Karnal, September 28
Amid rousing reception to the Queen’s Baton relay here, there was a minor slip up when the local MLA, Sumita Singh, carrying the baton slipped. However, Karnal MP Arvind Sharma and Deputy Commissioner Neelam Pradeep Kasni saved it from falling.

The relay arrived from Kurukshetra at 7.30 am at Atal Park here. In the wake of threats by agitating Jats to disturb the relay, the baton was received by the local MP, MLA, DC and Congress supporters amid toght security. After a brief halt at Nirmal Kutia, it was taken to Panipat.

Politicians dominated the show and real sportspersons were kept at bay. Even the lower-rung officials complained that they did not get the ceremonial attire. The conveners of the relay were heard saying: “Enough of politicians and administrators. Please hand over the baton to sportspersons and children.” But in vain.

The slogan of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”by the MP was lost in the din with his overzealous supporters raising slogans eulogising him.

It seemed as if the importance of the local MP was greater than the international event.

A large number of children who had gathered at Atal Park in the wee hours remained mere onlookers and were deeply disappointed. They could only manage a glimpse of the baton.

With threats of the Jat Aarakshan Samiti looming large, the programme was kept short.

The tight security resulted in local residents having no access to the venue.

The baton was brought here by Lt Gen Raj Kadian from Kurukshetra.

The baton relay will pass through Panipat, Rohtak, Bhiwani, Bahadurgarh, Jhajjar and Gurgaon before reaching Delhi on September 30.

SONEPAT: Schoolchildren welcomed the Queen’s Baton for the Commonwealth Games by waving the national flag amid tight security here on Tuesday.

Sonepat MP Jitender Singh Malik received the Baton at Devi Lal Stadium in Gohana and instead of handing it over to Olympian wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt, he himself carried it to the stage.

Following a welcome ceremony, the Baton was handed over to the relay team by Gohana MLA Jagbir Singh Malik for its onward journey to Rohtak district. Dronacharya awardee Kuldeep Malik, Arjuna awardee Ramesh Gulia and many other sportspersons from the district were also present on the occasion. Sportspersons rued that they could hardly touch the Baton during its journey in the district.

BHIWANI: The Queen’s Baton, which reached here on Tuesday, was accorded a warm welcome by district administration officials, schoolchildren and local residents.

A function was held at the local Bhim Stadium to mark the occasion.

Chairman of the District Olympic Federation and Deputy Commissioner Ramesh Verma welcomed the Baton at Chang village. Bhiwani MP Shruti Choudhry, Tosham legislator and former minister Kiran Choudhry and CPS Ram Kishan Fauji were also present.

The relay crossed Chang, Gujrani and reached Kaluwas village, where relatives of Olympian boxer Vijender Singh and villagers welcomed it.

Schoolchildren presented a welcome song, folk dance and cultural items on the occasion.

After taking a round of the stadium, the relay left for Rohtak. Over 40 players held the baton here today.

PANIPAT: The Queen’s Baton was received in the district on Tuesday in a festive atmosphere.

Transport and Tourism Minister OP Jain, Karnal MP Arvind Sharma, local legislator Balbir Pal Shah and a battery of sportspersons from the region, besides senior functionaries of the district administration, including Deputy Commissioner JS Ahlawat, took part in the event.

Elaborate security arrangements were in place. The baton stayed in Panipat for around 45 minutes. It was received at the toll plaza on the NH-1 here and then taken to Shivaji Stadium, where ceremonial speeches were delivered by politicians.

Local residents greeted the baton as it passed through various roads. Children holding the National Flag in their hands added to the festivities. — Tribune Reporters

Rohtak, September 28
Players from Haryana who win medals in the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi will be awarded and honoured, declared Chief Minister BS Hooda while receiving the Games baton in the city this evening.

The Chief Minister claimed it was a matter of honour for him to receive the baton, a symbol of world peace, cooperation and sportsmanship.

He said 44 players from the state taking part in various events would be honoured and rewarded if they were able to win medals at the CWG.

The state had selected 1,606 children to help them hone their skills in various sport so that they could excel at national and international levels.

A group of students of Maharshi Dayanand University here held a march on two-wheelers to protest against the Games.

They raised slogans in favour of quota for Jats in government jobs. However, they did not disrupt the official function.

More than 200 police personnel were put on duty in the district. The Baton was received amid tight security.A battery of officials and politicians were present on the occasion.

The local police had stopped the movement of auto-rickshaws on the city’s main road for the day. This created some inconvenience to short-distance commuters.

Chandigarh, September 28
Education in government schools is finally free up to Class VIII in Haryana. After tuition fee, the government has now decided to waive all charges collected by way of funds under various heads in government schools.

Though the charges collected under heads like Parent-Teacher Association, Sanchaika and Building fund, Science and Health Fund etc were nominal, the amount collected from primary and middle school classes totalled Rs 15.71 crore. This desion will benefit nearly 22 lakh students.

With over 15 lakh students enrolled in government primary schools, the Education Department was getting Rs 790 lakh by way of Rs 51 collected from every student in a year. Middle school students were being charged Rs 122 per year, contributing Rs 780 lakh.

This “collection” was distributed at the school, district and state level and used “in the interest” of the students.

This decision is in tandem with the government’s commitment to “free and compulsory education” under the Right To Education Act. Besides, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights had directed all states to charge no fee or “fund” from students up to to Class VIII.

Keeping this in mind, the state government discontinued all kinds of funds being charged from the students in government schools from the academic session 2010-11.

The order passed by the government states that any funds already charged should be refunded to the students. With board examinations being discontinued for Class VIII, the exam fee so collected for the current academic session would be refunded by the board.

However, this means the School Education Department will have to look for alternatives to meet the shortfall in finances on account of the decision. Sources maintain that the department has taken up the matter with the Finance Department to allocate an equal amount to the Education Department as also the Haryana Education Board.

The government had taken a decision to waive the tuition fee of girls and Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes initially. The same has been extended to all students up to Class VIII in government schools.

Despite the decision, children attending school continued to pay funds, which defeated the government’s purpose of prooviding free education.

A principal in a government school in Ambala said:“Our children usually come from very poor families. To pay even a paltry amount would pinch the parents who would often complain about being charged despite free education. This worked as a deterrent for the parents and contributed to the dropout rate. This has been taken care of now.” 

Hisar, September 28
Kurukshetra MP Naveen Jindal today visited the two industrial units which were set afire by miscreants during the violence in Mayyar village on September 14. HP Cotton Mills at Mayyar and Gopal Vanaspati Ltd in Hisar cantonment had suffered extensive damages in the fire.

Jindal met the senior management of these units and sought information on the losses. He said the culprits would be brought to book. The MP said damaging industrial units during an agitation was unjustified and he would take up the demand for compensation to these units with the state government.

He would seek a meeting with Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda to find ways for protecting business establishments in case an agitation turned violent. He appealed to the Jat community to keep the agitation for reservation in jobs peaceful. “In a democracy, violence had no place,” he remarked.

Mayyar saw widespread arson folowing the death of a youth in police firing after an ugly altercation with Jat protesters demanding reservation.

Chandigarh, September 28
Taking a serious note of dereliction of duty by officers and officials of the state government, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has placed under suspension four officers and charge-sheeted six others in the Departments of Public Works (Building and Roads), Public Health Engineering and Irrigation.

Hooda placed under suspension XEN of water services division of the Irrigation Department, Kurukshetra, RL Batra, and sub-divisional officer Krishan Kumar posted at Jyotisar and three Junior Engineers concerned with immediate effect. He also directed that charge sheet be issued under Rule 7 of the Punishment and Appeals Rules, 1987.

It was observed that the XEN, SDO and three Junior Engineers had failed miserably in performing their duties, which ultimately led to floods in Kurukshetra district causing loss of public property and embarrassment for the department. The Junior Engineers, who have been charge-sheeted under Rule 7, included in charge of SYL Canal where breach occurred, JE in charge of Bibipur lake and JE in charge of Saraswati Drain.

Hooda also placed under suspension two senior officers of the Public Works (B&R) Department and charge-sheeted two officers and an official of the Public Health Engineering Department with immediate effect for dereliction of duties. Executive Engineer Jatinder Mittal and Sub-Divisional Officer Satbir Singh of the Public Works (B&R) Department have been placed under suspension for negligence of duty, which resulted in collapse of a library block of Government Polytechnic, Sanghi, in Rohtak district.

Hooda also directed that both these officers be also charge-sheeted under Rule 7 of the Haryana Civil Services (Punishment and Appeals) Rules, 1987.

It was observed that Executive Engineer Jatinder Mittal had failed to supervise the work of casting of roof slab of library block that collapsed due to his negligence and caused huge loss to the state exchequer amounting to Rs 1,79,220.

The Chief Minister also ordered that Executive Engineer of the Public Health Engineering Department, who is now Superintending Engineer, Sujana Ram, Sub-Divisional Engineer OP Malik and the Junior Engineer concerned be charge-sheeted for dereliction of duty. They had used less cement in construction of new waterworks at Kadipuri village in Rewari district. The negligence had caused a loss of Rs 1,49,405 to the state exchequer.

Fatehabad, September 28
The police today booked a paediatrician under Section 304-A of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly causing death due to negligence, after a four-month-old baby died of fever and vomiting.

The baby’s father, Mukesh Grover, who lodged a complaint against the paediatrician, Dr Pawan Mehta, alleged that the baby died due to negligence on the part of the doctor, who did not attend to the baby for two hours.

Grover alleged that he brought his baby, suffering from fever, to the hospital yesterday and doctors asked him to take the baby home in the evening.

However, he brought the baby again to the hospital at 7 am today as the baby was vomiting and had fever.

He alleged that the doctor did not attend to the baby and directed the pharmacist to give some injections and oxygen.

The complainant alleged that the doctor asked him to shift his baby to Hisar in the afternoon.

However, when he got the baby examined at Agroha, he was told that the child had died one hour back.

Kin of the victim came to the hospital and raised slogans and held a demonstration.

However, Dr Mehta was not present at that time.

The police intervened and sent the body of the baby for postmortem.

The SHO said a case had been registered against the doctor.

Dr Mehta was not available for comments as his mobile was switched off.

However, Dr Virender Siwach, president of the local chapter of the Indian Medical Association, coming to the rescue of the doctor said the latter was not at fault and could not be blamed for the infant’s death.

Hisar, September 28
The Board of Management of Haryana Agricultural University has approved the raising of the age of superannuation of the Vice Chancellor of the university from 65 to 68 years.

An official press note issued here today said the board had directed the university administration to amend the statutes of the university suitably.

However, despite raising the age it has decided to retain the term of the office of Vice Chancellor at four years.

The board also approved grant of scholarship to school-going children of Class III and IV employees belonging to the Scheduled Castes on the same pattern as followed by the state government.

The press note said the board had asked the administration to make necessary amendments to the rules to maintain inter se seniority of the directly recruited as well as promoted teachers without affecting the present status of seniority of in-service directly recruited vis-a-vis promoted teachers.

The board has approved a proposal to sign an MoU with the University of Western Australia for collaboration in developing academic and cultural interchange in teaching, research and other activities.

It had extended the deputation period of professor RS Jaglan, senior scientist, for one year for continuing as Registrar of Guru Jambeshwar University. Two non-official members of the board - Ratan Jindal and Sunita Sehrawat - had been nominated to the Finance Committee and Personnel Committee of the board, respectively.

The board also authorised the Vice Chancellor to appoint a liaison officer-cum-consultant on contract basis to liaise with the ICAR and other similar agencies in Delhi. 

Yamunanagar, September 28
The seven-day Haryana International Film Festival will begin at DAV Girls College, Yamunanagar, from October 1. Eminent film director and recipient of the Dada Sahib Phalke Award Adoor Gopalakrishnana will inaugurate the festival.

This is the third Haryana International Film Besides, there will be a five-day film appreciation course in which students from colleges affiliated to KU and those form other universities of North India will participate.

There will be a special programme on Haryanvi and Punjabi cinema. Movies from other countries will also be screened. — TNS