Workshop for bee-keepers
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, November 3
A one-day training workshop for progressive bee-keepers of the state was organised by the Directorate of Extension Education, PAU, here, today. Dr Pushpinder Singh, Extension Specialist (fruits), urged the bee-keepers to undertake value addition of honey that would increase the market base for their produce and would also increase profitability when bee-keepers were suffering from low market price of their produce. He also shared with them two honey recipes standardised by PAU, which comprised ginger-honey RIS and pomegranate.

Dr Pardeep Kumar Chhuneja, Technical Co-coordinator, discussed the prevailing global prices of honey and told the bee-keepers to exploit the potentially vast domestic market to ensure higher profits.

Earlier, while welcoming the participants Ms Paramjit Kaur Pandher disclosed that PAU was organising an advanced training in “queen bee” rearing techniques for the bee-keepers from November 7.

Farmers rue shortage of DAP
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, November 3
While the wheat sowing is at its peak, the farmers in and around Ludhiana have been ruing the shortage of the Diammonium Phosphate (DAP) fertiliser. They said when they needed the fertiliser the most it was not available in the market. However, officials of the Agricultural Department maintained that there was no shortage of the fertiliser and it was easily available.

The farmers said while the shortage of the DAP had become a routine affair in the past several years, but during the recent years the fertiliser was made sufficiently available on time. But surprisingly, the fertiliser has once again been in short supply, this year.

The officials in the local agricultural office of the state government maintained that there was sufficient supply of the DAP in the market. The officials said, while there was a demand of about 46,000 metric tonnes in the district, about 37,000 tonnes had already been supplied. The officials said another consignment of about 2,500 tonnes would be arriving within next few days and the demand would be completely met.

The farmers and various kisan organisations questioned the claims of the department. A spokesman of the Bharatiya Kisan Union said here today that in case the fertiliser was really available in adequate supply in the district, then the officials must ensure that it is not an artificially created shortage. The kisan organisation maintained that either the department officials were lying or the black marketers were hoarding it.

The DAP is an important fertiliser which is used in the crops for better yield. It is used at the time of sowing the wheat. The farmers said, if it was not available on time it would not serve any purpose after the sowing. 

Students vie for prizes at Vallabh Darbar
Asha Ahuja

Ludhiana, November 3
The 136th birth anniversary of Yugveer Punjab Kesari Jain Acharya Vijay Vallabh Ji Maharaj was celebrated here today as founder’s day and prize distribution function of SAN Jain Senior Secondary School and SAN Jain Model Senior Secondary School, Ludhiana.

Guru Vijay Vallabh was an eminent educationist who inspired his disciples to set up educational institutions which may dispel darkness from the minds of the people.

He espoused the cause of female education in an age when it was considered a taboo. He waged an unrelenting war against untouchability and religious fanaticism. He preached the equality of all religions. He was a true visionary and ahead of his times. As usual, during Vallabh Durbar, a colourful programme of folk dances, qawwalis and group songs was organised on Gurudev’s birth anniversary.

Teams from 13 local schools, including KVM, Guru Nanak Public School, Sanatan Vidya Mandir and New Senior Secondary School, took part in the competition. Teams of Jain institutions from Jandiala, Malerkotla and Ambala City also participated.

Ms Shawinder, Ms Harjinder and Ms Gurinder acted as judges.

Mr Surinder Dawar, Parliamentary Secretary, Punjab, was the chief guest, while Lala Lajpat Rai, former MP, presided over the function and gave away the prizes to the winners in academic, cultural and sports fields. Mr Dawar announced that he would donate Rs 1 lakh from his discretionary fund for the developmant of the school.

He said students were the future leaders and the teachers should take the responsibility of giving them all-round education to make them balanced personalities. The teachers should impart them moral values.

Mr Dawar said that children should also be given computer education.

Mementos and cash prizes of Rs 3100 and Rs 2100 were given to the top two winners in all three categories. Consolation prizes and mementos worth Rs 1,100 were given to each participating team.

The following schools won the honours:

Group song: Kundan Vidya Mandir 1, SAN Jain Senior Secondary School 2. Qawwali competition: SAN Jain School Jaindial 1, Sanatan Vidya Mandir 2. Group dance: SAN Jain School 1, Guru Nanak School Public School 2.

The Principals of many local schools as also Mr Kashmiri Lal Jain, president of the School Managing Committee, Mr Sikander Lal Jain (general secretary), Mr Ashok Jain (vice-president), Mr Devinder Kumar Jain (cashier), Mr Raj Kumar Jain (patron), Mr Pardeep Kumar Jain and many other prominent persons from the Jain samaj were present at the function.

From Colleges
Khalsa college celebrates victory at youth festival
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, November 3
Students of Guru Nanak Khalsa College for Women, Gujarkhan Campus, performed well in the Zonal Youth and Heritage Festival held at Mata Ganga Khalsa College, Kotan, by clinching nine first prizes, 10 second prizes, seven third prizes and two special prizes. The college bagged maximum top positions in music, dramatics and quiz.

The college celebrated the victory of the students. Principal Manju Chawla congratulated the students for their excellent performance in all the categories and motivated them to do still better.

Workshop on women: Master Tara Singh Memorial College for Women will organise a two-day workshop on “Economic Empowerment of Women” on the college campus on November 4 and 5.

Ms Isher Judge Ahluwalia will inaugurate the workshop on November 4 and Mr S.S. Johl will preside over the valedictory function on November 5.

Partap College students excel: Students of the Partap College of Education excelled in the Panjab University Zonal Youth and Heritage Festival (Zone-B) held at the Dev Samaj College, Ferozepore, recently. The students participated in various contests and bagged prizes. They won the first prize in clay modelling, creative writing, histrionics and Kawishri. The Rajasthani group dance also got the first prize. The still life drawing and play ‘Santapiyan Roohan’ staged by the students of the college won the second prize. The classical dance bagged the third prize. Dr Balwant Singh, Principal of the college, congratulated the students and the staff on the occasion.

Moral education exam results declared
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, November 3
The results of moral education exams, conducted by Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle, were declared today. Giving details, Principal Ram Singh said to impart moral values to the youth, the study circle had been organising such exams for school students for the past 30 years. These exams were divided in two categories. This year, more than 27,000 students appeared for the exams, said an official press note.

To declare the results, Mr Satnam Singh Saihopuri, Director, Youth Services was invited. In the first category, Manjot Singh from Dashmesh Public Senior Secondary School, Raikot, got the first position, Gurpreet Kaur from Guru Nanak International Public School, Ludhiana, got the second position and Surjit Singh from Sargodha Khalsa High School, Jail Road, got the third position.

In the second category, Kiran Kumari from Government Senior Secondary School, Kandyala Kalan got the first position , Kulwinder Kaur from Master Tam Singh Memorial Public School, Ludhiana got the second position and Tarwinder Singh from Dashmesh Senior Secondary School, Dashmesh Nagar, got the third position.

Students were given cash prizes along with participation certificate. 

Computer training for schoolteachers
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, November 3
Computer training is being imparted to government school teachers at Government Inservice Training Centre (GITC) under the “Microsoft Project Shiksha” scheme. Disclosing this, Ms Sarabjeet Kaur, Principal of GITC, today said the computer learning programme had generated a lot of enthusiasm amongst the teachers, who were being given specialised training.

“The teachers are being trained to do their work on computers, which included making question papers, collecting data about education and making lesson plans, with many illustrations in Microsoft power point and use them with sound-affects and animations,” the Principal said.

HEALTH

Dr Bajwa elected gen secy of eye surgeons’ society
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, November 3
Dr G.S. Bajwa, Professor of vitreo-retinal surgery in the Eye Department of Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, here was unanimously elected general secretary of the North Zone Ophthalmological Society at the annual conference of the society held recently at Palampur in Himachal Pradesh. Nearly 300 eye surgeons from the north zone attended the conference, which was inaugurated by Himachal Pradesh Governor V.S. Kokje.

During the conference, Dr Bajwa chaired a scientific session. He also presented three scientific papers on important topics of ‘Herpes Simplex Keratitis’ and retinal changes in the patients of alcoholic cirrhosis. The presentation made by him on digital photography in ophthalmology was highly appreciated.

In his interaction with mediapersons here today, Dr Bajwa informed that the thrust areas during the conference were concerning the Organ Transplantation Act and corneal grafting procedures, which could hamper the keratoplasty work being done in the north zone, particularly in Punjab. Due to more finances involved in the setting up of the new eye banks, the corneal donation campaign would suffer a setback as only a few institutions would be able to get sanction from the state authorities to procure and use the donated eyes.

Dr Bajwa strongly felt the need for regulating the keratoplasty work done by the state. “The regulation will improve the quality of surgical success. However, at the same time, there will be fall in donations, which will lead to increase in the waiting period for the four million Indians who are blind due to corneal opacification.”

Rare surgery performed

Ludhiana, November 3
In a rare surgical feat, cardiologic surgeons at Christian Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) here removed a tumour from within the left atrium of patient. Relieved from the severe complications and life threatening heart problem, the patient, operated on October 28, was showing satisfactory post-operative progress.

Giving more details, Dr Rajiv Gupta, Reader and Consultant in Cardiothoracic Surgery at CMCH, said for the past few months, the patient, Ms Surinderpal Kaur (49), a resident of a village near Moga, was experiencing difficulty in breathing and dizziness. She have had three instances of syncope (sudden loss of consciousness) besides suffering from positional breathlessness.

According to Dr Gupta, “myxoma” (tumour in the heart) was a very rare condition and in almost 90 per cent of the cases, located in left atrium. In the case of this patient, the tumour was around 4.5 cm in size blocking the mitral valve.

“These tumours, being gelatinous in nature and very fragile, can break up and at times, migrate to other parts of the body, including the brain, causing further complications,” Dr Gupta added. — OC

City doctor wins trip to London
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, November 3
Dr Iqbal Ahuja, a city-based gynecologist, was declared the lucky winner of the “Majestic Divali Dhamaka”, by Park Plaza here today. He won Delhi-London-Delhi air tickets for two.

The other winners who won prizes like DVD player, refrigerator, washing machine, microwave oven, music system, include Mr Bobby Jain, Mr Amandeep Dhillon, Mr Rajeev Nayyar, Mr Ravinder Nanda, Mr Gurpreet Singh, Dr Jagjeet Ahuja and Mr Rahul Kalra.