A soil testing workshop was organized in the auditorium of Bal Nikunj Inter College’s girls’s wing to educate and train students from grades 6 to 12 on how to grow a good crop at a low cost. The program was conducted in a systematic manner under the supervision of Science teachers Nanda Tiwari, Preeti Sharma, Vasudha Dixit, and KP Sharma, in the presence and direction of Principal Mrs. Bhagwati Bhandari.
Chemistry lecturer Rishi Kant Pandey, using the chemistry laboratory, conducted experiments on soil water holding capacity and pH. He had the students collect soil from their gardens and large pots in a 3- inch circle, measuring 6 inches deep. He explained to all the students that soil is acidic at a pH less than 7, neutral at a pH of 7, and alkaline at a pH greater than 7. He also explained the method of obtaining this information through the color changing effect of litmus paper using a very simple technique. Biology
lecturer Shiv Ratan Sen Singh told the children that to get a good harvest at a low cost, soil testing is essential, as it becomes fully fertile only when the essential minerals like potassium, potash, sulfur, urea, iron, etc. are present in balanced quantities. In such a situation, the use of fossil manure and fertilizer is reduced, thus reducing the cost. A good harvest can be obtained at a low cost. Soil testing proves beneficial for farmers.