The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

EDUCATION

PF rate to figure at Syndicate meeting
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 25
Resentment prevails among employees of Panjab University over the proposed reduction in the rate of interest on provident fund from the existing 10.75 per cent to 7.5 per cent quarterly. The matter will come up for consideration at the Syndicate meeting scheduled for tomorrow.

Prof P.P. Arya, a fellow of the university Senate, in a letter to the Vice-Chancellor said: “The Syndicate at its meeting held on August 3, 2002, decided to give 10.75 per cent quarterly interest for the whole year but now the interest committee has decided that 10.75 per cent should not be paid for the third and fourth quarter”. This means that the Syndicate would be asked to backtrack on its own decision.

It has been pointed out that such a low rate did not exist in any government organisation or neighbouring universities. Even the Union Government was paying 9.5 per cent to its employees.

Professor Arya said the university was expecting a higher income on its investment in the UTI in a particular scheme but had been paid Rs 6 crore less than the expected return. The university should file a legal case against the UTI, he said.

The cut in rate of interest was a blow to the employees who had not even been given a pension scheme, he added.

Teachers propose to hold a dharna in front of the Administrative Block during the Syndicate meeting.

Private schools take to ‘maths labs’
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, July 25
The recent CBSE move to tackle “maths phobia” among students by making the subject practical-oriented has drawn enthusiasm from private schools but the Education Department has yet to decide about introducing, “ mathematic labs” in government schools.

The CBSE has come out with a book aimed at helping schools on how to go about setting up such laboratories. The book, “Mathematics Laboratories in School: Towards a Joyful Leaning,” aims at changing the current system that does not benefit the students.

The CBSE’s regional office has already distributed the book along with a circular signed by the G.Balasubramanian, Director (Academic), CBSE, directing teachers to “go through the preliminary pages of this document carefully in order to help themselves have a clear idea of what a mathematics laboratory is, why is it needed and how to establish and use it meaningfully.”

“The concept of such a laboratory in schools is yet another effort of the board to make the curriculum transaction of the subject more meaningful”, reads the letter addressed to all heads of institutions affiliated to the board. The book delves into the concept behind the laboratory and the process of setting it up. It also discusses activities that a school could take up.

“ Since the current style of teaching of the subject lays too much emphasis on symbols, formulae and their manipulations rather than the physical significance and interpretation of the subject, our maths faculty has been planning to set up a maths corner in the school,” said Ms Manju Bhardwaj, Principal of Pandit Mohan Lal S.D. Public School, Sector 32, adding that the book had given them a direction.

Ms Malini Shivram, a mathematician who has been organising workshops and orientation programmes for maths teachers in the city has already been approached by many private schools for helping them set up the laboratories and choose activities to be incorporated for the practicals. “Setting up such labs would help generate interest among the students towards this dreaded subject and also make the learning process easy. Also, the activities incorporated for this purpose need not be very expensive,” she said.

While a majority of the private schools are willing to give the concept a shot, the Education Department seems hesitant about its implementation. “We have received the CBSE direction as well as the book but before taking any decision we have to give it a thought as setting up a lab would mean adding new infrastructure like rooms and practical material which could prove a costly affair, ” said Mr D.S. Mangat, Director Public Instruction, Education Department, Chandigarh.

Polytechnic staff hold rally
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, July 25
The teaching and non-teaching staff of ITIs and polytechnics from all over Punjab held a rally at Takniki Sikhsha Bhavan Sector 36, here today, against the Punjab Government’s decision to hand over 18 polytechnics, 106 ITIs and four engineering colleges to the private sector under the Public-Private Participation Scheme.

Addressing the gathering today, Prof Gurbakshish Singh, President, Punjab Polytechnic Engineers’ Association, said this move of the government would not only put burden on the state exchequer but also affect both the employees and the weaker sections of the society. Mr J. Singh, General Secretary, Workshop Union, said 16,000 employees would become jobless as a result of this move.

Another issue which was highlighted in today’s rally was steep fee hike in the ITIs and polytechnics which is almost three-fold now. Criticising the government for the steep fee hike, Mr Sunil Kumar, vice-president, ITI Union, said as a result of the fee hike, technical education was now a distant dream for the weaker sections of the society.

Earlier in a memorandum submitted to the Punjab Technical Education Minister, Mr Mahinder Singh Kay Pee, the Joint Action Committee of the officers and employees of the Department of Technical Education and Industrial Training, Punjab and Chandigarh, condemned the move of the state government to sell the well established institutions to the selectively chosen private promoters at throw away prices.

Others who spoke on the occasion were Amrik Singh, Sukhdev Singh, Harjot Singh, Narinder Singh, M. Singh, Sohan Singh, Manjit Singh, Lakhinder Singh and Hardev Singh.

Strike by students
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, July 25
Students of Government College, Sector 11, today observed an hour- long strike on the college campus to demand appointment of adequate staff on regular or ad hoc basis, removal of restrictions on the number of seats allotted to different subjects, installation of incoming telephones in hostel and permission to keep mobile phones in the hostel

The students also demanded permission to park vehicles in the hostel and speedy allotment of hostel rooms to the applicants, besides demanding that the number of minimum meal should be reduced to 20 monthly diets instead of 40 minimum monthly diets in the hostel.

The students also said that if the demands were not met soon, they would resort to strike from July 29.

Results declared
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 25
Panjab University’s Department of Correspondence Studies has declared the results of M.Com I, MFC I and MFC II conducted earlier this year, an official press note said here today.

The university has also declared results of compartment in English(compulsory) of BA I (general).

Copies of the result gazette will be available at the enquiry counter on all working days.

BSc (I) reappear exam on Aug 4
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 25
The reappear examination of BSc I (honours school) has been postponed from July 28 to August 4, a press release of the Students Organisation of Panjab University said here today.

Khjushbaz Singh Jattana, president, said that at a meeting with the Vice-Chancellor it was decided that students of BSc (honours school) who had been promoted to MSc I would be provided hostel accommodation on continuation charges till declaration of their results.

The BSc III (honours school) reappear examination will commence on August 24.

COURTS

Probe charges, court tells police
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, July 25
Taking up a complaint case filed against a "human rights activist" accused of cheating, the court of the Judicial Magistrate today directed the police to investigate the matter after registering a case.

Issuing the directions, the magistrate, Mr P.K. Yadav, asked the police to register an FIR under Sections 420, 419, 506 and 120-B, IPC, against "human rights activist" Shanti Bahuguna and her husband, Sribatti Bahuguna.

In his complaint filed before the court, Mr Balkar Singh has alleged that Shanti Bahuguna and Sribatti Bahuguna had taken Rs 9,000 from him on the pretext of taking up his complaint against his wife's seniors with the National Human Rights Commission. He has further alleged that the couple have misrepresented the facts and were falsely claiming to be joint secretaries of the Haryana Chapter of All-India Human Rights Commission.

It is also learnt that a resident of Sector 11, Mr Virinder Sharma, has also filed a similar complaints against the Bahugunas. He has complained that the couple have defamed him by making false allegations against him at his office. While one complaint has been filed in the court of the JMIC, Panchkula, another has been filed in the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate. In both cases, notices have been issued to the couple for August 20 and July 29, respectively.

Engineers asked to keep Sukhna’s level in check
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 25
Taking up the save Sukhna Lake case, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today asked the engineers concerned to ensure that there was no danger to city residents.

The Bench, headed by Chief Justice B.K. Roy, also asked the engineers to ensure that the level did not rise beyond the level stipulated by the Bhakra Beas Management Board.

In the petition, city resident Pritpal Singh Sodhi had asserted that the lake would be destroyed if the level was raised. He had further asserted that the pressure would increase by 40 per cent on the adjoining buildings if the level was raised by two feet.

In a similar petition, Naya Gaon resident B. Singh had earlier produced development plan of Haryana. Describing it as “death warrant”, he had stated that the plan would stop the inflow of rainwater in Sukhna Lake, rendering it a dumping ground for waste material.

Dr Singh had asserted that Haryana wanted its own lake within the state territory. He had alleged that the Chandigarh Administration, under the influence of the Haryana Government, was maintaining silence and was not taking any measure to stop such plan from going ahead.

He had also produced letters from the Prime Minister and the Minister of Urban Development, Government of India, issuing directions to the governments of Haryana and Punjab not to indulge in urbanisation of the periphery area around Chandigarh.

According to him, the former Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Bhajan Lal, and a former Punjab Governor, during Governor’s Rule in 1985, had left the matter of urbanisation in periphery area to the Prime Minister of India to decide as per provision in Periphery Act. Accordingly, the Prime Minister had directed the states of Punjab and Haryana to develop and urbanise periphery area as per guidance and coordination of a coordinating committee set up by the Central Government.

Notice of motion issued: Taking up a petition filed against Punjab Chief Secretary and other respondents by a steno in the Advocate-General’s office, alleging non-allocation of ground floor accommodation despite repeated requests, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued notice of motion for September 9.

In his petition, taken up by the Bench, comprising Mr Justice Swatanter Kumar and Mr Mehtab Singh Gill, petitioner Balwinder Singh Bhinder had earlier alleged that his accommodation was not changed from top to ground floor even though his left knee had been fractured in an accident, making it difficult for him to climb the stairs.

Appearing in person before the Bench, he had asserted that seven representations, giving details of the vacant houses, were submitted by him but no action was taken.

Bail for murder accused: Parveen who had been arrested by the UT police in a case of murder was today granted bail by a local court. The police had arrested six persons for allegedly murdering a resident of Sector-38, Randeep. The complainant and the brother of the deceased, Harish Kamboj, had alleged that Randeep was murdered by a group of youths in Sector-38. Another suspect in the case, Rajesh, was yesterday granted bail by the court.

Parveen’s counsel argued that Rajesh had already been granted bail and Parveen was being falsely implicated in the case. The counsel further argued that Parveen’s name was not mentioned in the FIR. Instead, his name figured only in the supplementary statement made by complainant.

Young singer yearns for devotional music
Parbina Rashid

Chandigarh, July 25
Ivan Charles is like any other average boy of his age - listening to techno music, chilling out in the Fun City and writing poems instead of doing home work. But when it comes to utilising his singing talent, this class VIII student of Mount Carmel School, here, is singularly focussed. He wants to dedicate his voice to devotional music.

Jonathan has already taken the first step towards his goal by recording his first solo album “Let’s Praise The Lord” which is going to be released soon. Not only he has sung as the lead singer for this album, he has also written the lyrics and composed all eight songs. The album has been recorded by Sound Scape DAW, a digital audio company based in Kerala.

Jonathan, who has a deep sonorous voice, started singing from the age of five. He joined his parents in the church choirs and later on sang stage singing ghazals and songs for various competitions. For this youngster, winning award in competition was just fine, but it does not satisfy his soul.

“God has given me talent and I do not want to use it for blatant commercial purpose,” says Jonathan, adding that he would rather sing devotional music like his father Mr Charles Samuel who sings devotional songs for radio channels like Far Eeastern Broadcasting Association (FEBA) and Transworld Audio.

Such mature philosophy at this tender age is something rare to come across, but once you look into his lyrics, you know his maturity comes from deep within. He praises the Lord in his composition “Who is the Best”, “Jesus the Lord”, “I just want to live for Christ” and “Everybody praise the Lord with Me” among others. Through another song “One lonely night”, he searches for his angel in stars and moon which is quite touching.

It took him three years to compile the songs for his first solo album. “In the beginning I used to write aimlessly, never dreaming that they would take shape of an album some day,” he says with his child-like innocence. He used to hide his creations from his parents in fear of being ridiculed. “But one day my elder brother saw these and encouraged me and after that my parents helped me to record this album,” he says. Jonathan is already writing for his next album.

Writing and singing might come naturally to him, but Jonathan is not banking upon these two talents for his livelihood. “I want to be a pilot,” says Jonathan adding that he would continue to sing devotional songs. Jonathan also plays the piano, drums and the keyboard.