C H A N D I G A R H   S T O R I E S


TOP STORIES


Jyoti murder case
MLA's wife, 4 others booked
Allegedly offered bribe, threatened victim's father to turn hostile in court
Hina Rohtaki
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, January 4
Doon MLA Ram Kumar Chaudhary, the prime accused in the Jyoti murder case, is in for more trouble. The Panchkula police today lodged an FIR against his wife and four others, who were named by Buti Ram, the father of the victim, in his complaint to the police yesterday. Besides the MLA's wife, Buti had named Rajender, Laddoo, Laddoo’s wife and a guard of an MP in his complaint to the police.

Buti Ram, who had turned hostile during the last hearing of the case, had deposed before Commissioner of Police Rajbir Deswal along with his counsel Jitender Sherawat and submitted a complaint alleging that he was threatened at gunpoint by the MLA's men to state in the court that he did not know Chaudhary. Besides, MLA’s wife allegedly offered him Rs 21 lakh .

The police have registered a zero FIR under Sections 195-A (threatening a person to give false evidence), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC at the Sector 5 police station. Zero FIRs are registered on the basis of statements of a person in any police station irrespective of the jurisdiction. The investigations are then handed over to the police station concerned.

As Buti was threatened in Mohali and some other parts of Punjab, the police lodged a zero FIR. The Punjab Police have been asked to conduct investigations into the matter.

Acting on Buti's complaint, the Commissioner of Police ordered the lodging of a zero FIR and also wrote to the SP, Hoshiarpur, the place where Buti belongs to. "We have registered a case against all those who were named by Buti in his complaint. We have also written to the SP, Hoshiarpur, regarding the complainant's security and the investigations," said Deswal.

In his complaint, Buti had stated that Chaudhary's wife had come to Bhunga village in Hoshiarpur on December 22 (a day before the hearing) and asked him to state in the court that he did not know Chaudhary. Buti said Chaudhary's wife had told him that 45 witnesses were already in their favour in the case.

Buti's charge

Buti had yesterday alleged that while he was on his way to Panchkula on the morning of December 23, the day of the hearing, four men forcibly stopped his car in Mohali, thrashed him and held him at gunpoint and asked him to turn hostile in court. He had stated that he was followed by the men to the court.

The case

Doon MLA and four others have been accused of killing Jyoti, who hailed from Bhunga village in Hoshiarpur. The victim was found

murdered on a road in Sector 21, Panchkula. The chargesheet of the Panchkula Police stated that since Jyoti was coming in the way of Chaudhary's political career and wanted him to continue relations with her, he eliminated her with the help of his aides. Jyoti was strangled to death and than run over by a truck to show it as an accident case.

The victim's father is a key witness in the case.

Back

 

Another minor girl goes missing
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 4
While the Chandigarh police have failed to crack the murder case of 11-year-old Pinki, who was kidnapped from near her house in Palsora village in Sector 56 and later found murdered, another 12-year-old girl has gone missing from Sector 56.

The girl, Heena, went missing today from near her house in the Ambedkar Awas Colony under mysterious circumstances. At around 2 pm, the minor’s mother had sent her to a nearby market to buy a mobile recharge coupon. However, when the girl did not return, family members went to the market in search of her.

After failing to trace the girl, Sanjeev Kumar, the missing girl's father, who is a plumber, lodged a complaint with the police following which a case of abduction was registered at the Sector 39 police station.

The police launched a massive door-to-door search operation in and around the colony to trace the minor girl. The police also recorded the statements of various local residents. Sources said the police was also questioning some suspects.

In the earlier incident, 11-year old Pinki had been kidnapped from near her house in Palsora village. Later, her body was found dumped in a sack on December 2 in Sector 52. The minor was raped and strangled to death.

Back

 

Firing incident
Committee to probe violations at eatery
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, January 4
Acting on a fact-finding report of the Estate Office, which looked into alleged building violations at the Five Degrees restaurant at Nirjhar Vatika in Sector 5, Panchkula, where a gunman received a gunshot on New Year's Eve, HUDA today constituted a three-member committee to probe the violations.

Besides looking into the violations, the committee, headed by the Estate Officer, will also pinpoint the role of officials, if any, in handling the case file.

Architects of the department were called today to check the construction at the restaurant and it was found that it was not according to the agreement.

The issue of running a cafe without signing an agreement for it after raising an illegal construction is also being probed.

The Excise Department has informed that the permit for the bar is under process.

HUDA has stated that even if the Excise Department gives permission, it will not allow it in a public park.

The restaurant was in the news after a gunman, Jaipal, accompanying Sehaj Sidhu, son of Punjab-cadre IAS officer KBS Sidhu, suffered a gunshot. The police has not made much headway in the case.

According to HUDA officials, documents submitted by the Five Degrees restaurant mentions the firm’s name as M/s Hot Beans. The matter is being investigated.

FB photos raise questions

Several pictures of revellers enjoying liquor and hookah at a birthday bash a few days before New Year's Eve at the cafe , which have been posted on Facebook, have raised questions over liquor being served on the premises. Excise officials refused to comment on whether they had given permission for the birthday bash or not.

Local residents complain

Complaints have been received from local residents after the firing incident. Sanjay Ahuja, a local resident, has complained to the Chief Administrator, HUDA, “It is sad that a park is being used for serving liquor.” A similar complaint has been submitted by Gyan Chand Gupta to the Panchkula Deputy Commissioner.

Police speak to PGI doctors

The police spoke to doctors at the PGI for recording the statement of the gunman who received a gunshot in the temple. The doctors asked the police to contact on Monday.

Back

 

Padam Motors booked for using fake seal of RLA
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 4
The Chandigarh police today registered a case against Padam Motors Pvt Ltd, Industrial Area, for allegedly using a fake seal of the Registering and Licensing Authority (RLA) on a temporary registration number issued to a customer. The case was registered on a complaint of the RLA.

The RLA had written to the UT police asking it to initiate proceedings against Padam Motors, dealer of Chevrolet and Renault cars, for using a fake seal of the RLA on a temporary registration number issued to a customer.

The letter, written by Kashish Mittal, Registering and Licensing Authority, to the SHO of the Sector 17 police station, stated that Manjit Singh, a resident of Sector 8, Chandigarh, had produced a file for the registration of a new Duster, bearing the temporary registration certificate CH 23 (T) 1204, issued by M/s Padam (Renault) Motor Pvt Limited, plot number 174, Industrial Area, Phase II, Chandigarh, showing a fake seal of the RLA. The temporary registration certificate had not been stamped and signed by the office. The was registered at the Sector 17 police station.

Back

 

Admn okays water, sewer connections for Deep Complex
Amit Sharma
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 4
The UT Administration has finally approved the long-pending demand for providing sewer and water connections to the Deep Complex in Hallo Majra. Following the demand of residents of the Deep Complex, the Administration had formed a committee to decide whether the residents of the Deep Complex, that falls outside the lal dora, could be given the basic amenities.

MC Commissioner VP Singh said UT Adviser KK Sharma had approved the matter and forwarded the file to UT Administrator Shivraj V Patil for final approval.

At present, water is supplied to the residents through tankers in the Deep Complex and there is no sewer system in place.

Congress spokesperson Pardeep Chhabra said a delegation of the Deep Complex today met local MP Pawan Kumar Bansal over the issue. The MP took up the issue with the Administration following which the decision to provide water and sewer connections in the area was taken. Chhabra said work on laying sewer pipes in the area would be started soon.

Residents call off protest

Residents of the Deep Complex had earlier announced to hold a protest regarding their demands on January 5 at the Hallo Majra light point in support of their demand. However, the residents have decided to call off the protest.

Back

 

Challenges before Punjabi NRI media in focus at global meet
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 4
The challenges before the Punjabi NRI media was one of the main themes discussed at the Second World Punjabi Media Conference held at Kala Bhawan, Sector 16, today. Mediapersons also shared their viewpoint on varied topics including “media ethics and Punjabi media” and “Punjabi language and Punjabi media”.

Gurjatinder Singh Randhawa, editor of California-based Punjabi newspaper Punjab Mail, said the Punjabi NRI media was still not financially independent due to high printing and labour costs, and most of the newspapers were still circulated free of cost.

Kanwaljit Singh Kanwal, editor of Punjabi newspaper Vatno Paar, called for a major introspection for the Punjabi NRI media.

Experts said Punjabi readers had increased manifold over the years and there was a lot of scope for the Punjabi media to thrive abroad.

Satnam Manak, resident editor, Daily Ajit, in his keynote address, warned the media about the downfall of Punjabi language.

NRI SPS Oberoi, known for being instrumental in the release of 17 Punjabi youths from a UAE jail, and Aruna Batalvi, wife of famous Punjabi poet Shiv Kumar Batalvi, were honoured at the conference.

Back

COMMUNITY

New Chandigarh
Land acquisition raises hackles
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 4
The move of the Punjab Government of announcing land compensation awards for over 700 acres of land in the Mullanpur area a day before the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act came into force has raised hackles.

In just two days, December 30 and December 31, seven different land compensation awards for acquiring land in Medicity and Ecocity-II besides for the construction of roads in New Chandigarh.

While officials at the Land Acquisition Collector office claim that the land compensation awards were part of the ongoing acquisition proceedings, farmers are crying foul.

JS Dhaliwal, who is among the affected landowners, said there was no need to speed up the award announcement process.

“My land has been bifurcated as it is being acquired for a road,” he said.

It is not for the first time that the Punjab Government has shown haste. Last year, the state government was accused of hurriedly acquiring prime agricultural land in villages on the basis of the old rules despite the passing of the Act by the Parliament.

The government had notified acquisition proceedings for around 3,245 acres of land in Ludhiana and Mohali in September and October, last year, under the 120-year-old Land Acquisition Act, through advertisements in the papers. At that time, farmers of nine villages in Ludhiana district had questioned the rationale behind the move and demanded that the land acquisition proceedings be quashed.

In 2013 alone, the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority initiated acquisition proceedings for Medicity, Ecocity-II and Educity besides for the laying of roads in Mullanpur.

Roop Chand, a resident of Hoshiarpur village, said the farmers with small-land holdings, on which they had either built their houses or were running small business, should not be displaced.

Farmers plan to intensify stir

Affected farmers have planned to intensify their agitation to seek land acquisition proceedings as per the new Act. A senior Punjab Government official, however, claimed that they were offering ~1.85 crore per acre as the compensation, whereas the new Act would mean twice the collector rate.

Back

 

Intelligence officers monitoring our activities: AAP members
Rajinder Nagarkoti
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 4
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) members today claimed that their activities in the City Beautiful are being monitored by the local intelligence officials. AAP raised a question that is the political establishment and the UT Administration frightened of AAP.

Giving details of instances, AAP member Gurjusjit Singh said some AAP, Chandigarh, members were already being monitored by the local intelligence officials, who ask them about their whereabouts, activities and party agenda. They also inquire about the number of people who have joined AAP, their names, phone numbers and addresses. They inquire about party officials, the offices that are likely to come up and the dates of their inauguration. The questions are endless, he said.

Another AAP member Kamal Kishore Sharma raised questions on the person and purpose behind the alleged intelligence gathering.

“Is the political establishment and UT Administration frightened of AAP, which is a group of common people who mean to serve people and society in a transparent, incorruptible fashion? Many of our members already feel harassed by this constant surveillance, particularly because some of the queries are not in the public domain. AAP wants to suggest to the intelligence officials and the local police (who are "aam aadmi" like us) that they must not become pawns in the hands of established political parties,” he said.

In the press release issued by the AAP members, they mentioned that one of the callers, who claimed to be from the Chandigarh Police Security, wanted to meet one of them, offering personal security to them.

“As already made clear by Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, none of us want any personal security, even for the visiting leaders,” read the release.

Party to raise issue of poor quality of roads

AAP member Gurjusjit Singh had recently raised the issue of poor quality of roads that come under the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation. Now, he along with other members has sought time from the UT Administrator Shivraj V Patil at his public darbar on December 6.

Back

 

Old systems hinder linking of depts
Ritika Jha Palial
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 4
Obsolete systems and softwares in various departments of the PGIMER wherein records of patients, such as lab investigations, are being maintained are serving bottlenecks in launching the Admission-Discharge-Transfer (ADT) module. The central server is reportedly too high-tech to be linked with those used in the departments.

Six months ago, the PGIMER uploaded demographic details of all the patients, who visited the institution in the past three years on the ADT module. However, nothing moved further as the department servers were not upgraded. It may take the PGIMER another two quarters to launch the module, which aims at centralised access of patient’s treatment history using a single click of mouse.

In a recent meeting of the computerisation committee, it was decided that all the Heads of Departments (HODs) will be requested to switch to the latest technology computer softwares, especially while recording the lab investigation details.

“Some of the systems available are archaic and cannot be upgraded. To ensure interconnectivity between the departments, we will have to replace these old systems. We cannot proceed until the systems are synchronised. In a recent meeting, all HODs were asked to work over it on priority,” said a PGI official.

The module also maintains the database of indoor patients and the hospital is currently working on de-duplication of the data.

Recently, a lab module was launched by the PGIMER that has now enabled doctors in different departments to have online access to lab investigations of patients.

The Rs 25-crore project took almost 15 years to take off. So far, locating a patient in the PGIMER without computerisation has been a Herculean task. The attendants were often seen being dependant on the guesswork of the reception staff in locating their patients, as the receptionists could not precisely know about the patient’s movement by checking manual entries.

PGIMER adt module

The ADT module forms the basis of all other modules in the Hospital Information System (HIS) and would prove vital in locating patients at the hospital. The whole process of patient admission, acceptance in the wards, transfer from one ward to another and discharge or death of patients would be updated and available online on the ADT module.

  • More than 500 nursing staff of 77 wards have been trained to admit, transfer and discharge the patients using this software.
  • The automated process will replace the manual process of patient movement entries.

Back

 

Debate

The Aam Aadmi Party’s initiative of saying no to security cover has thrown open a debate. Whether the culture of gunman accompanying a VIP or his family should be stopped except for the Z-security cases? Chandigarh Tribune spoke to people from different walks of life to know their take.

How much security should be provided to a VIP depends entirely on the threat perception. While I believe that security cover should not be removed altogether, its misuse should be avoided and checks should be conducted from time to time. It should also be ensured that the security cover is genuine.

DSP (retd) SC SAgar

Security should be provided only on the basis of threat perception and that too, bare minimum. The step by the AAP Government in Delhi on no security cover is welcome and every state government must review the culture of gunmen accompanying the VIPs. It is often seen that the security personnel provided to a VIP is misused. However, the government ought to review it in the public interest. I am sure it will help the state government save a lot of money while people too would be saved from the inconvenience that they are subjected to. It will also help in bridging the gap between the politicians and general public. In longer run, it will go in favour of politicians too.

Prof BS Ghuman

The provision of security cover to VIPs should be limited. An official should not be allowed more than two security officers. The provision should be need based.

Gagan Aggarwal, advocate

The culture of VIP security is non-existent in countries like Germany or France. I have seen even VVIPs having very bare minimum security and instead, public convenience is accorded priority there. Only emergency service vehicles are allowed to use red beacons in these countries. But in India, the gunmen culture has become fashion and a style statement for politicians. The AAP’s decision to shed it is a welcome step. Other states must emulate it.

Surinder Singh Maken, Director, German Goethe Centre, Chandigarh

The VIP culture should be laid to rest across the country just the way the AAP Government did in Delhi. If a VIP has to have security, it should not be automatically extended to his family. Teenagers and youth in particular abuse the extended power. VIPs are hardly concerned about the welfare of their security staff. Drivers are on call for more than eight hours a day and not even a cup of tea or food is offered to them.

Gurjusjit Singh, Member, AAP

The AAP strongly condemns the VIP culture, especially using official machinery for personal works. We need to bring in transparency and accountability towards the communities we live in. It is high time VIPs, including politicians, started thinking about public welfare.

Kamal Kishore, Member, AAP

Back

 

Under-selling of liquor: Excise Dept acts tough
Seals three vends in Dhanas, Sector 42 for two days
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 4
As a part of its changed strategy to deal with the complaints of under-selling of liquor, the UT Excise Department today sealed three vends in Sector 42 and Dhanas. This morning, teams of the department sealed the vends for two days. The liquor vends will now open on Monday.

The orders for closure of vends were passed by Deputy Excise and Taxation Commissioner (DETC) Tanvi Garg on Friday to ensure that the vendors could not get relief from any court or any appellate authority.

In the last few days, the department has suspended the licence of seven vends for two days. Earlier, when the department had suspended the licence of a contractor for one month, the latter had gone to court and got a stay.

After realising that contractors were taking advantage of closure orders passed on weekdays, the DETC has fixed Friday as the day for passing orders in such cases.

Last year, the Deputy Commissioner-cum-Commissioner Excise and Taxation, Mohammed Shayin, in a meeting, had decided that shops found selling liquor below the minimum retail price would face strict action like challaning and closure of the shops. Since then the department has been telling the vendors not to sell liquor below the MRP.

A veteran in liquor trade, Satpal, said the step to check under-selling of liquor was a positive sign for the stakeholders.

In their desperate bid to finish their stock, the contractors were found selling the nips and pints of Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) and country liquor at 50 per cent below the minimum retail price in the labour colonies and rehabilitation clusters of the city.

Back

 

CHB fined for not paying interest on earnest money

Chandigarh, January 4
The Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) has been penalised for failing to provide interest on the earnest money deposited by two complainants. The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed the CHB to pay interest to each of the complainants on the amount of Rs 1,75,000 at the rate applicable to deposits in a savings bank account for the period December 4, 2010, to January 30, 2013 (the date of receipt of refund by the complainants). Besides, the board has also been told to pay Rs 7,000 as litigation costs.

Rajinder Parshad Joshi, one of the two complainants, had applied for a three-bedroom flat under the CHB’s Self-financing Housing Scheme in 2008. He deposited the earnest money of Rs 1,75,000 for the purpose. But he remained unsuccessful during the draw of lots. As per the terms and conditions of the scheme, the refund of the earnest money was to be made by the opposite party within 30 days of the draw of lots without any interest. A delay beyond 30 days attracted interest. However, the CHB failed to provide interest.

“In the instant case, we find that the officials of the opposite party (CHB) acted in an arbitrary and capricious manner thereby causing mental agony to the consumer. Therefore, compensation in the form of interest can be awarded to him due to rendering of deficient services,” the forum ruled.

Similarly, the complaint of Dalbir Singh was disposed of with same directions to the CHB. — TNS

Back

 

Feedback
Tackle traffic jams

Driving has become a difficult task owing to the increasing number of vehicles in Chandigarh. There are frequent traffic jams at almost all the traffic light points and roundabouts. Due to this, people end up wasting a lot of precious time and fuel besides adding to the level of pollution. Although slip roads have been built for turning left, they are too close to traffic lights and rotaries. Resultantly, the way to the slip road is generally blocked by traffic heading straight. Slip roads should be reconstructed in such a way that motorists do not find difficulty in turning left, irrespective of the traffic on road. For smooth movement of traffic, construction of flyovers and elevated roads on busy crossroads and rotaries is the need of the hour. This will also reduce the number of accidents and save a number of lives.

VK Kapur, Panchkula

Women need security

It is yet another day and will pass off like any other day. Another woman leapfrogs the oft-talked about hurdle to save her honour, as also an attempt on her life. A woman constable this time. So what? Women in this country, who are touted to be the incarnation of Goddess Durga, are born to suffer and face all kinds of atrocities perpetrated by the high and mighty, who walk free even after commission of heinous crimes. A woman falling prey to the amorous overtures of the spoilt brats makes headlines today in leading newspapers of the country. Tomorrow, some other hapless woman will be a victim. One wonders as to what the law-enforcement agencies were doing when the miscreants attacked the constable. Was the inordinate delay by the beat staff questioned and the errant policemen punished for dereliction of duty? If the desperadoes had the temerity to target a woman constable, caring two hoots for the shaky law and order machinery, what will be the fate of the common woman? Those at the helm of affairs must take an urgent call on the most sensitive issue involving women’s safety and security. A complete revamp of the law-enforcing machinery is required.

Ramesh K Dhiman, Chandigarh

Back

 

Rape by policemen
UT mulls adequate relief for victim’s kin
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 4
Adviser to the UT Administrator KK Sharma, in a communication to an RTI activist, has stated that the Chandigarh Administration is actively considering to award adequate compensation to the family of the gang-rape victim who was allegedly raped by five local policemen.

The Adviser told the activist, advocate HC Arora, that he would see to it that the amount of compensation envisaged under the Victim Compensation Scheme of the UT was awarded to the victim’s family at the earliest.

HC Arora had suggested to the Adviser to release an adequate amount of compensation to the victim’s family, as the amount envisaged under the Victim Compensation Scheme, which is between Rs 2 lakh and Rs 3 lakh, was too inadequate.

Back

 

MC enforcement wing fines car dealer
Had put vehicles on public display at Sector 49 without permission
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 4
The enforcement wing of the Municipal Corporation (MC) fined a car dealer for putting cars on public display without permission outside a Sector 49 park here today. Two cars were displayed in the parking lot of the Dinosaur Park. AK Dadwal, MC officer on special duty, noticed the encroachment and informed the enforcement wing. Both the vehicles were impounded by the officials.

The MC also slapped a fine of Rs 7,000 on the violator for displaying the cars. An additional fine of Rs 1,000 was imposed for displaying a hoarding at the spot without permission.

The vehicles that were supposed to be taken to the MC store in the Industrial Area were brought to the Sector 17 office of the civic body. These were reportedly released on the payment of the fine after the intervention of some senior officials.

Back

 

Strike by PUDA staff hits property business
Tribune News Service

Mohali, January 4The ongoing pen-down strike by the Punjab Urban Development Authority/Greater Mohali Area Development Authority employees causes losses to the property business scenario here. With the ongoing strike, all transactions related to property matters have come to a halt for the past one month, which resulted in big losses to the local real estate agents, apart from bothering the public.

Talking to Chandigarh Tribune, Shailendra Anand, chairperson of Mohali Property Consultants Association, said due to the strike by the employees of PUDA/GMADA, no property transaction documents, including no objection certificate (NOC) and conveyance deed, were being prepared.

"Our business too has come to a halt virtually. In case some client comes to us to sell their property, we are unable to check his/her related documents/file in the office due to the stir. Besides, those people who come from far-fetched areas for their work in the office are also facing hurdles," said Anand while demanding that the authorities should do something to end the protest.

Back

EDUCATION
 

Students gherao administrative block
Demand right to speak during Panjab University Syndicate meetings
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 4
High drama prevailed when representatives of the Panjab University Campus Student Council (PUCSC) and NSUI party gheraoed the administrative block of Panjab University before the commencement of the Syndicate meeting today.

Around 50 students, led by PUCSC president Chandan Rana and NSUI president Manoj Lubana, protested outside the administrative block regarding the right to speak in the Senate.

The students tried to enter the administrative block to protest in front of the Syndicate Committee room. PU security staff, along with the police, had a tough time controlling the students. The Syndicate members also faced problems in entering the building, which was cordoned off by the protesting students.

To clear the way for the Syndicate members, the PU security staff had to push back the students. Later, the students sat on the road and protested against the authorities for not considering their long-pending demands.

Manoj Lubana said if nothing was done in this regard in the next 10 days, the protest would be intensified. They would start a mass signature campaign and disrupt classroom teachings, if required.

The students alleged that it had been a long-pending demand that no one from the student community had been a part of the decision-making body, including the Senate and the Syndicate. On the lines of the presidents of the Panjab University Teachers Association and the Panjab University Staff Association, PUCSC president should also be an ex-officio member of the Senate. The protesting students raised slogans and demanded to meet the Vice-Chancellor.

The VC also entered from the rear gate of the administrative block to attend the meeting.

Later, the Dean, College Development Council, Professor Naval Kishore, gave an assurance that in the next Senate the first agenda to be discussed would be regarding the representation of students in the Senate.

Back

 

PU to offer DUI post to Patiala law varsity VC
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 4
Panjab University is going to offer the post of Dean University Instructions (DUI) to Professor PS Jaswal, Vice-Chancellor, Rajiv Gandhi National Law University, Patiala, as the post got vacated on November 30, 2013. This was decided in the Syndicate meeting today.

After November 30, the additional charge of the DUI has been given to Professor AK Bhandari.

It has been decided in the meeting that Professor PS Jaswal will be asked to join as the Dean University Instructions before February 10, failing which Professor AK Bhandari would be offered the post of the DUI, PU.

As the Syndicate meeting was adjourned without discussing all issues, Vice-Chancellor AK Grover, who presided, has called another meeting on January 16 to take up all pending issues of the agenda.

The Syndicate unanimously authorised the VC to appoint the revising committee, regulations committee, youth welfare committee, publication bureau committee and standing committee to deal with the cases of the alleged misconduct and use of unfair means in connection with the examinations.

The PU VC was also authorised to form the members of joint consultative machinery for 2014. Besides, the VC will also appoint two members of the Syndicate on board of finance for the term February 1, 2014 to January 31, 2015. The syndicate also confirmed 11 faculty members.

On the issue of appointment of assistant professor (Public Administration) in the Department of Public Administration and the University School of Open Learning (USOL), the PU Syndicate authorised the VC to constitute the committee from among the Syndicate members to go through the templates and marks awarded to each of the candidate. The committee thus constituted would be authorised to take appropriate decisions on behalf of the Syndicate.

Important issues that were not tabled

  • Amended guidelines for PhD
  • Adoption of the Rashtriya Uchatar Shiksha Abhiyan
  • Refund of fee to the students for ongoing classes
  • Hike in rent of the guest house
  • Declaration of provisional result of the Shri Dhanwantry Ayurvedic College and Hospital, Sector 46
  • Determining the qualification for the post of the registrar

Back

 

Syndicate approves appointment of PU Vice-Chancellor’s wife
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 4
After strong resentment by the opposition group, which abstained from participating in the issue of the appointment of Panjab University Vice-Chancellor's wife Professor Neera Grover in the Department of Music, a majority of the Syndics approved the issue in the meeting held here today. The Syndicate decided that Neera Grover be given appointment as Professor in the Department of Music from the date of her joining till July 31, 2015.

On the issue of reconsideration of offering appointment to assistant professor in the Department of Public Administration and the University School of Open Learning (USOL), which was ninth on the agenda tabled in the meeting, the members demanded that all appointment issues be taken up collectively and resolved.

Out of the 15 members, seven Syndics opposed this proposal mooted by Vice-Chancellor AK Grover who chaired the meeting. The Syndics referring to the PU calendar said after the ninth agenda, 56 issues could not be discussed in the meeting. Ignoring the resentment of the Syndics, the members initiated the discussion, which carried on for more than two hours.

The Vice-Chancellor before leaving the meeting during his wife's case asked the Syndicate member GK Chatrath to chair the meeting. The members objected that the Vice-Chancellor cannot authorise any person to chair the meeting in his absence. The Syndics only have to select it.

The members pointed out that there was no clause in the PU calendar, which allowed the couple to stay together on the same station. The Syndics objected that as per the PU calendar Regulation 5 (b), which is mentioned in the agenda, the provision is meant only for emergency appointments. The regulation cannot be extrapolated to ludicrous limits to provide a job to the Vice-Chancellor’s wife.

Contrary to which, GK Chatrath, who was chairing the meeting during the discussion on the Vice-Chancellor’s wife case, said the legal notice did not have any meaning as there was no contempt of court in this case.

He said on the basis of service rules of the Union Government the couples had the right to stay at the same station. The spouse could be appointed on a contractual basis if the vacancy was available and did not effect on the promotion of any employee.

Back

 

Meeting between teachers, DPI fails to break deadlock

Chandigarh, January 4
The meeting between computer teachers and DPI (S) Kamlesh Kumar remained futile here today. In the meeting, the DPI told the teachers that he had proposed salary hike up to 25 per cent for computer teachers, besides winter and summer vacation salary would also be paid to them.

But the computer teachers rejected the proposal and said they would continue their protest till the time the administration did not agree to their demand of regularisation.

The computer teachers said yesterday’s statement of the department was misleading.

“Though we are being employed by the semi-government society, SPIC, we are entitled for regularisation. The Punjab Government recently regularised the services of computer teachers, who were initially hired under the PICTS, a semi-government organisation having similar constitution as the SPIC,” said Poonam Taprial, president of the Chandigarh Computer Teachers Union.

She said the meeting with the DPI was in vain as their main issues still remained unanswered.

“We are being offered just 25 per cent hike, which is not at all enough,” she said.

According to her, the Education Department is saying that “we are its employees, but the SPIC is very much part of the Chandigarh Administration with KK Sharma, Adviser to Administrator, as its chairman.

“When it comes to our rights, the department denies to accept us as its employees. On contrary, the department is alleging us of breaking the service rules by staging the protest. Our agitation will continue till our demand of regularisation is not met,” she said.

DPI (S) Kamlesh Kumar told the teachers to call off their protest and asked them to propose their five-member delegation for taking their issues to the logical conclusion.

Meanwhile, the protest by the teachers entered the 12th day today at the Masjid Ground in Sector 20. — TNS

Back

 

Prez's interactive session
Team supervises arrangements
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 4
To avoid any technical fault during the President of India's interactive session at Panjab University, a team of experts supervised the arrangements at the virtual classroom, computer centre, PU.

On January 7, President Parnab Mukherjee is going to address the students and faculty members of all Central universities, IITs and NITs through videoconferencing.

The interactive session will be held on the campus at the virtual classroom, which has the capacity of 40 seats. The video message will be telecast live from the videoconferencing studio of the Rashtrapati Bhawan. PU computer centre director K Tankeshwar said this interaction would be organised under the National Knowledge Network Programme.

Back

 


HOME PAGE | Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Opinions |
| Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi |
| Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail |