Summit on organic farming
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, October 28
Kheti Virasat, an NGO, will organise an organic farming summit in the city in January. As a part of the three-day event, a series of conferences, workshops and forums shall be conducted .

The NGO has invited papers on the issue from experts which should reach them before November 15, a press note said.

“The idea is to find out where the state has gone wrong on its farming policies and coming out with corrective measures,” said Mr Umendra Dutt, Director, Kheti Virasat. He said a host of issues like monoculture revolution, crop diversification, impact of chemical agriculture and impact of pesticides would be discussed during the summit.

New education policy to be framed
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, October 28
After a long parley with the Education Minister, finally the teachers have got some assurances that a new education policy will be formed. Punjab Education Minister Harnam Dass Johar, at a meeting with a deputation of the Primary/Elementary Sikhya Bachao Front, Punjab, assured it that government primary schools would provide primary education to children of poor parents.

He also assured it to keep in abeyance the New Education Policy-2002 and said new education policy would be prepared on the policy of the Central Government and representatives of primary teachers would be included in the committee.

He also clarified that elementary directorate would work only in connection with the Sarb Sikhya Abhian scheme while the posts of head teacher centre head teaching and block primary education officers would continue under the Directorate of Primary Education.

The Minister also decided to start the training classes of ETT teachers from January, 2005, and trainees would be increased. He also assured it to start the recruitment of primary teachers against the vacant posts and the matter would be decided in the high-power committee constituted by the Chief Minister to recruit the new teachers on the regular basis.

In a press note Mr Piara Singh Dhillon, convener of the front, said the meeting was attended by the Principal Secretary, Education, Mrs Tejinder Kaur, Director General, Anurag Aggarwal, Director the Primary Education, Jagtar Singh, Director of the Secondary Education Gian Singh, Director of the NCERT, Sadhu Singh Randhawa and other officers of the Education Department. The front was represented by Mr Mohinder Singh Heer, Karan Raj Singh Gill, Harjinder Pal Singh Pannu, Manjit Singh Virk, Rajinder Singh Garcha, Mangat Rai Sharma, Baldev Krishan Moudgil, Hardev Singh Sani, Gurnam Singh Jassal etc.

Mr Dhillon said a meeting of the state presidents of the eight unions of the primary teachers would be held on November 7 at Desh Bhagat Yadgar Hall, Jalandhar, at 11 am to discuss the proceedings of the meeting and next line of action would also be chalked out in this meeting.

PU youth festival concludes
Our Correspondents

Ludhiana, October 28
DD Jain College of Education, Ludhiana, witnessed festive ambience in the concluding day of Panjab University Zonal Youth Festival. Ms Nisha Sarad, DPI (C), Punjab, was the chief guest. She congratulated the host college for organising the youth festival. President Mr Narinder Kumar Jain welcomed the chief guest.

Classical and group dances competitions were organised. In the classical dance category, Poonam of DD Jain College of Education, Ludhiana and Shashi Pasricha of GHGH College of Education, Sidhawan Khurd, bagged first and second positions. While in the group dance category GHGH College of Education, Sidhwan Khurd, DD Jain College of Education, Ludhiana and DAV College, Abhor won the first three prizes.

Young orators, too, demonstrated their skills in the form of debate and elocution. Students spoke on the topic “In the opinion of the house can computer be a good substitute for the teachers”. Harpreet from BCM College of Education, Ludhiana, Manju Malik from DD College of Education, Ludhiana. and Pawan Kumar of DAV College of Education , Abhor were placed at first, second and third positions.

In elocution competition, Divneet from DD College of Education, Geetika from GHGH College of Education, and Anupam Madan from Khalsa College of Education , Muktsar won the first three prizes.

Today’s function was presided over by S. Gakhar, Chairperson, Department of Education, Panjab University, Chandigarh.

Jagraon: Punjab University Zonal Youth Festival, Moga Zone, concluded at the premises of LR, DAV College Jagraon today with the prize distribution to the winning teams and individuals.

Today in the women’s traditional songs competition GGS Khalsa college for women Kamalpura was placed first for their item ‘Suhag’, KCW Sidhwan khurd secured second position for ‘Dholak’ ‘Ghara’ and third was SD college for women Moga for ‘Ghori’ . Individual prizes were bagged by Amandeep Kaur KCW Sidhwan Khurd. Karamjit Kaur LRDAV college (HOst), Gagandeep Kaur GGS Kahlsa College Kamalpura as Ist, IInd and IIIrd respectively.

In ‘Naqquals’ teams of SDS college for women Lopo, KCW Sidhwan Khurd, SD College for women Moga gained first, second and third positions respectively whereas individuals were secured by Rajvir Kaur of SD college for women Moga as Ist, Barinder Kaur of SDS college for Women, Lopo as IInd and Harpreet Kaur KCW Sidhwan Khurd as IIIrd.

Mr Gurcharan Singh Galib, former MP and Mr Rakesh Pandey were among the prominent persons who also attended the concluding day items.

Germany invites AG to discuss issues
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, October 28
The office of the Advocate-General, Punjab, has initiated a dialogue with the International Bar Association, the UK, the Supreme Court of Singapore and the Federal Court of Justice, Karlsruhe, in Germany, for initiating better understanding and collaborating on legal issues of mutual importance in the changed global scenario to develop a coordinated strategy to combat economic offences as well as cyber and other crime.

This was disclosed here today by Mr Harpreet Sandhu, a Ludhiana-based lawyer and currently Senior Deputy Advocate-General Punjab. Mr Sandhu said the Punjab Chief Minister, Captain Amarinder Singh, had been briefed on the issue by Punjab Advocate-General, Harbhagwan Singh and other officers of the AG office.

As part on the ongoing deliberations, Mr Harbhagwan Singh had been given a membership of the International Bar Association, the UK, to facilitate this mutual cooperation. Mr Harpreet Sandhu, too, who had been spearheading the initiative, had also been granted the membership, besides being made a member of the Barristers and Advocates Forum of the International Bar Association.

The office of the IBA, had also accepted the exchange programme to provide consultation on issue such as the rule of law and legal reforms. Prof. Dr Hirch, Presiding Judge of the Federal Court of Justice, Karlsruhe, had invited Mr Harbhagwan Singh to interact with the criminal judges to discuss the functioning and legal issues that came up before the judiciary. 

Work as usual in district courts
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, October 28
Despite the state government observing a holiday in connection with birthday of Maharshi Valmiki and the day also being a bank holiday under the Negotiable Instruments Act, there was work as usual in the district courts here today, much to the resentment among court employees in general and those belonging to the Valmiki community in particular.

Terming the denial of holiday to employees in the district courts as most unfortunate, Mr Vijay Danav, National Coorodinator of the Bharatiya Valmiki Dharam Samaj commented that Valmiki Jayanti was the most important event for the Dalit community and it was celebrated with fervour all over by all sections of society.