EDUCATION

PAU on 'holiday'
From Surbhi Bhalla

LUDHIANA, Dec 26 — Saturday, Sunday, Christmas, Id and a few leftover casual leaves. That makes a good holiday week. In fact more than that. The successive holidays has seriously hit the working in various government offices and Punjab Agricultural University (PAU). About half of the staff is on leave everywhere.

Inquiries in various departments of the PAU and other government offices revealed that a number of employees were on leave. It is not only due to successive holidays on account of Christmas or Id and Saturday and Sunday. Since most of the employees have several casual leaves to their accounts, which, if not availed of, will lapse.

A senior official in the PAU disclosed that according to his reports about 50 per cent employees in the university were on leave. He said there was nothing wrong in it as the casual leave was the right of every employee and the university could not refuse it to anyone.

Even the students have also left for home. All the hostel are wearing a deserted look. Only a handful of students from abroad are staying. There is no classwork either after the completion of the examinations in the university.

It was almost same in all the government offices here. Even the banks did not remain unaffected with a good number of employees availing of their casual leave lest they may lapse.

The holidays have come handy for people going for picnic and pilgrimage. Local bus operators said they had to run extra buses to the Vaishnodevi shrine with greater demand from the passengers, apparently due to a number of holidays in a row.

An official in the Mini Secretariat admitted that the normal working would resume only on Monday, January 1. 

COURTS

Consumer forum orders refund
Tribune News Service

LUDHIANA, Dec 26 — The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum here has quashed a bill of Rs 66,660, raised as excess non-construction charges by Punjab Urban Development Authority on the owner of a plot in Sector 32-A, Urban Estate, Ludhiana. The forum has also directed PUDA to refund the bill, charged along with interest at the rate of 10 per cent per annum, from the date of deposit to the date of refund to the complainant.

In the complaint against PUDA, the complainant, Mr Yash Pal Arora, had claimed that the opposite party had charged non-construction charges and price of the plot in excess. He said that he purchased a plot of an area of 200 sq yard in 1994. He said that he was forced to purchase extra space of 33.33 yards at the rate of Rs 3,200 per sq yard. He said the rate was Rs 1,200 per sq yard originally, and the opposite party had charged Rs 2,000 more than the original cost.

He further complained that there was no development in the area till 1997, as such no possession was given to any consumer till then. Mr Arora alleged that the opposite party, despite giving an advertisement, was unable to give the possession of the land. Since the opposition party was not in a position to give the possession, so it decided to charge non-construction charges for the year 2000.

He said that the opposite party demanded Rs 14,933 at the rate of Rs 64 per sq yard and the demand was against the rules. The complainant had requested the forum to direct the opposite party to refund the excess payment on account of non-construction charges and as the price of additional area allotted.

Giving the decision on the complaint of Mr Yash Pal Arora, the president of the forum held that as per the documents, the plot was allotted at the rate of Rs 1,200 per sq yard and the opposite party was entitled to charge the money only at the allotment price which was prevailing at that time.

The forum directed the opposite party to retain the price of the excess area at the rate of Rs 1,200 per sq yard and refund the excess amount regarding the said area. 

CULTURE

Hans charms alumni
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Dec 26 — Eh jo silli silli aaundi ai hawa’ sang the Sufi singer, Hans Raaj Hans in his rich, sonorous voice at Government College for Boys, at a function of its Commerce Alumni Association.

Hans Raaj Hans has become so famous that he hardly needs any introduction. His wit and his elephant-like memory to recall relevant couplets are phenomenal. He also has an ability to recall appropriate anecdotes at the right time, so much so that the audience does not want him to stop at all.

The most striking part of the programme was that the modern hi-fi music systems were kept at bay and Hans Raaj’s melodious voice resonated in the ancient hall of Government College and his euphonious voice reached the hearts of the audience. He rendered in his harmonious voice Chankati Gori and Dil Chori Sada Ho Gaya.

The Speaker of Vidhan Sabha, Mr Charanjit Singh Atwal, praised the achievers of the college who had occupied high posts in all walks of life. He said, “The students of this college are conducting themselves with dignity and discharging their civic duties well. The college is proud of its students.” The Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Mr S.S. Sandhu was the chief guest.

The show was well-attended by ex-principals and the present and the former teachers of the college.