Chandigarh, February 25
In a virtual bonanza, the teaching and non-teaching staff of the privately-managed government-aided schools in the state will now get promotions and pay scales on the pattern of the Haryana Education Department.

In fact, bowing to the long-pending demand of the teachers and non-teaching staff of the aided schools, the state government has allowed the benefits of the assured career progression (ACP) scheme to them.

“In pursuance of the order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the state government has decided to allow ACP to the teaching and non-teaching employees of the government aided schools,” a recent order issued by the Director, Secondary Education, Vikas Yadav, states.

Official sources informed The Tribune that the benefits of the ACP would be given to the aided school staff in consonance with the notification dated December 30, 2008, and would put these staff on an equal footing with the government school staff in matters of promotions and pay scales.

“The ACP may be granted to those employees whose qualification and nature of work are similar to those of the government employees working in the field offices,” the order stated.

The staff of the government schools was given the benefit of the ACP according to the 2008 notification with effect from January 1, 2006. Now the staff of the government-aided schools would also get benefit of the ACP from January 1, 2006, said the sources.

Under the ACP, the teaching and non-teaching staff gets promotion or the next grade of pay after the completion of 10, 20 and 30 years of service. Since there are not enough vacancies at the middle and senior levels, the ACP goes a long way in reducing stagnation at the junior and middle levels in government-aided schools. While a substantial number of the promoted teaching and non-teaching staff did not get promotion to the next rank, they were at least assured of the next grade of pay under the ACP, the sources said.

However, the implementation of the ACP for the staff of the government-aided schools comes with a rider. The implementation of the ACP would be subject to the outcome of the special leave /review petition filed by the Education Department in the Supreme Court.

Jind, February 25
With rain and hailstorms lashing several parts of the districts and damaging standing rabi crops, the district authorities have announced a special girdawari of the affected villages in the district. Over 50 villages of the district are reported to have been affected by the unseasonal downpour and hail assault.

The district authorities today claimed that a special survey had been ordered to send a detailed report on the losses to the state government. Representatives of the BKU have asked the state government to carry out such surveys in all districts, as unusual heavy rain and hailstorms had been reported during the past fortnight.

Residents of Ludhana village blocked traffic on the Jind-Gohana road for about an hour yesterday to press their demand for compensation. It is claimed that as the input cost for farmers per acre was around Rs 20,000, the total loss could be in several crores. The villages where the adverse impact of rain and hailstorms has been reported include Ludhana, Malsri Khera, Siwana Maal, Bhambhewa, Kharak, Bagru Kalan, Burayan and Hoshiyarpura of Safidon subdivision, Bhairokhera, Gatauli, Sirsakheri, Buana, Ramkali, Hathwala, Siwaha, Nandgaon and Kharainti of Julana block, Nacharkhera, Dumarkha Khurd, Dumarkhakalan, Safakheri, Durjanpur, Karkrod and Udaipur of Uchana block Dhanori, Belarkha, Sunderpura, Mohalkhera, Phulaikalan, Amargarh and Phuliakhurd of Narwana subdivision and Ikkas, Lohchab, Khunga, Barsana and Pindara of Jind subdivision.

The district unit of the INLD has demanded compensation to the tune of Rs 30,000 per acre. The Rohtak district administration has also ordered a survey of the loss caused by rain and hailstorms.

Sirsa, February 25
Abhey Singh Chautala, INLD MLA from Ellenabad, today alleged that the adjournment motion moved by Sampat Singh seeking removal of former Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala from the post of Leader of the Opposition was a ploy to divert people's attention from the serious issues likely to be raised by the Opposition in the Assembly.

Sampat Singh, Congress MLA from Nalwa, has moved an adjournment motion in the Vidhan Sabha for discussing the issue of sentencing of Chautala and two other MLAs , Ajay Singh Chautala and Sher Singh Badshami.

The adjournment motion has been admitted for February 26, 2013. The motion said ,after his sentencing, Chautala did not have any right to continue as a member of the Assembly and also as Leader of the Opposition.

Addressing mediapersons at Roopawas village of Sirsa during his village tour under the "Pol Khol Abhiyan", Abhey Singh alleged the ruling party did not have the courage to face the INLD in the ongoing session of the Assembly. "Hence, it is the Congress ploy that either the legislators belonging to our party stage a walkout on our own, or the Speaker named us for the rest of the session when we raise our voice on this issue," the INLD leader claimed.

Yamunanagar/Ambala, February 25
After signing long-term power purchase agreements, the Haryana power utilities have not only bridged the gap between demand and supply but also arranged additional power for the coming summer season.

While all other northern states are expected to face a power shortage in the summer, Haryana, which had signed a long-term contract with Adani Power for supply of 1424 MW from Mundra thermal plant in Gujarat, would have additional 300 to 350 lakh units a day in the summer.

Last year, the power demand had gone up to 7000 MW a day during the paddy season and the daily power shortage ranged between 250 and 300 lakh units. However, this year the supply of additional 340 lakh units daily from Mundra thermal plant would help the state tide over the power crisis.

The power utilities started receiving power from Adani Power about a month ago after which Haryana Power generation Corporation Limited (HPGCL)was forced to shut down nine of its thermal units due to reduced demand for power. As of today, six units of Panipat, two of Khedar and one at Yamunanagar are under forced shutdown due to the drop in demand.

Highly placed sources said even after the shutting down of these thermal units, the utilities were able to supply power round the clock to all categories of consumers.

The sources said taking advantage of the forced closure of units, HPGCL had even asked the Reliance group to complete the pending job in unit No. 1 and 2 at the Khedar thermal power plant. 

Yamunanagar, February 25
INLD workers and supporters today adopted a rather unique method to protest against the disparity in allotment of development works for the district by the Hooda government.

INLD leaders including Yamunanagar and Radour legislators Dilbagh Singh and B L Saini played the 'been' (a snake charmer's pipe) to drive home a message that the government had become deaf and dumb to voices being raised not only by the opposition parties but also by one of the union ministers of the ruling party.

The protest was organised by the local unit of the INLD at Kamani Chowk on the national highway No 73 against the alleged step-motherly treatment being meted out to the district.

The two leaders lamented that the Hooda government was even trying to silence the voice of opposition parties by not allowing them to speak during the Assembly sessions. 

Karnal, February 25
Quality nutrition is one of the main concerns of animal husbandry for improving milk production which should be addressed both by the scientific and farming community. This was stated by Dr R S Paroda, Chairperson, Haryana Kisan Ayog, while inaugurating the three-day National Dairy Mela here today. The mela, organised by the National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), will culminate on February 27.

Informing that Asian countries were demanding good germplasm of Muraah buffalo from India, he said, “It is an alarming situation that few urban farmers keep high yielding animals only for two-three lactations and after that they sell these. This leads to genetic erosion of superior germplasm. The issue needs to be looked into so in order to keep good germplasm for a longer period for further propagation,” he stated.

Dr Paroda exhorted the farmers to adopt newer technologies for improving productivity. He said rural-based agro processing units needed be promoted. He further stated that the concept of self-help groups (SHGs) in the rural areas for marketing of different produce should be followed. It would provide profits to the farm families, said Dr Paroda.

Director, NDRI, Dr AK Srivastava, in his address, said the mela aimed at showcasing the latest technologies for the benefit of farmers and dairy entrepreneurs. While touching upon some of the important issues pertaining to dairy husbandry, he said farmers should adopt the recommended technologies.

On dairy processing, he said the institute would soon initiate and share the technology of mozzarella cheese manufacturing using buffalo milk with the entrepreneurs and dairy industry.

There were 80 exhibition stalls to show latest products, tools and machinery related to dairy, feed processing, animal healthcare and allied agricultural activities.

Thousands of visitors, including progressive dairy farmers, farm women and dairy entrepreneurs from Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Bihar, participated in the mela.

Chandigarh, February 25
Congress MP Rao Inderjit Singh’s assertion that the quantum of punishment to INLD leaders Om Prakash Chautala and his elder son Ajay Singh has generated public sympathy for them, especially among their supporters, shows how successful the INLD campaign against the conviction of its leaders has been.

The Chautalas, along with three others, have been sentenced by the Delhi-based CBI court to 10 years of imprisonment in what has come to be known as the JBT recruitment case.

Many might feel that the sentence is harsh. But the judge, Vinod Kumar, himself has answered why he was awarding this punishment.

In his order, the judge said the enormity of the offences could be appreciated from the fact that the conspiracy took in its sweep almost all districts of Haryana. As many as 57 chairpersons/ members of the 18 district-level selection committees were made to forge award lists in which the interview marks of about 8,000 candidates were changed.

He said the forging of award lists amounted to forging of ‘valuable securities’ punishable under Section 467 of the IPC, which passes sentence up to life imprisonment.

“The gravity of the offences further enhances in view of the reason that the brazenness with which the sacrosanct constitutional guarantee of equal opportunity in the matters of public employment to each citizen of India has been violated,” he said.

The trial court judge pointed out that the full Bench of the Supreme Court (AIR 1978 Supreme Court 1548) had severely castigated the lenient view taken by the session court in sentencing a convict in such offences. The apex court had held, “Social defence is the criminological foundation of punishment. The trial judge has confused between correctional approach to prison treatment and nominal punishment verging on decriminalisation of serious social offences. The first is basic, the second pathetic. The court that ignores the grave injury to society implicit in economic crimes by the upper berth 'mafia' serves social justice. Soft sentencing justice is gross injustice where many innocents are potential victims. It is a functional failure and judicial pathology to hold out a benignly self-defeating non sentence to deviants who endanger the morals and morale, the health and wealth of society.”

The CBI court judge said: “Therefore, considering the enormity of the offences and the manner in which politician-bureaucrat nexus has resulted in depriving such a large number of candidates of their constitutional rights, I do not find any reason for leniency in sentencing those convicts who were masterminding the entire conspiracy or assisting them in the execution of the same.”

No person can better answer those skeptics who are questioning the quantum of punishment to the former Chief Minister and his ‘partners in the conspiracy’. 

Chandigarh, February 25
Haryana has been caught discriminating between the Haryana Public Service Commission members provided government accommodation and those compelled to rent private accommodation.

Taking up a petition filed by Narendra Singh Vidyaalankar and two other former members, the Punjab and Haryana High Court asserted that 10 per cent was deducted as a rent from the salaries of commission members ‘not provided government accommodation, but allowed to hire private accommodation’.

On the other hand, 5 per cent was deducted as a licence fee from the members given government accommodation. “This is clearly discriminatory and there is no reason justifying this discrimination,” Chief Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri and Justice Rakesh Kumar Jain said.

The members had earlier asserted that they were entitled to government accommodation. In case it was unavailable, the chairperson and members were allowed to rent private accommodation. In that event, the members also have to pay 10 per cent of the pay as a rent, as per the provisions of the HPSC (Conditions of Service), Regulations, 1973.

But in the case of members provided government accommodation, the licence fee was earlier fixed at 10 per cent. It was later reduced to 5 per cent vide a notification dated April 30, 1991.

The state tried to justify the anomaly by stating that house rent allowance of up to Rs 1,160 was given to government employees in case accommodation was not provided to them. But the chairperson and members were entitled to get about Rs 6,000 as house rent allowance for private accommodation, even after the deduction of 10 per cent from their pay.

Taking on record the assertion, the Bench ruled that the example was totally misplaced. “The respondents have tried to compare the case of members of the commission with government employees, who are not provided the accommodation and are given house rent allowance. However, this cannot be the ground to justify 10 per cent of the pay as rent from those who hire private accommodation. 

“We hold that Regulation 12(a) of the HPSC (Conditions of Service), Regulations, 1973, is arbitrary. The excess rental charged from the petitioners shall be refunded to them within two months.”

Yamunanagar, February 25
Vinay Kumar Madhok, Superintending Engineer working with the Haryana Power Generation Corporation at Yamunanagar thermal plant, was killed in a rail accident here today.

Madhok got trapped between a moving train and a platform as he tried to alight at Jagadhari railway station. He was coming back to Yamunanagar from Saharanpur. He was rushed to the railway workshop hospital, where he died. —TNS

Gurgaon, February 25 
An eight-year-old girl was raped by her 54-year-old neighbour Shiv Shankar in Kaadipur village. Though the incident occurred a couple of days ago, the parents reported it to the police today. 

The girl’s father stated in his complaint that the incident occurred on February 20 when the girl was alone in her house. The victim’s father works as a security guard and the mother as a maid servant. Both of them were away to work when Shiv Shankar entered their house and urged the girl to accompany him to his room. He allegedly raped her there. The girl came back crying to her house and told her mother about it in the evening when she returned. The parents chose to remain quiet fearing social criticism but as the girl’s mental trauma worsened they approached the police. The victim's medical examination late last night confirmed the heinous act. The police then arrested Shiv Shankar who was sent to Bhondsi jail by a local court. 

"My daughter is shattered. She called him uncle but he violated her. We tried to keep quiet because going to the police meant that we will be harassed in court. I would have lost my job as a maid. But seeing her condition and Shiv Shankar’s shameless smile we approached the police,” said the victim’s mother “We urge everybody to bring such things to our notice at the earliest as it will deter criminals. We will not spare anybody,” said DCP Surender Pal.

Faridabad, February 25
A man raped a minor girl (15), his neighbour, in his house here late last evening. Incidentally, he raped her for the second time; the first time was about a month ago. The accused, Rakesh (35), a father of two, has been arrested.

The crime occurred in the Dabua colony where the victim and the accused reside.

According to the SHO concerned, the families of the accused and the victim stayed in rented accommodation. While the accused resided on the first floor of a building, the latter resided on the ground floor.

The accused had lured her to his house about a month ago and raped her. She did not bring the matter to the notice of her family back then. The accused had shifted to another house in the colony a week ago.

When the girl went to a shop in the colony last evening, the accused coerced her to accompany him to his new house. He threatened to make public his earlier sexual experience with her and victimised her. 

Her family informed the police about the crime after the victim narrated the incident on returning home.

Karnal, February 25
A minor girl of Ramdev Colony, who was allegedly abducted on February 13, was recovered from Kishanganj district of Rajasthan yesterday.

The 12-year-old girl's father had lodged a report on February 14 that his daughter, a student of class IV, had gone missing.

A team headed by a sub-inspector left for Rajasthan on February 23 and recovered the girl. One of the accused, Yogesh, alias Vikki, a resident of Zhwarheri under Madhuban police station was arrested.

The girl was brought here last evening and medically examined. Her statement was recorded before the magistrate under Section 164, CrPC.

The police also arrested Mamta, Yogesh’ wife. The accused were produced in the court today and sent to jail while Mamta was sent to Nari Niketan.

Rohtak, February 25
The police has arrested a youth on the charge of murdering his elder brother in a dispute over the sale of a property in the Meham village recently.

One of the three accused in the case happens to be the real sister of the deceased's wife. He was the main accused who had lodged a complaint with the police that his brother had been murdered by unidentified persons.

During investigations, the police found that it was none other than Deepak (32) of Kheri Meham village, about 32 km from here, who had got his elder brother, Naresh (34), murdered on the night of February 17. Deepak informed the police about the incident after Naresh's body was found lying in the fields of the village next morning.

It is believed that it was a group of at least four persons, including Deepak, his wife Ritu, Deepak’s brother- in-law Harender and Sunder, another kin, had hatched the conspiracy to eliminate Naresh a few months ago when the latter had decided to dispose of the parental property of one acre for Rs 1.30 crore. It is revealed that both the brothers and their family members had several bouts of verbal duels on the matter but failed to get the issue settled. It is reported that while Naresh and Deepak had been married to two sisters, it was Naresh’s wife who had left his house due to the dispute while Ritu (Deepak’s wife) was still living with her husband in the same house at the village. According to the police, it was Sunder, the third accused and also a Deepak’s kin, who had brought a country-made revolver from UP a couple of months ago and used it to gun down Naresh on the fateful night. The revolver was purchased for Rs 50,000 by the accused. The plan to kill Naresh was finalised in Bhiwani about six months ago, it is claimed. Though Deepak, Harender and Sunder were taken into custody by the police on Monday, Ritu was still to be arrested, claimed a police official. He said the accused would be produced in the court tomorrow. The police is yet to recover the weapon.

Jind, February 25
Around 100 persons, majority of them farmers, were arrested for disrupting trains on the Delhi-Ferozepore track in the district today. The protesters staged the blockade demanding immediate implementation of the Swaminathan Committee report on agricultural product prices. The protesters had been staging a dharna along the track near Barsola village in the district for the past two days in support of their demand.

A BKU spokesman said the track was blocked as there was no response from the government or the authorities concerned.

The protesters were removed from the track forcibly and taken away in police vehicles. A protesters' leader, however, said the stir would continue till the Swaminathan Committee report was implemented .

Kurukshetra, February 25
The police has arrested a man for allegedly demanding dowry.

Speaking to mediapersons here yesterday, a police spokesperson said in a complaint lodged with the police on February 22, Rajwinder Kaur, daughter of Kulwant Singh, resident of Thaska Meeranji, 15 km from here, had alleged that her husband, Satpal Singh, son of Ajit Singh and a resident of Dera Jagadhri, and his family members had been demanding dowry from her. She also alleged that she was beaten up.

A police team led by Sub Inspector Kehar Singh from Thana Ismailabad has arrested Satpal Singh. He was produced in the court here yesterday and remanded to police custody, added the spokesperson. 

Faridabad, February 25
A body of a man was found in a ditch near the Kiyoi village here today.

Villagers spotted the body in a ditch this afternoon and informed the police about it.

The chest portion of the body has been found wounded by gunshots. Although the police has sent the body to BK Civil Hospital for an autopsy, it says the wounds suggest that the man was fired from a close range.

The police said the body might have been dumped in the field after the man was murdered. Meanwhile, an FIR has been registered in the case.