Farmers prefer horses to cows
Deepkamal Kaur

Ludhiana, March 7
Minutes after Mr Manjit Singh Grewal received an award for the best dairy owner of Punjab at a state-level annual day function of the Department of Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Dairy Development, Punjab, held at Punjab Agricultural University today he declared that he had decided to quit the business and instead venture into breeding of horses.

Talking to the Ludhiana Tribune after the award ceremony, Mr Grewal, who hails from Barewal, said less profits, high cost of farm maintenance and lack of support and assistance from the government had forced him to take such a decision.

Mr Grewal, who is also a national award winner for nurturing Reshma, the highest milk producing cow, alleged that the state government had made promises on several occasions for helping him out but nothing has been done so far.

Mr Grewal said for the past five years he was being told that his cows would be inseminated artificially with semen doses of proven bulls to improve the production of milk. He said as the production of milk at his farms had been reducing he was forced to take debt. He said the costs of fodder, animal feed and labour were going up and he was unable to meet the expenses.

The dairy farmer said the number of cows in his farm had reduced from 100 around nine years back to 45 now. Also the production of milk per cow has come down to 10 to 15 litres a day from the earlier average of nearly 25 to 30 litres a day, he added. “My Reshma alone used to produce 42 litres of milk a day. Since she could not be inseminated properly her progeny fetches me only 18 to 20 litres of milk,” lamented Mr Grewal.

He said today when he was being given the award he wanted to reveal his real story to the public but he was not given a chance to stand on the dias. He said the award was of no use to him unless the government helped him improve his business. He said dairy farmers all over the state were facing a similar crisis. He said he had come at the function not to receive the award but to join hands with some more farmers and present a memorandum of demands to the Minister of Animal Husbandry. But when he reached here he got to know that there were just two dairy farmers in the list of invitees making him drop his idea.

Now planning to establish a stable after taking some loans, Mr Grewal said he would buy a few horses and start breeding them. “This advise has been given to me by Mr Harcharan Singh Brar, former Chief Minister, who told me that there were chances that a race course would be set up in Ludhiana.”

913 students receive degrees
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, March 8
Mr Lal Singh, Finance, Planning and Food and Civil Supplies Minister, Punjab, urged the girls to get the latest vocational education, so that they could stand on their own feet. He was addressing the students on the annual convocation of Khalsa College for Women, here today. The Finance Minister also presented the honours and awards to the students for their outstanding performance in academics, sports, cultural and other curricular activities.

Congratulating the students on the occasion of the International Women’s Day, Mr Lal Singh said that since Independence efforts were made to provide a respectful status to the women in the society, but in the remote and rural areas the plight of the women, in general and illiterate women in particular, was miserable.

Stressing upon the need for women education, the Finance Minister said that to improve the social and educational standard, education for girls was must to check the female foeticide.

He exhorted the teachers to inculcate moral and patriotic values and spirit of competitiveness among the students. Appreciating the contribution of Khalsa College for Women in the field of women education, he said that this institution had produced a large number of renowned women in different field, who not only brought laurels to the institution, but also to the entire state.

The Finance Minister announced a grant of Rs 5 lakh for the college.

Dr Varinder Kaur Thind, Principal of the college, highlighted the excellent achievements of the students at national level in fields of education, sports and culture activities.

In the annual convocation 684 graduates, 45 graduates with honours, and 184 postgraduate degrees were conferred upon the students.

Amongst others who were present on the occasion included Mr Dharamjit Singh Khera, Mrs Simarjot Kaur, DFSC, Mr Pritpal Singh Grewal, Dr MS Grewal, vice-president, Mr Sudarshan Singh Deol and Mr Gurdeep Singh Grewal. 

Fashion show presented at Crescendo
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, March 8
The second and final day of Crescendo saw the audience, participants and guests enjoying every moment of the mega event. Various competitions held on second day were collage making, bazaar-sell it, giddha, strategy wars, dumb charades, flower arrangement, fashion show, press conference. After the events prizes were distributed by the chief guest Mr Jaspal Singh Khangura.

Bazaar-sell it - PCTE Ludhiana 1, GCB Ludhiana 2 , APJ Jalandhar 3.

Choreography : GCB Ludhiana 1, GNI and DIMT 2, GTB Dakha 3.

System analysis : LKC 1, PCIT 2 and RIMA 3.

Mehndi: KCW Ludhiana 1, RGC and PCTE 2 and BNM & DIMT 3.

Sketching: KCW 1, BNIMI 2 and Ramgarhia GC 3.

Western group dance: GNI 1, IMS 2 and PCTE 3.

Collage-making: Ramgarhia Girls College1, IMS 2 and APJ 3.

Strategy wars : PCTE 1, GCB 2 and RIMA 3.

Dumb charades : PCTE 1, DIMT, Doraha 2, and DD Jain College 3.

Sargam : GCB Ludhiana 1, PCTE Ludhiana 2 and GNIMT/IMS Ludhiana 3.

Case presentations : GNIMT 1, PCTE 2 and GCB Ludhiana 3.

Quiz : CMT Patiala 1, PCTE 2 , GCB Ludhiana 3.

Rangoli : Ramgarhia College 1, DD Jain and PCTE 2 and APJ and IMS 3.

Bindas Bol : PCTE 1, GCB/APJ 2 and IMS 3.

Chitarkala sketching : KCW 1, BNIMT 2 and Ramgarhia College 3.

Choreography : GCB Ludhiana 1, GNI/DIMT 2 and GTB Ludhiana 3.

Remand for Sunil Tangri
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, March 8
Sunil Tangri, son of former Shiv Sena Rashtarwadi chief Jagdish Tangri, was today remanded in judicial custody till March 21. Mr Sanjay Agnihotri, Duty Magistrate, Ludhiana, gave the orders in this regard.

The prosecution claimed to have recovered some weapons from the accuse. The same judge had yesterday remanded the accused for a day's police remand.

Kavi Darbar and honour to writers
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, March 8
Mr Rakesh Pandey, State Minister of Printing and Stationery, inaugurated a trilingual Kavi Darbar at Punjabi Bhawan last evening. It was organised by the Language Department, Punjab. Mr Pandey lauded efforts made by the department.

Among the poets who participated in the kavi darbar were Surjit Patar, Anup Virk, Parveen Kumar, Ravinder Bhattal, Gurbhajan Gill, Sardar Paanchi, Ajaib Chitarkar. Awards for outstanding literacy works for year 2001 were given away. Among the awardees were Gurcharan Singh Aulakh; Dr Karamjit Singh; Sukhwant Kaur Mann; Darshan Bhuttar; S. Soch; Dr Nahar Singh; Darshan Singh and Preet Mohinder Singh.