EDUCATION

Award for NIPER scientist
Tribune News Service

Mohali, August 31
Dr Chinmoy Shankar Dey, Professor and Head of the Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), here has been awarded “Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (OPPI) award-2005” in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology for his contribution in the field of diabetes.

The OPPI is a premier industry association of research-based international and large Indian pharmaceutical companies.

The award has been instituted to encourage Indian scientists who have done original work in the field of pharmaceutical sciences.

Dr Dey is also a recipient of “Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award” from CSIR and the “National Bioscience Award” from the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India.

At NIPER, Dr Dey initiated a research programme in the field of insulin-resistant diabetes in understanding the mechanism of the disease.

By 2025 there will be around 300 million people affected by diabetes mellitus (type 2 diabetes; insulin resistance) worldwide and India may be diabetic capital of world. The market potential for oral anti-diabetics was being projected to be Rs 70,000 crore in 2006.

To screen a large number of compounds at a reasonable cost, there has been an urgent need to develop in vitro screening model against insulin resistance.

Dr Dey has developed a novel model of insulin resistance in cultured skeletal muscle cells based on insulin signaling proteins.

The model is cheaper, rapid and reproducible as compared to the animal models.

The outcome of his research will lead to development of molecular target-based novel screening models, identification of new therapeutic targets and leading to possible development of drugs against diabetes.

The award will be presented by the Minister of Science and Technology and Ocean Development, Mr Kapil Sibal, in September, 2005 at the annual general body meeting of the OPPI in Mumbai.

Education board’s Secretary retires
Our Correspondent

Mohali, August 31
The one-year extension period of the Secretary of the Punjab School Education Board, Mr Mohinder Bir Singh, expired today. No fresh appointment to the vacant post was made by the government till this evening.

Mr Mohinder Bir Singh, who earlier worked as the Controller of Examinations at Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, had come on deputation to the education board here. However, his tenure as the Secretary of the board was extended by one year in September last year.

It is reported that if the government failed to make any appointment to the vacant post by September 2, the issue would be discussed at the board meeting scheduled to be held on Friday. There was a possibility that some official from the board itself would be appointed as Secretary.

Students from SAARC nations display paintings
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 31
An exhibition-cum-quiz on road safety was organised by SNS Educational Services and the Rotary Club in Satluj Public School, Sector 4, Panchkula today. Students from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Burma and other adjoining Myanmar countries exhibited, their paintings. The exhibition would conclude tomorrow.

Mr Krit Serai, Principal, Satluj Public School, was the chief guest. Mr V.P. Kapur, a retired IG, was guest of honour.

The quiz on road safety rules comprised rounds on auto manufacturers, traffic management, road system and road users. Neha Arora and Kanika Gupta of Class IX stood first while Mehak Thakur and Divya Dutt also of Class IX stood second.

Inter-school business quiz
Our Correspondent

Vedic team wins quiz contest
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 31
Maharishi Dayanand Public School, Daria, organised a quiz contest here yesterday. Eight teams took part in the contest.

First three teams in the preliminary round reached the final. Vedic, Gurudat and Arya teams vied for the title in the final round.

Jyoti, Suraiya and Ashish of Vedic team won the trophy with 77 points, while Ganga Bahadur, Gautam and Inderjeet of Gurudat team were declared runners-up with 55 points.

Arya team was placed third with 35 points.

Topper honoured
Tribune News Service

Mohali, August 31
Kiran Bansal, university topper in B.Ed exams, was honoured by the Indo-Global Institute for Education, Abhipur. According to Dr S.K. Prabhakar, the institute would support Kiran in her further studies. Kiran scored 82.5 per cent marks in the exam conducted by Punjabi University, Patiala, in May this year.

COURTS

Man gets RI for violating periphery Act
Tribune News Service

Mohali, August 31
Judicial Magistrate, Kharar, Poonam Ratti has sentenced Rulda Singh of Sakrulanpur village to six months of rigorous imprisonment and Rs 500 as fine for violating provisions of the Punjab New Capital (Periphery) Control Act, 1952.

In case of default in the payment of fine, the accused will have to further undergo rigorous imprisonment for 15 days.

According to a press note issued by the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA), the accused had raised construction/residential house beyond the “phirni” of Sakrulanpur village, which fell outside the “lal dora”. The Regulatory Wing PUDA had issued a show-cause notice to the accused during the course of construction.

Despite the notice, the accused continued with the construction, forcing PUDA to file a complaint under Section 12 (1) of the Punjab New Capital (Periphery) Control Act, 1952.

Under the notification (862-53-4/1182) on February 27, 1953 issued under Section 3 of the Punjab New Capital (Periphery) Control Act, the area falling within 10 miles radius from the outer boundary of land acquired for the capital of Punjab is covered within the periphery Act and is thus declared a controlled area.

As per Section 5 of the Punjab New Capital (Periphery) Control Act, no person can erect or re-erect any building layout or access a road in the controlled area except with the prior permission from the Deputy Commissioner in writing.

Under Section 11 of the Punjab New Capital (Periphery) Control Act, no land within controlled area can be used for purposes other than the purpose for which it was used on the date of notification.

Sakrulanpur village in Kharar tehsil falls within the controlled area as per notification.

Junior Engineer of the complainant, PUDA, Devinder Kumar inspected the site of the accused along with Halqa Patwari and submitted his report on February 26, 2005 with rough site plan in which he mentioned that the accused had constructed house/commercial/construction (godown) in the controlled area in violation of provisions of the Punjab New Capital (Periphery) control Act, 1952.