Chandigarh, April 15
A committee set up by the Haryana assembly to go into various aspects of what is popularly known as the Yamuna water accord of 1994 examined two former chief secretaries, B.S. Ojha and M.C. Gupta, here today.

The then irrigation secretary, J.K. Duggal, and the then engineers-in-chief, J.P. Gupta and V.N. Grover, were also examined by the panel.

The committee is trying to ascertain from them why discrepancies arose between the draft MOU approved by the Cabinet in 1993 and the final MOU signed in 1994. While Ojha was the chief secretary in 1993, Gupta was his successor in 1994.

Member-secretary of the committee Ajay Singh Yadav, who is also the irrigation minister, refused to reveal what the former officers told the committee, on the plea that the information was privileged. However, he said Duggal had sought time to examine the record.

It may be recalled that Bhajan Lal was the Chief Minister when the controversial MOU was signed. The 11-member committee was set up by the House under the chairmanship of Speaker Raghubir Singh Kadian on September 24, 2007.

Yadav said it was a matter of regret that the INLD was not attending the meetings of the committee, which had been probing into an issue of great importance to the state’s interests, though the party had opposed the accord in 1994.

He said Bhajan Lal was summoned by the committee to appear before it, but he did not present himself before it. Now the committee had decided to give him another opportunity. It had also summoned former irrigation minister Jagdish Nehra on May 1.

He said the 1994 MOU reduced Haryana’s share in the Yamuna water from 67 per cent to 49 per cent. While under the 1954 accord, the Yamuna water was shared exclusively by Haryana and UP, the 1994 accord gave share to Himachal Pradesh, Delhi and Rajasthan also. These states got water from Haryana’s share while UP’s share remained intact.

The 1993 draft MOU approved by the Cabinet provided that the drinking water needs of all states would be taken care of. But the final MOU talked about the drinking water needs of Delhi alone.

The draft MOU promised that when Rajasthan would not be able to utilise its share of water, Haryana would get 0.25 billion cubic metre (BCM) water. However, the final MOU made no mention of it.

Yadav said, in the draft agreement, there was a provision to review the agreement after 2001and this clause was also changed and now the accord would be reviewed in 2025.

Taking a dig on the formation of a new political party by Bhajan Lal, Yadav said: “It is the Putra-hit party and not the Janhit Party.”

Bhajan Lal had played havoc with the interests of Haryana while signing the Yamuna water accord, he added.

Chandigarh, April 15
The Congress is open to overhauling the district and block units in the state where members have failed to deliver and the party is already in the election mode for the pending byelections in three constituencies.

This was stated by Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee chief Phool Chand Mullana and working president Kuldeep Sharma at a press conference here today.

Mullana said at a recent meeting of the coordination committee of the HPCC, the members discussed a cohesive action plan to strengthen the organisational and governmental relationship.

While screening the working of all wings of the party, it was decided that wherever the functioning of the district and block Congress committees was not found to be satisfactory, necessary changes be made.

Stating that Congressmen had been adjusted in the already constituted improvement trusts, Mullana said others, too, would be “acc mmodated” as chairpersons of various boards.

The president of the party ridiculed UP Chief Minister Mayawati for equating Lord Ganesha with an elephant (her party symbol), stating that the comparison lowered the God’s dignity and stature.

“We condemn this. She comes to spoil the social fabric of our state and has made ridiculous statements about Rahul Gandhi to gain publicity,” he said.

To a question about a separate SGPC for the Siklhs of Haryana, he said agriculture minister Harmohinder Singh Chatha was ready with his report.

“We are hopeful the report will be tabled in the next session. The Chief Minister has taken up the matter with the party high command and an outcome is likely in the near future,” he said.

Terming the distribution of free ration as an “immature move” by suspended Congress MP and leader of the Haryana Janhit Congress Kuldeep Bishnoi, Sharma said the move had backfired on the party for the sheer inconvenience it caused to the public while exposing the cheap publicity stunts of the party.

Sharma said it was the HJC which was employing “delaying tactics” with Bishnoi not putting in his papers.

“We are ready for the byelections to the three assembly seats and want to have the Lok Sabha election alongside. There is no delay from our side,” he stated.

Both Congress leaders welcomed HRD minister Arjun Singh’s suggestion to project Rahul Gandhi as the prime ministerial candidate since he has “a great legacy” behind him.

Mullana and Sharma, however, tried to dodge the question whether the three MLAs - Bhajan Lal, Rakesh Kamboj and Dharampal Malik - disqualified by the Speaker, had been proceeded against at the party level.

“They automatically stand expelled since they have become members of a new outfit,” they explained without stating in clear terms if the party had sent out a formal letter to the MLAs to expel them.

Chandigarh, April 15
The Haryana government has decided to disburse pensions and allowances given under various social welfare schemes through banks, both in urban and rural areas, to bring transparency in the transactions.

Stating this today, social justice and empowerment minister Kartar Devi said at present a total of 13,20,510 rural beneficiaries and 2,90,998 urban beneficiaries were being disbursed various pensions and allowances such as old-age allowance, handicapped pension, ladli social security allowance, financial assistance to widows, destitute women and destitute children, financial assistance to Kashmiri migrants and allowance to the dwarf and eunuchs.

These pensions and allowances were disbursed through gram panchayats in the rural areas and through urban municipal bodies in the urban areas.

Kartar Devi said the disbursement of all pensions and allowances through banks had been under the active consideration of the state government.

In phase one, the disbursement of pensions and allowances in urban and semi-urban areas, having multiple bank branches, and in villages with one or more branches, would be done through such bank branches.

There are 1,169 branches of banks in rural areas, 500 in semi-urban areas and 816 in urban areas in the state. — UNI

Gurgaon, April 15
Several workers of auto parts manufacturing firm Automax allegedly sustained injuries today when the police resorted to a mild use of force to disperse hundreds of those staging a protest in support of their demands at their unit in Binola village in Industrial Model Township (IMT), Manesar, about 15 km from here, on the national highway.

The police rounded up around 30 workers and union leaders. The trouble began when union leaders, addressing the meeting of the agitating workers near the Honda industrial unit at the IMT here, gave a call to stage a protest in front of their firm's another unit in Sector 3, Gurgaon.

The police spoiled their plan and dispersed them after a mild lathicharge. The police took legal adviser of CITU Rajender Pathak along with 23 workers into custody at Manesar while AITUC leader Anil Kumar and six workers were rounded up in front of the office of the deputy labour commissioner at Gurgaon.

There are no confirmed reports about the number of workers injured but union leaders claimed several suffered injuries and had been admitted to private hospitals.

The workers were agitating against the “vindictive policy” of the management, alleging that it was deliberately creating hurdles to the registration of the workers’ union at Automax.

They were also up in arms against the alleged unjustified transfer of their leaders as part of the management’s plan of curbing their democratic right of forming a union.

They had organised a demonstration in Gurgaon yesterday against this and their plan to organise a protest at the IMT had also been announced earlier.

In view of this, the district administration and the police had made elaborate arrangements to thwart any law and order situation arising thereof.

The police was deployed at all sensitive points in the district, especially on the highway, the mini-secretariat, Kamla Nehru Park and the deputy commissioner's residence.

Following the incident, assistant labour commissioner G. Anupama held separate talks with the management and the workers’ leaders.

State CITU secretary Satvir Singh alleged that the workers were targeted by the management in connivance with the district administration and the police.

He demanded the unconditional release of those taken into police custody, withdrawal of leaders’ transfer and discussion on the demands mentioned in a memorandum by the workers.

Gurgaon DC Rakesh Gupta said the administration would try to get the issue resolved through talks between the management and the workers.

Hisar, April 15
A four-year-old malnourished boy, who was rescued from his home six months ago, living off cow dung, has regained his health as well as his smiles.

The child, Ashwani, has been living at Shri Krishan Bal Ashram, an orphanage, at Kaimri village near here for the past three months ago following his treatment in the local Civil Hospital.

Deputy commissioner Deepti Umashankar on whose orders the child was recovered from his home in Banda Heri village visited the orphanage today and was pleasantly surprised when the child recognised her and greeted her with folded hands.

Ashwani’s plight was brought to her notice six months ago by some women hailing from Balsamand village.

They informed her that the child had been abandoned by his parents after their divorce. His mother settled elsewhere while his father remarried.

The father feared that Ashwani would claim share in his land after growing up. Therefore, he left the child in a cattle shed where he lived off cow dung.

The father had presumed that the child would die of malnutrition in a few weeks. However, when Ashwani’s story was brought to the notice of the deputy commissioner, she immediately dispatched a team of senior officers accompanied by the police to rescue the child.

Ashwani’s mother refused to even see the child after he was admitted to the hospital here.

His treatment lasted for three months after which the Kaimri orphanage was chosen for his further care.

Deepti spent about an hour with the boy. She said she was very happy to see the child return to normalcy. She appreciated the efforts being made by orphanage staff and immediately sanctioned a special grant of Rs 10,000 for the ashram.

She said the Red Cross had also opened a bank account for Ashwani with an initial deposit of Rs 5,000.

His parents had been directed to deposit Rs 2,000 per month for the child’s upkeep. Deepti said she was considering sending the boy to school now that he had fully recovered.

Rohtak, April 15
The state vigilance bureau has sought detailed information regarding the MD/MS/MDS/PG diploma entrance test conducted by Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) here from the university authorities.

The MDU vice-chancellor, Prof Ram Phal Hooda, confirmed that the vigilance bureau had sought the relevant records regarding the entrance test.

Hooda said he had received a letter from the vigilance authorities and forwarded the same to the controller of examinations for necessary action.

Meanwhile, a team of the vigilance bureau also visited the university today and started gathering information from various quarters.

The team, headed by a DSP-level official of the bureau, reached the MDU faculty house, where they questioned a cross-section of complainants and others regarding the matter.

It may be pertinent to mention here that a number of PG entrance aspirants, including present and former MBBS students of the local PGIMS, had alleged irregularities in the entrance examination conducted by MDU.

Following this, the MDU authorities had constituted a fact-finding committee to probe the allegations.

The committee had expressed doubt over some definite pattern emerging in the said exam and recommended a thorough inquiry into the matter by some competent agency.

A case regarding the issue is also under consideration of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The court had pulled up the state government as well as the MDU authorities and asked them to expedite the probe and clarify their stance. Following this, the vigilance bureau has initiated the probe into the matter.

Panipat, April 15
Aimed at strengthening road safety management in the state, Haryana may soon constitute a special board, which will be backed by sufficient funds to deal with this significant issue.

The final decision in this regard is expected to be announced by Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda at a high-level meeting, which is scheduled to be held in Chandigarh on April 17.

DGP R.S. Dalal has strongly recommended the suggestion of the Haryana highway patrol police to constitute the board, which is duly seconded by the home department.

At a national-level meeting held in Coimbatore last year, the union ministry of surface transport and highways had directed various states to constitute state road safety boards to oversee various aspects related to road safety.

According to official records, as many as 3,000 persons were killed annually on different NHs in the state.

If figures of state highways and other scheduled roads were included, the figures would be much higher and it was strongly felt that a body should be raised to manage road safety.

Confirming the move, Rajpal Singh, AIG (NH), said once approved, the road safety fund would get a share of 20 per cent of all fines collected from the violators of traffic rules in the state.

He said the fund could be utilised to maintain traffic lights, procuring latest hi-tech traffic safety gadgets, including digital boards for traffic movements and fog on busy highways besides others.

He said certain states, including Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala, had already constituted such boards.

Top officials from the police, home, PWD (B&R) and health departments were expected to be included as members of such boards.

Panipat, April 15
The Panipat police chief has denied the role of any Hindu organisation in the hooliganism at a local missionary school on Saturday afternoon.

A UNI report had named certain Hindu outfits for allegedly being involved in the attack on the school campus located on the Assandh road.

Panipat SP M.S. Sheoran rubbished the charges of forced conversion against the school management.

He said three youths had been arrested and were being interrogated. He added that the police was also probing the role of a parent who had charged the school with an attempt of forced conversion of his daughter.

Meanwhile, Panipat DC Mahinder Kumar confirmed that he had asked the ADC to look into the case after a complaint was received in this regard.

Faridabad, April 15
Wheat crop on more than seven acres, waiting to be harvested, was reduced to ashes today in a fire in Sikrona village in Ballabagarh subdivision near here.

Fire engines were pressed into service, and it took these over an hour to control the flames.

Although no case has been registered, reports say the owner of an adjacent field had set wheat stubs on fire, which spread to the standing crop on seven acres, owned by three persons.

Giriraj, whose crop on more than three acres was burnt, said he would take up the matter with the police and the administration.

SONEPAT: A fire engulfed agricultural fields spread across three villages in the district after a dust storm lashed the area.

No loss of life was reported but crops of wheat over 30 acres were destroyed on Monday by a blaze caused by sparking in transmission lines passing over the fields.

Sonepat, April 15
Two persons were killed in a road accident when the motorcycle they were riding was knocked down by a speeding truck late last night near Bahalgarh on the Bahalgarh-Baghpat road.

The deceased were identified as Ishwar Singh of Mohana village and his relative Dharmender of Shyamabad. The driver of the truck left the vehicle and escaped after the accident. 

The victims along with another youth, Sunny, were returning after attending a religious ceremony in Jhundpur village.

Sunny received minor injuries and has been admitted to a local Civil Hospital. The bodies of the deceased were handed over to their families after the postmortem examination.

Kaithal, April 15
SSP Anil Kumar has put under suspension two cops posted at Pundri police station on the charge of dereliction of duty.

The erring officials, ASI Udaibir Singh and head constable Shamsher Singh, during patrol duty on April 10 got information about an incident of theft and clash at a nearby village, but they failed to perform their duty diligently.

DSP Guhla Abhay Singh has been asked to inquire into the matter and submit a report. The SSP said strict disciplinary action would be taken against anyone found negligent in performing duty.

Meanwhile, a proclaimed offender, Subhash of Malikpur village, who was wanted by the Kaithal police on the charge of committing a burglary in a house at Siwan in October 2007, has been arrested by the police.

He was produced in a local court today and sent to judicial custody. The police has also arrested two persons on the charge of possessing poppy husk.

The accused, Kirpal Singh and Mukhtiar Singh, residents of Sher Mazra in Patiala district, were arrested from Pidal rest house on the Kaithal-Patiala road when they were carrying 1.3 gm and 2 kg poppy husk, respectively. They have been booked under Section 15, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act.

The police has arrested Mohinder Singh, a resident of Umaidpur village, after he was found carrying an illegal pistol. He has been booked under the Arms Act.

Yamunanagar, April 15
Students of classes I to VIII of government English-medium schools have been awaiting textbooks, which are to be given free of cost under the Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA).

Similarly, books of Punjabi, the second language of the state, too are not available.

As per sources in the education department, there were only “few” English-medium government schools in the state and textbooks in English were yet to be published for free of cost distribution.

During the last academic session also, students of English medium had to face a lot of problems in procuring books.

Sources said some students had purchased books on their own but a majority of them were waiting for free of cost books.

On the other hand, books in Hindi medium were being distributed in schools, claimed a senior official of the department.

However, inquiries revealed that books of mathematics (class VI) and drawing subjects (classes VI to VIII) in Hindi were not available.

Deputy district education officer Ashwani Sharma said he had not received demands for English-medium textbooks.