Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) will hold Kisan Mela at Regional Station (RS), Ballowal Saunkhri, Balachaur, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, on September 7.

The mela will be inaugurated by chief parliamentary secretary Nand Lal, while PAU Vice-Chancellor Dr Manjit Singh Kang will preside over.

Regional Station director Dr Subash Chander Sharma said the visit to fields for demonstrations at 10.30 am would be followed by a two-hour technical session focusing on new research recommendations, improved crop varieties for Kandi area, management of insect pest and diseases, production technologies for vegetable crops, scope of horticulture and agri-horticulture in Kandi area.

The mela will be held at Rauni (Patiala) on September 10, PAU, Ludhiana, on September 14 and 15, RS Gurdaspur on September 21 and RS Bathinda on September 24.

The theme for the mela will be “Conserve natural resources for the prosperity of all”.

Dr MS Gill, PAU director, Extension Education, said during the mela, technologies and new innovations would be showcased. He said there would be several attractions for farmers and farm women in the mela.

The mela would have agro-industrial exhibitions and crop produce competition,” he said.

Dr Gill said departments of the university would put up stalls on new technologies and arrangements would be made for the sale of ornamental saplings and seeds of crops during the mela. Home scientists would put up special stalls for farm women, he added.

Additional director of communication Dr Jagtar Singh Dhiman said new farm publications would be released during the mela. Arrangements would be made for the sale of these and to enrol new members for monthly farm magazines of the PAU. A package of practices for Rabi crop would also be released during the mela.

A sense of happiness and cheerfulness prevailed among families of children suffering from thalassaemia, as the Salaam Zindagi Foundation announced to bear all their expenses. Ashok Dawar, president of the foundation, and Nishant Arora, secretary, Youth Chemist Welfare Club, announced that they would bear the expenses of blood transfusion of 36 children.

The foundation organised a function at Gurdwara Dukhniwaran Sahib today. They said a bank account had been opened at Dayanand Medical College and Hospital in which funds had been deposited to meet the requirements of the sponsored children. “Henceforth, these children just have to go to the hospital and get the blood transfusion done without making any payment.”

Tikka Dalip Singh, president, and Surain Singh, secretary of Ludhiana District Chemist Association, announced that "Kelfer", which was an expensive medicine, would be sponsored by them and given free of cost.

Gurpreet Singh Winkle, patron, and Taranjit Singh Sidhu said household items given to these families were sponsored by Gurdwara Dukhniwaran Sahib and other philanthropists. “The idea behind giving full-month ration to the families of afflicted children is that the family saves money on food articles and spends it on medical or other expenses.”

Ludhiana MP and national spokesperson of the All-India Congress Committee Manish Tewari today lambasted the SAD-BJP government in the state for discriminating against the assembly segments represented by the Congress. He was addressing a series of public meetings in Dakha, previously Qila Raipur assembly constituency, represented by Congress MLA Jassi Khangura.

Tewari was disappointed with the callous attitude of the government. He said once the government is formed, it must not discriminate against those people who did not vote for the government.

He particularly referred to villages under Qila Raipur assembly segment which were being victimised and discriminated against by the coalition government as they had elected a Congress MLA.

"The Akalis have a habit of victimising their opponents. They either implicate their opponents in false cases or stop development in their area." Tewari, however, assured the people and said: "Once there is a change in guard, there will be no discrimination.”

PAU Vice-Chancellor Dr Manjit Singh Kang has appealed to farmers and farmwomen to participate in the kisan melas with enthusiasm as the events are being organised for them.As per past practise, the PAU will hold a series of five kisan melas in September.

The first mela in the series will be held at regional station, Ballowal Saunkhri, on September 7 followed by others at Rauni (Patiala) on September 10, at the PAU campus, Ludhiana, on September 14 and 15, at regional station Gurdaspur on September 21 and at regional station Bathinda on September 24. The theme for the Kisan Mela will be "conserve natural resources for the prosperity of all".

The director of extension education, Dr MS Gill, said during all these kisan melas the technologies and new innovations on the theme of the melas will be showcased. There will be several attractions for the farmers and farmwomen in these melas, he said adding that in the melas will also have agro-industrial exhibitions, crop produce competition, display of new technological innovations, etc. The question answer sessions will provide opportunities to farmers to put forth their farming related queries before the experts.

The additional director of communication, Dr Jagtar Singh Dhiman, said the new farm publications brought out recently will be released during the Kisan Melas and arrangement will be made for the sale of these and to enrol new members for the monthly farm magazines of the PAU - "Changi Kheti" (Punjabi) and "Progressive Farming" (English) as well as package of practices for rabi crops.

Qila Raipur MLA Jassi ra has asked Deputy Khangura has asked Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal about the progress on his dream project, Ludhiana metro, which he had promised to the people of the city before and after coming to power.

In a statement issued here on Wednesday, Khangura reminded the Deputy Chief Minister that he had promised to turn Ludhiana into Paris.
“Paris remains a distant dream; Ludhiana is not even what it used to be before Sukhbir's party came to power“, he remarked, while adding, that potholed streets, garbage dumps, choked roads and drains with dark nights had become the norm of the day. “What to speak of the metro rail in Ludhiana, we are yet to hear anything about the city bus service despite the Centre having provided special grant for the purpose,“ Khangura remarked.

He said, Sukhbir had gone back on all his promises about development and the only thing he had scored on was trying to beat his political opponents.
Khangura said, it was for the second time that the foundation stone for the passenger underpass in Aggar Nagar had been laid. He said that his father had laid the foundation stone for the same project during his earlier tenure as the Chief Minister between 1997 and 2002.

This, Khangura said, was just an example of how Sukhbir was trying to fool people in the name of development. He said, most of the development projects he claimed to have started were funded by the Central government or had been started by the previous Congress government.
The MLA suggested that Sukhbir draw a balance sheet about what he had done during the last three years.

Qila Raipur MLA Jassi Khangura today took to task Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on his dream project of Ludhiana Metro, which he had promised to the people of the city before and after coming to the power.

The Congress MLA reminded junior Badal that he had promised to turn Ludhiana into Paris. “Paris remains a dream too far but Ludhiana has not remained even what it was before Sukhbir’s party came into power,” he said, adding that potholed roads and streets, garbage dumps, choked roads and drains with dark nights had become the order of the day for the people of Ludhiana.

“What to speak of the metro rail in Ludhiana, we are yet to hear anything about the city bus service despite the Centre having provided special grant for the purpose under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission,” Khangura said, adding that Sukhbir had gone back on all his promises regarding the development and only thing he had scored on was victimising his political opponents.

Referring to a flurry of activities Sukhbir had been projecting to be doing about development, particularly in Ludhiana, Khangura said it was for the second time that the foundation stone had been laid for the passenger underpass in Aggar Nagar. He said his father had laid down a foundation stone for the same project during his earlier tenure as the Chief Minister between 1997 and 2002. This, Khangura said, is just an example as how Sukhbir was trying to befool the people in the name of development. He said most of the development projects he was claiming to have started or executed were funded by the Central government or had been started by the previous Congress government.

The Qila Raipur MLA suggested to Sukhbir that instead of selling pipe dreams to the people, he should draw a balance sheet about what he did during the last three-and-half years. “Introspection is the best course available for self correction and Sukhbir needs it badly”, Khangura said.

Tributes were paid to former Chief Minister of Punjab Beant Singh at a prayer meeting organised by the Desh Bhagat Yadgari Society to mark his 15th martyrdom day, at Rajguru Nagar here today.

Recalling the valiant fight launched by the slain Chief Minister against terrorism in this border state, Krishan Kumar Bawa, president of the society, and a former president of District Congress Committee, said Beant Singh had made the supreme sacrifice for restoration of peace in Punjab and to safeguard the unity and integrity of the country. Bawa and other speakers at the meeting said that terrorism and separatist elements were once again rising their heads but the government was closing their eyes to such nefarious activities that could threaten the peace and communal harmony in the state.

Meanwhile, Functionaries of the District Mahila Congress paid tributes to former Chief Minister of Punjab Beant Singh at a "shardhanjali samaroh" organised at the Congress Bhawan to mark the martyrdom day of the leader here today.

Addressing the meeting, district president of the party Leena Taparia said it was because of the sacrifice made by the then chief minister that the people moving around fearlessly all over the state. Terming the leader as a huge source of inspiration for the party workers, she said he had laid down his life in the war against terrorism.

The Mahila Congress chief said a large number of political leaders, including many from the Congress, had fell down to the bullets of militants during more than a decade long dark days in the state, but it was the commitment with which the government led by Beant Singh fought against the separatist and radical forces, that peace could ultimately return to Punjab. Taparia along with other activists of the party paid floral tributes at the portrait of Beant Singh.

Lending a helping hand to needy girl students and helping them achieve their dreams, an NGO, Bharat Vikas Parishad, Shivaji branch, gave scholarships to 76 meritorious needy girls at a function held at SD Kamla Lohtia College here today.

The event was presided over by Ashok Gupta, state convener, environment, while Bishan Swaroop Chopra was the chief guest.

President Suman Gupta, secretary Sunita Nohris, cashier Pawan Bansal, project convener Rashmi Sehgal, Narinder Bangia and Jahraj Gupta welcomed the guests. A cultural programme was also held. Project director Randhir Sharma said the NGO had been helping the needy girl students for the past many years to help them continue with their studies.

Meanwhile, at another function held at Bhartiya Vidya Mandir, Udham Singh Nagar, Bharat Vikas Parishad, Tagore branch, honoured 117 meritorious students of Class X (PSEB) from 18 schools of the city.

The students were given mementoes and certificates of merit by chief guest Sushil Maini, MD, Jai Bhole Steel Strips. Parents of top three position holders and principals of BCM Senior Secondary School, Focal Point; and RS Model School were also honoured for their contributions in the success of these students.

BCM Senior Secondary School principal Mangat Ram Mehta appreciated the NGO for encouraging the meritorious students. Bharat Vikas Parishad Charitable Trust secretary RP Gupta gave a message of “Save water, save life” to audience.

Also present were other members of the parishad, including district president, Dr JR Kaushal; district secretary Neelam Gupta; president of Tagore branch, Dr Vijay Laxmi Kapur; BR Maria, Adarsh Kundra, Prem Jain, Dr Babita Jain, trust president, Dr Kuldip; RP Gupta, Madan Bassi, JC Kapur and office-bearers of various branches of the parishad.

A free screening camp for poor patients requiring free knee and hip replacement under the proposed project “Operation Walk” was conducted today at DMCH.

A total of 100 patients were screened during the camp. In view of the overwhelming response of the patients in today’s camp, more free screening camps will be held by the department of orthopaedics, DMCH, in September.

In its effort to create a significant contribution toward the care of patients in need of advanced surgical orthopaedic treatments, DMCH in collaboration with Rubin Institute, USA, is launching “Operation Walk” for providing free hip and knee replacement surgeries for the poor patients.

Professor and head of orthopaedics, Dr Mohammad Yamin said the “Operation Walk” was a private, non-profit, volunteer medical service organisation that provided free surgical treatment for patients in developing countries, who had disabling arthritis or other debilitating bone and joint conditions, that had little to no access to life-improving care.

The orthopaedic surgeons at DMCH and team members from Rubin Institute, USA, will be constantly upgrading themselves in advanced surgical techniques, treatments for diseases and recovery procedures of hip and knee joint conditions.

Mata Kaulan Ji Bhalai Trust of Amritsar organised a two-day religious examination at Nanakana Sahib Public School in which 4,000 students took part. According to organisation’s president Lakhvir Singh Balala, a seven-year-old speech challenged boy Balbir Singh of Jharr Sahib village was specially honoured for writing “Waheguru” one lakh times.

Abdul Rehman called “fateh” and presented several ‘sakhies’ orally. About 1,500 sampling were also distributed among participants along with certificates.

SGPC member Jathedar Kirpal Singh Khirnian and a few other religious leaders of the area were present on the occasion.