NORTHERN REGION NOIDA/DELHI 6 THE HINDU WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2015 Haryana Govt’s decision to reduce retirement age upheld Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar CHANDIGARH: The retirement age of Haryana government employees now stands reduced to 58 years from 60 years as the Punjab and Haryana High Court has upheld the decision of the Manohar Lal Khattar government to the effect. The decision is likely to impact nearly 5,000 of the 3 lakh employees on an immediate basis. Government sources had earlier claimed that while the reduction in retirement age would result in an additional burden of Rs. 200 crore on the exchequer on immediate basis it would prove beneficial in the long run as it would lead to more job opportunities at the entry level. It was on November 25 that Mr. Khattar had announced the reduction in retirement age of employees. He had also stated that all employees who had completed Staff Reporter PATNA: Almost all the villagers who fled the strife-torn Azizpur village following a violent attack on Sunday by members of the majority community returned to their homes on Tuesday amid heavy security deployment. “Yes, the villagers who had fled have returned. The situation is under control and the administration is taking all measures to ensure peace,” said R.K. Mishra, Muzaffarpur Superintendent of Police. The villagers who returned to their half burnt homes on Tuesday were seen taking stock of the damage amid heaps of burnt boxes and trunks. Azizpur is a village of about 70 families, mostly belonging to the minority communities. A Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar 58 or 60 years in their respective categories and were still serving would be retired on November 30, 2014. Though the Chief Minister had noted that the decision had been taken to ensure maximum employment opportunity to the youth, several employees unions and individuals had appealed against the decision in the High Court. On Tuesday, the court dismissed the petitions filed by the mob from the neighbouring Bahilwara Mali Tola had unleashed violence after the body of a youth from their village was found in an agricultural field in Azizpur. The Opposition BJP has blamed the State’s JD(U) government and demanded a judicial probe into the incident. Five policemen have been suspended for negligence. “Nothing is left, everything has either been burnt or looted… even my half-thatchedhalf-concrete house has been gutted,” Mohd Nasirrudin told The Hindu over phone. The administration has distributed cheques and some cash for reconstructing homes and buying kitchen utensils. A police check point has come up at the village and there is heavy employees against the decision. In their petition, the employees had charged that the decision was politically motivated as the previous Congress government under Bhupinder Singh Hooda had only in August 2014 increased the retirement age to 60 and also increased the age limit for entry into government services by two years to 42. The petitioners had also sought parity with other cadres stating that judicial officers, Indian Administrative Services officials and teachers of colleges aided by the government were still retiring at 60. Raising a question of law, the petitioners had also charged that the decision of the BJP government was illegal and void as the Council of Ministers lacked the minimum numbers. But the Single Bench of Justice Tejinder Singh Dhindsa dismissed the bunch of petitions. Azizpur villagers return home deployment of security personnel to restore the confidence of the frightened villagers. “I’ve suspended five officials following the directive of the Additional Director General of Police Gupteshwar Pandey,” said the Muzaffarpur SP. Meanwhile, leaders from various political parties continued to visit the village. Senior State BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi, who visited on Tuesday, blamed the State for the incident. The BJP also demanded a judicial probe. Mr Modi said the government must sanction Rs. 10 lakh as compensation. Some RJD and LJP leaders too visited the village on Tuesday. RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav is also expected to pay a visit soon. 2 constables injured in Maoist attacks Pavan Dahat RAIPUR: Two constables were injured in Maoist attacks in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh on Tuesday. Pankuj Thakur, a constable with the 13th battalion of the Chhattisgarh Armed Force, was injured when a pressure bomb exploded near Murdonda village of Bijapur, the police said. He is said to be out of danger now. Suspected Maoists attacked a “Sayakak Arakshak” (auxiliary constable), Kichche Soya, with sharp weapons at a marketplace at Pollamapalli in Sukma. Camp busted In another incident, a joint team of Dantewada and Bijapur police busted a Maoist camp in the Hurrepal forests of Dantewada. Three Maoists surrendered before the police in Dornapal town of Sukma district on Tuesday. Madkam Sukka (28), Padam Ayata (35) and Kichche Ayata (36) surrendered before the Sub-divisional Police Officer and Central Reserve Police Force officers, Additional Superintendent of Police Santosh Singh said. SC panel raps Punjab govt. Sarabjit Pandher CM YK CHANDIGARH: The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) on Tuesday expressed serious reservations over the failure of the Punjab government to implement the provisions of the Prevention of Atrocities against Scheduled Castes (PoA) Act, as well as underutilised or mis-utilised funds and financial assistance under the Scheduled Caste Special Component Plan released by the Centre in 2010. Talking to reporters after a review meeting for Punjab and Chandigarh, NCSC Chairman P. L. Punia said that the State vigilance and monitoring committee, headed by the Chief Minister, had not held its meeting since 2006 even though the PoA Act mandated its meeting every six months. Similarly meetings at district levels were also not being held on regular intervals. ND-ND
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