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Drive to identify illegal Bangladeshis
Sonepat, July 17 Besides constituting a special team of at least 12 police personnel under the command of a sub-inspector to keep track of the suspected residents, all SHOs in the district have been directed to intensify search of Bangladeshis in the localities under their respective areas. The police has already nabbed 10 such Bangladeshis. These have been identified as Abdul (16), Halim (21), Jaiyad (16), Hamim (30), Latif (31), Mohammad Sayyad (20), Mohammad Mohdool (15), Hafigul (12), Mohammad Dholu and Abdul Rashid. Mohammad Dholu and Abdul Rashid were arrested after their alleged involvement in the two incidents of robbery in Sectors 23 and 15 within a span of a week this month. The police has already contacted the BSF authorities on Indo-Bangladesh border for the deportation of the remaining eight Bangladeshis who would be handed over by a police team to the BSF authorities. Most of these detained persons remained engaged in rag-picking during their stay in Sonepat. Interrogation of the two arrested accused in the robbery cases revealed that most of these illegal residents did not stay at one place for long and keep shifting their hideouts in Delhi, Panipat, Sonepat and other areas of the NCR. Generally, they immediately shift to other places after committing the crime. One of the accused, Rashid Latif, had been working as a ragpicker in Sonepat town for the past three years and he became well-conversant with the localities of the town. He reportedly confessed to committing a robbery in Sector 23.
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Reforms pay off for power utility
Hisar, July 17 While the nigam officially concedes that technological improvements and energy audit are the two biggest factors behind this feat, unofficially they say technological measures have also greatly reduced scope for corrupt elements to practice their dubious art. Records reveal that the Nigam has set a new record in the reduction of aggregate transmission and commercial (AT&C) losses by cutting these by 7 per cent during the last fiscal. As against this, the reduction was 12 per cent from 2004 to 2007. In the last fiscal, the losses came down from 32.38 per cent to 25.06 per cent down from a high of 36.85 per cent in 2004. For the last fiscal, the target was 6 per cent reduction. As a result of the reduction in losses, there has been a whopping increase in revenue collection efficiency also. The revenue collection efficiency has increased by over 7 per cent during past three years from about 94 per cent in 2004-05 to over 101 per cent in 2007-08. A major factor behind the sharp drop in line losses is that the length of the low-tension (LT) distribution lines has been minimised. Basically, the length of the LT line determines the losses. The lengthier the LT line, higher the line loss. All commercial institutions and industries having over 20 KW load are being given independent transformers. All tubewell connections are being connected to high-tension (HT) lines by providing independent transformers. Industries are being encouraged to have independent feeders. A high voltage distribution system (HVDS) is being provided in the villages and urban localities to further minimise the length of LT lines. Another important initiative in the direction of reducing line losses and improving power supply in the rural areas is the segregation of rural domestic and agriculture load. About 800 new feeders will be laid under this scheme shortly. The DHBVN has given impetus to energy audit. For this purpose, metres are being provided at all transformers. For close monitoring and energy audit, a computerised energy audit control room has been set up in Gurgaon. The metres are being relocated outside on the poles in a phased manner. Lakhs of metres have already been relocated. Metres of all HT industries have also been shifted outside their gates and while giving new connections, meters are provided on gates only. A major quantum of line losses is attributed to the theft of electricity in connivance with nigam officials. Surprise raids are being carried to check the theft. The hook-a-crook scheme to check theft is paying dividends under which 40 per cent amount of penalty is paid to the informer. Considering that technical improvement is better way to check theft, the DHBVN has been utilising the latest electrical inputs in the distribution and metering systems minimising the chances of theft. Nigam officials said technological improvements would greatly reduce corruption in the coming years. Incidentally, Haryana has been among the states with the highest line losses for a number of years. |
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Rains damage cotton crop in Bhiwani
Bhiwani, July 17 The department has suggested farmers to sprinkle prophanophos, cunalphose and chlorpiriphos on the crop so that the worm cannot harm the crop. The authorities said the insect was being developed in the Bt cotton and other specific cotton due to daily rains. It would be harmful for the crop if timely treatment was not done, they said. According to the officials, the insect spread quickly on the crops and can damage it within hours. A report released by the department said the
Milibug makes its house on the congress grass and can attack on cotton and kharif crops. The department has advised the farmers to sprinkle prophanphos 50 EC 500 mg per acre, cunalphose 800 mg per acre and cholorpiriphos 20 EC 2,000 mg per acre after mixing 125 to 200 lt of water in it.
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Historical Theh Mohalla
Sirsa, July 17 Under the tutelage of the BJP SC Morcha, Dalit Samaj and the Theh Mohalla Niwasi, the residents handed over a memorandum to deputy commissioner V Umashankar on July 15 to be forwarded to President Pratibha Patil. They allege political pressure behind the move to uproot their dwellings and urge that these designs must be obstructed at any cost. Over the past five decades, several illegal houses have sprung up in Theh (mound of mud and soil) Mohalla much to the annoyance of aficionados of art, culture, archaeology and history. They are of the view that historical objects related to ancient, medieval and British periods should be excavated and preserved. Interestingly, unauthorised houses have managed to get power and water connections besides lying of pucca roads in the area. The experts feel that once free from encroachments, the Theh area could be excavated by professional archaeological agencies for finding vital objects of historical importance. However, the residents are of the view that they have been living here from decades and have invested their hard earned money to raise houses. The show-cause notices have been issued to inhabitants under Section 19 (1) of Ancient Monuments Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, signed by superintending archaeologist, ASI, Chandigarh circle. One such notice states “Ratni Devi, wife of Chander Bhan, a resident of Theh mound, has raised an unauthorised construction on the government land at the ancient site, Theh Mound, Sirsa, a centrally protected monument of national importance. Meanwhile, carrying out any kind of construction activity has been banned in the area. Keeping in view a large number of electorates, the ruling and opposition parties have come out in support of the “unlawful” residents of Theh. Owing to this patronage, thousands of houses have sprung up in the locality with impunity. However, the experts are peeved at the lackadaisical approach of various government departments for squandering away of artefacts and objects pertaining to medieval and ancient ages. It would not be an exaggeration to say that countless objects might have either been frittered away or destroyed during illegal construction.
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Inside Babudom
Chandigarh, July 17 The reshuffle was, of course, as a senior officer associated with the process, said, was not a judgment on who was wrong – officers or the ministers. The officer said the officers were shifted in order to ensure that the functioning of the departments should not suffer in view of the strained relations between their bureaucratic heads and the political leadership. But the case of registrar, Cooperative Societies (RCS) R.R. Jowel is curious. It was an open secret that Jowel was not pulling along with his minister Harmohinder Singh Chatha or even with his secretary Manik B. Sonawane. Chatha’s complaint was that the officer was not following even his written orders. The reshuffle saw the shifting of Jowel out of the cooperation department, which must be a relief to Sonawane. But Chatha was not so lucky. The new posting of Jowel was as director of the agriculture department, which is also headed by Chatha! Neerja, state project director, Haryana Prathmik Shiksha Pariyojna Parishad, had to move out as additional director, urban estates, Panchkula, as education minister Mange Ram Gupta had refused to entertain files sent to him by her. His allegation was that Neerja had released huge grants to an undeserving NGO. A senior bureaucrat, Yudhvir Singh Malik, had to shed the charge of the forests and environment departments in favour of P.K. Gupta. It is reliably learnt that Malik and his minister Kiran Choudhry did not see eye to eye on certain issues and just a couple of days before the reshuffle, a meeting between them was far from cordial. Arun Kumar, former deputy commissioner of Chandigarh, and excise and taxation minister Birender Singh were not comfortable with each other. Some say they were not even on talking terms. After serving as excise and taxation commissioner for several months, Arun Kumar had to make way for A.K. Singh. Similarly, P.K Das, MD, Haryana Vidyut Parsarn Nigam, special secretary, power department, and director, power reforms, was shifted as state project director, Haryana Prathmik Shiksha Pariyojna Parishad. The relations between him and the youthful power minister Randeep Singh Surjewala were not cordial. Besides Das, the power department saw the exit two more officers, Jyoti Arora and A.K. Singh, managing directors of Haryana Power Generation Corporation, and the Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitaran Nigam, respectively. But their relations with the minister were cordial. According to sources, Jyoti had herself requested the Chief Minister for her transfer from the power department where she had worked for five years because she wanted an experience in some other field also. As MD of the generation corporation, Jyoti executed projects worth crores of rupees during her tenure of five years. Besides, long-term agreements for purchase of power were signed, which would serve the power-starved state for the next several decades. The reshuffle also saw the rehabilitation of former Chandigarh home secretary Krishan Mohan, his batch mate S.C. Chaudhary and the 1991 cadre officer Ashok
Khemka.
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Docs treat irregular heartbeat with new technique
Rohtak, July 17 A 50-year-old male patient suffering from permanent atrial fibrillation along with rheumatic severe MR came to the PGIMS superspeciality wing for treatment. A team of senior doctors led by cardiac surgeon S.S. Lohchab and cardiologist K.S. Laller treated the patient by using the latest Cryo Maze-IV procedure along with Bioprosthetic Mitral Valve replacement. Dr Raj Mala was the anesthetist. After the surgery, the patient had sinus rhythm and uneventful recovery; and has been discharged. “Although cryo maze-IV operation is being performed in the USA and Europe for the past few years, it is for the first time that this operation has been performed in India,” asserts Dr N.K. Magu, public relations officer at the PGIMS. Dr Lohchab, senior professor and head of the department of cardiac surgery, says he learned the procedure and got the requisite training at Cleveland Clinic, USA, in October 2007. “Atrial fibrillation is a disorder in which heartbeat is irregular. Irregular heartbeat predisposes to loss of 1/4th function of the cardiac pump, clot formulation in cardiac chamber and stroke,” he reveals, adding that the restoration of sinus rhythm avoids these lethal complications. Dr Lohchab points out that atrial fibrillation is very common in the patients suffering from rheumatic heart disease in the country. The surgical management of atrial fibrillation came into practice all over the world in 1992-93. Dr James Cox devised this operation in the US. Dr Amit Banerjee performed this operation in 1995 at GB Pant Hospital in New Delhi. This surgical method was a very extensive operation and research was carried out all over the world to make it less invasive. The less invasive surgical treatment, involving the use of cryo therapy with argon gas at 160 degree temperature, has been found to be most effective and popularised all over the world during the recent years.
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Haryana Punjabi Gaurav Puraskar instituted
Panchkula, July 17 The academy has instituted the first ever Haryana Punjabi Gaurav Puraskar (Life time achievement award) carrying prize money of Rs 1.25 lakh from this year. Besides, two new awards on books on ‘Haryanvi Lok Sahit’ and ‘Hasya Vyang’ worth Rs 21,000 have been introduced, he added. The eligibility for bestowing the awards will be within the framework of norms formulated by the Haryana Sahit Akademy, he clarified. Expressing gratitude to the government of Haryana for providing a palatial office building for four academies, costing over Rs 5 crore and raising the annual budget of academy to Rs 40 lakh, Moudgil elaborated decisions taken in the latest general body meeting chaired by Haryana education minister Mange Ram Gupta and presided over by Rajan Gupta, commissioner education and languages. They include provision for participation of 10 to 15 writers in national and international seminars (within India) on Punjabi literature, on behalf of the academy held outside Haryana.
The academy will also conduct two seminars with participation of NRI writers in this year. To encourage budding creative writers in Punjabi poetry and short story writing, contests will be held in colleges for graduate and postgraduate levels. The first respective winners will get prize of Rs 3500, Rs 3000 and Rs 2500. Besides the existing award, money on short story for writers have been raised threefold so that the pristine folk flavour of rich Haryanvi folklore is relished by Punjabi readers. The academy will publish the works of legendary folklore exponent and performer Pandit Lakhmi Chand. The visionary folk legend, revered as the Shakespeare of the state had virtually translated the soul of Haryana is his ‘swaangs and raginis’. Besides books of other writers including Bal Mukund Gupt, will be translated in Punjabi during this year, said Moudgil. The academy established in 1997 has registered a manifold development over the years under the support of the government with annual budget swelling to eight times. Reacting sharply to any criticism by his detractors, Moudgil, a prolific author of a record 42 punjabi books including six translation works, reiterated that, “None has come forward so far. But, I will gratefully honour it, if it is in the welfare of the academy and Punjabi language.” “ I have been openly inviting and getting suggestions from all established and budding writers in the state. With their blessings and cooperation. The Punjabi “Maa boli” has attained a spectacular level in the state,” claims Moudgil with a resolve to march ahead.
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Panchkula youth hostel in ruins
Panchkula, July 17 The building has a river view, the Shivalik hills in its backdrop and lies alongside a lush green golf course. This location, which would otherwise be envy to a five-star resort, has turned into virtual ruins in the absence of timely repairs. As one enters the premises, big cracks in the walls, peeled off plaster and broken windows welcome the visitors. The rainy season has made it almost impossible to use the kitchen and bathrooms which have leaking roofs. The condition of beds, sofas and other articles, put in place 24 years ago, is not difficult to imagine. In fact, the building was never repaired after it was inaugurated on August 5, 1972 by then union minister of state for tourism and civil aviation Sarojini Mahishi. Though the 55 beds in three halls and two rooms of the hostel remain occupied most of time as the hostel provides cheaper accommodation to the youth reaching here for appearing in different examinations at Chandigarh or Panchkula or the adventure parties en route to Himachal Pradesh. The proximity of the hostel to the Tau Devi Lal sports complex in Sector 3 has also increased its utility. The resource crunch has become a major hurdle in providing visitors with better facilities. The installation of a cooler is a distant dream as hardly two fans that also in a pathetic condition have been installed for 12 beds
in the hall. Lighting arrangements are of no use to the students who stay here to appear for examinations as only two tube lights are available in the hall. “We have been pursuing the case for grant from the ministry but to no avail,” said M.L. Vairagi, assistant director, sports and youth affairs, who is looking after youth activities
in the state. But there is still a ray of hope for the hostel. State chief secretary Dharam Vir who visited the hostel recently has directed the officials concerned to put up a proposal for the funds required for the repair of the hostel with the state government.
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Yamunanagar schools to have legal literacy cells
Yamunanagar, July 17 Giving details, he said the legal literacy cells would be constituted in 42 government senior secondary schools, four private aided senior secondary schools, 54 private unaided senior secondary schools and 19 CBSE affiliated schools of
the district. The cell would collect legal literacy material on social problems like domestic violence, human rights, right of the disabled, drug de-addiction, hygiene and general awareness, dowry, fundamental duties, right of the destitute women and children, female feticide and HIV/AIDS. “Awareness about the legal and other social issues will be imparted to the students by involving them in debates, quiz contests, declamation contests, essays, poetry and slogan writing and spot painting competition and other cultural activities such as skits, dramas, dance and musical programmes once in a month in the selected schools,” he said. Besides, at least two periods in a week would be assigned to these problems and teachers should be asked to address the students in the morning assembly by rotation, he said, adding, “The principals would invite the district officers and prominent persons whenever the function is organised in the school and the winners of the competitions be suitably awarded”. “The principal of the school will be the chairman of the legal literacy cell whereas the senior most lecturers will be the member secretary. Other eight members will comprise of two boys and two girls of class XII, one PTA member among others”. The members of the cell would meet once in a month. A rally would also be organised highlighting various social problems at least once in a month,
he added.
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Jind tops in implementing 20-point programme
Jind, July 17 According to a recent communication issued by the state government, the results of the report in this regard are based upon the annual analysis of works done in all the 20 types of schemes included in the programme. It is revealed that the overall achievement in the Sampooran Gramin Swarojgar Yojna under which unemployed were given financial support for self-employment in the rural areas, the district was able to spend about 99.99 per cent of the available funds in order to achieve the target. The authorities have also been able to achieve almost 96 per cent of the target in matter of implementing Indira Awas Yojna under which support is provided to the families in the BPL category to construct their own houses. As many as 447 housing units were made during the period, claims additional deputy commissioner B.B. Kaushik. He states the achievement is 100 per cent in matter of Sampooran Gramin Rojgar Yojna. Under the scheme, a total of 2,120 families got benefit, as an amount of Rs 2.20 crore was spent. Under the Indira Awas Yojna, an amount of Rs 25,000 was given to each of the BPL families to enable them to construct their own dwellings. The swarojgar yojna, however, ended on March 31 this year, as it has been replaced with the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, which came into affect in April this year. Employment to unskilled labour is provided under the new scheme. The government promises a total employment of 100 days to each person in a year. A total of about Rs 8.30 lakh has been spent till the end of June this year. The deputy commissioner has congratulated the officials, including the department of the DRDA, which implements the most of such schemes.
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