Panchkula, July 1
Taking a big leap in the health sector, the state today introduced free-of-cost treatment for poor patients living below poverty line and those living in urban slums.

Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda made this announcement while launching the surgery package scheme introduced at state district hospitals here today.

With this, Haryana has become the first state to provide free-of-cost treatment to poor patients as well as cost-effective and hassle-free surgery facilities for others. Distribution of free-of-cost medicines and eye surgeries at government hospitals were started early this year in the state.

Initially, the Chief Minister inaugurated the helpdesk, which has been established for information and registration of patients at General Hospital in Sector 6 here. With this, patients at government hospitals can opt the package for surgeries available at the hospitals, following which all medicines and diagnosis tests will be conducted by the hospital.

Hooda also inaugurated the newly installed lithotripsy setup. A procedure of lithotripsy will cost only Rs 2,100 here while private hospitals charge up to Rs 20,000 for the same. As many as 502 patients have registered themselves under the surgery package programme at 17 district hospitals in the state.

The Chief Minister also visited the postoperative ward of the hospital, where he interacted with patients, who had been operated under the surgery package programme.

SIRSA: Fourteen surgeries were performed in the district hospital on the inaugural day of the surgery package programme of the state government here on Wednesday.

KV Singh, OSD to the Chief Minister, inaugurated the programme at a function, which was attended by civil surgeon Dr Narinder Chaudhary and all doctors of the hospital. In all, 16 patients had registered with the hospital authorities under the package scheme out of which two were declared unfit for surgery due to hypertension, said the civil surgeon.

Rai (Sonepat), July 1
Two innocent little girls have a small desire - to have a family of their own. Pooja (8) and Chanda (6), both sisters, are in search of parents and a place they can call home.

Though two years of wait have yielded no results, their lives continue to hang by a thread and they are hoping that “their” parents will show up sooner or later.

Now, their yearning for a family has begun to find a voice. Twelve inmates of Bal Gram have moved out of the campus since they arrived in 2007. They’ve watched their friends get families and surnames, oodles of love and loads of care - all that they have only craved for so far.

So, the arrival of any visitor at Bal Gram is enough to set their pulse racing. “This is it. Our parents are here to take us home,” is all their eyes and smile seem to convey to every visitor. But, lady luck seems busy smiling elsewhere while they continue to wait. The visitors invariably drive away with another baby from the state-run adoption centre, leaving them disappointed.

Though they can’t recall how time and their own parents conspired to earn them the destitute tag, villa director MM Godbole gets candid.

“They are children of a labourer couple, who worked at a brick-kiln in Jhajjar. The Uttar Pradesh couple left their daughters with a fellow labourer at the kiln to take care of them while they went home to deal with an emergency. They never came back. These girls, then four and six years, came to us. Though we are an extended family, somewhere in their hearts, they are seeking parents exclusively for themselves. It’s painful at times to see their yearning,” he said.

Ironically, the advantage of having a sibling around to share a lifelong after the parents had gone has become their biggest disadvantage. It’s standing in the way of the life they long for.

Explains Godbole, “Lots of couples come and adopt baby girls. They haven’t been adopted because the adoption guidelines by the Central Adoption Resource Agency (CARA) don’t permit separate homes for siblings. Then, again, in their case, time is running out fast. Every couple wants a baby little realising that they, too, are still at an impressionable stage and a new life will erase the past. If nobody takes them soon, we will have to move them out of the adoption centre and put them with other destitute children.”

Nobody has shown so much heart to take these two girls. However, that’s no reason for disappointment for the sisters. They are sure that their parents will return from the faraway land they are in, loaded with gifts for their daughters, just like Godbole has described to them. Then, they will live as one happy family and never let them go. Any takers for this fairytale desperately seeking a happy ending before harsh realities take the sheen off another childhood?

Chandigarh, July 1
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today ruled that selections made by the Public Service Commissions were not inspiring confidence, and directed maintenance of proper record in video or other forms in all future interviews.

In a direction aimed at ensuring the selection of only the meritorious, the high court also directed the Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) to “consider the service record of the in-service candidates while, considering the candidature for the appointment to the posts of headmasters or any other like post in future selections.”

The directions by the Division Bench of Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel and Justice Jitendra Chauhan follow a petition filed by Anu Radha of Hisar. Seeking the quashing of selections made by the HPSC, the petitioner had claimed she was higher on merit; and there was no transparency in the selection process.

Taking up the matter, the Bench asked advocate Puneet Bali to assist the court for coming out with safeguards, and related issues before ruling: “We direct the HPSC to ensure that proper record of interviews conducted by it, of questions and answers, is maintained in the appropriate form, such as video recording or otherwise, as may be decided by it in all future interviews….

“While absence of video recording or preparing other record may not always render the selections bad, it is desirable that proper record of the questions asked and the answers given be maintained.”

The Bench asserted: “Unfortunately appointments to the posts of members of the commission are often subject matter of controversy. “Selections made do not inspire confidence on account of apprehensions of extraneous considerations. Though the courts normally exercise restrain in interfering with the selections and particularly with the criteria, which may be laid down by the expert body, the court cannot be oblivious that there has been a steady decline of public standards, public morals and public morale”.

Referring to the French and the American system, the Bench added that safeguards are required to be introduced to check arbitrariness and also to ensure transparency. In the absence of contemporaneous record being maintained, adoption of test or interviews is rendered vulnerable to allegations of nepotism or favouritism and the burden may be on the commission to satisfy the court that the selection was fair.

“If there is contemporaneous record, it may be easier for the commission to discharge its burden for showing fairness.”

Fee of private institutes

Students going in for diploma in education in privately managed educational institutions in Haryana will not have to pay hefty fees, after all.

The state government has prescribed a fee structure following complaints in this regard. The fee structure provides for a total fee of Rs 18, 400 per year, inclusive of Rs 14, 400 tuition fee and Rs 4,000 annual charges. It comes into force from the academic year 2009-10 and will remain valid till 2011-12.

The tuition fee will be payable in four quarterly installments of Rs 3,600 in August, November, January and March. The annual charges of Rs 4,000 will have to be deposited at the start of the academic session, along with the first quarterly installment. The actual examination fee charged by the examining institutions could be extra.

The institutions have been asked to accept the fees from the students only through commercial banks. The institutions shall open a fee account and issue suitable fee slips to the students.

This was disclosed in an affidavit placed before the Division Bench of Chief Justice Tirath Singh Thakur and Justice Kanwaljit Singh Ahluwalia.

Rohtak, July 1
Workers of the Haryana Janhit Congress (BL) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) jointly held a procession here today in protest against unscheduled power cuts and shortage of water in the state. The protesters, carrying yellow and blue flags, raised slogans against the government.

Later, a delegation of the parties submitted a memorandum, addressed to the Governor, to the Deputy Commissioner in his office. They urged the Governor to direct the government to ensure adequate supply of power and water to people, especially farmers.

Criticising the irregular supply of electricity and shortage of water, leaders of both parties, which recently entered into an alliance for the coming Assembly elections in the state, said farmers were the worst sufferers as they were not able to carry out sowing of paddy.

The delegation comprised BSP leaders Raj Kumar Sharma and Suresh Munjhal, and HJC (BL) leaders Bijender Singal, OP Bagri, Yogender Nath Malhotra and Wazir Khokhar.

SONEPAT: Hundreds of INLD activists, led by former Finance Minister Sampat Singh, on Wednesday organised a demonstration in the town in protest against erratic supply of electricity and water in the state and handed over a memorandum, addressed to the Governor, to Deputy Commissioner Ajit Joshi.

The district units of the BSP and the HJC also organised a protest march and handed over a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner to register their protest against the shortage of electricity and canal water supplies.

Fatehabad, July 1
High drama was witnessed in Jandli Kalan village here today when a family, who was stopped from marrying a 15-year-old girl yesterday, tried to marry another girl of the family in place of her.

The family had yesterday claimed that Savitri (name changed), whom they wanted to marry in place of the 15-year-old, was a major. However, they were unable to provide any evidence in support of it.

The medical examination of Savitri added to the confusion as the doctors, who performed dental, orthopedic and gynecological tests on her, determined her age between 17 and 19 years.

Earlier, the girl herself had told child marriage prohibition officer Sunita that she was born in March 1993.

While project officer, Integrated Child Development Project, Asha Setia; child development project officer, Bhuna, Mamta Thakral; block development officer Yash Sharma; SHO Ganga Ram; Sunita and several other district officers camped in the village to prevent the marriage scheduled for today, several other villagers, including the girl’s father, Radhey Sham, met Deputy Commissioner CG Rajnikanthan seeking permission for the marriage.

Village elders, including former sarpanches, urged the Deputy Commissioner that their prestige would be dented in case the marriage was not solemnised today.

Sources said even a ruling party MLA, who is a parliamentary secretary in the Bhupinder Singh Hooda government, recommended the case of the girl’s father.

However, Rajnikanthan told the panchayat members that criminal cases would be registered against all kin in case they went ahead with their plans without producing evidence in support of their claim.

Interestingly, the girl’s family, which claimed that their daughter had passed senior secondary examination, failed to produce any certificate.

The father of 15-year-old girl, Satyawan, had yesterday complained to the Deputy Commissioner accusing his wife Murti Devi of trying to marry his minor daughter to ensure a bride for her brother Mahavir Singh.

When the authorities stopped the girl’s marriage, Mahavir Singh’s family sought to marry Savitri, whom they claimed was a major.

Curtains were drawn over the whole episode when the family members and village elders gave an undertaking to the authorities that they would not marry Savitri till she attained majority.

Sirsa: Child Marriage Prohibition Officer Sadhna Mittal today stopped the marriage of two minor girls in Keharwala village in Rania block of this district.

The action was taken after Deputy Commissioner Yudhvir Singh Khaylia received an anonymous complaint that two girls, both sisters, aged 14 and 12, were to be married by their parents in Keharwala village.

The girls’ father admitted that the marriages had been fixed for July 2 but described their age as 17 and 15.

However, on counseling by Mittal and warning of registration of criminal case by the police party accompanying her, the girls’ father agreed to put off the marriage and gave an undertaking that he would not marry them till they attain marriageable age.

Rohtak, July 1
The “irresponsible” functioning of the Haryana police came to the fore yet again on Tuesday when family members of a 23-year-old rape victim, Alka, who had allegedly committed suicide by consuming some poisonous substance at the IGP’s office here on May 6, alleged that the police had failed to arrest all five accused of gangrape even after one and a half months of an assurance made by the police authorities.

They also disclosed that financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh announced by the Rohtak Divisional Commissioner for the two children of the deceased had so far not been given to them.

They said they had come here to meet the Rohtak Divisional Commissioner to register their protest against the “police failure” in nabbing the five accused, besides issuing a warning to the authorities in this regard.

“We have given an ultimatum of two days to the commissioner for the arrest of the accused,” said Sunil, husband of Alka, while talking to The Tribune after getting an assurance from the Commissioner that he would talk to the Director General of Police in this regard to ensure justice to them.

Sunil maintained that the police had promised on May 11 that the inquiry into the Alka gangrape case would be completed and all five accused would be arrested within 15 days when they had lifted Alka’s body from the PGIMS mortuary after five days of her death. However, the police ‘failed’ to nab the accused even after one and a half months.

“We want immediate arrest of the rape accused and an inquiry by the CBI into the case. We will not hesitate to take extreme step if the authorities fail to fulfill their demand,” warned Sunil.

Meanwhile, Sharma said he had written to the IGP to expedite the investigation process in the case and to ensure early justice to the victim’s family.

Alka and her husband, Sunil, residents of Panchhi village in Sonepat district, had allegedly consumed poison in the IGP’s office on May 6. Alka had died during the medical treatment in the PGIMS while Sunil 
was saved.

Yamunanagar, July 1
“I tried my best to convince my son Samrat to leave the suspected Maoists’ organisation and start his own small business. I even offered Rs 1.5 lakh - my life’s savings - to start his vocation. However, Samrat refused. He was so influenced by Bhagat Singh, who is the role model of their organisation,” Bola Singh (55), who runs a pan kiosk in Vijay Colony, said.

“I have not met him for the past two years. I met him last when the police had arrested him in 2007. Later, he was released on bail. Since then, I have no idea what he was doing,” he added.

Though Samrat (24) is not well educated, he is the president of the Shiwalik Jansangharsh Morcha launched by the president of the suspected Maoists’ organisation in the state, Dr Pardeep Kumar.

Dr Pardeep had set up office of the Chhatar Jagruk Manch in Vijay Colony here, where Samrat used to reside in 2002. When Samrat was in class VIII, he came in contact with leaders of suspected Maoists during a play staged by Dr Pardeep and others on the life of Bhagat Singh. He was moved by the play to such an extent that he left his studies and joined Dr Pardeep. After the students’ movement, Dr Pardeep shifted his base to Chhachhroli area in 2005. Samrat actively supported the cause and fought for Dalilts of the area to get their rights. “I don’t know anything about their ideology and their work. Samrat was highly influenced by Dr Pardeep. Not only my son, other youths were also attracted by Dr Pardeep,” said Bola.

“Once I had a detailed discussion with Dr Pardeep, Sanjay and my son to know their point of view and what they are doing. They explained me that they had been working for the empowerment of landless farmers and Dalits,” revealed Bola Singh.

“I am not worried now. Dr Pardeep and Sanjay have earned a lot of respect because of their works. I do not know about their arms struggle,” he added. “Samrat is committed to what he is doing. I have to take care of my other two sons and life is not easy for us. One of my sons works in a factory and the other is studying. Originally, we belong to Bihar. However, we are living in Yamunanagar for the past 32 years,” he said. Samrat got his training in arms from Naxalites in Jharkhand, said DSP Mukesh Kumar.

Karnal, July 1
Anguished over the “indifferent and callous” attitude of the government towards astronaut Kalpana Chawla and the fading enthusiasm of the people of Karnal and Haryana to raise a befitting memorial to her, a leading NGO, the National Integrated Forum of Artists and Activists (NIFAA), has decided to launch an agitation for setting up medical college in Karnal in her memory.

Announcing the agitation programme on the birth anniversary of Kalpana Chawla here today, chairman of NIFAA Pritpal Singh Pannu told a press conference that a relay fast would be started from January 1 to January 31, 2010, in front of the mini secretariat, Karnal, if work on the medical college project was not started by December 31. Thousands of activists would reach Delhi on her death anniversary, which falls on February 1, and make a human chain outside Parliament to register their protest.

Pannu criticised political parties for making it an issue only during the elections to garner support but doing noting concrete to honour the “daughter of Karnal”.

Gurgaon, July 1
Tempers flew high as family members of a road accident victim, top district officials and newspersons vent their ire on representatives of Jaypee DSC Ventures Ltd, the concessionaire for the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway, which has witnessed the deaths of nearly 120 persons since it was commissioned in January 2008.

Gurgaon Deputy Commissioner Rajender Kataria had called a meeting to discuss the sensitive issue at his office today. After the meeting, the DC ordered an inquiry into the matter of insufficient safety measures on the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway. Following the meeting with the representatives of the expressway concessionaire and family members of Rahul Anand, a 19-year-old boy who was killed in a recent accident on the expressway, the DC asked the ADC, Praveen Kumar, to conduct a thorough probe into the matter and submit his report by tomorrow.

Kataria even advised Anand’s family, who have filed a PIL in this connection with the Punjab and Haryana High Court, to make the district administration a party in the litigation so that he could “set things right”.

At today’s meeting, the DC, the ADC, Rahul’s father KS Anand and even some mediapersons lambasted the representatives of the concessionaire for their callous and indifferent attitude towards the safety of the commuters and pedestrians.

ADC Praveen Kumar categorically accused the concessionaire of deliberately hiding the facts and providing false and misleading information to cover up their gross negligence and failure to ensure safety to the residents.

The DC also lashed out at the representatives of the concessionaire present at the meeting. He maintained that the concessionaire had failed to provide even the mandatory safety features, emergency medical aid, telephone numbers to be contacted in case of an urgency, sufficient foot over-bridges and underpasses for pedestrians.

“It seems that the concessionaires are not interested in adopting any measures other than collecting money,” he asserted.

Sachin Sharma, vice-president (operations) of Jaypee DSC Ventures Ltd, gave a presentation on the steps taken by the company. However, he could not give satisfactory replies to queries posed by the family members of Rahul, the DC, the ADC and newspersons.

The DC finally asked him to ensure the adherence to norms in a time-bound manner, failing which the top men of the company would be booked. He, however, chose to ignore the repeated suggestions of the ADC and the mediapersons to take “direct legal action” against the concessionaire “there and then”.

Panipat, July 1
The district police today claimed to have busted a fake ghee racket and seized 3,000 litres of spurious ghee from a local dealer, who was immediately placed under arrest.

Acting on a tip-off, the police raided the premises of Suresh Chand, who owned a shop in the local Gur Mandi, and seized the spurious ghee from there. The accused was allegedly procuring the ghee from Gwalior and supplying it to various districts in the state.

The accused was sent to five days’ police remand.