AGRICULTURE

Leaves to foretell nitro requirement for paddy
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, July 14
Increasing cost of production, decreasing land holdings, declining water table and deteriorating soil, water and environmental quality are the issues of serious concern for the agricultural scientists and policy makers.

Dr Bijay Singh, Dr Yadvinder Singh, Dr Varinderpal Singh and Dr R.K. Gupta of the Department of Soils, Punjab Agricultural University, in a paper maintain that the external nitrogen application was one of the major inputs and was critical for paddy production all over the world.

The said broad-based blanket recommendations did not always lead to efficient fertiliser nitrogen use. Soil test based recommendations ignore the contribution and dynamics of nutrient release from crop residues, organic manures and irrigation water and have nothing to say about timing of fertiliser application. It is the reason that soil test based recommendations for nitrogen application are not successful in rice and farmers often apply nitrogenous fertilisers over and above the recommendations to cover the risk of nitrogen deficiency. Application of nitrogen fertiliser in excess of crop requirements leads to higher cost of production, increased attack of pests and diseases.

The scientists said to precisely know when paddy plant needed nitrogen has been the major challenge.

A leaf colour chart has been developed that allows measuring crop nitrogen demand simply by matching leaf colour. Green colour is an estimate of chlorophyll content of leaves, which is related to nitrogen content and can help in determining time of fertiliser nitrogen application to the crop. It gives instant results and there is no need for collecting plant sample or visiting tissue-testing laboratories.

They said that the leaf colour chart (LCC) is a colour chart printed on a plastic strip (8” x 3”) showing different shades of green colour and has been developed in collaboration with the International Rice Research Institute with agricultural research systems of several countries in Asia. It has six green shades ranging from light yellowish green (number 1) to dark green (Number 6). Colour strips fabricated with veins resemble those of rice leaves and help while matching colour.

It is a simple, and easy to use and inexpensive tool. To take LCC reading one needs to match the colour or shade of the leaf with colour bands on the strip.

They said a series of experiments had been conducted at a research farm of Punjab Agricultural University and more than 350 on farm experiments in farmers’ fields with the help of Department of Agriculture, Punjab. Results of experiments indicated that LCC-based technology could save on an average 30 kg urea per acre without any reduction in yield in comparison to farmer’s practice.

Under certain circumstance saving can be as high as 50 kg urea per acre. High-rice yields are ensured. It’s the beauty of LCC-based nitrogen application technology that it guides nitrogen applications so as to synchronize nitrogen supply with nitrogen demand and avoids losses of fertiliser nitrogen to ground water as well as to atmosphere and thus improves nitrogen use efficiency.

Kids demand upgrading of primary school
Our Correspondent

Children of Ilatfatpura village, near Ahmedgarh, in front of the existing primary school. — Photo by Mahesh Sharma

Tributes paid to educationist
Our Correspondent

Mandi Ahmedgarh, July 14
Representatives of various educational, religious, social and political organisations paid tributes to Kulwant Kaur, a noted educationist, who passed away after a brief illness at Nangal village here.

Paying tributes to Kulwant Kaur, who was the founder of Guru Nanak Model High School, Sihar, various speakers recollected her contribution to educational set-up in the area.

Besides emphasising the need for education for the rural masses, she had been associated with projects promoting female education and eradication of social evils.

Announcing the decision taken by certain social organisations, Mr Baldev Singh Latala, general secretary, Zamhoori Kissan Sabha, said regular inter-school competitions would be organised to commemorate her contribution to the field of education.

Bhog ceremony: Rich tributes were paid to Mr Swaran Singh, father of Mr Avtar Singh, general secretary, Chamber of Industrial and Commercial Undertakings, by various political, social and religious leaders at his bhog ceremony here. Mr Swaran Singh, who was among the founders of the bicycle industry in Ludhiana some 50 years ago, died last week.

School Director

Ludhiana, July 14
Mr Ashok Setia, a renowned educationist, has been appointed Director of both the branches of New Senior Secondary School. This was announced during a meeting of the school managing committee here recently. The meeting was presided over by Mr Sunil Maria, president of the managing committee. Mr Balraj Kumar, the general secretary of the committee, expressed hope that Mr Setia’s stay in the school would take it to the new heights. — OC 

HEALTH

SPS Apollo Hospitals included in ‘Sanjivni’ network 
Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, July 14
In a bid to provide cost-effective and latest healthcare to the rural population and farming community, the SPS Apollo Hospitals authorities have tied up with Sanjivni Health Care — a health insurance scheme introduced by the state government for rural cooperative societies a couple of months back.

With the agreement having been signed, the “Sanjivni” card holders of will have a choice to get free treatment at the state-of-the-art hospital in the city.

Terming the tie-up as a major step towards bringing the latest medical care within the reach of rural masses, Dr S.P. Singh, chief operating officer of the hospital, said the state government-sponsored “Sanjivni Health Care” scheme was the first of its kind in northern India under which over 6 lakh members of cooperative societies were the targeted beneficiaries.

Any member of a rural cooperative society or his dependent spouse, unmarried children and parents could avail themselves of the medical care at a premium of Rs 300 per annum.

He said the hospital would soon set up a separate “Sanjivni Help Desk” to cater to the policyholders of health insurance. “The benefit under the scheme will not be available for OPD treatment and hospitalisation under 24 hours, with the exception of procedures like dialysis, chemotherapy, eye surgery and coronary angiography, which require short stay in the hospital,” he added.

Giving more details about the medical facilities available under the scheme, Dr Singh said the policy would cover treatment of all medical and surgical diseases up to a total expenditure of Rs 2 lakh annually per beneficiary or his dependent family members.

“Ailments prior to subscribing to the scheme will also be covered. Maternity management will be covered up to the maximum limit of Rs 10,000 per pregnancy and not exceeding Rs 25,000 annually per beneficiary. The children of the beneficiaries will also be covered under the scheme right from the time of their birth,” he said.

According to Mr Jugdiep Singh, director of the institution, the mission of Apollo had always been to provide a totality of health services as per international standards, with its philosophy of reaching out to the poor and rural people. In pursuance of this objective, the hospital had recently launched “Telemedicine” which would bring the consultancy from super specialists in different parts of the country and even abroad, within easy reach of the patients from the region.

Free medical camp at Rachchin

Ludhiana, July 14
Around 230 patients were examined during a medical camp held on Monday at Rachhin village, near Raikot. The camp was organised to commemorate the martyrdom of Jagdish Singh Rachhin, who laid down his life in 1998 while fighting LTTE extremists in Sri Lanka.

Jagdish Singh Rachhin was a soldier in Sikh Regiment and had gone to Sri Lanka as a part of IPKF. During the camp, patients were examined for various diseases and medicines were also given free of cost to the needy.

A team of consultants who conducted the camp included Dr Sandeep Puri, Prof and Head, Department of Medicine at DMCH, Dr Vipan Kumar (senior resident-medicine), Dr Sidak (intern), Dr Suman Puri, Dr Pooja (senior resident-gynae), Dr Kapil Dua (ENT), Dr Amanpreet (senior resident-ENT) and senior resident Dr Shruti and Dr Rajni (skin). OC