Jalandhar, August 27
Events took a dramatic turn today when the first year students of BSc (Nursing) of the local Mahatma Hans Raj DAV Institute of Nursing went on strike against the college principal for “not accepting some of their demands”.

On August 24, the students claimed that they were ragged by the seniors on the campus. Meanwhile, Punjab Medical Education and Research Minister Tikshan Sud has formed a committee to look into the matter and sought a report in a week.

Earlier on August 26, SDM-I Rajinder Pal Singh initiated an inquiry into the matter on the instructions of Deputy Commissioner Ajeet Singh Pannu.

The agitated students raised slogans against college principal Veena Williams and said that either she assure of no action against them or quit from the post.

Though DSP Gagan Ajit Singh along with SDM Rajinder Pal tried to pacify the students but to no avail. The agitated students were on strike since morning.

In a written document the harassed students demanded that the principal should sign it and assure them of no action against them.

The college management, in answer to the application of the students issued a written statement yesterday, which assured that no action would be taken.

The statement assuring certain remedial measures signed by the principal read: “No action in any form will be taken against any student regarding unfortunate incidence of August 24”.

Talking to The Tribune, Williams refused to sign the application of the students and said, “The matter is still under inquiry, then how can I sign the application?”

She, however, maintained that the incident was the result of harsh discipline on the campus, which probably irked the students.

Commenting on the issue of ragging on the campus, she said, “So what if some of the senior students asked the juniors to maintain cleanliness in the hostel. This does not amount to ragging”.

But, despite these assurances the students remained adamant and refused to budge from their stand. Earlier in the morning, five students of BSc-I jumped the college wall and came out in protest against the high handedness of the principal.

The students maintained that the college authorities locked the gate from inside in a bid to stop them going outside and making calls to their parents.

“As junior students we are subject to mental torture on campus. We want principal’s assurance that she will not harass us at the time of internal assessment, examinations and in providing our character certificate later on,” they added.

Meanwhile, ABVP led by Bharat Malhotra has claimed that a compromise had been struck between the students and the principal.

He said college advisor J Kackeria reportedly sought the issue in writing, by directing the college principal to not to take any action against the students and maintain transparency while marking internal assessment.

Jalandhar, August 27
The Punjab Police has taken an initiative to involve eminent citizens of the state in the management of traffic by designating these citizens as traffic marshals.

According to police sources, the scheme would be initially launched in the six major cities of Patiala, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Bathinda and Mohali on Friday.

When contacted, DSP (Traffic) Kulwant Singh said the traffic marshal scheme would be launched in Jalandhar city on Friday but he refused to divulge the details.

However, police sources said in each city 15 to 20 citizens with clean background and having aptitude for voluntary service would be mobilised to be traffic marshals.

This has been considered as a major initiative taken by the Punjab Police in the direction of implementing community policing, initiated by DGP P.S. Gill.

The age, educational background, profession and sphere of social service of the citizens would be taken into consideration before selecting them as traffic marshals, the sources said, adding that these marshals would be issued badges and nameplates of approved design finalised by the Punjab Police.

The police sources said traffic marshals would be associated with traffic staff in their respective localities so as to supervise the working of the traffic staff and also interact with public on need basis.

Brief sensitisation courses for the newly designated traffic marshals would be organised in each district, the sources added.

Regarding the demand of building a community centre, he said that a map of the same had been sent to the head office in Mohali for approval.

Jalandhar, August 27
With no major change in the prices of vegetable and essential commodities, the consumers this week heaved a sigh of relief.

While tomato remained at Rs 30 per kg, the prices of onion and potato were also at Rs 14 per kg.

In vegetables, lady’s finger witnessed a decline of Rs 5 in its price. This week lady’s finger was available at Rs
25 per kg.

Capsicum was available at Rs 25 per kg. The prices of lemon too did not witness any change and continued to remain at Rs 80 per kg.

Earlier lemon was available at Rs 100 per kg. Meanwhile, sugar, which touched sky-high prices in the past some days remained at Rs 35 per kg this week.

In fruits, stocks of apple made an entry into the markets. The prices of apple varied from Rs 80 to 100 per kg.

Banana witnessed a decline of Rs 10 in price and was available at Rs 30 per dozen. The prices of pears also did not witness any change and remained at Rs 40 per kg.

Jalandhar, August 27
His frail body and feeble voice are a deceptive cover for the strong voice of his enlightened soul. The Punjab Gharana woke up time and again in his unparallelled tabla, wooing generations of music aficionados with his distinct and original style.

A dictionary in shlokas and kaafis, and a committed lover of nature (the park outside his home is dotted with rare and ornamental plants, planted by him), versatile Ustad Lachhman Singh Seen is Punjab Gharana’s eldest living scion today.

Seen was born on December 3, 1927, at Jhang village in Sialkot (now in Pakistan). Initially into Dogri folk music, he owed his early training in music, even dance, to a Raas Mandli, playing roles of Radha and Krishna.

Shortly afterwards, he was sent to the Durga Sangeet Academy in Jammu. He simultaneously received training in the tabla under Pt Jagdish Datt.

So interested was he in the Harballabh Sangeet Sammelan that he once undertook a journey all alone from Khiwra (also called namak ka pahar) to watch it at Jalandhar.

He was sent to Lahore to receive training under Mian Kadir Baksh, torch-bearer of Punjab Gharana. Here he also started learning the sitar from Master Jiya Lal Basant.

Ustad Kadir Baksh, who took pride in his disciple’s capability to grasp the intricacies of music is said to have doubted that Seen was a Marasi and not a Hindu.

But when Seen assured him of his origin, Ustad Kadir exclaimed, “Balle o Hindua! Tu tan sat kulan taar dittiyan.”

So dedicated was Seen to his music that he stuck to riyaz even during the angst ridden time of Partition when the family stayed at a refugee camp in Pathankot.

Soon he started working as a staff artiste in AIR, first in Delhi (1948) and then in Jalandhar. In 1962 he joined Hans Raj Mahila Maha Vidyalaya and became head of the department (serving for 25 years).

Ustad Seen played with eminent musicians, including Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Ustad Amir Khan, D.V. Pulaskar, Pt Onkar Nath Thakur, Master Rattan, Begum Akhtar, Pt V.G. Jog, Pt Ravi Shankar and Pt Nikhil Banerjee.

Ustad Seen’s gurubhai Ustad Alla Rakha persuaded him to settle in Bombay after Partition but he preferred to stay on in Punjab.

Today he boasts of disciples like Kale Ram, Pawan Kumar Verma, Talvin Singh, Avirbhav Verma and his sons Manu Kumar and Kinnar Kumar.

Once known to be headstrong, there were times when Ustad Seen did not shy away from speaking it out straight.

Read: “Hazreen do din se railgariyan sun rahe hain…ab table par tabla suniye”. These comments before his own recital at a concert, are said to have angered artiste Shanta Prasad.

Ustad Zakir Hussain’s act of delving into myriad tabla styles of other artistes at a concert is also said to have perturbed Ustad Seen to the extent that when Zakir later demanded, “Chachaji, raye dijiye,” he replied, “Nakal mat karo, apna bajao.”

When did you first perform on stage?

As part of the Raas Mandli show, I was hanging around the stage when the guy on tabla went outside for some time, bringing the music (vocal and instrumental) to a halt. I went on to the stage and started playing the tabla.

When he did came back, nobody let him play and there was a huge uproar from the audience which insisted that I should play on. I felt honoured.

What has been your memorable experience from a concert?

I was performing at an all-India music conference in Calcutta where Vice-President of India Dr Radhakrishnan was part of the audience.

When the people started chanting “Jeeyo Punjab! Jeeyo!” Dr Radhakrishnan hugged me and congratulated me.

You are the eldest surviving artiste of the Punjab Gharana. Are you satisfied with the way things are going for your gharana?

(Gharana) Kahin dikhta nahin. They don’t stick to the original style. In their endeavour to do something new, artistes sometimes kill the original thing.

(The column “Know Your Artiste” concludes with this article.)

He was also honoured with the Delhi Ratna Award in November, 2003, by the All-India Conference of Intellectuals in recognition of his services to society.

Jalandhar, August 27
A seminar on drug de-addiction and a blood donation camp were conducted at the DAV Institute of Engineering and Technology in association with the Bharat Vikas Parishad here on Thursday.

Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla was the chief guest. She urged the students to adopt a healthy living and stay away from drugs.