Kapoor village couple is battling against heavy odds. The degenerative disease has left their kids  crippled for life

Kapoor, September 13
Their’s was a happy family with five children playing around the house. But the happiness of this Kapoor village-based couple was very short-lived. One after the other, their four children started showing signs of limb and girdle muscular dystrophy, a genetic disorder which gradually crippled them for life.

The situation became so adverse in two decades that the couple is now left with three children, two bed-ridden sons, Vinod Kumar (23) and Mukesh Kumar (21), and married daughter Meena Kumari (25) who is normal. Sub Pritam Dass (retd) and his wife Davinder Kaur lost their daughter Arita due to the fatal disease while she was barely 20 years. Their son Satish Kumar (27) died two months ago after battling the incurable, lingering condition for more than 20 years.

While the couple had hoped that their children would take care of them in their old age, things have been just the opposite. Day and night they have been nursing their youthful sons, giving them bath, feeding them and even tossing them on the bed after every short while so that they do not develop bed sores. This they do despite the fact that they know their two sons will not live long.

For the father, fighting against the enemies in the front was not as tough as battling the odds at home. “I took my children to several doctors and vaids but to no avail. Some even said they (the children) had gone mentally ill. I did not have any faith in saints and babas but I visited each one that a family member or a neighbour suggested, hoping that there could be a miracle,” said a distraught Pritam Dass. “I have spent all my savings on their treatment and care. Had my children been allright, I would have been a wealthy man as my sons too would have started earning their livelihood, but destiny probably had something else in store for me,” his eyes turned wet.

Davinder Kaur explained, “All my children were born normal. They started showing signs of the disease at the age of five when they started lifting their heals while walking. Slowly their limbs showed muscle degeneration and their movement and even speech got badly affected. They continue to observe things around them but cannot respond. They understand what I ask but cannot reply.

“For the past 13 years, I and my daughter Meena Kumari had been looking after the four crippled children at home, for my husband remained posted in the Army as distant locations. However, he expressed willingness to quit and help us at home but I dissuaded him from doing so because he was the only earning hand,” the mother seemed confident despite much agony.

Dr Anshuman Verma, working at the government dispensary of the village, said he had sent their case to experts in Mumbai to seek guidance on the curative research relating to the disorder. He said his seniors in Jalandhar had suggested that the boys be taken to the PGI in Chandigarh. He has also suggested the couple to take their daughter and son-in-law for a chromosome analysis test in case they were willing to go in for another child. The couple already has two normal children.

In case a reader wishes to offer any kind of help, kindly contact the couple at Mohalla Kodian at Kapoor village, near Jandu Singha, Jalandhar, or dial 0181-2997936.

Phagwara, September 13
Punjab medical education minister Tikshan Sud today requested President Pratibha Patil to dismiss UPA government for hurting the sentiments of millions of Hindus through out the World by denying the very existence of Lord Rama.

Talking to the Tribune here, Sud said the government has raised a question mark on the very tenets of Hinduism.

“It was unfortunate that the Prime Minister had become a puppet in the hands of communists, ”said Sud.

Demanding the immediate dismissal of the UPA government, the minister urged Patil to use her inherent powers to protect the unity and integrity of the country. He said by allowing the submission of controversial affidavit in the Supreme Court, PM Manmohan Singh has let down millions of people having faith in oldest religion of the World.

He said fearing the worst possible performance in the coming general elections, the Congress has started the dangerous vote politics of appeasement of minorities. — OC

Jalandhar, September 13
Evacuating injured without proper precautions may cause deadly diseases like AIDS and hepatitis B. The rescuer must take preventive measures by wearing gloves or at least polythene bags, while shifting them from the accident site to 
the hospital.

Orthopaedic surgeon of Oxford Superspeciality and Trauma Hospital Dilbans Singh Pandher disclosed this while delivering a lecture on “spot trauma care” to the traffic policemen. The lecture was organised at Police Lines today by SP (traffic) Rakesh Kaushal to train highway patrol teams. The training included measures and precautions to be adopted by the evacuation teams.

“If the injured is suffering from communicable diseases like AIDS or hepatitis B and is bleeding, the chances of rescuer - having a wound and not taking proper precautions - catching an infection increases manifold,” Pandher said.

Regarding first-aid, the doctor said, “The injured should be carried to the hospital in a proper position. Citing an example, he said, “Once a patient with head injury was brought to the hospital, but he could not be saved because he had sustained several secondary traumas during his shifting.”

When the victim is being taken to the hospital the head should not be kept straight and should be turned aside, he said, adding that if the head is kept straight, the victim’s windpipe may 
get blocked.

The first-aid box of highway patrols should have improvised splints as they are quite useful in case of limb injuries, said the doctor. He demonstrated how the splints should be tied to the limbs. The cops also got tips on extrication, special support, airway management and vital sign monitoring of the accident victims.

As many as 48 persons have been killed and 320 critically injured in 206 accidents in different parts of the district till September this year. In 2006, 62 persons were killed and 539 seriously hurt in total 309 accidents. Presently, 41 traffic cops constitute three highway patrol teams (Chachrari to Phillaur, Paragpur to Dayalpur and Jalandhar to Cholliang) in the district.

Jalandhar, September 13
The army recruiting office (headquarters) of Jalandhar cantonment will organise an open rally for recruiting soldiers (general duty), soldiers (clerks) and soldiers (technical duty) at Dogra Ground here from October 8 to 11. While the recruitment of soldiers (general duty) will be done from candidates from Doaba region only, technical duty soldiers and clerks will be taken from all over the state. The Army has planned a schedule for the distribution of tokens for the same.

Addressing a press conference at Punjab Press Club yesterday, Col D.K. Bishnoi, director (recruiting), said for Kapurthala, tokens would be issued for soldiers (general duty) at Guru Nanak Sports Stadium, Kapurthala, on October 1 and for Nawanshahr at Sports Stadium, Nawanshahr, on October 3. The token distribution for Hoshiarpur and Jalandhar would be held at Dogra Ground in Jalandhar cantonment on October 6 and 7, respectively.

Candidates for soldier (clerk) and soldier (technical duty) from all across the state could take tokens from any of the three venues on the same dates. He said the candidates from Mazhbi Sikh, Ramdasia and SC categories, who have passed minimum plus two or intermediate with physics, chemistry, mathematics and English as subjects, would have a bright chance of qualifying for the technical trade soldier’s post.

Jalandhar, September 13
The pre-primary wing of DIPS School, Karol Bagh, celebrated green day on Wednesday. Children prepared various songs and rhymes on the topic “Save trees-save environment.”

Phagwara, September 13
The Nevada Clergy Association of USA has recommended the name of Rajan Zed, the famous Hindu chaplain of Nevada, for the Parvasi Bharatiya Samman, the most prestigious award presented by the President of India to eminent Indians settled overseas. Rajan Zed read the historical first Hindu prayer in the US Senate in Washington DC in July last for the first time ever. In a letter to the ministry of overseas Indian affairs, New Delhi, Rev Gene Savoy Jr, president of the association, has stated, “…Zed has done a lot of work in the area of inter-faith dialogue in north-western Nevada and adjoining California. He goes beyond his own faith tradition to serve the larger community of various religions and works to bring all the religious traditions together for common cause of social and economic development, freedom and human rights, peace-making and peace-keeping, etc. He creates an atmosphere of mutual understanding and mutual trust, which makes the dialogue between various traditions very smooth and effective.” The Nevada Clergy Association comprised priests, pastors, ministers, etc. of various religions in Nevada state of the USA.

Some other organisations have already recommended Rajan Zed for the award.

Phagwara, September 13
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) will soon introduce multiplay DTH service along with its existing broadband service in all major cities to facilitate the telephone subscribers with the viewing of TV channels. This was stated by general manager (telephones) Rajiv Sharma while talking to The Tribune here yesterday.

He, after inspecting the telephone exchange along with deputy general manager Gautam Lal, said that the much-awaited service would be provided from next month. He claimed the landline phones were available on demand and the department now had introduced prepaid landline phones. The general manager said bids had been invited by September 13 to get VIP numbers for mobile phones.

He said internet service was being provided through landline phones, mobile phones and WLL phones at competitive tariff. The GM said broadband waiting list would be cleared by this month-end. He said the broadband service of the department was being provided at every tehsil headquarters. — OC

Jalandhar, September 13
We remember him as the comedian from the yesteryear who entertained “apna Punjabi masses” with his “peepni vaja ke” act in the 1984 film “Babul Da Vehra”. After a 20-year-long hiatus, Joginder Khurana is back with a multi-starrer - “MLA Nattha Singh”.

Hailing from the historical Dalla village, Khurana with his matter-of-fact demeanour is the lyricist, scriptwriter and lead actor of the film. Slated to be directed by acclaimed director Satish Bhakri, the film has a huge star cast comprising people from both Bollywood and the Punjabi film industry.

The cast comprises actors Avtaar Gill, Rana Jang Bahadur, Prem Kakria, Sheeba Bhakri, Donny Kapoor, Atro, Harbhajan Jabbal and Khurana himself in the lead as the MLA who still ceremoniously adheres to the Gandhian philosophy.

Khurana claims it is a political satire, a theme which will ridicule the malpractices by politicians and the babudom. When asked as to why he chose this theme, he replies, “There is need to talk about stuff that is happening in the state.

People in Punjab have gotten used to dirty, double-meaning comedies. Filmmakers should come forward to talk about realistic and cultural themes. Sincere efforts to give a facelift to Punjabi cinema are need of the day.”

Distraught at the direction in which Punjabi cinema is heading, Khurana says, “Films need a tax exemption and subsidies from the government. I personally would hope to get a 100 per cent tax exemption on the movie.”

The script and screenplay were recently worked upon by Khurana and director Satish Bhakri at Mumbai. The shooting of the film would begin on October 12 and conclude by the first week of November.

Claiming that the film strongly satirises the politicians of the day, Khurana says, “I would not be surprised if the film runs afoul with the censors, but I am determined to get it through to the people, come what may.” Though the shooting for MLA Nattha Singh has not started yet the scriptwriter already plans two sequels on the movie - Dr Nattha Singh and Hawaldar Nattha Singh.

The film is slated for release on Baisakhi and given the present state of clichéd love stories and distributors who love to shy away from a Punjabi production, who knows, this film might just be the feast for the eyes of a good-movie-starved Punjabi audience.

Jalandhar, September 13
The anti-fraud cell of the police nabbed Vineetpal Singh and his wife Baljeet Kaur for allegedly cheating a person in the name of sending him to the USA. Jaswinder Singh, a resident of Adampur village, in his complaint to the police stated that the couple had taken Rs 7.5 lakh from him some years back for sending him to the USA but instead they sent him to Malaysia.

After returning to India, he submitted a complaint to the SSP against the couple. SSP Arpit Shukla has marked the inquiry into the complaint. The allegations of cheating against the couple were found prima facie true, following which the in charge of the anti-fraud cell sub-inspector Manjeet Singh arrested the couple and registered an FIR under sections 406 and 420 of the IPC against the accused.