Saturday, May 15, 1999
|
N E W S Saturday, May 15, 1999 |
|
| weather n
spotlight today's calendar |
Four High Court Judges sworn in CHANDIGARH, May 14 — The Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Mr Justice A.B. Saharya, today administered oath to four new Judges at a simple ceremony on the High Court premises. The new Judges in order of seniority are Mr Narinder Kumar Sud, Mr Jagjit Singh Narang, Mr Mehtab Singh Gill and Mrs Bakshish Kaur. While the first three practised as advocates, the fourth held the post of District and Sessions Judge. The swearing-in ceremony was conducted by the Registrar of the High Court, Mr K.K. Garg. He read out their warrants of appointment issued by their President of India. The ceremony was attended among others by former and sitting Judges of the High Court, senior officers of the Punjab and Haryana governments and the Chandigarh Administration, apart from lawyers and office-bearers of the Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association. Born on June 3, 1944, Mr Justice Sud was enrolled as an advocate with the Punjab Bar Council in January, 1966. Since then he has been practising with speciality in income tax and other tax laws. Mr Justice Narang was born on January 2, 1945 at Jagadhri. After obtaining a law degree he was enrolled as an advocate in 1968, and started practising at the High Court. He has also been a part-time lecturer at Panjab University's Law Department. He has carved a niche for himself in civil matters and remained standing counsel for a number of corporate houses at Punjab, Haryana and Delhi, apart from being standing counsel for various banks. He was designated as Senior Advocate some time ago. A product of Lawrence School, Sanawar, Mr Justice Gill was born on October 30, 1948. After obtaining a law degree from Punjab University in 1972 he joined the legal fraternity. In 1993 he was appointed Punjab's Deputy Advocate-General and in 1997 became Additional Advocate-General. Mrs Justice Kaur had
joined the P.C.S. (Judicial Department) on April 24,
1965. She became District and Sessions Judge in 1992. She
was Legal Remembrancer-cum-Secretary to Punjab government
for four years. Daughter of an Army officer, she was born
on July 7, 1940 and did her law from Panjab University. |
Teachers adopt 58 girls CHANDIGARH, May 14 — After the successful take off of projects like ‘Aasra’ and ‘Bori se Basta’, Government High School, Sector 40, today, launched ‘Chalo Beti School’, a project which will work for the uplift and education of the girl child from the lowest strata of society. These girl students were motivated to join school by teachers who were persistent in their efforts, continually enlightening the parents about the benefits of educating them and finally could inspire 58 such families from the nearby Palsora Colony to enrol their daughters in Class I of the school. The teachers will act as surrogate mothers to these students with each one having adopted one girl student. The teacher will be responsible for the student they have adopted, provide financial and moral support and impart the basics of education, always working to develop the child’s interest in studies. One of the teachers said: “Their parents were very reluctant to send there children to school especially when each of them could be made to work in homes of people and contribute to the family’s income. Finally, they relented and our efforts paid rich dividends with so many enrolling themselves with the school. The welfare organisation of the colony was a big help in motivating the parents.” The chief guest for the function, Mrs Sudesh Kalra, Deputy Director, Adult Education, was so overcome with the gesture of the school in adopting children and working for a noble cause that she, too, on the spur of the moment adopted a girl student of the school to contribute her mite for the good cause and contributed Rs 500 on the occasion. She praised the school for coming up with practical projects like these which would make a difference to society. Mrs Kalra gave away prizes and books to needy students who could ill-afford the expenses of education. Anjalika, a student of the school, was honoured for achieving merit position in UT in the urban schools category of government schools in the Class VIII examination. The Principal, Mr Bahadur Singh, gave her a cash prize of Rs 2100 while the Parent-Teacher Association of the school presented her with a bicycle. Seven students were awarded scholarships for attaining merit positions in Class V. These students are Seema Rani, Daljit Kaur, Sukhbir Kaur, Harinder Singh, Harsimran Singh, Pooja and Guddi. The students presented a colourful cultural programme on the occasion which began with a ‘vandana’. Patriotic songs were next on the list and the programme ended with the sprightly students presenting `bhangra’ with style. Earlier, Mr Bahadur
Singh enumerated the various projects the school had
undertaken during the last session to help the deserving
and needy students of the school. Some of the funds to
meet the expenditure of these projects was collected by
the students of the school, he said in his speech. |
Sukhna Lake desilting CHANDIGARH, May 14 — While 'shramdan' is drawing a lukewarm response from city residents, ongoing mechanical desiltation at Sukhna Lake, is yet to gain momentum as the UT Engineering Department is waiting for machinery from the Punjab Flood Control Department. Although mechanical desilting is on since May 7, the day 'shramdan' began, residents too have been participating in the exercise. The response, if not enthusiastic, is stated to be 'good' as compared to the last year. "If 10 to 15 committed persons participated every day in 'shramdan', last year, their number has risen to between 30 and 35, which is encouraging, even as the quantum of desilting by this mode is modest," said an official of the UT Engineering Department. Keeping in view the ongoing heatwave, 'shramdan' is being undertaken between 6 am and 8 am Mechanical desilting is being done between 6 am. and 2 pm. For this, five tippers (automatic lifters) from the Bhakra Beas Management Board, one Dragline machine from Haryana, one Poclain, six tippers and one JCV of the UT Engineering Department, and one JCV and three tippers of the local Municipal Corporation are at work. All these were also involved in desilting, last year. According to sources in the department, about 100 to 200 cubic square feet of silt was being removed through 'shramdan' daily. The quantity of silt, removed daily through mechanical process, was 30,000 to 35,000 cubic feet, which was, however, less than the average daily output of about 50,000 cubic feet, last year. Through both mediums, 1,65, 560 cubic feet of silt had been removed between May 7 and 13, against the target of 20 lakh cubic feet, set by the UT Engineering Department. The target was to be achieved during the ongoing 'shramdan', to be undertaken by it till the onset of monsoon, which normally arrives in the first week of July. According to sources in the department, it was not able to achieve the desired daily output, as it still was waiting for one Poclain and a Dragline machine from the Flood Control Department of the Punjab Government. "If we are able to get both machines now, we will be able to enhance the daily desilting capacity from about 35,000 cubic feet to 50,000 cubic feet," commented an official of the UT Engineering Department. He said, usually, the department got the two machines from Punjab on the day the 'shramdan' began every year. The Adviser to the Administrator, is learnt to have taken up the matter with the Punjab Government, which has responded positively. It is said to have assured the UT Administration that the machines would be sent shortly. According to Mr R.K. Jain, UT Chief Engineer, the Poclain machine was likely to arrive in the city within a day or two. "I have talked to the Chief Engineer of the Punjab Flood Control Department and he has assured that we will get the machine shortly," said Mr Jain. He said that currently, the area for desilting was less than what it was last year, due to a high level of water in the lake. "In spite of all difficulties, we will not only be able to achieve the target of removing 20 lakh cubic feet of silt but also do more than that, if there it does not rain before the first week of July," said Mr Jain. About the plan of the department to have the silt removed by using wet dredging, an official said the tenders for same had already been floated. He said it was likely to taken up once the monsoons were over. On the other hand, the
Environment Society of India has criticised the move to
remove the silt through wet dredging. It says it will
'disturb' the aquatic life in the lake, besides being a
costly affair. Mr S.K. Sharma, President of the society,
suggested that in place of wet dredging, soil
conservation measures should be used in the catchment
area falling in Punjab and Haryana. |
IAS vs IPS row behind uneasy
calm Chandigarh, May 14 — The current controversy between the Chandigarh Administration and the Chandigarh police is gradually turning into an IAS vs IPS conflict. The Police Rules provide for superiority and control of civil magistracy over the police. The origin of the conflict dates back to October last year when the Administration reiterated its powers to transfer officers of the rank of DSP and above. In December, the power to transfer SHOs and Inspectors and below was given to the SSP. Earlier all this power, including transfer of constables and DSPs, was exercised by the IGP. The SSP had no power even to transfer a Constable. The Administration also ordered that SP (Security) and SP (Traffic), respectively, would report to the SSP. Earlier, the two SPs used to report directly to the IGP. The change was then resented by the then IGP, Mr R.P. Singh. In December last year, in a sequel to a spate of incidents of rape-cum-dacoity in villages of the Union Territory, the Administrator, at a meeting of senior officers, pulled up the then IGP and said that the DSPs and SHOs should be held responsible for any heinous crime in their respective areas. There were also complaints against the Traffic Police for harassing and challaning people. The relations between the Administration and the police turned sour after three British nationals were booked by the police for smuggling drugs and carrying arms in November last year. The British High Commission protested. An inquiry by the Police Department gave a clean chit to the police officers involved. A subsequent inquiry by the Subdivisional Magistrate (SDM), Mr Ashish Kundra, indicted the policemen, including a DSP, who was suspended in December. In his charge sheet, the DSP admitted that a false case was registered against the three British nationals. His four increments were stopped as punishment before being reinstated. This was the first time that a police officer of the rank of DSP was suspended in Chandigarh. For long, the DSPs of the Chandigarh Police Service (CPS) cadre of the Police Department had been nursing a grouse against the Administration for not agreeing to their promotion to the rank of SP. The Administration had wanted that all DSPs, wanting promotions as SPs, should come through the common feeding cadre of union territories and be posted out in any UT of the country in the rank of DSP or above. This proposal was opposed by the Chandigarh Police Service Officers, who wanted promotion as SP within Chandigarh only. They moved the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT). In June 1997, the CAT rejected their plea for promotion as SP in Chandigarh. That is why, promotions from inspector to DSPs were stopped and after Mr Baldev Singh, no one was promoted as SP in Chandigarh.The case is still pending with the Union Home Ministry. The police feels that it is because of the Home Secretary that they may be shifted to other UTs. The relations continued to deteriorate as the Administration started taking note of complaints against policemen. Some cases were investigated by the civil magistrates, much to anguish among the cops. In the present case, the missing files case, the initial inquiry was marked by the SSP to SP Baldev Singh on February 4. The same appeared in newspapers the next day. On February 16, the Administration appointed the Legal Remembrancer, Mr Sanjiv Kumar, a judicial officer of the rank of a Chief Judicial Magistrate, as Enquiry Officer. The files were found in a store room of the police on February 20 by the SP, Mr Baldev Singh. On May 6, upon completion of the inquiry, the Chandigarh Administration, ordered suspension of the five cops but kept the orders in abeyance as the IGP had wanted to make a presentation of the case. On May 7, the IGP made a presentation of the police side of the story to the Administrator. Later that night, the Administrator, Lieut-Gen B.K.N. Chhibber (retd), ordered that the five shall be suspended and criminal cases registered against two of them. The five officials went on leave the very next day. The IGP says the leave was granted by the respective SSPs. The IGP then said that the Administration had acted in haste in suspending police officials. The inquiry is not complete as the statements of the Police Enquiry Officer, Mr Baldev Singh, the previous IGP, Mr R.P. Singh, and the SSP, Mr C.S.R. Reddy, were not recorded by the Enquiry Officer. The police officers indicted by the Enquiry Officer were also not given an opportunity to present their case. On the other hand , the report indicted five policemen, including two DSPs, one Inspector, one Sub-Inspector and one Head Constable. The report held that in one of the cases, the police officers forged a file of a murder case. It was a blind murder case in which the body of the victim was found dumped in a village pond. The crime had taken place more than 15 years ago. At that stage, the police had identified all five suspects. Their arrest warrants were issued. But no arrest was made. Subsequently, the file disappeared. The new file did not mention anything about the identification of the five suspects. The Documents and Handwriting Expert held that it was a new file as the fibre tip pens used in the file were not available in 1983-84, the period to which it belonged. The other file pertained to the murder of the BJP activist, Mr Inder Pal Gupta, who was murdered by terrorists in 1984. The police arrested two persons in the case. They were later released on bail. The IGP, Dr Kiran Bedi, says that these were untraced cases and added those were abnormal times and the case should be judged in that light. The Enquiry Officer says that these cases were claimed to have been solved by the police by naming suspects. The cases were never sent to the court under Section 173 of the CrPC as "untraced" and as such there was nothing to support the police claim. The police, however, maintains that no one has benefited or suffered because of these files while the Administration maintains that suspects named in the two cases have benefited while those who lost their near and dear ones suffered because no one was tried for the two murders. The IGP added, she, being the head of the police force, was never consulted before the suspension of five policemen. On May 11, the IGP accused the Home Department of interfering in the working of the Police Department for the past couple of years. Rather the Administration has "raped the police department", she had alleged. The Administration said the interference referred by Dr Bedi was only when the police inquiry had absolved the guilty cops of their crimes as in the case of British nationals and the present case of missing files. On May 12, the IGP sent an open petition, supposedly supported by her subordinate staff, to the Administrator, seeking an inquiry into the functioning of the Home Secretary, Mrs Anuradha Gupta. The Home Department replied that this was like sowing seeds of rebellion among the force against the authority of the Administration. " The IG was trying to intimidate the Administration into reverting the suspension," the Home Secretary had added. Since then, there has been an uneasy calm on both sides. Though Dr Bedi mentioned a few points to the media yesterday, the Home Secretary simply said, "no comments." So says Kiran Bedi 2. The Administration had acted in haste in suspending police officials and no one from the department was associated with the inquiry. 3. The inquiry is not complete as the statements of the Police Enquiry Officer, Mr Baldev Singh, the previous IGP, Mr R. P. Singh, and the SSP, Mr C.S.R. Reddy, were not recorded by the Enquiry Officer. 4. The Home Department had been interfering in the working of the Police Department for the past couple of years. Rather, the Administration has "raped the police department", alleged Dr Bedi. 5. The Home Secretary had been ordering transfers of even constables and there were numerous instances when the Home Department had directly ordered transfers and postings in the Police Department without the knowledge of senior functionaries of the Police Department. Administration's point 2. There was no need to involve anyone from the police department as the cases were more than 15 years old and the present incumbents and immediate previous incumbents did know anything about the cases. Only the officials connected with the police station , Sector 26, were quizzed. 3. The demand of the IGP on a petition seeking an inquiry of the Home Secretary, supposedly with backing of her subordinate staff, was allegedly like sowing seeds of a rebellion in the uniformed force. It was being used as a tool to intimidate the Administration. 4. There has been no
interference. The orders to transfer lower staff have
been issued only in cases when inquires have been
conducted or ordered by the administration. An example
was the case of three British nationals, who were falsely
implicated in a case of carrying narcotics and arms. An
inquiry by a senior cop had absolved the guilty while an
enquiry by an SDM, indicted them. |
Interventions were just: Sagar CHANDIGARH, May 14 — "There was no interference but justifiable intervention of the Administration in the functioning of the police during my tenure as Adviser to the Administrator," says Mr Jagdish Sagar. Talking to The Tribune over the telephone, Mr Jagdish Sagar, who is currently Chairman, DESU, said "in most of the cases, intervention was made at my instance. And all the interventions we made are fully justified and defendable under the rules of the land. These were necessitated to prevent injustice and in the larger interest of public welfare. "I initiated action in the case of three British nationals after I saw a newspaper report. In such case, it becomes the duty of the Administration to intervene and ensure that no injustice is done to any one. It is wrong to call it interference. "I had said earlier also that it is not correct to blame the Home Secretary. All actions taken during my tenure were on my initiative. For example, now a controversy has been raised over the intervention of the Administration in the case of the British nationals and the subsequent action against the policemen involved in the case. "The Deputy Superintendent of Police himself admitted before the Enquiry Officer that no search was made in his presence which is mandatory requirement of the law. Since the complete procedure of seizure of contraband was not followed, the Punjab and Haryana High Court agreed with the view point of the Administration and the British were discharged in the case. "It was not the only case in which the Administration intervened. Had the police department taken action against guilty officials on its own and ensured justice , there was no need for the Administration to intervene. But duty-bound for larger public interest and welfare, the Administration had to intervene on several occasions. And I am prepared to defend all my actions," Mr Sagar said. Talking about transfers of policemen, Mr Sagar said that the guidelines were framed in consultation with the Inspector-General of Police. Under the Punjab Police Rules, as followed in Chandigarh, the District Magistrate must be consulted before a Station House Officer is transferred. But this was not being followed in Chandigarh. Besides, there were complaints from within the department about postings and transfers. "There were clear guidelines that no freshly promoted Inspector would be posted as Station House Officer. In one case when it was brought to the notice of the Administration that such a thing has taken place, it was immediately rectified. The thrust of the Administration was that there should be a uniform policy on postings and transfers," Mr Sagar said. He maintained that the Administration was within its jurisdiction to give advice for registration of a criminal case on the basis of an inquiry report. Similar advice is given by the Central Vigilance Commission.There is nothing wrong for the Vigilance Department to recommend registration of a case," he added. Mr Sagar also disclosed
that in most of the cases, decisions were taken at his
level. Only important cases needing attention of the
Administrator were sent to him. "I stand by whatever
decisions we took with regard to the functioning of the
Police Department. The cases were dealt on merit so as to
project a good image of the Administration and to save
public at large from undue harassment," he added. |
UFOs or...? CHANDIGARH, May 14 — The Tribune office received phone calls from different parts of the city with residents claiming to have seen some unidentified flying objects (UFOs) in the city skies at around midnight today. The phone calls started pouring in the office after 11.15 p.m. and the callers, most of whom refused to identify themselves or divulge their phone numbers, claimed that they saw some glittering flying objects of triangular in shape making a strange whistling sound. In spite of best efforts, this correspondent could not see any such flying object in the sky. A Tribune employee, also claimed that he had seen the object. One of the callers, who identified himself as Mr Charanjit Singh Kler, a State Bank of India employee and a resident of Sector 20-A, said the flying object was seen by him while he and her wife were about to sleep on the roof of their house at around 11 p.m. "The object, measuring about 10 feet, was emitting blue light and it was travelling from east to west. It was followed by two similar objects, flying in the same direction. Immediately I rang up the Tribune office," he added. His wife, Rajinder Kaur, too, claimed that she had seen the objects and added that they were not planes. Narrating a similar incident, Mr Rajesh, an EPABX operator with The Tribune, said he had also seen a similar object, immediately after receiving calls from different persons. He said, "the flying objects were seen by me for a moment before these disappeared." Police control room officials also denied having received any phone call from any quarter regarding the 'appearance' of such object. Mr Charanjit Singh, when
contacted again, said, however, that he did not see the
object again after 11.35 p.m. |
Traffic blocked for two hours PANCHKULA, May 14 — Vehicular traffic on the Barwala-Naraingarh road, about 20 km from here, remained suspended for about two hours today when activists of the Indian National Lok Dal led by the party’s General Secretary, Mr Pradeep Choudhry, blocked the road in protest against unsatisfactory and inadequate power supply in the area. Earlier, the Lok Dal workers sat in dharna outside the Barwala power substation. Addressing the workers, Mr Choudhry alleged that the Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, was misleading the people by promising them round-the-clock power supply after June 30 next. Mr Choudhry said if the power supply in Panchkula district did not improve, his party would launch an agitation. He urged the workers to strengthen the hands of the Lok Dal President, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, because the Assembly elections were round the corner. He said the Bansi Lal Government was counting its last days. Among others who addressed the party workers were Mr Ravinder Bator, member of the Zila Parishad, Mr Baldev Singh, General Secretary of the district unit of the Lok Dal, Mr Vikram Singh and Mr Chander Pal. The blockade was lifted
after the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Mr Anurag
Aggarwal, assured the Lok Dal workers that the power
situation in Panchkula district would normalise from
tomorrow. He said Haryana would start getting four lakh
units of power from Himachal Pradesh from tomorrow. |
Mahavir Singh heads CHB CHANDIGARH, May 14 — Dr Mahavir Singh, a Haryana-cadre officer of the 1989 batch of the IAS , will be the new Chief Executive Officer of Chandigarh Housing Board. His appointment has been made against a vacant post. The post was vacated after Mrs Asha Nayyar, an IAS officer of the UT cadre, was repatriated last year. Subsequently, the charge of the CEO was given to Ms Rinku Dugga, also an IAS officer of the UT cadre, in addition to her duties of Secretary of the Board. She was also subsequently posted out. Mr M.L. Sharma, Secretary, Chandigarh Housing Board, had been holding the additional charge since then. Dr Mahavir Singh was
posted in Haryana Urban Development Authority at
Panchkula. |
DGPs discuss fire, safety,
security CHANDIGARH, May 14 — The Punjab police is planning the computerisation of all police stations under a scheme of the National Crime Records Bureau, New Delhi, the Director-General of Police (DGP), Punjab, Mr Sarbjit Singh, said here today. Addressing a conference on fire, safety and security at the CII here, Mr Sarbjit Singh said efforts were being made to disturb peace in the state and the police was making every effort to maintain law and order. Stating that the industrial security plan for Ludhiana has been a success, he urged the CII to form its own security nucleus. He assured police help and expertise in this direction. Mr T.R. Mahajan, DGP of Himachal Pradesh, regretted that there was no police cell for looking into the fire, safety and security aspects which was the need of the hour. Violation of law was in a way a healthy sign since society cannot remain static and the old laws must be replaced with the new ones, he added. He rued that optimum use of the resources was not being made as was evident from the fact that in the Fire Training School, Shimla, there were 300 surplus seats. He urged the industry to employ trained home guard volunteers for various jobs. This work force, while proving to to be cheaper for the industry, will also solve the problem of unemployment to a certain extent. Mr Rameshwar Singh, a DIG from the Rajasthan police, advocated that every state should have a fire Act to deal with the fire, safety and security aspects. The industry should have trained staff such as the retired defence personnel for these specialised jobs. Though Rajasthan offered a peaceful industrial atmosphere, yet efforts were being made by the ISI to disturb peace at regular intervals. Stressing the need for awareness about these issues through electronic and print media, he informed that the Rajasthan police has started a new wing--"tourist police"--with a view to providing security cover to the tourists. Earlier, Mr R.M. Khanna,
conference chairman, stressed the need for creating a
favourable environment for the operation of the
industrial units. He said the law and order should be
treated as important as the infrastructure for the growth
of the industry. |
‘No Cong ticket’ for
tainted CHANDIGARH, May 14 — The “Congress must scrupulously eschew pre or post poll alliances with the smaller parties whose main objective is to solely serve a region, or a caste or its leader’s self-interest at the cost of the country,” says Mr B L Bansal, General Secretary of the People’s Action Front (Punjab), Chandigarh. In a statement issued here today, Mr Bansal said that no underhand means need be employed or used to muster strength and gain temporary majority. The Congress had so far stood fast and upright for the past 15 months and not succumbed and felt attracted to capture power through dubious means. It has been rather on a well planned path of reconstruction and rejuvenation. Mr Bansal further said
that no tainted person need be given the Congress ticket
to fight the next general election. The constitution of
the Congress party must remain supreme as its foundations
had been laid on the sole edifice of the country’s
unity and integrity. The realisation by voter would not
take long as he was already sick of the rule by patchwork
combinations of a large number of political parties, Mr
Bansal added. |
Syndicate meeting changed for
Chugh? CHANDIGARH, May 14 — The rescheduling of the Syndicate meeting and delay in the appointment of the three deans is stirring a hornet's nest at Panjab University with the Dean University Instruction handling work in the absence of the appointments and the Students Council unhappy with the way its programmes are being handled. The meeting after being fixed for May 21 was rescheduled for May 31 and Syndics disclose that holding of the combined entrance test by the university was cited as the reason for the postponement. Later the same meeting was advanced to May 25 after a few members met the Vice-Chancellor, Prof M.M. Puri, regarding the changed date of the meeting. Sources pointed out that the meeting was initially postponed to ensure the presence of Dr K.S. Chugh, a Syndic and member of the selection committee, which will appoint the three deans. Dr Chugh is at present out of station and is expected to return on May 30. The new date of May 31 was fixed keeping this in mind. Dr Chugh's presence is likely to influence the numbers game in the appointment of the deans since no consensus candidate is emerging and members of the selection committee adamant on their choices. The post of the three deans, Dean Student Welfare, Dean Foreign Students and Dean Alumni Relations, have been lying vacant since March 31 when the three deans relinquished charge and the DUI was assigned to work till new appointments were made. The President of the
Students Council, Mr D.P.S. Randhawa, explained that a
number of projects and seminars were stuck up on account
of the absence of a regular DSW to manage day-to-day
affairs. |
Put Punjab on IT global map:
experts SAS NAGAR, May 14 — A three-day national conference on Information Technology for Social Development and Productivity was inaugurated by Mr Ravindra Gupta, Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Electronics, at the CEDTI here today. The conference was organised to celebrate the completion of 10 years by the CEDTI. Mr Gupta emphasised the importance of technology and quality of manpower for the progress and prosperity of a nation. The quality of human resource is very important. Investment planners and economists believed that investment in social infrastructure was important to make a country great. He said in the field of software, India had established a blind equity around the world. “Why could not the Indians do it in India?”, he asked. This required a considerable change in the environment of a country, he added. He said information technology was a tool which could be used in every walk of life to increase efficiency and become competitive. Investments could be made through information technology to make things better for the common man. He said the quality of manpower available in Punjab was far superior as compared to the eastern states. The per capita income in Punjab was still the highest. “But why could not Punjab lead the nation in the field of information technology?” he asked. The state should be made to appear on the international map in the field of information technology, he added. Mr Gautam Soni, Adviser to the Department of Electronics, said Internet had made the world into a global village. In America, he said, 40 per cent of the houses had connectivity. In today’s knowledge-based society, it was very important that Informatics Centre gave the keynote address. Mr R.S. Khandpur, Director of the local CEDTI and Director General, CEDTI, New Delhi, said over the past 10 years, the local centre had endeavoured to provide quality education and training through short-term and long-term courses in the field of electronics design and technology, information technology, maintenance engineering and entrepreneurship development. The CEDTI was setting up a special training centre for multimedia. It was also expanding its activities in the area of R & D and consultancy services. A new project on development of telemedicine technology linking three major medical institutes — PGI, Chandigarh, AIIMS, New Delhi, and SGPGI, Lucknow — was now being jointly implemented by the local CEDTI and C-DAC, Pune. The centre was also
contemplating on providing distance education. The aim
was to provide the benefit of quality computer education
at affordable cost to semi-urban and rural areas, added
Mr Khanpur. |
SNIPPETS Water supply today at low
pressure According to a press note of the Public Health wing of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, the low pressure will be mainly because of repair of the Bhakra Main Line canal, the main source of supply of raw water to the city. It may be recalled that the canal was breached near Patiala yesterday. PGI summer timings from
tomorrow The registration of outdoor patients will be carried out from 7 am to 10 am on all working days. The timings will remain in force till July 15. Emergency services will function round the clock. Slums to have 'civil cops' At a meeting between the Chandigarh police and slum dwellers, the IG, Dr Kiran Bedi, said that the beat officer in charge has been empowered to appoint a man and woman each for a month. The beat officers will give reports about particular "civil cops" to SHOs and they will also be given cash awards for good work done, the SSP, Mr C.S.R.Reddy, announced. To ensure that two-wheeler riders wear helmets in colonies, the beat officers have been given challan slips. The meetings with colonies and urban areas had been separated as their needs of policing are different. One of colony dwellers said the names of informers of the crime should be kept secret and the police officials agreed. UT order on appointments In case there was no post available beyond the ceiling of 5 per cent in the department concerned, the department should send the particulars of such recommended candidates to the Regional Employment Officer. Any delay would be viewed seriously. The Administration has constituted a Common Committee on Compassionate Appointments for speeding up cases for providing employment to the dependants of deceased Government employees. Work done by HVP in Panchkula
listed Mr Jaswant Singh said that a membership drive in the state had already been started. The President added that the residents of Haryana would get uninterrupted power supply after June 30 and the supply to the tubewells will be for about eight hours a day. He said that the HVP-BJP led government in the state had done a lot of work for Panchkula district. It had spent more than Rs 599.21 crore on development works in the district: A sum of Rs 1743.3 lakh was spent on improvement of the electricity situation; 673 electricity transformers were changed in past three years; Rs 4 crore was spent on the construction of the district secretariat; a subsidy of Rs 23.93 lakh was provided on fertilisers and Rs 12.06 lakh on seeds; the Mandikaran Board had spent more than Rs 338.77 lakh on repairing roads and Rs 12.15 lakh was disbursed for education. Panel studies cases of short
lectures Besides condoning the shortage of lectures of a couple of students, who had genuine problems which prevented them from attending classes, the other cases were brushed aside by the committee of four members. The four members were Mr Rajinder Deepa, Mr Randeep Surjewala, Mr Ashok Goyal and Dr V.K. Bansal. The committee studied fresh cases which had been referred to it. It also reviewed cases which had already been dismissed at its previous meetings, as some additional information had been made available to it. The regular procedure adopted in the case of condoning shortage of lectures is that the chairman of the department concerned has the power to condone shortage of 30 lectures, while the Vice-Chancellor has the power to condone shortage of additional 10. The rest of the cases are referred to the Syndicate and its decision is final. Training programme for teachers According to a press note issued here yesterday by Mr Basudeo Prasad, head of the department, the programme would include lectures and laboratory training by experts on various topics related with environment, pollution, monitoring techniques and instruments required for the same. Nearly 60 teachers were expected to participate in the programme, which would prove beneficial to teachers and their students, Mr Prasad said, adding that no money would be charged from the teachers for the training and the admission would be on the first-come-first-serve basis. Teams shortlisted for quiz
final As many as 12 schools in each of the three categories were shortlisted in the quiz on May 12 after a written question-answer round. For the semi-finals, the 12 teams of one category were divided in two sets of six each and the teams getting the first three positions in each set were chosen for the finals. This selection procedure was followed for all three categories and the rounds comprised questions on health and nutrition, flora and fauna, sports, music and history and geography. The final of the contest will be held at Bal Bhavan Auditorium, Sector 23, on May 15. The schools which have made it to the finals are : Category I : Hansraj Public School, St Stephens, St Kabir, New Public School, Guru Nanak and Sacred Heart. Category II : St Kabir, Valley Public School, Hansraj Public School, New Public School, Yadavindra Public School and GMSSS-35. Category III : St Annes, Sacred Heart, Yadavindra Public School, Shishu Niketan, St Stephen and St Kabir. Painting workshop According to a statement by the school management, the workshop will be organised free of cost but the students will have to bring their own drawing and painting material. Theatre workshop for children The workshop will
include psychological interaction, voice culture, acting,
singing, dancing, body movements through yoga and
exercises, according to the Kainat Arts director. |
 |
 |
| Nation
| Punjab | Haryana | Himachal Pradesh | Jammu & Kashmir | | Editorial | Business | Sport | | Mailbag | Spotlight | World | 50 years of Independence | Weather | | Search | Subscribe | Archive | Suggestion | Home | E-mail | |
