Chandigarh, November 4
For the first time in the history of the Housing Board, Haryana, the authorities have successfully launched a state- wide campaign to clear encroachments by allottees on surplus land in Housing Board colonies.

Over the years, encroachments in the colonies and commercial use of property in various urban estates had been “overlooked” by the authorities. The allottees have also been altering/ modifying the houses without seeking prior approval from the Board (after execution of conveyance deed) or the Municipal Council/ Committee concerned.

During the past three months, the Board has managed to clear encroachments on at least 20 acres of land (mainly open spaces in the colonies), carve plots wherever possible and auction these off. In the open spaces where plots could not be carved out the land have been allotted to the original allottees at a reserve price fixed by the Board. The entire exercise has led to the Board earning Rs 6.49 crore.

Senior officials in the Housing Board said that so far they had managed to clear encroachments by allottees and outsiders on 18. 56 acres of Housing Board Colony, Kalka, and carved out 26 plots. “The total land under encroachment here would be worth Rs 20 crore. After carving 26 plots on this land, we have managed to auction off eight, and earn Rs 3 crore from this auction. We hope to auction the remaining plots on 2560 sq yards area, for which the price has been fixed at Rs 3.64 crore,” said the officer.

In Kalka, the Board has also given an option of surrendering the possession of their houses to allottees who have failed to deposit the final cost of house, enhanced land compensation (ELC) or arbitration award of the house with interest by December 31. The Board has also offered to refund the entire amount (without interest) deposited by the allottees and forego the rental/ use and occupation charges. If the defaulters fail to clear the outstanding dues by December 31, they would be evicted by the Estate Manager.

Other than Kalka, the Board has achieved success in recovering 1200 sq. yard area in Chakarpur (Gurgaon) and earn Rs 2. 22 crore. In Chika (district Kaithal), 19 plots have been carved from the recovered land and the Board has netted Rs 8.16 lakh from this auction. The Board has managed to carve 19 plots in Narwana (Jind) through removal of encroachments on open spaces and auctioned these for Rs 43 lakh.

Similarly, Rs 50 lakh has been affected through the sale of plots (recovered from encroachers) in Narnaul, and Rs 26.60 lakh through sale of open spaces/ plots in Palwal.

Jhajjar, November 4
Three brothers burnt their eldest sibling following a bitter land dispute in Kasni village of the district. Residents of Kasni and Talao villages held a demonstration in the town today with the body, alleging laxity by the police in arresting the accused.

According to information, the victim Surender (50) was asleep at the outskirts of the village on October 24 when his brothers- Inderpal, Jaibir and Jaiprakash-set him ablaze. He was admitted to the PGIMS at Rohtak in serious condition. His condition deteriorated and he succumbed to burn injuries last night. The police has registered a case but the accused have not been arrested so far.

His body was brought to the village today. Enraged villagers alleged that the police was dragging feet on arresting the accused. The victim's wife’s brothers from Talao village also arrived there with the sarpanch of the village. They alleged that even after 10 days of the incident, the police had not been able to arrest the accused. They decided to take the dead body to the district headquarters, Jhajjar, demanding immediate arrest of the accused.

The villagers, about 100 of them, laid a siege of Rao Tula Ram Chowk in the town, with the body of the deceased lying on the road. Roads leading to Gurgaon and Rewari were blocked. The Deputy Superintendent of Police and Subdivisional Magistrate tried to placate the agitated villagers but they insisted on an assurance from the Superintendent of Police that the accused would be arrested soon. Only then would the last rites of the victim be performed.

Hisar, November 4
The Inspector-General of Police (Hisar Range), Mr Yashpal Singal, has sought the comments of the Sirsa SP, Mr Sultan Singh, on allegations of sexual harassment against the latter by a woman Sub-Inspector. Sub-Inspector Amarjit Kaur of the Sirsa police had alleged that the Superintendent of Police had been harassing her for the past few months. She had sought justice for herself and pleaded that she be transferred.

The Sirsa SP, Mr Sultan Singh, has refuted the allegations as false and baseless. On being contacted, he said Mr Amarjit of Kumthala village had submitted an affidavit, alleging that the woman Sub-Inspector had took Rs 20,000 from him for not dragging his name into a case registered at the Ellenabad police station.

On receiving the complaint, Mr Sultan Singh asked the DSP of Ellenabad to conduct an inquiry into the matter. "The allegation was found to be true in the probe and following this, the Sub-Inspector was suspended on November 2," the SP said.

He said there were several other serious complaints against the woman Sub-Inspector. She was suspended in one of the cases, while an inquiry was being conducted against her by a DSP-level official in another case.

He said Ms Amarjit Kaur had cooked up a story to avert action in view of the serious allegations of corruption against her. — TNS

Panipat, November 4
Two residents of Rakashera village, including a young girl, in Smalkha subdivision died under mysterious circumstances here today. The body of the girl was cremated by her relatives early in the morning while the police sent the body of Sanjay (20) for post-mortem.

Dr Alok Jain of the local Civil Hospital said the viscera of Sanjay’s body had been sent to Karnal for examination. However, the death was not natural even as there was no marks of violence on the body, added Dr Jain.

According to Mr Bhim Sain, sarpanch of the village, he was informed by Ramesh, a cousin of Sanjay, that the body of his brother was lying in front of their home. “When I reached the spot I was also informed about the death of Babita, daughter of Nambardar Jai Bhagwan,” added the sarpanch.

The family members of the girl could not be contacted.

“The family members told me that the girl was on fast yesterday. She died when they were taking her to hospital after she complained of stomachache”, the sarpanch said.

“My son was employed at a hardware shop at Smalkha and he was at home till midnight,” said Mahavir, father of Sanjay.

“I don't know why and when he left home as we found his body lying in front of our home around 5.30 in the morning, said Mahavir, who is a labourer in the village.

The police has started investigation.

Chandigarh, November 4
The sight of village women fetching drinking water from the nearest well has inspired generations of painters and provided the setting for a meeting between the hero and the heroine in countless Bollywood films.

But the Haryana Government, headed by the Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, is determined to make this familiar institution of Haryana villages a thing of the past. The state government has decided to provide a drinking water connection to every household in the state by 2009.

For persons belonging to the Scheduled Castes, the entire expenditure of connection fee, storage tank of 200 litre capacity and a tap will be borne by the government. For general category people, the connection fee of Rs 500 in the rural areas and Rs 1,000 in the urban areas will be waived during the first year of the scheme.

The scheme will be implemented in three phases and cost the state exchequer about Rs 200 crore.

Earlier, the Public Health Department, under the stewardship of its minister, Mr Randeep Singh Surjewala, found out the extent of private water connections among households in the state. It was discovered that out of 37.12 lakh households, only seven lakh had taken private water connections till date.

According to Mr Dalip Singh, Secretary, Public Health Department, 70 per cent of the water supplied through public taps goes waste. It has been estimated that the cost of water thus wasted is around Rs 100 crore a year, he says.

It is learnt that during the current financial year the facility of private connections will be extended in about 5,000 villages and approved urban colonies having a water source of 40 litres per day or less. Five lakh general category households and one lakh Scheduled Castes households will be covered under the scheme this year.

In 2007-08, 10 lakh general category and four lakh Scheduled Caste households will be covered while in 2008-09, the remaining seven lakh 
general category households and three lakh Scheduled Castes households will come under the scheme.

The Chief Minister had mentioned the scheme at a recent rally at Sampla in Rohtak district.