Chandigarh, January 21
The government will regularise 8,200 employees of the Haryana Roadways as part of the “pact” between the government and agitating employees last night. Representatives of five roadways’ unions, barring the Haryana Roadways Union headed by Sarbat Singh Punia, were present.

The meeting began around 1 am after representatives of unions arrived from Hisar and continued past 3 am. The main issue of over 3,500 private route permits was discussed.

PWD and Industries Minister Randeep Singh Surjewala said the unions agreed to the suggestion that the coordination committee would submit objections to the issuance of private permits, after which the final call would be taken.

Addressing mediapersons after the meeting in the presence of union representatives, Surjewala said all drivers and conductors would get the pay scale of driver and conductor.

All beneficiary drivers and conductors appointed after January 1, 2003, would not get salary arrears from the date of appointment to December 31, 2013, and would submit an affidavit to this effect. The government would withdraw its special petition on the pay scale issue, challenging the decision of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

“All employees will be eligible for regular pay scale from the prescribed date of January 1, 2014, after withdrawing the special petition. About 8,200 employees will benefit from this decision,” Surjewala added.

Subhash Lamba, general secretary of the Haryana Karamchari Coordination Committee, claimed that the unions had failed employees by arriving at a compromise with the government. “They could not get private bus routes scrapped and agreed to forego the arrears roadways employees are entitled to,” he rued.

“The union led by Sarbat Punia distances itself from this compromise and continues the protest. Its members were rounded up at Bhiwani and Fatehabad. Twenty per cent employees continued the strike,” he claimed.

Conductor manhandled in Bhiwani

Bhiwani: Even though bus services were resumed after withdrawal of the strike last night, a group of roadways staff were firm on the strike along with employees of other departments today. Fissures between roadways workers affiliated to different unions came out in the open when striking employees manhandled a conductor belonging to a rival union at the bus stand here this evening. Ajay Sharma, a union leader, said Mukesh, a conductor at the Jind depot, was manhandled when his bus was driven to the bus stand. The police took in custody around 150 striking roadways employees after they refused to budge and tried to disrupt bus services.

Leader among 11 held

Fatehabad: The police arrested 11 employees for attempting to prevent the plying of Haryana Roadways buses. They included Sarbat Singh Punia, president of the and state president of the Haryana Roadways Workers Union.

The police arrested them when they sat on a dharna outside the bus stand.

Faridabad, January 21
A large number of residential and commercial areas remained without power for a major part of the day due to the strike by employees of various government departments today.

Employees of the Municipal Corporation shout slogans against the government during the second day of their strike in Karnal on Tuesday. Tribune photo: Ravi Kumar

Over 30 feeders remained non-functional and unattended due to strike, making the residents and consumers suffer. However, the resumption of bus services on a majority of the routes this noon proved helpful.

“We have no power supply in our colony since morning,” claimed Ravinder, a resident of Badrola village. He said there was no employee at the complaint centre. Abhishek, a resident, said the disruption had affected their routine.

“There was no water supply in our locality due to disruption of power,” said Mukesh, a resident. He said the supply was deliberately switched off or not fixed by employees of the department.

Power Dept staff booked

Four employees of the Power Department, including an assistant foreman, have been booked in Faridabad on the charges of deliberate disruption of electricity supply in various parts of the state. Many cases were registered against striking employees on the first day of the 72-hour strike.

The agitating staff threatened a blackout from tomorrow if the repressive measures continued. Several employees were booked in Rohtak, Hisar and Fatehabad.

Department officials said cases were registered against employees of power utilities who were found guilty of dereliction of duty in Rohtak.

DC orders FIRs against employees

Rohtak: Electricity and water supply was badly hit due to the strike by employees of the departments concerned.

“There was no electricity and water for the entire day. The power cut began last night and we continue to remain powerless and waterless today,” said Sharmila of Housing Board Colony in Sector 3.

Patients at the PGIMS remained a harried lot as medical services and surgical facilities were affected due to the employees’ strike. The MDU campus wore a deserted look as non-teaching employees stayed away from work.

Meanwhile, the Rohtak Deputy Commissioner has ordered that FIRs be lodged against the employees who had attempted to disrupt power supply.

On the other hand, the Haryana state committee of the CPM has denounced the state government’s alleged move to resort to divisive and repressive tactics to defuse the strike.

Diesel sale increases

Jind: Power failure due to the strike hit services. There was no power since last night, which affected water supply and health and bank services. Generators were being used for power and the sale of diesel went up by about 30 per cent.

Most doctors were available at the government hospital, but the absence of clerical and paramedical staff affected services. “The clerical staff are on strike, but not doctors. The strike by the paramedical staff has hit services,” said Dr Jatinder Grewal, Civil Surgeon.

There are around 100 filling stations in the district. On an average, those in the town sell between 8,000 and 10,000 litres of diesel while those near smaller towns and villages sell between 3,000 and 3,500 litres. The sale of diesel went up by about 30 per cent since last night.

“Generators are the only alternative when there is a blackout. The sale of diesel has increased as owners of generator sets have started purchasing it,” said Azad Singh Dhana, district president of the Haryana Petroleum Dealers Association.

There are around 30 power stations in the district. All but one or two were closed. Residents alleged deliberate closure of power stations to pressurise the government.

“The department should disconnect power supply to the house of the Chief Minister instead of troubling the common man,” said Gajinder, a local resident. When contacted, SDO KC Dhanda failed to give a satisfactory reason for the disruption in power supply.

Power, water supply hit

Jhajjar: Power and water supply were disrupted for several hours. Power supply to a number of areas was disrupted throughout the day.

The police made arrangements to prevent any untoward incident during the strike. Deputy Commissioner Ajit Balaji Joshi visited the power station last night to ensure uninterrupted power supply.

Traders incur losses

Kurukshetra: Water and electricity supply remained disrupted in many areas of the town. “It is hard to do without water and electricity. We have started running out of the water we had stored. With no electricity since last night, we are forced to live in the dark,” rued women and children, who were filling buckets near Congress MP Naveen Jindal’s residence.

Small business establishments incurred losses in the absence of electricity and water. Monu, who runs a photostat shop, said, “With no electricity since the morning, I am forced to run my photostat machines on generator. We charge Re 1 for a photocopy and today, we are compelled to charge Rs 2. Despite the double rate, the profit margin is nominal. Many customers went back after hearing the increased prices.”

Vikram, who runs a bakery shop, said, “Business was already down due to the intense cold and now the strike worsened our plight. Since there is no electricity since the morning, I have to depend upon generators.”

Streetlights on during day

Karnal: The effect of the strike was visible on city roads where streetlights remained on throughout the day. A total of 1,632 of the 1,825 employees of the Power Department were on strike, due to which there was no one to switch the lights off.

The district authorities marked absentees and wrote a letter to the Finance Commissioner. Deputy Commissioner Vikas Yadav said the administration had arranged generators to ensure uninterrupted services in the city.

Supply unaffected

Sirsa: Only 11 out of the 147 regular employees of power corporations reported on duty. There was no complaint of disruption in electricity and water supply.

No impact on Day 1

Yamunanagar: Most public utility services were not affected by the strike. The residents got water and power supply as usual.

Rohtak, January 21
Crime and traffic control, which are supposed to be the top priorities for the police and administrative authorities, are in a critical state in Rohtak, which happens to be the hometown of the Chief Minister.

While the town has witnessed numerous incidents of crime in the recent past, local residents and commuters are irked by the nagging traffic jams and snarls, which have become a constant nuisance.

On the other hand, the district administration as well as police authorities are indifferent to the plight of the residents. Their attention and efforts seemed to be focused on two projects- Protecting the ancestral home of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, located in the centre of the town, and preventing aggrieved sections of society from lodging their protest by staging demonstrations etc, especially near the CM’s house.

The approach of the authorities concerned has been decried by social and political organisations, apart from aware and well-meaning residents.

“They stopped women ASHA workers, physically challenged persons, auto-rickshaw operators and other agitating groups from reaching near the CM’s house as if their role is limited to serving their political masters. Massive police deployment is made to prevent the smallest of protests in absolute misuse of the police force,” maintained CPM state secretary Inderjit Singh.

Noted educationist-cum-social activist D R Chaudhary has alleged that the ruling class, comprising the legislators and bureaucrats, are more concerned about minting money by striking shady land deals and indulging in other nefarious activities than redressing people’s grievances.

“The total indifference of the ruling party leaders towards concerns of the common man has led to laxity and corruption amongst the administrative officials. People are fed up of all this and seem to be in a mood to punish their elected representatives in the coming elections,” observed Chaudhary, who recently joined the Aam Aadmi Party.

All-India Democratic Women Association (AIDWA) general secretary Jagmati Sangwan, who has led several protest demonstrations in the town, lamented that there is no place where the residents of the town can convey their concerns to him.

Dr Satish Tyagi, a writer and a social thinker, also questioned the massive police deployment and unjustified imposition of Section 144 of the CrPC merely to protect the CM’s ancestral house. He expressed concerns over the rise in crime graph and ever-increasing traffic chaos, even as a considerable number of policemen are routinely seen guarding the CM’s house.

The Akhil Bhartiya Punjabi Jagriti Manch has also castigated the Haryana government over the “pitiable” law and order situation in Rohtak as well as other parts of the state, power tariff hike and imposition of property tax.

Maintaining that the Haryana Government had failed to maintain law and order and live up to the aspirations of the state residents, the manch has sought resignation of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

“Hooda is concerned only about his own safety and security, which is clear from the frequent imposition of Section 144 of the CrPC and permanent deployment of a heavy posse of police personnel around his local residence,” said manch leader Subhash Batra.

Hisar, January 21
The Supreme Court decision to commute the sentence of Sonia, who was on death row along with her husband Sanjiv Kumar for murdering her father Relu Ram Punia (former MLA) and seven other family members, has upset her uncle Ram Singh.

“I am disappointed with the decision. There was nothing left in favour of the couple after the President had rejected their mercy petition last year. We have asked our lawyer to study the judgment and file a review petition in the court,” said Ram Singh.

The couple had bludgeoned eight members of their family, including Relu Ram, his wife Krishna Devi, daughter Priyanka, son Sunil Kumar, daughter-in-law Shakuntala Devi, grandson Lokesh and his two granddaughters, Shivani and Preeti, to death at their farmhouse at Litani village on August 23, 2001. She had a property dispute with her brothers after which she hatched a conspiracy to eliminate the family.

The apex court commuted their death sentence on the ground of delay on the part of the government in deciding the mercy plea on a petition filed by a civil rights organisation.

Advocate Lal Bahadur Khohal, who was representing the deceased’s family in the court, said he was awaiting the judgment copy and likely to file a review petition.

Timeline

* August 23, 2001: Sonia and her husband Sanjiv clubbed her eight family members to death

* May 31, 2004: District court sentenced them to death for eight murders

* April 12, 2005: Punjab and Haryana High Court commuted their capital punishment to life imprisonment

* February 15, 2007: Supreme Court upheld the district court’s decision of death penalty to the couple

* August 23, 2007: Supreme Court turned down their petition to commute death sentence

* November, 2007: Mercy petition filed before the President

* April, 2013: The President rejected the mercy petition

Sonepat, January 21
Family members of Dharm Pal of Shahpur village, who was sentenced to death on May 5, 1997, for murdering five members of a family of his village in 1993, are disillusioned with the Supreme Court decision.

Though Dharm Pal’s father Chander Singh and brother Prem today hailed the SC decision, they were disappointed after knowing that Dharm Pal was not among those 15 beneficiaries of the decision.

However, his family members hoped that the Supreme Court would consider his case as well. “When the death sentence of 15 has been commuted to life imprisonment, then the court will also favour Dharam Pal. He has been in jail for the past 27 years,” they said.

Former village sarpanch Karambir, Dharm Pal’s cousin Bhupinder and his aunt Birmati and other villagers were also expecting the same verdict for him.

In 1991, Dharam Pal was sentenced to 10-year imprisonment in a rape case. After his release on parole in 1993, he along with his brother Nirmal murdered the rape victim, her parents and two 
brothers. Dharm Pal and Nirmal were sentenced to death by the Sessions Court on May 5, 1997 and it was retained by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on September 29, 1998.

However, the Supreme Court commuted Nirmal’s death penalty to life imprisonment, but retained Dharm Pal’s death sentence. His mercy petition was rejected by the Union Home Minister in 2000. He filed a mercy plea to the President in 2005 and it was also rejected in April 2013. 

Sirsa, January 21
The 15-odd condemned prisoners, who got a new lease of life after the Supreme Court order commuting their death sentence to life imprisonment today, owe this reprieve to a human rights organisation, Human Rights Law Network (HRLN), which contested their cases.

Former MLA Relu Ram Punia’s daughter and son-in-law— Sonia and Sanjeev — are among those whose death sentence has been commuted by the court. They were responsible for killing the MLA and seven others from his family on August 23, 2001.

The other convicts whose sentence has been commuted include Suresh, Ramji, Bilavendran, Simon, Gnanprakasam, Madiah, Praveen Kumar, Gurmeet Singh, Sunder Singh, Jafar Ali, Magan Lal Berala, Shivu and Jadeswamy.

“Noted human rights lawyer Colin Gonsalves, HRLN founder, himself appeared before the apex court,” said Rajat Kalsan, Head of the HRLN in Haryana. Besides Gonsalves, senior Supreme Court lawyer Ram Jethmalani, Anand Grover, R Basant and Dr Yug Mohit Chaudhary appeared for petitioners, as per the 154-page judgment, a copy of which is with The Tribune.

Kalsan said the HRLN was against the death sentence and hence it filed petitions on behalf of these 15 condemned prisoners.

Faridabad, January 21
Rainwater harvesting, so far ignored in this town, is likely to get a boost with the completion of the city’s Metro Rail Project. The project is likely to recharge underground water significantly and that is good news for this perennially thirsty city. Faridabad’s water requirement exceeds supply by around one billion litres.

Besides providing a smooth and ultramodern way of commuting, the Metro rail would also harvest water through a system installed at all railway stations and the project depot, District Town Planning Department sources reveal. Some 40 rainwater harvesting systems with multi-lakh litre capacity are proposed.

The idea is to prevent even a single drop of rainwater from going to waste. Faridabad citizens usually curse monsoon rains on account of flooded streets and waterlogged localities - if rainwater harvesting is implemented on a wide scale they will bless the rains instead.

As for the rainwater and the Metro, the calculations are like this: The Metro rail here would be 13.875 km long from Badarpur border to YMCA Chowk and will have 13 stations and one depot -cum workshop in Sector 20 here. “This is perhaps the largest project in terms of water harvesting as all the systems installed in various government and semi-government owned projects or buildings had much smaller systems or had been completely missing as the authorities had paid little attention to this issue,” claimed an official in the District Town Planning Department.

The Metro project will help to augment the supply by around two lakh litres, it is claimed.

“The water woes of this industrial city are as old as the city was itself,” remarked DP Sharma, a retired government official here. He said while the majority of the residential areas including the posh sectors of the city were mainly dependent on the rickety tubewell supply network, many of the areas were getting brackish water. The problem remained unsolved despite claims of the civic body to be working on the much anticipated Ranney well water project.

“Lack of adequate and potable water in the city has given birth to a water mafia and suppliers of packaged drinking water , which was worth several hundred crore each year,” said RK Gupta, a resident of Sector 7 here. Claiming that while the RO system and water supply companies were having a booming business, the civic body he said had ignored the rain water harvesting concept so far.

On other hand, Ramesh Bansal, the Executive Engineer of the Municipal Corporation Faridabad claimed that work on 493 crore water project was on and it was likely to make the city water surplus in a few months.

Bhiwani, January 21
Hailstorm and rains lashed many parts of Bhiwani district today and damaged Rabi crops, including wheat, grams and mustard, in about 20 villages.

Accompanied by rain, the hailstorm flattened the standing crops in Jui, Dangar, Pokarwas, Dwarka, Ladawas, Dadma Bhangarh, Golagarh, Sirsali and Bhomali villages. Farmers said the hailstorm continued for about 15 minutes.

Sonu Lamba, a farmer, said the about 90 per cent of the mustard crop had suffered damage. The wheat crop reportedly suffered around 50 per cent damage.

The farmers maintained that the extreme cold conditions in the recent days had already damaged vegetables in many villages. They sought relief from the government.

Kaithal: Heavy rains coupled with a hailstorm caused extensive damage to the standing wheat and mustard crop in the district today.

Reports said Pai, Bhana, Serdah, Songal, Majra, Kasan and Jakholi villages were affected by the hailstorm. The affected farmers have expressed their concern over the financial loss caused to them and have demanded adequate compensation from the government.

Kalayat MLA Ram Pal Majra has also urged the government to order a special girdawri to assess the crop loss and provide compensation to the affected farmers.

Bhiwani, January 21
Four persons were killed and 13 injured when a maxi cab collided with a truck near Dhani Toda village on the Bhiwani-Loharu road today. The deceased were travelling in the cab which was going to Loharu from Bhiwani when it rammed into the truck coming from the opposite direction.

Reports stated the driver of the jeep lost control while trying to overtake another vehicle near the village.

The deceased have been identified as Rohtash, Satish, both residents of Gignau village, Pyare Lal of Singhani village and Madan Lal of Jui village.

The injured were rushed to the Loharu community health centre where doctors referred four of them to the PGIMS,Rohtak.

The police have booked the truck driver.

Eyewitnesses said that a private vehicle owner rushed some of the injured to the Loharu CHC and informed people to rush to the site to help the remaining victims.

Chandigarh, January 21
Less than a fortnight after the Punjab and Haryana High Court showed the door to more than 2,800 JBT teachers appointed by the Chautala Government, a Division Bench today summoned the entire record.

The Bench headed by Justice Jasbir Singh summoned the record on an appeal filed by the affected teachers against the orders.

The case will now come up for further hearing on January 29 .

Justice K Kannan had earlier asserted that the selection was vitiated “though not fully”; and also rejected the argument that the selection of candidates after 13 years could not be interfered with.

Justice Kannan had also directed the government to prepare a single merit list; and made it clear that the state was not required to issue “show-cause for removal” as the selected candidates were parties to the writ petitions and the High Court order was rendered after hearing their submissions.

Justice Kannan had ruled candidates who deserved to be selected and have a right to continue in office were the ones figuring in two lists - the published list and the one filed by accused IAS officer Sanjiv Kumar before the Supreme Court.

The judgment on 80 petitions by Vijay Kumar and other petitioners came a year after the special CBI court at New Delhi convicted then Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, his son Ajay Chautala, two IAS officers, including Sanjiv Kumar, and 51 others on corruption charges in the JBT case.

Gurgaon, January 21
Residents of the Sarai Allawardi colony in Sarai Allawardi village are miffed at getting the eviction notices from the authorities even as the case is still pending in the high court.

They have decided to take up the matter with Congress leaders.

The residents alleged that a Congress MLA was behind the move to favour a firm. They said the MLA had purchased land around the colony for a project and had an eye on it.

Dr Abdul Latif Khan, a resident, said the village panchayat and Waqf Board had authorised their elders to construct houses on the land under their jurisdiction adjoining the village mosque about 30 year ago.

The complication arose on account of the creation of the Municipal Corporation in Gurgaon and the authority of the village land vests with it now.

Over 300 families reside in the colony. They residents said they had developed the infrastructure by pooling in resources.

They said the corporation had initiated a move to evict them a few months ago. They moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court that directed the authorities concerned to take necessary action. Consequently, a nine-member committee, comprising officials concerned, was constituted. It came up with a rehabilitation plan for the families following their eviction.

The authorities said the land was a government property. Following the removal of the encroachments, the affected families would be rehabilitated under Ashiana, a welfare scheme of the government.

Chandigarh, January 21
Congress leader Gaurav Sampat Singh today argued before the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC) to roll back the domestic tariff order for 2013-14 with effect from April 1, 2013, the date on which it was implemented.

He lauded Hooda led government’s action bailing out the Discoms by providing them financial support and rolling back the tariff order of 2013-14, but it was effective from January 1, 2014.

He appealed to the commission to reduce the existing tariff by 30 per cent in case of regular consumers and 50 per cent in case of consumers where pillar box systems had been installed. In the latter's case the loss level was zero. Being honest and regularly paying consumers their consumption had doubled resulting in two fold increase in tariff, he said. He requested the commission to direct the Discoms to replace faulty meters.

Ambala, January 21
Ambala Deputy Commissioner K M Pandurang directed officials of the district to meticulously follow the citizen charter and said anybody found ignoring it would be dealt with sternly.

He said the officials who violated the orders will be fined and can be charge-sheeted also. He asked them to hang the citizen charter outside their offices to inform the public about the facilities available and the officials responsible for it.

The officials should thoroughly check every paper before accepting it and in case of any discrepancies, they should ask the applicant to complete the papers. Besides district offices, these instructions should be pasted outside the sub-division offices also, the DC added.

He warned the officials that in case they were found absent while surprise checking, either their pay would be deducted or they would be charge-sheeted.

He asked them to come in time and not delay work to harass the beneficiaries.

In case the officials were on tour, it should be mentioned in the tour register otherwise they will be treated as absent. He also asked them to hear the grievances of the people daily at 11 am and resolve them promptly and in case they have other engagements they should ask their junior officers to do the work, he said.

Karnal, January 21
Amit (22), owner of a dairy and a resident of Vikas Nagar, was shot dead by miscreants in Sector 6 this evening. Krishan, brother of deceased, alleged that Amit went to a relative Rajnish’s rented house in Sector 6. He was watching TV along with Rajnish, Neeraj, Sachin and Rakesh when three youths entered the house and opened fire.

After the attackers fled the spot, Amit was rushed to the trauma centre, where he was declared dead by doctors. Krishan suspected the involvement of certain youths from the victim's native village.

Shasank Anand, SSP, and Joginder Rathi, DSP(HQ), reached the spot and talked to the victim's family members.

DSP Rathi said the deceased received four bullet injuries.

Two suspects had been identified, said Rathi. 

Rewari, January 21
BJP district chief Satish Khola said as many as 48 points had been identified in Rewari district where the “Namo chai ki chaupal” programme would be run. He said around 36 such chaupals would be set up in rural areas and the rest in urban areas of the district, adding that ‘Namo tea’ in English and ‘Modi chai’ in Hindi would be inscribed on the cup to be used for serving tea to visitors.

He said BJP activists deputed at the chaupals would interact with visitors over current issues. They would convey the party's opinion on various topics and also receive feedback about the ideology and the future vision of the party. —OC

Chandigarh, January 21
The legal battle between the Centre and Haryana over illegal constructions within the "prohibited area" around Surajkund has come to an end. Taking up the Centre's plea, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the state government to seek regularisation of constructions. The court also ordered status quo till the matter was finally decided.

The Division Bench of Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Arun Palli also rapped the state government for compelling the Centre to move the High Court for the preservation of protected monuments.

The Bench asserted: "What a travesty of facts and ground realities where the Union of India is compelled to file a writ petition, seeking directions against the Haryana authorities to ensure compliance of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958."

Elaborating upon the need to have the Act in place, the Bench added: "The Act was enacted and amended in furtherance of preservation of the rich heritage and culture of our country and to prevent the destruction of ancient monuments and archaeological sites and remains. In terms of the provisions of the Act, there has been declaration of prohibited and regulated areas?."

But the allegation against the state government and the Tourism Department was that these began illegal construction within the 100-meter prohibited area. Counsel for the Centre told the court that the decision taken by the Archaeological Survey of India against construction within the 100-meter protected area was communicated to the respondents. It was followed by show-cause notices, asking them to desist 
from carrying out illegal construction.

The respondents, on the other hand, argued that the Central Government or the Director-General could in exceptional cases permit constructions in the prohibited area in public interest. They argued that Surajkund was a popular tourist site and the project was undertaken to promote tourism.After the arguments, the Bench directed the respondents to move an appropriate application for permission within 15 days. 

Chandigarh, January 21
Rapping the State of Haryana for its incorrigibility on the issue of filing written statements on time in court cases, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has made it clear to the Chief Secretary that it will be left with no other option but to summon him if the situation fails to improve.

The Division Bench of Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Arun Palli also imposed costs of Rs 10,000 on the state for its failure to timely file written statement in a petition filed in public interest. The Bench directed that the costs were to be recovered from the delinquent official and “a certificate of recovery be also filed along with the written statement”.

Taking up the PIL filed by Dr Anil Pannikker against the State of Haryana and other respondents, the Bench said, “Despite the last order dated November 25, 2013, once again the State of Haryana has not filed the written statement. We now direct the written statement to be filed within two weeks and impose costs on the State of Haryana of Rs 10,000 to be deposited with the Mediation Centre of this court….

“The order be also brought to the notice of the Chief Secretary, as it has been seen repeatedly that our directions to file the pleadings are not being complied with. We will have no option but to call the Chief Secretary to remain present in court as it appears that no remedial action is being taken to improve this position.

“There cannot be a wastage of judicial time of the court time and again by laxity on the part of the administration in ensuring that pleadings are filed within the stipulated time.”

Going into the root of the problem, the Bench asserted it had taken cognisance of the general problem when the Chief Secretary was earlier presented before the court. An assurance was given to the court that remedial action would be taken and the position would change from October 2013. Thereafter, an additional time of one month was granted after taking a lenient view but with no result.

“The Chief Secretary will also file an affidavit under his signatures within two weeks as to what steps he has taken to ensure that the pleadings are filed in court in time,” the Bench concluded.

Karnal, January 21
The Haryana government claims to take special interest in child welfare and no less a person than Asha Hooda, wife of the Chief Minister, heads the state’s Child Welfare Council. One of the state’s initiatives is the Child Helpline, started on September 3, 2012, to rescue missing children.

But does this helpline actually help? Here is the experience of a Karnal citizen. Judge for yourself.

Harish Arya, a local advocate and social activist, was seeing off guests from his Sector 13 residence at around 11.30 on Monday night when he noticed two little girls shivering in the cold. Through tears, the girls, aged 6 and 7, told him that their parents had gone to Bihar last year and left them with their grandmother. Nothing had been heard from the parents and the grandmother had thrown them out of the house.

Arya recalled that Haryana has a Child Helpline number - 1098 - and this was certainly a case for it. He confidently dialed the number and related the facts.

After some time, someone staffing the helpline called back and instructed him to take the girls to Shardanand Orphanage or MDD Bal Bhawan.

He bundled the children into his car and reached Shardanand Orphanage at about quarter past midnight. He knocked but nobody came to the door.

Thereafter, he drove to MDD Bal Bhawan. By this time it was around 12:35 am. This time the institution’s general secretary, PR Nath, admitted the children, after taking an officer’s permission over the phone.

It is learnt that subsequently, Bal Bhavan handed the girls back to their grandmother so the fate of the children will depend on how much the old lady’s heart has softened in the past two or three days.

Arya came away from the experience with the realisation that the Helpline actually puts the onus on callers to take action and, aside from referring the caller to one or another institution, does nothing itself. He has complained to the district administration. Karnal Deputy Commissioner Vikas Yadav has assured: “I will check why this kind of message has been given by the Child Helpline. Action will be taken if any kind of negligence is found.”