Hisar, October 15
Lower-end cinema houses in the state are soft targets for Ludhiana-type terror attacks in the absence of a proper security set-up.

While security personnel of the few multiplexes like the one here frisk all cinegoers and allow nothing to be taken inside, no such measures are being taken in older cinema halls which are mostly patronised by the lower strata of society.

The lack of security measures is not restricted to cinemas in small towns. Halls in district towns too lack the infrastructure. In Hisar, barring the twin halls in a multiplex, no other cinema hall has employed trained security personnel at the gates which continue to be manned by uneducated youths who merely collect ticket stubs.

Information gathered from nearby towns like Bhiwani, Rohtak, Fatehabad and Sirsa revealed that there was a complete lack of security set-up in cinema halls there. The situation in smaller subdivisional towns is even worse where entry and exit are through a single gate as the hall owners cannot afford to employ more men to man the gates.

A visit to local cinema halls revealed that even the fire-fighting equipment was inadequate though the managers said they had valid NOCs from the departments concerned. However, they admitted that no trained securitymen had been hired to frisk patrons.

One manager claimed that the gatemen did not allow any carry bags or luggage inside the hall. However, he said they were hardly making any money so the question of hiring additional staff for security purposes did not arise.

In many cases, it was found that only one man manned the ticket counter as well as the gate.

In Bhiwani, the canteen contractor of a cinema hall also works as a part-time gateman thus helping the management cut costs at the cost of the security of cinegoers.

Most of the lower-end cinemas run movies in different languages or dialects to attract migrant labour. Thus it is normal for such cinemas to run Bhojpuri and Nepali movies in addition to softporn flicks that attract targeted audiences. But at the same time this business ploy also provides terror outfits a choice of targets for maximum advantage as happened at Ludhiana last night.

Chandigarh, October 15
The echoes of Ludhiana blast are reverberating in the corridors of the Haryana police headquarters, making the force to issue a fresh directive to all district police chiefs to step up vigil in their areas.

Central intelligence inputs have warned the state government about the possibility of terrorist outfits choosing Haryana as a possible target to perform a “spectacular action” during the ongoing festivities.

“Following the Ajmer blast, an alert was sounded in all districts and the circular sent out to all district police chiefs has been retreated again by the CID wing of the state police after the last night’s blast inside a cinema hall at Ludhiana,” additional director-general of police V.B. Singh told The Tribune.

He said the stepped-up vigil would include visible presence of the police force, checking in terms of nakas and frisking of people, announcements asking people to be vigilant about suspicious elements and unclaimed goods. “It is a routine exercise, but on our part we have sounded a general alert keeping in view the festival season”.

Sources said though there were no known terrorist operatives in the state, but the Mewat region was being monitored as some anti-social elements could find support from sympathisers in the area to create mischief. The police was also focusing attention to know the whereabouts so the state’s most-wanted and proclaimed offenders, people on bail and those on parole. Haryana has 123 persons listed under the most-wanted category, besides 2,087 proclaimed offenders.

“Demographically, there are areas that are a cause of concern from the law and order point of view. Apart from Mewat, areas like Chachroli (Yamunanagar) and Kairana (Uttar Pradesh) close to the state border are highly vulnerable,” a senior officer said.

Based on intelligence inputs, the police has alerted its officers in the National Capital Region following the emergence of Delhi as a “favourite” location for causing a bomb blast. “There are indications that several militant outfits, including Al-Qaida, Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad, want to create terror in Delhi. We want to ensure that no member of these outfits uses Haryana to hide or carry out their evil designs,” the officer said.

Chandigarh, October 15
Haryana has proposed that the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) manage the point where it intends to connect the under-construction Hansi-Butana link canal with Bhakra canal.

This is being proposed to thwart fears expressed by Punjab and Rajasthan of Haryana overdrawing of water flowing through the Bhakra canal.

The Haryana representative, while appearing before the Central Water Commission (CWC) chairman in Delhi recently, also gave assurance that Haryana would be duty bound to bear any future expenditure for preventing flooding of any area by the canal.

The representative contended during the hearing that the decision of CWC would be binding upon Haryana. Representatives of Punjab and Rajasthan were also present at the hearing.

The CWC has been asked by the Supreme Court to talk to the affected parties and intimate the court about its findings by November 12.

The proposed canal, which is meant to control the flow of river water going towards Haryana, will be 110-km long and will have a command area stretching to all the districts of Haryana barring Yamunanagar, Ambala and Sirsa.

Work is underway for the construction of the Dadupur-Nalvi canal to replenish Yamunanagar and Ambala. Sirsa will lose the excess water, which it is drawing at the cost of other districts of the state, with the materialisation of the Hansi-Butana link canal.

The INLD, with its stronghold in Sirsa district, is vehemently opposing the construction of the canal.

Work on the construction of the canal is said to be nearing its end. The target of completion of the work is December. The all important “connection”, which is effectively the only thing that still remains to be done, however, can be established only after a favourable verdict from the Supreme Court and it is here that the matter is hanging now.

Construction of Hansi-Butana canal will cost the state government approximately Rs 350 crore.

Official sources of Haryana government point out that the project was about diverting Haryana’s share of river water through a canal dug entirely in its own territory. They say the legitimate nature of Haryana government’s decision (to construct the canal) has already got the state favourable consideration from the high court (where petitions against the construction of the canal were dismissed).

Karnal, October 15
The Central Ground Water Board has declared 45 blocks of the state, including all six in Karnal district, as over-exploited due to declining groundwater level.

This was disclosed by Sushil Gupta, regional director, Central Ground Water Board, North Western Region, at a meeting here today. Deputy commissioner B.S. Malik was also present on the occasion.

Gupta pointed out that the groundwater development stage of Karnal district was 137 per cent and all blocks of the district were over-exploited. He said no new tubewell would be installed in the notified over-exploited areas without the permission of the central government authority.

He suggested to the district administration to conduct a survey of all exiting tubewells in the district in order to enlist them for registration. He stressed the need for the district administration to save and conserve water so that recharging of groundwater could be made more effective.

Addressing the meeting, B. S. Malik said the problem of declining groundwater level was a matter of concern for society. He said all-out efforts would be made for minimum withdrawal of groundwater as well as for its recharging. He said a nodal agency had been constituted comprising revenue, panchayat, irrigation and municipal council officials under the charge of the deputy director, agriculture.

The DC directed the nodal agency to carry out a survey of existing tubewells in the district. He said a number of steps like diversification of crops had been taken to tackle the declining groundwater level. The sowing area under “sathi dhan” crop had declined considerably in Karnal district, he added. 

Jind, October 15
A scam involving issuance of loans worth crores by Agriculture Cooperative Bank has been unearthed in the district. While two branch managers have been suspended, no FIR has been registered so far despite a complaint lodged by the higher authorities.

According to the information, the scam was exposed when several farmers in the district approached the bank after they were served notices by the bank to recover loan amount, which they had either not taken at all or had paid in full. It is alleged that the loans had been issued against several forged documents.

An investigation by the officials revealed that many of the documents pertaining to land were managed without the knowledge of the persons, who were shown as loan beneficiaries in the record.

Virender Dahiya, managing director of the bank, said the investigation was on and it might take another three to four days before reaching to any concrete conclusion about the alleged scam. He said the total amount involved in the scam was unknown. However, sources in the bank put the figure at Rs 3.5 crore.

Stating that a letter had been written to the police authorities for getting an FIR registered, he said two officials of the bank working as branch managers had been suspended.

The amount misappropriated had been shown under the head of “revolving cash credit”, meant for issuing loans to the farmers for short term, mainly for a crop season.

Some of the farmers got shock of their life when they received loan recovery notices, about which they had no knowledge. It is claimed that an agent of the bank, identified as Ghanshyam, is among the main accused in the fraud. 

Jagadhri, October 15
An out-of-control crowd did not allow Aamna Sahrif of Star Plus show 'Kahein Toh Hoga' to inaugurate a store here today. Hundreds of fans surrounded her and she was “left with no option” but to speed away from them.

Aamna, whose name had figured in a list of Asia's 20 most beautiful women, was to inaugurate 'Raghav Ji Collections', a saree showroom, here. But she did not inaugurate the showroom stating inadequate security as reason and went back.

The owner of the showroom, Sandeep Goel, said it was very disappointing and he would be consulting his lawyer as he had paid Aamna for the inauguration.

Aamna Sharif arrived at 2.30 pm and as she stepped out of the car, the fans, mostly housewives and college-going girls, tried to come close to her. They were seeking her autograph. Within minutes the resultant chaos forced her to step back in the car and leave the venue leaving the fans disappointed. “She said the security was inadequate and that was why she went back,” said Goel. He added, “Besides informing the superintendent of police about the inauguration, I had hired private security guards.”

Later, while talking to mediapersons at the hotel, Aamna Sharif said she found the town beautiful and its people fantastic. Aamna, who does not appear in any other television serial said she was yet to get a break in Bollywood but she felt confident about getting one very soon. “Talent and destiny are the two things that are needed to become successful in Bollywood," she said. Regarding her entry into acting she said, "I belong to a conservative Muslim family and it took almost a year before my family let me enter this world.”

Gurgaon, October 15
One person was killed and 11 others seriously injured when they were involved in accidents with a speeding car near Mahavir Chowk in Gurgaon on Sunday evening. The car was coming from MG Road, Delhi. It first hit an auto rickshaw, after which the driver tried to escape from the scene. In his apparent attempt to do so, he ended up hitting two cycle rickshaws and some of the passengers who were getting off a local bus.

The deceased has been identified as Ram Chandra Verma, a retired deputy secretary from the NCERT and a resident of Gurgaon who was on a cycle rickshaw. Two of the seriously injured were referred to Safdarjung Hospital, Delhi, and one injured boy was taken to a private hospital in the city. The injured also included four women. Police officials said the driver of the car coming from Delhi was drunk.

Police commissioner Mohindra Lal said the Tata Indigo car with Delhi registration number (DLIRX8103) involved in the accident had been impounded and the driver Ashok Pahwa arrested. The car belonged to a travel house named Paras. “We will take stringent action against the driver,” Lal added.

Gurgaon chief medical officer Dr S.S. Dalal said they had discharged a couple and a rickshaw-puller after giving them first aid. Four injured persons were still in the hospital. All the injured person received multiple injuries, he added. 

Ambala, October 15
Special Judge for CBI cases in Haryana, R.K. Saini today adjourned the Dera Sacha Sauda case till October 20.

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today filed its reply to the regular bail application moved by the dera chief, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, on October 4. The voluminous reply was filed by a battery of CBI lawyers led by chief public prosecutor Rajan Gupta.

The arguments on the regular bail application filed by the dera chief will now take place on October 20.

Although the arguments on the bail application were slated to take place today, the counsel for the dera chief said he requires time to study the reply filed by the CBI.

CBI chief public prosecutor questioned the absence of the dera chief in court today. He stated that the dera chief should have been present in court since regular bail application is going to be considered. He said the absence of the dera chief leads to the issue of what course of action will have to be adopted if the court rejects the regular bail application today. He also asserted that the dera chief should have filed an application seeking an exemption from personal appearance today.

The counsel for the dera chief submitted that the Punjab and Haryana High Court has stated in its order for interim bail that the Dera chief has to be present in court, as and when required. He said the dera chief is a law abiding citizen and he had been present in court on October 4. He said the dera chief will be present, whenever it is directed by the court.

After hearing the arguments, special judge for CBI cases in Haryana ordered that the arguments on the regular bail application of the dera chief will take place on October 20.

Meanwhile, Anshul Chattarpati, son of journalist Ramchander Chattarpati who was murdered in Sirsa, said they will be engaging their own lawyer who will work alongwith the CBI lawyers in 
the case. 

Chandigarh, October 15
Twenty-nine years into the SPIC MACAY movement, Kiran Seth is beginning to feel apprehensive.

This time the worry is not so much about lack of money to see the programme through as about society’s reigning indifference to the intangible realm of our heritage.

“I think a lot these days about the tendency of the young to engage with the tangible. A student, for example, is more likely to spare time to teach a slum child than attend a SPIC MACAY meeting. I don’t blame them for that. It’s natural for people to make efforts that yield visible results. But as a professor of abstract mathematics, I can say this much with authority - one who understands the intangible, abstract domain understands everything in the world. Through SPIC MACAY, we strive to celebrate the abstract,” Kiran Seth said in an interview.

In Chandigarh for SPIC MACAY’s Haryana advisory board meeting, Seth spoke with urgency about the need to put children in touch with the lost heritage. With this in mind, SPIC MACAY recently launched two massive nationwide programmes for school students.

The first, National School Intensive, is designed to take children close to the masters.

“Twice a year, we select 300 students from India to attend a five-day spiritual camp in a chosen school. Here, they must lead humble lives, away from the spurious attractions of modernity. They stay in the company of inspired men and women and learn from it. We have people like Ustad Fahimuddin Dagar and Anjolie Ela Menon come over for such camps,” Seth said.

At another level, SPIC MACAY is running a programme for students of elementary level.

“This one was born out of the need for cultural grounding of children. Parents, these days, have literally outsourced the job of cultivation of “samskaras” to television and schools. We don’t want students to be deprived of the nuances of Indian culture, which they once learnt from grandparents,” Seth said, elaborating also on SPIC MACAY’s recent collaboration with the Riks Konsertene in Norway, which produces global classical music concerts for school students back home.

With the Konsertene, SPIC MACAY has produced “The Gateway of India”, featuring four legendary Indian artistes. Interesting it is that Norwegians pay in either case, when Indian musicians travel to Norway and when Norwegian troupes come to India. For Seth, the collaborations with western music and folk groups continue to be precious.

“Under this programme we have brought to India rare art forms like Noh theatre of Japan and Kun Chu opera of China. Shortly, a Hungarian group will be coming to India,” Seth said, after attending the Haryana advisory board meeting, which saw encouraging participation from top bureaucrats, educationists and industrialists.

With this meeting, SPIC MACAY is all set to expand base in Haryana, where the government has assured all possible help.

The plan is to hold SPIC MACAY’s next national school intensive in Haryana, besides constituting SPIC MACAY bodies in every district.

Earlier, Haryana Governor A.R. Kidwai had donated Rs 1 lakh to the movement, which may well get a portion of the publicity budget every department of Haryana government gets.

It is, in fact, the constitution of such advisory boards and their ensuing support that has salvaged SPIC MACAY from its worst-ever financial crisis. 

Rohtak, October 15
In a swift move, a number of publicity boards and hoardings have been removed from different parts of the town. The action was taken after a news report in this regard appeared in these columns yesterday.

The hoardings, including those put up by supporters of the ruling Congress, were removed soon after the report was published. Interestingly, the government machinery swung into action and got the hoardings removed even on Sunday.

A survey of the town revealed that many hoardings, put up in gross violation of rules and court directions, had been removed. These included the “bijli rally” hoardings put up on a traffic signpost near the Delhi bypass chowk and several others near the Chief Minister’s local residence.

However, quite a few hoardings still dot the Delhi road passing through the town, especially near Ambedkar Chowk, the medical turn and the Sheila bypass chowk. While some of these are political hoardings, others stand publicising various products and services of big companies.

Although putting up such hoardings facing the roads has been banned by the Supreme Court these continue to be put up with impunity in violation of rules.

Hisar, October 15
Former finance minister Sampat Singh underwent prostate surgery in a Mohali hospital this morning, his office announced here today.

Sampat Singh had been suffering from a prostate-related ailment for the past two months. The problem had become so acute that he had to curtail his political activities leading to speculation about his “relationship” with Indian National Lok Dal supremo Om Prakash Chautala.

The former minister had not been attending any party meetings for several weeks because of his health concerns. In the Ambala rally on September 25, he was present for less than an hour only.

His office stated that the INLD leader would stay in the hospital for the next three days. It added that it would take a few more weeks for him to resume his political activities.

Karnal, October 15
The paddy season’s end is yielding traffic snarl-ups in the state, outside HAFED godowns. The authorities don’t seem interested in doing something about this even though this problem emerges every year.

Trucks loaded with paddy parked outside the HAFED godown in Navel village, about 7 km from here, are causing lot of harassment to the commuters for the past one week as the already narrow road has been encroached upon by these vehicles. The trucks are taking up space and traffic flow on the road can only head in one direction right now.

The line of trucks is nearly a kilometre long and there is need to deploy policemen at both ends with walkie-talkies to let vehicles pass from one side at a time and hold up traffic at the other end. But no policeman can been seen there and people who are stuck in the traffic jam are often seen trying to direct traffic.

The problem gets out of hand as soon as night falls and traffic increases. If one gets caught up in a traffic jam on this stretch after sunset it takes a minimum of half-an-hour to cover the one-kilometre stretch of the jam.

When The Tribune brought this to the notice of the Karnal SP A. S. Chawla, he expressed his helplessness. He said this is a statewide problem which occurs every year during the rabi and kharif season as unloading the trucks is a tedious process and truck drivers have no other place to park their vehicles but on the road.

HAFED DM Anil Ahlawat said there are about five godowns in Karnal district but the one in Navel was empty so trucks loaded with paddy from all the districts were sent there. He added it would take two more days before the entire paddy is offloaded.

But it is most likely that it will take longer before people using this road can breathe a sigh of relief.