EDUCATION

Boycott despite fee reduction
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Nov 8 - It was a typical case of ignorance. The students of Arya College for Women boycotted their classes to protest against the fee hike while the fee had already been reduced by the Principal.

In a meeting of the students of Arya College for Boys with the Principal, Mr V.K. Mehta, it was decided that though the fee hike was introduced by the state government and Panjab University, some college funds would be relaxed to compensate for the fee hike. It was also declared that fee concession would be given to some students hailing from economically weaker sections of society.

Since the girls were not aware of this fact, they boycotted their classes. However, when they were told about the decisions taken at the meeting last Saturday, they went back to their classes. The Headmistress, Ms Satisha Sharma, asserted that the students were ignorant about slashing of the fee.

She said, “I was away to Khanna at the time when classes were boycotted. I was told that the girls of the college, who were standing near the gate, were incited by some outsiders. Later, when the girls were told about the decision, they went back to their classes.”

Principal’s extension gets support
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Nov 8 — The controversy over the extension to the Principal of Master Tara Singh Memorial College has taken a new turn with the Principals of 10 local colleges supporting her.

In a meeting of the Principals of 10 colleges held today, those who have supported her in writing are Ms Harmit Kaur of Ramgarhia Girls’ College, Mr B.D. Budhiraja of Kamla Lohtia SD College, Mr Jaswant S. Gill of Guru Nanak National College, Doraha, Mr V.K. Mehta of Arya College for Boys, Ms Anup K. Bansal of Guru Nanak Khalsa College for Women, Ms Harrinder Dhillon of Khalsa College for Women, Ms S. Verma of SDP College for Women, Ms Jaspal Brar of GHG Khalsa College, Sidhwan, and Mr Kuldeep Singh of GGN Khalsa College. Prof K.B.S. Sodhi, President, Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers’ Union, said if Principals were to be given two years’ extension upto the age of 60 years, the same rule should be applied for teachers, or else they would launch an agitation.

Library that promotes reading habit

The new library of Sacred Heart Convent Senior Secondary School, Sarabha Nagar, is located on the third floor of the new building which came up a few years ago.

Recently, a Book Club was started in the library. It is necessary for a student to read at least two books a week to become a member of this club. Students who read the maximum number of books are given prizes.
— Asha Ahuja

PU youth festival inaugurated
From Our Correspondent

KHANNA, Nov 8 — The Panjab University Zone-B Youth Festival was inaugurated at AS College for Women today. Mr Manoranjan Kalia, Health Minister of Punjab, inaugurated it.

In the bhangra competition, GGN Khalsa College bagged first place, while Arya College, Ludhiana stood second. In rangoli, Gurmeet Kaur of AS College for Women got first position and Pryinka of AS College for Boys stood second.

Kundan Vidya Mandir wins contest
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Nov 8 — Teams from 13 schools and colleges participated in a commerce quiz contest held at Master Tara Singh Memorial College here today.

Six rounds were held in which questions based on current affairs related to commerce, advertisements, general knowledge and mental ability were asked. The team of Kundan Vidya Mandir bagged first prize, followed by the teams of BCM Arya Model Senior Secondary School and DAV Public School. The function was presided over by Mrs Kuldeep Kaur, Principal of the host college. 

COURTS

Work on lawyers’ chambers to begin shortly
By Jupinderjit Singh
Tribune News Service

LUDHIANA, Nov 8 — The much-awaited construction of about 540 chambers of lawyers in the new judicial complex behind the Mini-Secretariat here will finally begin shortly. A recent meeting between representatives of the state government and the Bar Council here has been successful in removing certain bottlenecks delaying the project for the past one year or so.

With the removal of the major hurdles, construction work will start with the laying of the foundation stone of the building by the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, either in late November or early December.

Though an agreement between the government and lawyers over the sharing of the cost of the construction had been reached at in September, the construction work could not be started due to financial crunch being faced by the government.

Under the resolution passed in the meeting, it has been decided that the lawyers will pay Rs 4 crore as lumpsum to the government as their share of the construction cost. The important aspect is that the lawyers’ share will not increase in case of the escalation of the construction price.

It has also been decided in the meeting that the construction cost will be cut. For this purpose, the building will now have only 2 lifts, instead of the earlier planned 4 lifts. It has also been decided that there is no need for construction of a basement, initially planned for use by the stamp vendors.

The government has also reduced the costs at its own level by deciding not to pay consultancy charges of over Rs 1 crore to the PWD for the construction of the chambers.

Confirming the clearance of the project, Mr Harish Rai Dhanda, President of the Bar Association, said the meeting held last week was attended by Mr Bikramjit Singh, Principal Secretary, Mr S K Sandhu, Deputy Commissioner, Mr S.S. Sandhu, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, and officials of the PWD, PUDA and the local Bar Council. He said the final dates for the laying of the foundation stone would be known only after the return of the Chief Minister from an overseas tour.

The issue of the construction of the chambers is of immense interest to lawyers in the city. The construction will felicitate shifting of the courts and the lawyers chambers from the unsafe and congested premises of the old courts near Lakkar Pul.The old court land is to be acquired by the PUDA for development purpose under its optimum land use policy.

The proposal had generated much heat among the advocates. Though there are about 1000 lawyers here, only 540 qualify for getting a chamber. A section of the lawyers are opposing the proposal and alleging they were being victimised.

Each eligible lawyer is to deposit Rs 75,000 by March 31, 2001, for becoming qualified to get a chamber, and there is disagreement among lawyers over their share.

Additional Sessions Judge and Presiding Officer, Labour Court, Mr S. Aggarwal, heard about 50 cases and settled 40 of them. The Lok Adalat was organised for the speedy disposal of the cases which had been pending since long. The cases were referred to the court by the Labour Commissioner, Punjab. 

CULTURE

‘Music is my god’
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Nov 8 — “Singing is everything to me — my love, my passion and my god”, said singer Anuradha Paudwal, during a short visit to the city recently. She was here to perform at a bhagwati jagran, at College Road.

Anuradha claimed that success had not come to her by chance, but she had to literally drag her feet to get it. “It took me so many years and I have worked hard to get this position”, she said.

Anuradha said while singing bhakti songs, she goes deep into them. She stated, “I do not have to prove myself that I am devotional. I know I am religious at heart and I am totally engrossed in bhakti while performing bhajans”.

She pointed out that one has to rely on directors, producers and artists for playback singing, but devotional songs are different. One is generally independent while singing bhajans. She said, “You get confidence when you have to sing on your own. You get both appreciation and satisfaction”.

Her son, Aditya Paudwal has been composing for his mother. She has sung for a music video called Ishq hua, which was released about four months back.

She denied that her popularity had come down after the death of Gulshan Kumar. She became emotional while answering the question. She said, “We had worked together for 10 years. Nothing has changed with the death of Gulshan Kumar. I am still singing for T-Series”.