Panchkula, December 22
"The Transport Department is also contemplating use of emblems in number plates for extra charges. We are going through the Motor Vehicle Act to ensure that it is not violated if such a proposal is given the nod," Mr Surjewala said.

This was stated by the Haryana Transport Minister, Mr Randeep Singh Surjewala, at a press conference, here today, after chairing the district grievances committee meeting where six complaints were addressed on the spot and three were kept pending for want of reports.

He added that the Haryana Government had received a sum of over Rs 5 crore by allotting preferential registration numbers for non-transport vehicles in over a year since the commencement of the new policy on such numbers. He said that an amount of nearly Rs 4.02 crore had been received the headquarters alone during the period.

Mr Surjewala said the department had started charging additional fee for the allotment of preferential numbers after July 13, 2005 as per its new policy. Earlier, these numbers were provided free of cost.

The minister said a sum of Rs 1.43 crore had so far been received in respect of the issuance of the single digit numbers out of which collection of Rs 38.25 lakh had been received against the registration number 0001 during the cited period.

Other numbers such as 0002 have so far received a sum of Rs 25.10 lakh, number 0003 fetched a sum of Rs 9.10 lakh, number 0004 Rs 9.20 lakh, number 0005 Rs 12.50 lakh, number 0006 Rs 4.30 lakh, number 0007 Rs 10.25 lakh, number 0008 Rs 3.85 lakh and number 0009 fetched a sum of Rs 21.35 lakh during the corresponding period, he added.

He said the fee for allotment of the preferential numbers was also being charged by all the Registering Authorities in the field and collections were being made for the allotment of such numbers in the field, the minister added. He said the department had also introduced certain security features in the tickets to ensure that these cannot be forged or duplicated.

Commenting on the deteriorating crime situation in Panchkula where thefts have become the norm, Mr Surjewala said that Gurgaon, Panchkula and Faridabad were fast-expanding districts of the state where the in-flow of migrant labour was maximum. "So, the force needs to be increased in all these districts," he opined.

Yamunanagar, December 22
Family members of Renuka, who was kidnapped, gang raped and then murdered in 1995 yesterday received a letter from the Prime Ministers’ Office (PMO).

The Central Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case but even after 11-years of the incident there is no breakthrough in the case. In the letter to the Chief Secretary of the Haryana government the PMO has made enquiries about the case and investigations.

Ms Kamlesh, mother of Renuka had written to the Prime Minister that no headway has been in the investigation of the case even after 11-years.

Mr Subhash Sharma, father of Renuka said when the judgment in the Priyadarshani – Mattoo case was announced they became hopeful of getting justice and family wrote to the Prime Minister and the President besides others.

Renuka, a class XI student was raped and murdered on August 26, 1995. Her body was found in a railway yard. There were five accused in the case including son of a former Haryana minister. Dharna and rallies were held in the district by the residents. The case was given to the CBI in 1996. “Now the PMO has taken up the matter. We are sure we would get justice soon”, said Mr Sharma.

Fatehabad, December 22
The state Minister for Forests and Tourism, Ms Kiran Chaudhary, said her ministry received a sanction for a Rs 30-crore project from the Centre today which aimed at developing tourist spots in and around the historic town of Kurukshetra.

Talking to mediapersons at the residence of a senior Congress leader, Mr Pahlad Singh, at Gillankhera village near here, Ms Chaudhary said the Tourism Ministry would develop 48 monuments in the 200-km radius of Kurukshetra town to promote tourism in that area. She said Kurukshetra would become focal point in Haryana after the implementation of the project.

She said the government also planned to promote private investment in the tourism sector and would provide all possible support to those interested in setting up budget hotels in the state. Ms Chaudhary said the government had already started hotel management courses at Barkhal (Faridabad) and Tylyar (Rohtak).

She also revealed that that the government planned to shut down those tourist complexes in the state, which were proving loss-making projects.

The Minister said the government planned to cover 10 per cent of the total area of the state under forests. At present 6.6 per cent of the total area of the state was under forests, she informed, adding that the main thrust of the state government was on agro forestation. Herbal parks were also being developed in all districts 
of Haryana.

She said the demand of herbal plants was increasing world over these days. and that the government was also promoting wood-based industry in the state.Under the community forestation, the government was promoting self-help groups of women in villages.

These groups, she said, could take business of spices dairy etc and the government provided buy-back facility to such groups.

Badhra (Bhiwani), December 22
A mahapanchayat of Jevali and its neighbouring villages today offered to let Hawa Singh Poonia and his family members, except his son Ombir and daughter-in-law Saroj, continue living in the village but sternly refused to entertain any suggestion to revoke the expulsion of the newly married couple.

The mahapanchayat, which was presided over by Amar Singh Badhra, invited all Poonia families in the village to its meeting. Representatives of about a dozen families responded to the invitation.

However, after hearing the mahapanchayat’s decision, they sought time till tomorrow to discuss the offer with Hawa Singh. Consequently, the mahapanchayat would hold another session tomorrow.

The mahapanchayat directed a former village sarpanch, Ram Singh, who had opposed and “insulted” the panchayat that expelled Hawa Singh’s family from the village, to offer a public apology or face ostracism.

At one stage, during the mahapanchayat’s meeting, things appeared to be going out of control when a few youths threatened to burn down the house of Hawa Singh. Village elders intervened and the presence of the police in strong numbers around the venue and all around the village acted as a strong deterrent and the youths meekly slipped away one by one.

During the past couple of years, the judiciary has taken a serious view of the activities of khap panchayats and the panchayats had to back out under court directions. Thus, by partially amending its order, the panchayat has indicated its willingness to resolve the issue at its terms.

However, elders from Poonia families indicated that the climb-down may not help resolve the row that erupted over the marriage of Ombir to Saroj on December 10 despite opposition by the Sheoran jat community which enjoys a brute majority in the villages of the area.

They also see this as a move to create differences between the parents and the newly wed couple because Ombir and Saroj’s marriage was arranged by Hawa Singh who is now being offered a mercy chance.
Meanwhile, the administration seems to be content with ensuring there is no outbreak of violence. Barring a few half-hearted attempts to bring about a solution, the authorities have done nothing in the past 10 days.

The reason is clear. No government would involve itself in the imbroglio for fear of annoying one or both the parties.

But, this strategy certainly encourages khap panchayats to show their nuisance value in the caste and gotra-ridden rural Haryana time and again.

Bhiwani, December 22
Class IV employees of Civil Hospital, relatives and others demonstrated carrying body of Bhagwat, at Ghantaghar chowk here and blocked roads around it for three hours today. Relatives of Bhagwat allege Bhagwat committed suicide following torture in police custody.

Bhagwat, a class IV employee of the Civil Hospital had been summoned at the Dinod gate police station about the complaint of theft of a new born baby when Bhagwat allegedly consumed poisonous substance. The police took him to hospital for treatment but doctor there referred him to Medical College Rohtak. He was declared “brought dead” by the doctors. Body of Bhagwat was brought from Rohtak, after post mortem examination, to Bhiwani in the presence of SDM Yogesh Chander Bhardwaj yesterday. The relatives yesterday warned of demonstration with the body on Friday for justice.

Deceased’s wife and his son Bunty alleged that the police had been torturing Bhagwat by summoning him to police chowki at times resulting in Bhagwat committing suicide.

However, the police said that the deceased was questioned only whenever he was called. The police claimed Bhagwat did not consume any substance inside police station.

Today,demonstration which was joined by INLD vice president and ex-minister Dr. Vasu Dev Sharma, Gobind Ram Billu, INLD Mahila cell spokesperson Kanta Sheoran and Dharmbir Dabla raised slogans and demanded justice. Demonstrators jammed Ghantaghar chowk and relented after assurance of justice from the SP Subhash Yadav and SDM Bhardwaj. The SDM was conducting enquiry into this case and he would submit report on December 27.

Hisar, December 22
The police here claimed solving two murder cases and another of attempt to murder and arrested eight persons in different parts of the district in this connection.

Anil Kumar, a medical practitioner of Daulatpur village was shot dead by unidentified assailants on the night of December 4.

SSP, Arshinder Singh Chawla, said here today the police solved the blind murder case with the arrest of four persons. Dharmender, Manjit, Kulbir and Vijender of Daulatpur village. A .32-bore revolver allegedly used in the crime, two mobile sets and a mobile SIM card have been seized from their possession.

In a case of double murder, two brothers, Rajesh Kumar and Sudhir alias Sonu of Madanheri village in Narnaund area of the district, were killed on December 10.

The police arrested three persons, including Joginder alias Kala, Sandeep and Rajvanti of Madanheri village in connection with the double murder case.

The police has also arrested Sandeep of Nidani village in Jind district in a case of attempt to murder. Sandeep had allegedly shot at his aunt (mother’s sister) Shakuntala in connection with land dispute. A country-made pistol has been seized from him.

Panipat, December 22
The land mafia active in the region was fraudulently buying abandoned property in connivance with a few municipal and revenue officials. Mr Sanjay Bhatia, former chairman, Panipat Municipal Committee, Mr Harish Sharma, municipal councillor, Mr Mahipal Dhanda, BJP president, Panipat (rural), and Mr Dharampal Gupta, all BJP leaders, along with Mr Om Parkash, a victim, alleged this in a press conference organised here today. Mr Om Parkash said the mafia was even threatening those who tried to help the victims.

I bought a plot at Bichhpari village from Mr Puran Chand in 1974. In 1980 Mr Puran Chand transferred his property through collusive decree in favour of Mr Lal Chand, Mr Om Parkash said. Now my plot costs around Rs 2 crore and an influential person has encroached upon my property after getting it fraudulently registered in his name, he alleged.

The family members of Lal Chand have sold the plot for Rs 21.50 lakh to someone even though I am the real owner of the property since 1974, he rued.

A no objection certificate against the property was also obtained by the accused from the municipal committee on June 6,2005, to facilitate the sale of property even though it does’t come under the municipal limits, he claimed.

I have all documents with me though I did not get mutation of my land, he added.

Revealing the modus operandi of the land mafia Mr Sanjay Bhatia said there were many colonies carved out in and around city by private colonisers during the past. About 25 per cent of the total land in any colony was left for constructing roads and parks. And this 25 per cent land always remain in the name of original owner who give the land to coloniser to sell the plots, Mr Bhatia added.

Now, the land mafia in connivance with a few municipal and revenue officials was buying the land in these colonies from the former land owners and usurping the land left for common use of residents of colony, including property belonging to owners who did not get their property recorded in revenue records, Mr Bhatia alleged.

Chandigarh, December 22
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has quashed the collection of market fee on agricultural produce by private contractors in Punjab.

The decision was given by a Division Bench comprising Mr Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel and Mr Justice Rajesh Bindal while disposing of a bunch of writ petitions. Though the judgement was delivered a few weeks ago, its copy was available only today.

The issue before the Bench was whether the right to collect market fee under the Punjab Agricultural Produce Markets Act, 1961, and the rural development fee under the Punjab Rural Development Act, 1987, could be given to a private person who agreed to pay the highest monetary consideration in an auction.

Answering the issue in the negative, the Bench quoted a Supreme Court judgement in the Maneka Gandhi versus Union India case that the procedure which affected rights of a person had to be fair, just and reasonable. Any person who was required to pay market fee had to be afforded an opportunity of showing that the market fee was not due or payable. Such a function being quasi judicial, could not be outsourced, particularly in the absence of a clear statutory provision.

The Bench said the outsourcing of collection of market fee would, in practical terms, amount to giving the contractor power to levy and assess, apart from recovery of fee. "This will be without the authority of law. Such a vital decision clearly involves essential legislative function,” it said.

Holding that the collection of market fee, being integral to the levy and assessment, the Judges said it had to be exercised by a market committee itself. However, they added that if at all there could be outsourcing, "it has to be only of collection of fee already assessed and declared in a written order of the market committee."

The Bench, however, said its order would not affect the validity of any recovery made so far.

Haryana had also outsourced the collection of market fee in subji mandis of Gurgaon and Faridabad for two years. But before privatising the collection process, it had amended its Act.