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SC verdict: Excise Department in a quandary Private PR agency to “hardsell” Haryana
Gang of criminals busted, 5 arrested
2 get life term for killing boy
SI booked for taking bribe
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Patwari caught taking bribe
1,500 posts of physical instructor to be advertised
Programme to activate young
panchayat members
Quota in corporate sector opposed
Electricity poles cause accidents
4 jaundice cases detected
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SC verdict: Excise Department in a quandary
Chandigarh, June 8 According to sources, the department is seeking legal opinion to know if it can again approach the apex court to seek certain clarifications about yesterday's judgement. Earlier, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had held on May 11 last that the allotment of liquor vends made through private contracts on March 31 was "void". The court had asked the department to readvertise the vends and make fresh allotment before June 1. However, the court had said that in case no new application was received for any of these vends, the old allottees would continue to run such vends. The Supreme Court has "substituted" the five directions given by the High Court with its three directions. The apex court has not asked the department to readvertise the vends on the ground that the allotment made on March 31 is "void". Rather, the court cancelled these allotments because it felt that by doing so "equities can be best balanced and interests of justice best served". The apex court, however, allowed the old allottees to continue to run the vends till July 31, instead of till May 31, 2006, as allowed by the High Court. The apex court also turned down the direction given by the High Court that the old allottees could run those vends for which no fresh applications would be received. After the High Court judgement, the department had invited fresh applications. Only 566 vends attracted fresh applications, while there were no new takers for 427 vends. But Messrs Vardayak Traders, which runs 81 vends in Sirsa and Fatehabad districts, obtained a stay order from the apex court. Meanwhile, more persons approached the apex court and obtained stay orders. Only 102 vends remained, the fresh allotment of which was not stayed by the court. The department made a fresh allotment of these vends and even issued permits to the new allottees to get liquor from the distilleries. Since even these allotments have been quashed by the apex court, these allottees do not know what to do with their liquor stocks. The department is also not aware what to do if certain vends did not attract applications for fresh allotments. It may seek a clarification from the apex court if the old allottees can continue to operate such vends in the interest of the state's revenue. It fears that if the vends remained unallotted, there would be huge gaps in the liquor network, leaving the field open for bootleggers to operate. Moreover, these areas would be available to adjoining vend licensees free of cost. |
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Private PR agency to “hardsell” Haryana
Chandigarh, June 8 Amidst a lot of heartburn in the rank and file of the Public Relations Department, the Haryana Government has awarded a contract to Concept for a monthly retainership of Rs 4.50 lakh. Officials in the department have decried the move, terming it as an aim to “completely privatise” the services. The Director, Public Relations, Haryana, Mr Rajeev Sharma, when contacted, informed TNS that the need to have a corporate public relations company was felt in order to hardsell the state at the national and international level. “The idea is to primarily improve the publicity of government schemes, and sell the state to the prospective investors as the best destination in India,” he said. Buoyed by the damage caused to the image of the Bhupinder Singh Hooda-led government, following of the lathi charge on striking workers of Honda at Gurgaon, and Gohana incident (where houses of members of backward community were torched), the state government had invited tenders from the PR agencies in September, 2005. Initially, 11 firms had applied, of which three companies-Grey Worldwide, Percept H and Concept Communications - were short-listed. “After a thorough grilling process, which included presentations by the companies, we have now decided on hiring the services of Concept,” said Mr Sharma. However, officials in the department insist that there is a move of retrenchment in the department, especially as the department officials are demanding a pay hike because of increased workload. “Earlier, too, an agency was hired to design advertisements, and it was our officers who did the work, while the agency walked away with its hefty fee. Moreover, the PR firms hired by the then NDA government at the centre, or the Punjab Government, had failed to have any impact,” said an official of the department. They say that already private bhajan parties are being enrolled at the district level in the state for awareness campaigns, and now tenders are also being invited for empanelling advertisement agencies. |
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Gang of criminals busted, 5 arrested
Sonepat, June 8 He said on a tip-off, the police raided the hideout and arrested the alleged criminals, who were planning to loot a cement truck and an oil tanker. The DSP said Jaiveer and Ram Phool were the proclaimed offenders and Jaiveer was allegedly involved in looting of a truck of “ghee” from Palwal around two months back. The arrested accused were brought before the mediapersons and Jaiveer confessed his involvement in looting of the truck. According to another report, around 30-35 miscreants attacked two employees of a liquor vend at Mahra village under the Gohana Sadar police station late last night and, besides beating contractor Amarjit and salesman Manoj mercilessly, they allegedly looted Rs 55,000, two gold chains and two mobile phones from the victims. The miscreants set a motorcycle on fire before leaving the place. The injured victims were brought to the Civil Hospital at Gohana by villagers. The police has registered a case. |
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2 get life term for killing boy
Rewari, June 8 The judge has also fined them Rs 3,000 each. After committing the crime out of some enmity with the victim’s father, Rambir and Satpal had thrown the body of Ravi Dutt, a student of Class VI, on the rail track from where it was later removed by a railway employee. Then much against Dr Paras Ram’s protestations, the death of his son was treated as a case of rail accident and accordingly disposed of under Section 174, CrPC, by the Government Railway Police (GRP), Rewari. Subsequently, Dr Paras Ram persistently made representations to the Prime Minister, the Union Home Minister, the Governor of Haryana, the Chief Minister, the DGP, the SP of the GRP, Ambala cantonment and the Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) seeking the arrest of the killers, registration of a case of murder and a CBI probe. But when nothing concrete emerged, he filed a criminal petition under Section 482, CrPC, in which Mr Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel of the Punjab and Haryana High court directed the SP of the GRP, Ambala cantonment, to personally look into the matter. Consequently, the SP got a fresh inquiry conducted by the DSP, GRP, Hisar, following which, the GRP, Rewari, on August 10, 2002, registered a case of murder, disappearance of evidence, criminal conspiracy and furtherance of common intention under Sections 302, 201, 120-B and 34, IPC, against the accused Rambir and Satpal, alias Satey. They were then arrested. |
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SI booked for taking bribe
Karnal, June 8 In his affidavit submitted to SP, Mr Sibash Kaviraj, the complainant alleged that the SI demanded as much as Rs 20,000 from him to release Subash of Chorpur village. At this, he gave him Rs 20,000 on May 18 to ensure his release. After getting the amount, the SI released Subash following which matter was brought to the notice of SP. After getting the complaint, the SI was first shifted to HAP, Madhuban and then to Police Lines. Meanwhile, SP asked DSP City Mr Jagat Singh Hooda to look into the case. Subsequently, an FIR under Sections 7 and 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act was filed against the SI at Kunjpura police station. |
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Patwari caught taking bribe
Ambala, June 8 Patwari Tarsem Lal was nabbed by a team headed by DSP Arun Kumar Moudgil. Banarsi Dass, a resident of Nagla village, had complained to the vigilance authorities that Tarsem Lal was demanding a bribe for making entry in revenue record. Banarsi Dass told the authorities that Patwari Tarsem Lal had allegedly demanded a sum of Rs 2400. An amount of Rs 1000 was to be paid today. Tarsem Lal was arrested when he
allegedly took the bribe amount. |
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1,500 posts of physical instructor to be advertised
Kurukshetra, June 8 This was announced by Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda while addressing school PTIs at a five-day state-level yoga training camp, organised by the Haryana Education Department at the Gurukul stadium here today. Mr Hooda revealed that the Haryana Government had decided to institute an award after the name of Mahrishi Pantanjali. He said the award would be given to the best yoga teacher. With a view to apprise the students of India’s rich cultural heritage, efforts would be made to promote Sanskrit in the state and 1,700 posts of Sanskrit teacher had been approved by the government, he added. Mr Hooda asserted that Swami Ramdev had played a pivotal role in disseminating the knowledge of yoga not only in this country but in abroad too. Mr Hooda disclosed that there were 4,753 middle and higher secondary schools in the state and from these schools 10,000 teachers were participating in the yoga training camp. The Haryana Education Minister, Mr Phool Chand Mulana, said the Chief Minister had directed the Education Department to explore the possibilities of introducing yoga in schools and the training camp was the first step in this direction. Referring to the rich cultural heritage of India, Swami Ramdev asserted that India used to be called “Sone Ki Chidiya” (the golden sparrow). He said efforts should be made to regain the lost glory of India. Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee working president Dr Ram Prakash, local MLA Ramesh Gupta, Political Adviser to the Chief Minister Prof Virender Singh and OSD to the Chief Minister M.S. Chopra were present. |
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Programme to activate young
panchayat members
Chandigarh, June 8 Mr Aiyar, besides being the Panchayati Raj Minister, is also the Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs. The programme in question, the Panchayat Yuva Shakti Abhiyan, is an amalgamation of the objectives of the two Ministries headed by Mr Aiyar. The charter of the programme, to be held in Faridabad on June 19 and 20, says that Haryana has been chosen for launching the programme because young men and women played a key role in the development of the state. It, however, goes on to say that while Haryana ranks second in the country in terms of per capita income and economic development, it is lagging behind in ensuring gender equality, education and women and child welfare. There is need for mobilising the young people of Haryana to achieve the goals, it says. The charter says problems such as gender inequality, lack of education, etc, are primarily found in villages. Thus, it is necessary to address these issues through the village panchayats and village-level yuva mandals. According to the charter, out of the 76,697 elected panchayat members of Haryana, over 50 per cent fall in the young category, which means their age is 35 years or less. The yuva mandals, affiliated to the Nehru Yuva Kendra, are also found in all villages.The young panchayat members and members of the yuva mandals can be a big force to usher in the progressive transformation of society if they work in tandem, the charter says. According to the tentative schedule of the two-day programme, it will be attended by Mr Aiyar, the Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, the Haryana Minister for Education, Youth Affairs and Sports, Mr Phool Chand Mullana, and the Haryana Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Mr Dharam Bir. Members of the yuva mandals as well panchayat members from all three tiers of the panchayati raj system in Haryana will be certainly taking part in the programme.
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Quota in corporate sector opposed
Ambala, June 8 Its newly elected president Rajinder Nath, while talking to mediapersons here, said globalisation had forced Indian entrepreneurs to maintain quality of their products, lest they lag behind in the industrial race. He said the Indian industry was fit enough to compete in the international market, but the government should support and allow them to take decisions at their own level. He said the Chamber was of the view that only competent and meritorious candidates should come forward to join the corporate sector, otherwise it would be very difficult to battle multinational companies. He said the ‘politics of votes’ should not be taken into consideration while taking any decision related to trade and industry. Mr Nath said India was a member of the World Trade Organisation and it was the duty of the government to provide sufficient infrastructures to promote industry in the country. “We have been importing luxury items like electronics goods and cars whereas we should also think about the requirements of the people”, he added. |
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Electricity poles cause accidents
Yamunanagar, June 8 The work of widening the road was taken up in 2004 under Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala. The road was widened at a cost of Rs 58 lakh and the work was completed in March 2005. The Public Works Department, which had widened the road, however, did not bother to remove the poles and trees. When the residents started complaining, the department took the matter with the department concerned. The PWD reportedly deposited the cost of removing the poles (Rs 88,000) but Utari Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) has failed to remove the poles. An official of the UHBVN said the poles would be removed “soon”. |
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4 jaundice cases detected
Ambala, June 8 Following the detection of the cases, eight teams of doctors were formed which visited the area. The teams went to each house to find out whether there were other persons who could be suffering from jaundice. The doctors distributed a large number of chlorine tablets. Jaundice has affected four children in the 3-16 age group. Those who were found to be suffering from jaundice are Karan (3), Atul (13), Parth (16) and Amanpreet Kaur (7). A lab technician collected blood samples in the area today. Nearly 50 blood samples were collected. Public health officials found that illegal water line connections had been done in the area. Sixteen illegal connections were also disconnected. Anti-larvae measures and fogging will be carried out in the area.
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