 |
|
|
CM to take on planning panel over BPL lists
Bid to
Kill Dera Chief
Tributes paid to ’71 heroes
HPCC president Phool Chand Mullana (second from left) and irrigation and public works minister Ajay Singh Yadav (third from left) at the Vijay Diwas Samaroh in Rewari on Saturday.
— Photo by Nawal Kishore Rastogi
Janhit Cong for CBI probe |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Illegal colonies ‘owned by politicians’ demolished
Disrespect to national emblem
Bala Devi learns to read, write at 33
CM’s Rally
Gurgaon Shooting
8 held in Khaanak mine case
HC stays order on pension
Industrialists declare ‘no-graft zone’
CM: Yajna scientific process
Forest guard suspended
PWD staff stage protest
Hearing on Mill’s Plea
Shekhawat honours war widows
HUDA fails to take land possession
|
|
CM to take on planning panel over BPL lists
Chandigarh, December 15 Immediately after his return from Gujarat, where he had gone for campaigning, Hooda held a meeting with senior officers here this evening to discuss the issue of the controversial draft BPL lists, where he was told that the commission had restricted the number of BPL families to about 6.70 lakh in the state. Hooda told the officers to go ahead with the identification of the BPL families in the state in a manner that no deserving family should be left out, but at the same time no undeserving family should be included. The Chief Minister told the officers that he would talk to the commission that Haryana would not be bound by the number given by it. The state would identify the BPL families on the basis of the “actual poverty incidence”. He also directed them not to adopt a bureaucratic approach to dealing with objections to the draft BPL lists. Earlier the state government had announced that those who had any grievance could file an appeal with the SDM or tehsildar concerned. The second appeal could be filed with the DC. Hooda said gazetted officers should themselves visit the villages and dispose of the objections on the spot. The DCs would be asked to prepare the roster of villages and the officers to be deputed within the next fortnight, which would be observed as “BPL survey claim disposal fortnight”. The fortnight would start from December 17. A similar survey conducted by the INLD government in 2004 had to be scrapped when large-scale irregularities were detected. Meanwhile, the INLD has decided to hold demonstrations at all district headquarters in the first phase of its agitation against the draft BPL lists from December 21. |
|
Bid to Kill Dera Chief Kiran Deep Tribune News Service
Sirsa, December 15 The three arrested BKI terrorists revealed this to the Haryana police during interrogation. A team of CIA staff from Sirsa was yesterday sent to Phagwara to question the terrorists, including Gurinder Singh, Zorawar Singh and Parmider Singh, as besides the RDX, a map of Ambala court, where the dera chief has been facing trial, was also recovered from their possession. The authoritative police and intelligence sources told The Tribune that the three BKI conduits had made an attempt to plant the explosive before the hearing of the dera chief in Ambala court and also on the date when he appeared in the court in November. However, they were unable to complete their task due to tight security and presence of a large number of dera followers in the court complex and other places, the police said. In addition to the state police surveillance and security, the dera too had deployed their men along the roads and also in the court complex, sources revealed. Dr Bhagwan Mukal of Sirsa was also arrested by the Punjab police in connection with the case. He belongs to Baidwala village of the district. However, he has been staying in Chandigarh for the past many years. Sources said he had allegedly helped the three BKI conduits to find an accommodation in Chandigarh. He was in the police remand and the Punjab police might bring him here tomorrow to find more details.
|
|
Tributes paid to ’71 heroes
Rewari, December 15 It was jointly organised by the Haryana Sainik Board and the Vijay Diwas-cum-Rezang La Shaheedi Samaroh Samiti to celebrate India’s victory over Pakistan in 1971 which resulted in the birth of Bangladesh. HPCC president Phool Chand Mullana was the chief guest at the function while the irrigation and PWD minister, Capt Ajay Singh Yadav, who is also the chief patron of the samiti, presided over it. Recalling the exploits of the Indian armed forces which led to the creation of Bangladesh, Mullana asserted that it was just due to the ingrained superiority as well as supremacy of the Indian Army that India now enjoyed a global venerability. Making a mention of Haryana’s fine contribution to the armed forces, he said the present state government had provided numerous facilities to ex-servicemen and was always alive to their requirements. Paying tributes to martyrs of the Ahirwal region who made sacrifices for the motherland in various wars, Capt Ajay Singh Yadav said it was a matter of pride that the region had virtually become a nursery of soldiers and heroes. A large number of war widows, freedom fighters, war heroes and distinguished sportspersons of the Ahirwal region were also honoured by Mullana on the occasion. While a contingent of BSF jawans displayed marvellous feats of motorcycle riding, the Army Paragliders Corps, the air adventure team and the Haryana police band too gave fine performances to the wonder and delight of the gathering. While the BSF motorcyclists were presented with a cheque for Rs 21,000, others were given cheques for Rs 10,000 each on behalf of the district administration. Among others who spoke included four legislators - Shakuntala Bhagwaria
(Bawal), Radhe Shyam Sharma (Narnaul), Major Nirpender Singh Sangwan (Charkhi Dadri) and Bharat Singh Chhokar
(Samalkha) - former DGP Ajit Singh Bhatotia, Lt-Gen J.B.S. Yadav (retd), Brig K.S. Budhwar and several others. Earlier, Mullana, Capt Ajay Singh Yadav and others paid floral tributes at the War Memorial near Rajiv Chowk here. |
|
|
Special drive to re-examine lists
Tribune News Service
Rohtak, December 15 This was stated by deputy commissioner R.S. Doon at a meeting of the local administrative officials here today. The deputy commissioner will lead the team of officials during the campaign. Doon said five major points would be considered while re-examining and finalising the lists. These include the applicant’s landholdings, livelihood, educational qualification, house and household articles. The public administration department of Maharshi Dayanand University here will also be roped in for the drive, he added. SSP Hanif Qureshi, ADC P.C. Meena, SDM Rohtak Mukul Kumar, SDM Meham Manish Nagpal and City Magistrate Satbir Singh Mann were present on the occasion. Meanwhile, the Haryana Janhit Congress (BL) has demanded a CBI or high-level inquiry into the alleged irregularities committed in the preparation of the BPL lists. Addressing a press conference here today, Janhit Congress leader and former state minister Subhash Batra alleged that ruling party leaders had got the BPL lists prepared to distribute 100 sq yd plots to their own men. On the other hand, chief parliamentary secretary Ramesh Kaushik has termed those using the BPL issue to further their political interests as “enemies of social development”. In an informal chat with mediapersons Kaushik asserted that full transparency was being maintained in preparation of BPL lists.
|
|
Illegal colonies ‘owned by politicians’ demolished
Panipat, December 15 In a similar move, eight colonies were demolished yesterday in different parts of the town where residential plots were sold to the general public without obtaining the official permission. Two politicians from the opposition parties faced the ire of the demolition squad. With real estate prices skyrocketing in the district, which falls in the NCR, the involvement of several influential politicians in controversial land deals is no secret. However, department officials refused to confirm that whether any politician was ‘targeted’ yesterday. The land on the Sanauli road, where an illegal residential colony is coming up, is reportedly owned by a woman political leader. She is considered close to the top leadership of an opposition political front. An FIR had been registered against her in this regard. Another disputed site near the GT Road, where the official squad demolished infrastructure, reportedly belongs to a former district-level head of a political party. No untoward incident was reported while carrying out the demolition process. Sources admitted the involvement of several politicians in the illegal plotting of land, adding that they always remained behind the show. “Buyers purchase plots on illegal sites at the face value of politicians, who claim to have proximity to the ruling party and assure no official action against the project,” a source said. In the absence of any on the record land transaction in their names, the politicians manage to escape easily in such drives. Cases are either registered against the actual owner of the land or those who purchase plots on the unauthorised site, said an official. |
|
|
Disrespect to national emblem Chandigarh, December 15 The government also issued directions to all departments concerned to be extra cautious while using national emblem on government advertisements. The government shared the information, while giving reply to a civil suit filed by local lawyer R.K. Singla before the local court seeking mandatory injunction directing the “Union government, governments of Punjab and Haryana and UT administration, to restrain them from using national emblem disrespectfully on the government advertisements”. The reply to this suit was filed by under secretary to the Haryana government V.P. Vats on behalf of the government stating that there was no intention to show disrespect to national emblem. The state government has issued necessary instructions to all departments concerned to enforce the provisions. The government also added that director public relations and current affairs, Haryana, has also been directed to ensure “in future all government advertisements in which the national state emblem, the emblem should be depicted at a place where it gets due respect from citizens”. Plantiff’s counsel Satinder Singh maintained: “Our request is just that various governments should follow provisions and guidelines of the State of Emblem of India (prohibition of improper use) 2005 and Emblem and Name (prevention of improper use) Act 1950 in letter and spirit, while using the national emblem.” The plaintiff had filed the case following an advertisement published in various newspapers on August 15, 2007 in which the national emblem was used at the bottom of the advertisement. The plaintiff maintained: “Such placement of national emblem on the advertisement shows disrespect to the emblem and hurts the feelings of citizens.”
|
|
|
Bala Devi learns to read, write at 33
Fatehabad, December 15 Today, she proudly read out several lines from ‘Jatan’, a learner’s handbook, which was supplied by the ZSS in front of the minister of state for housing and revenue, Savitri Jindal, who had come to address a convention of newly literates and ‘akshar sainiks’ (volunteers) at the local Setia Palace. Bala was totally illiterate when she got married to Charanji Lal of Pili Mandori village six years ago. She wished to learn the art of reading and writing when her five-year-old son Sooraj started going to school last year. Her dream came true when the Zila Saksharta Samiti started conducting classes at her village three months back. She joined the literacy classes along with some other women of the village and has not looked back since then. In order to practice, she used to take the handbook to the fields. During the convention for the literacy volunteers and newly literates, Bala Devi immediately rushed to the dais, when a volunteer of the ZSS asked a newly literate to read out his or her handbook before the minister. Jindal said the country whose women were educated could never lag behind in the matter of development. The state government had launched many schemes for promoting education particularly among women. Vice-chancellor of Guru Jambeshwar University, Hisar, R.P. Vajpayee said to be literate was the right of every individual and all should exercise this right for the development of the country. Deputy commissioner O.P. Sheoran said 59,508 illiterates, including 19,630 men and 29,878 women, had been identified by the Zila Saksharta Samiti in the district out of which over 30,000 had attended classed under the literacy campaign.
|
|
Dura Ram tours villages
Our Correspondent
Fatehabad, December 15 Dura Ram, accompanied by several local Congress leaders, visited Dhani Thoba, Daulatpur, Khan Mohammad, Malharh, Dhani Chhattarian, Karnoli, Dhani Issar, Dhani Dhaka, Noorki Aheli, Kharian, Moose Aheli, Banawali Sottar, Hinjrawan Kalan, Dariyapur, Karnoli and Akanwali villages and exhorted people to participate in the rally. The rally has assumed greater significance for the ruling party after former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal and his MP son Kuldeep Bishnoi parted company with the Congress and floated their own outfit, the Haryana Janhit Congress (BL), at the recent Rohtak rally. Dura Ram is a nephew of Bhajan Lal but has been supporting the Hooda government from the very beginning. Hooda, too, had rewarded Dura Ram by appointing him parliamentary secretary. Fatehabad being the constituency where Mohammadpur Rohi, the native village of Bhajan Lal is situated, Hooda loyalists are making every effort to make the rally a success. Speaking at his village meetings, Dura Ram said Haryana had become the “number one state” in the matter of development under the leadership of Hooda. He appealed to the people to come to the rally in large numbers so that the faith reposed in him by the Chief Minister was vindicated. He assured the people that Hooda would announce a bonanza of new development schemes for the Fatehabad assembly constituency on January 12.
|
|
One-day remand for accused’s father
Tribune News Service
Gurgaon, December 15 The police said they were now investigating whether Azad was a party to the criminal conspiracy of Abhishek Tyagi’s murder, who was a classmate of his son. Gurgaon police commissioner Mahendra Lal said this had become essential after a resident of Badshahpur told the police that he had seen Azad training his son how to use the firearm. “We were investigating all aspects of the case and we cannot ignore the statement made by the Badshahpur resident,” Lal added. Opposing the two-day police custody, Azad’s lawyers, Narender Jain and Amit Jain, said Yadav was neither present on the spot of the crime nor there was any evidence which suggested that he conspired the murder. These charges by the police were baseless. During the court proceedings, the police sought a two-day police remand for Azad arguing that they had to recover the live cartridge and other evidences. However, the court granted only one-day police remand and hence Azad would be produced in the court again on Sunday. Lal said Azad had confessed to the police that the revolver that was used in the murder did not belong to him. It belonged to one Raj Singh Dalal, whom he claimed was his friend and neighbour. Hence, charges had been framed against him for possessing the arm illegally. The police had sent the revolver to the forensic science laboratory for investigation. The initial investigation showed that Dalal, owner of the revolver, was an employee with the government electricity department in Gurgaon. He said a legal action would be taken against Dalal for not keeping his firearm safely.
|
|
8 held in Khaanak mine case
Chandigarh, December 15 The case has been registered consequent to a dispute among partners of Baba Mungipa Mines and Minerals Company, which has the mining lease in the Khaanak area of the district. Out of eight partners of the company, six are on one side led by Ved Pal Tanwar, and two are on the other side led by Devender Sooty. The minority group is reportedly supported by the Congress MP of an adjoining constituency and an MLA of Bhiwani district. The arrested eight persons, said to be the supporters of the majority group, alleged that the powers are helping the minority group in taking over the quarries. A spokesman of the majority group alleged that the police had not registered their complaint against the rival group. |
|
|
HC stays order on pension Chandigarh, December 15 In their petition taken up by the Bench, comprising Justice S.K. Mittal and Justice K.C. Puri, petitioner K.K. Sharma and 37 others contended that the state government had granted them pension vide order dated September 5, 1994. They continued to get the same till October 31, 2007. Yet, vide order dated December 5, 2007, their pension’s payment was not released on ground that pension without the state government’s approval was improper, null and void. After hearing the arguments and going through the documents, the Bench also issued a notice of motion to the state of Haryana and other respondents.
|
|
|
Industrialists declare ‘no-graft zone’
Ambala, December 15 The zone comprises the industrial growth centre and food park, Saha. This is perhaps the first time that such an effort has been made by industrialists to tackle the menace of corruption. Signboards have been installed at the entrance and within the zone bearing the words “No-corruption zone” and “Bribe-seekers please excuse”. The association members are president Rajbir Choudhary, vice-president R.L. Mahendru, general secretary Yogesh Bhasin, joint secretary Deepak Bhatnagar and treasurer Sanjay Laul. |
|
CM: Yajna scientific process
Karnal, December 15 Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said this today at the ‘100 kundiyas virat ayutchandi mahayagya’, which is being organised here from December 12 to 20. He said the yajna not only creates a healthy atmosphere but also infuses spirit of love, universal brotherhood, unity and communal harmony in the society. This yajna is being organised for world peace and prosperity and as many as 500 pandits from all over the country are performing this yajna. |
|
Forest guard suspended
Yamunanagar, December 15 Sources said the theft was noticed on November 26. A team of forest officials found that 13 sagwan trees were chopped and wood was missing from compartment C-15 of the park. The team also recovered some timber worth Rs 40,000 from the jungles. There were allegations that certain officials of the department were trying to cover the incident. The matter, however, reached the deputy commissioner. District forest officer M.S. Malik ordered a range officer, Harish Walia, to take action in the matter. The police was informed and names of 10 suspects were given following which forest guard Rajinder Kumar was suspended. Sources did not rule out the involvement of forest employees in the theft. |
|
PWD staff stage protest
Rohtak, December 15 Addressing the protesters, the union’s state president Ashok Sharma accused the government of adopting an indifferent attitude towards their long-standing demands. Their demands include the framing of service rules, confirmation of employees, restoration of the ex gratia policy, regularisation of the services of temporary employees, removal of pay anomalies and grant of due benefits to ITI diploma-holder employees. Union general secretary Kamal Saini said they had sent a notice about their demonstration to the state government well in advance, but the authorities concerned did not bother to reply to it. Sangh state president Poonam Chand Rati urged the state government to meet the demands of the union, failing which the sangh would also join the struggle. |
|
Cane growers to go to HC on Dec 19
Tribune News Service
Yamunanagar, December 15 Shamsher Singh Tyagi, a senior leader of the Ganna Sangharsh Samiti and state general secretary of the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, stated this after a meeting of cane growers held at Kisan Bhawan here today. The mill had moved the court over the cane price announced by the government. The samiti has asked the mill to start paying the cane price announced by the government by December 18 or else it will start an agitation. The meeting was attended by a large number of cane growers from the district. There are more than 50,000 farmers in the district who are associated with cane farming. Ran Singh Roadchhappar, Lakshmi Chand, Ratan Singh Deodhar, Mahipal, Rukampal Singh, Suresh Kamboj, Gajay Singh, Sureshpal and Gudev Singh were among the prominent persons who participated in the meeting.
|
|
|
Shekhawat honours war widows
Bhiwani, December 15 He was addressing a “shaheed, widhwa and fauji samman samaroh” at Sanjarwas village, 30 km from here. The former vice-president expressed concern over the difficulties being faced by the families of martyrs and called upon people to raise a voice regarding these. “The government should be informed about these difficulties,” he said. Rajya Sabha member Narayan Singh, who presided over the function, said a thought should be spared for Army personnel and war widows, who faced numerous difficulties. Organiser and chairman of the Shaheed Baghdawat Memorial Trust Ravi Shankar expressed concern over the “apathetic attitude” of the government towards soldiers. Shekhawat honoured war widows from Delhi, Rajasthan and Haryana. |
|
HUDA fails to take land possession
Sonepat, December 15 The agitated residents told the team that they would not allow the authorities to take possession of the land at any cost without receiving the payment of their acquired land. They also said they would not collect the compensation amount from Rohtak and it should be paid to them at Rai Rest House or at Ethnic India Complex near Rai. Bowing to their demand, the team officers promised to pay the amount at Rai on December 17, 18 and 19.
|
|
Sewage treatment plant opened
Rewari, December 15 |
|
Cold claims life
Sirsa, December 15 |
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
Rewari, December 15
Fatehabad, December 15
