Shortage of stamp papers in city
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 21 —There is an acute shortage of stamp papers of lower denomination in the city.

According to a survey by TNS today, stamp papers amounting to Rs 3 and Rs 5 were not easily available with the result that a large number of people had to buy stamp papers of Rs 10 and Rs 20.

The problem has been compounded as the Security Printing Press, Nasik, has reportedly stopped the printing of the stamp papers of Rs 3 denomination. For getting the stamp paper of Rs 3 people had to buy the stamp papers of Re 1 and Rs 2 together, which people said were hard to get most of the time.

Long queues were seen at the Estate Office for buying the stamp papers. A majority of the people said stamp papers of Rs 3 and Rs 5 denominations were not available, particularly in the afternoon. As the turn of the people came after waiting for an hour or so, they had no option but to buy stamp papers worth Rs 10 and Rs 20.

Mr Charanjit Singh, a resident of Parol village in Ropar district, said he wanted to buy two stamp papers worth Rs 3 each but could not get them as he had come “slightly late”. He hoped to come early in the morning tomorrow so that he did not have to shell out more for buying stamp papers of higher denomination.

Mr LR Mangoli, a Mani Majra resident, said it was only through a lawyer friend that he could get three stamp papers worth Rs 3 each. He had failed to get them from the stamp vendors.

Sources said the shortage of stamp papers in the city was due to alleged smuggling of these to Punjab, where they were in short supply.

Meanwhile, Mr KC Thakur, District Treasury Officer, when contacted, claimed that there was hardly any shortage of stamp papers and they were issued as per the demands of stamp vendors.

Saying that the Rs 3-denomination stamp paper was not coming from the Security Printing Press, Nasik, he informed that he had sent the demand for the same.

With a view to mitigating the difficulties of the public, the Chandigarh Administration had permitted that the “pacca” paper affixed with Rs 3 stamps could now be treated as stamp paper.

Poll duties irk college lecturers
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 21 — The lecturers in the Government Colleges of Chandigarh, almost all of whom were assigned election duties, today alleged discrimination regarding assignment of duties, which were not commensurate with their “status, seniority and pay scales”.

As per the instructions of the Election Commission of India issued vide letter no.61/PB-HP/ 96-II, dated September, 2, 1996, it was stated that “while deploying the lecturers and staff of colleges on election duty in future elections in the state, the duties shall be assigned on the basis of their seniority and pay scale”. A Government of Punjab, Department of General Administration (General Coordination Branch) letter (No. 12/41/97 — GC(7)/124), dated January 7, 1997, to the Deputy Commissioners in the State, also endorsed the same. The UT college lecturers, most of whom were subordinated to Classes III and II, resented the ambiguity to this instruction.

Interestingly, the Punjab Government instructions to all Deputy Commissioners also mentioned suitable facilities, which it said, “may also be provided” to the lecturers put on election duties. But it was only the Assistant Electoral Registration Officer (AEROs) who were provided with official cars, whereas the lecturers were asked to collect forms from Class IV employees, deputed under the AEROs. Some of the teachers, who were asked to collect their forms from far-off places like Manimajra, resented this discriminatory treatment.

One of the principals of a government college was also put on election duty and assigned the same work as a laboratory assistant, a superintendent, and a lecturer of the college. Later, she was exempted from the duty.

All the college teachers reportedly sent their representation to the Deputy Commissioner, to assign them election duties according to their status, seniority and pay scales. Some of these representations were endorsed by their respective principals. Most principals not only aired their discontent at the manner in which the process was being carried out, but also said that it was not fair that college lecturers were being meted out this kind of treatment.

Sources revealed that most of the lecturer-wives of IAS officers were also granted exemption from election duty. At the same time, persons with genuine reasons, like marriage and death, were reportedly exempted from these duties.

The teachers also threatened to move the court, in case their representation was not complied with.

PU students against proposed fee hike
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 21 — The proposed fee hike by Panjab University has seen it all — the approval of the committee constituted to recommend the hike, the discontentment of the students by way of dharnas and fasts, the syndicate’s decision to get the hike reviewed and the meeting of the committee which has deferred the decision on the main items till the first week of May.

Though a great number of students seem to disapprove of the way it has come about, they are of the opinion that a gradual increase will help the university and not irk the students to the extent of their organising protests.

Jaishree Sharma, a final year law student, says, “When I joined the university three years ago, there was a talk of fee hike and now, when I’m at the fag end of my stint as a student, there is a talk of another fee hike. It seems the university is only busy deciding on the issue of fee hike which is totally unjustified. It is a drain on our parents’ financial resources and we will oppose it tooth and nail.’’

Another student, Pooja Sharma, is of the opinion that the substantial hike should come gradually. “Moreover, the increase will automatically debar students of the lower strata from pursuing higher education. Has education come to mean a privilege only the elite can afford?’’ she asks.

“The universities are trying to justify their wrongs and make up for the deficit by burdening the students. They ought to cut down on their wasteful expenditure, which is eating into their finances and then look to the students for assistance. No doubt, the students must pay for the education they are getting but the point is that they are getting very little from the university. The university is not even providing the basic facilities,’’ Rohit Sharma says, resenting the hike in fee.

Kuldeep Uppal, in her fourth semester, states, “The fee hike is uncalled for and completely unjustified. The university cannot burden the students with extra fee just because they cannot make both ends meet. If there is a solution to the problem it surely does not lie with the students. Better management of the university finances will serve the purpose better.’’

The committee has two ardent supporters in Ankush Randhawa and Kanika Handa who approve the proposal to increase the fee. While Ankush Randhawa, a student of management, recommends that the university can augment its financial resources by creating “paid seats’’ in all departments to meet the growing expenses of the university, he opines that the university should have brought about the increase in a phased manner.

“If parents can afford to pay a fortune to educate their wards in the best of schools, they should not resent the fee hike announced by the university. After all, higher education is cheap and with the proposed fee hike, it will, in no way, become beyond the reach of the common man,’’ Kanika Handa says while justifying the proposed hike.