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Education Dept to regain control of primary schools
Shortage of teachers plagues rural schools
Harassed by cops, youth ends life
Bt cotton seed fails to enthuse Haryana farmers
Rural areas to have better health facilities
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PGIMS to be telemedicine hub of Haryana
Murder-dacoity case cracked
NFL to reconsider decision on KV’s closure
Sarpanch fears threat to life, seeks protection
Evasion of market fee by arhtiyas
Govt officials told to stay away from canvassing
Tribune
ImpAct
WHO experts review TB control measures
2 cops suspended for taking bribe
One held for issuing threats
Six arrested with fake and porn CDs
Mother’s Day celebrated
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Education Dept to regain control of primary schools
Chandigarh, May 6 Stating this here today, the Education Minister, Mr Phool Chand Mullana, said the previous state government led by Mr Om Prakash Chautala had issued a notification in March, 2001, through which the control of the primary schools was transferred to the panchayati raj institutions and urban local bodies. This, he said, was a decision taken without much thought and had hit the education system. It had also given rise to many administrative and legal problems. He said that as a result of this wrong decision, two cadres of teachers had been created. Besides, teachers were not getting their pay in time and were resorting to protests. While the teachers of the panchayati raj institutions were being paid Rs 5,000 per month in the first year and Rs 6,000 per month in the second, the government teachers were getting a running scale of Rs 4500-7000. He said primary education was the basis of the education system, but as a result of the wrong decision of the previous government, this foundation had become weak. He said the present government had constituted a committee comprising the Directors of the Primary Education, Urban Development and Panchayat Departments to consider the whole issue and submit its recommendations to the government. The committee recommended that it would be better if the functional control of the educational institutions was reverted to the Education Department. Keeping in view the recommendations, it was decided to withdraw the 2001 notification. |
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Shortage of teachers plagues rural schools
Kaithal, May 6 Some of these schools were upgraded by the previous government and sanction was granted to fill vacancies, but posts remain vacant till date and the upgrading remains on papers only. Obviously, students continue to suffer. In some cases, teachers from other schools have been deputed at these schools, but it has hardly improved the situation. Some schools have been functioning without headmasters for a long time. According to information, 13 schools were upgraded from primary to middle level last year and posts of SS master, science master and others were sanctioned, but these have not been filled till date. Though some adjustments of staff have reportedly been made from neighbouring schools, it has failed to achieve the desired results. The government schools at Bandrana, Brahmniwala, Kailram, Kheri Matarwa, Kole Khan, Kheri Sikander, Padla, Rohera, Sajuma, Sherda, Sangat Pura and Salimpur Madood fall in this category. Similarly there are 17 high schools in different villages in the Kaithal SDEO’s jurisdiction where posts of PTIs have not been sanctioned which is a mandatory requirement for high schools. Government Girls’ High School, Bhana, Chandana, Dussain, Hazwana, Jajan Pur, Kasan, Kheri Simbal Wali, Kharak Pandva, Khanouda. Manas Mundri, Peoda, Sangroli, Sanghan, Sirta and Tara Garh are still without PTIs. In some schools, the posts of headmaster and other teachers have been lying vacant. At Kheri Simblewali Government High School, the post of headmaster has been lying vacant since long and posts of SS master and maths teachers remain yet to be filled. At Government High School, Kamalpura, which has a strength of 250 students, the post of headmaster has been lying vacant since long and the post of mathematics, and science masters have also been lying vacant . At Government High School, Munnerheri, two posts each SS and maths masters are sanctioned, but only one teacher of each subject is posted there. Government High School, Dussain, is without a headmaster since long and one post each of Hindi, maths and SS masters have been lying vacant. At Government Girls’ High School, Chhot, two posts of SS master and one post of science master have been lying vacant. Sirsal Government High School is without a headmaster and one post each of SS and maths masters are vacant. The posts of SS, science and maths masters have been lying vacant at Government High School, Taragarh. At Sajuma High School, the posts of science and maths teachers are vacant. Senior Secondary School, Kailram, which has been recently upgraded from a high school, remains without a headmaster for a long time. Similarly, high school at Badsikri is without a headmaster. The posts of two SS teachers and a Hindi master are vacant at Balu village high school. According to reports, four other schools that were upgraded from middle to high school level in 2000-2001 are without maths and Hindi teachers. |
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Harassed by cops, youth ends life
Karnal, May 6 Kanta Devi, mother of the deceased, identified as Rakesh Kumar, alias Sonu, resident of Karan Vihar, while talking to The Tribune in the Civil Hospital, alleged her son was being harassed by the police every now and then for the past four years whenever some case of theft or robbery was reported in the area. “On April 30, he was picked up from home by a police team from the Civil Lines police station. Later, he was handed over to the special crime branch of Sector 7 where he was brutally tortured and mentally harassed”, she alleged. The woman said their relative Kailash Rani, a resident of Vazir Chand Colony, approached former Union Minister of State for Home Affairs I.D. Swami who managed to get her son released through Sitar Singh, SHO of the Civil Lines police station, on May 2, 2005. Since then, he was so depressed that he often talked about ending his life. He used to say it was better to die rather than face police atrocities every now and then, said the aggrieved lady. Adding that Rakesh came home after consuming liquor on Thursday evening, she said her son later took some poisonous substance. He was immediately rushed to the Civil Hospital in a serious condition. In the hospital, Rakesh asked the medical officers attending on him to call the police to record his statement but no one turnedup to record his statement for about 100 minutes. Finally, he died in the hospital while the treatment was still going on. She said before he breathed his last her son was crying for the police so that he could expose them by giving his dying statement that he was forced to commit suicide. She further alleged her child was not involved in any criminal activity as it was quite evident from the fact that he was acquitted in all seven cases of theft and robbery registered against him by the court. For the past few days, the police had been trying to implicate her son and three other youths in another case of theft, she said. Investigations made by The Tribune revealed the special crime branch of the local police also picked up his three friends, Gurpreet and Manori Khan, both residents of Ashok Nagar, and Raju, resident of Balmiki Basti. However, they were all released from illegal detention after three days. When contacted, Avtar Singh, father of Gurpreet, talked of police atrocities and revealed that he had already sold his shop and was likely to selloff his house to leave the state. “I want to live a peaceful life and not face police harassment every now and then”, he cried. He feared that the police may force his son also to commit suicide if he continued to live here. |
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Bt cotton seed fails to enthuse Haryana farmers
Panchkula, May 6 Cotton is one of the most important cash crops in Haryana, and till a few years ago was regarded as white gold because of the high returns it brought to farmers. The cotton belt of the state comprising districts of Sirsa, Hisar, Fatehabad, Bhiwani, Jind, Jhajjar, Rohtak and parts of Mahendragarh and Rewari had been severely hit by attacks of American bollworm on the cotton crop and the area under the cotton crop reduced drastically. Thus, the advent of Bt cotton hybrid was seen as a boon for farmers. Even before the commercial cultivation of cotton was allowed, farmers had been illegally buying this hybrid seed from Maharashtra and sowing it in their fields. This year, though cotton sowing in Haryana began from April 1, permission for the commercial cultivation of Bt cotton seed from the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee, Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, came only on April 15. The sale of this hybrid seed, which is tolerant to attack by American bollworm, the most damaging pest to cotton, was available in the market only around April 20. By this time, the farmers had already sown ‘desi’ cotton seeds in their fields, and sowing for other hybrid varieties of cotton had started. Bt cotton is much more expensive than the other hybrids available in the market. The cost of cultivating Bt cotton hybrid per acre of land is around Rs 1,750. As compared to this, the cost of cultivation of ‘desi’ cotton per acre is Rs 100 and of other hybrids Rs 1,000 per acre. While 1.2 kg to 1.5 kg of hybrid cotton seed is required per acre, only 450 gm of Bt cotton seed along with 120 gm of normal hybrids seed (without the Bt injection to act as refuge belt around the Bt cotton) is required. Inclement weather conditions in April, with squall and rains hitting most areas in the cotton belt of the state, has also been responsible for the lack of interest in Bt cotton. Cotton seed on hundreds of hectares of land under cotton cultivation had to be re -sown after rains damaged the already sown fields. In Jind alone, sowing had to be redone on 500 acres of land under the cotton crop. Officials in the Agriculture Department say only a small quantity of seeds were supplied to the state. Other than the private dealers, government agencies like the Haryana Land Reclamation Development Corporation, Haryana Seeds Development Corporation and Hafed, were notified for their sale. However, only 1.25 lakh packets of the hybrids were supplied, of which 25 per cent were allocated to the government agencies for sale. Of the 6. 50 lakh hectares of area expected under cotton cultivation, Bt cotton seed is available for just 1. 25 lakh hectares. The Director, Agriculture, Mr Dhanpat Singh, said initially they were expecting a good response for Bt cotton. “We had directed the field staff to be extra vigilant for any hoarding or black marketing of this hybrid. But in many districts, the hybrid seed has not been sold. In Jind, where 16,000 hectares is under cotton cultivation, only 3,200 hectares is under Bt cotton. The fact that there has been almost no American bollworm attack on cotton in the state during the past two years, leading to good crop production, has also affected the sale of Bt cotton,” he says. |
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Rural areas to have better health facilities
Ambala, May 6 She said it was the duty of the government to provide health facilities to everyone. Kumari Selja said on the direction of Congress President Sonia Gandhi, special stress was being laid on health facilities for the poor and downtrodden. She said most diseases spread due to the lack of knowledge and hygiene and the health melas will help in generating awareness. She said besides health facilities, efforts would be made for the overall development of Ambala parliamentary constituency. The Haryana Health Minister, Ms Kartar Devi, said the state government was working hard to fulfil the dreams of Rajiv Gandhi for a healthy society. She said the rural health mission has begun in Haryana in Ambala. She said on the advice of Kumari Selja, the primary health centres at Chaurmastpur and Mullana would be turned into model health centres. She strongly condemned female foeticide and said it had adversely affected sex ratio in the state. She said the state government had prepared a programme to stop female foeticide and a sum of Rs 500 would be given to the couples having two girls. Ms Kartar Devi said necessary budget for the programme would be made available and it will be implemented soon. |
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PGIMS to be telemedicine hub of Haryana
Rohtak, May 6 The PGIMS Director, Mr N.C. Wadhwa, and the Principal Secretary (Health), Ms Urvashi Gulati, met the PGI Director, Dr K.K. Talwar, recently to finalise the details. According to sources, both the institutes are using the same software for connectivity. It has been developed by
C-DAC, a public sector undertaking of the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology Infrastructure. The first trial will be conducted on May 11 to check connectivity. The same day a two-way data transmission will begin on store-and-forward basis. Once this process is checked for smooth functioning, transmission of clinical meetings from the PGI will begin in July. The sources said the Panchkula and Ambala civil hospitals would be connected to the PGI, while the PGIMS will act as a hub for the telemedicine facility in Haryana. The PGIMS has already sought the assistance of
C-DAC’s Mohali office for technical support. The authorities have approached the ISRO for providing VSAT dishes and outdoor broadcasting vans to provide the facility to the remote corners of the state. Talking to The Tribune today, Mr Wadhwa said the facility would bring speciality healthcare to the people’s doorstep. The services of super specialists in different fields would be available through the system round the clock on completion of the project. He said the scheme was being implemented in phases to ensure flawless functioning once it got going. Before being operational it was necessary to ensure that there were no glitches during tele
conferencing as interruptions in the conferencing process could prove costly. Mr Wadhwa said once operational the system would also be used for tele-education as doctors in the two institutes would be able to watch lectures being delivered by specialists. Gradually the scope of the facility would cover more areas of cooperation. |
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Murder-dacoity case cracked
Rewari, May 6 The three gangsters were arrested from a hideout near Khatavali village, about 15 km from here, following a raid conducted on a tip-off by the Dharuhera police last evening. They were reportedly planning to commit a robbery. The police also seized a pistol, five live cartridges and a sword from their possession. However, their fourth accomplice, Sanjay, escaped. Dr C.S. Rao, SP, told newspersons here today that during interrogation gangster Ashok Sharma confessed that he, along with his three accomplices, had shot dead and then looted Rs 3.15 lakh from an employee of a petrol station near Bilaspur town on March 7, 2005. Besides Ashok Sharma, the two other gangsters also confessed to their involvement in several other cases of looting as well as stealing of motor cycles and buffaloes. The police today produced the three gangsters, along with another gangster Raju Sharma (whose police remand expired today), in a local court where the Gurgaon police moved an application to secure the custody of Ashok Sharma and Raju Sharma as they were wanted by it in the murder and dacoity case. The court ordered them to be handed over to the Gurgaon police. Sandeep and Rakesh Sharma were remanded in judicial custody. |
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NFL to reconsider decision on KV’s closure
Panipat, May 6 He said the matter would be reconsidered in the NFL board’s meeting to be held in New Delhi on May 11. It would be decided in the meeting whether KV’s closure should be upheld or the decision be reversed. The NFL Employees Union held a gate meeting in front of the NFL unit in the evening to put pressure on the management to reverse it decision. Addressing the participants, the president of the union, Mr Harpal Singh, reiterated that they would spare no effort to force the management to reverse its decision. Meanwhile, KV remained closed for the fourth consecutive day. Most of the staff posted there has been reportedly shifted to other branches of KV situated in different parts of the country. At the same time, the KV authorities have been trying to handover the students’ transfer certificates to enable their admission to other schools, since its closure on May 2. However, Mr Harpal Singh asked parents of the students not to receive TCs from the school staff as it might weaken their struggle to reopen the KV. It may be recalled that The Tribune had carried a story regarding the decision of the NFL to close down the school being run by the KV Sangthan for the past 25 years. The KV was opened in 1980 and the sangthan provided the staff. The NFL had written to the sangthan in January this year to close the school expressing its inability to bear the expenditure required for running the school. The sangthan accepted its request and subsequently the Principal of the school, Mr B.K. Bahuguna, told the students verbally on May 2 not to come to the school from the forthcoming day. The NFL was reportedly spending around Rs 80 lakh annually on the school in the recent years. |
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Sarpanch fears threat to life, seeks protection
Bhiwani, May 6 The sarpanch has sought legal action against four persons of the village. Those who submitted memorandum were sarpanch Randhir Singh, Hari Singh, nambardar, Panch Roop Chand, Vijay, Dhanpati, Gita, ex-sarpanch Jogender, Surajbhan, Dhare Singh. The sarpanch alleged in his memorandum that during counting of votes on April 3, supporters of his opponent Dharmbir had fired at his brother Jai Bhagwan who had a narrow escape. The DSP Charkhi Dadri had visited the place soon after the incident, but no action had sofar been taken against the accused. According to the complainant, Rohtash, Dharmbir, Satbir and Prabhati Lal entered his house on April 4 and beat him up. They wanted his signature on a piece of paper on which it was written. “I’m resigning from the post of sarpanch on my own,” he alleged, adding that they threatened him with dire consequences. |
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Evasion of market fee by arhtiyas
Sonepat, May 6 It is alleged that such arhtyas never present their account books and the officials feel helpless to probe the public complaints against them. A scandal concerning the non-recovery of the market fee from several wholesale traders of Sonepat vegetable and fruit market has also come to light. It is reported that the fee amounting to thousands of rupees is outstanding against some arhtyas who had allegedly connived with certain officials of the committee. Almost all the arhtyas have constructed sheds outside their shops illegally in connivance with officials of the Market Committee. In this way, they have been duping the committee by charging rent from the retailers and rehriwalas. The amount charged by the arhtyas is shared with officials of the Market Committee in the absence of any checking by the authorities of the district administration as well as the Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board. |
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Govt officials told to stay away from canvassing
Hisar, May 6 The Deputy Commissioner has directed all government officials to follow the Model Code of Conduct laid down by the Central Election Commission. He told them to remain unbiased and stay away from the electoral campaign. Mr Gupta warned that if any government employee was found indulging in active politics or became the polling agent or counting agent of any candidate, he or she could be fined or sentenced to three months’ imprisonment. Mr Gupta maintained that as per the directions issued by the Central Election Commission, putting posters, banners, flags or slogans on public or private property without due permission of the landlord was an illegal and punishable offence. |
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Tribune
ImpAct Tribune News Service
Sirsa, May 6 Reacting to a news item which appeared in The Tribune on Thursday, the team reached the bank in the morning and questioned the bank authorities regarding allegations of collection of blood beyond their jurisdiction for the past eight years. After the inspection, Mr L. C. Mittal, SDI, and Mr Nripan Goyal, DDI, said a detailed report would be prepared and send to Mr R. M. Sharma, District Drug Controller. Sources said according to rules the licence of the blood bank could be suspended or even cancelled due to the “suspicious’” functioning of the bank in collecting blood in an unauthorised manner. The Tribune had highlighted that Shiv Shakti Blood Bank was indulging in the corrupt practice of holding blood donation camps in the colleges, villages and other places in the market. As reported in The Tribune, the bank officials admitted the fact they had organised several such camps even after a notice was served on them in October 2004, said the inspecting team. The bank had collected 39 units on April 6 from a camp at Lord Shiva Pharmacy College and around 150 units from the Kalanwali area in the district. With an aim to tackle the market forces indulging in the illegal activity of collecting blood, an official said the strict action should be taken against the management running the bank. “This is a serious issue and demands strict action as the people behind this are well-qualified doctors and well-aware of the law regarding the collection and use of blood,’’ remarked the official. Highly placed sources in the state Health Department said the blood bank should be dealt with strictly after the wrongdoings that had come to light. Accusing the bank of playing with the sanctity of life-saving blood, the officials said such private banks should be blacklisted.
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WHO experts review TB control measures
Panchkula, May 6 The meeting was held here under the supervision of the Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary, Health, Ms Urvashi Gulati. Dr Fraser Wares, a TB expert from the World Health Organisation (WHO), also attended this meeting. Dr Wares was all praise for the Health Department, Haryana, for launching the programme in the shortest possible time. While appreciating the quality of training imparted to the staff employed in the programme, he advised the district TB officers to maintain the quality of sputum examination. Dr Wares stressed that the aim of the programme is to cut the chain of transmission, hence priority should be given to identify sputum positive pulmonary cases. The state TB Officer, Dr Vijay Garg, said about 34,000 patients in Haryana were undergoing treatment for TB and about 350 private agencies were working in this programme. Among others present on the occasion were the Director General, Health Services, Haryana, Dr Sushma Madan, the WHO consultant from Jharkhand, Dr Pankaj Mishra, and WHO medical consultants for Haryana. |
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2 cops suspended for taking bribe
Karnal, May 6 A departmental inquiry against the suspended constables, Rajiv (belt No. 1252) and Paramjit (belt No. 1254), has also been initiated. The DSP, Mr Ram Swaroop Godara, has been asked to conduct the inquiry. It may be mentioned that the DSP (City), Mr Om Prakash, has conducted a preliminary inquiry into the allegations against the said policemen before recommending their suspension to the SP. Earlier, the SP had also suspended Nissing police station SHO Om Prakash and Assistant Sub-Inspector Bhim Singh posted at the Indri police station on Tuesday for allegedly taking bribe. |
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One held for issuing threats
Panipat, May 6 According to a police spokesman, the accused had been issuing threats to eliminate Mr Goel if he did not hand over the possession of the land to Dhanpat Rai. An FIR was registered against the accused under various Sections of the IPC and the Arms Act at Panipat on March 18. The police spokesman said that Lakhani Mal had taken the land on lease in 1946 for 99 years and his heir Parveen Goel was running the factory. As the price of the land had gone up Dhanpat Rai tried to take its illegal possession and Maha Singh issued threats to Mr Goel on his behalf. |
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Six arrested with fake and porn CDs
Panipat, May 6 According to a police spokesman, the police raided several shops on a tip-off. The arrested persons are Anil of Malik Video at Sabzi Mandi, Rajiv Mohan of Rajiv Music Palace situated in Model Town, Sandeep Kumar of Sandeep Watch Company at Wadhawa Colony, Deepak of Rani Mahal, Krishan of Ward 11 and Gaurav of Model Town, he added. |
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Mother’s Day celebrated
Ambala , May 6 Principal Dr Vikas Kohli addressing the students on this occasion said that a mother played significant role in the development of a child. He said that she faces every inconvenience for her children. He asked the students to pay regards and love to their parents. On this occasion an essay competition on the greatness of mother was also organised in which Priyanka Sharma, Twinkal Khanna and Kulkin were declared 1st, 2nd and 3rd respectively in junior group. In senior group Navneet stood first while Kritkia and Ankit got second positions respectively. |
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