EDUCATION

Lively performances on Youth Festival’s opening day
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 26
The religious notes of shabads and bhajans drowned the sound of slogans by protesting students outside the hall to mark the beginning of the jinxed PU Zone B Youth Festival organised by Government College, Sector 11, here today.

“Ram, Ram mero man ratto” by students of Government College, Sector 46, was well presented. The team ended up with the first position amongst the four participating teams.

Revolving entirely around music, singing, and painting, the contests for the morning session saw lively performances by the participating teams though it failed to attract any audience other than the participants.

Also, no teams came forward for participation in the Punjabi folk instruments and the Indian orchestra category, thereby limiting the scope of instrumental music to percussion and non-percussion instruments which saw participation of three colleges in each of the two categories.

The classical instrumental group, divided into two categories of percussion and non-percussion instruments, had hardly any takers. While there were two entries for tabla in the percussion category, there were three entries for sitar and santoor in the other category.

By the afternoon, during contests for ghazals, geet, folk songs and vaar singing, the audience too had come in and the mood became more festive after every item staged.

Meanwhile, the on-the-spot painting contest saw participation of all six boys’ and co-educational colleges of the city. While landscape, still life and drawing from life had entries from all five colleges, collage making and rangoli had four entries each.

Creative writing which included essay-writing on “Women’s Place in Modern Life” and “International Trade and India”, poems on optimism and old age and short stories also saw entries from all colleges.

The inaugural session was inaugurated by the Dean, College Development Council, Dr Ramesh Kapoor. Addressing participants, he said that activities like performing arts and fine arts of the youth festival provided a more holistic learning environment. Earlier, the Principal of the host college, Dr SN Singla, welcomed the chief guest.

The results for today’s events are as follows: Shabad/Bhajan: GC-46 (1), GC-11 (2), GGDSD-32 (3); Classical Vocal: Jaideep-GC-11 (1), Classical Instrumental-Percussion: Swati Verma-SGGS-26 (1), Kuldeep Singh-GC-46 (2); Group song: GC-46 (1), GC-11 (2), GGDSD-32 (3).

Landscape: Sikander Singh-Govt. College of Art-10 (1), Rebecca-GC-46 (2), Deepti Sharma-GCA-10 (3); Parminder Singh-GCA-10 (1), Bansi Lal GC-46 (2), Sapan Jimmy-SGGS-26 (3); Still painting: Gurdeep Kaur-GCA-10 (1), Ajay Singla-GC-46 (2), Varinder Kumar-GGDSD-32 (3), Collage making: Parveen Kaur-SGGS-26 (1), Bhawna Ranjan-GGDSD-32, Maninder Brar-SGGS-26 (3), Rangoli: Tina-SGGS-26 (1), Pooja Jain-GGDSD-32 (2), GCA-10 (3).

Strike, not festival, gives entertainment to students
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 26
It was festival time at Government College, Sector 11, here today, with the until now uncertain Panjab University Zone B Youth Festival scheduled to begin this morning.

However, the festival and enthusiasm for the college students came for reasons other than the Youth Festival—the on-going students’ strike against the Youth Festival got off to a roaring start this morning.

For the college students’ union, it was a show of strength, while it was entertainment unlimited for participants from other city colleges who had arrived at the venue for the various contests slated for the morning session. For the unsuspecting college authorities, it came as a bolt from the blue after yesterday’s talks with the college student body even as they made unsuccessful attempts to placate the protesters.

Amidst heavy police deployment, they raised slogans against college authorities, the Director, Public Instructions (Colleges), and in favour of student unity. Beating tin drums and shouting slogans, the students threw the authorities in a tizzy as they made arrangements for the fest to get under way.

Almost an hour behind schedule, the fest began in a well-fortified hall even as protests of students continued just outside. Demanding the holding of a Star Nite of Gursewak Mann which had been turned down by the DPI, students alleged that they had already made payments for the show.

“Nobody told us that the application had been turned down and we had made payments and finalised our arrangements. How will they compensate us for that loss? The college and the Administration is averse to any suggestions from the students and holding the Youth Festival, while turning down our request is only one example,’’ said Ramandeep Singh Pannu, president of the students’ union of the college.

The strike, ‘upgraded’ into indefinite this morning, was finally called off after the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Mr Gurmail Singh, assured the students that they could organise the Star Nite after December 11 since officials, teachers and other staff were busy with the elections to the Municipal Corporation till then.

Blossoms’ annual sports meet
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, November 26
Rosen Brar achieved the distinction of being the best all-rounder of Blossoms School here today at its annual sports function in which Ashoka House bagged the Inter-House trophy.

Besides this the Capt G. S. Dhillon Trophy for the best sportsman was bagged by Banmeet Singh. The Rohit Kundal Trophy, along with a cash prize was awarded to Poonam Bhardwaj.

The school principal, Ms Ravi Singh, read out the annual report. She said Blossoms School was committed to the task of imparting educational, moral and general awareness among the youth. Speaking on the occasion the chief guest, Municipal Corporation Commissioner K. S. Kang, emphasised the role of public schools in providing quality education. He urged the children to participate in sport meets.

Patiala MP Preneet Kaur, who is patron of the school, also attended the function, during which she gave away the prizes. Earlier, the opening ceremony of the meet was conducted by Income Tax Commissioner, Patiala B. M. Singh, by hoisting the national flag.

Seminar on problems of adolescents
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 26
Persuading the students to develop the habit of being responsible, Dr Surjeet Patheja, speaking at a seminar on “Adolescents’ problems and their solutions”, today stressed upon the need for utilising time in “a proper manner” to “develop a well-integrated personality”. The seminar was organised by the Lions Club Chandigarh Nightingale at Government High School in Sector 7 here.

Addressing the gathering, region co-ordinator Ms Renu Bali advised the adolescents to give “positive direction to their thoughts and to develop positive values”. Member Arun Bala emphasised upon the need of having a systematic education programme. President Pritpal Benipal gave away the prizes to the quiz contestants. School’s vice-principal Rekha Sharma appreciated the efforts of the club in educating adolescents.

Seminar for DAV teachers
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, November 26.
A two-day seminar-cum-workshop on mathematics and science for secondary teachers of DAV schools of Ambala zone, concluded at Chaman Lal DAV Senior Secondary School here today.

About 40 teachers from various DAV institutions participated in the seminar. Prof Ramesh Dogra from SD College, Chandigarh, and Mr Amrik Dogra from DAV College, Chandigarh, interacted with the participants in the fields of science and maths, respectively.

A session on ‘Computers in education’ was held by Mr Debashish Patnaik from Knowledge Pub. Valedictory speech was given by Dr Vinod Pankaj of All-India Radio, Chandigarh. 

Rally for spreading polio awareness
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 26
The Citizens Awareness Group, in collaboration with the UT Health Department, organised a polio awareness rally at Guru Harkrishan Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 38, here today.

More than 500 students of the school, carrying placards and banners, passed through various parts of the sector and its adjoining areas. They raised slogans for the eradication of polio.

The rally was flagged off by Dr Rameshwar Chander, Director, Health Services. Mr Surinder Verma, chairman, Citizens Awareness Group, said the organisation was committed to the cause of polio eradication.

St Stephen’s students impress
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 26
The annual house-shows of St Stephen’s School, Sector 45, got off to a colourful start with the Jupiter House staging its show at the school premises, here today.

The governing theme of the show was ‘Semper Sursum’, the school’s motto meaning “Always Aim Higher”. Addressing students, the chief guest, Dronacharya awardee, Mr D.P. Azad, urged them to pursue excellence in all fields. An English play, “The Ugly Duckling”, a satire, portrayed the scene of a mental asylum where the inmates launched a scathing attack on unemployment, poverty, corruption, education system and politicians.

Another highlight of the show was a nursery rhyme presented by tiny-tots of the house. The programme concluded with a bhangra and a dance by students of Jupiter house dancing to a lilting tune. 

HIGH COURT
Bank ordered to pay back-wages
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 26
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today held that an employee, whose termination was quashed by the court, was entitled to be paid his salary from the date of his termination till the date an appropriate order was passed by the disciplinary authority, or till the age of his superannuation, whichever was earlier.

In a ruling Mr Justice N.K. Sodhi, Mr Justice K.S. Kumaran and Mr Justice Swatanter Kumar also allowed an application filed by Mr Ram Niwas Bansal, earlier working as an accountant, and directed the State Bank of Patiala and another respondent to pay back-wages to him from the date of his dismissal “till the passing of appropriate orders in the disciplinary proceedings, or till his superannuation, whichever was earlier, in accordance with the law”.

In his application, Mr Bansal had claimed that he was entitled to full salary from April 25, 1985 — the date on which the orders dismissing him from service were passed.

Going into the background, his counsel had added that Mr Bansal’s writ petition was allowed in 1998 by the Full Bench but the matter was sent to the disciplinary authority to proceed against the petitioner after granting him the opportunity to reply.

The bank, on the other hand, had contended that the authority had not passed final orders and had denied that “the necessary consequence of setting aside the dismissal orders was the reinstatement of the petitioner and the payment of back wages to him”.

Plea on pay allowed

Mr Justice Mehtab Singh Gill of the High Court has allowed a writ petition filed by auditors in the Punjab Printing and Stationary Department at Patiala seeking directions to the state of Punjab and other respondents to grant them pay scale of Rs 1800-3200 with effect from January 1, 1986.

The Judge observed: “Counsel for the petitioners straightway drew my attention to a judgement of the High Court.. This judgment squarely covers the case of the petitioners. Since this judgement dated October 31, 1991, has attained finality, the petitioners are also entitled to the relief as per the directions given in the judgement. The writ petition is allowed”.

Beant assassination case hearing
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, November 26
Hearing of the Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh’s assassination case continued today, with the prosecution examining Dr J.K. Kalra, who had conducted the postmortem examination of two persons killed in a blast in front of the Punjab Civil Secretariat on August 31, 1995.

Deposing before UT District and Sessions Judge, Mr H.S. Bhalla, the witness stated that he had conducted the post mortem examination of Ajeb Singh and Rajinder. Rajinder was said to be found headless after the blast and Ajab Singh’s body was found with second-degree face burns.

HC moved against periphery Act violations
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 26
In a petition filed before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, a city resident, Dr B. Singh, today alleged that the states of Punjab and Haryana had evolved an indirect method of violating the Periphery Control Area Act by creating local authorities and empowering them to urbanise the periphery area in the form of Notified Area Committees at Zirakpur, Pinjore and Nayagaon. The petition would be taken up by a Division Bench of the high court tomorrow.

Dr Singh, in his petition, also sought directions to the states of Punjab and other respondents for enforcing the provisions of the Periphery Control Area Act. He further sought directions against the issuance of any notification or order violating the provisions of the periphery control area of Chandigarh. He added that the notifications should also be quashed.

Rituals through artists’ eyes
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, November 26
The fifth annual art exhibition organised by the Bank of Punjab concluded here today with the executive director of the bank, Mr Tejbir Singh, giving away prizes to the winners at a function at Punjab Kala Bhavan in Sector 16.

About 40 artists from Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab had exhibited their works based on the theme ‘Rituals and ceremonies’. The entries this year showed mature perception of the theme coated with refreshing local flavour.

Sohan Billawria, an artist from Jammu, won the ‘Panth Ratan Dr Inderjit Singh Memorial Award’ for his painting ‘Mahashakti Samadhi Simran’ in stone and gold colours. Other award winning paintings were Shiv Lal Saroha’s ‘A Ritual’, Samir’s ‘Ganesh’, Tapan Kumar Biswas’s ‘Ritual in Varanasi’ and Sumitra Sarkar’s ‘To Immersion Goddess Durga.’

Two special prizes were also announced for Dr Shefali Bhatnagar’s work “Sappadi” and Sukhpal Singh’s “Chawk” in which the artist had effectively captured the mourning scene depicting two aggrieved female figures.

Professor Pran Nath Mago, Mala Marwah and Professor Prem Singh, all artists of eminence from this region, were the judges.

The Bank of Punjab (BOP) organises this annual exhibition with an objective of highlighting the myriad forms of the Indian cultural heritage through the eyes of artists. Besides giving artists a platform to express themselves, the bank also brings out a calender every year with reproduction of some of the paintings from the exhibits.