Experts warn against early paddy sowing
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 6
In a message to the farmers of the state, eminent agricultural experts have warned them against early sowing of paddy. In a joint statement, Dr Kirpal Singh Aulakh, Vice-Chancellor, PAU, and former vice-chancellors Dr Gurcharan Singh Kalkat, Dr S.S. Johl, Dr Sukhdev Singh, Dr Khem Singh Gill and Dr Amarjit Singh Khehra have expressed serious concern over the reports about the sowing of paddy by some farmers in the first week of April.

Experts opined that by resorting to early sowing farmers would waste precious underground water. If the trend continued, the underground water in upper layers would soon get depleted . As a result, centrifugal pumps would have to be replaced by submersible pumps to draw water from the deeper layers.

The experts have also forewarned that the procurement of paddy will start from the first week of October and the Punjab Government is of the view that the date of procurement of paddy this year will not be postponed.

Moreover, the paddy sown early is more likely to be damaged by rains and high moisture content because there are more chances of rains during the month of September.

Experts’ advice for farmers
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 6
PAU sugarcane experts have reminded farmers that the month of May is the appropriate time for controlling weeds in planted as well as ratooned sugarcane crop by giving hoeings. Due to prevailing hot weather conditions, sugarcane crop required frequent irrigation. Apply 65 kg urea per acre to ratooned crop.

Moisture conservation may be done by spreading mulch in between cane rows. Use rice straw, wheat straw or rice husk for mulch. This also checks the growth of weeds. For checking attack of black bug, spray 350 ml of thiodan 35 EC or dursban 20 EC mixed in 200 litres of water.

Sugarcane mite can be checked by spraying 400 ml of malathion 50EC mixed in 100 litres of water per acre. To destroy Baru, spray the crop with 400 ml of Malathion 50 EC or 350 ml of thiodan 35 EC mixed in 10 litres of water for every acre. Sometimes iron deficiency appears in ratoon and plant crops. Deficiency symptoms first appear in young leaves and yellow strips are seen between green veins. Later the veins also turn yellow. To control this, spray the crop with 1 kg ferrous sulphate dissolved in 100 litres of water on the foliage. Two to three sprays at weekly intervals are sufficient.

GNCE professor honoured
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 6
His dedication towards his work and commitment towards students has borne fruit for Dr S.P. Tayal, a Professor in Guru Nanak College of Engineering, who has brought laurels to the city. Dr Tayal has been conferred with the prestigious Rashtriya Ratan Shiromani Award by the Madhya Pradesh Government for his outstanding contributions in the field of engineering research and teaching.

Dr Tayal was given the award on April 27 in Bhopal on the occasion of an All India Conference on, “Economic Recession and its Remedies” by the Minister for Technical Education and Human Resource Development, Mr Raja Pateria.

The award constitutes a memento and a citation that reads that he has been awarded for his higher education and greater experience as a senior educationist and for providing exemplary guidance to students in evolving engineering projects, their examinations and helping students write their thesis on industrial production and help them receive acknowledgement and honours in conferences and sponsored programmes of many technical universities all over India.

He has also gained wide knowledge in industrial statistics, operation, research, instrumentation works and many other courses requiring skill including the most sophisticated cryogenic technology. His work has been acknowledged widely, as he has been instrumental in shaping educational techniques for NITs and for writing technical books and research.

Dr Tayal has authored around six books on engineering design and production and more than 100 papers written by him have been published in national and international journals. He has been instrumental in bringing in maximum grants from All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) and the Chairman of Board of Studies and Production of Punjab Technical University.

PCCTU decision on affidavits
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 6
Urging upon the teachers to cooperate with the government in eradicating the evil of private tuitions, the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers’ Union (PCCTU) has decided to furnish joint undertakings on plain papers by the unit members of different colleges in place of affidavits as demanded by some colleges A decision in this regard was taken at a meeting of the executive committee of the PCCTU yesterday at SD College, Pathankot.

The PCCTU also demanded the returning of affidavits obtained from PCCTU members in some colleges under coercion and threats. It was felt that affidavits being demanded in different formats in different colleges only created mistrust and doubts in the minds of teachers. The union urged pro-establishment forces not to mislead teachers and trick them into signing affidavits with the intention of keeping them in a perpetual state of servility and insecurity.

The union would not protect anyone indulging in private tuitions, but at the same time it would not allow exploitation of its members, union members said.

Books distributed among students
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 6
For helping the needy school students, the Ludhiana Welfare Society (LWS) distributed free books among a large number of students in a function organised especially for them here today at Gurdwara Singh Sabha, Prem Nagar, Ghumar Mandi.

Former member of legislative assembly Bikramjeet Singh Khalsa was the chief guest on the occasion. While addressing the students and others, he said: “These school students are our future. It is the responsibility of the society to financially help the underprivileged and talented students who cannot complete their studies just because they are poor.”

Mr Manjit Singh Matharoo, president, LWS said: “A large number of students at this point of time need financial assistance to complete the secondary and higher education.” The others present on this occasion were Dr Harpreet Kaur Khalsa, chairman, Talented Women’s Research Centre, and Mr Ravinder Sehgal, president, Ludhiana Nagar Sudhar Sabha.