AGRICULTURE

Weather plays spoilsport for farmers
Our Correspondent

Mandi Ahmedgarh, October 2
Keeping in view the bad weather conditions, farmers are hesitant to bring their paddy to various purchase centers, even as the authorities claimed to have made all arrangements for its peak arrival.

Local commission agents have meanwhile once again refused to purchase the paddy for the central food procurement agency. The arrivals were reported to be slow in comparison to previous year.

A perusal of records at local market committee and the purchase centres at village revealed that the arrivals were relatively slow this year. While the Food Corporation of India , the only central food agency, was allotted one centre falling water the jurisdiction of the local market committee, other state procurement agencies, including Punsup, Pungrain and Markfed, were purchasing paddy at Knganwal, Jhuner, Momnabad, Mohali Kalan , Lohatbadi and Kalsian villages, besides the local grain market. 94,650 quintals of paddy were purchased at these centers till today.

Though there were no complaints from any of the state agencies till now the local commission agents were reported to have refused to purchase paddy for the FCI. Mr Naresh Kumar Bhutta and Mr Tasem Lal Sharma, president and patron of the local Aarhtia Union, told Ludhiana Tribune that commission agents affiliated with the union had conveyed their decision to the authorities in writing.

Mr Jagjit Singh. AFSO at Kila Raipur, said around 18,000 quintals of paddy had arrived in mandi purchase centres at Kila Rai Pur, Gopal Pur , Khatra Chuharam, Latala, Kalakh , Gujjarwal , Maherna Kalan and Sihar villages. He confirmed that the quality of the yield was much better this year but the arrivals were slow in this area also.

30 farmers attend PFA camp
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, October 2
World Farm Animals Day was organised by the local chapter of People for Animals at dairy farm of Mr Bhupinder Singh at Meharban village today. Thirty progressive farmers, panches, sarpanches, office-bearers of the PFA attended the camp. Dr Rajiv Bhandari, Dr Data Ram of PFA urged the farmers to be aware of common ailments of dairy cattle, their nutrition and its prevention. Dr Sandeep K. Jain, president, PFA, said the use of oxytocin for inducing milk should be stopped. It not only harms the health of animals but of consumers also.

He also explained the legal implications of using oxytocin injections, which was punishable under Section 12 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, with a fine of Rs 1,000 and two years imprisonment.

He also urged them not to abandon the cattle on roads. He advised the village heads to construct some shelters for stray animals at block level and adopt biofertilisers or biopesticides and setup gobar or biogas plants and utilise the waste to save the resources.

Teaching aids provided to 48 teachers
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, October 2
Latest teaching aids were provided to 48 teachers of the Government Schools who had attended English and art and craft seminars organised recently at Government In-Service Training Centre, Ludhiana.

Teachers got an opportunity to critically analyse their experiences and further improve professional efficiency in the field of education. During these seminars, main emphasis was on the use of teaching aids like charts, models and posters.

Addressing the teachers, Ms Usha Sidhu, Principal of GITC, advised them to use teaching aids to explain every subject and topic and encourage the learning power and creativity of the students.

“Teachers must co-relate the educational topics with daily and social life with the help of teaching aids and blackboard writing so as to make the subject matter interesting for the students,” said Ms Sidhu, who had also served as DEO (S), Ludhiana, for many years.

Mr Baldev Singh, Lecturer, DIET, Jagraon, spoke on phonetics, narration and analysis. Ms Savita Chadha, Lecturer in English GITC, delivered a lecture on language and communication skills, Ms Manvinder K. Gill spoke on analysis and the Principal, Mr Iqbal Singh, gave a lecture on population education during the Seminar.

Dr Shashi Trehan, lecturer, discussed the interactive and post active phases of teaching and its skills . The resource person, Mr Anil Kumar Ghai, also spoke on the occasion. Mr Davinder Singh Chhina, Mr Harminder Singh Manocha, Mr Pradeep Kapoor and Ms Sarabjeet Kaur were also present on the occasion.

Mandeep wins poetry contest 
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, October 2
The giddha, declamation and poetry recitation competitions organised by the Punjab School Education Board at Ramgarhia Senior Secondary School, Miller Ganj, concluded here yesterday. Twelve teams of Sangrur, Patiala, Ludhiana and Mansa districts participated in the competitions. Ms Rajinder Kaur, Director, G.S. Radiotrs, was the chief guest.The project officers of the PSEB, Ms Upneet Kaur and Mr Harjinder Pal also attended the function.

Mr Ranjodh Singh, president, Ramgarhia Education Council, and principals of all institutes run by them were present on the occasion.

The results are as follows:

Poetry recitation competition: Mandeep Kaur(Ist), Government Senior Secondary School, Amargarh, Jaswinder Kaur(IInd), ,Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Civil Lines, Ludhiana, Jaswinder Singh(IIIrd), Pioneer Punjab Senior Secondary School, Gajanmajra, Sangrur.

Declamation contest: Hardeep Kaur(Ist), Government Senior High School, Alampur, Hardeep Kaur(IInd), Guru Harkrishan Senior School, Dugri, Ludhiana, Preet Kaur(IIIrd), Nand Isher Public School, Chappar, Ludhiana.

Kavishreecompetition: Gagandeep and party(Ist), Ramgarhia Senior Secondary School, Miller Ganj, Ludhiana, Ripu Kaur and party(IInd), Government Senior Secondary School, Khanna, Jaspreet Singh (IIIrd),Government Multipurpose School, Patiala.

Gidda: Ramgarhia Girls Senior Secondary School(Ist), Miller Ganj , Ludhiana, Guru Nanak Kanya Maha Vidalaya(IInd), Ahmedgarh, Sangrur, GHG Senior Khalsa School(IIIrd), Gursur Sudhar.

The Principal of the school, Ms Kamaljit Kaur, thanked all officials, judges and students for actively participating in the function.

From Schools & Colleges
‘Aagaaz — 2004’ organised at engineering college
Our Correspondent

Mandi Gobindgarh, October 2
Regional Institute of Management and Technology Engineering College, Mandi Gobindgarh, organised “Aagaaz 2004, to welcome the freshers to the institute. The college management committee’s chairman, Mr Hukum Chand Bansal, was the chief guest.

A cultural programme was presented by both seniors and juniors. It included folk dances, bhangra, skits, classical dance, group songs, western dance, mimicry and mirza. The function started with recitation of shabad gayans by Inderjit and Amrinder Singh. A Mr Fresher and Miss Fresher contest was also organised on the occasion.

Mr Surjit Singh and Miss Maninder Kaur were selected Mr Fresher and Miss Fresher from the MBA and MCA group. Mr Sumit Sagotra and Miss Roopjit Kaur were selected Mr Fresher and Miss Fresher from the B.Tech and B.Arch group.

Earlier, the Principal, Dr S.K. Goyal, welcomed the students. The Principal of Architecture College, Prof N.K. Tayal, also addressed the students.

BLOOD DONATION: The Punjab Institute of Management and Technology and organised a blood donation camp on its campus at Mandi Gobindgarh to commemorate the ‘World Blood Donation Day’. The camp was organised in association with the Lions Club (Supreme), Mandi Gobindgarh, and HDFC Bank, Mandi Gobindgarh. As many as 80 students donated blood. The camp was inaugurated by Mr Taranbir Singh, Branch Head, HDFC Bank, Mandi Gobindgarh and Prof A.K. Singh Suryavanshi, Director, PIMT distributed mementoes among the donors. Mr S.S. Bagali, secretary, Gobindgarh Educational and Social Welfare Trust, Mr Satya Prakash and the HDFC officials, Mr Amanpreet Chopra and Mr Amrish Dutt, were also present on the occasion.

LUDHIANA
GNDEC STRIKE: In a joint statement issued to the press here today, Prof Mahavir Singh, president Punjab College Science Teachers Association and Mr Barinderjit Singh Birdi, organising secretary, PCSTA, have demanded an early resolution of the crisis at Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College. They urged the college management to take appropriate steps to break the impasse and initiate dialogue between facility, students and parents. The PCSTA has appealed to the parties concerned to show magnanimity and act on policy of ‘forgive and forget’ in order to diffuse the unsavory situation. They have urged all concerned to work unitedly for the betterment of the institution whose image has gone down due to the present imbroglio.

Punjabi poets regale audience
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, October 2
It was an afternoon filled with laughter as the 10 Punjabi poets invited from outside Ludhiana read out their poetry full of satire and laughter this evening at the local Punjabi Bhavan.

Mr Janmeja Johal, secretary, Punjabi Sahit Akademi, said on the first Saturday of every month, the Punjabi Sahit Akademi holds a literary symposium and provides a platform to the writers to read out their new poetic creations.

To give some colour to the gathering, 10 writers have been invited from outside to recite their poems. The poems had great humour and carried a message too.

Mr Surjit Patar, president of Akademi, said literature is the mirror of society and reflects the ills prevalent in society. These poets have in a humorous way come down heavily on rampant corruption, illiteracy and dowry deaths etc, he added.