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2 Punjab Advance August 2016 Editorial

The Boy Who Cried Wolf is one of my favourite Aesop's Fables, I don’t know why but it appears to fit into the current Delhi smog tale. For the third year running Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal repeated his ‘stubble burning’ cries. His hat-trick of alarm calls remind me of the shepherd boy who cried wolf, with no wolf around. Initially the people came to his aid, but when he repeated the cries no one turned up and ultimately he fell vic - tim to his own follies. The Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has been quick in ridi - culing the nonsensical claim of his Delhi counterpart asking him to stop in - dulging in political theatrics and to check the facts before shooting from the mouth. He has trashed as yet another attempt by the Delhi Chief Min - ister to divert public attention for his own government’s abysmal failure on all counts. As per data provided by private and government agencies stubble burn - ing accounts for a bare 4 per cent of the total smog enveloping the National Capital Region. More than 80 per cent of the deadly cocktail of soot, smoke, metals, nitratres, sulphates is the result of the local activities like vehicu - lar traffic, industrial pollution, construction activity, garbage burning etc. Vehicular pollution alone contributes 40 per cent of the total pollution level. According to the latest data released by the Ministry of Earth Sciences and the Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) crop burning, which lasts for about 15-20 days during this period, contributes just 4 per cent of the total pollution in Delhi-NCR on an average. The ball is now in the Delhi CM’s court. In another development the people’s Chief Minister of Punjab initially put off his Israel tour in the wake of the train tragedy near Amritsar on Dasehra. He visited the injured in hospitals and announced cash compensation and set up a high-powered probe committee. Under pressure from his Cabinet colleagues, the reluctant CM left the shores. But he is back with a package for farmers. Yes Israel has agreed to cooperate in recycling wastewater for irrigation purposes. The farming community could not have asked for more considering the fast depleting water table of the state.

November- 2018 Punjab Advance 3 Contents Punjab Advance www.punjabadvanceonline.com Recycling sewage for

LNOVEMBER › 2018 irrigation LVOL›5 L ISSUE›11

C.E.O. N Anindita Mitra (IAS)

Editor N Donald Banerjee

Designer N Arun Kumar Sharma

Publisher N Information & Public Relations Department, Punjab 06

Contact address N Prompt payment, PUNJAB ADVANCE, Room No. 1, 5th Floor, continuous vigil Punjab Civil Secretariat, Chandigarh-160001 Ph. : 0172-2740668 [email protected]

Disclaimer: The views expressed by the authors in the articles published in PUNJAB ADVANCE are their own. They do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Punjab Government or the organization they work for. Editor reserves the right to edit, abridge or expand the articles submitted. In case of any dispute, legal 14 jurisdiction will lie in Chandigarh based courts.

Published and Edited by Ms. Anindita Mitra (IAS) on behalf of the Information and Public A tribute to Rajinder Singh Relations Department, Punjab at Room No. Bedi on his death 1, 5th Floor, Civil Sectt., Chandigarh. anniversary

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4 Punjab Advance November- 2018 Curbs on illegal Fumigation is best way to treat seeds mining

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18 Stage set for Military Litfest Patiala Raiders win polo match A master in straw management

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Keeping fit in old age

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November- 2018 Punjab Advance 5 Cover Recycling sewage for irrigation lIsrael shows the way in water management lPunjab to adopt pattern in five cities

Donald Banerjee

he dwindling water table of the state and for three decades, has been going deeper and the nightmarish dry wasteland staring in deeper to pull out water for irrigation. But how T the face of the farmer was high on the long will this depleting water table last, this was agenda of the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder the biggest question for which the people’s Chief Singh, when he undertook a tour of Israel. The Minister found an answer in Israel’s water man - tour was on the brink of being called off because agement system, which converted a desert into an of the train tragedy near Amritsar on Dasehra. But agricultural nation. on the persuasion of his Cabinet colleagues, a hes - We know that Israel has some of the answers to itant Chief Minister left the shores with the mis - better manage water and wastewater. sion of solving the water woes of the farmers. Yes, Israel is over 60 per cent desert and the re - Punjab, which has remained the ‘Annadata’ of maining land is arid, so Punjab coming to Israel the country keeping the food bowl overflowing for help with a potential water crisis is a great idea. Israel recycles 95 per cent of its sewer water for irrigation purposes. This magic water man - agement system appears to be the answer to Pun - jab’s water problem. Capt Amarinder Singh called on the Israeli President Reuven Rivlin and held extensive talks with Israel’s Minister for Energy and Water Re - sources, Dr Yuval Steinitz, to adopt this water re - cycling model in five cities of Punjab. While the President shared Israel’s experience on judicious management of water to transform a desert into an agricultural nation, the Chief Min - ister spoke about the need to take urgent steps to check the depletion of water levels in Punjab

6 Punjab Advance November- 2018 The Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, with Israeli President Reuvin Rivlin through better water management and conserva - through measures, such as double desalination. tion. The President observed that India’s water The CM invited the minister to visit Punjab to problem had also been raised by Prime Minister strengthen cooperation between the two sides. Narendra Modi during their discussion. He sug - But beyond sewer water management, there gested use of desalination to make water drink - are certain important aspects of Israel’s water suc - able, as was being done extensively by Israel cess: through various innovative technologies. One of the keys to Israel’s success has been agriculture in Israel and said Punjab would like water management. People have been educated, to do the same in urban areas. and we’ve been told just how serious water man - Capt Amarinder Singh apprised the Israeli min - agement is in our country. ister of the problems being faced by the state on Israel requires some billion cubic metres more the water front as a result of its depleting water water annually than natural replenishment pro - table. vides. While Punjab was power surplus, water re - Innovation has led to the ability to conserve sources remained a challenge for the state, which water, and perhaps one of the biggest contribu - was trying to get out of the paddy-wheat cycle to tions to society may be the ability to offer our save this precious resource, he said. blueprint of water conservation success. Steinitz said Israel would be happy to extend Israel benefitted greatly from foresight, know - all possible support, keeping in view the close his - ing that water will remain a dramatic issue for Is - torical, cultural and business ties it has with India. rael. A nationwide water conveyance system was The minister underlined the need for proper developed between 1955 and 1964 that helped water management through assessment of the bring water to the south. total requirement and availability. Wastewater was then used, and is still used, as He pointed out that Israel was having its fifth a means of irrigation for the agricultural sector. year of drought but was managing its water needs But this is just the start. Israel has also created the

November- 2018 Punjab Advance 7 Cover

Punjabis meet CM A delegation of Israel’s Punjabi community met the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh to seek his help in securing permission from local authorities to hold religious functions, as well as for procuring land for building a Gurdwara. The Chief Minister assured the delegation that he would ask India’s Ambassador in Is - rael, Pavan Kapoor, to help them, and advised them to meet the envoy. The Chief Minister told the delegation that he had been informed by the Embassy offi - cials that the local administration had very strict guidelines on these issues. “The em - bassy will see what can be done,” he added. The delegation also raised the issue of illegal agents fleecing Punjabi youth seeking visas for travel to Israel. The Captain told them his government was already cracking down on such agents, with stringent guidelines having been issued to check their prolif - eration in the state. He had directed the concerned officials to take strict action against agents found violating the guidelines. drip irrigation system, and new crop strains have management acknowledges that Punjab has lim - been developed that provide higher yields with ited availability of surface water because of which less water. groundwater has become a major source of irri - Four MoUs signed gation in the state. Currently, nearly 73 per cent of water require - The Punjab government has signed four MoUs ments for irrigation are being met through ground - with Israeli institutions to address issues of farm - water, the MoU noted. ers and depleting groundwater level in the state. “Due to multiple cropping and large-scale cul - The MoUs will help boost cooperation be - tivation of paddy there has been intensive ground - tween Punjab and Israel in areas such as water water extraction in the last five decades. conservation as well as agricultural research and “This has created a situation in which large education. parts of Punjab have already become water The agreements will “help Punjab secure much stressed due to over exploitation of ground water needed technical expertise and know-how for resources,” it said. strengthening its water management systems and The water quality is also being affected by un - improving its agricultural research and learning”, treated or inadequately treated industrial effluent Chief Minister Singh said. and sewage flowing into natural streams and To formulate a water conservation and man - rivers, the MoU said . agement plan in Punjab, an MoU was signed be - “In certain areas of the state, particularly in tween the Punjab Water Resources Management southwest Punjab, ground water is saline and is and Israel’s Mekorot Development and Enterprise above the root zone and has made the area unfit Ltd. for agriculture or for any other use”, it added. Three MoUs related to agricultural research The MoU has assigned Mekorot to formulate a were signed by the Punjab Agricultural Univer - comprehensive, viable, cost effective and efficient sity (PAU) with Israel’s ARAVA Institute, Tel water conservation and management plan. This Aviv University (TAU) and Galilee International was done as part of an ongoing process of coop - Management Institute. eration between India and Israel in the field of The agreement for water conservation and water resource management, it said.

8 Punjab Advance November- 2018 Cover Israeli icons keen on trade ties

Bureau Report

ith four airports, Punjab is the gate - and infrastructure development. way to West Asia, said the Chief During his tour of NaanDanJain Irrigation MinWister, Capt Amarinder Singh, as he extended farms, the Chief Minister lauded the work being an open arm invitation to Israeli investors and done by the 80-year-old company which was re - companies. cently acquired by a leading micro-irrigation The people’s Chief Minister of Punjab held a based Indian company, in the field of precision series of high-level interactions and found a keen - agriculture and horticulture, in order to boost pro - ness among some of Israel's leading companies to ductivity. explore investment opportunities and to assess the He studied the latest technologies being used potential for collaboration in the state's infra - by the company on its farms to improve the qual - structural, agricultural and water management ity and yield of various vegetables and fruits, in - sectors. cluding brinjal/eggplant avocado and citrus The meetings laid the ground for strong col - varieties. laborations between the two sides in some of Pun - He examined the potential for adopting the lat - jab's most vital areas of development, and gave a est technologies used by the company to boost boost to the close economic and historical ties be - agricultural development in Punjab. tween Punjab and Israel. NaanDanJain is present in Punjab since 1993 At a meeting with officials of Tyros Interna - through various completed and ongoing projects, tional Group Ltd, the Chief Minister discussed including a Crop Diversification Farmfresh (Farm possibilities of investment by the Group in the to Home) project for food and spice processing areas of energy, water, affordable housing, con - industries, as well as a Water Conservation Re - struction schools and hospitals. source to Roots) project through a pilot in Kandi, The officials briefed the Punjab delegation led where the company has established the world's by the Chief Minister on the work being done by largest standalone power micro irrigation systems the Group, which specialises in impact invest - for community and individuals. ments and projects, in India, where it has decided Capt Amarinder Singh underlined the need for to open an FDI Fund dedicated for impact assess - further strengthening such technical collabora - ments as part of its future plans. tions to boost Punjab's infrastructural and eco - Capt Amarinder Singh discussed with the offi - nomic development. cials the investment that the Group could make in The two sides agreed to explore more avenues Punjab, which now offers immense potential for to create the necessary environment for greater global investment and capital fund companies, cooperation and investment in key areas of Pun - given his government's strong focus on industrial jab's progress.

November- 2018 Punjab Advance 9 Cover

inar organized in Tel Aviv by the Em - bassy of India in collaboration with the Israel-Asia Chamber of Com - merce, the Chief Minister said besides offering cheap power and single-win - dow clearances, the state had excellent communication and transport linkages to boost ease of business. Invest Punjab made a detailed pres - entation to showcase the strengths that make the state a favoured business destination for global players. Excel - lent universities provided educated, skilled and hardworking manpower for setting up and promoting busi - nesses, he further pointed out. “We will be there to receive you with open arms when you come to Punjab Chief Minisger visits a dairy farm at Hof Punjab, and will help you with your business HaSharon in Israel. endeavours,” said the Chief Minister, ex - Capt Amarinder underlined the importance of pressing the hope that the event will be in - adopting the latest technologies in the function - strumental in further strengthening Punjab’s ing of police & intelligence as a tool to prevent relations with Israel. terrorist crime and for maintenance of peace and The Chief Minister aggressively pushed for in - communal peace in the border state of Punjab. creased industrialization in Punjab, which had lost The Chief Minister visited the Afikim Dairy out on this front due to the partitions that had Farm at Hof HaSharon, to see first-hand the tech - taken place in 1947, and then in 1966. With their niques being deployed to boost dairy farming entrepreneurial spirit and strength, Punjabis could quality. He discussed with the officials the vari - turn around the fortunes of the state with invest - ous varieties of fodder, as well as hygiene and ment support from Israel and other nations, he care provided to the cattle at the farm. He was in - added. formed that as against 10-15 litres a day, the av - Captain Amarinder Singh recalled his visit to erage daily production of milk per cow was 40 Israel in 1971, when he had been impressed by the litres in the farm. The fat contgent in the milk was spirit of its people, and hoped the same spirit also much higher, at 4 per cent, compared with 2.5 would be manifest in increased cooperation and per cent in Punjab. collaboration with Punjab in the coming months. The Israeli officials told the chief minister that Among the Israeli business leaders who joined hygienic and nutritious feed, as well as clean the seminar were CEO Solav Solar Energy, Dror drinking water, was the key to higher milk pro - Green, Chairman, Israel-India Chamber of Com - duction, with each cow being given about 120 merce, Anat Bernstein-Reich, CEO WeBuy, Emil litres of water every day. Climate control was also Guberman, CEO Biofeed, Nimrod Israely, CEO maintained with all the sheds having solar oper - AMS Technologies, Gil Meirovich, Manager ated fans, as well as fans with mist. Ministry of Economy, Israel Government, Sagi Favoured trade destination Addressing a sem - Itcher, and Director NaanDanJain, Amnon Ofen.

10 Punjab Advance November- 2018 Cover How sewage is recycled

srael has the most advanced and efficient entire treatment process takes between 18 and 36 water management system in the world. It hours on average, treating 2,000 cubic liters per dIesalinates 90 per cent of the water used in house - day. holds from the sea, and then recycles 95 per cent of the sewer water for agriculture. Israel has a closed cycle and no longer depends on the monsoon for water supplies. On the other hand India still depends on the monsoon… Well, most countries do. After Israel, Spain re - cycles its water, but it only comes to 17 per cent, so it is there for all to see the difference. Recycling water is not just useful for agricul - tural purposes, but it also helps in stopping pollu - tion. How does a sewage recycling plant work? Take a tour of the Yeroham plant. The Yeroham water treatment plant is one of the most modern sewage treatment facilities in the country. The treatment plant opened in 2005 and today recycles 100% of Yeroham’s sewage. The

‘Toilet to tap’ The use of recycled water for drinking is not common, largely because many people are repelled by the thought of water that’s been in our toilets going to our taps. But a few countries like Sin - gapore, Australia and Namibia, and states such as California, Virginia and New Mexico are al - ready drinking recycled water, demonstrating that purified wastewater can be safe and clean, and help ease water shortages. The term “toilet to tap,” used to drum up opposition to drinking recycled water, is misleading be - cause recycled water that ends up in drinking water undergoes extensive and thorough purifica - tion. In addition, it is usually added to groundwater or surface water for further cleansing before being sent to a drinking water supply where it is again treated. In fact, it has been shown to have fewer contaminants than existing treated water supplies. Singapore, with no natural aquifers and a small landmass, has struggled to provide a sustainable water supply for its residents for decades In 2003, it opened the first plants to produce NEWater, recycled drinking water purified by ad - vanced membrane techniques including microfiltration, reverse osmosis and UV disinfection. After treatment, the water is added to the reservoirs. NEWater, which has passed more than 65,000 scientific tests and surpasses World Health Organization drinking water standards, is clean enough to be used for the electronics industry and to be bottled as drinking water.

November- 2018 Punjab Advance 11 Cover NCR gasps for breath

l Vehicular, industrial pollution main culprit l Stubble burning pollutes only 4 per cent

PUNMEDIA BUREAU

rvind Kejriwal is at it again. Yes, the compared to a high 30 per cent pollution caused Delhi Chief Minister has repeated his ac - by vehicles alone. cAusation that stubble burning in Punjab is solely Private cars contribute about 3 per cent of the responsible for the high levels of pollution in the total PM (particulate matter) 2.5 pollutants, while national Capital. But the Punjab Chief Minister two wheelers contribute about 7 per cent of the Capt Amarinder Singh has been quick in ridicul - total PM 2.5 pollutants. Heavy vehicles, includ - ing the nonsensical claim of his Delhi counterpart ing tractors and trucks, contribute about 10 per asking him to stop indulging in political theatrics cent and three wheelers and buses about 5 per cent and to check out the facts before shooting from and 3 per cent respectively to the PM 2.5 pollut - the mouth. ing matters into the air. But the gloomy atmosphere is Arvind Kejri - The data from the Ministry of Earth Sciences wal’s own undoing. Yes, more than 80 per cent of places the pollution by vehicles at more than 40 the deadly cocktail of soot, smoke, metals, nitra - per cent. The TERI research has also said that tres, sulphates is the result of the local activities crop burning, which lasts for about 15-20 days like vehicular traffic, industrial pollution, con - during this period, contributes to just 4 per cent struction activity, garbage burning etc. of the total pollution in Delhi-NCR on an average. As per thedata provided by government and According to an official of TERI: “We need to private organisations stubble burning contributes implement cleaner fuels like BS IV on an urgent a bare 4 per cent of the total pollution level in the basis to tackle this pollution menace in Delhi. We National Capital Region. Vehicular pollution also need to shift to electric vehicles and improve alone contributes 30 to 40 per cent of the total pol - our public transport system so that people have lution level. Delhi has more than one crore cars faith in leaving their cars back home and travel registered and over one-and-a-half crore vehicles safe and hassle free to and from work daily. Con - plying on Delhi roads. The congestion and vehicle gestion is another major problem which causes a pollution touched new heights during this period lot of pollution; we need to reduce congestion on of festivity when people swarmed the streets on Delhi roads for better pollution management.” their vehicles and burst crackers throughout the Environmentalists have also argued about stop - night, in spite of the Supreme Court order. ping of registration of all private vehicles in Delhi Kejriwal is facing a tough situation with the for the next one or two years to curtail the explo - environmentalists raising concerns about vehicu - sion of number of cars in Delhi. Others have said lar pollution in Delhi. According to a new data re - that with no adequate public transport facility leased by TERI (The Energy and Resources available in the Delhi-NCR region, it would be - Institute) crop burning contributes to only 4 per come impossible commuting in Delhi. ent of the total pollution levels in the NCR as Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director,

12 Punjab Advance November- 2018 Cover

Centre for Science and En - vironment, said: “We know Capt rubbishes Kejriwal that vehicular pollution has Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has come out increased the maximum in with a series of hard facts to rubbish Kejriwal’s ludicrous statement, Delhi since 2010 and it which he trashed as yet another attempt by the Delhi Chief Minister contributes to about 40% of to divert public attention for his own government’s abysmal failure the total pollution levels in on all counts. Delhi, which is close to half Taking a dig at Kejriwal for his preposterous logic that satellite of all polluting matters in pictures of stubble burning in Punjab was proof of it being the pri - Delhi. How can we not mary cause of the Delhi’s severe pollution, Captain Amarinder Singh touch them (cars)? We will said even a school kid would know better. “Can he (Kejriwal) really have to have a policy to re - be an IIT graduate?” Had the Delhi Chief Minister bothered to check strict the usage of cars dur - the data, he would have thought a hundred times before coming out ing an emergency. For the with such a reckless statement. long term, we need to en - Captain Amarinder Singh demolished Kejriwal’s illogical and sure that a parking policy is ridiculous claim with recorded factual data.To begin with, the Pun - put in place. The draft on jab Chief Minister pointed out that the Air Quality Index (AQI) of parking policy is ready, but Delhi remains more than 300+ even during December and January it is not being notified due every year, when there is no stubble burning in the neighboring to the fear of car owners. states. This clearly indicates that the New Delhi environment is im - Why should those who pacted by its own sources within Delhi, which are predominantly ve - park cars illegally not be hicular emission, construction activities, industrial activities, power prosecuted? Why should plants, burning of Municipal Solid Waste and sweeping activities, he one not pay for parking ve - added. hicles in public places, be it Further, Captain Amarinder Singh pointed out that as per the lat - even outside their houses?” est report of air pollution forecast by Weather Research and Fore - Environmentalist Anil casting Model of the India Meteorological Department, winds over Sood also questioned about Delhi-NCR had changed from north-westerly to easterly, so there the rising pollution levels at was hardly any influence from crop fires in Punjab and Haryana. Yet, Dwarka, which is consid - Delhi’s air quality continued to be “very Poor”, with an average ered among one of the most PM2.5 concentrations of 208 micrograms per cubic meters on 2nd planned sub cities of Delhi- November, which was caused mainly from local vehicular and in - NCR, with most residential dustrial emissions. colonies having a huge What is more, the increase in the concentration of PM2.5 due to green cover in the area. stubble burning is proportionately less as compared to PM10. Thus, According to Sood, in the contribution of stubble fire in the increase of PM2.5 is less, the last seven days, the air whereas, the Ambient Air Quality in Delhi witnesses an increase in quality in Dwarka has re - the PM2.5 during the winter months, observed Captain Amarinder mained severe to very poor. Singh. He has blamed the airport The data clearly indicated that Kejriwal’s government in Delhi nearby and the flying of had failed completely in addressing the problem of pollution in the aircraft for the increasing national capital, said Captain Amarinder Singh, adding that the Delhi pollution levels in this re - Chief Minister was, quite obviously, hunting for scapegoats to put gion.

November- 2018 Punjab Advance 13 Cover Prompt payment, continuous vigil l Hassle-free rice procurement in Punjab l Vigilance keeps tabs on mandis l Plugging inflow from other states

Ruchi Kalra

n an agrarian economy wherein lakhs of expectations. It fixed the Minimum Support Price people are directly or indirectly dependent (MSP) at Rs 1,770 per quintal for grade 'A' paddy Iupon producing and selling foodgrains, the gov - and Rs 1,750 per quintal for common variety ernment plays a strategic role in foodgrain-pro - paddy for the Kharif Marketing Season 2018-19 curement. With the general elections just a few as against Rs.1590 and Rs.1550 respectively, in months away, the Central government loosened its KMS 2017-18. purse strings to please the farmers by increasing Punjab is amongst the front-runner states in the MSP for Kharif crops largely in line with their procuring rice for the National pool so, the role of

14 Punjab Advance November- 2018 Cover

the state government towards "smooth and hassle- PUNGRAIN, MARKFED, PUNSUP, Punjab free" procurement deserves special attention. The State Warehousing Corporation, Punjab Agro Food and Civil Supplies Department is the nodal Food Corporation, along with the FCI is procuring agency for the State procurement operations and paddy at MSP as per specifications laid down by is responsible for ensuring all necessary arrange - the Government of India. PUNGRAIN would pro - ments for smooth, prompt and hassle-free pro - cure 30 per cent, PUNSUP 22 per cent, MARK - curement and storage of paddy. FED 23 per cent, Punjab Agro 10 per cent, Punjab Five State Procurement Agencies namely State Warehousing Corporation 10 per cent, and FCI 5 percent of the total arrivals during On the personal intervention the current procurement season from Oc - of the Chief Minister Capt tober 1 to December 15, 2018. Amarinder Singh, the Centre Going by official statistics, 118.90 lakh sanctioned a Cash Credit Limit metric tonnes of paddy had arrived in the (CCL) amount of Rs. 29,695.40 mandis till the first week of November and crore, of the total Rs 40,300 115.92 LMT had been procured, includ - crore required by the state for ing 115.12 LMT by government agencies procurement of paddy in the and 80445 MT by the millers. Besides, Kharif marketing season 2018-19.The amount has 100.34 LMT paddy has been lifted as been released by the RBI for procurement of well. 1834 purchase centres have been set paddy till October. The balance instalment of Rs. up across the state so that the farmers need 10,604.60 would be released subsequently. not travel greater distances to sell their

November- 2018 Punjab Advance 15 Cover

duct surprise checks to ensure hassle “In 2014-15 about 118 free purchase. LMT of paddy was procured On the payment scenario, adhering from Punjab mandis while to the payment-within-48-hour norm during the previous season Rs. 14055.91 crore has been trans - (2017-18), a total of 179.34 ferred to the accounts of arthias/ farm - ers against the bills of Rs. 14156. 91 LT paddy was procured. crore up to October 30. Approximately Even for the ongoing sea - 7.87 lakh farmers have benefited from son an initial projection was the MSP so far. This prompt payment estimated at around 200 state of affairs is coupled with contin - LMT. Interestingly, this phenomenal increase uous vigil which presumably is the is paddy inflow has not been due to any sig - hallmark of Punjab KMS 2018-19. Food and Civil Supply Department nificant increase in area under paddy cultiva - has allotted 3752 Mills for custom tion or introduction of some high yield variety milling of rice and going strict towards in the State. The but evident factor is “bogus the stock entrusted to the mills depart - procurement”, so continuous raids and strict ment has introduced bank guarantee vigil has been a complementary strategy to for all mills with entitlement of above our procurement arrangements” 5,000 metric tons. Other steps taken to strengthen the system and preventing ----Bharat Bhushan Ashu , embezzlement and defalcations include Food and Civil Supplies Minister, Punjab mandatory installation of CCTV cam - produce. eras in the mills to keep a tab on the Efforts are afoot to ensure faster lifting so that movement of trucks in the sheller premises. Fur - mandis don't glut with paddy. The officers of the nishing the footage of 3 months recording has department are personally visiting the mandis to been made compulsory for all the allotted mills. ensure smooth lifting. The field staff is working Moreover, stricter physical verification norms round the clock to procure the stocks even on Sat - have been introduced and continuous vigil is urdays, Sundays and also on government holi - maintained through raids and accounting for days. Even the Punjab Vigilance department is paddy/rice purchased outside the mandis or from keeping a close watch on paddy procurement in other States. mandis. Special teams have been formed to con - Going great on plugging the inflow of paddy/rice from other states into Punjab mandis and seizing huge amount Supporting Tables for the story: of unaccounted PDS rice Department of Agriculture estimates for KMS 2017-18 and 2018-19:- procured by miller-arthia Crop Year Area Under Production Market Arrival Arrangements made (Paddy) Cultivation (in Lac MT) (in Lac MT) by Procurement nexus for circulation into (in Lac Hac) Agencies for the Punjab, the State Food and Procurement of Paddy Civil Supplies Department (in Lac MT) indeed needs to be com - 2017-18 30.65 199.72 179.34 182 mended. It has seized 2.5 2018-19 30.42 199.46 179.00 200 lakh bags of paddy and ap - proximately 2 lakh bags of

16 Punjab Advance November- 2018 Cover unaccounted/PDS rice from other states. Prima facie, the paddy is brought at about After a special meeting with senior offi - Rs. 800-900 from other States and is ad - cers at Vigilance Bureau (VB) headquar - mixtured into Punjab's produce by fake re- auction and bogus billing, incurring huge ters, Chief Director BK Uppal informed losses to government. that instructions had been issued to all the So, checking bogus procurement has in - deed been a feather in the cap of the State SSPs of various VB ranges and other of - Food and Civil Supplies Department and ficials to keep tabs on the grain mar - of course a national saving of hundreds of kets,conduct surprise checks on paddy crores of rupees. Minimum Support Price purchasearrangements and get feedback Year Common Grade from farmers and arhtiyas. A (Per Quintal ) (Per Related press release of vigilance department, Quintal) released on Oct 09 : 2017-18 1550/- 1590/- Surprise checks to ensure hassle-free purchase 2018-19 1750/- 1770/- On the instructions of Chief Minister Capt Agency-wise procurement share Amarinder Singh the Punjab Vigilance Bureau is Sr. No. Agency Allotted Share carrying out surprise checks at the grain markets in % in LMT across the state to ensure that farmers do not face 1 Pungrain 30 60 any difficulty in selling their crops. 2 Markfed 23 46 After a special meeting with senior officers at 3 Punsup 22 44 4 PSWC 10 20 Vigilance Bureau (VB) headquarters, Chief Di - 5 PAFC 10 20 rector BK Uppal informed that instructions had Total 95 190 been issued to all the SSPs of various VB ranges 6 FCI 5 10 and other officials to keep tabs on the grain mar - Grand Total 100 200 kets, conduct surprise checks on paddy purchase arrangements and get feedback from farmers and Vigilance chief appeals to peo - arhtiyas. Elaborating, he said the motive behind the ple to report any corruption by drive was to ensure that farmers are not harassed officials of procurement agen - or exploited during the purchase of paddy either cies at Vigilance Bureau’s toll- by officials of the procurement agencies or by free number 1800 1800 1000 commission agents through corrupt practices. without any hesitation. Uppal assured the farmers that the Bureau was The writer is a senior IPRO in fully committed to safeguarding their interests Punjab Government and added that corrupt practices would not be al - lowed

November- 2018 Punjab Advance 17 Cover

Curbs on illegal mining l New policy favours progressive bidding l Cabinet amends industrial policy, hikes stamp duty

PUNMEDIA BUREAU

ith an eye on more transparency in the The new policy would come into force two sand mining business, the Punjab Cabinet months after the Cabinet approval to the Punjab Whas approved major policy changes to enable the State Sand and Gravel Policy, 2018 and amend - government to grant contracts by auction of min - ment to the Punjab Minor Mineral Rules, 2013, ing blocks in strategically-established clusters according to an official spokesperson. through progressive bidding instead of the earlier The Department of Mining would launch an process of auction by individual mines. online Punjab Sand Portal for sale of sand to all The move would help increase the royalty re - consumers, small or medium. All transactions/ ceipt of the State Exchequer, provide adequate payments will be captured through online real- supply at fair price to the consumer and curb ille - time monitoring system. The sale of sand would gal mining. be controlled by electronic documentation linked to central docu - mentation, with modern facility, and the daily progress report would be up - loaded on the portal. Notably, dur - ing 2017-18, four progressive bid e-auctions of minor mineral mines were held. Due to specula - tive bidding in these auctions, it resulted in a sig - nificant number Capt Amarinder Singh chairs a Cabinet meeting

18 Punjab Advance November- 2018 Cover

of mines being auctioned at very high prices. Business Development Policy 2017 to give in - However, many of the contractors failed to oper - vestment incentive by way of Net SGST on in - ationalise these mines, which led to dearth of sup - trastate sale, and has also given its nod to global ply of sand and gravel, causing the market price of tendering for the upcoming hi-tech Cycle Valley these commodities to remain high. on a 100-acre industrial park in Ludhiana. Under the new policy the mining rights of con - It was noted that since the government could cession quantity of sand and gravel in Mining not give direct concessions to industry in matters Blocks identified by a process would be put to of land acquisition etc, other incentives should be bidding through transparent e-auction process. provided through amendment to the policy so that Only registered companies, partnerships, societies both the state and the industry get the best deal including cooperative societies, sole proprietor - through measures such as global tendering. ships, individuals and consortia of up to three such According to the new formula, incentive entities would be eligible to bid, subject to fulfill - amount would be calculated based on output ment of certain conditions. The average annual IGST (or CGST+SGST), that would be called turnover of the bidder during the last three finan - GST rate for formula. Overall quantum and/or pe - cial years ending 31st March must not be less than riod for claim of incentives shall remain same as 50% of the reserve price of the Mining Block he defined in IBDP-2017 (as amended from time to bids for. In the case of Consortium, the combined time) for the respective category. Availing of in - technical and financial capacity of all the mem - centives up to the overall ceiling i.e. bers shall be considered for the eligibility. 200%/125%/100% of FCI, as applicable, shall de - The new policy provides for the quantity of pend on the capacity utilization of the unit during sand and gravel, to be called 'Annual Concession the eligibility period. Quantity', that the concessionaire shall be allowed The incentive under the present policy would to mine per annum from a block as detailed crite - only be applicable for such investment proposals ria given for seven blocks of the state. where Common Application Form has been sub - To check overpricing of sand and gravel, a cap mitted by March 31, 2020. has been put on their sale price. Both sand and With respect to the cycle valley to be devel - gravel shall not be sold by the concessionaire at oped in Dhananshu village of Ludhiana district, the mining site at more than Rs.9 per cubic feet, as per an earlier decision of the state government, which includes cost of loading on the vehicle. The the Cabinet decided that the 100 acres of unde - maximum rates linked to distance that can be veloped land would be allotted through an objec - charged per cubic feet for transportation of sand tive, open, competitive and technical bidding and gravel will be notified. The maximum rate of process to a well-established company of interna - sand and gravel chargeable from the end customer tional repute. will in no case exceed the sum of above said two Stamp duty rates hiked rates. In a move to mobilise additional resources for The mines which are currently auctioned the state, the Cabinet approved an ordinance to would continue to operate till the completion of amend Schedule 1-A of Indian Stamp Act, 1899, their tenure and shall be excluded from the mining to enable increase in the stamp duty rates. rights to be auctioned under the policy, the Stamp duty rates for 17 of the 65 items in spokesperson clarified. Schedule 1-A stand to double following the Amendments in industrial policy amendment. The stamp duty on registration of The Cabinet has amended the Industrial and property remains untouched.

November- 2018 Punjab Advance 19 Cover

render their licenses in case they are unable to develop colonies or complete development works in colonies. The policy was necessitated in view of the difficulties faced by such promoters, who would not be able to surrender the licenses is - sued to them under the Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation Act, 1995, subject to cer - tain conditions. Section 5 of the Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation Act, 1995, provides for issuance of licenses to promoters for develop - ing colonies. If a promoter fails to comply with the conditions of the license issued to him, the license may be cancelled under pro - vision 5 (12) of the Punjab Apartment and hike the The stamp duty on 17 items have been hiked in order to boost the revenue receipts of the Property Regulation Act, 1995. However, due to state. Punjab currently raises Rs 50 crore from slump in the real estate sector, some promoters stamp duty, which would go up by Rs. 100-150 were unable to develop colonies or complete the crore with the increase in rates. development works in the colonies, and they The last revision in rates was done in 2009. wanted to surrender their licenses but could not In another decision, the Cabinet gave its ex- do so, in the absence of any provision or policy. post facto approval with regard to appointment of Under the new policy the surrender of license Controller Governor's Household, Punjab Raj would be allowed in cases where the promoter Bhawan, allowing the post to be filled on contract had not sold/allotted/leased out any plot/apart - basis in relaxation of rules that provided for direct appointment. The Cabinet also approved terms ment and not undertaken any development works and conditions for the appointment done on con - at the site of the colony. The promoters will sub - tract basis. mit an affidavit attested by an Executive Magis - The Cabinet granted its approval to Group-B trate assuring that no sale deed/allotment/lease Service Rules, 2018, of Punjab Financial Com - deed for any plot/apartment/villa/house has been missioners' Secretariat. Notably, the Personnel de - executed in the said colony. partment, on the recommendations of the Fifth In cases where the promoter has sold/allot - Pay Commission, had approved the inclusion of ted/leased out any plot/apartment, the promoter officials drawing a grade pay of Rs.3800/- to Rs. will obtain irrevocable consent from the allot - 4900/- in Group B Service. In view of this, the Fi - nancial Commissioners' Secretariat Group B tees/plot holders/apartment owners in the form of Service Rules, 2018 have been framed so that nec - affidavit attested by an Executive Magistrate re - essary conditions for service of these official can garding no claim on the said property. However, if be implemented. any construction has been raised in the licensed Relief for colony promoters colony, the same has to be demolished by the pro - It approved a policy to allow promoters to sur - moter first, restoring the land to its original form, to the satisfaction of the competent authority.

20 Punjab Advance November- 2018 Cover Punjab leads in war against drugs, terror Top cops from 8 states vow to cooperate

PUNMEDIA BUREAU

fight to the finish is the goal of the Pun - ordination among their police forces. jab police when it comes to crimes re - DGP Arora suggested deployment of Paramil - lAated to drugs, terror and organised crime as well itary forces in jails of member states as an inter- as growing radicalisation. But achieving this goal state regional deployment mechanism help would not be possible without the cooperation of contain the activities of smugglers. the other states of the northern region. On the suggestion of Randeep Singh Rana This was the appeal of Punjab DGP Suresh from NDRF, DGP Arora said that Punjab Armed Arora when he addressed top cops from eight Police would be trained through the NDRF for re - states and union territories at the fifth meeting of lief and rehabilitation operations during any nat - the Northern Region Police Coordination Com - ural calamities/disasters. Rana proposed holding mittee, hosted by the Punjab Police. of Community Awareness Programme and famil - The participants engaged in a wide-ranging iarization exercises in all the States. brainstorming-session and discussed a broad Punjab DGP (Intelligence) Dinkar Gupta range of issues pertaining to internal security, ter - briefed the meeting about emerging security sce - ror threats, cross-border terrorism, drug abuse and nario in the border State of Punjab and inter-state, radicalization of youth. inter-regional activities of anti-national and ter - In his keynote address, the Punjab DGP said rorist elements. He called for joint efforts on de- such meetings have become more relevant in the radicalization. context of manifold security challenges and prob - Emphasizing on the need to check inflow and lems being faced by the country. smuggling of sophisticated weapons, especially Arora said a concerted effort to fight terrorism country-made illegal weapons, he proposed to the and other types of organised crimes in the North - neighboring States to give more attention to this ern region was the need of the hour through joint challenge. He also suggested formation of a com - mechanisms. He dwelt on a range of issues such mon communication group by the stakeholder as activities of drug trafficking, gangsters, and States for quick sharing of inputs. menace of countrymade illegal weapons in the Expressing satisfaction over better coordina - member states. tion between Punjab Police and BSF, DGP (Law All the participants resolved to share realtime & Order) Hardeep Singh Dhillon informed that inputs and information about criminals and drug Punjab has deployed 50 companies, equipped peddlers. with armored vehicles, along the border as the line Arora appreciated the gathering of top cops of second defence, in consultation with the BSF. from Punjab, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Hi - He also emphasized the need for strict vigil along machal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Ujh and Ravi rivers on the J&K border. Delhi and Chandigarh, for ensuring effective co -

November- 2018 Punjab Advance 21 PUNJAB DIARY

Universal health cover

unjab has become the first state in the isting cover of Rs. 50,000 per year per family to country to provide universal health cover, Rs. 5 lakh per year per family to all the eligible Pextending its insurance cover to Rs. 5 lakh per 43 lakh families in the state. It had also decided to year per family to all the eligible 43 lakh families extend the Bhagat Puran Singh Sehat Bima Yojna, in the state, while signing a Memorandum of Un - which was to expire on October 31, 2018, upto derstanding (MoU) with the Centre for imple - December 31, 2018. menting the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna The MoU with the Centre was signed in the (PMJAY) for 14.96 lakh families. presence of the Chief Minister by ACS Health With this, the state government has fulfilled a Satish Chandra, on behalf of the state government, key poll promise to the people of Punjab. Captain with CEO Ayushman Bharat Dr. Indu Bhushan. Amarinder Singh described it as a historic mo - Health Minister Brahm Mohindra said the state ment that would bring health care within the reach government would take further such steps to of every needy person in the state. strengthen capacity building in the health sector It may be recalled that the Punjab Cabinet, at so as to enable all its citizens to avail timely and its meeting held on October 3, had in-principle ap - efficient health care services. He reiterated Pun - proved merger of the state-run health insurance jab’s demand for 90:10 ratio in the Centre:State scheme Bhagat Puran Singh Sehat Bima Yojana sharing formula, given the sensitive border loca - (BPSSBY) with PMJAY, while extending the ex - tion of Punjab.

Ban on Glyphosate weedicide The state goverernment has banned the sale of garden & non-cropped area and therefore, there is Glyphosate. This herbicide is very widely used in a dire need for strict compliance of the existing the State to control the growth of weeds in almost label claim of herbicide-Glyphosate as per the all the crops. conditions of registration with CIB&RC under In - This chemical has been observed to be group secticide Act, 1968. 2A Cancer causing material. Besides cancer, this There are no tea plantatins in the State. Be - chemical is also known for causing other health sides, because of 200% crop intensity, the non- problems and has the potential to damage human cropped area is too meagre. Even this small DNA as per the opinion of experts from PGIMER, non-cropped area is also associated with the crop Chandigarh. cultivation being the Ridges, Water Channels, Glyphosate is sold in the country under vari - Bunds and some area between the rows of crops, ous trade names such as Round-up, Excell, Gly - orchids and canal/drain banks. Therefore, even cel, Glider, Glydon, Sweep, Glyphogen etc. this area is part of cropped area for all practical Punjab State Farmers Commission had also purposes recommended the ban on the sale of this chemical All the Pesticide Manufacturers, Marketers and in Punjab. Dealers in the State shall not sell Glyphosate for - State Agriculture Secretary K.S. Pannu said the mulations/concentrations with immediate effect. Central Insecticide Board & Registration Com - The Licensing Authorities have been asked to take mittee (CIB&RC), Govt. of India has recom - necessary steps for removal of entries for mended the use of this herbicide only for tea Glyphosate from the licenses issued by them.

22 Punjab Advance November- 2018 PUNJAB DIARY

Train tragedy: Rs 5 lakh each and much more To ensure speedy, need-based solution for the cials to prepare detailed socio-economic profiles rehabilitation of the victims of the train tragedy, of the victims. He also directed that ration, cloth - the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has di - ing, medicines etc be provided to the families of rected the Amritsar DC and Commissioner Police the victims, as most were from the economically to make a detailed socio-economic profile of each weaker sections of society. of them. The Chief Minister also reviewed the relief and The Chief Minister, who postponed his trade rehabilitation work with the Crisis Management visit to Israel, to meet the survivors of the acci - Group of ministers, headed by Health Minister dent in various hospitals, was moved by tales of Brahm Mohindra, and directed them to take im - two young women, who had lost their entire fam - mediate steps for early disbursement of the com - ilies, including children and husbands, and in one pensation. case even the in-laws. All steps should be taken for the effective re - Anguished at the plight of such survivors, the habilitation of the survivors and the families of Chief Minister told his Chief Principal Secretary the victims, Captain Amarinder Singh told the Suresh Kumar that the government would have Crisis Management Group, which he had set im - to do more than give just Rs 5 lakh as compensa - mediately after receiving the news of the tragic tion to the kin of the dead, especially in cases disaster. where the victims are Enquiry deadline poor. He said a proper The Chief Minister set a four-week deadline system would have to for completion of inquiry by Divisional Commis - be worked out to en - sioner Jalandhar into the tragic train accident in sure that such survivors Amritsar, while urging all political parties to rise are rehabilitated by the above petty politicking to join hands to mitigate state government at the earliest, and are not left to the sufferings of the victims and their families. fend for themselves. The probe will cover all aspects of the tragedy, The Chief Minister directed the district offi - Guidelines for women’s safety at workplace

The Punjab State Women Commission's Chair - only where a person uses sexual behavior to con - person Mrs. Manisha Gulati has issued guidelines trol, influence or affect the career, salary or job of regarding the safety of women in workplaces. another person, but also between co-workers. The Commission has decided to frame a policy All male officers and ministers are required to for the entire staff, administrators and elected of - understand that if a female employee is being ficials, so that no one harasses a woman in future called for any kind of discussion or meeting into at workplaces. a confined space (for e.g. an Office), he needs to The Govt. of India, via notification dated No - have a minimum of one other woman in the of - vember 9, 2013, passed the Sexual Harassment of fice for the entire duration of the meeting. No Women at Workplace Act. In the light of this no - kinds of discussions which include the salary ap - tification the commission has announced certain praisals of the female junior or involving money rules and regulations to prevent any kind of sex - shall be done with any indication of receiving any ual harassment of women at workplace. Under favor from the female employee. these guidelines sexual harassment may occur not

November- 2018 Punjab Advance 23 PUNJABIS OVERSEAS

Nikki Hailey quits as US envoy to UN Nikki Haley announced she is resigning as the not have any future plans set and did not give a U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, but the reason for her unexpected departure, but Trump rising Republican star immediately denied she said she had told him some six months ago that was preparing to challenge President Donald she was thinking of leaving by the end of the year Trump in the 2020 presidential election. "to take a little time off." Sitting beside Trump in the Oval Office, Haley Haley's fast rise from a Southern state's legis - said her 18-month stint at the United Nations had lature to the world stage suggests the 46-year-old been "an honour of a lifetime" and said she would may have greater political ambitions. stay on until the end of the year. Describing her U.N. tenure as "fantastic" and A former governor of South Carolina who is "incredible," Trump was effusive in his praise for the daughter of Indian immigrants, Haley is the Haley. He accepted her resignation and said he highest profile woman in Trump's Cabinet and is would name her successor within two or three often seen as a possible presidential candidate. weeks. But she said in her Haley has been the face of Trump's "America resignation letter to First" policy at the United Nations, steering the Trump she would U.S. withdrawal from several U.N. programmes "surely not be a candi - and ardently defending his hard-line policies date for any office in against Iran and North Korea over their nuclear 2020" and would sup - programmes. port his re-election But Haley has also sometimes distanced her - bid. self from Trump. Haley said she did Connecting Punjab roots A 14-member group of London-based youngsters about Punjab abroad. It is important for the has returned after a unique ‘Connect with your younger generation to see the reality for itself. It roots’ visit to Punjab that enhanced perceptions of is also important for the diaspora to retain links their culture and raised knowledge about every - with the motherland,” said YK Sinha, India’s high day life there, describing it as an ‘eye-opener’. commissioner, at the welcome event held in the The 10-day, all-expense-paid visit, was part of a India House. The youngsters, most of whom had programme that Punjab Chief Minister Capt never visited the land of their family origin, were Amarinder Singh had launched during his Lon - presented certificates from the government of don visit. The aim is to raise awareness among the Punjab that nominated them as the state’s cultural new generation about the heritage of their dias - ambassadors. pora and to counter propaganda about the state. They narrated their experiences, while visiting The group, whose Punjab-origin members were Punjab’s tourist attractions; some had never heard aged between 16 and 22, were selected from four of the Jallianwala Bagh (Britain’s colonial history schools in London: Cranford Community College, is largely absent from syllabus in UK schools); Greenford High School, Featherstone High others realised that Punjab was a more multicul - School and Heston Community School. tural and multi-religious place than they had be - “There is malicious propaganda and fake news lieved.

24 Punjab Advance November- 2018 PUNJABIS OVERSEAS

Racial attack on Sikh nominee

A Sikh man running for the city council in Aus - Augusta community had rallied behind him.“This tralia has been racially targeted by a man in a morning I saw Facebook and I saw hundreds of truck shouting racial slurs at a life-sized cut-out messages and comments supporting me,” Singh made from one of his election placards, accord - said.South Australian Attorney-General Vicki ing to a media report. Chapman has described the footage as “disturb - Sunny Singh, a Port Augusta City Council ing” and “on the face of it, racist conduct”. nominee, said a social media video targeting his Port Augusta mayor Sam Johnson said he was race is the first time he has experienced racism in shocked by the violence and racism in the video. the local community, ABC news reported. Johnson said the Indian community and the Sikh He was attacked in a video posted to a national church contributed greatly to the Port Augusta trucking Facebook page.The video shows a man community and economy. in a truck directing racial slurs at a life-sized cut- “Sunny Singh is a shining example of exactly out made from one of Singh’s election placards, the type of migrant we want to welcome into our which is eventually run over by the truck, the re - community, and not offend in this way. The of - port said.“I was a little upset and shocked because fending post should be removed immediately,” I’d never even seen this man before, never met said the Member for Stuart, which includes Port him, I don’t know why he did it” Singh was Augusta, Dan van Holst Pellekaan. quoted as saying by the report. Meanwhile, the trucking company pictured in “I was amazed how welcoming the people of the video, Moroney Trucking, has been suspended Port Augusta were when I came here. This is the first time this has happened here.” He said the Port as a service provider, the report said. Sikh Judge most influential Asian

Britain’s first Sikh on, which led to him winning a local authority judge Sir Rabinder scholarship to Bristol Grammar School. Singh is among the At just 39, Sir Rabinder became the youngest most influential judge to sit in the high court in the UK. His rise to Asians in the UK in the top of the judiciary continued last year when 2019, next only to he was sworn in as a court of appeal judge — the home secretary Sajid first non-white person to occupy such a position Javid and London mayor Sadiq Khan, both with and appointed by the Queen to the privy council. Pakistani roots. Other prominent Indian-origin personalities The name was revealed in the Eastern Eye figuring in the 101-strong power list include GG2 Power List released at the GG2 Leadership counter-terrorism chief in Metropolitan Police Awards organised by the Asian Media Group in Neil Basu, chairman of Santander UK Baroness London on Wednesday night. Shriti Vadera, the only woman to be head of a Born in 1964 in Delhi, Sir Rabinder’s parents major British Bank, Sir Venkatraman Ramakrish - came to Britain with little more than the contents nan, winner of the 2009 Nobel Prize for chemistry of their suitcases. Raised in a poor neighbour - Next in the power list is Indian-origin steel hood, his academic ability was recognised early baron Lakshmi Mittal.

November- 2018 Punjab Advance 25 Diwali at Golden Temple

Captions Page 8: . Page 13 . Page 18 . Page 20 Page 21 . Page 22.

CENTRESPREAD pic: Page 29 (Pl remove the pic of Education Minister)

Back cover pic: Diwali at Golden Temple Agriculture A master in straw management Palwinder Singh shows the way

Dr. Navjot Kaur Dhillon and Dr. Harinder Singh (PAU, Ludhiana)

hirty-nine-year-old Palwinder Singh of plays under them). Baronga Zer village in Fatehgarh Sahib He visited KVK Fatehgarh Sahib several times dTistrict has become a role model for other farmers and discussed various ways and means of straw in managing crop residue. management. Consequently he tried to incorpo - A post graduate and Higher Diploma holder in rate straw in soil as suggested by KVK scientists. Cooperative Management, Palwinder Singh is It was during one of his visits to KVK in 2007 that treading a childhood dream of becoming a farmer he happened to see Happy Seeder. One year later for the betterment of society. he used the happy seeder to sow wheat on his 1.5 He carries out his farming operation on 22 acre farm under the guidance of scientist Dr H. S acres of land, out of which six acres belongs to Sidhu from PAU and Dr John Blackwell from him and 16 acres is on lease. He has set a crop - Australia. ping system of rice-wheat, rice-potato and rice- But his journey into straw management was potato-sunflower. an uphill task during the initial years. A number of With 20 years of farming experience behind times his friends discouraged him and advised him, Palwinder Singh has been a regular at PAU him to burn paddy straw and prepare the field kisan melas since 1998. He has a fascination for with no additional cost. But Palvinder Singh was new technologies disseminated by the PAU. determined to use happy seeder to manage straw In 2006, he got attached with the KVK Fate - in spite of discouragement from even his own hgarh Sahib, where he received initial training on family members. conservation of resources. This training motivated He took up the challenge and with the passage him to save natural resources like air, soil and of time he was able to manage straw. While sow - water. He is a strong believer in the teachings of ing wheat with standing stubbles with happy Guru Nanak Dev ji: “Pavan guru paanee pitaa seeder he was a laughing stock for his family and Maataa dharat mahat Divas raat du-i daa-ee dayaa friends. Despite discouragements from people, Khaylai sakal jagat” (wind is the teacher, water is his mother Jasvir Kaur and paternal uncle Hukum the father, and earth is the great mother. Day and Singh stood by his side. night are the two kind nurturers, and (the world)

28 Punjab Advance November- 2018 Agriculture

In the first year the results were not satisfac - Within no time, he became the role model for the tory. But he was determined to follow the same farmers. He was not a professional, but a common practice despite a lot of opposition. The follow - farmer who had come up the hard way to manage ing year, he adopted certain amendments on the straw with happy seeder. Since 2008 till date advice of the KVK, the result was a bumper crop wheat sowing is being done with happy seeder. with enhanced soil properties. In due course of Gradually his patience helped him to under - time, after many rectifications, the PAU Happy stand the role of depth of sowing, soil moisture, Seeder is considered the most successful machine amount of straw and right amount and time of fer - available. In these years of isolation from friends tilizer application. By sheer determination he mas - his only friend was his smart phone on which he tered the technique of sowing with happy seeder captured photos and videos, which he later shared thereby keeping the promise of not adding poi - with fellow farmers after reaping a good harvest sionous gases to the environment by burning the from happy seeder fields. Because of the impres - stubbles. The innovator has never practiced rice sive growth and yield of wheat crop he became straw burning on his farm for the last 7 years since the talk of the town. People who earlier made fun 2010 which has resulted in improvement in soil of him became his staunch admirers. In 2010 he health. The soil status of his farm from 2010 to motivated more than 20 farmers of his village to 2017 has also showed improvement (see Table 1). sow at least one acre of wheat with happy seeder. This has resulted in reduced fertilizer requirement

November- 2018 Punjab Advance 29 Agriculture

Dr. N. S. Malhi (Director Extension Education) on one of the inspection visits at S. Palwinder Singh happy Seeder Fields. and sustained soil health without decrease in pro - himself has has taken the initiative of attaching ductivity of rice as well as wheat. The average the Straw Management System to his combine productivity of paddy at his farm is 85q/ha harvester. He has been felicitated by PAU as well whereas that of wheat is 55q/ha. as State Department of Agriculture at various plat - He has undergone more than 30 training ses - forms for his innovative advances. sions from different institutes like Punjab Agri - He is has always been the first to adopt the ad - cultural University, Ludhiana, CSISA Punjab vanced technologies generated by the PAU, Lud - Hub, Ludhiana, Crop Care Federation of India, In - hiana through Krishi Vigyan Kendra as well as dian Grain Storage & Management , U.P, to name state agriculture department. Many teams from a few. He also attended the Biocare International PAU, Ludhiana and Australia have visited his Workshop on “Shaping the future of advanced farm to see the technologies adopted by him. bio-refining for modern societies” at Brussels, Eu - Outcome rope. Time to time different trials were also con - Palwinder Singh is fully satisfied with the ducted on his farm by different public and private happy seeder machine. With 55q/ha yield he is organizations for the adoption of technology. He earning net profit of 58,000/ha and 8.5 q/ha of

30 Punjab Advance November- 2018 Agriculture paddy making him richer by net income of 52,000/ha. Impact Special coins to mark Being a member of the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Guru Nanak Dev’s Youth Welfare Club, Bronga Zer, he has moti - 550th birth anniversary vated the nearby villagers by showing the results of his techniques from which the farmers started The SGPC has adopting the resource conservation technologies got gold and sil - like DSR, Laser Land Leveller, Happy Seeder and ver coins minted SMS. to mark the 550th Seeing the good results of innovations at Pal - birth anniversary winder Singh’s fields, three farmers (Lakhvir of Sri Guru Singh in 2015, Gurjant Singh and Manjit Singh in Nanak Dev. 2017) from his village purchased happy seeder. These coins will These four farmers even formed a group and their be launched by Governor VP Singh Badnore on November 23 happy seeder is leased out to farmers of nearby at Gurdwara Ber Sahib in Sultanpur Lodhi, from villages viz. Baronga Balund, Salana, Rattanpalo, where the year-long celebrations will be Kumbh, Kumbhra etc. launched. In 2017, many farmers from all over Punjab These coins will be available at the prevailing called him to know his experience with PAU gold/silver rates on the day of the purchase. happy seeder during all these years. He is often Counters will be set up at Sultanpur Lodhi for invited at District, Block level farmer training devotees to purchase these coins. These coins camps as an expert farmer. He has been guest of will also be available at the SGPC office in Am - honour in more than 50 such programmes. He has ritsar. also delivered a number of TV and Radio talks. On one side of the coin the impression of Gur - dwara Nankana Sahib has been embossed, He goes to extra lengths to help farmers who face whereas the other side has got the image of Gur - any difficulty in operating the happy seeder. dwara Ber Sahib. His call to fellow farmers is: "If you can dream The 24-carat gold coins weigh 10 gm and 5 gm, it, you can do it". whereas the silver ones weigh 25 gm and 50 gm. Table 1. The soil status of his farm from 2010 At present 100 gold coins weighing 10 gm and to 2017 250 coins weighing 5 gm each, will be avail - Parameters 2010 2017 able. Similarly, 250 silver coins will be on offer. OC % 0.3% 0.7% Meanwhile, the SGPC will send its jatha to Pak - P (Kg/acre) 9.9 23.4 istan on November 21. Out of 1,694 aspirants, K (Kg/acre) 78 97 passports of 1,630 were despatched to procure Mn (Kg/acre) 2.04 9.6 visa. Cu (Kg/acre) 1.14 1.46 The jatha will visit Nankana Sahib and other Zn (Kg/acre) 3.20 3.6 gurdwaras in Pakistan between November 21 Fe (Kg/acre) 23.90 33.0 and 30.

November- 2018 Punjab Advance 31 Agriculture Fumigation is best way to treat seeds

Dr. Navjot Kaur Dhillon

umigation is a technique of pest control pleted. that fills the entire area with gaseous pes - Repetition of fumigation should be avoided. tFicides to suffocate or poison the pests. It is ex - The moisture content of the seeds is an important ploited for control of pests in buildings, soil, seed, factor in many instances, especially when methyl and grain produce. Fumigants are chemical com - bromide is used. Special care must be taken to en - pounds in gaseous form that penetrate the body of sure that the seed is dry (at or below normal mois - insects through spiracles via trachea and trache - ture content for prolonged storage, usually less oles. Some well known fumigants are fenvalerate/ than 12 per cent). Do not fumigate at temperatures cypermethin, malathion, Aluminium phosphide below 10°C and above 25°C. It is better to fumi - etc. Fumigation is a very useful measure for treat - gate at 15°C or above. Do not fumigate seeds with ing the seeds but it must be conducted carefully. moisture content above 14 per cent. Repetition of While handling fumigation one should be strict fumigation should be avoided as it affects the ger - about the recommended dosages and seed expo - mination of seed . As fumigants are highly flam - sure periods; avoid excessive temperatures and mable they must not be exposed to any source of thorough aeration of the seeds immediately after fire. Though fumigation is one of the most suc - the required period of exposure has been com - cessful methods to control the storage insects, but

32 Punjab Advance November- 2018 Agriculture it is effective only when seeds are fumigated with should be applied into nests or colonies. Do not the desired fumigant and desired quantity at nor - apply when ground is too dry because fumigants mal temperature and moisture content with mini - diffuse away quickly. mum exposure period. Among different First aid measures for poisonin g fumigants, aluminium phosphide is considered First aid must be given at once. Measures one of the safest fumigants as it does not have any should be taken before arrival of a physician. For deleterious effect on seed quality. those who have Inhaled the poisonous gas, im - The following treatments are recommended mediately carry the patient to fresh air or open all for seeds of all species doors and windows, loosen all tight clothing, give (a) Disinfect old gunny bags by dipping them artificial respiration if breathing has stopped or is into 0.0125 per cent Fenvalerate/ Cyperme - irregular, prevent chilling by wrapping patient in thrin (6ml Sumicidin 20EC/5ml Cymbush 25 blanket, keep patient as quiet as possible, if pa - EC in 10 litres of water for 10 minutes) and tient is shaking, keep him in bed in semi dark drying them in shade before filling them with room; avoid jarring or noise, do not give alcohol grains or using new gunny bags. in any form. For skin contamination, drench skin (b) Disinfect empty godowns by spraying 0.05 with water, apply stream of water on skin and per cent malathion emultion (100ml cleanse skin thoroughly with water; quickness in Malathion 50EC in 10 litres of water) on the washing is most important in reducing degree of floor, walls and ceiling or fumigate the gow - injury. For eye contamination, hold eyelids open, down using 25 tablets of aluminium phos - immediately wash eyes with mild stream of run - phide/ 100 cum of empty space before storing ning water. Delay of a few seconds increases ex - the grains. Exposure 7 days. tent of injury, continue washing until physician (c) Mix Malathion 5 per cent dust@ 250 g/quin - arrives, do not use chemicals as this may increase tal grains meant for seed only. extent of injury. (d) Treat the grains meant for seed with 25ml ----The writer is Assistant Plant Breeder, Pun - Cythion 50EC (malathion premium grade) or jab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. 2ml Sumicidin 20EC (fenvalerate) or 1.5 ml Cymbush 25 EC or 1.5 ml Markcyper 25 EC (cypermethrin) or 14ml Decis 2.8 EC (deltamethrin) per quintal seed by diluting in ½ litre of water, with knap-sack sprayer. (e) Phosphine: Phosphine may be used to fumi - gate a wide range of seeds without impair - ment of germination. The following schedule should be satisfactory for seed fumigation. 2.5 gm of phosphine (generated by applica - tion of an aluminium or magnesium phos - phide formulation) per m3. Period of fumigation should be 7 days at 12 to 15°C, 6 days at 16 to 20°C, 5 days at 21 to 25°C or 4 days at 26°C or above. All the above recommended doses are under atmospheric pressure. If possible fumigants

November- 2018 Punjab Advance 33 Career n Competition Focus on photography

PUNMEDIA BUREAU

Photography has come a long way and careers printed into an album. The birth of digital cam - are now booming in the field. eras has made the process much faster and easier, We live in a world of instant photography, where images can be stored in a computer, viewed where devices like smartphones are able to freeze on the screen immediately, and printed as per a multiple cherishable moments at the click of a person's selection. button. Think about the same a decade or two ago. These days, with further technological ad - In the past, clicking an image was restricted to the vancements, most of the cameras are equipped privileged and people had to spend a fortune in with WiFi and GPS that enable quick transferring order to buy a camera or even get a high-quality of images along with registering the location of picture clicked. Now, tens of hundreds of digital the photographs as well. images and videos can be captured saved, A good career to pursue now processed and printed within minutes. In a report titled 'Digital Photography Market Thanks to smartphones that are equipped with (Photo Processing Equipment, Interchangeable superlative cameras, smartphone photography has Lenses, Camera Cell Phones, Non Reflex and become an inextricable part of our lives. What Others) for Photography Software, Photo Looks, was once deemed to be an expensive passion has Photo Processing and Others Applications: Global now become an affordable and friendly hobby Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis with these handheld smart devices. and Forecast, 2015-2021', Zion Market Research From cameras to polaroids stated that the global demand for digital photog - From pinhole cameras, daguerreotype cameras, raphy is expected to reach approximately USD box cameras, flashbulbs, 35mm cameras to po - 110.79 billion in 2021, growing at a CAGR of laroids, the evolution of photography as a medium slightly above 6.1 per cent between 2016 and of expression has been immense. Several inven - 2021. tors worked on the chemicals, parts and processes to reproduce pictures, but it was in the 19th cen - tury that the modern camera came into existence. Until then, it was a tedious task to carry spare photo films, batteries and then wait for days or weeks to get the shots processed into prints. A traditional camera meant that a film must be developed before viewing, which meant a pho - tographer had to very careful about his clicks or else he would end up developing poor images. Now however, gone are those days when peo - ple had to rush to photo labs to get their memories

34 Punjab Advance November- 2018 Career n Competition

Imagine being able to freeze the motion of a Photos reflect social status speeding leopard in a forest or a butterfly feeding The advent of digital cameras and the rising on a flower or being able to capture the sun and need for good photographers has paved the way stars from a distance. Photography not only has for many to choose photography as a career op - the ability to inspire your imagination but can also tion. Reason: High-quality photographs help to document your journey through life. determine the social image of a person and make People are able to see more, learn more and en - them popular icons in the social stratosphere. hance their knowledge by gaining access to im - For instance, wedding photography is no more ages drawn from several places across the world. about just having one's image captured while For instance, a lot of historic moments since the tying the knot. Nobody is keen to pose in the same birth of the camera have been captured with the predictable manner or fill their albums with im - help of photography. This has helped us under - ages of jewellery, decor and random faces. Cou - stand matters of social progress mankind has ples are travelling to picture-perfect locations, made along with evoking a sense of nostalgia in making use of props and are experimenting with them. different lights to capture their special moments. Need for good photographers: Increasing career options, • The need for instant photo solutions and the ease at which photographs can be taken has rising competition given a boost to the photography market. People The professional photography market is turn - are keen to share their experiences of whatever ing out to be a competitive place for young and they do or see through images or videos. Photog - budding photographers with a rise in public inter - raphy has become the most powerful tool to com - est in various types of photography. The photog - municate and express oneself raphy and print industry have grown substantially • While smartphones are helping to capture with photography being seen as an elite profes - an image, edit it, and upload it within minutes, sion. This has also led to the growth of high-end DSLRs have changed the way people perceive camera phones and photography equipments. photography with companies such as Canon, Photography has undergone an amazing meta - Nikon, and Fuji offering a myriad of ever-evolv - morphosis; there are umpteen career options ing lenses for telephoto shoots, close-up photog - within the photography industry that exist now raphy, sports photography, food photography, etc unlike five to 10 years ago. There is a steady busi - • These days, photographs have become a ness proposition for those who have the knack and vital part of social media accounts, newspapers, interest in beautifully capturing everything from magazines and even television wildlife and events to birthday parties and house- • New photographs are taken every day and warming functions. most of the well-known photo-sharing platforms Digital cameras have made it easier for people such as Instagram, Flickr and Tumbler are inun - to start a photography business of their own. What dated with images. With several applications and is required of an enthusiast is to invest in a high- services to edit photographs and beautify them, end camera, learn the nitty-gritties of photogra - consumers are able to create quality photos them - phy and then start clicking pictures as per the likes selves anytime, anywhere. of a customer.

November- 2018 Punjab Advance 35 Current Events

NATIONAL

India to achieve 3rd slot in avia - parable to China’s Quinghai-Tibet Railway Line at tion market 2,000 metres.The project comprise of 74 tunnels, 124 major bridges, 396 minor bridges and 30 sta - India will be among the top three aviation market tions on the line.Notably, more than half the train by 2024 according to International Air Transport As - route would be covered through tunnels, the longest sociation (IATA) in its 20- year air passenger fore - of which is 27 km. Whole length of the tunnels cast report. India is would be 244 km.The route will link crucial loca - currently at seventh position tions between Bilaspur and Leh such as Sunderna - in Global Aviation mar - gar, Mandi, Manali, Keylong, Koksar, Darcha, ket.The number of air pas - Upshi and Karu as well as several other towns of sengers around the world Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir. will double to 8.2 billion in National Police Memorial 2037.China will displace the US as the world’s largest Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and aviation market in the mid- 2020. India will take the dedicated National Police Memorial (NPM) to na - third place after US around 2024 surpassing UK. tion in New Delhi on the occasion of National Po - World’s highest railway line lice Commemoration Day (Observed on October 21). The memorial has been created to recognise Indian Railways announced its plan to link New supreme sacrifices made by police personnel since Delhi and Ladakh by means of a railway line that independence.National Police Memorial (NPM)The will run along the India-China Border. The proposed memorial has been built on 6.12-acre land in cen - Bilaspur-Manali-Leh Line would be the world’s tral Delhi’s Chanakyapuri area. It built a few years highest railway line once launched. The projected ago, has now been refurbished and central structure cost to construct the 465 km line will be Rs 83,360 has been enhanced by replacing old rock structure. crore.The railway line will be the world’s highest at This memorial represents all State/UT Police Forces 5,360 metres above mean sea level which is com - and Central Police Organisations of the country.

SPORTS

Jeremy Lalrinnunga lifts gold medal Fifteen-year-old weightlifter Jeremy Lalrinnunga from Nagaland won India’s maiden gold medal at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games being held in Buenos Aires, capital of Argentina. He won the medal in in the men’s 62 kg category by lifting total of 274 kg (124 kg +150 kg) weight to finish on top. The silver medal was won by Turkey’s Toptas Caner and the bronze medal was won by Colombia’s Villar Estiven Jose. So far this was India’s fourth medal in the ongoin Youth Olympics, which include three silver medals earlier won by Tushar Mane (10m Air Rifle), Tababi Devi (44kg Judo) and Mehuli Ghosh (10m Air Rifle).

36 Punjab Advance November- 2018 Current Events

INTERNATIONAL Longest sea bridge signed with Russia during Cold War.It was the cru - China inaugurated the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau cial Cold War-era treaty banning development, test - Bridge, world’s longest sea bridge with a total ing and possession of short and medium range length of 55 km. The new sea bridge will connect ground-launched nuclear missiles with range of the east and west sides of Pearl River Delta of the 500-5,000 km. The treaty was signed in December South China Sea, connecting two Special Adminis - 1987 between then US President Ronald Reagan trative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau with and his USSR counterpart Mikhail Gorbachev.The Zhuhai i.e. mainland China. It includes dual three- treaty banned all nuclear and conventional missiles, lane, oversea stretch (22.9 km) and undersea tunnel as well as their launchers, with ranges of 500–1,000 (6.7 km) which reaches depth of 44 m. The rest 25.4 km or (short-range) and 1,000–5,500 km (interme - km of the bridge runs over land. The two ends of diate-range). This treaty was central to ending arms tunnel of bridge are connected to two artificial is - race between two superpowers during the cold war lands, each million sq ft, constructed in shallow and protected America’s NATO allies in Europe areas of Pearl River Estuary to allow transit between from Soviet missile attacks. bridge and tunnel sections. Tracking fake news on social media The 6.7 km undersea tunnel A web-based tool to monitor the spread of fake is made of chain of 33 sub - news on social media platforms has been developed merged hollow blocks, each by the Researchers from the University of Michi - 38 m wide, 11.4 m high and gan in the US. The tool uses a Platform Health Met - weighing 80,000 tonnes. ric called the Iffy Quotient and will supposedly The bridge contains draw data from two external entities namely 400,000 tonnes of steel. It is designed to withstand NewsWhip and Media Bias/Fact Checker. The magnitude-8 earthquake and strikes by super-sized News Whip will collect URLs from hundreds of cargo ships. thousands of sites each day and then it will gather US pulls out from N-treaty information about the engagements of these sites on President Donald Trump has announced that the Facebook and Twitter.The Iffy Quotient will fetch USA will unilaterally pull out of the three-decade- information by querying NewsWhip for the top old Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty 5000 most popular URLs Facebook and twitter.

SPORTS Punia wins wrestling silver Bajrang Punia won the silver medal and Pooja Dhanda the brone medal as India finished seventh with a two-medal haul in the 15th World Wrestling Champi - onships held from October 20 to 28 in Budapest, Hungary. Japan won the most medals with 5 gold, 1 silver and 4 bronze. Russia came second with 8 medals and India finished 17th with just two medals. Pooja Dhanda became the fourth Indian woman to win a medal at the World Wrestling Championship.

November- 2018 Punjab Advance 37 Luminaries Reshma – Lambi Judaai Remembering the legendary folk singer

Donald Banerjee

"She broke the silence of the desert....A voice tele-drama on desert life missed the background so wounded that pain became the song" voice of Reshma. "A voice of passion, not of this earth....'Hayo When just 12 years old she was spotted singing Rabba' " at Shahbaz Qalandar's shrine by a television and These tweets on Twitter aptly sum up Reshma, radio producer who arranged for her to record the legendary folk singer, whose fifth death an - "Laal Meri" on Pakistan Radio. That was the be - niversary falls on November 3. She died in La - ginning. Reshma went on to become one of the hore on November 3, 2013, after remaining in most popular folk singers of Pakistan. But the coma for a month and battling with throat cancer artiste in her broke the man-made barriers as the for more than two decades. Indian film industry beckoned her. And after that Yes, the painful cry of "Hai O Rabba Nahion Reshma took over the entire subcontinent with Lagda Dil Mera" has gone on "Lambi Judaai" hits like 'Dama Dam Mast Kalandar', 'Hai O Born in Bikaner, Rajasthan, in a Banjara fam - Rabba Nahion Lagda Dil Mera', 'Ankhiyan to ily around 1947, Reshma's tribe migrated to Pak - rehen de ankhyan de kol kol' and 'Lambi Judaai' istan soon after the Partition. But her voice took Who can forget Reshma's "Ankhyon ko rehne the listeners back to the deserts in Rajasthan and de ankhyon ke aas paas" which was sung by Lata even the banjaras. No director or producer making for Raj Kapoor's "Bobby" starring Rishi Kapoor and Dimple Kapadia. Pirated tapes in Reshma's golden voice were openly sold in Indian markets. However this folk singer with pain in her voice was able to perform in India much later. In fact, in the 80s when India and Pakistan allowed exchange of artistes, Subhash Ghai used her voice in he film 'Hero', which featured one of her most famous songs 'Lambi Ju - daai' Her live performances in

38 Punjab Advance November- 2018 Luminaries

India came at a time when the folk song queen was diagnosed with throat cancer in the 80s. The Hoton pe aaye meri jaan duhai, effect of the disease was visible as the legendary hai lambi judai, singer forced herself into singing the raags that Chaar dinon ka pyar ho rabba, were once the hallmark of her performances. Badi lambi judai, lambi dudai Later when the pain became unbearable she (There was prayer on my lips, discontinued singing. As her health deteriorated Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf came to her oh long separation, aid giving her Rs 10 lakh to meet her medical ex - Love for four days, my god, penses. He also put her on a secured assistance of very long separation) Rs 10,000 per month. He also helped by allotting her a plot of land. But that did not materialise be - Ek to sajan mere paas nahin re, cause of a change of government. duje milan di koi aas nahin re, Her health deteriorated so such an extent that uspe ye sawaan aaya, she was hospitalised in Lahore on April 6, 2013. aag lagayii, hay lambi judai She went into a coma in October and breathed her (One, my beloved is not near me, last on November 3, 2013. second there is no hope of meeting him, A modest Reshma always used to say:" My voice is a gift from God for which I am grateful to And on that this rainy season, the Almighty." It fires me up, oh this long separation) She got the recognition and awards too, yet the government did not do what it could do in a be - Chaar dinon ka pyar ho rabba, fitting manner. But this has happened with all leg - Badi lambi judai, lambi judai. endary figures in Pakistan. This love of four days, my god, 'Lambi Judai' has remained one of Reshma's Very long separation, long separation) favourite songs. She sang the song in Subhash Ghai's Hero film starring Jackie Shroff and Baag ujad gaye, khilne se pehle, Meenakshi Sheshadhari. Given below are the panchi bichad gaye, milne se pehle, Lambi Judai lyrics with the English translation in brackets: koyal ki kook ne hook uthayee, Bichhde abhi to ham bas kal parson, haye lambi judai. Jioongi mai kaise, is haal mein barson, (Gardens got devastated even before Maut na aayi, teri yaad kyon aayi, blossoming, Hai lambi judai; lovers got separated, even before meeting, (We separated just two days ago' sound of the nightingale fuels my despon - But how will I live in this condition, dency, Death did'nt come, but why did your memories, Oh this long separation) Oh this long separation) Chaar dinon ka pyaar ho rabba, Chaar dinon ka pyar ho rabba badi lambi judai, lambi judai (Love for four days, my god, Badi lambi judai, lambi judai Very long separation.) (Four days of love, my god, Very long separation, long separation)

November- 2018 Punjab Advance 39 Luminaries A tribute to Rajinder Singh Bedi on his death anniversary

Father of Indian parallel cinema

Punmedia Bureau

ovember 11 is the 34th death anniver - Maili Si’ (A Sheet So Dirty). sary of Rajinder Singh Bedi, one of the When he shifted to Bombay, he flourished in Ngreatest fiction writers of the 20th century. the film industry and in his 35 years spent there, He was also named the father of Indian parallel he wrote screenplays, scenes, and dialogues of cinema with his directoral debut ‘Dastak’ (1970). around 17 movies, including directing some of Better known for his haunting Partition tales, them. Almost all of these films proved to be high- Rajinder was a son of Punjab. Born in Sialkot (now in Pakistan) on September 1, 1915, he spent his early years in Lahore, where he re - ceived his education in Urdu. But he never graduated from any college. After partition his family settled in Fazilka. His literary career spanning 50 years and 72 short stories represented the finest creative writing in Urdu literature. His stories ‘Garam Kot’ and ‘Lajwanti’ are considered among the masterpieces in Urdu short story. His later col - lection of short stories were ‘Kokh Jali’ and ‘Apne Dukh Mujhe De Do’ and also a collec - tion of plays ’Saat Khel’ While his output was not prodigious, his stories are memorable, chastising ancient be - liefs and superstitions, which keep the ordi - nary person ignorant and the women oppressed. Some of the most memorable characters from Bedi’s stories are women – Indu from ‘Apney Dukh Mujhei De Doe’ (Give Me Your Sorrows), Munni from ‘Lambi Larki’ (Tall Girl), the eponymous Lajwanti and Jogia, and Rano from Bedi’s only novel, ‘Ek Chadar

40 Punjab Advance November- 2018 Luminaries quality, quaint, and memorable, however, never proving to be box-office hits. Bedi was prolific in the film Despite being written a few decades ago from world. His first script was for Badi Bedi’s long experience as the ‘father of Indian Bahen which was an instant hit. parallel cinema’, many of the challenges it de - Then came Aaram, Do Sitare, scribes still exist in Bollywood and Lollywood, though more acute in the latter. Daag, Devdas, Mirza Ghalib, Bedi was prolific in the film world. His first Madhumati - often the films were script was for Badi Bahen which was an instant successful but the writer got little hit. Then came Aaram, Do Sitare, Daag, Devdas, Mirza Ghalib, Madhumati - often the films were credit. Moreover while Bombay successful but the writer got little credit. More - films did give him money they over while Bombay films did give him money also put his literary conscience they also put his literary conscience into a into a quandary - how not to quandary - how not to compromise artistic values to crass commercial demands? compromise artistic values to He later teamed up with four other outstanding crass commercial demands. film personalities - Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Balraj Sahni, Amar Kumar and Homi Sethna - to form a He will always be remembered for his percep - cine operative committed to making better cin - tive stories but most of all he will be remembered ema. for Ek Chader Maili Si. It is the heartbreaking He also became a regular dialogue writer for story of Rano who after her husband's death is Hrishikesh Mukherjee: his was the soft, sensitive compelled to marry his younger brother, one presence behind Anupama, Mem Didi, Satyakam, whom she has always brought up like her son. Abhiman. Bedi managed to produce and direct a Into the tragic tale, Bedi weaves the entire social few films including Dastak and Phagun. phenomena of Punjab in those days. Dastak (1970), which was also his directorial Well-known film scribe Firoze Rangoonwala debut, is more closer to Basu Chatterjee’s Sara recalls that when Krishan Chander, the famous Akash (1969) than any of the other parallel cin - Urdu writer read it, he hugged Bedi and said: ema films, mainly because both films narrate a "You don't know what you've created." Ek Chader middle class relationship, probing the densities of won Bedi the Sahitya Akademi Award. married life through a semi-realist prism. How - Bedi fell deeply in love with the heroine of his ever, Bedi’s film cuts closer to the bone, exploring film Aankhin Dekhi, who married someone else ‘the suggestion that a woman economically de - after the completion of the film. This took a toll on pendent on her husband is comparable to a pros - his life. His health deteriorated after the death of titute’ (Flemming, 1985) his son, Narendra Bedi fought cancer and paraly - Dastak deals with a married couple who move sis, lost one eye, yet kept his spirit. into an apartment previously run as a pleasure This famous Urdu author and Hindi film di - house. Phagun, a more ambitious statement on rector lay at his residence in Khar, Bombay, dan - marital tensions, failed at the box-office. Padma gerously ill and yet undoubtedly aware of the Sachdev explains: "His own films flopped be - communal madness that his country was going cause he was a writer not a businessman." Bedi through in the early days of November 1984. No, had by then lost a lot of money and mortgaged his Bedi was not a deeply religious Sikh but he was a house. deeply sensitive man.

November- 2018 Punjab Advance 41 Military Litfest Stage set for Military Litfest Patiala Raiders win polo match

Bureau Report

he first set of events in the run-up to the witness the match. second edition of the Military Literature Lieut-Gen Surinder Singh, GOC-in-C Western FTestival (MLF) culminated in Patiala with a nail- Command, was the chief guest and Senior Advi - biting polo match between Patiala Chargers and sor to Punjab CM, Lieut-Gen (retd) T.S. Shergill Patiala Raiders. presided over the prize distribution ceremony. Aimed at imbibing youngsters with the spirit General Shergill said that MLF was a joint ini - of adventure sports and at inspiring them to join tiative of the Punjab Government, led by Chief the armed forces, as envisioned by the Chief Min - Minister and UT Chandigarh Administrator VP ister Capt Amarinder Singh, the match was part Singh Badnore, in collaboration with the Indian of the Western Command Polo Challenge that was Army. The polo match had set the tone for the sec - designed to inspire the large gathering of students, ond edition of the MLF. NCC cadets and rural youth who had turned up to Patiala Raiders, led by Arjuna Awardee World

A polo match in progress

42 Punjab Advance November- 2018 Military Litfest

Cup player Colonel Ravi Rathore, dominated all the four rounds and won the match 4-3. It Connecting youth was a neck and neck fifth in the first two rounds, but in the third round, Colonel Ravi with sports Rathore scored the fourth goal and kept Patiala Bhupinder Singh Brar Chargers under pressure in the last two rounds, blocking all their efforts at scoring a goal. More and more youngsters of Sri Muktsar Sahib The best pony award was clinched by Mes - district are converging on the maidans of several siah, rode by Colonel N.S. Sandhu of Patiala villages to attend special sports camps being or - Chargers. ganized by the district police personnel under a Students of PPS Nabha and jawans of 61 special project to connect youth with games. cavalry showed their horsemanship skill that in - Launched under the DAPO and Tandrust Punjab cluded Standing Salute Lance Peg, Triple Tent mission, the project has been big hit for the chil - Pegging, Indian File, Hanky Picking, Trick Tent dren and youth. Pegging and Decot Shooting. Under the project sports personnel from the po - Earlier, in a perfect show of aerobatic lice force give special training in different games skills, Senior Instructor Captain Malkiat Singh, held held every morning and evening at different having 10,000 hours of flying experience on locations. various kinds of aircraft, both single and multi- The project is in keeping in line with the Chief engine, displayed multiple manoeuvres includ - Minister Captain Amarinder Singh’s dream of ing low pass depicting high degree of flying making Punjab a drug-free state. skills with proximity to the ground. He got a Giving this information, Senior Superintendent of standing ovation from the audience in spiral Police (SSP) Manjit Singh Dhhesi said the effort dive where the aircraft (Cessna-172) climbed was to divert the energy of our youth to the right to over 1500 feet above ground level and sud - direction so that they could achieve their desired denly flapped, slowed down and came down in goal in life. “With proper counseling and guid - a spiral dive. ance we can protect our youth from the ill effects In the beginning of the show, the Military of drugs and other anti-social activities,” he Band led by Subedar Rakesh Kumar, received added. a lot of applause as it marched to the tune of At these special training camps police personal 'Deshon K Sartaj Bharat'. were providing training in Kabbadi, Volleyball, Patiala Chargers team comprised Dafedar Athletics etc. “With this project we have been Ramvir Singh, Colonel Nakul Yadav with able to establish a direct connection with our Colonel N.S. Sandhu holding the back and youth and with this campaign we will definitely Commodore, whereas Patiala Raiders team protect our next generation from drugs,” he added consisted of Major Narendra Kumar, Captain Amarjit Singh who is running the training camp Anant Rajpurohit, Lieutenant Colonel A in Badia and Bhalaiana villages said that youth Samantray and Colonel Ravi Rathore holding and children were showing a lot of enthusiasm the back. and every day more than 100 youth participate Lieutenant General Balbir Sandhu (retd) and from each village. Jagsir Puri who is providing Lieutenant Colonel Manoj Dewan (retd) were training in volleyball said the trainees had the po - the umpires and Major General N.S. Rajpurohit tential and “we are just trying to hone their skills.” effectively performed the technical task of ref - The writer is DPRO, eree. Sri Muktsar Sahib

November- 2018 Punjab Advance 43 Health Keeping fit in old age

Dr Ravinder Chadha

t is true that old age brings with it many stamina and so also self confidence. Having a pos - physical and physiological changes. But it itive attitude vis-à-vis ageing makes an individual iIs also true that by undertaking appropriate not only more confident and physically active, but strengthening and endurance activities one can re - also mentally healthy. main fit and at least postpone many changes. The following are the effects There is also a shift in thinking now that much of the deterioration in various body tussues is more ageing: due to disuse than the ageing process only. • Muscle strength decreases, particularly after The saying ‘one is as old as one thinks’ is cor - the age of 60 rect. The general feeling is that if one becomes old • Bone mass declines, especially in women after one is too weak to exercise. This brings in lack of menopause due to the hormonal imbalance. In physical activity leading to decrease in strength, the spine bone mass loss can cause fracture of

44 Punjab Advance November- 2018 Health

the vertebrae resulting in upper back hump. Osteoporosis can also can also cause hip frac - With age people taking to ap - ture. propriate physical activity, includ - • The heart muscles become weak to propel ing strengthening exercise, remain large quantity of blood to the body. Cardiac comfortable, active and alert output decreases by about 20 per cent as com - throughout their life. Lack of it pared to a young adult. leads to early osteoporosis, lack of • Blood pressure increases by 10 mm due to de - creased elasticity of the blood vessels. muscle strength, thereby leading to • Lack of coordination due to slow reaction long term physical and mental dis - time. ability with associated complica - • Joints become inflamed and arthritic as the tions. cushioning cartilage brings to break down from a lifelong use. stretch band under the foot, holding the other end in the hand. Rest forearm on thigh. Bend elbow The following exercises help in to feel tension in the biceps muscles. Repeat eight all-round physical well-being: to ten times. Cardio exercises for seniors: Endurance can Rowing: Sitting on a chair with one leg ex - decline over the years. It’s important to engage in tended, loop the band around ball of the foot and some type of aerobic exercise like walking, swim - hold the ends with the hands. Now pull the band ming, biking, gardening, golfing, tennis etc. It is towards the chest. Return back. Repeat ten times. recommended that seniors should to cardio exer - Calf stretch: Sitting on a beg with one leg out - cises daily for 30 minutes. If not exercised for stretched, loop the band around the ball of the some reason, begin with five to ten minutes of foot. Pull the band towards the body. A stretch will cardio, three times a week to allow the body to get be felt in the calf muscle. Stay for a count of ten. used to it. Each week add a few minutes until one Return back. Repeat eight to ten times. can move continuously for 30 or more minutes. Quadriceps stretch: While lying on the back, Strength training has incredible benefits, espe - wrap the band around both ankles. Raise on leg cially for seniors. It is believed that resistance ex - towards the ceiling. Feel tension in the front of ercises may forestall decline in strength and thigh muscle. Repeat eight to ten times. muscle mass for decades. Strength training by lift - Hamstring stretch: Lying face downwards loop ing weight or with a stretch band can make bones the band around the ankles. Now bend one leg to - stonger, increase muscle strength and ultimately wards the hips and feel the tension in the back of improve balance. Performing strength exercises the thigh muscles. Return back. Repeat ten times. at least twice a week, but not for the same muscle With age people taking to appropriate physical group on any two days in a row, is ideal. activity, including strengthening exercise, remain Wrist flexion: Sitting on a chair, place one end comfortable, active and alert throughout their life. of the stretch band under the foot and hold gthe Lack of it leads to early osteoporosis, lack of mus - other end in the hand with palm up. Rest forearm cle strength, thereby leading to long term physical on the thigh, with the wrist and hand protruding and mental disability with associated complica - beyond the knee and bend the wrist and feel the tions. tension in the forearm muscles. Repeat eight to Dr Ravinder Chadha is a former physio-thera - ten times. pist of the Indian cricket team. E-mail: chad - Biceps: Sitting on a chair, loop one end of the [email protected] (telephone 2702929)

November- 2018 Punjab Advance 45 Children’s world

Hi kids,

All set for the Festival of Lights ! Yes, Diwali is 3. Have them hold sparklers away from the body round the corner. Do try and make this festsival 4. Keep flower pots (anaar) and chakras on even safe and enjoyable. Unfortunately injuries from flat ground while lighting them fireworks spoil the fun for many families. Do you 5. Light up rockets only on open ground know children, Diwali is a holiday for most of us 6. Ensure proper distance from the fireworks but it is the busiest day for those in the fire de - away at a distance while they are lighting them partments and hospitals around the country are on 7. Make sure they are wearing closed footwear constant alert to tackle the various mishaps. and close-fitting clothes of thick material in - I do not wish to be a spoilsport, but then most of stead of loose or flowing garments while light - these cases involve children. Freak accidents in - ing fireworks variably occur when kids are allowed to play with 8. Keep a bucket of water and burn ointment or fireworks unattended. The most common reason aloe vera gel handy is wrong handling of fireworks. A special appeal 9. Check the area before igniting fireworks to en - to parents: Please take the necessary precautions sure that no inflammable materials are nearby to avoid such tragedies. 10. Discard used fireworks in a bucket of water And what about Prince, your pup dog. You have to Don’ts be extra careful, because this festival of lights and 1. Don’t let them bend over fireworks while light - crackers can be very stressful for your dog. Ac - ing them or approach them if in doubt about cording to a study around 80 to 90 per cent of whether they are live or not dogs are scared of crackers. They are easily sus - 2. Don’t let them light fireworks while holding ceptible to high decibel sounds during such festi - them in hand vals. Sudden changes in the surroundings with 3. Don’t let them keep extra fireworks in pockets such loud noise and fireworks push them to a 4. Don’t let them wear Nylon clothes. Cotton is stressed and confused state. The possible signs of safest while lighting crackers stress include whining, fear, loss of appetite, sali - 5. Don’t let them try to light used fireworks vation and defecation inside the house. Many 6. Don’t let them light firecrackers with a match - dogs even try to escape and that is the reason you stick but rather a candle of agarbatti – this en - will notice most number of dogs go missing dur - sures sufficient distance between their hands ing this festival season. and the cracker So avoid crackers which emit too much of smoke 7. Don’t let them use fireworks indoors and burst with high decibel sounds. 8. Don’t let them put fireworks into any container Follow the basic Do’s and Don’ts for a safe happy before lighting them up diwali 9. Don’t let them ignite aerial fireworks where ------Uncle Don overhead obstruction trees wires etc. or even heavy wind exist Do’s 10. Don’t let them throw or point fireworks at 1. Supervise children while they light fireworks other people 2. Make them light fireworks outside the house

46 Punjab Advance November- 2018 Children’s world The story of Diwali

Deepavali or Diwali as it has come to be known dra manthan’ or the churning of the ocean, as, means many things to many people. It when the gods and the demons fought with each means holidays from school, shopping expedi - other. It is also believed that Lakshmi emerged tions for clothes, sweets, gifts and crackers to from the churning of the ocean and, therefore, children. To the office-goer it means an annual her worship forms a big part of the Diwali cel - bonus that can make all this happen. ebrations. To the businessman Diwali means brisk busi - South India: the myth of ness just as to the clay potter, Diwali is the oc - casion of the year when the bulk of his sales are Narasimha made. Diwali has a special significance for the In South India, the story linked to Diwali is that trading communities of India who usher in their of Narasimha, the man-lion incarnation of new year and new accounting books (‘bahi Vishnu, who is known as the God of Preserva - khata’) during this time. tion among the Hindu Trinity that is made up of Clearly, Diwali is the most exuberant of all In - Brahma (the God of Creation) and Shiva (the dian festivals. It is the equivalent of Christmas God of Destruction). in the West, and people of each age have added According to legend, Vishnu incarnates himself their meanings to the celebration of Diwali. as Narasimha (man-lion) to rid the earth of an evil king Hiranyakshipu. The king had received a boon from Brahma that he could not be con - Diwali myths: the end of quered by either god or human for the simple Rama’s exile reason that he could be killed neither by beast Over time, various mythological explanations nor man, neither inside nor outside, neither dur - were given for the celebration of Diwali. ing the day nor at night. The most popular myth among these is the one When Hiranyakshipu’s atrocities became un - linked to the ancient prince Rama, his wife Sita bearable, the gods turned to Vishnu for help. and brother Lakshmana, returning to their king - Vishnu reincarnated himself as Narasimha, half dom, Ayodhya, after a 14-year exile, and the de - man and half lion and, therefore, neither man feat of the king of Lanka, Ravana. To celebrate nor beast. this event, people at Ayodhya are believed to As Narasimha, he killed Hiranyakshipu with his have lit up their houses with lamps. claws at the threshold (which is neither inside The legend of Dhanavantari: physician of gods nor outside), and just before daybreak (a time According to mythology he was the physician when it is neither day nor night). That way he of the gods who is believed to have emerged managed to get around the boon given to the with a pot of ‘amrit’ (nectar) during the ‘samu - king.

Punjab Advance 47 November- 2018 Forecast

What the stars foretell Dr. Prem Kumar Sharma (Astrologer, Palmist, Numerologist & Vastu Consultant) email: [email protected]

Aries: A stressful situation on the do - Leo: Efforts on the professional front Sagittarius: Closure of an additional mestic front will be successfully over - will be maintained. Those studying source of earning may prove a setback, come. First step is likely to be taken will find their focus returning. Your so do something to restore it. Don’t by some in arranging a marriage. You busy schedule may interfere with argue with anyone at home, as it can may be especially chosen to head a your love life, so keep some time rebound on you. Some of you may be - committee or some other governing aside for exchanging sweet nothings come desperate to break the monotony body. Sometimes it is best to overlook with lover! Someone’s advice on the of daily routine. A situation on the ro - the shortcomings of others for a bet - financial front will appear appealing, mantic front may not seem as simple ter relationship. Fear of something but do analyse it in depth before tak - as it appears to be. You have put in bad happening on the medical front ing any step. You may enjoy good great efforts on the academic front, so can give some sleepless nights. health by managing to keep un - don’t falter in applying yourself as healthy habits in check. competently and carefully.

Taurus: Professionally, you are likely Virgo: Reading too much into the in - Capricorn: Think what you promise to excel and rub shoulders with the tentions of someone on the social on the romantic front, so that you best. Chances of adopting some new front may disturb you, so chill out don’t get cornered! On the work front, fashion trends cannot be ruled out for and remain happy. There may be you may feel your efforts going waste, some. Financial skills of some can be some amount of disturbance in your but this may actually not be the case. much in demand. Wedding vows can work, but it will be nothing serious. Homemakers may have to lay down be taken by those in a long-term re - A good career choice may soon find the do’s and don’ts for members, just lationship. Physical fitness is the key you climbing the corporate ladder. to keep the home front presentable. to preventing minor ailments. Aca - You may start reviewing investment Those who have stepped into the demically, distractions and shifting options for maximum returns. arena of social work will need to main - interests may make it difficult to Achieving total fitness will not re - tain their tempo. focus on anything. main just a pipedream, as you turn your focus to your health.

Gemini: You may focus on winning Libra: You can be a bit harsh where Aquarius: Soft pedalling an important friends and influencing people just to disciplining is concerned. A match - issue can get you into trouble at work make your presence felt on the social making process for the eligible is front, so accord it the priority it de - front. Some rescheduling may be re - likely to have a positive outcome. serves and act accordingly. Those sell - quired at work due to a new develop - You are likely to boost your profes - ing property may have to hunt for the ment. You may go out of the way to sional reputation by becoming an right customers for a good bargain. appease someone, whom you have ideal team player for a project. Some Your laziness on the academic front upset recently. Your devil-may-care good offers may come your way on threatens to negate your hard work. A in this changing season can get you the academic front, so choose with planned vacation may need to be unwell. Those pursuing sports may care. An urgent requirement of shelved. Positive steps to conserve find themselves in excellent form. money is likely to be met through money may get encouraging results. your own savings.

Cancer: Efforts on the professional Scorpio: A family member, spending Pisces: A long distance drive will be front will be maintained. Those your hard earned money carelessly, safe and comfortable. Countdown to studying will find their focus return - needs to be controlled, but it may not something important has begun, but ing. Your busy schedule may be as easy as it sounds. This is the you will be well prepared for it. Those interfere with your love life, so keep right time to get a project on the not faring well on the education front some time aside for exchanging sweet tracks, as its chances of success in - nothings with lover! Someone’s ad - crease. You may take the initiative of must tighten their belts, if they want vice on the financial front will appear joining a gym or exercise routine, just to enjoy a smooth ride. You may be appealing, but do analyse it in depth to keep fit. Survey the real estate praised for solving a crisis on the pro - before taking any step. You may market before settling on any deal, as fessional front. True understanding enjoy good health by managing to getting something better is possible. with those around you will be keep unhealthy habits in check. achieved and you will feel much more at home with them, than before. 48 Punjab Advance November- 2018 - How do you like the magazine? - What do you like about the magazine? - What are your suggestions to make it more readable?

Suggestion:______

Please post your reply to the following address: Punmedia, Room No. 1, 5th Floor, Punjab Civil Secretariat, Chandigarh-160001 or you can email: p [email protected]

November- 2018 Punjab Advance 49 Last Word When Riya’s world came crumbling!

Ramesh K Dhiman

he other day, my eldest daughter, a some predator or what…?” I asked. “Riya is teacher, returned home from school, a bubbly bitch who had made a dark and wTithered and woebegone. She didn’t appear dingy store-room of our school, cramped with to be herself. She even forgot to plant a peck discarded furniture and other knick knack, her on my forehead to register her arrival back home, days before her delivery. home. She headed straight to the bedroom, As she was expecting, she opted to stay put pretending to be unwell, curtly telling us not in a secluded sleepy corner, away from the to disturb her. She kept tossing under the prying eyes of the mischievous school boys blanket, grumbling all the while “God…how who would pester her as and when they can you be unkind to Riya and…?” strayed into the storeroom. The kind-hearted The worried mother, who is rather over-in - caretaker had brought a worn-out discarded dulgent about her first born, sat huddled by rug and hay stacks to guard her and her pride her side comforting her. She had also not to be against the bone-rattling chill of De - eaten her lunch that day, her mother discov - cember. ered later. This set at rest our legitimate hunch Days rolled by, one crisp Monday after - that she was not pretending to be indisposed noon, as we were strolling on the lawns, six for the heck of it. She prepared special ginger cute puppies came towards us in a playful tea for her but she refused to take even a sip mood. They were joined by their mother, who of it. intently watched us play. Play session over, Later she declined to have dinner, saying they returned with their mother for a quick she had not been able to digest the previous milk-feed session. meal. A little cooing-wooing and she agreed Days later I went to see Riya and her new- to join us at the table, but she refused to eat born. “Riya…Riya…” I called out. Neither even a morsel. Riya nor her pups stirred out of their hiding. Finally she blurted:“Dad, Riya’s sweet A little later, Riya showed up and stood star - home has fallen to the insatiable human ing, sadness writ large in her eyes. The silence greed. Her little paradise lies shattered today. was shattered with the store-keeper’s re - And she can’t even express her anguish over marks: “Madam, all her pups were taken the loss of her six new-born” she sobbed in - away by the municipality staff, yesterday, consolably. “How come, did they fall prey to while Riya was away”.

50 Punjab Advance November- 2018 People’s participation for effective governance The Government of Punjab is now on Social media

he Government of Punjab has made forays into the world of social media in an endeTavour to facelift to facilitate a vibrant two-way communication between the State Government and the people of Punjab. Join our online community on Facebook, Twitter, Wordpress and YouTube for regular real-time updates on latest events, news, policies, schemes and initiatives for a factual account on ‘Everything Punjab’. Connect with #PunjabGovtIndia and like/comment/share on the official pages at:

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November- 2018 RNI No. CHAENG/2013/53324 A Monthly Magazine MBU Chd. Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha

Martyrdom Day Nov. 16