Low income dogs Indian farmers, says Dr Aulakh
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, February 13
Developed countries are benefiting more by reducing their agricultural expenses by giving high subsidy while Indian agriculture, due to less subsidy, bears losses in more ways than one.

This was stated by Dr Kirpal Singh Aulakh, Vice-Chancellor, PAU, while inaugurating a two-day state-level workshop on the kharif crops, which was attended by agricultural officers and scientists.

He pointed out that the Canadian farmer is getting $ 9,000, the European farmer gets $ 17,000, the American farmer gets $ 21,000 and the Japanese farmer gets $ 26,000 per year as subsidy while the Indian farmer was given only $ 66 dollars yearly. “We are bearing the consequences due to our ignorance while the developed countries are busy developing their trade to an international level.

“As far as production is concerned, we are number one in the world, but the income of our farmer is very low. Therefore, we should try our best to increase this income.” Dr Aulakh further added that it was the need of the hour that we should prepare multiproducts from sugarcane to increase the income.

He further said that we should pay attention to herbal crops to extend our business at the world level as China did. “We should develop new varieties and technologies to help the farmers to increase their income so that they may be able to pay back their loans. BT cotton is sown the world over but the Indian Government has not approved of it so far. With the help of new technologies, we can compete with other countries. We have imported plasma to improve the crop of kinnow.”

Dr Ajmer Singh, Director of Agriculture, Punjab, discussed the aims and objectives of their future agricultural plans and said we could meet the future challenges with the help of new agricultural knowledge. “We have to increase the paddy yield by reducing its area as compared to last years”. He said that the PAU should test the newly developed hybrid seeds before supplying these to the farmers. 

Inter-college fest begins
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, February 13
A two-day inter-college cultural festival began at Guru Nanak Khalsa College for Women, Gujjarkhan Campus, Model Town, here today. Students from various colleges of Punjab participated in poetical recitation, declamation, quiz, tie and dye, embroidery and flower arrangement competitions.

Dr Deepak Manmohan, former Head and Professor of Punjabi, Panjab University, Chandigarh, was the chief guest. He inaugurated the function by lighting the ceremonial lamp. Dr Surjit Patar, president of Punjabi Sahitya Academy, and Dr Niranjan Tasneem, a Punjabi novelist and critic, were the guests of honour. Dr Anup Kaur Bansal, Principal of the college, welcomed the guests and participants.

The overall trophy for poetical recitation was won by SCD Government College, Ludhiana, while the declamation contest was won by Khalsa College for Women, Civil Lines, Ludhiana.

Results of other contests: Quiz: Guru Nanak Khalsa College for Women-1, Guru Nanak Girls College-2, GTB National College, Dakha-3. Embroidery: Sonia of Guru Nanak Khalsa College for Women-1, Prabhjot of Ramgarhia Girls College-2, Rasheena of Government College for Women-3.

Tie and dye: Onkardeep of Guru Nanak Girls College-1, Surinder Kaur of DD Jain College for Women-2, Sangeta of DD Jain College of Education-3, Aarti Behl of Guru Nanak Khalsa College for Women (consolation).

Fresh flower arrangement: Ranjana of DD Jain College for Women-1, Megha of Government College for Women-2, Ravneet of Guru Nanak Khalsa College for Women-3.

Dry-cum-fresh flower arrangement: Ravjeen of Ramgarhia Girls College-1, Ravneet of Government College for Women-2, Rajpreet of Guru Nanak Khalsa College for Women-3.

Poetical recitation: overall trophy: SCD Government College, Ludhiana; individual prizes: Amandeep of Guru Nanak Girls College-1, Parampreet Singh of Guru Nanak College, Narangal, Ludhiana-2, Vaishali of Master Tara Singh Memorial College, Ludhiana-3.

Declamation contest: overall trophy: Khalsa College for Women, Civil Lines, Ludhiana; individual prizes: Pragya of Guru Nanak Khalsa College for Women-1, Sukhpreet Bedi of Khalsa College for Women, Civil Lines-2, Gursimran of Mata Ganga Khalsa College for Women, Kotan-3. 

‘Sur-Sanjh’ echoes at GGN Khalsa College
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, February 13
“Sur-Sanjh”, an inter-college competition in “geet”, “lok geet”, “kissa kav”, “Sufi kav” and “veer kav” was held at Gujranwala Guru Nanak Khalsa College, Civil Lines, Ludhiana, here today.

Participations from a various colleges vied with one another for various titles. Mr Ashok Singh Garcha, Chairman, Ludhiana Improvement Trust, presided over the function and lighted the lamp. Principal Gurdip Singh welcomed the guests and exhorted the participants to channel their energies in constructive and meaningful activities.

Results of various contests: “Vaar”: GGN Khalsa College Ludhiana-1. “Sufi kav”: Gurmit Singh of SCD Government College, Ludhiana-1, Deep Singh of Government College, Rara Sahib-2.

Folk song: Gurtej Akhtar of Guru Nanak Khalsa College, Model Town-1, Jagpreet Singh of GGN Khalsa College-2, Malkeet Singh of SCD Government College-3.

“Kissa kav”: Rupinder Kaur of Malwa Khalsa College, Bondli Samrala-1, Manpreet Kaur of Guru Nanak Khalsa College, Ludhiana-2, Bhagwan Singh of Government College, Sidhsar-3. “Geet”: Inderjit Singh of Government College, Rara Sahib.

Sacred Heartians bid adieu to Class XII

Ludhiana, February 13
The management, staff and students of Sacred Heart Senior Secondary School, BRS Nagar, bid adieu to students of Class XII yesterday at the farewell function “Pot Pouri 2004”. It began with a prayer service. Candles of knowledge were lit and several hymns sung. Rev Father Kurian and founder-principal of the school and Chairman, Education Board of Diocese of Jalandhar, graced the occasion.

Girls and Boys dressed in traditional and latest ensembles walked down the ramp to be selected for the coveted titles of Mr and Miss Sacred Heart. Varun Khanna was chosen Mr Sacred Heart while Shweta Mehra was adorned with the crown of Miss Sacred Heart. Students also participated in several games. The Principal, Rev Sister Sobel, gave away mementos and gifts to students. OC 

COURTS

After 18 years, man acquitted of graft
Rajneesh Lakhanpal

Ludhiana, February 13
After facing an 18-year-long case for allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 200, Mohan Singh of Lohara village is a free man now. He was recently acquitted by the Special Judge, Mr Inderjit Kausik.

The case was registered in 1985 under the Prevention of Corruption Act at the Kotwali police station. At that time the accused was working as an auditor of a cooperative society, Ludhiana. But when the case was decided the complainant had died and the accused had retired from service.

The complainant, Surjit Singh, had stated to the police that he was working in the office of a cooperative society at Guru Nanakpura Mohalla. The audit of Sutlej Co-operative House Building Society Ltd. was given to inspector Mohan Singh. During the audit he found some discrepancies and to remove the same demanded Rs 200.

The complainant alleged that the auditor got annoyed when he refused to pay the money. He agreed to pay the bribe but informed the matter to the Vigilance Bureau. It caught the accused while accepting the bribe, as per the prosecution.

However, the accused pleaded not guilty. The defence counsel said the prosecution had failed to establish the allegations. The person on whose statement the case was registered had died and not examined by the prosecution. Even the investigation officer of the case was not examined.

Acquitting the accused, Mr Kaushik observed, “ There is no evidence worth sustaining the charges against the accused and he is acquitted of the charge framed against him.” The judge held that neither the complainant nor the investigation officer was examined for the reasons best known to the prosecution. Even the official witness, inspector Hari Singh, was not examined and the only witness had turned hostile.