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Encroachers have a field day
(Samalkha) Panipat, November 20 According to residents, the reluctance of the local administration to act sternly and unremitting encroachments have led to traffic woes across the town. Naresh Kumar, a local resident, said the roads had virtually become a nightmare for commuters. Hawkers were having a field day. Though in the name of removing encroachments, the local administration carries out drives, these prove ineffective as the encroachers are back in business as soon as the enforcement leaves. The encroachers have occupied whatever space they get on either side of the roads. Haphazard parking often results in traffic jams. Ramesh Kamboj, another resident, said: “Little has so far been done to solve the problem. Most of the roads in the town are wide enough and in case these encroachments are removed, there would be absolutely no traffic problem”. In what seems to be a trend across the town, shopkeepers are using government land outside their establishments for keeping
their goods. Ravish Malik, a resident of the subdivision, alleged that most of the shopkeepers paid bribes to MC officials for using public land.
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Info panel notice to KU official
Hisar, November 20 A local RTI activist, Anil Bhatia, had asked the university for details on appointments in DAV colleges. He had put six posers to which the university had responded by claiming that it had no information in a “documentary form”. This was despite the fact that the appointment was made by a selection committee, which included the representatives of the university and the higher education commissioner (HEC), Haryana. The selection was conveyed to the vice-chancellor(VC) of the university in writing. The VC then approved the selection and the approval was conveyed to the college concerned in writing. The university had stated that it had no information “in a documentary form” regarding confirmation of the principal concerned in his post by the college managing committee and whether the nominees of the university and the HEC were present in the meeting in which the confirmation was approved. Here again it is pertinent to mention that the managing
body of the college sends information regarding the confirmation to the university in writing. Besides, a nominee of the university has to attend all meetings of the governing body. Likewise, the HEC nominee’s presence in these meetings is also mandatory. The proceedings are recorded in writing and the university and the HEC nominees are signatory to the minutes of such
meetings. The university also claimed that it did not have any information “in a documentary form” on whether there was any common cadre and joint seniority list of staff of various DAV colleges affiliated to it. The query was also raised by Anil Bhatia under the RTI Act. Bhatia filed an appeal before the State Information Commission (SIC). The SIC in its order agreed that the university’s response was inadequate and that the SPIO of the university erred in deciding that any information sought by using words like “whether” as a prefix amounted to a query and was, therefore, outside the definition of “information’ under the RTI Act. The university during the hearing furnished the information sought by Bhatia. However, the SIC said in case he was still dissatisfied, he could retain the right to appeal before the first appellate authority. While issuing the show-cause notice, the SIC directed that Ahuja should reply to the notice by December 10, and be personally present at the hearing on December 16.
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BJP-INLD alliance refuses to kick-start
Chandigarh, November 20 Not only leader of the state BJP legislature party Ram Kumar Gautam is out to demolish the alliance, but also there are many in the party who do not want the alliance to work. The difference is that while Gautam is loud, daring the party leadership to take action against him, others are maintaining the facade of party discipline but are unable to work wholeheartedly to make the alliance a success. These elements are acting like a frozen lubricant in the engine of the alliance, stopping it from firing. Reports received from various parts of the state suggest that when the district-level BJP leaders go to participate in joint meetings with INLD leaders, as directed, they leave their hearts at home. A senior district-level BJP leader in one of the southern districts of the state told select newsmen that he and his colleagues were reluctant participants in the joint meeting convened by a senior INLD leader. He reportedly told reporters that during the 1999 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP workers in the district had sincerely worked for the success of the INLD leaders. But after the elections, the BJP workers had to suffer insults at the hands of the INLD. Under the circumstances, he said, it would be very difficult for him and his colleagues to tell his party workers and supporters with conviction to vote for the same leader again. He said the difficulty had been further compounded by the fact that for the past five years the BJP leaders had been telling the workers that in future their party would not latch on to any party in the state. Sources said it would be wrong to say that the central BJP leaders were not aware of the kind of humiliation the party workers and leaders in the state had to suffer at the hands of the INLD from 2000 to 2004 when the BJP walked out of the marriage that never was. It is the electoral compulsion that has forced the leadership to join hands with the INLD. But, according to the sources, to save its workers from a repeat of the 2000-2004 situation, the BJP leadership had decided to be tough with its alliance partner from the beginning on issues relating to the respect of its cadres. They pointed out that when a senior INLD leader asked sitting BJP MP from Sonepat Kishan Singh Sangwan to step down from the dais at the first joint rally held on November 1, the BJP leaders bluntly told the INLD that either all of them would step down or no one would. The INLD leader beat a hasty retreat. The incident had, however, strengthened the reservations the BJP workers have about the INLD. They said if their alliance partner could do such things to the lone sitting MP of the BJP before the elections, it surely would be back to its old ways after the elections. A senior BJP leader said the alliance could be reviewed after the Lok Sabha elections if it did not work. He said the INLD needed the alliance more than the BJP this time. If the BJP had not aligned with the INLD, the latter would have found its Jat base further eroded.
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Crime journalist committed to social cause
Gurgaon, November 20 But only a few people know that other than anchoring a crime-based show, Shrivardhan Trivedi feels strongly for the poor children. He is trying to teach them through acting and many of his students even got a chance to act in Bollywood movies like “Omkara” and “Blue Umbrella”. He has been associated with Literacy India, a voluntary organisation, since nine years as an acting teacher, which he enjoys a lot. Although he has a busy schedule, he manages to take out time for poor children studying there. Trivedi says, “We at Literacy India do not concentrate on making actors out of these children but are here to teach them through theatre so that they can improve their skills, communication level and confidence, which I think is what we have achieved. The basic idea is to help them join the mainstream and remove the barrier of inferiority complex”. Trivedi is an alumnus of National School of Drama. He has also acted in many serials and a few movies.However, these never interested him much and he started concentrating on anchoring shows for Star News. On being asked how he got associated with Literacy India, Trivedi says: “Capt Indrani Singh, secretary/ coordinator of the project, is a friend and when she asked me to teach students here I could not refuse and since then I joined her in this noble cause”. “In the beginning, it was very difficult to make the poor children understand due to their background, culture and roots and to handle their parents, but somehow we managed it. Before teaching these students we counselled their parents and when they saw their wards getting appreciation after performing they started understanding it.” “We don't want to become their role models but want each of them to become a role model for others,” Trivedi quips. Trivedi has now even started getting assistance from his students in directing plays. Trivedi states, “Now, I miss the day if I am not able to come here. The response I get from these children is tremendous as earlier they used to move around without any work but now they leave all things to attend theatre classes”. Trivedi has been nominated for the Limca Book of Records this year as the first-ever anchor who has completed 1,500 episodes of a show without any break. On asking about the kind of plays he prefers to direct, he says, “Any topic based on social and contemporary issues that are going around in the country.The basic idea is to involve more children." Capt Indrani says, “I always wanted to do something different in my life and after starting this school with just five children we are now teaching around 600 children. Looking at these children growing up with confidence makes me feel proud”.
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Residents resent development charges
Kalka, November 20 Owners of the newly constructed houses said the department was charging unnecessarily from them during the installation of new meters,besides taking the installation charges, which were mandatory for all. A land owner who wanted to install a new meter was asked to deposit around Rs 9,500 as development charges, besides Rs 1,000 as meter charges. A delegation of the residents of the area have already brought the matter to the notice of deputy Chief Minister and local MLA Chander Mohan. Some of the residents of Pinjore have taken the matter to court and have got a stay. It is pertinent to mention here that the previous regime had regularised some of the colonies in Kalka and Pinjore. But then the decision was rolled back and the colonies were declared unauthorised. Subsequently, the residents of the colonies were paying only development charges. The residents also alleged that the UHBVN had been adopting a partial attitude as the so-called development charges were not being levied on authorised colonies. The residents, including Anil Aggarwal, president, Beopar Mandal, Kalka, further alleged that the subscribers were also asked to purchase power wires despite the fact that they were being asked to pay connection charges. They were also forced to buy meters these days as the new ones were not available. SDO, UHBVN, Kalka, Sanjiv Bali said as per instructions of the authorities, development charges were being charged at the rate of Rs 50 per yard. He also agreed that the department was facing the problem of shortage of single phase meters these days.
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School principals hopeful of pay anomaly removal
Chandigarh, November 20 They are now confident that the anomalies in their pay scales would be removed and the revised pay scales would be on a par with those of central government employees. School principal is the only category in the state education department that has not been given the central scale. Other categories like JBT teachers, masters, high school headmasters and school lecturers are all getting a central pay scale since the Fifth Pay Commission recommendations were enforced in the state. The genesis of the problem lies in a decision taken in 1990 when it was decided to give the same pay scale to headmasters and school lecturers. Though, the state government realised its mistake at the time of implementation of the Fifth Pay Commission recommendations in 1996, it failed to remove the anomaly then. The school lecturers raised their voice and were appeased by the state government by being granted the central pay scale. Since the headmasters were not given a central pay scale, the principals, too, could not be granted the same. As against a central pay scale of Rs 10,000 for the principals, principals in the state were kept in a pay scale of Rs 8,000, says Sudhir Kalra, president of the Haryana School Education Officers (Principals) Association. Later, the pay anomaly for headmasters, too, was removed in 2000, and they were granted the central pay scale. But, nothing was done for the school principals. “Since then, we have been making representations to the government. In November 2005, the state government had formed a committee headed by the then education minister Phool Chand Mullana to look into the matter. This committee, too, had assured that the pay anomalies would be removed, after it had surveyed the pay scales given to principals in Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh,” he added. Now, with the Chief Minister, Bhupender Singh Hooda, himself recommending the case of the school principals, they are hopeful of an early solution. “Though, there were some reservations amongst the members of the Pay Revision Committee on granting the same pay to school principals and education officers or assistant directors of education, we made our presentation that even in the Centre, both categories have been given the same pay scale,” said
Kalra.
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Inside Babudom
Chandigarh, November 20 This is because, for the first time, bureaucrats were put on examination duty on the orders of the government. According to the orders, 12 officers were “chosen” to oversee the smooth conduct of the examination. Incidentally, this was the first “big” examination conducted by the Haryana Public Service Commission(HPSC) after the re-allocation of work following the suspension of members appointed by the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) government and the commission’s recent “expansion”. The officers were essentially on supervisory duty, equivalent to that of a centre superintendent and that, too, on a Sunday. This did not go down well with them. However, sources in the government said the office of the chief secretary had received a request from the HPSC, stating that the government should depute officers for this “sensitive” examination. In view of this request, officers were selected and put on examination duty, “spoiling” a Sunday of relaxation. Allotment of rooms
The Haryana government is sensitive to the cause of women, that of the Scheduled Castes and the Backward Classes, malnutrition and the lack of education among children, the girl child et al. It follows the same sensitivity in allotting rooms to bureaucrat couples. In the new secretariat in Sector 17, if the fourth floor belongs to Ramendra and Shakuntla Jakhu, the fifth floor houses the offices of PK Gupta and Anuradha Gupta- given adjacent rooms after Krishan Mohan moved to the main secretariat recently. While the Gulatis- secretary, labour, Naresh Gulati, and secretary,panchayats and development, Urvashi Gulati- have got their offices in the new secretariat, they are separated by a floor. There are others who are not as lucky and are operating from Haryana’s scattered offices in the city. Crisis manager
In the recent reshuffle of IAS officers, Mohd Shayin,former Ambala deputy commissioner, now posted in the same capacity at Bhiwani, has emerged as the crisis manager while the government, it seems, can’t make up its mind about the deputy commissioner , Sirsa, Suresh Goyal, who has already held the post four times. Right after the “accidental firing”, Shayin was posted to Bhiwani to defuse the situation. Contrary to this, Goyal has been playing musical chairs in various districts and had also been posted with the Board of School Education at Bhiwani. After being the deputy commisioner of Sirsa, Sonepat and Kaithal and between his postings with the education board and in Chandigarh, he is now back in Sirsa. However, this transfer season is likely to continue till the elections because there are a few deputy commissioners, including that of Rohtak, RS Doon, who have or are about to complete three years in their respective districts. According to rules laid down by the Election Commission, officers cannot continue at one place of posting for a period of more than three years. Besides, Karnal deputy commissioner BS Malik will have to be replaced at the time of the elections since the commission had previously sought his transfer in the byelection as well.
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100 schools take part in science exhibition
Fatehabad, November 20 The students exhibited charts and models prepared by them on different subjects of science. The deputy commissioner, J.S. Ahlawat, was the chief guest. The district education officer, Harcharan Singh Chhokar, deputy district education officer, Kumkum Grover, and several teachers of science subjects were present in the exhibition. Speaking on the occasion, Ahlawat said the present daytime was the era of science and hence the students must take it seriously. He called upon teachers to work for all round development of the students so that they could become successful in their careers. He said exhibitions like this helped students to showcase their talent and others to learn from their experiences. Model prepared by Munish Kumar was adjudged first in the Mathematics section. Pawan Kumar and Shish Pal’s creations were declared second and third, respectively. In the Environment Sciences section, Jitender, Dharmender and Lokesh secured the first, second and third positions, respectively. Vishnu, Hardeep, Anuradha Singh, Parveen, Shubham, Deeksha, Alpa, Bhola Singh and Shamsher Singh were some other participants, who were awarded in their respective groups. In the competitions held between teachers, Lakhwinder Singh, Niranjan Kumar and Deepak Kumar got the first three positions, respectively, in quiz contest. Varsha and Vijender got the first two positions, respectively, in the paper reading competition. Baru Ram Singla and Sajjan Kumar got the first two positions, respectively, in the essay writing competition.
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Traffic police launches awareness drive
Sirsa, November 20 The process of painting the phone number, 01666-247811, which started on November 12 is now complete. "The objective is that the public knows about the PCR telephone number and call us at the time of an accident or any other eventuality," said Amit
Beniwal,in- charge of the local traffic police station. "Whenever there is a road accident, passersby have no idea what to do. Sometimes they do not want to come directly to the police due to fear or lack of time. But, once they know the PCR telephone number, they can contact the cops," he added. The police received information regarding three road accidents after launching the drive. "We have in place an ambulance and a recovery van in our traffic police station and once we receive information of the accident, we immediately send our rescue teams," Beniwal said. The police has also been receiving suggestions and complaints after the beginning of the drive.During the past one week, people have called the PCR to inform about stationary trucks obstructing traffic and some road being blocked due to the overturning of a vehicle. "The move will also prove beneficial for motorists in the coming days when accidents are more frequent due to fog," Beniwal added.
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‘Nirmal Gaons’ of Kurukshetra
Chandigarh, November 20 A 40-member delegation of South Asian countries comprising mediapersons, sanitation and water supply engineers and members of NGOs visited Bishangarh village of Kurukshetra district early this week. The village had recently bagged the “Nirmal Gram Puraskar.” The members of the delegation, who took a round of the village, were impressed with the cleanliness.They also enquired from people about the open defecation-free programme.
One of the members of the delegation, Farhan Hassen of Pakistan, said his country had also been implementing the programme, but it could not match the success of the one implemented in India. The scheme had been completed in 500 villages in that country and it was being implemented in 1000 villages. He said 1500 villages would soon become free of open defecation in Pakistan. The campaign to stop open defecation appeared to have an impact there despite some initial hesitation , he added. Another member of the delegation, Aftab Jahoor from Pakistan, asked the sarpanch of Bishangarh about the difficulties faced by the villagers in the implementation of this programme. Sarpanch Sudesh Devi told him that there was an initial resistance but once the awareness was developed among local residents, they understood the programmes's importance. |
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Honour for sarpanch
Jhajjar, November 20 The ministry of rural development has provided an opportunity to the sarpanch of Gomla village in Mahendergarh district, Radhe Shyam, for participating in the ongoing 3rd South Asian Conference on Sanitation (SACOSAN-III) at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. It may be recalled here that Gomla village had been awarded the nirmal gram status by the state government. President Pratibha Patil had honoured the sarpanch with the award at a function held in Hisar last month for his efforts to make the village clean by providing basic facilities like sanitation, drinking water and concrete roads. According to Mahendergarh additional deputy commissioner A. Shrinivas, delegates from various countries of South Asia are attending the three-day conference, “Sanitation for Dignity and Health”. Pictures exhibiting development in Gomla village are also being displayed.
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Tribune Impact
Ambala, November 20 The reservoirs were filled with water till the Indo-Pak war, but later people of the nearby areas started using these as dumping grounds. After the publication of the news,the PWD, which is responsible for their maintenance, has started repairing the reservoirs which have a storage capacity of thousands of gallons. Residents of the adjoining areas are of the view that these should also be covered.
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Aruna helps Sirsa win women’s judo trophy
Sirsa, November 20 By winning four gold medals, Sirsa won the team trophy. According to an official spokesman, Sirsa won four gold, a silver and three bronze medals. Hisar with two gold, two silver and three bronze medals collected 19 points to claim the runners-up trophy. Shah Satnam Ji of Sirsa stood third by collecting 18 points with the help of two gold, two silver and two bronze medals.
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Movie This Week
Producer: Subhash Ghai
Director: Subhash Ghai Music: A.R. Rehman Cast: Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, Zayed Khan, Katrina Kaif, Boman Irani Set in Europe, Subhash Ghai’s musical film “Yuvvraj” opens this Friday at K.C. Panchkula, Fun-Ambala City, Fun-Panipat, Fun-Karnal, Cinemax-Panipat, PVR MGF, PVR Ambience, PVR Sahara, SR OMAXE, Adlabs, PVR Europa, DT City Centre, DT Mega Mall (All Gurgaon), INOX, SRS, SRS Pristine, SRS Shubham, PVR Crown, MTMM, MTCM, Cinemax (All Faridabad), Radhika-Rewari, Nigar-Ambala Cantt, Sheila-Rohtak, CHM-Sirsa and Harish-Kurukshetra. What to watch out for: A cinematic extravaganza, the Subhash Ghai- A.R. Rehman combination and the performance of the lead actors in this musical magnum
opus. — Dharam Pal
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