EDUCATION

Protest in college against IHRO report 
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, December 18
The staff and students of Guru Nanak Girls College, Model Town, here have condemned the “false, baseless and motivated report” published by the International Human Rights Organisation (IHRO) regarding the bir burning incident in the college. Students and teachers staged a dharna on the college premises today in this connection.

Addressing mediapersons, the students and staff members maintained that the allegations levelled in the report that some persons were not allowed to inquire into the incident by the college authorities had no basis. After the unfortunate bir burning incident, the college authorities immediately informed the police and the SGPC, who conducted an inquiry in their respective spheres.

It was maintained that since the police was already inquiring into the matter and there was no authentic reason to doubt its investigation at that stage, the college authorities had no legal, social or moral obligation to allow anyone else to interfere in the matter with the purpose of seeking publicity.

Moreover, another consideration which weighed with the college authorities was that the IHRO had no “authentic address and purported to operate from the district courts, which is illegal and in violation of the Bar Council of India rules.” This was clearly a self-serving and publicity-seeking action and not a genuine exercise to get at the truth. However, Mr D.S. Gill personally visited the residences of the president, Guru Nanak Education Trust, Mr Gurbir Singh, some trustees and Principal of the college and pressed them to issue a statement against the police inquiry and allegedly “sought personal favours or else threatened that he would issue an adverse report. This request was not accepted an the position of the college was explained to him. Therefore, there is no substance, legal or otherwise, in this allegation,” they maintained.

“The allegation that some members of the management, employees and relatives of staff members consumed liquor in the room adjacent to the prayer room by violating the maryada is totally false and is not substantiated in the report. It is strongly refuted that anyone consumed alcohol on college premises. Further, the rooms mentioned are used as classrooms and have no facility or infrastructure for social sittings and gatherings,” they maintained.

“The allegation that maryada was not observed in prayer room is false. The room was a facility for hostel students and was being maintained by them under the supervision of a three-member committee comprising senior staff members. Moreover, these persons have no locus standi and credibility to be adjudicators of Sikh maryada.”

Industrial training for African students
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, December 18
The Punjab Government has organised a “Technical Trainers Training Course” under the UNDP/UNIDO programme for African countries. Twelve participants from six countries, including Tanzania, Zambia, Ethiopia, Ghana and Nigeria, are undergoing training at the Research and Development Centre for Bicycle and Sewing Machine at Ludhiana in this connection. They are being trained in the field of TQM and ISO systems and methodologies. During the week-long training programme, they will be exposed to latest trends and techniques, coupled with industrial visits.

On the first day of the training programme, the participants were taken on a round to see facilities available in the R&D centre. They took keen interest in tool room, production shops, special-purpose machines section, fabrication section, testing equipment and labs, training section, assembly line for bicycle wheel and modified version of cycle rickshaw.

The participants expressed the views that the practical training as very useful for them and they expressed their keen desire to have training in such industry-interactive institutes.

Last year also in the month of November, senior officials from these African countries visited Ludhiana in their study tour to implement the training programme to various African countries, which was started this year on November 11 at IMTT, Batala. The training programme in Ludhiana will continue till December 20. Daily morning session studies/training covering various topics regarding TQM and ISO system and methodologies and evening session by visits to various reputed industries are being conducted.

Prior to this, the training for CNC, CAD, CAM and Foundry was completed at the Institute for Auto Parts Ludhiana and the Institute for Machine Tools Batala. Certificates were distributed by Mr T.R. Sarangal, Director of Industries, Punjab, and Secretary, Industries, Ludhiana.

COURTS

Give adequate power to unit, PSEB told
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, December 18
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has issued directions to the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) to provide adequate power supply to an industrial unit, which was being made to pay minimum charges despite being fed from an agricultural feeder with no definite hours of power supply.

In a complaint lodged with the forum, Mr Amarjit Arora, who runs an industrial unit at Kakka village on the outskirts of the city, submitted that he had a sanctioned load of 39.12 KW for his factory, which was supplied power from an agricultural feeder. Although the power supply was erratic and uncertain, the PSEB was collecting minimum charges from him for the past several years. His repeated pleas that the power supply to the factory be shifted to an urban feeder had gone unheeded.

Charging the PSEB with deficiency in service, the complainant, who was represented by Mr S.S. Dawra, maintained that power supply made available to his unit was not even sufficient to cover the minimum charges that he was being forced to pay. On the one hand, the production was suffering and on the other, the PSEB was overcharging him by denying adequate power supply from an urban feeder. Mr Arora further pleaded that since his factory was located outside the city limits, the PSEB should not be charging octroi on power supplied to him.

The president of the forum Mr Hardial Singh, along with one of the members Mr T.R. Arora, ruled that when the PSEB was collecting minimum charges from the complainant, it was duty-bound to supply electricity, at least for such a period that the consumption equal to the minimum charges was possible.

The forum, directed the PSEB to ensure power supply to the unit for such a period during which electricity equal to minimum charges being levied could be consumed. “In the event of the complainant failing to consume power in spite of the supply being made, the PSEB will be entitled to collect minimum charges, but when the supply is deficient, bill should be raised on the basis of actual consumption,” the forum said.

Young poets hold darbar

Ludhiana, December 18
New-generation poets under the banner of Pankati, held their maiden kavi darbar, “Pratham Paryas,” with the cooperation of Punjabi Sahitya Akademi last evening at Punjabi Bhavan. Dr Surjit Patar lit the ceremonial candle. Dr Patar, president of the akademi, urged the new-generation poets to maintain their enthusiasm. He assured them that the akademi would give them all assistance. He said Pankati should hold a “kavi darbar” every first week of the month.

The young poets that participated were Deepak, Harjit Rattan, Karamjit Grewal, Budh Singh Neelon, Prof Inderpal, Baldev Bagicha, Surinderjit Simi, Pawandeep Kaur, Tejinder Dhillon, Prabhdeep and Jasjit. The programme started with a ghazal recitation by Trilochan Lochi. Various poets read out their poems and ghazals on their chosen themes with great gusto.

Prof N S Tasneem, vice-president of the akademi, Gurbhajan Gill, an Urdu poet, Sardar Panchi, a Punjabi critic, Dr Surjit Muktsar, Janmeja Singh Johal and Subhash were present to encourage the poets. OC

Cassette released
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, December 18
“ More money and even more hard work is required to promote the maiden cassette of a new singer, but I have always encouraged fresh talent. I have taken pains to promote both the song writer, Balbir Boparai, and the singer Diljit,” said Mr Rajinder Singh of ‘Fine Tone Cassette’. He was releasing the cassette ‘Ishq da ura aira’ of Diljit this afternoon.

At a press conference he told mediapersons that Diljit’s audio and video album “Ishq da ura aira” was the result of team hard work and had received a good response. He said he has made a video of all songs of this album, not normally done for a new singer.