Chandigarh, April 16
With the order regarding closure of schools in residential areas of Mani Majra being implemented, fate of a number of recognised schools has been sealed. Ironically, despite frequent communications for the past 25 years, they had not been allotted alternate sites.

“The step-motherly treatment meted out to us by the administration has compelled me to think that it was my biggest mistake that I thought about working for the downtrodden children to lift them up,” rued Mata Ram Dhiman, director principal, MRD Model Middle School, Mani Majra, run by the Dhiman Education Development Society, Mani Majra.

The administration has ordered to close down this school too in the wake of the High Court’s orders to close down the schools operating from the residential areas. Incidentally, the school’s name has been mentioned on the top in the list of recognised middle schools’ notice board displayed at the DPI (S) office in Sector 9.

This school got permanent recognition by the education department vide letter No. DPI UT-AZ-24 (10) 82-83, Vol II, dated May 27, 1987, and had been requesting for allotment of suitable site for the school building since May 18, 1979, “I have been requesting through president, Notified Area Committee (NAC), Mani Majra, from 1969 to 1991 to the Chandigarh administration for providing us with a suitable site, but all in vain,” said Dhiman.

In 1980, a resolution was passed and it was mentioned on the map designed for the NAC, Mani Majra, about the site allotted for the school but before the 
administrative approval, the move was scuttled for unknown reasons. “After that we were given false promises by various administrators to consider our demand for the school site but it never got materialised.” he added.

The school was started in 1969 when Panchkula was not established and the small children were nowhere to go to study.

“Even now, I am ready to make the amendments in the present infrastructure we possess according to norms set by the administration, if given time,” said Dhiman.

Now, the administration is considering to approve the proposed site i.e. the third fourth and fifth floor of Sector 38 Prayaas building to be used for the second shift of the school. It is further baffling that this proposed site will reportedly be available at a huge monthly rent of Rs 3.75 lac.

Meanwhile, the proposals are pouring in from schools like Little Flower school, Saupin School, Sector 32, and DAV School-8 to run the second shift as a stopgap arrangement to accommodate displaced school children.

Chandigarh, April 16
The Gecko Animation Studio and Academy of Digital Arts, leading animation studio of India, organised a day-long seminar at the hotel Party Time, here, today. Experts speaking at the seminar envisioned great potential for employment in the animation industry as it was expanding at an amazing speed. Leading the discussions, Paresh Mehta, an authority on the subject, disclosed that the animation industry was worth $52 billion of which India had a meagre share of $1.2 billion. However, he emphasised that there was immense scope for aspiring youngsters in the fields of video and computer design, 3D animation, visual effects, character design and graphic design besides opportunities in the aeronautical and space research animation.

Paresh had employed his expertise for initiating the teaching and production of animation films in India. He said many experts in India were working for foreign companies executing the projects according to their concepts and designs. “But we at the Gecko Animation Studio and Academy of Digital Arts ventured to work on Indian concepts and themes that commensurate with Indian culture,” said Paresh. — OC

Chandigarh, April 16
Prime prosecution witness in the general court martial (GCM) trying Col Vishal Bhargav for alleged misappropriation of ammunition in the Kargil sector admitted before the court that he had neither seen anyone dumping ammunition in the Indus nor did he know who had thrown it.

Deposing before the court during his cross-examination, Col Anil Nautiyal, commanding officer of an Sikh Light Infantry battalion, also admitted that ammunition was brought down from Padmago Post after June 15, 2005, pursuant to orders from Headquarters 192 Infantry Brigade and that no ammunition was brought down from any other forward post.

He also admitted to the suggestion of the defence counsel, Col S K Aggarwal (retd), that there were more than three battalions operating in the Yaldor sub-sector during Operation Vijay in 1999 and the name of 4/8 GR, the accused’s unit, is not written on any of the ammunition boxes recovered.

When asked about his previous statements made in the courts of inquiry and summary of evidence, Col Nautiyal admitted that they were almost verbatim same. The defence contended that Col Nautiyal had made only one statement before the first court of inquiry and that copied onto the documents pertaining to subsequent court of inquiry and the summary of evidence.

He admitted that he had made statements during his examination-in-chief about various events that were based upon hearsay. He admitted that he had been awarded a censure for not reporting recovery of ammunition as was required under Army orders. His prompted the defence to point out that while one officer had been awarded a mere censure, others were being tried by a court martial for the same alleged offences.

Colonel Nautiyal admitted that at the time of hearing of the charge, he had not made any statement before the brigade commander in support of any of the five charges against the accused. This statement, the defence counsel contended, would have wide ramifications on the trial as not giving statements violated statutory provisions of military law.

Chandigarh, April 16
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has posted new district and sessions judges in 16 districts of Punjab and Haryana.

A decision to this effect was taken a few days ago at a meeting of the Full Court.

According to available information, five districts in Punjab and 11 in Haryana will now have new district and sessions judges (DSJ).

Bathinda DSJ K.C. Puri has been posted as DSJ, Amritsar while Fatehgarh Sahib DSJ Sabina will be the new DSJ of Bathinda. Amritsar DSJ Gurdev Singh has been posted as Jalandhar DSJ, Gurdaspur DSJ Jora Singh is the new DSJ of Fatehgarh Sahib while Sangrur additional DSJ S.K. Goel goes to Gurdaspur as DSJ on promotion.

The transfer orders pertaining to judicial officers of Punjab will take effect from May 1 as the present DSJ of Jalandhar Inderjit Kaushik retires on April 30. After his retirement, Kaushik will join the judicial academy of Punjab and Haryana, Chandigarh.

In Haryana, Rewari DSJ R.C. Bansal has been sent to Kurukshetra as DSJ, while V.S. Malik, DSJ (vigilance), Haryana, in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, is the new DSJ of Rewari. Kurukshetra DSJ H.P. Singh has been transferred as Sirsa DSJ, Narnaul DSJ B.B. Prasoon to Jind, Sirsa DSJ M.P. Mehandiratta to Narnaul, Bhiwani DSJ Raminder Jain to Gurgaon, Gurgaon DSJ B.M. Bedi to Ambala and Hisar DSJ Anita Chaudhary to Faridabad.

The Full Court also cleared the promotion of two additional judges of Haryana. While Narnaul additional DSJ R.K. Bishnoi has been posted as DSJ of Bhiwani, Rohtak additional DSJ S.S. Lamba goes to Hisar as DSJ.