Sirsa, November 24
Congress workers today came to blows in the presence of Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee President Phool Chand Mullana, who was here to preside over a meeting of party workers at Congress Bhawan.

Mullana was on a visit to the town to ascertain views of Congress workers on the party’s defeat in Sirsadistrict in the recent assembly elections as well as to plan a strategy for the byelection to the Ellenabad assembly seat.

Among those who attended the meeting were Gopal Kanda, Minister of State for Home, Industries, Commerce, Sports and Youth Affairs, Prahlad Singh Gillankhera, Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Sampat Singh, MLA from Nalwa, Ranjit Singh, former deputy chairman of the State Planning Board, KV Singh, a former aide of the CM, Dura Ram, a former Parliamentary Secretary, Sushil Indora, a former MP, Bharat Singh Beniwal, a former MLA and Hoshiari Lal Sharma, district president of the Congress.

A ruckus began when a supporter of a senior Congress leader demanded that before planning a strategy for the Ellenabad byelection, action should be initiated against those who had worked against party candidates in the recent polls.

The suggestion drew hoots from supporters of other leaders. Later, supporters of two other party leaders came to blows and soon it was free for all, with some workers taking away the microphone. The situation turned so chaotic that Sampat Singh refused to address the meeting, while Kanda and Gillankhera merely said they would perform whatever duty was assigned to them for Ellenabad.

In the din, nothing could be heard. Later, advocate Sanju Bala, a Congress leader from the Dalit community, alleged that a senior party leader had used derogatory remarks against her community while asking workers to maintain discipline. The Dalits later blocked traffic near the local Balmiki Chowk for some time, demanding an apology from the leader or registration of a case under the Schedule Castes and Schedule Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The issue was resolved on the intervention of Kanda. In his address, Mullana told Congress workers that their “josh” (enthusiasm) should not get the better of their

“hosh” (sanity) and they should work towards a Congress victory. He called upon them to contest the coming bypoll as one family so that the party could get a clear majority on its own and people’s interests could be better watched.

Kurukshetra, November 24
The five-day Geeta Jayanti festival got off to a spectacular start with Governor Jagannath Pahadia unfurling the Tricolour flying 206 ft high in the sky at the holy Brahma Sarovar here today.

Normally, the height of the flag post is between 15 to 20 feet. The Governor said the national flag was a “symbol of national pride, prosperity and equality” and must be revered like a temple.

He said Kurukshetra was “Karmkshetra and Dharmkshetra”. Chief Minister BS Hooda urged the people to be prepared to make any sacrifice to uphold the Tricolour’s sanctity. He praised the contribution of former Prime Minister Gulzari Lal Nanda in the development of Kurukshetra.

Local MP Navin Jindal said the national flag was a symbol of the country’s unity and sacrifice. Kurukshetra, known for the epic battle of Mahabharata donned a festive look as the cultural show began amidst dazzling fireworks and melodies rendered by folk singers and musicians.

Panipat, November 24
Two schoolchildren were killed and two more injured when hit by a speeding Haryana Roadways bus on NH-1 near Samalkha today.

Virender of Manana village was ferrying his two sons and one of their classmates, all students of International School, back home on his motorcycle after school hours when the accident took place.

His 12-year-old son Virat, a student of Class IV, and Pradeep (12), son of Mukesh of the same village, died on the spot, while Virender and his other son Ashish (13) were seriously injured.

They were rushed to a private hospital at Samalkha from where Virender was referred to the PGI, Rohtak. His condition was said to be critical.

Meanwhile, a team of police officials reached the spot and after preliminary investigations registered a case against the bus driver. The driver reportedly fled after the accident, abandoning the bus.

Sirsa, November 24
Three persons were killed and 12 injured, several of them seriously, when a maxi cab hit a tree near Sahuwala village in the wee hours today.

The victims, all in the age group of 18-25, were waiters with a catering company. They were returning to Bahadurgarh after finishing chores at a marriage party at Bathinda.The driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle, that was being driven at high speed, and it struck a tree on the roadside.

The collision left the cab in a shambles.

Sareen, Mehaj and Amit died on the spot while Rajiv, Anand, Sunil, Arun, Raj Kumar, Sanjay, Vicky, Sunil, Sachin, Sandeep, Kedar and Dhillon were injured and shifted to various hospitals in the area.

Sonepat, November 24
Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today said Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram had devoted his life to emancipation of peasantry from money-lenders and paved the way for their prosperity and socio-economic uplift.

He was delivering the 2nd Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram Memorial Lecture at Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram University of Science and Technology, Murthal (Sonepat), on the 128th birth anniversary of the great leader.

Hooda said though Deenbandhu was born in a poor family, he continued his studies and graduated from St Stephen’s College, New Delhi.

On obtaining a law degree fromAgra, he began practice in Agra and then shifted to Rohtak in order to serve his people.

“Sir Chhotu Ram was the first leader in the region who realised the sufferings of the peasantry and vowed to free them from poverty, slavery and humiliation,” he said and he was successful in redeeming his pledge during his political career stretching over two decades.

He first entered the Punjab Provincial Assembly in 1923.Hooda said Sir Chhotu Ram was the brain behind the Bhakra Dam project.

“The same project was inaugurated by the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru when my father, the late Ranbir Singh Hooda, was Irrigation Minister of the united Punjab after Independence,” he said, adding that this hydel project had become the lifeline of the people of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan.

The CM claimed that while following the ideals of Sir Chhotu Ram, the Haryana government had taken a number of steps for the benefit of farmers and educational uplift of poor sections. Referring to the demand for a Chair in the name of Deenbandu Sir Chhotu Ram, the CM announced that it would be set up soon in the university.

He released the university newsletter.In his welcome address, Vice Chancellor Dr HS Chahal congratulated the CM for receiving National Law Day -2009 award .He said with liberal financial assistance from the state government, the university, which was established in November 2006, had received a grant of Rs 10.68 crore from the University Grant Commission.

He listed various programmes being offered by the university for the students and said the number of post- graduate courses had increased from three in 2006-07 to 15 now.

Bhiwani, November 24
Stating that his struggle launched in 2001 was incomplete, Dharmbir Singh, MLA, Sohna, said the fight would continue till southern Haryana does not get its share of canal water.

Addressing a function, organised by the social, educational and commercial organisations at the Kirorimal park here today, Dharmbir said Bhiwani district was the largest in area and yet it was facing water shortage.During the last tenure of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, the Hansi-Butana link canal was constructed at a cost of Rs 360 crore.

This canal is a boon for southern Haryana districts, but Opposition leaders opposed it publicly as well as on the floor of the Vidhan Sabha, he alleged.

Dharmbir appealed to local leaders to work unitedly and put aside their differences. He said the state of big cities like Bhiwani and Charkhi Dadri had remained the same since Independence and it was high time the situation was rectified.

He said Bhiwani should directly be connected with Delhi and a four-lane road should be constructed from Delhi to Loharu. Besides, new industries should be set up to provide gainful employment to the youth of the area.

To provide better health facilities, the status of existing Ch. Bansi Lal Civil Hospital should be raised to PGI, he said.

As many as 153 organisations felicitated Dharmbir Singh on the occasion. Lal Singh, son of late minister Bir Singh, presided over the function.

The function was organised to celebrate Dharmbir’s victory for the fourth time (Tosham, Badhra and Sohna assembly constituencies) and people from Tosham, Loharu, Badhra, Charkhi Dadri, Mundhal and Bhiwani attended the rally.

Kurukshetra, November 24
To ensure sufficiency, equity and efficiency in the power sector for transforming socio-economic life of all stakeholders, we need to turn farmers into power producers by adopting new methods of power generation, including solar, wind and bio-mass energy.

These observations were made by Prof MM Goel, chairman, department of economics, Kurukshetra University, at a seminar on “Transforming of Socio-economic Life” organised by HVPN at the Haryana Pavilion of IITF-2009 in New Delhi yesterday. “A small bio-mass plant does not cost more than Rs 40,000 and is capable of giving employment to four unskilled persons,” he explained. Professor Goel appreciated the UHBVN for giving a discount of 10 paisa per unit in the domestic tariff rate for women consumers with electricity connection and property in their name.

Professor Goel is the convener of the intellectual cell of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC). The power shortage in Haryana had certainly drawn the attention of the government to improving transmission and distribution efficiency with an investment of Rs 25,520 crore in the power sector under the Eleventh Plan. To achieve sustainable development in the power sector, there was an urgent need to address the problem of power theft. In this Panchayati Raj institutions could help along with social marketing and media management, observed Prof Goel.

The demand for power continued to outstrip supply in India. Two major factors responsible for poor technical performance of the power system were low level of capacity utilisation of thermal plants and high transmission and distribution losses which ranged between 21 and 26 per cent whereas the internationally accepted norm was 7-10 per cent. Earlier, SK Goel, SE/TS, Gurgaon, chairman of the specially constituted coordination committee by the HVPN, welcomed Prof Goel and others present.

Sonepat, November 24
Vijay, a Class V student of Banwasa government primary school was allegedly beaten up by his class teacher Inder Singh on Monday and had to be taken to the CHC, Gohana, where doctors referred him to the PGIMS, Rohtak.

Vijay said his teacher got angry when he corrected him for reading a figure wrong. He shouted at him, saying:

“ Ghana syana banae sae ( You are becoming too bright).” When the child said he would report the matter to his father and bring him to school, the teacher remarked: “Tera baap ke DC lag ra sae? (Is your father a DC).”

When contacted, the Deputy District Education Officer, Balwant Singh, Narwal said he would look into the incident.

Rewari, November 24
World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) champion Dalip Singh Rana alias Khali was accorded a rousing reception by residents of the town here today.

Khali was in Rewari at the invitation of his friend and PR Manger Amit Swami, national president of the Youngmen’s Association of India (YMAI).

A huge gathering accorded him a warm welcome. While finance minister Capt. Ajay Singh Yadav was the chief guest, Amit Swami presided over the function.

Yadav praised Khali for having achieved fame at the international level. He said the Haryana government was fully committed to promoting sports On his part, Khali said he was overwhelmed with the love and affection showered on him.

He also expressed his gratitude to the civic administration and others for naming the Kanod Gate-Railway Godown road after him.

Functions were also held in Jain Public School as well as RDS Public Girls’ College here in his honour. HPCC spokesperson Ashok Buwaniwala was present at the Girls’ College.

Jind, November 24
Traffic came to a standstill for about half-an- hour on the National Highway-71 that connects Jind with Narwana when as many as 60 farmers blocked the road in protest against the unavailability of wheat seeds in the market. Shortage of seeds and fertilisers in parts of the district has caused much resentment among farmers as the Rabi season has arrived.

Farmers from several villages gathered near Uchana village, about 25 kms from here, and later blocked the highway. They claimed that due to unavailability of seeds at the cooperative store, sowing of wheat crop is getting delayed. The blockade was lifted after police officials reached the spot and assured that the farmers’ grievance would be redressed soon.

Jhajjar, November 24
To prevent black-marketeering of LPG cylinders and streamline its supply, the District Food and Supply Office (DFSO) has deputed at least one official at every gas agency in Jhajjar district.

These officials will be available during working hours of the respective agency to help consumers. Agency owners have been directed to make daily entries of transactions in a register and on the stock board under the surveillance of the deputed officials to ensure transparency. They will also have to submit a report of daily transactions and available stock to the DFSO by 4 p.m. every day.

Jhajjar District Food and Supply Officer Ashok Rawat said 10 officials had been assigned supervisory duties at various gas agencies. “Names and cell numbers of the supervisors have also been made public for the benefit of consumers. Supervisors would keep a tab on the working of gas agencies and redress delivery-related grievances on the spot,” he added.

The measures were taken following numerous complaints of acute shortage of cooking gas due to sale of cylinders on the black market. “Agencies are indifferent to our woes,” complained Om Prakash, a local resident.

On the other hand, gas agencies’ owners said that it was not possible to meet consumer demands without adequate supply from filling plants.

Karnal, November 24
Cable operators of Haryana today filed a writ in the Punjab and Haryana High Court and resolved to take their agitation to a logical end. The Haryana Cable Operators Association decided to wait for the case to come up in the High Court on November 26 to chalk out the course of action.

“We will move the Supreme Court in case the High Court does not give relief and resort to other means to intensify the agitation,” an association spokesperson said.

The Cable Operators Federation of India (COFI) and All India Avishkar Dish Antenna Sangh also expressed solidarity with cable operators of the state, who are up in arms against the government move to allow operations for a period of three years through open bidding

COFI president Roop Sharma described the Haryana government’s move as unprecedented and said that it would snatch the livelihood of 2.5 lakh persons engaged in the cable industry. Accusing the government of transgressing its jurisdiction, she said cable services were regulated by TRAI and were not a state subject.

“The UPA government is in favour multiple players to break monopoly but the Haryana Government is serving the interests of MNCs and political leaders to create vertical monopoly against common man’s interests and control the media,” Sharma said.

“We have laid an extensive cable network across the length and breadth of the state and are providing gainful employment to thousands of youth. Disrupting our business would render these youth jobless,” said a cable operator.