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KU, MDU ban on M.Phil guides
Zero per cent result for 3 years in
Paid parking: Private contractors fleece users
Hooda campaigns in UP
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Intach activities picking up
Human trafficking
Whirlpool MD sentenced
De-addiction, an uphill task without facilities
Unauthorised houses demolished
Villagers to plan their health schemes
Traffic Blues
2 die in road mishap
3 seriously hurt in bus mishap
Four held with 60 kg of smack Mulayam Singh’s effigy burnt
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KU, MDU ban on M.Phil guides
Hisar, April 30 The ban has created a black market where teachers from outside Haryana, sensing a kill, are asking for anything between Rs 10,000 for signing the dissertation and Rs 50,000 to writing it themselves! Several affected students told The Tribune that they had no choice but to pay up the huge amounts. The ban came months after hundreds of students from Haryana registered themselves for pursuing M. Phil degree from dozens of universities in India, including Chaudhry Devi Lal University (CDLU), Sirsa, through distance education mode. KU was the first to impose such a ban followed by MDU early last week. The affected students included those who had just begun their course and also those who were on the verge of completion of their course. One such student from Kaithal was pursuing the M. Phil course under guidance of a teacher of Kurukshetra University for two years. She was registered with a South Indian university. She now plans to find a teacher, who will sign the dissertation for money to save two years. KU and MDU sources said they had banned their teachers from working as guides because the standard of teaching in distance education mode in these universities was not up to the mark. However, they failed to explain if they considered the M. Phil courses run by India Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), Himachal Pradesh University, Dr B. R. Ambedkar Open University and the Central Institute of English and Foreign Languages as sub standard. Interestingly, dozens of reputed universities in the country are currently offering M. Phil courses through distance education in as many as 42 disciplines. These include some of the most reputed universities. CDLU had started these courses in October last year after approval by the Distance Education Council of India, the supreme body responsible for ensuring that the universities follow strict norms before introducing courses. The main idea was to offer these courses to Haryana students at less than half the fee they had to pay to universities outside Haryana. Haryana students also had to spend a lot of money in travelling and other expenses. CDLU allotted personal contact programmes (PCPs) to university teaching departments, affiliated colleges and government colleges to ensure quality teaching in distance mode. It also persuaded reputed academicians to act as guides for its students and put up their names at its website, along with a number of suggested topics for research. It prescribed a nominal fee of Rs 2000 as honorarium for guides. The scheme proved to be a hit and the university was flooded with applications. However, months after the registrations, MDU and KU derailed the scheme with their bans. The craze for M. Phil had gone up after the University Grants Commission (UGC) ruled that those who hold this degree were not required to clear NET for appointment as college teachers. |
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Zero per cent result for 3 years in Haryana school
Thaththar (Morni), April 30 And, the school's track record of zero pass percentage in the past few years is to blame. As the school readies for the installation of the Haryana Education Department's ambitious Edusat programme with wiring in full swing, the teachers spend hours debating the outcome at the end of the session. For six years, the school had no science and mathematics teachers and repeated appeals for these fell on deaf ears. Now that the teachers have arrived, students have vanished because they have no faith in the school. Consequently, they have moved to others schools nearby with better reputations. While the failures of the 2007 session have also refused to come back to school, only two new students have been promoted to Class VIII. With them, too, the future doesn't seem very bright because the teachers are still busy teaching them basic addition and subtraction. Though all of them are conscientious and report to school on time despite the inhospitable terrain which forces them to walk down a good distance, they are very unhappy with the turn of events. "I along with another teacher were posted only in January this year. We could do very little with the students who were in Class VIII then. Now, when we can work hard from the beginning of the session, the villagers want to send their wards to a school which shows results," says a dejected Manju, a Maths teacher. The school in charge Chandra Shekhar, along with the rest of the staff has gone from home to home, asking villagers to send their wards to the school since staff is available now. "Everytime their only refrain is that the results are the only barometer for them. We have nothing to show to them. They are willing to send the children 5 to 7 km away but not to us. Also, children of the village who come are highly irregular and we have to virtually visit every home to get the students to school. The children seem forever busy with looking after cattle and doing chores around the house," the in charge said. Though there are not enough students to occupy the available rooms, interestingly, new construction is in progress at the school premises where the rooms are just not needed. The teachers, too, are short of words when it comes to explaining where the students will come from to watch the EDUSAT transmission.
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Paid parking: Private contractors fleece users
Karnal, April 30 As the parking lots are not earmarked and no rate lists are displayed at various such lots, residents demand an immediate intervention by the authorities. Inquiries revealed that the contractors of the parking lot near the vegetable mandi charged Rs 2 for two-wheelers and Rs 5 for four-wheelers. At other places, including the mini secretariat and civil hospital, the private contractors were charging Rs 5 and Rs 10 for two-wheelers and cars, respectively. A random visit to different parking lots in the town revealed the rate lists were not displayed. Also the authorities had not earmarked the parking lots and the residents also complained of misbehaviour by the parking staff when asked about the parking areas and charges. Rules say that parking rates, timings and name of the contractors should be displayed at such lots. Also exclusive parking zones should be earmarked to ensure safety of the vehicles and the responsibility of the contractors be also fixed. “Men hired by the contractors indulge in a verbal duel whenever we ask them to show the authorised rate list for parking. The district authorities should strictly deal with the erring contractors,” said Ashok Madan, a local resident. Terming the parking charges unjust at Rs 5 and Rs 10 for scooters and cars at mini secretariat, people said that it seemed to be a penalty on the vehicle users. No rate list was displayed at the parking lot on the front side of the secretariat, another at the Kunjpura road in the town and other places. TNS observed that the contractor at the civil hospital charged Rs 5 and Rs 10 for scooter and car, respectively. Parking receipt (in possession of The Tribune) issued today here was sans these mandatory charges. PMO Dr Kuldip Singh claimed that the contractors were charging Rs 3 and Rs 5 for two wheelers and cars, respectively, as per rules. He admitted that the contractor was allowed to charge for the entire campus. He confirmed that no particular area was earmarked exclusively for parking. He also admitted that rates were not properly displayed. |
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Hooda campaigns in UP
Chandigarh, April 30 Hooda, who had already spent a number of days in UP in the earlier phases of the campaigning, has now again gone to that state. In western UP, a stronghold of former Prime Minister Charan Singh's son, Ajit, Hooda was careful not to criticise him. Perhaps, Hooda took a lesson from the treatment former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala had received at the hands of voters of western UP five years ago when Chautala had challenged Ajit's might there. Chautala was badly defeated in the last elections. Hooda used to open his speeches in western UP by saying that, unlike Chautala, he had not come to become their leader. Rather, he was seeking votes for his party and had no intention of personally ruling them. Earlier, Hooda's son, Deepender, who is the MP from Rohtak, had participated in the road show of Rahul Gandhi in western UP. Several Haryana Congress leaders, including working president Ram Prakash, irrigation minister Ajay Yadav, tourism minister Kiran Choudhary, education minister Phool Chand Mullana and transport minister Randeep Surjewala had been campaigning for their party in UP.
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Ajay Chautala: Mid-term poll imminent
Yamunanagar, April 30 He said there was a likelihood that after the UP Assembly election results, left parties would withdraw their support from the UPA government. He predicted that the Bahujan Samaj party (BSP) would emerge as the single largest party followed by the Samajwadi party and said the Congress would be defeated in the forth-coming elections in Himachal Pradesh and Delhi. Chautala said the INLD had been revamped and was prepared to face elections on a 24 hour notice. He claimed that no worker of the INLD had left the party. Regarding the future of Bhajan Lal in Haryana politics, in wake of resignations by his supporters, he said it would make no difference to the INLD but the Congress. He lashed out at the Hooda government stating that law and order situation had deteriorated in Haryana. |
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Intach activities picking up
Chandigarh, April 30 R .L. Bawa, state convener of the organisation, told this reporter said Intach received a boost in 1991 when it organised an elaborate awareness programme attended by the Haryana Governor as the guest-in-chief and a large number of teachers and students. Since then, the state government and some other prominent organisations collaborated with the state chapter in a big way for the conservation of the cultural and historical heritage of the state — the aim of
Intach. Bawa said the chapter had completed some projects, some others were midway and some more were being just initiated or envisaged. The Haryana chapter had drawn up a masterplan for the retention of the cultural, social and archaeological heritage of the small historic town of Kalayat, which had been under continuous habitation since the late Harappan period. Some initial part of the masterplan has already been implemented. Intach also successfully intervened in protecting the
Raja-Ka-Haveli at Ballabgarh. The most important attainment of the Haryana chapter was the setting up of the battles of Panipat
museum. The battles of Panipat memorial society, which conceived the idea of a museum and the society, with endorsement from the state government, entrusted the work of designing, display and implementation of the Panipat museum project to the Haryana chapter of
Intach. The museum complex will be a huge one. Its construction has been started in the Kala-Amb area, which is regarded as the epicentre of the third battle of Panipat. Important materials and mementos associated with all three battles of Panipat are collected, courtesy the archaeological survey of India, the Haryana archaeology department, the national museum, the district administration of Panipat and others. The state government has agreed to the Intach suggestion of exhibiting the Panipat artefacts at the canal guest house at Binjhol till the time the museum comes up. The Haryana chapter of Intach has brought out a newsletter and a rare picture of Hemchandra Vikramaditya or Hemu as the challenger of Emperor Akbar in the second battle of Panipat is known to posterity. However, its editorial board should be more careful with regard to the historicity and objectivity of the contents published in it. For example, the observation that “ patriotic Indian rulers of that time lost all their battles to the foreign” invaders is a loaded statement likely to invite protests from secular historians. |
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Human trafficking Ambala, April 30 Talking to mediapersons here today, Dr Prakash said the MPs who were involved in human trafficking should be dismissed and all facilities accorded to them should be immediately withdrawn. He said human trafficking was a serious matter and all parties should come together to deliberate on this issue. He said he would try for early completion of projects concerning Haryana which were lying with the Centre. The statement issued by Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal over the Hansi-Butana canal was unfortunate, he said, adding that the canal was being constructed by the Haryana government through its own resources. Dr Prakash said the government would promote technical education and opportunities would be provided to the youth to undergo technical training so that they could be absorbed in the private sector. The budget for technical education had been raised to Rs 120 crore from Rs 29 crore, he added. To a question, Dr Prakash said he had never been a claimant for the post of HPCC state president following the resignation of Bhajan Lal. He said being the working president of the HPCC he had been diligently discharging his duties given by the party high command. He said only a handful of people were leaving the party to join Bhiwani MP Kuldeep Bishnoi. He said there might be difference of opinion but statements should be given within certain limits. Dr Prakash said a committee headed by Harmohinder Singh Chatha was soon going to submit its report on the demand for separate SGPC for Haryana.
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Whirlpool MD sentenced
Yamunanagar, April 30 The forum also imposed similar sentence on Inderjit Sharma, proprietor of Aarti Agencies, Yamunanagar from where the complainant Rashmi had purchased the refrigerator in 2000. Rashmi of Gandhi Nagar, Jagadhri, had purchased a 220-litre refrigerator from Aarti Agencies in October 2000, which had a six years warranty. But in 2001 the refrigerator developed a defect. The agency sent its mechanic to rectify the defect twice but it could not be rectified. She moved the forum and on August 23, 2006 the forum issued an order to rectify defect (if any) in the refrigerator as per the terms and condition of the warranty. On October 16, 2006, Rashmi again moved the forum saying that the respondents (Whirlpool Home Appliances and Aarti Agencies) did not pay heed to the forum’s order as the refrigerator had neither been checked nor the defect rectified as per the order within stipulated period. She prayed for initiating penal action against the respondents under sections 25 and 27 of the consumer protection Act. Upon notice by the forum counsels for the respondents appeared before the forum and sought time for compliance but they failed to file reply. Counsel for the complainant argued that despite filing execution petition no heed was paid by the respondents and decree holder complainant (Rashmi) was without a refrigerator. On the other hand the counsel for the respondents argued that they would comply with the order immediately and prayed for dismissal of the application. The refrigerator was brought to the forum. Engineers, who checked the refrigerator, reported that it was not working properly. The forum in its order has directed the respondents to rectify the defect in the refrigerator within seven days. The forum also observed that the respondents intentionally and deliberately did not comply with the order passed by the forum, which was clear violation of the order of the forum and the absence of respondents also show that they have no regard to the forum or its order. The forum held respondents guilty under section 27 of the consumer protection Act.
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De-addiction, an uphill task without facilities
Sirsa, April 30 Though health authorities have fixed five beds each in government hospitals at Dabwali, Kalnawali, Badaguda and Aundna towns and have also made provision for the free medicines for the addicts, these hospitals always lack costly medicines required for their treatment. Addicts here have started consuming medicines easily available at chemists shops which are flourishing in the urban and rural areas of the district as they are cheaper. Addicts get poppy husk at a price between Rs 1,300 to Rs 1,500 from drug peddlers here. In the absence of poppy husk, farmers and youths are using medicines and injections which are easily and cheaply available at chemist shops as they can be bought without any prescription. When contacted, SP Vikas Arora said that the state government has recently sanctioned funds to provide facilities for de-addiction in hospitals. “We have managed to reduce drug supply and demand in the district increasizng the number of raids on drug peddlers. We have been motivating women in villages to convince their husbands for de-addiction,” he added.
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Unauthorised houses demolished
Fatehabad, April 30 Most of the houses were inhabited by families and the authorities forcibly made them vacate their houses before pulling down the buildings. A team of officials comprising SDM, Tohana, R.K. Garg, SDM, Rattia, Yogesh Mehta, DSP, Hisar, Tejbir Singh, DSP (headquarters) Samunder Singh, and DSP, Tohana, Chander Singh,
accompanied by a strong contingent of police personnel, swooped upon the colony at about 6 am and started demolishing the houses. The authorities sealed the colony from both sides and did not allow anyone to intervene. The police has registered a case against 60 persons, including coloniser Krishan
Prabhakar. The authorities stated that the action had been taken in compliance with an order issued by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, in a case regarding the colony, which was pending before it. The next date of hearing is May 3, and the authorities wanted to complete the demolition before
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Villagers to plan their health schemes
Chandigarh, April 30 The state government has announced that it will involve village health and sanitation committees (VHSCs) in formulating need-based plans at the village level. Haryana financial commissioner and principal secretary (health) Urvashi Gulati disclosed that VHSCs had been constituted in 3,670 villages in nine districts under this new decentralisation scheme. The districts were Gurgaon, Mewat, Faridabad, Narnaul, Rohtak, Sonepat, Kurukshetra, Jind and Bhiwani. According to her, planning at the village level would ensure that the benefits of the scheme percolate to the grassroots level. The VHSC had been identified as a core group which would play the crucial role of being involved in the planning process she said. |
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Traffic Blues Panchkula, April 30 The DSP and SDM are required to file an affidavit in the Punjab and Haryana High Court on May 10, stating measures taken to check frequent traffic snarls in the area. Also, the road from Yadavindra Gardens to the Parwanoo barrier has been declared a “no parking zone” as another step in this direction. In view of this decision, the local bus stand has also been shifted to a new location.
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2 die in road mishap
Yamunanagar, April 30 As per police sources, Mittal (56) and Chopra were returning from Karnal in a car after attending a marriage when a truck coming from the opposite side rammed into
them. Car driver Vishal also died in the accident. The Sadar police has registered a case.
— TNS |
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3 seriously hurt in bus mishap
Rohtak, April 30 According to police sources and eyewitnesses, the Hisar-bound bus (HR-46B-4821) of the Rohtak depot was coming from Gurgaon. The bus driver saw a car coming from the opposite direction overtaking a truck. In a bid to save the car, the bus driver turned the vehicle off the road. However, the bus overturned as the earth under it caved in. While many injured passengers were discharged after administering first aid, the three critically injured persons - Sonam, Babli and Arun - were rushed to the PGI, here. |
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Four held with 60 kg of smack Ambala, April 30 According to the information, the CIA staff got a tip-off that four persons coming from Kullu in a bus were carrying a huge quantity of smack. A team, led by Inspector Puran Chand, rushed to Ambala Cantt bus stand and conducted search operation. According to the police, the accused have been identified as Chaman Lal, Gautam Chand, Mani Ram and Bhumi Chand.
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Mulayam Singh’s effigy burnt Ambala, April 30 The protesters were led by district president Shiv Om Gautam. The activists condemned the lathicharge on “nav nirman yatra”, which was being led by Youth Congress national president Ashok Tanwar. Gautam said the authorities in Deoria stopped the yatra even though permission had been taken. The police hit Tanwar and other Congress leaders with lathis, he said, adding that Rahul Gandhi along with Salman Khurshid and Capt Satish Sharma rushed to the spot after the incident.
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