Panipat, June 10
In order to check the increasing absenteeism among teachers of government schools, especially in rural areas, the state has decided to install biometric fingerprint scanners in 2,622 government schools in the state.

Sources in the department said the authorities had come across a number of cases, in which regular teachers had appointed others to teach their classes and they would remain absent from schools. In some cases, teachers lock schools and remain absent for days together, while some others simply go to the school to mark themselves present and then disappear.

As frequent raids conducted by the authorities concerned have failed to make these teachers fall in line, the department has decided to use technology to ensure their presence in schools.

The decision was taken at a meeting of district education officers with Director of school education Vijender Kumar in Panchkula recently.

The work to install the biometrics has already started and is likely to be completed by August.

Sources said the technology would digitise information about teachers such as at what time did they enter and leave the school. The system would require the fingerprints of the teacher to mark him/her present. The system would also ensure punctuality, as it would also record the time.

The biometric scanners are being installed under the centrally sponsored scheme for information and communication technology in schools.

These scanners have successfully been used in school across the USA and European countries, where they are used by students to borrow library books, cashless canteen systems, vending machines and class attendance.

Chandigarh, June 10
The INLD today demanded investigation by a sitting judge of the high court into the murder of former sarpanch Karam Singh. It also demanded the arrest of former Haryana Transport Minister OP Jain and former Chief Parliamentary Secretary Zile Ram for their alleged involvement in the murder.

Addressing a press conference here today, INLD general secretary and sitting MLA Ajay Chautala said Jain and Zile Ram should be put behind the bars.

“If the government is serious about conducting a fair probe into the matter, investigations should be handed over to a sitting judge of the high court. Resignation by the minister and the CPS is not enough. Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda should tender his resignation on moral grounds since two of his colleagues are involved in the case,” Chautala said.

Rejecting the state government’s decision to hand over the investigations to the state crime branch, he said the murder of a former sarpanch was indicative of the rampant corruption in the Congress government, where jobs were being sold and the common man was being looted.

Stating that the police was implicating people in false cases and looting them at the behest of the state government, he claimed that the seriousness of the government in checking crime could be gauged from the fact that there were 108 “untraced” murder cases in Sirsa district alone.

“The Congress government claims that the interest of Haryana is its priority. Then, let the government explain why nothing has moved forward following the unanimous resolution of the House on the Hansi-Butana link canal. Besides, during the recent visit by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to Haryana, neither did the government demand any special package for Haryana nor raised the contentious issue of the Satluj-Yamuna link canal,” he said. 

Karnal: Following the complaint of Rajinder, son of deceased ex-sarpanch Karam Singh, that he and his family were receiving threats to life, Karnal SP Rakesh Arya on Friday provided security to the family and also ordered that a PCR vehicle be deployed in Kambopura village .

Rajinder on Thursday alleged that three persons had come in a black Alto car and threatened him with dire consequences if he did not reach a compromise in the case.

Meanwhile, the investigations into the mysterious death of Karam Singh have been entrusted to the state crime branch. Though the police has interrogated about 10 persons, including the guard and duty staff of former CPS Zile Ram Sharma, no arrest has so far been made. Not satisfied with the resignation of the former minister and the CPS, Karam Singh’s family is demanding their arrest.

The SP said the chemical examination report of the viscera sent to Forensic Science Laboratory, Madhuban, and the PGI, Rohtak, is yet to be received. — TNS

Sirsa, June 10
Taking no chances in view of the INLD’s call for a “Sirsa bandh”, the authorities have made elaborate arrangements for Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s visit here tomorrow. Hooda is scheduled to lay the foundation stones of several development projects during the visit

All major programmes have been organised by Gopal Kanda, local MLA and Minister of State for Home and Urban Local Bodies.

Though this is Hooda’s fourth visit since December last year, the task of the authorities has become challenging since the INLD has announced a “Sirsa bandh” to coincide with the Chief Minister’s visit.

The INLD has been mobilising people to reach Sirsa tomorrow in large numbers to participate in a demonstration against the state government.

Satinder Kumar Gupta,SP, said the police had made elaborate arrangements. The authorities had deputed Vivek Sharma, SP, Fatehabad, and requisitioned the services of 12 DSPs and 15 Inspectors from other districts of Haryana.

Over 1400 cops from the IRP, three reserves of women constables, besides district police personnel would be on duty to maintain law and order during Hooda’s visit, said Gupta.

Gupta warned anyone found indulging in mischievous activities would be dealt with sternly under the law.

Chandigarh, June 10
Haryana’s move to auction minor mineral quarries of Panchkula, Ambala, Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, Ambala, Karnal and Faridabad districts has come under the Punjab and Haryana High Court scanner.

Acting on a petition filed in public interest challenging the auction notices issued by the state on June 3, the Vacation Bench of Justice Kanwaljit Singh Ahluwalia and Justice Augustine George Masih today issued notice of motion to the state and the Union Ministry Of Environment And Forests. They have been asked to respond by June 23.

The Bench also made it clear the auction may go on but the auction proceedings should not be confirmed.

The auction process for extraction of boulders, gravel and sand is to be held between June 16 and June 21. The mining is to be carried out for nine months or up to March 31, 2012.

The petitioner, Sandeep Sangwan of Karnal district, has claimed the terms and conditions of the notices indicate the contractors are to be allowed to undertake mining without taking prior environmental clearances. The notices had also been issued in violation of the notification issued on September 14, 2006, under the provisions of Environment Protection Act, 2006.

Rather, the notices were issued with an “ulterior motive” and to “circumvent the well-settled law”.

The petitioner added the reserve price was more than the highest bids in the previous years, indicating the state’s only concern was to make money. 

Fatehabad, June 10
Four miscreants shot at a cop in Kath Mandi area of the town today. The bullet hit head constable Dariya Singh in his arm and the miscreants managed to escape.

The incident took place when the miscreants were trying to take away a Maruti car parked in a vacant residential plot in Kath Mandi area after breaking open its lock. A woman noticed the thieves and informed the police.

The miscreants tried to escape when head constable Dariya Singh and constable Rajiv reached there. One of the miscreants opened fire on the cop. The bullet pierced the cop’s arm and his mobile phone and wireless set fell on the ground. The miscreants managed to escape. — TNS

Faridabad, June10
The Municipal Corporation, Faridabad, today demolished a major portion of a two-storeyed commercial complex at NIT 1-2 Chowk here in presence of the police.

Six shops, a guesthouse and a basement were demolished in the four-hour operation. Five JCBs were pressed into service for the demolition. More than 100 constables accompanied the demolition squad.

MC Commissioner D.Suresh said the operation was in compliance of the Punjab and Haryana High Court order.

The Municipal Corporation alleged that the demolished portion did not conform to the building plan approved by the civic body. The civic body had slapped Rs 39 lakh as “compounding charges” on the owner of the complex, which included penalty, to regularise the disputed structures.

The owner took the matter to the court, which ordered demolition of the unauthorised structures. The HC’s order was later upheld by the apex court on June 1. The case had been in litigation for about 15 years.

D.Suresh said a drive would soon be launched to remove encroachments on public land as well as illegal structures in the city. A survey was on to identify encroachments in the areas under jurisdiction of the MC.

Karnal, June 10
Didar Singh Nalvi, working president of the Haryana Sikh Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee (ad hoc), today refuted the allegation of the Shiromani Akali Dal that the state government was supporting the move for a separate SGPC for Haryana, saying that it was “travesty of facts”.

Taking strong exception to the statement released by the SAD core Committee headed by Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, Nalvi said this demand was inherent in the Punjab Reorganization Act, 1966.

Emphasising that the Akalis had hailed the passage of the Act, which was supported by all Akali MPs though Haryana Sikhs had never asked for a Punjab suba, Nalvi accused the Akalis of not only backing out from implementing the provisions of this Act but also continuing “illegal possession” of over 72 Sikh historical gurdwaras, generating an annual income of over Rs 100 crore.

Nalvi, a member of the SGPC, charged the committee with illegally transferring the money to the account of Amritsar-based SGPC and utilising it in Punjab for own political interests.

Referring to the SAD allegation that the Central Government was delaying elections to the SGPC, Nalvi said section 47 of Sikh Gurdwara Act,1925, clearly stated that “the elections of members of the board under the provisions of this Act shall be held on dates fixed by the Central Government”.

Nalvi said though this provision gave sweeping powers to the Union Government to delay the elections, neither the Akalis nor the SGPC general house had ever raised or discussed the issue to approach the Centre to get this clause amended. The SGPC would never suggest an amendment to the above Act as it was the main beneficiary of delay in the elections, Nalvi asserted.

Sirsa, June 10
District and Sessions Judge Subhash Goyal rejected the anticipatory bail petition of an HIV + person accused of misappropriating land of another person by making fake power of attorney through impersonation.

The accused pleaded in his petition that he, his wife and his son were HIV + and they were under treatment and hence sought anticipatory bail from the court.

Brij Lal and his kin from Bansudhar village of the district had accused Surinder Kumar and some others of fraudulently transferring his land through impersonation.

The complainants had named some revenue officers of conniving with the accused. Surinder told the police that the accused (petitioner in the bail application) had impersonated one of the complainants - Virender - and got prepared a fake power of attorney on fake identity proof in connivance of some officers of the Revenue Department.

Seeking anticipatory bail, the accused maintained that his name was not mentioned in the original FIR and he was named in the disclosure statement of the main accused.

He further pleaded that Surinder kept him in the dark and made him sign on some papers in the revenue office on the claim that these were for procuring a loan.

He maintained that he had even served a legal notice to Surinder, when he came to know that his signatures were taken for a fake power of attorney.

The accused also attached his medical reports with the petition. However, the petition was strongly opposed by the public prosecutor, who said the accused in connivance of others had tried to grab the land of innocent persons.

Sirsa, June 10
The police has registered a case against Sukhwinder Singh after his wife was found dead under mysterious circumstances at her MC Colony residence on the Hisar road today.

The victim’s 15-years-old son, Luvpreet Singh, informed neighbours about the death of his mother this morning.

Later, Luvpreet told the police that his father Sukhwinder Singh had strangled his mother to death following an oral duel.

The accused is at large and the police said the motive behind the murder was not clear. The victim, Jasbir Kaur, has two sons, aged 15 and 10. — TNS

Karnal, June 10
Kachhwa village of Karnal district, about 10 km from here, has become the first village in Haryana to be converted from the “rural to urban” feeder for uninterrupted power supply under a scheme sponsored by the Haryana Vidyut Parsaran Nigam (HVPN).

Local MLA Sumita Singh inaugurated the scheme by switching on the urban feeder, bringing cheer to 3000 consumers. Under the scheme, the village panchayat concerned would bear the entire expenditure to be incurred on conversion of the feeder.