatment. Mr Nirmal Singh also did not spare his own party colleague, Mr Krishan Murti Hooda, who had criticised him for raising the “bogey of discrimination”. Mr Nirmal Singh said Mr Hooda had rejoined the party after a long gap. It seemed, Mr Hooda had forgotten the party norms. If Mr Hooda had any difference of opinion with him, he should have discussed the matter with him instead of rushing to the Press, Mr Nirmal Singh said. |
|
2 chemist shops raided, expired drugs seized Kaithal, September 6 These raids were conducted following a complaint by the administration that some chemists were selling expired drugs and free samples. According to information, a shop was running from the premises of a nursing home and the other was functioning in the adjoining area. Some life saving drugs and injections were also among the seized stocks. The SDM said legal action would be taken against the chemists. Some chemists on hearing about the raid reached the place, however, they were told by Mr Rai that no illegal activity would be allowed and no excesses would be committed on anybody. |
|
Students demand arrest of rape accused Sirsa, September 6 The angry students marched through the markets asking shopkeepers to close establishments. The market remained closed. During their dharna outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office, the students resorted to stone-throwing and broke the window panes of the Deputy Commissioner’s office. When the SDM came to accept their memorandum, angry students threatened to intensify their agitation in case the culprits are not arrested by Monday. |
|
Cong, HVP back students’ stir Jind, September 6 They said at a press conference here that there was no justification in affiliating Jind colleges with Chaudhary Devi Lal University, Sirsa, and the demand of students of affiliating the colleges with Kurukshetra University again was reasonable and justified. Mr Parminder Singh
Dhull, district president of the Congress, Mr Hoshiar Singh Lather, district organising secretary of the HVP, Mr Parkash Chander, district secretary of the CPM, and Mr Ramesh Chander, general secretary, district unit of
CITU, supported the proposed Jind bandh for September 8. |
|
|
Shatabdi held up over faulty AC Ambala, September 6 The Amritsar-New Delhi Swaran Shatabdi Express (No. 2030) has a stoppage of barely two minutes at the railway station. But last night, passengers of a coach became upset with the faulty airconditioning. With much difficulty, the passengers were later coaxed to continue their journey to New Delhi. The Additional Divisional Railway Manager, Mr Dayal Dogra, said the air-conditioner had malfunctioned in a coach. “We tried to rectify the fault but it could not be corrected immediately,” he said. “The Shatabdi left the railway station after half an hour,” he added. The Delhi-bound Shatabdi Express reached the railway station around 8.20 p.m. The passengers alighted from the train and demanded that the train fare be refunded as they had to travel in a coach without a working air-conditioner. Apparently, the Shatabdi Express started on its scheduled run from Amritsar on time and there was no problem. However, by the time the train crossed Jalandhar, the air-conditioner of a coach developed a snag. The railway personnel on board the train tried to rectify the fault but they failed to re-start the air-conditioner. Even before the train reached the Ambala Cantonment railway station, the problem was brought to the notice of the officials concerned. An official, besides an AC mechanic, reached the station to rectify the fault. However, their efforts proved futile.
|
|
DC reviews development work Kurukshetra, September 6 Deputy Commissioner, Abhilaksh Likhi informed the invitees comprising town’s VIPs as well as representatives of various social and religious organisations that Kurukshetra had achieved a special status on the world tourism map as a religious town. Mr Likhi said that developmental works were in progress at Tapovan Park, Harsh Kaa Teela and Light and Sound Show at
Jyotisar. It was suggested that the residents including school and college students should be involved in cleanliness drive. According to another suggestion, Panchayat land adjoining this town, be acquired to rehabilitate stray cattle. The administration was also suggested to construct ramps in front of business establishments and banks situated on the main road to check congestion created by parking of vehicles. |
|
Kanungo, patwar circles refixed Chandigarh, September 6 While stating this here today, an official release said that Rohtak district would now have 10 kanungo circles and 597 Patwar circles, Sonipat district would have 12 kanungo and 129 patwar circles, Panipat eight kanungo and 74 patwar circles, Jhajjar 12 kanungo and 127 patwar circles and Karnal district, 14 kanungo and 153 patwar circles. |
|
12-year jail for bid to rape minor daughter Kurukshetra, September 6 A complaint to the police by the victim’s mother said she had two children but her husband Raj Kumar, a resident of Mainsi Majra in this district, did not consider both of them his issues. She told the police that her husband, Raj Kumar, who usually used to try to rape his daughter (12) tried to rape his daughter on July 17, 2002, but she got her daughter freed from him and reported the matter to the police. The court sentenced Raj Kumar to jail for 12 years. |
|
|
2 of family killed in mishap Ambala, September 6 According to information, Rajesh Kumar along with her wife and two children was going towards Ugala on his motor cycle which collided with a school bus. Rekha, wife of Rajesh and their daughter,
Ria, died on the spot while Rajesh and his son, Nachiket, sustained serious injuries. The police has registered a case against the bus driver. The bus belonged to DAV school. The injured were admitted to Civil Hospital, Shahbad. |
|
|
Complex owner booked Ambala, September 6 The Executive Officer of the council, Ambala
Sadar, Mr K.K. Jain, was directed to look into the matter. He had forwarded his report to the Deputy Commissioner, who had asked the police to investigate.
TNS |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 123 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
Ambala, September 6
