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SC: Mirchpur trial to be shifted
Slum kids back to school after months
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Appointment to Anganwari Post
Land Acquisition
Withdraw fixed charges on power: Assn
NTPC official booked for labourer’s death
Now solar water system must for big houses
CM’s rally on Dec 25, says Tanwar
Jhinda violated maryada: Virk
Constable attacks
convict, suspended
Electricity bills sans connections
Illegal liquor factory unearthed
Rs 25 cr for flood-control measures
3 cops injured in accident
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SC: Mirchpur trial to be shifted
New Delhi, December 7 Observing that the victims would not get “justice in an atmosphere of terror,” a Bench comprising Justices GS Singhvi and AK Ganguly asked the counsel for Haryana and the victims to find details about the special court and report back tomorrow. The Bench decided to transfer the trial in the light of the report by the Hisar Additional Sessions Judge confirming the apprehensions expressed by the victims about the hostile atmosphere there. In the report, the trial judge has said that at the time of recording of statements of witnesses on November 3, the woman advocate appearing for the victims looked “frightened and terrorised” and pleaded against examining the witnesses. A large number of relatives of the accused persons and others were present outside the court and 10 witnesses examined by the court turned hostile. “If the lawyers are not able to do their job properly, what is the purpose of holding the trial ,” the Bench asked. Senior counsel Colin Gonsalves, appearing for the victims, said his clients would feel safer in Delhi as they had taken refuge in the Capital after the attack on them. Also, Delhi was only about 150 km from Mirchpur while Chandigarh was about 200 km. Further, the community to which the accused persons belonged had a stronger presence in Chandigarh than in Delhi. Gonsalves also contended that the conviction rate in cases related to violence against SC/ST was a mere 2 per cent in the country and the track record of Haryana was even worse. Senior counsel PN Misra and Additional Advocate-General Manjit Singh Dalal said the Haryana government was providing adequate security to the victims and witnesses. Justice Singhvi, who has been a Judge of the Punjab and Haryana HC, pointed out that Punjab farmers taking part at the annual dharna at Matka Chowk would vandalise the place despite the presence of 1,000-odd policemen. At least 150 Dalits from Mirchpur had fled to Delhi after the violence in which two persons were killed and houses torched. |
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Slum kids back to school after months
Karnal, December 7 The Haryana chapter of the World Malyali Council came forward to provide financial aid. Slates, books, copies and stationery were distributed among the students as the school reopened today. MDD Bal Bhavan, an orphanage at the Phoosgarh road here, had taken the initiative around two years ago and a Noida-based NGO, Pragati Social Service Society, provided Rs 1.26 lakh per year for two years for serving mid-day meal to the students. However, the aid was stopped about six months ago, compelling the kids in the tender age group of four to 10 years to go back to their menial jobs and fend for themselves. Manager of the bhavan PR Nath said these slum children were forced to work to feed themselves. “We decided to provide meals to these children as an incentive to bring them to school and the response was encouraging,” he added. “Our efforts to bring these students to the mainstream yielded results and we feel proud to say that more than 20 students have taken admission and have become a part of the education system. The bhavan has dedicated itself to the welfare of these kids, whose parents work as rickshaw-pullers, maids and domestic help.” |
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Runaway couple ties knot, gets security
Karnal, December 7 The judge issued a notice to the parents of the couple asking them to appear in court on December 20, Harish Arya, advocate for the petitioners said. Harpreet Singh, son of Sada Singh, a resident of the Shiv Colony here, got married to Kulwinder Kaur, daughter of Baldev Singh, hailing from Safidon village in Jind district and at present residing in Madhuban at the Shiv Shakti temple. Both the boy and the girl are Jat Sikhs but the family members were opposed to the love marriage. Harpreet said they needed security as they had married against the wishes of the family members and apprehend a threat from them. |
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Appointment to Anganwari Post
Chandigarh, December 7 The ruling came on a petition filed against the State of Haryana and other respondents by a candidate for anganwari helper’s post Sulochna Devi. Taking up the petition, the Bench of Justice MM Kumar and Justice Ritu Bahri ruled: “The instant petition challenges the stipulation in advertisement, which grants relaxation in age for direct recruitment to those who are to be appointed as anganwari workers. “According to Clause 5 of the advertisement, as reproduced in a paragraph of the writ petition, the parameters of age are 18 to 44 years, but age relaxation has been provided for those widows or their dependent candidates who are to be appointed as anganwari workers to the extent of 50 years. No other category like anganwari helper has been eligible for age relaxation”. The Bench added: “The petitioner is seeking appointment to the post of anganwari helper and she is already working as anganwari worker… “The grievance made is that once relaxation has been given in age limit for anganwari worker, it should also be given to candidates applying for the posts of anganwari helper. Having heard counsel for the petitioner, we are of the considered view that the idea of relaxation is the matter of policy for the State and it will not ipso facto (by the fact itself) grant the benefit of every category. “Apart from the fact it is based on expert opinion and is a policy matter of the state, a number of other factors are taken into consideration in providing relaxation of age of a particular category of employee. We find nothing wrong in granting relaxation of age in respect of one category and not granting the same to the other. In any case, relaxation cannot be claimed as a matter of right. Accordingly, the writ petition fails and the same is dismissed.” |
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Land Acquisition
Fatehabad, December 7 Gorakhpur farmers, whose dharna against the land acquisition entered its 113th day today, welcomed the stand taken by Selja and called upon other leaders of the Congress in Haryana to follow in her footsteps. Hans Raj Siwach, president of the Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, which has been spearheading the agitation, said Selja’s concern for farmers was laudable and she had shown that she understood the pain and misery of farmers. He said earlier, Rajya Sabha member Birender Singh and Faridabad MP Avtar Singh Bhadana had also opposed the acquisition of fertile land of farmers for development projects and even Rohtak MP Deepender Singh Hooda had intervened to get the notices under Section 4 cancelled for the proposed acquisition of land for cyber city near Bahadurgarh. He said they too would force the government to change its mind and find some other land for the NPCIL project. Ishwar Boora, another leader of the samiti, alleged that the state government had been exhibiting an “anti-farmer” attitude by not talking to them. He said the agitating farmers were expecting that Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda would listen to their woes on his visit here yesterday and would provide some solution. However, he said, the farmers were disappointed at the nonchalant attitude exhibited by him on the issue. He said the farmers had now decided to launch an awareness campaign throughout the district. The farmers once again resolved that they would fight for their land till their last breath and would not give an inch of the land for the proposed nuclear power plant. |
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Withdraw fixed charges on power: Assn
Karnal, December 7 In a letter to the state Power Department, RL Sharma, president of the association, said there was a slump in the market. They had been already burdened with various charges and this unwarranted burden would further affect the financial health of the industrial units. Imposing fixed charges in addition to the existing minimum consumption charges was unfair, illegal and unjustified, he asserted. He said the industrial plot holders came to know about the imposition of the new levy only after receiving the bill by Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam. The Haryana Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Rice Millers Association had already opposed the levy of “fixed charges” and sought its withdrawal. The fixed monthly charges would put a burden of lakhs per month on medium and large industry owners while the additional charges payable by small industries would range between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 50 lakh per annum, said Vijay Setia, president of the All-India Rice Exporters Association. |
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NTPC official booked for labourer’s death
Jhajjar, December 7 They agreed to end their protest and cremate the body in the evening after a case against an official of the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) was registered. Two labourers were killed in two accidents at the power plant yesterday. Hari Nath of Gazipur in Uttar Pradesh fell from a height of about 30 feet while welding. He was rushed to PGIMS in Rohtak where he succumbed to his injuries. In the evening, Chet Ram of Jharli village was caught in the belt of a chopping machine after he fell from a height while undertaking repairs. He was killed on the spot. His body was handed over to the kin after postmortem at the Civil Hospital this morning. Thereafter, the villagers took the body to the plant site. Sensing trouble, Jhajjar DSP Mahabir Singh reached there with a posse of policemen and tried to persuade the protesters to cremate the body. But the protesters relented only after a criminal case was registered against an NTPC official. Jhajjar SP Sourabh Singh said a heavy police force had been deputed around the plant to prevent any untoward incident. The situation although tense was well under control. |
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Now solar water system must for big houses
Jind, December 7 Any failure on the part of the consumers to abide by the new provisions could invite legal action. An official spokesperson said the buildings, besides residential houses, that now required to install a solar water heating system included government rest houses, schools, hospitals, nursing homes and hotels. Anyone residing in a plot smaller than 500 yards could also opt for the same, said Additional Deputy Commissioner J. Ganeshan. He said a rebate of
a sum of Rs 100, Rs 200 and of Rs 300 would be given for the solar water heater system for 100, 200 and 300 litres capacity, respectively. The subsidy to be given by the Union Government included Rs 6,600 for a water heater system of 100 litres capacity. For every additional 100 litres thereof, the subsidy would be increased at Rs 6,600 per unit. The scheme would help conserve energy and bring down power bills. |
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CM’s rally on Dec 25, says Tanwar
Sirsa, December 7 The local unit of the party would seek taming of the Ghaggar and a government college for women in the town at the proposed rally. Earlier, minister Gopal Kanda had announced a rally here on November 7. However, it was cancelled and sources close to Kanda blamed a section of local Congress leaders for it. Factionalism in the district Congress came to the fore in August this year when Malkiat Singh Khosa was “elected” president in place of newly “elected” Hoshiari Lal Sharma at the instance of Tanwar. Some “newly elected” office-bearers close to the Kanda brothers were also replaced by Tanwar confidants at that time. It is to be seen whether or not the new-found Congress unity in the district will remain in tact after the Chief Minister’s rally on December 25. |
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Jhinda violated maryada: Virk
Panchkula, December 7 He said Jhinda had failed to safeguard the interests of the Sikh community in Haryana. He had been asked to suggest a name from Haryana for SGPC membership but had recommended the name of a Maharashtra resident instead. In town to honour Sikh devotees, Virk donated automatic “roti-making” and floor cleaning machines at Nada Sahib Gurdwara. He said Jhinda was playing into the hands of the Congress, which had always worked against the community. He warned that a separate SGPC would not be allowed in Haryana at any cost. On the formation of a committee recently with representatives from Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan and Haryana, Virk said Jhinda was indulging in sheer gimmickry to remain in news. He said the SGPC would set up six senior secondary schools in Karnala, Kurukshetra, Jind, Pinjore, Yamunanagar and Kaithal from the next academic session. These schools would be affiliated with the
CBSE. |
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Constable attacks
convict, suspended
Sirsa, December 7 Satish, a resident of Kairanwali village, who is serving imprisonment in a case of attempt to murder, was admitted to the local general hospital for pain in his back. He had an altercation with constable Mange Lal, who was allegedly drunk, while on duty to guard him. |
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Electricity bills sans connections
Rewari, December 7 Visibly upset Sukh Dev and Subhash, both residents of Juddi village, said today that the officials concerned had sent them electricity bills of over Rs 3,000. This was when power connections had yet to be released to them. They demanded a high-level probe into the working of the DHBVN authorities. They also demanded that electricity connections should be released to them at the earliest. |
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Illegal liquor factory unearthed
Karnal, December 7 The team seized 56 boxes of liquor along with a large amount of spirit, bottles, chemicals, colour and other stuff used in manufacturing liquor. The factory leased out to Charanjeet of Panipat, who was nabbed from the spot along with two workers - Sanjay and Ajay, both hailing from Bijnour district of Uttar Pradesh. Sources said illicit alcohol was being sold in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and parts of
Rajasthan. |
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Rs 25 cr for flood-control measures
Kaithal, December 7 Shamsher Singh Surjewala, Congress leader and president of the All-India Kisan Khet Majdoor Congress, was also present on the occasion. Surjewala said during the rains this year, the Ghaggar, which passes through Kaithal district, was flooded and inundated vast areas, resulting in a loss of crores to farmers due to damage to their crops. Besides, the flood waters caused extensive damage to canals, drains, road infrastructure and property. |
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3 cops injured in accident
Karnal, December 7 While the cops were on their way to receive the bus - “Sada-e- Sahrad” - and escort it up to the toll plaza from where the Kurukshetra police was to take charge, a truck hit the vehicle, causing injuries to cops. The driver of the truck fled from the spot. All three injured, including head constables - Devinder and Ram Singh - and constable Vinod Kumar were admitted to the trauma centre at the Civil Hospital here. In another incident, a youth was killed on the spot after he was hit by a school bus on the Kunjpura road while two kids sustained injuries. The deceased was identified as Subash of Dalyanpur.
— TNS |
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