AGRICULTURE

25 vets honoured
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, April 24
The Punjab Veterinary Council in association with the College of Veterinary Science, Punjab Agricultural University, celebrated the fourth World Veterinary Day on the hospital campus here today.

Dr B.S. Sidhu, Director, Department of Animal Husbandry, Punjab, was the chief guest, while Dr M.S. Oberoi, president of the Punjab Veterinary Council and Dean of the College of Veterinary Sciences, presided over the function. Dr Sidhu felicitated 25 senior veterinarians and urged budding veterinarians to commit themselves to the profession.

Dr Oberoi enumerated the new challenges before veterinary profession in the face of WTO and GATT agreements. He also raised the issue of bio-security and threats of bio-terrorism with the involvement of veterinary profession.

A technical session was organised in which three lectures were delivered by the guest faculty. Dr J.K. Sharma, Professor and Head, Department of Veterinary Public Health, highlighted the symptoms of communicable diseases from animal to man. Dr J. Sahoo, Professor and Head, Department of Livestock Products Technology, emphasised the importance of hygienic milk and meat production. Dr R.M. Bhardwaj, a private veterinary practitioner, talked about entrepreneurship for budding veterinarians and stressed the need for ethical veterinary practices.

A free camp for rabies vaccination for pets and brucellosis testing was organised. Dr K.B. Singh, Professor and Head, Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Extension, conducted the proceedings. Dr V.K. Gupta, Registrar, Punjab Veterinary Council, Dr Ashok Sharma, president, Punjab State Veterinary Officers Association, Dr M.P. Pathak, Deputy Director, Hoshiarpur, and Dr G.S. Khatra, Editor, Punjab Veterinary Journal, were also present.

Girl child’s education stressed
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, April 24
Under the Sarb Sikhya Abhiyan scheme, a seminar, “Education for all”, was organised at Government High School, Salem Tabri, here today. Over 300 teachers and principals attended the seminar. Ms Indu Bala, teacher from Chanan Devi Memorial Government School, spoke on “Education of girl child”. She emphasised that an educated girl could play a pivotal role in bringing about major social reforms. Keeping this in mind, she said, the Central and state governments must introduce special schemes to encourage girl education. She said it could be done by giving out free books to girls of all classes and scholarships to girls showing good results.

In his lecture on “Inclusion of children with special needs in school system”, Mr Iqbal Singh, Director of Sikh Missionary Public School, Salem Tabri, spoke on the need to introduce special education in schools to cater to the needs of children with physical and mental disabilities. 

Summer activities for kids, youth
Deepkamal Kaur

Ludhiana, April 24
Come summer break and it is time to brush up one’s creative skills. And there are a lot many activities in store this season for school and college students. From specialised activities like choreography, magic training, aqua-aerobics, yoga therapy, drawing and painting, metal work and candle making, there are simpler activities as well, such as gift wrapping, sketching, painting with crayons, water colours, oil colours and fabric colours, glass painting, pottery work, music and dance. Theme-based cooking classes such as those on Mexican and Italian styles are other attractions this summer. While many institutes have already started courses, a few of them will begin classes from May. Those attending classes include students who have appeared in Classes X and XII exams.

Personality-development courses have become a big hit this year. These include developing the right etiquette and dressing sense for different occasions, conversing over telephone and basic knowledge about banking operations and computer education. Ms Manmeet Sodhia, in charge of Ivanna Institute, said they were conducting courses in various art and craft activities.

Training schoolchildren aged above three years, Swiss Dance Academy here offers courses in choreography, bhangra, Western group dance and Indian classical dance. Coming up with a novel project of training school children in performing magic, Mr Amit Verma and Mr Vinay Verma of Footloose Training Centre are planning to start a 15-day course from next month. They will also start a course in water polo for children.

Mr Amit Verma said he was planning to invite Javed and Naved for a Boogie Woogie show to be held in June.

Freshers’ party for children
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, April 24
To welcome new comers, Small Wonders Nursery School, Sangat Road, organised a freshers’ party here yesterday. Children came to the school dressed in colourful outfits. They stepped on the ramp confidently, gave their introduction and recited a rhyme of their choice. They won the hearts of the audience, impressed the judges and walked away with prizes.

Ayush Singla won the Miss Fresher award and Sarthak Sachdev got the Master Fresher award. Gauri Verma and Saksham Gaur were declared the first runners-up while Prachi Bhalla and Aalam Bedi got the second runners-up award. Bhavya Jindal, Ms Fresher of the previous year, gave away prizes to the winners.

Children were served delicious dishes. They danced to the tunes of latest numbers. Sarthak Sachdev sang a beautiful song, ‘Har ghadi badal rahi hai’, and Gaurish Gupta gave an appreciable performance on the song ‘Aaja mahi ve’. Ms Neeti Dewan, Principal, said the function helped the students learn ways to express themselves well and remain confident while they were on the stage.

CBSE state-level quiz
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, April 24
Twentyfour schools of Punjab affiliated with the Central Board of Secondary Education will participate in a state-level science quiz to be organised at BCM Arya Senior Secondary School, Sector 32, Chandigarh road, on April 25.

Teams from Patiala, Ferozepore, Fatehgarh Sahib, Rajpura, Moga, Mandi Gobindgarh, Sidhwan Bet, Samrala as well as those from local schools, including Sacred Heart Convent Senior Secondary School at Sarabha Nagar, Greenland Public Senior Secondary School, GGN Public School, St Thomas Senior Secondary School and BCM Arya Senior Secondary Schools at Shastri Nagar and Sector 32 will take part in the contest.

As per the directions, each school will be represented by three students studying in any of the classes from IX to XII. In all, there will be 72 students who will be taking a written quiz of about 100 multiple choice questions. Four probable answers will be given beneath each question and students will have to tick mark the correct one. Wrong answer will lead to negative marking.

The test held on Sunday will mark the first round of the quiz. The schools selected in the first round will participate in the second round to be held at regional level. The second stage will be an oral quiz. 

College alumni meet
Our Correspondent

Samrala, April 24
The annual meeting of the Alumni Association of Malwa College Bondli-Samrala was held on the college campus here today. Around 100 members of the association, which included advocates, academics, officers of various departments and industrialists, attended the meeting.

The convener of the association, Prof Baldeep Singh, spoke at length on the need, formation and objectives of the association. Mr Kamaljit Rattan, president of the association, said the association would take up construction projects and renovation of laboratories in the college.

Mr Ujjagar Singh, general secretary, Mr Jasmel Singh, vice-president of college managing committee, and old students of the college were also present on the occasion. 

Farewell to fashion designing students
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, April 24
Final-year students of the two-year diploma courses in fashion designing and tailoring of the Param Institute of Fashion Designing and Tailoring were given a farewell on the premises of the institute here today. A cultural programme was presented by first-year students. Dr Ramesh Inder Kaur Bal was the chief guest.

The programme started with the rendering of shabad followed by songs.

Bhangra and gidha were also performed on the occasion. Ms Nirmal Kaur apprised the guests of the activities of the institute.

The highlight of the cultural programme was fashion show conducted in three rounds. The participants showed great poise and elegance.

Dental college to open centre
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, April 24
A step ahead in its commitment towards “excellence in oral health and education”, Baba Jaswant Singh Dental College and Hospital will introduce North India’s first Oral Implantology Centre on the college campus here on April 26.

Dr J.S.Gujral, Vice-Chancellor, Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot, will be the chief guest on the occasion.

HEALTH

400 examined at eye camp
Our Correspondent

Mandi Gobindgarh, April 24
A free eye check-up camp organised by the Rotary Club was inaugurated by Seth Kanhiya Lal, industrialist, at the Civil Hospital here today. Nearly 400 patients were checked up and given medicines free of cost. Operations will be performed tomorrow in the hospital. Club president Gurditta Mal Nagpal welcomed the chief guests. The Club secretary, Mr Banarsi Dass, also spoke on the occasion. Eye specialist Dr Sanjeev Kumar spoke on eye diseases, precautions after operation and the treatment of eye ailments. He appealed the people to register their names for eye donation after their death.