Chandigarh, November 25
In view of the representations received and clarifications sought by various group housing societies on the public notice regarding implementation of the Haryana Apartment Ownership Act, 1983, the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) today clarified that the registry of individual flats by society owners was mandatory as per provisions of the Act.

A spokesman for HUDA said the public notice in leading newspapers was aimed at dispelling wrong notions about the Act and the punitive provisions in case on non-adherence. Also, individual replies had been sent to all queries.

The Act, enforced in the state as per notification in November 1997, provides that any property or building falling within the area developed by the HUDA shall duly execute and get registered a declaration within a period of 90 days after securing an occupation certificate under the regulations of the HUDA Act, 1977.

Therefore, it is wrong to presume that the GHS are out of the purview of the HUDA, which is the land-allotting authority. The provisions of the Act are as applicable to the HUDA allotted sites as to the licenced areas.

The chief administrator, HUDA, has been identified as the competent authority under the Act for the area developed by the HUDA.

Under the provisions of Section 5 of the Act, each apartment owner shall be entitled to exclusive ownership and possession of his apartment in accordance with the declaration and each apartment owner shall execute a deed of apartment in relation to his apartment in the manner prescribed.

Payment for registry also does not amount to double payment as if being perceived by apartment owners since the conveyance deed only levies charges fee on the land/plot.

The deed of declaration is the actual cost of construction, excluding land cost, of original members and the market value of the entire flat, including the land cost for owners who have purchased the flat in resale.

Similarly, the fee for change in size of dwelling units/change in number of members/change of membership is accepted by the HUDA as per the approved policy as an administrative charge for upgradation of records. However, charging of this fee does not exempt the apartment owner from the provisions of the Haryana Apartment Ownership Act, 1983.

It is learnt that the societies have been affecting transfer of built-up apartment at their own level and unlawfully charging substantial amount from the purchaser, which should have gone to the state exchequer.

The society/apartment owners have not cared to follow provisions of the Act even though allotment letters issued by the HUDA to societies clearly states that the Haryana Apartment Ownership Act shall be binding on them. 

Panipat, November 25
Investigations into the tragic Samjhauta blasts that had killed at least 69 persons on board near Diwana railway station in the district early this year have come to a dead end.

Even after nine months of investigations, the high-profile Special Investigating Team (SIT) constituted by the Haryana police has failed to take any lead in the incident that took place on February 18.

The FIR lodged at the RPF police station, Karnal, states that the blast suspects are still “unknown” individuals, inquiries revealed.

Though about a dozen persons were rounded up, but the SIT has failed to nab or even name any of the suspects involved in the crime.

Though the SIT claimed that they worked closely in the case, police sources doubted whether the state police that is “inexperienced” in tackling such cases would be able to crack the case.

Talking to The Tribune, sources said the case that brought international attention should have been handed over to the central agencies. Since, Haryana police officials had no vast experience in investigating these types of cases, results of the investigations were before us, admitted a source.

The decisions were not up to the mark right from the beginning. After the tragic incident, the state government had formed the SIT under the chairmanship of DIG, crime, R.C. Mishra, but within 24 hours he was replaced by ADGP V.N. Rai, said a source.

Police sources claimed that because of the “loose” investigations, the SIT had to re-release the sketches of the suspects within a week’s time in February.

ADGP Rai admitted today that there was no lead in the investigation but added that certain reports were awaited in the next three or four days.

“It may highlight 
something,” he said, declining to talk further.

The only “big catch” so far with the SIT are three workers and the owner of an Indore-based Abhinandan Bag Centre from where the suspects had allegedly purchased the suitcases used for the blasts.

Interestingly, all suspects - Jainudeen, Virender Kumar, Hufeiza and Puran Singh Thakur - were released by the SIT after a probe in March.

Later, the SIT again rounded them in want of some lead and got the court’s permission for undertaking them for brain mapping and narco tests at Bangaluru Forensic Laboratory.

Sources said the tests were conducted last month but reports were yet to reach the SIT. 

Chandigarh, November 25
The Haryana government has decided to construct a high-level bridge over Tangri Nadi on the Jagadhari-Ambala road in Ambala district at a cost of Rs 752.87 lakh.

While giving this information here today, Haryana public works department (B&R) and irrigation minister Capt Ajay Singh Yadav said the two-third cost of the project would be shared by the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) and the Town and Country Planning Department, Haryana.

The minister said 37 km of this road from Jagadhari to Saha village was converted into National Highway- 73, while remaining 52.14 km length from Saha up to National Highway-1 was still a state highway.

He said heavy traffic remained on this road with local and commercial traffic of Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Chandigarh and Uttarakhand passing on it.

He said the road was widened recently.

In order to overcome the traffic jams situation, the minister said the government had decided to construct a parallel bridge to the existing bridge and the work had been included in the works of development priorities of Ambala district.

He recalled that the announcement to this effect for constructing this bridge was made on the Independence Day and the state government had fulfilled its promise made to the people of the area.  

Bhiwani, November 25
Putting an end to speculations about the proposed Bhiwani visit of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, while addressing a press conference here today, said Gandhi would address a rally in Bhiwani on November 28. She would also inaugurate the Rajiv Gandhi Infrastructural Scheme at Charkhi Dadri.

Earlier, apprehensions were raised about the participation of Gandhi.

Hooda said Gandhi would unveil a statue of Surender Singh at Surender Singh Memorial Park and would lay the foundation stone of public projects at Charkhi Dadri.

The state government would spend Rs 3,000 crore on the project, he said, adding that under this project, road-widening, construction of railway bridge and strengthening the basic structure would be included.

Earlier, Hooda visited Bhiwani to take stock of the arrangements being made for the “smriti rally” to be held in memory of the late Surender Singh on November 28.

Hooda arrived at the Chang airstrip in a chopper and went directly to the Bhim Stadium, the venue of the rally, and inspected the arrangements being made by the administration.

The Chief Minister also inspected the heliport site near Bhim Stadium where the air-convoy of Gandhi would be parked.

Later, Hooda went to Surender Singh Memorial Park where a 13-foot-high metal statue of Surender Singh would be unveiled by Gandhi that day.

On the other hand, talking to mediapersons here today, tourism minister and convener of the “smriti rally” Kiran Chaudhary said all Congress MLAs and workers had been invited to the rally. She said if Bhajan Lal and Kuldeep Bishnoi considered themselves Congressmen, they too could attend this rally.

Meanwhile, Congress workers owing allegiance to Chaudhary have pooled in all their resources for the success of the “smriti rally” of Gandhi.

Congress workers led by Prahlad Singh Gillankhera, state secretary of the Haryana Pardesh Congress Committee, have been visiting all villages of Fatehabad and Sirsa district to mobilise people’s support for the rally.

Addressing rural gatherings at the villages in Fatehabad district, Gillankhera said by agreeing to unveil the portrait of the late Surender Singh, Gandhi has showered her blessings on their leader Kiran Chaudhary.

He said it would be the fittest tribute to the late Surender Singh, who was one of the finest politicians and able administrator.

Faridabad, November 25
Nine social and socio-political organisations today decided to celebrate the birthday of Congress president Sonia Gandhi on December 9 as “gaurav diwas”. They also used the occasion to formally appeal to the international community for her nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Leaders of these organisations, which claim to be active in Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, took the decision at the meeting here, which was essentially convened to kick up the mobilisation campaign for the proposed celebrations in this district.

The organisations include the All-India Yadav Kalyan and Vikas Sabha Samiti, Brij Pradesh Kalyan and Vikas Samiti, Akhil Bhartiya Brahmin Mahasabha, All-India Schedule Caste, Backward Class and Minorities Community Sangathan, Martyrs and Freedom Fighter successors’ Mahasamiti, UP Jat Mahasabha, Rajiv Gandhi Panch Parmeshwar Maha Shakti Sangathan and Rajput Mahasabha.

Khazan Singh said the December 9 would be celebrated as “gaurav deewas” as Gandhi had given inspiration to millions of Indians by her sacrifice and “humane understanding” of the Indian polity. She had also made all Indians proud internationally, he added.

Regarding the demand for the Nobel Peace prize for her, the leaders of the organisations said the international community had started accepting her contribution to world peace. Her recent speech at the United Nations Organisation (UNO) on non-violence was accepted by the world leaders, they added. 

Chandigarh, November 25
The issue of registry of flats by members of the cooperative group housing societies is all set to acquire political overtones with the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) terming this decision as “autocratic”.

INLD president and former Haryana Chief Minister Om Parkash Chautala said the decision to increase the income of the government through stamp duty would adversely affect the members of the housing societies.

He said the attitude of the government was undemocratic and against the common man.

Chautala added that most of the members of the societies were employees who had built their houses by taking loans. The cooperative group housing societies purchased land at high prices from the HUDA and the registry of the land was duly done by the societies. The members had borne the expenses of the registry of the housing societies and now the societies were the owners while the owners of the flats are shareholders. He added that till now, the registry of the land and flats was optional and no government had forced it on the public.

Chautala said the orders of the Congress government to force the members for registry by threatening the members of the CGHS regarding disconnection of water and electricity connections and sending them to jail was against the spirit of cooperative movement and unjustified.

The INLD chief said if all the members became the owners of their respective flats, then the cooperative society would not have any land and the society would loose its existence and significance.

He said the cooperative laws were applicable in group housing societies and they should be governed by those provisions only. 

Chandigarh, November 25
Private sugar mills in Haryana seem out to embarrass the state government. They are in no mood to start the crushing operations though November is about to end. The cooperative-sector sugar mills have already started the crushing.

According to informed sources, all private mills in the state jointly represented to the government a few days ago that in view of a sharp decline in the sugar prices this year, they were not in a position to pay the state advisory price (SAP) of sugarcane to growers without incurring huge losses.

The mills wanted the government to compensate them for the loss if the growers were to be paid more than the statutory minimum price (SMP) fixed by the Centre.

Finding no response from the government, Sarswati Sugar Mill, Yamunanagar, said to be the biggest sugar mill in Asia, has now moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court urging it to direct the government to give some relief to the mills or they (the mills) should be allowed to pay the SMP to the growers.

History is repeating itself. A few years ago also, the mill had gone to the High Court with a plea that they should not be made to pay SAP to the growers.

The court had granted a stay order in favour of the mill because a bunch of similar petitions were pending before the apex court. However, the High Court had said that in case the apex court decided in favour of the growers, the mill would pay the difference between the SMP and SAP along with interest to the growers.

The Supreme Court had held that the state governments could fix a higher price for sugarcane than that fixed by the Centre, which is known as the SMP. The price fixed by a state is called SAP.

The Yamunanagar mill paid the arrears to the growers only last year, which was very profitable for the sugar industry, after the intervention of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

The mill says its cost of producing one quintal of sugar is about Rs 1,600 against the prevailing sugar price of Rs 1,400. 

Hisar, November 25
CPM leader Nilotpal Basu today termed the recent violence in Nandigram as an attempt to tarnish the image of the Left Front government in West Bengal.

Talking to newspersons here after the conclusion of a two-day district-level meeting of the party, he said the CPM was opposed to the present form of special economic zones in the country. The party had been stressing that the fertility of the land proposed to be acquired for SEZs should be taken into consideration first.

He said his party also wanted that the SEZs should not adversely affect smaller industrial units in the area. Besides, the displaced families should be resettled on a priority basis.

Referring to Haryana, he said the peasantry in the state was facing difficult times and unemployment was rampant. Besides, casteism was spreading in Haryana.

State CPM secretary Inderjeet Singh disclosed that the annual session of the party would be held at Jind on December 25. He said during the district-level meeting, stress was laid on higher budgetary allocation for education and health and 33 per cent reservation for women in the assembly. 

Panipat, November 25
Two local residents had a miraculous escape this morning after their car collided with a train at an unmanned railway crossing near the Assandh road here.

Fatehabad, November 25
Accusing top leadership of all political parties in the state of discriminating against the Punjabi community, some local leaders floated a non-political forum, Punjabi Vikas Manch, Haryana, here today.

Aimed at watching the interests of people who had migrated to various towns of Haryana from Pakistani Punjab at the time of partition in 1947, the morcha, according to the organisers, would work for ameliorating the social and economic status of Punjabis staying in Haryana.

A large number of people belonging to the Punjabi community attended the meeting held at Green Apple Hotel here, where the new forum was floated and modalities of its functioning were discussed.

Vijay Chaudhary, a former block president of the Congress, was chosen president of the newly found Punjabi Vikas Manch, Haryana.

Ghanshyam Anand, a former secretary of the local unit of the Congress, was named official spokesman of the organisation.

The first convention of the Punjabi Vikas Manch, Haryana, will be held at Fatehabad in February.

Chaudhary said no leader of the state thought of improving the social and economic status of the people of the Punjabi community, many of whom still continue to live under abysmal condition despite the fact that they came to settle here 60 years ago.

He said the Punjabi community was being ignored during recruitments and efforts were being made to decimate them politically.

He said the Punjabi community was welcome to join the morcha irrespective of their political linkage.  

Fatehabad, November 25
The police today arrested two persons for cheating and standing guarantee for the bail of an accused on the basis of forged identity.

The accused, Balwan Singh and Rameshwar, both residents of Neoli Kalan near Tohana town in this district, had helped Sanjay Kumar, a poppy husk trafficker, get bail on fake guarantee.

Sanjay Kumar was arrested by the police along with some other accused and Balwan Singh stood guarantee for his bail in a Tohana court posing himself as Ram Phal of the same village.

Rameshwar also helped the accused by identifying Balwan Singh as Ram Phal.

When Sanjay Kumar jumped bail and did not appear before the court on the next date of hearing, summons was served on Ram Phal to produce the drug trafficker.

But, Ram Phal informed the court that he had never stood guarantee for the bail of Sanjay.

It was later found that Balwan Singh had impersonated as Ram Phal in the court and Rameshwar had identified him as Ram Phal though he knew him to be Balwan Singh.

The District and Sessions Judge, Fatehabad, had then written to the police to arrest the accused.  

Chandigarh, November 25
Moving from theory to practical, school education in Haryana is all set to undergo a sea change with the education department finalising a more interactive curricula for school kids from the next session.

Beginning with the introduction of workbooks alongside textbooks, individual and group project work will also be introduced in all government schools of the state to give the students a greater grasp over the subjects they learn.

“We have an elaborate plan in place for improving education and it will begin with supplementing textbooks with workbooks for improved understanding. We are also keen on introducing project-based learning in government schools. Though it already exists in private schools as an important tool of learning, we have also decided to introduce it in our schools from the new academic session,” secretary, education, Rajan Gupta, confirmed.

The workbooks which are already under preparation, have been formulated on the lines of the syllabi prescribed in schools. With a professional agency handling the task of workbook preparation which will supplement the textbooks, the department is hopeful of rekindling the interest of “near-dropouts”.

“By introducing the workbooks, we are not only looking at making studies more interesting for the students but also hoping of “reclaiming” students who have lost interest in studies. Experience has shown that children who get left behind in class on account of lower grasping power, slowly get left out of classroom teaching. The workbooks will help each child do his own bit and even be indicative to the teacher of the learning level of the students,” an official said.

These workbooks will be introduced from the elementary level to class VIII from the next session onwards and are being readied so that these are supplied to the students on time.

In another development, the department has given the green light for the introduction of project work to make learning fun and give a hands-on experience to all students.

To be introduced from class VI onwards, the project work will be of individual nature with each student having to prepare a separate project based on the lessons learnt, and a group project on a given topic.

Participation and presentation of the project work will not only develop the confidence of the children but also enhance learning and improve comprehension of the given topic and subject, giving school education a broader scope. 

Chandigarh, November 25
With a view to strengthening the transmission and distribution system of Karnal district, the Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) has approved the construction of 33 kV substations at Dabarthala, Kalram, Kaimla, Barota, Raipur Jattan, Popra and Gullarpur villages at an estimated cost of Rs 15 crore.

While giving this information here yesterday, a spokesman for the UHBVN said the existing capacity of 33 kV substations at Garhi Birbal, Sector 6, Sector 12 and Sector 3 would be augmented.

The nigam has also commissioned a 33 kV substation at Chor Karsa village.

He said with a view to minimising accidents and ensuring interruption-free supply to the consumers, the new system of power supply through high voltage distribution system (HVDS) has been erected at Haibatpur, Dabarki Kalan, Dabarki Khurd, Shekhanpur, Aryapuram Colony, Newal Khurd, Samani, Ratangarh, Anchla, Manchuri (Amin), Manchuri (Nissing), Dungra, Rajgarh, Garhi Multan, Malikpur Gadian, Naya Jhinda, Faizalpur Majra, Begampur, Kartarpur, Uchani and Dabri villages.

Similarly, the work has been started at Gohida,
Pingli, Bir Raitkhana, Kamopura, Dadlana, Pal Colony, Madanpur, Malikpur, Chopri, Phoosgarh and Samastpur. In all, the erection of the system would be completed at an estimated cost of Rs 60 lakh.

He said there had been significant reduction in consumer complaints after erection of the new system. The nigam had planned to arrange open darbars in these villages to release new domestic connections on the spot to the applicants. The reduction of line losses in these areas was also being analysed.

Referring to the disconnections of non paying consumers, he said, though the nigam had given the last chance of availing the benefit of electricity bills waiver scheme to domestic and tubewell consumers of rural areas, it had been decided to disconnect the supply of those non-payers on priority basis, who had never opted for the scheme.

Under its campaign to disconnect the supply of non-payers, the nigam had issued more than 11,000 disconnection orders in the district during the current month. He also said the nigam would launch a campaign to detect the cases of pilferage of electricity under which surprise checking of consumer premises would be 
carried out. 

Rewari, November 25
The district police here today claimed to have solved four cases of dacoity and robbery with the arrest of six criminals and seizure of a looted truck and three mobile phones.

Providing details at a press conference here today, district police chief Ram Singh Bishnoi said a police party, which was dispatched to Kolkata on a tip off, seized a looted truck from there yesterday.

The body of the truck, which was looted by armed miscreants from a place near Dharuhera on November 10, was being altered at a workshop in Kolkata, the SP said.

The miscreants had looted the truck as well as Rs 2,400 from its driver Ashok Saini and conductor Babu Lal Saini, residents of Kotputli town of Rajasthan.

The police had registered a case of dacoity in this regard.

The SP further said one of the criminals had been identified and would be soon sent behind the bars.

While solving the second case of dacoity, in which armed desperadoes had looted Rs 500 and two mobile phones from Nitesh Saini, a student of MD University, Rohtak, on the Rewari-Dharuhera road, near here, on July 29, the police has arrested three of the miscreants, Vishal Yadav, Ravi Balmiki and Shishupal, all residents of Rewari, but the main accused, Raj Kumar, is still out of the police dragnet.

The police has also seized a looted cell phone and impounded the vehicle, which was reportedly used in the crime.

In a case of robbery in which armed robbers had looted Rs 13,420 and four cell phones from the driver and other occupants of a truck on the Rewari-Shajehanpur road on November 4, the police arrested Sunder Gujjar of Rewari whereas his three accomplices, Tarun Malik, Sonu Saini and Vinay Yadav, all residents of Rewari, were earlier arrested by the Rajasthan police.

The SP said the criminals, who were currently in the judicial lockup at Kishangarh in Alwar district, would soon be brought on production warrant to join the investigations here.

In yet another case of robbery in which armed desperadoes had looted Rs 2,500 and a mobile phone from a the driver of a dumper, Ram Prakash, on the Rewari-Kanina road on October 9, the police has arrested Rajesh and a 17-year-old girl, Manisha, residents of Alwar district.

The SP further claimed that the incidents of heinous crimes like murder had considerably declined in the district. He said only 15 cases of murder had been reported so far in the current year in comparison to 30 cases of murder that were registered last year.

He also pointed out that as many as 13 out of 15 cases of murder had already been solved while investigations into the remaining two cases was nearing accomplishment. 

Karnal, November 25
A meeting of the All-India Dalit Vikas Congress Committee (AIDVCC) was held at Karan Park here today.

Chief organiser of the AIDVCC Rajesh Vaid called the meeting, which was attended by Dalit leaders from various districts of the state, to discuss various issues related to Dalits in Haryana.

The main point of the discussion was the segregation of scheduled castes into SC-A and SC-B categories, which had caused much heartburn among the Dalits and was a cause of worry. They also demanded that the state government should clarify its stand on the recruitment of 11,000 sweepers in villages, and whether it is replacing the merit list with written examination.

Vaid, while addressing the gathering, said the state’s decision to divide the Dalits into two categories was a wise decision as the government’s counsel before the Supreme Court had said this decision did not violate Article 14, 15, 16 and 335 of the Constitution.

“We request the government to take a decision in the Vidhan Sabha to pass the Bill relating to SC-A and SC-B so that people falling under these categories are benefited,” said Vaid.

He said selection on the basis of merit system should be disbanded and in its place a written examination should be taken to select the deserving candidates.

“When the UPSC selects candidates through exams, then why the same system should not be followed in Haryana,” said Vaid.

Vaid said a memorandum of their demands would soon be presented to the State Governor, Chief Minister, State Congress president and Sonia Gandhi.