EDUCATION

Violence on PU campus condemned
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 8 —A delegation of the Students Organisation of Panjab University led by Santokhwinder Singh, president, met the Dean Student Welfare today in connection with the incident of violence on the campus yesterday.

In an unprecedented scene of hooliganism yesterday a group of as many as 12 youths smashed window panes in the library following a ‘‘boozing session in the open’’.

This was probably the first incident of its kind on the campus. The drama started with two cars parked in front of Hostel Number III late in the afternoon. Liquor bottles and glasses dotted the car bonnets, an eye witness said. The noises of fun and frolic with enhanced decibel levels of stereos rented the air and dancing feet astonished the passers by.

Majority of students in knowledge of the incident were positive that the ‘visitors’ were not from the university. A senior student said,‘‘we were coming from the market when we saw the rowdy group. There were a couple of cases when vehicles were stopped and the riders were forced to dance.’’

A senior student said the ‘boisterous’ group descended on the reading room at the library at around 10.30p.m. The regular library closes in the evening and the reading room remains open till 6 a.m.

Mr Chand Singh Madaan, chairman of the Haryana Students Association, said one student who objected to the noise being created by the group received a thrashing. A couple of the outsiders were caught by students. The others of the group then got iron-rods and hockey sticks from a maroon coloured Lancer (HR 26 H 8776) and a Maruti Zen and smashed the windowpanes.

The ‘hooligans’also made an easy exit from the campus after this.

Mr Madaan said ‘‘the case was reflective of an absolute security lapse on the campus. How could anybody party in the open for so long? Were there no officials on duty? The incident casts a question mark on role of the police post on the campus. The car left by the only gate open at night after half an hour at the library and hours at the hostel and around. Should the gate not have been informed?’’

A research scholar said such ‘‘fun-seekers’’ were common on the campus. but no action was taken against them. The ‘‘gang last night made regular rounds of the girls hostels too.

The Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad in a press release has also condemned the incident.

the police,however, said no arrests had been made so far. a case of rioting under Sections 147 and 148 of the Indian Penal Code has been registered.

IHM-Delhi team wins quiz contest
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 8 — While the team from New Delhi won the quiz here today at the Ambedkar Institute of Hotel Management and Catering and Nutrition as part of the XV All-India Students Chef competition being hosted by the institute, preparations and planning were on at the Institute’s kitchen with the eight teams warming up for the final competition called the “International basket exercise” to be held tomorrow.

Eight teams from the Institutes of Hotel Management (I.H.M.) New Delhi, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Trivandrum, Jaipur, Shimla and Kolkata are participating in the final round of this competition being held in the city. The competition started yesterday.

The teams were subjected to a preliminary elimination written quiz and four teams were chosen for the final question answer round. Shefali Sharma, Jatin Sethi and Avinash Mohan from I.H.M, New Delhi were the winners of the quiz while Bhaskerdeep, Dilip Nair and Jay D. Bhatt from I.H.M, Trivandrum, got second position and Suniti Mittal, Kainaz and Jasleen Kaur from I.H.M, Mumbai were third.

Kitchen planning and layout design contest was held in the morning today. Competitions in Indian cooking were held yesterday with the students being given their own choice of menu and ingredients to cook from.

“Now the students have been given the same set of ingredients and they are to choose their preparations from that set itself. It is their imagination which is being put to test here.”said Mr Kuldeep Chandra from the ITDC group of hotels. He is in the city to judge the event. “We are also judging the extent of the chef’s discipline and dedication to his/her profession involving ever changing and innovative techniques.” he said.

“Ms Neeru Nanda, Advisor to the UT Administrator, will be giving the prizes tomorrow at a special ceremony and one out of these 32 students will be the Student Chef of the Year." informed Mr Navin K. Nanchahal, Principal of the institute.

Microscopic society’s meet from today
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 8 — The three-day annual conference of the Electron Microscopic Society of India begins on the Panjab University campus tomorrow.

Prof Ashok Sahni, president of the society, said there was hardly any field in which the research facility did not affect humanity. He also gave an insight into the programme. The areas covered health, textile designing, industries, environment, metallurgy and chemical industry, among others.

Citing examples, Professor Sahni said it could be established in a murder case whether the bullets were similar to those from a suspected gun. Quality of clothes could be studied by study of their structure.

The University installed TEM in the late 60s in the Biophysics Department and another version of the equipment in the Geology Department. Other institutes in the city having this facility are PGI, PEC and CFSL.

Prof M.S. Johal, general secretary, said the PU laboratory was catering to research facilities. The country lagged behind in production of the device. The programme aimed at knowledge of the best available facility.

Dr M.L. Sharma, treasurer, gave details of the study work at PU, showing how institutes like the PGI and the Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana, besides others, had benefitted by the service.

Giving details, Professor Johal said five joint sessions would be organised, besides 10 technical sessions, and 60 papers had been selected for presentation.

Besides a poster exhibition, the conference would also have micro-photographs on display. The best paper would be awarded. About 250 delegates, including foreign delegates, were expected to participate.

School honours martyr’s wife
From Our Correspondent

SAS NAGAR, Feb 8 — The annual prize distribution function and musical bonanza of the local Harryson Public School were held here today.

The function began with the lighting of a lamp by Mr A.S. Rai, Joint Director, Vigilance Bureau.

Students were given awards for their academic excellence and meritorious performance in sports and cultural activities.

Prizes were also given to winners of the healthy baby competition. The winners were: Girls Group A — Harita 1; and Avneet Kaur 2. Group B — Sheran Hullan 1; and Asheem Preet Kaur 2. Group C — Jasleen Kaur 1; Gurkiran Kaur 2; and Gurpreet Kaur Anand 3. Boys: Group A — Darshanpreet Singh 1; Deevanshu Bali 2; and Jasjeet Singh Abrol 3. Group B — Harmanjot Singh Ludhar 1; Jashan Bir Singh 2; and Navneet Singh Kalra 3. Group C — Shebaj Singh 1; Ominder Singh 2; and Shivam Kalra 3.

Students call on Jacob
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 8 — The faculty and students of the Chandigarh Coaching Centre today called on the UT Administrator Lieut-Gen J.F.R. Jacob in support of their demand for setting up of a public book bank for needy students.

A press note issued by Dr Khera stated that the establishment of public book bank would prove to be of immense help to needy students, where students, academicians and people from all walks of life may donate their books. This would help socially and financially deprived students.