Annual function of Language Department
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, November 5
The annual state-level function of the Language Department, Punjab was organised at Punjabi Bhavan this morning. The Department had organised this function with the aim of promoting Punjabi Literature, hence a number of competitions like essay writing, story writing, poetry recitation and poetry writing were also held.

A large number of students from all districts of Punjab had participated in the competitions. Judges for the competition were Inderjeet Hasanpuri, Surjit Marjara, Sham Singh and Principal Prem Singh Bajaj. The results are as follows:

Poetry writing: Jagandeep Kaur of Batala (1), Bhupinder Singh, Ferozepur (2), Iqbal Gill, Faridkot (3).

Story writing: Rippanjit Kaur, Faridkot (1), Geetanjali, Patiala (2), Harsimran, Kharad (3).

Essay writing: Ankita, Faridkot (1), Sukhjit, PAU Ludhiana (2), Sarbjit Kaur, Fatehgarh Sahib (2).

Singing competition: Parnoor, Fardkot (1), Karuna, BVM Ludhiana (2), Jaswinder, Ropar (3).

Dr Kirpal Singh Aulakh, Vice Chancellor PAU was the chief guest. Addressing the audience, he said , “Punjabi language has a rich heritage and everyone should encourage the children to speak in their mother tongue at home, schools and colleges. Punjabi writers should produce literature that deals with the problems, joys and sorrows of common people.”

He congratulated the Language Department for organising a function of this kind. He said, “PAU has also being producing a lot of literature related to farming in Punjabi that has proved to be very useful for the farmers of Punjab.”

Mr Amarjit Grewal, Director, Outreach Technical University, Punjab, said that we should get the best from the other languages and translate it to Punjabi so as to reach everyone. Mr Gurbhajan Gill said that such functions should be organised throughout the year and not just for a week. Dr Parminder Singh, Dr Amarjit Singh, Deputy Director, Language Department, Mr Sarup Singh Alag were all praises for the efforts of the Language Department for promoting Punjabi language.

District Language Officer, Mr Harpal Singh Sidhu said that Language Department was translating the classics from other languages into Punjabi. Veteran Punjabi writers were getting a pension from the department. Manpreet Singh, Research officer of Language Department had anchored the show. Other prominent writers that were among the audience were Devinder Singh Pabla, Kulwant Jagraon, Surjit Singh Bhatia, Gurcharan Kaur Kochar and Dr Ajit Singh Sikka. 

Students display their creativity
Our Correspondent

Two of the works on display at the exhibition. —Photos Rajesh Bhambi

Workshop on science coverage from today
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, November 5
The Communication Centre, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), will organise an advanced state-level training workshop on enhancing science coverage in mass media from November 6 to 9 on the campus. It will be inaugurated by Dr K.S. Sekhon, Dean, Postgraduate Studies, in the Projection Hall of the Communication Centre.

Dr Sarjit Singh Gill, Additional Director of Extension Education and organiser of the workshop, said it was being sponsored by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. He added that it would be attended by about 30 teachers from the PAU and 10 teachers from other scientific institutions.

The objective of the workshop was to equip teachers with skills to write articles for popularisation of science and technology among the masses, for publication in newspapers and for telecast on television and radio. The workshop would be conducted by resource persons from the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, Centre for Agriculture and Bio-Sciences, New Delhi, and PAU.

642 students to get scholarships
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, November 5
The Nehru Sidhant Kendra Trust will give scholarships to school and college students at a function to be held on November 10. The function will mark the birth anniversary of Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru.

Giving this information to mediapersons, Mr Prem Aggarwal, its general secretary, said the trust would give scholarships to 139 students of 15 private schools, 424 students of government schools in the district and 79 college students.

He said scholarships worth Rs 12 lakh would be given in half-yearly instalments. He informed that the winners of the annual inter-college debate held at the Khalsa College for Women on November 3 would also be given prizes on the same day by Mr K.P.S. Gill, president, Indian Hockey Federation.

Mr Aggarwal said the trust would give the Sat Pal Mittal National Award to Ms Sou Sindhi Aggarwal for her outstanding services to humanity. She would be conferred the award in view of her relentless battle against the worldly odds to ensure the safety and security of lesser privileged human beings, he said.

The trust is also organising a ‘hasya kavi sammelan’ on November 9 in which leading poets, including Surinder Sharma, Om Parkash Aditya, Manik Verma, Mahendra Ajnabi, Sita Sagar and Mamta Sharma, are expected participate.

Forum penalises BSNL for deficient services
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, November 5
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) to pay Rs 5,000 as compensation on account of deficiency in services to Mr S.P. Puri a resident of Sarabha Nagar. The forum has also directed BSNL to pay Rs 500 as cost of litigation to the complainant.

According to the complaint, the telephone connection (452537) of the consumer was disconnected on June 26, 2000 for non-payment of the bill of Rs 1,433 issued on March 18,2000 which was payable by April 18, 2000.

The representative of the complainant, Mr S.D. Nagpal, disclosed before the forum that the consumer had paid the said bill through cheque of HDFC Bank on March 29, 2000 and the same was encashed on April 19, 2000. Mr Nagpal pointed out that despite payment of the bill, the telephone of the complainant was disconnected. Moreover, the telephone remained disconnected till March, 2001, he added. It was alleged that there was clear deficiency on the part of the respondent for illegally disconnecting the telephone connection and depriving the consumer from the telephone for more than six months.

The BSNL pleaded that the telephone of the complainant was disconnected since the cheque issued by him for the payment of the said bill of Rs 1,473, was dishonoured. The respondent denied the allegation of not giving any opportunity to the complainant before disconnecting the telephone. It was stated that the complainant was informed telephonically on June 23, 2000 regarding the dishonoring of cheque and the telephone was disconnected only after giving three days notice to him on June 27, 2000. The respondent said that after payment of the dues, the connection was restored as such there was no deficiency in services.

The forum observed that the cheque of Rs 1,433 for the payment of the said bill was issued before the due date of payment, as such there was no question of issuing cheque of Rs 1,473 (the amount payable after the due date of payment). The forum stated that according to the document produced before the forum, the cheque of Rs 1,433 was encashed in the name of Post Master, Ludhiana on April 19, 2000. The forum also said the consumer had never issued any other cheque for the payment of the said bill and the respondent had failed to produce the said cheque.

The forum held that the plea of dishonoring of cheque taken by the respondent was not correct and it was clear deficiency on the part of BSNL when it kept the phone disconnected for a period of more than six months.