Chandigarh, July 18
With an eye on the coming Assembly elections, the Haryana Government has decided to provide reservation in promotions in government jobs, including in the Class I and II posts — a decision that is sure to leave the general category candidates red-faced.

An order of the General Administration Department made it clear that “the state government, on reconsideration, has now decided to (provide) reservation in direct recruitment and in promotions under the government, government undertakings and local bodies, besides educational institutions”.

The decision’s fallout for the general category candidates is the substantial reduction in their chances of recruitment and promotions in the government jobs, especially in the Class I and Class II posts.

In 2012 and 2013, the Bhupinder Singh Hooda government provided 10 per cent reservation each for the special backward classes, including Jats, and economically backward classes in the general category, taking the reservation in the government jobs well past the 50 per cent limit set by the Supreme Court. These special quotas are under challenge in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

After the General Administration Department’s decision, the reservation for jobs and promotions for different castes would go up to 55 per cent in case of Class I and Class II posts. This includes Scheduled Caste (20 per cent), Backward Classes-A (10 per cent), Backward Classes-B (5 per cent), Special Backward Classes (5 per cent), Economically Backward Classes (5 per cent), ex-servicemen (5 per cent), dependents of freedom fighters (2 per cent) and physically challenged persons (3 per cent).

However, the reservation for the Class III and Class IV will go up to a whopping 82 per cent. This includes Scheduled Castes (20 per cent), Backward Classes-A (16 per cent), Backward Classes-B (11 per cent), Special Backward Classes (10 per cent), Economically Backward Classes (10 per cent), physically challenged persons (3 per cent), ex-servicemen (7 per cent), sportspersons (3 per cent) and freedom fighters (2 per cent).

Sources said the reservation of jobs in the government service for the special castes would be in addition to the jobs these castes get on their merit. The candidates belonging to these castes getting jobs on merit would not be counted for the seats reserved for them under different categories, they added.

Yamunanagar, July 18
The Central Water Commission’s Yamuna Standing Committee (YSC) has invited representatives of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh for a meeting in the National Capital on July 24 to resolve the crisis arising out of construction of an earthen embankment along the river’s bank that has put thousands at risk in 34 villages of Jathlana area of Yamunanagar district.

The 3.5-km long embankment being built by the Uttar Pradesh Irrigation Department near the active edge of the Yamuna in Tabar village would push the bulk of the river water towards Haryana villages and cause massive loss to life and property.

Irrigation and Water Resources Department Engineer-in-Chief Harmail Singh has asked Chief Engineer Rajiv Verma to represent the state at the meeting. Sources said the UP Irrigation Department hastened the pace of work on the embankment to complete maximum work before the meeting.

Zila Parishad member Shiv Kumar Sandhala said the meeting should have bee held immediately. “Sensing the gravity of the matter, the meeting should be held immediately so that the Uttar Pradesh Government cannot continue building the embankment,” he said.

As per the guidelines of the Yamuna Standing Committee, the embankment should be at least 600 metres from the active river edge at the time of construction. However, that is being violated.

Meeting on July 24 The 3.5-km long embankment being built by the Uttar Pradesh Irrigation Department near the active edge of the Yamuna in Tabar village would push the bulk of the river water towards Haryana villages and cause massive loss to life and property Chief Engineer Rajiv Verma will represent the state at the July 24 meeting The UP Irrigation Department hastened the pace of work on the embankment to complete maximum work before the meeting, it is learnt

Rohtak, July 18
With the elections to the Assembly approaching fast, organisations representing different groups of people have started mounting pressure on the Haryana government to get their demands accepted.

More than 2,000 government employees owing allegiance to the Haryana Karamchari Mahasangh protested here today to press for their long-pending demands that include regular jobs, end of contract system of recruitment and filling up of vacant posts.

Nearly 1,000 employees courted arrest on being stopped from marching towards the Chief Minister’s house. They were taken away in Haryana Roadways buses summoned for the occasion.

A heavy posse of police personnel was deployed to prevent any untoward situation. A team of the district administration led by the Subdivisional Magistrate (SDM) was also present.

Mahasangh president Kanwar Singh Yadav said if the state authorities failed to fulfill the demands, the employees would start a relay fast from July 28. “From August 15, top leaders of the employees’ association will begin an indefinite fast outside the Hooda’s house in Rohtak,” he said.

The protesters claimed that the authorities had, in February, promised to address their concerns but, till date, nothing had been done. 

Rohtak: ‘Protest capital’ of state Rohtak, being the hometown of the Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, is usually chosen as the site for demonstrations to attract attention The Sarv Karamchari Sangh is slated to hold a massive rally here on July 20 The Haryana Civil Medical Services Association has called a state committee meeting in Rohtak later this month to decide its strategy to be adopted during the proposed agitation

Chandigarh, July 18
More than two decades after a Haryana policeman moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court against the denial of promotion, Justice K Kannan has ruled that the police official be treated as promoted from August 1988. The state has been asked to work out the benefits, even if he was not in service.

The directions came on a petition filed in 1992 by sub-inspector Ram Karan of the Sonepat CIA. In his petition against the State of Haryana and other respondents, Ram Karan challenged the denial of promotion from the post of sub-inspector to inspector from the day his junior was promoted.

Justice Kannan was told that another cop Har Narain was promoted as inspector on August 16, 1988, but the petitioner was not considered for promotion from that date. The ground taken was an employee was required to have 70 per cent good reports in the ACR for the relevant period, as per instructions issued in July 1981. “Since he did not have good reports, he could not be so considered,” the respondents had argued.

Referring to an earlier order, Justice Kannan said: “This Court had an occasion to consider the effect of non-communication of entries, which could be taken as adverse for consideration of promotion in its decision in Raghbir Singh, Sub Inspector, Police Lines, Karnal, versus Haryana and others…

“The Court held that decision not to promote a person on basis of average reports would be taken as vitiated if they were not communicated. I do not have any proof brought before me that such adverse entries or entries less than good had been communicated to him that could impact his promotion…

“The prayer in the petition is founded legally and the petitioner is entitled to be treated as having been promoted as Inspector from the day when his junior was promoted on August 16, 1988. If the petitioner is not in service any longer, the State shall work out the benefits due to him notionally for the post of Inspector from August 16, 1988; and the actual benefits shall be calculated and released to him for a period commencing from 38 months prior to the filing of the petition till the date of petition and till he retired with all corresponding benefits entitled to the post which this order directs.

Promotion from August 1988 Justice K Kannan ruled that the police official be treated as promoted from August 1988 The directions came on a petition filed in 1992 by sub-inspector Ram Karan of the Sonepat CIA

Julana, July 18
Apparently in hurry to start new developmental works to get votes in the forthcoming Assembly elections, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda laid seven foundation stones in five minutes here today in the grain market of Julana.

All foundation stones were placed in Julana grain market and would be shifted to their exact locations in the coming days. Out of these, only one work has been completed while the work on the remaining six would start in coming days, said senior officers standing near stones.

Hooda laid the foundation stones of six roads—Kirsola to Lijwana Kalan, a link road to Kirsola village from Jind-Rohtak road, Nandgarh-Dhigana road, Dhimanwala road and a dharmshala.

“ Since agitations are going on against the government, we preferred to place these stones here to avoid any controversy,” said a local Congress leader.

Hooda counted the achievements of his government. He said they had been giving more facilities to BPL families, senior citizens and students than all other states.

But many locals were not impressed and said the Chief Minister had done it only for votes.

Fatehabad, July 18
Gorakhpur village of Fatehabad will witness development works worth Rs 100 crore very soon.

Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), which is setting up a nuclear power project at Gorakhpur, will provide funds from its corporate social responsibility (CSR).

The first instalment of the funds has already arrived in the district.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) DK Behera, who presided over a meeting of officials of different departments associated with the works, said development works to be taken up under the CSR were an ideal cowshed, a sports stadium, a 50-bed hospital, a park, sewerage system, drinking water scheme, widening of roads etc.

The DC also constituted a committee comprising block development and panchayat officer, SDO (Panchayati Raj), SDO (public health), an official of the NPCIL and the sarpanch of Gorakhpur village. The NPCIL is coming up with a 2800MW Gorakhpur Haryana Anu Vidyut Pariyojna on 1503 acres in Gorakhpur village at a cost of Rs 23,502 crore. Initially, the NPCIL will set up two units of 700MW each.

On the anvil Works to be undertaken under the plan are a cowshed, a sports stadium, a 50-bed hospital, park, sewerage system, drinking water scheme and widening of roads NPCIL to provide funds as part of its corporate social responsibility

Hisar, July 18
The telephone, mobile and internet services of the BSNL were paralysed in the Hisar circle today following a fire in the telephone exchange near the Red Square market.

The BSNL authorities stated that it could take two days to resume the landline and mobile services while the broadband services could take over two weeks, a nigam official said.

The fire tenders called took over two hours to put out the blaze.

The BSNL has eight lakh mobile users, 60,000 landlines and over 25,000 broadband customers in the circle.

Reports said due to the failure of the broadband services, the work in the government and private offices, including e-governance services in the Mini-secretariat, banks, insurance companies, financial institutions, colleges and universities was affected.

Rakesh Kumar, officiating general manager, BSNL, said a team of 20 technicians and experts from Karnal and Ambala had been called to repair the damage. He said the leased line to the commercial institutes would take longer to repair. He was hopeful that the mobile and landline services would resume in the next two days.

Sources said a short circuit had caused the fire in the third floor of the NTR room. The guards noticed the smoke and tried to call the higher officials.

The BSNL is likely to lose revenue worth crores due to the damage. Work at financial institutions such as banks is also likely to slow down due to the failure of the leased line. 

Services paralysed Over eight lakh mobile, 60,000 landline and 25,000 broadband customers in the Hisar circle hit While the landline and mobile services may take two days to resume, broadband connectivity is likely to become functional in two weeks e-governance services in the mini-secretariat, banks, insurance companies, financial institutions, colleges and universities disrupted Work at banks and other financial institutions is likely to slow down due to the failure of the leased line The BSNL is likely to lose revenue worth crores due to the damage

Rohtak, July 18
About three weeks after the robbery of ornaments worth Rs 20 lakh from a local jewellery shop, another shop was burgled yesterday night. The miscreants decamped with ornaments and cash worth Rs 1 crore.

The owner of Ganpati Jewellers, situated on the Railway Road, informed the police that when he opened his shop this morning, he found it burgled. Cash worth Rs 2 lakh and ornaments — 3-kg gold and 8-kg silver — were found missing.

The thieves entered the shop from the back door. Gas cutters were used in the theft. A close-circuit television (CCTV) camera has been reported missing from the crime scene. The police said the condition of the crime scene indicated the involvement of an insider.

Shopkeepers on the Railway Road, meanwhile, kept their establishments shut to protest against the “failure” of the police and administration to ensure safety.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Saurabh Singh reached the spot along with the police force and a forensic team. He formed teams to arrest the burglars.

Local legislator BB Batra also reached the spot and assured the traders that the miscreants would be nabbed soon.

Insider involved? The thieves entered the shop from the back door Gas cutters were used in the theft CCTV camera has been reported missing from the crime scene The police said the condition of the crime scene indicated the involvement of an insider SSP Saurabh Singh reached the spot along with the police force and a forensic team; he formed teams to arrest the burglars

Sirsa, July 18
Volunteers of the Dera Sacha Sauda today recovered a 2-year-old girl, who was kidnapped from the dera yesterday, and also nabbed the woman who committed the crime.

They recovered the 2-year-old, Sukhlina, from the Hisar–Jaipur train when it stopped at the Alwar railway station in the morning.

The followers handed over the woman to the police while the child was restored to her mother.

The child’s mother, Usha Insan, had come to the dera yesterday evening to participate in a religious congregation.

In the evening, she found that her daughter was missing and a woman who was seen playing with her was also not traceable.

Volunteers of the dera alerted their counterparts in the neighbouring districts of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan and sent them pictures of the child immediately. When the Hisar–Jaipur train stopped at the Alwar station, dera volunteers entered the train and found the woman with the child. 

Fatehabad, July 18
Ram Lal Sharma, a youth from Tohana town of Fatehabad, has done Haryana proud by unfurling the Tricolour on Mount Elbrus, the highest mountain peak of Europe, in Russia.

Mount Elbrus, at 18,510 ft, is one of the seven highest peaks in the world.

Satpal Sharma, his father, said his son scaled the peak yesterday morning.

Sharma scaled Mount Everest on May 21, 2013.

Son of a fruit vendor, Sharma (23) has struggled hard to make his dream come true.

After completing BSc, Sharma wanted to scale Mount Everest, but financial constraints came in his way. However, several local philanthropists and social organisations supported him and collected Rs 25 lakh for his Everest venture.

After returning from the Mt Everest, he had to sell vegetables on his ‘rehri’ for several months, as his father was bedridden for some months. A TV channel also highlighted Sharma’s plight in a reality show.

Difficulties failed to deter Sharma and he decided to scale Mount Elbrus.

“He left Tohana on July 7, started climbing on July 9 and scaled the peak on July 17,” said Satpal, adding that he was not educated enough to tell as to which city in Russia he went to after leaving home.

He said after returning from the Everest trip, Sharma tried hard for a government job, but to no avail.

Satpal said he wished for a suitable job for his son so that didn’t have to sell fruit and vegetables as he had been doing all his life.

On wings of grit Ram Lal Sharma wanted to scale Mount Everest, but could not do so due to financial constraints Citing his dream to scale the Everest , local philanthropists and social organisations collected Rs 25 lakh for him After coming back from the Everest, he had to sell vegetables on his ‘rehri’ for several months

Sonepat, July 18
Crude oil was allegedly stolen from the Indian Oil Corporation’s Mathura-Jalandhar pipeline passing through a field at Udeshpur village in the district.

On a complaint of the company’s senior manager, Kavish, a case of stealing was registered against unidentified persons under Section 397 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Sections 15 and 16 of the Petroleum Minerals Act, 2011, and Section 3 and 4 of the Explosives Act, 1908, at the Gannaur police station.

Kavish said that during inspection of the pipeline yesterday, he noticed oil seepage in the field owned by Dharam Pal of Udeshpur village. He found a hole of around one-inch diameter in the pipeline and a valve in the hole.

He noticed that the accused had laid a pipeline of around 220 feet to carry the oil from the pipeline to a kuccha path in the field. —OC

Jhajjar, July 18
Protests against the Haryana Government’s land acquisition move are gaining momentum in this district. After farmers opposed the development of Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) sectors in the city, residents of Balour village have raised a banner of protest.

They have threatened to launch a hunger strike if their acquired land is not released. The villagers submitted a memorandum to the Bahadurgarh Subdivisional Magistrate (SDM) yesterday to apprise the authorities and the government of their decision. They said land was the only source of their income.

Chandigarh, July 18
The Haryana government has recommended the name of an institution and three individuals to the Centre for national awards, including the National Child Award for Exceptional Achievement, National Award for Child Welfare, and Rajiv Gandhi Manav Seva Award.

A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the state-level selection committee held under the chairpersonship of Haryana Women and Child Development Minister Geeta Bhukkal today.

Those who have been recommended for the National Child Award for Exceptional Achievement include Palak of Karnal and Yashasvi Balhara of Phaphrana village, Karnal. Mahatma Gandhi Education and Social Development, Ahirka village, Jind, has been recommended for the National Award for Child Welfare under the institutional category. Zile Singh Chhikara, Manager, Lakhi Ram Arya Anathaley Dayanand Math, Rohtak, has been recommended for the Rajiv Gandhi Manav Seva Award. — TNS

Faridabad, July 18
The city experienced the first heavy rain of the season here today that left a large number of roads and residential areas submerged in rainwater.

The stagnation of rainwater on the roads and the clogging of drains at many places led to grave inconvenience to commuters. The city received around 100 mm of rainfall in the past 24 hours.

Lanes, road and streets in the city were overflowing with rainwater that led to traffic chaos.

Anupama, a resident of Sector 9 here, said, “While the flooded streets and roads left several vehicles stuck, the students had to wade through knee-deep water in localities this morning.”