EDUCATION

Homoeo students to intensify stir
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH Jan 20 — Students of Sector 26 Homoeopathic Medical College have decided to intensify the agitation against the management for not heeding to their persistent demand of removing the college Principal, Mr K.K. Dhiman.

The ongoing agitation of the students entered its 31st day today and chain hunger strike continued for the seventh consecutive day. They have also demanded that the fact-finding committee constituted under Mr V.K Bansal to look into the allegations against the Principal should be allowed to submit its inquiry report at the earliest.

In a statement issued here today, Mr Surat Negi, ABVP president of Panjab University, has claimed that Deputy Commissioner, Mr M Ramsekhar, who met them today has assured legal action against the college management for misusing the name of the Chandigarh Administration.

The DC, while rejecting the statement made by the management on behalf of the Administration, clarified that they had not ordered the termination of the inquiry committee constituted by the management, nor had they constituted any other committee.

3 rooms added to school
From Our Correspondent

KHARAR Jan 20 — Mr Khushi Ram, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Ropar, today inaugurated a block of three rooms constructed by the family of the late Manohar Lal Nagrath in Government Primary School, Machli Kalan of Kharar block.

Addressing the gathering, Mr Ram asked the people to follow the path shown by this family and contribute a part of their earnings for such social works. He asked for cost of boundary wall and bathrooms to be constructed in this school and promised to send the grant for them.

He honoured some teachers and family members of Nagrath.

COURTS

Contempt of court: SI transferred
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh Jan 20 — The Police Department has transferred a Sub-Inspector to the police lines, for wilfully indulging in contempt of court and carrying out arrests contrary to norms. A departmental inquiry has also been initiated against him, SI Mahaveer Singh, posted with the Crime Against Women Cell (CAW).

According to police sources, the SI was entrusted with carrying out an investigation in a dowry case, the accused in which were a well to do family of Indore (Madhya Pradesh). The complainant in this case is a resident of the Modern Housing Complex, Mani Majra.

The suspension was ordered by Mr Asad Farooqui, SSP, Oprations. The matter was investigated by Mr Asa Nand, DSP, CAW. The SI has been directed to report at the police lines.

A city court had restrained the police and had directed that the accused be intimated a week before they were to be arrested. The accused had appeared in court and had said that they were willing to give the dowry items back and some additional compensation.

It was alleged that the official connived with the complainant and was asking more some extraneous considerations to settle the matter.

The court also observed that any further action would be taken after consulting the DSP. He reportedly not only arrested the husband, but also his father, mother, younger brother, sister and brother- in- law.

Reply filed in Nevedac case
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH Jan 20 — In a reply to the application by the "Managing Director" of Nevedac Prosthetic Centre, Dr V.J.S. Vohra, seeking directions for "allowing bank operations", respondent Hardavin Vohra and others today stated that the applicant had not followed the "court orders pertaining to the operation of accounts".

Claiming non-depositing of cash from the daily sales in the bank account, the respondent stated that the applicant "by not following the court orders pertaining to the operation of accounts, which was chiefly responsible for the delay in the payment of salaries, has shown no concern for the welfare of the workers".

Dr Vohra, in his application, had earlier sought directions for restraining Hardavin Vohra and other respondents from "interfering in the smooth functioning of the centre". Directions to the respondents against "instigating the employees of the centre" were also asked for.

The plaintiff had further sought declaration to the effect that "the appointment of any defendant as an additional director was illegal and bad in the eyes of the law".

Remanded in custody
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH Jan 20 — The UT Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr Sant Parkash, today remanded accused Ram Lal Bansal to the custody of Intelligence Officer-cum-Inspector of Narcotic Control Bureau till January 25 “for being produced in the court of Special Judge at Coimbatore”.

The accused was earlier booked by the Bureau under Section 21 and 25 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act on the basis of the statement by the “main accused”.

Seeking 14 days remand, it was stated that the accused was involved in the case pertaining to the seizure of 10.230 kgs of heroin by Bureau’s South Zonal Unit at Chennai from a carrier-lorry near Palghat bypass junction at Coimbatore on January 17.

Today, pronouncing the orders in the open court, the CJM observed: “Taking into consideration the facts and circumstances of the present case and further considering that the accused has been arrested in non-bailable and cognisable offence, he is remanded to police custody of the Intelligence Officer-cum-Inspector of Narcotic Control Bureau here till January 25”.

2 employees remanded for taking bribe
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH Jan 20 — Remanding the general manager and another officer of Modern Food (India) Limited, accused of demanding a commission of 15 paise per bread, to judicial custody till January 31, the UT Additional District and Sessions Judge-cum-Special Judge for CBI cases, Mr S. S. Lamba, today rejected their bail pleas.

The duo — general manager J. S. Bindra and D. B. Malhotra — were "caught red-handed" by the premier investigating agency yesterday at about 9 p.m. from a Sector 35 hotel while they were allegedly demanding and accepting bribe from transporter Pawan Kumar Sharma.

Seeking a 10-day police remand for the two, the investigating agency's public prosecutor stated that Rs10,000 had been accepted by Bindra and Rs15,000 by Malhotra.

The two, the prosecutor told the court, had been demanding a commission of 15 paise per bread from the transporter, who in turn was getting 50 paise per bread for delivery. A total commission of Rs 27,000, the prosecutor added, had been demanded by the two.

The CBI had also alleged that the accused were "involved in the misappropriation of funds and products of the factory."

Opposing the plea for police remand, counsel for the accused, on the other hand, stated that no useful purpose would be served by remanding the accused to police custody as no recovery was to be made.

Directive to govts on bachat land
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 20 — The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Punjab and Haryana governments, apart from the Chandigarh Administration to distribute the bachat land of villages among proprietors with a view to avoiding litigation.

This order was handed down by the Chief Justice, Mr Arun B. Saharaya, and Mr Justice V.K. Bali while deciding 163 cases involving the legal issue whether the surplus of the total land pooled in by the proprietors of villages for common purposes was the ownership of the gram panchayats or the proprietors.

The land was left out after executing certain schemes. It was entered in the names of panchayats. The panchayats had retained this land with a view of giving it to their favourites.

This action of the panchayats had led to litigation. It was claimed that there was specific provision of law that bachat land would be given to proprietors.

The High Court has dismissed a petition preferred by the State Farms Corporation of India questioning its dispossession from the 2800 acres of land by the Punjab Land Development and Reclamation Corporation.

The State Farms Corporation of India had been in possession of this land since 1991 — the year in which the lease had expired.

Earlier, the State Farm Corporation of India had lost its case in the court of Collector of Ludhiana and Commissioner of Patiala Division.

Verdict on Ravi Inder case today
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH Jan 20 — Orders on Punjab Legislative Assembly Member Ravi Inder Singh's appeal against the dismissal of an application seeking stay on his expulsion from the Shiromani Akali Dal will be pronounced by UT District and Sessions Judge, Mr B.S. Bedi, tomorrow.

Taking up the case today, the Sessions Judge told counsel for the appellant and SAD that he would not be able to pronounce the orders today.

CULTURE

Participants at music fest dwindle
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH Jan 20 — The cultural festival at the local DAV College presents a heartening picture of students maintaining a link with the traditional music forms during changed times.

The three-day inter-college festival which opened today saw a decrease in the number of participants and teams. A total of 54 teams were sent the invitation letters. Apart from six to seven local colleges, only one team from Ludhiana turned up on the first day. There are reports of another team landing this evening from Amritsar.

Dr Nirmal Dutt, Dean College Cultural Affairs, said the crowd interest had gone down and one of the reasons for the poor turn-out could be non-arrangement of accommodation for the participants. He, however, was satisfied with the quality and spirit of participants.

Justice Surinder Singh inaugurated the function.

The first session witnessed a music (vocal) contest. Yashpaul , an expert on music from Panjab University, presided over the session. The second session in the afternoon was presided over by Hari Jigyasu, an eminent musician.

The main categories included non-percussion, Punjabi folk and Western Instrumental.

SDP College for Women, Ludhiana, won the shabad and bhajan contest. The local Dev Samaj College for Education, Sector 36, was adjudged second.

Teena Saini from the local MCM DAV College for Women and Meenakshi Sharma from Dev Samaj, Sector 36, were the winners in the geet contest. A special prize was awarded to Jatinder Singh from the local GGDSD College.

The winners of the ghazal contest were Hema Sharma from SDP College, Ludhiana, and Richa Sharma from MCM DAV. Tarandeep from MCM DAV and Rupinder Singh from the Government College for Men, Sector 11, were the winners in the folk song category.

Dev Samaj College of Education and DAV College, Sector 10, bagged the top two prizes in the group song (patriotic) category.

Varun from the host college playing the matka won the won the Punjabi folk instrument contest. The host DAV College won the western orchestra contest.

Smriti Maharishi from MCM DAV College playing the santoor won the non-percussion contest. The second prize went to Nitika from GCG, Sector 11. She also played the santoor.

Novita wins science paper contest
From A Correspondent

CHANDIGARH Jan 20 — Novita of the Dev Samaj College for Education, Sector 36, won the Science Paper Reading Contest on the second day here today of the three-day Inter-College Cultural Meet being held at the Government College of Education, Sector 20-D. Anureet Sibia and Sangeeta Singh, both of the Government College for Education, Sector 20, won the second and third positions, respectively.

Prof V.K. Kak, Director and Principal of Government Medical College, was the chief guest for the day. Almost 11 competitions under seven categories were held today in which more than 250 students took part.

The Malwa College of Education, Ludhiana, won the trophy in the Teaching Aids Competition. The DSCE, Sector 36, won the Skill-in-Teaching Contest. In the on-the-spot painting competition, the trophy went to the Government College for Girls, Sector 42.

Blackboard Writing and Sketching Competition and Flower Arrangement Competition were won by the Malwa Central College of Education, Ludhiana.

Mamta of the Sohan Lal College of Education, Ambala, won the Mehndi Contest, while second prize went to Sangeeta of the State College of Education, Patiala. Amita Goyal of the MCCE, Ludhiana, stood first in the Alpana Competition, while the second prize went to Karishma of the GCE, Sector 20. Payal of the GCE, Sector 20, and Pooja of the SCE, Patiala, were first and second in the Rangoli Competition.

In his address, Prof Kak urged the students not to forget the glorious cultural heritage of the country. He also made the teachers of the future aware of the information technology invasion and the learner-oriented model in education today. Prof Paramjit Singh, Registrar of Panjab University, urged the would be teachers to take care of the character building aspect of education.

Army School celebrates annual day
Tribune News Service

Chandi Mandir Jan 15 — Excellence Through Mass Participation was the theme of the annual-day function of the Army School, Chandi Mandir, organised at Manekshaw Auditorium here today.

Maj-Gen G.M. Lasrado, Major General Artillery of the Western Command, and Chairman of the school managing committee, and Ms Meena Lasrado were the chief guests. A large number of parents and officers were also present on the occasion.

War and Peace was the theme of the street plays organised outside the auditorium. The students depicted the dangers faced by our soldiers in the Kargil war and the devastation in the villages of the area thereof.

The students had also set up a stall to depict the various stages of the development of the Agni II missile, besides other war related research.

Besides a garbha presentation, scenes from the freedom struggle, the formation of the UNO and SAARC, the Lahore bus ride and the lives of Buddha, Mother Teresa and Gandhi were also enacted.

Other items included colourful dances of India, Abu Hassan — an English play, solo dances, Sukh Dali — a Hindi play and East Meets West — a fusion dance.

Renovated theatre opened
Tribune News Service

PANCHKULA Jan 20 — The Chief Minister of Haryana, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, inaugurated a completely renovated Suraj Theatre in Sector 1 here today. The audience was shown glimpses of a Hindi film — Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani — on the occasion.

The owner of the theatre, Mr Vipan Kumar Jain, said dolby system would be introduced soon and sanction was being sought for advance booking on the telephone. He added that people would be given the option of taking eatables from outside, contrary to conventions in other cinema halls, while stating that the hall had a cafe on its premises.