Rohtak, June 29
The Haryana Government has amended the Haryana Affiliated Colleges (Security of Service) Rules to cover sexual harassment, consumption of intoxicants and drugs and acceptance of gifts by employees.

The rules which were framed under the Haryana Affiliated Colleges (Security of Service) Act, 1979, now explicitly bar employees from indulging in sexual harassment of women at the workplace. The new rule has also put the responsibility of prevention of sexual harassment at workplace on the shoulders of every employee who is in charge of a workplace.

The rule covers physical contact and advances, demand or request for sexual favours, making any sexually coloured remarks, showing any pornographic material and any other unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of a sexual nature.

College employees have also been barred from practising themselves or inciting students to practise casteism, communalism and untouchability.

Another major incorporation is rules governing use of intoxicants and drugs. The employees have been asked to "strictly abide by any law relating to intoxicating (sic) or drugs in force in any area in which he or she may happen to be for the time being". They would also be required to take care that intoxicants and drugs do not affect their performance of duties in any manner. They have been barred from drinking or using drugs in public. Besides, they have been asked not to "habitually use any intoxicating drinks or drugs in excess".

The sources said the new rules were necessitated by incidents of drunken behaviour and sexual harassment by college employees while on duty. A lecturer in a Hisar college was sacked after a girl student complained of unwelcome sexual advances. A Sirsa college lecturer was booked in Hisar for similar behaviour while on examination duty.

Acceptance of gifts given by a student, parent or any other person who comes into contact with the employee by virtue of his or her position in the college has been banned. The employees' family members or any other person acting on his or her behalf also cannot accept gifts henceforth.

Gifts include "free transport, boarding or lodging or other services or any other pecuniary advantage provided by a person other than a close relation or a personal friend not having any dealings with him or her in connection with the college".

However, gifts of nominal value given on occasions such as marriages, anniversaries, funerals or other social and religious events have been exempted.

College teachers have generally welcomed the new rules. However, they said these could be implemented only if the government itself ensures that these are followed. So far, the government had allowed DAV institutions to appoint teachers and principals by transfer even though under the rules these are selection posts. No penal action has been taken against the erring institutions.

Likewise, the managements of a Hisar and a Sonipat-based colleges have not implemented the Commissioner, Higher Education's orders reinstating their principal after she was removed by the managements arbitrarily.

Yamunanagar, June 29
Sewer water of the main nullah has entered several houses of the Professor colony here and several residents have either shifted to other places or were in the process of shifting. Today, hundreds of residents of the area met the SDM, Jagadhri, to seek solution to the problem that had been caused due to the half constructed nullah.

Residents alleged that the nullah course had been changed to benefit a relative of a politician who owned a plot along it. Sewer water from the nullah gushed into some houses of the Professor colony on Wednesday and foul smell gripped the entire area. Even today water was logged in several houses. The D-block of the colony had been severely affected.

Several residents raised barricades outside their gates to stop the further inflow of water into their houses. Masons were spotted at work in almost all houses of the area.

Sources said that improvements were carried out on the nallaha last year and the department concerned had spent Rs 5 lakh on it. More construction (and widening) of the nallaha was taken up this year again at the cost of Rs 37 lakh.

However, the work on the improvement of the nallaha stopped after residents of two areas (from where the nallaha was proposed to pass) took stay from different courts. Yesterday, water from the nallaha gushed into the houses and there were two to four feet water in houses of the area.

Angry residents today visited the SDM’s office and demanded solution to the problem. Among others who met the SDM include Ms Savita, Ms Rachna, Mr Surinder Madan and Mr K.K. Bhatti.

Mr Vijay Kumar said it had become almost impossible to live in the area and hence he had shifted along with the family to a rented accommodation in another part of the town.

The SDM told the Tribune that a solution with the agreement of the residents would be found in the next couple of days. Mr Prem Singh, Executive Engineer, Public Health Department, said the work on the nullah had been affected due to ego clashes among certain residents.

Ambala, June 29
Four persons were killed while six others were injured in a major accident at Shahbad on the G.T. Road early this morning.

Those killed as well as injured are relatives of a Tribune correspondent. The accident took place near Ladwa chowk around 6 am.

The deceased are Vijay Kumar Doraiswamy, his mother, Subbalaxmi and his two daughters Malvika and Madhuvika. Vijay Kumar’s wife Shanti Vijay Kumar sustained injuries in the accident.

Family of Doraiswamy’s brother-in-law was travelling along with them and they were also injured in the accident. The injured are Mr S. Rangarajan, his wife Mrs Jaishree Rangarajan, and his two sons Mr Ramakrishnan and Mr Raj Gopal. Mr Harvinder, the driver of the Qualis in which they were travelling, also sustained injuries. Mrs Jaishree Rangarajan is the sister of Tribune Correspondent Satyanarayan.

Vijay Doraiswamy along with his mother, wife and two daughters had arrived in India from Virginia in the USA on June 28. They had come to India as they wanted to pay obeisance at Mata Vaishno Devi. Malvika Doraiswamy had secured admission in a medical college in the USA following which they wanted to visit Mata Vaishno Devi shrine.

The families of Vijay Doraiswamy as well as Mr S. Rangarajan started their journey from Delhi in the wee hours. Their vehicle collided with a stationary truck near the Ladwa chowk around 6 am. The impact of the accident was severe and four persons died on the spot.

The bodies were extricated from the mangled remains of the Qualis with great difficulty. The members of the local Aggarwal Sabha helped in extricating the bodies. They were taken to the Shahbad hospital where Vijay Doraiswamy, his mother Subbalaxmi and two daughters Malvika and Madhuvika were declared brought dead. Their bodies were taken to the Civil Hospital, Kurukshetra, for post-mortem.

The injured persons were referred to Chandigarh. Mr S. Rangarajan, who works as Section Officer in the Central Administrative Tribunal in New Delhi, sustained serious head injuries and is admitted to the GMCH-32 in Chandigarh.

Mrs Jaishree Rangarajan, who is employed with the Cabinet Secretariat, and her two sons Mr Ramakrishnan and Mr Raj Gopal along with Mrs Shanti Vijay Kumar are being treated at a private hospital in Sector 34, Chandigarh.

Chandigarh, June 29
The Haryana Social Justice and Empowerment Department is all set to disburse pensions to eunuchs and dwarfs following the Health Department finalising the eligibility criteria for these two categories of people.

It was learnt that pensions would be disbursed to eunuchs and dwarfs with effect from June 1. Earlier, the Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, on separate occasions, had announced giving pensions at the rate of Rs 300 per month to dwarfs and eunuchs.

The criteria on eunuchs define an eunuch as, “a hermaphrodite person, in broad sense the person is neither male nor female”. Since a hermaphrodite means a natural eunuch, questions can be raised about the fate of surgically converted eunuchs who apparently outnumber the natural eunuchs in a big way.

It is, however, likely that the government will overlook the technicalities and allow the pension to both categories of eunuchs. According to a tentative estimate, drawn up on the basis of the findings of an NGO (Faith Health Care), the total number of eunuchs in the state is 1305. While Panipat district tops the list with 151 eunuchs, Jind and Jhajjar with an eunuch population of 25 each, have the lowest figures.

To claim the pension an eunuch will have to obtain a certificate from the civil surgeon concerned.

The Health Department has decided that to be considered a dwarf the height of an adult person would have to be 4 feet 10 inches or less. Only occasionally a person with dwarfing conditions may be found to be slightly taller than 4 ft 10 inches, says the Health Department.

The government does not have any authentic figure on the number of dwarfs in the state. A tentative figure of the number of dwarfs in the state has been worked out on the basis of the prevailing average of birth of various dwarf types in per thousand population. According to this formula, the number of people in the state with dwarfing conditions is 942.

It was learnt that the state government would ask the Deputy Commissioners of districts to conduct a survey to ascertain the exact number of dwarfs in Haryana.

To claim this pension also, an aspirant will have to obtain a certificate from the civil surgeon.

Chandigarh, June 29
The Haryana Government has constituted a four-member committee under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary to oversee the implementation of the scheme for reemployment of those Group “C” and “D” employees of various boards, corporations and public sector undertakings, cooperative federations and government departments who were retrenched by the Chautala Government.

The Financial Commi-ssioner and Principal Secretaries of the Finance and Coordination Depart-ments, and the Legal Remembrancer will be the other members.

An official spokesman clarified here today that the reemployment of these employees would be “by way of adjustment” and would be treated as a special case in public interest.

The adjustment of retrenched employees would be at the discretion of the government and they would have no legal right in this regard.

All departments, boards, state public sector undertakings and other government organisations would send a requisition for the number of posts to be filled from amongst the retrenched employees to a Screening Committee to be constituted for the purpose.

The adjustment of the employees would be as a one time measure.

According to a notification issued by the State Government, the Screening Committee shall devise a scheme with the approval of the Chief Minister and on the basis of broad parameters for adjustment of retrenched employees.

According to the broad parameters, the eligible person shall be considered for adjustment on the basis of seniority in age.

Group “D“ retrenched employees shall be considered against vacancies of the same group and the concept of equivalence of post would not be applicable.

The adjustment shall be made either on an equivalent post carrying the same designation and nature of duties or on a lower post as per the availability of the vacancies subject to the condition that an employee occupying Group “C” post at the time of retrenchment shall not be considered for a Group “D” post. — TNS

Ambala, June 29
Congress Municipal Councillor Dr Vikas Bhateja tendered his resignation from the building and works sub-committee of Municipal Council, Ambala Sadar, today.

Dr Vikas Bhateja stated that he was not taken into confidence with regard to building and works matter. He said that there was no discussion for grants forwarded by the Haryana Government.

The resignation letter addressed to Municipal Council, Ambala Sadar, president Mrs Neelam Sharma, states “I was made a member of the building and works sub-committee. I was not taken into confidence on any matter and there was no discussion on the dispersal of Haryana Government grants.”

“I am feeling that the sub-committee has been made as a formality and there is no due recognition of the members of the sub-committee. I feel that I am being ignored as a member. Therefore, I am resigning as member of the building and works sub-committee,” the resignation letter states.