President to inaugurate kisan mela
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 28
At a meeting of senior officials of Punjab Agricultural University held under the chairmanship of Dr Kirpal Singh Aulakh, Vice-Chancellor, a detailed programme pertaining to the visit of the President to the campus on September 4 was chalked out.

Dr Aulakh pointed out that it was for the first time in the history of PAU that the head of the Indian Republic was visiting the university. He said that the Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, would inaugurate the kisan mela and address the farming community. He would also inaugurate the building of Punjab Agricultural Management and Extension Training Institute (PAMETI) which has been built with funds provided under the National Agricultural Technology Project (NATP), he added.

Dr Aulakh appealed to the scientists to consider this visit of the President as a privilege as well as a challenge. He asked them to prepare pictorial charts and illustrations for the kisan mela, besides putting up the latest mechanical equipment developed by the university in the field of agriculture.

Later, Dr J.S. Kolar, Director, Extension Education, held a meeting of the conveners of the various subcommittees entrusted with the job of making arrangements for an agro-industrial exhibition, sale of seeds, field demonstrations, publicity, question-answer session, sale of farm literature, produce competitions, lodging and cafeteria arrangements for the farmers. He revealed that the booking of the stalls for agro-industrial exhibition would begin around the first week of August.

Students not aware of new courses
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 28
Though there is a variety of new courses available for students these days, still they opt for traditional courses like the medical, non-medical, commerce streams and courses related to business administration like BBA, BCA, MCA and the most glamorous of them all, MBA.

No wonder there is a lot of rush for admission to these courses. Since the cut-off percentage for these courses is high, students who fail to get admission to these courses feel disappointed.

The school and the college authorities have failed to provide much-needed information about new courses to students. In the absence of any such institute in the city which can guide them about these new courses, students are groping in the dark.

But they need not despair as admissions are still on for several of these courses. The admission notices for motel and resort management and culinary specialists are appearing in several newspapers.

There are institutes offering air hostess/ flight steward/ hotel executive courses while other offers B.Sc in tourism and airlines management. Some offer courses in conference business management, kitchen designing, medical transcriptions and environmental engineering.

Those good in languages can take up the job of translators, can join mass media, animation, photography and script writing, editing courses. They can opt to become graphic designers or art directors.

Since the entertainment industry is doing well these days, the students with ear for music can take up training for DJ’s and VJ’s. Event Management is a big thing coming up these days. There are institutes teaching event management courses.

The need of the hour is to join those vocational courses that allow students to earn while they learn. Such courses could be fashion photography, fashion designing, fashion forecaster, tailoring.

Those with good communication skills can join local channels as anchors, news reporter. The call centres too, offer good opportunities of earning money.

Students with love for nature can look for a career in landscaping. People are very interested in getting landscapes done not only for their factories, farm houses, but for their homes. Jobs are also available for those interested in preserving environment.

Many are specialising in the art of making fountains.

Those good in drawing can take up a career in cartoons making, illustrations and use their talent in designing advertisements. Courses in music, instrument and vocals are good too.

Parneet wins science contest
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 28
Only 12 students participated in the District Science Seminar organised for schools falling in the Ludhiana West constituency at Singh Sabha Public School, Model Town, here today.

The participating schools, included Government Senior Secondary School, Chhapar, Sacred Heart Convent Senior Secondary School at Sarabha Nagar, Guru Nanak Public School, Gujranwala Guru Nanak Public School, BCM Arya Model Senior Secondary School at Shastri Nagar and Government Model Senior Secondary School, Punjab Agricultural University.

Two students represented a school and spoke on the topic ‘Powered flight — a century of innovations and future of aviation’. The students were told to speak on the topic for six minutes in English, Punjabi or Hindi.

Out of the total 100 marks that were to be allocated, 40 marks were for content, 25 for methodology of speaking, 10 for written test that was held on the topic prior to the seminar, 10 for the question answer round held after the speech and 15 on the visuals and illustrations used by the student during the seminar.

All prizes were clinched by the students from private schools as the government school students failed to compete with them. Parneet Kaur Wander, a student of Sacred Heart Convent Senior Secondary School bagged the first position. Kirat Anand of BCM Arya Model Senior Secondary School was declared second. Manpreet Kaur from GGN Public School and Raghav Kansal from Sacred Heart Senior Secondary School shared the third prize. Consolation prize was won by Prabhjot Singh from Guru Nanak Public School.

Panel of judges included Mr Balwinder Singh, lecturer of physics, Government Senior Secondary School, Hargobindpura, Mr Harvinder Singh, also a physics lecturer from Ramgarhia Boys’ Senior Secondary School, and Ms Tejinder Kaur, lecturer of biology from Government Senior Secondary School, Jandiali.

Mr Ranjit Singh, Headmaster, Government High School, Salem Tabri, conducted the contest. He said the top two students in today’s contest would participate in the district level to be held at Government Model Senior Secondary School on July 30. 

COURTS

10-year RI for two drug-peddlers
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 28
A city court has sentenced two drug peddlers to 10-year rigorous imprisonment under the NDPS Act. A fine of Rs 1 lakh each has also been imposed on them. The accused were found in the possession of 3.79 quintal of poppy husk.

Delivering the verdict, Mr J.S.Bhatia, Additional Sessions Judge, held: “The prosecution has successfully proved that the accused, Pritpal Singh, alias Pappa (33), and Avtar Singh (30) of Pawa Khagat village were found in possession of huge quantity of poppy husk.” The judge declined the plea of leniency by the accused. A co-accused, Nirmal Singh, has been declared proclaimed offender.

The judge held that the truck used in transporting bags of poppy husk shall be confiscated by the state. He also ordered the destruction of narcotics after the expiry of the period of filing appeal. The accused were booked under Section 15 of the NDPS Act, at the Sahnewal police station in 2000.

According to the prosecution, a police party received secret information that Pritpal, his brother Avtar and his brother-in-law Nirmal Singh were selling poppy husk. The police received information that they were to pass Budhewal in a truck that was carrying poppy husk. The police set up naka to nab them and on spotting the police party, the accused stopped the truck and ran away. The police searched the truck and seized 11 gunny bags of poppy husk.

Later the accused were nabbed by the police. However, during trial they pleaded innocence and claimed false implication. However finding them guilty in light of the evidence adduced by the prosecution, the court awarded them rigorous imprisonment.