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Panchkula violence: Balmikis against CBI inquiry
Notices served on mining leaseholders
Jat Mahasabha to back Cong nominee
Plots on Aravalis: probe ordered
Insurance company penalised
Sarpanch booked
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BSP to boycott Rohtak byelection
Death not linked to relief: DC
Body of youth found on rly track
Special Lok Adalat held
3 youths held
Roadways driver injured in fracas
665 recruits don police colours
Farmers advised to cut use of agro-chemicals
Rain forces INLD to drop Rohtak rally plan
Roof collapses in rain
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Panchkula violence: Balmikis against CBI inquiry
Karnal, September 24 This was stated by the national president of ABBM, Shukracharya Darshan Rattan Ravana, while talking to The Tribune on the telephone here today. Intellectuals from different walks of life would be invited to express their views in the seminar, he added. Intellectuals like CPM Politburo member Brinda Karat, senior journalists and columnists Kuldeep Nayyar, Prabash Joshi, P. Sainath, Prof Surendra Singh Jodka, HoD Sociology in JNU, Prof Gopal Guru and retired Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court Rajinder Sachar are likely to participate in the seminar. Mr Ravana said the topic of the seminar would be `Power, Civilisation and Democracy: in the context of Gohana’ and the recent incidents of Akola, Gurgaon and Jhajjar would also be discussed in the seminar. The president of ABBM alleged that various acts of commissions or omissions by the Haryana police which occurred in Gohana, Gurgaon and Jhajjar in the recent past had policemen that belong to the Jat community while other communities were not given jobs according to ratio of their population. Mr Ravana levelled accusation on the Congress it was intimidating Balmikis by lodging a false case under Arms Act against its Delhi leader Mor Singh within a few days of organising Dalit Mahapanchayat on September 5 in New Delhi and by ordering a CBI inquiry into the violence that took place in Panchkula on September 2, during Haryana bandh to protest against the incident of torching of Dalit houses in Gohana on August 31. In reply to a question, he said he was opposing CBI inquiry into the Panchkula violence as minor incidents of violence were a routine during a bandh but never had a CBI inquiry been ordered into such incidents. Ravana said the representatives of ABBM had given memorandums to DCs today in each district of the state in the name of President and Governor demanding cancellation of the CBI inquiry into Panchkula violence and the false case against Mor Singh. Mr Ravana further alleged that improper distribution of relief among the Dalit victims of Balmiki Colony in Gohana led to suicide attempts by Mewa Devi and her son Kuldeep yesterday, in which the latter died while the former was struggling for her life at PGI Rohtak. When asked that Sonepat DC, Ms Neerja Shekhar, had denied about the suicide attempts in a press conference this morning, he said he had been told by the family members of the deceased that they had made suicide attempts. He was awaiting the post mortem report as everything then would be clear, he added. Mr Ravana said a meeting of the representatives of Balmiki community would be held in Gohana on October 1 to discuss all related issues. Financial help would also be distributed among the victims on that day, he added. |
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Notices served on mining leaseholders
Hisar, September 24 In the notice issued to the lessees, the Director, Mines and Geology, Haryana, has stated that the mining lease granted to them would be prematurely determined and amount of security deposited forfeited “without any further notice” in case they did not remedy the breaches of certain terms and conditions of the lease deed within a period of 30 days from the date of the issuance of the notice. Earlier, this month, the leaseholder companies had also got notices for non-payment of dues of the lease amount. Apparently, the state government has adopted a tough stance against the lessees and preparing ground for cancellation of the lease. However, according to the stone-crusher owners and others involved in mining activities in the area, the measures taken by the government in this regard are inconsequential, considering the enormity of the scam involved. The mining scam, which involved the collection of excess royalty (commonly known as “goonda-tax”), had continued for more than three years and involved a whopping amount of nearly Rs 250 crore. It all started with the open auction for the lease of mining plots in November, 2001. Prior to that, the usual practice was that the stone-crusher owners and others involved in mining activities would get the lease of the mining plots. In the auction, Baba Mungipa Mines and Mineral Company got the lease of Plot Nos 1,2,3,6,7,8,10 at Khanak, apart from the Nigana and Dadam mining plots. They quoted Rs 7 crore for Khanak plots, Rs 1.27 crore for the Nigana plot and Rs 2.25 crore for the Dadam plot. However, the company did not deposit the 25 per cent of the amount for the Dadam plot, due to which its earnest money of Rs 1 lakh was forfeited. A fresh auction for the plot was held on January 1, 2002. Strangely, the same plot which was auctioned for Rs 2.25 crore in the previous auction was leased out for merely Rs 51.75 lakh, causing a loss of about Rs 1.75 crore to the exchequer. The crusher owners allege that in collusion with the government, the owners of the company established illegal check-posts outside the leasehold mining area and extorted excess royalty, which ran into hundreds of crores of rupees. The Khanak Dadam Stone Crusher Association brought the multi-crore scam to the notice of the Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, and other senior Congress leaders, but to no avail. This, despite the fact that before coming to power, the Congress leaders had made tall claims of abolishing the “goonda-tax” regime initiated by the previous Chautala government. However, no inquiry has been ordered into the matter despite repeated demands of a CBI probe in this regard. |
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Jat Mahasabha to back Cong nominee
Gurgaon, September 24 The Haryana Jat Mahasabha took the decision at a meeting of its state executive. The meeting was presided over by the president of the mahasabha, Mr Kuldip Singh Gochi. Besides, the president of the “Jharsa-360, Sarvajatiya Sarvakhap Panchayat”, Chowdhary Deva Singh was also present at the meeting. In a resolution by the executive it was said that Mr Deepender Singh Hooda was the best candidate in the fray. The resolution further read that it was a good thing that a youngster had been chosen by the Congress to contest elections. The Congress nominee has apparently not come into politics for self-aggrandisement, but with an exalted motive in public life. The mahasabha urged upon its members to reach Rohtak stay put there till the election was over. In a separate resolution, the Executive condemned the Sarvajatiya Sarvakhap Panchyat to serve an ultimatum to the Haryana Government a public meeting in Gohana for the withdrawal of criminal cases registered against 23 persons in connection with the arson by a mob which burnt houses of Dalits in a Balmiki basti there. The resolution expressed concern that the Sarvajatiya Sarvakhap Panchayats being a social organisations with its trusted and valued traditions aimed at social reforms should interfere in criminal matters. Investigation in criminal matters was the exclusive domain of the law enforcing agencies. By interfering into unchartered waters, the Sarvajatiya Sarvakhap Panchayat in Gohana had done a great disservive to the panchayati traditions. This would also raise a question mark on panchayati traditions in the state, it added. Talking to newsmen after the meeting, Mr Gochi said that active members of the sabha would assemble in Rohtak everyday for the election campaign.
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Plots on Aravalis: probe ordered
Gurgaon, September 24 A large number of farm houses and residential places have been raised in Raisina, Sohna, Badshapur, Begumpur Khatola, etc by allegedly degrading and levelling Aravali hills. The administration has so far identified about 1,130 acres of such land which has been illegally sold or owned by private persons. According to many, the figure could up after the inquiry was completed. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr R.P. Bhardwaj, said he had handed over the inquiry to the District Revenue Officer. The situation assumes significance as such a large-scale violations could not take place without the collusion of officers of various departments like the tehsil office, the electricity department, the police and the District Town and Country Planning. Several bigwigs are said to be owning farm houses on land acquired illegally. Recently the Haryana State Pollution Control Board served notices on more than 500 such persons pointing them of their violation of the Aravali Notification Act. Several bigwigs, including Ms Anit Shourie, wife of former Union minister and BJP stalwart, and a daughter of former Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Mr Baliram Bhagat, are the ones on whom the notices have been served. Mr Arun Shourie confirmed to The Tribune about the notice received. However, he said that his family had purchased the plot from the Ansal company and builders in the early nineties. He, however, said that no construction had been made on the plot and the board had served the notice under some misconception. |
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Insurance company penalised
Fatehabad, September 24 In the first case Mr Bahadur Singh, a farmer from Samain village had lodged a complaint with the forum that he purchased a buffalo for Rs 24,000 on April 12, 2003. He insured the buffalo with the New India Insurance Company. The insurance cover was valid till November 9, 2004. The company affixed its tag number 564 on the buffalo. The buffalo fell ill on November 5, 2004, and died the next day. The farmer approached the insurance company for claim but the company refused to pay. After hearing both parties, the District Consumer Forum directed the insurance company to pay Rs 2,000 as compensation and Rs 1,000 as costs to the complainant. In the second case Mr Om Parkash of Dhand village complained that he had purchased 32 kg of cottonseed from Foundation Seed Company situated in the local Shivalya Market. He had sown those seeds in seven acres of land but the seeds did not sprout even after three days. The farmer brought the matter to the Agriculture Department, which confirmed that the sprouting was not more than 30 per cent. The forum gave the dealer an opportunity to defend the complaint but he could not give a satisfactory reply to the complaint. The forum directed the dealer to pay a compensation of Rs 5,000 and costs of Rs 22,00 to the farmer.
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Sarpanch booked
Yamunanagar, September 24 As per information, 86 gunny bags of wheat were sanctioned for the village panchyat under the Sampurn Gram Rozgar Yojna (SGRY) and was to given to labourers who were hired to carry out various development works in the village. However, Sulochna Devi, sarpanch, allegedly sold 60 bags to an arhtiya, Hukum Chand. After receiving a complaint, the BDPO, Mr Dharmvir, and an Inspector of the FCI raided the shop of Hukum Chand and found the bags lying in his shop last evening. Hukum Chand said he did not purchase the wheat but had instead let use his shop as a store for the wheat. According to him he was to be paid Rs 500 as rent. The sarpanch, said as she had not enough place to store the wheat in her, house she decided to hire a store, said sources. She has been booked under Sections 406 and 409 of the IPC. |
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BSP to boycott Rohtak byelection
Ambala, September 24 He said the decision was taken in light of the fact that the party was not yet strong in the Rohtak region. He said they were also not going to extend support to the Congress or the BJP. Mr Manhera said a rally would be held in Ambala on September 27 and would be addressed by Ms Mayawati. The rally was being held to fill the backlog of qouta in jobs and also to press for reservation in the private sector. He said the poor should also be granted reservation. “We have already appointed 4,133 office-bearers and we want to reach a target of 1 lakh office-bearers which will include seven office-bearers at each booth,” he said. To a query, Mr Manhera said only Ms Mayawati met the affected families of the Gohana incident while Ms Sonia Gandhi or Mr L.K. Advani did not even meet the affected families. |
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Death not linked to relief: DC
Gohana (Sonepat), September 24 She denied that the incidents were related to the distribution of the relief amount of Rs 1 lakh to the families whose houses were burnt by a mob on August 31. She clarified that Mewa Devi had by mistake consumed the celphos tablets and her (Mewa Devi’s) son died of heart attack when he has got his mother admitted in the PGIMS, Rohtak. “Mewa Devi’s husband has given a written statement in this regard.” she said. On other hand, at a meeting of Balmikis here, the general secretary of Gohana Bhagwan Balmiki Mahasabha, Mr Desraj Lohat, asserted that Kuldeep’s house was burnt and Shishil who had taken relief amount has been permanently staying in Delhi. He alleged that Mewa Devi’s husband Ram Kumar had given statement under police pressure.
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Body of youth found on rly track
Ambala, September 24 The victim, Ajay Chohan, was a resident of Milap Nagar and was running a photostat shop. The parents of the deceased alleged that their son was murdered as could never commit suicide. According to information, Ajay had taken his sister on the scooter to drop her near the Kalka chowk on Friday evening. When he did not return till midnight, his parents started searching for him. Today, someone noticed a body lying on the track. The police was informed. It is suspected that somebody might have murdered Ajay and thrown the body on the track. The police was sent the body for a post-mortem. In another incident, the body of a middle aged person was recovered from a pond this morning. The body has not been identified so far. |
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Special Lok Adalat held
Chandigarh, September 24 The Lok Adalat was inaugurated by Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice Mr Justice D.K. Jain, who is also Patron-in-Chief of the Haryana State Legal Services Authority. Speaking on the occasion, Chief Justice Jain observed that the main aim of holding Lok Adalats was to deliver quick and cheaper justice to the people. “The greatest benefit of these Adalats is that their decisions can not be challenged in any court since these are settled with mutual understanding between the opposing parties,” he added. Claiming that the judicial system in India is better than in most other countries, the Chief Justice urged the judicial officers and lawyers to put in their best efforts for settlement of maximum cases so that the pendency of the cases can be reduced. He also disclosed that a special campaign would be launched for settlement of matrimonial, banks and cases of senior citizens. In his address, Mr Justice A.K. Goel, Judge of the High Court and Executive Chairman of the Haryana State Legal Services Authority, said the function of judiciary was not only to punish the culprits but also to ensure the security of rights of all citizens. |
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3 youths held
Sonepat, September 24 All culprits along with Narender alias Bholu of Kiloi village, Dinesh of Bidhal village, Sonu of Khanpur village and Naveen alias Poppa of Bhadana village had looted a truck loaded with the LPG cylinders near Machhrauli village in Jhajjar district on April 15 last. The SP disclosed that Dinesh and Sonu of Khanpur village posed themselves as the cricket players and got a lift in the truck. The other culprits followed the truck by a car and a motorcycle. When the truck reached near Machhrauli village, the driver was asked to stop. Thereafter the driver was robbed of Rs 15,000 in cash and the miscreants drove away the truck loaded with the LPG cylinder. He further said Narinder alias Bholu had been involved in the case of murder, theft and kidnapping. |
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Roadways driver injured in fracas
Ambala, September 24 In a separate incident an altercation took place between a Haryana Roadways bus driver and a driver of a private bus near the railway station overbridge. The altercation took place over the carrying of bus passengers yesterday. Following these incidents, an official today visited the Ambala Cantt main bus stand and directed that all the roadways buses must strictly follow the time-table. |
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665 recruits don police colours
Bhondsi (Gurgaon), September 24 In all, 665 recruits passed out today. The Indian Reserve Battalion is a force raised jointly by the Centre and the concerned states. The Centre has so far sanctioned two battalions for Haryana. The recruits of the first battalion, having the same strength as that of the IInd battalion, passed out about four years back after they were given training at the Police Training Centre, Madhuvan.
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Farmers advised to cut use of agro-chemicals
Hisar, September 24 The Haryana Financial Commissioner-cum-Principal Secretary, Agriculture, Ms Asha Sharma, addressed the gathering. She stressed on the need to adopt organic farming to reduce the use of agro-chemicals. She exhorted the agricultural scientists to develop crop varieties capable of bearing abrupt changes in weather which could be developed through genetic modifications. In his address, Mr Dhanpat Singh Director (Agriculture), Haryana asserted that it was difficult to discourage farmers from the wheat-paddy cycle without giving them some incentive.
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Rain forces INLD to drop Rohtak rally plan
Chandigarh, September 24 The rally was supposed to be a show of strength by the party before the byelection to the Rohtak Lok Sabha seat on September 28. The party has now decided to organise meetings tomorrow at all district headquarters of the state to pay respects to its late founder. |
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Roof collapses in rain
Karnal, September 24 The house was given on rent to migrant labourers who had gone for work at the time of the collapse.
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