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EDUCATION
 

Education board team conducts raids
Our Correspondent

Mohali, March 9
A team of officials of the Punjab School Education Board conducted raids on four examination centres here today to check the menace of cheating.
The team comprised the Controller of Examinations, Mrs Narinder Kaur, the Deputy Secretary (Administration), Maj C.S. Meelu (retd), Mr Gurcharan Singh, Mr Anil Sharma, Mr Yugraj Singh and Mr Major Singh. The Controller checked two schools in the town.

Examinations of the plus 2 class (maths and vocational trades) were held today.

The officials first visited BSH Arya Senior Secondary School, Sohana, where only 11 examinees were present. They were frisked by the raiding team but no case of cheating was detected. Later, the officials also checked three examination centres at Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Sohana, Sant Isher Singh Model Senior Secondary School, Phase VII, and Government Senior Secondary School, Phase 3B1. Again no case of cheating was noticed.

Interestingly, an examinee at one of the centres, set up at Government Senior Secondary School, Phase IIIB1, was found suffering from chickenpox. He was found sitting in the same room as the other examinees.

Mrs Narinder Kaur said 8,000 students (non-medical group) were appearing in the board’s maths examination today.

Before the raids the Chairman of the board, Dr Kehar Singh said university and college teachers had been included in the examination flying squads. There were eight teachers from Punjabi University and an equal number from colleges in Bathinda, Barnala and Sangrur.

Dr Kehar Singh said there had been a marked decrease in the number of cases of copying in the examinations. 

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Science papers from April 26
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 9
Panjab University has rescheduled the datesheet for examinations of Science departments, here today. The decision was taken after students’ organisation on the campus approached the Dean University Instruction, Prof S.K. Sharma, seeking postponement of papers.

The theory examinations will now begin on April 26 and conclude on May 20. Last week, Panjab University Students Union (PUSU) and PUSU (Shelly), had approached the DUI after students of the science departments complained that their datesheet gave them no preparation time between the papers. The National Students Union of India had met the DUI yesterday on the same issue.

In view of the demand raised by them, the DUI had fixed a meeting of all heads of the science departments for today. Following the meeting, a decision on postponement of examinations was taken.

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Questions satisfy examinees
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 9
Class X students who appeared in the mathematics paper of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) today were satisfied with the standard of questions.

The Regional Officer of the CBSE, Mr P.I. Sabu, said reports of a number of students asking for supplementary sheets were received from the region. The trend of students asking for supplementary sheets indicated that the students were able to answer all questions. Students of some government schools said certain questions warranted lengthy answers.

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Paper reading contest held
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, March 9
At least 40 students participated in an inter-college paper-reading contest organised to mark International Women’s Day at the Institute of Engineering and Technology in Bhaddal. The topics were “Should women break silence in violence”, “Women rebuilding their identities through professionalism” and “Advertising women as commodities”.

Drishi Kaur stood first in the contest. The second prize was won by Aviral Vyas and the third prize by Harleen Kaur. The consolation prize was won by Deepika Gupta. Women sarpanches from nearby villages also participated in the function. 

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High Court
Report sought on threat to judge
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 9
Taking up a petition by Panchkula’s under suspension Additional District and Sessions Judge for providing “effective security” to him and his family, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has asked Haryana’s Inspector General of Police (CID) to submit threat perception report.

Issuing the directions on Dr S.K. Kapoor’s petition against the state of Haryana and other respondents, the Bench, comprising Mr Justice Amar Dutt and Mr Justice Surya Kant Sharma, has also asked Panchkula’s Superintendent of Police to ensure against harm to petitioner and his family.

The judges also issued notices to the state of Haryana, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Commission of Inquiry (prohibition). Notice on behalf of Haryana was accepted by the state counsel. The petition will now come up for further hearing on March 12.

In his petition, Dr Kapoor — awarded by Bhartiya Vidhya Bhavan for his contribution in the field of Vedic Mathematics — had earlier claimed that he was the presiding officer of a court whose order had adversely affected the liquor mafia.

Dr Kapoor, who is yet to retire, had added that an attempt was also made to abduct his daughter following which a first information report (FIR) was registered at a police station in Rohtak. But as the investigation in the matter was being delayed, a petition was filed in the high court. Subsequently, the CBI registered a case vide FIR number No RC-6 (S)2003/SCB/CHG.

He had added that the High Court, through its Registrar, had also conveyed to the Financial Commissioner and Secretary to Haryana Government’s Home Department saying that in Dr Kapoor’s case, the local police had withdrawn the security provided to him abruptly without consulting Rohtak’s District and Sessions Judge resulting in the abduction of his daughter.

Dr Kapoor’s other petition for quashing the orders of his suspension, besides issuing directions for his reinstatement and continuity in service will come up for hearing on March 15.

Stay on ordinance: Taking up a petition filed by Ludhiana-based society Resurgence India seeking directions against the recently announced process of regularising buildings constructed in violation of building bylaws over the years in corporations and municipalities in Punjab in pursuance to an ordinance dated January 22, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has granted stay on the operation of an ordinance.

The Bench, comprising Mr Justice Amar Dutt and Mr Justice Surya Kant Sharma, also issued a notice of motion on the petition. The case would now come up for hearing on March 19. Arguing on behalf of the society, Mr Anil Pal Singh Shergill sought the constitution of a special investigation team for looking into alleged land scam.

Hearing on March 11: Two petitions filed by Punjab and Haryana High Court employees, taken into custody by the Chandigarh police along with three others, will come up for hearing on March 11.

Taking up the petitions filed by Sat Saroop Dogra and P.N. Vohra, Mr Justice K.S. Garewal and Mr Justice S.S. Saron separately issued notices of motion for Thursday. 

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District Court
Chandigarh Club membership issue taken to court
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, March 9
Two permanent members of the Chandigarh Club have moved a local court, alleging that 10 elected and two nominated members have enrolled more permanent members than the sanctioned strength. This has been done to gain advantage in the Club’s elections, scheduled for April 4, they have alleged. The court has issued a notice for March 12 to the respondents.

Permanent members V.S.T. Malik and Vikas Kumar, lawyers by profession, who intend to contest for executive members, have alleged that the outgoing office-bearers, including its acting president, have started enrolling new members contrary to the constitution of the club.

The complainants have alleged that the term of the elected body expired on March 10, 2002, but no annual general meeting of the club had ever been called and neither had new executive been elected. The two have claimed that as per the constitution of the club, elections have to be held annually and the term of the elected office-bearers is only for one year. It has also been alleged the elections to the club were being postponed on one or the other pretext. 

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Fitness Trail
No-sweat way to burn calories
Renu Manish Sinha

Adopt a pet. It will keep you healthy
Adopt a pet. It will keep you healthy. — Photo by Pankaj Sharma 

WITH summers almost here, winter layers of woollies are being shed one by one. But the layers of fat, accumulated through the winter goodies refuse to go that easily. So join a gym, increase your workout time, limit and balance your calorie intake.

Simple! isn’t it! No? It is not. You suffer from ‘excusitis’? You are lazy? You don’t have the time? You are looking for an easy way out? Well! We have made your task easier. All you need to do is to make a few dietary changes and some tiny lifestyle changes to beat the flab.

Get moving

Think active. Whatever your age, physical activity should an integral part of your life. Human body was not designed for being sedentary. But with more and more people with desk-bound jobs; and recreation being limited to net surfing or watching TV, obesity has become a way of life. Certain changes are a must for a healthy lifestyle. If you want to beat the fat, keep on moving. Junk the remote control, walk to market, do house work, dusting, avoid elevator, take to stairs, park your car some distance away and walk to your destination. Just 30 minutes of any brisk activity in a day can provide you with an adequate workout.

Playing is not exercise

Take up some sport, learn a new game. While an exercise routine can be dull and difficult to stick to, playing a game of tennis, or badminton, at least thrice a week can sure burn calories. Even a game of frisbee or cricket with your child can do wonders for your waistline.

It is the time to disco!

Hitting the dance floor can be as effective as a trip to the gym but not so boring. Dancing provides a good cardiovascular activity. A dance session of 45 minutes can burn up 250-500 calories. A great way to reduce fat, cholesterol and blood pressure. Also when you are having a good time, the body releases the happy hormone serotonin, which reduces stress and BP. Bhangra, salsa, ballet, tango, waltz can burn calories, tone muscle, improve balance and your social life as well as self esteem.

Shopping therapy

A trip of the market can lighten up not only your pocket but your bulk as well. As hour’s brisk shopping spree can burn up to 200 calories. Happy shopping!

Eat healthy

Eat nutritious, balanced meals. Watch your calorie intake but don’t go overboard in reducing calories.

Eat natural food

Include more fruits, raw veggies, fresh juices but avoid tinned and canned stuff, advises Dr Neelu Malhotra, Diet Consultant, Silver Oaks, Mohali.

Eat but not overeat

Help yourself to smaller portions. It will satisfy your cravings and taste both. Avoid second helpings if you can.

Eat small meals

Instead of three square meals, spread your total calorie intake into six small meals. It will keep your metabolism active throughout the day.

Enjoy food

Concentrate on your meal. Avoid watching TV at meal times, you will only end up gobbling up your food. Eat slowly and chew your food properly.

Eat Fibre-rich foods

Include starch and carbohydrates in your daily diet. Dietary fibre helps in reducing weight, diabetes, sucks up fat and makes you more energetic.

Get enough proteins

Proteins are necessary for muscle-building. The more muscle you have more fat you will burn.

Outsmart fat

Avoid saturated fats (butter, ghee) and use more of vegetable oils (olive, sunflower, soy bean, mustard etc). Employ intelligent cooking methods to reduce fat in your meals. Opt for low or no-fat cooking methods like grilling, baking, streaming, stir frying. Use non-stick pans.

Don’t skip meals

If you skip a meal, you will only end up eating more at the next meal. Most important, never skip breakfast.

Avoid extra sodium and sugar

Reduce intake of pickles, chutneys, chips fries etc. Also avoid sugary snacks, biscuits, cakes etc. Instead fill up on sprouts, fruits, salads, dhokla, idlis, unsalted pop corns, bhune chane, murmura, roasted namkeens, wheat puffs.

Tank up on enough H2O

Drink at least 3 litres of water. Water can wash away toxins from the body, detoxifying it in the process. Human body is made up of 65 per cent water. A thin person has more water in his body than a fat one. Men also have more water percentage in their body as compared to women. Water acts a solvent in all stages of digestion. Very cold water or other liquids can slow down digestion. Water acts as a lubricant and prevents friction between body joints. It regulates body temperature. Guzzle up more water in summers than in winters because in summers there is fluid or water loss through perspiration and evaporation from lungs and skin.

Tip: Don’t drink water with your meals. Always have it before or after a meal. Having water during the meal can wash away gastric juices, which in turn will take undigested food to stomach which will slow down its metabolic process. If you must have a fluid with meals, sip lassi or lime water.

Invest in pet instead of a gym membership

Having a pet reduces stress, and anxiety, soothes nerves and makes you more tolerant and patient. Taking your dog out for a walk or having a romp with it in the garden can burn some calories.

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Juice full of life
Monica Sharma

THE mercury is rising again. No wonder, venturing out in the sun, after leaving behind the cool comfort of your room, is increasingly becoming uncomfortable. If you are already feeling the heat, just stop and have a glass of juice. Packed with natural goodness of fruits, it has all the ingredients to make you smile.

Some of you may find it hard to believe, but juice gives you all the energy you need to keep you going for hours together. It contains your daily dose of Vitamin C, B1, B2, B4 and B6. Also keeps at bay common cold and allergies. Is rich in calcium. Therefore, good for children and adults alike.

A glass of juice can also leave your complexion glowing. And you can drink as much “natural juice” as you like without the fear of gaining loathsome calories.

That is, perhaps, the reason why so many youngsters in the city are taking to juice, instead of cold drinks. They park their vehicles along the roadside not just to have a glass full of life from the vendor, but also to buy tetra packs of juice without sugar.

For them, the shopkeepers are offering juice in orange, litchi, guava, mango, sweet orange, apple, grape and pineapple flavours. You can pick up ones without preservatives, additives and sugar after taking out anything between Rs 10 and Rs 18 from your wallet, depending upon the brand.

Describing juice as “healthy way to gain energy”, a senior doctor with the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research says, “it may sound incredible to the common man, but you can actually strengthen your bones by drinking juice everyday. This is not all. Juice is also good for your teeth.”

The list of benefits continues. “An apple a day may not keep the doctor away, but a glass of juice can go a long way in preventing osteoporosis in elderly,” the doctor claims. “It also helps in preventing deficiencies. In fact, apple and orange juice can actually help the body in absorbing more iron from food. As a result it is good for anemic patients”.

The best thing about juice is that you can have it before breakfast, at lunch, dinner or instead of tea. It can be served to guests at home, or offered to business associates in the office. After work or play, it makes an ideal drink.

But before you pick up a pack, look at the manufacturing date. Most of the tetra packs have shelf life of 180 days. You should also make sure that the pack is neither puffed, nor leaky even if you are buying it well before the expiry date.

“Some shopkeepers are in a habit of switching off the refrigerator at night,” the doctor says. “Combined with power cuts, the product can turn unfit for consumption much before the expiry date”.

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Unfazed by competition, Uttam says good 
music will rule
Ruchika M. Khanna

THAT Uttam Singh churns out the most melodious music in Bollywood is a known fact. What is not known about the musician is that beneath the veneer of a successful musician lies a simple, God- fearing man, who is as comfortable in the company of rustic people here as with the likes of Bollywood biggies like Rakesh Roshan, Yash Chopra or Anil ‘Gadar’ Sharma.

For a man who had to struggle for a long time to make a mark in Bollywood, Uttam Singh has come a long way working with the likes of Illya Raja and R.D. Burman. Though better known for his music notes for hit movies like ‘Dil To Pagal Hai’, ‘Gadar’ and ‘Pinjar’, Uttam Singh is also a world renowned violinist. The magic of his violin had taken the film industry and the music lovers by storm after the 80’s super-hit movie, ‘Sagar’ was released. He has even won the Presidents Award for the best violinist in the country.

Uttam Singh, and his singer daughter Preeti Uttam Singh, were in town today for the opening ceremony of Saraswati Recording Studio in Sector 17. On this occasion, a Punjabi song ‘Toomba’ was also recorded for musician H.M. Singh by Preeti Uttam Singh. After the recording of the song was complete, the musician spoke his heart out about surviving in the highly competitive world of film music, his inner strength and the degeneration of music.

“For me music is the only art that leads to God, as we search our inner selves,” says Uttam Singh. “And I only believe in the kind of music that can lead me to God. But there has been a steady decline in music as an art form. There has been seasonal influx of pop, rock, reggae, techno and now remix music, where music is seen rather than being heard, but good music — in whatever form — can never be surpassed by these temporary influences,” he says.

The musician is better known for his recent successes, mainly because he had, gone into a long hiatus after having scored music for ‘Sagar’ and ‘Waaris’, along with Jagdish Patkar.” I prefer doing things my way and as a musician, film industry has never been the be all of my life. It was several years after ‘Sagar’ that Yash Chopra approached me to score music for some telefilms that he was producing. I came up with many numbers and Yash ji liked three of them, and decided to use these notes for his feature film, ‘Dil to Pagal Hai’. Then came ‘Gadar’ and more recently, ‘Pinjar’. But even now, I am not very keen on doing movies, rather want to enhance my knowledge by learning more each day,” he says.

Talking about the new generation of music directors who are churning out numbers better accepted to the younger generation, Uttam Singh says that he is unfazed by any competition. “At the end of the day, good music will always rule. One has to be disciplined, practice regularly and have faith in God and in oneself to succeed. I believe that hard labour never goes unrewarded, and my success is a result of years of labour,” he says as he signs off.

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Preeti admires father’s discipline

BEING the daughter of musician Uttam Singh is not easy. Never mind that she is herself a highly acclaimed singer, but daddy’s approval of her singing prowess is rare. Preeti Uttam Singh, whose husky voice has captivated scores of music lovers, was in town today for the inauguration of a recording studio in Sector 17. The young singer, who shot to fame by exhibiting her versatility as a singer — be it as a child singer for “Lakdi ki kathi” number in Masoom, or as a mature singer in “Maar Udari” in Gadar, “Hum Juda Ho Gaye” in Koyla, or recently for the extremely moving number “Charkha Chalati Maa” in Pinjar, she says that her father’s approval of her songs is still important, as his expectations are high.

“He is extremely professional, and gives me no concession for being his daughter. Even for the recording of my first album, “Sur”, he informed me about the recording only a night before. Since it was a difficult pick, in the sense that each number in the album was 15 minutes long, I pestered with my father that he could have given me enough time to prepare, but he categorically told me that he would not treat me differently than any other singers he was working with,” she narrates.

It is precisely for this reason that she admires her father and looks upto him as a role model. “He is the best musician, and even during stage shows, I prefer to sing to his tunes-literally. I have imbibed his style completely. It is from my father that I have learnt to get completely involved in music. On most occasions I get into the character of the film for whom I am doing the background score,” she says.

But did she always want to be a singer? “ Since the age of two, I have been learning music, first under the guidance of my grandfather, Pritpal Singh Giani, later under Sultan Khan Sahib, Ajay Chakravarty, Ajay Pohankar, Sushila Rani-Babu Ram; and lately under Naushad. And I lived in a house where everyone breathed ate and talked about music all day. Though I was a science student and was very good in biology, but by the time it came to selecting a career option, I was too much into music,” she reminisces.

She says that she herself loves listening to all kinds of music — be it classical Indian or Western classical. “It opens your horizons as a singer, besides giving a fillip to your style.”

Talking of her future plans, Preeti says that she is doing a couple of background scores for films, including two numbers in Sanjay Khan directed “Taj Mahal” with Hariharan. — TNS 

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Many facets of woman
Parbina Rashid

THE 40 paintings created by Archana Handa move ones soul. For her paintings in oil pastel do not just toast the sprit of womanhood but also depict the artist’s innermost struggle and her strength to overcome them.

Aptly inaugurated on International Women’s Day, Archana portrays women as “Enchantress”, as “Annapurna” or the “Brave Warrior”. But as a series they depict the evolution of womanhood.

There are others - like “Meera”, “Vegetable Vendor”, “Udeek, Gossip”,”Humsafar” and so on. Archana has used simple brush strokes of rich, vibrant colours.

A master in Sociology, Archana has taken painting just as hobby. “I was always fascinated by forms and colours and I could draw from my childhood but it is only recently that I started taking painting seriously. This is Archana’s second solo show in the city.

About her paintings Archana says — “the seed of the woman series was sown when I lost my parents sometimes back and was forced to face the challenges in life.”

The exhibition is on at the Government Museum and Art gallery in sector 10 till March 11.

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5 books released

The endeavour of North Zone Cultural Centre (NZCC) for documentation and publication of research works and recording of audio cassettes relating to traditional music and songs has yielded five books and two audio albums which were released by Governor of Punjab and Chairman of the NZCC Justice O.P. Verma at a simple ceremony at Punjab Raj Bhavan here today.

The books released by Justice Verma included Dr Puran Chand Sharma's “Sanskriti ke Stamb”, Dr D.D. Bhatti's “Chikitsa ke Adistrot — Veda”, Dr Hukum Chand Rajpal's “Uttrai Bharat ke Sant”, Dr Simi Mittu's “Khayal — The Folk Theatre of Rajasthan” and Prof Mohan Maitrey's “Uttar Bharat ke Lok Nritya”.

“Sanskriti ke Stamb” touches the Indian philosophy of “Satyam Shivam Sundaram” besides elaborating the Indian culture, folk songs, folk tales, folk theatre and the varied living experiences of North India. OC

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