Panipat, July 3
Congress-backed Independent Bhupinder Singh (ward 11) was elected the first Mayor of Panipat, defeating BJP candidate Dushayant Bhatt by eight votes.

All 24 councillors cast their votes.

Singh polled 16 votes against eight votes polled by his rival. The post of the Mayor was reserved for a Backward Classes candidate.

The BJP and INLD have six and two councillors, respectively.

Interestingly, Bhupinder was an INLD rebel, who left the party after he was denied the party ticket and joined the Congress bandwagon.

He remained associated with the INLD for nearly 12 years and was also president of the district youth wing of the party.

Bhupinder Singh was considered close to Balbir Pal Shah, MLA. Both Shah and another MLA from Panipat, Om Prakash Jain, were instrumental in his election as Mayor.

Rohtak, July 3
Renu Dabla, the newly elected Mayor, is a resident of Hanuman Colony which is yet to have a proper road and sewerage. However, she aims to make Rohtak one of the cleanest cities in the state.

Talking to The Tribune a day after her election, Dabla (25) claimed that the city had already seen a tremendous growth in civic infrastructure. While overall cleanliness was her top priority, focus would also be on providing concrete roads, sewerage, parks and streetlights during her tenure. She said there were several localities where the residents were not having the basic infrastructure and nobody could have a better understanding of such problems as she was also a resident of such a locality. 

Hisar, July 3
The newly elected mayor has a tough task ahead to deal with a host of civic problems.

The first Mayor of the city, Shakuntala Rajliwal, said as a resident of the city, she was aware of the problems and would take up the issues of drainage and potable water on priority basis.

“I am chalking out a roadmap for the development of the city and the problems like traffic congestion, stray cattle menace and garbage disposal would be sorted out at the earliest,” she said.

Local residents said lack of proper drainage and outdated sewerage system had been a bane for several localities, including Urban Estate, Sector 13, Mahavir Colony, Camp Chowk, Saini Mohalla, Fawwara Chowk located along the old NH-10.

“A brief spell of rain deluges roads in these areas in the absence of adequate drainage facilities,” said Hemant Kumar, a resident of the city.

Traffic jams due to encroachments, lack of parking space, stray cattle and lack of public toilets are another major problems being faced by the residents. 

Karnal, July 3
The newly elected Mayor, Renu Bala, said she would soon meet the Chief Minister and seek his support for speedy and balanced development of Karnal. Transparency in administration would be top on the agenda while issues like shortage of drinking water, environmental pollution, poor maintenance of roads and buildings, construction of concrete streets, proper sewerage and streetlighting would be top on her agenda, she added.

In the recent MC poll, all eyes were on Renu Bala's ward 12 reserved for women, where detractors of local MLA Sumita Singh were rallying behind Brij Gupta. Renu Bala not only won the election but also bagged the post of Karnal Mayor.

With the Lok Sabha and Haryana Assembly poll due next year, the defeat of Congress-backed candidate Kailash Goel would have a bearing on existing political equations within the Congress as well as the opposition parties.

Chandigarh, July 3
Coming to the rescue of the recession-hit realty market, the Hooda Government has offered several sops to builders.

At a recent high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, it was decided to extend the period for depositing the enhanced external development charges (EDC) from two years to three years. The enhanced EDC can now be deposited in six half-yearly instalments instead of four, official sources told The Tribune here today.

Now, the period for depositing the outstanding EDC under the April 12, 2012, policy has also been extended from one year to two years.

Adopting a carrot-and-stick policy, the government has decided to develop on priority areas and sectors where colonisers/licencees have already paid 100 per cent EDC . However, the colonisers will have to move a collective application to HUDA for carrying out external development works in the areas concerned. Similarly, the cases for the grant of licences for additional area adjoining the already-licensed projects and approval of building plans shall be processed on merit depending upon the payment of outstanding dues.

Official sources said the state government was favourably inclined to increase the density of development plans and the necessary notification would be issued soon. These decisions would be applicable across the state except in the area falling under the Development Plan of the Gurgaon Manesar Urban Complex, 2031.

On the issue of metro connectivity to the areas on the national highway No 1 on the pattern of Guragon, Faridabad and Bahadurgarh, the meeting was informed that the Centre had agreed to consider a spur from the Rithala-Bawana line to connect Narela (Delhi) and Kundli (Haryana). The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has been asked to conduct a survey for this alignment.

Morevoer, the feassiblity report of the Regional Rail Based Rapid Transit (RRTS) corridors --Delhi-Gurgaon-Rewari-Alwar (DGRA) and the Delhi-Sonipat-Panipat (DSP)-- has already been submitted by the consultant. 

Yamunanagar/Ambala, July 3
Passengers today halted two trains near Kesri village in protest against the withdrawal of two passenger trains from the Saharanpur-Ambala route.

The railway authorities had recently decided to scrap two passenger trains between Ambala and Saharanpur. These trains were the lifeline of a large number of people residing between these two stations. After scraping of these two trains, only one passenger train was for commuting between Ambala and Saharanpur. This led to an unprecedented increase in the rush on this train thereby causing considerable inconvenience to the passengers. The protesters also included schoolchildren who used to travel in these trains to reach their schools. The protesters halted a passenger and a goods train for more than half an hour. Later, some railway officials reached there and pacified the protesters by giving an assurance that their plea would be taken up with officials.

Fatehabad, July 3
Notwithstanding the DHBVN claims about supplying record power this summer, consumers in Fatehabad continue to be a harassed lot due to frequent power cuts in rural as well as urban areas.

Angry at erratic power supply, villagers blocked the Tohana-Hisar road at Kanheri by placing trees on Tuesday. Ironically, the discoms today claimed that 1727.48 lakh units of electricity was supplied on Tuesday, the highest so far.

Over nine demonstrations have been held against poor supply of electricity in the past one month, three in the first two days of July.

Residents of HAFED Dhani held a demonstration against the DHBVN authorities on June 2, villagers from Diwana, Dharsul, Rattatheh and Dher staged a dharna outside the powerhouse at Dharsul on June 24 while a demonstration was at Ratia power substation on June 27 against irregular power supply.

On July 1, villagers created a ruckus at Haroli power substation and quarrelled with power officials while a farmers' agitation was witnessed at Kanheri and Aherwan.

SS Siwach, Executive Engineer, DHBVN, said as the system was overloaded, the authorities had been imposing 30-minute cuts by rotation.

He said he had prepared over 35 schemes for improving the situation. “But everything takes time,” Siwach said.

Sonepat, July 3
Farmers of Mahendipur, Bakhtawarpur and Garhi villages led by BJP legislator Kavita jain and state BJP vice-president Rajiv Jain today staged a demonstration in front of the office of the Executive Engineer at Fazilpur power house in protest against power disruption.

The Executive Engineer directed the Subdivisional Engineer to visit the villages and ensure that the supply was streamlined at the earliest. The villagers complained that the area's junior engineer was not attending their complaints.

Rajiv Jain said a few electricity poles as well as wires were broken in a dust-storm about a month back but no repair had been carried out by the nigam so far. The farmers were being forced to run diesel pumps for planting paddy for want of electricity supply. 

Kurukshetra, July 3
Saneh Deep, Deputy General Manager, State Bank of India (SBI), Panchkula region, inaugurated an SBI Branch in Sector 5, HUDA, here . 

This branch was needed to facilitate a majority of retired employees residing in and around Sector 5 here, said Kailash Chander, branch manager, Thanesar.

Hisar, July 3
A resident of Dharba village in Sirsa district has alleged that his two minor sons were physical harassment by the in charge of a private coaching academy located at Azad Nagar in the town.

In a complaint to Deputy Commissioner Amit Agrawal, the parent said he had enrolled his two sons -- aged 10 and 12 -- at the residential academy to prepare 
for written tests for a defence school.

He alleged that when his sons came back to the village during summer vacations, they revealed that the academy in charge used to call them to his room during late hours and asked them to give a massage to him in a half naked condition.

Suspecting that the children could be subjected to physical abuse at the academy, the complainant asked the Deputy Commissioner to investigate into the matter and take action against the in-charge.

The DC said he had ordered an inquiry into the matter.

Refuting the allegations, the academy in charge said nearly 50 students were studying at his academy and he was not aware why the parent had levelled the charges.

Chandigarh, July 3
Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has thanked UPA Chairperson, Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, for the Union Cabinet decision to promulgate an Ordinance to implement the Food Security Bill.

Welcoming the decision, Mr Hooda said: “The ordinance will ensure food security for the nation's two-thirds population. This pro-poor measure is in perfect synchronisation with the basic philosophy of the Congress to look after the welfare and wellbeing of the poor."

Hooda said the landmark decision would put India in the select band of countries that guaranteed a majority of their population foodgrains which was the basic right of a person.

Jind, July 3
While a police probe is on into the alleged scam in which several vehicles were found to be registered on the basis of fake documents, a strong nexus is suspected between employees of the department and middlemen.

“The ongoing probe may not be able to reach to the core as the network is reported to be quite strong with the direct and indirect involvement of employee of the department concerned,” said an employee of the district administration.

He said the latest scam was unearthed by SDM Amrita Singh which highlighted that the previous cases had not died down and were quite active.

A few years ago, the police had arrested Ram Niwas when he was allegedly preparing fake Registration Certificates in a mobile van in Jind and another person was arrested from the RTO office at Safidon subdivision.

In January this year, a district court had awarded a three-year jail term to a former HCS officer in a similar scam that took place in the Narwana subdivision of the district in 2007. The convicted official J P Thamman has already retired. 

Gurgaon, July 3
As per official figures,as many as 18 persons from Gurgaon district are still said to be missing in Uttarakhand.

Of these, 15 are from the Hailey Mandi area and three from Wazirabad village of the district.

Gurgaon Deputy Commissioner PC Meena visited the houses of missing persons and asked them not to lose hope.

The Deputy Commissioner assured them all help of the administration in tracing their missing kin.

The Deputy Commissioner asked the family members of the missing persons to share any information they get about their relatives with the administration and let the authorities know if they needed any help in bringing them back from the hill state.

Kurukshetra, July 3
The police has arrested Ram Chander, a resident of Kirmach, for allegedly duping Jai Bhagwan of Rs 70 lakh by fraudulently withdrawing the amount in connivance with the accountant of a commission agent shop.

District police chief Rakesh Kumar Arya today said Jai Bhagwan, Ram Chander and others were partners in a commission agent shop at the grain market here.

Jai Bhagwan had lodged a complaint at the City police station on February 25, 2013, alleging that Ram Chander and others had jointly duped him of Rs 70 lakh by withdrawing the money in connivance with of the shop accountant.

During interrogation, Ram Chander had confessed to the crime.

He was today produced in the court, which remanded him to judicial custody.

Karnal, July 3
The mysterious suicide by a girl, who was found hanging in the toilet of Nari Niketan here along with her friend on June 24, today took a new turn. the girl’s father, a resident of Kamalpur village of Kalayat, alleged that his daughter was murdered and demanded a CBI probe into the matter. In a letter to National Scheduled Caste Commission chairman Raj Kumar Verka, he alleged that his daughter did not commit suicide but was murdered at the Nari Niketan.

He demanded action against Nari Niketan Superintendent Rajani Pasricha, an assistant sub-inspector and three others. He also met Superintendent of Police Shashank Anand and demanded action against the accused. He said his daughter was abducted on June 18 by Tejbir, a resident of Kamalpur. A case was registered in this regard but the ASI did not take any action against the accused. He said the police informed them about the suicide on June 24 and when they were going to Karnal on June 25 for the cremation, they were stopped at the bypass and sent back.

Bhiwani, July 3
In a curious turn of events, a married woman who had a few days back lodged a complaint against her husband, mother-in-law and sister-in-law for poisoning her, was booked after she allegedly slapped a head constable in a police station at Charkhi Dadri in Bhiwani.

The head constable was quizzing the woman in a corner in the police station when the woman allegedly slapped him.

While the policeman alleged that the woman has slapped him without any provocation, the woman denied having slapped the policeman, alleging that the policeman had made some unsavoury remarks.

“We have registered a case against Promilla and those who accompanied her for the attack on head constable Giri Raj,” said Mahinder Pal, SHO, Charkhi Dadri.

“Promilla’s sister-in-law Sunita, who lived near her house, had given a complaint against her on June 29 accusing Promilla of stealing some bricks and animal fodder etc from their common terrace. Head constable Giri Raj was trying to settle the case through a mutual compromise. He had called the woman again on yesterday when it all happened,” the SHO said.

On the other hand, Promilla denied having slapped Giri Raj and accused him of “indecent behaviour” with her.

She alleged that the head constable started calling her repeatedly to the police station in the name of investigation and his behaviour was unbecoming of a policeman dealing with a woman.

Kurukshetra, July 3
The police has arrested eight persons for their involvement in the murder of a Tempo driver. These include the main accused, Rajender Kumar of Mirzapur and Sushil of Narkatari. With this, the total number of persons arrested in the case has gone up to 10.

Ajay, a resident of Dhanpat (Mirzapur), was murdered on May 11 here.

Rajender’s paternal uncle Balbir Singh of Mirzapur and maternal uncle Dalbir Singh of Tyontha had been arrested earlier and the motorcycle used in the crime was recovered from their possession.

Six others arrested today have been identified as has Pradeep Singh of Sanch (Kaitha district), Ajmer Singh and Gaurav Kumar of Koyar (Karnal district), Harpal Singh of Pillukhera (Jind district), Pradeep Kumar of Aalampur (Kurukshetra district) and Rakesh Kumar of Padla (Kaithal district).

During a press conference held here, District police chief Rakesh Kumar Arya said during the investigation, it was revealed that Rajender Kumar and Sushil had jointly committed the murder of Ajay. Harpal Singh provided a country-made pistol to Rajender while Pradeep provided a pistol to Sushil.

Ajmer, Gaurav, Pradeep and Rakesh have been arrested for their providing financial assistance and a mobile set to the main accused.

Arya said Rajender told the police that after murdering Ajay, he and Sushil went to his maternal uncle at Tyontha village in Kaithal district, got money from there and toured Pariala, Bias and Amritsar. After this, they went to Gaurav at Koyar village, got money from there and went to Madhya Pradesh where they lived for 15 to 20 days with Ajmer Singh, Gaurav’s father.

He said Rajender had told them that Ajay and his family members had a dispute about a year ago in which his family members, including his paternal uncle Balbir Singh, were injured. To take revenge, Rajender, Sushil Kumar, Balbir and others chalked out a plan, according to which they murdered Ajay near Kanda Chowk. 

Rewari, July 3
Vaishali (22), a resident of Mayur Vihar in the Qutubpur area, was crushed to death by a bus on the Qutubpur flyover.

She was a teacher in a private school.

The mishap took place when she was going to the school on her scooter. Hit by a bus, she died on the spot. The bus driver fled. The police has booked the driver.