The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Good monsoon improves water table
K.S. Chawla

Ludhiana, October 14
Good monsoon this year has helped in checking the declining water table and benefitted the kharif crop — rice, maize and sugarcane — the yield of which was expected to be favourable. The rainfall in the state this season, from June 1 to September 30, was 481 mm, which was normal.

According to Dr Lal Singh Brar, Head, Department of Agronomy and Agrometeorology, Punjab Agricultural University, the data recorded at PAU observatory indicated that 2003 had been a year of normal rainfall. This year, Ludhiana received 50 mm rainfall during June (-24 per cent), 181 mm during July (-22 per cent), 298 mm during August (+65 per cent) and 52 mm during September (-49 per cent). During the months of June, July and September rainfall was less than the normal but during August it was above normal. A rainfall of 581 mm was received during the current monsoon period, which was 291 mm, 847 mm and 540 mm during 2002, 2001 and 2000, respectively.

Dr Brar said 34 rainy days were observed during the season against a normal of 27 days, which were uniformly distributed over the monsoon season. This year, the rainfall was also very well distributed with seven rainy days in June, 13 in July, 11 in August and three in September.

The monsoon covered the entire country on July 5 and many parts of the country received good monsoon showers, which provided relief from the prevailing moisture stress.

Due to evenly distributed rainfall, the performance of kharif crop was good, said Dr Brar.

PAU NOTES
MoU signed to digitalise research material
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, October 14
Taking a lead in making digital libraries, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between the Vice-Chancellor of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) and Punjab Technical University (PTU) for providing research documents of the former to the latter’s scanning centre established at the GJ Institute of Management and Technology, SAS Nagar. The PTU, in turn, will digitalise and upload the research material on its website and make it available at any time and location.

The PTU has undertaken Universal Digital Library Project (UDL), being coordinated by Carneige Mellon University (CMU), USA, and IISC, Bangalore. Under the project, the PTU has established three scanning centres at GJIMT, SAS Nagar, Guru Nanak Engineering College, Ludhiana, Baba Banda Singh Engineering College, Fatehgarh Sahib where books and documents will be scanned, digitalised and uploaded on the website.

The UDL project aims at scanning and web-hosting one million books before 2005, preserving digital data at PTU, IISC and CMU.

Dr S.C. Uppal, librarian, PAU, and Mr Sukhbir Singh Walia, Project Manager, UDL at PTU, will work as coordinators on behalf of the PAU and PTU, respectively. The first lot of 100 PhD theses has been handed over to Mr J.S. Bedi, chairman, GJIMT, by the university authorities for its digitalisation.

Basmati rice: A field day on basmati rice was organised by the Department of Agronomy and Agrometeorology, PAU, at Bhalaipur Purba village in Amritsar under the theme ‘Sustaining productivity of rice wheat system and some of its alternatives which was funded by Sir Ratan Tata Trust, Mumbai. The project was aimed at shifting areas from rice-wheat system to other crops like basmati rice, summer groundnut and maize during the rabi season.

A team consisting of Dr L.S. Brar, Dr M.S. Sidhu, Dr Sat Paul Mehra and Dr R.K. Bhatia from the PAU and District Extension Specialists from Amritsar explained the importance of crop diversification to farmers because of receding groundwater level. Dr J.S. Kolar, Director of Extension Education, PAU, was the chief guest. The progarmme was attended by more than 300 farmers.

US scientists to visit PAU: A high-powered delegation from Nigeria and the USA will visit Punjab Agricultural University. On October 15, a team from Nigeria will take a round of the grain market of Khanna. On October 16, the same team will visit the engineering research hall, Department of Agrometeorology and the Department of Farm, Power and Machinery. the team will interact with the scientists of the university. Dr G.S. Nanda, Director, Research, said that on October 17, a team of four economists will visit the Department of Economics and interact with the scientists here.

FROM COLLEGES
Sukhmeet tops in declamation contest
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, October 14
The Asian Club unit of Ramgarhia Girls’ College organised inter-college poetry, essay and declamation contests here today. The function started with the recitation of shabad, ‘Deh Shiva bar mohe ihai’. The contests were held in the memory of Giani Bhagat Singh, who was the chairman of the college trust. The function was presided over by Giani Jagat Singh, president of the trust. Mr Ranjodh Singh, joint secretary, was the guest of honour.

In the essay writing contest, Gurkirat Kaur of the Guru Nanak Khalsa College for Women was declared first. Sakshi Gupta of the same college stood second and Anjani Nayyar of Ramgarhia Girls’ College was declared third.

In poetry recitation competition, Sumeet Gupta of SCD Government College bagged the first prize. Arshpreet of Ramgarhia Girls’ College won second prize and Pooja of the SDP College for Women was declared third. Consolation prizes went to Aditi of DD Jain College and Nikhil of SCD Government College.

Among the participants of declamation contest, Sukhmeet Gupta of SCD Government College clinched the first prize, Tripti of the Malwa Khalsa College of Education stood second and Poonam of the Guru Nanak Khalsa College for Women stood third. Consolation prizes went to Harmanjeet Singh of Guru Nanak Homoeopathic College.

The first, second and third prize winners were given cash prizes of Rs 500, Rs 300 and Rs 200, respectively. In the special category of essay writing contest on the life and works of Giani Bhagat Singh, the first cash prize of Rs 1,000 was won by Lakhbir Kaur of Ramgarhia Girls’ College. The overall trophy went to SCD Government College. Gurpreet Kaur of Ramgarhia Girls’ College won the first prize in special category of poetry recitation and Shelly Sood won the prize in declamation contest, Both won a cash prize of Rs 1000 each.

Blood donation camp: The NSS unit of the Guru Nanak Institute of Management and Technology, Model Town, organised a blood donation camp on its campus here on Tuesday.

As many as 40 students participated in the camp. The blood donated by the students wll be used to help the patients of thalassaemia. The camp was organised with aid of the Red Cross Society. Dr Amarjit Kaur, Professor and Head, Department of Transfusion Medicine, Dayanand Medical College, sent a team of doctors to conduct the camp. Among those present were Dr Hitish Narang, Dr Reena Singla from blood bank and Dr Parveen Sobti from thalassaemia group. The camp was organised under the leadership of the Ms Rajni Luthra, coordinator of NSS unit.

Dr A.S. Bansal, Director of GNIMT, remarked that such activities created a spirit of civil consciousness among the students. He said the exercise was a part of the character-building and helped in instilling a feeling of ‘service above self’.

NSUI presidents appointed: The four college units of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) appointed their presidents at a meeting held at Congress Bhavan here today.

Stating this in a press note, Mr Jaspreet Singh, president, NSUI, Ludhiana, said Ranjit Singh had been appointed president of SCD Government College, Tejinder Singh Laddi was taken as the president of GGN Khalsa College, Dilpreet Singh was appointed as the president of Kamla Lohtia SD College and Partap Singh was taken as the president of Guru Nanak Engineering College.

Others present on the occasion were Mr Jarnail Singh Grewal, Chairman, Punjab Youth Congress, Urban Development Cell, Mr Guriqbal Singh Sekhon, Vice-President of the cell and Sumandeep Singh Jassal, Vice-President, local chapter of the NSUI.

Divali celebrations: The SDP Sabha will organise Divali celebrations at SDP College on October 16 and 17. Mr Balraj Bhasin, President, SDP Sabha, will preside over the function while Ms Sushil Gupta, Deputy Mayor, Municipal Corporation, will inaugurate an exhibition of handicrafts, garments, candles, diyas, greeting cards, pots, soft toys. The students would also present a cultural programme. A Divali get-together would be held on the evening of October 15.