H A R Y A N A

Surplus sugarmill staff may face axe
Chandigarh, October 24
The Haryana Government’s reported decision to retrench over 600 employees of the Bhuna Sugar Mill at Fatehabad has raised questions about the fate of the surplus employees of other cooperative sugar mills. At least three cooperative sugar mills in the state are having employees over and above their sanctioned strength.

Hooda promises Mewat district
Punhana (Mewat), October 24
The principal Opposition party in the Haryana Assembly, the Congress, has decided to give a punch to its campaign to regain hold on Mewat. Having four assembly segments, the Mewat area spans across Gurgaon and Faridabad districts.

Cong to launch stir soon
Hisar, October 24
The Haryana Congress chief, Mr Bhajan Lal said here today that his party would soon launch a stir against the political vendetta let loose by the Chief Minister against his opponents.

KU pacts with US varsities
Kurukshetra, October 24
Dr A.K. Chawla, Vice-Chancellor, Kurukshetra University, after his return from the USA and the UK stated here today that a university delegation, including Mr M.L. Tayal, Secretary and Commissioner, state Education Department, and six other members, visited San Jose State University, California, University of California, Los Angeles, and Anglia Polytechnic University, Cambridge, UK from October 13 to October 21.

Suspension of varsity teacher condemned
ROHTAK: The general council of the All -India Federation of University and College Teachers’ Organisations has expressed serious concern over the developments in Maharshi Dayanand University affecting the functioning of the MDU Teachers Association.

Stories from Haryana towns falling in the National Capital Region are put in NCR Tribune.

REGIONAL BRIEFS

YOUR TOWN

Ambala Chandigarh Hisar Kaithal Kurukshetra Rohtak Sirsa

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Taxi drivers launch verification drive
Kalka, October 24
Troubled by the frequent incidents of crime against them, the taxi drivers have now launched a “verification drive” of those hiring their cabs. Over 300 taxi drivers at the Kalka Taxi Operators Stand, from the neighbouring town of Pinjore, and Parwanoo in Himachal Pradesh have launched a stringent verification of all those who hire their taxis.

Surplus sugarmill staff may face axe
Shubhadeep Choudhury
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 24
The Haryana Government’s reported decision to retrench over 600 employees of the Bhuna Sugar Mill at Fatehabad has raised questions about the fate of the surplus employees of other cooperative sugar mills.

At least three cooperative sugar mills in the state are having employees over and above their sanctioned strength. According to an official report, 1090 employees are working in the Rohtak mill against a sanctioned strength of 742 employees. At the cooperative sugar mill in Jind, there are 913 employees against a strength of 743. In the Sonepat mill, 902 employees are on the pay roll of the mill against a sanctioned strength of 743 employees. The Haryana Federation of Cooperative Sugar Mills Ltd (Sugarfed), which recently carried out a study of the loss making sugar mills in the state, had recommended effective steps to bring down the actual staff strength within the sanctioned norms.

A Cooperative Department official, when contacted regarding Sugarfed’s observation about the excess strength of employees, refused to divulge the view taken by the government on the issue.

Importantly, the cooperative sector and the public sector undertakings had earlier also taken the brunt of the state government’s policy of downsizing the employees. Among the cooperative sector undertakings, the most significant instances of retrenchments were in Confed and Infed. Over 700 employees had been retrenched from these two organisations. Besides, surplus employees of two other cooperative sector units, Harcofed and Haryana State Cooperative Housing Federation had been adjusted in other units.

The retrenched employees of cooperative and public sector undertakings had vent their grudge against Mr Om Prakash Chautala, Chief Minister of Haryana, by holding demonstrations at sites in UP where Mr Chautala was to hold rallies to canvass for the INLD candidates contesting in the Assembly polls in UP.

Hooda promises Mewat district
Tribune News Service

Punhana (Mewat), October 24
The principal Opposition party in the Haryana Assembly, the Congress, has decided to give a punch to its campaign to regain hold on Mewat. Having four assembly segments, the Mewat area spans across Gurgaon and Faridabad districts.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, at a meeting of Congress workers, said that should the party come to power in the state, Mewat would be made a separate district with its own headquarters.

The status of district has been a long-standing demand of the people of Mewat.

Congress workers have been making a unanimous demand for district status for Mewat, saying the entire area would have a faster and holistic growth as a separate district.

They alleged that the ruling INLD had not kept its promise of making Mewat a district, even though it was in power for more than four years.

Congress leaders tried to score a point saying though Mewat was administratively not a separate district, the party had already recognised it as such. It had created a Mewat district unit from organisational point of view.

Those present at meeting included former Haryana minister and Lok Sabha MP, Khursheed Ahmed, former minister Azad Mohammad, former MLA, Azmat Khan and sitting MLA Dharamvir.

Mewat’s demographic profile is dominated by Meo Muslims. The area is one of the most backward in Haryana.

In an effort to stoke anti-incumbency feeling among the people of Mewat against the NDA, of which INLD is an ally, the Congress touched on another popular demand of providing a rail link to Mewat. The leaders said that there was no hope from the Union government on the issue. Mr Hooda said should Congress chief Sonia Gandhi become the Prime Minister, the Haryana unit of the party would take up the issue with the Centre.

The reason for the Congress upping the ante in Mewat is that the area has been a traditional stronghold of the party. But at present, three of the four assembly segments of the area are represented by INLD nominees.

The meeting also touched the water issue. Water scarcity has always been a cause for concern among the Mewatis. Mr Hooda alleged that the present government was deliberately stalling the completion of the Mewat canal project.

Referring to the recent arrest of a former Union Minister and senior Congress leader from Jind district, Mr Jai Prakash, all speakers alleged that Mr Chautala was indulging in witch-hunting.

Cong to launch stir soon
Our Correspondent

Hisar, October 24
The Haryana Congress chief, Mr Bhajan Lal said here today that his party would soon launch a stir against the political vendetta let loose by the Chief Minister against his opponents.

Addressing a news conference he said the arrest of the Congress legislator from the Barwala constituency, Mr Jai Parkash, in a fabricated criminal case was the latest instance of victimisation of Mr Chautala’s political opponents. The Congress would no longer tolerate this kind of vendetta against political leaders.

He said he would soon summon a meeting of Congress leaders of the state to finalise a plan of agitation on this issue. He said the party stood united and there were no differences among its leaders on any issue, including the arrest of Mr Jai Parkash.

Mr Bhajan Lal demanded a CBI probe into the registration of the case against Mr Jai Parkash. Only a central investigating agency could bring out the truth so that the Chief Minister could be prosecuted for victimising his opponents.

The HPCC chief said Mr Jai Parkash had stated after his arrest that he could divulge important information about the Chief Minister which would force Mr Chautala to resign. Mr Bhajan Lal said by doing so Mr Jai Parkash would not only prove his innocence but also rid the state of an autocratic ruler misusing the police force.

KU pacts with US varsities
Our Correspondent

Kurukshetra, October 24
Dr A.K. Chawla, Vice-Chancellor, Kurukshetra University, after his return from the USA and the UK stated here today that a university delegation, including Mr M.L. Tayal, Secretary and Commissioner, state Education Department, and six other members, visited San Jose State University, California, University of California, Los Angeles, and Anglia Polytechnic University, Cambridge, UK from October 13 to October 21.

It was agreed that a two-year master’s course in computer software engineering be started from the next session jointly by Kurukshetra University and San Jose State University, California, with the provision that first-year teaching would be done at Kurukshetra and second year at San Jose University. The modalities will be finalised after government’s approval of the programme.

The university delegation also visited University of California, Los Angeles, and reached an understanding to take up a joint research programme in the field of electronics and instrumentation.

The delegation also visited Anglia Polytechnic University, Cambridge, UK, and fruitful talks with the Dean. Faculty of Life Science, Dr Milne and the Head of the Computer Centre, Dr Allan. The two areas of collaboration identified were pharmacy and optometrics.

Suspension of varsity teacher condemned

ROHTAK: The general council of the All -India Federation of University and College Teachers’ Organisations (AIFUCTO) has expressed serious concern over the developments in Maharshi Dayanand University affecting the functioning of the MDU Teachers Association.

The general council condemned the expulsion of Dr Ratnoo from the Academic Council and his suspension from the job. AIFUCTO demanded the reinstatement of Dr Ratnoo.

These resolutions were passed at the 22nd Statutory Conference of AIFUCTO held in Mumbai from October 20 to 22 and hosted by Bombay University and College Teachers Union.

The AIFUCTO authorised its national secretary, Dr V.K. Tewari and the vice-president, Dr Vazir Nehra, to lead a delegation to the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor of Maharshi Dayanand University to find an amicable solution. — OC

Taxi drivers launch verification drive
Ruchika M. Khanna
Tribune News Service

Kalka, October 24
Troubled by the frequent incidents of crime against them, the taxi drivers have now launched a “verification drive” of those hiring their cabs. Over 300 taxi drivers at the Kalka Taxi Operators Stand, from the neighbouring town of Pinjore, and Parwanoo in Himachal Pradesh have launched a stringent verification of all those who hire their taxis. From asking the customers to give at least two more reference addresses, besides his own, to seeking police help in verifying the antecedents of “suspicious customers”, the taxi drivers are leaving nothing to chance.

Kalka being the terminal end of broad gauge rail line and being regarded as the gateway to Himachal Pradesh, the taxi stand here is fairly active. With both the tourists to and from Himachal Pradesh, preferring road travel to the narrow gauge rail route between Kalka and Shimla, business is brisk at the taxi stand here.

The murder of two taxi drivers by those who hired their taxis, this year, has shaken the cab operators here. The taxi drivers say they are being targeted by the “vehicle traffickers,” who hire the taxis as customers, and once the taxi reaches a secluded place, they kill the driver and whisk away with the taxis, which find their way to the second hand car markets of New Delhi and rural areas of Punjab and Haryana.

Says Mr Tara Chand, President of the Kalka Shimla Himachal Taxi Union: “All taxi drivers have been instructed not to take any passenger directly from either the bus stand, taxi stand or railway station here. The customers are first to be brought to the office of the taxi stand on the pretext of getting a slip for onward journey, so that at least two persons in the office can also identify the customers in case of any eventuality.”

He adds that in case the taxi drivers are suspicious of a customer, they call the police to verify the antecedents and make a record of the address given by the customer.

The body of one operator Deepak Mishra, was recovered from Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh in February earlier this year. He had been shot dead by the four persons who had hired his Indica taxi from Kalka, and his body was chopped to pieces.

On September 30, another taxi driver, Pawan Kumar's body was found by Forest Department staff near Mauli. His taxi was hired by two men from Kalka on September 24, and they fled with his taxi after killing him. Taxi drivers say other than this, several cases of theft of taxis, by the customers, after drugging the drivers have come to light. Informs Nitin, a taxi driver here, “Two men had hired my Indica for Delhi, and once we stopped at a hotel in Delhi, they served me tea laced with sedative, they stole the keys and fled away with my taxi.”

Gramin Shilp Mela a big draw
Satish Seth

KAITHAL: The three-day state level ‘Gramin Shilp Mela’ held at the police line grounds here recently was a big attraction for the urban and rural people of this district. The administration claimed that more than 50,000 people from all walks of life visited this mela which presented a unique show of ancient and modern arts. Conventional handicraft items prepared by artisans and a show of usage of non-conventional sources of solar energy was the star attraction for the people who thronged this mela place. Women too turned out in large numbers and showed great interest by visiting each stall. Many of them were so encouraged that they explored the possibility of setting up their units by forming self-help groups.

The stalls of herbal items, honey, exhibition on fish farming, implements used by farmers, Punjabi phulkaris and jooties, Rajasthani jooties and preparations from lakh, Benarsi silk sarees, chakkis produced from emery stone by Kamla Emery Stone here, items of handicrafts manufactured by self-help groups from different districts of Haryana and Punjab bore testimony to the efforts made by DRDAs of these states to uplift the weaker sections of society by providing them knowledge and information about the various schemes launched by the government for their social and economic benefits.

All had a word of praise for the artisans, representatives of self-help groups, farmers and others who participated in this mela and showed their talent and workmanship. The district administration headed by Deputy Commissioner Anurag Agarwal had left no stone unturned in making this event historical and memorable.

Mrs Jaiwanti Sheokand, Special Secretary, Rural Development Department, Haryana, inaugurated the mela on October 17. She visited about 50 stalls set by rural artisans from Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, government departments and District Rural Development Agencies of Punjab and Haryana. Representatives of Panchayati Raj institutions, mahila mandals and a large number of people from rural and urban areas were present on this occasion.

Addressing the people, Mrs Sheokand lauded the role played by the District Rural Development Agency, Kaithal, in organising such a big mela and said the three-day mela not only provided an opportunity to the rural craftsmen and artisans to show their talent but also provided them an opportunity to get knowledge about starting new ventures in their areas. Such events not only promote national integration but provide the artisans an opportunity to show their skills at the national and international level.

She also informed the people about the decision taken by the government to provide a special development grant of Rs 5 lakh to the villages where residents adopt 100 per cent indoor toilet facilities and stop using the open areas for answering the call of nature.

Earlier the Deputy Commissioner, speaking on the occasion, said the main object of rural development agencies was to eradicate poverty and said the self-help groups constituted for this purpose were becoming very effective in providing employment opportunities to the unemployed youths.

Mr J.P.S. Dahiya, ADC, in his address said plenty of talent was available in rural and urban areas and they needed proper guidance and financial help to show excellent results in their respective fields. A play giving information regarding formation of self-help groups and their benefits was presented by a group of artists on this occasion. Mr Sukh Dev Singh, Superintendent of Police, Mr Sanjay Rai, SDM, Mr Chaand Ram Sharma, DDPO, and other district officials were present on this occasion.

Woman dies during abortion
Our Correspondent

Ambala, October 24
Relatives and neighbours of a woman who died while undergoing abortion at an ultrasound centre in the city today gheraoed the centre. The woman, Amarjit Kaur (24) was four-month pregnant. She died after an injection was allegedly administered to her for aborting the foetus. The doctor couple, Ajay Madan and his wife were whisked away by the police following angry protest by relatives of the deceased woman.

According to information, she was brought to the ultrasound and test tube baby centre today as some of the doctors told that there was malformation of the foetus. The husband of the deceased, Inderjit Singh, alleged the doctor-couple had demanded Rs 12,000 from them for the abortion.

He alleged that he was not informed by the doctors till evening about his wife’s death while she had died a few hours ago. He alleged that the death of his wife occurred due to the negligence of the doctor couple. They had got married six months ago.

The president of the local unit of the Indian Medical Association, Dr R. Kumar said it could not be a case of negligence. He said this incident could happen in any hospital or nursing home.

3 more dengue cases suspected

Sirsa, October 24
Three more cases of suspected dengue have been reported in the district during past 24 hours, official sources said here today.

The three dengue patients identified as Mrs Desraj Narula (70) of Shashtri colony, Mr Naresh Kumar of Barnala Road and Mr Shashi Kumar of C-block have been reported by Dr V.P. Goyal, a private physician.

He said blood samples of all these patients showed a considerable decrease in platelets count and the positive Ig-G and Ig-M results, which are specific tests for dengue.

He advised that in order to prevent the breeding of Aedes aegyti mosquito, the vector of the disease, air coolers, moneyplants and water reservoirs should be cleaned. — PTI

Five sentenced to life for student’s murder

Sirsa, October 24
A local court has sentenced five persons to life imprisonment for murdering an engineering student.

When Chaitanya was taken out of the canal and brought to Civil Hospital, he was declared brought dead, Mani Ram had alleged. — PTI

Suspension of teacher flayed
Our Correspondent

Kurukshetra, October 24
The Haryana College Teachers Union has condemned the decision of the Vice-Chancellor of Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Col B.S. Suhag (retd), to expel Dr Himmat Singh Ratnu, general secretary, Maharshi Dayanand University Teachers’ Association, from the Academic Council and to suspend him from service.

Stating this in a signed statement released to mediapersons here today, union general secretary Pawan Sharma said the decision was “undemocratic and illegal”.

8 kg of opium seized
Our Correspondent

Ambala, October 24
The police seized eight-and-a-half kilogram of opium and 14 kg of poppy husk in two separate raids here yesterday.

According to information, the police seized the opium from a vehicle at Arya Chowk in the city this evening. The police arrested three persons — Man Singh of Ismailpur, Harish Kumar and Sant Kumar of Mullanpur, Ropar, in this regard.

In another incident the police nabbed Gurnam Singh near bus stand at the Cantonment and seized poppy husk from his possession. The police registered two separate cases under NDPS Act in this regard.