AGRICULTURE

BT not zero-spray cotton: PAU
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, February 14
The BT cotton trials conducted by Punjab Agricultural University have shown that the use of sprays to check the attack of bollworm (American Sundi) on cotton can be reduced, but not given up permanently.

Cotton breeders and entomologists of Punjab Agricultural University tested the BT cotton hybrids MECH-915, MECH-162, RCH-134 and RCH-138 at the university research station in 2002. These hybrids were compared with the non-BT varieties and standard hybrid LHH-144, recommended in the state for cultivation.

According to Dr Darshan Singh, Additional Director Research (Agriculture), and Dr Joginder Singh, Professor and Head of the PAU Department of Entomology, out of these, MECH-915 and MECH-162 proved susceptible to attack from cotton-leaf-curl virus vectored by whitefly. These BT hybrids yielded less seed cotton than the standard LHH-144.

However, the reduction in sprays against bollworms was about more than 66 per cent, whereas, the REC-134 and REC-138 BT hybrids proved tolerant to cotton-leaf-curl virus and caused 100 per cent reduction in insecticide spraying. Both hybrids out yielded significantly when compared with the non-BT hybrids, including the LHH-144.

Dr Darshan Singh and Dr Joginder Singh said the BT cotton did not require spraying, but it was also not a no-spray cotton — which is confusing. The BT cotton, they say, is not a particular variety, but a type of cotton that carries a special gene derived from soil-born bacterium bacillus thuringiensis, hence the name “Bt”. The gene can be added to any other crop like maize, rice, wheat or any living organism through genetic engineering to produce genetically modified organisms (GMOs) or transgenics.

The added BT cotton bacterium gene produces a special type of protein called cry protein. This cotton has the distinct characteristic of protection against bollworm. As the characteristic is embedded in the seed, it always remains in the plant, making it able to fight pest attack.

While there is an all-time availability of resistance mechanism in the Bt-based plants, insecticides cannot be applied when it rains or when strong winds blow. These factors reduce the effectiveness of insecticides. The effectiveness also gets reduced due to poor quality, faulty spray equipment, wrong spraying method and the vagaries of nature. The BT toxin, on the other hand, is free of such shortcomings.

The experts say that, this combination of the strengths of the bacterium and the cotton plant, the BT technology provides farmers with an effective control against pests. The inherent tracts of the genotype, like its resistance to sucking pests, diseases, plant geometry, fruiting pattern and fibre qualities, are equally important for a successful exploitation of the BT technology.

Dr Darshan Singh and Dr Joginder Singh say that another aspect of the BT cotton is that it does not give a 100 per cent protection against bollworm. In case of a high pest population, the BT gene alone may not be effective in checking the loss. In such cases, a little spraying might be needed. However, spraying is definitely reduced in case of low pest population.

New company for procurement
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, February 14
The Punjab Government has decided to set up a corporation or a company to ensure smooth procurement of paddy and wheat in the state. The new organisation will work under the Punjab Food and Civil Supplies Department.

The need for setting up the new organisation has been felt after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) raised objections to the misuse of funds (cash credit limit) granted for the procurement of paddy and wheat.

The RBI sanctions funds worth more than Rs 6,000 crore twice a year for the procurement of the two major crops of the state. The state official agencies, namely Markfed, Punsup, Punjab State Warehousing Corporation and the Punjab Agro-Industries Corporation, have been making procurement of foodgrains along with the state Food and Civil Supplies Department and Food Corporation of India.

The state official agencies, except the Food and Civil Supplies Department have been transacting the food procurement business through the banks while the state Food and Civil Supplies Department has to transact through the state treasury. So all funds allocated to the department were deposited with the state treasure.

The sources close to the state government admit that the funds were used for some other purposes than the procurement of wheat and paddy... and as a result the Punjab Government became defaulter of the banks too. The RBI is reported to have objected to the diversion of funds and has shown reluctance to sanction further cash credit limit for the procurement of paddy and wheat.

Mr K.R. Lakhanpal, Principal Secretary, Finance, Punjab, when contacted confirmed that the Finance Department had advised the State Food and Civil Supplies Department to set up a corporation or a company to do procurement of foodgrains through the banks independently.

IIM comes to Ludhiana
Naveen S. Garewal
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, February 14
Management courses from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Kozhikode, XLRI Jamshedpur, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) and the Western International University, USA, will now be available to residents of Ludhiana through an interactive classroom set up in the city, the first of its kind in Punjab, using a satellite broadband technology. professors at these renowned management institutions would be able to deliver lectures and respond to students in a two-way interaction through satellite.

This has become possible following the launch of the DirecWay Global Education platform by Hughes Escorts Communications Limited (HECL) today. The management institutes would now be able to provide distance management education. Currently, education courses based on this platform are delivered in 25 classrooms across 16 cities in India.

Speaking to The Tribune, Mr Amit Tripathi, Vice-President, DirecWay Global Education, said: “We identified Ludhiana as a key centre because the town is the centre for industrial activity in the state as well as an accredited centre of education. We believe that our portfolio of management courses will attract tremendous interest and participation from students and managers interested in obtaining world-class management degrees in Ludhiana itself.”

On the vision for the education platform, he said: “Hughes has become an end-to-end infrastructure provider of quality higher education over the satellite broadband across India”.

The programmes would allow a single instructor sitting at the studio to address hundreds of students located at scores of locations. The combination of video, voice and data was broadcast to all classrooms/students simultaneously. The students could interact with the instructor using a high-end multimedia personal computer as the primary interface.

The technology platform is supplemented by the DirecWay Global Education website through which reference material could be made available to the students. The students could learn at their own pace by using a combination of online, real-time lectures, session archives, downloadable material at the portal and scheduled interactions with the faculty.

PCTE's Ehsaas-2003 on February 21
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, February 14
The Punjab College of Technology Education will organise its fourth annual one-day inter college literary-cum-cultural festival "Ehsaas-2003" on February 21. The function will be inaugurated by Dr Y.S. Rajan, Vice-Chancellor, Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar, and Adviser, Government of Punjab, at 9 a.m.

The festival will comprise eight literary, six cultural and three fine arts events. Literary events will include Picto, JAM, quiz, press conference whereas cultural events will include solo dance, choreography, group dance, fashion show, duet song and fine arts events will consist of face-painting, sketching and flower arrangement.

Portfolio Management - a mock-stock exchange activity - will be organised in which the participating teams will be given hypothetical amounts to make investments on the basis of news flashed on the screen.

The software for the portfolio management game has been developed by the students of the PCTE.

The participants will be allowed to take part only in two events out of three selected literary and cultural events.

In all, there will be 17 events in which 35 teams from regional management and technical colleges as well as the adjoining states of Punjab are expected to take part.

Last year, in Sunrise Ehsaas-2002, 27 teams from Punjab and adjoining states participated. Teams from Chandigarh, Jalandhar, Patiala, Dinanagar, Ambala, Sangrur, and Fatehgarh Sahib took part.

UN award for Montessori School
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, February 14
When I started a Montessori School three decades ago, I had to advertise for students to enroll but no one came. My wife and I prayed for when everything fails, only they help. She went to a neighbour’s house and narrated my tale of woes. She was told that they had five small children in their house and they would send them, Mr Jagdish Gandhi said.

The school has now more than 26,000 students and has gained entry into the Guiness Book of Records for being the largest school. It also received the UNESCO Peace Education Award for 2002 and got $33,000 as prize money.

Mr Gandhi was in the city to address the international students’ conference on volunteering for peace and social Engineering that is being organised by Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle at the PAU. The three-day conference ended recently.

He said: “I believe that only a worldwide movement can generate peace for peace in one region will not be enough. For this, the unification of mankind is essential.

“Unity must be the goal of humanity. The fetish for state sovereignty must be abandoned to enjoy lasting peace. We must recognise the oneness of relationships. The artificial barriers maintained by armies around the globe are actually a hindrance to peace.” He said children school be taught about the oneness of humankind. Peace education should be included in school syllabi.

COURTS

Two accused of attack on cops acquitted
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, February 14
The Additional Sessions Judge-Mr S.M.S Mahal has acquitted Mal Singh(55) of Malerkotla from charges of launching a murderous attack on a police party in June, 1994. He has also been acquitted in an Arms Act case. Co-accused Anil Kumar of Shivpuri had already been acquitted by the court.

According to the prosecution, the then Inspector, Mr Sarup Singh, ASI Gurmail Singh, Balbir Singh, Kulwinder Singh and other police officials had held a naka at the canal bridge in Ayali Khurd village. At 9 p.m., the police party signalled them to stop, but the accused opened fire on the police party. The police officials returned the fire, which continued for 10 minutes. Ultimately, the accused surrendered.

They were booked under Section-307 and 34 of the IPC and 25 of the Arms Act at the Sadar police station on June 16, 1994.

After hearing the rival contentions raised by the prosecution and defence, the judge held: “The prosecution story does not inspire confidence because the accused were alleged to have been surrounded by the police from three sides and about 20 shots were fired by the police officials from their respective weapons but surprisingly neither any of the accused nor any of the police official were injured. Therefore, the charge under Section 307 of the IPC cannot stand against the accused.’’

The judge acquitted the accused with the remarks that the prosecution had not been able to establish the guilt of the accused beyond any reasonable shadow of doubt.