EDUCATION

TRIBUNE IMPACT
Authorities begin repair work in govt schools
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, January 23
Barely 48 hours after Chandigarh Tribune brought to light the “indifferent attitude” of the authorities concerned towards the plight of poor students in government schools, the Engineering Department officials today ensured complete replacement of broken windowpanes in most of the institutes mentioned in these columns.

A visit to the schools situated in Khuda Lahora and Khuda Jassu revealed that senior officials of the Engineering Department were personally supervising the replacement work.

The main gate and broken boundary wall were also being repaired.

School authorities, on the condition of anonymity, claimed that a sub-divisional official remained at the site till around 10 pm on Wednesday night — the day the report appeared in the newspaper. Authorities of other institutes also expressed apprehension that they might be called by the Education Department officials for “interacting with the press”.

The report, it may be recalled, had stated that the authorities concerned had failed to ensure even the replacement of broken windowpanes in some of the government schools in the city and villages around.

‘Indian tribals, aborigines similar’
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 23
The morphological similarities among the tribal Indians and aboriginal populations in Australia are amazing. Detailed studies based on skeletal anatomy and genetics can provide some vital clues. These are the first set of findings being worked upon by Dr P. Raghavan, a Panjab University alumni working as a senior scientist with the Australian Research Council stationed at the School of Archaeology and Anthropology, Australian National University at Canberra.

Working on the “Contribution of South Asia to the peopling of Australia”, Dr Raghavan is in the company of two leading authorities in the world, Prof Colin Groves and Dr David Bulbeck. ‘‘Cultural and linguistic affinities among these geographical isolated groups reveal some information, but utmost care is required in interpreting such data. Comparative studies based on tool industries, engraved rock shelters or cave art expressions of Indian subcontinent and Australian prehistoric populations can yield valuable data.’’ he says.

A PhD from Panjab University, Dr Raghavan says a study on the current aboriginal artifacts and their counterparts of Indian art and culture will be a very useful contribution. ‘‘This is also the theme of my supplementary project — the exploration of Indian heritage links with Australia,” he says.

‘‘The Indian subcontinent has always been a centre of attraction in the theories that they floated in the peopling of Australia. Various tribal people of India are often compared to native Australians. Their physical affinities with the Australian aborigines, shows cultural similarities,” he says.

COURTS

Jain files bail plea
Our Correspondent

Claiming that he was implicated in the case and deserved the concession of bail, Mr Jain has stated in the plea that two persons — Ram Lal and Baldev — alleged to be involved in the case had already been granted bail by the High Court. Moreover, the victim in the case had already stated in a complaint filed in a local court that she did not know him. Therefore, he deserved the concession of bail, Mr Jain added.

Bail plea opposed

The CBI today opposed the bail plea moved by Navjot Singh, an accused alleged to be involved in the Beant Singh assassination case, while filing a reply before the UT District and Sessions Judge, Mr H.S. Bhalla, in a special court room in Model Burail jail. The case was adjourned for tomorrow for arguments on bail plea.

HIGH COURT
Quashing of FIR ‘to be done sparingly’
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 23
Quashing of criminal proceedings has to be done sparingly and with circumspection — the Punjab and Haryana High Court has ruled in a significant judgement.

In a ruling on a petition filed by four accused in a cheating and forgery case, the High Court held: “The parameters with regard to the quashing of a first information report are well settled, that the inherent powers under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure can be exercised by the High Court so as to prevent the abused of the process of Court, or to secure the ends of justice”.

The Court added: “While exercising the powers so vested, it has to keep in mind that the criminal proceedings should not be allowed to be scuttled at the initial stage of investigation unless it can be spelled out that no case is made out at all”.

Dismissing the petition, the Court concluded: “In the present case, from the facts stated in the report lodged by the complainant, it cannot be said that no case at all is made out against the accused. Rather, after investigation the police has submitted a report against the accused. These proceedings have not been challenged in the present petition.... The petition is accordingly dismissed”.

The accused had earlier sough the quashing of an FIR registered in August 1989 under Sections 419, 420, 467, 468, 471 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code at a police station in Ambala district.

Plea allowed

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has allowed a petition filed by a junior engineer seeking directions for expunging the remarks recorded by the then Sub Divisional Judicial Magistrate at Bahadurgarh.

Pronouncing the orders, the High Court has also ordered the striking down of the directions contained in the judgement for initiating departmental proceedings against the engineer.

HC allows dog show at Leisure Valley
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 23
Pet lovers in the city will now be able watch their canine friends in action during the annual dog show at Sector 10, Leisure Valley. The hurdles in the way of organising the show were cleared today after the Punjab and Haryana High Court modified its earlier order to the extent of allowing the Chandigarh Kennel Club to hold the event at Leisure Valley.

The High Court, in its earlier order, had imposed a ban on taking the pets out to lake and various parks in the city. Pronouncing the orders, a Division Bench of the High Court, had further directed the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh, besides the Chandigarh Administration, to implement the ban completely.

Today, arguing before the court, club's founder member Parminder Pal Singh, also an advocate, submitted that the club was a registered society and had been holding the annual dog shows for the past 23 years. The shows, he had added, were internationally acclaimed.

It may be recalled that the High Court had earlier taken suo motu notice of a news item on terror being unleashed by the increasing number of dog bites in the city. The court, in its order, had observed: "A news item states that in whole of Chandigarh, only 186 pet dogs have been registered with the Medical Officer of Health. In spite of public notices being issued by the Municipal Corporation in the local newspapers, only 14 persons have approached for the registration of dogs from January 2000 till date. It has further been stated in the news item that no survey has been conducted about the number of pet dogs kept by the city residents. Some of the persons are keeping more than one pet dog. The news item further states that 450 cases of dog bites were reported during the past three months in Sector 19 Civil Dispensary".

The judge had concluded: "It has been rightly pointed out in the news item that terror has been unleashed and an increasing number of dog-bite cases in the city bears a testimony to this fact. The residents, though aware of the registration process, have not taken any serious step to get their pet dogs registered. The Municipal Corporation authorities have also not cared to impose fine on the residents concerned. Taking suo motu notice of the news item in the interest of justice, I deem it appropriate to issue notices...."

HC dismisses petition
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 23
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has dismissed a petition filed by a Jalandhar resident against the Senior Scientific Officer with the National Institute of Sports, Dr Ashok Ahuja.

In his petition, Kulbhushan Kumar Swamiji had challenged Dr Ahuja's teaching sports medicine to postgraduation students. The NIS Director, in his reply, had earlier stated that Dr Ahuja was the only doctor who had taken initiative to start the diploma course in sports medicine.

CULTURE

NEW RELEASES

THREE weeks of January are over and the Bollywood is still looking for a hit film. Balaji’s latest offering “Kuchh To Hai” and Morani and Neelam Bunty Soorma’s “Dum” are the two films being released this week. Experts in Bollywood expect both films to be the winner.

“Kuchh To Hai” was earlier titled “Kya Pyar Karoge Mujhse’. This film is Ekta Kapoor’s second venture as producer after ‘Kyunki Mein Jhooth Nahin Bolta. It is directed by Anurag Basu’s assistant Anil V. Kumar who also directs “Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki”, “Kuchh To Hai” is a romantic thriller inspired from Hollywood chiller “I Know What You Did Last Summer”. The promos of “Kutchh To Hai” have already managed to arouse curiosity among the audiences.

This film revolves around six characters. The first half is a usual campus romance and the second half is an unexpected thriller. The film also introduces teleserial “Kabhi Soutan Kabhi Saheli” fame Nataasha. Tusshar Kapoor and Esha Deol are back after “Kya Dil Ne Kaha”. While, Esha Deol is excited after giving three flops, Tusshar feels both excited and nervous. It has a music by Anu Malik. So watch out this thriller which opens tomorrow at Malhar and Shingaar, Ludhiana.

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After ‘Shool’, director E. Niwas hopes to repeat his charisma in another intense drama Cineyoung’s “Dum”. It is a man’s experience in today’s India.

Even as the audience enjoys “Saathiya”, whiz kid Vivek Oberoi plays hero with Diya Mirza. An action film co-starring with Atul Kulkarni, this one can give a new image to dashing Vivek Oberoi. One can expect an impressive display of acting from him. Foot-tapping item song of model Yaana Gupta is another attraction of “Dum”. It also stars Sushant Singh, Govind Namdeo and Yashpal Sharma.

Screenplay by E. Niwas and Mehran, lyrics by Sameer, Abbas Tyrewala and Nitin Raikwar and music by Sandeep Chowta are major credits of “Dum”. This film opens tomorrow at Sangeet and Raikhy, Ludhiana. It is produced by Neelam Bunty Soorma and Morani.

— D.P.