Kurukshetra October 31
Health Minister Anil Vij today conducted a raid at the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital (LNJP), Kurukshetra, and expressed his displeasure with the condition of the hospital.

Vij issued a show-cause notice to the medical superintendent and also suspended a dental surgeon and a pharmacist from the Ayush wing.

Vij, who reached LNJP around 12:20 pm, met several patients and enquired about the treatment they were receiving at the hospital. He inspected almost all the wards, departments and doctors’ chambers during his 40-minute visit.

During his inspection, Vij criticised doctors for not wearing their aprons and warned them to be in their complete uniform. He also enquired about the number of OPDs, medical staff and other facilities.

While inspecting the minor OT, he found a torn bed-sheet and called the nurse on duty. After the nurse informed him that the hospital lacked clean bedsheets, Vij asked her to get the sheet changed immediately and also to show the complete record of bed sheets.

He then found a dead body without a shroud and sought an explanation on the matter. Vij also enquired about the staff and checked the attendance register.

He then suspended dental surgeon Karuna Dhingra, who was caught off guard and an Ayush wing pharmacist Salvi for being absent. While there was a sense of panic among the doctors, the patients and their attendants were pleased with the Health Minister’s move.

Vij said, “I am unhappy with the situation at this hospital. It doesn’t look like a government hospital.” He said, “I didn’t find a single doctor in complete uniform, which is a must. It is their modus operandi as no one can identify them in civil dress and they do so because they don’t want to be bothered by the patients. I have called for an explanation.”

Vij expressed his displeasure with the lack of hygiene in the toilets and said, “I checked the toilets, they were filthy and not fit for use. I asked the concerned doctor but he failed to give me a satisfactory reply. An explanation has been sought from the medical superintendent Mukesh Kumar.”

Vij expressed his concern with the capacity of the hospital too and said, “The number of patients is very large here, but the hospital does not have the capacity to handle the rush.”

Faridabad, October 31
Chief Minister Manhohar Lal Khattar will start the Swachh Haryana- Swachh Bharat drive at the Krishna Colony slum cluster here tomorrow to mark the formation of the state.

While the exercise was a part of the drive announced by the PM recently, the campaign will get going simultaneously in other districts of the state. This has left the civic authorities working overtime since this event coincides with the Run for Unity programme.

Krishan Lal Gera, a social activist, said the real test of the lies ahead as the problem was more serious than was being visualized from the administrative angle. Several lakh residents were residing in unhygienic and filthy conditions and the cleanliness drive must be a daily affair for which the civic body did not have sufficient funds.

“The New Industrial Township (NIT) may have completed 65 years of its existence but the authorities had failed to provide even the basic amenities till now resulting in the development of several slum clusters,” claimed Raj Kumar Gupta, a local resident. According to entrepreneur Ramneek Prabhakar more than Rs 7,000 crore was collected in taxes each year but the basic amenities were either missing or were inadequate in both the residential and industrial sectors. While hundreds of industrial units were unregularised, the authorities had failed to come up with any housing policy for the thousands of industrial workers,” he pointed out.

Although drinking water, sewerage, roads and pollution were the main issues, the authorities do not have a workable system of garbage collection and disposal in place in a majority of the colonies and sectors, claimed OP Miglani a retired official. “Residents were dependent on private agencies for garbage disposal,” he added.

Rohtak, October 31
BJP legislator from Rohtak Manish Grover has stated that the town, which had earned an enviable reputation of getting the lion’s share in development during the successive tenures of Congress regimes, will now witness actual development at the grassroots level.

Addressing his first news conference after his election, Grover said removing the fear from the minds of people by effectively checking crime and ensuring peace and order would be his top priority. He said Gujarat-like atmosphere would be created in the state wherein girls and women could roam around even at night without any fear.

He also emphasised efficient implementation of the sanitation-cum-cleanliness drive and requested government officials and residents to do their bit in making the campaign a success. — TNS

Gurgaon, October 31
With the induction of Badshahpur MLA Rao Narbir into the Manohar Lal Khattar Cabinet, two power centres have emerged in the Ahirwal region. The other being Gurgaon MP Rao Inderjit Singh.

Till the Lok Sabha elections, Rao Inderjit was considered the most popular leader in the region. As Rao Narbir reportedly had his way in terms of ticket distribution for the Assembly elections, Rao Inderjit’s influence seems to have waned. This change in power dynamics has put BJP supporters in a fix over which way to go.

During the Assembly elections, Rao Inderjit faced a setback of sorts as his wish to get the ticket for his daughter from Rewari and a candidate of his choice from Gurgaon was not fulfilled. But with 12 out of 15 BJP candidates winning from the region, his authority was re-established.

Now with Rao Narbir’s becoming the PWD Minister, he and his supporters seem to be working hard to be the new face of Ahirwal.

In this fight for political space, Gurgaon MLA Umesh Aggarwal’s supporters are left comfused. In spite of winning with the highest margin, Aggarwal was not considered for any ministry and has been unable to exert any authority in the party hierarchy.

Political experts predict friction in the party due to two power centres. “With two Ahir stalwarts, there may be a difference of opinion in the party. But this is no cause for concern. The leadership is making efforts to make the party, not only one leader, face of the region,” a senior party functionary said on the condition of anonymity.

Chandigarh, October 31
The Governor’s Address is set to be a short affair during the three-day session of the new Haryana Assembly beginning on November 3.

Since the first BJP government does not have many achievements to its credit, the Governor’s Address would be a brief affair laying the brief roadmap for the state’s development, sources told The Tribune here today.

On the first day of the session, the newly elected MLAs would be administered oath by Pro-tem Speaker Raghubir Kadian. The election of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker will also be held on the same day.

On November 4, Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki will address the new Assembly, followed by obituary references. After obituary references, there will be discussion on the Governor’s Address. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar will also reply to the Governor’s Address.

On the last day, the government will bring appropriation Bills for the supplementary estimates, besides any listed legislative business.

Vidhan Sabha Session

November 3

• Oath to newly-elected 90 MLAs
• Election of Speaker, Deputy Speaker

November 4

• Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki’s address to the assembly
• Obituary references
• Discussion on Governor’a Address; CM’s reply

November 5

• Appropriation Bills for supplementary estimates
• Any listed legislative business 

Karnal, October 31
The birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was observed as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day)” at the Mini-secretariat here today.

Minister of State for Food and Supplies Karan Dev Kamboj, Gharaunda MLA Harvinder Kalyan, Superintendent of Police Abhishek Garg, Additional Deputy Commissioner Girish Arora and other officials offered floral tributes to the portrait of Sardar Patel.

After administrating the oath of unity, the minister recalled the contribution of the ‘Iron Man’ in the united India.

After this, he directed officials to work with honesty. Now the government has changed and the officers have to change their attitude for the better, he asserted.

On the other hand, the students and staff members of National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) also celebrated the birth anniversary of Sardar Patel.

Panipat: Our nation will always remain indebted to those freedom fighters who had given their valuable contribution for attaining freedom and for making it a united nation. DC Ajit Balaji Joshi stated this while flagging off a Run for Unity at Shivaji Stadium on the 139 birth anniversary of the first Home Minister.

Sirsa: ADC Rajesh Jogpal today administered an oath of national integrity to the people at the local town park to mark Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Jayanti.

Fatehabad: Bishambar Singh, BJP legislator from Bawani Khera, administered an oath of unity and integrity to people at Fatehabad on Sardar Patel Jayanti.

Ambala: National Unity Day was celebrated in educational institutions of Ambala on the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

New Delhi, October 31
Haryana mining cases are likely to get priority hearing in the Supreme Court as senior advocate Harish Salve, who is assisting the court as amicus curiae in matters relating to projects in forest areas, today pleaded for fast-tracking their disposal.

Appearing before the SC’s new Forest Bench headed by Chief Justice HL Dattu, Salve submitted a list of 10 issues, including Haryana mining, which required immediate attention. Salve did not give any reasons for pushing these cases.

At the last hearing on October 8, Haryana had pleaded with the previous Forest Bench headed by Justice JS Khehar to officially allow some mining activity in the state to meet the requirements of the construction sector on the lines of the practice in Rajasthan. Doing this would also help deal with the menace of illegal mining, the state had submitted.

Among the other cases on Salve’s priority list are the need for setting up a regulatory authority for the mining sector, utilisation of the funds collected from the mining sector by the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Board (CAMPA) and matters relating to the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard).

Adding another case to the priority list, Attorney-General Mukul Rohatgi said the government wanted vacation of the SC stay on the clearance given to 140 projects by the National Board for Wildlife (NBW) headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Bench headed by Justice Khehar had stayed the clearance on August 25, noting that the reconstitution of the NBW’s standing committee did not appear to be in consonance with the Wildlife Act, 1972. It had made the remark while hearing a plea by an NGO challenging the July 22, 2014, notification reducing the representation of NGOs on the panel from five to one.

Rohatgi pleaded for expediting the hearing as the case had held up clearance of several development projects by the board.

On October 8, the SC had ordered the prosecution of Haryana officials who had turned a blind eye to rampant illegal mining in the state in violation of the court’s ban on mining in the Aravalli hills region. It had observed that it was evident from the photographs provided by the PIL petitioner, NGO Bandhua Mukti Morcha, and the report of the SC-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) that illegal mining was going on in Haryana on a large scale.

The Bench, which included Justices J Chelameswar and AK Sikri, asked Haryana’s Additional Advocate-General (AAG) Narender Hooda to prepare a list of officers responsible for preventing illegal mining and hand it over to the PIL petitioner. It asked the petitioner to pinpoint the officers who had failed to check such activities so that they could be prosecuted under SC monitoring. 

Fatehabad, October 31
With a huge number of farmers from Punjab thronging Haryana mandis for sale of paddy, the authorities in Fatehabad have blocked their entry into the state.

Police barricades have been set up at Hanspur Road, Karnauli Road, Khan Mohammed Road, Ratia Road octroi post and other roads leading to Punjab; the police have only allowed farmers from the state to bring their crops to the Fatehabad grain market.

Vikas Setia, secretary of the Fatehabad Market Committee, said a number of farmers of the Kisan Sabha had met Deputy Commissioner Rajiv Rattan in this connection yesterday. The farmers alleged that due to arrival of paddy from Punjab in abundance, the millers purchased their crops for lesser rates.

The DC said though there was no official ban, he had ordered blocking of crop coming from Punjab so that the local farmers did not suffer.

Rattan said he had been informed that farmers from as far as Ferozepur district had brought their paddy produce to Fatehabad. “When our own farmers are complaining delay in purchase of their crops, how can we allow the paddy from Punjab to cause a glut in our mandis?” the DC said.

Though the prices of Muchhal and Pusa1121 varieties of basmati paddy are much lesser than what they were last year, still farmers from the state are getting slightly better rates than their Punjab counterparts.

Muchhal paddy sells for Rs 2,300 per quintal and Pusa 1121 fetched the farmers Rs 2,500 per quintal today. Last year, both these varieties sold for over Rs 4,000 per quintal.

Similarly, cotton that fetched farmer Rs 5,500 per quintal last year, sold for Rs 4,090 this year. “We bring our paddy to Haryana Mandis because we get cash payment here. Further, we get Rs 100 or more extra per quintal of our paddy in this state,” said Rattan Singh, a farmer from Ahlupur village of Punjab, who managed to sell his crop at the Fatehabad mandi.

Chandigarh, October 31
The BJP-led Haryana government today accused the previous Congress regime of leaving the state in “fiscal stress” by announcing “fund-exhausting” decisions that had put a huge financial burden on the state’s exchequer.

Manohar Lal Khattar-led government also expressed concern over the high revenue deficit and ballooning debt though it exuded confidence that it would bring the state out of the “precarious” financial situation by focusing on transparency and accountability.

“The present fiscal health of the state is in crisis, there is no doubt about it. The revenue deficit is very high, debt servicing has increased. The state’s plan expenditure is less while non-plan expenditure is growing,” Haryana Finance Minister Capt Abhimanyu said here today.

The new Finance Minister held the previous Congress government responsible for putting “heavy” financial burden on the state.

“Announcements made by them (Hooda government) in this election year has put a heavy financial burden on the state’s exchequer,” he said.

He said he would present full detail pertaining financial burden after the state’s assembly session next week.

On revenue collection, he said the state could achieve 15 per cent growth in tax mobilisation though it would not be sufficient to meet the rising revenue expenditure.

Haryana had projected revenue deficit of Rs 5,013 crore for 2014-15, thrice of that in 2011-12. As per Fiscal Responsibility and Budgetary Management (FRBM) Act, 2005, the existing revenue deficit should have been zero.

Panipat, October 31
The Manohar Lal Khattar-led BJP government in the state has not inducted a single minister from Ravidass community in its Cabinet whereas this community reportedly has 14 per cent of the total electors in the state.

Taking strong exception to the improper representation to Dalits and Minorities, state Congress president Ashok Tanwar flayed the Khattar government for not including any minister in its Cabinet from the Ravidass and Minority community.

Only a Valmiki MLA Krishan Kumar Bedi was inducted as State Minister, Tanwar added. Criticising the Khattar government, Tanwar further stated that 12 districts including Faridabad and Panipat had not been given any representation in the Khattar Cabinet.

Meanwhile, several BJP Ravidass leaders said on condition of anonymity that they were expecting a Cabinet berth in the first BJP government of the state as no mp from the Ravidass community had been inducted into the Narendra Modi government at the Centre despite the fact that Rattan Lal Kataria of the Ravidass community won from the Ambala Parliamentary seat.

BJP Ravidass leaders said Congress kept on giving proper representation to its Ravidass leaders in the previous governments in the state and at the Centre as well. They named former Union Minister Kumari Selja (currently Rajya Sabha member), state Congress chief Ashok Tanwar, former Haryana ministers Geeta Bhukkal and Phool Chand Mulana (also ex state-Congress chief) as Congress leaders from Ravidass community, who were given proper representation.

Welcoming the induction of Shahabad Valmiki MLA Krishan Kumar Bedi in the Khattar Cabinet as State Minister, the BJP Ravidass leaders said, “Valmikis are just four percent, whereas Ravidassis form 14 per cent of the state electorate.”

Four Ravidass MLAs who fought on BJP ticket emerged victorious in the recent Assembly elections. They include: five-time MLA Krishan Lal Panwar (Israna segment), Dr. Banwari Lal (Bawal), Balwant Singh (Sadhaura) and Bimla Chaudhary (Pataudi segment).

Karnal, October 31
The district administration has started a hunt for a suitable camp office for CM Manohar Lal Khattar.

Sources said local BJP leaders had suggested the district administration to convert the residence of Irrigation Department SE and Canal Rest House into the residence-cum-camp office of the CM, respectively, which has been rejected by the CM.

The CM has directed the authorities to search for a camp office on the other side of the railway line. It should be in Ram Nagar or Prem Nagar. Earlier, during his election campaign, Khattar had promised the public that he would reside in this area and would never desert them after being an MLA. So, he has directed the officials to search for the camp office across the railway line, where he has already rented a house.

Keeping in mind his wish, the district administration is searching for a suitable option for a camp office. The party workers and the administration was also looking for it, said the sources, adding that the options were limited due to CM’s security concerns.

“We are looking for a camp office for the CM keeping all aspects in mind. It will be finalised shortly,” said DC Balraj Singh.

Rohtak, October 31
A three-week-long exhibition of images, slogans and paper-clippings focusing on the concerns of girls and other related issues concluded at the new OPD of the local PGIMS last evening.

The illustrations, graphics, captions and poetic expressions displayed at the exhibition that started on October 11 sought to create awareness on various concerns of the girl child, adolescent girls, young women and other gender issues like the skewed sex ratio and violence/crime against women.

The themes of the exhibits ranged from care of pregnant women to child labour and child marriages and featured diverse domestic as well as foreign locations.

“The underlying idea behind the exercise was to make the people realise their responsibility towards the fair sex, especially the girl child, and develop a considerate and caring mindset towards them,” said MDU faculty member Sumedha Dhani. 

Fatehabad, October 31
Deputy Commissioner Rajiv Rattan today launched a signature campaign to conserve water started by the Water Sanitation Support Organisation (WSSO) in association with the Public Health Engineering Department here.

Rattan signed the campaign and called upon people to understand the importance of water conservation.

The DC said people should ensure that their water taps had valves, so that drinking water was not wasted.

He said people should use water from the authorised connections of the department only, so that the Public Health Department could provide clean drinking water to all residents.

Sharma Chand Lali, District Consultant of the WSSO, said 823 people came to their counter today and pledged that they would not allow drinking water to be wasted. He said the drive launched today would continue till January 26 and during this period, the WSSO team would visit villages, schools and colleges to create awareness. — TNS

Yamunanagar, October 31
The wildlife wing of the Forest Department has captured the leopard (in pic) that had strayed into the premises of the Deen Bandhu Chhotu Ram Thermal Power Plant.

The leopard was spotted here on Sunday night by a team of security personnel during night patrolling. Sources said the leopard walked into the cage kept near the water reservoir of the plant at 12.10 am on Friday. Soon after it was captured, the wildlife team reached the spot. In presence of the Divisional Forest Officer (territorial), Yamunanagar-cum-District Warden of Wildlife, Ravinder Dhankar, and Divisional Wildlife Officer Surinder Kumar, veterinary doctor Sukhbir Nain examined the leopard. The leopard was taken to the Kalesar National Park where he was released in the area of Guga Fire Line at about 6.30 am.

Dr Nain confirmed that the leopard was a female. DFO Ravinder Dhankar said the animal had caused no harm to any person.

Cheeka Mandi, October 31
Marble dealers blocked the Cheeka – Patiala highway causing inconvenience to hundreds of commuters here today. They were protesting against the alleged high handedness of a forest department official.

Anil Kansal, president, Marble Dealers Association, alleged that they were being harassed by the District Forest Officer by threatening them with installing a barbed wire fence and saplings on the road sides in front of their shops claiming it to be forest land On his directions, the paved passages to their shops had been uprooted which had been causing great inconvenience to them and had has adversely affected their business.

Guhla Tehsildar Mohinder Singh reached the protest venue and pacified the agitators. Meanwhile, the DFO denied all the charges and said that the high court had issued directions to remove encroachments from public places, including road sides. He said that the shopkeepers were illegally occupying huge tracts of government land along the main road. — OC

Karnal, October 31
Demanding immediate implementation of the 10th wage revision settlement, bank employees of nine unions today held a demonstration under the banner of United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), here at Ambedkar Chowk.

They also raised slogans against the government and Indian Bank’s Association (IBA). Condemning the negative attitude of the IBA and the government, regarding the wage revision, Naresh Bagdi, president of UFBU said, “The wage revision settlement in banks is due since November 1, 2012. The government and the IBA have been delaying the matter despite several meetings. The IBA has offered to increase the wages by 11%, which is not acceptable, the members of the UFBU will observe a nationwide strike on November 12.”

He said the workload on bank employees had increased manifold, but nobody was concerned about their demands. He added if their demands were not fulfilled they would observe a strike on November 12. If the decision was not implemented even then, they would hold another strike in December.