PAU employees hold dharna
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 3
On a call of the Universities and Education Board Employees Federation, Punjab and Chandigarh, members of the Punjab Agricultural University Employees’ Union and the PAU Fourth Class Workers Union staged a dharna in front of Thapar Hall, PAU, here today.

A massive protest rally was held in the afternoon which was also attended by the union leaders of other universities and the Punjab School Education Board. Mr Amrit Pal, general secretary of the union, said the members were demanding the quick implementation of the decision of the managing bodies, complete implementation of the Secretariat pattern and regularisation of the 63-day agitational period, release of DA by the Punjab Government, reinstatement of the LTC facility, withdrawal of the anti-employees revisions in the pension formula, provision of the leave encashment and medical allowance. They also demanded that privatisation and disinvestment should be stopped to encourage employment and provide educational, health and water services at low charges to the general masses.

Giving further details, Mr D.P Maur, president, said prior to 1970, the employees of universities and the board were getting higher pay scales and allowances than those in the Punjab Civil Secretariat due to the requirement of personnel with higher educational and responsibility levels to materialise the green revolution and spread of education. But after 1970, universities/board employees were brought down at par with those of the Secretariat, he said. The loss of the then employees was covered by giving them two advance increments, but since the early `90s, the Punjab Government had started to snatch the Civil Secretariat pattern from the employees of universities and the board one by one, resulting in acute resentment and unrest amongst the employees, he said.

Mr Maur said since then, a number of important decisions taken by the Board of Managements, Syndicates and Senates were not being admitted by the Finance Department of the Punjab Government which was sheer interference in the autonomous character of these institutions. In spite of the historic verdict by the Supreme Court in favour of autonomy of universities and against the interference of the state government, the Secretariat pattern has not been implemented completely. The decisions of the managing bodies are also not being implemented. Moreover, the 63-day agitational period has not been regularised which does not involve any financial liability. Amidst such a situation, the anti-employees budgetary proposals of the Punjab Government have added to the resentment among the employees.

The others who addressed the rally included Mr Amarjit Bai, Mr Sukhwant Sidhu, Mr S.S. Randhawa, Mr D.P. Sharma, Hardev Ghaloti and Mr R.K. Rohilla.

NSS camp at Doraha college
Our Correspondent

Doraha, July 3
A 10-day NSS camp was organised at Guru Nanak National College, Doraha, which concluded here yesterday.

About 75 students participated in the camp under the command of Prof Harwinder Kaur and Prof Amarjit Kaur. The main purpose of the camp was to create awareness among the villagers and slum-dwellers of the area regarding health education and introduction of new techniques in agriculture.

The camp was inaugurated by Dr Ishwar Singh, president College Management Committee, and Mr Jaswant Singh Gill, Principal of the college. The volunteers cleaned the college campus, pruned the plants and regularly went to Harijan Basti and Bajigar Basti to teach illiterate people.

During the camp, a team from Taraksheel Society was invited to the camp. The experts, Mr Jaswant Singh and Mr Gurmel Singh, enlightened the NSS volunteers regarding false superstitions , black magic and magic tricks. By performing various tricks practically they tried to prove that tricks are nothing but manipulations and a mere eyewash. So the volunteers, they asserted, must play a vital role in pulling out society from these superstitions that prove to be a hindrance in free growth.

A team of scientists was invited from Punjab Agricultural University and a special gathering of volunteers and villagers was arranged at Mehdoodan village, towards the concluding of the camp. Dr D.S. Khurana, Department of Vegetable Crops, Dr Parminder Singh, Department of Floriculture, Dr J.S. Sharma, Department of Horticulture, Dr C.S. Malhi, Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Dr Neena Singla, Department of Zoology and Fisheries, educated the villagers and volunteers regarding the importance and cultivation of vegetable, flowers, orchards and also taught them how to protect the crop from rodents and birds. The camp was inaugurated by Dr C.L. Narang, NSS Director, Panjab University, Chandigarh. In his address, he elaborated upon the aims and objectives of the National Service Scheme and motivated the girls to be self-dependent and self-sufficient.

Apart from this various competitions were organised. These included mehandi-competition, flower making competition, hair-designing competition and cooking competition, during the camp.

COURTS

Forum quashes PSEB demand of Rs 67,883
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 3
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has quashed a demand of Rs 67,884 of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) from Mr Ramesh Kumar, a resident of Ganeshpuri. The forum has further directed the PSEB to refund the amount deposited against the said demand along with interest at the rate of 12 per cent per annum from the date of deposit till actual payment.

According to the complaint, the meter installed on the premises of the consumer was changed in July, 2000, and the removed meter was taken away by PSEB officials in a loose condition. Mr Ramesh Kumar stated before the forum that after changing the meter, a demand of Rs 67,884 was raised on account of theft of energy by the PSEB.

Mr Kumar said that he did not steal energy and the allegations were false and baseless. He further said that after removing the meter, it was not packed and sealed properly, which was necessary as per PSEB rules. Moreover, neither he nor his representative was given any notice to remain present at the time of checking of the meter and none of them attended the checking of meter in the M E Laboratory.

The consumer said he had to deposit the said amount under the threat of disconnection. He further stated that his electric connection was also disconnected and restored on July 25, 2001, only when he agreed to pay the said amount. He had paid the amount in installment.

Mr Kumar alleged that the demand was illegal as the PSEB had not complied with its rules while raising the said demand. He demanded from the forum that the disputed demand should be quashed and he should be given compensation by the PSEB for unnecessary harassment.

The PSEB pleaded that the said electric connection was checked on July 4, 2000, and it was reported that both M E seals were tampered with. The respondent maintained that according to the report, the meter was recording less consumption of energy by 60 per cent. The checking was done in the presence of a representative of consumer, Ms Menu, who had also signed the paper seals.

The PSEB stated that the packed and sealed meter was sent to the M E Laboratory on July 11, 2000. It further stated that the after checking of the meter in the laboratory, it was found that the seals and current coil were tampered with, and it was recording less consumption of energy by 63.5 per cent.

The respondent clarified that it was a clear case of theft of energy and as such the demand of Rs 67,883 was rightly raised. It prayed for the dismissal of complaint as there was no deficiency in service on its part.

The forum observed that there was no evidence to prove that the meter was packed and sealed properly after removing it and the representative of the consumer signed the paper seals. The forum further observed that neither consumer nor his representative were issued any notice to remain present at the time of checking of the meter and none of them were present at that time.

It stated that the PSEB had not complied with its rules while raising the said demand. The forum held that the demand had been raised against rules and it was liable to be quashed. But since the demand had been quashed due to some technical reasons, no cost of litigation was awarded to the consumer.