The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	BJP on weak wicket in Gujarat, says Sirsa MP Sushil Manav Tribune News Service Fatehabad, November 15 Sirsa MP Ashok Tanwar yesterday said that the recent bickering within the Bharatiya Janata Party after senior RSS ideologue MG Vaidya’s allegations against Narendera Modi for unleashing a tirade against Nitin Gadkari only suggested that the saffron party was on a weak wicket in Gujarat. Tanwar, who as an AICC secretary is co-incharge of the Congress for Gujarat, alleged that the so-called “Vibrant Gujarat” was on papers only and the situation on the ground was very dismal. The Congress MP was addressing people at a function to mark Vishwakarma Day at Bhuna town in Fatehabad yesterday. Chief Parliamentary Secretary Prahlad Singh Gillankhera, who represents Fatehabad in the state Assembly, was also present. “The 12 years of Modi’s regime in Gujarat and the first three years of the BJP rule there have been a story of ignoring the interests of common man for the benefit of corporate and industrial houses,” Tanwar alleged. The MP claimed that the November 4 rally of the Congress in Delhi had worked as a tonic for the party workers, who were now feeling invigorated to throw the BJP out of power from Gujarat. He said the rally had also enthused Congress workers in Haryana as a large majority of people who attended the rally went from this state. He said the success of the rally would help the ruling party in passing important legislations aimed at reforms in the winter session of Parliament. Congratulating people for Diwali and Vishwakarma Day, Tanwar said Lord Vishwakarma showed us the way for development. Tanwar announced a grant of Rs 2 lakh and the Chief Parliamentary Secretary announced Rs 1 lakh for Baba Vishwakarma Sabha, Bhuna, on this occasion. Cultural items were presented by professional artistes on this occasion.
	Manch submits memorandum to Railway Minister Our Correspondent Kalka, November 15 The Shiwalik Vikas Manch has submitted a memorandum to Central Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal regarding various demands of the Kalka Railways of the Shiwalik area. Stating this recently, Vijay Bansal, president of the manch, said it had been mentioned in the memorandum that the Chandigarh-Amritsar Jan Shatabdi should be extended up to Kalka. He said the work of laying a railway line from Chandigarh to Yamunanagar via Naraingarh was pending, the survey for which was proposed in the Rail Budget of 2011-2012. An overbridge was also needed to be constructed in Sector 17, 18 and 19 and an under-bridge was required to be constructed in Mouli Jagran. The memorandum demanded that Parwanoo should be connected to Kalka through a broad gauge railway line, the foundation stone for which was laid by Nitish Kumar, the then Central Railway Minister. It was also demanded in the memorandum that work on the project of a Metro rail from Chandigarh to Panchkula should be started soon, a railway halt should be set up at Pinjore, link roads and sewerage system of Kalka Railway colony to be maintained, Railway Hospital should be upgraded, old heritage buildings should be preserved and the Kalka Railway Station should be named after Aruna Asif Ali, a renowned freedom fighter.
	NABARD holds awareness programme for farmers Our Correspondent Kurukshetra, November 15 For the benefit of presidents and chief volunteers of farmer clubs and progressive farmers of Kurukshetra, an awareness programme on ‘Commodity Trading (Vayda Karobar)’ was organised by NABARD here recently. The programme was sponsored by the Forward Markets Commission, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, the Government of India. Farmers were briefed about the risks involved in commodity trading, how to curtail them and maximise profits. The farmers were told to exercise precautions while dealing in commodities as windfall profits were unlikely to happen and efforts should be made to minimise losses. The tax implications of commodity trading were also explained to the participants. Dr OP Lathwal, Chief Coordinator, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kurukshetra, JS Murthy, Lead District Manager, Kurukshetra, CA Safal Sharma, GS Malik, President, District Farmers Club, Kumar Saket, Head Operations, GEPL Capital Ltd, Faridabad and Pushkar Datt, DDM, NABARD, Kurukshetra, were among those present on this occasion.
	HJC gears up for Dec 2 rally Sushil Manav Tribune News Service Sirsa, November 15 The Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) has pressed into services all the resources at its disposal for the success of its December 2 rally in Sirsa to mark the foundation day of the party. The party supremo has chosen to hold a big rally to celebrate the 5th foundation day anniversary of the party at Sirsa, considered the stronghold of the INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala. “We created a record by bringing the largest number of people to a rally when we organised our first rally to announce the formation of the HJC on December 2, 2007, at Rohtak, the hometown of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. The next rally was held in 2008 in former Chief Minister Bansi Lal’s bastion in Bhiwani. This was followed by rallies in Rewari, Karnal, Hisar and Jind, representing the Ahir belt, the Punjabi belt, our own home district and the Jat heartland of Haryana, respectively. Now, by holding a big rally in the political bastion of Chautalas, our party will prove that it has people’s support all over the state,” said Bishnoi, while speaking to The Tribune recently. The party has assigned duties to its senior leaders for the success of the Sirsa rally. Kuldeep Bishnoi’s MLA wife Renuka Bishnoi, who represents the Adampur Assembly Segment in the state Assembly, has been assigned the task of mobilising support in Sirsa and Hisar parliamentary constituencies. She has former Rajya Sabha member Ramji Lal, former MLA Sube Singh Punia and some other senior leaders in her team. Chander Mohan, who served as deputy chief minister in Hooda’s cabinet before he had to resign following his marriage with Anuradha Bali, alias Fiza, is spearheading campaign in favour of the rally in Ambala, Kurukshetra and Karnal districts. Dharampal Malik, a former MP, is in charge of the campaign in Rohtak and Sonepat districts. In Bhiwani and Mohindergarh district, Bishnoi has assigned the job of mobilising people to former MP Jangvir Singh. Some other leaders like Raghu Yadav, former minister Dharambir Yadav, former MLAs Naresh Yadav, Dharampal Sangwan, Moola Ram and Ganpat Rai, HJC’s Mahila wing in charge Kusum Sharma and Virender Kaushik were also campaigning for the rally in Bhiwani and Mohindergarh, said Devi Lal Manjhu, a key functionary of the party. A successful rally in Sirsa at a stage when the political parties have already started gearing up for the parliamentary polls can definitely provide a head start to Bishnoi, who, many feel, has not been able to capitalise on his historic victory in October 2011 Hisar bypoll that catapulted him to limelight at the national level. Bishnoi not only defeated INLD’s secretary general Ajay Singh Chautala to win that election, but also handed over a crushing defeat to the Congress, as the ruling party’s candidate Jai Prakash finished a distance third. But will Bishnoi be able to manage an impressive show in Sirsa is a big question being asked in the political circles. Sirsa is a stronghold of Chautalas, who have four out of five MLAs from the district and their INLD represent five out of nine assembly segments coming under the Sirsa parliamentary seat. Even the other four are shared equally by the Congress and the independents supporting the Congress. However, Bishnoi wields a considerable influence in some seats coming under the Sirsa parliamentary seat. “We created a record of holding the largest-ever rally at Rohtak on December 2, 2007, and now, we will break our own record by surpassing that figure,” Bishnoi said.
	Seasonal delicacies ‘replace’ sweets this winter Raman Mohan Tribune News Service Hisar, November 15 Post Diwali, sweets are yielding space to seasonal delicacies - ‘rewri’ and ‘gajjak’ - in most Haryana towns. Though regarded as a Punjabi creation, ‘rewri’ and ‘gajjak’ have over the past few years become a speciality of Haryana. Thanks to the neighbouring town of Rohtak, where a number of skilled persons have been turning out more and more varieties of ‘gajjak’ every year. Dharampal Kataria, one of the ‘gajjak’ pioneers in Rohtak, said, “Winter is the most suitable time for making these delicacies because the ambient temperature in the workshop ranges between 10 and 26°C. The crystallisation of the ingredients is perfect under these atmospheric conditions. He said the size and quantity of sugar crystals in the finished product were the determining factors of the quality of the product, mainly crispness and the peculiar taste. The taste and flavour were peculiar to the maker because each had a particular recipe, he added. “Patience and purity of the ingredients stands above all these factors,” Kataria said. Over the years, different shapes and varieties have been added. Many have fancy names like stuffed rolls, shalimar, patti, samosa, badam gajjak and pista gajjak. These are available in two flavours, gur and sugar. The varieties made from ‘gur’ are more popular. Desi ghee and addition of cashew, pistachio and almonds now are an integral part of the newer varieties. Few are aware about the origin of ‘rewri’ in Rohtak. However, old-timers say a Muslim confectioner, Jemini, started to make ‘rewris’ at his house and sell it as a street vendor. The ‘gajjak’ and ‘rewri’ have now assumed the status of a flourishing cottage industry in Rohtak. There is a huge demand not only in the state, but also in the other parts of the country and abroad. A leading ‘rewri’ maker Jai Bhagwan said ‘rewri’ and ‘gajjak’ of Rohtak were exported to Canada, France, Sweden, Germany, North America, England, Europe and the Middle East mainly for the consumption of NRIs hailing from the area. The rates depend upon the quality and freshness of the product. The shelf life of these products is two to three months in moisture proof packing. The rates vary from Rs 100 per kg from the roadside vendors to a whopping Rs 500 a kg for products sold in swanky branded showrooms. The prices have shot up over the past two years because of the rising prices of sugar and gur. However, this has not dampened the demand.
	Punjab & Haryana High Court promotes 17 judicial officers Sushil Manav Tribune News Service Sirsa, November 15 The Punjab and Haryana High Court has promoted 17 judicial officers to the posts of Additional District and Session Judges (AD&SJs) and has issued transfer orders of four other AD&SJs. After his promotion, Ajay Prashar, Judicial Magistrate (Senior Division), Fatehabad, has been posted as AD&SJ at Gurgaon. Seema Singhal, CJ (SD), Sirsa, and her husband Naresh Kumar Singhal, Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Sirsa, go as AD&SJs to Rohtak. Others who have been promoted as AD&SJs along with their places of posting are Devender Singh, CJ (SD), Kurukshetra, to AD&SJ, Gurgaon; Raj Rani, CJ (SD), Hisar, to AD&SJ, Jhajjar; Vimal Kumar, III CJ (SD), Jagadhari, to AD&SJ, Karnal; and Bhupinder Nath, CJ (SD), Karnal, to the Additional District and Sessions Judge, Karnal. Rakesh Singh, Civil Judge (SD), Rohtak, goes as AD&SJ, Jagadhari; Madhu Khanna, CJ (SD), Kaithal, to AD&SJ, Hisar; Gurvinder Kaur, CJ (SD), Panchkula, to AD&SJ, Panchkula; Sangeeta Rai, CJM, Hisar, to AD&SJ, Sirsa; Raj Kumar Jain, CJ (SD), Bhiwani, to AD&SJ, Karnal; and Prithvi Raj Sharma, CJM, Rohtak, to AD&SJ, Nuh. Rajesh Garg, CJM, Chandigarh, (on recall from deputation) goes to Panchkula as Additional District and Sessions Judge; Shashi Bala, CJ (SD), Jhajjar, to AD&SJ, Bhiwani; Amarjit Singh, CJ (SD), Ambala, to AD&SJ, Ambala; and Ranjana Aggarwal, Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kurukshetra, to Additional District and Sessions Judge, Kurukshetra. Besides these, four AD&SJs have been shifted by the high court. These are Naresh Kumar from Gurgaon to Narnaul as an additional officer, Harbir Singh Dahiya from Gurgaon to Nuh vice AD&SJ No. 3, Sanjay Kumar Khanduja from Nuh to Gurgaon vice AD&SJ No. 1 and Vijay Singh from Gurgaon to Rewari as an additional officer.
	Hisar NRI to build temple on Alps Raman Mohan Tribune News Service Hisar, November 15 A UK-based NRI hailing from Hisar will build a Rs 2,326-crore Ambe Temple Complex on the Alps in Switzerland. Sudhir Sharma, who heads the Ask Group in the UK, said the complex would include a temple of Goddess Ambe, a seven star hotel and cable cars. Though devotees would be able to visit the temple and pray, they would not be allowed to make any offerings, he added. The work on the temple will begin shortly and it will be completed in a year. However, the entire complex will take six years to complete. He said he had gone to Switzerland to look for training institutes to train his staff. There he met Dorothy, who believed in Hinduism and was fluent in Sanskrit. He said together with a friend they went to see the Alps range. He found a church located atop one of the hills in the range. That reminded him of the Kailash Mountains back in India. He decided to set up a temple complex there with seven star hotel facilities. Sharma believes that no devotee should make any offering in any temple because in his view a human being is dependent on God for everything and men and women were too small to offer anything to God. That is why he doesn’t want any offerings at his proposed temple. He said the entire running expenses of the temple would come from the profits of the hotel and other tourist facilities the complex would house. He has leased three hills from their owner for $20 million till 2057. The temple would be constructed by the Amba Foundation named after his daughter. The Alps range is 1,200 km long. It covers several countries, including Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia, Germany, France and Italy. He has obtained permission to build a temple with a size of 8 x 8 ft. However, permission for increasing the size was in the offing. As per the Swiss government rules, a village will have to be established there and all the infrastructure will have to be provided by the developer. A meditation hall will also form a part of the temple.
	NSS aims to serve society, educate students: Chahal BS Malik Sonepat, November 15 A nine-day pre-Republic Day National Service Scheme (NSS) camp of NSS volunteers of seven northern states was inaugurated by HS Chahal, the Vice-Chancellor of the Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram University of Science and Technology, Murthal, on the university premises recently. As many as 100 boys and 100 girls students from Haryana, Punjab, Chandigarh, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and Delhi are participating in the camp that has been sponsored by the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. In his inaugural address, Chahal said the main objective behind the NSS activities was to serve society and the motive behind organising such camps was to inculcate the spirit among students for service to the nation and society. He recalled that digging of deep ponds and wells and construction of ‘chaupals’ and other community assets in the villages were one of the best examples of the NSS activities of the people in earlier days. “That spirit is almost missing now-a-days and the youth can play an important role in reviving such sentiments of selfless service among the people,” he added. The university’s Registrar, RK Arora, exhorted the students to take a keen interest in the camp activities and it would give them a golden opportunity to participate in the Republic Day parade. The Director of Social Welfare Department of the university, Dhirender Singhal, NSS Coordinator, Anil Singhu and Prgramme Officers Prachi Chaudhary and Ajai Dabas were also present on the occasion.
	Children’s Day means little to them Shekhar Singh Tribune News Service Kurukshetra, November 15 Even as the country celebrated Children’s Day, it had a little meaning for many children working in dhabas, scooter and cycle repair shops and several such organisations. Even as the Union and state governments have made stringent laws about child labour, a little has been done to restrict the employment of children in various trades. No raids are being conducted in the city or in dhabas located in its periphery. Seven-year-old Dheeraj picks up rags from garbage dumps in the city so as to help his family get two square meals a day. Wearing torn clothes and having big dreams in his eyes, Dheeraj says he wants to go to school and play with his friends. “I pick up rags from the adjoining areas of Professor Nagar everyday. After the entire day’s labour, I earn Rs 10 to Rs 20,” he says. Pyare Lal (12), another rag picker in the Shanti Nagar area, says, “I and my younger brother Chuni Lal (10) are in this job for the past two years. I wake up at six in the morning and start collecting discarded plastic products”. Pyare’s father Sham Sundar said though he would like his children to study, his ailment had forced him to engage both of them in this profession. “I know the job is hazardous, but we have no option,” he adds. Raju (10), who polishes shoes at the local bus stand, says, “I don’t know what Children’s Day is. Like other children of my age, I, too, want to play and have fun, but I neither have time nor any friend”. Similarly, Papu (14), who works at an automobile workshop, says, “I wash two-wheelers here, but I am not paid any wages. I only get meals and to and fro bus fair by the owner of the workshop”. The callous attitude of the authorities in curbing child labour can be witnessed on the Railway Road, where children are engaged in menial jobs in several automobile workshops.
	DIPLOMA COURSE IN EDUCATION MM college holds farewell party for final-year students Sushil Manav Tribune News Service Fatehabad, November 15 The Manohar Memorial College of Education organised a farewell party for its final semester students of the diploma course in education here recently. Rajiv Batra, president of the college governing body, inaugurated the function by lighting the lamp in front of Goddess Saraswati. The students presented a variety of cultural programmes on this occasion. The function began with a welcome song by the students and it was followed by a myriad of cultural activities like dances, songs and skits. Competitions like “one-minute show”, “threading a needle”, “paper dance” and “airing balloons” kept the audience involved. Addressing outgoing students, Batra urged them to work towards improving the quality of education once they joined as schoolteachers. Dr Punam Miglani, Principal of the college, said teachers were like lamps that burnt to spread light among others. She said as future teachers, students of Diploma in Education had a greater responsibility towards society. Renuka and Tarun were adjudged the Best Student among girls and boys respectively. The Best Book Reading awards were given to Ram Niwas and Pankaj Rani in boys and girls sections respectively.
	Chaman Vatika celebrates annual day Ambala, November 15 Chaman Vatika celebrated another year of success with the school annual day and prize distribution ceremony held recently. Former Union Minister and MLA of Ambala City,Vinod Sharma was the chief guest and RP Gupta, Commissioner, Ambala Division, was the guest of honour. The lighting of the sacred lamp marked the beginning of the evening’s programme, followed by ‘aarti’ and Saraswati Vandana. On this occasion, students presented a captivating orchestra, a medley of songs and paid a tribute to the Bollywood actor late Rajesh Khanna. The audience appreciated the students on the performance of ‘Heart Sutra’, ‘Sky Kisses Earth’, and ‘Invocation of Shakti’. Students showed their talent not only in performing cultural items but also in activities related to sports like skating, Kung Fu and aerobics. The event of the evening was ‘Lakashya’ which depicts that every one can succeed in fulfilling his or her dreams without any hindrance. The Principal, AK Saxena, threw light on the achievements of the school in his annual report. He emphasised that the school not only offered the best in term of academics but also helped in overall development of the students through various co-curricular activities which were organised by talented and capable teachers. — OC
	Ambala school holds fest Ambala, November 15 Maharishi Markandeshwar International School organised its 3rd multi-disciplinary event ‘Rendezvous-2012’ here recently. Around 3,000 students from 70 schools of the region participated in the fest. Children from schools of Jagadhari, Chandigarh, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Hisar, Shahbad, Patiala, Barara, Ambala Cantt, Ambala City, Ladwa, Sadhora and Mullana presented participated in various competitions. Dr Vishal Garg, treasurer of the Maharishi Markandeshwar University Trust, said the objective of the event was to provide the students a platform to display their talent. Various events like Hindi debate, quiz, spin-a-yarn, folk dance, western dance, group songs, skits, best out of waste, rangoli, painting, table tennis, flower arrangement and other activities were organised. The activities focused on skill building and development of teamwork among the participants. Vineeta Rajput, director of the school, said for harmonious growth in life, healthy competition was a must. Arts and life sciences exhibition by Maharishi Markandeshwar Engineering College was the other attraction at the festival. — OC
	Placement drive at Mullana institute Ambala, November 15 A placement drive for MBA students was conducted at Guru Nanak Institutions (GNI), Mullana, by Sundaram Finance Group recently. Rajesh Kumar, HR manager and Repan Razdan, regional manager of the group, conducted the interview process. Rajesh said six students were selected for appointment as management trainees. Sachin Chawla, Dean, GNI, said the visit of the company was a part of the vision of the university to provide the best employment opportunities to its students. — OC
	Induction programme for KU contract teachers Our Correspondent Kurukshetra, November 15 The UGC-Academic Staff College (ASC), Kurukshetra University (KU), organised six induction programmes of two days each, for contract teachers appointed in July-August 2012. The programme saw the participation of 240 contract teachers, working in different departments of Kurukshetra University, in a total of six batches, with 40 teachers each. The resource persons talked about motivation, communication skills, spirituality, positive thinking, research methods, stress management, moral and ethical values, acquiring new knowledge, listening skills and motivation for excellence. Prof MM Goel, Professor of Economics and Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, KU, Prof Dinesh Kumar of Department of English, KU, Prof Manoj Sharma, University Business School, Panjab University, Chandigarh, Prof BS Bodla, Institute of Management Studies, KU, Prof RP Grover, ASC, KU, Dr Ajay Suneja, Department of Commerce, KU, Prof Raghuvendra Tanwar, Department of History, KU, Prof Shashi Anand, Director, UGC-ASC, KU, Dr Taruna Dhall, University College of Education, KU, Prof RS Yadav, Department of Political Science, KU, Prof Rajneesh Sharma, Director, Directorate of Distance Education, Prof Sanjay Kaushik, University Business School, Panjab University, Chandigarh, Prof JS Pasricha, Punjabi University, Patiala, Prof Rajinder Kaur, Punjabi University, Patiala, Prof Sudesh, University School of Management, KU, Prof Brajesh Sawhney, Department of English, KU, Prof TR Kundu, former Dean of Colleges, KU, delivered lectures during the orientation programme.
	Expert lays stress on improvement in technical education DR Vij Kurukshetra, November 15 A three-day international conference on “Emerging Trends in Engineering and Technology -- IETET-2012,” organised by Geeta Institute of Management and Technology (GIMT), Kanipla, concluded on its premises, 12 km from here, recently. The conference was inaugurated by the chief guest, Dr Chandra Shekhar, director, Central Electronics Engineering Research Institute (CEERI), Pilani. In his inaugural address, Dr Shekhar laid stress on quality improvement in technical education. He said there had been considerable expansion of technical education all over the country and it was now time to stabilise the system. He deliberated on the quality of students, faculty, the teaching-learning process and the linkages with industrial world required for turning out good professionals for managing various functions. He further said that future engineers would be required to possess interdisciplinary knowledge and skills for effective functioning with a view to promote socio-economic development of the country. He highlighted the role of computers for making virtual designs with the help of which our engineers could predict different kinds of behaviours of structures and machines without involving high financial expenditure. The valedictory session of the conference was chaired by DK Gupta, former Additional Secretary, State Board of Technical Education, Haryana, and Managing-Director of GIMT. He opined that research should be need based and should be in the interest of mankind and society. It was essential that engineers should find solutions to the problems being faced by the industry and community, he added. Raman Gupta, Director-Principal, GIMT, said the conference provided a platform for interaction between academia and industry people. Prof (Dr) LN Mittal, director, Quality Improvement Programme of the GIMT and Conference Chairman, said the institute received 533 research papers, out of which 209 papers were selected for publication. Almost all states of India contributed research papers, including the papers received from premier institutes like IITs, NITs, deemed universities, NITTTRs etc. Papers were received from 12 foreign countries comprising USA, Nigeria, South Korea, UAE, Germany, UK, Canada, China, Oman, Australia and Bhutan. Over 200 delegates attended the conference.
	School gifts scooter to disabled Nawal Kishore Rastogi Rewari, November 15 By gifting a specially designed scooter to a young physically challenged needy newspaper hawker, Karan Singh (21), at a pre-Divali school samaroh, the Pathfinder Global School of Pataudi, 24 km from Rewari, has virtually dispersed gloominess pervading the life of a hapless youth. The benefaction has added cheer and brightness to the life of the differently abled Karan Singh who has been eking out a living for the family by distributing newspapers in the Pataudi-Hailey Mandi area for the past over three years while facing odds. The distinctly devised scooter was presented to him by Major Ashok Yadav (retd), chairman of the school managing committee, at a cultural samaroh held on the school campus. Distinguished citizens, who also participated in the samaroh, complimented the school authorities for this altruistic gesture. It is creditable that school students, too, contributed their earnings, raised through the sale of their self-made handicrafts, to the amount allocated by the school authorities for the purchase of this scooter. While felicitating the students for their valuable cooperation, the Principal, Jagriti Sharma, and the school senior coordinator, Pawan Bali, thanked the guests as well.
	Hisar college spreads awareness about foeticide Raman Mohan Tribune News Service Hisar, November 15 The Maharani Laxmi Bai College for Girls situated at Bhiwani Rohilla village near here organised a programme “Beti Ek Roshni” to spread awareness about female foeticide prevention and women’s security. The chief guest, Deputy Commissioner Amit Aggarwal, in his speech described female foeticide as the most reprehensible practice in vogue in modern society. He underlined the need for changing the mindset of the people to end female foeticide. Aggarwal said female foeticide had led to a sharp increase in the crimes against women especially young girls. The sex ratio in several states, including Haryana, had dipped sharply. He said laws alone could not end the practice by themselves. The active involvement of different sections of society was a must. Shamim Sharma moved a resolution to provide for death sentence for rapists. She said stern and exemplary punishment for such crimes was a must. On the issue of female foeticide, she said women were the basis of the existence of the universe. Without them the universe would be more like a wasteland. Astronaut Kalpana Chawla’s father, BL Chawla, said every young girl had the potential to become a Kalpana Chawla provided she was given the right opportunities to exploit her talent. He said Kalpana always followed her inner voice and achieved whatever she wanted in life. Students of the college presented a play entitled, “Beti Ek Roshni”, as part of the cultural programme.
	Rs 5.25 lakh scholarships awarded Yamunanagar, November 15 Under its corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme, Jamna Auto Industries distributed scholarships worth Rs 5.25 lakh to meritorious students, at a function held at Guru Nanak Khalsa College recently. Dr Girish Chopra, Dean, Academic Affairs, Kurukshetra University, said there had been a tremendous growth in higher education in India. From 20 universities and 500 colleges after Independence, there were 480 universities and approximately 35,000 colleges now, including a large number of professional educational institutions across the country. He urged the youth to play a pro-active role in eradicating social evils like female foeticide, crimes against women, corruption and drug addiction. Bhupinder Singh Jauhar, Chairman and Managing Director, Jai Group of Industries, while welcoming the chief guest, said students of the host college had proved themselves in the field of academics, sports, social service and extracurricular activities. The scholarships were being offered as a tribute to their achievements, he added. Dr Virender Kaur, Principal of the college, informed the gathering about the various activities of the college and said the college would start an ultramodern sports complex soon. — OC
	Vaish samaj’s convention on Nov 18 Nawal Kishore Rastogi Rewari, November 15 The Agarwal Vaish Samaj (AVS), a premier socio-political organisation of the Vaish community in Haryana, which has fruitfully completed three years of its existence, is now going to hold a state-level convention on its third foundation day at Bahadurgarh on November 18. Furnishing details in this regard, its vice-president Brij Lal Goyal and general secretary Rakesh Mittal said while Arjun Kumar, general secretary of the All- India Vaish Parishad, would be the chief guest, AVS chief Ashok Buwaniwala would preside over its proceedings. Besides Babu Ram Gupta, OSD to Dr Farooq Abdullah, Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy, and a former Rajya Sabha member Rajni Ranjan Sahu would be the guests of honour, Suresh Gupta, a member of the All-India Congress Committee, would be the principal speaker at the convention. Similarly while over 5,000 activists of the AVS, its Mahila wing and the youth wing from various districts of Haryana were expected to participate in it, meritorious AVS activists from its various constituency-level units would also be honoured. Simultaneously stating that notwithstanding the Vaish Samaj’s contribution to the development and progress of the country and the state in the post-Independence era, AVS chief Buwaniwala lamented that the Vaish community had persistently suffered from political oversight by the successive governments.
	Communal Harmony Day observed Our Correspondent Kurukshetra, November 15 NCC cadets of Markanda National College, Shahabad-Markanda, observed Communal Harmony Day here recently. On the occasion, flag-stickers were stuck on students’ uniforms. NCC cadets along with Principal Dr Vinay Malhotra and NCC official Suresh Kumar visited the canteen, playground, classrooms and even shops outside the college to collect donations from students, staff and the public. Dr Malhotra said they collected Rs 2,357 and the amount would be sent to the Union Government for promoting communal harmony, helping orphan children and people during natural calamities. NCC cadets of the college observed this day every year, he added.
	Power theft cases Chandigarh, November 15 In power theft cases, the 'out of court settlement scheme' will be available only if the theft case is booked for the first time. In such cases, full amount of compounding charges along with 50 per cent of assessment amount with simple interest at the rate of 12 per cent per annum shall be charged. This was clarified by a spokesman of the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) here recently. He said the scheme had been launched by the DHBVN and the Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) for consumers of all categories to avoid prolonged litigation and to settle long-pending court cases. It will be available for settlement of all consumer cases pending in courts, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, State Commission and Arbitration as on June 30, 2012. The cases can be settled in the lok adalats being held regularly at all district headquarters. The scheme will remain in operation till January 31, 2013, he added. — TNS
	District football team accorded warm welcome Our Correspondent Sonepat, November 15 The district women football team, which won a gold medal at the Haryana Sports Festival in Panchkula, was accorded a warm welcome by the District Sports Association here recently. The men football team of the district, which was placed at the third position at the festival, was also welcomed on the occasion. JC Chaudhary, district president of the association, said the women team defeated Kurukshetra by 2-1 in the final match. The team reached the final after defeating Hisar in the semi-finals by 2-0. He said the district had considerably improved its performance in football in both men and women sections in the past 4-5 years and the representation from the district in state teams had also been increasing considerably. District general secretary of the association Dharma Pal Dahiya, district sports officer Phool Kanwar Dahiya, DPE Bijender Singh, Anil Dhul, Balbir Singh and a few sportspersons were also present on the occasion.