SPECIAL COVERAGE
CHANDIGARH

LUDHIANA

DELHI


THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS
50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS
H A R Y A N A   E D I T I O N

Portfolio Change
Capt Yadav to approach party high command
Capt Ajay Singh Yadav Chandigarh, June 15
A day after Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda “cut him to size” by divesting him of the key portfolios of Finance and Irrigation in the Cabinet reshuffle effected last night, the state’s new Power Minister, Capt Ajay Singh Yadav, is in no mood of taking it lying down.

Hold mayoral poll within stipulated time: Court 
Gurgaon, June 15
A local court has directed the Gurgaon Divisional Commissioner to hold the first meeting of the newly elected members of the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon and the election of Mayor and his deputies within the prescribed period of 30 days as per the provisions of the Haryana Municipal Corporation Act, 1994.

Rise of Anna Hazare blamed on Opposition
Fatehabad, June 15
Former minister and Congress MLA from Nalwa Sampat Singh said here today that the manner in which Anna Hazare and his team of civil society were trying to “impose” their will on the elected representatives would be dangerous for democracy in the country.

Commercial Activity from Houses
Take action, high court orders govt
Chandigarh, June 15
Tightening the screws around those carrying out commercial activities without authorisation from residential premises, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has made it clear that the government was expected to act against them.



YOUR TOWN
Chandigarh
Gurgaon


EARLIER STORIES


Not in politics for personal gains, says Kanda 
Sirsa, June 15
Haryana Minister of State for Home and Urban Local Bodies Gopal Kanda said today that he was not in politics for any ministerial post, office or the benefits associated with such posts.

IGP MS Ahlawat IGP’s death accidental, says Gurgaon police
…but facts seem to belie claim
Gurgaon, June 15
After remaining tightlipped for several days over the circumstances leading to the death of IGP MS Ahlawat, the Gurgaon police has finally broken its silence.

Minor boy saved from wedlock
Sirsa, June 15
Timely intervention by Child Marriage Prohibition Officer Sadhana Mittal helped avert the marriage of a minor boy at Chak Sahiba village in this district today. The boy, Jaswant (19), was to marry Saoja Bai of Tibbi village of Rajasthan on June 17. However, some unidentified person tipped off Mittal about this.

Three youths killed in road mishap
The mangled remains of a car that met with an accident in Gurgaon on Wednesday.Gurgaon, June 15
Three youths, including two students, were killed and another injured when their car hit a stationary dumper on the Delhi-Jaipur National Highway No. 8 near Rajiv Chowk here this morning.


The mangled remains of a car that met with an accident in Gurgaon on Wednesday. A Tribune photograph 

Brother booked on charge of killing retired cop
Rohtak, June 15
A retired policeman was killed while his wife was injured when the former cop’s younger brother allegedly attacked the couple with a farm implement while they were asleep in their house at Aasan village in the district last night.

WELCOMING the gIrlchild: Women beat utensils to celebrate the birth of a girl at Mitathal village in Bhiwani district on Wednesday.
WELCOMING the gIrlchild: Women beat utensils to celebrate the birth of a girl at Mitathal village in Bhiwani district on Wednesday. Photo: Manoj Dhaka

RTI activist alleges threat to life
Kaithal, June 15
RTI activist and whistleblower Baljeet Singh Nayak of Kalayat has allegedly received threats to his life from some persons who are allegedly in illegal occupation of municipal land and common land worth crores.

Protest against delay in nabbing murder accused
Jind, June 15
Members of the Balmiki community staged a demonstration here today in protest against the alleged failure of the police to arrest all those involved in the murder of Virender, head of the local auto-rickshaw operators’ union, here about a fortnight ago. The protesters submitted a memorandum to the district administration and started an indefinite dharna near the mini-secretariat here to seek appropriate police action in the case.

1,556 units of blood collected in Sirsa
Sirsa, June 15
To mark World Blood Donors Day, the district authorities organised eight blood donation camps in the district where 1,556 units of blood were collected. DC Yudhbir Singh Khyalia, who is also president of the Indian Society of Blood Transfusion and Immunohaematology, visited seven camps.

Pensioners block national highway
Kaithal, June 15
Old-age pensioners today blocked the Hisar-Chandigarh national highway in Kalayat town, 25 km from here, for more than an hour in protest against the delay in distribution of pension. They expressed resentment over the delay in distribution of pension for the past three months.

Everester discriminated against: INLD
Rewari, June 15
INLD legislator Rao Bahadur Singh (Nangal Chaudhary) and district unit chief Sunil Chaudhary have taken exception to the Chief Minister’s alleged discrimination against Mount Everest climber Sunita Singh Gujjar hailing from Rewari district. 

 







Top




 

Portfolio Change
Capt Yadav to approach party high command
Geetanjali Gayatri/TNS

Chandigarh, June 15
A day after Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda “cut him to size” by divesting him of the key portfolios of Finance and Irrigation in the Cabinet reshuffle effected last night, the state’s new Power Minister, Capt Ajay Singh Yadav, is in no mood of taking it lying down.

Capt Yadav, who left the city immediately after he got the news of the “reshuffle” and was not reachable on phone, finally, broke his silence today. Stating that he was neither in Chandigarh nor in Delhi, Capt Yadav said he was still in the process of deciding his course of action.

“Though I haven’t gone to Delhi yet, I will take up this matter with the Congress high command. Though the allocation of portfolios is the prerogative of the Chief Minister, the way it was done is just not acceptable,” he said, when contacted on the phone.

Capt Yadav had earned the displeasure of the government for openly airing his views about the land acquisition policy of the government. Stating that he had reservations about the same, Capt Yadav, in his letters and at meetings, had suggested that the policy could be improved further by giving a share of the land to the farmer whose land had been acquired.

Sources close to Capt Yadav said this did not go down well with the government which felt such suggestions were out of place when its policy was receiving appreciation from not only the Centre but had also earned the praise of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

Another controversial issue which continued as a ping-pong match between Capt Yadav and the government was that of giving an extension to the Pollution Control Board Chairman. While Capt Yadav had rejected an extension to the Chairman of the board on the grounds that he was overage, the government was keen on retaining him. After his file went back and forth a few times, the government decided to retain him till November this year. The government’s contention was that the notification of his three-year term was issued in November, 2008, though he was appointed in January that year. Finally, the government prevailed in the matter.

The sources said given this background, Capt Yadav, a six-time MLA, gradually fell out of favour and paid a price by way of relatively “lighter workload”. However, Capt Yadav, does not regret it. “I continue to stand by all that I have said on the land acquisition policy and also the extension to the Chairman of the board. If anybody thinks I can be cowed down by such moves, he should think again,” he said.

The government, on its part, says that Capt Yadav has not reason to feel he has been discriminated against. “The Chief Minister has only tried to strike a balance in the distribution of departments. The government is laying a lot of emphasis on the power sector and this particular portfolio has traditionally been with a senior minister.

Top

 

Hold mayoral poll within stipulated time: Court 
Sunit Dhawan/TNS

Gurgaon, June 15
A local court has directed the Gurgaon Divisional Commissioner to hold the first meeting of the newly elected members of the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon and the election of Mayor and his deputies within the prescribed period of 30 days as per the provisions of the Haryana Municipal Corporation Act, 1994.

The first meeting, which was scheduled to be held yesterday, had been postponed till June 21 as Divisional Commissioner TK Sharma, who was slated to preside over the meeting, had to attend some other official meeting in Chandigarh.

The first meeting of the corporation would have included the oath-taking ceremony of the councillors as well as the election of the Mayor, Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor of the corporation.

After receiving a communiqué regarding the postponement of the meeting, Nisha Singh, councillor from Ward No. 30, challenged the move in the District Courts yesterday.

In her petition, Nisha Singh maintained that as per Section 53 of the Haryana Municipal Corporation Act, 1994, the first meeting of the corporation had to be held within 30 days of the publication of the election results.

“As per the Act, the election of Mayor and his deputies should also be held within 30 days,” she asserted. Nisha said as the election result was published on May 18, the meeting should have been held latest by June 17 and hence, the postponement of the meeting till June 21 would be unconstitutional.

The petition came up for hearing in the Court of Additional Civil Judge (Senior Division) Narender Kaur today.

Taking a serious note of the matter, the Judge directed the Gurgaon Divisional Commissioner to follow the provisions of Section 53 and other provisions of the Haryana Municipal Corporation Act, 1994, and hold the meeting within the prescribed period of 30 days.

Meanwhile, in a statement issued here today, the district unit of the INLD welcomed the court’s decision.

Top

 

Rise of Anna Hazare blamed on Opposition
Tribune News Service

Fatehabad, June 15
Former minister and Congress MLA from Nalwa Sampat Singh said here today that the manner in which Anna Hazare and his team of civil society were trying to “impose” their will on the elected representatives would be dangerous for democracy in the country.

The Congress MLA said the country had a well-educated economist as its Prime Minister in Manmohan Singh whose honesty and integrity were unquestionable.

He maintained it was for the first time in the history of the country that a union government had prosecuted its own ministers and MPs.

Sampat Singh said the opposition parties, which were frustrated after the second term of the UPA Government, were responsible for the rise of “Anna Hazare phenomenon” in the country’s polity.

The MLA said that calling Anna Hazare the second Mahatma Gandhi was not appropriate as he did not enjoy the popularity the Father of the Nation did.

He called upon Anna and his civil society not to create undue interference in the functioning of elected representatives as enacting laws was the work of Parliament and not of civil society. 

Top

 

Commercial Activity from Houses
Take action, high court orders govt
Saurabh Malik/TNS

Chandigarh, June 15
Tightening the screws around those carrying out commercial activities without authorisation from residential premises, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has made it clear that the government was expected to act against them.

Justice Ranjit Singh has also made it clear that it that the government is bound to initiate action “in accordance with law” against such activities.

The observations came on a civil writ petition filed this year by Hisar District Haryana Govt.Gazetted Officers House Building Co-op. Society Limited.

The directions assume significance as the carrying out of illegal and unauthorised profit-making activities from the housing societies and other residential areas in this part of the region is common . More often than not, the government desists from taking any action in such cases due to political and populist reasons.

In its petition the Hisar-based society had sought directions to the authorities concerned to check unauthorised commercial activities being carried out by its members from their residential accommodations.

Taking up the petition, Justice Ranjit Singh observed the grievance of the petitioner-society is that some of its members are carrying out commercial activities from their residential accommodations.

Justice Ranjit Singh added the petitioner-society has already approached the powers that be in the state government and other appropriate authorities for the redressal of their grievance.

Putting the onus to act on the government, Justice Ranjit Singh directed: “Let the petitioner-society pursue its representation with the respondent-government.

“It is expected of the government to take action in accordance with law in case any unauthorised activities are being carried out from residential premises”.

With these observations, the writ petition stands disposed of.

Top

 

Not in politics for personal gains, says Kanda 
Sushil Manav/TNS

Sirsa, June 15
Haryana Minister of State for Home and Urban Local Bodies Gopal Kanda said today that he was not in politics for any ministerial post, office or the benefits associated with such posts.

Kanda, who was recently in the news for returning his official car and security staff after some remarks by Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda during his visit here on Saturday, said he had joined politics for serving people and the only thing he wanted was respect for himself and his constituents.

The minister was in the town today as the chief guest at a function to mark Kabir Jayanti in the local grain market.

Talking to The Tribune, Kanda, who worships his Guru Tara Baba and has set up a sprawling “Tara Baba Kutiya” named after him, said he had earned enough riches by his blessings and was not among those who saw politics as a medium for earning wealth.

“I have rather been spending from my own pocket for the development of Sirsa as I have to keep the promises made to my people at the time of my election,” the minister said.

Kanda said he had no issues with Sirsa MP Ashok Tanwar, but felt that some Congressmen, who had lost the election in the last Assembly polls, were jealous of him.

Speaking at the Kabir Jayanti function, Kanda said he believed in the teachings of Saint Kabir, who taught that one should rise above self and think for the others.

Kanda unveiled a statue of Saint Kabir at the newly set up Kabir Chowk.

Kanda also donated Rs 51,000 for the construction of a roof to the poor family of Rekha and Mamta, when he was informed that they did not have a roof for the family and were unable to build it.

Top

 

IGP’s death accidental, says Gurgaon police
…but facts seem to belie claim
Sunit Dhawan / TNS

Gurgaon, June 15
After remaining tightlipped for several days over the circumstances leading to the death of IGP MS Ahlawat, the Gurgaon police has finally broken its silence.

Giving the official version here today, Gurgaon Police Commissioner SS Deswal maintained that as per their information, Ahlawat had gone to see a flat along with his brother-in-law, Col Harsh Vardhan (retd).

“While surveying it, Ahlawat slipped and fell off the balcony of the fourth-floor flat,” the Commissioner said, adding that the former IGP had died accidentally.

Deswal maintained that the IGP’s brother-in-law had stated that Ahlawat slipped and fell from the balcony in his presence.

However, there are certain gaping holes in the police version, which does not match the circumstances preceding Ahlawat’s death.

For instance, there is no mention of the woman acquaintance - Praveen - of IGP Ahlawat, who he had supposedly gone to meet. Then, the balcony of the said flat in Freedom Park Life Apartments in Sector 57 here was sufficiently high and it does not seem probable that somebody could have accidentally tripped over it.

Apart from the circumstantial mismatches, the conspicuous silence maintained by the local police on the matter for several days (the official version has come on the fourth day of the incident) also indicates that there is something more than what meets the eye.

A pertinent question to ask is that if the matter was as simple as it is now being made out to be, why did the police avoid issuing any official statement till now?

With the family members of the deceased also remaining mum, it seems that operation cover-up is now officially on, with the police merely playing the second fiddle in the case.

Top

 

Minor boy saved from wedlock
Tribune News Service

Sirsa, June 15
Timely intervention by Child Marriage Prohibition Officer Sadhana Mittal helped avert the marriage of a minor boy at Chak Sahiba village in this district today. The boy, Jaswant (19), was to marry Saoja Bai of Tibbi village of Rajasthan on June 17. However, some unidentified person tipped off Mittal about this.

Mittal summoned the family members of the boy and told them that it was illegal for a boy to marry under the age of 21.

She told them that action under the law would be initiated against them in case they married him on the scheduled date.

Though the family members of the boy said the boy was above 21, the watchman of the village informed that as per the register, the boy was born on December 26, 1991. With Mittal’s effort, the family members of the boy cancelled his marriage and gave a written undertaking to this effect.

Top

 

Three youths killed in road mishap
Tribune News Service

Gurgaon, June 15
Three youths, including two students, were killed and another injured when their car hit a stationary dumper on the Delhi-Jaipur National Highway No. 8 near Rajiv Chowk here this morning.

The dumper was parked on the road and its occupants were about to change its tyre when a speeding Swift D’Zire car hit it from the rear. So intense was the impact of the collision that of the four occupants of the car, three were killed.

The deceased have been identified as Rohit, Aditya (both students) and Sanjeev, who worked with a private company. Their fourth companion, Jatin, has been hospitalised and his condition is stated to be critical. All four youths are said to be from Delhi.

The police has registered a case and sent the bodies for a postmortem examination. The dumper involved in the mishap has been impounded, but its driver is said to be absconding.

Top

 

Brother booked on charge of killing retired cop
Tribune News Service

Rohtak, June 15
A retired policeman was killed while his wife was injured when the former cop’s younger brother allegedly attacked the couple with a farm implement while they were asleep in their house at Aasan village in the district last night.

The police has registered a case against Harbir Singh, who fled from the spot after allegedly committing the crime.

The police said the reason behind the crime was not clear.

The victims — Jagbir Singh and his wife Murti Devi — were asleep in their house when Jagbir’s younger brother, who has reportedly turned a “sadhu”, attacked the duo. They were taken to the PGIMS where Jagbir succumbed to his injuries while his wife is being treated there. 

Top

 

RTI activist alleges threat to life
Our Correspondent

Kaithal, June 15
RTI activist and whistleblower Baljeet Singh Nayak of Kalayat has allegedly received threats to his life from some persons who are allegedly in illegal occupation of municipal land and common land worth crores.

In a complaint lodged with SP Simardeep Singh, copies of which were released to mediapersons, Baljeet Singh has alleged that he had launched a campaign to free the municipal land from the illegal occupation of the land mafia.

He had filed a PIL in the Punjab and Haryana High Court and had also sought information from the Kalayat Municipal Committee under the RTI Act.

He is yet to get the information.

The land mafia had threatened him to leave Kalayat town or be ready to face the consequences.

Baljit has demanded police protection. 

Top

 

Protest against delay in nabbing murder accused
Tribune News Service

Jind, June 15
Members of the Balmiki community staged a demonstration here today in protest against the alleged failure of the police to arrest all those involved in the murder of Virender, head of the local auto-rickshaw operators’ union, here about a fortnight ago. The protesters submitted a memorandum to the district administration and started an indefinite dharna near the mini-secretariat here to seek appropriate police action in the case.

Demanding immediate arrest of the accused, the protesters sought a government job and financial

compensation of Rs 10 lakh to next of kin of the deceased.

Stating that six persons were involved in the murder, the memorandum said the police had been able to arrest just one of the accused while the complaint had identified all accused in the case. It also questioned the release of Sat Narayan, an accused in the case, by the police recently.

Alleging that the police had been acting in a baised manner, it asked the authorities to hand over the case to other officials. The protesters staging a dharna outside the mini-secretariat said the agitation would continue till their demands were met.

The deceased, the sole earning member in the family, is survived by his wife and five minor kids. Earlier, the protesters held a march . In another incident, the police arrested three youths--Sanjay, Pinku and Sanju-- and seized three pistols and cartridges from various spots in the district. 

Top

 

1,556 units of blood collected in Sirsa
Tribune News Service

Sirsa, June 15
To mark World Blood Donors Day, the district authorities organised eight blood donation camps in the district where 1,556 units of blood were collected. DC Yudhbir Singh Khyalia, who is also president of the Indian Society of Blood Transfusion and Immunohaematology, visited seven camps.

As many as 400 units of blood were collected at Kaluana village, 350 at Dabwali , 300 at Ellenabad , 150 at Ludesar, 120 at Rania and 103 at Kalanwali.

With a collection of over 81,000 units of blood in 545 blood donation camps organised in the past one year, Sirsa has already earned a place in the Limca Book of Records, said an official spokesman.

The district authorities have created two websites, www.bravoblooddonor.org and www.isbti.org, uploading the personal details of 1,24,524 voluntary blood donors.

Top

 

Pensioners block national highway

Kaithal, June 15
Old-age pensioners today blocked the Hisar-Chandigarh national highway in Kalayat town, 25 km from here, for more than an hour in protest against the delay in distribution of pension. They expressed resentment over the delay in distribution of pension for the past three months.

Vehicles remained stranded owing to the blockade, causing great inconvenience to the road-users.

DSP Ravinder Tomar and Kaithal tehsildar Rajbir Dhiman reached the site of protest and persuaded the protesters to lift their dharna, assuring them that they would help the pensioners get their due. — OC

Top

 

Everester discriminated against: INLD

Rewari, June 15
INLD legislator Rao Bahadur Singh (Nangal Chaudhary) and district unit chief Sunil Chaudhary have taken exception to the Chief Minister’s alleged discrimination against Mount Everest climber Sunita Singh Gujjar hailing from Rewari district. 

The two INLD leaders pointed out that while Mamata Sauda, an Everest conqueror of the Rohtak region, had been given the post of DSP and a hefty cash reward by the Chief Minister, Sunita Singh of Gujjar Majri village in Rewari district had been completely ignored. — OC

Top

 





HOME PAGE | Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Opinions |
| Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi |
| Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | E-mail |