EDUCATION

Ryan row: Class IX students demand transfer certificates
G.S. Paul
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 26
Leaving nothing to chance, the parents’ delegation of Class IX students of Ryan International School, Sector 49, met the home secretary, Chandigarh Administration, Krishan Mohan today. They requested him to pass instructions to the department concerned so that their children could take the Class IX examination through some government school. For, they should also not pass through the hurdles faced by Class X students earlier.

It has been learnt that the Home Secretary has assured them that their wards would be allowed to take the Class IX examination. He further assured them that these students would go through the examinations set according to the pattern they had already studied at Ryan School. Most probably, the centre for the examination has been fixed at Government Model Girls Senior Secondary School (GMGSSS), Sector 18, here.

However, after being instructed by DPI (S) Ashwani Kumar, they all went to meet Deputy DEO Rajesh Minhas who is also the principal of GMGSSS-18. It is learnt that as many as 59 students have been admitted to Class IX.

According to the parents, the date sheet for Ryan School students has also been released. The social studies paper will be held on March 2, science and technology on March 5, English compulsory on March 7, first language on March 9, mathematics on March 12 and additional subjects on March 14.

The UT Education Department has admitted these 59 students and asked them to deposit their transfer certificates (TCs) later. The department has also informed them that the practical examination for these students would be held on March 14.

As many as 100 parents of Class IX students held a rally outside the gate of Ryan International School, Sector 49, seeking TCs for their wards. However, the principal of the school Poonam Sharma could not manage to provide them the certificates and asked them to come again on February 27.

The principal when contacted said, “It is the whole process through which transfer certificates are given to the students and it is a time-consuming exercise. We are also concerned with the welfare of the students and those who want the transfer certificate will definitely be provided with it.”

Meanwhile, the principal also opined that they are fully confident of getting their school affiliated with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).

It is learnt that the parents’ association of Class IX students also unanimously decided to gather at the school gate tomorrow to force the principal to provide their children with the TC.

Awareness drive on road safety
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 26
The Chandigarh Traffic Police has imparted information about traffic rules and regulations to around 15,000 persons at the Children Traffic Park, Sector 23, till February 25.

Sources in the traffic police said 1,535 students were educated regarding the traffic rules and road safety by the men-in-white. Besides, the traffic police had imparted training to 45 teachers. Similarly, 210 college-going girls were also given tips about road safety. The police had also organised four exhibitions at various places in the city highlighting the importance of road safety and to inculcate road sense.

Mohali: It was a rare display of devotion and commitment towards society as students of Ashmah International School, Mohali, organised an road safety awareness drive with demonstrative placards and banners about traffic rules and regulations. The display organised as part of the school activity at the Phase VII light point crossing here today saw hundreds of immaculately dressed school students displaying placards with slogans and messages to commuters.

Speaking on the occasion, principal Devneet Singh said the awareness drive targeted people who took laws casually and jeopardised their safety and that of others. “We thought the best and more registration of such messages through police and media are now a commonplace and if students contributed their might to the cause, the results in terms of registering the message at a busy crossing can be good”, she added.

Vocational contest

Chandigarh, February 26
Bhupinder Singh and Gurpreet Singh, both students of Government Senior Secondary School, Mani Majra, jointly won the first place in Electrical Technology (trouble shooting) in a state level vocational competition held at Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 10, here.

The school also won the overall trophy in the Electrical Technology category.

Other students who won prizes in different categories: electrical technology (troubleshooting): 1 Bhupinder Singh and Gurpreet Singh, 2 Munish and Saroj Kumar; electrical technology (wiring): 1 Gurpreet Singh and Daljeet Singh; structure and fabrication technology: 1 Amandeep. — TNS

From Colleges
B Com students bid farewell to seniors
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 26
The Commerce Department of Government College for Girls Sector-11 organised a cultural programme to bid farewell to the outgoing students of BCom-III. College Principal Dr Upinder Mehra was the chief guest. She extended her best wishes to the students.

Reflecting on the years spent, the outgoing class thanked the Principal and teachers.

Chitra Rao was chosen Miss Commerce, while Alankrita finished first runner-up and Ranjit Monga ended second runner-up.

Indu Bhatt was chosen Miss Beautiful Hair, while Samridhi Jagga got the Miss Charming title. Damanjit was chosen Miss Well-Dressed and Samridhi Jagga was declared Best All-Round Student of Commerce.

‘Tech Fest’: “Tech Fest”, organised by the IT Department of Government College-11, got off to a flying start with various events taking place at different venues simultaneously.

Interspersed with fun and awareness, a variety of events were conducted both on and off stage.

Around 15 colleges took part in the events.

The fest was inaugurated by college Principal Dr A.N. Garg. Prof B.R. Bansal proposed the vote of thanks.

Winners: extempore: Kirti Rana (GJ-IMT, Mohali) Ist, Hema Chopra (GJ-IMT, Mohali) IInd; debugging: Rohit and Amit (GC-11) Ist, Sakshi and Isha (MCM DAV) IInd; debate: Preeti (GJ-IMT, Mohali) Ist, Nelson/Gagandeep (GC-11) IInd; paper presentation: Hema (GJ-IMT) Ist, Arshi (GGDSD, Sector 32) IInd; collage making: Surinder (Dev Samaj College), Vaneeta Khanna (GC-11); group dance: GJ-IMT, Mohali Ist, GC-11 IInd; IT quiz: Kiranjot/Vinatashee (Dev Samaj College) Ist; Neeraj/Mandeep (GC-11) IInd; software development: Gaurav and Sachin (GGDSD, Sec-32) Ist, Sukhwinder and Saurabh, (SASIT, Mohali) IInd.

Workshop: A three-day training workshop on “Fundamentals of Biochemical Engineering” was organised by the Department of Biotechnology, GGDSD College, Sector - 32, here.

Dr U.C. Banerjee, Head, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, NIPER, and his research team provided students with important technical information on various aspects of Biochemical Engineering.

Dr Navneet Batra, workshop coordinator, emphasised the need for such training programmes to make students better equipped.

The lectures were coupled with lab sessions for better understanding.

Promote reading: The 4th Annual Readers’ Motivation Programme was organised by the Dear Club of Dev Samaj College for Women, Sector 45, today.

Over 200 students and faculty members attended the programme, which focussed on inculcating reading habits among students and motivated them to use libraries.

Dharna: Members of the DAV College Employees Union, Sector 10, held an hour-long dharna in front of the Principal’s office in support of their demand of leave encashment as per statutory provision.

The union also condemned the Principal of SGGS College, Sector 26, for his vindictive attitude toward teachers and denying pensionary and other benefits to employees.

COURTS

7 designated senior advocates
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 26
The full court of the Punjab and Haryana High Court is learnt to have cleared the names of seven advocates for designating them as senior advocates. This is the first time after a gap of over two and a half years that the high court has designated senior advocates. The last one to be designated was Justice P.S. Patwalia, who recently quit as high court judge to take up practice in the Supreme Court.

The advocates who have been designated senior advocates include R.S. Rai, R.K. Chopra, R.S. Sahota, Kanwaljit Singh Ahluwalia, Sumeet Mahajan, Sanjay Bansal and Sarup Singh (Delhi).

With the latest additions, the total number of designated senior advocates has gone up to 62. However, despite demands, no woman lawyer has been designated as senior. At present, there is no designated senior advocate among the over 500 practising woman lawyers.

In 2002 the high court had started the practice of taking applications from lawyers wanting to be designated senior. Among the new senior advocates, R.S. Rai, whose father H.S. Rai is a former Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, has remained senior standing counsel of the Union of India and also a senior additional advocate-general, Punjab. Sarup Singh is presently senior additional advocate-general, Punjab, stationed in New Delhi.

HC stays earlier order on home for destitute
Our High Court Correspondent

Chandigarh, February 26
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today stayed the operation of the November 30, 2006, notice by which the management control of the home for old and destitute, Sector 15, was to revert to the Chandigarh Administration.

Since April 1, 1999, following an agreement, the management of the home is in the hands of the Lions Club, Chandigarh Central. Later, on September 9, 2002, a part of the building was declared as a certified institution and special home for adult beggars, a decision which led to protests by the existing management.

As per the notice given to the Lions Club under clause 12 of the agreement, the management control was to revert to the Chandigarh Administration within three months.

In its petition, the Lions Club had stated that the clause 12 of the agreement said that if at any time it was established after proper inquiry that the management of the home had deteriorated, the Administration would have the right to take over management. Arguing for the petitioner, advocate Karminder Singh stated that not only no inquiry had been held, there had been no complaint also. He also stated that the order was an illegal order. He also stated that the unceremonious exit would cast a stigma on the club.

Today, after staying the operation of the notice, the division bench headed by Justice M.M. Kumar also issued notice of motion for March 30 to the respondents.

Advani gets breather
Our High Court Correspondent

Chandigarh, February 26
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today granted exemption to former Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani from personal appearance before a Gurgaon court in connection with a criminal complaint It was filed by Abhishek Verma, son of a former Congress MP, and a key accused in the Scorpene purchase scam. Today, the high court also issued notice to the respondent Abhishek Verma for May 21.

CULTURE

Problems of 50+ women highlighted
S.D. Sharma

Chandigarh, February 26
The Studio Challenge, a cultural organisation, presented a play ‘Nazaria’ at the Tagore theatre here today. Written and directed by Ms Nimma G. Dandona, the play recovered some explosive truths regarding existential truths concerning human nature and relationships. The playwright borrowing the ingredients from the daily life of families belonging to higher stratum, sculpted the play in a lucid Hindustani replete with pragmatism.

Dandona structured the play in intimate family environment with Kitty parties being the take off point, which invariably provided an ample scope to capture the attitude, perceptions and personal problems of modern fifty-plus women. Convinced fully that the women are grudgingly given a secondary status in society even today despite their rich contribution in every sphere of life the characters give vent to their subjugation and depression in daily life but also cultivate an optimistic outlook.

Employing the medium of mobile phone, the director had brought alive the internal conflicts, quest for love, which is denied to them by the nagging family members or life partners awfully engrossed in materialism. The protagonist finds solace in the series of SMS sent to her by unknown young man, handicapped but full of life.

The crisp dialogues, racy idioms and slangs replete with good humour and incisive bit kept the audience fully engaged.

Besides Nimma Dandona, Gunmala, Sumeet, Preeti Amrit Pulkit and Dilber Bharat enlivened their respective characters. Brigadier TPS Choudhury conducted the show with admirable ease.

HEALTH

Hand-held ultrasound system demonstrated
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 26
The department of anaesthesia and intensive care, PGI, conducted a workshop on ultrasound guided nerve blocks and cannulation of blood vessels here today. Experts gave a live demonstration on the latest hand-carried ultrasound system introduced by SonoSite to anaesthetists and radiologists from the PGI and other health institutions of the city.

Dr Nav Parkash Sandhu, associate professor at the University of California, San Diego, USA, and Prof G.D. Puri, department of anaesthesia and intensive care, PGI, explained the procedure of the machine.

Dr Sandhu, a resident doctor in the PGI, said the machine helped in accurate delivery of the anaesthetic drug to the nerves by visualising them and minimising the risk of injury to adjoining structures.

The machine minimised the risk factor and was more economic. Ultrasound helped anaesthesiologists to visualise the different arteries and veins while they were being catheterised and reduced risks of side effects. At least 50 delegates participated in the workshop. Mr Pavan Behl, country manager, India, SonoSite, said the ultrasound system was helpful in trauma case.

Pact for disease monitoring with private docs
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 26
To strengthen surveillance activities in the city, the Indian Medical Association, state branch, Chandigarh, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the UT health department, here today.

With the MoU, the private practitioners of the city would help the integrated disease surveillance project (IDSP) for establishing early warning signals of diseases in Chandigarh impending outbreaks. This is for the first time that private practitioners have willingly come forward to participate in the project.

The MoU was signed by the state nodal officer, IDSP, and honorary secretary, IMA, Chandigarh state branch, in the presence of Dr Usha Bishnoi, Dr A.P. Sanwaria, a councillor of the Chandigarh Municipal Council. Major general P. Rao, deputy director of medical services of Western Command, was the guest of honour on the occasion.

A press note said the objective of the MoU was to identify disease outbreaks early and to find out the trends of the disease over a period of time in the city. 

190 donate blood

Panchkula, February 26
The Vishvas Foundation, the Shiva Market and the Aastha Group jointly organised a blood donation and eye donation registration camp at the Shiva Market, Sector 9, here today. A total of 190 persons donated blood and 55 persons registered for eye donation. The participating staff of the PGI in Chandigarh were offered ‘siropas’ as token of thanks. TNS

400 patients examined

Chandigarh, February 26
A total of 400 patients were examined at a free medical camp organised by the Kusum Arora Memorial Trust at Khuda Lahora village today and the patients were also given free medicines. TNS

SPORTS

GGDSD College are inter-college champs
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 26
GGDSD College, Sector 32, won the PU Inter-College Cricket (Men) A-Division tournament for 2006-07 at PU grounds, here, today. The teams of DAV College-10, PU Campus, Chandigarh and SCD Government College, Ludhiana, secured second, third and fourth positions, respectively.

In the final match played today, SD-32 team beat DAV-10 team by 93 runs. After winning the toss, DAV team elected to field. Vishvas Bhalla scored a splendid knock of 77 runs and Karanveer scored 65 runs not out. Amit took two wickets for 42 runs. SD team scored 266 runs for 8 wickets in 50 overs.

In reply, DAV team could muster only 173 runs in 40.2 overs. Sumit Dhiman scored 51 runs while Michael Vishal contributed 41 runs. SD’s Gurkirat claimed four wickets for 12 runs, Akashdeep took two wickets for 15 runs.

For the third and fourth place, PU Campus team defeated SCD Government College by three wickets. SCD team won the toss and elected to bat first. SCD scored 209 runs for 9 in 40 overs. Shakun Verma scored 70 n.o. In reply, PU team scored 212 runs for seven wickets in 30 overs. Nitin Rathee contributed a mammoth 119 runs.

AG cricket tourney
Haryana, Delhi enter semis
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 26
An all-round performance by Parveen Sharma (22 n.o. and 4 for 24) helped AG Haryana beat AG Jammu and Kashmir by 40 runs to move into the semifinal of the North Zone Indian Audit and Accounts Department (IA&AD) cricket tournament being played at the Cricket Stadium in Sector 16 here today.

Batting first after winning the toss, AG Haryana scored 177 runs for the loss of eight wickets in the allotted 40 overs. Rashpal Singh (41) and Gulab Rubani (30) were the main scorers.

Chasing a modest target of 178 runs, AG Jammu and Kashmir could not face the bowling of Haryana bowlers and were bundled out for 137 in 37.2 overs. Only Sanjay Sharma of J and K put some resistance and scored a fine half-century. Parveen and Surinder Singh of Haryana took four and two wickets, respectively.

In the second match of the day, which was played at DAV, Sector 8, Delhi Audit thrashed AG Uttarakhand in the one-sided affair by 210 runs and ensured a berth in the semifinal.

Opener Sunil Rawat scored 100 runs before retiring hurt. Delhi put up a mammoth total of 308 on the board for the loss of 5 wickets in the allotted 40 overs. Devender Kumar and Raju Sharma also chipped in with 53 and 45 runs, respectively. Rajeev Negi was the main bowler for Uttarakhand who took three wickets.

Chasing the target, AG Uttrakhand were bowled out for a paltry 98 runs in 27.5 overs. Only Sanjeev and J.S. Samant could reach double figures with 21 and 24 runs, respectively. Satish of Delhi Audit took four wickets while Raju Sharma and K.P. Singh pocketed two wickets each.

In the last match of the day played at the PEC, AG UP scored 203 for the loss of four wickets. The main scorer for UP were Salmaan (75), Agsari (38) and Mohd Asif (53 n.o.). In reply, AG HP could score only 182 runs in the allotted overs and lost the match by 21 runs. The top scorers for HP were Vishal Jagota (45) and Amitabh (49). Amrash, Agsari and Ramesh took two wickets each.

MCM DAV sportswomen get awards
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 26
Amrita of BA-III was given the “Best Sportswoman” award, while Galnaz Banu of BA III got the “Most Consistent Performer” award during the annual sports prize distribution function of MCM DAV College, Sector 36, today.

At least 125 prizes were given to students of the college for their achievement this year.

Shweta of BA-II was honoured for standing 15th in the GACC World Inter-University Chess Championship held at Malaysia.

The prize-winners were led by Sazina Khan of BA II, Senior under officer (Army Wing- B certificate) in the parade.

Sazina, who represented the Punjab-Himachal Pradesh- Haryana Directorate at the Republic Day Parade at New Delhi this year, was also given the “Best NCC Cadet” award.

ADMINISTRATION

Admn bans sale of exposed food items
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 26
The Chandigarh Administration has banned the sale of all kinds of exposed eatables including sweets, cakes, biscuits, breads, parched grain of all kinds, dates and cut fruits.

A notice in this regard was issued here today by the DC R.K. Rao. As per the order, all kinds of cold drinks including lassi, sugarcane juice, ‘sharbats’, ‘jal jeera’, curd and cut fruits kept for sale should be properly covered with the help of wire gauze or glass for protection from dust and flies.

The sale of unchlorinated drinking water through water trolleys obtained from unauthorised sources, ice, ice candies and aerated water through outlets under unhygienic conditions has also been banned.