AGRICULTURE

More farm income will help diversification: expert
Vimal Sumbly
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana November 7
Farm scientists and policy-makers should focus on enabling the farmers to enhance their incomes which will itself help in the diversification of agriculture. One way of enabling the farmers to harvest higher incomes is to adopt horticulture. Since there is a lock-in period of at least five to six years before farmers get returns, it would be in the interest of farmers to provide them interest-free loans. The recovery should be effected only after returns start flowing in.

This was stated by Chairman, Punjab State Farmers Commission, Dr G.S.Kalkat, while initiating a panel discussion on 'Horticultural Development in Northern India - Changing Priorities'. He said apart from dairying and bee- keeping, horticulture, net house vegetables growing and floriculture had the potential to enable the farmers get remunerative returns, provided government policies favoured them with assured price and procurement.

Dr Kalkat emphasised that credit was as essential and important as technology to enhance farm production and scale up incomes and economies. "It is time that system for disbursing credit is simplified. Development has already bypassed farm sector and the need of the hour is to bring small farmers into the mainstream agriculture. Once this happens, diversification will automatically follow. In fact, the need to protect and preserve agriculture is imperative at this agricultural juncture," he added.

He further said that the implementation programme must focus on natural resources like water and its efficient use, soil to maintain the fertility of the land and environment to make it clean and pollution-free. Comparing yield potential of Punjab with the rest of the country or even with developed countries was one thing but to provide enabling facilities to cut on cost of production, enhance incomes, as well as production to compete in the world market, was completely another thing.

In his keynote address on policy and planning for horticulture development in sub-tropical temperate regions of India, Dr Jagmohan Singh, Vice-Chancellor of Dr Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, gave a power point presentation on status of temperate fruit productivity, production constraints, lack of quality planting material of improved varieties, heavy post-harvest losses and fewer processing facilities in horticulture.

He also talked of poor marketing infrastructure, need for rationalisation of research, enrichment of genetic resources, quality plantation, production and prevention management, possible diversification, mechanisation of hill horticulture and post-harvest management. Also, horticultural biotechnology must be an integral part of horticulture planning in the country. "To propagate knowledge and information about fruits, it is prudent to open farm schools for interface between scientists and farmers at the grassroots," he added.

The one-day panel discussion was organised by the Horticultural Society of India (HSI) in collaboration with the Horticultural Science Society of the PAU. The president of the HSI, Dr K.L. Chadha, in his opening remarks, said it was time that farmers and scientists were sensitised about the role of horticulture in increasing contribution to country's gross domestic product. All these endeavours would require technical support and government policy of price intervention.

Dr Chadha, who is the chairman of the XI Plan Working Group of Horticulture, also spoke on the constraints that impeded crop and fruit production.

The Director of Extension Education, Dr S.S.Gill, while welcoming the participants, including a score of delegates from other states, said for the promotion of horticulture, scientific grading was important for marketing while fruits and vegetables formed an integral part of nutrition in the daily diet. Horticulture also helped to improve the environment.

PAU Vice-Chancellor Dr K.S.Aulakh, who presided over the inaugural session of the final discussion, in his presidential remarks, reiterated that agriculture was facing crises. This, he said, called for enhancing the income of farmers and raising of per unit area production, protecting environment and ensuring country's food and nutritional security. India may be the second largest country in the world next only to China in fruit and vegetables production. However, it was low in ranking when it came to food processing. At the function, the HSI honoured its peers which included Dr J.C. Bakshi, Dr B.S. Dhillon, Dr K.S. Nandpuri, Dr A.P.S.Gill and Dr S.S.Gill, who had spent decades in promoting research in different fruits and vegetables. In the technical session, papers were presented by scientists from within and outside the PAU on fruits, vegetables and spices, potato and tuber crops, floriculture, medicinal and aromatic plants, post-harvest technologies etc.

PAU KVKs bag 6 out of top 8 positions
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana November 7
Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) established by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and Punjab Agricultural University at the cutting edge, have proved to be catalysts of change in so far as dissemination of agriculture-related knowledge and information is concerned.

KVKs performing well is now evident from the fact that in Zone-I comprising of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and J&K, six of the eight top positions have been bagged by the PAU. There are, in all, 60 KVKs in Zone-I and their workshop had concluded at Chaudhary Charan Singh Agricultural University, Hisar, last week.

PAU Director of Extension Education, Dr S.S. Gill, who had attended the workshop said here today that out of 16 KVKs, the six that had bagged top slots were: Langroya, Patiala, Faridkot, Bathinda, Sangrur and Nawanshehar. In the overall rating of KVKs based on their performance, the first three positions were won by the KVKs at Faridkot, Bathinda and Sangrur respectively. Faridkot had also topped in the Home Science section (exhibition) while Nawanshehar was placed on the second position in presentation.

Dr Gill said the efficiency and efficacy of these KVKs can also be gauged from the fact that even in terms of utilisation of money under the Revolving Fund, PAU, they had not only returned the seed money to the ICAR but had also done well for its own viability.

At each KVK, the university had posted subject matter specialists who not only interacted with farmers in its respective operational areas but also organised field days and demonstrations in experimental areas. The latest addition to KVK activities was the setting up of organic kitchen farms and propagation of net-house cultivation of vegetables.

"These KVKs have a special component for farm women who are given short and long term training courses in various household related chores, including balanced diet and importance of nutrition. Besides creating awareness among the women about Punjab's skewed sex ratio, KVKs also promote girl education," Dr Gill added.

B.Ed college inaugurated
Our Correspondent

Machhiwara, November 7
SGPC president Jathedar Avtar Singh inaugurated a B.Ed college at Kot Gangu Rai village near Machhiwara today. Addressing the audience on the occasion, the Jathedar admired the efforts of the Nankana Sahib College of Education Kot Gangu Rai managing committee for showing its keenness in the setting up of the college.

Speaking on the occasion, MLA of Koomkalan Inder Iqbal Singh Atwal expressed his gratitude to the SGPC for starting two new institutions, one at Kot Gangu Rai and the Guru Gobind Khalsa College for Women Jhar Sahib. He urged the SGPC to open one educational institution in Machhiwara.

Seminar to mark Legal Services Day
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, November 7
To mark the Legal Services Day, a seminar will be organised by the District Legal Services Authority under the supervision of its Chairman, Mr Harbans Lal, District and Sessions Judge, at Government Senior Secondary School, Baddowal, on November 9 at 10 am.

This was conveyed by Mr Harbans Lal while presiding over the meeting of top brass officials of the Police Department and the District Administration at the Judicial Complex here. The Secretary, Legal Services Authority-cum-Civil Judge (Senior Division), Mr S.S. Dhaliwal, Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr K.S. Cheema, Mr Harish Kumar SP(D), District Attorney, Mr Amar Ashok Pathak, Ms Pappu Abinash Singh and Ms Ruby Fernandiz were also present during the meeting.

The seminar will focus on educating the rural masses about the importance of Lok-Adalats and creating awareness about the facility of free legal aid provided by the Legal Services Authority to the deserving sections of society.

HEALTH

‘Diabetics more prone to cardiac problems’
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, November 7
‘Diabetics have two to six times increased risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) compared to the general population. Not only this, some 75 per cent of diabetics die from cardio-vascular disease, whereas non-diabetics, the mortality rate from this condition was around 35 per cent. Further, the damage done by the first heart attack in a diabetic patient is almost equivalent to the damage done to a non-diabetic patient by a second heart attack.

These observations were made by Dr Ashish K. Saxena, Apollo Clinic while delivering a lecture and presentation on ‘Cardio-vascular complications in Diabetes’, at the Home-Science College of Punjab Agricultural University last evening. More than 60 students including those pursuing PG and doctorate attended the lecture.

Dr Saxena, an academic member of the Research Society for the Study of Diabetics in India and a life member of the Cardiology Society of India, remarked that the Framingham heart study data revealed that patients with Diabetes Mellitus, particularly women, exhibited an increased risk of angina, heart failure, myocardial infarction and sudden death. The presence of associated risk factors like obesity, advanced age, dyslipidemia (abnormal cholesterol level) and hypertension further contributed to cardio-vascular complications.

He stated that smoking was an independent predictor of mortality in diabetics. Therefore, all diabetics should be asked to quit smoking. “The Health Professional follow-up study (which is an international study) of 2803 men with type 2 Diabetes Mellitus has shown that physical activity and exercise in diabetics is associated with reduced risk of cardio-vascular disease and cardio-vascular deaths. Forty minutes of brisk physical activity everyday, at least five times a week is necessary for a beneficial effect on the heart.”

According to Dr Saxena, the risk of cardio-vascular disease, caused by high blood pressure was double in case of diabetics as compared to non-diabetics. It had been observed that strict control of BP at 140/80 or 130/80 mm Hg significantly reduced diabetes related deaths and heart failure.

He said painless (silent) myocardial infarction with occult heart failure, occurs frequently among chronic diabetic patients. Cardiac Autonomic Neuropathy (damage of the nerves of the heart) is responsible for reduced pain perception during a silent heart attack. At the time of the silent heart attack, patients may have atypical symptoms like fatigue, nausea, vomiting and breathlessness.

He pointed out that Echocardiography had emerged as an indispensable tool for evaluating diabetic patients with heart disease. “ECHO provides instant cardiac imaging along with haemodynamic information about the heart. The unique importance of Echocardiography is that it can help in detecting minor blockage of coronary arteries, even when the ECG and cardiac markers are normal. This helps in accurate diagnosis and timely management of heart attack.”

Dr Saxena concluded the lecture by saying that the treatment of heart disease in diabetic patients posed a challenging problem. Managing diabetes properly helped in saving lives. The medical professionals were witnessing a time where the clinical prognosis of diabetic patients was improving with proper medical intervention.

SPORTS

Ludhiana, Sangrur, Amritsar athletes shine at meet
Our Sports Reporter

Ludhiana, November 7
Athletes from Ludhiana, Sangrur and Amritsar proved their mettle at the 52nd Punjab State Schools Athletics Meet held at Guru Nanak Stadium here today. In the long jump for boys (u-19), Sukhwinder Singh of Amritsar, with a leap of 1.91 mts established a new meet record.

In the boy's section,(u-19), Gagandeep Singh of Ludhiana won top honours in discus throw while Harpreet Singh and Mandeep Kumar of Sangrur finished second and third, respectively. In the girl's section, Harmandeep Kaur Badal of Sangrur proved too good for her rivals and won the gold medal. The second and third spots were bagged by Gurvinder Kaur of Tarn Taran and Satbir Kaur of Sangrur, respectively.

Krishan Rai of Sports Wing, Jalandhar, finished ahead of others to win the first position at the 5 km walk. Ludhiana's Bhupinder Singh secured second spot while Jagsir of Sangrur had to be content with the third position.

Other results: Girls (u-19): 5 km walk- Amandeep Kaur of Sangrur 1, Kiran Kaur of Sangrur 2 and Navkiran Kaur of Amritsar 3; (boys)- shotput: Rajinder Kumar of Kapurthala 1, Gurdit Singh of Sangrur 2 and Mohinder Singh of Ludhiana 3.

Long jump- Sukhwinder Singh of Amritsar 1, Paramjit Singh of Ludhiana 2 and Devinder Singh of Sports School, Jalandhar 3; girls: 3000 m race- Navjot Kaur of Hoshiarpur 1, Manpreet Kaur of Jalandhar 2 and Randhir Kaur of Jalandhar 3.

Boys (u-17): 3000 m- Jatinder Singh of Tarn Taran 1, Gurbhej Singh of Bathinda 2 and Jaswinder Singh of Faridkot 3; shot put- Karanjasjeet Singh of Amritsar 1, Jasdeep Singh fo Amritsar 2 and Gurbant Singh of Patiala 3; high jump- Gurdeep singh of Muktsar 1, Jagdish Singh of Amritsar 2 and Yadwinder Singh of Amritsar 3.

Girls (u-17): 3000 m- Navneet Kaur of Sangrur 1, Sunita Rani of Sangrur 2 and Beant Kaur of Ludhiana 3; long jump- Kulwinder Kaur of Sangrur 1, Amandeep Kaur of Muktsar 2 and Charanpreet Kaur of Jalandhar 3.