Chandigarh, June 10
Despite an open-door recruitment policy, Haryana is not getting doctors to fill a large number of vacancies in its Health Department.

Last month, the department had advertised 292 posts of medical officer. Interviews for these posts were to be held today. However, only five applications were received, of which only four candidates turned up for the interview.

These posts were for various reserved categories. While 138 posts were reserved for the Scheduled Castes, 41 were for the Backward Classes, 71 for ex-servicemen or their dependants, while 42 posts were reserved for the differently-abled.

To fill the vacancies, the Haryana Health Department has been authorised by the government to directly recruit doctors and it need not go to the State Public Service Commission. The department normally holds interviews every month. But there are still about 400 vacancies, particularly in rural hospitals.

Doctors, however, say that not many are interested in joining the Health Department because the pay scales for doctors in the state are less than those in Delhi and Punjab. They say the government should make the scales attractive enough to encourage young doctors to join its health services. The Director-General of Health Services, Haryana, Dr OP Mittal, said most of the vacancies of doctors in the state were for reserved categories.

Sources say candidates from these categories are not available in sufficient numbers because the number of medical colleges in the government sector is insufficient. Private medical colleges do not have the provision for reservation.

Now, the government will have to take a policy decision to convert the reserved posts into general-category posts, if it wants to fill the vacant posts.

Yamunanagar, June 10
Senior police officials, including the SP, remained busy throughout the day today, collecting documents related to the molestation case against former IG MS Ahlawat.

The victim had made a representation to the CM, alleging that she has been victimised and sexually harassed by the IG but even after eight years, no case was registered against him.

The police officials today held a series of meetings to complete all formalities to begin investigations into the case. The IG, Ambala, also asked for records related to the case.

The alleged incident occurred in 2002 when Arvind Kaur met Ahlawat, then SP, Yamunanagar, in a case of dowry harassment. To her horror, instead of getting help, she was “sexually harassed” by Ahlawat at his camp office.

Thereafter, the victim approached the local police seeking registeration of a case against him, but in vain. She held a protest in front of the DGP’s office last year, but nothing happened.

When contacted, the DSP (Headquarters), Krishan Kumar Hooda, heading the committee constituted to probe the matter, said; “ We have been collecting all documents related to the case. We will again record the statement of the complainant.”

Meanwhile, to ensure that Ahlawat does not leave the country, the district police has intimated all emigration check posts and foreign regional registration officers (FRRO) about the case. SP Sibas Kabiraj, in a letter to the emigration check posts, said: “Ahlawat is an accused in a case registered against him under Sections 354, 323 and 506 ofthe IPC.” All details include photographs of Ahlawat, have been sent to the officials concerned.

“We have sent a fax notice to all international airports,” the SP said.

Meanwhile, Ahlawat has moved an anticipatory bail in the district court here. “Ahlawat has pleaded in the that he is innocent and ready to join the investigation. So he be granted anticipatory bail.

“Acting on his plea, the district court has issued a notice to the state to file a reply for June 14,” Ahlawat’s advocate IK Diwana said.

Jind, June 10
The police has claimed to have busted a scam regarding the appointment of computer teachers in state government schools with the arrest of a person.

Cash amounting to Rs 40,500 has been recovered from his possession. One person has already been arrested in this connection.

The arrest was made by the police today in which the accused identified as Jogender, who is reported to be the mastermind of the network, has duped a couple of youths in the name of getting them appointed as computer teachers on contractual basis by taking a bribe of Rs 16,000 from each of the victim.

The matter was exposed after Rajiv and Kapil, both residents of Kolekhan village, had lodged a complaint with the police a few days ago that they had been charged Rs 16,000 each by some persons to get them appointed as computer teachers in government schools. However, they were neither appointed nor paid the money back.

According to the complaint, the victims were told by the accused on May 28 that they had been authorised to hire such staff and their appointment would be made soon. The money was paid to one Sushil running a computer centre at Bhatnagar Colony in Jind.

While Sushil had been arrested by the police after registering a case against him, the police came to know that one Jogender of Kinnar village of Hisar district had been the mastermind behind the racket, who had been allegedly keeping an account of the money recovered. The accused was produced in the local court, which remanded him in police custody for a day.

Kurukshetra, June 10
While caste-dominated khap panchayats and communal forces are creating divisions in village communities and weakening the democracy, Khanpur Jatan village in Shahbad block of Kurukshetra district is a picture in contrast.

The village has set a rare example by arriving at a consensus and electing the entire panchayat unanimously for the past 15 years.

The villagers, who are extremely conscious about development, have scrupulously avoided contest for any post in the past three elections and shown how consensus can strengthen democracy and accelerate the pace of development.

The panchayat has maintained the tradition during the ongoing panchayat elections also and unanimously elected 70-year-old Mayaram as the sarpanch and Harpal, Rajesh, Savitri, Deepa, Sahib Kaur and Jaipal as panchs.

The village has evolved a system in which villagers gather at a place ahead of the elections and a committee is formed to consider the names of prospective candidates suggested by different sections. The committee selects the candidates, who are invariably elected.

It goes to the credit of the committee members that the unanimous decision taken by it is not challenged by anyone and accepted by all.

Besides saving time, money and energy, the unanimous election helps in speedy development as no political issues are allowed to take precedence over the developmental issues and the bitterness, animosity and permanent groupism that electoral contests entail are completely missing, say panchayat members.

Anther significant feature is that whenever there is a wedding in the village, all families participate without any discrimination.

Citing the development works taken up in the village during the past five years, former village sarpanch Ranbir Singh has said as there is no groupism and differences in the village community on party lines, development has always remained the key concern for all.

All streets have been cemented, high school, dispensary, veterinary hospital, anganwari, panchayat ghar, drinking water facilities and chaupal have been provided for all castes and old age homes have been constructed at a cost of over Rs 40 lakh, he adds.

Villagers have been given employment under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and 50 toilets have been constructed. Khanpur Jatan has emerged as the first village in the district where 28 BPL families were allotted 100 m plots and the beneficiaries have constructed pucca houses.

Sirsa, June 10
The district authorities have identified 30 villages as sensitive and 33 as hypersensitive in Rania, Ellenabad and Nathusari Chopta administrative blocks in the district that go to the polls on June 12 for the panchayati raj institutions.

“Tight security measures have been taken to prevent violence during the poll. Each of the three blocks will have two officers of the rank of the DSP for supervising the security measures,” said Satinder Kumar Gupta, SP, Sirsa, adding that one inspector and a “reserve” of the police had been deputed with each of these DSPs.

He said in all 2,500 security personnel would perform duties in the district on the day of polling and added that 46 patrolling parties had also been set up. Meanwhile, District Election Officer Yudhbir Singh Khyalia informed that 29 duty magistrates had been appointed for the June 12 poll.

Besides, 29 patrolling parties have also been set up for the three administrative blocks going to the polls on Saturday, he added. Khyalia said 433 polling booths had been set up in the 150 villages, where elections are to be held and 2,380 poll officials would be deputed for the poll.

Meanwhile, Three persons were injured in a clash between two groups at Nejadela village in this district last night. The clash, according to the police, was over the results of the June 6 panchayat elections held in the village. Lakhbir Singh, who is admitted to the local general hospital, told the police that Gurjant Singh, Khajan Singh and others beat him up with lathis and the butt of a gun. They also allegedly fired into the air.

Gurjant Singh and Khajan Singh, who, too, are in the hospital accused Lakhbir Singh and his accomplices of attacking them. The police said a case under Sections 323, 285, 506 and 34 of the IPC had been registered and investigations started.

Fatehabad, June 10
A police party that went to Baropal last night to arrest a former sarpanch, who had jumped parole in a case of murder, was attacked by his supporters who threw red chilli powder into their eyes and helped the sarpanch flee.

The police has booked former sarpanch Prithvi Singh, his wife Kalawati, who is contesting for the post of sarpanch, Subhash, Rajinder, Shakuntala, Raj Kumar, Hanuman, Ram Singh, Atma Ram and 125 unidentified persons for assault and obstructing public servants from performing duty.

Prithvi Singh, serving imprisonment in the Hisar jail, was to report back on May 24 on expiry of his parole. However, he did not return to the jail and his rivals contesting the panchayat elections informed the police that he had been campaigning for his wife for the June 12 poll.

Shamsher Singh Dahiya, SHO, Sadar, Fatehabad, and his team had gone to the village last night to apprehend Prithvi Singh when they were attacked.

New Delhi, June 10
Dalits of Mirchpur village in Hisar, on a protest in the national Capital, returned to their homes with the Haryana Government today ordering a judicial probe into the April 21 violence in which two persons were killed and several Dalit homes burnt down.

Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda met with the protesting families and assured them that adequate arrangements would be made for their security.

The Chief Minister said it had been decided to constitute a peace committee headed by the Deputy Commissioner of Hisar. The committee would include two members from the Delhi Valmiki Samaj.

Eligible families of Valmikis would be given residential plots of 100 square yards each in the village. The government would construct a chaupal for the Valmikis and open a primary school in Mirchpur. Also, members of the Valmiki community would be given employment under MNREGA.

Their damaged houses would be renovated. Hooda thanked the head of the Valmiki Samaj.

Sirsa, June 10
With the start of the new academic session of Chaudhary Devi Lal University and various professional and degree colleges in the district fast nearing, the district authorities have initiated steps to check the menace of ragging on campuses.

DC Yudhbir Singh Khyalia has constituted a district-level anti-ragging committee under the guidelines of the Supreme Court.

The committee, headed by Khyalia, includes the ADC, the SP, heads of various government and private educational institutions in the district and representatives of the local media.

Addressing a meeting of the committee, Khyalia asked the heads of various institutions to set up anti-ragging squads in their institutions to ensure that no incident of ragging happened in their respective campuses.

“The educational institutions shall ensure that all teaching, non-teaching, administrative, security and hostel staff have the proper knowledge of the anti-ragging guidelines, so that they can stop such an incident if it comes to their notice,” Khyalia said.

He added that vigil should also be kept in and outside classrooms, canteens, the mess, cafeterias, hostels and other places to make sure that senior students did not indulge in ragging. The anti-ragging squads would conduct raids on hostels and other places of potential ragging, he added.

He said the guidelines against ragging should be displayed prominently on notice boards of the colleges.

Sonepat, June 10
All those accredited social health activists (ASHA), who have not received their outstanding remuneration for the past few months, will get the whole pending amount within one month and there will not be any problem regarding payment in future.

This was announced by the programme officer of the National Rural Health Mission, Dr Chand Singh Madaan, while addressing the training camp of health activists at the Civil Hospital in Gohana yesterday.

The Tribune had carried a news item recently about the non-payment of the monthly remuneration to health activists for the past nine months.

He also announced that the health activists would not only be given cycles as they had to travel up to a distance of 6 km in their areas, but would also be issued identity cards signed by the Civil Surgeon and the Deputy Commissioner.

In order to avoid cash payment, he said the mission would open their accounts with zero balance and their monthly remuneration would directly be deposited in their accounts in the banks. They would also be provided nameplates to fix at their residences for the convenience of the general public, he added.

The health activists, under the “Janani Suraksha Yojna”, work to promote institutional deliveries in rural areas of the district.

Each activist is enrolled to cover a population of 1,000 and she is required to motivate the expectant women for availing prenatal, natal and postnatal health services in government medical units.

Kurukshetra, June 10
The Executive Council of Kurukshetra University approved Rs 40 crore budget for 2010-11, which provided for Rs 28-crore under the non-plan expenditure and Rs 12 crore under the planned expenditure.

The Executive Council also approved allocation of Rs 10 crore provided by the state government for the development of Kurukshetra University Postgraduate Regional Centre in Jind.

The Executive Council expressed concern over the functioning of BEd colleges and decided that the inspection of these colleges should be done in conformity with the new norms spelt out by the university and the new approved pro forma devised for inspection of these colleges.

Emphasising on the need for quality research, the EC asked the Deans’ Committee to study ways to decentralise research to colleges to make research more widespread.

The council also discussed exemption from PhD tests for various categories and approved a number of long standing confirmations both for SFS and budgeted positions.

Keeping in view that 4,000 girls had been residing in university hostels and there were a large number of other women residing on the campus, the Executive Council approved the conversion of a post for the appointment of a Woman Medical Officer and re-designate Controller of Examination as Chief Controller of Examinations.

The Vice-Chancellor said Kurukshetra University had been ranked 29th out of 502 universities in the survey conducted by India Today.