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CBI remand for manager of dera
Truck unions hold industry to ransom
Pink bollworm attacks Bt cotton
Only harassment, no ration
State Award for 22 teachers
Retired teachers felicitated
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Two members of gang arrested
Shopkeepers block highway
Army team visits college
campus
Power cuts in Sonepat
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CBI remand for manager of dera
Ambala, September 5 The CBI had arrested Kishan Lal a few days back and claimed that he was allegedly involved in the murder of one of the member of a committee running the Dera. The CBI also recovered the weapons used for killing the member Ranjeet Singh in July 2002 The Punjab and Haryana High Court had handed over the inquiry to CBI in this regard. Ranjeet Singh who was one of the member of the committee looking after the functions of dera. The CBI said that Ranjeet was murdered because he did not seek the forgiveness of Baba Gurmeet Singh on an allegation levelled against him. Yesterday, the CBI, probing the alleged sexual exploitation of “sadhvis” in Dera Sacha Sauda in Sirsa. had claimed that a manager of the Dera arrested by it was allegedly involved in the murder of one of the members of a committee running it. The agency, investigating the case on orders of Punjab and Haryana High Court, claimed that Kishan Lal, a “prabandhak” (manager) at the Dera, owned by self-styled godman Maharaj Gurmeet Singh, allegedly had a hand in the murder. The CBI stepped into the case following orders from the High Court which had received an
anonymous complaint alleging widespread sexual abuse of “sadhvis” in the “dera”.
— PTI |
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Truck unions hold industry to ransom
Gurgaon, September 5 According to the popular
opinion, the unions have already emerged as a source of industry-related crime. The gravity of the situation, however, is that their activities threaten to spill over into other
domains of the civil society. With Gurgaon emerging as an industrial hub, a large number of unions have been making their presence felt on account of their high-handed tactics with industrial units. Various industry related organisations have been voicing their concern from various public forums in the past few
years, but to no avail in spite of the decision makers decrying their illegal
activates. There is growing feeling that either the writ of the decision makers do not run, or they adopt the policy of running with the hare and hunting with the hounds, for reasons political. Protests against the illegal activities of the truck unions have been many, but a letter of Congress MP from Kurukshetra, Naveen Jindal, to Haryana’s Minister of Surface Transport, Mr Randeep Singh
Surjewal, written a week back, takes the cake.In a development relating to his own constituency (which can be readily related to developments in Gurgaon and other parts of the state) he has pointed that the government dissolved all truck unions in the state under vide its Memo no. 22/5/96.2T(1), dated January 22.1997. The memo directed that no such union will stop anyone from loading goods in a vehicle of his choice and
further that anyone preventing a person from transporting goods of his choice would be liable to face legal
action. The instructions were reiterated under government memo dated June 28, 2005, he added. Mr Jindal,
purportedly shot the letter in response to a representation to him by a “Pucca Adatia Association”, Pehowa (Kurukshetra) alleging that the truck unions charge double the rates compared with other transporters. The letter further says that the Mandi Transport has requested for government intervention so that there is no breach of law and order and that matter is resolved amicably. He has made out a strong case for stringent penal action against the errant truckers in the face of government’s decision to dissolve such unions. There have been reports from various parts of the state, particularly Gurgaon, where the truck unions do not allow the factory owners to hire trucks other than from them. In case if anyone
does, manhandling of that driver or other problems for the daring units is a certainty. On several occasions there have been violence in Gurgaon. In case the factory owners would persist in using truck from
outside, they have to cough up protection money (an euphemism for extortion) to the respective unions. A few days back in Narsingpur in Gurgaon district the concerned truck union was in head-on
collision with an industrial unit management, a few. The problem with these unions are that they are not registered. Hence, they are not accountable to the units hiring their vehicles for service. Also, as they are not registered they can not be legally entrusted with the
negotiable instruments that is a concomitant to transportation of good required at the time of unloading at the destination.
Also, sometimes they do not have specific lorries or vehicles demanded on account of the nature of goods to be transported. Majority of the times they do not have long distance vehicles. And, the biggest hurdle, according to the
honorary General Secretary of Gurgaon Industrial Association (GIA), Mr
K.C. Papreja, is that they more changes than market rates. In case if they are ignored they resort to violence. Although the truck unions are not
registered, they are formed at the drop of the hat by three or four truckers in where a cluster of industrial units come up. Naturally locals, political leader are behind them. The union members have a musclemen from the area on their
side. It is an open secret that the union members also watch the political
interests, especially of local politicians, by providing money and muscle power during elections. |
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Pink bollworm attacks Bt cotton
Sirsa, September 5 Dr B.M. Khadi, director of the Nagpur-based Institute of Cotton Research, showed his concern over the detection of various worms in Bt cotton in North India. This year, he added, Bt cotton had shown full resistance to American bollworm. According to Dr Khadi, the northern region had shown encouraging results in cotton this year but cautioned to control the dangerous pink bollworm. He said that undertaking one or two sprays could control it provided it was done under the guidance of experts. He said that all agriculture institutions and state government officials concerned had been informed about the same. On the Bt cotton sowing in the region, Dr Khadi said that less than 5 per cent legal Bt cotton was sown in the northern region in about 15 lakh hectares. He termed the high price of Bt cotton as the reason that farmers opted for the illegal seed whose parent seeds are not known. The premier Central government institute is expecting around 55 lakh bales from the region, whereas last year, added Dr Khadi, the all-India cotton yield was a record-breaking 232 lakh bales. On the ethical use of genetically modified variety of Bt cotton, he said research had shown no biological or environmental hazards due to Bt cotton. He said recent reports of negligible use of pesticides were encouraging, adding that companies should slash prices to encourage farmers to buy genuine Bt seeds. He said this year crores of rupees had been saved due to drastic low usage of pesticides and this was due to Bt sowing only. |
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Only harassment, no ration
Sonepat, September 5 According to a report, widespread resentment prevails among the BPL families against the supply of substandard wheat and wheat flour by the owners of fair price shops allegedly in connivance with officials of the Food and Supplies Department. Many members of such families have alleged that all complaints made to the authorities concerned have fallen on deaf ears. Several other consumers have also made complaints about the poor and substandard quality of rationed commodities. It is also being alleged that the owners of the fair price shops never issue proper receipts to the consumers in the absence of any checking. Most of the consumers are deprived of their monthly ration of levy sugar and kerosene as the shops remained closed for most of the day, forcing consumers to visit them frequently. When complaints are made against the depot holders, the intervention of politicians and bureaucrats force the officials of the department not to take action against them. Many consumers even allege that almost all offices of the department have turned into dens of corruption. |
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State Award for 22 teachers
Chandigarh, September 5 The State Award carries Rs 5,000 in cash, two advance increments for five years, extension of two years in service after attaining the age of superannuation, a silver medal, a shawl and a merit certificate. Dr Kidwai said it was because of the emphasis being laid on the promotion of education by the government and efforts of the teachers that today India was known as a nation of doctors and engineers, whereas it used to be considered as a country of only saints and seers earlier. He said when the country became independent, it had only 25 universities. Today, the number of universities had increased to 300. The Education Minister, Mr Phool Chand Mullana, complimented the award winners and said that they should continue to serve society with greater zeal. The Chief Secretary, Mr G. Madhwan, said it had been the tradition of our country to hold teachers in high esteem. The teachers who were honoured were Mr Ram Phool, Principal, Government Senior Secondary School (GSSS), Mandora, Sonepat district; Dr Ram Niwas Sharma, Lecturer in Sanskrit, Government Model Senior Secondary School, Kaithal; Mr. Ranbir Singh, Lecturer Hindi, Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Gohana Mandi, Sonepat district; Mr Gulshan Kumar Sharma, Lecturer, Hindi, GSSS, Yamunanagar; Mr Dharam Dev Gautam, Lecturer, Maths, and Mr Rakesh Kumar Gupta, Drawing Teacher, GSSS, Bherthal, Yamunanagar, Mr Ram Kumar, Head Teacher, Government Primary School (GPS), Badanpur Jind district, Mr Ram Dutt, JBT, Government Girls Primary School, Barsana, Pundri Block, Kaithal; Dr Prakash Sharma, Lecturer, Sanskrit, GSSS, Dudhla Morthala, Kurukshetra district, Mr Pawan Kumar Mittal, Lecturer, Political Science, GSSS, Kaithal; Mr Ram Kumar Garg, Lecturer, Chemistry, Arya Senior Secondary School, Panipat; Mr Rajinder Singh Hooda, Lecturer, Sociology, GSSS, Chiri, Rohtak district, Mr Sansar Chand Malik, Drawing Teacher, Government High School, Karor, Rohtak district; Mr Dhar Singh, Head Teacher, GPS, Ghirawar, Jhajjar district; and Mr Bani Singh, SS Master, GSSS, Butana, Sonepat district. The women teachers honoured were Ms Pushpa Sharma, Principal, GSSS, Barwala, Hisar district; Ms Khazani Devi, PTI, Government Girls Senior Secondary School (GGSSS), Jhojukalan, Bhiwani district; Ms Nirmala Devi, Head Teacher, GPS, Sanwala, Kurukshetra district; Ms Sunita Gupta, Lecturer, English, GGSSS, NIT, Faridabad (her award is provisional); Ms Chander Mukhi, Home Science Mistress, GGSSS, Model Town, Panipat; Ms Om Pati Devi, Hindi Teacher, GGSSS, Panipat; and Ms Suman Lata, PTI, Government High School, Panchi Jatan, Sonepat district. Mr Bani Singh of Government Senior Secondary School, Butana, Sonepat district; was the first recipient of a special award instituted to honour handicapped teachers. He was also adjudged the most efficient disabled employee by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment. The Governor also released a book, “Apne Riti Riwaj”, by Mr Sumer Chand. |
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Retired teachers felicitated
Hisar, September 5 Paying tributes to the former President of India, Dr Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, whose birth anniversary is celebrated as Teachers’ Day, Ms Sharma exhorted the teaching fraternity to steer the nation on the path of development by following his ideals. At the same time, the Vice-Chancellor asked the students to respect their teachers and acquire knowledge and skills from them to achieve success in life. The HAUTA president, Dr M.S.Narwal, observed that it would be a real tribute to Dr Radhakrishnan if the teachers did not consider themselves merely employees but fulfilled their commitment to society. A panel discussion on the concepts and ethics of administration in professional universities was also held on the occasion. Teachers as well as students of the university participated in the discussion. Meanwhile, Teachers’ Day was also celebrated at Government College, DN College and several schools in the city. |
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Two members of gang arrested
Sonepat, September 5 According to police sources, the police has also recovered a 9 mm revolver, three country-made pistols and 11 live cartridges from their possession. The two were identified as Promod, alias Kala, and his associate, Manjeet of Jasaur Kheri village. The two were nabbed by the police when they happened to pass on their motorcycle. Police officials signal led them to stop but they tried to escape. However they were overpowered. The suspects are said to be involved in cases of murder, loot and other such crimes and they were wanted by the police. One suspect, Promod, had jumped bail. The suspects are said to be involved in the murder of a cable operator at Rohtak in 2003, snatching of a truck in Jhajjar district, looting cash from a petrol station at Gurgaon and another case of loot of Rs 20,000 at Rohtak during 2002. |
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Shopkeepers block highway
Ambala, September 5 A number of vehicles, including a car of a senior judicial officer of Ambala, stranded on the highway. The blockade continued for one hour. The City Magistrate of Ambala was forced by the protesters to divert her official vehicle. The DSP, Mr Phool Chand, did all efforts to persuade the agitated crowd but they were adamant that the blockade would be lifted only if the SP listened their grievances. On August 23 the police had registered a case against Mr Bhatia and four private security guards of the market for allegedly beating up an owner of a stationery shop located in the cloth market. A counter case was also registered against the stationery shop owner on the complaint of a security guard. A police team came in the cloth market today to round up Mr Bhatia and the security guards. The cloth merchants got agitated over the indifferent attitude of the police. More than 700 shopkeepers closed their shops and assembled before the shop of Mr Bhatia. The SP, Mr Rajbir Deswal, reached the spot and heard the grievances of the shopkeepers. He assured Mr Bhatia that the case registered against him and others would be discharged at the earliest. On his assurance the shopkeepers lifted the blockade. Later the shopkeepers sat on a dharna in the market till the decision of the police was not conveyed to them. Mr Bhatia said if the police did not fulfil its commitment the entire wholesale cloth merchants of Haryana would go for indefinite strike from tomorrow. |
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Army team visits college
campus
Ambala, September 5 The three-member team of Army officers conducted the interview. The Principal of the college, Dr S.C. Gupta, said students of a few other engineering colleges, also appeared for the interview. The defence team screens a film on various facts of the Army life and the career prospects of engineering students in the Army, including the salary and perks. Students of Panjab University Institute of Engineering Technology, J.P. Institute of Engineering and Technology, Radhore, Haryana Engineering College, Jagadhri, and Swami Dyanand College of Engineering, Lalru, took part in the interview process. Mr Tarsem Garg, Chairman of M.M. Education Trust, said the Army team had been visiting this college for last one decade and a number of students of this college had been commissioned into the Army services. |
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Power cuts in Sonepat
Sonepat, September 5 According to a report, loadshedding was imposed at 2.30 p.m. without any prior notice and the power supply was restored around 5.25 p.m. However, no reason has been given by officials of the Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) in this connection. The indiscriminate power cuts have caused resentment among the people.
— OC |
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Raghbir Singh is Panipat SP
Hisar, September 5 |
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