Poster-making contest on AIDS held
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, March 6
As part of the World AIDS day campaign-2003, a regional-level poster-making contest was organised by the NSS Regional Centre, Chandigarh, at Gandhi Bhavan, on Panjab University Campus here today. The contestants sent across the preventive messages through various symbols and slogans on the given theme “live and let live”.

Nearly 23 institutional-level winners from Panjab University, Chandigarh; Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar; Punjabi University, Patiala; Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla and Jammu University, Jammu, participated in the competition.

Presiding over the prize distribution function, Mr Gopal Ji, Assistant Programme Adviser, NSS, informed that the objective of the competition was to produce and develop quality material for the awareness campaign. “As the youth have a potential to develop innovative ideas this has been made a part of the NSS programme,” he said.

Dr N.M. Sharma, Project Director, State AIDS Control Society, UT Chandigarh, who was the chief guest on this occasion emphasised the need of spreading knowledge about HIV/ AIDS in the society.

Ms Pallavi Bagga of Government College for Girls, Sector 42, Chandigarh, was declared the winner while the second and third positions were bagged by Ms Kavita Singh from Department of Fine Arts, Punjabi University, Patiala and Ms Gayatri from Government College for Girls, Patiala respectively. Ms Pallavi Bagga will represent the Chandigarh region in the forthcoming poster making competition at the national level, to be organised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India in New Delhi later this month.

Special entrance test for Ph.D courses
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 6
Panjab University has decided to conduct a special entrance test for admission to PhD courses. This has been done because only 7per cent students could qualify in the test conducted earlier.

This was stated in an official press note issued after a ‘dharna’ by the Students Organisation of Panjab University in front of the Vice-Chancellor’s office.

The note said a candidate, who had passed B Sc (honours) from this university, could appear as a private candidate in a subject with a view to improving his earlier result. For this purpose the candidate would be given two chances within a period of three years after passing the B Sc(honours). They would appear in the annual examination along with other students.

A student, who has passed the M Sc (honours) would also be given a chance to improve his earlier result.

Essay contest
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 6
As part of the Hindi Day celebrations, the Hindi department of Panjab University on Thursday organised an essay writing contest on “Bharat ka bhavishya nirman mein Hindi ka yogdan”. Dinesh Chandra Yadav, Vibha and Vivek Kumar were adjusted the winners.

Bail for Anbros director
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, March 6
Mr Ashwani Anand, Director, Anbros Automobile, Industrial Area, was today granted bail by a local court in a cheating case. He was produced in the court of UT Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr C.L. Mohal, who granted him bail on furnishing a bond of Rs 20,000.

As per the prosecution, the duo Directors had sold an old Fiat Sienna to Mr Vir Bhan Goyal of AP Paper Mills claiming it as a new car. The case against the suspects was registered on February, 2001. They were earlier on pre-arrest bail granted by the court. The counsel for the suspect claimed that the two were falsely implicated in the case and had shown relevant documents in the court yesterday.

Pakistani spies

Pakistani spies — Abdul Wahid, Aabid Mehmood and Mohammad Arif — were further remanded in police custody till March 9 by the UT Judicial Magistrate (First Class), Mr K.K. Goyal, today. The police had alleged that they were involved in espionage and the supplying of secret documents of Indian military stations and photographs of officials to Pakistan.

Defamation case

Hearing of a defamation complaint, filed against the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee by Mr N.S Minhas, was adjourned by a local court till June 9. Mr Minhas had filed a complaint under Sections 499, 500 IPC, against the PPCC for publishing an advertisement in various national and regional news papers against a former Chief Minister of Punjab, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, during Assembly elections. He had alleged that the contents of the advertisement were false and malicious.

HIGH COURT
Dismissed
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 6
A petition seeking directions to the Punjab School Education Board for issuing roll numbers to certain students for appearing in the 10 plus two examination was on Thursday dismissed as withdrawan by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
In their petition, the students had claimed that they had passed their matriculation examinations from Hindi Sahitya Sammelan, Allahabad, but had not been issued the roll numbers.

NEW RELEASES
‘Pyaasa’, ‘Indian Babu’ in town

The ‘Saajan’ team of Lawrence D’ Souza, Nadeem-Shravan and Sameer has come out with ‘Indian Babu’, which opens today at Piccadily, Chandigarh. Produced by London-based businessman Surjit Pandher, ‘Indian Babu’ marks the debut of Pandher’s son Jaz Pandher and Miss Chandigarh Gurleen Chopra. Also making her debut is Debina from Kolkata.

The film also stars established character artistes such as Mohan Joshi, Mukesh Rishi, Nishigandha Vaad, Shama Deshpande, Johny Lever and Alok Nath. It is an emotional musical love story which carries the message that love knows no boundaries.

Lawrence D’ Souza is back with this film despite attempts on his life by the underworld. The producer, the director and the newcomers has pinned high hopes on ‘Indian Babu’.

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‘Pyaasa’ marks the debut of Miss World 1999 Yukta Mookhey and model-turned actor Syed Zulfi. A love story also starring Aftab Shivdasani, it opens today at Neelam, Chandigarh. A. Muthu of ‘Tera Jadoo Chal Gaya’ fame is the director.

The film has been produced by Ramesh Sharma and has screenplay by Sanjeev Duggal, dialogues by Jalees Sherwani, lyrics by Faiz Anwar and music by Sanjeev-Darshan. The supporting cast includes Saadhika, Govind Namdeo, Smita Jayakar, Anang Desai and Akhilendra Mishra. DP