If you thought the population explosion was limited to the human race alone, then have a look at the latest figures of the "dog census', which reveal that there are 5.85 lakh dogs in Punjab, of which 2.65 lakh are stray. However, the state government seems to have finally woken up to the menace of stray dogs after numerous cases of dog bite were reported. Two children were even killed by stray dogs last year in Amritsar. The government has now decided to sterilise and vaccinate stray dogs across the state with the help of a Gujarat-based NGO.

Ludhiana: Amidst the din of aggressive campaigning for promotion of BT cotton in Punjab, scientists from Punjab Agricultural University have called for a more proactive role of the agriculture industry in trainer training, farmers' training and more research on bio-transgenic crops before allowing them into the food chain.

Despite objections by the Punjab Roadways Transport Corporation and roadways unions, the Punjab Government has approved a draft that will allow private buses to operate in Chandigarh. All the buses will be air-conditioned and will start from various cities in Punjab including Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar and Bathinda.

Stray cows in adjoining Sidhwan Khas air shelling range of the Indian Air Force (IAF) have been dying unnatural deaths. Villagers and IAF personnel on duty in the range, confirm the death of five cows a week. A visit to the range reveals several cows having been reduced to skeletons. Cows, chewing grass thrown inside the range boundary by concerned people from villages around, can be seen looking for meagre green with their snouts. "We often see stray dogs feasting on weak stray cattle and calves," Jagdev Singh, a farmer from Janetpura village said.

The groundwater reserves are depleting at an alarming rate in Punjab besides a serious decline in the quality of water at many places due to overuse of the available resources, says a study. Out of a total of 137 blocks covered under the study, only 25 have been found safe with 103 of them being overexploited, five being critical and four in a semi-critical state, says a study conducted by the Water Resources and Environment Directorate, Punjab Irrigation Department.

Even under adverse conditions, Punjab farmers have produced bumper crop Farmers of the state epitomise the true Punjabi spirit. Producing bumper crop year after year and surpassing national average have become a habit for Punjab, right from the days of Green Revolution. Punjab alone produces nearly 20 per cent of the entire country's wheat. The spirit and the hard work put in by the Punjab farmers have firmed up country's food security even under adverse conditions of inclement weather, militancy, diseases, pest attacks or drought.

In a clear case of discrimination, the Ludhiana administration has taken action against dairy farmers for polluting Budda Nullah but spared the industry, which is the major contributor towards the wat

APHID attack this season is fast becoming a cause of worry for wheat growers. The attack of this sucking pest is visible almost throughout the state.

The Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has facilitated Rs 50-crore worth of carbon credits to the 300-odd forging units in Ludhiana. The SIDBI's new Chairman and Managing Director, Mr R.M. Malla, sees this as the first among many such initiatives. Mr Malla told Business Line recently that SIDBI's study of the units

Notices issued to 500 industries in Ludhiana