The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Rains erode 50 acres in two villages Arun Sharma Panipat, August 1 The rains during the last week left residents of Nimbri and Chhajpur villages high and dry when their more than 50 acres of land with the standing crop of paddy caved in and converted into a 22-feet deep gorge due to accumulation of water. On a visit to the villages situated on both sides of the quarry, 11 km away from the city, it was found that almost 400-meter-long gorge had been created in the fields of Chhajpur village eroding more than 19 acres of land. According to information, the flow of rainwater from the adjoining areas towards the quarry played havoc with the fields. The erosion was so sharp on July 27 that a major chunk of land was caved in the same night. Risal Singh, a farmer of Chhajpur village, said he was left with one acre only after six acres of his land with paddy crop washed away. "I had got a loan of Rs 1.5 lakh from a bank against my three acres of land holding but all my land had been caved in leaving no source of income for me", rued Duli Chand, another farmer of Chhajpur. Bindar Malik of Nimbari said he had suffered a loss of Rs 5 lakh as his fish pond was also washed away. Similarly, Ramesh and Randhira of Nimbri claimed they lost 4 acres of land due to the erosion. Ram Kumar, a resident of Chhajpur who lost his 2 acres of land demanding to put a ban on the mining in the area, said the work in the quarry was stopped by a contractor for a couple of years but the owners of the land in Nimbri village were allowing the customers to carry the sand taken out in haphazard manner resulting in aggravating the problem of erosion. Mr Surender Singh, SDM, Samalkha, who visited the spot, said the order for survey of losses to the crops of farmers had been issued to the tehsildar. A team of officers from the department of agriculture, mining, environment, and pollution board is scheduled to visit the area on August 5 and 6 to evaluate whether the area should be banned for mining.
	Chase ends kidnap drama Rahul Das Tribune News Service Ambala, August 1 A call centre employee, kidnapped from Gurgaon late last night, was rescued from kidnappers here this afternoon. The IBM-Daksh call centre employee, Mr Vineet Juneja, had a dramatic escape near the Vijay Rattan Chowk. His hand was spotted by a local shopkeeper even as the kidnappers were involved in an altercation with a group of maxi cab drivers. The boot of the car was opened and shopkeepers were stunned to see a man bundled inside the vehicle. He was taken out and taken to a private hospital as he was feeling dizzy and nauseated. He was later taken to Civil Hospital, Ambala Cantonment. Mr Juneja told the police that he returned from the USA around 10 pm last night. He had to go to office for some work and so, he left for office from his house around 3 am this morning, he said. A resident of the Wellington Apartments at DLF Enclave, he left for his office in a black Accent car. On the way, he was accosted by three or four persons, who kidnapped him at gunpoint and bundled him into the boot of the car, he said. His ATM card was taken by the kidnappers and it was being believed that they withdrew money after taking the secret number from him. The kidnappers left Gurgaon and were going to Punjab. The kidnappers’ car met with a minor accident with a maxi cab near the Ambala Cantonment railway station flyover on the GT Road around 3 pm today. This led to an altercation between the kidnappers and maxi cab drivers. After using unparliamentary language against the maxi cab drivers, the kidnappers tried to flee. A group of angry maxi cab drivers in three vehicles gave the kidnappers a chase in a car. The kidnappers turned towards the busy Sadar Bazar area and the maxi cab drivers caught the kidnappers near the Vijay Rattan Chowk. An altercation took place between the kidnappers and the maxi cab drivers, during which Mr Juneja was spotted and then rescued. After taking the phone number of his parents, they were informed about his rescue. A pistol and a sharp-edged weapon was recovered from the kidnappers’ car. The driver of the car, Brajesh Sharma, was nabbed. According to cops, Mr Juneja could have been kidnapped for ransom or personal animosity could be the reason. A case in this regard was registered in Gurgaon.
	Hooda to campaign in Western UP Ravi S.Singh Tribune News Service Gurgaon, August 1 The Congress central leadership has decided to press into service its Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda in a big way to win over the farming community of Western Uttar Pradesh for the party, before the Assembly election in the crucial state of Uttar Pradesh. In fact, after the party high command completed its work on the drawing board, a few days ago, and gave the green signal, Mr Hooda today reportedly addressed a series of meetings in the Jat-dominated Muzzafar Nagar district in Western UP. Sources in the Haryana Congress said several meetings and visits of the Chief Minister to the region was being planned. They will be stretched till the time of the Assembly elections in the state which is abut six months away. While some of the meetings will be planned by the All-India Congress Committee, Mr Hooda will be given a long rope as he is considered to be having clout among farmers and artisans. The higher echelons of the Congress is said to be of the view that Mr Hooda has clout among the freedom fighter circles and among the ex-servicemen who form a large chunk of the populace of Western UP. In essence, Western UP is demographically preponderated by the Jat community who are a part of the farming community. Agriculture is the main avocation of the people of the area. According to political analysts, there are about 200 Assembly constituencies in the region out of which 150 of them are Jat dominated. According to many, the reason why Mr Hooda has been chosen as the mascot among the farming community, especially in the Jat section of the populace, is his image. His victory over former Deputy Prime Minister late Devil Lal consecutively thrice in the Jat-dominated Rohtak parliamentary constituency and his years of political activism among the farmers bringing the Jats to the Congress fold in a big way in Haryana which was considered to be the single largest factor enabling the party to bounce back in power in Haryana by defeating the INLD. In the Congress circles it was being said the party high command was investing in Mr Hooda as a Jat leader so that his influence could be in other states, besides Haryana, from election point of view. In any case the party is said to be presently lacking leaders of national fame that have pro-farmers image. With regards to Western Uttar Pradesh majority of the areas like Muzzafar Nagar, Saharnpur, Muradabad, Merut, Gaziabad, Bulandshehar, Mathura, Agra, Bagpat, Aligarh have socio-cultural affinities with the Jat-dominated areas of Haryana.
	HIGH COURT CBI assures HC that it will arrest Sacha Sauda chief Our High Court Correspondent Chandigarh, August 1 The Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) today informed the Punjab and Haryana High Court that it would arrest Baba Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh, chief of the Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda if he failed to turn up at CBI headquarters to join the probe into the murder of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati and other cases. CBI counsel Rajan Gupta told the Division Bench of Mr Justice Amar Dutt and Mr Justice A.N. Jindal that while the Baba had been asked to appear at CBI headquarters on July 31, he did not do so. Instead, he sent a telegram, claiming that he could not appear during the months of July and August as he was busy with his prior scheduled religious functions. However, now, the CBI has sent him fresh summons for August 7. As per the directions of the court, CBI counsel also submitted in a sealed cover the monthly progress report pertaining to the ongoing probes. After hearing counsel, the Bench adjourned the case to August 8. PIL dismissed The High Court has dismissed a PIL filed by a retired Deputy Superintendent of Police of Haryana, seeking action against the former TB Officer, Haryana, Dr Vijay Garg, for alleged unnecessary purchase of medicines worth Rs 42 lakh. Last year, the court had issued notices to the Haryana Government and the former TB Officer, Haryana, Dr Vijay Garg, in the mater. The petitioner, Mr Ram Kumar of Mahedergarh, had alleged that Haryana had adopted DOTS scheme of WHO for tuberculosis in January 2004 and accordingly it had been supplied the TB medicines. Despite this, Dr Garg, who was then the TB officer, purchased TB medicines worth Rs 42 lakh which were unwanted. Since they could not be utilised in Haryana, they were sent to J&K and Kashmir after incurring additional expenses. However, the sample of the medicine failed. The petitioner had claimed that the money could have been utilised for welfare activities. Seeking disciplinary action against Mr Garg, he has also prayed that the money be recovered from him. However, dismissing the PIL, the Division Bench headed by the Acting Chief Justice Mr Justice H.S. Bedi, held that the petition was completely misconceived. The Bench noted that after perusing the reply of the government, it had found that there was a complete justification as to why drugs which were in stock in Haryana had to be retained for six months.
	Cancel MoU with Reliance, says Sampat Singh Our Correspondent Fatehabad, August 1 Former Haryana Minister Sampat Singh today demanded the cancellation of the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) deal with Reliance Industries as it was detrimental to the interests of the people of Haryana. Talking to mediapersons here today, he said neither he nor his party, the INLD, were against the development of SEZs. But the manner in which the interests of the farmers had been mortgaged, was not acceptable to them. The INLD leader said the previous government headed by Mr Om Prakash Chautala had acquired 1400 acres in Gurgaon for the purpose of developing a SEZ through the HSIDC. But the present government had decided to give that land to Reliance Industries at throwaway prices. He alleged that the government had been repeatedly telling lies on this issue. He said the claims of the government regarding providing 10 lakh employments or generation of revenue were false. Companies coming up in the SEZ would be exempted from taxes and duties and hence there was no question of the state earning any revenue from it, he said. Mr Sampat Singh alleged that the government had been bending backwards to help Mr Ambani. The motive of the government to keep some equity in the venture was also to help Reliance because if the SEZ was developed solely by a private party, the developer had to arrange 75 per cent of land through its own efforts and the government could step in for the remaining 25 per cent by way of acquisition. But when the government was one of the parties, this condition was waived and the government could acquire the whole of land required for the purpose, he stated. The INLD leader termed Mr Mukesh Ambani as a broker and not an industrialist. He said the only interest of Mr Ambani was to hike the prices of his shares by such deals. Reliance Industries did not have any expertise in developing SEZs so there was no point in giving the project to it, he said. He demanded that the MoU signed with the company should be cancelled and the land be given to the HSIDC for the development of the SEZ.
	Panchayats to get special grants for cleanliness Tribune News Service Sirsa, August 1 The village panchayats showing good performance in implementing the Gram Nirmal Yojana of the state government will get a special grant of Rs 2 lakh to Rs 4 lakh. The panchayats of villages with a population of up to 5,000 would get Rs 2 lakh, while those having above 5,000 will get Rs 4 lakh. Stating this here today, the Deputy Commissioner, Mr V.Umashankar, maintained that to become eligible for the special grant the panchayats would have to fulfil 10 conditions for sanitation laid down by the World Health Organisation. Mr Umashankar said the scheme had been started by the state government as part of the Total Sanitation Campaign. He said the primary objective of the campaign was to make the villagers aware about sanitation. Addressing aanganwadi workers at a training camp organised by the Haryana Institute of Rural Development (HIRD), Neelokheri, the Deputy Commissioner asserted that under the campaign toilets were being constructed in villages, besides motivating the residents in this regard. The Additional Deputy Commissioner, Mr Pankaj Yadav, also spoke. Aanganwadi workers of two blocks in the district participated in the camp.
	MLA moves HC on rally Tribune News Service Chandigarh, August 1 The Independent MLA from Ateli, Mr Naresh Yadav, who is also the president of the Haryana Yuva Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, has moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court against the refusal of the Deputy Commissioner(DC) of Mahendragarh district, Mr Phateh Singh Daggar, to give permission to hold a rally at the district headquarters, Narnaul, on August 5. Mr Yadav has been leading a “lalkar rath yatra” since July 9 to protest against the Haryana Government’s deal with Reliance Industries for setting up a special economic zone and to press the Central and state governments to expeditiously complete the SYL canal in Punjab territory. The yatra was scheduled to culminate in a rally at Narnaul on August 5. Mr Yadav said here today the general secretary of the samiti, Mr Suresh Yadav had sought the permission of the district administration for organising the rally on July 16. The DC informed him on July 26 that the permission could not be granted to organise the rally because the police apprehended a breach in the law and order situation. The MLA alleged that permission had been denied to hold the rally because the government had been shaken by the popular response his yatra was evoking. He said in a democratic set-up, it was a fundamental right of the people to protest peacefully. He said the DC’s action was a clear violation of the fundamental rights. He said he had led several agitations before and after becoming the MLA, but never had peace been endangered. He said the SYL canal was the lifeline of southern Haryana and successive governments in the state had been playing politics on the issue. He had also written to the Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, and the Chief Secretary, Mr Prem Prashant, to reverse the orders of the DC.

	Three brothers get life term in murder case Hisar, August 1 District and Sessions Judge Hisar, Anita Chaudhary has sentenced three brothers residents of village Gurana, to life imprisonment on the charge of murdering Dhara Singh of Narnaund over some enmity on August 7, 2003. According to the prosecution, Balwinder, Mangal Sain and Bhoop Singh attacked Dhara Singh with sharp-edged weapons while he was in the field along with his relative Lehna Singh. During the attack Dhara Singh died on the spot. On a complaint of Lehna Singh the police had registered a case under Section of the IPC against three brothers. — PTI
	2 IAS officers shifted Tribune News Service Chandigarh, August 1 The Haryana Government has issued the posting and transfer orders of two IAS officers. Mr Shiv Ram Gaur, Special Secretary, Health, and Project Director, Sector Investment Programme, has been posted as Director and Special Secretary, Development and Panchayats, against a vacant post. Mr Anil Malik, awaiting posting orders, has been posted as Director, Employment, against a vacant post.
	Police remand for preacher Our Correspondent Jhajjar, August 1 Controversial preacher Rampal was remanded for four days in police custody in connection with an assault on another preacher Swami Brahmswaroop of Chhudani, today. Rampal was in judicial custody in a case of murder during clash with the villagers outside his dera in Karontha village last month. He was also wanted in a case registered against him under Sections 323, 342, 452, 506 and 120B of the IPC. Seven of his followers identified as Vinay, Sunil, Satish, Manoj, Krishan, Sunil and Surender were also brought to a local court here along with him which remanded them in police custody up to August 5.