EDUCATION

Workshop on cytogenetics
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 19
The 21st century is all set to witness an accelerated progress in the field of cytogenetics because of its wide range of applications in gene correction. This was stated by Prof S.K.Taneja, Chairman of the Department of Zoology, Panjab University, (PU) at the inaugural session of the University Grants Commission (UGC) sponsored workshop on “Cytogenetics-modern trends” in the university here today.

Professor Taneja said the field also had a wide range of implications in the fields of gene-based individual-tailored therapy against genetic disorders, production of transgenic animals, pest management, environment management, and micro-electronics, besides others.

Prof S.M. Handa, director of the workshop, chaired the session. Prof Tapas Mukhopadhyay, director of the National Centre of Human Genome Studies at the university, read out the keynote address on “Reduced telomeric signals and increased telomeric associations in cancer cells undergoing apoptosis”. In his talk he highlighted the role of gene P53 in the cancerous cells.

Prof K.N. Pathak, Vice-Chancellor, (PU) inaugurated the workshop. He said he saw great promise in the future of cytogenetics and molecular genetics as whole research in life sciences was focussed on the molecular level.

Prof G.P. Sharma, already declared a Zoologist of the millennium by the Zoological Society of India, was the guest of honour.

Prof S. Chaudhary, organising secretary of the workshop, thanked the participants and resource persons at the workshop for the overwhelming response.

In the next session, Dr Vas Dev, assistant director of the Malaria Research Centre, Sonapur (Assam), spoke on genetic evolution in yellow fever mosquitoes and its relevance to disease control. This was followed by talks of Dr Rajesh Biswas from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory and Dr R.C. Sobti, chairman of the department of Biotechnology.

Principal denies allegations
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 19
The Principal of Kailash Bahl DAV Public School, Sector 7, Ms Madhu Bahl, today denied that students were being compelled to pay Rs 600 for their farewell party and for buying a gift for her.

Terming the allegations, claimed to have been made by some students, as a move to bring disrepute to the school, she said there was no truth in it. She also denied that the students were threatened that they would not be issued roll numbers if they did not pay the amount. She said the roll numbers for the final examination would be issued on February 27.

In fact, she said, a notice to this effect was sent to the parents of all students on February 17 itself, in which they were also invited to participate in a havan on the school premises.

Rotary GSE team visits school
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, February 19
As part of the group study exchange (GSE) programme of the Rotary Foundation, five Sri Lankans who are in the city, visited Hansraj Public School here today. After the traditional tilak ceremony, they performed a yajna under the guidance of the students. Mr Nalin Fernando, the team leader said: "It gave them a hands-on experience of an essential ritual of the Hindu way of life.”

The team visited the multi-media theatre. The media manager of the Sri Lankan cricket team, Charnika, said:”This kind of experience would make learning fun for the students. I wish I was a child again so that I could have an exposure to this kind of teaching”. 

Educational fair organised
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 19
Canam, an overseas educational consultant company, organised an educational fair here today in which representatives from around the world — the USA, Canada, the UK, New Zealand, Singapore and Switzerland participated. Students interested in studying abroad interacted with foreign university officials, Ms. S Swanson from Malaspina University (Canada), Ms. Judith Carter from Halifax University (UK), Ms. B Naira from American University.

Mr Sukhmeet Garewal, Senior Vice-President of Canam, said they had exclusively tied up with the American University to benefit the 10+2+3 graduate students to complete their 16th year of education in the USA that was mandatory as per US education policy.

Painting contest prizes given away
Our Correspondent

SAS Nagar, February 19
The prize-distribution function for the 18th Nitish Lahiri On-the-Spot Painting Competition was held in Shivalik Public School here today. The competition had been organised by the Rotary Club of SAS Nagar.

The results (in order of merit) were as follows: Group A (Class 1-III) — Gagandeep Singh (DAV Public School, SAS Nagar), Gifty Sharma (Gem Public School, SAS Nagar) and Amandeep Singh (Gem Public School, SAS Nagar); Group B (Class IV-VIII) — Ramandeep Kaur (Sant Isher Singh School, SAS Nagar), Gurpreet Kaur (Gem Public School, SAS Nagar) and Harjot Singh (Gyan Jyoti Public School, SAS Nagar); Group C (Class VIII-X) — Monami (Shivalik Public School, SAS Nagar), Sangeeta (Gem Public School, SAS Nagar) and Ruchika Sood (Guru Nanak Public School, Chandigarh); Group D (Class XI-XII) — Sonakshi (Shivalik Public School, SAS Nagar), Jasleen Kaur (Shivalik Public School, SAS Nagar) and Avinash Kaur (Gyan Jyoti Public School, SAS Nagar).

Students of the Gur Asra Trust — Harpreet Kaur (Class I), Sarabjeet Kaur (Class VI), Amanjot Kaur (Class X), Mandeep Kaur and Sukhdeep (both Class VI) — also won prizes. At the function, 54 studetns were given consolation prizes. The prizes were distributed by Mr Darshan Singh, Subdivisional Magistrate of SAS Nagar, Mr Mapreet Singh, Rotary president, and Major Som Dut (retd).

National youth festival
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 19
The three-day national youth festival ‘Jhankar 2003’, commences in Panjab University tomorrow, according to a press note issued by the Panjab University Campus Students Council here today.

Eight entries have been received for the festival. These include CRM Jatt College of Hisar, Government College for Boys, (Sector 11), The Vaish Institute of Education, at Rohtak, DAV College, of Abohar, the College of Education, at Abohar, the University Evening College and the local College of Education.

Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, a former Chief Minister of Punjab, will be the chief guest at the inaugural function, while Prof K.N. Pathak, Vice Chancellor, will be the guest of honour.

This festival popular among the youth, draws young, budding artistes from the educational institutions.

‘Fin Hunch’ draws crowd
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 19
There was heavy rush at “Fin Hunch”, a mega management game show organised by University Business School at Panjab University here today. The debate which was the first event of the day saw a lot of heat on “Customer is not the king-telecom shows the way” in the preliminary round and “Globalisation is nothing but nationalisation of the internationalisation” in the final round. The team of Saurabh and Aditya from the University Institute of Engineering and Technology won the contest. Simran and Ripple from Government College for Girls, Sector 11, came second.

“Fin Hunch”, based on the concept of “Master Card Family Fortune”, saw overwhelming response. The team of Iftikar Ali and Neeraj Nainwal was the winner while the team comprising Deepak Chawla and Anish Monga was second. The event drew more than 60 teams from various local institutions.

Rural students given prizes
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, February 19
Eight students of schools in rural and slum areas, who secured top positions in the Human Development Talent Contest, were given prizes at a function organised by the Kusum Arora Memorial Trust in collaboration with the UT Education Department at Government High School in Sarangpur.

A colourful cultural programme was also presented by students. The Adviser to UT Administrator, Mr Virender Singh, presided over the function.

Results of Human Development Talent Contest are as follow.

Rural category: Vijay Kumar — Ist, Neelam IInd, Swaran Singh — IIIrd and Kala — IVth. Slum category: Anju — Ist, Sandeep Kumar — 2nd, Poonam — IIIrd and Manoj Kumar — IVth.

COURTS

DISTRICT COURTS
Bootleggers get six-month RI
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, February 19
Two local persons were given six month rigorous imprisonment under the Excise Act by a local court today. The men — Dev Raj and Rajesh — received the sentence from the UT Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, who also fined them Rs 500 each.

The men had been arrested by the UT police on November 9, 1998, for keeping 1,250 pouches of liquor. The police had charged them under Sections 61,1 and 14 of the Excise Act.

Contempt petition: Navjot Singh, alleged to be involved in the Beant Singh assassination case, filed written arguments here today in connection with the contempt petition filed by him against the CBI counsel in the court of the UT District and Sessions Judge, Mr H.S. Bhalla. the arguments were filed in a special court room in the Burail jail.

In the contempt petition, the accused had stated that a contempt proceeding could be initiated against the CBI counsels, as they had given a wrong information to the court. The accused had further claimed that, while arguing on the plea moved by him for allowing his father to assist his counsel in the court, the CBI counsel had misled the court in claiming that this plea had already been dismissed by the court. The judge has fixed the hearing for Monday.

The CBI counsels, in their reply filed before the Judge, said the accused, had filed a similar plea in the court, but it had been declined by the court.

Police custody: Navneet Singh, a man arrested by the UT police in connection with theft of cigarettes boxes from the godown of an agent of the ITC, was sent to the police custody by the UT Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr C.L. Mohal.

On February 9, the police had intercepted a truck (PB-12-E-9394) near the Badehri roundabout. The vehicle was being driven by Sham Lal and Navneet Singh was in the co-driver’s seat. On searching the vehicle, the police seized 19 boxes of cigarettes kept in it.

The cigarettes, worth Rs 3.5 lakh, had been stolen from the godown of a carrying-and-forwarding agent of the ITC and packed in 40 boxes. The recovered cigarettes were part of it.