Amritsar, January 25
The district administration has decided to honour Partap Singh for his unmatched contribution to the environment. Popularly known as ‘Rukhanwala Baba’, he is 90-year-old now. The villagers came up with the name for his selfless service in planting and maintaining the green wealth. And he is the perfect inspiration for young environmentalists and plant lovers.

So much so, whatever he gets from his old-age pension, he spent it in procuring tree saplings and plant in vacant places in his village.

Deputy Commissioner Kahan Singh Pannu said as soon as the matter brought to his notice, he immediately decided to honour his altruistic services for the environmental cause.

“As the district administration is very serious about protecting environment and has launched a number of steps for increasing the forest cover which took a hit in the race of urbanisation,” he said.

“The administration would also recommend his name to the state government for suitable award. As for now we are felicitating his district level function on the Republic Day,” said the Deputy Commissioner.

Rukhanwala Baba, who lives in Heir village, situated near Rajasansi on the Ajnala Road, has been credited with greening infertile lands with his dedication. Since his childhood, he had a great passion for plantation, which started from Gujjranwala (now in Pakistan). His passion took him to many villages.

Even though his movements has been restricted with growing age, yet he finds time for planting new saplings near his home in the village.

However, he is fighting for his survival as it has been becoming more and more difficult for him to make his both ends meet.

“We pray for his good health and sometimes supports him financially and medicine. But it is not enough. We urge the administration to help him financially as he was getting just Rs 250 as old age pension. It is very difficult to survive in this meager pension,” said Gurbhez Singh and Deepak Babbar of Mission Aagaaz, an NGO, which took his cause with the administration.

When asked, Pannu assured, “Whenever, Partap Singh (Rukhanwala Baba) would approach him for the financial help, the administration would definitely do something for him.”

Amritsar, January 25
Keeping in view the poor handling of the injured in road accidents and absence of first aid, the Fortis Escorts Hospital has envisaged to start a basic life-support training for police teams deputed on the national highways, who are first to reach the mishap sites.

“Brain haemorrhage and brain swelling following a head injury during accidents are the main causes of mortality and morbidity. A small careless step by people or cops while putting the victim into a car or emergency van could be dangerous as it could lead to more severe injuries to patients,” said Dr Raj Kamal, a neuro surgeon associated with Fortis Escort Hospital.

Dr H.P. Singh, medical superintendent of the hospital, said trained doctors would impart training to cops to take care of an accident victim before reaching a hospital.

Dr Rajkamal said only 18 per cent of people could be operated upon after their timely arrival in the hospitals. While out of 82 per cent patients, who reach the hospital, 40 per cent of them lose their lives because of late arrival.

The rate of mortality due to accidents is increasing day by day. Quoting some data, he said in 2000 about 27 lakh people died in road mishaps in the country which almost doubled in 2002 and according to statistics the number crossed one crore in 2008.

Dr H.P. Singh said India has one of the highest accident rates per vehicle in the world and the mortality and morbidity rates were correspondingly high. Head injuries account for a very high percentage of these figures and are emerging as one of the biggest killers, he pointed out. He said early detection of the extent of the damage and early intervention is vital to survival of the patient. Jasdeep Singh, director of the hospital, claimed that the Neurosurgery Centre at the hospital has become one of the leading centres in the country providing faster recovery to the patients.

Amritsar, January 25
The right to education should not be limited to persons from higher strata of the society, rather it should be ensured by the policymakers so that the masses also have the access to it.

For this purpose, the government should extend its support to the education sector and should try to protect the education system from the ills of commercialisation, said Justice ML Koul, during a seminar on "Education Scenario in Punjab: Challenges and Prospects", here today.

This UGC-sponsored seminar was organised by Postgraduate Department of Economics, Khalsa College, Amritsar. Principal Dr Daljit Singh expressed concern over pathetic position of primary and secondary education in Punjab and emphasised the need of dedicated teachers as well as cooperation of the state government.

“Keeping in view, the fast paced changes taking place in every sphere, it is the dire need of the hour to focus our attention on the expansion, modernisation and reorientation of technical education and industrial training system in the state. Though tremendous progress has been made in Punjab in recent times in terms of opening up of new universities, engineering and medical colleges and other education al institutes, still the education system of Punjab has problematic issued which need immediate attention”, he viewed.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr B.S. Tiwana, professor of economics, Punjabi University, Patiala, highlighted the discriminatory position of education in Punjab and stressed that education policy should be such that masses could also benefit from it.

Dr Vikram Chadha, Professor and Head, Punjab School of Economics, Guru Nanak Dev University, emphasised upon improving the quality of technically trained population in order to make progress in the state.

Dr Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, professor, Punjab School of Economics, Guru Nanak Dev University, focused his lecture on primary education in Punjab. He suggested that for improving education in rural areas in Punjab, proper transportation facilities should be provided by the government to the students. Moreover, research facilities should be promoted in these areas.

Prof H.S. Walia, while speaking on the occasion, stressed on the strengthening and streamlining the college education in Punjab. He that since the investment in higher education and growth of a country are positively and significantly correlated, so quality maintenance of higher education is must and therefore, a clear-cut policy by the government is required in this regard.

Prof V.K. Dutta, head, Postgraduate Department of Economics, Khalsa College, highlighted the importance of seminars in the present context.

Also present in the seminar were Prof Baljinder Singh, registrar, Prof H.B. Singh, Prof P.K. Ahuja, Prof Avtar Singh, Dr Shivinder Kaur Dhillon, Prof S.S. Rangi, Prof J.K. Ghuman, Dr Anju Sharma, Prof Geetinder Mann, Dr Saveeta Saggar, Dr Navjot Dhingra, Dr Baljit Kaur, Prof Heena Sachdeva and Prof Harmandeep Kaur.

Amritsar, January 25
Dr Akshay N. Dalal, anaesthesiologist from the world famous Harvard Medical School, US, today visited the Government Medical College and Guru Nanak Dev Hospital. He was here to deliver a presentation on the various aspects of anaesthesia, sleep and coma during which he also interacted with the faculty, residents and students.

Dr Dalal, alongwith his wife Dr Shobha Dalal, who have been residing and working in the US for the past 40 years, graduated from Grant Medical College, Mumbai, in 1966. He works at the prestigious Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, the main teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School.

“It was at this hospital that anaesthesia was started in the world by Dr William Morton in 1846. And I am grateful to Dr Boparai for inviting me to share my experiences with you,” informed Dr Dalal while addressing the students and faculty members of the college.

“It was very fruitful interaction with the students and faculty as they learnt a lot from the experience of Dr Dalal,” said Dr R.P.S. Boparai, former Medical Superintendent of GNDH, and Professor of Orthopaedics.

Later, he was honoured by GMC principal Dr S.S. Shergill and Dr R.P.S. Boparai along with Dr Asha Gupta, Head of Department of Anaesthesia. The interaction was attended by senior members of the faculty, residents, interns and students and was followed by a question-answer session.

Dr Dalal visited various departments of the hospital and college. He was impressed by the ongoing developments, claimed Dr Boparai.

Amritsar, January 25
In a unique initiative to mark the Republic Day celebrations, the students of Delhi Public School undertook a visit to the heritage site of “Teja Singh Thakur Dwara” in Amritsar located at ‘Jamadar di Haveli’ in the bylanes of the walled city.

The tour was initiated by school principal Sangeeta Singh. The principal stated that the motive was to create awareness and a sensitisation amongst students of historical monuments and regarding the need to preserve our glorious pieces of history as well as to inculcate a sense of responsibility and healthy value system towards heritage protection.

The monument dedicated to Radha-Krishna, constructed during the reign of legendry Maharaja Ranjit Singh, is an architectural delight.

Students saw the rare frescoes and wall paintings that had been covered with bathroom tiles by amateur renovators. While the outer wall of the dwara had collapsed and never been reconstructed.

Amritsar, January 25
There is good news for sportspersons. They would no longer be subjected to painful surgeries for many injuries, which are common to players. ‘Coblation’ therapy, brought from Germany, was introduced in the state during a workshop on shoulder arthroscopy and sports injuries organised at Amandeep Hospital here.

“With this therapy, they (sportspersons) don’t have to bear the painful surgeries,” claimed Dr George Fieseler, a consultant for Trauma and Orthopedic Surgery, Munden, Germany. As many as 70 orthopedic surgeons from government and private hospitals and physiotherapists from all over the state participated in the workshop. A specialist in shoulder, knee, arthroscopic surgeries and sports medicine, Dr George demonstrated the therapy by conducting live surgeries on 10 persons, who were suffering from sports-related injuries like painful heel, tennis elbow.

“It has multiple applications in injuries and other diseases like pain around heal and elbow. Usually these problems, where very little tissue or no tissue-cut is involved, are very difficult to treat. The therapy produces no heat which saves tissue from being charred and subsequently no bleeding and stitches,” said Dr Fieseler.

Dr Avtar Singh, famous orthopedic surgeon, and director of the hospital, said, “The new German technique has been tested and is very effective, safer and less painful.