AGRICULTURE

Grow sunflower, exhorts expert
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 10
The cultivation of sunflower can go a long way in bringing down the deficiency of oilseeds in the country, says PAU’s Director of Extension Education Dr S.S. Gill.

At the same time, it can greatly contribute towards the diversification of agriculture in the state. He was speaking to farmers at a Field Day on sunflower organised by PAU’s Bahowal Krishi Vigyan Kendra. “Even if a farmer cultivates sunflower on small area to meet his own requirement of edible oil, the move will contribute a lot towards diversification campaign,” he said.

Dr Gill further informed that this crop can yield seven quintals per acre of sunflower seed which contains two quintals of edible oil. “The sunflower oil is as good as any other edible oil and a farmer can save a lot of money which he otherwise spends to buy edible oil from the market”, he remarked.

Describing sunflower cultivation as more profitable than wheat, Dr Gill strongly advocated for its cultivation to replace the present rice-wheat rotation.

Earlier, he inaugurated a soil testing laboratory at Bahowal which has been established with a grant of Rs 11 lakh from ICAR, New Delhi.

Farm experts gave a detailed information to the farmers on collection of soil and water samples for testing. Farmers were also advised to apply fertilisers as per the requirement of their soils.

EDUCATION

Paper outside syllabus, say students
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 10
Several students of MA II (English) of Panjab University, Chandigarh, have demanded 20 grace marks in the linguistics paper, which was held in the morning session here today. About 60 students of SCD Government College said the question paper was not only out of syllabus but many units were ignored.

The students have already sent a representation to the Vice-Chancellor, Panjab University, demanding 20 grace marks to all of them. Sahil, Saru, Alka, Inderjit and Vikas, in a signed representation, said in today’s question paper, some units were totally ignored. “Question number 5 of semantics was not from the syllabus. The areas of morphology, I.C. analysis, modern linguistics and language were not at all touched. As per the syllabus, the questions were to come from each unit,” said a student.

“We were shocked to see the paper. We should be compensated as we are not responsible for the error. Twenty marks matter a lot to us,” said another student.

Prof Rajinder Singh, Head of the English Department of SCD Government College, said the students were justified in demanding grace marks as the question paper was out of syllabus.

Vedic declamation contest held
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 10
New Senior Secondary School, Sarabha Nagar, Ludhiana, organised a declamation contest entitled "Vedic declamation contest." The function was presided over by the Deputy Director Principal H C Gupta. In all 16 teams took part in the contest which was based on the following topics: Female foeticide, Swami Dayanand Saraswati etc.

The topics chosen by the participants related to ther national cultural heritage and our great heroes.

The results: Kamalpreet Kaur 1st, Sakshi 2nd, Gurpreet Kaur 3rd.

The winners were given certificates and trophies which were sponsored by the Ved Parchar Mandal. The non- winner participants were also given merit certificates.

In his presidential remarks the Deputy Director Principal, Mr H C Gupta, summed up the topics dealt with by the participants and gave them some tips for further improvement in their presentation. The function ended with a vote of thanks by Mr Roshan Lal Arya, general secretary, Ved Prachar Mandal.

PCCTU state-level poll on May14
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 10
The state-level elections of the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union (PCCTU) will be held on May 14 at Lyallpur Khalsa College, Jalandhar. The first round of these elections was completed on May 7 when the elections of the district presidents were held in seven districts. In other districts the presidents were elected either unanimously or unopposed or by rotation.

Prof R.S. Brar, president, PCCTU, in a press statement said today that “in these elections the Brar-Jagwant group has grabbed three districts, the Aminder-Hundal group two districts while there has been a tie in two districts.” 

Kids given uniforms
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 10
Activists of the Sarv Sanjhi Welfare Society today distributed uniforms to schoolchildren belonging to poor families and ration to destitute women.

The SP, Traffic, Mr Gurdial Singh, was the chief guest on the occasion. As many as 151 students were given uniforms and 85 destitute women ration.

Mr Madan Lal Bagga, area councillor, said the society had already borne expenses of education and school fee of around 100 children. He added that a stitching centre was being set up at Gurdwara Takhatgarh Sahib and girls would be provided training free of cost.

CULTURE

UK-based singer’s album released
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 10
‘Dil Mang Lai’ a music cassette of UK-based singer Atma, was released in Mumbai recently. Hailing from a village near Phillaur, Atma, now settled in Birmingham, London, said this was his 12th cassette.

Talking to Ludhiana Tribune, the winner of the 11th Asian sing contest in London, Atma said that this was the second release in India. “The first one was ‘Makhni Malai’, released in Jalandhar in 2004. I feel it is just a beginning, I have to go on and on”, he said.

A disciple of Hans Raj Hans, Atma said that he was full time singer in UK. “My 10 more music albums have already been released in UK. A video shoot of one of my song’s from this latest cassette has also been completed in Mumbai. The director is R. Swamy. There are a total of 10 songs in this cassette and music lovers have appreciated my style of singing. Two more videos of mine are being shot in Karnatka”, claimed the singer.