The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

HEALTH

Seminar to take up nutritional concerns
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 20
The reed-thin models on TV and in print media may have inspired many young girls to maintain their figures. But then they have made some others diet so feverishly that they have ended up in the grasp of a fatal nutrition based psychological disorder, “Anorexia Nervosa”.

Believe it or not, but the GMCH Paediatrics Department was referred a 13-year-old female patient suffering from this disorder. Fortunately for her, the parents were alert enough to detect that their child had a problem well in time and seek medical help for her before it was too late. The girl was admitted to the GMCH psychiatry ward and was discharged recently after treatment.

Hers is, however, not the only case as according to the GMCH Paediatric Department Head, Dr Veena Parmar, the institute gets at least one adolescent patient of anorexia nervosa every month.

To address this and other problems related to paediatric nutrition, the GMCH Dietetics Department in collaboration with the Paediatrics Department is organising a one-day CME 2001 on the topic.

Addressing the mediapersons today, GMCH Chief Dietician, Ms Manju Mathur, organising secretary of the seminar, said the CME would update the nutritional knowledge of dietetic fraternity to keep pace with the advancement in the field of medicine with the help of experts in the field including Dr Shanti Ghosh, Dr K. Gauba, Dr R. Murlidharan, Prof Lata Kumar, Dr Atul Sachdev , Prof B.S. Chavan, Dr Banani Paddar and others.

Besides nutritional needs of adolescents some other topics for discussion would include, diet management strategies in juvenile diabetes , diet and dental health, coeliac disease and prenatal nutrition and weaning.

According to Dr Parmar, for first six months of an infant’s life mother’s milk is most essential. And later, the child should be weaned with homemade cereals and diet instead of commercial food available in the market, she said..

SPORTS

Harleen, Samridhi in semis
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, September 20
The second day of the 13th Chandigarh State Badminton Championship being played here at the Sector 42 indoor badminton hall, saw Samridhi Mahajan of Sacred Heart School, Sector 26, making her way into the last four of the girls under-16 section of the meet. She outplayed Neha Sethi in three games. The top seed Harleen also reached the last four by beating Mehak Sethi in straight games.

Results (Quarter-final)
Below-13: girls — Seema b Tanu, 7-1,7-0,7-0; Astha b Jasmine, 7-0,7-2,7-0; Purnika b Shahni, 7-0,7-0,7-1; Neha Sethi b Sukhinder, 7-0,7-0,7-1. Boys: Oscar Bansal b Aman, 7-1,7-2; Sunil Mahala b Gurbir Singh, 7-0,7-0,7-1; Hardeep b Viresh, 7-0,7-0,7-1; Munish Bansal b Nitin, 7-1,7-1,7-1;

Below-16: girls — Harleen b Mehak Sethi, 7-0,7-2,7-1; Kanika b Shilpa, 7-3,7-4,7-1; Seema b Priya, 7-0,7-0,7-0; Samridhi Mahajan b Neha Sethi, 7-2, 7-1, 7-0. Boys: Narinder b Hanish, 7-5,7-1,7-0;Vikas Kaul b Rajinder, 7-0,7-1,7-2; Oscar Bansal b Gurkirandeep, 7-1,7-0,7-2; Neeraj Kapoor b Aryan Aggarwal, 7-0, 7-0, 7-0.

Below-19: boys: Puneet Bansal b Narinder, 7-0,7-1,7-1; Kartar Sethi b Paras Gupta, 7-1, 7-4, 8-6; Gurjit b Pankaj, 3-7, 7-2, 7-4, 7-1; Robin b Ishaan, 7-2,7-0, 8-6.

Men singles: Vivek Sharma walkover Akash Sethi; Rudra Kaushik b Amit Sachdeva, 7-5,7-5,7-0; Deepak Sidhu b Naresh Kundu, 7-2,7-1,7-3; Ashish Sharma b Varun Sharma, 7-2,7-2, 7-4.

Fencing results
Jatinder Singh defeated Sandeep Singh, 5-4, to annex the title in the sabre individual event for boys (under-14) in the Patiala District Fencing Championships played at the Polo grounds here today. Darshpreet and Suneet Kumar were placed a joint third.

In the foil event for women, Manjot Kaur managed to quell a spirited challenge put up by Shavinder Kaur and downed her, 5-4, to clinch the title. The third place was jointly shared by Navjot Kaur and Lavineet Kaur.

Other results: Foil individual (girls, under-14): Sandeep Kaur-1, Harleen Kaur-2, Sapna and Hemant-joint 3rd.

Epee individual (boys, under-14): Manavdeep Singh-1, Kailash -2, Simarpreet Singh and Karanbir Joshi-joint 3rd; epee individual (girls, under-14): Rupneet -1, Guneet-2, Harleen Kaur and Sapna-joint 3rd.

ADMINISTRATION

Polybag ban only on paper
Pradeep Sharma
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 20
Five days after the Chandigarh Administration imposed a ban on the use of recycled polythene and plastic bags with less than 20 micron thickness for carrying and storing foodstuff, the ban seems to be on paper only if their widespread use is any indication.

With the administration yet to a launch a sustained campaign to discourage the use of the polythene bags and public ignoring the ill-effects of recycled polybags with a thickness of below 20 microns, their use goes unabated especially by the small-time vendors.

A random survey by Chandigarh Tribune today revealed that recycled polythene bags in varied colours continued to be used with impunity by dhabas owners, vegetable and fruit vendors and small-time shopkeepers in various markets.

In fact, a substantial number of the small-time traders were oblivious of the ban and punishment prescribed under the law. “There is hardly any alternative to these bags and I am not aware of any ban”, remarked a vegetable vendor of Sector 20 rehri market when asked about the ill-effects of carrying and storing of foodstuff in the polythene bags.

The Administration had imposed a ban on the use of recycled plastic bags and those with a thickness of less than 20 microns for carrying and storing foodstuffs on September 14. And according to the provision of Section 19 of the Environment (Protection) Act and other Rules, the violation is punishable with imprisonment which may extend up to five years or with fine which may extend up to Rs 1 lakh or both. Observers feel the enforcement of the ban is going to be an uphill task for the Administration since the manufacturing of these bags has not been banned in the recent order.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that the Administration was planning a sustained campaign to create public awareness on the ban on polybags and highlighting their ill-effects on health. The awareness campaign and strict action against the violators would go simultaneously, an administration official informed.

The administration, it may be noted, has formed two prescribed authorities for the enforcement of the ban. While the Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee will coordinate with the manufacturers and processors to help in enforcing the ban, the Deputy Commissioner will interact with the representatives of the Chandigarh Beopar Mandal, NGOs and other bodies to enforce the ban.

On the other hand, polythene bag manufacturing units face a bleak future. Over 30 units mainly manufacturing recycled polybags would be on the verge of the closure if the ban was strictly enforced, rued Mr Satish Sharma, president of the Chandigarh Plastic Manufacturers Association.

Terming the ban as “ambiguous”, Mr Sharma alleged the association had not been consulted before the imposition of the ban. Regarding the order on printing of the “recycled material” and “virgin plastic” , Mr Sharma said it was “not economical” since printing machine’s cost was prohibitive. Since a majority of the units were in the small sector having investments up to Rs 1 lakh, having printing facilities would virtually be out of their reach, he added.

Shot in arm for Market Committee chief
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 20
The chairman of the local Market Committee, Mr Kesar Singh, today got a shot in the arm when the Chandigarh Administration reportedly assured a delegation of the local unit of the SAD that the lone vote of the Administration nominee director would not be used to carry a no-confidence motion against the chairman.

The assurance was given to a delegation of the SAD, led by its president, Mr Gurpartap Singh Riar, and Mr Kesar Singh, by the Adviser to the Administrator, Ms Neeru Nanda.The delegation had called on the Adviser to urge the Administration that its nominee, Mr Gyanesh Bharati, SDM(South and East), should not vote against Mr Kesar Singh in case the BJP brought a no-trust vote against the chairman.

Four elected BJP directors and two other directors were opposed to Mr Kesar Singh since he, along with two other Congress directors, was in favour of making the six barriers functional in the Grain Market with a view to check the evasion of market fee and sales tax by a section of unscrupulous traders. To carry a no-trust vote, the support of seven directors was required and Mr Bharati’s vote was crucial.

Talking to Chandigarh Tribune, Mr Riar said the decision to set up the barriers was taken by the Administration about two years back and the committee had only endorsed the decision through a majority vote. The Administration should not support the BJP directors opposed to Mr Kesar Singh as they were supporting the section of the traders evading the market fee, sales tax and income tax amounting to crores of rupees per year, Mr Riar added.

Notification of MC wards issued
Geetanjali Gayatri
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, September 20
The notification of wards of the Municipal Council was issued by the Commissioner, Urban Development, Mr Manik Sonawane, here today. Objections on the delimitation of wards have been invited by the Urban Development Department, the last date being October 15.

The Director, Urban Development, Mr Sanjeev Kaushal, said these objections would be filed at the office of the council, Sector 4, or at the office of the Deputy Commissioner. ‘‘The Deputy Commissioner will be required to submit her report to our department after the last date of inviting objections,’’ he said.

According to the notification, 11 wards have been reserved for women candidates, three for the Scheduled Castes and two for candidates of other backward classes. While Ward Nos. 1 ,2, 5, 10, 17, 22, 23, 24 and 30 have been reserved for women in the general category, and Ward No. 28 for a Scheduled Caste woman candidate. In addition, two more, Ward Nos. 7 and 29, have been given to the SCs and Ward Nos. 8 and 31 reserved for OBCs.

Most sectors have been divided into parts according to their population, homogeneity and geographical location. While Ward No. 1 and 2 together constitute the Mansa Devi Complex; Sector 7 is distributed between Ward Nos. 3 and 4, Rajiv Colony between Ward Nos. 7 and 8; Sector 15 in three wards while two wards cover the entire industrial area and Buddanpur village. Comprising the Panchkula extension, Sectors 23 to 28 have been clubbed with Ward No. 31 along with Nada Sahib, Jaisinghpura and Bana Madanpur, reserved for a candidate of the Backward Class.

It maybe recalled that a committee constituted under the Chairmanship of the Additional Director, Urban Development, Mr M.L. Kaushik, comprising the Administrator, MC, a representative of the district administration, and non-officials members had met and decided the delimitation of the wards falling under the Panchkula Municipal Council over a fortnight ago. The wards reserved for women, OBCs and SCs were decided by a draw of lots.

Following the meeting, the proposed ‘wardbandi’ came in for sharp criticism from members of the Residents Welfare Association who alleged that the delimitation of wards had been far from transparent.