EDUCATION

Discussions, contests mark Ozone Day
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 16 —Threats to the ozone layer and its critical role in chemical and biological processes were highlighted by Dr S.C. Jain, Chairman, Department of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Panjab University, at the Ozone Day celebrations on the campus here today.

Dr R.P. Bajpai, Director of the CSIO, discussed issues related to ozone depletion and its preventive measures. Mr P.J.S. Dadhwal, Member Secretary of the Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee, introduced the subject of quota system of production of ozone depleting substances by the Ministry of Environment and Forest.

Dr S.K. Sharma, President of the Environment Society of India, raised doubts about meeting of the Montreal Protocol. Speakers included Dr K.K. Garg, Joint Director of the northern regional office of Ministry of Environment and Forests, Mr S.K. Saxena, Mr B.D. Prasad and Dr Bipin Bansal, PU. A ban was sought on ozone depleting substances.

The Environment Society of Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Sector 23-A, also organized International Ozone Layer Preservation Day.

Banner-writing and poster-making contests were held on environment related subjects. A rally of students was flagged off by Mr D.S. Saroya, DPI (Schools). Monica, Suman and Neha were the winners in the contests.

Government College for Girls, Sector, 11, also organised a special function. Mrs Vijay Lakhshmi, Principal , highlighted the significance of preservation of ozone layer. Industrial effects on the ozone layer also came up for discussion.

The Indian Council for Environmental Education, in association with the Haryana State Council for Science and Technology and DAV Senior Secondary Public School, Ambala, also held a function to mark the day. Mr V.S. Kundu, Director of the Haryana State Council for Science and Technology, gave the keynote address. Principal Ravinder Talwar also spoke.

PANCHKULA
Government Senior Secondary School, Sector 6, organised a rally today. Children carried placards and banners, highlighting harmful effects of depletion of the ozone layer.

Quality education in slums, villages emphasised
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGAR, Sept 16 — The Governor of Punjab, Lt-Gen J.F.R. Jacob, today exhorted independent schools to put in efforts to provide quality education to the children living in slums and villages. He was speaking at the inaugural session of a two-day zonal conference on “Quest for quality education”; organised by the Independent Schools Association of Chandigarh at Shivalik Public School in Phase 6 here today. Quality education was not a prerogative of the elite only.

Acknowledging that some schools were running sections for poor children, he called upon the member schools of the association to adopt more such children. Expressing concern over the high fee being charged by the independent schools, the Governor said it appeared that the funds were being used on expensive buildings. The approach to impart education should be based on simplicity, practical learning and spending more money on welfare of the children belonging to the poor sections of the society.

General Jacob said most the schools lacked adequate sport facilities and little was being done on the sport front. “We are burdening the children with overloaded bags. There is need to inculcate spirit of adventure among the youth”, he said. Another area which was neglected was vocational training, he said adding that in this field, also the independent schools should chip in efforts to provide comprehensive vocational training. This would enable the youth to seek employment opportunities.

Expressing happiness at the computer education being provided by the schools, he said Chandigarh and SAS Nagar was emerging as Information Technology (IT) hubs and would provide sufficient employment to professionals.

Earlier, Mr D.S. Bedi, Chairman of the Chandigarh unit of the association, in his welcome address, said Principals of independent schools of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Chandigarh were attending the two-day conference. He said the conference would provide a platform for educational exchange of ideas for the benefit of society.

Mr Inderpal, a former Pro-Vice Chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, in his keynote address, said there was need to revamp school education with clear thrust on excellence. Grooming of teachers and a new curriculum emphasising honing skills of students were the need of the hour. He said a qualitative evaluation system was required.

Earlier, General Jacob was felicitated with bouquets. Among those honoured on the occasion were Mr GP Gupta, President of the Independent Schools Association, Mr TR Sharma, Mr JN Joshi, a former Dean Academics, of Panjab University, Chandigarh and Mr Chalana, a professor of education in NCERT.

Later, in Dr Inderpal Singh and Mr P.H. Vaishna chaired sessions on ‘Quest for quality education’, ‘ Pursuit for excellence through building autonomy in education’ and problems faced by independent schools’.

Students’ fete
From Our Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, Sept 16 — A brilliant performance by students of various schools marked the fete organised by the Chandigarh unit of the Independent Schools Association at St John’s School, Sector 26, here today.

Nine schools of the city presented their cultural events. Students presented dance items and songs portraying Indian culture. Vande Mataram, Sufi dance, kal belia dance, victory dance, aerobics, dholna and Marathi and Punjabi songs were the items presented at the function. Teachers and Principals from various schools were present.

COURTS

BDS students’ plea allowed
By Our Legal Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, Sept 16 — Mr Justice R.L. Anand of the Punjab and Haryana High Court allowed three writ petitions of Mr Yogesh Goyal etc. BDS students and directed the respondent Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot, to allow the petitioner students to appear in BDS third professional examination and to declare their result of third professional immediately on receipt of judgement. The petitioners, it was clarified have been ordered to undertake their examination under orders of this court and the examination will be deemed to have been regularised.

It was contended on behalf of the respondents that the examinations held in the months of June, July 1999, the petitioners did not appear and therefore they cannot be held to be regular students of the principal batch. Their batch started from September 1999 and their eligibility for third professional will be completed in September 2000, which is yet to come.

However, the Judge observed that from documents it appears that the petitioners had been attending classes with regular students and those students also appeared in May and June, 2000 examination. Even if the students have not taken the principal examination it will make a difference if they have taken supplementary examination of September 1999.

The Judge added that the principal point for determination is whether they secured 33 per cent marks in the internal examination. It is true that they did not appear in June and July, 1999 for one reason or the other but there is no basis and told that they were of September batch. They were regular students but they missed their first examination and appeared in September 1999.

Rape accused denied bail
From Our Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, Sept 16 — The UT Additional district and Sessions Judge today dismissed the bail application moved by Raj Nath in an abduction and rape case.

The accused, a resident of Labour colony, was booked under Sections 363 366, 376, 342 and 120-B of the Indian Penal code in Industrial Area police station on November 3, 1998. The complainant, Mr Jattun Ram, had alleged that the accused had kidnapped and raped his minor girl along with Lal Mohammad on November 1, 1998.

The girl’s father further alleged that the accused had taken the girl to Gorakhpur and kept her there for 25 days. The girl was recovered from Gorakhpur on November 27, 1998.

The Judge observed that the accused had committed serious crime and was involved in abduction and rape of the minor girl. therefore, the accused could not be granted bail.

3 years’ RI for Sirsa resident
From Our Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, Sept 16 — Babu Lal of Sirsa was sentenced to three years’ rigourous imprisonment by the UT Additional District and Session Judge in a case of attempt to murder.

The accused had allegedly fired on Chayya of Mauli Jagran with a licenced weapon. The police had arrested and booked the accused under Sections 307 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act.

The Judge observed that accused had committed serious crime. The Judge, therefore, sentenced him three years’ rigourous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 500. 

CULTURE

Film review
“Indecent” borrowing
By Sanjeev Bariana

CHANDIGARH, Sept 16 — ‘Karobar’ (Jagat) appears a sinking ship right from the outset of the release with an apparent borrowing of ideas from a runaway success ‘Indecent Proposal’.

Rishi Kapoor, Anil Kapoor entangled in a love triangle with Juhi Chawla have little to bring cheers to Rakesh Roshan. His direction of the script has taken rather long in the making. Poor pre-release public information has added to an adventure on rough roads of viewer’s hearts.

Worth mentioning parts of the screen presentation are “exotic locales” in South Africa and Kenya besides lesser-known beauty spots in the country.

Rishi Kapoor is a job struggler after completion of his Law degree. Juhi finds him one evening when he crosses her home. Her power fuse is off. She requests him for help. He surely does but the sight of the ‘beauty’ in light puts him off his feet.

She attends classes in nutrition. Here lands on screen Anil Kapoor, director of an international media house. Money flows through his pockets near his heart, which flows for a new beauty every night. Rishi is an old classmate who reads his name in a newspaper and rushes to him. Surely, he gets a job.

Anil sees Juhi Chawla and is floored. He knows that his friend loves her but he would not budge in his dream to court the girl with love or with money. “Money can buy anything, even love”, he says. The two friends have to part on an uncomfortable note. Anil tries breaking up Rishi’s relation saying Juhi was the daughter of a prostitute. Juhi accepts but the fact is that she never stayed in that ‘area’. She was struggling in education with money her mother left. They attempt making a separate house. Anil Kapoor comes to her again. Rishi Kapoor is seriously injured in a road accident and needs Rs 5 lakh for saving his life.

Juhi tries all possible avenues. There is only one and she walks to Anil Kapoor to say she was willing to offer her body to him in return for Rs 5 lakh.

The film has been produced by Gava. It has lyrics by Javed Akhtar and music by Rajesh Roshan. The print and audio quality look average.

The storyline seems unconvincing and rather dragged. Adding music was no help because of uncalled for entry at times.

GODMOTHER (TV premiere): Much talked about movie this year “Godmother” definitely ranks among the top releases of all times. In simple words Shabana Azmi, Milind Gunaji and Nirmal Pande have given performances where artistic beauties stand apart in class even if considered separately from the script.

Star Plus’ writer turned director Vinay Shukla’s debut film is a journey in the world of rise and fall of moral values. Shabana Azmi holds the key just with the fact that it is story of a woman in the world of men who are out to destroy others in their ways to luxury.

Rise of an illiterate woman to state level politics mixed with the real life violent ‘dirty’ means of politics reflect in a rather sad ‘tale’ of the modern day’s evil in the world of politics.

The Rajasthan touch to the script and the tone of dialogues by stars has been sustained almost religiously till the end. Shabana Azmi’s husband Milind Gunaji is eliminated. The rural woman in town finds a leaning shoulder in Nirmal Pandey who acts as her brother. The ‘savageness’ of the profession comes as a question mark to her when her son attempts killing a boy who loves the girl he aspires for.

She ‘loves him most’ but does get him to hand over himself to police. Self-realisation of the meaningless of cruelty through power dawns on her too.

A definite but gracious and strong point of the film is the music. The film has bagged seven national awards. The story is based on Krishan Chander’s story “Dhangaon ki Rani”.