Seminar on farm machinery
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, July 2
Dr I.K.Garg, Professor and Head, Department of Farm Power and Machinery, PAU, has stressed that only durable and high-quality machinery can meet the challenges of sustainable agriculture and conserve resources.

Dr Garg was addressing a meeting of the Agricultural Implements Manufacturers Association on PAU campus. He said that agricultural machinery can play a great role in reducing the cost of production provided it is efficiently manufactured and used. The farmers also need to be educated about the correct use of machinery.

Mr Janmeja Singh Johl, a former student of the PAU who has done work in identifying the indigenous innovative agricultural practices, advised the agricultural machinery manufacturers not to run away from their social responsibility by concentrating on profits only.

Mr Baldev Singh Moga, president of the Agricultural Implements Manufacturers Association, thanked the agricultural engineers of the PAU for their constant guidance. Mr Baldev Singh agreed with the suggestions of Mr Janmeja Singh Johl that henceforth their advertisement will also include important technical information relevant to the farmers.

PAU scientist elected
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, July 2
Dr D.S. Taneja, Senior Research Engineer of the Department of Soil and Water Engineering, PAU, has been elected vice-president of the Indian Society of Agricultural Engineers which is a professional society of agricultural engineers at the national level having headquarters in New Delhi.

Dr Taneja has done his Ph.D in soil and water engineering from PAU here. He has written 36 research papers and four book manuals. He is Principal Investigator of two ICAR research projects. He is known for his expertise on tubewells and pumps. At present, he is involved in ground water recharge as Punjab is facing severe problem of declining water table. He has developed various equipments such as safety device for diesel engines, reflux valve for tubewells etc. He is a member of the pumps committee in the Bureau of Indian Standards.

Earlier, the Indian Society of Agricultural Engineers had awarded him the Shankar Memorial for Excellence in research.

The Pumpo Manufacturers Association of Punjab had also honoured him for his contribution in quality upgradation centrifugal pumps. He had been Director of Soil and Water Engineering, Indian Society of Agricultural Engineers, during 2000-02. Dr Taneja has also been on foreign assignment with the government of Algeria for four years under the Indo-Algerian Scientific and Technical Cooperation Agreement.

COURTS

Car company told to refund booking amount 
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 2
In an ex parte order, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed Pal Peugeot Limited to pay Rs 25,000 on account of booking amount along with interest as per terms and conditions of the booking from the date of booking up to November 5, 1998, to Dr Ramesh Chander Bhatia, a resident of Civil Lines. The forum further directed the company to pay interest on the booking amount of Rs 25,000 at the rate of 15 per cent per annum from November 6, 1998, till the actual date of payment. According to the complaint, the consumer booked a Peugeot 309 car with the company on October 28, 1995, and deposited the booking amount of Rs 25,000 through a bank draft.

The consumer disclosed that the opposite party failed to launch the car as promised and considerable time had passed. He said that after waiting for a long time, he requested the company to cancel the booking and refund the deposit.

The forum observed that according to the documents produced by the consumer, he had booked a car with the company and deposited Rs 25,000 and after that the consumer had sent registered notices for cancellation of booking.

The forum further observed that as per a reply of the company, it had received the request of the consumer regarding the cancellation of the booking. The forum further said that in the said letter the company had stated that it was having temporary financial problems and was trying to overcome the same. The company had requested the consumer to bear with it and to give more time for the refund of the booking amount.

The forum held that there was clear liability of the company to refund the booking amount. The forum further stated that the consumer was entitled to the refund of the amount along with interest as per the term and conditions of the booking. Besides, he was also entitled to get interest at the rate of 15 per cent per annum from November 6, 1998 (when the consumer received the reply from the company) till the date of actual payment.