Chandigarh, May 11
The rising crime against women in Haryana and the growing security concerns of parents sending their daughters to institutions for higher education have prompted the Haryana Government to initiate various steps, including installation of CCTV cameras and starting a helpline in colleges.

With a view to strengthening the safety of women and providing a deterrent to eve-teasers, CCTV cameras will be installed at key points in all colleges in the state, on the lines of a similar exercise being undertaken in universities, and a round-the-clock helpline will be made functional soon.

Haryana Education, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Geeta Bhukkal said besides this, the department had decided to ensure that nobody, staff or student, would be allowed on the premises without an identity card.

“Many girls have met me and complained that boys stand outside their institutes and colleges and cause harassment by following them once they step out of the campus. To deal with this, I have spoken to the Deputy Commissioners of a few districts and asked them to explore the possibility of setting up a temporary police post outside educational institutions,” she said.

Sources said the department had received a “discomfort report” from girls’ hostels with male wardens. The department had decided to replace all male wardens in girls hostels with women wardens.

“This matter was brought to my notice during a visit to educational institutions. I have already spoken to heads of such institutes and taken care of this grievance. Also, we have tried to replace all male staff in hostels with females as a security measure,” Bhukkal said.

Sexual harassment committees would also be constituted which would have girls as representatives. If a male teacher is found guilty, after an immediate inquiry by the committee, penal action would be initiated against him.

Every institute or college would publicise this message by way of slogans and posters to spread awareness among students.

The government was also planning to open canteens within polytechnics and institutes so that girl students need not step out of the premises while a plan to ply “all girls’ buses” is also on the cards.

Bhukkal said sensitisation lectures on crime against women and penal action against those found guilty would be a regular feature.

Counselling of all students would be done through social activities. Principals would place suggestion boxes in their colleges for such complaints.

“I have visited a few colleges and institutes for an on-the-spot evaluation of the problems being faced by girls. Based on the feedback from the students and our own assessment, we have initiated these steps,” she said. 

Karnal, May 11
The Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (HSGPC - ad hoc) will neither back any party, nor contest the Municipal Corporation poll, but support candidates on merit, said HSGPC president Jagdish Singh Jhinda today.

“Our first preference will be for Sikh candidates, but in their absence, we will opt for the candidates supporting the demand for a separate SGPC,” he said, adding that in other wards, candidates with clean image would be preferred.

Jhinda said the HSGPC would only take interest in elections to five Municipal Corporations of Panchkula, Ambala, Yamunanagar, Panipat and Karnal, which have a sizeable number of Sikhs.

However, the rival faction of the HSGPC, headed by Didar Singh Nalvi, has decided to stay aloof from the poll.

“We will neither contest poll nor ask our members to support any candidate or party and allow them to exercise their free choice for casting the vote,” Nalvi said.

The BJP has started preparing for the Karnal and Panipat Municipal Corporation elections and appointed in charges for different wards. It has formed a committee to screen applicants for the party ticket.

On the other hand, the INLD, contesting the elections on party symbol, has begun the process for selection of candidates. An eleven-member committee of the party, headed by former minister Jasvinder Sandhu, visited Panipat and Karnal today and interacted with candidates and party workers.

Rohtak, May 11
The stalemate over the possession of Satlok Ashram at Karontha village in the district continues even after the local court directing the authorities concerned to maintain status quo over the matter and asking the police to ensure law and order on the spot.

The ashram was handed over to dera followers on April 7 this year after the directions of the apex court amid the opposition and protest from the members of the Arya Partinidhi Sabha, who have demanded discontinuation of dera activities here.

"The judgement of the local court in response to a petition filed by the Dera supporters recently is significant as the court had ordered to maintain status quo and asked the authorities to provide safety and security of the dera followers,’’ claimed SSP Vivek Sharma.

He added that the petition was filed in wake of the demand raised by the Arya Partinidhi Sabha to dispossess the ashram of the dera followers and had convened a meeting on May 12 at the village.

Several companies of police force had been requisitioned on the spot, he added.

The matter had turned volatile last month in wake of a clash between supporters of the Arya Sabha and the dera's headed by Sant Ram Pal, after it was handed over to the Dera.

The district and police administration had persuaded the protesters (Arya Samajists) to lift their dharna from the spot on April 10 and officials had promised to find a solution by April 30.

The Arya Pratinidhi Sabha has claimed that the failure of the authorities to resolve the issue so far has made it to convene a panchayat. The officials on the other hand said the matter had gone out of their purview following the decision of the court.

According to Arya Samajis, the ownership of the ashram has not only been illegal, but the functioning of the dera also has affected the environment in the region and this has been proved by the clash that took place in July 2006 and in April last month.

The dera on other hand has refuted the charges and claimed that it is their property and no one can remove them from here in wake of the recent court order.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that dozens of people assembled in the village today in connection with holding the panchayat tomorrow.