Charity begins at school
Monica Sharma

Chandigarh, March 13
NGOs have the responsibility of teaching under privileged the children, schools have the space. No wonder, a large number of volunteers from various NGOs are getting in touch with privately-managed institutions in the city for conducting short-term vocational courses for the not-so-privileged students during the post-examination vacations.

The reason behind this decision is not very hard to see. School buildings usually remain locked during holidays. Volunteers, on the other hand, have “so much to do for their charges” but no permanent place to carry out the activities.

“For optimum utilisation of the premises even during holidays, we are considering the possibility of getting in touch with schools to allow us to use the classrooms,” says Dinesh Chauhan, working with a city-based NGO. “The schools have nothing to lose. The have-nots of the society have everything to gain. It is nothing but social service.”

Their plan is simple. NGOs will conduct classes for the not-so-fortunate students, who, otherwise during the vacations, do nothing but play cricket the whole day. Or else, smoke away their parents’ hard earned money.

“We will be teaching them the art of earning while they study,“ says Dhiraj. “The idea behind our project is that the students should no more remain a burden on their families and are not forced to ask their parents for money to buy books, pens and other essential goods.”

Giving details, he adds, “The students will be given instructions about basic principles of marketing and selling. Besides this, they will also be taught way and means of repairing household gadgets.”

“We will basically be teaching students those ‘tricks’ through which they can earn more without wasting time meant for studies,” he reveals. “We will also encourage them to make a career out of their vocational activities at a later stage.”

Another volunteer, Sudesh says, “The lessons in marketing will help the students in selling goods like cutlery from house to house. They will also gain confidence in the process,” he claims.

Tiny tots turn Italian bakers
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 13
Carrying the “learn as you have fun” paradigm to its logical conclusion were the Lower KG students of Strawberry Fields as they took over the kitchenette of Domino Pizza in Sector 34, Chandigarh. They experienced their first lesson at self-help as they proficiently tossed their cheese-onion-capsicum pizzas onto large ovens, finding their appetite matching their enhanced self-esteem as they congratulated themselves on turning chefs, even if for those brief memorable moments. The modern squeaky-clean kitchen was completely geared for the convenience of the junior cooks. Low shelves and cabinets, blunt knives and graters and smiling adult faces who guided them as they seasoned and garnished their individual pizzas with panache.

According to the class teacher, Neena Aggarwal, “this fun-cum-educational outing was one which our students are going to remember for a long time. Modern lifestyle has made fast foods, takeaways and dial-a-pizza services a household feature. Which is why these children thoroughly enjoyed seeing the place where their pizzas are ordered. Actually being a part of the creation process has not just given them a sense of achievement but also shown them the importance of hygiene, knowledge of correct usage of electrical gadgetry and the enjoyment which comes from sharing and eating together.”

Strawberry Fields has no formal examinations but they do like to end their academic year with an informal assessment followed by a few well-planned outdoor trips. Considerable thought and effort go into planning these trips with the objective of giving children a warm send-off before they break for their summer vacation while giving them a reference point to talk, discuss, share and learn from the unique experience.

Earlier during the week students of all the classes had gone to the Chhat Bir zoo. The exercise was preceded by a weeklong discussion in class on animals, their habitat and food and lifestyle pattern. Through charts, picture books, stories and audio-visual aids the theme was discussed and then followed up by a visit. The end result was animated discussion, impromptu singing of songs and drawings which will find their way in their scrapbooks — a reminder of their visits to the zoo and to their favourite pizza corner.

Principal denies infighting
Our Correspondent

Dera Bassi, March 13
Mrs Manohar Kaur, Principal of the local Government Degree College, has denied any groupism and infighting among the college teachers. She said she was on half-day leave on March 9 when confusion prevailed among teachers over conducting of last paper of Class XI.

Mrs Kaur said that the college authorities had to postpone the paper of Class XI at last stage only after the superintendent and in charge of examinations of Class XII, being conducted by the Punjab School Education Board, informed that as these were more than 650 candidates, they needed additional rooms and infrastructure. Meanwhile, the postponed paper could not be conducted today, and over 150 students had to go back disappointed second time today. The paper would be conducted on Friday, the Principal said.

COURTS

HIGH COURT
Show-cause notice to Haryana
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 13
The High Court on Wednesday asked the state of Haryana and other respondents to show cause why a petition filed by eight head constables seeking the quashing of their transfer orders should not be admitted. The case will now come up for further hearing on March 21.

Seeking the quashing of the orders, head constable Mohinder Singh and others, in their petition taken up by Mr Justice Swatanter Kumar and Mr Justice Mehtab Singh Gill, had contended that they were illegally transferred to the Indian Reserve Battalion. This was in contravention of the Punjab Police Rules applicable to the state of Haryana, their counsel said.

Stay on land gift cancellation

Legal Correspondent adds:
A Division Bench of the High Court, comprising Mr Justice H.S. Bedi and Mr Justice Ashutosh Mohunta, today stayed the operation of orders passed by the state of Haryana cancelling the gift deed in favour of Sai Jagriti Society near Yamunanagar.

It was submitted by the petitioner that 27 acres gifted by a gram panchayat in 1991 was sought to be cancelled on the ground that it was leading to revenue loss. It was further contended that the society had constructed buildings, including hospitals, schools and vocational training centres after spending more than Rs 1.5 crore. 

Sentence for rape of minor upheld

Removing all misconceptions about rape, Mr Justice M.L. Singhal of the High Court, today ruled that the slightest degree of penetration with or without emission was sufficient to constitute the offence.

Dismissing an appeal filed by a 21-year-old Ambala district resident against the orders of his conviction, Mr Justice Singhal ruled that in the current case "there was penetration, even though it was slight". In his detailed order, the Judge held that Nirmal Singh, alias Kaka was justifiably sentenced to 10 years rigorous imprisonment for raping a four-year-old girl. The Judge added: "He behaved like a savage and a brute and made a hapless girl of four years the object of his sexual lust. He allowed his animal instinct to outweigh the norms of decency and cultural behaviour".

Nirmal Singh of Naraingarh was earlier booked for rape under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code. According to the prosecution story, the accused had taken the girl to his residence before committing the offence.

Four-day police remand for Kansal
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, March 13
The UT Assistant Excise and Taxation Commissioner, S.P. Kansal, who was arrested by the CBI on the charges of misusing his official position and possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income, was sent to four days of police custody by a local court here today. The case against him has been registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

S.P. Kansal was produced in the court of the UT Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr C.L. Mohal, sent him to the police custody till March 16.

The CBI had sought 10 days of police remand for the accused “to recover the documents of his illegal property, shares and other assets”. The CBI counsel alleged Kansal had acquired various properties — in his name as well as ‘benami’.

The CBI said the other charges against him were detaining of lottery tickets and other goods worth several crore rupees, besides not recovering sales tax and penalty from a number of firms. He said this acts had caused huge loses to the exchequer.

Kansal’s lawyer said the accused had been falsely implicated in the case and the CBI had failed to recover the documents in two months of investigation. He said there was no need of a custodial interrogation of the accused as he had already been cooperating with the CBI.

He said the property alleged to be his was owned by the other members of his family as well, who had various other sources of income.

DISTRICT COURTS
Remand of ‘Pakistani’s helper’ extended
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, March 13
A local court sent Madan Lal, a food inspector, to one more day of police custody. The CID had arrested him on the charge of helping a Pakistani, Mohamad Riaz, forge documents.

Meanwhile, the court has also dismissed the bail plea moved by the two accused in the case.

Three others arrested on the same charge — Kehar Singh, Kuljinder Singh and Blabir Singh — have already been sent to judicial custody.

The special branch of the Delhi police had arrested Mohamad Riaz under the Official Secrets Acts and the Foreign Act. It was alleged that he had stayed in Sector 45 here on a fake name (Vikramjit Singh) in 1999. A local person and a student of Panjab University had got him a forged ration card.

Riaz had told his neighbour that he belonged to Ferozepore. The accused also had a forged identity card of Delhi University.

Warrant against Ford MD

A local court has issued a warrant of arrest against the Managing Director of Ford India and some other persons in a case related to the execution of an order against the company.

The case against the company had been filed by a man called Jasbir Singh Grewal. Since the order had not been carried out, the state commission had referred the matter to the court.

Bomb hoax in courts
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, March 13
A bomb hoax on the court premises had lawyers and litigants remain disturbed for more than two hours here today.

The police said its control room had received the a telephone call at about 1.30 pm that someone has planted a bomb in the courts. At this, more than 20 policemen and a bomb-disposal squad with a sniffer dog had reached the court at about 2 pm.

The search continued for about two hours in courts, corridors and lawyers’ chambers.

The court proceeding was not disturbed during the search and all Judges and employees remained on the premises. Hearing in the S.P. Kansal case also continued during this.

There was no panic as most persons had already been considering it a bomb hoax. Even employees of the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana did not bother to leave office.

Meanwhile, sources said the call to the police control room had been made from a Sector 17 STD booth. A police team that reached there was told that the caller was a woman in black suit.

CULTURE

150 artisans to feature in crafts bazar
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 13
The Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, is back once more with its promise of a fair deal to craftsperson's all over the country. The crafts bazaar, the Ministry’s initiative to enable artisans in establishing a direct dialogue with customers, opened in Circus Ground, Sector 17. Being organised jointly this time by the government and the Himachal Pradesh State Handicrafts and Handloom Corporation, the fair features over 150 artisans from all over India — right from Punjab to Kanyakumari.

Talking about the involvement of Himachal Pradesh in the entire affair, Mr D.K. Gupta, general manager of the corporation, said, “Earlier during this year we exhibited our products in the city and received a tremendous applause. Our corporation also collaborated with the Government of India to organise a similar crafts bazaar in Jaipur sometime back. It was a great success. That is how we have again offered our services.”

The level of products being stocked can well be gauged from the fact that the office of development commissioner for handicrafts has budgeted Rs 10 lakh for the organisation of this bazaar, which will last till March 22. The most interesting part of today’s opening was the inauguration of the bazaar by two artisans, who have been awarded the President’s Medal for excellence in craftsmanship. For once, instead of a VIP doing the honour, the show was actually held by two state awardees — Haryana’s Rajendra Prasad Bondwal (for sandalwood carving) and Orissa’s Banmali Mahapatra (for patt paintings). While the former received the President’s Medal in 1984, the latter received the same in 1981.

Among the products on display, some have arrived in the city for the first time. Mahapatra has brought with him a whole range of patt paintings, which have been intricately executed on special tree leaves. The range is reasonable. Available also is a whole range of delicately designed cane wood furniture from various states of the country. Sunil Das from West Bengal has a different style of moulding cane. He has displayed everything conceivable — from furniture to other household utility items.

While metal works from Naraingarh and brass works from Madhya Pradesh are equally attractive. So is the handloom collection which includes daris by Sayeed Usman from Andhra Pradesh and block print bedsheets and bedcovers by Ganesh Khatri from Rajasthan. A whole range of footwear from the famous Maharashtra town of Kolhapur is being managed by artisan R.K. Mani.

Among the paintings are miniatures by Madhya Pradesh. Mahesh Kumar Vaishnav, the artisan, has been learning the art from generations. Palm leaf basketware from Haryana to cotton lace work from kanyakumari, the bazaar actually offers a variety of the entire country and its art works. Also on display are lucky birth stones by Ambrish Sharma and sola wood works by Anjan Malagra from West Bengal. Sola wood works have come to the city for the first time. Created out of typical wood, rarely found, the motifs have been very delicate designed. Also seen for the first time are silver filigree works from Cuttack. They have been executed by artisan Saroj.

Admn resumes Jhankar from March 15
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 13
After a gap of about four months, the UT Administration is back with Jhankar, a series devoted to the Indian classical dance tradition. Come March 15 and yet another dance form will stand bared in all its might at Shantikunj. As always, this time also the focus will be on highlighting the nuances of a particular dance tradition through the choreographic sequences by a reputed guru in the discipline and the disciples.

Where the last series featured gurus of the order of Bharati Shivaji (Mohiniattam), Rajendra Gangani (Kathak), Leela Samson (Bharatanatyam) and Madhavi Mudagal (Orissi), this time the fort will be held by Kanaka Srinivasan, who has been pursuing Bharatanatyam since the age of 15. Trained under renowned guru Vezhuvoor Ramayya Pillai, Kanaka has been one of the leading exponents of the Vezhuvoor style for the Past 30 years.