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Wednesday, June 18, 2008
It's time Punjab gave up paddy cultivation
18 Jun 2008 IndianExpress Pg 12
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"IT IS time Punjab gave up the cultivation of paddy as over-exploitation of groundwater in the state has reached 145 percent, second only to Delhi," said National Rainfed Area Authority CEO Dr J S Samra. The over-exploitation is highest in Jalandhar (254 per cent) and lowest in Muktsar (62 per cent), he added.
He was speaking at a workshop on 'Combating land degradation for sustainable agriculture' on the occasion of World Day to Combat Desertification at the CII today.
Dr Barry Shapiro of the International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) said, "When we compare the support given by the government to rain-fed areas as compared to irrigated areas, we see that subsidy and policy support for irrigated agriculture is much more. This is causing farmers in Punjab and Haryana to use more water and other inputs like fertilisers than they should."
"The growing incidence of submersible pumps against centrifugal pumps is leading to the further exploitation of its energy and groundwater resources," Dr Samra said, adding that eastern India has the potential of meeting the demands of growing paddy on a sustainable basis while crops like soyabean and legumes will result in both high returns and better resource management.
The workshop was attended by experts on environment and agriculture besides officials of the government, research scholars, academicians and other stakeholders.
http://epaper.indianexpress.com/Web/Article/2008/06/18/544/18_06_2008_544_012.jpg
http://epaper.indianexpress.com/artMailDisp.aspx?article=18_06_2008_544_012&typ=0&pub=320
"IT IS time Punjab gave up the cultivation of paddy as over-exploitation of groundwater in the state has reached 145 percent, second only to Delhi," said National Rainfed Area Authority CEO Dr J S Samra. The over-exploitation is highest in Jalandhar (254 per cent) and lowest in Muktsar (62 per cent), he added.
He was speaking at a workshop on 'Combating land degradation for sustainable agriculture' on the occasion of World Day to Combat Desertification at the CII today.
Dr Barry Shapiro of the International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) said, "When we compare the support given by the government to rain-fed areas as compared to irrigated areas, we see that subsidy and policy support for irrigated agriculture is much more. This is causing farmers in Punjab and Haryana to use more water and other inputs like fertilisers than they should."
"The growing incidence of submersible pumps against centrifugal pumps is leading to the further exploitation of its energy and groundwater resources," Dr Samra said, adding that eastern India has the potential of meeting the demands of growing paddy on a sustainable basis while crops like soyabean and legumes will result in both high returns and better resource management.
The workshop was attended by experts on environment and agriculture besides officials of the government, research scholars, academicians and other stakeholders.
Sikh schoolgirl goes to UK court over kara
18 Jun 2008 Hindustantimes Chandigarh Pg 03
http://epaper.hindustantimes.com/artMailDisp.aspx?article=18_06_2008_003_008&typ=0&pub=722
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LAWYERS FOR a Sikh teenager banned from school for wearing a religious bracelet in UK went to court today claiming unlawful discrimination.
Sarika Singh, 14, was barred from Aberdare Girls School in South Wales after refusing to remove the kara, on the basis that it did not allow jewellery other than wristwatches and plain ear studs.
After she was excluded in November, she moved to another school in the area which does allow her to wear the kara — but her family claims she suffered academically because of the move.
The family including her , mother Sinita, handed a petition at PM Gordon Brown's residence last week, urging him to intervene to show that "discrimination is totally unacceptable". The petition was backed by 150 gurdwaras as well as more than 200 Sikh organisations and 70 non-Sikh bodies.
Human rights group Liberty said the school breached race, equality and human rights laws by not allowing Sarika to wear the kara.
http://epaper.hindustantimes.com/artMailDisp.aspx?article=18_06_2008_003_008&typ=0&pub=722
http://epaper.hindustantimes.com/Web/HTPunjab/Article/2008/06/18/003/18_06_2008_003_008.jpg
LAWYERS FOR a Sikh teenager banned from school for wearing a religious bracelet in UK went to court today claiming unlawful discrimination.
Sarika Singh, 14, was barred from Aberdare Girls School in South Wales after refusing to remove the kara, on the basis that it did not allow jewellery other than wristwatches and plain ear studs.
After she was excluded in November, she moved to another school in the area which does allow her to wear the kara — but her family claims she suffered academically because of the move.
The family including her , mother Sinita, handed a petition at PM Gordon Brown's residence last week, urging him to intervene to show that "discrimination is totally unacceptable". The petition was backed by 150 gurdwaras as well as more than 200 Sikh organisations and 70 non-Sikh bodies.
Human rights group Liberty said the school breached race, equality and human rights laws by not allowing Sarika to wear the kara.
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