EDUCATION

PAU crop calendar for 2001 released
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, March 23
Punjab Agricultural University has come out with a crop calendar for 2001, consisting of important information about agriculture and suggestions for farmers. The crop calendar, a regular feature is known for providing information about cultivating various crops in a year.

Priced at Rs 20, the calendar was in great demand during a kisan mela, held at PAU a few days ago. The calendar, carrying important information regarding the crops in Punjab for the benefit of farmers, has been edited by Mr Gurbhajan Gill and published by Mr S.S. Gill, Additional Director Extension Education, Communication Centre.

The calendar carries the agricultural clock for the whole year, starting from April to March. The four pages of the calendar carry pictures of the paintings of noted artist Jarnail Singh depicting Punjabi culture. The captions of each painting have been taken from Punjabi folk songs which match the picture.

Starting from April, the farmers are told about the sowing, watering and harvesting of various crops, including pulses, sunflower, sugarcane, groundnut, maize and wheat during this month.

The month of May contains information about paddy, basmati, cotton, sugarcane and groundnut and suggested varieties of the same crops. Diseases of these crops and their control is also provided in it. Similarly during the month of June suggestions for various crops like maize, paddy, basmati, sugarcane, groundnut and paddy are included.

The calendar suggests the transplantation of PUSA-1 and basmati-370 during the first and second week of July respectively. It also contains information about pesticides of cotton, maize and sugarcane.

The September and October months are for information about paddy, maize, cotton, sugarcane, oil seeds and pulses. In October suggestions for sugarcane, wheat, grams and masoor. November is the month for cultivation of wheat and PBW-373 is the variety that has been suggested.

January comes with the cultivation of sunflower, watering of wheat and harvesting of sugarcane. Similarly, February is for weeding of wheat, pesticides for pulses for cultivation of sugarcane. March is for watering the wheat for the last time, finishing the cultivation of sugarcane and maize

COURTS

Bail rejected in misappropriation case
Our Correspondent

Amloh, March 23
The anticipatory bail application of Baldev Singh accused in a misappropriation case, was rejected and bail application of Subeg Singh, who is under judicial lock-up till March 31, was refused, while the third accused Jiwan Singh was released on bail of Rs 10000 by Mr M.L. Malhotra, Sessions Judge, Fatehgarh Sahib, on March 20.

On July 8,1999, the Amloh police had lodged an FIR against Baldev Singh, Subeg Singh (both brothers) and Jiwan Singh for their alleged involvement in misappropriation of funds of the Cooperative Society of Dangheri village where two of them worked as secretaries and the third was an audit inspector.

The cases have been registered under sections 419,420, 406, 467, 468,471 and 120-B of the IPC.

CULTURE

Anastasia — an entertaining musical
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, March 23
All those who watched Anastasia, the musical programme at Punjabi Bhavan on Thursday, were unanimous that the Music and Theatre Workshop’ of Christian Medical College had provided an entertaining soiree.

The romance in the story, the superb acting, the varied sets, the humour, and the script lifted ‘Anastasia’ to great heights.

The play was presented in two acts. In the first act, there were 10 songs presented in the melodious voices of the characters. The story begins from 1916 in Russia at the grand ball commemorating the 300th anniversary of the Romanov rule at the winter palace of St Petersberg. Rasputin, the sorcerer, spoils the occasion and is banished from the court. Furious, he sells his soul to the devil and uses his power to destroy the house of Romanovs, which results in a revolution, in which Czar Nicholas is overthrown and his entire family is massacred. Princess Anastasia and her grandmother survive, but are separated. Eight-year-old Anastasia is put in an orphanage, from where she runs away to discover herself. She meets two conman who lure her into playing the part of the lost grand daughter. The ship in which they are shown sailing from Russia, was beautifully crafted.

Twelve years later, there is rumour was that the Imperial Highness, the Grand Duchess Anastasia’s grandmother had escaped and settled in gay Paris. The ‘Paris set’ with the Eiffel Tower in the background was magnificent. Rasputin, regaining power, tries to kill Anastasia with her minions in the ship. During their voyage Dimitri and Anastasia get attracted to each other. The Raspitin and his servant Batok stole the limelight with their fantastic acting especially Batok, the bat, evoked, ripples of laughter by his shivering, as if he were suffering from ague.

In Act Two, the pathos of a lonely old lady on whom people have tried to foist an imposter time and again out of greed is well brought out. During the meeting with the Grand Duchess, Anastasia, through her small actions, like breaking into a coughing fit, is finally able to convince her disillusioned grandmother that she really was her granddaughter. Dimitri, in love with Anastasia, refuses to accept money as reward, and the lovers marry and receive the blessings of the Dowager Empress, who finally realises that the glories of the past can never be regained.

Shubra Rathore as Anastasia, Ashish Jain as Dimitri, Dr Zareen Abenezer as Raspetin and Andrew as the bat were simply wonderful in their roles. The entire cast and the director, Dr Santosh George Thomas, music director Dr Vinay Gaikwad were excellent in their respective jobs. The entire production deserves kudos for the magnificent presentation. The play, however would have been more gripping had it been abridged.