Kiran mesmerises GCG students
By Geetanjali Gayatri
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 10—Dr Kiran Bedi proved to be a live wire at her first official function after taking charge as the Inspector-General of Police of the city at the convocation of the Government College for Girls, Sector 11, with students and teachers alike swooning and mooning over her throughout the three-hour programme.

Everybody saw a halo around the supercop who has taken the city by storm .The very air of the college was agog with excitement as she walked into the hall, bursting at its seams with students, more eager to catch a glimpse of the lady than interested in collecting their degrees, at that moment.

Even as the Principal, Mrs Vijay Lakshmi, handed out the degrees to the students, the untiring officer made it a point to shake hands with all 900 students who received degrees on the day with equal enthusiasm. While receiving degrees, the girls in their spontaneity and in awe of her, bent to touch her feet and hug her in an attempt to show their appreciation for her work. Prior to this she was introduced to the faculty of the college. Once Dr Bedi began her convocation address, spoken impromptu, she held undisputed sway over the heart and mind of the audience which was already mesmerised with her very presence in the hall. A thunderous applause filled the hall as she came to the mike and all she said was,``No more clapping and wasting time.''

It was a strangely potent dream, it had a drug-like fascination and the pin-drop silence in the hall with a charged Dr Bedi doling out advice to the youngsters which she had practised before she began preaching the same. She began her address referring to the students as ``My dear daughters'' and then nostalgically remembered her days in the college when she came to the city as a part of her college sports team and put up in the college hostel.

She warned the students against procrastination with the statement, ``Tomorrow never comes and make the most of the present.'' Further, she added that they should have their plans chalked out well in advance to have an edge over the rest with a warning she repeated often in her speech,``Be prepared, always. Preparation is prevention of problems''.

She spoke about her work after taking charge and about the systemizing of the police force.``Call up 100 if you see something wrong somewhere, take down the number and inform the police. It will get back to you in the next 48 hours with whatever follow-up action has been taken,'' she informed while stressing that a lot had been done but they had a long way to go.

As soon as the curtain was rung down on the convocation and the staff procession left the hall, it was only a matter of time before the girls took charge and unfettered, they came to a lady they had deified and held in high esteem even though they had to jostle and elbow their way through to her. She signed autographs, shook hands and obliged a lot many before Mrs Vijay Lakshmi ushered her away to the ground for tea.

The whole college — teachers, students, beldaars and malis — flocked to pay their 'obeisance' to embrace her and made much of her with every conceivable demonstration of respect and affection. She responded with kindly courtesy that every person felt himself, in a manner her debtor.

Throughout, Dr Kiran Bedi had her smile in place that radiated her face and did not wither with passage of time. The entourage that followed her everywhere went to the car to see her off and after she left they were left feeling,``We wish we could have had a few more moments with her.''

Special buses for Anandpur Sahib
From Our Correspondent

DERA BASSI, April 10 — To celebrate the tercentenary of the Khalsa in Anandpur Sahib, the state government will provide special bus facility for the residents of this town and its neighbouring villages, tomorrow. The Punjab Roadways Transport Corporation (PRTC) will ply 30 buses from the local bus stand to Anandpur Sahib.

The buses will leave at 6 a.m. and return at 4 p.m. from Anandpur Sahib.

According to the Sub Divisional Magistrate, Mr Sher Singh Sidhu, the bus service has been provided to enable the local public to pay obeisance in the gurdwara. On the demand of the sarpanches of various villages, separate buses have been provided for the different villages.

Meanwhile, the residents of the town are demanding regular special bus service to the holy city till the end of the tercentenary celebrations.

Telecom services at Anandpur Sahib
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 10 — In view of the tercentenary celebrations of the Khalsa the Telecome Department has made special arrangements at Anandpur Sahib. Pre-paid telephone cards, free phone services, video phones, video conferencing and internet facilities will be available till April 30.

Road closure for Kant’s visit
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 10 — Certain roads in the city will be closed for a few minutes tomorrow and on Monday when the Vice-President of the country arrives and departs from the city , respectively.

The Vice-President, Mr Krishan Kant, is scheduled to arrive at the airport at 6:45 pm. From there he will depart for Raj Bhavan in Sector 6. He will depart for Anandpur Sahib the next day at 10 am.

According to the police roads from the roundabout at the airport to The Tribune roundabout; between Industrial Area Phase I and Sectors 29 and 28, till the traffic lights at the Transport Area; from there to the roundabout at Sectors 7,19, 26 and 27; from this roundabout to the turning near Golf Club and from the Golf Club to the Punjab Raj Bhavan, will remain closed for a few minutes on both days.

An evening of Urdu ghazals

CHANDIGARH, April 10 — It was an evening of blue moods of Urdu ghazal at Pracheen Kala Kendra on Friday evening. Ustad Husain Baksh, who recently performed during the Bhaskar Rao Festival, presented an evening of light music expressing different moods of anxiety, longing, loneliness and dejection in his silky voice.

The evening began with a ghazal by Javed Qureshi ‘Shab-e-firaq Ki Yaro Koi Sahar Bhi Hai Hamare Hal Ki Unko Koi Khabar Bhi Hai’ which was followed by another ghazal expressing hope mixed with pangs of separation of the beloved ‘Tere Ane Ka Dhokha Sa Hua Hai’ by Nasir.

The Ustad impressed a small gathering by the virtuosity of his voice culture giving expression to a simple word like ‘Dask’ through different effects of echo incorporated in his singing.

‘Zindagi Zarre Musalsal Ki Tarah Kati Hai, Jane Kis Zurm Ki Saza Pai Hai Yad Nahi’, another ghazal sung by the artiste received appreciation for soulful rendering. The mood of the poetry evolved effectively by perfect modulations of his smooth voice.

But the artiste was at his best in the rendering of Punjabi Kafi, a semi-classical form of singing, few artistes attempt. Bringing out the spiritual aspect of Sufiana Mosiqui in Sachal Sarmast’s ‘Aa Was Mainde Wede, Sun Hal We Mian Ranjha’, his rendering of ‘wailings’ of a lover expressing intensity of longing were specially noteworthy. The artiste entertained the audience with a small piece of jugalbandi with the accompanist on the tabla, Pawan Kumar Verma.

Ustad Husain Baksh, though, now in Pakistan, belongs to the famous Patiala Gharana, he is related to the legendary Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, whose style he imitated for a while to enthrall the audience.

— Vandana Shukla

900 GCG-11 students get degrees
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 10—Degrees were conferred on 900 students of arts, science and commerce streams, besides 10 post-graduates at the 42nd annual convocation of the Government College for Girls, Sector 11, here today.

As many as 77 prizes for holding merit positions in honours were given, while 25 students were awarded roll of honour on the occasion. The only roll of honour in sports was given to Sonia Kanwar for her outstanding performance in judo.

In her address, Dr Kiran Bedi, Inspector General of Police, Chandigarh urged the students to prepare themselves for various challenges in life. Time management, she said, played a crucial role in a student’s life. She advised students to plan ahead of the time. She advised them to give their best shot everyday.

She said good planning, reviewing, hard work and training were required for a successful career. She said anyone having a good health and five senses intact was a gifted person. ``Those with some ailmentbut still striving to make a place for themselves are doubly gifted,’’ she said.

Earlier, the convocation began with a “Guru vandana” while it concluded with a ‘shabad’ by the college choir. Copies of the annual report of the Principal, Mrs Vijay Lakshmi, was distributed among the staff and guests.

SNIPPETS

Regiment celebrates raising day
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 10 — The 96 Field Regiment celebrated its 36th raising day somewhere in the Western Sector today.

The celebrations began with paying homage to those who laid down their lives for the motherland. A special sainik sammelan was held to honour the gallantry award winners of the regiment. A barakhana and a cultural programme were also organised.

The regiment has taken part in several operations in Jammu and Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim.

CTCC to celebrate tercentenary
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 10 — The Chandigarh Territorial Congress Committee will celebrate the tercentenary of the birth of the Khalsa from April 11 to 13.

According to Mr Sunil Parti, spokesman of the CTCC, an akhand path will begin on April 11. After the bhog on April 13, there would be a kirtan darbar followed by a community kitchen, he added.

Meanwhile, the local unit of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) has urged the Chandigarh Administration to construct a “historic emblem” in the city to mark the tercentenary.

Footpath workers meet DC
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 10 — A delegation of the Footpath Workers Rozgar Bachao Samiti and the Indian Rickshaw Workers Union today met the Deputy Commissioner and apprised him of their problems.

Laparoscopy demonstration
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 10 — Laparoscopy, a technique through which surgeons can remove certain types of tumours in the womb, fallopian tubes, pregnancy struck in the tubes and tumours in the ovaries, was demonstrated to 200 gynaecologists by a leading practitioner of the technique at the PGI here today.

Dr Kurian A. Joseph, a well-known endoscopic surgeon from Chennai, demonstrated the technique that is considered to be much better than conventional surgery. “Selection of patients is very important as all such cases cannot undergo laparoscopy.” In case of malignant tumours laparoscopy is ruled out,” he pointed out.

Conventional surgery was also successful. However, through laparoscopy the patients require less hospitalisation. In case of conventional surgery hospitalisation could be a week to ten days and another three weeks to a month for recovery besides the scar on the abdomen. All this had been done away with laparoscopy that required only a day or two of hospital stay.

Also in several cases laparoscopy was found to be less risky than conventional surgery, he added. Dr Kurian is the Chairman of the Endoscopy Committee of the Obstetrics and Gynaecological Society of India. As a part of the society programme the doctor has conducted around 60 workshops throughout the country.

A workshop for the same purpose started at the PGI today where around 200 gynaecologists, both from the private sector as well as the government sector, were present.

Dr Sarla Gopalan of the PGI said that the technique was being practiced but on a lesser scale. “We plan to begin the entire process soon,” she added. Dr Kurian said there was scope for PGI as an institute to start laparoscopy.

Town planners get new building
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 10 — Mr P.C. Khanna, past President of the Institute of Town Planners (India), and Adviser to the Urban Development Planning Commissioner of India, inaugurated the new building complex of the Chandigarh Regional Chapter of the institute in Sector 35 here this afternoon. The institute also organised its regional session today.

The complex is designed by Mr S.D. Sharma, an eminent architect. Constructed over 2600 square yards, the complex has a hall for training, central library, conference room and other facilities.

Mr Khanna stressed the need for involving people in order to make planning more people friendly in the country.

Mr E.F.N. Ribeiro, President of the institute, who is also Consultant to the Chandigarh Administration on evolving a framework for future growth and development of the Chandigarh capital region, called upon planners to use the new complex for providing planned development of human settlement.

Prof J.S. Ghuman, past President of the Institute, called upon planners to take up the task of the planned development in the right earnest. Among others who participated in the session were Dr Abdul Ali from Orissa, Mr satya narain from Andhra Pradesh, Mr Kesar Sagar, Secretary of the institute and Mr G.S. Girn, Chairman of the Building Committee of the institute.

Need to widen ST base felt
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 10—A workshop on service tax laws and procedure was organised by the local chapter of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India here today.

While inaugurating the workshop, Mr S. S. Jha, Commissioner, Central Excise Chandigarh I, said the service sector held an important position in the Indian revenue scene as it contributed as much as 40 per cent of the gross domestic product. He said for the steady nation building process, people should come forward on their own to pay taxes honestly.

But the problem was that whenever a new tax was imposed, people resisted it without thinking about its long-term repercussions. “ So much so, that initially tax officials faced difficulties in collecting service tax from the Department of Telecom, stock brokers and insurance agents,” he added.

He said to save their clients from delays and other problems, the emphasis of the company secretaries should be on correct filling of returns and they should try to convince their clients that incorrect information could lead to a number of problems .

Mr H.K. Mittal,Deputy Commissioner, Central Excise, said the widening of the the tax base was part of the ongoing liberalisation process. “ By widening the ambit of service taxes, we can reduce the burden of other taxes,” he added.

He said the Challiah Committee had recommended in 1992 that all services should be taxable, as the service sector was growing at a rapid speed and it could contribute a lot to the development of the nation.

Mr Anil Aggarwal, Chairman of the institute, said though a number of services were brought within the tax ambit, but the education and health sectors were not included for reasons best known to powers-that-be. Similarly, doctors and lawyers were left out even as they were rendering services in lieu of money, he said.

He said the scope of service tax was too wide and efforts should be made to bring more sectors within its ambit.

Among others who spoke included Mr Parveen Gupta, Secretary of the institute ,and Mr B. S. Nanwal, Assistant Commissioner of the Central Excise.

Programme for trainers ends
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 10 — The valedictory function of the five-day trainer development programme was held today at Food Craft Institute, Sector 42.

Dr V.K. Kak, Director Principal, Government Medical College, Sector 32, who was the chief guest, distributed participation certificates to the candidates representing various tourism and hospitality organisations of the city.

Dr Kak said that a trainer played the role of a facilitator, who facilitates the skills of trainees. So, there was need to train the senior-level staff as attitude development starts at the top. He emphasised the need of imparting new and effective training skills to the trainers.

Dances and songs at Plaza Carnival
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 10 — The Plaza Carnival at Sector 17 Plaza today was an entertaining show for the huge audience. This regular Saturday feature is drawing large crowds.

Today the audience enjoyed bhartanatyam performances by Chaitali Nanda, Asha Bhaskaran and Ishani Aggarwal, students of well-known Chandigarh based dancer and choreographer, Suchitra Mitra.

These were followed by popular old and new Hindi, English and Punjabi songs by the Rodrigues. They entertained the audience with numbers like ‘Tunak-Tunak’, ‘Sayonee’, Chaiyya-Chaiyya’, ‘Aja Nach Le’, ‘Coco-Jumbo’ and many more.

Dances by Rishab Dev and Mohit also entertained the audience.