Chandigarh, August 20
Sharda Sarvhitkari Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 40-D, today observed energy conservation day to mark Rajiv Gandi Akshay Urja Divas. A rally was organised by students of Class VIII and IX. They went to Sector 40, holding banners propagating the use renewable sources of energy like solar energy, wind energy, biogas energy. They later formed a human chain. An essay writing competition was also organised. Ekta of Class X bagged the first prize.

Guru Harkrishan School: In view of the birth anniversary of late Rajiv Gandhi, nearly 500 students of Sri Guru Harkrishan Model School, Sector 38 organised various competition on it premises. Students of Class I and V made charts and decorated class notice boards. Students of senior wing participated in poetry, writing, and poster making contests.

Mount Carmel School: A rally was organised by Mount Carmel School, Sector 47-B, to celebrate ‘Rajiv Gandhi Akshay Urja Divas’. As many as 100 students and teachers took part in the rally which was flagged off from the school. The students carrying the play cards, posters and banners highlighted the importance of conserving energy. They marched through different localities of Sector 47 to create the awareness about the conservation of energy. This rally sponsored by the Department of Science and Technology, Chandigarh Administration, culminated at the school.

St Kabir School: A cycle rally was organised by St Kabir Public School, Sector 26, to mark the celebrations of ‘Rajiv Gandhi Akshay Urja Divas’. The cycle rally was flagged off from the school by the Principal Mr J.P. Singh and he spoke on the importance of conservation of energy. As many as 70 students of school participated in this rally.

Govt School, Sector 33-D: Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 33-D, celebrated ‘Rajiv Gandhi Akshay Urja Divas’ with great enthusiasm. Various competitions were organised and students took part in it. ‘Rajiv Gandhi Akshay Urja Divas’ was celebrated at Government High School, Sector 41, today. A small function was organised to mark the occasion. A rally was organised and various competitions were also held.

St Xavier School: To celebrate ‘Rajiv Gandhi Akshay Urja Divas’, St Xavier Senior Secondary School, Sector 44-C, organised a number of events including debate, painting, essay and writing competitions. A cycle rally and human chain was also organised. Mr Chanchal Singh, Assistant Director, Adult Education, gave away the prizes and flagged off the rally and human chain.

Government Model Senior Secondary School, 19-C: “When wind blows, energy Flows”, “Solar energy free of cost saves fuel, not to be lost”. These were some of the slogans on energy conservation coined by students of Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 19-C. Carrying placards, bunting and banners, students formed a human chain near the Sector 18-19 crossing on the occasion of Rajiv Gandhi Akshay Urja Divas today.

The Department of Science and Technology, Chandigarh Administration, sponsored the programme.

The march was flagged off by the ADC, Chandigarh Housing Board, Mr S. Gurdeep Singh, along with project coordinator S.G.S. Bains. The school principal, Mrs Saroj Gupta, was present on the occasion.

At least 500 students from classes VI to XII formed a human chain. They tried to create awareness on the need to conserve various resources of renewable energy.

“Energy sustainability”, “The future of the fuel” and “Why to save energy” were some of the topics for painting and essay writing competition held in the school, in which more than 100 students participated.

Government High School, Sector 32-D: Government High School, Sector 32-D, also organised a slogan writing and poster-making competition. Kunal, Indu, and Jagjit stood first, second and third, respectively.

A rally was held and a human chain made in which 125 students participated.

The rally was flagged off by Mrs Anita Kapoor, headmistress of the school.

Earlier in sports, he excelled in roller skating in both speed and roller hockey events by winning medals at state level competitions. He also won laurels in tennis, thus combining sports, with other co-curricular activities.

Chandigarh, August 20
The crisis looming large over the Beant Singh assassination case has ended for the time-being with the CBI Special Judge, Mr MM Sharma, today effecting a “compromise” for the smooth conduct of the trial in the high-security Burail Jail here from August 22.

In a step aimed at breaking the “deadlock” between the defence counsel and the jail authorities, the Judge ordered that all vehicles, including his official car, would be parked outside the main gate of the jail. All persons, including the Judge, CBI counsel and defence counsel, will go through security checks.

The order aimed at “equality before law” would pose practical problems as till date the Special Judges had enjoyed certain privileges regarding the entry of vehicles inside the jail.

On the other hand, the registration of case against Mr Chahal and another advocate stands. There seems to be no efforts to break the “deadlock” between the lawyers and the police.

It may be recalled that a criminal case against Mr AS Chahal, noted criminal lawyer and counsel for Jagtar Singh Hawara, alleged chief of the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and the main accused in the Beant Singh assassination case, was registered on August 17, allegedly following an altercation with the jail staff over the entry of his vehicle inside the jail premises.

Mr Chahal, along with another defence counsel, Mr SS Bawa, were charged with intimidating the jail staff and booked under Sections 353, 332, 341 and 506 of the IPC on the complaint of the Jail Superintendent, Mr RC Sharma.

Meanwhile, talking to Chandigarh Tribune, Mr Chahal informed that he would not seek anticipatory bail. There was no question of seeking pre-arrest bail as the case was false and fabricated.

However, he expressed happiness over the court order, saying the resumption of trial on a day-to-day basis, as directed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, would go a long way in concluding the trial at an early date.

We would cooperate with the court in early conclusion of the trial as several undertrials were languishing in the jail for delay in trial, he added.

Meanwhile, Mr Sharma has kept the contempt of court application for August 24. An application against the IG (Prisons), Mr AS Dhillon, the Burail Jail Superintendent, Mr RC Sharma, and the Deputy Jail Superintendent, Mr Subhash Chander, was moved by the lawyers yesterday.

LEISURE

Play on energy sources staged

Age is no bar: Beginners learn basic steps of bhangra at a workshop at Bal Bhavan, Chandigarh, on Friday. — A Tribune photograph

The Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi organised a kavi darbar, a confluence of some of the best literary minds, who came together for an enriching evening of poetry recitation and commingling of thoughts at Shivalik Public School, Sector 41, today. The evening glowed with topical and powerful poems being recited by some of the finest poets of the region.

Stalwarts like Santokh Singh Dhir recited his celebrated poem “Pair” (Feet) in Punjabi. Based on the caste system, which ostracises shudras or the lowly classes, the poem is a deep and thoughtful rendition of our skewed times.

The poem, a classic in its own right, was composed by Dhir on March 23, 1991, and has been included in the anthology of poems in Punjabi released by him, the title of which translated reads, ‘Dhir Writes’.

Speaking on his selection for the evening, Dhir reiterated the belief that literature never gets old. “Poets speak the truth and that truth never fades away.” A prolific writer of short stories, poems, essays and novels, Dhir is a legend in the regional literary world.

Similarly, renowned Punjabi poet Nripinder Rattan recited two poems, the first, Elaan (Declaration) and the second, Dastak (Knocking), both topical and poignant erudite works. Elaan is a beautiful piece on present times and the strife around us. “I openly declare I want to rest. I want a Guru, who will shower me with love and in front of whom I can surrender myself completely too.

But I look around and find clashes of religion and fanaticism. To whom should I surrender? I feel I have to carry on and on, keep walking until the break of a new dawn.” For this poet, “Writing is an expression of pent up feelings.” With four books published — short stories and poems — in Punjabi, Rattan believes language is no barrier to writing having penned five poems in English as well.

Committed poets like Satinder Singh Noor, Jagtar, Paraminderjeet, Ramesh Kumar, Janmeet, Jarnail Singh Anand, Amrik Singh Pooni, Manjeet Indra, Joginder Singh Rainkh, Gurbax Saini and Dr. Naresh also recited poems on the occasion.

According to the secretary of the Sahitya Academy, Mr Prem Vij, “We are determined to use our platform to promote Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu and English literary works.

We wish to promote a vivid literary atmosphere in the city and towards this we have already planned another similar evening on August 27 where Punjabi, Hindi and Urdu stories will be read out.” TNS