Ludhiana, October 19
Last year the wheat was affected by karnal bunt and flag smut in the various parts of State. Karnal bunt had appeared due to cloudy weather and rains particularly during the earring stage of wheat crop. As a result, the developing wheat grains were infected and got partially or wholly converted into black powdery mass of spores. The disease was severe in areas of Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur, Amritsar and Jalandhar. According to the head, department of plant pathology, Dr H S Rewal, the farmers are advised not to sow the infected seed and replace the seed for sowing of wheat in the coming Rabi season.

The flag smut of wheat appeared in areas of Hoshiarpur, Ropar and Jalandhar districts. The disease resulted in the appearance of grey to dark coloured linear powder stripes in the leaf sheaths and leaves. The affected plant remained sterile and produced few grains thus resulted in the loss of yield. To check this disease, sowing of wheat should be done by treating the seed with a fungicide, Raxil at the rate of 1g per kg seed in seed treating drum.

Ludhiana, October 19
Addressing the concluding function of 4-day workshop of KVK’s of Zone-I at PAU, the director of extension education, Dr N S Malhi said KVK’s have to play a pivotal role in the agricultural development in the country because of the new emerging multi-faceted challenges in the changing face of our agriculture.He emphasised that besides technology testing more emphasis needs to be given on pulses, oilseeds and field crops that are important for the food and nutritional security of India.

Of the 60 KVK’s that participated in the different contests, KVK, Moga, Nawanshahar, Faridkot and Jalandhar bagged maximum prizes while KVK, Moga, Kangra and Jind secured the overall first,second and third position. In the demonstrations, KVK, Jammu, Nawanshahar and Faridkot remained first, second and third respectively. A consolation prize was awarded to KVK, Noormahal in the area of Home Science.

Ludhiana, October 19
During recent visits to cold stores and adjoining fields in the areas of Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala and Jalandhar districts, a team of PAU plant pathologists has observed that diseased seed potato tubers are being thrown outside after sorting out. These diseased tubers not only emit bad odours but also serve as a source for the spread of late blight of potato in the adjoining fields.

The sprouts emerging from these diseased tubers carry the infection of late blight disease. This can serve as the primary focus of infection in the field for further spread of the disease.

The disease is extremely weather sensitive and spreads fast if proper care is not taken to check it. In order to check its initiation in field, farmers are advised to destroy them by burying deep in the soil. It has also been observed that farmers are treating the seed potato tubers by simply spraying the fungicide -Emisan solution- on the tubers. This is a wrong and ineffective practise and does not protect the potato tubers against potato scurf and scab. In order to attain the full benefit of the treatment, the potato tubers should be dipped for 10 minutes in 0.25% solution of Emisan, according to head, department of plant pathology, Dr H.S.Rewal.

Ludhiana, October 19
Kundan Vidya Mandir, Civil Lines, organised its Founder’s Day celebrations on the school premises yesterday. MD of Abhishek Industries Ltd Rajinder Gupta was the chief guest. After the ceremonial lighting of a lamp tributes were paid to the school’s founder Late Rai Sahib Kundan Lal ji.

The function began with “Vandana” a mesmerizing performance depicting “Mahishasur Vadh by Goddess Durga” which was followed by the school’s song.

Chief guest Rajinder Gupta was formally introduced by headmistress Natnita Raj Singh and welcomed by principal S.C.Saxena. While presenting the annual report he highlighted the school’s achievements. “Sanskritik jharokha” depicting cultural heritage of a few states, and a duet song by Yoshiti and Asmeet and a Punjabi dance by Tanya kept the audience spellbound.

President of the Shri Kundan Lal Trust M.P. Gupta presented a memento to the chief guest and secretary of the Trust Ashwani Kumar passed the vote of thanks. At least 600 students along with their parents attended the function.

GrandParents’ Day celebrated: It was a unique party for more than 300 Dada-Dadis & Nana-Nanis as the school celebrated 'Grand Parents Day'. The day was marked with fun frolic and excitement as grandchildren and their grandparents alternately look turns on the stage regaling the audience with songs, jokes and other delightful items. It was a delight to watch tiny tots of kindergarten dancing to the tunes of popular number(s) with synchronized steps and rhythmic notes of music.

Appointment: R K Aulakh joined as principal of Government College for Women (GCW). She has been transferred from Government College of Education, Faridkot to GCW, Ludhiana.

Celebrations at play way: Maple Bear Canadian Play way and Nursery School, celebrated Dussehra with great enthusiasm and fanfare. Kids came in fancy dress decked up as Ram, Sita, Lakshman, Hanuman, Mata Kaushalaya ,Vibhishan and Vanar Sena.

A Cultural programme was also organised and children presented dance items on different songs which were acclaimed with great applause.

Youth fest: The students of Arya College for Boys, Civil Lines, put up a brilliant show in various events in the Panjab University Diamond Jubilee Youth and Heritage Zonal Youth Festival held at SCD Government College from October 15 to 18.

S.M. Sharma congratulated the student and staff for their brilliant effort in the recently concluded youth festival.

Event organised: Rayan International school, observed the 'Stand Up- Speak Out' event organised by Art of Living, Guinness Book of World Record and United Nations Millennium Campaign.The event was basically an effort to curb the evils and face the challenges of the society like poverty, hunger, disease and to work in cohesion to achieve the millennium development goal by 2015. The event was one of its own kind and it is an official world record for the most number of people to simultaneously stand up against poverty with in 24 hours.

Dussehra: Students of Shanti Niketan Adarsh Vidyalaya, Benjamin Road, celebrated the festival of victory over evil, Dussehra, in the school premises. Young kids were dressed as characters from Ramayna. Participants were awarded by the Randhir Sharma, director of the school. He said that the purpose of the function was to apprise the students with great culture of India.

Exhibition: The students of Everest Public Senior Secondary School brought laurels for the school as they secured vital position in the district level science exhibition held at Satyawati Oswal senior seconday school. Amandeep Singh of class 10th stood third in the poster making competition while, Gulshan of 10+2 got third position in the model display in energy resource in Ludhiana.

Dance competition held: DAV public school students stood joint winners in the Classical Dance competition on the second day of the All India Hans Raj Aryan Inter Zonal Youth Festival being organised by DAV public school. Quiz, classical dance, light vocal group singing of bhajan, shabad and devotional song were events of the day.

Results: (Classical Dance) Ist DAV Public School Lawrence Road, Amritsar. IInd DAV International School, Amritsar, IIIrd Dayanand model school, Dayanand Nagar,Jalandhar.Quiz: Ist. DAV Public School, Lawrence Road, Amritsar, IInd. DAV Public School, Ludhiana , IIIrd . DAV International Public School, Kapoorthala. English Vocal: Ist. DAV Public School Lawrence Road, Amritsar, IInd. DAV Public School, MalarKotla, IIIrd. DAV Public School Patiala.

Ludhiana October 19
Addressing a gathering of deans, directors and officers of the university yesterday, PAU vice-chancellor Manjit Singh Kang said modernization through automation, digitization and electronic data processing was the need of the hour to keep pace with the developments taking place in the world. He asked officials to keep themselves abreast with the state-of-the-art facilities available in the country so that these could be utilised in the administrative and scientific spheres of the university.

Kang said the university had opted to use such facilities in the academic, managerial and field application but efforts need to be made for effectively managing the data in case of budget handling, vehicle monitoring, students activities, transfer of technology systems and research priority setting. The discussions focused on office computerization, admission modules, examination and confidential case handling, industry- University interaction and the networking. It was decided that the universities and research institutes where the modern gadgets of e-solutions and ICT modules had been pressed into service would be visited so that efforts might be initiated at the University for the Integrated Management Solutions.

Ludhiana, October 19
A two-day exhibition-cum-sale of Diwali handicrafts prepared by the students of 'Ek Parayas', a school for mentally challenged children, and organised by the Child Development Society concluded today at PAU in the College of Home Science.

The exhibition had beautifully made items such as decorated pottery, candles, earthen lamps, cotton napkins, shagun envelopes, greeting cards, decorated idols of Lord Ganesha besides many other creative items.

Speaking on the occasion, the organisers appealed to various sections of society to view these children as special and to accept the items prepared by them with greater respect. They said in the coming days such an exhibition would be arranged at Lodhi Club, Ludhiana, G.G.N.Khalsa College and Khalsa College for Women. There is a plan to put up a stall at Laxmi Ladies Club on Karva Chauth.

Earlier, Dr S. Jaswal, dean, College of Home Science, said parents of such special children and the general public should be sensitised to give special care to them. N. Mannan, principal, said the funds raised from such activities would go for welfare of such children .

Ludhiana, October 19
“Saas-bahu” serials might have shot him to fame but Kiran Karmarkar, Om of “Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki”, has little time to watch television serials. Shuttling between shootings for his serials and theatre, Kiran says he could not sleep for over 12 nights due to the tight schedules. And now that Om is back in “Kahani...”, the actor is even busier.

"We are so short of time. Besides, I feel that I watch my actors perform during the shoot as well, so I would like to watch something different if I have time to watch TV at all," said the actor, who was in the city today for the play “Kahani Mein Twist Hai”, which would be staged tomorrow. Unrealistic stories and never-ending “saas-bahu” sagas, feels Karmarkar, are running because of the viewers’ demand. "The story might be unrealistic but this is what viewers want. For those behind the serial, it is audience that matters.”

Also busy in “Comedy Circus” on a TV channel and theatre, Karmarkar says theatre rejuvenates him. "I have been involved with Gujarati and Hindi theatres for quite some time. For me there is no monotony as I am doing roles of different kinds."

Renowned actor Sudhir Dalvi, who plays Tom Uncle in the play to be staged tomorrow, feels that the choice of people changes with time and those who present serials or films have to take care of this factor.

Acting for more than 40 years now, Dalvi said: "Be it a mythological character or portraying a villain, I try to find the most positive point in the character which is what helps me portray it honestly.” For Dalvi,the changing moment in life was when he was offered the role of Sai Baba in 1976. "I was an atheist but as I read his biography, I realised varied aspects of life." There has been no looking back since then.

“Saas bahu” serials might have given popularity to many, but Bijal Batavia, who has worked in tele serials “Twinkle Beauty Parlour” and “Remix”, would not like to be a part of them. "I have been doing theatre and roles that offer variety. “Saas bahu” are not my type of serials," the actor said in an interaction with Ludhiana Tribune.