Fatehabad, September 9
The standoff over the cremation of farmer Ishwar Singh Siwach was finally resolved today after the intervention of social activist and Team Anna member Prashant Bhushan, who while extending support to the farmers’ agitation, appealed to them to cremate the body.

The farmers, who had especially invited Prashant Bhushan for his support to their movement, were taken aback when the social activist started making this appeal.

Some farmers tried to interrupt Prashant Bhushan but the social activist continued making the appeal.

Later, the core committeedecided to cremate Ishwar Singh’s body acting upon Prashant Bhushan’s appeal. The body was later cremated in the evening in the deceased’s native village of Gorakhpur.

Earlier, Prashant Bhushan visited the dharna site, where the agitating Gorakhpur farmers had been sitting with Ishwar Singh’s body for the past four days and justified the cause they were fighting for.

“Your agitation involves two major issues - how and why a farmer’s land should be acquired by the government and the justification for going for nuclear power plants,” Bhushan said in his speech at the dharna site.

Prashat Bhushan said nuclear power was the most dangerous source of generating electricity, besides being too costly. At a time when all developed countries had announced a moratorium on nuclear power plants and countries like France had even announced to phase out the existing ones, “our government’s rigid stand on setting up a number of power plants in the country smacked some vested interests,” he said.

About the land acquisition policy, Prashant Bhushan said the government should change the laws that authorised it to snatch land of small farmers and give it to private companies for developing shopping malls and flats to earn huge profits. It was ironical that the Land Acquisition Act enacted by the British in 1894 was still being used to deprive farmers of their agriculture land.

Chandigarh, September 9
With a view to eliminating corruption at all levels, the Haryana government has introduced a policy for providing security to whistleblowers and RTI activists.

As per a notification issued by the Haryana Home Department, a whistleblower or RTI activist who has a threat perception of danger to his life or any liberty may submit an application to the Commissioner of Police or the district SP of his usual place of residence in the state.

The authority concerned shall get threat perception analysed from the police or the Criminal Investigation Department expeditiously after receiving the application. Security may then be provided to the 'whistleblower or the RTI activist keeping in view the intensity of the threat perception. If it is found that the applicant has any specific or genuine threat, he shall be provided security forthwith. This process should not take more than one week.

A special cell shall be created for processing the requests of security and monitoring the investigation of cases registered against the whistleblower or RTI activists if the state intelligence chief or the DGP feels that these have been registered due to malice, repression and without reasonable cause.

Protection to whistleblowers or RTI activists shall be made available if the protected disclosure is made in good faith.

If the threat analysis shows that there is no specific threat to any applicant, the application shall be filed. However, a copy of the application along with threat assessment reports and decision of the Commissioner of Police or the district SP concerned shall be sent to the chief of state intelligence or the DGP for perusal. They shall be competent to order provision of security if they are satisfied that there are grounds to do so.

The security provided to whistleblowers or RTI activists may be increased or decreased or withdrawn depending upon the threat perception review or report by the authority concerned which shall be carried out after every six months or at the earliest, as the circumstances so require. 

Chandigarh, September 9
Heavy has been reported from various parts of Haryana over the past 24 hours. Panipat got the highest rainfall of 60 mm.

According to the Meteorological Department, Ambala received a rainfall of 15 mm, Jagadhri 37 mm, Bilaspur, Mustafabad, Radaur and Bawani Khera received a rainfall of 2 mm each today.

Jind received a rainfall of 7 mm, Safidon 46 mm, Pilukhera 1 mm, Karnal 12 mm, Assandh 42 mm, Nilokheri 51 mm, Gharaunda 28 mm, Israna 8 mm, Samalkha 2 mm, Bapoli 10 mm, Thanesar 26 mm, Shahbad and Kaithal 2 mm each, Kalayat 12 mm, Guhla 5 mm, Narnaul 6 mm, Jatusana 29 mm, Kosli 8 mm, Sampla 10 mm, Kalanaur 4 mm, Dabwali 2 mm, Sonepat 42 mm, Gohana 54 mm.

Similarly, Ganaur received a rainfall of 28 mm, Kharkhoda 32 mm, Kalka 20 mm, Panchkula 5 mm, Morni 11 mm, Fatehabad 7 mm, Ratia 1 mm, Tohana 2 mm, Jhajjar 4 mm, Bahadurgarh 9 mm, Beri and Dujana 8 mm each.

The state has so far received a total rainfall of 21,663 mm since July 1 this year. The highest rainfall of 1,061 mm has been recorded at Naraingarh in Ambala district and the lowest (10 mm) at Nagina in Mewat district during this period.

Chandigarh, September 9
The Haryana Civil Medical Services Association (HCMSA) has decried the practice of re-employing retired officers on key posts like the head of department (Director-General, Health Services) and Civil Surgeons.

Rajesh Kumar, president of the association,said here today that this new trend was not only against the rules and conventions but also unjust to the next officer waiting for promotion. This had led to stagnation at the senior level. The post of Additional Director-General, Health Services, and three posts of Director, Health Services, had been lying vacant for one year as a result of which promotions down the line had also been delayed. The officers eligible for these posts had already put in more than 30 years of service and were near retirement. The denial of their last promotional avenue was injustice with them.

The HCMSA chief said he had also written to the Health Minister pointing out that a meeting was held on June 6 last year between Rajan Gupta, Financial Commissioner, Health, then and the association representatives. It was agreed that the demands of the association would be implemented in a stipulated time-bound manner. Nothing was done to implement these demands, rather new disparities and further problems had cropped up.

The association also criticized the practice of writing of ACRs of Civil Surgeons and Deputy Civil Surgeons by non-medical officers instead of the DGHS.

Rajesh Kumar said the demands of the association, which were accepted by Rajan Gupta but had not been implemented included non-practising allowance to be a part of the basic pay for all purposes, non-restoration of the entry-level pay scale from January 1, 2006, and post-graduate increments to all specialists.

The association also criticised the government’s decision to transfer 285 posts of medical officer from primary health centres to general hospitals. This, it said, would affect health services in rural areas

Naraingarh, September 9
The Naraingarh police has seized 400 bags of wheat that were being allegedly smuggled from local ration depots here.

The seized bags reportedly contained around 200 quintals of wheat meant for BPL families. It was being carried in a truck for selling it on the black market.

The vehicle has been impounded and its driver and cleaner, Narinder and Surjit, arrested.

According to the Naraingarh SHO, a case has been registered under various sections of the IPC and the Essential Commodities Act against the truck owner and depot holders Neeraj Malhotra of Naraingarh and Mohinder Bakshi of Panjlasa village.

During the preliminary investigations, the truck driver has reportedly admitted to collecting 100 quintals of wheat from each depot holder for supplying to a grain merchant at Ambala. The driver and cleaner of the truck said they had been doing this business on commission basis for a long time. They were produced before a Magistrate who remanded them in judicial custody.

Hisar, September 9
The Superintendent of Police has directed various police officials to prepare lists of sensitive polling booths in their respective jurisdiction to ensure that adequate security arrangements are in place at such places before the forthcoming byelection to the Hisar Lok Sabha seat.

A police spokesman said here that the SP addressed a meeting of police officials and directed them to prepare lists of anti-social elements who could foment trouble during the election and keep a strict watch over their activities.

He said the traffic police had been asked to start searching vehicles entering Hisar to ensure that no illicit arms were brought in. He said the SP underlined the need for ensuring smooth flow of traffic during the campaigning.

The SP directed all officials to strictly enforce the model code of conduct and also directives issued by the Election Commission from time to time till the conclusion of the poll process.

Deputy Commissioner Amit Aggarwal has also directed all government officials to strictly follow the guidelines of the Election Commission. He said all government officials should ensure neutrality in their functioning. Aggarwal said work on new development projects should be put on hold but the ongoing projects should not be affected. All departments which sanction grants would not release any grants till the poll process was completed. 

Hisar, September 9
Even though the Haryana Janhit Congress (BL) is officially yet to announce its nominee for the Hisar Lok Sabha byelection , its youth wing today despatched a group of young party supporters to all nine assembly segments that comprise the parliamentary segment for campaigning.

The group was flagged off from the party’s election office here on Kaimri Road by HJC chief Kuldeep Bishnoi and his son, Bhavya Bishnoi.

All members of the group will wear Kuldeep Bishnoi masks during their tour of the constituency.

Kuldeep Bishnoi said the INLD would be no match for the HJC in the poll. While his father, late Bhajan Lal, had defeated late Devi Lal in 1972, he himself had humbled Ajay Singh Chautala from the Bhiwani Lok Sabha seat, he added. He asked partymen and voters to ensure the victory of the HJC nominee as a tribute to Bhajan Lal. He said time had come for the people of the constituency to tell the Congress and the INLD that they stood no chance of winning the byelection because of corruption.

Karnal, September 9
The institution of Lokayukta is proving effective in dealing with corruption at high places and receiving a large number of complaints but it needs more teeth to punish the guilty, Haryana Lokayukta, Justice(retd) Preetam Pal said.

Talking to The Tribune here today, he said he had advocated setting up vigilance committees comprising members of civil society at the district level to check corruption in government offices and a proposal in this regard was under consideration of the government.

The Lokayukta had received 544 complaints out of which 385 had almost been dealt with and necessary punitive action, including suspension, transfer, chargesheet and imposing major penalties, initiated. When asked about action against politicians and bureaucrats he said 12 high-profile cases were under investigation and action would be taken if found guilty.

He urged the people to rise against corruption and file complaints against corruption with the Lokayukt without any fear.

He said complaints of corruption against top politicians, including the Chief minister and ministers, and top bureaucrats could be filed with the Lokayukta.

Samalkha, September 9
A woman, who had been allegedly raped in 2008, today tried to set herself ablaze in the local police station in protest against quashing of her complaint. However, the bid was foiled and the woman arrested. A case has been registered against her under Section 309 of the IPC.

Suman, wife of Raja Ram of Gandhi Colony here, had alleged that she was abducted and raped by Roshan of Pasina Kurd village in June, 2008, following which a case was registered against him at the local police station. However, the accused was let off by the police and she was today informed that her case had been quashed as no evidence could be found against the accused. The police claimed that a case was registered against Roshan and he was arrested on January 27, 2009. His DNA samples were sent for examination to the Madhuban laboratory on April 16, 2009. However, the lab report stated that the samples did not match, thus negating her allegations against him.

The police said the case was thoroughly investigated, but no evidence was found against the Roshan, making the police go for quashing of the case. When the woman was told that the case against Roshan had been quashed, she poured kerosene on her clothes and tried to set herself ablaze. The bid was, however, foiled.

Sirsa, September 9
The initiative taken by some social organisations of the town against poor sanitation, choked sewers, potholed roads and other civic problems seems to have awakened the authorities.

Roshan Lal, SDM, convened a meeting of senior officers of the departments concerned and representatives of the social organisations, who recently served an ultimatum to the authorities to improve sanitary conditions or face a stir.

The SDM assured people that the authorities would redress the problems of choked sewers and overflow of sewage in streets in certain areas of the town on priority.

He said the authorities would set a time frame for services like cleaning of choked sewers and providing covers on manholes. He warned officers of the departments concerned that stern action would be initiated against those found slack in their approach. The representatives of over 50 social organisations of the town had served an ultimatum to the district authorities recently over poor civic conditions.

Chandigarh, September 9
In order to curb the tendency of teachers coming late in schools, biometric machines will be installed in government schools across the state to record attendance of teachers electronically.

The biometric machines are being installed in all government schools of the state so that teachers are not late for their classes or remain absent, Vijayendra Kumar, Director of School Education, said .

Kumar said the machine would record the attendance after a finger impression of a teacher. “These machines will be installed in the office of school principals,” he said. — PTI

Fatehabad, September 9
Prashant Bhushan, a key member of Anna Hazare’s core group, said today that the Jan Lokpal Bill was not a panacea for all ills in society. He said the people of this county would have to remain prepared for more movements like the one launched by Anna if the system was to be cleansed.

The social activist said through his movement on the Jan Lokpal Bill, Anna Hazare had done a great job of awakening people of this country on issues concerning their fate. The manner in which youths had risen to fight for their rights, it would help bring about transparency in the system, he said.

He said though Anna Hazare and his team would continue their efforts for causes of public interest, people should also develop a habit of standing against all wrongs.

When his attention was drawn to Congress MP Pravin Aron’s allegations while withdrawing his privilege notice against him, Arvind Kejriwal, Kiran Bedi and Om Puri that members of Team Anna were using serious parliamentary activity to gain cheap publicity, Prashant Bhushan said it was unfortunate that some MPs had developed wrong conceptions about their parliamentary privileges.

“Parliamentary privilege is provided to the MPs to raise issues of their constituency fearlessly so that no one can intimidate them, but that does not stop people from making comments on their (MPs) general conduct,” he said. — TNS