DUTA refuses to budge on workload
Our Correspondent

New Delhi, September 27
The Workload Meeting convened on Thursday despite the announcement on Tuesday that the meeting had been adjourned till next week as it was unable to reach a consensus on the workload issue.

The credit for this ‘achievement’ squarely falls on DUTA, which in an executive meeting on Thursday announced that it would go in for an indefinite hunger strike from Thursday. The threat to strike was enough for the V-C to call for an immediate meeting of the committee.

The contentious issue, which deliberated the adjournment of the meeting, was the suggestion to compromise with the UGC and agreed to an increase in the workload of teachers – a superficial increase of 16 hours. This would have meant that the teachers in Delhi University would be required to teach an extra 12 minutes every day. But unfortunately, compromise does not figure in DUTA’s list of priorities and hence, the elected members – DU teachers in the committee, decided to oppose the suggestion.

DUTA has attempted to rationalise its stand by citing the outcome of such a decision, which would result in a 10-15 per cent job cut for teachers, adversely impacting the ad hoc and temporary teachers. They have further taken the moralistic stand that such a directive would dissuade researchers and would-be teachers from taking up the profession, leading to a “flight of qualified researchers to other professions”.

The DUTA rhetoric is simple, “What is the academic rationale behind increasing the workload to 16 hours apart from cutting teaching jobs?”

Apparently, the teachers only want to secure their jobs as much as possible and any suggestion, however rational, will be firmly opposed in case it has a bearing on their pecuniary considerations. The overall positive impact — the reduction in expenditure and the redirection of funds to areas such as infrastructure and university facilities, might have on the development of the university, finds little or no consideration in the DUTA agenda.

The outcome is simple: DUTA will continue to hold Delhi University to ransom till all their demands are met.

DUSU executive is complete
Sanjog Gupta

New Delhi, September 27
The final chapter of Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections concluded today with the announcement of the executive council on the campus. The 11-member Council is elected through indirect elections, which entail voting, by each central councillor and college president. Even though, the elections are only a by-event succeeding the main DUSU office bearer elections - the electorate is small and the race is devoid of any campaigning - they do have the two main parties - ABVP and NSUI vying for supremacy.

The race ended neck and neck with ABVP marginally ahead with five of its affiliate students gaining posts, while NSUI managed four. There were a total of 14 contenders, which included two women, who were guaranteed posts since there are two reserved positions for women in the executive council. Narinder Tokas of College of Vocation Studies (NSUI affiliate) won by the largest margin – 34 votes, which according to unofficial sources, is a record in itself.

145 votes were polled over a period of two hours, which witnessed a large supporter turnout and an even larger security turnout. The security arrangement was overwhelming with almost 80 officials policing the area around the chief election officer’s office. Sanjay Saini, a candidate, said, “This is ridiculous, these are supposed to be student elections and the security arrangement gives the impression that it’s some major political tamasha.”

The election, much like DU student politics, was however not devoid of unruly incidents. Amit Malik, ex-DUSU president, was attacked by unidentified individuals, suspected to be Vikas Shaukeen supporters. Malik was bleeding profusely and was rushed to the hospital.

In a separate incident, one voter, Pervez Ahmed of Bhagat Singh (Eve), alleged that his vote had been forged and further suggested that three other votes had been cast under dubious circumstances. He further alleged that he was harassed by the police and was detained in the office for almost two hours. Nakul Bharadwaj, DUSU president, was present on the scene and he said, “Police caused the violence themselves and were harassing students from the word go. No explanation was provided to the candidates or me for rendering four votes invalid.”

The primary role of the DUSU executive council is to assist the four office bearers.

The result completes an overall victory for ABVP, which now has eight members on the executive council (three office bearers and five executive members) while NSUI has five (one office bearer and four executive members). The focus of the two parties now shifts to the cajoling of the two independent candidates, who might end up extending support to them.

Felicitation function for elected candidates
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 27
Mr Harvinder Singh Bawa, director, Bawa Masala Co. Pvt. Ltd., organised a felicitation function for the elected candidates from Shri Guru Teg Bahadur Khalsa College (morning and Evening) and Shri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce.

Prominent members of Akali Dal (Delhi) and Akali Dal (Badal) were also invited to the function to bless the newly elected candidates. Harvinder Singh Bawa thanked them for their contribution in the peaceful conduct of the elections.

Mr Bawa asked the elected candidates to maintain discipline and create unity and harmony among the different groups in the colleges and the university.

DGSPC members, Mr Rajinder Singh Gandhi, Samser Singh Sandhu, Joginder Singh Walia, Inderjit Singh (Happy), Inderjit Singh (Monty), Gurmit Singh Mita, Prof Harmohinder Singh, Kulmohan Singh, Manjit Singh, Rajinder Singh Tacno,

Hardul Singh Bumra, Dalvinder Singh Ayur and Prof. Harminder Singh and DUSU President, Mr Nakul Bhardwaj attended the function. 

COURTS

HC on slums

New Delhi
The Delhi High Court today directed the Centre and City Government to shift all the slum clusters that had come up in the capital after February 1997 to an area earmarked for the same.

The court, at the same time, directed the authorities to provide the required minimum basic facilites to the slum dwellers in the relocated localities. TNS

Court orders attachment of Trade Tax Deptt
Our Correspondent

Ghaziabad, September 27
A Hapur Court has ordered the attachment of Trade Tax Department for its failure to refund the additional amount of trade tax deposited by a registered firm in the department. The Court order created a panic situation in the Trade Tax Department.

It is learnt that a firm, by name of Rewati Sharan Surender Kumar, which had been registered with the Trade Tax Department, was later wound up since 1983. The firm had deposited Rs 5,556 as trade tax, which was later ordered to be refunded on the trader’s request, after due departmental inquiry.

But in spite of his repeated requests, the amount of trade tax deposited was not refunded to the traders.

But since the amount was not refund for more than a decade, the proprietors had per force knocked the doors of the court. They had approached the court for the refund of a total amount of Rs 27,000, including interest accrued.

On their plaint, the Hapur Court ordered the attachment of Trade Tax Department. When court Amin (messenger) reached the Trade Tax Department office, it almost created a flutter there.

The Trade Tax Officer, Mr R.B.S. Geherwar said that his department has pleaded before the court to grant it time up to October 7, 2002, for complying with the court orders, by which date the amount ordered by the court, will positively be refunded.

He admitted that due to trade tax department’s carelessness that the said amount, which should have been paid within three months of the court case, had not been paid to the traders so far.