220 students receive prizes
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 1
Students and staff of the Guru Nanak Institute of Management and Technology, Gujarkhan Campus, Model Town, celebrated its second annual prize distribution function here today.

Students were given prizes for their performance in academics, sports and cultural activities. Nearly 200 students were given prizes. Ritika Bisht, who had topped in the BCA examination in the university, won a special award. Other prominent winners were Rakhi Arora, Vidhi Aggarwal, Abha Bajaj, Gaganvir, Sonia Sial, Harsimrat, Ruchika Arora, Puneet Hora, Varinder and Rajinder Kaur.

Highlighting the achievements of the students round the year, Dr A.S. Bansal, director of the institute, said that the students had performed very well in academics. He said that in sports, the college was declared the best by the PTU. The students were declared winners in volleyball, the first runners-up in athletics and second runners-up in badminton.

The college team which had won the first prize in singing competition at the university level presented the shabad. Bhangra was presented during the concluding part. Mr Paramjit Singh Sarna, president of the college trust, was the chief guest.

COURTS

BSNL ordered to pay compensation
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 1
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) to pay Rs 4,000 as compensation on account of deficient services, to Mr Prabh Dial Ahuja, resident of Sector-39, Urban Estate. The forum has also directed the BSNL to give rent rebate to consumer for 50 days during which telephone remained faulty and to pay Rs 500 to him as cost of litigation.

According to the complaint, the consumer, a retired government lecturer, used to conduct tuitions. The representative of the complainant, Mr S.S. Sarna, said the consumer had taken a telephone connection (660433) for smooth running of his business, but the telephone went out of order every month. He said the telephone remained faulty for almost whole month in June, 2001.

It was alleged by the complainant that he had lodged complaint with the BSNL, but to no avail. The complainant demanded that the respondent should be directed to provide fortnightly reading of the telephone from April 1, 2001.

Mr Sarna said the consumer had suffered a lot due to negligence of the respondent. It was demanded from the forum that the BSNL should be directed to set the telephone in order, to give rent rebate for the period during which telephone remained faulty and to pay compensation of Rs 5,000, along with cost of litigation.

The BSNL denied that the telephone had remained faulty. It claimed that the complaints booked by the consumer were attended to by the BSNL officials and that he never lodged any complaint during the period from July 31, to September 13, 2001. The BSNL had prayed for dismissal of the complaint.

The forum observed that as per the fault card produced, the complainant had reported as many as 12 faults during the period from January 29 to September 13, 2001. The forum further observed that in some of the months, the telephone remained faulty even for more than one time. Besides the respondent had also written a letter to complainant, mentioning therein that he had been allowed rent rebate for the period from June 9 to June 16, 2001; from June 26 to July 4, 2001; and July 31 to September 8.

The forum said the total period for which the telephone remained faulty during the said three intervals was 58 days, however, as per the letter, rent rebate of only Rs 200 was given.

The forum observed when the fault was for 58 days then rent rebate should have been given for the said period. The forum held that the BSNL had not allowed proper rent rebate to the complainant. As the telephone had remained faulty for 40 days continuously, it was a proof of negligence on the part of the BSNL, the forum observed.