EDUCATION

Schools’ merger dispute continues
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 25
While there seems to be no let up in tension between Dev Samaj junior and senior secondary school on account of the merger, the UT Education Department says it would be guided by the management’s decision with regard to the school.

Being run by a private management, though the department cannot interfere in decisions taken with regard to the two schools, it is very clear on the fact that if the management does not accept revoking the merger decision, the junior school would lose its recognition.

Says the DPI (Schools), Mr D.S. Mangat, “We have given recognition to Dev Samaj Junior Model School. If it ceases to exist going by the merger, it implies that the school cannot function under the same name. This, in turn, implies that the junior school would have to apply afresh under norms laid down for the purpose.”

The department has not yet gone ahead with cancelling the recognition of the junior school and is adopting a wait-and-watch policy with regard to the merger. Once that is final, the junior school would lose recognition and its Class VIII students would be allowed to appear privately in the board examinations.

Meanwhile, the authorities and management of Dev Samaj Senior Secondary School, Sector 21, made one last attempt to bring in teachers of the junior school. “We sent reminders through courier asking these teachers to join by July 31. After all there has to be some limit to joining time, especially since they were offered jobs right after the merger,” said manager Satyawati.

They also called up parents of students of the junior wing urging them to send their wards to school or at least inform them so that names of children not interested in coming are struck off the rolls.

“We tried to send a letter to Principal Urmil Sharma informing her that she could not use the school name since she had been suspended. However, she is refusing to accept this letter,” Ms satyawti explained.

The PTA President of the junior school, Ms Pragya Shukla, said the management had gone back on its word of holding a meeting scheduled for today to discuss the merger.

“After our memorandum, they decided to cancel the meeting altogether. Now, we are not hopeful of any decision in our favour. Moreover, teachers from the senior secondary school visited our schools and pressurised teachers and students to come to the senior wing. This is not acceptable,” she added.

PU yet to decide on ministry circular
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 25
Panjab University is yet to take a final decision with regard to the circular from the Ministry of Human Resource and Development seeking discontinuance of service of those who have crossed 60 years.

Prof K.N. Pathak, the Vice-Chancellor, who returned to the office from a visit to Delhi today, said he was yet to size up the matter. A delegation of Panjab University Teachers Association (PUTA) also met the Vice-chancellor today and expressed their dissent on the issue.

Meanwhile, a writ petition has been filed by at least 38 teachers against the university. It will come up for hearing before a Division Bench headed by Mr Justice Swantanter Kumar tomorrow.

The All-India Federation of University and College Teachers Organisation, in a press note “expressed serious concern at the decision taken by the MHRD denying the benefit of age of superannuation at 62 for the PU teachers”. Dr V.K. Tewari, national general secretary, condemned “ the blatantly unjust and contradictory decision taken by MHRD in contravention of its own notification.”

Dr Tewari was hinting at the enhancement of age of retirement of central universities till 62 while for PU, which was partially funded by the Centre, the circular said it would not go beyond 60.

PU results
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 25
A number of results of Panjab University examinations conducted earlier this year were declared today, according to an official press note.

These include M.Sc (honours) Botany (II); M.Sc (honours) Bio-Technology (II); LL.B (VI); MA-I (Physical Education); BFA-I; B.Arch (IV); and MBA (HR) (III).

Copies of the result gazette will be available at the enquiry counter on all working days.

Annual Environment Day
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 25
Annual Environment Day was celebrated at C.L. Aggarwal DAV School, Sector 7-B, Chandigarh, today. Mr Ishwar Singh, Chief Conservator, Forests, inaugurated a 'vermiculture compost pit' after which tree plantation was done by guests, parents and students.

Various items reflecting the enthusiasm of students regarding conservation of environment were presented. The highlight of the day was the beautiful song, "Do not cut me", presented by a group of nursery and LKG kids. The prizes were distributed for the inter school drawing competition. An exhibition of the "Best out of waste" was the centre of attraction.

The Principal, Mrs Pramila Dhar, said, ‘‘We have to inculcate concern for environment in children right from the beginning so that as they grow up, they preserve their dear earth for future generations".

COURTS

HIGH COURT
Show cause to CE on transfers
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 25
Taking a serious view of the fact that a Junior Engineer was transferred five times in less than three months, Mr Justice Jawahar Lal Gupta and Mr Justice S.S. Grewal of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today asked the Chief Engineer (Irrigation) to show cause why transfer expenses should not be recovered from him.

Issuing directions on a petition filed by Junior Engineer Amarjeet Singh, the Judges also ordered that status quo regarding his posting would be maintained. In their detailed order, the Judges observed: “The petitioner is working as a Junior Engineer. He complains that during the period from May 5 to July 19, five orders regarding his posting and transfer have been issued. He had already joined at three different places in pursuance of these orders”.

The Judges also observed: “On perusal of the documents produced along with the writ petition, it appears that the Chief Engineer (Drainage) has been frequently passing orders regarding the petitioner’s transfer. A civil servant whenever transferred is entitled to claim expenses involved in shifting from one place to another. Frequent transfers, unless necessitated by administrative exigencies, even cause inconvenience to employees. The Chief Engineer is directed to explain why such frequent orders of transfers were passed. He should also show cause why the expenses which become payable to the petitioner should not be recovered from him personally”.

286 employees’ sack stayed

Issuing notice of motion for August 12, a Division Bench of the High Court today stayed the operation of an order whereby the services of employees working with Haryana State Minor Irrigation (Tubewells) Corporation were terminated.

In their petition taken up by the Bench, comprising Mr Justice J.S. Khehar and Mr Justice Viney Mittal, Mr S.K. Tindwal and 285 other employees had contended that the orders terminating their services were illegal and arbitrary.

Seeking the quashing of another order whereby permission to close down the corporation was granted on the ground that it was running into losses, the petitioners had added same were being caused not due to any lapse or inefficiency on their part but due to faulty policies of the state government.

Order to Punjab on procurement study

A Division Bench of the High Court on Thursday asked counsel for Punjab state to inform the court about the government’s view on availing the services of experts for carrying out an in-depth study regarding the system of paddy procurement in Andhra Pradesh and other states.

Issuing directions, the Bench, comprising Mr Justice G.S. Singhvi and Ms Justice Kiran Anand Lall, suggested that the state counsel could get in touch with the Chief Secretary. The Judges also fixed August 1 as the next date of hearing for enabling counsel to get back to the court with the relevant information.

Earlier during the proceedings, court counsel had told the Judges that in Andhra Pardesh payment to the farmers was being made through cheques. He had added that his suggestions, if accepted by the government and implemented by its agencies, would go a long way in avoiding harassment being faced by the farmers. The High Court had taken suo motu notice of newspaper reports claiming that Rs 25 per quintal of paddy procured was being charged by the commission agents for being passed on as a bribe to the quarters concerned.

LOK ADALATS
Compensation over 44 cr awarded to claimants
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 25
More than Rs 44 crore have been awarded to claimants as compensation in matrimonial and Motor Accident Claims Tribunal till June this year, Mr. Sant Parkash Secretary, State Legal Services Authority, Chandigarh Administration, said today.

About Rs 20 crore have been dispensed by the Special Lok Adalat which holds court once in three months and it has disposed off a total of 22,769 cases so far, including matrimonial disputes, MACT cases. Besides this the Permanent Lok Adalats have so far settled 9,733 cases. Compensation to the tune of Rs 24 crore has been awarded in 4192 MACT cases till the end of June 2002.

The authority settled 20,098 cases at pre-litigative stage and it provided legal assistance to 975 Legal Aid Beneficiaries. Mr Sant Parkash added that the State Legal Services Authority, UT Chandigarh, was constituted under the Legal Service Authority, Act, 1987.

Permanent Lok Adalat established by the authority in the District Courts of Union Territory, Chandigarh on August 7, 1998 happened to be the first Permanent Lok Adalat in the country. It functions on all working days in the District Courts Complex, Sector 17, Chandigarh. There are two more Permanent Lok Adalats set up on the premises of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chandigarh.

Free legal service is also made available to the litigants through counseling, conciliation and mediation for resolving their disputes.

Mr Sant Parkash, while giving details, said nine Legal Aid Counsels attached to the judicial courts in the District Courts were functioning and discharging their duties satisfactorily under the supervision of the state Legal Services Authority by way of holding periodical meetings with the Legal Aid Counsel every month. In order the sensitise people about the Legal Aid schemes and programmes of the authority as many as 34 hoardings have been affixed in which 17 hoardings are at Gram Panchayat offices of the villages of Chandigarh, 11 hoardings are in police stations. Another six hoardings have been put up in Government Hospital, Sector 16, PGI, Panjab University, Bus Stand, Sector 17 and 43 and Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, Chandigarh.

The authorities is also contemplating fixing of hoardings in the premises of the Deputy Commissioner, UT Secretariat Building, Railway Station, Rose/Rock Garden and Sukhna Lake.

A Legal Aid Cell has been set up to commemorate Legal Services Day, in the Model Jail, Chandigarh, and had received 122 applications/representations from the inmates of the jail till June 3. Out of which 112 applications/representations have been successfully disposed of, said the Secretary of the State Legal Services Authority, Chandigarh.

Tehsildar remanded in judicial custody
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, July 25
Gurnam Singh, tehsildar with the UT Estate Officer, who was arrested by the UT Vigilance Department under the Prevention of Corruption Act, was remanded in judicial custody by a local court today.

The accused was produced in the court of the UT Judicial Magistrate(First Class), Mr S.S. Bhardwaj, who remanded him in judicial custody till August 8.

As per the prosecution, Gurnam Singh had allegedly demanded Rs 5,000 from two persons for facilitating conversion of their commercial property from leasehold to freehold. The two persons having booths in Sector 39-B had approached Gurnam Singh and the latter had allegedly demanded Rs 2,500 each from the two to get the job done.

CULTURE

KBC with local overtone
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 25
Here is a KBC with local overtone. Thanks to Alpha (Punjabi) which is all set to cater to the material instincts of Punjab's population, all and sundry will have a chance to carry away large portions of gold, provided they reside in Punjab.

Developed and conceived to offer fun and entertainment on the sets of small screen, the programme titled, ‘Sone pe Suhaga’, will take off on August 19. To be run at the 7 pm slot every Saturday on Alpha (Punjabi), the show will be hosted by the once-famous fun maker Baba Sehgal, who is all set to redefine his identity as a host. As for their choice for an anchor for the show, Zee people seem to be absolutely sure. As Mr Prashant Sanwal, Director, Zee Alpha channels, informed today: "We are here to entertain and not to teach people anything. And to hold the attention of fun loving Punjabis we could not think of a better option than Baba, who has a way with words. In fact, he is our first and last choice for the show."

The game show, which will give away one kg gold every week, will be a quiz-based show which will test the skill of participants in the areas of logic and reasoning power. Each show will have 10 participants who will be auditioned prior to the show. As informed by Mr Sanwal, participants will be chosen on the basis of audience response for participation based on air promotion run on the channel.

Out of 10 players one player will be selected on the basis of on-the-set lucky draw. Adorning the set will be a large video wall comprising 12 screens, each row of the screen representing a category spanning the world of films, history, literature and so on. The participant can choose the section of his own interest and inclination. Talking further, Mr Sanwal said: "A participant will play unless he loses or withdraws. Any wrong answer would entail the loss of all earlier credits."

As for rewards, each category on the 12 screens will have three questions representing a particular among of gold. Question 1 will go for five gm gold; Question 2 for 10 gm; Question 3 for 15 gm. The participant will twin choices — either to play arbitrarily and play for winning the amount of gold attached with every question or to play the Z logo on the screen and win 50 gm gold as bonus. Depending upon the amount of gold to be given away as reward for answering under a particular category, the questions will keep getting tougher.

Apart from the show, the Alpha (Punjab) is also about to initiate a special Punjabi of the year award. The personality, which can hail from any field (art, science, literature, dance, films, business) will be chosen by the viewers. The final selection will be made by a special jury for the purpose.

NEW RELEASE
Dhawan strikes again with ‘Yeh Hai Jalwa’

David Dhawan and Ketan Desai of MKD films are back to make some more movie magic. “Yeh Hai Jalwa” is one of the most ambitious and entertaining films of David Dhawan’s career because it is his tribute to the king of entertainment, late Manmohan Desai. “YHJ” opens on Friday at Batra, Chandigarh and K.C. Panchkula.

Comedy king Jaspal Bhatti plays a brief but important role. Sanjay Dutt has a friendly appearance in the film. DP