• Hooda sets up panel

Advani deplores politics in education
Tribune News Service

ROHTAK, Nov 4 — The Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, said today that the education sector was fast becoming an arena of anarchic politics.

Delivering the convocation address at the seventh convocation of the Maharshi Dayanad university here today, Mr Advani said that the polluted political atmosphere of the country was responsible for the exodus of the native talent. He said that time had come to got into the reasons as to why Indians excelling in the fields of medical science, computers, space science, technology and economics abroad could not do so while staying in the country.

He called upon educational administrators to create conducive atmosphere in their institutions so that educated Indians preferred to use their talent to serve the motherland instead of being tempted to fly abroad.

Mr Advani deplored that some advanced countries were trying to dominate and control other nations through means of science and technology and termed it as blatant misuse of knowledge, but when India exploded its nuclear device at Pokhran, these nations raised a hue and cry and advised us against acquiring this knowledge.

Mr Advani categorically stated that India was the country that truly professed & preached the teachings of Swami Dayanad which considered the entire world to be one family and called for religious tolerance and peaceful co-existence of various countries.

Mr Advani delivered his written address in Hindi though at the beginning he said that politicians should not read written speeches. At times, he however, departed from the written text to support the points raised in the address.

He said that the "lack of will power" was hampering development of the education sector and for non-fulfilment of the educational targets. He said that a country, where more than 40 per cent of the population was deprived of modern education, had not only to struggle to meet basic necessities of its populace but also strive hard to maintain its social and geographical integrity.

He gave a call to the youth of the country to prepare themselves to face the challenges of the contemporary world so as to fulfil the dreams of those freedom fighters, revolutionaries, patriots and nation builders who laid down their lives for the greater glory of this country.

Mr Advani praised the contribution of Maharshi Dayanad after whose name this university has been named and said that this modern sage was responsible for initiating the national cultural renaissance and initiating breaking off shackles of imperialism, Swami Dayanand worked tirelessly for the spread of knowledge of our religions, culture and civilisation as well as modern scientific education.

He said that Swami Dayanand advocated knowledge of Sanskrit so that common man could understand the Vedas.

But he propagated his basic teachings in Hindi by writing 'Satyarth Prakash'. "Mr Advani said that as long Hindi was the "rashtar bhasha" it was acceptable throughout the country, but as soon as it was declared as the "national language" it became controversial.

He expressed the hope that the students getting degrees today would step in the battle of life with the dream of building a new and resurgent India standing proud in the comity of nations in the coming century by using their talent for the country.

He appreciated girl students for excellent performance in the examinations and added that it was matter of introspection for boys for their poor performance. Perhaps it was due to politics in the education.

Mr Advani said that political science should be taught to impart knowledge but there should be no place for party politics and indiscipline in the field of education.

Earlier the Governor and Chancellor of the University, Mr Mahavir Parsad conferred Ph.D degrees on 186 students. The Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal presented gold medals to 53 toppers of 1998 annual examinations. He also released commemorative souvenir on this occasion. The degrees of postgraduate examinations were given away by the Vice-Chancellor, Mr O.P. Kaushik.

Advani declines doctorate
Tribune News Service

ROHTAK, Nov 4 — The Union Home Minister, Mr LK Advani, politely declined to accept honorary doctorate from Maharshi Dayanand University.

Mr Advani was invited by the university to deliver an address at its seventh convocation held here today.

He said the Vice-Chancellor had offered to confer honorary doctorate on him at the convocation, but he declined because he did not want to accept any such honour while holding the office of the Union Home Minister.

He told university authorities that those being Ph.D. degree had laboured hard to achieve it. "I am being offered this degree due to the position held by me" he said and added that he would be glad to accept this honour when out of office.

Lecturers patrol GJU campus at night
Tribune News Service

HISAR, Nov 4 — Instead of preparing for lectures or sleeping the lecturers, readers and other non-teaching staff of the Guru Jambeshwar University here are seen patrolling on the campus at night. Courtesy an order of officiating Vice-Chancellor Dharamveer, who is also the Commissioner, Hisar division.

The teaching community grumble, but dares not to oppose the order. About half a dozen teachers were reluctant to talk about the order. Such is the scare that none of them wanted to be identified.

The order, issued last week exempts deans and professors from the patrolling duty.

The teachers perform patrol duty on rotational basis for two hours. And their patrolling in duly monitored by a vehicle which continuously makes round of the campus.

This is not for the first time that the officiating VC has annoyed the teaching community of the university. Only after a few days of taking the charge, he reportedly reprimanded two teachers for keeping their rooms dirty. At another meeting, he reportedly remarked that the educational standards of the university were so low that he would not like to admit his children to the university.

Moreover, only after two days of his taking charge he also made some crucial transfers. Few teachers said that they had been hoping that the new Vice-Chancellor would help in bringing the university out of the financial constraints. But he seems to have diverted his attention to non-academic pursuits.

Mr Dharamveer was not available for comments. He, according to one of his officials, had gone to Chandigarh.

Focus on vegetarian food habits stressed
Tribune News Service

HISAR, Nov 4 — Food production in next three decades will need to be doubled world over to meet basic requirements. This, according to the experts who have gathered here to deliberate on the World Food Security at an international conference at the CCS Haryana Agricultural University will mean producing more food than produced during the last 10000 years together.

Talking to The Tribune here today, Dr Manfred Kern, an international expert on food production said, it is not just the increasing population, that has posed problems for the food security. He pointed out, it is the modified eating habits that must be the cause for concern.

He said, according to a United Nations forecast six billion people will be living on this planet on June 16, 1999. At present three babies are born every second, 2,20,000 per day and 81 million per year. In the year 2025 there would be an estimated population of nine billion inhabiting the globe, which is likely to go to 10 billion in 2050.

Dr Kern pointed out, this was in no way commensurate with the increase in food production. Besides, the food productivity was also coming down.

Under a project Vision 2025 and Vision 2050, food production world over will need to be doubled to ensure desired food availability to every individual across the world. He explained that when people take vegetarian food, it is utilised in its primary form. This will require much less inputs. If it is taken in secondary form, say in the shape of meat it will need additional inputs. The chicken, pork and beef have been categorised as Factor I, Factor IV and Factor VII. That means if chicken is consumed as food, it will need two times more inputs. If it is consumed in the form of pork it will need four times extra inputs and if in the form of beef, it will require seven-fold extra inputs. Because first they will consume the agricultural products themselves and then the humans can utilise it.

Dr Kern sought that there should be more focus on, what is called in common parlance as "vegetarian food habits". Otherwise there would be too much stress on agricultural resources which would hamper the sustained agricultural development and thus ultimately endanger food security.

Moreover, he added, the focus needed to be laid on developing biotechnology and its transfer to the third would countries. He said, at present it is the final products that are transferred from the developed to the third world countries. The emphasis should be to transfer the technology itself. This will create human capacities in the third world countries, which can also help in improvement in agricultural production.

He pointed out that 25 million hectares of land in the developed countries are planted with genetically modified or optimised crops and plants. Same technology needed to be transferred to the third world countries, which can add to their agricultural production.

SCERT seminar fails to take off
From Our Correspondent

PANCHKULA, Nov 4 —A four- day seminar being held for science and mathematics teachers of government schools in the district by the State Council of Education Research and Training (SCERT) has turned out to be a farce.

Teachers have been marking their attendance for the past three days for the academic exercise, which is yet to takeoff with another day left for the seminar to conclude.

Over 100 mathematics and science teachers from different middle, higher and senior secondary government schools in the district are being put to a lot of harassment as they have to come from far-off places to attend the four-day event at Senior Secondary School in Sector 7 here with the organisers nowhere in sight.

Sources in the education department said that the seminar being organised by the SCERT, Gurgaon, which is engaged in education research programme, was scheduled to start from November 2 and end on November 5.

Though the teachers will be paid TA and allowances, they questioned the logic of holding the exercise at the cost of their students.

A teacher on the condition of anonymity said official letters about the seminar being organised by the SCERT were despatched to different schools earlier this month.

The District Education Officer, Mrs Phool Khatri, when contacted by The Tribune maintained that the seminar was being held as per schedule. Asked about who was conducting the seminar, she said it was inaugurated by the Principal of the Sector 7 school as officials of the SCERT could not reach the venue.

She added that the concluding day of the seminar would, however, be conducted by the officials of the SCERT and that she had received a phone call to this effect.

Abhay Chautala to file papers today
Tribune News Service

HISAR, Nov 4 — Although the Indian National Lok Dal is yet to arrive at any agreement with the Bhartiya Janata Party, Mr Abhay Chautala, the younger son of Mr Om Prakash Chautala, will file his nomination papers from the Sangria Assembly Constituency in Hanumangarh district of Rajasthan.

The seat is presently being represented by the Congress candidate. The name of Mr Abhay Chautala was finalised at a meeting of the party held at Delhi under the chairmanship of Mr Om Prakash Chautala.

Party sources expressed doubts over the possible alignment with the BJP. However, they said, the negotiations were still on between the leaders of the two parties. The sources said, nomination of Mr Abhay Chautala was in no way going to hamper the negotiations with the BJP.

At the same time, the INLD has expressed its reservations against some of the BJP leaders from Haryana "playing into the hands of vested interests". Mr Chautala is reported to have brought the matter into the notice of senior BJP leaders.

The party which claims to have hold on, at least 60 seats, is yet to finalise the names of other candidates. This has been done, to keep options open for conveying positive signals to the BJP, which is said to be a prospective alliance partner.

Mr Abhay Chautala, who will file his nomination papers tomorrow is expected to be accompanied by hundreds of his party workers from the neighbouring districts of Hisar and Sirsa.

111 pumps to clear flood water
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Nov 4 — Mr Arun Kumar, Deputy Commissioner of Jhajjar has said that 111 pumps have been pressed into service in the district to dewater flood water and nearly half of the submerged areas had been dewatered.

Mr Kumar visited inundated villages of the district yesterday and inspected dewatering operation.

He claimed that flood water of nearly 5,000 acres about half of the flood-affected region, had been drainedout and sowing of mustard and gram crops had at some places.

He said that special girdwari had been started to assess the loss to farmers and collection of "abiana" and "taqavi" had been suspended as per the directions of the government. He claimed that nearly 80 per cent of the flood hit areas would relieved and inundated by November 15.

Kapal Mochan Mela concludes
Tribune News Service

YAMUNANAGAR, Nov 4 — More than seven lakh pilgrims had a dip today morning on the eve of 'Kartik Purnima' at Kapal Mochan Mela, at Bilaspur, about 25 km from here.

The three-day Mela which concluded here today, attracted Hindu and Sikh devotees.

According to a legend, if anybody takes a dip in the three sarovars, i.e. Kapal Mochan, Rin Mochan and Suraj Kund, gets rid of his sins. The five Pandavas washed their weapons after the battle of Kurukshetra. Guru Gobind Singh in 1637 also stayed here for 52 days and performed a 'Puja'.

Pilgrim Brij Mohan resident of Bhatia Nagar, Yamunanagar, was drowned today morning while taking bath in Suraj Kund Sarovar. His body has been sent to his relatives, One more person named Chintamani resident of Faridkot (Punjab) died of a heart condition.

Hooda sets up panel
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Nov 4 — Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, President of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee, today set up a 29-member tercentenary celebration committee under his own chairmanship for the 300th anniversary of the birth of Khalsa from April next to April, 2000.

While Mr B.S. Jauhar and Mr H.S. Chatha will be the Vice-Chairmen, Dr Ram Parkash will be its member-secretary.