Sunday, March 14, 1999
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P U N J A B | |
Sunday, March 14, 1999 |
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Tohra men
to boycott meeting |
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Talwandi
Sabo varsity: no action only rhetoric On
panel despite fraud charge Cash,
liquor stolen from kiosks Home
Guard men not paid salary Drive
to repair link roads Probe
transfer of "nazool land" |
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Tohra men to boycott meeting AMRITSAR, March 13 — The SGPC members owing allegiance to Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra have decided to boycott the general house meeting of the committee convened by 103 pro-Badal members on March 16. Mr Surjit Singh, secretary, SGPC, a close confidant of Mr Tohra, said today that "the 103 SGPC members have no right, under law, to prepone the meeting to March 16. The pre-ponement of the meeting is illegal and unlawful". In a public notice issued on behalf of Mr G S Tohra, he made it clear that the Tohra camp would boycott the general house meeting. As many as 136 out of 185 members, including the five High Priests who do not have voting rights, sought the immediate removal of Mr Tohra as SGPC chief at a meeting held at Kisan Bhavan, Chandigarh yesterday. According to sources, the public notice is aimed at initiating legal action against the Badal camp. However, if all 136 members attend the meeting of the general house on March 16 and pass the proposed no-confidence against Mr Tohra, the general house meeting summoned by Mr Tohra will lose relevance. On the other hand, the Tohra camp may embroil the Badal camp in yet another legal battle. The executive meeting convened by Mr Tohra at Jind (Haryana) tomorrow will be crucial as it is likely to be attended by both camps. The Badal camp will endeavour to get the suspension of Bhai Ranjit Singh as Akal Takht chief suspended, and the Tohra camp will oppose the move. Another ticklish issue
could be the endorsement of the resolutions of the
December 16 executive meeting summoned by the Tohra camp
at which Mr Manjit Singh Calcutta was appointed senior
secretary of the SGPC. |
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Fake certificates’ racket
unearthed GURDASPUR, March 13 — Thousands of persons in this border district have reportedly succeeded in getting jobs, admissions in various educational institutions and got them elected in elections on the basis of forged documents. This fact came to light with the arrest of four persons by the Gurdaspur Police. According to Mr Varinder Kumar district police chief, racket of supplying fake domicile, Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe certificates and backward classes certificates etc had been going on for a long time. However, the first case which led to the busting of the racket came to light with the arrest of two persons on March 11 on a complaint that a panch was elected on the basis of the "fake" backward class certificate in the previous panchayat elections. A criminal case was registered under Sections 465, 468, 471 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code on the basis of the complaint of Mr Dayal Singh that a Balwinder Singh and Gian Singh had procured "fake certificates" of Scheduled Caste and Backward Class respectively with a view to contesting the previous panchayat election. Both of them had won the election as panch in the area under the Kahnuwan police station. Mr Varinder Kumar disclosed that during the investigations the alleged accused admitted that one Sukhraj Singh, son of the present woman sarpanch of Maan village took them to agent Raman Kumar for procuring the forged certificates. The agent allegedly charged Rs 800 for the certificates. Raman Kumar got these forged certificates prepared through one Raj Kumar, a clerk in the Tehsildar's officer here. He got them certificates within two hours only. Some fake stamps were also seized by the police. The district police chief
said that the Gurdaspur police had arrested four a
persons including Balwinder Singh of Maan village, Gian
Singh and Sukhraj Singh of the same village and Raman
Kumar an agent. However, Raj Kumar, a clerk was still
absconding. Mr Varinder Kumar said that there was
apprehension that thousands of residents of this border
district got jobs in various departments while many
students succeeded in getting admissions in different
educational institutions, apart from contesting
elections. He further said that a high-level probe had
already been ordered to inquire into the entire matter.
He said more arrests could be made in the coming days. |
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Teachers condemn lathi charge BATHINDA, March 13 — Members of the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers' Union, Bathinda unit, will observe "black day" on March 15 in protest against the lathi charge and use of tear gas shells on college teachers at Chandigarh by the Chandigarh and Punjab Police. In a press note, Mr Y.R. Handa, District President of the union said today that lathi charge and use of tear gas shells against teachers holding a peaceful rally at Chandigarh on March 12 to press the Punjab government for the acceptance of demands was condemnable. He said that non-teaching staff members also observed pen-down strike and staged a dharna in various colleges. He said that union activists would intensify the stir in a peaceful manner. In another press note Mr Jasmel Singh Gill, President, PPCC (SC and ST Cell) and Mr Balwant Singh Dhillon, vice-president, the Lawyers for Human Rights, Punjab, alleged that apart from resorting to lathi charge on the college teachers, the Punjab government had also framed a number of teachers in false criminal cases. They demanded that all demands of teachers should be accepted by the Punjab government immediately so that future of students was not jeopardised. They alleged that the Punjab government led by Mr Parkash Singh Badal was more interested in grabbing religious places instead of solving problems of people. AMRITSAR: Strongly condemning the lathi charge on peaceful agitating private teachers of the colleges at Chandigarh the Guru Nanak Dev University (non-teaching) employees has given a call to the employees of the university not to accept supervisory duty during the examination to express solidarity with the agitating teachers. In a written press statement issued by Mr Amarjit Singh Bai, secretary, said that examination duties by the Punjab Chandigarh Teachers Union, "no employee of the university would perform any kind of duty for the examinations. About 2000 non-teaching employees of Guru Nanak Dev University Amritsar held a massive rally in front of the office of the Vice-Chancellor to protest against the non-implementation of demands. The rally was held on the call given by the Non-teaching Employees Association, Mr Sukhminder Singh Randhawa, President and joint secretary and Mr N.K. Pillai, general secretary, PAU Workers Union Ludhiana addressed the rally. The rally decided that dharna, fast and gherao of the Vice-Chancellor and Registrar all these actions would be organised to press for the acceptance and implementation of the demands. FEROZEPORE: The Federation of Associations of Principals of Non-Government Affiliated Colleges of Punjab and Chandigarh has condemned lathi charge on agitating college and university teachers in Chandigarh on Friday. He said that police lathi charge on teachers was highly shameful. The government was appealed to take steps to resolve the problem which otherwise could cause huge loss to the career of students. Teachers of the local RSD College, boycotted all examinations from today itself. As a result, the plus 1 examination scheduled for today was postponed. Condemning lathi charge the RSD College Teachers' Union president, Mr Devinder Arora and secretary, Mr J.R. Prashar, said that nearly 15 teachers of Ferozepore were injured in lathi charge in Chandigarh yesterday. This reminded of the British regime when Indians were denied the right to protest even, they added. JALANDHAR: Lathi charge on agitating university and college teachers has been condemned by the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union (PCCTU), the Association of Principals and Private College Non-Teaching Employee Union. Joint rallies were held on the campus of all colleges of the district to protest against the 'anti-education policies of the Punjab government. Addressing a rally here today Prof J.S. Randhawa decried police brutality which resulted into injuries to a large number of university and college teachers in Chandigarh. He also stated that the teachers of various colleges of Jalandhar district would observe Monday (March 15) as "black day" and hold a rally at Nehru Garden Chowk in Jalandhar. Dr V.K. Tewari, general secretary, PCCTU who addressed the rally at HMV College declared that the teachers would organise mass awareness" campaign in the areas of SAD-BJP MLA's against the anti-education policies of the Badal government. Rallies would be held on the campuses of the four universities in Punjab and Chandigarh and also joint rallies at the district and tehsil head quarters under the banner of the Co-ordination Committee of University and College Teachers. The principals of various local colleges Mr Subhash Kumar, Mr S.S. Dhatha, Mrs P.P. Sharma also decried the "negative" attitude of the Punjab government toward teachers. The Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union, Kartarpur unit, condemned the "unwarranted" "lathi charge" on peaceful agitators of the teaching community, at Chandigarh, yesterday. Mr Surinder Kumar Bangad general secretary of the union said here today that no words could express the anguish and humiliation faced by teachers. The high handedness by the police was deplorable. The government should give due consideration to the demands of the teachers community so that the academic atmosphere was not vitiated through 'faulty' policies of the establishment. Principal, R.L. Saili also condemned the lathi charge on teachers and demanded settlement of dispute amicably. BATALA: College teachers of all four degree colleges over here went on indefinite strike. Prof Parkash Singh, president, Gurdaspur district College Teachers Association, a wing of the Punjab and Chandigarh (PCCTU) said they went on indefinite strike in protest against the indifferent attitude of the Punjab government towards their demands added that the lathi charge on agitating teachers was most brutal act of the police. PHAGWARA: Agitating private college teachers today burnt effigies of two high-ups of the Punjab Finance Ministry, performed 'siapa' of the Badal government for excluding them from revised pay scales and downsizing 95 per cent grant and demanded registration of criminal cases against SP Baldev Singh, a DSP and an Inspector who had brutally tear gassed and lathi charged college teachers including women teachers at Chandigarh yesterday while they were offering themselves peacefully for mass arrest. While teachers were honoured and with raining lathis, women lady teachers were humiliated with filthy abuses by chasing burly cops of Punjab and UT Police, a teacher alleged here today on his return from Chandigarh. Agitating teachers decided to boycott examinations from March 15 to protest against police high-handedness at Chandigarh. Joined by non-teaching staff, irate teachers forced postponement of plus one exams at local Guru Nanak and Ramgarhia College today. A joint rally was held where Prof Jasbir Singh Johal, Prof Stanam Singh Dhaliwal, Prof Jaswant Singh, all former district presidents Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union and G.N. Chaddha district president Non-Teaching Employees Union decried lathicharge on teachers. Prof Balwinder Singh Sekhon, a lecturer of local G.N. College, who received serious head injuries and had to be given 10 stiches at a Chandigarh hospital, was presented before reporters here by protestors. Meanwhile, educationist and Akali stalwart Jagat Singh Palahi, former Punjab Minister, Joginder Singh Mann, district BSP chief Ashok Sandhu, Punjabi Bhallai Manch district secretary N.K. Chopra, Dalit leader S.L. Virdi, in separate statements, strongly condemned lathi charge on teachers. He said that a joint action committee comprising of presidents and seretaries of the PCCTU, the GCTU the PUTA (Panjab) The PUTA (Punjabi), PAUTA (Ludhiana) GNDUTA (Asr.) had decided to intensify the struggle and boycott all kinds university examination work. Meanwhile, the Punjab and Chandigarh non-Teaching Employees Union (PCNETU) has also condemned the lathi charge on college teachers at Chandigarh. Mr R.P. Sharma, president of the union, regretted that the role of non-government aided colleges and school on the field of education was being undeterred. PATIALA: The Punjabi University Teachers Association (PUTA) today condemned the state government for resorting to cane charge against a peaceful protest march by college teachers of Punjab and Chandigarh at Chandigarh yesterday. PUTA secretary N.S. Atri said tear gas and water guns had been used on teachers, including women, without any provocation. He urged the government to a apologise for the "unprovoked" attack on the teachers. He said the PUTA had decided to remain on strike on March 15 to register protest against the government. The PUTA also decided to boycott all examinations, including practicals, scheduled to be held by all four universities of the state. In another press release, the general secretary of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC), Mr Birdevinder Singh also deplored the "unprovoked" cane charge unleashed on "peaceful" demonstrators, Mr Birdevinder Singh said that it was not fair on the part of the state government to adopt different yardsticks for government and private aided colleges in respect of UGC grades. Other organisations who
have flayed the government on the issue are the
Government College Teachers Association of Mohindra
College, Teachers of Public College, Samana, who even
gheraoed the state Finance Minister Captain Kanwaljit
Singh who was on a visit to Samana township near here
today. The Punjab College Librarians Association termed
yesterday's lathi charge as "inhuman repressive
measures" by the government. The non-teaching
Employees Union of the local Modi College also decried
the lathi charge. |
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Talwandi Sabo varsity: no action
only rhetoric TALWANDI SABO: Residents of this holy city have been hoping for a university since the early ’60s here, but the successive state governments have so far failed to fulfil the long-cherished demand. This historic town, which was the original site for the Punjabi University, now at Patiala, has been ignored by the successive state governments in the matter of creating educational facilities here. Guru Gobind Singh, who stayed here for nine months and nine days after fighting several battles with the Mughals, got the "bir" of Guru Granth Sahib completed by Bhai Mani Singh, before it was bestowed a "Guruship" at Nanded (Maharashtra). Thus this place became Guru ki Kashi (Seat of learning). Keeping in view the historic and religious importance of this town, as many as four Chief Ministers have made announcements of setting up a university here, but nothing concrete has materialised. The late Beant Singh was the first Chief Minister to announce the selection of Talwandi Sabo for setting up a fourth university for Punjab in this town. He then announced that local institute of advance studies would be converted into full-fledged university in 1992 soon after assuming the power. The development boards, set up time and again for the overall development of this holy city by various Chief Ministers, could never be activated and the state government was unable to issue a notification for setting up a university here so far. Mr Harcharan Singh Brar, the next Chief Minister also made an announcement that a general university would start here shortly. After him, Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, who became Chief Minister also made a similar announcement regarding the setting up of a general university here but she could not issue notification in this regard due to code of conduct imposed by the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC). On taking over charge in 1997 after a massive mandate, Mr Parkash Singh Badal echoed the announcement of setting up a university here but without fixing schedule. However, in the last two years of its rule, the SAD-BJP combine government has failed to take any step in this regard. Mr Badal when contacted by this correspondent here on February 25, said the government was making sincere efforts for the overall development of this town. He, however, remained silent when asked that how long it would take for the university to function here. Residents, annoyed over the inordinate delay in setting up a university here, allege that though the town housed the fifth Takht Sri Damdama Sahib, the authorities concerned had failed to bestow on it the honour it deserved. They point out that other universities of Punjab were located at far away places and a university, if set up here, could cater to the needs of youth from Bathinda, Mansa, Faridkot, Ferozepore, Muktsar and Moga districts as well as contiguous areas in neighbouring Haryana and Rajasthan. They point out that by
only setting up the university here, could the literacy
rates of Mansa and Bathinda districts, which were very
low as compared to other districts, be raised. |
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On panel despite fraud charge BATHINDA, March 13 — Mr Surinder Singh Gill, suspended principal of Sri Dashmesh Senior Secondary School, Talwandi Sabo, booked for embezzling lakhs of rupees of school funds recently, has reportedly been nominated as member of the board constituted for improving education in Police Public Schools by the Director-General of Punjab Police. According to a news in language daily 'Aaj Di Awaj' published from Jalandhar on March 12, 1999, Mr Gill had been nominated a member for making education more effective and better through modern facilities in Police Public Schools. According to a notification issued by the DGP, Punjab Police State Board of Education has set up a board for the betterment of education in Police Public Schools being run by it at Jalandhar, Phillaur, Bathinda and Amritsar. Eight members have been nominated on this board which include Mr Surinder Singh Gill, Principal, Sri Dashmesh Senior Secondary School, Additional DGP Jalandhar and Additional DGP (Admn), Punjab, Chandigarh. Other members of the board are Additional DGP-cum-Director CPA, Phillaur, IGP, Zonal, Jalandhar, IGP, Headquarters Chandigarh and Dr Ram Murti, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Punjabi University, Patiala. Sources said that local police authorities had taken up the matter of nomination of Mr Gill as member of the Board with the DGP and apprised him of the criminal case in which Mr Gill had been booked by the Talwandi Sabo police for embezzling lakhs of rupees of school funds. Mr Gill was booked under sections 406, 409, 420, 468 and 471 of the IPC allegedly for embezzling Rs 19 lakh of school which he collected from the public and students under the garb of donations for the school by printing fake donation slips. The criminal case was registered against Mr Gill after he was indicted by an inquiry held by Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development) Mr Alok Shekhar on the orders of Mr S.R. Ladhar, Deputy Commissioner-cum-Chairperson of the school management. The School is being run by the Punjab State Defence Security and Relief Fund Educational Society. During inquiry, Mr Gill was found guilty of making foreign jaunts and indulging in other luxuries by using school funds without valid authorisation. His links with a proclaimed offender, Mr Satinder Singh Bohla, now settled in the USA had also come to light. Mr Ladhar after suspending Mr Gill had asked the vice-principal to officiate as principal of the school. Mr Sarabjit Singh, DGP,
could not be contacted as he was out of Chandigarh. |
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Cash, liquor stolen from kiosks FEROZEPORE, March 13 — Locks of five kiosks last night were broken open and some cash and bottles of rum were stolen. Locks of four kiosks, on the Railway Road, were broken open with the motive of stealing cash. Owners of all these kiosks repair two-wheelers and sell spare parts. Mr Amar Singh of M/s Ashu Auto Store told The Tribune that today morning when he came to open his kiosk, he found open three locks including the central lock of it. Later, he found that Rs 600 had been stolen from the kiosk. Another kiosk owner — Mr Sandeep Kumar of Brother Scooter Works said that this was for the third time in the past 10 days that locks of his kiosk had been broken open. Mr Kamal Kumar of Kamal Moped Works and Mr Aman Kumar of Aman Moped Works told that locks of their kiosks were also broken by thieves last night. But, there was no loss of money as they had left no cash in the cash boxes of their kiosks. Another theft bid was made at a liquor shop on the GT Road, a few yards from the Ferozepore cantonment police station. An employee of the liquor shop — Mr Mukesh Kumar said that after breaking open the shop thieves stole Rs 35 from the cash box and three bottles of rum. The Ferozepore cantonment SHO, Mr Dildar Singh himself visited them and assured action in the matter. Locks of seven PCOs were also broken open during the past 15 days and cash stolen from there. The SHO, Mr Dildar Singh
admitted that incidents of theft were on the rise in
cantonment area. About 15 persons had been rounded-up in
this connection, he added and said, these incidents seem
to be the handiwork of some drug addicts. |
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Home Guard men not paid salary FATEHGARH SAHIB, March 13 — The Home Guard jawans posted in the district have complained that they have not received their salaries since December. In a memorandum submitted to the Deputy Commissioner, they have demanded that their salaries should be released at the earliest as they are finding it difficult to make the both ends meet. Mr Baljit Singh, president
of the district unit of the Punjab Home Guards Welfare
Association, had demanded that their salaries should be
immediately released and their daily allowances, free
travelling facility should be implemented. |
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Drive to repair link roads BATHINDA, March 13 — The district administration had decided to launch a special drive to repair all link roads in the district from March 15 to March 22. In a press note here today, Mr S.R. Ladhar, Deputy Commissioner, said that in a week-long drive all potholes would be filled up while the road berms would also be strengthened. He said that under a new scheme for the maintenance of the link roads, the village panchayats had been directed to engage one person from their village on contract at Rs 1000 per month for regular repair of the roads. Mr Ladhar said that at the meeting of district development committee held recently it was decided to ban the digging up of any road for installing welcome gates and other things without the prior permission of authorities concerned. He added that after the harvesting of wheat crop in April, the campaign to widen link roads would be started again. He said that stitching
centres were being opened at all the focal points and in
the Scheduled Caste colonies. About 165 Scheduled Caste
families would be given financial help for building
houses. |
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Probe transfer of "nazool
land" BATHINDA, March 13 — The Lok Morcha, Punjab, today urged the Punjab Government and the National Commission for SC and ST to hold a probe into the incidents of transfer of "nazool" land to private people and conversion of its status as government land. In a press note issued here, Ms Pushap Lata, secretary, Lok Morcha, Punjab, Bathinda unit, alleged that certain politically connected persons had grabbed the "nazool" land in a number of villages of this district. She pointed out that "nazool" land could only be given to Scheduled Caste persons on lease or share basis for cultivation. She alleged that several pieces of "nazool" land were grabbed by the politically connected persons by converting its status as government land in connivance with the authorities concerned. She said that the Lok
Morcha in a letter to the Punjab Government and the
National Commission for SC and ST had also demanded a
strict action against those involved in hanky-panky with
the "nazool" land. The morcha had also demanded
that "nazool" land earlier transferred to
private hands illegally should be distributed among
Scheduled Caste persons. She said that open auction of
"nazool" land in Mehma Sawai village fixed for
March 15 should also be cancelled. |
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Central staff seek release of ADR JALANDHAR, March 13 — Central employees and pensioners have urged the Union Finance Minister for the early release of an instalment of additional dearness relief (ADR) at 10 per cent of the basic pay or pension. Mr V.S. Jolly, General
Secretary, All-India Central Government Pensioners
Association (North), and Mr Gurdit Singh Bawa, general
secretary, Coordination Committee Central Government
Employees (north), in a joint statement here yesterday
demanded the release of ADR instalment which had become
due from January this year. |
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Stress laid on bio-technology LUDHIANA, March 13 — Persons trained in bio-technology have a big role to play in industry, said Mr N.S. Tiwana, Executive Director, Punjab State Council of Science and Technology, while inaugurating the two-day national symposium on "Human resource development requirements of bio-tech industry and agriculture" at Punjab Agriculture University here yesterday. There was a need to make the public aware of potentials and benefits of biotechnology, he said. Dr K.S. Aulakh, Director of Research PAU who presided over the inaugural function, said researches had helped in developing new strains of plants bio-fertilisers and bio-pesticides. Improved disease resistance in crop through bio-technology would not only reduce the amount of pesticides in food and environment but would also increase the productivity. Dr A.K. Gupta, former Director, Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, and now Scientist Emeritus CSIR, Chandigarh, in his key-note address said that the business of bio-technology was scientific and highly capital intensive. Over 100 leading
researchers, administrators, policy planners and
industrialists are participating in this symposium. |
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Driving licence racket busted PHILLAUR March 13 — A racket of fake driving licences was busted by the SDM of Phillaur, Mr Prem Chand. He told the Tribune here today, that a case under sections 467, 468, 471, 420 of the IPC was registered by the Phillaur police against the accused, Surinder Singh Somal, a stamp paper seller. The licence of the accused
who is absconding had been cancelled. The SDM said that
certain documents including three fake driving licence.
carrying fictitious signatures of the licensing authority
were seized from him. |
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Namdhari march on March 28 CHANDIGARH, March 13 — Namdharis led by their chief Satguru Jagjit Singh will participate in the tercentenary celebrations of Khalsa in a big way. Mr Gurbhajan Singh Sanyasi, spokesman for the Namdhari said here today that a procession would be organised by Namdharis in this connection. The procession would start from Bhaini Sahib in Ludhiana on March 28. All Namdharis had been directed to participate in the celebrations one way or other, he added. He said Namdhari leaders had also held meetings with the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal and others concerned in this connection. Mr Gurbhajan Singh said
the meeting was being held by Satguru Jagjit Singh to
mobilise Namdhari for participating in this Mega event.
He said this time Namdharis celebrated Hola Mohala at
Jiwan Nagar in Haryana. As many as 40 marriages were also
solemnised without dowry. |
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GND
University exams postponed AMRITSAR, March 13 — Guru Nanak Dev University has postponed its private examinations of BA (parts I, II and III) scheduled to be held on March 13, 14 and 15 owing to ongoing strike of college teachers. This was disclosed by Dr
R.S. Bawa, Registrar of the university. He said the new
dates for the postponed examinations would be notified
later on. |
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