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NDA Rally
Jhinda flags off ‘shukrana
yatra’
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Forget 6th, give us
5th pay panel scales, demand polytechnic lecturers
Police academy staff
await special allowance
Tribune Impact
Insurance Co told to
pay Rs 1 lakh
Basant Panchami
celebrations turn sour
Leaders mourn Ranbir
Hooda’s death
Guest teachers hold
protest
People run for a
green Gurgaon
3-day state mourning;
holiday today
Make school buses
safe for kids: Police
Stolen property
returned
Two motorcycle
thieves held
2 cheats arrested
CPM flays hike in freight rates
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NDA Rally
Ballabgarh (Faridabad), February 1 Addressing a rally of the NDA here, he asserted that if the NDA formed the government, it would reduce the interest rates on loans for farmers to 4 per cent. According to him, the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government had reduced the interest from about 18 per cent to 8 per cent. He said the NDA government had decided to provide electricity to all villages in the country by 2012. However, this mission could not be completed as the NDA lost the previous Lok Sabha elections. Today’s
rally in the Faridabad parliamentary constituency was part of the
ongoing election campaign of the INLD-BJP alliance. The alliance has
already organised such meetings in other parts of the state. He alleged that the subsidies meant for the farmers were pocketed by middlemen and other vested interests. Another central leader of the BJP, Sushma Swaraj, said on the occasion that the coming parliamentary elections in the country were an opportunity to unseat the Congress-led UPA government. The
Congress was only trying to perpetuate “dynasty rule”. Only sons and
daughters of established leaders of the Congress were being promoted in
politics, she added. INLD supremo and former Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala said farmers were reeling under hardships during the present Congress rule in the state. He alleged that land of farmers in Haryana was being acquired and given away to business houses. He alleged that the Congress government had failed on all fronts. He was critical of the way the below poverty line (BPL) lists were prepared in Haryana. While names of deserving persons had not been included in the lists, those who were well off had been included. This was done with an ulterior motive with the collusion of Congress leaders and officers. |
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Jhinda flags off ‘shukrana
yatra’
Sirsa, February 1 Hundreds of devotees witnessed the flagging off of the yatra, which included a number of vehicles carrying the Palki Sahib, a descendant horse of the one used by tenth Guru Gobind Singh and other items of the Guru. Jagdish Singh Jhinda, president of the HSGPC (ad hoc), flagged off the yatra. Ghasi Ram Nain, president of the Bharatiya Kisan Union, came specially to attend the flagging off ceremony of the yatra, which was attended among others by SGPC members Avtar Singh, Jagdev Singh Matdadu and Bibi Ravinder Kaur; HSGPC (ad hoc) senior vice-president Joga Singh, vice-president Joginder Singh Chawla, patron Sampooran Singh and district presidents of the committee. After passing through various districts of Haryana, the yatra will culminate at Nadda Sahib Gurdwara in Panchkula on March 6. Talking to mediapersons, Jhinda accused Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal of making all efforts to jeopardise the yatra. “Badal
and his men tried their best to impress upon the authorities at Takht
Huzoor Sahib to deny Guru Gobind Singh’s horse’s descendant for the
yatra. The Akali leader also ensured that we were denied access to other
articles of the Guru,” Jhinda alleged. He said a “Sarbat Khalsa"
of Haryana Sikhs would be organised soon after the yatra in March to
decide the political course to be taken in the forthcoming parliamentary
elections. “We will ask Sikhs for their views on the party to be
supported during the forthcoming elections,” he said. He, however, asserted that the Haryana Sikhs would oppose the party supported by Parkash Singh Badal and his SAD (Badal). Ghasi Ram Nain said the BKU supported the demand for a separate SGPC by the Haryana Sikhs and his organisation would support their movement till their goal was achieved. Didar Singh Nalvi, general secretary of the HSGPC (ad hoc), however, termed the yatra as a flop show and maintained that Jhinda had propagated the names of Jathedars of all five Takhts and several other names like Joginder Singh Vedanti, Darshan Singh Khalsa, Jasbir Singh Rode and Ranjit Singh in the posters of the yatra, but none of them participated in it. “The
yatra is a waste of money and waste of man days as no purpose is going
to be achieved by this,” Nalvi maintained, while talking to The
Tribune on the telephone. |
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Forget 6th, give us
5th pay panel scales, demand polytechnic lecturers
Gurgaon, February 1 Resentment is brewing
among the polytechnics’ staff over the step-motherly treatment being
meted out to them. The lecturers went on a mass casual leave on January
30 and staged a state-level demonstration in Rohtak to press for their
demands. Under the banner of the Polytechnic Lecturers Welfare
Association of Haryana, the aggrieved teachers marched in protest
against the discriminatory stance adopted by the authorities concerned
and submitted a memorandum at the Chief Minister’s camp office. The polytechnic lecturers, who were assured of a meeting with the Chief Minister within 15 days, seem to be determined for a fight to the finish this time. The association has decided to stage dharnas in front of the houses of the state Chief Minister and the Technical Education Minister if their longstanding demand was not met. “The
government and government-aided polytechnics of Haryana are set up and
run as per the AICTE norms, but strangely, the pay scales approved by
the AICTE as per the recommendations of the Fifth Pay Commission have
not been granted to us so far,” said Sanjay Gupta, who has been
actively spearheading the campaign of getting the lecturers their dues,
while talking to The Tribune here today. Gupta and other polytechnic lecturers point out that while their counterpart officials in other government departments have been demanding the implementation of the sixth pay panel recommendations, they had not even got the scales recommended by the fifth pay panel and the AICTE in 1996. While the Haryana government implemented these AICTE pay scales of 1996 in the government-run as well as private engineering colleges, these have not been implemented for the polytechnic staff till date. It may be pertinent to mention here that states like Delhi, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Jharkhand have implemented these pay scales for the polytechnic staff. “Thanks
to the discriminatory approach in the implementation of pay scales and
service conditions, the polytechnic lecturers suffer stagnation which
sometimes extends to their entire career span. Moreover, fresh talent
is not attracted towards this career, which leaves only below-average
students aspiring to become polytechnic lecturers,” Gupta maintained. The lecturers further asserted that due to the lack of clear-cut norms, numerous society-run polytechnics, which had come up in the state during the past few years, were exploiting teachers. In light of the aforesaid discrepancies, the association has urged Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda to get the AICTE-approved pay scales and service conditions recommended by the Fifth Pay Commission in toto. |
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Police academy staff
await special allowance
Karnal, February 1 The announcement was made by the Chief Minister while addressing cadets at a passing-out parade of the trainees of the second batch of India Reserve Battalion at Bhondsi near Gurgaon in March 2006. The academy staff is sore that more than two and a half years have passed, but no action has been taken regarding the announcement. The Chief Minister had lauded the role of the police in bringing down the crime graph and attributed it to the quality of training imparted to recruits. Police personnel of different ranks with a basic pay ranging between Rs 3,050 and Rs 6,500 will be benefited to the tune of Rs 460 to Rs 975 per month once the announcement is implemented. |
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President inaugurates
Surajkund mela
Surajkund (Faridabad), February 1 The President took a round of the mela complex to have a first-hand feel of the varied handicraft and handloom products created by craftsmen. As many as 400 craftsmen/weavers from SAARC nations, including India, besides Egypt and Thailand have put up stalls in the mela complex. She
interacted with craftsmen and spent a few minutes with the families in
“Apna Ghar” on “the Madhya Pradesh campus”. Madhya Pradesh has
been chosen the theme state for this year’s mela. A hut has been set
up, which depicts the rural ambience of Madhya Pradesh. Five families are staying in the hut. The family members, including women, are weavers and craftsmen in handicraft and handloom products. The President visited Apna Ghar and talked to the inmates. She asked them about their trade. She gave a woman inmate a Rs 500 note. The inmate presented her with a painting relating to the rural life of Madhya Pradesh. Union Minister for Tourism Ambika Soni said the government had taken a decision to organise events like the Surajkund Crafts Mela at four other centres in the country - Bhubaneswar, Aurangabad, Gautam Buddha Nagar and Hyderabad. To a question, she said her ministry would take up the issue of an alternative water source for the kund at Surajkund and also for the Badkhal lake in Faridabad. They are out national heritage and efforts would be made to restore their earlier glory. |
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Gen Rodrigues inaugurates church at Chandimandir Chandigarh, February 1 The church has been consecrated by Msgr T Anchanikkal, administrator of the Shimla-Chandigarh Diocese. Statues of St. Alphonsa, St. Sebastian and St. Anthony have been installed in the church. A 108-kg bell, procured from Muradabad, has been installed in the bell tower. Interiors of the church, which can accommodate about 400 persons, have been well furnished and equipped with a modern PA system, benches and kneelers. The station church came into existence after Headquarters Western Command was shifted from Shimla to Chandimandir. In the beginning, Mass was held in tents installed by different Army units. The present church was initially established in a converted barracks and inaugurated in February 1990 by General Rodrigues, during his tenure as the GOC-in-C.
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Tribune Impact
Fatehabad, February 1 The Tribune had highlighted the problem of students, whose one precious year was at stake due to the inexorable stand taken by the school authorities earlier. However, the school authorities refused to allow these students to sit in regular classes and mix up with other students. Eight students of class X of Akal Academy, a CBSE-affiliated school run by the Kalgidhar Society, Baru Sahib, in Himachal Pradesh, were expelled by the school authorities for trimming their hair. The school authorities had alleged that these students had violated the Sikh Maryada and gone against the written undertaking given to them while seeking admission to the school. The
authorities said while one student had got a haircut and placed a fake
“jura” under his turban to deceive them, others had trimmed their
beard. Terming this as blasphemous under the school rules, the school authorities had expelled these students after the completion of their pre-board examinations on Thursday. The children as well as the parents of these children had apologised for their act and cited medical reasons for trimming of hair. The school authorities had told them that they would get their roll numbers whenever received from the CBSE. After The Tribune highlighted the plight of the students on Saturday, the school authorities relented a bit from their earlier stand. Dr Devinder Singh, secretary of the Kalgidhar Society, Baru Sahib, who was here yesterday, gave a relaxation to the students after a series of meetings with their parents and promised to organise special classes for them in the evening. Confirming this, school principal Indu Sharma said special classes would be organised for these students after the school hours so that they could prepare for their annual board examinations. She, however, said there was no question of allowing these students to mix up with other students. Parents
of the students heaved a sigh of relief, although they said they were
not fully satisfied with the decision of the school authorities. “Our
children are already under depression and their continuous ostracism
would lead to inferiority complex,” said Gurcharan Singh, whose son
Navjot Singh is among the victims of action of school authorities. |
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Insurance Co told to
pay Rs 1 lakh
Rewari, February 1 Mata Din purchased an insurance policy on June 19, 2006, for Rs 1 lakh from the respondent. Simultaneously, he also paid the annual premium of Rs 10,000 of the policy to the respondent. Prior to this, Mata Din was medically examined by a doctor of the respondent. However, Mata Din expired on December 23, 2006, because of jaundice. Thereafter, Santra Devi submitted the requisite documents to the respondent through her agent Sunil Kumar for settlement of the claim. Subsequently, on February 2, 2008, she received a letter of rejection of her claim wherein it was mentioned that Mata Din had been suffering from diabetes mellitus type-2 for the past five years and he concealed this fact from the respondent at the time of taking the policy. Santra Devi made a representation to the claim review committee, which too reportedly preferred to ignore her representation. She then filed a petition in the consumer court. The Bench of the consumer court found that there was nothing on record to show that the deceased was being treated for the alleged disease. Besides, while the death summary revealed that Mata Din had died due to cardiac arrest, there was no evidence on record in the shape of any expert corroboration that diabetes mellitus had directly to do anything with the cause of his death. The Bench further opined that it was the settled law that once the policy holder had gone under a medical check-up by the doctor of the respondent, the respondent could not contest the claim of the complainant on the ground of suppression of facts. |
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Basant Panchami
celebrations turn sour
Karnal, February 1 The incident took place when Vishal was on the way to the bus stand from home on his motorcycle. He was rushed to a local Pradeep Garg Hospital and immediately operated upon by a team of four doctors. The operation lasted for about two and a half hours and he was still admitted in the ICU. Irked over the incident, residents of the area demanded a ban on kite flying without proper safety regulations. The traditional festival of Basant celebrated in India and Pakistan has become synonymous with kite flying but the practice of some kite flyers coating their strings with ground glass or metal filings to cut other kites loose in midair can be lethal. Moreover, the new Chinese threads in which chemicals are used pose greater threat. The authorities in Lahore had banned kite flying in 2005 after several people were killed in the run-up to the festival. The incidents of birds getting trapped in strings in the sky and children falling from the rooftops resulting in fatal deaths and injuries were common, but kite strings taking its toll on street walkers and bikers was a cause for alarm, said a doctor. |
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Leaders mourn Ranbir
Hooda’s death
Chandigarh, February 1 Haryana Governor AR Kidwai described him as an able parliamentarian and legislator, a popular minister, a diligent social worker and a true democrat who served the country in many capacities. Haryana Vidhan Sabha Speaker Raghuvir Singh Kadian said with his demise not only Haryana but the entire country had lost a veteran national leader. Haryana Finance Minister Birender Singh, Irrigation Minister Ajay Singh Yadav, Education Minister Mange Ram Gupta, Power Minister Randeep Singh Surjewala and Chief Parliamentary Secretary Dharamvir Singh expressed deep shock and sorrow on the passing away of the veteran leader. President of the Haryana Pradesh Congrsss Committee Phool Chand Mullana said Chaudhary Ranbir Singh was a father figure of politics and with his passing away an era of Haryana politics had ended. He said as a mark of respect, the party flag had been lowered at half mast and a meeting of the campaign committee postponed. Recalling the long association between his family and the Hoodas, Indian National Lok Dal supremo Om Prakash Chautala said the state had lost a statesman in Chaudhary Ranbir Hooda and it was a personal loss for him. Haryana Janhit Congress supremo Kuldeep Bishnoi expressed grief on his demise. A former member of Parliament from the Congress, Gurcharan Singh Dodhahoor, also mourned the death. |
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Tributes paid to
Kalpana Chawla
Karnal, February 1 FATEHABAD:
A wide variety of activities are being organised in the local Government
PG College for Women in connection with the “Kalpana Chawla Memory
Week” being observed in the college. The week began on January 27 with
a workshop on arts and craft in which lessons on creative activities
like oil painting, ceramic painting, glass painting and fabrics
paintings were provided to girls. Jasbir Kaur, in charge of women wing of the college, said a poetic competition and a declamation contest on female foeticide would be organised on February 2 and the week would culminate with a rally on this subject on February 3. |
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Guest teachers hold
protest
Kaithal, February 1 The protesters raised slogans against the government and carried playcards in support of their demands. State
president of guest teachers’ association Arun Malik said the
government had failed to accept their genuine demands and it was a
betrayal of faith on the part of the government which had agreed to
grant desired relief to them but subsequently failed to fulfil its
promise. He said they were ready to make any sacrifice to achieve their aim. Criticising the role of Randeep Singh Surjewala, a Haryana minister, who acted as a mediator between the agitating teachers and the Chief Minister, he alleged that the minister had tried to hoodwink them. Chief secretary general Rajinder Sharma Shastri said if the government did not change its vindictive attitude, it would be given a befitting reply by the teachers. Vice-president Harpal Singh and president of the women wing Baljinder Kaur threatened to intensify their agitation if the government did not regularise their services despite the fact that they were appointed on merit basis. President
of the Adhyapak Sangh - 70 Kul Bhushan Sharma also extended support to
the guest teachers’ agitation and assured them that their association
would stand by them.
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People run for a
green Gurgaon
Gurgaon, February 1 Gurgaon MC Rajiv Sharma flagged off the run. The participants ran with the saplings for a kilometre and planted them at a pre-designated site near the park. Shabnam Singh, mother of cricketer Yuvraj Singh, also participated in the drive. The aim of the drive was to inculcate a feeling of participation among citizens towards the city. The Green Gurgaon Run consisted of two runs. Liam Winston of Ireland won the 15-km run. Gustav Huppe of Germany came second and Gaylon White of the USA finished at third. Ajay Gurjar of Ghata village was the first to complete the 5-km run, which had more than 500 participants, including school children and corporate heads. Besides volunteers, Max Health Care, Gatorade, Aquafina and the traffic police provided support for the run. |
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3-day state mourning;
holiday today
Chandigarh, February 1 An official spokesman said here that the state government had also declared holiday tomorrow in all its offices and educational institutions. He said the session of the Vidhan Sabha, which was scheduled to commence from tomorrow, would now be held after the state mourning. |
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Make school buses
safe for kids: Police
Yamunanagar, February 1 A decision in this regard was taken in view of the accident that took place on Wednesday in which a three-year-old boy was crushed to death under a local school bus in Hamida town here. After holding a meeting with officials, SP Vikas Arora said for the safety of schoolchildren, the schools had been asked to follow the safety norms strictly and ensure that every bus had a first-aid box, windows fitted with horizontal grills and a fire extinguisher. The name of the school and the telephone number should also be written on the bus. He said the schools had also been asked to ensure that the drivers hired by them were properly trained. |
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Stolen property
returned
Rewari, February 1 The villagers are jubilant to get back the stolen property. It
so happened that after the thief had stolen a colour TV set as well as
two batteries of the DTH system from the government primary school of
the village on Wednesday night, prominent villagers transmitted an
appeal from the village temple’s microphone on Friday for the return
of the stolen property. They also gave an assurance that if the thief
appeared in person and confessed to his crime before the village
panchayat, he would be exonerated. However, the thief kept the stolen property beck on the temple premises secretly on Friday night, but refrained from appearing before the village panchayat. The villagers handed over the stolen property to the Kosli police which lifted fingerprints from it and also pressed a dog squad into service to trace and apprehend the thief. A case of burglary was earlier registered by the police following a complaint filed by Satbir Singh, headmaster of the school. |
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Two motorcycle
thieves held
Kaithal, February 1 During preliminary interrogation, the accused confessed of stealing two more motorcycles from Kaithal and Kurukshetra. The
arrested were produced in the court of JMIC Harshali Choudhry here
today, who sent them to a day’s police remand. SP Sultan Singh said a CIA team led by ASI Satyavan arrested the youths at a naka on the Siwan road bypass here. Meanwhile, the police has arrested a proclaimed offender, Mukesh, alias Petha, a local resident, who had earlier been arrested in a theft case here in March 2004. |
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2 cheats arrested
Rewari, February 1 The case was registered on a complaint filed by Rajesh, a resident of Chandpura village in Mahendragrah district. Rahul and Chauhan were today produced in the court of JMIC Rajesh Garg, who remanded them in police custody for two days. A
police official said the duo, running an office “Shiv Enterprises”
here, had duped over 125 persons of about Rs 4 lakh in the past two
months. |
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CPM flays hike in freight rates Fatehabad, February 1 The party also termed the cut in the prices of petroleum products as too little. Talking to mediapersons after a meeting of the district secretariat of the party here, Inderjit Singh, state secretary of the party, alleged that the UPA government had been working for the interests of big companies. He said the CPM would organise a state-level rally in Fatehabad on February 15. — TNS
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