EDUCATION

SAARC honour for PU professor
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 27
Adding a unique feather to Panjab University’s academic cap, Prof R K Kolhi, coordinator-head, Centre for Environment and Vocational Studies, has been appointed to the SAARC Chair at Bangladesh, for this year.

It is a special achievement for several reasons. While the SAARC Chair, Fellowship and Scholarship Scheme provides for several fellowships and scholarships, the Chair is a distinctive and singular appointment. It is also a first for the university that an academician from here has been selected for such a prestigious honour.

Competition is stiff since the position is open to eminent scholars from all SAARC countries except Bangladesh where the Chair was instituted and Professor Kohli was selected from amongst stalwarts from several countries in the region.

The scheme was established in 1987 with the aim of providing increased cross-fertilisation of ideas through greater interaction among students, scholars and academics in the SAARC countries. The holder of the Chair will help the host institution in organising academic pursuits like teaching, research and seminars.

The position enables the individual to make significant strides in his field of research and thereby contributing to his career progression. For the scholars this will represent an opportunity to enhance their knowledge and reputation. For the institution and the host country, there will be direct benefits in terms of teaching, supervision and publication, and interaction with local research students, consultants and others.

The appointment requires Professor Kohli to be based in Bangladesh for a period of six months starting November 1. “I feel this is a tremendous privilege not just for the university but also for the country. While it feels very good, yet I realise what an enormous responsibility this is,” he avers.

Professor Kohli’s credentials are impeccable. While he is a nominated member of an expert group on conservation and sustainable utilisation of natural resources of the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, he is also a recipient of the B P Pal National Environment Fellowship Award-2001, the highest paid fellowship award, from the government too.

He is also appointed as adjunct professor at the XTBG Chinese Academy of Sciences in China for two years (2007 to 2009) and is the only certified ecologist in India by the Board of Professional Certification, USA which is the highest global accreditation. He has won numerous awards and has numerous scientific publications to his credit and serves on several boards and academies in various capacities.

Agri-Discussion
Can we feed 10b people in 2050?
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 27
“Investment in agricultural research is amongst the most productive investments that a government can make,” said Dr Manjit Singh Kang, vice-chancellor, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, at a panel discussion on "Punjab's lost pride: what should be done?" organised by Kadam, an NGO, in the city today.

Giving a brief overview he spoke of an urgent need to revamp research and education if agriculture had to get the necessary boost. Quoting academicians, he said that world peace could not be established on empty stomachs and, therefore, food resources had to be studied in earnest if we were to feed the growing populations around the world. “There will be an estimated 9 to 10 billion people on this earth by 2050. The challenge is can we feed them all?” he asked.

Speaking on what ails Punjab’s agriculture Dr Kang said high crop intensity, over investment in farm machinery, injudicious use of inputs and shrinking land-holdings have precipitated a multiplicity of problems like degradation of natural resources, declining profitability, increasing indebtedness and environmental pollution in Punjab.

Water, a critical input in agriculture, needs to be used more efficiently particularly in view of the depleting water-table and poor quality water in some parts of the state. To save water Dr Kang suggested shifting of rice cultivation to the middle or end of June. This would also save electricity worth Rs 450 crore he said. “Replace rice with Basmati, cotton, groundnut, maize and pulses during the kharif season and wheat with raya and gram during the rabi season,” he elaborated.

He also spoke extensively of the need to manage residue so that it did not lead to pollution while burning.

He said that notwithstanding all-round achievements, the basic problems of food security, poverty, equity and sustainability continue to be a cause of concern for all. New technologies are needed to improve agricultural productivity, enhance input use efficiency and conserve natural resources. In view of these post-Green Revolution challenges, agricultural research and education need an overhaul he emphasised.

Speaking earlier in the morning, even Professor R.C. Sobti, Vice-Chancellor, Panjab University, stressed on the need to restructure curriculum so that is based on the needs of society. With particular reference to science he said, “The syllabi should not be alienated from the community’s needs and should incorporate indigenous knowledge.” His talk gave weight to developing facilities and knowledge at our disposal instead of hankering after equipment and machines that one had no knowledge of.

He said Punjab, the granary of the country, was no longer the number one state and that neighbouring Haryana had stolen a march over Punjab. “Malls and multiplexes are coming up on agricultural lands, small scale industries are closing down as cheap goods from China are flooding the local markets and the excessive use of pesticides is causing serious illnesses like cancer to erupt. Manpreet Singh Badal, Punjab Finance Minister who was to speak at the seminar today could not attend the function.

Interaction session with senior citizens
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 27
In order to assimilate the senior citizens to more of social activity, the Chandigarh Education Department has asked them to arrange an interaction session with the school children on regular basis.

The DPI (S) SK Setia said, “We have observed that there are a few Old Age Homes where these senior citizens face loneliness but have been leaders in their hey days. They have treasures of wisdom, experience and knowledge on varied aspects of life. In this special interactive session, they will be asked to share their life experiences with the students and teachers too.”

This total exercise will start at about 10 am and will continue till 12:30 pm. The education department has also made their transport arrangement through Sector 9 Model School. The NSS volunteers will take care of their personal likings and preferences, medicines.

The female senior citizens would be requested to teach basic cooking to the students in the schools where home science labs are there. They may be requested to join the prepared food or share meals brought by the students or teachers.

Alliance Française centre in Panchkula
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 27
The Alliance Française de Chandigarh will have an extension at Panchkula starting August 30. The classes will take place at Toddlers' School, Sector 10, Panchkula. The class timings will be 7 a.m. to 8:55 a.m. and 5:35 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

A team of specialised teachers trained by the Cultural Department of the French Embassy will ensure that teaching written and spoken French is on a par with that at the primary centre. Teaching is based on a balance between written and oral work and between traditional and modern communicative methods, with classrooms equipped with audio, video/DVD-TV sets.

The Alliance Française de Chandigarh, an educational and cultural society, was founded in 1983. In India, there are 15 centres located in major cities around the country.

From Schools & Colleges
58 KVs participate in science exhibition
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, August 27
The 35th Jawaharlal Nehru science exhibition 2007-08 had a colourful inauguration at KV-2, Chandimandir here today. As many as 58 Kendriya Vidyalayas of the Chandigarh region, participated. About 500 models and exhibits on science and technology covering themes such as oil and water conservation, water harvesting, disaster management and biosphere were put up. Alka Gupta, principal of the host vidyalaya, said science should reach every commoner and its application could make life more beautiful and the earth more livable. The chief guest, Brig J.K. Jha, DCSO, urged the students to search for objective truth, with the vision unclouded by personal or political motive. Col Sunil Kala, chairman was also present.

Chandigarh
Workshop: The Punjab chapter of the National Institute of Personnel Management (NIPM) organised a one day workshop on ‘Attitude Is Every Thing’. The programme was attended by more than 60 professional managers from renowned corporates such as Ranbaxy, Dabur, Hindustan Levers. The workshop was inaugurated by Avtar Singh, executive director of PCCPL who in his address shared the vision of NIPM and Some experiences from his organisation related to enhancing employee performance through benchmarking global practices, employee empowerment, reward and recognition. J.K. Nair, management guru conducted the workshop.

Mohali
FESTIVAL: The festival of Rakhi was celebrated with great zeal and fervor amongst the kindergarten section of Swami Ram Tirtha Public High School, Phase IV here on Monday. Competition of making rakhi was also organised amongst the students of classes I to V. The winners include: Tanvi Singh, Mandeep Budhiraja, Isha Sharma, Ojasvi Sharma.

RAKHI: The MCA and MBA students of Gian Jyoti Institute of Management and Technology celebrated rakhi with blind and visually challenged children on Monday. The visually challenged children from School of Blind Children, Sector 26 were the special guests who were treated with warmth by young management students. The chairman GJIMT, J.S. Bedi was also present.

PU Notes
No financial crunch in PU, says VC
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 27
Allaying fears Dr R.C. Sobti announced that there is no financial crunch in Panjab University. The University has sufficient bank balance to pay salaries up to November 2007 already, he said. He was addressing the B&C class employees of the University at the Law Auditorium here on Monday. Dr Sobti advised the gathering not to withdraw from the Pension Scheme as it is beneficial in old age and also served to provide social and mental security. He also announced that 1600 promotions had been made in his 13 month tenure so far and that he would continue to work for the betterment of employees. Dr Sobti invited the employees to share their grievances and said that every genuine demand would be fulfilled.

Programme

PU’s Environment Outreach Programme will organise an interactive slide-cum-film show at ICSSR Complex on August 31, from 10.30 am to 1 pm for school teachers. Each school may send upto 5 to 10 teachers or students and a confirmation can be sent at 9914440029 or arundeep.ahluwalia@gmail.com.

COURTS

Hawara unlikely to appear in court
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 27
Whether Jagtar Singh Hawara, convicted in the high-profile Beant Singh assassination case, will be allowed to be present during the trial of his case at the high court tomorrow is still doubtful. Last week, the high court had asked him to appear before the court on August 28 to confirm his plea for the death sentence. He was given death sentence in the Beant Singh assassination case by District and Sessions Judge Ravi Kumar Sondhi.

A defence lawyer, S.S. Bawa, said, “The court has asked him to appear at the high court, so ideally he should be allowed to move out of the court premises.” A police personnel said on condition of unanimity that Hawara had been booked under Section 268 of the CrPC, so he should not be allowed to move out of the jail.

Meanwhile, Ripjit Singh Brar, Congress MLA, furnished bail bonds worth Rs 50,000 before the Ilaqa Magistrate here in the District and Sessions Court today. Brar was made accused under Section 11 of the Public Premises Act and was declared a proclaimed offender in March 2006.