Strawberry farming in parched Bundelkhand
Growing strawberries in Bundelkhand — the preposition itself sounds outlandish. However, a silent revolution is happening in a farmland in the parched region, after a 23-year-old law student, Gurleen Chawla tried her hands on strawberry farming. What’s more, Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned her feat during his weekly Mann Ki Baat radio programme on last Sunday. Recognising her contributions, the UP government had declared her as the brand ambassador of month-long strawberry festival in Jhansi. Known as ‘Strawberry Girl’ in the region, Gurleen literally changed the way Bundelkhand is often viewed when it comes to farming.
Multi-level screening to avoid errors in recruitment
To avoid manipulation and errors in teachers’ recruitment, the Lucknow University has adopted a four-level screening and verification process for the ongoing recruitment to fill 180 vacant posts for which the LU has received 5,087 applications. The posts include that of assistant professor, associate professor and professor in various departments. The first step will include departmental screening committee reviewing applications on the criteria laid down by the UGC followed by step two involving cross checking of modifications by faculty-level committee which will send a report to the dean (RAC). In step 3, dean (RAC) will re-check the report and put the list of candidates in public domain via recruitment portal. The last step will involve candidates filing objections within 48 hours.
Ganga Aarti across 1,100 sites in the state
Plans are afoot in UP to begin Ganga Aartis at 1,100 sites along the course of river between Bijnor and Ballia to boost religious tourism, connect citizens with the Clean Ganga campaign and turn it into a people’s movement. The department of Namami Gange has identified 1,038 villages along both sides of the river on a 200-km stretch, where the tourism department will create new platforms for performing aarti, a major draw at Varanasi’s Dashashwamedh Ghat. These sites will be managed in collaboration with residents.
Homeo docs left out of Covid vaccination?
Around 200 staff members of the National Homeopathic Medical College and Hospital, including its doctors, nurses, interns and class IV employees, are at their wits end with no info about their Covid vaccination. The authorities of the medical college, which enters the 100th year of its establishment this year, claimed that even though all the staff was involved in Covid duty, they have not yet been included in vaccination plan. “Health depart-ment has all our names on a list which is time and again used for duties. But for the vaccination, we have not been asked for the same,” said principal Prof Arvind Kumar. The health department, however, denied the allegation.
namita bajpai
Our correspondent in Uttar Pradesh namita.bajpai@newindianexpress