PALANPUR :: Updating farm technology Wednesday, September 26, 2001
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
PALANPUR: A three-day long fourth training cum workshop of Krushi Vigyan Kendra(KVK) of two western states (Rajasthan and Gujarat) concluded at Sardar Krushinagar Dantiwada on Thursday with a resolution to exchange the agricultural technology developed by the scientists of agricultural universities in both the states.
Assistant director general Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) A N Shukla, chief guest said the information technology evolved by GAU was a unique experiment in the sphere of agriculture in the country. The communication facility developed in GAU should benefit farmers elsewhere in the country.
The main characteristic of the device is that a farmer can seek guidance from any expert even while sitting in the remotest spot in his village. This saved his time and energy to traverse a long way to and from the university. "If this technology was made familiar in other parts of the country we can bring about radical changes, both qantative and qualitative in the output. Its main characteristic is two- way communication facility", said Shukla who was impressed by the innovative device.
Inaugurating the function, vice-chancellor M H Mehta said the popularity of the IT Krushi Goshthi has inspired other states to emulate the model. GAU has been approached by other states who wished to share the experience and expertise. "We have put forward our claim even before the Planning Commission to allow a special slot for the IT technology for agricultural development. Looking at the vital challenges in the agricultural field, it is necessary for our traditional farming to undergo changes keeping in view demands of the times. The days have gone when a farmer helplessly relied on luck. Now the farmer is not that helpless; he is a part of knowledgeable society", he added.
He emphasised on the need to take Krushi Gosthi in every nook and corner to enable a toiling farmer to repair his fortune along with the prosperity of the country.
Campus director Girish Patel said delegates came here from 31 Krushi Vikas Kendra (KVKs) in Rajasthan and 10 KVKs from the state. Zonal director R N Prashad gave a brief account and objective of the seminar cum work shop at Sardar Krushinagar, GAU's main campus.
Director of extension B D Patel was also present.
News Source : The Times of India [India's best Newspaper]
Petitioners appeal to GERC for uniform power tariff Wednesday, September 26, 2001
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SURAT: Scores of petitioners, under the aegis of the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Surat Citizens' Council Trust (SCCT), have appealed to the Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission that the Surat Electricity Company be directed to adhere to the state government order of billing electricity as per the Gujarat Electricity Board rates.
The SEC receives electricity from the GEB and in turn supplies it to its consumers in the city. Since Januray 1996, the SEC has been supplying electricity to its consumers at GEB rates following orders from the state government.
However, the SEC directly approached the GERC for hiking the tariff last year and has made several representations before the Commission since then. Interestingly, the GEB has not approached the GERC for revising the tariff since October 10, 2000.
According to SCCT managing trustee I J Desai, who represented the case before the Commission, the SEC should not be allowed to implement its own conditions for power supply and frame miscellaneous charges different from the that of the GEB.
The Surat Electricity Company (SEC), has sought legal sanction for the same from the Commission.
The SEC receives electricity from the GEB and in turn supplies it to its consumers in the city. Since Januray 1996, the SEC has been supplying electricity to its consumers at GEB rates following orders from the state government.
However, the company approached the GERC for hiking the tariff last year and has made several representations before the Commission.
For the city based consumers of the SEC to be charged with discriminatory tariffs, if the application for revision in the charges for supply of electricity to its consumers is accepted for implementation by the GERC, would amount to unfair and denial of distributive justice, according to several consumers of the city who have been agitating for long against the exploitative designs of the SEC.
In the hearing held last week at the Commission in Ahmedabad, scores of petitioners from the city, under the aegis of the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI) and the Surat Citizens' Council Trust (SCCT), have appealed to the Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission (GERC) that the SEC should adhere to the state government order of billing electricity as per the GEB rates and also follow their regulations.
According to SCCT managing trustee I J Desai, who represented the case before the Commission, the SEC should not be allowed to implement its own conditions for power supply and frame miscellaneous charges different from the that of the GEB, particularly even after October 15, 1991 when power to get its own conditions of supply under the Licensee Act, 1948 does not apply to it.
Desai remarked when the validity of SEC's sanction had been challenged in the Supreme Court under special leave petition, pending final disposal, instead of the GERC, the case be settled by the apex court only. The company has ceased to be a licensee with effect from October 15, 1991 as per the Act, hence the GERC can not have jurisdiction to entertain the application of the SEC for revision in the electricity tariff, Desai forwarded.
For the purpose of supplying electricity at GEB rates to consumers of the SEC in the city, determination of cost of purchase of the electricity from the GEB is determined on the calculation of profit equivalent to 80 per cent of reasonable return which is allowed by the government to be earned by the SEC against the subsidy payable to the GEB by the government for the difference between the lower purchase price fixed by the GERC as per its order dated October 10, 2000, Desai elaborated, hence the application of the SEC for revision even before the GEB amounts to be premature and irrational.
Further, by entertaining the SEC case, the Commission has tried to interfere with the powers of the government as stipulated, he added. For the past 15 years, the city based consumers of the SEC have been agitating against the discriminatory tariffs of electricity levied by the SEC and with effect from January 1, 1996, the government ordered the company to supply the electricity at the GEB rates, he informed. But during 1968 to 1995, due to varying tariff, by the SEC, the consumers of SEC in the city were put to additional burden amounting to hundreds of crores of rupees, Desai stated.
Since the decision of the GERC is awaited, the above facts should be considered by the Commission in the interest of justice to consumers as discriminatory tariff for the same product amounts to unfair distributive system and gross injustice, Desai asserted.
News Source : The Times of India [India's best Newspaper]
RTO cracks down on illegal vehicles use Wednesday, September 26, 2001
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VADODARA: The Regional Transport Office (RTO) here has begun a massive drive to curb "illegal use of private vehicles for commercial purpose" and heavy commercial vehicles plying without valid papers.
In a circular, the regional transport officer, Vadodara, has asked all vehicle inspectors to crack down on organisations using private vehicles for commercial purpose. The circular comes in the wake of recent seizure of four private vehicles that were being used by some departments of the Vadodara Telecom District office, including its Alkapuri office and Gorwa exchange.
"We have written to the general manager, Vadodara Telecom District's office, apprising them of such illegal use. But, this is just the tip of the iceberg. We will now crack down on all such errant organisations who are evading taxes by using non-commercial vehicles," says regional transport officer DL Pandya.
The RTO has also focused its attention on heavy commercial vehicles in the city that ply without valid documents after the seizure of a truck (GJ 6U 4773) belonging to a city-based transporter. The truck was being run on "fictitious documents and its taxes are due since 1995".
Pandya now intends to send these details to the detection of crime branch so that they can carry on further investigations to get to the bottom of the problem.
News Source : The Times of India [India's best Newspaper]
Vadodara in brief on 25th Sep 2001 Wednesday, September 26, 2001
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Seminar on education for street children
VADODARA: Professor Renu Khosla of the National Institute of Urban Affairs, New Delhi, and state director for primary education RK Chaudhary will be among a host of speakers attending a one-day workshop on 'city-level planning of primary education for children on streets and slums of Vadodara city' on Friday.
The programme, being organised by Baroda Citizens' Council and supported by UNICEF, will discuss issues like 'Why children drop-out?' and 'Encouraging the girl-child for education'.
Avrachna school vice-principal honoured
Vice-principal and senior co-ordinator of Navrachna school, Rekha Mishra, has been honoured with the 'Award to Teachers for the Year 2000' by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) for "her valuable contribution to the field of education." Mishra is, at present, on deputation as principal of Vidyani Vidyalaya, a sister institution.
Mishra was among the 12 teachers selected for the award out of 5,735 CBSE-affiliated schools world-wide. The award, given by Union human resource development minister Murli Manohar Joshi, comprised a certificate of commendation, a shawl and a cash award of Rs 10,000.
Astronomy among students
Science Centre will organise an Astronomy Club here from December 2 to popularise astronomy among students. The club, named 'Niharika', will function every Sunday and explore topics like basic astronomy, practical astronomy, and conduct night sky observations.
Interested students can contact Community Science Centre, DEE-ORG, Sarabhai Compound, Wadi Wadi.
News Source : The Times of India [India's best Newspaper]
Advani visits Somnath, skips Ahmedabad Wednesday, September 26, 2001
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
AHMEDABAD: Union home minister L K Advani on Tuesday paid a visit to the historical Somnath temple and performed 'puja' to commemorate his famous Somnath to Ayodhya 'Ram Rath Yatra' taken out on this day 11 years ago in 1990.
Advani has been regularly paying visit to Somnath every year on this day ever since he took out the yatra.
Tight security arrangements were made in view of his visit to this temple city. Later in the day, he flew back to Delhi in a special aircraft.
However, Advani did not visit Ahmedabad en route to Somnath this year despite BJP's debacle in the recently concluded by-elections to Sabarkantha and Sabarmati. The loss in Sabarmati is significant for Advani, as it falls in his Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency.
Several BJP leaders, including jails minister Jaspal Singh have criticised the BJP leadership for the election results and for failing to take corrective measures to arrest the downslide in the fortunes of the ruling BJP.
News Source : The Times of India [India's best Newspaper]
