Panchkula, June 20
An agriculture marketing institute will be set up at Panchkula to provide training in marketing to farmers and agriculture officers, said Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda after inaugurating Kisan Bhawan here today.

Hooda also inaugurated the video-conferencing facility for the Karnal grain market by talking to farmers in Karnal and opened a kisan call centre at Kisan Bhawan.

Hooda, while advocating the “adoption of vertical growth in agriculture”, said horizontal growth in agricultural production had been achieved and states like Haryana and Punjab were making optimum use of land. Except in few states, there was no further scope for expanding the agricultural area, he added.

“We should adopt modern techniques like green house, drip and sprinkler irrigation as is being done in Israel. In a green house, vegetables up to 80 tonnes per acre are produced, whereas the best prevailing farming techniques can only produce eight to 10 tonnes,” he added.

The Chief Minister said farmers should adopt water-harvesting techniques like drip irrigation, which used only 20 per cent water and had a better agricultural production. He said to minimise wastage and losses while transporting produce from farms to markets, a world-class terminal market was being set up at Gannaur where every facility would be provided to the farmers.

The state government had set up a Center of Excellence for Vegetables at Gharaunda in collaboration with the Government of Israel and 12 more centres would be set up, for which farmers would be provided 90 per cent subsidy, he added.

Hooda said the Working Group for Agricultural Production, of which he is a member, had recommended a new formula for fixing the minimum support price for farm produce as per which the farmers would be given 50 per cent profit on their cost. He said the recommendation was important for ensuring sustainable growth.

Chandigarh, June 20
The Haryana Government has earned over Rs 230 crore from auction of mining rights in seven districts. The figure is likely to touch Rs 250 crore when mining sites in Mahendragarh district will be put up for auction tomorrow.

The auctions in Panchkula, Ambala, Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Faridabad and Bhiwani districts were held from June 16 till today.

The high auction bids are due to the fact that mining of construction material like sand and boulders has been banned under a court order for the past more than one year. This has pushed up the prices of sand and bajri enormously, affecting construction activities and development works.

The court banned mining in Haryana because prior environment clearance is must before starting mining operations. However, the law says that if the mining site is less than five hectares, no prior environment clearance is required. Interestingly, while the mining was stopped in Haryana, it is continuing unabated in Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. In Punjab also, mining has been allowed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court till June 30.

Haryana has auctioned mining sites measuring less than five hectares so that the environmental hurdle can be overcome. According to sources, Punjab is also planning to auction mining sites of less than five hectares after June 30.

Meanwhile, a PIL has been filed in the High Court, contending that the sites measuring less than five hectares are being put on auction to circumvent the environment laws. The court allowed the Haryana Government to conduct auctions, but the bids would be accepted only after the court decision in the PIL. The case is fixed for hearing on June 23.

The Panchkula sites, 25 in number, fetched about Rs 56 crore against the reserve price of about Rs 28.5 crore. The Ambala sites, 21 in number, fetched about Rs 15 crore against the reserve price of Rs 5.66 crore.

In Yamunanagar, the mining rights of 23 sites were auctioned for about Rs 23 crore, while six sites in Kurukshetra went for Rs 2 crore. In Karnal, seven sites were auctioned for about Rs 43 crore against the reserve price of about Rs 28 crore.

Eight sites in Faridabad and Palwal districts went for about Rs 16 crore against the reserve price of about Rs 12 crore. In Bhiwani district, eight sites, the reserve price of which was about Rs 35 crore, were auctioned for about Rs 66 crore. 

Sirsa/Fatehabad, June 20
With monsoon round the corner, the authorities in Sirsa and Fatehabad do not seem prepared for threats of floods from the Ghaggar.

Although the authorities have taken several steps in this direction, people allege that these would prove too little and too late. “The work on strengthening of weak points on the 14.672-km-long Rangoi Nullah and the 4.5-km-long Rangoi diversion is on full swing,” said Om Parkash, Executive Engineer, Tohana Water Services Division at Fatehabad.

Similarly, the Fatehabad Water Services Division is in the process of increasing the capacity of the Rangoi Kharif Channel (RKC) from 500 cusecs to 675 cusecs at initials reduced distances (RDs) and corresponding hike in the capacity at the lower RDs of the 47-km-long RKC, said Satish Jinawa, XEN, Fatehabad.

The work is being taken under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Scheme and Rs 5.25 crore is to be spent on this. Jinawa said nearly 70 per cent of the work had already been completed.

However, on the 40-km stretch of the RKC falling under Sirsa district, over 20 per cent of the task has been completed, said SP Parihar, XEN, Nahrana Water Services Divison, Sirsa. Similarly, work on increasing the creek of Ghaggar downstream of the Ottu Lake in Sirsa is also at a very tardy pace, allege villagers.

Hundreds of private pipes installed in the Ghaggar by farmers to irrigate their fields had resulted in breaches at several places of the river last year. The Irrigation Department had said they would ask farmers to install specially-designed pipes to prevent breaches in future, but the authorities have not been able to make farmers comply with it. “We will make sure that the farmers comply with the directions and we will not hesitate to issue magisterial orders, if needed,” said the DC.

Sirsa, June 20
Sirsa is among the towns of the state chosen for 100 per cent coverage of water supply and sewerage under the Economic Stimulus Package during the next three years.

The Public Health Department has prepared detailed project reports for a comprehensive coverage of water supply and sewerage in the town for the prospective population in 2025 and 2040, respectively. Deputy Commissioner Yudhbir Singh Khyalia today said the water supply project would cost Rs 72.23 crore and that of sewerage Rs 56.59 crore.

He said under the water supply scheme, drinking water at the rate of 135 litres per capita per day would be supplied to the people of Sirsa town.

Another waterworks, with a capacity of 20 million litre per day, would be constructed on the Ottu road and 115 acres had been acquired for the purpose. 

Chandigarh, June 20
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has made it clear that an order admitting a petition after due hearing, instead of disposing it of finally, cannot be reviewed or recalled.

Virtually passing strictures on a lawyer for filing a review petition against the order of admitting a writ petition, Justice Ranjit Singh has asserted “the counsel needs to acquaint himself with the process and procedural provisions”.

A cost of Rs 5,000 has been imposed in the matter. The ruling came on a petition challenging an appointment filed by Rend Bala against Rohtak-based Maharshi Dayanand University.

Justice Ranjit Singh observed an application had been filed by an advocate for seeking a review of the order admitting the writ petition, passed on February 4, 2007.

“Strangely, the grounds for the review or recall are that that the case admitted will be listed in the regular list after a span of 10 to 20 years, when the petition shall have no value for anyone.

“It is accordingly stated that the order admitting the writ petition filed under Article 226 is in violation of the principles of natural justice, as justice delayed is justice denied…. The applicant, therefore, has pleaded that the order is not sustainable in the eyes of law and is against the spirit of the Constitution. The prayer accordingly is to recall this order and an order be passed for listing the writ petition in the ordinary motion list for final disposal,” Justice Ranjit Singh observed.

After going through the arguments, Justice Ranjit Singh asserted that a review can be sought after the discovery of “new and important matters for evidence” which were not within the petitioner’s knowledge or could not be earlier produced by him “The counsel appearing for the petitioner apparently has no understanding of the legal principles and the position and has framed this application in a totally misconceived manner….

“The review application, as framed, is totally misconceived…. The writ petition was admitted after affording full opportunity to the counsel for the petitioner, who had then appeared for him…. “The application as framed is certainly not maintainable, worded in an inappropriate manner and is misconceived. The same is accordingly dismissed with Rs 5,000 to be deposited in the account of the Legal Service Authority, UT.

Chandigarh, June 20
File petitions in a causal manner, and be prepared to pay costs - the Punjab and Haryana High Court has made it clear.

Taking up a petition filed in a “very very causal manner”, Justice Ajai Lamba has specified that re-filing of such a plea would be allowed subject to the payment of costs to the High Court Registry.

The directions came on a petition filed by Jal Singh against the state of Haryana and other respondents.

As the petition came up for hearing, Justice Lamba asserted: “In the index of the petition, the memo of parties reads as Jal Singh vs. state of Haryana, etc.

“In the list of dates and events, the memo of parties reads as Lal Singh vs. state of Haryana, etc.

“The memo of parties reads as Ravinder Singh s/o Srichand, a resident of Sihol village, tehsil and district Palwal, vs state of Punjab through Commissioner and Secretary to Government of Haryana, Department of Development and Panchayats, Haryana Civil Secretariat, Chandigarh.

“The affidavit filed in support of the pleadings in the petition is of a person named Jal Singh s/o Mul Chand, a resident of Amru village, tehsil and district Palwal.

“Even the respondent number one has been wrongly reflected, as is made out on a bare perusal of the particulars of the respondent.

Taking exception, Justice Lamba asserted: “I find that the petition has been filed in a very very casual manner, without responsibility and, therefore, adjudication is not possible. “Precious time of the court has been wasted. It is evident that none of the counsel, through whom the petition has been filed, has gone through the petition, before signing or filing the same.

“Counsel contends that he would like to file a fresh petition without errors; and contends that the correct name of the petitioner is Jal Singh s/o Mul Chand, a resident of Amru village, tehsil and district Palwal”.

Justice Lamba directed: “In case a petition is filed in the name of the said person, the same would be accepted by the Registry only on showing a receipt of deposit of Rs 10,000 as costs in the Punjab and Haryana High Court Lawyers Welfare Fund by the counsel through whom the petition is filed”.

Gurgaon, June 20
The facility of fixing online appointment for getting a driving licence made on the pattern of Delhi will soon be started in Gurgaon, after which the applicants will not have to waste their time for getting the licences made. This was stated by the Deputy Commissioner while interacting with the newly appointed HCS Judicial Officers in a meeting held at Mini Secretariat here today.

Meena said an SMS alert facility would also be added to the service for tracking the file submitted for a driving licence.

When a licence will be ready, an SMS will be sent on the applicant’s mobile, asking him/her to collect the same from the Registering Authority. This will also save time of the applicants.

During the meeting, Meena told the officers about the functioning of the Deputy Commissioner, Additional Deputy Commissioner, SDM, DDPO, City Magistrate and other officials of the district administration. He also informed that the state government had started a web portal harsamadhan.com for receiving the complaints online and sending these to the officials concerned for redressal. 

Ambala, June 20
Deputy Commissioner Sameer Pal Srow has taken a serious view of alleged malpractices by the management of Banodi Sugar Mills in Naraingarh in agricultural loans for farmers from the State Bank of India.

The DC has directed Naraingarh SDM OP Sharma to investigate the matter and take action against the sugar mill for allegedly misguiding and causing inconvenience to the farmers. Sources disclosed that the farmers were paid a token amount of Rs 4,000 by the sugar mill management for signing the loan documents in spite of the fact that the farmers did not own land and were not involved in sugarcane cultivation.

The SDM said notices were being sent to the sugarcane growers, sugar mill management and officials of the banks and stern action would be taken against all those found involved in the irregularities.

Sharma has already recorded the statement of several farmers and bank officials who had secured agriculture loans from the State Bank of India on June 18. On the complaint of farmers, Maan Singh and Jaspal Singh, the police has registered a case against the management of Banodi Sugar Mills in Naraingarh.

Ram Singh Kodwa, a senior INLD leader, said the sugar mill management has exploited hundreds of farmers in getting them fake loans from the bank on subsidised rate of seven per cent interest.

Rohtak, June 20
“INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala has no moral right to ask the Union Government to bring the Prime Minister under the purview of the Lokpal Bill as he himself tried his best to degrade the post and authority of the Haryana Lokpal, which came into being in 1998,” said HPCC spokesperson Ved Prakash Vidrohi in a statement issued here today.

He alleged that Chautala was now trying to cash in on the sentiments of the people by issuing statements regarding the powers of the Lokpal.

Charging the INLD leader with double standards, he claimed that it was during the regime of Chautala that an attempt was made to degrade the office of the Haryana Lokpal (Lokayukta) and this resulted in the unceremonial removal of the then Lokayukta, IP Vashisht.

He said in Haryana the Lokpal Bill was passed in 1998 under the chief ministership of Bansi Lal and the Lokpal had the authority to investigate complaints against the Chief Minister, ministers and other officials of the state government regarding corruption.

He claimed that the then Lokayukta was forced to resign after the INLD came to power in July 1999 as the then Chautala government introduced amendments to the Lokpal Bill, reducing the powers of the Lokayukta, who was no longer authorised to investigate complaints of corruption against the Chief Minister.

Sirsa, June 20
The police today claimed to have unravelled the mystery behind a woman’s murder at Sangatpura village in this district and has arrested two contract killers, who had, in fact, gone to kill the woman’s husband. Assailants had gunned down Krishna Devi (50) at her residence on the night of May 24 this year, when her husband had gone to see her daughter in Nadori village in Fatehabad.

Her teenaged son was sleeping outside the house in the open, but he did not notice anyone coming to the house.

The victim’s husband, Parkash Singh, had noticed the woman lying in a pool of blood when he returned home the next morning.

The police had interrogated several persons in this connection, and the family members of the victim had alleged that the police tortured the woman’s teenaged son, a nephew and a brother-in-law through third-degree methods, an allegation later denied by the police.

SP Satinder Kumar Gupta said today the police arrested Gurmel Singh (26) of Theri Mohar Singh village in Sirsa and Lakhwinder Singh (28), a resident of Sardulgarh in Punjab, last evening.

“Gurmel Singh has revealed during interrogation that he used to frequently visit Kahan Singh, dera head of Theri Mohar Singh, who had a professional rivalry with the victim’s husband Parkash Singh, as both practised as “tantriks” in the area,” Gupta added.

The accused has told the police that Kahan Singh felt that his income had dwindled due to Parkash Singh and hence he hired him for eliminating his rival.

The accused, the SP said, had informed the police that Kahan Singh paid him Rs 2 lakh as contract amount and gave him a pistol with four live cartilages to kill Parkash Singh.

Gurmel took the help of his friend Lakhwinder Singh in this crime.

Both the accused reached Sangatpura village on a motorcycle on the fateful night and after parking the bike by the side of the Ghaggar, they walked on foot towards Parkash Singh’s house.

The accused have told the police that they did not intend to kill Krishna Devi and nor did they have any inkling of Parkash Singh’s absence from the house.

However, the victim noticed them enter her house with a pistol and in the fear that she might raise the alarm, they shot her dead and escaped from the scene.

The police said efforts were on to nab Kahan Singh.

Sirsa, June 20
In a bizarre incident, some unidentified persons took away a seven-month-old girl from her parents’ home at Rania town in this district today. Later, the badly charred body of the baby was recovered from outside the house in the evening.

The baby’s father, Gurdeep Singh, is a poor labourer.

The incident has sent shock waves among residents.