EDUCATION

School funds to be clubbed under one head
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 20
To address the problem of paucity of funds under various heads, which forces government schools to resort to meeting the shortfall through ‘collections’ from students, the UT Education Department has decided to club all funds under one head.

The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by the UT Administrator, Lieut Gen J.F.R. Jacob, held recently to form an action plan aimed at raising standard of education in government schools.

The DPI (S), Mr D.S. Mangat, said many funds at the disposal of the school went unutilised but were needed in other categories which schools were finding difficult to manage without outside help.

“To ensure better and proper utilisation to benefit the students, a decision to club the funds under a single head was taken. With this facility, the school would be able to meet its requirements without outside help,” he added.

Meanwhile, the DEO, Mr Brahamjit Kalia, who visited the Government Girls High School, Sector 25, said though no instructions had been issued to the school from the office of the DPI (S), they had sought the approval of the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA).

This, however, was in addition to the regular PTA funds allowed to be collected by the school since it was unable to meet the expenditure in the funds allocated and was being used for the students. He said during his inquiry at the school, he found that the school clerk, Mr Jai Prakash, himself had been taking tuitions for the last many years which was not permitted.

Officiating school heads reverted
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 20
Following the CAT orders, the UT Administration has reverted officiating heads of government schools here to their earlier status of lecturers and a fresh list of heads will be released within a week.

The six persons who have been reverted have been the officiating heads for the past eight years. The orders in this regard were issued on May 17 by the DPI (Schools), Mr D.S. Mangat. They had been brought or adjusted here from the lecturer’s cadre between 1994 and 1996 on their own payscales. One of them has already retired from service. The CAT has directed the Administration to follow the recruitment rules for promotion, under which, only schoolmasters are eligible for these posts.

Those reverted to their original posts are Ms Usha Khullar (Government Model High School, Sector 36), Mr Bahadur Singh (Government High School, Sector 40), Mr S.K. Bharti (Government High School, Sector 11), Ms Surinder Kaur (Government High School, Sector 35), Ms Urmil Dogra (Government High School, Sector 7) and Ms Kuldip Kaur Chandok, who retired as the head of the Sector 25 Government High School.

With a little time left for the heads to retire, the UT Education Department was planning to send them to the State Institute of Education. However, with no vacancy there, the lecturers will remain in government schools only.

Earlier, the lecturers were served show-cause notices and told to reply within 10 days. The lecturers gave a representation to the department against the notices, but it was found unsatisfactory.

ISO 9001:2000 certificate awarded to DAV-8
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 20
Awarded the International Certification ISO 9001:2000, DAV Public School, Sector 8, has attained the status of being the first internationally certified school in the city. The ISO 9001:2000 is management specific and lays down standards for the quality systems for the management.

An extensive audit of the school by the Benchmark Certification found the school conforming to the requirements of ISO 9001:2000 and had recommended the school for the aforesaid certification in providing eduction at kindergarten, primary and secondary levels leading to the CBSE Secondary School Certificate.

‘‘The school is sharp enough in identifying not only the stated but also the implied needs of the school for the delivery of quality education in the school. The school, in its various processes related to the delivery of education, is both effective and efficient,’’ the auditors had said during their visit to the school.

A number of processes of the school were under close scrutiny at the time of certification. These were admission procedure, course planning, course delivery, house-keeping, training and development, evaluation and testing. The school has now become the first in DAV organisation to achieve ISO 9001:2000 certification.

The Principal, Ms Sarita Manuja, says, ‘‘The ISO 9001:2000 is a great step forward in the history of the school.’’

COURTS

DISTRICT COURTS
One declared PO in murder case
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, May 20
A local court has initiated the process for declaring Saleem Mohamad, a proclaimed offender in the Sector 23 murder case. The UT Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr C.L Mohal, has issued a proclamation against the accused as the non-bailable warrant issued against him had been returned unserved.

The court had issued a non-bailable warrant against Saleem on April 27 as the accused had been absconding since the incident occurred.

As per the prosecution, the main accused, Ashish, along with his brother, Sanjay, and a friend, Saleem Mohammad, had allegedly murdered Joginder Singh. Thereafter the accused, Ashish Arora, reportedly escaped to Mumbai. It was on March 9 that a five-member team headed by a sub-inspector had left to Mumbai after getting production warrants from a local court and arrested the accused. Meanwhile the bail plea moved by Ashish Arora — dismissed by a local court on Saturday.

SENTENCED: An accused, Teja Singh, was today sentenced to one-year rigorous imprisonment by a local court in a case under the Arms Act registered against him. He was also fined Rs 500 by the court.

As per the prosecution, the UT police had received information that a person with arms was staying in the Sector 26 gurdwara in November, 2001. Later a team of police personnel recovered a pistol and a cartridge from the accused.

BAIL PLEA DISMISSED: A local court today dismissed the bail plea moved by an accused, Amardeep Singh, allegedly involved in a case of cheating. The police had registered a case against a resident of Sector 21-A, Amardeep Singh, on December 6, 2001, for allegedly cheating a resident of Hoshiarpur, Satnam Singh, on the pretext of arranging a kidney for him.

It was alleged that the accused had promised to provide a kidney to Satnam Singh and took Rs 4.15 lakh for the purpose. However, he neither returned the money nor arranged the kidney.

As per the complaint, the complainant, Satnam, used to work in Bahrain as a carpenter. Satnam Singh suffered a kidney failure and required a transplant.

In July, 2000, Mandeep asked Satnam to contact his brother in Chandigarh who would help him arrange a kidney donor for him. Satnam returned to India and got in touch with Amardeep in September, 2000. Amardeep took Rs 4.15 lakh from him and assured a donor within a month. However, he neither arranged the donor nor returned the money. Moreover, the six checks given by the accused when presented in a bank.

ACQUITTED: A local court today acquitted Jasbir Singh in a case under the NDPS registered against him by the UT police. As per the prosecution the police had received information that some persons were planning a robbery in Sector 25. Later the police arrested an accused, Jasbir Singh, and during interrogation he revealed that he had hidden 500 gm charas in his house. The accused was acquitted as the prosecution failed to prove the charges.

SAS NAGAR ENCROACHMENT CASE
Next hearing fixed for May 28
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 20
In SAS Nagar encroachment case, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today permitted the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA), besides the anti-encroachment committee, along with the court counsel, to submit their suggestions regarding amendment in the revised landscaping policy within four days.

The Bench headed by Mr Justice G.S. Singhvi, also fixed May 28 as the next date of hearing in the case. It will now come up at 3.15 pm on that day for further hearing.

In their petition, SAS Nagar’s anti-encroachment committee through its president N.S. Minhas had earlier sought directions for the removal of encroachments and obstructions.

Describing the encroachments as ‘illegal and unlawful’, Mr Minhas had also sought directions to the government agencies for ‘enforcing the provisions of law to remove the encroachments’. He had added that the VIPs had initially started encroaching upon the land due to leniency on part of PUDA authorities. Their example was soon followed by the other residents.

Claiming that the committee had been set up with the objective of watching the interest of the general public and for awakening the government agencies into removing the encroachments, counsel for the petitioner had contended on the committee’s behalf that the residents, in the name of beautification, had grabbed land by encroaching upon the open spaces outside their houses.

The land, counsel had added, was ‘‘meant for providing essential services like laying the sewerage connections, water pipes, electricity cables and telephone lines’’.

He had added that several complaints regarding encroachments had been addressed to the authorities concerned, but so far no action had been taken.

7 more judges for high court soon
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 20
The Punjab and Haryana High Court may have seven more judges soon.

Though the number of vacancies is much more, the appointment of new judges, which has been pending for the past some months, is in final stages of approval. Among those tipped for the appointment include Mr S.S. Saraon, Mr Hemant Gupta and Mr V. Mittal.

Even after new appointments, effective Bench strength may not improve that much as a couple of retirements on superannuation are also due in the coming months.

CULTURE

Theatre workshop for kids from May 28
Tribune Reporters

Chandigarh, May 20
To bring out the hidden talent in children and to keep them busy in creative activities during summer vacation, Pracheen Kala Kendra would be organising its 10th children theatre workshop from May 28 in the Kendra Complex in Sector 35, said Mr M.L. Koser during a press meet here today.

Renowned theatre personality Gursharan Singh who could be conducting the workshop said three plays namely ‘Deepak’, ‘Teen Sawal’ and ‘Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh’ would be prepared during the stipulated time and on the concluding day these plays would be staged in Tagore Theatre.

Besides plays, a famous Kathak dancer would tell the participants about the basic steps and intricacies of classical dance. Other experts would take classes in personality development, painting, yoga and music, said Mr Koser. Every candidate would be charged Rs 1,000 for the month-long workshop, besides a registration fee of Rs 200, he said.

Meanwhile, Aanchal Preparatory School will organise two summer camps starting from May 27 and June 3 for tiny tots. The Principal, Ms Manju Sood, said the camps would help in mental development of children. Children would be taught about music, drama, story-telling during the camp.

R.D. Burman Award finals
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 20
To perpetuate the memory of music director and singer R.D. Burman, a competition will be held to discover a la R.D. Burman. And bringing this competition to music-lovers is the Majlis Journalists’ and Artists' Association (MJAA) with its first All-India R D Burman Award (male singers only) finals to be held at Tagore Theatre, Chandigarh, on May 25.

The top-three winners will be given awards of Rs 5,100, Rs 2,100 and Rs 1,100, respectively.

Preliminary short-listing will be done at Tagore Theatre, Sector 18, Chandigarh, on May 24, at 10 a.m. The participants will be required to sing any of R.D. Burman’s composed or sung numbers of their choice in the preliminary session. There will be at least three rounds in the preliminary session. However, for the final competition, the number will be given to the selected singers through a draw of lots. More information can be had from (0172) 548777 or 548911.