Wednesday, October 20, 1999
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Wednesday, October 20, 1999 |
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Opposition for Gurdev
Badal's ouster CHANDIGARH, Oct 19 — Opposition parties in Punjab today demanded the dismissal of the state Agriculture Minister, Mr Gurdev Badal, for his son’s alleged involvement in gang rape of a minor and a CBI probe into the case.  Union Minister for Urban Development, Mr Jagmohan, addressing a gathering during the "Illumination week" organised by the All India General Secretary of SAD (Badal), Mr Onkar Singh Thapar, to mark the victory of the National Democratic Alliance in New Delhi (Story — Nation page) |
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Nangal
roadways staff on fast |
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Mechanical snag led to blast Damdami Taksal man held ‘Renominate Jagir Kaur’ Review decision on pilgrims: PGPC
Larpose used in thefts on trains Rifle snatchers identified 10-yr-old boy killed by
brother’s in-laws
2 chain snatchers arrested LPG consumer grievances cell Pensioners for free medicare |
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Opposition for Gurdev Badal's
ouster CHANDIGARH, Oct 19 — Opposition parties in Punjab today demanded the dismissal of the state Agriculture Minister, Mr Gurdev Badal, for his son’s alleged involvement in gang rape of a minor and a CBI probe into the case. Leaders of the CPI, CPM, the Janata Dal (Secular) and Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal (SHSAD) told newspersons here that the minister, a close confidant of the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, was pressurising the victim and her father to dissuade them from pursuing the case. The victim, who was allegedly abducted and gangraped on April 10 in Ludhiana, and her father were present at the press conference, and alleged that the minister kept them in illegal confinement and tortured them at his official residence here for 25 days in order to make them change their statement in the court against his (minister’s) son and the accused, Suba Singh. The Punjab unit CPI secretary, Mr Joginder Dayal, the CPM secretary, Mr Balwant Singh, the JD (S) president, Mr Harish Khanna, and the SHSAD general secretary, Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra, demanded security for the victim and her father and that the case be taken up by the Supreme Court Chief Justice as the "state machinery and leadership is trying to suppress the truth". Alleging that the law and order situation in the state had deteriorated with cases of atrocities against women and downtrodden and killings on the rise, they said the Chief Minister should take the responsibility for all these as he was holding the Home portfolio, Mr Gurdev Singh Badal
had at a press conference here last week denied the
involvement of his son in the case and described the
incident as a "cock and bull story framed by the
Opposition" to gain political mileage. |
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Nangal roadways staff on fast NANGAL, Oct 19 — Employees of the Punjab Roadways depot today sat on an indefinite fast in protest against the non-availability of diesel in the depot. The plying of 96 buses of the depot has been stopped since Friday due to non- availability of fuel. The agitated employees have threatened to stop all vehicular traffic on the Nangal-Chandigarh road if fuel supplies are not restored at the earliest. Punjab Roadways buses used to cover a distance of about 22000- 25000 km per day However, the distance has been reduced to just 4000 km per day. The daily earnings of the depot has also been reduced from Rs 2.15 lakh per day to about Rs 40,000 per day, which includes the bus stand fee collected from buses of other depots. In addition to the financial losses, at least 500 employees of the depot have been without work since the past five days. The Transport Employees Union has demanded that responsibility be fixed on officials responsible for the losses to the depot. Meanwhile, political leaders of various Opposition parties here have threatened to launch an agitation if the fuel supplies to the depot are not restored. The General Manager of the depot, when asked to comment, blamed the financial crises in Punjab for the problem. He said depot bills worth Rs 21 lakh had not been passed by the local treasury due to which the depot had not been able to make payments to the Indian Oil Company in time. Hence, the supplies had been stopped. MOGA: The Punjab Government will not allow suspension of its bus service anywhere in the state due to shortage of diesel. Stating this here on Tuesday, Transport Minister Raghubir Singh, said arrangements had been made to ensure the same. The Minister said the
government would not allow private transporters to ply
buses without valid permits. Surprise checks would be
made and stern action taken against the erring party. |
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Mechanical snag led to blast BATHINDA, Oct 19 — The anti-tank mine blast which claimed lives of three Armymen, including Major P.D. Singh, in the local military station yesterday, was caused due to development of a fault in the trenching-cummine laying machines, reliable sources said here today. Police sources said the 53 Engineering Regiment of Army started its exercise of laying the anti-tank mines in the around 8 a.m. and all went well till noon. In the afternoon the trenching machine-cum-mine laying machine developed some fault and Army personal reportedly rectified it. The blast occurred when a mine fell into the trench due to a defect in the machine and exploded. Maj P.D. Singh and Hav Harish Chander died on the spot, while Hav Mohanta Singh died in the hospital. Those injured were identified as Naib Subedar Harish Chandra, Hav Uttam Singh, Lance Naiks Sohan Kumar and Satish, Sepoys Sanjeev Kumar, Sunil Kumar, Gurbachan Singh and Juraj Singh. Except Naib Subedar Harish Chandra, all injured were stated to be out of danger. Harish Chandra, whose condition was stated to be serious, was going under treatment in the military hospital in the intensive care unit (ICU). The sources said due to the blast, the trench digging-cum-mine laying machine was blown to pieces. The depth of the trench being dug up by the machine was also reportedly not up to the prescribed standard. Meanwhile, the post-mortem of three Armymen killed in the blast was performed in the military hospital. The police had registered the case under Section 174, CrPC. A DDR had also been registered in this regard in the cantonment police station. The sources said
military officials had also launched a probe into the
incident. However, no military official could be
contacted for official version in this regard. |
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Damdami Taksal man held AMRITSAR, Oct 19 — Acting on specific information Sleuths of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence apprehended Gurinder Singh, alias Bitoo a resident of Gali Babu Mal Singh Wali, Tarn Taran, who was involved in the smuggling of arms, explosives and RDX from Pakistan here. During interrogation, Gurinder Singh admitted his involvement in the smuggling of arms and explosives with Jarnail Singh of Ferozepore and others. He also admitted that a part of the smuggled consignment consisting of four hand grenades and one VHF transceiver set with charger had been kept with Harinder Singh alias Pappu of Rajasansi. A search of the house of Harinder Singh resulted in the recovery of four hand grenades, one transceiver VHF (wireless set) with charger made in Japan and one empty Mauser case (leather). Both Gurinder Singh and Harinder Singh have been arrested. Preliminary
investigation revealed that Gurinder Singh, alias Bitoo,
was under the influence of the Damdami Taksal. He met
Jarnail Singh of Ferozepore at Mehta Chowk, who handed
him the first consignment of RDX, two hand grenades etc
in April 1999. Gurinder Singh delivered this consignment
to different persons on the directions of Jarnail Singh. |
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‘Renominate Jagir Kaur’ LUDHIANA, Oct 19 — The newly formed Akal Sena has urged the Punjab Chief Minister and the SAD chief, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, to renominate Bibi Jagir Kaur as party nominee for the forthcoming annual election of the office-bearers of the SGPC. Talking to newsmen here, Mr Surjit Singh Niddar, convener of the Sena, said the elections were due next month and in view of the “excellent performance” of Bibi Jagir Kaur, it would be in the fitness of things that she should be renominated for the top post. Mr Niddar who is also a member of the SGPC said during her short stint as the president of the supreme Sikh religious body, Bibi Jagir Kaur, had for the time, brought complete transparency and freedom in the functioning of the SGPC. “For the first time, the SGPC members now feel that they are members of an important Sikh religious body and not just errand boys for Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra”, he quipped. Mr Niddar said the amount of discretionary fund at the disposal of every SGPC member should be raised from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh and the strength of the SGPC executive should be increased from the present 15 in keeping with the rise in the strength of the general house of the SGPC from 160 to 190. He wanted that Amritsar
should be given the status of holy city and urged the
state and the central governments to take necessary steps
in this regard. The Golden Temple should be known only as
Harmandar Sahib as mentioned in the Sikh history and Sikh
scriptures. He also urged upon government to speedily
complete projects launched on the occasion of the
tercentenary celebrations of the birth of the Khalsa at
Anandpur Sahib. The conclusion of the tercentenary
celebrations should be as grand as its inauguration. |
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A ghost of a college NANGAL: Broken window-panes, desks without tops, a library sans chairs, open electric wires, stinking toilets, cracked doors and blackboards and playgrounds covered by shrubs, is what is left of one of the biggest colleges under Punjabi University at one time. The Government Shivalik College at the time of its establishment in 1979 was one of the most modern colleges under Punjabi University. However, since the government takeover in 1996, not even a single paisa has been spent to repair or maintain this building. The college building is fast turning into an eyesore.. According to the sources, after the government takeover the responsibility for repair of the college building lay with the Public Works Department (B&R) of the Punjab Government. The college authorities say that in spite of their repeated requests the department has not taken any step to repair the college building. The PWD officials, when contacted, admitted that they had got requests from the college authorities for carrying out repairs. They, however, added that until their department got the blueprints of the college maps, they could not make an estimate of the costs for repairs. The college management, however, says that they have supplied whatever maps of the building were available with them. The rest of the maps were available with the local Municipal Council, as it was earlier financing the college. Municipal Council officials say they do not have any map of the college and they had handed over all material regarding the college to the government during the takeover. However, according to reliable college sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the maps of the college building were still lying with the construction company which was entrusted the job of building it. The company declined to supply maps to the college authorities until its construction dues were cleared by the Municipal Council. Thus it seems, the
college building which is public property worth crores
would gather dust and rust till the requirements of the
government departments responsible for its maintenance
are met. |
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Review decision on pilgrims:
PGPC AMRITSAR, Oct 19 — The Pakistan Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PGPC), has asked the SGPC to send a jatha of pilgrims on the eve of Guru Nanak Dev’s birth anniversary, which falls on November 23. In a fax message from Lahore, the PGPC Co-Chairman, Mr Sham Singh, has urged the SGPC to review its stance on not sending the jatha to Pakistan. The SGPC, in a resolution, had refused to make arrangements for jathas in protest against the formation of the PGPC in April last. Mr Sham Singh said: “We, the Pakistani Sikhs, have respect for the SGPC. But we feel that by disallowing the Sikhs to visit Sikh shrines, the SGPC has hurt their religious sentiments. In a separate press
note, Dal Khalsa President Gajinder Singh hailing the
decision of the PGPC, asked the SGPC to reverse its
decision on the issue. In an appeal to Bibi Jagir Kaur,
the Dal Khalsa leader said, the SGPC should break the
deadlock and provide guidelines to the PGPC on religious
matters. |
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Larpose used in thefts on trains AMRITSAR, Oct 19 (UNI) —Larpose, a mild tranqualiser which is not considered harmful to health, has become a favourite drug for thieves on trains in Punjab, who have used it effectively to put their victims (train passengers) to sleep and then looted cash and belongings. A group of the inter-state gang of such thieves, who were arrested recently by the Gurdaspur police, confessed that they used to inject Larpose in tetra-packed beverages and sell these to passengers on trains. After the passengers became unconscious they would rob them and escape. According to Dr Dinesh Kumar and Dr Tajinder Singh, members of the Health and Development Initiative, a local non-governmental organisation, Larpose, being a quick-acting sedative, had been effectively put to use by the thieves. When this drug was mixed in fruit juices or in soda, the rate of absorption of this drug increased which further enhanced its action, they said. They said while most other sedatives took time to react, Larpose did so faster. It led to hallucination and temporary loss of memory and that was why thieves managed to escape before passengers recovered from its effect. Larpose, which can only be sold through prescription, does not have any harmful effects if administered within a prescribed limit which explains why none of the passengers, who had consumed the tetra-packed juices laced with this drug, did not develop any health problems, they added. The doctors said the
Health and Development Initiative had decided to launch
an educative campaign at the local railway station to
warn train passengers not to buy tetra-packed beverages. |
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Rifle snatchers identified JALANDHAR, Oct 19 (UNI) — The police has claimed a breakthrough in the case of snatching of self-loading rifle (SLR) by two youths who subsequently committed a robbery in Nakodar on October 16-17 with the detention of a van driver whose interrogation established the identity of the accused. Stating this here today, SSP Gaurav Yadav said the police had seized the van in which the rifle snatchers committed the robbery at a Nakodar petrol station on Sunday. The cop was also stripped of his uniform by the desperadoes who fled by saying they had committed the crime to avenge their harassment at the hands of Inderjit Singh and Sucha Singh, who had served as station head officer (SHO) at Nurmahal police station in whose jurisdiction the rifle was snatched on Saturday. The SSP said when the desperadoes crashed through the police ‘naka’ at Jandiala on Sunday night, police party headed by Sub-Inspector Kulwant Singh gave a chase by returning fire at the getaway van which was later found abandoned by the police. The seizure of the van
and interrogation of its driver led to the breakthrough,
the SSP added. |
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10-yr-old boy killed by brother’s in-laws LUDHIANA, Oct 19 (PTI) — A 10-year-old school-goer, Ashok Kumar, of nearby Soodan Wala village was kidnapped and later his body recovered from the house of his elder brother’s in-laws at Sanhewala in the district. The SP (City) Mr S.S. Sandhu, told mediapersons here today that Ashok’s elder brother Ranjit had some matrimonial problems. His wife, was staying at her parents’ place after an altercation with him. Both families belonged to weaker section. According to an FIR lodged by Ashok’s father Sukhbir, his son had been missing since October 17 evening. A report to this effect was lodged with the police who, on suspicion, raided the house of Ranjit’s in-laws. Mr Sandhu said the police party found the body of the child inside a heap of dry-husk in one of the rooms. The hands of the boy, who was a student of Class II , had been tied behind his back with a string. A case has been
registered under Section 302, IPC. The SP said the entire
family had absconded. |
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University lowers pass marks AMRITSAR, Oct 19 — In a volte face, the syndicate of Guru Nanak Dev University at a meeting yesterday, withdrew its decision to increase the pass percentage marks of undergraduate and postgraduate classes which had caused inconvenience to students and parents in the past three months. The Syndicate, at a meeting on July 26 had increased the aggregate pass percentage for the undergraduate students from 35 per cent to 40 per cent and for postgraduate students from 40 per cent to 50 per cent. Interestingly the decision covered students who had already appeared in examinations held in April. The decision had upset students who had urged the university authorities to reverse the decision. Dr Inderpal Singh, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and in charge of examinations, when contacted by The Tribune admitted that the decisions, especially about the examinations, should have been implemented with prospective effect. “We have rectified our mistake at the Syndicate meeting held yesterday”. It may be mentioned here that due to the July 26 decision of the university Syndicate, many students of both undergraduate and postgraduate classes could not get through the examinations and the varsity authorities had to give them grace marks. So much so that results of these classes were rectified and a special chance was given to the aggrieved students though there is no provision for that. The Syndicate has been very liberal in granting exemption of special chance in over a dozen cases by diluting the ordinance and regulations of the university. A student of BA (economics) who could clear seven papers due to illness has been given a special chance of re-appear in all papers. Similarly, a Ph.D. (economics) student who was suppose to submit his thesis by 1994 was given a second chance by the Syndicate to submit his project by 2000. In yet another case, which is first of its kind in the history of the university, the Syndicate has given a one-time chance to all students to improve their grade at the postgraduate level by April 2000. Mr Dalbir Singh, a
Syndicate member, while justifying the decision of the
university said the decision was taken to streamline the
examination system. |
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Doctors threaten indefinite stir LUDHIANA, Oct 19 — The PCMS Association has threatened to go on an indefinite strike from October 21, if the five officials of the Health Department arrested by officials of the Crime Branch in connection with the medicine scam, were not released and cases against them dropped. The association threatened that work other than post-mortem and emergency in all government hospitals will be paralysed. Official of the Crime Branch had arrested Dr Dharampal, SMO Khanna, Dr J.P. Singh, SMO Samrala, Dr K.K. Jindal, SMO Hathoor Sahib, Dr Harvinder Singh, District Immunisation Officer and Pharmacist Jagdev Singh on October 15 in connection with the medicine scam worth over one crore. Ever since the arrest of officials various associations of the Health Department have been demanding their release and the withdrawal of the alleged false cases against them in order to give a clean chit to the real culprits by the Crime Branch. Meanwhile, it is learnt
that Mr P.S. Sandhu DIG, (Ludhiana Range) has been asked
by the Chief Minister to conduct an inquiry into the
incident. |
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2 chain snatchers arrested HOSHIARPUR, Oct 19 (UNI) — Two women, belonging to the erstwhile criminal tribe of Sansi were arrested by the police yesterday on a charge of snatching two gold chains from women passengers. SSP R. P. Mittal said today Kailo Devi and Gurnam Kaur, residents of Bajighar Colony in Dhuri town of Sangrur district were arrested when they snatched gold chains from Mahinder Kaur of Jandoli and Pushpa Devi of Sargowal while the latter were boarding a bus. The chains were recovered from the accused, he added. He said the police had also arrested Deepak Kumar and recovered one .32-bore revolver from him. The accused had been
remanded in police custody till tomorrow to investigate
crimes allegedly committed by him, he added. |
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Roll back diesel price hike: Badal MOGA, Oct 19 (UNI) — Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has urged Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to withdraw the hike in diesel prices saying it would adversely affect the interest of farmers. Talking to mediapersons here yesterday, he said that he along with the Haryana Chief Minister Om Parkash Chautala during their recent visit to Delhi met the Prime Minister and urged him to reconsider the decision and withdraw the hike. In reply to a question, the Chief Minister charged the previous Congress government with shattering the state’s economy and said it was not proper to blame the present government for the financial crisis. Mr Badal said his government was doing its best to come up to the expectations of people and would soon unfold a package of development. Mr Badal said the
SAD-BJP government was indebted to Mr Gujral for his
contribution to sanctioning a number of new projects like
the international airport at Amritsar, the
Ludhiana-Chandigarh rail link and also waiving of the Rs
8500 crore loan. |
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SAD defeat due to graft:
IHRO LUDHIANA, Oct 19 — The International Human Rights Organisation (IHRO) yesterday reviewed the post-Lok Sabha poll scenario and expressed its satisfaction over the results. The governing council of the IHRO, at a meeting here, opined that the Shiromani Akali Dal's humiliating defeat in the state was due to rampant corruption, nepotism, non-performance and its failure to take up human rights issues. According to the IHRO
chairperson, Mr D.S. Gill, and the general secretary Mr
Mohinder Singh Grewal, this was the result of Mr Badal's
unconditional support and total submission to the BJP
leadership, besides his unwarranted interference in the
religious affairs of the Sikhs. |
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LPG consumer grievances cell LUDHIANA, Oct 19 — The Ludhiana LPG Distributors Association has set up an LPG consumer grievances redressal cell here. This was announced by Mr Chander Shekhar Azad, president, and Mr Navin Talwar, general secretary of the association, while addressing a press conference here yesterday. They cautioned LPG consumers against certain self-proclaimed representatives of unregistered consumer associations who were misguiding them. Mr Azad and Mr Talwar
informed that there were about 30 LPG distributors of
three oil companies in the city catering to 2.5 lakh
consumers. |
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PPCC condemns diesel price
hike AMRITSAR, Oct 19 — The general secretaries of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee today lashed out at the Punjab Government for the recent hike of sales tax on diesel and petroleum products. Mrs Ratna and Dr Raj
Kumar, in a joint press statement here today, demanded
that the Central Government should impose a financial
emergency in the state to save Punjab from further
sinking into an economic abyss. The government should cut
down on wasteful expenditure by placing curbs on the use
of vehicles by ministers and government officers, they
said. |
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Pensioners for free medicare JALANDHAR, Oct 19 (UNI) — The All India Central Government Pensioners Association today demanded proper and free medicare to 28 lakh pensioners. The association said while the government spent crores on medical treatment of VVIPs, the pensioners and widows drawing family pension were being denied of their basic right. Association’s
northern region general secretary V.S. Jolly sought the
intervention of the Prime Minister on the issue in a
memorandum.The memorandum also urged the Union Government
to honour the verdicts of various courts to provide
proper and free medicare to the pensioners not covered by
the central government health scheme functional only in
14 majors towns of the country. |
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Congress: voters can’t be
taken for granted GURDASPUR, Oct 19 — Mr Ashwani Kumar, AICC spokesman, said here today that the Lok Sabha elections results had shown that aspirations had a lot of role to play in the political set-up of the country. He said wherever the ruling party had performed according to the people’s aspirations, people had voted for that party. He mentioned Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal in this regard. He said no political party could afford to take people for granted. He said in Punjab the
route of the SAD-BJP could be attributed to the
non-performance of the Badal government and faith of
Punjabis in the policies of the Congress. |
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46 RMPs held BATALA, Oct 19 (UNI) — The police has arrested 46 registered medical practitioners (RMPs) on charge of practising medicine on the basis of fake certificates and degrees during the past two days. A police spokesman said
here today that the arrests had been made on the
direction of the Punjab and Haryana High Court which had
ordered a ban on practice of medicine by unauthorised and
ineligible RMPs. |
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Congress worker shot at LUDHIANA, Oct 19 — A Congress worker, Mr Sushil Sharma, was allegedly shot at by relatives of his brother-in-law, Mr Ram Sharan, here last evening. Mr Sharma, who was hit in the arm, is admitted to the L.M. Civil Hospital here. According to information available from the police, Mr Sushil was attacked for helping his brother-in-law in a case lodged by the relatives of his wife who is dead. Mr Ram Sharan’s
wife reportedly died of an electric shock in 1992 after
which her brothers lodged a dowry case against Mr Ram
Sharan, who has since remarried. |
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Businessman waylaid AMRITSAR, Oct 19 — A businessman of Kaulsar Market was waylaid last night near his residence in New Partap Nagar here. According to
eyewitnesses Mr Kulwant Singh was returning home at 8.30
p.m. when two youth stopped his scooter and asked him to
hand over cash. When he resisted, he was repeatedly
stabbed as he fell unconscious, the culprits deprived him
of Rs 1.25 lakh and escaped on his scooter. |
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UGC course inaugurated PATIALA, Oct 19 — A UGC-sponsored refresher course in contemporary physics was inaugurated at Punjabi University here on Sunday at which more than 40 teachers from different universities and colleges participated. Speaking on the occasion. Mr V.P. Nayyar, Head,
Department of Physics elaborated on how development in
different fields of physics was playing a major role in
science and technology and helping improve the quality of
life. |
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Cultural show for blind students AMRITSAR, Oct 19 —
The Critique Youth Forum will present a cultural evening
“an evening with Wadali brothers” on October 21
at Dashmesh Auditorium. Guru Nanak Dev University, here.
This will be a charity show in which the money collected
from the students will be given to blind students from
Andh Vidyalaya in cash or kind. Dr H.S. Soch,
Vice-Chancellor, Guru Nanak Dev University will be the
chief guest. |
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