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Authorities fail to shift dyeing units from residential areas
Dispute between builder, centre
7 lakh trees felled, but Forest Dept fails to compensate loss
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PWD workers gherao Chatha’s residence
Women organisations demand sexual harassment panel at SAI centre
Haryana’S shame
Man held for raping minor daughter
Disability fails to deter her spirits
Fasting villagers
lathi-charged
Hondh-Chillar Commission of Inquiry
BKU divided over Rahul’s visit
Tanwar denies factionalism in state Congress
Ration depot holders protest
LS Poll: All-party meeting on Feb 26
Rice millers criticise govt for imposing 1% value cut
One held in ATM theft case
Street play ‘Lajja’ spreads awareness on gender equality
One held for circulating fake currency
High drama over cremation of accident victim in Ambala
Akhil suicide case
HSIIDC launches web-portal
1,129 water connections regularised
Capt Sikka is HESL Kaithal president
Man found dead
2 IPS officers transferred
Officials to get poll training
Two gamblers arrested
Jindal flags off train in Kaithal
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Authorities fail to shift dyeing units from residential areas
Panipat, February 16 The authorities have apparently turned a blind eye towards the pollution caused by these dyeing units, especially in the residential areas, as much of the effluents produced by these units either flow into open drains or
vacant land. Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) regional officer Rajesh Garia said: “The process of closing down such units has already been launched.” “The policy of relocating the dyeing units to the special industrial zone will be implemented at the earliest,” said Deputy Commissioner Ajit Balaji Joshi. However, effluents produced by the 222 units shifted to the industrial zone do not seem to be treated properly by the Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP). After treatment, effluents keep on stagnating in a pond near the CETP itself. Stating that the CETP is under capacity, Panipat Dyeing Association (PDA) president Yash Pal Malik said its capacity should be increased at least 50 MLD and the drain carrying effluents to the CETP should also be covered. Several officer-bearers of the PDA and some HSPCB employees alleged that the private company hired by HUDA to run the CETP most of the times release effluents without treating it to save money. CETP site in charge of Ghaziabad-based Rehman Builders Private Limited, Jitendra Kumar, denied the allegation of releasing effluents without treatment. “One can not judge the toxicity by unpleasant colour and stink,” he said. “Treated effluents” are discharged into a drain near Siwah which ultimately flows into the Yamuna near Khojkipur and goes to Delhi. |
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Dispute between builder, centre
Chandigarh, February 16 The reprimand by Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul comes at a time when the courts are laying stress on arbitration and other modes of alternative dispute resolution to bring down the pendency of cases. Taking up the arbitration case filed by Amit Builders against the Union of India and other respondents, Chief Justice Kaul asserted: “This is one more matter dealing with the government departmental lethargy, where arbitrators after arbitrators have been appointed without even commencing the arbitration proceedings and further setting at naught the very purpose for which the process of alternative dispute resolution through arbitration was adopted”. The dispute hovers around repair work at Ambala Cantonment. The petitioner has all along been contenting that the contract was duly executed but the full payment was not made. Since an arbitrator was not appointed, the petitioner moved the Court of Civil Judge (Junior Division), Ambala. A direction was issued in October, 1998, to appoint an arbitrator. Virtually passing strictures, Chief Justice Kaul asserted: “Thereafter, the saga of appointments of arbitrators one after the other started without any effective proceedings taking place. Seven arbitrators are stated to have been appointed over almost 14 years with the stage of arbitration only being an exchange of respective statements of claims. Before parting with the case, Chief Justice Kaul appointed UT Chief Engineer Kishanjeet Singh as the sole arbitrator. He is to be paid in accordance with the High Court rules. |
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7 lakh trees felled, but Forest Dept fails to compensate loss
Karnal, February 16 This was revealed in a reply to a query filled by RTI activist advocate Rajesh Sharma. As per the provisions of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, the Forest Department has to ensure that 10 saplings are planted for each tree which is felled. But 7,90,016 trees were felled for the purpose and only 45,000 were planted to compensate the loss, which was very less, he said. Rajesh added that the felling of trees in such large numbers with poor compensatory plantation meant that the already polluted air of the state would get worse. He said the department also informed that the construction company had deposited Rs 2,32,78,600 for the plantation of
tress and Rs 2,60,45,012 for the land. “The government allotted Rs 2,11,500 for the plantation but only 45,000 sapling were planted. This is a serious issue and the government has to take action against the department concerned,” he said. He alleged that the Forest Department was not serious about the compensatory plantation required for the felling of trees permitted by it. They should carry
out the remaining plantation in the area. “The felling of trees to expand roads is clearly affecting the environment. We have to work towards preserving nature to reduce the effect
of global warming,” Sharma said. |
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PWD workers gherao Chatha’s residence
Kurukshetra, February 16 State president of the union Virender Singh Dangwal said a notice, along with the demand letter, had been given to the Irrigation Minister on December 9, stating that if the union leaders were not called for a discussion till February 15, the union would stage a demonstration. “It is unfortunate that the minister didn’t pay any attention to us,” he said. The union has 23 demands for which they were protesting. The Kurukshetra tehsildar, who reached the spot in place of the minister, was sent back by the agitating workers who denied meeting anyone but the Finance Minister. The union withdrew its dharna after a CID official made them speak to Chatha over the phone. “The minister said we will get the assurance letter back Monday. We will meet him in Chandigarh on February 19. If the minister fails to redress our demands, the union will start a massive statewide agitation,” said Dangwal. |
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Women organisations demand sexual harassment panel at SAI centre
Hisar, February 16 They have also raised a demand to deploy women coaches and counsellors at the centre. Shakuntala Jakhar, state president, All-India Democratic Women Association (AIDWA), said though the sports centre had a number of women players, it had not formed any complaint committee for complaints related to sexual harassment so far. “There is only one female coach at the centre and no provision has been made to provide a counsellor. We will take up the issue with the district administration to take necessary steps in this regard,” she said. Anita Nain, member of the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR), after visiting the SAI centre, said she would write to the state government and SAI authorities to deploy women coaches for female sportspersons. “There is only one female coach at the centre,” she said. She added that she would meet three of the seven girls, who had
complained against the coach, on Monday. She said she would submit a report to the appropriate authorities later, adding that four girls, whom she met last week, had refused to stand by their allegations of sexual harassment and merely stated that they wanted the coach to be transferred as they felt uncomfortable while
practicing with him. The SAI centre has 120 players, of which 76 are girls. Till February 1, there was only one female coach out of nine coaches. After this some girls had lodged a complaint against the coach with the police. Later, the SAI authorities had deployed a female
boxing coach. |
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Rape victim kicked out of school twice
Sumedha Sharma Tribune News Service
Gurgaon, February 16 A Class IX student, she became friendly with a boy who took her to a village and raped her repeatedly in captivity. "I wanted to get him punished. So, we moved the court where I was asked to submit an age proof. When I went to my school to get it, I was told that my name had been struck off the rolls because of the rape. An NGO got me admitted to a school here. Just a few days there and one of the teachers got to know about my past and gossiped about it with her colleagues and I was thrown out again. The NGO helped me to continue there,” said the victim. “I fell from a building”, this is her well rehearsed explanation for her partial paralysis. The truth is, however, far more brutal. The 15-year-old victim from Panipat was raped and pushed from a building in November 2012 by her neighbour who is still at large. Though she survived the fall but it injured her spine leaving her legs paralysed. Unable to get good treatment and deal with societal pressure there, her parents approached the KD Singh Foundation's support cell which shifted her to a local hospital where a successful surgery was performed. While she may be out of her physical trauma, but is yet to get back to the normal life. These girls are among the 112 rape victims from the state housed at the KD Foundation, a rape survivor initiative by Rajya Sabha member KD Singh. Established in 2013, the foundation currently is offering comprehensive medical, legal and rehabilitation support to rape survivors across 17 districts of the state and parts of the Delhi NCR. The state which ranks high in number rapes has failed to come up with any rehabilitation or support plan for these 150 odd girls who are just additions to its roll of shame. "We term them victims and not survivors. They have medical, societal, security education and legal needs and the state should take care of it but it is nowhere on agenda. It is high time that the state fulfills its promise," says Mausami Kundu, head of the support cell for rape victims.
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Man held for raping minor daughter
Sonepat: A man was arrested for raping his minor daughter yesterday. The girl, in her complaint to the Kharkhoda police, said her father, Panna Lal of Bhay in Etah district of Uttar Pradesh, had been raping her for the past sometime. They were currently residing at Firozpur Bangar village in Sonepat district. She said he even threatened her with dire consequences. The police got her medically examined at the Civil Hospital on Sunday and recorded her statement before the magistrate. A case under Section 376 of the IPC and Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) was registered against the accused. Ater the medical examination, the accused was produced in the court, which sent
him in judicial custody. — TNS |
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Historical tree in 'confinement'
Kurukshetra, February 16 Bhagwan Das Bhargav, a 'purohit', said the net was put up by the Kurukshetra Development Board a few years back to keep birds away. It changed the net whenever it got torn, usually every three years, he added. “This net is helping us keep the area near the tree clean, but devotees are not pleased to see this. No devotee wants to see such a sacred tree in 'confinement'. We are unhappy with the lights fitted on the tree, but are not in a position to do anything,” he further said. Because of the heat produced by the lights, leaves were getting pale and falling continuously. If the situation remained the same, the tree was likely to die slowly. Vimal Dhawan, a homoeopath and wildlife photographer, who was at Jyotisar, said, “I have been to almost every historical and religious place in the country, but have not seen such cruelty. Being a nature lover, I object to such inhuman behaviour. I fail to understand the logic behind such steps.” Neeraj Babbar, a businessman from Delhi, who visited Jyotisar with his family, said, “It is disheartening to see the tree in such a condition. If the net is important, it must be put up over the entire premises on a height at which the growth of the tree is not restricted.” |
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Disability fails to deter her spirits
Sirsa, February 16 Kavita Mehta is one of the candidates selected as school cadre lecturers (Post Graduate Teachers) in political science in the Haryana Education Department and has joined as a lecturer at Kanwarpura in Sirsa recently. She starts her journey from her residence on her scooty, parks it with an acquaintance, takes her wheelchair from there to move in a car hired jointly by a group of teachers to reach Kanwarpur, 20 km from Sirsa, and then takes a wheelchair there to move about in the school. Efforts to seek transfer to schools in Sirsa town have fallen on deaf ears, though vacancies exist in Mela Ground and Khairpur schools of Sirsa town. Even before she got this job, Kavita Mehta, with 100 per cent disability in both her lower limbs, not only ensured that she remained self-dependent, but shaped the career of many other deaf, dumb and physically challenged children. Kavita was born on August 20, 1972, but she inflicted with polio in her childhood and both her legs were rendered lifeless. Despite the incapacitation, she did not give up and continued her studies. “Schooling at that time was difficult as there were no differently abled-friendly buildings at that time, and I had to move to upper floors to attend classes,” Kavita said. She completed her graduation and master’s degree in political science and BEd from Kurukshetra University. But, after completing her education she faced a harsh reality that it is almost impossible to find jobs for differently abled persons like her. Then she thought that she would have to do something that could provide her self-employment. She started getting computer education and finally completed her MSc in software and MCA from Kurukshetra University in 2007-08 and started her own computer centre to train children. Last year, she got the job of a school information manager, a contractual job at Begu in Sirsa and now, she has finally got the job she had always wanted.
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Fasting villagers
lathi-charged
Rohtak, February 16 Tension prevailed in the village today against the police action and callous attitude of the district and state authorities. Villagers maintain that more than 100 police personnel
lathi-charged the protesters. “How can the police use force on the sarpanch and others who were holding a peaceful demonstration to register their protest against unlawful activities going on in the village?” questioned
Praveen, a protester. A team of district officials led by Rohtak Additional Deputy Commissioner RC Bidhan visited the village to convince the sarpanch and his supporters to end the fast. The protesters maintained that the fast and demonstration would continue till the initiation of concrete action against the land-grabbers. The ADC formed a
committee under the local District Development and Panchayat Officer (DDPO) to resolve the issue. A medical team which examined the protesters found that their health was deteriorating. Significantly, the
sarpanch, Sudhir, owes allegiance to the Congress, the ruling party, and the village is located in the vicinity of
Kiloi, which happens to be the constituency of Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. “We have been sitting on fast since February 10.
We want to get the village panchayat land freed from encroachments, but our repeated pleas
in this regard have fallen on deaf ears. On the contrary, peacefully protesting villagers were lathi-chargedlast night. We have resolved to
continue our fast till some plausible action is taken to settle the issue,” Sudhir told The Tribune. |
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Hondh-Chillar Commission of Inquiry Geetanjali Gayatri Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, February 16 The Mirchpur Commission was constituted to probe the arson where two members of the Dalit community, Tara Chand and his daughter, were killed after members of a dominant community went on a rampage. The commission was set up in June 2010 for a period of three months. Sources said the repeated extensions were necessitated on account of huge exercise involved in holding hearings. While the Hondh-Chillar Commission is expected to seek a fresh extension after its term lapses in March, the Mirchpur Commission was given an extension in January for three months. Though its term lapses on March 31, the commission was expected to submit its report in December last year. Sources in the Hondh-Chillar Commission of inquiry said the hearings were finally complete and the next extension might be needed to prepare a report of the findings. While the Justice Garg Commission will look into the killings, it will not inquire into the incidents that have already been investigated by Justice Nanavati Commission. The Mirchpur Commission was not only expected to identify those responsible for the loss of life and property, but also to assess the damage caused to the houses of the Dalits and consider the aid given to the affected families by the state government.
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BKU divided over Rahul’s visit
Kurukshetra, February 15 Gurnam Singh Charuni, BKU state president of the Tickait group, said Rahul Gandhi was coming to meet and listen to the problems of the farmers, but the real farmers had not even been invited. He said the Congress would invite those farmers who were their supporters. Gurnam Singh said, “Rahul’s visit is a political stunt and he is coming to woo the farmers before the upcoming
elections. If we don’t get the invite, we will protest his visit.” On the other hand, Guni Prakash, BKU state president of the Maan group, said he had received the invitation and he would go with his supporters to meet Rahul. Prakash said, “There are issue we want to discuss with Rahul. We are looking to his visit.” Meanwhile, Sewa Singh Arya, state president, BKU (Karnal), said he would go neither with Guni Prakash to
meet Rahul Gandhi, nor would he join Gurnam Singh’s protest.
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Tanwar denies factionalism in state Congress
Narwana (JIND)/Kaithal, February 16 “I have great hopes that all senior leaders would support and help me in strengthening the party. I am confident that like party vice-president Rahul Gandhi, other party leaders would also support me,” he said. The HPCC chief said in the forthcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, the party would improve its seat tally in the state. In Kaithal, the HPCC president exhorted the party workers to stand united. He said the country in general and Haryana in particular had made spectacular progress and they should carry the message of development to every nook and corner and tell people about the people-friendly policies of the Congress headed by Sonia Gandhi. He said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) experience had failed in Delhi and it had proved that only mainstream political parties could withstand the challenges faced by the country.
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Ration depot holders protest
Sonepat, February 16 They also submitted their resignations in the office and announced that they would not distribute the rationed commodities till their demands were accepted. Their main demands included a hike in the commission amount and delivery of proper quantity of ration. Addressing them on the occasion, state vice-president of the Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP) Rajiv Jain demanded implementation of Saxena Commission’s recommendations. He also assured them that MLA Kavita Jain would raise their demands in Budget session commencing February 21. |
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LS Poll: All-party meeting on Feb 26
Chandigarh,
February 16 He directed HARTRON and NIC to update the data related to officers concerned with elections. Shrikant Walgad, Chief Electoral Officer, Haryana, said model polling stations would be set up in every block. A cycle rally would be organised by the State Election Commission on March 1 to make people aware about voting. He said a state-level meeting of representatives of various political parties would be organised on February 26 where they would be made familiar with the ECI guidelines regarding the code of conduct, paid news and poll expenditure. |
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Rice millers criticise govt for imposing 1% value cut
Karnal, February 16 Rice millers of Haryana, Punjab, and other states discussed their problems, wherein they criticised the government’s decision of imposing 1 per cent value cut to be given by millers.
“The relaxation in the percentage of damaged rice has been increased to 4 per cent against the existing limit of 3 per cent, but the Centre has imposed full value cut on damaged custom milled raw rice. It should be given by the government,” said Tarshem Saini, president of the Federation of All India Rice Millers’ Association. He said full value cut imposed was unjustified and would affect the industry. He said the “pin damaged” rice was fit for human consumption and should be excluded from the damage list.
— TNS
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One held in ATM theft case
Kaithal, February 16 The accused will be produced in the court on Monday. His remand will be sought to recover the cash and the computer hard disk, SP Kuldeep Singh Yadav said, while addressing a press conference here today. He said the accused misappropriated the cash out of the money he was supposed to put in 17 ATMs. He planned to lay his hand on a big amount and mislead the police. The SP said Parveen and his co-worker Naresh of Kailram village used to put cash in ATMs and had separate code numbers to open them to put cash into it. But they shared the code, following which Parveen took Rs 22 lakh from a PNB ATM here by opening the cash box and burnt the CCTV cameras and the cabin. He later fled with the computer hard disk, he added.
— OC |
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Street play ‘Lajja’ spreads awareness on gender equality
Karnal, February 16 The play was a part of a campaign, “Rape Free Nation”, which started from here today and would cover all 17 districts of the state. Play depicts how rape, molestation and eve-teasing are evils in society that we need to eradicate and work towards making India safer for women. It also portrays how sexual atrocities in the country have taken contorted forms, thus drawing attention to the
lack of sensitivity in society towards such heinous crimes and their victims. “The foundation’s support cell provides medical, legal and rehabilitation support to rape survivors across 17 districts of Haryana and parts of NCR,” said Pragya Baseria, a team leader of KD Singh Foundation. “The foundation has reached out to 135 rape survivors and won 19 cases so far through its efforts to provide legal support to rape survivors in less than a year of operations. The foundation also operates a toll-free helpline 1800-200-2056 for the benefit of rape survivors and their families. |
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One held for circulating fake currency
Jind, February 16 It has come to light that the accused had come to the city to deliver a consignment of fake currency to some of his local contacts, whose exact details have not been confirmed so far. But the police suspect the role of some youngsters from adjoining areas.
SI Surinder Kumar said: “We have arrested Virender and seized Rs 2 lakh. We are conducting raids to arrest other members as well.” As per sources, the Jind police had arrested two other members, Satender and
Roshan, of the gang on February 9. —TNS |
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High drama over cremation of accident victim in Ambala
Ambala, February 16 Reports said Kailash Rani of Pipli Bazaar, Ambala City, was killed in a road accident on the Ambala-Chandigarh highway last evening when she was hit by a vehicle. She was taken to the Civil Hospital where doctors declared her dead and handed over the body to her relatives for cremation. When the relatives were about to cremate Kailash Rani, a police team intervened, saying it was an accident case and the body could not be cremated before postmortem. The relatives of the deceased got agitated and a clash broke out between the two parties. The body was cremated after the Ambala SDM's intervention. |
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Akhil suicide case
Karnal, February 16 The district administration has assured them that the accused would be arrested by February 15, but it failed to do so. Advocate Harish Arya pointed out the negligence of the police in the case and said Akhil was harassed by police officials at the behest of the family members of the girl he had married. Naresh Kumar, a maternal uncle of the deceased, also demanded the arrest of the remaining accused at the earliest. Earlier, Akhil’s family and friends gathered at Model Town, Shivpuri, for the final rituals.
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The authorities have failed to shift most of the dyeing units operating from residential and non-conforming areas to the special industrial zone in HUDA Sector 29 Part-II here.
Karnal, February 16
Ambala, February 16
