AGRICULTURE

Pest attack affects cotton crop
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, July 27
Cotton growers in the state are facing problem of pest attack on their crop due to the prevailing weather conditions. The population of American Bollworm or American Sundi has appeared 30 days earlier in the cotton crop and is causing damage to it.

The experts at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) who had visited cotton areas of the state recently observed this pest feeding on the cotton crop. According to Dr Darshan Singh, Head, Department of Entomology, PAU, the pest has appeared due to cloudy weather coupled with intermittent rains. He said due to these conditions, humidity had increased in the cotton-growings area.

The PAU had advised paddy farmers of the state to convert certain areas under paddy to cotton crop. This was being done to diversify agriculture in view of the challenges of the WTO.

Dr Darshan Singh said late availability of canal water for sowing and crust formation at the germination stage resulted in about 30 per cent late sowing of the crop. He said that if the cloudy weather persisted, pest incidence was likely to increase, which may cause serious setback to the crop.

Stressing the need to strengthen surveillance and monitoring of the cotton crop, Dr Darshan Singh said the farmers should be vigilant and observe their crop at least twice a week. He said the incidence among the freshly-shed “fruiting” bodies shall be observed regularly for its proper management.

He also advised the farmers to spray the right insecticides at various stages of the metamorphosis of the insect pest. He said crops showing injuries due to second jassid stage should be sprayed with 40 ml Confidor 70WS or 300 ml of Metasystox 25EC or 250 ml Rogor 30 EC per acre.

Farmers have also been advised to prefer Chlorpyriphos 20 EC or Acephate 70 SP for the control of grown up larvae. For the control of medium-sized larvae, preference should be given to Quinalphos 25 EC or Triazophos 40 EC. He has also warned the farmers on overuse of insecticides and insecticide mixtures. He said the insecticides were effective only against the young larvae. Moreover the spray must be based on the surveillance- monitoring observations.

He further advised the farmers to use proper spray technology for effective chemical control and use only good quality nozzles having discharge rate of 500 to 600 ml per minute. 

EDUCATION

PAU to introduce new course
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, July 27
Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) will introduce the rural agriculture work experience (RAWE) in its BSc (agriculture) course from this session.

According to Dr M.S. Tiwana, Dean, College of Agriculture, PAU, RAWE is being introduced to make students familiar with the socio-economic situations prevailing in villages and to inculcate confidence and competence for solving problems related to agriculture.

Dr Tiwana said that another aspect of RAWE was to develop communication skills among the students for the transfer of technology and to provide opportunity for practical training in crop production through work experience.

The RAWE programme is to be implemented in the final year of the degree programme through working at agricultural research stations, educational tours, NSS camps, NGOs, commercial production centres and fields.

He further said that the recommendations of the Third Deans Committee were discussed and adopted in the form of revised courses with 160 credit hours which include 20 credit hours for RAWE.

The course would include practical training on diagnosis of field problems and their remedial measures under the concept of plant clinics. The students would first be trained in communication skills and then made to work with farmers under village extension training. 

ABVP honours 90 toppers
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 27
Toppers of all batches in the BA, BSc and BCom examinations conducted by Panjab University this year were honoured by the local unit of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) at a function organised at Bharatiya Vidya Mandir here last evening.

Nearly 90 students from 12 city colleges received prizes from Dr K.S. Aulakh, Vice-Chancellor, Punjab Agricultural University. Dr Aulakh said that parents played a major role in shaping the future of their children and were, thus, held responsible for the success or failure of their wards.

Mr Subhash Sharma, secretary, ABVP, Punjab, said that the main aim of the organisation was to stop commercialisation of education in schools and colleges. He said that he wanted the parents, students and teachers to come up for the cause. Mr Sandeep Kapoor, president of the local unit, and Mr Mohit, secretary, were also present on the occasion 

A ‘cool’ journey back home with buddies
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 27
What’s the best way to beat heat in hot, humid and sultry weather? The obvious answer would be to eat lip-smacking ice-creams. If it is a “softy” and is shared with friends, especially after the school, the enjoyment increases manifold. 

After eight periods of slogging in class-rooms, there is a great deal of exultation in enjoying cool ice-creams on way home with buddies.

The schools re-opened only recently and students were missing the camaraderie and the bonhomie which one can only have with classmates. No amount of bricks of icecreams consumed with the family during vacations would have tasted so well as the ice-creams shared with classmates while going home. “It’s great pleasure standing on the wayside with friends, and without parents’ knowledge, licking ice-creams. It helps create bonds, “said a girl. Another one said,” We feel suffocated in the classrooms for eight periods. We like to relax on way to home, eating ice-creams, cooling ourselves and exchanging notes.”

We are not in the same section due to different streams. There is so much to share and discuss with friends. We have fixed this corner, where we converge after school. Not only we cool ourselves by eating yummy ice-creams, we keep each other abreast of latest happenings, movies, latest fashions etc.

“What about the calories in the ice-cream?” Mere calories cannot keep the friends away. Moreover, in the “games period”, we do sweat a lot, chimed another one.

COURTS

Bail plea of ASI rejected
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 27
The Special Judge, Mr G.R. Banyal, has rejected the anticipatory bail application moved by ASI, Ajmer Singh, posted at Samrala police station, in a corruption case registered against him on a complaint by Narinder Kumar.

According to prosecution, Narinder Kumar was called at the police station in connection with an FIR lodged against him on June 21, 2001 under Sections 279 and 337, IPC, on the charges of causing accident by hitting a scooterist, Baljinder Singh, with his tempo, which he was driving.

The ASI alleged accepted Rs 1500 as illegal gratification for releasing Narinder Kumar on bail, even as the offence was a bailable one.

Lok Adalat today
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 27
A Lok Adalat will be held in the local courts tomorrow, under the supervision of Mr S.S. Arora, Chairman, District Legal Services Authority, Ludhiana.

Cases pertaining to motor accident claims, executions, Hindu Marriage Act, etc will be placed in the adalats for disposal through amicable settlement.

Meanwhile, the Punjab and Haryana High Court judge, Mr Justice R.L. Anand, the inspecting judge of Ludhiana district, shall visit Ludhiana tomorrow.