The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

AGRICULTURE

Efforts to step up organic farming
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, April 12
Mr Franz Fischler, European Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries, will visit Punjab Agricultural University on April 18. During his visit he will hold discussions with the Vice-Chancellor, Dr K.S. Aulakh, and other experts of the university to explore the possibilities of mutual cooperation in various research projects and exchange of scientists and students.

He will also discuss bilateral issues with the minister and other senior officers of the Punjab Government for mutual cooperation to promote agriculture and rural development. During his stay at the campus, he will visit various departments and the Information Technology Laboratory of the university. The laboratory has been established under he guidance of experts from the European Union. At present, the university has ‘EU — India cross cultural innovation network project’ funded by the European Union.

Dr H.S. Sekhon, local coordinator, said that under this project, the university had started a one-year postgraduate diploma in Information Technology which had been designed with the technical cooperation from the University of Brighten, England. The European Union had already sent six TT experts in to teach the students of this course and to provide training to the senior faculty members. Some of the teachers of this university would also visit the University of Brighton for higher training. A programme on knowledge village was also being framed to provide detailed information on different aspects of agriculture and allied fields to the farmers and workers. A web site was also being created for this purpose. He further informed that another programme to promote dairy and organic farming in the state had also been planned. The dairy farming project would be jointly conducted by Punjab, Gujarat, Denmark and Italy.

Possibilities are also being explored to provide training to select farmers in the organic farming. While on the campus, Mr Fischler and members of the delegation will discuss possibilities for expansion of this programme. The commissioner will also address faculty members, students, farmers and entrepreneurs in the Pal Auditorium.

Standing wheat crop burnt
Our Correspondent

Samrala, April 12
Standing wheat crop on about 10 acre area was burnt today afternoon at Chehalan village, 2 km from here, belonging to four farmers of Ladhran-Chehalan due to electric short circuiting.

The fire was controlled by the efforts of the DSP, Samrala, Mr Sushil Kumar and SI Gurcharan Singh before the arrival of fire tenders from Khanna as there is no Fire Brigade in Samrala Nagar Council.

The SDM, Samrala, Mr Sandeep Hans, visited the spot and assured financial help to the farmers but Mr Bhupinder Singh Benipal, former chairman of the Panchayat Council, demanded 100 per cent compensation for the farmers.

EDUCATION

PAU research fellows selected for studies abroad
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, April 12
Two research fellows working on bio-control laboratory of Dr R.S. Singh, Department of Plant Pathology, have been selected for Doctorate studies abroad for conducting an advance research on control of plant diseases. Mr Gurpiyar Singh Sandhu has been selected for admission to PhD in the USA to work on transmission of rice blast disease through seed and Ms Jaspal Kaur has been nominated by the Indian Government for Israel Government scholarship to work on biological control of plant diseases.

Mr Sandhu, who has completed his MSc in Plant pathology from PAU last year, will get an assistantship of $ 27,000 per year and Ms Jaspal will get a scholarship of $ 1,100 per month. These young scientists have been selected on the basis of the quality of their master’s research projects.

College wall demolished
Our Correspondent

Doraha, April 12
The recently built wall around the playgrounds of Guru Nanak National College, Doraha, was reportedly demolished by a few persons on the intervening night of April 9 and 10.

According to the FIR registered at Payal police station yesterday under Sections 447, 452, 506, 148 and 149 of IPC, the principal of the college has alleged that 15-16 persons destroyed the newly-built wall of the college on the intervening night of April 9 and 10. Mr Jaswant Singh Gill, principal of the college, said the wall had not been constructed till now as the place provided a passage to the people living on the other side, who always took objection to the construction of the wall and took stay orders from the court.

“Now with the dismissal of the case of Surinder Singh, Guru Nanak National College by the Civil Court of Ludhiana on February 7, we finally thought of building the wall and thus stopping the illegal and unauthorised passage once and for all. When we started our construction on April 3, the opposite party revolted. On April 4, the wall, had not been fully constructed, when the opposite party threatened the builders to such an extent that they left their work incomplete and ran away. It was only on the morning of April 10 that we came to know that 15-16 persons had demolished the wall for which we contacted the police immediately”, he said.

COURTS

Forum quashes PSEB demand
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, April 12
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has quashed a demand of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) of Rs 16,486 from Mr Anil Kumar Sharma a resident of Tagore Nagar. The forum further directed the PSEB to refund the amount deposited against the disputed demand along with interest at the rate of 12 per cent per annum from the date of deposit till the date of actual payment.

According to the complaint, the board had issued a memo to the complainant on October 22, 1998, in which an amount of Rs 16,486 was demanded. The complainant stated before the forum that it was mentioned in the memo that the demand was raised for tampering with the seals of the meter as per the inspection carried on by the Senior Executive Engineer (Enforcement) on September 15, 1998.

Earlier, the complainant had approached the opposite party and told that he had been receiving the bills on average basis for the last six months as the meter was not working properly. He stated that on his request the Junior Engineer concerned had replaced the meter and had given the report on February 5, 1998 that the seals of the meter had not been tampered with. He maintained that he was never informed about the tampering of the seals or sending the meter in the ME Laboratory for checking.

The complainant stated that the matter was referred to the Disputes Settlement Committee but the committee decided the case in favour of the board and he had to pay the balance 60 per cent of the disputed demand under the threat of disconnection. Earlier, the consumer had deposited 40 per cent of the demand in order to avoid the disconnection. The complainant alleged that the demand had been raised illegally.

The board pleaded that the complainant had concealed the material fact that the complaint was time barred. The respondent stated that the meter was dead stop so it was changed on May 4, 1998 and it was sent to the laboratory for checking. The respondent stated that the meter was duly packed and sealed after removing. The board disclosed it was clear case of theft of power as according to the laboratory report the right hand ME seals had been tampered with. The board further stated that the meter was checked in the presence of the consumer on March 15, 2000 by the Dispute Settlement Committee and then the case was decided against him.

The forum observed that there was no documentary evidence to prove that the meter was duly packed in card-box and sealed in the presence of the consumer at the time of its removal. The forum further stated that there was no evidence that any notice was given to the consumer regarding the checking of the meter in the laboratory and the report did not bear the signature of the complainant or his representatives which was mandatory.

The forum held that the disputed demand was liable to be quashed as the PSEB had not complied with the rule and accordingly quashed the demand and directed the respondent to refund the amount deposited against the disputed demand.

Arrest of 2 stayed
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, April 12
The District and Sessions Judge, Mr S.S. Arora, has stayed the arrest of Sarneet Jain and Ruhi Brar, owners of the Ind Apparels, till April 17 in connection with the old couple suicide case. The owners have been accused of being guilty of abetment to suicide in the case. An old couple of Chotti Haibowal had committed suicide by consuming some poisonous substance. They had left a suicide note, alleging that the factory owners were harassing them to tell the whereabouts of their son Vishal, who had allegedly defrauded the factory owners.

CULTURE

Miss Punjaban prelims
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, April 12
A few preliminary rounds of a beauty contest for Miss World Punjaban Canada were organised by Sabhyacharak Sath and Kumar Sharma from Canada here today. The contest got a warm response and 80 girls participated from all over Punjab.

The theme was Baisakhi and the girls had to appear in traditional Punjabi clothes and ornaments. In the last round, the participants who were shortlisted were Roopsi Juneja and Harpreet Sandhu (Ludhiana), Rupinder Kaur (Moga), Gurpreet Kaur (Nihal Singh Wala), and Mandeep Kaur (Jagraon). Five other girls were selected as standbyes who were Parvinderpreet (Faridkot), Naini Singh (Ludhiana), Sukhdip Brar (Muktsar), Jaswinder Gill (Jalandhar) and Parvinder of Moga. Kumar Sharma said, “I was impressed with Ms Punjaban contest organised by Sabhyacharak Sath. So I decided to organise it on a world level in Canada. Mr Dhutt and I are pleased with the response the contest has received. Three rounds of Ms World Punjaban were held in Ludhiana to choose contestants from Punjab. I want girls from India and England to participate in the finals, to be held in Canada later this year.”

Renuka takes to script writing
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, April 12
Actress Renuka Shahane has graduated to script writing. After performing memorable roles in films and television serials she has now started writing scripts for television serials.

‘‘Playing a role set by a writer is interesting, but now I want to write a script for myself. This is how I will be able to express my own feelings and bring these before the masses,’’ she said after inaugurating an inter-school extempore contest organised by the Vardhaman Spinning Mills at Kundan Vidya Mandir, Civil Lines.

Without spelling out the theme of her script, Renuka said that she was writing on the problems in Indian society. She said that the script would be ready in next three months.

When asked about her forthcoming movies, she said that she would not act in movies any more as she enjoyed working in serials and would continue to do so. ‘‘I believe that serials are more close to reality and, therefore, I enjoy doing these. Currently, I am enjoying acting for ‘Khamoshian kab tak’ being telecast on Zee TV. But I feel I have played enough of serious roles and now I am looking for a comic role,’’ she said .

She would be in the city till tomorrow for the prize distribution function of the ‘Aao Bune’ contest organised by the Vardhaman Spinning Mills. She said it was for the first time that she would be in Punjab on Baisakhi and she was glad that she was getting an opportunity to celebrate the festival here.