3rd counselling session likely in PEC
By Sanjeev Singh Bariana
Tribune news Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 22 — Punjab Engineering College may go in for a third counselling session to fill vacant seats in various streams offered by the institute for the I999-2000 session.

Reliable sources point out that the steps to fill the vacant seats to aid those on the waiting list is most likely to be taken in case more than 10 per cent seats fall vacant.

A meeting of the academic body concerned in PEC is scheduled for August 27. Sources point out that the if approved, the counselling for students is likely to be held within August. Past record shows vacant seats in every session.

The step to fill seats gains importance as the dropout rate for the new session is lesser compared to the past, members of the admission committee point out. They say that a large number of candidates secure admission in more than one college on the basis of duplicate certificates. They block the seat till the time they a get the stream of their choice in some other college. By this time, the institutions have already started their classes and there is no scope for admissions. Late admissions leave no scope for completion of the course which is highly technical.

This is seen as a negative step against students on the waiting list who are denied admission for the academic session. Shortage of teachers only adds to the problem.

Senior lecturers accept that denial of admissions to a number of deserving students on the waiting list should be taken up seriously. The biggest problem is that the entrance examinations for different institutes are conducted by separate bodies and merit differs in each case. Students easily get a duplicate copy of their original certificates and apply for admission at different places.

One of the suggestions is that all professional institutions should have a common entrance examination. Each state could reserve 85 per cent seats for local candidates and open the remaining for the others.

Students on their part have no option but to appear in maximum institutions so that they have maximum choice in choosing the subject and institution. There seems no easy way to unite the entrance examination as education features on the Concurrent List and has different dealing hands in different states and hardly any common platform.

Appointments issue likely to figure at Syndicate meeting
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 22 — The issue of appointment of seven lecturers to the Department of Physics, Panjab University, rejected at the Syndicate meeting of March 21, 1998, is likely to figure at the forthcoming meeting of the Syndicate scheduled for August 27, following a directive by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The five-member selection committee had recommended seven names for selection while three candidates had been placed on the waiting list from among the 37 candidates who had appeared for the interview and one candidate was considered in absentia by the Vice-Chancellor. The recommendations of the committee were turned down by the Syndicate, after which a few selected candidates moved the court.

The judges, Mr R.S. Mongia and Mr Iqbal Singh, in their order, observed that "there has to be very strong material before the Syndicate not to accept the recommendations of the Selection Committee because if the recommendations are not to be accepted, it reflects on the members of the Selection Committee and the people will lose faith in the system of selection".

The order added that "in normal circumstances, the recommendations of the selection committee should be accepted unless there is some material which may not have been placed before the selection committee and is before the appointing authority, or the Syndicate in the present case. The selection may not be approved if there is some procedural defect laid down by law".

It stated that the decision of the Syndicate did not give any clue for rejecting the recommendations and there was no indication in the minutes of the meeting, in the file or in the written statement for the same.

Therefore, the judges set aside the decision of the Syndicate of March 21 and directed the Syndicate to reconsider the matter in the light of the observations at its next meeting. However, at the last meeting held on July 30, the item could not come up for discussion and was deferred till the next meeting.

Meanwhile, the meeting will take up the issue of restoring powers to appoint selection committee members by the Vice-Chancellor.

Informed sources said the issue of new fee structure will also be taken up. The earlier proposed fee hike had been reduced after consultation with the students. The new fee structure is likely to be discussed.

The meeting will also take up the issue of students of postgraduate in the science stream who were not being given their results due to shortage of lectures.

Man alleges police negligence
By Varinder Singh
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 22 — In a case of police negligence, Mohammad Abid, a resident of Darua village, who was injured in a quarrel with a neighbour, was allegedly left to fend for himself with blood trickling down from his forehead at the Sector 32 Government Medical College and Hospital by police officials who took him there for ''treatment'' and medical examination.

Abid was injured in a fight with a neighbour who allegedly interferred in the altercation between Abid and Jatinder Singh over the accidental damage to latter's TV set caused by Akbar, Abid's son.

According to official sources, the television set of Jatinder, who along with Abid, a rickshaw-puller, is a tenant in the same house, was damaged when a wire attached to the set got pulled by Akbar who was sleeping at the roof of his house. This led to a verbal duel between the members of the two families. As all this was getting subdued, Tek Bahadur, also a tenant in the same building, allegedly tried to interfere in the matter. It resulted in a fight between him and Abid who received injuries on his forehead and near the ribs.

Abid, who is admitted to the PGI, and his daughter, Rukhsana, alleged that both of them were thrashed by Tek Bahadur and two of his friends present in the house at the time of altercation at around midnight yesterday. He alleged that Tek Bahadur and his friends bashed him and his family members without any provocation even as Jatinder Singh and his family were cool, though their TV set was damaged. "After we reached the police station at around 1 a.m. the officer on duty recorded my statement in the daily diary. He asked my wife and son-in-law, who were accompanying me, to go home and assured that they would take me to hospital for treatment. I do not know what happened thereafter," said Abid, who had blood stains over his forehead and clothes.

Queshra Khatun, wife of Abid, said the family members went to the police station at 5 a.m. to enquire where Abid had been admitted. They were told that he had received first aid at the Sector 32 GMCH. "But we were shocked to see at reaching the hospital that Abid was lying in a semi-unconscious state outside the hospital. He was also not treated for his wounds," said a sobbing Qheshra Khatun who later took him to the PGI.

Mr Yashpal, in charge of the police station, admitted that he had received a complaint from Abid regarding the quarrel. He said he could not detain Tek Bahadur as the medical report of the complainant dubbed his wound as 'simple blunt' which was not a serious offence. He also refuted allegations of negligence on part of the police staff and said that the complainant was taken to the hospital by a constable and received first aid there. "Actually, the doctor kept him under observation and he might have left the ward on his own for which we are not responsible," he said.

Ballot boxes dispatched
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGAR, Aug 22 — Ballot boxes to enable the postal voters, registered in the Kharar assembly segment, to cast their vote in the forthcoming parliamentary election were today dispatched to different destinations throughout the country by the Assistant Returning Officer (ARO).

A total of 418 postal voters are registered in the Kharar assembly segment.

The ARO-cum-Sub-divisional Magistrate, Mr O.P.Popli, today said that at a meeting with the representatives of the political parties in the fray held at Ropar yesterday, it was madeclear to the participants that banners and hoardings will not be allowed at public places. Banners would be permitted at the election office of the political party concerned and on private buildings but with the consent of the owner of the respective building.

Besides, the ARO today issued instruction to the proprietors of printing presses, located in the assembly segment, under section 128 A of the People Representation Act regarding the publication of election related material for political parties. Under the guidelines the publisher shall have to give a declaration for the material being published by him.

'Chandigarh to remain UT'
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 22 — Mr Pawan Kumar Bansal and Mr Krishan Lal Sharma, Congress and BJP candidates, respectively, for the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat, expressed similar views on some of the major local issues but differed sharply on the national issues here today.

Participating in an interaction programme organised by the Panchnad Research Institute at the Rotary Vocational Training Centre in Sector 18, both vowed to retain Chandigarh as a union territory.

Mr Bansal claimed that his party always wanted Chandigarh to remain a union territory. Mr Sharma, who could not take a clear-cut stand on the future of the city in his first press conference, said the city should be retained as a union territory according to the wishes of the residents.

Regarding the extension of 'lal dora', both leaders said there was need to repeal the old law as the situation had changed and requirements of the people needed to be viewed in today's perspective. While Mr Bansal wanted the bylaws governing the construction in the villages not to be as strict as in the city, Mr Sharma was of the view that internal alterations should be condoned.

In the interaction, which went off smoothly, both expressed similar views on issues like permanent solution to the problems of the PGI and Class A status for the city.

Mr Bansal accused the BJP Government of meting out a "step-motherly treatment" to Chandigarh in fund allocation. While the annual increase in the plan outlay for the city was between 10 to 18 per cent during his term as MP from 1991 to 1996, it increased at the rate of 0 to 4 per cent during the term of Mr Satya Pal Jain. The city lost an at least Rs 35 crore as the case for more outlay for the city was not pleaded properly by Mr Jain, Mr Bansal alleged.

Answering a question on party candidate for the post of Prime Minister, Mr Bansal said the issue would be decided after the elections and the leader of the parliamentary party would be the prime Minister if the party came to power.

Mr Sharma said only the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, under the able leadership of Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, could provide a stable government for five years.

Accusing the Congress of forcing mid-term poll on the country, the BJP Vice-President said the country wanted an experienced Prime Minister like Mr Vajpayee, who had handled contentious issues like Cauvery and Kargil deftly and could take the country to the path of progress and prosperity.

Listing the major projects for the city during the BJP rule like the Chandigarh-Ludhiana rail link, a 100 MW power project and a Doordarshan kendra, Mr Sharma said he would evolve a plan for a permanent solution to the problems of the city.

Mr Bansal scoffed at the claims of the NDA to provide a stable government, saying that the BJP-led governments could last only for 13 days and 13 months since 1996. Alleging that the NDA was not based on principles or ideology, he said it remained to be seen how the alliance remained united after elections.

Terming the intrusions in Kargil as an intelligence failure, Mr Bansal came down heavily on the government for projecting Kargil as the government's victory. It was the victory of hundreds of brave soldiers who laid down their lives and were injured in the conflict, Mr Bansal pointed out.

City’s last CC K. Banarji is dead
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 22 — K. Banarji, the last Chief Commissioner and the first Adviser to the Administrator of Chandigarh, died at his residence in Delhi this morning.

It was on May 12 that Chandigarh Tribune interviewed him when he visited the city last for a couple of days to get his pension issues settled here at the office of the Auditor-General of Haryana.

"Chandigarh is a unique Union Territory," he had said in the interview. He was the only IAS officer of the AMGU cadre who had the distinction of having two tenures each, both as the Chief Commissioner and the Adviser to the Administrator of Chandigarh.

After his retirement at the end of his service extension, he used to come to Chandigarh on personal visits. "It is like second home for me," he told me. His comment that Chandigarh had now become more crowded and that people could paint their houses and fix stones rather than have only brick or RCC facade indicated his minute observation and close attachment to the city. Even at that time, he said, he was not keeping good health.

K. Banarji was appointed Chief Commissioner of Chandigarh on March 8, 1982, and he left Chandigarh on March 9, 1988. Though he had attained the age of 60 on November 9, 1987, he was asked to continue here as Adviser to the Administrator till his successor came.

After retirement, his liked to read newspapers, watch TV, go to library and relax at home. He never tried to write or do anything else.

He had felt surprised when this correspondent had called on him. "I do not want any publicity. People will say so many things when you print all this. I normally come here once a year on my personal visit and I am surprised at how you came to know of my presence here," he had said during the interview.

Here are some of the observations he had made during the interview: "Chandigarh is a unique Union Territory in the sense that here, the Chief Commissioner had to attend to his office the whole day. The convention elsewhere has been that the Chief Commissioner attends to his office in the first half of the day and then he informally attends to visitors or others at his residence in the second half of the day."

"Also Chandigarh has a unique setting. A combined High Court for Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh is here. You have two governors, two assemblies and two MLA hostels. The law and order situation in Punjab and Haryana is reflected here as all demonstrations are organised in Chandigarh. It is the UT Administration which faces the music," he had said humorously.

He had also recalled how The Tribune had displayed his taking over as Chief Commissioner with a spot news.

"Those were difficult days because censorship had to be imposed following the assassination of Indira Gandhi. Also, the city journalists, led by Prem Bhatia, the then Editor-in-Chief of The Tribune, took out a procession in protest against the Bihar Press Bill. But still the administration had cordial relations with the media," he had said.

It was during his tenure that work on allotment of land to cooperative house building societies had started.

When he returned to Delhi after the interview, he wrote back a small but emotional letter which said: On the morning of May 13, while waiting to board the Shatabdi Express, I borrowed a copy of Chandigarh Tribune from a 'sardar sahib' and was pleasantly surprised at the media friendly and truthful picture of a simple meeting. My grand children will be here soon and will be happy to know that that their grandfather is not an 'unpad' (illiterate) man. I am not too well to write straight and for long. Blessings."

The Administrator of Chandigarh, Lieut-Gen (retd) B.K.N. Chhibber, expressed his shock at the demise of K. Banarji. General Chhibber described him as an able administrator and said that he would be fondly remembered by people of Chandigarh.

Meanwhile, Mr Chaman Lal Sharma and Mr Amarjit Sethi, President and General Secretary of the Chandigarh Nagrik Sabha, respectively, also condoled the death of K. Banarji and expressed sympathies with the members of the bereaved family.

Selja's appeal to voters
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 22 — "Only the Congress can provide a stable government at the Centre," Ms Selja, Secretary of the All-India Congress Committee and poll observer for the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat, said here today.

Addressing a meeting of voters of Ward 1 of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation at the residence of its councillor, Mrs Satinder Dhawan, the Congress observer said that the City Beautiful must send an efficient, intellectual and honest Pawan Bansal to the Lok Sabha.

Mr Bansal said that his rival, Mr K.L. Sharma, though senior in politics, had never talked about Chandigarh or its problems in Parliament. He even did not talk much about Outer Delhi which he represented for two consecutive terms.

Mr Bansal maintained that it was the Congress which could provide a stable government at the Centre. The credit for Kargil, he said, must go to the brave soldiers and officers of the Indian armed forces who pushed back the intruders.

Mr Harmohan Dhawan said that Mr Sharma must tell the people of Chandigarh that had he ever joined any agitation or dharna in favour of Chandigarh or demands of its people or how many times he had talked about the city in Parliament even if his claim of long association with Chandigarh was accepted.

Mrs Satinder Dhawan appealed to the electorate of her ward to vote and support Mr Bansal after highlighting some of the common problems of the ward, its markets, Central Government employees in Sector 7 and other issues.

CPI to support Pawan Bansal
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 22— The local unit of the Communist Party of India has decided to support the Congress nominee for the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat, Mr Pawan Bansal, in line with the national policy of the party to ensure defeat of the BJP and its allies.

In a statement issued here today, Mr Sohan Lal Bansal, Secretary of the Chandigarh unit, said Mr Bansal and Mr hamrmohan Dhawan visited the party office today and appealed to the general body of comrades to vote and support the Congress candidate. Mr Gurnam kanwar, Member of the Punjab Secretariat of the party, welcomed them and assured them full support of the party

Mr Bansal promised full and active support of party workers and cadre in the coming elections.Meanwhile, the Jhuggi Vasi Sangarsh Samiti led by its chairperson, Mrs Manjit Kaur, at a convention held here on Sunday decided to work for the success of the official candidate of the Congress party in the ensuing Lok Sabha poll.

SNIPPETS

Rush at B.Ed result counters
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 22 — Heavy rush and confusion troubled candidates who came to see the results of the B.Ed entrance examination released in Panjab University here today.

Heavy rush could be seen in front of Arts Block V where copies of the result were assured by the university. However, the gates were closed. The actual venue was the Department of Evening Studies. Rush could also be seen in front of the new enquiry counter.

A big rush was present in Dev Samaj College of Education. The staff deployed in the morning had great difficulty in handling the result enquires. The college Principal had to intervene and deploy more college staff to assist the inquiries.

Residents hold rally
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 22 — To draw the attention of the authorities towards their problems, residents of government houses in Sector 46-D today held a rally in front of Type-I houses.

Addressing the rally, the President of the UT Government Employees Residents Welfare Association, Mr Ramesh Kumar Chandolia, said the association had been writing to the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh (MCC) and the Chandigarh Administration for a long time to solve their problems but no action had been taken so far.

The main problems include recarpeting of roads, clearance of sewerage, proper streetlights, covering of manholes, removal of congress grass and wild growth and replacement of old electricity wires.

A gesture of honesty
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 22 — Honesty still exists in society, as was found by Mr Mohinder Singh Gill of Sector 27 here.

Mr Gill returned from England at 3 a.m. After paying the rickshaw-puller, he forgot his purse at the gate of his house. The purse contained valuables worth about Rs 3 lakh. He realised at around 6 a.m. that his purse was missing.

Mr D.R. Singla, his tenant, found the purse while going for a walk at 5 a.m. Mr Gill had little hope of getting his purse back. He was surprised when Mr Singla knocked at the door with the purse in his hand.

A much-married man's story
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 22 — Fairy tales are mostly associated with children and fantasy. To break this myth, a lecture was organised today at Alliance Francaise, Sector 36, in which Mr Gilles Castro, Director of Alliance Francaise de Bangalore, talked about various aspects of a fairy tale titled 'Blue Beard'.

The select audience was first narrated the English version of 'Blue Beard', penned by popular French writer, Charles Perrault. This fairy tale is from a collection of stories of Perrault titled 'Les Contes de ma Mere l'Oye'

'Blue Beard' is a story of an affluent and flamboyant man who has a bizzare blue beard. He is known to be married many times, with no one knowing what has become of his former wives. The story develops when he marries yet again, with his young bride discovering a room filled with dead bodies, fastened all along the walls, of all his ex-wives. In the end, this young bride is obviously saved and also inherits Blue Beard's infinite wealth.

Discussing the story, Mr Castro focussed on the themes of marriage and mystery as being omnipresent throughout the story. He added that the story also had traces of 'Arabian Nights'.

Since the story was written in the 17th century France, Mr Castro said that it was not only targeted towards children but also at the court of Louis XIV.

An interesting perspective of the fairy tale, today's evening had few takers.

Exhibition on bonsai
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 22 — A bonsai exhibition was organised by the Bonsai Club (India) at Sector 17 here yesterday.

More than 100 displays of various styles of bonsai, with both indigenous and exotic flora, were displayed in the exhibition.

According to Mr Anil Kaushik, executive consultant of the club, the objective of the exhibition was to impart knowledge to people about various techniques to grow bonsai plants in particular and the plant culture in general.

Lok Shakti dedicates 'vijay rath'
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 22 — The local unit of the Lok Shakti today dedicated "vijay rath" to the electorate of Chandigarh.

Mr Ravi Parkash Kansal, President of the n unit, who is a candidate for the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat, was taken around the city in the "rath".

Mr Kansal visited Kishengarh village and addressed a rally there and accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of misusing funds and power.

The Lok Shakti candidate also visited Indira Colony where a meeting of Mahila workers was held.