EDUCATION

80 appear for ETT course interview
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, August 27
For 40 seats in the elementary teacher training course, 80 candidates appeared in the interviews held by the UT Administration here today. Same number of candidates are expected to appear for the interviews tomorrow also. The results are expected to be declared on August 29.

According to official sources, ‘’About 3400 students appeared in the entrance for admission to the two-year elementary teacher training course, being conducted by the State Institute of Education”.

The entrance test comprises two parts — written test and interview. Weightage for written test is 90 marks and for interview 10 marks. As against 40 seats, state institute of education has shortlisted 160 candidates on the basis of merit in the written test.

An interview board has been constituted by the UT Administration under the chairmanship of Director Public Instruction (Schools) with Director State Institute of Education and Assistant Director Vocational Education and a senior principal of senior secondary school as members to conduct a viva test which has the weightage of 10 marks. The interviews will conclude tomorrow. Some candidates and their parents today expressed concern over the display of the merit rank list. The candidates are not intimated about their marks and rank prior to the interview, they allege.

The parents demanded that the exact position of the candidates should be clear as in the case of other competitive exams. One of the parents, Lachhman Singh, a retired officer, said,’’ We are worried about the future of our children. When we enquired from official sources they said,’’ We will put up the list of marks after the interviews only.’’ ‘’It is demanded that the interview should be postponed and should only be conducted when detailed marks and rank of the written entrance is clear to the candidates,’’ added Mr Lachhman Singh.

Seminar on role of chemical engineers
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 27
India has a big potential for a future destination in pharmaceutical industry, said Dr Naresh Kumar, vice-president (Manufacturing), Ranbaxy, while speaking at a seminar on “Role of chemical engineers in pharmaceutical industry” at Panjab University here yesterday.

The seminar was organised by the Regional Centre of the Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers and the Department of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Panjab University.

Dr Naresh Kumar said there was a need for an industry-academia partnership in the current scenario as in the entire value chain, engineers play a vital role.

Dr Jujhar Singh, Director (Technical), Morepen Laboratories, emphasised on the regulatory measures that required the important consideration in the pharmaceutical industry which needed to be given due care at the time of development at the laboratory level so that one does not face bottlenecks in respect of safety and environmental considerations after implementation.

Prof G.D. Yadav, president, IIChE, emphasised the role being played by the institution in the light of new developments in the fields of biotechnology, genetic engineering and human genome to name a few.

Others who spoke on the occasion included Dr Paramjit Singh, Mr Sukhjeet Singh and Prof S.K. Sharma.

IN FOCUS
Need for a government high school
Shashi Pal Jain

Kharar
There is no government high or senior secondary school either for boys or for girls in Kharar. Successive governments have failed to give this facility to this town since Independence.

With a population of about 40,000, Kharar has a number of reputed private schools but the absence of a government school is always felt, particularly by the poor students who cannot afford to pay the heavy fees of the private schools.

The town has three government primary schools in the old areas. All are in bad condition. The building of the primary school near the Dushera Ground is poorly constructed. The school in old judicial complex is housed in an unsafe building. The third primary school which is running in Choti Balmiki Majri does not have a building of its own. One of these schools was upgraded to the middle level a few years ago and shifted to Kundi Kharar village.

Local students, particularly girls from the poorer sections, are the major sufferers. They have to go to SAS Nagar or to the nearby villages for schooling.

There also is no government college for boys or for girls in Kharar. Local students go to colleges in Chandigarh or SAS Nagar daily. Many girls do not get higher education because their parents are not ready to send them to Chandigarh.

The absence of a college in Kharar has led to another complication. Boys and girls who pass their plus one or plus two examinations from schools in Chandigarh are not able to appear in the PMET because of the conditions imposed by the Punjab Government.

A number of students, both boys and girls, are seen daily at the bus stand waiting to catch a bus for Chandigarh or other nearby towns to attend school or college.

It is time the Punjab Government took steps to open a government senior secondary school and a government college in the sub-divisional town of Kharar which is surrounded by a large number of villages.

35 clear diploma in system maintenance
Tribune News Service

SAS Nagar, August 27
As many as 35 students have passed an advanced diploma in system maintenance and engineering from the Centre for Electronic Design and Technology of India (CEDTI) here.

The six month course comprised repair, service and maintenance of personal computers, telecommunication equipment, bio-medical equipment, PLC and drives, said Dr RS Khandpur, Director General, CEDTI. He said in the technical field, people having degree in system management had risen to a high level. He advised the students to keep a journal of all maintenance and engineering activities they undertook during their careers.

Lt-Col G.S. Bedi (retd), Principal, Design Engineer and Head of the System Maintenance and Engineering Division, said the training given to the students at the CEDTI would prove valuable to them.

Students impress audience
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, August 27
Hilarious was the only word to describe the play “Shadhi Wala Singho Wala Urf Shadhi Singh Wala” which was an amalgamation of two plays based on the same theme depicting the lifestyle of a king who has mind of a child.

Enacted by children of Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Sector 8, here at the open grounds of Sector 17, the play marked the culmination of a month-long workshop conducted by Munna Dhiman and Aarti Sharma on behalf of the Centre for Education and Voluntary Action.

Evolved by participants themselves, the script of the first play “Shadhi Wala Singho Wala” narrated the funny and irresponsible behaviour of the king using modern day songs and dialogues. The 37 participants with their carefree acting made the script come alive.

In the second play, “Shadhi Singh Wala”, the king develops horns on his head which he later gets rid of by feeding 25 bufflalos.

The workshop was the sixth in the series of workshops organised by CEVA this year as part of it’s annual project “Community Theatre Workshops and Play Productions,” in the schools of Chandigarh. The community theatre workshops are designed to create a learning environment through theatre, games and exercises.

Collage-making contest
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, August 27
Over 20 schools from Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali participated in the Fanta Fiesta collage-making and slogan-writing contest, held here today.

Nearly 5,000 students from different schools participated in the slogan-writing contest. The entries were judged by a renowned painter, Mr Shiv Singh. The collages were displayed at Hotel Shivalikview.

The Fanta Fiesta singing competition will be held tomorrow at Tagore Theatre, Sector 18.

The results of collage-making competition are: Junior section: winner — Yadavindra Public School, Mohali; first runner-up — St Johns High School; second runner-up — Lawrence Public School, Mohali; Senior section: winner — Lawrence Public School, Mohali; first runner-up — St Johns High School second runner-up — Yadavindra Public School, Mohali.

The results of slogan-writing competition are: winner — Kunal Dhiman, Hans Raj School, Panchkula; first runner-up Mukul Sharma, Ajit Karam Singh International School; and second runner-up — Neha Mahajan, St Kabir School.

Talent search show in college
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, Aug 27
More than 50 students participated in the intra-college annual talent search show held in Government Home Science College, Sector 10, here today.

Various events, including singing and dancing competitions, were held. The team of BSc Home Science (Honours-second year) got the first prize in the group dance.

Neha Sharma got the first prize in individual dance, while Aman got the first prize in geet singing. Jyoti got the first prize in ghazal singing and Indu in bhajan singing.

These students will now participate in the inter-college competitions later in the session.

JPC visits NIPER for evaluation
Tribune News Service

SAS Nagar, August 27
A parliamentary committee on fertilisers and chemicals visited the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) here yesterday as part of its study tour. The Chairman of the committee, Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav, however, was not part of this 11-member committee.

The Director of the NIPER, Dr C.L. Kaul, and the other officials gave the committee a presentation on the activities of NIPER. The focus was on academics, research work and funds utilisation at the institute. The MPs made some queries about the funds unitisation. The visit was part of the evaluation programme of a joint parliamentary committee.

The committee members included Mr Giya Singh, Mr Ashok Argal, Mr Ratilal Kalidas Verma, Mr Tarlochan Tur, Mr Padam Sen Choudhary, Mr Prabhunath Singh, Ms Kanti Singh, Mr P. Mohan, Mr Dilip Kumar Mansukhlal, Mr Punnu Lal Mahle, and Mr Rajiv Ranjan Singh. Earlier, the committee members had lunch at the institute after visiting the NFL plant at Nangal. The MPs left for New Delhi in the evening.

COURTS

HIGH COURT
MC plea dismissed with costs
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 27
Coming down heavily on Faridabad Market Committee for trying to “frustrate the efforts of a poor workman to seek justice”, Mr Justice S.S. Nijjar of the High Court today imposed a cost of Rs 5,000 before dismissing its petition against the Labour Court’s order directing the reinstatement of a worker with back wages.

The Judge concluded: “The behaviour of the committee is not that of a model employer. Every effort has been made to frustrate the efforts of the poor workman to seek justice. Such an attitude of the employer has to be depreciated by the court.... The writ petition, being wholly devoid of merit, is hereby dismissed with costs of Rs 5,000.”

Costs imposed on minister

A Division Bench of the High Court on Monday imposed costs of Rs 2,000 on Punjab Tourism Minister Swarna Ram for not filing his affidavit within the period prescribed by the court. In his public interest litigation, advocate Kapil Kakkar had earlier alleged that in 1998, when Swarna Ram was the state Education Minister, a number of appointments in the Education Department were made on the orders of the minister. This, he had claimed, was illegal, unjust and in violation of Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution.

Notice on HC seal

The High Court today issued notice for October 1 on a petition filed by Rajpura resident, Gurcharan Singh, claiming that none of the certified copies issued by the court were having “Satyameva jayate” written in the Devanagri script. He had added that as per the High Court (Seals) Act, the High Court seal should bear the Ashoka chakra and “Satyameva jayate”.

CONSUMER COURTS
District Forum’s order set aside
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, August 27
The UT Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission today set aside the order passed by the District Forum-I awarding compensation of Rs 1,000, besides Rs 500 as costs of the lost parcel to Mr K.S. Yadav, Mohindra Book Depot, Sector 31-D.

The commission has allowed the appeal filed by the Senior Superintendent of Post Offices against the order passed by the Consumer Forum-I in favour of the complainant, Mr Yadav.

Aggrieved against the order of the District Forum-I, the appellant had filed the appeal under Section 15 of the Consumers Protection Act, 1986, praying for setting aside the order passed by the District Forum-I.

Mr Yadav had filed a complaint before the District Forum-I that he had bought five saris, five blouses and one pant piece from Dinesh Saree Centre, Sector 31 for sending them to his sister at Azamgarh(UP) as marriage gifts.

The complainant sent these items through a registered parcel to Azamgarh.

He also paid Rs 42 as the postal charges for sending the parcel. Later the complainant found that the parcel neither reached its destination nor was returned.

He approached the Postal Department for looking into the matter. But the department failed to locate the parcel and informed him that the parcel had been lost in transit.

The District Forum-I had observed that the complainant was not only deprived of the parcel but also suffered inconvenience and embarrassment, and granted the compensation.

CULTURE

MARKET PULSE
Vengaboys to jive in City Beautiful next month
A.S. Prashar
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 27
As an opening act to a series of pulsating concerts across India, Pepsi today announced the first-of-its-kind international musical event to be held in Chandigarh — a live performance by none other than the sensational international party animals — the Vengaboys.

Pepsi, which has brought some of the best-selling global musical performers to India before, will now get Chandigarh swaying to the beats of the “Vengaboys”, who hit big time with their chart-busting single “ We like to party”, at a live concert in Chandigarh at Circus Grounds, Sector 17, on September 16, 2001, from 7 p.m. onwards.

The Vengaboys say: “We are overwhelmed to be coming back to India. After the thrilling experience of our performances in India during the Explore India Tourism Year of 2000 promoted by the Indian Ministry of Tourism, we now look forward to performing for our fans on this six-city Pepsi tour and hope for more cultural exchanges between our two great countries.”

There’s more excitement in store for Vengaboys fans in Chandigarh. Pepsi will soon be initiating a series of innovative consumer campaigns to enable fans to meet their favourite artistes in person, in addition to winning complementary tickets to the live concert. Consumers will have to tear off the label of a Pepsi 500-ml pet bottle, fill a slogan in the form enclosed in the advertisement and mail it to the address mentioned in the advertisement. Lucky winners will get a chance to ‘Meet ‘n’ Greet’ the Vengaboys and also win an invitation to the concert. Contest forms will also be available at select Pepsi outlets in the city.

To create hype around the concert, Pepsi will bring out the Pepsi Vengabus, a specially designed float which will visit some of the favourite youth hangouts in Chandigarh, where fans can win a whole range of prizes, including complimentary tickets, to the concert. In addition, winners of exciting slogan contests will also get to win these attractive prizes and complimentary tickets to the Vengaboys’ concert. The Pepsi Vengabus will also visit Ludhiana where fans can win complimentary tickets to the concert.

According to Ms Vibha Rishi, Executive Director (Marketing), Pepsi Foods Ltd., “music has been an integral part of Pepsi’s channel of communication with the youth. As part of its commitment to bring live concerts of international standard to India, Pepsi has lined up a series of Vengaboys concerts in some of the non-metro cities — the first of its excitement in the coming days.”

“Up and Down” was the first single release of Vengaboys and it went up to no. 4 in the Benelux single chart position. At the beginning of July, 1998, it entered the German Media Control Singles Top 100 at No 16. After the huge success of “Up & Down”, the Vengaboys decided to become independent dance labels, and released their next single, “We like to party!” (The Vengabus), along with their debut album “Up & Down”, “The Party Album”. In August 1998, “We like to party” received the ‘Platinum’ status in Benelux and struck the No 2 position in the Singles Top 100. In October the same year, “We like to party!” reached No 7 in the German Media Control Singles Top 100.

Sec 10 museum to be upgraded
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 27
The museum of evolution of life in Sector 10 would soon be upgraded to Museum of Natural History, having fossils of ancient ages and models of various species of animals which have gone extinct.

It was decided at the museum advisory committee meeting, which was presided over by the UT Administrator, Lieut-Gen J.F.R. Jacob (retd). The General said the Museum of Natural History was a necessity for school-going and college students who have greater interest in science, archaeology and geology. The Governor asked the Director of the museum to explore various sources from which fossils could be procured. The Governor set up a committee under the Home Secretary, Mr Raminder Singh Gujral, to draft a plan.

The Governor asked the Home Secretary to expedite the production of new catalogues and tie up with leading publishers for publishing it. The Governor also asked the Home Secretary to pursue with quark media house limited to expedite the digitalisation of Gandhara sculptures and launching the website of the Chandigarh museum.

Stressing the need for having well equipped conservation laboratory, the Governor said the existing paintings and sculptures need to be conserved and due care should be taken for preserving miniatures as colours used in miniatures were not available.

The Governor asked the Home Secretary to operationalise the education van of the museum within one month and this van with exhibits should go to schools especially in villages in the periphery to educate children regarding importance of ancient history and art.

The Home Secretary informed that a section on manuscripts having 26 manuscripts gifted by Dr Man Singh Nirankari would be inaugurated in October. Secondly the section of nature in arts having 52 gifted embroidered textile works by Mr Joginder Singh would also be inaugurated in November.

The Home Secretary said 12 new galleries have been added in the museum, this year. Ten Sangol sculptures have also been received on loan from Punjab. The security of the museum has been tightened and the museum will have a new numismatics and epigraphy section displaying gold, silver, copper coins and copper plates, he added.

The Home Secretary informed that the Chandigarh Administration has sanctioned Rs 40 lakh for air-conditioning for the Indian miniature painting section and in the next year budget, fire equipment for the museum would be sanctioned.

Bhajan-singing competition
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, August 27
About 21 contestants from various Arya Samaj and societies of Chandigarh and its surroundings areas participated in a bhajan-singing competition organised in the H.R.K. Talwar memorial library at the Arya Samaj, Sector 19, here yesterday.

The competition was held to mark the fourth anniversary of the reading room-cum-library set up in memory of a late former Director-General of Police, Haryana, Mr Hem Raj K. Talwar.

The panel of judges comprised Ms Usha Jeevan, Ms Asha Saini and Mr Rajender Goswami.

The winners for the competition are Sanyogita Mahajan (1), Vimal Kapoor (2) and Krishna Juneja (3).

Monthly caption contest winners are Sumit Taneja, Kaniq Deep Singh, Kritika Sodhi and Ashima Billing.