New Delhi, January 31
The Supreme Court today made it clear that it would not direct the Haryana government to resettle “somewhere else” the 150 families belonging to the Valmiki community that had fled Mirchpur in Hisar district following the anti-Dalit violence on April 21, 2010.

A Bench comprising Justices Ranjana Desai and SJ Mukhopadhaya made the remark after the state government informed the court that it was not in a position to accept the victims’ demand for relocating them outside their village.

Additional Advocate-General Manjit Singh Dalal and senior advocate PN Mishra told the court that it had provided a compensation of about Rs 25 lakhs to the family, which had lost a 70-year-old man (Tara Chand) and his disabled daughter in the arson, and regular government jobs to all his three sons.

Further, the state government had given work under the employment guarantee scheme to the 150 families and free foodgrains as directed by the SC. Their damaged houses had been repaired and adequate security arrangements were in place in the village to prevent the recurrence of any violence, Mishra said.

At this, the Bench asked senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, who appeared for the victims who have filed a PIL over the violence, to inform his clients about its view.

“As a matter of principle, we are opposed to relocating them outside Mirchpur as this would amount to dividing society on caste lines,” the state government contended.

In October, 2011, a Delhi court convicted 15 persons for attacking the Dalits and sentenced three of them to life term and five persons to imprisonment for varying periods, the maximum being five years. The convicts have challenged the verdict in the Delhi High Court.

New Delhi, January 31
The Supreme Court today expunged the adverse remarks made by the Punjab and Haryana High Court against OP Chautala while hearing a case in 2008 on the suspension of an Assistant Registrar of Cooperative Societies, Haryana. Chautala is in Tihar Jail here serving a 10-year sentence for the scam in the recruitment of over 3,000 JBT teachers in 1999-2000 when he was Chief Minister.

A Bench comprising Justices Anil R Dave and Dipak Misra deleted the HC’s “disparaging remarks” as these were not necessary for deciding the case over the suspension of Assistant Registrar Kanwar Bhan, who has since retired.

The Bench noted that “reputation is dear to life and on some occasions it is dearer than life. And that is why it has become an inseparable facet of Article 21 (right to life) of the Constitution. No one would like to have his reputation dented. One would like to perceive it as an honour rather than popularity.”

“When a court deals with a matter that has something (which is) likely to affect a person’s reputation, the normative principles of law are to be cautiously and carefully adhered to ,” the apex court said in the verdict.

The apex court, however, did not take note of the INLD chief’s conviction in the recruitment case. Chautala’s appeal against the trial court verdict is pending in the Delhi HC. Besides Chautala, his son Ajay was also sentenced to 10 years in the case in which 55 persons, including top officials, were convicted.

At a “Sarkar Apke Dwar” function on February 4, 2001 in the Jagadhari constituency, Chautala had received a complaint against Bhan. While addressing the media the same day, Chautala had announced Bhan’s suspension. Bhan had gone to the HC challenging the suspension. Chautala had come to the SC seeking removal of these remarks.

Sirsa, January 31
A team of Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) that had gone to Panihari village in Sirsa to disconnect electricity supply of defaulters was roughed by villagers today.

The team had to make a hasty retreat, as the villagers not only forced them to re-connect the supply, but also manhandled the officials.

On the call given by the Haryana Bijli Andolan Samiti and the All India Students’ Federation (AISF), power consumers in several villages of Sirsa have stopped paying their electricity bills.

The samiti’s agitation against “inflated” power bills of the DHBVN had started from Panihari village in Sirsa and the movement soon spread to several villages of the district.

The moment the team started disconnecting the electricity supply, a number of villagers came there and they had a heated exchange of words with the officials.

The power officials called the police but they failed to control the villagers.

The officials finally had to re-connect the lines they had disconnected.

RC Yadav, Superintending Engineer of the DHBVN, said he had sought a report of the incident and would take suitable action against the miscreants.

Jhajjar, January 31
Terming the Health Department’s action against doctors under the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PNDT) Act as ‘erroneous’, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has said the department should not recommend police action against doctors merely on the basis of an incomplete record.

IMA officer-bearers alleged that doctors were being booked under the PNDT Act just to achieve the target, hence it could not be justified. They have also threatened to raise the issue at the state-level if the department failed to stop this unfair practice against doctors. So far, five doctors in the district have been booked under the PNDT Act during the raids conducted by the Health Department on their nursing homes and ultrasound centres in the past 15 days.

Dr Rakesh Garg, district secretary of the IMA, today said criminal cases under the PNDT Act had frequently been registered against doctors on unjustified grounds.

“All documents of the ultrasound centres and nursing homes are regularly checked by a team of the Civil Hospital. It can seal the ultrasound machines if it finds any irregularity in the records. But this time, the doctors are being booked without any fault,” said Garg. He said doctors running nursing homes and ultrasound centres in the district had panicked due to this erroneous practise of the Health Department.

Meanwhile, Jhajjar Civil Surgeon, Dr Ramesh Dhankhar, said, “There is a provision under Sections 4 and 5 of the PNDT Act to register a police case against the doctor if any irregularity is established in the record.”

He said doctors were levelling allegations against department officials, who were discharging their duty honestly, to check the female foeticide. The action against doctors was being taken as per the law, he added.

Chandigarh, January 31
The state election committee today authorised the Congress high command to take the final call on 10 Lok Sabha candidates from Haryana.

At a meeting, which was, among others, attended by party in charge for Haryana affairs Shakeel Ahmed, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, HPCC president Phool Chand Mullana and newly elected Rajya Sabha (RS) member Kumari Selja, it was decided to take the names to the party high command in a sealed envelope for the final decision.

Sources said members were asked to name five prospective candidates each from Ambala, Gurgaon and Hisar parliamentary constituency. While Ambala was represented by Selja, the sitting Congress MP from Gurgaon, Rao Inderjit Singh, had already announced that he would not contest the next Lok Sabha election on the Congress ticket. Hisar is currently represented by HJC chief Kuldeep Bishnoi.

In case of other Lok Sabha seats — Kurukshetra, Karnal, Sonepat, Rohtak, Bhiwani-Mahendragarh, Faridabad and Rohtak —which are currently represented by the Congress, the members were asked to nominate three prospective candidates each.

Chandigarh, January 31
Ram Kumar of the INLD and Kumari Selja of the Congress have been elected unopposed in the biennial election to the Rajya Sabha to fill two seats from Haryana.

A notification issued in this regard today by the Returning Officer, Haryana Vidhan Sabha Secretariat stated that the two Rajya Sabha seats falling vacant on April 9 would be filled by Ram Kumar and Kumari Selja. — TNS

Gurgaon, January 31
Residents of the colonies located within the 900-metre radius of the Ammunition Depot here heaved a sigh of relief with the Punjab and Haryana High Court today directing the authorities to provide civic amenities in the area.

The court, however, did not change its earlier order under which the authorities were directed not to allow any fresh construction in the 900-metre radius of the defence establishment.

Congress leader Khazan Singh, who met Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda along with a delegation of the residents here on January 26, said the order had cleared the confusion which had created existential problems for the residents.

The court had directed the authorities to stop fresh construction and maintain a status quo in the prohibited area. Consequently, they did not sanction new sewer, power and water connections to the houses already constructed in the area.

Naresh Dahiya, who led the residents in their agitation against the authorities, alleged that about 4,000 houses had to suffer on account of wrong interpretation of the order. The houses were constructed much before the order, he added.

Faridabad, January 31
Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda will inaugurate the 28th Surajkund Crafts Mela here tomorrow. With Goa as the theme state and Sri Lanka as the partner country, nearly 1,500 artisans from across the country and abroad are likely to participate in the 15-day-long fair.

More than 1,200 police personnel have been deputed and nearly 100 CCTV cameras installed to keep a constant vigil inside and outside the premises. Over 10 lakh visitors are expected to visit the mela.

Goa Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza, Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar and High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to India Prasad Karlyawasam will be among the special guests at the inauguration ceremony.

The authorities said artisans from 20 countries, including Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Portugal, Iran, Uganda, Brazil, Ivory Coast, Thailand and SAARC nations - Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Nepal and Pakistan, would be taking part in the fair. The mela ground is spread over 36 acres and houses about 800 huts that host craftsmen and weavers.

Chandigarh, January 31
The Haryana Education Department has decided to provide last opportunity to those post graduate teachers (PGTs), who remained absent at the time of counselling held on January 19 and 20, at Panchkula. Absentee PGTs will have to appear before the committee for counselling on February 5 from 9 am onwards in the office of the District Education Officer, Panchkula.

An official spokesman said the PGTs, who had been selected by the Haryana School Teacher Selection Board, Panchkula, in the subjects of geography, mathematics, physics, history, sociology, commerce, chemistry, psychology, home science, Urdu, Punjabi, political science and had been recommended for appointment in the department, would have to appear before the committee.

Sonepat, January 31
The local depot of the Haryana Roadways will provide buses to candidates appearing in the Haryana Teacher Eligibility Test (HTET) in different districts of the state on February 1 and 2.

Depot General Manager NK Garg said, “The candidates have to make advance booking for availing the service. The buses will drop and pick them up from their examination centres.”

The buses for Chandigarh and Panchkula centres will leave Sonepat at 4am for the morning shift papers and at 9am for the evening papers.

Similarly, the bus departure timings for Kurukshetra and Karnal have been scheduled at 5am and 6am, respectively from Sonepat.

“The booking has to be done two days in advance and special booking counters will be arranged 
for this purpose,” he said and added that there would not be any en route stoppage.

Chandigarh, January 31
Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today announced the recruitment of 13,000 safai karamcharis in the urban areas of the state.

He also announced that there would be no retirement age for chowikdars working in the rural areas. After him, his son would be able to take over his job.

Hooda was addressing a meeting of safai karamcharis and chowikdars at his residence here today. They thanked him for increasing their honorarium.

He said new posts of safai karamcharis would be advertised within the next 15 days.

Currently, 7,000 safai karamcharis are already working in the urban areas of the state.

Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) president Phool Chand Mullana said the Haryana Government had restored the honour of chowkidars and safai karamcharis of the state.

Sonepat, January 31
The Ethnic India Tourist Complex, Rai in Sonepat district, was started by the Haryana Tourism Corporation in 1980 as a part of the “highway tourism”.

Spreading over an area of nearly 14 acres, the complex has 54 rooms, a conference hall, a parking lot, restaurant and an open space for functions and marriages etc.

However, despite its vast area, the complex is being used for normal activities of renting out rooms and serving food. The complex lacks many facilities like the amusement part, petrol pump, ATM, swings etc which generally attract highway tourists.

During a visit to the complex, it was found that out of 10 shops in the shopping complex only two had been rented out. Mohinder Singh, a retired general manager of the Haryana Roadways and a resident of Kurukshetra, Nisha Rathi of Rohini in Delhi and Pushap Raj, an MNC executive at Noida, said the corporation should utilise the vacant space by providing more facilities to the tourists.

About 10 years ago, around an acre was developed as “Mahra Gaon” (our village) where a rural life of Haryana was depicted by raising different structures. On weekends, there used to be programmes of folk music and dances to give glimpses of the Haryana’s rural life.

The waiters also used to wear dhoti and kurta while attending to the customers and rural meal like churma, rabri, sarson ka saag, makhan, roti, khichri, lassi etc used to be served in a room named as chaupal. However, with the passage of time, it lost its charm and was shut down within three years. Almost all the structures had been dismantled and cultural activities had been stopped.

Complex manager said, “The complex is hardly 10-km from Delhi border, tourists coming from the Delhi side generally make a stopover here. Similarly, while coming to Delhi, they prefer to reach their destination at the earliest.”

(To be continued)

Chandigarh, January 31
Members of the Consumer Grievances Redressal Forum (CGRF) of the Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam will visit the state for 11 days in February for hearing grievances of consumers and entertain new complaints.

A spokesman said here today that the CGRF proceedings would be held at Ambala on February 3, Sonepat (February 6), Panipat(February 7), Karnal (February 12), Kurukshetra (February 13), Rohtak (February 17,19 and 28), Yamunanagar(February 21), Jhajjar (February 25) and Kaithal (February 26). — TNS

Hisar, January 31
Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Brinda Karat called upon the women to intensify their struggle for political empowerment and equal rights.

Addressing a women rights convention of the CPM here today, she alleged that around 50 lakh women associated with various institutes, including ASHA workers, angangwari workers, midday meal workers, had been struggling for getting a government employee status.

Jagmati Sangwan, national general secretary, AIDWA, came down heavily on the communal and caste-based politics for their divisive games to gain power. She said it was the CPM that always fought against all sorts of discrimination against women.

Inderjit Singh, party state secretary, said left parties would hold a massive ‘vikalp’ rally at Hisar on February 23.

The convention passed a resolution demanding 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and Assemblies, strict laws to counter violence against women, implementation of MNREGS in all villages, an end to social evils like dowry and female foeticide, curbing of self-styled caste panchayats, and regularisation of services of scheme workers.

Jhajjar, January 31
Demanding registration of a corruption case against Chief Parliamentary Secretary (CPS) Ram Kishan Fauji in the cash-for-CLU case, activists of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), led by former Haryana Vidhan Sabha Deputy Speaker Gopi Chand Gehlaut, took out a massive protest march in Jhajjar today.

Protesters raised slogans against the state government and burnt an effigy of Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Hooda. They also submitted a memorandum in the name of Governor to the district authority wherein they demanded dismissal of Fauji from the CPS post with immediate effect.

Earlier, protesters gathered at the party office and criticised the state government for not recommending an FIR against Fauji. Thereafter, they took out their protest march, which culminated at the Mini Secretariat after passing through Chhikara Chowk, bus stand, Ambedkar Chowk, main bazaar and Silani Gate. 

Kurukshetra, January 31
Additional Sessions Judge Ranjna Agrawal today sentenced five persons to five year imprisonment each for abetting a mass-suicide. Hari Singh, Ram Kumar, Pehal Singh, Prem Singh and Bhram Singh were held guilty.

The police said on March 31, 2008, Mam Chand Singla, a ‘debt-ridden’ commission agent from Pehowa town, along with his eight family members, had allegedly driven his car into the Bhakra canal.

Bodies of Mam Chand Singla, Nirmla, Bublee, Seema, Ishika, Nancy and Nikita were fished out from the canal while the bodies of Amit and Pradeep were recovered from the same canal at Kachwa village in Karnal. Sources said Chand and his family had gone missing for a fortnight before the incident occurred and had allegedly committed suicide. Chand left a suicide note in his house and also carved the names of those people on the wall who drove the family to take the drastic step.

Singla had lent money to some local persons, who had allegedly refused to pay him back. As his payments were stuck, he felt humiliated for not settling his loan amounts and he chose to commit suicide, along with his family, said sources.

The police had registered a case on the complaint of Omprakash, Mam Chand’s brother.

On Friday, five of the six accused were awarded punishment. Sixth accused Mahavir Singh had died during the trial.

Jind, January 31
Leaders of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), including district president Surinder Singh Barwala, Parminder Singh Dhull, MLA Harichand Middha, Prithi Singh Nambardar and Kaliram Patwari, yesterday met the Deputy Commissioner for cancellation of an FIR registered against 150 persons on January 23 for lawlessness.

The police had registered a case against 150 persons, including nine persons by name. The named persons include Mohit Sharma, personal assistant (PA) to local MLA Harichand Middha.

INLD leaders said Mohit was not present at the Safido Chowk, where a police gypsy was set on fire by miscreants after a clash with the police on the last day of the three-day strike by government employees.

“Peaceful demonstration is the right of the common man. But the police tried to crush the peaceful protest with cane charge. The miscreants, who threw stones at policemen, fled while innocents were booked. If the police try to arrest innocent persons, we will launch ‘Jail Bharo” campaign and block all roads,” said Barwala.

“Not only my PA, but other innocent persons have been named in the FIR. The government will be responsible for the consequences if names of the innocent persons are not removed from the FIR,” said Middha.