Primary school turns smart

A primary school in Thathian Mahantan, Chohla Sahib block, has been turned into a smart institution with the efforts of the school staff and social activists. Naresh Bala, head teacher of Government Primary School, Thathian Mahantan, in association with the school staff made exemplary efforts to achieve the feat in hardly an year. 

In September last year, the school building and other infrastructure were in a shambles. One day, Bala and other staff held a meeting and decided to bring a change for which they worked even after school hours. Besides, it was decided that help of donors, particularly social activists, would be taken to achieve the target. Meanwhile, a proposal was sent to the district administration, following which a grant of Rs 25 lakh was released through the zila parishad and the block samiti. 

Today, the school has six projectors, two computers and three laptops, through which e-content can be accessed by students and staff.

The school has a strength of 136 students. In its pre-primary wing, 37 students below under the age of  six years have been enrolled. The school has also the facility of ‘khed mehal’ (sports palace)  for the pre-primary students where they  learn through various games. 

Walls of the school have been painted with content necessary for making students understand basic concepts of several subjects. 

Satinder Singh, one of the teachers of the school, said the school had its own website on which data of the students had been uploaded. The school has horse-riding, scating and other games for the students.

Hyacinth troubles farmers 

Hyacinth has made its presence felt in the area for the first time, setting off alarm bells for farmers and the agriculture officials. The wild plant has been seen in the fields of many a farmer of Bugha village, near Tarn Taran town. It is common in standing water of rivers and ponds. 

Rajinder Singh,  Jaswinder Singh and Nirmal Singh of Bugha village said the plant appeared in their fields all of a sudden a few days ago. It is in plenty at the confluence point of Beas and Sutlej in Harike. 

Around 15 years ago, the state government had to seek the help of the military to clean the site. Removing it from paddy fields is not an easy job as the process needs a large number of labourers, said farmers. Some of the farmers said experts had suggested them to make the fields dry to remove it, but it would stop the growth of paddy besides affecting the yield. Most of the officials are not aware of the issue. A staff member of the office of chief agriculture officer said hyacinth came from canal water.