The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

HEALTH

PU don is fellow of medical academy
By Sanjeev Singh Bariana
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 4 — In a distinction, Prof S. K. Kulkarni from the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Panjab University has been elected Fellow of the National Academy of Medical Sciences.

The highest academy of medical scientists in the country largely chooses doctors for research in patient care. However, Dr Kulkarni, known for his research in the area of drug discovery and receptor pharmacology, was chosen this year.

Dr Kulkarni is a Fullbrighter and recipient of the Ranbaxy Research Award. He was also awarded the coveted Prof G P Srivastava Memorial National Award for his contribution to pharmaceutical education.

Dr Kulkarni's work covers drug abuse and alcoholism, treatment of alcoholics, how they act and overall impact on human personality.

Talking to The Tribune today, Dr Kulkarni said a large part of the research work had been compiled in the form of textbooks. The study centralised on finding how to cause de-alcoholism. However, more important was management of withdrawal symptoms which often caused abnormalities at times.

Reflecting on the study, he said the primary object was to find why this happens? This is followed by studying the chemistry of brain and compositions which changed on drug or alcohol addition. A major part of the findings of the research work remains academic but one idea had contributed in form of treatment 'tablets'.

Generally speaking, the study did not find enough exposition at the high levels of university. To make matters worse, the Indian industry invested less than one per cent in research activity. They only produced medicines. The USA, on the other hand, spent 15 per cent on research. Dr Kulkarni felt that the research work needed connectivity with the real scenario.

Interesting work is going on the front of bio-rhythms. Dr Kulkarni said that it was interesting to study how the internal clock regulated body organ movements. The major related areas included thinking, emotion system and immunisation system.

Significant work was pointed out on the front of drugs used in case of mental orders, anxiety and depressions.

Batish is head of homoeo college
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 4 — The Council of Homoeopathic System of Medicine, Punjab has appointed Dr K.C Batish, one of the council members, as the administrator of the Sector 26 Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital with immediate effect. A decision to this effect was taken today at a meeting of the management and representatives of the students.

The Secretary of the management, Mr C.L. Dhamija has given in writing that the principal, Mr K.K. Dhiman, is already on leave and the next seniormost person, Mrs Kiran Mehta is officiating in his place. Sources, however, reveal that the management has not issued any written orders to Mrs Mehta about her officiating record nor do they have on record the leave application of the Principal. Mrs Mehta was reportedly told about her new assignment merely on the telephone and that she would continue till further orders.

Mr Alok Garg, President of the ABVP unit of the campus said that the students will start attending classes with effect from Monday. It has also been resolved that the theory examination of the council as well as the house examination will be conducted under the supervision of the member of the Council of Homoeopathic System of Medicine, Punjab and one parent representative. The students have been agitating over a month to seek the removal of the college Principal.

When contacted, the secretary, Mr Dhamija, confirmed the above facts.

SPORT

Sheer wastage of public money
From Our Correspondent

SAS NAGAR, Feb 4—How public money is wasted and wrong planning undertaken can be seen from work in progress in front of the Cricket Stadium of the PCA here.

Municipal Council officials were agitated today over PUDA’s action in uprooting a footpath on which public funds had been spent to provide a rainwater disposal system.

They said PUDA had earlier asked the council to construct the footpath, which it did at considerable expense. The work was completed about two years ago, with one council official estimating that between Rs 2 lakh and Rs 3 lakh in public money was spent on the work. They said all had now gone down the drain.

A PUDA engineering wing official said the footpath had to be uprooted so that a stormwater line could be provided along the main road in front of the stadium. There was earlier only one road gully which was not adequate for draining away rainwater. The road gully near gate no 4 of the stadium was ineffective as the slope of the area was towards gate no. 1. At the time of leavy rain it was difficult for traffic to pass in front of the cricket stadium.

He said PUDA was providing four or five road gullies and two covered drains of 30 ft each in front of the main stadium gates. The line would be connected to the principal drainage system of the area with RCC pipes. The expenditure would be around Rs 2 lakh. The footpath would have to be restored, he added.

Sport centres for women soon
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, Feb 4 — Chandigarh will soon have two sport centres for women, one for hockey and the other for badminton, to be managed by the Sports Authority of India in coordination with the UT Sports Department and respective associations. Mr P.C. Kashyap, Regional Director of the SAI, Northern Centre, Sector 42, said these centres would be at the Sector 42 Indoor Hall and the Astroturf in same complex.

"The scheme is to be formally launched from next acedemic session. Players in the age-group of 16 to 23 will be trained under the scheme," said Mr Kashyap.

Patiala will also have a centre of excellence in athletics for men and women.

To become eligible for the scheme, the players should have done well at the national level. The final decision will be taken with the help of the associations and the coaches concerned.

Mr Kashyap also said in case of the scheme at Chandigarh, the combined strength of trainees in the two games would not exceed 50, that too because hockey was a team game.

The facilities to be given include free lodging and boarding facilities at Rs 100 per day, free AC second class return train fare from the home town to the centre once in six months, financial help for participating in national-level competitions, medical and life insurance, sport kit worth Rs 6,000, support of GTMT expert, physiologists and psychologists, besides two sets of equipment and medical facilities.

On the question of infrastructural defects in the turf and courts at Sector 42, Mr Kashyap said overhauling of Indoor Hall would be done along with the replacing of the Astroturf by the UT Sports Department.

The SAI, does not have a place of its own in the city and is dependent on the UT for the infrastructure. Its coaches have been employed at various centres. At other places like Bangalore, Calcutta, Gandhinagar and Patiala, the SAI has its own infrastructure.

Mr Kashyap said the hockey centre would be run with the cooperation of the Chandiagrh Women's Hockey Association and badminton centre with the help of the Chandigarh Badminton Association.

He also said, "We will publicise the scheme throughout India and the idea will be to have more national-level coaching camps where the best talent available will be selected." He also said more coaches would be appointed for these selected sport centres. The SAI is already running the National Talent Search Scheme, the Army Boys Sport Company, the Special Area Games Scheme and the day-boarding scheme.

Mr Kashyap also hailed the recent appointment of Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, a keen sport lover, as the Union Sports Minister, in addition to his earlier charge. He said this would help improve the facilities in this part of the country.

Badminton tourney begins
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, Feb 4 — The four-day Chandigarh State Badminton Championship was inaugurated here today by Mr M.P. Singh, IAS and Commissioner of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, himself a keen badminton player.

In the matches played today, all the seeds had a smooth sail. In the men's singles, Varun Sharma had to fight hard to beat Ashirwad in a three-game thriller, 14-17, 15-13, 15-12.

In another exciting match, Bhavna Sharma was also extended to three games by Isha Sharma before winning, 11-5, 3-11, 11-3.

Top seed in the under-10 boys' section, Oscar Bansal scored a fine win over Gurvir Singh, 15-6, 15-0, while Hardeep beat Aman Sethi, 15-5, 15-2. In the under-13 girls' section, Purnika had to struggle hard to beat Neha, 8-11, 11-5, 11-0.

Earlier in the morning, a former Mayor of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, Mr Gian Chand Gupta and the local BJP President, Mr Dharampal Gupta, both keen badminton players, attended the inauguration ceremony. Mr M.C. Sethi, President of the Chandigarh Badminton Association, welcomed the chief guest, while Mr D.K. Mukerjee, Chairman of the CBA, proposed a vote of thanks. Also present was Mr P.C. Kashyap, Regional Director of the Sports Authority of India.

The results of other matches played today were as follows: men's singles — Varun Sharma b Ashirwad, 14-17, 15-13, 15-12; Sunny b Manoj, 15-10, (conceded); boys' singles — Naresh b Navjeet Singh, 15-1, 15-1; Vivek b Nitin Sood, 15-0, 15-0; women's singles — Bhavna Sharma b Isha Sharma, 11-5, 3-11, 11-3;

Under-16 boys' singles — Narinder b Rahul Bimra, 15-9, 15-3; under-13 boys' singles — Vikas Kaul b Pankaj Walia, 15-0, 15-0; Neeraj Kapoor b Maninder Singh, 15-1, 15-2; Gurkirandeep b Sunil, 15-2, 15-11; Oscar Bansal b Abhimanyu, 15-1, 15-3; Harvinder Chahal b Jalag, 15-5, 15-11; Oscar Bansal b Gurkirandeep, 15-8, 15-1.

Girls — Purnika b Neha, 8-11, 11-5, 11-0; Satinder b Prabhjot, 11-5, 11-2; Samridhi b Seema, 11-3, 13-12; under-10 boys' singles — Oscar Bansal b Gurvir Singh, 15-6, 15-0; Hardeep b Aman Sethi, 15-5, 15-2.

Athletics meet: The 42nd Annual Athletics Meet of DAV College, Sector 10, began here today with releasing of balloons and hoisting of the college flag by Mr K.A.P. Sinha, IAS and Joint- Director-cum-DPI (Colleges). The college this year, sent five players to international meets.

Mr Sinha also released a souvenir dedicated to Captain Vikram Batra (PVC) and Major Sandeep Sagar, who were martyred while fighting in Kashmir.

Earlier, Mr R.C. Jeevan, Principal, read out the report of the achivements of the sportspersons of the college in various sport. The college had also won the Sir Shadi Lal Shield for general efficiency and excellence in sport for the 29th year in succession. Sunil Yadav, who recently won bronze medal at the All-India Inter-Varsity Athletics Meet held at Gwalior was today again in the limelight after winning two gold medals in 400 m and 1,500 m races.

The results of the first day were as follows: 1,500 m — Sunil Yadav 1, Vikas Kumar 2, Sunil Kumar 3; triple jump — Mayank Bhushan 1, Parmender Singh 2, Rakesh Kumar 3; javelin throw — Charanjit Singh 1, Parmender Singh 2, Juvraj Singh 3; discus throw — Gagandeep Singh 1, Parmender Singh 2, Charanjit Singh 3; 400 m — Sunil Yadav 1, Lakhbir Singh 2, Rakesh Chand 3.

Volleyball meet: DAV College, Sector 10, beat SGGS College, Chandigarh, 24-26, 18-25, 25-21, 25-20, 15-12, in the Panjab University Inter-College Volleyball ('A' division) Tournament at the PU grounds today. The match between Government College, Ludhiana, and Government College, Hoshiarpur, could not take place due to rain.

ADMINISTRATION

Aid for deceased Army men’s kin
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 4 — As a welfare measure, financial assistance was extended to the next of kin of deceased Army Education Corps (AEC), personnel as well as to those who were rendered invalid out of service out of service on account of disability.

The Additional Director-General Army Education and Colonel Commandant AEC, Maj-Gen M.P.S. Tyagi handed over cheques of Rs 50,000 each at a function organised at Chandi Mandir, near here, today.

The assistance has been released from the Army Central welfare Fund. The recipients included Mrs Baljeet Kaur (w/o Hav Karnail Singh, Amritsar), Mrs Tara Devi (w/o Hav Mast Ram, Hamirpur), Mrs Angrej Kaur (w/o Hav Sucha Singh, Ropar), Mrs Kamla Devi (m/o Hav Bidhi Singh Rana, Kangra), Mrs Lila Wanti (m/o Hav Sewa Ram, Jammu), Ex-Hav Sujan Singh Azad (Muktsar) and Ex-Hav Kashmira Singh Sran (Gurdaspur).

Speaking on the occasion, Maj-Gen Tyagi said the corps had played a key role in enhancing the educational and professional standard of the troops in the post-Independence era. He said AEC personnel are widely scattered in every garrison, headquarters, training centres, ‘A’ category establishments, military schools and colleges and are actively involved in carrying out this duty.

The human resources development centres run by the AEC personnel function as nodal centres for imparting training in foreign and regional languages, communication skills, besides conducting classes for the Army Cadet College, Certificate of Education, map reading and music training.

Referring to the memorandum of understanding signed between the Army and Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) last year, Maj-Gen Tyagi said this had enabled Command Human Resource Development Centres to function as regional centres of IGNOU, opening new vistas in the field of formal as well as vocational education to all ranks of the Army through distance education mode.

Ruling out any reduction in AEC strength as was the apprehension among the section of the personnel, Maj-Gen Tyagi said certain vacancies which were done away with earlier are now being re-introduced as per the requirement of the formations. He also invited suggestions and grievances from AEC personnel attending the function.

The Deputy Commandant of the AEC Training College and Centre, Col V.K. Singh and Colonel Education Western Command, Col I.S. Punia were also present on the occasion along with other AEC officers and personnel.