Jalandhar, April 16
Despite strict orders by the Jalandhar deputy commissioner Ajeet Singh Pannu to take disciplinary action against two government teachers, including a centre superintendent, for allowing outsiders to assist students of a private school in copying during PSEB Class V exams, the DEO (Elementary) has failed to take any action so far.

“Since the DEO Joginder Dass has failed to take any action against the ‘culprits’, the case would now be forwarded director general school education (DGSE) Krishan Kumar. I would also write to special secretary, education, Ashok Kumar Gupta to ensure strict punishment to those who are bringing a bad name to the transparent education system”, said Pannu.

Notably, the increasing number of copying cases in the PSEB-affiliated schools has become a major trouble for the administration which has especially constituted flying squads under the supervision of SDMs concerned in the entire district to check the menace.

It was during one such surprise check conducted at Bagga village elementary school, the child development project officer (CDPO), Shahkot found three female teachers of Green Shivalik School, Bhadman village openly helping their students during the maths examination. The CDPO had at that time submitted a detailed report to DC for initiating a strict disciplinary action.

When contacted, DEO (Elementary), Joginder Dass claimed that he has issued show-cause notices to the teachers concerned. “I will consult my supervisor for more details and let you know the present status of the case,” he added.

However, Pannu says just issuing the showcause notice is not enough. “The DEO had earlier too failed to take any action against Phillaur government schools teachers who were caught red-handed while helping their students in mass copying. 

Jalandhar, April 16
The students of Caparo - PTU School of Manufacturing and Materials Technology - have been on strike for the past two days demanding better facilities and a meeting with the senior officials.

The students went on strike ever since their director P.C. Maity, PTU vice-chancellor Dr S.K. Salwan and registrar Sarojini Gautam Sharda had gone to Delhi to meet Caparo Group owner Lord Swaraj Paul for discussions on campus problems.

The students said they had learnt that there was a break-up between Caparo and PTU.

“Since the top officials are not talking to us, it makes us believe that there is some bad news. We have heard that Caparo may quit from the tie-up with PTU and the institute would be run by the university. We took admission in the institute because of Caparo and if it withdraws at this juncture, our one year would get waste,” student added.

They said, “Before enrolling in the institute, Lord Paul had declared that Caparo school was his baby. However, our experience has been really a bitter one as we have been studying here without the basic facilities.” Lord Paul came to India on several occasions but did not take care to see his “pet project”, students alleged.

“It’s understood that a person of his stature cannot visit the campus but at least his company’s senior officials can do so. Only a written assurance by a top official of the company visiting us and listening to our grievances can pacify us,” students added.

This is not for the first time that the students have gone on strike. Several agitations have been held by the students in the past one year on problems, including hostel facilities, medical facilities, teaching staff, technical equipment and laboratories.

Talking to The Tribune, Sharda said the meeting with Lord Paul ended on a positive note and it was decided that the problems would be solved one by and one. She said, “It is not possible to create a hostel immediately. The primary need is to improve the laboratory set-up and Lord Paul has asked the school director to prepare an estimate and take money from him.” He has told the director not to start admissions in the next session if there was any shortfall in the set-up, she added

Jalandhar, April 16
More acrimony will be witnessed in the party in the coming days with PPCC chief Rajinder Kaur Bhattal charging former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh of issuing irresponsible statements “under stress.”

Notwithstanding the efforts of the high command to bridge the widening chasm between the two stalwarts, this observation by Bhattal is bound to add fuel to fire in the ongoing war of supremacy.

Bhattal, who was in the city to attend a meeting of party workers, told mediapersons that Capt Amarinder Singh was issuing baseless statements since he was under immense pressure due to the ongoing Ludhiana City Centre scam case. Since things were not going his way, he was venting his frustration by raising non-issues, she alleged.

Commenting on her acquittal in a corruption case, she clarified that she was acquitted by a court and not by the Akalis. As a matter of record, the previous Akali government filed the case but an application for withdrawing the same was filed by Capt Amarinder Singh on December 13, 2006, when the former Chief Minister held the home department, she pointed out.

Laughing at the allegation that she was in league with the ruling alliance, Bhattal alleged that Amarinder was worried about his political career and had sent feelers to the BJP that he was not averse to changing party. He, along with his brother-in-law Natwar Singh, wanted to be rehabilitated before the forthcoming parliamentary poll, she added.

Amarinder should not forget that he had been welcomed by the Congress when he chose to ditch the Akalis after a long association. He needs to shun the mindset of a local chieftain.

The party and the interests of the people are bigger than personal aggrandisement, she averred. In a veiled threat to those who were creating indiscipline by airing inter-party matters in public, she said action would be taken against such leaders and workers.

Jalandhar, April 16
Even as a BSP youth was allegedly beaten up by Akali workers during a late night clash after an Ambedkar Day function on Monday, the district police has failed to register a case.

Both parties had held functions in Bootan Mandi by erecting parallel stages hardly a few hundred yards away on Nakodar Road on Monday evening.

The BSP general secretary, P.D. Shant, has alleged that he had planned to hold the function with the prior permission from the DC and SSP but some Akali leaders asked him to vacate the site for which he did not agree.

“We had, however, agreed that we would hold our function only after SAD president Sukhbir Badal leaves the venue that evening. Our function went on smoothly thereafter till late night.

It was almost 2 am the next day when our worker Amarjit, a carpenter at Bootan Mandi, who was looking after the winding up operations of the tent house, was attacked by Akali workers who came armed with bricks inflicting injuries on his head,” he said.

“We went to the Adda Bhargo Camp police to get a case registered yesterday but it did not do so probably because of political pressure.

We have even given them a medico-legal report but nothing has happened so far,” he alleged.

Bhooshan Sekri, ASI, said he was yet to inquire into the matter.

Nawanshahr, April 16
S.R. Ladhar, commissioner, Jalandhar division, visited mandis at Nawanshahr, Rahon, Balachaur, Banga, Phagwara, Garhshanker, Saila Khurd, Mahippur, Chabewal and Hoshiarpur, falling under Jalandhar division, today to take stock of the procurement of wheat.

He also interacted with farmers and commission agents to know about the problems being faced them.

Hoshiarpur: Jalandhar divisional commissioner S.R. Ladhar would convene daily meetings to root out difficulties being faced by the farmers during wheat procurement. He was on a visit to review procurement arrangements in the division. He also inspected wheat crop damaged by the recent rains.