Hisar, August 20
The nationwide strike call by various trade unions and employees’ associations in protest against the alleged anti-employee policies of the union as well as state governments evoked a good response here today adversely affecting public services.

Work in government offices and banks remained suspended. Bus services were affected too as Haryana Roadways employees participated in the stir.

Work in government hospitals was seriously affected. Teachers and non-teaching employees of non-government colleges also remained on strike.

ROHTAK/JHAJJAR: Residents of the towns as well as commuters were put to grave inconvenience due to the strike observed by employees of various government departments and banks here on Wednesday.

The strike badly hit transport and other services in the districts. A large number of commuters were forced to return to their houses as the roadways buses remained off road. Bank customers were also affected due to the strike.

The striking employees of various departments assembled at Mansarovar Park in Rohtak, where they held a meeting and raised slogans against the functioning of the government.

However, Rohtak deputy commissioner R.S. Doon claimed in a press statement that there was no impact of strike in the district and no services were hit due to it. He even maintained that the attendance of employees in government offices was “more than usual”.

SIRSA: Bus services remained paralysed in the district on Wednesday in response to the nationwide strike call.

Though employees of the Haryana Power Workers Corporation participated in the strike, no essential services like water and electricity were affected.

A meeting of the striking employees was held in Tau Devi Lal Town Park, which was attended by activists of employees’ associations as well as left organisations.

Joginder Singh, general manager of the Haryana Roadways, Sirsa depot, claimed that more than 25 buses from Sirsa bus stand left for their destination in the morning. However, the authorities had to stop the service after receiving reports of strike from Fatehabad and Hisar.

GURGAON: The nationwide strike call hardly evoked any response in Gurgaon on Wednesday. Work in all government offices and private establishments remained unaffected and no public utility service was hampered due to the strike call.

The state transport buses plied as usual on their routes as employees of Haryana Roadways refrained from obstructing their movement.

The district and the police administration had made elaborate arrangements to thwart any attempt by trade unions to disrupt transport services. The shops and commercial establishments also remained open.

However, banking services were hit as some sections of employees of nationalised banks abstained from duty.

KARNAL/PANIPAT: The nationwide strike call affected a large number of people in Karnal and Panipat districts on Wednesday. Hundreds of employees remained absent from government offices. State transport services were also affected by the strike as a limited number of buses plied on the roads.

Union activists locked the main gates of the bus stands in order to thwart transport services.

BHIWANI: The strike call affected the administrative and banking setup here on Wednesday. Raising anti-government slogans, a large number of employees staged demonstrations in the district. All offices in the mini-secretariat wore a barren look.

SONEPAT: The strike call evoked a mixed response here on Wednesday, as there was hardly any impact of the strike on transport services and market activities. However, business transactions in most of the branches of centralised banks remained suspended during the day.

The electricity supply remained normal like other days. Shops and other business establishments remained opened during the day.

Besides staging dharnas in front of offices in the town, activists of various unions led by the vice-president of the Haryana unit of the All-India Kisan Sabha and former state president of the CITU, Shradha Nand Solanki, staged a protest march here against the anti-poor policies of the UPA government.

No untoward incident was reported from any part of the district.

Fatehabad, August 20
The police reportedly lathicharged agitating workers of the Kisan Sabha, a farmers’ organisation of the Left parties, who squatted on the Tohana railway line here today during the nationwide strike of the trade unions and employees’ organisations.

Earlier, the activists led by former CPM legislator Harpal Singh were first stopped by the police outside the Tohana railway station some time before the 344 Down Bathinda-Panipat train was to arrive.

The agitators raised slogans outside the railway station and as the train started to move out, a miscreant allegedly threw a stone on its driver forcing him to bring the train to a halt.

Scores of demonstrators squatted in front of the train and stopped it for almost 10 minutes before the police dispersed them by resorting to a lathicharge.

Elsewhere, the strike was partial but peaceful in the district.

Buses of the Haryana Roadways remained off road causing a lot of hardships to commuters.

S.K. Katyal, general manager of the local depot of the Haryana Roadways, said at least 10 buses had left from the bus stand in the wee hours today, but authorities had to stop them later due to pressure from striking workers.

Agitating employees claimed that the strike was complete in power corporations, public health, PWD, insurance and other departments, though essential services remained unaffected.

Activists of the Khet Mazdoor Union, Kisan Sabha, DYFI, AIDWA, CITU and other organisations associated with the Left parties organised demonstrations here today.

The Government Railway Police has registered criminal cases against 15 persons, including a former Haryana MLA, for rioting, assault, causing hurt to a public servant to deter him from his duty, obstructing a public servant from the performance of duty and causing damage to the railway property.

Harpal Singh, a former CPM MLA from Tohana, and some of his comrades from the Kisan Sabha and other Leftist organisations had stopped a train here today.

The cases have been registered under Sections 147, 148, 149, 332, 353 and 186 of the IPC and 146 of the Railway Act at Railway police station, Hisar, on a complaint of the Duty Magistrate.

Panchkula, August 20
In order to become self-reliant in the energy sector, India has to tap and make optimum use of renewable energy resources. This was stated by Vilas Muttemwar, Union minister of state for new and renewable energy, here today.

The minister, who was the chief guest at the function of Rajiv Gandhi Akshay Urja Diwas, said the conventional resources of energy like petroleum products and coal were depleting fast. While the country had to part with a major portion of foreign currency to import petroleum products, the coal for thermal plants was available to meet the needs up to 70 years only, he said. The other option of setting up big hydro-electric projects resulted in displacement of local residents, he added.

“This is one of the major reasons why 56 per cent of our population could not be provided with electricity supply,” the minister said.

Union miniser for state for housing and urban poverty alleviation Kumari Selja, while calling upon to promote construction of ‘green buildings’ in which the use of solar equipments would be mandatory, said keeping in view the increasing demand of electricity, nuclear energy was a necessity for India.

Haryana Chief Miniser Bhupinder Singh Hooda announced to provide solar lanterns to girl students who would stand first in class V, VIII and XII in the state. He also urged the Union minister to incorporate the subject of Akshay Urja in the school curriculum.

Chandigarh, August 20
The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) has objected to the “arrogant” attitude of Haryana power minister Randeep Singh Surjewala.

INLD leader and former finance minister Sampat Singh here today said when the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC) was holding a public hearing, Surjewala had not only tried to project himself beyond the HERC, a constitutional body, but also unsuccessfully tried to mislead the public on the electricity tariff and other issues. INLD MLAs Sushil Indora, Sita Ram and Gian Chand Oadh were also present at Sampat Singh’s press conference.

Sampat Singh said it had now been proved that the minister had no knowledge of the Electricity Act, 2003 nor had any respect for the constitutional bodies. He said when Surjewala addressed the media yesterday, the public hearing was going on. What the minister told the media he should have stated that before the HERC.

He said for the first time, the INLD not only filed objections against the proposed hike in the electricity rates before the HERC but also used this occasion to protest against the electricity tariff hike so that some relief could be brought to electricity consumers.

The INLD strongly pleaded the consumers’ case and asked the HERC to immediately suspend the power utilities of the state.

The INLD leader said the electricity rates in Haryana were the highest in the country. Elaborating, he said, in Haryana, the consumers were being charged Rs 4.12 per unit for first 100 units, where as it is Rs 2.47 in Punjab, 2.77 in Delhi, 2.16 in Himachal Pradesh, 3.47 in Madhya Pradesh, 1.79 in Chandigarh, 2.15 in Uttarakhand, 2.49 in Uttar Pradesh and 4.17 in Rajasthan for the domestic sector.

Sampat Singh also objected to the conversion of the telescopic system of billing to the non-telescopic system. He said the conversion would hit the consumers hard. The power theft in case of other categories of consumers was being booked in the farmers’ account whose tubewells were charged on flat rates. By this way the theft, which was on a higher side, was being shown on lower side. Actually, if there existed any mechanism to verify the power consumed in the agricultural sector, the subsidy required would come down just to Rs 700 crore to Rs 800 crore.

Yamunanagar, August 20
Taking note on the plight of Kamlesh Rani, wife of martyr Subedar Ranbir Singh, the government finally swung into action here. She will get Rs 7.5 lakh from the Centre while Rs 2.5 lakh from the state government. The cheques of the compensation amount would soon be presented to Kamlesh at her residence.

Besides it, a proposal was also made that a school in her village would be named after the Subedar. The children of the martyr also get an additional compensation as per the government policy. The Tribune had highlighted the plight of Kamlesh Rani of Gundiyana village on August 16 with the headline “Martyr’s wife rejects shawl of honour”.

Ranbir Singh of the 16 Jat Regiment had killed four militants in an encounter on July 3 in Jammu and Kashmir. However, later he was killed in a hand grenade blast lobbed by the militants. Kamlesh had not accepted a shawl of honor on the Independence Day function as she was aggrieved at the fact that none of the senior officers of the administration had visited her house to pay tributes to her husband.

Moreover, she did not get the Central and state government compensation as given to other Army personnel.

ADC Narender Singh said after the Independence Day incident, he had visited Kamlesh’s house and assured her that we had expedite the process of their compensation and she would soon get it.

He said the administration had decided that from next time it would provide Rs 2,500 as travel allowance to the family of the martyr, who come here to attend the function.

“We would again invite Subedar’s family members on the Republic Day function and would honour them properly and will also read out the details about the sacrifice made by Subedar Ranbir Singh, he said.

Sirsa, August 20
The District Mahila Congress (DMC) today observed the 64th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi as Sadbhawna Diwas by organising a silent march against terrorism in the town. Shilpa Verma, president, DMC, led the rally.

Saraswati Arya, vice-president, DMC, and several other activists accompanied by girl students began the march from Government Senior Secondary School. After passing through the grain market, Shiv Chowk and markets of the town, the march culminated in front of the school.

The participants carried placards for promoting peace.

SONEPAT: Office-bearers and activists of the district unit of the Congress party paid rich tributes to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his 64th birth anniversary here on Wednesday. The speakers - president of the DCC (urban), Lalit Gautam, former minister Ved Singh Malik and others-termed Rajiv Gandhi as visionary, who initiated new measures to transform India as a developed country.

GURGAON: The 64th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was observed as Sadbhavana Diwas here on Wednesday. The district-level programme was organised by the administration in the meeting hall of the mini-secretariat. The deputy commissioner administered the sadbhavana day pledge to the employees, including district administration officers, for maintaining emotional and communal harmony among all sections of society. 

Sirsa, August 20
In an effort to bring about transparency in the working of the traffic police, the district police has appointed 30 traffic marshals from amongst the local people.

The traffic marshals, who are ex-servicemen, doctors, professionals and local prominent persons, will accompany the traffic police at the time of checking of vehicles.

Sirsa SP Amitabh Dhillon, who remained SP (Traffic) in Chandigarh, had tried this concept there, which proved successful, police sources claimed.

Dhillon addressed a meeting of the traffic police and the traffic marshals in his office today.

“The concept will bring about transparency in the working of the traffic police, besides leaving no scope for allegations on the police,” the SP said while addressing the meeting.

“The parents of schoolchildren should not allow their wards to ride two wheelers without headgears,” the SP said.

He said the school-going children should use slow bikes without gears only.

“The parents should also see to it that their kids are not transported in overcrowded autos while going to school,” he added.

The SP warned school buses plying with LPG kits to get their vehicles registered or else face action.

Ambala, August 20
Haryana DGP Ranjeev Dalal said the state police had been taking stern steps to check intruding of criminals and unsocial elements in the National Capital Region (NCR) from the neighbouring states like Uttar Pardesh and Delhi.

Talking to mediapersons here today he said 8,000 police officials would be recruited soon for strengthening law and order situation in the NCR, which include 5,000 police constables, 1,200 head constables, 700 ASI, 400 sub-inspectors, 120 inspectors and 25 DSPs. Besides it, 65 more DSPs would be added in the state police, he added.

He said sportsmen were encouraged in the state police. Recently, 20 players had been recruited as sub-inspector, inspector and DSP. He said boxer Vijender, who had shown excellent performance in Olympics, is an official of the Haryana police. When asked whether he had any plan to improve the image of the police after the Sarita suicide and a few others custodial torture cases, he said a detailed plan had been chalked out for providing contemporary knowledge of the police working to police officials. He said the EDUSAT system available in most of the schools would be utilised for the purpose.

Yamunanagar, August 20
While playing the regionalism card followed by Raj Thackeray to enhance the party vote bank, president of the Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) Kuldeep Bishnoi today announced that if he become the Chief Minister then he will make special law so that 80 per cent of the vacancies in the private sector would be reserved only for the people of Haryana. As at present 90 per cent of the vacancies in the private sector in the state have been occupied by people from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi only.

“I am not making a rough statement. But I have done a lot of research. Not only in Maruti, but all major private industries have employed people from other states,” he said.

However, he claimed that he was not following Raj Thackeray’s strategy, but it was one of the promises our party had made to the people of the state when we formed it. “Our party is committed to provide job to one member of each family in the state. After coming to power, I will give one-year time to all private industries to serve notice to their employees from other states to leave their jobs within a year, he said. While the new industries have to follow the rule strictly,” he further added.

Stating that our main contender is the Congress and not the INLD in the coming Lok Sabha elections, Bishnoi ruled out the possibility of alliance with any national or regional party. One candidate has already been declared while nine other candidates for the Lok Sabha election would be announced before Diwali. As by that time I would have completed my tour to all constituencies to get response of the public and also local leaders which would help me to select the right candidates, he said while addressing the rally at the grain market here this afternoon.

Panipat, August 20
Despite being held guilty of embezzling panchayat funds in four inquiries, the sarpanch of Joshi village has managed to go scot-free of all charges levied against him by panchayat members of the same village.

The panchayat member had last year filed a complaint against sarpanch Satish Kumar, in which he was accused of embezzling funds to the tune of Rs 3 lakh on the pretext of executing development works in the village.

They had alleged that the sarpanch had made fake entries in the documents pertaining to development works that had already been signed by the panchayat members and by doing so he siphoned off Rs 3 lakh from the government funds.

The panchayat members moved an application with the deputy commissioner, who ordered an inquiry into the allegations and asked that district development and panchayat office (DDPO) to look into the matter.

In his inquiry, the DDPO held the sarpanch guilty of making fake entries. He concluded that the sarpanch had misappropriated Rs 2.36 lakh. The sarpanch had shown in the accounts that an expenditure of Rs 60,000 had been incurred on repair of 15 streetlights in the village. The DDPO found that proper procedure had not been followed for getting the lights repaired, which suggested misuse of funds.

When the report was tabled before the DC, he recommended action against the sarpanch as per the rules of the panchayati raj and ordered another regular inquiry against the sarpanch that was conducted by the City Magistrate.

The city magistrate conducted a physical check of the development works that the sarpanch claimed had been executed in the village and found several irregularities, following which he said the allegations levied against the sarpanch were true.

Yet, another inquiry was ordered that was conducted by an SDO. He found that substandard material had been used in the installation of submersible pumps and other electric equipments.

After this, the ADC conducted the fourth inquiry, in which he found that there had been a misappropriation of just Rs 2,250.

However, the deputy commissioner ordered the suspension of the sarpanch under the provisions of the Panchayati Raj Act.

Later, the matter was taken up by the panchayat department, which overruled the suspension orders passed by the DC and decided to conduct another inquiry.

The panchayat members lamented that despite being held guilty in all four inquiries, no action was taken against the sarpanch and no recovery was made from him.

They said the manner in which the matter was hushed up suggested that senior officials were also involved in the embezzlement. They demanded that an impartial inquiry should be conducted into the matter and an appropriate action be taken against the guilty.

Chandigarh, August 20
The guar crop in Haryana has been affected by several diseases which have emerged on account of incessant rain along with humid conditions in the northern region.

Alarmed, Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University has issued advisory measures to farmers to save the crop.

According to the university’s director of research B.S. Chhillar, the incessant rain and humid conditions have caused a number of diseases in the guar crop.

To ascertain the impact of the diseases, he has directed scientists to conduct a survey in guar cultivation areas, said a statement issued here.

In the survey report, scientists have confirmed the attack of bacterial leaf blight, alternaria leaf spot, root rot and wilt on the guar crop.

According to the scientists, the blight causes losses in cluster bean up to 50 to 70 per cent under severe conditions.

Farmers have been advised to spray streptocycline (150 ppm) in 200 litres of water starting from the onset of disease and to repeat it after 15 days.

Another disease known as alternaria leaf spot has also been observed in fields. In this, small water soaked, dark brown, circular to irregular spots varying from 2-10 mm in diameter appear on the leaves. For the control of alternaria leaf spot, farmers have been advised to spray mancozeb (400g/acre) in 200 litres of water.

In root rot, at an early stage the seedling mortality takes place and in later stages the decomposition of rot tissue takes place as a result of which the normal development of the plant is hampered.

Because of the good prices of the crop during the past two years, the area under guar cultivation in Haryana has jumped to 4 lakh hectares during this kharif season compared to 3.4 lakh hectares last season. It is mainly grown in Hisar, Bhiwani, Mahendragarh and Sirsa districts.

Guar gum, made from guar crop, is used as a thickening agent and additives in foods products such as instant soups, sauces, processed meat products, baked goods, milk and cheese products, yoghurt and ice creams. It is also used in industrial applications such as paper and textile sectors, ore flotation and explosives manufacturing. Its beans are also consumed in many homes in Haryana and other states. — PTI

Gurgaon, August 20
A week after a tenant was shot dead by a landlord on Khandsa Road here, another case of beating up of a tenant by his landlord has come to light. The victim Samir Dev (25), a call centre worker, was allegedly trashed by his landlord Surender and his brother in Sukhrali village on MG Road here last night. A case was registered at Sector-18 police station after the victim was admitted to the Civil Hospital.

As per the victim, who hails from Sonepat, his two friends were staying in the rented accommodation where he was staying. However, both had recently shifted to a neighbour’s house. Since then his landlord was objecting to his meetings with them. However, the victim did not relented and this led to heated arguments between him and the landlord a couple of days back. The latter asked him to vacate the room.

The victim alleged that the landlord and his brother beat him up yesterday night without any provocation. He suffered injuries and was brought to the hospital by his friend. The alleged accused said the incident took place as he thought that some thief had broken into the house.

Sirsa, August 20
The police has booked the husband, father-in-law, mother-in-law and brother-in-law of a woman for her death in the Old Housing Board Colony of the town.

The woman, Nisha (22), had committed suicide by hanging herself from a ceiling fan on August 18. The woman got married to Varun three years ago. The father of the deceased alleged that Nisha’s husband and her in-laws used to harass her for dowry.