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Khaps serve ultimatum on quota
Haryana may take long to become revenue-surplus state
Sharing of water |
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Haryana Roadways to hold ‘chakka jam’ today
Over 5,000 autos go off road in Hisar
Doc booked for foeticide
Gorakhpur N-plant
NRHM staff to get higher honorarium
BCs to oppose cut in quota
Polytechnic students protest poor results
Candidates cry foul as interviews cancelled
Three youths arrested for gangrape
Engg student shot dead
Road mishap claims 2 lives
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Khaps serve ultimatum on quota
Jind, February 27 A 26-member committee under the chairmanship of Nafe Singh Nain, head of Binain Khap, was announced at an important meeting which discussed the issue for nearly six hours. “While we fully support the demand of reservation for the Jat Community, it has been decided to give three days to the state government to resolve the issue as thousands of persons were ready to squat near the railway track in Hisar district as the state government appeared to be non- resilient and was dilly-dallying on the issue. It had accepted in principle to have a favourable stance during the earlier agitation”, said Kuldeep Singh Dhanda, secretary of the 26-member panchayat committee. He said the panchayat favoured solving the matter through talks and the state government should not backtrack since it was
an important issue as far as the interests of the state majority community were concerned. Dhanda said that if the government failed to solve the problem the panchayat, which represents as many as 96 Khaps and various Tapas (bodies of various sub castes and villages) in the state, would be left with no option but to take over the reins of the agitation. Any untoward incident would be the responsibility of the government. The Khaps, which took part in the meeting, were from Hooda, Dahiya, Dhankhar, Kandela, Deswal Chahal, Binain and Sangwan villages. The meeting started around 11.30 a.m and continued till 5 pm. The railway track near here had been blocked for several days in March last in support of the quota for Jats. Hisar: Jat protesters seeking reservation in government jobs continued their dharna at the rail track at Ramayan village, near here, for the ninth day today. Their leaders said they would continue the dharna at least for the next 72 hours - the time given by Khap leaders to the government to fulfil their demand at a meeting in Jind today. Hundreds of women, youth and male members of the community joined the dharna on both sides of the track. They kept raising pro-reservation slogans throughout the day. Rail traffic remained suspended for the ninth day today. However, since the national highway is not blocked, vehicular traffic remained unaffected. Meanwhile, the Rapid Action Force staged a flag march in Hansi town, near here, today. The RAF had staged a similar march here yesterday following the breakdown of talks between Jat leaders and the Chief Minister in New Delhi. Agitation spills over to Fatehabad
Fatehabad: Jat agitators, who had so far been active in Hisar, have started their dharna near the railway track at Mehuwala village in this district today. Jat leaders erected tents near the railway track at Mehuwala and started a dharna seeking a quota for the community. “The dharna will continue till our demands are met,” announced Sube Singh Dhaka, vice-president of the All-India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti. Jat leaders, however, did not stop any train on the Bathinda-Hisar track. |
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Haryana may take long to become revenue-surplus state
Chandigarh, February 27 The fiscal consolidation roadmap outlines that Haryana, which had incurred revenue surplus in 2007-08, has to eliminate its revenue deficit by 2011-12 and maintain a revenue balance or attain a surplus thereafter. It also says that the state has to attain a fiscal deficit of three per cent of the gross state domestic product. Sources in the state Finance Department said while they were hopeful that the revenue deficit would be brought down by over Rs 1,700 crore over financial year 2010-11, the deficit is estimated at Rs 2,660.68 crore as on March 2012.
The good news is that the state will be able to attain its target of keeping the fiscal deficit within the prescribed limit of three per cent of the gross state domestice product (GSDP), during this financial year. “However, we are hopeful to become a revenue surplus state in the coming financial year 2012-13. With the pending arrears for the Sixth Pay Commission (Rs 6,000 crore) have been paid, we are hopeful of curtailing the debts in the coming year, as has been done during this financial year; besides increasing our total revenue receipts. This will ensure that we become a revenue surplus state in the coming fiscal,” said a senior official of the Finance Department. Though officials contend that there was little flexibility with the government to impose fresh taxes, the fact remains that other than relying on increase in VAT and excise collections, and stamp duty charges, little had been done to mop up the state’s taxes. In the past two years, minimal efforts in the form of increase in bus fare, road tax and imposing surcharge and cess on VAT, were made to mop up additional resources. The issue of implementing house tax had remained in the limbo; power tariff had not been hiked in consonance with the hike in power input costs (except for a minimal hike announced last year); abiana had not been realised from majority of farmers and the pending power bills of the consumers had soared to Rs 3,200 crore. Moreover, the rising power subsidy and social security pension bills were also added to it. Though a couple of years ago, there was move to implement professional tax, but in the wake of opposition from the public, the move was scuttled. Though the state needs to curtail its non-planned expenditure, this has been increasing by almost 20 per cent per annum. With the government keen on presenting a tax-free budget for a third year in a row, it will be an uphill task for Haryana to once again regain its revenue surplus status in the coming fiscal. |
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Sharing of water
Chandigarh, February 27 The fresh criticism came this morning as a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court took up a petition filed in public interest on commissioning new phases of the Kajauli water works. The PIL has been filed by Mohali’s former municipal councillor Kuljit Singh Bedi. He is seeking directions to expedite the completion of phases five and six of the Kajauli water works, which would bring an additional 40 million gallons of water every day for the Tri-city areas. In its affidavit placed before the Bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Mahesh Grover, Harmail Singh, Engineer-in-Chief, Irrigation Department, Haryana, minced no words to say: “Punjab did not permit Haryana to siphon even a small quantity of 500 cusecs of water from the Bhakra mainline for carriage through the Hansi-Butana multipurpose link channel to meet the drinking water requirements of residents of southern Haryana”. Harmail Singh added: “On the one hand, Punjab purports to terminate all agreements with Haryana and Rajasthan insofar as Ravi-Beas waters are concerned. On the other, it expects cooperation when it comes to Sutlej waters. “It is submitted that Punjab must adopt an attitude of cooperation to expect cooperation from Haryana. This would also be in consonance with the principles of cooperative federalism. In his detailed affidavit, Harmail Singh also accused Chandigarh of siding with Punjab on the issue of water sharing, while pushing into background the interests of the state. He made it clear that any such move by the Chandigarh Administration and the state of Punjab was completely unacceptable to it. The HC adjourned hearing in the case to April 17. |
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Promote organic agriculture, says Dr Tej Pratap
Karnal, February 27 Dr Pratap, who was presented with the NN Dastur Oration Award-2012 by the NDRI stressed that organic agriculture could be very useful in increasing the income of farmers as there was great demand for vermi compost made from cow dung using earthworms. Speaking on “Towards green economy through organic agriculture: The possible future,” Dr Pratap said a farmer with two cows and two bullocks could earn an additional Rs 80,000 through sale of vermi compost and ‘gaumutra’. Maintaining that even the problem of pests in vegetables and horticultural crops could be addressed through a spray of diluted cow urine, which kills the pests and also provides nitrogen, he said data shows that Asia was not contributing much to organic farming at the global level, but in coming years the desired growth would take place in India and other Asian countries. Dr AK Srivastava, Director, NDRI, said dairy farmers should provide the colostrum to the newly born calves to develop their immunity. ‘Jugnu’ bull steals the show Crossbred male buffalo of Rajbir Singh of Dadupur Khurd village and a buffalo of Karam Singh of Kurukshetra were adjudged the best animals at the mela. While Rajiv Khurana of Rohtak had a hat trick bagging all three prizes in the Murrah buffaloes category. The cow owned by Baldev Singh of Galib Kheri village bagged the first prize in the HF Crossbred category yielding 48-kg milk. However, the 5.5-ft tall and 13.5-ft long Jugnu, a Holstein-Friesian bull from Travadi, stole the show. |
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Haryana Roadways to hold ‘chakka jam’ today
Rohtak, February 27 Majority of employees of the various departments, including employees of the Power Department, civic bodies, tourism, forest, public health, education and women and child development would be observing the strike, it is claimed. According to a spokesperson of the sangh, the services of the Haryana Roadways would remain paralysed due to ‘chakka jam’ tomorrow. He said employees of the various departments, including the power supply, HUDA, civic bodies and the PWD would also be joining the strike and there would be hardly any staff that would be on duty to attend the public complaints tomorrow. The one-day nationwide strike has been called by the various trade unions. It has found support from the All-India State Government Employees Federation, the Central Government Employees Federation, All-India Universities Non-Teaching Employees Federation, All-India Insurance Employees Federation and the workers union of employees of telecom, coal, mining, ports and defence sectors besides the state government employees’ organisations, it is stated. The government employees have demanded immediate withdrawal of the Bill and the pension policy, the trade unions bodies have demanded to revise the minimum salary of an employee to Rs 15,000 per month, regularising the services of ad hoc and part-time staff, raising the EPF interest rate to 12 per cent, giving up the policies of outsourcing and privatisation, removal of income tax liability from the class III and IV employees and strict implementation of labour laws in the country. |
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Over 5,000 autos go off road in Hisar
Hisar, February 27 Ramesh Dahiya, president of the union, said auto-rickshaws never drove fast and there had so far been no challans for overspeeding. He said the order issued by the administration was arbitrary as even otherwise, the roads on which they plied their vehicles were overcrowded. He said they were in no position to get these gadgets installed as these were costly. Such gadgets, he said, were meant only for heavy vehicles like trucks and buses. Dahiya said that there were other issued involved too, including the restrictions imposed on the number of students, they could carry for transporting children to schools. Although there was much less congestion on main roads due to the absence of auto-rickshaws, commuters were a harassed lot as there is no local bus service worth the name in the city. Other vehicles, including maxi cabs and illegally plying jeeps, carried passengers within the city at exorbitant rates. |
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Doc booked for foeticide
Karnal, February 27 The doctor identified as Rekha was caught along with hospital owner Jaibir, sweeper Guddi, Suman’s husband Jagat Ram and Balwinder who reportedly connived in a pre-natal test. All accused were booked under relevant sections of the PNDT and MTP Act. Medical instruments and medicines, allegedly used for female foeticide, were also seized, the police said. Suman, mother of three daughters, in her statement allegedly confessed that they got the pre-natal test conducted at a cost of Rs 4,000 at Shamli in UP two days ago and as the reports suggested that the unborn child was a female, the couple came to the hospital to get the foetus aborted. The police said preliminary investigations revealed that Rekha, the doctor in the dock who has allegedly been administering abortion pills to patients in the past also, did not possess a valid degree and her certificates were being verified. The police suspects that cases of female foeticide had occurred in the past also and interrogation of the hospital staff could give vital leads in this regard. However, Rekha in her statement contended that Suman whose child was aborted was three-month pregnant but was having acute stomache ache as the foetus had died. It was necessary to abort her to save her life, she claimed. |
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Gorakhpur N-plant
Fatehabad, February 27 Justice BG Kolse Patil, a former judge of the Mumbai High Court, Prof Vishnu Srivastava of the Narvada Bachao Andolan, Rajender Sharma of the Azadi Bachao Andolan, Gurnam Singh of the Himalya Neeti Abhiyan and Subhash Punia of the Parmanu Virodhi Morcha were among those who visited the striking farmers outside the mini-secretariat and offered support to their cause. Balbir Singh Chaudhary, a former MLA from Fatehabad, Krishan Swaroop, district president of the All-India Kisan Sabha and several other local leaders addressed the striking farmers and offered support to their opposition to the project. “Nuclear power plants were not safe and they bring with them health hazards for the local people. No developed country in the world has installed any nuclear power plant in its country since 1973,” said the former justice, who has also been opposing the Jaitapur nuclear power project in his own state Maharashtra. He was booked and arrested by the Maharashtra Police for entering Jaitapur despite prohibitory orders before the Mumbai High Court stayed criminal proceedings against him in July last year. He said 44 per cent of the country’s population has no access to power, while 33 per cent consume 0 to 50 units power per month. Kosle Patil said it was wrong to snatch the fertile land of farmers for the benefit of a few corporate houses. There were huge possibilities of generating power from the solar energy and the government should rather invest in that field, as the sunlight was available freely. |
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NRHM staff to get higher honorarium
Chandigarh, February 27 While postgraduate medical officers of ayurveda and homoeopathy would get a monthly honorarium of Rs 27,000, those of yoga and diet would get Rs 22,500 per month. Panchkarma specialists would also get Rs 27,000 per month. Homoeopathy, ayurveda and Unani medical officers would now get Rs 20,000 per month. Ayurveda, homoeopathy and Unani pharmacists and therapists would get Rs 8800 per month. Kitchen attendants would now get Rs 6600 whereas the honorarium of an attendant at the district level would be Rs 5500. AYUSH consultants would be paid an honorarium of Rs 30,000 per month while accounts assistants would get Rs 12,100 per month. Computer assistants would be paid Rs 8800, information assistants Rs 7700 and MPW attendants at headquarters Rs 6250. |
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22-kg tumour removed at Rohtak PGI
Rohtak, February 27 A PGIMS spokesperson said the operation
was done by a team of doctors led by Dr Savita Singhal of the Gynecology Department when a large tumour was found in the ovary of Suresh Devi (45), wife of Rishi, a resident of Mata Darwaza locality of the town. The woman had reported at the OPD of the department a few days ago, complaining of pain and swollen abdomen. The pain and swelling had gained sharply over the past few months. After an ultrasound and CT scan confirmed a large tumour, it was decided to conduct a surgery to remove the cyst from the region. This is perhaps the largest tumour removed through surgery in the PGIMS hospital so far. |
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BCs to oppose cut in quota
Hisar, February 27 The Haryana Public Service Commission was reserving only 10 per cent posts for this category. He said his organisation had submitted a
memorandum to the district authorities, saying that the government should find other ways
to accommodate any new castes, if any, as the backward classes would not tolerate any cut in their quota. He said his organisation was in touch with other such bodies in the country to stage a protest in Delhi in March. |
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Polytechnic students protest poor results
Sirsa, February 27 The agitating girls later came on the road and blocked vehicular traffic for a few hours. Students from Government Polytechnic for Boys also came in their support and smashed windowpanes in the building. The police has taken three boys in custody for instigating the girl students. The striking students alleged that only one out of 120-odd girls had been able to get through. They demanded that the board should order rechecking of papers and give grace marks to improve the results. |
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Candidates cry foul as interviews cancelled
Karnal, February 27 After the interviews were cancelled, enraged aspirants tried to block the Delhi-Ambala national highway but the police managed to pacify them The agitated mob alleged that the authorities had not expected such a large turnout, leading to the cancellation of interviews at the last moment. |
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Three youths arrested for gangrape
Faridabad, February 27 The police said three accused had been arrested and others would be arrested soon. The police added that in order to perpetrate crime on the woman they impressed upon her on Saturday evening that many villagers suspected of her having extra-marital relationship with a youth from nearby Dhoj village.
Amin, who was known to the victim, as he was married in her parental village,
Alwar, convinced her that her in-laws had plotted to get her murdered on account of her alleged misconduct. He convinced her to escape to her parental village to save her life. He also offered to help facilitate her escape. The victim fell into the trap. As per the plan she was to reach outside a burial ground in the village past midnight from where a car arranged by Amin was supposed to take her to
Alwar. The other accused escorted her to the burial ground where they were joined by
Amin. They raped her at the place. |
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Engg student shot dead
Hisar, February 27 The police said the deceased had a quarrel with the assailants three months ago. However, they had compromised but the assailants nursed a grudge and shot him dead. The police is looking for suspects — Kalyan Singh and Raj Kumar.
— TNS |
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Road mishap claims 2 lives
Rewari, February 27 The mishap took place when they were on their way to Rewari. The bus driver fled, abandoning the bus there. |
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