Chandigarh, January 12
The department of mass communication of Panjab University today organised the 2nd annual alumni meet. The event began with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp followed by acting chairperson S.K. Kulkarni’s address. The event saw a gamut of mediapersons and dignitaries, alumni of the department, together at a common platform.

A number of former students, including V.P. Prabhakar of 1958 batch, Vijay Sehgal of 1968 batch, Sanjiv Tiwari of 1972 batch and Kanwar Sandhu, were honoured. Students of the current batch also presented a skit titled ‘Cholay’ which was highly appreciated by all present. The event was marked by scintillating dance performances, mimicry and a musical performance by a rock band performance and bhangra. The event ended with everyone dancing to the tunes of bollywood numbers.

The day, coinciding with the Lohri celebrations, had everyone congratulating each other and distributing traditional gachaks and rewari.

New NCTE norms
GC-11 students get relief
Smriti Sharma
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 12
Students of the four-year integrated BPEd course at Government College, Sector 11, can now heave a sigh of relief with the NCTE (National Council of Teachers Education) formulating fresh norms and standards for four-year courses. In its notification, the NCTE has revised the regulations for various teacher-training courses and consolidated previous regulations under one notification for the sake of clarity and better understanding.

Now, GC-11, and DAV College, Sector 10, can apply for the approval in view of the revised norms and standards. The norms prescribe eligibility criteria, admission procedure, number of academic and technical staff required besides other guidelines for the institutions to run the course. Even Panjab University, which was due to start a four-year course in education, but was unable to do so in the absence of approval and standards, can now apply afresh for the approval of the course.

Talking to The Tribune, A.L. Gauba, principal of the Government College, Sector 11, said, “We spared no efforts to get the approval. In fact, before the fresh norms came, we had already submitted our file that was in the last stages of approval. Now with the new norms, it will strengthen our case.” We are sending a team to Jaipur soon for the purpose, he adds.

The college is gearing up for an inspection by officials of the NCTE in terms of infrastructure and facilities.

Chandigarh, January 12
Lohri was celebrated with gaiety and fervour at KB DAV Senior Secondary Public School, Sector 7-B, here, today. Traditional Punjabi couplets were sung around the bonfire. Tiny tots presented a colourful cultural programme. Impressive gidda and bhangra performances were the main attractions.

Government College-11: Students danced to the best of Hindi and Punjabi pop numbers. Packets of sweets, rewri, gachak and peanuts were distributed. Meanwhile, National Youth Day was also observed in the college. Principal Dr A.L. Gauba urged the students to follow the teachings of Swami Vivekananda whose birth anniversary falls today.

Government College for Girls-42: The principal, staff and students of the college celebrated Lohri with enthusiasm. A documentary movie focusing on foeticide and discriminatory practices against the girl child was screened. Dr Dazy Zabari from the Regional Resource Centre of Panjab University also delivered a talk.

Government College-46: The function was presided over by mayor of Chandigarh municipal corporation Pradeep Chabbra while local councillor Jitender Bhatia was the guest of honour. Students performed bhangra and also danced to the tunes of popular songs. Sweets were also distributed.

Dev Samaj College for Women-45: The festive spirit of the harvest festival was kept alive by the students’ council of the college by arranging a fun-filled function on the college premises. The bonfire was lit by college chairperson Satyawati, director Dr Shashi Jain and principal Dr Meera Modi.

Chandigarh College of Engineering and Technology-26: Students presented a cultural programme. Vivek Atray, joint secretary, technical education, who was the chief guest on the occasion, lit the bonfire.

Chandigarh, January 12
Two municipal corporation employees Pratap Singh and Roshan Lal accused of seeking bribe were acquitted by CBI special judge Jagdeep Jain today after the witness turned hostile.

The accused had been charged with demanding Rs 1,500 as bribe from the complainant, Nasib Singh, in January, 2005. Pratap Singh was working as inspector with the municipal corporation, while Roshan Lal was employed as pound keeper. Nasib Singh had complained to the CBI that Pratap Singh had demanded a bribe of Rs 1,500 for releasing his cattle.

He alleged that his cattle had been impounded by the MC inspector in January, 2005 near Sector 48 roundabout for straying. A trap was laid and the two accused were arrested for demanding bribe and booked under Section 13 (d) of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

Panchkula, January 12
The district police will bring four members of a gang of highway robbers, arrested by the Lalru police, on production warrants. The accused have already confessed to four crimes committed in the district, including a murder and two attempts to murder with the motive of looting petrol stations and persons.

The Punjab DGP N.P.S. Aulakh at a press conference held at Dera Bassi, informed the mediapersons yesterday that the accused had been active in Mohali, Panchkula, Banur and Ambala.

They were also found accused of firing on Harpal Singh, a worker at Toka village, near here on January 4 after which they snatched Rs 1,600 from the victim, said Sandip Khirwar, Superintendent of police.

The hardcore criminals even attempted to rob their victims for the second time when they failed to loot them in their first attempt.

On October 25 the accused tried to rob a petrol pump but the workers present there fled the spot from the back door, said the SP. Again they reached the same petrol station after 5 days, thrashed the workers and looted the station, he said. In addition to it they murdered a person employed with a liquor vend in 2004 with a motive of looting him, said the SP.

They also confessed their involvement in looting petrol pumps in Toka village and Ramgarh-Barwala highway near Naggal village. However, further interrogation is needed to trace other crimes in the region for which the district police will try to bring them on production warrant, he added.

Mohali, January 12
A local court today extended police remand of the dreaded gang that was arrested by the SAS Nagar police yesterday. The four members of the gang were remanded to police custody for a day yesterday and were produced before the court here today.

According to Sukhvinder Singh, SHO Lalru, preliminary interrogation had revealed that in 2005, the gang struck at a tax barrier in Devinagar Ambala decamping with cash and a scooter. The gang struck at a petrol station in Banur the same year. In September 2007, the gang looted the same petrol pump again killing the security guard and grievously injuring the salesman.

Other than cash, the gang had taken away the dead guard’s rifle, which has also been recovered, said the SHO.

In the past three months the gang struck thrice at petrol stations in Chandimandir.

“The gang is so hard core that at one petrol pump they saw the employees run away from the rear. They struck at the same station again after 20 days blocking the rear asking the employees to try and run away,” said the SHO. On January 4 this year they shot a person in his leg working at sand mine and decamped with the cash.

Chandigarh, January 12
The Assamese Welfare Association, with over 400 members in the city, is celebrating Bhogali Bihu at Chhat Bir zoo tomorrow.

The festivities are scheduled to start at 9 am. Association member Dr Banajit Mazumdar says Bhogali Bihu or Magh is the Assamese harvest festival and is celebrated in mid-January, on the last day of poush month and the first day of magh, to mark the end of the winter paddy harvest.

On the night before the festival, people fast and pray. Firewood is set ablaze at dawn to mark the beginning of the festival. The feasting is followed by sports throughout the day. The half-burnt sticks and ashes are strewn in the fields and at the root of the fruit trees with the belief that these will increase the fertility.