Sirsa, April 7
Irate residents blocked traffic for over two hours after a policeman on traffic duty allegedly manhandled a Sikh farmer.

The farmer, Gurcharan Singh from Farwai Kalan village, was parking his tractor on the roadside when the cop objected to it.

The farmer alleged that he was beaten up without any provocation, his beard pulled at and his turban thrown away.

The incident occurred near the railway crossing. Soon a large crowd gathered there and blocked traffic in protest.

Sukhwinder Singh Khalsa, president of Shri Guru Granth Sahib Satkaar Sabha, reached the site and demanded an apology from the erring cops.

The matter was resolved when senior police officers reached there and took both parties to the police station.

While, the Sikh leaders claimed that the policeman responsible for the incident had issued an apology, the SP, Satinder Kumar Gupta, maintained that no such incident had been brought to his attention. 

Hisar, April 7
Three persons were awarded 10 years' imprisonment by a court here today for looting Rs 12.72 lakh at gunpoint from a branch of the Punjab National Bank.

Mamu Ram, Deputy Singh (both from Punjab) and Kashmir Singh (Hisar) were found guilty of robbing the Pabra branch of the PNB on November 21, 2007.

Additional District and Sessions Judge, Hisar, Sandeep Garg, ordered that the convicted should pay a fine of Rs 10, 000 each. In case of default, they would have to further undergo an imprisonment of six months.

Four armed youths entered the Pabra branch of the bank and huddled the employees into a room at gun- point.

They entered the strongroom and decamped with Rs 12.72 lakh. A case was registered against unknown persons under various sections at Barwala police station on the complaint of Rakesh Goyal, branch manager of the bank.

The case of the fourth robber, Mahabir, from Punjab is pending in a court for the juveniles. — PTI 

Chandigarh, April 7
If all goes as planned, the Ghaggar will be tamed this monsoon. Besides, Panchkula may not remain thirsty next summer.

Almost 75 per cent of the construction work on the low-height dam on the Kaushalya, a tributary of the Ghaggar, near Pinjore in Panchkula district has been completed. Efforts are afoot to complete the dam up to its full height before the monsoon so that water can be stored in its reservoir.

The Rs 180-crore dam will have a catchment area of 77 square km and the reservoir area of 1.06 sq km. The availability of water from the dam will be 18.4 cusecs from October 1 to July 15 and 40.3 cusecs from July 16 to September 30. The length of the dam will be 1,435 metre with a height of 34 metre. Accordng to Irrigation Minister Capt Ajay Singh Yadav, the reservoir will provide employment (in the form of fishing) with the creation of a large lake near the Pinjore Garden,. The area will be developed as a tourist attraction.

The life of the dam is expected to be 100 years. It will provide 18.40 cusecs raw drinking water to Panchkula and adjoining areas. Yadav says it will also help recharge the ground water.

At present, the drinking water needs of the area are met through tubewells. However, due to the fast-depleting groundwater, the satellite town of Chandigarh faces water shortage every summer.

Haryana has plans for three more low-height dams, the Dangrana dam, Dewanwala dam and Chhamla dam, on the Ghaggar and its tributaries to prevent wasteful flow of water and loss to property by floods during the monsoon. 

Sirsa, April 7
Several important issues will be taken up by the Academic Council (AC) of Chaudhary Devi Lal University, Sirsa, that meets here tomorrow under Vice-Chancellor-cum-Commissioner, Hisar Division, Balbir Singh Malik.

As per the agenda of the meeting, the biggest issue before the AC, that will have important ramifications, is the reconsideration of its own recommendation made earlier to the Executive Council (EC) of the university on January 13, 2009.

The recommendations of the AC said, “A separate faculty with the nomenclature of Faculty of Computer Technology is recommended, which will take care of all courses relating to computer applications, computer sciences and information and technology of the university.”

This recommendation of the AC was in the backdrop of a notification of the government making the Chaudhary Devi Lal College of Engineering, Panniwala Mota (Sirsa), a constituent college of the university and hence to be treated as the Faculty of Engineering.

The Faculty of Engineering till now comprises teachers from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering and hence the AC at its meeting held on January 13, 2009, under the previous Vice-Chancellor had recommended to create a new Faculty of Computer Technology.

However, the EC that met under new VC Balbir Singh Malik on March 31 had an agenda to rename the Department of Computer Sciences and Engineering as the Department of Computer Sciences and Applications and include it in the Faculty of Physical Sciences. The EC resolved that the Department of Computer Science and Engineering shall cease to be Faculty of Engineering and Technology, but did not go ahead with its proposal to rename it.

Chandigarh, April 7
The state government has made it mandatory for recognised private schools to reserve 25 per cent seats for students of weaker sections under Section 134-A of the State School Education Rules, 2009, from the current academic session.

The recognised private schools have been asked to send their compliance report to the education department.

Priority will be accorded to talented students belonging to the weaker sections and they will be charged similar fee as charged by government schools, said an official spokesman. Strict action would be taken against any school flouting the rule, he warned.

Kurukshetra, March 7
In view of the globalisation of economy and promotion of tourism, need for popularising French in India was stressed at a seminar on French and job opportunities held in the Senate Hall of Kurukshetra University here yesterday.

National Coordinator of Campus France Desk, the Embassy of France in India, Archana Chaudhary through a powerpoint presentation, explained various job opportunities for students and faculty members intending to go to France. Chaudhary met the Vice-Chancellor and senior faculty members of the university, in order to explore possibilities of collaborative projects. In charge online admissions, Campus France Desk, Deepali Dham also interacted with the students and the faculty members.

Dean Academic Affairs, Kurukshetra University, Prof AS Kaang, who presided over the function on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor Lt Gen (Dr) (retd) DDS Sandhu, PVSM, ADC, said first step in the Indo-French relationship was initiated by the first President of the Fifth French Republic, Charles De Gaulle and our first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. De Gaulle invited Nehru to Paris and Minister of Culture in De Gaulle’s Ministry André Malraux visited India as special emissary of De Gaulle and discussed about the issue extensively..

Nuh (Mewat), April 7
One can reach Barota, a village located on the Gurgaon-Alwar road in Nuh district, in a little over half an hour from Gurgaon, the millennium city which boasts of world-class facilities.

However, clean drinking has failed to reach the village till date. For reasons best known to the authorities (un)concerned, the hapless villagers are forced to drink smelly brackish water.

“We get such dirty water through supply lines that one cannot make tea with it; the milk just coagulates and gets spoiled on coming in contact with the water;? still we have no option but to use the same water for drinking, preparing food and other household chores,” maintain Ompati and her husband Dayaram of the village.

A survey revealed that the underground water in the village is brackish; and more often than not, so is the government-supplied water. The benefit of the much-hyped rain-well scheme has also not reached this village, comprising nearly 300 households.

Old-timers like Mohar Singh maintain that the quality of water has declined sharply during the past few years, which has affected the health of village residents as well as livestock.

Village sarpanch Roshni Devi’s husband Dharambir and his son assert that they have lodged numerous complaints with the authorities concerned, but to no avail.

Having given up all hope, most of the villagers have resigned to their fate. While the well-off ones have got water-purifiers installed at their homes, the lesser mortals fetch water from a cowshed farm located on the outskirts of the village.

The situation is no better in nearby villages of Kamarsika, Aahta, Badela and Udaga, and many other villages in the district. The residents of these villages are also forced to fetch water from far-away places or drink smelly and brackish water supplied to them.

As the summer heat catches on and supply of water decreases, residents of many villages in the district have to buy water from private suppliers, who charge Rs 200 to 350 per tanker.

Many families have got underground tanks dug in their houses in which they store the water bought from private suppliers. This stored water lasts a few days, after which they have to purchase more water.

Sources in the water-supply department maintain that owing to scanty rainfall, the level of underground water has gone down considerably over the past several years. If deeper bore-wells are dug, then brackish water comes out.

A visit to Rozka Meo village revealed that separate borewells have been dug for the residents of this village and for the nearby ones. As the summer season peaks, the demand for water increases while the water level goes further down, making it difficult for officials to make both ends meet.

Slow implementation of government schemes like the rain-well scheme and water canals and channels ensures that by the time a project is commissioned, the demand has increased manifold. The project is, therefore, rendered useless and the residents remain trapped in the vicious cycle.

Jhajjar, April 7
At least 2,500 National Service Scheme (NSS) volunteers from five districts - Rohtak, Jhajjar, Sonepat, Gurgaon and Faridabad - of Haryana falling under the jurisdiction of the National Capital Region (NCR) will take part in the Commonwealth Games - 2010 by contributing their services for the smooth organisation of this mega event scheduled to be held in Delhi in October this year.

A communiqué in this regard has recently been shot off by the NSS Regional Centre, Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, to the NSS office of Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU), Rohtak, wherein names of 2,500 NSS volunteers have been demanded for the Games.

The NSS office of the university has initiated the procedure of selection of proficient NSS volunteers to meet the requirements well in time. The office has issued a circular in this connection to the principals of all degree and professional colleges located in the five districts. The circular has asked the principals to recommend the names of skilled volunteers of their colleges for the Games.

Dr Vazir Singh Nehra, MDU NSS coordinator, said the ministry had directed the university to send at least 2,500 NSS volunteers having good spoken English, whose services could be utilised in handling foreign visitors and efficient organisation of the Games.

Dates of interviews have also been fixed for the final selection of the NSS volunteers. As per the schedule, interviews for the candidates of Jhajjar and Gurgaon districts will be held on April 8 at the PDM College of Engineering, Bahadurgarh, and the Daronacharya College of Engineering, Khatuwas, respectively, whereas interviews for Sonepat, Faridabad and Rohtak districts will be conducted on April 9 at CRA College, Sonepat, the YMCA College of Engineering, Faridabad, and the MD University NSS office, Rohtak, respectively,” said Nehra.

After the selection of NSS volunteers, a one-day training camp would be organised on the university campus in which the volunteers would be given technical tips by experts for performing their duties in an efficient manner during the Games, maintained the NSS coordinator, adding that the selected volunteers would be assigned duty according to their interests.

Fatehabad, April 7
Financial aid has started pouring in for the 33-year-old Krishna, alias Sheela, widow of rickshaw-puller Ram Parkash who was charred to death.

Ram Prakash, who was ill for more than a year, was killed in a fire in his hutment.

Prahlad Singh Gillankhera, Chief Parliamentary Secretary, who represents Fatehabad in the assembly, visited the family and offered help.

JK Abhir, SDM, who accompanied Gillankhera, announced a relief of Rs 25,000 from the District Red Cross after talking to Deputy Commissioner CG Rajini Kaanthan.

“I have taken an application from the widow and will talk to the government to provide her relief from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund,” Gillankhera said after meeting the family.

Earlier, a philanthropist from Mohali offered financial help to the family on a monthly basis.

Ram Parkash, a rickshaw-puller was suffering from tuberculosis . He was charred to death, when a fire broke out in the family’s one-room rented accommodation on Monday.

Krishna and her eldest son were away on a job, while her two children were in school when fire broke out in the room.

Ram Parkash’s badly charred body was recovered from the debris. Krishna and her three children had been rendered roofless and penniless after the incident.

An electric short-circuit was described as the cause of fire. 

Fatehabad, April 7
The health authorities have swung into action after detection of incidents of jaundice in Jakhal town of Fatehabad district. A door-to-door survey has been ordered in the affected areas of the town.

Residents allege that cases of hepatitis are coming from several localities of the town. However, the Meena Bazar area near the grain market is the worst -hit.

Though, senior medical officer of the community health centre NK Goyal claimed that only four to five cases of jaundice have been noticed, the residents alleged that over 25 to 30 patients have been getting treatment from private doctors or quacks.

Goyal said 64 houses in the affected colony had been surveyed and samples of drinking water sent to a lab for testing. Civil Surgeon OP Arya maintained that leakage from the drinking water pipes and “contaminated water” was reason behind the spread of jaundice. “Deputy Civil Surgeon HL Gupta visited the town yesterday to review the situation, which is well under control now,” Arya claimed. The residents alleged that indifference of the authorities was the main reason behind the spread of jaundice in the town. “Jakhal was a municipal committee, but was dissolved some years back to make it a village panchayat applying breaks to the development activities in the town,” alleged a resident.

“We have sewerage system in the town, but the lines are blocked and the panchayat has no funds to clean it,” he added

Sonepat, April 7
Alleging that the local municipal council has become a centre of corruption, BJP legislator Kavita Jain has demanded an inquiry by the state vigilance bureau to unearth misappropriation of public money during the past five years.

“If an inquiry is not ordered by the government, the issue will be raised in the next assembly session,” she said. In a statement, Jain alleged that the burning of the office record of the council about a month back was a conspiracy, hatched in connivance with employees of the council, to destroy information on allocation for various development works. The information was being sought by Randhir Singh of Rajinder Nagar here under the Right to Information Act.

Despite spending crores during the past five years on city pavements these streets were again in a dilapidated condition, she alleged , adding that substandard material was used in the works. She also pointed out that just before the assembly elections, a sum of Rs 50 lakh was spent on lighting of streets. Now, most street lights were not working. She alleged that an inquiry was initiated in this regard but was later dumped 

Sirsa, April 7
The police today claimed to have busted a network of cricket bookies doing illicit “satta” on T-20 matches of the Indian Premier League.

SP Satinder Kumar Gupta said the accused were arrested when they were staking during an IPL match. The police arrested five persons from the place, where they were betting with all paraphernalia like television sets, mobile phones, laptops and other items. The arrested have been identified as Naresh, Parveen, Sonu, Rajender and Aman. The police has also recovered goods worth lakhs, including 77 mobile phones, five landline phones, three box chargers, 30 mobile chargers, four switch boards, one laptop, two coloured TVs, 26 mobile batteries, five laptop chargers, two calculators, nine account registers, three TV stands, five bags and two cell chargers, from their possession.

He said Sub-Inspector Amit Beniwal, in charge, special staff, got a tip off that some people were staking on IPL matches at shop No 11 of Sabzi Mandi on the Rania road. The SI with his other colleagues raided the shop and arrested the accused.