EDUCATION

City students on foreign tours
Deepkamal Kaur

Ludhiana, June 10
To help students get an insight into the culture and life style of people abroad, the authorities of city schools have arranged foreign trips for the students during this summer break.

Most of the parents, who are big industrialists of the city, do not mind spending money on their wards for such a purpose and instead want their children to get enough exposure at an early age. They want their children to expand their horizon, know about the cultural differences and enjoy to the utmost.

Even majority of the students, who are looking forward for their first trip abroad, are much excited and are eagerly waiting to begin their journey. The students said for most of the day they keep planning about the dresses they would take along with, camera, games, walkman and other items they might need, preparing a list of small, luxury goods they would like to purchase and discussing about the trip with their relatives and friends over the phone.

Such students from Kundan Vidya Mandir would be going on a trip to Bangkok, Kaula Lumpur and Singapore. The students, who would be leaving for the 11-day trip late this month, are currently busy in getting their passports ready. These students from Class VII onwards would be accompanied by two members of the school staff.

Ms Neena Khanna, Principal, said there was a thumping response from the students for the trip. ‘‘The response may be good because the students would have to pay just Rs 40,000 for the fare, stay and meals which is quite nominal. This would also include preparation of passports of the students and the accompanying teachers. In case, the students go along with their families, their expenses would get multiplied. Besides, the school has tied up with a travelling agency for the complete package which has proved to be quite economical.’’

Similarly, students from Wylie Memorial High School, Brown Road, have gone to Scotland. However, the purpose of these students is entirely different as they have gone for a one-month student exchange programme with students from Dornoch Academy from May 26. The students would learn about the cultural differences, means of education, common interests and strive to propagate communal harmony.

Mr Sunil Pillay, manager, and two accompanying teachers, had said the students would carry the message of universal brotherhood and peace while making fresh roads into developing the standard and system of education. They had also said that certain projects would be planned out for mutual benefit of the students from both the countries.

Earlier, the students had been regularly writing to their pen pals from the academy. They had been communicating through drawings of national flags, birds and animals, and photographs of their schools, their activities on campus, family and places to visit. While the school manager had gone to the academy last year as well, this is for the first time that the students have been taken along with.

COURTS

Car company told to refund booking sum
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, June 10
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum had directed Premier Automobiles Limited to pay Rs 21,000 to Swami Charan Dass, a resident of Rampura Kalan village in Ropar district, on account of amount deposited for booking a Fiat Uno car. The forum has also directed the company to pay interest on the amount at the rate of 15 per cent from February 21, 2001 till actual payment.

According to the complainant, he had booked a Fiat Uno car with Premier Automobiles Limited through its local dealer M/s Amardeep Motors Limited. He stated before the forum that the car was booked on February 15, 1996 and an amount of Rs 21,000 was paid through a demand draft.

The consumer testified that he did not get the priority card, but was told that his priority number was 6130. He further said he cancelled the booking on April 29, 1998 and requested Premier Automobiles Limited to refund the amount. Despite furnishing the indemnity bond as per proforma sent by the company, the booking amount was not refunded, he added.

The complainant stated that he had even served a notice on the company for refund of the booking amount on January 27, 2001 but to no avail. He demanded to get the refund along with an interest at the rate of 12 per cent per annum.

The forum observed that the evidence produced by the consumer was not rebuttable. It said that the consumer had booked the car with the company and subsequently applied for cancellation of the booking.

The forum stated that the refund should have been made within a month but the amount had not been refunded so far. It held that the company should be directed to refund the sum along with the interest. 

Young lawyers form body
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, June 10
A new body of lawyers — Young Lawyers’ Welfare Forum (YLWF) — has been formed. Its aim is to fight injustice and solve problems of young lawyers. The president of the YLWF, Mr Pardeep Kumar Arora, said, “Any lawyer who is under the age of 45 or has 20 years of experience can become a general member of the YLWF.”

Mr Arora said: “The YLWF has no relation with the District Bar Association and it is an independent body, the constitution of which has already been framed and approved.”

He also said, “Young lawyers with experience not less than one year and not more than three years shall be entitled to a stipend of Rs 1,000 per month each, if he or she is not supported by senior lawyers.” The other office-bearers of the forum are as follows: Mr Tejinder Bhanot — General Secretary, and Mr Jagdev Singh Virk — Senior Vice-President.

Cop’s bail plea rejected
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, June 10
The District and Sessions Judge, Mr V.B. Handa, has rejected the bail plea of a constable of the Punjab police, Lakhvir Singh, in a murder case. Interestingly the accused was on guard duty with Deputy Superintendent of Police Ashok Puri against whom a case under Section 376, IPC, is pending in the court.

According to the sources, Lakhvir Singh, a resident of Basian, had allegedly killed Yadwinder Singh, alias Yadu, of the same village by shooting him with .12-bore gun on the evening of July 19, 2001. Immediately after the incident, the accused had reportedly ran away along with his three accomplices. However, the mother of the victim, Surjit Kaur, had seen the accused killing his son, the sources added. A case was registered by the Raikot police under Sections 302 and 34, Indian Penal Code, and Sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act, on July 20, 2001.

CULTURE

Discussion on Punjabi play held
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, June 10
A literary programme was organised last evening by Punjabi Sahitya Academi to discuss the play ‘Savi’ written by the noted playwright, Jagjit Singh Sachdeva. The function was presided over by famous dramatist Prof Ajmer Singh Aulakh. Dr Alamjit Singh presented a paper on the play and discussed the various aspects of the major characters, plot, theme and poetic language used in the play. He congratulated the writer on creating a masterpiece which has beautifully brought out the agony, anguish, pain, injustice and sufferings of the tribal women in the country.

Dr Aulakh said the writer had depicted the culture of Gujjars in great depth. The author has dedicated his play to the women folk of all tribes of India.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Surjit Patar, president of the academi, appreciated the play and said “literary appreciation encourages writers. Hence, the academy has planned to discuss worthwhile literary works of writers every month”.

A musical evening devoted to Sufi music and good literary lyrics would be organised on every first Saturday of the month. Prof Ravinder Bhathal, secretary of the academi appealed to literature lovers to regularly attend such functions.