The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

EDUCATION

Parties take up cudgels for suspended MDU lecturer
Our correspondent

Rohtak, October 21
The Lok Janashakti Party, the CPM and the CPI have strongly protested against the suspension of Dr Himmat Singh Ratnoo, an elected member of the Maharshi Dayanand University Executive Council and secretary of the university teachers’ association by the Vice-Chancellor, Maj-Gen Bhim Singh Suhag(retd)). Dr Ratnoo, a lecturer in the Economics Department, was suspended on October 17 after heated exchanges with the Vice-Chancellor at a meeting of the Academic Council during discussions on a move to delegate powers to the Vice-Chancellor for constituting a committee for examining proposals to introduce additional courses in affiliated colleges.

Former student leader and president of the state Lok Janashakti Party, Capt Shamsher Singh Malik, state CPM secretary Inderjit Singh and CPI secretary of Haryana Raghubir Chaudhary have in a joint statement expressed grave concern over fast deterioration in the situation at Maharshi Dayanand University due to the authoritarian functioning of the Vice-Chancellor by disregarding the laid down Acts and statutes of the university.

The three parties have raised objections to the draconian manners of the Vice-Chancellor in order to wield all decision-making powers in his hands by subverting the statutory bodies and elected committees.

The recent suspension of Dr Ratnoo from lectureship is in a series of such steps. Another Executive Committee member and a Sanskrit scholar, Dr Yajan Veer Dahiya, was put under suspension last year for his dissenting note on the Vice-Chancellor’s proposal to sell off a part of the university land. The Vice-Chancellor had also threatened the teachers’ association office-bearers with invoking charges of sedition for passing a resolution against fee hike, these leaders said.

The role of the authorities to provide patronage to violence on the campus aimed at stopping the popular candidates from being elected in the Non-Teaching Employees Union elections, too, had come under severe criticism recently.

Mr Inderjit Singh, Captain Malik and Mr Raghubir Chaudhary have pointed out that there is widespread apprehension in the public mind about financial irregularities out of the huge amounts of money extorted from the parents in the name of prospectus fees and other dues. In view of this the real intentions behind the controversial move of the Vice-Chancellor to usurp the power of grating sanction for the new courses in affiliated colleges was bound to give rise to serious doubts. “People at large are feeling disturbed over the falling image of Maharshi Dayanand University in the wake of open allegations of question papers and answersheets being sold in the market, the statement said.

Elections to Tika Ram Education Society challenged
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, October 21
The validity of the move of the administration to hold elections for constituting the management committee of the Tika Ram Education Society has been challenged in the court. The court has reportedly issued a notice to the returning officer in this regard.

According to information, one Mahender Singh of village Mandora had filed an appeal in a local court questioning the authority of the returning officer to issue the notice for the election.

He has submitted that according to the constitution of the society, only the administrator is the competent authority to issue notice one month before the election.

It has also been pointed out in the appeal that the authorities have not published the revised electoral roll for the election.

It has also been mentioned in the appeal that though hundreds of the life members of the society have expired, their names have not been removed from the electoral roll.

Further, the names of 120 persons who became members of the society in 1995 have not been included in the voter list despite directions of the court.

Meanwhile, it has been pointed out that the names of number of people had appeared twice or even thrice in the old electoral list. These discrepancies had not been removed.

It may be recalled that the society has been managed by the administrator-Additional Deputy Commissioner of Sonepat-during the last five years. According to election schedule announced, the polling will take place on November 2. The SDM, Sonepat, has been appointed the returning officer.

The Tika Ram Education Society is one of the most prestigious Jat-dominated society, that runs five educational institutions in the town.

COURTS

Four to get the stick for illegally showing ‘abadi’ land
Our Correspondent

Noida, October 21
The District Magistrate, Gautam Budh Nagar has recommended strong action against four officials for fraudulently converting agricultural land into ‘abadi’ land in revenue records along the Taj Expressway. The 25-bigha valuable agriculture land in Rehipur village under Sadar Tehsil was fictitiously shown as abadi land, with the sole objective of benefiting some land mafia, it is learnt.

The District Magistrate, Mr M L Venketeshwar Lu, has recommended a strong action to the administration against four administration officials.

The District Magistrate said he had sent his proposal for the acquisition of land in connection with the Taj Expressway to the State Revenue Council under Clause 4 on 21 June.

A proposal for acquiring 25 bigha land as per Khasra No I and II had also been incorporated in the proposal, the DM said.

The then Sadar Tehsildar Chander Babu had misled the district administration and the government by stating that the above-referred land was abadi land, hence it could not be acquired for the project.

The government had then ordered the district administration for conducting an inquiry into the matter. The probe was conducted by administrative officer, Noida authority, Vishal Srivastava, the then Dy Collector Rajeev Gupta and Tehsildar Shailander Singh.

However, these three officials had also towed the line of the Tehsildar Chander Babu and misguided the authorities, Mr Venketeshwar Lu said.

The land in question was left out of the ambit of acquisition by the authorities.

But when the news of the land, as not of abadi land, was published by the press, the government asked Addl DM, Dr Shiv Prasad and Dy DM Sadar, Yogender Yadav to conduct a fresh probe which concluded that the said Khasra number did not have any abadi land. Earlier officers had thus misled the government with their biased recommendation that the land in question was abadi.

All the four officials, Vishal Srivastava, Rajiv Gupta, Chander Babu Gupta and Shailender Singh involved in this probe were, therefore, found guilty of having willfully misled the government. A letter has thus been sent to the administration recommending strong action against all those found guilty, the DM said.

CULTURE

GLITZ & GLAMOUR
Autumn-Winter range: A hot offering for a cold season
Smriti Kak

Models displaying Weekender’s Autumn-Winter 2003 collection

After a rainy spell that seemed never ending, the city is ready to bid adieu to the summer sun as well. And since changing season also means a change in the wardrobe, the city’s show windows have already begun airing the woollies and what have you for the winter months ahead.

Weekender’s Autumn Winter 2003 collection has three new categories, the Essentials, the Blues and the Hardwear. Blues is about denim wear with co-ordinated shirts and tops. The range offers trousers in retro styling using experimental washes, stylised trousers in cross hatch denim, bootcuts and laser prints.

In the ‘Hardwear’ category for women, there are tops with raw edge finish, hand embroidered and leather tie-ups, suede capris, wraparounds and embroidered skirts.

The ‘Essentials’ have sweaters in acrowool, lambwool and silver knits. Jackets in polyster fleece, nylon taffeta and moleskin are included.

‘Globus’ claims its offerings for the cold season is “hot” and inspired by the 50s! There is a mishmash of “tough romantic look influenced by noble opulence and radical street style”. Plus, “a hint of European Dandy sets in,” say the women’s wear brand.

To make it simpler, it is “kitsch all the way” with “dishevelled look”. The palette is “a riot of campus inspired highlights to tandoori rich tones, with shadowy silver and burnished gold that sets the mood to perfection.”

Not to offend the 80s, the ‘Globus’ range has, “draped jerseys, extravagantly falling from a halter neckline or prettily tied shoulder details, sleeves mostly slashed open and caught at the wrist.”

Going back for inspiration is fashionable enough. Spykar too has gone back to the “glamorous 70s of studio ’54 look”. On offer are “overall and asymmetric prints and embroideries, pigment sprays, bold and psycho-graphic prints and appliqué work.”

The range is significant with a multitude of contrasts in fabrics, patterns and prints. Several techniques and materials have been blended together to give richness and individuality to the fabric.

Mystical line from Zoya

Quiz master Siddharth Basu, dancer Raja Reddy, theatre personality and TV anchor Suneet Tandon, painter Sanjoy Bhattachrya … famous men, achievers and also Tansihq’s latest models. These men were part of the launch of the Tanishq Zoya line of jewellery.

The line is a collection of 17 limited edition designs in diamonds, rubies, emeralds and other precious stones, set in white and yellow gold. Inspired by the Sufi tradition, the collection, claim the makers is “unique and mystical”.

Wondering why the 11 men were chosen to do the honours? Bhaskar Bhat, MD Titan Industries offers: “Our objective of launching the Zoya was to present an inimitable collection that apart from making a style statement, would be cherished not only by women, but also earn the appreciation of men”.

Therefore, “this is why we wished Tanishq Zoya to be unveiled by men who share the same intrinsic values we associate with the collection”. What is more, part of the proceeds from the sale of the collection will be given to charities supported by “these men”.

For health conscious

A treatment at Touch & Glow

Touch and Glow is a spa, which has opened its doors in the Capital to offer, “therapies and specialised treatments to the discerning beauty and health conscious Delhiites”.

The state-of-the-art spa offers Ayurveda, Chinese, Japanese and Roman treatment and Thai massages. The spa also offers “total solution as a recreational centre for relaxing mind and pampering every part of the body”.

Jyotsna Tiwari, MD, says, ‘I did my holistic surveys among various ayurvedic labs and medicine centres in India as well as abroad. I learnt to make oils and ancient therapies are the base of all treatment at Touch and Glow.”

The spa also claims to have “expert therapists and dedicated health consultants” working with them.

Tempting trinkets

K's Mall Store is now offering a range of specially designed apparel for the wedding season. While the range of clothing is extensive, the price tags are a bit staggering.

For the wedding season, Bholasons Jewellers has unveiled a specially designed and crafted line titled, the ‘Vivaha Jewellery’. The collection comprises jewellery made from pure gold, diamonds and precious stones. It also includes a line of antique finish in gold jewellery with coloured stones, kundan, polki and meena and diamond-studded jewellery.

To woo the brides, Hyderabadi sets with gold and designs with bikaneri workmanship are also on offer. The makers also claim to have brought out a collection for different occasions, including sagan, sangeet, mehendi, wedding etc.

Diana of London

Maxcare International, makers of cosmetics, have launched ‘Diana of London’ range in India. The products claim the makers are affordable and eco-friendly.

The company is aiming for a spot in the “huge Indian cosmetics market”. The products will be out in the market by next week at major chain stores like Ebony, Shoppers’ Stop and Lifestyle. With prices ranging from Rs 95 to Rs 375, Diana of London is positioned for upper middle and high-end consumers.

The manufacturers assert that their products are friendly to the skin as well as the environment and do not contain animal fat.

Munda Punjab da

Twenty-five-year-old Mohit is the new face in the glamour world. Based in Greater Kailash, he has just completed a remix video on the popular number Na Ja Mere Badshah for T-Series. Now, he is busy in shooting a Punjabi video Nal Nal Nach Le for Venus. He has done twelve videos for Ashique. Originally, Mohit hails from Hoshiarpur in Punjab. He did his schooling from local Marry Gold School, where he had been crowned Mr Mary Gold for several times. Mohit is an ardent fan of Sunny Deol.

Nalini Ranjan