Chandigarh, July 26
The demand to exclude ‘creamy layer’ from the benefits of the reservation policy is gaining ground even among the Dalits.

A section of the Dalits has formed a National Coordination Committee for Revision of Reservation Policy (NCCRRP) to mobilise public opinion in this regard.

General-secretary of the NCCRRP M.L. Sarwan said here today that to evolve a consensus on the demand for excluding the ‘creamy layer’ from the reservation policy, a national conference of the Dalits from various states would be organised in Delhi on July 30, which would be presided over by national president of the committee Dr O.P. Shukla, who is an additional secretary in the union government.

Sarwan said bureaucrats and politically powerful persons among the Dalits, who constituted just 5 per cent of the Dalit population, cornered 95 per cent benefits of the reservation policy, whereas 95 per cent benefits should go to 95 per cent ‘ati Dalits’. Because of the avarice of the vested interests among the Dalits, the purpose and spirit of the reservation policy under Article 16 (4) of the constitution had been defeated.

He said the vested interests had not allowed a review of the reservation policy as recommended by several committees like the B.N. Lakur Committee, which submitted its report in 1965; the National Commission for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes report on the sub-categorisation of the Dalits in Andhra Pradesh; and the historic directions of the Supreme Court to the Central and the state governments to periodically review the reservation policy.

Sarwan said his organisation was determined to ensure that the benefits of the reservation policy actually reached those who really deserved it.

Yamunanagar, July 26
Energy saving lamps and equipment will be installed in the civil secretariat and offices of municipal committees of Jagadhri and Yamunanagar.

The administration on an experimental basis has decided to replace sodium vapour lamps and streetlight tubes in the municipal committees of Jagadhri and Yamunanagar with T-5 and 28-W assembly tubes.

This would be done to cut the power bills of the MCs to more than half.

The replacement would be carried out in a phased manner, an official said.

A survey of different roads falling in the two MCs has been completed by Asian Electronic Limited (AEL). The two MCs spend more than 1.40 crore on power bills annually. The proposed lighting units use half the power used by the conventional lighting system.

The AEL would provide lighting system free of cost to the MCs and in return the MCs would pay a certain percentage of the amount saved on account of power bills to the company.

However, the two MCs have failed to provide adequate streetlights in their areas.

Chandigarh, July 26
Haryana will get the country's first “mobile court” - a novel concept to reach out to the people to provide them justice at the doorstep. Brainchild of former President A.P.J.Abdul Kalam, the idea is being given concrete shape in Haryana by the Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court Justice Vijender Jain, who has collaborated with the state government to put these courts in place, ahead of the Gram Nyayalaya Bill, 2007, taking the shape of statute.

As per the model, the mobile courts will visit different villages and towns periodically and deliver on-the-spot justice to the people, based on facts and evidence. These courts will be expected to pronounce their judgement within one week of the last date of hearing and provide a free copy of the judgement to all parties.

Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who is keen to make Haryana the first state in the country to bring in mobile courts, is expected to make an announcement to this effect jointly with Justice Jain in Chandigarh tomorrow. The first such mobile court in the country will start functioning from Punhana in Mewat district from August 4 in the presence of K.G. Balakrishnan, Chief Justice of India.

Union law minister H.R.Bhardwaj, who himself hails from Haryana, hinted at the formation of such courts during his recent visit to Chandigarh. All credit for taking the justice delivery system to the grassroots is due to former President Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, who explained this revolutionary concept while addressing the national conference on legal empowerment on the occasion of National Legal Literacy Day in 2005.

Dr Kalam had said, "Legal services have two important benefits. Firstly, it creates awareness among the rural population about their rights and responsibilities and also creates a feeling of law and judiciary being very close to the people………. I would recommend the creation of mobile courts that reach taluka and village level. The mobile court can visit different villages and towns periodically and deliver on-the-spot justice to the people, based on facts and evidence."

The former President’s words are echoed in the Gram Nyayalaya Bill, 2007, which is presently being examined by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice, committee headed by E.M. Sudarsana Natchiappan. Natchiappan in on record to have said that the Bill aims at lightening the burden of cases before the courts, and the UPA government plans to set up intermediate courts at the tehsil and panchayat levels.

Sirsa, July 26
Acting president of the SAD (Badal), Sukhbir Singh Badal, today demanded that the state government should ensure safety of the Sikhs and their property in Haryana, stating that Sikhs in the state were feeling insecure following attack on them by dera followers.

He maintained that the Punjab Government would extend full cooperation to the Haryana Government to maintain peace in the state.The Haryana Government should also withdraw false cases registered against Sikhs in the state due to the ongoing crisis, he added.

He said that it was a sorry state of affairs that even after three days of the incident at Mallewala village, only two dera followers out of 16 were arrested so far. The government can develop sense of security among Sikhs only by arresting all accused in the firing incident.

Blaming the Dera Sacha Sauda chief for the ongoing conflict between Sikhs and dera followers, Sukhbir Badal said that the dera chief had committed a mistake by imitating Guru Gobind Singh and hurt the sentiments of the Sikhs. The state government should take action against a person who had instigated the dera followers to attack the Sikhs. The dera chief went to Ghukanwali without seeking proper permission, as a result the clash between Sikhs and dera followers took place, he added.

Commenting on the possibility to end the crisis he said the dera chief had sent three unsigned press notes to Akal Takht. He has not tendered a sincere apology so far. Now five high priests of Takhts would decide the issue.

Reacting on the Leader of the Opposition Rajinder Kaur Bhattal’s open support to the dera, Sukhbir Badal said Bhattal had to make it clear whom she considered supreme, Akal Takht or the dera chief.

Regarding the CBI enquiry pending against the dera chief in the three different cases, Sukhbir Badal said that they were hopeful that the CBI would file report in these cases in the stipulated time period.

He was taking to the press after meeting the injured of Mallewala clash in the civil hospital here. Sukhbir Badal was also accompanied by the SAD general secretary Balwinder Singh Bhunder and senior Akali leader and former MP Prem Singh Chandumajra. Sukhbir Badal also gave Rs 50,000 each to the injured as compensation. He along with other leaders also met deputy commissioner V.Umashankar in this regard.

Yamunanagar, July 26
Now wild animals in the Kalesar forests will get year-round drinking water in water guzzlers as a tubewell has been dug for the purpose.

Sources in the Wildlife Department said electricity connection was awaited for the tubewell. The water was found 90 m below the surface and boring in the past was not successful.

The Forest Department had been using drip system to fill the guzzlers. Underground pipes would be laid to connect the eight guzzlers.

Sources said rains used to fill the guzzlers and the department had set up a drip system to carry water from natural sources to the guzzlers, but during extreme summer the guzzlers used to go dry.

There was only one natural perennial water source in the jungle.The Irrigation Department leaves 160 cusecs in Yamuna river for wild animals daily.

Kaithal, July 26
The Cheeka police has arrested three members of a family of in-laws of a married woman who was allegedly poisoned to death along with her five-year-old son at Badsui village of Guhla subtehsil of this district on July 22. All the three, including husband, father-in-law and mother-in law were produced in the court which sent them on police remand for one day .

Giving details of this case S.P. Rajinder Singh told media persons here today that Prem Chand Sharma of Kharkara village lodged a complaint with the police on July 22 that he had married his daughter Nirmla Devi to Darshan of Badsui in 2000 and gave sufficient dowry at that time . But her in-laws were not pleased with the dowry brought by her and they continuously harassed her. She told her parents about the demands raised by her in laws. During this summer vacation her in-laws allegedly asked her to bring Rs 50,000 in cash and a buffalo. As Prem Chand could not meet this demand the harassment of his daughter continued .

Prem Chand alleged that in-laws of her daughter Nirmla mixed some poisonous substance in her food on July 22 and later also administered poison to her son. Soon there after both mother and son died.

Acting on the complaint of Nirmla’s father the police registered a case under Section 302, 304-B and 34 of the IPC against Darshan (husband ), Romeshar (father-in law) and Nirmla (mother-in-law).