AGRICULTURE

BKU seeks relief for crop loss
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 3
The Bharti Kisan Union (BKU), expressing concern over extensive loss to crops due to the rain, lashing winds and hailstorm all over the state, has demanded a compensation of Rs 12,000 per hectare to the affected farmers.

Talking to mediapersons here, the BKU president Ajmer Singh Lakhowal and secretary general Manjit Singh Kadian said standing wheat crop, fruits, particularly musk melon, vegetables and fodder crop had been damaged while cotton plants had been uprooted. They demanded that cotton growers should be paid Rs 5000 per hectare to enable them to sow the crop again.

The BKU leaders said the amount of compensation for crop loss could be drawn from the Fund for Natural Calamities, which was set up in 1990 following an agitation by BKU activists. They further called for an immediate ‘girdawri’ in the affected areas so that compensation could be paid to the farmers without delay.

Mr Lakhowal and Mr Kadian urged the farmers as well as the state, district, sub-division, circle and block level office-bearers and workers of the union to abide by the BKU decision to support SAD-BJP candidates in the coming Lok Sabha elections.

“The arrears of sugarcane sold by the farmers during the past year are still to be paid. Even the part payment, secured by the farmers, could be materialised after dharnas and protest rallies. The government has gone back on the promised bonus on the purchase of paddy.”

Mr Kadian said in the wake of polling for the Lok Sabha elections on May 10, the meeting of the state executive, scheduled to be held on the same day, had been postponed.

Students show concern for animals
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 3
USPC Jain Public School and the Karuna Club, which is a joint venture of schoolchildren, and the People for Animals (PFA), organised an inter- house drama competition .

Dr Sandeep K. Jain, president ,Animal Welfare Board of India, Mrs Anupama, vice-president, PFA, Mr M. P. Jain, general secretary, USPC Jain Public School, Ms Yachana Chawla ,Principal of the school, graced the occasion and motivated the students to be kind to animals.

Students of Homibabha House, Vikram Sarabhi House, Aryabhatta House and Ramanujan House participated in the function. Students presented plays like" Animals are Faithful", "Hinsa Par Ahinsa Ki Vijay ," "Maharaj Shibi" and "Kabootar Ke Bachhe." The first prize went Vikram Sarabhi House, while Homibhabha House and Aryabhatta House stood second and third, respectively.

Government school alumni meet
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 3
The Old Students Association Government School, Ludhiana, founded by late Mr Inder Mohan Singh Grewal in 1957, held a get-together of new and old members on Saturday at a resort on the Ferozepore road, near here. The reunion was presided over by Mr Rakesh Bharti Mittal, Vice-President of Bharti Telecom Ltd.

The meeting was attended by about 100 members of the association. The association got a shot in the arm when former Principal F. C. Chopra, president of the Alumni Association, announced the merger of the breakaway group of the association with the parent association, Government College Ludhiana, and expressed support to the Mr Mittal.

Mrs Indra Bhatia, Principal of Government College, Ludhiana, who is also the ex officio patron of the Old Students Association, could not attend the reunion. She was represented by the PRO. Asdhir, Vice-Principal of the college, and two other colleagues.

Saxena joins as KVM Principal
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 3
Mr Sushil Chandra Saxena today took over as Principal of Kundan Vidya Mandir after the incumbent, Ms Neena Khanna, resigned on May 1 amid allegations that she was being pressurised to admit a few students whose names otherwise did not figure in the merit list.

The new Principal was accorded a warm welcome by the management, members of the trust and the staff. Ms Inderjeet Gill Vashisht, manager, said Mr Saxena had a vast experience of teaching for 32 years at Mayo College, Ajmer, and administrative experience of 11 years.

City lad shines in film city
Asha Ahuja

Ludhiana, May 3
“If you are determined and ready to work hard but only after considering the kind of effort required, one will be sure to become successful, says local boy Vikas Sethi, who is shining on the silver screen in Mumbai. Since Deepak Tijori, maker of the film “Oops”, used to go to the same gym as Vikas, the two developed friendship. When Deepak was choosing the cast for “Oops”, he asked Vikas to come for audition in which he was selected. Vikas played the role of Aakash in the movie. He joined Roshan Taneja’s classes for acting and honed his skills.

Vikas was in the city to meet his family and friends.

He said he loved dancing. “It comes naturally to me.” He said he had been offered work in a film which will be directed by Rituparno Ghosh. He, however, did not disclose his co-stars in the untitled movie.

Vikas had not gone to Mumbai to become an actor but to join his father’s business. Yet fate had different things in store for him. He was chosen to model Aquafine water, Colgate, safari, and Raymonds etc.

Thereafter, Vikas joined the film industry. When this correspondent asked him who was his Godfather in the cinema industry. Vikas said, “I believe in God and I have a father, so who needs a Godfather,” he said. He said his ideal was Amitabh Bachchan. He said he had a project lined up with Amitabh and he was keeping his fingers crossed for it to materialise.

He said he had studied in Arya College. His command over English language had proved to be very useful

His most thrilling moment when he first appeared in front of the camera while shooting for an ad and later while shooting for the film.

Seminars on Sahit Akademi agenda
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 3
At the first executive meeting of the Punjabi Sahit Akademi held at Punjabi Bhavan yesterday after elections, Dr Surjit Patar underlined changes in the programmes to be organised by the akademi in 2004-05.

He said, “Since this is the golden jubilee year of the akademi, we plan to organise more seminars and workshops. A seminar on Pakistani poetry will also be organised. We really want to compare our poetry with those of Pakistani poets. Another special event will be the Bharti Sahit Utsav. The akademi also plans to organise workshops on computer for writers, children’s literature.” Another programme of the akademi “Rubaru” is being discontinued, he added.

Patar nominated Ram Saroop Anakhi, Dr Raghbir Singh, Dr Karamjit Singh, Dr Rama Ratan, and Prof N. S. Tasneem as senior office-bearers of the akademi. Three secretaries Janmeja Johal, Surinderjit Kaur and Dr Surjeet Singh were also nominated.