Fatehabad/Sirsa, May 23
The weekly iron and folic acid supplementation programme of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) is facing roadblocks in Ratia block of Fatehabad due to recent incidents of schoolchildren falling ill after consuming iron and folic acid pills though the scheme is running well in rest of the district.

In Ratia, where the incidents of kids' illness were on a higher side, the health authorities have put the distribution of pills on hold through informal orders, as they are facing resistance from the local people.

Though the number of children, who experienced complications ranging from mild pain to nausea and vomiting after the first dose last week, is very small in comparison with the total number of children targeted under the scheme, the incidents had shaken the confidence of teachers and health officials alike.

The scheme is working well in several schools falling under Fatehabad and Bhuna blocks, where barring a few incidents of minor pain, children are taking pills comfortably.

Over 2,500 children in two senior secondary schools for boys and girls have taken these tablets without any complications.

In Ayalki and Jandli Kalan too, 311 and 635 children consumed their pills, but in Jandli Khurd, eight children had been hospitalised.

It seems there could be some factors attributed to the kids' own health or there are some other factors.

Experts of the National Rural Health Mission maintain that consuming pills on empty stomach could cause problems, but teachers at Hamzapur, Bhunderwas and Burj, where children were taken ill, claimed that they gave tablets only after serving them midday meals.

As the absorption of iron is enhanced with Vitamin C, experts advise that children could be given lemon water with these tablets.

Krishan Kumar, Principal in Government Senior Secondary School, Jandli, said he had been giving tablets with ORS and kids in his schools were not experiencing any trouble.

Children in the schools falling under Ratia block, where a Tribune team visited today, have not taken the second dose of the pills so far, though it was due on Monday.

"As government servants, we are willing to implement the scheme, but the parents have strictly warned us against giving any repeat dose of the pills to their kids," said Kahan Singh, officiating head teacher in Government Middle School at Bhunderwas in Fatehabad.

Similarly, in government schools at Hamzapur and Burj, where a number of children had taken ill after consuming the pills, teachers said health workers in the village had informed them that the department had asked to keep the programme on hold.

Nirmal Kaur, an ANM at Burj, said she had stopped the distribution of the pills on directions of Dr Sunita Sokhi, in charge of Primary Health Centre, Bothan, who in turn, named Dr VK Jain, Senior Medical Officer of the Community Health Centre, Ratia, for not giving it.

Dr Jain, however, denied having issued any such directions.

In Baragura block of Sirsa, where over 100 children had experienced problems -- Sukhchain village (57 kids), Dhaba (15), Chiri (27) and Bappa (25 children) -- Dr Pankaj Sharma, in charge of the CHC, took a meeting of ANMs and was providing them training on how to give the tablets correctly.

Chandigarh, May 23
Battlelines have been drawn for the June 2 elections to the seven municipal corporations (MCs) of Ambala, Panchkula, Karnal, Panipat, Hisar, Rohtak and Yamunanagar with 1,698 candidates remaining in the fray for the 144 wards after scrutiny and withdrawal today.

With 321 candidates withdrawing from the contest today, 1,698 remained in the fray for the poll being contested on party symbols by the the INLD and the BJP.

Sources said 65 candidates withdrew their candidature from the Panipat MC today, followed by Yamunanagar (60), Panchkula (52), Karnal (51),Ambala (50), Hisar (20) and Rohtak (15).

The maximum of 327 candidates are in the fray for the Panipat MC for 24 wards while the lowest of 163 candidates will battle it out in Panchkula with 20 wards. As many as 180 candidates are contesting in Ambala, 217 candidates in Yamunanagar, followed by Hisar(294), Karnal (237) and Rohtak (278).

Meanwhile, the BJP has geared up for the elections with the party asking its workers of adjoining districts to campaign for the party candidates for the seven MCs..”Anti-people policies of the UPA Government and the worsening law and order situation, besides the lack of civic amenities would be major issues in the elections,” Veer Kumar Yadav, state BJP spokesman said today.

Ambala, May 23
Three persons of a family and another occupant of a Suzuki Wagon R car were charred to death on the Ambala-Saharanpur road near Dosarka village today.

The incident took place when Vijay Singla (55) was returning to Saharanpur after attending a marriage in Pinjore last night. His wife Anita (50), and son Guru Dutt (20) and a friend of his son Amit Pandit were in the car.

Chandigarh, May 23
Taking suo motu cognizance of a prisoner’s release on parole thrice in a year, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has asked the Haryana Government to submit its policy on temporary release of prisoners.

The directions by a Division Bench came on a criminal writ petition filed by Jai Parkash against Haryana and other respondents.

The Bench disposed of the case after observing that “ counsel for the petitioner does not press this writ petition”. But before parting with the order, the Bench took judicial cognizance of the government’s action of granting parole three times in a year to him.

“It is on record that the petitioner herein had availed benefit of parole for three times in 2012. His application for release on parole this year is pending consideration. Haryana is directed to furnish a policy showing as to what parameters are laid down to release the convicts in a year; after how much time the second relief of parole can be granted to the convict and as to whether all convicts are being granted benefit of temporary release in the same manner in which it was granted to the petitioner herein,” the Bench asserted.

The Bench also directed the State to place on record the reasons for releasing the petitioner on parole thrice in a year. “This matter be treated as public interest litigation,” the Bench added while issuing notice of motion to the state and other respondents. May 27 is the next date of hearing. 

Sirsa, May 23
A youth whose brother had eloped with a girl and married her in court was mercilessly beaten to death by the girl’s kin at Kanganpur village in Sirsa last night.

The police has booked six persons, including the girl's brother, for rioting, trespass and murder. The victim, Kuldeep Masih, alias Neetu (25), died on the spot.

Six persons attacked Kuldeep and his brother, Baaj Singh in sleep on the terrace of their house in Kanganpur village last night.

Baaj Singh said he jumped from the roof while the attackers beat up his brother Kuldeep and took him away after tying him with ropes.

Later, they dragged Kuldeep to the house of a villager, Firoz Masih, and beat him to death after tying him to a pillar.

Baaj Singh ran to his sister’s village, Aherawan, and came back to Sirsa this morning after learning about Kuldeep’s death.

Baaj Singh has alleged in his complaint to the police that his brother, Gagandeep, had eloped with accused Laadi’s sister one year ago and the two married in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The couple broke up after three months and the girl lodged a complaint against Gagandeep. Gagandeep was not in the house as he lived somewhere else with his mother.

He alleged that the girl’s family had been nursing a grudge against their family since then.He alleged the accused — Babbu, Sukha and Hira, all sons of Firoz Masih, Laadi, Mangat and his son Dula — attacked them in sleep last night.

The accused escaped after committing the crime.

Raja Ram, SHO, Sadar police station, said the police was looking for the accused. 

Kurukshetra, May 23
As per Haryana government directions, the Kurukshetra University Executive Council (EC), at its meeting held here late last evening, decided to give the minority status to Guru Harkrishan Sahib Khalsa College, Panjhokhra Saheb. Government College for Girls, Ambala City, was also provided provisional affiliation to KU.

As many as 63 items were presented for discussion before the members in the seven-hour meeting chaired by the Vice-Chancellor, Lt Gen Dr DDS Sandhu (retd).

The EC passed the Annual Budget of KU for 2013-14 and approved extension of Prof Girish Chopra as Dean Academic Affairs, KU, for a period of one year.

The university disaffiliated Shree Ram Institute of Business Management Studies, Urjani village, Yamunanagar, for irregularities and imposed a fine of Rs 2 lakh on Metis Degree College, Anta, Saffidon, for violation of university norms.

The services of 16 assistant professors were confirmed while the promotions of seven associate professors were also approved . — OC

Gurgaon, May 23
Taking a serious note of irresponsible behaviour of the principal of Suncity World School in dealing with the alleged molestation of an eight-year-old girl on the school premises by maids, the school management has suspended principal Rupa Chakravarty.

With over 200 parents landing at its gate and raising slogans against the school, the authorities dismissed the maids and office boys.

The school, especially the principal, has behaved in most disgusting manner. Rather than probing the matter and informing the police, she blamed her parents and called the incident a figment of child's imagination. When parents moved to the police she went abroad for a holiday. How can anybody send their children to a school when they know that there are molesters lurking around and the authorities are supporting them, said a parent.

The management, however, assured the parents of complete safety of their children.

We have put the principal under suspension and probing the matter. Students have been and will always be our priority, said vice-chairman Ankit Goyal. He further said the entire helping staff in the school would be removed because the authorities could not trust them after this incident.

Fatehabad, May 23
Irked at the erratic power and drinking water supply, residents of Bighar road Ward 13 of Fatehabad last night kept four officials of the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam as captive for hours and their Municipal Councillor Wazir Jakhar tendered his resignation to the authorities.

Living virtually without power and drinking water for the past four days, the residents took to streets and sat on a dharna on the Bighar road.

The angry residents forced four officials of the DHBVN, who had come to rectify the fault, sit with them on their dharna site. It was only early this morning that an officer of the DHBVN visited there and rescued his workers.

"There is no power to our ward for the past four days due to breakdown of transformer. Though the DHBVN authorities made an alternative arrangement from some other line, we hardly get power for 2 to 3 hours a day. Due to scarcity of power, we are not getting any water," alleged Wazir Jakhar.

"When I cannot redress the grievances of my people, I do not have right to remain their councillor," said Jakhar.

Sonepat, May 23
Resentment prevails among residents of five residential colonies located at the Kakroi road in the town against the local authorities of the Public Health Engineering Department for disruption in drinking water supply for the past one month.

After receiving several complaints, Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Aggarwal reached the localities two days ago and directed the officers of the department to arrange drinking water for the residents through water tankers.

However, BJP's state vice-president Rajiv Jain has alleged in a press statement issued today that the department had not even sent a single water tanker in the localities so far. Keeping in view the dire necessity of drinking water in this season, the party activists had been supplying drinking water for the past 20 days in these localities.