Yamunanagar, January 31
The Haryana Government has revised the norms of gratuitous relief and compensation to persons affected by natural calamities.

The relief will be admissible to those who are without insurance cover or unable to bear loss due calamities.

As per the revised norms of compensation for ex gratia, grants payable to persons affected by natural calamities have been raised from Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakh.

For damages to crops (wheat, paddy and cotton), Rs 3,000 (between 26 and 50 per cent loss) and for other crops Rs 2,000 will be given.

For 51 per cent to 75 per cent damages to wheat, paddy and cotton, a farmer will get Rs 4,000 and for other crops Rs 3,000.

In case of total damage to wheat, cotton or paddy crop, a farmer will get a relief of Rs 5,000 and for other crops Rs 4,000.

For loss of cattle (horse, camel, mare, bullock, buffalo, American high breed cow), compensation has been fixed at Rs 10,000 each.

For other cows and mule, the relief has been fixed at Rs 2,000 (each animal) and for buffalo calf, sheep and goat Rs 2,000 each.

As per a government spokesperson, in case of total damage to a pucca house due to fire or flood, the owner will get a relief of Rs 25,000 and Rs 10,000 in case of partial damage.

The compensation for kutcha house will be Rs 12,500 (total damage) and Rs 5,000 (partial damage).

Bhiwani, January 31
A large number of the BJP activists, led by the senior leader Om Prakash Maan, staged a protest against anti-people policies of the Central and state governments here today. The BJP activists passed through the Sarai Chaupta, Naya Bazar, Hansi gate, old bus stand road, housing board colony before ending their protest march at the mini-secretariat.

Addressing the party activists, Mr Maan alleged that inflation had broken the spine of common men.

The prices of the LPG cylinders were increasing and the government was unable to meet people’s basic needs like the electricity and potable water.

Mr Jai Narain Khundia, a former minister, said the flour was being sold at Rs 15 per kg.

The wheat, which the government had procured at Rs 600 per quintal, was now being sold at Rs 1,200 per quintal. Farmers were on the verge of starvation due to wrong policies of both governments, he added.

He urged the government to bring down the minimum support price of wheat to Rs 1,000.

The BJP workers also submitted a memorandum to the Governor through the Deputy Commissioner. In it they had stated that there was an acute shortage of electricity, water, LPG cylinders and urea in the state. The standing crop was getting destroyed due to the shortage of electricity and water. 

Kurukshetra, January 31
With growing number of cases of female foeticide in view, the district administration has taken the initiative of generating awareness among the masses on the issue.

Deputy Commissioner T.K. Sharma has been visiting villages to educate people and share his concerns over the alarming trend in society.

Mr Sharma said it was a matter of grave concern that the district ranked third lowest in sex ratio, with only 770 females for every 1,000 males.

Ever since the launching of the anti-female foeticide “Jan Chetna Rally” on January 26, 72 villages of the district have been covered so far.

These include Kurukshetra’s HUDA Sectors, Ratgal, Mohan Nagar, Thanesar City, Jhirbadi, Deru Majra, Bohli, Bajidpur, Mukarpur, Charpura, Khairi, Khaira, Haripur, Dabkheda, Niwarsi, Duda, Dudi, Bagthala, Badaichpur, Barot, Ladwa and Samani.

The Health Department, the Public Relations Department, Development and the Panchayat Department are putting their joint efforts during this month-long campaign to sensitise people against female foeticide.

Karnal, January 31
Tension gripped a village in the Indri block this afternoon after the police restored to a mild lathicharge to disperse the protesting villagers.

Residents of Bir Rayatkhana village are protesting against the ownership of a piece of land.

Cultivable land measuring about 20 acres in the village is a bone of contention between two parties of the village.

The district authorities have been trying to hand over the possession of land for the past two days, but in vain.

This afternoon the authorities faced an opposition from the agitating villagers, including womenfolk, who were armed with sticks. Sensing the atmosphere, the police used a mild force to disperse them and several villagers were rounded up after the action.

No one reportedly received any serious injury.

The district authorities had also visited the village on Monday to ensure the smooth handover of land to a party that had reportedly won the case in the court.

Yesterday, when the authorities reached there with police protection, the people protested against it and did not allow them to complete the procedure of land possession.

The police booked a case against 250 unknown villagers on Tuesday.

Ambala, January 31
A fast-track court at Ambala decided a case of abetment to suicide within a record time of 24 days. While delivering the judgement, the Additional Sessions Judge, Mr A.K. Shori, acquitted the accused, Pappan.

According to the prosecution, Dharmpal, a resident of Mulana village, had consumed some poisonous substance and later died in the Government Medical College, Chandigarh, on July 19.

On a complaint by his wife, Sushma, the police registered a case under Section 306 of the IPC against Pappan, a shopkeeper.

She alleged Pappan had assaulted her husband and abused him. This caused him mental tension. Later, Dharmpal committed suicide by consuming poison.

The case was committed to the fast-track court on January 3. The prosecution examined the complainant, elder brother of the deceased, to prove Pappan’s guilt, but none of the witnesses supported the case of the prosecution. They were even declared hostile.

The judge observed: “No doubt, the conviction can be based even on the statements of hostile witnesses and every endeavour must be made by the court to find out the truth.

However, in the present case even if the testimony of the witnesses examined during the trial is gone through meticulously, there is nothing incriminating against the accused.”

Fatehabad, January 31
The police is still groping in the dark in the case of the attempted kidnapping of a doctor at Tohana town in this district.

Three armed desperados had tried to kidnap Dr Hardyal Bhatia, a renowned pediatrician of the area, from his residence-cum-clinic at Tohana on Monday night.

The accused feigning as patients entered the clinic at midnight and asked the two dispensers sitting there to call the doctor from his first floor residence.

The dispensers, who had seen knives and a gun in their hands, expressed helplessness citing some problem in the intercom system.

The accused then tied one dispenser with ropes and took the other to the first floor at knifepoint.

The doctor’s wife, who came to open the door to answer the doorbell, smelt a rat and rushed back without opening the door.

The doctor then informed the police and some of his acquaintances on his mobile.

But before the police could arrive, the desperados decamped with the doctor’s Hyundai Accent car by lifting its keys from the dispensary.

The police, though reached the spot within a few minutes, has not been able to apprehend the accused so far.

It is still clueless about the crime and is working on many theories.

The DSP, Tohana, Mr Chander Singh, when asked, said the police was investigating the matter and hoped the accused would be apprehended soon. He, however, admitted that the police was yet to find any clue of the crime. 

Hisar, January 31
The Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) plans to inform consumers of its operation area about scheduled power cuts in advance.

The DHBVN has instructed its officers to disseminate information regarding load-shedding to all categories of consumers. Besides releasing power regulatory measures through the media, including newspapers, Doordarshan, local radio, cable TV, etc, information on scheduled power cuts will be made available on nigam’s website www.dhbvn.com, all Bijli Suvidha Kendras (BSKs) and notice boards of nigam offices. Copies of power regulatory measures will be sent to residential associations and industrial associations as well.

Due to power scenario in the Northern Grid, particularly due to the failure of rains in winter and also to provide sufficient power supply to the agriculture sector, the DHBVN has scheduled the timing of power supply to various categories of consumers.

The industry will get power for 14 hours daily. Power cut on industries will be during peak load hours from 4 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m.

According to the new schedule of power supply, the urban areas in Hisar district shall have load-shedding from 7 a.m. to 7.30 a.m. and 10 a.m. to 12 noon. The timings of load shedding in Mahendragarh and Rewari will be from 7 a.m. to 7.30 a.m. and 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. daily. In Sirsa district, the timing of power cuts shall be 7 a.m. to 7.30 a.m., 8.30 a.m. to 9.30 a.m. and from 12 noon to 1.00 p.m.

In Bhiwani district, the timing of cuts will be 7 a.m. to 7.30 a.m. and from 10.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.

In Palwal zone of Faridabad, the timing of load-shedding will be from 6 a.m. to 6.30 a.m., 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and from 7 p.m. to 7.30 p.m. In the area of Palla zone in Faridabad, district the timing of power cuts will be 5.30 a.m. to 6 a.m., 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 12 noon to 1 p.m. The Palwal zone comprises Oswal Steel, Dabriwala, Jharsetly, NS-3, Sector-46, F.C.I., Dhoj and 220 KV Sub Station Pali.

The A-5 Palla zone includes the areas of Idgah, A-5, Glob Steel, Parkash Steel, Badrola, Chhainsa, Fatehpur Block, 220 KV Sub Station Palla, A-4, Escort-II, Ford, Sector-31, Bhupani etc. 

Chandigarh, January 31
The Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam today announced a power cut of four and a half hours from tomorrow.

The nigam has also announced that no power supply will made to industries during the day.

An official spokesman said here that the power supply was being regulated in view of the failure of the winter rain and to ensure adequate supply to the agricultural sector to save the standing rabi crops. He said the power restrictions had also been necessitated to maintain the frequency of the northern grid.

There will be no power supply to industries and independent industrial feeders from 5 a.m. to 8 a.m. and from 5 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. daily. However, 5 per cent load of the normal consumption will be given for lighting purposes.

The power cut will be imposed on the urban areas on a scattered basis. The power supply will be restricted from 5.30 a.m. to 6.30 a.m. in Karnal, Panipat, Sonepat and Jind districts and from 6.30 a.m. to 7.30 a.m. in Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Yamunanagar, Ambala, Panchkula, Rohtak and Jhajjar districts.

The power cut will again be imposed from 8.30 a.m. to 11 a.m. in Karnal, Panipat, Sonepat and Jind districts; from 11 a.m. to 1.30 p.m. in Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Ambala and Panchkula districts; and from 1.30 p.m. to 4 p.m. in Rohtak, Jhajjar and Yamunanagar districts.

During the peak hours the power supply will be restricted from 6 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. and from 9.30 p.m. to 10 p.m. in Rohtak, Jhajjar, Jind and Sonepat districts; from 6.30 p.m. to 7.30 p.m. in Kurukshetra and Kaithal districts; from 7.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. in Karnal and Panipat districts; and from 8.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. in Ambala, Panchkula and Jind districts.

The agricultural sector would get power supply for at least seven hours daily.

The supply of power would be ensured in the morning and in the evening to the public water works.

He said two-phase power supply would be ensured to villages in the morning for two hours and in the evening for five hours(from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.) for the convenience of students and the domestic sector.

Kurukshetra, January 31
‘The Saraswati Nadi Shodh Sansthan’, Haryana, at a meeting here today, urged the Government of India and Haryana government to undertake Saraswati river project and link it with the central project of Mahabharat circuit, to develop this area.

The Saraswati river area as mentioned in revenue records from Addi Badri to Kalayat, via Bhagwanpur, Kurukshetra, Pehowa and Kaithal be demarcated in first phase and thereafter encroachments on Saraswati Nadi area be removed. The Saraswati river be dug out and fresh water provided as per the project of the Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC) and the Indian Space and Research Organisation (ISRO) with the help of these agencies. Sites of historical archaeological and religious importance located on the banks of Saraswati be preserved.

The meeting, observed importance of Saraswati was not due to its mythological character but it was the creator of ancient culture, which developed on banks of this river. Indian culture is related to this river from the very beginning of Saraswati river. Due to natural calamities, this river as lost and now this has been without water but on the basis of research of agencies like the ONGC, the ISRO, and Geological Surveys, Water and Power Consultancy Services, New Delhi, it had been proved the river still existed under the earth and could be located and preserved. Reports of the ONGC and the ISRO show that by drilling, water of Saraswati could be lifted and used for drinking and irrigation. For this, the ONGC had taken up the project Saraswati beginning it, in the states of Gujarat and Rajasthan and taken the issue as Great Man-made River Project (GMR) undertaken in the Libyan desert.

It was pointed out in the Haryana area of Saraswati river, the ONGC along with the ISRO had also shown interest to take up the project on the basis of Gujarat and Rajasthan pattern. Dr A.K. Baliyan, Director, Social Work, ONGC has shown interest to start the project in Haryana. If it was taken up in Haryana in collaboration with the ONGC and the ISRO, then demand of water for irrigation and drinking could be met, and problem of ground water going low could be easily solved.

At present, source of Saraswati is in the mountainous area of Shivalik Himalayas in Sirmour. From there it reaches Addi Badri, Bilaspur, Mustafabad, Bhagwanpur, Pipli, Kurukshetra, Pehowa, Kaithal, Kalayat, Tohana, Fatehabad and Sirsa and finally this river merges in the Bay of Khambat through Kutch and Nal Sarovar (Sourashtra).

It is necessary to preserve the ancient river to protect Indian culture because several ancient, archaeological and religious, important places and monuments are situated on the banks of this river. The Government of India, under the Ministry of Tourism had taken up a project — Mahabharta Circuit and granted Rs 500 crore in which some parts of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana have been mentioned. Main centre of this project is Kurukshetra Bhumi.

The Haryana government, along with district administration here has taken several steps to preserve Saraswati in the municipal limits of Pehowa, but due to unavailability of fresh water, this project was not achieving its objective, the meeting said.

Ambala, January 31
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) activists today staged a dharna at Capital Chowk here against the failure of the Congress led UPA government.

Protesters raised slogans against the Congress led UPA government at the Centre and the Bhupinder Singh Hooda government in Haryana.

A memorandum addressed to the Haryana Governor stated that the anti-people policies of the Union and the Haryana Government had led to price rise, corruption, shortage of commodities, long waiting queues, power crisis, cases against women, terrorism and deteriorating law and order condition.

The government had not been able to control the significant rise in prices and the common man was worst affected due to this.

BJP activists observed that the power shortage in the state had also affected industrialisation and many industrialists were setting up their units in other states which is leading to unemployment. Also, the National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme was not being implemented properly and maximum unemployed persons were not getting the benefit.

They said the UPA government must wake up to the ground realities and immediate steps should be taken to redress the grievances of the people. The interest on loans of farmers and small businessmen must be waived and corruption must be ended from the public distribution system. The power generation must be increased and prompt attention needed to be paid to the law and order situation.

The BJP activists demanded that the government must control the rise in prices so that common people could afford essential commodities.

Hisar, January 31
Members of the BJP today staged a dharna against the arrest of eight persons for violent protest over the death of several cows near Surewala Chowk in Uklana township of the district.

A truck carrying cows had met with an accident near Surewala Chowk. Alleging that the cows were being taken for slaughter villagers had blocked the road and damaged a police check-post.

The police registered a case and arrested eight protesters for damaging public property and resorting to violence.

However, claiming the arrested persons were its activists, the BJP staged a dharna to protest against their arrest.

The district administration and the police authorities formed a team to probe the matter.

Ambala: The President of the District Congress Committee, Ambala City, Mr Arun Garg, today said the office-bearers of the committee would redress the grievances of the people at Congress Bhavan, Ambala. — TNS