New Delhi, November 8
A day after the Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda inducted nine ministers while keeping four “vacancies” for the Kuldeep Bishnoi-led Haryana Janhit Congress, the latter today proposed an alliance to run the government jointly.

This comes just days after Bishnoi stone-walled attempts by the Congress demanding that the HJC merged with it for smooth functioning of the government.

Both sides maintained that “doors are still open” for negotiations. The talks on a merger have ended in a stalemate. The next step is to see if both can work as alliance partners. And if that is agreed upon, to what extent can the Congress give concessions.

Questions being raised within the Congress are about government stability on the support of Independents alone.

The high command is more comfortable with Bishnoi as his father Bhajan Lal has been an old Congress hand. The HJC has proposed that a common minimum programme be laid out between the two parties before they walk together. Bishnoi confirmed the development while talking to the Tribune today.

“I have suggested that a coordination committee of the Congress and the HJC be formed, with a few Independents on board.”

Sources in the Congress said the party was not averse to a common minimum programme but was yet to weigh the alliance proposal.

By allotting all seven Independents either a cabinet berth or the Chief Parliamentary Secretary rank, it has ensured some stability with 47 MLAs in the 90-member House.

“An alternative agenda for working with Bishnoi is being chalked out,” said a Congress leader, adding that for the moment the party was under no pressure as it had managed to “obtain” the loyalty of the Independents.

But the political price of running the government on borrowed hands has been huge. Senior Congress leaders like Kiran Choudhry, Savitri Jindal, former Speaker Raghubir Singh Kadian and Sampat Singh have not found place in the new cabinet.

Already, there are reports of rumblings within the Haryana Congress.

Chandigarh, November 8
Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s easiest jobs are over — that of cobbling together a majority, winning the trust vote and forming the Cabinet. The difficult task begins now and if the rumblings within the newly-constituted Cabinet as also the organisation are any indication, there are tough days ahead for the government.

To add to that, a coordination committee constantly breathing down the government’s neck to “keep a watch on its working” with Hooda’s fierce critic Birender Singh as co-chairman and Union Minister Selja as a member is unlikely to make matters any easier.

Sources said a couple of the newly inducted Ministers of State from among the Independents were beginning to moan and groan about their “duty chart” and were particularly sore over the fact that they had been attached to Cabinet Ministers. The sources said despite being major gainers in the exercise of Cabinet formation and having exacted their “pound of flesh” for their support to the Congress during the trust vote on October 28, they were, now, demanding independent charge of departments.

While these are still stifled voices of dissent which have only begun to rise, these could grow shriller in the days to come, once the dust settles on the excitement and regular work gets under way. Even as each day comes with a new challenge for the Hooda government, there is unrest in the organisational ranks as well. Still to come to terms with the “shocking results” which brought down the government from 67 seats to 40 seats in this election, the central leadership has been urged to get cracking.

Though an idea was initially floated that Mullana own up moral responsibility for the performace of the party in the assembly elections and step down, it was later shelved in view of the fact that the reins of the state unit could well go into the hands of the detractors’ camp. The detractors’ camp within the Congress has already demanded that state unit president Phool Chand Mullana, who lost the election himself, be replaced immediately. The sources said with Cabinet formation out of the way, the party high command was likely to train its guns on the party’s state leadership. The organisational elections of the party are in March. Meanwhile, the Haryana government has appointed Mullana as Deputy Chairman, 20-Point Programme, with immediate effect.

The co-oordination committee, undoubtedly, has a pro-Hooda leaning given the fact that only two members of the detractors’ camp, Selja and Birender Singh, have found place in it. Both leaders are no “walkovers” and could give the government “some serious food for thought” as days go by.

Further, Kiran Choudhry, left out from the Cabinet, too, has not found a place in the committee as also other Congress Members of Parliament who have been critical of the working of the Hooda government in the past. It remains to be seen if this committee, too, could be expanded to accommodate more state leaders.

Chandigarh, November 8
Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today announced that a cow commission would soon be set up in the state for modernisation and expansion of gaushalas and improvement of cow breeds so as to make Haryana the largest milk producer in the country.

He was speaking in the concluding function of the three-day International Arya Maha Sammelan in Mathura today. He said the Arya Samaj played a key role in the freedom struggle. The great leader of the Congress and former president of the Indian Congress Committee, late Dr Pattabhi Sitaramayya, also once said 80 per cent freedom fighters were Arya Samaji. He urged the people of the country to follow the path of self-respect and truth and keep hard-earned freedom of the country intact. He also urged them to work for the eradication of social evils prevailing in the society and fight against superstitions.

Hooda said he himself belonged to the Arya Samaji family. His grandfather, Ch Matu Ram, adopted “Janeu” first of all as per traditions of the Arya Samaj and his father Ch Ranbir Singh got his education from Bhainswal Gurukul.

To promote education among girls, Kanya Gurukul was established in Khanpur village by Bhagat Phool Singh, who was also an Arya Samaji. Now, theGurukul had been upgraded to Women’s University, which is the first women university in northern India, he added. The CM announced Rs 5 lakh from his discretionary fund for Ved Bhawan in Mathura. Acharya Swadeshji, convener of the Arya Maha Sammelan, presented a memento to the CM. Swami Ramdev, Haryana MP Ram Parkash, Dr Krishan Dutt Baijnath, Ambassador, Surinam also spoke.

Chandigarh, November 8
The press secretary of the HPCC Surender Hooda, today resigned in protest against the activities happening in the party and the government. He has sought time from the high command to submit a brief report on the poor party performance in the elections. Meanwhile the Haryana cabinet will meet in Chandigarh at 3.30 pm on November 12. — TNS

Sirsa, November 8
MDLR chairman Gopal Goyal, alias Gopal Kanda, Haryana Minister of State for Home, Sports and Youth Affairs and Industries and Commerce today arrived to a rousing welcome in his hometown, Sirsa, after his induction in the Bhupinder Singh Hooda ministry.

The newly appointed minister’s supporters had set up hoardings welcoming him throughout the town. They thronged him as he reached the town outskirts.

Kanda was received at the local PWD Rest House with the customary salutations by the police, where he addressed officers of the district. Welcoming the minister, the DC Yudhbir Singh Khyalia said by allotting key portfolios to Kanda, the government had sent out the message that it wanted to give greater emphasis on Sirsa’s development.

In his address, Kanda said he expected wholehearted cooperation of the officers in his endeavour to meet promises made to the electorate, adding that he would not tolerate any laxity.

He said he considered service to the poor as service to God and that was the reason he had been running Tara Baba Charitable Trust in Sirsa. Later, talking to mediapersons, he said education and employment to youth were his top priorities. Kanda said he would work towards setting up quality educational institutions and big industries in Sirsa.

This alone would bring about development.

Fatehabad, November 8
Chief Parliamentary Secretary Prahlad Singh Gillankhera said today that bringing development to Fatehabad assembly constituency was his top priority.

Talking to mediapersons on his first visit to his hometown after being made CPS, Gillankhera said promises he had made to the electorate were sacrosanct and he would make all efforts to meet these.

He said education, drinking water and sanitation would be taken up on a priority basis as these were essential for development.

He said he was aware of the problems being faced by farmers due to tardy procurement of paddy and had brought the matter to the notice of the Chief Minister.

“The Chief Minister has asked senior officers of HAFED to tour various grain markets to mitigate farmers’ woes,” he said. He was hopeful that things would improve at the earliest.

Gillankhera, who has been attached with the Public Works Department (Buildings and Roads) by the government, said he would ensure improvement of roads in the district. “Roads are a must for development, particularly in an agrarian society. Effort would be made to link all villages in this constituency with good roads,” he added.

SP JS Lamba and SDM JK Abhir received Gillankhera at the local PWD Rest House.Later, at a civic reception, Gillankhera said he too would contribute towards making Haryana the “ number one state” as announced by Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

Gulbahar Singh, former president of the District Bar Association, Suresh Mehta, president of the Sirsa District Bar Association, Shilpa Verma, president of the District Mahila Congress, Sirsa, and Ram Murti Bagaria were present on the occasion.

Jhajjar, November 8
Supporters of Dr Raghuvir Singh Kadian, former Speaker of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha, are disappointed that he has not been made minister in the first round of cabinet expansion.

They say despite having exhibited his skills during his five-year tenure as Speaker, Dr Kadian had not been inducted in the cabinet.

“We were confident about Dr Kadian’s elevation when Harmohinder Singh Chattha was appointed Speaker in his. Everone thought Dr Kadian would take Chattha’s place as Minister for Agriculture,” said Ashok Kadian, a supporter.

Azad Singh, another supporter, said it was most unfair that Dr Kadian had been kept waiting even as his juniors were inducted in the cabinet.

Dr Kadian has chosen to keep mum over the matter.

Meanwhile, supporters of the MLA from Jhajjar (reserve), Geeta Bhukkal, who was sworn in as Minister for Health and Education, celebrated their leader’s elevation with fireworks. They gathered at her and distributed sweets.

Rohtak, November 8
A woman was allegedly burnt to death in Ghilod Kalan village here for not bearing a male child.

The police has registered a murder case against her husband and mother-in-law and launched an investigation to find out the truth behind the allegation.

However, no arrests have been made so far.

The couple married about 10 years ago and had two daughters. However, the woman’s husband, Jai Bhagwan, and other family members especially her mother-in-law had been allegedly harassing and tormenting her for not bearing a son, said Rajbir Singh, brother of the victim identified as Urmila in a complaint lodged with the police.

Rajbir, a resident of Kinana village of Jind district, said Urmlia was brought to the PGIMS here on Friday night after she suffered severe burn injuries. However, she succumbed to her burn injuries a few hours later, said the police.

It is alleged that her husband and his mother had set her afire at their residence when the couple’s daughters had been asleep in the house.

“We have started probing the charges and verifying the allegations into the incident and looking for evidence into the matter in this regard,” said a police official.

Sirsa, November 8
Corporal punishment in schools involves rapping on the knuckles, running on the school ground, kneeling down for hours, standing up for long hours, “sitting like a chair”, beating with a scale, pinching and slapping, child sexual abuse, torture, locking up the child alone in a classroom, electric shock, acts leading to insult, humiliation, physical or mental injury and even death.

Despite explicit orders of the government to ban it under the National Policy on Education - 1986, as modified in 1992, corporal punishment in schools, both private and government, is deeply ingrained as a tool to discipline children and as a normal action.

Corporal punishment is often given to children in schools for misdemeanours like late arrival, being without dress, being without books, improper or undone assignment, failure to attend the morning assembly, untimely payment of fees, students fighting among themselves, trivial disobedience of the teacher and truancy.

Taking notice of the oft-reported incidents of corporal punishment, the Department of School Education, Haryana, has taken fresh initiatives to curb this practice, which include several steps like making it mandatory for schools to create awareness among children on this issue and install complaint boxes in schools where children can drop their letters, even anonymous.

“All kinds of corporal punishment are a violation of fundamental rights. A slap is as detrimental to the child’s rights as a grievous injury,” said a letter of the Commissioner and Director-General, School Education, Haryana, written to all district education officers, district elementary education officers and principals of the District Institutes of Educational Training (DIETs) in Haryana. The letter said there was no gradation; so it must be seen that condoning “small acts” actually lead to gross violations.

The letter cites a Supreme Court judgment banning corporal punishment in which the apex court directed to ensure that children were not subjected to corporal punishment in schools and they received education in an environment of freedom and dignity and free from fear.

“Children are as human and sensible as adults are, if not more. They need to be secure with a caring atmosphere. It is necessary for adults to behave with them in a manner that they are not subject to violence and hurt of any kind,” the letter said.

The department has asked the schools, both government and private, to make children aware of their rights to speak against corporal punishment through campaigns and publicity.

The guidelines say that every school, hostels, juvenile justice homes, shelter homes and other public institutions meant for children must have a forum where children can express their views.

Help of NGOs could also be taken in this regard, the letter said.

Schools would be directed to install complaint boxes, where children could drop their complaints, which could even be anonymous.

Parent-teachers’ associations should be encouraged to act immediately on receipt of any complaint in this regard and parents as well as students should be allowed to speak without fear on these issues.

Panipat, November 8
With Mahender Partap Singh becoming Power Minister, the Haryana Power Engineers Association (HEPA) has forwarded a charter of demands. The executive committee of HPEA held a meeting yesterday during which various issues regarding the engineers were discussed.

While congratulating Singh, the association assured cooperation and sincerity towards the goal of maximum and quality supply of power to the consumers. The committee further resolved to submit a charter of demands to the new minister so that power engineers in the state do not feel neglected by government. It demanded that the government should speed up the process of restructuring of DISCOMs so that working of power utilities could be improved. The association said that effective measures should be taken to fill the sanctioned posts of AEs and JEs that have been lying vacant since long.

The association stated that promotion of deserving engineers was being held up on several grounds which had demoralisation the fraternity. The engineers should not be denied their right to promotion.

Besides, the anomalies in the pay scales of AE’s should be removed. Reinstatement of engineers at Panipat who were placed under suspension was also demanded.

The committee also showed concern over posting of junior-level administrative officers in the management, whereas, the department was absolutely technical in its working. It was resolved to make a request to the government to post senior officers with professional qualification at this level so that a better understanding could be developed between the management and the engineers.

Panipat, November 8
Caught in red-tapism, the Rs 22 crore garbage disposal plant project for the city seems to have got dumped in the official files of the civic body in Panipat.

In order to bring down the pollution levels of the city, which at present have attained alarming proportion, the civic body had conceived the idea of setting up a garbage disposal plant so that it could get rid of tonnes of solid waste being generated in the city everyday.

It was about three years ago that the authorities had embarked upon the project. Though an estimate cost report was prepared which had pegged the project at Rs 22 crore and a site at Nimbri village identified for setting up the project, till date nothing has happened.

The MC had even acquired 8 acres of panchayat land at the said village on the Haridwar road for the project.

The MC officials maintain that the proposal was sent to the state government, following which no further development took place in this regard.

The MC officials concerned on condition of anonymity said a grant from the state government was awaited and work on the project could be started immediately once the funds were available. However, the councilors have been accusing the officials of following a lackadaisical approach towards this project.

The project if implemented could have proved to be a boon for the city which is already under the grip of large-scale pollution due to a large number of industries here. There are hardly any localities in the city which do not have heaps of garbage.

Foul smells being emitted from these heaps of garbage have become a part and parcel of everyday life of residents of the city.

It had been a long pending demand of the local residents who wanted that civic body should initiate effective measures to check the ever-increasing pollution. Ramesh Kumar, a local resident, said the garbage disposal plant could have gone a long way in cleaning the city.

Till date, the council had been using unscientific methods by dumping garbage in the low-lying areas of town, which posed a threat to the health of local residents.

It was planned that the garbage disposal plant would be used to produce bio-fertilisers and once the project was implemented it would have added to the income of the civic body.

On being asked, one of the officials of the MC stated that a request for the release of the grant had been pending with the government and concrete efforts were being made to arrange the funds required to set up the plant.

He said it was just a matter of time and the project would be started soon after the funds were available.

Kurukshetra, October 8
The INLD state president and Thanesar MLA, Ashok Arora, in a statement here late last evening, said the government had made a mockery of farmers by increasing the MSP for wheat from Rs 1,080 to a mere Rs 1,100 per quintal while wheat flour was being sold at Rs 19-20per kg.

What to talk of profit, the farmers were not even getting back their initial investment. Arora demanded that not only the MSP be increased but wheat also be provided to the poor on subsidised rate.

Describing the statement of Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar that “the dearness in near future will increase”, as shameful, he alleged that the Congress was is anti-farmer and anti-poor and black marketing had always increased during a Congress regime.

According to surveys conducted by the agriculture scientists and farmer organisations, the investment cost on growing wheat came to more than Rs 1,250 per quintal.

Thus, the MSP should be fixed after taking into account labour charges and fertiliser and pesticides costs.

Arora said the farmers were overburdened with loans and government policies were spelling further ruin.

He demanded that the government should decrease expenditure and divert money to the exchequer.

Sirsa, November 8
After Indian National Lok Dal leader Om Prakash Chautala and his son Abhey Singh started their party campaign for the Ellenabad assembly byelection last week, Bharat Singh Beniwal, defeated Congress candidate from Sirsa, also launched preparations today.

Beniwal, who lost to the INLD supremo in the October 13 assembly elections, addressed Congress workers at Ellenabad and Darba today.

“Byelection for this seat is round the corner. So work hard to ensure a Congress victory this time,” Beniwal called upon the workers.

He said with the Bhupinder Singh Hooda government in the saddle again, he was certain to give a good fight to the Chautalas this timeand emerge triumphant. Talking to mediapersons, Beniwal said despite the tough opposition in the district, he had secured the maximum votes by any Congress candidate.Beniwal had polled 48,144 votes against Om Prakash Chautala’s 64,567.

“I hope the Congress high command will re-nominate me, considering my performance in the face of strong opposition,” Beniwal said. He hastened to add that he would work for party victory even if denied the ticket this time.

Gurgaon, November 8
In view of the Commonwealth Games, 2010, work on augmenting hotel accommodation in Haryana has gained momentum.

As part of the preparations for the Games, Sujit Banerjee, Secretary, Tourism, Government of India, inaugurated Country Inn and Sweets Boutique Hotel in Sector 29 here recently. Earlier, Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda also inaugurated a five-star hotel - Leela Kampeinski - in Ambiance Mall.

Interacting with mediapersons, Banerjee said hotel accommodation in the NCR region was being augmented in view of the demand for rooms by tourists and guests likely to visit the place for the Games.

He said a task force under his chairmanship had been regularly reviewing the progress of work on hotel accommodation in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh areas bordering Delhi.

Banerjee said he was happy that Haryana was providing a major chunk of the hotel accommodation for the Games and efforts made by the state government in this regard had been commended by the Centre.

Giving details of the accommodation likely to be made available in Haryana, the Tourism Secretary said 6,632 rooms were in the “definite” category and 2,161 rooms were in the “likely and doubtful” category. Of the 6,632 rooms, 4,224 rooms had already been completed. Of these, 3,814 rooms were already functional and 410 rooms were likely to be made functional shortly.

For the remaining rooms, the progress was being closely monitored so that these were also completed at the earliest. Similarly, under the “likely and doubtful” category, the progress of construction was being monitored “project-wise” and the government was providing facilitation regarding sanction of loans and expediting grant of licences so that these rooms could also be completed and made available for the Games.

He said Haryana was likely to provide 8,793 rooms during the Games and the state government had allotted 101 sites for construction of these rooms. The Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC) had allotted three sites for 417 rooms, the Town and Country Planning Department had allotted 12 sites for 2,395 rooms and the Urban Local Bodies Department had allotted 12 sites for 889 rooms. Similarly, HUDA had allotted 25 sites for 2,369 rooms and there were 15 complexes of Haryana Tourism in which 488 rooms were available. In addition to 1,477 rooms in 28 already existing private hotels, CLU for six other hotels had also been issued in which 758 rooms would be constructed.

Hisar, November 8
China and Tajikistan have expressed interest in initiating collaborative programmes, including student exchange, with Haryana Agricultural University, Vice-Chancellor KS Khokhar said here today on return from China after attending a meeting of the International Agriculture Science Forum at Yangling.

Khokhar, who was there on an invitation from Prof Brigitte Winklehner, President, Eurasia-Pacific Uninet, Austria, said he met Prof Hou Xi, Vice-President of North-West Agriculture and Forestry, and Prof Sattori Izzatullo, Rector, Tajik Agrarian University, Tajikistan, on the sidelines of the meeting. In the light of similar research priorities in higher productivity with food security, safety and environmental protection, they evinced interest in starting bilateral collaborative programmes with HAU.

He said the meeting discussed aspects of integrated rural development, extension and resource utilisation, public policy for rural development, rural financial agriculture, high energy efficiency in agriculture, agricultural technology innovations and environment restoration.

He said there was a general consensus that in modern agriculture, though rapid economic development had taken place due to high productivity, there were challenges of maintaining food security, safety and environmental protection.

Panipat, November 8
The local civic body has ordered a survey of commercial buildings in the city in a bid to bring these under the purview of house tax.

In view of the Lok Sabha elections in May and then the assembly polls last month, the MC could not undertake the survey earlier. Although the state government had withdrawn house tax on residential property, commercial buildings have not been exempted. These days a survey team of MC officials is doing the rounds of new vegetable market on Sanoli road to identify commercial buildings.

According to officials, a number of commercial buildings had come up within the MC limits over the last eight months and it was important to bring these under house tax.

With the government withdrawing house tax on residential property, the main source of income for the MC now is house tax on commercial establishments and fee charged on building plans.

The survey team would be visiting all commercial establishments following which the house tax would be fixed.

Yamunanagar, November 8
The DAV College for Girls, Yamunanagar, won the overall trophy in the three-day inter-zonal youth festival concluded at the Shree Siddhivinayak School of Management and Faculty of Engineering in Shahpur in the district here today.

As many as 125 teams of different colleges of the state comprising 500 participants took part in 28 cultural events of the festival.

SD College, Ambala Cant, won a trophy in solo dance, Kurukshetra University in Sanskrit drama, Khalsa College, Yamunanagar, in folk song (general), Government Postgraduate College, Karnal, in folk instrumental, DAV College for Girls, Yamunanagar, in light vocal and SG College, Kaithal, in Haryanvi song.

All winners of seven zones of the colleges affiliated to Kurukshetra University participated in different cultural events like choreography, one act play, mimicry, mime, orchestra Indian, classical dance, classical instrument, solo (P), classical instrument, solo (NP), classical vocal solo, folk song Haryanvi (solo), group song (Haryanvi). IG Dr RC Mishra gave away he prizes to the winners, said Dr MK Sehgal, CEO and chairman of the institute.