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Cancer deaths in Sherpur Dona to be investigated
Shooting at Golden Temple will not be allowed: Bhaur
Robbery victim takes poison
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Village youth club ushering in social change
City records 0.9 degree
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Cancer deaths in Sherpur Dona to be investigated
Sultanpur Lodhi, December 18 The deaths have also become a cause of concern for the district health authorities. As such, the Health Department has deputed a doctor from the Civil Hospital in Sultanpur Lodhi to investigate the claims of the villagers that the deaths were really caused by cancer and if they did, what led to the disease. It is a tough task for Dr Baljit Singh investigating the cases to cut through folklore. Mr Nirmal Singh, a resident of the village, believed most of the cases were related to lung or stomach cancer, while a few women had died of breast cancer also. Piara Singh who worked as a commission agent said his parents succumbed to the disease.
According to Bachan Kaur, a panchayat member, four of her close relatives died of cancer. “The villagers are panic-stricken. Some of them have left the village in fear of the disease,” Narinder Singh, another villager, said.
There were some who migrated to other cities or foreign countries. But villagers said that the curse followed. “Cancer deaths have also been reported from those who had migrated from the village a long time back,” Parkash Chand, a former sarpanch, said. Most of the victims were in their 40s or 50s, villagers said. “But some of the victims were in their 20s,” Sukwinder Kaur, a member of the Block Samiti, said. But the District Health Officer, Mr Arjun Singh Gill, was sceptical about the claims of the villagers that the deaths were caused by cancer. “It is hard to say that, since the Pytology Test that is done to ascertain symptoms of cancer was not conducted on the patients.” Apart from folklore, the residents attribute the reason for the spreading disease to the drinking water that is drawn from hand pumps, since no government water supply scheme has yet reached Sherpur Dona. “Even after the construction of a tank to supply drinking water, connections were not provided to the villagers,” Nirmal Singh said. Kapurthala’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr J. S. Sidana, said the water samples from the village had been sent for tests and necessary measures would only be taken after the reports come in. “If the soil is to be blamed for the deaths, then the will be tested. Pesticides or fertilizers may also be the cause,” Dr Sidana said. Doctor said the disease could be genetic, but this did not seem to be possible since the women who were married into the village had also fallen victim to the disease. |
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Shooting at Golden Temple will not be allowed: Bhaur
Phagwara, December 18 Talking to this correspondent, Jathedar Bhaur said the Golden Temple had a special “maryada” laid down by the Jathedar of the Akal Takht Sahib, the Head Granthi of Harmandir Sahib and upheld by the SGPC. “Anyone cannot walk in with his camera for shooting a film there,” he said. It may be mentioned that at the interactive conclave on cinematic tourism promotion held in Mumbai on Saturday, the Director of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Punjab, Mr Jagjit Puri, had reportedly announced opening of state's 99 monuments, including 66 protected monuments, including the Golden Temple, for shooting of films at nominal rates. Neither SGPC nor Dharam Parchar Committee had been taken into confidence before making such offer to the Bollywood industry, said Jathedar Bhaur. “We will not allow anybody to tinker with the age-old “maryada” of the Golden Temple,” he said. Similarly, a visa sub-office should also come up at Lahore in Pakistan, he demanded. “A visa-free regime should be introduced for boosting trade and tourism, especially pilgrimage tourism between India and Pakistan,” he said. Jathedar Bhaur said the SGPC would provide the required infrastructure and parking place for
vehicles free of cost in case a visa sub-office was opened in the Holy City. |
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Robbery victim takes poison
Phagwara, December 18 “We brought the victim to the hospital as he had consumed some poisonous substance,” they added. According to the Nawanshahr SSP, Mr Arunpal Singh, he had questioned the complainant about the antecedents of the robbery. “But there were some discrepancies in his version of the robbery episode. Hence we asked him to come to the police station again on Saturday. “But then he decided to take this extreme step,” the SSP said. |
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Village youth club ushering in social change
Rurka Kalan (Jalandhar), December 18 All these 125 “trainees” are being provided with education, scientific coaching, diet, sports kits, and educational tours free of cost by the club. It has also made arrangements for regular talks and debates on different topics by experts. Besides this, the people associated with YFC have set up a Social Centre of Excellence to bring about the all-round development of rural underprivileged children and youngsters. The club has become so popular within a short span of time that a large number of NRIs have associated themselves with its efforts. The club even has its chapters in the US, Canada and Europe. The NRIs lend financial assistance to the club on an annual basis. Mr Gurmangal Dass, president of YFC, said, “Recently, a Scotland-based NRI donated Rs. 8.5 lakh for construction of residential block of the club, which has three coaches, while an NRI from the UK donated Rs. 2.5 lakh for computers.” He said the club bore the educational expenses of poor players. “They are helped in every way by a team of 40 young volunteers of the club.” “After receiving a great response from the people of the area, we have set up a Youth and Sports Development Centre at a cost of Rs 30 lakh,” Mr Dass added. The centre offers facilities like a computer laboratory, office, study rooms, multi-activity room with a LCD projector and a theatre system. “We have 10 students from different parts of Punjab and their boarding and lodging expenses are borne by the club,” the club president said. “We are now going to open a career counseling centre and a library.” The club, he said, had also adopted a government primary school, which had only one teacher. “We have provided three teachers to fill the gap.” Talking about the club’s history, Mr Gurmangal Dass said,” It all started in 2000, when a village football team decided to promote the sport and channelise the energy of youth towards some productive work.” This team, he said, worked hard to win village tournaments and volunteered in raising infrastructure and funds. “Our volunteers visit houses where a baby is born, perform Bhangra there and request for funds for the cause. Apart from NRIs, the farmers of village brought about 300 trolleys of sand from a place at a distance of about 20 kilometres and sweated it out to level the field and to plant grass on it,” Mr Dass said. The place has now converted into a lush green football field with underground irrigation system. |
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City records 0.9 degree
Jalandhar, December 18 Mercury at Adampur was 0.4 degree Celsius. Pathankot recorded a minimum of 4.2 degrees Celsius; Amritsar stood at 1 degree, Halwara a minimum of 3 degrees, Ambala 2.6 degrees, and Chandigarh a minimum of 3.6 degrees. The temperatures in the Adampur showed a departure of 3.6 degrees from the normal. Dense fog also enveloped Adampur. Protest rally:
Pendu Mazdoor Union would hold a demonstration in front of the district headquarters on Monday to press for their demand for free and unconditional electric supply , general secretary of the union said on Sunday.
— TNS
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Jalandhar: Dr Swaran Singh, the Jalandhar Division Commissioner, on Sunday announced that the Red Cross fair would be an annual affair from next year. Addressing a gathering during the concluding day of the Red Cross Fair at Nehru Garden here, Dr Swaran Singh said though the fair was organised after a long interval this time, but the event would be organised on an annual basis from next year. — TNS
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