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| Sunday,
September 9, 2001, Chandigarh, India
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Contests
mark Literacy
Day celebrations Chandigarh, September 8 More than 160 NSS volunteers participated in a lecture session organised by the NSS unit of Government College, Sector 46, at the college hostel. The function was presided over by the Principal of the college, Mr D.P. Singh, who, while addressing the students stressed upon the need of students’ participation in the mass literacy programmes. He stated that illiteracy was the root cause of poverty and students should volunteer to share the responsibility of the nation. Prof Hans Raj, Chief Programme Officer, also talked to the students and suggested that they should conduct a survey of the surrounding areas and find out how many children did not go to school and see if they can be motivated to join school. Prof Harinder Kaur, Prof Sahib Singh, and Prof Bikram Rana were the other faculty members who talked to the students. NSS volunteers also pledged to work extra for teaching
illiterates in the neighbourhood. At Dev Samaj College for Women, Sector 45, a lecture was organised on environment and literacy and the chief guest on the occasion Mr M.P. Singh, Municipal Commissioner of the city, addressed the students. He insisted that it was more important to prevent the degradation of environment than to create an urgency to take measures. He promised the college authorities all help for taking steps to improve the environment of the college and its surroundings. Welcoming the guests, the Principal of the college, Ms Vimal
Bhargava, said the meaning of true literacy was much more than just the leaning of the three ‘R’s. “True literacy means true awareness of all aspects of life including environment”, she said. Dr S.P. Mittal delivered the keynote address and said greed was responsible for the degradation of the environment. He also urged the NSS volunteers of the college to carry the message of saving environment to the inhabitants of their adopted village, Burail. Skits on literacy and effects of illiteracy, a poster-making and slogan writing competition, marked the Literacy Day celebrations at the Dev Samaj College of Education, Sector 36. Dr Satinder Dhillon, Principal of the college, welcomed the chief guest, Mr C.L. Narang, Director NSS, Panjab University, and the guest of honour, Mr A.C. Dhawan, Manager State Bank of India, Sector 22. Addressing the students, she stressed upon the role of teachers in shaping the destiny of the country and the importance of literacy in the progress of a nation. Dr Narang commented on the dedication required by nation builders to motivate and inspire the multitude to become literate. Various students also expressed their views on importance of literacy through poetry and paper reading. Mr A.C.Dhawan and Ms Richa Chibber judged the works of the students and declared the winners of the poster making and slogan writing competition. Irwanjeet got the first prize in poster making while Sunita and Archna shared the second prize and Rekha and Amandeep shared the third prize in poster-making. Nivedita won the first prize in slogan writing while Amit and Reeta shared the second prize and Shalini and Rajni Bala shared the third prize. At Government College, Sector 11, the Chandigarh Police football team defeated the college students team in a friendly match held to celebrate the Literacy Day. The match was inaugurated by the college Principal, Mr
S.N. Singla. |
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Students
spread the message of literacy Chandigarh, September 8 Students carried placards and banners spreading the messages “Each one teach one,” “If Kerala can do it, why not Chandigarh,” “Our aim: 100 per cent literacy” and “Let us pledge to spread the light of knowledge”. Students went to a slum school in Khumar colony, Sector 25 and visited the Lions Bal Vidya Mandir School for the underprivileged being managed by the Lions Club Chandigarh Central. They distributed textbooks and other study material to the students of the Sector 25 school. Students also advised the students of Sector 25 school to study with concentration. They persuaded the illiterate adults to appreciate the importance of education and seek functional literacy. The Principal of the school, Mr Sanjay Sardana, said the main
purpose of the rally and visit to the slum school was to make students conscious of their duty towards society. It was also to create awareness among the educated class to make sincere efforts in educating the illiterate. Mr Sanjay added that the visit to the school was to persuade the illiterate to appreciate the importance of education and to motivate them to study in the adult literacy centers being run by the government. A workshop on literacy was also conducted at DAV Public School, Phase 6, Mohali. |
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Eye surgeon’s house burgled
Chandigarh, September 8 The incident occurred between 9 : 30 a.m. and 1 p.m. when all the four occupants of the eye surgeon Dr K.L. Passi’s house were out. When the incident took place, the doctor, who retired from General Hospital, Sector 16, had gone out with his wife for a meditation course. His son, Dr Sachin Passi, and daughter-in-law, Dr Nandini Passi, who live with the old couple, were also out on their work. Dr Sachin Passi was away to his private clinic while Dr Nandini was away to the PGI.
Dr K.L. Passi informed that he had recently sold his Maruti Van. The amount it had fetched, Rs 1.65 lakh, was lying with him and he had kept it in the locker of his bedroom cupboard. The jewellery had also been kept in the same locker. Talking to Chandigarh Tribune, Dr Passi said when he returned to his house at about 1 p.m. and unlocked the front door, it did not open as it was bolted from inside. Police sources said the thieves probably bolted the front door from inside so as to avoid any unexpected entry of occupants of the house while they were searching for the valuables. The entry was from the rear side as the house opens in the service lane. A door opening in the rear courtyard of the house was broken by the thieves to enter the house. A door of the room which the family uses as a TV room was broken to enter the bedroom of the old couple and break into the almirah and the locker. According to police sources, preliminary investigations revealed that the thieves had entered the house from the service lane at the rear of the house. A dead cat was also found at the rear of the house. The sources said the cat might have been killed by the robbers on account of
superstition followed by various criminal tribes. The police was working on this theory. Dr Passi informed that he had no permanent servants in the house. He said, ‘‘We have only a part-time maid and a gardener’’. A case under Sections 454 and 380 of the Indian Penal Code has been registered. |
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Disorganisation
at CTU workshop appals Jacob Chandigarh, September 8 What greeted the General at the workshop was a decaying junkyard full of old chassis of condemned buses with old spare parts strewn all around, mechanics working with hand tools, costly bus engines being repaired on floors without any proper platform, stink and disorganisation all around. It was 12.30 pm, when the Administrator arrived unannounced at the workshop and found that mechanics who were repairing engines did not know the basics of engine and were adopting hit-and-trial method. They neither had any proper platform nor equipment to repair the engines. In the process of repair they were causing more damage to the engines than rectifying it. The Governor found that there was no proper inventory leaving scope for pilferage of costly spare parts. Security of the workshop was also lax with no visitor being frisked. Toilets in the workshop were stinking. General Jacob was dismayed at the state of affairs and felt that there was an urgent need for proper management of these workshops. He said he would discuss corrective action with Transport Secretary on Monday. Another idea on his mind was to request the Army in assisting the Chandigarh Transport Undertaking in the management of workshops and give suitable training to the mechanics. The Governor remained in the workshop for 35 minutes. Later, he went to the shooting range, which has recently been handed over to the Chandigarh Police. The Governor saw work on the 25-yard range, which is being improved with certain more modifications. Earlier, the Governor also visited the Football Academy where he interacted with the trainees. He also asked them about their performance in academics. The trainees informed the Administrator that additional guidance of a tutor was helping them in academics. He assured the boys that he would arrange for tuition for computer teaching. The visit of the Administrator to all three locations was without any notice. |
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SPECIAL STORY Chandigarh, September 8 According to an official report released a few days ago, a copy of which was made available here, the facilities were to be set up by December 1992. However, it was only this year, about 15 years after the induction of the Mi-17, that the facility has become operational. “Despite an expenditure of Rs 48 crore, the facilities for repair/ overhaul could not be set up till 2001, by which time about half the total technical life (TTL) of a large number of helicopters could already be over. In the meantime, an expenditure of Rs 86.36 crore has been incurred on the repair/overhaul of engines abroad,” the report states. The delay in setting up test rigs and related equipment, procured from Russia at a cost of $13 million, forced the Air Force to conclude seven contracts between 1993 and 2000 for repairs and overhaul of aero-engines abroad so that the desired serviceable levels could be maintained. Noting that the availability of serviceable engines held by the IAF was “alarmingly low”, the report states that during the past two years, 120 engines had to be sent abroad for overhauling after running 100 to 1246 hours. Airframes of 30 helicopters were overhauled abroad after doing 1000 hours. The stipulated TTL of an Mi-17 engine is 3000 flying hours and that of an airframe is 7000 hours. Coming down heavily on the IAF, the report states that during June 1998 to May 2000, on an average 17 per cent helicopters held in the IAF inventory remained grounded for want of aero-engines. “The serviceable state of the helicopter fleet also deteriorated during the same period,” the report adds. The Ministry of Defence had concluded a contract with the helicopters’ manufacturers as far back as in May 1989 for setting up overhaul facilities for helicopters and aero-engines. Another contract was also concluded with the firm for procurement of rigs, machines and equipment at a total cost of Rs 13.37 crore. These were to be delivered by March 1992, with the overhaul facilities envisioned to be operational by December 1992. According to the report, the process of convening the board of officers and finalising the recommendations took 18 months, with the Maintenance Command itself according approval in April 1992, while the works for installation of the equipment was sanctioned by Air Headquarters as late as 1994. The works, which were supposed to be complete in about one year’s time were finally completed in June 2000, after repeated cost and equipment revisions. The report also terms as “untenable”, the Defence Ministry’s contention that only 37 per cent helicopters were sent abroad after one-seventh of their TTL, and the facility here could be used for the remaining 86 per cent of their life, as well as for future inductions. |
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Globalisation
agenda worries Prof Yash
Pal Chandigarh, September 8 He recalled that as a young man when he was working at the
Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) in Mumbai, he would get
agitated over certain aspects of the government’s policy on
scientific research and rush to Haksar for solace. “Haksar saab
would listen to me and sometime scold me for being naive”, Mr Yash
Pal said. When Haksar asked him to take charge of the Union Public
Service Commission (UPSC) and made him meet personalities like the
late Nurul Hassan, Prof Yash Pal told Haksar that if he took over the
UPSC, his endeavour would be to abolish the commission as soon as
possible. Haksar’s prompt reply was: “Then you are the man we
want”. However, Prof Yash Pal never took up the task. Prof Yash Pal
during the talk, despite the very personal tone, made subtle forays
into various important areas and issues to throw light on Haksar’s
as well as his own concern for the nation and the humanity in
general. While reading excerpts from Haksar’s speech at a meeting
at Ahmedabad organised to discuss a plan for satellite TV signals to
villages, Prof Yash Pal said Haksar always wanted to give a humane
face to scientific pursuits. Tasks such as supplying water to
villages or improving sanitation conditions in rural areas were
considered easy, while developing space technology was considered
difficult — ironically what was easy had become difficult and vice
versa”, the Professor said, adding that such issues used to worry
Haksar. The tendency by a section of the Indian intelligentsia to
mindlessly borrow whatever technology was being developed in the West,
irrespective of whether it was suitable for Indian conditions, was not
liked by Haksar, Prof Yash Pal said, adding that he also shared
Haksar’s viewpoint. According to Prof Yash Pal, had Haksar been
alive he would also have been worried about the agenda of
globalisation which could lead to unrest by marginalised groups.
Information Technology, lapped up eagerly by a section of Indians,
would serve a useful social purpose only if it could moderate the
onslaught of globalisation, the scientist said. The talk, the sixth
lecture in a series organised by the CRRID, was chaired by Prof Satish
Chandra. |
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Computer
savvy rail thieves Chandigarh, September 8 Reacting to a news report in The Tribune about recent cases of lifting of laptop computers from Shatabdi Express, Mr Bhatti, quips, “You should be happy that railway thieves are becoming more computer savy than the railway staff”. “You should also appreciate that thieves also have children who demand computers from their parents. ‘Daddy, daddy, mujhe bhi ek computer chori kar ke do na’. Yet another reason may be that the Railway Thief Union wants its operations to be computerised and for that they want laptops. “Whatever may be the reasons of increasing laptop thefts in the Shatabdi, one thing must be appreciated is that the computer awareness has come to our country,” concludes Mr Bhatti. |
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Contents
of ‘similar’ texts different: Prof Chandigarh, September 8 Senior authorities in the department had pointed out similarities in two texts which had been passed for granting of M. Phil. degrees. These were
allelopathic interference of pinus and phytotoxic effects of leucatena. Prof R.K. Kohli, guide of one of the students, said the format of the texts was the same, but the contents were totally different. The format showed only the reference material to which the students had accessed during research. Since the topics were related and the reference material available in the department was common to all, the listing of topics was bound to be common. Sources pointed out that the case had been taken up by the Vice-Chancellor of the university. Professor Kohli said the issue had been raised only as a consequence of internal politics in the department. Both students concerned had brilliant academic records. As for the common format, the department had received notes of appreciation from various quarters of research institutes calling it a better formulated scheme of action, he added. |
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Foetus found Chandigarh, September 8 According to sources, the police was informed by auto-rickshaw driver Moti Lal at about eight in the morning. A case under Section 318 of the Indian Penal Code has been registered. |
IN FOCUS SAS Nagar Several meetings between the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) and the Chandigarh Corporation to set up a combined sewage treatment plant near the Kharar-Banur road have ended without any concrete result. “Nobody bothers about the health hazard that we are facing”, says Mr B.S. Tej, a resident of Phase 9. The Principal Secretary to Punjab’s Housing and Urban Development Department had convened a meeting of all the state government agencies concerned, to arrive at a consensus before taking up the matter with the Adviser to the UT Administrator and the Chandigarh MC. Officials of PUDA, the Pollution Control Board, PSIEC, the Public Health Department and the SAS Nagar Municipal Council were asked to sort out the issue. Without denying the fact that untreated sullage was being discharged in the chos by PUDA and the Punjab Public Health wing, an official of PUDA said that the UT was the main contributor to this menace. The UT discharges more than 45 MGD of sewage of which about 30 MGD is treated at the Diggian sewage treatment plant. Even the 20-year-old treatment plant at Diggian has become a bone of contention between PUDA and the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh. PUDA has been asking the corporation to shift this plant from the present site since it is now surrounded by residential and industrial areas. The Pollution Control Board is also reported to have asked the corporation to shift the plant from this area. An official of PUDA said that the corporation wanted an alternative site near the Chandigarh border and monetary compensation. The Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh has decided to increase the capacity of this plant, a move which is strongly opposed by PUDA. Treated and untreated sullage being discharged by the treatment plant at Papri for irrigation purposes had also become a source of nuisance for the entrepreneurs of Industrial Focal Point, Phase IX. Mr Amardeep Sharma, who has his unit in the area, said the sewage, after spilling over the irrigation channel had spread to the vacant plots in the industrial area. Repeated requests to the authorities to stop the spread of the sewage had fallen on deaf ears, he added. |
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Question
your councillor Chandigarh, September 8 Question:
There is no community centre in Sector 39 for holding socio-religious functions. Even as the population of the sector has increased over the years, there is no proper market and green belt in the area. The condition of the open spaces is also rathr bad, with wild growth of grass dotting these. Did you take up these issues during your tenure with the corporation? ( Ms N.S. Dhamoon, president of Residents Welfare Society, Sector 39-B). Answer:
I had written to the Administration, impressing upon the authorities the need for a community centre, but did not receive any information in this regard. A survey of the proposed greenbelt recommended by me in the area has been done and it will come up in due course of time. Though I have taken up the demand of the residents for a proper market with the Administration several times, the Administration has not made any headway with regard to the auction of booths and plots for the same. Perhaps, they have still not formulated clear cut-plans for this area With no one prepared to take responsibility of the maintenance of open spaces, I did get these cleaned by the authorities. Question:
The sewerage often remains choked in Sector 39 and dirty water keeps flowing on the roads. The condition of the internal roads in front of the houses is bad and the same have not been recarpeted. What have you done in this regard?( Mr Vinod garg, a resident of Maloya Colony). Answer:
The recarpeting of internal roads in Maloya Colony was not undertaken due to the problem of inadequate storm water drainage. However, now that an
estimate of Rs 30 lakh for providing the drainage system stands passed, the work has started and the work on the road work will be undertaken on its completion. The sewerage problem is on account on the encroachments by the residents along the road side. In fact, construction of rooms and platforms have led to the blockage in many a case. Question:
The primary school in Palsora is functioning in filthy surroundings, thereby causing serious health hazards for
children. The general sanitation in the area is also pathetic as heaps of garbage can be seen lying all around. Shortage of water and lack of proper storm water drainage further add to the woes of the residents. What have you done to redress the
problem and when will it be redressed? ( Mr Daya Prakash Gupta, senior vice-president of Jan Kalyan Samiti) Answer:
Though I got two rooms and the boundary wall of the primary school constructed out of the MPLAD fund, jhuggis have once again sprung up. I have taken up the matter with the Deputy Commissioner and the Administration should take necessary steps to remove them from here. To overcome the problem of water shortage in some parts of Palsora, an addition tubewell was dug. However, the problem is more since people remove the taps, allowing the water to flow openly. However, I have sought a booster arrangement for the area so that the problem being faced by the residents of Ambedkar Colony, Palsora, near the barrier is solved. I admit the sanitation in the area is bad, but people of the ‘kutchi’ colony are responsible for the mess. They lack civic sense and throw garbage wherever they feel like. Further, unlike the urban areas, safai karamcharis
visit the area once in a fortnight. I have also mooted a proposal that now that Palsora has become a sector, sanitation like many other parts of the city should be privatised here. Question:
The road gullies in Palsora are lying closed, particularly in front of row of houses 3500 to 5800. The sanitary conditions make life for the residents a virtual hell here. When will these problems be solved? (Mr Umed Singh, general secretary of Jan Kalyan Samiti) Answer:
The encroachments by the people along the roadside in the form of pavements make the task of clearing the choked sewerage very difficult for the safai karamcharis. The problem will only be solved when the encroachments are removed from the said area and the work of recarpetings of roads undertaken. The residents of the area have to chip in with their efforts to improve sanitary conditions. The officials of the Public Health Department are sore with the unruly behaviour of the residents. Question:
The condition of internal roads in Sector 40 is bad and the last the authorities can do to is to repair the potholes. The houses in some areas get flooded due to improper flow of rain water drainage. The streetlights in most parts of the sector are non-functional and maintenance of locality parks is not up to the mark. What have you done in this regard? (Mr Rattan Singh, general secretary of MIG-2 Independent Houses Welfare Society, Sector 40-C) Answer:
The bad condition of the internal roads is due to the misuse of the same by the residents. They wash their vehicles, thereby leaving water on the surface of the road which only weakens it further. The closure of road, gullies also worsens their condition. The responsibility of keeping the streetlights on the V-6 roads functional is not of the MC. It also has no system to provide lights in locality parks. The authorities are required to provide benches and
railings and clean up the park, but the maintenance of the same is the responsibility of the association. |
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Monkey
tricks at Sec 17 Chandigarh, September 8 The monkey kept the people engrossed with its tricks at the Inter-State Bus Terminus in Sector 17, the District Courts and in the Sector 17 market, fearlessly approaching people. It did not hurt anybody. Eyewitnesses said a group of monkeys visited the bus stand in the morning and left behind one at the bus stand, which threw tantrums like a child left alone. This correspondent witnessed shopkeepers attempting tricks to catch the monkey at the new building of the bus stand. Three persons tried to nab the monkey by trapping it in a shawl but in vain. The monkey seemed to be clever and escaped. Then police tried to handle the situation but found the monkey smarter than them to leave them helpless. The monkey chose the legal fraternity at about 1.30 p.m. to interact with those visiting the court. A couple of scooterists fell off due to fear of the unusual sight. A number of persons talking to Chandigarh Tribune revealed that the monkey menace had become regular at Sector 17 and the authorities should take serious note of it. |
‘Salesman’ robs woman Chandigarh, September 8 As per information available, a salesman selling room freshners knocked at the door of Ms Jasbir Kaur at around 11.30 a.m. and showed her room freshners. Ms Jasbir Kaur lives in the first floor house of a Chandigarh Housing Board complex in Sector 42-C. Ms Jasbir Kaur selected one of the room freshners and went inside her house to get Rs 60 to pay for it. When she reappeared at the door with Rs 60, the salesman pushed her into the house. He reportedly snatched the gold chain, ring and eartops she was wearing and also pocketed Rs 2,500 from her purse. He also snatched the cash which she was holding in her hand. After this, the salesman climbed down the stairs and ran away, leaving behind a bag and the
bicycle he was riding. The salesman had a dark complexion and was said to be speaking fluent Hindi. A case under Sections 454 and 394 of the Indian Penal Code has been registered. |
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Scooterist
injured in accident Chandigarh, September 8 The driver of the car reportedly sped from the spot after the incident. A case under Sections 279 and 337 of the IPC has been registered.
Vehicles stolen Mr Deepak Sethia, a resident of Sector 7, Panchkula, has reported to the police that his Maruti Zen (CH-01-U-4601) was stolen from DAV College, Sector 10, here on Friday. Mr William Nayyar, OTA, PGI, has also lodged a complaint with the local police that his scooter (CH-01-F-7413) was stolen from a parking lot of the PGI yesterday. A scooter (PAR-9662) of Mr Satish Sachdeva, a resident of Sector 44, was reportedly stolen from his residence on August 28. Mr Joginder Singh, a resident of Sector 46, also reported to the police that his moped (CH-01-E-2319) was stolen from a parking lot in Sector 17 on September 5.
Two held The crime branch of the local police arrested Jasbir Singh, a resident of Ropar District, Punjab, under the Excise Act here yesterday. The police claimed to have seized 250 pouches of liquor form his possession. Meanwhile, the local police also booked Rajinder Kumar, a resident of Madrasi Colony, Sector 26, under the Excise Act from Sector 7 here yesterday. The accused was reportedly consuming liquor at a public place. |
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