Chandigarh, February 21
The contentious inter-state water dispute issue raised its ugly head again today, with Governor Jagannath Pahadia asserting that non-completion of the SYL canal had ‘further aggravated’ the total availability of water and the state government was ‘actively’ pursuing expeditious completion of the canal.

In his customary address to the Assembly on the first day of the Budget session, the Governor said, "My government is actively pursuing expeditious completion of the Sutlej-Yamuna link canal and linking of the BML-Hansi branch-Butana branch multi-purpose link canal."

"The government is committed to ensuring that Haryana gets its due share of water from all inter-state river agreements," Pahadia asserted.

Non-completion of the SYL canal, which was to bring Haryana's share of Ravi and Beas rivers waters from Punjab, had been hanging fire since the mid-1980s, with Punjab allegedly not allowing the construction of the canal in its territory.

In the backdrop of the reorganisation of Punjab and Haryana in November 1966, the sharing of water of the Ravi and Beas rivers had been a contentious issue between the two states.

In his address, lasting one hour and 29 minutes, the Governor tried to read the report card of the Hooda government, claiming that Haryana had made rapid strides in both economic and social sectors.

Pahadia asserted that the gross state domestic product grew at 6.9 per cent compared to the national average of 4.9 per cent in the current financial year.

"The state government led by Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda infused a fresh breath of life in all sectors of the economy, ensured inclusive growth, development of not only all parts of the state, but also of each and every individual, and brought about considerable improvement in the fiscal health of the state," the Governor claimed.

He said Haryana had outperformed all states in mobilising financial resources. He said on account of robust growth of revenue, overall plan outlay of the state increased from Rs 5,500 crore in 2007-08 to an estimated Rs 18,000 crore in 2013-14.

Listing achievements of the government on different fronts, Pahadia said an investment of Rs 64,000 crore had been catalysed since 2005 despite ‘market uncertainties and volatility at the international and national levels’.

Chandigarh, February 21
The Opposition today walked out protesting short duration of the Budget Session.

The MLAs raised a demand for an extended session to debate crucial issues, including the ongoing indefinite fast of guest teachers at Jantar Mantar, protests by farmers, implementation of the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission, demands of striking employees, registration of a case against CPS Ram Kishan Fauji among others.

Immediately after Speaker Kuldeep Sharma began reading the recommendations of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC), Opposition MLAs Rampal Majra and Ashok Arora of the INLD and Anil Vij of the BJP, said the six sittings “shortest ever” Budget Session, scheduled to conclude on March 4, was not acceptable to them.

“The guest teachers are on a fast-unto-death, the fate of 15,000 families is dependent on the outcome of their struggle and the session does not have enough days to debate their concerns,” Vij said.

Even as Majra raised the issue of protesting farmers, Arora said the Chief Minister had handed over the inquiry in the cash-for-change of land use clippings to the Lokayukta in the last session. “The Lokayukta has recommended action against Fauji but the government is sitting over it,” he said.

Even as verbal duel ensued between the Opposition and Treasury Benches, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Randeep Singh Surjewala moved the motion that the recommendations of the BAC were agreeable.

Raising the demand for a longer session, Arora said nothing could be more “tragic than rushing through the proceedings”. Vij said all sections of employees were on a warpath at a time when honest officers like Ashok Khemka were facing the heat by way of chargesheets and Majra pointed out that the Assembly had met for 11 days a year on an average.

“Every MLA should get a chance to raise demands of his area and the session should go on for at least 20 days,” he demanded.

Chandigarh, February 21
The INLD today accused the Hooda Government of violating orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court by proposing to develop a global city on the 1,383 acres of land it had taken back from Reliance in Gurgaon.

Addressing mediapersons here today, senior INLD leader Abhay Chautala and state INLD president Ashok Arora alleged that the Hooda Government went for change of land use (CLU) to develop the global city against the January 23, 2014, judgement of the High Court.

“The court had banned CLU of the land as the sub-regional plan of the area had not been approved by the NCR Planning Board (NCRPB),” Chautala alleged.

Alleging that the decision was taken at the instance of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda to “provide direct benefit to Reliance”, which was developing an integrated industrial township on the left-over land of the failed SEZ project, Chautala demanded the return of land to the farmers instead of setting up the global city.

Gurgaon, February 21
Pulling up the Haryana Urban Development Authority(HUDA) for 'wilfully'misinterpreting its orders and not complying with the same, the Punjab and Haryana High court issued a contempt notice to the Estate Officer.

The Estate Officer had allegedly gone ahead uprooting Jhuggi owners without take any steps of allotting them flats they were eligible for.

Reacting to an application filed on behalf of the Jhuggi owners in Sector 12-A, the court maintained that while it had ordered the removal of jhuggis within a month it had categorically asked HUDA to take remedial measures and take a call on arrangements of stay or any rights that these jhuggi owners were entitled to.

It may be noted that special flats named Ashiana were built for BPL families in the city and inaugurated by Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. Though ready in February, 2011, these were not allotted and in meantime the jhuggi owners got notices to relocate within a month, forcing them to move the court.

“This is a clear case of non-implementation of a policy. When HUDA has flats and jhuggi owners are entitled to these, then why HUDA is not allotting the flats and relocating them. Over 1,000 applications and reminders about allocation went unanswered," petitioner Raman Sharma informed the court. The jhuggi owners have meanwhile approached the National Human Rights Commission as well, seeking action against HUDA.

Chandigarh, February 21
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today stayed the acquisition process of around 321 acres in Sampla village of Rohtak district. HUDA had proposed to develop a residential sector in the area.

The High Court also issued notice to the Department of Town and Country Planning, HUDA and the Rohtak Land Acquisition Collector. They have been asked to respond to the contentions raised by the petitioner against the land acquisition process.

The Bench headed by Justice Surya Kant passed the orders while hearing a petition filed by Om Prakash of Sampla whose 12 acres were acquired. Despite around 350 acres of barren land owned by the local panchayat, the state government had arbitrarily initiated the process to acquire fertile land of farmers. The case will now come up for hearing on April 9.

Chandigarh, February 21
Displaying the humanitarian side of law, the Punjab and Haryana High Court in a rare judgment has set aside a lower court order, though it was neither illegal, nor erroneous.

Justice Rajiv Narain Raina made it clear that the judgment granting yet another opportunity to farmers to plead their case for a higher compensation for acquired land was being passed to “avoid miscarriage of justice”.

The order came on a petition filed by Vijay Kumar and another petitioner against Haryana and other respondents. Their evidence in support of plea to enhance compensation awarded by the Land Acquisition Collector was turned down on the ground that they failed to avail numerous opportunities.

Their counsel submitted that “there was a breach of communication between them and their counsel” before the reference court. It resulted in excessive adjournments. Even last opportunity was granted more than once.

Taking up the matter, Justice Raina asserted: “Though the impugned order dated December 5, 2013, passed by the Additional District Judge, Narnaul, cannot be faulted, the order would prevent them from establishing their case for enhancement of compensation on the basis of other sale deeds executed prior to the notification in the area of acquisition. In order to avoid miscarriage of justice, this court intervenes and grants the petitioners an effective opportunity of producing material on record in support of their case for enhancement. But they must do so within reasonable time….

“Having reached thus far, I am compelled to set aside the impugned order dated December, 5, 2013, which ex-facie is neither illegal, erroneous nor without jurisdiction but for the predominant reason of doing substantial justice and to avoid any miscarriage of it perceived from the eyes of the dispossessed landowners. This revision petition is accordingly allowed”.

Kurukshetra, February 21
Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and said the party had adopted the wait-and-watch policy. He said at present, the BJP was reluctant to make its government, but it would try to come to power after the Lok Sabha elections.

Kejriwal was in Kuruksehtra to attend the marriage of state BKU (Tikait) president Gurnam Singh Charuni’s nephew.

“The BJP does not want to do horse-trading before the elections, as it will reduce the margin of seats for Narendra Modi in Lok Sabha,” said Kejriwal.

About the President’s rule in Delhi, Kejriwal said, “A government is kept in suspended animation when the possibilities of forming a government are getting explored, but in the case of Delhi, no party is ready to form the government. The Vidhan Sabha should be dissolved and elections should take place again.”

He said only AAP could break the nexus of the Congress, BJP and INLD by raising a strong pillar of honesty and transparency in governance.

He raised the demand for the implementation of Swaminathan report and said if the government could pay Mukesh Ambani eight times of what he invested, then it could also pay a farmer 50 per cent of his investment.

Hisar, February 21
The CPI and the CPM are set to kickstart their Lok Sabha campaign from Hisar on Sunday when party leader Sitaram Yechury will declare the nominees for five seats in Haryana.

While the CPM would field candidates at Hisar, Sirsa (reserved) and Bhiwani, the CPI would contest the Karnal and Ambala seats, said state CPM secretary Inderjit Singh here today.

Chandigarh, February 21
The government has promoted six IAS officers of the 1984 batch--Navraj Sandhu, Roshan Lal, SS Dhillon, Hardeep Kumar, SS Prasad and R.P Chander — in the Chief Secretary’s grade. 

They have been designated as Additional Chief Secretaries, an official spokesman said here today.

Fatehabad, February 21
Two youths reportedly kidnapped a Dalit minor from Matana village in Fatehabad on February 15. The duo, Mangat and Raju of Nakta village in Fatehabad, gang-raped her for several days at Ratia, Jind and Hisar.

The police registered a case on the 17-year-old victim's complaint and launched a search for the accused. The victim reported that Mangat and Raju kidnapped her and took her to a house at Ratia, where they raped her.

She reported that the youths later took her to Jind and Hisar, where she was confined for several days and raped a number of times. She reported that they threatened to kill her if she told the incident to anyone.

Karnal, February 21
The body of an 18-year-old girl has been found at a sugarcane field near her village Johar Majra. The deceased was missing since yesterday. Her family alleged that she was murdered after rape.

Balbir Singh, Inspector General of Police, Karnal Range, suspended ASI Manfool Singh, posted at the Indri police station, following a complaint of misbehaviour by the deceased's family.

The deceased's father reported that his daughter was a student of class XII at the Government Senior Secondary School in Indri.

He said she went for tuition before school every day. He added that she went for tuition at 7 am yesterday, but did not come back.

The family conducted a massive search, but could not find her. They went to the police station to lodge a complaint, but the ASI misbehaved with them.

The deceased's father said they received information that a girl's body was lying in a field and when they went there, they found their daughter's body.

"We suspect that she was kidnapped, raped and murdered," said a family member. The police registered a case against unidentified persons.

"The postmortem has been conducted by a board of doctors. "The reason of death and whether or not she was raped would be disclosed after the postmortem report," said Karnal SP Abhishek Garg.

Bawal (Rewari), February 21
The police have arrested
a man for stoning his three-month-old son to death in Sector 2 here last night.

After perpetrating the crime, he hid the body under the leaves of tree at a park. The accused committed the crime in an inebriated condition.

A case was registered against Manoj of Uttarakhand on the complaint of his wife.

The police said Manoj, a habitual drinker, had an argument with his wife, Anita, last evening, when he demanded money for liquor. He took his son Raju outside the house. Manoj came back drunk late in the night but Raju was not with him.

Anita approached the Kasola police and Raju’s body, bearing injury marks, was found in a park.

Gurgaon, February 21
Miscreants today strangled Sanjeeta Hooda (37), a resident of Sector 4 here.

The police stated that four or five men entered the victim’s house around 8 a.m. and strangled her.

The victim's mother-in-law, Sumitra, saw some people running out of the house when she returned from her morning walk. She confronted the robbers, but was attacked and left injured.

Sumitra cried for help and some people tried to chase the attackers, but they fled.

She found Sanjeeta lying on the bed, with her hands, legs and mouth tied. The victim was rushed to hospital but was declared brought dead.

The police registered a case and sent the body for a post-mortem examination.

"We will examine the footage of CCTV cameras installed next to the victim's house," said Police Commissioner Alok Mittal.

Chandigarh, February 21
Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today paid tributes to prominent persons, including former Union minister Sis Ram Ola, former Haryana ministers Shanti Devi Rathi and Chanda Singh, former Parliamentary Secretary Har Sarup Bura, former MLA Harnam Singh. 

Tributes were also paid to 10 freedom fighters and 22 martyrs of Haryana, who have made the supreme sacrifice while safeguarding the unity and integrity of the country.

Speaker Kuldeep Sharma, INLD MLA Ashok Arora, BJP MLA Anil Vij and HJC MLA Renuka Bishnoi also paid tributes on behalf of their parties. — TNS