Jind, December 16
As many as eight persons were killed and eight were injured, some of them seriously, in an accident near Dhakal village, about 45 km from here, on the Chandigarh-Hisar highway this morning. The injured have been referred to the PGI, Chandigarh, where the condition of some of the victims is reported to be critical.

Police sources said the head-on collision between a Tata Ace and a truck took place around 5.30 am today. As the visibility was poor owing to heavy fog, the mishap took place when the Tata Ace driver who was trying to overtake another vehicle rammed into a truck coming from the opposite direction. This is the same place where a similar accident had resulted in the death of a judicial officer about 10 days ago, said a police official.

While seven of the deceased--Ved Pal, his wife Raj Bala, Pala Ram, his wife Phoolo Devi, Suman, daughter of Pappu, Zile Singh of Kaithal and Krishan of Pehowa died on the spot, Gonu, a minor, succumbed to his injuries on the way to hospital.

The injured have been identified as Pappu, Titty, Pardeep, Rajiv, Pooja, Shivani, Jyoti and Monu. The victims belonged to some families travelling in the MUV to reach a religious Dera in Sirsa. They hailed from Sector 25 in Chandigarh and began their journey late last night . The truck carrying vegetables was on its way to Kaithal .

A case has been registered in this connection.

Karnal, December 16
The issue of inflation again came in handy for the BJP - HJC leadership that used rising prices to evoke popular public sentiment against the UPA Government at a joint rally here today.

Leaders of the BJP, including party president Nitin Gadkari and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, lashed out at the Congress-led UPA Government blaming it for rising inflation, corruption, poverty and unemployment as major problems in the country.

Urging the people to vote out the Congress party in the coming elections, the BJP and HJC leaders jointly targeted the Congress-led state government as well as the UPA saying that the Congress had been rocked by scams at every place.

Addressing the rally, Gadkari took a jibe at Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi and said he was carrying out the mission his great grandfather had started to eradicate poverty from the country.

Gadkari said, “As Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru assured eradication of poverty from the country and then Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi assured the same. But a large section of the society is still living in poverty. And now, Sonia Gandhi is repeating the same dialogue and Rahul Gandhi is campaigning from village to village with the same assurance.”

Accusing the Congress of taking up anti-people economic policies, Gadkari said farmers were not getting proper price for their crops, while prices of other commodities were increasing day by day.

The HJC leadership also used the opportunity to support the arguments of the BJP leaders to suggest that what they were saying was true.

Sonepat, December 16
BJP president Nitin Gadkari and the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Shushma Swaraj today met representatives of Bhoomi Bachao Adhigrahan Sangharsh Samitis of Kundli, Beeswan Meel, Pritam Pura and Badhkhalsa. They extended their party’s support to their agitation against acquisition of their lands.

Both leaders were on their way to participate in a party’s rally at Karnal.

After receiving a memorandum from the protesters at Pritampur Pura Chowk on GT road, Shushma Swaraj said she would raise their demands in the Lok Sabha. Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh had sent her a copy of the draft note of the new Land Acquisition Bill.

“There is nothing in the interest of farmers in the draft note. The BJP will ensure a pro-farmers Land Acquisition Bill is passed in the parliament,” she said.

BJP’s state media in charge Rajiv Jain, district president of HJC Dharambir Khatri and other leaders of both parties were present on the occasion. The BJP leaders were accorded warm welcome by the party workers at different places in the district. 

Kurukshetra, December 16
Haryana Janhit Congress chief Kuldeep Bishnoi has termed the Congress-led UPA government decision on FDI in retail “anti-people”, saying that it would take away bread and butter from millions of people across the country.

Interacting with mediapersons after addressing a meeting of party workers here, Bishnoi alleged that the “anti-people” policies of the government would ruin the lives of millions of people by taking away their jobs.

Contrary to its claim of working for the common man, the UPA government was protecting the interests of corporate houses, he alleged. “The government has sold the nation to corporate giants of the West such as Wal-Mart in the name of growth and economic development,” Bishnoi said.

Crores of people were earning their livelihood by working in the retail sector in India. But Wal-Mart would employ merely 20 lakh persons once FDI in retail came in. Consequently, a large number of people would lose jobs .

On reservation for Jats, Bishnoi said it should instead be given to financially week persons.

Faridabad: INLD supremo and former Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala on Sunday criticised the UPA government for allowing FDI in multi-brand retail, and cautioned the entry of major players like Walmart will have adverse impact on the country' s economy.

Addressing a well-attended public meeting organised by party leader RN Bhardwaj in Ballabgarh, near here, Chautala said FDI in the retail sector will render millions in retail business jobless.

Also, taxes presently paid by small retailers to the government exchequer would evaporate after they were wiped out of business. This would reduce government spending on infrastructure and other development projects.

“It is a mystery why the Union government is rooting for FDI in spite of wide-ranging reservations over it”, Chautala said.

Gurgaon, December 16
Irked over regular traffic snarls and chaos at Kherki Daula toll Plaza, sarpanches of over two dozen villages have threatened to block the National Highway-8.

Representatives from villages like Manesar, Kasan, Khoh, Nakhrola, Rampura, Shikohpur and Mohmadpur among others met the local administration and asked them to work out a solution to end traffic chaos within a week or face the ire of villagers.

The NH-8, which extends till Mumbai, passes through Gurgaon from Delhi and the stretch ahead of Kherki Daula is in a worse condition. There are regular reports of jams and accidents.

“The Deputy Commissioner was not available but we have given an ultimatum. The chaos on the road has marred our day-to-day life,” said Om Prakash, a representative of Manesar.

“We will block the toll plaza. The Gurgaon authorities and the construction company, Pink City Expressway Private Limited (PCEPL), have failed to mange traffic on the under-construction Delhi-Jaipur Expressway, which usually remains choked on various stretches from Kherki Daula to Rewari,” added another sarpanch.

Meanwhile, the traffic police blames the poor condition of the road around and ahead of the toll plaza as a key reason of chaos. In a letter sent to PCEPL, the traffic police has asked the firm to repair the road immediately or face action.

“There are many potholes on the road. The bad condition of the road is a reason for the slow movement of traffic and accidents. We have conveyed the problem to the company verbally many times but they seem indifferent so now we have sent a letter to them,” a senior official said.

The Gurgaon police on August 28 had lodged an FIR against officials of Pink City Expressway Private Limited under the Sections 283 (danger or obstruction in public way or line of navigation) and 336 (endangering life or personal safety of others) of the IPC. 

Chandigarh, December 16
Sonepat has been selected as one of the 43 districts identified by the Centre as model districts under the direct cash benefit transfer system.

An official spokesman said here today that the departments concerned would directly transfer cash in the accounts of beneficiaries of 34 schemes of the Central Government.

The benefits of these schemes would be given only to those with bank accounts or Aadhar cards.

He said directions had been issued to the departments concerned to prepare a list of beneficiaries and submit these to the ADC, Sonepat.

He said the Sonepat ADC had been directed to set up camps at educational institutes and at the village and ward levels for beneficiaries who did not have their Aadhar cards or bank accounts. With the implementation of this programme, the beneficiaries of various schemes would not only get timely payment but it would also bring transparency and efficiency in the system.

The Soneapt ADC had been appointed as nodal officer to coordinate with the officials concerned for timely implementation of this programme. One officer had been appointed for every five villages to cover the entire Sonepat district in a planned manner.

At the block level, the subdivisional officer or any other senior officer of the district had been appointed as nodal officer.

Out of 34 schemes, about 10 to 15 had been earmarked in Sonepat district, including Janani Suraksha Yojna and various scholarship schemes for SC students.

Kaithal, December 15
As many as four policemen, including Rajound police station in charge, and a civilian were injured when a police Gypsy leading the convoy of MP Naveen Jindal fell into a roadside ditch. The incident took place when the Gypsy driver tried to avert a head on collision with a tractor-trolley coming from the opposite direction.

The tractor driver also suffered injuries in the mishap. However, the vehicle in which the MP was travelling remained untouched.

Sources said on Saturday evening, Naveen Jindal landed at Rajound grain market and proceeded towards Khurra village to condole the death of Karan Singh who was shot dead during a marriage procession last week. As the convoy reached near a bridge on the Assandh road, an overloaded tractor-trolley hit a tree and was likely to hit the police vehicle. As the driver of speeding police vehicle tried to avoid collision, it fell into the ditch.

Injured Rajound SHO Kashmir Singh, ASI Shamsher Singh, constables Anju and Bharat Singh and Ram Mehar, driver of the tractor, were rushed to a hospital. Later, Kashmir Singh and Anju were reportedly referred to Chandigarh.

Yamunanagar, December 16
Power position in the state is likely to improve further as the unit I of the Deen Bandhu Chhotu Ram Thermal Power Project, Yamunanagar, is ready to be synchronised by the next month.

The thermal power plant had been out of operations since March 31due to some technical snag in a turbine. The turbine, which was sent to China for its repair works, is now ready to use.

According to the sources, the unit was likely to be synchronised by the next month. Earlier, the unit II, which had been out of operations for the past one year, is now operating at full load adding around 300 MW of power to meet the demands of the state.

Both units at the plant had been facing forced closure because of technical problems in the turbines. The unit II was not functioning since September 25, 2011, and the unit I was shut down in April, 2012.

The Siemens workshop at Baroda had repaired the turbine of the unit II at an estimated cost of Rs 5 crore.

Recently, the state had surpassed Punjab in power supply after the commissioning of the Mahatma Gandhi Super Thermal Power Project, Jhajjar, in April.

Chandigarh, December 16
Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today urged the people to remain prepared to make sacrifices for the sake of future generations.

He was addressing a function organised to pay tributes to former minister and MP Pt Chiranji Lal Sharma on his first death anniversary in Karnal. Hooda also unveiled a statue of Chiranji Lal Sharma in the Government College in Karnal. Hooda said Chiranji Lal Sharma always remained concerned for the development of the state, especially Karnal, and even in the Parliament he used to raise issues concerning the state. He said the oil refinery in Panipat was set up only because of the efforts of Chiranji.

Referring to the development of Karnal, Hooda said during the past 7-8 years, Rs1,452.92 crore was spent on various development works, whereas the previous government had spent only Rs 283.28 crore for the same purpose.

Treasurer of the All India Congress Committee Moti Lal Vora described him Pt Chiranji as a great social worker.

General secretary of the All India Congress Committee and MP Janardhan Dwivedi, president of HPCC Phool Chand Mullana, Ambala MLA Venod Sharma and Karnal MP Dr Arvind Sharma also paid tributes to Chiranji Lal Sharma. Hooda, Vora and Dwivedi released a magazine entitled as ‘Ravitez’ brought out by the college in memory of the former minister.

They also released a CD brought out by a noted Haryana folk singer.

Hisar, December 16
Taking benefit of the facility of online payment of electricity bills provided in 13 sub-divisions of the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) in Gurgaon, Faridabad and Hisar, 9,519 consumers paid bills amounting to Rs 4.90 crore, online during November, 2012.

During the month of October, the nigam had received bills of Rs 4.12 crore through 7,533 transactions, said a spokesperson of the DHBVN.

Over 6,000 consumers taking benefit of the online facility are from Gurgaon.

The facility was made available through DHBVN’s web site www.dhbvn.com to over five lakh consumers.

Chandigarh, December 16
The Haryana government has notified public holidays in its offices for the calendar year 2013.

The birth and death anniversaries of noted personalities and festivals, which have been declared as public holidays include Guru Gobind Singh's Birthday (January 18), Sir Chhotu Ram Jayanti (February 15), Basant Panchmi (February 15), Guru Ravidas Birthday (February 25), Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati Jayanti (March 7), Holi (March 27), Ram Navami (April 19), Mahavir Jayanti (April 24), Maharana Partap Jayanti (June 11), Id-ul-Fitr (August 9), Independence Day (August 15), Janmashtami (August 28), Haryana's Heroes' Martyrdom Day (September 23), Mahatma Gandhi's Birthday (October 2), Id-ul-Juha (Bakrid) (October 16), Maharshi Valmiki's Birthday (October 18), Haryana Day (November 1), Vishwakarma Day (November 4), Christmas Day (December 25) and Shaheed Udham Singh's Birthday (December 26).

The festivals and occasions which fall on closed days have been excluded from the above list. These are Republic Day (January 26), Maha Shivratri (March 10), Shaheedi Diwas of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev (March 23), Vaisakhi (April 13), Dr BR Ambedkar Jayanti (April 14), Lord Parshu Ram Jayanti (May 12), Sant Kabir Jayanti (June 23), Teej (August 10), Maharaja Agrasen Jayanti (October 5), Dussehra (October 13), Divali (November 3), Guru Nanak's Birthday (November 17).

Employees will also be allowed any two holidays to be chosen out of the restricted holidays, which are Id-e-Milad or Milad-ul-Nabi (January 25), Good Friday (March 29), Budh Purnima (May 25), Guru Arjan Dev's Martyrdom Day (June 12), Shaheed Udham Singh's Martyrdom Day (July 31), Raksha Bandhan (August 20), Karva Chauth (October 22), Govardhan Puja (November 3), Muharram (November 14) and Guru Teg Bahadur's Martyrdom Day (November 24).

The following holidays shall be observed as public holidays within the meaning of Section 25 of the Negotiable Instrument Act, 1881. These included the holidays of Republic Day, Guru Ravidas's Birthday, Maha Shivratri, Holi, annual closing of bank account that is first working day of April (April 1), Dr BR Ambedkar Jayanti, Mahavir Jayanti, Independence Day, Janmashtami, half-yearly closing of bank accounts that is last working day of September (September 30), Mahatma Gandhi's Birthday, Id-ul-Fitr, Dussehra, Maharshi Valmiki's Birthday, Diwali, Guru Nanak's Birthday and Christmas Day.

As per a notification to this effect issued by the Chief Secretary, Haryana, all Saturdays and Sundays will also be observed as public holidays in government offices.

Sirsa, December 16
A newly wedded couple is facing threat to its lives for breaking customs and marrying outside their castes.

Priyanka Kaswan, who belongs to a Jat family from Panniwala Mota village in Sirsa, married Suresh, a Dalit youth from Kheowali on December 14.

Since their marriage, the couple is living under threat from the girl’s family members and some other close relatives.

“When we went to the district courts to seek security for us immediately after our marriage, Raja Kaswan, my close relative, came there and warned us that both of us will be liquidated,” Priyanka alleged in her complaint addressed to the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA).

Both Priyanka and Suresh have given identical complaints to the CJM-cum-secretary of the authority to Advocate Usha Kaswan, a lawyer on the panel of the DLSA.

The couple said they had again received threatening calls from Priyanka’s brother. He threatened to kill them once they came out of the protection home. Suresh has also expressed apprehension of threat to the life of his family members.

Meanwhile, couples staying in the protection home complained of poor amenities, broken windowpanes, and lack of cleanliness. “There is no kitchen where we can cook food and we have to order food from outside,” alleged the couples.

Sonepat, December 16
Haryana Director General of Police SN Vashisht said controlling crime against women was one of the top priorities and steps were being taken in this direction. He was talking to mediapersons here.

On the steps initiated so far, Vashisht said officers investigating such cases had been directed to submit challans in court within 30 days. Further, courts were being requested to fast-track such cases.

In rape and molestation cases, special public prosecutors would be appointed for speedy trial, the officer added.

By January 1, every district would be provided with a “Mahila PCR van” under the charge of an SI-rank woman police officer. The vehicles would have a dedicated toll-free number, the DGP said.

“The victims can contact the PCR van anytime, anywhere,” he added.

For speedy investigation of cyber crime cases, the police had decided to install a criminal tracking network system at Panchkula, Ambala and Faridabad, he added.

A cyber laboratory at Madhuban had already been set up and two DSP-rank cyber officers would soon be engaged, he added.

Earlier, the DGP attended the annual prize distribution function of Hindu Vidya Peeth and distributed prizes among students.

Sonepat SP Arun Singh and Additional Deputy Commissioner SB Lohia were also present.

Fatehabad, December 16
The Fatehabad police is under flak from local residents for booking Zila Parishad deputy chairperson Deepak Bhirdana in an attempt to murder case.

The residents allege that he had been falsely implicated.

A group of residents led by Darshan Nagpal, a municipal councillor and district president of the Panchnad Samiti, Fatehabad, assembled in the Laal Batti Chowk and castigated the police for its ‘biased’ action in the case.

The police had booked Deepak Bhirdana, his younger brother Gaurav and some others for an attempt to murder in a case of attack on Gulshan Jagga, a property dealer, on December 6.

Two days before the incident, some persons had opened fire outside the office of a property dealer.

The police had also booked Mahabir Singh, a former sarpanch and Guarav Bhirdana in this case.

“Deepak has been falsely implicated in the case by the police though he was not present anywhere at the scene of scuffle,” alleged Nagpal.

He said Deepak, in fact, invited the wrath of some police officers in his efforts to intervene in the case involving his brother Gaurav.

Deepak Bhirdana, incidentally, is considered a close confident of Sirsa MP Ashok Tanwar and he had played an important role in the Congress’ victory in the Ratia byelection.

The demonstrators, who included several prominent persons of the town, then marched to the camp office of the Deputy Commissioner ML Kaushik and submitted him a memorandum in this regard.

The DC assured them that he would see to it that no innocent person was framed in a criminal case.

Sonepat, December 16
With a view to ensuring availability of quality education to children of the farming community, the state government has decided to open Kisan Model Schools in every district, said Prof Virender, political advisor to the Chief Minister, here today.

“As many as 15 such schools are being set up in six districts during the current financial year,” he said, while addressing a prize distribution function organised by the Haryana Shiksha and Swasthya Seva Samiti to give cash incentives to students from different districts of the state who had excelled in 10th and 12th classes examinations, at SM Hindu Senior Secondary School.

Prof Virender said the state government had created around 10,000 additional posts of teachers and all these were being filled through the newly established Haryana School Teachers’ Selection Board.

A sum of Rs 8,245 crore had been allocated for the education sector during 2012-13 and it was Rs 1,369 crore higher than the allocation for the last financial year, he added.

He said the Union Government has sanctioned development of Bahalgarh-Sonepat-Gohana road on the pattern of highways at an estimated cost of Rs 176 crore. The project was sanctioned after a recent meeting of Rohtak MP Deepender Singh Hooda with Union Surface Transport Minister Kamal Nath, he added.

Sonepat, December 16
Sarita (32), mother of two children, was allegedly murdered by her husband Surender in their house at Larsoli village this morning. Within a few hours of the incident, the police claimed to have arrested the alleged accused and registered a case of murder against him at Murthal police station. He would be produced in a court tomorrow.

The police said the victim was cutting vegetables with a knife when the alleged accused asked her to give money. When she refused, he attacked her on the neck with the knife and she died on the spot.

Sarita’s brother Saurabh of Holambi Khurd village in Delhi also reached the village and alleged that Surender was a drug addict and used to beat her often. 

Faridabad, December 16
As many as 611 cases were disposed of at a special lok adalat organised here today under the aegis of the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA).

DLSA coordinator Ravinder Gupta said two cases related to the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal in which Rs 9 lakh was awarded as compensation to the victim parties.

As many as 328 cases were concerned summary challans in which more than Rs 8 lakh was imposed fines on the accused.

Besides, 187 were criminal cases, 55 civil, and 39 cheque-bounce cases were settled in the lok adalat.

Kurukshetra, December 16
Vijay Divas was celebrated at Theme Park here today in memory of those who had sacrificed their lives during the 1971 Indo-Pak war.

Paying tributes to the warriors and martyrs, Deputy Commissioner Mandeep Brar said their sacrifice was a source of inspiration for the youth. “Every Indian is proud of the soldiers of the Army, who laid down their lives for the country’s pride,” he said.

As many as 23 martyr families were given a cheque of Rs 1,000 each on the occasion.

Col Gurinder Singh, Col KDP Singh, Major Inderjeet Sharma, Squadron Leader Dharam Singh, family members of martyr Major Nitin Bali, District Sainik Board secretary Major Balwinder Singh, District Red Cross Society secretary Ajay Wasan and DSP Nirmal Singh were also present at the function.

Gurgaon, December 16
Activists of the Haryana Nav Nirman Sena today protested on the MG Road demanding immediate closure of all pubs and bars in the city.

They claimed that the crime rate in the city had increased due to such pubs and bars.

“The police gives assurance all time but nothing happens. Rapes, robberies and brawls happen especially during this time and only way to deal with it is to close down these shops,” said association president Pravesh Sharma.

The local administration has made carrying of photo identity mandatory for an the entry to these places and is mulling an idea to make MG Road a vehicle-free zone.

“What will we achieve with such measures? An identification card does not prevent crime it only helps in nailing criminal later on. The idea of making place a vehicle-free zone is unfeasible. All measures taken by the police have failed to put a check on these pubs, especially in Sahara Mall, and only way out is to shut these pubs,” Sharma said.

The mall was in news when a 23-year-old guest attendant in a pub was allegedly gangraped by six unknown assailants in DLF Phase-II Area in March.