Teachers to continue stir despite release of grant
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 28
While the UT Administration notified the release of the blocked grant to Sri Guru Gobind Singh College, Sector 26, teachers have decided to continue their on-going stir to protest against non-payment of the December salary.

The Principal of the college, Mr PS Sangha, said that the dispersing of salary would take nearly three days though the grants had been received by the college. “This has been conveyed to the protesting teachers. However, they plan to call off the stir once they get their salaries in hand,’’ he added.

The protesting teachers led by the president, Prof Kulwinder Singh, and secretary, Prof Suninder Singh, began a dharna outside the office of the principal on January 19 to protest against non-payment of salary for December as well as retiral benefits to the teachers.

The retiral benefits to three lecturers, Prof RR Rawat, Prof VK Verma and Prof Kaushal Bir had not been paid following which they lodged a complaint with the DPI Colleges, Mr KAP Sinha.

The grant of Rs 3.5 lakh to the college had been withheld on the ground that the college governing body had not been reconstituted according to the revised Panjab University calendar rules.

Under the revised rules the reconstituted body was to include nine members of the management, the college principal, two elected representatives of teachers from the permanent staff, a nominee of the DPI not below the rank of Deputy Director, Colleges, a nominee of the Vice Chancellor and a nominee of the president of the governing body.

Sources said that almost a week back, the management had conveyed to the Administration that in compliance with directions received, the management had decided to reconstitute the body following which the grant was released to the college.

PU to take part in World Book Fair
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 28
The Panjab University Publication Bureau will be participating in the 15th World Book Fair which started at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, today. The fair organised by the National Book Trust in collaboration with the Federation of Indian Publishers and other book trade bodies will have a separate counter of PU publications.

The university has announced a special discount of 10 per cent over and above the usual discount allowed on its books to booksellers, publishers, institutions, libraries, government offices and individual buyers to mark the book fair for orders received up to March 31.

Workshop on Civil Services ends
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 28
A three-day workshop on “the patterns in the Civil Services examination: emerging challenges in the era of globalisation” concluded here yesterday. The workshop was organised by the IAS Study Group.

At least 150 Civil Services aspirants from the region attended the workshop. Mr R.S.Verma, a former Chief Secretary of Haryana, said bureaucracy was one of the institutions that was responsible and sensitive to the needs and requirements of the rapidly changing time in the era of globalisation. 

Lecture on terrorism on Feb 4
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 28
The special lecture on “Cross-border terrorism: challenge before India” will be delivered by Gen V.P. Malik at Panjab University’s Department of Evening Studies on February 4.

General Malik was scheduled to deliver this lecture tomorrow, but it has now been postponed.

COURTS

Earmark spaces for physically challenged, court tells MC
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 28
Directing the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh to earmark separate spaces for physically challenged residents in all paid parking lots, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today asked it to install “clear sign-boards” indicating the same.

Issuing the directions, the Bench, comprising Mr Justice G.S. Singhvi and Ms Justice Bakhshish Kaur, also directed the Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh to examine all complaints made by the public about the difficulties being faced by it while parking vehicles in such lots. The judges also asked him to find appropriate solutions to the problems.

In their detailed order, the judges further directed the Chandigarh Administration to make functional the underground parking lot opposite the Estate Office in Sector 17 and hand it over to the Municipal Corporation within three months from today.

Regarding the introduction of paid parking system on the High Court premises, the Bench directed the Corporation and the Administration to get in touch with the office-bearers of the High Court Bar Association and take steps for making the same functional in a regulated manner. The possibility of issuing parking passes could also be considered, the judges ruled.

They also asked the Administration to explore the feasibility of converting the open spaces near the High Court premises into parking lots and to make a statement regarding the same in the court on February 19 — the next date of hearing.

Earlier during the proceedings, the judges came down heavily on the Corporation for not informing the residents about the background of the case. Speaking for the Bench, Mr Justice Singhvi verbally asked the officials to tell the court whether they had informed the public about the fact that the decision to introduce paid parking system was approved by the Corporation in 1998 and that parking spaces were also auctioned in the same year.

Terming as “misinformation campaign” the information being published in the newspapers on the paid parking system, Mr Justice Singhvi added that the Corporation had failed to inform the public about the true state of affairs.

Cheque bounce case adjourned
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, January 28
A local court today adjourned a case of cheque bounce filed against Mr Jasjit Singh Dhaliwal, son of Governor of Uttaranchal, Mr Surjit Singh Barnala, for March 15. The counsel of Mr Dhaliwal had filed an application for personal exemption from appearance.

The complainant, Ms Gurmeet Kaur, director of Square Marketing Private Limited, had filed a complaint against Jasjit Singh Dhaliwal, managing director of the limited firm, under Sections 138, 141 and 142 of the Negotiable Instrument Act on June 9, 2000.

The complainant alleged that she was appointed as consignee agent for the territory of Chandigarh, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana by the firm under duly executed agreement on August 1,1995. The pharmaceutical company had demanded for the deposit of a sum of Rs 12 lakh, which carried interest at the rate of 18 per cent per annum payable quarterly to the complainant, through written agreement on August 1, 1995.

The complainant stated that as per the requirement, she had deposited the amount duly executed three receipts dated January 5, 1995. The complainant alleged that Mr Dhaliwal had guarantee the minimum sale of Rs 12 lakh per annual with the commission ranging from 3 per cent to 4 per cent on various levels of sales.

The complainant had alleged that the accused had issued two cheques worth Rs 23,05,500 and Rs 21,54,000 payable on Punjab and Sind Bank, Sector 17, on February 2, 2000, but the cheque was dishonoured by the bank on February 12 with the remark “funds insufficient”.

Cultural evening of Citizens’ Association
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 28
The Citizen’s Association, Sector 21, Chandigarh, organised its annual sports and cultural function here yesterday.

Mr Rajesh Gupta, Councillor, was the chief guest of the function, while Mr Ashok Vashistha, Assistant Commissioner, MCC, and Mr D.S. Saroya, DPI (Schools), Chandigarh, were the guests of honour.

Mr P.C. Sanghi, president of the association, said that Mr Rajesh Gupta, Councillor of Ward of Sector 21, announced a grant of Rs 3 lakh for the development of the sector. He spoke about activities of the association.

Mr Sanghi added that out of the MP Local Area Development Fund, Rs 6 lakh had been allocated for the development of Sector 21. He said out of councillor’s ward development fund a sum of Rs 3 lakh had also been announced for the development of the sector.

Mr Rajesh Gupta, Councillor, gave away the prizes to the winners of sports and cultural events. Those present on the occasion included Mr K.C. Jain, Mr Balwant Singh Chaudhry, Mr Darshan Singh, Mr J.K. Sondhi, general secretary, secretary public relations, joint secretary and senior vice-president of the association, respectively, Mr Jawant Singh, PRO, UT Chandigarh, Ms Joginder Kaur, Ms Palwinder Kaur, DPE, Mr Gurmel Singh, Ms Neena, teachers of Manav Mangal and Dev Samaj College and parents of the participants.