Hisar, October 23
The Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) has decided to offer an out-of- court settlement scheme to cut down litigation. Cases can be settled in Lok Adalats being held regularly in all district towns.

A nigam spokesman said here today that the scheme would remain in force till January 31, 2013, for settlement of all cases pending in courts, District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forums and State Commission as on June 30, 2012.

All such disputes where penalties had been levied could be settled under the scheme provided the consumer paid a reduced amount of 50 per cent of the amount initially assessed, along with a simple interest of 12 per cent per annum on the unpaid balance amount of the reduced amount.

The scheme would be applicable to the cases where unauthorised load detected led to a change of category from low-tension (LT) industrial to high-tension (HT) industrial and LT surcharge at the prescribed rate of 25 per cent of the sale of power (SOP) had been charged.

In theft cases, the scheme would be available only if a theft case was booked for the first time. In such cases, the full amount of compounding charges along with 50 per cent of assessment amount along with a simple interest of 12 per cent per annum would be charged.

In case, a court case had arisen on account of surcharge levied and the principal amount had already been paid, the matter would be settled by levying a simple interest of 12 per cent per annum.

The scheme would also be applicable where disputes were on account of minimum charges. Such cases would be settled by payment of full amount of the minimum charges along with a simple interest of 12 per cent per annum on the unpaid balance amount. The cases already settled or decided would not be reopened.

The SDO concerned was authorised to settle cases on behalf of the nigam. 

Chandigarh,October 23
The Hooda government is mulling another power hike, the fourth in this financial year. The latest power shocker will come in the wake of the recovery of fuel surcharge assessment (FSA) on costly short-term purchases by the power distribution companies — UHBVN and DHBVN — in the second quarter (July-September) from the power consumers.

With the discoms implementing the amended Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (Terms and Conditions for Determination of Wheeling Tariff and Distribution and Retail Supply Tariff) Regulations, 2008, the power tariff hike will be a reality soon.

With short-term liabilities of the power distribution companies pegged at Rs 19,000 crore and financial losses at Rs 4,000 crore, there is no way out for the discoms except to hike the power tariff.

The sources said in the past 11 years, the cost of power purchase (which accounts for 80 per cent of cost of supply) for both discoms in Haryana had surged 300 per cent while tariff had just gone up by 60-70 per cent, resulting in a consistent increase in the debt burden for working capital requirements and debt servicing.

Last month, the UHBVN and DHBVN effected a power tariff hike, effective from September 1, ranging from 17 paise to 45 paise per unit on the non-agricultural sector to recover Rs 350 crore spent on the purchase of power at a high cost by way of the FSA. Earlier, the state government hiked power tariff ranging from 10% to 15% aimed at netting additional revenue of Rs 1,795 crore from April 1. The state government had hiked tariff ranging from 12 paise to 28 paise on account of the FSA to recover Rs 1,087 crore with effect from July 1.

Chandigarh, October 23
The Haryana Government has cancelled the licence of another New Delhi-based builder intending to develop a group housing project in Sonepat for its failure to abide by terms and conditions of allotment and deposit nearly Rs 29.74 crore outstanding against him .

The Director-General, Town and Country Planning, cancelled the licence of Jindal Realcon Private Limited for developing a residential colony in 13.31 acres in Sector 10-11 of Sonepat. Jindal Realcon was granted the licence on November 27,2006, for two years. The firm applied for renewal of the licence for another year till November 28,2009.

However, the builder did not pay any external development charges(EDC) amounting to Rs 29.74 crore . Besides, no revalidation of the bank guarantees for internal development work and the EDC had been done.

The licence was granted in 2006. The zoning plan was approved on January 31,2007. The building plans were approved on June 15, 2007. However, till date the building plans could not be released due to non-payment of EDC by the builder. The cancellation order said no construction/development works except for a sample flat, had been undertaken at the site even five years after the grant of the licence.

The order said as per rule-14(2) of the Haryana Development and Regulation of Urban Areas Rules, 1976, an opportunity of personal hearing was granted to you on May 16, 2011, before the rejection of your application.

Nobody appeared on the date of hearing, Subsequently, another opportunity of personal hearing was granted on August 27, 2012. However, nobody appeared on the said date and time, the order claimed.

Rohtak, October 23
A row has erupted over the selection of land for a regional centre of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) at Meham, about 30 km from here. A protest was staged yesterday by residents over the issue. The foundation stone of the sports centre was laid a few weeks ago.

Shamsher Kharkara, who led the protest at the site yesterday, said the centre had been given the land belonging to Town Park and other important spots. Claiming that 171 kanals of the 186 kanals park area had been transferred to the proposed centre.

Not only the park but some other important spots, including Murand Pond, Meham Chabutra, Kisan Haveli and the tourist complex would also get absorbed by the SAI centre. It is claimed that Murand pond is related to the 1857 mutiny.

Some residents like Ramesh Khatik and Ved Prakash Girdhar opposed the acquisition of land belonging to the park and some other important historical spots as it would destroy the historical importance of the town.

However, District Sport Officer Ishwar Singh Dahiya asserted there was no controversy as about 21 acres belonging to the Tourism Department had been transferred for the sports centre and it would not affect the park or any other historical spot. 

Sonepat, October 23
Following a demand for changes in the drawing of the under-construction railway overbridge (RoB) at a level crossing near the local railway station, Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Aggarwal today inspected the sites on Gohana, Rohtak and Geeta Bhawan roads in the town. He was accompanied by officers of PWD (B&R) and the construction company.

The DC said the main demand related to increasing the number of pillars and reducing the length of retaining walls. “I have inspected the sites and an appraisal report will be sent to the authorities,” he added.

Meanwhile, the fast in protest against the approved drawing started by Ravinder Jatheri, convener of the Railway Overbridge Sudhar and Nirman Sangharsh Samiti, entered its eighth day today. — OC

Fatehabad, October 23
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that a rape victim along with her two sisters were expelled from the school at Khai village in Fatehabad.

Issuing notices to the Chief Secretary, Government of Haryana, District Magistrate and Director of Education, Fatehabad, the commission has called for a report in the matter within four weeks, stated a press note on the website of the NHRC.

The Tribune had first reported that the victim and her two sisters were shown the door and the sarpanch allegedly asked the victim's father to settle the issue for Rs 35,000.

A 13-year-old girl was sexually assaulted by a sexagenarian for over five months at Khai village.

Her father alleged that he was being pressured to hush up the matter, said the release, quoting reports.

He was also asked to withdraw his daughter along with her two sisters from the school. The school authorities had told him that his daughters could not continue their studies in the school.

However, an enquiry conducted by the District Education Officer revealed that the school leaving certificates had been issued against a request signed by the victim’s father, the note added.

The commission has observed that the contents of the press report, if true, raise the serious issue of violation of human rights of the victim and her family members.

Meanwhile, subdivisional magistrate Harish Bhatia, who was entrusted with an inquiry by additional deputy commissioner Rajiv Rattan, said he was yet to compile his report.

Rohtak, October 23
Three members of a family, including two women, were killed and one was injured after their car was hit by a speeding train at an unmanned railway crossing near Jassia village in the district this morning.

The injured, a minor girl, has been admitted in the PGIMS Hospital where her condition is reported to be stable.

The accident took place around 11 am when the Panipat-bound passenger train hit the car at the unmanned crossing near Jassia. The driver of the car was trying to cross the railway track which has no bar to stop vehicles. It is one of the six such points in the district which are still to get manned crossings.

The victims — Yatish (24), his mother Sushma (55), his sister Meena (28) and Pari, alias Parul (3), Meena’s daughter — had come from Sector 23, Karnal, and were on their way to Rohtak when the accident took place. It is reported that they had taken the bypass route of the village where the unmanned crossing is located.

The impact was so much that the car was dragged around 200 metres on the track before it was thrown aside, leading to the death of the three passengers on the spot. Yatish succumbed to his injuries on way to hospital. Pari has been admitted in the PGIMS here where her condition is stated to be out of danger.

The kin of the victims reached the spot soon after the accident.

A case has been registered in this regard.

In another accident, a 30-yea-old woman died and a youth was injured after the motor cycle they were riding was hit by a speeding vehicle near Meham town this morning. Anshu, alias Shalu, was a resident of Dhaula Kuan, Hansi. She was a teacher in a private school at Meham. She was on the way to her school and had been pillion-riding with Kulwant when the accident took place. Kulwant has been admitted to hospital in a critical condition.