EDUCATION

Grants sought for computer education
By Sanjeev Singh Bariana
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 15 — Reflecting changing educational priorities these days, computer courses have become a big attraction in the colleges of Panjab University.

Students sought the university efforts to ease and facilitate their educational preferences. The changing economic and world order has a visible effect on education. A student said small-time computer education programmes were being run by private "shops" all over the state. He said having no such option at their colleges, students were forced to join these institutes.

It was also said that charges at private institutes were often very high. Besides, there were also complaints of a lack of infrastructure and incompetent faculty.

There were also complaints of these "shops" running from poor premises and often having outdated computers. Various computer courses have already been introduced in prominent colleges affiliated to the university, particularly those located in the city.

The Director of the Dean College Development Council, Dr Deepak Manmohan Singh, said the university had forwarded a list of 32 affiliated colleges to the University Grants Commission for grants with regard to the computer education. Dr Deepak Manmohan said a positive response had begun to trickle in.

The Dean said the university had also gathered information on other financial demands of the affiliated colleges which could be met by the UGC grant. Another prominent demand includes grants for construction of hostels in women's colleges.

Will to construct more such hostels is being seen as a positive step towards the betterment women's education. This also includes colleges in rural areas. Prominent colleges demanding grants for such hostels include Sant Darbara Singh College for Women, Lopon; GTB National College, Dakha; JC DAV College, Dasuya; and DAV College, Hoshiarpur.

Other colleges on the list include DAV College for Women, Ferozepur Cantonment; Devki Devi Jain Memorial College for Women, Ludhiana; Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College for Women, Dasuya; and Mata Misri Devi DAV Mahila College, Gidderbaha, among others.

Some colleges demanding grant for the computer education include SGGS Khalsa College, Mahilpur; Dev Samaj Colleges for Women in Ferozepore and Chandigarh; Khalsa College, Gidderbaha; and DM College, Moga, among others.

MCM DAV College wins trophy
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 15 — The local MCM DAV College walked away with the running trophy at an inter-college history quiz contest here today.

A total of nine teams from various colleges participated in the contest organised by the Historical Association of the local DAV College.

The host DAV College won the first place. The MCM DAV College and the Government College for Girls, Sector 11, were second and third, respectively.

COURTS

Lawyers to abstain from work till Friday
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 15 — The District Bar Association today decided to abstain from work till February 18 for expressing solidarity with the family of advocate Parveen Kumar Sharma “abducted” on February 8.

The Bar Association President, Mr N.K. Nanda appealed to the Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association to abstain from work. He added that Mr Sharma was a member of the High Court Bar Association also.

Claiming that a fine of Rs 1,000 would be imposed on advocates attending court proceedings, Mr Nanda said the lawyers could, however, argue urgent matters, including fresh bail and stay applications. A delegation would meet Punjab Governor tomorrow, he said.

The local police, meanwhile, has registered a case under Section 364 of the Indian Penal Code on the complaint of Mr Sharma’s brother, Mr Sanjeev Sharma. The police, when contacted, said that the investigations in the case were on.

Contempt of court case dismissed
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 15 — An application for initiating action under the Contempt of Court's Act against advocate R. S. Walia, accused of abusing a witness, has been dismissed by the UT Civil Judge (First Class) Mr Baljinder Singh.

Pronouncing the orders in the open court on an application moved by a former executive with a bank, the Civil Judge observed: "On February 9, when the incident occurred in the court regarding altercation, both witness D. C. Aggarwal and counsel for defendant number one R. S. Walia, advocate, were warned in open court and the matter ended at that very moment and no separate proceedings for contempt are required to be initiated against counsel."

The Civil Judge also observed: "Even otherwise none is present today to pursue the present application. Hence, the present application is hereby dismissed being without merit."

In his detailed order, the Civil Judge observed: "The perusal of the file reveals that on February 9 cross-examination of PW — D.C. Aggarwal concluded and after the conclusion of evidence hot altercation was going on between the witness and the counsel for defendant number one that is R. S. Walia and during that altercation counsel for defendant number one even abused the witness and thereafter both were warned in open court and case was adjourned to April 4 for recording remaining evidence".

The witness, it may be recalled, was deposing in a civil suit filed by Mrs Prem Aggarwal for restraining the defendants from interfering "in any manner in the possession and enjoyment" of the "drive way passage to the garage" of a sector 21 building.

Two get RI in leg fracture case
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 15 — Convicting two Saharanpur district residents, accused fracturing a youngster's leg, the UT Judicial Magistrate (First Class), Ms Paramvir Nijjar, today sentenced them to rigorous imprisonment for one year each, besides imposing a fine of Rs 500.

Pronouncing the orders in the open court, the Judicial Magistrate also directed Nasim and Mohammed Khurshid to undergo simple imprisonment for another seven days in default of payment.

The two were earlier booked by the police under Sections 325 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code. According to the prosecution, the two "in furtherance of common intention had voluntarily caused grievous hurt to 20-year-old Dinesh Singh with a blunt weapon". The prosecution had added that on June 16, 1997, Dinesh Singh's left leg was fractured after being hit with a baton.

The accused, when confronted with the incriminating evidence against them, had, however, denied the allegations. Claiming to be innocent, the accused had stated that they had been implicated in the case and had asked for a trial.

Arguing before the Judicial Magistrate, counsel for the accused, seeking their acquittal, had stated that Dinesh Singh was caught stealing mangoes from the garden.

The Judicial Magistrate, after hearing the arguments, observed: "I am of the considered view that the prosecution has been able to prove its case against the accused beyond reasonable doubt...."

Insurance company told to compensate client
Tribune News Service

PANCHKULA, Feb 14—The District Consumer Disputes Redressal forum has ordered the New India Assurance Company in Mani Majra to make a payment of Rs 14,866 along with interest at 12 per cent per annum from October 1, 1997, till actual payment, and a payment of Rs 2500 for mental agony and Rs 1000 as cost of proceedings to Mr Hazara Singh, a resident of the township, for negligence and deficiency in service.

In a complaint filed with the forum, Mr Hazara Singh had stated that he insured his vehicle with the company up to 1998. The vehicle met with an accident in June 1997 at Kot Mattanwali. It was badly damaged and the intimation of the accident was sent to the company on the same day. An FIR was registered at the Chandi Mandir police station.

All documents required by the company were submitted to it but the matter could not be settled. He alleged that he had spent Rs 20,000 for repair of the vehicle out of his own pocket and served a notice to the company.

Following the notice, he received a reply from the company, stating that the matter had been taken up with the licensing authority but his claim had not been settled.

During proceedings, it was stated that a surveyor was appointed who assessed the loss to the tune of Rs 16,573, subject to filling bills and the return of salvage but the complainant had failed to produce the bills, copy of the FIR and the like. Thereafter, the company filed an application to amend the written statement which was allowed in 1999.

In the amended statement, the company stated that after the survey report the complainant got the vehicle repaired and upon re-inspection the surveyor found that all damaged parts had not been repaired and assessed the loss to be Rs 11,973. Also, the complainant had filed to submit the final bill despite repeated reminders.

The bench observed that the vehicle was damaged in an accident and that a spot surveyor to assess the damage was appointed by the company immediately. However, the claim went unsettled and a notice was issued to the company. It was added that in spite of the fact that the complainant had provided all relevant documents to the company, it failed to settle the matter and hand over the amount of the claim. This amounts to deficiency of service, which calls for compensation.

Jailed for violating colonies Act
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 15 — The Chief Administrator of the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA), Mr K.B.S.Sidhu, today disclosed that two persons of Gurdaspur had been sentenced by the Judicial Magistrate, Batala, to rigorous imprisonment for two years with a fine of Rs 1,000 each for violating the Punjab Regulation of Colonies Act, 1975.

He said the two persons, Balwinder Singh and Gurmukh Singh, had carved out plots for residential, commercial and industrial use on a piece of land in Faijpura, Batala. They had not obtained a licence for converting land into a colony in contravention of Section 3(1) 8(1) of the Punjab Regulation of Colonies Act, 1975. He said a special campaign was being launched against unauthorised colonisers in the urban estates of PUDA.

Land allotment challenged
By Our Legal Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, Feb 15 — The allotment of land to 13 house building co-operative societies of Chandigarh by the Chandigarh Housing Board was challenged in the Punjab and Haryana High Court by way of a writ petition by Mr Kamal K Sharma, a resident of Chandigarh.

A Division Bench comprising Mr Justice K K Shrivastava and Mr Justice J S Khehar issued notice of motion to the respondent board and others for May 25.

According to the petitioner, the Clause 6 of the Chandigarh Allotment of Land to Co-operative House Building Societies Scheme, 1991, provides that no society shall be eligible for allotment of land under this scheme, if any of its members, their spouses or dependent children already owns a dwelling unit, house flat at Chandigarh, Panchkula or Mohali.

The petitioner stated that some members of the respondent societies had already been allotted independent plots under the 1979 scheme and these societies had given an undertaking not to increase their membership. But they had increased their membership in violation of the undertaking and applied for allotment under the scheme of 1991.

It was further urged that the clause 6 of the 1991 scheme bars allotment to these societies but these societies have been either allotted or promised the allotment of land by the housing board. Thirteen societies have already been allotted land and remaining are going to be allotted land in near future.

The petitioner has sought a direction restraining the board from allotting land to other societies.