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Mohali DAV takes lead
Mohali, November 12 The school will implement the directive on first come first serve basis for the students studying in the school and new admissions. The provision is for students of class VI and above, said Mrs Jaya Bhardwaj, school principal, here today, adding that the facility would be provided for a limited number of seats available with the school. The CBSE, according to the directive, has instructed all schools affiliated to the board to provide full fee concession to the only girl child. The facility is to be implemented by the affiliated schools from the coming session. The facility of free education for girls is already being provided in government schools but these schools are not able to provide facilities on par with their private counterparts. The CBSE directive, addressed mainly to the private schools, has urged these schools to contribute to this national movement to benefit the girl child. Though private schools in Delhi have objected to the CBSE directive and would give a representation against the move, the DAV school here is taking pride in having implemented the directive. “It was a decision taken instantly as soon as the CBSE directive was received by the school yesterday. Our organisation under the aegis of the Arya Samaj has pioneered girl education. The president of the DAV Management Committee, Mr G.P. Chopra, who was awarded Padma Shree for his contribution in the field of education, has supported women empowerment and had issued standing instructions to do our bit for educating more and more girls,” said Jaya Bhardwaj. Ms Jaya Bhardwaj said that the parents of the only girl child would have to submit an affidavit to avail this concession. However, any change in the status of family, as in case the child gets another sibling, especially a brother, the school would have to be informed immediately. A false affidavit and non-implementation of the CBSE directive in the affiliated institutions would invite punitive action by the board and the school.
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PU may tie up with SBI for student loans
Chandigarh, November 12 A meeting to implement the educational loan scheme by the State Bank of India for the purchase of computer/ laptop/ two wheelers, etc. for the students of Panjab University teaching departments was constituted by the Vice- Chancellor on October 18. It was suggested at the meeting that the university should withheld the results of the students who do not repay their loan. However, it was observed by the committee members that they had no right to do so. It was finally suggested that the student would seek a no objection certificate from SBI six months before the completion of the course and provide it to his respective department, failing which his roll number would be withheld. This issue, was however expected to be debated at length as many Syndics, on the condition of anonymity, said that it was not for the university to interfere in the workings of a bank by withholding the results or roll no’s of students. “The functioning of the bank is as it is questionable and why should the university stop a student’s result or roll no. on basis of payment or non-payment of his or her loan,” stated a senior Syndic. Also coming up for discussion would be the recommendations of the Faculty of education regarding failed/ dropout students of M Ed students of Department of Correspondence Studies. It has been recommended that students should be given a chance to clear their first-year papers in the second year. Minutes of the selection committee for appointment for Director Sports, a meeting for which is scheduled to be held on November 14, will also be discussed in the Syndicate. Syndics will also consider exempting payment of requisite fee of Rs 375 for writers of handicapped students (defect in hand).
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Day of fun for orphans, cancer-afflicted
Panchkula, November 12 And that’s exactly what they were there for—plain unadulterated fun all through the day at the Fun Day workshop organised at Mango Grove School in Sector 20, here today. After this entertaining dog show was a dance class where they jived to popular music, nothing too hectic and with due consideration to the children’s health. Everyone danced with Varun Dev Singh Rana, a professional dance teacher, and had a rocking time. From here the kids were ushered in to a painting class, where they gave wings to their thinking and colour to their imagination. Prince Randhawa drew roses, thorns and all, Sandeep, Naman, Pradeep and Amandeep finished painting a huge chart sheet with crayons and superimposed the background with painted leaves. Young Amarpreet, Seema and Beant pasted shiny ribbons and other decorations on lampshades they had created from paper. The day, indeed, was very special for these children. This was the first time that the cancer-afflicted children were out on a trip outside the hospital, Ms Neelu Tuli, president of the Sahayata Cancer Sahyog, a voluntary support group in Chandigarh formed by cancer survivors, said. As many as 25 children came from Bal Niketan, an orphanage that has over 60 wards who study in 10 different institutions. For these children, too, this was a welcome break, and a chance to visit the place where other kids of the institution had attended a workshop last month. They went back with a twinkle “These children are so brave and so full of fun,” said Aradhika Sekhon, coordinator of the school The workshop had been sponsored by Quantum Solutions India Ltd, a Chandigarh-based company.
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Former CEC for change in electoral system
Chandigarh, November 12 Speaking at a seminar on The Constitution, governance and democratic decentralisation organised as part of the P.N. Haksar memorial lecture-cum-seminar series at the Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development here, the former CEC also stressed upon more powers to panchayats as part of the decentralisation exercise and a cut in the strength of the bureaucracy by 25 per cent. Coming down heavily on politicians, bureaucrats and police officers, Mr Krishnamurthy said political parties had turned politics into a very lucrative business with the help and connivance of politically-biased civil servants. He said it was often found that chief ministers and politicians in power manipulated and violated the code of conduct during elections and that senior bureaucrats and police officials continued to pay courtesy calls at the premises of the ruling politicians during the election process despite clear instructions against this practice. Stating that the quality of governance had declined after independence, the former CEC added that a number of bureaucrats and police officers had sacrificed their values for personal gains. He said harassment faced by the common man had led to loss of faith in the bureaucracy, which had given rise to corruption and generated frustration among the masses. This could have serious implications like social unrest, violence and even terrorism, he added. He also welcomed the move to implement the Right to Information Act, which would bring more accountability among civil servants. In his presentation, Supreme Court lawyer, P.P, Rao said by improving the system of governance, phenomenal progress could be achieved within a short time. Stating that the voice of the people had to assert itself, he said the need of the hour was not only to organise and mobilise public opinion in favour of constitutional and electoral reforms, but also to prevail upon the central council of ministers and parliamentarians to do the needful. Asserting that there was no political will to improve the system, he said too many political parties without ideology to guide them except pursuit and retention of power were making things difficult to mend. He said the neutrality of the civil service stood largely eroded and corruption had corroded the governing structures, reducing sovereign people of India to helpless spectators. As far as public service commissions were concerned, he said politicians in power misused and abused the power of appointment in many cases, which had affected the credibility of commissions and fairness in selections. He said there was need to amend the constitutional provisions to weed out civil servants as well as judicial officers of doubtful integrity. Calling for electoral reforms and structural changes in the Constitution, he said the executive needed to be separated from the legislature to a large extent by making elected representatives ineligible to hold any executive office. In addition, provision should to be made for induction into the Cabinet of outstanding persons with ability and experience to handle key portfolios without having to be elected to Parliament or the state legislature, he recommended. Speaking on Knowledge empowerment of panchayats and rural committees, the Vice-Chairman of the Knowledge Commission, Dr Pushpa M. Bhargava, said the Pachayat Raj Act had conferred unprecedented power and substantial responsibilities in diverse fields to panchayats and zila parishads. In this backdrop, knowledge empowerment was required for them to claim their rights and discharge their responsibilities, understand methodologies to implement the provisions of the Act, prevent exploitation, generate resources and lessen the gap between urban and rural development. He highlighted ways and methods of carrying out the task and various topics and subjects to be covered. Earlier, former Jammu and Kashmir Governor, Jagmohan spoke about the soul and structure of governance, along with blueprints for reforms, in India and discussed extracts from his recently released book on this topic.
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Police camps to register PGs today
Chandigarh, November 12 A spokesman for the Chandigarh Police said for the purpose of registering the paying guests, special camps would be held all over the city on Sunday between 10 am and 4 pm. He added that persons offering accommodation to the paying guests should inform in writing about the particulars of paying guests to the Station House Officers of the police station concerned within a month from the issuance of the orders in this regard by the UT Deputy Magistrate (DM) on November 3. The spokesman said a
The police had received several complaints from neighbours accusing the paying guests of causing nuisance, he added. He added that the camps would be organised in Sector 22 near Kiran police booth, besides police booths in Sectors 23, 16, 15, 11, 9, 8, 18, 20, 21, 27, 28, 7, 26, community centre in Manimajra’s Modern Complex, NAC Manimajra Divya Mandir, Vikas Nagar near Mauli Jagran school, Sectors 30, 47, Phase I Ramdarbar, Sector 34, Burail village, Sectors 35, 36, 37 and 40.
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Three new suspected dengue cases at PGI
Chandigarh, November 12 All three patients are from Saharanpur and are suffering from high fever and low platelet count. With the three new cases, the number of dengue cases at present at the PGI has gone up to five.
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Passing Thru
What brings you to Chandigarh?
I am here in connection with the 5th All-India Convention of Women Bank Employees and Officers. The biennial conference is being attended by over 400 employees and officers of public sector banks from 22 states. What is the agenda for the convention? Over 1 lakh women bank employees had several exclusive problems. The convention would endeavour to empower them in banks and integrate them in trade union activities to enable them to play an effective role in the decision-making process. What role do you see for women in the trade union movement ? After the nationalisation of banks,women have joined these in large number. With the passage of time the role of women has become crucial in several decision-making bodies such as the central committee of the AIBEA. How do you rate the performance of public sector banks vis-a-vis private banks? Despite constraints, the performance of public sector banks has improved tremendously in the recent past. In fact, public sector banks are the only banks providing quality service in rural areas. — Pradeep Sharma
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Allow fishing to save Sukhna: expert
Chandigarh, November 12 The enormity of the impending crisis can be assessed from the official data which says that around 7.0 lakh fish seed being produced every year at Fish Seed Farm was being stocked in Sukhna Lake and check dams of Forest Department. As per the March 2005 figures, the Fisheries Department estimates 84 tonnes of fish in the water body. Experts dealing with fish breeding say that the actual fish stocking capacity of the lake, spread over an area of 200 hectares, could spell out the extent of the crisis. The issue has to be seen in light of food availability and volume of water, said Prof MS Johal from the Department of Zoology, Panjab University, who has asked by the administration to study the “aquatic faunal diversity of the Sukhna Lake.” Sources in the Punjab Fisheries Department reveal that a fish requires around four sq area. An artificial fish farm can hold around 10,000 fingerlings. Professor, Johan has advised the Chandigarh Administration to do selective harvesting of big fish which was eating on small fish, creating food and space problems for the young fish. For the migratory birds which visit the lake from November to February, the small fish was the main food. It is the small fish which feeds on the organic matter. In absence of the fish, the organic matter at the bottom of the lake was decaying resulting in foul smell of the water. On the condition of anonymity, an official associated with the Fisheries Department revealed that banning of angling could not be linked with lake being declared a National Wetland. Since the migratory birds which feed only on young fish measuring up to three inch visit the water body between November and February, fishing should only be banned during this period. “Apart from losing revenue in issuing fishing licence, the administration had created an ecological problem which was doubled due to lack of initiative over the years. Fishing can be strictly regulated and an assistance booth could be set up to assist and regulate fish lovers. During the public holiday or the weekends, fishing could also be banned “, said Noor Mohammed, a fish catcher. The lake was created in 1958 to strike a balance among land, water, flora and fauna. It is a rain-fed lake and was formed by harnessing three choes - Kansal, Ghareri and Nepli. The shallow lake was home to many Indian major carps like rohu, mrigal and catla and a few exotic carps. Angling was also a deterrent for those attempting suicide. Those who used to regularly fish at the lake, before the ban was imposed in late eighties, said that since the anglers used to sit all along the water body, the number of those committing suicide there were less. Mr Rajinder, an avid angler, said , “ We used to sit till late on the stairs and this certainly prevented people from ending their lives.”
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MC to involve people in sanitation drive
Chandigarh, November 12 As a first step, the sanitation committee of the MCC, which met here recently, decided to involve the Residents Welfare Associations
(RWAs) in the cleanliness drive throughout the city. And for the effective implementation of the sanitation
drive, the committee proposed to divide the city in five zones. Unlike the previous
drives, this time the civic body is taking keen interest in educating the people through interactions and
seminars. The Commissioner, Mayor, Medical Officer of Health and representatives from the Central Pollution Control Board
(CPCB), besides the office-bearers of the RWAs, will attend the seminars, Mr Pradeep
Chabbra, a former Senior Deputy Mayor and chairman of the sanitation committee, told Chandigarh Tribune here today. Giving details, Mr Chabbra said the main emphasis at the seminars would be the quick disposal of the garbage through
segregation. Besides, the feasibility of door-to-door collection of garbage in the new sectors would also be explored. It may be recalled that the CPCB, in its guidelines to the civic bodies across the country, had directed them to effectively dispose off the garbage from the city. The setting up of the Sehaj Safai Kendras (SSKs) is one of the measures taken by the corporation to comply with directions of the CPCB.
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Record of properties computerised, put on website
Chandigarh, November 12 Anybody requiring information about a property like the date of allotment, the date of possession, the description of property, the execution of deed, the details of payments of instalments/ground rent, transactions of the property, resumed proceedings, if any, details of ownership rights, shares can just visit the said website and get the requisite information. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr R.K.Rao, said to streamline the functioning of the Estate Office and to bring efficiency and transparency in its working, a major initiative was taken in the beginning of this year on the directions of UT Administrator, General S.F. Rodrigues. The Estate Office markets the real estate, sells the sites/buildings, receives the payments from the allottee, and processes the requests of the allottee for various clearances/permissions for raising construction on sites in conformity with the zoning regulations and building bye laws. Computerisation of the record pertaining to commercial, residential and institutional properties in the city would bring more efficiency, transparency and the speedy disposal of the cases. The site is also being linked with the main website of the Chandigarh Administration. The information can also be got accessed to from the Jan Sampark Centres, which are being set up in various parts of the city. In the third phase, the remaining files pertaining to rehabilitation colonies, rehri markets, numbering around 35,000 will also be computerised and put on website by January 10,2006.
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Sikh Confederation taking shape
Chandigarh, November 12 The apex body will comprise young and educated faces and will give advice on employment avenues for unemployed Sikh youth. The other members of the committee are Lt-Gen Kartar Singh Gill and Dr G.S. Kalkat. The idea to set up the apex body was mooted by the Institute of Sikh Studies at its annual seminar held in November 2003. Dr Kharak Singh told The Tribune that before the constitution was passed at a two-day International Sikh Conclave being held at Gurdwara Singh Sabha, Kanthala, the delegates who have come from across the world, would present their views about the functions of the new body. “The constitution will be open to further improvement,” said Dr Kharak Singh. Apart from a political body, it will act as a pressure group on the religious bodies of Sikhs. Mr Gurdev Singh, President of the Institute of Sikh Studies, who was also involved in drafting of the constitution, said the apex body would work to improve the image of the community. It would share the ideology of Guru Granth Sahib with all humanity to evolve a harmonious social order, advance the cause of Sikh community at the national and international forums, to deal with potential schisms in the panth, promote education and economic development. Besides, the body will promote the Punjabi language, promote research and publication of Sikh literature and false attacks on the Sikh religion, culture, tradition and history. After approving the constitution, a governing council of the confederation will be formed. An executive committee will be elected to run the affairs of the apex body. On the inaugural day of the conclave the key speakers were Mr Harinder Singh, President of the Kendri Singh Sabha, Mr Gurdev Singh , Dr Kharak Singh and Lt-Gen Kartar Singh Gill. Delegates from Australia, Canada and USA spoke on the issue. In the afternoon session, Dr Kulwant Kaur, President of he Mai Bhago Brigade, Patiala, spoke on the issue.
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Vyas stresses on women empowerment
Chandigarh, November 12 Speaking at the regional consultation on declining sex-ratio and assessing interventionist strategies at Panjab University, Dr Vyas called upon the religious leaders to lend active support to promote the cause. Talking about the continuing female foeticide in the region, Dr Vyas said continuous monitoring and internal review every three years and promotion of women’s rights may help to some extent. To this end the NCW Chairman said that rapid action monitoring cells will soon be formed in the region. In addition to this the issue of women empowerment should also be included in the school curriculum, said Dr Vyas. She added that the Delhi Government had shown keen interest in such a proposal and other state governments will also be approached for a similar purpose. Talking about the various acts and laws framed to arrest the declining sex ratio, Dr Vyas said such lawas should be strictly enforced alongwith unitive action. She added that no case as been registered under the PNDT Act in Punjab while just two or three have come to the fore in Haryana. Discussing the other issues high on agenda for NCW, Dr Girija Vyas said that the commission was now trying to push the sexual harassment of women at work place Bill in addition to rape victim relief Bill. Also present at the regional consultation was Suman Prashar, Joint Director, Census, Government of India. Talking about the recent SRS figures, Suman Parashar said that the figures received are an indication of no improvement in the sex ratio in Punjab and Haryana, despite the various claims of the governments. She added that besides the declining sex ratio, the infant mortality rate is also high in girls.
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Bir Devinder unhappy with wards’ delimitation
Mohali, November 12 While five of the seven members of the board who had the voting right okayed the draft, only Mr Bir Devinder Singh and Mr Harinder Pal Singh Billa, former president of the council, voted against it. The delimitation board comprises 12 members. Mr Devinder Singh, however, later said at a press conference that it was most intriguing that the draft was prepared by officials of the Department of Local Government without consulting members of the board. He alleged that the draft had been prepared in such a way so as to protect certain vested interests. He said wards of the council president, Mr Kulwant Singh, and his immediate supporters were prepared in a planned manner while no continuity was maintained while delimiting many other wards. He said that wards of councillors, who opposed him during his tenure, were divided into many parts and some of them were also got reserved so that his opponents could not fight elections from the earlier area. The MLA, who was accompanied by some municipal councillors and Mr Billa, said that the interest of the town was not kept in mind while preparing the draft to delimit wards. He alleged that there was a nexus between the minister concerned, Ch Jagjit Singh and the council president, Mr Kulwant Singh. Demanding a CBI inquiry into the utilisation of municipal council funds, he said, “the town could not be sold for vested interests”. He said that delimitation was not done sectorwise and continuity had not been maintained while drafting wards. Moreover, it was not clear on what basis the reservations had been done. He said that only two wards had been reserved for SCs and BCs when it should have been three seeing the population figure. House numbers were also not mentioned while delimiting wards. Reacting to the allegations levelled by Mr Bir Devinder Singh, Mr Kulwant Singh, today said the statements made by him were baseless. In a pressnote issued here, he said the MLA was making misleading statements because he allegedly wanted to take charge of the civic body and that was why he was getting the municipal elections delayed. He said a meeting of the delimitation board could not be held for months just because the MLA wanted members of his choice in the board and he had even got the board reconstituted to have his way. Now when majority of the members had cleared the proposed draft prepared in connection with the forthcoming municipal elections, he was opposing it because the draft was not prepared according to his wishes.
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CII to give 100-tonne CGI sheets to quake victims
Chandigarh, November 12 Mr Ajay S Shriram, chairman, CII Northern Region, said here today that till date the organisation had been able to provide CGI sheets catering to the needs of more than 2000 persons of Sultan Deki, Sarai, Busgraan and Sherpora Kandi villages in Uri. These CGI sheets would subsequently be reused when rebuilding of permanent homes commence once the snows melt in March. CII members have already contributed more than Rs 6 crore till date towards the earthquake relief efforts for the victims in Kashmir. Focusing on providing immediate relief to the affected populace during the aftermath of the earthquake, CII had distributed 2770 blankets, 438 tents, 1000 woolen caps, 1000 pairs of woolen socks, 1000 sweaters, 1200 kg of tea and 3000 bottles of water to affected families in 22 villages in Uri.
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70 animals examined
Chandigarh, November 12 The department has collected 29 serum samples from various poultry farms in Chandigarh and sent to regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Jalandhar. The camp was conduct by Dr Kanwaljeet Singh, Veterinary Officer-cum-Nodal Officer, Hallo Majra.
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Hanuman Jayanti celebration today
Panchkula, November 12
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