Chandigarh, May 31
Four more paramilitary companies were withdrawn today from Haryana for deployment in Rajasthan even as the Gujjar agitation rocking the desert state today spawned protests by fellow Gujjars in various areas of Haryana.

Four ITBP companies, posted in Fatehabad district in view of the unrest over the dera row, were today withdrawn by the Centre for sending to Rajasthan.

Haryana had earlier turned down a request from the Rajasthan Government for sending its police forces to that state fearing that it could create a vacuum in Haryana where there was still palpable tension over the Dera-clergy row.

Nine companies of paramilitary forces who have still remained with the Hayana government have been kept in Fetehabad, Sirsa and Kaithal districts, places where they were originally deployed.

Protests by the Gujjars in Haryana, in the perception of the state government, does not as yet require any movement of paramilitary forces or any other additional forces to the areas where the Gujjars have held demonstrations.

Yamunanagar: Gujjar sof the district have called a mahapanchyat of the community here on Friday to step up their agitation after the police lathi-charge on a delegation of the community near mini secretariat on Thursday.

The police had resorted to mild cane charge when over 200 members of the community in violation of the prohibitory orders under Section 144 of Cr.P.C gathered at the secretariat and tried to burn an effigy of Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhra Raje Sindhia.

Gujjar leaders said that several persons sustained injuries in the cane charge.

The police snatched the effigy and allegedly caned those who had brought the effigy. This irked the rest of the community members and they started obstructing traffic on the Chandigarh-Roorkie stretch of national highway. When negotiations failed the police again resorted to cane charge. "The police used a mild cane charge to disperse the crowd which was violating the prohibitory orders and trying to block traffic on the national highway", said KV Ramna, superintendent of police. He claimed that all efforts were made by senior police officials to engage Gujjar community members in talks but they did not pay heed and went on with obstructing traffic.

On the other hand Gujjar leaders alleged that they had gone to submit a memorandum addressed to the President of India through the deputy commissioner in a peaceful manner but the police unnecessarily used force. In the memorandum the community had criticised the Rajasthan Government for killings of Gujjars.

Mewa Ram Dhaurang, said that a meeting of the community was held later in the day and it was decided to call a mahapanchyat of the community on Friday at grain market, Jagadhri, where decisions to step up their agitation would be taken. He said that thousands of community members would be participating in the panchyat.

On the other hand the police was maintaining a vigil on the developments as there are more than 60,000 Gujjar in the district. They would also be submitting a memorandum to the deputy commissioner.

Meanwhile, BSP MLA from Chhachhrouli Arjun Singh distributed Rs 10,000 to each of the 14 families affected because of police firing. He said that there was total chaos in Rajashtan and demanded resignation from Rajasthan chief minister.

Hisar: Hundreds of agitated members of the Gujjar community took out a procession here on Thursday in protest against the violent incidents in Rajasthan over the past three days.

They began their march from Parao Chowk and came to the town’s busiest point Nagori Gate from where they dispersed. Leaders of the community decried the Rajasthan Government for the death of more than a dozen gujjars. They also supported the demand for according ST status to their community.

Fatehabad: An effigy of Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Scindhia was burnt at Dariyapur near here on Thursday by angry protesters belonging to the Gujjar community.

The irate protesters raised slogans against the Rajisthan Government and demanded compensation of Rs 25 lakh and a job each to the dependents of those killed during the police firing at Dausa, Rajasthan. Gujjars from the nearby villages Kharaitikhera, Sukhlampur, Shahidanwali, Karnoli, Kukaranwali, Manawali and Fatehabad assembled near Dariyapur bus stand on Thursday under Kaur Singh, president of the state unit of the Bhartiya Gujjar Parishad.

Chandigarh, May 31
Studying Hindi up to the level of matriculation will no longer be a must for applying for government vacancies in the Hindi-speaking states of Haryana.

Studying Sanskrit up to the matriculation will be considered just as good and will make aspirants eligible for government jobs in the state.

The move perhaps would have been frowned upon by the fanatics of political correctness had it been initiated in some BJP ruled states. It is, however, unlikely to create any furore in case of Haryana since it is under the Congress rule.

What prompted the Haryana Government to bring this change in the requirements for government jobs is, however, sheer practical consideration and has absolutely no cultural motive.

Official sources said in the CBSE curriculum, Hindi and Sanskrit were optional subjects. Many of the pupils in Haryana studying under the CBSE curriculum opt for Sanskrit as it is considered more scoring than Hindi.

Such students become ineligible for getting a government job in the state as studying Hindi up to the level of matriculation was made compulsory for virtually every government vacancy in the state.

“The matter has been considered by the government and it is observed that while Hindi has evolved as a distinct language from Sanskrit over centuries, yet the fact remains that Sanskrit is a root language for Hindi and further more, a student having passed Class X with Sanskrit will definitely possess a functional knowledge of Hindi since it is also the prevalent language in use in Haryana”, a state government communiqué said.

It said under the circumstances, it had been decided by the state government that if studying Hindi up to the level of matriculation had been made an essential qualification for a government job, the requirement will be now changed to studying Hindi or Sanskrit up to the level of matriculation for the job.

Instructions have already been issued to various government departments to amend their service rules immediately in view of the government step.

Instructions have also been issued saying that if any vacancy has been recently advertised by a recruiting agency with one of the qualification as Hindi up to Class X, a corrigendum should be issued to notify that studying Sanskrit would also make one eligible for the position.

The last date for the submission of the application for such a vacancy should also be extended suitably so that those who have passed matriculation with Sanskrit as a subject could also apply, added the communiqué.

Chandigarh, May 31
With the demand of electricity going up considerably due to the summer season, particularly in agriculture sector due to ensuing paddy season, the Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam(UHBVN) will impose power cuts for four hours on the urban amd mixed-urban feeders from tomorrow.

The power would remain suspended for one hour each in the morning, afternoon, evening and the late night in different time slots.

The two-phase power to the villages would be supplied for two hours in the morning and for four hours in the evening.

There will be no change in power restrictions on industries and the supply will be restricted from 5 am to 7 am and 7 pm to 11 pm daily during the morning and evening peak load hours.

However, 5 per cent load of normal consumption will be allowed to these units for lighting purpose.

The power would be supplied in two groups to agricultural and rural feeders. In Karnal district the consumers of the first group will get three-phase power supply from 11 pm to 4 am and 6 pm to 7 pm.

The consumers of the second group would get power from 11 am to 4 pm. In Panipat district the power shall be supplied from 11pm to 4 am and 5 pm to 6pm to the first group and from 6 am to 7 am and 12 noon to 5pm to the second group.

In Ambala operation circle comprising Ambala and Panchkula districts, the consumers of the first group will get three-phase power from 11pm to 4am and 5pm to 6pm and the consumers of second group from 6am to 11am and 6pm to 7pm for drinking water.

In Kurukshetra Operation Circle comprising Kurukshetra and Kaithal districts the first group will get power from midnight to 5am and 4pm to 5pm. The second group will be fed from 5am to 10am and 5pm to 6pm daily for drinking water.

The first group of tubewell consumers of Sonepat will get power from 11pm to 4am and 5pm to 6pm. The second group will be fed from 6 am to 11 am and 6pm to 7pm for drinking water.

The consumers of the first group of Yamunanagar will also get power from 11pm to 4am and 5pm to 6pm and the second group from 6am to 7am and 12 noon to 5pm. The first group of the consumers of Jind district will get power from 6am to 11am and 6pm to 7pm. The second group will be fed from 2pm to 5pm and 6 am 7 am for drinking water.

The consumers of the first group of operation circle Rohtak comprising Rohtak and Jhajjar districts will be fed from 11pm to 4am and 5pm to 6pm. The second group will be supplied power from 12 noon to 5pm and 5am to 6am for drinking water.

Sirsa, May 31
As many as 6,339 students in the age group of 5-14 years, especially girls, studying in the government schools of the district were found to be suffering from various eye diseases, including cataract.

Lack of availability of proper nutritious meal is the main cause of various eye diseases.

The students, who are suffering from the disease, belong to poor strata of the villages.

The facts surfaced from a medical examination of the students studying in classes 1-8. The examination was conducted by the administration involving NGOs and the Health Department, here.

As many as 1,140 students are suffering from optic atrophy, 17 from cataracts, 1,893 from refraction error, 670 from allergic, 45 from amblyopia, seven from coloboma and 11 from cormeal opacity.

Besides it, 63 students were found to be suffering from night blindness, 67 from squint and 796 from vitamin-A deficiency.

The process began with 14,594 students, who were later divided into five different groups to examine at different places.

“The students are being provided with free of cost medical aid. The idea of launching the ‘Sarv Shiksha Netra’ programme for the students was that some eyes problems, if detected at an early age, can easily be cured,” said deputy commissioner V.Umashankar.

Karnal, May 31
In a classic case of official apathy, the district administration here has allowed a liquor contractor to encroach upon a piece of land to run a liquor shop on the HUDA land in Sector 7.

The liquor vend, in question, is located on the dividing road of Sector 7-8 near the GT Road. Due to its proximity to the residential area, the local population demands its immediate shift.

But owing to the alleged collusion of certain officials with powerful liquor men, the local authorities seems to have overlooked the violation and have allowed its smooth functioning.

Interestingly, the HUDA officials admit the violation but showed their helplessness in taking any action.

Last week, the HUDA authorities had locked the vend, but a source alleged that the vend operators broke open the locks.

On May 27, The Tribune had quoted the estate officer, HUDA, Vikram Malik objecting to the violation.

No prior permission was sought by the contractor from the HUDA for using the site, confirmed the official.

Terming the vend illegal, he added that permission cannot be granted to run commercial activities from the residential areas.

Sources alleged that due to the involvement of certain bureaucratic high-ups the local officials were reluctant to take any action in the case.

“The district and state authorities have apprised of the matter in written but no action has been initiated against the violators who had encroached upon the HUDA land,” an official said.

As a top excise official gave an injudicious permission for the opening of the vend at the particular site, no one dares to overrule the same, sources said.

The district excise officer, Rameshwar Mehra, admitted that the vend was illegal but he also shrugged off his responsibility.

“It is the sole responsibility of other departments to check any violation. If the HUDA sees anything wrong they may take suitable action against the violators,” he added.

Rohtak, May 31
A condolence meeting-cum-sarvdharm sabha was organised to pay tributes to late Joginder Singh Hooda, elder brother of Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, in the premises of Sir Chottu Ram Polytechnic College, here, today.

People from all religions, saints and members of various social organisations assembled to pay their homage to the departed soul.

Haryana Governor Dr A.R. Kidwai, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, union finance minister for state Pawan Bansal, general secretary of the All-India Congress Party and incharge of Haryana party affairs Janardhan Dwivedi, working HPCC president Ram Parkash, former union minister R.K. Dhawan, speaker of Haryana Vidhan Sabha Dr Raghubir Kadiyan, Haryana finance minister Birender Singh, agriculture minister H.S. Chatha, irrigation minister Capt Ajay Singh Yadav, education minister Phool Chand Mullana, industries minister Lacchman Das Arora, transport minister Randeep Surjewala, tourism minister for state Kiran Choudhry, urban development minister for state Savitri Jindal, cooperative minister for state Meena Mandal, chief parliamentary secretary Dharambir Singh, chief secretary Prem Prashant and director public relations and cultural affairs Rajiv Sharma, were among those who paid their glowing tributes.

The Chief Minister said he was indebted to those who had given moral support and stood by the members of his family in this hour of grief.

“The President of India, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, AICC president, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, several union ministers, Governors, Chief Ministers of various states, MPs, MLAs and other prominent persons from all walks of life have condoled the untimely death of late Joginder Hooda,” he said.

Nearly 1,000 persons donated blood voluntarily during the camp by the Ex-servicemen’s League. Of these, 300 units of blood will be given to the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, while 700 units will be provided to Pt B.D. Sharma, PGIMS, Rohtak.

Arya Samaj representative Dr Mahavir Mimansak, Swami Avdeshanand of Saint Samaj, Sayyad Mohammad Tasleen, Imam of Lal Masjid Rohtak, Father Santosh from the Christian community, Sagar Bandhu of Delhi and Uttam Singh Ragi of Bangla Sahib Gurudwara, Delhi, paid their rich tributes to the departed soul.

He approached K.D. Sharma, AFSO, Kaithal, to clear his payment of Rs 90,000, who allegedly demanded Rs 30,000.

Ambala, May 31
“World No Tobacco Day” was observed here today.

At a function held, Ambala deputy commissioner R.P. Bharadwaj said the usage of tobacco was weakening the society.

He said if the money spent on cigarettes was instead used on constructive activities like health and education, it would be more beneficial, he added.

Bharadwaj said if any person found violating the direction against smoking in public places should be complained against.

A free medical camp was also organised on the same day.