Chandigarh, September 7
It seems that the wait for the 130 odd students enrolled in the four year BPEd course at the Government College, Sector 11 is going to be over soon. For the department of Physical Education of the college organised a panel discussion on “The relevance of the four-year BPEd course” today.

It is pertinent to mention here that on September 10 a three-member team would be going to NCTE, New Delhi to make a presentation for seeking the mandatory affiliation.

The panellists for the discussion today included Dr Ajmer Singh, Arjuna Awardee, Dr N.S. Maan, former chairman, department of physical education, Panjab University, assistant professor, Dr J.S. Gill, head of the department of physical education, PEC, Dr G.S. Brar, chairman, department of physical education, PU, Dr Pahlad Aggarwal, deputy director, colleges, Chandigarh Administration. The focus of the discussion was on the innovative aspects of the course.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Ajmer Singh former, vice-chancellor, LNIPE, Gwalior opined that the course being run in the college is a well-planned and comprehensive course with a promise of good employment opportunities.

Professor G.S. Brar dwelt on the suitability of the course with respect to such vocations as fashion, marketing and designing sports facilities. The course also has great potential for promoting self-employment.

Dr N.S. Maan appreciated the course contents and complemented the new ideas and innovations that have been implemented in the course.

Dr J.S. Gill drew parallels between the courses run in certain Universities in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Scotland, University of Canterbury and the one in this College. He considered this course a global course with worldwide relevance.

Dr P.R. Aggarwal dispelled the fears and apprehensions of the students regarding the recognition of the course by NCTE. He informed the panel that Raji P Srivastava, director higher education, has personally forwarded the matter before NCTE, Jaipur. He also expressed his thanks to the college principal, Dr A.L. Gauba for facilitating this panel discussion.

Dr R.S. Brar, senior lecturer, Government College for Girls 42, who had put his extensive efforts for launching the course, presented an elaborate detail of it, emphasising its innovativeness.

Professor Harjinder Singh, head, department of physical education, Govt College, Sector 11 presented the vote of thanks.

Chandigarh, September 7
The Commerce Society of Government College, Sector 46, organised a quiz contest for the commerce students on Friday. There were eight teams in the contest. Various management thinkers’ names were assigned to the teams like Fayol, Webber, and Taylor. Dr Bikram acted as a quiz master. The contest was divided into 7 rounds. Students and teachers also participated in the contest as there was pass on or audience questions. The first prize was won by Robbins, Team of Jatinder Jalaj and Harleen (B.Com III) while the second prize was bagged by Donnells- team members were Hemant , Vishal and Ripudaman (B.Com III). Third prize won by Taylor( Ishu & Karanvir of B.Com III and Mayank of B. Com II). Dr. S.K. Saluja was the chief guest of the quiz competition.

CEREMONY: Installation ceremony for the student’s council was held at the Govt. Home Science College, Sector 10 in which 22 counsel members were appointed. The president of the Students Counsel is Kalyani Singh, vice president is ‘Ravleen Kaur Reen’, secretary is ‘Salina Uppal’ and the treasurer is ‘Lavleen Kaur’. Harjot Kaur Mann has been appointed as the press incharge. Retired Justice S.S. Kang was the chief guest for the function and he enlightened the students by delivering a lecture on 'Present values among the students.' — TNS

Chandigarh, September 7
The students’ organisations at the DAV College, Sector 10 today struck classes for sometime on the issue of pre-ponement of internal examinations. Led by the student leaders Aman Multani, Praveen Daras, Manpreet Sekhon and Simranjit Singh Kang, the students gathered in front of the principal’s office and protested against the decision to pre-pone the examination from September 24 to September 11.

Later, the principal called off the strike and held a meeting with all the student leaders. It was decided that the internal exam would begin on September 12 and will continue till the September 17. 

Chandigarh, September 7
In a harsh order bound to rattle the corrupt and inffecient among the lower judiciary, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today castigated judicial officer S.S. Bhardwaj (under suspension) for playing a fraud upon the institution of judiciary.

“We are not dealing with an ordinary situation in these cases. The judicial officer, S.S. Bhardwaj, has not only played a fraud upon the institution but has tended to tarnish the reputation of judiciary as harbinger of justice,” a division Bench, comprising Chief Justice Vijender Jain and Justice Mahesh Grover, stated in its order.

The judges noted that it would be in the fairness of things that parties whose cases were either decided or handled at one stage or the other by Bhardwaj should submit themselves to the jurisdiction of court of competent jurisdiction which is now seized of the matter and get decided their rights afresh.

The facts of the case, according to the order, are that S.S. Bhardwaj, Civil Judge (junior division)-cum-Judicial Magistrate First Class, Chandigarh, got embroiled in a controversy in 2003 and was placed under suspension. Incidentally, he is facing prosecution now.

On the basis of some information, more than 125 files were recovered from staff attached to Bhardwaj in which judgments, orders, zimni orders etc were found dictated or typed but the same were not signed by Bhardwaj.

A list of such cases was forwarded to the high court by the District and Sessions Judge, Chandigarh. Taking cognizance of the same, the then Chief Justice had ordered listing of the matter on the judicial side and a writ petition in 2005 was the outcome thereof. Interestingly, the files of unsigned orders were even traced to Bhardwaj’s residence.

The petitioner had prayed that order pronounced by Bhardwaj on April 28,2003, should be made operational though it had not been signed. Given the peculiar circumstances of the case, A.S. Garewal, Additional Advocate-General, Punjab, was requested to assist the high court as amicus curiae.

Chandigarh, September 7
The second-hand booksellers in Sector 15 may soon start selling from their very own sheds after the Punjab and Haryana High Court today vacated the stay over the allotment of new sheds made for their rehabilitation near the underpass in Sector 15.

Punjab Governor Gen S.F. Rodrigues (retd) had inaugurated the sheds on May 14. However, after hearing the petition filed by some residents of Sector 15, the HC had stayed their allotment.

The prefabricated sheds, constructed to rehabilitate the unauthorised second-hand booksellers, were being merely used as ‘restrooms’ by stray dogs and beggars. Also, it meant that the money pumped in to erect the structures was going waste. In the absence of any caretaker, the structure was also in a bad shape.

With the stay being vacated, the members of the Old Booksellers’ Association (Unauthorized) hope to soon move into the sheds that would not only provide safety, but the buyers would find it easier to shop there during inclement weather conditions.

President of Old Booksellers’ Welfare Association (Unauthorized) Javed Ali Khan said, “The place where the booths had been erected was being used as a dumping ground by the residents. After the allotment now, it will prove beneficial for us as well as the students and residents of the locality.

Chandigarh, September 7
The week long Rashtriya Natya Utsav-2007’ (National Theatre Festival-2007) took a majestic start at the Tagore theatre here. The NSZCC Allahabad and NZCC Patiala have brought the annual theatrical bonanza to the city in collaboration with the department of Public Relations and Cultural Affairs, Haryana.

While inaugurating the festival, Punjab Governor H.E. Gen (retd) S.F. Rodrigues, maintained that our cultural traditions of performing arts has given us something of eternal value to hold on to.

Earlier Haryana minister, Kiran Choudhury, lauded the dedicated efforts of all concerned for the proliferation of our cultural heritage and the contemporary art forms. Bureaucrats K.K. Khandelwal Bhagwan Shanker, R.T. Jindal and project director B.S. Balhara too joined them for the lighting the traditional jyoti.

The Dayanand Sushila Sanskritik Kendra Gaya depicted the reign of corruption rampant in all its varied manifestations under the shadow of an inevitable fear, in the opening play ‘Jaanch Padtaal’.

The instant Hindi play, adapted from Nikolei Gogol’s original story ‘The Government Inspector’ by the writer-director, Sanjay Sahay, was a complete transformation in the content and treatment with aberrations laced in the pastoral Bihari language and milieu. The director, with a band of seventeen versatile actors attempted to bare the psyche of corrupt, hypocrite and sycophant officers, city mayor, his second wife and daughter all living an aristocratic life indulged in corrupt practices and torture of the suppressed downtrodden subjects.

A secret message cautioning the arrival of a high-powered enquiry officer in disguise to probe the allegations of corruption creates horror. Unfortunately they all submit to a fraudulent scoundrel and bribe him but later on repent to learn that the real vigilance inspector has come.

Sanjay had relied largely on the humourous sequences, which were long drawn, probably to generate more comedy and the actors especially NSD alumnus Vijay Kumar, Abhijit Kumar, Durga Sahay, Mrigendera, Rajender Sharma, Manumani, Rajesh Awasthy did it also. This venture somehow diluted the element of curiosity, which was the climax of the play. The music was the lifeline of the play and the packed house enjoyed the presentation.