The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

EDUCATION

Cultural show by Home Science College
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, February 8
A host of competitions marked the inter college fest “Moments 2002” organised by Home Science College on the college premises in Sector 10 here today. Taking part in different competitions like dance, flower arrangement and embroidery competition, the participants showed great enthusiasm.

In the individual category, of the dance competition the participants exhibited their talent in dance with a semi-classical touch. The competition was won by Gurpreet from the Government College for Girls, Sector 11, and Rajni of Government College of Arts, Sector 10. The second position was bagged by GCG, Sector 42, while Bhanuja from GCG, Sector 11, won the third prize.

The venue of the folk song competition was filled with melody as the participants sang traditional Punjabi and Haryanvi songs. Hardeep from MCM College, Sector 36, and Pooja Rishu from Dev Samaj College, Sector 36, bagged the first prize, while Harjinder from GCG, sector 42 and Gurinder from GCG, Sector 11, won the second prize. Meena Palta from Dev Samaj College, Sector 36 was adjudged third.

Besides folk-song competition, a competition on geet and ghazal was also held that was won by Hardeep from MCM College, Sector 36, followed by Pooja from GCG, Sector 42, and Meenakshi from GCG, Sector 11, on the second position. The third prize was own by Meenu Palta from Dev Samaj College, sector 36.

The Rangoli competition in the group category was won by Pratibha and Narinder from GCG, Sector 42. The second position went to Harpreet Kaur and Pooja Garg from GCG, Sector11, and Vidushi Dogra and Jyoti from Government Home Science College, Sector 10. In the individual category, the first position in Rangoli competition went to Anuradha from GCG, Sector 42, and second went to Rohini Bansal from MCM DAV College, Sector 36. The third position was shared by Kamaljit Kaur from Dev Samaj College, Sector 36, and Jogita from Guru Gobind Singh College, Sector 26.

The group category flower arrangement was won by Geetika and Priyanka from Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 8, while Goonj from Government College of Education won the first prize in individual category. The second prize was shared by Pretika from Guru Gobind Singh College, Sector 26, and Neha Kataria from GCG, Sector11. The third prize went to Vidushi from Government Home Science College, Sector10.

There was an open category of flower arrangement contest which was won by Aastha from Government Home Science College, Sector 10, followed by Rashmi and Guddu Ram jointly in the second position and Kanta Prasad in the third position. All are from the Government Home Science College, Sector 10.

‘Invest in human resources to check urban poverty’
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh February 8
A two-day seminar on ‘‘Policy and Administration of Urban Poverty Alleviation Programme with special Reference to North Western states’’ was held at Panjab University here today.

Prof S.L. Kaushik, Chairman, Department of Public Administration in his introductory remarks stated that urban poverty was a multi-dimensional phenomenon and the policies and programmes patterned on economic component of poverty would not yield the expected results. He suggested that while formulating policies for the urban poor along with the economic criteria, social, cultural and political criteria must be taken into account.

Prof S.P. Verma, Chairman and Editor, Indian Journal of Public Administration, IIPA, New Delhi, in his inaugural address stated that poverty in India still remained widespread and prospects for improving the standards of living will depend on “our ability to promote growth and invest in human resources.”

Prof Hoshiar Singh, Pro Vice Chancellor, Kurukshetra University, in his presidential remarks stated that urban poverty alleviation programme beneficiaries were mainly identified on political considerations. Dr Chiranjeev Singh proposed a vote of thanks.

The first technical session was chaired by Dr A.C. Jhulka. Dr Rajesh Gill talked on urban poverty and its treatment and argued that no policy could meet its intended objectives unless it was accompanied by constant transformations in the public and academic discourses.

Prof K.S.R.N. Sharma spoke on ‘Shahri yojna stating that issues such as preparation of city-wise perspective plan for the extension of SJSRY, simplification of budgeting and accounting procedures and development of performance indicators for effective monitoring have to be addressed for toning up the administration of the yojna.

Prof R.K. Sapru said that urban poverty in India was a combination of excess urban population growth and a weak economic power.

Prof B.S. Ghuman, Mr Richard Sehgie and Dr Ramanjeet Johal participated in the discussion. Prof Jhulka in his presidential remarks opined that poverty should be conceived in terms of individuals and not in terms of households.

In the second technical session, chaired by Dr K.S.R.N. Sharma, Prof S.S. Tiwana and Mr Rajbans S Gill argued that poverty-alleviation programmes were poorly implemented due to lack of necessary technical know-how and indifferent attitude of the politicians.

Prof B.S. Ghuman stated that urban poverty alleviation programme had failed to achieve expected results in Punjab.

Prof S.L. Kaushik and Dr Chiranjeev Singh stated that by merely rephrasing guidelines and cut and pasting the success stories of rural poverty alleviation programmes it is impossible to tailor make a programme that would fit in all states.

Dr Madanjit Sahota stated that the thrust of these programmes was to affect the maximum dent on poverty so that given the resources the largest number of the poor were benefited.

Dr Harbans Pathak in his presidential remarks said that rational criteria should be allowed in formulating anti-poverty programmes.

Govt College win quiz competition
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, February 8
It was song and dance all the way at the Government College, where students of various colleges were seen dressed up in brightly-coloured ethnic clothes.

Music competitions in ghazal, bhajan, geet and solo Haryanavi folk songs were held on the second day of the festival. A quiz competition was also held here today. Mr H.N. Batra, a senior educationist, was the chief guest on this occasion. The results of the various competitions held are:

QUIZ: first — Government College, Chandigarh; second — Sohan Lal DAV College, Ambala; third — CMC College, Chandigarh. Landscaping painting competition: first — Narinder Kaur of Government College, Mohali; second — Anu of Government College, Rohtak; third — Deepali of MNN College, Yamunanagar. Poster making competition: first — Monika of IB College, Panipat; second — Parveen of Government College, Yamunanagar; third — Nisha of Government College, Rohtak.

Sketch making: first — Kamal Kaushal, Government College, Kalka; second Ajit Kumar of Government College, Sector 46, Chandigarh; third — Talwin of Dev Samaj College, Chandigarh. College making: First — Sumit Thakur of Government College, Panchkula: second — Vivek Gupta of Sohan Lal DAV College, Ambala; third — Uma of Government College, Mohali.

Ghazal: first — Hardeep of MCM DAV College, Chandigarh; second — Shalu of SD College, Chandigarh; third — Sunil Banga of SD College, Chandigarh.

Bhajan geet: first — Sunil Banga of SD College, Ambala; second — Neeru. Haryanvi folk song: first — Paramjeet of SD College Chandigarh; second Hardeep of MCM DAV College, Chandigarh.

TTTI experts hold discussion
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 8
The 10th conference of Secretaries and Directors of Technical Education, Northern Region, and members of the Board of Governors of the TTTI was held, here yesterday.

The conference, after detailed deliberations, recommended that the TTTI should identify various areas of training and faculty requirements of engineering colleges and polytechnics for providing need-based training.

The members recommended that the community polytechnic scheme should be strengthened in all technical institutions and infrastructure and expertise of TTTIs be optimally used for training the faculty of engineering colleges.

Suggesting that the technical education programme for teachers and students needed to be made practice-based, the Principal-Secretary-cum-Commissioner, Technical Education, appreciated the efforts of the TTTI in improving the quality of technical education.

The Principal of the TTTI, Dr S. Krishnamurthy, gave a brief account of the TTTI programmes, projects and role of the institute in education and training. He said a national training policy for the faculty of technical and management institutions was in the process of being finalised.

COURTS

HIGH COURT
Custodial suicide case for CBI
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 8
In less than two years after a mother and a daughter allegedly committed suicide in police custody following harassment, Mr Justice V.M. Jain of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today transferred the probe to the Central Bureau of Investigation.

A first information report in the matter was registered on November 20, 2000, after the victim, Sarika Aggarwal, in a statement recorded by Rewari’s Sub Divisional Magistrate in civil hospital, alleged that she and her mother, Sita Devi, had consumed poison due to police harassment. Sarika had further stated that she, along with her mother, were brought to the police station in connection with the murder of their father. Initially a case for murder and other offences under Section 302, IPC was registered by the police, but the offence was later converted to Section 306 of the IPC pertaining to abetment to suicide.

Mr Justice Jain ruled: “Considering that the accused, namely Inspector Sri Ram and Sub Inspector Lek Ram of Dharuhera police station, were allegedly involved, in my opinion, it is a fit case where the investigation of the case should be conducted by an independent agency. This is necessary to repose confidence in the minds of the complainant’s side in particular and the public at large in general”.

The Judge also directed that an officer not below the Inspector’s rank would conduct the investigation and complete it within three months. He also directed Rewari’s Superintendent of Police to hand over the case file to his counterpart in the CBI.

Firm can lower retiring age

In a significant judgement affecting a large number of employees approaching superannuation, the High Court today ruled that the authority which had the right and the power to enhance the age of retirement could also reduce it, provided the action was not arbitrary in nature.

Delivering the verdict on a bunch of 17 writ petitions including one filed by Mr H.R. Wadhwa against National Fertilizers Limited, Mr Justice R.L. Anand of the High Court ruled: “In the present case, as per the service conditions, the age of retirement of the petitioner was 58 years which was subsequently enhanced to 60.... The policy decision of NFL was not actuated or influenced by any arbitrary considerations, therefore, it cannot be struck down. The effect of the order was equal for all those persons who were equally placed. No merit, dismissed”.

In his petition, Mr Wadhwa had sought the quashing of an order issued on October 1 last year rolling back the age of retirement from 60 years to 58 years.

AICTE team told to inspect college

For verifying whether necessary infrastructure was available at Anupama College of Engineering in Haryana, a Division Bench of the High Court today directed All India Council for Technical Education to send its team of experts for inspection on February 13.

Issuing directions, the Bench, comprising Mr Justice N.K. Sodhi and Mr Justice Jasbir Singh, also ruled that the team would associate with it the representatives of Maharshi Dayanand University and the state government. The Judges also directed the university and the state to inform the council about the names of their representatives on or before February 12. They fixed February 15 as the date for submitting the report”.

In their detailed order, the Judges observed: “To verify whether the college has the necessary infrastructure and whether it should be allowed to start the classes and with a view to settle the controversy, we direct AICTE to send its team”.

In their petition, the college students had claimed that they were admitted to different courses on the basis of merit in the Common Entrance Test held by Guru Jambeshwar University at Hisar. The college at that time was affiliated to the university, but was disaffiliated for the 2001-02 academic session. The university, on the other hand, had claimed that “whatever little infrastructure the college was not as per the norms fixed by the council”.

Mann’s plea

In a petition before the High Court, Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, MP, today sought the registration of a first information report against Prime Minister A. B. Vajpayee, Home Minister L. K. Advani and Congress President Sonia Gandhi for allegedly brandishing swords during election rallies. The petition is likely to be taken up for hearing on Monday.

In his petition, Mr Mann stated that the act of brandishing swords, as evident from the photographs published in the newspapers, was an offence under Section 25 of the Arms Act and was punishable with imprisonment for a term not less than three years, extending up to seven years.

Recovery order quashed

Taking up a petition filed by a JBT teacher, a Division Bench of the High Court, comprising Mr Justice Swatanter Kumar and Mr Justice Mehtab Singh Gill, quashed recovery order passed by the Education Department on the ground that the petitioner had acquired higher education after the cut-off date — March 8, 1990. In her petition, Sunita Rani, working with a government primary school at Nahoni in Ambala district, had challenged the recovery order. Her counsel had claimed that the petitioner was granted the benefit of the JST grade on the basis of a judgement and as such the action of the respondents amounted to contempt and was against the principles of natural justice. The judgement had become final as regard to the parties.

CULTURE

10 artistes honoured
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, February 8
The Punjab Sangeet Natak Akademi has honoured 10 artistes from this region for their contributions in performing arts.

The list of awardees include Kathak exponent of international repute. M.L. Koser, celebrated doyen of classical music and founder Principal of the Apeejay College of Fine Arts Shankar Lal Mishra, ‘Giddah’ artiste Surjit Kaur, Balbir Singh Sekhon, Manohar Deepak, Harbhajan Singh, Kuldip Manak, Paramjit Sidhu, Sukhi Brar and Dolly Guleria.

Meanwhile, the Sangeet Natak Kala Niketan, Jaipur, has decided to bestow the Pt Manmohan Bhatt Memorial Award on M.L. Koser and his wife Shobha Koser for their efforts for the promotion and propagation of Indian classical dance and music.

Though the Sangeet Kala Niketan has been organising Pt Manmohan Bhatt Memorial Festivals of Indian classical music and dance for the past 18 years, this is for the first time the Pt Manmohan Bhatt Memorial Award has been instituted. The award will be conferred on the Kosers on February 20 in Jaipur.