Chandigarh, January 16
Just more than a year after Haryana came out with a rule on initiation of criminal action against those responsible for overloading of vehicles, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has upheld the policy.

Dismissing a petition by Naveen Ghai and other petitioners against Haryana and other respondents, Justices MM Kumar and Ajay Kumar Mittal asserted: “If an overloaded vehicle is permitted on the road, it results into violation of a number of statutes.

“The policy contemplates initiation of criminal action under the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984. Such vehicles are potential danger to the road user and other vehicles on the road.It cannot, thus, be argued that the rigours of law by the policy be not implemented. The policy seeks to serve the larger public interest and does not call for interference. The writ petition is wholly misconceived”.

The policy dated November 8, 2010, was issued by the Haryana Transport Commissioner in pursuance of an apex court judgement.

The policy says: “ The Transport Department is committed to stopping the operation of overloaded vehicles on public roads. By plying of overloaded vehicles on the roads, wrongful loss/damage is being caused to the roads by the owners/ operators of such vehicles.

The plying of such overloaded vehicles causes serious road accidents also. The Supreme Court of India has directed that overloaded vehicles cannot be allowed to ply on the roads without removal of the excess load.All RTA Secretaries are directed to challan such vehicles?. It is requested that criminal action under the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984, shall be taken against the drivers, cleaners, permit holders, owners of overloaded vehicles and other persons connected with the offence by registering an FIR.”

“Such overloaded vehicles shall be weighed on the weigh bridge to ensure that effective action is taken against the offenders. The overloaded vehicles in respect of which FIRs are registered under the Act shall also be challaned under the Motor Vehicles Act and the offences under the Motor Vehicles Act shall not be compounded in respect of such vehicles.”

Chandigarh, January 16
Making it clear that the court’s endeavour was to bring a maximum number of accused to face trial in the Jat reservation violence case, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today called for details of steps initiated to apprehend and detain the yet to be arrested accused.

The high court also called for the number of accused at present facing trial. The directions by the Bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice GS Sandhawalia came more than a year after a mob turned unruly during a reservation rally in Hisar.

The Bench observed that an interaction with Haryana’s Additional Advocate-General Kamal Sehgal had indicated that 39 cases in all were registered in connection with different incidents of violence over the Jat reservation issue.

Out of the total, 29 cases were being processed at present; and eight accused have been arrested.

The Bench added, “The endeavour of the court at this stage should be to bring as many of the accused as possible to trial, if necessary by arrest and detention of such persons.

“We direct Dinesh Kumar, DSP, who is in charge of the investigation of all the cases, to lay before us the number of accused who are at present facing trial out of the total number of accused.

“The DSP shall also indicate the steps taken for the arrest and detention of the other accused so as to ensure their presence in the trial, and in this regard will outline the steps that he proposes to take.”

The case will now come up for further hearing on January 31. Haryana Joint Secretary (Home) VP Vats, through an affidavit, has already informed the court that 39 criminal cases under various sections of the IPC, the Arms Act, and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, have been registered in various police stations.

The affidavit added that out of the 39 cases, challan under Section 173 CrPC in 23 cases has been filed in the court of ‘illaqua’ magistrate after the completion of investigation against the identified accused. The affidavit came on a petition filed in public interest by Ludhiana-based non-government organisation, Anti-Corruption Federation, of India.

Sirsa, January 16
While concern is being raised at the depressing figures of child malnutrition as shown in the Hyderabad-based Naandi Foundation study, HUNGaMA, released recently by the Prime Minister, surveys held in the past suggest that it was not only in BIMARU states that children were malnourished, but even in a food-affluent state like Haryana, the situation was disturbing.

According to the National Family Health Survey III (NFHS III), 46 per cent of children suffer from stunting (height according to age), 43 per cent suffer from underweight (weight according to age) and 19 per cent suffer from wasting (weight according to height) in Haryana.

This was in sharp contrast to Kerela, where only 24 per cent children suffer from stunting, 22 per cent from underweight and 15 per cent from wasting.

HUNGaMA (Fighting Hunger and Malnutrition) has found that 59 per cent children were stunted; 42 per cent underweight and 11.4 per cent wasted after surveying 1,09,093 children aged 0 to five in 100 most backward districts of six states -- Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan and UP.

While the Naandi Foundation report is based on a survey conducted in 100 districts of the six BIMARU states of the country, the NFHS-3 figures on child malnutrition in Haryana, a food surplus state, were quite disturbing.

Dr Rajeshwari, an Associate Professor in the Geography Department of Kurukshetra University, who conducted a study, “Spatial Pattern of Child Nutrition in Rural Haryana: A Socio-Economic Analysis” to look into this problem, said it was perplexing to find that in the foodgrains surplus state of Haryana, NFHS III had revealed a shocking proportion of child malnutrition.

The figures were higher than the average of sub-Saharan Africa, she said.

Dr Rajeshwari based her study on the primary data collected from 1,440 households spread over 16 villages in eight districts of the state. “Child malnutrition was measured in terms of long-term nutritional intake i.e. height for age and a comprehensive indicator of long and short-term dietary and illness episodes i.e. weight for age,” she said.

The analysis revealed that child malnutrition was all- pervasive irrespective of spatial and social status.

The study showed that whether malnutrition was measured as prevalence of underweight, stunting or wasting, nutritional status of children in Haryana was shockingly poor.

The study also pointed towards some serious and urgent need to take short and long-term measures to achieve nutritional security in the state.

Among short-term measures, it suggested the need for an awareness campaign for healthy dietary practices as well as special attention towards maternal health as more than 60 per cent of expectant mothers were found anaemic, who gave birth to low-weight babies.

Among long-term measures, the study suggested that there was a need to seriously think over the fact that diversification of food production was necessary not just because of the play of market forces but more importantly, due to nutritional considerations of people.

Hisar, January 16
INLD Secretary-General Ajay Singh Chautala today accused Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda of neglecting development of Hisar district, claiming that work had not yet begun on any of the development projects announced by Hooda.

Addressing a meeting of party workers here he said even the announcements made by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his visit here five years ago had not been implemented. The Prime Minister had stated that Haryana Agricultural University would be declared as a central university but nothing had been done in this regard so far.

Chautala said the UPA government in its first term had approved a rail link for Agroha in this district. The then Railway minister, Laloo Parsad Yadav, had announced this at the Agroha Mela but the link was yet to materialise.

He said Hooda had announced that the government college would have its own building at Barwala, near here. Work on the project had not yet begun.

Likewise, work on the campus for Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary Sciences had not progressed beyond the foundation stone stage. The 100-bed multi-speciality hospital for Hisar sanctioned by Hooda had not come up. Similarly, construction of a new bus stand and a new bypass had not yet begun.

He said the Chief Minister had only been concentrating on his own home district. The government recently recruited drivers for Haryana Roadways and 80 per cent of those selected belonged to only one district.

Chautala said thus far only the opposition had been alleging discrimination with other areas but now even Congressmen had levelled such allegations against the Chief Minister.

Jhajjar, January 16
Taking a serious view of irregularities in carrying out development works in the district, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has suspended a Junior Engineer (JE) posted at the district town planning (DTP) office here with immediate effect. He has also ordered the Deputy Commissioner to conduct a departmental inquiry into the matter.

According to the district authorities, a complaint along with some documentary proofs was made to the state government some days ago about serious allegations against Yogender Pal Madan, JE.

The CM has also directed the Section Engineer (SE) of the PWD & BR Department for conducting thorough investigation into the construction work of a new road near Akheri Madanpur village here so that punitive action could also be taken against the guilty officials. A major portion of the road has broken due to substandard building material within few days after its completion.

He has also sought reply from the official concerned about this wretched condition of the road besides directing them to reconstruct a broken part of the road with immediate effect.

All directives were issued by Hooda, while addressing a meeting of the district administrative officers at the DRDA conference hall here last evening to discuss ongoing development works here.

He clearly said those officials found guilty of committing irregularities in carrying out the development works would not be spared at any cost while those discharging their duty honestly and dedication would be awarded.

Sonepat, January 16
In protest against cancellation of the BPL cards, hundreds of people today took out a protest march in the town under the banner of the Lok Abhiyan Samiti and raised slogans against the government.

Led by Rajiv Jain, convener of the samiti and state media in charge of the BJP, they handed over a memorandum, addressed to Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda of their demands to Pankaj Aggarwal, DC, demanding restoration of the cards and inclusion of other eligible families.

Addressing the protesters, Jain said the government had cancelled about 55,000 BPL cards and the affected families included those widows and destitute women who were receiving the social pension. It was unjustified and illogical to determine the eligibility of the BPL families on the basis of the 2001 guidelines when this decade-long period had witnessed inflation and a sharp increase in the prices of essential commodities, he said.

“When the Central Government is reconsidering its decision for keeping those families whose daily income was Rs 32 in the urban areas and Rs 26 in the rural areas, out of the criteria of the BPL, what is the logic to cancel the cards while taking into consideration the daily income of Rs 14.77?” he questioned.

Alleging that the BPL cards of around five families had been cancelled by the government, Jain said if the government did not restore the cards to the eligible families, the BJP would launch an agitation against this anti-poor step of the state government.

Sonepat, January 16
The chief parliamentary secretary, Jaiveer Singh, today handed over registry letters of the 100-square yard residential plots to as many as 300 poor families of Rathdhana village at a public meeting in the village.

The chief parliamentary secretary claimed that since the launching of the Mahatama Gandhi Gramin Basti Yojna by the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, in 2008 at Panipat, the state government had already handed over the ownership of such plots to 3,45,681 families in the state.

He said strict directions had been issued to the administration to ensure that all eligible persons were given the plots at the earliest. The implementation of other welfare schemes was also being monitored by the Chief Minister, he added.

Referring to the demands of the village, he said all streets in the village would be metalled and the other demands would also be considered sympathetically.

Jind, January 16
As many as 34 representative groups of various castes and subcastes met Justice KC Gupta, Chairman of the Haryana Backward Classes Commission, and other members of the commission to submit their representations regarding the demand for inclusion of more castes in the Backward Classes category.

The chief of the commission and its members, Jai Singh Bishnoi, Som Dutt, Arjun Dev Gulati and SK Setia, met the representative groups at the local PWD Rest House and accepted their suggestions, including the demand and objections regarding the demand for inclusion of some new castes into the category.

The commission has been asked to submit its report and recommendations regarding the inclusion of new castes, including Jats, Sikh Jats, Rohrs, Tyagis and Bishnois, into the backward category of the state and the subsequent gazette notification.

The commission has invited the views of various groups and castes regarding the move. It had said that it would hear and accept the representations of the residents of three districts, Jind, Kurukshetra and Kaithal, at Jind on Monday and Tuesday.

As many as 34 representations were submitted to the commission on Monday, the officials concerned said. These included nine representations from Jind, 15 representations from Kaithal and 10 representations from Kurukshetra.

The commission will visit every district of the state before submitting the final report, said Gupta.

Panchkula, January 16
A CBI court has acquitted 11 accused, including Pradeep Sangwan, son of former Sonepat MP Kishan Singh Sangwan, in the Gohana arson case here today.

Ohters acquitted in the case are: Ramesh Kancha, Nafe Singh, Dalbir Singh, Rajesh Kumar, Radhey Shyam, Rajender Singh, Bhale Ram, Lahna Singh, Manoj Kumar and Balbir Singh. Three other accused in the case, Mahipal, Karan Singh and Khushi Ram, had died during the trial.

All the accused were booked for rioting and instigating the mob after the CBI had booked them for the incident in which nearly 50 houses of Dalits were burnt on August 31, 2005.

The Special CBI judge, AS Narang, while disposing of the case said the investigating agency failed to produce evidence against the accused.

The judgement also pointed out that the CBI case was related only to happenings of August 31, 2005.

“I have considered all the evidence on the record. I am of the considered view that sufficient evidence is not there to hold any of the accused guilty. Accordingly, all the accused are hereby acquitted of the charges for which they have been charged,” observed the judge.

Sirsa, January 16
The intermittent showers that have lashed the area since yesterday will prove a boon for farmers as it is very beneficial for rabi crops. Ottu in Sirsa district has received 10 mm rainfall, Sirsa got 6 mm rainfall, Dabwali 4 mm and the areas of Kalanwali, Rori and Abubshehar each has received 3 mm rainfall.

In Sirsa district where wheat production is expected to touch 15 lakh metric tonnes farmers and agriculture officials are elated.

Amardeep Singh, Deputy Director, Agriculture, Sirsa, has advised the farmers to use fertilisers in accordance with the need of their crops. “There is no shortage of urea fertiliser in the district, which has a stock of 12,000 metric tonnes of urea. The farmers could easily get fertilisers from HAFED and cooperative societies,” he said.

However, due to rain and increase in temperature, weeds like Mundsi and Bathua could grow with the wheat crop.

Chandigarh, January 16
Acting on a petition by Sukhwant Kaur of Fatehabad for directing the Haryana Staff Selection Commission to produce answersheets of the written examination conducted for the post of Assistant Secretary, Justice K. Kannan of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued notice of motion to the HSSC for February 10.

The state government’s Law Officer has also been asked to seek the requisite information from the HSSC on the next date of hearing while The petitioner claimed the HSSC was not disclosing the marks obtained by her in the written test and interview despite two applications submitted by her, besides one under the RTI Act.

She asserted the HSSC declared the result on October 18, 2011, and the candidate last in the general category list is stated to have been awarded 248 marks in the written test and interview. She alleged that as per her private information, she scored more than 300 marks in the written test alone, and was bound to be selected even if awarded zero in interview.

She claimed the HSSC was deliberately delaying the supply of information to her, and was likely to destroy the answersheets of candidates, as per its practice, on expiry of three months from the declaration of the result.

Yamunanagar, January 16
DAV College for Girls won the first position in the inter-college women weightlifting and powerlifting championship by winning maximum number of gold here at DAV College.

The championship was inaugurated by Dr BS Bhandari, Assistant Director, Sports Department, Kurukshetra University. Guru Nanak Khalsa College (GNKG) and Guru Nanak Girls College (GNGC) bagged the second and third positions, respectively.

About seven teams of different colleges of the region, including Guru Nanak Girls College, Hindu Girls College, DAV College for Girls, Guru Nanak Khalsa College from Yamunanagar, Arya Girls College, Panipat, and Indira Gandhi National College, Ladwa, participated in the event.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr BS Bhandari said the winners of this championship would participate in forthcoming inter-university championship, which is going to be held in the last week of January at Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar.