Chandigarh, September 3
The process initiated by the Chandigarh administration to allow multiple vendors to instal high-security registration plates on vehicles has run into rough weather.

The Supreme Court has directed the administration to invite tenders and follow the procedure for selection and approval of vendors with type approval certificates from the Centre.

After making it mandatory for new vehicles to instal high-security number plates from August 1, the UT administration had allowed 18 vendors to affix security plates on vehicles at different assigned places across the city.

Setting aside the procedure followed by the administration, the apex court, while hearing a civil writ petition on the issue, observed that the procedure followed by the administration was not in compliance with directions of the court and provisions of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988.

It was bound to defeat the purpose of security and uniform affixation of high-security registration plates, the apex court noted.

The vendors approved had been permitted to affix number plates on their premises or at the office of the regional transport authority.

In orders issued on August 30, the administration was directed to invite tenders immediately, finalise the tender process within six weeks and file a compliance report regarding the start of affixing of high-security registration plates within two weeks thereafter.

Chandigarh Transport Secretary Ram Niwas said the administration would comply with the orders of the Supreme Court.

New Delhi, September 3
The Supreme Court has upheld the Chandigarh administration’s recruitment rule prescribing PhD as the educational qualification for the appointment of principals at the four government arts and science colleges in the city.

A Bench comprising Justices RV Raveendran and Markandey Katju handed out the ruling yesterday while setting aside the verdicts of the Central Administrative Tribunal, Chandigarh, and the Punjab and Haryana High Court (HC).

The apex court observed that making PhD the qualification for principals “is reasonably relevant to maintaining the high standards of education” and as such there “is absolutely no reason to interfere” with it.

Also, PhD was the required qualification in several states for the post of principal, particularly for direct recruitment, the Bench pointed out.

The tribunal had quashed the administration’s advertisement dated July 14, 2001, for filling a principal’s vacancy by appointing a PhD holder to the post.

It had held that the Chandigarh Educational Service (Group A Gazetted) Government Arts and Science College Rules, 2000, were yet to be issued in the name of the President and as such, were not in force. The HC had also refused to entertain the administration’s appeal against the tribunal’s ruling.

The apex court noted that the administration had framed the rule in consultation with the Union Public Service Commission and in accordance with guidelines of the University Grants Commission and sent it to the Centre for being notified by the President.

“Courts and tribunals can neither prescribe qualifications, nor entrench upon the power of the authority concerned, so long as the qualifications prescribed by the employer are reasonably relevant and have a rational nexus with the functions and duties attached to the post,” the apex court ruled.

The tribunal and the HC had erred in ruling that the qualification of PhD was unreasonable, the apex court said. Even in the absence of the President’s nod, “it cannot be said the advertisement is invalid” as the Administrator was competent to notify it, the Bench held.

Chandigarh, September 3
A person was injured in accidental firing outside the Sector-17 State Bank of India (SBI) office this afternoon.

The shot was fired from the .32-bore licensed pistol of Jagtar Singh of Moga, a member of the SBI Employees Union. He was arrested and the pistol sent to the CFSL.

Sec-17 SHO Ranjodh Singh said Somnath, another SBI employee, was injured on his ear. The victim claimed that the injury was due to the bursting of a mobile phone.

Chandigarh, September 3
Wasting public money has become a routine practice in the municipal corporation (MC). As on the one hand, to adopt the double entry system in maintaining accounts of the civic body, the authorities have trained their 120 employees in a special camp, on the other hand, they have decided to hire a chartered accountant (CA) for the same. The camp was organised on the directions of MC Commissioner Prerna Puri.

It seems that the authorities have a “short memory”, as in July when the training programme on double entry accounting concluded, it was decided in a meeting of the Finance and Contract Committee (F&CC) that the corporation would engage a CA for the same. The committee approved the draft tender for engaging a CA for the conversion of single entry accounts into double entry accounts for 2009-2011.

Records of the corporation showed that from May 27 to July 5, a special camp to train employees in adopting the double entry system rather than the single entry system for maintaining accounts was held. Sources revealed that the authorities spent Rs 90,000 on hiring rooms at Mahatma Gandhi Institute in Sector 26 for holding the camp.

In fact, employees of various departments were sent to attend the training camp so that the work of converting single entry accounts into double entry accounts could be divided. As per official report, experts from the CA association apprised the MC employees about the format of double entry system during the camp.

Nominated councillor DR AP Sanwaria, who is a member of the F&CC, said when the issue was not discussed in the meeting, how could it be approved by the committee members. He said that he would take up the matter with the MC Commissioner.

Sources said the MC used to pay Rs 16 lakh annually to a CA for maintaining single entry accounts of departments. 

Chandigarh, September 3
High drama was witnessed at the city’s Nehru Hospital on Saturday morning when tempers flared up after a 15-year-old male cancer patient, Harmanpreet Singh, died while undergoing chemotherapy treatment and those attending him accusing the doctors of negligence. However, the deceased boy's family has not yet filed any complaint with PGI officials or the police.

Talking to The Tribune, the deceased’s aunt, Sarabjeet Kaur, claimed Harmanpreet died in the morning due to “negligence” of a junior doctor who she said had given him a “high dose” injection. “The patient was responding well to treatment but, after administering the injection, his condition began deteriorating. He was immediately shifted to a ventilator but didn’t survive”.

However, the hospital authorities refuted the charge and even offered to conduct a postmortem on the boy’s body to ascertain the cause of death. The deceased’s family members did not agree to this nor did they submit any formal complaint to PGI officials or the police.

When contacted a senior doctor in PGI’s Internal medicine department asserted there were no errors in treatment. “The patient, who was suffering from cancer, was given a dose of the Leunase. The drug reacted adversely on the boy, but it was not a high dose as claimed. We took all steps to save his life and even shifted him to a ventilator but he died", said the doctor, adding such drug reactions were “common” and the patient's family was briefed about the adverse effects the treatment could have.

The doctor also claimed the patient's family had signed a "consent form" for the treatment but even then the hospital department concerned was “open to scrutiny”.

Describing the family's reaction as an “emotional outburst”, attendants of other hospital patients who witnessed the incident said the matter was “amicably resolved” once the deceased's relatives were briefed in detail about the cause of the patient’s death. “They even apologized to the doctors on duty for their behaviour”, some eyewitnesses added.

Chandigarh, September 3
Justice Harjit Singh Bedi has aired what has all along was felt by many, but never articulated -- the need for giving a better deal to the subordinate judiciary; the presence of nasty judges in the High Court who throw the file across the dais in anger; and the persistent sniping. Fondly called "Harry", Justice Bedi said all this and much more during his retirement speech at the Supreme Court on Friday. Originally from the Punjab and Haryana High Court, he was elevated to the apex court.

Mincing no words, Justice Bedi said: "The last two decades of my judicial career have been extremely satisfying. There is, however, one aspect on which I must make a comment. This is the persistent sniping that goes on at the judicial system. The criticism is sometimes justified and it has to be accepted in that spirit, but I find that some of the remarks are unnecessarily sweeping and uncharitable, as my experience shows that for every bad Judge there are many good ones whose contributions are completely ignored."

Justice Bedi asserted that the strength of our judicial system lied in the foundation on which it had been built and that foundation was the subordinate judiciary and the superior judicial service and it was on this foundation that the superior courts such as the Supreme Court and the High Courts had to rest. If we break the morale of the lower judiciary and demoralise the Judges, it would stultify and erode the very base of our judicial system, he said.

"The subordinate judiciary is at the receiving end not only from the litigant, as one side has to lose, but also from the public, the politician, the media, from unscrupulous lawyers, and, more importantly, from its superiors in the judicial hierarchy. It is this fear in the lower judiciary that is, in many ways, responsible for the creation of excessive and avoidable litigation in the higher courts, as subordinate Judges play safe and let Judges higher in the hierarchy take decisions in controversial matters," he said

Elaborating on the pressures faced by the lower judiciary, Justice Bedi said the fear of Judges on inspection from the High Court, who visit the districts, was another matter of concern to the district-level judiciary.

"Repeated and often unannounced inspections by Judges on the pretext of verifying complaints or advising local Judges on their duties result in huge pressure on them. High Court Judges, especially those recently appointed, are perhaps most prone to this malaise. They little realise that the persons who they wish to advise have often put in more service as judicial officers than the experience of the Judge on inspection as an advocate and a Judge taken cumulatively."

Referring to introspection by the judiciary, Justice Bedi said: "We have High Court and Supreme Court Judges making assessments about the extent of corruption in the judiciary and offering widely differing figures from 20 per cent to 80 per cent. How they come about these figures is a mystery to me".

Justice Bedi also suggested that Supreme Court Judges, who have an idea of the performance of advocates from their states, could make "suggestions to the Chief Justice concerned so that some suitable appointments can be made".

Recalling his initial days of practice, Justice Bedi said: "I had the good fortune of being deputed to the courts of some of the nastiest Judges in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. I have very deliberately used the words good fortune. It brought home to me the message and the lesson as to what I should not do if ever I was to become a Judge. For example, I learnt that throwing the file across the dais in anger or after the case was over or asking the name of the counsel in court or referring to the counsel as Mr. Counsel was to be avoided as this interfered with the smooth functioning of the court and also demoralised the counsel concerned." 

Chandigarh, September 3
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on state-owned insurance firm Oriental Insurance Co for denying a vehicle accident claim to a city resident. The forum, comprising its president Lakshman Sharma and members Madhu Mutneja and Jaswinder Singh Sandhu, also directed the firm to pay Rs 7,000 as costs of litigation to the complainant.

Parveen Mittal a resident of Sector 46, had filed an application before the forum stating his Mahindra & Mahindra vehicle, which he had gotten insured with the firm, suffered damage in an accident on March 8, 2010.He added he got the vehicle repaired for which he paid Rs 49,400.

According to Mittal, the insurance company denied the accident claim on the ground the vehicle was registered after expiry of the temporary registration certificate.

However, the insurance firm in its reply submitted the complainant had applied for permanent registration of the vehicle in question after the expiry of the temporary registration number, which it said was in breach of the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act. It added the complainant’s claim was also contested on the ground that the company’s surveyor had assessed the accident damage suffered by the vehicle in question at Rs 37,884.

“So far as the failure to produce a valid vehicle registration certificate is concerned, as stated above, the registration was admittedly not done. Under the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act it is incumbent upon the owner a vehicle to get it registered before being driven on the roads. The question that now arises is that if the vehicle isn’t registered the insurance company can deny the accident claim. However, it may be mentioned here no such terms and conditions were mentioned in the policy document, albeit the Motor Vehicles Act envisages vehicle registration is mandatory. However, even if a vehicle isn’t registered within the prescribed period a registration certificate can be obtained by paying a late fee of Rs 100. Hence, we are of the view that lack of vehicle registration can’t be a ground for repudiating a just claim under the insurance policy,” the forum said in its decision.

Chandigarh, September 3
A two-day annual conference of the Chandigarh Ophthalmological Society commenced today at Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, here. A surgery was performed on the first day.

Eminent surgeons Dr Karanjit S Kooner from Texas, the USA, Dr RB Vajpayee and Dr JS Titiyal from RP Centre, AIIMS, Dr Mahipal Sachdev of Centre for Sight from Delhi, Prof Jagat Ram from the PGIMER, Chandigarh, and Dr Sudesh K Arya from Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, Chandigarh, shared their surgical skills with delegates.

Dr Karanjit S Kooner operated upon a glaucoma patient and implanted an ‘ExPress’ glaucoma filtration device. The second day of the conference will have a free paper session, a session on video-assisted skill transfer and a symposium on keratorefractive surgeries. 

Mohali, September 3
Unauthorised use of houses for commercial purposes, traffic congestion near the rehri market, stray animals, ill-maintained parks and lack of adequate facilities for visitors to Bougainvillea Garden are among the problems that plague Phase IV here.

Despite GMADA issuing notices to offenders, the illegal use of the rear side of houses near Madanpur Chowk for running furniture, vehicle repair and other shops goes on. Apart from the shops causing inconvenience to neighbours, the area has not only given an ugly look to the phase but has also turned into a traffic bottleneck as it lies along a busy sector-dividing road.

The area in front of the rehri market in Phase IV, which is woefully inadequate for parking, has become another source of annoyance for residents. It becomes a nightmare for shoppers to park their vehicles there in the evening in particular, and the congestion often acts as a deterrent for drivers wanting to cross over to other phases from the main road. Matters improve when police personnel are put on duty in the area, but that does not seem to be a daily feature.

Residents have also complained about the poor facilities at the Bougainvillea Garden. Residents’ demands in this regard include stopping dogs from entering the garden, proper pruning of plants/trees, daily running of the musical fountain, re-painting of poles and benches, repair of play equipment for children and regular chemical spray to check mosquitoes. GMADA has started work on the improvement of the garden.

A resident who did not like to be quoted said the menace of stray dogs also existed in the area, Municipal Corporation workers usually made a round when complaints were made but certain residents, who encouraged stray animals by feeding them, resisted the corporation’s action.

SR Chaudhri, a local resident, said that the area did not face many problems. In fact, the situation had improved. The only problem was of traffic congestion near the rehri market, he added. 

It becomes dark in the rehri market after the shops are closed as the authorities concerned have not borthered to repair the lights or replace them. One floodlight in the area can solve the problem, Moreover, the sewer pipeline of the area remains blocked and emanates foul smell. — RK Arora, shopkeeper

Though the area does have major problems, the parks need to be beautified by GMADA. The swings installed years ago are all broken. Though the wild growth is cut from time to time yet the parks are not maintained properly. — Kuldeep Kaur Kang, former municipal councillor

Mohali, September 3
In the two-day-old incident of two girls, Swatika and Shefali, suffering from serious injuries when two unidentified motorcycle-borne youths threw acid on them at the busy Daun petrol filling station near Kharar, the police has zeroed in on the suspects and is likely to arrest them soon.

Sources in the police said certain vital clues had emerged in the questioning of the persons at the place of work of the girls. Condition of one of the girls, Swatika (who was admitted at the PGI after suffering serious burn injuries) had improved and she was likely to give vital clues to the police. The police was reportedly monitoring the movement of the suspects who were on the run.

SSP, Mohali, GPS Bhullar said they were very close to cracking the case and the identity of the assailants would be revealed soon. The incident took place when the girls were going along with their employer Rakesh Rikhi, who ran a property dealing business in Phase I, and had stopped at the petrol filling station around 6 pm on way to Chintpurni in Himachal Pradesh.

Incidentally, the assailants had thrown the acid from the driver side, apparently to target the driver.

Chandigarh, September 3
A continuing medical education (CME) programme on the “Current Concepts in the Management of Nuclear Biological Chemical (NBC) Warfare” was organised by the Military Hospital, Ambala, today.

The aim of the programme was to educate and train officers and specialists of the Armed Forces Medical Services to manage and treat the NBC causalities.

Though all weapons of war are destructive, nuclear, chemical and biological weapons stand in a class of their own as armaments, which exercise their effects solely on living matter. The fact that certain chemical and biological agents are potentially unlimited in their capability, both in terms of distance and durability, and that their large-scale use can have irreversible effects on the balance of nature and enhances the sense of insecurity.

During the seminar, it was brought out that chemical and biological weapons also pose a serious threat to civilians because the high concentrations in which they would be used in war targeting ostensibly military targets could lead to significant unintended involvement of the co-located civilian population within the target area as well as for considerable distances downwind.

Protection can be afforded by masks, filter canisters, impermeable clothing and reduction of psychological stress (thermal stress) by use of protective clothing that is permeable to air and water vapour but not to toxic chemicals, detection and contamination of toxic chemicals, medical antidotes and treatment and collective physical protection in special shelters.

The CME was inaugurated by GOC Kharga Corps Lt Gen Amarjeet Singh Chabbewal. About 150 medical officers as well as distinguished speakers from reputed institutes dealing with the subject shed light on various aspects of treatment of the NBC casualties.

Chandigarh, September 3
The Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi organised a “Vyanga Goshthi” at the academy hall here today. Well-known authors, Prem Janmejai from Delhi, Jasvinder Sharma, Rajinder Nishesh and Prem Vij participated in the goshthi.

They chose to focus on political themes, electioneering, democracy and red tapism. In his presidential remarks, Dr Prem Janmejai is of the opinion that a satirist should not descend to the level of slapstick.

CSA secretary Madhav Kaushik traced the relevance of satire in Hindi literature. — OC

Chandigarh, September 3
The Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) organised an instrumental classical music recital by Ustad Gulfam Ahmad of Senia Lucknow Gharana at the Pracheen Kala Kendra auditorium here today.

An A-grade artiste of AIR and presently based in Kabul on a teaching assignment at the ICCR India centre in Afghanistan, Gulfam displayed his dexterity and mastery over rabab and sarod.

Gulfam, disciple-son of Ustad Ishitek Khan opened up with delineation of raga miyan ki malhar on sarod by doling out a gat in madhya lya, which melted into the faster paced drut lya in teen tal.

Accompanied by Ustad Mubarik Ali on tabla, he played raga khamaj and two compositions with equal expertise. ICCR regional official Nalini Singhal honoured the artistes.

Earlier, he disclosed that Indian music, both classical and Bollywood songs, are popular in Afghanistan and so are films and TV serials.

Chandigarh, September 3
In the last few years, two major student organisations, Panjab University Students Organisation (PUSU) and Student Organisation of Panjab University (SOPU), active in Panjab University campus have lost their grip in city colleges.

Earlier either PUSU or SOPU used to dominate college student elections, but now new student organisations or college-based student parties have emerged as big oppositions, turning student politics in the colleges the other way around.

Out of six city colleges where elections were held, SOPU contested in three colleges, while PUSU managed to contest elections in two colleges only.

PUSU and SOPU were the two major parties that used to contest in all city colleges and were the most powerful student bodies, however, in all these years, the election scene has changed in the colleges with new student organisations emerging as major parties that can manipulate the student elections.

Earlier GGDSD College, Sector 32, was dominated by SOPU and PUSU, however, PUSU no more exists in the college and two more student organisations, SD Student Union and SD Hostel Union, have taken the place of PUSU as SOPU opposition.

Both parties have got a major setback in girl colleges also. Earlier SOPU and PUSU used to exist in MCM DAV College for Women and Post Graduate Government College for Girls, Sector 11, however, the parties no more exist in these colleges. PUSU also used to exist in the Post Graduate Government College for Girls, Sector 42, but there is no sign of the party in the college now. Students in these girl colleges do not contest elections under the banner of any student organisation.

SOPU and PUSU used to rule the student politics in DAV College, Sector 10, however, presently organisations like the Student Organisation of India (SOI), Indian Student Organisation of India (INSO) and Youth Association of India (YAI) have emerged as powerful organisations that play the role of deciders in the student elections.

The situation of the Post Graduate Government College for Men, Sector 11, is no different. A few years ago, SOPU and PUSU used to be the powerful organisations in the college, however, now they need to enter into alliances with other student organisations to register an easy win in the student elections. In this year’s student elections, HPSU-SOI alliance managed to win the elections in the college.

Panchkula, September 3
Sajandeep Singh of BSc was declared Mr Fresher while Gaurav won the title of best comedian at the fresher’s party of The Fort Ramgarh Institute of Hotel Management.

Avtar Singh was judged the best dancer and the best singer title went to Ankush Rana. Amar Singh bagged the best acting award. — TNS