Time running out for these schools
Geetanjali Gayatri
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 21
Time seems to be running out for schools operating in residential areas to shift to permanent sites. Though the UT Administration has “failed” them, they are hoping that this time round, with 15 school sites being advertised afresh, they are in with a chance.

Sore over the recent advertisement inviting applications for 15 school sites in the city, in which they have not been given any preference, the Chandigarh Private Schools Association is planning to represent to the UT Administration yet again, urging it to modify the advertisement in their favour.

“We will meet the Adviser in this regard shortly and ask her to give us our due. For this, they would be required to modify the advertisement to limit the scope to our schools alone. However, within this category of schools, they can be allowed to frame their own rules, preference and requirements, picking and choosing according to norms laid down. Looking for educational institutions beyond us is not justified,” says the president of the association, Mr D.C. Jain.

Not banking on convincing the Administration alone since representations and reminders by them have hardly been given weightage, the association, at its meeting of executive members, has decided to seek legal recourse in the matter.

Members claim that the Administration has no choice but to follow the court orders, adding that the orders state not only closure of schools in residential areas but allotment of sites to these schools as well.

“Last time, we did not rake up the issue since those sites had been advertised and readvertised before the court orders on misuse of residential premises by educational institutions were issued. Now, they have no alternative or excuse. The school sites must be given to us,” adds Mr Jain.

The association states that another reason prompting it to represent to the Administration is the fact that the advertisement has 11 sites for primary schools with just the required area for these. They fear that if bigger sites are regularly advertised by the Administration, they may soon be told that there is no vacant land left for them.

According to a survey conducted by the association at the behest of the Administration, it was found that there are 220 schools functioning in residential areas of the city, colonies and villages which fall in the UT. However, in the city alone there are 90 schools spread out in various sectors.

Meanwhile, the Administration has advertised 15 sites comprising 11 for primary schools, one for a middle school and three for high schools. The last date for applying has been fixed for November 20.

COURTS

CONSUMER COURTS
Commission quashes forum order
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, October 21
Acting on a complaint of harassment, filed against employees of the Punjab Road Transport Corporation (PRTC), the UT Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has quashed an order passed by the Consumer Forum-I.

The complaint was filed by the Punjab Civil and Consumer Welfare Front of Banur and a man called Harkirat Singh Walia.

The commission said the UT Consumer Forum-I had ignored the Consumer Protection Act in ordering inquiry by an official of the PRTC. It had neither been sought by the complainant nor provided in the Act.

After he had been “harassed” by a conductor and a driver of the PRTC, Mr Walia had filed a complaint against the PRTC through its General Manager and Managing Director at Mini Secretariat in Sector 9 here. The complainant had travelled in a PRTC bus on June 5, 2000, from Banur to Chandigarh and paid Rs 10 to the conductor. The driver did not stop on his request at The Tribune Chowk, an authorised bus stop.

The complainant alleged that the employees of the PRTC had been rude to him when he had complained to them. He was also beaten up by the PRTC employees. In its reply filed in the consumer court, the PRTC had denied the allegation. The PRTC said some passengers had got down at The Tribune Chowk, but the complainant had been sleeping. It said he had woken up at the next stop and shouted for stopping the bus.

The Commission said the consumer disputes redressing agencies were not authorised to order departmental inquiries.

It directed the Consumer Forum-I to try to decide the case within three months from the date of the order, keeping in view the old age of the complainant.

CULTURE

‘Perfect bahu’ plays brand ambassador
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, October 21
With Smriti Malhotra, the perfect bahu of Star TV’s mega serial “Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi” as brand ambassador for Milton Global Ltd., the company's effort to bridge the gap between customers and makers of Milton, could not have yielded better results. The two-day slogan contest organised by the company, presenting Smirti as judge, at three selected outlets in the city, drew an overwhelming response.

Addressing mediapersons at Hotel Shivalikview here today, Smriti said her association with Milton went back to her school days. “I used to be the most popular girl in my school in Delhi as I was the only one carrying chilled water during those scorching summer days and thanks to Milton for that,” she said.

“The contest provided an opportunity to interact with our customers here,” said Mr Madhup Vaghani, Director of the company.

The company plans to take the contest to all major cities in India and Chandigarh happens to be the opening city.

To a question whether this was yet another publicity gimmick to face the growing competition in the plastic market, Mr Vaghani said competition was good for growth and “it reaffirms people’s faith in us”.

With more than 30 years of experience, Milton is one of the oldest players in the organised plastic industry in India. What started as a small unit producing plastic items like tumblers, mugs, boxes, etc has grown today into a brand name attached with a Rs 200 crore corporate tag.

“We at Milton have been introducing almost 30 items every year and now our product range has exceeded 200 items,” said Mr Vaghani. The latest range of items introduced by the company includes new shaped casseroles, serving trays, stainless steel vacuum glass and plastic household products like buckets.