Nawanshahr, October 31
A two-day district-level training workshop on “Disaster management for the representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutes” organised by the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration, Punjab ( MGSIPAP), was conducted at Government Senior Secondary School here.

As many as 104 sarpanches, panches attended the workshop aimed at sensitising the representatives of the Panchayati Raj Institutes (PRIs) about the disaster management. They were told about their role in making appraisals and plans to combat disaster by making their respective villages as centres of activity.

Ms Shamsher Kaur, Head, Disaster Management Cell, MGSIAP, Chandigarh, in her address, said that under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the active involvement of the PRIs in combating disasters had been stressed. She said that on the basis of the vulnerability atlas, Punjab was prone to floods, draught, earthquakes, winds and cold waves.

During natural or man-made calamities, the life and health of human beings as well as livestock, property and industry were at great risk. The loss to life and property could be mitigated by making precautionary efforts as well as planned rescue operations after the occurrence of calamities, she said, adding that proper training, coordination and networking of sources at the grassroots level were a must for disaster management.

Besides, the development activities should be carried out as per the proper structural designs to mitigate loss to property and human life during natural disasters like earthquakes and floods, she said.

Mr Abhishek Kapoor and Dr Gurmit Kaur from the National Safety Council (United States), Chandigarh, gave demonstrations with the help of dummies to provide timely first-aid to save human lives during natural calamities, fire accidents, heart attack and brain stroke.

Brig (Dr) B.K. Khanna (retd), member, National Disaster Management Authority, New Delhi , delivered a lecture on “Institutional arrangement of disaster management”. While explaining the role of different government departments, NGOs and community in disaster management, he underlined the need of proper coordination among them for effective disaster management. There should be no discrimination with the disaster victims in rescue, relief and rehabilitation programme, he added.

A documentary “Earthquake mitigation” was also shown to educate the people about construction of  buildings as per the prescribed norms to mitigate the risk in the wake of earthquakes.

During the concluding session, the representatives of the PRIs were mobilised to have group discussions and to prepare their innovative village-level disaster management plans.

The exercise was aimed at developing skill and leadership qualities among them, said Ms Shamsher Kaur, adding that the village-level disaster management committees would be constituted to strengthen the disaster management mechanism.

Jalandhar, October 31
Despite a ban by the Central Government on manufacturing formulations of diclofenac, an anti-inflammatory drug used to treat cattle, the drug is being used openly in rural areas of this region.

These days, diclofenac formulations meant for human use are being used to treat the livestock.

The reasons: easy availability of these formulations and, of course, their low cost.

A visit to various villages around Jalandhar today revealed that though government veterinary doctors are not prescribing and using the banned drug, a large number of quacks are still using diclofenac to treat animals.

The government veterinarians are using meloxicam, an alternative to diclofenac, which is safe as compared with the banned drug.

Enquiries made by this correspondent revealed that before the ban, there were nearly 50 companies in Punjab that manufactured diclofenac, apart from other drugs.

After the ban, there are some generic companies that are clandestinely manufacturing and marketing the drug under old batch numbers.

However, most of the quacks make use of diclofenac formulations meant for humans.

“It is profitable to use such formulations. A 3-ml ampoule of voveran of a generic company is available at Rs 2.20 in the wholesale market. Its MRP is Rs 9.90. So two injections of voveran cost Rs 6, including the cost of a syringe.

From the cattle owner, Rs 50 is charged for administering two injections. This gives a profit up to Rs 44 per case,” a veterinary doctor at Kohal village explains the rationale behind using the drug meant for human use.

The drug meant for human use is easily available in the wholesale markets of cities like Jalandhar from where voveran can be procured in bulk even without having a proper licence. Sources in the trade said voveran was available in 3ml ampoules.

At least 6ml to 10ml is administered to a cattle at one time, depending upon the weight of the animal.

The drug was banned this year following a demand by ornithologists that three of the nine species of vultures found in India, white-backed, slender-billed and long-billed Gyps vultures, were almost extinct.

Bombay Natural History Society studies attribute their decline to the extensive use of diclofenac in treating cattle.

Vultures that consumed the carcasses of animals treated with diclofenac died with symptoms of kidney failure.

The studies say that meloxicam is of low toxicity to the vultures and its use in the livestock in place of diclofenac will reduce vulture mortality.

Dr Sawinder Singh, president, Association of Elite Veterinary Officers, said the government should strictly impose the ban on diclofenac.

He said a large number of quacks were using drug meant for human use for treating the livestock.

Surprisingly, there is no mechanism in the state to check quackery in veterinary field, he added.

Hoshiarpur, October 31
After the failure of Municipal Council, Hoshiarpur, to make the city dirt-free, various citizens groups took up the onerous task of making Hoshiarpur green and clean. The project was launched jointly by local branches of The Art of Living, Chamber of Commerce, Forest Department and Rotary Club, along with the Municipal Council, in July 2004.

The new areas on the periphery of walled city, including Budh Ram Colony, Vasant Vihar, Una Road, R. B. Mohamad Road, Model Town, Gautam Nagar, Civil Line, Babal Nagar, Indira Colony, Heera Colony, Darapur, Railway Mandi, Vijay Nagar, Sukhdev Nagar, Narain Nagar, were covered under this project.

Mr Deepak Mittal, president, of the Art of Living branch, the architect of this project told The Tribune that more than 15,000 saplings of various trees were planted in these localities. Local social organisations provided tree guards to protect them. The localities constituted mohalla committees to protect the trees and educate people about cleanliness.

These committees appointed ‘safai sewaks’ to remove garbage and keep area clean as the council had failed to provide ‘safai sewaks’. They also helped the council to get the trucks and dumpers of the council repaired. About 90 per cent of the plants survived, he asserted.

Hoshiarpur, earlier known for its cleanliness, now has heaps of garbage that are not cleared for days. Almost all drains are chocked with garbage. Earlier, it used to be cleared before the Monsoon but the practice was discontinued by the council.

The council said it had insufficient staff due to ban on recruitment by the state government. Mr Mittal, who is also the Managing Director of Sonalika group of industries, said the Sonalika group was spending Rs 20,000 on monthly salaries of gardeners, driver, safai sewaks engaged in the project. It had also provided seven dumpers and a water tanker to the council. Rs 10 lakh had been spent on this project so far but these organisations had now decided to also carry the cleanliness drive in the city with their own resources, he added.

Jalandhar, October 31
The SAD chief, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, termed the issue of life threats to Akal Takht Jathedar Joginder Singh Vedanti, as unfortunate and condemned the incident.

Speaking at a press conference at Lyallpur Khalsa College here yesterday, he said Akal Takht and the SGPC were founded after many sacrifices and this sacrilege was uncalled for. Recent attempts of clashes during religious functions were also aimed at causing unrest and disrespect and he alleged that it was being done at the behest of the state government.

Mr Badal said a dharna scheduled to be held in front of the SGPC office at the Harmandir Sahib complex by the Panthic Morcha and Sanjha Platform against the use of the SGPC stages for political reasons was also unfortunate. He added the sacred place for confessions was being used to lodge protests.

Such political organisations were being supported by the Congress to weaken the position of the SAD before the forthcoming elections.

Mr Badal said the SGPC was an elected body, the fate of which was decided by the Sikh Sangat.

“If anyone has any doubt, he can come and contest elections”, he challenged. Over the issue of the Ludhiana City Centre scam, he said: “We are planning to hold a meeting with the Prime Minister and if that does not work out, we will approach the court.”

PHAGWARA: The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) President Jathedar Avtar Singh has alleged that Mr Simranjit Singh Mann and Mr Manjit Singh Calcutta of the SAD (A) were playing into the hands of the Congress.

Talking to selective journalists at nearby Domeli village on Monday, the jathedar strongly condemned Calcutta, saying he had enjoyed ministerial berth, besides the SGPC general secretary post, but now he had adopted the path of criticising Mr Badal.

Jathedar Makkar dared Mr Calcutta to contest lections without the support of Mr Badal. He alleged that Mr Maan had adopted an anti-Panthic agenda.

The SGPC chief inaugurated Baba Budha Ji block in the college campus. NRI Harjit Singh donated Rs 1,11,000 to the college on the occasion.