Chandigarh, May 27
Putting an end to the confusion regarding class XI admissions, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has spelt out its admission formula.

According to a circular issued to schools, the board has clarified that allocation of streams in class XI will only be made on the basis of the nine-point grade evaluation system, introduced in class X this time.

The circular states that a school can deduce a student’s numeric point in any subject by multiplying respective grade point by 9.5 and obtain the cumulative average by multiplying 9.5 with the cumulative grade point.

“9.5 is a common multiplier worked out on different parameters. Every grade has a specific point allocated to it, like A1 has 10, A2 has 9 and so on. The numeric point will be obtained by multiplying this grade point with 9.5 and make admissions accordingly,” Rama Sharma, the CBSE’s official spokesperson, told the Chandigarh Tribune over telephone.

But many schools had doubts about the formula. Independent School Association president HS Mamik said, “Earlier we were to face a situation where hundreds of students would get the same grades. Now we will have the same number with same numeric points. The CBSE is confusing everybody. We will depend on aptitude tests rather than this.”

Chandigarh, May 27
The recent withdrawal of provisional recognition of Strawberry Fields School, Sector 26, has brought to the fore the arbitrary methods adopted by the UT education departments.

While on the one hand the department has refused to renew provisional recognition to the school on the basis of the findings of its recent inspection report, it has at the same time chosen to overlook the inspection committee’s recommendations to accord recognition until 31 March, 2013.

In its conclusion the report reads: “Taking all views of the observation made, the inspection committee is of the view that Strawberry Field School can be granted extension of provisional recognition up to the secondary level with effect from 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2013, subject to conditions which be complied with by the school in six months.” (sic)

However, in its letter issued to the school, the education department stated” “The irregularities/failures on the part of the school clearly reflect that the said school has not fully complied with the norms. The noncompliance is of a serious nature and the same cannot be condoned, especially when school is charging students hefty fees. Prima facie the recognition cannot be extended, rather it needs to be withdrawn. However, keeping the future of students in mind, the school should be given three months to rectify things.” (sic)

While neither DPI (schools) Sunil Bhatia nor UT home cum-education secretary Ram Niwas responded to numerous calls made to them, Strawberry Fields School director Atul Khanna refused to comment saying he had not received the notice as yet.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a senior school official said” “If you see the inspection report it contains the signatures of the DPI (schools), which means he has given a go-ahead to the recommendation for extending the recognition. However, things appear to have changed at the home secretary’s office. The school was having some minor problems but he chose to victimise it according to his whims and fancies.”

School officials alleged two other prestigious schools in the city, which they claimed committed the same “irregularities”, continue to be granted recognition.'

In an apparent display of incompetence, the UT education department not only erroneously invoked CBSE norms while inspecting Strawberry Fields School but even threatened to inform the board and recommend disaffiliation. Ironically this was the fact that the school is affiliated to the ICSE, which is a different board.

Chandigarh, May 27
Nearly five months after Congress councillor Devinder Singh Babla surrendered before the police, he will be set free tomorrow.

For, justice RC Gupta of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today allowed his bail plea in the second case registered against him in the auction recorder recruitment case.

The High Court had already provided relief to Babla in the shed allocation case. Another Bench of justice Sham Sunder, while granting Babla bail in the first case, had ruled: “Prima facie, it cannot be said that the petitioner (Babla) allegedly fabricated and manipulated the record by converting the list of 59 eligible candidates into 69 eligible candidates.”

Taking up his plea for bail in the second case this afternoon, justice Gupta took note of the contentions raised by Babla’s counsel RS Rai and Gautam Dutt that the petitioner had been in custody since January 9 and the investigation had already been completed. The challans have been filed, but the trial was not likely to be concluded in the near future. As such, no purpose would be served by keeping the petitioner in jail.

Responding to the assertions, counsel for the UT administration Rajive Sharma did not dispute the facts. He added that the challans in the case had already been filed and the matter was fixed for framing of charge on June 3. The counsel for the complainant in the case, Amar Vivek, on the other hand, opposed the bail application.

After hearing the arguments, justice Gupta asserted there were no allegations on behalf of the UT that the petitioner was likely to abscond or that he was likely to dissuade the witness from deposing true facts in the court, if released on bail. Keeping in view the facts and without expressing any opinion on merits, the application for regular bail on Babla’s behalf was accepted.

Babla’s case had assumed political hues after he had claimed implication on political considerations. Addressing a press conference in August 2009, Babla had said that senior officials of the administration and the police had falsely implicated him at the behest of then UT Administrator SF Rodrigues as he was close to local MP Pawan Kumar Bansal.

He had said the criminal case against him was an outburst of the administration against the Congress workers after the party recently demanded an inquiry into some controversial mega projects like the Medicity, the Filmcity and the Theme Park.

Chandigarh, May 27
Convicted child molester and disgraced former Haryana DGP SPS Rathore today spent his day studying copies of the verdict of enhancement of sentence and a draft of the revision petition that his servant delivered to him at the Model Jail, Burail.

Sources said Rathore’s servant Rakesh Kumar came to see him. He brought a copy of the verdict delivered by the district court and a copy of the revision petition, along with a bag containing another set of clothes and medicines. After meeting his servant, Rathore went to the library and studied the documents there.

Meanwhile, it was learnt that Rathore had began socialising with other inmates at Barrack No. 10 in here. He was in the company of Baba Pritpal Singh and some policemen lodged in the jail in different cases.

Sources in the jail said Rathore had been adjusting to the environs and the inmates and talked to them during the day. He reportedly told his fellow inmates that he was falsely implicated in the case and said he was hopeful that he would be released from the jail soon.

Meanwhile, talking to the Chandigarh Tribune, Additional Inspector-General (Prisons) Navjot Pal Singh Randhawa said it would take a few days to consider his application. “By all means, he will not get B-Class facility before Monday, as such matter takes time and there are certain procedural technicalities which are being considered before extending the facility to the inmates,” Randhawa said.

“He is feeling better now after spending two days here. He did not complain of any sickness today,” a jail official said on the condition of anonymity. Rathore was given medical aid after he complained of uneasiness soon after coming to the jail and complained of anxiety on Tuesday night.

Chandigarh, May 27
High drama prevailed at the Government Multispecialty Hospital, Sector 16, this morning after relatives of a 55-year-old patient, Tara Devi, a resident of Mauli Jagran, raised a hue and cry following her death under mysterious circumstances in the hospital’s female ward.

Shouting slogans, they blamed the GMSH doctors’ "negligence" for Tara’s death and alleged she was not administered proper treatment after being admitted to the emergency ward with a complaint of acute stomach ache and fever. Her husband, Rajinder, said they had brought her to the hospital at about 6:30 pm and the doctors had admitted her there. "I was categorically told she was in a stable condition and was being admitted to emergency only for keeping her under observation, he stated. A visibly shattered Rajinder, cursing himself for bringing his wife to this hospital, claimed the doctors on duty did not give her any medicine.

However, denying his allegations, the hospital's deputy medical superintendent, Dr G Verma, said, “”It's not possible the patient was not given any treatment by the doctors on duty”. Refusing to comment further, Verma stated: “We’re conducting an internal inquiry and will submit a detailed report to the health department”. Later in the evening he told The Tribune a report was submitted to health secretary Ram Niwas.

When the deceased's relatives were protesting, Niwas was present at the hospital for a medical checkup. Efforts to contact him for comments proved futile as he was said to be “busy in a meeting”. 

Chandigarh, May 27
A former sergeant with the Indian Air Force (IAF), who was working at an LIC office in Ludhiana, jumped to his death from the fourth floor of the district courts building in Sector 17 here this afternoon.

The police said the man was suffering from depression and was taking treatment at the PGI’s psychiatry department.

The police said the victim, identified as 38-year-old Sunil Kumar Mida, was a resident of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalya in Patiala, where his wife is a teacher. A father of two minor children, Mida, had been staying with his sister in Sector 25 for a few days as he had to frequently visit the PGI for the treatment.

A father of two minor children, Mida, was working as an assistant agent at an LIC branch in Ludhiana. The incident occurred around 3.15 pm.He fell on steel cupboards lying on the ground floor and sustained severe head injuries in addition to breaking his limbs. He was rushed to the PGI, where he was declared brought dead on arrival.

A pool of blood was found on the floor where Mida fell. The cupboards, too, had broken due to the impact of his fall.

Sub-inspector Ajinder Singh Minhas, in charge of the Sector 17 bus station police post, told TNS that Mida had simply wandered to the districts courts and not because of any court case. Mida’s sister told the police that he had been upset for the past few days.

Minhas said the family was looking for him at the bus station when suddenly they received information about the incident. The post mortem would be conducted tomorrow. Meanwhile, the police has initiated inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Chandigarh, May 27
The inauguration of a greenbelt at the Mauli Jagran by MC Commissioner Roshan Sunkaria without the concurrence of Mayor Anu Chatrath is likely to develop into a major confrontation between the bureaucracy and the elected representatives.

The inauguration was carried out as scheduled by the Commissioner despite “compromise” between the Congress and the certain BJP councillors that Anil Dubey, area councillor, and not the commissioner would inaugurate the greenbelt. The Mayor and the Congress councillors had promised to attend the inauguration function for the sake of “councillor unity” in case the Commissioner did not inaugurate the greenbelt.

Hectic parleys preceded the inauguration with the BJP-SAD councillors calling on Adviser to the UT Administrator Pradip Mehra to intervene. However, the Adviser and other senior officials reportedly told the councillor to settle the issue among themselves since the matter was under the jurisdiction of the MC.

The Mayor and the Congress councillors also held a meeting with Dubey and leader of the opposition Gurcharan Dass Kala to prevail upon them and work out a “compromise” so as “keep” Sunkaria out of the inauguration ceremony. Sources said that the Mayor also impressed upon Dubey that if inaugurated the greenbelt, all the Congress councillors, including her, would take part in it. Initially, Dubey agreed but later backed out.

Even though Dubey refused to inaugurate the greenbelt, MC officials sent labourers in the afternoon at the site of venue to put the name of area councillor Anil Dubey on the inaugural stone.

Dubey also alleged that the Mayor had called all the nominated councillors in the evening and asked them to boycott the function.

Objecting on the Mayor’s action, Dubey said in last five months, the Congress and other councillors had called chief guest at venue for inauguration as per their own wishes. Even some of the Congress councillors called a Union minister, the Haryana Governor and a Punjab minister for the inauguration of the project in their respective area, Dubey alleged.

Nominated councillor MPS Chawla said the trend of inauguration should be discontinued and the authorities should open the project as and when it completes without wasting any money on inauguration.

SAD councillor Harjinder Kaur said she would take up the issue with the UT Administrator soon. On the other hand, the Congress is also not taking the matter lying down. Sources said the Mayor took up the matter with Union Minister Pawan Bansal, who reportedly took strong exception to Commissioner’s act of “ignoring” the Mayor and other elected representative. The Congress also plans to take up the matter with the UT Administrator.

Chandigarh, May 27
In an act of highhandedness, the Daria village panchayat continues to mock at the orders of the Chandigarh administration on the imposition of entry tax in the village.

Despite the directions from the Director of Panchayats, Chandigarh administration, not to levy and collect the entry tax till a final decision is taken in this regard, the village panchayat continues to do so.

In the face of stiff opposition from villagers, the panchayat had imposed the “gram parvesh tax” at the village from April 15 this year at the rate of Rs 50 per tractor-trailer and Rs 40 per truck for entry into the village. The car/jeep owners are charged Rs 20 per entry while ‘rehri’ owners are asked to pay Rs 10.

In a representation to the UT administrator, villagers had alleged that the illegal entry tax had been imposed without taking them into confidence. However, sarpanch Gurpreet Singh had claimed that this had been done according to rules and the money would be spent on development of the village.

Jaswant Singh, member of the panchayat samiti, and Kulwant Singh, former sarpanch, claimed that the Director Panchayat had issued an advisory to sarpanch Gurpreet Singh on May 19 “to stop the entry tax in the village immediately as there is no provision in the Panchayat Act 1994 for imposing such an entry tax”.

Information sought under the RTI Act by Jaswant Singh revealed that the “gram parvesh tax” was still under the “consideration of the Chandigarh administration”. The information asked the sarpanch not to impose the “entry tax”. While sarpanch Gurpreet Singh could not be contacted on Tuesday, he had claimed earlier at a meeting of the panchayat representatives with senior UT officials on May 7, 2009, that the panchayats were authorised to levy local taxes for the development of villages. The levy of entry tax at Daria was nothing new as this had been in existence for several years during the tenure of earlier panchayats also, he asserted.

Chandigarh, May 27
While the Chandigarh police keeps boasting of its motto - ‘We care for you’, the ground reality speaks otherwise. The ‘why should we care’ attitude was evident following yesterday’s incident in which a truck turned turtle and disgorged the stones and boulders loaded in it at the roundabout connecting Sectors 29, 30, 32 and 31.

The cops who arrived at the scene appeared the least bothered towards ensuring safety of people and vehicles on the road. No signs or barricades were put up to divert traffic or alert commuters about a truck having overturned and boulders lying on the road.

An eyewitness said the truck overturned after its driver lost control of the vehicle while negotiating the roundabout at about 11 pm.

The truck was heading towards Sector 20 after going past the Tribune Chowk when the incident occurred. Boulders were seen splattered all across the road, posing a hazard to vehicles.

Many commuters who had a narrow escape while negotiating their vehicles through the rubble said they failed to notice the boulders and the overturned truck from a distance.

A Tribune team was witness to three separate police teams, including a police patrol van, driving past the accident spot without even bothering to stop and check what had happened.

The roundabout is one of the busiest intersections in the city with all traffic from Haryana and New Delhi passing through there. When this reporter dialed 100 at around 12:45 am to report the incident, a policewoman on duty said: “Sir, we know about the accident” and then hung up.

Chandigarh, May 27
The complainant in the Ruchika Girhotra molestation case, Madhu Parkash, today moved an application in the Punjab and Haryana High Court for being made a party in the revision petition filed by SPS Rathore against the sentence awarded to him.

Chandigarh, May 27
In their endeavour to adorn the City Beautiful with the sobriquet of city intellectual, the Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi had been actively organising literary programmes, creative writing workshops, contests and national seminars, thereby reaching out to the literary lovers and invariably involving them in giving a vibrant soul to this “pathron ka shehar”.

Akademi chairperson, Prof Manju Jaidka, welcomed chief guest Anu Chatrath, city Mayor, before delineating the incredible achievements of the akademi within a short span.

Earlier well-known poets of the region enthralled audience in the captivating “Hasya Kavi Sammelan” at the Hotel Parkview here today. After a mundane start dominated by repetitive jokes by Sufi Jagjit and Master Mahender, Rohtak-based lyricist Virender Madhur lent some credence to the mushaira with meaningful poetry. Yoginder Mudgil maintained the pace with his take on Mallika Shehrawat, Devdas “urf” Darudas, rural versus urban life, etc.

Octogenarian poet Hari Singh Dilbar provided the grand finale with his “chauke” and “chhakke” of humour in chaste Punjabi on women empowerment, female foeticide and mutual brotherhood.

Akademi secretary poet Madhav Kaushik conducted the mushaira with admirable competence.

Chandigarh, May 27
The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has given a nod to the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, for starting a certificate course on “pre-hospital trauma technician” here today.

According to the press note issued by the hospital authority, the curriculum for nine months of the certification course will be started from this year.

The number of seats would be 20 and only student of science stream can apply after class XII with a minimum of 60 per cent marks from a recognised board/institution.

The Government of India has sanctioned Rs 20 lakh for developing the infrastructure.

The aim of drafting this course was to prepare a suitable manpower for ambulances in the filed of care of trauma victims and resuscitation, who can provide care at the district level, which is lacking at present, as well as to act as a first-level management team at the site of trauma.

The student has to be imparted training and knowledge for the care of trauma victims in the pre-hospital phase after the accident.

Paramedics, who are responsible to bring the trauma victims to the hospital, should have complete knowledge of the equipment at hand and various resuscitation methods employed and safe transportation of the victim to the hospital.

“The hospital envisage having this centre on the line of Khon Kein Hospital of Thailand, which is recognised by the World Health Organisation for imparting such training programme to paramedics and doctors,” said officials of the hospital administration.

Mohali, May 27
Fire broke out in a department store in Phase VII last night reducing the entire stock worth lakhs to ashes.

A person sleeping in a shop close to the store noticed the fire late at the night, who informed the owner of the store.

The storeowner, Mohinder Pal Singh, said after he was told about the fire, he tried to contact the fire brigade on 101, but could not get through. He had to send someone to call the fire brigade.

He said he had a huge stock of food items apart from two imported refrigerators in his showroom. Everything was fine till about 9.45 pm when he closed the shop and went home. He suspected that the fire must have been caused due to a short circuit as refrigerators were left on apart from a fan and a light.

Three fire engines were pressed into service to bring the blaze under control. The first floor of the building was also damaged.

Mohali, May 27
Polytechnics and ITIs in Punjab should be taken over by the industry so that the required training could be given to students to enable them to easily get absorbed in the industrial sector reducing unemployment in the state.

This was stated by director, Industries, KJS Cheema while addressing a press conference after inaugurating a job fest organised by the department of employment generation and training, Punjab, in association with the Mohali Industries Association (MIA) here today.

As many as 310 students, out of over 900 who had come from all over Punjab, got placed by various industrial units and other organisations. Forty companies had participated in the fest.

Cheema said the industry, which was always in need of skilled manpower, was only required to take over the management of polytechnics and ITIs and provide the kind of training that was needed in the industrial sector.

The expenses of running the polytechnics and ITIs would be borne by the government. The objective was only to give fruitful employment to the unemployed. One third of such institutes had already been taken over by the industry, he added.

The aim of organising the job fest was to provide employment opportunities to the unemployed youth in the state. As many as 165 candidates were placed by the industry at the MIA Bhawan itself while 145 were sent to various companies for interviews due to shortage of space.

It is learnt that the MIA was expecting around 350 students at the job fest, but the turnover was more than 900, which created problems for the organisers. Arrangements went haywire with almost three times more than the expected strength. The candidates could not be seated due to shortage of space and refreshments arranged for the fest also fell short.

Hardeep Kaur, district employment officer, said registered letters were sent to 1,100 candidates for taking part in the job fest. A number of them had got employed as computer operators, accountants, steno typists, data entry operators, electricians, turners, fitters, welders, store keepers, carpenters, drivers, security guards, etc, depending upon the qualifications each one had acquired. Insurance companies had also participated for hiring agents for their firms.

Chandigarh, May 27
On the complaint of Rohtak MLA BB Batra, UT Home Secretary Ram Niwas, along with senior officials, visited Sector 3-A here.

According to a press note, the work for cleanliness and beautification of the area was immediately started. The Home Secretary also suggested a proposal for construction of huts for security guards of MLAs on their visit to the city.

Earlier, Batra alleged that the green area around MLA Hostel, Sector 3, was in a pathetic condition. There are complaints of flies, mosquitoes and foul smell emanating from the area. He alleged that the authorities concerned had taken no initiative to start the cleanliness drive in the sector. — TNS

Chandigarh, May 27
The Independent School Association, Vivek High School, Sector 38, through president HS Mamik today moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court challenging the requirement of reserving 15 per cent seats for the children from economically weaker sections (EWS).

In its petition, the association sought quashing of clause 18 of the “Allotment of land to educational institution (school) on lease-hold basis in Chandigarh scheme of 1996” as “amended from time to time whereby allottee schools under the scheme are required to reserve 15 per cent seats for the children from EWS”.

The association contended that the administration had also been empowered to interfere in the day-to-day functioning of the private schools. Challenge was also thrown to the show-cause notices issued to the “member schools”. The petition is expected to be taken up for hearing tomorrow.

In has also been stated that the action of the administration under these provisions is illegal, arbitrary and without sanction of the law. The UT education secretary, DPI (schools), and UT estate official have been impleaded as parties by the petitioners in their writ.

A legal battle between the private school owners and Chandigarh administration is already going on before the Punjab and Haryana High Court where the allegations of non-implementation of regulations have been alleged against the schools.

The Chandigarh administration has also served notice to the city schools for not following the essential norms of land allotment. The notices for the resumption of land were also issued by the administration.

On April 29, the high court had restrained the UT administration from resuming the sites of the educational institutions, who had not fulfilled the condition of providing 15 per cent reservation in their institutions for EWS.