EDUCATION

STATE OF THE HOSTELS
Hostel girls resent restrictions
Chitleen K. Sethi

Chandigarh
Eager young eyes peer at the world outside from behind the wire mesh on the fence that marks the boundary of a hostel of Government College for Girls, Sector 11, as the gates close at 5.30 pm.

And this happens to be the major grievance of the 600 residents of the three hostels of this most popular girls’ college in the region. “Is 5.30 not too early to get locked behind the four walls of the hostel?” The girls ask in a tone that reflects more disgust than complaint. “After that we have nothing to do except to chat, chat and chat.”

There of course, is the TV. But there is no cable service and DD is the only thing to watch. “Moreover, how long can one sit in front of the idiot box?”

When the Principal was told about this, she simply said, there was no problem about having a cable connection. Only the girls had to give an undertaking that they would not quarrel over which channel to watch.

There is no telephone in any of the three hostels that the girls can use. Their communication with the outside world ends at 5.30 pm when the gates are closed. No telephone call can be made or received after that. The STD facility in the college is available till 5.30 pm, but then the girls would like to call up their homes at concessional rates at night.

Any other problems? you ask them. Yes, the dinner is bad. Lunch is good because at that time they have access to the college canteen and the hostel mess faces a competition. Breakfast is the normal bread-butter-jam stuff. And the charges? They pay Rs 580 per month for the food, and that seems more than reasonable.

There is no major problem of cleanliness since to a large extent the girls themselves take care of this aspect. They clean up their own rooms and the bathrooms.

The residents say that most of the ceiling fans are not in good condition. They either run too fast or do not run at all. Any complaint about electrical fittings takes days to be sorted out.

On the question of security, the girls laugh. “There is too much of it. We could do with some relaxation. Let there be more chowkidars but let us go out up to the compound. At present we cannot even interact with our friends in the other hostels in the evening.”

There are outings, four days in a month. The timing are 11 am to 3 pm on Sundays and 3 pm to 5.30 pm on Wednesdays. The girls are allowed to go for tuitions or computer classes before nine in the morning but there are not many computer institutes or other academies that open before nine.

The Principal says the 5.30 limit will be extended by an hour in summer but in winter it will have to stay. The girls will be allowed to move freely in the hostel compound till late and only the fence will be locked. They can even play games. As far as the telephone is concerned, a contractor who ran an STD facility inside the hostel had to close shop because girls left without paying their bills. To receive telephone calls, an attendant is required and they do not have one.

The hostel warden says that the fans are all running properly and before the summer sets in, all fans are checked and repaired. She has received no complaint as far as the quality of food is concerned.

“All we need is something to look forward to when we return to the hostels in the evening. With no phone, no cable, not even a decent meal, it becomes difficult in here. After the first year at least 10 per cent of the girls arrange private accommodation and after the second year almost 30 per cent leave the hostel,” the residents maintain.

Uniform fee for BCA courses proposed
Sanjeev Singh Bariana
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 23
The controversy over varying fee structure of Bachelor of Computer Application (honours) and Master of Information Science courses in colleges affiliated to Panjab University is over after a uniform fee structure has been proposed to be introduced from the forthcoming session.

The BCA and BCA (honours) courses will cost each student Rs 20,000 annually in addition to the university charges. The MIS course will cost each student Rs 30,000 per annum in addition to the university charges. The fee for each seat in the NRI quota will be $ 3,000.

The issue had generated a lot of debate in the last meeting of the Senate where members pointed out huge differences in the fee structure in various colleges. Mr S.S. Hundal, a PU fellow said. “A uniform fee should be charged for all BBA and BCA courses, otherwise, colleges would be fleecing students. Colleges in Dharamkot are charging each student Rs 2,800 per month, those in Moga are charging each student Rs 3,000 and the city colleges are charging each student Rs 5,000 for the courses.

Another member, Mr H.R. Gandhar, said, “On one hand, the hike in the fee is being criticised and, on the other hand, resource generation is being demanded. Both cannot be together.”

In addition to the regular fee, the university charges include registration fee (Rs 36), enrolment fee (Rs 42), sports fee (Rs 180), youth welfare fund (Rs 28), holiday home fee (Rs 28), continuation fee (Rs 28), world service fund (Rs 8), sports development fee (Rs 28) and college development fund (Rs 15). While the university had proposed a standard 10 per cent hike in the existing fee structure, the sports fee has been hiked by six times.

The university has said, “The BCA (honours) course will be available in colleges where the minimum strength of students seeking admission is 15. If the strength is less than 15, colleges will be clubbed.

A university team that grades colleges for the MIS course will revisit the local DAV College to inspect the infrastructure. The college had been denied the course after the first inspection. Mr R.C. Jeewan, Principal of the college, said the institution had not been told that Internet and servers were also prerequisites for getting the course.

Training programme for teachers
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, May 23
Faculty members of the Shivalik Public School, Sector 41 today participated in an interactive session on the third day of the in-service Training Programme held in the school here. The programme will conclude on May 31.

Speaking on the occasion Mr D S Bedi, Director Principal, emphasised how one must accept whatever God gives. Ms Anupkiran Kaur, resource person of the day, spoke on the importance of checking the students’ notebooks. She was of the view that “work not checked is work not done”.

Prof. M R Chilana emphasised upon truth, love, faith, service, work, discipline, fearlessness, forgiveness, righteous conduct, which must be taught to children. Teachers of the primary classes also staged a skit about the numerical digit ‘zero’.

COURTS

HIGH COURT
Rs 2 lakh for kin of electrocution victim
Tribune News Service 

Chandigarh, May 23
In just over a year after a 38-year-old Fatehabad resident was electrocuted due to negligence on the part of the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam employees, Mr Justice Jawahar Lal Gupta and Mr Justice N.K. Sud of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today awarded a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to his family.

Pronouncing the orders, the Judges observed: “It is clear that the employees of Haryana Vidut Prasaran Nigam and another respondent were negligent. A young life was taken away by their failure to disconnect the wire. The petitioners deserve to be compensated. Keeping in view the circumstances of the case, we award a sum of Rs 2 lakh to the petitioners”.

The Judges added: “The payment shall be made within one month from the date of receiving a certified copy of the order. In case the petitioners have any other claim, they would be entitled to seek their remedy before the appropriate forum including the civil court”.

Earlier during the proceedings, the respondents had admitted that the accident could have been averted if a wire had been disconnected. The investigation report, enclosed along with the reply, had stated that Gopi Ram was electrocuted after his hand touched a live wire while electricity poles were being erected.

It was added that the PVC wire providing electricity to a tubewell was thrown on wet ground by a lineman even though it had not been disconnected from the feeder.

Seeking compensation, the wife, mother and son of the victim had alleged that the electrocution had occurred on March 27 last year due to the negligence of the officials. The victim, they had added, had taken the wire in his hand after being asked to do so by the officials.

Notice issued to Punjab DGP

Taking suo motu notice of news reports in The Tribune and another newspaper regarding lathi charge by the police on dwellers sitting on dharna near Khanpur village, Mr Justice Swatanter Kumar of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday issued show cause notices to Punjab Director-General of Police and officials in the photographs published in the papers, besides other respondents.

In a related development, Mr Justice S.S. Nijjar of the High Court appointed a warrant officer “with a roving writ” to raid the police station at Kharar and other places pointed out by President of Dr Ambedkar Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribe Advocate Association T.C. Tanwar after he alleged that certain persons were being illegally detained by SHO Jasdev Singh and two others.

In his petition, Mr Tanwar stated that the persons had been illegally detained at the instance of certain respondents, including “big landlords who needed the land occupied by the families of the alleged detainees for constructing a huge factory”.

Taking up the petition, Justice Nijjar observed: “The petitioner has categorically submitted that these persons are being helped by official authorities on the asking of a judicial officer of the rank of District and Sessions Judge who is impleaded as a respondent. The petitioner undertakes to file necessary affidavit concerning the involvement of the Judge before the next date of hearing”.

The Judge added: “The petitioner has also brought to the notice of the court the newspaper report dated May 21 published in The Tribune. The photograph clearly indicates that an old lady lies on the road in an injured condition. Another part of the photograph shows that a young woman is being manhandled by Inspector Jasdev Singh and other police officials. Prima facie, it appears that the police officials have transgressed their bounden official duty and have acted in a manner unbecoming of a disciplined force”.

Petition on pay dismissed

The High Court has dismissed a petition filed by the Union of India seeking the quashing of orders passed by the Central Administrative Tribunal directing them to refix the pay of Regional Officer in the Directorate of Field Publicity — Mr Swaran Singh — with effect from January 1, 1973.

Mr Swaran Singh had earlier filed an application before CAT claiming that the name of at least 34 officers junior to him were included in a list issued along with a circular for re-fixation of pay of 49 officers in the light of a Supreme Court judgement. After hearing the arguments, CAT disposed of the application with a direction to fix Mr Swaran Singh’s pay in the scale of Rs 650-1200.

Pronouncing the orders, a Division Bench of the High Court observed: “We are of the view that the impugned order does not suffer from any patent error of law and it does not occasion the failure of justice so as to warrant interference by this court. The writ petition is dismissed”.

HC directive to Estate Office on grain market
Our Legal Correspondent

Chandigarh, May 23
On a petition filed by the Sabzi Mandi Rehri Phari Association, Sector 26, Chandigarh and in another 15 petitions filed by unlicensed vendors of the mandi, Mr Justice Swatantar Kumar of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed the Estate Officer, Chandigarh, to file an affidavit as to how much area was available in the vegetable and grain market, Sector-26, Chandigarh, and to give specific measurements of the road-size and berms and should also give the scheme of the market committee for plying the number of trucks that can be allowed in mandi at a particular time.

The judge also directed the Estate Officer to give details of specific parking area and give particulars of shopkeepers, who had encroached on public platforms.

It was contended on behalf of the petitioners that the administration should regulate their activities under Article 19 of the Constitution but should not altogether stop them from doing business.

It was further contended that the Administration, while regulating their business, may shift them to any other area in Chandigarh.

The judge adjourned the case to May 31 for further hearing.

DISTRICT COURTS
Reader, associate ordered to vacate house
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, May 23
Baldev Singh, reader to a senior police official and his associate, Ajay Kumar, were ordered to vacate the illegal possession of a house in Mohali by a local court.

The court directed the defendants to pay the charges for the entire period of possession of the property till the delivery of possession and also directed them to handover the vacant possession of the house, with in two months.

In a 35-page judgement, the UT Additional Civil Judge (Senior Division), Mr Sant Parkash, held both Baldev Singh and Ajay Kumar, for forging and fabricating documents to retain illegal possession of house.

The plaintiff, Surinder Mohan, filed suit in 1993 that Ajay had handed over the possession of the suit property to Baldev Singh without his consent. The plaintiff alleged that Baldev Singh had propounded a forged agreement to sell, by forging his signature in favour of his deceased father, Mohan Singh.

Bail plea dismissed

The UT Additional Sessions Judge today dismissed the bail plea moved by Nihal Singh, in a case under the NDPS Act. It was alleged that the city police had recovered a 23 kg of charas from the accused at Mani Majra on March 6.

Jerath’s bail plea

The bail application moved by Chandigarh’s former Chief Engineer K.K. Jerath in a corruption case registered against him was disposed on Monday by the UT Additional and Session Judge after the investigation agency said the accused was not required to be arrested.

The Judge had disposed of the bail plea considering it as premature since the investigative agency does not want his arrest. The court has also issued directions to the agency that as an when the investigation is completed in this case, the investigating officer would inform the applicant by giving at least three days time in the event of his arrest so that he may move the competent court for getting the appropriate release.

It may recalled that the accused had already been granted bail in four other cases pending against him in the Supreme Court.

Judicial remand for 11

Eleven persons, who were arrested by the UT Vigilance Cell for their alleged involvement in the fraud regarding the allotment of plots in Mauli Jagran on the basis of fake slips issued on behalf of a Tehsildar, were sent to Judicial remand till June 1, on Monday by the UT Judicial Magistrate.

The police had registered a case against Ram Bali, Babu Lal, Safat Hussain, Gauri Lal, Badri Prasad, Daya Ram Singh, Raj Bahadur and Prithi Pal, Darshan Singh and Anil Sharma under sections 419, 420, 467, 468, 471 and 120- B of the IPC.

PANCHKULA

Police remand

Kamlesh Yadav, an accused in Sector 7 theft case, was remanded to police custody for two days by Mr V.P. Gupta, Chief Judicial Magistrate, Panchkula.

He was arrested by the police for stealing three cameras along with gold and other goods worth Rs 70,000 from his master’s house on Friday.

According to the police, the accused was a domestic servant of Mr Sailender Kumar Saxena whose house was burgled when he was away to Mandi in Himachal Pradesh with his family.

The accused scaled down the boundary wall and entered the house after removing the iron grill of the window.

Judicial custody

Sampat Singh and his accomplice, Vakil Singh, the accused in abducting a 13-year-old girl of Indira Colony, were remanded to judicial custody by a Panchkula court here today.

Hailing from Khagriya district in Bihar, the accused abducted the girl, a student of Class VII, and took her to a factory near Raipur Rani village. There he raped her. The co-accused reportedly helped him in kidnapping the girl.

On the complaint of Mr Radhey Paswan, father of the victim, the police had registered a case under Section 363 and 376 of the Indian Penal Code.

CULTURE

 Soulful recital by Eltaf Hussain
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 23
Humility serves to enhance his already pleasant bearing. Ustad Eltaf Hussain Khan, exponent of Patiala gharana, has a lot to say when it comes to a ravaged homeland, a cry of pain, and the final hope, which flows from the strains of melody his father left behind for him.

In India on a nostalgic visit, the Ustad was today in Chandigarh to dazzle the audience at Pracheen Kala Kendra. His voice was all about amazing range, perfect poise, streaks of power and purity. No wonder then that the kendra conferred upon him the title of Sangeet Kalaratna. A shawl, citation and a memento were presented to the legendary musician by Mr S.K. Monga, vice-chairman of the kendra.

The Ustad’s recital came about as a wonderful blend of poise, power and purity. Where the Afghan vocalist displayed the best in the Patiala gharana, he also spanned the rich folk music of Afghanistan, enthralling the Afghan friends in the gathering.

Commencing the recital with an offering to the setting sun, Ustad Eltaf presented a composition in raag Patdeep. From there he went on to reflect the pain of separation from the beloved through the very-famous thumri of Patiala gharana — Aese dukh saha na jaye hai Ram...yaad piya ki aaye hai Ram...then came the tribute to Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, the legendary musician of Patiala gharana. As a mark of respect to him, Ustad Eltaf presented a bhajan in Kafi Thaat — Ban ban vadesh dhundhan roop diyo hai......

The feelings of nostalgia also kept floating around the ambience with Ustad Eltaf singing the best of Afghani folk music. In between the renderings he also explained the feelings behind the written word. Adding to the beauty of the concert was the delightful accompaniment provided by Shri Kale Ram, the tabla wizard of Patiala gharana. Paramjit Singh also accompanied the Ustad for some times. Neeraj Gandhi’s performance on the harmonium was also well-received.

Ustad Eltaf, who was born in Afghanistan, has a great musical lineage. His grandfather is credited with having carried the Patiala gharana to Afghanistan. However, it was his father Ustad Muhammad Hussain Sar-a-hang who lifted this genre to great heights.

Ustad Eltaf is now settled in the USA, where he is involved in concert culture. He has also performed widely in India. He has held key posts back home, like that of the Royal musician in the court of King Zahir Shah, an instructor in music at the University of Kabul. He has also received a senior fellowship in music from the Indian Council for Cultural Relations.

Speaking to Chandigarh Tribune, he said, “I love coming to India and performing here. I never had a better audience than Indians.” The ustad has been in India for about six months.