Project to educate special children
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, September 11
In an effort to promote compulsory education for physically and mentally challenged children, the elementary wing of District Education Department has chalked out a new programme under its Sarb Sikhya Abhiyan (Education for All) scheme.

The programme titled ‘Inclusive Education for Disabled (IED)’ aims at bringing to school such children of age group 6 to 14 years who have either never gone to school or had left their studies midway due to some disability. Such children would be given admission to the nearest government school, where the teachers would take special classes for them, make them work hard and gradually try to shift them to normal classes where they would get little extra attention from their teachers.

Under the programme, every child involved in it would be paid Rs 1,200 for the purchase of aids and equipments. Parents earning Rs 5,000 per month or less will be given all aids free of cost and those getting between Rs 5,000 to Rs 8,000 will be given the aids at 50 per cent concession. Such aids could be any equipment for hearing, optical articles or artificial limbs.

For the proper implementation of the project, the department has even formed a new committee — District Resource Group. The group has members from the Education Department, Government of Punjab and NGOs. The group will be headed by Ms Harvinder Kaur, District Education Officer (elementary) while Mr Pradeep Kapoor, lecturer, In service Training Centre, will act as coordinator.

The other members of the resource group will be Mr Bachitar Singh, DEO (secondary), Ms Usha Sidhu, Principal, DIET, Jagraon; Ms Sarabjeet Kaur, Principal, Inservice Training Centre, Mr S.P. Malik, Secretary, Red Cross Society, Ms Suvarsha Kalra, Principal, School for the Deaf, Dr Ramesh Chander, eye specialist, Mansuran, Mr Lakhbir Singh, lecturer, DIET, and Mr Rajinder Kumar, Block Primary Education Officer, Ludhiana.

Mr Kapoor said teachers from 19 primary blocks of the district and from seven tehsils of upper primary section would be trained in the workshop that would begin from September 16. It will be held at Naurhia Mal Jain Senior Secondary School, Bharat Nagar.

Extension lecture organised
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, September 11
Various departments of Guru Nanak Girls College, Model Town, organised lectures and inter-class competitions yesterday. An extension lecture were organised yesterday by Dr Sandeep Kaur, Head, Department of Chemistry. The resource person, Dr B.S. Sekhon, Head, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, PAU, delivered a lecture on “Crystal field theory”.

Mrs Charanjit Mahal, Principal, welcomed Mr Sekhon. He was introduced to the audience by Ms Ameet Rana, President, Chemical Society. He discussed various aspects of crystal field stabilisation, paring energy spectrochemical series, modified crystal theory and nepholuxtic series.

A seminar was organised by the Music (Vocal) Department. Prof Shamshad Ali from Amardeep Singh Shergil College, Mukandpur, was the guest artist.

Professor Ali presented a lecture-cum-demonstration on “Folk music and its popularisation”. He sang several folk songs as well as ghazals in Punjabi and in Urdu. Mr Kewal Krishan accompanied him on the tabla. Mrs Gurpreet Kaur, Head, Music (vocal) Department thanked the guest artist.

The Department of English celebrated the creation of the English Literary Society yesterday. The Principal, Mrs Charanjit Mahal, congratulated the staff and the students for their joint efforts that led to the establishment of this society. 

FROM COLLEGES
Simran wins Ms Fresher title
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, September 11
A welcome party and Ms Fresher contest was organised at Sat Guru Ram Singh Government Polytechnic here today. The programme started with a shabad. After that the first round for selection of Ms Fresher was held which was followed by a group dance , choreography, solo song and the second round for Ms Fresher contest.

As many as 59 students were there for the third round and after the final round Ms Simran was declared Ms Fresher.

Ms Harvinder Kaur Toor crowned Ms Simran and congratulated the students on excellent organisation and emphasised the role of co-curricular activities in the curriculum as they go a long way in building the personality of a student.

Talent hunt: A hunt for talent amongst freshers was on today at Arya College ( Women Section).The function started with the lighting of lamp by Dr S.M. Sharma, Principal of Arya College for Boys.

The cultural programme, included solo dances, group dances, folk songs, and monoacting. A creative Writing competition was also organised. The winners of this competition are Ms Amandeep Arora and Kanaika Miglani who won first and second positions, respectively.

In the declamation contest Rachna and Sonam won first and second prize, respectively. In poetry recitation contest Sonam Handa and Vasudha were placed at first and second positions, respectively. Ms Satisha Sharma, in charge, distributed prizes to the winners.

Freshers welcomed: The students of Punjabi MA (part II) of Government College for Women organised a function here on Thursday to welcome the freshers. The freshers, in turn, offered their thanks to their seniors for presenting an excellent cultural programme. Principal Inderjit Gill Vashist presided over the function. The function started with ‘shabad gyan’ followed by folk songs, dances and poems.A skit on ‘illiteracy’ was presented. Interesting competitions like ‘cutting with datri’, madhani competitions’ were held.

Rotracts in GGN College

Ludhiana, September 11
Members of the Rotary Club of Ludhiana North installed the Rotract Club in GGN Khalsa College, at a function here yesterday. Ms Harsimrat Kaur, president, and a team of 11office-bearers was installed by the Rotary Club president Mr S.P. Singh Dua and others. OC

COURTS

Special courts for NRIs soon, says Advocate-General
Legal Correspondent

Ludhiana, September 11
Special courts would be established in Punjab for dealing with cases pertaining to NRIs. A decision to this effect was taken by the Punjab Government and the High Court a few days ago, said Mr Harbhagwan Singh, Advocate- General, Punjab.

He said two courts would function in each district to settle disputes relating to NRIs, adding that these courts would also hear corruption cases. He said the special courts were expected to start functioning next month.

Mr Harbhagwan Singh was here yesterday to attend a function organised to honour him for being conferred the Punjab Ratna Award. A warm welcome was accorded to him by Mr Jasbir Singh Khangura, MD, Majestic Park Plaza, and Mr Harpreet Singh Sandhu, Deputy Advocate- General, Punjab. Representatives of various organisations and political leaders presented bouquets and shawls to him.

Addressing the gathering, Mr Harpreet Sandhu said it was a matter of pride for the legal fraternity that Mr Harbhagwan Singh had conferred with such a award. A booklet listing the achievements of the Advocate-General was also released on the occasion.

The Mayor, Mr Nahar Singh Gill, the District Attorney, Mr Amar Ashok Pathak, Mr D.K.Oswal, Mr Anil Puri, film distributor, Advocate-Jaspal Chugh were among those present on the occasion.

Later, during a press conference, Mr Harbhagwan Singh admitted that corruption was prevalent at some level in the judicial system but claimed that the High Court and Chief Minister Amarinder Singh were doing their best to curb it. Justifying the appointments of a large number of Law Officers, he said about 2.60 lakh cases were pending in the High Court. Out of these, there are about 1.10 lakh cases in which the Punjab Government is a party. He said it was necessary to increase the strength of law officers for the speedy disposal of the cases.