The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Boat tragedy: three arrested, 500 booked Bijendra Ahlawat Tribune News Service Faridabad, August 7 The police has arrested three persons, including the ferry contractor, allegedly responsible for the boat tragedy that led to death of four persons and injuries to several others in the Yamuna, near Chhainsa village in Ballabhgarh subdivision of the district, about 25 km from here, on Sunday. Those arrested are Kaptaan Singh, the ferry contractor, and his two employees, Kaalu and Chinnoo. They have been booked under Section 394 of the IPC. A case has also been registered against over 500 persons, including INLD leader Master Rishipal and an activist of the BSP, for their involvement in the violence that left several vehicles damaged. However, no arrest has been made in this connection so far. Meanwhile, the local authorities today gave cheques to the kin of those killed in the tragedy. According to the DSP, Ballabhgarh, the ferry contractor and his two associates, who had run away after the incident, had been arrested. The government or the district administration was still to order an official probe into the causes that led to the tragedy and the alleged violation of safety norms by the ferry contractor. Master Rishipal said the case registered against him and residents of the village was politically motivated. It was an attempt to penalise them for highlighting the irregularities and the responsibility of the district administration that led to the accident. He said while residents had been booked under various sections of the IPC, including that pertaining to attempt to murder, the administration had been trying to save the main accused (the ferry contractor) by booking him under mild sections. He said the DC and the SDM should also be booked for murder, as gross negligence on their part had led to the tragedy. He said the steamer that ought to be used to ferry passengers across the river was being used for smuggling liquor. The contractor was violating norms laid down in the contract letter, thus deliberately risking the lives of the people.
	Ten IAS officers transferred Tribune News Service Chandigarh, August 7 The Haryana Government today issued posting and transfer orders of 10 IAS officers, including two Deputy Commissioners, with immediate effect. Mr Pius Pandarwani, Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary, Printing and Stationery and Inquiry Officer-I, goes as Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary, Science and Technology and Inquiry Officer vice Mr S.K.Saxena, who becomes Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary, Printing and Stationery. Mr R.K. Ranga, Managing Director, Haryana Warehousing Corporation, has been posted as Commissioner and Secretary, Housing, relieving Ms Shakuntala Jakhu of the said charge. Mr N.K.Jain, Commissioner and Secretary, Forests, and Mr Sajjan Singh, Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary, Sports, will swap their places of posting. Mr Vivek Joshi, awaiting posting order, becomes Special Secretary, PWD (B&R) and Architecture, relieving Mr D.D.Gautam of the said charge. Ms Sumita Misra, Special Secretary, Power, Director, Power Reforms and Renewable Energy Sources Departments, will also look after the work of Special Secretary, Health, in addition to her present duties. Mr Anand Mohan Saran, Joint Secretary, Revenue and Consolidation, has been posted as Additional Labour Commissioner, Gurgaon, against a vacant post. Mr Phateh Singh, Deputy Commissioner, Mahendragarh at Narnaul, will be the new Deputy Commissioner, Hisar, vice Mr Arun Kumar Gupta, who is proceeding on deputation with Government of India. Mr M.P. Bansal, Administrator, HUDA, Hisar, has been posted as Deputy Commissioner, Mahendragarh, at Narnaul.
	high court Notification on GPA stayed Our High Court Correspondent Chandigarh, August 7 In a decision of far-reaching effect, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today stayed the operation of the June 30 notification issued by the Haryana Government as amended through a corrigendum on July 17 through which property transactions through general power of attorney (GPA) had been banned. While the stated aim of the notification was to check speculation in real estate prices by unearthing realtors and investors who purchase several properties for speculation through a GPA with the original allottee, the petitioners had challenged the order on the ground that it was ultra vires the Constitution. The petitioners include Mr Kailash Khera, the Faridabad Estates Agents Welfare Association and others. During hearing of the petition, advocate Puneet Bali, counsel for the petitioner, stated that the grant of power of attorney was governed by the Central Act, which bars the state government from taking any policy decision on it. He also stated that even the Act under which the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) was formed did not allow it to impose such a condition. As regards the HUDA and government claim that the order is aimed at preventing misuse of the GPA, Mr Bali said there were ample safeguards in the prevailing rules to check any such thing. As per the government order, sale and purchase of all flats was to be done through sale deeds only. HUDA had also claimed that there were large-scale complaints of violation of the GPA in group housing societies. The estate officers throughout Haryana had been asked to examine all records and transfer such GPAs to sale deeds. The move would have affected thousands of buyers and sellers in Gurgaon, Panchkula and Faridabad. Today, the Division Bench comprising Mr Justice Viney Mittal and Mr Justice HS Bhalla, while staying the operation of the order, admitted the petitions for further hearing by a Division Bench on October 20. Jammers in jails The High Court was on Monday informed that the Haryana Government has decided to install jammers in six jails to check use of mobile phones by the prisoners to carry out criminal activities from inside the jails. In its status report submitted today, the government has also decided to establish police posts outside all sensitive jails. The report says that at a meeting held on March 7 chaired by the DGP (Prisons), Haryana, it was decided that all the old, obsolete rules and clauses in the jail manual would be amended. Superintendents of all jails attended the meeting. The report also says that six prison officials have been suspended, departmental action has been initiated against 10 officials while 23 wardens stand charge-sheeted for irregularities. On December 5 last year, the High Court had directed the government of Haryana to inform it about its stand on the alleged irregularities being committed by the officials of District Jail, Sirsa. The High Court had taken suo motu notice of the report in this regard submitted by Mr Justice Ajay Kumar Mittal, the Inspecting Judge of Sirsa district. Mr Justice Mittal had visited the Sirsa jail on April 9 along with the District and Sessions Judge and had submitted a two-page report. The report was put up before the Chief Justice, who ordered that it be treated as a writ. In his report, Mr Justice Mittal said during his visit, an under-trial, Ganga Singh, appeared before him to disclose some facts about the alleged goings-on inside the jail. The prisoner, whose statement was recorded by the District and Sessions Judge accompanying the High Court Judge, told the Judge that whosoever raises voice against the misdeeds of the prison staff, he was given severe beating and was put in solitary confinement. In order to get out of the solitary confinement, the prisoner has to pay between Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 to the jail officials. In his report, the Judge noted that if a person commits any crime, it does not mean that by committing a crime, he ceases to be a human being and that he can be deprived of those aspects of life which constitute human dignity. The Judge observed that even prisoners have human rights.
	Suraj Bhan cremated Guard of honour not given, rue BJP MPs Tribune News Service Ambala, August 7 The mortal remains of Suraj Bhan, Chairman, National Commission for Schedule Castes, and former Governor, were consigned to the flames in Ambala Cantonment today amidst resentment among BJP leaders over the guard of honour not being given. Suraj Bhan was cremated at Ram Bagh. A large number of senior BJP leaders, including Members of Parliament, were present. The Sonepat MP, Mr Kishan Sangwan, expressed disappointment over the fact that guard of honour was not given during the last rites. “We are going to raise this issue in Parliament. It will be taken up for deliberations in the Parliamentary party meeting to be held tomorrow in New Delhi,” he said. Mr Sangwan said Bhan’s status was at par with that of a Cabinet minister. The MP from Gautam Budh Nagar, Mr Ashok Pradhan, said the guard of honour not being given is an insult to a national Dalit leader. “No state mourning has been declared and even no minister from the Haryana Government has even bothered to be present at the cremation. It is distressing. We will raise this issue in Parliament,” he said. A former Ambala MP, Mr Ratan Lal Kataria, said Suraj Bhan had devoted his entire life for the service to the nation. “He deserved full state honours. The fact that the guard of honour has not been provided is a sad reflection. We are discussing this issue and the party leaders will take it up at the appropriate platform,” he said. However, the Deputy Commissioner, Ambala, Mr O.P. Langyan, explained that instructions regarding protocol were received by the administration from the Haryana Government. “We have followed the instructions which we had received,” he said. “The Chief Secretary of Haryana is also in charge of the Protocol Department and the department follows protocol as laid down by the Government of India,” he said. He added that all necessary arrangements had been made by the administration. Suraj Bhan’s mortal remains were brought to his residence, near Football Chowk, in Ambala Sadar this afternoon. A large number of people were present at his residence when the body arrived from New Delhi. Mr Rati Ram Verma, Mr Dushyant Gautam, Mr Charanjit Singh Antwal, Mr Faqir Chand, Mr V.S. Mathur, Prof Ganeshi Lal, Mr Faqir Chand Aggarwal, Mr Ram Nath Govind, Mr Darshan Lal Jain, Mr K.S. Bhoria, Mr Mahavir Singh, Mr O.P. Langyan and Mr Amitabh Dhillon were present, among others. The funeral procession started from Suraj Bhan’s residence at about 5.15 pm. The procession passed through different areas of Ambala Sadar before reaching Ram Bagh.
	Two killed, three injured in factory blast Tribune News Service Yamunanagar, August 7 Two persons were killed and three injured when LPG and oxygen cylinders burste in a factory in the industrial area here this morning. A labourer present at the time of the incident is said to be missing. The blast was so powerful that the bodies of two persons were found lying on the other side of boundary wall of the factory which are over 15 - 20 feet high and internal organs of the victims were strewn all over. The police has not ruled out the possibility of a third death in the accident. The District Red Cross Society announced Rs 10,000 to the family of each of the deceased for the cremation. S.P. S Birdi, owner of Himanshu Engineering Works, who too received injuries in the accident has been booked under Section 304 A of the Indian Penal Code and the police and forensic experts are examining the cause of the blast. Preliminary investigations suggests that the blast was caused as the LPG cylinder burst due to pressure change in it and the adjoining oxygen cylinder too was ripped apart. As per police sources and labourers (Papu and Yasin) working in the factory at the time of the incident the blast took place at 11.30 am. Davinder (30) of the Jain Colony and Banti (32) of Saharanpur, both were cutting an iron sheet near the cylinders when the blast took place. Blast caused heavy damage to the factory premises also. A splinter of the cylinder flew over the adjoining factories and caused injuries to Balwinder of Pipli, Kurukshetra on the Jagadhari - Saharanpur road, 500 metres away from the blast site. The other injured labourer is Bablu. Deputy Commissioner J.P Kaushik and Superintendent of Police K.V Ramana reached the spot. Mr Kaushik said the deceased might be given Rs 1 lakh each from the Rajiv Gandhi Bima Yojna.
	Jindal’s death anniversary observed Our Correspondent Kaithal, August 7 Several functions were held in the district to observe birth anniversary of former Lok Sabha member Om Parkash Jindal who was killed in an air crash last year. Mr Rajesh Kumar, personal secretary to Mr Naveen Jindal, MP said a blood donation camp was inaugurated by Mr Tejinder Mann, a former Haryana Minister and a sitting MLA of Pai Assembly constituency at RKSD college here in which 51 youths donated blood. Mr Mann and prominent persons present on the occasion garlanded the portrait of late Om Parkash Jindal. Mr Mann recalled the services of Mr Jindal for the welfare of poor and down-trodden and by his hard work rose from a very ordinary person to become one of the richest men of the country. At Siwan, Mr Dillu Ram, MLA Guhla distributed books and study material at government secondary school. Deputy Commi-ssioner Rajinder Kataria inaugurated a health camp at Meri Gold School Kaithal in which 519 persons were examined by Dr Daljinder Singh and Sarabjeet Kaur. An eye camp was also inaugurated by the Deputy Commissioner at which Dr Rohit Lamba and Alapna Lamba checked up the patients and 33 were advised surgery.
	Road named after Jindal Tribune News Service Hisar, August 7 Warm tributes were paid to late Haryana Power Minister and industrialist Om Prakash Jindal on his birth anniversary here today. A number of programmes were organised in memory of the late leader. The stretch of road from Hisar bypass to Jindal Chowk was named after O.P.Jindal to mark the occasion. Haryana Minister for Power, PWD and Environment,Venod Sharma, laid the foundation stone of the road and a bridge. Mr O.P.Jindal’s wife and State Minister for Urban Development, Ms Savitri Devi Jindal, unveiled the late leader’s statue on the premises of Jindal Stainless. Floral tributes were paid before the statue by a number of prominent residents. Mr Jindal’s son and Congress MP from Kurukshetra, Naveen Jindal, said his father had come into politics to serve the common man. He maintained that a school with a capacity of 5,000 students would be constructed in the Mill Gate locality of the city at a cost of Rs 15 crore. President of the Hisar Industries Association, Kuldeep Bhargava, asserted that Rs 20 crore would be spent on making the O.P.Jindal Marg as the most beautiful stretch of road in the country. A variety of cultural programmes, including a marathon, besides painting and poetic recitation competitions, were organised at Vidya Devi Jindal School and O.P.Jindal Modern School in remembrance of the beloved “Bauji”.
	Students, parents lock school; block traffic Our Correspondent Sonepat, August 7 Students of Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Kharkhoda, and their parents locked the school and blocked the Rohtak-Sonepat highway for more than four hours here today. They were protesting against highhandedness of some teachers, lack of basic amenities and shortage of staff in the school. The road remained blocked from 6 am to 10 am. The blocked was lifted after the District Education Officer, the Deputy District Education Officer, and Congress leaders Surender Sharma and Joginder Dahiya reached the spot and assured the protesters that their grievances would be redressed promptly The students alleged that besides staff shortage, the school also did not have proper toilets and driking water facility. They also alleged that some teachers did not teach them using authorised textbooks; rather they use guides of the authors of their choice.
	Afforestation drive to involve village forest committees Ruchika M. Khanna Tribune News Service Chandigarh, August 7 The Haryana Forest Department has decided to involve village forest committees (VFCs) for better monitoring and ensuring higher survival rate of saplings planted during the on-going afforestation drive across the state. Over 700 VFCs ( 336 under the Haryana Community Forestry Project and 400 in the Japan Bank for International Cooperation) will now maintain records of all the saplings planted in the area near their respective villages. These committees will also check that the saplings planted as part of the afforestation drive are not uprooted. In return, these committees will get a share in the harvesting of trees once they mature. Talking to TNS, Mr J P L Srivastava, Chief Conservator of Forests, Haryana, said the decision to involve the village forest committees had been taken last week to keep tabs on the actual tree plantation by monitoring distribution of saplings, besides ensuring higher survival rate. "Generally, 20 per cent of the saplings planted in a year die in the first year, and there is another 10 per cent mortality in the second year. In many areas, the villagers often let out their cattle for grazing in areas where the tree plantation has been done. By making them accountable and offering them incentive in terms of share in harvesting, we hope to bring down the mortality rate significantly," he said. It may be noted that as of now, it was only in the Shivalik areas (districts of Panchkula, Ambala and Yamunanagar) that the VFCs had a share in the harvesting of trees. Seeing the successful involvement of these VFCs here, it has been decided to extend this public-private partnership model in all districts of the state. This year 4.50 crore saplings are being planted across the state. Of these 2.50 crore will be distributed to NGOs, social clubs, resident organisations, educational institutes et all while the remaining two crore will be given to the VFCs by the Forest Department for plantation. Though the majority of saplings will be Eucalyptus(2 crore) and fruit trees (60 lakh), others like Sheesham, poplar, Jatropha and Bakain (in arid areas) will also be planted.
	New water, sewerage project for 8 towns Tribune News Service Chandigarh , August 7 The National Capital Region Planning Board has sanctioned a new project costing over Rs 192 crore to improve the water supply and sewer systems in eight towns of Haryana. The towns are Hodal, Sohna, Palwal, Rewari, Rohtak, Panipat, Gohana and Samalkha. This was stated here today by a spokesman of the Public Health Department. He said the project would be completed by February, 2009.