‘Sur Puraskar’ for MDU professor
 Our Correspondent

Rohtak, December 21
Dr Baij Nath Singhal, a senior professor of the Hindi Department, Maharshi Dayanand University, has been conferred with ‘Sur Puraskar’, the highest literary award of Haryana Sahitya Akademi for this year. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 50,000 and a citation.

Expressing happiness over the government decision regarding his selection for this honourable award, Dr Singhal said sincere efforts accompanied with devotion to work never goes waste. He said he had received hundreds of phone calls from his relatives, friends and litterateurs, greeting him on this achievement.

Having the teaching experience of 34 years, Dr Singhal has got over 50 research papers published in various journals of repute to his credit. He has already been honoured with ‘Prakashvir Shastry Puraskar’ for his contribution to Hindi literature. The American Biographical Institute for Research had selected him for ‘Man of the Year’ award.

Singapore team visits Apollo International School
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, December 21
A two-member team of the Board of Governors of United World College, Singapore, visited Apollo International School at Bari village, about 15 km from here, yesterday. According to a report, the team was headed by Chairman John Kirkham. The members of the team were accompanied by Mr Vikram Chand, a member of the board. Mr Raju Kanwar and Mr P. N. Wahal, trustees of the Raunaq Education Foundation, also accompanied the members of the team.

Mr Kirkham was deeply impressed by the progress made by the school in a short span of time.

Addressing the assembly of the students, he said that the school had the right ambience. He, however, hoped that Apollo International School and United World College, Singapore, would develop bonds and have a meaningful and fruitful relationship.

The foundation of UWC was laid soon after World War II. The first Chairman of UWC was Earl Mountbatten. At present, there are 10 United World Colleges spread out over Asia, Africa, South America and Europe.

Apollo International School, it may be recalled, is being run by the Raunaq Education Foundation and Mr Raju Kanwar is a young and dynamic entrepreneur who is on the board of several important companies.

Hefty PTA fund in violation of rules: Vidrohi
Our Correspondent

Rewari, December 21
The Haryana Janata Dal (U) President, Mr Ved Prakash Vidrohi, has expressed grave concern at the annual collection of a hefty amount from students by way of Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) funds in the local government Senior Secondary School for Boys in utter disregard of departmental norms.

In a written press statement here, he said he was shocked to learn from students that the school authorities had arbitrarily collected Rs 100 each from students of classes VI to X and Rs 150 each from class XI and XII students during the current session. Similarly, hefty collections were also made from students in the previous session as well. These funds were collected despite strict departmental norms, which do not permit an annual collection exceeding Rs 24.

An audit of the PTA fund was held this year in July by the Chief Accounts Officer of the Education Department who found the hefty collections contrary to rules and regulations. He had proposed disciplinary action against the erring school authorities but no concrete action has been taken even after a lapse of about six months.

COURTS

Judge dismisses plea for anticipatory bail 
Jatinder Sharma

Rohtak, December 21
Mr Shiva Sharma, special judge, Rohtak dismissed the pre-arrest bail application of Mr Jagi Dass, Forest Officer, against whom a criminal case under Section 13 (1)(e) of Prevention of Corruption Act was registered by the State Vigilance Bureau on December 5.

Appealing for pre-arrest bail, the Forest Officer said that he was being falsely implicated in the case on the ground that he had amassed money from some unknown sources.

According to the prosecution, the Forest Officer had assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. The petitioner joined the Forest Department in 1972 as Daroga.

The complaint said that although Mr Dass claimed to have inherited three kanals of land in 1994, he had, in fact, purchased the said land during his service. On inquiry, it was found that he had over Rs 2 lakh worth of unaccounted wealth. The petitioner argued that an amount of Rs 40,000, which he had raised as a loan, has also been included in his assets.

The public prosecutor argued that the income-tax returns were filed in November 2000 and January 2001 by Suresh Kumar, the petitioner’s son, and Chankur Devi, the wife of the petitioner, after the initiation of the inquiry by the bureau. The judge said that the returns filed by the wife and son of the petitioner were on the income derived from the agricultural land, but no tax is payable on income from agricultural land. The returns, he said, were filed by the petitioner in an attempt to justify his assets.