Chandigarh, October 8
As many as 60 delegates and experts from far-flung places of the country attended the two-day national conference on ‘Recent Developments in Manufacturing and Quality Management’ organised by the department of Mechanical Engineering, Punjab Engineering College (deemed university), which concluded here, on October 6.

Chander Mohan, chairman, Board of Governors of PEC, inaugurated the conference. Prof P.B. Mahapatra was the chairman of the conference and Dr Deoraj Prajapati was the coordinator.

Dr D.K. Banwet from IIT (Delhi), Dr T.P. Singh, principal, BBSB Engineering College, Fatehgarh Sahib, and Dr Rajneesh Prakash, ex-principal, PEC, delivered the keynote speeches on the issues, problems and future course of research in the field of manufacturing, quality, management and various other fields of mechanical engineering.

The theme of the conference was conventional and unconventional machining, optimisation of machining parameters, finishing processes, nano-technology, JIT and lean manufacturing, FMS, IMS, robotics, quality in manufacturing and service sectors, industrial engineering, TQM and ISO standards, six sigma and quality.

Academicians, researchers and industry professionals presented research and industrial application based papers during the conference, which provided an interactive platform for learning and exchange of knowledge. The conference will ultimately lead to improvement of the various industrial processes.

Chandigarh, October 8
“Teaching has to be supplemented with research, which is source of new ideas and inputs to teaching. Today, the traditional wall between natural sciences and social sciences is crumbling and both are working together for common societal ends”, said Dr R.C. Sobti, vice-chancellor, Panjab University, Chandigarh, during the inauguration of the five-day training programme on “Research methodology and methods of research in social science” on the PU campus here today.

Around 50 participants, comprising teachers and research scholars, from all over the northwest India are participating in the training programme.

Professor Sobti pointed out common grounds between environment and human genome where they mutually affect each other. He also mentioned the differences between natural sciences and social sciences whereby cloning can produce only the former form of physical being but social form cannot be cloned and has to be different.

Quoting the findings of his own research and that of Mendel, he advised to be true to the results one finds in his or her research and do not fit the findings to suit the prevailing laws. It will amount to putting cart before the horse.

Prof Manjit Singh, coordinator of the programme, highlighted the importance of such a programme. “It has two purposes: one, to make the researchers aware of the role of theory and abstract ideas in the formulation of research problem and two, to educate the scholars about the various techniques and tools available in the domain of carrying out field work”.

Quoting the successful experience of previous five such workshops, he said the structure of the programme was such that it stimulates new ideas and equip the scholars with ‘do it yourself’ approach.

Prof B.S. Ghuman, dean, faculty of arts, read out the keynote address. He exhorted the participants to shun repetitive research, which is nothing but rehashing sub-standard research. “Make social sciences socially relevant and improve the quality of research”, said Professor Ghuman.

In fact this is the time when social sciences have to play active social and political role when society is heading towards a sort of a crash, he added. 

Mohali
Talent hunt: Indo Global College of Education organised various talent hunt competitions, including declamation, poetry recitation, quiz, debates and painting, here today. Dr Sarita Saini, principal of the college, congratulated the participants and prize winners. She said co-curricular activities played helped in personality development of students. Chairman of the Indo Global Group of Colleges Sukhdev Kumar Singla appreciated the efforts of students and staff for organising the competitions.

Chandigarh
CAMP: The 10-day NSS camp at GGSCW, Sector 26, concluded here, today. Dr Harinderjit Kaur praised the students for their good work. The theme for this year’s camp was ‘Healthy Youth for Healthy India’, so all the activities during the camp focused on mental, physical and spiritual health. Dr Shail Gupta and Dr Sheeba Gupta conducted a medical and dental camp in the adopted village Raipur Kalan

FUNCTION: A valedictory function to mark the closing of the 10-day NSS camp was organised at Government College of Education, Sector 20. Dr Rabinder Nath Sharma, NSS programme co-ordinator, PU, was chief guest of the occasion.The volunteers organised a massive rally at their adopted village, Kajheri, to generate awareness on various social issues.

RALLY: NSS volunteers pledged to fight foeticide during the valedictory function of the 10-day NSS camp at Dev Samaj College for Women, Sector 45, here yesterday, in collaboration with a Dehradun-based NGO Kanya Jeevan Dayini Samiti. The NGO members and NSS volunteers took out a rally through Burail village to spread the message to save the girl child.

Chandigarh, October 8
As many as 60 students participated in the NSS camp organised by Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 21, which concluded here, yesterday. The students carried out a cleanliness drive and eradicated congress grass from the premises of the school and the adjoining areas. Earlier, Indira Dhingra, principal, inaugurated the camp. Dr Ashwani Sandilya, convener, apprised the students of the importance, aims and objectives of the camp.

DECLAMATION: Nisha and Himanshi emerged winners in the English and Hindi declamation contests, respectively, during the Wild Life Week organised by Haritma Club of Government Model High School, Sector 29, here. Rahul and Monu claimed second position while Kamaldeep and Dheeraj shared the third rank. 

Chandigarh, October 8
Pursuant to their elevation, District and Sessions Judges Mohinder Pal, Harbans Lal and Sham Sunder were today administered oath as additional judges of the Punjab and Haryana High Court by Chief Justice Vijender Jain.

The number of high court judges has now increased to 36 against the sanctioned strength of 40, and the recommended strength of 52. With their elevation, a fresh roaster of benches also came into force. Justice Sham Sunder now sits with Justice Mehtab Singh Gill in the “third” division Bench, which is hearing criminal matters. Justice Harbans Lal sits with Justice K.S. Garewal in the “fourth” division Bench and is taking up civil matters. Justice Mohinder Pal sits in the “seventh” division Bench with Justice M.M. Kumar and is hearing tax and civil matters. Earlier during the day, the oath-taking ceremony in the lawns adjoining the Chief Justice’s courtroom was largely attended by the sitting and retired judges of the high court, besides bureaucrats, relatives and 500-odd advocates.

The judges swore to “bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India as by law established”. They also swore to “uphold the sovereignty and integrity of India” and to “duly and faithfully and to the best of ability, knowledge and judgement, perform the duties of the office without fear or favour, affection and ill-will”.

Prior to the elevation, Justice Mohinder Pal was Legal Remembrancer, while Justice Harbans Lal was Ludhiana’s District and Sessions Judge. Justice Sham Sunder was District and Sessions Judge-cum-Registrar (Vigilance).

Even after their elevation, the shortage of judges in the high court continues. The situation is expected to improve in the coming days with the clearance of four more names for elevation.

Chandigarh, October 8
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum-II has directed the Chandigarh Housing Board and Silverton Cooperative House Building Society Ltd to make refund of Rs 29,800, including interest, to Surinder Kumar Sharma.

Sharma said he was a member of the Silverton society. The Chandigarh Administration came up with a scheme according to which the society was to be allotted land for construction of multi-storeyed dwelling units for its members. Sharma deposited Rs 12,200 with the Chandigarh Administration through the society but after keeping the amount for seven years, the Estate Officer returned the draft in 1999 without interest. Sharma said since he was entitled to interest at the rate of 10 per cent as per the official guidelines, so he returned the draft to the president of the society in January 1999.

In response, the Chandigarh Housing Board stated that it dealt with the society concerned and not with individual members. Therefore, it denied the status of a consumer to Sharma.

The forum said, “As per the Scheme of 1991, the rules of 1973 have been made applicable to the land allotted to the societies. Neither Rules, 1973, nor the Scheme, 1991, vest in the petitioner, Housing Board, the power to forfeit the interest.”