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IIT-JEE question sequence Malukpura distributary |
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After Dy CM’s assurance, farmers call off protest
Auction of Municipal Council plots
Kumbh Mela special train to run today
RTE eludes child workers
Tips given to youths to reap rich dividends from farming
Supply of contaminated water
Commission agents allowed to lift procured wheat
Low milk yield
State govt to recruit teachers
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Students in Catch-22 situation
Rajay Deep Tribune News Service
Bathinda, April 11 Students were taken by surprise in Bathinda to find the sequence of questions in the question paper number-I not matching with the Objective Response Sheet (ORS). Narrating their plight, some of the students who appeared in the test informed that the question paper carried three slots-question number 1-28 (chemistry), 29-56 (physics) and 57-84 (mathematics). But in the ORS sheets, the second and third slots were confusing. The ORS sheet was bearing question number 1-28 (Chemistry), 29-56 (mathematics) and 57-84 (physics). Taking immediate steps, most of the invigilators discussed the matter with their seniors but due to varying opinions, they left the decision with the students. Finding their career at stake, some of the students could not control their tears. Coming out of an examination center (at RB DAV senior secondary school), a student Harman Preet said there was no announcement/instruction given to them regarding the discrepancy in the examination hall during the examination. "As it was left to us either to follow the question paper of the ORS sheet, I attempted according to the ORS sheet. It was risky as while getting the papers checked, it would depend upon the mood of the examiner or the instruction of the IIT authorities, how they assess the attempt," said Harman Preet. Harman Preet was not the only one. A large number of students from various centers reported the same problem. Speaking to this correspondent, parents of various students expressed apprehension over the future of their children as they had solved the paper in different ways. Some followed the question papers while others followed the ORS answer sheets. When contacted, the officials of various coaching centres, located in Bathinda, either refused to divulge details or flatly excused themselves saying they were unaware. According to details procured, above 4.72 lakh students appeared in the entrance examination today, seeking berth in IITs as well as the Indian School of Mines (Dhanabad) and I-BHU (Benaras Hindu University). Immediately after coming out of the examination centers, the students have started speculating over the result, which will be out by the end of next month. Some parents informed that they had written to the union government as well as the authorities who conducted the examination to take appropriate steps, considering that the future of their children was at stake.
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Abohar farmers stage stir
Our Correspondent
Abohar, April 11 The protesters alleged that despite dropping the highly objectionable cross-regulator project, the irrigation authorities were going ahead with a secret plan for supplying additional water through Gurusar Jodhan sub-canal to some influential landlords of Lambi, the home segment of the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. It has been found that the width of the floor bed has been reduced from 23.7 ft to 19 ft and upper width of the distributary stands reduced from 33 ft to 19 ft by vertical wall construction to check the flow of water to Balluana and Abohar segments through Ramsara, Lambi, Daulatpura sub-canals. The protesting farmers said they had jammed the tail-end of a sub-canal during round-the-clock dharna on February 15. Canal superintending engineer Parminder Singh Bhogal and the Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kamal Kishore Yadav had promised to get sub-canals cleansed besides resizing the wrongly designed outlets but regretfully nothing has been done. The department had taken up construction of the cross-regulator during closure of canals since March 25 under a deep-rooted conspiracy hatched by the political heavyweights who rule the government now. The farmers of Lambi segment were drawing water from RD 0-20 through oversized pipes and no machines had been installed to measure the quantity of water. “We have lost two crops due to non-availability of water in the tail-end villages, our orchards are getting dry, the dharna would not be called off until we are assured of adequate water and discrimination is over,” Surinder Kumar spokesman for the tail-end villages farmers action committee said.
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After Dy CM’s assurance, farmers call off protest
Abohar, April 11 Action committee spokesman Surinder Kumar ex sarpanch of Gumjal and Balwinder Singh Usmankhera informed that the Deputy CM invited the agitators for talks at his residence in village Badal in the afternoon. Accordingly, eight representatives of the action committee held talks and explained to him problems of the tail-end villages in the presence of XEN Abohar canal division Ramesh Gupta. The junior Badal asked the irrigation authorities to get the enhanced floor-bed at the controversial cross-regulator site uprooted. He firmly directed that adequate water be made available to irrigate fields at the tail-end of each sub-canal. Notably, whole of the region was reeling under water crisis due to closure of canals since March 25. Water was to be released by Saturday but closure had to be extended up to Monday as construction could not be completed. Many schools in rural areas were closed after recess on Friday as students kept on crying for drinking water. |
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Auction of Municipal Council plots Chander Parkash Tribune News Service
Guruharsahai (Ferozepur), April 11 Sodhi alleged that though he was ex-officio member of local Municipal Council (MC) in the capacity of MLA, the authorities concerned did not call him into the meeting when the resolution to sell off these properties was passed. “Even I revealed it to Manoranjan Kalia, local bodies minister, Punjab, a few days ago that residential plots are being sold by MC at throw away prices and hence its auction must be cancelled. I also pointed out that reserve prices of residential plots have been fixed lower than their prevailing market prices,” said Sodhi. Even the advertisements in connection with the holding of auction of 18 residential plots were inserted in those newspapers, which had got insignificant circulation in the state, he said adding High Court would be approached through PIL for cancellation of the auction. The deputy director, local bodies and SDM, whose presence was must during the auction, were absent from the same, he said. Neelam, former vice-president, local MC, said that she had also faxed a complaint to Kalia on April 5 for stopping the auction of plots due to bunglings into same. She added that by holding the auction, the local MC authorities had caused huge loss to the state exchequer. Verma claimed that reserve prices of the plots were fixed by price fixation committee headed by Deputy Commissioner, Ferozepur and hence the MC authorities were nothing to do with same. The auction was held in presence of president, MC, Shashi Vohra and superintendent and Naib Tehsildar, who represented deputy director and SDM. He added that resolution to sell properties was passed by the house of local MC much before he joined here as EO and hence he would not comment that why Sodhi was not invited in the meeting when the resolution to sell properties was passed. Montu Vohra, son of Shashi Vohra, who talked on behalf of his mother, said that it was the first time that the MC authorities had earned such a huge amount from the auction. He said that allegations against MC authorities over the auction were politically motivated. Jaskaran Singh, deputy director, when contacted, said that he had received two verbal complaints against the auction and if someone came with the written complaint then it would be inquired into.
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Kumbh Mela special train to run today
Abohar, April 11 Special trains from Ajmer for Haridwar have also been planned. Chief PRO Lalit Bohra informed that 0236-A Ajmer-Haridwar Kumbh Mela special will be run on April 16, 18, 21, 23, 30, May 1, 2 and 3. Its return trip as 0235-A has been fixed from Haridwar on April 17, 19, 22, 24, May 1, 2, 3 and 4. |
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RTE eludes child workers
Abohar, April 11 It was claimed that the Act would provide free education to students in the age group of 6-14 and especially focus on bringing back 8.1 million children of this age group back to the classrooms. However, media persons recently found children assisting in construction work at RD 21 of the Malukpura distributary on the periphery of Lambi, the constituency that is represented in Punjab Vidhan Sabha by CM Parkash Singh Badal. This violates the Child Labour Act also, a social activist Dharminder Kumar pointed out. The child workers, when asked, said their primary concern is to supplement the financial needs of their families who find it difficult to arrange two square meals due to skyrocketing prices. “Moreover, we have not been getting subsidised wheat in sufficient quantity through the ration depot. The quantity is reduced every month,” they said. |
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Tips given to youths to reap rich dividends from farming
Phidde (Ferozepur), April 11 At a function organised by Kirat Lehar, a voluntary organisation, in this village, educated youths and other persons drawn from the rural areas were given tips to enable themselves to propel themselves into that orbit where the agricultural activities would spin money for them and would usher an era of economic growth for them. The agricultural scientists like Buta Singh and SS Chahal delivered lecture in connection with net housing and banana cultivation respectively in the state to generate quantum of money from a small piece of land. Avtar Singh Dhindsa, known as flower king, who sends flowers and seeds of various vegetables to about 35 countries, informed the participants how he ventured in floriculture and subsequently touched the pinnacle of this business. Harwinder Singh Phoolka, advocate, Supreme Court, who is one of the founders of Kirat Lehar, said that the function was organised in connection with setting up a fourth centre of the movement here. He added that this movement had been launched to make agriculture attractive and profitable for the educated youths and other people apart from weaning them away from the evil of drug addiction. First, the educated youths would be made aware of the new developments taking place in the agricultural areas and after their interest developed for venturing into new fields, they would be trained in the cultivation of money spinning crops by organising workshops. He said that the local centre of Kirat Lehar would be handled by Gurwinder Singh Kang, a farmer, who came back from the US for this purpose. |
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BJP leader faces Cong fire
Our Correspondent
Abohar, April 11 He said that during the public meeting that not a single drop of water had been supplied by the local water works for past 15 days as canals were lying dry. The Congress workers have filled pond water in bottles to raise a hue and cry, he had observed amidst laughter from the dais as well as the public. Congress MLA Sunil Jakhar today lambasted Dr Goyal at a meeting here. He blamed the former legislator and his son Shiv Raj Goyal, who heads the local Municipal Council, for failure in getting funds sanctioned for improving the junked water supply and sewerage system during past three years. Drinking water was supplied for three hours to the citizens even on Friday night whereas Dr Goyal had stated that water had not been supplied for a fortnight. Consumer Movement chief Sat Pal Khariwal said seven samples taken by the health department had failed in tests in the state government labs and cases are in the final stage before the Permanent Lok Adalat (Public Utility Services) against the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board and Municipal Council, Abohar. Surprisingly, Dr Goyal has tried to tell lie before his own party besides insulting the consumers, he said. The Akhil Bhartiya Grahak Panchayat too criticised him for concealing the hard facts over contaminated water supply.
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Commission agents allowed to lift procured wheat
Ferozepur, April 11 Janmeja Singh Sekhon, state irrigation minister, said that the commission agents would be paid for carrying out the lifting of the procured wheat where the contractors concerned failed to do the same. He also said that the state government had also decided to carry out the procurement of wheat on the days, which had been declared gazetted holidays also. The officials concerned had been directed to ensure timely payments of the procured wheat to the farmers, he added. |
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Diet care key to success in livestock farming, say PAU scientists
Kulwinder Sandhu Tribune News Service
Moga, April 11 India is currently the world’s second largest milk producer with a total production of about 110 million metric tones that stands at 15 per cent of total world milk production. The union government has set a target to increase milk production in the country to 180 million tonnes by 2021-22 through the National Dairy Plan drawn up by the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) at an annual growth rate of 4 per cent. However, it is an astonishing fact that despite the high growth rate in production, the per capita availability of milk in India is just 245 gm per day lower than the world average of 285 gm per day. Moreover, both productivity and quality of livestock are nowhere near the international average. According to Mahesh Kumar and Amarjit Singh, both scientists of the Department of Processing and Food Engineering, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), the average milk yield in the country is very low in comparison to other countries as a majority of the cows and buffaloes are poorly fed or are not given a nutritious diet. Interacting with progressive dairy farmers in the Krishi Vigyan Kendra at Budh Singh Wala village in the Moga district, these scientists said that the success of livestock farming is largely dependent on the supply of good quality nutritious feed of cattle, which alone constitutes about 60 to 70 per cent of total cost of production of livestock products. In India, particularly Punjab, the farmers generally feed crop residues to the cattle with supplementary feeding of broken grains and other products. This type of feed is not always able to meet protein requirement, as a result of which, animals do not produce milk as per their genetic potential, the scientists said. They said that that milch animals respond better in terms of growth and milk production when they are fed with protein and mineral-rich ingredients and other agro-industrial products that are mixed in right proportion. The experts observed that to minimise the gap between requirement and availability of feed resources, there is a need to establish small feed processing units at the village level.
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State govt to recruit teachers
Ferozepur, April 11 She said that the state government has been making concerted efforts to improve the quality of education in the government educational institutions which has started paying dividends now, adding that as per a survey conducted by the union government, Punjab was now ranked number six in the field of education as compared to number 14 in the year 2006. The minister said that the attendance of the teachers at the government schools has also seen tremendous improvement. She said that already over 40,000 new teachers have been recruited by the state government through a transparent merit-based system, and more recruitments would be made soon, she added. Kaur further said that the promotions of the government teachers and heads which were pending for the last ten years have been made which has also encouraged the staff. |
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Just after some irregularities had come to light in a previous joint entrance examination (JEE), printer's devil again came into play during the JEE-2010.
The masons and labourers including children ran helter- skelter as scores of farmers from a dozen villages thronged the controversial cross-regulator site of the Malukpura
distributary.
