The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Kids lap up all the fun as movies weave magic Kusum Arora Tribune News Service Jalandhar, September 6 His joy knew no bounds when he went to a local cinema hall to watch a movie with his classmates for the first time. And when he came out he had only one message in his mind, “We should stay away from bad company and try to become a good student.” Fourteen-year-old Roshan Lal, a class IX student of Government Senior Secondary School, Jamsher Khas, was not alone. There were many others like him who perhaps saw the inside of a theatre for the first time. Courtesy, the Children Film Festival, which was held in the district from September 1-6. Extremely happy after watching the movie, “Kabhi Pass Kabhi Fail,” at Regal cinema in Jalandhar Cantonment, Lal said every character was appearing so big and real, “Eda lagda si jive film da actor Robin mere nal hi gal kar reha hai.”The students were seen quite impressed by the film. “It was a touching story of a boy who was very intelligent but was mislead by one of his uncle who try to exploit him by using his intelligence,” said Lovely, another student of the same school. Though the students at Regal Cinema were seen appreciating the film but they maintained that the condition of the theatre was pathetic. The students were made to sit on broken chairs with no air-conditioner as well. “The district education authorities should earmark only the well-maintained and safe theatres for the purpose”, said a teacher on terms of anonymity. Similarly, another student Neha of class IV of Government Primary School, Ladowali Road, too expressed her excitement after watching a movie, “Bandu Boxer.” The story of a village boy who takes help of his boxing skills to construct a school in the village for the poor was highly appreciated by children. When asked about the underlying message in the movie, the students maintained, “Education is must for everybody.” “As majority of these students come from far-flung villages and that too from financially weaker section of society, therefore accessing luxuries like watching a movie in a cinema hall is simply out of their reach. But thanks to the initiative of the information and broadcasting ministry that they organised a six-day film festival under the Children Film Society of India (CFSI),” said district education officer (DEO), primary, Joginder Dass. At present the students are being taken to various theatres on rotation basis. The films are being shown from 8 am to 10 am daily. The children are being shown different movies in various theatres of the district. The movies selected for screening include “Photo,” “Chotta Sipahi,” “Lilki,” “Kabhi Paas Kabhi Fail,” “Chuttan ki Mohabbat,” “Bandu Boxer,” “Ladli,” “Ye Hai Shakkar Bakkar Bambay Bo” and “Hidda-Hudda.” The two-hour short films have been selected so as to create social awareness among the children. Joginder Dass said, “The film festival has been started with an aim to help the children in their intellectual development. And through the medium of films we wish to make these children better citizens of future. The government should take such practical initiatives to upgrade the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB).”
	DSGMC pitches in for Doaba flood victims Jalandhar, September 6 In a major relief to the flood-affected families of Kapurthala, the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) distributed ration and other essential items to over 500 families at a special function held at Mand Ibrahimwal village in Bholath constituency today. Bholath MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira thanked committee president Paramjit Singh Sarna for sending relief to the affected people. Speaking on the occasion, the DCC chief said since the government had failed to come to the rescue of the people, he thought of approaching the DSGMC. I personally visited Delhi and met Sarna who readily agreed to provide relief for the underprivileged and other affected people. Although the same relief could have been provided by the SGPC but it failed to come up to the expectations of the people of Punjab, he pointed out. The SGPC had been formed to help the cause of humanity and to help the downtrodden besides spreading Sikhism, but the committee had been reduced to the handmaiden of the Badals, he alleged. Ironically, the committee makes all necessary arrangements for the political rallies of the Akalis but has failed to run a langar for the marooned people. I laud the compassion shown by Delhi Sikhs in coming to the rescue of the fellow brethren, he added. He said since Sultanpur Lodhi was the worst affected area in the district, he had decided to hold similar relief distribution camps at Baghuwal, Bahopur and Bharaona. — TNS
	Insurance firm told to pay for goods lost in transit Hoshiarpur, September 6 Providing relief to local Parsons Textiles, the district consumer forum, led by president P.D. Goel, has ordered the United India Insurance Company (UIIC), to pay $1074.326 towards the first claim and $71 towards the second claim to the former with interest at the rate of 9 per cent from the date of filing of the complaint till payment along with Rs 1,000 as litigation expenses, within one month. Parsons Textiles filed a complaint alleging that goods worth $1074.33 sent by the UIIC by taking a marine certificate under open cover from the UIIC to Mohammad Al-Mosawi and Sons Company, Kuwait, were found short. The firm lodged a complaint with the UIIC, but to no avail. In another consignment, goods worth $71 sent by Parsons Textiles to Zee Palace Fashion LLC, Dubai, were also found short. The insurance company denied the claim and pleaded that neither the shortage certificate issued by the custom and shipping department or consignee had been supplied nor any opportunity to survey the consignment in question had been offered. The forum held that Parsons Textiles had placed on record the survey report by Lloyd’s Agency, therefore, the plea of the insurance company that the consignee firm had failed to pay the survey fee did not hold any water. Since a survey had been made at the insistence of the insurance company, it had no legal right to find faults with it. As regards the second claim, there are no reasonable and sufficient reasons with the insurance company to keep the claim pending. The insurance company has not filed on record any terms and conditions wherein it had been recorded that in case of loss of goods, the consignor had to produce a shortage certificate issued by the custom and shipping department. This being so, the demand raised by the company to produce the shortage certificate issued by the custom and shipping department is not genuine. The law is settled that in case the claim is delayed by the insurance company and remains pending for unlimited period, it amounts to deficiency in service, held the consumer forum, adding that the delay in making the payment of the claim by the UIIC amounts to deficiency in service on its part. — OC
	‘Akalis, Cong not bothered about people’s problems’ Tribune News Service Jalandhar, September 6 The Akalis and the Congress have made a mockery of democratic norms by making crass comments against each other both inside and outside the state assembly. This was said by Dr Joginder Dayal, member of the central working committee of CPI, while addressing a press conference here on Saturday. He said both the parties were not bothered about the major issues plaguing the state. It was just a game of one-man-upship, he alleged. The state was facing a major agrarian crisis and the situation was even worse on the industrial front. Education was a mess and the infrastructure in the country- side was almost non- existent, he alleged. “All these issues are not raised or discussed on the floor of the house. It’s a matter of grave concern. When the politicians start to ignore the problems being faced by the people, this means the time has come for the people to corner their elected representatives,” he added. Commenting on the N- deal, he said the statements emanating from USA had proved them right that the deal was a game plan by the US for making India their ally in Asia. Reacting to a query on Singur issue, he said their party welcomed industralisation but not at the cost of the farmers. Fertile land should not be diverted towards this end, he added.
	Bill protecting doctors hailed Jalandhar, September 6 The members of the Punjab Civil Medical Services Association have welcomed the bill protecting doctors and the healthcare infrastructure from violent mob attacks. The passage of the Punjab Protection of Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property) Bill 2008 was unanimously lauded by them, as a significant move in the assembly, on Friday. The district president of the association Dr Harish Bhardwaj expressed gratitude to all the members of the Vidhan Sabha for showing unity in passing the much required bill with which the relations betwxeen doctors and the patients would certainly improve. Joint secretaries of the association Dr Ramesh Arora and Dr Parminder Singh and its organising secretary Dr Vijay Joshi said doctors would now be able to treat patients without any fear. — TNS
	Two migrants held with fake currency Tribune News service Jalandhar, September 6 Two migrants, Arun Kumar and Rizwan of Bihar, were arrested by the district police at a special check-post near Grain Market here and fake currency worth Rs 40,000 was recovered from their possession. SHO of police station number one, Vibhor Kumar, said he noticed two suspicious persons in the Grain Market. They were asked to stop and 40 fake currency notes in denomination of Rs 1,000 were recovered from their possession. During preliminary interrogation, they said they used to smuggle fake currency from Nepal and used to circulate it in the market by purchasing some items from different shops in Jalandhar. They confessed that they had already circulated fake currency worth nearly two lakhs in this manner. An FIR has been registered.