EDUCATION

Teachers protest against college management
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, December 15
The Association of Teaching Staff (ATS) of Lord Mahavira Homoeopathic Medical College, Kitchlu Nagar, staged a dharna during the recess here today as a mark of protest. All faculty members wearing black badges held a peaceful demonstration outside the Principal’s office.

Teachers of the college held the protest in support of their outstanding demands after the management failed to take any step in this direction during their three meetings with the management and the principal. The teachers said they were being paid “meagre” salaries, which could not even be compared with the salaries of peon/clerks in other colleges and government or corporate sector.

Dr Deepinder Singh, president, Dr V.K.Thukral, vice-president, and Dr Parmod Kumar, secretary of the association, in a joint statement said teachers were being given improper treatment with no service rules, promotion policy, medical leave, leave encashment, maternity leave, DA, HRA or other benefits. They said their salaries were just 16-18 per cent of what they should be getting.

“In the past, the issue had been brought into the notice of the management several times but there were only verbal assurances and nothing concrete was done”, said Dr Deepinder Singh. One of the doctors said they had even refused to accept the annual increment this year as a protest but even this could not move the management from its stance.

The faculty members said keeping the interest of students in view, they had gone on a one-day token strike on November 11 and informed the management about their future course of action but nothing was done. “We never stopped taking classes in the past. We will continue to take the classes and hold peaceful demonstration during the recess till December 31”, said faculty members.

It may be mentioned here that Punjab University, Chandigarh, had given directions to the management at the time of affiliation to implement UGC/CCH scales and the same had been adopted by the management of Homoeopathic Medical College, Chandigarh.

The teachers on protest demanded immediate implementation of CCH scales and service rules. They threatened that if their demands were not fulfilled, they would intensify their agitation and boycott classes and other activities of the college. They also requested the Vice-Chancellor of the Baba Farid University of Health Sciences to intervene in the matter and issue directions regarding disaffiliation of colleges to all managements of homoeopathic colleges in the state affiliated with it.

Teachers, students honoured
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, December 15
To honour dedicated teachers and meritorious students of Spring Dale Public Senior Secondary School a prize distribution function was organised here yesterday. The chief guest and former Vice-Chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University, Mr Inderpal Singh, was given a (warm) reception by all members of the management committee. Ms Avinash Kaur Walia, founder Principal and Director of the school, read out the annual report, highlighting achievements of students.

Over 50 trophies, along with merit certificates, were awarded to teachers and students. A cultural programme was also organised in which bhangra and gidda were presented.

Among those present on the occasion were Mr Satpal Gosain, a former Deputy Speaker, Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Mr Yashpal Bangia, Secretary of the Philatelic Club, Mr Sukhdev Singh, President of the school committee, Mr Nirmal Singh, Chairman, Ms Sandeep Raikhi, Principal, Ms Kamalpreet Kaur, Headmistress, Mr Mandeep Singh, Director (Accounts).

Teachers’ protest rally on December 17
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, December 15
The Punjab & Chandigarh College Teachers’ Union (PCCTU) has decided to hold district level rallies and protest marches in the constituencies of the Congress MLAs and Ministers throughout the state till the college teachers’ demands, including 95 per cent grant-in-aid, pension-cum-gratuity, HRA to teachers working in rural areas, pay party to DPEs and librarians etc, are not acceded to by the Punjab Government.

In keeping with this decision, the Ludhiana District Council of the PCCTU will hold a protest rally-cum-protest march on December 17, 2003. The college teachers will boycott the classes and assemble in front of Nehru Rose Garden (near Government College, Ludhiana) at 11 a.m.

After holding a rally there, they will march to the residences of Mr Rakesh Pandey, the State Minister for Printing and Stationery.

It is regretted by the college teachers that the minister, who had justified the demands of the teachers before elections, has done nothing for removing the grievances of the teachers after getting the ministerial post.

Striving for cause of rural kids
Our Correspondent

Mandi Ahmedgarh, December 15
A proud winner of five medals and prizes, she stands committed to spread of quality education to those rural and semi-urban children who cannot afford good education. Presently working as Principal at the local Sanatan Vidya Mandir Senior Secondary School, Ms Priyanka received maximum number of medals and prizes from Mr Bhairo Singh Shekhawat, Vice-President of India, at a convocation held at Panjab University, Chandigarh, on Saturday.

Besides receiving Chander Parkash University Medal in MA- Economics for 2002, she received Shri Chander Parkash Memorial Gold Medal for standing first in MA and Gadgil Gold Medal for topping MA. She also received Avtar Chand Kapur Silver Medal and R.B. Sunder Dass Suri Prize for standing first in MA in Economics.

Though she had reportedly been offered a job in her parent department, she preferred working for rural students.

Talking to Ludhiana Tribune, she said: “During pursuance of my studies, I have observed that most of the students from rural and sub-urban areas do not get opportunity to show their potential. Given adequate facilities at reasonable expenses, they can prove their worth and reach levels as achieved by those who study in public schools.” She keeps inspiration by parents above her own labour and academic guidance.

Annual function
Our Correspondent

Khanna, December 15
The annual function of Radha Vatica Senior Secondary School was held here yesterday. Mr Avtar Singh Henry, Minister for Consumers Affairs, Punjab, was the chief guest. Mr Amar Nath Shastri, Principal of Sanskrit College, Khanna, was honoured on the occasion.

The program started with Saraswati vandana after the candle-lighting ceremony. The valedictory speech was delivered by Mr Nirmal Sofat, chairman of the school. A cultural program was organised by students of the school.

Mr Prem Singh Antule, Deputy General Manager of Indian Overseas Bank, was the guest of honour. Mrs Saroj Kundra, Principal of Hindi Putri Pathshala, Mr Jaspal Mittal, SDM, Khanna, Sardool Sikandar and Amar Noorie, Punjabi singers, were among those who attended the function. 

COURTS

Bar members deny allegiance to any group
Rajneesh Lakhanpal

Ludhiana, December 15
The issue of the support of six unanimously elected executive members of the District Bar Association (DBA), Ludhiana, to two rival factions took a new turn today with the Returning Officer, Mr Jaspal Chugh, maintaining that nobody had withdrawn nomination papers for the election of the executive members and no one had been elected unanimously.

It all started with a press conference organised by the Mr Harish Rai Dhanda and Mr K.K.Bagai on December 13 in which all six unanimously elected executive members were paraded before the mediapersons claiming their support for the candidature of Mr Bagai. But next day five executive members expressed solidarity with Mr Goel.

However, today they again issued two press notes. In one they said,“We contradict the news got published in newspapers by Mr Goel, candidate for the post of presidentship and by the Organisation of Young Lawyers(OYL), claiming our support.” In the second one they claimed that were not with any group and wanted to work according to their conscience.

In another development a group of young lawyers, claiming themselves to be members of the OYL, announced the dissolution of the organisation. They issued a copy of the resolution signed by 377 lawyers to the media. They claimed that the chairman, Mr Rana Harjasdeep Singh, convener Sandeep Kapoor and president Malwinder Ghumman of the OYL had vested interests and was using it to issue only press notes. They expelled them from the organisation and announced that the new office-bearers of the OYL had been elected.

At the meeting they declared Mr Harpreet Singh Garcha as chairman, Mr Parminder Singh as president, Mr Shashi Verma as vice- president and Mr Naginder Singh Gora as secretary of the OYL. Later, talking to the Press they claimed to the real office-bearers of the OYL. 

Punjabi Akademi to honour Santokh Singh Dhir
Deepkamal Kaur

Ludhiana, December 15
The Punjabi Sahit Akademi, Ludhiana will honour Mr Santokh Singh Dhir, Punjabi poet, short story writer and a novelist and seven other Punjab writers with Sardar Kartar Singh Memorial Award. One lakh in cash, citation and memento in the form of Mr Kartar Singh Dhaliwal Memorial Award will be presented to the best writer Mr Santokh Singh Dhir. Giving this information, Dr Surjit Pattar, President, Punjabi Sahit Akademi, Ludhiana senior vice-president Mr Gurbhajan Gill and general secretary, Prof. Ravinder Bhathal said that language philologist, Dr Harkirat Singh, Patiala critic and poet Dr Sutinder Singh Noor, New Delhi, lyricists Janab Deepak Jatoi, a poetess Kuldip Kalpana, Amritsar, story writer and novelist Mr Manmohan Bawa, Dalhousie and a progressive poet Mr Lal Singh Dil, Samrala, were among those awarded the award. These six awards carry Rs 21,000 each. Punjabi Sahit Akademi has started Mr Kartar Singh Dhaliwal Memorial Genius Punjabi Writer Award for the Punjabi writers less than 40 years of age this award was being given to a famous dramatist Prof Pali Bhupinder, D.M. College, Moga, this year which includes a citation and a memento along with Rs 11,000 in cash.

It was decided at the executive meeting that a national level two-day seminar dedicated to the Parkash Utsav of Guru Granth Sahib would be organised at Ludhiana. Dr Jodh Singh, Patiala and Dr Rattan Singh Jaggi would deliver the memorial lectures at the seminar. Tributes were paid to philologist, Dr Prem Parkash Singh, Punjbai poet, Mr Harbhajan Halwarvi, well known critic Dr Pritam Saini, the famous poet Dr Parmeshwarni Dass ‘Dass; and world famous Rasool Hamzatov and Dr Edward Sayad. Mr Kulwinder Singh Gill of USA, Mrs trilochan Singh Gill of Toronto and Mr Ranjodh Singh of G.S. Radiators were given the approval as the guardians of the akademi.