Chandigarh , June 11
Even before politicians in Haryana have overcome the Lok Sabha election fatigue, the Assembly elections are staring them in the face. Though the Assembly elections are due in February next, reports that the Congress may like to go for early elections to cash in on its success in the parliamentary polls have unnerved the Opposition.

Interestingly, while the Opposition parties, though still licking their wounds suffered during the Lok Sabha elections, have mentally prepared themselves for the early Assembly elections, it is the “dissidents”, a motley crowd of party leaders having only their hatred towards Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda as something common among themselves, who are opposing the early Assembly elections.

The dissidents hope that if the elections are not held in the last quarter of this year along with those to the Maharashtra Assembly, the Opposition in Haryana may gain some ground in the state, diminishing the chances of a virtual clean sweep by the Congress. Therefore, they have launched a whispering campaign that the elections should be held at due time only.

Both situations suit Hooda. If the elections are held in October, the disarrayed Opposition may not get sufficient time to regroup itself and enthuse its ranks.

Perhaps, it is for the first time that the leadership of the main Opposition parties in the state is under attack from its own rank and file. Even a tightly-controlled party like the INLD is not an exception. For the first time, questions are being raised in the party over the ability of the leadership to steer the party to power.

Similarly, the HJC of Kuldip Bishnoi is facing a split. Bishnoi has expelled two senior leaders of the party, Krishan Murti Hooda and Subhash Batra, for their “anti-party” activities. Hooda and Batra, who were designated by Bishnoi as conveners of the Rohtak rally held on December 2, 2007, at which the party was born, have “expelled” Bishnoi. In all probability, the two estranged leaders will form a parallel HJC next month. Once, they were among the trusted followers of Bishnoi’s father, former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal.

The BSP, which emerged as the second largest party in terms of vote percentage in Haryana during the Lok Sabha elections, is also facing a similar situation. The party’s national general secretary, Man Singh Manhera, who is in charge of the party affairs in the state, is under fire from its leaders. Defeated party candidate from Karnal Maratha Virender Verma has levelled allegations against Manhera, which have been denied by sources close to him

The BJP is embroiled in its own controversies at the national level. Its national leadership has no time to seriously postmortem the defeat of the party in Haryana.

If the elections are held as scheduled in February, it also suits Hooda. One of the main criticisms of his government is not so satisfactory power situation. By this yearend, one of the several power plants under construction will start generating power, which will ease the power situation.

One thing that may prompt the Congress high command to go for early Assembly elections in Haryana is the model code of conduct, which comes into force after the elections are announced. The duration of the code is about two months.

The Centre may not like to be handicapped first by the code in Maharashtra and then in Haryana. Therefore, the Congress high command may like to have simultaneous elections in the two states.

Karnal, June 11
A 30-member All-India IPSC Mountaineering Expedition team, comprising students of six Sainik Schools, have reached another milestone by scaling the craggy and snow-clad Deo Tibba peak, located at an altitude of 6,001 m in the Manali region of Himachal Pradesh.

The team of Sainik School, Kunjpura, which scaled the Deo Tibba peak.

The team, headed by expedition leader JS Gulia, an ace mountaineer, trudged about 200 km across high mountain passes, climbed snow-covered steep hills and treacherous rocks during the 25-day exploration and returned after scripting the message of clean and green environment on the mountain peak.

The team selected the Solang valley near the key tourist resort of Manali as its main base camp for acclimatisation before setting off for high mountain trekking and various other factors besides imparting training to young students in rock craft, rock climbing, rappelling, hold techniques and important knots.

The next camp was at Seri at a height of 13,500 ft to train the students in snow and ice craft, glacier walking, self-arrest, crevasse rescue, glissading and step making. Two more camps were set up at Chandra Tal (15,000 ft) and Dungal Col (17,000 ft).

After negotiating the steep and exhausting ice wall climbing, 19 out of 25 students and five staff members displayed grit, determination and spirit of adventure and reached the summit of Deo Tibba.

The expedition, which comprised students and teachers from Sainik School Rewa (MP); Sainik School Imphal (Manipur); Moti Lal Nehru School of Sports Rai (Haryana); Yadvindra Public School, Mohali (Punjab); Punjab Public School, Nabha (Punjab); and Sainik School Kunjpura (Haryana), was flagged off by Governor AR Kidwai from Raj Bhawan, Chandigarh, on May 15 and was received by Chief Minister BS Hooda in Delhi on June 4.

Moreover, he had to make frantic efforts for getting the services of at least five MBBS doctors for smooth running of the causality as well, because all senior doctors, who had been holding the work of causality in the hospital, were shifted to the evening OPD.

Dr Bishnoi said the aim behind the OPD was to provide the best possible medical services to the patients so that they do not face any difficulty in getting their treatment done from the hospital.

“I have demanded five other specialist doctors of different ailments from the commissioner, health services, so that a full-fledged OPD similar to PGIMS, Rohtak, could be run efficiently at the civil hospital. Commissioner Anuradha Gupta has given her consent in the regard, hence the doctors are likely to be made available soon for the OPD,” maintains the civil surgeon.

He said an eye specialist was also going to join the hospital on July 1. Thereafter, eye patients would also be able to avail the facility of the OPD.

Gurgaon, June 11
People have become health conscious nowadays. This was witnessed here at the Leisure Valley recently, when it came to life as hundreds of people gathered to get themselves registered for the 10-km and 5-km Runningandliving.com run.

Elemention gym trainers led the warm-up sessions and got the people in the mood for the run. It was the first anniversary of the Runningandliving.com where over 6,000 people have come for a run since last June and several are now a part of the group.

“Our goal is to get 200 million people running,” said Rahul Verghese, founder of the running and living infotainment. A few teams from some companies also took part in the team-building activities with the run.

“Today, we got runners to focus on the environment,” he affirmed and mentioned that they tried to spread the messages like how one could reduce carbon footprint, evaluate solar power for homes and offices.

All runners got recycled paper bags to collect two pieces of plastic/garbage along the run and exchange it for their info pack at the finish line.

“This makes us more conscious of the trash we create,” said one of the participants.

Reebok coupons, Max Healthcare guides and Running and Living charts to map running progress were the prizes given to all.

"Running helps unleash your potential as you shed your inhibitions and mental barriers one by one,” Rahul said.

Max Healthcare ambulances and the traffic police were there to make it an incident-free run.

Dr Dilpreet Brar, regional director, South, Max Healthcare, said, “These types of events are an excellent way to promote not only health and wellness, but also ecological conservation amongst the community at large.”

Rewari, June 11
With effective treatment provided to hundreds of patients suffering from complicated diseases, the naturopathy clinic at the Vedic Ashram here has gained recognition as a prominent health centre of naturopathy in various parts of Haryana, Delhi and Rajasthan.

The clinic, established in 2000 by the managing committee of the Vedic Ashram here, is being run by Dr Tej Pal Arya.

Dr Arya said while over 10,000 patients had been given treatment through naturopathy for various ailments, over 300 patients suffering from complicated diseases like asthma, obesity, chronic constipation, hypertension, insomnia, diabetes, mental depression, gastric disorder and other such ailments, were provided full-fledged effectual treatment during the past nine years.

All these patients, including about 50 women, were kept as indoor patients for 21 to 42 days at the clinic here, he added.

As regards the system of treatment, Dr Arya explained while soil and water therapies were almost exclusively utilised, no medicines were given to the patients during the treatment. However, fruit and juice diet, yogic exercises and other such things were also used as auxiliaries, he added.

Several such patients, who are still under treatment, were presented at a seminar held at the ashram recently.

A patient, Kamla Yadav (55) of Tatarpur village, near here, had a heart attack recently and was advised bypass surgery by AIIMS, New Delhi. Since she was a diabetic, doctors showed reluctance in performing the bypass surgery. Kamla then came to the naturopathy clinic where she was given efficacious treatment for two months.

She told the gathering at the seminar that she was now hale and hearty and had been cured of her complications.

Similarly, a bank employee, Satish Kumar (44) of Rampura village, near here, who suffered from mental depression and other such ailments, and who had got treatment in various hospitals in Delhi and Jaipur, told the gathering that after he started receiving treatment at the naturopathy clinic recently, he was feeling better and was hopeful that he would soon be cured completely.

Dr Bijender Arya, a specialist in naturopathy and yoga, exhorted the participants to go for yoga and naturopathy treatment for their complicated ailments while asserting that the modern medical science was highly expensive as well as incapable of providing efficacious treatment to complicated diseases.

Sirsa, June 11
Six districts of Haryana, including Sirsa, will soon be provided phacoemulsification (Phaco) cataract surgery facilities in government hospitals. The state government has decided to provide the facilities in Panchkula, Yamunanagar, Gurgaon, Palwal and Ambala, besides Sirsa.

An official spokesman said earlier such facilities were available in Bhiwani and Karnal hospitals.

The Health Department has sanctioned phaco machines for Sirsa and five other districts under the Haryana Rural Health Mission.

Dr Inderpal Singh Gill, ophthalmologist in the local general hospital, said cataract surgeries were performed through ultrasonic rays with the help of phaco machines.

The technique not only minimises the size of incision for the surgery to 3 millimetres, but also cuts the surgery time to 15 minutes. The spokesman said intraocular lens and medicines required for the cataract surgeries would be provided free of cost in the hospital and the surgeries that cost over Rs 20,000 in private hospitals would be performed free of cost in the general hospital now.

Chandigarh, June 11
The reshuffle in the IAS cadre post-elections came as no surprise. However, what has taken everybody by surprise is that there’s something about the post of secretary, forests, with nobody keen on the charge. Whether it is the fear factor that comes from taking orders from hard taskmaster Minister of State for Forests Kiran Choudhry or other factors at work is still a mystery.

This is evident in the fact that after the government decided to replace financial commissioner and principal secretary (FCPS) PK Gupta, the position changed hands twice before the government finally settled for present incumbent Maha Singh.

Sources said after PK Gupta was shifted out as financial commissioner and principal secretary, industrial training department, after 10 months of being given the charge, the government gave additional charge of the forest department to Yudhvir Malik, who was FCPS, industries and commerce and mines and geology.

However, the sources said he did not take charge even though Gupta had relinquished the charge of the forest department. Next day, the government, admitting Malik’s appeal against being posted in the said department, issued new orders.

Madhusudan Prasad, FCPS, power and renewable energy sources departments, was given the additional charge of the forest department relieving Malik of the said charge.

Though the source of the problem in the department remains unclear, it is learnt that Prasad, too, opted for a bailout instead of joining. The sources said he cited his assignment as power secretary to be too complicated to be managed simultaneously with the heavy responsibility of the forest department. Again, his reasoning was considered and the government started a fresh search for a forest secretary for the state.

It is learnt that two other senior officers, also given new assignments in the reshuffle of May 28, were sent feelers to take over in the department. However, they, too, turned down the “offer” after due consideration.

Finally, the government zeroed in on Maha singh who was given the charge of the department. Interestingly, ever since the Congress government came to power in the state, the pace at which the post of forest secretaries has changed hands is surprising. In fact, over six officers have tested the waters in the department but have failed to stay put for long. Bureaucratic circles are abuzz with discussions on how long a tenure will Maha Singh have in the department which has shot into the spotlight.

Sirsa, June 11
A team of experts appointed by the University Grants Commission (UGC) recently visited Chaudhary Devi Lal University, Sirsa, to review its performance in the 10th Plan and to assess its requirement in the 11th Plan.

The team was led by Prof Jose P Verges, a former vice-chancellor of Christ University, Bangalore, and comprised Prof Mohammad Mian from Jamia Millia Islamia, Prof NR Dhamiwal from Punjabi University, Patiala; Prof Manmohan Gupta from Panjab University, Chandigarh; Prof Tapti Basu from Kolkata University, Kolkata; Prof Harish Kumar from Guru Ghasidas University, Chhatisgarh; Prof VK Jain from Jawahar Lal University, Delhi; Prof B Vanitha from Bharthiar University, Coimbatore; Prof Veena Aggarwal from Delhi University, Delhi; and a member secretary Dr PS Rajput, former director (administration) of the UGC.

CDLU vice-chancellor Dr KC Bhardwaj received the team members and apprised them of the achievements of the 
university.

The team visited all teaching departments of the university to review their performance and assess their requirement of funds. The team also visited science and computer labs and assessed the facilities available to the students.

A presentation on the progress made by the university during the 10th Plan was made before the team while projections for the 11th Plan were also highlighted, said Bhardwaj.

The university has prepared a proposal of grant of Rs 200 crore for the 11th Plan and much will depend on the recommendations of this expert team as to how much grant the university gets from the UGC in the coming years.

The vice-chancellor has informed that the university authorities have presented a demand of Rs 100 crore before the UGC for the creation of new infrastructure and improvement of the existing.

Besides, a demand has been made for grant for research activities and improvement in the facilities in various teaching departments of the university.

Chandigarh, June 11
Efforts of the Haryana Government to promote the diversification of crops have started bearing fruit as the area under horticulture crops in the state has gone up to 5.5 per cent of the total cropped area.

According to a spokesman of the Horticulture Department, farmers are being encouraged to grow horticulture crops in place of traditional crops to supplement their income. As a result, the area and production of fruits have increased considerably from 12,640 hectares and 99,800 metric tonnes, respectively, during 1990-91 to 39,132 hectares and 2.57 lakh metric tonnes during 2008-09. A target of additional area and production for 2009-10 has been fixed at 5,500 hectares and 2.5 lakh metric tonnes, respectively.

Being close to the national capital, there is a great demand for fresh vegetables from the state. This has resulted in an increase in the area and the production of vegetables from 55,360 hectares and 8,02,240 metric tonnes, respectively during 1990-91 to 2,98,430 hectares and 37,96,530 metric tonnes during 2008-09. Next year, the area under vegetable cultivation is expected to increase by three lakh hectares and the existing production will go up by 38 lakh metric tonnes.

The department has fixed a target of 5,950 hectares for producing about 58,000 tonnes of flowers and 1,451 lakh of cut flowers. The targets for mushroom production and spice production have been set at 7,000 tonnes and 70,000 tonnes, respectively.

During 2008-09, 2,137 hectares of land was covered under the drip irrigation system and this year another 3,579 hectares will be brought under this system of irrigation. Similarly, during 2008-09, 252 hectares of land was covered under the sprinkler irrigation system and this year another 586 hectares will be covered by sprinkler irrigation.

Jhajjar June 11
Aravali Power Company Pvt. Ltd. (APCPL), a joint venture of the NTPC, the HPGCL and the IPGCL for the implementation of the 1500 MW Indira Gandhi Super Thermal Power Project in Khanpur Khurd, Jharli, Mohanbari and Goriya villages here, has prepared an elaborate plan for the overall development and uplift of residents of the 
villages located in the nearby areas of the project.

Under the plan, the APCPL will not only adopt an ITI at Matanhel village and open a new ITI on the campus of the APCPL in order to provide technical education to the deserving local students, but also make arrangement for library books and furniture for the Senior Secondary School at Jharli village, the construction of a borewell for drinking water at Khanpur Khurd and Jharli villages and dirty water disposal pond in Goriya village.

Besides, the APCPL will also strengthen the electrical distribution network in villages within 10-km radius of the project. A support of Rs 4.62 crore has been sanctioned for it.

Giving the details about the plan, Sanjeev Kaushal, managing director of the HPGCL, said many other development works such as the opening of a dispensary, arrangements for drinking water,a bus service from Jharli to Jhajjar,the repair of a water course in Mohanbari were also in different stages of execution right now.

Talking about Indira Gandhi Super Thermal Power Project, he said the construction work was progressing steadily towards completion on schedule.

The secretary (Power), Government of India, Harishankar Brahma, had also recently reviewed the progress of the project and inaugurated the Integrated Township Package Works as well.

Keeping in view the progress of construction activities, the Secretary (Power) had now re-fixed the commissioning target of the first 500 MW unit during April 2010, well in time to cater to the power requirements of Commonwealth Games to be held in New Delhi, he added.

“This project is identified for power requirement of Commonwealth Games 2010 and power generated from this project will be shared by Delhi and Haryana. Haryana will get 50 per cent power produced by this unit i.e. 250 MW,” said Kuashal, adding that the total cost of the project was estimated at Rs 7892 crore and since commencement of construction, an expenditure of Rs 2543 crore had been incurred on the project. 

Hisar, June 11
Beleaguered Haryana Janhit Congress (BL) chief Kuldeep Bishnoi has found himself a new political mate in his wife Renuka Bishnoi.

Ever since her marriage, Renuka had kept herself away from political activities devoting all her time to her family. She was seen publicly briefly during campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls, gathering support for father-in-law Bhajan Lal.

However, she recently visited the Adampur assembly segment and met with her family’s staunch supporters. She also toured the segment extensively and met voters seeking support for her clan.

Significantly, Bhajan Lal had won from Adampur in the last year’s byelection caused by his expulsion from the Congress. He had won by a margin of over 28,000 votes. However, in the recent Lok Sabha polls, his margin from Adampur was cut by half.

Worried over her family’s loosening grip over their pocket borough, Renuka decided to become politically active. She, however, believes that the support for the Bishnoi clan has not withered. Instead, she says the delimitation has added new areas to the segment whose voters came in to contact with her family for the first time during the Lok Sabha polls. It is this section of voters she plans to concentrate on in the coming weeks.

Renuka is new to electoral politics. Her experience is limited to canvassing for her father-in-law. Yet, she plans to be active in the area to help her husband and father-in-law.

She says she has no plans to contest the coming Assembly elections. “I am only helping my husband who has to tour the entire state to prepare for the Assembly polls”, she added.

Producer: Vashu Bhagnani
Director: Vivek Sharma
Cast: Jackky Bhagnani, Vaishali Desai, Rishi Kapoor and Archana Puran Singh

Pooja Entertainment Ltd and Big Pictures “Kal Kissne Dekha” which stars debutants Jackky Bhagnani and Vaishali Desai, opens today at Everest-Rewari, Sheila-Rohtak, Fame Shalimar-Panchkula, PVR MFG, PVR Sahara, PVR Ambience Mall, SRS Omaxe Plaza, DT City Centre, DT Mega Mall, Big Cinema Palam (All Gurgaon), PVR Crown Plaza, SRS Sector 12, SRS Pristine, SRS Shubham, INOX (All Faridabad), Fun-Panipat, Cinemax-Panipat, Fun-Ambala, Sun City-Hisar, Minerva-Ambala Cantt, Harsha-Karnal, OHM Cine Garden-Sirsa.

What to watch out for: New lead pair Jackky Bhagnani-Vaishali Desai, melodious foot-tapping musical score and Vivek Sharma’s direction.

— Dharam Pal