In Brief

PAU,vet varsity teachers protest
The teachers of the Punjab Agricultural University and Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU) held a protest rally in their respective university campuses on Tuesday in support of the demands of the Punjab Federation of University and College Teachers’ Organisation (PFUCTO).

Harmeet Singh Kingra,general secretary,PAUTA,said,“The PFUCTO has expressed serious concerns about the status of implementation of the revised UGC pay scales notified by HRD ministry on December 31,2008. The executive committee of PFUCTO in a meeting held at Panjab University has demanded that a committee be constituted by the Punjab Government to examine and take decision regarding various allowances and other benefits recommended by the Centre should meet without any further delay and take decision to implement the MHRD notification in toto.”

Meeting on census held
A meeting was conducted by MC Commissioner A K Sinha regarding the upcoming census work which will start in May 2010. The commissioner said two clerks and a peon would be appointed for 18 months to carry out the work. “Apart from this,78 master trainers will be appointed who will further train 3,000 enumerators. These enumerators are supposed to go in field and gather information on various formats,” he said.

Chemists meet DC
The Ludhiana District Chemists’ Association today gave a memorandum to deputy commisisoner Vikas Garg and new police commissioner Ishwar Singh asking them to check the rampant sale of drugs without medical prescription. The members,however,alleged that a number of times,the police register false cases under NDPS Act after collecting medicines from the premises and replace them with mysterious substance.

PAU to hold national meet on women empowerment
The College of Home Science,Punjab Agricultural University,Ludhiana,is organising a two-day national seminar on ‘Empowerment of Women: Emerging Challenges’ starting from February 18. The seminar is being organised under the aegis of the Society of Home Scientists for Agricultural and Rural Institutions (SHSARI). Dr Neelam Grewal,Dean of the College,while elaborating the plans of the seminar emphasised that empowerment of women had been recognised globally as a key element to achieve holistic development of the families and improve quality of life.

PAU researchers honoured at science congress
Dr Jatinderjit Kaur Gill,associate professor in the Department of Family Resource Management,College of Home Science,PAU,was awarded a medal by the Punjab Academy of Sciences at the 13th Punjab Science Congress held at Panjab University,Chandigarh,for her poster presentation. She presented a poster on “Dehydration of fenugreek foliage at domestic level: comparative performance evaluation of different drying methods”. This work was undertaken to generate awareness that the solar drying is the best option for dehydration of fenugreek (methi). Richa Mehta,M Sc (Zoology) student was also awarded for her research paper “Nature and extent of damage inflicted by slugs to vegetable crops at Kaddo village of Ludhiana district”. The award carried a gold medal and a cash prize of Rs 1500.