Ambala, August 23
Nanku, 13-year-old child of a migrant labourer, knows little about the world outside the dhaba where he has been cleaning utensils for the past two years. He witnesses children going to school every morning, but he himself has never got an opportunity to sit in the classroom.

Nanku is not a lone such child in Ambala. There are hundreds of ragpickers and dhaba servants here who do not know the meaning of childhood and have never gone to school. Numerous children between the age of 12 and 16 can be seen doing household work in posh colonies in the city.

These children are not even aware of the fact that the Prime Minister has already announced free and compulsory education for kids in the country. The state government has also committed that it would implement it at every level, but no efforts have been made in this regard. Almost all children like Nanku are still doing the same work.

A provision has been made in the Education Bill that private and public schools will reserve at least 25 per cent seats for poor children, but hardly any public school in Ambala has given admission to kids from the weaker section of society.

Most of the schools deny admission to such students. Recently, when the father of a rag picker had dared to visit a public school for the admission of his son for availing the free-of-cost facility, he was not even allowed to enter the school premises.

Even as the Education Department had issued notices to public schools to charge the prescribed nominal fee from such students, the schools did not bother to act on it. The district education officer had also directed the schools to display their fee structure on the notice board, but to no avail.

As per Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, no shopkeeper, factory owner or house owner can employ any child below 14 years of age, but the law is being violated with impunity. A few months ago, the Labour Department had launched a drive to check child labour in the city, but it turned out to be a cosmetic exercise. A tobacco factory, for instance, has engaged several children to fill tobacco pouches, but the authorities did not take note of it.

Kurukshetra, August 23
While inaugurating the newly constructed police station at Shahabad, 20 km from here, Director General of Police Ranjiv Singh Dalal said the area between Ambala and Kundli on National Highway No. 1 would be made free from child labour and accidents and the police would initiate special measures to achieve the goal.

He said the anti-child labour Act would be implemented strictly along the national highway, with focus on children working in dhabas there. To check road accidents, drunk drivers would be nabbed, he added.

To strengthen law and order in the state, Dalal said the police would start crime-criminal network system soon. Under the system, which would cost Rs 45 crore, all police stations would be connected through computers and FIRs would also be registered online.

Keeping in view the Commonwealth Games commencing from October 3, increased police force would be deployed along with commandos in the NCR, comprising Faridabad, Gurgaon, Palwal and Rewari.

Inspector General of Police, Ambala Range, KK Sindhu said all police stations were public service centres where anyone could meet police officials without any hesitation.

HS Puri, president, Ashokpuri Public Road Safety Association, informed that traffic security camps had been organised in 125 schools so far.

Dalal and Sindhu also planted saplings on the premises of the newly inaugurated police station.

Sumedha Kataria, additional deputy commissioner, Sultan Singh, Kurukshetra SP, Shashank Anand, Ambala SP, Sandeep Khirwar, Kaithal SP, and Ram Chander Rathi, DSP, Kurukshetra, were among those present on the occasion.

Kurukshetra, August 23
The Directorate of Distance Education (DDE), Kurukshetra University (KU), has revised the eligibility condition for admission to first year of B.Ed programme through distance mode in response to the receipt of the modified instruction of the National Council of Teachers Education.

Stating this here recently, DDE director Prof Rajneesh Sharma said according to the revised eligibility conditions, a student having 50 per cent marks at the graduation/postgraduation level for general category candidates and 45 per cent in the case of SC/ST/blind/physically and visually challenged candidates were eligible to seek admission to B.Ed part-I.

Eligible candidates having the said qualifications and two-years in-service working teaching experience in any recognised government/ aided/private school/educational institution in the sate as on May 31, 2010, may apply on the prescribed form available in prospectus (code no. DE-B.Ed-10) up to September 15, 2010, as some seats are vacant.

Admission to these vacant seats would be made on the basis of merit of marks in the qualifying examinations and after following the reservation policy as given in the prospectus, he added.

Prospectus can be obtained from the manager, printing press, Kurukshetra University, on the payment of Rs 800 (Rs 200 for SC/BC/blind candidates of the state) at the counter or by sending DD of Rs 850 (Rs 250 for SC/BC/blind candidates of the state) in favour of Registrar, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, payable at Kurukshetra/Thanesar, if required by post.

Prospectus can also be downloaded from the university website: http://www.kukinco.com.

DD of Rs 800 (Rs 200 for SC/BC/blind candidates of the state) in favour of Registrar, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, payable at Kurukshetra/Thanesar, must be attached with the downloaded form. 

Jhajjar, August 23
After the alleged failure of the police in curbing robbery incidents, especially at petrol pumps here, the Jhajjar District Petroleum Dealers’ Association (JDPDA) has decided to step forward to ensure safety on their own.

As per the decision, every petrol pump dealer associated with the JDPDA would install close circuit TV (CCTV) cameras at their filling stations. They would also depute adequate number of private security personnel in civil dress to keep an eye on anti-social elements.

Decision to this effect was taken at the association’s meeting held recently to express concerns over the rising incidents of loot at petrol pumps in the district, besides finding a firm solution to prevent the crime.

Nasib Singh Kadian, president of the JDPA, states though the police authorities have assured us to enhance night patrolling to check the crime but “we cannot fully depend on the police as it always reaches the spot late. Hence, we have decided to adopt some essential security measures own our on,” he adds.

“Four incidents of robbery at petrol pumps here have been taken place within a short span of time and in every incident, the criminals easily managed to flee the spot after looting thousands of rupees from the station’s salesmen at gunpoint. Most of the incidents have occurred late at night. Every time the police was informed about the incident, it reached the spot several hours late,” said another petrol pump owner, adding that due to the reasons, much reliance could not be placed on the police.

Though the association had decided to observe strike for three days across the district in protest against the police failure to arrest the looters despite several days after the occurrence of the crime, they had to withdraw their decision following an assurance by the district police that extra vigil would be maintained and the police personnel would waste no time in rushing to the spot on getting information of any possible crime.

“Petrol Pump owners as well as their salesmen are frightened following a spate in robbery incidents during the past couple of weeks as their lives come under threat when armed robbers target the filling stations late in the night. In this situation, the persons have no other option left to let them perpetrate the loot,” said the owner.

Meanwhile, Jhajjar SSP Sourabh Singh said the police had been making every effort to curb crime for which patrolling had been enhanced during night hours.

“Telephone numbers of police control room, SSP, ASP, DSPs, SHOs, Riders and police post in charges will be written at every petrol pump in the district so that the staff there could inform the police well in time about the incident,” said the SSP, adding that the police had been carrying out raids at various places to nab the accused.

Sirsa, August 23
The district authorities have prepared an ambitious project involving an investment of Rs 273 crore for preventing the recurrence of floods in future. The project will be sent to the Haryana Flood Control Board for its approval.

Deputy commissioner CG Rajini Kaanthan, who himself gave final shape to the project with officers of various government department, said under the project, a dam from Najdela Kalan village to Musahibwala village would be constructed.

There is a need to acquire about 125 acres of land to complete the project. However, the authorities claimed that people of the concerned villages themselves have suggested for the construction of this dam and they are ready to provide land free of cost for the purpose.

He said another project had also been prepared to raise up to five feet the existing road between Barnala road and Nejadela village. The raised road would be helpful in saving Sirsa town and other villages from floods.

The officers of the Forest Department were directed to send a case to the government for cutting of trees in the Ghaggar and Rangoi nullah so that these could be quickly removed.

Beside this, a project to put stones on the inner side of sensitive embankments of the Ghaggar had also been prepared to check soil erosion. For this, six places have been identified.

Apart from this, a scheme to construct another dam adjoining most sensitive Jhopra dam had also been prepared to save the town from floods.

While directing that all small dams on the Ghaggar would be removed, Rajini Kaanthan asked the officers of the Revenue Department to take action in the regard and submit report on time.

He said another scheme for the widening and deepening of the Ghaggar, ahead of Ottu Weir had been prepared. Under this scheme, the river would be deepened and widened up to 200ft. The embankments on each side of the river would be strengthened.

He said a plan had been prepared to lay underground pipeline from Jeewannagar to the Ghaggar.

Similarly, another scheme to construct a drain up to relief cut from Bani village to the river had also been prepared, he added.

Rewari, August 23
Finance, Irrigation, Forest and Environment Minister Capt Ajay Singh Yadav inaugurated the 61st Van Mahotsava by planting Triveni saplings (neem, pipal and banyan) at a district-level function at Kakodia village, near here, recently.

Simultaneously, he laid the foundation stone of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Herbal Park there. Later, he inaugurated the newly established Rajiv Gandhi Herbal Park at the nearby Khalilpuri village as well.

Addressing the gathering at Kakodia village, the Minister said while a target of planting five crore saplings had been fixed for the state, new tree plantation would be accomplished on 450 hectares in Rewari district. Besides, 10 lakh saplings would also be distributed free of cost among farmers and other citizens in the district.

As regards promotion-cum-protection of medicinal plants, Capt Yadav said while 26 herbal parks had already been setup in the state, Rewari district too would soon have three full-fledged herbal parks, one each at Dewlawas, Khalilpuri and Kakodia villages.

Describing trees as a valuable bounty generously bestowed upon humanity by the nature, the Minister called upon citizens as well as schoolchildren to grow at least one plant each to save the environment.

Simultaneously, expressing concern at the fast declining habitation of peacocks, chinkaras and other untamed wild animals and birds in the state, he said while one peacock-cum-chinkara procreation centre in Rewari district and one chinkara breeding centre in Bhiwani district had been established by the state government, one procreation centre for vultures and one rehabilitation-cum-research centre for elephants had also been setup at Pinjore and Yamunanagar, respectively.

Describing the growing destruction of peacocks by electrocution as shocking, he called upon the DHBVN authorities to insulate all uncovered HT cables in the rural areas to ensure the safety of peacocks.

Members of self-help groups as well as schoolchildren were honoured for their meritorious work rendered for environmental purification.

Gurgaon, August 23
Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda inaugurated an Indo-Pak mushaira organised by the Indian Cultural and Social Development Association and Rashtriya Rajiv Sena here recently.

Eleven poets, including Agah Shahida and Faujiya Tabassum from Pakistan and Mirza Arif, Prof Wasim Barelvi, Dr Rahat Indori, Nayim Rashid, Shabbir Shad, Nasim Nikhat, Shabina Adeeb, Nida Fazli and Dr Tarun Kumar ‘Tarun’ from India, recited their poems at the mushaira. The stage was conducted by Mirza Arif.

While referring to prevalence of Urdu language in Haryana, the Chief Minister said: “Haryana has a deep relationship with Urdu language and it will not be an exaggeration to say that it has its genesis in Haryana”. He asserted that the state government was making efforts to promote Urdu language in the state. The mushaira would promote mutual understanding and friendship between people of India and Pakistan, he added.

Rewari, August 23
To encourage the initiation of its young generation into active politics, the Agarwal Vaish Samaj (AVS), a premier organisation of the Vaish Community, has now comprehensively constituted a youth wing of the organisation in the state.

AVS president Ashok Buwaniwala said while Tarun Jain has been appointed as its state president, the following have been nominated as presidents of 49 of the 90 constituency level units of the youth wing: -

Saurabh Goyal-Ambala City, Rajkumar Agarwal-Kalka, Rajesh Garg-Panchkula, Manoj Garg-Bhiwani, Manoj Singhal-Tosham, Deepak Chaudhary-Loharu, Mukesh Kumar-Dadri, Pawan Mangla-Nangal Chaudhary, Sandeep Jaggu-Ateli, Ajay Kumar-Ballabhgarh, Lokesh Garg-Sohna, Vishnu Singhla-Nuh, Umesh Agarwal-Punhana, Gaurava Jain-Ferozepur Jhirka, Yatender Goyal-Gurgaon, Ankit Mangla-Badshahpur, Gagan Goyal-Jagadhari, Arun Tayal-Hansi, Krishan Singhla-Hisar, Davender Mittal-Adampur, Sumit Bansal-Barwala, Deepak Lohiya-Narwana, Anoop Jain-Uklana, Puneet Bansal-Fatehabad, Barang Goyal-Gohana, Vipul Jain-Safidon, Sandeep Kumar-Sonepat, Vikas Goyal-Panipat rural, Sachin Singhla-Panipat urban, Deepak Goyal-Israna, Pawan Garg-Asandh, Harish Goyal-Karnal, Pawan Mittal-Gharaunda, Surender Singhla-Samalkha, Vinay Goyal-Indri, Saray Gupta- Radaur, Rajesh Garg-Pehowa, Gaurava Goyal-Guhla Cheeka, Navin Bansal-Thanesar, Shiv Kumar Mittal-Kaithal, Ravi Garg-Pundri, Pradeep Kumar-Beri, Surender Kumar-Kalanaur, Sunil Kumar-Rohtak, Sheetal Kuchhal-Jhajjar, Satish Bansal-Kosli, Rajiv Gupta-Meham and Gaurava Bansal-Kiloi.

Mukesh Mittal, a spokesperson for the AVS, said while presidents of the remaining 41 constituency level Yuva AVS units would be nominated in the next few weeks, the first meeting of the state executive committee of the youth wing would be held under the chairmanship of its president Tarun Jain at Bhiwani on August 28.

Among other things, the meeting would deliberate upon AVS’s Sankalp Rally to be held in Kurukshetra on October 2.

He further said one lakh members of the Agarwal Vaish Community from Haryana, Punjab, UP, Rajasthan, Delhi and several other states of North India were expected to participate in the rally that would be a momentous event for the community socially as well as politically.

Karnal, August 23
The role of elected representatives of the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in economic development and social justice was underlined at the statewide training programme for newly elected PRI representatives at a training programme organised by the Haryana Institute of Rural Development (HIRD).

The newly elected members were told about their functions, duties and how they could effectively participate in the economic development of their area and also in ensuring social justice to underprivileged sections of society.

Launching the programme, Dharambir Singh, chief parliamentary secretary, Haryana, directed the HIRD to provide the Haryana Panchayati Raj Act to all elected members so that they should be aware of their rights, functions and duties towards people.

He asked them to rise above petty politics and work unitedly to strengthen the institution of Gram Sabha, which was the need of the hour. He appealed to the PRIs representatives to ensure conservation of water and electricity.

Sudhir Krishna, additional secretary, Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj, laid emphasis on the capacity building of the PRIs and also stressed the need for construction of panchayat ghars and filling of vacant posts of gram sachivs.

He informed the PRIs representatives about the funds provided by the Centre under various schemes and underlined the need for convergence of various rural development programmes.

P Raghuvendra Rao, financial commissioner and principal secretary (Development and Panchayat), highlighted the objectives of the programme and described its various components.

He said the NGOs were being associated with the programme in selected districts for the first time and if the experiment succeeded, they would be involved in training programmes in the remaining districts as well.

Surat Singh, director, HIRD, also explained the need for training and said it was essential for the elected representatives to play their role effectively.

Chandigarh, August 23
Haryana has registered a marked decline in confirmed cases of dengue as the state Health Department has recorded 21 confirmed cases of dengue so far this year as against 125 confirmed cases in 2009 and 1,159 in 2008.

While stating this, an official spokesman said the decline had been made possible as a result of intensive surveillance and timely reparation of Action Plan 2010 and necessary directions to all civil surgeons in this regard. He said all samples of dengue were being tested in sentinel surveillance hospitals or the National Institute of Communicable Diseases without any charges from the general public.

He said the state had a task force to combat vector-borne diseases like dengue, chikungunya, malaria and Japanese encephalitis. He said rapid response teams of three doctors each had been constituted in all districts and civil surgeons had been designated as nodal officer to ensure daily reporting,.

They would also ensure arrangement for the collection of blood samples, vector control in and around these institutions that is anti-larval measures and fogging. Detailed instructions have been issued to all civil surgeons and deputy civil surgeons in the state to intensify vector and disease surveillance activities. They had also been directed that each case of dengue or chikungunya must be reported daily to the state headquarters and also to Directorate, National Vector Borne Diseases Control Programme, Delhi.

Ambala, August 23
Under the Indira Gandhi Drinking Water Scheme, water connections have been provided to all households belonging to Scheduled Castes and about 8.50 lakh families have already been benefitted from this scheme. This was stated by Randeep Singh Surjewala, Public Health Minister.

“The government is also providing free residential plots of 100 sq yd each to eligible Scheduled Caste, backward class and BPL families under the Mahatma Gandhi Gramin Basti Yojna. About 3 lakh families have already been given free plots,” Surjewala said.

He said an employment-based skill development programme for engineering graduates and post-graduates would be launched in the state. “The government has provided adequate compensation to those affected by recent floods. The government has also decided to waive off 50 per cent lease money of those farmers who have taken panchayat land on lease for cultivation and suffered losses due to floods. The rate of interest for farmers has been reduced from 11 per cent to 4 per cent”.

Highlighting achievements in different spheres, Surjewala said the government had given priority to educational infrastructure for providing quality and job-oriented education to the youth. To inspire women living in the rural areas to take up medical education, a first women university and a medical college had been set up at Khanpur Kalan in Sonepat. It was one of the initiatives taken by the government to empower women in the state.

“Education is one of the priority areas for the Congress government in its efforts to take the state to the numero uno position in terms of development and progress,” he added.

Haryana is the first state that had raised the pension of freedom fighters from Rs 6,000 to Rs 11,000. Enumerating various welfare schemes, he said the government would ensure supply of power round the clock in all villages and towns for which Din Bandhu Chhotu Ram Thermal Plant in Yamunanagar and Rajiv Gandhi Thermal Power Plant in Khedar had started functioning.

The minister said the government had tried to bring qualitative change in political, economic and social scenario and these efforts were made in view of the aspirations of the people. It was because of the farsightedness of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, he added.

Rewari, August 23
A state-level conference-cum-workshop on ‘Ultrasound and colour doppler’ was held here yesterday under the auspices of Rewari Obstetrics and Gynaecological Society (ROGS) in Gymkhana Club.

Finance, Irrigation, Forest and Environment Minister Capt Ajay Singh Yadav was the chief guest and Renu S Nagar Poswal, chairperson of the State Social Welfare Board, was the guest of honour.

Specialists from various fields highlighted the latest developments in obstetrics and explained about the importance of timely treatment to eliminate instances of malformation in children.

While Mitra Saxena, president, and Renu Yadav, secretary, ROGS, furnished a graphic description on how the institute had combated social evils like female foeticide, population explosion and growing foetal mortality in the past few years, Tara Saxena, patron and founder president, ROGS, highlighted the achievements of the institute.

Capt Yadav announced a grant of Rs 1 lakh from his discretionary fund for the ROGS.

Those present on the occasion were PK Shah, secretary general, Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI); Narender Malhotra, ex president, FOGSI; Kuldeep Singh, ultrasonologist; Rewa Tripathi, MAMC and Savita Singhal, PGIMS, Rohtak.

Panipat, August 23
In order to give a fillip to primary education among girls, the state government has decided to set up a girls’ hostel in the Bapoli segment in the district.

Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary of the School Education Department Surina Rajan stated that the proposal to set up a hostel, especially for girls in Bapoli, had been approved by the government. She said the government would acquire 2 acres for the purpose.

The region around this segment was identified as a backward area as far as education of girls was concerned.

The project is being implemented under the National Programme for Education of Girls at Elementary Level (NPEGEL) of the Union Government, which was designed to educate girls, especially those who do not have an easy access to schools. Launched in July 2003, it is an important component of the Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), which provided additional support for enhancing girls’ education.

The programme provided for development of a “model school” in every cluster with more intense community mobilisation and supervision of girls’ enrolment in schools.

Gender sensitisation of teachers, development of gender-sensitive learning materials and provision of need-based incentives like stationery, workbooks and uniforms are some of the endeavours to be undertaken in the programme.

The Financial Commissioner, who was here to attend a meeting to oversee the progress of various projects under way in rural areas in Ambala and Rohtak divisions, said the district administration had been asked to identify the land for the project.

The hostel would be provided to the girls who live in remote areas so that they could undergo primary education without much hassle, said the commissioner. She said the government had initiated steps to fill posts of teacher in rural areas that had been lying vacant.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner JS Ahlawat said the administration had also opened 20 child care centres in the Bapoli segment and around 1,400 children had been identified, who would be provided help by the government for education. He said more than 601 classrooms were constructed in the past one year in various schools.

Earlier, during the meeting, the Financial Commissioner along with state project director of the SSA Mandip Singh Brar held discussions with Commissioner of Rohtak division Rajeev Sharma and other senior functionaries of the civil administrations of various districts.

Chandigarh, August 23
The Haryana government has approved an annual plan of Rs 774.10 crore for strengthening national highways during this year.

According to a spokesman for the Public Works (B&R) Department, National Highway no 73-A, which is the only national highway in the state having a carriage way of width less than two lanes, would be widened to two lanes at an estimated cost of Rs 16.80 crore.

The plan has 10 proposals for four-laning of important reaches of five national highways, mainly in portions of cities having a total length of 45.35 km, involving a cost of Rs 149 crore.

Four bypasses at Fatehabad, Julana, Lakhan Majra and Kaithal on three national highways comprising a total length of 34.750 km would be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 183.25 crore.

However, three bypasses at Kaithal, Julana and Lakhan Majra, which have also been proposed in the widening proposals of National Highway no. 65 and National Highway no. 71 to be undertaken by the National Highway Authority of India, are yet to be fianlised. These proposals will be reviewed at a later stage.

Three railway over-bridges on two national highways at important railway crossings have also been planned at an estimated cost of Rs 90 crore. The proposals for the strengthening of 116.270-km length of four national highways at an estimated cost of Rs 112.35 crore have also been included in the plan. Construction and rehabilitation of 18 bridges on various national highways have also been proposed at an estimated cost of Rs 39.95 crore.

Realignment of National Highway no. 71-B from 47.100 km to 49.350 km has also been proposed with an estimated cost of Rs 150.50 crore, besides making a provision of Rs 22.40 crore for installing various road safety items, such as cateyes, delinators, crash barriers and streetlights.

Rohtak, August 23
The hue and cry accompanied by the chaos in the Parliament recently over the issue of increase in the salaries of MPs was ridiculous and a matter of concern. The elected representatives of people ought to focus their attention and energy on ensuring to make society stronger in the aspects where it was lacking. The issue of growing population, illiteracy, unemployment and lack of basic amenities required the attention and concern of the elected members of the Parliament and not the issue of their personal gains or benefit.

This is the claim of the Gramin Bharat, an NGO based in the state. It has asked the government to set up an independent authority to decide and implement the salaries and perks of MPs instead of giving them the authority to have a final say on the matter.

Ved Prakash Vidrohi, chief of the NGO, said creating chaos just on the issue of getting their salaries hiked was not only irresponsible, but also highly undemocratic.

Development in the Parliament over the matter conveys that the leaders here were more interested in their personal profits rather than the interests of common man.

He said it was least expected from the MPs to compare themselves with government clerks as be it a cabinet secretary or a normal employee at any point of time as the nature of job and status had been different. He said the elected representatives of the highest level in the country must not forget that politics was not a business or a job and a MP was elected for public service and not for accumulating personal benefits.

Moreover, the NGO said there was a fixed procedure for salary hike for any government worker and other workers working in various industries, similarly there should be an independent authority for ascertaining and increasing the salaries of MPs and MLAs as well.

Describing the demand as highly immoral and illogical for the makers of law to seek personal benefits above anything, it said all those who find this work as poorly paid should resign and take up the job or business that was more lucrative.

Faridabad, August 23
The Labour Department has been vigorously enforcing rules that make it mandatory for employers to provide security to women employees at workplace as well as during the time of their transportation to and fro home. This was stated by Satwanti Ahlawat, labour commissioner, while presiding over a meeting of the Haryana Safety Council here recently.

She said the department was keeping a close watch with regard to the implementation of rules that prohibited employment of children below the age of 14. Recently, a campaign was launched by the department throughout the state in which more than 1,000 raids were conducted in several areas.

With regard to providing secure environment to women employees at 
workplaces, she said the department was keeping a vigil on employers in this regard.

“Only those units are allowed to put women on night shifts whose employers fulfill certain conditions regarding their security, including security during transportation”.

The labour commissoner called upon industrialists to link the concept of industrial safety with production. Dwelling on the issue, she said employers must have humane approach towards their employees and take all safety measures to ensure their safety and security at workplaces. She stressed on training of workforce on the aspects of industrial safety. She said the Haryana Safety Council would provide all possible help.

VP Bajaj, president of the Gurgaon Industry Association (GIA), said industrialists must ensure safer environment in their units in view of the health of the workers. Leaders of various trade unions lamented that the executive committee, which should meet once in every three months, had met after about one year.

The council is a tripartite body consisting of government officials, trade unions and industrialists.

Rewari, August 23
Dr Sandeep Singh Rana and Dr Sunil Saini, both working as professors at the Centre for Behavioural Research and Intervention in the Department of Applied Psychology of the Guru Jambheshwar University (GJU) of Science and Technology, Hisar, have developed a questionnaire on HIV risk perception, which would be instrumental in determination-cum-mollification of unhealthy prejudices prevailing among a sizeable section of youths regarding HIV/AIDS.

The questionnaire, which contains 20 pointed queries and which is titled “Psychological Test”, has been evolved under a project “Behaviour Modification in HIV/AIDS among Adolescents” sponsored by the UGC, New Delhi.

The catechism is the first-of-its-kind in the country. It was jointly released by Dr ML Ranga, vice-chancellor of GJU, Dr Girish Tuteja, advisor, NSS, Government of India, Dr Charanjeet Kaur, state liaison officer, NSS, and registrar Prof RS Jaglan at a function in the university complex recently.

Dr Ranga said while the increasing number of HIV-affected patients in the country and elsewhere was a matter of concern, it was all more worrisome that the disease had no cure.

Emphasising upon the adoption of preventive measures, he called upon the government as well as non-government organisations to spread awareness about the disease among masses.

Dr Rana said while the test would measure HIV risk vulnerability among youths, its items would scientifically and objectively assess illogical attitudes, beliefs and perceptions associated with HIV risk among youths and thereby mollify them.

Kaithal, August 23
Software giant Microsoft will set up a computer centre in the Industrial Training Institute on the Kaithal-Jind road soon. The centre will provide advanced training in computer software to youths of the district, which will open new employment avenues in domestic as well as in international fields for them.

Stating this here recently, Haryana Minister for PWD, Public Health and Information Technology Randeep Singh Surjewala said the state government and Microsoft

Company had arrived at an understanding for setting up the training centre in the district, which would be a first of its kind here.

He added that about 5,000 sq ft space would be provided for the centre, which would be run by the Microsoft management.

He said Microsoft was likely to open six such centres in India, out of which one would be set up at Kaithal, adding that the Chief Minister had given consent for the venture.

On other development projects in the district, Surjewala stated that construction of Rs 22-crore multi-speciality hospital on the Kaithal-Jind bye pass road had already been completed and a sum of Rs 5 crore would be spent to add a few more advanced facilities in the hospital.

Besides, Rs 350 crore would be spent on four-laning of the Kaithal- Karnal, Kaithal-Kurukshetra, Kaithal-Ambala and Kaithal-Patiala bye pass.

The railway overbridge being constructed at a cost of Rs 27 crore on the Kaithal-Jind road would be ready by September end, he added.

Panipat, August 23
A large number of students of the Millennium School participated in a marathon organised jointly by the school and the Rotary Club (South) to create awareness on healthy environment.

The students marched from Devendra Bakery in HUDA Sector 11-12 to Mittal Mega Mall, through Mother Teresa Home.

Deputy commissioner JS Ahlawat, who flagged off the marathon, said there was an urgent need to instill a sense of responsibility amongst schoolchildren regarding the environment and its preservation.

He said such events could contribute a lot in making schoolkids more sensitive towards the degrading ecological condition.

During the event, the students also distributed jute bags and saplings to each household to make the city greener. Principal of the school Amita Kochhar, president of Rotary Club (South) Dheeraj Miglani and his team members, parents and members of the school participated in the event.

Chandigarh, August 23
As many as 442 cases were settled in the rural Lok Adalats held recently at Barara and Khanpur Labana villages in Ambala district, Tilpat in Faridabad district, Nagal Sabha in Palwal district, Garhi in Hisar district, Dhigana and Uchana in Jind district, Khatiwas and Rohad in Jhajjar district, Sunderoj and Kosli in Rewari district, Kanantha, Nidana and Basantpur in Rohtak district and Didwari in Panipat district.

While stating this here recently, a spokesman for the Haryana State Legal Services Authority said a total of 578 cases were taken up in these Lok Adalats. He said if any person was interested to get his case settled in a Lok Adalat, he might move an application to the concerned district and sessions judge-cum-chairman or chief judicial magistrate-cum-secretary, District Legal Services Authority, or additional civil judge (senior division) or senior most civil judge-cum-chairman of the Subdivisional Legal Services Committee under whose jurisdiction the case falls.