Bathinda, February 23
The Punjab government’s unique way of bringing down the cases of sexual harassment in schools by transferring all the male teachers from all girls schools and women teachers from all boys schools hasn’t been liked by the teachers, especially by the men teachers. Receiving the orders with widespread criticism, the teachers who have been handed out transfer orders are planning to make themselves heard.

“Although both men and women teachers are being shunted from one school to another, the order stigmatises only the men teachers since the government has taken the decision in the name of controlling instances of sexual harassment of girl students at the hands of men teachers,” said Neeraj Kumar, a teacher from Muktsar, who has also been transferred out of an all girls schools.

He also pointed out that the government had till now passed orders of transfers of 411 male teachers. It would entail transfers of 411 women teachers as well. “Ironically, those schools that are co-educational and have both men and women teachers have not been brought under the ambit of this order. Out of a total 6,500 schools in the state, teachers of very few schools have been transferred,” he added.

Teachers from Muktsar, Bathinda, Mansa, Barnala, Kotkapura, Jaito, Faridkot, Jalalabad and surrounding areas convened a meeting today in Bathinda during which they decided to meet Bathinda Member of Parliament Harsimrat Kaur Badal during her Sangat Darshan programme in Mansa on Monday and will request her to make the education department roll the order back. “If we don’t get a favourable response from the MP, we will be left with no option but to take to the warpath,” said Harjinder Singh Dhillon, under whose leadership the meeting was held.

Dhillon also pointed out that at a function in Mohali in January, Punjab Education Minister Sikander Singh Maluka had announced that no more orders of transfers will be given out.

“We demand that the government should also revoke the orders given earlier. A group of principals had also met the Chief Minister telling him that the absence of men teachers in schools would make several administrative jobs, such as overseeing renovation or construction work in schools, difficult for the women teachers to handle,” Dhillon said.

During the discussions, the teachers also accused the government of being least concerned about the standard of education government schools of the state as it was transferring teachers to and from the schools a month before the final examinations. 

Bathinda, February 23
The three-day international conference oganised at the Baba Farid College of Mangement and Technology (BFCMT) on the topic “Issues and Perspectives in Brand Management” concluded here on Saturday.

The conference was designed to explore various contrasting issues in the arena of branding. The highly distinguished roster of speakers and the guest of honour for two days of the international conference constituted Abraham Paul, marketing head South Asia for IES UK limited, Dr Prem Kumar, director projects at BML Munjal University, Gurgaon, and Dr Harpreet Singh, director campus, CT Group of Institution, Maksudan campus, Jalandhar.

They contended and exchanged their views on sundry issues related to branding in a multifarious way. During the valediction ceremony, Vipul Ujjwal, Commissioner of the MCB was present as the chief guest while the keynote speakers included Ravi Pokharna, Director Engineering Watch and Raghav Mittal, editor, of the magazine. — TNS

Bathinda, February 23
What numerous demonstrations and agitations by the teachers across the state could not do, the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi’s presence in the state managed it. To ensure that the teachers did not go ahead with their plans to protest at Modi’s rally in Jagraon on Sunday, the state government promised all the teachers panel meetings to discuss their problems and managed to keep them from protesting in Jagraon. Earlier, last week, several teachers’ unions had announced their displeasure with the state government and had announced that they would protest against the government at the Jagraon rally.

Members of the Unaided Staff of Aided Schools Front, Punjab, had announced that they would stage a protest at the Jagraon rally protesting against the step-motherly treatment meted out to them and the students of aided-schools. They demanded that the government should open the recruitment of teachers for theses schools.

“Just when we announced that we would protest at Modi’s rally in jagraon, the Chief Minister announced that the government would soon resume the recruitment process for these schools very soon and release a notification stating the same. We also want that the contractual staff should be regularised before new teachers are recruited. Also, the government should extend to the students of aided-schools all the benefits which are given to the students of government schools of the state,” said Jagnam Singh, district president of the union.

The teachers cancelled their protest plan in Jagraon and sat on a dharna on the canal bridge on the GT Road in Bathinda on Sunday afternoon. A deputation of the teachers was taken to meet SSP Gurpreet Singh Bhullar during which they were told that their ae scheduled to meet the Chief Minister in Chandigarh on February 25.

Members of the Sikhya Providers Union, Punjab, who faced lathicharge and water canons during their state-level rally in Bathinda early this month, had also announced to protest at Jagraon in Sunday. “The government asked us not to stage a protest at Jagraon and assured us that our demands will be discussed during a panel meeting in Chandigarh this week,” said Gursewak Singh, district president of the union.

Similar plan by the Adarsh Schools Teaching & Non-Teaching Staff Association, Punjab, was also nipped in the bud by the state government. “Through the Sikhya Providers we were given the message that a panel meeting will be fixed for us as well. We were asked not to protest at Modi’s rally in Jagraon. Although we did not get anything in writing, we cancelled our plan,” said Deepak Grover, state head of the association. 

Bathinda, February 23
With the Lok Sabha elections to be announced soon, city’s government educational institutes are wary of their staff and infrastructure being plucked out for election duties making students’ studies suffers.

Instead of hiring completely different cadre for election work and developing its consolidated infrastructure, the election work is being carried out by burdening the government employees with election work and taking computers form different institutes.

The District Election Office has taken around nine computers from the Government Polytechnic College for election work. Sources in the college said all the computers were with the election office since 2012 Vidhan Sabha elections. “Since the head of institute is not taken into loop before assigning government duties, we are caught in odd situations of having our entire staff dedicated to one work. Recently, three of our teachers from same department, including the head of department, were deputed on Atta-Dal Scheme duty. Not only the studies suffer, but the same work could have been assigned to non-teaching staff member so that at least students do not suffer,” said one of the lecturers at the college.

Similarly, two years ago, the Punjab Technical University Giani Zail Singh campus had written to the District Election Officer requesting that 14 of its staff members appointed at election office be “returned” so that the work of the college does not suffer.

“We have found an amicable solution to this problem. We have requested the district election officer to give work in such a way that our work dos not suffer. The concerned employee can work after the college hours. But we will not relieve our employees for election work,” he said.

The election office has assigned duties to staff in Government Rajindra College as well. The staff assigned duties in college are already being paid from the fees collected and are not the regular ones. “We cannot refuse the election office despite the fact that we keep students’ future at stake,” confided a senior college functionary. Not only are the staff members of these institutes stationed for the duty but their buildings are also used as polling stations, counting centers and places for the armed forces to stay during the elections.

Heads of the government institutes suggested that the Election Commission should create an infrastructure of its own and employ unemployed educated youth for carrying out the election works. “Election is no more a one-day task. Throughout the year, the work goes on revising voters’ list and other things. Especially, recruiting people would mean creating a specially dedicated and expert cadre,” said an official.

Meanwhile, the District Election Officer-cum-Deputy Commissioner Kamal Kishore Yadav said financial implications may be a hurdle for the Election Commission behind setting up separate election wing. 

Bathinda, February 23
Amidst problems like lack of coordination and inadequate manpower, the Bathinda police claim to have brought down traffic chaos in the city to a great extent.

Bathinda, February 23
Manpreet Kaur, a student of Government Rajindra College who received brain injuries after construction material fell on her head at the college, today underwent surgery at Max Superspeciality Hospital.

The surgery took more than three and a half hours. Manpreet's parents and relatives were also present at the hospital.

Dr Manoj Manjhi, a neuro-surgeon at the hospital, said Manpreet suffered multiple skull fractures that resulted in fractured bones piercing into her brain. "We had to remove the pieces of bones from her skull, which was badly damaged," he said

He added that while Manpreet regained consciousness in the evening, she would recover further over the next three days. Since her skull bone was fractured and reduced into fragments, doctors could not reconstruct it.

"After six-seven months, she will again have to undergo surgery in which an artificial skull bone would be implanted in her brain," said Dr Manjhi.

A day ealier, the principal of the college, Vijay Kumar Goyal, had said that the college had put up a notice asking the students to stay away from the areas where construction was going on. 

Bathinda, February 23
Apeejay College of Fine Arts, Jalandhar, represented Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, in the National Inter University Youth Festival held at Kurukshetra University. The festival was held from February 17 to 22 and bagged the overall championship trophy.

The students of Apeejay College of Fine Arts bagged positions in all the nine disciplines in which they participated. The overall Music Trophy was bagged by the Apeejay students by winning in all the five disciplines in which they took part.

The remarkable victory has been attained for the ninth time by Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, after competing with 77 universities at the national level.

Dr Ajaib Singh Brar, Vice-Chancellor, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Dr Jagjit Kaur, Director, Youth Welfare Department, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar and Dr Sucharita, Principal, Apeejay College of Fine Arts, Jalandhar, while congratulating the winners, remarked "The triumph is a huge honour not just for Guru Nanak Dev University but also for the whole of Punjab which boasts of the best talent in the country."

Kamna Raj Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Apeejay Education Society, while speaking on the occasion, said Apeejay College of Fine Arts prides itself in teaching art in all its forms, depth and colours. "This is truly a moment of triumph for all of us, the college, university and Punjab," she said.

Dr Sucharita also acknowledged the contribution of Dr Arun Mishra, Director, Cultural Affairs, and Dr Amita Mishra, team manager from the Apeejay College of Fine Arts, Jalandhar, in this victory. It was for the first time that the folk dance item presented by the students of the college won the second position in the National Inter University Youth Festival. 

Bathinda, February 23
The 15th annual zonal cultural programme of the State Bank of Patiala (SBoP), Bathinda Zone, was held here.

Secretary Narinder Bansal and DK Dhawan, vice-president, zonal cultural committee, Bathinda, informed that the function was inaugurated by the deputy general manager and president, State Bank of Patiala zonal cultural committee.

The programme started with a choreography performed by the children followed by fusion dance, skit and bhangra performed by the children of bank employees. Items like qawwali, choreography (Khedan De Din Char) and giddha were performed.

The attraction of the evening was a Sufi performance by the singers, Noora sisters, who enthralled the gathering with their splendid performance.

Bathinda, February 23
Murders of a retired Food and Civil Supply Officer and his mother were cracked today with the arrest of a carpenter. The victims, Rupinder Singh and his mother Narinderpal Kaur, residents of Guru Gobind Singh Nagar, were reported missing in first week of February. Their bodies were recovered from the Sirhind Canal.

The retired officer, after divorcing with wife was residing in the house with his elderly mother. The officer had no children and was in search of a suitable match to heir for his ample property. His brother-in-law, advocate Gurtej Sidhu, complained about abduction and murder of the mother-son duo and a case was registered at the Civil Lines Police Station.

SSP Gurpreet Bhullar said the arrested carpenter, Surjeet Singh Sampi, a father of two children, had his shop just opposite to the residence of the retired officer and he along with another carpenter were quite in touch with the victim. Sampi along with his colleague Gurmeet Singh of Bambiha village (also a carpenter) planned with Jagjeet Singh of Parasram Nagar to kill mother and son to obtain jewellery and cash from their house.

Exploiting the retired officer’s desire of re-marriage, Gurmeet Singh, who is still absconding, had offered to find a suitable match for victim. Gurmeet had also done work of carpentry in victims’ house sometime ago and he was well aware of the family and their property and income.

“They consumed liquor together at victim’s residence and greed overpowered the carpenter after he came to know of Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 2 lakh monthly income from rented shops and pension by the officer,” Bhullar said.

The trio strangulated the mother and son and put their bodies in the victim’s Tata Indica car and threw it in canal adjoining Bibiwala village. In a bid to make the case more complicated, they drove the car all the way up to Amritsar and parked it near a market in Amritsar city.

Team of SP Swaran Singh Khanna, DSP city-II Palwinder Cheema under the supervision of SSP zeroed in on the carpenters who were suspected of behind the double murders.

The arrested accused admitted to have strangulated and disposed off the bodies along with two others and searching the house and took away whatever they lay their hands upon.

The police said that since the two others are yet to be arrested the amount and quantity of stolen material is yet not ascertained.

A Rado watch of victim and a purse, taken by the accused, have been recovered from the possession of the accused. Efforts are on to nab the other two behind the murders, the SSP said.