Results: English students cry foul
Only two score 55 pc marks and above
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 21
Students of the English Department are up in arms against the department authorities as their marks given in the results declared by the university yesterday, they say are not fair by any standards.

Today a group of students could be seen in front of the department office, listing their woes. Only one student was said to have secured above 60 per cent and just one more had 55 per cent. A casual look at the result sheet gave a poor impression of the class performance. However, students had a totally different story to tell that is corroborated by a former chairperson of the department.

Kanchan, who had topped in the entrance test to the department last year, had got less than 50 per cent. The boy, who had stood second in the test, had failed. The girl topper from Guru Nanak Dev University at the undergraduate level was also placed far below. The list of complaints was endless.

The department sources said that evaluation work had been carried out fairly. However, Prof Pushpinder Syal, a former chairperson, did not agree. She in fact carried along a brief fact sheet to corroborate her facts to save ‘inconvenience to students’ and help them. Students, meanwhile, decided to meet the Vice Chancellor demanding a re-checking of the papers.

Professor Syal pointed out that a majority of faculty members, who were on the list of evaluators, did not turn up for the evaluation exercise. In fact there were only three or four teachers, who had performed the entire evaluation exercise. This led to a situation where only speed mattered to the evaluators and not quality of checking.

It was pointed out that evaluators checking certain papers, had no expertise or experience in that subject, the papers of which they were evaluating, which made evaluation ‘mockery of an exercise’.

A student said with a score of less than 55 per cent, the degree had no value for a student because that was the minimum qualification for a person to qualify as a teacher in future in and even for further research work. A fair re-checking should be done and students should be given what they deserve, the student added.

Another student said the university teachers should be made more accountable for their academic duties. How could they absolve themselves from the evaluation work when they were getting full salaries for their teaching work. In the name of higher research and writings, teachers were ‘absconding’ from routine duty for which they needed to be penalised, he added.

Professor Syal also pointed out that the Vice-Chancellor last year had appointed a committee to recommend measures to improve the university examination and evaluation system. However, none of the recommendations seemed to have been translated into reality that made the whole exercise futile.

It was pointed out that since examination was the total worth of any student’s career and the actual mirror of his academic standing, so the university authorities needed to gear up its examination system.

Fake law graduates face action
Kiran Deep

Chandigarh, June 21
Coming down heavily on ‘fake’ law graduates, the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana has decided to get cases registered against at least 10 persons, who had allegedly procured fake law degrees of Chowdhary Charan Singh University, Meerut, and Magadh University, Bihar.

Sources said the Chairman of the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana, Mr Anmol Rattan Sidhu, and the Secretary, Mr C.M. Munjal, had sought legal opinion on the issue from the Bar Council of India (BCI). Mr Sidhu had discussed the matter with BCI officials and the council was waiting for its reply to initiate legal action against the ‘fake’ law graduates.

Sources added that the matter was all the more grave in view of the fact that many of these graduates had applied for licences from the council, but most of them had never been enrolled with the fore-mentioned universities, while others had failed in their respective law examinations. Some of them had been caught in the cases of use of unfair means in the examinations.

It is learnt that many more persons were involved in the racket and the council has been preparing the list such law graduates. The racket came to light when the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana marked an inquiry into the case after getting feedback from members of the council that some of the degrees submitted by the students to get council’s licence seemed to be procured through illegal means.

Thereafter, the council sent these degrees to the respective universities for verification. The investigation revealed that many of the students had submitted fake degrees. These degrees were generally in the names of Bundelkhand University, Jhanshi, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kanshi, Chowdhary Charan Singh University, Meerut, and Magadh University, Bihar.

On May 31, the council submitted a list of about 28 ‘fake’ law graduates to the UT Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) demanding registration of cases of cheating and forgery against them. The council had demanded that the inquiry into the case should be marked to some senior police official, not below the rank of SP or DSP.

THE LONGEST DAY
The long and the short of it
Chitleen K Sethi
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 21
Today was the longest day of the year....but only for the science buffs who sat up till late last night to watch TV where a channel had declared that today will be eight seconds longer than any other day of the year. For the rest of the city youngsters, the duration of a day is a factor not of hours or seconds but what one is involved in doing.

‘‘Sitting and gazing into the eyes of my beloved, the day passes off in seconds but when she is away, every second seems like a year,’’ said one. For another, examination days are the longest days of the year and not June 21. And for yet another, the longer the day, more the sunshine, more the life there is to be enjoyed.

Although most of the college and university-going city students knew that June 21 was a special day but for some it was the hottest day of the year while for others it was the longest. Did it being the longest day of the year, with a few extra minutes to it, make a difference?

‘‘Oh yes, I realised the moment I got up in the morning. Even if it is longer by just a few minutes, it means more time to be happy and enjoy. But then I don’t think many people feel the way I do. Look at the difference it will make to nature to have those extra minutes of sunshine. More photosynthesis, more Vitamin D, an extra dose of sunshine to the body clock also’’, says Parul, a student of anthropology at Panjab University.

For Upkaar, a BA final year student, however, it was the best day for the undying romantic in him. ‘‘Like I said, time as a concept revolves around the presence of my beloved. With her around, time flies and without her it is a long wait. Generally speaking, I think a few seconds more or less are important. Earthquakes cause havoc in seconds and one can fall in love in seconds. Time matters, more than we realise in the end.’’

Kamal Singh, an MA History student, says he is aware that it is the longest and ‘‘as a result the hottest day of the year but I don’t think it is so hot today. But longest it is certainly not.’’ Busy preparing for UGC examination, he says for him preparatory holidays are the shortest days of the year and examination days the longest. For Navjot Kaur, just out of school, days are to be calculated not in hours but how busy they are. ‘‘The busier you are, shorter the day, the more time on your hands, the longer the day.’’

Ansuya Pathania, says more time in a day can only be a happy sign. ‘‘More time to sleep. Who says not doing anything makes you feel as if the day is never going to end. Never ending days are the ones a person should sleep through. And that is what I intend to do today.’’

‘‘Precious seconds extra in a day, yes but certainly on the longest day of the year, one can’t help but realise that from tomorrow every day is going to be shorter than the one before. For anyone who wants to do much in life, shorter days ahead can only mean fewer hours of work,’’ says Deepak Balyan, a student leader of the university.

For Seema Walia, a university research scholar ‘‘it is like reaching the end of something from where only a new beginning can take place. It is the ‘reset day’ of the eternal cycle of the time and if one is conscious enough, it should be a reset day in everyone’s life. Like any other fresh start, it should be a day to review what has gone and think forward into the future.’’

For Deepak Bhardwaj of the Department of Laws, PU, the longest day also meant the hottest day of the year. ‘‘It is hot but longest? I’m not so sure. In any case, I am a late latif. Never been able to value time even when I tried to.’’

Highway altered to please resort owners?
Ruchika M. Khanna
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, June 21
Has the alignment of the proposed Kalka-Parwanoo bypass by the Union Ministry of Surface Transport been altered, in order to accommodate a popular tourist resort near Parwanoo?

Sources in the National Highway branch of Public Works Department (Bridges and Roads) said that the original plan had been changed in order to create a loop in the bypass, to join with National Highway-22, about one km short of the resort, so as not to affect the business of the resort.

It was learnt that original plan for the bypass was to have the bypass meet the highway beyond the above mentioned tourist resort. However, considering loss in business from tourist traffic to Simla and beyond, the owners reportedly used their influence at the highest level. A senior official in PWD (B and R) informed that because of this, the bypass project had remained stalled for months.

It was then decided to give a slight U-turn to the bypass so that it could join on the highway just before the resort. ‘‘The exact RD (reduced distance from Ambala ) where the bypass will join on NH-22 near this resort, is still to be calculated,’’ informed a senior official.

It may be noted that a project to construct an alternative bypass to Pinjore-Parwanoo had been in the pipeline for long in order to decongest the stretch from Pinjore to Parwanoo in Himachal Pradesh.

This proposed bypass had its offtake point at Mallah, just before Yadvindra Gardens in Pinjore. It was learnt that though the bypass was planned long ago , it was later merged with the project for four laning of this highway. Meanwhile, the project of four laning and strengthening of existing two lane road on Ambala-Zirakpur chowk-Panchkula-Parwanoo National Highway 22 finally began. It had been decided to begin work for four-laning of an 8-km stretch of the highway in the first phase.

Sources in Public Works Department (Bridges and Roads) informed TNS that the stretch from Majri chowk to Surajpur village would be taken in the first phase. A sum of Rs 8 crore had been earmarked for executing this work during this annual plan. Presently a survey was being carried out to assess the shifting of utilities (telephone cables, electricity cables, trees etc.).

It was learnt that this 8-km stretch was being undertaken first on the request of the Deputy Commissioner, Panchkula, who had intervened with the Chief Secretary and urged that the four laning on this stretch be undertaken at the earliest on account of heavy traffic flow. Meanwhile, a proposal to have an elevated highway from Majri chowk to Old Panchkula chowk was also under consideration.

COMMUNITY

Police directives for holiday revellers
Monica Sharma

The residents should also avoid the use of ‘hanging locks’ at the main entrance. “A latch-type lock is a better option,” the official maintains. “And another thing, get iron grills installed at the windows of your house. You can even consider the feasibility of getting the boundary wall raised if you have the tendency of staying out for long periods”, he adds.

Cinema halls comply with Fire Dept’s directive
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 21
An inspection team from the Fire department here today found grilled locks of cinema hall gates.

The locks were opened after the Fire Department sent notices to cinema hall owners considering it a fire safety hazard.

The inspection was conducted by a team of department officials led by the Chief Fire Officer, Mr G. S. Bajwa.

Mr Bajwa said cinema hall managers had complied with the notice in 90 per cent of cases and locks were found to be opened today. However, the opened grills were considered to be a safety risk by the police from the sabotage angle.

The DC office had also verbally instructed cinema hall managers to keep these grilled gates opened when the viewers are inside the theatre.

City prepares for monsoon onslaught
Sanjay Sharma
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 21
With the monsoon season approaching the Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh, has virtually completed its pre-monsoon preparations to prevent waterlogging but fears that sweepers and those in the city who litter might spoil the effort.

The road gullies and storm water drainage points in the whole city, except in Sectors 17 and 34 and both phases of the Industrial Area, had been cleaned, the MC Chief Engineer, Mr V.K. Bharadwaj, told Chandigarh Tribune.

The preparations, however, are not yet complete as this reporter has found an open manhole on the Madhya Marg. But corporation finds the open manhole as an affair to be managed by the Chandigarh Administration.

Mr Bharadwaj, however, indicating his fear appealed to the people not to let their road gullies be littered by throwing garbage as well as stop any body, even the corporation employees, from throwing the garbage in drainage system of the city. Such cases should be reported to him, he said. Sectors 17 and 34 and Industrial Area would be cleaned by the next week, ahead of the monsoon setting in the city by the end of this month or early next month, he added.

The waterlogging also depends on leaves, plastic or polythene material not being littered to prevent choking the drainage system. The Engineering Wing of the municipal corporation this year removed truck loads of material clogging its drainage system and got complaints that sweepers had been throwing the garbage into the drainage system.

Still the system does not immediately drains out water and takes some time to do so but the waterlogging for a long time does not occur unless the system is choked by either leaves or plastic.

The city’s drainage system is sufficient to take the load of half an inch rainfall in an hour. The system capacity has never been exploited to the maximum except in the year 2000 when the highest ever rainfall of 26 cm was recorded in a day. After completing the first round of cleaning, the corporation will again do a second round to check the drainage just before the rains to ensure whether the system has again been clogged.

The cleaning exercise was undertaken by eight parties of five-member each through out the city. The Electricity Wing of the corporation admits that the water seepage in the ground could some time result in power failure of streetlights but said it was rare.

The Horticulture Wing has also employed its eight tractors to remove wild growth and Congress grass before the monsoons.

Substandard helmets being sold
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, June 21
With the Union Ministry of Food and Civil Supplies failing to notify helmets as mandatory objects, sub-standard helmets continue to be sold unabashedly in the city.

A number of helmets in various shapes are easily available along various V2 and V3 roads in the city. A number of roadside shops have sprung up along these roads and are reportedly doing a brisk business. Interestingly, most of these vendors concede that the helmets available with them are below standard and below the specified security standards.

These are priced comfortably between Rs 100 and Rs 250, which is very less as compared to the price of the helmets with the standardization mark. Officials in the Bureau of Indian Stanard (BIS) say that there is only one company in the Northern region that has been given the ISI certification. “However, there can be no check on these as helmets are not notified as mandatory objects,” says a senior official.

Interestingly, the BIS has set certain guidelines with regards to the design and specifications of helmets. The shell has to be of non-metallic material. It must have polystyrene protective padding, polyurethane or polyethylene comfort padding, retention system i.e. chain and strap has to be sweat-resistant, non-irritant, and corrosion-resistant metallic parts.

They said the sub-standard helmets being sold by the roadside vendors fail to meet most of these standards. The material used in the protective padding and comfort padding is most often of a lesser gauge than specified and thus the company cuts costs by using a thin padding. Even the other specifications set by the BIS are not met.

It may be noted that a large number of people prefer to buy these helmets due to the cost factor little realising that the purpose of helmets would be defeated because of its poor standards. Also, in a number of road accidents, helmets have reportedly broken into two parts and victims suffered grievous head injuries.

Sources in the BIS say though helmets are one of the most important items for protection against hazards connected with driving on roads, yet these have so far not been notified as mandatory item. So they have no control on the sale of sub-standard helmets.

These sub-standard helmets are brought to the city from New Delhi. A roadside vendor in Sector 32 said the helmets were brought in to the city by a trader in Sector 21 and then sold off to local vendors.

Chabeels mark Ekadashi
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, June 21
Sweetend water and prasad was distributed at chabeels organised by the Tribune Youth Club members and several other organisations in different parts of the city on the occasion of Nirjala Ekadashi today.

The management committee of the Pracheen Hanuman Mandir in Sector 32 also arranged a chabeel. Prasad and sweetened water was distributed to the commuters.

The State Bank of Patiala in Sector 10 also organised chabeel in front of their branch premises. The Market Welfare Association of Sector 41-D too organised a chabeel and langar at the market site.

Applications sought for Haj
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 21
Any pilgrim wants to undertake the Haj can send an application along with a bank draft for Rs 10,550 in favour of the State Haj Committee, Chandigarh. The form should reach the office of the SDM-cum-coordinator, State Haj Committee, Mr Prithi Chand, in the Estate Office building, Sector 17, on or before July 23.

Pilgrims can contact the members of the State Haj Committee and the Superintendent , DC’s office, for filling forms.

BSNL employees hold rallies
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 21
The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited employees here today held dharnas and rallies to protest against the non-implementation of the wage agreement signed in April this year. The employees threatened to strike work if the agreement was not implemented till June 30.

The local BSNL employees held a rally in Sector-34.

In a statement the union claimed as per the terms of the agreement, the pay for June, 2002, was to be paid as per the revised pay scales and arrears from October, 2000, to May, 2002, were also to be paid in June.

Zirakpur phone bills
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 21
Telephone bills of Zirakpur and Dera Bassi residents will not be accepted in Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula in July with the accounts of these exchanges being transferred to Patiala. This was announced officially here today.

Though bills up to June 18 have been prepared by the Chandigarh SSA of the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, yet bills will now be deposited at post offices and banks of the Patiala telecom district.

Two-yr-old electrocuted
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 21
A two-year-old child was electrocuted in Sector 42 when he caught hold of a leg of an air cooler's stand, while playing in a tub of water nearby. He was the son of ASI Ashok Kumar of the Chandigarh Police.

It is learnt that the victim, Bhupen, alias Bhupi, was playing in water outside his house, while his mother was inside. After a while, when she came out to check on her son, she found him dead.

CRIME

Youths snatch woman’s purse
Tribune News Service

Theft
Mr Jivan Parkash, a resident of Sector 47, in a complaint to the police said ornaments of gold and silver were stolen from his house while he was away. A case under Sections 380 and 454 of the IPC has been registered at the Sector 39 Police Station.

PANCHKULA

Arrested
The police has arrested Satish Kumar, a resident of Dharampur village, on a charge of playing satta at a public place in Kalka and seized Rs 3,140 from him.

One arrested
The police has arrested Sham Lal from near Ramgarh village and seized five bottles of country-made liquor and 31 pouches of whisky from him.

Stereo stolen
A car stereo of Mr Sanjay Kumar was stolen on the night of June 17, while it was parked outside his house in Sector 18. A case under Section 379 of IPC has been registered.

Chawla murder: potatoes baffle police
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 21
A few grams of potatoes may be a crucial evidence in the murder of Sector 26 vegetable and fruit commission agent, Ramesh Chawla. This has set the police thinking about new theories linked to the baffling death of Chawla.

The post-mortem report of the deceased reveals the presence of about 300 gm of potatoes in the stomach of Chawla. Also found in Chawla’s stomach was a lump of food which was possibly bread. Now Chawla was a diabetic and never ate potatoes on his doctor’s advice. The breakfast packed for him, on the morning of June 16, the day he disappeared, consisted of home-cooked vegetables, cooked with onions and tomatoes as main ingredients.

So why did Chawla consume potatoes ? Was he compelled to eat them under pressure. Did they contain any poisonous substance ? The police is waiting for a chemical report on the potatoes before taking this lead. If the potatoes were laced with poison then he died due to poisoning and then his face was mutilated later to mislead the police. The cause of death in the post-mortem report has been mentioned as death due to head injury. The rear seat of Chawla’s car was found splattered with blood indicating that he was killed while sitting in the rear seat of his car.

Actually it is 300 gms of potatoes which have raised a big question. Going by the post-mortem report Chawla was possibly killed between noon and midnight on June 16. Chawla’s body, with a badly disfigured face, was found in the woods behind Dhanas on June 17.

Senior police officials said potatoes had made the murder even more difficult to solve. When asked if Chawla could have been the target of contract killing, a senior cop said why would a contract killer first feed Chawla with potatoes and then kill him and why would Chawla accept potatoes knowing his medical condition.

BUSINESS

MARKET PULSE
Swedish bread in city
Tribune News Service

Also present at the launch was Capt Vikas Choudhury, the director-production and marketing of Arctic Bread Pvt Ltd. He pointed out, “Our products would revolutionise the concept of anytime bread, as our customers would be made familiar with newer concepts of utilising breads as a part of their daily diet. At the same time, the rich nutrient content of the breads would surely be appreciated by all our customers”.

Teleservice

Bharti Cellular Limited, a subsidiary of Bharti Tele-Ventures, India’s leading telecom conglomerate, announced the beginning of a unique mobile service experience for customers in Haryana with the commencement of AirTel services. This follows the inauguration of the AirTel network recently by Mr Sunil Bharti Mittal, chairman and group managing director, Bharti Enterprises by making the first call on the AirTel network to Ms Sushma Swaraj, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting.

AirTel subscribers beginning tomorrow will be able to avail of the never-before offers in addition to world class mobile services. This includes free airtime (FAI) of up to 75 minutes per month (depending on the plan chosen) with the option of roll over of the unused airtime to the next month. All subscribers will also get SMS and VMS free for two months starting from the date of subscription. AirTel had earlier announced three new tariff options for its customers thereby offering to customers in Haryana, for the first time, rentals less than those on fixed line telephones.

Home bank event

The ICICI Bank Home Search, one of the leading home loan providers in the country, on Friday organised ICICI Home Search Dhamaka, an exhibition, which will help customers to not only identify a home but also obtain a loan.

The three-day event is being held at Hotel Aroma Premium here.

More than 1500 properties from eight reputed builders are on display at the exhibition. A one-of-a-kind event in the city, the exhibition is an opportunity to customers to see a wide choice of properties to select from under one roof. Builders are offering special discounts to customers at the venue.

In additional, executives of ICICI Bank Home Search, the property search division of ICICI Bank, help the buyers through the process of property selection and documentation. Site visits would also be arranged based on customer preference. This service would be provided to customers absolutely free of cost for new flats. There would also be discounts offered by ICICI Home Search on brokerage charged for resale transactions.

In addition to all this, ICICI Bank Home Loans would offer spot sanctions for home loans on the display properties. With reduction in interest rates a couple of months ago, the rates offered by the organisation are among the most competitive.

Kitchen items on display
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, June 21
The Confederation of Indian Industry’s (CII) “Kitchen 2002”, a fair on kitchen appliances and accessories, holds the promise to make cooking an artistic and comfortable affair. From electric chimney to water purifier to refined rice brand cooking oil, you name it and they have it all. This four-day annual event of the CII, which is fourth in the series, was inaugurated here at the CII exhibition hall in Sector 31 here today.

About 36 stalls arranged systematically displayed items that can make cooking a pleasurable experience. While already existing brands like Whirlpool, National Panasonic, Inalsa, Clearline, Sunflame, Raccold, Faber etc have come up with their latest innovations, relatively new companies like Kent water purifier and Ricela, refined rice brand oil, are exhibiting their products for the first time.

This time the kitchen fair is different from the previous one as last year emphasis was on kitchen modules while this time keeping consumers’ demand in mind only kitchen appliances and accessories have been exhibited, says Hardeep Singh, Deputy Director, CII, Northern Region.

The fair which is open for public from 12 noon to 10 pm will continue till June 24.