& V I C I N I T Y
Monday, November 2, 1998
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C H A N D I G A R H & V I C I N I T Y |
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Monday, November 2, 1998 |
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spotlight today's calendar |
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Practicals: changes planned Replace
set, TV dealer told |
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 Consumer award for Tribune newsman CHANDIGARH, Nov 1 — Mr UK Bhanot, a Special Correspondent of The Tribune, has been conferred the Consumer Award-98 by the Consumer Federation of India, New Delhi. |
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Traffic
awareness programme Show-cause
notice to 7 councillors |
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Practicals: changes planned CHANDIGARH , Nov 1 — Faced with criticism of"farce" in practical examinations at the undergraduate level, Panjab University is planning radical changes to streamline the conduct of the examinations. Colleges affiliated to the university will be divided into seven different zones. Each zone will be headed by a principal who will coordinate the conduct of the examination, sources said. There will be at least one external examiner appointed for an examination at one centre. Now both the examiners are internal and appointed by the college principal. The papers were not set and were often prepared on-the-spot. In the proposed reform each examination will have a question paper set in advance, sources said. Colleges have been attached with identified zones. These include Abohar (8 centres), Ferozepore (5 centres), Ludhiana (22 centres), (Moga (16 centres), Hoshiarpur (17 centres); and Chandigarh (10 centres). Colleges of education have been clubbed as one group with 12 centres. In the existing system, it was often discovered that colleges did not have the required laboratory equipment. This also lead non-serious approach on part of students. In a number of cases, the actual number of practicals conducted during the session were far below the required. The university set up a committee under the convenership of Ms Sneh Mahajan, which met recently . As an incentive to teachers, payments will be made on-the-spot. The committee however is yet to review the existing renumeration for practical work, sources point out. The issue was also raised at the Syndicate meeting of the university. It was pointed out that the paper should be set by the university as was the practice till 1994. Both examiners were appointed by the university. Even the papers were set by the university (keys system). The paper could be opened 24 hours before the examination. There was very less scope for changing the questions and the external examiner could also report about the availability of chemicals in colleges. The answer-sheets were sent back to university in sealed packets. The practice was discontinued after 1994. As payments to teachers were delayed there were very few takers for practical examination duties.The new system solved the problem of shortage of examiners and also saved university revenue. However, the academic interests suffered. It was pointed out that
often colleges did not purchase chemicals. Small colleges
did not have the required number of teachers to conduct
the examination. |
Protestors form 'human chain' on
demolition CHANDIGARH, Nov 1 — The UT Administration and the BJP-ruled Municipal Corporation Chandigarh appear to be on the warpath with the Mayor, Mr Gian Chand Gupta, today, flaying the administration for carrying out demolitions in Raipur Kalan on October 27. He had advocated the formation of a new uniform housing policy for the development of villages. Meanwhile, hundreds of villagers and members of the Gaon Sangharash Samiti formed a 'human chain' outside the railway station to protest against the demolitions.They also raised anti-Administration slogans during the two-hour protest in which a large number of women and children participated. The programme was planned by the organisers to coincide with the arrival of the Shatabdi at about 10.30 a.m. The protest plan had the support of various political parties including the local unit of the BJP and the Congress. Talking to the TNS after addressing a gathering, Mr Gupta said that demolition of certain select houses in Raipur Kalan was done under a "conspiracy hatched" by certain bureaucrats to defame the BJP. He said in place of harassment to the people by demolishing their houses, a probe against the officials who had allowed the houses to come up on agricultural land and who were behind the registration of small plots measuring one to two marlas should be ordered. Describing the demolition incident as a 'barbaric act' he asked what the Administration had gained by resorting to demolitions and by rendering some homeless. Mr Gupta said the Administration should regularise the houses built in villages around the city in view of shortage of houses in Chandigarh. "If Shanti Nagar in Manimajra could be regularised, why not these colonies, "he asked. Uniform housing policy for villages and colonies was the only solution of the problem, he said. The president of the local unit of the BJP Mr D P Gupta said before undertaking demolitions members of panchayats and zila parishads should have been taken into confidence by the Administration. The general secretary of the BJP Mr Mahavir Prasad said the protest plan including a chain fast, which entered its fifth day today,would continue till the Adviser assured that no such demolition would be carried out. The mayor was leaving for Delhi for apprising Home Minister Advani of the situation, he added. Earlier a number of passengers including a former Chief Minister of Himachal Mr Virbhadra Singh, got struck for a few minutes when protesters formed a 'human chain' between the exit point of the station and the police station. However, his vehicle was allowed to proceed by the protesters after raising slogans. Meanwhile,in a press note
issued here Mr.Kehar Singh Kaundal, a spokesman of the
BJP claimed that the local M P Mr Satya Pal Jain, had a
talk with the UT Adviser on telephone from
Hyderabad,where he is on a tour as a member of the
all-party committee of MPs. |
TV dealer told to replace set CHANDIGARH, Nov 1 — The UT Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum (II) has ordered a local dealer in TV sets to replace a set which developed fault within two months of the purchase by a consumer. Mr RP Bajaj, president and Mr HS Walia and Ms Kamlesh Gupta, both members, issued the order on a written complaint filed by Mr Natha Singh, a resident of Sector 47. Mr Natha Singh said in his complaint that he purchased a TV set from Satlej Enterprises, Sector 35, in 1995. The set carried a guarantee of 12 months. Within two months the quality of sound and picture became unsatisfactory. The dealer did not replace the set despite repeated requests. The forum after going through the details of the complaint ordered the dealer to replace the TV set with a new trouble-free colour TV. The dealer will also have
to pay Rs 1,100 as costs within a month of the receipt of
the copy of the order. |
Consumer award for Tribune newsman CHANDIGARH, Nov 1 — Mr UK Bhanot, a Special Correspondent of The Tribune, has been conferred the Consumer Award-98 by the Consumer Federation of India, New Delhi. Mr Bhanot has been felicitated in recognition of his services as a journalist and as a consumer activist. He is associated with a popular column of yesteryear called, "Consumer Counter", a press note of the federation said here today. The awards were given by
Mr Surjit Singh Barnala, Minister for Food and Consumer
Affairs, at a function in Delhi last week. Mr Bhanot,
however, could not attend the function. |
Action plan has ‘come too
late’ CHANDIGARH, Nov 1 — The local unit of the Samajwadi Party (SP) today held the BJP Government at the Centre responsible for the skyrocketing prices of essential commodities. Mr Shivi Jaiswal and Mr Davinder Singh, president and general secretary, respectively, alleged here today the six-point action plan announced by the government to check the prices had come too late. They demanded the
resignation of the Mayor, Mr Gian Chand Gupta, as he had
"lost" majority in the municipal corporation. |
Traffic awareness programme CHANDIGARH, Nov 1 — A traffic awareness programme was organised by the Global Kids Club at the Children’s Traffic Park in Sector 23 today. Screening of films on traffic, an interaction programme with traffic wardens, and "fakemobiles" — game for the kids and adults with a view to teaching them traffic rules — were the highlights of the programme. The purpose of the event
was to give a filip to the wholesome self-awareness among
the kids. |
Show-cause notice to 7
councillors CHANDIGARH, Nov1 — The president of the local unit of the BJP, Mr Dharam Pal Gupta, today issued show-cause notices to seven party councillors for their statements against the Mayor, Mr Gian Chand Gupta, on October 30. The seven councillors are Mr Prem Sagar Jain, Senior Deputy Mayor, Mr R.S. Bedi, Mr R.L. Arora, Mr Kewal Krishan, Mr Bachan Singh, Mr Kanhaiya Lal and Mrs Kamla Sharma. They have been asked to
reply to the notices within seven days. |
CHANDIGARH, Nov 1 — A constable of the Punjab Armed Police (PAP) was arrested today while stealing fog lights from vehicles parked inside a parking lot on the premises of the Punjab Secretariat. Harpal Singh was caught red-handed while stealing fog lights from a Gypsy. He was caught by Mr Kundan Singh, an Inspector of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). A case has been registered. Burnt: Veena, a resident of Bapu Dham colony, sustained burns at her house in the colony on Sunday night. The body has been sent to General Hospital, Sector 16. The exact cause of the death could not be ascertained. Arrested: Choria Ram, a resident of Labour colony in Sector 25, was arrested on Sunday and 16 bottles of liquor were seized from him. A case under the Excise
Act has been registered. |
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Some of the slipways and carriageways built by the Chandigarh Administration's engineering department have neither proper surface level nor metalling. While the slipways are useful but optional for road-users, the carriageways become almost compulsory as the vehicle users are left with no choice when they have to enter the sector areas from the main roads or join the main roads from the middle of a sector. As one comes from Guru Gobind Singh College in Sector 26 or the St John's High School to Madhya Marg, both the roads leading to Madhya Marg and the carriageway to be taken for entry into Madhya Marg have either big potholes, missing metalled portions and at places no proper levelling. The heavy traffic road from Hari Mandir, near St Kabir School, to the main fruit and vegetable market is, perhaps, one of the worst roads in the Union Territory of Chandigarh. The carriageway from near Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan to take one to the Chandigarh Press Club in Sector 27 is again one of the worst ones where big stones fly onto the fast moving vehicles. Also, the carriageway from the intersection of Sectors 34, 35, 21 and 22 towards Kisan Bhavan has neither level surface nor metalling. Such broken or unbuilt carriageways are numerous. It is for the Chandigarh Administration to give priority to the proper construction of such roads which are increasing the cost of movement on the roads by "eating away" the costly tyres of vehicles. Chandigarh by night Though the Chandigarh traffic police is prompt in issuing challans for traffic violations during day time any offence committed during the late evening hours or night goes largely un-noticed. The traffic cops go back and each road user then interprets the rules of the roads as he wishes. Breaking the rule is more common. After 9.30 p.m. one comes across any number of drunken drivers, scooterists without helmets, overspeeding, vehicles with headlights on high beam and even triple riding on two wheelers. At irregular intervals the traffic police does carry out surprise checking at night but it seems they need to increase its frequency. In the past couple of months not a single drive has been launched against drunken driving. Each weekend hundreds, if not thousands, of people drive back home in high spirits from various clubs in the city and holiday resorts in the vicinity. Apart from this, Divali and Dusehra festivals, when more and more liquor is consumed, went past and no drive was launched. Probably the police was also under the grip of festivities and avoided the challans as it could spoil the mood of the city residents. But what about those innocents who lost their lives due to rash and drunken drivers or were victims in accidents? Apart from checking for drunken drivers no night checking has been carried out for over-speeding on any of the main roads leading out of the city or even inside the city. Unblossomed bud One never forgets one's college. One never forgets one's Lahore either. The feeling of longing is all the more strong when the college in question is Sikh National College of Lahore. The old boys of the college, who are now in their seventies, treat it as a symbol of intellectual cosmopolitanism, intense patriotism and true Punjabi culture. The Association of Former Students will be holding a reunion on January 2, 1999, at Punjab Bhavan in Sector 3 here. The programme includes the release of a book on the college, Unblossomed Bud, written by Dr Shamsher Singh, a former Adviser to the World Bank, by Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and announcement of stipends for needy students by the association. The college, situated on the outskirts of Lahore near the famous Shalimar Gardens of Jahangir on the G.T. Road leading to Amritsar, was raised in 1938. Mr Niranjan Singh, a nationalist to the core and a staunch Gandhian, was its founder-Principal. He had a mission: to mould the character of students to help them become complete and productive human beings. Mr Baldev Singh, the first Defence Minister of India, was the President of the Managing Committee. Unfortunately, the institution was wiped out by the partition of Punjab in 1947 before it could celebrate its 10th birthday. During the short existence of nine years, the college had the unique distinction of producing many prominent personalities like Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Mr Umrao Singh, Mr Iqbal Singh (Minister at the Centre), Air Vice Marshal Dilbagh Singh, singer Asa Singh Mastana, hockey wizard Balbir Singh, other high-ranking civil and military officers and political leaders. Famous Punjabi poet Mohan Singh "Mahar" and the learned translator of Guru Granth Sahib into English, Prof Gurbachan Singh Talib, were on its proud faculty. The students of the college had reacted to the Quit India (August 1942) call enthusiastically by hoisting the Tricolour on top of the building, shouting slogans, picketing, organising rallies and distributing anti-British literature in defiance of government orders. Best cadet A student of the local Sri Guru Gobind Singh (SGGS) College has brought glory to the city by being part of a four-member NCC team which returned recently from a month-long cruise to several foreign countries. Cadet Capt Bikramjit Singh Bhadwar of the 1 Chandigarh Naval Unit of the NCC, had the distinction of being selected for foreign cruise which covered the Mauritius, Seychelles and the Maldives on the naval training ship INS TIR. He was selected out of over 11 lakh NCC cadets of the region. He has also been adjudged the best cadet of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh Directorate of the NCC. Ved Ratna award Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (Bangalore ) has called for applications for Guru Gangeshwaranand Ved Ratna Puraskar 1997. There will be six awards in all. The awards carry a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh each along with a "tamra patra" and a shawl. Four of the awards have been instituted by the kendra to honour eminent vedic scholars who have made significant contribution to the study and development of the four Vedas. Apart from four awards for contribution in studies of Vedas, two awards have been instituted for overall contribution in research based on Vedas. The fields of study can be physics, chemistry, mathematics, astronomy, medicine or related fields. The last date of applying for awards is November 30. Application forms are available at local centre of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. |
Neglected parks The local MP, Mr Satya Pal Jain, while on a recent visit, had promised that he would see to it that a proper park is developed in Sector 45-A. The park in question continues to be utterly neglected by the officials concerned. The cars and other vehicles are parked in this park. (See photograph by Manoj Mahajan above). Some condemned vehicles have turned it into a junkyard. This and the filth littered in the park keeps everyone away from it. The residents say that when an MP is unable to keep his promises, whom should they look up to? Most of the other parks in the city remain unattended. Encroachment is increasing in a park in Sector 44-B. Things have worsened after the Municipal Corporation came into being. Mushaira Very few people speak Urdu in Chandigarh. Yet mushairas are in great demand. This shows that Chandigarhians have abundant love for the language admired for its beautiful nuances. They exhibited their special liking for it at a mushaira at Haryana Nivas held last week jointly by Haryana Urdu Akademi and the state’s Public Relations and Cultural Affairs Department under the guidance of Mr Kashmiri Lal Zakir. The poets who descended on Chandigarh from far and near did not disappoint the poetry enthusiasts. They recited the best of their compositions — some of them in "taranaum". Here are a few samples: BEKAL UTSAHI: Tuhi meri rage gulu mein raha BASHEER BADR: Parakhna mat parakhne mein koi apna
nahin rehta AZAD GULATI: Aafiyat apne hareefon kee nazar mein
rakhna SAGHAR KHAIYYAMI: Pehle maange the atlaso kum khawab JAGAN NATH AZAD: Teri bazme tarab mein soze-pinhan leke
aaya hoon "Sher, sher" A spotted leopard which strayed into Panchkula on Wednesday became an instant hit with local residents. As the word spread that a "sher" had entered a house in Sector 8, residents from different corners of the township made it to the site to have a "dekho" of the big cat. The work in the HUDA office and district courts, located in the vicinity of the house, came to a standstill for almost three hours as the employees waited to see for themselves the entire operation of the animal being caged and tranquillised. The police had a tough
time controlling the curious crowd. Some persons taking
great risk climbed onto a platform supporting a
transformer. Luckily the supply to the transformer had
been cut off by the linemen of the electricity
department. Even as the leopard was being taken away
people jostled with each other to touch it. |
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