EDUCATION

Roll of honour for Shama Bansal
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 11
“Vocational training is necessary to find jobs for the young people. So we have arranged computer education for students with the cooperation of international companies. This kind of vocational education will solve the problem of unemployment,” said Master Mohan Lal, Minister for Higher Education, in his convocation address at the annual convocation function held at the Devki Devi Jain Memorial College for Women today.

He further said, “It is very essential to educate women as they can bring winds of change in the present society. In the present age the girls are doing better than boys in all fields whenever they get a chance to prove their mettle. I appeal to the teachers to do their duties diligently as lapses on the part of the teacher can cause a lot of damage. The true patriotism is to recognise one’s duties and to perform these well.” He donated a sum of Rs 1 lakh to the college from his discretionary fund.

Mr Satpal Gosain, Deputy Speaker, Vidhan Sabha, also addressed the audience and said that a sum of Rs 2 crore had been released for the development of the city. A sum of Rs 1.2 crore was being spent to develop a mini rose garden near the college. The road leading to the college would be medalled and for this he granted a sum of Rs 21,000 from his discretionary fund.

Ms Rekha Sharma, Principal of the college, informed the audience that 418 degrees would be conferred on the students of the college. The roll of honour was presented to Shama Bansal, who stood first for five consecutive years. She had been a merit holder in Panjab University for the year 1999-2000.

Later, talking to the press, Master Madan Lal and the DPI, Mr Gulzar Singh, said that it was not true that part-time teachers of colleges were not getting their salaries. Since they were part-time teachers, they were being paid according to the number of periods they taught. Mr Gurdial Singh said that the ban on recruitment of college lecturers would be lifted. There are 458 vacant posts of college lecturers. From this year, the posts would be regularised, and ad hocism would be done away with, he said.

Master Mohan Lal said that Rs 450 crore would be spent on primary, secondary and college education and a lot of vocational courses would be started by the UGC. He said the council had taken the decision that only Ph.D holders would be appointed at the posts of principal in colleges, but the decision would have to be taken by the cabinet. 

PAUTA supports agitating students
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 11
Agitating students of the College of Agriculture (COA), PAU, have got a shot in the arm today with the Punjab Agricultural University Teachers Association (PAUTA) announcing its support to the students cause.

The president of the PAUTA, Dr Hari Singh Brar, and the secretary, Dr M.L. Gupta, have addressed a letter to the Chief Minister asking him to sympathetically consider the demands of the students. Stating the students’ demands as ‘just’ and the ‘need of the hour’ the PAUTA authorities have said due to the shrinking opportunities the students were intimidated by their future.

In the letter the association said the students grievances needed to be redressed by opening them more avenues of employment. The PAUTA also said the agricultural graduates should be recruited as agriculture masters in schools, without possessing a B.Ed. degree. They further said the agricultural graduates had to spend four years for their degree after 10+2 level whereas the students with B.Sc in medical or non-medical had to spend three years.

The PAUTA authorities further wrote to the CM that these students were taught social sciences and teaching methods during their course. They asked the CM to fill the various posts of the agricultural Development Officers lying vacant in the different departments of the state.

Stating that the ADOs were a connecting link between the government and rural population, the president and general secretary said the issuance of revised notification for restoring the status and pay scale of the ADOs should be expedited.

Meanwhile, the strike entered third day today. Girls of the college also joined the hunger strike.

The Vice-Chancellor, Dr K.S. Aulakh, said he was trying his level best to arrange a meeting of agitating students with ministers. He said he had sent a fax message to the Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister and was yet to get a reply. He said he was hopeful that the CM would meet students on May 15 here.

COURTS

Forum quashes PSEB demand
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 11
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has quashed a bill of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB), requiring Mr Dev Raj, a resident of Atal Nagar, to pay Rs 1,28,943. The forum further directed the PSEB to restore the connection of the consumer within 15 days of the receipt of the order.

According to the complaint, the board officials had visited the complainant house in his absence and removed electric meter without any prior notice to him. After that the consumer was issued a bill of Rs 1,28,943 and it was not mentioned how such a demand was raised, he added.

The PSEB pleaded that the meter of the consumer was checked on September 6, 2000, and the officials observed some problem in the meter. The respondent stated that after testing of the meter at site with standard heater load and stopwatch method, it was found that the meter was recording less consumption by 80 per cent. The respondent further stated that later, the meter was sent to the ME laboratory after packing and sealing it properly and it was found in the laboratory that its seals were tampered with and it was recording less consumption of energy by 90.35 per cent. The board alleged that it was a clear case of theft of energy and as such the said demand was raised.

The forum observed that the checking report was not signed by the consumer or his representative and he was not given notice to be present at the time of checking of the meter in the laboratory which was mandatory. The forum held that the disputed demand was liable to be quashed since the same was not raised as per rules.