The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

AGRICULTURE

PBW-343 wheat variety popular: survey
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, February 5
PBW-343, a wheat variety developed by PAU, is the most popular variety in Punjab if a survey by the Department of Sociology and Economics, ascertaining the area under various varieties is to be believed.

As per the survey conducted to calculate the prospects of wheat in the state in the current year, PBW-343 occupies the largest area in the state comprising 87.44 per cent of the total area under wheat cultivation.

The variety, recommended by PAU, has been developed by Dr Govinder Singh Nanda, Director Research.

Dr H.S. Dhaliwal, a scientist at the Department of Economics and Sociology, responsible for compiling the data told Ludhiana Tribune that while the PBW-343 has got such a good response, other varieties of durum wheat, including PBW 34 and PBW-233, were not accepted by the farmers. The area under durum wheat is around 0.05 per cent only.

Dr Dhaliwal said that while most of the farmers in the state had cultivated recommended varieties of wheat only, there was no decline in the total area under cultivation. Calling it a disturbing fact for the experts and agriculturists who were advising the farmers to diversify and shift the area under cultivation from wheat to other crops, the scientist said that last year around 33.60 lakh hectares of area was under wheat cultivation. This year only 1 per cent decline has been registered.

He said it was, however expected that the shift would be much more this time as there was a lot of propaganda done by the scientists as well as agricultural experts in favour of diversification. The recommended varieties were sown on 94.09 per cent area and only 6 per cent was under recommended varieties.

There has been no change in the percentage of farmers who cultivate wheat at the recommended time only as compared to last year. This year 78.04 per cent farmers cultivated wheat during the end of October to the mid-November while last year it was 78.34 per cent.

In what may come as a shock to the water conservationists, around 80 per cent of farmers apply irrigation to wheat 3-5 times in the season, while only 6.24 per cent irrigated it six times. Only 14 per cent irrigated the crop for less than thrice.

The survey also reveals that only 9 per cent of farmers applied insecticide and pesticides against the sucking pests with only 8 per cent applying once and 0.05 per cent applying twice. The most used herbicide by the farmers was Isoproton followed by Leader, Isoproton + 2,4-D and Topik. Around 84.59 per cent farmers used herbicides and the rest did not use any herbicide at all.

EDUCATION

SDP college girls win debate
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, February 5
The district unit of the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) organised an inter-college debate at Kamla Lohtia Sanatan Dharam College here today.

Teams from six colleges, including SCD Government College, Arya College for Boys, Arya College for Women, SDP College for Women, Government College for Women and the host college participated. The topic of the debate was ‘Is education being saffronised’. Each college was represented by two students — one speaking for the motion and the other against it.

Balwinder Kaur and Ruchi Sharma, both students of the SDP College for Women won the first prize. The team of Sumedha Bhandari and Kinneri from the Arya College for Women was declared second. Balwinder Kaur from SDP College also won the first prize in individual performance. Rajesh Sethi from SCD Government College received second prize in individual performance.

The district president, Sandeep Kapoor, secretary, Mohit Goyal, president of the host college, Rana Chand, and secretary of the host college, Nikhil Jain, organised the contest. The programme was presided over by the college principal, Mr B.D. Budhiraja. Mr Satya Prakash, former Mayor, was the chief guest. Prof Rajinder Bhandari, senator and syndic of Panjab University, was the guest of honour.

PCCTU postpones rally
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, February 5
The Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers’ Union has postponed its district-level rally by one day which earlier was scheduled to be held tomorrow. The venue has also been changed to GGN Khalsa College, Civil Lines.

Stating this in a press note, Prof K.B.S. Sodhi, president of the union, said while earlier the rally was scheduled to be held tomorrow at the Panjab University Extension Library, it would now proceed from the college towards the office of the Deputy Commissioner. He said the schedule had been changed as several members of the union were participating in election rehearsals which would continue till tomorrow.

Professor Sodhi said all members of the joint action committee, including the Managements’ Federation, the Principals’ Federation and the Non-teaching Employees Union, were likely to participate in the rally.

Colourful show by tiny tots
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, February 5
Fancy dress contest and prize distribution marked the annual function of Tiny Tulips Play Way School, Asha Puri, here today.

Kids dressed up in colourful costumes depicted various aspects of Indian culture. They acted as air hostesses, fairies, British policemen and enigma. They were carrying placards reading ‘Stop smoking before it smokes you’ and ‘Save our environment’. Tiny tots dressed up as bear, monkey, tiger and leopard come on the stage to depict a scene of jungle.

The best student award was given to Ishaan Verma. Kshitij Jain performed on ‘Mein nikla gaddi le ke’. Dr Surpreet Kaur, Principal, Mr Vinay Verma and Ms Neeti organised the contest. The prizes were distributed by Mr Bachittar Singh, former District Education Officer, and Dr Gurcharan Singh Rajajung, former Chief Agricultural Officer, Ludhiana.

College teachers’ rallies today
Our Correspondent

Doraha, February 5
The college employees’ protest rallies will be organised in Amritsar, Batala, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Muktsar, Bathinda, Barnala, Patiala and Chandigarh on February 6 and in Ludhiana on February 7, according to a press note issued by Prof Kuldip Singh and Prof Parminder Singh, district president and secretary, respectively, of the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union, here today.

These rallies have been organised jointly by management committees, principals, teachers and non-teaching employees of colleges. Leaders of various political parties, students and parents will also be invited to join in the protest.

They said a Save Education March of Ludhiana district teachers would begin on February 7 from Gujranwala Guru Nanak Khalsa College for Boys in Civil Lines here. Teachers would, then, submit a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner in his office. “The rally is aimed at raising support against the anti-higher-education policies of the SAD-BJP government. Decisions taken after long teachers’ struggles are not implemented in spite of repeated assurances. Teachers want an immediate implementing of pension and gratuity scheme, release of pending grants under 95 per cent grant-in-aid scheme, release of arrears for teaching and non-teaching employees and revision of pays of staff of unaided and aided colleges.

Promises galore on campus, too
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, February 5
The election scene has picked up in Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) with various candidates seeking the support of the faculty and employees.

Mr Malkiat Singh Birmi, Congress candidate from Ludhiana Rural, today assured the scientists of the university that if the Congress came to power then not even a single inch of land would be taken from the university research farms in Ludhiana for commercial exploitation. He said he would take up problems of the employees and teachers with the university authorities soon. He regretted that it was for the first time that the university was facing a financial crunch. The university was diverting the amount of subscription of Employees’ Provident Fund to pay the salaries.

Mr Harnam Das Johar, another Congress candidate from Ludhiana West, has assured the teachers and employees that the Congress will look into all problems.