Saturday, December 18, 1999
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N E W S Saturday, December 18, 1999 |
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Models cast a spell on an
ecstatic crowd PANCHKULA, Dec 17 — Top models of the fashion industry wove magic as they strutted onto the ramp in bridal finery, while multi-coloured lights lit up the stage and the audience turned ecstatic as models smiled and waved at them during the fashion show, Taal, organised at Yavnika in Sector 5 here today. Comprising 10 rounds, the event was a showcase of tradition as ensembles in different hues supported by the graceful ''girls'' and a rage with the people. Most of them heavily embroidered in aari and zardozi with exquisite threadwork formed the formal trousseau collection of the ''brides''. The show began with spotlight on a palanquin which lay centre-stage. As the chanting of mantras began, the ''bride'' with a veil covering her face emerged from the doli and walked right into the crowd on the special ramp made for the purpose. Soon the crowd had a surfeit of beautiful women sashaying down the ramp in resplendent reds and golds. Lehngas and sarees for the brides and sherwanis and angrakhas for the men made up the first round titled shehnai. The second round titled kala sangram was an equally happening round in which the models displayed more of the same with each outfit embellished with embroideries and unusual motifs, all complimenting each other and never taking the focus away from the main concept and design. After two rounds of brightly coloured clothes, tehreer, the third round, presented lehngas and suits in subdued shades of green and peach. Chic suits and lehngas to suit all occasions formed the collection which was shown off by the models with class that matched the range. Called nakhra, the next round was a judicious blend of traditional embroidery with a twist of modernity to it. Traditional colours, which have been adorning Indian brides for ages, were coupled with embroidery in silver and gold in a variety of fabric. Parampara was a collection of suits in hand painted and bold designs, a range designed to meet the requirements of the smart women of the new millennium, while it preserved the traditional look. With Piya dil diya playing in the background, the magic of the 70s was recreated as models in short kurtas with culottes, in a collection inspired by yesteryear, made it a memorable evening for the audience which gave the loudest applause for the round named adaa. Nazakat encased a fine symphony of flowing and vibrant-hued lehngas in dreamy nets embellished with dabka, aari and sitara work. The traditional Indian bandhni formed part of the intricately embroidered lehngas. A dance by one of the models to the music of Rangeelo maro dholna lent charm to the round and pepped up the already ecstatic crowd. Another round with the same theme was titled begum sahiba. Khwaab transported the audience to Punjab as male models dancing to Jind mai were followed by the girls dressed in salwaar kameez in shades of silver, grey and brown, while lycra formed the basis of the collection. The curtain came down on the magical evening with the grand finale in which a touch of western wear did manage to creep in. The millennium saw the models come out in shades of black and midnight blue accessoried with stoles, wraps and bags in shimmering silver and gold for the glamorous look. Contemporary and stylish, the finale was a window to the next century, styled with delicate beadwork and crystal work. The show, a well-managed event, was choreographed by Ms Priyanka Singh and featured top models of the likes of Gul Panag, Manpreet Brar, Shewta Menon, Shefali Talwar, Aparna Kumar, Poonam Nath, Joey Mathews, Seitu Kumar and Swareena Sing, while Naina, Sapna and Roohi, models from the region, also participated. The show was compered by Yuri, a radio jockey from Mumbai. Between the 10 rounds, Ronica Jacob along with her dance troupe kept the excitement alive as they jived to popular numbers, the most appreciated being Jasbir Jassi's Dil lay gayee kudi Gujarat di. Meanwhile, With the smile that could easily launch a thousand ships or at least an equal number of advertisements, Gul Panag, the dimpled beauty, with the crown of Miss India '99 under her belt, can afford to play the pampered child of the fashion industry. Referring to the splurge of fashion shows and the number of models the fashion industry can accommodate, Gul admits there is a lot of space on the top. ''The industry is always on the look out for new faces. The public gets tired of watching a particular point, and life in the industry is very short. You may adorn magazine covers and feature in television commercials one day and everything is suddenly lost the next day. So the number of fashion shows and beauty pageants are only a means of bringing new faces into the spotlight,'' she opines. Based on her assessment of the industry, she says she is already exploring other options and being a television presenter is one of them. She also has plans to pursue higher studies to better her academic credentials, and feels it is best to quit while one is still on the top. ''There is no fun in leaving when you are the underdog and your career is at its lowest ebb. One must quit while one is still a sought-after face which adds grace to the action,'' she believes. On the fashion industry, Gul says that the impression of it being exploitative does not hold water. ''It depends on how far you are willing to go to carve a niche for yourself. Also, another key factor is what you want out of the industry and what you are willing to give in return,'' she contends. Speaking about her peaches-'n'-cream complexion, she says: ''There are better things to do than to look pretty. There is definitely more to beauty than only beautiful skin. I just don't do anything to keep up my looks. It all comes naturally.'' She can't seem to understand how girls can hanker after all the beauty products only for a glowing complexion. Coming from an Army background, Gul says: ''I keep a tab on what I eat and that's about all I do. I eat sensibly and just don't get into the eating binges and freak out on pastries. That is certainly not for me.'' With both sets of
grandparents staying in Chandigrah, Gul Panag is familiar
with the city and has studied for three months in the
city. However, Taal was her maiden show here. |
Military might on display CHANDIGARH, Dec 17 — The clatter of an Army chopper hovering mere 50 feet above the ground to evacuate a battle casualty had barely receded when the roll of drums filled the air with martial music. Prior to this, daredevils from the Corps of Military Police had enthralled the audience with motor cycle riding skills and tricks. Not to mention skydiving by para-commandos and war dances by Gurkhas and Marathas. Behind the glamour and military ambience prevailing at the Sector 17 Parade ground today, lay fearsome firepower and an immense capability to rip through enemy defences. Rehearsing for its two-day exhibition, being organised by Western Command as part of Vijay Divas celebrations to commemorate the historic victory over Pakistan in 1971, the army has brought in an impressive array of guns, armoured vehicles and equipment. Prominent among the equipment are the T-72 battle tank, the BMP-2 infantry combat vehicle and the OSA-AK medium range surface-to-air missile system. The ''queen'' of the Kargil conflict, Bofors FH-77 howitzer, along with 130-mm m-46 field gun and the BM-21 multi-barrel rocket launcher are there for visitors to have a closer look. With a range up to 40 km, these systems form the backbone of the Indian artillery. The Air Defence Artillery is here with guns as well as missiles. The SPAGU-Kvadrat air defence system, which down hostile aircraft up to 25 km, and the Flycatcher radar, which provides all weather point and very low level air defence from 300 metres to 20 km, are displayed along with the highly versatile radar guided ZSU-23 tracked self-propelled guns. The Corps of Signals has
displayed an array of long-range, mobile communication
equipment as well as truck-mounted automatic electronic
switch exchanges and control facilities. The Corps of
Engineers is out in full strength with tracked as well as
wheeled bridging and mine-clearing equipment. |
Rich tributes paid to K.L.
Sharma CHANDIGARH, Dec 17 — Rich tributes were paid to Mr Krishan Lal Sharma, Vice-President of the BJP, and a candidate for the Chandigarh seat in the last Lok Sabha elections, who died in New Delhi this morning following a heart attack. Mr Sharma, who had a long association with Chandigarh in various BJP organisational capacities, was a bachelor. He was a frequent visitor to the city. The local unit of the BJP organised a condolence meeting at its Sector 33 office under the presidentship of Mr Dharam Paul Gupta. Mr Gurpartap Singh Riar (Shiromani Akali Dal), Mr Satya Pal Jain, a former MP, Mr Gian Chand Gupta and Mrs Kamla Sharma, former Mayors of Chandigarh; Mr Prem Sagar Jain, Mrs Neena Tiwari, Mrs Kamla Sharma, Mr Mohinder Singh, Mr Prabhu Dyal, Dr Anwar Ali and others paid rich tributes to Mr Sharma and described him as a “gem of the BJP organisation”. The local unit of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha also condoled the death of Mr Sharma and described him as a real “karamyogi”. Mr Kewal Krishan Addiwal, Mayor, said that in Mr Sharma’s death, the BJP had lost a valuable asset at a time when it was needed most. Mrs Pushp Lata Goyal, a
senior BJP leader and wife of first MP from Chandigarh,
Mr Siri Chand Goyal, said that the country had lost an
able, honest, clean, unbiased and an upright politician
who devoted his entire life in the service of the nation. |
MCC to install ad panels CHANDIGARH, Dec 17 — To raise resources for undertaking various developmental works in the city, the fund-starved Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh (MCC) has decided to install over 500 advertisement panels. The civic body had invited tenders from advertisement agencies for the single and double-sided illuminated advertisement panels to be installed in different shopping complexes and markets and the gardens under the jurisdiction of the civic body. The agencies had been given time till December 29 to send the tenders quoting the yearly amount it would pay to the corporation, besides the earnest money. After the receipt of the tender, the selection of one agency will be made, sources told The Tribune today. The agency quoting the highest bid will be leased out the panels, measuring 3'x ', for a period of three years. The agency, in turn, would be free to lease out the panels, made of acrylic or fabricated material, to any of the business houses or reputed companies. The sources clarified
that the panels would only be put up at the commercial
centres and the gardens of the city and not along the
city roads since the Punjab and Haryana High Court had
directed the Chandigarh Administration to remove all
hoardings along the roads. This would be the largest
experiment of its kind in any of the cities of the
country, the sources claimed. |
NHRC check on abuse of power
by police PANCHKULA, Dec 17 — Following an increase in the number of complaints pertaining to human rights violations, particularly regarding abuse of police powers, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has recommended a set of guidelines for the police. The Haryana Police Headquarters in Sector 6 plans to set up a complaint redressal mechanism which will promptly investigate such complaints. The directions, which have been circulated by the department, lay a check on the police against misuse of power at the time of arrest and detention. To narrow the gap between the law and its practice, the NHRC has prescribed guidelines regarding arrest. The guidelines do not permit public display or parading of the person at the time of arrest. The use of handcuffs or leg chains should be avoided as far as possible. Where children and juveniles are sought to be arrested, the use of force will not be administered under any circumstances. The police officers, may for this purpose, associate respectable citizens so that the juveniles are not terrorised and minimum coercion is used. With regard to the arrest of women, the NHRC says the arrest should be avoided between sunset and sunrise and women police officers should be associated in the act. Also, no search of women can be made without a lady police staff. The NHRC adds that the power to arrest should be avoided where the offense is bailable. The police officer carrying out an arrest or interrogation should bear a clear identification and name tag with his designation. If an arrestee has been remanded to police custody, he should be subjected to a medical examination, every 48 hours during his period of detention. The NHRC, in its
directions, has also sought for the cooperation of
non-government organisations (NGOs), public institutions
and other social welfare organisations for creating
public opinion to minimise the misuse of power by the
police. The directions add that the person arrested
should be permitted to meet his lawyer any time during
his interrogation and a clearly identifiable place,
notified by the government should be used for
interrogation. Also, the use of force during arrest
should not be applied unless it is unavoidable. |
Order on renting of property CHANDIGARH, Dec 17 — The District Magistrate, Mr M. Ramsekhar, today ordered that all owners or managers of commercial establishments shall have to inform the police station concerned before giving property on rent. The tenants will also have to furnish their details to the Station House Officer concerned in writing. Similarly, anyone
running a commercial establishment will have to inform
the police before employing servants, helpers, maids and
parttime helpers. All details will have to be furnished
in writing. Any breach in the order will invite action
under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code. The order
came in force today and will remain in force till
February 14, 2000. Meanwhile, carrying of licensed
firearms in public places has also been banned in the
city following an order of the District Magistrate, Mr M.
Ramsekhar. |
Traders want resumption notices
stopped CHANDIGARH, Dec 17 — The Joint Action Committee (JAC) formed by traders doing business in the main commercial centre, Sector 17 demanded that the Chandigarh Administration must stop issuing resumption notices till new building bylaws are framed. The building bylaws originally framed, in 1952 are presently being re-framed keeping in mind the changed socio-economic scenario then. As a protest the JAC has decided to observe a blackout for two hours on the eve of millennium on December 31. Lanterns and other traditional modes would be used for lighting during the two-hour period between 6 pm and 8 pm, the traders said, while addressing a press conference this morning. One of the main issues is of regularisation of violations of the building that has not gone down well with the traders. The Administration has been demanding a levy of 10 to 15 per cent of the present value of the site. The traders say a notification in this regard came into being on January 22, 1993. All buildings auctioned or allotted before that should be regularised with the levy being calculated at 10 to 15 per cent of the site value at the time of the allotment or auction. This regularisation should not be linked with the number of tenants or internal modifications carried out by the shop owners as the rules and bylaws framed in 1952 hold no good today. The JAC said that the Chandigarh Administration should not seal any building as it is being used as a ploy by landlords to get their premises vacated and give it out on much higher rent to other parties. When a building is sealed upon resumption the tenants are vacated while the landlord pays a fine, removes the violations, gets the building back and gives it out on the much higher rent, the JAC alleged. After resumption the Chandigarh Administration should act like a landlord and collect rent from the traders without evicting them while, the landlord can be asked to remove the violations. Sealing a building means creating unemployment. Besides this the government looses sales tax, income tax and excise duty. Further, the JAC wants that sale of building in apartments be allowed as is applicable in Delhi. Another important demand
is to include the restaurants in the general trade
category as no proper sites have been earmarked by the
Chandigarh Administration for restaurants. |
Syndicate disapproves medical
allowance CHANDIGARH, Dec 17 —The Panjab University Syndicate today refused to approve Rs 250 per month as medical allowance for all categories of employees. The special amount is released in several adjoining universities.Mr Ashok Goyal, a syndic, said that the fund should be made available even to the PU employees. The coordination committee of the Forum of Panjab University Employees said that “all universities, boards and corporations in the state are making payment of fixed medical allowances. We urge upon the Syndicate to implement the fixed medical allowances with normal dispensary facilities”. A demonstration before the Syndicate venue also witnessed demands for a viable pension scheme and house allotment. The syndicate cleared almost all appointments.A debate was held regarding appointment of a teacher in the English Department. It was pointed out that the selected candidate was a non-Ph.D while some applicants had higher qualifications who “were not given a fair chance”. The appointment was not approved. In another significant decision, the Syndicate punished a candidate by suspension for using unfair means in examination.The girl was earlier punished by the Vice-Chancellor. However, subsequently, the candidate was absolved. There were three other candidates in the same category. The university adopted the UGC letter on the constitution of the selection committees. The Vice-Chancellor has also been authorised to constitute selection committees for career advancement schemes. The interviews in this regard are likely to start in January. Mr Rajinder Deepa also raised the question about examination related controversy involving Dr D.V.Arya of Sanskrit Department. The VC said the matter would be pursued further. The appointments of Dr Mohinder Singh Johal (zoology), Dr Gurbax Singh Karkara (laws) and Dr Vijay Kumar Mahajan (evening studies) were approved as Professors by the syndicate. Another mentionable selection was Dr Rabinder Nath Sharma, a teacher activist and a fellow of the university. The syndicate accepted a donation of Rs 1,25,000 from Dr Prabha Chaudhry Public Charitable Memorial Trust for the creation of a monthly scholarship.The award will be given to a deserving student (preferably a female ) of MBBS course in MBBS I and MBBS II on the basis of merit.Dr Prabha Chaudhry memorial gold medal will be for a student standing first in obstetrics and gynaecology. The syndicate also
accepted a donation of $ 3000 (Rs 1,29,226 )from Dr
Gulshan Rai Saini Foundation. As many as 11 scholars were
cleared for doctorate degrees. |
Shanta, Satinder file papers CHANDIGARH, Dec 17 — It will be a straight fight between the BJP and the Congress for the post of Mayor, the elections to which are slated to be held on December 23. On the last day of filing nominations today, Ms Shanta Abhilashi (BJP) and Ms Satinder Dhawan (Congress) filed their nominations for the top post. The BJP fielded Mr Des Raj Tandon for the post of Senior Deputy Mayor. He will lock horns with Ms Kamlesh of the Congress and Ms Harjinder Kaur of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), who also filed papers for the post of the Deputy Mayor earlier in the day. The BJP had left the post of Deputy Mayor to its junior partner in the alliance. Mr Mohinder Singh of SAD will be the alliance’s candidate for the post. Ms Sunita of the Congress is also in the fray for this post. A close look at the
nominations showed that by getting top two posts, which
apparently had the concurrence of the party high command,
the Gian Chand Gupta group had emerged stronger.The writ
of the local party organisation, controlled by the Gupta
group, seemed to run. A delegation comprising the former
MP, Mr Satya Pal Jain, the general secretary, Mr Mahaveer
Prashad and vice-president, Mr Suresh Verma, had met the
party President, Mr Khusabhau Thakre, to get the approval
of the party high command for the names. |
PUDA auction nets 12.56 cr SAS NAGAR, Dec 17 — PUDA netted Rs 12,56,55,000 at an auction of freehold commercial sites held here today. Ten per cent of the amount was collected on the spot. Many of the buyers were NRIs. It was a rare achievement for PUDA as all 24 SCO sites in Sector 70 here which were put to auction were disposed of. At the previous auction held a little earlier on December 7, as many as 20 sites in different phases were put to auction but only 15 could be ultimately sold. Twentytwo of the sites today measured 5 metres by 20 metres with the reserve price fixed at Rs 42.30 lakh each. The maximum bid accepted in this category was Rs 55 lakh, while the minimum was Rs 49,30,000. Two of the 24 plots were corner sites (5.115 metres by 20 metres) and fetched Rs 56,65,000 and Rs 55,75,000 against the reserve price of Rs 46,53,000. Mr G.S. Ghuman, Estate Officer, PUDA, said it was the first time since 1972 that all commercial sites put under the hammer were disposed of. NRIs purchased some sites. Mr Surjit Singh Sidhu, an NRI based in Los Angeles, bought five sites, he added. Asked the reasons why all commercial sites had been disposed of this time, Mr Ghuman said it was because the “information network” was strengthened and those who came to the PUDA office to enquire about the auction were properly attended to. Besides, he said, PUDA officials made efforts to contact those with the necessary finances to participate in the auction. It is learnt that
initially PUDA was planning to auction only 15 sites but
later it was decided to increase the number of 24 seeing
the “upward trend” in the market. |
Kid murder: SI denied
anticipatory bail CHANDIGARH, Dec 17 — Sub-Inspector Amarjit Singh's anticipatory bail plea was today dismissed by UT Additional District and Sessions Judge S.S. Lamba in the Kulwinder Singh Kid murder case. Seeking grant of anticipatory bail, counsel for the applicant had earlier stated that there was no evidence regarding Kid's abduction and subsequent murder by the applicant. The Sub-Inspector, counsel had added, was not even present when Kid was allegedly killed. Claiming to have been implicated in the case, counsel had stated that the allegations against the applicant were false. The first information report, he had added, was lodged after an inordinate delay. Earlier, in his petition before the Punjab and Haryana High Court here, Kid's father Tarlochan Singh had alleged that his son had forcibly been taken away from their SAS Nagar residence by a police party in plain clothes in July, 1989. Taking up the petition, the high court had directed the then Chandigarh Sessions Judge, Mr M.S. Lobana, to submit a report after investigating the matter. In his report, submitted in September 1995, the Sessions Judge had observed that on July 22, 1989, a police party in plain clothes, headed by Surjit Singh Grewal of the CIA Staff at Patiala, had taken away Kulwinder Singh, alias Kid, after raiding his house in SAS Nagar. On the basis of the inquiry report, the court, on July 5, 1996, had directed the registration of a case against the accused police officials and handed over the case to the premier investigating agency. In its report, the
investigating agency had stated that the officials had
entered into a conspiracy to kill Kulwinder Singh in a
fake encounter and to show him as an absconder. |
RI for selling adulterated
milk CHANDIGARH, Dec 17 — For selling adulterated milk, the UT Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr Sant Parkash, today convicted Hardeep Singh, a resident of Ropar district, under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act (PFA), and sentenced him to undergo six months' rigorous imprisonment besides imposing a fine of Rs 1,000 on him. The CJM further directed the convict to undergo rigorous imprisonment for another two months in case of default of payment of fine. The accused, according to the prosecution, was intercepted by a food inspector, Mr Balbir Singh, with about 20 litres of milk for public sale in Sector 45. The prosecution had added that as per the reports of the pubic analyst, milk fat was found to be 7 per cent deficient and milk solids, not fat, were 20 per cent deficient against the minimum prescribed standard. Pronouncing the orders in the open court the CJM observed, "The prosecution has been able to establish that the accused was found selling milk and the same was found to be adulterated on analysis and case against the accused is established beyond the shadow of doubt. The accused is hereby held guilty and convicted for offences under Sections 7 (1), 16(1) (a) (1) of the PFA, 1854." Declining the plea for
lenient view, the CJM observed, "Despite the fact
that the convict is first offender, I am of the
considered opinion that he does not deserve any leniency
while awarding the sentence. The convict has been found
guilty of keeping in his possession, the items of daily
use which is consumed by society everyday. The
adulteration in this common item can affect the mental as
well as the physical health of each and every
individual." |
Colonel rejects Badal’s
charge in court KHARAR, Dec 17 — Col Jasmer Singh Bala, who has filed a case against Mr Parkash Singh Badal, President of SAD, in the court of Mrs Seema Dhillon, Civil Judge, Junior Division, Kharar, today filed a reply to the applications filed by Mr Badal dated December 15. He denied that any misrepresentation of facts or fraud had been played upon the court by him. Rather, he alleged that misrepresentation and fraud was apparent from the application filed by Mr Badal. Colonel Bala, through his counsel, submitted that the calling of meeting of the working committee of SAD for December 15 on a short notice was a hush-hush affair. He alleged that the Election Commission of India had no authority to extent the life of a political party as the tenure of the party in the general house is fixed by the party constitution itself. He added that the as per the constitution of SAD, it cannot act as a political party beyond the expiry of its own term, i.e. two years. Colonel Bala alleged that the meeting of the working committee of the party held on December 15 was void as per the constitution of SAD. It had violated the orders passed by this court on December 14 and Mr Badal was liable to be prosecuted for contempt of court. He requested that the court take notice under order 39 Rule 2A suo motu. The court fixed January
11 as the next date of hearing. |
Accused granted bail CHANDIGARH, Dec 17 — A Kalka resident was granted bail by the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr Sant Parkash, today. The accused — Santosh — was directed to furnish a personal bond of Rs 15,000 along with a surety of the like amount. The 30-year-old accused
was arrested by the Chandigarh police, along with two
co-accused — Baby, alias Neelam (45), and Hira (35)
— from the Inter-State Bus Terminus, here, under the
Immoral Prevention Traffic Act on Tuesday. The trio were
produced before the court yesterday and remanded to
judicial custody. |
New garbage disposal scheme ZIRAKPUR, Dec 17 — The Zirakpur nagar panchayat has launched a new scheme for garbage disposal on a trial basis for one month. Under the scheme, explains Mr A.L. Bansal, executive officer of the nagar panchayat, the task of keeping the area clean has been given to a contractor for one month. The contractor, who will be paid Rs 90,000, will engage a work force of 40 men and a tractor-trailer to clean the main road as well as the approach roads. But the scheme will cover only the “regularised” areas, explains Mr Bansal. The residents of the seven villages that form the nagar panchayat have been living in insanitary conditions for decades. In the absence of a reliable disposal system, heaps of garbage have become a common sight in the streets and open spaces, where the villagers have been dumping household waste and cow dung. These dumps have become breeding places of flies, insects and mosquitoes. Now the villagers look up to the Nagar Panchayat to clear the mess. A resident of Dhakauli
village complained that sweepers did visit his area but
they collected garbage only from a few selected spots.
The lanes were not cleaned and remained littered with
garbage. He said the residents expected a disposal system
similar to that in Chandigarh and Panchkula. |
'Increase time limit for share
transfer' CHANDIGARH, Dec 17 — A delegation of the Haryana Group Housing Promoters and Builders Association, led by Mr Suersh K. Mittal, today met the Chief Town Planner of HUDA in support of its demands. In a representation, the delegation urged the HUDA authorities to increase the without fee transfer time for shares from six months to 24 months and fix the transfer fee at Rs 5,000 since a majority of the group housing society members belonged to the salaried class. Besides, the permission for a community hall and a service booth should be granted to each society. The representation wanted the necessary directions to officials concerned to accept the "L" form as per the bylaws of the group housing society. As per the bylaws of the Haryana Cooperative Group Housing Societies, the Managing Committee had the power to transfer the share and changes should be effected in the "L" form without seeking the permission from the Registrar of the Cooperative Group Housing Societies. Development of infrastructure in the land allotted to the societies was another demand highlighted in the representation. The Chief Town Planner
assured the delegation that the demands would be
considered within a week. |
Trust move to reunite 1947
Partition families CHANDIGARH, Dec 17 — The Jati Umra Indo-Pak Pariwar Milap Trust will meet here tomorrow to work out the modalities for reuniting the families separated during the Partition of 1947. The Chairman of the trust, Col Partap Singh Gill (retd), former Governor of Goa, Daman and Diu, said the basic aim of the trust was to reunite persons, particularly women who were separated from their families during Partition. While many of them were kept back forcibly, others converted their religion and settled again. Col Gill said as a step in this direction, the first batch of women war being sent to Pakistan to meet their family members, whom they have not seen, perhaps for the past 50 years. While their passports have already been made, the visas will be arranged from the High Commission shortly. The Trust, which was formed last year following Col Gill’s visit to Pakistan, has not only located such 1947 cases through personal contacts but also contacted their relatives on the opposite side to make the reunion possible. The members of the trust
and the ladies would later call on the Punjab Governor
Lieut-Gen JFR Jacob. Members of the trust include Deputy
Chairman, Khalifa Sayeed Mohamed Ya Yha, Head of Roza
Sharif, Sirhind; and Secretary Vishal Sharma. |
'Labourers get food for work, no
wages' Chandigarh, Dec 17 — The march of capitalist growth heaps miseries on those very people at whose cost it flourishes, said Dr Manjit Singh in his paper on ''Problem of bonded labour in Punjab'' at a seminar on ''Ambedkar and social transformation: democracy, diversity and resistance'' at Panjab University here today. The seminar, being organised by the Department of Political Science in the ICSSR complex, will conclude tomorrow. Dr Manjit Singh said that in the long run the growth of capital was in proportion to the deprivation of masses which at times were pushed to a level where they were ready to sell labour, instead of labour power. Labourers were made to work for simple food sans wages. The economy of Punjab acted like a magnet for lakhs of poor people from the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa and Madhya Pradesh who had either migrated permanently or visited during peak periods of labour demand in the agricultural and industrial sectors. The tribal belt of Bihar was a favourite hunting ground for recruitment of bonded labourers, Dr Manjit added. Dr Pradeep Sharma in his paper on ''Dalit politics in contemporary Uttar Pradesh politics'' said that unlike the earlier incarnations of Dalit politics, the BSP hardly talked of any serious social or educational blueprint. Its firm belief seemed to be able to take control by jumping into the electoral fray. Dr Sharma said that jumping into the election fray accounted for Mr Kanshi Ram's sole concentration on transfers of IAS officers during Ms Mayawati's stint as Chief Minister. What had happened over the years was the rise in political consciousness of Dalits in some North Indian states. Dr Awadhendra B. Sharan in his paper examined the fields through which untouchability was articulated as a central theme of the Indian social order during the colonial period. The major issues were crime, education and representation. Dr Ronki Ram in his paper on ''Dalit consciousness in historical perspective'' said that caste was not only the theme of society but it was also a significant theme in polity, ideology and economy. Dalit consciousness in the country grew along faulty lines. The Indian freedom struggle miserably failed to provide an environment for emergence of a political base based on consensus and common concerns. Mr Aditya Nigam in his
paper said that the political scene in the country had
changed more noticeably since the 80s. Politics, which
had a visible social base, seemed to have collapsed. Dr
P.S. Verma welcomed the dignitaries. |
Badal flayed for suspending
Ravi KHARAR, Dec 17 — The Pind Bachao Joint Action Committee, Naya Gaon (Kharar), comprising 52 villages of the Morinda Assembly Constituency has passed a resolution condemning the suspension of Mr Ravi Inder Singh, MLA from Morinda, from SAD. According to a press note issued here today, Mr Dhyan Singh Dhillon, General Secretary, the committee has shown concern over “murdering” of the democracy in SAD. He has written: “Mr Badal has ruptured the party at the seams and is destroying the Panth, Akali Dal, Punjab and Punjabiat”. He added that for Mr Badal, his family members is the SAD. He said that as a mark or protest, many party workers had removed the party flags from their house tops. The committee condemned the alleged rampant corruption in the SAD government. The resolution made it clear that catching a patwari or a doctor would not serve the purpose. Mr Badal should arrest the corrupt bureaucrats and start the anti-corruption movement from his own house. Meanwhile, Mr
Surinderpal Singh, Sarpanch of Behlolpur village, Mr
Jagir Singh, Sarpanch of Jhampur village, and Mr Paramjit
Singh, Sarpanch of Raipur village (all of Kharar block)
have also criticised Mr Badal for suspending Mr Ravi
Inder Singh. In a written statement issued here, they
said that by suspending Mr Ravi Inder Singh, the party
had committed a blunder as it had thrown out a loyal
member of the party. |
Online services for exporters CHANDIGARH, Dec 17 — Dr G. Vajralingam, Managing Director, Punjab Small Industries and Export Corporation (PSIEC), has announced that the PSIEC will provide 24 hours’ online information services to exporters and industrialists from January 1, 2000. Outlining the access to international data-bases being provided by the PSIEC, Dr Vajralingam said the information would include identification of prospective buyers, exporters and importers, the latest business trends, status report and technological profiles of companies the world over, direct access to 700 databases and credit reports from D&B, Moody’s. It was also explained that from April 1,2000, the PSIEC would have online connectivity for exporters of Ludhiana and Jalandhar with the help of NIC, which would enable industrialists and exporters to access specialised information by just clicking a key on computers. A nominal fee of Rs 500 will be charged from industrialists and exporters for making them members of this Trade Information Centre. Meanwhile, any exporter
or industrialist who wants to see a live operation of
this Centre will be welcome to visit the Udyog Bhawan,
Sector 17. Internet and E-mail services, which are
currently available, will be provided round the clock
from January 1, 2000. |
|
Vardhan's
collection of bhajans released Inheritor of a great classical music of the Rampur Sadarang tradition from his late father Acharya Kailash Chandra Dev Brahaspati, a scholar and musicologist, his mother Sulochana Brahaspati, a renowned singer, Vardhan is a lecturer of music in the Government College for Girls, Sector 11. With his parents as his gurus and his aunt, Dr Sharayu Kalekar, a former Vice-Chancellor of Indira Kala Sangeet Vishvavidyalaya, Kairagarh, it does not come as a surprise that the singer has won several honours in music. But it is after a wait of 18 years that Vardhan has been able to cut an album of his own. When questioned whether he would like to deviate to any other form of singing, he said that for a singer it was always essential to stick to one track. Vardhan is working on a classical album based on the poetry of Saint Kabir. HMT
body’s relief for Orissa Meanwhile, the Chandigarh Lottery Agents Association donated 60 quintals of rice to the Punjab Red Cross Society for onward transmission to Orissa cyclone victims. Relief
to Orissa by CRPF men A statement issued here said that clothing items, meant for all ages, have been categorised into 32 bundles and were handed over to the Orissa Resident Commissioner at Orissa Bhavan in Delhi by the Commandant, 37 Battalion, M.M.Singh, on Wednesday. The statement added that immediately after the cyclone struck Orissa, CRPF Additional Director-General, North West Zone J.P. Verma was rushed from Chandigarh to Orissa for supervising CRPF functioning during rescue and relief work. Bail
plea dismissed He was earlier booked by the Chandigarh Police for voluntarily causing hurt and criminal intimidation under Sections 323 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code on his wife Paramjit Kaur’s complaint. She had earlier alleged that the accused had threatened her. The accused, on the other hand, had contended that he was being implicated in the case. Claiming the accused to be innocent, his counsel had stated that the complainant had never been threatened. Fined
for drunken driving According to the prosecution, Balwinder Singh was booked under Section 185 of the Motor Vehicle Act. The accused, the prosecution had added, was riding a scooter after drinking on November 14. Naval Kishore was, meanwhile, booked under Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code on the complaint of a Hallo Majra resident. She had alleged that the accused had passed remarks at her. UP
resident in police custody The accused — Krishna Murari was earlier booked by the Chandigarh police for cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy under Sections 420, 467, 468 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code on the complaint of the branch manager of a nationalised bank here. Dazzling
show by Aurobindo kids Students of the school today enacted Rediscovering India, in which different scenes from the golden past of India’s history and culture were enacted. They traced the history starting from the Vedic period to the Indus Valley Civilisation, and dramatised the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and Panchtantra stories. The depiction of Buddha’s renunciation, King Ashoka’s conversion into Buddhism after the Kalinga war, and scenes from the times of Chanakya were beautifully depicted. The items on Kathak and Qawwali highlighted the Mughal influence on art, music and dance of India. The audiences were also moved by the scenes from the 1857 revolt and the freedom struggle. This was followed by depiction of India’s progress in modern age and its aspirations for the future. The chief guest of the day was Mrs Vineeta Rai, Adviser to the Administrator, UT. Speaking on the occasion, the Adviser praised Sri Aurobindo’s philosophy of integral education and free progress system. She also stressed the need to allow children to breathe in the fresh air free from suffocating and voluminous syllabus and burden of tests and exams. Surgeon
posted at Mani Majra hospital The civil hospital had been without a surgeon for quite some time and this would further improve the functioning of the hospital. Even the Sector 22 polyclinic would now have an orthopaedic surgeon as Dr Gurdarshan Singh, has been posted from Sector 16 to Sector 22. Dr Shardandu Sharma has been posted to the Orthopaedic Department, General Hospital, Sector 16, from Civil Hospital, Manimajra. Dr Manvinder Singh, has
been shifted to the Surgery Department of General
Hospital, Sector 16, from the Emergency Wing. Dr R.K
Chopra has been transferred to the Emergency of Sector
16, General Hospital from the Sector 22 T.B Centre, and
Dr Pardeep Bhardwaj has been transferred to the TB clinic
from the General Hospital. Dr Satbir Singh, who was in
the Sector 22 polyclinic has been posted as the MCH
officer. Dr B.D Chugh has been posted as SMO, Poly
Clinic, and I/c TB Clinic, Sector 22. |
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