AGRICULTURE

India short of target in pulses cultivation
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 29
Women and children of South Asia suffer from deficiency in protein and iron in their diet, which can be taken care of by consuming vegetables and pulses. This was stated by Dr T.A. Lumpkin, Director-General, Asian Vegetable Research and Development Centre, at the international mungbean workshop underway at Punjab Agricultural University here today.

He said cultivation of pulses was becoming an important part of agriculture. It was the responsibility of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Afghanistan to cultivate mungbean in order to maintain the sustainability of the soil, he said.

Dr Lumpkin explained that the mission of the World Vegetable Centre was to increase productivity, sustain of the soil, ensure safety of food and empower the poor. He said crops like tomato, pepper and eggplant were a priority at the centre.

Presiding over the inaugural function, Dr Kirpal Singh Aulakh, Vice-Chancellor of the university said India had achieved its target in foodgrain production, but had falledn short in case of pulses.

He said only wheat and rice were purchased at a minimum support price and so farmers were not willing to switch over from these crops.

He added the water level in Punjab had been going down due to the cultivation of paddy, but farmers were only concerned with high yield and good returns. He called for the development of new techniques to increase the productivity of food crops, especially pulses like mungbean.

EDUCATION

From Schools
Bhuvnesh excels in Olympiad
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 29
Bhuvnesh Aggarwal, of Sacred Heart Convent School, Sarabha Nagar, has done the city proud by reaching the final stage of the Indian National Biology Olympiad, a nationwide competition organised by the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE) in association with the CBSE.

The first round of the olympiad was a written examination held in December in which thousands of students had appeared. About 250 students were screened in the test for the second round of a theoretical examination held in February , out of which 60 were called for the biology experimental examination held at the HBCSE, Mumbai. Finally , 21 students, including Bhuvnesh Aggarwal, were selected for the INBO Gold Medal. Bhuvnesh is all set to attend the biology olympiad selection camp at the HBCSE. Out of these 21 students, four will be selected to represent India in the International Biology Olympiad to be held in Brisbane, Australia, from July 11 to July 17.

KIMT students win laurels

The much awaited MCA and BCA merit list was received yesterday by the Khalsa Institute of Management and Technology . The following BCA students secured top university positions: BCA I Semester: Shipra Jain (86.40%); BCA III Semester: Kiranjeet Kaur (82.57%); BCA V Semester: Amandeep Kaur Muker (90.57%); and Geetika Kapoor of MCA V Semester (85.70%).

Health quiz

In todays world, when children are lured by fast food, Cremica has taken a step to educate them by way of organising a health awareness quiz for schools in association with doctors and dieticians.

For this, it organised a national-level health and hygiene quiz in various schools. A health and hygiene quiz was organised at Dayanand Model School today.

The quiz revolved around health and hygiene including social health, balanced diet, food, diseases and their prevention. It was a very knowledgeable session for students and teachers as the quiz was designed in an informative manner. The winning teams will go to the district and state levels.

Today’s winners are Classes 5, 6, 7-category (A), Ist minerals: Ishu, Chanda, Leena; and 2nd fats: Manoj, Anoop, Rajni.

‘Rice year’

The Sahyog Farming Syngenta crop protection celebrated “rice year 2004” at Nankana Sahib Public School, Fatehgarh Jattan. Nearly 50 students were honoured by the chief guest, Dr S.S. Sokhi, retired Additional Director Extension Punjab Agricultural University.

Project Coordinator Malvinder Singh Malhi gave a lecture on the importance of the year. “International year of rice-2004” is an international drive led by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and supported by governments and international organisations, including the IRRI. It focuses on the role of rice in ensuring global food security.

“It’s time for the global community to work together in increasing rice production in a sustainable way that will benefit farmers, and the poor,” he said. Mr N.K. Sharma, project manager, appreciated the village committee of the school. Dr Sokhi gave away prizes to the following students : Paramdeep Singh, Amarjit Kaur, Mandeep Kaur, Ravinder Singh, and Jagjot Singh.

COURTS

PSEB directed to pay compensation
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 29
The District Consumer Redressal Forum has directed the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) to pay Rs 2000 as compensation to an aggrieved consumer. The forum found the consumer suffered a lot as his electric connection was disconnected without any notice.

The orders were pronounced by Mr A.S. Narula, president of the Forum, while deciding the complaint filed by the Rajpal of Pakhowal. The PSEB has been directed to comply with the orders within one month after the receipt of copy of its order.

In its complaint, the consumer had alleged that he was regularly making the payments. But on January 3, 2001 the department disconnected his electric connection without any oral or written notice. Due to this, he suffered a lot of harassment and mental torture.

The complainant had further alleged that the officials of department even ignored the rules framed by the PSEB itself. On the other hand counsel of the PSEB pleaded that the allegations levelled by the complainant were false and there was no truth in it. After hearing the arguments and documents placed on record, the forum found that the PSEB was deficient in providing services and ordered to pay compensation.

33 cases settled at lok adalat
Our Correspondent

Samrala, May 29
The local Sub-Divisional Legal Services Committee held a lok adalat here today under the chairmanship of Mrs Navjot Sohal, Additional Civil Judge (Senior Division).

Fiftythree cases were taken up out of which 33 cases were settled on the spot.

Master Mehar Singh and Mr Arvind Markan, Assistant District Attorney (Legal Services) along with advocates of the local Bar and litigants participated.

Mrs Sohal appealed to the public to get their cases settled through the lok adalat for speedy justice so that the load of cases in the courts could be minimised.