PhD, MPhil school teachers to meet EM
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, April 1
Resentment prevails among PhD and MPhil-qualified school teachers over the non-acceptance of their demand to set up a new promotion scale based up on qualification.

Stating this in a press note, Ms Kanwaljit Kaur Bal, President of PhD, MPhil School Teachers’ Association, said that all PhD-qualified school teachers should be considered eligible for promotion from master cadre to headmaster, headmaster to principal or lecturer to principal after three years of services on the post. She said that MPhil-qualified teachers be considered eligible for promotion on-a similar pattern after five years of service.

Ms Bal said that the members had been demanding that only PhD or MPhil qualified staff be appointed at in-service training centres. She said that such centres at Ludhiana, Amritsar and Patiala were without any lecturers in English and Punjabi and resource persons had to be deputed from time to time. Ms Bal said that such posts be filled with qualified staff so that the seminars could be held regularly.

Ms Bal further said that the members demanded that only PhD-qualified senior lecturers be appointed as science supervisors. She said that postgraduation should be made compulsory qualification for appointment of headmasters in government schools. The process would encourage pursuance of higher education among school staff.

Ms Bal said the association would soon hold a meeting in this regard with Mr Khushal Behl, Minister of Languages, Primary, Secondary and Higher Education. Mr R.S. Sandhu, Education Secretary, and Mr Jagtar Singh Khattra, DPI (schools), Punjab. 

Schools hold prize distribution functions 
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, April 1
Annual prize distribution function of Tagore Vidya Mandir, Punjab Mata Nagar, and Shanti Niketan Adarsh Vidyalaya, Benjamin Road, were held here yesterday.

At Tagore Vidya Mandir, 136 students were given prizes. These included students of LKG, UKG and Class I who had obtained above 90 per cent marks, students of Class II, III and IV who had scored above 85 per cent marks and students of Class V, VI, VII and VIII who had obtained at least 80 per cent marks in their annual examinations.

On the occasion, 102 students of the school participated in a cultural programme which began with the school prayer. The students presented group songs, skits and dance items. The main attraction of the programme was ‘Mirza’, a choreography by Class VII and VIII students. Giddha and bhangra items were presented by senior students.

Prof Hazara Singh, an eminent educationist and former head of the Department of Journalism, Languages and Culture, Punjab Agricultural University, was the chief guest of the function. Ms M.K. Aulakh, Principal, read out the annual report of the school.

At Shanti Niketan Adarsh Vidyalaya, nearly 150 students received prizes. On the occasion, the tiny tots presented a cultural show. Nursery and KG kids recited poems and sang songs. Neetika of Nursery recited poem ‘Mummy and daddy’, Rahul of pre-nursery presented an action song on ‘Jaldi sona jaldi uthna’, Venu of KG recited ‘Humpty Dumpty’ and Karamjit Kaur sang ‘Let us pray’. The best item was the giddha presented by the girls of pre-nursery and Class I.

Industry-based courses likely for students
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, April, 1
To create more employment opportunities for students of Panjab University colleges, several short duration industry-based courses are likely to be started in the new session.

Ms Harmit Kaur, PU Senator and Principal, Ramgarhia Girls College, said that courses of three- month to one-year duration were likely to be started at Panjab University Extension Library. She said that the courses would be offered to students of BA, B.Sc and B.Com in various colleges so that they would be able to have better chances of placement as soon as they completed their graduation.

Ms Harmit Kaur said a meeting in this regard would be held at the college on April 6 and leading industrialists from different trades from all over Punjab would be invited for discussing the scope for various courses. She said the demands of the industry and need for specific training would also be discussed.

PAU convocation on April 5
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, April 1
The annual convocation of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) will be held on April 5 in the Pal Auditorium on the university campus here. Dr Panjab Singh, Director-General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, and Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education, Government of India, New Delhi, will be the chief guest on the occasion.

Lieut-Gen J.F.R. Jacob (retd), Governor, Punjab, who is also the Chancellor of the university, will confer Master’s and Doctoral degrees on 368 candidates. Giving this information, Dr V.K. Sharma, Acting Registrar, said teachers and students with outstanding achievements will also be honoured on this occasion.

COURTS

PSEB demand illegal, says forum
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, April 1
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) to adjust the amount of Rs 1,990 illegally recovered from Mr Parvesh Kumar, a resident of Khud Mohalla. The forum further stated that the amount must be adjusted against the consumption charges of the consumer within one month of receipt of the order.

According to the complaint, as per family settlement, the ground floor of the property in dispute where the disputed connection (SB. 44/0270) was installed in the name of the father of the consumer, had fallen to his share. The representative of the complainant, Mr S.S. Sarna said that the consumer had been making regular payments of the electricity bills. But the board officials disconnected the connection on March 10, 2000 and removed the electricity meter on March 14, 2000, he added.

Mr Sarna disclosed that the consumer had filed a complaint regarding the disconnection, before this forum, on March 27, 2000 and after that the connection was restored in the middle of November, 2000, on the direction of this forum. He further disclosed that the PSEB had charged an amount of Rs 1,990 on account of sundry charges from the consumer on April 8, 2001. When the consumer inquired about the said amount, he was told that the said amount has been recovered on account of minimum charges for the period during which the meter had remained disconnected, he said.

Mr Sarna stated that when the consumer pleaded that the disconnection was due to the negligence of the board officials, he was asked to deposit the said amount in order to avoid disconnection. He further stated that that the consumer had even written a letter to the PSEB to refund the amount illegally recovered but to no avail. It was demanded from the forum that PSEB be directed to refund the amount of Rs 1,990 along with interest at the rate of 18 per cent per annum from the date of deposit till actual refund and to pay Rs 2,000 as compensation.

The PSEB pleaded that the electric connection was disconnected on March, 14, 2000 as the demand of Rs 14,763 raised included the charges on account of theft of energy. It was admitted that on the direction of this forum, the connection was restored.

The respondent maintained that as per the rules of PSEB, minimum charges for the period from May to November, 2000 were claimed and the sum of Rs 1,990 was debited to the account of the consumer which was recovered through bill issued on April 8, 2001. The PSEB prayed that since there was no deficiency in services, the complaint was liable to be dismissed.

The forum observed, “the respondent has placed reliance on rule 39.4 of PSEB, according to which if the consumer removes the default/clears the outstanding dues and seeks reconnection within the period of one year from the date of permanent disconnection, then minimum charges have to be recovered for the period of disconnection. “

The forum further observed that however the said rule is not applicable to this case since there was no default on the part of consumer.” The forum held that the respondent had raised the illegal demand and the same was liable to be quashed.

Rapist gets life imprisonment
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, April 1
Mr B.K. Mehta, Additional Sessions Judge, Ludhiana, has convicted Ros Mohammad of Bihar for raping a seven-year-old girl and sentenced him to rigorous life imprisonment, besides imposing a fine of Rs 1,000.

An FIR was registered against the accused and one Meena Devi on July 31, 2001, under Sections 376 and 120-B of the IPC at the Sahnewal police station on the statement of mother of the girl. However, the court acquitted Meena Devi giving her the benefit of doubt. The complainant had alleged in her statement that she was residing at her parental house at Harir village, Sahnewal. On July 30, 2001, Meena Devi had come to their house to fetch milk. While returning, she took her daughter with her. When her daughter did not return, they searched for her.

Later, someone informed them that their daughter was lying unconscious in the fields. They reached there and took the girl to hospital at Koomkalan, where she disclosed that she was raped by a migrant labourer.

After few days, Inspector Niranjan Singh, investigating officer, held an identification parade of about 50 persons and the girl identified the accused.

Though the accused pleaded not guilty and claimed that he was being falsely implicated in the case, the court held him guilty on the basis of convincing evidence and sentenced him to life imprisonment.

Convicted for murdering and raping minor
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, April 1
The District and Sessions Judge, Mr V.B. Handa, has convicted Usmaan (26), a resident of Indira Colony, for murdering and raping a minor girl.

Mr Handa sentenced the convict to life imprisonment and a fine of Rs 2,000, under Section 302 of the IPC. In case of default, he would have to undergo imprisonment for four more months. Besides, Mr Handa, has also sentenced him to seven-year rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1,000 under Section 376 of the IPC. In case of default, he would have to undergo imprisonment for two more months.

According to information available, Usmaan, a migrant labourer from Gonda in Uttar Pardesh, on April 27, 1998, found a minor girl of age of 15 years alone at home in the afternoon. He entered the house and raped the girl. Later he put kerosene on the girl and set her fire. But incidentally, elder brothers of the girl returned home at that time and caught the accused red-handed on the spot. The girl succumbed to burn injuries.