Panipat, November 25
While in charge of Haryana Congress affairs Janardan Diwedi had to cancel his visit at the eleventh hour to attend Kamera Utsav organised at Gohana in Sonepat district on Wednesday, reportedly under pressure from state Congress chief Bhajan Lal’s faction, he sent his cousin Vinod Chaturvedi as his emissary to see the strength at the rally.

Happy with the turnout, Congress leaders belonging to former state Congress president Choudhury Birender Singh’s faction claimed that Chaturvedi’s visit to the utsav would play a significant role in the forthcoming Assembly elections.

They claimed that Choudhury Birender Singh had emerged as a farmer, labour and a youth leader of the state.

Choudhury Birender Singh has been going all-out to portray himself as a farmer and youth leader. While he presented himself as a youth leader at September 18 Berojgaar rally in Rohtak held under the banner of the Haryana Yuva Berojgaar Sanghthan, he portrayed himself as a farmer and labour leader at the Wednesday Kamera Utsav organised under the aegis of the Deen Bandhu Chhotu Ram Vichar Manch.

In spite of Choudhury’s claims that Congress had nothing to do with the Berojgaar rally and Kamera Utsav, it was an open secret that his faction had made every possible effort to draw crowds to these rallies.

Most of the speakers at the functions not only lashed out at Chautala-led Indian INLD government for its alleged anti-farmer and anti-youth policies but also presented Choudhury Birender Singh as the future Chief Minister.

Speaking at the Kamera Utsav, Choudhury Birender Singh, grandson of Sir Chhotu Ram, also criticised some of his party colleagues without naming anyone for not participating in the rally organised to pay homage to his father.

Also, the presence of Union Minister Subodh Kant Sahai, state chief of the BKU Khasiram Nain, and Arya Samaj leader Swami Agnivesh at the utsav went in Choudhury Birender Singh’s favour.

However, infighting in the Congress again came to the fore as no leader belonging to Bhajan Lal and former state president Bhupender Singh Hooda’s factions was present.

Choudhury Birender Singh has his own excuse on that. According to him the utsav was not a Congress function as it was organised by a non-political organisation.

Chandigarh, November 25
The Haryana Cabinet, which met here today under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, gave a number of concessions to colonisers and builders.

Despite recent controversies on the proposed DLF-sponsored cyber city in Gurgaon, the Cabinet today granted licence to the big builder for an additional 2.44 acre, which would become an integral part of the cyber city project in Gurgaon. Recently, the government had denotified about 19 acres of the Nathupur panchayat, which it had earlier acquired for the DLF. The land was denotified when the Youth Congress president, Mr Randeep Surjewala, and a Congress MLA, Mr Karan Singh Dalal, brought the issue to the notice of the Governor. The panchayat land was also acquired for the cyber city project.

The Cabinet also decided to provide an option to the colonisers for availing Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of either 150 per cent or 175 per cent in commercial colonies and in the 4 per cent commercial component of the licenced residential colonies. At present 175 per cent FAR was allowed to the colonisers.

An official spokesman said it was observed that the provision of 175 per cent FAR was resulting in intensive use of land and thus generating a lot of traffic, leading to over-crowding and congestion of roads. Therefore, it was decided to give the option to the colonisers.

The Cabinet also fixed the rates of licence fee according to FAR. It would be Rs 2.60 crore per acre up to 150 per cent FAR on the Gurgaon-Mehrauli road and Rs 1.70 crore per acre on the other roads of Gurgaon. It will be Rs 3 crore per acre for FAR of 175 per cent on the Gurgaon-Mehrauli road, while on the other roads the fee would be Rs 2 crore per acre.

The Finance Minister, Prof Sampat Singh, also found a dent in his authority after the Cabinet meeting. The state-level Sports Persons Selection Committee, which was earlier headed by Prof Sampat Singh, would now be under the chairmanship of the Commissioner and Secretary, Sports Department, to provide “uniformity and transparency” in the recruitment of players for various teams being raised by various boards, corporations and departments.

The spokesman said the change was made because it was not possible for the Minister to hold a large number of meetings of the committee.

The Cabinet cleared the creation of the post of Electricity Ombudsman in the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC) to redress the grievances of consumers.

It also approved a proposal to make a new subdivison of Barara in Ambala district. The new subdivision would have 38 villages, with a population of over 2.18 lakh. It would have two sub-tehsils of Mulana and Saha and two blocks of Barara and Saha.

The Cabinet also approved an amendment to Rule 4.3(a) of the Punjab Civil Services Rules, Volume-II, on the pattern of the Union Government regarding charging of interest on the gratuity received by those ex-servicemen civilian employees who opted for counting of their service for the purpose of pension while doing civil service. It also approved the guidelines for implementing the revised unemployment allowance scheme. The allowance for November would be disbursed on December 1 through revenue officials on the pattern of the old-age pension. The Employment Department would give honorarium of Rs 200 per month to tehsildars and naib-tehsildars and Rs 150 per month to Kanungos for disbursing the allowance. In case of patwaris and gram sachivs, it would be Rs 100 per month, while a chowkidar would get Rs 50 per month.

Kapal Mochan, November 25
Five pilgrims were taken ill after they consumed “parsad” distributed by some unidentified persons at the Kapal Mochan mela since last evening. The condition of two of the pilgrims was stated to be serious and they were shifted to the Civil Hospital, Jagadhri.

There are reports that about 50 pilgrims were also taken ill after they consumed water from the temporarily set-up handpumps at the mela venue.

It is to be mentioned here that several handpumps have been installed at the mela site with a warning signboards of “not fit for drinking”.

Meanwhile, the number of visitors to the mela, as per the district administration, touched the figure of six lakh today.

Sources said Jagir Singh, of Alampur, Ujjagar Singh, of Fatehgarh Sahib, Prem Singh, of Ludhiana city and two other persons (names not known) fell ill after they consumed “parsad”. Ujjagar Singh and Jagir Singh were later rushed to the Civil Hospital, while the others were being treated at the base hospital set up at the mela site.

Despite the claims of the district administration that a strict vigil was being kept on the stalls selling eatables, vendors were spotted selling items using spurious oil and colours.

Jhajjar, November 25
A septuagenarian couple was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Nogaon village, here, last night.

The police said Kanwal Singh (70) and his wife Pathari Devi were found dead in their house this morning with bullet marks in their heads.

The couple was residing outside the village, for the past 15 years. One Zail Singh of the same village spotted the bodies.

The police party led by DSP Teeka Ram reached the spot and sent the bodies for post-mortem examination at the civil hospital.

The police said a photograph of an unidentified person was found lying near the bodies. It carried a message saying the son of the couple had killed his brother so he would eliminate their entire family to take revenge.

The writer put his signature below the line as Ravinder Kabulpuria.

The police said Bhim Singh, a son of the deceased couple, had reportedly killed Krishan, alias, Kala, a resident of Kabulpur, about one-and-a-half-years ago and he was presently in the judicial custody.

The police suspects it as a case of revenge killing as there was no sign of robbery.

Ambala, November 25
The Sudarshan Kumar Bansal declamation contest, the Chaman memorial poetry recitation contest and the Deepak Gupta memorial poster-making competition were held at MDSD Girls College, Ambala City, yesterday. Mr Om Prakash Aggarwal, a noted industrialist, was the chief guest.

In the declamation contest, the trophy was won by Dev Samaj College, Ambala City. Sumit of DAV College, Ambala City, was first while the second prize was shared by Sanjay of SD Sanskrit College, Ambala City, and Shivani of MDSD Girls College, Ambala City, the third prize was shared by Sunny Goel of Government College, Chandigarh and Rajni Sethi of Mahraja Agrasain College, Jagadhari. Consolation prizes were given to Priyanka of Arya Girls College, Ambala Cantt, Arvind Singh of SD College, Ambala Cantt and Pooja Garg of Arya College, Panipat.

In poetry recitation in Sanskrit, the trophy was won by DAV College, Yamunanagar. Luxmi of DAV College, Yamunanagar, was first, while the second prize was shared by Sheeshpal of SD College, Ambala Cantt, and Girish of Government College, Karnal. Third prize was shared by Anupama of Hindu Girls College, Sonepat, and Chetan of SD College, Ambala Cantt. The consolation prize was given to Rumit of MDSD Girls College, Ambala City.

In the fine arts competition, the trophy was won by Hindu Girls College, Sonepat. In poster making, Paramjit of SD College Panipat was first, Balbir Singh of Government PG College, Karnal, was second and Vipin of MLN College, Yamunanagar, was third.

In the collage making competition, Sonika of Hindu Girls College, Sonepat, was first, Charu of Arya Girls College, Ambala Cantt, was second while Mohit of RKSD College, Kaithal, was third.

Among others, Dr Kiran Angra, Mr Chander Trikha, Mr Prem Nath Gupta, Mr Gian Chand Aggarwal, Mr Adarsh Kumar, Mr Mangat Ram, Mr Ashu Aggarwal and Mr Sachin were present.

Hisar, November 25
The 88 Armoured Regiment celebrated its 25th Raising Day at Hisar cantonment. The regiment was raised in September, 1979, in Ahmednagar by the first Commandant, Brig Iesh Rikhy (retd).

A special “sainik sammelan” was organised to mark the occasion. Brigadier Rikhy, and Lieut-Gen G.D. Singh, General Officer Commanding, 2 Corps, were among those present on the occasion.