Where satellite phones set the pace
Bringing action from Kargil to drawing rooms
By Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, July 14 — Thanks to modern technology, details and real life images of booming guns, movement of troops and machines across snow-clad peaks, fighter planes taking off and jubilation on India's latest hard-fought victories in Kargil can be seen or read in the comfort of the drawing rooms by the next morning of the occurrence of the events.

In the past two months almost all newspapers and magazines of the country have been publishing the very latest action colour photographs and crisp news reports of the battle front from the Himalayan heights of Dras, Kargil, Batalik and Turtuk or the Mashkoh valley. More often than not, photographs in newspapers have been more latest than those shown on television.

Newspaper readers, who have been exposed only to the traditional way of photography, have been wondering as to how old are these photographs by the time they are published ? How are films developed in the absence of any photo developing labs in that remote Himalayan region ? How are films or the photographs sent to newspaper offices for publication and how are reports being send ? How much time does it take to do all this ?

Using costly laptop computers and digital cameras that require no films rolls, no developing or printing of photographs, cameramen have been sending telling photographs from the front. In certain cases, hand held scanners are used instead on the digital camera. But in such a situation the films have to be developed before being scanned and sent to their destination.

Certain photo journalists and reporters have been using satellite phones while others have reportedly set up small generators to maintain the right kind of temperature in the portable labs carried all the way from the plains.

According to a photographer , who just returned from his trip to the battle zone, there are two basic ways of sending a photograph and a photograph reaches the newspaper office within an hour of its clicking.

The first method is the less used one of using a digital camera ( The Tribune group of newspapers and some other leading publications use this technique ). It can click up to 155 photographs in one go. Unlike a traditional camera it does not have a film. Instead a small disc , or a computer floppy, is inserted into it that stores the photographs.

Technically the resolution of a photo is 72 dots per square inch (DPI). After having taken the photographs the floppy is taken out and copied , or acquired, on to a laptop computer . Using a technical specification in the laptop the resolution of the photo is increased to 200 DPI, thus enhancing the picture quality. The photograph is selected on the computer screen. A STD telephone line is connected through a modem and the photograph lands on another computer set up at its destination within 10 minutes.

The cost of gadgetry is around Rs 7 lakh. And if one wants to use the satellite phone add anything between Rs 2.50 lakh and Rs 3 lakh plus the cost of the call. The satellite phone sends the signal directly to the communication satellites orbiting the earth before finally reaching its destination.

Under the second process a normal camera with a normal film is used. The film is then taken out and developed in black coloured bag, called the ``changing bag'' by photo journalists. These portable labs require a certain temperature and chemicals that have been carried all the way to the heights.

Once the film a developed and a negative is obtained it is scanned through a hand held scanner onto the lap top computer before being transmitted to its destination. Cost of this gadgetry is between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 4 lakh depending upon the make and model of the lap top and the scanner, that is also known as the `leaf' scanner.

Reporters use lap tops to file their reports that are sent through modems or faxed. In totality the transmission of a news report, depending upon STD lines, takes no more than 1 minute. In Kargil most photographers have been known to be make regular 10 hour trips to Srinagar to transmit the photos due to bad STD lines. Those with satellite phones do not need to under go this hassle.

A 'prayaas' to help disabled children
By Rupesh Kumar

CHANDIGARH, July 14 — There are 1.5 million children with cerebral palsy, 2.24 million with poliomyelitis and 2 lakh with speech and hearing disorder. Recent advancements in the medical field have revolutionised the care of deaf, blind and paralysed individuals.

It was in response to this need that a rehabilitation centre was set up here in 1985. "Prayaas", a Rehabilitation Centre for Handicapped Children (RCHC) at Sector 38 B, set up by the Indian Council for Child Welfare (ICCW), Chandigarh branch, has been doing yeoman's service.

"Prayaas" is a reminder to the children and their families that their own effort is of vital importance for optimal results. It signifies the efforts of dedicated individuals to serve the less fortunate.

The centre has rendered services to more than 6,000 children. Disabled children from as far as western Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and, of course, Chandigarh come here for treatment and consultancy.

Spread in 2.8 acres allotted by the UT Administration, it provides services under one roof. The services include assessment of handicaps, psychometry, psychological support and vocational counselling. It also provides physio-therapy, hearing test, eye test, prescription of spectacles as well as speech therapy to the handicapped children.

It conducts electro-myography (EMG) for muscle disorders. It does testing of auditory, visual and skin-evoked brain stem responses in new-born babies to detect disorders of hearing, sight and other neurological disorders.

In addition, a pediatrician trained in development neurology evaluates children. Doctors of the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) provide consultancy services in orthopaedics, psychiatry, ENT, ophthalmology and pediatrics. They provide technical and scientific assistance to the centre to keep it abreast with the new technologies.

It offers these facilities free of cost. There is a provision of free aid to the handicapped children of economically weaker section.

"Prayaas" is striving hard to impart home-based training to parents for their active participation in the look after of their wards. The parents or caretakers are first trained to undertake the therapy themselves. They are then requested to do therapy at their home. Regular assessment of the progress of the children living in their family environment is done. It tries to ensure that the children are not dumped in an institution as an unwanted burden.

The honorary treasurer of ICCW and pediatrician by profession, Dr Inderjit Bhatia, discloses that in Phase II, there would be facilities like operation theatres and vocational training workshops for training children in different crafts in the near future. It would also provide residential accommodation to patients from far-off areas, Dr Bhatia says.

He further adds that the centre plans to add modern electronic devices meant for helping the handicapped children in Phase III. Along with a health education and information centre, a training institution for physio-therapists, occupational therapists, prosthetic technicians and medical social workers would be established.

The centre also plans a preparatory school for children and facility for the transportation of handicapped children to the centre from their homes.

According to Dr Pratibha Sanghi, a visiting consultant from the, "Our aim is to increase the children's ability to take care of themselves, to make them able to feed themselves, keep themselves clean and go to the toilet."

Dr Sanghi adds, "What these children need is not pity or kindness but acceptance. They should be made to feel that they are useful members of our society."

However, employees of the centre have a different tale to tell. They allege that executive committee members of the centre do not meet regularly to discuss their problems. "It results in our suffering. If they do not have time to do social work, they should not accept these posts," alleges one of the employees on the condition of anonymity.

Villagers still cry for buses
From Our Correspondent

PAPRI (SAS NAGAR), July 14 — Dozens of peripheral villages are devoid of a proper bus service due to the alleged indifferent attitude of the transport authorities.

Bus route number 101/123 of the Chandigarh Transport Undertaking (CTU) en route to Darali and Manauli villages was suspended about two months back. This is creating problems for the commuters. Before the suspension of the routes, no prior notice was issued to the general public, said Mrs Surinder Kaur, Sarpanch.

Several residents of the area who work in Chandigarh and SAS Nagar, said that they were facing a lot of problems for past one week as they reach late at their places of work.

Mr Amrik Singh, a teacher at the Manauli Senior Secondary School, said that the teachers face a shortage of the transport facility in the area. They have to hire autorickshaws to go to school.

The Sarpanch said that despite several representations to the transport authorities, nothing has been done.

Residents of other villages, including Chahar-Majra and Mullanpur-Garibdass, about 7 km from the PGI, are also crying for a better bus service in the area. The area had a sufficient bus service, but in the past few months, the CTU had stopped several routes. Due to lack of proper service, commuters have to wait for hours for buses. The routes which have been cancelled include 76 and 102/42 numbers, complained Mr Kuljeet Pal.

Non-availability of buses in several villages has further discouraged the parents in sending their wards for higher studies. Mr Jaswant Singh said that girls are unable to travel all the way to the distance of more than 10 km.

Meanwhile, residents of Seonk, Perch and Jayanti Devi villages have demanded that the only bus ,route number 70, to the area takes a longer route. It reaches here after taking a round of Dhanas village. They said that it would be beneficial for them if buses halting near Khudda-Lahora village came to the area. It would save their time by more than half an hour, said Mr Bhag Singh of Perch.

Controversy dogs selection of deans
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, July 14 — The seven-member committee constituted by the Syndicate will meet tomorrow to decide the appointment of deans of Panjab University.

On the eve of the meeting, the issue of the Vice-Chancellor heading the meeting has come in for criticism as also the venue, which in this case, happens to be the Vice-Chancellor's office. The Syndicate meeting in March, the committee comprising Dr Deepak Manmohan Singh, Mr Rajinder Deepa, Prof VK Bansal, Dr K.S. Chugh, Mr Ashok Goyal, Mr Rajinder Bhandari and Dr R.N. Sharma was appointed to make recommendations of the deans.

In the Senate meeting of the same month, it was resolved that the Vice-Chancellor was authorised to take a decision on behalf of the Senate with regard to the appointment of deans, the proceedings state.

Mr Ashok Goyal and Mr Rajinder Deepa have stated that according to the proceedings, approved by the Vice-Chancellor and forwarded to the members, the Vice-Chancellor is not a part of the committee. Also, his only idea in holding the meeting at his office is that "He wants the committee to recommend the names he wants as deans of the university''.

On the other hand, two other members of the committee, have said that appointment of the deans, especially the Dean Student Welfare and the Dean Foreign Student, cannot be made without the Vice-Chancellor according to the calendar of the university. "The calendar is like a Bible for us and we will follow it to the letter. Thus, the Vice-Chancellor is an integral part of the committee constituted by the Syndicate,'' Dr Deepak Manmohan Singh explains.

On the same issue, Prof V.K. Bansal states that the approved proceedings are incorrect and holding the meeting without him amounts to violation of the calendar of the university. He adds, "The Vice-Chancellor has chosen to interpret it differently according to which he is authorised to take a final decision on the appointments and hence is a part of the committee.''

Then, if the meeting gets any further, the next stumbling block is likely to be the report of the sub-committee appointed to look into the irregularities conducted by the former DSW in approving the candidature of a student leader for the post of the President of the Panjab University Campus Students Council.

Again, the members are divided on the issue, with a few in favour of granting extension to the former Dean student Welfare, Prof R.S. Grewal. The issue that weighs in his favour is that he has been able to give a violence-free academic session to the authorities. Those opposing the appointment are citing the partisan role he played in the appointment of the President of PUCSC by overlooking the non-bailable offence slapped on him.

"The student leader in question was not even eligible for standing for election since the calendar clearly states that a student shall not be eligible to seek election if is 'he is guilty of gross misconduct by the university'. The phrase 'gross misconduct' among others entails that the student will be guilty of misconduct if he is accused of a non-bailable offence and he was accused of the offence. The university authorities must put this in their pipe and smoke it -- the DSW chose to overlook this regulation and allowed him to contest elections,'' Mr Deepa says.

To this, Mr Goyal added that it becomes the moral responsibility of the Syndicate and the Senate to ensure he is not re-appointed as dean under any circumstances. Also, in the process, the student leader has maligned the name of the university which goes against him.

Dr V.K. Bansal justifies that the case, at the time of election was referred to a tribunal which did not find the student guilty on the basis of which he was allowed to contest elections and the DSW had no role in the matter since the decision was taken by the tribunal.

The Chairman of the Haryana Students Association, Mr Chand Singh Madan, in a statement, said, "If Prof R.S. Grewal is appointed DSW, we will be forced to go on an indefinite fast from tomorrow. His re-appointment will not be tolerated on any account.''

Once these issues are buried, the appointment of the three deans is likely to take place or else as Dr Deepak Manmohan Singh contends, "If we don't arrive at a decision, the decision can always be taken at the Syndicate meeting scheduled for July 30.''