Karnal, June 5
The need to fight climate change on planet Earth due to global warning was underlined at a seminar held here to mark World Environment Day.

Renowned scientist Dr Raghunandan of the Delhi Science Forum cautioned that if the global warming was not controlled, it would destroy the planet Earth in next 100 years. It had already started showing its harmful effects on weather cycle, crops, vegetation and water resources and receding glaciers and rise in sea level were some of the indications that indicated towards the impending doom.

The director, CSSRI, Dr Gurbachan Singh, said increase in emission of greenhouse gases, depleting forests and over exploitation of natural resources was responsible for climate change and collective and concerted efforts were required to meet the challenge.

The seminar was organised by the Haryana Literacy Samiti and the Haryana Vigyan Samiti.

The National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) observed the day by launching a campaign to plant “neem” saplings to preserve green cover.

Principal scientist and registrar Rameshwar Singh said the drive would continue for few weeks and 3,000 saplings would be planted.

KURUKSHETRA: Sri Krishna Museum organised a symposium to mark World Environment Day on its premises here on Friday.

Deputy director of the museum Rajesh Purohit laid stress on clean environment for a healthy and prosperous life free from all kind of environment-related diseases. The use of pesticides needed to be replaced by natural manure while the energy should be managed and used properly so that the deficiency doesn’t compel man to starve and die, he added.

On the occasion, 55 children planted trees on the premises of the museum and a documentary on environment was shown to the children.

Meanwhile, the Kurukshetra Panorama and Science Centre celebrated the day by organising various competitions for children on its premises here on Friday.

Hisar, June 5
Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today called for improving the quality of education in general and higher education in particular.

Speaking at the foundation stone laying ceremony of Academic Staff College and a boys’ hostel at Guru Jambheshwar University here he said he welcomed the decision of the university to increase the number of seats in its courses but this should not lead to the dilution of teaching standards.

He said education was the most important aspect of life and the younger generation had the right to quality education. The government was keen on raising the standards of education in Haryana keeping in mind the requirements of modern society in the years to come.

Hooda said modern teaching techniques should be applied to help students assimilate knowledge. Teachers should keep abreast of emerging teaching aids and methodology. In addition they must regularly update their skills and knowledge.

The Chief Minister said his government had made available adequate funds to GJU to improve infrastructure and introduce new courses. These funds must be utilised for the benefit of students.

Hooda also appealed to academicians to help protect the environment. He appreciated the stress on environment laid by GJU by introducing courses in this subject.

Vice-Chancellor Devinder Dayal Singh Sandhu said the university had added 585 new seats in various courses run by it this year. Besides, eight new courses had been introduced from the new session beginning July.

He said since the university was attracting students from all over the country, new hostels were being constructed to accommodate them.

Sirsa/Fatehabad, June 5
Parents of students pursuing various courses in professional colleges and polytechnics in the area will have to cough out more money this year in comparison to the last year.

Barring a few, almost all colleges and polytechnics have hiked their fees for the academic year 2009-2010 putting extra pressure on the pockets of parents.

Decrying the move, the All-India Students Federation (AISF) has termed it as commercialisation of education.

The Jan Nayak Chaudhary Devi Lal (JCD) College of Engineering run by JCD Vidyapeeth and the only private engineering college of the area has hiked its fee from Rs 46,000 per annum to Rs 60,000 per annum.

Vidyapeeth’s another college Jan Nayak Chaudhary Devi Lal Institute of Business Management has also hiked its fee for MBA course from Rs 35,000 to Rs 50,000 per annum, while the Vidyapeeth’s yet another institute Jan Nayak Chaudhary Devi Lal Polytechnic has increased its fee from Rs 20,000 to Rs 27,500 per annum.

The Lord Shiva College of Pharmacy, Sirsa, has increased its fee for B Pharm course from Rs 35,000 to Rs 45,000 per annum and for D Pharm course from Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000.

The Tirupati College of Pharmacy, Ratia, has increased its fee from Rs 18,000 to Rs 25,000 per year.

Among polytechnic colleges, Maa Saraswati Polytechnic, Sirsa, has increased its fee from Rs 20,000 to Rs 27,500, Rajendra Polytechnic, Sirsa, from Rs 20,000 to Rs 22,500, Shahid Bhagat Singh Institute of Technology, Kalanwali, from Rs 20,000 to Rs 22,500, Apex Polytechnic and Engineering College, Tohana, from Rs 14,000 to Rs 22,500, Guru Dronacharya Polytechnic, Bhuna, from Rs 16,000 to Rs 22,500 and Guru Nanak Polytechnic, Tohana, has increased its fee from Rs 14,000 to Rs 22,500 per annum.

The hiked fee is bound to put extra pressure on parents, whose wards study in these colleges.

Roshan Lal Suchan, state convener of the AISF, alleged that due to anti-people policies of the government, education was being allowed to go out of the reach of the common man.

“By privatising education, the government has already made it a commodity for the rich and affluent only. Now, the government should at least keep some control over the arbitrary hike in the fee of private institutions,” he maintained.

Kuldeep Singh Dhindsa, director general of JCD Vidyapeeth, clarified that the fee hike was allowed by the State Fees Committee after considering several factors like the facilities provided by the institutions and its balance sheet.

Ambala, June 5
Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh will not have to come to Ambala City to appear in the CBI court on June 6 as from now onwards the proceedings of the case will be conducted through video-conferencing.

The CBI has made the dera chief an accused in the Ranjit Singh murder case and the Ram Chander Chhatarpati case.

A video-conferencing system has been set up in a court at Sirsa where the dera chief will remain present on the date of the hearing of the case. A similar system has also been arranged in the CBI court in Ambala. A team of technicians was present in the Ambala court complex today to initiate this system in the CBI court.

Except the dera chief, counsel for the CBI and the defence, and the other accused in the cases, besides witnesses, will remain present in the CBI court. The trial of the cases will be conducted in the court in Ambala. The proceedings of the case can be witnessed by the dera chief in Sirsa.

The system has reportedly been set up in view of the security concerns of the dera chief.

SIRSA: The district authorities are busy making arrangements for Saturday’s court appearance of the dera chief before the CBI court in Ambala through video-conferencing from here.

The dera chief will sit inside the video-conferencing room set up inside the local district courts complex.

Yamunanagar, June 5
In a major breakthrough, the police has arrested eight suspected Maoists, including their state president, Dr Pardeep Kumar of Kurukshetra, and three other leaders - Sanjay of Panipat, Mukesh of Yamunanagar and Samrat of Bihar - and claimed to have seized a grenade, four detonators, two country-made pistols and publicity material from their possession.

The suspected Maoists were arrested for their alleged involvement in writing anti-national slogans on walls and pasting posters asking villagers of the Chhachhroli area to boycott the recent LS poll.

These suspected Maoists were active in Kurukshetra, Jind, Kaithal and Yamunanagar. While Pardeep has done MBBS, Sanjay is a BTech, Mukesh has done MA in English and Samrat is a simple graduate, but well-versed with communism. He is said to be an active organiser said IG (Ambala) KK Sindhu, while addressing a press conference along with SSP Vikas Arora here today.

Dr Pardeep and the other seven - Sanjay, Mukesh, Samrat, Madan Lal, Sukhwinder, Satya and Geeta - were arrested from the Chhachhroli area of the district. While six of them, including Dr Pardeep, were arrested yesterday, Mukesh and Sukhwinder were arrested this morning.

The police has so far arrested 17 suspected Maoists. The police said it had announced a reward of Rs 50,000 for anyone providing information about the whereabouts of Sanjay, Mukesh and Samrat. However, it was not aware of Dr Pardeep being their state president. It was only after the arrest of Samrat that the police came to know about Dr Pardeep.

“This is a major achievement as with the arrest of these leaders the police has managed to foil a major bid to carry out disruptive activities by them,” the IG said.

“Posters and banners put up in various villages before the Lok Sabha elections carried the names of the Shiwalik Jansangharsh Manch and the Naxalite Lal Salam. The Maoists were collecting funds and recruiting people through their front organisations, including the Jagrook Chhatar Morcha, the Krantikari Majdoor Kisan Union, the Jan Adhikari Surakhsa Samiti and the Shivalik Jansangarsh Manch,” the IG further added. While six of the eight arrested, including Dr Pardeep, were produced in a local court, which remanded them in police custody till June 13, Mukesh and Sukhwinder will be produced in court tomorrow.