PAU Imparts Training In Rodent Pest Management

Ludhiana, June 29, 2016: A one-day training programme on “Rodent Pest Management” was organized at the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) for 39 railway officers including chief health inspectors, traffic inspectors, commercial inspectors, office superintendents, chief engineers and staff related to sanitation. The training was organized for the second time by the scientists of All India Network Project on Vertebrate Pest Management (Rodent Control), Department of Zoology, PAU. The officers from major railway stations under Ferozepur division such as Amritsar, Ferozepur, Jammu, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Pathankot attended this training.
Mr Anuj Parakash, Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), Ferozepur Division and his senior colleagues met Dr B.S. Dhillon, Vice-Chancellor, PAU and apprised him of the help, being rendered by PAU’s Department of Zoology to the Indian Railways. Dr Dhillon appreciated the efforts of the department and assured DRM of all possible help.
Dr S.S. Kukal, Additional Director of Research (Natural Resource and Plant Health Management), PAU lauded the efforts being made by the University scientists for this social cause.
Dr S.S. Hundal, Head, Department of Zoology, threw light on rodents and damage caused by them to railway property.
Dr Neena Singla, Zoologist (rodents) and Principal Investigator of Rodent Control project, welcomed the participants and discussed the impact of first training imparted during March 2016. She said, “Keeping in view the success achieved in managing rodent pests at Ludhiana and Jalandhar railway stations after the first training in March 2016, it was decided to extend this model to other major railway stations under Ferozepur division.”
Mr Anuj Parakash appreciated the technical help, being provided by PAU to railways. He said that the methods for the control of rodents were easy to apply and required no additional financial burden on railways.
The facilities provided by Dr P.P.S. Lubana, PAU Librarian, at the library were dutifully acknowledged.
During the training, information about rodent pests, their behaviour, damage caused and methods of management was provided by Dr Neena Singla and Dr B.K. Babbar, Assistant Zoologist. Demonstrations on identification of different rodent species and rodenticide bait preparation were given by Dr Navdeep Kaur and Dr Rajwinder Singh, Assistant Zoologists. This was followed by anti-rat campaign initiated by project scientists along with the Head, Department of Zoology; DRM and other railway staff at railway station (Ludhiana) in which burrow baiting was got done in live rodent burrows.