H A R Y A N A   E D I T I O N

Gorakhpur farmers block highway
Reject assurances by DC; refuse to cremate Bhagu Ram’s body till demands met
Fatehabad, December 31
Angered at the death of a protester, farmers of Gorakhpur village today blocked traffic on the national highway, placing the body of the deceased, Bhagu Ram, on the road. The police had to divert the traffic via another route.

Gorakhpur farmers block the national highway at Fatehabad on Friday. A Tribune photograph

Not enough incentives: HCCI
Chandigarh, December 31
The Haryana Chamber of Commerce and Industry has expressed disappointment with the new industrial policy of the state, which will come into effect from tomorrow. In a statement issued here today, president of the chamber Satish Gupta said the policy would fail to meet its objective of expanding industrialisation to less-developed areas unless the general industry was also given the same incentives as were being proposed for the agro-based and food processing units in Category “B” and Category “C” areas.

Industrialists stage protest
Gurgaon, December 31
Industrialists and entrepreneurs from industrial areas of Gurgaon, Manesar, Rewari and Rojka-Meo staged a silent demonstration in front of the office of the Superintending Engineer, Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN), in protest against the imposition of fixed charges and hike in power tariff here yesterday.

Power connections for dhanis and deras
50 per cent of the cost to be borne by consumers
Karnal, December 31
The state has decided to provide electicity connections to dhani and deras. For this, 50 per cent of the cost will be borne by the consumers and the rest by the government.

High-yield bajra hybrid
Hisar, December 31
Haryana Agricultural University has developed a bajra hybrid with a yield potential as high as 44 quintals per hectare. An official press note issued here today said the new bajra hybrid, HHB 226, had been described by experts as the most suitable variety for cultivation in rain-fed conditions.

Rare honour for Indian origin doctor from Hisar
To receive Membership of the Order of the British Empire
Hisar, December 31
Dr Satya Vrat Sharma, originally from Hisar, has been included in the British Queen’s birthday honours list. He will receive the prestigious Membership of the Order of the British Empire at a ceremony shortly.

KU VC gets Lifetime Achievement Award
Kurukshetra, December 31
Lt-Gen DDS Sandhu, Vice Chancellor, Kurukshetra University, was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the World Management Congress and Commonwealth of Distance Education by His Excellency Khaled Salman, Ambassador of Lebanon to India, at a function held at India International Centre, New Delhi, yesterday. Dr Sandhu is a recipient of many national and international awards.

HJC demands President’s rule
Faridabad, December 31
A large number of workers of the Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) today took out a procession and held a demonstration outside the mini secretariat here in protest against the allegd failure of the government to arrest inflation and keep its poll promises to the people of the state.

Gujjars’ bandh now on Jan 12
Faridabad, December 31
The Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti spearheading the Gujjar agitation in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh districts falling in the national capital region (NCR) today put off the proposed “Bharat Bandh” to January 12.

Sangharsh Samiti chief hospitalised
Fatehabad, December 31
Hans Raj Siwach, president of the Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, was shifted to the General Hospital after he complained of giddiness and nausea late this evening. Civil Surgeon Dr OP Arya said his condition was serious and he may be refer- red to Maharaja Agarsen Medical College in Agroha.

Woman constable commits suicide
Rewari, December 31
Anuradha (29), a woman constable, ended her life by consuming celphos tablets at her quarters in the police complex at Dharuhera last evening. She was admitted to a private hospital in Rewari where she died. Anuradha, who belonged to Bhora Kalan village in the Pataudi subdivision of Gurgaon, was single.

Gorakhpur farmers block highway
Reject assurances by DC; refuse to cremate Bhagu Ram’s body till demands met
Sushil Manav
Tribune News Service

Fatehabad, December 31
Angered at the death of a protester, farmers of Gorakhpur village today blocked traffic on the national highway, placing the body of the deceased, Bhagu Ram, on the road. The police had to divert the traffic via another route.

A series of meetings between the district authorities and representatives of farmers failed to yield any result till late in the evening.

The protesters announced that the body of Bhagu Ram would not be cremated till their demands were met.

The farmers have been demanding annulment of the notification under Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act, shifting of the nuclear power project from Gorakhpur, status of a martyr for Bhagu Ram and government jobs to his dependents.

Bhagu Ram (65) took ill due to extreme cold conditions while on a dharna on Tuesday night. He died yesterday at Maharaja Agarsen Medical College, Agroha.

The agitating farmers brought his body after postmortem in Hisar to the dharna site outside the mini secretariat, where a large number of farmers and activists of the Opposition- INLD, Haryana Janhit Congress, BJP and CPM- had assembled. At one stage, agitated farmers led by an anguished Hans Raj Siwach, president of the Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, closed the main gates of the mini secretariat in an attempt to take a senior officer of the administration hostage, but better sense prevailed.

Former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal visited the dharna site for a few minutes and demanded imposition of President’s rule in Haryana. A press release issued on his behalf alleged that Hooda had driven past the dharna site several times in the past four months, but had not bothered to listen to the grievances of the farmers.

Nishan Singh, district president of the INLD, alleged that the Haryana government was responsible for Bhagu Ram’s death and that INLD chief Om Parkash Chautala had directed the party workers to provide all support to the farmers.

Subhash Barala, state convener of the BJP’s Kisan Morcha, alleged that the government wanted to endanger the life of the people by setting up a nuclear power plant in the district.

The CPM and Haryana Kisan Sabha leader, Krishan Swaroop, said the “insensitivity” of the government had led to the death of the farmer.

The INLD MLA, Gian Chand Odh, former INLD legislator Swatantar Bala Chaudhary, district BJP president Bharat Bhushan Midha, district secretary of the CPM Ram Kumar Bahbalpuria, senior INLD leader Kuljeet Singh Kuleria and HJC leaders Devi Lal Manjhu, Nihal Singh Matana and Rajinder Chaudhary Kaka also addressed the farmers at the dharna site.

The Deputy Commissioner, Vijay Singh Dahiya, held talks with the representatives of the farmers- Siwach, Ram Swaroop, Ishwar Singh, Jogi Ram, Om Parkash and Jaibir. Also present were SP Vivek Sharma, ADC Ashok Meena and SDM JK Abhir.

Though the leaders agreed to cremate the body, those sitting on the highway vetoed the decision. They rejected all assurances by the authorities and announced that they would not remove the body till the notice under Section 4 was revoked.

The DC had assured a job and appropriate compensation to the family of the deceased farmer. He had said the issue of according the status of a martyr to Bhagu Ram and abrogating the notification was beyond his authority and would take up the matter at the appropriate level. This failed to pacify the protesters.

Not enough incentives: HCCI
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 31
The Haryana Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HCCI) has expressed disappointment with the new industrial policy of the state, which will come into effect from tomorrow.

In a statement issued here today, president of the chamber Satish Gupta said the policy would fail to meet its objective of expanding industrialisation to less-developed areas unless the general industry was also given the same incentives as were being proposed for the agro-based and food processing units in Category “B” and Category “C” areas.

He said the government should come out with more incentives for the industry in these areas so that entrepreneurs were tempted to go to these forbidden areas.

Gupta said the policy had also failed to address the concern of industries installed in areas neighbouring states like Himachal Pradesh, which had been given a special package by the central government. The industries in areas adjoining Himachal Pradesh had been suffering due to stiff competition by the industrial units in that state.

Welcoming the decision to transfer industrial estates developed by HUDA and the Industries Department to the Haryana State Industry and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIDC) for maintenance, Gupta said the corporation with its expertise would be able to manage these estates professionally.

The chamber said the move to develop industrial estates in the public-private partnership (PPP) mode must be welcomed as it mean doubling the efforts for industrialisation of the state.

He demanded that all industrial units,connected to the rural feeders be given separate feeders as supply to the rural feeders was erratic.

Industrialists stage protest
Sunit Dhawan
Tribune News Service

Gurgaon, December 31
Industrialists and entrepreneurs from industrial areas of Gurgaon, Manesar, Rewari and Rojka-Meo staged a silent demonstration in front of the office of the Superintending Engineer, Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN), in protest against the imposition of fixed charges and hike in power tariff here yesterday.

The protesters handed over a memorandum, addressed to the Haryana Chief Minister, Minister of Power and Industry and the Chairman of the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC), to the Superintending Engineer.

The protest organised under the aegis of the Joint Forum of All-Industries Associations, was against the imposition of fixed charges and other increases by the DHBVN, which, the protesters maintained, had led to a 90 to 100 per cent rise in the rate of power to them.

“Power supplied to the industry in the state at the rate of more than Rs 8 per unit is the costliest in the country and has made industrial ventures in the state unviable. Industry owners blame the HERC for favouring the power utilities and the DHBVN management.

They pointed out that the recent hike in the industrial power tariff due to the imposition of fixed charge of Rs 100 to Rs 120 per kW over and above consumption, doubling of minimum charges, peak-load charges and manifold increase in the security deposit had pushed electricity cost to over Rs 8 per unit, which was much higher than the rates prevailing in any other state.

They urged the Chief Minister to intervene and ensure that the rapid industrial growth rate is maintained.

Power connections for dhanis and deras
50 per cent of the cost to be borne by consumers
Tribune News Service

Karnal, December 31
The state has decided to provide electicity connections to dhani and deras. For this, 50 per cent of the cost will be borne by the consumers and the rest by the government. Announcing this here today, DC Neelam P Kasni said a 25 kV transformer would be installed outside the deras in the district where more than 11 families resided.

Power to these transformers would be supplied from the 220 kV substation at Bastara (Karnal) and the Thermal Power Plant in Yamunanagar.

About other developmental projects being undertaken in the district, the DC said a 11 km-long bypass would be built from MacDonald Hotel to Sugar Mill in Karnal to minimise congestion. This road would pass by Sector-32. Besides, a sector would be carved out on the land near Sector-32. A HUDA sector would be carved out at Gharaunda.

Kasni said the dairies would be shifted to villages in order to maintain sanitation in Karnal town. These would be shifted by March 31. The dairy owners would be allotted suitable plots with all amenities. Besides, slaughter houses from the Karnal town would be shifted to the Kachhwa road. Land for this purpose had already been allocated, she said.

The district administration had decided to bring down any illegal or unauthorised colony coming up in the district.

Taking a serious view of the increased noise pollution, the DC said those violating the norms would be fined up to Rs 1 lakh.

The DC said a solid waste treatment plant would be set up at Shekhpura village at a cost of Rs 16 crore.

She said half of the work on the treatment plant had been completed and the remaining would be completed by May, 2011.

High-yield bajra hybrid
Tribune News Service

Hisar, December 31
Haryana Agricultural University has developed a bajra hybrid with a yield potential as high as 44 quintals per hectare. An official press note issued here today said the new bajra hybrid, HHB 226, had been described by experts as the most suitable variety for cultivation in rain-fed conditions.

The Variety Release and Notification Committee has notified this hybrid for cultivation in Rajasthan, Haryana and Gujarat, covering about 70 per cent of the total area under bajra cultivation. The yield potential of HHB 226 hybrid has been calculated at 44 quintals per hectare. It has been developed by a team of scientists comprising HP Yadav, MS Narwal, MS Panwar, Anil Kumar, LK Chugh, Ramesh Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Kushal Raj and Yash Pal Yadav.

A unique characteristic of the variety is that its candle-shaped earheads support long bristles which provide protection from damage by birds. The hybrid is highly resistant to downy mildew and tolerant to smut diseases.

The university has so far developed 13 hybrids and four varieties of bajra. Five more hybrids are in the pipeline.

Rare honour for Indian origin doctor from Hisar
To receive Membership of the Order of the British Empire
Raman Mohan
Tribune News Service

Hisar, December 31
Dr Satya Vrat Sharma, originally from Hisar, has been included in the British Queen’s birthday honours list. He will receive the prestigious Membership of the Order of the British Empire at a ceremony shortly.

He will be honoured for rendering meritorious healthcare services. Sharma did his post-graduation in general medicine from the Medical College in Rohtak.

He is the son of the late Kok Chandra Shastri, a freedom fighter and journalist. He emigrated to the UK in 1977 and joined the National Health Service there. He is the chairman of Wolverhampton division of the British Medical Association (BMA), chairman of the local Medical Committee and vice-chairman of regional council of the BMA, West Midlands.

He was the first Asian to be appointed Police Surgeon at Wolverhampton.

He is a founder-member of the committee in Wolverhampton that generates funds for the prevention of coronary heart diseases.

He also completed a project for prevention of obesity among children in collobration with the Imperial College, London.

Now a British citizen, Sharma has established a charitable trust that awards grants to poor students all over India.

He has set up another trust to give scholarship to students of Sanskrit and Hindi at Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak.

KU VC gets Lifetime Achievement Award
Our Correspondent

Kurukshetra, December 31
Lt-Gen DDS Sandhu, Vice Chancellor, Kurukshetra University, was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the World Management Congress and Commonwealth of Distance Education by His Excellency Khaled Salman, Ambassador of Lebanon to India, at a function held at India International Centre, New Delhi, yesterday. Dr Sandhu is a recipient of many national and international awards.

This award is conferred upon outstanding educationists and administrators, who have made significant contribution to the field of leadership in education and management.

Dr Sandhu also received the “Green Campus of the Year” Award conferred on Kurukshetra University from Dr RP Trivedi, President, World Management Congress.

Dr Sandhu has held distinguished positions, including Vice Chancellor of Guru Jambeshwar University of Science and Technology, Hisar, Director General of Ordnance, Government of India; Principal, College of Materials Management, Rani Durgavati Vishwavidyalaya, Jabalpur; and Lt-Gen in the Indian Army. Rani Durgavati Vishwavidyalaya, Jabalpur, has conferred D Litt Honoris Causa in Management to Dr Sandhu. He has the distinction of being the only serving defence officer in the Indian Army on whom D Litt degree has been conferred.

HJC demands President’s rule
Tribune News Service

Faridabad, December 31
A large number of workers of the Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) today took out a procession and held a demonstration outside the mini secretariat here in protest against the allegd failure of the government to arrest inflation and keep its poll promises to the people of the state.

The workers submitted a memorandum to the Governor through the office of the Deputy Commissoner, Faridabad, demanding President’s rule in Haryana. Senior party leaders of the Faridabad unit of the organisation took part in the agitation.

The memorandum alleged that the state government was forcibily acquiring agriculture land of farmers at low prices.

Addressing the gathering, the HJC leaders objected to the demolition of a large number of jhuggis (hutments) by the government for a bypass here.

Gujjars’ bandh now on Jan 12
Ravi S Singh
Tribune News Service

Faridabad, December 31
The Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti spearheading the Gujjar agitation in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh districts falling in the national capital region (NCR) today put off the proposed “Bharat Bandh” to January 12.

A leader of the samiti, Antram Tanwar, said the agitation had been put off on the suggestion of Col KS Bainsal heading the agitation in Rajasthan. The Gujjars want 5 per cent reservation in government jobs.

He said date of the proposed bandh had been revised so that community members from all over the country could be mobilised in a more effective way. Also, the community leaders in Rajasthan were hoping for a breakthrough by January 12.

At a panchayat here last Wednesday, a call was given for “Bharat Bandh” on January 3. Now the Gujjar leaders will meet at Gurgaon on January 12 to work out a plan to make the bandh a success in the districts of Haryana and UP located in the NCR.

Sangharsh Samiti chief hospitalised
Tribune News Service

Fatehabad, December 31
Hans Raj Siwach, president of the Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, was shifted to the General Hospital after he complained of giddiness and nausea late this evening. Civil Surgeon Dr OP Arya said his condition was serious and he may be refer- red to Maharaja Agarsen Medical College in Agroha.

Siwach had taken the body of Bhagu Ram to the General Hospital in Hisar for postmortem yesterday.

Farmers allege that the postmortem was deliberately postponed till today to scuttle their plan to block the road last night.

As a result, Siwach had to spend the entire night out in the cold without any blanket.

He had been unwell since morning.

Woman constable commits suicide
Our Correspondent

Rewari, December 31
Anuradha (29), a woman constable, ended her life by consuming celphos tablets at her quarters in the police complex at Dharuhera last evening. She was admitted to a private hospital in Rewari where she died. Anuradha, who belonged to Bhora Kalan village in the Pataudi subdivision of Gurgaon, was single.

Anuradha joined the police in 2003. She had recently cleared the B-I test of the Haryana Police to earn promotion.

DSP Mahender Singh Rana has been deputed to probe the circumstances that had forced Anuradha to commit suicide, according to SP Sanjay Kumar.