The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Alleged custodial deaths
Wait for justice keeps getting longer
Manish Sirhindi
Tribune News Service

Yamunanagar, December 13
The wait for justice in the alleged custodial deaths of two youths, found dead on railway tracks within hours of being picked up by police in February this year, continues to get longer. Despite being indicted by an inquiry conducted by SDM, no action has been taken against the involved policemen.

The two boys, Sachin and Bhaskar were both in their early 20s. They had got into a scuffle with a group of youths from Kansapur and Ratauli villages, who thrashed the two and later pelted stones at Bhaskar’s house in Bank colony.

Following this, the latter’s parents went to the Jagadhri police post to report the matter. In the meantime, the incharge, Sub-Inspector Joginder Singh picked
both up. Soon after, their bodies were found on the railway tracks.

While speaking to The Tribune, Bhaskar’s father Virender Singh said as they reported the matter to the police about the incident, the police started to mount pressure on them to reach a compromise. Fearing that a prolonged legal case could peril future prospects of the two boys, they decided to reach a compromise. However, even as they sat at the police station, SI Singh along with other policemen went Bhaskar’s house and picked up the boys. His daughter promptly informed him about the police action.

Singh said the SI reached the police station two hours later. As the boys were not with him, he inquired about their whereabouts, to which the SI replied that they had been sent for medical examination to the civil hospital and asked the parents to go back home. “On our way back we spotted a crowd on the railway track but did not realise what had happened. It was only later in the evening that we got a call from the railway police telling us that the two boys had been crushed under the Hawra Express.”

Singh added that since then they had been running from pillar to post to get the guilty officials booked and put behind the bars, but all their efforts had proved futile.

After the matter was widely reported by the media, Deputy Commissioner ordered an inquiry, which was conducted by the SDM. In his report the SDM concluded that there had been negligence on the part of Sub-Inspector Joginder Singh, who left the two boys at closed crossing on foot. He stated that before the two boys could cross the track, they were hit by the Hawra Mail and died on the spot. The SDM also stated that the version given by SI Singh in his defense was not believable as there were too many discrepancies in his statement.

In the meantime, the SP also ordered an inquiry that gave a clean chit to the SI, concluding that the two boys were crossing the railway track while speaking over the phone and were hit by the train.

Virender Singh said the families had now moved a petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, seeking registration of a case against the SI and other policemen responsible for the death of the two innocent boys, who were first beaten up by the group of boys and later killed by the police.

Sirsa Traffic park opens on a trial basis
20 regular driving licences issued
Sushil Manav

Sirsa, December 13
Sirsa Traffic Park has started functioning on a trial basis. On the first day of its trial, as many as 20 regular driving licences were issued.

Set up on 3.5 acres of land, the Traffic Park has all information on traffic rules and traffic signs for the vehicle drivers. People coming to the Traffic Park for driving licences have to clear a written test in which they are supposed to answer 10 questions. Those who answer five questions right are considered eligible for the grant of a driving licence.

The Deputy Commissioner, J Ganesan, said that a sum of Rs 30 lakh has been spent for setting up of this Traffic Park set up near the e-Disha centre in the mini-secretariat complex. Out of this, a sum of Rs 20 lakh has been spent from the Backward Region Grant Fund (BRGF), a central scheme for regional imbalances. He said that the Traffic Park has been set up on the lines of one such park established in Chandigarh. The park has been developed in such a manner that people could people could go there for their morning and evening walks, children could play on swings and simultaneously know the traffic rules.

Traffic lanes with cement concrete have been set up in the park and there are u-turn lanes, Sharp-turn lanes and several other kind of lanes in it. The authorities also plan to start a driving school in the Traffic Park.

The authorities are waiting for a formal inauguration of the park from a dignitary and once inaugurated, the Traffic Park would prove an ideal place for getting all works for the driving licences at one place.

Special immunisation week in state
Sushil Manav/TNS

Sirsa, December 13
With their immunisation coverage standing at sub-optimal level, the health authorities in the state have launched a special immunisation week in Haryana for vaccinating the left out children belonging to slums and the most underserved population of the state.

The first of the four immunisation weeks being celebrated under “The Year of Intensification of Routine Immunisation” began on Monday and the week will last till December 15.

The second, third and fourth immunisation weeks will be celebrated from January 7 to 12, 2013, February 11 to 17 and March 18 to 23, 2013, respectively.

The celebration of immunisation weeks under “The Year of Intensification of Routine Immunisation” is being carried out under the National Rural Health Mission.

“Vaccination is one of the main strategies for averting both morbidity and mortality. As per the district-level household and facility survey (DLHS-3), full immunisation coverage of the state is standing sub optimal i.e. 59.06 per cent,” said Rakesh Gupta, mission director, NHRM, Haryana, in his letter to civil surgeons of the state asking them to accomplish the activity successfully.

The Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) was performed quite well in the first decade of its introduction in India. Between 1985 and 1995, the coverage levels of various vaccines reached 70 to 85 per cent and the incidents of various vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) rapidly declined in the country, says a study on the ‘Status of Immunisation and Need for Intensification of Routine Immunisation in India’.

Surveys like the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) I, II and III and by independent agencies like the UNICEF, have revealed that the coverage levels may be lower by 15 to 40 per cent, compared to the reported levels of coverage in the UIP.

In the backdrop of these facts, 2012-13 was declared as “The Year of Intensification of Routine Immunisation”.

In this, the focus of the health authorities is to identify high-risk pockets like slums, brick kilns and migrants with low immunisation coverage along with special immunisation activity in these areas.

“We are concentrating on covering children living in slums, brick-kilns etc and giving them vaccinations of BCG, hepatitis B, DPT, polio and measles,” said Dr Viresh Bhushan, deputy civil surgeon, Sirsa.

24 legal-aid clinics for aggrieved citizens in Mahendergarh dist
Our Correspondent

Rewari, December 13
Justice Satish Mittal of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and Executive Chairman of the State Legal Services Authority, inaugurated a legal-aid clinic at Nangal Chaudhary town in Mahendergarh district, 70 km from Rewari, yesterday.

Besides functionaries of the Mahendergarh district judiciary, senior officials of the district, members of the Bar Association and distinguished citizens comprised the gathering.

Delivering his keynote address, Justice Mittal emphasised the urgency of disseminating legal awareness among the people while stating that 50 per cent of them lacked such awareness.

He went on to say that under such circumstances, many of the aggrieved citizens often spent years to secure justice from the courts for themselves which, he said, was virtually tantamount to denial of justice.

Specifically mentioning about the existence of certain stringent laws in the Constitution to deal with heinous exploitation of women and children, he deplored that owing to lack of information about the laws, the victims suffered continually.

Simultaneously, he added that the recent decimation of their rights by exploitative elements stimulated the court to take suo motu cognisance of such cases and then sought a report regarding legal awareness from the government.

He said as many as 24 legal-aid clinics, with appointed advocates and paralegal volunteers, were at the service of needy aggrieved citizens in Mahendergarh district.

Prior to this, District and Sessions Judge NK Mittal, advocate Narender Kumar Arya and Nangal Chaudhary Panchayat Samiti chairman Praveen Chaudhary also spoke.

Two new schemes to aid needy children
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, December 13
The Director-General, Haryana, Women and Child Development Department, Sumita Misra, said that two new schemes, Foster-Care Scheme and Open-Shelter Scheme, would be implemented to take care of orphans, helpless and needy children in the state.

She was addressing officials in a two-day state-level training programme on 'Missing Child Tracking System' organised by the department here today.

She said the Foster-Care Scheme would be launched as a pilot project in six districts of the state, whereas the Open-Shelter Scheme would be launched in Faridabad. She said through the medium of Missing Child Tracking System, people would be made aware to identify missing children. She said directions had been issued to all District Child Protection Officers to prepare a detailed Action Plan. Also, directions had been issued to institutional and non-institutional District Child Protection Officers of the state to organise seminars and workshops for youth, students of schools and colleges and workers of NGOs to change their thinking about children, girls and women.

She said under the Integrated Child Development Service Scheme (ICDS), financial aid would be given to parents and guardians belonging to poor and weaker sections of society to take care of their children. She said children found loitering and begging on the roads would be brought daily to open shelters and would not only be given food and other facilities, but would also be taught and given professional knowledge. Also, a child helpline number 1098 had been started in 10 districts of the state. She said the Missing Child Tracking System was one such portal on which anybody could gather information about missing children. This would facilitate in finding the children missing from other states.

Sports vital for overall development, says
Yogeshwar Dutt
Our Correspondent

Olympic bronze medallist Yogeshwar Dutt with students and staff members of Gateway International School, Sonepat. Photo: BS Malik

Sonepat, December 13
Gateway International School organised a two-day annual sports meet, “Rhapsody- the Height of Enthusiasm”, here recently.

Students of Varun House of the school bagged the overall trophy, while Vyom House was the runner-up at the meet.

Olympic bronze medallist Yogeshwar Dutt gave away prizes to the winners. There were various events like sprint races, long jump, high jump, javelin throw, shot put etc.

Dutt said sports was an essential element and important for the all round personality development of the students.

Principal of the school Shikha Banerjee presented annual report of the school in the presence of chairman of the school HP Mangla, director of the school Rakesh Aggarwal and vice-principal of the school Renu Aneja. The annual school magazine, ‘Zenith’, was also released on the occasion, which was marked by various cultural presentation like fusion dance, flashback performance and orchestra presentation.

Programme for principals
Tribune News Service

Sirsa, December 13
Dr Gurcharan Dass, Principal of Jan Nayak Chaudhary Devi Lal Memorial College of Engineering, attended an Executive Development Programme (EDP) for principals organised by the Association of Indian College Principals (AICP) at the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, Deemed University, Pune, from November 26 to 30.

In this EDP, 22 principals from all over India participated. The thrust area of the progamme was strengthening the educational leadership, said Dass about the meeting.

It included inputs on vision, mission, team building, building a good organisational culture, crisis management case studies, revised methodology of National Assessment and Accreditation Council, world class standards in education, innovative practices, RTI, API etc

Swasthya Vaahan Sewa to be upgraded
Tribune News service

Chandigarh, December 13
Haryana Health Minister Rao Narender Singh said with a view to providing qualitative referral services in the state, Haryana “Swasthya Vaahan Sewa” Number 102 would soon be upgraded and its fleet of ambulances would be strengthened by adding 21 new advanced life support (ALS) ambulances and 90 new basic life support (BLS) ambulances.

He said the process to set up single call centre for ambulances all over the state had been started.

He said keeping in view the popularity of this service, there had been queries from Pakistan and Vietnam regarding the implementation of this facility. He said at present, 335 ambulances and 24 ALS equipped with global positioning system (GPS) facility were running in the state and new ambulances would be included in the fleet in next two months.

NGO brings to light anomalies in voters’ list
Our Correspondent

Rewari, December 13
A deputation of senior functionaries of the Rashtriya Nav Chetna (RNC), a voluntary organisation of the region, headed by its chairman Vijay Somany met Deputy Commissioner CG Rajini Kaanthan here recently. While presenting a detailed list of ‘bogus’ votes contained in the voters’ lists of 29 out of 31 wards of Rewari city, Somany said while there were numerous homeless voters, over 100 voters in various wards had been shown as residents in one and the same house.

Besides, many persons had got themselves enlisted as voters in two different wards, whereas names of dead persons had not yet been deleted from voters’ lists in many wards. In view of the approaching municipal elections, the deputation sought rectification of these anomalies and demanded penal action against officials responsible for it.

Somany said in case of any delay, they would approach court for justice. The Deputy Commissioner assured them that he would take action only after examining the voters’ lists. He also added that if any of the officials were found involved in any such lapses, departmental action would be initiated against them.

Students protest deficient bus service in rural areas
Subhash Chauhan

Ambala, December 13
A large number of students from the rural areas of the district protested against non-availability of bus service, which has been causing a lot of inconvenience to them.

Students said despite raising the issue with the senior authorities of the Haryana Roadways and with the managements of their schools and colleges, their pleas had fallen into deaf ears.

The problem persists in the Mullana segment of the district, which has been developed as an educational hub in the region having around 14 educational institutes.

Ravi Dewan, a student, said students had repeatedly taken up the issue with the senior officials at Ambala and Yamunanagar to provide stoppages outside their institutes, but to no avail.

Rakesh, another student, alleged that students waiting for buses were being deliberately ignored by the buses and in some cases the students were left with no other option but to catch the bus after running after them.

He said a student of MM University was seriously injured as both his legs had been fractured when he was attempting to catch a bus a few days ago.

Students alleged that roadways bus drivers ignored students despite the fact they had bus passes issued by the Haryana Roadways. They said if the government was unable to provide transport facility to them, why the bus passes were being issued then.

Students have often blocked the Ambala-Jagadhari road in the past protesting against the issue.

Mullana Gram Panchayat had also raised the issue with the district administration, but their demand was “overlooked”. Recently, around 10 gram panchayats had written to Transport Minister Chander Shekhar Chauhan regarding the problem.

The sarpanch of Mullana village said the state government should consider this problem on a priority basis. Ram Savroop, principal of ITI at Holi village, has also written to the general managers, Ambala and Yamunanagar Roadways depots, to solve the issue at the earliest.

“If the department is facing a shortage of buses, why the roadways are issuing bus passes causing harassment to students,” he asked.

Ambala teacher wins awards
Tribune News Service

Shahabad, December 13
For her services in the field of education, Deepinder Walia was awarded the Rajiv Gandhi Vidya Gold Award and Rashtriya Mahila Ratan Gold Medal Award.

These awards are given by the International Institute of Education and Management for work in the field of economic development, in Krishna Menon Bhawan.

At present, Deepinder Walia, a resident of Ambala City, is working as principal at RPDAV Public School, Ambala. She has done masters in four subjects and PhD in Education. Walia is the only woman from the state to be awarded these awards.

She was presented the Rajiv Gandhi award by Dr Bhim Narayan Singh, former Union Education Minister, and the Rashtriya Mahila Ratan Award by former Chief Justice OP Verma.

Improving Customer Care
Discoms to constitute power committees
Sushil Manav
Tribune News Service

Hisar, December 13
Under its ongoing programme of strengthening complaint redress mechanism and improving customer care at village level, the Haryana Power Distribution Corporations (Discoms) would constitute ‘bijli’ committees in the state.

Devender Singh, chairman-cum-managing director of the Discoms, said here recently that the members of the committee would comprise the village sarpanch, two-member panchayats and lineman/assistant lineman of the village.

The committees will supervise the strengthening of the distribution network in villages for which a special maintenance campaign is being launched from January 1 so that uninterrupted electricity is supplied to consumers during the ensuing paddy and summer season. The Discoms have prepared their strategy to complete the programme within the next five months.

A month-wise maintenance schedule will be prepared for timely completion of the programme. The field staff has already completed 80 per cent survey of villages for carrying out maintenance and system strengthening activities in urban as well as rural areas.

The works like tightening of loose conductor, replacement of all iron pole, erection of additional poles and conductor as per requirement, replacement of old and torn out conductor, maintenance and augmentation of distribution transformers, etc, will be carried out.

The CMD said telephone numbers of lineman/assistant lineman, assistant foreman, junior engineer and sub-divisional official would be written in the panchayat ghar or community centre of the village to make it easier for consumers to contact them.

He said the ‘bijli’ committees would also educate consumers not to indulge in power theft and make timely payment of their electricity bills. The committees would work under the supervision of SDOs concerned.

World Human Rights Day
30 Sonepat residents honoured by sangh
BS Malik

District and Sessions Judge Kuldeep Jain (second from right) and Kavita Jain, MLA (right), participate in World Human Rights Day programme, organised by the the Bhartiya Manav Adhikar Sanrankshan Sangh at Sonepat. Photo by writer

Sonepat, December 13
On the occasion of World Human Rights Day as many as 30 prominent residents in the district from different fields were honoured by the district unit of the Bhartiya Manav Adhikar Sanrankshan Sangh in a district-level programme organised here in SM Hindu Senior Secondary School on Tuesday.

Participating as the chief guest in the programme, District and Sessions Judge, Sonepat, Kuldeep Jain, said no one had the right legally or religiously to harm the interests of any one in society,” he said, adding that the objective of the Charter of Human Rights was to ensure that the rights of every one were protected.

Stressing the need for creating awareness among people about their rights and duties, the Legal Services Authories in the states had been organising special camps even in villages and schools to educate people about their rights, he added.

The Chief Judicial Magistrate and the Secretary of the District Legal Services Authority, RK Mehta, said the Human Rights Commission had published books on human rights in more than 300 languages in the world to make people aware about their rights.

Sonepat MLA Kavita Jain said the best way for protection of human rights in society was that a human being should have positive thinking, consciousness towards duties and a helping attitude towards others in the life.

In his presidential address, Additional Deputy Commissioner said by giving importance to the protection of human rights in the state, the Haryana Government had constituted the Human Rights Commission in the state.

The national president of the Sanrakshan Sangh, Bharat Ram Sharma, said

every effort was being made by the sangh to make the people aware

about their rights. The Human Rights Commission was set up to impart

justice to the discriminated persons, he added.

The national general secretary of the sangh, Rohtas Khatri, said the Human Rights Commission was set up on December 10, 1948, after the Second World War to address the grievances of the war victims.

Jhajjar police solves car looting case, one held
Ravinder Saini

Pradeep, alias Bhola, in police custody at Bahadurgarh police station in Jhajjar. Photo by writer

Jhajjar, December 13
With the installation of nakas at various points besides vehicle-checking campaigns across the district under the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Rohtak Range, the Jhajjar police has solved a case of car loot wherein three miscreants had looted a Swift car from a coal trader at gunpoint in Bahadurgarh recently.

The police has nabbed 21-year-old Pardeep, alias Bhola, of Kair village (Delhi), an active member of the Neetu gang, which has perpetrated several incidents of crime in Delhi and nearby states. Alok Mittal, IGP of the Rohtak Range, stated this while interacting with mediapersons in Bahadurgarh town.

He said a pistol and two cartridges had also been recovered from the possession of the accused.

“Pradeep, during police interrogation, not only confessed to have indulged in the car loot but also disclosed his involvement in another case of robbery in which he, along with his accomplices, had robbed Rs 50 lakh from a bank in Bhiwani. His involvement has been established in other cases of abduction and murder as well,” said Mittal. He added that efforts were on to nab other members of the gang.

He said Pradeep was nabbed from Siddipur area when the police found him roaming near an overbridge. He had shared vital information about the modus-operandi and members of his gang hence some more arrests may be made in the near future, Mittal added.

Meeting discusses draft development plan
Our Correspondent

Rewari, December 13
A meeting of senior officials was held at the district secretariat under the chairmanship of Minister of State for Sports Sukhbir Kataria for deliberations on the Draft Development Plan for Manesar-Bawal Investment Region-2039 here recently.

Power Minister Capt Ajay Singh Yadav, Deputy Commissioner CG Rajini Kaanthan, Additional Deputy Commissioner IP Bishnoi, zila parishad chief Suresh Devi and senior officials of various departments participated in the meeting.

While stating that the southern region of the state was going to be developed into an industrial hub soon, Kataria directed the doyens of the planning committee to devise a comprehensive draft of the primary requirements of the prospective industrial hub.

The Sports Minister wanted befitting layouts to be chalked out for drinking water, sewerage and educational institutions in those villages.

21 selected in placement drive

Kurukshetra, December 13
As many as 21 students were selected by Tech Mahindra and Mahindra Satyam at a placement drive held on the premises of Technology Education Research and Integrated Institutions (Terii), 9 km from here, recently. Prof MP Gupta, former director, Technical Education, Haryana, and adviser, TERii College, honoured the selected students and gave them offer letters at a programme held on the premises of the college.

Prof Gupta said, “We always appreciate organising such type of placement drives on our campus. In future, we want to make the college campus a placement hub in this region. In technical education, good jobs and opportunities in companies is a major and important task for a college”.

Over 250 students from different parts of Haryana, J&K, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi participated in the drive. —OC

Exercise more powerful than lipid-lowering pills
Bijendra Ahlawat

Rohtak, December 13
For all those who have high cholesterol and lipid levels, increasing your fitness level is more helpful than taking lipid-lowering drugs like statins. A recent report based on a large study says that the risk of death in patients with dyslipidaemia is reduced significantly by increasing their fitness levels.

Claiming this, Dr Nityanand Tripathi, cardiologist at Max Health Care, said the recent study assessed 10,043 patients with high lipid levels for the role of physical fitness in lowering mortality in patients with high-lipid levels. Physical fitness was classified as low to high based on peak metabolic equivalents (MET). More MET means better fitness. He said it was found that the hazard ratio of having the risk of death was one in least fit patients (taking statins) whereas it was 0.53 in patients with high fitness levels. It was also seen that increasing fitness levels in patients taking statins had added benefits. Dr Tripathi said the study was a fresh evidence of the great benefits of exercising in the management of dyslipidaemia. The reduction in the hazard ratio from 1.35 to 0.53 just by increasing physical activity clearly demonstrated that being active, added years to your life. Lipid-lowering benefits in patients already taking statins were enhanced when exercise was added to their daily routine, suggesting synergistic or additional measurable positive effects of fitness, pointed out Dr Tripathi.

He said more than 60 per cent of the patients with cardiovascular diseases had dyslipidaemia and high cholesterol levels leading to blocking of arteries that may lead to a heart attack and stroke. Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) would be the largest cause of death and disability in India by 2020, according to a World Health Organisation (WHO) report. By 2030, it is expected that 23 million people would die from CVDs annually, remarked Dr Tripathi.

Red Ribbon Express visits Ambala
Our Correspondent

Ambala, December 13
Over 3 lakh people are suffering from HIV/AIDS in India. Of these 40,000 patients are from Haryana.

This was stated by Chief Parliamentary Secretary (Health) Ram Krishan Fauji, while addressing the people who had gathered at the Ambala Cantt Railway Station on the arrival of the Red Ribbon Express on Monday.

The train halted here for two days to create awareness about AIDS through exhibition, posters and slide shows. Details of the disease were explained to visitors through an audio-visual medium.

Fauji stressed the need to reduce discrimination against patients suffering from the disease.

A spokesperson said the train would halt at 162 stations across 23 states in the country.

A large number of people, including school and college students, visited the train.

Haryana Health Director General Dr DP Lochan and a large number of medical and civil officials were also present on the occasion.

Gita Jayanti Samaroh to start on Dec 19
Tribune Reporters

Kurukshetra, December 13
With religious fervour and traditional rite, the celebration of Kurukshetra Utsav Gita Jayanti Samaroh will begin on December 19 and conclude on December 28.

This was stated by the Deputy Commissioner, Mandip Singh Brar, while addressing the special meeting of district officers, regarding wide arrangements of the event in the conference room of Kurukshetra Development Board here on December 6.

Brar directed all the officers concerned to ensure necessary arrangements to be made well in time with a sense of responsibility. On the occasion, for the best possible team work, the officers of various departments were deputed as in-charge nodal officers with their assisting officers. He said that Sumedha Kataria, Additional Deputy Commissioner, would be the nodal officer for craft Mela and state exhibition to be held from December 19 to 28, 2012 on the northern Parikarama of eastern Brahamsarovar.

For cultural programme, Narender Pal Malik, CEO KDB, for Aarti and Deepdan, Ashok Kumar Bansal, SDM Thanesar, for sitting arrangements, tentage and electrification for cultural programme day and evening, Gagandeep Singh, DDPO, for cultural programme, refreshment for VIP Surajmal Tehsildar, for media centre and refreshment for press in cultural programme, Dev Raj Sirohiwall, Nagar Shobha Yatra Ashok Kumar Bansal, SDM Thanesar, food and stay arrangement for craft persons and artists DFSC, medical facilities, Dr Vandana Bhatia, Civil surgeon, Rangoli, Gurvinder Kaur and other officers for different venues and events nodal officers were deputed.

To inform the general public regarding female foeticide, to save the girl child as a theme would be focused through the school children competition by exposing the message through poster and declamation contest, Brar added.

The district police chief, Rakesh Arya highlighted the security arrangements and guidelines for the public. CCTV cameras would be used to watch out for anti-social elements during the events, he added.

Meanwhile, the INLD state president and local MLA, Ashok Arora, in a statement released to mediapersons here on December 9, alleged that the statement given by Chief Minister Bhupender Singh Hooda in the Haryana Vidhan Sabha that the 10-day Gita Jayanti Samaroh, scheduled to begin here from December 19, would be celebrated avidly, had proved hollow.

“How could it be celebrated without money,” asked Arora, adding that Hooda had announced that the budget for celebrating Gita Jayanti Samaroh had been enhanced from Rs 30 lakh to Rs 1 crore, so that it can be celebrated with pomp and show. But, this enhanced amount had neither been received last year nor this year. Arora claimed that during the INLD regime, it was raised to Rs 2 crore, but when the Congress came to power, it was reduced to Rs 30 lakh. It was last year, when this issue was raised in the Vidhan Sabha and in response to it, Hooda announced raising of this amount from Rs 30 lakh to Rs 1 crore.

Sharp polemics define radical fiction: Scholar
Tribune News Service

Dr Sushma Arya, Principal, DAV College of Girls, welcomes a distinguished guest, Dr Abhay Maurya. Photo: Dev Dutt Sharma

Yamunanagar, December 13
The DAV College for Girls organised a national seminar on “The Radical Novel in India (1867-1957): A Critical Review” on the college premises here recently under the guidance of Dr Bheem Singh Dahiya.

Renowned writers, scholars and professors from various colleges and universities participated in the seminar. The college Principal, Dr Sushma Arya, welcomed the distinguished guests and the elite audience. She said “the seminar is revisiting and reinterpreting the novel written during the vast span of more than a century between 1857 and 1967. The novels written during this period are radical in the true sense of the word.”

Dr Abhay Maurya, the first Vice-Chancellor of the English and foreign languages university, Hyderabad, delivered the inaugural address. He said a radical novelist should not only describe existing conditions of the have-nots, their plight, their struggle and sufferings but also a way out for them. He introduced a bit of Russian literature related to the topic of seminar. He said a radical novel must have thought, commitment and mission.

Prof Anand Prakash from the University of Delhi gave the keynote address. He said there were sharp polemics in the field of radical fiction as was testified by the writings of Tagore, Sarat, Premchand and Yashpal. Emergence and evolution of the radical novel in India went more or less parallel to the origin and growth of the national movement.

Prof Bheem Singh Dahiya said literature was closely linked with history and philosophy. Literature, from the very beginning, was radical because every literary person gave expression to his radical views through his writings. He said a radical novel depicted the ills, corruption, cruelty and sufferings, infecting the social order. Dr Dahiya talked about the similarities and differences between the American and the Indian novel.

Monika Sethi, Associate Professor from University of Jammu, presented her views on “Mulk Raj Anand: A Crusader for Social Justice”. She talked about Anand’s novels as an attack on a social set-up that denied individuals the fundamental freedom to live with dignity.

Prof Bheem Singh Dahiya, Prof Chaman Lal, Dr Ujjwal Sharma, Prof Tejinder Kaur, Dr Monika Sethi, Dr Hema Dahiya and Dr Pankaj Sharma were the distinguished speakers at the seminar. Seven parallel sessions were arranged to entertain more than 35 delegates to present their papers.

Sports academy opened
Our Correspondent

Kalka, December 13
St Vivekanand Millennium School, HMT Township, Pinjore, hosted their two-day annual sports day, Unnaynam-2012, recently with a lot of verve and vigour to inculcate team spirit, mutual cooperation and leadership.

The programme commenced with a floral welcome accorded to the chief guest, R Vimalesan, General Manager (Machine Tools), HMT Township, and the guest of honour, Jatinder Vijh, JGM (HRM), HMT Limited, by Piyush Punj, Principal of the school.

On the concluding day of the annual sports day at St Vivekanand Millennium School township, Deepak Dhiman, journalist, graced the ceremony and Dinesh Mongia, international cricketer, was the guest of honour and they were given a floral welcome. Inauguration of Vivekanand Sports Academy by Dinesh Mongia added another feather in the cap of the school.

NGO director receives award for outstanding voluntary work
BS Malik

Sonepat, December 13
Deepak Kumar, director of the Manthan Art Group, an NGO, was honoured with the State Youth Award 2010-11 in recognition of the “outstanding voluntary work” rendered by him in the fields of social service and development activities of the state.

The award sponsored by the Department of Sports and Youth Affairs of the Haryana Government was given by the Additional Deputy Commissioner, SB Lohia, in a programme organised by the district office of the department here on Tuesday.

The programme was presided over by the District Sports Officer, Phool Kanwar Dahiya.

The District Youth Award was given to Babita, secretary of the Janhit Seva Kendra, and the Vishawakarma Education Society was honoured with the District Youth Voluntary Organisation Award.

Speaking on the occasion, the Additional Deputy Commissioner said India was a country of the youth who were expected to contribute their untiring efforts in the service of the mankind and eradication of social evils.

He appreciated the Sports Department for constituting awards for the voluntary contributions of the youth and hoped that this initiative would encourage more and more youth to contribute towards social service and development.

Lifestyle diseases creep into rural areas: Survey
Shekhar Singh/TNS

Kurukshetra, December 13
Notwithstanding the common belief that people in the rural areas of the state are healthier than their urban counterparts, the facts that are emerging point to the contrary. In fact, rural Kurukshetra has fallen victim to lifestyle diseases like diabetes and hypertension.

In a health survey conducted under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke, around one lakh people in the age-group of 30 years and above were screened for diabetes and hypertension. Surprisingly, 8.7 per cent of the population was found to be diabetic and 7.3 per cent was found to be hypertensive.

The data has been collected from most of the villages in the district starting from March this year till October 31. Of the nine lakh population in the district, seven lakh people live in the rural areas and the survey covered one lakh people above 30 years of age. The data forms the baseline of non-communicable disease (NCD) centre set up at the civil hospital to help people suffering from lifestyle diseases.

“In villages, modern agricultural implements and migrant population have taken a toll on the health of the farmers who do not have much to do physically. While the protein-rich diet remains the same, the strenuous exercise done while working in the fields and with the cattle, has stopped,” said civil surgeon Dr Vandhana Bhatia. She said at the NCD, the emphasis was on identifying patients at the sub-centre level. For this, ASHA workers and ANMs have been sensitised. Kurukshetra is among the 100 districts chosen in the country where the project has been launched. "Primarily, patients are told to identify the problem and work towards its betterment. The target population is of 30 years age and above," Dr Bhatia added.

Doctors working at different centres said patients as young as 30 years were coming up with symptoms of diabetes. Dr Bhatia said these figures were actually pointers that diabetes and hypertension were no longer restricted to the urban areas. “The disease affected the villages the day our folks stopped working. In a way, the influx of the migrants has led to the problem. The villagers have only two tasks left, either to supervise the migrants or indulge in real estate business,” she said.

Rally to create awareness on foeticide

Dr Asha Kadian, registrar, Khanpur Women University, flags off an awareness rally of NSS volunteers from the university premises. Photo: BS Malik

Sonepat, December 13
All the five units of National Service Scheme (NSS) volunteers of Bhagat Phool Singh Women University, Khanpur Kalan, organised an awareness rally at various villages on Monday.

Dr Asha Kadian, university’s registrar, flagged off the rally from the university premises. Addressing the volunteers, Dr Kadian said the NSS played an important role in social and community development as well as in eradication of social evils like female foeticide, dowry and skewed sex ratio.

Led by programme officials Shushma Joshi and Dr Kokila Malik, the volunteers of the first and second unit, carrying placards, posters and banners with messages like “Polythene Hatao, Per Lagao”, “Jal Hi Jivan Hai”, “Nasha Mukt Haryana” and “Beti Bachao” reached Gamri village to create awareness among the villagers.

The volunteers of the third unit under the guidance of Dr Murti Malik conducted a social, economic and educational survey of the people of Kasandi village. To mark World Human Rights Day, a special lecture programme was organised in the village to create awareness about human rights. — OC

Movie This Week
Cigarette Ki Tarah

A still from the movie “Cigarette Ki Tarah”

Directed by: Akashaditya Lama

This romantic thriller is the story of a boy and how he falls in love, which leads him in a trouble. The script is penned by Santosh Goyal after a two year research on the subject. Madhurima Tuli, the newbie in Bollywood, has three TV shows and two south films to her credit. Bhoop Yaduvanshi, who was in ‘Saawariya’ production team, also debuts in Bollywood through this movie.

‘Cigarette Ki Tarah’ gives a social message to audience. Akashaditya Lama is the director of the film, which is full of action sequences and comedy scenes.

Prashant Narayan and Sudesh Berry add colour to the movie, which releases in theatres in Haryana. Watch this romantic thriller from today.
— Dharam Pal