The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

EDUCATION

STATE OF THE HOSTELS
A happy lot of students
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh
Progressive and united. This is how one can describe the residents of GGDSD College, Sector 32 hostel for boys. Although the college is a co-educational institution, there is no hostel for girls on the campus. “But one is about to come up,” explain the boys. Maybe in the next three years or five. By that time we all will have passed out of the college,” they bemoan.

The 150 residents of the hostel live in a double-storey building which has rooms of four different sizes. There are rooms for four, three and two persons, and, of course, the cubicles. “We are very comfortable as far as the accommodation is concerned. There is no crowding in any of the rooms,” they say.

But there seems to be a parking problem. Tucked in one corner of the college campus, the hostel has to be approached through a narrow lane which has motor-cycles and scooters lined up all along. “A parking shed was planned but it was left unfinished following directions that no shed of this variety could be constructed close to the boundary wall. So we do not have any parking place.” The food that the hostel contractor serves as dinner is what the residents want to change. ‘‘It is strange that the lunch is OK, but when it comes to dinner, the quality of food is simply pathetic.”

The residents also complain about not having access to any telephone. “This is one reason why many of us have to use mobiles phones. There used to be a telephone on which we could receive and make calls. But it was removed and we were told that it was being misused. Recently, an STD booth has opened outside the college gates”. This hostel seems to be the only boy’s hostel in the city which actually has a time limit on the entry of the boys. Those who arrive late have to deposit their identity cards or give an explanation to the warden. “We have two wardens who stay in the hostel and both of them are very nice and caring”.

All else seems well, according to the residents. The fans in the rooms work. New water coolers have been procured and are functioning smoothly with water purifiers. Generally there is no electricity problem but if there is one it is promptly looked into. There are enough bathrooms and toilets for the residents. “But we could do with some more geysers. There are long lines outside the geyser rooms in winter.”

There is no water shortage. “We have a 24 hour running water supply”.

There is a dhobi who takes care of the clothes and bedsheets while the sweepers clean the rooms. The hostel rent is Rs 10,000 a year and the food costs Rs 660 per month. “We have to pay this amount even if we do not take any meal here.”

And what the students like most is that they are allowed to use their computers in their rooms, after obtaining permission. “Since most of us are doing commerce and computers, it is a big help to be able to practise in our rooms what we have learnt in the class”.

And anything that is required? “Yes, girls ka hostel nearby as soon a possible, please............” they shout in unison.

STUDENT BODIES' POLL
Parties finalise nominees in colleges
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 13
Although the city college principals have yet to finalise date for college students elections, the city college student unions have started finalising their candidates. The process is spillover from the election fever on the Panjab University campus. Leaders of the various student parties of the university are busy visiting colleges addressing students and showing support for the candidates they are fielding in the colleges.

The Students Organisation of Panjab University (SOPU) leaders visited the GGDSD College, Sector 32, and finalised the list of candidates they will be supporting. These include Jagdeep Singh Bablu of BA III year for the post of the college president, Manisha of B.Com III year for vice-president, Jagandeep Dhillon of BA II year for general secretary and Divya of BSc I year will be contesting for the post of the joint secretary. Their party has been named as the SD College Union.

At Government College, Sector 11, Mr Iqbal Singh Dhaliwal, chairman of the Government College Students Union, declared the party’s panel for elections. Ramandeep Singh Pannu for the post of the president, Sandeep Singh for vice-president, Gaurav Goyal for general secretary and Ravinder Singh Sheokand will be contesting for the post of the joint secretary.

The ABVP has also declared its panel of candidates who will contest from Government College, Sector 46. Bhaskar Luthra of BA final year for the post of the president, Suraj of B.Com final year for vice-president, Sonu Verma, also of B.Com final year, for general secretary and Gurjatinder Singh Happy of BA first year will be contesting for the post of the joint secretary.

Tnisha Bedi Miss Fresher
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, September 13
Tnisha Bedi was declared Miss Fresher at the freshers’ party hosted by the Functional English Department at Government College for Women, Sector 11, held here today.

Ms Harika Chadha and Ms Preeta Singh were declared first and second runners-up, respectively. The senior students of the Functional English Department got together to welcome the freshers. Students presented dances and songs of the latest pop numbers.

Most of the freshers participated in the modelling round for the selection of Miss Functional English Fresher .

Different rounds were held to shortlist the winners.

Tnisha Bedi was presented a free course on web-designing and publishing by a computer institute, while the runners-up were also offered other such courses .

Complaints against PUDA dismissed
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, September 13
The UT Disputes Redressal Forum has dismissed the two complaints filed by Mr Daya Singh and Ms Vipamjeet Kaur against the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority.

The complainant had sought directions to PUDA for giving the possession of the plots and not charging interest on the annual instalments till the possession was delivered.

The forum, after hearing both the parties, observed that in the instant case the physical possession was delivered within three years of the date of re-allotment. Further no extension fee was charged by PUDA for not constructing a house on the plot within three years. The amount of interest has already been calculated and mentioned in the allotment letter to be payable in annual instalments which, otherwise, is a facility provided to the complainant to pay the amount in easy instalments and the said offer was accepted by the complainant. So they are liable to abide by the terms and conditions of the allotment letter. Even otherwise the complianant is yet to make payment of some instalments.

The forum said in its order that finding no merit in the case the complaints were disposed of.

PRTC told to pay compensation
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, September 13
The UT Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has allowed the appeal moved by a resident of Rajpura against the order passed by the District Forum and directed the Pepsu Road Transport Corporation to pay compensation for deficiency in services.

The appellant, Mr Arunjeev Singh Walia, had filed an appeal that he travelled by the bus run by the PRTC from Chandigarh to Banur on December 28, 1998.

The complainant alleged that the conductor had charged Rs 12 from him for the ticket. The bus had hardly covered a distance of 8 km when it stopped. The complainant and other passengers were stranded for considerable time.

The complainant alleged that he had to travel by another bus. The complainant stated that this amounted to deficiency in service on the part of the PRTC.

The commission observed that “the commission is of the view that Rs 2,000 would be an adequate compensation for the deficiency in service.”

CULTURE

Vengaboys to keep date with city
A. S. Prashar
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 13
The Dutch pop group, Vengaboys, will keep their date with City Beautiful on Sunday despite heightened security concern here in the wake of the terrorist strike on World Trade Centre in New York on Tuesday evening.

The live concert is being sponsored, among others, by the American multinational, Pepsi, and there was some concern in the security agencies here whether this could lead to any law and order problem. Vengaboys are scheduled to perform at Circus Grounds in Sector 17 on September 16 from 7 p.m. onwards.

This will be the first-of-its-kind international musical event to be held in Chandigarh, which has already generated a considerable excitement in the young crowd in the region. On their part, the sponsors of the event including Pepsi are leaving no stone unturned to create a media hype over the Vengaboys. The foursome — Kim, Roy, Denice and Robin — are being projected as the “the world’s greatest party animals”.

A Pepsi Vengabus has been pressed into service which is visiting different spots in the region, including Chandigarh, Patiala, Ludhiana and Jalandhar to promote the show. It is a specially designed float which will visit some of the favourite youth hangouts where fans can win a whole range of prizes, including complimentary tickets to the concert and other attractive prizes. A series of press meets with Vengaboys and those associated with the show have also been organised over the next three days.

A spokesperson of the DNA Networks which is organising the Vengaboys concerts in India told Chandigarh Tribune over the phone from Mumbai today that they were getting full cooperation from the authorities in Chandigarh and Punjab for organising the events. The Vengaboys had already landed in New Delhi and were scheduled to perform at Ahmedabad tomorrow.

The Vengaboys in a statement have said: “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.”

As part of its college Promo, Pepsi will also take the Vengaboys to a college in the city. A large box will be kept in the canteens of select colleges in the city and the college that fills up the box the fastest will play host to the Vengaboys. Other exciting merchandise will also be given away mid-way through the contest.

The current tour of Vengaboys will mark the group’s third appearance in India, after their sell out concert at the Pepsi W2K World Millennium concert held during January 2000 in Mumbai and Bangalore, and the second being in Chennai and Delhi in March this year. Pepsi also brought MC Hammer - the King of Rap for live concerts in Bangalore and Mumbai earlier this year.

The Vengaboys are among the biggest album sellers in India and have sold over 10 lakh units. Originally, the Vengaboys was a working name for the duo Danski and Delmundo who used to perform on various Spanish beaches from 1992 to 1997. During one of the beach parties in 1996, the Vengaboys met Kim, Roy, Denice and Robin to form one of the biggest international acts.