Mandi Ahmedgarh, October 8
A week-long stalemate regarding the lifting of paddy procured by the state agencies at the Sihar purchase centre was resolved by the Ludhiana district administration by allowing owners of 125 trucks belonging to 12 villages of the block to transport bags to various godowns enlisted by the procurement agency.

The action was taken after Ludhiana Tribune published a story about the harassment of farmers and commission agents due to factionalism among supporters of Jagdish Singh Garcha and Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal, both SAD former ministers.

Due to the overcrowding of the yard, farmers had started taking their produce to other grain markets and the commission agents had threatened to launch an agitation.

Acting on the directions of Sumer Gurjar, DC, Simarjot Kaur, district food and supplies controller, Ludhiana, and D.S. Mann, regional manager of Punsup, convened meetings of commission agents, farmers and office-bearers of the truck operator unions of Pohir and Malaudh.

Procurement of paddy that had come to a halt was restarted by officials.

The DSP Dakha, Paramjit Singh Goraya, directed Prem Singh, SHO (Dehlon), to ensure that the compromise arrived at between the office-bearers of the two unions was implemented in letter and spirit.

Simarjot Kaur, DFSC, Ludhiana, said around 10 paddy-laden trucks were stranded as the Punsup authorities had not issued gate passes, reportedly due to the factionalism of SAD leaders at Kila Raipur and Payal constituencies.

“Receiving fresh orders from the DC today, we explained the loss being suffered by the farmers and the commission agents to all concerned and ultimately the two factions agreed that operators from the area should be allowed to transport the procured paddy, irrespective of their alliance with any union,” she said.

Ludhiana, October 8
The closing ceremony function of annual training camp of 3 Punjab Girls Batallion, NCC, Ludhiana, was held here last evening at the Khalsa College for Women. The camp was organised from September 28 to October 7, in which 600 cadets from 18 schools and colleges participated.

Volunteers of the NSS unit of Malwa College for Education take part in the closing ceremony of a training camp in Ludhiana. — A Tribune photograph

The lamp lighting ceremony was performed by Anoodip Deol, wife of Camp Commandant, and Sirbrinder Grewal followed by Shabad Kirtan.

Col SS Deol, camp commandant, thanked the distinguished guests for their presence and also conveyed his gratitude for the co-operation and assistance provided by Dr Varinder Kaur Thind, principal, KCW..

Dr R K Grewal, gave away the prizes to cultural competition winners. Dr S S Grewal, vice-president of Khalsa Dewan, Ludhiana, distributed the medals. Dr Varinder Kaur Thind and Jyoti Mann, care taker, received the trophy for KCW. The best unit trophy for GCW was received by the principal Parabhjot Kaur and Capt Narinderjit Kaur. Junior wing’s best unit trophy for 2007-08 was bagged for the second consecutive year by Sacred Heart Senior Secondary Convent School, Sarabha Nagar, which was received by Kiran Bala Sharma. Gold medal for camp’s best cadet (senior wing) was given to SGT Ashudeep of Sacred Heart Senior Secondary Convent and junior wing to Livnoor Brar of the same school.

Ludhiana, October 8
Large number of scientists from different departments of Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU), Ludhiana, participated and presented 18 research papers in the International Tropical Animal Nutrition Conference “TROPNUTRICON-2007”, held at National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, from October 4 to 7.

Two volumes of invited papers and abstracts, prepared under the auspices of GADVASU by Dr MPS Bakshi and his team, were released in the inaugural function.

Dr JS Ichhponani, former head of department of animal nutrition, was bestowed with ‘Life Time Achievement Award’ for his contributions in the field of animal sciences by the Animal Nutrition Society of India. Dr MPS Bakshi and his team got second prize for the best poster presentation on “Nutritional status of animals in different agro climactic zones of Punjab State”. Dr Bakshi and Dr M Wadhwa were felicitated for serving the society.