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| Tuesday,
March 20, 2001, Chandigarh, India |
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Mismanagement marks college
convocation Panchkula, March 19 Students continued to exchange pleasantries with each other throughout the two-and-a-half hour programme, in which 241 degrees were given. The Principal, Dr RL Madan, seemed to take everything in his stride — whether it was giggling students, vacant chairs meant for the teaching faculty or eatables served to the guests — while the convocation was on. Later, while the Principal was still reading out the annual report of the college, most students chose to leave the venue. A teacher justified, “They are children after all. They cannot be expected to sit all through the two-hour programme.” The convocation seemed jinxed from the beginning, with the Principal faltering right in the beginning. He started with welcoming everybody to the evening when, actually, the function was held at 11 am. His welcome address went on to add that having the Vice-Chancellor, Kurukshetra University, Mr R.S. Chaudhary, as the chief guest was a dream come true. “He can go to five or seven colleges only and yours is one of them. He is a kind-hearted and considerate
person. He listens to problems and gives instant solutions and says no if he feels the point is not worth,” Dr Madan said. Departing from convention, the students were lined up, asked to wear the coloured scarves over the black robes, handed over degrees by the teacher and then instructed to climb on to the dais. The only role the chief guest had during the two-hour programme was to pose for a photograph and go back to his seat. Commenting on the prevalent indiscipline, Mr Chaudhary said it seemed nobody realised the solemnity of the occasion and that it presented a poor picture of the education scenario. Later, delivering the convocation address, Mr Chaudhary said if students failed to apply to life whatever they learnt in the classes, the purpose of education was defeated. He said activities like the NSS and NCC had become ornamental with camps being confined to college campuses and cadets unable to be of any help to society. He said education had brought about segregation of the population where the educated chose not to interact with the masses instead of sharing their information and knowledge with the latter. Quoting Rabindra Nath Tagore, Mr Chaudhary said the educated were like the second storey of a house where the builder had forgotten to construct a staircase, isolating the masses. A prize distribution function was also held in which 205 students were awarded. The roll of honour went to Roopam, a BSc student, for standing second in Kurukshetra University, and Sukhwinder and Yatish Rawat for participating in Delhi Republic Day parade and attending a national integration camp in Kerala respectively. |
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CAMPUS BEAT Chandigarh, March 19 The result has been put on the notice board of UBS and on the UBS web site: www.ubschandigarh.com. The selected candidates will be informed about the date of the group discussion and personal interview at their address.
PU Clarifies A Panjab University spokesman has clarified that unlike reported in a section of the press, the forthcoming Senate will not consider the revised rate of tuition fees and other charges. The forthcoming Senate will only ratify the decision of the Syndicate meetings held on April 30, 2000, and June 29, 2000. Quoting Panjab University Calendar Provision 10.1(d) on page 29 of the Calendar Volume 1, a press release stated that the Senate is supposed to consider all decisions of the Syndicate and.... “the scale of fees for entrance into the university and continuance therein,... will be specified by regulations.”
There is a clash of date of examination of the Common Entrance Test (CET) 2001 conducted by the Panjab University for admission to Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh, and UPSEAT 2001 (UP State Engineering Admssion Test), both of which fall on May 19, 2001. The candidates who are appearing in both these examinations have given a representation to the Panjab University to shift the date of CET as the PUSEAT is a two-day examination and some examinations will also take place on May 18. |
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SOPU activists burn DSW’s
effigy Chandigarh, March 19 The SOPU members alleged that the DSW and the Panjab University Campus Students Council (PUCSC) had adopted a discriminatory attitude towards them on a musical night held at the Gymnasium hall on the campus on Saturday last. Mr Santokhwinder Singh Nabha, president of the SOPU, said the DSW is the chairman of the council and the SOPU holds him responsible for whatever happened at the gymnasium hall. Countering SOPU’s allegation Mr Malwinder Singh Kang, President of the Panjab University Students Council (PUSU), a collation partner in PUCSC said, “There was no discrimination against any body and entry was stopped only after the hall was full”. He also denied that there were any altercations between his party members and those of the Haryana Students Association on the musical night and termed it to be an “opposition propoganda”. The president of PUSU also questioned the wisdom of protesting after two days. “If we were discriminating against them, they should have shown their protest there and then”. Earlier in the day, SOPU supporters gathered at the Students’ Centre and raised slogans against the DSW and PUCSC. Later, an effigy of the DSW was burnt. Then they marched to the Vice-Chancellor’s office and submitted a memorandum to the DUI. In its memorandum the SOPU demanded that the newly constructed girls hostel and a block in the Boys’ Hostel No. 6 should be made functional at the earliest. The delegation also demanded that the recent proposal to charge Rs 100 from the students of colleges and university for the construction of a sports hostel should be withdrawn. In the memorandum it was also urged that hostller should not be charged extra money for the inflated electricity bills. While talking to this correspondent Mr V.K. Bansal said the musical night was entirely a students’ function and he had no role in it. Regarding the hostel demand, Mr Bansal claimed that he too was interested in “immediate” functioning of the hostel but till date the new buildings had not been handed over to him. The DSW also said that the decision to charge Rs 100 for the construction of sports hostel had been taken by a high power committee. |
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DISTRICT
COURT Chandigarh, March 19 The accused was released on furnishing bail bond of Rs 20,000 with two local sureties of Rs 25,000 each to the satisfaction of a duty magistrate. Plea dismissed The UT Additional Sessions Judge, Mr S.K Goel, today dismissed the anticipatory bail plea moved by the duo, Vinod and Bittu, in a case of assault and criminal intimidation. The accused had moved bail plea under Section 438 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The case against the accused was registered under Sections 323 and 506 of IPC in Sector 19 police station on March 7. The complainant, Mr Surinder, alleged that the accused, along with others, had assaulted him and beaten him with iron rods. The Judge observed that there were specific allegations against the accused and the weapon used in the crime was yet to be recovered. |
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BHATNAGAR CASE Chandigarh, March 19 The prosecution, in its opening address to the court at the commencement of the trial today, mentioned that orders to launch an attack on Point 5203 were to be given by the Commander, 70 Infantry Brigade, Brig Devinder Singh, on reaching the base of the point, two or three days after July 15, 1999. The charge sheet against Major Bhatnagar, however, stated that he had disobeyed the Brigade Commander’s orders to induct his company for an attack on the said point on July 15. The defence contended that since the orders to attack were yet to be issued, the statement of the prosecution was contrary to the charges levelled against the accused officer and hence should be dropped. The court adjourned till March 20 as one of the prosecution witnesses, Brig Devinder Singh, could not appear before the court as scheduled.
Brig Devinder Singh is expected to arrive tomorrow.
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Kalagram opening in
April Chandigarh, March 19 Planned on an area of about 14 acres transferred by the Chandigarh Administration to the NZCC, the first phase of the project has almost been completed by the executing agency, the Chandigarh Housing Board, official source told The Tribune today. The sources said the administrative block, the open-air theatre, three dormitories, crafts counters, sewerage treatment plant, storm water drainage, the ticketing counters, toilet block and over 3,400 feet-long boundary wall had already been completed. A restaurant, a multi-purpose hall and six food kiosks and a roof-top restaurant has been constructed by the Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Development Corporation (CITCO). The total administrative cost of the entire first phase is estimated to be Rs 4.5 crore. In fact, the restaurant, named a baithak, and the food kiosks will be inaugurated by the UT Administrator, Lieut-Gen JFR Jacob(Retd) on March 23, the CITCO MD, Mr SP Singh, informed. It may be mentioned here that in early nineties the Central Government had desired each zonal cultural centre should set up arts and crafts villages subject to the condition that the state governments and union territories concerned provided land free of cost. The villages were aimed at educating people about the rich cultural heritage and promote the indigenous arts and crafts. However, the land was only transferred by the Administration to the NZCC in 1995.Though the foundation stone of the complex—then known as Shilpgram — was laid by the then UT Administrator, Lieut-Gen BKN Chhibber (Retd), on November 21,1995, with much fanfare, yet project could not make much headway reportedly due to bureaucratic delays and the problems of traffic, sewerage and storm water disposal. It was only after these problems were sorted out that the CHB started work on March 25, 1999 The CHB appointed noted Delhi architect, Stein Mani Chowfla, for the project, which was to be completed by July last year. The sources said Kalagram would create an ideal environment for the development and preservation of the rich cultural heritage of the country in general and the states of Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and the Union Territory of Chandigarh in particular. Apart from encouraging artists and artistes the complex will help preserve traditional crafts. It is learnt that the second phase of the project comprising, among others things, a museum, emporium and an art gallery may also be undertaken subject to the availability of resources. Meanwhile, a press note of the Chandigarh Administration said the total amount deposited by the NZCC with the CHB has reached Rs 1.73 crore against the expenditure of Rs 2.6 crore. During the period from 1985 to 1999 the total investment of the NZCC on fixed assets stood at the level of Rs 80 lakh. While during the calendar year 2000-2001, the investment on fixed assets has been to the extent of Rs 1.15 crore.
And with a view to attracting tourists to Kalagram, a water feature will also be added. |
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World Punjabi Conference to be held at
Lahore Chandigarh, March 19 He said those expected to attend the celebrations include Mr Inder Kumar Gujral, former Prime Minister, Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Union Minister and president of the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Celebrations Committee, Mr Tarlochan Singh, vice-chairman, Minorities Commission, Mr Kuldeep Nayyar, eminent journalist and Mr Vikramjit Singh Sahni, secretary-general. He said, parallel to this effort, the Delhi-based World Punjabi Organisation, which had also decided to celebrate the commencement of 200th anniversary of the Maharaja’s rule was likely to collaborate with the World Punjabiat Foundation to coordinate both the conferences to be held on Baisakhi Day in Lahore. Mr Santokh Singh Mander, secretary-general of World Punjabiat Foundation, who was based in Vancouver had reached Lahore where he was confabulating with Mr Fakhar Zaman to work out details of the Lahore Conference. The Lahore Conference would be held under the aegis of World Punjabiat Foundation. During the four-day conference at Lahore, Indian delegates would visit Islamabad and Nankana Sahib. |
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Colonial hangover upsets
Pooni Chandigarh March 19 Organised by the Panjabi Akademy, New Delhi in collaboration with the School of Punjabi Studies, Panjab University, the seminar was inaugurated by Dr Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia, Vice-Chancellor, Panjabi University, Patiala. Delivering the key note address, Prof Sutinder Singh Noor stated that the future of Punjabi criticism lies with in the hands of the new generation and there was a growing need to evaluate the earlier forms of criticism and move towards meta-criticism. This, he said has to be done within the universal context while also remaining aware of one’s own cultural traditions. This will lead to the laying down of a criticism policy which also should be their prime aim. Earlier, Dr Rawel Singh, Secretary, Punjabi Akademi, New Delhi, welcomed the delegates from all over Punjab and Delhi. Dr Deepak Manmohan Singh, Dean College Development Council, Panjab University thanked the speakers and the participants. |
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