The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

Judicious use of water stressed
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 2
Use water judiciously and help in raising more awareness about water as it is a precious commodity, advised Mr Ishwar Singh, Director, Environment, Chandigarh Administration, while addressing about 400 students from nine different schools of the city who participated in a “save water campaign cycle rally”.

The rally was jointly organised by the Department of Environment, Chandigarh Administration, Diocese Society Social Development Centre, Chandigarh Photo Journalists Association and Yuvsatta.

The cycle rally was flagged-off by Ms Neeru Nanda, Adviser to the Administrator, from the Sukhna Lake. Talking to the children, the Adviser lauded the efforts of the schoolchildren and teachers who had prepared messages for display to propagate and practice conservation of water and water resources. She stressed on the need for more such public awareness campaigns to take this message further to the masses.

The rally culminated at the Catholic Church, Sector 19, where after the rally, a brief function was organised to honour four best schools — Carmel Convent School, St. Peter School, Shishu Niketan School and St Stephans School, for their overall best performance and slogans on water conservation. Other schools which participated in the endeavour were DAV Model School, Sector 8, Moti Ram Arya School, Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 33, Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 35, and Vivek High School, Sector 37, Chandigarh.

In the end Mr Pramod Sharma, Coordinator, Yuvsatta, asked the participants to individually and collectively pledge to restrict use of fresh water to the bare minimum, use tumblers or mugs for toilet flushings, to strictly ensure that there is no leakage, seepage and wastage of even a single drop of water as even a drop-leaking from a tap adds up to 10,000 litres of water a year.

73 students get diplomas
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, August 2
About 73 students were awarded diplomas at the 37th convocation of the Indo-Swiss Training Centre, Sector 30, here today.

In instrumental technology, 35 students were awarded diplomas, while in mechatronics and industrial automation and die and mould making 16 and 22 students, respectively, were awarded diplomas.

Ms Neeru Nanda, Adviser to the UT Administrator, was the chief guest on the occasion. Urging the students to achieve perfection in whatever they do, she said they must usher into an era where they should feel proud of doing a perfect job. She gave away prizes and medals to the students who had excelled in various fields.

Earlier, Mr H.S. Gupta, Principal of the institute, presented the annual report of the training centre. He claimed about 60 per cent of the students who had completed their diplomas from the institute had been absorbed in various industries of repute. Mr S.R. Taneja, Officiating Director, awarded diplomas to the students.

Abhijit Dass was awarded Director’s Gold Medal in instrument technology, while Principal’s Silver Medal was bagged by Devendra Kumar. In mechatronics and industrial automation, Randeep Chaudhary won the Director’s Gold Medal followed by Yugesh Kumar Singh who received the Principal’s Silver Medal. In die and mould-making, Satinder Singh bagged the Director’s Gold Medal and Inderjit Singh received the Principal’s Silver Medal. The Best Sportsman Award was given to Ashutosh Swami, while Shalini Bansal got the first prize in the Women’s Table Tennis Tournament that was held at the institute for the first time.

40 teachers attend workshop
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, August 2
As many as 40 teachers from different cities of India participated in a two-day workshop for teaching Sanskrit organised at DAV Model School in Sector 15 here today.

A professor of Delhi University, Dr Chand Kiran Saluja, was the resource person for the workshop. Dr Saluja said that the students and the teachers could read and write Sanskrit but could not communicate orally in the language.

This workshop aims at inculcating the skill among teachers to speak Sanskrit fluently so that they could teach the skill to the students.

Dr Sadhna Prashar, Education Officer of the CBSE in Delhi, was the guest of honour. Dr Kiran Handa of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in Panchkula and Mr Ramesh Chander Sharma were the other resource persons. The Assistant Secretary of the CBSE, Mr Rajbir Singh, was also present on the occasion.

The Principal of the school, Ms Rakesh Sachdeva, welcomed the chief guest and the participants. She said the Sanskrit language was a reminder of our glorious past and efforts must be made to prevent the language from making its final exit.

The workshop was inaugurated by the Regional Officer of the CBSE, Mr Yograj Sachdeva.

Schools resent notices for fine
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 2
Members of the Chandigarh Private Schools Association today expressed their resentment and anger against the Chandigarh Administration for issuing notices asking schools to deposit a hefty fine for misuse. An emergency general body meeting of the association was held today at Gandhi Smarak Bhavan, Sector 16.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court had allowed an opportunity of hearing which was still pending while the notices have been issued. The high-powered committee had also not yet given its final verdict in the matter which could also be expected to allow these schools to continue one way or the other. So under these circumstances forcing the schools to close down was against the spirit of the judgement.

The members were unanimous in warning the Administration to immediately withdraw these notices, otherwise the association will be constrained to resort to suitable means against this act.

Schools’ controversy continues
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, August 2
The tiff between Dev Samaj Junior Model School and Dev Samaj Senior Secondary School, Sector 21, took a new turn as the authorities of the Junior Model School held classes for the senior wing at Shivalik Public School, Sector 41. Following the merger of the two schools sometimes back, the Junior Model School was having difficulty in operating from the same campus.

Mr D.S. Bedi, Principal of the Shivalik Public School, said the school will continue to hold classes for Classes VI, VII and VIII till their dispute is settled and some decision is reached between the management of the two schools.

However, the PTA president, Ms Pragya Sukhla, and Principal of the Junior Model School, Ms Urmil Sharma, who resent the mergers of the two schools say their children would continue to study in the Junior Model School. Today about 300 students resumed their studies at the new location.

PU IAS Centre open today
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 2
With the declaration of results of the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination today, the IAS Centre of Panjab University will remain open tomorrow to provide guidance to the IAS aspirants, according to Dr R.K. Mahajan, Coordinator of the centre.

Those willing to join the ensuing IAS-coaching programme of the centre may visit the centre. The centre provides coaching in compulsory subjects and general studies, besides preparing students for the personality test.

MA-II (English) admissions
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 2
Admissions to MA-II (English) in Panjab University will continue till August 5, an official press release said here today.

Classes will commence on August 6 onwards.

Interviews for admission to M. Phil (psychology), first semester, will be held on August 5.

COURTS

DISTRICT COURTS
Judicial remand for SI
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, August 2
A Sub-Inspector of the UT police, Gurmukh Singh, who was arrested by the CBI under the Prevention of Corruption Act, was today remanded in judicial custody by a local court.

The accused was produced in the court of UT Chief Judicial Magistrate C.L Mohal who remanded him in judicial custody till August 16. A large number of police personnel were present outside the court when Gurmukh was produced.

Thereafter a CBI team headed by Inspector M.L. Kaushal, submitted the documents in the court. Mr Kaushal informed the court that the CBI had also recovered some important documents from the house of the accused during a raid.

As per the prosecution the accused, who was in-charge of Sector 24 police post, had been arrested by a team of the CBI yesterday while accepting bribe. The CBI had also recovered 74 bottles of liquor from his house.

Remand extended: A local court today extended the judicial remand of the suspended Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) Chairman, Mr Ravinder Pal Singh Sidhu, under the Excise Act till August 14. As per the prosecution, the case against the accused was registered under the Excise and Arms Acts after recovery of 14 bottles of foreign liquor, 250 rounds of .12-bore gun and 225 rounds of Springfield rifle from his house in Sector 39.

Bail refused: A local court today dismissed a bail plea moved by Balbir and Bala in a case of voluntarily causing hurt. It was alleged that on July 11, the complainant, Nirmala, was grievously injured by the accused over a scuffle.

As per the prosecution the complainant had thrown a wooden plank on the ground floor following which the accused who were residing on the ground floor, raised an objection over the complainant’s act.

When the complainant went to the ground floor she was injured by the accused. The police had registered a case under Sections 323, 353 and 334 of the IPC against the accused.

Three-day painting workshop begins
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, August 2
The Chandigarh Lalit Kala Akademi in collaboration with Chandigarh Press Club started a three-day painting workshop which was inaugurated in the club in Sector 27 here today.

Chairman of the akademi and artist Shiv Singh said more than artistic value the workshop would focus on interaction and, at the same time, provide a platform to old and new generations of artists to express themselves through their creative talent.

The other participants of the workshop included vice-chairman of the akademi Viren Tanwar, former secretary of the Punjab Lalit Kala Akademi Malkit Singh, Principal of the Government College of Art Brahm Prakash, and media representatives, Subhash Shorey, Sandeep Joshi, Jatin Gandhi, Raman Bhardwaj, Pawan Singh, Prakash and Vinay Malik.

This workshop will conclude on Sunday with an exhibition of the works on the club premises.

Sangeet award
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 2
Internationally-acclaimed mohan veena artiste Salil Bhatt and top ranking Bharatanatyam dancer Aarthi Shankar have been honoured with the title of Mahakaal Sangeet Ratna during the 10th Mahakaleshwar Utsav-2002 organised at the world-famous Mahakaal temple in Ujjain.

Both also performed on the occasion and left the audience spellbound. Later amidst thunderous applause, both artistes received great honour.

While Salil belongs to the Bhatt lineage where music has been flowing for over 500 years, Aarthi Shankar belongs to the third generation of Bharatanatyam dancers in her family.

She took her training from her mother Kalyani Shankar.