The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

EDUCATION

Students show maturity of experienced artists
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, March 17
The Annual Art Exhibition of the Sector 10 Government College of Arts was inaugurated by Ms Neeru Nanda, Adviser to the UT Administrator, in the college studio here today.

This six-day exhibition aims to project the nature of training imparted to the students of the college and showcases 555 works of art by 191 students.

On this occasion, Bhawani Shankar, a fourth-year student of sculpture, was given the prestigious S.L. Prasher award, while the Amrita Shergill award and the M.S. Randhawa award went to Salonika Commer, a fourth-year student of painting and Paramjit Singh, a fourth-year student of graphics, respectively. Deepti Gulati, a student of applied arts, won the Sushil Sarkar award and the Sujjan Singh Memorial Award went to a first-year student, Prainy.

Works like ‘Vanmoahotsav’ ‘Nature for Future’, ‘Nature and Technology Hand in Hand’, and ‘Nature and Technology Exist Together’ on the theme of saving ecosystem through sustainable development dominated the applied-arts section. This section also had an outstanding computer-print work by Salonika Commer.

Pooja Sood, a fourth-year student, captured the many moods of nature in her series of paintings in oil and mixed media. Gagandeep Sodhi’s ‘Flow of Energy’, which he represented by amalgamating static and dynamic forms, reflected Michaelangelo’s ‘Creation of Adam’.

Among the graphics collections, ‘Extending for Extinction’ showed the details of nature. Pankaj’s ‘Twirl’ in silk screen, Monika’s ‘Still but Dynamic’, Taran’s ‘Honey Bee’ and Arvinder’s ‘Rhythm’ were a few outstanding works.

Sakshi depicted the tragedy of the Gujarat earthquake by putting her fibreglass statue among rumbles in ‘But Life Goes On’. Harleen’s ‘Desire’, a composition in fibreglass and Rameeta Chawla’s mural ‘Search for the True Soul’ were on the theme of spiritual freedom.

Lecture on Gandhi’s principles
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 17
The Department of Gandhian Studies, Panjab University, organised a lecture on “Gandhi in the New Millennium”, delivered by Dr N. Radhakrishnan, Director, Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Smriti, New Delhi, here.

Mr Radhakrishnan stated that one of the most commonly asked questions was if independent India followed the principles of Gandhi. The answer to which was both yes and no. “No one can claim that India has followed Gandhi fully and at the same time it was frivolous to state that India has betrayed the teachings of Gandhi.”

He further said that if India had emerged as a multi-lingual, multi-religious and multi-cultural society, it was because of the traditions of Gandhi ‘s principles.

Prof S.L. Malhotra, former Head of Department, presided over the function, while Dr M.L.Sharma, a senior faculty member of the department, proposed a vote of thanks.

The department will also organise a one-day conference on strengthening Gandhian Studies in colleges and universities on March 17.

Seminar on disordered material ends
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 17
On the concluding day of the national conference on disordered material, organised by the Department of Physics, Panjab University, eminent physicist Prof S.K. Joshi, former Director, CSIR, New Delhi, delivered a lecture on “Quantum Dot”, a dimension of the less system.

Prof Joshi stated that quantum dots, electrons confined from all directions may be the basis of future electronic devices. Advanced countries like Japan, America and Germany were in fact exploring this possibility. He described the quantum dot to be an artificial atom in which one can change number of electrons and its symmetry. He saw the future of technology shift from micro-electronics to nano-technology to bio-technology.

Prof K.N. Pathak, Vice-Chancellor, Panjab University, presided over the concluding session of the conference. He thanked the speaker and added that on decreasing the dimensions of the system the new physics emerges. Dr J Bosse from Berlin, Germany also delivered a talk on the theory of formation of glasses.

PECFEST
Events scrapped due to chaos
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 17
The second day at PECFEST was the one of chaos due to a large number of events and participants. Only a few of the scheduled events could be held today, causing confusion among participants. Some of the events hard to be postponed or cancelled due to a lack of time.

Fun events were, as usual, the most popular. These included mimicry, creative laughing, ‘Dance to the Tunes,’ ‘Off beat Dancing’ and ‘Catch an Egg’ contests, the results of which will be declared tomorrow.

Himanshu Raj won the first prize in the Hindi solo song contest, while Jasleen and Keerat Kaur stood second and third, respectively. In the ‘ghazal’ solo event, Amrita kapoor stood first, while Himanshu Raj and Manik Batra stood second and third, respectively. In the western solo contest, Keerat Kaur stood first while Rahul Prabhakar and Nupur came second and third, respectively.

In the Hindi group-song competitions, the team of Manik Batra and Abhishek Agarwal stood first while the team of Nupur, Khushwinder and Priyanka came second. The team of Jasleen and Kanwarbir came third. In the western group-song competition, the team of Nupur, Namrata, Jasmeet and Anshul Anand stood first, while the team of Pranav, Shashank, Gaurav, Anshul and Mrinal came second.

The team of Sachin Kataria, Simran Reen and Anuj Sharma got the first prize in the Hash event, while the team of Mohit, Padam and Damini came third. The team of Anirudh, Manav and Kartik came third. Nitish Sharma won the first prize in the elocution contest, while Nitin Malik came second and Ruhi Makol came third, respectively.

Damini Puri and Simranpreet won the first prize in the debate contest, while Shivani and Siddharth won the second prize and Ruhi Makol came third. The team of Adit Kundra, Vivek Ghai and Mayur got the first prize in the dumb charades contest, while the team of Anuj Sharma, Mohit Jolly and Padam Chabbra came second. The team of Smisha Samra, Tarundeep Kaur and Abhimanyu Gupta stood third.

In the cartooning event, Harkirat Singh came first and Rocky Jaiswal second, respectively. Richa and Karan came first in the ‘rangoli’ event, while Madhu and Aishya came second. Khuswinder and Harpreet stood third. Rishi and Sonali won the first prize in the ‘Find Your Pair’ event, while Vivek Soni and Richa Badwar stood second. Vikram Kaul and Indu came third.

Jainendra Ahuja and Nahul stood first in the ‘Open Hardware’ event, while the team of Dhiraj Adya and Nitin Sethi came second. The team of Gaurav Bansal and Gurdishpal came third. In the ‘Pre-defined Hardware’ event, the team of Dhiraj Adya and Nitin Sethi came first.

The PEC team presented a play, Ek tha Gadha Urf Aladad Khan by Sharad Joshi, which was directed by Meghvarn Pant. The play is a satire on the life of ‘nawabs’ of medieval India. Mudit Singhal plays the sutradhar in the play.

The other events that were held today included the IT Quiz semi-finals, the finals of which will be held tomorrow. Artistes like Sarabjit Singh Cheema, Nirmal Sandhu, Surinder Chinda and Suresh Raheja performed in the college in the evening.

Meanwhile, the need for synergising educational institutions with industry was stressed by those who participated in a seminar on this subject in the college as part of PECFEST here yesterday.

The panelists included the Director IT of the UT, Mr Vivek Atray, the UT Director Technical Education, Mr R.S. Gujral, the Principal of the PEC, Prof R.S. Gupta and Dr Sanjay Tyagi, Mr R.K. Ummat, Dr J.K. Suri all representatives of the industry.

Mr R.S. Gujral said an administrative system was needed to ensure a constant dialogue between the IT industry and educational institutions.

Mr Sanjay Tyagi, additional Director of the Software Technology Parks of India, said the IT industry had registered a growth of 100 per cent in the past three years, which was phenomenal. He said it was the moral responsibility of the industry to ensure that educational institutions were inducted in this growth.

Dr J.K. Suri, Director of the National Centre for Computers and Management Services, said until humanware was incorporated into the IT system, software of any kind was useless.

Mr J.P. Nagra, of CASE Computers said the IT education in schools and colleges would have to be provided by the government. Mr Rajan Vasudevan of Smart Data said the students of IT would do well, in spite of all hardships. He said the aim of universities was to create good citizens and good careers for them.

Mr R.K. Ummat of APTECH and NITS, said, as far as brainpower was concerned, boundaries did not matter. Prof S.C. Dhawan, the Head of the Department of Civil Engineering of the PEC, proposed the vote of thanks.

Students clash

A scuffle between two groups on the campus was averted by the police. The trouble began with a loud argument outside one of the entrances to the dance. The police, later, made the two parties reach a compromise.

COURTS

HIGH COURT
Promoted employee cannot be reverted
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 17
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has ruled that an employee cannot be reverted at a later stage if he is granted promotion and allowed to work on the promoted rank for a sufficiently long period, even though he may lack educational qualifications.

Referring to a Supreme Court authority, Mr. Justice R.S. Mongia and Mr. Justice K.C. Gupta observed, “The initial minimum qualification prescribed for different posts is undoubtedly a factor to be reckoned with, but it is so at the time of the initial entry into the service”.

The Judges added, “Once the appointments are made as daily rated workers and they are allowed to work for a considerable length of time, it would be hard and harsh to deny them the confirmation in the respective posts on the ground that they lack the prescribed educational qualifications..... The aforesaid dictum, according to us, would apply to even a person who is promoted”.

Allowing a petition by Mr Kali Ram, working in Haryana, the Judges observed, “The petitioner did not hold back any information or play any fraud on the respondents while the promotion order was issued way back in March, 1996. There is nothing against the petitioner so far as his work and conduct on the promoted rank is concerned..... We also cannot lose sight of the fact that the petitioner had acquired the requisite qualifications also”.

Contempt of court notice

Mr Justice S.S. Nijjar of the high court today directed the issuance of a notice to a Nawanshahr district resident, asking her to show cause as to why proceedings under the Contempt of Court Act be not initiated against her for making false averment in a petition for anticipatory bail.

In her application, Aniat Bibi had earlier stated that she was running an STD booth. The complainant, in an affidavit had, however, stated that the petitioner was doing the business of a travel agent.

Pronouncing the orders, Mr Justice Nijjar observed, “In the affidavit filed by the complainant, it is stated that the petitioner has made false averment in the petition in order to secure anticipatory bail. In the FIR itself, details have been given as to how the payment has been made by the petitioner..... Since prima facie, I am satisfied that the petitioner has made false averment to secure the order of anticipatory bail, it would be appropriate that she is proceeded against for having committed the Contempt of court”.

Notice issued over plant pollution

On a petition seeking directions to the state of Punjab and other respondents to ensure that the pollution being emitted from the Bathinda thermal plant does not exceed the limit prescribed by the Punjab Pollution Control Board, Mr Justice R.S. Mongia and Mr Justice K.C. Gupta of the Punjab and Haryana High Court have issued notice of motion for May 31.

Claiming the pollutants to be hazardous to health and environment, Bathinda’s Public Grievances Association, in its petition, also stated that the Civil Surgeon had already informed the Chief Engineer regarding the increase in ailments due to pollution.

The petitioners added that the Pollution Control Board had also requested the plant authorities to take remedial measures after finding the pollution level to be beyond the limit fixed by them. Counsel for the petitioner added that the plant was using coal to produce electricity resulting in pollutants like flyash.

Attend discussion Secy, CE told

The Punjab and Haryana High Court today asked Haryana’s Secretary of Bridges and Roads and the Chief Engineer of National Highways to be personally present in the court on April 13 for discussion on a petition seeking the enforcement of traffic rules on the national highways.

The petition, taken up by Mr. Justice R.S. Mongia and Mr. Justice K.C. Gupta, had also asked for installation of signal systems and rumble strips at the crossings.

Special plea should be ‘overruled’
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 17
The prosecution today contended that Maj V K Madhan’s special plea challenging the jurisdiction of the general court martial should be overruled as the defence had failed to produce adequate evidence in its support.

Replying to the defence’s final submission in support of the plea, the prosecution said enough opportunity had been given to the accused officer during the court of inquiry, hearing and recording or the summary of the evidence to examine witnesses or to make any statements. The prosecution added that the anomalies committed during pre-trial procedures were not enough to hamper defence.

The defence sought to reply to the prosecution’s statement, but the prosecution objected that there was no precedent under which the defence could reply to the prosecution’s statements at this stage. The judge-advocate advised the court that in the interest of justice, the accused officer could be given another chance to reply, but this was overruled by the court.

The court was adjourned till March 20.

CULTURE

Pak singers to perform at Mohali
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 17
A 60-member cultural delegation from Pakistan will arrive here next week to participate in the Nur Jehan Memorial Cultural Mela being organised by the Alami Punjabi Parivar at SAS Nagar on March 24 and 25.

Talking to newsmen here this morning, the Chairman of the Alami Punjabi Parivar, Mr Harnek Singh Gharuan, a former Punjab Minister, said the visit of the cultural delegation had already been cleared by the Union Government.

Members of the visiting group will include popular folk singers like Shaukat Ali Khan, Iqbal Babu, Ayatullah Irsa Khelvi, Reshma, Surya Khanum, Amra Mumtaz, Shamshu Kamal, Zarqa, Rafique and Habib Hussain, Muratab Ali and Humara Chana.

The group will also include actress Reema, film director Ruksana Noor whose recent film “Churrian” has been a big hit in Pakistan; and film producer Shahzad Rafique.

Harnek Singh Gharuan said the purpose of organising this cultural mela in memory of the melody queen Nur Jehan wss to make a beginning of providing the art and culture lovers of the region with “neat and clean folk music, music free from pop and vulgarity”.

Besides the cultural troupe from Pakistan, some eminent Punjabi folk singers, including Sardul Sikander, Dolly Guleria and Barqat Sidhu, have also been invited to participate in the mela which will be inaugurated on February 24 at Phase VIII of SAS Nagar by the Union Fertilizers Minister, Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa. On February 25, the second and last day of the mela, Capt Amarinder Singh, President, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, will be the chief guest.

Mr Harnek Singh Gharuan said each folk singer would be told to avoid both “pop and loud music”. The mela was originally scheduled to be organised sometime in February but had to be postponed because of the devastating quake in Gujarat, he added.

For many of the visiting folk singers from Pakistan, it would be their first visit to India.