Health services hit in Mewat
Staff shortage, poor facilities ail hospitals
Aarti Kapur
Tribune News Service

Mewat, September 27
The health services in Mewat are in the doldrums due to the shortage of staff in hospitals and sub health centers in the region.

The district comprises of five blocks, Feroz Pur Jhirka, Nuh, Nagina, Punhana and Hathin, with 410 villages and more than 10.5 lakh population.

Though the government is making all efforts to fill the sanctioned posts, doctors and paramedical staff are not interested to join duty in this region due to the poor quality of life and difficult working conditions.

According to the population of the region there should be two general hospitals, 11 community health centers (CHC), 40 primary health centers (PHC) and 240 sub-centers. But there is only one general hospital, four CHCs, 13 PHCs and 110 sub-centers.

A doctor at General Hospital, Mandikhera, says the lack of basic infrastructure and low pay scale are the main reasons of the non-availability of staff in this region. He says the salary is almost half of what a doctor gets in any private hospital.

Besides, the region is lacking in catering to the basic needs of routine nature. There are no good educational institutes neither there are good housing facilities.

The doctor says this is the reason why most of the staff get them transferred or proceed on leave when posted in this region. No wonder the posts remain vacant for most of the time.

He says recently the government had sanctioned 29 posts of medical officer against which only seven applications have been received. Similarly, three posts of internal surgeon have been sanctioned, but till date no application has been received.

He reveals that though the infrastructure has improved, staff shortage continues to affect the health services.

In one such instance of general hospital in Mewat, against the 14 posts of medical officers only five have been filled.

He suggests to meet the health needs of the people and smooth functioning of various health programmes, staff should be appointed on contractual basis through MDA, District Red Cross Society, and district health and family welfare society. The health department should regularly monitor the postings and provide housing and education facilities to the families of its staff.

Civil Surgeon of Mewat hospital Dr D.V. Saharan says every effort is being made to improve the system by giving incentives to the doctors and paramedical staff. 

  ASI roped in to save Jind forts
Bijendra Ahlawat
Tribune News Service

Jind, September 27
Having survived the apathy of the government, the historical forts of Jind that faced acute dilapidation are likely to get some attention and care at last.

The district administration has made a move to get them a healing touch in the form of conservation. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has been asked to take over the possession of these buildings and provide the care needed to conserve the rich heritage lying unattended so far.

The rulers of the erstwhile Jind estate had built forts at various places to provide infrastructure for defence and safety purposes. The forts are located at Jind, Safidon and Kila Zafargarh towns of the district. But the failure of the authorities concerned to provide care on regular basis led to severe damage of the buildings and rendered these to just a symbol of the historical past.

While important sections of these forts have either been damaged or facing depletion, those surviving needed urgent repairs, claims D.R. Sirohiwal, who has been appointed as nodal officer for the project.

He says he has already completed the survey of all forts and submitted his report. It is reported that the deputy commissioner has requested the regional office of the ASI to take over the possession of these forts.

The survey of the remaining parts of these buildings has revealed that the bricks used in these are of a superfine quality having a resemblance to the architecture of the Mogul period. Perhaps this is reason that the material has survived the weathering process of over 200 years.

The fort of Jind, which is Continued from page 1 col 7

the largest of the forts, had been the headquarters of the rulers. It is spread over an area of about 5 acres. But the present condition of the fort is the worst, says the study.

The fort, known as Quila Mubarak, is located at a place which is at the highest altitude in the area. It had about 16 tower posts (bhurji) on its walls and one gate and was built by Raja Gajpat Singh in 1772 AD.

Due to no restoration and upkeep the fort has met with an extensive damage over the past several decades and has been left with just one tomb tower and a part of the external wall. While some parts of it have been encroached upon, the material of the damaged walls was sold in an auction several years back. The land of the fort was handed over to the improvement trust, which did not carry any restoration works, reveal the officials.

The second fort is located at Safidon town, 30 km from here. This was also built in the same period. Here, while the sidewalls have survived, the internal parts got damaged extensively. Nearly all tower posts have been lost. The fort now houses police station. The interesting thing about the fort, as per the experts, is the quality of the bricks used. Known as “lakhori” bricks, it is claimed that these were used in most of the forts and palaces built during the Mogul era. The building is now under the control of the local municipal committee, which has hardly cared about its preservation.

This has resulted in people using the place for preparing cow dung cakes. According to some historians, Mongol invader Taimur Lang had passed from here during his invasion and had set the fort ablaze to weaken his opponents. The founder ruler of Jind, Raja Gajpat Singh, was cremated near this fort.

The third fort is located at Kila Zafargarh village, near the Jind-Rohtak road. This building is smallest of all, with a total area of about one and half acres. It was mainly used by the rulers for the storage of arms, civil supplies and training of the horses. Guns and weapons were installed here as it was like an entrance to the kingdom from Delhi side and was normally used to check any aggression from these directions. Sikh Guru Teg Bhahdur had also used this route to go to Delhi (Narwana-Jind-Lakhanmajra). The fort building has already lost its main gate and tower posts while walls on three sides have survived with repairable damages. It is made of small bricks and still has the famous baradari (courtyard) used by the king at that time.

The records of these forts have been collected and submitted to the ASI office at Hisar, a branch of the regional office based at Chandigarh, on August 23 by the office of the deputy commissioner, states Sirohiwal.

  Antiques in state of neglect
Vishal Joshi
Tribune News Service

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.

Ironically, the state has a full-fledged archeological department with an exhausting list of manpower, including an official to the rank of commissioner headed by a minister.

At present, there are five museums, one each in Panipat, Sirsa and Jind and two in Kurukshetra, most of them are run from makeshift buildings.

All of these museums except War Museum, Panipat, are either run by the district administration or by certain autonomous bodies.Continued from page 1 col 8

The War Museum was established by INTACH and is now run by the state government. It is housed temporarily in the canal rest house and there are no signboards to access the place near the Panipat-Rohtak highway.

Srikrishna Museum and Darohar, these two museums are run by the Kurukshetra Development Board and Kurukshetra University, respectively.

The archeological museum of Sirsa is housed in Bal Bhawan and the one in Jind is situated on an ancient temple premises.

Thrusting upon the need to establish state museums, experts say it is the duty of the state government to protect its monuments and antiquities.

Haryana has a rich cultural past and innumerable antiquities have been found from one of the most significant excavating sites of the subcontinent and these should be preserved and documented in a scientific manner, they say.

A senior archeologist says museum being an index of culture reflects the history legends, arts, aesthetic and other human endeavours through various artifacts displayed therein.

A museum is no more a repository of antiques or an “ajayabghar” rather it has become a centre of learning and hence it is a must for every district to have a museum to conserve and protect its artifacts, he says. 

  Residents fret over spurious milk products
Ravi S. Singh
Tribune News Service

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.

An interaction at various levels of the administration and health department reveals that the details of this flourishing trade is known to all.

The sale of adulterated milk and its products, especially condensed milk, cheese and pure ghee, has assumed such a large proportion that the residents now dread about the health of their family and future generation.

Ramji Lal, a resident of NIT, Faridabad, sums up the dilemma of the average residents, lamenting that he could do nothing even if he was fully aware of this practice. He wonders how he could salvage the situation except by rearing bovine cattle himself, which was not possible.

Spurious milk is made in Faridabad and a huge quantity comes from Mewat and nearby districts of western Uttar Pradesh, including Aligarh. Now, even sweets made of spurious condensed milk are supplied in plenty.

The sweets made of spurious stuff range from Rs 35-40 per kg. But the consumer shops sell the same at the prices according to their own brand and name.

A number of officers in the district, who did not wish to be quoted, said the main reason was the existing system which gave the sole authority to the food inspector to launch prosecution in cases of faulty samples of milk and its products.

Moreover, there is only one food inspector for the entire district. And for all 20 districts of Haryana, there are only 13 food inspectors. Some officials are given the responsibility of more than one district.

With regard to Faridabad, the situation is pathetic with no one owning responsibility and no one being made accountable with regard to the sale of adulterated food.

Senior officers say that the incongruity could be solved only when the present authority of the food inspectors is decentralised. Although there is nothing on record, the officers feel that the culprits come to know beforehand about the impending raids on spurious products in various districts. It is anybody's guess as to who are the saboteurs in the health department.

  Stray dogs to be sterilised in Gurgaon
Shubhadeep Choudhury
Tribune News Service

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”.

Field teams of the AHF will not close their operation in an area till they are satisfied about achieving the target by making visual counts of neutered dogs whose ears will be notched for this purpose. They will also keep track of the progress of the operation by counting genital organs ripped from the dogs surgically. The organs will be preserved in formalin saline for counting and later destroyed after adding gentian violet.

The project, proposed to be launched in November, will last for five years. The AHF is expecting to achieve the target of neutering 50,000 dogs in the first two years, while the remaining three years will be spent for mass sustained immunisation of the dogs.

The total cost of the project has been worked out to over Rs 4 crore, which will be borne by the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), HUDA and the Gurgaon Municipal Council.

The Gurgaon district administration will identify locations where AHF will set up the field clinics in tents. Each clinic will have three to four vets and 15 other staff like drivers, dogcatchers, etc.

The administration will also help the AHF in the public relations efforts to notify the community and explain the purpose of CNVR (catch neuter vaccinate release) field clinics in detail and convince the public that the step is to eradicate the dreaded rabies, reduce cases of dog bites and improve health of dogs.

  Kaithal sabzi mandi in a mess 
Satish Seth

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. It is not completely lifted by the staff and foul smell emanates from the left out part of garbage.

Major parts of all roads inside the market have been encroached upon by retailers, making the movement of even two-wheelers impossible. Such encroachers compete with each other to occupy both sides of the roads and the authorities generally ignore this unlawful activity. It is alleged that some employees are hand in glove with these encroachers.

An employee of the market committee say whenever they try to discipline the retailers they get united and plead with the officials not to uproot them. At times they get support of politicians of all shades. Interestingly, the number of such encroachers has been increasing with the passage of time.

The main entry to this mandi is obstructed by street vendors. The backside entry is also not smooth and vegetable sellers occupy this space as well unmindful of the difficulties faced by the visitors.

The presence of a large number of stray animals in the area is another problem. On several occasions, stray cattle had hit and injured the shopkeepers and visitors.

Jagdish Sharma, local SDM, said he had served a warning to the market committee secretary to reign in his staff and improve the situation in the area and added that if the situation did not improve action would be taken.

Another major irritant for the visitors is the activities of some of the wholesalers who have godowns outside this mandi to store fruits. Some of them use ice for seasoning raw bananas and as the ice melts the water comes on to the roads and turn them muddy. A number of commercial vehicles are parked haphazardly on the roads, which cause frequent traffic jams.

Meanwhile, representatives of some trade organisations and municipal councillors have demanded that keeping in view the huge rush, this market should be shifted to some other place.

  Notification by taxation dept worries farmers
Yoginder Gupta
Tribune News Service

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.

The proposed amendment has suggested that only those pesticides, weedicides and insecticides would be exempted from VAT those are used “for plants only”.

It is the phrase “for plants only” which has caused concern in the farm lobby as well as those who sell the pesticides, weedicides and insecticides. They feel that the phrase would be misinterpreted by different department officials differently to decide which pesticide, weedicide or insecticide is exempted from VAT and which is not. This will lead to unnecessary litigation, corruption and harassment of the sellers, who, in turn, would be at a loss to decide on which product VAT is to be charged from the farmers and on which the tax is not to be charged.

Congress MLA from Palwal Karan Singh Dalal today urged excise and taxation minister Birender Singh to remove the ambiguity in the draft notification.

In a letter written to the minister, Dalal said the ambiguity created by the phrase, “used for plants only” would defeat the very objective of the government to make pesticides, weedicides and insecticides available to farmers at cheaper rates.

He pointed out that since a plant comes into being only after the germination of a seed, the insecticides, fungicides and weedicides used for treating seeds and soil to prevent emergence of weeds before the germination of seeds, would not be exempted from VAT if the controversial phrase was not changed to “for agriculture use only”.

Dalal also suggested to Birender Singh that to make the meaning more clear and unambiguous the definition of pesticides as given in Clause 3(E) of the Insecticides Act of 1968 should be included in the controversial notification.

 Inside Babudom
‘Power jobs’ not for women 
Shubhadeep Choudhury
Tribune News Service

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.

Women, the increasing acknowledgement of gender related issues at the level of the government notwithstanding, have not been given representation in a similar manner by any Chief Minister, including the present incumbent to the post.

The Hooda regime does have the distinction of having the first woman chief secretary of Haryana. The present chief secretary of Haryana is again a woman. Being the second in the line of women chief secretaries, the excitement on account of her appointment was less. There were times when women officers were not considered for appointments as deputy commissioners. Things have changed a lot since then as the appointments of women as the chief secretary show.

It is, however, a fact that the chief secretary has over the years become a titular head only. People attached to the Chief Minister wield the real power in the bureaucracy. No woman till date has found a place in this elite bunch of officers.

The chief secretary is usually at the helm for a short span of time and carries out only the routine works. Officers attached to the Chief Minister, on the other hand, oversee the departments allocated to them for a much longer period of time and can be instrumental in introducing important changes.

Health and social justice and empowerment are the two departments in which women secretaries are traditionally appointed in Haryana. The first health secretary of the Hooda government, too, was a woman. She was replaced by a male IAS officer who was soon made the finance secretary and again a woman IAS officer occupies the post. Conforming to the established pattern, the present social justice and empowerment secretary, too, is a woman. Though high sounding and important from the societal point of view, the bureaucratic fraternity here considers none of the two above posts great assignments. Thus, “power jobs” existing outside the Chief Minister’s secretariat also seldom land up in the lap of women officers.

 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. She was transferred to Panchkula on 17.07.07. When I met the health minister I too made to join at Panchkula. However, there is only one post of physiotherapist at General Hospital, Sector 6, Panchkula. I have not got the salary of past two months.

Anjali Sharma Chandimandir

Highhandedness of builder

Residents of C-Block, Sushant Lok-I, Gurgaon, were recently made to suffer for five hours as the builder of the colony, Ansals, had cut power to the locality to force residents to agree to the installation of transformers in parks.

Employees of the builders have been instructed to take extreme measures to make the residents budge on this issue even though the Chief Minister’s office has already instructed them not to install transformer in the park. The employees are even threatening the residents with more such measures.

The builder has, however, failed to develop the two earmarked substations in close vicinity and instead wants to encroach upon park, which barely has 300 sq ft of area.

Ajay Jain and K.D. Sharma C-Block, Sushant Lok-I, Gurgaon

  Gurgaon metro before 2010
Tribune News Service

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.

The first phase of the project costing about Rs 3 crore would be ready by November end. The first phase would include an open-air theater having a seating capacity of 700 persons. It would also have an art gallery, a conference hall, office area and space for organising exhibitions.

Issar said the second phase would comprise an auditorium having a seating capacity of 400 persons, a seminar hall, a discussion room, a workshop area and allied facilities for cultural activities.

 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. The obvious reasons are corruption and indifferent attitude of the government towards serving the people better. And the worst sufferer is the common man, who despite paying large amounts of taxes leads a poor quality life.

Nidhi Malhotra, Lecturer,I.B. College, Panipat

Don’t overestimate students

The English paper of class VIII held recently was not set as per school board’s instructions. The paper setter had not set any question on preposition, punctuation and rearrangement of words of total 12 marks. He had also not followed the norm of setting 15 per cent difficult, 55 per cent average and 30 per cent easy questions.
The strictness on his part is uncalled for so far as the level of class VIII students is concerned. In view of most of the students being fared badly in the paper, at least 12 grace marks should be given to all.

Jogdhian Butt VPO Kalayat, Kaithal

Readers, write in

Make Haryana Plus your very own forum and do yourselves and your neighbours a good turn. Here is an opportunity to highlight civic and other public issues, and air your grievances about government negligence and ineffectiveness and the apathy of the officialdom. Send in write-ups, not exceeding 200 words, to Haryana Plus, The Tribune, Sector 29, Chandigarh. E-mail: adalat@tribunemail.com

  Move to destroy park flayed
Tribune News Service

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”. 

In a memorandum to governor Dr A.R. Kidwai recently, the residents, led by former president of the District Congress Committee Pawan Garg, have alleged that a park named after Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was being destroyed to provide for parking space for another park named after a prominent industrialist, who, they say, made no contribution towards the development of Kurukshetra.They alleged that earlier the name of the park, “Tapovan”, was changed to name it after the industrialist. 

Though the memorandum did not name anyone, it was obvious that it referred to sitting MP from Kurukshetra Naveen Jindal and his late father O.P. Jindal, in whose memory the park has been developed in the town. 

Garg claimed there was a move to name a chowk dividing sectors 2,3,4, and 5 as "Jindal crossing". Protesting against the alleged move, he said the entry gate erected near the crossing was named as "Gita Dwar". Therefore, he said, it was only logic that the crossing should also be named after an event or character associated with the Mahabharata. He urged the Governor to restrain the officials concerned from moving ahead with the proposals.

 More youth taking to drugs
Bijendra Ahlawat
Tribune News Service

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. Several cases of illicit smuggling and supply of the banned drugs were registered last year.

The District Red Cross Society is running a drug de-addiction centre at Urban Estate here. According to the in charge of the centre, a total of 16,353 cases have been reported here since July 1992. Out of 11,013 persons who received treatment at the centre up to March 2001, at least 60 per cent were addicted to alcohol, he says, adding that as many as 22 per cent were suffering from the addiction of drugs like poppy husk and opium, the commonly available drugs in the region.

According to doctors, about 6.5 per cent of the patients were addicted to contraband drugs like smack and 11 per cent of them were addicted to more than one type of drug.

In the second phase of survey done between April 2001 and July 2007, it was found out that while the main trend of addiction remained the same with 68 per cent of the patients taking to alcohol. But it was found that while the majority of addicts in the first phase were in the age group of 25-60 years, this age group declined to 18-45 years in the second phase of study.

As many as 5,340 persons got registered at the centre in the second phase. The follow-up of the treated patients by the doctors showed that while about 60 per cent had been able to keep away from drugs, the rest 40 per cent were not able to save them from their old habit.

According to experts, the main factors which make the de-addiction drive a success for any victim is the overall environment at home and workplace and friends and family’s support during the rehabilitation period. Lack of will power, proper care and counseling at the parent’s level and unemployment could be the factors that drive one to taking drugs. 

  Clear power bills, get surcharge waiver
Tribune News Service

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.

A similar scheme on pending bills of water supply had earned Rs 7.5 lakh to the water supply and sanitation department in the district. However, a large number of defaulters did not avail of the scheme and the outstanding amount against them was more than Rs 9.5 lakh. The department has now served notices on them to immediately pay the dues.

The water and sanitation department would start a survey from next month in Yamunanagar town to detect unauthorised water connections, said sources.

  400 take part in NSS camp
Our Correspondent

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.

Making use of waste material, the NSS volunteers prepared a painting, a hut, a lamp and a wall hanging, besides other things in the first session, while in the second session, a seminar on “Learning incapability” was organised.

The chief guest, Dr Sangeeta, reader, department of education, Kurukshetra University, spoke about the difficulties faced during the learning process.

In the evening session, competitions in patriotic songs and poetic recitation were organised.

The results:

NSS painting competition: Ritika - 1, Rakhi - 2, Shivani - 3, consolation prize Bhawna.

Patriotic songs competition:

Vikrant -1, Jyoti - 2, Savita and Anupam - 3, consolation prize - Reena.

Poetic recitation competition:

Poonam (Betian) - 1, Kiran Pal (Khoon Ka Rishta) - 2, Bhawna (Ab Main Kaayar Nahin) - 3, consolation prize - Reena Mehla (Paagal).

As many as 400 volunteers drawn from 106 colleges affiliated to Kurukshetra University participated in the camp. 

  Science centre gets new additions, visitors
D.R. Vij

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.

KPSC project director Dr Raj Mehrotra says to maintain the objects in original flavour, Rs 6 lakh has been incurred recently and a thorough cleaning and maintenance of the objects, including vinyl paintings, which deteriorate with the passage of time, was undertaken. The work was carried out round-the-clock for three consecutive days to avoid the closure of the panorama hall, which houses statues depicting scenes from the Mahabharata, for longer duration.

Various new exhibits are being installed at the ground floor section, which will open on March 6, 2008, the anniversary of the centre, adds Dr Mehrotra.

He says the KPSC comprises panorama hall, ancient Indian science and technology gallery, 3D film fantasy, dinosaur enclave, science park and fun science gallery as per following description.

Panorama hall: The main attraction of the centre is a panorama of the Mahabharata. Standing at the centre of the cylindrical hall, one can feel the towering 34-ft high paintings of the episodes from the Mahabharata come alive before one’s eyes.

3D film fantasy: This section gives a thrilling experience. Visitors cheer up with surprise and enthusiasm when object seems to float towards them. Dinosaur enclave: This section shows various species of dinosaurs in life-size statues.

Fun science gallery: This gallery invites one to play with the exhibits and explore the “how and why” of common scientific phenomena. The interactive exhibits based on school curriculum attract children in particular. The addition of seven new exhibits in this gallery has further added to its attraction. These include magical mirrors, rotating rings, virtual drum playing, stringless piano, magic tap etc.

  New party formed on mid-term poll talk
Tribune News Service

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.

Dr Gupta had been associated with the Jana Sangh since the early ‘70s. He also held different posts in the party. After the Emergency, he joined the Janata Party when the Jana Sangh merged with it. He unsuccessfully contested the 1982 Assembly elections from Jagadhari on the Janata Party ticket. After the disintegration of the Janata Party, he virtually remained in political wilderness. Dr Gupta says his party will give a voice to the people of districts like Ambala, Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Kaithal and Panipat because they have always been neglected by the mainstream parties in the state. 

 NGOs say yes to funds, no to rules
Naveen S Garewal
Tribune News Service

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.

The guidelines had been circulated earlier this year with a view to “streamline the system of supervision of NGOs involved in social welfare projects and to ensure increased transparency and sharing of all relevant information with general public”. A policy with this regard was formulated during the current financial year.

Many of the NGOs have failed to develop its own websites. Earlier this year, the department had issued a notification that all NGOs seeking aid/grant must develop its websites and put all minute details of their activity on the same. This step was made mandatory to ensure transparency. “Many NGOs claim big achievements, but once the information about their activity is made public, not many can get away with false claims,” say department officials, who complain that either NGOs have not set up websites or have not informed the department despite the last date (June 30, 2007) being over months ago.

According to the notices issued to the NGOs, they “are required to make mandatory disclosure of all relevant information regarding physical facilities, financial resources, composition of management, details of activities, details of expenditure, sources of funds, if any, received in the past, donations collected from the public, grants/assistance received from any other source, details regarding the utilisation of funds and the receipt and payment accounts and the balance sheet duly audited by a chartered accountant”.

The issue has assumed significance in the light of allegations that some top bureaucrats and politicians have tried to float fake NGOs and siphon off huge government funds. The policy on NGOs invites strict strictures on organisations that fail to abide by the government directive, besides losing on future grants and aid. But since many NGOs have links with people in the officialdom, they have not invited penal action so far.

The move to send details of sanctioned projects and grant/financial assistance to MLAs, MPs concerned and representatives of the local bodies/panchayati raj institutions concerned has so far failed to take off.

Scholarship bonanza for students
Naveen S Garewal
Tribune News Service

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.

What may sound music to the ears of deserving students, the government has announced new scholarships for the meritorious and needy students, especially in institutions of higher learning. These scholarships will be distributed under various schemes such as National Merit Scholarship Scheme, State Merit Scheme, State Meritorious Incentive Scheme and Under Graduate Girls Scholarship Scheme at the 10+2 Level.

Apart from these, other scholarship schemes introduced recently will benefit poor and needy students from the Scheduled Castes and backward classes. As compared to 2005-06 when a sum of Rs 6.68 crore was distributed in scholarships, over Rs 10 crore would be given in scholarships till the end of this financial year.

The new schemes introduced by the government as part of the Special Component Plan Scheme for 2007-08 to help the Scheduled Caste students include empowering the SC students for employability in information technology wherein the government will provide for the upgradation of computer labs and provide training to 9,000 SC students. Students who successfully complete at least one such course in their final year of graduation will be given a computer free of cost. Besides, a provision has also been made to give free books and bicycles to girls belonging to the SC 
category.

There are a lot of opportunities for general category students too. Around 250 meritorious general category students will be picked up for free computer training. A concept of remedial coaching in science, math and English has been started for students belonging to the weaker sections of society.

As per the revised education policy, special attention will be given to students belonging to educationally backward minorities (Muslims). This scheme envisages special coaching for three months in an academic year in each subject. Incentive will be given to lecturers at the rate of Rs 800 per subject per month per class. As much as Rs 10 lakh has been earmarked for this scheme.

More money has also been allocated for sports activities in educational institutions with a view to improve the standard of sports and to raise the participation of students. This new scheme, started in 2005-06, had a budget allocation of Rs 60 lakh, but now it has been raised to Rs 125 lakh.

Some of the major developments in the state in the field of education include the setting up of the Bhagat Phool Singh Mahila Vishwavidyalaya, Rajiv Gandhi Education City, EDUSAT Project, soft skills schemes, job-oriented courses and earn while you learn schemes.

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.

There are several plywood units on the Kamal Kanta road and a large number of tractor-trailers carrying timber enter the area and create traffic problems as they move at slow speed because of pits on the roads.

Plywood unit owners say the condition of the roads in the area has worsened during the recent years. Water logging is the main problem on roads leading to Springfield Public School. Trader Vijay Kumar says they face a lot of problems during rains due to poor drainage in the area.

The road leading to Roshan cold drink unit needs immediate repair. Unit owners claim that several loaded vehicles had overturned in the past because of poor roads. Many plywood units have encroached upon the roads. The HSIDC with an aid of Rs 2 crore from the central government had carried out a beautification programme in the industrial area and built some parks. However, most of the parks have been encroached upon. — TNS

A train of problems at Sonepat station
B.S. Malik

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.

Buying tickets is a tough ask as long queues are seen in front of the booking windows. According to railways estimates, around 50,000 passengers travel daily from Sonepat to different destinations, majority of them to Delhi. However, most of the times only two booking windows are opened, despite the provision of nine booking counters at the railway station.

Interestingly, the authorities constructed a three-window booking office at the station many years ago, but these windows have not been put to use. Very often migrant labourers are seen taking shelter inside the premises of this office.

Moreover, the location of the main booking office, which is on the eastern side of the station, is inconvenient for the people coming from the western side. They are forced to cross the railway tracks and station to get tickets. There has been a strong demand for opening a booking widow on the western side as well, but the authorities failed to do so.

However, the authorities have opened a private booking office at local Subhash Chowk, which again is located on the eastern side of the station whereas majority of the passengers come from the western side.

There is only one toilet at platform no. 1 and despite repeated requests by women passengers to provide toilet facility between platform no. 2 and 3, the authorities failed to act on this.

A flyover at the level crossing near the station has been the longstanding demand of the people. Though the flyover project was approved in principal six years ago, it gets delayed on one pretext or the other. The level crossing is in the middle of the town and most of the town’s vehicular traffic passes through this point.

Executive engineer PWD (B&R), Sonepat, Suresh Dangi says the project is in the final stages of approval as necessary formalities are being completed before floating tenders for the construction of flyover.