Dharna by ITI staff, students
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, January 19
To protest against the proposed privatisation of the Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), the employees and students of the ITI, Ludhiana, staged a dharna on Gill Road here today.

Addressing the agitators, Mr Navjot Dhool, general secretary of the ITI Employees Union, said that 177 posts of instructor out of 178 were lying vacant in the state but they were not being filled for the past many years.

Raising slogans against the state government, Mr Dhool said that they had written to the Technical Education Minister in this regard also, but no action followed.

8 schools take part in declamation contest
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, January 19
The NSS Department of the SDP College for Women organised an inter-school declamation contest here today. Sixteen students from eight local schools participated.

They spoke on ‘Kanya bhroon hatya’, ‘Desh ke do dushman — bhrashtachar aur ugravad’ and ‘Naujavan peedhi aur bhatakte kadam’. The students cited examples from history, literature and politics to support their views.

Jagriti from KVM School was first, Urvashi from KVM School second and Shveta from Bharti Bal Vidya Mandir third. The consolation prizes were won by Shilpi and Ekta.

In Punjabi category, first prize was won by Manjeet from SDP Model School. In English category, the first prize was won by Heena from Gupta Model High School.

Ms Prakash Verma, Ms Gopa Gupta and Ms Veena Maan were the judges. Mr Balraj Bhasin, president of the College Managing Committee, advised the volunteers to take up social service in a big way.

Ms S. Verma, college Principal, was the chief guest. She gave away the prizes to the winners. The function ended with the singing of the National Anthem.

CULTURE

Punjab festival on Jan 21
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, January 19
The Punjab Cultural Promotion Council, India, will organise the Punjab Festival-2004 and Dhee-Punjaban cultural heritage contest here on January 21. The Dhee-Punjaban show choreographer, Prof Mandeep Kaur, told the media that 15 persons had been shortlisted to participate in the contest.

The panel of judges for the preliminary selection comprised Prof Mandeep Kaur, Mrs Paramjeet Kaur Tiwana and Mr Surinder Pal Singh Dandhar, an eminent educationist. The winners would get Sone Da Tikka, Sone Dian Pippal Patian and Chandi Dian Jhanjhran as the first three prizes.