The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Stubble burning on despite ban Arun Sharma Tribune News Service Kapurthala, October 23 Even as the ban on the burning of stubble in the fields has come into effect, Agricultural Department officials, who are given the responsibility of checking the practice, are still unaware of the powers under which they can take actions against the erring farmers. On September 14, Mr Samir Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, Kapurthala, issued an order of not putting on fire the stubble left in the fields after harvesting of paddy as this practice not only polluted the climate, but also resulted in the destruction of organic matter and helpful insects. Besides, there was a risk fire escalating towards the standing crops in the adjoining fields, the order read. However, farmers were seen burning stubble in all the subdivisions of the district in a hurry to sow the next crop. The district Agriculture Department was assigned to take action against the farmers for defying the ban orders, official sources said. However, Mr Swatantar Kumar, Chief Agriculture Officer (CAO), Kapurthala, expressed his helplessness saying that the department could not strictly enforce the ban as it lacks the powers to stop the farmers from doing so. “The ban orders were issued by the administration but we don’t have any legal power to stop the farmers from burning stubble in the fields,” he said, adding, “we are organising camps to educate farmers about the benefits of not burning stubble in the fields and to contain the problem, the Agriculture Department in the district has set a target of bringing 60-thousand acres under ‘zero tillage drill sowing’ of wheat. “The stubbles, after mixing with the water, turns in to organic manure resulting in the improvement of quantity and quality of the crop”, said Mr Swatantrata Kumar. growers have to remain dependent on the traditional methods of sowing, said Mr Swatantra Kumar. “The smoke caused by the burning of stubbles hurt many passerby as hot ash fall into their eyes. During the harvesting season, one or two patients suffering from the problem visit my clinic” said Dr S D Dhawan, a renowned ophthalmologist of the city. The farmers have their own problems to tell. In the absence of options and to avoid repeated ploughing for extracting the stubble from their fields due to mounting prices of diesel, the farmers in the district are using the old practice of burning the stubble after harvesting to prepare the land for the next crop despite the knowledge of ban and loss in the fertility of land. “It is easier to prepare the land for the next crop in a short period of time by burning the stubbles as we had to plough our fields four to five times to extract the stubbles which would cost me dear keeping in view the mounting prices of diesel,” said Karamjit Singh a farmer of Lodhiwal village while putting the stubble in his fields on fire. “In addition to saving time to prepare the land for the next crop, it saves our plough from getting damaged by the hard stubbles,” said Nirmal Singh, a farmer at Talwandi Chaudhrian. According to Dr Simarjit Kaur, a scientist at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kapurthala, the stubbles left in the fields after harvesting also contain nutrients which, if mixed in the soil, can supplement the deficiency of these nutrients to some extent. “By burning the stubble, the farmer not only loses the benefits of these nutrients necessary for the growth of a plant, they lose their money in the shape of expenses on the fertilizers and pesticides.”
	Hoshiarpur bus stand encroachers’ haven Bipin Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Hoshiarpur, October 23 The local bus stand has been encroached upon by private transporters, auto and cycle rickshaws, rehris and vendors— right under the nose of the authorities concerned. The encroachers have even taken over the entry and the exit points, leaving no space for buses to enter the stand. Being the face of this city, the area surrounding the bus stand has turned to an eyesore. Even as thousands of passengers face hardship daily due to this, the district administration and the local civic body are yet to wake up. Traffic chaos is a routine affair on this road that leads to the city. Parking of private buses along the road has reduced its width almost to half causing road congestion. Various dhaba owners and other shopkeepers opposite the stand have also encroached upon the pavement area adding to the traffic blockage. Residents allege that a majority of the private transporters have their offices in front of the bus stand and park their vehicles haphazardly. Also, the haphazard parking of two-wheelers outside the shops on either sides of the road has further aggravated the problem. Piles of construction material dumped on the road at many points also add to public inconvenience. Besides, deep potholes, especially at the entry and exit points of the bus stand, make the condition more pathetic. “The civic body dug a lane one month back and left the work incomplete. Heaps of loose soil has piled up along the road compounding the problem of road congestion besides making it accident-prone,” pointed out Mr Paramjit Singh, owner of a confectionery shop here. There is no traffic police and motorists often violate rules with impunity. Deep potholes, filled with filth have also been proving death traps for two-wheeler riders and for pedestrians, claimed Mr Harjaap Singh, another resident. “Honking horns of buses has also added to the level of noise pollution.” “Though the Deputy Commissioner has imposed a ban on playing of sound systems and firing of crackers in the city after 10 pm, what is the solution to control a high degree of noise pollution in day time?” asked Mr Hardeep Singh, a local resident.
	Spellbinding aero show by Army Tribune News Service Jalandhar, October 23 With guts and daredevilry, Vajra Corps and the adventure team of the Indian Army displayed their skills during the spellbinding Army Aero Show at the Cantonment here today. The Army Para Motor expedition team, which has exhibited its skills from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, was in town for the show. The other adventure activities on display were skydiving, hot-air ballooning and parasailing. The show began with skydivers jumping out of helicopters of Vajra Corps’s Army Aviation Squadron from a height of over 6,000 feet in a breathtaking free fall. The divers landed in-front of the cheering crowds— comprising students from local schools, NCC cadets, and families of civilians and army personnel. The Chief Guest on the occasion was Lt Gen Mandhata Singh, General Officer Commanding, Vajra Corps. The Para Motor team, led by Col M.S. Sandhu, also landed here after flying on single-engine machines for over three hours from Pathankot. The team will take off for Chandigarh on October 24 and then fly to Kanyakumari. The hot-air ballooning team, led by Lt Col K.D. Chaturvedi, also displayed its skills on the occasion. The show culminated with the aero sports display. The army had set up a special stall to educate the youth on the army life and the ways and means of joining it. It was organised by the Army’s Recruiting Directorate. Fun games were also organised for the children.
	Kapurthala youth shot in USA Tribune News Service Kapurthala, October 23 A 23-year-old youth from Dalla village near here was shot in Indianapolis, USA, last night. Mr Himmat Singh, a resident of Dalla village in Bholath subdivision, said that his son Talwinder Singh was killed by two unidentified persons, reportedly, when he had been leaving for home after closing his store in Indianapolis. Robbery seems to be the motive behind the murder, as the miscreants attempted to loot the cash he was carrying, Mr Himmat Singh said. Talwinder Singh went to the USA in December 2004 to join his elder brother, who was already settled there.
	Night is nightmare for these homeless Anil Jerath Tribune News Service Phagwara, October 23 If you happen to cross Model Town, Railway Road, Hargobind Nagar, Satnampura, bus stand or Banga Road, the one common feature at these sites is the sea of migrants thronging the footpaths and stairs of some of showrooms. And winter is just setting in. There are no sarais or night shelters run by the Nagar Council here and the only help these homeless people get is from a few NGOs that provide some shelter. But there are just too many people. “There was an old building here where 50-60 people used to spend r nights. But the owner razed it and built a showroom,” said Rakesh, a rickshaw puller who now sleeps in his rickshaw on the footpath adjoining the national highway. Every year, just before winters, NGOs and other social organisations announce locations for makeshift shelters travelling in and around the city. But this hardly helps, as majority face the problem of cooking meals. “Shopkeepers don’t allow us to sleep in front of their shops complaining that we deface the premises,” rues another pavement dweller. “The local police keep a close watch on our activities at night. They catch hold of our associates in case of any theft takes place in the city,” said Ram Bahadur, a fruit seller on the Banga Road. A round of the town revealed that most horse cart owners were sleeping on ‘rehras’ and on walls of the parks along the G T Road in groups— from fear of anti-social elements. “We have got the voting rights in the elections. When we ask for shelters, councillors of the areas where we live give false assurances,” said some cart-pullers.
	Tribune Sub Office ransacked Tribune News Service Jalandhar, October 23 The Tribune Sub Office here was found ransacked this afternoon. The miscreants entered the first-floor editorial offices after breaching the entry door. They broke open some drawers and rummaged through the belongings. However, nothing precious was found missing. Mr Vibhor Kumar, Inspector, Division No. 4 visited the office and registered an FIR.
	Kapurthala scribes boycott heritage fest Tribune News Service Kapurthala, October 23 The local journalists’ association has boycotted the Baba Jassa Singh Kapurthala Heritage Festival as Kapurthala ADC, Ms Bhavna Garg, allegedly misbehaved with the journalists last evening. The Kapurthala Working Journalists’ Association today passed a resolution that they would continue the boycott until the official concerned apologised for her “unsavoury behaviour”.
	Miscreants loot valuables Tribune News Service Bholath (Kapurthala), October 23 In a robbery case, some miscreants looted 60 gms of gold, around Rs 1000 cash and two wrist watches from a home here, police said today. According to the house-owner Manjit Singh, he along with his all family members was out-of-station since Friday. On reaching home, he found the locks of the door and almirahs broken and the valuables and cash missing. A case had been registered and investigations were on, police said.