AGRICULTURE

Symposium on biocontrol of pests
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 20
There is an immediate need for mass rearing and mass release of natural enemies of agricultural pests and insects as the annual loss caused by them in India has touched $ 7.78 billions.

This was stated by Dr S.P. Singh, Project Director, Directorate of Biological Control, at a symposium on ‘Biological control of pest management for quality crop protection’. The various recommendations suggested by him included strengthening of national capacity for mapping the diversity of native biocontrol agents, selective development of effective control agents, manipulative practices to enhance efficacy of biocontrol agents, production techniques of biocontrol agents in artificial diets, popularisation of viral pathogen, fungal and bacterial antagonists and entomopathogenic nematodes in biological control and quality control parameters for biocontrol agents.

Recommendations on priorities for development included inter-institutional cooperation and popularisation of technology for biocontrol, registration and licensing of biocontrol producing organisation and international collaboration in selected themes.

The suggestions by scientists regarding recommendations on priorities for policy making included registration of pesticides which are eco-friendly and relatively safe to natural enemies, re-registration of pesticides in market giving their safety to non-target and beneficial organisms, promoting policy support, encouraging private enterprise and simplifying the product registration and quality control guidelines of bio-agents, designation of quality control laboratories for bio-control agents.

Dr Darshan Singh, Head, Department of Entomology and chief organiser of the symposium, said 200 participants, who attended the symposium, had come from Kenya, UK, Australia, Thailand, Philippines and Japan.

Meanwhile, the 10th Biocontrol Workers Group meeting on biological control of crop pests and weeds also started today in the Wheat Auditorium of PAU. Review of the work done during 2000-01 by various coordinating centres would be discussed during the meeting.

EDUCATION

Students given scholarships
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 20
The Vidyarthi Sewa Club organised its third annual scholarship distribution function at R.S. Model Senior Secondary School, Shastri Nagar, here today.

The top two position holders in class X examination conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) as well as the top three students in class VIII examination conducted by the PSEB were given scholarships. The seven students included Aakshi Sareen from Sacred Heart Senior Secondary School, BRS Nagar, Ivneet Gagneja from DAV Public School, Swapleen from Jain Public School, Amit Bansal from Sanmati Vimal Jain School, Jagraon, Sanchit Ankur Garg from the same school, Ginny Kareer from Saraswati Modern School and Manoj Kumar from R.S. Model Senior Secondary School.

Mr Mandhir Singh, president, said that the club had adopted 160 school students recently for whom they had arranged funds for paying school fee, uniform and books. He said that such students were studying at Sargodha Khalsa Senior Secondary School, Sargodha Khalsa Co-Educational High School, Dashmesh Senior Secondary School, Government Senior Secondary Schools of Sahnewal and Lakkar Bazar, Government Girls’ Senior Secondary School, Jawahar Nagar, Government Multipurpose Senior Secondary School, and Government Model High School, Cemetry Road.

Mr Apinder Singh Grewal, Mayor, was the chief guest on the occasion. Mr S.M. Kant, Deputy Director Youth Services, Punjab, Ms Suversha Kalra, Principal, School for the Deaf, Mr Ashwini Ralhan, project director and Mr Satyanand Munjal of Hero Cycles were also present.

ICAR Assistant D-G to visit PAU
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 20
Dr Baljit Singh Hansra, Assistant Director-General, ICAR, will visit Punjab Agricultural University on July 23. He will address the participants of a national-level summer school on research methodology in extension education. Dr Hansra will attend the programme being organised by the Indian Society of Communication Technology at the launch of its bi-monthly newsletter. The programme will be presided over by Dr K.S. Aulakh, Vice- Chancellor, PAU.