Pak circular hailed

A circular from a chief executive officer in Gujranwala (a city in Pakistan Punjab) is making rounds on WhatsApp by teachers of government schools in Chandigarh. Reason: Respect for teachers in Pakistan. In the circular, field officers (district education officers (DEOs), deputy DEO and assistant education officers) have been asked to seek permission from teachers before entering classroom. “All field officers are requested to seek permission from honourable teachers by saying these words, ‘May I come in sir/madam?” reads the instruction. It associates the instruction with a teaching of Islam and Prophet Muhammad. The teachers of the city were found debating the decree of Pakistan and fancy the same. “See the level of respect for teachers in Pakistan,” quipped a teacher in the city.

Crowd-puller

The 210-ft tall effigy of Ravana installed by the Mata Mansa Devi Charitable and Development Trust at the Shalimar Mall ground in Sector 5 remained the main attraction for Panchkula residents this Dasehra. The young and the aged were seen taking selfies with the effigy in the backdrop. Not only from the town, people from the nearby places like Mohali, Chandigarh and Kalka and as far as Ropar, Patiala, Sirhind, Ambala and Baddi had come to see the tallest effigy of the country.

Dressing down

Last week, a superintendent of Punjab Police, posted in Ropar, faced the ire of a court when a Judge at the Chandigarh District Courts sent him back. The SP returned to the court in uniform after a while and by then the Judge had taken further action. The next thing the SP came to know was that he had to offer an explanation in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. While some courts allow policemen in civvies as well at times, the others are very strict about it. Even in case of advocates, some judges are very particular about their dress.

Inbox to letter box

At the times of email and WhatsApp, UT officials have seemingly not lost faith in the age-old letter box. The Administration has installed one christening it as ‘Administrator’s complaint box’ at the UT Secretariat in Sector 9 where residents can drop their complaints. The letter box has been given a fresh coat of paint to make it look new. Though employees are skeptical about its utility, residents can now approach the UT Administrator by various means of communication, from social media to the traditional letter box.

Contributed by Naina Mishra, Sanjay Bumbroo, Ishrat S Banwait and Ramkrishan Upadhyay