EDUCATION

Arya College teachers hold dharna
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, January 11
The Arya College Teachers Union today boycotted the house examination and staged a dharna in front of the Principal’s office in protest against the Arya College Managing Committee’s indifferent attitude towards its genuine demands. The main demands include the release of 4 per cent of ADA full gratuity and leave encashment to the retired teachers and payment of arrears of difference of ADA and provident fund on account of grade revision for the period between January 1, 1997 and December 31, 1998.

While speaking to the mediapersons here today Prof Prem Walia and Prof R.L. Bahl said these payments, which are legal and statutory, had been withheld by the secretary, of the college managing committee without any rhyme or reason. The secretary had not convened any meeting of the managing committee for the past seven months. He had been taking decisions regarding the policy matters on his own without taking the committee into confidence. They said instead of negotiating with the representatives of the union and improve the academic environment of the college, the secretary had resorted to intimidating the teachers.

The leaders said to protest against the highhandedness of the management, the union had decided to boycot the examinations which started from today.

Teachers later sat on a dharna from 11.30am to 2pm outside the Principal’s office. Talking to Ludhiana Tribune, Dr Suresh Tandon, staff representative of Arya College, said if the management did not concede to their demands, they would start ‘a protest week’ from January 17 after the completion of examinations.

Competitions for visually challenged
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, January 11
The Maa Sarawaati Cultural Society has organised the second inter-state annual competition for the blind at Nauhria Mal Jain Senior Secondary School for Boys. Many teams are participating in the competition.

The various competitions are organised to test the talent of the visually challenged in solo music, classical music, declamation and debate competitions, Braille writing competition and several quiz competitions.

The function was to start at 1.30 p.m. but till 4 p.m. there was no sign of any organisers. The teams had arrived and children were seen shivering in the cold. The visually challenged sat patiently, braving the chilly weather.

The list of chief guests included Mr Tej Parkash Singh, Minister of Transport, Punjab, Mr Malkiat Singh Dakha, MLA, Giani Bhagat Singh, GS International Ludhiana and President Ramgarhia Education Trust and guest of honour included the Deputy Commissioner of the city.

One-day seminar on IT
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, January 11
A day-long seminar on information technology was organised today in Guru Nanak Girls College, Model Town, Ludhiana. The seminar was organised by the Computer Science Department of the college. The programmed stared with an introductory address by Mrs Kamlesh Gupta, Head of Computer Science Department. She introduced the eminent guests to all staff members and students.

Principal Mrs Charanjit Mahal welcomed the distinguished guests. She hoped that the students would gain a lot from the lectures and demonstration by the guests, as they were experts in this fields. Dr R.K. Jindal, Associate Professor Department of Computer Science, College of Agricultural Engineering, Punjab Agricultural University, delivered a special lecture.

The topic of his talk was ‘Problem solving through Database Management Systems’. Dr (Mrs) Shymla Devi, Chairperson, Department of Computer Science and Application, Panjab University, spoke on the topic ‘Networking and super computing facility at Panjab University, Chandigarh’. Dr C.M. Behal, Director, Department of Computer Science and Applications, Panjab University, Chandigarh, spoke about ‘Upcoming technology’ in the afternoon session.

Mrs Parminder Kaur thanked the experts, the Principal and the teaching and non-teaching staff and all students of the Computer Science Department on making the event a success. 

Meritorious teacher of the year
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, January 11
Dr H.N. Khajuria, Professor of Forestry, has been selected for the meritorious teacher award for the year 2002. He enrolled in the university as a postgraduate student in 1967 and joined service in 1973. He has been involved in the development of teaching programmes at the departmental and college levels.

Dr Khajuria won the Indo-French Cultural Exchange Fellowship for carrying out specialised studies at Bordeaux, France, for a year. Under the US-AID sponsored Faculty Improvement Programme, the PAU deputed him for training at North Carolina State University, Raleigh, USA, in the field of forest tree improvement. The Foundation of Technical Institute, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Iraq, also sought his expertise for a period of two years.

The award, with a citation and Rs 5,000 will be conferred on Dr Khajuria at the next university convocation.

Inter-school quiz
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, January 11
New Senior Secondary School, Sarabha Nagar, organised an inter-school quiz competition on Bharat ko jaano” in collaboration with the Bharat Vikas Parishad (Sukhdev Shakha) with a view to enlightening the students on different fields of India. Four teams participated in the contest.

The programme started with the lighting of the lamp followed by singing of Vande Matram. The whole quiz was divided into two groups. Each team consisted of two participants.

The results were as under:

Senior group: BVM Udham Singh Nagar (1), New Senior Secondary School, Sarabha Nagar (2) and SDP Senior Secondary School (3).

Junior group: New Senior Secondary School, Civil Lines (1), SDP Senior Secondary School (2) and BVM, Kitchlu Nagar (3). 

Appointment hailed
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, January 11
Dr Kirpal Singh Aulakh, Vice-Chancellor, Punjab Agricultural University, has welcomed the appointment of Dr Mangla Rai as Director-General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). He said that as a crop breeder of international standing, Dr Rai shared a close rapport with the PAU. Under his able leadership, Indian agriculture in general and Punjab agriculture in particular will be able to come out of the current crisis.

Fine slapped on BSNL
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, January 11
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has told the BSNL to pay Rs 3,000 as compensation to an aggrieved consumer and give rent rebate for three months, the period for which the telephone remained out of order.

The complainant, a man named Mr Harvinder Pal Singh, owner of Aqua Chemicals and Lubricants, had alleged that his telephone connection had remained dead from the last week of December 2000 to the last week of March 2001, in spite of a number of complaints to the officials concerned.

This made him suffer a huge loss in business and he got no rent rebate. The consumer demanded a compensation of Rs 20,000.

The BSNL said it had rectified the faults whenever the complaints had been received.

Mr Hardial Singh, president of the forum, and Mr T.R. Arora, a member of the forum, found the BSNL deficient in service.

The forum took serious note of the fact that the officials concerned had ignored all complaints by the consumer.

Bar and Bench come close for early Lohri
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, January 11
Lohri atmosphere prevailed on the Old Courts premises here. Members of the judiciary and the Bar shared jokes and recited couplets on the occasion. A great spirit of bon-homie prevailed in the courts and, for a change, lawyers and Judges interacted in an informal manner, eliminating the distance between the Bench and the Bar.

The Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr Arun Vir Vashisht, shared his childhood experiences with the gathering and spoke on the importance of Lohri. He recalled his times of singing ‘Kanga Ve Kanga, Eh Ghar Changa’. For the houses that returned his group empty-handed, the friends had this song ‘Kanga Ve Kanga, Eh Ghar Manda’. Ms Anshul Berry, Judicial Magistrate, presented a Punjabi song related to Lohri and won applause.

The lawyers also presented a good show. Mr Kamal Jit Singh Bajwa, a lawyer, sang a song, while another lawyer Rajesh Mehra recited couplets. Mr Harish Rai Dhanda, the Bar president, greeted everyone. Mr B.P. Singh Gill, vice-president of the Bar, and Mr T.P.S. Dhaliwal, the Bar Secretary, conducted the stage.

Mr J.S. Chouhan, Civil Judge (Senior Division), Judicial Magistrate, Mr Balwinder Kumar, Mr D.P. Singla, and Mr Balwinder Goel, member Bar Council, were also present there.