EDUCATION

National Science Day celebrations conclude
From A Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, Feb 28 — The three-day National Science Day celebrations held at Panjab University concluded here today with a prize distribution function.

The chief guest, Dr S.K. Sharma, Director designate of the PGI, gave away the prizes to the winners of various competitions which were organised during celebrations.

As a part of the celebrations, the Departments of Zoology, Anthropology and other studies of the university observed Open House. Students acquainted the visitors with interesting and educative facts about human beings and nature.

The following were the winners of various contests: Debate (junior level) — Harpreet (1), Deepti (2), Ruchi (3) (all of Government Senior Secondary School, Sector 46; senior level — Sarika of the Department of Biophysics (1). Damini Puri (2) and Simranpreet Kaur (3) (both of Punjab Engineering College; wall magazine contest — Akashdeep Kaur and Priya of the Department of Microbiology (1), Ravinder Kaur of the Department of Biotechnology (2).

Poster-making contest (junior level) — Anjani (1), Neha (2), Gautam (3); graduate level — Sarika (1), Baldeep (2), Kamalpreet and Tarunjeet (3); postgraduate level — Arshdeep (1), Sandeep (2), Himanshi (3); science quiz contest (junior level) — Sanchit and Saurabh of Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 46 (1), Rashi and Kunal Jindal of Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 35 (2); senior level — Amit and Sachin of the PEC (1), Sadanand and Vijaykanth of the Department of Biotechnology, PU (2).

Paper-reading contest (junior level) — Aasthna Sobti of St Stephen's School (1) and Arpita of Government Model Senior Secondary School (2); graduate level — Puneet of the Department of Zoology (1), Arshia and Monica (2); postgraduate level — Swati Sharma of the Department of Biochemistry (1), Sanjeeta Singh of the Government College of Education (2).

Functions mark Science Day
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 28 — Various functions were organised today to observe National Science Day. To mark the grand finale of the celebrations, the Survey of India organised a bicycle expedition using maps in the morning.

A total of 232 students from various schools of the city participated in the event, using gearless bicycles and maps. The event, according to Brig K.S. Khatri, Director, North Western Circle, was about amalgamation of map-reading and cycling skills. Winners were awarded cycles. The Survey of India had earlier organised events like map quiz and treasure hunt. Following are the results of the bicycle expedition — boys category: Nitin Kumar, MRA Senior Secondary School, Sector 27 (1); Hardeep Singh, MRA Senior Secondary School, Sector 27 (2); Curren Kapoor, Tender Heart School, Sector 33 (3); girls category: Priyanka, Mount Carmel School, Sector 46 (1); Poonam, Mount Carmel School, Sector 46 (2); Poonam Kaur, Sri Guru Har Kishan Public School, Sector 40 (3).

As many as 41 teams of three students each from various private and government schools of Chandigarh, S.A.S. Nagar and Panchkula participated in the map, quiz held as part of the celebrations from February 21 to 28.

The Institute of Microbial Technology also observed National Science Day by organising an open day for students and the general public. Students visited the institute, including a group from Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana. The visit provided these students with an opportunity to interact with the scientists working in the institute and an insight into the working of equipment and latest techniques for experiments in laboratories.

SAS NAGAR

The National Science Day was celebrated by students of Government High School, Kumbra, on the school premises. A science quiz was the main event of the function, organised in collaboration with the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology and the State Institute of Science Education.

Ms Surinder Dhingra, Director of the State Institute of Science Education, who was the chief guest, said the students and teachers who took part in scientific activity would be honoured each year on Science Day.

The winning teams of the science quiz were Sani Kaushal and Kulwinder Singh 1, Charanjit and Mandeep 2, Sukhvinder Kaur and Gurjit Kaur 2.

Importance of robotics emphasised
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 28 — The Central Scientific Instruments Organisation(CSIO) celebrated the National Science Day today by throwing open its laboratories to the general public. A large number of people, including students, visited the labs and interacted with scientists.

Delivering a lecture on “Robotics in hazardous environment” Dr M.S. Ramkumar, Head, Automation and Manufacturing Group, BARC, Mumbai, emphasised the importance of robotics and remote handling and automation systems for performing various tasks in hazardous environments encountered in the industry, defence, space and nuclear energy.

He highlighted the role played by the different types of sensors in the robotics and dealt in detail about the indigenously-designed tele-manipulator systems for the application in nuclear industry.

Earlier, Mr S.R. Taneja, Additional Director of the CSIO, while welcoming the chief guest, highlighted the significance of the National Science Day.

Students belonging to the SC/ST categories, who had scored merit positions in the Punjab and Haryana School Education Boards, were awarded cash prizes of Rs 3,000 each.The students are Sarita Pushkar, Nirmal Kaur, Jetinder Kumar and Manpreet from the Punjab School Education Board and Deepak Kumar and Ashok Kumar from the Board of School Education, Haryana.

Homoeos begin strike
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGAR, Feb 28 — The agitating students of the Institute of Postgraduate Homoeopathic Medical Education and Research started a 24-hour strike here today. A leader of the agitating students said their agitation had entered the 40th day.

Distinction for students
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 28 — Rohit Sud, a student of Class V of St. John's High School, Chandigarh, has been awarded a High Distinction in Mathematics and Science and Distinction in English by the Educational Testing Centre of the University of New South Wales, Australia.

He has achieved 100th percentile for his school and 99th percentile all over India for Mathematics and Science and 97th percentile for his school and 96th percentile all over India for English. He was awarded a High Distinction and a Gold Medal for Mathematics last year also by the same university.

Meanwhile, Shruti Sharma, a student of class V in Carmel Convent Sector 9 here, has also been awarded a “high distinction” in mathematics by the educational testing centre of the University of New South Wales, Australia.

She achieved 99 per cent in science among class V students all over India.

She also achieved 98 per cent in mathematics in the same segment.

Mayank Ojha, a Class VI student of St John's High School, Sector 26, Chandigarh, too, has got a High Distinction in Science by the Education Testing Centre of the University of New South Wales, Australia.

COURTS

Four get RI in case of burglary
Tribune News Service

PANCHKULA, Feb 28 — Holding the four accused guilty of committing burglary in the house of journalist Tribhuvan Nath, injuring his two daughters and robbing them of their valuables, the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr Ved Pal Gupta, today sentenced them to rigorous imprisonment for seven years each and a fine of Rs 2,000 each.

Raj Kumar of Muradabad district, Jagdish of Raipur district, Ramesh of Patiala district and Sanjiv of Nalanda district were booked by the local police on August 3, 1998, under Sections 384, 394, 485, 506 and 342 of the Indian Penal Code.

According to the prosecution , Mr Tribhuvan Nath was sleeping in a room near the gate of his house in Sector 21 while his daughters were sleeping in a rear room. After midnight, four persons scaled the rear wall and entered the house. They first battered the daughters, gagged their mouths and tied their hands. Thereafter, they demanded keys to the steel cupboard from which they took a gold chain, Rs 10,000 and a pocket watch. They also took the jewelry his two daughters were wearing, along with a bearer cheque for Rs 10,000.

When confronted with the incriminating evidence against them, the accused had pleaded innocence and asked for trial. They had also denied the evidence against them and claimed false implication in the case.

Today, pronouncing the orders, the CJM observed: "It is held that the prosecution had successfully proved its case against all the accused beyond all reasonable doubt and accordingly all the accused are hereby convicted under Sections 458, 342, 384, 394 and 506 read with Section 34 and Section 411 of IPC".

Regarding the plea for taking a lenient view, the CJM observed that it would only further escalation of crime and and also make it difficult to check or arrest the perpetuation of such crime, especially in the face of rising instances of crime in the township.

In his judgement, he added that in spite of this, the court had taken a lenient view in the matter and sentenced them to undergo rigorous imprisonment for seven years for the offence punishable under Section 458 IPC and to pay Rs 1000 each. In case of default of payment of the fine amount, each of them shall undergo rigorous imprisonment for 30 more days. Also, they were sentenced to imprisonment of seven years and a fine of Rs 1000 each under Section 394 of the IPC, though the sentence of imprisonment shall run concurrently.

8 hurt in accident
Tribune News Service

PANCHKULA, Feb 28 — As many as eight persons, including the driver of a Haryana Roadways bus (HR-03-0728), were injured when it collided with a truck near the Nursery Chowk (Sector 11 and 15 chowk) here this evening.

According to the police, the driver, Mr Om Parkash, has been admitted to General Hospital, Sector 6. The conductor and six of the passengers also sustained minor injuries.

While the truck had been impounded, the truck driver had absconded.

A case has been registered.

Ex-minister granted bail
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 28 — Former Haryana minister Om Parkash Jain, who was also a director of Shri Vardhman Overseas Limited, was today granted bail in two bounce cheque cases after being fined Rs 200 each by UT Judicial Magistrate (First Class) Mahander Singh.

Pronouncing the orders in the open court, the Judicial Magistrate observed: "Notice under Section 466, CrPC, was given to accused number three (Jain) for not appearing on earlier date. Keeping in view the reason explained by him and taking a lenient view a fine of Rs 200 is imposed upon him".

The Judicial Magistrate added: "Fine paid. He is admitted to bail on furnishing bail bonds to the tune of Rs 25,000 with one surety of the like amount". The case will now come up on March 14 for further hearing.

Earlier, during the proceedings, replying to a notice issued by the Magistrate asking him to show cause as to why he should not be punished for absenting himself from the court on January 13, the accused stated that a lenient view may be taken as a mistake had been committed while noting down the date.

The Judicial Magistrate while issuing the warrants of arrest against Jain on the last date of hearing had observed: "The mere contention that he is an ex-minister of Haryana is no ground to exempt him from his personal appearance whereas the complainant is regularly appearing".

The Judicial Magistrate had added: "Keeping in view the act and the conduct of the accused, his bail and surety bonds are cancelled and forfeited to the State. Let warrants of arrest be issued for March 28, 2000 to secure his presence".

Earlier, in a complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, complainant Small Industries Development Bank of India had alleged that a cheque issued by Shri Vardhman Overseas Limited was "dishonoured by the banker and was received back with remarks not arranged for".

HC lawyers extend strike
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 28 — Lawyers at the Punjab and Haryana High Court today extended the strike to protest against the amendment in the Civil Procedure Code and the Advocates' Act.

According to the president of the High Court Bar Association, Mrs Daya Chaudhary, the decision to carry on the strike was taken at a general house meeting of lawyers held this morning.

Mrs Chaudhary said the decision to go on strike was unanimously approved by the general house. The call for the strike was given by the Bar Council of India.

Mrs Chaudhary said office-bearers of the Bar Council of India would meet the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister to press their demand for withdrawing the amendments in the two statutes. If their demand was not accepted by the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister, she said, lawyers would observe strike tomorrow also.