Mint company honours farmers
Tribune News Service

Meerpur Hans (Jagraon), December 10
Farmers of the region have found a viable alternative to wheat-paddy rotation in mint cultivation and more area is being brought under it. At present more than 6,000 farmers in the Doaba and Malwa region are growing mint on over 10,000 acres of land.

The information was given at a ceremony organised by the Indomint Agriproducts to honour farmers who had produced a record yield of mint. The company is entering into contracts with the farmers and has offered to buy the produce at Rs 550 per kg even though the international prices of mint oil are fluctuating. Mementoes were presented to farmers who under the Indomint contract farming programme achieved outstanding yield in mint during 2002-03.

Responding to overwhelming response from the farmer community, Mr Rajendra P. Ghogale, MD, said: “We owe our success to the commitment of farmers of the state, who not only enabled us to procure large quantities of peppermint oil in the last season but gave us a high quality produce as well.” He said this was made possible by the teamwork of Indomint and the farmers. Mint oil from Punjab is among the best in the world, he informed.

Mr Mark Morris, who heads the Green Plant Programme of A.M. Todd Group of Companies, USA, and has come here to oversee this contract farming programme run by the company in Punjab, said: “Contract farming is way forward for the farmers of Punjab and cultivation of mint provides them a good option as this fulfills their objective of both-crop diversification and cash crop for the farmers of the state.”

The contract farming programme started by the company gives the farmers a predetermined price and helps in the bringing down the cost of production. The company provides assistance in providing best free inputs, gives guidance for agricultural practices and crop monitoring. The fully buy back of the produce by the company the farmers’ interest.

Indomint Agriproducts has launched the contract farming programme for mint in Punjab. In year 2002-03 area under mint farming has gone up to around 14,000 acres in the state Punjab. This increase is more than 30 per cent as compared to 2001-02 when Indomint had about 10,000 acres under its contract farming programme. Similarly, there has been an impressive increase in the number of farmers under the contract-farming programme of the company; the total number of farmers has gone up to around 7,000 from less than 6,000 in the previous years.

The company produces mentha piperita, spearmint oil, arvensis oil, menthol bold crystals and numerous premium flavour and blends for customers of the A.M. Todd Company, which are exported world-wide marketed to well-known brands in the domestic market.

Tiny-tots win hearts at annual day
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, December 10
Kiddies’ Care Playway School, Dugri Road, celebrated its annual prize distribution function here today. The function started with a short prayer. An impressive cultural programme was performed by tiny tots. They danced on various Hindi, Punjabi and English numbers. The chief guest of the function was Deputy Superintendent of Police, Mr Jatinder Singh Kharia.

The function was attended by the parents of all children.

Mr Iqbal Singh, patron of the school, welcomed the chief guest and parents. He said the purpose of celebrating the annual function was to reward the achievers and build confidence among the participants. Prizes were distributed by both Mr Kharia. Mr Ranjit Singh, Chairman of the Singh Sabha Model School, Malout, honoured the chief guest. Winner of the Best Child Award of the session for pre-nursery and nursery went to Mansi and Brahamjot Kaur, respectively.

The Best Performance Awards of the function held during the session were delivered to Brahamjot Kaur for Independence day, Garima, Parampreet, Simran and Kaushik for Diwali, Muskan for Gurpurab celebrations, Brahamjot K. Dua, Roseleen and Amanpreet Kaur for fancy dress.

The chief guest appreciated the performance of the children. The puppet show was also organised for entertainment of children and parents. Snacks and tea party was organised at the end of programme.

Nitin, Puneet win health quiz
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, December 10
Under the health awareness campaign being organised by the Cremica Industries, a quiz programme was conducted in collaboration with Hero DMC Heart Centre at S.A.N. Jain Model Senior Secondary School here today.

Students from middle and senior sections participated in the quiz. The teams were divided into two categories. Category A had students from Classes V, VI and VII and Category B had students from Classes VIII, IX and X. Ms Shashi Jain and Ms Anju Marwaha, both science teachers, coordinated the show. The quiz master, Mr Aditya Raj Kalia, made the contest very interesting.

The Principal, Ms Swarn Kanta Jain, congratulated the winners. The winners in the category A were: Nitin Oberai, Ankit and Tina. In category B, the winners were: Puneet, Vivek and Shilpa.

Stone for elementary school laid
Our Correspondent

Mr Sadhu Singh, MLA, distributes cheques under the kanya jagriti scheme to the beneficiaries and lays the stone for an elementary school block at Bhadal Thuha village on Tuesday.

COURTS

26 file papers for Bar election
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, December 10
The scene of the annual elections to the District Bar Association (DBA) has lotted up with the filing of nomination papers by different candidates. Twentysix candidates have filed nomination papers, including two women lawyers. The scrutiny of papers will be done on December 11.

Prominent among them was Mr K.K. Bagai who filed nomination papers for the post of the President of the DBA here today alongwith a large number of his supporters. It was different this time, as from the last so many years, slogans were raised in favour of Mr Harish Rai Dhanda, who had represented the DBA six times. But today, Mr Dhanda was seen raising slogans in favour of Mr Bagai.

Mr Balwinder Goel, member of the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana, had filed nomination papers for the presidentship of the DBA, yesterday, along with a number of his supporters. Another contestant, Mr Harnek Singh is in the fray for the presidentship.

Giving the details, Mr Shakti Sharma, Assistanat Returning Officer told that for the post of Vice President, Ms Kamal Jyoti, Mr Harjasdeep Singh Rana, (Chairman of the Organisation of Young Lawyers) and Mr Dalip Saggi had filed the nomination papers.

For the post of secretary, Mr P.L. Anand, Mr S.S.Cheema, Mr Gurcharan Singh Johar and for the post of joint secretary, Mr Vikram Grover, Mr Deepjot Singh Ahluwalia and Mr Sanjay Sharma, for finance secretary, Mr Amandeep Singh Rai, Mr Kewal Preet Singh and Mr Vivek Sharma had filed the nomination papers.

Whereas for the executive body- Mr Rajesh Mouraya, Ravinder Kumar Arora, Mr Gurjinder Sahni, Narinder Kumar Bansal, Ms Vijay Sharma, Mr Mukesh Karwal, Wazir Singh, Mr Raj Kumar and Mr Ajay Arora had filed the nomination papers, added Mr Shakti Sharma.

CULTURE

An artist struggles to keep his talent alive
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, December 10
Driven by a strong desire to express himself, Shingara Singh Raj (21) is an artist by choice. Hunger pangs due to poverty do not deter his spirits. Son of a labourer of Bukhri Kalan, on Tajpur Road here, Shingara Singh, is a plus two pass-out, gifted with a mature mind, and talent to express his feelings with oil on canvas.

He belong to a humble family, where telling parents to provide oil paints is asking too much. This self-learned painter has been saving every penny to buy colours and create something that conveys a message. He has been able to sell some of his beautiful portraits of Heer Ranjha and Sassi Punnu. He is grateful to the Principal of his former school, Ms Amarjit, for encouraging him to participate in painting competitions.

His drawing teacher, Mr Sher Singh, also showed him the way. As a child when he was absorbed in painting, his five brothers and sisters used to call him “good for nothing” fellow. But his mother, Ms Amarjreet Kaur, always shielded him from the wrath of his family members and supported him in his desire to become a professional artist.

A feminist to the core, his paintings depicting the sufferings of women, leaves one wondering how a simple and shy youth like him can understand their emotions with such depth.

Shingara of late is painting portraits of people from their photographs, and charges Rs 500 each. “I save some money and buy the material required for my paints and canvas,” he says proudly. But he hates to do this work as this is more out of compulsion.

In one of his latest paintings, he has depicted a weeping woman with tears rolling down her cheeks, another being set ablaze for dowry. On the same canvas he has shown a boat without oars in the form of a woman. According to him is “life without a woman is like a boat without oars, which cannot reach the other shore”.

His one painting is enough to prove the maturity of his thoughts and perfection on his hand. His portrait of famous artist Sobha Singh, brought him dinner invitation from his daughter. There he met many artists who praised his work.

His five-year journey as a painter started when he made a painting of Lord Krishna after borrowing paints from his friend. After that he never stopped. He made portraits of his teachers in Senior Secondary School, Dhanansu which have found place on the walls of the school. He won many awards on this count also.

After passing his senior secondary examination, he wanted to go in for a bachelors in fine arts but lack of funds look its toll. “I have never asked my father for money. Rather I have always tried to help my siblings with my small earnings. God has always been helpful to me. He gifted me with this talent. Now he would help me to nurture it,” he said.

He narrates a strange coincidence, “I started making a portrait of late singer Surjit Singh Bindrakhiya a few days ago before his death. The day I completed his portrait, Bindrakhiya passed away”.

I want to hold my exhibition. I wish to display portraits of all Punjabi pop singers like Hans Raj Hans, Harbhajan Mann, Gurdas Mann and others. I am sure that God will assist me in my mission,” he adds.