EDUCATION

Special reappear chance for B.Sc (Hons) students
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 5
Panjab University has assured a special re-appear chance to students of the B.Sc (honours school) who did not take the chance last year following differences with the university.

This was announced by Khushbaz Jattana, president of the Students Organisation of Panjab University (SOPU), after a meeting with the Dean, University Instructions and the Dean, Student Welfare today. Jattana said a students’ ‘dharna’ was going on from the past 15 days to this regard.

Jattana said students had also demanded quicker declaration of the re-evaluation results which had been complied by the university in majority of the cases.

He also said that fee of a student of the B.Sc (honours school), who had failed to join the M.Sc classes despite having paid the fee, would be refunded by the university. He said a formal circular would soon follow, the student’s delegation was assured.

Meanwhile the ‘dharna’ by the Panjab University Campus Students Council, along with the SOPU, continued today demanding admit cards in semester examination of Law Department students who have been denied the chance for failing to fulfil the minimum lecture requirement.

PU don on FACT board
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 5
Prof B.S. Ghuman of the Department of Public Administration, Panjab University, has been appointed part-time director on the Board of Directors of the Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore Ltd (FACT) for a tenure of three years, an official press release of the university said here today.

The FACT is the country’s first large scale public sector fertiliser unit which was set up in 1943. The company’s main business is manufacture and marketing of fertilisers, carprolactam, fabrication of equipment and consultancy.

The advice for appointment has been made by the President of the country in exercise of powers conferred under Article 80(c) read with Article 94 of the Articles of Association of FACT.

Professor Ghuman is the author of over 40 research articles and a book. He is the coordinator of an academic link between the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK, and PU.

He is non-official member of Mission on Employment constituted by the Haryana Government. Professor Ghuman has travelled to the UK, the USA, France, Finland, Switzerland, Austria, Italy and Hong Kong with regard to academic assignments.

PU fails to trace accused
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 5
The inquiry into the alleged slapping a girl of Department of English, Panjab University, by a student of the Department of Laws made no headway today as the accused student failed to turn up before them.

Mr R.K. Singh, Chief Security Officer of the university, said all efforts to trace the boy went in vain. However, the boy has an examination scheduled for December 12 when attempts will be made to contact him. After the report by the inquiry committee, the case will go to the committee on ‘sexual harassment’.

School students mesmerise audience
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, December 5
It was an enthralling experience for the audience as the students of Ajit Karam Singh International Public School presented a well coordinated cultural show on the occasion of their annual function on the school premises in sector 41 here today.

The show started with ‘Saraswati vandana’. A beautifully choreographed puppet dance was presented by class IV students depicting the fusion of the eastern and the western cultures. ‘Ali Baba and Forty Thieves’ once again took the audience down their memory lane to steal a few fleeting moments of their innocent childhood.

Mesmerising the audience were the little stars on the ramp combining glitz and glamour with sophistication in a fashion show.

It was followed by a scintillating ‘dandiya’ dance performance. The students of classes IV and V presented ‘bhangra’.

The programme concluded with the award-winning folk dance team ‘jhoomer’. Earlier, Ms Jagjit Sekhon, Principal of the school, read the annual report of the school.

Mr Ram Sekhar, Deputy Commissioner, Chandigarh, was the chief guest. Mr Jasdeep Kalra, executive director of the school, welcomed the guests and Ms T. Kulwant Singh, director of the school, presented the vote of thanks.

250 participate in science congress
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, December 5
The two-day 10th state-level Children’s Science Congress-2002, organised by the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology in SAS Nagar and Chandigarh branches of Shivalik Public School, concluded today. Twenty best projects in junior and senior categories were given prizes.

The theme of the congress was ‘Food system — towards nutrition for all’. About 250 students from Chandigarh and Punjab come up with 80 projects explaining about nutritional evaluation of food products, their preservation, improved irrigation methods, correlation of nutrition with food and health, food adulterations etc.

The congress provided a unique opportunity to children in the age group of 10 to 17 to discover and recognise their scientific temperament and to put their knowledge on display in the form of projects.

The winners of the congress will participate in a national-level congress to be held at Mysore from December 27 to December 31. That programme will be organised by the National Council of Science and Technology Communication and the Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi. Students coming up with 20 best projects at the national-level congress will have an opportunity to participate in an international congress in Russia.

Winners of the state-level congress:

Junior category — Ankit Goyal (St. joseph’s Convent School, Bathinda) 1, Rakhi (Bhawan’s S.L. Public School) 2, Bharat Arorab (Bathinda Public High School) 3, Tanveer (St. Joseph’s Convent School, Firozepore Cantonment) 4, Deepak Chauhan (DAV Public School, Gurdaspur) and Hardeep Singh (Government Elementary School, Sangrur) 5.

Senior Category — Gautam (S.L. Public School, Amritsar) 1, Honey Sharma (Government Senior Secondary School, Kapurthala) 2, Deepika (Government Senior Secondary School, Gurdaspur) 3, Kamaldeep Singh (Government Model Senior Secondary School, Patiala) 4, and Abhinav (Government Senior Secondary School, Malout) 5.

In the rural category, Harjodh Singh from Baba Sohal Singh Senior Secondary School, Bhakra, was declared the winner.

Contests mark Volunteer Day
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 5
The NSS unit of Dev Samaj College of Education, Sector 36, celebrated International Volunteer Day by organising a poster-making competition and a penal discussion on the college campus here today.

The themes for the poster-making competition included environment conservation, health awareness, natural disasters and terrorism. The penal discussion was on the topic ‘Terror of terrorism’, highlighted by a group of students.

Talking on this occasion, Dr Satinder Dhillon, Principal of the college, stressed on the need of inculcating a sense of social service in the prospective teachers as they were the torch-bearers of the society and had the responsibility of motivating the youth of today.

Following are the winners in various categories:

Section A - Amrit (I), Amanpreet (II), Reenu (III).

Section B - Dilpreet (I), Sonia (II), Joohi (III).

Section C - Jagdeep Kaur (I), Mona Rahi (II), Pratibha (III).

Section D - Kiran Deep Bedi (I), Anuradha Sharma (II), Saranjeet Kaur (III).

At a similar function, the NSS unit of MCM DAV College organised a paper-reading contest to celebrate International Volunteer Day on the college premises in Sector 36, here today. The students spoke on the spirit of voluntary service, highlighting the specific projects undertaken by the college like blood donation, eco-care and counselling on different problems.

Speaking on this occasion, Ms Usha Gupta motivated the students to do voluntary work. The NSS programme officer, Ms Mini Grewal and Ms Jatinder Kaur and Ms Bindu Sharma discussed the significance of voluntary work in day-to-day activities. A blood donation camp was also organised on the campus in which the students collected about 204 units of blood.

Kids pray for peace on Id eve
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, December 5
Cutting across the barriers of religion, tiny tots of the Sector 34 Evergreen Academy exchanged Id-ul-Fitr greetings here today on the eve of the festival, praying for religious harmony, peace, unity and universal brotherhood.

The ambience reverberated with the sounds of “Id mubarak”, as the children greeted each other with traditional embraces. Children were wearing ethnic ‘kurta pyjamas’, ‘sherwanis’ and caps.

The traditional Id dessert, ‘sevaian’, was served to all. Ms Kuljit Suri, Principal of the school.

COURTS

HC order jolts civic body into action
PUDA-MC row over flooding
Chitleen K Sethi
Tribune News Service

Where is the proposal of the PUDA project? In a rather amusing situation, MC officials have been unable to locate any copy of the proposed augmentation project put forward by PUDA to solve this problem starting from Palsora onwards along the affected areas down to the Industrial Area Phase VIII from where the excess storm water was to drain into the Patiala Ki Rao choe. While MC claims to have enough proof in the minutes of various joint meeting referring to the project, PUDA’s Engineering Department, according to sources in the MC, has allegedly completely denied the existence of such a project.

SAS Nagar, December 5
Even as the Municipal Council (MC) and the Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) are yet to decide whose responsibility it is to solve the water flooding problem being faced by residents of Phase V here, the intervention of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has at least prompted one of these bodies into action.

In a day-long operation, Municipal Council officials tested two storm sewers being maintained by them in Phase V for any blockage and found them totally clear and storm worthy. According to the information provided by the MC President, Mr Kulwant Singh, these sewers were tested following a decision taken at a meeting held on December 3, 2002 between MC and PUDA officials.

According to sources, at the meeting this problem was discussed and the MC was told to clear these sewers which were considered to be blocked by those attending the meeting. It was also presumed that clearing of these two sewers would solve the problem, sources stated.

However, MC officials said that these sewers were neither the problem nor testing or clearing them was the solution. ‘‘The land gradient starting from Phase I to Phase V slopes down by almost 25 feet creating a flood-like state during the monsoons in the Industrial Area Phase VIII and residential area of Phase V. The storm sewers are full and overflowing. What is required are more sewers,’’ stated the MC President.

Sources in the council pointed out that a solution to this problem was being looked for since 1998 and the 25-foot gradient factor was overlooked by the planners in PUDA. ‘‘PUDA has to bear its share of responsibility. We are supposed to maintain a completely developed township, not undo planning flaws of the authority,’’ said an MC official.

MC officials also pointed out that in 1998 PUDA had planned a Rs 13.82 lakh project to prevent this flood-like situation which was never fructified. Quoting proceedings of a meeting held on December 29, 1998, sources in the MC stated that a complete five-step plan was laid down by PUDA, MC and Public Health Department engineers collectively to solve the problem. But the project was allegedly shelved following a decision that this solution would be a part of a larger project that would taker care of the origin of the problem from Palsora village till the Industrial Area VIII on the complete cremation ground road.

Mr D.P. Reddy, Chief Administrator, PUDA, when contacted, however, stated clearly that any of the present problems had to be considered in the light of the decision taken on December 3 and whatever had happened before this could not be considered without reviewing.

Anmol Sidhu elected member Bar Council
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, December 5
Dr Anmol Rattan Sidhu was declared elected a member of the Bar Council of the Punjab and Haryana after he secured the maximum number of votes in the elections here today. Dr Sidhu secured 815 votes.

Talking to Chandigarh Tribune, Dr Sidhu said a Law Bhavan in Chandigarh would be constructed soon so that the students from various states take admission in the five-year in course in Law School. He said that the school would be first of its kind in North India he would reserve 50 per cent seats for the children of advocates practising in Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh.

CULTURE

Tourism Ministry to bring Roerich’s show to city
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 5
In few days from now, Government Museum in Sector 10 will play host to the largest exhibition on works of Russian artist, Nicholas Roerich, whose artistic documentation of the Himalayan grandeur is considered classic till date.

Being presented by the Department of Culture, Ministry of Tourism and Culture, the International Roerich Memorial Trust and the National Museum, the exhibition will have 65 canvases — the largest collection of Roerich’s works ever displayed.

The art works, which occupy a special place in the history of art focusing on the magnificence of the Himalayas, has been procured from seven different sources in the country. Five works will be brought from the Government Museum, Chandigarh, 20 from the Nagar Museum, five from the National Gallery of Modern Art, 16 from the Chitrakala Parishad Art Gallery, Bangalore, seven from the Jagmohan Palace, Mysore, 13 from the Allahabad Museum and four from the Bharat Kala Bhavan, Benaras.

The show will reflect Roerich’s perception of the Himalayan beauty, its images and his interpretation of various sequences in nature. The Director of the Museum, Mr V.N. Singh, said the show would be the first of its kind on Roerich’s works. “The exhibition draws from rich works of Nicholas Roerich who wrote about this first Central Asiatic Expedition in his book, Heart of Asia, and created a vivid account of the wonder of the land and its people.”

However, the images in this literary work are nowhere as vivid as in the 500 paintings. In Kanchenjunga, Sikkim Pass, His Country, The Great Spirit of the Himalayas, and the Banners of the East series, one can feel and see philosophical concepts and ideas giving birth to visual images, and the splendor of northern India providing the physical setting.

In their quest for culture, the Roerichs had landed in Bombay in December, 1923, and had begun a tour of cultural centres and historic sites, meeting Indian scientists, scholars, artists and writers. By the end of December they were already in Sikkim on the southern slopes of the Himalayas, and it is clear by the speed with which they reached the mountains that the Himalayas were where their interest lay.

At the end of their major expedition, in 1928, the Roerich family settled in the Kulu valley at an elevation of 6,500 feet. Here they established their home and the headquarters of the Urusvati Himalayan Research Institute, which was set up to study the results of their expeditions. The institute’s activities included botanical and ethnological-linguistic studies and the exploration of archeological sites.