AGRICULTURE

Symposium on pest management
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 13
The Indian Society for the Advancement of Insect Science, Ludhiana, and the Indian Society for Biocontrol Advancement, Bangalore, in collaboration with the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, ICAR and PAU are organising a symposium on “biocontrol based pest management for quality crop protection in the current millennium” at the PAU on July 18 and 19.

According to Dr Darshan Singh, Head, Department of Entomology and President, Indian Society for the Advancement of Insect Science, more than 200 scientists both from India and abroad are expected to participate in the meeting. Apart from many Indian scientists, Dr Z R Khan and Dr Sithanathnam, both from Kenya, Dr B . Napometh from Bangkok, Dr Darshan S Brar from the IRRI, Philippines, Dr Carol Ellison from the UK and DR R. McFadyen from Australia will be among those who will present the lead papers on various aspects of bio-intensive IPM strategies for different crops and cropping systems.

All the scientists participating in the symposium will deliberate on different aspects concerning the use of natural enemies and microbial agents in suppression of pest populations. During the inaugural session of the symposium on July 18, Dr R S Paroda, Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education and Director-General, Indian Council of Agriculture Research, New Delhi, will deliver a keynote address.

A special lecture on biotechnological advancements in biocontrol will be delivered by Dr V.L. Chopra of the NRC on Biotechnology, New Delhi.

EDUCATION

Unaided colleges seek aid
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 13
The Punjab Unaided Affiliated College Principals and Management Association held a meeting to discuss issues related to non-implementation of the 95 per cent government aid scheme for them.

Stating this in a press note, Mr B.D. Budhiraja, Principal, Kamla Lohtia Sanatan Dharam College and general secretary of the association, said that members of the association had expressed their resentment against the non-inclusion of the colleges under the scheme. The members also condemned that 80 per cent share of the central government had not been given to them.

PAU VC revokes order
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, July 13
The Vice-Chancellor of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) today revoked his orders of closing some gates of the university. The orders were passed yesterday that some of the gates would be opened only for a few hours on all working days.

According to the security officer of the university, the gate number 1 would remain open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on all working days. He said the orders were not revoked as other gates would remain closed as per the orders which came into force yesterday and only the timing of opening of gate number 1 was changed.

He said the university was experimenting on this account and yesterday's timings were not suiting some people. Office-bearers of PAUTA claimed that they had got the timings of opening of this gate extended by talking to the VC about the inconvenience caused to the farmers who were visiting the Kisan Centre.

COURTS

Forum directs PUDA to refund Rs 1,03,500
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 13
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) to refund Rs 1,03,500 to Mr Harminder Singh, a resident of Model Town. The amount was charged by PUDA on account of non-construction charges. The forum further directed to pay an interest on the amount at 12 per cent per annum from the date of deposit till the actual payment was made.

According to a complaint, Harminder Singh had purchased plot No. 2616 measuring 400 sq yds in Phase I, Dugri Road, Ludhiana, from Mr Varinder Kumar in 1990. The complainant stated that he sold the plot to Mr Upinderjeet Singh in 2000 and applied for a no-objection certificate (NOC) on March 3, 2000. But the authorities were not willing to give the same till he paid the non-construction fee demanded by it in a letter on November 26, 1999. The consumer alleged that the amount claimed on account of non-construction charges was against rule 13 of the PUDA Act.

A representative of the complainant, Mr S.S. Sarna, said that as the complainant was in urgent need of money and as such he had to deposit Rs 1,31,723 which included Rs 1,03,500 on account of non-construction charges. Mr Sarna pointed out that as per the practice the authority was to realise the non-construction charges from the previous owner when he transferred the plot. It was alleged that the said amount had been illegally recovered from the consumer.

PUDA pleaded that the plot was transferred in the name of the complainant in 1991 as per the terms of allotment letter dated February 21, 1979, and the allotment was subject to provision of the PUDA Act, 1964, and the rules framed thereunder. The authorities further stated that the complainant was bound to complete the construction within three years from the date of allotment but no construction had been done and as such he was bound to pay the non-construction charges.

The forum stated, ‘‘Already the Punjab and Haryana High Court has held that the authorities are entitled to recover non-construction fee only as per rules 13 of the PUDA Act and are not entitled to recover excess amount on the basis of executive instruction issued by it. The instruction have been held illegal.’’

‘‘The forum further held, ‘‘The authorities are bound to refund the excess amount recovered from the complainant on account of non-construction charges since in view of the settled law, the authorities are entitled to retain the non-construction charges.”

CULTURE

Unique combination of art and photography
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 13
At a solo exhibition of his creations at the Students’ Home, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), artist Ravinder Raipury displayed a unique combination of art and photography. The exhibition was inaugurated by the Vice-Chancellor, Dr. K.S. Aulakh, PAU.

‘‘I was always fond of photography and I considered it as my favourite hobby but now I have made it my profession. I got my masters in business management from Patiala after getting my BSc agriculture degree from the PAU. But I was led by my heart. Despite getting good job offers, I decided to take photography as my profession — but with a difference. I decided to specialise in portraits. After taking a photograph, I would use pencil for shading certain areas, then I used acrylic colours and oil paints to give my portraits three-dimensional effects.’’

Ravinder had collected pictures of famous figures dating back to Christopher Columbus to the modern diva Madonna. In his collections he has signed photographs of Shaeed Bhagat Singh and Pablo Picasso. He spends a lot of time collecting pictures of famous personalities all over the world. Probably very few people will have a mug shot of a smiling Adolf Hitler and Stalin. The lined face of Mother Teresa fascinates the viewers. After taking pictures he enhances the beauty of the pictures using pencil shading and delicate strokes of oil paint. A fabulous mixture of painting techniques coupled with artistic stokes gives his portraits a unique appeal.

Ravinder has executed an excellent poster of the late Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala. Resplendent in his royal attire, the photograph attracts attention of the viewers. He said Ms Parneet Kaur, MP and wife of Capt Amarinder Singh, ordered 10,000 copies of Maharaja’s portrait. They have been sent abroad too. My works have been published in ‘Des Pardes’, a magazine, published in U.K and ‘South Asia’, another magazine printed in Canada.’’

He has displayed his earlier oils. One can easily distinguish the difference between his later works and the earlier ones. The later works show surety in his brush strokes. The themes are from rural settings, colours flamboyant, the subjects life like.