City schools to get cleaner look
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 12
The department of education will start a special “Cleaning the Campus” campaign in the government schools to keep the premises neat and clean. DPI (S) S.K. Setia said, “Our endeavour is to make proper arrangements for regular cleaning and general routine upkeep of the school campus, rooms, basic facilities like drinking water and other sanitary conditions etc.”

For the purpose, the department has given its nod for outsourcing the services. The volunteers of NSS could be asked to take part in the campaign. The department has also suggested the school authorities to do the jobs like plumbering, urgent electric repairs etc. “Actually, the schools have been instructed not get dependent on the engineering department for undue delays. We have also told the school authorities to carry out the minor building repair jobs like installation of jail shutters, repairing doors and windows etc. from the repair fund, contingency, office expenses or even the building funds,” Setia said.

The schools have been instructed to decorate their campus through their own resources. “The schools can take help of teachers, staff and students thus enhancing the sense of belonging. The students can be allocated sites or pieces of plots for gardening and even an internal competition can be held to generate their interest, said Setia.

The department is planning to hold two competitions at the DPI (S) and DEO offices-level one on “Campus and building upkeep and maintenance’ and another on “Gardening and maintenance of vacant-chunks” having grassy plots and flower beds. The parameters shall be intimated in the first week of July and a trophy, along with certificate of appreciation, shall be given to the outstanding contributing staff, teachers and students.

Secondly, keeping in view the functional requirement of chowkidars in the schools, the department has instructed all school heads to ensure providing regular chowkidars in the schools with uniforms. They should also carry a chest card bearing their credentials and the school’s details. The chowkidars should be provided with a baton, a torch, an emergency light, whistle, a raincoat, an umbrella, a long coat and a light blanket in winter “The expenses can be met from the PTA fund , students’ welfare fund etc, stated Setia.

Moreover, to kindle the spirit of nationality and independence among the students, the department has instructed all schools to undertake the activities like declamation contests, essay-writing competitions on freedom struggle, poster-making competitions on the war of independence. In addition, the students would be taken to the gallery of portraits in Sector 17 for a visit and inspiration.

Bhatti’s foray into education soon
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 12
Renowned comedian Jaspal Bhatti will soon launch Mad Arts, a media and digital arts school, as an education venture in the city.

A press note here today stated: “State-of-the-art classrooms, qualified faculty, working studios, editing tables and animation facilities with the support of Jaspal Bhatti Production House and Joke Factory, Mohali, will provide a suitable atmosphere to students wanting to make it to the world of films, television, radio and journalism.”

Mad Arts will offer a three-month course in different fields, including animation, acting, direction, script writing, camera, lighting and editing.

Each student will be required to make a short film at the end of the course.

Students will get a chance to meet experts, not merely from the region but also from the Mumbai film and television industry.

From Colleges

Banur
FOUNDATION DAY: Sub chapter of the Ramakrishna Vivekananda International Foundation (RKVIF) at the Swami Vivekanand Institute of Engineering and Technology (SVIET), Ramnagar, Banur, on Friday observed its foundation day on the institute’s campus. Convener of the sub chapter Dr Verinder Kaur told that this chapter was formed a few months back under the guidance of RKVIF chairman Swami Parthasarthy ji and organised career counselling camps in various schools of nearby villages in which around 2000 students received counselling.

Dera Bassi
MEDICAL CAMP: Sri Sukhmani Institute of Medical Sciences and Research organised a two-day free medical check up camp for the residents of Dera Bassi and the surrounding villages on its premises. Specialists from the departments of ophthalmology, gynecology, general medicine, orthopaedics and dentistry examined the patients. Free blood sugar and ECG tests were done and essential medicines were also given to the patients. Patients suffering from cataract were operated upon. Medical director of the hospital Dr R. Kalra told that such camps would be organised in future also.

Kharar
SEMINAR: A seminar on human values in management and society was held at Rayat and Bahra Institute of Engineering and Bio-Technology, Sahauran, Kharar. G.P. Rao, Professor Emeritus and former chairman of the School of Management, Madurai Kamraj University, inaugurated the seminar, which was attended by more than 150 faculty members. Professor K.N. Pathak, director general academics, Rayat and Bahra Group of Institutions, was the guest of honour. — TNS

Former teachers honoured
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 12
Annual meeting of the Punjab Government College Retired Teachers Welfare Association was held today at Government College for Boys, Sector 11, Chandigarh, in which more than 150 former teachers participated. It was presided over by Dr Bhagat Singh, former DPI, Punjab, and vice-chancellor, Punjabi University, Patiala.

Prominent educationists like K. Atma Ram, Prof Harbax Singh, Major Jeewan Tiwari and Prof Sarvan Singh, president of the association, attended the meeting. They discussed the present education scenario in Punjab and felt the need for improving it through their own efforts in advisory capacity.

Gurnam Singh pointed out anomalies in the pension scheme and decided to submit it to the government for rectification. Six former teachers - Prof B.K. Bhalla, Prof C.D. Shastri, M.S. Sethi, Jialal Handoo, P.S. Bakshi and Dr Bhagat Singh - who have crossed 80 years of age were honoured. Prof Phool Chand Manav was honoured for his contribution to literature.

10 present cases for sites
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 12
At least 10 presentations were made by different institutions seeking a site at the education city in Chandigarh today. As many as 25 institutions have applied for sites at the venue which will house seven institutions. Those who made presentations today included All-India DAV Management Committee, JCBL and Parson Polytechnic, New York, Centre for Science and Engineering, Baddi, FPS Limited, Maya Academy of Animation Arts, Maharaja Agrasen Society and Swami Vivekanand Education Society. The remaining applicants will make presentations next week.

Jeet Jagjeet enraptures Plaza Carnival crowd
Our correspondent

Chandigarh, May 12
The Plaza Carnival crowd was treated to a spectacular show of music as the star performer Jeet Jagjeet brought alive the vitality of Punjabi folk, mysticism and serenity of Sufiana stream and glamour of popular music all in his two-hour scintillating spell here at Plaza. The event was organised by the Centre for Carnival Arts in collaboration with the Chandigarh Tourism, BSNL and Coca Cola with The Tribune Group of Newspapers as its media sponsor.

With his majestic stage presence, the well-acclaimed pop star established an instant rapport with the audience before mesmerising them with traditional folk songs like 'Jogian de kanna bich kach diyan mundra’, 'Heth vagge darya', 'Jugni' and 'Boliyan'. He embellished his songs with the choicest couplets from sufi mystics. Jeet was eventually at his best as he rendered selected songs from his albums ‘Nach Laddiye’, ‘Chor Akhiyan’ and ‘Mein Tere Qurban’. The audience turned crazy and danced in gay as Jeet doled out ‘Kite pagal naa kar deve’, ‘Reshma jawan ho gyi’, ‘Sajjan diyan chor akhiyan’,‘Bach bach ke’ and ‘Putt sardaran de’.

A postgraduate in public administration and a law graduate from Panjab University, Jagjeet is a trained classical vocalist. He had extensively performed in Italy, France , Holland, Austria, Bulgaria and Marutitus.

Earlier, amateur artistes Akanksaha Vohra, Rupinder Singh and Deep Kanwal presented songs. At the artist’s corner, Prof Ravinder Sharma conducted an art workshop on collage making with public participation while students of Government College of Arts (GCA) led by Sikander made sketches of public.

Central minister Pawan Kumar Bansal termed Plaza Carnival as the cultural soul of the city and city mayor Harjinder Kaur also lauded the efforts of Carnival centre. Manki Deep honoured the artistes.