Man commits suicide
Ambala, August 17
A youth, Rajesh Pandey, committed suicide at Babyal by consuming a poisonous substance. The suicide note mentions that Rajesh was committing suicide due to police harassment.

Sirsa, August 17
The Punjab Police today seized the controversial dress of the Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh he wore allegedly to imitate Guru Gobind Singh during a ceremony at Salabatpura dera that led to ongoing conflict between Sikhs and dera followers. Besides it, the police also recovered “kalgi” as part of his dress from the dera chief during the questioning which continued for about three and a half hours at his “gufa” in the dera.

Out of 25 police personnel in a team, only five headed by DSP Surinder Pal Singh and inquiry officer Harvinder Singh Virk from Bathinda questioned the dera chief from 10.45 am to 2.15 pm at his gufa. However, the police did not get satisfactory answers of all the questions relevant to the investigation. Therefore, the police team will again came here on August 24 to question the dera chief, said the police official.

“If we had got the answers of all the questions then there was no need to come here again. But we did not get response to all questions from the dera chief that is the reason we have to come here again for the investigation on August 24, said the DSP.

‘The dera chief told us that he wore the dress that was offered to him by his followers during the ceremony” he added. We have asked the management of the dera to provide other relevant material required for the investigation in the case, he added.

It is learnt that the police asked the dera chief about the source of the controversial dress and motive behind to were it and regarding the Jaam-e-Insan ceremony.

Punjab Police personnel reached the dera as per the date fixed by the high court for questioning the dera chief in a case registered against him under Section 295-A for hurting the sentiments of Sikhs.

The police personnel who reached here about 9.30 am first mentioned the purpose of their visit in the daily diary report (DDR) at police station. Thereafter the SHO, Sadar, Mauji Ram, took the Punjab Police team to the dera for the investigation. After completing all formalities the police team left from the sadar police Station at about 4 pm.

However later in a press release the dera spokesman Dr Aditya Insan, said that the dera has fully cooperative with Punjab police during the investigation. 

Chandigarh, August 17
Mulling over the summary powers of a banking institution in taking over the possession and resorting to sale of properties of borrowers, a Division Bench, comprising Justice M.M. Kumar and Justice A.N. Jindal, today stayed the dispossession of the petitioners and also stopped sale of their residential house-cum-nursing home, mortgaged to the bank as collateral.

The order was issued on a plea filed by Dr Vibha Gupta and her husband Dr Sanjeev Gupta, who ran City Hospital and Maternity Home-cum-Nursing Home at Faridabad.

The two had questioned the powers of Syndicate Bank in selling both principal and prime property as well as the collateral, simultaneously, on the plea that the value of the prime property had been assessed by the bank at a value that was much higher than the outstanding amount to be paid to the bank.

Thus, there was no need at this juncture to also sell the other collateral properties by the bank or to proceed against them. It was averred that the proceedings regarding the personal property of the petitioners, given as collateral, suffered from non-application of mind, given the fact that under the assessment and valuation report obtained by the bank, the total outstanding amount was Rs 11.8 crore against all partners put together.

The amount was much lower than the value of Rs 19 crore of the prime property - Central Hospital and Research Centre - and was even capable of being sold at a much higher price. 

The petitioners filed objections with the bank and when the bank failed to consider the same under Sections 13 (3-A) of the Securitisation Act, the petitioners contested the action of the bank as premature.

The next hearing is on September 21.

Karnal, August 17
The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) took out a rally here today to highlight the acute shortage of electricity in the state.

The rally was part of a statewide campaign by the party to highlight the crises faced by electricity consumers.

The rally started from Rode Dharamshala and covered the main bazaar before culminating at the secretariat. INLD district president Ram Kumar Abla handed over a memorandum to the deputy commissioner, Karnal.

Kurukshetra: A large number of Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) members, led by the president of the Haryana Pradesh INLD and former Haryana transport minister, Ashok Arora, took out a procession from Jat Dharamshaala to the office of the deputy commissioner here today in protest against the short supply of electricity and drinking water. The protesters raised anti-government slogans by carrying play cards and banners.

Arora alleged that the problem of electricity and drinking water was serious and the Haryana government had admitted that the electricity produced in Haryana was being sold to Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Maharashtra.

Arora also submitted a memorandum to deputy commissioner T.K. Sharma in this regard.

Fatehabad: Activists of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) today held a demonstration against the power and water crisis in the state.

Led by former Haryana minister Sampat Singh, the INLD workers also submitted a memorandum to the deputy commissioner.

He said the government had been claiming that the state would be self sufficient in power within the next three years but the fact is that no new power generation project except the one at Yamunanagar would start functioning by then.

Rewari: INLD activists, including women, from Rewari, Bawal, Jatusana and other parts of the district, took out a protest rally from the main markets of the city here today, while shouting slogans against the state government.

The demonstration was led by former minister and INLD leader Dr M.L. Ranga, city INLD chief Praveen Chaudhary and district mahila INLD president Kamla Sharma.

Rohtak: Activists of the Indian National Lok Dal staged a protest demonstration against the acute scarcity of water and electricity prevailing in the state. The INLD workers, led by party’s district unit president Balwant Singh Suhag, marched in protest from the old bus stand to the mini-secretariat, raising slogans against the state government.

The protesters also burnt the effigies of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Rohtak MP Deepender Singh Hooda for their alleged failure to provide adequate water and power to the state residents.

Jind, August 17
While traffic on roads of the city has been on the rise, this historic city is has been waiting for its first flyover. The huge rush and traffic jams at certain places in the town have perhaps failed to move the authorities concerned to take up the proposal of overbridges at the busiest spots. Having a population of about two lakhs, the city lies in the near centre of the state and serves a transit-cum- connecting point to several cities and districts in the state and the neighbouring Punjab.

‘The problem of traffic jams and congestion had been acute at various places, especially at the two railway crossings which include the Rohtak-Bathinda railway line and the track connecting Panipat with Jind, claimed, Deepak , a local resident.

He said the issue had been taken up with the local elected representatives, including the MLA and the MP, but the result had only been an assurance so far.’ He said Jind had perhaps been one of the few selected districts or cities which had no flyover facility.

The district officials on other hand claim that the matter had been taken up with the government and a move was likely to be taken up in near future.

The administration had installed traffic lights at local Patiala Chowk, one of the busiest intersections in the city recently, but the lights had not been functioning properly, due to reasons power breakdown or their non-maintenance.

This has been the first place to get such such lights, commented an employee of the local Municipal Council. The civic body has proposed to install some more traffic light signals in the city.

The district authorities have already announced to construct as many as five bypasses which it claims that it would help in solving the problem of traffic congestion on important roads.

But according to locals, the problem had been very complex and a smoother traffic could not be ensured in many parts of the city and the district unless flyovers were planned and constructed at the earliest.

The number of vehicles, especially those loaded with harvested crops of rabi and kharif crops rise sharply on the roads connecting the anaj mandi and the Sugar Mill, claimed M.L Verma, a resident of Scheme No 19 here.

He said there was a need to widen up or provision of wide passages in all the sectors developed by the Haryana Urban Development Authority. 

Panipat, August 17
Alleging exploitation of guest faculty teachers by various government-aided colleges in the state, the Haryana College Teachers’ Association (HCTA) has urged the state government to fix minimum wages to maintain the high academic standards.

The general secretary of the HCTA, Dr Rajbir Parashar, said the state authorities should step in to ensure that guest faculty members were not treated shabbily.

He also appealed the state government to prepare guidelines of minimum salaries for the guest faculty teachers.

According to estimation there are about more than 2,000 qualified guest faculty teachers enrolled in various aided colleges.

He said most of these private educational institutes were neither issuing any appointment letters nor offering a respectable salary. In a number of cases appointments goes according to the caste of the candidates that matches with the managements.

“Our study reveals that most of the guest faculty teachers were getting a meager sum of Rs 3,000-3,500,” said Dr Parashar.

Stressing upon the need to introduce minimum wages for the non-permanent colleges, he said it was lowering the morale of the young teachers. It ultimately affects the academic standards of education in the state.

“In a gross violation of laws most of the young teachers are not given appointment letters,” he alleged.

Last year KU had issued a circular asking the aided colleges to pay Rs 8,000 per month to the guest faculty teachers but the HCTA alleged that the same was not implemented in most of the colleges.

Besides, these teachers are not entitled to avail earned or medical leaves.

It is further alleged that certain college managements were deducting salaries from the teachers’ salaries who take more than two leaves in a month.

Lamenting the state government for neglecting the aided colleges, the HCTA demanded to end the unannounced ban on the recruitment in these institutions.

Ambala, August 17
A revision petition moved by Khatta Singh, ex-driver of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, to record his statement under Section 164 of the CrPC was dismissed by special CBI Judge R.K. Saini here today.

Khatta Singh had earlier moved an application claiming that his statements were obtained by the CBI under Section 161 against the dera chief.

In the statement, he had reportedly made allegations of sexual exploitation of woman disciples against the dera chief. The statement was appended with the challan, which the CBI had presented in the court of the then CBI Magistrate Ritu Garg.

The Magistrate had declined the application and thereafter Khatta Singh filed fresh application in the court of special CBI Judge.

Meanwhile, a report from Jaipur said the Rajasthan government today banned the entry of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Raheem Singh into Sriganganagar district for three days to avert a possible clash with the Sikhs. He is to address a gathering there on Sunday.

Prohibitory orders have been clamped around Budharwali and additional police forces deployed to prevent any clash between Dera and Sikh community followers in view of his planned 'satsang' (religious gathering) which has been banned, Sriganganagar district collector Bhawani Singh Deth said over the phone.

Followers in the district were, however, "allowed to hold meetings like the naamcharcha" during the the ban which would remain in force till August 20, he said. — Agencies 

Chandigarh, August 17
The Haryana government has announced an increase in the annual cash incentive for the owners of high yielding Murrah buffaloes.

The cash incentive for the first category of animals yielding 11 kg to 15 kg of milk per day has been increased from Rs 1,000 to Rs 3,000, from Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000 for second category yielding 16 kg to 20 kg of milk and from Rs 6,000 to Rs 10,000 for the third category giving 20 kg of milk per day.

The minimum support price of Rs 5,000 which was given for the purchase of male calf from such animals has also been restructured as Rs 3,000, Rs 6,000 and Rs 10,000 for the first, second and the third category, respectively.

Quoting Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, an official press note issued here today added that the annual financial allocation on the integrated Murrah development scheme was also likely to be revised from Rs 1 crore to Rs 5 crore from the current financial year.

The scheme envisages identification of high yielding Murrah buffaloes and the purchase, rearing and marketing of male calves. Emphasis would be laid on ‘in situ’ preservation of Murrah germ plasm by recording a large number of top quality animals and meet the demands of not only the state but also other parts of the country.

Hooda also announced re-constitution of committees for the identification of quality Murrah buffaloes during the current financial year. The committees would now consist of one deputy director or SDO (Animal Husbandry) or Semen bank officer of the concerned area, one local veterinary surgeon and sarpanch or panch of the village.

The deputy director or SDO or Semen bank officer would be free to associate any other veterinary surgeon in case the number of animals increases. The young stock of the identified animals would be reared scientifically to act as gene pool for future breeding.

Ambala, August 17
The activists of Indian National Lok Dal held a demonstration today to highlight the acute shortage of water and power scarcity.

In a memorandum addressed to the Haryana Governor, they stated that the Governor must immediately intervene in the matter as common people were facing many problems.

They said the entire state was reeling under power and water shortage. “Due to the present government’s mismanagement, power - which was available during the previous government’s regime - is no longer available,” the memorandum stated.

The demonstrators were led by INLD district president Surjit Singh Sondha. The activists alleged that the Congress government had failed to provide people with the basic amenities.

They also stated that there had been considerable deterioration in Haryana ever since the Congress had come to power. They alleged that the power meant for Haryana was being diverted to Delhi.

Ambala, August 17
The Kharga Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA) celebrations began here today.

General Officer Commanding, Kharga Corps, Lt-Gen V K Singh along with senior officers were present on the occasion. Kharga AWWA president Bharti Singh inaugurated the celebrations at a function held at Kharga auditorium in Ambala cantonment.

Bharti Singh said the week-long celebrations included lectures, seminars, cancer-detection camp, healthy baby competition, talent show and a painting competition for schoolchildren. She spoke about the role played by AWWA adding that Kharga AWWA was committed towards achieving a secure and fulfilling community life for families of soldiers.

Col SS Nanda gave a presentation on AWWA awareness, its functions and achievements of the Kharga unit of AWWA. He said ESM helpline had been set up to help the ex-servicemen and their dependents on the premises of Military Hospital, Ambala cantonment.

Commander Works Engineer Colonel Agarwal spoke about the improvements being made in the accomodation for soldiers in Army in Ambala cantonment.