News / Author / Pawan Sharma

Pawan Sharma

Pawan Sharma, based in Chandigarh, is Assistant Editor in HT and presently writes on Haryana's politics and governance. During different stints over the past two decades, he covered Punjab extensively for 10 years and before that judiciary and Himachal Pradesh with focus on high-impact news breaking and investigative journalism.

Articles by Pawan Sharma

Haryana speaker cracks whip as departments resist supplying info to MLAs

The departments in the dock are agriculture and farmers welfare, development and panchayats, office of the chief secretary, home, urban local bodies and health

cities

Published on Nov 26, 2022 01:18 AM IST

ByPawan Sharma, Chandigarh

Haryana government plans big rejig to improve student-teacher ratio

Under the plan, teachers will be pulled out from different government schools in Haryana where their numbers are more than the workload and depute them in schools functioning without a teacher

The Haryana education department has rolled out a plan to pullout teachers of different subjects from government schools where their numbers are more than the workload and depute them on deputation in schools functioning without a teacher. (HT File Photo)

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Published on Nov 25, 2022 12:12 AM IST

ByPawan Sharma, Chandigarh

Adampur win: BJP-Bishnois gamble pays off

In last three years, Adampur was the third by-election the BJP was facing after the party retained power with the support of the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) in the wake of fractured mandate in the October 2019 state elections

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Updated on Nov 07, 2022 12:11 AM IST

ByPawan Sharma and Sunil Rahar, Chandigarh

Stubble fires in Haryana down 31% compared to last yr: Data

Haryana government’s target is to contain the crop residue burning cases up to 3,000 during the current paddy harvesting season

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Updated on Nov 05, 2022 02:09 AM IST

ByPawan Sharma, Chandigarh

Haryana’s runaway couples find themselves in financial knot

Not only Tina, staying in a single-room safe house under police protection, a majority of the runaway couples taking refuge in such government-run houses across Haryana have to battle financial burden

Before landing in these shelter homes in Haryana, the runaway couples often reach the high court for protection fearing “honour killing” as their inter-caste or same gotra (clan) marriages trigger hostilities. (HT File Photo)

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Updated on Nov 02, 2022 12:55 AM IST

ByPawan Sharma & Neeraj Mohan, Chandigarh

₹ 26 lakh fine slapped on Haryana farmers for stubble burning

: The Haryana government has issued 1,041 challans and slapped nearly ₹ 26 lakh as fine on farmers in different paddy sowing districts so far for burning crop residue, it has been learnt

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Published on Oct 28, 2022 12:32 AM IST

ByPawan Sharma, Chandigarh

Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim’s 3 releases this year coincide with elections

Dera Sacha Sauda (DSS) chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim, convicted in two separate cases of murder, and a charge of rape, was released from Sunaria prison in Rohtak on a 40-day parole on October 14.

Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim.

india news

Updated on Oct 20, 2022 04:41 AM IST

ByPawan Sharma, Chandigarh

Air quality commission asks Haryana to reduce farm fires by 50%

Sources say that under the radar of the commission for stubble burning were Ambala, Jind and Kurukshetra districts

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Published on Oct 11, 2022 01:39 AM IST

ByPawan Sharma, Chandigarh

First phase of 3-tier PRI polls in Haryana on Oct 30, Nov 2

The Haryana State Election Commission on Friday announced the first phase of the polls to all the three tiers of panchayati raj institutions in 10 out of the 22 districts of the state, with the zila parishad and panchayat samiti elections to be held on October 30 and panchayat poll to be conducted on November 2

State election commissioner Dhanpat Singh announcing the Haryana zila parishad and panchayat election schedule in Panchkula on Friday. (Sant Arora/HT)

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Updated on Oct 08, 2022 12:49 AM IST

ByPawan Sharma

Gambia cough syrup deaths: Centre, Haryana team inspect Sonepat pharma firm, collect samples

WHO has issued a medical product alert over four cough syrups made by Haryana-based Maiden Pharmaceuticals, warning they could be linked to acute kidney injuries and deaths of 66 children in Gambia

Senior drug inspectors of the central and Haryana governments on Thursday inspected the Haryana-based pharmaceutical company for the third time in the past six days and collected samples after the World Health Organisation (WHO) raised an alert, linking 66 children’s death in The Gambia to supply of four syrups made by Maiden Pharmaceuticals. (HT Photo/ Representational image)

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Published on Oct 07, 2022 04:34 AM IST

ByPawan Sharma and Sunil Rahar, Chandigarh/ Sonepat:

WHO alert on Gambia deaths: Same fatal substances detected in WHO-banned cough syrups killed kids in India earlier

Two poisonous substances which WHO has blamed for the death of 66 children in Gambia has been at the centre of identical tragedies earlier in Gurugram and Jammu.

The two poisonous substances “diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol”, which the World Health Organisation (WHO) has blamed for the death of 66 children in The Gambia after detecting the contamination in four syrups a Haryana-based pharmaceutical unit had exported to the West African nation, has been at the centre of identical tragedies earlier in Gurugram and Jammu. (HT Photo/ Representational image)

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Published on Oct 07, 2022 04:11 AM IST

ByPawan Sharma, Chandigarh

Years ago, chemical killed several kids in Gurugram, Jammu

A Haryana government official aware of the matter said the victims included at least 26 children from Gurugram, who were prescribed a cough syrup manufactured by a Gurugram-based company. The syrup was later found to have traces of DEG.

A health department team arrives at the Maiden Pharmaceuticals Ltd unit in Sonepat, Thursday. (PTI)

india news

Updated on Oct 07, 2022 05:00 AM IST

ByPawan Sharma, Chandigarh

Cough syrups probe: Haryana firm keeps shut as Centre takes steps to curb damage

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation, the top drug regulatory authority of India, has launched an inquiry and alerted the Haryana government last week after learning about The Gambia tragedy.

Rakesh Dahiya, Sonepat-based senior drug inspector, said that five samples were collected in the last one week and sent to the Central Drugs Laboratory in Kolkata for examination. (REUTERS)

india news

Updated on Oct 07, 2022 12:48 PM IST

ByPawan Sharma, Sunil Rahar, Soumya Pillai, Chandigarh/sonepat/new Delhi

Gambia cough syrup deaths: Samples from Haryana firm sent to Kolkata lab

Day after WHO issues alert over four cough syrups made by Maiden Pharmaceuticals, Sonepat, warning they could be linked to recent acute kidney injuries and deaths of 66 children in The Gambia, a west African nation, the Centre and Haryana joint team is inspecting the pharma firm today for the third time this month

According to reports quoting the WHO, the laboratory analysis of the samples of the four cough syrups confirmed that they contained unacceptable amounts of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol. (Representative image)

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Published on Oct 06, 2022 12:16 PM IST

ByPawan Sharma

96% child marriage cases pending trial across India by 2021: Rights body

At the forefront of this nation- wide movement to be launched on October 16 will be 50,000 women of 10,000 villages who will take a vow to fight the menace of child marriage which, the KSCF said remains grossly underreported due to numerous reasons.

india news

Updated on Oct 05, 2022 10:33 AM IST

ByPawan Sharma, Chandigarh

Haryana takes new approach to check stubble burning

The focus is on massive awareness campaign in the hinterland and educating farmers about ways to dispose of crop residue and stop stubble burning

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Published on Sep 24, 2022 01:18 AM IST

ByPawan Sharma, Chandigarh

Amid stubble burning alert, Haryana breathes easy as rain delays paddy harvest

Farm fires are primarily blamed for air pollution during the kharif harvesting season in Delhi-NCR, but the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) bulletin data shows that over the past week, the air quality of most Haryana cities has been satisfactory.

The monitoring of the farm fires by the Haryana Space Application Centre (HARSAC) will start from September 30. Officials in the state agriculture department said that there were no incidents of farm fires in the past couple of days due to rain. (HT file photo)

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Updated on Sep 22, 2022 10:36 PM IST

ByPawan Sharma and Neeraj Mohan

Further delay in PRI polls looms in Haryana

Due to the ruling BJP-JJP coalition government’s inability to furnish the ward-wise data of the seats to be reserved

The Haryana state election commission (SEC) has asked the Manohar Lal Khattar government to extend the date for conducting panchayati raj institutions (PRIs) polls up to November 30. (Image for representational purpose only)

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Published on Sep 17, 2022 12:46 AM IST

ByPawan Sharma, Chandigarh

Haryana gears up to contain farm fires with preventive and punitive steps

At the core of Haryana government’s strategy to tackle farm fires are three key steps---make farmers ‘aware’, provide ‘aid’ in the form of subsidised machines to manage stubble and ‘act’ firmly to curb crop residue burning

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Published on Sep 09, 2022 01:20 AM IST

ByPawan Sharma, Chandigarh

With panchayat polls in the offing, Kejriwal to visit Haryana today

The Hisar visit of AAP’s national convener comes ahead of the Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) polls and a bypoll in the Adampur assembly segment, where the AAP will be fielding its candidate

AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal and DElhi CM will kick-off his two-day tour by launching AAP’s ‘Make India No. 1’ campaign, for which invitations have been extended to students, businessmen, and other organisations (HT PHOTO)

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Updated on Sep 13, 2022 09:18 PM IST

ByPawan Sharma, Chandigarh

Crime against women: Haryana registered 18% conviction rate in 2021

NCRB report-2021: Pendency of cases in crime against women rose to 93 per cent last year even as almost five women a day were raped across Haryana and 275 brides were killed for dowry

Near 18 per cent accused facing trial for committing a crime against women were convicted last year in Haryana when the pendency of such cases rose to 93 per cent even as almost five women a day were raped across the state. (HT Photo/ Representational image)

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Published on Aug 30, 2022 02:28 AM IST

ByPawan Sharma, Chandigarh

BJP’s Sonali Phogat was a political personality with a big social media fanbase

BJP leader, actress and TikTok star Sonali Phogat passed away on Tuesday after suffering a heart attack in Goa

Sonali Phogat. (Anil Dayal/ HT File Photo)

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Updated on Aug 23, 2022 02:46 PM IST

ByPawan Sharma

Haryana’s drive against drug menace short staffed with 47% sanctioned posts lying vacant in NCB

The Haryana State Narcotics Control Bureau (HSNCB) has been spearheading the Manohar Lal Khattar-led BJP-JJP government’s fight against drug trafficking with just 53% of its workforce, while grappling with acute staff shortage in field units

The vacant posts at the HSNCB headquarters include 21 of 67 sanctioned posts of police staff, seven posts out of 15 sanctioned posts of head constables, and nine posts of constable drivers of the 10 sanctioned posts. (HT File)

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Published on Aug 12, 2022 02:49 AM IST

ByPawan Sharma, Chandigarh

Assembly in session: Illegal mining dominates Haryana House proceedings

Illegal mining dominated the Haryana assembly proceedings for over 80 minutes on the second day of the monsoon session on Tuesday following the opposition party legislators launched a multi-barrel attack

Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar speaks during the monsoon session of the Haryana assembly in Chandigarh on Tuesday. Congress MLAs demanded that to stop illegal mining, “it should be started legally” as the livelihood of the people is linked to this. (Keshav Singh/HT)

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Updated on Aug 10, 2022 02:27 AM IST

ByPawan Sharma, Chandigarh

Congress MLAs walk out of Haryana House twice

Congress MLAs walk out twice from Haryana House to protest against speaker’s decision to convert adjournment motion into calling attention notice

Former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda also lodged a protest. He asked why speaker was reluctant to accept Congress’ demand. Din prevailed in the House as speaker stuck to his decision. Though he assured that sufficient time would be given to Congress to speak on the issue, the Congress MLAs walked out of the House. (HT File Photo)

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Updated on Aug 09, 2022 03:38 AM IST

ByPawan Sharma, Chandigarh

Haryana Congress MLAs walk out over debate on law and order issue

18 Haryana Congress MLAs had moved an adjournment motion on the issue, however, Speaker said it had been clubbed with the calling attention notice on the same matter

Leader of Opposition and former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda asked the Speaker to review the decision and accept the Congress demand. The Speaker refused saying the debate would be held under the calling attention notice and assured that enough time would be given to the Congress to speak on the issue. At this, the Congress MLAs walked out of the House. (HT File Photo)

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Updated on Aug 08, 2022 06:37 PM IST

ByPawan Sharma, Chandigarh

Haryana assembly monsoon session begins with tributes to DSP killed by mining mafia

Less than four months before he was to retire, 57-year-old Haryana Police DSP Surender Singh was mowed down by a dumper he signalled to stop during a raid to check illegal mining in Nuh district on July 19

Haryana DSP Surender Sharma, who was mowed down by a dumper truck he signalled to stop during a raid to check illegal mining in the Aravalli Range in Nuh district on July 19. (HT file photo)

cities

Updated on Aug 08, 2022 03:34 PM IST

ByPawan Sharma

Former Haryana Congress leader Kuldeep Bishnoi, wife Renuka join BJP

Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar presided over the function at the BJP office in Delhi, where Bishnoi was formally inducted into the party in the presence of state party president OP Dhankar and Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat

Former Congress leaders Kuldeep Bishnoi and his wife Renuka with BJP president JP Nadda and Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar after joining the Bharatiya Janata Party in New Delhi on Thursday. (PTI Photo)

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Published on Aug 04, 2022 02:49 PM IST

ByPawan Sharma

New twist: Flag-bearer of Bhajan Lal’s legacy Kuldeep Bishnoi gravitates towards BJP

What Kuldeep Bishnoi brings to BJP is not only political legacy of his father but also Bhajan Lal clan’s rare hold over the Adampur assembly segment in Hisar district where the family has never suffered a defeat

Kuldeep Bishnoi hands over his resignation to Haryana assembly speaker Gyan Chand Gupta as MLA from the Adampur constituency in Haryana, in Chandigarh on Wednesday. Flag-bearer of Bhajan Lal’s legacy, he will formally come under the wings of the BJP on Thursday. (Keshav Singh/HT)

cities

Published on Aug 04, 2022 03:35 AM IST

ByPawan Sharma, Chandigarh

Kuldeep Bishnoi quits as Congress MLA from Haryana assembly, set to join BJP

The younger son of former chief minister Bhajan Lal wants Bhavey Bishnoi to contest Adampur byelection on BJP ticket.

Kuldeep Bishnoi , accompanied by wife Renuka, submitting his resignation as MLA to Haryana Speaker Gian Chand Gupta at the Vidhan Sabha in Chandigarh on Wednesday. (Keshav Singh/HT)

cities

Updated on Aug 04, 2022 03:32 AM IST

ByPawan Sharma

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Pawan Sharma

The departments in the dock are agriculture and farmers welfare, development and panchayats, office of the chief secretary, home, urban local bodies and health

Under the plan, teachers will be pulled out from different government schools in Haryana where their numbers are more than the workload and depute them in schools functioning without a teacher

In last three years, Adampur was the third by-election the BJP was facing after the party retained power with the support of the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) in the wake of fractured mandate in the October 2019 state elections

Haryana government’s target is to contain the crop residue burning cases up to 3,000 during the current paddy harvesting season

Not only Tina, staying in a single-room safe house under police protection, a majority of the runaway couples taking refuge in such government-run houses across Haryana have to battle financial burden

: The Haryana government has issued 1,041 challans and slapped nearly ₹ 26 lakh as fine on farmers in different paddy sowing districts so far for burning crop residue, it has been learnt

Dera Sacha Sauda (DSS) chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim, convicted in two separate cases of murder, and a charge of rape, was released from Sunaria prison in Rohtak on a 40-day parole on October 14.

Sources say that under the radar of the commission for stubble burning were Ambala, Jind and Kurukshetra districts

WHO has issued a medical product alert over four cough syrups made by Haryana-based Maiden Pharmaceuticals, warning they could be linked to acute kidney injuries and deaths of 66 children in Gambia

Two poisonous substances which WHO has blamed for the death of 66 children in Gambia has been at the centre of identical tragedies earlier in Gurugram and Jammu.

A Haryana government official aware of the matter said the victims included at least 26 children from Gurugram, who were prescribed a cough syrup manufactured by a Gurugram-based company. The syrup was later found to have traces of DEG.

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation, the top drug regulatory authority of India, has launched an inquiry and alerted the Haryana government last week after learning about The Gambia tragedy.

At the forefront of this nation- wide movement to be launched on October 16 will be 50,000 women of 10,000 villages who will take a vow to fight the menace of child marriage which, the KSCF said remains grossly underreported due to numerous reasons.

The focus is on massive awareness campaign in the hinterland and educating farmers about ways to dispose of crop residue and stop stubble burning

Farm fires are primarily blamed for air pollution during the kharif harvesting season in Delhi-NCR, but the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) bulletin data shows that over the past week, the air quality of most Haryana cities has been satisfactory.

Due to the ruling BJP-JJP coalition government’s inability to furnish the ward-wise data of the seats to be reserved

At the core of Haryana government’s strategy to tackle farm fires are three key steps---make farmers ‘aware’, provide ‘aid’ in the form of subsidised machines to manage stubble and ‘act’ firmly to curb crop residue burning

The Hisar visit of AAP’s national convener comes ahead of the Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) polls and a bypoll in the Adampur assembly segment, where the AAP will be fielding its candidate

NCRB report-2021: Pendency of cases in crime against women rose to 93 per cent last year even as almost five women a day were raped across Haryana and 275 brides were killed for dowry

BJP leader, actress and TikTok star Sonali Phogat passed away on Tuesday after suffering a heart attack in Goa

The Haryana State Narcotics Control Bureau (HSNCB) has been spearheading the Manohar Lal Khattar-led BJP-JJP government’s fight against drug trafficking with just 53% of its workforce, while grappling with acute staff shortage in field units

Illegal mining dominated the Haryana assembly proceedings for over 80 minutes on the second day of the monsoon session on Tuesday following the opposition party legislators launched a multi-barrel attack

Congress MLAs walk out twice from Haryana House to protest against speaker’s decision to convert adjournment motion into calling attention notice

18 Haryana Congress MLAs had moved an adjournment motion on the issue, however, Speaker said it had been clubbed with the calling attention notice on the same matter

Less than four months before he was to retire, 57-year-old Haryana Police DSP Surender Singh was mowed down by a dumper he signalled to stop during a raid to check illegal mining in Nuh district on July 19

Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar presided over the function at the BJP office in Delhi, where Bishnoi was formally inducted into the party in the presence of state party president OP Dhankar and Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat

What Kuldeep Bishnoi brings to BJP is not only political legacy of his father but also Bhajan Lal clan’s rare hold over the Adampur assembly segment in Hisar district where the family has never suffered a defeat

The younger son of former chief minister Bhajan Lal wants Bhavey Bishnoi to contest Adampur byelection on BJP ticket.

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