HEALTH

‘Improve mental health through spirituality’
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, September 3
Stress and strain could lead mental health to disaster but strengthening will power and enlighten our innerselves through spirituality is the only way out left. These were the view of panelists during a discussion on the topic “Mental health and addiction — role of community” on the occasion of celebrations of annual day of Bhai Ghanaiya Sewa International, Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle.

Presiding over the function, Dr Jaswant Singh Neki, former Director of the PGI, Chandigarh, gave several practical points for smooth and healthy living. He said that families “who pray together, stay together.”

Ms Ashita Mittal, Senior National Programme Officer, United Nations Drug Control Program (UNDCP), was of the opinion that the rat race in which “we all have fallen is among the important cause for mental ill-health. We link our achievements to worldly and materialistic gains. We must guide our children that it is ok to be ok with ourself.”

Initiating the discussion, Dr Brijpal Singh, former Professor of the LBS Academy of Administration, Mussorie, stressed the need for meditation and practical applications of teachings of Gurbani in the daily life.

Other panelists, Dr R. Kala, clinical psychologist, Dr Gurpreet Inder Singh, Dr Gurninderpal Singh, Dr Raghbir Singh, a Former MS, GTB Hospital, Prof Balwinder Pal Singh, Editor, Sada Virsa Sada Gaurav, and Dr Harnek Singh, felt concerned about deteriorating mental health of society and suggested useful measures to uplift the status of mental health. Everybody felt that stress was here to stay and “we have to prepare ourselves for it.”

Around 200 delegates attended the function held in Bhai Ghanaiya Hall, Gurdwara Sarabha Nagar, Ludhiana. Mr Gurmit Singh, Chief Secretary, Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle, welcomed the delegates.

Sewa Award-2001 was conferred on Dr Sukhmeet Singh for his service in the field of medical literature and first aid training.

PCMS body resents policy on promotions
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, September 3
The Punjab Civil Medical Services (PCMS) Association has expressed resentment over what it terms as “meager chances of promotions and stagnation in the PCMS cadre”. The association claimed that only 1 per cent of the PCMS doctors were getting the promotion opportunity in a cadre of 4,700 doctors.

The issue was discussed at the state executive meeting held here at ESI Hospital under the chairmanship of Dr Hardeep Singh, state president of the association.

According to a press release, Dr Hardeep Singh said resentment prevailed among the PCMS doctors due to big anomaly in which, after 14 years of service, PCMS doctors practically were not getting any benefit of 4, 9 and 14 years of the ACP. He said there was much more promotional opportunity for other officers of the Punjab cadre.

The president said due to this, senior doctors with 20 to 30 years of service experience were hurt and dejected as the pay scale of the Medical Officers, Senior Medical Officer, Civil Surgeon and Additional Director was practically same. Although their counterparts in the Union Government were getting scales like, Senior Administrative Grade (SAG), Higher Administrative Grade (HAG) and scale of Director General Health Service (DGHS).

Dr Surinder Singla, general secretary of the association, demanded the Cadre review of the PCMS service immediately as now except three posts of Directors, whole cadre had been placed in the same scale pattern which was a great anomaly. He also demanded 150 new posts of Additional Civil Surgeon at the district headquarters with rank of Joint Director.

The Association threatened that next plan of action will soon be decided in case the Punjab Government failed to remove this anomaly.

Dr Balwinder Kumar, registrar of the association, demanded new post of SMO as a placement post for Medical Officers in the new cadre review.

He also demanded filling of vacant post of Medical Officers in the rural areas as regular PPSC selection and not on contact basis as declared by the Punjab Government.

SPORTS

Badminton hall spruced up
Our Sports Reporter

Ludhiana, September 3
The badminton hall of Sutlej Club has been renovated. The hall, which remained closed for the last three months, was declared open for the club members and their dependents on Sunday.

A face-lift has been given to the hall with teraflex synthetic flooring, the first of its kind in India and imported from France, been laid down in the three-court hall. The total expenditure on the renovation work and synthetic flooring stood at Rs 17 lakh, stated Mr Navneet (Tony) Malhotra, sports secretary of the club.

Mr S.K. Sandhu, Deputy Commissioner and president of the club, inaugurated the upgraded hall, which was tastefully decorated with flowers and balloons. The Deputy Commissioner also honoured Mr Arun Dhand.

Mr S.R Kaler, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Administration), Mr A.S. Chawla, general secretary of the club, along with other members of the executive committee, Mr Gianinder Singh, Senior District Sports Officer (badminton), Kamal Kwatra, captain of club team and Mangat Rai Sharma, coach of the club, were also present on the occasion.

From kabaddi to basketball
Shruti Setia

Ludhiana, September 3
Parminder Singh, captain of the Indian Basketball team has a long list of achievements. He belongs to Bhandal Bet village in Kapurthala district. He was always interested in sports. Since he comes from a village, where there is no basketball ground, he never played basketball in his childhood. He used to play kabaddi at school level. He got his first chance to play basketball in 1989 when he joined the Punjab Police.

According to him, the ADGP, Mahal Singh Bhullar, encouraged him to participate in the game. He started playing for the Punjab Police. Because of his hard work, in just one year, he became proficient in the game.

In 1990, he was selected for the Punjab team and because of his outstanding performance throughout the year he was selected for the Indian squad. It was his strong determination that made him a national player in just three years.

The journey of his success started in 1991 when he went to Malaysia as a member of the Indian basketball team. Later in 1992, he went to the USA. Arujna awardee Sarjan Singh Cheema was his coach at that time. Parminder is thankful to him for his overall development.

In 1995, the Indian team won the gold medal in the South Asian Federation (SAF) Games and Parminder was declared the top scorer . His admirable performance in these games gave him a recognition at the international level. He went on practising more and more to gain perfection in all aspects of the game.

He was honoured with the ‘Best Player’ award in the Golden Eagle Tournament in 1996. Because of his continuous good performance he became the captain of the Indian team in 1997 and since then he is leading the team. He led the Indian team in the tournament in Saudi Arabia.

The Indian team won gold medals in the SAARC Games-2000 at Guwahati and the Asian Basketball Championship-2001 in China under his captainship. According to him the biggest achievement in his sports career has been the qualifying of the Indian team for Asiad this year. This is after 28 years that the Indian team has qualified for the games. He was declared the top scorer in the Asiad qualifying matches.

He is grateful to his parents and coaches, Paramdeep Singh Teja and Mandeep Singh, for their support.

He deservingly feels proud of his achievements and wants to lead the Indian basketball team in the Olympics. He feels that government backing is a must to encourage youngsters to take interest in sports. Government should provide the requisite infrastructure to players so as to take the best out of them.

Rajveer, Sonu win body-building
championship titles
Our Sports Reporter

Ludhiana, September 3
Rajveer Singh and Sonu Kumar were adjudged “Muscle Man of Ludhiana” and “Handicapped Body-Builder” respectively, in the Ludhiana District Body-Building Championship organised by the District Amateur Body-Building Association at the Mai Nand Kaur Gurdwara Dharmshala, Ghumar Mandi, here on Sunday.

More than 150 participants took part in this one-day championship. Competition in four categories — Sub-junior body-builder, Mr beginner, handicapped body-builder and Muscle man — were conducted during this meet. Dr Randhir Hastir and Mr Vijay Kumar were the judges at this meet. Mr P.P. Khullar, former body-building champion, and president of the local Body-Building Association, gave away prizes to the winners.

Final results: Sub-junior (below 60 kg) — 1. Charan Kamal, 2. Anoop Kumar Tiwari, 3. Amit Handa; 60 to 65 kg — 1. Sandeep Kumar, 2. Ravneet Singh, 3. Jatinder Pal Singh; 65 to 70 kg — 1. Suresh Sharma, 2. Amit Sachdeva, 3. Sunny Batra; (above 70 kg) — 1. Jagdeep Singh, 2. Harjit Singh, 3. Swaraj Sharma.

Mr Beginner (below 60 kg) — 1. Virpal, 2. Charan Kamal, 3. Vicky Sahota; 60-65kg — 1. Jatinder Singh, 2. Vijay Kumar, 3. Vippan Kumar; 65-70kg — 1. Jagmohan Singh, 2. Dharmendar Kumar, 3. Amarjeet Singh; Above 70kg) — 1. Harsimran Singh Harry, 2. Shamsher Singh, 3. Pradeep Kumar.

Handicapped body-builder — 1. Sonu Kumar, 2. Jasbir Singh, 3. Gurpreet Singh.

Muscle Man of Ludhiana — 1. Rajveer Singh, 2. Rahul, 3. Kamal Hockey tournament: Ten top junior outfits of the country will take part in the second edition of the All-India Jagtar Singh Memorial Hockey Tournament (u-19) to be organised by the Aryan Hockey Club from October 1 to 7 here at the astro turf stadium of Punjab Agricultural University, according to Mr Kulwant Singh Boparai, general secretary of the club.

Teams to take part in this week- long tournament include: Mumbai XI, Lucknow XI, Junior Academy, Delhi, Hayana XI, Sports School, Jalandhar, Surjit Hockey Academy, Jalandhar,Shivalik Academy, Chandigarh, Grewal Academy, Kila Raipur, Namdhari XI , Bhaini Sahib and Ramesh Chander Memorial Society, Jalandhar.