Rohtak, May 26
Law education is in a complete mess at Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) here, with many non-attending students being allowed to appear in exams in gross violation of the rules laid down by the Bar Council of India (BCI).

A news report carried in these columns today had described how the MDU Vice-Chancellor had bullied a former head of the university’s Law Department to allow an LLB second-semester girl student to appear in end-semester exams despite her nil attendance.

Responding to the report, a number of university insiders came out with shocking stories regarding complete disregard to the established norms, rules and regulations in the grant of law degrees at MDU.

Informed sources told The Tribune that after Vice-Chancellor Ram Phal Hooda allowed the said girl student to take exams, a number of other LLB students having nil or negligible attendance have also been allowed to do so.

The names of this girl and many other second-semester students had been struck off by the Law Department after they failed to attend the requisite number of classes.

Following this, they got re-admission on condition that they would attend their classes regularly. However, they still did not attend their classes; and hence denied roll numbers.

But this girl approached the Vice-Chancellor, who, for reasons best known to the two of them, made the Law HoD to allow her to take exams. This paved the way for other such students to take exams. The HoD-cum-Dean of Law Faculty had resigned after the episode.

A 70 per cent attendance is mandatory as per the rules laid down by the BCI.

However, the MDU authorities have allowed a number of LLB students having zero or near-nil attendance to take exams. The sources claimed that the unlawful practice had been going on at the MDU Law Department for long

Karnal, May 26
The National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Karnal, will be the nodal agency for giving a boost to the dairy sector in SAARC countries and coordinating various programmes to improve the quantity and quality of milk and other dairy products.

A two-day convention on “Dairy production, quality control and marketing system” in the SAARC countries, which concluded here today, recommended that the NDRI would be the main agency for training of manpower for quality milk production at the farm level and testing for quality assurance in India. It would also take a lead in promoting exchange programmes for students and faculty in the SAARC countries.

The convention suggested that every SAARC country should have an apex institution like the NDRI to formulate policies. The expertise and experience of the NDRI for technological advancement should be shared by all member countries.

The need to revise the standards for fat and solid non-fat, which are 4.5 per cent and 8.5 per cent, respectively, in cows and 5 per cent and 9 per cent in buffaloes, was stressed at the convention as farmers said the percentage was too high.

The convention observed that milk processing was just 36 per cent in India and 3 per cent in Pakistan and recommended that the processing should be increased to reduce adulteration and to make the dairy sector viable.

The convention recommended setting up of regional semen banks for breed improvement in the SAARC region, facilitation of trade in dairy products among SAARC nations by removing trade barriers, establishment of information centres, exchange of information on dairy and animal husbandry, exchange of students and trainees for the promotion of dairy education in the region and addressing trans-border diseases of animals through “harmonisation of action plans”.

During discussions, farm scientists from the region expressed concern over lack of communication between scientists and farmers despite extensive research and training and laxity in execution of policies and in the dairy sector.

Dr Haleem-ul-Hasnain from Pakistan observed that “elite” groups consisting of scientists and students were the only beneficiaries of the ongoing research while nothing concrete had so far been done to make the services available to primary producers. “What is the use of research if the benefits do not reach the farmers,” he questioned.

Concerned over low productivity of milk in India despite being the leading producer, the Director, National Centre for Research in Agricultural Economics, Dr Ramesh Chand, suggested genetic improvement and feed replacement to enhance the quality and quantity of milk production.

Pointing out that Pakistan’s trade growth was recorded to be highest with India in the past decade, he laid emphasis on promoting intra-SAARC trade that has immense potential for “learning and earning” with India and Pakistan as strong contenders.

Chandigarh, May 26
AICC president Sonia Gandhi will launch the national programme for welfare of pregnant women and new-born children from Mandi Khera village in Mewat district on June 1.Announcing this here today Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said the programme was being implemented under the National Rural Health Mission.

He said under the programme, being launched at the national level, all pregnant women would be provided free transport to the hospital and back to their homes with the new-born child. All treatment , including operation, medicines, consumables and meals, would be provided free of cost. Claiming that the programme was already functional in Haryana, Hooda said the Union Government had adopted this programme after its success in the state.

Hooda said there was no dispute with Punjab on the naming of the proposed international airport at Chandigarh. He said it had been decided at a meeting attended by the Chief Ministers of Punjab and

Hooda said the state government was pressing for an early hearing on the SYL issue. Answering a query on the Punjab Government’s protest on the strengthening of the bund at Guhla-Cheeka in Kaithal district, Hooda said the protest was baseless. “Such protests are lodged near the elections only,” he quipped.

Asked about INLD’s former MLA Balbir Singh, alias Bali Pahalwan, who is an accused in a murder case at Kalanaur, Hooda said law was taking its own course. “I can say that no culprit would be spared nor any innocent would be held”, he added.

Chandigarh, May 26
The state of Haryana has come out with a policy to protect its elite. It’s also charging for security cover provided to some of those given protection.

In an affidavit submitted before Justice MS Sullar of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Joint Secretary in the Home Department VP Vats has asserted: “No individual can be provided security except on the orders of the High Court, or according to the norms approved by the state government or without the specific approval of the Haryana DGP or the DGP (CID). “Security on the basis of threat is provided after a careful analysis of the threat assessment carried out by the commissioner of police or the superintendent of police and the district inspector concerned of the CID.

“In case of an emergency, the commissioner of police, range IGs and district SPs provide the security cover, but must move for approval of the competent authority within three days and take the approval within 10 days positively.

“Some of the protectees, who have some specific threat, have also been provided security on a payment basis by the commissioner of police and the SP concerned as per the Punjab Police Rules”.

Sirsa, May 26
Kalu Ram, a guard posted at the local Government Polytechnic was today rushed to the local General Hospital here after he consumed a poisonous substance at his residence.

In his statement given to the police, Kalu Ram has named three teachers of the polytechnic for driving him to take this step. Kalu Ram was a police witness in a case registered against 11 polytechnic teachers during their clash with cops during their strike last week. The police had arrested six teachers in connection with the clash. Kalu Ram alleged that ever since the teachers resumed work, three of them had been threatening him of dire consequences for giving a statement against them to the police. He alleged that the teachers had also threatened to divest him of his job. The police has recorded Kalu Ram’s statement for a thorough inquiry. — TNS

Kaithal, May 26
Dilbagh Singh, a farmer of Julani Khera village, who had come to deposit cash in a bank was allegedly duped of Rs 2 lakh by a cheat in Kalayat town in this district today.

The victim had gone to the HDFC Bank branch on Railway Road, Kalayat. He was carrying an amount of Rs 4.38 lakh and filled the cash deposit voucher with the help of an unknown person. The two went to the cashier and handed over the bag containing the cash. However, the cashier reportedly asked the depositor to fill a fresh form as there were some cuttings in the form filled by him. The depositor went to fill a fresh form.

Meanwhile, the person who accompanied the depositor approached the cashier and asked him to hand over Rs 2 lakh from the cash given to him saying that they would deposit the money in some other account. The cashier handed over Rs 2 lakh as demanded.

Meanwhile, the depositor handed over a deposit voucher for Rs 4.38 lakh to the cashier. However, the cashier told the account holder that the man who accompanied him earlier had taken Rs 2 lakh from him. The farmer realised that he had been cheated. The police was informed which began investigation with the help of CCTV footage.

Fatehabad, May 26
Representatives of the Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti today demanded the fulfillment of commitments made to them with regard to government relief for the death of a farmer, Vijay Singh Karwasara, during their agitation in March this year.

Members of the samiti, who met DC VS Dahiya today, demanded a government job for Karwasara’s son and a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the family. The authorities, the members alleged, had offered a daily wage job to the victim’s brother Mohinder, which they spurned. — TNS

Fatehabad, May 26
A man allegedly tried to kidnap his estranged wife, Sheela, from the outer gate of the District Courts here where the woman had come to appear in a case.

Sheela’s husband Bhoop Singh allegedly came in a car with some others and started dragging his wife towards his vehicle by putting the loop of a cloth around her neck.

The woman sustained minor injuries in the process.

Passersby and farmers of Gorakhpur, who are sitting on dharna outside the mini-secretariat and the court complex rushed to rescue the woman from the clutches of her husband.

They also overpowered the man and handed him over to cops on duty near the dharna site.

The police later arrested Joginder, Sonu, Ramesh and Satbir, who accompanied Bhoop Singh in the vehicle and proceeded against them under Sections 107/151 of the CrPC.

The police has booked the youth on a complaint from the victim’s father. — OC