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Sunday,
April 20, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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Kalam calls for another
green revolution
President’s date SC women Hearing on Rathore’s
plea adjourned BSP not to
contest bypoll |
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Three acquitted in double murder case
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Kalam calls for another
green revolution Hisar, April 19 Addressing the 22nd convocation of Haryana Agricultural University here today, he said agricultural scientists and technologists had to work in this direction by doubling the productivity of land. He said requirement of land for the increasing population and forestation, besides environmental preservation activities, would mean that the present 170 million hectares of arable land would have to be brought down to 100 million hectares by 2020. Dr Kalam said Dr C. Subramaniam, architect of the Green Revolution, had told him about his vision of the second green revolution. The major difference between the two as envisaged by Dr Subramaniam was that while the first one was the process of seed to grain, the second would be “soil to seed to grain to food to marketing”. He said the concept involved soil characterisation, seed selection, suitable fertilisers, water management, farmers’ training, crop management, food processing and marketing. Showing his concern for the poor he said the research and academic institutions should identify agricultural technologies and water conservation methodologies that could benefit those living below the poverty line. Solutions might be beyond agriculture, spanning animal husbandry, poultry, agro-processing and other related activities like medicinal plants, he said. Referring to a Confederation of Indian Industry document, “How are Indian States doing - 2002”, the President said Haryana with its high development intensity in agriculture and its economic development status was yet to figure among the top five states. He said high-value agriculture had to be established to gain economic advantage over agricultural products. He pointed out that environmental factors were pulling down the overall ranking of the state. He said excessive pesticides and fertilisers were being used but technology had the answers to both high-value agriculture and environmental protection. The President said only technology and efficient management could help in doubling food production by improving existing agricultural practices. He said biotechnology had tremendous potential to enhance agricultural produce. Dr Kalam said PURA (Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Areas) was another example of creating rural wealth and prosperity. He said agricultural scientists, engineers and farmers had given the nation food security. “We have to make them feel great in their professions. That needs a system evolution from grain to food products to marketing to take place”, he added. As many as 669 persons received their degrees. Seven teachers were given awards. They are Dr S.S. Pahuja, Dr Prem Singh, Dr Santosh Dhillon, Dr Vedpal Singh, Dr S.K. Gupta, Dr Nishi Sethi and Dr B.P.S. Lather. Haryana Governor Babu Parmanand, Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, Agriculture Minister Jaswinder Singh were also present. |
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President’s date SC women Gulabgarh (Yamunanagar), April 19 Keshni Devi’s daughter-in-law Saroj is among six villagers who have got a one room house with proper toilet facilities constructed under the Indira Awas Yojana Scheme. Both Saroj and Keshni Devi as well as Choli Devi, another woman who too has got a house under the scheme, sat in front of Saroj’s house awaiting the President’s arrival. The VVIP came two hours late and the ladies kept waiting for him sitting at the same spot. Dr Kalam finally came, had a brief chat with Saroj and even had a look of the interior of house which was by then engulfed in darkness. By the time he left, the ladies had forgotten all about the long wait. “He asked me what was my accommodation like before the house was constructed. I replied that I lived in a Jhopri. He is a good man”, said Saroj. In the neighbourhood of Saroj’s house, Darshania, also a Scheduled Caste woman, had got a sanitary toilet constructed with a princely sum of Rs 800. There was Central Government subsidy for this while Prayas, an NGO, had motivated them for having a proper toilet at home. Darshania, married to a daily wage labourer, also waited for the President dressed in her best sari and was even ready to offer the President a cup of tea in case he came over to see the loo. Dr Kalam, though, could not go there as he had another engagement. “I could only see him from a distance”, said a dejected Darshania. The President, accompanied by the Governor of Haryana, Babu Parmanand, Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, MP and President of BJP’s state unit Rattan Lal Kataria and others, first went to Panchayat Bhavan of Gulabgarh village where he was to meet villagers and school children. In one of the rooms around 25 Anganwadi children were waiting for him and they greeted him shouting Jai Hind. Dr Kalam asked them to repeat it louder. They promised that they would study hard, work hard and become important people. He also distributed candies to the children who were aged between three and six. Then he went to other rooms and saw handicraft products, embroidery done by the ladies and so on. A crowd of villagers had by this time gathered outside Panchayat Bhawan and the President made a brief address to them which drew huge applause. “He told us not to waste money on drinks and not to discriminate against the girl child. He is a goodhearted person and smiles a lot”, said Abdul Majid, a villager. From Gulabgarh, the President went to Chuharpur to see the park of herbal plants there. Before coming to Gulabgarh, the President had gone to a health camp at Budh Kalan, located around 5 km from Gulabgarh. At the health camp, Dr Kalam also interacted with school students. One student asked him how did it feel to be a rich man. The President only laughed. Someone asked him how did he like being the President of the country. Dr Kalam replied that he felt good because he would be able to do something for the
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Hearing on Rathore’s
plea adjourned Ambala, April 19 Mr Rathore, in his testimony, stated that Ms Madhu Prakash, Mr Anand Prakash and others had committed forgery in the records and had added a line in a document by hand that ‘the life of Ruchika was made miserable by Mr Rathore and she had committed suicide’. Mr Rathore further stated in his recorded statement that the handwritten sentence did not find mention in the document of the original writ petition filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. He further stated that this forgery had been committed so that he might be implicated for an offence under Section 306 of the IPC. He also stated that two documents produced in the high court had been tampered with. Mr Rathore further said a part of the memorandum which was framed on the basis of the FIR against him had been forged. The copy of said memorandum did not tally with the original one and several persons had denied signing the said memorandum. He requested that a complaint should be registered against Ms Madhu Prakash and others. |
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BSP not to
contest bypoll Fatehabad, April 19 Mr Narender Kashyap Member of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council and coordinator of party affairs in Haryana, toldb mediapersons here today that the BSP would take a decision on which candidate to support three days prior to the date of polling. |
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Three acquitted in double murder case Karnal April 19 On the night of August 1, 1997, some persons had ransacked the house of Mr V.D. Sharma, after grievously injuring him and his family members with iron rods. Madhu, Mr Sharma’s wife, and their younger son died. The Haryana police had arrested Chattarpal, Kalu and Rati Ram, all of Khanapur village in Uttar Pradesh. Mr R.K. Sharma, father of Madhu, had approached the high court for a CBI inquiry into the case.
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Ambala, April 19
