Sow disease-resistant varieties of okra
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, June 5
Vegetable experts of PAU, here have advised farmers to start sowing okra lady’s-finger and use varieties Punjab-8, Punjab-7 resistant to yellow-vein mosaic virus. Apply 40 kg CAN, 100 kg superphosphate and 25 kg muriate of potash per acre. To the crop sown for seed-production purpose, apply 4 kg Thimet 10 G at the time of sowing. For controlling weeds use stomp 30 EC 2 1 litre as pre-emergence or Basal in 750 ml per acre as pre-plant (before sowing) application. Dissolve either herbicide in 200 litres of water.

The standing vegetable crop should be irrigated once a week. However, in light soils, the interval may be reduced to four to five days. Vegetable growers should also spray 75-150 g Sevin/Hexavin in 50 WP in 50-100 litre of water against red pumpkin beetle on cucurbits or apply once, just after germination 2.75 kg of Furadan 3 G/acre 3-4 cm deep in soil near bases of the plants and irrigate.

Plan to open 400 schools
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, June 5
“The Art of Living Foundation has launched a mission of setting up hundreds of progressive education schools all over the country to be named Sri Sri Ravishankar Vidya Mandirs.

These schools will set new standards in children’s education in the country”, said Amita Chopra, chairperson of Sri Sri Ravishankar Vidya Mandir. According to her, the foundation is already running a school in Jagjit Nagar using the new methodology. They plan to open 400 schools this year.

Amita said the schools would be based on the philosophy that “nothing can be taught” and that the teacher is not there to teach and instruct, but to guide, facilitate, and to enable learning.

“Intelligent learning happens when the learner senses that whatever he/she learns is real and of significance to him/her. This will be the guiding principle of education in Sri Sri Ravishankar Vidya Mandir, said Amita. In their school, the syllabus of the CBSE is followed and the NCERT books are used but the difference lies in teaching.

DYC seeks probe into PTU working
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, June 5
In a memorandum to the Chief Minister, the District Youth Congress (Urban) has sought vigilance probe into the working of PTU.

Mr Parminder Mehta, president, said there had been mushroom growth of PTU colleges, most of which offer non-recognised professional and job-oriented courses. He has also demanded probe into running of non-recognised MCA course in the Khasla Institute of Management and Technology, Civil Lines, where 28 students have been made to attend classes and take examination for a year without having received a notification from the government.

Investment firm penalised
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, June 5
In an ex-parte order, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed, Arihant Industries to pay Rs 12,000 to Mr Baldev Raj and his wife, Bimla Rani, residents of Urban Estate, Focal Point. The forum also directed the firm to pay interest on the said amount at the rate of 15 per cent per annum from April 1, 2001, till actual payment along with Rs 500 as cost of litigation to the consumers.

According to the complaint, the consumers had invested money in the fixed deposit scheme of the respondent and they continued to get benefit of the FD receipts by way of interest. The complainant alleged that the respondent failed to make the payment of the interest as two cheques issued to him on March 25 and April 1, 2001, were dishonoured. Despite many requests and persuasion, the respondent did not make the payment.

The forum observed that the FDRs were issued by the firm and the said cheques issued to the consumers, were dishonoured.