Makrauli (Rohtak), December 6
Former Union minister and sitting Congress MLA Venod Sharma has maintained that Haryana had taken the lead in implementing reservation on economic grounds, but the responsibility of spreading awareness about it was on the shoulders of the educated youth, teachers, panchayat representatives and other aware sections of society.

Addressing a series of public meetings in various villages under the Rohtak Assembly constituency here today, the Congress leader exhorted the educated and aware residents of ensuring that the deserving people availed the benefits of reservation on economic basis.

Sharma asked the people to get their low-economic status certificates made to get the benefits of reservation.

He attributed the provision of 10 per cent reservation in admissions to educational institutions as well as jobs to general categories comprising the Brahmin, Punjabi, Vaish and Rajput communities to Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

Talking to The Tribune on the sidelines of his public meetings, the former minister said he had embarked on a tour of Haryana to make people aware about various welfare programmes being run by the government to ensure that the benefit of the welfare schemes reached the masses these were meant for.

He planned to cover nearly 500 villages spread across all 90 Assembly constituencies of Haryana, Venod Sharma said.

About the exit-poll outcome projecting the BJP as the leading party in four of the five states where elections were held recently, Sharma said he had no faith in exit polls as there was no fool-proof method for getting an insight into the voters’ mind.

The former minister parried queries on the alleged corruption and irregularities in grant of change-of-land-use (CLU) permissions and asserted that the Congress would contest the next elections in Haryana on the plank of development.

The Congress leader addressed public gatherings at Kiloi, Garhi Sampla, Ismaila, Bhaisru Kalan, Humayunpur, Bhalauth, Makrauli, Kakrana and Pahrawar villages in the Rohtak Assembly segment. 

Sirsa, December 6
The permanent lok adalat here has imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on a gynaecologist owning a private hospital here for reporting to the Registrar of Births and Deaths an incorrect date of birth at her hospital in 1992.

The amount of the fine will be paid to the youth as compensation for harassment. The doctor and the Registrar have been directed to rectify the date.

Sahil Bhatia had filed a petition that he was born at the hospital on March 4, 1992, but his date of birth in the record of the Registrar of Births and Deaths was recorded as March 3, 1992, due to an error by the doctor.

When he had approached the Registrar's office for rectification, he had been told that the hospital had shown the date as March 3 and hence, it could not change the date.

The court directed the Registrar and the doctor to submit their replies to the petition. While the Registrar submitted his reply, the doctor did not turn up in court.

Finding the gynaecologist guilty of error in reporting the exact date of birth, the court ordered the rectification of the date and imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on her.

Sirsa, December 6
Three Haryana Seed Development Corporation (HSDC) officials and a private dealer have been booked on charges of forgery, cheating and criminal conspiracy and under provisions of the Essential Commodities Act for wheat seed siphoning and sale to the dealer.

SSP Saurabh Singh said a criminal case was registered against Om Pal Singh Panwar, HSDC Manager; Duli Chand Chhapola, Assistant Marketing Officer; Dev Raj, Assistant Store Officer; and Sunil Chawla, local seed dealer. The SSP said the accused would be arrested soon.

The FIR was lodged on the basis of an inquiry report submitted by Additional Deputy Commissioner Shiv Prashad Sharma to Deputy Commissioner J Ganesan, who had ordered a probe.

NP Dhankar, Chief Manager (Marketing) of the HSDC, heading the inquiry team, said Panwar’s services had been terminated with immediate effect. "Panwar was on extension and Managing Director BS Duggal terminated his services with immediate effect," Dhankar said.

Rohtak, December 6
The local PGIMS will soon have special clinics to address the health issues of adolescent girls. “A number of adolescent girls visit us with their peculiar problems like emotional concerns, developing relationships, contraception, unwanted pregnancies, complications due to child-birth at young age, and so on. In order to have a dedicated facility for them, we plan to run special clinics ,” said Dr Smiti Nanda, Head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the institute.

Prof Nanda pointed out that to sensitise doctors here about various psycho-social and medical problems associated with adolescent girls and women, a one-day CME conference-cum-workshop was held recently.

Medical experts Dr Ashok Kumar, Dr Pratima Mittal and Dr Neeta delivered talks on the latest advancements in the subject/discipline. The medical specialists also gave tips to PGIMS doctors on different aspects of the issue.

The experts observed that a number of girls got married and/or got pregnant during their teenage, which led to multifarious emotional, physical as well as psychological problems.

Dr Pratima Mittal from Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi revealed that her institute had been providing specialised adolescent-friendly services.

Dr Ashok Kumar delved on the HELLP syndrome, a life-threatening obstetric complication usually considered to be a variant or complication of pre-eclampsia. Both conditions usually occur during the later stages of pregnancy, or sometimes after childbirth. HELLP indicates three main features of the syndrome, which include hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and a low platelet count.

Dr Krishna Sangwan, Dr Smiti Nanda, Dr Nirmal Gulati, Dr Pushpa Dahiya, Dr Daya Sirohiwal, Dr Savita Singhal, Dr Meenakshi Chauhan, Dr Krishna Dahiya, Dr Neetu Tomar, Dr Reeta Gulati, Dr Arti Sahoo and Dr Vinay Gaur chaired different sessions during the conference.

Hisar, December 6
Professor SC Kundu, Director, Haryana School of Business, Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, Hisar, and Prof R Raghvendra Kumar Sharma, Department of Industrial and Management Engineering, IIT-Kanpur, have been jointly presented Prof Manubhai M Shah Memorial Award for Excellence in Commerce and Business Management by the Indian Commerce Association for 2013. 

Karnataka Governor Hans Raj Bhardwaj gave away the award at the 66th Annual Conference of the Indian Commerce Association at Bangalore recently. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh, a certificate and a trophy. — TNS

Sirsa, December 6
Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal, an issue the political parties in Haryana love to rake up in every election but which has no longer remained an emotive affair for the voters, has resurfaced again after Haryana Janhit Supremo Kuldeep Bishnoi raised this in his Hisar rally.

If Haryana is not able to get its rightful share of waters through the SYL, the blame lies equally on all political parties, including the Congress, the Indian National Lok Dal, the BJP as well as Bishnoi's father Bhajan Lal, founding patron of the Haryana Janhit Congress, who ruled the state as Congress CM for more than a decade when this issue was at its peak.

During his speech at his Vijay Rally held in Hisar on December 1, Bishnoi announced that he would bring SYL waters to Haryana, though he did not elaborate how he planned to do it, as a presidential reference on this issue is pending before the Supreme Court for the past nine years.

Cutting across the political spectrum, the SYL has been a favourite topic for politicians in Haryana as it provides them the opportunity for rhetorical speeches in public as well as inside the state assembly.

"It has become customary for political parties to include SYL issue in their manifestos during elections. It has also become a practice for the ruling parties to include it in Governor's address. Once, the elections are over or the session of the assembly is over, they tend to forget the issue conveniently," said Krishan Swaroop Gorakhpuria, a social activist and a farmers leader in Haryana.

"Ever since work on the SYL started, almost all parties have ruled the state at one time or another but none of them did anything worthwhile in this regard. Bansi Lal was first a Congress chief minister in 1986 and then remained in power from 1996 to 1999. The BJP, though never formed a government on its own, it was an alliance partner of the INLD and Bansi Lal's Haryana Vikas Party. Bhajan Lal, who was chief minister for several years, is equally guilty," Gorakhpuria added.

The present Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, however, did not get the opportunity to do much on the issue as the Congress government-led by Amarinder Singh in Punjab had enacted the Termination of Interstate Water Agreement Act in 2004 to deny Haryana its share in the SYL when Om Prakash Chautala was in power. Since then, a presidential reference on the constitutional validity of the Act is pending before the Supreme Court.

Hooda government that came to power in 2005 has communicated with the Central government requesting it take up the matter with Attorney General of India, who in turn "should take it up with the Supreme Court so that the presidential reference is decided early and construction of SYL canal also starts in the right earnest".

Legal experts say that it is entirely on the discretion of the Supreme Court to take up the case on an early date, decide it or return it to the President.

As per a communication of the Haryana government to Union Water Resources Ministry, the state government has spent over Rs 400 crore on the SYL as well as on the Hansi Butana, which once finished, would irrigate water-starved agriculture fields of Haryana. 

Faridabad, December 6
With at least 32 per cent police posts in the district lying vacant, the shortage of staff appears to have had an impact on the overall performance of the department, which was upgraded to the commissonerate level a few years back. Statistics indicate a certain growth in some crimes in the last one year.

The district police has a sanctioned staff of 4,906, but has only 3,315 personnel. The posts sanctioned include one of Commissioner, one of Joint Commissioner of Police (JCP), six of Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), 10 of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), 58 of inspector, 160 of sub-inspector (SI), 404 of assistant sub-inspector (ASI), 704 of head constable (HC) and 3,562 of constable.

The posts lying vacant include one of JCP, three of DCP, one of ACP, 11 of inspector, 42 of SI, 131 of ASI, 292 of HC and 1,110 of constable. While the total strength of personnel posted this year has been 3,315, the number of personnel posted in 2012 and 2011 was 3,307 and 2,939, respectively.

Admitting that the shortage of staff leads to problems on several occasions, sources say it can result in overburdening the staff, especially when there is VIP movement. They point out the growing requirement of more staff in view of the needs of growing security and safety needs of the town as the population had grown sharply over the last few decades.

The state government had upgraded the local police system to commissionerate level in 2010, when the reins of the district police were handed over to an official of the rank of Inspector-General, who was designated the Commissioner on the pattern of policing system of metros.

Claiming that the new and upgraded system had proved a boon for the town and the district, a police spokesperson said it resulted in an improvement in the law and order situation and a proper check on crime.

Statistics collected by the department revealed that there had been a rise in certain types of crime in the district during the last one year in all three zones of NIT, Central and Ballabgarh. 

Bhiwani, December 6
Even as 13 mining sites in Bhiwani, Mahendragarh and Rewari districts are set to go under the hammer on December 30, the Forest Department has raised objections over the Dadam village site in Bhiwani, stating that a portion falls in the forest zone.

Officials with the Forest Department and the Mining Department visited the site yesterday to inspect the site, but could not arrive at a solution. Both departments decided to demarcate the land to separate the forest land from the mining zone before the auction.

Conservator of Forests D Hembram said he visited the site as there was confusion over ownership of the land. “Hopefully we will settle the issue within a few days,” he said. The mining officer at Bhiwani, RK Yadav, said efforts were on to demarcate the forest land and the issue would be resolved before the auction.

The Forest Department had laid its claim over 15 hectares of the 59.6 hectares at the Dadam village site. The Mining Department denied this, saying the Forest Department had a total area of 32 hectares compared to its claim of 47 hectares.

The state government had decided to give on lease minor mineral mines of stone along with associated minor mineral and slate stone mines in the Aravali range after the Supreme Court lifted the ban recently. A new rule was that the leaseholder would have to obtain environmental clearance within a year of getting the lease.

To protect associated processing industries downstream, leaseholders would have to make available to them up to 75% of produced raw material and stone. The mining officer said 21 qualified agencies had been selected to participate in the auction.

Faridabad, December 6
Residents of the Thermal Power colony finally heaved a sigh of relief when the authorities cancelled the decision of carrying out a demolition drive here. The drive could have rendered 200 families of the employees of the power department homeless.

The residents, who had been ordered to vacate their accommodations by the end of December, had staged a protest against the decision. This development was reported in The Tribune last week.

The decision came on Tuesday, when a delegation of power employees and residents of the colony met Financial Commissioner of the power department Devender Singh and the MD, HPGCL, who were on a visit to the city in connection with an official programme.

Officials said the decision in this regard had been withdrawn in view of the interest and welfare of the employees and they would not be asked to vacate till alternative arrangements were made.

It is learnt that the residents were asked to vacate the houses immediately in wake of the decision by the state power department for transferring the land to the Haryana Urban Development Authority. A thermal power plant was closed here a couple of years ago. The All Haryana Power Corporations Worker Union (AHPCU), which had threatened to launch a stir, claimed that the decision had come in the wake of the state government releasing the land in favour of the power department. He demanded that the authorities ought to put its claim on the other plots of the land measuring 42 acres in Sector- 22 and 183.61 acres used for dumping of the ash of the former thermal plant near Sainik Colony.

Describing it as a welcome development, Subhash Lamba, a senior leader of the AHPCWU, said the Thermal Colony in Sector- 23 was a property of the department and the earlier move of the authorities concerned was not justified as it was the only official colony of the staff and also housed the circle office of the Dakhsin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam. Built in 1995, the colony is spread on an area of about 14.99 acres and the accommodation here was fit for residential purpose, it is claimed.

Sources at the AHPCWU said the department, which was spending crores on projects each year, had failed to provide adequate residential accommodation for the staff. The department is likely to shift some of the offices, including the guest house, in the colony, it is reported.

Faridabad, December 6
The Contractors Association of the Municipal Corporation Faridabad has called off its strike after 14 days and resumed work after a meeting with the authorities. The association had been on strike in protest against the delay on the part of the authorities to clear payment pending since March.

Association president Giriraj Singh said the strike was called off after a meeting with the Commissioner. He said work was resumed as the deadlock over payment had been resolved.

He said over Rs 52 crore was pending and officials had assured them to clear payment of around Rs 30 crore within a day or two and the rest within the next few days.

The association went on strike on November 21. This had resulted in a halt to development projects worth about Rs 200 crore. 

Gurgaon, December 6
Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) cadres have intensified pressure on party supremo Kuldeep Bishnoi to play a role in national politics. The HJC and the BJP have decided to commence Lok Sabha constituency level rallies after mid-January.

The HJC rank and file argue that Bishnoi's role at the national level will enhance the party's stature. The cadres feel that the party has built an adequate base in Haryana and it is the opportune time for their leader to register his profile at the national level.

The voices have become shrill after the rally at Hisar on December 1.

HJC national general secretary Hemant Batra confirmed the development. Bishnoi would take the final call on the issue, he added.

Former Haryana BJP president Krishanpal Gujjar said rallies of the HJC and the BJP would be organised with vigour in Lok Sabha constituencies.

He said the Haryana BJP was preparing for the proposed nationwide 'run for unity' in coordination with the HJC. 

Chandigarh, December 6
The Haryana Government has extended the last date for receipt of recommendations from its departments for the special recruitment to the HCS (executive branch) for 2012 till December 15.

An official spokesman said yesterday that the date had been extended as many departments had not yet sent their recommendations and information to the state government for the special recruitment to the HCS (executive branch).

He said all head of the departments had been asked to send the recommendations to the Haryana Chief Secretary by December 15. The recommendations received thereafter would not be entertained.

Jhajjar, December 6
The Additional District and Sessions Judge has sentenced three men, Anil, Sombir and Ravinder, to life imprisonment for killing a youth over three years ago. The court also slapped a fine of Rs 10,000 each on the convicts. 

Three other accused in the case, Maange Ram, Sunil and Jai Prakash, were acquitted for lack of evidence. Surender of Khungai village was gunned down outside the Union Bank on August 13, 2010, over a land dispute. — OC

Palwal, December 6
An elderly couple were stabbed by a robber ho intruded their house-cum-clinic at Hodal, about 30 kilometres from here, last night. Dr Kundan Lal and his wife Krishna were asleep when an unidentified youth entered the house 11:30 pm and demanded cash and valuables.

When the couple resisted, the robber took out a sharp-edged weapon and attacked the couple. They handed him around Rs 50,000 and a gold ring, after which he fled.

The victims were admitted to a hospital. The police registered a case.

Sirsa, December 6
Two days after a man confessed having killed his wife and two children at Nathor in Sirsa, the police have been able to recover the body of Sarabh(8) from Rajasthan canal while efforts are on recover the bodies of his sister Ravina and mother Suman.

Inspector Ravi Khudia of Rania police station said Saurabh’s body had been found ahead of Talwara lake in the Rajasthan area.

Vinod (32), a school bus driver, lodged a complaint on December 1 that his wife, Suman, and two children, Ravina (10) and Saurabh (8), had been missing since November 30.

Suspicious over Vinod’s conduct, the police interrogated him.

Vinod admitted have killed his children by drugging them with sleeping pills-laced barfi and then strangling them.

The accused had later thrown their bodies into Rajasthan canal near his village. Vinod said he wanted to eliminate his family to marry the woman he had illicit relations with. 

Sonepat, December 6
Not satisfied with the police investigation into the case, father of a 13-year-old gang rape victim of Raipur village today demanded a CBI inquiry, action against the police officers involved in destroying the evidence and other persons exerting pressure on him to strike a compromise in the case.

He, along with representatives of various social organisations, today submitted a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister, to Sonepat SDM Virender Lather. The memorandum was also addressed to DGP Haryana, Additional DGP, women cell, National Human Rights Commission, Chief Justices of the Supreme Court of India and Punjab and Haryana High Court and the National Child and Women Commission.

In the memorandum, he alleged that in connivance with the police, the alleged accused had destroyed the films and other objectionable evidences in the case. No action had been taken against some of the teachers of the village school involved in helping the accused run a sex racket and making objectionable films of many other schoolgirls.

He also alleged that he was being pressurised and threatened to strike a compromise in the case.

Meanwhile, talking to the mediapersons, DSPs Ajit Singh and Pooja Dabla said three police officers, Additional SP Balbir Singh and both of them, were investigating the case thoroughly and there was no question of sparing any one involved in the case.

They said all the three accused had been arrested and other case-related matters were being investigated in a fair, judicious and logical way. “Keeping in view the threat to the victim’s family, we have provided police protection also,” they added.

In reply to a complaint against the Sadar SHO by the victim’s father, they said the allegation would also be inquired. They added that if the victims were not satisfied, they were free to ask for an inquiry from another agency.

Molestation charge

Ambala: A woman of Sullar village near Ambala City has charged the village sarpanch with molestation. The woman said in her complaint that the sarpanch had summoned her to his residence for some work where he molested her. The police has booked sarpanch Guljar Singh.

Constable booked on rape charge

Gharaunda: A woman was allegedly raped by a constable, who forced his entry into her house at Teli Ram Colony in Gharaunda around 11 pm in August and threatened to kill her son if she opened her mouth. The police got the victim medically examined and registered a case of sexual assault against constable Ranbir, presently posted in Karnal. The victim said Ranbir came to her house and enquired about her husband, who was not at home. He asked for water and as soon she went in, he locked the door and raped her. The accused was at large.

Sonepat, December 6
The Additional District and Sessions Judge has sentenced Bijender and Rajbir of Bhatgaon village, Satyavan of Mehandipur village and Deepak of Hasanpur village to life imprisonment for the murder of Satyavan of Bhatgaon village. 

On December 13, 2009, Satyavan’s father reported that his son had gone with Bijender and others and not returned. On December 17, Satyavan’s body was identified at a mortuary in Delhi. He was shot dead. — OC