The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Kurukshetra tops with 300 Nirmal Grams DR Vij Kurukshetra, April 9 Out of the total 1,578 Nirmal Gram villages so far in the state, Kurukshetra district has clinched the first position by converting the status of 300 villages as Nirmal Grams, while Sirsa secured the second position with 283 villages and Yamunanagar stood third with 192 villages as Nirmal Grams. This was announced at a Nirmal Gram Panchayat Samman Samaroh organised by the local District Rural Development Agency at the Kurukshetra University Auditorium here recently. At the function, MP Naveen Jindal honoured 132 Nirmal Gram Panchayats and distributed cheques of Rs 1.52 crore to the award winning panchayats to carry out development activities in their respective villages. He called upon the sarpanches to create awareness in the rural areas regarding sanitation and ensure that the villages should become open defecation free. There was a need of launching a full-fledged campaign to change the traditional behaviour and mental outlook of the people so that they should use their domestic toilets, he added. On the occasion, sarpanches were administered oath to keep their villages clean. Dharambir, Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Development and Panchayat, Haryana, said Kurukshetra district would lead the country in the Nirmal Gram programme because of the coordination and cooperation of the public and the panchayats. P Raghvendra Rao, Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary, Development and Panchayat, Haryana, stressed upon the need of hard work to achieve target-oriented and time-bound programmes. Mandip Singh Brar, Deputy Commissioner, Kurukshetra, said panchayats should do their best in making villages clean. Sumedha Kataria, Additional Deputy Commissioner, and Chief Executive Officer, District Rural Development Agency, lauded the role of the villagers, who had participated in the sanitation campaign, for making the district ahead in the state. Highlighting the achievements, she said the provision of Rs 920.34 lakh was made in the budget out of which Rs 749.042 lakh were spent under the total sanitation campaign in the district. As many as 29,817 of the targeted 30,598 individual toilets were constructed in the district, while the total sanitation campaign development percentage of achievement remained 97.75 per cent. About 2,500 members of Panchayati Raj Institution like sarpanches, panches, zila parishad, gram panchayat secretaries and anganwadi workers participated in the function.
	Bhakra oustees demand a better deal Sushil Manav Tribune News Service Fatehabad, April 9 When the government built the Bhakra Dam on the Sutlej, residents of 376 villages of Himachal Pradesh were ousted from their roots and allotted land in 32 villages in the then Hisar district. Most of these villages now fall in Fatehabad with a few of them in Sirsa and Hisar. If farmers of Haryana and Punjab have witnessed the Green Revolution after the arrival of Bhakra waters, the credit goes to these Himachal families who kept the national interest above their own while leaving their homes in Himachal. Besides suffering the pangs of separation from their homes for years, the residents have been away from their friends, relatives and dear ones without complaining. However, the Bhakra oustees, the name by which they are known now, have not been treated fairly by the authorities and the successive governments in Haryana. “It was the solemn assurance given to us by the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru that the government will provide us so many facilities in Haryana that we will forget our motherland,” said Sardari Lal, general secretary of the Bhakra Dam Oustees Association, Haryana. “But, unfortunately, government after government has neglected us and the dreams of prosperity in our new homes have been dashed,” he added. Bhawani Singh, a young leader of Himachal families, said much of the land allotted to Bhakhra oustees in Jodhka and Odha in Sirsa and Ratta Tibba, Ahlisadar and Gillankhera in Fatehabad was occupied by encroachers. Repeated communication with the authorities had failed to evoke a response. He said the ownership right to 969 plots had been transferred to the Bhakra oustees from 1989 to 2008, but the process of transferring 1867 plots had been hanging fire for the past four or five years. There are several other issues that need government attention. Pawan Sudhir was a small girl when her family shifted to Boswal village in Fatehabad in the sixties and she used to travel over 25 km a day on a bicycle for her studies in the absence of a school in the village. Now, a Professor of Arts and Aesthetics at the National Council of Education Research and Training she said it was people’s courage which kept them afloat in adverse circumstances. Ram Nath Sharma, a former Deputy Speaker of Himachal, and Rajesh Dharmani, MLA from Bilaspur (HP), described the pain of these families well at a function when they said, “If a bride gets love in her husband’s home, she never misses her parents. But these families always turn to us in Himachal for the mitigation of their problems.” The Bhakra oustee familes have high hopes from Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, whom they told their tale of woe during the Ratia byelection. His son, Deepender Singh Hooda, assured them of early mitigation of their woes during a recent visit to Boswal village inhabited by Himachal families.
	CM tells officials to repair Faridabad roads Tribune News Service Faridabad, April 9 Chief Minster Bhupinder Singh Hooda has directed the authorities to repair roads in the city expeditiously. The Chief Minister’s directive was in response to local industrialists urging him to speed up the repair works of roads. According to sources, the industrialists drew the attention of the Chief Minister towards the road infrastructure following the signing of an MoU between the Haryana Government and the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation here recently for the extension of Metro rail services in Faridabad. The industrialists thanked the Chief Minister for the proposed Metro rail services. They also expressed satisfaction over the initiative of the government to pump in development projects in the district. However, they also highlighted the pitiable conditions of roads, especially in the industrial sectors, and urged the Chief Minister to fast track the ongoing constructions for the repair works.
	Nehru was not free from fallacies, says professor Sushil Manav Tribune News Service Fatehabad, April 9 Had the first Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru not shown inflexibility in his choice of Lord Mountbatten as the first Governor General of the country, India could have saved the part of Kashmir, which is now occupied by Pakistan. Addressing a national seminar on Nehru organised by the Nehru Study Centre in Manohar Memorial Post Graduate (MMPG) College at Fatehabad, Dr Rajbir Singh Yadav, Professor and Chairman of the Political Science Department of the Kurukshetra University said baffling delay in ordering airlift of military force to Kashmir by Lord Mountbatten cost India dearly. He said any Indian Governor General would not have taken so much time in saving the territory of Kashmir from Pakistani invasion. While Pakistan opted for Mohammad Ali Jinnah as its first Governor General, India, due to Nehru’s obdurate stand on his preference for Mountbatten, had to opt for a British Governor General even after independence, he said. Yadav said while Nehru will always be remembered for the direction he provided to the country in industrialisation, socialist attitude of the government and non-alignment in its foreign policies, the first prime minister of the country was not free from fallacies, which cast its shadow on the country. Former chairman of the Haryana Public Service Commission and an academician DR Chaudhary said Nehru wanted India to grow as modern socialist society and Europe impacted his outlook the most. Chaudhary said that Nehru’s outlook could best be studied by reading the three books he authored ‘The Discovery of India’, ‘The Glimpses of World History’ and his autobiography ‘Towards Freedom’ and the collection of letters he wrote to his daughter Indira Gandhi. He said Nehru wanted a welfare state with mixed economy and a secular outlook. Chaudhary said Nehru had a scientific temperament and he weighed issues based on reasoning. Chaudhary regretted that the present state of affairs in the country were not in line with what Nehru had planned. “India has been ranked 67th in the Hunger Index, way behind China and Pakistan, which is not a positive sign for our so-called healthy economy,” said Chaudhary. He also cited the Arjun Sengupta report on unorganised sector, which said 77 percent of India’s population lived on less than Rs 20 per day. Subhash Sharma, Director of the Nehru Study Centre in the host college, said he had been a follower of Nehru since his childhood. He said if the country has made big strides in economy and various other fields, much of its credit goes to Jawahar Lal Nehru. Dev Raj Batra, president of the college governing body, DK Kaushik, Principal of the college, RK Kaushik, head of the Political Science Department and LR Bhayana, a member of the college governing body were among those present on the occasion.
	China ‘far ahead’ in production of latest instruments Our Correspondent Ambala, April 9 The Institution of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers (IETE), Ambala, organised an ‘IETE - Industry Interactive Meet’ here recently. RK Gupta, president of the IETE, New Delhi, was the chief guest and delivered the 22nd Gian Chand Jain Memorial Lecture on “Global Shift towards Industry- Institute Interactions.” Gupta said China had gone far ahead in innovating and producing instruments with new technologies. Referring to Ambala, he said the Ambala Cantt was the hub of micro and small enterprises and more than 1,500 industrial units were working in the town exporting 35 per cent of the total instrumentation and educational equipment requirements of the African, European, Middle-East and Asia-Pacific countries. Dr Pawan Kapur, director, Central Scientific Instruments Organisation, Chandigarh, highlighted the role of national research laboratories in the transfer of technologies for the frontier areas of technology. The IETE honoured 10 Ambala-based entrepreneurs and organisations namely Avinash Gupta, Aman Aggarwal, Charanjeet Singh, Vipan Sarin, JS Arya, Prof Ashok Kumar, Dr Desh Bandhu, Dr Sanjay Sharma, ERDC-IDDC and BSNL.
	Buildings of government offices in poor shape Hemant Kumar Kalka, April 9 Government office buildings in Kalka built during the British era are in a deplorable condition. The buildings are in dire need of maintenance. Kalka subdivision came into existence in 1992, and since then most of the offices are functioning in buildings scattered in various commercial as well as residential areas. Most of the buildings are not safe for operational purposes. Official sources at the Municipal Committee, Kalka, which is now functional as the Kalka zone office of the Panchkula Corporation, stated that due to the leakage of roofs, most of the old records were destroyed five years ago in the rainy season. The committee office, which is one of the oldest Municipal Committee offices in Haryana, is in a state of neglect. Notably, the office of the employment exchange, which had been running in the MC office over the past few years, has important records. Despite the fact that estimates for the renovation and reconstruction of the building have been sent to higher officials repeatedly, nothing has been done in this direction till date. The SDM’s office and the tehsil office are also functioning in old buildings and are in a deplorable condition, too. The Haryana Food and Supply office, Kalka, had to be run in a temporary shed at the SDM’s office for more than two decades. The offices of the SDO (Electricity) and the SDO (PWD) are also running in old buildings. The proposed project of setting up a mini secretariat at Kalka has not taken off for more than five years. Official sources confirmed that the project had been hanging fire as the site had not been finalised by the district administration till date.
	Bhavan for senior citizens opened Our Correspondent Rewari, April 9 The Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) has constructed a Senior Citizens Club Bhavan in Sector 4 here at a cost of Rs 1.10 crore. It was recently dedicated to senior citizens by the Power, Forest and Environment Minister, Capt Ajay Singh Yadav. Addressing the gathering, the Minister lamented the declining respect for the elderly in society. He said it was now common knowledge that parents and other elders in the family were receiving “step-motherly” treatment from their own children. Attributing such a scenario mainly to the harmful impact of Western civilization, he regretted that the young generation was rapidly turning away from the values of its traditional culture. The Minister also wanted the elderly to put “misguided” youth on the right track and thereby mould them into useful citizens. The Minister announced financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh and Rs 1 lakh, respectively, for the Residents Welfare Association and the Senior Citizens Club.
	Police puts out contact nos, e-mail IDs of senior officials Tribune News Service Rohtak, April 9 The Rohtak Range police has prepared a pamphlet containing the contact numbers and e-mail ID of all the senior officials and helpline numbers for the use of the common man. The paper containing such information would be circulated in all the four districts covered by the range in order to create awareness and seek public help in checking crime. This is perhaps the first time that such an attempt has been made in the region, which has otherwise witnessed a kind of surge in crime. Alok Mittal, IG, Rohtak Range, who formally released the pamphlet, said buoyed by the experiment of release of the helpline number for traffic safety in the area, the department had decided to create mass awareness about the importance of checking crime and this could be done only with the help and cooperation of the people. He said the paper contained mobile numbers, landline numbers and e-mail id of senior officials in all the four districts, Rohtak, Jhajjar, Sonepat and Panipat, besides other related information regarding precautions and measures of ensuring personal and public safety. He said it had been revealed that a majority of the residents, especially those residing in semi-urban and rural areas, had no information about the numbers to be contacted in case of an emergency or when a crime had taken place. “Lack of information and awareness at crucial time helps criminals to escape from the spot and several cases go untraced due to the lack of proper information or failure to share it on time,” he said. The paper also contains common mobile number - 9996000777 - for lodging a complaint and - 1073 - helpline number in case of an accident.
	Deal effectively with graft, says CM New Delhi, April 9 Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has underlined the need for effectively dealing with corruption, containing inflation and time-bound delivery of services to the people to ensure that fruits of development reach all sections of society. Addressing the valedictory session of “Mindmine Summit - 2012” on “India in transit: For better or for worse?” here, Hooda reaffirmed the resolve of his government to carry forward the comprehensive agenda of good governance with a clear focus on transparency and efficient delivery. Noting that all stakeholders in a democracy had the right to raise their voice and be heard, he said, “We nevertheless have to reaffirm our faith in democratic institutions and consultative processes.” Referring to the trying times the country was passing through in view of the global economy being under stress, the Congress leader said the nation was confronted with a number of challenges due to its complex and pluralistic society. “What, in fact, worries me is the atmosphere of negativity and cynicism. Our age-old institutions are being called into question. We have to overcome these tendencies. We can do this by promoting a culture of positive thinking and constructive action plans,” he said. On inflation, particularly related to food items, Hooda said: “I firmly believe the key to controlling inflation in food articles on a sustainable basis lies in increasing agricultural production and productivity.” Public investment in agriculture, diversification of horticulture and reforms in the agricultural marketing system, apart from focusing on creation of post-harvest infrastructure, including cold storage chains and food-processing, were also needed, he said. Equally important was the manufacturing sector, especially for stimulating domestic demand to tackle the impact of slowdown, he said. In Haryana, he said, “We have embarked on the mission to enhance the manufacturing capabilities in the state by devising a support framework for facilitating the growth of the MSME sector,” he said, adding that stress had been laid on augmenting skills and improving quality of human resources. On improved governance, the Centre has introduced several pieces of legislation that aimed at transparency and efficient delivery of services. Describing the state’s land acquisition, rehabilitation and resettlement policy as a path-breaking initiative, he said the government had determined floor rates for compensation, which were revised from time to time. The policy also had a provision for the payment of annuity to the land owners for a period of 33 years over and above the land compensation. He said the policy had already emerged as a model worth emulating throughout the country. Referring to the progress made by Haryana, the Chief Minister said the state had transformed from an agrarian economy into a vibrant industrial economy competing on an equal footing with the rest and had positioned itself as one of the leading states in the country. “We have focussed on the creation of strong infrastructure, favourable industrial environment through progressive policies and a pool of skilled manpower,” he said. — PTI
	HUDA staff re-jigged, but no end to public woes Sunit Dhawan Tribune News Service Gurgaon, April 9 Swapping the portfolios of the two estate officers of HUDA, Gurgaon, suspension of Administrator’s personal assistant, alleged slapping of an employee by the Administrator for “collecting bribes from visitors” and performing ‘havan’ to end corruption at the office are some of the moves made by the Gurgaon HUDA Administrator, Dr Praveen Kumar, in his “crusade” against corruption. The Administrator also sealed the office of an estate officer, got CCTV cameras installed to check the movement of unscrupulous elements in HUDA corridors and administered an oath of working honestly to department officials. However, most of the moves eventually proved to be a damp squib, with people getting no respite from the deep-rooted corrupt practices prevalent in HUDA offices. The HUDA authorities have failed to streamline the system with hapless residents having no option but to make rounds of these offices --- or fall prey to the ubiquitous touts who have become as much a part of the HUDA regime as the babus. “I recently got a call from a person who claimed to know my ‘case’ and offered that he would get it settled,” said a senior citizen, who has been running from pillar to post to get his due from the HUDA authorities. His case is not an isolated one; there are a number of harassed residents who have been trying to get their genuine and routine works done from department officials who have earned the reputation of not even looking at the “un-greased” files, let alone the question of disposing these of. Surprisingly, the harassed lot includes even serving government functionaries. A deputy director in a state government department told this correspondent that a HUDA official, obviously not happy at the prospect of having to forward a file without getting the expected gratification, simply stated that the file had been lost. “It was after much persuasion and some arm-twisting that the official ‘found’ the ‘lost’ file,” said the officer. If such is the treatment meted out to government officers, the plight of the common man can be well imagined, the tall claims of the authorities notwithstanding.
	DHBVN schedule for supply to tubewells Hisar, April 9 The Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) has changed the schedule of power supply for agricultural tubewells with effect from today for better management of load. A DHBVN spokesman said here today that one group of tubewells would run during day time and the other during night hours. The timings of both groups would change every week. He said group-I would be given power supply for eight hours from 10 pm to 5 am (next day) and from 3 pm to 4 pm daily in areas of Faridabad, Narnaul and Sirsa operation circles and from 10 pm to 5am(next day) and from 4 pm to 5 pm daily in Gurgaon, Bhiwani and Hisar operation circles. — TNS
	‘Include bajra in PDS category’ Tribune News Service Hisar, April 9 KS Khokhar, Vice-Chancellor of Haryana Agricultural University, said bajra had not been able to establish itself as a staple diet in the country because of the extremely short shelf life and the grey colour of its flour. Speaking at a function to mark the inauguration of the Bajra Centre of Excellence at the College of Home Science of the university, he said scientists should develop hybrid varieties to increase its shelf life and colour. Union Agriculture Secretary PK Basu said bajra should be included in the public distribution system (PDS) category as well as a staple diet for use in the Mid-Day Meal scheme because of its nutritive value. He said since wheat and paddy yielded good financial returns, farmers were no longer interested in growing bajra and corn despite the fact these were nutritive.
	Rotary Club organises medical camp Satish Seth Kaithal, April 9 The local Rotary Club and V-help solutions group jointly organised a medical and heart check-up camp at Rotary Children Library here on Sunday. A team of doctors led by Dr Alok Madan of Amar Hospital, Patiala, examined as many as 135 patients. Dr Madan advised the patients to take nutritious diet, which is fat-free and has less spices. Also, the doctor advised the patients to do physical exercise regularly to avoid heart ailments. During the medical camp, free ECG, blood tests and BP check-ups were conducted. Neeraj Garg and Amrit Bedi, V-help solution, and Rahul Khurania, President, Rotary Club, said that keeping in view the response of the people they feel encouraged to organise such camps in the rural areas, so that the rural people could also avail facilities of free medical check-ups at their door steps. The organisers also thanked the management of the Amar Hospital for their cooperation in sending a team of doctors and other paramedical staff who extended their services to the patients. Pardeep Seth, secretary of the club, RK Vashisth, RL Bansal, Arun Bindlish, Krishan Gupta, Vijay Bansal and Rajnish Garg were also present on the occasion.
	Kaithal college holds annual function Satish Seth Kaithal, April 9 A two-day annual function was held at Haryana College of Technology and Management (HCTM) here. Many students from various streams participated in cultural events. Haryana Election Commissioner Dharam Veer was the chief guest at the function. Addressing the students and faculty, Dharam Veer said that in the recent years Haryana had become an hub of professional institutes. He said Kaithal had also earned fame in the field of education as many good institutions had been set up in the area. He appreciated the efforts made by the college management for providing excellent infrastructure and good facilities to students who came from far-off places to get professional education. Ranjan Aggarwal, chairman of the college governing body, welcomed the guests. Principal DP Gupta read out the college annual report and highlighted the achievements made by students in various fields. The students presented impressive cultural items, including group dance, plays, songs and bhangra. The students who participated in the cultural function were given prizes by the chief guest.
	Two Hindi books released Our Correspondent Kurukshetra, April 9 Kurukshetra Deputy Commissioner Mandip Singh Brar released two Hindi books by Dr R B Langyan, a well-known Sanskrit scholar and retired IAS officer,at the Multi Art Cultural Centre here. Talking about the books titled “Aao Inse Seekhen” and “Sukhi Avam Safal Jeevan Ke Saat Adhyaye”, Brar said these contained real experiences of human tendencies and challenges of a person who as a writer had shown people the path of leading a balanced life. Books were the real friends of man and could help a person take the right decision at the right time, Brar added. Dr Langyan said writing was his passion and he would keep his pen moving for the common cause and the uplift of society. In his presidential address, Dr Ranbir Singh, Director, Institute of Sanskrit and Indological Studies, Kurukshetra University, said Dr Langyan’s books would help youngsters update their knowledge. Dr Lal Chand Gupt Mangal, former Chairman, Hindi Department, Kurukshetra University, Swami Sampurnanand and District Information and Public Relations Officer Devraj Sirohiwall were among those present.
	Book of poems out Satish Seth Kaithal, April 9 “Barishen Girti Rahin”, a book by Rajbir Deswal, IG (CID), Haryana, was released at a function held at RKSD (PG) College here. Satish Kumar Bansal,Chairman, RKSD group of institutions, was the chief guest. While releasing the book,he said the writings of Deswal were full of creative energy and ideas for common readers. Bansal said the idiom of Deswal's poetry was lucid and simple. AL Madan, author of many books, plays and poems, observed that the book had a number of poems that crossed the borders of human experience relating to individual and social life. He said Deswal was a poet of humanity in all its colours and levels of experience. Dr Rajbir Parashar hailed Deswal’s collection as an affirmation of life with an inherent inclination towards the romantic and real in one stroke of the imagination. Prof Dinesh Kumar, former Head of the Department of English, Kurukshetra University, spoke about how Deswal as a creative writer derived his poetic energy from the sources of Haryanavi folk and finally merged with the tradition of Urdu poetry. Deswal recited some poems from his book .
	Lecture on geo-scientific heritage held at KU D.R. Vij Kurukshetra April 9 A lecture on “Geo-Scientific Heritage and Natural Processes,” organised by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), Kurukshetra Chapter, was inaugurated by Dr AK Singhvi in the Senate Hall of Kurukshetra University here recently. Dr Singhvi, Fellow National Academy Sciences (FNASc) from Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad, was the keynote speaker. Prof Utpal Sarkar, FNASc from PRL Ahmedabad, Prof SK Satheesh, FNASc from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, and Prof SP Singh, FNASc from Kurukshetra University, were the guests of honour on the occasion. Dr Singhvi, who has worked extensively on thermoluminiscence dating of sands from different geological settings, interacted with students, scholars and faculty members of different teaching departments of the university. He elucidated the multiple aspects of quaternary geology dynamics, which are the key to understand the existence of human civilisations on the earth, unique geo-biology of sediments and complex geo-morphic phenomenon. He said numerous facilities were being made available to the students of geo-sciences by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, and other government organisations. After his lecture, a panel discussion was initiated by Dr AR Chaudhri, co-convener, INTACH, Kurukshetra Chapter, wherein students and scholars were invited to share their views and concerns with the panelists, namely Prof Utpal Sarkar, Prof SK Satheesh, Prof SP Singh and Dr AK Singhvi. Suresh Chowdhry, convener, Kurukshetra Chapter, expressed gratitude to the university and Prof Shyam Kumar, convener, Organising Committee of Goyal Prizes, for their support in organising the event and special thanks to the scientists for participating in the activities of INTACH, Kurukshetra Chapter. Prof Sanjiv Aggarwal and Dr Annu Sharma from the Physics Department, Prof Pradeep Kumar from the Institute of Instrumentation Engineering, Dr Pawan Sharma from the Chemistry Department, Dr Naresh Sagwal from the Geology Department and Dr RC Patel from the Geophysics Department, besides other faculty members graced the occasion. After the function, the scientists were taken to the historical places in and around Kurukshetra where they lauded the extraordinary zeal with which the Kurukshetra Development Board and the District Administration have been preserving the living heritage of Kurukshetra and the Bhagwad Gita.
	World Theatre Day observed at KU D.R. Vij Kurukshetra, April 9 With the presentation of two classic theatrical performances, the World Theatre Day, organised by the Multi Art Cultural Centre (MACC), was inaugurated by chief guest Anoop Lather, Director, Youth Welfare and Cultural Department, Kurukshetra University, at its premises here recently. “Alag Alag Algaav”, a drama directed by Devendra Raj Ankur, a former director of the National School of Drama, and scripted by Aghaya, was staged in which renowned theatre artistes, including Amitabh Srivastav, Ram Ji Bali and Durga Sharma played the key roles. The subject of the entire drama depicted the plight of the people during the Partition. Durga Sharma, as a fascinating ideal character in the lead role, presented the painful feelings of a person who strived for life till end. Background music and light were powerful and created a realistic feeling. Meanwhile, another drama, “Sharandata, Bapu (Prem Parkash)” scripted by Aghaya and directed by Divender Raj Ankur, was one of the best dramas which were staged at the MACC. The theme of the drama was full of social and domestic challenges. The script was fully tight and till the last moment, the audience remained connected with the drama. On the occasion, some of the popular drama artistes and contributors in the theatre were honoured for their outstanding contribution and dedication to theatrical promotion. They included Sanjeev Lakhan Pal, Rajendera Sharma Nanu, Geeta Agarwal Sharma, Ravi Mohan Ras, Manish Joshi Bismil, Parul Ahuja, Dr Madhudeep Singh and Virendra Saroha. Vishav Deepak Trikha, Deputy Director, MACC, said the centre had played a vital role in upgrading of theatre in the state and had become a powerful platform to provide opportunity to the newcomer artistes of different spheres. He said: “Classic dramas are being shown by the Haryanavi artistes not only in Kurukshetra but also in different parts of the country and are being well accepted by the audience”.
	US fellowship for Faridabad doctor Tribune News Service Faridabad, April 9 The US-based American College of Cardiology (ACC) has given this year’s fellowship award to Dr SS Bansal, Managing Director of the local Metro Heart Institute, for his contribution to cardiovascular medicine. Dr Bansal, who is also a senior interventional cardiologist at Metro Heart Institute, was given the fellowship (FACC) at a recent convocation ceremony of the ACC held in Chicago (USA). He is the only cardiologist from Haryana, Punjab, Himachal and Jammu and Kashmir to have been honoured by the fellowship this year. According to a spokesperson of Metro Heart Institute, the fellowship is given to a few cardiologists worldwide based on their credentials, achievements and contribution to cardiovascular medicines in society. “A minimum of 10 years clinical and educational practices are required in terms of proven track record of clinical success, original research and leadership in establishing community practices for the prevention and treatment of heart-diseases,” he added. The ACC is a non-profit organisation established in 1949 to advocate quality cardiovascular care through education, research promotion, development and application of standards and guidelines in the US. Dr Bansal said: “I am humbled on being given the prestigious fellowship. It will motivate me to do even more”. He was also awarded another US-based Society of Cardiovascular Angiograhic Interventions (SCAI) fellowship in 2009 for excellence in the field of interventional cardiology.
	Raj Rani gets warm welcome in native village Bijendra Ahlawat Tribune News Service Jind, April 9 Raj Rani, a former hockey player and aerobics instructor at a private gym in Chandigarh, is now a celebrity. Hailing from Sappakheri village, she has won a reality show based on her physical endurance. Raj Rani was given a warm welcome at her native village. She won Rs 1 crore as prize money, thus changing her fortune and those of her family. “I am overwhelmed and I am unable to digest the victory. It has made me a kind of star though I am a simple girl belonging to a farmer’s family,” she said. She said her selection to the show itself had been quite dramatic. I got a chance to appear for the audition of the programme in May last. “Though I was nervous initially as there were 21 other participants including 11 celebrities. They got all the attention and publicity, but I had made up my mind to brave all kinds of odds during the shoot that ran for about 45 days on an island,” she said. “It was my hard work, dedication and will power that made me successful in staying till the last and winning the show,” she added. “I could shift to Mumbai in near future as there could be several opportunities of this kind where a rural and simple girl like me could get a better platform,” she said. She played hockey for Haryana and Chandigarh till 2009, but gave up the sport when she got a job as an instructor at a gym in Chandigarh. Her father is farmer and her mother is a housewife. She has a brother and is the youngest of the four sisters. “She is the first girl to go outside the village before marriage,” said one of the kin.
	State to have 207 block-level sports complexes Construction work on 150 of these has already been completed BS Malik Sonepat, April 9 To provide better facilities to the youth, the government will provide 207 block-level Rajiv Gandhi sports complexes in the state. Construction work on 150 of the complexes has already been completed. This was stated by Rohtak MP Deepender Singh Hooda while inaugurating the Haryana State Circle Kabaddi Tournament in Ahulana village, near Gohana. The new sports policy of the state government had attracted rural youth to sports and they had proved their talent in national and international events in the past few years, he added. He said it was not possible for any government to provide a government job to every youth. Keeping this in view, he said the government had laid stress on technical education so that trained educated youth could avail themselves of job opportunities in the public and private sectors and also go in for self-employment. While referring to the demands of the villagers, he announced a grant of Rs 51 lakh for development in the village and gave an assurance that electricity would be supplied to it from the local cooperative sugar mill. Sonepat MP Jitender Singh Malik claimed that Haryana had made rapid strides under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda during the past six years. Later, Deepender Hooda addressed a public meeting in Madina village and announced a grant of Rs 1 crore for development work.