Gurgaon/New Delhi, December 17
The call centre of Air India at Udyog Vihar in Gurgaon received an e-mail, which threatened to execute a blast at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) on January 12, 2008.

Joint commissioner (Gurgaon) Manjit S Ahlawat said the e-mail, by an anonymous person dated December 16, threatened that the airport would be blown up on January 12, 2008. He said after receiving the e-mail, assistant security manager, IGI, Harsh Masand informed Udyog Vihar police station and an FIR was registered. A case has been registered under Section 124 (A) and 506 of the IPC.

Ahlawat said a special cyber crime team has been constituted to trace the source of the e-mail.

DCP (west) Rakesh Kumar Arya said the e-mail stated: "There would be a bomb blast at the Indira Gandhi International Airport on January 12, 2008". Official said the e-mail had been sent by the web page column of ‘contact us’ of the Air India call center itself. He said some of the IP addresses have been short-listed by the police and an inquiry has been initiated.

Arya informed that since the e-mail has not been sent by personnel ID, it will take some time to trace the person.

The official said the Delhi police has also been informed about the e-mail so that necessary precautions could be taken on time.

Security in and around the airport was beefed up the threat.

Although the threat has been treated as a non-specific one, but the police have tightened the security in and around the airport as a precautionary measure.

The latest e-mail threat follows another e-mail received by several TV channels a few weeks ago threatening to carry out blasts in several areas of Delhi in the coming weeks.

Bisar (Gurgaon), December 17
After the Gurgaon Euro International School killing incident, one more juvenile case has come to light. Four school children snatched a taxi while coming back from Jaipur to their village and tried to eliminate its driver. The police has arrested all the four children named Sham, Vikram, Amit and Virat (name changed) of class 10th and 12th from their Bisar village near Gurgaon.

Police officials informed that four students, who were studying in a school of Hasanpur village near Palval, went to Jaipur. From there they hired a taxi to return to their village. On their way, they forced the driver to pass the vehicle from Magalwaswar village. When they reached near the canal flowing adjacent to the village, they threatened the driver on gun-point and knife to leave the vehicle. Then they tied the driver with a rope and threw him into the canal.

The police said as the driver got entangled in the shrubs of the canal, his life was saved. After freeing himself, he lodged an FIR. The official said while investigating the case they found that the children accused of the case had been arrested by the Rewari police.

When The Tribune correspondent visited Bisar village, one of the villagers told that a few days ago, the boys brought a vehicle to the village and told that it is of their relative and they brought it for few days for having a ride in it. He told that even the parents of the boys were not aware about the incident. The truth came out when the police approached the parents and to know about the wareabouts of the boys.

One of the villager stated that the whole village was in a shock as such an incident had happened for the first time in which the village children had committed such a heinous crime. He said that three boys, who were involved in the crime, belonged to very lower strata and their parents were not financially strong. As the village was not very prosperous, the incident reveals that the aspiration of the luxurious life among the grown up children is on rise. 

Rohtak, December 17
With a view to broadening the outlook of rural women, especially those living below the poverty line (BPL), the Haryana government has decided to send them to other states.

All arrangements in this regard, including travel expenses and board and lodging, would be made by the state government.

The state authorities have decided to give priority to rural women belonging to the BPL families in such inter-state tours. Groups of women would visit different states and study their culture and traditions, condition of women and various women-welfare schemes run by the state governments there.

Deputy commissioner R.S.Doon said here today that 200 rural women from the district would be sent on tours free of cost this year. Under the programme a group comprising 40 women of Meham and Sampla blocks had been sent on a tour of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi. They left for the trip on December 14 and would return on December 22.

Doon said after the return of the first group, women of Kalanaur, Chidi and Rohtak (rural) blocks would be sent on such tours. He said this scheme was earlier being run under the integrated child development programme at the district level. Now, women drawn from different blocks of a district would be sent on tours.

He said apart from broadening the outlook of the rural women, this programme would also help them gain practical knowledge about various aspects of social life in other parts of the country.

Bhiwani, December 17
Working president of the Haryana Janhit Congress (BL) Kuldeep Bishnoi, MP, today sought white paper on the BPL list issue from the state government.

Activists of the party staged a demonstration in protest against the BPL survey in the state taking out a procession from Kirorimal Park to mini-secretariat.

Later, the party submitted a memorandum to the Governor through the deputy commissioner. The memorandum demanded white paper on the BPL issue, coverage of all BPL families in the state under the scheme and stern action against the officers involved. It also sought a resurvey in a scientific way.

PANIPAT: In an attempt to ease the widespread protests in the state against the BPL list, the state government has asked district officials to approach the villagers to rectify the beneficiary’s list prepared by the ex-servicemen league, early this year.

All deputy commissioners have been instructed to personally oversee the rectifying proceeding and cautioned that they would be held guilty for any misses.

According to Panipat DC Mahender Kumar, a team comprising gazette officers would visit various villages in a phased manner to update the list.

Scores of villagers on Monday gathered outside Bal Bhawan, where the monthly grievances’ meeting was going on, and protested against the BPL list. District administration officials had a tough time in pacifying the villagers.

SIRSA: Villagers of the district on Monday held a protest alleging irregularities in the BPL survey. Residents of 25 villages after holding a maha panchayat in Chopta area blocked the road for about three hours to express their protest. Besides, they also staged a dharna in front of the mini-secretariat.

Deputy commissioner V. Umashankar said 10 officers would be designated in the district to hear the appeal of the aggrieved villagers. Thereafter, names of genuine persons, who were left out in the survey, would be included in the BPL list. 
JIND: Activists of the district units of the CPM and the BSP on Monday organised protests at three places in the district.

Seeking fresh survey, the CPM held a demonstration outside the district headquarters at Jind and at Narwana, a sub-divisional town of the district.

The memorandum, which was submitted to the state government, alleged irregularities at mass scale in the lists prepared by the authorities concerned so far.

The supporters of the BSP held a similar demonstration at Julana town and asked the government to include the names of all those beneficiaries whose names had been deleted in the survey. Demanding a fresh survey, hundreds of residents of Lone village in the district blocked the traffic on the road connecting Narwana with Tohana.

YAMUNANAGAR: A large number of people from more than dozen villages obstructed traffic on the Kurukshetra-Saharanpur highway for more than two hours and raised slogans against the state government and district administration in Radaur here on Monday. They alleged that they did not get forms to file objections in the recently released BPL survey list.

The blockade was lifted only after additional deputy commissioner O.P Lohan assured that they would get the forms soon. Meanwhile, hundreds of people raised anti-government slogans at the mini-secretariat here.

SONEPAT: A large number of people from different localities of the town under the banner of the Sonepat Vikas Parisad led by its president Rajive Jain on Monday staged a protest, burnt copies of the new lists of BPL families and submitted a memorandum to deputy commissioner D.P.S. Nagal demanding resurvey.

A similar demand was made by the district unit of the CPM in a memorandum to the administration.

Kurukshetra, December17
India has attained a distinct recognition due to the world-famous epic Shrimad Bhagwad Gita. By following its doctrines, deterioration of our moral values can be checked.

These views were expressed by MP Ram Prakash at a two-day seminar on ‘Gita ka bhartiya samaj par yug-yugeen prabhav’ (everlasting effects of the Gita on the Indian society) held on the premises of senate hall of Kurukshetra University today.

The seminar was organised by the Sanskrit department and Indological Studies Institute, Kurukshetra University, under the ‘Kurukshetra utsav Gita jayanti samaroh’.

Prakash said if effect of the Gita on our society decreases, existence of India would be in doldrums. He observed that the teachings had been loosing its effect on the society.The Gita was being wrongly defined and was considered an epic on karma theory, which was not being followed properly by the common man, he added.

He stated that utility of the teachings was need of the hour because due to continuous attack on our old values, their effect was declining. By propagating the teachings of the Gita, one could succeed in protecting his moral and social values.

Kurukshetra University registrar V.K. Aggarwal laid stress on the conduct of research on Indian traditional values. Not only India, but the whole world is passing through a tenure of division. People are fighting on issues of religion and language, leading to decline of our civilisation.

Prof Ranbir Singh also exhorted that only the Gita’s teachings could save our old values, which were continuously being attacked. He advised that our society should follow the teachings of the Gita and only then our society, culture and civilisation could be protected.

Prof Indu Sharma, director, Indological Studies Institute, Kurukshetra University; Dr Bheem Singh, chairman, Sanskrit department; Prof Vikram Kumar; Prof Kesar Vani; and many research scholars, lecturers and students were among those who were present on the occasion.

Later, Prakash inaugurated a cultural programme held at Purshotam Pura Bagh on the banks of Brahamsarover. Folk artists from various states performed traditional dances of their regions. Various art competitions like rangoli, collage-making and pottery-making were held at the western ghat of Brahmsarovar. A state-level Gita Shalokocharan competition was also held at the Sri Krishna museum. 

Sirsa, December 17
Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was today prevented to enter Rajasthan by the police apprehending law and order problem.

The dera chief accompanied by his convey had left the dera here last evening to attend a function to be held at an under construction dera’s ashram in Jaipur.

Sources said the dera chief, who was guarded by the Z plus security cover, along with his followers were stopped at Rajasthan border near Narnaul by the Rajasthan police at about 2 am.

The police reportedly expressed unwillingness to allow dera chief to reach Jaipur apprehending that his visit in the certain areas of the state would create law and order problem.

The dera chief then stayed at a rest house in Narnaul.

Thereafter, dera officials reportedly made efforts to convince Rajasthan officials for about three hours, but in vain, sources said.

Later, the dera chief left for Sirsa.

An official spokesman of the dera, Dr Pawan Insan, confirmed that the Rajasthan police had expressed helplessness to make appropriate security arrangements for the dera chief and said he should not visit Jaipur. 

Chandigarh, December 17
The appointment of Dr V.S. Pahil as director of the Haryana State Seed Certification Agency has been challenged before the Punjab and Haryana High Court by two officers of the state agriculture department.

A division bench comprising Justice S.K. Mittal and Justice K.C. Puri has issued a notice to the Haryana government for February 4, 2008, on a petition filed by Dr Surinder Singh Dahiya, deputy director, agriculture, Karnal, and B.S. Duggal, additional director, extension, Panchkula.

Pahil was working as principal scientist (mushroom), Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Haryana Agriculture University before his appointment as director of the seed agency.

The petitioners contended through their counsel that Pahil was not eligible for the post of director, seed agency, as per the Haryana State Seed Certification Agency Service Rules, 1979. Moreover, they said he was overage.

They said the ineligibility of Pahil was brought to the notice of the government by the director, agriculture, vide his letter of September 18.

However, he was overruled by principal secretary to Chief Minister vide his letter of September 27, saying that the Chief Minister had ordered that Pahil should be appointed as director of the seed certification agency.

Chandigarh, December 17
Thousands of cane growers supplying their produce to private sugar mills in the state are at their wits’ end. They do not know how much they would get for their produce, despite the state government having notified the cane price for this year.

The payment vouchers issued by the mills to the growers after accepting their produce do not carry the amount to be paid to them. Sources said the vouchers should carry the per quintal rate according to the variety of cane supplied to the mill.

However, these days the mills are mentioning that the rate would be as per the decision of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, where the Yamunanagar sugar mill has filed a writ petition saying that it is not in a position to pay the price fixed by the state government in view of the low sugar price in the market.

The court has not stayed the state government’s notification. The next date of hearing is December 19.

Haryana Congress secretary Satpal Kaushik, who is a supporter of the party’s suspended MP Kuldeep Bishnoi, said in a statement here today that the private mills were bound to mention the rate of sugarcane on payment vouchers once the government had notified it.

Moreover, he said, the apex court had already decided that a state government was competent to fix the cane price over and above the statutory minimum support price fixed by the centre. Since the High Court had not granted any stay against the state advised price, the mills were committing a contempt of the apex court.

Kaushik said the government should enforce its notification otherwise the growers would presume that it was helping the private mills.

Chandigarh, December 17
The union ministry of panchayati raj has identified two districts of Haryana, namely Mahendragarh and Sirsa, for facilitating the preparation of perspective plan for the 11th Five Year Plan period and annual plan for 2008-09 under the backward region grant fund (BRGF).

While stating this here today, a spokesman of the Haryana government said the ministry had also released a grant of Rs 10 lakh for each district as central assistance under the BGRF programme for preparation of comprehensive district plans.

He said district plans had been made an integral part of the process of preparation of states’ 11th Five Year Plan.

Plans prepared by the panchayats and municipalities would be consolidated by the respective district planning committee into a district plan.

He said with a view to assist the districts in the preparation of the districts plans and facilitating the participatory process, the Planning Commission and union ministry of panchayati raj had prepared a panel of technical support institutions.

The institutions which would assist the two districts of Haryana for preparation of plans were the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) and the Centre of Research for Rural and Industrial Development (CRRID).

The teams formed by these institutions would visit the districts assigned to them and hold discussions with the district officers working in the development sectors.

He said partnership with local NGOs and self-help groups would also be taken up.

A holistic plan document for the district would be prepared which would include the plans for the sectors such as agriculture, education, health, rural employment, roads and infrastructure development. The entire process of preparing this plan would be completed by April 30. 

Rewari, December 17
In the BPL list of Bitodi village of Khol block, the names of two dead persons, Kamlesh, who died three years ago, and Prabhati Lal, who passed away a year ago, have been included. A large number of rich and educated families have also found a place in the list.

To the chagrin and dismay of numerous poor families, income tax payees and hefty-salaried persons have been reportedly incorporated in the list of Maheshwari village. A bank manager, who earns a handsome salary, and other affluent families have been included in the BPL list of Khaliawas village.

Over 70 poor families have been excluded from the BPL list of Bhatsana village and a number of landless Bawaria families have been left out in the list of Kosli village. Bhatsana village sarpanch Meena Devi has made a representation to the deputy commissioner seeking rectification of the irregularities.

District president of the All-India Krishak Khet Mazdoor Sangthan Chandan Singh has demanded a fresh survey in Nimoth, Jainabad, Lohana, Dhawana, Maseet, Khol, Siha and several other villages of the district.

Sirsa, December 17
Over 1,500 residents of the Theri locality have been asked to vacate their land by the Archaeology Department here. 

The residents, alleged to have built their houses illegally on a Harappan site, have been told to vacate the land within 15 days. The aggrieved residents today staged a protest near Balmiki chowk here to express their anguish against the government.

Chandigarh, December 17
The Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam has waived 87.72 per cent of the defaulting amount of those domestic and tubewell consumers in the rural areas who had joined the electricity bill waiver scheme and paid their current bills as per instructions.

Giving details, a spokesman for the nigam said here today that 5,188,80 consumers, including 3,802,75 domestic and 1,38,605 tubewell consumers of Ambala, Panchkula, Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Karnal, Panipat, Sonepat, Rohtak, Jhajjar and Jind districts, had opted for the scheme up to March, 2007, by making payment of one or more current bills. As per the scheme, Rs 644.32 crore had to be waived for these consumers out of which Rs 565.18 crore had been waived up to November, 2007. He said that after making payment of one or more bills, some consumers did not pay the subsequent bills.

The nigam had again given the left-out consumers the option to rejoin the scheme.

They had been allowed to avail themselves of the benefit of the scheme up to December 31 .

He further stated that under the campaign of disconnecting the supply of non-payers, the power of those consumers had been disconnected on priority in the rural areas who had never joined the scheme after its launch on June 17, 2005.

It was clear that these consumers had no intention of paying their electricity bills. 

Chandigarh, December 17
The Haryana Higher Education Department has launched a scheme for remedial coaching in Science, Maths and English for the students belonging to scheduled castes, backward classes and minorities. Under the scheme, about 24,000 students of 59 government colleges would be benefitted.

While giving this information here today, Haryana education minister Mange Ram Gupta said under the scheme, a sum of Rs 10 lakh had been earmarked during the current financial year.

Gupta said the scheme envisages special coaching for three months in an academic year in each subject to the students belonging to the above categories. He stated that the teachers would be given honorarium as incentives of Rs 800 per subject per month for three months during the academic year and about 195 teachers would get the benefit.

The minister said similarly a scheme for the students belonging to Muslim community has been launched. Under it, the students would be provided a sum of Rs 500 for the purchase of stationery and a sum of Rs 1,500 for a bicycle. He made it clear that this facility would be given only those students whose parents’ annual income did not exceed Rs 50,000 per annum. 

Sirsa, December 17
A rickshaw- puller, Baljit Singh (31), was murdered while another injured by their friends under the influence of liquor in the city yesterday. The police has arrested two persons and a case has been registered against them.

Police sources said the rickshaw- puller was murdered after he along with three others had consumed liquor and entered into brawl with two of them.

Baljit had sustained serious injuries believed to have caused with a sharp edged weapon and was found dead in the morning. Later, after questioning several persons, the police arrested Phoola Ram and Chunni Lal.

They told the police that they were under the influence of liquor and had murdered Baljit over non-payment of the liquor and snacks they had purchased.