Jalandhar, June 1
Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh inaugurated a hall at Apahaj Ashram in the memory of his father Sardar Sardev Singh Plaha here yesterday.

Bhajji, accompanied by his mother, inaugurated the Sardar Sardev Singh memorial block on the premises of the ashram and garlanded the picture of his father in the hall. Harbhajan had donated Rs 5 lakh for the construction of the hall.

Ashram chairman Tarsem Kapoor said the ashram cost Rs 9 lakh. “Harbhajan would be paying the remaining funds soon. Bhajji’s family has also planned to conduct a langar at the ashram on June 7 in the memory of his father,” he added.

The off-spinner met inmates of the ashram. The inmates were happy to meet Harbhajan.

Talking to the media, Bhajji said he would like to extend financial help to the inmates of the ashram in future.

Harbhajan said cricketers should follow in the footsteps of ace cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and voluntarily come forward to help the destitute.

Jalandhar, June 1
A city court has issued warrants to attach the property of block education office (primary), Goraya-I. Civil Judge Gurmeet Kaur issued the attachment warrants on May 17 on the application of former JBT teacher Sarwan Chand of Rurka Kalan village in Phillaur tehsil. The court issued directions either to implement the warrants or pay the retirement benefits to Sarwan Chand by July 17.

The attachment orders have been issued on the basis of the orders issued by Civil Judge Virinder Aggarwal in September, 2008. In its order, Aggarwal decreed Sarwan Dass’s stands with costs. The court stated Sarwan Dass was entitled to retiral benefits such as pension, gratuity and leave encashment. The court directed the Education Department to make the payment of pension, gratuity and leave encashment along with interest at the rate of 6 per cent per annum from the date of filing of the suit till realisation.

However, later the department appealed against this judgement and decree in the court of Additional District Judge K.C. Gupta on October 8, 2008. The court dismissed this appeal with costs in its order in January this year, stating that it was devoid of merits.

Phagwara, June 1
In a case of gang wars, undertrial prisoner Gurwinder Singh was attacked and critically wounded with sharp-edged weapons by two assailants belonging to his rival group in the Judicial Court Complex here on Monday. Gurwinder was admitted to the Civil Hospital.

The assailants escaped in a car after committing the crime. The police has registered a case against two assailants identified as Paramjit Singh of Narur village and Minhas of Panchhat village.

The two police employees escorting the undertrial prisoner have been suspended. It may be recalled that four persons, including Gurwinder Singh of Panchhat village and Bhupinder Singh of Rupewal village, were booked on the charge of attempt to murder on two villagers - Minhas and Sunder - from nearby Panchhat village on March 4. Gurwinder and Bhupinder were arrested and lodged in the Phagwara and Kapurthala sub-jails, respectively. Both arrested accused were brought to Phagwara to be produced in the judicial court by two cops - head constable Manjit Singh and constable Mohan Singh - when one of the undertrial prisoners was assaulted. — OC

Jalandhar, June 1
The Principals Association of Non-Government Affiliated Colleges (Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar) and Federation of Principals Association (Punjab and Chandigarh) today took a strong note of the campaign being initiated by the Director, Colleges, DAV College Management Committee, M.L. Aeri, and other persons against Dr V.K. Tewari at the local DAV College.

While Principal Dr Tewari has proceeded on a long leave under pressure from the DAV College Management Committee, the college members in turn had been going ahead with the campaign against him.

A deputation of the office-bearers of the Principals Association and the federation discussed the issue with general secretary of the DAV College Management Committee Radhe Shyam Sharma on May 26. The deputation urged the management committee to reconsider their decision and cancel his leave as Dr Tewari would be retiring on February 28, 2011.

President of the association Nirmal Pandhi, general secretary of the association Dr Jaspal Singh Randhawa and other principals of the city-based colleges alleged that though a special audit was conducted based on the complaints submitted by some persons of the DAV College to verify the allegations, but nothing was found against Dr Tewari. “Even a further demand to conduct an audit was also cancelled,” the principals added.

Talking to mediapersons, Dr Randhawa said on January 1, 2010, the Director, Colleges, M.L. Aeri, had told the vice-president of the PCCTU that in the audit report it had been found that Dr Tewari had done no financial irregularities. “Aeri had revealed this to the PCCTU during a meeting,” he added.

The principals also regretted that despite raising the issue with the DAV College Management Committee no proper decision was taken till date. “The DAV committee had assured us that this decision would be reviewed and that the status quo maintained. It was also said the charge of principal’s post should not be handed over to any other person,” he added.

Dr Randhawa stated that they had already brought the matter to the notice of Vice-Chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Dr A.S. Brar. “The Vice-Chancellor has also taken a serious note of this issue and has assured to sort it out soon,” said Dr Randhawa.

The principals also demanded that the post of Director of DAV College Management Committee should be abolished as per Principals take stand for Dr V.K. Tewari

the directions of Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, sent to all colleges on June 27, 2008. It was also said if any employee had a grievance against Dr Tewari, it should be followed through legal way. “An independent inquiry should be conducted under the orders of the Vice-Chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University and the inquiry should be conducted by some retired or sitting judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court,” the principals maintained.

It might be noted that the DAV College (unit of PCCTU) released a press note on May 27 stating that the DAV College Management Committee had granted leave to Dr Tewari on the latter’s request from May 22, 2010, up to his date of retirement in February, 2011.

The press note also read that Dr Tewari should not violate the orders of the DAV College Management Committee and hand over the charge to the Vice-Principal of the college. “We want the immediate restoration of Dr Tewari,” the principals added.

Jalandhar, June 1
The district drug authorities today conducted raids on two medical stores in the city and seized large amount of prohibited drugs.

District Drug Inspector Kulwinder Singh said acting on a tip-off, a raid was conducted on a medical store located at Basti Shiekh and nearly 318 capsules containing Dextropropoxyphene, 1,010 tablets of Lomotil and 24 injections of prohibited drugs were seized from the shop.

He said even the shop owner was not entitled to stock and sale narcotics and psychotropic drug as license was issued to him on December 2009 and all those chemists who were issued license after January 1, 2009, are not eligible to store and sale such drugs. However, license to this chemist was issued only in February 2009.

He said another raid was conducted on a chemist shop located near Adda Khambrhaan and 1,800 tablets, 700 capsules and 27 syrups of prohibited and psychotropic drugs were seized from the shop. He said license holders were not present in the shop at the time of raid and those of who present failed to show sale and purchase bills.

Jalandhar, June 1
Dr Aditya Pratap Singh today joined the Punjab Technical University as Dean, Student Affairs. A doctorate in Applied Chemistry, he has an expertise as a postdoctoral fellow in the field of microwave processing of ceramics and brings with himself a vast experience with more than 30 publications/patents to his credit.

He has to his account prestigious academic honours and awards. Prior to joining PTU, he had served as professor of chemistry at PTU affiliated Shaheed Bhagat Singh College of Engineering and Technology, Ferozepur, for seven years. — TNS

Jalandhar, June 1
A nine-day summer camp for the pre-primary wing was organised at Police DAV Public School from May 21 to May 31, 2010. A rainbow of activities was provided to children as splash, craft, dance, fun games, and party time. Every day children were shown a movie. The days of the camp were entitled as butterfly day, plantation day, friendship etc. and each day was themed on a colour. On the concluding day an exhibition was put up and various items prepared by children like spray paintings, pot making, hand kerchief printing wind chimes, candle stands from bangles, pop photo frames were put on display.

Jalandhar, June 1
Amid item songs at marriage parties, the buzz of the fresh new mall crowds and the burr of the excited ROB machines at work, there’s a very different kind of music which happens, unnoticed, all the year round in the homes (read music rooms) of the classical music wary of the city. When the concerts happen, this passionate crop of musicians spills on to the stage, and the worries of those who’d begun to fear for the fate of “shastriya sangeet” are put to rest.

After a spell of silence, the city public opened up its noise-weary ears to the wondrous tones of classical music with the Alam Sangeet Sammelan held at Saigal Memorial Hall on May 29.

Dedicated to the memories of Ustad Bachan Singh Alam and Ustad Alla Rakha Khan, the concert showcased veterans as well as a fresh, young bunch of musicians.

The concert began to the beats of three young men. Tutored by Ustad Kulwinder Singh, the trio played the tabla.

The solo Kaharwa recital by Kaka Gurjit Singh Ghagg was followed by a jugalbandi by Rabab Singh and Surjit Singh in the Teen Taal.

The nimble-fingured Master Rishabh Seen, accompanied by Jaidev on the tabla, came next. Playing Raag Charukeshi on the sitar, Rishabh’s way of switching between the subtler and bolder strokes of the sitar gave the audience a controlled performance.

Next came the haunting strains of Raag Saraswati Durga, rendered in the bold, bani voices of the Ashupreet-Anupreet duo, as the third sister Poojapreet played the harmonium and father Tilak Raj accompanied on the tabla. The sisters’ powerful recital ended with a shabad.

Then came the powerhouse performer.

Coming to the city after more than a decade, Ustad Fazal Qureshi’s tabla did have every bit of that fire and more. Even the uninitiated in music, listened intently as he crisply thrummed his double drums to a packed house. Marked by his distinct style, his tabla commanded attention and in his quaint mannerisms, both in the persona and what he played on the tabla, you could get charming glimpses of Ustad Alla Rakha and brother Zakir from time to time.

Alankar Singh followed Qureshi with a honeyed voice and soulful compositions. He rendered three bandishes (vilambit, madhya and drut lay) in Raag Shudh Kalyan and ended with a stirring Punjabi composition in Raag Nand. His performance was rich on the lingering melancholy that marks classical music and his masterful control on the mandra saptak was noteworthy.

The last performance of the evening was all music and laughter. In Ustad Satnam Singh you thought you saw a guy who loves tandoori tikkas and dances to cheesy bhangra pop.

But he came on stage and declared in his Punjabi-accented Hindi, “After you listen to this stuff (classical), you will get angry at songs (film).”

Singh weaved a brilliant web of magnificence with his haunting santoor. The chemistry with Ustad Qureshi (his second appearance that evening), as the soft joined the rhythmic, gave the performance a fiery edge.

All through, Singh’s wide-eyed, almost childlike amazement at the end of every santoor-tabla spell, and Qureshi’s delightful grin in answer, rendered the performance a cuteness which was both funny and refreshing.

Jalandhar, June 1
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Jalandhar, has asked Club Cabana to refund Rs 1.25 lakh as membership fee and pay up Rs 10,000 as compensation to a complainant.

Rajesh Gupta, a resident of Green Park, said he had got his membership on December 24, 2006 after he was allured of facilities like swimming pool, gymnasium, steam and sauna, tennis, badminton, squash and golf for the entire family. He said many other facilities like restaurant and guest room were also committed.

The member said he was also promised facilities of associate clubs and that it would be operational by April 2007. He alleged even after 20 months of delay, he had not been able to enjoy the facilities. He said he had written many letters and e-mails to the club authorities but they continued to avoid him.

The club authorities said the member was never told that the facilities would be made available immediately. “It was conveyed that the facilities would be available to members in due course of time. The club started operating on December 29, 2007 with all facilities including sports, gymnasium, swimming pool etc. It eventually became operational in every respect on October 2008,” a reply was submitted.

The forum found that while the member had paid the fee he was told that the club was to become operational in April 2007. However, in a reply filed on May 25, 2007 the manager expressed regret for delay because of delay in shipment of equipments from overseas.

Forum members A.K. Sharma, Rakesh Kumari and Darshan Singh said the club authorities admitted their inability to provide facilities till December 2007. “Even now no evidence has been produced to prove that the facilities were being provided. The complainant was genuinely anguished as he was deprived of the club facilities despite payment of a hefty amount of membership fee,” it observed.

The members directed Club Cabana to refund membership fee of Rs 1,25,708 to the complainant for its deficiency in services with compensation and costs of Rs 10,000 within a month.