HEALTH

‘Focus to be on biologically engineered drugs’
By Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 23 — In future, the focus from chemically synthesised drugs will shift to biologically engineered drugs, said Prof R.D. Kulkarni, a leading clinical pharmacologist from Mumbai.

Prof Kulkarni is in the city these days in connection with the ongoing XIX National Workshop on Clinical Pharmacology in the PGI. He holds the distinction of carrying out clinical trials for as many as two dozen drugs including tromaryl, a completely new medicine synthesised for arthritis.

Speaking to the Chandigarh Tribune, here today, he said the list of biologically engineered drugs included about 20 drugs at present. ‘‘All proteins are synthesised under the influence of a particular gene. If a gene is isolated and transferred to another cell, it multiplies and keeps on producing the protein which can be extracted,’’ he said.

According to him, the future will also see an increase in trial time and costs. ‘‘With rules and regulations of patent law becoming more stringent, fewer new drugs are now expected to hit the market. Besides, the drugs will also become more expensive,’’ he said.

‘‘Actually there are already too many drugs in the market,’’ said Prof Kulkarni. There is a category of drugs called ‘Me too drugs’ which exist in far too many numbers in the market. In the future many of these might disappear. Then there are ‘orphan drugs’ which are very cheap, but because few patients require them, these are not so profitable for drug manufacturers.

Clinical trials are carried out for either a new drug development or evaluation of an existing one. Clinical development is tested on animals for determination of its safety on human beings. After the protocol designing, a drug passes through four phases. In phase I studies are carried out on normal healthy human volunteers. ‘‘Despite the fact that these studies are being done for first time on human beings it is the safest phase as it involves very small doses under strictest supervision,’ says Dr Kulkarni.

In the second phase, studies are carried out on patients admitted in hospitals under very strict supervision. They are briefed extensively about the drug. The drug is administered gradually ensuring complete safety.

It is only after the third phase, in which tests are carried out on the OPD patients in large numbers, that the marketing is permitted. ‘‘This phase is carried out in natural settings to see the adverse effects of the drug, if any,’’ explained Prof Kulkarni. ‘‘After marketing, phase IV studies are carried out on general populations by holding extensive surveys,’’ he added.

2115 more get polio drops
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 23 — On the third and final day of the round two of the pulse polio campaign, 2115 children were administered polio drops in a house-to-house campaign conducted by the Health Department in the city, here today.

In this round, as many as 1,15,716 children up to the age of five years were administered polio drops which, according to Dr Satbir Singh, District RCH Officer, has exceeded the target figure of 1,15, 230.

‘‘The success of the campaign is due to the efforts put in by doctors, nurses and paramedics. Credit also goes to the volunteers including the anganwari workers, school children and teachers of private, government and government-aided school,’’ said Dr Singh.

SPORT

Kailash, Rampal are best athletes
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, Jan 23 — Kailash and Rampal were declared overall best athletes in the Ist sports meet of Recruit Training Centre, organised at the Sector 26 police lines today. Earlier, Mr R.S. Gujral, Home Secretary, UT, inaugurated the meet and Mr B.S. Bassi, IG, UT, was the chief guest.

The 100m race for women was won by Charanjit Kaur, while men 100m race went in favour of Rampal.

Other results —200m: men —Rampal 1, Rakesh 2 and Baljinder Singh 3. women: Kailash 1, Jaspreet Kaur 2 and Mamtesh 3; 800m men — Joginder Singh 1, Jagjinder Singh 2 and Bhil Singh 3; women — Kailash 1, Jaspreet Kaur 2 and Gagandeep Kaur 3; shot put men — Dalbir Singh 1, Rajesh Kumar 2 and Rakeshwari Singh 3; women —Charanjit Kaur 1, Inderpreet Kaur 2 and Kailash 3; javelin throw men — Rajesh Kumar 1, Mukesh Kumar 2 and Sanjay Kumar 3; women — Kailash 1, Inderpreet Kaur 2 and Chandermukhi 3; 1500 m men —Jagjinder Singh 1, Joginder Singh 2 and Bhil Singh 3; women — Kailash 1, Gagandeep Singh 2 and Jaspreet Kaur 3; discus throw — men — Rajesh Kumar 1, Mukesh Kumar 2 and Dalbir Singh 3; women — Kailash 1, Chandermukhi 2 and Rajwant Kaur 3; high jump women — Inderpreet Kaur 1, Retu Kashyap 2 and Charanjit Kaur 3; 400 m men — Rampal 1, Bhil Singh 2 and Jagjinder Singh 3; women — Kailash 1 and Randeep Kaur 2.

Long jump men — Rampal 1, Rajesh Kumar 2 and Surinder Singh 3; women; Charanjit Kaur 1, Pinky Sharma 2 and Inderpreet Kaur 3. 4x 100 m relay race women —Inderpreet, Charanjit, Mamtesh and Jaspreet 1, Pinky Sharma, Rajwant Kaur 2, Rajesh Kumari and Baljit Kumari 2 and Kailash, Mukesh, Simarjit and Monika 3.

Men — Bhil Singh, Rampal, Jagjinder Singh and Baljinder Singh 1, Rajesh Kumar, Rakesh Kumar, Joginder Singh and Mukesh Kumar 2 and Navdeep Sharma, Naveen Kumar, Om Prakash and Surinder Singh 3.

5000 m men — Joginder Singh 1, Sanjay 2 and Jasbir Kumar 3.

Basketball team
The UT Sports Department has selected 15 basketball eves for a week-long, coaching camp to be held at Sports Complex, Sector 7. According to Mr K.S. Bharti, in charge, Youth Affairs and Sports, UT the selected girls will then represent UT, in the 27th National Women Sports Festival (group III) at Haldia (West Bengal) from February 1 to 4. The camp begins tomorrow at 3 p.m.

The probables are; Kamaldeep Kaur, Amandeep Kaur, Manjula, Ranjeeta, Sarita, Babita, Anchal, Jatinder Kaur, Deepika, Inderjit Kaur, Sandeep Kaur, Navneet Kaur, Harpreet Kaur, Deepika Dutta, Kiran Dhillon and Amandeep.

Cricket meet
Atma Kumar Sabha Senior Secondary School, Patiala, defeated DAV Senior Secondary School, Sector 8, Chandigarh, by 65 runs in a match played here at PCA Cricket Stadium, SAS Nagar, and thus qualified for the Inter-State PCA- PARLE G Inter-School Cricket Tournament to be held in April.

Winter golf
The Chandigarh Golf Association will organise the CGA Winter Fun Golf at the CGA Golf Range for men and women on January 28. According to Mr D.P. Azad, president, CGA, the tournament will have events in six holes golf match, driving competition (longest drive), pitching/putting (pitch and putt), bunker shots, putting and ladies putting competition.

ADMINISTRATION

10 to get commendation certificates
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 23 — The Chandigarh Administration has decided to award Commendation Certificates to outstanding persons from the city on the Republic Day function for their achievements in different fields.

Sunit, a student of Government College for Men, Sector 11,will be given the certificate for saving the life of a child in a fire that took place in a market in Sonepat in 1999.Mr J.D. Chawla, a resident of Sector 38,will be awarded the certificate for outstanding achievement in the field of social work.

Among sportspersons to be awarded for their achievements are Abhinav Bindra, for outstanding achievements in the field of rifle shooting and Ms Gurpreet Kaur, student of Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 20-d ,for winning Bronze Medal at the VI Asian Junior Rowing Championship-December 2000 and gold medal in the National Championship at Bangalore in November 2000. Inspectors Kulwant Singh, J. S. Cheema and SI Nasib Singh, of Chandigarh Police for meritorious service.

Mr Manmeet Pal Singh, of Shivalik Enclave, Manimajra, for outstanding work in the field of Art in spite of being physically challenged.

Mr Paramjit Singh, a resident of Sector 35-D,and Mr Manjit Singh, of Sector 33-B, will be given the certificate for showing extraordinary courage and bravery.

Panel to supervise tree pruning
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 23 — The UT Finance Secretary, Mr Rakesh Singh at a meeting held here today with senior officials of the Administration and Corporation discussed the issue of tree pruning in the city. The drive to prune trees in the city was taken up by the Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh, few days back to ensure proper illumination of roads.

A committee has been constituted to supervise the entire operation of pruning of trees and decide on the extent of Pruning required. The members of this committee are the Deputy Conservator Forests, Mr Ishwar Singh, XEN Horticulture, MC Mr Raghbir Singh , XEN electrical, Mr S.N Makkar and DSP traffic, Mr S.S Randhawa. The committee has been, to begin with, asked to supervise the pruning of trees on as many as five roads, including the roads dividing Sectors 10 and 11, Sectors 20 and 21 Sectors 16 and 23, 18 and 19 & 18 & 20. The panel has been asked to submit its report regarding the action plan by January 30.

The committee will ensure that there is no excess pruning of trees and only those branches which block the street lights are pruned. Even those branches, which become heavy and are liable to fall following storm or rain and block roads will be pruned. Few people and environmentalists in the city had earlier criticised the authorities for undertaking excessive pruning and even cutting off some branches. The MC had on its part clarified that they are simply pruning the trees, since no such effort had been made by the authorities concerned in the past few years.

Those who attended the meeting were the Chief Engineers, UT and MC namely Mr R.K Jain and Mr Puranjit Singh and SE's of both the administration and the corporation.

AEO transferred?
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGAR, Jan 23 — Within five days of the division of work between the Executive Officer (EO), Mr K.S. Brar and the Additional Executive Engineer (AEO), Mr Charanjeet Singh, of the local civic body, the Local Government Department today transferred the AEO to the Samrala civic body.

In a late evening development the Local Bodies Minister, Mr Balramji Dass Tandon, stayed the transfer orders of the AEO.

The AEO was relieved of his charge by the Executive Officer (EO), Mr K.S. Brar today. The work of the civic body was divided between the two officials after a decision in this regard was taken at a meeting of the council held on December 27 last.

While the Engineering and the octroi wing will now be looked after the Executive Officer, the work of enforcement, stray cattle, sanitation, streetlighting and accounts will be looked after by the Additional Executive Engineer (AEO).

The transfer of the AEO has raised many an eye brow. Sources in the civic body said the transfer was the result of groupism. The councillors of the ruling group in the civic body were in favour of dividing the work but the other group siding with the EO was not in favour of this.

Tension in this regard had become evident ever since the work was divided. Sources, however, did not rule out the possibility of political interference in the transfer. A councillor on condition of anonymity said the issue would be raised at the right forum. However, no official of the civic body was available for comments.