Farmers apprised of latest technology
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, October 26
The Department of Farm Power and Machinery, PAU, organised a field day on the latest machinery for rabi crops at the department farm in collaboration with Punjab Chapter of Indian Society of Agricultural Engineers here today.

As many as 250 farmers, extension engineers and officers from the Departments of Agriculture, Punjab and Haryana, and scientists from university and farm machinery manufacturers took part.

Dr Sewak Singh Ahuja, Senior Agricultural Engineer-cum-Head of the Department, highlighting the purpose of the event, said the field day was being held to acquaint the farmers, farm machinery manufacturers, extension engineers and other field staff with the latest for the paddy stubble management without burning of paddy straw. This had become necessary to effectively propagate the minimum tillage technologies.

Field demonstrations of many machines like paddy straw chopper, straw thrower attachment for no-till drill and use of no-till/strip till drill technologies were given for the benefit of the participants.

In addition, some of the technologies like maize dehusker-cum-thresher, pulses thresher, vegetable transplanter, engine operated weeders, sprayers, trolley and manure spreader were also demonstrated to aid diversification and organic farming.

Dr Ahuja said the use of these eco-friendly technologies helped to conserve precious inputs like water, fertilisers and pesticides and would also assist in the reduction of pollution in air, soil and water.

The use of these farm machinery technologies would assist in promoting diversification of the cropping pattern, apart from increasing the income of the farmers while reducing the cost of cultivation.

He stated that the equipment required for paddy straw management was costly and requires tractors of 45hp and above for the operation of these technologies. Furthermore landholdings in the state were getting fragmented into smaller holdings. Thus it was very difficult for small farmers, who were also under debt, to buy such costly equipment and to replace tractors with higher hp tractors.

He emphasised the need for establishing farm machinery cooperative centres, strengthening of farm machinery custom hiring system and provision of precision farm machinery through contract farming to meet the emerging challenges on account of the WTO regime.

This approach, if adopted carefully, could help to upgrade the rural economy to come out of this difficult situation.

This would not only rejuvenate the farming economy by providing cost effective farming services, but would also promote the much-needed diversification.

PU Zonal Youth Festival results
Our Correspondent

Jagraon, October 26
Mr Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, member of Parliament, today attended the Panjab University Zonal, Youth Festival, Moga Zone, which began yesterday on the premises of the local Lajpat Rai DAV College.

In the group singing (Indian), students from eight colleges of the zone participated. The team of SGG Janta College, Raikot bagged the first position. SDS College for Women, Lopon, and SD College for Women, Moga, secured the second and third positions. The individual first position was gained by Sharandeep Kaur of SGG Janta College, Raikot, second by Harinder Kaur of SDS College for Women, Lopon, and third by Sunita of L.R. DAV College.

In group singing (Western), S. Government College of Science and Education Research was declared first and Rajiv Kaur Grewal bagged the individual first prize.

Eleven colleges participated in skit competition. GN College, Moga, SDS College for Women, Lopon, KC Women, Sidhwan Khurd, were declared first, second and third, respectively, the individual first position was gained by Harpreet Kaur of SDS College, Lopon, second by Nirmal Singh of G.N. College, Moga and third by Veerpal Kaur of Jagat Sewak Khalsa College, Mehna.

From Schools & Colleges 
Flower arrangement competition results
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, October 26
New Senior Secondary School, Sarabha Nagar, Ludhiana organised an inter-house flower arrangement competition which was inaugurated by the Principal, Mr H.C. Gupta. The competition was divided into two categories: flower arrangement by individual students and that by teams of two students. In the first category, 15 students took part while the second, students took part.

The students combined artificial flowers with natural flowers to make interesting presentations. Mrs Navpreet, Mrs Pooja and Ms Simta formed the panel of judges.

The results are: individual category: Tarunjot Kaur (1), Neha (2), and Saurab Bansal (3). Tarundeep Kaur and Rupinder Kaur got consolation prizes.

Group category: Ripjeet Singh and Rahul (1), Palak Sharma and Roop Kamal (2) and Mantej Singh and Shivam Khanna (3). Gurpreet Kaur, Isha Sharma, Shikha Sahota and Kanishka Sood got consolation prizes.

Talent search

An inter-college talent search will be held at Gujranwala Guru Nanak Khalsa College tomorrow. Mr Harminder Singh, Joint Secretary, Khalsa Education Centre, will inaugurate the hunt and Dr Jaswant Singh, Joint Commissioner, municipal corporation, will preside.

Mr GGN will be selected from among the participants.

Gym opened

Deputy Commissioner Anurag Verma inaugurated a gymnasium at SCD Government College.

Mrs Indra Bhatia, Principal, said the opening of the gymnasium was a step to make the college multi-functional.

Mr Verma endorsed the views of the President, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and said aiming low was a crime. He advised the students to aim high and think positive. He donated Rs 1 lakh to the college from development grants.

SPORTS

BVM athletes win seven gold
Our Sports Reporter

Ludhiana, October 26
The athletes of Bhartiya Vidya Mandir Senior Secondary School, Udham Singh Nagar, continued their domination adding seven gold medals besides silver and bronze medals to their kitty on the second day of the PAU Zone Inter-School Athletics Tournament being organised by the Punjab Education Department at the GGN Public School, Gobind Nagar, here today.

Results: Girls (U-19 years): 1500m — Priya Bawa of BVM School 1, Kamalpreet Kaur of GGN Public School 2 and Ramandeep Kaur of Guru Nanak Public School, Mullanpur, 3; 100m — Gurleen Kaur of GNP School, Mullanpur, 1, Rupali of BVM School 2 and Manisha of BVM School 3; 200m — Gurleen Kaur of GNP School, Mullanpur 1, Rupali of BVM School 2 and Kamalpreet Kaur of GGN Public School 3; 4x100m relay — GNP School, Mullanpur, 1, BVM School 2 and GGN Public School 3.

Boys (U-19 years): 1500m — Dalpreet Singh of BVM School 1, Rampal of Government Senior Secondary School, Hambran, 2 and Makhan Singh of Government Senior Secondary School, Hambran, 3; triple jump — Dhanraj Sidhu of GGN Public School 1, Amandeep of GGN Public School 2 and Baljinder Lal of Government Senior Secondary School, Hambran, 3; 100m — Amritpal of GGN Public School 1, Parmod of BVM School 2 and Deepak Sohi of BVM School 3; 200m — Maneet Sharma of BVM School 1, Parmod of BVM School 2 and Dhanraj of GGN Public School 3.

High jump — Kanhiya Chowdhary of BCM School, Jamalpur, 1, Krishan of Government High School, Division No 5,2 and Harmandeep Singh of GNP School, Mullanpur, 3; 4x400m relay — BVM School 1, GNP School, Mullanpur, 2 and Government Senior Secondary School, Hambran, 3; hammer throw — Shinderpal Singh of Government Senior Secondary School, Hambran, 1, Amandeep of Government Senior Secondary School, Jagraon Bridge, 2 and Sandeep Singh of Government School Hambran, 3; 5 km walk — Satnam Singh of Government Senior Secondary School, Haibowal, 1, Shambhu of SDP School 2 and Gaurav of BVM School 3; 4x100m relay — BVM School 1, GGNP School 2 and GNPS, Mullanpur, 3.

Girls (U-17 years): 1500m — Manisha Verma of BVM School 1, Sakshi of BVM School 2 and Mandeep Kaur of GNPS, Mullanpur, 3; 100m — Manpreet of GGNPS 1, Kirti Sharma of BVM School 2 and Bikramjeet Kaur of NM Jain School 3; 4x100m relay — GGN Public School 1, BVM School 2 and GNPS, Mullanpur, 3; 200m — Manpreet Kaur of GGNP School 1, Kirti Sharma of BVM School 2 and Vikramjeet Kaur of NM Jain School 3.

Boys (U-17 years): Triple jump — Jagdeep Singh of Government School, Rakba 1, Deep Singh of GGNP School 2 and Sourav of GGNP School 3; 100m — Harpreet Singh of Government School Ayali Kalan 1, Gurpreet Singh of GNPS, Mullanpur, 2 and Jasmeet Singh of Government School, PAU 3; 200m — Gurpreet Singh of GNPS, Mullanpur 1, Harpreet Singh of GNPS, Mullanpur, 2 and Tejinder Singh of SDP School 3; 4x100m relay — GNPS, Mullanpur 1, Government School, PAU 2 and GGNPS 3.

Girls (U-14 years): 100m — Harpreet Kaur of GGNPS 1, Ganga Gautam of BVM School 2 and Shivani of BVM School 3; 4x100m relay — BVM School 1, GGNPS 2 and Malwa Khalsa School 3; 200m — Deepika of BVM School 1, Shivani of BVM School and Ravneet Kaur of Satluj Public School 3; 600m — Ganga Gautam of BVM School 1, Jaspreet Kaur of GGNPS 2 and Gurkirat Kair of Khalsa Girls Senior Secondary School 3.

Police games conclude
Our Correspondent

Jagraon, October 26
The final of games at Police Lines, here which started on October 21 concluded here today. In the finals of 10-meter race C. Lakhwinder Singh of DPO, Jagraon, was declared first and C. Bhagwant Singh of DPO, Jagraon, was declared second. In the event of 200-mt race, C. Ravi Kant and Sukhdev SIngh were declared first and second.

C. Kiran Bala and C. Sarbjit Kaur both of DP, Jagraon, secured first and second position.

Subdivision, Jagraon, bagged first position in tug of war and DPO, Jagraon, second.

In high jump event, C. Gurbhinder Singh and C. Ravi Kant were declared first and second .

Inspector Mukhwinder Singh and C. Baljinder Singh bagged first and second position in short put and in the final of volleyball DPO, Jagraon, secured first position and Dakha subdivision second.

Final of kabaddi resulted in the first rank for DPO, Jagraon, in Pool A who defeated subdivision, Jagraon.