Gurgaon, June 13
Lending credence to the reports/allegations on politicisation of the appointment of vice-chancellors - which is now an open secret - the Haryana government has chosen to ignore specific regulations of the University Grants Commission (UGC) regarding their selection.

The UGC has framed certain regulations on minimum qualifications for the appointment of teachers and other academic staff in universities and colleges and measures for the maintenance of standards in higher education.

A UGC communiqué issued in this regard on June 28, 2010, specifies that “the vice-chancellor to be appointed should be a distinguished academician, with a minimum of 10 years of experience as professor in a university system or in an equivalent position in a reputed research and/or academic administrative organisation”.

It further maintains that the selection of vice-chancellor should be through proper identification of a panel of 3-5 names by a search committee through a public notification or nomination or a talent search process or in combination. The members of the search committee shall be persons of eminence in the sphere of higher education and shall not be connected in any manner with the university concerned or its colleges.

“While preparing the panel, the search committee must give proper weightage to academic excellence, exposure to the higher education system in the country and abroad, and adequate experience in academic and administrative governance to be given in writing along with the panel to be submitted to the visitor/chancellor,” the communiqué adds.

It states that in respect of the state and central universities, the search committee should comprise a nominee of the visitor/chancellor (who should be the chairperson of the committee), a nominee of the UGC chairman and a nominee of the syndicate/executive council/board of management of the university.

Through the communiqué, the UGC also directed the universities/state governments to modify or amend the relevant Act/Statutes of the universities concerned within six months of the adoption of these regulations.

Following the issuance of the aforesaid communiqué, the Haryana financial commissioner-cum-principal secretary (higher education) wrote to the registrars of state universities for the adoption of the UGC and MHRD regulations on April 29, 2011.

However, though the letter covers the recommendations regarding the appointment of assistant professors, professors, college principals and other academic posts, it circumvents the specific regulations on the selection of VCs/pro-VCs.

Under the head “Selection of Pro-Vice-Chancellor/Vice-Chancellor of Universities”, the letter merely mentions that the “selection of pro-VC and VC shall be made as per existing statutory provisions and practices for selections and appointment of pro-vice-chancellors and vice-chancellors in state universities.”

This, despite the fact that the UGC communiqué clearly asserts that if any university fails to comply with any recommendation made by the commission under Section 12 or 13 or contravenes the provisions of any rule made under clause (f) of sub-section (2) of Section 25 or of any regulations made under clause (e) or clause (f) or clause (g) of sub-section (1) of Section 26 within a reasonable time, the commission, after taking into consideration the cause, if any, shown by the university for such failure or contravention, may withhold from the university the grants proposed to be made out of the fund of the commission.

Sirsa, June 13
Infighting among various factions of the ruling party was once again exposed during Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s recent visit to Sirsa.

This time, Hooda was so annoyed with squabbles within his party here that he had to give a piece of his mind to his minister Gopal Kanda, which eventually led to return of official vehicle and security drama the next day.

Though the Congress has been badly divided in the district for long, it has been exhibited more pronouncedly ever since the ruling party lost all five assembly seats in the district, and Gopal Kanda, an independent, became a minister after extending support to the Hooda government in 2009.

Such incidents have now started affecting the image of the party. Hooda’s recent visit to Sirsa was initially organised through the efforts of Kanda, who had planned a “samman samaroh” for Hooda at Parsuram Chowk.

The event was organised to felicitate the Chief Minister for providing prime government land for the construction of two dharamshalas for the Agarwal and Arora communities.

However, the group of Congress leaders opposed to Kanda, MP Ashok Tanwar, former minister Ranjit Singh and former OSD to CM KV Singh, managed to include their parallel rally in Hooda’s programme at the last minute.

Ranjit Singh, who organised this successful rally at Panjuna in his Rania Assembly constituency at a very short notice on one day, got public admiration from Hooda for his efforts.

Hooda’s visit has also increased the political height of Ashok Tanwar, when the former publicly expressed displeasure with Gobind Kanda for not inviting the MP for his programme and even refused to participate in his felicitations unless the minister persuades Tanwar to come to the dais.

Though Kanda later managed to bring Tanwar to the dais, Ranjit Singh and KV Singh did not attend the function.

Similarly, former minister LD Arora, the senior most leader of the Congress in the district, remained away from the programmes, even as the Chief Minister laid foundation stone of a dharamshala for his Arora community.

Sources close to the former minister said the Arorwansh Sabha patronaged by him had rejected the government land, as it was lesser in dimensions that what had been given to the Agarwal community.

Hisar, June 13
Seventeen years ago, celebrated painter Maqbool Fida Hussain who died in London last week gave the city a priceless treasure in the form of a wall painting he drew during his visit to Vidya Devi Jindal School for Girls.

He was a guest of the Jindal Art Foundation, headed by Deepika Jindal. Hussain was the first guest of the foundation after its formation. Nirapad Pandey, art teacher of the school, remembers every moment of the daylong stay Hussain had at the school. “When he arrived, he was wearing shoes. But, before beginning his interaction with the students he took the shoes off and mingled with the school community barefoot”, he said.

Hussain was requested to draw something on one of the walls to mark his visit to the school. He chose a wall and took turns drawing the painting and mingling with the students. The noted painter gave hundreds of autographs to admiring students.

It took him more than four hours to complete it. The painting was done in his inimitable style. The then students of the school have been quick to send back the autographs Hussain gave them for display in the school.

The staff and students of the school were shocked to learn of his death. A condolence meeting was held to pray for peace to his soul.

Sonepat, June 13
“Timely solution to small problems relating to electricity and drinking water supplies, processing of applications in offices and timely keeping with assurances will not only bring relief to the people, but it will also give appreciation to the administration as well as the government”. This was stated by Haryana Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kuldeep Sharma while listening to the public grievances in his weekly open janata darbar at the PWD Rest House here recently.

People come to offices with the hope to get their problems solved and hence officers should ensure that there was no delay on their part in redressing the public grievances, he said. Representatives from different village panchayats of his Gannaur Assembly constituency submitted the copies of their problems and demands to him and most of these were collective ones and officers were directed to take immediate action on these demands.

The Shekhpura gram panchayat demanded the construction of a drain and the gram panchayat of Ahir Majra village demanded the replacement of old electricity wires with cables, erection of new electricity poles, installation of a water pump near the village school and pavement of some of the streets.

Other demands from different villages included the laying of drinking water pipelines in Kami village, installation of high-power electricity transformer at Chirasmi village, supply of drinking water in Harijan Basti of Udeshipur village, drinking water connections in the school and Harijan Basti streets of Ram Nagar village.

While Tharu village sarpanch Om Prakash demanded the construction of a drain, residents of Shahpur Taga village demanded the installation of another electricity transformer.

Similarly, the demand for the construction of a drain was also submitted by the gram panchayat of Chatia Oliya village.

Besides the officers of the departments concerned, state general secretary of the HPCC Vinod Dhankhar and other office-bearers of the party were also present on the occasion.

Sonepat, June 13
BJP legislator Kavita Jain has alleged discrimination against farmers of Gurgaon, Faridabad, Rohtak, Jhajjar and Sonepat districts for giving less compensation of Rs 20 lakh per acre in comparison to the compensation settled for farmers of Sirsa district in acquisition of agricultural land.

In a press statement issued here recently, Jain said the farmers of Sirsa district were being given compensation of Rs 93 lakh per acre, whereas despite being the part of the NCR, farmers of these districts had been given compensation of Rs 72 lakh per acre.

“I am not against the compensation of Rs 93 lakh per acre given to the farmers of Sirsa district, but the farmers of other districts should also be given the same rate of compensation,” she clarified.

Expressing suspicion for some kind of political scam behind giving the highest rates of land acquisition to the farmers of Sirsa district, she demanded an enquiry from the sitting Judge of the High Court in this matter so that it could become clear whether the farmers were actually benefited from this additional burden of Rs 200 crore to the government exchequer or someone else with vested interests was to be obliged.

Jain said in order to acquire 305.5 acres of land of Khairpur, Nejadela and Vaidwala for part-2 of HUDA’s sector 21-22 in Sirsa, the floor rate of Rs 50 lakh per acre was fixed at a meeting held on June 21, 2010, presided over by the then Commissioner of the Hisar division and the award was announced on January 12, 2011. The maximum floor rate in the NCR district was Rs 40 lakh per acre, she added.

After including 30 per cent amount of solatium, 20 per cent amount of no litigation and 12 per cent amount of interests for 30 months, the total compensation amount had become Rs 93 lakh per acre. Whereas, according to the new land acquisition policy announced on November 9, 2010, the total amount of compensation, including the fixed floor rate of Rs 12 lakh per acre and other benefits, should have been Rs 21.60 lakh, she explained.

While fixing the compensation of Rs 50 lakh per acre in that meeting, she said a ridiculous logic was given that as people buy HUDA plots for business purpose, the floor rate was increased ensuring that the needy persons would only buy the plots.

She also disclosed that about 100 acres of land of Vaidwala village was acquired at the compensation rate of Rs 6 lakh per acre in 2005 and about 49 acres of land in Khairpur village was acquired at the rate of Rs 15 lakh per acre in 2007.

“How and under what reasons the compensation rate was increased almost six times within three years?” she questioned.

The BJP legislator alleged that because of the indifferent attitude of the government, farmers in Ambala, Kharkhoda, Fatehabad and Rohtak were staging dharna against the acquisition of their land and at some places, they were not giving possession of their acquired land to the government.

She demanded that if at all the land was acquired for the government purpose, the farmers should be given compensation at the market rate.

Ambala, June 13
The district administration has built 1,640 houses under the Jawaharlal National Urban Poverty Alleviation Housing Scheme in Sectors 33 and 34. The project has cost the administration Rs 62 crore.

Sameer Pal Srow, deputy commissioner, said the houses had been built for the rehabilitation of the families living in illegal jhuggis and slums on government land or land belonging to HUDA.

Only those families would be eligible for the allotment of houses who have been living within the Ambala municipal limits for five years as on April 3, 2008.

The rest of the dwelling units would be allotted to applicants by draw of lots from the below poverty line category. However, the cases of allotment of these families should have been approved by the district urban development agency.

He further said the priority in the allotment would be given to the families living in the urban areas followed by BPL families. For the left over houses, BPL families from other pending areas of the state would be eligible, he added. Official sources said applicants would obtain prescribed forms from the office of HUDA in Sector 7, Ambala City. These application forms had been priced at Rs 20. An affidavit about being a bonafide resident would have to be attached with the duly filled application form.

The sources said the scheme had been launched in pursuance of the Centrally sponsored scheme being implemented by the state government in a bid to provide succour to the underprivileged sections.

Officials of HUDA said under the stewardship of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, the government was committed to bringing about a qualitative change in the life of the common man and this effort was another step in this direction.

Kurukshetra, June 13
The Haryana Seed Producers Association in its general body meeting held under the chairmanship of its president Pal Singh Dhaliwal here recently urged upon the Agriculture Department to adopt the same procedure of providing certified seed subsidy to private seed producers (PSPs) as being granted to government seed agencies (GSAs).

Pal said according to government statistics, PSPs are producing 77 per cent of the total certified seed in the state in comparison to GSAs who are producing only 23 per cent certified seed and are being paid subsidy at the rate of Rs 500 per quintal. But on the other hand, PSPs are not paid the subsidy in this regard. Pal further said the Agriculture Department should persuade farmers to use certified seed in maximum quantity because according to statistics, farmers are using only 34 per cent certified seed while their own produced 66 per cent seed, which is neither treated nor certified, is being used by them.

He alleged that during the last Rabi season, certified seed approximately worth Rs 10 crore could not be treated by PSPs due to the non-availability of fungicide, named raxil, within the stipulated sowing period. The main reason for the non-availability of fungicide was that PSPs were directed to purchase that chemical from a particular company which failed miserably to provide the bulk order of fungicide within the stipulated period.

Bhiwani, June 13
Kiran Choudhry, Public Health Engineering and Excise and Taxation Minister, Haryana, has said that effective steps will be taken to prevent the supply of polluted water in Bhiwani city and one month’s notice will be issued to those who have unauthorised water connections in the city.

The Minister, who was addressing the meeting of the officers of the Public Health and Engineering Department, Irrigation, Public Works Department, Power Distribution Corporation and members of the Monitoring Committee in Bhiwani recently, said foolproof arrangements were being made for the drainage of water in the city.

Sewerage pipelines from Ch. Bansi Lal General Hospital to Devsar Chungi would be repaired by adopting the Cured-In-Place Pipe (CIPP) technology at a cost of Rs 6 crore. With this technology, new coating would be made on old sewerage pipelines and this coating did not degenerate by 30 to 40 years. This technology was being adopted for the first time in the state, she added.

She said the government had taken seriously the supply of polluted water in the city and new schemes of crores of rupees had been formulated and implemented to redress this problem. She said Bhiwani district was being supplied less irrigation water than what is due to it. Kiran said she had taken up this issue with Irrigation Minister Capt. Ajay Singh Yadav who had assured her to supply full share of water to the district. She asked the officers to redress the problems of people forthwith. Strict action would be taken against the officers who would not discharge their duties efficiently. She directed the officials that blocked sewer pipelines should be cleared and made functional by using super suction machine as rainy season was about to set in.

Pumping system, generator and pipes should be arranged by the officials of the Public Health and Engineering Department to deal with the problems of accumulation of water in the low-lying areas during the monsoon.

Kurukshetra, June 13
The Haryana State Flood Relief Board has sanctioned Rs 27.20 crore to implement about 18 flood-relief schemes in the district.

Stating this to mediapersons here recently, Deputy Commissioner Rajinikaanthan said with regard to flood situation, 11 villages of the Thanesar subdivision and 14 villages of the Pehowa subdivision had been declared as sensitive villages.

He said for the first time, an amount of Rs 4 crore had been sanctioned for the repair of Satluj-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal and another sum of Rs 2 crore had been approved for 30 villages to protect the people and cultivated land from floods. These villages include Dadlu, Padlu, Khanpura, Ramnagar, Kalsana, Shantinagar, Thol, Meghamajra, Sadiqpur and Harigarh Bhorakh.

A sum of Rs 7.25 lakh would be spent to save Jhansa and Shantinagar villages from the fury of floods and Rs 20 lakh would be spent for pumping out floodwater from Nalvi, Basantpur, Shantinagar, Jharauli Khurad and Jhansa villages.

A sum of Rs 50 lakh had been sanctioned to strengthen Markanda river banks to save Gangheri, Tyukar, Mahashya Plot, Sadiqpur and Harigarh Bhorakh villages.

Similarly, Rs 18 lakh would be spent on strengthening the pump house of Sarsa distributary so that Lohar Majra, Sandhaula and Bhor Saidan population could be saved from floods.

Besides, Rs 32.75 lakh would be spent on the construction of right hand side inlets of Saraswati drain so that floodwater from the fields of Sainsa, Umri, Dhanipur, Morthali and Sataura could be drained out.

Similarly, Rs 50 lakh and Rs 60.67 lakh had been sanctioned for the construction of a new bridge over the Saraswati river and to strengthen the banks of the river, respectively.

To strengthen Markanda river distributary, a sum of Rs 29.83 lakh had been approved so that people and fields of Naissi, Madado, Jhakhwala, Chhapra, Shergarh and Tabra village could be saved.

Another sum of Rs 17 crore had been sanctioned for digging of a drain from Narwana branch canal to Saraswati head near SYL in Bibipur lake. In addition to this, an amount of Rs 73.23 lakh would be spent on replacing the pipelines of Kanthla supply channels, Rs 5 lakh on digging of Jakhwala drain, Rs 35 lakh on Markanda river bundh, Rs 30.24 lakh on Taangri diversion bundh and Rs 7.98 lakh would be spent on strengthening Thaska bundh.

Rajinikanthan further said ring bundhs (studs) would be constructed in seven villages comprising Kathwa, Mugalmajra, Naissi, Jakhwala, Maduda, Ram Nagar and Mohanpur.

Besides, 13 electric pumps of 39 cusecs capacity and 15 diesel pumps of 30 cusecs capacity would be installed to pump out floodwater.

As many as 12 officers had been appointed as section officers, while 10 boats, five OBM and 40 life jackets had been got ready to meet any adverse situation, he added.

A head control room would be established at the District Revenue Office here with telephone number 01744-221035, while flood control rooms would also be established on the premises of the tehsil offices of Pehowa and Shahabad, BDO Office, Ladwa, and Water Services XEN Office, Babain.

These control rooms would start functioning from June 15 and would work round-the-clock during the rainy season, he added.

Kaithal, June 13
Anil Kumar, commissioner, Ambala division, took stock of the flood-prevention measures in the entire district recently.

Anil, accompanied by deputy commissioner Amneet P. Kumar and officials of the Irrigation and other departments, visited different places in the Kaithal, Guhla and Kalayat areas which were affected by devastating floods during the last monsoon and where flood-prevention measures were in full swing.

He directed the officials to complete all works by June 30. The commissioner said the Flood Control Board, Haryana, had sanctioned Rs 12 crore for executing flood-prevention projects in the Guhla area.

He inspected Ghaggar bund near Tatiana village where a breach had occurred and works under execution on Ghaggar crossing near Sarola village.

He said Ghaggar bund also breached between RD no 51000 to 52000 and water started flowing into Hansi Butana Link Canal causing floods in the area.

He said as suggested by a team of experts from the IIT, Roorkee, an underground concrete structure parallel to Hansi Butana was being constructed which would check the seepage of Ghaggar water in Hansi Butana Canal. A sum of Rs 10 crore would be spent on this structure and it would cover 12,000-ft length and this work was being executed on a war footing, he added.

The commissioner also inspected syphon being constructed on Hansi Butana near Keorak and stone-pitching work of Kaithal drain. During his visit to the Kalayat area besides other ongoing works, he inspected 140 cusecs-capacity pumping house installed to pump excess water of Pundri drain in Sirsa canal. Amneet P. Kumar said officials of the water services wing had been directed to maintain vigil during the coming monsoon season and 21 permanent and 114 mobile pumping stations would be available to meet any eventuality.

Sirsa, June 13
Around 2343.12 sq km of the total available land comes under the category of wastelands in the state, which is 5.3 per cent of its total geographical area.

Haryana has recorded a reduction in its area of wastelands between 2002-03 and 2010-11 during which the wastelands have shrunk by more than two per cent from 7.38 per cent of the total geographical area to 5.3 per cent.

These are the lands which are currently underutilised either due to lack of appropriate water and soil management or due to natural causes, but could be brought under vegetative cover with reasonable effort.

According to the Updated Wasteland Atlas of Haryana, the state now has 2,343.12 sq km under wastelands, which account for 5.3 per cent of its total geographical area.

This indicates a reduction in total wastelands which stood at 7.38 per cent (3,262.85 sq km) of the total area in 2002-03 when the mapping of wastelands had earlier been done by the Hisar-based Haryana Space Applications Centre (HARSAC), said an official spokesperson.

The Atlas is based on a study conducted by HARSAC, which was sponsored by Union Ministry of Rural Development. Detailed wastelands maps of all 21 districts of the state have been prepared on 1:50,000 scale, using Indian remote sensing satellite data.

The maps have been updated to see the changes occurring in the wasteland areas of the state. Limited field surveys were also conducted to verify the existence of these wastelands on the ground.

Major wastelands identified in various districts of Haryana are degraded grazing lands, land with open scrub, degraded forest, barren rocky areas, salt-affected areas, waterlogged areas and sandy areas.

The maximum area of 914.58 sq km exists under degraded grazing lands followed by 839.73 sq km under land with open scrub.

The other main categories are degraded forest (169.51 sq km), barren rocky area (98.13 sq km) and degraded lands under plantation crops (71.76 sq km).

According to the atlas, the maximum area of wastelands that is 257.96 sq km has been observed in Mewat district which constitutes 11 per cent of total wastelands in Haryana.

Of the total geographical area of Mewat district, 15.85 per cent is under wastelands. Faridabad, Gurgaon, Mahendragarh and Panchkula are the four other districts which have more than 10 per cent of the area under wastelands.

Salt-affected lands exist mainly in Mewat, Panipat, Jhajjar, Rohtak, Sonepat and Jind districts.

South-western districts like Bhiwani, Mahendragarh, Rewari, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa are situated at the fringe of Thar desert and sand dunes are the main wasteland features in these districts. Degraded forests are mainly found in Yamunanagar, Panchkula, Mahendergarh and Mewat districts.

The wasteland atlas prepared by HARSAC, would be of wide ranging use in the identification of priority areas for appropriate land use planning along with suitable treatment measures for restoration and development of such degraded areas.

The atlas will provide necessary thrust to wasteland reclamation by the users like district-level administrators or planners, decision-makers, rural development agency officials, line department officials, Forest Department, NGOs as well as researchers and students.

“With increased requirement of land for non-agricultural areas, this information can also be used for identifying areas for urbanisation, industrial and infrastructure development and activities other than agriculture like amusement/recreational etc,” added the spokesperson.

Rewari, June 13
Women from various parts of the district participated in a district-level seminar on “awareness about female foeticide” jointly organised by the District Development and Panchayats Department, Health Department as well as the Women and Child Development Department in the Bal Bhawan here recently. TR Sharma, Commissioner of Gurgaon Division, was the chief guest on the occasion.

Describing foeticide as a blot on society and highly detrimental to the advancement of the country, the Commissioner asserted that unless there was effectual awareness among women in particular, no efforts on part of the administration and society could be of use in the elimination of the menace.

Expressing concern over the relevant statistics of Census-2011, which stated that there were only 784 females for every 1000 males in the age group of 0-6 years in Rewari district, he exhorted women to take up the cudgels against the menace.

Specifically stating that women, with their sterling performance in the domains of sports, education, technology, medicine, aeronautics, police force and even defence services, had creditably established their proficiency, he urged all to groom and educate their daughters while eschewing gender bias.

Enumerating projects implemented by the state government for the amelioration of girl child, ADC Dr. J. Ganeshan pleaded for transformation of traditional mindset regarding daughters still prevailing in a section of society.

Besides, a theatrical institute “Introver” from Karnal district staged a play “Murder in the Womb” to the sensitivity and enlightenment of the gathering. Simultaneously, the Commissioner inaugurated a newly-established fish aquarium at the Bal Bhawan as well.

Yamunanagar, June 13
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Yamuna Nagar, dismissed the plea of Vishav Bandhu, owner of M/s Shivalik Agro Boards, Bilaspur, in an insurance claim case.

Bandhu in his complaint to the forum stated that he got insured the factory M/s Shivalik Agro Boards with The New India Assurance Company Ltd, Yamunanagar, on February 6, 2006 for a sum of Rs 5 lakh for building, Rs 9 lakh for machinery and accessories and Rs 4.5 lakh for stocks, which was valid up to February 5, 2007 and paid the requisite premium to the company.

Unfortunately on the night of May 8, 2006, the shed of the factory fell down due to heavy rain and storm, due to which the complainant suffered huge financial loss to the tune of Rs 1.74 lakh i.e. Rs 1.14 lakh for building, Rs 29,500 for machinery and Rs 31,200 as stock loss. Bandhu had informed about this incident to insurance company and lodged his claim with them on May 9, 2006.

The insurance company appointed a surveyor and loss assessor, who assessed the loss to the tune of Rs 1.50 lakh, which was not as per actual loss. The complainant requested the insurance company to release the claim, but they postponed the matter. The officials of the insurance company obtained the signatures of Bandhu by misrepresentation, undue influence or the like coercive bargaining on some blank forms and then issued a cheque of Rs 1, 11,329 being full and final payment.

The complainant objected over it and received the said payment under protest. Thereafter, the complainant sent a legal notice on March 12, 2007 and prayed for directing the insurance company to make the balance payment of Rs 63,421.

Upon notice by the forum, the insurance company filed the written statement that the present complaint is not maintainable as the complainant has received the amount of alleged losses to the tune of Rs 1, 11,329 through cheque as full and final payment. Neither he had raised any question of fraud, misrepresentation nor could he allege that the voucher on which his signatures were obtained was blank and prayed for dismissal of complaint.

Dina Nath Arora, president of the forum, Urmil Beniwal and VK Sharma, its members, heard both the parties, and stated that it is clear that the factory of the complainant was insured with the respondent. The complainant has not received the payment under protest, rather he was fully satisfied with the payment and has also signed on the claim disbursement voucher attached as R-1 without any protest subject to the term and conditions of the policy.

Besides, the complainant has also failed to prove that the signature on the discharge voucher was taken by the respondent by misrepresentation, fraud or by exercising undue influence. Under these circumstances, the complainant cannot file the complaint for the payment of balance amount. Hence, it is dismissed with the direction to the complainant to approach the court of competent jurisdiction or tribunal to resolve the issue.