Canada varsity award for Aulakh
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, October 12
Dr Milkha Singh Aulakh, Senior Soil Scientist, Punjab Agricultural University, is the first Indian and perhaps the first alumnus outside North America to be bestowed with the ‘2002 Alumni Honour Award’ by the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada. An individual can get the award only once in a lifetime.

The university is a premier institute of Canada with worldwide reputation in agriculture, engineering and medical sciences and has the distinction of having students and alumni from over 80 countries, including hundreds from India.

Dr Aulakh did his Ph.D at the University of Saskatchewan in 1983 when he was a Canadian Commonwealth Scholar. The distinction has come to him for his research and achievements in the development of economically viable environmental-friendly plant nutrient management technologies for sustainable crop productivity.

His well-hypothesised and meticulously executed research on the balanced nutrition of crops using appropriate source, time and method of fertiliser application has led to improved fertiliser efficacy and environmental benefits by reduced groundwater nitrate contamination and emissions of greenhouse gases causing global warming. His finding pertaining to using reduced fertiliser rates in cropping sequences due to the availability and utilisation of residual fertiliser nutrients led to substantial savings of fertilisers.

The award will be bestowed upon Dr Aulakh at a special ‘media event and award presentation’ function to be organised by the university on October 16.

‘Produce standard cattle feed’
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, October 12
The Director, Dairy Development, Punjab, Dr Parmjit Singh, has warned owners of cattle feed mills against manufacturing the feed without a proper licence. He was speaking at a conference organised by the manufacturing at the Golden Grain Club here yesterday.

Dr Parmjit Singh praised the manufacturers. He said the department would take strict action against the manufacturers who would be found manufacturing sub-standard feed.

The Deputy Director, Dairy Development, Mr Anil Kaura, said to boost the industry the department had recommended to the Chief Minister for abolishing taxes on raw material.

EDUCATION

Protect wildlife, students told
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, October 12
A meeting of the People For Animals’ (PFA) Karuna Club comprising students of USPC Jain Public School was held on the school premises today. The meeting was addressed by the Chief Adviser to the PFA Ludhiana, Mr Radhey Sham Gupta, and president, Dr Sandeep K. Jain. Mr Gupta told the students that the activities of the club would be monitored regularly and the PFA would provide them with the latest information and literature regarding the welfare of animals and wildlife.

Dr Sandeep Jain advised the students to bring small amount of grain from their house and collect it in the school. A pot of water should be made available at an isolated and safe corner of the school, where grain could be spread for birds. By doing so, students would learn about the appearance and habit of birds and would be more friendly towards them.

The students were advised to protect and plant trees like mulberry, banyan, ficus, figs, ber and jamun that provided food and shelter to birds and animals. They were also advised not to waste paper and minimise its use. “Millions of trees are cut to make paper. It can be prevented by saying no to greeting cards,” said Dr Jain.

Students were told not to encourage “madaris” and circus showing animals as the Government of India had banned training and exhibition of bear, monkey, tiger, lion and leopard. Similarly, parrots, birds, deer, snakes, mongoose, tortoise, etc should not be kept in captivity. It was a criminal offence punishable with heavy fine or jail or both. Any offence committed on wildlife must be reported to the wildlife, forest officials or to the police or animal welfare organisations such as the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, People For Animals, Blue Cross, etc.

Ms Neelam Gupta and Ms Sangeeta Gupta, executive members, advised the students not to throw polythene bags or aluminium foil on roads or in open as these could choke cattle, which could result in their death.

Students display models at KVM
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, October 12
A two-day exhibition was opened at Kundan Vidya Mandir, here today. The chief guest was Ms Bhavna Garg, SDM, Ludhiana (East). It was divided into different sections, which displayed the creativity of students.

The science section attracted crowds because of the number of working models. There were chemical volcanoes, fire without flame, soil testing and testing of adulterated food. The models were appreciated. In the physics section all models were working models. Modern railways, intercom electronics letter box and satellite transmission were unique. Elevator and mind-reading machine were the centre of attraction. The biology section consisted of models and tests used in day-to-day life. DNA, finger printing, blood group finding and HB estimation were informative.

The display of bacterial colonies and disposal of wastes were good. The middle sectional and primary section put up charts and models on global warming, useful plants and animals. Testing of sugar, circulatory system, models of heart and brain and models of biosphere, human activities which disturb the balance of nature and eco system and structure of ear showed students’ creativity and hard work. Simple experiments were also conducted. Space station lighthouse and letter alarm were impressive. In the social sciences section, models of different kinds of houses, bridges life in Zaire and Greenland, historical and religious places were exhibited. The Leaning Tower of Pisa and coral reefs along with skyscrapers were the centre of attraction. The defence of India, village life, feudalism in history, the Tomb of Shershah were the other exhibits. The senior section prepared informative models and displayed that included reforms introduced by Britishers, destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, work of a glacier plate tectonic and earthquake.

The entries in the science section included all working models. They were thunder cannon, magic fountain rocket working camera and ice bucket. The innovative exhibit was motor car without pollution and magnetic puppet show. The social sciences exhibits models of the earth’s interior, beauty of Kashmir, national highway and pollution booth.

There were a number of exhibits under art and craft, home science, computer section, audio visual, photography section, language section, primary section, maths section, nursery section exhibited a theme environment, sweet home and zoo.

PU sets up two evaluation centres
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, October 12
Panjab University Chandigarh has set up two centres in Ludhiana to evaluate the scripts of the examination held in September, 2002, of the compartment cases.

Urgency was caused because of poor turnout of the examiners at Chandigarh centres where the evaluation had started from October 3, 2002. In Ludhiana, there are about 125 approved examiners from different colleges for the subject of English. The evaluation started at two new centres which are GGN Khalsa College and Kamla Lotia SD College.

The centres open at 9 a.m. and function till 5 p.m.

According to Prof K. B. S. Sodhi, Head Examiner at the Chandigarh centre, the meagre remuneration is the main cause for teachers abstaining from evaluation duty. 

PAU NCC cadets win drill contest
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, October 12
A combined annual training camp of the NCC was held from September 29 to October 10 at Doraha. Twentythree cadets from the College of Agriculture, PAU, participated in the camp.

Cadets organised a cultural programme and prize distribution function during the camp. Cadets from the college won drill and quiz competition awards. The students were awarded trophies. Dr M.S. Tiwana, Dean, College of Agriculture, who was one of the invitees to the function, congratulated the students.

Fancy dress competition
Our Correspondent

Mandi Gobindgarh, October 12
Gobindgarh Public School organised a mega fancy dress competition at the school auditorium here today. Seventy participants from different sections of the pre-primary wing were dressed up colourfully for the show.

Tiny tots kept audience spellbound with their short dialogues. Some of the outstanding performances were of woodcutter, early man, Meera, and mera-nam-joker, Mother Teresa, Saunpari, Lord Krishna, Miss India and modern milkman, Mr Bahadar Singh, Principal of the school, gave away the prizes and lauded the students for their effort.

The coordinators, Mathew Varghese, S.S. Chemma and Abhinash Kaur, were also present on the occasion.

Following students bagged prizes: Raghav Dhir (pre-nursery), Sukhveer (nursery), Apurvaa Pathak and Gurdeepak Singh (KG) bagged first position. Harsukh (pre-nursery), Sunskshi (nursery), Shreya Singla and Harsimran Kalsi (KG) got second position. Sahaj Singla (Pre-nursery), Rajveer and Rupali Sharma (nursery), Joel C. Mathew, Ria Verma and Sukhleen Kaur (KG) bagged third position.

Sukhpreet Bal wins drawing competition
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, October 12
Sukhpreet Bal, a student of DAV School, has bagged first position in the drawing competition, along with a cash prize of Rs 1,000, organised under the auspices of Akhil Bhartiya Nagrik Vikas Kendra (All Indian Citizens Development Centre), Aurangabad. Schools from different states participated in the event. Besides, Mr R.S. Patial, Principal of DAV School, was awarded “The Ideal Teacher-2002” Award. Mrs Jagjit Bhullar and Mrs Anuradha Kapoor were jointly given “Best Teacher-2002” Award. Sukhpreet Bal and Milind Kwatra were also given “Kalaratna-2002” Award for drawing. Reena Paul was given “Kalaratna-2002 Award” for handwriting.

Results: Drawing: Sukhpreet Bal (DAV Public School, Ludhiana) —first prize Rs 1,000; Vijay Raa (K.L. Arya DAV Public School, Hisar) — second prize Rs 500; Ritika Sethi (SD Public School, New Delhi) — third prize Rs 300 and Krati (Dayawati Modi Academy-1, Meerut) — third prize Rs 300.

Handwriting: Ashtwini Arun Relekar (St. Xavier’s High School, Mumbai) — first prize Rs 1,000; G.K. Vinoth (Jaigopal Garodia Vivekanand Vidyalaya, Chennai) — second prize Rs 500, D.V. Sinha (Vijaya High School, Bangalore) — third prize Rs 300.

Toppers honoured
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, October 12
The Pendu Vikas and Mulazam Bhalai Sanstha honoured the Class V, VIII, X and XII toppers at Siar village on Thursday.

According to Mr Kuldeep Singh, president of the outfit, despite their limited resources, they were working to boost the morale of the children in rural areas. However, the education level and the drop-out rate was alarming, he added.

Those who were awarded for the first position were Lakhwinder Kaur, Kanwaljit Singh, Harmanbir Singh and Shekhar Singla and Manpreet Kaur.

Mobile library from Delhi in city college
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, October 12
A mobile library of the Punjabi Sahit Sabha, New Delhi, arrived on the campus of the GHG Khalsa College of Education, Gurusar Sadhar (Ludhiana), under the guidance of story writer Attarjeet Singh. Dr Jagjit Singh Brar, Principal of the college, requested him to share his views with the students.

He encouraged the would-be teachers to pay greatest regard to Punjabi culture and literature. He spoke against exposure of girls on stage and as labels on goods. He also condemned the role of media in “spoiling” cultural values.

Dasehra celebrations by kids
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, October 12
Tiny tots of Kiddies Paradise, Kochar Market, celebrated Dasehra with great fervour and enthusiasm here yesterday. The scene of Lord Rama in exile was enacted by Sahil, while Ibna played Sita and Pushkar Zhulne played Laxman.

Hanuman, played by Aman, delighted all with his utterances “Jai Siya-Ram”. Other children dressed up as Dashrath, Bharat, Kaushalaya, and Kekai also kept the audience spellbound.