Rohtak, July 13
The University Grants Commission (UGC) seems to be upset over the reports of “selection of a large number of ‘non- qualified’ teachers” in the private-aided colleges during the past about couple of years.

It has shot off a letter to the Department of Higher Education, seeking a clarification and the status of the appointments made of teachers who had not been NET or SAT qualified.

The move of the UGC comes in the wake of a complaint lodged by a resident here, who had alleged that the private unaided colleges in the state had appointed several candidates as lecturers or assistant professors, who had not cleared the NET or the SAT exam, a mandatory requirement for such a job.

It is claimed that managements of some of such institutions could be hand in glove with the authorities of the Higher Education Department that resulted in the state government taking steps to relax the qualification required on the grounds that there had been unavailability of NET/SAT qualified candidates. It is alleged in the complaint that the announcement was made through a notification that was issued just a couple of weeks before such appointments.

The notification of relaxing the norms was withdrawn as soon as the recruitment process was over. “This violation and bypassing the rules and norms set by the UGC had been going on for the past about two years and majority of the candidates who got appointment as lecturers in such institutions had been either MPhil or PhD, claimed the complainant, Reena, who is now a local resident and has qualified NET.

She claimed that one of the leading colleges of Bhiwani had ignored her claim for appointment as lecturer in 2008 and had appointed a candidate who had just done MPhil, and had been backed by the recommendation of an influential person. “Some of the colleges had even been appointing staff on the basis of caste and influence-weilding and had been ignoring merit and qualification set by the UGC,” she alleged.

While it is reported that a number of appointments of ‘unqualified teachers’ could be around 200 during this period, this is the first time that the UGC has taken cognisance and issued a notice to the Commissioner, Higher Education Department of the state government to seek a reply and clarification on the matter.

Nuh (Mewat), July 13
All government schemes to check population growth by promoting small-family norms seem to have failed miserably in this small Haryana town, located in the backwaters of the state.

THE MORE THE MERRIER: Mohammed Ishaaq and Bismillah at Akeda village in Nuh (Mewat) district. Tribune photo: Sayeed Ahmed

According to the latest census figures, an average family in Mewat comprises eight members, a proven fact as one goes around the sleepy town with a predominant rural character.

Every other person on the street turns out to be a “proud” parent of five or more children, who refuses to succumb to the monetary temptations associated with tubectomies and vasectomies despite his/her not-so-good financial position.

Then there are a few like Mohammed Ishaq and Bismillah, a middle-aged couple of Akeda village in the district, who have taken the belief that children represent the grace of almighty rather too seriously.

In about 35 years of their married life, this couple has parented as many as 23 children, their scanty resources notwithstanding. Though all of their children could not survive, they have set a benchmark of sorts in their own right.

Though the couple hit the headlines in the international media after Bismillah gave birth to their 23rd child in 2007, they are disillusioned with the government as well as the media.

“We do not have a BPL ration card till date and the government machinery has not done us any good to speak of,” says Ishaq. He also accuses the mediapersons of exhibiting his family to further their own interest without getting anything worthwhile for them.

While village sarpanch Jamshed maintains that Ishaq had not got the correct number of his children registered in the government record, other village elders observe that illiteracy, coupled with early marriages, had led to the situation.

Most local residents not only refuse to undergo surgeries to check pregnancies after he birth of one or two offspring, but also say a firm no to all sorts of contraceptives as they consider children “Allah ki den”.

This mindset has, however, a silver lining, too. The Meo Muslim-dominated Mewat area is the best in the country in terms of sex ratio.

Nonetheless, the miserable health and education facilities in the area leave much to be desired. As of now, Bismillah, who belongs to Alwar in Rajasthan, continues to wait for a healing touch after having undergone so much and delivered so many children.

Hisar, July 13
The Chief of the Army Staff, Gen VK Singh, inaugurated a 250-bedded Military Hospital at the local cantonment today.

The COAS dedicated the hospital to the men in uniform as also to the veterans of Hisar and adjoining districts of Haryana and Rajasthan. The function was attended by GOC-in-C South Western Command, Director-General, Armoured Forces Medical Services (Army), GOC 1 Corps, and GOC, Hisar Military Station, among other civilian and military dignitaries.

This is the 111th hospital of the Army. When fully commissioned, the hospital will have nine medical specialties. It will also have a blood bank, an ICU and a physiotherapy department.

The Army chief, accompanied by his wife Bharti Singh, President AWWA, visited the various wards of the hospital and distributed hampers among the patients. He interacted with the doctors and paramedical staff of the hospital and encouraged them to put in their best efforts to achieve patient satisfaction. He appreciated the hard work put in by the station units in bringing up the hospital itself and the extensive area surrounding it.

The Army chief also had an interactive session with veterans where he presented electronic scooters to the differently abled soldiers in keeping with the theme, “The year of Differently Disabled”. A large number of ex-servicemen, drawn from nine districts of Haryana and Rajasthan, interacted with the Chief of Army Staff.

Hisar, July 13
The Hisar Jan Sangharsh Samiti has given a call for a bandh in the city tomorrow over the failure of the police to arrest the culprits responsible for the murder of Vicky Arora, a juice vendor of the Patel Nagar area, last week.

The decision was taken at a meeting organised by the samiti at the Punjabi Dharamshala here today. Representatives of political parties and local social organisations took part in the meeting.

It was decided to start an indefinite dharna at the Chhotu Ram Chowk here from July 18, if the police failed to nab the culprits by then.

The meeting expressed its concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in the city. The Speaker lamented that despite a sudden increase in crime over the past few weeks, the police had taken no steps to curb it. There had been several instances of motorcycle-borne youths firing randomly at public places. One of the speakers even wanted the SP shifted from Hisar in the view of the failure of the police to curb crime.

Meanwhile, shopkeepers of the Patel Nagar area kept their establishments closed for the fifth day in a row in a protest against the murder. Ajay Chautala, general-secretary, Indian National Lok Dal, visited the residence of the slain juice vendor to express his grief over his death. On the other hand the police has announced a reward of Rs 10,000 for clues leading to the arrest of the culprits.

Chandigarh, July 13
The state government will set up a “Foreign Investment and NRI Cell” for attracting foreign investment and redressing problems faced by the NRIs of Haryana domicile.The cell will be located in Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC), which has been designated as a nodal agency for investment related matters.

The Home Department will act as a nodal agency for addressing grievances relating to property, marital disputes, law and order and other related social issues of the NRIs.

The cell will have a web portal, “Connect Haryana Forum”, to act as a single-point contact for the NRIs and the PIOs and also for building the necessary database. The department will nominate a single point of contact to whom all relevant correspondence or grievances received in the cell, in electronic or paper form, will be forwarded and monitored along with a “status-tracking facility” to the person making such correspondence.

An advisory committee under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister has also been constituted at the apex level to review the action taken by the cell from time to time. The Industries Minister, the Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, the Principal Secretaries, Home, Industries & Commerce, Town & Country Planning and Public Relations, Chief Administrator (HUDA) and Director, Industries & Commerce, will be its members.

Fatehabad, July 13
Additional District and Sessions Judge AK Singh Panwar today sentenced to life the wife, mother-in-law and father-in-law of a man for strangling him to death at Dhani Shergarh on October 5, 2009. The court has also ordered the three convicts to pay Rs 25,000 each as fine.

Gurnam Singh, a resident of Dhani Shergarh in Ratia, had lodged a complaint that his grandson, Balbir Singh, had some marital discord with his wife, Chhinder Kaur, a resident of Meond Kalan village. He alleged that Chhinder Kaur came with Bhana Ram, father, Banso Bai, mother, and Mithan Singh, minor brother, to Dhani Shergarh on October 5 and strangled his grandson to death.

The complainant alleged that while Chhinder Kaur, Banso Bai and Mithan Singh held Balbir Singh’s hands, Bhana Ram tied a rope around his neck and dragged him, resulting in his death.

After killing the victim, the accused escaped with a buffalo tied at the victim’s house. Mithan Singh being a minor, has his case pending before the juvenile court.

Sirsa, July 13
In an incident that does not augur well for the image of the district police, son of a cop, working in the local SP’s office, lost his life in a clash over property when he had gone there with a party allegedly for forcible possession of a land.

The victim, Lovely, a son of a cop, Mangat Ram, at present posted in the SP’s office, had accompanied a party to extend his support, but he was gunned down in a clash that ensued.

Jagsir Singh, a former sarpanch of the village, had a dispute with another villager, Gurmel Singh, over the possession of the property, which according to the former’s claim, he had been tilling for several years.

Lovely had gone with a nephew of Gurmel Singh allegedly to dispossess Jagsir Singh and others of the land through force.

Both sides accused each other of illegal possession of the land and laid their respective claims over it.

A clash ensued, resulting in injuries to four persons.

Sant Lal and Lovely were seriously injured and were shifted to Hisar with bullet injuries, but the latter died on the way.

The police has booked Jagsir Singh, Nirbhay Singh, Nirmal Singh and another person for murder.

SP Satinder Kumar Gupta said the victim's father worked in his office, adding that that he was not a party to the dispute, but had accompanied one party to the site of the clash.

Sirsa, July 13
Confusion prevails among the heads of colleges from Sirsa and Fatehabad districts due to the partial affiliation of their institutions to the Chaudhary Devi Lal University here.

It was evident from the apprehensions expressed by Principals of various affiliated colleges at their meeting here in the CV Raman Science Block of the university.

The Vice-Chancellor, KC Bhardwaj, presided over the meeting.

A majority of Principals from the 42 colleges of the two districts, recently affiliated with the university after disaffiliating from Kurukshetra University, were present.

The state government, through a recent notification, has affiliated colleges from Sirsa and Fatehabad with the CDLU with a rider that only students of first year of every course will be affiliated with the CDLU from the current year while those from the second and final years of the three-year degree courses will remain on the rolls of Kurukshetra University.

The confusion among Principals of these colleges was over the partial affiliation of their colleges with the CDLU and its possible fallout.

Dr Shamim Sharma, Principal of Government College, Dabwali, expressed doubt as to how would the colleges be able to manage their extra-curricular and co-curricular activities with some of their students affiliated to the new university while others would be affiliated with the old one.

“It is not clear whether the colleges will have to participate in the sports meets and youth festivals of both universities,” she said. Some other Principals echoed the sentiment.

Dr DK Kaushik, Principal of MM College, Fatehabad, voiced the concerns of heads of some other colleges from Fatehabad district and complained that admissions to their institutions had dwindled this year due to the recent notification of the government.

He complained that many students from their district had preferred to seek admissions in Hisar to remain affiliated to Kurukshetra University.

Some Principals demanded extension in the last date for admission.

Dr Bhardwaj assured the principals that he would sort out all these issues in his meeting with the Vice-Chancellor of Kurukshetra University.

Karnal, July 13
The brutality of the Karnal police was in a full display here today when two youths, arrested on suspicion, were mercilessly beaten, abused and subjected to torture in Sadar police station in media’s presence.

The cops demonstrated how cruel and callous they could be in dealing with the people in their custody and take the law into their hands by thrashing the arrested youths and showering choicest abuses on them.

The police arrested the youths last night from Indri road on a tip-off that some youths, dressed as women, were planning to loot the passers-by and truck drivers. Iron rods, women’s clothes, bangles, a chuni, batteries, cosmetics and Rs 7,500 were seized from them.

There was no formal complaint against the duo but the police pounced on them as soon as they were brought to the police station.

Preetam Saini, in charge, Sadar police station, said the accused, Shiv Kumar and Rajesh, residents of Nagli village, had been booked under Sections 398 and 401, IPC. 

Panchkula, July 13
In a severe jolt to the CBI’s investigation of the infamous kidney scam of Gurgaon that rocked the nation in 2008, the first prosecution witness turned hostile in the Special CBI court here today.

Defence counsel Amit Gupta said first prosecution witness Shakil, who had also lost his kidney in the case, in his statement before the court had failed to identify the main accused, Dr Amit Kumar. Shakil said he had never seen the first accused and had seen him for the first time on the television after the cracking of the scam. 

Kaithal, July 13
Six members of an inter-district gang of dacoits, who had looted cash from a liquor vend in Deoban village, were arrested here today.Simardeep Singh, SP, said the police had obtained a two-day remand for the recovery of arms and cash from them.

 He said on the July 10 night, three gangsters threatened employees of a liquor vend in Rajound village with a sickle and looted Rs 4,000 and two mobiles from them. On receiving a tip-off, a police team chased the gangsters. However, they ditched the police and left their vehicle behind. Later the police managed to arrest them. 

Sirsa, July 13
The police is still clueless about the alleged kidnapping of Pankaj, who suddenly disappeared from his house on Monday night. His family got an SMS from his mobile phone demanding a ransom of Rs 25 lakh.

The person demanding the ransom has been using Pankaj’s mobile phone to send SMSes to the family. Though the family members have called on his mobile phone several times since Monday, they have not received any response so far. — TNS