Rohtak, March 13
The Haryana government today cancelled the entrance examination for MD/MS/MDS/PG diploma courses conducted by Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) here on February 24.

A fax ordering the cancellation of the aforesaid exams was sent to the MDU vice-chancellor by the commissioner and secretary (health and medical education), government of Haryana, today.

Following allegations of irregularities in the said exams and long-drawn protests by medicos, the MDU authorities had constituted a fact-finding committee to probe the charges.

The inquiry committee had recommended further investigation by some competent agency into the matter in view of the circumstantial evidences and variance observed in the pattern of results as compared to previous years.

Earlier today, MDU vice-chancellor R.P. Hooda faxed the report along with his comments to the commissioner-secretary, Health and Medical Education, Haryana.

In his order on the inquiry report, the MDU vice-chancellor had maintained that “To clear all doubts forever, it has become incumbent that we recommend to the state government to have the issue investigated thoroughly at a higher level.”

The vice-chancellor further stated that “(in view of) the test results being at variance from the past pattern, other data given in the (inquiry) report and the final conclusion of the inquiry committee giving credence to the circumstantial evidence do provide some element of strength to the argument that the test could also be held again.”

At the same time, Hooda points out: “However, the final decision in this regard is to be taken by the government as the responsibility of conducting this entrance test was assigned to us by them.”

Soon after receiving the communiqué, the office of the commissioner-secretary (health and medical education) faxed the order to cancel the test, asking the vice-chancellor to take further action accordingly.

As the news regarding the cancellation of the exam spread, a wave of joy ran through the medicos protesting against the alleged irregularities. The medicos, who had been demanding the cancellation of the test, took out a victory procession after the order was publicised.

PGIMS director S.S. Sangwan as well as the Resident Doctors Association (RDA) of the institute have expressed gratitude towards the state authorities for this decision taken in consideration of the larger interest of medical students.

Residents and junior doctors of the PGIMS called off their strike immediately after they got to know about the decision to cancel the test. The MBBS students also ended their boycott of classes and thanked the media for highlighting their concern.

However, a pall of gloom descended on the camp of the candidates who had been selected in the exam. These candidates are now planning to move the court.

Fatehabad, March 13
Trafficking in narcotics, particularly poppy husk, has been on the rise in Fatehabad and adjoining Sirsa district. The contraband, which is in demand among addicts in Ratia area of Fatehabad and parts of Sirsa, has also been finding its way into adjoining districts of Punjab over the years.

Efforts of the police over the years to stop this have shown little results partially due to the involvement of some lower rank constabulary in murky deals and partially due to lacunae in the system, which allows drug traffickers to wriggle out from the clutches of law.

But, a recent phenomenon of freezing and seizing the properties of the traffickers in the area has sent shivers down the spines of offenders. Though the provision existed under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act for long, this has been invoked only now in this area.

Inspector general of police, Hisar range, Anant Kumar Dhull, who was here today to attend a seminar on drug de-addiction organised by the district police, informed mediapersons that properties of 12 persons have so far been seized under various sub-sections of Section 68 of the NDPS Act in Fatehabad district during the last three months, while cases of 14 more properties of the traffickers were in progress. Similarly, six properties over Rs 21 crore had been seized in Sirsa district.

Baldev Singh, alias Balla, a notorious drug trafficker of Jandwala in Sirsa, had to loose 185 acres under the provisions of the Act. He further said as many as 300 properties in Fatehabad district and 500 properties in Sirsa district had been under survey.

Earlier, addressing the seminar, Dhull emphasised the need for cooperation from general public in checking the crime of drug trafficking.

SP Saurabh Singh claimed that several big fish of the illicit trade had been nabbed in Fatehabad during the recent times.

Rajiv Dixit, a scientist and an activist of the Pitanjali Yog Samiti, said the country had been suffering a loss of over Rs 60,000 crore per year on account of work loss due to addiction of all kinds of intoxicants.

The amount was more than the annual budgets of Punjab and Haryana put together, he added.

Fatehabad, March 13
The Central government’s directions banning purchase of wheat by private traders and agri-corporates from Haryana and Punjab has invited flak from the Indian National Lok Dal, the main opposition party in Haryana.

Sampat Singh, a former Haryana minister and a senior leader of the INLD, has termed the decision of the government as a big jolt to farmers.

He said since more than 90 per cent of the wheat was produced in these two states - also called wheat bowl of the country - the government direction would practically hit the whole peasantry in the country.

The INLD leader said it was strange dichotomy of the government that it imported the crop at Rs 1,600 per quintal but had bound its own farmers to a meagre rate of Rs 1,000 per quintal.

Terming the MSP for the wheat as absurd, he said when the crop was selling in the market at Rs 1,200 per quintal, why the farmers should be made to sell out their crop at a lesser rate.

He said the very idea behind the MSP was to provide a support price to the farmers, where they were not getting remunerative prices in the open market, but the MSP should not be used to deny them their legitimate due.

Sampat Singh demanded that the government should either let the agri-corporate procure wheat from anywhere they like or it should provide a price of Rs 1,500 per quintal to the farmers.

He alleged all categories of manufacturers and producers reserved the right to sell their produce at the rate of their choice but only the farmers were denied this choice.

The INLD leader said the manner in which costs of inputs like diesel, pesticide, fertilisers and agriculture equipments had increased during the last one year, and power had been playing truant throughout the year, the wheat crop was going to be a deal of losses for the farmers of Haryana this year.

Even the rate of interest on agricultural loans had increased, he added.

He appreciated the concern of the government for the poor consumers but added that the farmers should not be made to suffer for that and the government should itself provide subsidised wheat for the poor.

He said, earlier, the farmers were made to sell their mustard for Rs 1,800 per quintal and now it was selling for Rs 2,600 per quintal in the open market.

Sampat Singh said the government was taking the excuse of lesser production of the wheat this year for its decision to stop the corporate purchase of the crop.

This, he said, was like adding salt to the injury because the farmers who were already smarting under the news of poor production would now be made to suffer further losses by way of lesser rates for their produce.

He said by putting restrictions on the maximum quantity of wheat to be stored by a person, the government had made the problems of the farmers even deeper.

The Congress governments, he alleged, were in the habit of exploiting the farmers for their selfish ends in the past too.

The government, he said, had banned export of rice last year when the farmers were getting handsome price for their paddy but once they sold of their produce, the ban was lifted.

Chandigarh, March 13
Haryana irrigation minister Ajay Singh Yadav today revealed that abiana or water tax for irrigation had not been abolished in Haryana.

According to Yadav, who was speaking in the state Assembly here today, INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala, when he was the Chief Minister, had announced the abolition of the tax, but it was merely a poll gimmick. He said the announcement was never followed up with action.

The irrigation minister was responding to a non-official resolution on Agra canal moved by ruling Congress party MLA Karan Singh Dalal. Dalal, whose constituency, Palwal, falls in Faridabad district, proposed in the resolution that Haryana must establish administrative control over the Agra canal and ensure enhanced supply of water through the canal. He said the water tax collected by UP from Haryana farmers for supplying water in the canal must be paid by the Haryana government in view of the absence of the tax elsewhere in the state.

While pointing out that water tax was still being collected by the Haryana government from farmers, Yadav assured the House that he would take up the issue of increasing the water share of Haryana from the Agra canal with the UP government and the centre.

According to Yadav, Haryana was supposed to get 600 cusecs of water from the canal whereas it usually got 400 to 450 cusecs of water from the canal in an average. He said in July-October period also Haryana was allocated only 600 cusecs, which amounted to only 7 per cent of the total water flowing through the canal during the period. The irrigation minister said since the control of the canal was with the UP government, Haryana could get more water for supplying to Faridabad, Gurgaon and Mewat districts only by holding negotiations with UP.

On the issue of disposal of factory waste in Haryana water leading to contamination of water and resulting into various health problems, Yadav said they would try to have a treatment plan installed to clean the water.

Following Yadav’s reply, Dalal decided to withdraw the resolution even though MLAs from Faridabad and Mewat districts as well as other MLAs and two ministers spoke on the resolution.

Two other non-official resolutions, one on problems of cottage industry and the second on the decline in the standard of education, moved by INLD deputy leader Sushil Indora, could not be taken up as the discussion on the resolution moved by Dalal kept lingering.

Chandigarh, March 13
The truth must prevail adage today prompted the Haryana assembly to constitute a committee to “establish the truth” about the benefits of a loan waiver scheme floated nearly two decades back.

The six-member committee chaired by education minister Mange Ram Gupta will look into the truth about the facts of the “famous” loan waiver scheme of Devi Lal as presented by INLD leader Om Prakash Chautala on the floor of the House and the statistics provided by parliamentary affairs minister Randeep Singh Surjewala.

Comprising Congress MLAs, Phool Chand Mullana and Karan Singh Dalal, BSP MLA Arjun Singh, Ishwar Singh Palaka of the INLD and independent MLA Tejinder Mann, the committee will present its report during the session.

The day’s proceedings began with Surjewala saying that “Chautala had misguided the House and the people” by presenting misleading figures about the waiving of interest on the loans of cooperative banks during the tenure of Chief Minister Ch Devi Lal in the year 1987-88 in his speech during the debate on the Governor’s address. He also suggested that a committee be formed to look into the claims and a Breach of Privilege be moved against the member found guilty of “misleading” the House.

Challenging Chautala’s statement that Devi Lal had waived loans to the tune of Rs 3,000-4,000 crore, he said statistics available with him showed that a benefit of nearly Rs 34 crore had been given. “Of this, Rs 26.67 crore was for short-term loans and Rs 7.64 crore for long-term loans and not Rs 3,000 - 4,000 crore or Rs 1,400 crore as mentioned by him,” he said. He even attributed the statement to Chaudhary Dalbir Singh and said it was given as a reply in the Parliament.

Turning to the opposition benches, Speaker Raghuvir Singh Kadian said somebody was lying about the facts and figures and the people must know the truth. He announced the formation of the committee. Though taken aback by this development, the few INLD members present in the House could do nothing but agree. The JBT scam dominated the question hour with Shamsher Singh Surjewala and Karan Dalal seeking to know the action taken in the case. The minister informed the House that a case had been registered against Chautala, his son, Ajay, his adviser Sher Singh Badshami, two officers, Vidya Dhar and Sanjeev Kumar and 87 officials of the education department.

“We have just received the report. We will study it and decide the fate of the teachers recruited in the next three months. We will also examine the authenticity of the degrees of teachers recruited in about six months time,” he said.

In another question by Sher Singh about the skewed sex ratio in the state and remedial steps, health minister Kartar Devi said 11 doctors have so far been convicted in the state for violation of the Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (PNDT) Act and child sex ratio has increased to 860 females per 1000 males, as per the Civil Registration System, in November 2007. 

Faridabad, March 13
The police today arrested nine persons and registered cases against more than 200 unknown persons in connection with the yesterday’s violence against the police and staff of the Municipal Corporation of Faridabad, when they had gone to clear encroachments on a civic body’s land in Khori village near here.

The demolition squad of the MCF demolished at least 250 jhuggis constructed illegally on its land yesterday. Three JCBs were roped in for the demolitions.

However, members of the MCF’s demolition squad and the police that accompanied it had to temporarily backtrack on the first attempt as a large number of people pelted stones on them.

The police force was reinforced and the demolition operation was restarted amidst violence by jhuggi dwellers. The police in retaliation cane-charged and lobbed tear gas shells to disperse the mob. Jhuggi dwellers alleged that the police fired three rounds in air.

As soon as the demolition process started, people started pelting stones on the staff of the MCF. A driver of one of the JCBs used in the operation sustained head injuries in the incident.

SDM, Faridabad, Yashpal Yadav was made the duty magistrate in the second round after the police reinforcement. Earlier, joint commissioner, Faridabad zone, Dharminder Singh, was the duty magistrate.

Jhuggi dwellers alleged that the police behaved high-handedly with them, especially with females. However, rebutting the charge, the police said the dwellers had to be stopped from resorting to violence and obstructing works of government officials.

MCF personnel said the jhuggi owners had already been apprised of the illegality of their possessions and asked to clear the encroachments.

The MCF had about 170 acres in the village. Over the years, land mafia allegedly sold about 15 acres to the public. A large number of them, who had first set up ‘kuccha’ jhuggis, later expanded and turned them into ‘pucca’ constructions. More than 400 jhuggis, many of them having ‘pucca’, had been set up on the land. The authorities said all encroachments would be cleared.

Panchkula, March 13
In order to reduce the pressure of increasing population in urban areas, the Haryana Housing Board has planned to construct modern houses on the pattern of the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA). Taking a pilot project, the board has already started constructing houses at Madlauda village of Panipat district.

Talking to The Tribune, chief administrator of the board S.P. Gupta said the houses being built by the board would be single-storied on the plot sizes of 160 and 200 sq yards. The cost of every house would be between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 12 lakh, he said. The board has planned to construct 3 lakh houses in the next three years under the plan.

In Panchkula district, Raipur Rani, Nangal and Bitna villages had been shortlisted for the scheme, said Gupta. The houses with the provision of expansion up to more than two storey would be built on the land provided by panchayats only.

The houses would be allotted to the concerned villagers on priority basis and after that the houses left over would be available for the residents of the block and then from the tehsil level.

In fact the main purpose of the plan was to reduce the pressure on the cities by providing the villagers the residential facilities at their doorstep, said Gupta.

The shops built in the complex would also be allotted to the residents of respective villages, which would result in generating the employment in the area, he said.

Chandigarh, March 13
The central government has included the Haryana government's concept paper for creating a second Ravi-Beas link in the list of 14 national projects to be taken up under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Projects (AIBP).

While stating this here today, Haryana irrigation minister Ajay Singh said the central government had shown statesmanship by declaring such a large number of projects as national projects involving an investment of Rs 53,200 crore. He said Haryana had suggested the creation of a second Ravi-Beas link so that a large quantity of Ravi water, which belonged to India under the Indus Water Treaty, does not keep flowing into Pakistan. Also, Haryana had mentioned that it would increase the total availability of water in India and it would also be easier to provide the allocated share to all basin states.

He said the state government had earlier suggested that an automatic gauge monitored by the Central Water Commission (CWC) should be installed on the Ravi, just before the point where it entered Pakistan, so that the quantity of water flowing into Pakistan could again be ascertained. This suggestion met with serious opposition from Punjab.

The minister said that now, when the proposed second link would increase the availability of water for everyone, Punjab was again raising objections. It appeared that once the feasibility studies for this project started, the truth about the quantity of water flowing into Pakistan would become known to everyone.

Yamunanagar, March 13
More than one-third of the edusat systems installed in government schools in the district have been found to be non-functional or not working properly for quite some time because of technical faults. Edusat was an ambitious project of the state government aimed at providing quality education to students of government schools.

The edusat system, consisting of a television set, dish antenna, set top-box, battery and other peripherals, was installed in 603 schools of the district. According to sources in the education department 208 systems installed in the schools of the district were non-functional.

In the case of Bilaspur block 66 systems had technical faults. In Chhachhrouli block 56 systems had developed technical snags and the students of 42 schools were facing problems because of faults in the edusat system. Similarly, the edusat system in 20 schools of Radaur block, 17 in Jagadhri block and seven in Mustafabad block had developed snags, said the sources.

The sources said in several remote villages of Sadhoura and Chhachhrouli blocks there were problems because of weak signals.

Schools, especially in the rural areas,were also facing problems because of power failure. The sources said that in the case of faults in the system, engineers from Panchkula or Delhi had to be called, which resulted in long delays.

Pradeep Sareen, district president of the Haryana Rajkiya Adhyapak Sangh, said the faulty systems should be made functional before the start of the new academic session so that the maximum number of students could benefit.

Ashwani Sharma, deputy district education officer, admitted that there were delays in repairing the system as engineers had to come from far-off places. He said matters would improve soon after a system of engaging local engineers was introduced.

Panchkula, March 13
The Haryana police has planned to take advantage of Edusat systems installed at the schools to keep its higher authorities as well as other ranks in touch with each other directly. This was disclosed by Haryana director general of police Ranjiv Dalal here today.

Dalal said he would address his cops of Madhuban Training Centre from Panchkula through Edusat system tomorrow, adding that it could prove a revolutionary step as the police would be able to update the training of its cops saving a huge quantum of resources while reducing expenses and shifting personnel from their place of posting for the purpose. However, we would use the system after the school timings.

While talking to The Tribune, Dalal, who was here to inaugurate the new building of Chandimandir police station, said the steps were being taken to improve the image of the state police and the service of BPOs of Gurgaon were being taken for the purpose.

Ten of the officials from the force had been sent for training in training schools of BPOs to learn tips on how to keep patience under irritating circumstances, he said.

It was observed that personnel deputed at call centres do not lose their patience even as they attend hundreds of calls, including from agitating clients. “However, the attendant is rarely found argumentative and we want our force also to be so polite,” said Dalal.

Agreeing upon the unusual delay in getting any breakthrough in Samjhauta bomb blasts even after one year of incident, Dalal said the state police had zeroed in on some areas in Indore, however, no time period could be specified for solving the case.

Earlier, addressing the gathering, the DGP said 30 new buildings of police station would be ready in the state within this year. The Chandimandir police station, built on three acres, had three residential quarters and 40 more were proposed.

Jind, March 13
A four-year-old girl was burnt alive in a fire that erupted after leakage of cooking gas in a house at Rajpura Bahn village of the district here last night.

Household goods over Rs 1.50 lakh were also destroyed in the fire. Some members of the victim’s family and neighbours, who tried to control the fire, received minor injuries in the incident.

According to information, the deceased, who has been identified as Priyanka, was wandering in the kitchen when her mother lighted the stove, following which the fire erupted.

The gas cylinder was refilled yesterday only and nearly all members of the family were present in the house when the flames erupted and engulfed the house owned by Kuldeep Singh, a farmer.

The gas had been leaking continuously since it was installed and nobody in the household could notice the leakage.

According to the family, all members of the family rushed out as soon as the fire started, but the girl could not make it to the door as her foot got stuck between a cot and wall, said Prem Singh, uncle of the girl.

He said he had lifted her to take her out, but could not rescue her. The body has been sent for a postmortem examination in the Civil Hospital.