Education board cares a damn for students 
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 10
Have you ever heard of any educational institution advancing the date of depositing the fee for any examination? Well, it has happened! The Punjab School Education Board has advanced the date to July 7 from July 13 for depositing the re-examination fee for Class X which has created a big chaos and panic among the candidates appearing for re-examination.

So, never had the students of Class X appearing for compartment examination, to be conducted by Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) in September, thought that the board would play such a cruel trick on them.

The students from distant places had come to the board’s local office located in the premises of Punjabi Bhavan to deposit the examination fee today.

They were in for a shock when they were asked to deposit Rs 500 as late fee." What late fee?” asked the baffled students.

The Guide Book had clearly said that students could get the fee deposited by July 13 and in case they could not, then the late fee would be only Rs 200.

Bhagat and his friends said," We have come well within the time given by the board, yet we are being asked to pay late fee.

“Who carries Rs 500 on person? We are being cheated. Isn't it clear that the board is trying to make money at our expense.

“The leaders keep saying that we are the wealth of the nation and future of the nation. Then is this the way to treat us? What message are the elders trying to pass us .

“Be corrupt. We are burning with anger at the injustice done to us. How can Board play such a cruel trick on us and ruin our careers?”

Since the students had to give vent to their anger, they made an effigy of chairman of the PSEB with the pieces of wood and paper available and burnt it.

It has not solved their problem but it assuaged their hurt feelings for a few moments. Their parents were also furious. They said that never before had the dates been changed at the whims and fancies of the b board officials.

The clerks at the office said they were helpless as they had received a letter from the PSEB and they were simply following instructions.

What about the harried students ? Who cares?

From Schools
Prize distribution function of school
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 10
Jain Public School, Benjamin Road, organised a prize distribution function here yesterday. Swati of class XII (commerce) was awarded for standing first in the district. She was placed sixth in the state. Kiranbala of the same class had stood fourth in the district. She was ranked 13th in the state.

Rama of class XII (arts) was given a prize for standing first in the school. Many other students were also given prizes on the occasion.

The president of the managing committee of the school, Mr Narinder Kumar Jain, and his team honoured the students and appreciated their performance in the board examinations. Principal S.K. Kalra thanked all those present on the occasion.

Harmony in diversity: Students of Lovely Lotus school came dressed up as fish, frog, duck, crocodile, vegetables and flowers to celebrated the advent of monsoon on Monday. The motive was to show harmony in diversity. Teachers explained to the students that nature wants everyone to coexist in peace. 

COURTS

Tangri's bail plea hearing on July 14
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 10
Claiming themselves to be innocent and falsely implicated in an attempt to murder case, the former president of the Shiv Sena Rashtarwadi and his son, Sunil Tangri, have filed a bail application.

Their bail application will come for hearing on July 14, before the court of Mr A K Mehta, Additional Sessions Judge.

The accused were produced in the court of Mr Ranjan Khullar, JMIC, as their police remand expired today. The Judge remanded the accused in Judicial Custody till July 24.

The duo were booked under Sections 307, 379, 354, 148 and 149 of the IPC at Division No: 3 police station on the charges of attempting to kill Sunita, wife of the president of Shiv Sena Hindustani,Mr Pawan Sharma. 

HEALTH

Doctors oppose Indo-US N-deal
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 10
The Indian Doctors for Peace and Development (IDPD) and Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace (CNDP) jointly held a seminar on Indo-US Nuclear Deal - for whose benefit! here yesterday.

The seminar deliberated on various aspects of the India-US nuclear cooperation deal initiated a year ago during President George Bush's visit to India and further debated in the US Congress recently. The seminar came to the conclusion that the nuclear deal was undesirable from the point of view of Indian politics as well as the cause the world peace and security. The doctors said, "We oppose this deal precisely because it legitimises nuclear weapons and sets back the prospects of global nuclear abolition on urgent, equitable and non-discriminatory basis."

Delivering the keynote address, Admiral Ramdas, former chief of Indian Navy, said the essence of the deal was in making an unprecedented special exception for one country in respect of the global nuclear order by legitimising its nuclear weapons. Under the agreement, India would be allowed to keep eight out of 22 nuclear reactors out of the civilian category thus the scope of inspections (safeguards) of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). In addition, all military-nuclear facilities as the Dhawra Plutonium Reactor as well as fast breeder reactors would be exempted from safeguards. This would enable India to considerably develop and produce fissile material for nuclear weapon use. Since this legitimised India's nuclear armament, it would set wholly negative example to other countries, including Pakistan and North Korea and weakened the case of non-proliferation.

Mr Achin Vanaik, a renowned peace activist, pointed out that the nuclear deal and the India-US defense agreement reinforced the US-Indian strategic partnership, which was Washington's strategy of building a system of alliances to achieve global domination and hegemony. It thus signified India's complete abandonment of commitment of non-alignment. This strategic partnership also eroded India's sovereignty in various forms, the glaring example being India's recent IAEA vote against Iran.

Mr Praful Bidwai, a renowned journalist, said that the deal could not be justified in the name of energy sustainability and countering global warming. This would promote nuclear power - an expensive hazardous and economically nonviable source, which have become discredited and was belonging phased out in several parts of the world. India's experience with the nuclear power had not been a happy one. This would further lead to exposure of our people to the nuclear waste. 

Diabetes grave threat to Indians 
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, July 10
By 2010 the city will become the hub of diabetics and India will become the capital of such patients. This was stated by Dr H.S. Bedi, a cardiac thoracic surgeon of Ludhiana Mediciti Hospital, at a CME (Continue Medical Education) held by the Ludhiana Medical Practitioners Association here today.

Dr Bedi stressed on yoga and physical exercises along with medical treatment for the diabetics and persons having heart ailments.

Dr Sanjay Rajput, a neuro surgeon, gave the details of various type of tumors in brain, spinal cord and epileptic fits.

Major Amardeep Singh Manepur, OSD to Chief Minister, inaugurated the CME. Mr K.D. Chaudhary, Chief Engineer, PSEB, and Dr Romi Raja Mahajan, OSD to Rajaya Sabha Member Sukbinder Kaur Bhinder, were honoured.

Dr Sunil Lakhotra and Dr Arun Dhawan, president and chairman of the Ludhiana Medical Practitioners Association, respectively, stressed continued education for various streams of qualified doctors. They said such CMEs would be held once every month.

SPORTS

Cricket coaching clinic concludes
Anil Datt

Ludhiana, July 10
The summer cricket coaching camp which was inaugurated on June 21 by the member of the national cricket selection panel, Bhupinder Singh Senior, here at the Punjab Agricultural University grounds, concluded today. This clinic was organised by a former cricketer, Amrik Singh Nagra, who played for PAU for a couple of years.

During the course of the camp, the budding players of the region were imparted training in all aspects of the game. A number of prominent persons, including former players, specialists in yoga, and physiotherpists of fame, visited the camp and interacted with the campers.

According to Mr Nagra, the main emphasis was on fitness, technique correction, match temperament besides fast bowling techniques, athletic importance in cricket and running techniques. A special lecture was arranged by Mr Krishan Lal Gupta, president of the Yoga Sansthan, who told the boys how to overcome nervousness during the match and adverse conditions. Mr Gupta also dwelt in detail on the importance of concentration building exercises, Mr Nagra added.

Dr N K Aggarwal, a renowned physiotherapist, shared with the boys how to avoid body injury, particularly sustained by fast bowlers. He informed the players about some exercises so that they could learn to prevent injuries such as shoulders strains, pain in the lower back etc.

Mr G S Chahal, and Mr Ramandeep Singh Grewal, Director, Students Welfare and Deputy Director, Sports, respectively, of Punjab Agricultural University were the chief guests at the concluding function.

To encourage the trainees, the organisers also gave prizes. Sakun Jindal and Mehrans Singh were adjudged the best batsman and the best bowler, respectively while Navdeep Singh was declared the best fielder. Devinder Singh was named the camper while Sachin was awarded the best wicket-keeper's prize.