Mohali, March 28
In a decision that has put a big question mark on the above board functioning of the Akali-led government in Punjab, the Department of Town and Country Planning is learnt to have withdrawn its public notice regarding the proposed master plan of the Nayagaon notified area committee (NAC).

The public notice was issued in leading newspapers exactly a month ago by the chief town planner when the master plan for the NAC was made public to invite objections. However, in an “emergent” decision taken this evening, the chief town planner was reportedly asked to rescind his earlier orders.

While this means that the entire process of inviting objections (the last date of which was today) has gone waste, the absence of a masterplan is likely to lead to the revocation of the notification issued by the Department of Housing and Urban Development exempting the NAC area from provisions of the Punjab Capital Periphery Control Act.

This means that the status of the Nayagaon NAC is back to square one. It continues to be powerless to allow construction in the area. It has once again no powers to approve individual building plans and approve group housing projects. Construction in the area, which is not in accordance with the periphery policy, is once again illegal.

While no government officer is ready to divulge the reason for this sudden turnaround, sources point to a myriad of causes. The creators of the master plan had, for example, demarcated a large area of Kansal village as “institutional”, a part of which is owned by VIPs. Highly placed sources state parleys at the highest echelons were on to undo the “damage that the master plan had caused”.

Another reason was the growing difference of opinion between the Department of Local Government and the Department of Housing and Urban Development over the Nayagaon NAC. While the housing department was following a cautionary approach to the opening of the Chandigarh’s periphery following all relevant regulation laid down for the area, the local bodies department had strongly objected to the conditions laid down in the master plan. They were not happy that a large part of the NAC area (villages Karoran and Nadah) were not opened for development on the pretext that these areas are locked under the provisions of the Punjab Land Preservation Act 1900 (PLPA).

The department of local government also pointed out that there was no provision in the urban acts to get a “part regional plan” prepared. While the chief town planner’s office seems to have been caught on the wrong foot on this technical point, its insistence on the NAC following the Forest Acts is not without good reason.

The issue of the PLPA has been a matter of controversy ever since the Akali-led government took over. The Akali government, for reasons best known to the powers that be, is almost desperate to get the PLPA repealed. The saving factor has, however, been the fact that a decision regarding the delisting of this area from the PLPA is pending before the Supreme Court. 

Chandigarh, March 28
Three youths were injured, including Harpreet Singh Multani, president of the Students’ Organisation of Panjab University (SOPU), in a violent clash that took place between two-armed groups outside English Auditorium, Panjab University, here this afternoon.

The injured were admitted to Sector 16, Government Multi-Speciality Hospital. The other injured have been identified as Sukhdeep Singh Randhawa and Kamaldeep Singh, acquaintances of Multani. The police said they sustained head injuries in the attack and all of them have received stitches. Some old enmity is said to be the reason behind the attack, said the police.

According to eyewitness, Multani was intercepted by another group near the auditorium and was assaulted in the afternoon. They smashed the windowpanes of his car and hit all occupants with baseball sticks and swords. It went on for a few minutes and the assailants sped away. The police was informed about the incident, however, the injured were shifted to the hospital before the police reached there.

The police said a case of attempt to murder, rioting, causing injuries and criminal intimidation had been registered against Gurtej Pannu of Sector 9, Simranjit Singh Sandhu, a law student of PU, Ramanjit, Karan, Amandeep Jorden and Lovlesh, students, on a complaint lodged by Multani. He said efforts were on to trace the other accused and raids were being conducted at their suspected hideouts. Quoting Multani, the SHO said he had denied his involvement in yesterday’s incident saying that he had gone there to resolve the issue and it was ended in a compromise.

Panchkula, March 28
A 10-year-old child was buried to death when one of the boulder crates, set up on the bank of the Ghaggar to check erosion, fell on four children standing on the spot here today.

The deceased has been identified as Bobby of Gate No. 4 colony near Majri chowk. The parents of the deceased were on their work at the time of accident. While Bobby’s father was a labourer, his mother works as a maid at Panchkula.

Though the reason behind caving in of the wall near Majri Chowk on the right side of the Ghaggar bridge could not be ascertained, it was reported that the mishap occurred when some children from the nearby slum were trying to remove the iron net used for binding the stones of retaining wall. However, Ram Rati, the mother of deceased, said she had gone to take bath in the river.

Residents of the colony, who reached the spot immediately after the mishap, said four children were playing on the spot when the wall caved in and hundreds of stones rolled down on the children. While three children escaped, Bobby was buried under the stones.

Though the people present near the spot took up rescue operation immediately it took them more than one hour to extricate the body as the operation was to be carried out manually.

SP Sandip Khirwar and Panchkula SDM Virender Dahiya also reached the spot to supervise the rescue operation but nothing concrete could be done as the child was buried under the stones.

Doctors at the Civil Hospital, Sector 6, here, said the boy was declared brought dead and the body had been sent for the post-mortem.

Meanwhile Panchkula DC Rajinder Kataria has asked SDM to conduct inquiry in the mishap. However, no compensation could be provided to the aggrieved family due to implementation of code of conduct for the municipal elections, said Kataria. “We have sought advice from the state Election Commission in this regard”, he added.

Chandigarh, March 28
The morning of March 27 brought surprise for the principal of Guru Teg Bahadur Public School, Sector 15-C, Kiran Kuljeet Kaur, and other teachers when they saw advertisement in the newspaper asking applications for appointing the new principal and teachers. The interview for the posts has been scheduled for March 29 and 30.

"We were taken aback to see the advertisement appeared twice on dated March 27 and 28 in a newspaper for the post of principal and teachers for English, mathematics, science and physical education," said the staff members.

The principal alleged that the school was being run under the whims and fancies of the chairman Gurpartap Singh Riar, where the teachers had been instructed to give back 40 per cent of their pay packet in shape of cash.

"This unfair practice has been prevailing for the past many years. Even the fourth class employees deposit the amount. We were under this impression that our money, deposited in Punjab and Sind Bank account no 246, is being contributed towards funds for a gurdwara. But after scrutinising, we found that the amount is not being deposited in the account,” alleged the teachers.

Riar, also a member of the SGPC, denied all allegations but also could not give any substantial reply to the allegations. “We have not yet issued any notice to anybody. We might add on more staff? Who can say?

Agreed that additional staff can be recruited, but what about principal? How many principals will be required for one school?

“Ours is a self-regulating society. We can sack any staff member on one month’s notice and the salary for equal period. No one can question us”, Riar said.

There are around 20 staff members which include 15 teachers and 5 class IV employees, who are in the catch-22 situation whether they will continue to be on job or not.

They have submitted a written representation with the office of the DPI (S), Chandigarh and Regional Office, CBSE, highlighting the mass violations and malpractices prevailing in the school affairs.

The school is being run from an unauthorised building and the management has not yet procured occupational certificate. The Education Department has also questioned its status of provisional recognition on these grounds. The school is affiliated to the CBSE till 2010. “But this affiliation is also provisional. The school still does not comply to the conditions laid down by the board,” told the teachers.

Because of lack of these formalities, the school has no regular water or electricity connection. “ There is no provision for safe drinking water, no sanitation or electricity connection. The children and staff have to go to adjoining gurdwara building to fetch water. When I asked the chairman to do the needful, he got annoyed”, said the principal.

Panchkula, March 28
The entire city saw hectic activity today, as festoons and flags of all three major political parties - Congress, BJP and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) - lent colour to the last day of campaigning.

In fact, it was a day of car rallies and roadshows by political parties. Some of the women candidates resorted to door-to-door campaigning accompanied by ‘bhajan mandalis’, even as the campaigning was to end at four in the evening.

While the INLD and BJP held roadshows in sectors 8 and and 6 respectively, a candidate of BJP from ward number 15, along with her supporters reciting bhajans, sought votes in Sector 15. The Congress also left no stone unturned and backed by its deputy chief minister from the state and local bodies minister, organised 12 public meetings.

The BJP candidate from Ward number 4 V.K. Sood carried out a roadshow in Sector 6 while INLD candidate Manoj Manchanda from ward number 5 also took round of the sector with his supporters. “I have not used a loud-speaker or any other public address system throughout the campaigning to extend a message against noise pollution,” said Manchanda.

Anita, a BJP candidate from ward number 15, chose to contact her voters along with bajan mandali. She started at 8 am and went around sector 15 seeking votes, till the campaign ended at 4 pm.

Haryana deputy chief minister Chander Mohan and local bodies minister A.C. Chaudhary also addressed the public meetings of Congress candidates Naresh Kumar Rawal and Ravinder Kumar, both brothers contesting elections from ward number 13 and 14 respectively.

Meanwhile, the sub-divisional magistrate, taking note of complaint lodged by an independent candidate, has issued a show- cause notice to Congress candidate and former municipal committee president Manvir Kaur Gill for allegedly violating the model code of conduct. Lily Bawa, contesting from ward number 20, had complained to the deputy commissioner Rajinder Kataria alleging that her rival Manvir Kaur was violating the model code of conduct by addressing a public meeting in the ward till 4.30 pm, even as campaigning was to end by 4 pm. The complainant submitted a recording of meeting to substantiate her claim. SDM Virender Dahiya, who was asked to conduct inquiry, ordered Gill to submit her reply by appearing personally at 7.30 pm. As Manvir did not appear at the specified time she has been asked to appear at 10 am in the community centre of Sector 20, said the SDM.

Chandigarh, March 28
The municipal corporation of Chandigarh (MCC) today decided to seek a vigilance inquiry into the alleged "parking scam" in the city.

A day after The Tribune highlighted how the municipal corporation officials were going soft on officials involved in the alleged irregularities in the running of paid parking lots at Sukhna Lake and Fun Republic, the mayor told a meeting of the House of the MCC that he would write to the secretary local government-cum-home secretary to get the matter probed from the vigilance department.

"Taking cognisance of the sentiments of the House and the serious nature of the matter, it had been decided to ask the UT administration to order a vigilance probe into the matter," mayor Pardeep Chhabra told The Tribune, adding that the probe would go a long way in bringing transparency in the working of the corporation.

Earlier, the matter raised a lot of din with the councillors cutting across party lines demanding "exemplary action" against the officials and the security agency allegedly involved in large-scale irregularities in the running of parking lots and sanitation contracts in various parts of the city.

Harjinder Kaur (SAD) and Anu Chatrath(Congress), both former mayors, Devinder Singh Babla (Congress), Anil Dubey (BJP) and RC Jakhu (nominated) came down heavily on the MCC officials for allegedly delaying action against the tainted officials. If the accused are not punished on the recommendations of the elected representatives of the people, then the very purpose of detecting malpractices by them was defeated, the councillors asserted.

On March 16, Chhabra along with MPS Chawla, nominated councillor, had raided the two paid parking lots and detected large-scale irregularities, including overcharging, fake parking slips, and violation of labour laws.

In the second incident, 42 sweepers were found absent from duty on March 24 by a team of the sanitation committee headed by RC Jakhu, a nominated councillor. Besides the attendance registers were also found tampered with.

Meanwhile, the House decided that action as per provisions of the law would be initiated in the case of missing sweepers. 

Chandigarh, March 28
Officials of the municipal corporation (MC) were at the receiving end at the hands of the councillors during the MC house meeting today for various issues pertaining to corruption and malpractices.

However, several important agenda items, including a garden for the blind, construction of parking in the transport area in Sector 26 at an estimated cost of Rs 59.04 lakh and widening of roads, were passed unanimously in the house. The councillors raised concern over the deteriorating sanitary condition in their areas, dysfunctional street lights and pending works among other issues. They also insisted on action against those caught red-handed while indulging in corruption. The house was unanimous over the issue relating to “rampant” corruption in the MC. The issue of re-carpeting of roads during the night to avoid traffic jams was discussed and the officials admitted that there was no technical problem in doing the work at night.

Councillor Davinder Singh Babla countered executive engineer, Sanjay Arora, while raising the issue of incomplete work of road carpeting in Sector 27. He forced the officer to immediately tell the house the reason behind stopping the work without completion. He also demanded an inquiry into the installation of streetlights in Sector 27 for which a budget of Rs 11 lakh was passed. He alleged that the authorities concerned only changed the cable and did not change the pole and the lights. He said he would take up these issues with the UT adviser on Monday.

Similarly, Resham Chand Jakhu holding HS Kandhola, joint commissioner, MC, responsible for all the wrongs in the corporation, alleged that Kandhola was indulging in all sorts of malpractices and had “ruined” it. He demanded CBI or Vigilance inquiries in the issues of absenteeism among sweepers and fake parking ticket issues. The officials, however, denied the allegations and explained their positions.

Echoing similar views, former mayor and councillor Kamlesh stated that they were a harried lot at the hands of the officials. She threatened to tender her resignation from the ward committees if nothing was done to improve things. Former mayor Harjinder Kaur said the corporation was fast becoming a hub of corruption and nothing was being done to improve it despite the fact that she had raised the same issues at the meeting.

Among nominated councillors, Brig (retd) Kuldeep Singh Chandpuri demanded action against the private schools charging hefty amounts from parents and taking interviews of small children. Endorsing the views, Arshad Khan said such schools were exploiting innocent children. Quoting an example about Vivek High School, Sector 38, he stated that the school denied admission to a four-year-old child, saying that “he was not intellectual enough to join the school”. Dr AP Sanwaria said efforts should be made to take central government grants for sterilisation of stray dogs.

Mayor Pardeep Chhabra said he had already sent reports to home secretary regarding absenteeism in sweepers and fake parking tickets and action would be taken against those found guilty. 

Chandigarh, March 28
Finally, after days of silence, the Panjab University authorities today came out with their side of the story regarding the felling of trees on the campus. In a press conference organised today, jointly addressed by the registrar S.S. Bari, Prof Kehar Singh, PU fellow and former chief conservator of forest, former judge of Punjab and Haryana High Court, Justice S.K. Jain, it was clarified that no breach of law under the Indian Forest Act has taken place in felling of 149 trees on the campus.

Prof Kehar Singh refuted the reports published by a section of media that the university has illegally cut down the trees. He said the prior permission was taken from the competent authority, which is the department of conservator of forests, UT administration. He also termed the news reports of a show-cause notice issued by the UT administration as baseless allegation.

The university had prior permission to cut down the 149 trees by the competent authorities and even then INSO members raised a hue and cry about the cutting of trees. They even alleged that certain trees were wrongly numbered and were cut, whereas, they did not figure in the list of trees to be cut. The vice-chancellor had constituted a committee to look into the matter and the committee had given a clean chit to the university authorities saying that the issue has been unnecessarily blown out of proportion without having an ounce of truth in it. More so, when the committee members asked the INSO members for a physical verification of the trees, the students dilly-dallied and refused to go, said the committee members.

Justice S.K. Jain said the trees were cut and auctioned in a systematic manner and the price for the trees was much higher than the reserved price.

Also, the teachers said more than 750 trees have already been planted to make up for the trees cut. Infact, the first drive for the plantation was carried months before the trees were actually cut.

Others present on the occasion include Prof A.S. Ahluwalia, president PUTA, Prof Ojha, Prof A.L. Gauba, Prof Manjit Singh, dean students’ welfare, Prof Naval Kishore, Parminder Jaswal, president, PUCSC and others.

Chandigarh, March 28
Suresh Kumar’s case is representative of a deeper rot that defines the disability scenario in India. Born into a poor family and ridden with polio, he grew up to face a life full of hardship and isolation. But somewhere in his heart rested the zeal to make things work.

“In my judgement, I did well. Perhaps my efforts were not good enough…,” he says his eyes wandering around in search of one opportunity that would lend meaning to his life.

In 2006, he finished his diploma in computer applications, having earlier completed Class X as a student of Saket (home for the disabled) in Chandiman. Soon after passing Class X, he registered as a private student of Class XII and enrolled with the UT employment exchange for a job.

It was July, 2004, Suresh clearly remembers. “It was not easy for me to go all the way to the employment exchange office in Sector 17. But I went hoping the visit would change my life,” he says. Almost four years down the line, Suresh feels as undermined as ever. He received no calls for any job, not even when he upgraded his skills in computer applications in 2006.

“I have done several rounds of government offices, hoping to get a job. I learn job quotas for the disabled are never filled. A lot of such jobs are carried forward to the next year because the government department concerned has been unable to fill the vacancies. The situation is ironical considering people like me are lusting for jobs so we could lead a life of dignity,” Suresh told The Tribune. Long alienated from family, he now lives at a charitable home for the disabled in Sector 21, where, he says that food and shelter is free.

But that’s not the kind of routine he dreamed for himself. “I studied to empower myself, but all my efforts have gone waste,” said the 25-year-old whose repeated failure at getting a job reveals the disuse to which government departments have put the Persons with Disabilities Act (Equal Opportunities Act), 1995. The Act envisages 3 per cent reservation for the disabled (including visually and physically disabled) to mainstream them.

But it is yet to be implemented in letter and spirit; this despite having existed for over a decade. For Suresh, the struggle might just be beginning, considering he suffers from 80 per cent disability. It was much worse when he was eight and was admitted for treatment to Saket hospital in Chandimandir.

Surgical intervention enabled him to walk with crutches. But a dignified walk is yet to be….

Chandigarh, March 28
She found herself in catch-22 situation with the clashing of dates of her college exams and international shooting events.

This time international shooter Harveen Sarao preferred studies to her first love shooting and decided to miss the forthcoming Asian Air Gun Championship and ISSF World Cup, the events scheduled to be held in China next month.

The Patiala-based shooter, who hogged the limelight by representing the country in Commonwealth Games, Melbourne and Asian Games at Doha, has been appearing for her BA part I and part II examinations together.

“Thanks to college authorities, I got a chance to take my exams of both classes together. So, I decided to go ahead to complete my studies”, said Sarao, after being honoured by Panjab University during the annual sports function today for winning gold medal in World Universities Games last year at Bangkok.

There she impressed everyone with her ability, scoring 388/400.

Also a bit disappointed for not participating in the events at China, Sarao said, “I would make up by taking part in the forthcoming world cups to be held at Milan and Munich”.

On her practice, she said, “Of late, I am sparing only one hour. Otherwise, I hone my skills by practising for minimum eight hours daily. Besides, I also do yoga and meditation under the supervision of my father to overcome my weakness of losing focus.”

Expressing grudge over the unprofessional attitude of All India University authorities, the teenager rued that till date no one from the AIU has come to congratulate me on my feat at World Universities Games.

Mohali, March 28
Members of the District Bar Association here demanded immediate transfer of SAS Nagar deputy commissioner H.I.S. Grewal for “misguiding” the Punjab government and the Punjab and Haryana High Court regarding the availability of land in Sanetta village for the establishment of the district administrative and judicial complex.

Manjit Singh Chauhan told media persons yesterday that the Bar members had expressed their displeasure over the insistence of the DC that the complex could only be set up in Sanetta. “We demand the transfer of the DC as he has given wrong information to the chief secretary and members of the building committee of the high court that we had all agreed to the shift,” said Chauhan.

Justice M.M. Kumar, the inspecting judge of the Mohali district court, visited the court consecutively on the second day yesterday. He stayed for over four hours in the makeshift complex in Phase 3B1 here and spent time listening to the grievances of the litigants and the bar members. He also inspected the hearing of various cases.

Justice Kumar said the site for the establishment of the DAC at Sanetta had not been finalised and alternative sites were also being considered. He said he had visited sites near Balongi and Sohana villages and their suitability was being considered.

Members of the Bar pointed out that over 55 acres of land of ‘shamlat’ land in Sohana village was being offered by the villagers for the construction of the complex. “Other than this, a whole big piece of land was available between YPS School and Amb Sahib Gurudwara,” said senior advocate Amrik Singh.

Chandigarh, March 28
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed Hind Motors to pay a compensation of Rs 1 lakh to a resident of Manimajra for deficiency in service. The automobile firm has also been asked to pay Rs 5,000 as cost of litigation.

The petitioner, Bhagwan Singh, had purchased an Indigo car for Rs 7 lakh after taking a loan from a private bank. Bhagwan Singh stated that the car started giving problems after visiting workshop of Hind Motors.

Though the petitioner got the car repaired several times, the vehicle continued to give problems.

Replying to the petition, the automobile company stated that the petitioner had failed to maintain the car as per the warranty terms. It was asserted that the vehicle did not have any defects or complaint.

The forum headed by Jagroop Singh Mahal stated: “The automobile company had delivered a defective car and harassed the petitioner. On the other hand, the petitioner is shuttling between his house and workshop for repair of the car since January 2007. He has not only been deprived of the luxury of the car on which he has spent a huge amount but also been put to great inconvenience.”

Chandigarh, March 28
The police today went into a tizzy after Jyoti Trehan, member of the Punjab Human Rights Commission, reported that he received a phone call threatening that his house would be blown off this afternoon.

According to the police, Trehan reported the matter at 4:30 pm following which a police team was dispatched to his home in Sector 39. The police pressed into service a dog squad and a bomb disposal squad and searched the house. The operation lasted for about half an hour.

A senior police officer said nothing objectionable was found during the search and added that efforts were on to trace the identity of the caller. The police said as the landline phone on which the call was received was not equipped with the call identification system, it would be difficult to trace the caller.

Chandigarh, March 28
Homoeopathic Medical College, Sector 26, seems to be nobody’s baby with Panjab University (PU) and the management committee not fulfiling the long-pending demands of the faculty brewing resentment among the staff.

Six years after PU granted provisional affiliation to the college, faculty members and the staff of the college are still facing a lot of hardships with unkept promises keeping them in a state of tizzy. Despite the fact that PU Syndicate conditionally approved separate pay allowances with revised pay scale in accordance with the government homeopathic in 2006, the staff is still waiting for the implementation of the decision.

According to the Homeopathic Medical College Teachers’ Association, several committees have been formed to verify the fulfilment of the conditions laid down in the Syndicate decision. Even the issue was raised at the Senate meeting yet no steps have been taken in this regard.

The staff members are getting same pay scales as they were getting 10 years back. In fact, the Syndicate approved one post of professor and three posts of lecturers as per the Central Council of Homeopathy (CCH) norms but the management failed to implement the decision even after advertised the post in the year 2006.

“It is sheer exploitation of the faculty and the staff as they are being deprived off their rights admissible under the rules,” said one of the lecturers of the college on condition of anonymity.

Meanwhile, P.K. Mittal, secretary of governing body expressed helplessness in sanctioning new scales in the wake of acute shortage of funds. “As the student strength was going down every year, the management was unable to pay better salaries and allowances, he added.

Indu Bangaa, member, verification committee, constituted by PU, agreed that the demands of the staff and faculty justified. Even in its report to the university, the committee had supported the ‘genuine’ demands of the faculty, she added.

Chandigarh, March 28
The Chandigarh Administration has permitted the Resident Welfare Associations of different sectors, other organisations, body, club or even individuals to use the playgrounds of government schools in the UT occasionally or on regular basis.

The UT home and education secretary Krishna Mohan disclosed that the grounds would be given for use only after they take certain responsibilities, including no play during school hours or when the ground was required by the school or there was some other activity in the school which might be disturbed because of their game.

Home secretary further revealed that any damage to the building or to the grounds has to be compensated for which security of Rs. 5,000 for single occasional event will be deposited.

“However, the amount can be increased or decreased at the discretion of the head of the institution and the final authority to permit would also be in the hands of the respective school heads, added Krishan Mohan.

No child would remain on grounds or inside the building after the sun set and care, custody, safety and security of the children would be their responsibility. Earlier, school students were allowed to use the grounds after the school hours and on holidays, subject to producing proof of their identity.

Stray dog menace is a major problem and all sectors in the city are under their siege. The municipal council has failed to curb the menace.

Sanitation is one of the basic problems resulting in stray dogs crowding around garbage bins. Owners of meat shops also dump waste in drains which attracts stray canines. Every area, every layout, every street and road is infested with stray dogs.

Therefore dogs should be taken off the streets for safety of all by employing dog catching vans. Dog catchers should be directed to particular areas where stray dogs are more. Aminal lovers can help by rounding up strays and keeping them in custody until good homes are found for them. Lands should be allotted for providing shelter to stray dogs.

Dr Shruti Kapoor, Panchkula

Readers are invited to write to us. Send your mail, in not more than 200 words, at news@tribuneindia.com or, write in, at: Letters, Chandigarh Tribune, Sector 29, Chandigarh – 160 030

Mohali, March 28
Students of DAV Public Senior Secondary School, Mohali, excelled in the Class VIII examination conducted by the DAV Education Board by securing cent per cent result. Subhijit Kaur of the school topped the chart by scoring 95 per cent marks whereas, 31 out of the total 44 who appeared in the examinations, secured first division. Ten students scored above 80 per cent marks. Students performed well in regional language with more than 20 students scoring above 90 per cent.

RECOGNITION DAY: Small kids of DAV Public Senior Secondary School, Phase-X, tapped their feet to the beats of drum and music to mark the annual recognition day on the school premises. Tejveer Singh, director, public relations and cultural affairs, Punjab, was the chief guest while Justice A.L. Bahri (retd), chairman of the school and vice-president of the DAV College Managing Committee, New Delhi, presided over the function. Principal Jaya Bhardwaj read out the school report.

SEMINAR: Dr. I.T. Business School, Banur, organised a seminar on ‘Human Factor and Organisational Productivity’ today. Institute director Prof P.P. Arya welcomed the guest Harvinder Singh, deputy secretary, ministry of human resource development, New Delhi.

CONFERENCE: A two-day international conference on critical issues faced by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) began at Gian Jyoti Institute of Management and Technology here yesterday. The proceedings began with the traditional lighting of the lamp followed by a panel discussion on the challenges and opportunities faced by SMEs. The conference was attended by management practitioners, research professionals and academia from countries like the Netherlands, England, Ethiopia, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

TRAINING: Ahead of the opening of The Millennium School for the academic year 2008, newly appointed teachers are undergoing a special training at a workshop being held in the city. Komal Singh, principal, The Millennium School, Mohali, said, “In order to prepare caring professionals who ‘Teach for Understanding’, all our teachers will undergo continuous professional development. We will provide 120 hours of training to all our teachers through the academic year to facilitate their learning in a wide variety of settings.”

VISIT: Indian Institute of International Institute of Fashion Technology (IIFT) will have celebrity fashion designers Hemant Lalwani and Nandita Raipurani on the campus tomorrow to interact with students.

GRADUATION: Pre-school graduation ceremony and a farewell function was held at Spring Valley Public School for students of UKG class. A colourful function was held in which all students participated. Principal Ravinder Kaur read out the annual report.

Rajpura
MoU SIGNED: A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between Aryan Business School and London Institute of Management Education (LIME), for chartered management courses that are regulated by Royal Charter Professional body of UK. The MoU was signed between Dr Rabindra Kumar, director of LIME, and Anshu Kataria, chairman of Aryans group. As per the MoU, four courses - continuous professional development, executive diploma in management, diploma in management and certificate in management - will be available.

Banur
CAMPUS PLACEMENT: As many as 1,136 students from 15 engineering and technology institutes of the region, primarily hailing from electronics and instrumentation streams, appeared in the joint pool campus placement drive organised by Pune-based Honeywell Automation India Limited at Shaheed Udham Singh College of Engineering and Technology, SUSCET, Tangori here today. 

Chandigarh, March 28
A former Tibetan “freedom fighter”, suffering from renal failure due to “torture”, may soon get a new lease of life following the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s intervention.

The Authorisation Committee, on the High Court’s asking, has granted permission to a non-related donor to give his kidney for transplant.

A photocopy of the minutes of the committee’s meeting on the permission issue was placed before the High Court Division Bench of Justice M.M. Kumar and Justice Sabina this afternoon.

Disposing of a petition filed in the matter, the Judges, in an open court, expressed hope and trust that the transplant would be successful and it would infuse a new lease of life in patient Jampel Gyastso.

A former political prisoner, he had escaped from the Chinese-occupied Tibet in 2004 and had reported for treatment at the PGI in October 2007, where he was reportedly diagnosed for renal failure. Both his kidneys were found to be non-functional.

In his petition, Gyastso had sought directions to the Authorisation Committee and the PGI to consider his case for kidney transplant.

Subsequently, it was pointed out to the court that all medical expenses required for the treatment would be borne by “the Department of Health, Central Tibetan Administration of His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, Dharamshala”.

It was added that all his relatives were in Tibet and it was not possible for them to come to Chandigarh for donating a kidney to save his life. It was further added that his friend Gendum Tsephel was a childhood friend and had voluntarily decided on humanitarian basis to donate his kidney without any financial transaction. Taking up the matter, the Judges, on the previous date of hearing, had observed: “We find that at least on humanitarian basis, the Authorisation Committee shall grant permission to the donor to donate his kidney to the patient”.

The Authorisation Committee, whose approval is mandatory for organ transplant under the provisions of the Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994, met on March 19. After holding a meeting, it was decided to comply with the High Court orders.