Panipat, November 20
Tall claims of a uniform and balanced development made by the Haryana government notwithstanding, the south Haryana districts, especially the districts falling in the Jat belt, have cornered a major share in developmental works while the north Haryana districts have been facing discrimination, with the industrial districts of Panipat, Panchkula and Yamunanagar figuring at the bottom.

Information procured through an RTI from the Chief Minister’s Secretariat regarding developmental works undertaken in various districts from 2005 to 2012 proves the charge of discrimination against north Haryana districts and undue favour shown to south Haryana districts, especially Rohtak, the home district of Chief Minister B.S.Hooda and his Member of Parliament son Deepender Hooda. Not only does Rohtak district as a whole have major share in development, the development has been phenomenal even in the Rohtak block.

Of the 5,135 announcements made by the Chief Minister from 2005 to 2012, work on 3,356 projects has been completed, work is in progress in 681 projects and 616 works remain on paper while sanction has not been accorded in 482 cases.

But the startling fact revealed in the 818-page information is that out of 1,237 announcements made in Rohtak district, work on 1,082 projects has been completed, 58 works are in progress and 72 were not feasible and sanction was not accorded in 25 cases.

Of these, 670 works were completed in the Rohtak block alone while the vibrant district of Panipat on the GT road has a share of only 61 works out of which 42 were completed and work is in progress in respect of six announcements.

Announcements of 813 works were made in the five districts of Panipat, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Ambala and Faridabad in the GT road belt and 585 works were completed. But in the case of five districts of Rohtak, Sonepat, Jhajjar, Hisar and Bhiwani, 2,730 announcements were made and 1,975 works were completed while work on 297 works is in progress.

This implies that the thrust on development is four times more in Jat-dominated districts, patronised by the government.

The fast growing districts of Panchkula and Yamunanagar are the least favoured in the list, with 47 and 43 announcements made by the Chief Minister of which 16 and 27 works were completed in the two districts while three works were not feasible, 12 are pending and work is in progress in 32 cases in the twin districts.

RTI activist P.P. Kapoor, who had filed an application for extracting the information, said 1,082 works were completed in Rohtak district alone while the remaining 20 districts had to contend with 3,289 works, meaning thereby that, on an average, 165 works each were completed in other districts.

The data also exposed how announcements about developmental works are made on political considerations by the Chief Minister.

Sirsa, November 20
The police has arrested three persons in connection with an attack on five persons near Jeewan Nagar here on November 18.

SSP Rajshree Singh said the arrested persons, Madan Lal, Raj Kumar and Swaran Kumar, were produced in a court at Ellenabad, where they were remanded to judicial custody till November 22.

She said another accused, Jagtar Singh, was in hospital as he was also injured in the clash.

Some Dera Sacha Sauda followers, who were guarding the road from where dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was to cross, had chased a car from Ellenabad and in a scuffle that ensued near Jeewan Nagar, one occupant of the car sustained injuries.

Meanwhile, the police has registered a case against some unknown persons for blocking the national highway near the Lal Batti Chowk in connection with the November 18 incident when over 1,000 Dera Sacha Sauda followers blocked the Delhi-Abohar NH 10 for over one and a half hours.

The police today registered an FIR against unknown persons under Sections 147, 149 (rioting) and 341 (wrongful restraint) and under the provisions of the National Highway Act.

Dera followers had blocked the highway in protest against the police booking some followers for allegedly attacking five persons near Jeewan Nagar.

While the resurface of the dera feud in the area after a gap of nearly four years without any immediate provocation is baffling the residents. Ever since the dera-Sikh imbroglio in 2007-08 after the dress controversy of the hera chief, he has been avoiding holding congregations in Sikh-dominant villages.

On his journeys to Rajasthan, where he has another dera in his native Gurusar Modia village, the Dera Sacha Sauda chief has been taking the Nathusari Chopta-Jamal route inhabited by Bagri Jats for the past four or five years.

Sources said it was for the first time since 2007-08 that the dera chief took the Ellenabad route where several Sikh-dominated villages are located en route to Rajasthan on November 15, when black flags were shown to his cavalcade.

The police again allowed the dera chief, who enjoys Z-category of security and whose movements are decided by the police, to take the same Sikh-dominated route for his return journey on November 18.

Gurgaon, November 20
The idea of the Punjab and Haryana High Court of having Metro-like smart cards for the expressway seems to have clicked as the authorities have started working out the details.

Following a spot visit while the traffic police suggested measures like repairing slip roads, DGSCL representatives are busy working out the modalities of cards which are expected to be produced in court on the December 5 hearing.

As per the initial plan, the smart cards will be made available at prominent fuel stations with recharge values of Rs 200, Rs 300 and Rs 500. The cards are believed to be the answer to the unpopularity and failure of the TAG system to ensure free flow of the traffic. The smart card will have functions similar to a tag though the former will be a touch-and-go facility while the tag works on sensor programming.

The concessionaire has proposed that contrary to allocation of only four lanes on each side for tag users, smart card users could use any toll lane to zip through all three toll plazas on the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway.

“We are yet to finalise anything as it will be done after a meeting with the commissioner and the other authorities. Smart card is one of options proposed by the court. With the cards, there will be no need for attendants of toll collection. We are also working on ways to keep two-wheelers off the expressway. We have also discussed with the DGSCL the possibility of having slip roads and getting the older ones repaired. We will come out with a fresh de-congestion plan in a day or two,” said a traffic official.

Chandigarh, November 20
Within less than two months of its existence, the Haryana Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu notice of two reports published in The Tribune and its sister publication, Dainik Tribune.

The commission headed by former Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Justice Vijender Jain, at its first sitting on October 31, took notice of a report, “Rape victim’s father again depressed” from Fatehabad published in The Tribune of October 28, 2012, and asked its Inspector General PK Agrawal to inquire into the incident.

The commission today took notice of a report about the gang rape of a married woman in Mewat district published in the Dainik Tribune on November 15, 2012.

Besides Justice Jain, Justice HS Bhalla, a former judge of the Himachal High Court, and former IAS officer JS Ahlawat attended the meeting.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has also sent a writ petition filed in 2005 to the commission for consideration with directions that the commission would not go into the issue of limitation. Under the Human Rights Commission Act, no complaint older than one year can come to the commission. However, in view of the directions of the high court, the commission has decided to take up the writ petition on its judicial side in January. Meanwhile, all respondents have been issued notice. The complaint is against Faridabad police.

The commission is facing severe teething problems. It is yet to get a proper office. Its investigation wing comprises only one Inspector-General of Police, who does not even have a constable to assist him. It is learnt that Justice Jain today took up these issues with the Home Secretary, who promised to provide at least the skeleton staff to the IG so that the inquiries marked by the commission to him can be expedited.

So far, the commission has received about 20 complaints, on which the notices have been issued to various government authorities. Most of the complaints are against the functioning of the police department.

Hisar, November 20
Hundreds of government employees owing allegiance to the Sarv Karamchari Sangh courted arrest today outside the Mini-Secretariat here.

The employees were trying to gherao the Deputy Commissioner when the police swung into action and took them into custody. They were taken to the Civil Lines police station from where they were let off.

The employees collected outside gate No. 4 of Haryana Agricultural University before marching to the Mini-Secretariat. After staging a demonstration there they tried to gharao the Deputy Commissioner.

The employees were demanding an end to privatisation of any kind in government departments.

Meanwhile in Sirsa, hundreds of government employees held a demonstration and courted their arrest in support of their demands.

The employees assembled in Devi Lal Park under the banner of Sarva Karamchari Sangh and then marched towards Mini-Secretariat, where they submitted a memorandum to the authorities. Reports of similar demonstrations were received from Fatehabad too.

Gurgaon, November 20
The Indian Institute of Skill Development (IISD), along with the OGM Technical Institute, Australia, and the Central Institute of Technology (CIT), Australia, launched the Institute of Natural Resources (INR), a training institute for mining and allied disciplines, here today.

Former Australian cricket team captain Steve Waugh,a brand ambassador for OGM, also inaugurated the Simulated Mines Environment section of the INR on the occasion. IISD director Ranjan Bakshi and INR director KB Trehan were also present.

“Keeping in view the specific industry needs and shortage of appropriately skilled manpower, matching courses will be delivered at the INR to produce ‘work-ready’ professionals,” said Trehan, adding that the trainees at the institute would receive certification from TAFE, Australia, which is globally recognised. — TNS

Faridabad, November 20
The Municipal Corporation of Faridabad (MCF) today directed the shopkeepers to clear encroachments in the markets here by tomorrow, failing which it would initiate action against them.

At a meeting with the representatives of the shopkeepers, the MCF authorities gave a stern message that the encroachments would have to be removed in compliance with the Punjab and Haryana High Court order.

The meeting, presided over by MCF commissioner D. Suresh, was attended by officials of the municipal body and a delegation of the Faridabad Vayapaar Mandal.

MCF chief engineer NK Katara said there was also a plan to create parking zones in the markets after they were cleared of the encroachments.

He said the court has also put on hold the implementation of the government’s recent change of land use (CLU) policy with regard to premises in the markets due to the encroachments in them.

The president of the Faridabad Vyapaar Mandal, Jagdish Bhatia, said the government had identified 44 roads in the markets in Faridabad to implement the CLU policy. It relates to markets of NIT-1, 2, 3 and V, and Neelam-Bata road, Nehru Ground, and BK Chowk-Hardware Chowk.

Bhatia said about 3,000 premises on the roads had been brought in the ambit of the policy.

Migrants from Pakistan were alloted plots by the government to set up houses in the NIT in the wake of the Partition. However, with the passage of time, they and their decendants have converted them into commercial units.

The government, through its CLU policy, has provided an opportunity to the owners to legally convert the nature of the premises from residential to commercial. This would entail a fee. The owners who do not opt for the CLU would not be able to run commercial ventures on them. 

Fatehabad, November 20
Law enforcing agencies, whose duty is to protect women from crime against them, are sometimes themselves under a cloud due to the conduct of some of their functionaries.

In a workshop on “Sexual violence against women” held in Government Post-Graduate College for Women, Bhodia Khera, in Fatehabad today, some girls said they feared the most from the policemen on duty.

“The policemen often ogle at girls on roads where they are on duty and sometimes they go to the extent of making unpleasant remarks,” said a girl.

The women’s wing of the college had organised the workshop in the backdrop of recent incidents of sexual violence against women in Haryana.

Harbhagwan Chawla and Manoj Chhabra, both litterateurs who have written on women’s issues, addressed the girls on various aspects of sexual violence against women.

Some other girls said either the laws to protect women from sexual violence were weak or there was lack of will with respect to their implementation.

Chawla said the oft-repeated excuse that a skewed sex ratio was responsible for crime against women was a wrong diagnosis of the malady.

He said since times immemorial, men had considered women subservient and a commodity for their pleasure, which, he said, must change.

Chhabra said a recent statement by khaps that the marriage age of girls should be reduced to check incidents of rape was outrageous and an attempt to prevent women from getting education.

Dr Meet, in charge of the women’s wing of the college, said besides actual sexual violence, other kind of restrictions on women, like the use of veil and keeping them in the confines of four walls of their houses, were manifestations of violence of different kind.

Principal RK Sharma said the girls should learn to face their tormentors unitedly. 

Gurgaon, November 20
This incident again highlights the ‘killer’ status of Gurgaon roads. Mahesh Kumar, an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) with the traffic police, was seriously injured when he was hit by a dumper at Shankar Chowk here last night. Kumar, who is battling for his life in a hospital, was on duty under the bridge and was hit when the dumper took a turn. While he was immediately rushed to the hospital, the driver managed to flee.

Now, the police must wake up to traffic hazards and review the road safety status in city which is going from bad to worse. If officials are to be believed, the expressway and other new constructions have added to the problem. The way expressway has been built and other constructions are coming up, there is no place for pedestrians or traffic policemen to stand.

“Mahesh was standing below the bridge and issuing challans when he was hit. A majority of turns in city are virtually blind and this is what leads to accidents,” said a traffic policeman.

According to official data released by the department a few days ago, a total of 319 persons have lost their lives in 742 accidents in 2012, while 326 persons were killed in 719 accidents in 2011.

The main spots where accidents took place include Hero Honda, Kherki Daula toll, Rajiv Chowk, Manesar bus stand, Bilaspur Chowk and Shankar Chowk.

An official said pedestrians followed by motorcyclists continued to be the prime victims. The police attributesd the increasing number of accidents on lack of infrastructure meant for pedestrians in the city. The second key reason appeared to be lack of traffic sense and respect for traffic rules.

Ambala, November 20
The police will launch a special campaign against criminals in the state, said SN Vashisht, DGP, here today.

Speaking to mediapersons during his visit to the twin cities of Ambala, the DGP said it was proposed to set up new police posts in urban areas of the state to ensure better policing.

In order to strengthen the police force, it had been decided to recruit around 11,000 constables, the DGP said. The DGP said security would be strengthened in jails to prevent inmates from using mobile phone and weapons. Later, the DGP visited the office of the Police Commissioner and local police stations. 

Hisar, November 20
Three masked youths looted cash and valuables from four establishments here last evening.

They reached a computer shop on the busy Railway Road around 5 pm on a motorcycle and demanded all cash in the drawer from the owner.

When he resisted, one of them hit him on the head with his countrymade pistol. The other two youths also aimed their pistols at him. They took away Rs 10,000 lying in the drawer.

Minutes later, three youths came to a petrol pump in Azad Nagar on a motorcycle and looted Rs 71,800 from the attendant at gunpoint.

They then targeted a marriage palace under construction nearby. They took away seven LCD televisions and other valuables from there.

The miscreants then went to a tea stall and looted Rs 800 from the owner. 

Sirsa, November 20
The police has booked a married youth for sexually abusing a girl for over eight month on the promise of marriage at Ding in Sirsa.

The youth, Ramesh, hails from Sangha village in Punjab situated near Ding.

The police has also booked the sarpanch of Ramesh’s village for criminally intimidating the girl.

The victim, a girl from Taklwandi Sabo town of Punjab, alleged in her complaint to the police that Ramesh lured her on the promise of marriage and brought her to Ding where they started living together as a couple in a rented accommodation eight months back.

A few days back, she came to know that Ramesh was married and he has three children.

She alleged that the youth abused her sexually knowing well that he was already married and had a family.

She alleged that when she protested, the sarpanch of Ramesh’s village threatened her of dire consequences if she brought the matter to the notice of the police.

The police took the 24-year-old victim to the general hospital here for medical examination where rape was established.

The police said a case of rape has been registered against Ramesh while the sarpanch had been booked for criminal intimidation.

Chandigarh, November 20
The police has arrested a person from Panipat bus stand, accused of firing at a marriage function at Kaimla village in district Karnal, resulting in death of a Dhoop Singh (50).

A police spokesman said the accused, who was uncle of the bridegroom, fired from his licensed pistol just to show off.

Dhoop Singh, a resident of Gullarpur, received serious injuries and was admitted to a hospital in Panipat, which referred him to New Delhi.

He died on his way to New Delhi.