A sad development : academicians
CHANDIGARH, Jan 17 — The withdrawal of powers of the Vice- Chancellor to constitute selection committees for appointments of teachers by the Panjab University Syndicate recently is largely being seen as an "unfortunate development" in the academic circles.

Call for strike in colleges today
CHANDIGARH, Jan 17 — The joint action committee of the Panjab University Campus Students' Council has given a call for one-day strike in the local colleges tomorrow for pressing the removal of the Principal of Government College, Sector 11.

• Arrest Thackeray : Tiwari

• PU youth festival results

A sad development: academicians
by Sanjeev Singh Bariana
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 17 — The withdrawal of powers of the Vice- Chancellor to constitute selection committees for appointments of teachers by the Panjab University Syndicate recently is largely being seen as an "unfortunate development" in the academic circles.

The incident has clearly shown that a majority of the present members of the Syndicate are on a warpath with the Vice- Chancellor.

The development is being seen as a fallout of the university politics particularly over the past one year with the group considered "anti- VC" having gained an absolute majority in the recent Syndicate elections.

Prof N.K.Oberoi of the Department of English commenting on the emerging scenario said that technically the powers to constitute selection committees always lay with the Syndicate and the Senate. It was a question of "faith". The powers were delegated for day-to-day functioning as the Senate meets only three times a year and the Syndicate once every month.

The Syndicate seems to have lost "faith " in the VC. The issue has political undertones and the fallout remains to be seen. The functioning of the university will be affected if the present scenario continues because even the Syndicate has not clearly substantiated an alternative arrangement. In the absence of a clear action plan for future, the present action will seem "one dimensional".

Mr Satya Pal Jain , local MP and a member of the Senate, said that the development was unfortunate. But instead of blaming either side it was time for introspection. The Vice- Chancellor should take the initiative and initiate a dialogue in larger academic interests of the university.

Dr M Rajivlochan, secretary of PUTA, said the action seemed a step towards transparency but it was unfortunate the way it happened. "It is too early to comment on the post decision scenario .There is also a possibility that the Syndicate may create problems for itself."

A member of the Senate pointed out that if the Syndicate was to constitute selection committees there were chances of the names of members leaking out. Also there was a scope for pressurising members of the Syndicate. Also the present Syndicate seemed to be in favour of one group. Even when the powers of the selection committee lay with the VC. The Syndicate could cancel an appointment if it did not agree.

Mr Ashok Goyal, a member of the Syndicate, while defending the action said more than 20 appointments were cancelled in the past one year which naturally created apprehensions at the grassroots level. Fingers were raised at the highest chair. "The Syndicate will definitely evolve a better system. A sub committee for which the calendar provides is one of the options which we are studying"' he added.

Mr Goyal said there was absolutely no bias against an individual. The step had been taken in academic interests. Distractors should wait, watch the functioning and then if the need arose criticise. The present crises of which the decision is a small manifestation is a result of accumulating dissatisfaction among a large section of teachers who were not satisfied with the functioning of the university, he added.

Dr D.N. Jauhar of the, Department of Laws termed the incident as "unfortunate and not in sound academic interests." The executive committee does not see eye to eye with the VC and this calls for introspection on the part of both the parties. The communication gap between the two has to be plugged to restore the great name of the university.

Dr B.S.Ghuman of the Department of Public Administration said withdrawal of power and its implication had to be seen together. The outcome was a reflection of the conflict between the Syndicate and the VC. The incident was unfortunate, particularly when the university was on the threshold of becoming a global university. Both parties need to have common sessions to define parameters for better transaction of business.

Dr R.C. Jeewan, principal of DAV College, said that the action could be seen as "dilution of powers". Such incidents usually were not in academic interests.

Mr P.S. Sangha, principal of SGGS College, Sector 26, said the Syndicate should rise above petty politics and review the decision in larger interests of the university. The Vice Chancellor, who is the executive head would find it extremely difficult to function if he was cornered.

Call for strike in colleges today
From Our Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, Jan 17 — The joint action committee of the Panjab University Campus Students' Council (PUCSC) has given a call for one-day strike in the local colleges tomorrow for pressing the removal of the Principal of Government College, Sector 11.

D.P.S. Randhawa, president of PUCSC, said here today that if a decision in favour of the students was not taken by the authorities by 5 p.m. tomorrow, three office-bearers of the council would go on an indefinite fast.

He, however, clarified that the blood donation camp to be held at SGGS College, Sector 26, would be held as planned though students would boycott classes.

Meanwhile, with the strike by students of Government College, Sector 11, entering the sixth day, no solution seems to be in sight with both sides sticking to their stands.

College principals are of the view that the only solution is that student, Amrit Pal Singh Brar, apologise for misbehaviour.

Mrs Sneh Mahajan, Principal of MCM DAV College, Sector 36, said:"It is a problem of one student only and that student happens to be the president of the Students' Council. By virtue of his position, he has been able to muster support of the student community and the issue has been politicised.''

"Political parties are fanning the issue for publicity. It is better to settle the matter amicably" according to Principal Mohini Sharma of Government College for Girls, Sector 42.

Principal R.C. Jeewan of DAV College, Sector 10, said a solution should be worked out quickly because a significant part of the academic year had earlier been wasted by the teachers' strike which lasted 26 days and now the students had started one. "There are courses to be completed and the examinations are not very far off. Elections are the root cause of the problem and rowdy elements have wrested power. They will not let us function even if we want to,'' he added.

Over 1 lakh kids given polio drops
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 17 — Over one lakh children below five were administered polio drops in the second phase of the pulse-polio immunisation campaign in the city today.

According to Dr Y.P. Singla, District Family Welfare Officer-cum-Nodal Officer of the Pulse Polio Immunisation Campaign, 265 stationary and 50 mobile booths covered the city, including various labour colonies.

A visit to different centres by a Tribune team revealed that health department staff with the help of volunteers started administrating polio drops to children from early in the morning. The volunteers could be seen persuading mothers to get their children immunised at a number of places, including bus stand, railway station, different barriers and jhuggis.

Senior officers of the Administration and the Health Department were in touch with various booths from time to time with the help of the wireless system.

The Rotary Club of Chandigarh manned 80 booths in the city and helped immunise 31,906 children. As many as 17 US Rotarians and six Rotarians from Australia joined the club in its campaign.

The International Association of Lions Club helped the Health Department staff and immunised 17,442 children. The Lions Club, Chandigarh Greater, manned six centres in Karsan colony and immunised 2,065 children.

While 1,750 children were given polio drops at a camp organised by the State Bank of Patiala, Kajheri, the Citizens Awareness Group manned 16 centres and immunised 5,988 children. The local MP, Mr Satya Pal Jain, was among the prominent persons who administrated polio drops to children.

The personnel of the 127 Battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) helped in the immunisation of over 12,000 children in different parts of Chandigarh and Mani Majra. The Department of Community Medicine of Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, helped in the campaign in the Behlana village, Colony no 4, railway station and in Mani Majra.

The Mayor, Mr Kewal Krishan Addiwal, administrated polio drops to children at the civil dispensary in Sector 45. Over 2,600 children of the ex-servicemen, service personnel and civilians were given drops at seven centres at Chandimandir, Kalka and Chandigarh.

Meanwhile, over 400 children were administrated polio drops in Kurali, 25 km from here, at the booths organised by the State Bank of Patiala. The Ranbaxy Community Health care Society, administered polio drops to 2150 children at three camps in Palsora colony and in SAS Nagar.

PANCHKULA: More than 55,000 children below-five years of age were administered polio drops during the second phase of the Pulse Polio Immunisation Programme in the district Sunday.

The district health authorities had set up 275 posts in the urban and rural areas to carry out the immunisation drive. The District Immunisation Officer, Dr S.P.Bhardwaj, said by afternoon more than 60 per cent children had been immunised.

An hour old child, which was born in the afternoon at the local General Hospital, was the youngest child to be immunised against polio on Sunday.

Over 100 per cent immunisation has been reported from Kalka, Pinjore, Hangola, Barwala and parts of the township. Special centres had been set up at brickkilns, construction sites and labour colonies.

In the township 14,374 children against a target of 11,000 children have been administered polio drops.

Decision soon on leasehold conversion: Jain
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 17 — The local MP, Mr Satya Pal Jain, in a press note today said the issue of rationalisation of sales tax on various items and a scheme for allotment of booths to the scooter mechanics as well as automobile sparepart dealers were under the active consideration of the UT Administration and a decision on these would be taken soon.

The other issue under active consideration was simplification of the leasehold system. Mr Jain met a delegation of shopkeepers who pressed him to take an early action on these issues.

Mr Jain said there was no truth in the fact that the new scheme would deprive either mechanics or the sparepart dealers of their legitimate rights of booths. The issues had been discussed with representatives of different sections involved.

The matter pertaining to simplification of leasehold conversion had been studied in detail by a committee of officials and a final decision would be taken within a few days.

Mr Jain said that he had decided to call a conference of representatives of various residents' welfare associations to discuss the problems faced by them. He appealed to all welfare associations to send him lists of their office-bearers by January 25 so that invitations could be sent.

Sunshine brings relief in region

CHANDIGARH, Jan 17 (UNI) — Battered by intense cold wave conditions and prolonged fog, the people in the North-West region heaved a sigh of relief today as bright sunshine increased day temperatures.

The freak weather conditions have already claimed seven lives in Punjab and one in Chandigarh.

However, the farthest-most Ladakh region in Jammu and Kashmir continued to shiver under 12°C to 14°C below freezing point temperatures. Ladakh, Kargil and Thoise reported the low of 14°C, 12°C and 12.4°C respectively.

The State’s summer capital Srinagar again had a colder night with the minimum falling to —5.3°C, three degrees below normal. The minimum in Jammu, the winter capital saw improvement in the overnight temperature at 7.5°C, but still one degree below normal.

Chandigarh and adjoining areas in Haryana and Punjab saw the day temperature today rising to 14°C, against the normal of 19°C and yesterday’s 11°C. The minimum too rose to its normal of 7°C after experiencing the coldest night yesterday in the past four years.

The night temperatures also rose in Punjab’s Amritsar, Ludhiana and Patiala, one to three degrees above normal.

In Himachal Pradesh, state capital Shimla saw the minimum rising to 4.6°C, three degrees above normal. However the tribal belt and areas adjoining Ladakh region continued to be in the grip of severe cold wave conditions.

Kalpa in Kinnaur reported a low hovering around minus 0.6°C while Bhuntar had the minimum of 0.2°C this morning. Sundarnagar reported a low of 1.2°C and Una 3.6°C.

In Delhi Safdarjung and Palam reported the low of 8.4°C and 7.6°C, respectively.

Weathermen here have forecasted ground frost at some places in Punjab besides light to moderate rains during the next 48 hours. Light to moderate rains or snow was likely to occur at isolated places in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. Haryana would have mainly a dry weather.

Tiwari seeks Bal Thackeray's arrest
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 17 — Mr Manish Tiwari, President Indian Youth Congress, has demanded the immediate arrest of the Shiv Sena supremo, Mr Bal Thackeray, under the National Security Act for making irresponsible statements which were vitiating the atmosphere and sending wrong signals internationally.

In a statement issued through Mr Manjit Sahdev, spokesperson of the Chandigarh Territorial Youth Congress, Mr Tiwari urged the Central Government to take steps to ensure that the Shiv Sainiks were not allowed to disturb the coming cricket series between India and Pakistan.

Referring to the recent attacks on Christian institutions in Gujarat, Mr Tiwari charged that the elements behind the attacks were being shielded by the government.

He termed as "irrelevant" Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee's, suggestion of holding a national debate on the issue of religious conversions. If a national debate were to be held, it should be on issues such as education, employment and basic health care for all, he added.

PU youth festival results
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 17 — Domination of students from Chandigarh continued at the Panjab University Youth festival underway at Mukerian, according to reports reaching here.

In the short-story section of literary events, Shailja Kaushal from MCM DAV College stood first.Vandana Malik from Government College of Education came second while the third place was bagged by Amandeep Kaur from GTB National College, Dakha.

In the histrionics category, Kapil Kalyan from Government College stood first,Narinder Kaur from DAV College, Jagraon, second, and Kanupriya from GCAM College, Abohar stood third.

In the essay writing contest, the winners included Jeewan Kumar from SPN College, Mukerian, Harpreet Kaur from DAV College, Malout, and Baljit Singh from GHG College, Gurusar Sudhar.

In the poetry section, the winners were H.S. Dimple from GHG Khalsa College, Sudhar, H.S. Darling from College of Science and Commerce, Jagraon and Aanchal Sharma from GHG College, Gurusar Sudhar.

Teachers seek revised pay scales

CHANDIGARH, Jan 17 — The Panjab University Teachers' Association in a letter to the Chief Minister has expressed its displeasure over non-implementation of the revised pay scales as recommended by the UGC.

Dr Satya Pal Gautam, president, and Dr M. Rajivlochan, secretary, said that "a person constantly worried about his well-being is not able to concentrate well on the job at hand. You would also appreciate that examinations are around the corner". If teachers remained worried they might find it difficult to conduct an examination in an efficient and proficient manner.

The all-India Federation of University Teachers Association has sent letters to the Prime Minister and others concerned to expedite implementation of the pay scales.

Elected: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad : president — Neeraj Sharma; vice presidents — Sanjeev Bansal and Suraj Negi; secretary — Vikas Bhatti and office secretary — Jasminder Pal Singh.

Effigy burnt: The strike in Government College for Men, Sector 11, entered its fifth day on Saturday with students burning an effigy of the principal. Students continued their "chain fast".

A procession was taken out. A delegation of students led by Dayal Pratap Singh Randhawa, president of the Panjab University Campus Students' Council, met the Deputy Commissioner.

Randhawa has given a call for a one-day strike in all colleges.

Fete: A fete will be organised by Dev Samaj College and Dev Samaj Polytechnic for Women, Sector 45, on January 23 and 24.

Fancy dress competitions, healthy baby show, painting and poster making contests will be highlight of the two-day affair.

Man knocked down by bus, dies
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 17 — Mr Krishan Sood, a resident of Panchkula, was knocked down by a Haryana Roadways bus near the Transport roundabout today.

According to the police, Mr Sood, who was riding a scooter was knocked down when the driver of the bus, Roop Chand, tried to negotiate a red light at the chowk.

He was rushed to General Hospital, Sector 16, where he was declared brought dead.

The driver has been arrested and a case registered.

Complaint: The Principal of Dev Samaj College for Women, Ms Surjit Kaur, in a complaint has alleged that a former clerk of the college, P.S. Mehta, had committed certain irregularities in the funds.

An inquiry committee has been constituted.

Car stereo stolen: Mr Ashok Sharma, a resident of Sector 27, complained to the police that the stereo of his car (CHOI-U-521) has been stolen.

A case has been registered.

Arrested: Pappu, a resident of Ram Darbar, has been arrested for harassing and teasing a girl of his locality.

Car stolen: The car (PB-28-5970) of Mr Jangir, a resident of SAS Nagar, has been stolen from Sector 34 here.

A case has been registered.

Sector 8 an exception

AN interesting aspect of the city came to light during the conference on 50 years of Chandigarh. A senior architect from Punjab pointed out why all sector markets in the city are located in sub sections C and D of a sector. Due to this residents living in sections A and B of the same sector have to cross the V- 4 roads that have become congested over the years and accident prone.

The only exception in the entire city is Sector 8 where the sector has been divided into three parts and the market is located in section A and B of the sector. Though Sector 7 is also divided into three parts the market is in sections C and D of the sector. The original plan submitted by Albert Mayer had conceptualised a market on both sides of the road.

This proposal was, however, shot down by the famous French architect and father of modern Chandigarh, Le Corbusier. He was of the opinion that the market should be on one side of the road. Mayer then reportedly protested and to pacify him, Sector 8 and 7 were built according to his plan. The Punjab architect even showed an 1957 letter in which Le Corbusier has actually drawn his plans of a market.

On strike

The two-month-old strike by the Panchkula District Bar Association over no provision of chambers for lawyers at the Judicial Complex coming up in Sector 1 here has badly hit the functioning of the local courts.

While the lawyers blame the district administration for the strike the officials of the administration say that lawyers would have to construct the chambers at their own costs on the land which is to be made available to them.

Whatever may be the issue the losers of the strike are hundreds of litigants visiting the courts from far-flung areas of the district. The litigants complain that they are being given further dates in their respective cases as the lawyers are on strike.

The litigants want that the administration and the Bar association should find a solution to the problem at the earliest in the interest of the public.

ASUDA

The website, of the Anandpur Sahib Urban Development Authority (ASUDA) was inaugurated on January 16.

The Authority has got it prepared recently and it provides comprehensive information about the various development projects under construction at Anandpur Sahib. The site also includes a map of the Anandpur Sahib township highlighting various sites where developmental activities are going on. Apart from providing a brief overview of the town, its genesis and places of historic importance, it also provides information on how to reach Anandpur Sahib and where to stay. It has also been hyperlinked with the website of the Punjab Tourism Development Corporation to access more details regarding travel and stay options.

A provision for sending feedback has also been made so that suggestions can be made. The site can be accessed at http:/www.nic.in/asuda.

Selected

Dr V.K.Rattan from Panjab University has been co-opted as a member of the National Council of the Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers, Calcutta, for the year 1999.

Dr Rattan, an eminent scientist is a reader in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Technology. He has been selected on the premier national body for the second year in succession.

Admission blues

Come January and parents in the city and its surrounding areas start having admission blues. Their worries are not on account of admission of their wards to professional courses but because their tinytots have to cross the threshold of the realm of education. This is the period when various schools announce opening of registration for admission to nursery classes. The day registration opens, lone queues can be seen in schools for getting prospectus and admission forms. Understandably so, because some schools open the sale of admission forms only for a day.

To impress the parents many schools, particularly public schools, print glossy prospectuses, highlighting their past achievements and activities they offer to students. No wonder the prospectuses are priced on the higher side. Not to take any chances, the parents register their little ones with more than one school.

The prospectus of Kailash Bahl DAV Centenary Public School boldly claims it to be a "zero-defect school". Introduction by the Principal, Mrs Madhu Bahl, who was honoured by the Chandigarh Administration recently for her contribution in the field of public school education, tells the parents that the institution to which they are seeking admission for their wards is a "new-generation and equal-opportunity public school".

Hansraj Public School, Panchkula, has taken the cake as far as the prospectus is concerned. Printed in the form of a table calendar, instead of the principal, an imaginary student, Nanu, takes the responsibility of introducing his school to the parents and students. The language and the writing too is, as if it is in a child's hand. The school will admit only 75 students to its nursery class for which about 500 prospectus were sold.

In comparison to the public schools, the prospectus of convent schools are less flashy. They are also priced on the lower side.

No handicap

Vishal Sharma of Chandigarh, who lost a leg and an arm in a road accident when just four-year old, has done the country proud by winning three first positions, one second position and one third position in the games for the handicapped held in Russia.

Vishal, now 23, is a student of Tver State Medical Academy, where he is doing his MBBS. He had been denied admission at Amritsar Medical College despite there being a handicap quota.

This handicapped medico goes to the gymnasium during his free time. With his right hand he can do the dumbell curl four times (32 kg). He can swim like a dolphin in water and also plays tennis.

Despite his handicap, Vishal made an adventure trip from Germany to Moscow (2100 km) in a car in October last.

His performance in the games for the handicapped include winners position in dumbell, tennis and darts, second position in basketball and third position in shooting.

VIP visit

The visit of VVIP to a particular area could prove to be a blessing in disguise, as experienced by the residents of the PGI Residential Colony the other day when the President, Dr KR Narayanan, visited Panjab University.

The residents of the colony were amused to find that large potholes which dotted the road leading to the colony and to Mullanpur Garibdas for years virtually disappeared overnight. Similarly not only was the wild vegetation along the road, the removal of which had been sought by them sans success for years together, had been removed, the road was also mopped and was thoroughly cleaned a day before the visit of the dignitary.

If things moved with such visits only, should not there be such visits too often?

Riding tall

Rajeev Kumar, a Sector 41 resident, has found a novel way to look distinctive in a crowd.

Rajeev, an air-conditioner mechanic, has assembled a bicycle, the height of which is almost double that of a normal cycle. As compared to the three feet height of the seat of a normal cycle, the seat of the cycle made by Rajeev is at a height of five feet and has a specially designed 9-ft high U-shaped handle bar.

According to Rajeev, due to the height of the cycle, which is used by him daily, he is a centre of attraction wherever he goes and people think as if he is riding a camel. He says he does not experience any difficulty in driving this 'tall' bicycle, particularly due to his six-ft height. He claimed that he undertook a tour to Delhi on his unusual bicycle which was assembled by him three years ago with an aim to getting his name included in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Rajeev is corresponding with the Guinness Book authorities for registering his name in the record book and he will not sell his "dream-bike" which took three months to complete, at any cost.

Photos par excellence

Mr Subhash Sapru, working with the Haryana Government, is perhaps the only Public Relations Officer in the country who has been awarded for the second consecutive year medals for his outstanding photographs in the photo journalism section in India Print Circuit which forms a series of six international photo exhibitions.

These exhibitions were held at Jodhpur, Indore, Nainital, Bhopal, Burhanpur and New Delhi and were conducted with the approved practices of the Photographic Society of America, Oklahoma (USA) and the India International Photographic Council, New Delhi.

Last year, Sapru was the only photo journalist to have bagged three medals and a certificate of merit. His acute sense of news and photography skill have helped him in following up his earlier feat with another two medals and a certificate of merit.

His photographs have also been accepted twice at the Oklahoma International Exhibition of Photography in the USA.

Tailpiece

Architects can have brilliant ideas about designs but Charles Jencks from the United Kingdom, who was in the city for the recent conference on 50 years of Chandigarh, has his own unique idea about his signature. And he surely leaves behind an impressive signature. He simultaneously uses three pens held in his right hand to sign. The pens having red, blue and black ink are held in his first three fingers thus almost triplicating his own signatures in different colours.

He, however, does not use this technique to sign official documents, otherwise he would have his bankers in a tizzy.