The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Multinational co. adopts Mewat village
To look after local residents’ eye-care, education for 3 yrs
Sunit Dhawan/TNS

Ferozepur Namak (Mewat), November 12
With a view to paying back to the community in its area of operation, Canon India has adopted Ferozepur Namak, a village in Nuh (Mewat) district, under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative. The adoption aims to support the village in eye-care, education and environment for a period of three years.

Speaking on the occasion, Kazutada Kobayashi, president and CEO, Canon India, said, “Today is a proud day for us as we announce the launch of ‘Adopt a Village’ project. This project is an attempt to build a progressive self-reliant rural community.”

Dr Alok Bharadwaj, senior vice-president, Canon India, said, “With this project, we aim for a holistic development of the community by taking small steps towards better quality of life in healthcare, sanitation, primary education, adult literacy, and environment.”

The project aims to improve enrolment in schools and deliver quality education to children within the age-group of 6-14 years. The firm supports activities such as establishment of a learning centre with education aids, improving quality of drinking water, rainwater harvesting, improving the ratio of girl children, teachers’ training and improving the teacher-children ratio by giving additional teachers to the school.

Along with education and environment, the firm plans to work in eye-care. As a part of the project, a sustainable eye-care facility ‘vision centre’ will be established in the village.

The centre will support screening of patients, provide medicines, spectacles and organise surgeries at the base hospital in Noida. The centre will be open four days a week with two days of awareness programmes and screening camps at the schools of the village and its neighbouring areas.

As part of its 2012 icare initiatives, Canon India had earlier organised eye-screening camps across six states of India.

It also partnered with UNICEF ‘Awaaz Do’ campaign for promoting right to education.

SAVE ENVIRONMENT
Students pledge not to burst crackers
Sushil Manav/TNS

Fatehabad, November 12
To protect the environment from smoke and save accidents during Divali festival, students of Manohar Memorial College of Education here took a pledge that they will not burst crackers this year.

In a function held in the college here recently, Dr Punam Miglani, Principal, and Meenakshi Mehta, president of the Eco Club of the college, administered oaths of “Save Environment” and “Say No to Crackers” to the students.

Rajiv Batra, president of the college governing body, who inaugurated the function, said today’s students were future teachers, as after passing bachelor and diploma courses in education from this college, they would be in the teaching profession.

Batra exhorted the students to spread the message of saving environment to the coming generations, as pollution had become a major concern in the world today. He said the smoke emerging from burning of crackers would increase the smog that had been already enveloping most parts of the state these days.

The college organised a “Diya Decoration” competition in which more than 100 students were divided into six houses — Vinoba Bhave House, Arvind Ghosh House, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru House, Mahatma Gandhi House, Dr Radha Krishnan House and Rabindranath Tagore House -- participated.

Madhu Mehta, Chander Talwar, Ramandeep Singh and Ajay Singh acted as judges.

Rabindranath Tagore House was adjudged the best house.

Meenakshi, Kiran and Komal bagged the first three positions in the “Diya Decoration” competition. Students prepared a variety of lamps using paints and other decoration material. In her message, Dr Miglani urged the students to play a safe Divali as incidents of fire are quite common during Divali festival.

Problems being faced by consumers
DISCOMS to launch campaign to collect information
Manish Sirhindi
Tribune News Service

Yamunanagar, November 12
In order to bring about improvements in the transmission system to ensure reliable supply of power, the Haryana distribution companies (DISCOMS) have decided to launch a special campaign under which the staff would collect information regarding problems being faced by the consumers.

The staff will approach municipal councillors, resident welfare associations and village panchayats to go for system improvement in the state in a planned way.

Devender Singh, Chairman and Managing Director (CMD), Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam and the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam, said the staff would collect information about the material, including cables, poles, conductors, distribution transformers and other equipment, required in a particular area. The report would then be forwarded to the higher authorities. Work would be completed within six months, in a phased manner, which would help minimise consumer complaints and ensure quality power supply to the consumers, Singh added.

He said the issue of recovery of FSA from consumers or hike in cost of power was beyond the control of the Discoms. However, it was their responsibility to ensure better services and adequate power supply to the consumers, for which effective steps were being taken.

Singh added that the staff would also conduct load surveys to meet power requirements of consumers and the system would be upgraded accordingly.

The complaints redressal mechanism would be streamlined as the field officers had been directed to visit villages frequently.

Singh said the Discoms intended to give power supply to villagers on urban mode. “We have offered villagers to reduce aggregate

technical and commercial (AT&C) losses in their villages up to 25 per cent and get domestic supply on urban mode which would ensure 20 hours of power supply each day.”

He added that to opt for this scheme, the villagers were required to ensure that each house in the village takes a regular power connection, all meters are relocated outside the houses on outer walls or poles and all damaged and old mechanical meters are replaced with new electronic ones.

He said on request of panchayats, the Nigams would organise camps in villages to give on-the-spot connections to the houses having no regular power connections. All damaged and old meters would be replaced in the camps. However, no theft case would be framed on finding any type of irregularity in the meters on the day of camp, but the irregularities would be corrected.

Power distribution system in 36 towns to be renovated
Raman Mohan
Tribune News Service

Hisar, November 12
The power distribution system in 36 towns of Haryana, each having population of more than 30,000, will be renovated and strengthened under the Restructured Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme (RAPDRP).

Under Part A of the RAPDRP, projects worth Rs 90.47 crore for the towns in the area of the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) and projects costing Rs 76.16 crore for the towns in the area of the Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) have already been sanctioned by the Government of India. The amount is being provided by the Centre as loan which will be converted into grant if the schemes are completed within the stipulated period.

The execution of Part-A of the project was started here by the DHBVN and the UHBVN in presence of Sumer Singh Yadav, chief general manager (Information Technology), PC Gupta, CGM, and SK Bansal, CGM. All officials concerned of both the utilities and 40 officials of the executing agency were present.

Major points of execution of Part-A of the project had already been discussed in the pre-kick-off meeting presided over by the chairman-cum-managing director of the utilities, Devender Singh, last month in Gurgaon in which all senior officers of the two utilities, including directors, chief engineers and superintending engineers, participated.

Yadav said under Part A, the nigams planned to provide a strong information technology base to the electricity distribution system by way of consumer indexing, GIS and asset mapping, metering of feeders and distribution transformers, automatic data logging, feeder segregation, ring fencing, information technology applications and establishment of base line data system.

The 36 towns include Hisar, Dabwali, Narnaul, Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri, Hansi, Hodal, Palwal, Barwala, Rewari, Ellenabad, Sirsa, Tohana, Fatehabad, Faridabad and Gurgaon in the area of the DHBVN and Ambala Cantt, Ambala City, Panchkula, Kalka, Jhajjar, Bahadurgah, Kaithal, Jind, Narwana, Karnal, Gharaunda, Thanesar, Shahbad, Sonipat, Gohana, Rohtak, Yamunanagar and Panipat in the area of the UHBVN.

Yadav said the execution of the programme would help reduce aggregate technical and commercial (AT&C) losses and improve service to consumers considerably.

Residents ‘deprived’ of civic amenities
Tribune News Service

Kurukshetra, November 12
Residents of Ward No. 27 of the district are feeling deprived of basic civic amenities. Be it roads, sewerage, garbage collection and disposal system or water impurities, the area is lacking on many counts.

Residents of Shanti Nagar are “fed up” of broken roads, clogged sewerage and waterlogging woes.

Complaints of water contamination are regular in many areas as residents rue that potable water is getting infected through sewerage leakage in the area.

But the area councillor, Sandeep Theka, claimed that she had already rectified the water contamination problem and it now existed in a few areas only.

People of Professor Colony also complained of inadequate water supply but the councillor said work orders to place a new tube well had already been passed and would be implemented soon.

She said, “Some areas in the ward like MC have not been releasing funds for its development.

The estimate of laying roads in Professor Colony has already been sent to the MC, but the proposal has not been approved.”

The work orders for development work had already been passed, but sweepers were not willing to work and MC passed lesser budget than requested, she added.

State to have child protection Act soon: Bhukkal
Ravinder Saini

Jhajjar, November 12
With a view to ensuring proper monitoring of child rights issues in the state, Haryana would soon have an Act on the pattern of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights Act (NCPCR).

Haryana Education and Social Empowerment Minister Geeta Bhukkal disclosed this while interacting with mediapersons after listening to public grievances at her residence here recently. She said the child protection Act had already got approval in principal in the state.

“The Congress is determined to protect child rights in the state, hence several vital steps are being taken in this direction. Having formed the Women Commission and Human Right Commission, the government has now decided to constitute a Schedule Caste (SC) commission so as to provide speedy justice to the needy,” said Bhukkal.

She added that the process to appoint chairman and members of the SC commission would soon be initiated.

While referring to the recently held Congress rally in Delhi, she claimed that it was the biggest-ever rally.

“This rally has also proved that the people are favouring the policies of the Congress, including the decision to implement FDI in retail sector. The decision to implement FDI will undoubtedly benefit the farmers as well as consumers,” she said, adding that the impact of this decision would soon be visible on the economy of the country.

She said in the recent meeting of the Central Education Advisory Board in New Delhi, she had suggested to provide residential accommodation to teachers working in remote areas. This decision of Haryana was highly appreciated. The Union Ministry of Human Resource Development had also appreciated the achievements of the state in the field of education, she added.

While greeting the people on the occasion of Diwali, she said, “The festival of lights inspires us to take a pledge to promote education and dispel the darkness of illiteracy”.

The Congress is determined to protect child rights in the state, hence several steps are being taken in this direction. Having formed the Women Commission and Human Rights Commission, the government has now decided to constitute a Schedule Caste commission to provide justice to the needy
— Geeta Bhukkal, Education and Social Empowerment Minister

Adulteration can make sweets bitter
Shekhar Singh
Tribune News Service

Kurukshetra, November 12
Try to avoid temptation for sweets this festive season as these could be adulterated. Due to a high demand for sweets during this time, adulterated sweets are sold in bulk. Sweet makers prepare these in advance and to maximise profits, they often use spurious raw material.

The District Health Department has already started collecting samples, but the drive is yet to pick up pace. Talking to The Tribune, the Chief Medical officer, Dr Vandhana Bhatia, said, “Collecting samples of eatables is an ongoing process. We had collected five samples, including sweets and milk, from Pehowa, Shahabad, Ismailabad, Pipli and Kurukshetra and had given warning to various sweet shops in the district.”

It has been observed that till the time the report of samples is out, adulterated sweets are sold out. All samples are sent for testing at the food laboratory, Panchkula. This means that eatables, especially sweets, are sold even if they fail purity test.

“People should avoid buying sweets and other eatables from shops that have the history of selling adulterated stuff.

As the festival season has started and Diwali is approaching, the health department has started its campaign to collect samples of sweets,” said Dr Bhatia.

PENALTY UNDER FOOD SAFETY ACT

Misbranded: Up to Rs 2 lakh

Sub-standard: Up to Rs 1 lakh

Food not of the nature or quality demanded: Up to Rs 5 lakh

Misleading advertisement: Up to Rs 10 lakh

Food containing extraneous matter: Up to Rs 1 lakh

Not complying with directions of the food safety officer: Up to Rs 2 lakh

Unhygienic and insanitary processing or manufacturing of food: Rs 1 lakh

Cong activists for state-level rally
Tribune News Service

Faridabad, November 12
Visibly upbeat over the successful public mobilisation from the state at Congress’ November 4 national-level rally in Delhi, party leaders have now pitched in to organise a separate rally here.

Party activists from south of Haryana, including Faridabad, are lobbying with the party leadership in the state to organise a state-level rally, either by the end of this year or by January next year.

The Haryana Congress had earlier planned to organise a rally in October to commemorate the completion of the third year of its government, headed by Bhupinder Singh Hooda. It had to drop the idea, as it had to concentrate on the Delhi rally, which was decided by the central leadership to demonstrate support to Union Government’s decision on FDI in multi-brand retail.

A large section of leaders in the Congress camp are of the view that though the party was successful in mobilising big crowds at the Delhi rally, the party must organise a rally in the state to drive home the point of its popularity to its opponents.

Transport employees’ union demands more buses
Bijendra Ahlawat
Tribune News Service

Rohtak, November 12
The local depot of Haryana Roadways is facing a shortage of buses on all routes, resulting in unchecked growth of private transport mafia and gross inconvenience to thousands of commuters in the district daily. This is the claim of the staff union of the Transport Department here, which has taken up the task of strengthening the public transport system by raising the number of buses. The local depot, which operates around 3,200 buses at present, requires at least 10,000 buses for operation on various routes.

Claiming this, a spokesperson of the district unit of the Haryana Roadways Workers Union said shortage of buses had been a major problem faced by the department and the issue had been ignored for the past several decades. Though the Transport Department of the state had an outstanding performance since it came into being, the successive governments, leaders of the ruling parties and a section of the bureaucrats were, however, interested in nurturing their vested interests by promoting private transporters, he alleged.

Describing the recent decision to issue over 3,000 permits to private bus operators, he said this move would only make the public transport system weak and help the private transport mafia grow at the cost of the common man.

According to employees of the department, while round the clock bus service ought to be available on all routes, there was hardly a bus available on majority of the routes on odd hours and the passengers were forced to depend on the private maxi cabs. These cabs not only risk the lives of the commuters but harass them by not providing a comfortable travel, despite charging the fare.

Launching a new fleet of buses would generate thousands of jobs for the unemployed youth and would bring down the rate of accidents and traffic chaos on the roads and highways in the state. Several accidents happen due to overloading as the youths and students prefer to travel on the bus rooftops due to poor service on various routes. Citing the example of the local bus service launched recently, the union representatives said it has started showing its impact on curbing the menace of three-wheeler auto rickshaws, which occupied most of the roads of the city.

MC turns a blind eye to ‘City Bazaar’
Shekhar Singh

Kurukshetra, November 12
The ‘City Bazaar’ here presents a gloomy picture of civic amenities in its inner markets. Shopkeepers of the area have been facing a lot of problems due to widespread encroachment and apathy of the Municipal Corporation authorities.

Though the road that leads to the bazaar having 150 shops is wide enough to ensure free flow of traffic, it has been reduced to a narrow lane due to widespread encroachments, leading to frequent traffic jams.

Inaction on the part of the municipal office, which has never bothered to check violations in the bazaar, has led to chaos in the area caused by shopkeepers who have encroached upon major parts of the road to display their goods.

Official apathy can be gauged from the fact that they have not visited the area to challan encroachers in the past three decades.

With congestion of roads, the law and order problem also arises as incidents of pick-pocketing increase during traffic jams. Most of the times, traders are targeted.

The area also lacks civic amenities as shopkeepers rue that no sweeper has been deputed to clean roads of the bazaar for the past few years. Disillusioned by the indifferent attitude of the civic body authorities, shopkeepers have now employed a private sweeper in the area.

While the bazaar is a stone’s throw away from the MC headquarters, the area lacks adequate supply of potable water. Shopkeepers rue that they have been getting contaminated water in the area, causing inconvenience to them and visitors.

Also, due to lack of proper disposal of rainwater, streets often get flooded during rainy season. A maze of old, dangling power cables throughout the bazaar poses grave risk to the lives of traders as well as visitors. Old wires have often been the source of fire caused by short-circuit. However, the concerned authorities have never bothered to change them.

The shopkeepers claim they have taken up the matter with officials a number of times but the latter have failed to take action.

What’s wrong

Road encroachments lead to frequent traffic snarls

MC officials have not visited the area to challan encroachers in the past 3 decades

Incidents of pick-pocketing abound due to congestion

Shopkeepers have had to employ a private sweeper

Old, dangling power cables pose a health hazard

Streets get flooded during rainy season

No adequate supply of potable water

Judge calls upon students to be aware of legal rights
Sushil Manav
Tribune News Service

District and Sessions Judge SC Goyal addresses students at MM PG College in Fatehabad. A Tribune photograph

Fatehabad, November 12
The District and Sessions Judge SC Goyal recently called upon students to be aware of their legal rights as only an alert citizen could help in building a responsible society and nation.

Addressing students at the Manohar Memorial Post Graduate College on the National Legal Literacy Day, Goyal said education empowered students by making them aware of their rights.

Calling upon students to work towards eradicating social ills like dowry and female foeticide, Goyal said these evils drove the society backwards.

Exhorting students to take benefit from the schemes initiated by the Haryana State Legal Services Authority, Goyal said free legal aid was provided to economically weaker sections of the society.

Goyal said the District and Sessions Judges were ex-officio chairpersons of the District Legal Service Authority (DLSA) in their respective districts.

Harish Gupta, Chief Judicial Magistrate and secretary of the DLSA, said November 1 to 9 was observed as National Legal Services Week and programmes were organised in various colleges and schools.

Advocate Vinod Mehta and DK Kaushik, principal of the host college, were among those present on the occasion.

Foreign delegates visit KU
Our Correspondent

Kurukshetra, November 12
A delegation from Bulgaria led by Radostina Nikova and Dr Mona visited Kurukshetra University and met KU Vice-Chancellor Lt-Gen Dr DDS Sandhu here recently.

The delegation had initial discussions with Dr Sandhu for cooperation in providing platform for KU students to find international placement avenues and cultural exposure of Bulgaria and other countries.

Nikowa told the VC that they had a wide international network of corporate houses for the placement and exchange of innovative ideas. The UNESCO team in Bulgaria and Ambassador of Bulgaria in India would soon visit KU for further discussions, she said.

The delegation extended an invitation to KU to have an exhibition of Haryana in Bulgaria’s Culture fest, 2013. Later, the delegation visited the Dhrohar Haryana Museum and appreciated the efforts of KU in making a world-class museum.

3 chemists booked for selling narcotics
Sushil Manav
Tribune News Service

Sirsa, November 12
Adopting a tough posture against owners of medical shops selling drugs used for a kick by youths, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Haryana, has sealed three shops and booked their owners under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

Four persons, two at Kalanwali in Sirsa and one each at Jagadhari in Yamunanagar and Narnaul in Mohindergarh, were arrested under the NDPS Act last week, said GL Singal, Joint Commissioner, FDA-cum-State Drug Controller, Haryana.

In its latest raid, a team of the FDA comprising senior drugs control officer Lalit Goyal and drugs control officer Pooja Chaudhary raided and seized a huge quantity of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and intoxicants during a surprise check at Nikhil Medical Store at Jamalpur mohalla in Narnaul and its owner Rakesh has been arrested.

At Kalanwali in Sirsa, the FDA stumbled upon a trafficker when Sohan Lal of Singhpura village, who was riding a motorcycle, met with an accident and the drugs he was carrying fell on the road.

FDA officer Vijaya Raje later lodged a case against him as well as the chemist, Sandeep, who had sold the drugs and both were arrested.

At Jagadhari, Rajeshwar Jain, a medical shop owner was caught keeping ‘Spasmo Proxyvon’ capsules at his residence and was arrested under the NDPS Act.

Only three days ago, while rejecting the bail plea of a Dabwali chemist, Parmananad, the Punjab and Haryana High Court observed that a licence under the Drugs and Cosmetic Act did not authorised a dealer to stock huge quantities of narcotics and intoxicants.

School holds contest

Fatehabad, November 12
Crescent Public School organised various competitions for its students here recently. The students participated in competitions like candle decorations, lamp decorations and making greeting cards.

Anuja Mehta, principal of the school, who gave away the awards to the winners, said such competitions helped students sharpen their skills in extra-curricular activities. — TNS

Panipat institute holds legal literacy camp
Tribune News Service

Panipat, November 12
“Ignorance of law is no excuse and knowledge of law is essential for enforcement of rights,” was the message given in the legal literacy camp, organised by the Geeta Institute of Law here.

Dr MK Sahu, Principal of the institute, stressed on the importance of legal literacy and said even for approaching the court, legal knowledge was a must.

The Chairman of the institute, SP Bansal, gave information about the functioning of legal aid clinics and said mere granting of rights by Constitution was not enough, people should have knowledge about their rights and should seek assistance of legal aid clinics for enforcement of their rights.

About a dozen law students participating in the camp talked about women empowerment, domestic violence, consumer rights, fundamental rights, rights of senior citizens, warrant and juvenile justice and tried to explain why an ordinary citizen should be aware of these issues.

School holds baby show
Subhash Chauhan

A child performs at a baby show at SD Vidya Toddlers School, Ambala Cantt. A Tribune photograph

Ambala, November 12
SD Vidya Toddlers School organised a special baby show in which tiny tots in the age group of 2-3 years and 3-4 years participated.

Dr PS Ahuja, a renowned child specialist, Sangeeta Chopra, a social worker, and Neelam Ahuja, a professor of child psychology at SD College, were the guests of honor and judges at the function.

More than 125 children participated in the show. Many fun games were organised for the tiny tots, where they were judged according to their health.

The children of Nursery and LKG sang songs followed by dance performances by UKG children.

Rupinder Saini, principal of the school, said the show would help in bringing out the best in each child with the motto that ‘every child is special’.

Bank facility at women medical college
Our Correspondent

The Director and Principal of the BPS Government Women Medical College, Dr RC Siwach, inaugurates a new branch of the Oriental Bank of Commerce on the college premises. Photo: BS Malik

Sonepat, November 12
In order to cater to the needs of the students, staff members, patients and their wards, the Oriental Bank of Commerce has opened its branch in Bhagat Phool Singh Government Women Medical College, Khanpur Kalan.

While inaugurating the branch on Friday, the director and principal of the medical college, Dr RC Siwach, said with the commencement of the first batch of the MBBS students from this academic session, bank facilities on the college premises were the need of the hour. “Moreover, the numbers of OPDs and indoor patients have been increasing day by day in the hospital of this medical institute of rural areas and every effort is being made to provide various facilities on the college premises,” he said and added a Vita milk booth would also be opened shortly in the area. Dr Siwach said the process for recruitment of competent persons on newly sanctioned 425 posts of 58 different categories in the college and hospital was being completed on a priority basis. “There will not be any shortage of staff for the time being after completion of this recruitment process,” he added. The Deputy General Manager of Rohtak region of the bank, SS Vijay, said the bank had planned to open 20 new branches in the region during this year. All kind of banking facilities would be provided in this newly opened branch, he added.