Chandigarh, July 26
The Haryana Congress never had it so good with leaders from the opposition parties across the board flocking into the Congress camp every week. This increase in the “popularity” of the Congress and its tribe, however, comes with a flip side - causing discontentment among old-timers.

Feeling the heat of the “additions” being made to the party when the state government is pushing for an early election in the state, party loyalists, workers and sitting MLAs of the Congress are feeling threatened with this constant inflow of “outsiders”.

The MLAs are feeling “unsafe” about their seats and ticket hopefuls, too, are sulking. Sources said there was not only resentment over the recent inductions but also over leaders expected to join the Congress soon.

Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s contention that all leaders joining the Congress were doing so unconditionally is not addressing the growing insecurity of Congressmen.

Aggrieved leaders reason that opposition leaders parachuting into their area of influence by joining the party ahead of the elections is unjustified. Voices of dissent are building up in the parliamentary seats of Kurukshetra, Sirsa, Ambala, Hisar and Gurgaon among others.

In fact, MP Rao Indrajit Singh has put his “disapproval” on record by stating that if there is such a wave of the Congress in the state, where is the need to induct leaders from other political parties especially since they have, in the past, not only criticised UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi but also worked against the Congress.

In a statement, particularly mentioning former district INLD president Jagdish Yadav, he said such leaders who had been critical of the Gandhi family should not be taken. “They will not strengthen the party in anyway, only disillusion party loyalists. I won my seat despite lack of support from the minister and sitting MLAs in my area.

Those who say that I won with the support of INLD supremo Om Prakash Chautala should ponder over the results. In fact, I lost in most INLD strongholds despite a visit by Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda,” he stated. The MP added that Congressmen distributing tickets to new inductees before the constitution of an Election Committee, too, should be restrained.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee, Ved Prakash Vidhrohi, said the party had not promised any party ticket of the forthcoming Assembly elections to the newly joined leaders.

He added that the party had decided at the national level that tickets would be given only to candidates who had worked actively in the party for three years and any leniency in this regard would be decided only by the party national leadership.

Hisar, July 26
Non-teaching employees of over 100 private affiliated colleges of Haryana will stage a dharna in front of the office of the Commissioner, Higher Education, Haryana, at Panchkula on Tuesday to seek grant of the sixth pay panel pay scales to them.

Rai Singh, general secretary, Haryana Private Colleges Non-Teaching Employees Union, said here today that the Haryana government had already given the new pay scales to all categories of employees except non-teaching employees working in non-government-aided colleges.

He said it was a pity that the government had not yet removed anomalies in the fifth pay panel recommendations and now it was denying this category of employees the benefit of higher pay scales recommended by the sixth pay panel. Rai Singh said if the government did not release the new pay scales by August 15, the union would intensify its agitation.

Karnal, July 26
The Haryana Federation of Engineers today resolved to revive the agitation for “just and equitable” pay scales and served a one-week notice on the government for accepting their demand regarding the implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission report without any dilution.

The federation decided to resort to “work to rule” from July 28 and directed its members to go on four days’ mass casual leave from August 4 to August 7.

The general house of the federation, at its meeting held here today, rejected the earlier agreement finalised with the government of Haryana and reiterated the demand for placing all assistant engineers (SDOs) in pay band-4 after 14 years of regular service on the Punjab pattern.

The federation also sought the functional scale of PB-4 to all superintending engineers (SEs), the Haryana Administrative Grade for all chief engineers and apex scale to all engineers-in-chief, additional general secretary of the federation Satbir Singh Kadiyan said.

The federation directed the engineers not to use their personal mobile phone for official works, stay away from government programmes and public meetings, refuse to work on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays and wear black batches. Further, no short-terms tender would be floated unless specifically approved by the government. The federation resented the “glaring disparity” in the pay scales of engineers vis-à-vis other services, including the HCMS and the HCS.

Around 450 engineers from the Market Committee, HUDA, Public Health, Panchayati Raj, PWD (B&R) and Irrigation departments, including the chief patron of the federation, Chaman Lal, and RK Sharma, president, attended the meeting.

Earlier in January this year, the engineers had observed two days’ mass casual leave on a call given by the federation, rejecting the revised pay scales granted to them.

The agitation forced the government to invite representatives of the federation for talks and an agreement was worked out on March 1 after a series of meetings between the Chief Secretary, the anomaly committee and the federation.

The federation agreed that 15 per cent of the SDEs be given PB-4 after a service of 17 years, all executive engineers with a service of 17 years be placed under PB-4 while superintending engineers were to be given a functional scale.

The draft was signed by Chief Secretary Dharamvir along with two other IAS officers in the presence of three Engineers-in-Chief and other members of the federation.

However, the federation retracted its earlier decision today and rejected the agreement, setting the stage for a fresh confrontation. 

Sirsa, July 26
Traders of the vegetable market in Dabwali town in this district, who had shifted their business to Kilianwali town in Punjab on Thursday due to lack of amenities and the alleged indifferent attitude of the authorities, have decided to return to their old shops in Dabwali.

The traders have already shifted their belongings to their old shops and have announced that business activities will resume there from tomorrow.

Earlier, Lal Chand Bishnoi, Zonal Marketing Enforcement Officer, Hisar, had a meeting with the disgruntled traders on Friday.

Babu Ram Verma, secretary of the Market Committee, Dabwali, was also present.

Kilianwali town in Muktsar district of Punjab is situated adjacent to Dabwali and while the shifting of the entire market to the other state had caused a lot of embarrassment to the market committee authorities in Haryana, it was being considered a major gain by the authorities in Punjab.

The market committee authorities in Punjab had welcomed the Haryana traders to their vegetable market and had organised a function of Friday, which was presided over by Major Bhupinder Singh Dhillon, a senior Akali Dal leader and cousin of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

The traders took a U-turn within a day of the reception organised for them in Punjab and decided to return to Haryana.

Sources said the market committee authorities were under great pressure to apply correctives in view of the political implications of the shifting of the vegetable market near the impending Assembly elections.

“Most of the demands of the traders have been accepted. Lighting arrangements have already been made. A ‘cattle-scarer’ has been appointed to shoo away stray cattle coming to the vegetable market and order for a water cooler is being placed,” said Babu Ram Verma, while talking to The Tribune.

He said the authorities had also selected a site for the construction of a new vegetable market near the HUDA sector and they would be sending a proposal to the higher authorities soon.

He said as far as the hike in the target of the collection of revenue was concerned, there could no compromise with the departmental norms.

Askok Gupta, president of the Dabwali Vegetable Market, confirmed that they have decided to resume business in the Haryana area from tomorrow and said most of their demands had been accepted.

He admitted that there was a lot of pressure on the traders, both politically as well as administratively, to return to Haryana.

Gurgaon, July 26
The four-laning of the Gurgaon-Faridabad road, for which Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda had laid the foundation stone in Faridabad on Saturday, will be completed within two years.

Besides, this Rs180 crore project will also include the widening and strengthening of the Ballabhgarh-Sohna road up to Lukhawas junction, Crusher Zone road, MCF road, and the Pali-Bhakri road. These roads will be constructed and strengthened on BOT basis.

The completion of the project will largely benefit tourists visiting Badkhal Lake, Surajkund Craft Fair, Damdama Lake, Tourist Complex, Sohna and Bird Sanctuary, Sultanpur.

Reliance Infrastructure Limited, Mumbai, has been allotted the project work. The concession agreement was signed on January 31 with the GF Toll Road Pvt Ltd with concession period of 17 years for the project that includes two years’ construction period.

Seven bidders had submitted their bids for the project.

The Gurgaon-Faridabad road will be four-laned, 20 m wide carriageway with 1 m earthen on either side and 2 m wide median. The existing 7 metre wide MCF road will be strengthened and widened to 10 m and the Ballabhgarh- Sohna (up to Lukhawas junction) road will be two laned with 10 m wide carriageway on both side under the 
project.

The Engineer-in-Chief of the PWD (B&R), Mahesh Kumar, said there would be four toll plazas on the project highway after the completion of the project.

One toll plaza will be on the Gurgaon-Faridabad road, one on the Crusher Zone road and two road plazas on the Ballabhgarh-Sohna road. He said besides local non-commercial vehicles in the vicinity of the toll road, two-wheelers and tractor-trailers carrying agriculture produce will be exempted from payment of toll.

Kumar affirmed that the setting of plazas would be subject to availability of sufficient land and further subject to the condition that it must be located beyond the municipal limits preferably away by 4 km.

He added that the toll plazas would have roadside facilities such as bins and drinking water kiosks.

Pedestrian Guard Rail would be designed to control pedestrian road crossing movement. Route patrols to assist the motorists would be provided round the clock and trees shall be planted on either side of the road within row.

Sirsa/Fatehabad, July 26
With a view to ascertaining the priorities of representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) for development activities in his parliamentary seat, Sirsa MP Ashok Tanwar addressed meetings of panches, sarpanches and Zila Parishad and Block Samiti members at Kalanwali, Dabwali, Ellenabad and Fatehabad today.

Tanwar also addressed such meetings at Tohana, Ratia and Sirsa yesterday.

“Nine Assembly seats coming under the Sirsa parliamentary constituency have received nearly Rs 100 crore from the government as funds for development activities recently and I, along with MLAs and other Congress leaders of the respective constituencies, have been meeting representatives of the PRIs to know their views on the proposed development projects,” Ashok Tanwar said, while talking to The Tribune.

Money, he added, was no constraint with the government today and said more funds could also be arranged, if the situation demanded.

“When the first Budget of the country was presented in Parliament, it was hardly Rs 180 to 190 crore, but today the Congress government has presented a budget of Rs 10 lakh crore,” Tanwar said, while addressing representatives of the PRIs in Panchayat Bhawan at Fatehabad today.

He said the government headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the Centre had been taking the country on the course of development, while the Haryana government headed by Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, too, had been working hard to make Haryana the number one state in the country in all aspects.

Chandigarh, July 26
Contributions of eminent academician and the Haryana Governor, Dr AR Kidwai, in different spheres of life were recalled at a farewell function organised by the Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development (CRRID) here today.

Addressing a gathering, comprising eminent persons from different walks of life, Dr RP Bambah, senior vice-chairman of the CRRID and a Trustee of the Tribune Trust, highlighted the achievements of Dr Kidwai as the international-acclaimed expert in the field of chemistry.

Striking a personal note, Dr Bambah recalled how Dr Kidwai took personal interest for the well-being of delegates attending the Indian Science Congress session at Ranchi when he was the Bihar Governor.

Terming Dr Kidwai as the “non-controversial” Governor, HK Dua, Editor-in-Chief of The Tribune Group of Newspapers, said though Dr Kidwai understood politics, yet he never indulged in it. Dr Kidwai hit the headlines least though he communicated the development projects in Haryana effectively through the media, Mr Dua added.

Paying rich tributes to Dr Kidwai’s qualities of head and heart, Punjab Chief Secretary SC Aggarwal said that of the hundreds of IAS officers selected during his tenure as the chairman of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), nine officers served as state chief secretaries and eight others were secretaries to the Government of India.

Rashpal Malhotra, executive vice-chairman of CRRID, described Dr Kidwai as the “father-figure” for the CRRID under whose guidance the organisation had grown from strength to strength. On his part, Dr Kidwai termed CRRID as the “second home” and promised to be part of the prestigious organisation to take it to new heights.

Prominent among those who spoke were Dr KK Talwar, PGI Director, VK Sibal, a member of the Board of Governors of CRRID, and DS Guru, Prinicipal Secretary to the Punjab Chief Minister.

Sirsa, July 26
Haryana Janhit Congress supremo Kuldeep Bishnoi yesterday released a list of the party’s new office-bearers. Bishnoi, who had dissolved all party cells and divested the office-bearers of their posts prior to the parliamentary elections, has tried to give representation to all castes in the new set-up.

Former MLA Rakesh Kamboj will head the youth wing of the party while Sumitra Dahiya will be the state president of the Haryana Janhit Mahila Congress, the women’s wing of the party, said a release issued by Sanjay Gautam, media in charge of the HJC.

Former Minister Lehri Singh will be the chairman of the HJC Sewa Dal, Mohit Chhibber president of the students’ wing and Sarvadanand Arya the official spokesperson of the party.

Among the persons made in charge at the parliamentary constituency level are Ramji Lal (Hisar), Ran Singh Beniwal (Sirsa), Rao Narender Singh (Bhiwani), Rao Narbir Singh (Gurgaon), Chander Bhatia (Faridabad), Brij Mohan Singla (Sonepat), DN Tyagi (Karnal), Devender Sharma (Kurukshetra), Arjun Dass Kalra (Ambala) and Piare Lal Kataria (Rohtak).

District unit presidents were also named by Bishnoi. The release said the party would appoint presidents at the assembly constituency level later.

Chandigarh, July 26
A youth in the “protective loop” of the police and accompanied by a court officer is beaten to death by a rowdy mob baying for his blood for marrying a girl from their village. And, the Haryana government says it does not need a human rights commission in the state.

Their reason: there are no human rights violations in Haryana. Well, if this isn’t a violation of human rights, what is? Neither any politician nor any political party, usually keen to jump on to each and every opportunity that presents itself for a statement, is willing to comment.

This is especially true when it pertains to khaps and their diktats and make no statements even when these get translated into death sentences and cold-blooded murders as witnessed in the past.

Sources said though a demand for a human rights commission in the state had arisen from time to time, the matter had never seen the light of day on account of “inadequate number of cases” in the state.

Officials added that the work of the commission was being handled by a committee comprising the Home Secretary and the Director General of Police, Haryana. Besides, given Haryana’s proximity to Delhi, officials said any case of human rights violations usually end up at the National Human Rights Commission, thereby mitigating the need for setting up one more commission in the state.

Sources added that in reply to a PIL on a human rights commission in Haryana admitted in 2008, the Haryana government is learnt to have stated that while there were not enough cases to pass on to the commission, setting it up would mean an additional expenditure of Rs 3.5 crore every year.

Meanwhile, none of the prominent leaders of any political party have so far come forward to make any comment on the lynching of the boy from Matour and are completely disinterested in making any statements that may end up “denting their 
vote banks”.

While Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, in the past at press conferences, has stated that anything pertaining to the khaps is a social issue, the Congress, the INLD, the BJP, the BSP and the HJC are all silent on this matter.

On the condition of anonymity, a leader, almost endorsing the lynching, states, “People in cities don’t understand the social fabric in the village and make issues out of non-issues. Our villages are a different ball game.” With four persons arrested in connection with the case, the matter is heading for a quiet burial.

Gurgaon, July 26
It may sound shocking, but it’s true. Tall claims about its prosperity notwithstanding, the agrarian state once referred to as “desaan mein des Haryana, jit doodh-dahi ka khaana”, is in the grip of severe malnutrition.

As per a national survey, a shockingly high percentage of rural women and children in the state have been found anaemic. Statistics of rural Haryana as per the NFHS-III reveal that as many as 83.3 per cent children in the age group of 6-35 months, 56.9 per cent ever married women and 71.7 per cent expectant women in the age group of 15-49 years are anaemic.

According to the survey, child malnutrition has actually risen in seven states across the country, most rapidly in Madhya Pradesh and Haryana.

Such startling facts and other serious issues concerning nutrition and health were deliberated upon at a five-day training programme for master trainers in nutrition and its allied components organised at the Institute of Rural Research and Development (IRRAD) here recently.

The training programme was organised by the Community Food and Nutrition Extension Unit of the Ministry of Women and Child Development with an underlying idea to equip the master trainers with knowledge and skills to train grassroots workers on nutrition, health and allied components.

The participants included senior resource persons from the Ministry of Women and Child Development, apart from Child Development Project Officers (CDPOs) working under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS).

These CDPOs form a crucial link in implementing the ICDS services at the block level. The other participants come from the grassroots communities who work as trainers-cum-supervisors in the project implementation team of IRRAD in Mewat district.

The participants were trained on the National Nutrition Policy framed by the Union Government in 1993, information on chronic energy deficiency in adults, especially women, adolescents’ nutrition, management of undernourished children, nutrition of infants and children, nutrition of expectant and lactating women and the elderly, social causes of malnutrition, breastfeeding and diet-related chronic diseases and micronutrient deficiencies.

Apart from the theoretical component, the training offers practical cooking lessons demonstrating economical yet nutritional recipes. “Every minute of every day, somewhere in the world, 21 children die of malnutrition and preventable diseases. Even when it doesn’t kill, chronic malnutrition can cause blindness, deformities and brain damage,” an expert from the ministry informed the participants.

The training programme endeavoured to help improve dietary intake, which is the chief cause of malnutrition and under-nourishment. According to the organisers, it could also help in creating a pool of master trainers on nutrition and allied components in the neighbouring areas as well. 

Chandigarh, July 26
Following a controversy, the interviews for 47 posts of Group D (24 posts of peon and 23 posts of water carrier-cum-chowkidar), which were scheduled to be held at various treasury offices in the state tomorrow, have been cancelled by the Director, Treasuries and Accounts Department.

Officially it has been stated that the interviews have been cancelled due to administrative reasons. The INLD had yesterday alleged that the political leadership of the department had already selected the persons even before the interviews.