Uncertain weather: farmers keep fingers crossed
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, February 19
With weather being uncertain for past three weeks, farmers are keeping their fingers crossed. Although they maintain that cold weather now is good for standing wheat crop, but the rains accompanied by hailstorm at times is cause of concern. Potato crop has suffered the worst due to the continuous rain for past few days.

Agricultural experts maintained that the wheat crop was still safe, except at some places which witnessed hailstorm. Mostly wheat crop has not had any adverse impact so far. But potato crop, which is almost mature and ready for harvesting has been hit the worst. According to rough estimates, due to incessant rains during past few weeks potato crop on 3000 acres of land in the district has been damaged.

Weather experts disclosed that this year the February has been unusually wet and rainy. While on an average there is 30 mm rainfall during this month, this year till yesterday the rainfall has already crossed 42.2 mm and could go even up to 50 mm which could be all time high. Weather experts said, it was only because the last year the rainfall was minimum, it appeared to be too much this year.

Agricultural experts said, although it was quite unfortunate that the rains damaged the potato crop, but for the wheat it would be better. They said, even it would increase water table also, which has gone down considerably over these years. Moreover, they said, whenever the average temperature in the month of February goes down, the yield of wheat has increased.

The experts said, even if the weather remains wet and cold for another week, it will not have any bad impact on the wheat crops as it will start maturing only from next month only.

Training course for farmers organised
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, February 19
The Directorate of Extension Education, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, in collaboration with Indian Farmers Fertilizers Co-op Ltd (IFFCO), Patiala, and ICDS Block, Sidhwan Bet, organised a four-day training course at Kairon Kisan Ghar, PAU, in which nearly 100 farmers participated.

Presiding over the inaugural session of this course, Dr Amrik Singh Sandhu, Director, Extension Education, said the farmers should do hard work manually in order to avoid the economic problems being faced by them.

“We cannot make our lives successful until we do our work manually” he advised farmers, and urged them not to depend on hired labour.

Dr Sandhu added that farmers should adopt supporting occupations such as dairy, poultry, piggery and bee-keeping. He said IFFCO and Child Welfare Development Department should take more responsibility for increasing women’s participation in the Kisan Mela to be held on March 4-5 at PAU.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Amarinder Singh Bhinder, Manager Agricultural Services, IFFCO, and Mrs Swaran Kaur, Project Officer, Child Development, Sidhwan Bet, said Child Welfare Council is busy in its activities since 1977 and has organised 30 one-day training camps in order to make people aware of their economical status and make them self-dependent.

Mr L.K. Chawla, Area Manager, IFFCO, Ludhiana, honoured Dr Sandhu for his services.

In his welcome address, Dr Jaswinder Singh Bhalla, coordinator of this training programme, said the farmers would be trained theoretically as well as practically in the field of vegetable growing, use of machinery, caring of milk-yielding animals, bee-keeping, mushroom cultivation etc. 

Teachers allege interference by parents
Shivani Bhakoo

Dullo Khurd, February 19
Jagdeep Singh, a sixth standard student of Government Primary Middle School, Dullo Khurd fails to write his name, his teachers’ name or his headmaster’s name when asked. His motive of coming school is different, he is here to pass his time, play with friends and not to study. His is not an isolated case, several other students from different classes are sailing in the same boat. The teachers said that they were helpless in teaching students because of lot of interference by their parents.

In absence of any boundary wall or proper gate, the school has over 150 students with three teachers teaching the primary students and six others teaching middle standard students. Mr Nachhattar Singh, Headmaster of the school since 1996 said it was unfortunate to see the students’ academic level. The students of sixth or seventh standard students were unable to write their names even in Punjabi. “They come here, eat, play and go. We face the wrath of their parents if we dare to say anything to them”, said Mr Nachhattar Singh in a helpless manner.

Interestingly, all these students have passed Board’s fifth standard examinations scoring good marks." They are through with good marks. Everything is possible because people like us help them in examinations and they get through. But parents hardly realise that they were ruining their child’s future”, said Mr Nachattar Singh.

He said it was not that the school produced only mediocre students, some intelligent students had already taken admissions in Engineering and Medical institutes. But everything depended on students will and their parents’ role in taking their studies seriously.

One of the teachers complained that villagers left no stone unturned in humiliating them." At times, we have to go to their homes to get school fee which is Rs 10 per month. As if it is not enough, some of the parents level allegations that we have some vested interests and Rs 10 are going in our pockets”, said the teacher.

Mr Hoshiar Singh, former Sarpanch of the village confirmed that villagers abuse and threaten the teachers if they scolded their wards for any of their wrong doings. “Recently, one of the watchman in the village had abused the teachers because they had scolded his ward for not doing work”, he said.

One of the students said that they came to school as their parents wanted them to be busy for some time." They send us to school to get a sigh of relief. Otherwise we do not let our mothers do any work. Our parents hardly ask us about the studies. We can take a holiday whenever we want”, said a IVth standard student.

Farewell function held
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, February 19
New Senior Secondary School, Sarabha Nagar, held a farewell function for the outgoing students of Class X and XII. The function was hosted by students of Class IX and XI. It was presided over by the Deputy Director-Principal, Mr H.C. Gupta.

A cultural function comprising of Hindi and Punjabi songs, Western dances, antakshari and Bhangra was organised.

Mr Gupta advised the students to concentrate on their studies by chalking out a complete schedule for studies and asked them to devote equal time to each subject.

The captains and the vice-captains of all the four houses — Tagore, Laxmi Bai, Subash Bose and Nehru — were awarded trophies for their performance during the session 2004-05.

The students who had topped in the Board examination were also honoured.

Robin, Saurabh and Parvinder of Class XII and Shivam and Pawanpreet of Class X were also honoured for their 100 per cent attendance during the year.

Expressions 2005 concludes
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, February 19
Expressions 2005 at GNIMT concluded here today.The chief guest, Mr J.S. Khangura, Chairman Majestic Hotels, gave away prizes to winners. He also released the souvenir on this occasion. Ten students of GNIMT won “Achiever Award” for their contribution in organising the mega event.

The results include: giddha: KIMT 1, GGNIMT 2, IMS 3; debate: PCTE 1, PAU 2, LCET 3; sell it: PAU, PCTE 1, SLIET 2, SGHCMT 3; mehandi: SGHCMT 1, LIMT 2, PCTE 3; cartooning: PCTE 1, GGNIMT 2, DIMT 3; turncoat: PAU 1, LCET 2 and postermaking: PAU 1, GGNIMT 2, PCTE 3.

CULTURE

Niladari enthrals at musical evening
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, February 19
Louis Banks, Niladari Kumar and Shivamani wove the magic and everybody around felt spell bound last night at a musical evening at a hotel. It was organised by the Seagrams 100 Pipers.

Programme started little late, yet audience waited with all patience. People were compensated for the delay in the programme. As musical notes started flowing and evening preferred into night, the atmosphere turned musical with rhythmic sounds coming from the instruments played by eminent hands.

For the great artistes applause and appreciation was not unexpected. Even when it was raining outside, people continued to pour in.

And in Ludhiana the ‘late the better’ people never expected anything to start on time. Programme was scheduled to start at eight, it started around 10. Hall was full and the ambience was musical.

Artistes also acknowledged the love they were showered on. Thanking people for the long wait, they said, they found the audience unusually warm and forthcoming.

May be drinks served by hosts through the musical evening added to warmth of the atmosphere inside, which otherwise cool outside.