A school that aims high
From M.M. Bhandari

Parwanoo, Oct 21 — It is only a primary school, but it has all the trappings of an institution of higher learning. Its students are divided in four ‘houses’ — Red, Yellow Green and Blue. These ‘houses’ contribute to the school’s ambience with activities that promote creativity, organisational abilities, hobbies and team work.

The Himachal Primary School was started in 1979 by the Automotive Educational Trust, a charitable organisation backed by the Anand Group of Industries. The school makes no demands on the students except the tuition fee which is kept at a reasonable level.

As for the standard of education at the school, the Principal, Mrs Satwant Misra, says that after completing their primary education, the students of this school have no difficulty in getting admission to prestigious schools in Chandigarh and other places. The teachers, she says, are encouraged to attend refresher courses and seminars held by the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT). Talks and seminars are also held in the school and the staff also visits other schools to acquaint themselves with the latest teaching techniques.

According to Mrs Misra, the vacations are made fruitful by organising summer camps where the children learn music, dance, drama and arts and crafts. Trips and excursions give the children an idea of the diverse culture and landscape of the country. Inter-house competitions are held in drawing, recitation, singing, dance and debates. The sports day is a big event. Lighter bags and less home work are the outstanding features of the school which have been serving the community for more than two decades.

All quiet at PU after poll
By Sanjeev Singh Bariana
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 21 — Panjab University campus witnessed serenity today, in contrast to a noisy week during the student body election campaign, which ended yesterday.

A visit to the SOPU and the PUSU-ABVP-HSA areas showed campaigners, including leaders, yawning and stretching to pull themselves for up normal life following anxious moments before poll-results yesterday.

The PUSU-ABVP-HSA panel recorded victory in majority of the departments, including arts block I, arts block II, mathematics, law, botany, geography, physics, theatre and music.

The biggest losses to the winning panel were recorded in the Departments of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. The SOPU recorded 123 votes against 13 by the winning panel. In the department of chemical engineering, SOPU recorded 208 votes as against 76 by the PUSU-ABVP-HSA.

Mr Dayal Pratap Singh Randhawa of SOPU, a former president of the council, said the loss was accepted. They had decided to constitute an active opposition panel, which would participate actively in student programmes, he added.

Interestingly a couple of days earlier, a candidate of the history department filed his name as Bhupinder Singh Bhuppi, the winner of the president’s post, as a contestant. The winner lost the suffix Bhuppi in the list once released during the elections. The chairman of the HSA said the university allowed the other candidate to take the suffix Bhuppi.

Last year also, the winner had Bhuppi along with his name while the other candidate did not carry the suffix Bhuppi. Ultimately, following deliberations at the election tribunal and the DSW level, the fresher was disallowed to carry Bhuppi with his name. Consequently he also pulled out of the elections.

On-the-spot painting contest held 
From Our Correspondent

SAS NAGAR, Oct 21 — The local Rotary Club and the Innerwheel Club jointly organised the 16th Nitish Lehri on-the-spot painting competition here yesterday.

As many as 1,235 children from 25 schools participated in the competition, according to the president of the Rotary Club, Mr J.S. Sethi.

He said the topics of the competition were drug abuse, population control, traffic awareness, women’s education and environment protection. The results of the competition would be announced next week, he added.

24 schools take part in extempore contest
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 21 — It was a show of confidence and oratorical skills. The school children participating in the extempore contest, organised by Frito Lays, belied their age when it came to speaking on topics that were beyond their imaginations. The tiny-tots impressed the judges with their skills.

Students from 24 local schools participated in the contest. The contest was divided into three rounds and 24 students participated in the first round out of which 10 were shortlisted for the second round. After the second round five shortlisted students were made to compete in the final round.

Abhilasha of Bhawan Vidayalaya was adjudged the winner and Preet Kamal from St Xavier’s and Vasu from St John’s were adjudged first and second runners-up, respectively.

Forger gets RI
From Our Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, Oct 21— Kaptan Singh was sentenced to two-and-half-years rigorous imprisonment today by the UT Judicial Magistrate (first Class) in a cheating and forgery case. He was also fined Rs 300.

The case against the accused had been registered under Sections 420,467,468 and 471 of the Indian Penal Code on march 3,1994.

It was alleged that the accused had tampered with his original certificates to get admission in Government College for Education. The complainant, the Principal of the college, had written a letter to S.H.O of Sector 19, alleging that the accused had tampered with original certificates.

Arrest stayed
The UT Judicial Magistrate (first class) stayed the arrest of Assistant Sub-Inspector Ram Rattan Sharma till October 23 in a criminal breach of trust and dowry case. The case against the accused had been registered for allegedly demanding a car and Rs 1 lakh from his would be in in-laws just a day before his marriage. The accused had filed an application for grant of anticipatory bail.

Bail granted
The UT Additional District and Session Judge, yesterday granted bail to a city resident in a cheating and fraud case.

The case against the accused had been registered under Sections 420, 482 and 411 of Indian Penal Code and under the Essential Commodities Act for having two cars of same number. One car runs on LPG.

The accused was granted bail on furnishing a bond of Rs 15,000 and surety of same amount.

Plea dismissed
The UT Additional District and Session Judge dismissed the bail application moved by Colony number 5 residents in a rape case. It was alleged that the accused, Badri and Badan, had raped a girl, a resident of Sector 34, on Dusehra.

The Judge observed that the accused had been involved in a serious crime. Therefore they could not be granted bail.