Jind, June 26
An aged couple and their married daughter were killed in a fire at their residence in Julana, about 25 km from here, last night.

Ten others, including four children, suffered burn injuries in the incident. Some of the injured were admitted to the PGIMS in Rohtak.

Reports said a short-circuit probably caused the fire, which broke out around midnight at a cloth showroom on the ground floor of the house owned by Khrainti Lal (60).

There was commotion as the occupants were trapped on the first floor, with the only exit in flames. The fire, which continued for over an hour, left Khrainti Lal and his wife Santosh (55) dead.

Their bodies were taken out after the fire was contained by neighbours and other local residents. The couple's daughter Sonia, who had come to her parents' house during the summer vacation, succumbed to injuries later.

The timely arrival of fire tenders could have avoided the loss to human lives and property, claimed a local resident. He said the water tank of a fire tender was leaking and was in a bad shape.

The alleged delay in shifting Sonia to a fully equipped hospital reportedly resulted in her death as the local hospital did not have oxygen facility. The condition of the other injured was stable.

Chandigarh, June 26
Revoking the order pertaining to the premature retirement of a former manager of the Haryana Seed Development Corporation, Roshan Lal, Principal Secretary, Agriculture, declared it “void ab initio”.

Ashok Khemka, the then Managing Director, HSDC, had prematurely retired KP Singh, a former manager, Tohana, on January 16 a fortnight before the latter retired. The former manager had represented to the Principal Secretary, Agriculture, stating that the then MD had passed the order on grounds that he had achieved “only 46 per cent of the target of sale of wheat during the 2012-13 rabi season ”. He claimed that the order was illegal since it had been passed without issuing any chargesheet to him.

Maintaining that he worked as manager of the Tohana unit during that rabi season, he alleged that the sale of the HSDC was down in that particular season due to the wrong policies adopted by the head office which failed to pursue the lifting of seeds with other departments and agencies.

Besides, an unrealistic target was fixed for the Tohana unit without collecting any data from the Agriculture Department or Haryana Agriculture University and without considering the sales during the previous years.

He added in his appeal that over the past two decades, the Chief Manager, Marketing, responsible for marketing was asked for his explanation and not the manager. He expressed surprise over being retired prematurely despite a “good” service record.

Later, he filed an appeal with the then MD, HSDC, who, in his comments on the order, said that it was not passed as a measure of penalty but on account of non-performance leading to 46 per cent sale of wheat seed.

The former manager said no opportunity had been granted to explain his position. He maintained that if he could be retired prematurely for poor sales on account of his poor supervision over the sale counter, then action should also be taken against the marketing manager and other staff in the marketing administration. He held that the MD was also responsible for the poor sales because no review meetings were held with the field staff or visits undertaken to sale counters to monitor the sale of seeds even during the peak season.

In his order revoking the premature retirement, the Principal Secretary, Agriculture, has upheld that the order passed by the then MD was illegal since neither any chargesheet was issued nor was the former manager given a chance to explain his position. This, he observed, was a violation of the principles of natural justice while adding that the rules were given a go-by and declared it "void ab initio".

Chandigarh, June 26
Haryana today formally got the alternative grievance redress system with the inauguration of the office of the Haryana Human Rights Commission (HHRC) in Sector 33 here.

The office was thrown open to the public by Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda in the presence of a distinguished gathering, including Chief Jusitce of the Punjab and Haryana High Court Sanjay Kishan Kaul and HHRC Chairman Justice VK Jain.

Hooda hoped that the commission would provide an alternative forum to the common man for the redress of his grievances.

There are human rights violations galore in the Jatland with over 6,000 rights violation complaints with the NHRC before the constitution of the HHRC on January 1.

Interestingly, since January 1, the commission has received nearly 500 complaints of which about 156 had already been disposed of, HHRC Chairman Justice VK Jain said.

Earlier, the Haryana Government, reacting to a petition filed by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) for setting up the human rights commission in Haryana, stated in the Punjab and Haryana High Court that it did not feel the need for the commission as adequate mechanism existed to deal with people’s grievances.

However, following uproar in the wake of large-scale human rights violations, Hooda was forced to publicly announce the formation of the human rights commission in 2010.

Justice Jain asserted that the police was not the only department against which complaints of human rights violations had been received by the commission. Health, domestic violence, shabby treatment to senior citizens and administration’s apathy were other areas where the commission had been moved by the persons concerned, Justice Jain added.

Saying that the commission would create awareness about female foeticide, Justice Jain said a seminar was being organised at Panchkula on July 2 to sensitise police officials about human rights.

Fatehabad, June 26
Even as Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) is in the process of removing bottlenecks to speed up work on the proposed nuclear power plant to be set up at Gorakhpur in Fatehabad, those opposed to the project have planned to step up their activities.

The Parmaanu Virodhi Morcha, a conglomerate of non-government organisations opposed to the nuclear power project, today announced that Gen VK Singh (retd), a former Army chief, would lead the anti-nuclear plant movement tomorrow.

A majority of farmers whose land has been acquired for the project, have sown kharif crops like millet, bajra and guar on the land even after getting compensation and handing over possession to the NPCIL last year.

"We are likely to get clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) soon as the process is at the final stage. The MoEF had sought some additional information during the last meeting in Kota. We have provided that information. An application for regulatory consent from the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board has been moved," said TR Arora, project director, Gorakhpur Haryana Anu Vidyut Pariyojna.

He said most additional information the MoEF had sought was regarding demography, socio-economic profile of the people and the conservation plan the NPCIL had in place for black bucks whose natural habitat had been acquired for the project.

Arora said he had written to the state Chief Warden of Wildlife and the Wildlife Institute of India in Dehradun, seeking their advice for the conservation of the black bucks.

He said geo-technical surveys and work on fencing was near completion and the NPCIL expected zero date (date of first pour of concrete) in June or July, 2015. "Prior to this, seismic studies, study of rock structure of soil and pile foundation will be completed," he said.

Meanwhile, Subhash Punia, president of the Parmaanu Virodhi Morcha, Fatehabad, said General Singh and former bureaucrat MG Devasahayam would lead a protest against the nuclear power project from June 27.

Punia said Devasahayam was heading anti-nuclear protests at Koodankulam at present. Punia said General Singh would launch his campaign from Agroha in Hisar.

Punia said the Parmaanu Virodhi Morcha would make farmers of the area aware of the irrigation water scarcity they were likely to face once the proposed nuclear plant started drawing water from the canal.

Meanwhile, farmers whose land had been acquired sowed kharif crops on the land. Though the NPCIL had stopped irrigation facilities, farmers took advantage of recent rain and planted the crops.

Kaithal, June 26
Deputy Commissioner Chander Shekhar today flagged off a truck carrying relief material for victims of the flash floods in Uttarakhand.

Local religious, trade and social organisations had collected articles of daily use like sugar, biscuits and tea packets to help the victims.

Representatives of Siwan panchayats, those of the Guhla block and kanoungos and patwaris of the district handed over bank drafts for Rs 1.12 lakh, Rs 1.1 lakh and Rs 1 lakh, respectively.

The Chief Minister also announced Rs 2.50 lakh assistance for the family of 13-year-old Sagar, a resident of Bibipur Brahmna village in Karnal district. who had drowned in flood waters recently. He appealed to the people to donate liberally to the Haryana Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. Krishna Mohan Financial Commissioner, Revenue, said the people could contribute by crediting donations to Haryana Chief Minister’s Relief Fund bank account No. 001434003100001 with Haryana State Co-operative Apex Bank Ltd, Secretariat Branch, Chandigarh.

Panchkula, June 26
Cashewnuts meant to welcome Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who was here to preside over a function for the physically challenged at Sector 12-A, turned to be a major embarrassment for the district administration as those were found covered with cobwebs.

Health officials took samples before Hooda could taste those, exposing the goof-up. Hooda was the chief guest at the Helen Keller jayanti samaroh organised by the National Handicapped Welfare Council.

The officials informed Subdivisional Magistrate (SDM) RK Singh. "We enquired and found that the cashewnuts had been sent from Anupam Sweets at Sector 11 here. We visited the shop and seized the samples," he said.

"We got to know from health officials and the Food and Supply Officer that the cashewnuts were covered with cobwebs. Strict action will be taken and an inquiry is being conducted," he added.

Rohtak, June 26
An eight-year-old boy has died after being assaulted by a person. The murder accused has been arrested. In another incident, a young woman has gone missing.

The first incident took place last evening when Nitin Kumar was attacked with a sharp-edged weapon after he refused to part with his water bottle near a water cooler in the Garhi Mohalla locality.

Forty-year-old Sahil, who was dressed as a sadhu, told Nitin to give him water. When the the boy refused, the accused took out a sharp-edged weapon and stabbed him.

The boy, who was rushed to a hospital, succumbed to his injuries this morning. The police booked Sahil for murder and arrested him. Nitin of New Delhi had come at his maternal uncle's house a few days ago.

In the other incident, a woman aged about 23 years was reportedly abducted by some unidentified persons from outside her house at Mahabir Colony around 12:30 pm today.

Daughter of a local businessman, she is a recent college passout. She was preparing to go with her mother when some youths pulled her inside a car and drove away.

A case was registered and a manhunt launched.

Rewari, June 26
The Dharuhera police has arrested two youths,Rohit and Roshan, and recovered the teenaged girl (15) from their possession.

After the girl’s medical examination confirmed sexual assault, Section 376-D(gang rape) was added to the FIR registered on May 21 for abduction.

Both Rohit and Roshan were produced in a local court which remanded them in 14-day judicial custody.

The police said Rohit and Roshan, who are migrant workers living in a rented accommodation in Maheshwari village, near Dharuhera, had lured away the girl on May 13. They had taken her to Delhi where she was kept in confinement and repeatedly raped by the duo.

Chandigarh, June 26
A web-enabled online treasury information system will be effective in all districts of Haryana and sub-treasury situated in New Delhi from June 28. The state government had initially introduced this system in seven districts on April 25.

A spokesman of the Finance Department said the sysyem now would be implemented in Ambala, Bhiwani, Faridabad, Hisar, Jagadhri, Jhajjar, Jind, Kaithal, Narnaul, Rewari, Sonepat and Mewat districts.

For smooth changeover from offline to a web-enabled system, some restrictions needed to be imposed on passing bills in treasuries situated in these districts and sub-treasury in the transit period from June 26 to June 28. The bills, cheques and refund claims other than those related to salary payment would be accepted in the treasury or sub-treasury only up to June 26.

With effect from June 28, only bills, cheques and refund claims submitted through the e-bill system would be accepted in the treasury. All bills submitted up to June 26 would be passed through the offline system in treasury by June 27. Training for the e-bill system had already been provided to all DDOs.

Sirsa, June 26
Teams of the police and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today checked 16 medical stores and grocery shops on suspicion of the sale of intoxicating drugs.

Saurabh Singh, SSP, Sirsa, accompanied officials of the FDA to Singhpura village, where the residents have been alleging illicit sale of medical formulations containing opium derivative codeine and other drugs.

Adarsh Goyal, Assistant State Drug Controller in the FDA at Panchkula, who led a team of two senior drug control officers (SDCOs) and seven drugs control officers (DCOs), said raids were conducted at Kalanwali, Rori, Suratia and Desu Malkana, besides Singhpura.

The team did not find any intoxicants during the raids.

Goyal, however, said the FDA officials had taken samples of eight drugs .

Residents of Singhpura and some local NGOs had organised a protest against the alleged sale of intoxicating drugs in the area.

Sirsa, June 26
Differently abled persons in Sirsa will soon start getting leverage freedom chairs instead of wheelchairs. The authorities are in the process of purchasing the sophisticated chairs.

“The chairs will be purchased from Ashok Tanwar's MP Local Area Development fund and will be given to the District Red Cross for distribution among the needy,” said Deputy Commissioner J Ganesan.

He said Sirsa would become the first town in the country where leverage freedom chairs would be used by those suffering from foot disability.

He said Tanwar had provided Rs 5 lakh for the purpose. He added that trials of the sophisticated chairs had been conducted in developed countries.

He said the chair had been developed by MIT mechanical engineering students in the USA with the help of Singapore University.

He said chair production had recently been started at Pinnacle Industries Limited in Pithampur, Madhya Pradesh.

Kaithal, June 26
Kamalpur village panchayat members and some Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) activists have demanded an inquiry into the circumstances leading to Jyoti's suicide at the Karnal Nari Niketan yesterday.

They called on Deputy Commissioner (DC) Chander Shekhar and Superintendent of Police Kuldeep Singh Yadav (SP) here today. They alleged that she was gang-raped after her disappearance from her house on June 18 and was later sent to the Nari Niketan.

The DC and the SP assured them that the matter would be investigated by a DSP-rank officer and efforts would be made to unearth the truth and deliver justice. The officers gave an assurance on forwarding the request for a medical examination by a medical board to the Karnal authorities.

District BSP president Dalbir Bhan said Jyoti disappeared from the village on the night of June 18 and they reported the matter to the Kalayat police.

He said the police had taken into custody a youth of Julani Khera village who revealed the names of some other youths involved, but the police did not take any action.

Sirsa, June 26
A man was critically injured when his son shot at him from point blank range at Dadu village in Sirsa yesterday.

The seriously injured Yashpal Singh, a retired havildar, was rushed to the General Hospital before he was shifted to Hisar.

According to family sources, the victim’s daughter had married a boy of her choice some time back and the accused, Shagandeep, was not happy with this marriage. The accused, it is alleged, often quarrelled with his father over this issue.

When Yashpal Singh was resting on a cot , Shagandeep Singh again had an altercation with him before he fired a shot at his father. Villagers rushed to rescue Yashpal Singh but the accused ran away.

Kurukshetra, June 26
As per the UGC guidelines, the roll number slips will not be dispatched to the registered candidates but their names have been uploaded on the Kurukshetra University's (KU) website www.kuk.ac.in for the National Eligibility Test (NET) for junior research fellowship and lecturership scheduled to be held on June 30.

Dr Hukam Singh, Controller of Examinations of KU and Coordinator, NET, said: "KU is one of the identified test centers of the UGC in Haryana for the NET and as many as 13,813 candidates in 46 subjects have been registered for the NET."

As many as 43 examination centres had been set up, he said, adding that the examinations for Paper-I and Paper-II would be held from 9.30 am to 10.45 am and 10.45 am to 12 noon, respectively, and the Paper-III from 1.30 pm to 4 pm.

He said: “The candidates who have not submitted hard copies of their applications to the university are also allowed to appear in the UGC NET as their roll numbers have also been uploaded on the website”.

Chandigarh, June 26
The Haryana Government has finally spared a thought for the defacement of public property across the state.

In a recent communication to the administrative secretaries, heads of departments, Registrar of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Deputy Commissioners, MDs and chief administrators of the boards and corporations and Registrars of the universities, the Chief Secretary asked them to “ensure the compliance of the Haryana Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, 1989” in letter and in spirit.

It was noted that during election campaigns for panchayats, municipal corporations and other bodies, the parties concerned defaced public property by hoardings, pasting of posters, flags and remarks. Besides, a lot of garbage is spread around public parks used for public functions.

Not only that, the Haryana Agriculture Marketing Board allows “apni mandis” for selling vegetables in cities, After using the premises, a lot of perishable vegetables and other garbage is spread in open spaces. Though the authorities concerned are supposed to clear garbage immediately, it is rarely done, giving the area a shabby look besides making the area disease-prone.

Asking the authorities concerned to get tough with the violators, the communication said Section 3-A of the Act provided for penalties for the defacement ofproperty while Section 5 provided for the removal of the defacement and recovery of the amount spent on removal of defacement from the parties concerned.