Phagwara, July 21
“I read, I forget.
I see, I remember.
I do, I understand.”

This Chinese proverb is boldly written on the walls of the science laboratory of Government High School, Mehtan (Phagwara). It was perhaps this proverb that drove Gurmeet Singh, a science teacher here, to create a new working model each year as teaching aid for participation in science fairs, leading him to a rare distinction.

He perhaps is the only government schoolteacher across the country, whose three devices have been granted patent by the Government of India.

Each of the three devices explains a set of dozens of geometrical theorems that are part of the syllabus in classes VI to X. The apparatus required for the purpose has been constructed using simple geometrical instruments, including protractors and scales fixed on a white acrylic board using nut, bolts and rubber bands.

The devices have been proved to be of immense help for easy, visual understanding of various theorems related to circles, triangles, tangents, chords, parallel lines, quadrilaterals, including squares, rectangles, parallelograms and rhombuses, their areas, their vertically opposite angles, opposite angles, corresponding angles and basic proportionality theorem.

The best part of the devices is that the cuts in the board, screws and rubber bands used in it offer flexibility for changing apparatus to form different angles.

A simple science graduate hailing from Hoshiarpur, Gurmeet Singh has now tied up with an Ambala-based firm, which will replicate his patented devices and sell them in schools across the country offering him 10 per cent royalty within Punjab and 15 per cent outside the state on the sales.

Director-General School Education Krishan Kumar too has plans to distribute a set of each of the apparatus in every government school of the state.

The science master has recently got printed a set of manuals explaining the process of making simple 14 different types of teaching aids. He plans to distribute these free of cost among the science faculty. “To begin with, I made simple aids that explained just one or two concepts. These were devised out of cardboard and had a shorter life. One of my latest innovations that has been granted Intellectual Property Right explains 32 theorems and eight definitions,” the teacher said he was working to produce even a better result.

Explaining how he got the encouragement, he said, “I have participated in 28 national-level science fairs held in 15 states across the country,” he said pointing towards a collection of photographs showing him receiving awards from top scientists, including Prof Yashpal, and various political bigwigs.

The teacher, however, also feels a bit let down. Already a state awardee, he said he had applied for a national teacher award in 2007 but was denied. “I asked for information on the issue through RTI which rather indicated that I was more deserving than that year’s awardee because of higher points. This really put me off,” he said. 

Amritsar, July 21
In a major success, the State Special Operation Cell (SSCO) today arrested a notorious drug smuggler Mohammad Rizwan of Muzaffarnagar (Uttar Pradesh) and seized four kg of heroin worth Rs 20 crore in the international market.

This is probably for the first time that the counter intelligence wing had succeeded to nab an Indo-Pak trader involved in drug trafficking. The sources said earlier, it was couriers who used to fell in dragnet.

P.K. Rai, SSP of SSCO, said acting on a tip-of, a specially constituted police party from the cell, arrested the accused near T-Point Umra Nangal falling under Amritsar Rural police district where he was waiting for a party to receive a consignment of heroin in his Alto car (UP12-N-9400).

A case under sections 21/25/29/61/85 of the NDPS Act has been registered in this regard. The 4 kg of heroin was hidden in four packets.

He said preliminary investigations revealed that Rijwan was a big fish in the heroin trade and was in constant touch with some notorious Pakistan-based smugglers namely Julafkar and his son Faizal, both residents of Kasoor (Pakistan).

It has been further revealed that he had been procuring Acetic Anhydrite, used to make heroin from opium and supplying the same to some notorious Indian smugglers who have been pushing it to Pakistan through riverine areas.

The sources in the department described this as vital achievement as Rizwan was the main recipient of consignments smuggled from couriers through the porous Indo-Pak border.

They said he was the major smuggler who smuggled acetic anhydrite riverine area of Ferozepur sector. Since entering his illegal trade in 1990 he smuggled thousands of litres of acetic anhydrite into Pakistan till now. Acetic anhydrite, which is Rs 500-600 per liter here, is being sold to Pak-based smugglers for Rs 18,000 to Rs 20,000.

Interestingly, even the top intelligence and security agencies did not have any information regarding him. The sources said the SSCO was looking at previous records of the accused if any in Delhi and UP as there was not a single case registered against him in Punjab. 

Amritsar, July 21
The district administration has directed the Customs Department of setting up X-ray machines for the checking of inbound international and domestic passengers besides display of separate counters of various airlines operating from the Amritsar international airport.

Deputy Commissioner Kahan Singh Pannu today held a meeting with Airport Director V.S. Parkal, Commandant CISF, Joint General Manager Air Traffic Management, Assistant Commissioner Customs, V K Mahajan, SDM Ajnala, Senior Manager Terminal Management besides other Airport officials.

Pannu instructed the officers to provide portable drinking water besides providing better medicare for the passengers coming in and out of the airport. He directed the airport authorities for coordinating with the superspeciality hospital of the city. He also instructed the PSEB authorities to provide round-the-clock electricity to the airport with proper voltage.

He also directed the District Veterinary Officer for catching the stray dogs in order to ensure the safety of flights at the airport. He also assured airport authorities that no towers and chimneys would be allowed without their permission.

Airport Director Parkal also informed the Deputy Commissioner and other officers about the safety measures to be taken in case of any emergency including hijacking of aeroplanes. 

Pathankot, July 21
The temporary bridge which was constructed by the Himachal Pradesh government at a cost of Rs 54 lakh in 2007 on the Chakki river, 12 km from here, was washed away late last night due to a heavy rain.

The district administration has now diverted the light and heavy traffic by Lodhwa. The work of the construction of the permanent bridge over the Chakki bridge was in progress. According to sources, the construction work would be completed by the end of this year.