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| Sunday,
October 7, 2001, Chandigarh, India
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CAMPUS ROUND-UP Chandigarh Dwelling on different aspects of the examination system, Prof Pathak said that steps were being taken to ensure that even the results of the post-graduate classes were prepared on the computer. For the professional courses, the system of spot evaluation had been introduced and the results were declared within four weeks. Earlier, the evaluation of engineering examination took more than 12 weeks. The results used to be declared in November or December. The university will be able to declare re-evaluation results before the supplementary examination. Nearly 25000 students appear in the supplementary examination. The university plans to declare the results before November 22 which is the last date for applying for the next annual examination without late fee. The university has constituted a committee to examine the system of evaluation of answer books at the masters level and to suggest improvements to make the system more efficient and effective. A committee has also been constituted to suggest ways and means to check the use of unfair means in examinations. To obviate tampering of answer books, another committee has been constituted and it has been suggested that in addition to recording on the title page, the marks will also be shown inside the answer book at the time of re-evaluation. * * * According to the data collected by the Centre for Industry Institute Partnership Programme, 143 research projects were taken up between January 1996 and March 31, 2000, and grants worth about Rs 6.5 crore were received. The number of research projects in operation since April 1, 2000, has gone up to 69 and grants received amount to Rs 10 crore. * * * The Senate expressed grief over the sudden demise of Mr Madhavrao Scindia in an air crash. The House observed a minute’s silence in his memory. The Vice-Chancellor expressed ‘profound sorrow’ at the demise of Dr Jagan Nath Kaushal, a former Union Minister of Law, Justice and Company Affairs. He was also a former Fellow of the Senate. Prof Pathak said as an “expression of our concern for humanity as a whole, we condole the death of more than 5000 innocent people who lost their lives in the bombings in New York and Washington”. * * * The annual convocation of the university has been fixed for December 28. Lt Gen J.F.R. Jacob, Governor of Punjab, will preside over the convocation, and Mr N.R. Narayan Murthy, chairman of the Infosys Technologies, will deliver the address. |
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IN FOCUS SAS Nagar This school has 160 students on its rolls but has only three rooms for five classes. One of the rooms is also used as a storeroom. The teachers are forced to hold classes either in the open or in the verandah, the floor of which is in bad shape. During the winter, classes are held in the sun as the rooms as uncomfortably cold with some of the windowpanes missing. When the rains come, the children, most of whom come from jhuggi colonies, have to be huddled together as the roof leaks and the spray comes in through the broken windows. The walls have developed cracks and the floor needs to be repaired. The building has not been repaired as the authorities concerned think that there is no use wasting money on an unsafe structure, say the teachers. The only solution, they say, is to have a new building. The Education Department is reported to be reluctant to construct a new building and PUDA may have to be persuaded to take up the task. The school lacks a proper playground. The ground is uneven and trees make it unsuitable for any sports activity. There is wild growth around the school. Students of five schools come here for the class V examination conducted by the Education Board. They have to sit on the ground on mats. The teachers were, however, unwilling to talk about their problems and said that they had been “directed by the higher authorities” not to speak to the press. They said that the Block Education Officer (BEO), Ms Rajinder Kaur, had been apprised of the situation. However, the BEO maintained that she was not aware of the problems as she had been posted here only about a month ago. The Education Department periodically seeks information from schools regarding the facilities available there. As far as this school is concerned, no action seems to have been taken to improve the situation. Ms Surinder Kaur, senior vice-president of the Government Teachers’ Union, Punjab, said that the state government was not really interested in improving conditions in schools. Adequate funds were not provided for this important sector. Students in many schools in the state still sat on the floor and teachers did not have the necessary furniture, she added. |
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STATE OF HOSTELS Chandigarh Life in the hostel is easy since there is not much interference regarding the schedules and timings that the residents keep. Most of them are adults who can take care of themselves. The hostel for them is a place that provides them with a place to stay, food and some basic amenities. The residents are satisfied with the food and say that the contractor sometimes even runs into losses, trying to give them good food. The rooms are small but no one really minds. They are too busy to notice how cramped the rooms are. The residents are allowed to go out any time of the day since many of them have to do late night duty. Guests are allowed to visit the girls in their rooms till 10 p.m. but they have to record their particulars in a register before going in. There are women to keep watch outside the hostel and the caretaker keeps a tab on the phone calls etc. Telephone is not a problem since most of the doctors have extensions in their rooms so that they can be called in an emergency. Many of them have made life a little more comfortable for themselves. TVs, refrigerators and coolers are found in most of the rooms. Some even have cooking arrangements but cooking is not very common, first because the food in the mess is good and secondly because they do not have the time. “When we are not in the hospital we are either in the library or in our rooms studying” they say. Cleanliness of the bathrooms is the only problem the residents have. “We had a sweeper who used to keep the three bathroom units on the three floors clean. But now we have a new sweeper who is not so meticulous. As a result the bathrooms stink and at times are not useable” say the residents. There are three floors in the hostel which is basically a block in the larger Nivedita Hostel. There are about 50 girls in the hostel and each has her own separate room. There are six dormitories each with three or four girls. The building is old with damp walls and seeping roofs. The lawns are poorly maintained. The dining room is a dark, dingy place and so is the common room which the residents say they rarely visit. “TV watchers generally have TV sets in their rooms so there is hardly any need to go to the common room.” There are no indoor games. “But there is a gymnasium which has an exercise cycle and that is all.” There is a single water cooler in the hostel on the third floor and those on the first and second floors have to go up to the third floor for cold water. The three bathroom units have a geyser each. The residents also have a parking lot for their vehicles. |
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Conference on disaster management held Chandigarh, October 6 This was pointed out by Mr Anil Sinha, Head of the National Centre of Disaster Management, while addressing the annual conference on ‘Disaster Management: Lessons Drawn and Strategies For Future’ organised by the Indian Institute of Public Administration at Panjab University here today. Mr Sinha said as much as 40 million hectares of land in the country had been identified as flood prone and an average of 18.6 million hectares was flooded each year. Mr B.S. Ojha said administration of relief was equally important. Dissemination of information and medical help were central to management of any disaster, he added. Mr H.C. Modi stressed upon preventive measures. Brig M.C. Kataria said more important than planning was the need for a ‘Natural Disaster Management Force’. This would enable an advanced preparation for a sudden unpleasant occurence and provide a standing force in case of an emergency, he said. Dr Vijay Rattan spoke on need for strict monitoring of disasters. Mr A.K. Sheetal said apart from natural disasters, there was also need for groundwork on preparations for handling manmade disasters like pollution and bombings. Dr Satnam Singh stressed on the need for administrative research on various aspects of disaster management. He added that NGOs and peasants could contribute a lot in this direction. Others who spoke included Dr V.S. Mahajan, Dr Bal Krishan and Dr R.S. Sharma. Mr D.V. Bhatia from the Indian Institute of Public Administration said manmade disasters were equally devastating in the current global set-up. Extension education and NGOs had a lot to contribute in this direction, he added. |
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Principal Jeewan honoured Chandigarh, October 6 Speakers highlighted the role of Principal Jeewan, particularly in the field of gearing up students to face competitive examinations in medical and non-medial fields through mock tests and college tutorials. His effort towards increasing classroom attendance was also highlighted. Mr K.A.P. Sinha, DPI (Colleges), eulogised the pleasing personality. He said, “You are saying bye to us, but I am not saying farewell to you. Principal Jeewan still has plenty of stored experience and vision on education to be shared”. Mr B.S. Behl presented an award to Principal Jeewan for his contributions. Justice P.C.Pandit presented a shield. Justice A.L.Bahri also spoke on the contribution of Principal Jeewan. Justice D.V. Sehgal reflected on the work-friendly nature of the principal and made reference to his affable personality. Principal P.S. Sangha, president of the Federation of Principals, said if a boulder of DAV foundation was removed, one would discover the fragrance left behind by Principal Jeewan. Principal R. Talwar of DAV School, Sector 8, said quarter of a century as a principal alone was a testimony of the personality’s calibre. Principal Usha Gupta from the host college also spoke. Thanking the organisers, Principal Jeewan made a graceful presentation before his final adieu. Also present on the occasion were a number of fellows of the Panjab University Senate and principals of local colleges. |
Criminal justice system deterrent Chandigarh, October 6 Inaugurating the third Punjab State Conference of Indian Association of Lawyers at Government Museum and Art Gallery in Sector 10, Mr Justice Sethi further revealed that one penal offence was committed every 20 seconds. He added that a property crime took place every minute, while violent crime was committed every two minutes. This is not all. Mr Justice Sethi added that a burglary took place every four minutes, riot every five minutes, robbery every 14 minutes, murder every 15 minutes, rape every 52 minutes, molestation every 26 minutes, dowry death every hour and 42 minutes, kidnapping and abduction every 43 minutes and eve-teasing every 51 minutes. The Judge further added that the statistics might not be true as many offences went unreported. In some cases, the reports were not even recorded. Giving reasons, Mr Justice Sethi asserted that criminal law had ceased to have a deterrent effect on the criminals. This was due to long delays in the disposal of the cases coupled with the declining rate of conviction, “which had fallen to mere 6.4 per cent of all the cases in which the accused were arrested on criminal charges”. Going into the details, Mr Justice Sethi asserted that “the rate of acquittal in criminal cases indicated that the system was not as effective as it ought to have been”. A study had revealed that while the population of the country had increased by 127.6 per cent between 1951 and 1990, the total reported crime under the Indian Penal Code has gone up by 146.9 per cent. Suggesting the need for having a new criminal justice system, Mr Justice Sethi said, “The system of law which cannot cope with the need of the society cannot be cured only by making amendments here and there. It needs overall changes. Various studies have revealed that the laws relating to crime are disadvantageous to the poor and the exploited. The system is cumbersome, expensive and cumulatively disastrous, preventing the poor from reaching the courts for the
redressal of their grievances”. Regarding pendency of cases, Mr Justice Sethi claimed, “Huge pendency in the district and the subordinate courts of the country is shocking and alarming. According to available information, there were 68,56,533 civil cases and 1,32,50,329 criminal cases pending in these courts as on July 16, 1999”. Mr Justice Sethi also gave state-wise break up of the cases. As per the list, Chandigarh with a total of 47750 pending cases was at number 27. Mr Justice Sethi described the civil laws relating to property and commerce as “costly, involving a lengthy procedure, resulting in delays, which were frustrating the hope of the common man to get justice during his lifetime”. He asserted, “The institution of panchayats, local bodies, non-government organisations and lok adalats have not achieved the intended results”. |
DISTRICT COURTS Chandigarh, October 6 He appeared before the UT Judicial Magistrate (First Class), Mr Justice Pushvinder Singh, this afternoon. The case has been now transferred to the UT District Sessions Judge, as the city police had added a new section under the Essential Commodities Act in his case while filing a challan before the court. Meanwhile, Gurmeet Kaur, another accused in the case, had also moved an anticipatory bail petition in the court. The case against the accused, Yog Raj and others was registered on June 30 under Sections 420, 286 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code. The police, while submitting the challan before the court, added another Section (Section 7 of the Essential Commodities Act) in the case. It was alleged that the samples taken from the petrol pump were found to be adulterated. It was also alleged that the accused had also removed petrol from his pump to a farm.
Plea dismissed
The UT Additional and Sessions Judge, Mr Lakhbir Singh, dismissed an appeal filed by Mr Rajinder Parshad, against an order passed by the UT Judicial Magistrate (First Class), Ms Gurvinder Kaur, under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act. The Judge held the order passed by the Magistrate and sentenced the accused to one-year rigorous imprisonment. Earlier, the UT Judicial Magistrate (First Class), Ms Gurvinder Kaur, had sentenced the accused, Rajinder Parshad, to one-year’s rigorous imprisonment. The complainant, Anil Corporation through its proprietor, Mr Anil Sharma, and others had filed complaint against the Chandigarh Sales through its proprietor, Rajinder Parshad Ranna, and others under Section 138 of the
Negotiable Instruments Act. The complainant alleged in the complaint that the accused had purchased pig iron and cast scraps on different dates on credit from the complainants. The complainants were maintaining the accounts regarding the purchase made by the accused and the payments made by him. A running account of the accused was maintained in the account books. On March 31, 1997, a sum of Rs 3, 81, 778 was payable by the accused. The complainant requested them to make the payment. Interest accrued on this amount from April 1, 1997 onwards. Ultimately, the accused had given a cheque to the complainant on October 28, 1997. It was alleged that the cheque was dishonoured when it was presented in the bank and was sent back with the remark “ not arranged for”.
Bail plea rejected
A local court today dismissed an anticipatory bail application filed by an employee of the State Transport Authority, in an alleged fake license scandal. five acquitted Five persons allegedly involved in a case of attempt to murder were acquitted by a local court. The suspect, Anirudh Joshi and others were acquitted lack of evidence. It was alleged that Anirudh Joshi and other four had grievously injured two students of Punjab Engineering College.
Judicial remand
Chanderika Parkash, an accused in a case of eve-teasing, was sent to judicial remand by a local court. The accused had remained absent from the court proceedings a number of times. The accused today surrendered before the court and was remanded to judicial custody by the magistrate. The case against the accused was registered under Section 294 of the Indian Penal Code on the complaint of Mr Roshan Lal. |
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Sidhu to head Bar Council Chandigarh, October 6 Today, on the last date of filing nominations, one nomination paper each was received from Dr Sidhu and Mr Suhag for the post of Chairman and the Vice-Chairman, respectively. Both papers were accepted after they were found to be in order. At 1 pm, after the expiry of the deadline for receiving nomination papers, Dr Sidhu and Mr Suhag were declared elected unopposed. As per the rules, the Bar Council’s outgoing Chairman, Mr Hardev Singh Mattewal, was to act as the Returning Officer, but he expressed his inability to do so as he was advised rest on medical grounds. In a letter to the Honorary Secretary of the Bar Council, he submitted that Haryana’s Advocate-General, Mr Surya Kant Sharma could be appointed Returning Officer for the purpose of conducting the elections, if the Council so approved. Advocate Harish Rai Dhanda was, however, appointed Returning Officer. Speaking to The Tribune soon after his election, Dr Sidhu asserted that he was serious about implementing the rule pertaining to professional misconduct by advocates. He added that complaints of misconduct against advocates would not be ignored. He further added that the setting up of Bar Council Bhavan, an office for the Bar Council members, was his top priority. Mr Mattewal, unanimously elected Chairman two years ago, when contacted, expressed satisfaction over the fact that all decisions of the Council during his tenure were taken unanimously. He also thanked the members for their cooperation in ensuring the smooth functioning of the Council and for maintaining high professional standards. The Council, it may be added, consists of 27 members. The Chairman and Vice-Chairman are elected for a period of two years. |
Challenge to conscience, tribute to womanhood But as ages slipped by the palms of time, this line became dark, so dark that Shatroopa (the woman counterpart of our first father Manu) finally lost her radiance in the charcoal-dark attitude which the society adopted against her. She died a thousand deaths, but rose from the ashes to so that civilisation could live. After years of dejection and disgust, Shatroopa is back to tell her tale. This time in a massive theatrical context, which has been lent to it by Prem Matiyani, Director, Song and Drama Division, Information and Broadcasting Ministry. There is more to this prized production directed by Matiyani. It is a tribute to women’s in the year of women’s empowerment. The most important part is the project’s historical, mythological and contemporary value, as also the involvement of great artistes in the production process: B.V. Karanth has given music; Pt Bhimsen Joshi, Shubha Mudgal and Kavita Krishnamurthy have rendered the songs; Tapas Sen has done the lights; Shovana Narayan has choreographed the sequences; Supriya Pathak and K.K. Raina have lent their voices. There are 250 participants, out of which 150 are actors. Speaking to Chandigarh Tribune about the two-hour-long production, to be screened at 7 pm tomorrow at Circus Grounds, Matiyani spanned a lot of his past. There is a personal touch to the script, which Matiyani has written. It begins with the tale of woman’s subjection narrated by a prostitute named Kamla. Said Matiyani, “She is a real life character I encountered 20 years back in Agra. She often noticed me passing through the red-light area which was a short-cut to my school. One day she offered money so that I could buy myself a bicycle. The idea was to help me avoid passing through the infamous alleys.” The sprit of sacrifice embodied by a prostitute provides the peg to the production, which goes on to showcase many poignant episodes from history and mythology. The tale of stone age matriarch, who is consumed by power-hungry men; the tale of Yashodhara, whose fire forces the royalty to lay down a law which preventing unmarried boys from begging alms; the tale of Draupadi, who pays the price of Mata Kunti’s diktat; the tale of Panna Dai, who gives up her son to save a kingdom. The project scores well on impact and relevance, not because it raises the question of woman’s dignity, but because it pricks social conscience and initiates the process of social analysis. Its success lies in that it sensibly challenges historical and mythological contexts which stand testimony to the injustice against women. Among such contexts, the most blatant one is where Kunti feigns ignorance about what the Pandavas bring and orders them to share “the vastu” among themselves. During the preview of the show at Circus Grounds today, one evidenced many sequences to inspire one to dissect one’s behaviour and mend it, lest Shatroopa, the most beautiful creation of Brahma, should keep cursing her splitting off from the Ardhanarishwara. Legend has it that when Brahma was grappling with the form of creation and creatures, Parbrahma sent Ardhanarishwara for help. Ardhanarishwara split into two parts — the much-known father Manu and the much-less-known mother Shatroopa. The spectacle can be seen at Circus Grounds from tomorrow till October 13 everyday at 7 pm. The production has 130 actors from Chandigarh. Some actors are from the National School of Drama repertory. Before Chandigarh, the production was staged in Delhi, Raipur and Lucknow. After October 13, it will be taken to Nagpur and Guwahati. |
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Chandigarh, October 6