& V I C I N I T Y
Wednesday, March 31, 1999
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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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Wednesday, March 31, 1999 |
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spotlight today's calendar |
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Teacher-friendly
transfer policy Letters
handed over to PRO
Saving
couples from matrimonial litigation |
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Terms
of N-powers violate NPT: Dutt 11
Punjabi writers court arrest Celebrations
end with ‘Zafarnama’ Protest
by roadways staff Search
for talented blind musicians Government
lacks funds to pay bills ‘BJP
giving saffron colour to school syllabi’ Garbage
disposal: MC in a fix Remuneration
for hard work poor Road
carpeting left unfinished |
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Pak
cricketers arrive amid security CHANDIGARH, March 30 — Amidst extraordinarily tight security arrangements, members of the Pakistan cricket team led by Wasim Akram arrived in the city on board the New Delhi-Kalka Shatabdi tonight. The team was travelling in coach C-2, a normal airconditioned coach and not the executive class coach, as they could not reportedly get reservations for that class of travel. The Pakistanis were accompanied by a police party from Delhi. The passengers in the coach were requested to dis-embark from the door at the rear while Chandigarh cops cordoned off the area at the platform. A posse of policemen accompanied by three DSPs, a numbers of inspectors, sub-inspectors and ASIs besides constables arrived at the station around 7: 40 pm. The train arrived at 8: 20 pm at platform number 1. A DSP and an inspector, accompanied the team in the bus as it travelled to Hotel Mountview. At the hotel, the cricketers were welcomed with garlands and a drink. Elaborate security arrangements have been made to protect cricketers, the approximately 1000 visitors from across the border, VIPs and dignataries who are scheduled to come to the city in connection with the one-day match between India and Pakistan to be held in SAS Nagar on April 1 . The players and visitors shall start arriving from tonight in batches. The Pakistani team arrives first. The Indian team is scheduled to come tomorrow. Depending upon the time taken to complete the formalities at the border, the special train bringing visitors from Wagah is expected to arrive here between 8 pm and 9 pm tomorrow, according to Railway sources. The concentration of the Chandigarh police will be the maximum in and around Hotel Mountview, in Sector 10, where players from both sides will be staying. The hotel will be like a mini-fortress, a control room will be set up and cops, dressed in plain cloths as well as the khakhi, will be on duty on each floor of the hotel. Each team of the police will also have a woman official, probably to frisk and check the fairer sex, who are known to turn up in large numbers to “watch” the cricketers. The police will also screen all food and drinks being served to players. For security reasons, the players will be housed in the old block of the hotel and not in the newly constructed 86-room block that was inaugurated today. Almost 1000 cops, including officers , will be doing security duty round the clock. To tide over shortage of staff, The Chandigarh police has been given charge of five companies from the Punjab police. All deputy superintendents of police have been asked to ensure that no player moves out of the hotel without a personnel security officer (PSO). A total of six vehicles — three gypsies and three cars — will be at the disposal of the each of the teams. Exclusive teams of cops will accompany players going out to socialise. When the teams go for practice, or for the match, the bus carrying them will be led by a pilot car and an escort. Behind the bus will be a 15 member anti-riot squad in another vehicle. No traffic diversions will be enforced in Chandigarh. The local SSP, Mr C.S. R.
Reddy, who is overseeing all arrangements said, “we
will also be providing security in vehicles that will be
transporting the Pakistani guests.” To tide over the legal aspect of recording the entry of a Pakistani national within 24 hours of his arrival at a city, the Chandigarh police will open 20 counters at the railway station when the special train carrying nearly 1000 visitors from across the border arrives. Under the law, each
foreign national is required to furnish two photographs,
the address where he is going to stay and his the
passport number. As if to keep the Pakistani team among sports minded security personnel, the Punjab police has posted former Indian hockey captain, Pargat Singh, an SP with the force, among the top class security being provided to the cricketers. Pargat Singh, in his dress
as a cop, met The Tribune in the hotel lobby and
confirmed about his duty. |
Teacher-friendly
transfer policy CHANDIGARH, March 30 — The UT Education Department has come out with a more teacher-friendly transfer policy to be followed in respect of government school teachers during 1999-2000. According to the modifications in the existing policy, a teacher can now give as many options in order of his priority while specifying his choices of transfer. He no longer has to restrict himself to just two or three options, which in most cases were not fulfilled. As a result, the teacher was at the mercy of the lower officials and would be posted anywhere. The Education Secretary, Mrs Anuradha Gupta, said that this had been done so that teachers got a posting of their choice, which in turn would have a bearing on their efficiency. This would also help check administrative arbitrariness at the lower levels. She said that “we will simply not toss our teachers in the garb of administrative reason.” Earlier, teachers could simply not be posted to schools located in the Sector or village where they were residing. But according to the recent modification in case of compelling compassionate grounds a teacher may even be posted to a school located in the area of his residence. Though largely this practice will be discouraged but in case of acute medical hardships such cases will be accommodated. Another friendly aspect of the policy pertains to the fact that the authorities will be liberal in accepting requests of mutual transfers. But this would not apply in cases where teachers wish to go back to a school where they have already completed seven years or more. While considering the requests of teachers who wish to move out from rural schools, it must be ensured that they have completed the minimum stay of two years and those teachers who have not served in rural schools at all may be transferred there. The teachers who are retiring within one year or less will not be disturbed. The department will also make no mid-term transfers except on administrative grounds.However, while transferring heads of schools/teachers on administrative grounds, the genuineness of the request will be considered. The Education Secretary has further directed the department to take into account the results of the schools while making the transfers of those principals, headmasters and headmistresses who have already completed five years or more in a particular school. For instance, a head who has shown a marked improvement in the results of an ordinary school or a village school may even be given a good urban ordinary school or a model school. This will motivate him to perform even better. Similarly, lecturers/master cadre teachers, C and V teachers, JBT teachers and other category of teachers who have completed seven years may be shifted on request basis, though even in their case the results should be taken into consideration. The transfer requests of teachers who have completed three years of service in an urban school or two years of service in a rural school will also be considered. The policy further specifies that in case of declaring surplus posts in a school, the senior-most teacher in the respective cadre should be transferred. The DPI
(Schools)-cum-Under Secretary, Education, Mr D.S. Mangat,
said that heads of various government schools had been
asked to send in the transfer requests of their
respective teachers by March 31. The process of transfers
will begin by April 20 after scrutiny of requests so as
to accommodate them and give them a school nearest to
their respective places of residence or their
children’s school.
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Letters
handed over to PRO CHANDIGARH, March 30 — The letters which were found scattered by residents of Sector 44 yesterday were handed over to the Public Relations Officer (PRO) , Sector 14 Post Office, Mr Ravinder Sharma, this evening. A photograph of the scattered letters appeared in the columns of Chandigarh Tribune today. The department is
inquiring into the matter and the letters will be
despatched from the Chandigarh sorting office in Sector
17. |
Fake
currency note! PANCHKULA, March 30 — Are fake currency notes of Rs 500 denomination in circulation? Perhaps yes, if one goes by the experience of an employee at the local telephone bill collection centre. The unsuspecting employee accepted a Rs 500 note from subscriber who had come to deposit his telephone bill. He only came to know about the currency note being fake when a bank refused to accept it. Now aware of the problem
the office had found a way out to keep the problem of
fake currency notes at bay. Any subscriber using Rs 500
currency notes to make any payment at the centre is asked
to write the serial number of his currency note along
with his contact number. |
Saving
couples from matrimonial litigation CHANDIGARH, March 30 — Ms A, a 20-year-old city girl, who started living separately after four months of her marriage with a businessman here, is a free person today. She moved the Permanent Lok Adalat in the District Courts complex for a divorce. And it took her less than a month to get a divorce. Hers is not an isolated case of its type. The Permanent Lok Adalat here, which in September last year became the first such “adalat” in the country, has in the past six months benefitted 50 such couples by saving them from the harassment of undergoing prolonged matrimonial litigation. Instead they got mutual divorce quickly. There have been instances even when senior functionaries in the police and justice system have benefitted in settling their matrimonial and other disputes amicably through the Permanent Lok Adalat here. Besides, the Permanent Lok Adalat has been successful to the extent of reuniting almost an equal number of estranged couples through counselling. It works on the conviction that many a dispute and difference can be solved amicably through negotiations and litigants can be saved from the hassels inherent in the present justice system. But at times this objective becomes elusive for want of effective mechanism for conciliatory mediation. Since its inception, the Chandigarh Lok Adalat has been quite successful as it has succeeded in settling more than 1,600 cases of different categories. Not only that, the Punjab and Haryana High Court also became the first high court in the country to have a Permanent Lok Adalat with Mr Justice D.V. Sehgal as Chairman and Mrs Rewa Gandhi and Mr SS Goindi as associate members. This Permanent Lok Adalat has also reportedly settled 540 cases on the basis of consensus. The Chandigarh State Legal Services Authority, constituted about a year ago, has been greatly successful in providing free and competent legal services to the weaker sections of society. Apart from holding some lok adalats, both at the high court level as well as at the district level, this authority works under the executive chairmanship of Mr Justice N.K. Sodhi. The Chandigarh Lok Adalat also makes copies of its orders available to the litigants free of cost. The primary object behind these lok adalats has been to promote justice on the basis of equal opportunity. The Chandigarh State Legal Services Authority has made arrangements for entertaining all those categories of persons who are eligible to receive legal aid or legal service but who are quite illiterate and are not capable of preferring even their petitions. To meet this situation, Mr S.K. Sardana, Member-Secretary of the authority, has deputed his officers to write petitions on behalf of the litigants to save them from unnecessary harassment at the hands of petition writers. Besides, an effective
mechanism exists in the authority for providing
counselling to the petitioners in resolving their
disputes amicably. The lok adalat is now also taking
cognizance of matters which can be disposed of summarily.
The Inspector-General of Police Chandigarh, has been
requested to refer to the authority the cases where they
do not succeed in resolving disputes at pre-litigation
stage between the parties. |
Traders
against privatisation of octroi collection SAS NAGAR, March 30 — As the contract with the private party for octroi collection ends tomorrow, there is difference of opinion on whether the same system should be followed once again during the next financial year. While the government and most of the municipal councillors want the work of octroi collection to privatised, organisations like the Mohali Industries Association and the town’s Kiryana Association are against the system. So much so, even council employees put on octroi duty are against privatisation. Both associations feel that privatisation only leads to harassment and brings very little financial gain to the civic body as they claim that most industrial wait owners and merchants are against the evasion of octroi. However, a talk with shopkeepers and others revealed that one of the main reasons against privatisation was that it was more difficult to evade octroi with a private contractor on the job. They said it was “very easy” to strike a “deal” with octroi officials when octroi collection was in government hands. Though “deals” could he struck even now, the risk of being caught by the contractor’s men was always there. Mr Harinder Pal Singh Bhalla, President of the Municipal Council, said today that had the work of octroi collection not been privatised, the council would not have been able to achieve the proposed octroi target of Rs 12.74 crore fixed for 1998-99. Now the council had earned Rs 12.75 crore till yesterday. He said the council would have failed to achieve the target on its own because it was short of vehicles and employees. The system was privatised in August last year for a period of eight months ending March 31 after an open section. The highest bid at that time was Rs 8.66 crore against the reserve amount of Rs 8.64 crore. Council employees put on the job are against the system because they say that they are “forced” to overcharge octroi from people instead of strictly following the rate schedule. In one case, they said, they were asked to charge Rs 24 per quintal for iron rods (“sariya”) against the schedule rate of Rs 4 per quintal. Speaking along the same lines, a shopkeeper of phase V said that the schedule rate in case of tamarind (imli) and arrowroot was Rs 10 per quintal but traders were forced to pay 60 per quintal. If they failed to comply with the octroi demand, the entry of their goods was stopped. Mr R.S. Sachdeva, President, Mohali Industries Association, said 90 per cent of the octroi income came from big industrial units. Unit owners were working in a planned manner and claimed that they paid their octroi dutifully. The stay of privatising octroi was only to catch the evaders among the remaining 10 per cent. The Municipal Council was not short of funds, and moreover in a democratic set-up such systems should not be encouraged, he added. He appealed to the government to start the system of imposing octroi cess on a trial basis here as the Municipal Council was financially stable. Mr Sham Bansal, President of the Kiryana Association, said it did not make “much difference” to the merchants of the town whether the system of octroi collection was privatised or not. But the general public was definitely harassed. He claimed that no shopkeeper evaded octroi. However, to protect the
public from harassment, the association would oppose the
privatisation of octroi during the next financial year. |
Terms of
N-powers violate NPT: Dutt CHANDIGARH, March 30 — An eminent sinologist and Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Delhi University, Prof VP Dutt, delivered a lecture on “Pokhran II and its impact on India’s foreign policy’’ at Panjab University, here today. Beginning with the concept of security which is of utmost importance to any state or society, Professor Dutt explained that possession of all weapons of the world could not ensure security of a country in the absence of internal cohesion coupled with economic growth and social solidarity. Since parameters of security were determined by national interests, globalism had neither replaced nor displaced national sovereignties which was evident in the government’s effort to protect the country’s interest. India’s decision of not being subservient to outside powers aroused hostility and lingering suspicion among the big powers of the world. The concept of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons was propagated by India and was then opposed by the country at the time of signing the treaty because India favoured a nuclear-free world while the big powers resisted and resented the move to empty their nuclear arsenal. Finally, they managed to give legitimacy to their possession of nuclear weapons by the existing nuclear- weapons states while permanently disabling the non-nuclear states and relegating them to the position of subordination. “The nuclear powers are trying to clamp down conditions and restrictions in the name of preventing the spread of dual-use nuclear technology which is clearly violative of the NPT’’, remarked Professor Dutt. The violation has been carried further by withholding facilities that were supposed to be made available by the nuclear powers to the non-nuclear nations. The treaty, theoretically, envisaged a high level of cooperation in the field of peaceful uses of nuclear energy. On the nexus between China and Pakistan for building up nuclear weapons capability of Pakistan, he stated that the quest for the bomb had begun much before the Indian blast in 1974. He said the nuclear capabilities of the two nations could not be wished away while nuclear weapons around India’s border of were piling up. Commenting on the blasts, Professor Dutt said that the nuclear blasts at Pokhran in May by India last year had transformed the regional situation. He condemned the countries which already have nuclear weapons, preaching abstinence to the rest of the world. He highlighted that the relations of India with a number of countries had suffered a setback and the USA was infuriated at what it regarded as unacceptable defiance on India’s part. Before the blasts, a lot of hype was built around the acquisition of nuclear arsenal which was misplaced and detracted from India’s claim of being a responsible state. The trouble had begun with the Defence Minister publicly pointing out China as the principal threat to India’s security. Some damage control exercises had been undertaken by India in recent days and some stability had returned to the India-China relationship. Some steps, he suggested, should cease the polemics against each other and the two nations should get down to intensive dialogue, expanding their economic relations and establishing greater power symmetry. He concluded by saying that India’s foreign policy has been “traditionally distinguished by temperance, transparence and consensus and it would be in serious trouble if we do not take remedial measures and confine ourselves to the three cardinal principles. “If I was to respond in one word to the fallout of Pokhran II or the foreign policy thereafter, it would be `disastrous’ ,’’ Mr Hari Jaisingh, Editor of The Tribune, said in his presidential remarks at the first lecture organised by the Saini Foundation. He elaborated that even though he was not personally opposed to the blasts, India ought to have done that long back. But the national and inter national setting was unfavourable and the time not ripe for the blasts, he said. The government, to ensure survival, took the step in haste without deliberating on why the earlier government had backtracked and put the idea of the blasts in cold storage. If the blasts had taken place in the ‘80s, things would have been different. Mr Hari Jaisingh observed that adhocism prevailed at the decision-making level and there was an urgent need to re-structure the foreign policy and have it addressed afresh. The next task would be to re-write the foreign policy in the light of the new global realities and spell out the goals and objectives. He stressed that the
nation must be taken into confidence regarding goals and
objectives and involve a thinking not based on political
parties of the day but a framework of national goals.
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Mountview
gets more rooms CHANDIGARH, March 30 — The UT Administrator, Lieut-Gen BKN Chhibber (retd), today inaugurated a new block of Hotel Mountview. Speaking on the occasion, General Chhibber said Chandigarh was growing as the most important city north of Delhi and the Chandigarh Administration was making constant efforts to make it the best city in the country. The city, he said, had developed as a major cultural, educational and health centre. While presiding over the function, Mr Jagdish Sagar, Adviser to the Administrator, said hotel accommodation had become one of the gaps in the development of the city. He said some large chains like the ITDC were coming to the city and setting up the new block was a step in preparing CITCO to face competition in the future. The local MP, Mr Satya pal Jain, stressed the need to improve the tourist infrastructure in the city. The Chairperson of CITCO, Ms Meenakshi Datta Ghosh, informed that the new block was planned in 1994 and work was entrusted at a project cost of Rs 10.5 crore in 1995. The roof top restaurant, which was also a part of the new block, would be completed in three months’ time, she added. Ms Anuradha Gupta, Home Secretary, exhorted the CITCO staff to inculcate among themselves real professionalism so that the tourists found the level of services to be of the highest order. The new block will have 86 five star de luxe rooms, underground parking, executive lounge and two high-speed glass capsule lifts. Earlier in the morning, General Chhibber inaugurated the new Tourist Information Centre at the railway station. The touch screen computer system, installed at the cost of Rs 1.5 lakh, would provide details about the city and the states of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal. The details about the city, its tourist activities, important telephone numbers, hotels, eating places and shopping arcades and details about the activities of CITCO can be seen on the computer by touching the screen with a finger. He also inaugurated the new toilet block and roof-top cafeteria at Lake Chef at Sukhna Lake. Besides this, new facilities like the renovation of the Chinese restaurant, bar, banquet hall, conference rooms and renovation of the second and fourth floors were also seen by the Administrator during his visit to Hotel Shivalikview. Meanwhile, the president of the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Chandigarh, Mr Man Mohan Singh, while felicitating CITCO for opening the new block, urged the Chandigarh Administration to market the city so that the addition of more hotel rooms did not result in sliding occupancy. Development of the Rock Garden as a major international tourist destination and curbing of illegal and unauthorised accommodation were also stressed by him The association has decided to offer discount to the extent of 50 per on food items at its member units to all Pakistanis cricket lovers. The visitors will have to display their entry visas to avail of the discount. Moreover, a delegation of
the local chapter of the All-India Paying Guest
Accommodation met the Adviser and offered 40 rooms to the
administration for the Pakistan visitors on the eve of
the one-day match between India and Pakistan at SAS Nagar
on April 1. |
11 Punjabi
writers court arrest CHANDIGARH, March 30 — As many as 11 prominent Punjabi writers courted arrest to protest against the alleged inability of the state government to promote Punjab, Punjabi and Punjabiat. The members of the Kendriya Punjabi Lekhak Sabha, who assembled near the Chandigarh Housing Board roundabout, condemned the decision of the government to introduce English as a compulsory subject. They said the step was contrary to the cause of Punjabi. The agitators demanded that the state government should chalk out a policy to introduce Punjabi in all the state-run educational institutions and boards. A decision to introduce Hindi from Class-III and English as an optional subject from Class-VI onwards should be taken. This would reduce the drop out rate among the rural students. The government should also ensure that the curriculum of the PSEB was followed even in those schools which were not aided or funded by it. In case the schools do not accept this, they should either be closed down or be taken over by the authorities. Those arrested included Mr Santokh Singh Dhir, Dr S. Tarsem, Sukhminder Rampuri, Mr R. L. Premi, Mr T. S. Chann, Dr T. S. Mann, Mr Surjit Gill, Mr C. Markanda, Mr Ajaib Chitrakar, Mr Kirpal Singh and Mr H. S. Hundal. The protesters were
addressed by Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, a former Chief
Minister, Mr Tej Prakash Singh and Mr Avtar Singh Brar,
both MLAs. |
GC-46
students get degrees CHANDIGARH, March 30 — As many as 196 graduates of arts and commerce received their degrees at the 14th annual convocation of Government College, Sector 46 today. While113 degrees were given to students of arts, 83 students of the commerce stream were also given degrees at the function. Twenty one honours students were also honoured at the function. Poornima Verma, Aadil Raza and Meenu Dogra of the commerce stream and Ashish Tuteja, Prabhujeet Singh and Asheem Kumar of the arts stream pocketed the first, second and third positions, respectively. The chief guest, Prof Paramjit Singh, Registrar of Panjab University, said that the resource crunch was preventing the installation of the state-of-art equipment in the laboratories of the educational institutions and higher education was suffering on account of paucity of funds. He stressed the need of involving business houses to finance the new equipment and technology. He prompted students to take initiative in activities rather than waiting for things to happen. Earlier, the function
began with a ``saraswati vandana’’ after which
the Principal of the college, Major D.P. Singh, welcomed
the chief guest while Mr A.K. Mathur proposed the vote of
thanks. |
Celebrations
end with ‘Zafarnama’ CHANDIGARH, March 30 — On the third and the final day of the celebrations of the 300 years of the Khalsa Panth today, at Punjab Kala Bhavan, Rose Garden, Sector 16, the Punjab Sangeet Natak Akademi staged Davinder Daman’s Punjabi play, ‘Zafarnama’. Written by Dr Harcharan Singh, the oft-staged play, was presented to a packed audience at the open-air theatre. ‘Zafarnama’, which literally means the letter of victory, told the tale of how Guru Gobind Singh writes a letter to the then reigning Emperor of India, Aurangzeb, in Persian, warning him to stop excesses on the common people. Ripu Daman played the part of Daya Singh and his wife, Jaswant Dhawan, the role of a stiff Zeenat, the daughter of Aurangzeb. Their performance appeared rather drab, especially in comparison to the first two days of the celebrations. The saving grace to the play was Daman himself as Aurangzeb and Anita as Nusrat. It was also announced on
this occasion that the Thursday programmes of dance and
music, that were held at one time by the Punjab Arts
Council, would again become a regular feature, in
collaboration with the North Zone Cultural Centre.
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Protest by
roadways staff CHANDIGARH, March 30 — Members of the Joint Action Committee of Punjab Roadways Employees staged a rally to protest against the anti- employee and faulty policies pursued by the Badal Government which had not only brought great hardship on the employees but also taken the roadways on the brink of disaster. A large number of protesters from all over the state assembled near the Inter-State Bus Terminus and marched towards the State Assembly but were stopped near the housing board roundabout by the police. The agitators later sat on dharna there. Mr Gurdip Singh Moti, a senior member of the committee, condemned the government and said the wrong policies of the government like the increasing privatisation of transport routes and the decision to constitute the Bus Stand Management Company had resulted in a loss to the exchequer. Senior officers of the department were indulging in systematic loot of passenger and road tax, not buying spare parts as per norms, irregularities in the fabrication of bus bodies, burying the scandals of the past years without any action and disciplinary proceedings against the guilty officials. They also demanded jobs to the next of kith and kin of those who die in service and releasing the arrears of the employees who retire. The protesters also
expressed their solidarity with the agitating members of
The Nav Niyukt Adhyapak Union. |
Search for
talented blind musicians CHANDIGARH, March 30 — The Mahila Parishad, Chandigarh, in collaboration with the Prayas Mahila Sangh, today organised a search drive among the blind and the handicapped to identify talent in Indian classical and semi-classical music. At a function held in Maloya today, presided over by Mrs Kamla Sharma, Chairperson of the Chandigarh Social Advisory Board, musical instruments were distributed among the physically disabled. Special training
facilities for them were also promised by her. |
Government
lacks funds to pay bills MULLANPUR- GARIBDASS, March 30 — The financial burden due to excessive expenditure by the Punjab Government has landed the medical staff of the state in deep trouble as they have to pay electricity bills on their own. Sources in the health department said that the authorities had told the staff that there was an acute shortage of funds with the department. A similar situation prevails at the government dispensaries in Manauli and Mullanpur-Garibdass. Sources alleged that due to the indifferent attitude of higher authorities the electricity and telephone bills were being paid by the staff. The worst hit is the Mullanpur-Garibdass veterinary dispensary which is functioning without electricity. Sources said that the dispensary had a power connection, provided by the gram panchayat. “But the power supply was disrupted as the dispensary was provided the ‘kundi’ connection”, they alleged. The electricity department had disconnected the connection. Several complaints were lodged with the authorities but to no avail. Sources further added that non- availability of electricity connections could lead to problems in summers. “We have some vaccines which could be damaged if not kept at a low temperature in refrigerators”, they added. The dispensary employees alleged that bills had not been reimbursed for eight months. Sources said that all bills should be cleared by the department. The employees in the
Health Department also opposed the commercial electricity
charges on these dispensaries. “These are social
institutions and should get subsidy in electricity
bills”, suggested a doctor. |
‘BJP
giving saffron colour to school syllabi’ CHANDIGARH, March 30 — The BJP government is initiating changes in the curriculum of schools to propagate their ideology with a view to recruit cadres at an impressionable age and the need of the hour was to thwart this by promoting the secular credentials of the Congress, said Mrs Mohsina Kidwai, who is a member of the Congress Working Committee. She was in the city to address the North Zone Regional Orientation Camp organised by the Indian Youth Congress at Indira Holiday Home in Sector 24 today. Also present were Mr Munish Tiwari, National IYC president, Mr Pawan Bansal, former MP, and Mr Chander Mukhi Sharma, local YC chief. Talking to mediapersons, she said the RSS is running more than 13,000 branches, to which more than 75,000 members are added every year. It was a well-planned long-term strategy and would lead our country to disaster, she alleged. The BJP government was also covertly and overtly funding the running of other schools and religion specific institutions which turn out fundamental cadres, she added. The problem is compounded in states which have BJP governments. The school syllabi and curriculum is being changed to project the ideology of the party and build an attitude which grows with age and time. Land and grants to set up more such schools have been one of the priorities of the government. In states like Maharashtra, card holding member teachers were being recruited at the primary level so that they could influence children, she alleged. The recent attempts to have Saraswati Vandana were steps to infiltrate the secular education system of the country. It is ironic that the party which was once not willing to consider Mahatma Gandhi as the Father of the Nation is today bending over backwards to embrace all that he stood for. The principles espoused by him are now being followed and being claimed as being their own, said Mrs Kidwai. Coming down heavily on the government celebrations on completing one year in office, she questioned the rationale behind the festivities. People were groaning under high prices of essential commodities, the crime rate in the national capital had touched gory heights, onions sold for over Rs 50 a kg and for the first time an Admiral was sacked. Reacting to a question on Bihar and the support of their party to the state government, she said while she individually stood for not supporting another party and strive to come to power on their own , she said the circumstances in the state were different. Even President’s rule had failed to stop the killings. There was need for all the parties to cut across party lines to tackle the situation there, she opined. Earlier, addressing the delegates she exhorted them to stand up and fight the communal forces and remember the constructive roles played by Maulana Azad and Sardar Patel. The voting age was lowered so that the youth could take an active part in nation building. She urged all present to bring back the misguided youth who have fallen prey to the fundamentalists to the Congress fold. The reservation for women in the party carries arduous responsibilities and they should be ready for shouldering them, she added. Earlier, Mr Bansal explained various articles of the constitution of the country with special reference to Articles 14, 15, 19, 25, 26 and 29, which protect the rights of the individual, provide equal opportunity to all, irrespective of caste , creed and religion, justice to all as also freedom of speech and expression, besides the protection of the rights of the minorities. The camp concludes tomorrow evening. Meanwhile, talking to newsmen, Ms Selja, AICC Secretary, conceded that in the absence of the Youth Congress body in Haryana for two years, the party organisation had suffered. Ms Selja, who parried most of the questions, hoped that with the party deciding on the 33 per cent quota for women the new organisation, elections to which were to be completed by August, would have adequate representation of the women. Refusing to comment on the problems of indiscipline in the party units in Punjab and Haryana, she said the party high command would decide if discipline had been breached by holding two parallel rallies by the party men in Haryana recently. Earlier, while addressing the participants of the north zone regional orientation camp, Ms Selja said the Youth Congress activists had a major role to play in strengthening the party organisation. The tendency to use the
Youth Congress activists only during the elections should
be curtailed and they should be actively involved in the
policies of the party when the party was in power. She
wanted that more girls should be enrolled in the NSUI. |
Garbage
disposal: MC in a fix SAS NAGAR, March 30 — The local Municipal Council authorities are in a fix as to where tonnes of garbage here should be disposed of following a ban by the Punjab Urban Development Authority against the throwing of garbage in an open space in the backyard of the Industrial Area Phase VII cremation ground. The open space, measuring several acres, was being used by the MC authorities for the purpose of disposing of garbage for the past about 10 years. Unlike many townships in the state, MC has no patch of land to be used for the purpose with it, as the entire land is under the control of PUDA. The role of the MC is largely limited to the maintenance of existing services. The PUDA authorities, recently urged the MC authorities not to use the open space as a dumping yard, as the place, measuring about 500 x 100 feet has to be used by it for constructing a stretch of the road up to Balongi village. The proposed road, which has been envisaged to reduce the traffic on city roads, will link the city directly with the Chandigarh-Ludhiana road. Mr K. S. Brar, Executive Engineer of the MC, was not available for comments. An official of the civic body confirmed that the PUDA authorities have advised it against using the stretch as dumping yard for garbage. “This has created problems for us as there is no place where we can throw the garbage,” he said. According to an official estimate, about 5 to 6 tonnes of garbage emanates from different parts of the city. “We have been unable to find a solution as to how such a huge quantity can be disposed of elsewhere, when there is no open space around the city,” he added. He said that in spite of the ban, the MC has to dump the garbage at the same place or in the Patiali Rao Choe, which flows in the backyard of the cremation ground. “We have requested the PUDA authorities to provide an alternative place, but nothing has been done so far,” complained another official of the civic body. When contacted, an
official of the PUDA said the PUDA authorities were
toying with the idea to provide an ‘unclaimed’
stretch of land near the cremation ground so that it
could be used as an alternative dumping place.
|
Remuneration
for hard work poor PINJORE, March 30 — Mortar making is not inferior to preparing a statue in any way as it is a job of hard work and patience. Kalka town, 5 km from Pinjore, has a big market of these mortars or “dauris” or “kundis” and is quite popular among Indian households. Tourists to and from Shimla hardly forget to stop to buy this commonly used items. But little attention is paid towards the making of “dauris”. Mortar is used in different ways, including grinding ayurvedic medicines to spices. Mr Labbu Ram is in the profession for the past 23 years. He says the making of a single piece of “dauri” takes four to six hours. The cumbersome procedure of making “kundi” starts with the search for an appropriate piece of stone. The stone used for “dauris” is locally called “chikna patther” and it is mainly found near Kalka, he adds. Choes in the Kaushalya khud, near Pinjore, are the main sources of “chikna patther”.The most time consuming part in the procedure is locating the stone, he says. The stone is then dipped in water for nearly two hours to make it softer. Seven chisels and a hammer are needed to carve out a “dauri”. Different sizes of “dauris” are made as per demands, adds Mr Labbu Ram. He prepares atmost two
mortars a day and gets about Rs 20 to Rs 30 a piece from
shopkeepers to who procure these. Mr Labbu Ram says the
artisans do not get remunerative prices for their
mortars. |
Road
carpeting left unfinished PANCHKULA, March 30 — An incomplete dual carriageway separating Industrial Area phases-I and II here is increasingly becoming a traffic hazard. One of the lanes has been left uncarpeted after laying stone metal. Motorists are forced to use only the carpeted lane, resulting in accidents. Entrepreneurs at the industrial estate complain that the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) has been delaying the carpeting. HUDA officials, on the other hand, say that they want the stone metal to settle down before carpeting is undertaken. Recently, the carpeted stretch was closed to traffic so that vehicles ply only on the lane laid with stone metal. The uncarpeted road is being used as a parking space by a unit selling readymade garments, adding to the problem. The HUDA officials say that carpeting of the road will be taken up during the next financial year. On the problem of parking of vehicles on the road, the officials say the Estate Office has been asked to look into the problem. The entrepreneurs blame the police for not coordinating traffic on the road. The dual carriageway running along Industrial Area Phase-II, is another example of delay in completion of road works. Though workers of the engineering cell of HUDA have started laying stone metal on a section of the dual carriageway, a major part of the carriageway from Rajiv and Indira Labour colonies to Sector 17 is yet to be constructed. Apart from being a traffic
hazard, the incomplete road is being used as open
lavatories by the nearby slum-dwellers and to tether
their milch cattle. The HUDA officials say that this road
will also be completed in the next financial year.
|
CHANDIGARH, March 30 — The Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh (MCC) today finally decided to drop the idea of levying parking fee in Sectors 17 and 8 here. A meeting of the corporation decided to refund the principal amount to the contractors who had successfully bid for the parking contracts last year . The contractors were not able to run parking lots in the face of an agitation by traders and employees. One of the contractors had demanded that the security deposit of Rs 3.63 lakh, along with interest of 18 per cent, be refunded to him. He had also asked for a compensation to the tune of Rs 2 lakh as he had suffered a financial loss on account of the decision of the civic body to suspend the paid parking last year. Participating in the discussion, Mr OP Goyal of the ruling group wanted that the damages and the amount should be recovered from the then Mayor, Mr Gian Chand Gupta, as he had suspended the parking without taking the House into confidence. Mr Prem Sagar Jain of the ruling group wanted that opinion from the Legal Remembrancer (LR) be taken on whether the civic body or Mr Gupta should be held responsible for the delay in refunding the amount to the contractors. The Mayor, Mr Kewal Krishan Addiwal, ruled that the principal amount would be refunded to the contractors and the matter regarding the fixing of responsibility would be referred to the LR. In another major decision, the House approved the taking up of the deposit work by the MCC costing about Rs 2.58 crore, for the construction of a second grain market in Sector 39. Though the resolution to this effect was passed, several members wanted the officials to take the House into confidence before taking up such major projects.
Through another resolution, the meeting approved the sewerage charges for the new sewerage connections in the city. While the charges for CHB flats having a covered area of upto 500 square feet would be Rs 500, those for covered area from 500 to 1000 square feet would be Rs 1000. The flats having a covered area of above 1000 square feet would be charged Rs 2,000 per connection. For the houses upto 10 marla, the charges would be Rs 1,000 and for those from 10 marla to one kanal the rate would be Rs 2,000. The houses above one kanal would have to pay Rs 3,000. Similarly, for the industrial connection upto one kanal, a fee of Rs 5,000 would be levied. In case of units above one kanal, Rs 10,000 would be charged. For institutions, the charges would be Rs 10,000. The item concerning the auctioning of five parking lots in the city was also approved. The parking lots to be auctioned are of the Lake Club, Shanti Kunj, Sector 16, Terraced Garden, Sector 33, District Courts and the Dhilion theatre, Mani Majra. The privatisation of sanitation in the Mauli Jagran, Sector 52, Labour Colony number 4, Labour Colony in Sector 25 and Motor Market, Mani Majra, purchase of 150 garbage bins and free booking of open spaces and community centres for the corporation employees were the other resolutions passed at the meeting. The House, however, deferred the item concerning the working of the electrical wing of the MCC to the electricity committee. Estimates for buying machinery amounting to several lakhs of rupees were also passed by the corporation. The meeting was peaceful
in the absence of the the BJP-SAD alliance members, who
are in jail. |
CHANDIGARH, March 30 — Mr Jagmeet Singh Brar, a Congress candidate who contested the Faridkot parliamentary seat, deposed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court that Mr Parkash Singh Badal had given directions to the Deputy Commissioners of Faridkot, Moga, and Muktsar, which formed part of the Faridkot parliamentary constitutency, to accompany his son, Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, who won the seat, as and when their services were required and that they accompanied the respondent to various villages and attended the meetings addressed by the respondent and persuaded voters to cast their votes in favour of the respondent. Mr Brar was deposing before Mr Justice R.L. Anand, who is hearing the election petition filed by Mr Brar against Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, now a Union Minister. The Deputy Commissioners along with the respondent assured the voters that their problems, if any, would be solved by the respondent, the petitioner alleged. Mr Brar contended that on the polling day there was chaos in the entire parliamentary segment. Booths were captured, money exchanged and booths of Badal village in Lambi segment were captured by the respondent and his security staff. The polling agents of the petitioner were physically beaten and turned out of the polling booths. The respondent put stamps after snatching ballot papers from the voters. It was further stated that Mr Harkirpal Singh Kukku, MLA from Muktsar, accompanied by the SSP (Muktsar), went to the premises of Om Cotton Factory, where about 300 persons had collected. When the brother of the petitioner who was present there asked the SSP to allow those who had collected there to cast their votes, he was beaten up and not allowed to approach the police to lodge a report. The petitioner also deposed that the respondent assured unemployed workers of Sidhwan Spinning Mills in Kotkapura that the mill would be reopened. This mill resumed production and Rs 40 lakh was spent by the government. The mill working was disrupted after 10 days. Soon after the cross-examination, the case was adjourned to April 22. Gang-rape convict granted bail Mr Justice R.L. Anand today allowed bail to Ajay, alias Dabbu, who was convicted and sentenced for 10 years' rigorous imprisonment and fine in a gang-rape case to enable him to appear for the BA (part I) examination of Maharshi Daynand University. The convict (20) whose appeal against conviction is pending in the High Court and who belongs to Rohtak district, is alleged to have gang-raped Raj Rani, wife of one Nafe Singh, along with his co-accused. The Judge allowed bail to the satisfaction of CJM, Rohtak up to May 14 and directed the convict to surrender before the authority on May 15 and devote bail period for his studies. The Judge agreed to grant
bail keeping in view the applicant's career. But at the
same time, he directed that the petitioner should not
enter the village of the prosecutrix, during the period. |
CHANDIGARH, March 30 — An unidentified cyclist was seriously injured when he was hit by a car near the transport area traffic lights this afternoon. The injured person was admitted to the PGI. Meanwhile, in a separate road accident, Sheila of Mauli Jagran, was injured when a scooter hit her in Mani Majra. The police is yet to establish the identity of the man found dead at a bus stop outside the PGI . Arrested: Baldev Singh of Morinda was arrested while carrying 12 bottles of country made liquor. Hoax call : A telephone call saying that a bomb had been planted in the Electricity department office in Industrial Area Phase I turned out to be a hoax. The police dog squad was pressed into service. PANCHKULA Liquor seized : At least 36 bottles of country liquor and four pouches of liquor were seized from two separate persons in the district in the past 48 hours. Ram Chander, a resident of Chhota Tirlokpur in Raipur Rani, was arrested for carrying 36 bottles at Khetpurali village near here. In another case Som Nath, a resident of Toda in Raipur Rani, was arrested with four pouches of liquor at Kakrali bus stand near here. Assaulted : The local police has registered a case against an SDO, and four JEs of HUDA for allegedly assaulting and intimidating Mr Sandeep Sethi, a resident of Sector 12 here last night. A case under Sections 323 and 506 of the IPC has been registered against them. According to information
available the complainant alleged that the HUDA officials
assaulted him. However, one of the JEs in his counter
complaint lodged with the police said that he along with
his colleagues was sitting in his home when the
complainant along with other persons assaulted them and
damaged their car. |
CHANDIGARH: On the concluding day of the Bhaskar Rao Festival organised by Pracheen Kala Kendra the young sons of Pandit Rajan Mishra of the famous Rajan-Sajan Mishra duo of the Banaras gharana, impressed music lovers of the town in their debut performance. The programme started rather late. The young artistes began their performance with raga yaman, a popular evening rage. After a short alaap, the vilambit khayal "jab piya ghar aaye, palkon se ghar baru" was elaborated with simple floral patterns of notes in a traditional manner. Both singers possess a rich quality of voice and have emulated the style of their senior duo. Ritesh has a deep sonorous voice, but he uses it judiciously. His breath control is appreciable. The drut khayal "aiso sunder sughad balamva" in teentaal brought forth an element of surprise for the audience, when the duo used fast taans, moving effortlessly in different octaves, and ending with gamak in the lower, octave. What impressed the audience the most was a tarana in the same raga "Ode da ra re" which was sung in synchronisation with technical excellence. They concluded the performance by singing a 'durga stuti in raga durga. They were accompanied on the harmonium by Mahmood Dhaulpuri. The second artiste for the evening, Ustad Husain Baksh of Pakistan, came after a long wait. In the meantime the organisers requested Kamal Sabri, the accompanist artiste for the ustad on the sarangi to play the instrument as he began to play raga maru vihag, the vocalist arrived. The audience wanted the sarangi player to continue and it was after sometime that the vocal recital could commence. The ustad began his rendering in raga chandra kauns. Both the vocalists were accompanied on the tabla by Pawan Kumar Verma. Ustad Husain Baksh was accompanied on the harmonium by Dr Dinkar Sharma. —
Vandana Shukla |
Rafi
Punjabi songs on April 2 CHANDIGARH, March 30 — To celebrate the tercentenary of the Khalsa the Yaadgar-e-Rafi Society will hold "Virasat", a cultural programme of Punjabi songs sung by Mohammed Rafi, at Tagore Theatre here on April 2 at 6.30 p.m. The first phase of the
programme will consist of shabads and the second solo and
duet songs. Mr Satya Pal Jain, MP, will be the chief
guest. |
Drive to
enrol new voters PANCHKULA, March 30 — On the directions of the Election Commissioner, the District Administration will launch a special drive to enroll new voters who have reached 18 years of age on January 1, 1999, from April 10 to May 10. A press note of the
administration said all the eligible voters could submit
their applications in Election Registration Offices at
Kalka and Panchkula from April 4 to May 10. The voters
could get their voter I-cards made from May 12 to May 25. |
330 farmers
court arrest CHANDIGARH, March 30 — Farmers of various parts of Punjab condemned the alleged anti-farmer policies of the government and demanded that the loans of small farmers be waived in view of the increasing number of suicides. As many as 330 persons later courted arrest. They were attending the ‘karza mukti morcha’ organised by the Punjab Kisan Sabha at Parade Ground here today. The agitators raised slogans against the government and demanded that the farm produce prices be raised considerably. Mr S. Ramchandra Pillai, national President of the sabha, said farmers were under heavy debts and were being forced to commit suicides. He alleged that they were being forced to sell their land and farm equipment to pay the high interests charged by money lenders. The suggetion that the farmers should go in for crop diversification was also criticised. It was pointed out that such farmers were in dire straits as the state had no marketing policy for their produce. It was alleged that the prices of such crops also varied considerably. The prices of farm produce
spoke for themselves. The farmers who opted for sowing
onions, potatoes and other crops were being forced face
unremunerative market prices. Mr Rachpal Singh, president
of the Punjab and Chadigarh chapter of the sabha,
appealed to farmers not to commit suicide. |
‘Priests
must not enforce religion’ CHANDIGARH, March 30 — Dr Asghar Ali Engineer of the Centre for Study of Society and Secularism stated that it was the vested interests of the politicians that created tension among religious communities. He was speaking at a lecture on “The Sacred, The Secular and The Nation” organised by the Department of Evening Studies in Panjab University here today. He criticised priesthood enforcing religion which he said was inhuman. It wanted people to be dumb cattle following the dictates of leaders. He also criticised the RSS, the BJP and the like, who he said were misusing religion for political benefits. He stressed that the government needed to follow positive discrimination in granting reservation to the minorities. He said schemes should be devised so that these people could get representation in the civil services. During the first session, Mr Ashwani Kumar, Prof Pradeep Kumar, Ms Ritu Sharma, Prof N.K. Oberoi, Prof M.L. Raina and Mr Dharamvir respondent to Prof Asghar Ali’s discourse. The session began with a presentation by Mr Ashwani Kumar who explained the terms, ‘fundamentalism’ and ‘communalism’ in the context of the Indian civilization. Prof O.P. Goyal highlighted the political abuse of secularism in India. Prof B.M. Sagar stressed the role of the Sufi tradition in the making of a tolerant India by citing Baba Farid’s poetry. Prof M.L. Sharma highlighted the insights provided by Gandhiji in solving the communal question. The second session started
with Prof Pradeep Kumar’s discourse on the social
implications of secularism. He described how the
so-called secular parties had violated the inherent
secular character of the masses. Prof Labh Singh Kheeva
spoke on the secular spirits visible in the every day
social practices. Prof Pradeep Kumar, in his paper,
exposed the political-communal double speak so prevalent
in today’s politics. Dr Sudhir Kumar, in his
presentation, highlighted the politics of secularising
the literary space. |
Basant mela
celebrations on April 3 , 4 CHANDIGARH, March 30 — The Bangiya Sanskritik Sammilani will organise a ‘Basant mela’ here on April 3 and 4. To be held at Banga Bhavan, Sector 35, it will run from 10 a.m to 8 p.m. Various cultural
programmes will be performed during the mela. Other
attractions at the mela will be a fancy dress
competition, a baby show, tambola games and stalls for
display of products and eatables. |
Scouts’
utsav opens CHANDIGARH, March 30 — The National Organisation of Bharat Scouts and Guides today began Regional Cub Bulbul Utsav at the State Headquarters, Bharat Scouts and Guides, Punjab, Sector 14, here. Children from Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Chandigarh are taking part in this five-day utsav. According to Mr Davinder Singh, State Secretary, Bharat Scouts and Guides, primary school children will live together for a few days to exchange experiences, display cub-bulbul skills and play games. They will also take part in several competitions including group songs, group dances, skits, crafts and adventure games. They will also be taken to outings and sight-seeing. Another objective of the
utsav is to provide children with an opportunity to live
away from their homes and be on their own. The cubs and
bulbuls will be divided into groups of six each and one
cub in case of boys and another in case of girls will be
chosen the leader. This way, will they get some basic
education about cooperation, responsibility and
leadership. |
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