Bhiwani, August 10
In view of the slow pace of draining out accumulated rainwater from the city, the district administration has announced that schools and colleges will remain closed till August 12.

The deputy commissioner said the decision had been taken in the wake of difficulties being faced by students while coming to their respective educational institutions.

The process to drain out water remained slow today as compared to yesterday, when the Chief Minister visited the city.

Meanwhile, the district administration has no concrete plan to evacuate water. Pumps have been installed in such directions that they throw water towards the other side of the road.

A pump installed near the old bus stand road has been pumping water from the civil lines police station side and throwing towards Adarsh Colony.

Huge potholes have developed on waterlogged roads, which have been under water for the fourth consecutive day. Water is still stagnant in many areas, including Vaish Model School, Chetna Sadan, Nunsar pond, Haluwas gate, Hanuman gate, Shiv Nagar, Dinod gate, Mehtab Dass Dhani, Jain Chowk, Adarsh Nagar, Court road, Old Housing Board, district jail road and the Loharu road.

Residents of the old bus stand road and Old Housing Board Colony have demanded to change administrative officers, who have failed to combat the situation.

The evacuation process at the lone disposal house was hit today when the electric motor of a pump burnt out. It adversely affected the evacuation process from the Loharu road, Shiv Nagar Colony and the Balmiki basti.

The DC held a meeting and directed the municipal council officials to depute at least 10 to 15 safai karamcharis, under supervision of each ward councillor, to lift the garbage from their respective wards.

He also asked the councillor to ensure sanitation in their respective wards in view of stagnant water.

He urged the residents to use boiled drinking water and take care of their eyes. As many as 20 health check-up teams had been constituted to check door-to-door in respect of eye flu and other ailments.

These teams have been asked to visit Jalan chowk, Shiv Nagar, Ram Nagar Colony, Labour Colony, Kanhi Ram hospital, Shashtri Nagar, Jagat Colony, Uttam Nagar, Hanuman gate, Balmiki basti, MC Colony and Hanuman dhani.

Rajya Sabha MP and INLD general-secretary Ajay Singh Chautala today visited the flood-affected areas of the city and villages.

Later, at a press conference, Chautala lashed out at the state government and the district administration for laxity in the draining out process.

He said the draining out was being done in an unplanned manner and pumping out the water with low-capacity motors would yield no result. He alleged that during his tour to the city, he found no officer or employee in affected areas. Residents of these areas had been facing scarcity of drinking water.

The CM’s visit could not provide any relief to the city, he said, adding that the use of JCB machine to repair damaged sewers had added worsened the situation.

He deplored that the condition of roads in the city was so poor that no one could pass through it smoothly. The INLD would organise medical camps and provide free of cost medicine in flood-affected areas, he said.

Sirsa, August 10
Villagers today locked up a waterworks building at Raghuana village here in protest against erratic supply of drinking water to their village.

They alleged that owing to a lackadaisical attitude of the authorities, motors of the tubewells installed at the waterworks had been lying out of order for long.

Raising slogans against the public health authorities, villagers led by their sarpanch Kulwant Kaur alleged that the supply of potable water to the village was very poor.

“Women have to bring water from far off tubewells and even there, water is scarce due to poor power supply,” said the sarpanch.

The villagers said they met the authorities earlier and asked them to get the motors repaired, but nothing had been done so far.

They also demanded the transfer of the operator, who they alleged, did not operate the waterworks in time.

The villagers opened the locks, when executive engineer, PWD (public health), Vikram Singh reached there and assured them of better supply.

“I started the water supply to the village in my presence today. The motors have been repaired but the villagers have been demanding motors of higher capacity. I have transferred the operator and assured the villagers that water supply to the village will be improved,” said Vikram Singh.

Meanwhile, the police today registered a case for assault, obstructing public servant from performance of duty and criminal intimidation against more than over five persons for beating up DHBVN officials at 33-kV power substation in Bhuratwala village on July 15.

Rohtak, August 10
A number of residents of Kheri Sadh village on the outskirts of Rohtak town blocked the Delhi-Hisar National Highway No.10 passing through the village late this evening.

The protesters alleged that the police had been harassing the family members of a co-villager, who had reportedly committed suicide. To register their protest against the alleged high-handedness of the police, the villagers placed the body of the deceased on the road and sat in dharna beside it.

Suresh, a resident of this village, had reportedly committed suicide by consuming poison.

Alleging that the police had been harassing the family members of the deceased, the villagers placed the body on the Delhi-Hisar road after they got it following a postmortem.

On getting information, a police team headed by a DSP rushed to the spot. The protesters alleged that the police did not take any action against Suresh’s sister-in-law and a youth with whom she allegedly had illicit relations.

“Instead, the police started harassing the family members of Suresh,” the villagers alleged. They demanded action against the Kharawar police post in charge and immediate arrest of the accused.

Rohtak SSP Alok Mittal said a case of abetment to suicide had been registered on the basis of the suicide note left behind by the deceased.

The allegations against the police personnel would be inquired into, he said, adding that appropriate action would be taken against whosoever was found guilty.

The road blockade had not been lifted till the time of filing the report.

Rohtak, August 10
The Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) has successfully completed all technical tests required for the commissioning of the state’s first unmanned 33 kV substation located on the premises of Bal Bhawan in Rohtak.

The substation has been energised on no load and the load would be put on the system shortly. Giving details, an official spokesman for the nigam said here today that the latest technology had been used for setting up the substation in minimum area.

It has been connected with the 132 kV substation, Khokhra Kot, Rohtak, through a 33 kV line. An 8 MVA transformer has been installed on the substation premises. The construction work has been completed at a cost of Rs 1.68 crore.

According to official sources, the substation and its feeders would be controlled by computers from a remote location. The remote-control hardware and software for controlling this substation would be placed at the 33 kV substation at Model Town in Rohtak town.

The real-time data of each feeder and the power transformer would be available to the controlling authorities. The remote-control hub records all events in real time and enables preventive actions when electrical parameters go beyond safety levels, thus minimising damage to costly electrical equipment.

The spokesman further stated that the areas adjoining the Sonepat road at Rohtak, including Mansarovar Colony, Prem Nagar, Vikas Nagar, Luxmi Niagar, Jhang Colony, Kishanpura, Mini-Secretariat, Judicial Complex and all nearby government offices, besides Subhash Road, Guru Nanak Pura, Saini Pura, AIR Road and Gohana Stand would be connected with this substation.

Nearly 4,000 domestic as well as non-domestic power consumers of these areas would be benefited by way of better voltage and continuity of electricity supply, he added. 

Karnal, August 10
Members of the Sanshi community protested against the alleged shoddy investigations carried out by the police into the murder of a domestic help of Salwan village at district headquarters here today.

The protesters alleged that Naresh was killed by members of the house, in which he used to work as a domestic help on July 30.

The SHO of Salwan village was accused of shielding those responsible for the killing.

State-level leader of the Sanshi community Jile Singh said the police forcibly got a postmortem of the deceased conducted at the Asand community centre, while relatives of the deceased demanded that the postmortem be conducted at the Karnal Civil Hospital.

He alleged that Naresh was beaten up badly as his jaw was dislocated and there were injury marks on his abdomen.

The community leader said in the postmortem report it was concluded that Naresh died of some shock. The police did not even bother to get the house, where Naresh lived, examined by forensic experts.

Instead, when Naresh’s brother raised an objection to the manner in which the investigations were being carried out, the SHO took his and his wife’s clothes and sent it for forensic examination, accusing them of having killed Naresh.

Jile Singh alleged that the SHO was hand in glove with the accused and in case the higher authorities did not intervene in ensuring justice, the community members would continue to hold protests.

Chandigarh, August 10
Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has demanded that the ban of on the export of the PUSA 1121 variety of paddy should be lifted immediately.

Hooda not only wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar and union minister of commerce and industry Kamal Nath but also met them to urge them to lift the ban on the export of this variety of paddy. Hooda told them that PUSA 1121 had been categorised as super-fine category but its characteristics were similar to basmati.

The union ministry of agriculture had recommended this variety to be notified under the basmati group of varieties.

Hooda told the Prime Minister that the PUSA 1121 variety of paddy had been cultivated on two lakh hectares in the state during the current kharif season and a yield of about seven lakh metric tonnes was expected in the state. This variety was mainly exported on premium to the Gulf, Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Last year also Hooda had got the ban lifted on the export of the PUSA 1121 variety. He cut short his foreign tour to pursue this case with the Prime Minister. With the lifting of the ban, the PUSA 1121 variety was sold at Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,200 per quintal in the market, giving the much needed relief to the farmers.

Now, Hooda has argued that the lifting of the ban on the PUSA 1121 variety would not only strengthen the economic condition of the farmers but would also encourage them to grow more foodgrains. He is of the opinion that the lifting of ban on the export of the PUSA 1121 variety will not affect the interests of the common man as this variety of paddy is not used by the poor.

Meanwhile, Deepender Singh Hooda, MP from Rohtak, who is also a member of the standing committee of the Lok Sabha for determining prices of agriculture produce, is also pursuing with the Centre to lift the ban on the export of this variety. It was on the persuasion of the Rohtak MP that the Lok Sabha committee had demanded that no ban on the export of this variety should be imposed in the future. 

Chandigarh, August 10
Caste considerations reign supreme even as the countdown for the appointment of members of the Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) has begun. Though it is expected that the new appointees will be announced in a day or two, balancing caste equations is weighing heavy on the minds of the powers that be.

Sources said with only four posts at its disposal, the government was virtually walking a tightrope and trying to strike as much of a balance as it could in view of the limited scope.

While there are members of all castes in the reckoning and hectic lobbying is on, the sources said the government would try to make the HPSC a mix of a Jat, a Brahmin or a Punjabi or even both, give representation to the Scheduled Castes as also a member of the Aggarwal community.

With the caste angle defining any and all political appointments, the government is giving due thought to the around eight names shortlisted for the selections. This is despite the fact that the government is in a hurry to have its men in place to set the process of recruitment rolling with just over one and a half years to go before its term ends.

Though there is talk of upgrading a couple of members of the Staff Selection Board also, it remains to be seen who the “lucky four” will be since political workers left behind in the race for chairmen of various boards, too, are waiting expectantly.

Also, even though any Chief Minister appoints only people who he can strictly rely on and are his confidants, a couple of members from Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s inner circle of aides are also in the race.

The vacancies in the commission are the result of a recent expansion exercise undertaken by the Haryana cabinet which met last week. The Cabinet gave its nod to increase the number of members from the existing eight to 12, besides the chairman.

With all nine Indian National Lok Dal appointees of the commission, including its chairman, suspended after Governor A.R. Kidwai ordered the same yesterday, the new appointments will bring life back to the office of HPSC.

Rewari, August 10
Civil Judge (Senior Division) Sukram Pal has set aside the election of Hero Devi from ward No. 3 of the Rewari Municipal Council, held on April 16, 2005, while accepting the plea of petitioner Narender Kumar Pipal, who contended that corrupt practices were adopted by his rival, Hero Devi, to emerge victorious in the elections.

The Judge has also ordered a repoll in the above ward within three months of the announcement of the judgment. The court pronounced the above verdict yesterday.

In the municipal poll of ward No. 3, Hero Devi had secured 948 votes while Pipal secured 943 votes. The third contestant, Pawan Kumar, had got 81 votes only.

Thus, Hero Devi was declared winner by the then retuning officer.

However, on a demand raised by Pipal, recounting of votes was held subsequently, in which the victory margin of Hero Devi was reportedly narrowed down from five to three votes. In May 2005, Pipal filed a petition in the local court seeking cancellation of Devi’s election for allegedly using corrupt practices to win the elections.

While the above petition was under the active consideration of the court, Pipal filed another petition in October 2007 seeking a second recount of votes.

Consequently, on the court’s directive, when the then district revenue officer, Raj Mal Rawat, held recounting of votes in November 2007, as many as 769 votes were found missing. Consequently, an FIR was lodged in this regard and the above verdict was announced.

Karnal, August 10
With Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda announcing that a final decision regarding the formation of a separate board for managing Sikh gurdwaras in the state would be taken in a couple of days, the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (ad hoc) has stepped up its efforts to further pursue the government for establishment of a separate board.

The Chief Minister had recently said the committee constituted under Cabinet minister Harmohinder Singh Chatha to look into the issue of Haryana SGPC would submit its report in 15 days.

Members of the Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee have submitted a memorandum to state Governor A.R. Kidwai in which they have said Sikhs of Haryana were being discriminated, as they were not being allowed to run the affairs of their gurdwaras. They said as per the constitution of the country, a religious denomination and organisation had the right to look after its own affairs in matters of religion.

The memorandum that was signed by president of the ad hoc committee Jagdish Singh Jinda said the state could not interfere until these organisations were run contrary to public order, health or morality. It said the right to manage its own religious affairs was a fundamental right and could not be taken away from Sikhs of the state.

The committee also said the constitution provided the rights to minorities to establish and run their own educational institutions. It said there was no gurdwara in Haryana that was directly under the control of the Sikhs of the state, thus the constitutional rights held no meaning in the state.

Chandigarh, August 10
The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) has asked the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC) to immediately suspend the power utilities of the state. INLD leader and former finance minister Sampat Singh said here today that as per the Electricity Act, 2003, the power corporations were not performing their duties, so they should be immediately suspended as per the Section 24 of the Act.

He demanded appointment of an administrator in the utilities.

Sampat said the HERC had directed the power corporations to control its line losses but the incompetent and inept power corporations had not taken any action in this regard.

He said the electricity consumer was being made to pay for the follies, corruption and ineffectual working of the power corporations.

The INLD leader said another intimation was sent to the HERC to procure additional Rs 162 crore from the consumers, in addition to Rs 522 crore already being considered by the HERC.

He said his party had already submitted its objections against the additional burden on the consumers and its leaders would personally plead the consumer's case in the public hearing on August 18.

He said during the last one and a half years, the government had put burden of Rs 3,280 crore on the consumers and it was now putting additional burden of Rs 684 crore.

He said an administrator should be appointed by the HERC and a thorough inquiry should be conducted against officers responsible for the losses.

Sampat said the INLD would consider its further legal options like approaching the Appellate Tribunal of Electricity or the Supreme Court, if the HERC did not act on this demand. 

Sirsa, August 10
The Bharatiya Janata Party today accused the police of “framing of innocent party workers” at the behest of a ruling party leader.

Addressing mediapersons here, Mahavir Prasad, a member of the National Parishad of the BJP, alleged that two workers of the party had been arrested for raising their voice in support of the common people.

He was reacting to the arrest of two BJP leaders, Jaswinder Pal Pinki and Manbir Kasnia, in connection with the manhandling of an XEN of the DHBVN at Nathusari Chopta.

Prasad, who had contested the last parliamentary elections on the BJP ticket from the Sirsa parliamentary constituency, alleged that the manner in which the police registered a case against Pinki, a state executive member of the party three days after the incident, showed that the police had been working on directions from the ruling party.

He said earlier the XEN had named only Kasnia in the case but three days after the incident, a supplementary complaint was given to the police to ensure Pinki’s arrest.

The BJP leader alleged that the Hooda government had failed on all issues and no other opposition party except the BJP had been raising its voice against the failure of the government.

He alleged that BJP workers had been framed for raising a voice for the common people.

Shish Pal Kamboj, district general secretary, Roshan Jangra, city president, Rattan Lal Bamnia, former president of the SC wing, and Om Parkash Ralhan, district president of the Fatehabad unit of the BJP, were present at the meeting. 

Karnal, August 10
Residents of Gorgarh village rescued a woman, who was allegedly thrown into the Western Yamuna Canal (WYC) by her husband, late last night.

The incident took place about 25 km from the district headquarters.

Sources said Gian Singh of Rador village allegedly pushed his wife Sheetal into the WYC following a dispute over a trivial issue. They were on their way to Janesron village near Indri to meet some of their relatives when the man picked up a quarrel with his wife. Subsequently, he stopped the car in which they were travelling along the WYC and after allegedly pushing Sheetal into the canal fled from the scene.

When Sheetal raised a cry for help, a number of villagers reached the spot and pulled out Sheetal from the canal.

The police said a case had been registered in this regard and the matter was being further investigated.