EDUCATION

Slogan contest on pollution 
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 8 — To highlight the fallouts of pollution and publicise conservation of oil, Yuvasatta, an NGO, is organising a Sunder Lal Bahuguna environment slogan contest, in Panjab University.

The slogan-writing contest is open only to the students of the university. The slogans can be either in Hindi or English and the last date for filing the entries is October 14, 2000.

The Constitution of India contains specific provisions for the protection and improvement of environment like Articles 48-A and 51-A (g). Besides, there are also central and state laws for environment conservation.

World Bank reports, however, reveal that more than 50,000 Indians die a premature death due to air pollution. This poses a cause for worry in a city like Chandigarh where as many as 5,50,000 vehicles are registered for the population of about 10 lakhs.

With nearly 200 vehicles being added to the number daily, there is a marked increase in the noise and air pollution, traffic accidents and deaths and respiratory disorders, especially in children. All this, besides traffic jams and parking problems, are adding to the problems.

The contest aims at highlighting all these perils in the youth. Seven best slogans will be given cash prizes at a specially organised functions, besides prominent display for a year on boards. The entry forms for the contest are available in the University Library and the Students’ Centre.

Students’ rally on wildlife week
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 8 — A rally to mark the World Wildlife Conservation Week was organised by Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 33, under the surveillance of Vaumati Environment here yesterday. The rally was flagged off by the chief guest, Mr H.S. Sohal, Director, Wildlife and Environment, Chandigarh.

The students raising slogans and holding placards were led by Dr Surinder Singh and Ms Loveleen Kaur. An inter-house paper reading contest was also organised by the club.

Puneet and Tanima were adjudged first and second, respectively, and Sonika and Heena were adjudged third, while Apoorva got the consolation prize. Mr Sohal gave away the prizes. He called upon the students to make the least possible use of the vehicles to protect environment and make use of the muscular energy.

Mr Karan Singh, Principal of the school, asked the students to save environment. The Secretary of the club, Dr Surinder Singh, stressed on the need of planting medicinal plants and trees so as to save wildlife and vermiculture.

COURTS

Lawyers for judicial accountability 
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 8 — The issue of judicial accountability came in for serious deliberation on the occasion of the biennial conference of the All-India Lawyers Union held here in Sector 24 today. Participants discussed the “long existing infirmity of the Indian judicial system where there is no room for accountability”.

The debate was initiated by former judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Kuldip Singh, who said that the average Indian was losing faith in the system, for the simple reason that justice is inordinately delayed. “It is quite unfortunate that the grievance of an ordinary man is not redressed. The only way out is that a case once presented to a judge must be compulsorily decided within a year. And any failure of the judge concerned to do so should invite scrutiny,” said Justice Singh.

He went on to vindicate the stand of those in the judges’ chairs by saying that the judge alone was no to be blamed. “The entire system has collapsed,” he said, adding that another major problem was the lack of transparency in effecting the appointments of new judges. “Currently all powers of appointment are vested in the Chief Justice. We must rather have a system where there is more transparency,” he said.

The debate was taken further by local MP, Mr Pawan Kumar Bansal who restricted his talk to the issue of the Constitution being reviewed. He said that the present government’s attempt to review the Constitution is based on furthering an ulterior motive. “Given the present structure of the Constitution, the present government has not been able to effect the changes, as required by them. But one thing is clear. If the country is to be kept united, we must work within the given framework,” he said. He suggested certain measures regarding the use of powers by the states and the Centre, subject to the concurrent list.

Senior Punjab and Haryana High Court advocate, Mr R.S. Cheema spoke on the proposed amendment to the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). He said the proposed amendments were of procedural and cosmetic nature. “Substantial changes which the criminal law requires have not been touched. The amount of maintenance under Section 125 of the CrPC is being raised from Rs 500 to Rs 1500 which, in the given circumstances, is unreal,” he said, adding that certain offences like the one under Section 498-A IPC (Dowry) should be made compoundable.

Again starting the topic of review of Constitution, Mr Som Dutt Sharma, advocate, Supreme Court, said that a review committee, as set up by the government, is an extra-constitutional body, and its formation is illegal. He said that it was held by the Supreme Court in the Keshavanand Bharti case that the basic features of the Constitution could not be changed even by Parliament. “In this context, therefore, the review of Constitution by a review committee not approved by the Parliament is illegal,” he said.

Mr J.S. Toor, president, All-India Lawyers Union, while delivering the presidential address, stressed that alterations in the law should be in line with changes in society. Saying that the Punjab and Haryana High Court rules also required some amendments, Mr Toor added that judicial accountability was also a must.

CULTURE

A serial blended with love, magic, mystery
By Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 8 — The much talked about serial which tells the legendary tale of Puran Bhagat and his pursuits in the struggle for existence went on air today. The maiden episode of the serial Kissa Puran Bhagat, written and directed by the National School of Drama graduate Ravi Sharma, was telecast on the Lashkara channel at 10.30 this morning.

The serial is not a routine commercial project. Along with meeting the purpose of tapping the vast commercial market of Punjab, the research-based serial also seeks to probe the intricacies of various human relationships, apart from suggesting means of a better and peaceful living. Picking up the folk tale which is famous for its vast scope at human emotions, the writer-director Ravi Sharma, has interpreted the story in contemporary terms.

In an exclusive interview with The Tribune, he talked about the project which has been nurtured with a lot of care. Significant is the fact that Sharma has given a deft treatment to the folk tale, which is full of complications when seen from a director’s point of view. But he has still managed to let the basic story stay, and while treating the various twists in the story with sensitivity, he has given relevance to the love triangle of Puran Bhagat, his father king Salwan and his step-mother Luna who is hopelessly in love with Bhagat. Luna’s character assumes significance in the current scenario for her vow to avenge for her unrequitted love. In the process, Luna becomes the cause of distress of the very man she loves.

The regional importance of the story also increases with the fact that the entire cast in the 400 episodes of the serial is local. Puran is played by Vikas Vij, Luna by Jonita Doda, while king Salwan is Gurkirtan. Other significant characters, Luna’s mother and father, are played by Kuldeep Kaur and Sameul John, respectively.

While the lyrics of the serial are by Ravi Sharma himself, music has been given by local director Varinder Bachhan. The title song has been sung by Punjabi folk singer Sardool Sikander.

Coming to the script, the writer informs that the story has been written to suit the present-day conditions. “I have tried to bare the basic truth — that all happenings on the earth are controlled by forces of destiny. So if there is a flaw in some character, it was destined to happen so. In this story also, events shape as times want them to shape. Luna gets married to king Salwan, who is very old compared to her. She refuses consummation and instead falls for Salwan’s son Puran. Puran, in turn, respects Luna as a mother. So you see, everything is destined to happen.”

The director has, of course, altered the script to suit the taste of people. “But the soul of the story remains untouched. I am only experimenting with how a certain feeling can be differently portrayed,” says Sharma.

He has also covered the chapter of Raja Rasul extensively. The story goes that Luna, in her vengeance, leads the situation to a point of no return. One day Salwan sees Puran misbehave with Luna and kills him. Puran is, however, saved by some tantrik and he returns to the palace only to help the infertile Luna conceive. Rasul is Luna’s son.

The story line is strong with factors like magic, mystery and tantra, giving more flavour to it.