Chandigarh, July 21
The city, which boasts of being the education hub of the North, has been found lacking in teaching standards, particularly at the upper primary education level (Classes VI to VIII).

This was revealed in a survey report of the district information system of education (DISE) conceived by the National University of Educational Planning and Administration (NUEPA) and released by the ministry of human resource development recently.

Chandigarh has slipped to the fourth rank from the third rank in 2005-06 in the upper primary wing. The primary wing (Classes I-VI) has retained the same grade (fifth place). The report was based on a survey of around 178 schools of Chandigarh.

The city has been placed fifth (overall growth) by the NUEPA on the scale of the educational development index (EDI) in India. The data was compiled after getting a feedback from schools across 35 states.

The data is based on the student-classroom ratio, drinking water and toilet facility, teacher-taught ratio, infrastructure, incentives and the gross enrolment ratio, including SC/ST candidates, among other things.

Kerala maintained its supremacy after clinching the top slot again and Pudducherry was placed second. The third and fourth positions went to Delhi and Tamil Nadu, respectively.

The DPI (S), S.K. Setia, said: “The quality of education is deteriorating because every year, around 10,000 students join schools and we are in desperate need for 250 teachers for them. Also, most of our schools’ infrastructure is under-utilised. Large parts of school buildings are left unused. The third reason is that the grant we get from the planning commission is not sufficient to meet the quantum of intake.

“There is an overall growth if we take it comprehensively. Chandigarh’s growth rate is 3.1 per cent. This time we are fifth while in 2005-06, we were sixth.” 

Chandigarh, July 21
The crime branch today recovered 10 passports that were stolen from the Regional Passport Office, Sector 34, from the possession of Naval Verma who was arrested last week.

During interrogation, Verma revealed that he was involved in the printing of passports. He was an expert and had gazettes which were used in the printing of the passports.

He would use security thread and embossed the passports to give them the look of the original. The pen used in filling passports was also the same that officials of the passport office used. He had a special needle to sew the passports.

Sources revealed that the accused had sent more than 500 persons abroad by changing photographs pasted on the passports. Once the photographs were changed, the accused got the passports laminated.

Verma had even established an office of his own from where he operated. The crime branch has recovered the papers used for making the passports. His computer has also been recovered.

Sources said Verma was arrested by the Delhi crime branch twice on the charges of sending people abroad illegally on fake passports.

The matter came to light with the arrest of Sukhwant Singh, a resident of Kapurthala, and Raj Kumar of Patiala earlier this month.

The duo was deported from Singapore last year for travelling on fake documents. The crime branch had also arrested Neetu, wife of Vicky, the main accused involved in the stealing of passports from the passport office. He is still to be traced. 

Chandigarh, July 21
Due to a clerical mistake of the additional and district and sessions judge, a retrial has been initiated in a murder case.

The counsel stated that the accused, Mewa Ram and three others, had FIRs registered against in two murder cases at the Sector 39 police station. Hence, the trial of the two cases was being held together. While the accused were acquitted in the first case, the trial in the other case was still on.

Interestingly, the facts and allegations of both trials were similar. In the first case, in which the orders were pronounced in January 2007, the police had recovered a beheaded body that could not be identified. The body was recovered from Ziri Madi at Maloya in 2005. In the second case also, a body was found (with a slit neck) in Ziri Mandi the same year and the deceased could not be identified.

During the trial of the case when the charges were framed, the court due to a clerical error stated that the body was found beheaded in the second case, too. The charges were amended later and the evidence of the case was initiated again.

Panchkula, July 21
Even as the health authorities claimed to have controlled the epidemic in the district, 99 cases of diarrhoea were reported at the General Hospital and dispensary at Rajiv Colony here today.

While 70 persons complained of stomach disorders at the dispensary, the others reached the General Hospital where 17 were admitted as their condition was serious.

Muskan (3) from Rajiv Colony was admitted to the PGI with symptoms of cholera.

Ram Pyari (85), a resident of Sector 8, is suspected to have died of diarrhoea, hours after she was taken to hospital in the morning. Her family said she had been discharged from the PGI only yesterday.

The Panchkula General Hospital authorities, however, said she had not died due to diarrhoea. Civil surgeon Kamala Singh said Ram Pyari was brought to the hospital as she was suffering from epilepsy.

The health authorities have, however, crossed their fingers after a case of dengue was reported from Mohali. On the condition of anonymity, a health official said it was the season for vector-borne diseases and the district could witness an onslaught of malaria followed by dengue. Frequent rain in the area had made conditions conducive for the outbreak of diseases.

Chandigarh, July 21
Yesterday's mishap, in which five youngsters, all in their early 20s, were injured after they rammed their car into a tree in Sector 17 here, has once again exposed how bar and discotheque owners in the city continue to serve liquor to underage people with impunity.

Rajiv Gandhi, a 21-year-old Ludhiana-based youth, and his four friends had reportedly partied at Arizona just before the mishap. Gandhi's medical examination has confirmed that he was under the influence of liquor and the police has booked him for drunken driving.

It is learnt that Gandhi and his friends had consumed liquor at the discotheque. The fact that they managed to procure liquor exposes how seriously the regulations of the Chandigarh administration and the excise and taxation department to not serve liquor to those below 25 years are being flouted by the liquor licence holders of the city. The violation is an offence under the excise and taxation policy.

According to the excise policy, the licence holders cannot serve liquor to the underage or serve excess liquor to the customer.

And if they do so, they are liable to be challaned and even their licence can be cancelled. During the last six months, not even a single liquor licence holder of the city has been challaned by the excise and taxation department for violating the norms in their pubs or discothèques.

“It is easy to get your brand and desired quantity of liquor at discotheques parties or in pubs,” Suzan, 16, said. She said she was attending these parties for the last one year and nobody objected to consuming liquor or smoking in any of the discotheques in the city. She added that even her underage friends used to organise liquor parties twice a month at some discotheque or a private place.

Recently The Tribune had reported ('Age is no bar at city bars') on June 5, 2008, how easily youngsters were able to procure liquor not only at discotheques and bars but at liquor shops and 'thekas' too.

Sources in the administration said there was a demand for decreasing the age limit from 25 to 18 for liquor consumption by the disc owners, but it was yet to be considered by the administration.

Excise and taxation commissioner Manjit Brar claimed that the department had not received any complaint regarding serving of liquor to the underage in any discotheque or pub.

He admitted that no inspection had been carried out during the last one month in any pub or discotheque regarding underage consumption or serving of liquor in excess.

Meanwhile, sources in the police department said that the reason why the UT police was hesitating to take action against the violators was that they did not catch the youngsters red-handed while they were consuming liquor inside discothèques or pubs.

Talking to The Tribune, S.S. Srivastava, SSP, said, they were investigating the matter.

Chandigarh, July 21
Punjab and Chandigarh’s agreement for allowing private passenger transport operators to ply air-conditioned buses between important towns and the city today came under the Punjab and Haryana High Court scanner.

A Division Bench of the High Court issued notice of motion on a petition filed in the matter by Chandigarh Transport Undertaking employees union.

They were seeking the cancellation of permits granted to companies, including those belonging to the family of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, state chief parliamentary secretary for excise and taxation Jagdish Sahni and others.

Directions for quashing the 2001 inter-state stage carrier scheme, governing the grant of such permits, were also sought.

In the petition, filed by the union through general secretary Narain Singh and president Ranjit Singh, the scheme was assailed on the ground that it was not in public interest.

The petitioners also prayed for restraining the Chandigarh Administration and the Punjab government from giving effect to the agreement and from conter-signing the permits granted to the private operators to ply the buses.

Taking up the matter, the Division Bench of Chief Justice Vijender Jain and Justice Mahesh Grover issued notices for August 7 to the respondents, including UT Administrator, his adviser, joint secretary home, state transport authority, Punjab Chief Minister, chief secretary, state transport commissioner, 29 transport companies including Dabwali Transport and Orbit Transport of Badal family and Manak Transport of Jagdish Sahni. 

Chandigarh, July 21
Father of MBA student Rashmi, who went missing on July 18, has claimed that she was done to death by Mandeep Chauhan, who was allegedly involved with her since the past one year.

Rashmi, a resident of Sector 23, had left her home on July 18 at around 1 pm to attend a training camp. The Bharatgarh police had later informed the family that their daughter, along with Mandeep, had committed suicide.

Mandeep told the police that he and Rashmi allegedly jumped into Bhakhra canal as their parents were against their marriage.

Mandeep said though he was rescued, villagers failed to save Rashmi whose body has not been traced till date. However, Rashmi’s bag and her mobile phone were recovered from the spot.

Rajinder Sharma, Rashmi’s father, alleged that his daughter had either been killed or kidnapped by Mandeep. Rajinder alleged that the valuables, including cash that Rashmi was carrying, were missing from the bag. “I am sure that my daughter is in captivity of Mandeep,” he said.

Rajinder has even complaint to the officials of the UT police and Punjab DG N.P.S. Aulakh as well as IGP S.K. Jain. A complaint of Rashmi’s kidnapping has also been sent to the police station, Sector 17.

The Ropar police has booked Mandeep Singh for attempt to suicide.

Rashmi is an MBA student of Gian Jyoti Institute Mohali, while Mandeep was working as a salesman at Sector 17.

Chandigarh, July 21
Tension prevailed in Sector 25 after the police tried to take possession of a body that was found in the sector here this morning.

According to sources, Mukesh, a shoe polish vendor of Sector 17, was found dead outside his house. His family took him to the Multi-Speciality Hospital in Sector 16 where he was declared brought dead.

When the family of the deceased was taking him for cremation, a resident of Sector 25 informed the police that Mukesh had been murdered and his family was going to cremate the body without a postmortem.

The police reached the spot and tried to take possession of the body, following which residents started throwing stones on the police force.

It had to resort to a mild canecharge to bring the situation under control. The body was later sent to hospital for the postmortem.

America created the Internet. It also controls the key physical infrastructure that makes it work. For years, some other governments have wanted more say and have lobbied to put the Internet under the auspices of the UN. But US unilateralism saw that in this body, though a self-regulatory one, the US government has a pre-eminent role in relation to international Internet governance.

In fact, the ICANN’s monopoly on net names has remained sacrosanct. To pre-empt any move in the wake of the increasing demands for IP addresses, new naming systems have been proposed along with sanctioned domains but under the aegis of the ICANN.

To reach another person on the Internet you have to type an address on the address bar of the computer. That address, a given name, has to be unique so computers know where to find each other. The ICANN coordinates these unique identifiers across the world. Without this coordination, we wouldn’t have a global Internet.

The ICANN, an acronym for the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, is headquartered in California. It was formed in 1998 to oversee a number of Internet-related tasks. It is a non-profit partnership of people from all over the world dedicated to keep the Internet secure, stable and inter-operable. It promotes competition and develops policy on the Internet’s unique identifiers.

It does not control content on the Internet. It cannot stop spam and it doesn’t deal with access to the Internet. But through its coordination role of the Internet’s naming system, it does have an important impact on the expansion and evolution of the Internet.

The ICANN currently accredits domain-name registrars for top level domains (TLDs) which include:

.biz (restricted to businesses)

.com

.jobs

.net

.org

.travel etc. Companies have been accredited by ICANN to act as registrars in these TLDs.

Besides it, each country has a two letter sub-domain name. If an address does not have a country code it is the US. The rightmost sub-domain in the top level domain tells us the country in which the computer is located.

For example .IN means India and .CN means China.

In the wake of the increasing demand for domain names, the ICANN recently relaxed rules to permit the introduction of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of new domain names to join “.com”, making sweeping changes in the addressing system. Access to unlimited suffixes will give users thousands of more options such as “.bank”, “.sport”, or even “.haveagoodtime”. There could even be individual or family websites with names such as “.ambanies”. But only Ambanis etc. can think to buy one of this new generation of addresses of ICANN as acquiring one name may cost as much as half-a-million $.

The apprehension is that this policy will also bring problems like domain squatting in the cyberspace. It is also feared that with time the domain names will result in more complexities as people won’t be able to remember so many domain names, including the technicalities such as suffixes.

The ICANN is also considering another significant proposal to permit addresses entirely in non-English languages for the first time. Specific countries would be put on a ‘fast track’ to receive the equivalent of their two-letter country code, such as China’s “.cm” in Mandarin.

Demand for such names has been increasing around the world as Internet usage expands to people who cannot speak English or easily type English characters. Addresses partly in foreign languages are sometimes possible today, but the suffix has been limited to 37 characters: a-z, 0-9 and the hyphen. However, new names won’t start appearing for at least several months.

AnilM is editor with Instablogs.com: anilM@instablogs.com <mailto:anilM@instablogs.com>

Chandigarh, July 21
Electronic appliances and other articles were burnt in a fire that broke out in a house in Sector 22, here, this afternoon.

According to officials of the fire department, they received information at around 4 pm and an advance fire tender was sent to the spot. The fire was brought under control within minutes. However, an air-conditioner, a TV set, a desert cooler and a bed lying on the top floor of the house were burnt.

After a preliminary spot inspection, the fire department officials suspected that the fire may have been caused by short-circuit. 

Chandigarh, July 21
In view of the 76th anniversary celebrations of the Indian Air Force (IAF), scheduled to be held in October this year, Air Commodore S C Luthra, Air Officer Commanding, No. 3 Base Repair Depot, has called upon all the retired IAF officers to covey their contact information to the station.

The information, including the postal addresses, may be sent to Flight Commander 11RM, 3 Base Repair Depot, here. This information will not only help 3 BRD to refresh its database of the retired officers but will also enable the depot to extend invitations for the celebrations to the retired officers in time.

Among the major events planned for the celebrations are cultural programmes, a healthy baby show, SNCOs at Home and an oath- taking ceremony. 

Chandigarh, July 22
The recent move of the municipal corporation of Chandigarh (MCC) to charge minimum fixed water consumption charges of Rs 550 per month from all the SCOs and SCFs has earned the ire of the traders. A delegation of the Chandigarh Beopar Mandal (CBM) today called on Pardeep Chhabra, MCC mayor, in this regard.

The delegation, headed by Charanjiv Singh, CBM president, argued that there were already water meters installed in the commercial buildings and the occupants were paying water meter rent and sewerage cess besides the water tariff three times more than residential areas.

The fixed charges by the corporation had put unjustified extra burden on traders who were already facing stiff competition from multinationals, it contended.

The delegation also pointed out that there was no logic for having fixed charges as the commercial buildings were not used for residential purposes and they did not even use ordinary water for drinking purposes. The mayor assured the delegation that the decision would be reviewed by the civic body.

Chandigarh, July 21
A 1997 batch UT-cadre officer, Sandeep Kumar, today joined as the new chief executive officer (CEO) of the Chandigarh Housing Board.

He replaces Amar Nath, who was recently repatriated to Delhi.

The new incumbent was working with the Delhi government before being sent to Chandigarh on deputation. 

With the city witnessing a sharp increase in the number of youngsters involved in drunken and rash driving, the people feel that the law regarding serving of liquor to youngsters, who are below 25, should be followed strictly. While talking to The Tribune reporter Mandeep Puri, the residents expressed their views on the issue. 

The law should be enforced strictly to restrict youngsters from getting drunk and causing accidents. Bars and discothèques serving liquor to youngsters should be fined heavily. Karan, a city-based lawyer, feels that banning serving of liquor to youngsters is not the right step to curb such incidents. “Banning is not the answer to restrict these youngsters. The law should be enforced and restrictions on excessive drinking should be observed strictly. — Vidisha, a BCA student

The law in this connection should be enforced properly. Not only the youngsters, but those who serve them liquor are also liable and should be taken to task. The excise department should come forward to check such increasing incidents where youngsters are involved. — Sonia, an engineering student 

Besides challaning those who serve liquor to youngsters, the excise department should also cancel their licences. Though the law in this context is already in place, it is not being followed strictly. Cancellation of licences can resolve the growing problem. — Bawa, a businessman

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

Chandigarh, July 21
An exhaustive workshop on International English Language Testing System (IELTS) was organised by BetterThink, the IELTS and English language division of Top Careers & You (TCY), at its centre, Sector 8, here today.

Preetinder Kaur, the regional head of Planet EDU (IDP)-Australia, gave an IELTS-orientation lecture.

Prospective IELTS candidates from Chandigarh and its surrounding areas attended the day-long ‘Mega Band’ event.

Around 100 students got opportunity to learn valuable tips and strategies on IELTS.

Chandigarh, July 21
Dr Veer Singh, professor emeritus, department of laws, Panjab University, has been appointed as vice-chancellor of National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR), Hyderabad, for a period of five years. He has taken over his assignment at Hyderabad today. A notification to this effect issued by the registrar, NALSAR, has been received by the department of laws.

Professor Veer Singh joined Panjab University in 1970 and has held prominent positions including dean, university instructions and chairperson, department of laws.

RECOMMENDED: Department of physics, Panjab University, Chandigarh, has been UGC’s Centre of Advanced Study (CAS) since 1988. After the expiry of Phase-III of the CAS Programe (1.4.2003 to 31.3.2008), the UGC review/expert committee visited the department in May 2008. After a very careful and critical in-depth examination of the academic achievements made by the department during the previous phase (2003-2008), the review committee recommended to the University Grants Commission that the department should continue CAS Programme for the 4th Phase w.e.f.1.4.2008 to 31.3.2013. In this Phase, the department has been given financial grant to the tune of Rs 1 Crore for further improving the infrastructure and strengthening the teaching and research activities.

AWARD: Shveta, teaching at the department of Indian theatre, Panjab University, Chandigarh, has bagged the All India Chaman Lal Memorial Award for her outstanding contribution to theatre in the field of costume designing for the year 2008. Shveta, has designed costumes for several productions over the last twenty-eight years.

INTERVIEW: The Interview of the candidates other than those who have passed their MA I (English) as regular students of the department of English, and have applied for regular admission to MA II against vacant seats will be held on 28.07.2008 at 10.00 am at the department of English.

SEMINAR: The London School of Management Education (LSME) is delivering a seminar at ICSSR complex of Panjab University on 22 July 2008 at 10.30 am on innovative educational teacher training initiative that has a global perspective; the Lifelong Learning Teacher Training programme, which helps the prospective teachers to attain License to teach in the UK & Europe. The Programme will offer required training and route to successful teaching careers for Graduates, Post-graduates and students acquiring higher qualifications, especially who are from background of Science, Education, Mathematics, Statistics, English etc. This awareness campaign promoted by the Director of LSME, Dr Rabindra Kumar who is an Alumni of Panjab University, Chandigarh will benefit the students of Panjab University. The Pro Vice Chancellor, Prof. Pandit Palande will preside over this function, along with other dignitaries.

LAST DATE: The last date for submission of applicationfor the temporary post of instructor (vocal & instrumental), part time tabla player and harmonium player is 29.7.2008 and interview on 18.2008 at 11.00 am in the department of music.

RESULTS: Results of the following PU examinations have been declared:

1. MA I (Journalism and Mass Communication), May 2008.

2. MA II (Journalism and Mass Communication), May 2008.

3. MA II (English), April 2008.

Panhckula, July 21
Additional District and Sessions Judge Sanjiv Jindal has sentenced life term to a domestic help, Arjun, for murdering his fellow two years ago, here today. The judge also imposed a penalty of Rs 26,000 on him to compensate the family of the deceased.

However, co-accused Man Bahadur was acquitted due to lack of evidence. Another accused in the case, Lal Bahadur, was still at large.

On December 2, 2005, a 65-year-old domestic help in a Sector 6 house was stabbed to death by Lal Bahadur and his brother-in-law Arjun. The victim, Algu Ram, had resisted robbery attempt and was killed when he refused to hand over the keys of the house to the accused. The incident took place around midnight when the house owners, Raj Khattar and his wife Neeru Khattar, were in Delhi to attend a marriage party. Algu Ram, who had been with the Khattars for almost 40 years, and Sunder Lal, who had been serving the family for past 26 years, were left to take care of the house. The accused, Lal Bahadur Thapa, was hired as a cook only about a month before the incident.

On the day of the incident, Lal Bahadur had reportedly left the house at around 7.30 pm on the pretext that he wanted to stay overnight with his brother-in-law Arjun. The duo struck at the house late at night. Algu Ram was sleeping in the front courtyard of the house and the accused asked him for the keys of the house. When he refused, one of the accused dragged him towards the servant quarters and slit his throat with a knife.

Meanwhile, Sunder Lal, who was sleeping inside the house, came out after hearing the noise. The other accused, who was standing guard outside, caught hold of Sunder Lal and forcibly took the keys from him. While one of the accused threatened Sunder Lal with a knife, the other ransacked two rooms of the house and then both decamped with cash and valuables.

While fleeing after the crime on a bicycle, both Lal Bahadur and Arjun panicked when they saw a police control room jeep on the way and left the bicycle and a bag of the booty. The PCR jeep seized the bag and found expensive perfume bottles and imported liquor, besides some clothes of Lal Bahadur, his photo album and his identification papers. It was only after the murder was reported in the morning that the police could relate the two incidents.

Next day the police was able to nab Man Bahadur, who was allegedly involved in the conspiracy, from Panchkula followed by the arrest of Arjun from Mani Majra.

Chandigarh, July 21
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed the managing director of Worldwide Immigration Consultancy Services Limited (WWICS) to pay a compensation of Rs 50,000 for harassing a senior citizen.

The forum also asked the immigration firm to refund the deposited money at an interest of 9 per cent which amounts to Rs 1.32 lakh to the complainant, Ajit Singh.

He stated in his complaint that after his retirement from government service he approached the immigration firm and deposited Rs 40,000 for `processing the case of his family.

The firm demanded some documents from him, for which he had to shell out Rs 25,000. In January 2006, the firm asked for Rs 92,900 which he paid. The amount was later exchanged into foreign currency by the firm.

When uptil March 20, 2006, nothing was done, the complainant sought a refund of his money, but nothing was done.

In October 2006, the firm informed him that his case had been processed and he would have to go to Canada for an interview. He did so but was shocked to learn from the interviewer that he was not eligible under the category in which he had applied. The firm had processed his case under a wrong category. The complainant spent Rs 1 lakh on his stay in Canada.

On realising its blunder, the firm refunded about Rs 90,000. It argued that the complainant wanted immigration under the business category and he was required to be in Canada for only a week. The extended period of stay was for his own sake and the firm would not pay for it.

The forum stated: “The complainant has suffered great mental agony due to their highly unprofessional attitude. The firm didn’t process the case of the complainant within two months of the receipt of the first instalment of Rs 40,000. The firm processed the case under a wrong category.”