Dras heroes recall battles
By Amarjit Thind
Tribune News Service

CHANDIMANDIR, June 5 — "It was around noon on May 29. Our company was on a search operation some kilometres from Dras at a height of almost 10,000 feet. Our orders were to scout for enemy fortifications and destroy them. The snow and biting cold winds made conditions worse. Visibility was hampered and the progress was slow. Everybody was keeping a sharp lookout for any movement when suddenly the company came under heavy gunfire from above. Many were hit. In the absence of any cover, we returned the fire from whatever positions we could take."

This was recounted by Sepoy Prabsharan Singh (24) and Sepoy Laxman Singh (24), who were wounded in the operation and were airlifted to Chandigarh. They are convalescing at the Command Hospital, Western Command. The Kargil-Dras Sector is witnessing heavy exchange of fire between the Indian army and Pakistan-backed infiltrators.

The former, whose tibia was fractured following gunshot wounds to his right leg, belongs to Bhaini Bhusowal in Gurdaspur district. The latter, who had two bullet injuries on his chest, hails from Daulatpur village near Nawanshahr.

They said the well-entrenched, slightly visible enemy was at a height from them and they were exposed to the enemy fire. Many received bullet wounds while lying down. Those who were not injured, did not lose their nerve and returned the fire with medium machine guns, mortars, rocket launchers and small arms. Many of those who were not badly injured also joined in.

The encounter lasted for more than six hours but the objective was not secured. Following this, additional reinforcements were requisitioned. It came in the form of the air force, which pounded the target and the remaining resistance was swiftly overcome by the company. The position was finally overrun and secured.

As for the wounded, they lay in the open during the entire crossfire. They were shifted on makeshift stretchers or were carried by others for almost five hours to the base hospital. Their wounds were tended and they were here to recuperate, they added.

The high spirits and morale of the duo could be guessed when they asserted, "We are waiting for our wounds to heal and are anxious to rejoin our colleagues on the front. We have joined the force to get back at the enemy and would not want to let an opportunity like this pass by."

Naik Lakhbir Singh, another member of the patrol, also recounted the encounter. He said they had to move either early in the morning or during the night. The conditions during the day were not conducive as the enemy at many places was at a height and could keep track of their movements. The temperatures were -40°C or less. Even if there was sunshine, it got reflected on the snow and blurred the vision. He also said he was raring to have a go at the enemy as soon as he recovered.

Naik Chhering Tundup of Ladakh, who received shell splinter wounds while fighting the enemy somewhere in the Nubra valley, said their company was directed to secure an objective which was more than a height of 10,000 feet facing the occupied enemy positions. "We came under heavy enemy fire while climbing. We returned the fire but being exposed did not help and many got wounded. While we reached the position and were digging in, the enemy opened their heavy guns. Since our position was at the same height facing theirs, they were determined to dislodge us. One of their shells burst near us and I received splinter injuries and was shifted to a frontline hospital. I do not know whether the enemy has been dislodged or not," he said.

Lt-Gen H.B. Kala, GOC-in-C, Western Command, visited the hospital in the morning and interacted with the injured men. He enquired about their well-being and assured them of all possible help. He instructed the staff to look after them. He also distributed gifts among them.

Maj-Gen Virendra Singh, Commandant of the hospital, said in the past 10 days, they had received 15 personnel, including four officers, who had been treated or were convalescing. Many were sent back after their wounds healed while some were given sick leave and sent home.

Among those admitted to the hospital at present, the condition of five was critical. Most of the cases were of gunshot wounds and shell splinter injuries, he added.

He said the troops were treated at frontline hospitals, before being sent to other hospitals for convalescing. This was common practice at times like this, as room had to be made at frontline hospitals for the newly-wounded. Specialised centres had been set up to treat different kinds of injuries.

Replying to a query regarding adequate stock of blood, he said at present they were meeting the requirements out of their stock, but if need the be, voluntary donors would be contacted. The doctors, staff and nurses were on call duty round the clock and everybody was ready to meet any eventuality.

He said 60 per cent of those injured at present were from this region. The injured were provided with telephone to enable them to contact their families. Arrangements were made for them in case they wanted to visit injured personnel. The friends and relatives of many of the injured had arrived and were being looked after properly.

Hard work and luck make a topper
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 5 — The cat is out of the bag with the recently declared Class XII examinations results speaking of the actual effort put in by students during the examination season. While some students are reveling in the glory of having scored well, others are wallowing in self-pity for not performing well. The TNS spoke to some students to find out what was the extra bit that went into the making of toppers.

Anuradha Thakur, a student, opines, "It is usually the direction which a teacher gives to students along with a regular dose of appreciation for their work, which drives students to achieve the impossible. Also, it is a matter of luck. I may have attempted a question well but my paper may end up with an examiner who is tightfisted about giving marks and I may suffer.''

Sunit Bhullar, having scored 83 per cent, says, "Hard work is the key to success and in my case the hard work put in was in the direction of getting a good position in entrance examinations, results of which are yet to be declared. Results of the board examinations hardly make a difference.''

"Toppers are intelligent, hard working and they study much longer than I do. I bury my head in books only when the Democles' sword is hanging over my head. It is unlike toppers who slog everyday to have an extra edge. They end up with a few extra marks and they deserve it.'' explains a fancy free Rajkumar, having scored around 80 per cent in the examinations.

"Luck is the only factor that weighs in favour of students who top in examinations,'' Nishant Grover says. He adds that every student wants to perform well. However, a few manage to get ahead only because they do well in English and the other optional paper. In the science stream, most students usually bother little about these subjects and concentrate only on science subjects. "Anybody who gives even a little attention to these subjects can perform very well in the examinations and even top,'' Nishant adds.

Namrata, with 88 per cent marks, explains that much of the success of toppers can be attributed to parental support but being lucky is also important. She says, "English is the stumbling block in most cases. Students tend to take the subject lightly, giving their whole-hearted attention to other subjects. Students don't usually open their English books till there is only a day to go for the examination and same goes for me.''

The happy-go-lucky Namrata, adds that in spite of having all the ingredients that go into the making of a topper, she missed the position only because she chose to enjoy along with going through her study material. "I have only one life and being a bookworm is only a waste of time when there is so much else to do. Scoring good marks was a priority for me and I have done that. I do not wish to go beyond this,'' she contends.

"I think toppers put in more hours of study and they do so with greater concentration. They are certainly not allrounders and have chosen studies as the sole purpose of their life on earth. I have time earmarked for all sorts of activities and the thrust is on overall development of my personality rather than concentrating on one aspect alone. Good marks are necessary though not a sufficient for success. What use will the marks be if while interacting in society, a topper cannot utter a sensible word to engross his audience,'' Ashita enquires, having scored 89 per cent in the board examinations.

Arushi, with 70 per cent in arts, has a different viewpoint altogether. "Toppers aim for this position and get there. I aim for comfort after ensuring that I score good marks unlike toppers. They are content doing there bit while I am happy with my life,'' she opines.

Should council hold kids’ workshops?
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 5 — The Punjab Arts Council, Sector 16, kicked off a summer workshop for children, conceived in a playway manner to lay emphasis on theatre, music, folk dance, literature and fine arts of Punjab.

Many artists expressed their dissatisfaction at the holding of such a workshop, which they say "is like filling up the activity calendar of the Council, which has actually been constituted for more serious work". However, others back it, saying that children being initiated into the arts is serious work and needs to be encouraged.

The Constitution of the Punjab Arts Council (Punjab Kala Parishad), as embodied in the Government of Punjab Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs Notification No 3 (6)-78-ITC/ dated 30 July, 1981, states, "The objects of the parishad shall be to promote art, culture, literature and performing arts" as one of its aims and objectives. The objectives include promotion and encouragement of research in the fields of music, dance, drama, painting, sculpture and architecture and creative writing; awarding recognition to artists, art historians and art critics; publishing and promoting the publication of literature in all genres and forms.

"If an apex body like the Punjab Arts Council is holding one of the many summer workshops for children being held in the city, then I would say that we are really running short of ideas. It is time that such bodies woke up to realise that we need to avoid repetition and instead be innovative in our ideas. The prime objective of such bodies should be to give platform to established and upcoming artists, rather than putting all the energies into a summer workshop for kids", said Prem Singh, a well-known artist of the region, and lecturer in Fine Arts College, Chandigarh

Speaking in the same tone, Viren Tanwar, another well-known artist, said, "Personally I feel that the need of the hour is to educate teachers, if we want to do some good to our children. The North Zone Cultural Centre (NZCC) also seems to repeat its functions and now the Punjab Arts Council seems to be filling its worksheets. The akademis could have got together to provide some good art material or even publish some good books for children. And why charge the kids to promote art and culture, even if they say that it is a nominal sum of Rs 250?"

Former Chairperson of the Chandigarh Sangeet Natak Akademi, however, does not seem to agree with this view and instead said that at least the akademis are doing some kind of work, even if the work is related to children. "One should go through the Constitution of the various akademis and read the esoteric guidelines to see that the entire concept of world culture is envisaged in them. If there is a right set of people to conduct workshops, even if it is for children, where is the harm? And when most akademis are financially defunct what is the harm in taking something like Rs 250 from each child?"

Another artist of the region remarked that then if the financially strapped akademis have to resort to such workshops to get some money, where is the need to organise 'Blanket Ceremonies' in which one set of akademis honour another set? "A case of you rub my back and I will rub yours?", he added.

"I do not see what is the problem in having children's workshops? Ours is not a commercial workshop, and we have invited experts from the fields of music, arts, theatre and visual arts. We are very serious about the preservation of the arts, since we are taking it to the children," said Mrs Harjinder Kaur, President, Punjab Sangeet Natak Akademi.

Added the newly elected Chairman of the Chandigarh Sangeet Natak Akademi, Mr G.S. Channi, who is also known for his work in street theatre with children, "It is a question of paradigm. Children and women are always relegated into a lower category. And does work with children not translate into serious work? Does serious work only mean inviting the likes of Mehdi Hasan or Badal Sircar or even Daler Mehndi, nothing else? This talks of basic lack of serious concern for children. One can see that in the 'bazaar' like situation being exploited in the name of workshops being held all around".

Bringing back hope to poor
Tribune News Service

PANCHKULA, June 5 — A local 35-year-old labourer of Devinagar village, Prem Pal, who is a patient of tuberculosis (TB), had almost lost hope of being cured as he could not afford to purchase expensive medicines until Sewa Bharti, a social organisation, stepped in and brought back his hope to live.

Another full-blown TB patient, Parmod Kumar, was cured of the disease after getting the mandatory medicines for six regular months at Sewa Bharti's cost .

These are not just two isolated cases where poor and needy patients have been provided with medicines by Sewa Bharti. The local unit of the social organisation, set up in October, 1988, has been successful in bringing smiles on the faces of hundreds of needy persons.

With the aim of providing support to the weaker and socially neglected sections of society, the local unit of the organisation — which comprises of a dedicated team of about 50 persons — is running education centres for children besides health and medicine centres. The organisation also runs five training centres in cutting and tailoring at Budanpur, Azad colony, Rajiv colony, Raila and Ramgarh.

Mr C.R.Sharma, President of the district unit of Sewa Bharti, says more than 400 students of different schools up to the fifth class had been motivated to do their studies at special "Bal Sanskar" kendras being run by the organisation. Besides, women adult education centres being run in labour colonies were also a success.

A drive launched by Ms Urmil Gupta to motivate people to pledge their eyes has shown results with as many as 100 persons having already pledged their eyes. Ms Gupta always carries along with her printed material to motivate people to contribute to the noble cause.

A unique project to provide free medicines to poor and needy patients coming to the General Hospital in Sector 6 here which was started in January this year has so far helped 118 patients. Most of the beneficiaries have been TB patients, says Mr R.S.Verma, in charge of the health and medicine centre being run at the hospital. He says the hospital authorities have provided them with a booth at the back of the hospital in which the centre is being run.

Geese, snakes, trees mark functions
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 5 — Workshops, tree plantations, pollution check-up camps and talks marked World Environment Day which was celebrated with much fanfare in different parts of the city today.

Speaking at a training programme for UT teachers, Dr R.P. Vajpayee, Director, CSIO, said degradation of environment is the biggest problem being faced by the world today and the situation could deteriorate if steps were not taken to check it urgently. He said all of us should contribute to rectify the follies committed by mankind in the past. "Though the government is doing a lot towards the cause of environment, individuals should take it as a movement," said Mr Vajpayee, adding that teachers had a vital role to play as they could create awareness among children regarding the need to protect the environment.

Mr H.S. Sohal, Director Environment, said lack of traffic planning, fuel adulteration and inferior quality of fuel were the major sources of pollution in the city and elsewhere. Two-wheelers were creating more pollution as fuel did not burn completely in their engines, particularly the two stroke ones. Mr Sohal suggested the residents to use public transport as it will result in less pollution in the city.

In another function organised by the Children's Alliance for Protection of the Environment at Sukhna Lake, as many as 30 Indian geese were released into the lake by children of different schools. Mr Satish Chandra, Managing Director of the Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Development Corporation, said the introduction of the ducks into the lake will improve the ecology of the lake and also promote tourism in the city.

Mr Sohal, and Dr Vinod Sharma, Director of the Chhat Bir Zoo, lauded the efforts of the organisation for its innovative effort on World Environment Day.

Mr S.K. Sharma, President of the Environment Society of India, urged the administration to provide a telescope at the lake so that people could enjoy a glimpse of the Kasauli hills and the ducks of the lake.

On this occasion, Capt Suresh Sharma of the Snake Cell, who presented a snake show, said snakes were docile creatures and they bit only when attacked. He screened a film to show how to tackle snakes and cases of snake bites. He said only four varieties of snakes were poisonous, but these were rarely found around cities.

Later, a mobile van of the cell was commissioned by Mr Sohal at the Sector 19 Wildlife Office. Mr Sharma said the van, which was funded by him, would be used to create awareness among people about snakes with the help of a projector borrowed from the Haryana Wildlife Department.

World Environment Day was jointly celebrated by the Petroleum Conservation Research Association, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum with a free pollution check-up camp at two petrol stations in Sectors 17 and 35.

Mr A.S. Bajwa, Divisional Manager of the association, said that one could cut about 20 per cent of one's fuel bill by following simple conservation tips.

A pollution check-up camp was also organised by the State Bank of India in Sector 17 in which 463 vehicles were examined.

The Department of NSS of Panjab University and the traders' union celebrated the day at Palsora colony. Dr C.L. Narang, Director of the Department, while inaugurating the function said rapid urbanisation and industrialisation was posing a threat to human existence. Dr R. K. Aggrawal of the Medical College Faridkot, said revival of epidemics like plague and dengue was all due to environment deterioration.

"No attention" paid to environment
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 5—Expressing concern over deterioration of the environment in the city, a number of participants in " The Environment in Chandigarh" seminar, organised by the Environment Society of India (ESI) at the Sector 11 Karuna Sadan here yesterday, criticised the authorities for not paying adequate attention towards the upkeep of the city.

Air Marshal Randhir Singh (retd), President of the Sector Welfare Associations , said that officials of the Administration were not sincere in performing their duties, particularly those concerning the environment of the city. He said the Municipal Corporation authorities should revive sector-level committees for speedy disposal of problems.

Dr S.S. Bhatti, a former Principal of Chandigarh College of Architecture, said the city was distinguished by its unique environment and creative climate which had produced so many professionals of national and international repute. "That is why, its active citizens are deeply concerned about its rapidly deteriorating environment," he added, saying that to stem the rot the most important step would be to set up an autonomous body of professionals to look after the planning, development and monitoring of the future expansion of the city. He suggested that the new sectors should be planned in a better way after taking feedback from the residents who had learnt valuable lessons from the first and second phase sectors.

Mr Jaidev Singh, Chairman of the Consumer Forum, said barbers sitting under trees in different parts of the city were causing serious environmental hazards by cutting and throwing hair under trees. Similarly, rickshawpullers had set up jhuggis in the backlanes of northern sectors and they used vacant places as open toilets, he added, demanding that such unhealthy practices should be stopped without any further delay.

He expressed concern over the use of children's parks as a place to dump construction material and construction waste at a number of places in the city, for which politicians were partly responsible.

Mr R. C. Bector, a former Haryana State Electricity Board Chairman, said stray cattle had become a major menace for residents of the city and arrangements should be made by the authorities to put these in cattle sheds run by the government and non-governmental organisations.

Dr. M. L. Juneja, a soil scientist, laid stress on the usefulness of vermiculture for improving the health of soil and for enhancing the yield of farms and gardens. He said rural people, without land holdings, should adopt vermiculture as a profession and they could earn handsome profit by selling worms.

Mr O. P. Narang said the the forest behind Sukhna Lake was vanishing at a fast pace as illegal felling of trees was going unchecked. He said the Forest Department should resort to pruning of trees as this would allow poor people to meet their requirement of wood for cooking.

Col Swaran Singh (retd), said heavy penalty should be imposed on residents found making the city unclean by throwing garbage. He urged the Municipal Corporation authorities to ensure proper disposal of grass, cut off branches of trees and of garbage.

Where staff pay for services
From Our Correspondent

MULLANPUR-GARIBDASS, June 5 — Continuous negligent attitude of the state authorities and panchayat has led to further deterioration in the condition of the general dispensary, here.

Both the local residents and dispensary staff are apprehending a tough time in view of the forthcoming monsoons. The main problem highlighted is the ground level of the dispensary. It is more than six feet below the road level. Even after a mild shower, water stagnates near the building.

The dispensary staff members have to wade through knee-deep water to reach it during the monsoons. It becomes extremely difficult for the villagers to carry a patient to the dispensary in the rainy season. The problem is compounded in the absence of any approach road.

Mr Natha Singh, a local resident, said that last year when his daughter was ill, he had to wait for more than three hours till the water level came down to normal.

The building of the dispensary is a shambles. There is no facility for drinking water and the visitors as well as the staff have to depend upon the nearby residents for it.

Sources revealed that though the dispensary has sufficient stock of medicines but residents complain of non-availability of several tablets such as disprin, paracetamol and other medicines for minor ailments.

A local resident, Mr Hardev Singh, said that the doctor posted here comes only occasionally and they get medicines prescribed by the pharmacist.

Though the dispensary has a laboratory, but it is in a very poor condition. The main door of the lab is damaged and the sources said that despite several complaints to the authorities, nothing has been done in this direction so far. Sources further said that the lab technician visits the place on alternate days. The same technician also looks after a dispensary at Kharar and they allege that it leads to inconvenience to the patients.

Reliable sources said that the electricity and telephone bills of the dispensary had to be paid by the staff itself due to non-availability of funds. Moreover, the telephone receiver placed here is also not functioning for past several weeks. Presently, it has the facility of incoming calls only.

The village dispensary also lacks sufficient staff. In the absence of any Class IV employee, the dispensary staff has appointed a sweeper and they pay him from the money pooled by the staff, sources said.

The staff posted at the dispensary complain of non-cooperative attitude of the locals and the panchayat itself. The area surrounding the dispensary has been turned into a dump yard by the villagers. The littered surroundings of the dispensary provide an infectious atmosphere. Complaints to the local panchayat have also fallen on deaf ears.