Jind, June 13
A day after stalling all development works in Jind city, the Deputy Commissioner (DC) today transferred ~5.50 crore from the account of Jind Nagar Parishad (NP) to the PWD (B&R) for the construction of two roads.

Though NP president and councillors have alleged that it was fallout of their ongoing confrontation with the DC, the latter denied it and said he had taken the decision to maintain the quality of work and utilise government grants in a better way.

“Rs 5.50 crore were lying in the joint account of the NP, which could be operated jointly by Executive Officer (EO) and me. But the DC transferred the amount without my signatures by pressurising the EO; it’s illegal. He has done it to help some persons to mint money from this work. I would take legal action against the DC,” said Mukesh Devi, Jind NP president.

The transferred amount was released by the state government to the local bodies department for the construction of two roads, including the Hansi Branch-Kadi colony and Bataki to the Narwana main road.

Jind DC Rajiv Rattan denied the allegations and said he had been asking the NP authorities to transfer the amount to the PWD for more than two months, as the NP authorities were not capable of undertake the work.

“The DC must answer why he is insisting on shifting all development works to the PWD despite the fact that it’s the money of the local bodies department, which will be utilised in all works. We have our own technical staff and there is no need to shift these works to the PWD,” said NP president.

She also said the NP house, with a majority, had passed a resolution that no work of the local bodies department should be transferred to the PWD in Jind, as they were capable of undertaking such works, but the DC continued to shift work. This impedes the ongoing works for no reason.”

“I have transferred the government money from one department to another to maintain transparency and quality of work. There is nothing illegal in it,” said the DC.

The Executive Engineer, PWD, Jaspal Singh, told The Tribune that he had received a cheque of Rs 5.50 crore for the construction of two roads.

Sonepat, June 13
In keeping with the norm for the past five years, four persons from this district have qualified the Civil Services examinations, the result of which was announced yesterday.

Komal Mittal of Gurmandi locality here has topped Haryana. In her second attempt, she has secured 19th rank. In her first attempt last year, she had stood 125th on the list of selected candidates. Komal completed MBA from Murthal University.

Manisha Khatri, a law graduate from National Law University in Gujarat, has secured 34th rank, while Dr Ruhee Dugg of Punjab, working in Bhagat Phool Singh Government Women’s Medical College, Khanpur Kalan, has been ranked 176.

Ankit Mittal has been placed 198th on the all-India ranking, while Geeta Chhikara of Juan village secured 335th rank.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Kavita Jain and party state vice-president Rajiv Jain today visited the houses of the selected candidates to congratulate them on their success.

For the past five years, five to seven candidates from the district are qualifying the Civil Services examinations. 

Rohtak, June 13
Thanks to the outstanding performance of the BJP in the general election and installation of NDA government at the Centre, the saffron party leadership has started hoping to sweep the forthcoming Assembly poll in Haryana and form the next government in the state.

Though the issue of continuing alliance with the HJC is yet to be settled, leaders of both parties have already begun to stake claim to the coveted chair of the state Chief Minister.

The names of Haryana BJP president Ram Bilas Sharma and HJC president Kuldip Bishnoi have been in circulation for long, but certain other wannabe CMs have also surfaced in the saffron party lately.

These include Gurgaon MP and newly installed Union minister Rao Inderjit Singh, BJP legislative party leader in the Haryana Assembly Anil Vij, party’s national spokesperson Capt Abhimanyu and BJP Kisan Morcha president Om Prakash Dhankar.

The supporters of several of these leaders have started projecting their respective bosses as the would-be CM in the state’s political and social circles. A spirited campaign is also on in the social media for the creation of a positive image and clout of the wannabe CMs.

As per the party insiders, infighting is also on within the organisation over the allotment of ticket, even though the election schedule is yet to be announced.

The non-committal stance of the party leadership regarding its chief ministerial candidate, apart from the lack of a well-defined and sound network of grassroots-level workers of the BJP in the state, may only add to the confusion prevailing among the voters.

In view of the goings-on in the BJP, the leadership crisis in the INLD and the state of disarray in AAP, the people are confused about making a political choice.

Kurukshetra June 13
The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) has said that the party would fight for the rights of the Haryana Sikh community and support the demand for a separate gurdwara committee for the state.

“The INLD never intends to interfere in anybody’s religious matter,” he told The Tribune here today and then added, “Since the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (ad hoc) had supported the party in the Lok Sabha elections, the INLD will stand for the rights of the state’s Sikh community.”

Arora talked of Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal’s assurance of forming a separate gurdwara committee. “Sukhbir had promised to give due rights to the Haryana Sikhs. An announcement regarding the gurdwara committee was expected after the General Election, but nothing of the sort happened. The INLD will ask Sukhbir to come good on his promise.”

In three to four days, Arora said, the INLD would make them (the Badals and HSGPC [ad hoc] members) sit together and resolve the issue.

Criticising Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, he said: “In spite of resolving the issue, the Haryana CM has politicised it. If he is serious about the matter, he should have earlier tried to end the impasse as setting up a separate gurdwara committee has been part of Congress’ manifestos.”

On the INLD’s stand was aimed to ensure that the HSGPC (ad hoc) continued its support to the party in the Assembly elections, Arora said: “It has nothing to do with the Vidhan Sabha elections. The INLD is committed to stand for the rights of Haryana Sikhs.”

HSGPC (ad hoc) president Jagdish Singh Jhinda has welcomed Arora’s statement and said: “The Sikh community will be thankful to him if he makes pitch for a separate panel.”

He said the HSGPC (ad hoc) had approached Sukhbir to resolve the issue, but no meeting could be arranged.

Taking pot shots at SGPC leaders, Jhinda said: “The demand for the HSGPC is not a religious one, but a constitutional right. Some people have mortgaged Haryana Sikhs to Badals.”

He reminded the government of the June 15 deadline to decide on the matter. “A state-level meeting has been called in Mandi Kalanwali (Sirsa) on June 25 to decide the further course of action. Several Sikhs from across the state are expected to reach there,” Jhinda added.

Rohtak, June 13
Describing the poor as the backbone of the Congress, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has stated that the poor had to suffer whenever the Congress was out of power.

Addressing a state-level function organised to mark the birth anniversary of Sant Kabir here today, Hooda said the poor and the Congress had a strong bonding and stood by each other.

“I believe that the poor belonging to all sections of society should grow in life and we have always made efforts for their welfare,” Hooda maintained.

A charter of demands was presented to the Chief Minister on the occasion.

Hooda thanked the people from all sections of society for “showering their love, support and votes” for MP Deepender Singh Hooda in the recent Lok Sabha elections.

The Chief Minister announced a grant of Rs 21 lakh from his discretionary fund for the construction of rooms in the local community ashram.

Paying rich tributes to Sant Kabir, Hooda observed that when Sant Kabir was born, society was in the clutches of social evils like untouchability, orthodoxy and superstitions.

Sant Kabir tried to eradicate social evils and guided the people to lead a positive and meaningful life. 

Jhajjar, June 13
Having booked 10 FIRs in Jhajjar, Rohtak and Sonepat districts in connection with the fake arms licence racket, the special investigation team (SIT) probing the case would prepare a database of arms licence holders having criminal background.

Source said a significant number of people residing in four districts — Rohtak, Jhajjar, Sonepat and Panipat — of the Rohtak Police Range were believed to have got the arms licences from Nagaland on the basis of fake documents.

Moreover, the SIT was also exploring the possibilities of involvement of some high-profile people from this region.

Anil Kumar Rao, Inspector-General , Rohtak Range, told mediapersons at Bahadurgarh town that 138 weapons had been seized since the unearthing this racket. These weapons had been bought on the basis of licences obtained from Nagaland.

As many as 58 such licences belonged to Jhajjar, 56 to Sonepat and 24 to Rohtak district.

SIT chief and Bahadurgarh DSP Sumit Kumar said another accused, Pradeep of Gohana, had been arrested in the case.

The Haryana Police have detected a large number of arms licences issued by the Nagaland authorities without proper verification. Several criminals, including those lodged in jails, also managed to get arms licences on the basis of fake documents made from Nagaland.

4 districts on SIT’s target

A significant number of people residing in four districts — Rohtak, Jhajjar, Sonepat and Panipat — of the Rohtak Police Range are believed to have got the arms licences from Nagaland on the basis of fake documents

New Delhi, June 13
A day after Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi met leaders of the faction-ridden Haryana Congress asking them to work together, the party officially said there was no proposal under consideration to change either the Chief Minister of the state or the party chief.

“At present Ashok Tanwar is the Haryana Congress President and Bhupinder Singh Hooda is the CM and the Congress legislature Party Leader. What will happen tomorrow I cannot say, but today the position is as stated. There is no proposal under consideration to change either of the two,” Shakeel Ahmed, Congress Spokesperson and the party’s General Secretary in charge of Haryana said.

He added, “Whenever the party goes for elections there is a provision that when it is in the opposition the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president and chairman of the campaign committee lead the party in polls and whenever the party is in Government, PCC president and CLP leader (read the CM) lead the campaign of the party”. The same is true for Haryana, he said.

Meanwhile, top Congress leaders reasoned there was no urgency to change the leadership in Haryana, which goes to polls in just two months.

“The PCC chief was appointed days before elections and cannot be held responsible for our poor performance. The CM has led the government in Haryana for 10 years. It is not easy to find his replacement,” said a top Congress leader. 

Ambala, June 13
Considering factionalism within the Congress, especially in the Selja bastions, local leaders have started efforts to ensure that the party workers’ meeting on June 16 goes through without causing any embarrassment to the party.

While Selja, in a direct message to her supporters in Ambala, has asked them to work to strengthen the party, local leaders owing allegiance to her bête noir Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, are also making efforts to ensure that the workers’ meeting goes through smoothly. Sources within the party said after yesterday’s meeting of the Hooda-Selja factions with party vice-president Rahul Gandhi, Rajya Sabha member Selja has told her supporters not to boycott the meeting. A Selja supporter and local Congress leader Satish Saini said Kumari Selja had always worked for the party and asked her supporters to participate in the June 16 meet. — TNS

Chandigarh, June 13
The Haryana Higher Education Department has introduced online college admission system (OCAS) from the 2014-15 academic year. Applicants who wish to seek admission in any of the government colleges of the state can apply only through the OCAS as no offline mode of admission would now be available.

Additional Chief Secretary (Higher Education) SS Prasad said here today that the online admissions would start from June 15 and the last date for applying was June 30. He said applicants could apply for online admission free of cost in all government colleges of the state.

SS Prasad said for the online admission facility one could visit the web portal www.highereduhry.com.

For further query, one can call on a toll free no. 18001802104 from 8 am to 8 pm on all working days or e-mail at this address: admissionshrygovt@ gmail.com.

Helpline

* Haryana Higher Education Department's online college admission system

* Visit the web portal www.highereduhry.com

* For further query, one can call on a toll free no. - 18001802104 from 8 am to 8 pm on all working days

* e-mail at admissionshrygovt@gmail.com

Chandigarh, June 13
To accelerate the release of power connections above 20kW, officials of the Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam and Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam will contact the applicants and get completed the formalities for want of which the connections are pending.

Anil Malik, MD, said the delay on part of officials in the release of electricity connections would not be tolerated. He said the discoms had started the facility of online submission of forms for new electricity connections. In the first phase of the facility, all prospective industrial consumers and consumers of all other categories seeking connections of 20 kW or above would be able to submit their application forms and related documents at www.dhbvn.com and www.uhbvn.com.

Malik said all Chief Engineers (operations) and Superintending Engineers (operations) would check the status of release of connections twice a month.

Malik asked the officials to ensure power supply for the purpose of drinking water and for at least eight hours for tubewells and 14 hours for domestic use in villages. — TNS

Ambala, June 13
The family members of Raj Kumar, who died at a Mohali hospital today, alleged negligence on the part of a doctor during surgery here a few days ago.

Raj Kumar, sectional head of the circulation department at The Tribune, Chandigarh, had undergone surgery for hernia at MM hospital a few days ago following which his condition started deteriorating. Even though he was rushed to a private hospital at Mohali, he could not be saved.

The relatives alleged that the doctor was negligent while performing the operation which caused multiple organ failure that proved fatal for Raj Kumar.

However, Dr Sanjay denied the allegation, claiming that the operation was done taking all precautions.

Meanwhile, security was provided at the hospital after the management approached the district police perceiving threat to its property by Raj Kumar's relatives. 

Kurukshetra, June 13
Dr Anil Gupta, president, and Dr Avnesh Verma, general secretary, of the Kurukshetra University Teachers' Association (KUTA) have been nominated the vice-president and secretary of the Haryana Federation of Universities and College Teachers' Organisation (HFUCTO), respectively.

It was decided at a meeting of HFUCTO office bearers at Kurukshetra University.

HFUCTO has decided to meet Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda next week to enquire about their demands.

Gurgaon, June 13
Nearly 10 carcasses of cows were being buried at the district’s Nakhdola village under the police supervision when a mob torched a PCR van to protest against the unabated killings of cows in the area.

The police said they received information about an unattended vehicle parked near a petrol pump. A foul smell was emanating from the vehicle and blood was dripping from it. On reaching the spot, the police broke its lock and found carcasses of 10 cows.

A cow that was alive was sent to a local “gaushala”, while the police made arrangements to bury the bodies. In the meantime, people gathered after getting the information that the police were getting a pit dug to bury the carcasses.

Infuriated, they torched the police PCR van parked on the National Highway-8. When the PCR van driver opposed the protesters, they thrashed him. The police had to use force to disperse them.

The police have registered a case against the vehicle owner for killing the cows and locals for torching a government vehicle. “An FIR has been lodged and action will be taken against the accused, said Alok Mittal, Commissioner of Police, Gurgaon.

Rohtak, June 13
The Indian National Students Organisation (INSO), the student wing of the INLD, has castigated the Hooda-led Congress regime for poor performance of students from state-run schools in class X and XII results of the Board of School Education, Haryana.

Addressing a news conference here today, INSO president Digvijay Singh Chautala said the Hooda government sought credit for big projects like IIT, IIM and Education City, but the education system in the state had collapsed for want of teachers, books and infrastructure. Digvijay sought a comparative report on the performance of government-run schools in Haryana and its neighbouring states within a month, warning that if it was not done, the INSO would launch a statewide agitation. — TNS

Karnal, June 13
Family members of Sudhir, who was found dead on June 10 at Ramlila Ground, today blocked the Committee chowk by carrying the body of the deceased in protest against police inaction. They alleged that Sudhir was murdered by two persons, including a woman.

Santosh, sister of the deceased, said Sudhir was murdered and the police had not taken up the case seriously. She demanded fair inquiry in the matter.

DSP HQ Joginder Rathi and DSP city Raj Kumar reached the spot and pacified the protesters.

“We are investigating the matter and the allegation levelled by the family members are also being considered seriously,” said Rathi

Panipat, June 13
Repeated threats by a woman to lodge a complaint under the Dowry Prohibition Act against her husband and in-laws, forced her husband to commit suicide.

Shiv Kumar committed suicide by hanging himself with a tree at his house in Patti Kalyana village that falls under Samalkha police station, in the district.

In his suicide note, Shiv Kumar, stated, “My wife Poonam, my mother-in-law Bimla and my brother-in-law Pawan from Gadwal village currently living in Panipat city, used to harass and physically abuse me, every now and then since my marriage about five years ago.”

Talking to The Tribune, Shiv Kumar’s younger brother, Dinesh, said his brother was repeatedly harassed by his wife and she issued threats to Shiv that she would implicate him and his family in a false dowry case.

“We separated Shiv Kumar from his wife some time ago, thinking that after the separation, his wife and her family members will mend their ways, but to no avail,” Dinesh added.

Meanwhile, an FIR was registered against Shiv Kumar’s wife, Poonam, his mother-in-law and brother-in-law, on the statement of Shiv Kumar’s mother, Rajbala, at the Samalkha police station.

An FIR was registered under sections 306 and 34 of the IPC, for abatement to suicide, but no arrests were made so far.

Investigating Officer, ASI Baljeet Singh, said, “We will first compare the handwriting in the suicide note with that of Shiv Kumar before proceeding further, in this case.”

Jind, June 13
City residents are under the terror of chain snatchers as the police have proved ineffective in dealing with criminals. Women have stopped going out without men as they fear being robbed.

In the past 48 hours, three such incidents have exposed the lack of effective policing in the city. In the first incident, a private school teacher of Defence Colony lost her gold chain outside her house while buying vegetables. On raising the alarm, her neighbours tried to catch the miscreants, but they brandished pistols and fled. — TNS

Sonepat, June 13
With the arrest of four gangsters including the gang leader, Praveen, from Ridhau village, the police have busted a gang of highway robbers involved in looting five trucks in Delhi and Haryana, over the last three months.

The three gangsters: Ratan Singh and Sandeep from Rohna village and Siza from Bhainswal Kalan village, looted plastic grains valued around Rs 10 lakh, a canter and a Santro car.

DSP Ajit Singh during interrogation said, the robbers confessed that along with their gang leader Praveen, they looted a truck on the night of May 6.

They unloaded plastic grains from the truck kept in two canters. The police also recovered 100 bags of plastic grains worth around Rs 3 lakh, from a house at Kharkhoda. The robbers confessed to have looted a plastic-loaded trucks from the GT Road near the Industrial Area at Narela in Delhi in March and from the Jhajjar road and from trucks parked on the bypass of Rohtak in April.

Police also nabbed the ring leader Praveen and recovered 135 bags of looted grains from a house at Ridhau village and another 100 bags from a house at Narela in Delhi. The recovered goods are valued around ~7 lakh.

Yamunanagar, June 13
The police have booked a woman sarpanch of Dhakwala village on the charge of axing 765 trees illegally. On a complaint of the Chhachhrauli Block Development and Panchayat Officer (BDPO), sarpanch Jasbir Kaur has been booked under Sections 406 and 120 of the IPC and the Environment Protection Act, the police have said.

A four-member committee constituted by Deputy Commissioner (DC) Mandip Singh Brar held the sarpanch guilty of axing 765 trees of khair, seesham and other varieties planted near a seasonal rivulet in Mukarampur village under Dhakwala gram panchayat.

The committee that submitted its report to the DC on June 10 had recommended registration of a case against the sarpanch. The committee had also recommended recovery of about Rs 18 lakh from the sarpanch.

The committee had found that the Forest Department had last year permitted the panchayat to auction off 445 trees out of 3,093 planted on the village panchayat land. After the auction, the committee found that 1,115 trees were missing.

It came to light that of the 1,115 trees, 765 were axed on the directions of Kaur and the remaining were cut by thieves.

Sources said the BDPO had issued a show-cause notice to the sarpanch under Section 51 of the Haryana Panchayati Raj Act, 1994, before her suspension from the post of sarpanch.

The issue was raised by Nanu Singh of Mukarampur village. Admitting his writ petition, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had asked the Yamunanagar DC to inquire into illegal axing of trees.

Illegal felling

A four-member committee constituted by the Deputy Commissioner held the sarpanch guilty of axing 765 trees of khair, seesham and other varieties planted near a seasonal rivulet in Mukarampur village under Dhakwala gram panchayat.

Chandigarh, June 13
The state government has set up a Haryana medical services corporation to improve health services in the state.

An official spokesperson said there was also a proposal to set up two new drug warehouses at Sonepat and Faridabad during the current financial year. Seven warehouses were identified in the state in Ambala, Karnal, Kaithal, Gurgaon, Bhiwani, Rohtak and Hisar districts.

The National Health Mission aims at reduction of the infant mortality rate and maternal mortality rate in the state. —TNS