Paddy attacked by leaf folder
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, July 14
Dr Darshan Singh, Professor and Head, Department of Entomology, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), has reported that the attack of leaf folder on paddy crop has been noticed quite early in some farmers’ fields in Ropar, Patiala and Ludhiana districts. The larvae of this inset fold the leaves and eatout the green matter which, upon drying up, appear as prominent white streaks on leaves.

The farmers, in general, are advised to visit their paddy fields and if the attack of this pest is noticed to be high, then they should control this pest by spraying 560 ml of Nuvacron/Monocil 36 SL (monocrotophos) or one litre of Coroban/Durmet 20 EC (chrolpyriphos) or 800 ml of Ekalux 20 AF (Quinalphos) or 150 ml Lybaycid 1000 EC (Enithion) in 100 liters of water per acre. Since the attack of this pest during the current season has been noticed early in the crop stage, wherever is serious it needs to be checked immediately to avoid considerable loss to the crop.

EDUCATION

Homoeopathic council takes students for a ride
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, July 14
A number of students of homoeopathic system of medicine have been taken for a ride by the Council of Homoeopathic System of Medicine, Punjab, as they have been shown failed quite contrary to their expectations.

A group of students told The Tribune here today that they were shown as having failed in various subjects on the basis of not having secured marks on a particular pattern. The students disclosed that so far the students were supposed to get 50 per cent marks to pass in a class.

According to the new pattern, the students are supposed to pass these exam separately. Even if a student has more than 50 per cent in aggregate, but has not passed separately in both the theory and the practical, the student will be declared as having failed.

The students said they were shocked after seeing the results. Because, they claimed, so far there was no such pattern to pass the exam separately. They said there were numerous students of various colleges in the state who have been shown either having failed or having got a re-appear. The students said they were harassed unnecessarily and wanted that this pattern should be withdrawn and the old pattern continued with.

PAU students excel in ICAR-JRF exam
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, July 14
Mr Bikramjit Singh, an agriculture graduate of PAU, has topped the Junior Research Fellow Examination in Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry section. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research organizes the All-India Combined Examination with a twin purpose, that is to award fellowships for masters research and to fill 25 per cent seats in 30 state agricultural universities, one central agricultural university and four ICAR Institutes (deemed universities) at national-level.

Six agricultural stream students — Bikramjit, Ramandeep, Gurpreet, Raman Bansal, Kulwinder and Arun Samyal — have been selected for the national-level fellowships of Rs 3600 per month each and a research grant of Rs 6000 per annum for a period of two years for their masters degree in the field.

According to Dr M.S. Tiwana, Dean, College of Agriculture, 60 students had appeared in the examination, out of which 25 qualified the test. The students who qualified belonged to different streams in agriculture i.e. seven in Soil Science, eight in Entomology, two in Plant Breeding, three in Extension Education and five in Agricultural Economics.

COURTS

Consumer forum quashes PSEB demand
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 14
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has quashed the demand of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) for Rs 32,027 from Mr Ramesh Lal, a resident of Basti Jodhewal. The forum further directed the board to restore the connection of the complainant within 10 days.

According to the complaint, the PSEB issued a letter on August 4, 2000, to the consumer demanding Rs 32,027 and disconnected the connection on October 30, 2000. It was alleged in the letter that the consumer had been stealing power as the ME seals of the meter were tempered with and it was recording low consumption of power.

The complainant alleged that he was being unnecessarily harassed. He said he was not served a notice by the PSEB to be present at the time of checking of the meter at the ME laboratory, which was mandatory. He stated that the demand had not been raised as per the rules of the PSEB and was liable to be quashed.

The PSEB pleaded that the board officials had checked the electricity meter of the complainant during the door-to-door checking on September 1, 2000, by the meter inspector. The board stated that at the time of checking it was found that two seals had been tempered with.

The respondent stated that the testing of the meter at the site, with standard heat load and stop-watch method, indicated that it was recording low consumption of energy by 60 per cent. The meter was removed and sent to the laboratory after proper packing and sealing on September 4, 2000, for a computerised checking.

It was alleged by the PSEB that it was a clear case of measured theft of power by the consumer as the laboratory report revealed that the meter was recording low consumption by 66.13 per cent. The PSEB claimed that the demand was justified and the compliant was liable to be dismissed.

The forum observed that there was no evidence placed before the forum to prove that the consumer was issued a notice for his presence at the time of checking of the meter, which was mandatory.