Chandigarh, January 9
A scrutiny of government expenditure by the CAG’s office is supposed to be of paramount importance to ensure the judicious use of public money by government departments.

It is apparently a very different scenario in Haryana where work relating to audit observations come at the bottom of the priority list of the state government.

A frustrated Mr Ashwani Attri, Accountant-General (Audit) of Haryana, recently wrote to the state government that “ the very purpose of the audit is not fully achieved” owing to the casual approach of government departments towards audit findings.

The initial replies to the inspection reports issued by his office were never received from the departments concerned within the prescribed period of four weeks, the AG (Audit) wrote to the government.

“ In most of the cases the replies were received after a lapse of one year or so. Apparently, the Drawing and Disbursing Officers are not paying attention to sending promptly the initial replies to my office”, Mr Attri wrote.

During the five months following April 1, 2006, as many as 449 inspection reports were issued by the CAG’s office after conducting the audit of various state government offices. Of these, initial replies to only 187 reports were received which constituted 40 per cent of the reports issued. The remaining 60 per cent of the reports remained unanswered.

Among the government departments, the Education Department was issued the maximum number of reports during the five-month period and it also achieved the dubious distinction of having the maximum number of answers pending. Out of 130 reports issued to the Education Department, initial replies were received in 66 cases while 64 reports remained unanswered.

However, the Education Department managed to reply to over 50 per cent of the reports sent to it by the office of the AG (Audit). Departments such as the Police, Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Industrial Training and Vocational Education fall in the category of those which are well short of reaching the 50 per cent mark in this particular branch of official work.

Following Mr Attri’s missive, the Finance Secretary of Haryana has issued instructions to officials to send their replies “within a month positively” under intimation to Finance Department.

Similar instructions issued by the Finance Secretary in December ,2005, however, failed to elicit cooperation from various departments.

Chandigarh, January 9
Mr Om Prakash Chautala, President of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), today accused the Congress President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, of politicising the Nithari serial killings.

In a statement issued here Mr Chautala said the Nithari killings were a crime against humanity and politicians, including Mrs Gandhi, should desist from politicising the issue.

He said the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, should convene an all-party meeting to discuss the deteriorating law and order situation in the country so that a national consensus and comprehensive policy could be evolved on the issue.

Mr Chautala said the law and order situation in Assam, Bihar, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and other parts of the country was grim and worsening day by day. "India's international image is suffering and this will have an adverse effect on national development and foreign investment. The country is on the verge of disintegration and a strong initiative is required."

The former Chief Minister alleged that in Gurgaon alone, 29 persons had already been murdered in a series of killings, but Mrs Gandhi could not find time to come to Gurgaon to console the affected families whereas she was trying to settle political scores by demanding time and again the sacking of the Mulayam government on the Nithari issue.

Mr Chautala criticised the Congress for taking lightly the Gurgaon massacre, which showed the dual policy of the ruling party. "No Congress man has even demanded action against the guilty police officials, not to speak of demanding the resignation of the Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda."

The INLD chief demanded stern and early action against the culprits in the Nithari and Gurgaon serial killings so that a sense of security could be restored among the public.

Ambala, January 9
The Defence Estate Office has pointed out that the registration of a bungalow in Ambala Cantonment is illegal without prior sanction of the Government of India. This was observed in a letter sent to the Naib Tehsildar, Ambala Cantt yesterday, over the reported sale of a bungalow located on Napier Road.

The letter(No BC-4/99/A/DEO/306), states, "As per the General Land Registrar maintained by this office, premises measuring Sy No 305 is held on Old Grant Terms governed by the Governor General Order No 179 dated 12.09.1836 for residential purposes.

The property is placed under the management of the DEO, Ambala Cantt," the letter states.

"In terms of the order, the holder of occupancy rights enjoys the right to occupy the premises with no right of ownership over the land and trees grown over there, except for the structure authorisedly constructed thereon.

The ownership of the land vests with the Ministry of Defence, Government of India, and land cannot be sold by the grantee.

Further sub-division of sites held on Old Grant Terms is also not possible. Any action contrary to the above legal position is illegal," the letter observes. 

Kaithal, January 9
Aim of the construction of the 109-km long Hansi Butana multipurpose link channel at a cost of Rs 260 crore is to ensure equitable distribution of available canal water in the state and water in this canal will start flowing by September 2007. This was stated by Mr Ajay Yadav Irrigation Minister at a press conference here today after inspecting construction of the canal from Azimgarh onwards. Mr Dillu Ram Parliamentary Secretary , Mr Rajinder Kataria Deputy Commissioner, Mr J.S. Ahlawat Engineer-in-chief Irrigation Department Haryana and SE J.S. Cheema and Mr Dudeja were also present.

Mr Yadav said out of 20 districts in the state 16 would benefit after the completion of this canal as canal water was major source of irrigation. He said water supply through canal system in Sirsa, Fatehabad and parts of Hisar was on 16 days out of 24 days, in parts of Hisar and Jind district it was on 16 days out of 32 days whereas in remaining district it was on eight days out of 32 days and sometimes on eight days out of 40 days. As there was disparity in the distribution of water, the government decided to construct the channel for equitable distribution of water in arid areas of southern Haryana served by lift canal system.

The minister said the INLD was misleading people that the canal would not be completed. He said till date 70 per cent earth work and 30 per cent lining of the canal had been completed. A team of the central water commission had visited the site of construction and the place from where the Bhakra Main Line would be punctured to put of water of Haryana in the Hansi Butana link channel. Replying to a question by reporters the minister clarified the entire canal was being constructed in Haryana territory and the from where the BML would be punctured was also in Haryana. The canal would carry only own share of water and share of other state will not be disturbed.

Mr Yadav said rice shoots could be provided to farmers along the route of this canal through lift irrigation method in paddy season. Besides this the canals of Kaithal and Kurukshetra would get water for eight days in 24 days against eight days out of 32 days at present. When Ghaggar will be in flood water of this river will be taken in this canal. This canal will help recharge depleting watertable in Kaithal and Kurukshetra area as wells will be dug on the bed of this canal and these could be used to recharge the underground water when needed.

The minister said the Bhupinder Singh Hooda government had also taken the initiative to construct Dadupur Nalvi Canal which would also bundh benefit the farmers. The project to construct Kaushalaya on the Ghaggar river was also under the consideration. Mr Yadav said farmers of the area would get more canal water next paddy season as government had decided to fill up Bibipur lake in Kurukshetra from next rainy season and the farmers whose land will be affected would be compensated by the government.

Chandigarh, January 9
Thirty-five schemes of increasing capacity of canals and their repair have been completed in Haryana with the assistance of NABARD and work on 38 such schemes are underway in the state.

While stating this here today, a spokesman for the Haryana Irrigation Department claimed there had been an increase of 25 per cent in the availability of canal water in the state as a result of the efficient management of the water resources. He said the drip and lift irrigation system was being promoted in plain areas to ensure optimum utilisation of water resources.

He said it had been decided to construct a 64-km long canal with the capacity of 500 cusecs at a cost of Rs 213 crore for augmenting the water supply in the National Capital Region.

He added that for irrigating Kharif crops, floodwaters of Yamuna, Ghaggar, Markanda and Tangri rivers would be utilised. The spokesman said the running capacity of Siwani Canal System had been increased from 150 per cent to 300 per cent.

Yamunanagar, January 9
Studies of several college-going girls living in 21 villages falling between the Jagadhri-Buria-Deodhar stretch of road and the Yamuna have been affected because their parents have stopped them from travelling in over-loaded maxi cabs and three-wheelers. The problem started after the plying of buses was banned on the road because a bridge over the Western Yamuna Canal (WYC) on the road near Buria here was declared unsafe for heavy vehicles.

In the absence of public buses, the only option left with villagers to reach Yamunanagar and Jagadhri towns is to travel in overloaded maxi-cabs and three-wheelers. Earlier, two buses, one private and one of Haryana Roadways, used to ply on the route. There are at least 60 girls from these villages who go to colleges located in the two towns and thousands of others students.

The four-span bridge, which is more than 130 years old, had developed cracks and the plying of heavy vehicles has now been banned. As per sources in the PWD (B and R) and Irrigation Department, a proposal for a new bridge is with the government, but it is not yet known when the work on it will start. Officials allege that the bridge was damaged because trucks loaded with sand and stones plied on the road. After the closure of the bridge, these heavy vehicles are now using small bridges at Halderi and Nandgarh villages to reach their destinations. Officials of the Irrigation Department apprehend that these small bridges might collapse.

Because of the damaged bridge, villages, including Buria, Meharmajra, Khadri, Nathanpur, Malimajra and Bhilpura, have now no bus connectivity.

Mr Ashok Rampur, president of the Yuva Vikas Mandal, has demanded that till a new bridge comes up, the government should at least build a Bailey bridge. And it is not only the parents of girl students who were being troubled because of the bridge, but also farmers who were forced to take long routes to carry sugarcane to sugar mills.

Chandigarh, January 9
The Haryana Government has disbursed Rs 375.14 crore out of the allocated Rs 586.64 crore among 15.71 lakh beneficiaries of old age allowance and widow and handicapped pensions during the current fiscal year. Disclosing this in a statement, Social Welfare Minister Kartar Devi said the government had ensured that 10.74 lakh beneficiaries of old age allowance got Rs 300 per month on their doorstep on or before the seventh of every month, she said.

Panipat, January 9
With the arrest of Virender here, a resident of Siwah village, the CIA wing of local police today claimed to identify killers of Amol, a 16-year-old student of Delhi Public School, Panipat.

Thieves had murdered Amol when he chased them near his house in Geeta Colony on the night of December 11 last.

According to Mr Alok Mittal, SP, Panipat, the accused Virender with his three accomplices looted two persons in the city today after attacking them with sharp-edged weapons, injuring them seriously. Later, Virender was caught by the police but his accomplices Vijay and Anil, both residents of Siwah village and Sunil, alias Billa, a resident of Vikas Nagar, escaped. During interrogation, Virender confessed that they were involved in the murder of Amol, the SP added.

During interrogation the accused said they were trying to steal a car in Geeta Colony on the night of December 11 when Amol spotted them and chased on his scooter with one of his neighbours. At some distance Amol found two of the accused.

But as soon as pillion rider got down, the accused started running again. Amol, who was driving the scooter, again started chasing them alone. Sunil and Virender hit him with a screw driver from back puncturing one of his lungs due to which the boy died, said Mr Mittal.

Hisar, January 9
The Haryana Education Minister, Mr Phool Chand Mulana, while presiding over a monthly meeting of the District Grievances Committee, yesterday ordered the district administration to register an FIR against a gas agency located on the Dhaansu Road. He has also directed the local authorities to get the allegations of irregularities in providing LPG connections probed.

Mr Ashok Kumar of Bhatla village and others complained that gas agency owners were forcing consumers, seeking new connection, to buy gas stove and tube along with new connection.

In another complaint, it was alleged that the electricity connection on the tube-well of Ishwar, son of Amar Singh of Daultapur village, was in the name of the village panchayat which paid the bill. On hearing this, Mr Mulana ordered that the connection be cut and a case registered against the person concerned.

Mr Zile Singh, a farmer of Kheri Chaupta village, complained that a dealer had sold him low-quality seed, due to which he had to suffer heavy losses. The minister told the Deputy Director (Agriculture) to get adequate compensation and check the sale of spurious seed, fertilisers and medicine in the district.

Yamunanagar, January 9
A teacher of Kendriya Vidyalaya Sanghtan, posted at Jammu, was murdered near the official residence of the Superintendent of Police here this evening.

As per information available, Harwinder Kumar, alias Lucky (27), was found lying along the DAV Dental college with multiple injuries. Local people took him to the dental college, where he was attended upon by doctors, but he could not survive.

Harwinder Kumar, a resident of Sanjay Vihar, Gobindpura, here was stabbed with a sharp-edged weapon in his lower abdomen, near heart and right leg. He had joined the job only three months ago and had returned a few days ago for vacations.

Ruby, sister of the victim, said an unidentified caller had told the family that Harwinder had met with an accident. Earlier, the police was informed that two persons had tried to snatch a mobile phone from the victim. They attacked him and escaped. There was no power supply at the time of the incident (at around 8 pm) and the killers took advantage of the darkness on the road and escaped, said a police official.

Post-mortem of the body would be performed tomorrow.

Rohtak, January 9
The Maharshi Dayanand University Teachers Association (MDUTA) has opposed the “temporary adjustment” of three teachers of the erstwhile University College to Gurgaon following their repatriation to MDU after the government took back the college from the university 26 years after handing it over a few months ago.

In a statement issued here today, the MDUTA president, Dr Rajinder Chaudhary, said it was strange that the trio were given marching orders even as the cases of 10 repatriated teachers were still pending. In one case one teacher had been posted to Gurgaon and another had been shifted here from Gurgaon. This, he said, defied all logic.

He said the government and the MDU authorities had been assuring the teachers and the MDUTA leadership that the adjustment of repatriated teachers would be done only after securing their consent. However, in this case no such modalities were followed.

The MDUTA chief said the executive council of the university had sometime ago decided that an appropriate procedure would be devised to adjust these teachers and that their consent would be must for any adjustment. However, the university had chosen to do so without devising a proper procedure.

He demanded that the university evolve a proper policy for the adjustment of these teachers and it should be made public before placing it before the executive council for its approval. Till this was done, no teacher should be sent on posting outside Rohtak, he added. 

Ambala, January 9
A big question mark has been put on the safety of school children travelling by vans following a recent incident in which a primary school student was seriously injured while alighting from the school van. Surya Pratap Rana, a Class III student of a reputed school, was seriously injured while alighting from his school van near Civil Hospital chowk in Ambala Cantt late last week.

The child sustained serious head and internal injuries besides a fractured hip bone. He was rushed to the PGI, Chandigarh, where he is undergoing treatment.

Mr Brahmpal Rana, Chairman of the Zila Parishad, Ambala, and father of Surya Pratap, said the accident took place as the school children were not being properly supervised in the van.

He said that his son was sitting close to the door. The incident took place close to our home and he slipped out and fell hard on the road. "We are concerned about the extent of his injuries," he said.

Mr Rana observed that there should be a proper regulation and constant monitoring of all school vans running here.

"It is a matter of grave concern that such an incident has taken place. The district administration must take note of this incident and take appropriate steps so that such incidents do not take place in the future," he said. The Superintendent of Police, Ambala, Mr Amitabh Dhillon, said that the police would take suitable action regarding school vans. "We have already carried out a road safety week in which we have asked the drivers to follow the traffic rules. Drivers ferrying school children must drive carefully for the sake of safety of the children," he said.

The incident has brought into sharp focus the fact that many school vans in Ambala Cantt and Ambala City are operating with rudimentary facilities and they were not fit for ferrying school children.

As a matter of fact, the most common form of school transport is a Maruti van whose seats have been re-arranged so that a number of school children can fit into them. The road worthiness of these Maruti vans is questionable since old Maruti vans are converted for ferrying school children. The narrow lanes and by-lanes of Mahesh Nagar area and Sadar Bazar in Ambala Cantt make it difficult for big buses to pass through them. So, Maruti vans are found to be a suitable and convenient alternative for traversing through the narrow roads. Cycle rickshaws, having wooden planks, are also a common sight in the morning and afternoon time. Children are literally herded onto the rickshaw.

However, there are some schools which have their own school buses. But parents have to come to the main roads to drop their children as these buses cannot enter the colonies. Parents of school-going children stress that only proper buses should be put into use by the school.

They say that parents are forced to send their children in small vans as proper school buses are not available. 

Rewari, January 9
As many as 14 cows, including several bulls, died in the New Grain Market area here on Sunday.

It is suspected that consumption of junk barley, which presumably contained some ingredients of a pesticide, from a heap of rubbish lying on the road in the market here led to their death.

It is stated that some labourers of a commission agent, who had purchased barley from a grain dealer-cum-producer of Tapukra town in Alwar district of Rajasthan, had thrown the waste there after sifting of the purchased barley.

The post-mortem examination of the dead cows was conducted by a board of veterinary doctors here yesterday following which their viscera was now being sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (SFL), Madhuban, for chemical examination.