Chandigarh, August 24
iSync, a two-day Communication Technology Workshop, will begin at Punjab Engineering College, Sector 12, here from tomorrow. Dr Dheeraj Sanghi and Dr Bhaskaran Raman, eminent scholars in communication technology from IIT, Kanpur, will conduct workshops on “Introduction to Wi-Fi” and “Internet protocol-version 6”. It will be attended by students and faculty from PEC, UIET, CCET and PU and some from the industry. An interactive session on the relevance of post-graduate studies in the present scenario will be held.

Banur, August 24
The Business English Certificate (BEC) course of Cambridge University, UK, was inaugurated by Dr Isha Gupta, Marketing Manager, Examination Services North India, British Council Division, at the Swami Vivekanand Institute of Engineering and Technology (SVIET) here today.

More than 500 students of first year of all disciplines attended the first day of the interaction programme during which Dr Gupta interacted with students and staff members regarding BEC programme.

Giving details, Dr Gupta said the participants could register for the BEC vantage or the BEC higher, besides the BEC preliminary. At the moment, the college is training all first year students for the BEC preliminary examinations.

She said these examinations were conducted for proficiency in English language, which included four skills—reading, writing, speaking and listening. She further added that for this purpose the teachers of the college would be granted comprehensive training.

She appreciated the infrastructure as well as achievements made by the college in a short span of time.

Ms Ira, support person, in her presentation, touched upon various advantages of the BEC examination like help in looking out for a job, preparing the CV and appearing in an interview.

Mr Manmohan Garg, CEO of the SVIET, said in a bid to further develop the quality of human resources, the SVIET was offering the BEC programme course.

Besides, honing the communication skills, the BEC programme also focuses on the personality development, he added.

The Director-Principal, Dr C.S. Rao, along with other management members welcomed the guest of honour, Mr Vivek Saini, Education Officer, British Library, Chandigarh.

Chandigarh, August 24
Rotarian Dhian Chand, District Governor, praised the work put in by members of the Rotary Chandigarh Shivalik during his annual visit to the club last night.

He mentioned the medical camp at Government School, Kajheri, the upgradation of toilets at the Chhotti Perch village school and work on the activities serving the community and youth.

He visited Chotti Perch village in the morning along with the club president, Mr H.S. Jaspal, and the secretary, Mr Maneet Singh, to see the ongoing projects, which included upgradation of school, vermiculture, bridge, cremation facilities, indigenously designed toilets and computer training. He handed over 20 sets of books to the children given by Rotarian B.S. Anand.

Chandigarh, August 24
The decision of the Punjab Government to set up a Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) was today challenged in the Punjab and Haryana High Court through a public interest litigation (PIL).

The petitioners, Mr Rajesh Jain of Mohali and advocate J.S. Rana of Chandigarh, have asserted that the main purpose behind the notification of August 14 is to totally wipe out the Periphery Control Act, 1953, and thereby seal all prospects of expansion of Chandigarh in the periphery areas.

They have also contented that the government had not formed the requisite opinion as envisaged under Section 29 of the Punjab Regional and Town Planning and Development Act, 1995, before setting up the new special planning authority for the areas of Mohali district and other adjoining areas.

As per the government plan, the task of carrying out development works in the area has been entrusted to the newly-created GMADA and not the Punjab Urban Development and Planning Authority (PUDA) even though the GMADA does not have any special powers over and above those possessed by PUDA.

The PIL also says that the government did not even seek objections from residents of areas, including Mullanpur, which have been brought under GMADA, as mandatory under the law.

The petitioners have also stated that a judgment of the Punjab and Haryana High Court Division Bench in 2001 had also held the acquisition of land for the proposed Anandgarh township to be illegal on these very grounds.

Today, when the PIL came up for hearing before a Division Bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Mr Justice H.S. Bedi, the issue of locus standi of the petitioners in filing the PIL cropped up. To a query from the Bench, the counsel for the petitioners stated that any resident of Chandigarh or Mohali, who is interested in protecting the prospects of the expansion of Chandigarh or for that matter Mohali, is within his right to file such a PIL.

After hearing the counsel, the Bench adjourned the matter sine die to await the outcome of some special leave petitions pending before the Supreme Court in matters of similar nature.

Chandigarh , August 24
In a step which, if implemented, could go a long way in bringing down pendency of cases in lower judiciary, the Punjab and Haryana High Court is contemplating introduction of double-shift system in the lower courts.

In this regard, the High Court is learnt to have sought the views of all District and Sessions Judges in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh as well as the District Bar Associations.

A communication sent by the Registrar (General) of the High Court to all the District and Sessions Judges in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh has mentioned that in view of the huge pendency of criminal cases in the subordinate courts, the possibility of existing courts functioning in two shifts with same infrastructure and utilisation of services of retired judicial officers is being explored. The proposal is aimed at speeding up disposal of pending cases.

In a confidential note sent to all the High Courts a few months back, the Union Law and Justice Ministry had sought detailed views of all judicial officers in this regard. According to highly-placed sources, the Law Ministry took the step after a suggestion was made in this regard in Parliament sometime ago during a discussion on the pendency of court cases. The final decision would be taken after getting views from across the country, it is learnt.

However, there are indications that the lawyers are not too happy at the move. Mr K.S. Lamba, Secretary of the District Bar Association, Chandigarh, said the Bar was not favourably inclined to the new concept.

"The advocates would have little time to prepare cases for the next day. There is no system of double shift for the advocates. It would be very difficulty to segregate the cases. This system is impracticable", he added.

Mr N.K.Nanda, President of the District Bar Association, Chandigarh, felt that fast-track courts in the District and Sessions Courts, Chandigarh, on the pattern of session courts in Punjab and Haryana, could do the trick instead of proposed system.

The fast-track courts can be given voluminous cases or old cases so that day-to-day hearing is held, which could go a long way in decreasing pendency of cases. The fast-track courts could hold hearing of cases in a day-to-day basis, he suggested.

He also opposed any move to appoint retired judicial officers to man courts in the evening shifts. "Instead, experienced advocates should be appointed in the fast-track courts", he added.

Commenting on the proposal, a judicial officer said the plan would work only if new vacancies were created and additional infrastructure created. In light of the shortage of court staff, it would mean overlapping timings for the shifts since the staff cannot be expected to work for over 12 hours a day, he added.

A court official said it was practically impossible for the clerical staff to work two shifts. As of now there was an acute shortage of supporting staff in the subordinate courts in view of the high pendency of cases. Advocates say since their clients come from far off places, there is no way they could attend the hearing of the second shift. 

Mohali, August 24
Students of the Northern India Institute of Fashion Technology (NIIFT) here today held a colourful craft documentation presentation on the state of Andhra Pradesh.

As many as 27 students of the Textile Design Department (TDD) who had visited the state for fifteen days and covered various regions and studied the making and designing of Warangal durries, Nakashi paintings, Mangalgiri saris, Uppada saris, Kalamkari, Kondapalli toys, Ikat, Nirmal toys, Metapally toys, Eluru carpets, Etikoppaka toys, Crochet lace, Bobbli veena etc. The jury for the presentation included Ms Kavita Marium, Ms Meera Dham and Mr S.K. Nanda.

Stating that the objectives of craft documentation includes study of new place, its people, culture, traditions, beliefs etc and their craft in details from its sources of inspiration to its avenues of sale.The faculty members at NIIFT added that Andhra Pradesh was a land synonymous with textiles and the experience for the students was enriching.