The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

EDUCATION

Pvt college staff stage protest
Order to free PCCTU officers
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 14
The staff of non-government aided colleges including principals, today held a state-level demonstration at Banur, 25 km from here, in support of their demand for implementation of the pension-cum-gratuity scheme approved by the Punjab Council of Ministers here on December 12.

The impressive turnout at the protest rally, organised by the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers’ Union (PCCTU) demanded the scheme should be made operational through the treasury.

As a consequence of the rally, road traffic on Patiala-Chandigarh highway was disrupted for over two hours.

In the absence of the PCCTU executive, now lodged in Burail jail, the rally was supervised by the Joint Action Committee. The organisers claimed that nearly 5,000 teachers attended the rally. Among them were Principals from over 100 colleges. There was also a large turnout of women teachers.

The speakers castigated the SAD-BJP for its vacillating attitude on the issue that was even part of the election manifesto of 1997. The speakers included, President of the Managements’ Federation of Punjab and Chandigarh and JAC Chairman, Dr Ishar Singh, and two Principals, Mr P.S. Sangha (General-Secretary, Principal’ Federation of Punjab and Chandigarh) and Mr Tarsem Bahia, president of the Panjab University Areas Principals’ Association, besides Mr Charanjit Chawla, Mr Balbir Singh, Mr V.K. Tewari, Principal B.D. Budhiraja, president of 26 unaided colleges and Mr Raj Kumar Singla, who represented the non-teaching staff of the 140-odd colleges.

Political leaders who addressed the rally included Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra of the Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal and Mrs Seelam Sohi of the Congress. The rallyists also took out a procession through the streets and bazars of Banur.

Meanwhile, on the directions of the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, the Chief Secretary, Mr N.K. Arora, ordered that all 18 members of the PCCTU executive be released, it is reliably learnt. They were remanded in judicial custody on December 4 till December 18.Their case is being handled by the UT Home Secretary.

PUTA to observe strike in January
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 14
The Panjab University Teachers Association has decided to observe a complete strike in January in case its demands are not met immediately.

Addressing a press conference here today, Prof P.K.Mittal, president of PUTA, said the general meeting of the association condemned the negative stance taken by the bureaucrats in the Punjab and UT governments to reduce the age of superannuation from 62 to 60.

It was pointed out that the enhancement of superannuation age to 62 had been provided for by the University Grants Commission and the MHRD as part of package of pay revision. The issue had also been passed by the statutory bodies of the university, including the Senate and the Syndicate.

It was pointed out that the PU was probably the only university which did not have the provision of a pension scheme, Prof P.P. Arya, a former PUTA president said. It was pointed out that the scheme had been carried out even in schools and colleges in the country to a significant extent.

The general body also “condemned the bureaucrats who are abolishing 796 teaching and non-teaching posts lying vacant in the university. This will destroy the very structure and essence of the university”, Professor Mittal said.

The action plan included a mass rally and a procession on December 18, mass casual leave by all teachers on December 20, a dharna in front of the Vice-Chancellor’s office on December 21, the submission of a memorandum to the Governor on December28, and a dharna before the Senate on December 29.

A rally was also held today by the teachers in support of their demands. Dr R.P.S. Josh, a fellow, said in a separate statement that uniform age should be implemented in all institutions.

Students celebrate Christmas
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, December 14
Students of Dutt Vishesh School, Sector 26 celebrated Christmas amidst fun and frolic here today.

A nativity tableau was put up by Class V students.

The day ended with the arrival of Santa Claus who delivered gifts.

At another function organised by St Stephen’s Preparatory School, Sector 8 , tiny tots dressed up in colourful dresses to celebrate Christmas.

In a fun-filled atmosphere, Santa presented the children with packets of sweets.

Training programme for IT professionals
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 14
A 12-week training programme in computer maintenance and networking, multimedia, web designing and repair and maintenance of telecommunication equipment for professionals from 28 countries concluded at the Centre for Electronics Design and Technology of India (CEDTI) here today.

Mr E. Barwa, a Joint Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, Mr E. Barwa gave away the certificate to the participants. The training programme had been sponsored by the Ministry of External Affairs under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation and Special Commonwealth African Assistance Plan.

Mr R.S. Khandpur, Director General of CEDTI, stressed on the importance of the information technology (IT) for the developing countries. He said the incorporation of IT tools in every economic activity had become a pre-requisite in the era of globalisation. So far the CEDTI had trained 12,000 students through 600 courses.

Plea to improve education standards
Tribune News Service

SAS Nagar, December 14
The Higher Education Minister, Mr Mohan Lal today urged the teaching community to work for improving the standards of education and not blame the government for all ills, afflicting the education system.

He was speaking at the foundation stone laying ceremony of Vidya Bhavan in Phase 6 here adjoining the Government College.

He said the concern of the government for the teachers could be gauged from the fact that the Cabinet, had decided to give pension and gratuity to the faculty in government-aided colleges.

Mr Tota Singh said a six-storeyed complex would come up in three acres. IT would house the offices of the higher Education Department, DPI (Colleges) and DPI (Schools), the SCERT and the Education Department.

He said after a lot of consultations, work on constructing the complex had been given to the PSIEC. The Minister of State for Education, Mr Tara Singh Ladal, also spoke on the occasion.

COURTS

HIGH COURT
Order on auction of Faridabad mining plot
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 14
Issuing notice of motion, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed that an auction which may have been conducted in relation to plot number 4 in Faridabad district shall not be finalised till further orders.

Delivering the verdict on a petition filed by Mr Om Parkash of Faridabad, the Bench, comprising Mr Justice S.S. Nijjar and Mr Justice Jasbir Singh, also directed that the petitioner shall not be dispossessed from the plot in question.

In his petition, Om Parkash had earlier contended that his application for renewal of mining lease of silica sand, ordinary sand, road metal and masonary stone of plot number 4 was rejected by the State Government following which a revision petition was filed before the Central Government. He had added that stay orders were granted “to the effect that the area in question shall not be settled by the state of Haryana in favour of any party during the pendency of the petition” but still the mine was put to auction.

Order to DGP

In less than four months after three Gurgaon district residents were murdered, Mr Justice K.S. Garewal of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday directed Haryana’s Director-General of Police to either personally, or through some senior officer, examine the investigation conducted so far.

Pronouncing the orders on a petition filed by Sardar of Nimka village in Gurgaon district, Mr Justice Garewal observed: “The main allegation of the petitioner is that Inspector Mohammed Yunus, Mammu and Pappu are the main accused in a case relating to the triple murder of Mohammed, Sattar and Abdul Razak over a property dispute. Before the occurrence, a meeting of all the accused had allegedly taken place at the house of the Inspector who was also present”.

The Judge added: “On November 9, a direction was given by the Court staying the filing of the challan but allowing the investigation to continue. Somehow, the direction was not obeyed and the challan was filed against 11 persons on November 17. Mohammed Yunus, Mammu and Pappu were not sent for trial. It is a fit case for direction to be issued to Haryana DGP.... If it is found that the investigation is not fair and is partial towards these three persons, then further investigation may be directed and supplementary challan may be filed”.

The case will now come up for further hearing on January 30. The DGP’s status report will also be submitted by that date.

BCA result

Taking up a petition filed by a Jind student, Mr Justice Amar Bir Singh Gill and Mr Justice Swatanter Kumar of the High Court on Friday directed Kurukshetra University and other respondents to provisionally declared the result of the BCA Part I examination taken by the petitioner.

In his petition, Amit Sharma had earlier contended that his result had been withheld on the ground that he had not fulfilled the condition of qualifying Hindi paper at 10 plus 2 level. His counsel had added that admission in BCA was initially granted to the petitioner subject to the condition of his qualifying the Hindi paper, but neither the CBSE nor the Board of School Education was conducting additional paper for Hindi.

Order on exam

Directing that a Bathinda student shall be allowed to take elementary teachers training course examinations, a Division Bench of the High Court on Friday issued notice of motion for January 28 next year.

In his petition taken up by Mr Justice Amar Bir Singh Gill and Mr Justice Swatanter Kumar, Lakhwinder Singh had earlier sought the quashing of a letter issued by the Principal of District Institute of Education and Training at Faridkot vide which his application for admission to ETT course was rejected on the ground that his marks were 44.88 per cent and not 45 per cent.

HC orders status quo on booth construction
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 14
Taking up an application filed by SAS Nagar’s anti-encroachment committee through president N.S. Minhas, alleging construction of pucca booths in place of a rehri market in phase 3B1 of SAS Nagar on land meant for a primary school, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed the maintenance of status quo.

The Bench, comprising Mr Justice G.S. Singhvi and Mr Justice M.M. Kumar, also observed in the open court that suggestions regarding the encroachment issue could be routed to the court through counsels Naresh Prabhakar and Sukant Prabhakar.

Earlier during the proceedings, counsel for Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority claimed that the land in question belonged to the authority. The case will now come up for hearing on December 20. The reply in the case will be filed a day before the date of hearing.

In their petition, SAS Nagar’s anti-encroachment committee through president N.S. Minhas had earlier sought directions for the removal of encroachments and obstructions.

Describing the encroachments as “illegal and unlawful”, Mr Minhas had also sought directions to the government agencies for “enforcing the provisions of law to remove the encroachments”. He had added that the VIPs had initially started encroaching upon the land due to leniency on part of PUDA authorities. Their example was soon followed by the other residents.

Claiming that the committee had been set up with the objective of watching the interest of the general public and for awakening the government agencies into removing the encroachments, counsel for the petitioner had contended on the committee’s behalf that the residents, in the name of beautification, had grabbed land by encroaching upon the open spaces outside their houses.

The land, the counsel had added, was “meant for providing essential services like the laying sewerage connections, water pipes, electricity cables and telephone lines”.

He had added that several complaints regarding encroachments had been addressed to the authorities concerned, including the Chief Minister and Minister for Housing and Urban Development, but so far no action had been taken.

CULTURE

Chamba ‘rumals’: fine recreations of magical patterns
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 14
The nostalgia of Pahari art came alive at the art gallery of Government Museum in Sector 10 today. In evidence was a rare collection of beautifully-recreated pieces of art revived by the Delhi Crafts Council. The day was all about the magic of Chamba rumals, introduced as “embroidered paintings.” Such intricately crafted was each piece on display at the museum today that it aroused great curiosity about the origin and form of the art, which had originated in the erstwhile princely hill states of Chamba, Kangra, Basohli and nearby states, now a part of Himachal Pradesh.

Today’s exhibition was the product of a sustained effort of the Delhi Crafts Council, which took upon itself the task of reviving the art way back in early 1990s. Present on the behalf of the council today was its vice-president, Ms Usha Bhagat, who had been involved in the project all these years. For the council it was not an easy task to bring together the masters of this old art, reflecting a delightful fusion of Pahari art and craft. Each Chamba rumal is the product of the labour of the artist who draws the figures to be embroidered and the embroidress, who uses passion to create magical patterns.

On display are the finest recreations of the original pieces of this craft. Most of the rumals are recreations of the original pieces currently housed in prestigious museums like Bhuri Singh Museum, Chamba, National Museum, New Delhi, Indian Museum, Kolkata, Calico Museum, Ahmedabad, and Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Talking about how the project came through, Ms Usha Bhagat informed how the council team worked hard on roping in embroidresses of the region. The current display has works executed by Poonam Sharma, Masto Devi, Chimbi Devi, and Beena Kumar. While these women have embroidered the patterns, these have been drawn mostly by Vijay Sharma.

The inspiration for these embroideries comes not only from the miniature Pahari paintings, but also the paintings of the Rang Mahal of Chamba. The construction of Rang Mahal was started by Raja Umed Singh early in his reign. Some of the Rang Mahal murals which feature in Chamba rumals have been displayed in the museum also. Also shown are the original drawings for the rumals. Among the themes depicted in exhibits are the Rasmandal with Lakshmi Narain. Krishna and his love sport, the favourite theme for Pahari paintings, features widely in the recreated rumals. There are five rumals which draw inspiration from Raslila. The one titled ‘Pavilion’ shows Radha and Krishna sitting on the upper pavilion, while peacocks signify the garden pavilion. Each piece is inspiring in its own way. The themes include Godhuli, Shikaar, Ganesha, Jagannath, Chaupad, Rukmini haran and Krishna’s wedding. Another interesting piece is titled ‘Ashtanayika’ by Masto Devi.

Before the exhibition was inaugurated today by the UT Adviser, Ms Neeru Nanda, Dr B.N. Goswamy talked about its elements. As always, his lecture was very enriching. He spoke of Kumaraswamy, who had termed the Pahari art magical. He had said: “It is a magical world where all men are brave and heroic and all women are beautiful, passionate and shy”. Dr Goswamy also talked of the inspirations behind Chamba rumals and how the rumals reflected the fusion of art and craft.

Nimble feet beat the chill at Chandigarh Club
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 14
Excitement broke loose at the Chandigarh Club as exhilarated youngsters, illuminated by colourful intelligent lights, swayed wildly to the rhythmic beats of bhangra music booming from impressive speakers during the Aerizzona Dance Blast till late in the evening today.

Heaven is a place on earth, it appeared, as teenyboppers in tank tops over short skirts descended on the club to twirl all around the dance floor.

As the evening progressed, the crowd broke into a frenzy converting the lush green lawns of the club into an open air discotheque.

The mild evening chill was no dampener for these changed up youngsters. Jackets went up in the air and wild shrieks of excitement echoed against the building walls as the youngsters, even grumpy big brothers and cool daddies, in leather jackets over regular fits, did some close dancing.

The party started a little late — at about 9.30 pm instead of 7 pm. Initially, the crowd trickled in. Hesitant couples walked up to the stage to cut foot loose, but as the disc jockey mixed the Punjabi dance numbers with some English “hot favourites”, the guys shook rattled and rolled till beads of perspiration appeared on their brows. There was nothing to stop them as they continued to jive till late in the evening. Outside the club, angry young men in unending queues shrieked and screamed at the security guards as they were prevented from entering the premises without tickets.

K3G euphoria fizzles out
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 14
Wording reactions to big budget films is always a problem. Nevertheless, “mixed response” is a safe phrase to start with. But not in case of the Rs 30 crore “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gam”, which has not rocked the city hearts the way it was expected to. Most people who watched the film today rated it as “a slow, average film, not upto the mark expected.”

After the first day first show of the mega movie which has a great star cast, the balance did not hang quite in favour of Karan Johar. While the opening of the film was expected to be blasting, the scene at both the showing theatres was quite contrary. While the house was not full in the first show at KC theatre in Sector 17, people were seen walking inside the theatre even at 11.30 am (though the show started at 10.30 am). In the morning show at KC, the tickets were available even in the current booking.

As for Piccadily, the first show had a house full, but the crowd begun to shrunk with the second show. Most people contacted after the first show looked disappointed with the film, which they rated as “too serious and slow to hold interest.” Ravi Kumar, a first year student, regretted saying,”We had gone with high expectations. The film is just okay, not the “Kuchh Kuchh Hota Hai” stuff. It cannot be seen again. We had not expected this of Karan Johar.”

The only saving grace in the film, according to most viewers, is Amitabh’s and Shahrukh’s performance. Most people liked them in the film and said whatever little business the film will do, will be credited to these two.The performance of Hrithik has not been as out-of-the-world as it was in his debut film, said Manish, another second year student, who watched the film at KC, “Kareena looks good, but that is it. A film does not do well just because someone is looking good on screen. The story line is not very interesting. It is bland.”

A majority of girls, however, spoke in favour of the film, courtesy Shahrukh and Hrithik. Said Rama Madan, “ Both look great on screen. Hrithik does not have a major role in the film but his screen presence is imposing. Shahrukh is the main player. So is Amitabh.”

Most of the cinegoers have liked Kajol’s role in the film, said Harpreet Singh, “She uses the Punjabi language very frequently during the film,. Her humour is another scoring point for the otherwise dull film.” Another viewer, Amit Kumar, said, “The film was good at times. It even generated applause. But the problem is that it could not justify the hype.”

The greatest casualty of the film has been the hype attached to it. Reeta Verma, another viewer said, “It is very difficult for any film to keep upto such a hype. This film has normal stuff. Nothing very great to qualify as a super hit. I don’t think people will like watching it again. The story proceeds slowly and it is the same old story of an adopted son being turned out of the house when he does his thing. And then the other son goes all out to unite the family. Kareena’s role is not very significant. Kajol looks fat, but charming. Her acting is fresh.”

Music of the film has not been liked much. In fact, many people in KC theatre were leaving the hall for a stroll during songs, Mr Rakesh Sharma said, “The music is flat on the whole. The title song plays too much and is very slow. The only song which is good features after the interval.”

Meanwhile, the blackmarketeers were very upset with the way film had fared. They had bought the tickets on a cost of Rs 5 extra from the advance booking counter, but they had to sell the ticket on cost price. They could not even sell all the tickets as current booking was easily available due to lesser rush than expected. They lost Rs 5 on each purchased ticket.

While the first day was not too good for the film, cine watchers feel that the rush might swell in the coming days.