Chandigarh, September 1
Captain Ajay Singh Yadav, leader of the Congress Legislature Party(CLP) in Haryana, today accused the Om Prakash Chautala-led Haryana Government of selling prime property in Mumbai at much below the market price.

Addressing a press conference here, Capt Yadav alleged that the state government had sometime back sold the Black Partridge Emporioum premises (belonging to Haryana Tourism) located in the Juhu area of Mumbai. The Congress leader alleged that the land was sold to a person close to the Chautala family for Rs 80 crore even though the market price of the land would be around Rs 500 crore. Capt Yadav alleged that the state government had set up a committee under an officer to give the farcical transaction the stamp of official approval.

Capt Yadav also alleged that the trust, set up by Mr Chautala in the name of his father, the late Mr Devi Lal, had illegally grabbed 3.5 acres of land in the plush Vasant Kunj area in New Delhi. He said the land had been allotted to the trust for setting up an agricultural research institute. The Devi Lal Trust, however, had no experience in the field of agricultural research, Captain Yadav pointed out. He then claimed that the land was allotted to the Devi Lal Trust by the Lt Governor of Delhi, Mr Vijay Kapoor. " Mr Chautala returned the favour by allotting a plot at Gurgaon to Mr Kapoor's son", the Congress leader said.

He also demanded that a probe must be carried out to find out why the proposed signing of MoA (memorandum of agreement) between the Haryana Government and a Malaysian consortium for constructing an expressway in Haryana was called off suddenly.

Capt Yadav also deplored the Haryana Government for the drive launched by it to recruit people for police and other government departments. He claimed the drive had been launched in view of the approaching Assembly elections in the state.

On Mr Chautala's proposal to call an Assembly session to discuss the issue of SYL, Capt Yadav said the Chief Minister was in a hurry to call the Assembly session so that the proposed Bill on holding panchyat elections before schedule could be presented before the House.

Jhajjar, September 1
About 1,000 quintal of wheat meant for distribution among the below poverty line (BPL) families under the Antodaya Anna Yojna and the Grain-For-Work Programme has rotten in godowns of the Food and Supply Department in Bahadurgarh. The grain was procured by the department 2002 and was stocked in the open space filled in the gunny bags at its office near the grain market in Bahadurgarh.

According to information, about 100 tonnes of wheat stacked in about 19,700 bags (50 kg per bag) were piled in the open since the past three years. The sources said that the grain was to be distributed among poor section of society through Confed-run ration depots under the Antodaya Yojna for the BPL and grain-for-work scheme in the village.

Entire stock has been rendered inconsumable even for the cattle and birds as the grain has turned blackish and engender stinking smell. The officials of the Food and Supply Department reportedly woke up to the putrid grain today and started refilling the bags. They said stockpiles were covered with the tarpaulin to protect from the rains about three years ago, but the covers were splintered by monkeys and rats.

Mr J.B. Punia, District Food and Supply Commissioner, Jhajjar, confirmed that the wheat was to supply in the Confed ration depots for distribution among BPL families under various schemes. He said sometimes the grain decayed on account of its long duration of stock in the godowns and due to drenching in the rainwater. But they got the consumable grain separated from the putrid one though sieving process. However, he could not recollect what quantity of wheat was procured and how much grain has rotten.

Panchkula, September 1
The compilation of availability of amenities and assets in Haryana by the Department of Census Operations is a telling tale of the poor status of women in the state.

From the alarming decline in sex ratio (including child sex ratio) to the difficulties faced by the women with regard to fetching water, from their economic dependence to their poor literacy rate— the women in one of the richest states of the country continue to be rated worse than animals . With child sex ratio declining by almost 60 per 1000 male children — thanks to the prevalence of sex determination and sex selection techniques, and female foeticide— the men in the state are "buying women" from poverty- stricken homes in Assam, Bihar, West Bengal and Orissa.

In a state where a buffalo is available for Rs 10,000 - 40,000, a woman being bought for Rs 4,000 to Rs 6,000.

Interestingly, the child sex ratio (0-6 years) in urban areas is declining fast as compared to the ratio in the rural areas. As compared to the child sex ratio of 808 girls per 1000 boys in urban areas, the ratio in rural areas is 823 per 1000.

A book on amenities of Haryana was published and released recently. Though the data shows a jump in the female literacy levels - from 40. 47 percent in 1991 to 55.73 percent in 2001, the economic independence of women (their work position) has hardly seen an upward trend. Interestingly, while 33. 91 per cent of the women in the rural areas are gainfully employed, the employment level in the urban areas of the state is just 10. 55 per cent. The male female gap in literacy is 26.1 per cent in rural areas and 14. 49 per cent in urban areas.

Though the state has made vast strides in the field of industrialisation, the women in the state still have to walk long distances to fetch water for their household chores. Tap water is available to only 48.1 per cent of households in the city (a mere 37.8 per cent household in rural areas), and 55.5 per cent of women have to go out of their house to fetch water.

The unavailability of toilets in most parts of the state means that women still have to wait for dawn/ dusk time to relieve themselves in the open. Almost 55.5 per cent of households in the state have no toilets, including 71. 34 per cent of houses in rural areas, and thus urinary tract infections are common. The fact that 65.4 per cent women still use firewood, crop residue, cow dung cake and coal as fuel in the kitchen reveals why respiratory tract infections among women are common.

Officials in the Census Department say that the data has been an eye- opener on the condition of women in the state, and effective steps have to be taken for their uplift.

Chandigarh, September 1
The Haryana School Education Board has decided to honour teachers and police personnel for doing laudable work in curbing copying during the supplementary examinations conducted by the board during the current year.

A spokesman of the board said that there had been appreciable decrease in the copying cases during the supplementary examinations conducted by the board this year. During the supplementary examinations, as many as 696 students were caught while copying. These included 20 of middle standard, 237 of matric and 439 of senior secondary classes.

He said 696 students caught while copying during the supplementary examination would be given a personal hearing in Bhiwani on September 8 and 9. As many as 1593 police personnel, teachers and administrative officers were honoured for their outstanding work in curbing copying during the annual examination-2004.

KAITHAL: The unsafe office building of the local Municipal Council (MC) poses risk not only to the lives of its officials and employees working here, but also to the public visiting the place in connection with their official work daily. Surprisingly, the building which had been repaired a number of times during the past years is presently in a very bad shape and this office needs to be shifted to some other place. Cracks have developed in the walls of some rooms and even the RBC lintel has left its place.

The roofs of some rooms leak during the rainy season. Some employees working in the tax branch, talking to this reporter said the roof of their room could collapse any time. Pieces of the lintel had fallen in the recent past. “Thank God, there was no injury to any one,” they said and wanted that the building should be vacated at the earliest.

This building has become too congested as its small courtyard does not have enough space to be used as a parking place for the vehicles of the employees and the visitors. At times the tractors and other machinery of the council and confiscated goods lifted by the municipal staff are kept in this courtyard which further leaves no space for any movement. A spacious hall meant for meetings is being used for dumping old broken furniture and other waste material and even fused tubelights.

Interestingly, the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, had laid the foundation stone of a new building at the place where earlier the District Courts were situated, but no construction work has been started yet.

When contacted the council Chairman, Mr Kamal Choudhry, said the construction of the new building would be started soon. But keeping in view the bad condition of the existing council building, its office may be shifted to the old Improvement Trust Building.

According to information, the council office will be situated on the first floor of the new building and the ground floor will be used for a shopping complex. How the old and the disabled coming to this office will climb the stairs or the ramps is agitating the mind of many people.

Sirsa, September 1
Ignoring all norms of fire safety, the district administration has allowed different departments to shift to the new mini secretariat building. Situated on the busy Barnala road, the new building could prove to be a high-risk building in the absence of any fire-fighting and safety measures.

Investigations made by The Tribune revealed that though the authorities were aware of the risk, they expressed their inability to take any action in this regard. Constructed by the Public Works Department (PWD), the building has over 100 rooms on the four-storeyed premises, which will accommodate the offices of the DC, the ADC, the SDM and the CTM besides other district officials.

Sources in the administration pointed out various flaws in the building that could not be rectified now. Though there is a provision for three elevators and staircases, there is no ramp, especially for physically challenged visitors to the building, says an insider. A ramp could also be used as an emergency exit in case of a fire, the sources said.

Officials in the administration admit that the building should have not been used until it was fit to be used. “After the Kumbakonam school fire tragedy, the administration should set an example for adopting fire safety measures in the public offices,” comments a senior official.

Being the home district of the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, the officials say that certain officials having proximity to the ruling government used their influence to get their offices shifted to spacious rooms. On the one hand, it threatens the lives of the visitors to the building and public records, on the other, it encourages violators to follow the government’s example in ignoring the fire safety measures, adds another officials.

The Public Health Department has been assigned the job of putting in place the fire-fighting measures but the Executive Engineer, Mr S.C. Ahuja, is still working on these. “Till date our department has not taken up any such job in the district and we do not at all know how to go about it. We are trying to rope in professional in this regard and hope to float tenders within a few months,” says Mr Ahuja.

Yamunanagar, September 1
There is no teacher in Government Primary School, Gaidigosaini village of Mustfabad block for the past 20-days.

There were two teachers at the primary school. Mr Gulab Singh retired on December 31, last year and the other was transferred on August 9.

Only one teacher (an art teacher) has been teaching 250 children of Government Middle School, Mirzapur village, Sadhora, for the past two months. Of the five teachers four have been transferred .

Mr Sishpal Chaudhary, District Education Officer (having additional charge of District Primary Education Officer), said alternative arrangements would be made for the two schools by tomorrow.

It is learnt that the Panchayat of Mirzapur has threatened to lock the village school if adequate teaching staff was not provided immediately.

Sirsa, September 1
Distraught over his in-laws refusal to send his wife along with him, a man allegedly committed suicide in Bhadolianwali village of the district, police sources said today.

The deceased Joginder Singh of Himmatpura village had several problems with his wife Amar Kaur from the past few months following which she was sent to her parents house.

The Himmatpura village panchayat sorted out the matter and advised Joginder Singh to go to his in-laws house to bring back his wife.

On Monday when he went to Bhadolianwali to bring his wife back, his in-laws refused to send Amar Kaur with him. A distraught Joginder Singh then allegedly consumed some pesticide.

He was rushed in a serious condition to the Civil Hospital, Sirsa, where he was declared brought dead.

The police have conducted an autopsy and handed over the body to his family. — PTI

Hisar, September 1
The Narnaund police has registered a case against Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Ghasi Ram Nain on a complaint filed by Ranvir of Thurana village.

The complainant had alleged that the BKU leader, along with his supporters, had beaten him up during a public meeting in Baas village on July 10, 2004.

The police has registered a case under Sections 506, 323 and 124-A of the IPC in this regard.

Ambala, September 1
An effigy of Congress President Sonia Gandhi was burnt by Bharatiya Janata Party activists at Ambala Sadar this evening for taking a "wrong" step against Ms Uma Bharati.

They said the unfurling of the National Flag was a matter of pride for every Indian and the state government had taken a wrong step by filing a case against Ms Uma Bharati.

Among others, former MP Ratan Lal Kataria, district unit president Ravinder Dhawan, Mr M.L. Sarwan, Mrs Veena Chibber and Mr Raj Singh were present.