EDUCATION

New courses to be started at PU
Tribune News Service

Thirty seats in the BCA (Honours) course will be filled in the coming session and the fee would be Rs 20,000 per annum in addition to the university charges. The Master in Information course will have 30 seats which will be filled by the general category students and 5 paid seats. The fee for this course will be Rs 30,000 per annum for general category seat and $3000 per annum for paid seat plus the university charges.

17 cases of copying detected
Tribune News Service

SAS Nagar, March 14
At least 17 cases of copying, including a case of impersonation, were detected by the district education officials on the second day of the annual examinations of the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) in the town today. Barring one case, which was detected in a centre in Shastri Model School in Phase 1 here, the other cases were from examination centres in Shivalik Public School in Phase 6 here.

The officials have already written to the Controller of Examination about the cases and making UMC cases against private candidates. Sources in the Education Department said one case of impersonation was also detected in the Shivalik Public School by the DEO (Primary). At around 9.30 a.m., Dilpreet Singh,a resident of Ballomajra was sitting in the matric examination in place of Taranjeet Singh against roll No. 538411. A case under Sections 419 and 420 of the IPC has been registered by the local police.

Sources in the office of the Controller of Examination of the board had been alerted about the mass copying by private students in five centres at Shivalik School. Inability of the women staff in the examination centres in checking the candidates from copying had also been conveyed to the board authorities.

Last chance for matric students
Tribune News Service

SAS Nagar, March 14
Candidates appearing in the matric and Senior Secondary School level examination of the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB), have been given another chance to sit in the practical tests. The chance would be given only to those candidates who could not sit in the practical tests in January last, due to failure on part of the board authorities to deliver their roll numbers.

The practical tests for science, health, physical education and other subjects of matric were held from February 3, 2001, to February 7, 2001. For the senior secondary class, the tests for all the streams were held from January 19 to February 7, 2001. Earlier, the board had give another chance to the candidates to sit on the practical exams on February 7.

As per the fresh schedule announced by the board the practical tests for matric would be held on March 27 and the group would be constituted as per the strength of the candidates. For the senior secondary school level candidates, the tests would be held from April 3 to April 11, 2001. The candidates will not be given another chance by the board, according to a press note.

GCG-11 students get degrees
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, March 14
As many as 880 graduates and postgraduates were conferred degrees on the 44th annual convocation at the Government College for Girls here today. 176 graduates were awarded degrees for honours subjects. In all, 475 graduates got degrees for arts, 152 for science, 55 for commerce, eight postgraduates in music (vocal), seven in music (instrumental) and seven in dance.

Students were also given away prizes for their distinction in annual examinations. Radhika Malhotra stood first in French Honours, Nirmala Chauhan in geography (honours), Archana Naresh in economics (honours), Satinder Kaur in Hindi (honours), Jyoti Aggarwal in music (instrumental honours), Amrita Singh in history (honours), Harsimran K.P. Singh for psychology (honours), Surbhi in public administration (honours), Deepmala for Sanskrit (honours). Nine students were honoured with medals.

GCG-11 students honoured
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 14
Ms Gurneet Tej, a BA II student of Government College for Girls, Sector 11, was today awarded a gold medal and Inspector General of Police’s commendation certificate with a cash reward of Rs 1,500. Her essay on “Gender Equality: Issues and Solutions” in the essay contest organised by the city police as part of the International Women Day celebrations was adjudged as the best among the 20 entries from students of different colleges.

Ms Tej was awarded the prize alongwith the other winners of the contest by the UT Inspector General of Police, Mr B.S. Bassi, at the Police Headquarters here today. Students from nine different colleges of the city had participated in the contest held earlier this month.

Ms Maninder Kaur Brar, a B.Sc. 1st year student of SGGS for Men, Sector 26, was awarded the silver medal , commendation certificate and Rs 1,000 cash, while Poonam Rani, a student of Dev Samaj College for Women , won the bronze medal, commendation certificate and Rs 500 as prize money.

Computer centres to be set up
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, March 14
The Sainik Parivar Bhavans, Haryana, would set up computer centres in a phased manner at all its centres. This was disclosed at the 17th meeting of the management committee chaired by the wife of the Haryana Governor, Ms Sudesh Kumari, here today.

The member secretary, Brig Sher Singh Nagwan, informed that a new computer training centre had recently been started for boys at Rohtak with a capacity of 20 students. It was also decided at the meeting that the stenography courses running at these centres would be converted into computer-cum-stenography courses.

COURTS

LAC told to pay costs on land acquisition
Tribune News Service

The Judges had observed that the award for the land was given on November 18, 1995, but despite a lapse of more than five years, compensation had not been paid to the petitioners.

Stay on ASI’s arrest

Mr Justice S.S. Nijjar of the High Court today directed that Assistant Sub Inspector Harinder Singh, posted at Talwandi Bhai police post in Ferozepore district, shall not be arrested for seven days for enabling him to approach the court for bail in a kidnapping case.

The ASI was apprehending arrest following the registration of a case by the Central Bureau of Investigation on the High Court directions. In his petition before the High Court, Karnail Singh of Gurdaspur district had earlier alleged that the whereabouts of his son, Harpal Singh, were unknown ever since he was picked up by the police from his house on July 17, 1993.

Delivering the verdict on the bail application, Mr Justice Nijjar observed that the petitioner would be deemed to be suspended if he remained in custody for over 48 hours and as such it would be in the interest of justice to stay his arrest for a short period.

Ration suspension order quashed
From Our Legal Correspondent

A division Bench of the High Court comprising Mr Justice J.L. Gupta and Mr Justice N.K. Sud while allowing the writ petitions of Mr Pawan Kumar and Ms Avinash Kaur, depot holders at Panipat, directed District Food and Supply Officer J.B. Gondia and Assistant Food and Supply Officer Tara Singh to pay Rs 10,000 each from their pocket.

The D.F.S.O. had suspended the supply of the ration to the petitioners’ depot on December 31, 1999, on the ground that stock and sale register which was to be produced by December 31, 1999 by the petitioners had not been done.

The petitioners submitted that the registers were produced by them at 4.30 p.m. on that day before the D.F.S.O., while the order was passed at 2.30 p.m. and the record manipulated. Therefore, the order was passed before the time for producing the record had expired.

The petitioner also produced the receipts showing that the record was produced at 4.30 p.m.

In view of the proof provided, the Judges imposed costs and quashed the impugned order.

Bail granted in cheating case
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, March 14
A resident of Bihar, Anjani Kumar, was today granted bail by the UT Additional Session Judge, Mr S.K. Goel, in the case of cheating. The case against the accused was registered under Sections 419, 420, 467, 468, 471 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code on March 4.

The complainant, Assistant Secretary Railway Board, had registered the case against the accused and alleged that he was caught giving the examination in place of Ranjit Singh in Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 20. The accused had been arrested later on.

The accused was granted bail on the furnishing bond of Rs 20,000 each with one surety of like amount.

1-year rigorous imprisonment

The duo, Shree Ram and Nirmala, resident of Palsora, were sentenced to one year rigorous imprisonment by the UT Judicial Magistrate in a case of assault and grievous hurt. The case against the duo was registered under Sections 323, 325 and 34 of the IPC, in Sector 39 police station on February 6, 1999.

The complainant, Sheela Devi, had stated in the complaint that the accused were raising construction which resulted the closure of the window of her house. The complainant had alleged that she was assaulted and beaten up by accused, when she tried to stop them.

Anticipatory bail dismissed

The UT Additional Session Judge today dismissed the anticipatory bail of the three Dharambir, Jitender Mohini, Deepak Kumar, in a dowry case. The complainant, had registered complaint against the accused March 7, under Sections 406 and 498-A at Industrial Area police station.

Show-cause notice to Estate Officer
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 14
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today asked the officer exercising the powers of the Estate Officer to “show cause as to why penal costs for failure to file a reply be not imposed on him personally” on a petition filed by a city resident for quashing the orders for resuming a site for a chakki.

Pronouncing the orders in the open court, Mr Justice Jawahar Lal Gupta and Mr Justice N.K. Sud of the High Court, also asked him to file an affidavit explaining as to why the written statement has not been filed despite opportunity. The case will now come up before the Bench for further hearing on March 21.

In their detailed order, the judges observed: “No reply has been filed on behalf of the respondents despite the fact that they were given time vide an order dated November 1, 2000”.

It may be recalled that Rajinder Kumar Gupta of Sector 26 Grain Market, in his petition against Chandigarh’s Chief Administrator and the Estate Officer, had sought directions for quashing the orders for resumption passed by the respondents. 

CULTURE

Shadow’s Word — all about deeply felt narratives
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 14
Ashwani Bhatnagar’s debut novel, launched here today by Lt Gen J.F.R. Jacob, is straight from the heart. And for once, this is no cliched statement. While extracts from the Shadow’s Word, published by the Chandigarh Sahit Akademi, were being read out to the distinguished gathering at the CII auditorium today, the written words evoked the deepest of emotions, the imagery touched the heart, unleashed the thought process and fired the imagination. By the time Rana Nayyar, Reader, Department of English, Panjab University, finished narrating two essays from the book, the audience already identified with what the author had to say.

The book has 16 narrations and each one draws inspiration from Kissa Gois, an art form, which existed during the times of Nawabs. In this form of art, the narrator would pick up any incident to get across a moral or simply evoke an emotion. Ashwani Bhatnagar also draws from the wide spectrum of life and translates incidents and experiences into words.

The style is direct and easy, just as one expected from a journalist. The book has facts put across in a simple, straight, direct tone. About assuming the role of an author while being a journalist, Mr Bhatnagar said, “The evolutionary process is a must for any journalist. If you cannot be a creative writer, you have failed as a journalist.”

Introducing the book, Chairman, Chandigarh Sahit Akademi, Maj Gen (retd) Himmat Singh Gill, pointed out,”The Akademi aims at revitalising creative writing in the region. Mr Bhatnagar’s book is the first in the line of a series of books. His work is laudable for its rich imagery and easy readability. It offers an insight into the lives of common people.”

Mr Bhatnagar could not have been more humble than he was today while talking about his book. The most interesting of all details about the book which he shared with The Tribune today was the way it happened. The author had long been impressed by the highly sensitive styles of stalwarts like Mahadevi Verma, Kaifi Azmi, Sahir and others, with whom he interacted during his days at Lucknow. “The kind of emotions they evoked were magical. I often started writing, but always retreated with the thought that I was not as talented as they were,” said the author.

The final ‘nudge’ came from a reprint of Ernest Hemingway’s interview in which he says, “Write the truest sentence you know and then go on from there...” That is exactly what Mr Bhatnagar did. The 16 narrations in the book are laced with emotions, images and patterns which have occurred at some point of time or the other. The book, as Mr Bhatnagar explained, reflected his fidelity towards people, environment and situations.

Another interesting fact is that Shadow’s Word emerged as an offshoot of another piece of fiction which Bhatnagar is currently working on. “There were some ideas, some feelings which did not fit into this book I am now working at. So they were put together separately,” he said. Shadow’s Word was actually ready within seven months.

Speaking after the release of the book today, Gen Jacob said that people in this part of the region are not very rooted to their culture. He talked about the Harappan civilisation, the Kushana period and lamented that hardly any effort was being made to preserve the ancient culture. He called upon the people to familiarise children with the sites of ancient civilisations. He also stressed the need to popularise the museum at Sanghol.