New Year hope for school dropouts
Polytechnic courses from Jan
Chandigarh, December 20
Informal skill development programmes will start in government polytechnics for school dropouts from January in the state. Technical education minister A.C. Chaudhry has said vocational training to 50,000 persons would be imparted in the informal sector during the 11th plan period under the community college or community development scheme.

Pharma units desert Faridabad
Faridabad, December 20
The drug policy of the union government and the apathy of the Haryana government has allegedly marginalised the local pharmaceutical industry, which ranked among the top in the region.

Six yrs after HSIIDC took charge
Development still eludes Rai village
Sonepat, December 20
Though Rai village in the district was adopted by the Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development around six years back for its all-round development, the villagers are dissatisfied with the works initiated so far.

Panipat war memorial finds no takers Uggrakheri (Panipat), December 20 Owing to the indifferent attitude of the authorities concerned towards the historical Kala Amb, a memorial raised in the reminiscence of the warriors of the battles of Panipat, has failed to become a tourist destination. The Kala Amb memorial in Panipat. — A Tribune photograph

Chak De fails to lift cause of hockey... and its players

Rania (Sirsa), December 20 “Chak De India” has created ripples all over the country and has awakened the conscious of the powers-to-be towards the need for treating hockey players at par with the players of other sports. After all they, too, work hard to win medals and trophies for the nation. Sardar Singh, who was a member of the Indian hockey team that won the Asia Cup in Chennai this year, gets a warm welcome on his arrival in his home town, Sant Nagar in Sirsa. — Photo by Kiran Deep

Exploring the unexplored Fatehabad, December 20 Jaibir Singh Virk, a young advocate from Tohana town of Fatehabad district, has been on expedition to the unexplored areas of Trans Himalayas. A masters’ degree holder in Law and Journalism, Jaibir was drawn to expeditions due to his passion for photography and urge to see new and picturesque places. Jaibir Singh Virk in Quamik village, situated at a height of 4,275 m.

Empowering women through self-help groups
Kaithal, December 20
The Swaran Jayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojna introduced in Haryana for the social and economic upliftment of the women has picked up momentum in this district. Additional deputy commissioner Ramesh Verma says the District Rural Development Agency, which is executing this scheme, has taken various steps for its effective implementation and to ensure that the benefits percolated to the deserving.

Bhiwani to get rid of choked sewers

Bhiwani, December 20 The public health and the water supply and sanitation departments have hired a private firm for the cleanliness of sewerage in the city. As the work is progressing, it seems that the new system would yield better results and the city would get rid of its long-standing problem of choked sewerage. The main sewer line on the Circular Road is cleared using a sucker machine in Bhiwani. — Photo by Shiv Sharma

Farmers upset over theft of equipment
Yamunanagar, December 20
Farmers of villages along the Uttar Pradesh border are these days haunted by the fear that they may wake up to find motors, engines and starters missing from their deep well tubewells.

Abandoned buildings safe haven for criminals Hisar, December 20 Abandoned buildings in the state, including those belonging to the state government and the Railways, have turned into crime spots as well as shelters for criminals and drug-addicts. Abandoned property in Rail Colony in Hisar, which provides shelter to drug addicts and antisocial elements. There is no move yet to demolish such structures despite a public demand. — Tribune photo by P.L. Munday

Inside Babudom
Saving bureaucrats at cost of environment
Chandigarh, December 20
Did the Haryana Government mislead the Central Empowered Committee, constituted by the Supreme Court, in its overzealous act to protect its officer from being booked for contempt? From the reply of the principal chief conservator of forests, Haryana, sent to the CEC the answer appears to be in the affirmative.

240 chambers for 600 advocates Rohtak, December 20 Imagine a situation in which the lawyers, who boast of getting justice to the oppressed, are not able to get even a reasonable sitting space for themselves in the judicial complex. Vehicles parked haphazardly due to the encroachment on the parking space by advocates on the court premises in Rohtak.

Parties 'biased' against backward classes
Sonepat, December 20
Though the state has come a long way ever since its inception in November 1966, the backward classes, excluding the newly included castes of Ahir, Mev, Gujjars and Saini, of the state have remained backward so far as giving them representation in the state Assembly by all political parties is concerned.

An answer to fake medicines Latest device set for India debut Fatehabad, December 20 The next time your chemist supplies you a counterfeit medicine you can detect the mischief by simply swiping the strip of pills before a scanner installed at a nearby store. Radio frequency identification device is the latest technique through which one can find whether a medicine or a particular consumer durable is genuine or fake. The technology is the most recent in the world and will be seen in India soon.

Arvind Manchanda

Society vows to treat eye patients
Yamunanagar, December 20
The district will soon be cataract-free and all cases of preventable and avoidable blindness will be treated. This was claimed by S.K. Nair, secretary general, National Society for the Prevention of Blindness in India, who was here recently.

No bus service from Jhajjar after 6 p.m.
Jhajjar, December 20
In an era of instant communication and fast connectivity, the district headquarters of Jhajjar is lagging way behind so far as transportation facilities are concerned. Despite the fact that Jhajjar Roadways depot is one of the most profitable depots in the state, there is no bus service to most of the neighbouring towns after 6 pm.

CITIZEN FIRST
Shahabad lacks basic amenities
Famous for its historical Sikh fort, Rishi Markandeshwar Mandir and Olympian and international hockey stars, Shahabad Markanda is a developing town of Kurukshetra district having a population about 50,000. The only HUDA sector of this city has been reeling under many problems like poor condition of parks, streetlights and roads.

CITIZENS’ GRIEVANCES
HUDA delayed refund
I had applied for a six marla plot (general) in Sector 33, Karnal. After more than four months and my numerous reminders to HUDA’s Karnal office and its headquarters at Panchkula, I finally got the application money of Rs 84,240 refunded on 21.11.2007.