The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

AGRICULTURE

Block-level seminars to educate farmers
Our Correspondent

Fatehgarh Sahib, September 13
A series of seminars at block levels have been started in the district with a view to educate farmers about the harvesting of their paddy and to bring completely dry and clean produce in the mandis. These seminars are being addressed by officers of the Agriculture Department, various purchase agencies and SDMs of the subdivisions.

Mr Vikas Partap, Deputy Commissioner, said here today that the seminars were being organised to prevent the farmers from the harassment in the mandis because of the higher moisture in paddy than the final specifications. He said the farmers and combine operators were also being advised to operate the combines only during the day time.

The Deputy Commissioner also hold a meeting of officers of the department concerned to review the procurement arrangements. He claimed that all arrangements for the procurement of paddy had been completed in the district, which expecting a total procurement of 4.56 lakh metric tonnes.

Mr Partap said out of this, the FCI would purchase 1.12 lakh metric tonnes followed by 90,000 metric tonnes by Marfed, 8,6000 metric tonnes by Punjab Warehousing Corporation, 35,000 metric tonnes by Punsup, 54,500 metric tonnes by the Food and Civil Supplies Department and 32,000 metric tonnes by Punjab Agro.

Kisan mela on Sept 18
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, September 13
Punjab Agricultural University will hold a regional kisan mela at Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Rauni, on September 18. Raja Narinder Singh, Minister for Public Health and Civil Aviation Minister, Punjab, will inaugurate the mela and Dr K.S. Aulakh, Vice-Chancellor, will preside over the inaugural session.

Giving this information, Dr Jaspinder Singh Kolar, Director of Extension Education, said an agro-industrial exhibition, field demonstration, question-answer session, sale of improved seeds and farm literature would be the salient features of the mela. A kisan mela would also be held at Bathinda on September 24, Ludhiana on September 27-28 and Gurdaspur on October 1, he added.

EDUCATION

PAU team bags first prize
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, September 13
The Youth Parliament Team of Punjab Agricultural University has bagged the first prize in the fourth National Parliament Competition conducted by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, New Delhi.

Stating this in a press note, Mr M.S. Grewal, secretary, University Speakers’ Forum, said over 82 universities participated in the contest. The PAU team envisioned two Bills on “One couple — one child norm” and “Ban on smoking at public places”. He said the basic purpose of the contest was to acquaint the youth with the conduct of proceedings in Parliament. Harmandeep Singh, student of Soil Science, who acted as the Speaker of the Youth Parliament, said it was the result of teamwork of 50 students who participated with much enthusiasm in the contest.

CULTURE

Seminar on Punjabi plays held
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, September 13
The Punjabi Teachers Association organised a seminar on Punjabi plays at the Government College for Women here today.

Addressing students and staff of different colleges, Dr Raghbir Singh, former chairman of the School of Punjabi Studies, Panjab University, spoke about the Punjabi play, ‘Kal, aj te bhalak’, written by Dr Harcharan Singh. He said the play depicted the moral values of politicians, those proclaiming themselves as saints and even a common man.

Regarding another play, ‘King, mirza te sapera’ by Surjit Singh Sethi, he said it reflected a theatre of absurd. He said the play emphasised the fact that man is mortal and he has to leave behind the materialistic world when he passes away.

The students and staff from GGN Khalsa College and SCD Government College also expressed their views on the two plays. Among others, Ms Inderjeet Gill Vashisht, Principal of the host college, Dr Amarjit Singh Dua, Head of the Punjabi Department, Dr Sarabjot Kaur, lecturer, were also present on the occasion.