HEALTH

Conference on medical radiation technology
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 12
The first national conference of the Society of Medical Radiation Technology India is being organised by the Department of Radiotherapy on April 14 and 15. The society was set in 1997 with the aim of enhancing and promoting development of the medical radiation technology and look after professional and academic interest of medical radiation technologists.

Prof S.C. Sharma, Chairman and Head, Department of Radiology, said here today that medicine had become highly technology-oriented and the maximum advancements that had taken place in the field of radiation were highly useful in diagnosis of diseases and its treatment.

The radiation machines were being handled and operated for diagnosing as well as the treatment of cancer by medical radiation technologist who, according to the President of the society, Mr L.K. Tiwari, had become an important member in the medical field. The technologists need to be abreast with the latest development in the medical radiation technology and its applications in medicine and this conference would help in achieving this goal, said Mr Tiwari.

Mr Bhupinder Singh, Organising Secretary of the conference, informed that more than 160 delegates from all over India would be attending the two-day conference and experts in various aspects of medical technology would elaborate on the subject. These include Dr R.P. Bajpai, Director, CSIO, Prof Suman Kochchar, Department of Radiology, GMCH, Sector 32, Prof G.K. Rath, Head, Department of Radiology, AIIMS, and Dr S. Hukku, Head, Department of Radiotherapy, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute, New Delhi.

PGI to go ahead with selections
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 12
The selection of professors for various departments of the PGI, will be held as per schedule from April 16. Yesterday, there were speculations that the interviews will be postponed.

According to sources, additional professors fear that selected persons will become their seniors. However, selections of assistant professors will be on schedule.

The Governing Body of the PGI had approved a promotional scheme for half of the additional professors who had seven years of experience, following a decision of the Government’s Cabinet Council of Political Affairs on January 12, 2000.

The Cabinet had also sanctioned an additional package that included two advance increments for additional professors. This decision was also placed on record in an affidavit in the Delhi High Court.

However, additional professors of the PGI and the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) were not happy with the decision.

Meanwhile, sources said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had sought an explanation from the PGI authorities regarding the promotion interviews of professors for the posts of senior professor without a formal clearance. The interviews that were held about five months ago, had been awaiting ratification by the Governing Body that is to meet in the first week of May.

The Director of the AIIMS has also been asked to explain why two increments were released to additional professors there without the ministry orders, particularly when the case was in the Delhi High Court. Additional professors in the PGI are yet to receive these increments.

The Delhi High Court may give a judgement on the Bakshi Committee report in this month. Sources said the ministry did not want to take an action in this case before the judgement.

OPD open tomorrow
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh , April 12
The Out Patient Department (OPD) of the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, will remain open on Saturday, April 14,2001, and will work as usual.

According to a press release by the GMCH, Director Principal, Prof S.B.S. Mann, this has been done to avoid inconvenience to the general public.

100 episodes on health
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 12
Siti Healthline, a weekly health awareness programme telecast by the local cable network, has completed 100 episodes.

The programme is conducted by Dr Sarvinder Gandhok, a physician and a child specialist, as a guest speaker and anchored by Mr Iqbal Singh. The programme mainly focuses on educating masses about various diseases.

A special health programme for senior citizens is being introduced from next Friday.

SPORT

Arif, the man behind the winner
Arvind Katyal
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, April 12
It took nearly 15 years for Mr S.M. Arif to see his trainee, Gopichand, grow into a world-class player and of course title-holder of the badminton world’s biggest international tournament as he conveyed during deliberations at a seminar titled, “All England Badminton Coaches Conference”, which began here today at the Panjab University campus in praise of his trainee, Arif said. “He is totally focussed and will not let anything distract him.

Citing an example, Arif said, one day after the finals of a national championship, they were all enjoying dinner. When the dessert (ice cream) was served, Gopi, refused, saying that he did not want to disturb his diet schedule”. Arif said it was this dedication and determination of the 27-year-old Andhraite which finally helped him reach the zenith.

When asked how Gopi came into his fold, Arif said it was in November 1986, when Gopi’s elder brother, himself a badminton player, brought him to Fateh Maidan Stadium Badminton Hall, Hyderabad.

Though Gopi was not able to make a mark in the sub-junior section and had never won the title, but in 1991, Gopi became national junior champion for the first time. Arif said his trainees, former national junior doubles players, Parveen and Manoj, both were defensive and stroke players but he always wanted Gopi to become a player equipped with all modern techniques.

He said it was in 1990 when Gopi had an experience for the first time of playing with foreign players, i.e. Malaysians in India. Then, at the Malaysian Open, he went to play at Kuala Lumpur, which helped him gain more exposure and overcome his hesitation of competing on a foreign turf. Arif said when Gopi was to leave for the All England meet, he had asked him only to think of winning the title and not of improving his rankings. He said it was at 1.30 a.m., after the coveted win, when he received the phone call.

Arif, who is now the chief national coach was of the opinion that Gopi was a down-to-earth man and once he decided his target, he would go all the way to achieve it. Arif remembers that in 1994, Gopi suffered a serious knee injury when his cartilage got ruptured. He got himself operated through arthroscopy and in 1995, took part in the Senior National badminton meet in January by playing after wearing bracelets on his knee.

When asked if Gopi would be able to make it to the top in the forthcoming international tournaments, Arif said there was always a minute difference between the top players of the world, but as long as Gopi wanted he would maintain his place.

Arif was optimistic about the future of Indian badminton and said that there were many second-line badminton players like Abhinn Shyam Gupta, Sachin Ratti, Abhishek Bakshi, Sidhharth Jain, Chetan Anand in the men’s category and Gutta Jawala, Shruti Kurien, B.R. Meenakshi among women. Arif said Jawala and Shruti would certainly be the medal hopes of India in 2004 Athens Olympics and both were excellent doubles players too.

ADMINISTRATION

Rehabilitation criteria for Kumbhra approved
Tribune News Service

SAS Nagar, April 12
The Punjab Government today finally approved the criteria to be adopted for a rehabilitation scheme for Kumbhra village. Against the prevailing Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) allotment rate of Rs 3,750 per sq yard in the town , the people evacuated from the 63 “baras”, located outside the village pherni, would be allotted alternative plots at a rate of Rs 1,500 per sq yard.

The decision was taken at a meeting of PUDA officials chaired by the Punjab Urban Housing and Development Minister, Dr Upinderjit Kaur here. The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary Housing, Mr A.K. Dubey, Chief Administrator of PUDA, Mr K.B.S. Sidhu and Additional Chief Administrator, SAS Nagar, Mr Dipinder Singh. Alternative plots will be provided at the same site by the PUDA.

Of the total 8.5 acre of prime land in Kumbhra village, against which the PUDA had announced compensation in 1995 and which the villagers had refused to accept, at least five acre would be used to rehabilitate villagers. The remaining 3.5 acre would be exploited by the PUDA for commercial and residential purposes. Mr Sidhu said the beneficiaries had been divided into six categories, depending on their land holding. He said they would be provided alternative plots varying between 100 sq yard and 500 sq yard in area.

The land holders who had refused to take the compensation amount in 1995 would be free to withdraw the amount from the bank concerned. Mr Dipinder Singh said the beneficiaries would be given the choice of paying the allotment price in four yearly installments. The villagers are reported to have agreed to keep milch cattle out of the village.

Planning of the alternative plots had been done in a fashion to allow integration of the basic amenities in the area. Due to delay in removing the “baras”, planning of the area had been suffering. The rehabilitation of the Lambian and Madanpur villages would be taken up in the next phase.

In Kumbhra, Lambian and Madanpura villages, around 30 acre of prime land, earmarked for residential and commercial exploitation, had been encroached upon by the villagers. In Lambian village alone, at least nine acre of land earmarked for commercial use had been encroached upon.

CVO records statements
Tribune News Service

SAS Nagar 12
The Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) of the Local Government Department has recorded the statements of the councillors of the opposition group in connection with the case of evasion of octroi at the Sohana octroi collection post on Marcy 29. Two employees of the octroi wing in the local civic body were suspended by the president of the civic body in connection with their involvement in the case.

Mr S S Patwari, leading the members of the opposition in the civic body, said the CVO recorded their statements after they had complained to the Director in this regard. Certain employees of the civic body were also questioned in this connection.

Sources in the civic body said on the complaint of the councillors the entire records of the octroi fee levied on cement, cold drinks and heavy chemicals used in the industry had been requisitioned by the CVO.