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Panipat flyover opens
Bridge collapse exposes PWD working
JBT Teachers’ Case
Teachers’ body seeks probe into irregularities
SEZ Issue |
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Teacher parades girl on campus, suspended
708 bottles of liquor found in school
Dr Amit receiving threats: Counsel
Widow beaten up, raped
ASI held for graft
Delhi Test
Sikhs protest against dera chief
2 killed in road mishap
Physically challenged man murdered
Kalayat to have 220 kV substation
2 die of poisonous gas
Justice Nawab Singh bereaved
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Panipat flyover opens
Panipat, July 16 Speaking on the occasion, the union minister said the Rs 418 crore project had been completed six months ahead of schedule and it would provide a big relief to a large number of road users in Panipat and other commuters using the NH-1. He said the project would lead to the overall development of Panipat and the adjoining areas, besides boosting the economy of the region. The foundation stone of the project had been laid by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in April 2006 and it was scheduled to be completed in January next year. Making a special mention of the benefit of the project, particularly in the context of rising international oil prices, the minister said it would result in considerable savings in terms of travel time and fuel. Travelling through this particular stretch on this national highway would take less than 10 minutes which earlier used to take 45 to 90 minutes. This, he saidm, would save about 30,000 litres of fuel each day, effecting a saving of about Rs 15 lakh per day on fuel alone. This new facility has been implemented on the build, operate and transfer basis (BOT) with “negative grant”. The flyover would be maintained by the concessionaire for a 20-year period, including the construction period. The elevated highway has six lanes stretched over 10 km, including a 3.4 km flyover. Besides, 9-metre-wide peripheral roads have also been provided on either side to cater to the local traffic without interfering with long-distance main traffic. Three under-passes have also been provided. Hooda, while speaking on the occasion, said the Congress government was committed to the overall development of the state and with adequate help from the union government, the state was fast moving on the path of progress. He said besides the Panipat flyover, several other projects were also in the pipeline which, once completed, would change the infrastructure scenes across the state. Also present on the occasion were K.H. Muniyappa, minister of state in the ministry of shipping, road transport and highways, MP Arvind Sharma, local MLA Balbir Pal Shah, chairman of the NHAI N. Gokul Ram and secretary, union transport ministry, Brahm Dutt, who also spoke on the occasion.
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Bridge collapse exposes PWD working
Fatehabad, July 16 The bridge was opened for vehicular traffic only last week and a part of it caved in yesterday. Poor repairs whereby the contractors filled the chasm created during the last accident with soil and stones without its proper compression is said to be the reason behind yesterday’s incident. Sources said the authorities had blacklisted the contractor. The authorities are now contemplating of blocking the flow of water from a portion of the bridge that caved in yesterday so that the incident does not recur. Meanwhile, additional deputy commissioner C.G. Rajnikanthan has submitted his report on the June 16 incident of bridge collapse to the commissioner, Hisar division. Rajnikanthan is also learnt to have held the contractor as well as officials of the public works department (buildings and roads) responsible for the bridge collapse that resulted in death of Sonu Garg and his four-year-old son Jatin on June 16. According to sources, the ADC had said in his report that a timely ban on the flow of traffic on the bridge on June 16 could have saved the two lives. The report said there was a gross negligence on the part of the PWD (B&R) authorities, who had not repaired the bridge, the only link between Haryana and Punjab in this area, for the past 25 years. Such was the lackadaisical approach of the authorities that they took two years to start the repair work on the bridge after its proposal was made in 2006. The report said the condition of the bridge was such that it should have been banned for vehicular traffic from the morning of June 16, but no one cared to do so. The ADC had recorded the versions of over 20 persons, besides Ratia SDM Yogesh Mehta, an XEN, an SDO and two junior engineers of the PWD (B&R) and some other government officials before completing his report. |
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Case adjourned till Aug 20
Yoginder Gupta Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, July 16 Former Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, his MP son Ajay Chautala, his former OSD Vidya Dhar, his former political adviser Sher Singh Badshami, former director education Sanjiv Kumar and 11 district primary education officers are among the accused in the case filed by the CBI after the agency was directed by the Supreme Court to investigate. Over 3,000 candidates were selected by departmental committees for appointment as JBT teachers in the state in 2000. Before they could be offered appointment letters, there was a change of government in Haryana. It was alleged by petitioners before the apex court that the original list was replaced by another list of candidates whom the then government wanted to oblige. Initially, the government denied that two lists were prepared. However, after the respondents conceded before the apex court that the two selection lists did exist, the Supreme Court asked the CBI to find out which list was genuine and which was bogus. The CBI court today adjourned the case because the summonses could not be served on all accused. The elder Chautala is out of the country. Meanwhile, the government has not decided yet what to do about the “tainted” candidates, though the Supreme Court had clearly said their fate would depend upon the result of the inquiry. “It is only one set of persons, who will be found genuine and hence entitled to hold the posts of teacher and persons from the list (from which the candidates were given appointment), if found to be false, shall have to make room for others.” On the face of it, the Supreme Court made it very clear that once the CBI completed its inquiry, the list held as genuine by the premier investigating agency would prevail and the candidates on it would get appointment. The state education department has not given any thought so far how to implement the court orders. Meanwhile, Congress MLA from Palwal Karan Singh Dalal, who was the spirit behind the petitions filed in the Supreme Court, has said since his house was also raided by the CBI during the investigation, he would move an application in the court that he should also be made a party to the case.
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Teachers’ body seeks probe into irregularities
Rohtak, July 16 In a press statement issued here yesterday, MDUTA president Ajmer Kajal and secretary Dalip Singh said the association had written a letter to the MDU chancellor, urging him to order an inquiry into the matter. A decision to this effect was taken at an executive meeting of the MDUTA, they said, adding that a high-level probe was a must to restore a healthy administrative and academic environment at the university. “Media reports in the past few days indicate the involvement of the MDU vice-chancellor in certain irregularities in construction-related works at the university. On the other hand, the vice-chancellor has denied having committed any irregularities and sought a high-level inquiry into the issue himself,” the association maintains, adding that in the given circumstances, a probe was a must to bring out the truth.
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Women try to set bus afire
Raju William Tribune News Service
Gurgaon, July 16 This happened despite strong police deployment in the villages around the SEZ site in Harsaru village ever since the aggrieved farmers started agitation last month when the district administration handed possession of 1,400 acres acquired for an SEZ to Reliance. A curfew-like situation has since been prevailing in the area with heavy deployment of the police to check any untoward incident. The police vigil had been stepped up after a mob of farmers burnt two JCB machines being used for erecting a boundary wall at the SEZ site on July 1. But dodging the police, around 20 women suddenly came out on the road today raising slogans against the state government over the SEZ and stopped a government bus. They directed all bus passengers to alight. As the passengers complied, the women started throwing stones at it and damaged its windowpanes. They tried to burn it but disappeared before the fire brigade and the police reached there. “No woman involved in the incident has be arrested yet,” said Rakesh Arya, DCP (west), who went to the spot. The incident belies official claims that the situation is fully under control in the area. This is the third incident of agitating villagers resorting to damaging government property. Following the burning of JCB machines, some agitators had tried to damage the official gypsy of ACP Pataudi. The police had taken out a flag march to prevent recurrence of such incidents.
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Teacher parades girl on campus, suspended
Faridabad, July 16 The teacher allegedly darkened her face with a sketch pen before parading her on the campus. She allegedly wrote on the girl’s face that she was inefficient. The teacher concerned, Sangeeta, was placed under suspension following a violent protest by residents of the village. Ram Pal, father of the victim, said his daughter was subjected to the same kind of cruelty by the teacher a few days back. The news spread in the village soon after the school hours. Residents of the village gheraoed the school and resorted to vandalism and stone-pelting in protest. The police had to resort to a mild canecharge to disperse the crowd. Councillor of the Municipal Council of Faridabad B.S. Arya reached the spot and expressed sympathy with the crowd. District education officer Mool Chand Yadav first tried to resolve the situation by urging the teacher to apologise to the parents and the residents. However, the residents did not relent and demanded a harsher punishment for the errant teacher.
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708 bottles of liquor found in school
Gurgaon, July 16 The illegally stocked bottles have been confiscated. Acting on a tip-off, a team of excise officials led by deputy excise and taxation commissioner (DETC) Ashok Sharma raided the premises of Starex International School near Binola village on the NH-8. The raiding party had to break the lock of the room in the school premises, in which the bottles were stocked. A total of 708 bottles (700 ml) of Scotch whisky of Scottish Knight brand were recovered from there. An NRI is said to be the owner of the school. Sharma said inquiries revealed that the said stock belonged to a company, Starex Import Export India Private Limited, whose corporate office in situated on the school premises since the company and the school had the same ownership. The company has admitted its fault and agreed to pay penalty of Rs 3,25,000 imposed by the department. In response to the notice given by the excise department, the company said it had the licence for imported liquor, which was cancelled sometime back. Therefore, the stock was shifted to the school premises from its godown. |
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Dr Amit receiving threats: Counsel
Ambala, July 16 Counsel for Dr Amit informed the court that his client had been getting threats in the court and he was also asked to pay ransom by a notorious group in the jail. The counsel requested the court to change the barrack of Dr Amit for his security. The court asked the counsel to file a written application in this regard. Dr Amit’s counsel said he would also file an application before the superintendent of jail for providing security to Dr Amit in the jail. He said Dr Amit was the main accused in the kidney scam and he should be provided a safer barrack in the jail. The CBI filed an application in the court seeking permission for investigating the matter aboard. The court will hear it on July 30. The CBI application for seizing the bank accounts of Dr Amit in Canada will also be heard on July 30. |
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Widow beaten up, raped
Fatehabad, July 16 The victim was admitted to the general hospital, Ratia, at about 11 pm that night. However, despite information to the police, her medical examination could not be conducted for two days. She was brought to the general hospital, Fatehabad, today, where she was examined on the third day of the incident. In her complaint to the police, the victim has alleged that Gajjan, alias Gajji, of the same village knocked at her door on the night of July 13. He came in by jumping the wall, when she refused to open the door. When she protested, she was beaten up and allegedly raped. When her neighbour Bhura Singh and his wife tried to rescue her, they too were allegedly beaten up by the accused. Bhura Singh somehow saved her by locking her inside a bathroom. She was rushed to the general hospital at Ratia and her brother living in a Punjab village was informed. SP Saurabh Singh said a case had been registered on the complaint of the woman. |
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ASI held for graft
Jind, July 16 The accused had allegedly threatened the victim that he would register a case against him under the Arms Act. He had demanded money in return for withdrawal of his threat. The complainant was allegedly in the list of persons having suspected character and anti-social background. It is reported that the complainant identified as Sonu was summoned by the police in connection with some case recently. The ASI had demanded Rs 6,000, he told vigilance officials with whom he had lodged a complaint a few days back. The department concerned deputed a team and arrested the ASI red-handed after he allegedly took the “powdered” currency notes worth Rs 3,000 from a person who had come on behalf of the complainant at the police station. The naib tehsildar of Safidon subdivision had been appointed as Duty Magistrate. It is revealed that the middleman identified as Jaideep from the same village decided to hand over only Rs 3,000 instead of the demanded sum to the ASI. Jaideep was also arrested on corruption charges by the team. A case has been registered in this regard.
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No leader approached Bishnoi: Cong
Tribune News Service
Yamunanagar, July 16 He was reacting to Bishnoi’s statement yesterday wherein he had announced to cast his vote against the Congress-led UPA government and also claimed to have been approached by Congress leaders. Addressing a press conference, he said Bishnoi was confused about his stand on the Indo-US nuclear deal. Earlier, he was in its favour and was now campaigning against the deal.
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Sikhs protest against dera chief
Sirsa, July 16 They handed over a memorandum to SDM Subhash Sheoran, which was addressed to President Pratibha Patil. The memorandum sought the arrest of the dera chief in the Mumbai incident, in which a Sikh was killed. The incident had sparked off protests in various parts of the country. It blamed the Haryana government for shielding the dera chief. Meanwhile, followers of the Dera Sacha Sauda of Rania subdivision also handed over a memorandum to tehsildar Randhir Singh Bura. |
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2 killed in road mishap
Rewari, July 16 Sources said the incident took place when the truck driver was reportedly trying to overtake the three-wheeler. The deceased have been identified as Rohtash Saini, a resident of Khaliawas village and an employee of the DHBVN, and Babita (28), wife of Ajit Singh of Khijoori village. The police has registered a case against the truck driver, who reportedly absconded from the spot leaving the truck behind.
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Physically challenged man murdered
Fatehabad, July 16 His body was found near the government school of the village this morning. The victim had been hit on the head and the face with a blunt object. His body was dragged before being dumped near the water tank of the school. His crutches were found lying at a distance. Victim Harpat Singh’s brother Rattan Singh has lodged a complaint with the police in this regard. He said in his FIR that his brother
lived in Sahuwala village in Bhadra tehsil of Rajasthan. He said he received information that the body of his brother was lying near a school in Dhingsara village. The police has registered a case under sections 302 and 201 of the IPC and begun investigation. The police suspects it to be a case of animosity. |
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Kalayat to have 220 kV substation
Kaithal, July 16 He said after the setting up of this substation, power supply to the
Kalayat area would be streamlined.
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2 die of poisonous gas
Yamunanagar, July 16 The mishap took place when a farmer, Joginder Singh, along with his servant Ranbir had gone deep into the tubewell to repair a non-functional motor. The police said after the duo did not respond to the family members’ calling, Joginder Singh’s brother Gurmeet Singh moved down into the tubewell. He found that Joginder Singh and Ranbir were lying dead. Gurmeet Singh, who also inhaled the poisonous gas, however, managed to move out of the well in time. Thereafter, he fell ill and was admitted to a hospital and now was said to be out
of danger. |
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Justice Nawab Singh bereaved
Chandigarh, July 16 She is survived by two sons and
one daughter. Her body was cremated at Ambala city in the afternoon. Among those who attended her funeral were the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Justice Vijender Jain, several colleagues of Justice Nawab Singh, Haryana Congress president Phool Chand Mullana, former minister and local MLA Venod Sharma, MLA of Ambala cantonment Devinder Bansal and senior administrative and judicial officers of the district. |
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House tax waiver scheme extended
Chandigarh, July 16
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3 arrested for dowry death
Jind, July 16 The victim identified as Poonam Devi died of burn injuries. Before her death, she had alleged that her husband and in-laws used to harass her for dowry. The accused have been identified as Jaiveer, husband of Poonam, mother-in-law Santtro and brother-in-law Sishan. A case under Sections 304-B and 498-A of the IPC had been registered against the accused. |
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To ease out congestion in the city on the NH-1, the 10 km Panipat ele-
vated highway that includes a 3.4 km flyover on North-South Corridor was today inaugurated by union minister for shipping, road transport and highways T.R. Baalu along
Bhupinder Singh Hooda.
