Panipat, September 27 Even after 40 years of its formation, Haryana is probably the only state that does not have even a single state museum.In the absence of the museum, historians and archeologists apprehend considerable loss to the invaluable antiquities, which are gathering dust at various ill-equipped government establishments. A view of the Panipat Museum housed in a rest house in Binjhol village in the district.— Tribune photo by Ravi Kumar

Residents fret over spurious milk products
Faridabad, September 27
The sale of spurious milk and its products in this industrialised district has assumed alarming proportion, much to the resentment of the residents. The racket, which appears to have developed a wide-ranging network, has been active for a long time, with the momentum picking up of late. And all this is taking place right under the nose of the authorities.

Stray dogs to be sterilised in Gurgaon

Chandigarh, September 27 The Animal Help Foundation (AHF), an Ahmedabad-based organisation, has entered into an agreement with the state government to spay and neuter and vaccinate 50,000 dogs in Gurgaon over a period of two years. During the drive, the AHF will also put to sleep rabid dogs and dogs suffering from incurable health problems. The organisation assures that its “services of control of dog population will be carried out obeying the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2001”.

Kaithal sabzi mandi in a mess

Kaithal, September 27 Chaotic conditions prevail at the local sabzi mandi, located near the old grain market here. This mandi was set up about 30 years ago to provide better services to the vegetable sellers and consumers. But the apathy of the officials has added to the woes of the vendors and those visiting this place.The roads remain filled with heaps of garbage and rotten fruits and vegetables thrown by vendors. Garbage scattered all over the sabzi mandi in Kaithal.— A Tribune photograph

Notification by taxation dept worries farmers
Chandigarh, September 27
A draft notification issued by the Haryana Excise and Taxation Department has caused concern to the farm lobby in the state. The department had notified a draft amendment in the Haryana VAT Act, 2003, to exempt pesticides, weedicides and insecticides from value added tax on September 7 last.

Inside Babudom
‘Power jobs’ not for women 
Chandigarh, September 27
Over the years, an unofficial policy has emerged in the state to have at least one Dalit among the officers attached to the Chief Minister. A Dalit IAS officer rose to the post of principal secretary to the Chief Minister (PSCM) in the last regime, headed by the INLD. In the present Congress government also, there is a Dalit IAS officer who is a part of the Chief Minister’s secretariat.

Citizens’ Grievances
Appointment or no appointment
I was selected through the Service Selection Board, Haryana, for the post of physiotherapist at Panchkula. I got appointment letter on 10.07.07 and was given 15 days to join the duty. After resigning from the previous job at a private hospital, I joined on 23.07.07 only to know that another candidate Navneet Kaur, who was posted at Panipat, had already joined at Panchkula. 

• Highhandedness of builder

Gurgaon metro before 2010
Chandigarh September 27
Gurgaon will come on the Delhi Metro link well before Commonwealth Games to be held at Delhi in 2010. This was stated by Haryana chief secretary Promilla Issar during an interaction with the Press here yesterday.She said the state would have a ‘Kala Parisar’, under the banner of the Haryana Kala Parishad, on the bank of holy Brahamsarovar in Kurukshetra.

CITIZEN FIRST
Panipat roads in bad shape
A million dollar question: Will Panipat ever have good roads? Every year huge sums of money are earmarked for this purpose, but to no avail. Repairs are repeatedly carried out but the patchwork casually worked out washes away during rains and sometimes may be even before the payment is made to the contractor. 

• Don’t overestimate students

Move to destroy park flayed
Chandigarh, September 27
A section of Kurukshetra residents are upset over what they describe as “attempts to Jindalise the historic and religious town, which is the land of the Mahabharata and the Gita”. 

More youth taking to drugs
Jind, September 27
While there has been an overall rise in the drug abuse and addiction cases in the district in the past decade, the features of this social evil have undergone a significant change. The age group of the addicts has declined sharply over the years with more and more younger persons falling for drugs. This district is considered an easy transit point from various supply sources, including Punjab and Rajasthan.

Clear power bills, get surcharge waiver
Yamunanagar, September 27
The Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) has announced to waive surcharge on pending power bills of domestic urban consumers if they clear their dues by November 30. The dues can also be cleared in six-monthly instalments.An official of the UHBVN said rural consumers could also avail of the benefit of the waiver of surcharge on tubewell and domestic consumption if they cleared their dues by October 1.

400 take part in NSS camp
Kurukshetra, September 27
Under the National Service Scheme (NSS), volunteers of the local University College, with the help of university administration, organised a one-day NSS camp at the community centre on the campus here yesterday.

Science centre gets new additions, visitors

Kurukshetra, September 27 The visitors’ turnout at Kurukshetra Panorama and Science Centre (KPSC) here has been on the rise in the recent past. The addition of various exhibits at fun science gallery is attracting a large number of people. Illusion: An exhibit at the fun science gallery at the Kurukshetra Panorama and Science Centre.— Photo by writer New party formed on mid-term poll talk Chandigarh, September 27 With the speculation about the mid-term Lok Sabha elections taking place early next year getting strong, new parties have started appearing on the political scene of the state. The first such political party is the Rashtriya Shakti Party, headed by a former Jana Sangh man, Dr Mahendra Gupta of Yamunanagar. The party made its presence felt in Ambala division when it held a public rally at Kurukshetra on September 23.

NGOs say yes to funds, no to rules
Chandigarh, September 27
State government’s policy for providing financial assistance or grants to non government organisations (NGOs) in the sate has not gone down too well with the recipients, many of whom have failed to abide by the guidelines issued by the director, social justice and empowerment and welfare of Scheduled Castes and backward classes.

Scholarship bonanza for students
Chandigarh, September 27
Education has become a primary focus for the state government with the annual budget almost doubled from the time the current government was formed to Rs 50 crore during the current fiscal. Girls, backward and Scheduled Caste students are the major beneficiaries of the increased expenditure on education.

Industrial area roads in bad shape
Yamunanagar, September 27
Roads dotted with potholes and encroachments have become a permanent feature of the industrial area here, which houses more than 140 industrial units. A survey of the area reveals that the roads are in deplorable condition, putting the users to a lot of hardships.

A train of problems at Sonepat station
Sonepat, September 27
Despite earning crores of rupees from Sonepat railway station, the attitude of the railway authorities has been indifferent so far as providing facilities to the passengers are concerned. According to official sources, the annual income from this station increased from Rs 10.63 crore in 2001-02 to Rs 15.73 crore in 2006-07.