Fazilka Going Digital this Saturday - GNDEC and GWAF joins hands to make Fazilka’s eMap

After attaining the many first status in the India and Worldwide because of its handmade Jutti, Tosha, 1965-1971 India Pakistan War, dial-a-rickshaw and the latest India's first Car free city, this coming Saturday one more star would be added to the name of Fazilka.  Fazilka would join the league of first 40 big cities available via open street Digital Maps online and first in the tier II towns of the country.

In the era of technology, Graduates Welfare Association Fazilka (GWAF) joins hands with North India's technical giant Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College (GNDEC), Ludhiana to prepare digital map of Fazilka and making it available to public, through Internet, as their own map. A map created by public, for the public, and owned by public. The GWAF and GNDEC's joint efforts will make India's smallest big town actually on Global Map network.  Geeta Softech would be the local host to conduct the map party event for the same. Talking to media persons project mentor, Prof (Dr.) H.S Rai enumerated the advantages and benefits of digital map. Prof. Rai explained "The project is called Open Street Map. Open Street maps are free editable maps made with the help of the GPS by anyone at anytime. These maps allows us to view, edit and use geographical data in a collaborative way from anywhere on the globe. Through unrestricted access to data, such digital maps empower the citizens, ultimately resulting in numerous innovations." Further emphasizing the concept of digital map and map party, he informed that this project will help the Government and NGOs in their social welfare schemes, to provide them geographical information for their projects. It will also promote tourism and help journalists and students a lot.


"The quality data so produced will also facilitate easy navigation for commuters. It is very useful for a small town like Fazilka, has its presence on global map; due to its environment related activities in the recent past and world like to know more about it.  Giving further details about the event, Navdeep Asija, Secretary (Admin), GWAF informed, "we have selected 20 people belonging to different domains, like draftsmen, farmers, people from defence services, budding Civil Engineering Architecture students & map lovers, each one will be having a GPS device to capture the ground realities, land marks, eating outlet, hotels, restaurants, and other related attributes as a part of Mapping party, further information obtained by all shall be combined and uploaded". Geeta Softech Fazilka would be acting as facility provider." There are hundreds of active mappers today, but since the concept is fairly new to India, is fast catching up, and we are happy to associate our self with the great cause for our city beautiful", said Mr Vinod Kumar, Director Geeta Softech Interestingly, all data generated will be available in public domain, which may be used by anybody, the way one likes, without bearing the burden of any charge. The information will be available on the website http://osm.org .

Fazilka city being one of the hot spot on border area tourism in the Malwa region of Punjab, for its original art and culture, rural tourism, black buck sanctuary, border retreat, such information will help visitor at large, and in the era of technological advancement, it is a welcoming step, said Dr Bhupinder Singh, Patron GWAF. Free training shall be given and each participant will be honoured with Certificate of Appreciation.


 http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Fazilka_Mapping

Punjab's First Kite Flying Festival at Fazilka:: Fazilka Tourism

Fazilka Kite Festival

फाजिल्का बसंत पंचमी के मौके पर होगा पंजाब का पहला पतंग महोत्सव : फाजिल्का पर्यटन 

फाजिल्का पर्यटन को बढ़ावा देने के मंतव से आगे आई समाज सेवी संस्थाए 

"चली चली रे पतंग मेरी चली रे, चली बादलो के पार होके डोर पे सवार, सारी दुनिया यह देख देख जली रे"

पहली बार फाजिल्का की शान बन चुका विरासत भवन अब  Graduates Welfare Association फाजिल्का, शहीद भगत सिंह स्पोर्ट्स क्लब फाजिल्का और सरहद Social Welfare सोसाइटी के साथ मिल के 8 फरवरी को  बसंत पंचमी के मौके पर गवर्नमेंट Secondary माडल स्कूल (लड़के) में फाजिल्का व् पंजाब का पहला पतंग महोत्सव मानाने जा रहा है | पंजाब  में मनाया जाने वाला यह अपने तरह का यह पहला पतंग महोत्सव होगा | यह आयोजन फाजिल्का को दुनिया के कुछ चुनींदा शहरों की श्रेणी में खड़ा कर देगी जहाँ पर पतंग उत्सव मनाया जाता है और इससे सीधे तौर पर फाजिल्का पर्यटन उद्योग को काफी लाभ पहुंचेगा | आसमान में उडती हुयी पतंगे फाजिल्का वासियों के होंसले और बुलंदियों को छूने के इरादे और रंग बिरंगी पतंगे, फाजिल्का के लोगो के रंग बिरंगी जिंदगी और उनके स्वभाव को पर्दर्शित करेंगी | हर पतंग के साथ "फाजिल्का को जिला बनाए" का सन्देश भी साथ में लगाकर आसमान में छोड़ा जायेगा | इस कार्यक्रम का पूरी डिजाईन अथवा आर्ट वर्क श्री विकास बजाज ने किया है |

 इसमें पहले दुसरे और तीसरे स्थान पर आने वाले पतंगबाजो के टीम को क्रम्शय 3100/- 2100/- व 1100/- के पुरस्कारो से भी नवाजा जायेगा जो की सरहद Social Welfare सोसाइटी फाजिल्का के तरफ से दिए जायेंगे | पतंग महोत्सव के सभी तैयारिया पूरी कर ले गयी है और उम्मीद है, इसमें ना केवल पंजाब बल्कि साथ लगते राज्य हरियाणा और राजस्थान से भी टीमे हिस्सा लेंगी | युवाऊ में इस महोत्सव को देखते हुए काफी उत्शाह पाया जा रहा है |

" हमारे सभ्याचार से जुडी कई ऐसे चीजे है, जिन्हें हमें समय के साथ बदलाव करके आगे लाते रहना चाहिए, ताकि हमारी विरासत भी जिन्दा रहे और समाज भी एक माला में बंधा रहे"  पम्मी सिंह. संस्थापक, फाजिल्का विरासत भवन|

" शहीद भगत सिंह स्पोर्ट्स क्लब फाजिल्का का मकसद शुरू सी ही  दिशाहीन और नाशो में डूब रहे पंजाबी युवाऊ को खेलो के प्रति प्रेरित करना और उनकी शक्ति को देश अथवा समाज के निर्माण के तरफ लगाना रहा है, पतंग शुरू से ही हमारी विरासत से जुडी है और बसंत में किसी समय फाजिल्का का आस्मां, पतंगों से भर जाता था". आज का युवा इन सामाजिक समीकरणों से दूर हो कर, अकेलेपन के जिंदगी के तरफ ज्यादा जा रहा है" , ऐसे महोत्सव समय समय पर होते रहने चाहिए और हम सदा इस के लिए अगर्सर रहेंगे" परमजीत वरार, प्रधान, शहीद भगत सिंह स्पोर्ट्स क्लब फाजिल्का|

"टूट रहे सामाजिक समीकरणों को, इस तरह के उत्सवो से हे जोड़ के रखा जा सकता है, जिससे ना केवल युवाऊ में खेल के प्रति बल्कि ख़तम होती विरासत को सँभालने के लिए भी प्यार पैदा होगा और फाजिल्का का नाम पर्यटन के क्षेत्र में देश और दुनिया भर में मशहूर होगा अथवा रोजगार के अवसर भी पैदा होंगे"  नवदीप असीजा, ग्वाफ़ | याद रहे की गुजरात में १५ दिनों के पतंग महोत्सव से, राज्य को करीब ३०० करोड़ से भी ज्यादा आय होती है | 

श्री राकेश नागपाल, सरहद Social Welfare सोसाइटी  फाजिल्का के अद्यक्ष ने इस अवसर पर अपने आप को साथ जोड़ के ख़ुशी व्यक्त के और कहा की सरहद केसरी परिवार सदा हे ऐसे कार्यक्रमों में आगे रहा है, और इस पूरे कार्यक्रम को भी सफलतापूर्वक बनाने में अपना पूरा सहियोग देगा |  भाग लेने वाले अपने नाम, पम्मी सिंह, विरासत भवन, सरकारी मॉडल स्कूल Boys , फाजिल्का या सरहद केसरी के दफ्तर में लिखवा सकते है | श्री गुरदीप सिंह प्रिंसिपल सरकारी मॉडल स्कूल Boys , फाजिल्का के इस प्रकार के पंजाब में  हो रहे पहले कार्यक्रम का गवर्नमेंट स्कूल में होने पर ख़ुशी प्रगट के है | कार्यक्रम के दोरान अलग अलग लोक कलाओ के साथ संगीत की धुनें भी बजायी जाएँगी और पूरा आसमान रंग बिरंगी पतंगों से भर ਦੀਯਾ जायेगा    |

Farmers get lesson in conservation agriculture

Rajni Shaleen Chopra, 20th May 2010

To break the tradition of burning wheat straw after every harvest season, which has proved harmful for soil nutrients, an initiative has been taken to teach farmers about straw management and conservation agriculture.

Fifty farmers of 14 blocks from rural Punjab have been a part of a classroom-cum-field training project programme, an initiative launched by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) in collaboration with the Fazilka-based Jwalabai Nathu Ram Ahuja Trust, and Zamindara Farm Solutions.

Conservation agriculture, based on integrated practices such as zero tillage, crop rotations and permanent soil cover, is gaining ground internationally.
Under the programme, the farmers are being trained in ways through which straw burning can be avoided. In the first phase of the project, in March, groups of 30-35 farmers were given lessons on the ill-effects of burning straw and its devastating effect on the soil. The trust has now shortlisted 50 champion farmers, in whose fields demonstrations will be carried out on straw management.

Trustee Vikram Ahuja told The Indian Express the major issue in the state was paddy straw management. "The state produces approximately 175 million quintals of paddy straw, of which 90 per cent is burnt. The three options for usage of paddy straw are its use as raw material in power plants, sending it to other states as fodder, or conservation agriculture. This is a new concept, in which hi-tech farming equipment like the 'happy seeder' is used to sow wheat in standing paddy straw," he said.

The blocks where the project has been initiated are Muktsar, Malout, Lambi, Gidderbaha, Mamdot, Ferozepur, Zira, Gursarsahai, Jalalabad, Fazilka, Abohar, Khuian Sarwar, Makhu and Ghalkhurd.

Jagdeep Singh, a Sangrur-based farmer who has gone in for conservation agriculture, vouches for its "major benefits".
"Setting the field afire to burn straw kills the natural organisms in the soil that help plant growth and also leaves the land parched. Sowing wheat in standing paddy straw, hence, saves on multiple-irrigation, improves soil quality and increases the yield. Besides, farmers can save at least Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,400 per acre," he said.
An effort is also being made to educate farmers on not taking loans to buy farming equipment, but rent it.

Officials at NABARD's regional office in Chandigarh said the fields of these farmers where conservation agriculture is practised would act as demonstration units for other farmers in the area

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/farmers-get-lesson-in-conservation-agriculture/621191/2

Punjab govt exempts 3 percent additional stamp duty in border areas

Punjab Newsline Network
Friday, 06 February 2009
CHANDIGARH: The Punjab Government has decided to exempt the 3% additional stamp duty being charged as Social Security Cess on the registration of land in the villages within the radius of 5 kilometers from 'A' class Municipal Committee towns in the border areas of the state.
Disclosing this here Friday, a spokesman of Punjab Government said that a decision to this effect was taken by Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in response to the memorandum submitted to him by the residents of boarder area during a public rally at Fazilka. This decision would benefit a major section of people belong to the scheduled castes and backward classes, who had made this land cultivable with their hard work.

http://www.punjabnewsline.com/content/view/15199/38/

Punjab govt exempts 3 percent additional stamp duty in border areas

Punjab Newsline Network
Friday, 06 February 2009
CHANDIGARH: The Punjab Government has decided to exempt the 3% additional stamp duty being charged as Social Security Cess on the registration of land in the villages within the radius of 5 kilometers from 'A' class Municipal Committee towns in the border areas of the state.
Disclosing this here Friday, a spokesman of Punjab Government said that a decision to this effect was taken by Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in response to the memorandum submitted to him by the residents of boarder area during a public rally at Fazilka. This decision would benefit a major section of people belong to the scheduled castes and backward classes, who had made this land cultivable with their hard work.
http://www.punjabnewsline.com/content/view/15199/38/