Chandigarh, February 3
In a judgment benefiting almost all Haryana government employees, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has held that their children, who are major, yet dependent on them, are entitled to medical reimbursement.

The significant directions have been issued in the case of a former Haryana government employee RSD Bansal. From the appeal, it transpired that then Sirsa-based retired treasury officer Bansal’s son, doing his post graduation from Panjab University, Chandigarh, was admitted to the PGI with multiple injuries on head and fractured forearm on January 14, 1977, after meeting with an accident on the varsity campus.

Bansal claimed reimbursement of medical bill amounting to Rs 37, 285.30 on account of the injuries suffered by his son in the accident. But his claim was rejected on the ground that his son had attained the age of majority at the time of accident and was no more a minor.

Dissatisfied with the order, he filed a petition before the high court. The Single Judge allowed the petition vide the impugned judgment. During the hearing of the appeal filed by the State of Haryana, an additional advocate-general referred to latest instructions dated October 18, 2007. The instructions made it clear that minor children after becoming major, but still unemployed were entitled to reimbursement of the medical bill, subject to the condition that their parents submit an affidavit to the drawing and disbursing officer. They were required to state in the affidavit that their wards or dependants were not gainfully employed anywhere.

After hearing the arguments, the Bench observed: We have perused the judgment of the Single Judge carefully and are of the considered opinion that the children, who have attained the age of majority, but are still dependent on their parents and are not gainfully employed anywhere, are entitled to get medical reimbursement for the medical treatment which they have undertaken…..

Before parting with the order, the Judges observed: It is made clear that respondent RSD Bansal is fully entitled to reimbursement of the medical expenses incurred for the treatment of his son Sanjay Bansal. The petition, as such, was disposed of on these terms.

Gurgaon, February 3
A global corridor comprising theme sub-cities with focus on different specialised sectors of economy will be developed along the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) expressway, work on which is in full swing these days.

The 135-km-long and 100-metre-wide KMP expressway passes through six districts of Haryana, including Sonepat, Rohtak, Jhajjar, Gurgaon, Mewat and Palwal. It will have a green belt of 100 metre on both sides, besides a 100-metre-wide orbital rail corridor towards Delhi.

The main focus of the spatial plan for the KMP global corridor is on determining the optimum use of land in the 2-km-wide stretch falling on both sides of the expressway.

For instance, five theme sub-cities, including a fashion city, an entertainment city, a world trade centre, a leisure city and a retail merchandiser warehouse centre have been proposed for Gurgaon in the plan.

Similarly, Sonepat district will have Rajiv Gandhi Education City and Sonepat-Kundli multifunctional urban complex apart from an Industrial Modern Township being planned by the HSIIDC for Kharkhoda.

Rohtak, which the state government proposes to develop as an education city, will have state-level institutes of fine arts, fashion design, film and television and professional studies for women. Likewise, a cyber city, a bioscience city and a medi-city have been proposed for Jhajjar; a leisure city and a leather city for Mewat and a dry-port city for Palwal.

According to official sources, the global corridor project was being prepared to establish sub-cities focusing on different specialised sectors of economy in a planned manner.

Clusters of these sub-cities, located in the vicinity of the national capital, will be provided with world-class facilities, which are expected to serve as catalysts of development involving private participation.

The need of developing this global corridor was felt in view of the unabated growth in and around Delhi and National Capital Region (NCR).

The spatial plan of the corridor would be developed around a number of specialized economic activities, which can trigger and sustain economic growth.

At a meeting convened in this connection here recently, Gurgaon Divisional Commissioner DPS Nagal asked the Deputy Commissioners and other officials concerned of all six districts to work out a cumulative plan envisaging all aspects of development along the expressway.

Chandigarh, February 3
The Budget session of the Haryana Assembly, which was to open from February 2 but had to be cancelled due to the death of the lone surviving member of the Constituent Assembly of India Ranbir Singh Hooda on February 1, will now be held from February 6, according to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Randeep Singh Surjewala.

A meeting of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) has been convened under the chairmanship of President of the Haryana Congress Phool Chand Mullana on February 6 at the Haryana Vidhan Sabha here.

Normally, meetings of the CLP are held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. However, since Hooda is in mourning over the death of his father, the CLP meeting will be presided over by Mullana.

Bhiwani, February 3
Four children of a poor family were burnt alive in a fire in a jhuggi near a brick-kiln in Bapora village, 7 km from here, late last night. Three other members of the family are struggling for survival. The fire reportedly broke out from an earthen lamp.

Shiv Kumar (37), a labourer working at the Jyoti brick-kiln in Bapora village, was sleeping along with his wife Abita (35) and their children Komal (10), Muskan (8), Mukul (7), Nainu (3) and seven-month old Neha in his jhuggi. They had lit an earthen lamp, which caused a fire in which Mukul, Muskan, Neha and Nainu were devoured.

In an attempt to save the children, Shiv Kumar, Abita and Komal sustained burn injuries. Neighbours rushed to the jhuggi after hearing the cries of the children. They removed the tin roof of the jhuggi and brought out the injured. The injured trio was admitted to the Civil Hospital where doctors referred them to a medical college.

No administrative official visited the family after the incident. However, the police has started investigations.

Chandigarh, February 3
With the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) having been extended to all districts in Haryana this year, the Rural Development Department is expecting a major jump in families availing this scheme. Of 8.5 lakh BPL (below poverty line) families in the state, job cards have been issued to 3.3 lakh families.

With wheat sowing now being over and a lot of people looking for avenues of employment, it is expected that the number of people enrolling under this scheme will increase manifold. Of the Rs 96 crore funds available to the state for this scheme, Rs 60 crore has already been spent as on December 2008.

Officials in the Rural Development Department said under this scheme, the response had been quite good this year. “There is no target to be achieved under this scheme and money is disbursed as and when spent. After the money received as first instalment has been exhausted in at least six districts, we have sent request for getting a second instalment,” said Shrikant Walgad, director and special secretary, Rural Development Department. NREGS was enacted as a legislation in 2005 and this guarantees 100 days of wage employment in a financial year. In fact, though other states like Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh have made vast strides in its implementation, Haryana has gained the distinction of paying the highest wage under this scheme in the country. While most of the states are paying the daily minimum wage of around Rs 100, Haryana is paying Rs 141 per day. Also, as against a major complaint from all over India is of delays and corruption in payment of fair wages under NREGA. By contrast, labour payments in Andhra Pradesh are increasingly being made within a week of completion of the previous week’s work.

Fatehabad, February 3
The Kalpana Chawla Memorial Week being observed in the local Government Postgraduate College for Women ended here today with a “jan chetna rally” (mass awareness rally) against female foeticide by students.

Carrying placards, a large number of girls started the march from Ambedkar Park and after passing through 
markets of the town reached Panchayat Bhawan.

SDM Fatehabad JK Abhir flagged off the rally from Ambedkar Park. The rally was received at Panchayat Bhawan by Deputy Commissioner JS Ahlawat, ADC CG Rajnikanthan, City Magistrate Satish Jain, DDPO Om Parkash Sharma and college principal WC Garg. A 19-year-old girl, Chetna, had put up a painting exhibition at Panchayat Bhawan.

Addressing students, Ahlawat said girls were not behind boys in any field and had rather surpassed them in arenas, which were hitherto considered as male bastions.

Paying tributes to Kalpana Chawla, the DC said she had shown the way to many women in the country and the world.

Jasbir Kaur, in charge of the women wing of the college, said the college had the distinction of being among the top five colleges of Haryana in activities of the women wing.

Earlier, a two-minute silence was observed to pay tributes to Chaudhary Ranbir Singh Hooda, who passed away on Sunday.

Rohtak, February 3
President Pratibha Patil today mourned the death of Ch Ranbir Singh Hooda, a member of the Constituent Assembly of India and former parliamentarian.

She expressed grief while talking to Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda over phone this morning.

The President said the nation had lost a known statesman and a veteran freedom fighter.

Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, former president, has also expressed grief in a message sent through an emissary. The Chief Minister of Maharashtra and the Chief Minister of Punjab also mourned the death of Ranbir Singh, who had breathed his last on February 1 here.

Meanwhile, a large number of people visited the residence of the Chief Minister to express grief and pay homage to the departed soul today.

Staff and students of Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) paid homage to freedom fighter and member of the Constituent Assembly of India Ch Ranbir Singh Hooda in a condolence meeting held in the varsity.

PANCHKULA: Directors and staff of all four state literary akademies held a condolence meeting to pay homage to Chaudhary Ranbir Singh Hooda, freedom fighter, social icon, former minister and the lone living member of the Constituent Assembly, at the Haryana Akademi Bhawan here 
on Tuesday.

Desh Nirmohi, KL Zakir, RD Sharma and CR Moudgil, directors of Hindi, Urdu, Sanskrit and Punjabi Sahitya Akademi, respectively, hailed the contribution of Ranbir Singh in the freedom struggle and building up of India.

The following literary functions scheduled to be held before February 11 
by the akademies have been postponed.

Sirsa, February 3
Allegations and counter-allegations over the “shukrana yatra” organised by the president of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (ad hoc), Jagdish Singh Jhinda, continue even as the yatra entered its third day today.

First, a group of office-bearers of the HSGPC (ad hoc) led by its general-secretary Didar Singh Nalvi had distanced themselves from the yatra and accused Jhinda of deviating from the organisation’s main aim of demanding a separate SGPC for Haryana. The group had gone to the extent of terming the yatra as a flop show.

Now, Joginder Singh Aherwan, state president of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal), has said Sikhs will pay respect to the Palki Sahib accompanying the yatra but will oppose the organisers when the yatra will reach their area.

Joginder Singh’s village Aherwan falls in Fatehabad district and the yatra is scheduled to visit here tomorrow.

“Shukrana yatra” is a futile attempt to divide the Sikhs of Haryana and we will not allow them to fulfil their motives,” Aherwan said while talking to mediapersons in Ratia in Fatehabad today.

Responding to the statement of Aherwan, Jhinda said Aherwan’s utterances had only proved his allegations that Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had made all efforts to jeopardise the yatra.

“I am not here to clash with anyone, including Aherwan. We will present a siropa to Aherwan, if he visits the yatra and in case he continues with his hostile attitude, I will personally skip his village so that he is able to pay respect to Guru Granth Sahib with ease,” Jhinda said.

Meanwhile, the yatra entered Rori area of Sirsa district today. After starting from Dabwali on February 1, the yatra stayed at Chormar on that night and at Sirsa on Monday. The yatra is schedule to enter Fatehabad on Wednesday.

Gurgaon, February 3
A local court has sentenced five members of a gang of serial killers to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5,000 each.

The court of Additional Sessions Judge CB Sheoran sentenced Pramod, Rohtas, Budhram, Ravi and Mukesh to 10-year jail term here today.

Gurgaon Police Commissioner Mohinder Lal disclosed that the said gang used to give lift to passengers waiting for a vehicle from Hero Honda Chowk, Rajiv Chowk, Iffco Chowk, Manesar and other such points in the district and nearby areas.

Unsuspecting passengers would board their maxi cab, knowing little of their intentions. At some lonely stretch, the gang members would overpower the passenger and kill him. Later, they would loot the passenger’s cash and other belongings and throw the body in some bushes along the road.

Lal said on getting specific information, Inspector Sanjeev Balhara of the Gurgaon police laid a trap and nabbed some suspected gang members. On the basis of information provided by them, some others were later arrested. The main members of the gang belonged to Bhoda Kalan village in the district. A maxi cab bearing registration number HR-61/1154 was also seized from their possession.

Following this, as many as 21 cases, including 20 of murder and looting and one of attempt to murder and looting, were registered against the accused. The cases pertained to areas in Gurgaon, Jhajjar and Rewari districts and nearly 20 such persons are currently undergoing trials in these cases.

Five aforesaid members of the serial killers’ gang were today sentenced to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment and Rs 5,000 fine each. The court further ordered that the jail term of the accused would be extended in case of non-payment of fine.

Rohtak, February 3
Traffic in certain parts of the city got chaotic and resulted into jams due to the non-presence of traffic personnel and the police at busy places here today. Sources said a majority of traffic personnel had been engaged in special duty near the Chief Minister’s residence to man the traffic near his residence in view of the demise of Ch Ranbir Singh.

A large number of vehicles got stranded on the main civil road between Chhotu Ram Park and Shantmai Hotel for over 30 minutes this noon. There was not even a single cop of the traffic police to man the traffic at that place, said Manoj Kumar, a local resident.

Kurukshetra, February 3
Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Darshan Singh has been placed under suspension following the escape of an undertrial from LNJP hospital here.

District police chief KV Ramana said a case under Section 224 of the IPC had also been registered against Darshan Singh for negligence of duty while another case under Section 223 of the IPC had been registered against Angrez Singh for escaping from the custody.

Special teams had been constituted and efforts were on to nab the absconding undertrial, Angrez Singh, added Ramana.

Two years ago, Angrez Singh was jailed for 10 years under the NDPS Act, 1985. He was under treatment at LNJP hospital here since January 30. He escaped from the hospital’s toilet on February 1.

Two undertrials - Angrez Singh and Naresh Kumar - were under treatment at the LNJP hospital here.

Sirsa, February 3
In a shocking incident, a young woman was brutally beaten up by her husband in full view of the public near the new bus stand at Dabwali town in this district on Sunday for wearing jeans.

The couple belonged to Badingkhera village in Dabwali subdivision in the district. Both of them were in their early twenties. The husband beat up his wife severely and said she had brought disrepute to his family by wearing clothes “unbecoming of a woman from a respectable family”.

The woman had gone to her parent’s home near Dabwali town some days ago and her husband, who spotted her in a pair of jeans in the market on Sunday, got infuriated over it.

The woman maintained that her husband was of sick mind and was always suspicious of her character.

Onlookers brought the matter to the notice of the police, which handed them over to their respective parents after summoning them.

Joginder Singh, SHO of the city police station, Dabwali, said the boy’s parents had told the police that it was a family matter and they would sort this out soon.

However, the incident has sent shock waves among women activists, who said action under the law was warranted against the husband.

“It is yet another instance of men treating wives as their property and subjecting them to cruelty at their whim,” said Jagmati Sangwan, president of the state unit of the All-India Democratic Women Association. She said the husband should have been booked under the Domestic Violence Act as well as the provisions of the Indian Penal Code.

Sangwan said even in absence of any complaint from the wife, protection officers appointed under the Domestic Violence Act had the powers to taken cognisance of the crime on a complaint of eyewitnesses or news reports.

Jind, February 3
A six-day-old baby was abandoned on the premises of the civil hospital here this morning. A woman, supposed to be the mother of the baby, is missing.

The girl child has been kept at the hospital for the time being.

According to a report, the baby was handed over to a woman patient. The patient, identifed as Maya, resident of Lakhmirwala village, told the hospital authorities that a woman, who had partly covered her face in the traditional manner, requested her to take care of her baby for a while as she wished to go to the toilet.

The patient claimed that the woman did not return even after about an hour.

The police has registered a case in this connection and asked the hospital authorities to look after the baby till appropriate arrangements are made in this regard.