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Move to make PEC autonomous worries staff
Chandigarh, January 2 The Administration is in the process of notifying the rules for the staff. A draft notification has been prepared and it has been sent to the ministry. The teachers on their part have asked questions about their future status. The Administration, in its letter sent to the ministry about 10 days ago, has said it proposes to issue a notification for conversion of Punjab Engineering College from a department of the Chandigarh Administration to an autonomous institution, which will be governed by the Punjab Engineering College Society. A formal approval of the Government of India has been sought on three points. The first point is that after the transfer of the college to the society, the Administration will sanction grant-in-aid equivalent to the non-plan and plan expenditure for the year 2003-2004. The society will prepare an annual budget and present the same to the Administration for allocation of funds as grant-in-aid. The Administration may increase or decrease the grant to be given for a particular year. The rules guiding the determination of grant will be finalised by the Administration in consultation with the Punjab Engineering College Society and with the approval of the Government of India. The second point is that all retirement benefits like pension, gratuity, medical relief etc of the present government employees will continue to be paid by the Administration after the retirement as on the date of notification for all times to come. The Administration also proposes to set up a separate fund for pension and gratuity benefits of the employees of the Punjab Engineering College Society. Thirdly, the Chief Engineer will attend to all maintenance works relating to buildings, roads, electrical installations, water supply, sewage disposal and drainage on the college campus as per existing procedures. The Administration will allot necessary funds for the purpose. Teachers and other employees of PEC has also sent a letter to the ministry saying the language used by the Administration is vague, ambiguous and likely to create problems at a later stage. The letter lists categories of employees in respect of whom the Administration must submit a self-contained note regarding the terms and conditions of their service. These are: (1) employees who have retired or are likely to retire up to the date of notification; (2) employees recruited by the Administration who will be in position as on the date of notification; (3) employees who will be recruited by the Punjab Engineering College Society after the date of notification. (4) employees already recruited by the Administration who opt for deemed university; (5) employees already recruited by the Administration who do not opt for the deemed university, but are selected for posting there in direct recruitment on a higher post; (6) employees of the Administration who do not opt for the deemed university, but are promoted to the next higher post there. Teachers also want the Career Advancement Scheme to be implemented at all levels, starting from the post of lecturer. They have also said that they joined the present institute because it was a government body and there was a gazetted status for teachers which they will lose once PEC becomes a deemed university. They have asked the ministry to protect the gazetted status of existing faculty members. |
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Schoolchildren take out awareness rallies Chandigarh, January 2 A pulse polio awareness rickshaw rally was taken out by students of Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 16. The rally was flagged off by the Principal, Ms Maninder Kaur, accompanied by a team of doctors from the Health Department. Over 150 students of Kendriya Vidyalaya, Sector 47, also took out a rally to create awareness about the pulse polio immunisation campaign. The rally was flagged off by Mr Jatinder Bhatia, councillor. Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Sector 20-B, also organised a pulse polio awareness rally. Children below the age of 5 will be administered polio drops from January 4 to 6 and from February 22 to 24. While polio drops will be administered on January 4 and February 22 at the booths, during the next two days a house-to-house campaign will be undertaken to ensure that not a single child if left out. Over 200 students from Government Model High School, Sector 39-C, today participated in a rally organised by the Citizens Awareness Group in association with the UT Health Department to spread awareness about polio eradication. Students carrying placards and banners along with their teachers, doctors and CAG members passed through different parts of the sectors and adjoining areas to create awareness and chanted anti-polio slogans. The rally was flagged off by Ms Paramjit Kaur, Headmistress of the school. She said residents should make efforts to make polio programme a success. Mr Surinder Verma, chairman of the Citizens Awareness Group, said the organisation was determined to eradicate polio from the City Beautiful. Dr Rajesh Anand, sector supervisor of the area, said the administration had made elaborately arrangements for administrating polio drops to children in the age group of 0 to 5 years in Chandigarh. As many as 200 students of Government High School, Mauli Jagran, took out a rally in Mauli Jagran, Charan Singh Colony and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Colony today to generate awareness among people regarding the pulse polio drive. Doctors and staff members of the Civil Dispensary, Mauli Jagran, also took part in the rally that was flagged off by the local councillor, Mr Balraj Singh. Local leaders and anganwari workers also took part in the rally that was coordinated by Dr Anil Garg, Dr Vandana Sharma and Dr Sudha Sharma. The students carried placards and banners
highlighting the benefits of anti-polio drops. |
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NAAC team to visit
Mohali college Mohali, January 2 NAAC, an autonomous institution of the
University Grants Commission, is involved in assessing universities and colleges throughout India grading them on a nine-point scale from C to A ++. A single team of NAAC will visit three
Government Colleges in Punjab, starting with Government College, Ropar, on February 4 and 5 followed by Government College Dera Bassi on February 6 and 7 and Government College Mohali on February 9 and 10. In accordance with the NAAC assessment procedure, a self-assessment report from the college has already been submitted to NAAC. The report is prepared on the criteria laid down by the Council. The second part of the procedure includes the visit by the NAAC team to the college. The team will be judging the college both on the basis of its self-assessment report and their independent observations. NAAC has completed assessing majority of the colleges and universities in Haryana and all universities in Punjab. Now the focus is on colleges in Punjab. |
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NSS camp concludes Chandigarh, January 2 According to a press note, the students also visited the village for adult education sessions and child literacy. The campers took classes in the village and distributed books, along with pencils and literature, besides performing a street play. |
French film festival begins Chandigarh, January 2 The first in the series of seven features, illustrating the various acts and choices of Marin Karmitz, was “Sept jours ailleurs”, a film about a young composer who is stifled by his social and family environment. Directed by Marin, the film talks about this music maker who wants to leave and begin his life afresh, elsewhere. With a ballet troupe dancing on his music, he goes on to tour provinces. They live in hotel rooms and trains and also in the dressing rooms where the excitement of ballerinas reigns supreme. Among themselves the girls discuss their problems, experiences and hopes in a crude, livid language. With one of the dancers, also terribly confused, the composer’s mad love affair begins. While this could be Jacques’s chance at discovering happiness, the tour comes to an end. On the other side of his life is Michelle, his lovely wife, who is waiting for him at the Gare de Lyon station. Jacques comes back to family, allows his love, Catherine to go...and returns to his wife. The story, put together in a strong cinematic language, is impressive to the hilt. Tomorrow’s screening will feature another film from Marin’s classic ensemble — Melo. |
Proof of a car’s excellence lies in its driving experience
If the proof of pudding lies in its eating, the proof of a car’s excellence lies in its driving experience. This is just what is being offered by Ford India at its two-day mega event, which offers car enthusiasts an opportunity to “test drive the best” and experience its products in an exciting fun-filled carnival environment in their own town. According to Mr Vinay Piparsania, vice-president, marketing and sales, Ford India, this is not an ordinary auto show. “It goes far beyond, with the auto manufacturer offering customers the opportunity to view our products in an exciting auto-show style format, and also drive them on authentic test tracks, especially designed by the renowned rally driver Jagat Nanjappa”. Adding to the excitement is the opportunity to see on display the original Ford Thunderbird, which Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry drove in the James Bond movie “Die Another day”. The car has been brought into India especially to be exhibited during “The Great Ford Drive”. But what makes the event really different is the opportunity for Chandigarhians to get an evaluation of the cars and avail of on-the-spot finance offers from Ford credit and other leading banks to purchase the models on display. In addition, there will be on offer a wide range of all ford gear and memorabilia to accessories and customise new purchases. To mark the centennial year of the Ford Motors Company, there will be also be on display a host of Ford vintage cars, demonstrating the rich historical heritage of Ford models in India. Being held at the Sector 34 exhibition ground near furniture market on January 3 and 4, on display and available for test drive would be the Ford Ikon range, the Ford Mondeo and the recently launched SUV, the Ford Endeavour. Specially designed tracks for off-road driving have been laid out to offer customers a safe and exciting driving experience. All in all, The Great Ford Drive promises to offer a never before experience for auto enthusiasts and Ford buyers in Chandigarh.
— TNS |
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Against a cream backdrop, the works of photo artist Ashok Kaushal look particularly striking. Showing his collection for the second time in Chandigarh, Kaushal seems to have a sure way with colours, patterns and techniques, which help his vibrant bunch of pictures stand out among the paintings, that occupy the other side of the Indus Ind gallery. The gallery is currently hosting a twin show of paintings and pictures. Most of the works on display are experimental
in nature. They draw on dreams, which change colours, forms and moods. No wonder the exhibition of photos is also titled, “Dreams”. The beauty of the works lies in the shadows that play around colours reminiscent of fire. In most of the frames it is the yellow, red and green that dominate the setting. In between the colours lies a powerful shadow which defines the artist’s thought and his creative idea behind the particular frame in question. Many a time, the captured shadows cast the impression of an object. Ask the artist how he achieves such precision and he explains, “When you reflect colours on to surfaces, you never know which form encounters you. These works are not consciously created. They emerge out of nowhere. Often I also wonder over the form I capture.” Ashok Kaushal has used colours to underline varied moods — ecstatic, somber and elated. It is in the employment of colours that the strength of this collection lies.
— TNS |
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The story of New Year resolutions
With the New Year arrives a whole set of rituals associated with it. And as the bygones get buried under the sands of time to pave way for new ideas, events and resolves, we take time off to peep into the lives of some trendsetters and find out if they would resolve until they die.... The search for New Year resolutions takes us on an interesting journey through people’s perceptions about this norm which has become more of a fashion than a firm resolve. Cutting across sections of people, one discovers how professionals differ from one another when it comes to reactions on resolutions. While most of those wedded to art dismiss the issue as a hype, those into commercial ventures and business stand by the significance of resolves. The two diverse opinions create an interesting canvas of ideas, which reflects on how people think, act and proceed. Theatre personality G.S. Chani is candid enough to declare, “Resolutions are made to be broken. The very mention of resolution spells limitation of thought and action. As a man of theatre, I believe in the freedom of spirit. I am for anything that allows the spirit to soar and scale new heights. I hate to defend ideas that trammel the enterprise of mind. I act, I don’t need to resolve. May be someday when I am at loss for action, I will start making New Year resolutions.” Musician Kamal Tewari and his wife, Dolly Tewari, sail along the same wave, with minor exceptions. For this creative couple, peace is the only resolve. As Kamal Tewari says, “At the end of the day, you don’t sleep well because you have earned a fortune or won a fort. You sleep well if and only if you have managed to be at peace with yourself in this increasingly belligerent world. I feel that like many other ideas, resolutions are used by people to give others an impression that they are fashionable. For me, the resolve happens that very moment when I decide to act. In fact, we resolve all the time, because we are always faced with conflicting situations. For me, peace is an all-time resolution. I wonder if I can achieve it alone?” Prof Brahm Prakash, Principal, Government Art College, jumps the line of resolution and says, “I don’t know what a resolution really means. If it means aspiring for better things in life, I have resolved to take my college to new heights. The last year was all about exchange of ideas and expertise. My students went to Delhi for a special art seminar. Students from Art College, Chennai, came here to collaborate in the creative process. This year, I plan to take the story further by starting the Masters in Fine Art courses, besides holding extensive training for special students.” Chaman Lal Sharma, an income tax lawyer, and his wife, Zoya, who is actively associated with the Aruna Asaf Ali Trust, have resolved to fight corruption. “At my end, I will do whatever I can to root out corruption in income tax and sales tax areas. I begin this year with a resolve to answer the call of my conscience better. When I go to sleep at night, I should be able to tell myself that I have done something good,” said Chaman Lal Sharma, who sponsored the wedding of eight poor girls last year. He, along with his wife, has resolved to help 20 girls this year. Aditi Srivastava from NIFD believes in the fitness of mind and body as the key to success. A young mother and professional, she voices the resolutions of others who want a healthy and fit life. No wonder her resolution has everything to do with keeping fit. As she reasons, “Even the westerners are turning to India which leads the world with its set of yogic principles that propound fitness. You go anywhere, your personality speaks for you before you speak for yourself. That is why every youngster seeks fitness in New Year. I am no exception.” — TNS |
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It’s my life I was always eager to learn new and interesting things that I could do of my own, including painting, embroidery and sketching. I was an average student. After clearing Class X examination, I opted for home science as one of the subjects so that I can easily get chance to do something creative. After graduation, I joined a course in fashion designing. While doing the course, my ambitions got a platform to flourish and I came to know what is in and what is out in the fashion market. I believe in putting in 100 per cent effort in whatever I do. I try to be optimistic, whatever the situation may be. I love dancing, listening to music, cooking partying and chatting with friends and family. Music is my passion. I always do my work listening
music. As told to ASP |
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