EDUCATION

Forum of Educators and Scholars of Tourism launched
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 3
Tourism educators and scholars have joined together to form a forum which was launched today by Mr B.K. Goswami, a former Union Secretary, Tourism, Government of India, at Chandigarh at the Institute of Tourism and Future Management Trends (ITFT).

Mr Goswami who takes over as the first president of the Forum of Educators and Scholars of Tourism (FEAST) is also the chairman of American Hotel and Motel Constructions besides being advisor to number of airlines, hotels and service industry establishments. He has also recently authored a text book on tourism.

At the formal launch function here, he said need was felt to bring tourism educators and scholars working in the universities, colleges, educational institutes, and in other organisations on a common platform for greater coordination among them and to deliberate on ways and means to upgrade and improve the quality of tourism education while bringing uniformity in tourism curriculum throughout the country. This was particularly so when there are number of associations and organisations, like the Travel Agents Associations of India (TAAI), Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI), Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOA), Federation of Hotels & Restaurants Association of India (FHARI), Domestic Tour Operators Association ( DTOA), Hotels Association of India (HAI) at the national-level and many at the regional levels as well which look after the interests of their members and work for the common cause of promoting tourism and hospitality in the country, but there was no such organisation which could discuss the vital subject of tourism education, so important for developing human resource for travel and tourism and related activities. The ITFT, Chandigarh, has been made the nodel agency to coordinate, plan and provide centralised information of various activities of the forum. The forum will have its by-monthly newsletter to start with and its annual convention as well.

Another aim the forum was to work towards exchange of tourism faculty and students between different universities, colleges and institutes engaged in tourism, hospitality, events management and in teaching and research, Mr Goswami said. FEAST would also organise tourism fairs and festivals, conference and conventions, from time to time, workshops, meets, trade fairs and exhibitions, and get-togethers of scholars for creating awareness about the social and economic benefits of tourism. FEAST would also seek international linkages with organisations such as World Tourism Organisation (WTO), World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), overseas universities, research, consultancy, product developments and other organisations engaged in some aspects of tourism, hospitality and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) industry.

Mr Goswami informed that FEAST would work for instituting chairs and fellowships in tourism in India besides maintaining data on job and career opportunities and also the opportunities likely to arise in new projects and activities in tourism and allied fields. He said the first convention of the forum would take place next year. He also launched the forum’s website on the occasion.

Addressing the students of the ITFT on “New Strategies for Indian Tourism”, Mr B.K. Goswami, said the fallout of the September 11 terrorist attacks in the USA was a temporary phenomenon and both domestic tourism industry and international tourism would make a come back. In fact, he said this had provided an opportunity to take new initiatives for not only reviving the domestic tourism but in strengthening the same.

Mr Goswami said that 21st century belonged to the services sector and travel and tourism, aviation , hospitality and other related activities formed its important segments with vast array of career opportunities. While England, Italy, France, and even China attracted more than 30 million visitors each, India’s got only 2.6 million tourists, which was 0.4 per cent of the world tourist arrivals. However, the average length of stay of a foreign tourist in India was 27 days, one of the highest in the world, Mr Goswami said, adding that there was now great awareness about developing tourism in the country which had potential.

Mr B.K. Goswami said domestic tourism should be encouraged which besides contributing to our ethos of unity in diversity, helps in the revival and promotion of indigenous arts, crafts , handicrafts , souvenirs and ethnic cuisine. Domestic tourism also helps development of backward areas with sluggish economies. Interacting with students, he said old perceptions were now changing and bias against working in a hotel crumbling, with vast fields opening in travel and tourism and hospitality industry, especially for girls. Earlier, Dr Gulshan Sharma, Director ITFT welcomed the chief guest.

PU to host All-India VCs conference
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 3
More than 100 universities are likely to participate in the 76th annual meeting of the Association of Indian Universities scheduled to be held at Panjab University from December 5 to December 8. This was announced at a press conference here today.

The event which is largely associated with the Vice-Chancellor’s conference, will also feature leading luminaries from the research and planning institutes of the country. Some of the big names who have been invited include Dr P Chidambaram, Principal Secretary, Dr Anil Kakodkar, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, Dr (Ms) Manju Sharma, Secretary in the Department of Bio-technology, Prof H.P. Dikshit, President of the AIU, Dr Hari Gautam, Chairman of the University Grants Commission, and Prof K.B. Powar, Secretary General of the AIU, besides others. Only a handful of delegates in this category have confirmed their participation yet.

The theme of the conference has been marked as “Technology enabled flexible education and development”. The prominent sub-themes for the event are: “Open and flexible learning”, “Education for the disadvantaged” and “Information and Communication Technology Enabled Education”.

The first day will have the inaugural session which will be addressed by Lieut-Gen J.F.R. Jacob (retd). There will be three technical sessions scheduled for December 6. The meeting will witness the general and business sessions on December 7. The last day will have the interaction of heads of apex bodies with the Vice-Chancellors.

The inaugural session will be addressed by Dr Hari Gautam, Dr R. Natarajan and Prof G. Dhanarajan, president of the Commonwealth of Learning, Canada.

The press conference was addressed by Prof S.K. Kulkarni, Director of the Centre for Industry-Institute Partnership Programme, Prof Satya Pal Gautam and Prof S.C.Bedi. Details of the theme were still awaited. However, the thrust area of discussion will be the changing scenario in the wake of the coming in of the information technology, Prof Kulkarni added.

Panjab University will be holding the All-India Vice-Chancellors’ Conference for the third time. Earlier, the university has hosted the event in 1931-32 at Lahore and in 1958-59 at Chandigarh. The idea of bringing together all the universities on a common platform emerged from the deliberations of a conference of the vice-chancellors of the universities convened by the then Viceroy of India at Shimla in 1924. Since then, the annual conference of vice-chancellors has been a regular feature.

Over 300 participate in poster-making contest
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 3
Over 300 students from various schools of Chandigarh, Panchkula, SAS Nagar and adjoining areas participated in an on-the-spot poster-making contest at the Jat Bhavan in Sector 27, here today.

Students were divided into three categories on the basis of classes and given the topic “Evils of dowry system’’. Earlier, the Bhai Surender Singh Malik Memorial essay writing contest saw a participation of 800 students organised at four centres at Chandigarh, Jind, Rohtak and Hisar. The topic for the essay-writing contest “Growing threats to national security and remedies thereof’’ attracted participants from all over Haryana.

The Haryana DGP, Mr M.S. Malik, was the chief guest while Mr Gurnam Singh, Mr H.S. Pannu and Ms Phool Khatri were the judges and gave away prizes. Besides cash awards of Rs 400, Rs 300, Rs 200, for first, second and third place, respectively, two consolation prizes of Rs 100 each were also given.

However, prizes for the essay writing contest would be given on the 121st birth anniversary of Deen Bandhu Sir Chhotu Ram on February 2, 2001.

The results for the poster contest are as follows: Navneet Kaur-Florence Convent School (1), Deepshikha-Florence High School (2), Manju Nagra-Florence High School (3); consolation: Babita Rohi-GHS-28, Hitaishi-Hansraj Public School.

Group B: Manasi Sharma-Sri Aurobindo School (1), Gurminder Kaur-Guru Teg Bahadur Public School(2), Prabhnoor Kaur-Guru Teg Bahadur (3), consolation: Samaksh Chadha-St. Xavier’s and Payanshu Aggarwal-Hansraj Public School.

Group C: Chandan-Florence Convent School (1), Dixit Sharma-Florence Convent School (2), Shubham Goel-GMSSS-19 (3), consolation: Amandeep Kaur-Guru Nanak Khalsa School and Shivani-Gyandeep Public School.

Students dance to Hawaiian tunes
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, December 3
The world shrunk to a global stage at the Tagore Theatre today where the junior wing students of Mount Carmel School, Sector 47, and the Mohali branch, presented dance items from the land of five rivers to the islands of Hawaii to Ibiza and many more to celebrate the first chapter of their annual-cum-founder’s day.

The function which started with a traditional prayer song later moved onto a number of scintillating dance items. The nursery students danced to the Hawaiian tunes depicting the luring sun and sand and the bright life the islanders lead, while another group highlighted the vigour of Punjab in their item “Gabroo Punjab De”.

Meaningful messages came through skits like “Contentment - the essence of life” and some Bible-based religious teachings like “Father Abraham” and “Zacchaeus”. Another play “Lets make life a better place” was a blow against terrorism and war with an underlying message for all to join hands and make this earth a better place.

Applauding for their good effort, the chief guest on this occasion Mr. D.S. Saroya DPI (School), Chandigarh Administrations, urged the students to give outlet to their creative selves and develop allround personality.

He also awarded around 30 students for excellence in academics and 20 students for the best all-round students’ trophies. Rolling trophies for the most disciplined class, the best dressed class and the best kept class for the session went to Classes I-C, III A and Pre-Nursery, respectively.

The cultural function will be concluded tomorrow.

ICSE chief inaugurates school building
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, December 3
The Council for Indian School Certificate Examination (ICSE) is concerned with a quality agenda and providing the highest level of education.

This was stated by Mr Francis Fanthome, chief executive and secretary, ICSE. He was here to inaugurate the school building of St Xavier’s School. Talking about the council, he said the pass percentage for students appearing under the ICSE was 95 per cent and the drop-out rate was minimum.

He said theirs was a highly productive examination system of providing elements that enabled high level of thinking. “ Our thrust area is proper flexibility in syllabi and allowing the child to select on the basis of his aptitude. We have a more positive approach and believe that all children have some capabilities, which have to be promoted in order to make them reach optimum levels,” he said.

Later, he unveiled the inaugural stone of the school building and a cultural programme was presented by the students.

Taranpreet wins recitation contest
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 3
The 32nd All-India inter-state inter-school cultural contests organised by the DAV Senior Secondary School, Sector 8, saw an enthusiastic response for the Principal Milkhi Ram Mahajan Memorial Hasya Kavita Recitation Contest, here today.

Fourteen teams and 13 individual participants, participated in the contest in which the trophy was bagged by DAV School, Ludhiana, comprising Kamaldeep Singh and Tarunpreet Singh. First prize, in individual category, went to Taranpreet Singh of the same school.

The second position was bagged by Pallav of DAV Senior Secondary Model School, Abohor, and third prize went to Kamaldeep Singh of DAV, Ludhiana. The two consolation prizes went to Taniya of Tribune Model High School, Chandigarh, and Vaibhav of St John’s School, Chandigarh.

In the Principal Hari Ram Memorial Music Contest marked by bhajans, orchestra and group songs, 33 teams and 23 individual participants competed for the position.

Results — (orchestra): Amit and group-DAV-8 (1), Vinayak and group-St. Stephens-45 (2), Deep and group-CL DAV-Panchkula (3); (group song): Manika and group-Ishwar Singh Dev Samaj Girls-21 (1), Parul and group-Stepping Stone-38 (2), Jennifer and group-Chandigarh Baptist School-45 (3), consolation: Suanshu and group-Bhavan Vidyalaya-Panchkula, and Richa and group-DAV-8-Panchkula.

COURTS

HIGH COURT
Give status report on shootout, Dy AG told
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 3
Holding that the issuance of notice to Haryana Assembly Speaker Satbir Singh Kadian was not required in Panipat court complex shootout case, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed the state Deputy Advocate General to inform the court about the status of investigation in the case on December 18.

Issuing directions, the Bench, comprising Mr Justice G.S. Singhvi and Mr Justice M.M. Kumar, deserved that they had gone through the statements of victim Joginder Kaur and were of the view that there was no need to issue notice to the Speaker “shown as one of the persons in the statement”.

Taking suo motu notice of a report published in an English daily stating that a woman had been shot in Panipat court complex, Mr Justice K.S. Garewal of the High Court had directed the issuance of notice to the Advocate-General and the Speaker “after obtaining appropriate directions from the Chief Justice”.

The Judge had observed that according to the report, “Joginder Kaur’s statement was to be recorded in the court of the Additional Sessions Judge in a criminal case relating to the demolition of her house in Ramlal Chowk and her alleged kidnapping on June 21 with the intention to take into possession her property. It was reported that in the police statement under Section 161 of the CrPC, she had alleged involvement of the Speaker, his brother Rajinder Singh, sister-in-law Arwinder Kaur and grandfather Dharam Pal in the case. It was also stated that Joginder Kaur was to plead for action against the Speaker and others on the basis of her earlier statement as the police had allegedly not initiated any action against them”.

Mr Justice Garewal had added: “If the reports are true, it shows that the accused and their accomplices succeeded in shutting out the evidence of Joginder Kaur by shooting her dead in spite of the fact that she had two guards. This was done on the court premises and was a daring act. Investigation must be conducted speedly and effectively to bring the culprits to justice, otherwise the confidence of the public in the criminal justice delivery system would be badly shaken.”

Notice on plea by CM’s foe

On a petition filed by a “cousin” of Haryana’s Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, Sajjan Kumar of Mandi Dabwali, apprehending implication in a false case due to political rivalry with the CM, Mr Justice M.L. Singhal of the High Court issued notice to the Advocate-General for December 20.

Seeking grant of anticipatory bail, the petitioner had earlier alleged that the Chief Minister was having strained relations with him as he was an active Congress worker and had opposed Chautala and his party during elections to the Rori seat.

Amended plea on octroi permitted

Taking up an application seeking directions to the state of Punjab and other respondents against implementing the Cabinet’s decision on abolishing octroi in the state, a Division Bench of the High Court today issued notice for December 6.

The Bench, comprising Mr Justice Jawahar Lal Gupta and Mr Justice Ashutosh Mohunta, also permitted the petitioners to file an amended petition in the matter.

In his application, a former Municipal councillor, Mathura Dass, had earlier contended that the state should not be permitted to implement the decision till alternate sources of income were provided to municipalities.

Claiming that the orders had been passed after violating the High Court directions, his counsel had added that as per the orders the respondents were required to place on record a copy of the decision and were expected to implement the same after obtaining court permission. The respondents had nevertheless ordered the abolition of octroi from December 1.

Describing the financial conditions prevailing in the state as “weak”, he had added that the administration was not in a position to bear the burden of paying salaries to the MC employees after the abolition of octroi.

Markfed MD told to file affidavit

Issuing notice to Punjab’s Advocate-General in the Markfed polythene sheet case, a Division Bench of the High Court today directed Markfed’s Managing Director to file an affidavit in the matter. The Bench, comprising Mr Justice G.S. Singhvi and Mr Justice M.M. Kumar, also fixed December 18 as the next date of hearing.

Taking suo motu note of a report appearing in an English daily alleging that a test conducted by a Chandigarh-based laboratory on polythene sheets purchased by Markfed for covering foodgrain stocks had exposed a scandal apparently having financial implications running into several crores, Mr Justice A.S. Garg of the High Court had directed the issuance of notices to the state of Punjab and the Central Bureau of Investigation.

Observing that the matter was of a serious nature, Mr Justice Garg, in his detailed order, had also asked the respondents to tell why the matter should not be investigated by the premier investigating agency to ensure that the actual offenders, who had misappropriated and embezzled the money, causing a financial loss to Markfed, should not be prosecuted by registering a case.

The report had alleged that Markfed had sent samples for testing to a local laboratory after complaints were received from all over the state regarding sub-standard polythene sheets supplied by a Rajkot firm for Rs 7 crore. As per the report, nearly 40 per cent of the samples were found defective.

Another batch of sheets delivered recently to Markfed by two firms from Delhi and Rajkot after a fresh tender was invited were also found substandard. It had further claimed that the facts indicated the involvement of some senior Markfed officials.

15 lakh relief for custodial death sought

In an alleged custodial death case of a Jind district resident working with the Food Corporation of India, the High Court has directed the issuance of notice to the state of Haryana and other respondents.

Seeking compensation of Rs 15 lakh for the “murder” of Mohinder by police officials, his 27-year-old widow, Rani Devi, and three children had also sought directions to the respondents for the payment of Rs 10,000 every month after fixing personal liabilities on the respondents. Directions for transferring the case registered on September 5 from Uchana police station in Narwana tehsil to the Central Bureau of Investigation were also sought.

Going into the background of the case, counsel for the petitioners Surinder Kumar Garg had added that 32-year-old Mohinder was taken into custody on September 4 and was murdered the same night after being beaten with batons. He had added that the incident had taken place as there was a dispute between Mohinder and two other acquaintances over a piece of land. He had claimed that the police officials had committed the crime and the state was responsible for the unlawful acts of its officers and as such should take steps for “repairing the damage”.

DISTRICT COURTS
3-hour bail for Sweety Bajaj
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, December 3
A local court today granted an interim bail for three hours to the accused, Sweety Bajaj, to attend funeral ceremony of his father. The accused, who remanded in police custody, was arrested in a case of rape. The accused had filed an application for interim bail on the ground that his father had died yesterday and he be allowed to attend the funeral procession.

The four accused — Sweety Bajaj, Sangeeta Gupta, Kuldeep Dhaia and Avtar Singh Tari were arrested by the police on a statement made by the victim girl before the court.

Acquitted

Five persons were acquitted today in a dowry case by a local court. The four, Ajay Partap, Atul Partap, Prabul Partap Singh, Rameshwary Singh, Mann Singh were acquitted by the court as charges framed against the accused could not be proved.

The case against them was registered on the complainant filed by the complainant, Ms Sarla Singh. The police had filed case under Sections 406, 420, 498-A of the IPC.

Statement recorded

The statement of one of the witness was recorded in Sector-34 bomb blast case before a local court today. The judge adjourned the case for December 10.

It was alleged the accused, Gurbax Singh and Sher, were involved in Sector-34 bomb blast.

Case against Bar council transferred
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, December 3
The Bar Council of India (BCI) has transferred the case filed against the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana challenging the election of the chairman and vice-president of the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana, to Kerala and adjourned the case for December 22.

The BCI has also directed the Bar Council of the Punjab and Haryana to file its reply before December 8. A member of the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana, Mr S.P Gupta, and seven others had filed a case against the chairman of the Bar Council, Dr Anmol Rattan and vice-president, Mr Balwan Singh Sohag, challenging their election and constitution and reconstitution of the various committees of the bar council.

The Bar Council of India had already directed the Bar Council of the Punjab and Haryana that it would not deal with any policy matter or financial and will not implement any decision taken on any financial matter after October 10.

CULTURE

This Batra babe is not a bimbo

This lanky lass has been among the ace ramp scorchers and has already made her presence felt in the tinsel world. Pooja Batra’s brief stint opposite Anil Kapoor in her debut film, Priyadarshan’s “Virasat” silenced many of her critics who were hell bent on writing her off as a wooden face. It also brought her to the notice of filmmakers down South. For a tyro in front of camera, a debutante ignorant about the nitty-gritty of filmdom and without any formal training in acting, it was a challenge to be pitched opposite the actors like Mohan Lal, Jayan and Anil Kapoor. But Pooja grasped the nettle head-on and came out shining through. Pooja’s sojourn down south has honed her acting skills and spruced her up for more challenging roles. Today she has in her kitty a slew of varied roles that offer her scope to broaden her emotive range. She is working on a film with Priyadarshan (“Kashmakash”), a historical flick by Aruna Raje (“Khajuraho”), to name a few.