Bhartesh Singh Thakur is a senior correspondent at Chandigarh. He covers Panjab University, local administration and defence.
Articles by Bhartesh Singh Thakur
HC raps AFT for dismissing war injury pension case of war veteran
The Punjab and Haryana high court has come down heavily on the Chandigarh bench of the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) for dismissing a war injury pension case and also ordered it for fresh adjudication.
Updated on Feb 24, 2015 11:05 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Bhartesh Singh Thakur, Chandigarh
Khattar govt reverses Hooda regime's relief to computer teachers
The Haryana government has reversed the previous regime's decision of paying salaries directly to computer teachers instead of routing these through hired companies.
Updated on Jan 21, 2015 11:17 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Bhartesh Singh Thakur, Panchkula
Money laundering: ED summons four associates of advocate Mukesh Mittal
The ED has issued summons to four associates of advocate Mukesh Mittal, including fresh reminders to two of them, to appear before it next week. The agency is probing money laundering in a number of property deals through shell (bogus) companies.
Updated on Jan 19, 2015 03:35 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Bhartesh Singh Thakur, Chandigarh
The judgment that started it all
A scathing judgment of the Punjab and Haryana high court of December 2009 in the cas — under ED’s probe now — had directed the Chandigarh police to “thoroughly investigate the entire case and to bring all the persons involved in this case to justice even if they happen to be counsels of any prominence.”
Updated on Jan 16, 2015 10:04 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Bhartesh Singh Thakur, Chandigarh
ED freezes 108 bank accounts; 214 blank cheques recovered
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has frozen 108 bank accounts allegedly being operated by Chandigarh district courts lawyer Mukesh Mittal and his employees in a Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case. Most of these accounts are said to be of shell (bogus) companies, others could be personal.
Updated on Jan 15, 2015 10:05 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Bhartesh Singh Thakur, Chandigarh
41% of crimes registered under IPC remain unsolved in P’kula
The workout rate of the Panchkula police presents a dismal picture with about 41% of the crime cases registered under Indian Penal Code (IPC) in 2014 in the district remain unsolved.
Updated on Jan 04, 2015 03:32 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Bhartesh Singh Thakur, Panchkula
Panchkula MC's fiscal health in dire straits
In sheer fiscal mismanagement, the Panchkula municipal corporation (MC) has collected a mere Rs 2.92 crore revenue against the target of Rs 42.53 crore, the annual audit report of the MC for 2012-13 has revealed. In reflection of the mess that the civic body is in, a massive 93.13% of the revenue couldn’t be realised.
Updated on Jan 03, 2015 02:07 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Bhartesh Singh Thakur, Panchkula
Toll on Zirakpur-Parwanoo road allowed for 20 years, instead of 14
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has said the period for which toll is to be charged on the 28.69-km Zirakpur-Parwanoo Road by the Himalayan Expressways Private Limited was wrongly calculated as 20 years instead of 14 years, causing an additional burden of Rs 501 crore on road users.
Updated on Jan 01, 2015 10:20 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Bhartesh Singh Thakur, Panchkula
HT TOP Schools :Thin margin, slight switch on the panchkula podium
Bhavan Vidyalaya, which is famous for producing toppers in the town year after year, has bagged the top spot in this year’s HT-- C-fore survey. The school, which was ranked first in 2013 as well, has scored 757 out of 1,000 points in the survey, which assesses tricity schools on 14 counts. It has topped teacher care and development, competence of teachers, academic rigour, value system integration and value for money in the survey.
Updated on Dec 11, 2014 02:39 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Bhartesh Singh Thakur, Panchkula
I am innocent, I live in a simple house: Ram Rahim to CBI court
Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh on Saturday told the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) special court in Haryana that he was innocent and the bureau had framed him in collusion with anti-dera forces.
Updated on Nov 30, 2014 09:57 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Bhartesh Singh Thakur, Panchkula
6 army widows allege bias in benefit policy
Six widows of gallantry award winners have written to Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal seeking change in the allegedly biased Honour and Gratitude Policy of the Punjab government that does not provide benefits to families of those who got peacetime gallantry awards before January 1, 1999.
Updated on Nov 26, 2014 09:33 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Bhartesh Singh Thakur, Chandigarh
Citizens’ charter out in Panchkula, Ambala
With this, delivery of verification reports within seven days, disposal of a complaint within 10 days, spot visit by area response officer in 48 hours, verification by DSP-level officers in special report cases within 72 hours and visit to elderly people every 10 days will be made mandatory.
Updated on Nov 22, 2014 02:02 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Bhartesh Singh Thakur, Panchkula
Stop game of ducks and drakes: Court to Sirsa dera head
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) special court, Haryana, has come down heavily on Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh while massively curtailing his defence witnesses’ list in a rape case against him. He had produced a “whopping” list of 98 witnesses of which 28 had been examined.
Updated on Nov 19, 2014 08:40 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Bhartesh Singh Thakur, Panchkula
Can't be dumb spectator: court to Sirsa dera head
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) special court, Haryana, has come down heavily on Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh while massively curtailing his defence witnesses' list in a rape case against him.
Updated on Nov 19, 2014 09:43 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Bhartesh Singh Thakur, Panchkula
Permanent commission to women:‘Air Force can’t have two yardsticks’
The Principal Bench of the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT), New Delhi, has ruled that the Indian Air Force (IAF) cannot have two yardsticks in granting permanent commission to women officers.
Updated on Nov 18, 2014 03:21 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Bhartesh Singh Thakur, Chandigarh
Lack of funds, official apathy mean punishment for schools
The government schools here are floundering on the cleanliness front with dirty compound walls, unclean toilets and filthy surroundings. And the reason according to school authorities is insufficient funds.
Updated on Nov 14, 2014 02:12 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Bhartesh Singh Thakur, Panchkula
Panchkula students still worst in state
After a poor show in the annual results of Board of School Education, Haryana, earlier in the year, Panchkula district is again the worst among 21 districts in Haryana in semester-1 results of Class 10.
Updated on Nov 14, 2014 09:25 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Bhartesh Singh Thakur, Panchkula
After 22-year-old legal battle, turmoil ends for soldier
Naik Prem Singh can now heave a sigh of relief. His 22-year-old legal battle ended on Friday as the Chandigarh bench of the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) set aside his dismissal and granted him pensionary benefits. Singh, a resident of Hoshiarpur, was enrolled in 1 Sikh Light Infantry (LI) in 1971.
Updated on Nov 08, 2014 07:42 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Bhartesh Singh Thakur, Chandigarh
HUDA clean chit to Haryana guv secy
Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA), in its latest inquiry report into the oustee quota plot allotments, has given a clean chit to secretary to Haryana governor Neelam P Kasni and additional deputy commissioner, Panchkula, SP Arora, and has put the blame on chief town planner, urban local bodies, Geeta Prakash.
Updated on Nov 08, 2014 11:26 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Bhartesh Singh Thakur, Panchkula
Turmoil ends for soldier after 22 year legal battle
Naik Prem Singh can heave a sigh of relief. On Friday, his 22-year-old legal battle ended, the Chandigarh-bench of the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) set aside his dismissal and granted pensionary benefits.
Updated on Nov 07, 2014 10:17 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Bhartesh Singh Thakur, Chandigarh
More a slum than market
In Panchkula, some markets are more like slums. Chief among them is the Sector-14 market.The inauguration stone of this ‘district shopping centre’ — carrying the name of the then chief minister Bansi Lal here — bears the date September 24, 1998. Even after 16 years, the market has failed to develop completely. But even this stone has been put to use by shantydwellers; the iron railing around is used to hang clothes out to dry!
Updated on Nov 07, 2014 02:51 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Bhartesh Singh Thakur, Panchkula
Karnal forensic lab officers under scanner for giving false report
The functioning of officers of the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), Madhuban, in Karnal, has again come under cloud. This time, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken cognisance of a complaint against five officers, including FSL director Dr Jagdish Ram, for allegedly giving false reports and asked for a report from the Haryana director general of police.
Updated on Nov 05, 2014 05:26 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Bhartesh Singh Thakur, Chandigarth
Panchkula bus stand open urinal
Panchkula’s bus stand is in the heart of the town in Sector 5 but its condition reveals it is not close to the heart of either the authorities or the residents. Ill-maintained and stinking, this bus stand can rival its Mohali counterpart.
Updated on Nov 02, 2014 11:37 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Bhartesh Singh Thakur, Panchkula
Polo club not answerable under RTI: Army to CIC
Stonewalling details sought under the Right To Information (RTI) Act, the army submitted before the chief information commission (CIC), New Delhi, that the Army Polo and Riding Club (APRC) is not a public authority.
Updated on Oct 28, 2014 01:44 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Bhartesh Singh Thakur, Chandigarh
Saffron surge as Khattar takes oath as first BJP chief minister
While half the town appeared to have been painted in saffron, all roads seemed to lead to the mela ground in Sector 5 - the venue where Manohar Lal Khattar took oath as the BJP's first chief minister in Haryana here on Sunday morning.
Updated on Oct 27, 2014 01:02 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Bhartesh Singh Thakur, Panchkula
Election Commission richer by Rs 1 cr as 1,122 candidates forfeit deposit
The Election Commission has become richer by over Rs 1 crore as 1,122 candidates lost their security deposit out of a total of 1,351 who contested the assembly elections. A candidate has to give Rs 10,000 as security deposit, while the amount for a Scheduled Caste candidate it is Rs 5,000.
Updated on Oct 24, 2014 04:06 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Bhartesh Singh Thakur, Chandigarh
A third of state’s new House does not hold any degree
While graduation is a minimum qualification for most government jobs, every third member of the 13th Haryana assembly does not hold that distinction. Out of the 90 members in the house, 30 have mentioned their highest education qualification as being below graduation.
Updated on Oct 21, 2014 08:58 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Bhartesh Singh Thakur, Chandigarh
Maiden win for BJP from P’kula, Kalka
Since the formation of Haryana 48 years ago, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has never won from the Panchkula region. But this time, it won both Panchkula and Kalka assembly seats convincingly and created history.
Updated on Oct 20, 2014 11:24 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Bhartesh Singh Thakur, Panchkula
Polling in Uchana Kalan marred by skirmishes
Uchana Kalan (Jind): Violence marred polling at the Uchana Kalan assembly seat where there is a straight contest between Hisar MP Dushyant Chautala of the INLD and Congressman-turned-BJP leader Birender Singh’s wife Prem Lata. At most of the polling booths Congress agents were found missing even as the segment witnessed 75.9% voter turnout.
Updated on Oct 15, 2014 11:00 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Bhartesh Singh Thakur
Date with mandate: To whom will you hand over Panchkula's reins?
Over 1.95 lakh voters play the judge in a predominantly three-cornered contest on Wednesday as two-time Congress MLA DK Bansal is locked in a tough battle with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s Gian Chand Gupta, realtor Kulbhushan Goyal of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and Hayana Janhit Congress’ Ravinder Rawal, with 13 others.
Updated on Oct 15, 2014 10:02 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Bhartesh Singh Thakur, Panchkula