Samrala, October 17
A seed production training camp was organised at Kulewal village, 5 km from here, today, by the deputy director, KVK, PAU, Samrala in which large number of farmers participated.

On this occasion, Dr S R Sharma, Dr plant breeder from PAU, Ludhiana, gave tips about how to produce quality seed. While addressing the farmers, he advised them to produce quality seed at village level. He also advised the farmers to adopt seed production as a profession. This will not only help the diversification but also bring more happiness among farmers.

Dr Jagroop Kaur, assistant professor (agronomy), KVK, also gave necessary guidance on seed production. 

PAU organises quiz
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, October 17
As part of the National Nutrition Week, the faculty and students of the department of foods and nutrition, PAU, visited four government schools of Ludhiana for imparting nutrition education.

They were told about problems associated with eating junk foods. Four teams, one from each school, took part in the nutrition quiz organised today in the College of Home Science, PAU, here today.

The first and second positions were won by the teams of Government Senior Secondary School, Gobind Nagar, and Government Senior Secondary School, Jawahar Nagar, respectively.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr S Jaswal, dean, College of Home Science, honoured the resource persons as well as winning teams. She highlighted the need for balanced diet and protective foods to address the issues of nutritional security. Dr S Verma gave away the prizes.

Ludhiana, October 17
Punjab Agricultural University’s science club observed World Food Day on the university campus yesterday. An eminent economist and policy planner, Dr Sardara Singh Johl, was the chief guest while Dr Manjit Singh Kang, vice-chancellor, presided over the function.

In his key-note lecture, Dr Johl observed that food was the basic right of man. The country had a genuine concern for food security, access to food, nutritional security, food safety, food self-sufficiency and reliance that needed to be addressed through a long term planning, observed Dr Johl. Dr Johl said food management and food production were the key aspects demanding attention. There are issues concerned with food storage which were cost-intensive affairs.

The country was facing problems of food safety on account of excessive sprays with pesticides and other poisonous chemicals in food crops, fruits and vegetables, pulses and milk etc that play with human health and need immediate attention, he added.

Dr Johl emphasised that for addressing the food security issues political will and administrative acumen of those who are at the helm of affairs was needed.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Kang said for the world peace, adequate crop production for food and nutritional security of the masses was of utmost importance.

In her vote of thanks, the PAU dean, postgraduate studies, Dr S.K.Mann emphasised that nearly 20 per cent Indians were overtly and covertly suffering from food hunger and highlighted a need for perspective planning to address the food security issues which are endangered on account of inadequate supply, losses, global warming etc.

Dr J. Sangha, coordinator of research, College of Home Science, gave away the prizes to winners for poster cartooning on the themes of “State of Agriculture in Punjab” and “Global Warming” which were held on October 10 as part of the World Food Day celebration.

Results:

The first, second and third prizes in poster competitions was bagged by Prabhjit Bal (College of Basic Sciences), Shivani Malhotra (College of Home Science) and Richa Sharma (College of Basic Sciences).

The consolation prizes were given to Vani Bansal, Gurwinder Kaur, Megha Garg, Kulwinder Kaur Dhillon and Paramjit Kaur (all from the College of Home Science).

In the cartoon-making competitions, first, second and third prize was bagged by Jasleen Kaur (College of Home Science), Richa Sharma and Prabhjit Bal (both from College of Basic Science) while consolation prizes were given to Shivani Malhotra (College of Home Science) and Mohinder Kumar (College of Agriculture).

Ludhiana, October 17
The ongoing heritage festival at SCD Government College today saw the inauguration of the cultural exhibition today. Prof Rajinder Bhandari, BJP president of Punjab, inaugurated the exhibition. He appreciated the efforts of the college for organising this four-day extravaganza in such a traditional manner. He visited the heritage festival along with Prof Suresh Tandon, principal, Gobindgarh Public College, Allour, Prof Parveen Sharma, member syndicate, Panjab University.

Principals of different colleges appreciated the efforts of Dr Malkiat Singh, principal of SCD Government College, who took the initiative to organise the youth festival after a gap of 60 years.

Today was the theatre items day in which the group skit, histrionics, group mime and one-act play were presented. The group skit presented by Guru Nanak National College, Doraha, “ Main Bhagat Singh Banaga” and the one-act play “Samaj”, presented by host college, depicted the pathetic stage of our society and awakened the youth regarding the social evils and problems of the state of Punjab.

Bikramjit Singh Khalsa, chief parliamentary secretary, was the chief-guest on the third day while Prayank Bharti was the guest of honour. The results Results: Group skit: 1 SCD Government College, 2 Arya College and 3 AS College, Khanna, and KLSD College; histrionics: 1 AS College, Khanna and 2 Arya College; group mime: 1 SCD College and 2 GPC, Allour; quiz: 1 SCD College, 2 Regional Centre of PU and 3 GPC, Allour. 

Ludhiana, October 17
The computer science and engineering students of the Ludhiana College of Engineering and Technology (LCET), Katani Kalan, won laurels at “TECHNITI 07”, a three-day technical festival organised by NIIT, Jalandhar, recently. The second year students, Deep Hans Arora, Simardeep Singh and Sandeep Chopra, the “Innovators” as they call themselves stood second in hacking contest.

Out of the 50 teams, only four qualified for the third stage i.e. hacking the username and password of a server. The first and second stages included multiple question-answers round and website hacking, respectively. Navneet Kumar and Nilesh Dawani bagged second prize in paper presentation contest on “Blue Ray and HD-DVD”. The other events included sudoko, programming, junk yard wars, virtual instrumentation, I EAD Cap, extempore etc.

LCET director, Dr J.S. Sohal and principal, Dr Pawan Kumar appreciated the achievements of the students and encouraged them to keep up the good work.

WORKSHOP ends: The two-day UGC sponsored seminar-cum-workshop on “Journey towards Self Culture” concluded at the Malwa Central College of Education for Women today.

About 50 delegates participated in the seminar, which was inaugurated yesterday. A brief introduction about physical culture was given by resource person Dr Navneet Nagpal, director, H-Factor, New Delhi. She gave a presentation on stress management and emphasised that physical state of a person was not separate from his mental state. Dr Nerotma Moudgil presented a paper on promotion of physical culture. MEd students Shveta and Baljit also presented their papers.

Dr J.K.Chauhan, head of department of law, Panjab University, Chandigarh, was the chief guest. He emphasised the need of such seminars in the present scenario.

Seminar at GNGC: The inaugural session of a national seminar, sponsored by ministry of consumer affairs, food and public distribution, Government of India, New Delhi, was organised by the department of public administration, Guru Nanak Girls College, began here, today.

Scholars from various institutes and universities had come to share their views on the topic “Safeguarding the Consumer through Public Enlightenment - Problems and Prospectus in the Global Scenario”.

The keynote address was presented by Dr Sukhjinder Singh Tiwana, head, department of public administration, Punjabi University, Patiala. Dr Tiwana discussed at length issues like, consumer protection as human rights, importance of consumer education and awareness, role of print and electronic media in consumer protection and public enlightenment etc. The other eminent speakers of the day included Dr Mohinder Singh, Prof department of public administration, Kurukshetra University, Prof R.K. Prabhakar, MD University, Rohtak, and Prof S.S. Narang, Prof department of political science, GNDU, Amritsar.

celebratION: The festival of Navratra was celebrated by the students of Chanda Mama School. Attired in fancy dresses, the children played dandias and sang bhajans.

Dussehra: Spring Dale Senior Secondary Public School, celebrated the festival of victory of good over evil, Dussehra, in the school premises. In the morning assembly, Jitender of Class X delivered a speech on the importance of this day and Rahul of Class third recited a poem related with the festival. To mark this occasion, the students of different classes presented “Ramlila”.

Nirmal Singh Walia, chairman, stressed upon the students for building up a strong character by conquering upon the vices within them.

Eradicate poverty: Representative of the “Art of Living” Deepak Kumar visited Bhartiya Vidya Mandir Senior Secondary School, Kitchlu Nagar, to create awareness and gave an awakening call to eradicate poverty. As many as 2000 students and 15 teacher took oath to eradicate poverty.

While addressing the gathering, he said everyone should stand up to eradicate poverty to bring primary education, health, hygiene and care for the environment.

contest: Gaurav Jamb of BCM Public School, Shastri Nagar, and Sukriti Sharma of DAV, Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar, were adjudged joint winners while, Lokesh Anand of KVM, civil lines, stood third in the Giani Harjit Singh Memorial inter- school declamation contest. The contest was organised by Gujaranwala Guru Nanak Punjab School, Rose Garden, on October 16.

Harvinder Kaur of Guru Amar Das Public School,Jalandhar, got the consolation prize in the contest. As many as 16 teams participated in this competition. Prof Prithipal Singh Kapur was the chief guest on this occasion. He gave away the prizes to the winners.

COURTS

CJ to lay stone of court complex today
Our Correspondent

Jagraon, October 17
To provide better court rooms and accommodation to judicial officers, the foundation stone of the modern court complex will be laid tomorrow at a spacious site behind the office of the SDM here by Vijender Jain, Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Mr Justice Mehtab Singh Gill and Mr Justice Uma Nath Singh will also be present on this occasion.

The new court complex will provide all amenities to the judicial officers to facilitate their working. The already existing court room has been declared unsafe and the other, occupied by a judicial officer, is situated in the building meant for the executive.

At present there is neither a proper place for the litigants to sit nor any parking lot. In the new judicial complex, four court rooms and an equal number of houses besides a litigation block, a parking lot and roads will be constructed in the first phase, which will be completed within 18 months.

There is no provision for advocates’ chambers in the first phase nor for Bar room and a library, which are likely to be constructed in the second phase. 

Ludhiana, October 17
Ramta, one of the singers of the old guard of the Punjabi folk music, will perform at the 29th international Prof Mohan Singh Yadgari Sabhiacharak mela tomorrow. The 81- year-old- singer, the oldest in his class, is the voice behind a popular series of audio cassettes during the middle of the last century. A few of his popular releases among 50-odd include “Ramte da Doosra Viaah”, “Ramte di Lambardaari” and “Ramte di Tabardaari”, besides several others.

Ramta is featuring in the mela for the third time. This time he is coming after 10 years to perform at the Punjabi Virasat Bhawan which will be inaugurated on the Pakhowal Road.

Talking to a Tribune correspondent, Hazara Singh Gill, popularly known as Ramta, said "Earlier the singers used to sing and the public danced. Now, the singers do all the job.” Currently based near Toronto, Ramta said: “I only perform at concerts, in case invited and clearly avoid the marriage parties and social functions. I cannot perform in front of people who have a glass of whisky in one hand and a plate of food in the other”.

Ramta migrated to India from Pakistan after Independence and settled at Ludhiana. “I am so much in love with the city that it features in dozens of my songs". He has also authored “Darre Maikhana”, a book on ghazals. The artiste also wrote against the emergency imposed by the Congress government and also against the attempted sterlisation drive.

An 11-member delegation from Pakistan comprising residents of Dhamial village to which Prof Mohan Singh originally belonged and the Citizen Council of Pakistan, will be coming tomorrow. Gurbhajan Singh Gill, general secretary of the foundation, said leading poets, including Surjit Pattar, Tirlochan Lochi, Kashmir Kadir will also be coming tomorrow besides Gursewak Mann.