The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

EDUCATION

Union to observe ‘betrayal day’
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 2 — The Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union in a press release here today announced observation of September 5 as “betrayal day”.

Prof N. P. Manocha, finance secretary of the union, said the PCCTU was supporting the AIFUCTO decision to observe the Teachers Day as betrayal day. Work on campuses will be affected for an hour, underlining teachers’ demand for the implementation of an agreement between the HRD Ministry with teachers earlier.

A large number of teachers will go to Delhi to offer themselves to be court arrested on the day.

Honour for Hindi proponent
From Our Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, Sept 2 — Dr Naresh, Professor of Modern Literature at Panjab University, Chandigarh, and a multi - lingual poet and writer has been selected for the “National Millenium Honour” for his services to the promotion of Hindi language and literature. He will be honoured on the 10th day of the Millenium World Hindi Conference being held in New Delhi from September 14 to September 23.

This honour comes on the heels of the ‘Poet of the Millenium’ award, which was given to Dr Naresh , an author of over 50 books and recipient of around two dozen National and International awards, at a special ceremony at Birmingham, U.K.

COURTS

Arrest of cops stayed
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 2 — Staying the arrest of three police officials and a retired Sub Inspector for 15 days in the Kid murder case, Mr Justice S.S. Nijjar of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed them to file a bail application before the special court.

Pronouncing the orders on petitions filed by retired SI Birbal Dass, Assistant Sub Inspector Gurcharan Singh, Head Constable Nikka Ram and constable Dyal Singh, Mr Justice Nijjar also directed the Special Judge to decide their application before the expiry of 15-day period.

The four were apprehending arrest in a case registered after an SAS Nagar resident, Kulwinder Singh, alias Kid, was allegedly killed in a fake encounter. The investigation of the case was entrusted to the CBI after a petition was filed by Kid’s father before the high court.

After hearing the counsel for the petitioners, Mr Justice Nijjar observed: “This court can not lose sight of the fact that a petitioner has retired and other petitioners are still in service. From their previous conduct, it prima facie appears that they are not likely to abscond”.

The Judge added: “They have been regularly appearing in the court and also before the Investigating Officer. Whether or not they will be able to influence the witnesses or tamper with the evidence will have to be seen on its merit by the trial court”.

Sarpanch exonerated

Nearly 22 years after a sarpanch was booked by the Haryana police on the allegations of selling articles belonging to the panchayat, Mr. Justice A.S. Garg of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today acquitted him of the charges framed against him.

Bhopal Singh, booked on November 14, 1978 following a resolution by the panchayat of Kiwana village in Karnal district, was initially sentenced to six months’ simple imprisonment, besides being fined Rs 500, by the trial Court.

Taking up his appeal, the fine was increased to Rs 5,000 while the sentence was commuted by the Karnal Additional Sessions Judge to imprisonment till the rising of the Court.

Delivering the verdict on his appeal against his conviction and sentence, Mr Justice Garg observed: “One does not find any evidence that articles like electricity fan, television set and other things were purchased by the panchayat or that they were still on the list of the panchayat....”

The Judge concluded: “Unless there is sufficient evidence of purchase of these articles by the panchayat, there can not be any entrustment, embezzlement or misappropriation. The conviction and sentence of the petitioner can not be sustained. The review petition is allowed”.

Bail rejected in blast case
From Our Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, Sept 2 — The bail application of Gurbax Singh was dismissed by UT Additional District and Sessions Judge, Mr S.K. Goel in the bomb blast case today. The police got a wireless message on June 30, 1999, that a bomb blast had taken place near the Milkfed office in Sector 34. One person was injured and admitted to the hospital by the police. Many vehicles were also damaged in the blast . It was alleged that the accused, Gurbax Singh, along with co-accused Sher Singh, had committed the crime at the instance of one Rattandeep.

The Judge observed that since the allegation against the accused, Gurbax Singh, was serious and evidence was yet to be recorded, on his release, he might temper with evidence.The accused could, therefore not be granted bail.

Appeal dismissed
From Our Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, Sept 2 — The UT Additional District and Sessions Judge, Mr R.C. Godara, today dismissed the appeal of Panipat resident Ramesh Kumar against the judgement of the UT Judicial Magistrate (First Class) in a case of causing death by rash driving. The accused had been sentenced to one-year rigorous imprisionment and fired Rs 500. The complainant, Jit Singh, alleged that the accused Ramesh Kumar had passed the truck (29-C-4748) over his friend, Jaswant Singh, while he was going on bicycle on the Amabla-Chandigarh road. The victim had died on the sport.

CULTURE

A touch of ethnicity
From Our Correspondent

SAS NAGAR, Sept 2 — The fashion world here is trying to import ideas from the West, but the basic aspects of Indian culture should not be forgotten.

Stating this here today, at a selected presentation of Indian traditional textiles and crafts at the local Northern India Institute of Fashion Technology (NIIFT), Mr Carlo Belliti, Consultant, UNIDO, told students that if they wanted to introduce a touch of ethnicity in their creations, they should show what India could offer. He said in India, there was beautiful raw material but no one, he felt, was able to blend it properly.

The presentation, organised by the Punjab Government Institute, in collaboration with NIFT, New Delhi, focussed on the vibrant culture of Uttar Pradesh.

Students of the NIIFT has visited UP to study and share the experience of craftsmen in that state and prepare the craft documentation project.

The objective of the project was to understand the crafts and textiles as they exist, their past and their potential for the future. It also provided the students with an opportunity to study the lifestyles of the artisans and their families. The areas covered by the students included Chikankari, zardozi and ari embroideries of Lucknow, carpets of Mirzapur and Badhoi, marble inlay work of Agra, glass work of Firozabad and Banarasi brocades.

There was a demonstration of ari and zardozi work by craftsmen from Lucknow.

The Director of the NIIFT, Ms Vijay Sharma, said till date, there had been 100 per cent job placement of students who had passed the garment manufacturing technology (GMT) course from the institute. Keeping in view the requirements of industry, the institute would start a two-year knitwear design and technology course in October, she added.

Trio thrives on remix
Tribune News Service

PANCHKULA, Sept 2 — The “Joshilay” trio, new entrants in the music world, better known for their score Munia being played on every music channel, said their group was formed with the idea of promoting Indi-pop and bringing folk beats, incorporated in their songs, in the spotlight.

Speaking on the formation of their group, the boys, Julius, Jasmeet and Jolly recall that while Julius had a band of his own, the other two were a well-known duo in the institute where they were doing their business management. They had been singing for four years.

“I was on the lookout for boys who could give my songs a Punjabi touch since English numbers had become outdated some three years back. I conducted auditions for the purpose and selected the two. Everything fell into place and we began our career in the music industry. They too left their jobs to devote their time and money to carve a niche for themselves,” Julius informs.

After this began the long struggle as the group went through the usual rounds of concerts and performances. “It is at these programmes that we realised that Munia was a rage with the audience, the only remix in our album. We spiced up an already popular number and presented it to the people in a completely new package, which they lapped up. This was incentive enough for us to make our own album,” he said.

On their future plans, the group said that though there was nothing on their agenda so far, they would identify numbers of their maiden venture most appreciated by the audience and make their next album on the same lines. While it took one-and-a-half years for the album to materialise, they are of the opinion that the next one would take lesser time since they now have a hang of the things.

Meanwhile, the three are concentrating on the promotional tours for their first album and organising live performances.

A thrilling song and dance show
From Our Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, Sept 2 — An evening full of dance and music that thrilled the audience. The atmosphere at the college of Architecture’s auditorium, where Vinita and Nirupama performed was serene as the audience was engulfed in their passionate classical music and dance performance.

Vinita Gupta started the first half of the programme with a note of Mian Malhar. Her rendering of Sur Malhar was melodious and the audience seemed to enjoy it. The classical notes sung by Vinita celebrated the onset of the rainy season. Kajri Malhar concluded her performance of the evening. The audience was enthralled with the notes of Mian Malhar and it actually made them feel as it was raining.

The other half of the evening saw a dance performance by Nirupama Kishore. She started with an invocation to Lord Krishna , Krishna Vasudevai Hariye. Then came up That, Amad, Tukras, Paranas, Chakradhar Paranas and Gat.

Traditional Bandish in Raga Mian Malhar ended her round of performance. Intricate and deft footwork was executed with precision and control by Nirupama.

One could feel the dance through her facial expressions.The smooth and swift pirouttes were a treat for the audience. An equal blend of Nritta and Nritya aspects of the dance were visible in her performance.

The performance of both the artistes, former students of the Government College for Women, Sector 11, was welcomed after a gap of ten years. Prem Kumar on the tabla and Bharat Bhushan Goswami on sarangi, accompanied Vinita Gupta in her performance.Where as Srikanth Pimpalkar on Tabla, Shekhar Kumbhoj on harmonium also providing the voice and, Virendra Chopra on Sitar and Manasi Tapikar doing the Padanth accompanied Nirupama.