The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

EDUCATION

AIIMS topper honoured
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, July 26
Ashish Aggarwal, who stood first in the All-India Medical Entrance Examination conducted by the CBSE this year, was awarded a cash prize of Rs 21,000 by Competition Research Board Institute in Sector 22, here today. Ashish secured eighth position in the AIIMS entrance test and was a student of the institute.

Praising the role of the institute for his success, Ashish said the test papers designed for this purpose were made in accordance with the understanding and in tune with the approach of various entrance examinations.

Ashish, who had began the actual preparation by the end of Class XI, said one should learn the fundamentals of the subjects before going to the objectives. Ashish scored 714 out of the 800 marks in the CBSE PMT exam.

COURTS

HIGH COURT
No VRS for bank men under service bond
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 26
The Punjab and Haryana High Court, in a significant judgement, today ruled that a bank employee who has accepted a service bond was not eligible to take the benefit of voluntary retirement scheme unless he has completed the terms and conditions of the bond.

Delivering the verdict on a petition filed by a bank employee challenging an order passed by Assistant General Manager rejecting his request for “special voluntary retirement”, Mr Justice Swatanter Kumar and Mr Justice S.S. Saron of the High Court further ruled: “If in the wisdom of the bank, the services of an employee are needed in the interest of its administration and the bank has incurred specific liability in further training of the officer under a bond, then he cannot be given the same advantage as number of other employees, not placed in similar circumstances, have been given”.

Dismissing the petition, the Judges added: “Discretion, of course, has to be exercised in a fair manner. It is for the bank to drive a balance between the acceptance of the request in consonance with the scheme on the one hand and business interests of the bank, on the other. There are sufficient guidelines provided in the scheme itself which should be kept in mind by the bank while deciding on such matters”.

Notice to PU on retiring age

In a petition filed before the High Court, 38 Panjab University teachers today sought directions for quashing a letter issued on July 23 vide which the Union of India refused to accept the regulations framed by the university enhancing the age of retirement from 60 to 62 years. Taking up the petition, a Division Bench today issued notice of motion for July 30.

Prof Paramjit Singh and others, in their petition taken up by the Bench, comprising Mr Justice Swatanter Kumar and Mr Justice S.S. Saron, had also sought directions for permitting them to continue in service till the age of 62, in accordance with the recommendations made by the University Grants Commission.

They had contended that Panjab University’s proposal had been rejected in spite of the fact that the age had been enhanced and UGC recommendations had already been accepted and implemented by the government in all central universities.

Counsel for the petitioner had added on their behalf that the questions of law arising out of the petition were whether Panjab University was a central university and as such the teachers were entitled to continue till the age of 62, and whether the order against the enhancement was totally illegal, arbitrary and liable to be quashed.

Stay on transfer

Issuing notice of motion for December 3 on a petition filed by Punjab Agriculture University Teachers’ Association, a Division Bench of the High Court today stayed the operation of an order vide which IAS officer Vivek Pratap was transferred as the university’s Registrar.

The association, in its petition taken up by Mr Justice Swatanter Kumar and Mr Justice S.S. Saron, had contended that the Registrar could not be appointed by way of transfer especially when PAU had already selected one.

Giving details, the association had added that Dr V.K. Sharma had been selected after following due procedure prescribed in the PAU Act and as such he should be allowed to continue as Registrar. Going into the background of the case, it had further contended that even before Dr Sharma’s appointment, a report had appeared in the press informing that the respondent had been transferred as Registrar following with the association decided to move the court.

Consider KU coaches’ plea

Taking up a petition filed by sports coaches working with Kurukshetra University seeking grant of revised pay scales, Mr Justice Swatanter Kumar and Mr Justice S.S. Saron today directed the state of Haryana and other respondents to consider their case for grant of the benefits sought as per the rules within six months.

In their petition, Mr M.M. Bhardwaj and others had contended that the petitioners had filed a representation for the grant of scale payable to lecturers in physical education, but if was rejected.

DISTRICT COURTS
Corruption case: plea dismissed
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, July 26
A local court today dismissed an anticipatory bail plea moved by K.C. Garg, who was booked by the CBI in a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The bail plea moved by Garg was dismissed by the UT Additional and Sessions Judge, Mr Lakhbir Singh. Earlier, the CBI had booked a former Punjab and Haryana High Court Judge and Chairman of the Oil Selection Board, M.R Agnihotri, and two others namely Saroj Rani of Sangrur and Garg under Sections 120B,420,420,467, 468, 471 of the IPC and various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Immoral trafficking case

A bail plea moved by a city resident, Dhamyanti, under the Immoral Trafficking and Prevention Act was accepted by a local court on Friday. The accused has been granted bail on furnishing bail bond of Rs 20, 000 by the UT Additional and Sessions Judge, Mr Balbir Singh.

As per prosecution, the accused along with other accused — Amarjit Kaur — allegedly used to arrange customers for other co-accused namely Ruchhi, Ravina and Chhetra and to get commission for this act. On July 10, the police arrested them.

Case adjourned

A UT Administration counsel on Friday sought time to file reply in suit filed by a district court lawyer the Administration be directed to provide a regular power supply in his chamber on the court premises. The court has adjourned the case till August 12 for filing a reply in the case and on the plea moved by the complainant for the interim relief.

The advocate has filed the suit against for mandatory injunction directing the respondents to provide continuous electricity supply to chamber No: 240. He stated in the suit that the visibility is very poor and functioning becomes impossible without light. He stated that the chamber had been provided with one phase electric meter at the initial stage keeping in view the consumption of power in the chamber. Subsequently, he stated that he applied for extension of power load from 1 kw to 2 kw for air-conditioner and accordingly security was deposited and the SDO concerned extended the load to 2kw in the chamber.

PO surrenders

An accused involved in a case of attempt to murder surrendered to a local court on Friday and was remanded in judicial custody. The accused, Devinder, had remained absent from the court proceeding for long time and was declared proclaimed offender by the court. The other two accused in the case had already been acquitted by a local court.

CULTURE

A show blended for the sake of art
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 26
Art activity in the city is suddenly booming. In a week’s time, the city has seen five exhibitions open at different galleries. And each one is novel in its own way. After a show of some very striking stone sculptures by Nitin Dutt at Alliance Francaise and a print exhibition from China, Malaysia and Singapore, we now have a special show from two young artists Bhawna Hasija and Manmeet Pal Singh.

A significant part of the association between the two is their understanding at the level of art. Although Manmeet, who lives in the city, cannot speak or hear, he converses with Bhawna in the language of art. No wonder the joint show of creations put up by the two at the Government Museum and Art Gallery, Sector 10, blends the elements of aesthetics well. While Bhawna has contributed her artistic acumen to the show by displaying a vast series on meditation she has been working on for years, Manmeet has displayed his highly figurative and imaginative world.

As a joint show, the ensemble strikes harmony, although the work of each artist remains highly individualistic. Manmeet seems to be flying on the wings of imagination, as most of his works draw from images that float in the subconscious mind. So he paints the sky city and motel, and also a land of guitars. The underlying feeling in each of his works remains that of passion. He paints the objects which fascinate him immensely.

Yet another theme evident in Manmeet’s works is environment and general public health. He paints from his heart, spreading messages against tobacco and alcohol consumption. He also attempts to guard the environment through some of his works.

As for Bhawna, her approach is mature and strong. A postgraduate in drawing and painting from Agra University, with an additional MFA in sculpture from the same city, Bhawna especially made it to the city to lend meaning to her small association with Manmeet. They had worked jointly some time back and taken no time before deciding that they wanted to exhibit their displays together.

Most of the works by Bhawna have abstract overtones. The colours are all dim and languid, suggesting serenity. Because her series on meditation has earned recognition earlier also, she chose to display the same in Chandigarh. The forms captured in frames assume delightful tones as the artist allows her imagination to play. There is no definite figure in her works; only the freedom is at play .At Agra the young artist is running her own studio from where she freelances.

The works were inaugurated this morning by former Principal, Government College of Art, Sector 10, Mr Prem Singh. They can be viewed between 10 am and 5 pm.

Transcending barriers through music
Parbina Rashid

Chandigarh, July 26
Gurinder Raju’s every gesture has some hidden meaning. When this USA-based Punjabi pop singer rushed to Chandigarh to release his second music album “Sohneya di beri”, he got four youngsters from different religious background to release it in front of a select audience today at Hotel Shivalikview, giving out the message that music has no barrier, neither religious nor geographical.

“Music can be used as a binding force for the human race,” says Gurinder Raju. Though the songs incorporated in his recent album do nothing to preach religious harmony, good care has been taken to make it entertaining for both Indian as well as American audience. Though a majority of the songs are ‘designed’ suit Indian taste, a few like “Dhola ve dhola” satisfy the American’s carving for jazz music.

Gurinder, who accidentally ventured into the world of music when he was filling in for an absentee singer in one of the musical show he was compering way back in 1996 at Tagore Theatre, made his presence felt as a singer with his debut album “Chirag bhoondiyaan”. The album did not do well in India but when it was released in the USA as “Ankh lad gaye” was a major success. Gurinder, who has migrated to Connecticut a couple of years ago, runs a musical group of his own.

Though comedy seems to be his forte, Gurinder is not keen on following his initial career path. “My association with comedy goes back to my college days but after adopting it professionally I found out that comedy as a field has very narrow horizon and hence the shift,” he says. Gurinder has one comedy album to his credit — “Muccha bagar dari.”

The singer expects that his album “Sohneya Di Beri”, which is an assortment of eight songs by noted lyricists Dev Kohli, Shamsher Sandhu, Babbu Singh Mann, is going to bring him closer to his native people. “I plan to make myself accessible to people here,” he says. Gurinder has a few more plans up his sleeve. “I am planing to work out a fusion album with my American counterparts so that the aftermath of September 11 tragedy does not get repeated again,” by which he means that the world community should know that the Sikh religion has its separate identity.

“I am also planning to introduce elements of kathak in Punjabi pop” says Gurinder who is a trained kathak dancer also.

Gurinder was accompanied by music director Jagmeet Bal who has made a name for himself in Punjabi tele world and video albums. Jagmeet who directed quite a few Punjabi serials like “Sa-Re Ga -Ma Punjabi”, “Screen Test” , “Excuse Me Please” has ventured in the music world with a high footing. Jagmeet’s name is already synonymous with Punjabi folk after he delivered successful video albums like Sardool Shikander’s “Jina de roop ne sohne”, Pammi Bai’s “Aari Arai” and Satwinder Bitti’s record-breaking religious album that sold 14 lakh copies.