Organic farming picking up
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, August 4
Organic farming is slowly and steadily picking up in Punjab. The latest crop introduced being the ‘stevia’, the natural sweetener considered best for the diabetics. Even the organic wheat, rice, mustard oil and pulses have started finding great acceptability among the people.

According to Ms Uma Saini, Managing Director, Agricare Organic Farms, after finding great results in traditional crops they are now planning to introduce new plant springvale for higher profits. She said springvale is the unique eco-friendly tree that is known as world’s fastest growing tree commonly called Australian Teak. It is used for timber. The tree is said to grow to a height of 50 feet with a girth of 50 inches in just three years.

Ms Saini said organic food products if certified and labeled as per international standards can have good export value, which can boost country’s foreign exchange reserves. 

Transfer of lecturers flayed
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, August 4
The Punjab Government College Teachers Association today flayed the government for transferring lecturers. The transfers were against the policy of the government as no employee would be transferred if he/she is to retire within one year.

Mr Kuldeep Singh, zonal secretary of the association, said two persons were transferred recently, whose retirement is due in a few months. He said the government had not chalked out any plan for opening new colleges in the state.

Prof Jaipal Singh, president of the union, said the government was transferring senior lecturers to colleges that were facing staff shortage.

“To run the new colleges, the seniormost lecturers should not be transferred. Instead, the government should recruit new lecturers,” he said.

Both office-bearers also condemned the appointment of an additional principal at Government Mohindra College, Patiala.

The government instead of appointing additional principals should create five more posts of Deputy Director with headquarters at Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Bathinda and Patiala.

From Schools
Talent hunt contests at KVM
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, August 4
Magical voices, scintillating music, rhythmic and graceful steps, good acting and direction par excellence was noticed today during the Talent Search Contest organised for junior humanities classes in Kundan Vidya Mandir School.

Each of the six houses presented a comedy play, a classical dance recital, and vocal or instrumental musical presentations.

The Principal of the school, Mr S.C Saxena, while lauding the efforts of the students said there was no dearth of talent among the KVM students.The in charge, Ms Sonia Verma, said complete education meant all round development of a child and hence co-curricular activities were important.

The results of various contests are as follows: Best Play—Door ke dhol Suhavne, Subash House; Halwa for Bahu, Gandhi House.

Best Actor—Prateek and Raghav, Subash House; Bahul Sharma, Nehru House; Chirag, Patel House.

Best Actress: Shruti Dhanda, Nehru House; Tamanna, Subash House; Upasana Sharma, Gandhi House.

Best Student Director: Ridhi Kumara, Sagan Chabbra.

Solo song contest: Sarthak Dutt, Raman House , Himanshu Nehru House; Consolation—Shorya, Tagore House

Solo dance:Aishwarya Rai, Gandhi House;Ridhi Gaur, Raman House; Consolation—Grusha , Tagore House .

Instrumental music: Pearth Sharma, Patel House; Gursimrat Dutt, Gandhi House; Consolation—Abhinav Jindal Nehru House.

Function

‘Sawaan ka mela’ was organised at GNI Public School here today. The students of pre-primary wing took part in it and enjoyed the swings. They performed giddha and bhangra and applied mehndi on their little hands. Gurleen Kaur was chosen Ms Teej, Ms B Gulati, Principal of the school, congratulated the winners and asked the students to treasure the Punjabi tradition.

Science seminar

A block-level science seminar was held in Government Senior Secondary (multi-purpose) School here yesterday. It was inaugurated by the District Science supervisor, Mr Virinder Sharma. Ms Neena Jindal, lecturer, physics, was the chief guest on the occasion. Seven teams from different blocks of the city participated in the competition.

The students spoke on the given topic. After the declamation, the students had to answer a volley of questions from the judges. The judges were: Ms Taskeen Akhtar, Mr Balvinder Singh, Mr Rajiv Kumar Aidya and Mr Sawan Singh

The first prize was won by Gaurav Jhamb, second by Hardeep Kaur and third position went to Harfateh Singh Grewal. The consolation prize was won by Sandeep Kaur .

Declamation contest

A Vedic declamation contest was held at Veer Hakikat High School here yesterday. The competition was a part of the campaign launched to inculcate vedic teachings among the youth. Mr K.K Rudra, Principal of the school, and Ved Prachar Mandal had organised this declamation contest. It was presided over by Mr Veer Abhimanyu.

Before starting the function, Mr Roshan Lal Arya said the main reason for holding a series of declamation competitions pertaining to the Vedas was to inculcate Indian values in the youth.

As many as 15 students spoke on topics based on the life of Maharishi Dayanand Swami. Jaspreet Kaur, Megha Gupta and Ritu bagged the first, second and third prizes, respectively. Before starting the function, the students presented ‘‘Saraswati Vandana’’. The judges were Ms Kamlesh Gupta, Ms Santosh Sharma and Ms Kamaldeep. The stage was managed by Ms Geeta Dua and Sushma Gulati.

Students excel in BHMS exam
Our Correspondent

HEALTH

400 examined at dental camp
Our Correspondent

Mandi Gobindgarh, August 4
Lions Club district 321F organised a free dental check-up camp at Lions Model Secondary School here on Wednesday. Mr Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, Parliamentary Secretary, was the chief guest. He announced to give Rs 31,000 to the management committee for development of the school.

Dr Sakander Singh, Director, warehouse corporation and former district Congress chief, lauded the services of the club. Mr Jagmeet Singh Sahota, council chief, was the guest of honour.

As many as 400 patients were checked-up by a team of doctors led by Dr Nancy Jindal and Dr Ajay Jain.

Mr Jagmail Singh Matharu, president of the school management committee, spoke about the 30 years history of the school which provided free education to needy students. He further said the club gave Rs 1.75 lakh per annum to the school.

Mr Joginder Singh Maini, senior vice-president, steel chamber and secretary, PPCC, industrialist Ashok Bansal, Mr Rajesh Gupta and Mr H.P.S. Kochar, president and secretary, respectively, of the club also address the gathering.

Blood donation camp at DMCH 
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, Aug 4
The Department of Transfusion Medicine at Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) today organised a voluntary blood donation camp to mark annual Nursing Blood Donation Day.

B.Sc (nursing) students and staff nurses of the DMCH and its sister institution Hero DMC Heart Institute (HDHI) turned out in large numbers to donate blood for the noble cause and more than 100 units of blood were collected during the camp.

Dr Amarjit Kaur, Professor and Head, Department of Transfusion Medicine, extended warm welcome to Dr G.S.Wander, Chief Cardiologist, HDHI, who was the chief guest on the occasion.

In his inaugural address, Dr Wander said the day was observed to create awareness about the importance of voluntary blood donation and to encourage more and more people to become regular blood donors.

Dr Amarjit Kaur said that voluntary blood donations helped in saving the life of critically ill patients like those afflicted with cancer, heart disease, gastrointestinal disease, anemia, trauma, bone and joint disease, liver, kidney and lung disease, or other serious blood diseases. A cancer patient alone might need hundreds of units of blood products during the course of treatment.

Dr J.G. Jolly, Emeritus Professor in the Department of Transfusion Medicine, informed that total blood requirement in the country was around 10 million units whereas the available quantity of blood through voluntary donations was an estimated 5.5 million units, which indicated a huge gap in the demand and availability of blood.

City doctor gets US training
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, August 4
Dr Ravinder Kala, Director, Psychological Assessment and Counselling Services at Kala Nursing Home, here, attended a course on ‘Clinical Training in Mind/Body Medicine’ at Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA. The course focused on a training programme through which the stress-related illnesses can be treated by restoring the natural balance of mind and body.

On her return, she informed that the training comprised exposure to psychological techniques so as to elicit relaxation response and cognitive restructuring of thoughts to manage negative moods like anger, anxiety and depression. When these negative moods persist, they induce stress physiology which causes imbalance of the mind and body. 

Breast feeding week celebrated

Ludhiana, August 4
Breast Feeding week was celebrated by the Child Care Department, headed by Ms Inveet Baring of M.T.S. College for Women here today.

The seminar stressed upon the importance of breast feeding for the baby as well as for the mother. The various misconceptions about breast feeding were also dealt with. The students were also educated on the IMS 1992 Act that bans advertisements and promotion of infant milk substitutes.

The Principal Dr (Ms) Madanjit Sahota urged the students to spread the message. OC

Treatment through alternative medicines discussed
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, August 4
A meeting of the Shree Manav Sewa Welfare Bureau was held here yesterday to discuss treatment through alternative medicines. Dr Sukhdev Kapoor underlined treatment through yoga, massage, diet and nutrition therapy, holistic health science, naturopathy, Feng Shui, reikhi healing, acupressure and ayurvedic medicine.

SPORTS

BVM players shine in annual sports meet
Our Sports Reporter

Ludhiana, August 4
Players of Bhartiya Vidya Mandir School (BVM), Udham Singh Nagar and Kitchlu Nagar branches gave sterling performace and bagged titles in kho-kho, table tennis and basketball in the annual zonal sports tournament (schools) being held at different venues here today.

According to Mr Baljit Singh, director, sports of the schools, in the kho-kho final (girls u-19 ) played at Government Model Senior Secondary School, Punjab Agricultural University grounds, BVM school, Udham Singh Nagar, defeated Shamrock Christian School 9-3 to emerge as title winners.

In table tennis (girls u-19) conducted at Government Senior Secondary School, Cemetery road, Civil Lines, BVM school, Udham Singh Nagar, blanked their opponents from Green Land Senior Secondary School, Jalandhar Byepass 3-0. Nirdosh beat Rita 2-0; Kirti trounced Eeti 2-0 while Shweta outclassed Aman 2-0 to enable their school to clinch the title.

In the girl’s final (u-17) of basketball discipline organised at Khalsa Girls Senior Secondary School, Civil Lines, Bhartiya Vidya Mandir Senior Secondary School, Udham Singh Nagar, thrashed Saraswati Modern Senior Secondary School, Hambaran road 19-2 to emerge champions. However, in the ( u-14) section, BVM girls went down fighting 1-4 against Saraswati Modern School.

In the girl’s (u-19), BVM School, Udham Singh Nagar beat Pothohar Khalsa Senior Secondary School in the semi final to secure a berth in the final to be played tomorrow.