Ellenabad, January 3
The INLD plans a “chakravyuha” for the Battle of Ellenabad by dividing the assembly segment into seven zones and assigning duties to senior party leaders in particular zones, keeping caste considerations in view.

The party has thrown in all its strength behind its candidate Abhey Singh Chautala for the January 20 byelection necessitated by the resignation of its INLd chief Om Prakash Chautala.

KC Bangar, senior INLD leader and member of the Parliamentary Affairs Committee of the party will head the election office set up at the local grain market.

The assembly segment has been divided in to six rural zones based on caste equations and one zone for Ellenabad town.

Ashok Arora, state president of the INLD, will take care of the campaign in Ellenabad town. Former Fatehabad MLA Swatantar Bala Chaudhary and Sirsa district party chief Padam Jain will help him in the task.

In the rural zones, former Speaker Satbir Singh Kadian and former Deputy Speaker Gopi Chand Gehlot have been placed in zone one and Asandh MLA Krishan Panwar and former MP Surinder Barwala in zone two. Former MLA Puran Singh Dabra and Nishan Singh head a zone each while legislators Ram Pal Majra and Sher Singh Badshami head a zone each. Party leaders of respective areas are already camping in their respective zones.

Women leaders like Sheela Bhayan, state president of the women’s wing, MLA Saroj More and Krishana Fogat have also been assigned duties.

“Each voter in the constituency will be visited at least twice by our workers during the campaign,” said a senior leader of the INLD.

The Congress, too, has planned a strategy. Its leaders will descend on the constituency after January 6. Prithviraj Chauhan, AICC member in charge for Haryana, and Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda will address party workers at Ellenabad and Nathusari Chopta on January 6 and assignduties to the party 
workers. Nalwa MLA Sampat Singh will look after the party’s main election office and plan an election strategy with Kuldeep Sharma and Ram Parkash. He toured several villages of the constituency today to mobilise workers for the meetings that will be presided over by HPCC President Phool Chand Mulana.

Chief Parliamentary Secretary Prahlad Singh Gillankhera, senior leaders Ranjit Singh, KV Singh, Anil Khod and Mani Ram Keharwala are working with gusto for the success of the meetings.

“Hooda and Chauhan will keep a watchful eye on the activities of leaders and no indiscipline will be tolerated,” warned Ved Parkash Vidrohi.

He claimed party nominee Bharat Singh Beniwal would win the byelection with a huge margin.

Ellenabad, January 3
When Ellenabad goes to the polls on January 20, Congress nominee Bharat Singh Beniwal will not only fight his main opponent Abhey Singh Chautala of the INLD, but will also be battling against his three namesake.

Three candidates who share their name with the Congress nominee are in the fray. They are Bharat, son of Raghunath, Bharat Singh, son of Mohabbat Ram, and Bharat Kumar, son of Ram Chander.

Interestingly, none of the “Bharats” belong to the Ellenabad assembly segment. While the first one is from Mochiwali under the Sirsa assembly seat, the second is from Banwala under the Dabwali assembly segment and the third from Jodhpuria under the Rania assembly segment.

“This is an INLD ploy to confuse voters,” alleged Beniwal.“They have asked my namesake to file papers so as to confuse my supporters,” he alleged but hastened to add that it would not make much difference.

A similar strategy was tried against former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal in a bypoll held for the Adampur assembly seat in May 2008.

His party had blamed the Congress for the ploy. Five more candidates sharing their name with Bhajan Lal had filed their nomination papers in that election. Now, the same strategy has been used against the Congress in this byelection.

In the Adampur bypoll Bhajan Lal won the election by a convincing margin whereas three of the five other Bhajan Lals failed to reach a triple figure.

The HJC leader secured 56,148 votes, almost half of the total votes polled. His namesake were relegated to 'also ran' positions.

“Such strategies do not work as people are intelligent enough to decipher these,” said a senior Congress leader.

Sirsa, January 3
The intermittent rain that lashed the area today brought cheer to farmers, who had been longing for it. It started drizzling in the morning and continued throughout the day.

Farmers needed it direly, said Kuldeep Singh Dhindsa, a former CCS Haryana Agriculture University scientist, who is presently director-general in the local JCD Vidyapeeth.

He said today’s rain would prove boon for rabi crops. “The rain has come as a gift by the God as we had neither been receiving enough water nor power to irrigate our fileds,” said Santokh Singh, a farmer from Odhan village.

Wheat, gram, mustard and barley crops would benefit from today’s rain, he added.

SONEPAT: Though the daylong drizzling in all parts of the district on Sunday forced people to remain confined in their houses, it brought cheer on the faces of farmers, who had been waiting for the rain for the past one month.

According to farmers and agriculture scientists, the showers would not only meet the irrigation requirements of cropped field, but also be beneficial for the growth of rabi crops.

After foggy conditions during night hours, the sky got clouded early morning. It started drizzling around 8 am and continued the whole day.

The weather conditions adversely affected the business of rehriwalas and rickshaw-pullers.

According to information from the railway office here, two trains - Farraka Express and Super Express - were cancelled on Sunday and a number of other mail and express trains ran late by two to 12 hours because of adverse weather conditions in the region. 

Chandigarh, January 3
Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Friday inaugurated web-enabled allottee account information for the allottees of the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA), thus enabling the allottees to check anywhere and anytime the details of their property, including the financial transactions made with HUDA and the status of their other issues.

Hooda directed officers concerned that a payment gateway should be created in the portal to facilitate the allottees. He also stressed the need to set up a computer-based grievances redressal system.

Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary, Town and Country Planning, DS Dhesi said HUDA had more than 2.50 lakh allottees and there was client service of more than 300 persons per day per estate office. As many as 2.50 lakh files had been digitalised to provide this transparent and single window service.

He said in the next phase, HUDA would launch a dynamic portal wherein the allottees would be able to make online payments through payment gateway and apply online for various schemes.

HUDA had also identified 10 types of activities for which applications could be presented to the estate officer concerned online.

Dhesi said with this system, the allottees could also track the status of their application online.

A single-window system hasbeen introduced where all documents will be checked before accepting the application.

Chief administrator, HUDA, DPS Nagal said shortly allottees would be able to deposit their dues in designated banks instead of one single bank located on the estate office premises.

Uniform accounting procedures had been adopted in calculating the dues of the allottees across the urban estates and excess payment, if any, made by the allottee was refunded. He assured the Chief Minister that HUDA would make all possible efforts to bring in more transparency in its functioning.

The details of the new scheme can be seen on HUDA website www.huda.gov.in 

Yamunanagar, January 3
Setting a new trend to facilitate litigants and reduce pendency of cases, the judicial officer of the district courts and lawyers worked even during the winter vacation from December 25 to December 31.

During this period, 144 cases, including 71 under Section 138 of Negotiable Instruments Act, 24 criminal cases under IPC, two civil suits, six petty criminal cases and 41 summary cases were settled.

"The experience of working during winter vacations was good. Although 144 cases were decided, the ground for settlement of many more was prepared," said the District and Sessions Judge Bharat Bhushan Parsoon.

In addition, during the vacations, the Chief Judicial Magistrate Poonam Suneja also addressed NSS volunteers at the SD Senior Secondary School, Jagadhri; civil judge (senior division) Vijay Singh, attended a Legal Literacy Camp at government Senior Secondary School, Buria, while Additional District and Sessions Judge, Sarvshri Jagdeep Jain, and Rajeev Goyal, Additional Civil Judge (Senior Division), participated in the legal literacy camp especially organised for medical professionals.

Besides, judicial officers also organised a legal literacy camp and lok adalat at MLN College, Radaur.

Chandigarh, January 3
The academic session of the newly established Central University in Mahendragarh district starts tomorrow. Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda will inaugurate classes at B.Ed college, Narnaul. The university campus near Jant-Pali town is 7 km from Mahendragarh and 34 km from Charkhi Dadri.

Established under the Central Act passed by Parliament, the university will come up on about 500 acres.

At present, the university is functioning from a temporary campus at Narnaul with hostel facilities for boys and girls.

The university has already started admission for Ph.D and M.Phill courses. Students from different parts of the country have been admitted in the first batch.

Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary of Education Rajan Gupta said the university would be developed into a centre of excellence with a range of research facilities in pure sciences, humanities, economics, computers, bio-sciences and engineering.

Prof Mool Chand Sharma, a local man, will be the first Vice Chancellor of the university.

He said the university would be the first among the newly set up 14 central universities to admit students under the UGC regulations of 2009, thus moving in the direction of acquiring a truly national character.

The inaugural session starts with the classes in political science, English and economics.

The university will have a school of language, linguistics, culture and heritage. Also, there will be classes in English language, skills development and communication skills.

The government aims to make Haryana the most-developed state. Realising that education is a must for success and prosperity, the government is bringing changes at all levels in education.

Rajiv Gandhi Education City is being set up at Sonepat. Bhagat Phool Singh Women University has been established in Khanpur Kalan, which will also have a medical college for women.

Many other big institutes, including the Medical College in Mewat, Sainik School in Rewari and IIM at Rohtak are also coming up.

National Defence University will be established in Gurgaon.

The Post-graduate Institute of Medical Sciences has been elevated to University of Health Sciences.

Rewari, January 3
Finance, Irrigation, Forest and Environment Minister Capt Ajay Singh Yadav visited Jaunawas, Masani, Titarpur, Jeetpura and several other villages of the Rewari segment today.

Addressing meetings in the above villages, the Finance Minister said while women’s higher education was being given a boost in the district, another government college for women would now be set up at a cost of Rs 8.76 crore in Dharuhera in addition to the one already functioning in Rewari.

He further said besides these two colleges for women, postgraduate classes for boys and girls would commence in the new building of the Postgraduate Regional Centre in Mirpur village, near here, from March 1.While a sum of Rs 15 crore had already been spent on the construction of its new teaching-cum-administrative block and two hostels - one each for boys and girls - its remaining infrastructure would be built at an additional cost of Rs 20 crore in the second phase, he added.

Reiterating his commitment that development of the Rewari region would be carried out on priority basis, the minister recalled that a huge amount of Rs 750 crore had been spent on accomplishment of various development works in the region during his previous five-year tenure.

Simultaneously, Yadav also inaugurated several development works to the tune of Rs 36 lakh in Jaunawas, Titarpur and Jeetpura villages. Former minister Dr ML Ranga also addressed the meetings in the above villages.

Jhajjar, January 3
Addressing a gathering at the inauguration of Sant Garib Dass Free Hostel and Training Centre, set up by the Haryana Sarv Viklang Sangh, here today, MP Deepender Singh Hooda said due to the upcoming Commonwealth Games many development projects are set to come up in areas adjoining Delhi.

He said while Gurgaon is being connected with metro rail and the process is on to link Bahadurgarh as well, efforts are also being made to connect Nazafgarh.

“By again choosing Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda-led government, the people have conveyed that they believe in progress of the state,” said Hooda.

He informed that over Rs 800 crore had already been sanctioned for construction of a six-lane highway between Panipat and Bawal.

On completion, this highway would be the road to development for the districts of Sonepat, Panipat, Rohtak, Jhajjar, Rewari and Gurgaon.

He claimed that there would be no shortage of power in the state in the coming days as the power generation projects, which were initiated during the previous tenure of the government, would be ready in the next few months.

“The first unit of the 600 MW Khedar Power Plant has been synchronised. The plant being set up by the National Thermal Power Cooperation at Jharli is in the last phase of completion and will be ready by May-June,” said Hooda.

He also honoured participants who performed at the cultural programme organised on the occasion. nuary 3

Meanwhile, in view of the forthcoming Commonwealth Games, the Gurgaon police has asked all licenced weapon holders to deposit their weapons at their respective police stations by March 30 as directed by the Centre.

The Centre had issued a directive that all licenced weapons in the NCR should be deposited at least six months before the start of the games, Gurgaon Police Commissioner Surjeet Singh Deswal told mediapersons here yesterday. “Special instructions have been issued to the gun houses and to the police stations in this regard. The deposited weapons would be handed over to the owners after the games are over,” Deswal said, adding that the step was being taken to curb crime during the games.

The police commissioner said from now on private security agencies in Haryana would have to get a registration and take a licence before beginning their operations.

He also said the private security agencies were doing a commendable job but their staff needed to be trained more in upkeep of security.

Underlining the priorities in 2010, he said the Gurgaon police would focus more on improving the traffic management system.

The police personnel would be imparted training on various aspects ranging from controlling cyber crime to learning lessons on etiquettes and good manners in the police lines for providing a more responsive policing system to the residents here, he said. 

Gurgaon, January 3
A panchayat of the Maruti Kunj locality held here today asked the families of both the accused in the murder case of a local DPS student to leave the colony.

Mohammad Azharuddin, son of Mohammad Akhtar, a resident of Maruti Kunj in Bhondsi in the district and student of Class XI, had gone missing on November 21 when he was on his way to Palwal.

Police investigations later revealed that some friends of Azharuddin had first tried to kidnap him for ransom but then killed him.

Two of the accused, Sayeed Aftab (a family friend of the victim) and Ravi Kumar, alias Goldie, are also residents of Maruti Kunj.

At the panchayat of the Maruti Kunj residents held today under the presidentship of the colony's residents welfare association president Sukarampal, the families of both Aftab and Goldie were asked to leave the locality within 24 hours.

The panchayat members also decided to hold another meeting tomorrow and decide the future course of action in case the families of the accused did not comply with their diktat.

On the other hand, the family members of the accused have appealed to the local police and administrative authorities to provide security to them. While Aftab's family remained tightlipped over the matter, Goldie's mother said the panchayat's decision was not appropriate.

"Even the court does not punish a person for some fault of his/her children," said Goldie's mother Premvati. She appealed to the panchayat members to reconsider it.

Sirsa, January 3
A father allegedly killed his teenaged son after he learnt of his illicit ties with his stepmother. The body of Vipin (17) was found in a private school in Chormar village on December 25.

Hira Lal, a school guard, had blamed the murder on some students.

He had alleged in his statement to the police that his son has been murdered by some students because he had stopped them from playing in the school- ground after school.

The police smelled a rat and quizzed him for hours after which he confessed to have killed his son.

He said he was furious with his son for his ties with his second wife. He beat him up ruthlessly which led to his death.

The postmortem report showed death due to injuries to his private parts. 

Sonepat, January 3
The police has recovered looted and stolen property worth over Rs 5.72 crore by solving as many as 139 cases of dacoity, loot and theft and arrested 87 criminals of 21 gangs in the district during 2009.

According to SP Mahender Singh Sheoran, the value of the articles of the major recoveries included of Rs 2.14 crore in 503 cases of normal theft; Rs 1.41 crore in 183 cases of vehicle theft; over Rs 92.45 lakh in 50 cases of loot and Rs 65.23 lakh in 10 cases of dacoity.

He said from time to time the police launched special drive against the criminals and succeeded in nabbing 11 most wanted criminals, 94 proclaimed offenders, 427 bail jumpers and six parole jumpers.

Claiming that the incidents of atrocities against the women had declined during 2009 in comparison to 2008, the SP said the cases of dowry death during 2009 were 17 against 24 in 2008 and 20 cases of molestation against 32, 31 cases of rape against 35 and 128 cases of torture for dowry against 149 in 2008.

During the year, the police introduced several traffic regulatory measures and as a result, the number of cases of vehicle accidents registered in various police stations during 2009 were 284 against 307 cases registered in 2008, he said and added that the number of traffic police personnel were doubled to manage the traffic on the GT road and district towns.

The police also recovered penalty of Rs over Rs 1.54 crore by challaning 36,875 vehicles during the year.

During 2009, he said, the police not only recovered 181 country-made pistols, six revolvers, 11 guns, six magazines and 216 cartridge, but also seized 5.203 kg charas, 590 gm opium, 5 kg ganja, 53 gm smack and 522 kg chura post.

The police also recovered 9,961 bottles of IMFL, 196 of country-made liquor and 720 bottles of beer under the Excise Act.

Panipat, January 3
After having successfully completed the first two rounds of the anti-polythene drive, the district administration has launched the third phase of the movement against the plastic bag menace in the city, which is already facing an acute pollution problem due to the presence of a large number of industries here.

Launching the third phase, Deputy Commissioner Vijay Singh Dahiya, who was instrumental in launching the anti-polythene drive in Panipat last year, said the administration had received a tremendous response from local residents, who had decided to take up the environmental cause and fight against the use of polythene carry bags.

The administration has already roped in voluntary and social organisations to rid the city of polythene bags.

The Deputy Commissioner said though it was a government programme to impose a ban on plastic bags, in Panipat it was converted into a social campaign that had started producing results early.

Being a non-biodegradable product, polythene bags go on polluting the surroundings for years together.

These make soil infertile and unfit for other uses. These release harmful toxins into the air and restrict seepage of water and prevent recharging of groundwater, which ultimately leads to a decline in the water table.

Besides, by blocking the drainage system these also expose the city to the danger of floods during heavy rain.

He said during the third phase of the campaign, emphasis would be laid on fighting the plastic menace by “reshaping the public perception” regarding the use of polythene and its impact on the environment.

The initial two phases of the drive had received an overwhelming response from various quarters of society with a number of social organisations, including the Indian Medical Association, the Indian Oil Corporation, owners of local shopping malls and many NGOs working in the field of environmental protection, joining hands with the administration.

They participated in the awareness campaign against polythene bags by informing city residents about the ill-effects of using plastic.

The local civic body also organised awareness rallies. Besides, the administration got lakhs of jute bags made that were distributed free of cost among the locals to check the use of plastic bags.

The state has already imposed a ban on the use of plastic bags under the provision of the Haryana Non-Biodegradable Control Act and the Environment Act.

The Deputy Commissioner said that law alone could not have pushed the anti-polythene drive.

Officials of the district administration and representatives of the voluntary organisations went from door-to-door to generate awareness among the common masses that helped the drive become a success.