Chandigarh, January 12
The Punjab and Haryana High Court is of the opinion that Haryana Chief Minister’s order in releasing the land of MLA Sumita Singh’s brother and mother is prima facie “unsustainable”.

A Division Bench of the high court, comprising Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel and Justice Jitendra Chauhan, has also stayed the operation of the order releasing the land to the MLA’s releatives - Subhash Chandrika and Rajnik Mann of Karnal.

The Chief Minister’s order had come under the high court’s scanner after a Karnal-based rice mill and two other petitioners filed a petition for quashing notifications dated April 27, 2006, and April 26, 2007, under Sections 4 and 6 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894.

The petitioners, Haryana Rice mills and others, had alleged a “different yardstick” was being applied. Elaborating, the petitioners had contended the Chief Minister had ordered the release of land on the ground that a house was in the centre of the land proposed to be acquired. As such, the surrounding land could not be utilised.

The petitioners had added the land acquisition collector and HSIDC had not even recommended the release of the land. On the other hand, the collector had recommended the land’s release in the rice mill’s case. The decision was affirmed by the HSIDC, as their rice mill was on part of the land purposed to be acquired.

Counsel for the petitioners had contended just three bighas and 13 biswas were, however, released. It did not serve any purpose, as the entire land was required to run the mill. The counsel had added, while a notification under Section 6, dated May 26, 2007, declared the area to be required for public purpose for development of an industrial estate, the Chief Minister, on July 20, 2007, ordered the release in favour of the two respondents. As such, the stand of the state was “contradictory”.

Taking up the matter, the Bench ruled: “Whatever be the merit in the claim of the petitioners for the release of their land, it is prima facie patent that release in favour of the two respondents is unsustainable, the same being contradicted by the public purpose, already made out in the notification under Section 6 of the Act”. Before parting with the orders, the Bench stayed on the “operation and effect of the order of release in favour of the two respondents”.

The petition will now come up for hearing along with related petitions. 

Chandigarh, January 12
The Punjab and Haryana High Court wants the Haryana chief secretary to look into the release of land in Kurukshetra district to a private builder after the initiation of acquisition process.

Taking up the petition on release of land to Sumitra builders, a Division Bench of Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel and Justice Jitendra Chauhan have asked the chief secretary to submit a report on “circumstances in which the order of release was passed and the persons who took the decision for release”. The report has to be submitted by January 31. The case will come up for hearing on February 5.

The matter came under the high court’s preview after Purushottam of Thanesar and 10 other petitioners moved the high court against land acquisition in Sunderpur village.

The petitioners had contended the area was an inhibited colony. In May 2002, the municipal committee passed a resolution for regularising the colony. Development charges were also collected. Subsequently, the state regularised the colony.

But later a notification was issued to acquire 150.68 acres for development. The petitioners objected. But, vide notification dated July 22, 2004, as much as 149.16 acres was declared necessary for public purpose.

Thereafter, the builder entered into agreement with the landowners and applied for change of land use. On July 21, 2006, award was announced for 81.04 acres, leaving out 70 acres. A letter of intent was issued in the builders’ favour on November 17, 2006. After it lapsed, a fresh application was submitted and was accepted on April 25, 2007.

Counsel for the petitioner contended after declaration that the state needed 149.16 acres for public purpose, release of 53.06 acres in favour of Sumitra builders belied the genuineness of declaration for public purpose.

The Bench asserted: “Counsel for builder or for the state are unable to justify the release. Counsel for the state is also unable to show as to whether while passing the order of release, the competent authority was apprised of the fact that the beneficiary was a builder, who was not the owner of the property prior to the date of notification under Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act, as required in terms of policy dated October 26, 2007.

“If the competent authority did not take into account the fact, the order of release is vitiated. If the order was passed after knowing the fact, the same clearly amounted to abuse of power and acting contrary to the declared policy of the state. In either situation, order in favour of the builder cannot be sustained…. We stay operation and effect of order of release granted in favour of the respondent builder.

Hisar, January 12
Hundreds of residents from Khasa Mahajanan village in the Adampur assembly constituency in this district staged an angry demonstration here today alleging that some persons from Asthal Bohar village in Rohtak district were trying to forcibly occupy land in their village.

While former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal, who represents the Adampur constituency in the state assembly, had gone to the village yesterday to lend support to the villagers, leaders of the BJP, the CPM and the INLD joined the protesters today.

The villagers alleged that a group of about 25 persons from Rohtak district came to the village on Saturday and tried to forcibly evict women from the land. They beat a retreat when the women raised the alarm and villagers came rushing to their help. A clash ensued

A deputation of villagers met the SP and the Deputy Commissioner to plead their case. They said several villagers had been tilling 70 acres belonging to a family which had left the village decades ago. They said these families had been tilling the land for the past 60 years and had also paid the cost of the land to the owners though they had not yet got the land registered in their names. However, the original owners had now sold the land to two persons of Asthal Bohar, who wanted to occupy it forcibly.

The SP has asked the DSP to probe the case.

Chandigarh, January 12
The Punjab and Haryana High Court wants the Haryana chief secretary to look into the release of land in Kurukshetra district to a private builder after the initiation of acquisition process.

Taking up the petition on release of land to Sumitra builders, a Division Bench of Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel and Justice Jitendra Chauhan have asked the chief secretary to submit a report on “circumstances in which the order of release was passed and the persons who took the decision for release”. The report has to be submitted by January 31. The case will come up for hearing on February 5.

The matter came under the high court’s preview after Purushottam of Thanesar and 10 other petitioners moved the high court against land acquisition in Sunderpur village.

The petitioners had contended the area was an inhibited colony. In May 2002, the municipal committee passed a resolution for regularising the colony. Development charges were also collected. Subsequently, the state regularised the colony.

But later a notification was issued to acquire 150.68 acres for development. The petitioners objected.

But, vide notification dated July 22, 2004, as much as 149.16 acres was declared necessary for public purpose.

Thereafter, the builder entered into agreement with the landowners and applied for change of land use. On July 21, 2006, award was announced for 81.04 acres, leaving out 70 acres. A letter of intent was issued in the builders’ favour on November 17, 2006. After it lapsed, a fresh application was submitted and was accepted on April 25, 2007.

Counsel for the petitioner contended after declaration that the state needed 149.16 acres for public purpose, release of 53.06 acres in favour of Sumitra builders belied the genuineness of declaration for public purpose.

The Bench asserted: “Counsel for builder or for the state are unable to justify the release. Counsel for the state is also unable to show as to whether while passing the order of release, the competent authority was apprised of the fact that the beneficiary was a builder, who was not the owner of the property prior to the date of notification under Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act, as required in terms of policy dated October 26, 2007.

“If the competent authority did not take into account the fact, the order of release is vitiated. If the order was passed after knowing the fact, the same clearly amounted to abuse of power and acting contrary to the declared policy of the state. In either situation, order in favour of the builder cannot be sustained…. We stay operation and effect of order of release granted in favour of the respondent builder.

Chandigarh, January 12
In a move that is likely to end speculation on the Congress candidate from the Ambala parliamentary seat for the time being, sitting Member of Parliament and Union Minister of State for Urban Poverty Alleviation Selja has invited Congress in charge of Haryana and AICC treasurer Moti Lal Vora for a party workers’ meeting.

He will chair his first meeting of party workers organised by a Congress leader of the state in his personal capacity and not as a party function in Ambala Cantt on January 19.

The meeting is being held to educate the workers about the achievements of the Congress government, take these to the people as also to frame an election strategy for Ambala.

Vora has already visited the state twice during the past fortnight.

While he came for a meeting of the executive of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) on December 30, he came again to Jhajjar on January 10 for the foundation stone-laying function of a 1,320 MW thermal power plant in Khanpur Khurd which was again a government function.

Vora’s coming to Ambala to chair a workers’ meeting on Selja’s invitation assumes special significance since HPCC president Phool Chand Mullana has also expressed his desire to contest from the seat.

While Selja has chosen to downplay his claim for the party ticket from Ambala by maintaining that the Congress was a democratic party and everybody had a right to stake claim to any seat, it is learnt that his name is one of the three names on the panel shortlisted by the PCC for the Ambala seat.

However, with this development, Selja, a popular Dalit leader, has not only scored a point over her rivals but also managed to get an edge over the other two candidates suggested by the PCC.

After holding meetings with workers of various districts which fall in her parliamentary seat and “gathering her flock together”, she has decided to hold one joint meeting of the workers before sending them out in the field. Besides Vora, she has also invited Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda to address the workers.

While Selja’s campaigning is in full swing for the Ambala parliamentary seat, a final clearance of the party candidate from the party high command is yet to come. 

Rohtak, January 12
The INLD and the BJP, which had entered into a poll pact recently, have still not decided upon the number of seats to be shared and the names of candidates for the coming Lok Sabha elections.

The leaders of both the parties have been busy holding joint public meetings to create a favourable atmosphere and had been avoiding discussions on any particular seat in the state so far.

Senior INLD leader and former Haryana minister Sampat Singh, who met mediapersons here today, also appeared to be adopting a safe stance on the issue of the number of seats. He said the matter would be discussed with senior leaders of both the parties at an appropriate time.

Sources said there were a total of 10 Lok Sabha seats in Haryana and the INLD might ask or stake claim on at least six or seven seats while the rest could be left for the BJP.

The state BJP leaders had been also silent over the matter and were awaiting for the right time to take up the matter, said a source in the party.

According to Sampat Singh, the issue of sharing the seats and the names of prospective candidates would be discussed after the election notification. He, however, added that the alliance would field only strong candidates.

He said both the parties had been holding joint public meetings throughout the state and all districts would be covered by the end of February.

He said the alliance had been trying its best to expose the “misdeeds” and “failures” of the Congress government in Haryana and at the Centre and claimed that the INLD-BJP alliance had been getting a positive response from the masses.

The joint rally of the alliance would be held in Rohtak on January 31, he added. He charged the UPA government at the Centre and the state government of ignoring several key issues of development, including the agriculture sector.

Chandigarh, January 12
A proposal for setting up a permanent lok adalat for public utility services at Panchkula and Faridabad continues to hang fire. The matter came up for discussion at the meeting of the Haryana State Legal Services Authority (SLSA) held in mid-December.

During the meeting, it was pointed out that so far the necessary sanction for the creation of two posts of chairman, four posts of member and two posts of reader had not been received.

Besides, sanction was also awaited for four posts of process server, two posts of steno and two of peon.

The SLSA had written to the Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary in the state government’s Administration of Justice Department on January 22, 2007, requesting sanction for the creation of the aforementioned posts so that the two lok adalats could be established.

Thereafter further correspondence was made by the authority with the Financial Commissioner’s officer in pursuit of the sanction, the last such letter being written on November 18, 2008.

During the meeting, it was also pointed out that after the proposal for setting up the lok adalats was mooted, the Department of Legal Affairs in the Ministry of Law and Justice had revised the sitting fee of the chairman and member of the permanent lok adalats.

Amendments were made by the ministry to Rule-3 of the Permanent Lok Adalat (Other Terms and Conditions of Appointment of Chairman and Other Persons) Rules, which now state that when a retired judicial officer is appointed as chairman, he would be entitled to a monthly fee of the last drawn salary less the amount of pension received by him. For other persons, the revised rules grant a sitting fee of Rs 500 per sitting.

Jind, January 12
The Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) and the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam (HVPN) have spent Rs 120 crore on power infrastructure in the district during the past over three years and works worth Rs 70 crore are being executed to ensure adequate power supply in the region.

This was stated by Haryana Power Minister Randeep Singh Surjewala while addressing a public meeting after laying the foundation stone of a 132 kV substation in Dablain village in the district today. The substation will be constructed by the HVPN at a cost of Rs 6.5 crore. More than 6,800 consumers will be benefited by way of better voltage and continuity of power supply.

Referring to the works carried out and planned for the district, Surjewala said the nigams had commissioned 12 new substations, including three substations of 132 kV capacity in Naguran, Dhanauri and Alewa villages and nine substations of 33 kV capacity in Didwara, Lohchab, Kakrod, Rasidan, Gangoli, Chhattar, Manoharpur, Pipatha and Sri Rag Khera villages in the district. The nigams had also augmented the capacity of eight existing substations.

He said the utilities would construct 132 kV substations in Ghogarian and Bibipur villages and 33 kV substations at Shamdo, Chhattar and Bachana while the capacity of the 220 kV substation in Jind, the 132 kV substaion in Naguran and the 33 kV substation in Pindara would be augmented.

Chandigarh, January 12
Dera Sacha Sauda chief Sant Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh will now appear at the Kotwali police station in Bathinda on February 7 for further interrogation in a case registered against him for allegedly hurting religious sentiments.

The dera chief will be questioned on day-to-day basis, in case the interrogation remains inconclusive on day one of the examination. The directors-general of Punjab and Haryana Police have been asked to make necessary arrangements.

As the case came up for hearing before Justice Harbans Lal this morning, Punjab additional advocate-general Naresh Kumar Sanghi asserted investigations remained inconclusive, as the dera chief, during his interrogation on December 3, last year, gave evasive replies to “certain material questions”. As such, he was required for further investigation.

Counsel for the petitioner, on the other hand, refuted the allegations of vague answers. After taking note of the rival submissions, Justice Lal observed: In view of the joint submission, the petitioner would appear for further interrogation at Kotwali police station, Bathinda, on February 7 at noon under the security of the Haryana police, as well as the Punjab police.

“In case the interrogation is not completed on that day, it will continue regularly on the following days. Necessary intimation will be sent to the DGP, Punjab as well as Haryana, to make necessary arrangements. The case will now come up for further hearing on March 5.

The dera chief was granted interim anticipatory bail soon after the registration of the case on May 20, 2007, at Bathinda on the basis of a complaint.

The complainant had accused the dera head of blasphemy after he wore a dress similar to one traditionally associated with Guru Gobind Singh.

Karnal, January 12
Former jawans of the disbanded Haryana Industrial Security Force, whose services were terminated in 2005 and had been agitating for their reinstatement for more than three and a half years, staged a dharna in front of the mini-secretariat here today.

Raising anti-government slogans, the demonstrators accused Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda of victimising them for the simple reason that they were recruited during the Chautala regime.

Balhara Singh, a spokesman for the former jawans, said the services of 3,500 jawans were terminated and they were asked to leave at 11 pm on June 6, 2005. Even women jawans were treated shabbily, he added.

Claiming that the government had assured to absorb them in the police on August 18, 2005, he said the government had gone back on its assurance compelling them to intensify the agitation.

He demanded reinstatement or absorption of former jawans, payment of salaries and compensation of Rs 25 lakh to the families of jawans, who lost their lives in security-related operations.

Chandigarh, January 12
After allopathic doctors, ayurvedic doctors have also expressed dissatisfaction with the new pay scales granted to them by the Haryana government.

The cause of their resentment is that their pay scales have been lowered than those of the allopathic doctors, dental surgeons and veterinary surgeons.

In a statement issued here today, a spokesman for the Haryana Ayurvedic Doctors Association said the state had always maintained party between ayurvedic doctors and allopathic doctors, dental surgeons and veterinary surgeons.

However, the new scales had disturbed this parity.

He said the ayurvedic doctors had been given scales much lower than those granted to the doctors of other streams.

He said it was highly regrettable that the ayurvedic doctors had been discriminated against despite repeated assurances by the authorities that they would be given the scales recommended by the Sixth Pay Commission.

Not only the Central government, but even states like Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and UP had taken a lead over Haryana in terms of granting equal pay and status to the doctors of all streams.

He said the reason being cited for denying equal pay and allowances to the ayurvedic doctors in Haryana was that there was a difference in syllabus and modules of the course for the allopathic and ayurvedic doctors, which was hard to buy. He said this factor existed for dental surgeons and veterinary doctors also.

However, they had been given the scales with respect to medical officers of the Health Department. Then how come that the dental surgeons and veterinary surgeons had been given the scales equal to the allopathic doctors?

The basic academic qualification, the mode of admission to the professional course, the duration of the professional course and internship, the mode of entry to government service and the nature of duties were identical for the doctors of all streams. Therefore, all doctors should be given the equal pay scales.