Panipat, February 19
Even after three years, several relatives of those killed in the Samjautha Express blasts are yet to get compensation announced by the Indian Railways. The blasts had occurred in two coaches of the Lahore-bound train.

Relatives of the victims, who were here today to participate in a prayer meeting on the third anniversary of the tragedy, said despite running from pillar to post they had not been able to get Mohammad Javed from Gaya in Bihar lost six of his relatives in the blasts. His brother Mohammad Shabbir Ahmed, a Pakistani national, had boarded the train from Delhi along with his wife Samina Khatun and four children, Misbah Shah Bin, Shahbaz, Shahroz and Shahreya.

The blasts killed all of them. Javed claimed that they had been able to identify the bodies of only three of their relatives. The authorities had given him Rs 3 lakh as interim compensation on the spot. It was promised that the remaining Rs 27 lakh would be given in due course of time. He had regularly visited the office of the railway authorities in Delhi, but in vain. He was told him that no report had been received from the railway police. Hence, the pending compensation could not be released. He said despite repeated attempts, he had failed to meet the railway SP at Ambala. He said he had even sought information under the RTI Act but it was of no help.

Mohammad Zakir, who lost his mother Ashraf Unishah and father Mohammad Sadiq in the blasts, had a similar tale to tell.

He said he saw his parents breathe their last as he himself lay injured with 30 per cent burn injures. Till date, he had not received any monetary assistance. A tailor, he had been rendered jobless after the incident with serious injures on his hands. The then Railway Minister Lalu Prashad Yadav had also promised a job to the kin of victims in the Railways, he recalled, lamenting that he was unable to earn enough to sustain his family even as the authorities remained indifferent.

Ashok Randhawa, a social activist from Delhi, said they had received information that many had not received compensation. He said that they had taken up the matter with the authorities concerned. Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Vijay Singh Dahiya, said he would pursue the matter sincerely. Meanwhile, a two-hour-long prayer meeting was held at the graveyard here. People from various walks of life, including known NGOs, participated. None fromPakistan could make it this year. 

Chandigarh, February 19
The Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC) has clarified that no decision with regard to imposition of any pecuniary fine on the two power distribution companies of the state has been taken and “quantifying as Rs 1 lakh each is neither factually correct nor true.”

A spokesman for the HERC claimed here today that a member of the commission, Rohtash Dahiya, had also subsequently clarified that his comments during the public hearing on annual revenue requirement (ARR) for 2010-11 yesterday had been misconstrued.

The spokesman said Dahiya had stated that while he had agreed to some of the observations made by another member TS Tewatia, he had not supported his colleague on issuing any notice under the Electricity Act, 2003, to any of the companies.

The Haryana power distribution companies today described the allegations made during the public hearing before the HERC on high rates of short-term purchase of power by the state in 2009 as “false”.

An official spokesman said that the short-term power for 2008-09 was procured at an average of Rs 6.34 per unit and for 2009-10 at Rs 6.10. These rates were far less than the prevailing rates in the Indian Power Exchange (IPE). He said by “prudent and timely” purchases, the Haryana Power Purchase Centre was able to buy short-term power at the lesser rate even when the rates in the IPE had touched Rs 14.50 per unit in August 2009. He said most of the power was purchased from other states like HP, Tamil Nadu, MP and Assam. — TNS

Karnal, February 19
The Haryana Police Academy has been selected to impart training to intercontinental stratum police forces by the Central Police Research and Development Bureau on the recommendations of the External Affairs Ministry.

This was revealed by RS Dalal, Director General of Police, Haryana, while presiding over the valediction ceremony of the training of 30 Sri Lanka police personnel deputed on the security of the President of Sri Lanka, in Madhuban.

He said the Sri Lanka police personnel had been imparted two months’ special police training by globally acknowledged Haryana Police Academy already awarded the ISO 9001-2000 certificate. Dalal revealed that the mêlée between the LTTE and the government of Sri Lanka was well known and it was a matter of pride for the academy to train the first batch of 30 officers from the rank of Superintendent of Police to Sub-Inspectors, who were directly involved in the most sensitive security responsibilities in Sri Lanka.

He said 100 more officers of the Sri Lanka police would be trained here shortly. The Director of the Haryana Police Academy, VN Rai, said earlier 99 constables of the Sri Lanka police were trained in the academy in 2008.

The police officials of other central police organisations like the CISFand the Central Bureau of Research had also been trained in the academy in addition to that of Nagaland, Manipur, HP, Jammu and Kashmir, Bihar and the Chandigarh police. 

Chandigarh, February 19
For Reena, the agony of life without her husband and child is more than the pain of death. The Narwana resident has sought the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s intervention for killing herself “honourably”, rather than face her relatives, angry after she tied the knot against their wishes.

In her petition, seven months’ pregnant Reena has sought directions for protection. In an apparent attempt to build up the argument in favour of direction for protection, Reena has said she cannot imagine the kind of death her relatives will give after catching up with her. So to save her from the “brutality”, she should be allowed to take the extreme step.

Coming to her rescue, Chief Justice Mukul Mudgal and Justice Jasbir Singh directed instantaneous police protection for Reena and her husband after according the matter utmost priority. Directions for providing medical assistance were also issued. Her relatives, the police authorities concerned, and other respondents were also asked to remain present in the court on February 26.

Fear and anxiety could be read in her eyes, as a visibly jittery Reena sat with her face partially covered with a shawl at the police security room on the High Court premises.

Irritated and nervous, the 19 something snapped back when asked a volley of questions. Trepidation was also writ large on her husband Anil Kumar’s anxious visage, as they waited for the police to arrive before taking them out of the court. The reason behind their apprehensions was spelled out clearly in the petition filed through counsel Jasbir Mor. Reena said she was not in a position to protect her unborn child, because her relatives were present in the court. She expressed apprehension of being picked up and “definitely killed”, as soon as she left the court premises. The petition was placed before Chief Justice Mudgal’s Bench soon after a Single Judge did not entertain the couple’s earlier petition due to technicalities of law.

Going into the background of the matter, Reena said they tied the knot at a temple in Nagpur on August 4 last year and she was now seven months’ pregnant.

In an attempt to protect themselves from the relatives, they had left Haryana to live in Nagpur, but wanted to return now as they had no source of income. Besides, a pregnant Reena needed medical care and other assistance. 

Sirsa, February 19
Children visiting anganwari centres in Sirsa district will now get more playing and learningmaterial at their centres.

All 914 anganwari centres in the district will be provided these items at a cost of Rs 3.20 crore under the Backward Area Grant Fund Scheme. Sirsa is one of the two districts of Haryana, which have been getting central grants under the Backward Area Grant Scheme. Additional Deputy Commissioner Dr J Ganeshan said under the scheme learning and playing material costing Rs 35,000 would be provided to each anganwari centre in the district so that tiny tots could be familiar with the learning techniques through play-way methods.

The material would be provided in all anganwari centres by March-end. Ganeshan said the material to be provided to the centres included alphabetical toys, round table, three rockers, slide and various kinds of charts with almirah. As many as 96,237 children were registered with the anganwari centres in the district. Nutritious food and other kind of facilities were also being provided to these centres, he added.

He said as many as 429 new anganwari centres had been sanctioned.

Sirsa, February 19
The elections for induction of two members of the teaching community to the Executive Council (EC) of Chaudhary Devi Lal University, Sirsa, will be held on February 26.

According to a notification issued by the university today, the nominations for the elections could be made tomorrow, the withdrawal of candidature will be permitted till February 22 and polling, if necessary, will be held on February 26.

Two members to the EC are inducted from the teaching community through elections.

All Readers and lecturers are entitled to contest for these two posts, at least one of which is to be filled by a Reader.

Professors are neither entitled to vote nor can they contest these posts.

Besides these two elected members, the EC comprises five deans of faculties, four Governor’s nominees and four representatives of the state government, as provided by the statute.

The Vice-Chancellor is the ex-officio chairman and the Registrar acts as secretary of the EC.

Meanwhile, a section of teachers has taken exception to the “undue haste” in which the process of elections has been planned.

“Teachers received the notification in the afternoon today and have been given only a day (February 20) to file their nominations. If a teacher is on leave and out of station for two days, he will be deprived of the opportunity to contest,” alleged Rajesh Malik, a lecturer in the Law Department and secretary of the Chaudhary Devi Lal University Teachers Association.

He said the authorities should have provided reasonable time to the teachers to file their nominations.

SK Gahlawat, returning officer for the elections, however, justified the notification and said it had been issued as per the statute.

The university’s constitution does not specify any particular number of days to be provided for filing of nominations after the issuance of the notification, he added. 

Chandigarh, February 19
The Haryana government has decided to connect Gurgaon with Indira Gandhi International Airport through high-speed metro rail connectivity and the government has also taken up the issue of additional road links between Delhi and towns of National Capital Region.

Stating this here yesterday, a spokesman for the Haryana Town and Country Planning Department said the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Limited (DMRCL) had already been requested to prepare the detailed project report for which terms of reference were being finalised.

He said the Haryana government had also taken up the issue of metro extension from Badarpur to Faridabad and from Mundka to Bahadurgarh. He said the issue of additional road links between Delhi and towns of National Capital Region for connectivity had also been taken up and negotiated with the government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi.

The Delhi government had agreed to provide two additional links to Gurgaon and efforts were being made for two more links for Gurgaon and one for Rajiv Gandhi Education City in Sonepat.

He said the proposal of new township of Samalkha-Ganaur and integrated urban complex plan for Sampla had been prepared and sent to the government for granting in principle approval. The draft development plan of Samalkha-Ganaur was got approved from the District Planning Committee. The final development plan for Karnal and Ambala had been published in the Haryana government gazette, he added.

Sirsa, February 19
The degree of Bachelor of Education (BEd) was awarded to 120 graduates, including 62 girls, at a convocation held at the Chaudhary Devi Lal Postgraduate College of Education here today.

Ajay Singh Chautala, MLA and chairman of Jan Nayak Devi Lal Vidyapeeth, the controlling institution of the college, gave away the degrees to the graduates.

Kuldeep Singh Dhindsa, director-general of the vidyapeeth, delivered the convocation address.

“After Independence, there has been a significant growth in the number of institutions of higher education. From 30 universities and 590 colleges in 1947-48, today we have around 435 universities and 20,700 colleges. During the past 60 years, this system of higher education has made a significant contribution to society. It is on record that India has given to the US 28 per cent employees in IBM Technologies, 34 per cent Microsoft employees, 36 per cent NASA scientists and 38 per cent doctors and much more,” Dhindsa said in his address.

However, we are still short of universities and colleges as only 10 per cent of the youth in the 17 to 23-year age group are enrolled for higher education, which is far below the world average of 23 per cent.

“India still lags far behind in the number of institutions of higher learning. While Japan has 4,000 universities for its 13 crore population and the USA 3,650 universities for its 32 crore people, in India we have 435 universities for 116 crore people,” he added.

Chautala said in this era of competition, both teachers as well as students needed to update their knowledge continuously.

MS Brar, vice-chairman of the vidyapeeth, was also present.

Jai Parkash, principal of the college, welcomed the guests and read out the annual report of the college. 

Sirsa, February 19
Noted educationist and director-general of the Jan Nayak Devi Lal Vidyapeeth Kuldeep Singh Dhindsa has advocated setting up of a separate affiliating university for conducting examinations of all colleges of Haryana, so that the existing universities can develop as centres of research and higher learning.

Dhindsa, who has served as visiting professor in several foreign universities, said Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, and Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak, had become overburdened with the work of affiliation and conducting examinations of their affiliated colleges.

“The basic job of the universities is to undertake problem-oriented research besides undertaking advanced studies for futuristic development,” he said. The work of distance education should also be taken up by the new proposed university, Dhindsa said. 

Hisar, February 19
Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) officials have detected over 8,000 cases of theft of electricity and imposed penalties of Rs 15 crore on the erring consumers. The nigam filed FIRs against 3,300 consumers who did not pay penalty in time.

A spokesman for the DHBVN said here today that teams of Operation Circle, Bhiwani, detected 2,200 theft cases, followed by Hisar (2,000 cases), Faridabad (1,525), Gurgaon (1,272), Narnaul (575) and Sirsa (492). The nigam had launched a special campaign in December last year to curb power theft.

He said the teams, which were also directed to recover arrears of bills, collected Rs 59 crore from 70,000 defaulting consumers. These teams contacted 1.15 lakh defaulters since December and disconnected connections of 17,500 consumers who failed to pay the arrears. Over 6,000 defaulters whose supply had already been disconnected on account of non-payment of bills paid Rs 18 lakh.

Special raids for theft detection were being conducted on the premises of consumers whose supply had been disconnected on account of non-payment of bills.

The spokesman said 142 teams had been raised to detect theft of electricity and recover defaulting amount under the special drive.

The drive was part of a programme of the DHBVN to bring down aggregate transmission and distribution losses to the minimum level. The losses in the area of DHBVN had come down from 40 per cent in 2001 to 24.4 per cent in 2008-09. 

Chandigarh, February 19
The Chandigarh Bench of the Armed Forces Tribunal has directed the government to release constant attendant allowance to a 100 per cent disabled soldier along with arrears, if any. 

The tribunal also awarded costs of Rs 10,000, which have been directed to be recovered from the pocket of the person who is responsible for disbursing the pension.

Ex-Rifleman Rajak Mohammad, resident of Nariangarh, was a paraplegic battle casualty and in accordance with the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations, was granted constant attendance allowance of Rs 3000 per month from October 2006 onwards.

The relevant instructions were by the Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Pensions), Allahabad, to the bank concerned at Naraingarh. In his petition before the tribunal, Rajak contended that despite directions, the bank concerned did not release the allowance or the arrears.

Rajak was made to visit Chandigarh time and again. He did that with great difficulty and despite various requests his dues were not released on the pretext that there was some overpayment of DA by the bank in the past in his case. 

The bank released some arrears after the said case was filed, but according to his lawyer, no official from the bank appeared or filed a reply before the tribunal that, thereafter, ordered that the bank pay the remaining arrears (if any) and to submit a statement of account for the adjustment of the amount within a period of one month.