Ludhiana, April 24
Three scientists at the Regional Centre Bathinda of Punjab Agricultural University, J.K. Brar, G.S.Romana and D.S. Brar, have brought out a booklet on processing fruits and vegetables at domestic level. These products could be canned and sold in nearby areas for enhancing the income by way of value addition.

Giving details about the booklet, the director of the centre, B.S. Brar said that processing of domestic produce of fruits and vegetables had gained importance as only 2 per cent of the total production was being processed in India at present.

However, this percentage exceeded 70 for developed countries. The motive of the booklet was to relate rural women with lucrative fields, he stressed.

The Oriental Bank of Commerce, Bathinda, had provided financial support for the distribution and dissemination of this information.

Talking about the contents of the booklet, Brar said it contained information about ingredients, sterilisation of containers and tips on preparation of products like pickles, chutneys, jam, sauce, puree, squash and murabha, etc Colour pictures had been used for visual explanation in the booklet.

In the foreword, N.S.Malhi, director Extension Education, stated that though India stood second in fruit and vegetable production in the world, the country lagged behind in proper care and processing of the produce.

Mandi Ahmedgarh, April 24
With the government schools running out of staff due to deputation of teachers for non-teaching duties, like survey for preparing BPL lists for providing cheaper atta-daal, is making students from state run schools opt for private institutes.

Defending action of the Education Department, Major Singh Sandhu, DEO Ludhiana claimed that the staff had been deputed to conduct a survey in such a way that minimum loss was caused to studies.

"As teachers, besides being educators are also government employees, they have to perform duties according to the policies framed by the administration. However, we have tried our best so that minimum disturbance was caused to teaching work," said Sandhu.

Investigations by the Ludhiana Tribune revealed that majority of the state run elementary schools and some senior secondary schools were running sans teachers these days. Contrary to education department's claims that studies began immediately after examinations, students are yet to receive introductory lessons in these schools. Heads of some schools were seen filing admission forms in connection with new admissions themselves as teachers were away for past two weeks.

While there were some schools from where almost all teachers had been deputed on the job, at other schools no teacher was assigned these duties. Government Senior Secondary School, Barundi, and Government High School, Dhulkot, figured among the later category. Situation at Government Elementary School, Rurka, was alarming as six out of eight teachers had been deputed on the job.

Similarly, all lecturers from Shahid Kartar Singh Dukki Government Senior Secondary School, Latala, stayed away from classes. Deputation of 10 out of 23 master cadre teachers from Government Senior Secondary School, Dehlon, and four out of nine from Guram School affected studies at these institutes adversely.

Terming the situation as result of bureaucratic apathy Darshan Singh, a former government school teacher alleged that successive governments had ignored the interests of students from lower strata of the society. "Though I had made up my mind to put my grandchildren in government schools but I decided to entrust their education to private schools instead out of disappointment," said Singh maintaining that he had noticed that a large number of government teachers had been deputed on non teaching job during crucial months of the academic session.

"When they can spare teachers at the time of admissions and before examinations how can we expect that they will be available during normal months," argued 
Darshan Singh.

Ludhiana, April 24
A Mathematics Laboratory equipped with latest methods to make clear the concepts of Mathematics was inaugurated today at Guru Gobind Singh Public School (GGSPS), Daad, Pakhowal road by the chairman of the school and president of the Shiromani Gurudwara Parbhandak Committee (SGPC), Avtar Singh Makkar.

Makkar lauded the role played by the principal, Manjeet Kaur, towards guiding for the betterment of the school. He praised the value of latest addition to the school. He said the school was expanding fast and within a short span of time, Home Science, Geography and Language Lab would be added to the present infrastructure.

On the occasion, a seminar was organised for the parents of students of class IX & X. They were explained the new system of hand on experience, ‘an activity oriented education,’ adopted by the C.B.S.E.

Ludhiana April 24
Parneet Kaur of XII got the first prize at the Rangoli competition held at Guru Nanak Public School, Sarabha Nagar here today. The second and third prizes were bagged by Harsimrat Kaur and Ramneet Kaur of XII. More than 80 students took part in the contest held for 11 and 12 classes. Merit certificates were also given to Chanpreet Kaur, Jasmine Kaur and Avneet Kaur.

Sixteen students took part in the declamation contest in Punjabi and Hindi languages, on topics of Kot kisse da yaar na hunda, Jiwan mein hasya aur vyang, Sangharsh hi jeewan hai, Vigyapan aur hum etc.

Harleen Kaur of R.S.House stood first, Karanpal Singh of M.S.House stood second, Komalreet Kaur of BVS House stood third. Consolation prizes were given to Arman Singh and Ritesh Bhatia.

Doraha, April 24
Manpreet Kaur Mangat student of Doraha Institute of Management and Technology (DIMT), Doraha, bagged first position by securing 76.3 per cent marks in BCA third semester and fifth semester examinations conducted by Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar in December 2006. Manpreet Kaur Garcha bagged second position with 75.8 per cent and Deepak Kataria stood third with 75.14 per cent marks.

While Kavita Sharma bagged first position securing 82.6 per cent marks in BCA 5th semester course. The second and third positions were bagged by Ranjit Kaur (80.57 per cent and Sunpreet Singh with 80 per cent marks. The director DIMT, Dr R. K. Lekhi and coordinator Supreet Kaur lauded students on their performance.