EDUCATION

College teachers go on strike
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Dec 11 — Sore over the non-payment of salaries, the teaching as well as the non-teaching staff of Guru Nanak Girls College of Model Town have gone on an indefinite strike.

The teachers said, due to friction between the two groups of the management, they had not received their salaries since July. They said the strike would continue until their dues were paid.

Due to the strike, the college examinations have also been postponed indefinitely. Students who turned up at the college today to find out the dates of the examinations, were not allowed to enter the college. A notice, saying that they could enquire about the dates on December 13, was put outside the college. Students said, earlier, they had been told that the examinations would begin on December 7. However, on December 7, they were told to wait till December 9. Tests were not conducted even on that date, following which, students turned violent, smashed some window panes and raised slogans against the college management.

Meanwhile, after the resignation of Ms Indu Kaushik, officiating Principal, Ms Paramjit Kaur took over the charge of the college on Saturday. Ms Paramjit said the salaries for July had been paid to the staff today. However, the teacher said they wanted all dues to be paid.

Mr Gurbir Singh, President of the management, said that the bank was not allowing the officiating Principal to control the funds. However, he assured that the matter would be solved by tomorrow. “If the bank continues to do so, a new account can be opened in the name of a teacher,” he said.

Teachers’ convention
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Dec 11 — In a convention of the Government Classical and Vernacular Teachers Union, Punjab, held here yesterday, the members have demanded from the Punjab Government that they should be granted two special increments in lieu of the promotion channel with effect from February 1997, on the Himachal Pradesh pattern.

While addressing the convention, President of the union Mr Harbhajan Singh Dhindsa, and working President, Mr Kuldeep Singh, said that the Education Minister, Mr Tota Singh, should implement the already accepted demands.

COURTS

Nominations close for district Bar poll
From Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, Dec 11 — There are three candidates in the fray for the post of president, finance secretary and joint secretary of the District Bar Association for the elections to be held on December 20.

While the sitting president, Mr Harish Rai Dhanda, and a former president of the bar, Mr Kimat Rai Sikri, had made their intention known and had even started their election campaign well before the process of filing of nomination papers commenced, Mr Shri Pal Sharma also entered the arena, according to the final list of nominations released by the returning officer, Mr Bhajan Lal Saini.

Five candidates have filed their papers for the post of vice-president. These are Mr H.S.Toor, Mr G.S. Bal, Mr Gurmukh Singh, Mr Vijay B. Verma and Mr S.M. Puri. Mr Puri, however, later submitted withdrawal.

Mr Rajeev Duggal and Mr Rajesh Sabharwal will have a straight contest for the post of secretary, while Mr Vinod Kumar Sharma, Mr Gurkirpal Singh Gill and Mr N.S. Sidhu are locked in a triangular fight for the post of joint secretary.

The post of finance secretary also has three contestants — Mr Rajan Bali, Mr Surinder Kumar Chopra and Mr Parminder Singh.

Nine nomination papers have been filed for the post of executive members. These are — Mr Avtar Chand, Mr Navjit Singh, Mr Jaspreet Singh, Mr Gurkirpal Singh Gill, Mr Veerinder Singh, Mr Paramjit Singh Dev, Mr Amrik Singh, Mr Paramjit Singh Saini and Mr Kapil Kumar Garg.

Non-construction charges quashed
Tribune News service

LUDHIANA, Dec 11 — In a significant decision, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has quashed a bill of Rs 70,592, raised as non-construction charges by Punjab Urban Development Agency, on two owners of a plot in Sectors 38 and 39 in the city.

The Forum held that the complainant had already paid the non-construction charges at the rate of Rs 16.50 per square yard citing a Punjab and Haryana High Court order and hence the demand raised in excess of the said amount was liable to be quashed.

The residents, Mr Satish Nathuria and Ms Savita Nathuria, had filed a complaint in the Forum through their representative, Mr S.S. Sarna, saying that PUDA had already charged an amount at the rate of Rs 16.50 per square yard, as non-construction charges from the previous allottee. Then the agency again demanded a sum of Rs 70,592 from the complainants, vide letter dated November 11, 1999.

They said as per rules, no non-construction charges were to be recovered during the first three years after the allotment of the plot. During the fourth year, non-construction charges were to be charged at the rate of Rs 1.50 per square yard, during the fifth year the rate of charges becomes more to Rs 2 per square yard and during the sixth year, at the rate of Rs 2.50 per square yard.

The complainants had further said that during the seventh and eighth year of non-construction, the charges as per rules, were in the tune of Rs 4.50 and Rs 6 respectively. So the non-construction fine imposed by the opposite party was against the rules. They said that the opposite party had caused mental torture to them and they demanded that the bill be quashed and the opposite party be directed to pay Rs 5,000 as compensation and Rs 1,000 as costs.

The opposite party, in its reply to the forum, had made a preliminary objection on the complaint, saying that the complainants had no locus-standi to file the complaint on behalf of Satish Nathuria and Savita Nathuria, since the complainant had not alleged that it was duly registered under the Companies Act and the complainant was not a consumer and the complaint was liable to be dismissed on the grounds that there was no deficiency in service or unfair trade practice.

The opposite party further said that the complainant was barred by the Act and proceeded to file the complaint in view of the terms and conditions of the allotment letter.

HEALTH

HERBS AND HEALTH
Amla – a medicinal wonder
Dr. R. Vatsyayan

Ayurvedic texts have described various properties of amla extensively. The ancient Indian scholar of applied botany and herbal medicine, Bhavprakash, has written that amla fruit corrects the body metabolism and is also a tonic of immense value. Charak and Sushruta, in fact, have left no malady where they haven’t mentioned use of amla as a cure in one or the other way. It is described as astringent, laxative, anti-pyretic and tonic for the nerves and the brain. Other ancient authors refer it as useful in anaemia, acidity, anorexia, haemorrhages, jaundice, chest diseases, troubles of the urinary and genital tracts and so on.

The fruit of amla is the most important part of the plant. Being a rich source of vitamin C, it is widely used for supplementing its deficiency. The juice of fresh amla fruit is given as tonic, diuretic and anti-bilious remedy. It is also helpful in burning sensation, over thirst, dyspepsia and other complaints of digestive system.

The powder of the dried amla fruit is an effective remedy of hyperacidity, ulcers and blood impurities. It is also used both internally and externally as a decoction and paste. Some of the common uses of amla fruit are as under:

* Being an effective heamostatic agent, the juice of amla fruit taken twice a day with 250 mg giloy satva (extract of tinosporia cordifolia), an effective remedy for bleeding piles and non-specific epistaxis.

Amla juice, if given along with 500 mg of turmeric powder cures burning sensation of urine and also helps to allay recurring urinary tract infections.

* In viral jaundice during winter, amla juice can be taken after dissolving it with a little honey. It corrects liver functions, besides improving appetite.

* Generally, the dried fruit is put in water for a night or so, and its water content is a popular hair wash. Their paste is applied for relief from various skin diseases.

* The dried powder of amla fruit, if stirred daily with fresh juice of amla for 21 days, is known as amlaki rasayan. This fortified preparation is used both as medicine and tonic in the various phases of the diseases and also during convalescence period. Ancient acharyas have even described it as an anti-aging formula.

There are various classic ayurvedic preparations, such as chyavanprash in which amla is used as a chief ingredient. Triphala, dhatri loha and brahmrasayana are other classic medicine in which amla is being used since time immemorial. If taken singularly, the dose of its juice is 10 to 20 ml, whereas the powder of its dried fruit can be taken upto one gram twice or thrice a day.

Amla is also used in various other forms as murabbas, pickles and chutneys. Flowers, root and bark of its tree are also medicinal, but nowadays the twig of amla is also used for tanning and dyeing. Its timber is useful for miscellaneous domestic purposes, as it stands well under water and is used in making wells in rural areas. Due to its unlimited benefits and multipurpose uses, it seems that it is the kalpa vriksha of yore.