Ludhiana September 17
Early sowing of rice in Punjab is the root cause of declining water in the state. The judicious use of water is a social cause and every segment of the society should take responsibility to save water while the state should urgently explore the use of all means to check further decline in water table in the state.

This was stated by Dr Bobby A Stewart, an eminent US expert on agriculture, while addressing a three-day International Workshop on "Water Management Strategies for Food Security and Environmental Quality" which started here today at Punjab Agricultural University.

About 13 international experts and scientists from different states of the country are attending this workshop.

PAU VC M.S.Kang stated that wheat-rice cropping system had become unsustainable and put a great deal of stress on ground water resources in tubewell-irrigated areas. He expressed concern over the drastic fall of water table in many areas across the state.

Dr Rattan Lal, professor of Soil Science and director, Carbon Management and Sequestration Centre, Columbus, the USA, said the international gathering of scientists, deliberating on this serious issue of water, held great importance as the world must be regarded as one civilisation from the stand point of food production.

Dr S.S. Johl, eminent economist and former chairman, Agricultural Costs and Prices Commission, emphasised the tackling of water problem both on demand side and supply side. Terming it as an international problem, Dr Johl said even the harvesting of rain water in Punjab had certain limitations, especially on the front of chemical residues. He suggested that the water problem should be brought to the front and the policy makers need to be sensitised about this critical issue.

Dr P.S.Minhas from ICAR, New Delhi, while deliberating on strategies for efficient utilisation of water resources in agriculture, called for influencing diets towards less water consuming foods; increasing food trade from water abundant areas; improving irrigation efficiency; increasing water productivity of both rainfed and irrigated lands; upgrading rainfed systems through introduction of supplemental irrigation and better land/water management practices and using alternatives sources of water.

The participating US universities in workshop include Ohio State University, University of Florida, Texas A&M University, West Texas A&M University, Colorado State University, IOWA State University and Agricultural Research Service of the US Department of Agriculture.

The issues being discussed during the workshop include water conservation and management, water quality, Agricultural Knowledge Initiative reports, education, communication policy, technical innovations etc.

Doraha,September 17
Staff and students of Government High School, Rampur, celebrated the Ozone Preservation Day on the school premises today.Science mistress Pal Rani made students aware the ways and means that can be adopted in order to save the humanity from annihilation.

Madhu Bala, school teacher, said, “Human beings are bent upon destroying the ozone layer for the fulfillment of their own selfish ends. The students too expressed their views on the topic.

Ludhiana, September 17
Teachers working in colleges affiliated to Panjab University,Chandigarh, will stage a dharna in front of mini secretariat on September 19 against the indifferent attitude of the Punjab government to higher education in general and to the long-pending demands of government college teachers in particular.

President Punjab government college teachers’ association (PGCTA) Jaipal Singh in a press note issued here today said that the government was adopting double standards while dealing with college teachers. They are being denied 5 per cent interim relief at par with Punjab government employees on the plea that such thing was to be given by the UGC. On the other hand, it was denying them raise in retirement age, benefit of feeder grade service etc. The teachers were being discriminated on both counts.

Jaipal further added that 700 posts of lecturers and 19 posts of principals were lying vacant in government colleges. The association demanded that the posts be filled on regular basis through the PPSC. "We will intensify our agitation if issues are not resolved amicably", Jaipal said.

Ludhiana, September 17
Dr P.D. Juyal, professor and head, Department of Veterinary Parasitology, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU), has admitted as national fellow of the Indian Association for Advancement in Veterinary Parasitology for his contributions to the field of veterinary parasitology, education and research during the XVIII National Congress of Veterinary Parasitology held at the Shere-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Jammu.

The award was given to him by Taj Mohiuddin, minister for animal husbandry, Jammu and Kashmir.

This award is presented every year to an eminent parasitologist of the country. Dr Juyal is the founder life member of the national body and served the association in various capacities.

The conference held in Jammu was attended by scientists from various regions of the country. S.S. Rath, Arvinder Kaur, N.K. Singh, Paramjit Kaur and Harkirat Singh from the GADVASU also participated in the conference.

The new executive body was constituted. Dr Juyal and Dr Rath were elected as general secretary and joint secretary, respectively, of the body. Dr N.K. Singh and Dr L.D. Singla were admitted as executive committee members.

The general body further approved the organisation of the 19th National Conference of Veterinary Parasitology for 2008 at the GADVASU.