EDUCATION

Excited kids plan vacations
By Monica Sharma

CHANDIGARH, April 18 — The summer is in full swing and everyone is planning something or the other for the upcoming vacations. Parents are excited regarding the holidays as they feel this is the time when they can take some days' off from their work and give optimum time to their children, who are waiting for the summer vacations impatiently and have made their future plans.

The school-going students get so much of homework that they cannot enjoy their vacations to the fullest. Vikram, a Class III student, says, "We get so much of homework and project work that most of our holidays are used in this and we get less time to play with our friends."

Some persons have planned to go to far-off places in the coming vacations. Ms Sharma says, "We are going to visit the South this vacation as my husband has taken his leave travel concession." People prefer to go to Manali, Mumbai, Goa and the South as this is the time when children get a month and a half off from schools.

According to Himachal Tourism, individual bookings are mainly done for Manali and Shimla this summer but they offer packages only for the off season. The DGM, Punjab Tourism, says they do bookings for college and school trips. This time they have done bookings mainly for the trips to Amritsar.

Children and their parents also use the vacations to meet their maternal and paternal grandparents and other near and dear ones. A travel agency in Sector 22 is giving special packages for summer vacations to places like Goa, Mumbai and Mauritius. Other travel agencies have also done the bookings. Rahul and his sister are rejoicing at the thought of going to Mumbai and Goa in the summer vacations with their parents.

There are some children who utilise their time in covering the syllabi. Suvidha, a Class X student, will give most of the time to her books as her pre-board examinations are approaching in July. Most of the students of senior classes will be mugging up books for their entrance tests. Suvidh says he will prepare for his entrance test for IIT, CET and DCE. After giving the entrance test, he will join a computer course and a gym.

Girls feel like joining cookery and painting classes. Ms Katyal, a teacher, sends her children to a school in Panchkula for extra-curicular activities like declamation, debate and games. Sandhya says, "I will join pottery and dance classes because this is the time when I can learn something creative." Vishesh believes, "This is the most crucial time for a Class XII student and he should devote most of his time to studies to come up in the exams with flying colours." Nidhi is going to join horse-riding, go for treks and tours and will spend an adventourous vacation.

Most of the children are going to join gym, computer classes, cookery and dance classes. Some children want to go in for swimming, squash, table tennis and karate. Kavita wants to learn many things like making of soft toys and paper flowers, besides beauty courses.

Although there are some who just want to idle away the summer vacations by sleeping, going on geri routes and roaming here and there with friends. Some persons are least bothered with the summer vacations and keep on doing their routine work as usual. Some women dread these vacations as their workload is increased due to the disorder caused by children at home and due to coming up of guests. Summer vacations provide a platform to children to learn many new things by joining hobby classes and visit new places but there are only some serious ones who learn new courses with dedication.

COURTS

Strike unlawful
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 18 — Holding the advocates’ strike (now suspended) to be unlawful in their opinion, Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Mr Arun B. Saharya, and Mr Justice V.K. Bali further held that it was not recognised by them.

Pronouncing the orders in the open court yesterday on a civil writ petition, the Judges observed: “An advocate is an agent of his client. If any loss or damage is caused to the principal due to the negligence of the agent, it would be a matter for the principal to seek redressal against the agent in an appropriate forum in accordance with law”.

They also observed: “We, therefore, are not inclined to grant any further accommodation in the case merely because the advocate has chosen to keep away from the court”.

In their detailed order, the Judges observed: “The writ petition was filed through an advocate. We are informed that the members of the Bar are on strike. Lawyers’ strike, in our opinion, is unlawful. We do not recognise it”.

Earlier, in his petition, Mr Munish Arora, a plus two student from Faridkot, had sought directions to the Punjab School Education Board and two other respondents for permitting him to appear for the examinations. He had further sought directions to the respondents to declare his result. No one had, however, appeared for the petitioner to argue the matter on March 27, besides yesterday.

CULTURE

Photo exhibition to be inaugurated today
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 18 — The Photographic Society of Chandigarh (PSC) will open an exhibition of photographs in colour tomorrow. A special section of the exhibition will focus on moments from the tercentenary celebrations of the Khalsa.

Another attraction of the show will be a slide show by Pramod Pushkarna, Chief Photographer, of India Today magazine.

Mr Pushkarna will also inaugurate the photo exhibition. The slide show will concentrate on Kargil events, Siachen and photo essays on women in Indian prisons, landscapes and a variety of other subjects.

The PSC members will also hold a slide show on April 20 apart from the display of latest photographic equipment of lighting and its accessories.

The occasion has also been chosen for installing the new president of the Photographic Society of India.