EDUCATION

German scientist visits PAU
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 3
A Professor of University of Munich, Germany, Dr Wolfgang Staender, visited Punjab Agricultural University here yesterday. He was accompanied by Dr Hans Krens, Executive Director, sustainable development and innovation, Club of Budapest, Germany.

At a meeting with the PAU Vice- Chancellor, Dr K.S.Aulakh, the visiting scientist briefed about his accomplishments in the field of water exploration and exploitation. He showed keen interest in providing solution for agriculture and energy problems of India. Dr Aulakh briefed Dr Staender about the ongoing research at the university and also the emerging challenges for agriculture in the state.

An idea to sign a memorandum of understanding between the PAU and the International Club of Budapest was also mooted during the meeting. Dr Staender also held discussions with the Additional Director of Research (Agri), Dr.G.S.Hira, and visited various university laboratories and research fields.

He also delivered a lecture on "A general sustainable solution for the agriculture and energy problems of India" in Jacob Hall of the College of Agricultural Engineering. Director of Research Dr. B.S.Dhillon presided over the session.

Dr Staender, through his pictorial presentations, said about his current project on realisation of the maximum yield of production for food, green fodder and the massive production of electricity fuels.

He had finalised a hi-tech technology which might usher in a breakthrough in the development of a peaceful healing of the ecosystem and sustainable world, especially in support of the empowerment of the poor. 

Rwanda seeks tie-up with PAU
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 3
The Rwandan Ambassador to India, Lieut-Gen Kayumba Nyamwasa today exchanged views with the PAU Vice-Chancellor Dr K.S.Aulakh on how best the university can lend its support in terms of manpower, expertise and technology to mechanise the farm operations in his country.

Mr Nyamwasa gave a bird's eye view of the problems faced by Rwanda’s farmers, who have fertile land and where water for irrigation is not a problem.

But latest production-protection technologies, mechanisation, storage and processing of farm and dairy produce, pose major challenges.

Rwanda, he said, looked up to the World Bank and International Monetary Fund for financial bail out.

He said he would contact the PAU with a formal proposal for the exchange of scientists and students and what other help can be extended to farmers in Rwanda enabling them to form village cooperatives for community development.

Dr Aulakh gave a brief presentation of agriculture in Punjab and the role the PAU has played in ushering in the first green revolution and how its scientists and extension workers have developed a symbiotic relationship with the farmers.

The Vice-Chancellor gave statistics of the area and production under major foodgrain crops, wheat and paddy, and state's contribution to the central food kitty.

He also spoke on new research strategies chalked out by the university and referred to Rs 100 crore special grant given to the university in the current year union Budget in recognition of its contribution to agriculture. Present during the intereaction were Deans and Directors.

The Ambassador evinced keen interest to visit Farm Power and Machinery Department of the College of Agricultural Engineering because “in terms of mechanisation, farmers in my country are still using primitive tools, which do not serve the purpose now”.

Mr Nyamwasa also wanted the PAU expertise to help Rwanda’s farmers in taking up organic farming.

Dr Aulakh suggested to him that given the rich flora and fauna of Rwanda, besides dairying, farmers there could also take to honeybee-keeping and mushroom cultivation.

Punjab, he said, produces 50 per cent of the total honey and 25 per cent of total mushroom production in India. 

PAU's drive against foeticide
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 3
After scripting economic and agricultural revolution in the state, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has stepped into social sector now. The university, through its extensive network of Krishi Gyan Kendras (KGKs), which are basically training farmers about the latest techniques in agriculture, has started educating people against female foeticide and drug addiction.

According to Director, Extension, Dr S.S.Gill, the PAU has decided to create awareness among farmers against female foeticide and drug addiction. He pointed out that unethical practice of female foeticide was prevalent in rural areas as much as in the urban areas. The evil of drug addiction among the youth was also a serious challenge.

He added that many minors were hooked on to drugs in several villages of Punjab. "Even six-seven year old boys were addicted to cough syrups, poppy husk and opium. Recently, a drug de-addiction camp was held at a village in the district in which a majority of addicts were below 15 years of age. It is unfortunate that for want of drugs, these young children had started stealing money".

Teaching programmes commence at GITC
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 3
Teachers should gain more knowledge and adopt latest teaching skills to make the subject matter more attractive for school students, said Ms Gurdeep Kaur, Principal, Govt Inservice Training Centre (GITC), while addressing Hindi and maths teachers from different government schools of the district, who are undergoing the teachers' training programme at the GITC.

Directed by SCERT Director Harcharanjit Kaur Brar, teachers of various subjects would have to attend various seminars and training programmes aimed at improving the educational standards in the government schools.

Apart from the subject matter, the participating teachers would be imparted a test knowledge about population and environmental education during these seminars, informed Ms Gurdeep Kaur in a press statement today.

Teaching methodology, moral education, Hindi Sahitya, statistics, teaching aids in maths would be other important topics, which would be discussed with teachers during the current programmes.

COURTS

Man gets 7 yrs’ RI for abducting, raping minor
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 3
Mr Hardial Singh, Presiding Officer of the fast-track court, has sentenced Jagtar Singh, alias Tar of Raikot, to a rigorous imprisonment for seven years for abducting and raping a minor girl.

A fine of Rs 2,500 was also imposed upon the accused.

An FIR was registered against the accused at the Raikot Police Station, under Sections 363 and Sections 366 IPC on July 10, 2004, following the complaint of Harbhajan Singh, father of the prosecutrix.

After the recovery of girl, the accused was also charged with section 376 of IPC.

The father of girl had submitted to the police that her daughter was studying in Class X at the Govt School, Baini-Bairangi.

One day, he had seen the accused meeting with her daughter on the way to her school. Thereafter, he had warned him. On July 10, his daughter had gone missing.

A tailor, Amarjit Singh, informed him that he had seen the accused and his daughter at the bus stand.

The police party had recovered the girl from Hazoor Sahib, Nander in Maharashtra. The prosecution had claimed that the girl disclosed that she was abducted and raped forcibly.

On the other hand, the defence counsel had pleaded that the conduct of prosecutrix showed that she was a consenting party.

She had travelled with the accused to several places, including Himachal Pradesh and Maharashtra and did not raise any alarm. After hearing the arguments of both the sides, the court remarked that the girl was minor. The consent of a minor girl was no consent in the eyes of law.