IEP Chandigarh, February 2

Vice-Chairperson of the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK) Smt. Anjna Panwar, emphasised the crucial role sanitation workers play in society. She acknowledged the significance of Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi’s ‘Swacch Bharat Abhiyaan’ and emphasised that the success of the campaign is unimaginable without the contributions of the  sanitation workers.

Smt. Panwar highlighted the vital role these workers played during the pandemic and urged everyone to be more sensitive to their needs. She directed officers to take prompt action on letters sent by the NCSK department.

Smt. Panwar visited Haryana to review the social, economic, and educational levels of sanitation workers and their dependents and to review self-employment schemes for their rehabilitation. During her visit, she chaired a meeting in Chandigarh with the representatives of Safai Karmachari Commission and administrative secretaries of various departments. Commissioner & Secretary, Social Justice, Empowerment, Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Backward classes and Antyodaya (SEWA) department, Sh. Pankaj Agarwal  and  Director General, SEWA, and Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Smt. Ashima Brar also attended the meeting. 

The Vice Chairperson of the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis stated that as per the Supreme Court’s decision, no human should be sent for sewer cleaning. According to the Manual Scavengers Act, sewer cleaning should be done using machines instead of humans, aimed at saving lives. It is important for contractors and workers of sewer cleaning and various departments to be informed about this law. She also mentioned that the supreme court has increased the  financial assistance of sewer workers who died during cleaning, from Rs.10 Lakh to Rs.30 Lakh, entitled for their dependents.

Smt. Panwar further highlighting the importance of health stated that proper clothes, gloves and shoes should be provided to the sanitation workers according to the weather, and said that attendance register centres should be established in different regions of cities, and separate bathrooms for men and women, drinking water, and changing rooms should be built for their safety as well.

She also directed officers to take swift actions in the pending financial assistance cases of the sanitation workers. 

She recommended providing homes or creating dedicated colonies for the rehabilitation of sanitation workers and constructing well-equipped community centres that would facilitate their social activities. Additionally she said that a proper management of their children’s education needs attention.

She stressed the adoption of self-employment for sanitation workers and said that National Safai Karamchari Finance and Development Corporation offers loans ranging from Rs.1 lakh to 50 lakhs for self-employment. Similarly, in Haryana, sanitation workers’ children can avail a loan of Rs.10 lakhs for higher education.

On this occasion, the Commissioner and Secretary of the SEWA Department, Sh. Pankaj Agarwal informed that the Chief Minister is deeply concerned about the well-being of sanitation workers and the state government will formulate a policy for the welfare of sanitation workers soon. The National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK)  was established in 2017. During sewer cleaning, there were 124 reported cases of sanitation worker deaths in Haryana and out of these; financial assistance was provided to 90 affected families, and partial financial assistance was given in 10 cases. He mentioned that the Public Health Engineering Department has been designated as the nodal department to formulate policies.

Managing Director, Haryana Scheduled Castes, Finance and Development Corporation, Smt. Geeta Bharti and other officers remained present during the occasion.

IEP Chandigarh, February 2

Haryana Chief Minister, Sh Manohar Lal ordered the suspension of two Haryana Police officers and initiate departmental action against a third officer for failing to conduct a proper investigation into a case involving a fight and assault with weapons in Panipat. In addition, directives have been issued to investigate this matter at the headquarters level and submit the report by February 20, 2024.

The Chief Minister’s Officer on Special Duty, Sh Bhupeshwar Dayal, stated that Panipat resident Rajesh Gupta filed a complaint with the police alleging that his company obtained an 18-foot-wide road from Attar Rice and General Mills. He claimed that on September 19, 2021, at 9 am, Attarchand Mittal and his two sons, Ankur Mittal and Manish Mittal, accompanied by 40-50 men, obstructed their passage. They returned in the evening with around 100 individuals and attempted to fatally attack them, firing shots. Following the complaint, the matter was investigated by the then ASI Ramniwas and Inspector Ummar Mohammad. The investigation report concluded that the allegations were unfounded.

Mr. Dayal added that following this, Sanjay Gupta lodged a complaint regarding this issue on the CM Window Portal. Subsequently, in accordance with the Chief Minister’s directives, instructions were issued to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter at the headquarters level. The case was once again referred to the Karnal Police for investigation. Additionally, he mentioned that a report from the Inspector General of Police of the Karnal Range has been received, expressing doubts about the closure of the initial investigation report.

According to the Chief Minister’s Officer on Special Duty, Sh Bhupeshwar Dayal, the Chief Minister has now directed to suspend the then ASI Ram Niwas and Inspector Ummar Mohammad in connection with this issue. In addition, Chief Minister also ordered to initiate departmental action against the third officer who forwarded the matter to Karnal Police rather than conducting an investigation at the headquarters level. Furthermore, the Chief Minister has instructed for a fresh investigation of this matter at the headquarters level and mandated that the report be submitted by February 20, 2024.

IEP Chandigarh, February 2

Haryana Home and Health Minister, Sh. Anil Vij was presented with a gold foil printed postal stamp scented with the fragrance of sandalwood from the Ayodhya Shri Ram Temple by Haryana Chief Post Master General, Colonel SFH Rizvi, at his residence in Ambala today.

Home Minister Anil Vij expressed admiration for the postal ticket, describing it as exceptionally beautiful.

Chief Postmaster General Colonel SFH Rizvi explained that the Department of Posts has prepared a set of postal tickets for the occasion of the consecration ceremony in the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple. The printing process of these tickets involved the use of water and soil from the sacred land of the Ram Temple, imbued with the divine sentiments and blessings associated with Lord Rama.

He mentioned that these postal tickets are scented with the fragrance of sandalwood. Gold foil printing has been applied to certain parts of this miniature sheet to enhance the illumination of the postal tickets with divine light.

IEP Chandigarh, February 2

Haryana Home and Health Minister Sh Anil Vij directed to ‘linehazir’ the SHO of Kaithal Civil Line Police Station for not arresting the accused named in a fraud case in Kaithal.

Sh. Vij was redressing the grievances to people of the state at his residence in Ambala today.

          The complainant from Kaithal informed Home Minister Anil Vij that the accused had sold his car by creating a fake registration. A case was registered under cheating and other sections at Kaithal Civil Lines Police Station last year. The complainant alleged that so far, the police have only arrested one accused in this case, while the other two accused, involved in creating fake registration and buying the car, have not been arrested. In this case, Home Minister directed Kaithal SP to immediately ‘linehazir’ SHO of Civil Line police station and arrest the remaining accused involved in the case.

Instructions were given to arrest the army major who molested his wife

A married woman from Rewari complained to Home Minister Anil Vij that her husband, an army major, had remarried without giving her a divorce. She had filed a complaint against her husband with the Rewari police. After investigation, the police registered a case of misconduct against the husband, but he has not been arrested so far. Home Minister Vij called Rewari SP over phone and directed the immediate arrest of the accused Major, “We will not let women cry, arrest the accused immediately in this case.”

Home Minister Anil Vij also issued stern directives to the relevant officials to take decisive action on other complaints.

IEP Chandigarh, February 2

Haryana Government has decided to implement 6 new projects worth more than Rs. 98 crores under Rural Augmentation & Mahagram Scheme in 2 districts namely Charkhi Dadri and Bhiwani.

Chief Minister, Sh. Manohar Lal today accorded administrative approval for these projects to be implemented by the Public Health Engineering Department here today.

Giving more information in this regard, an official spokesperson said that new works under Mahagram Yojana include Augmentation of water supply scheme of village Bapora, District Bhiwani which include repair of existing water works, 2 boosting station and laying distribution pipeline in the village at an estimated cost of Rs. 17.86 crore, Ensuring sewerage facility and sewage treatment plant at village Bapora, District Bhiwani at an estimated cost of Rs. 27.25 crore.

Further works under Rural Augmentation programme include Renovation and up-gradation of water supply scheme, laying of DI pipe line in village Alakhpura, District Bhiwani at an estimated cost of Rs. 7.86 crore, Renovation of water supply scheme in 2 group of villages of Ghikada, District Charkhi Dadri by constructing RCC tank and other structures, at an estimated cost of Rs. 5.09 crore, Renovation existing structures at water works and laying the balance pipe lines in village Balali, District Charkhi Dadri at an estimated cost of Rs. 1.60 crore, Replacement of water supply pipeline in village Gudana, District Charkhi Dadri at an estimated cost of Rs. 39 lakh will be taken up as well. 

IEP Chandigarh, February 2

The Irrigation and Water Resources Department Haryana today organised a State Level Workshop/ Training under Atal Bhujal Yojna at Panchkula. The workshop was inaugurated by, Chairperson, Haryana Water Resources Authority, Smt. Keshni Anand Arora.

Addressing the department officers and participants present in the workshop, Smt. Keshni Anand Arora said that Atal Bhujal Yojana is a groundwater management scheme launched by Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi on the 95th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, on December 25, 2019.

She said that it is one of the flagship programmes of Govt. of India. The purpose of the scheme is to address the decline in groundwater levels and improve groundwater management by involving communities and line departments.

Smt. Anand stated that the Chief Minister, Sh. Manohar Lal is very keen to make Haryana a leading state in saving groundwater. Regarding the importance of Groundwater, Water conservation is a critical aspect of sustainable development, and it’s commendable that the government is taking steps to address the challenges in this area.

During the inaugural session Dr Satbir Singh Kadian, Engineer-In-Chief cum Project Director, Atal Bhujal Haryana directed that execution and monitoring of the Atal Bhujal Yojana activities has to be done in time with regular organising review meetings of line departments. All the targets must achieve within the given time frame.

Dr. Satbir Singh Kadian has also highlighted the achievements made by the department under the “Mera Panni Meri Virasat” campaign. He has expressed his serious concern to stop water wastage, especially in rural areas and promoted judicial use of ground water.

Ms Neety Nayar, Deputy Director, NPMU, Government of India said during her presentation that the purpose of the scheme is to arrest the decline in groundwater levels and improve groundwater management by involving communities and line departments. Further, she shared that the main objective of this training is to sensitize the Government officials about Atal Bhujal Yojna, scope of convergence and role and responsibilities of line departments to achieve measurable outcomes under this scheme.

Smt. Keshni Anand Arora awarded “Best Bhujal Saheli of the Month” to Smt. Rinku Sharma from district Karnal Under Atal Bhujal Yojana for the month of January, 2024. Atal Bhujal Yojana will continue this award every month.

Officers from the line departments Forest Department, Pond and Waste Water Management Authority, Horticulture Department, CGWB, MICADA, Public Health Engineering Department, Development and Panchayats Department, Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare Department, I&WRD attended the training.