HEALTH

Authorities wake up to waterborne diseases

Faridabad, May 2
Faced with the rise in waterborne diseases, the district authorities claimed to have started a campaign to contain them. As many as eight persons were admitted in the government hospital at Ballabgarh on Wednesday with such diseases. About 15 patients are in Bhadshah Khan Civil Hospital here undergoing treatment for diseases like diarrhoea. Besides, several patients have reported at private clinics with similar symptoms.

Meanwhile, the district administration has started a move to curb the sale of cut fruits, ice, ice candies and other eatables kept in the open. Two ice cream-making factories were sealed in the Hathin subdivision on Wednesday. The area is reported to be most prone to such diseases, as four persons had died last year in an outbreak such diseases.

According to a report, the SDM of Hathin carried out raids at several places on Wednesday and booked several persons under the Epidemic Act. Two ice cream factories were sealed and samples of ice creams and other food items from various factories and shops. He directed health workers and employees to tour villages and carry out a campaign for creating awareness. The district authorities have also asked the Health Department to take steps to collect more and more samples of water and food and take punitive action against the offenders. It has warned of serious action against the staff, including the doctors, who were not regularly attending duties at the community health centres and primary health centres (PHC). There are several PHCs in Hathin and interior parts where unavailability of doctors and medicine is a common problem. TNS

Bottled water or bottled microbes?
Syed Ali Ahmed
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 2
Going by the numbers, the incidence of cholera is on the rise in the Capital this year. No wonder when the city is in the grip of a severe water shortage amidst the summer forcing residents to scurry for taps and bottles to quench the thirst. And most of the people, who can afford it, are “hitting” the mineral water bottles not only when they are on the move but also when they are at home. Some even depend on the big cans, now being supplied conveniently at the doorsteps.

It is an open secret that apart from fruits and juice sold in the open, it is the contaminated water Delhiites have to gulp down to quench the summer thirst that is spreading not only cholera but also other water-borne diseases. However, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, which is the main civic body supposed to be supplying water and monitoring its quality, has not batted an eyelid at the goings-on on this front. Local residents buy bottled ‘mineral’ water thinking that it is fit for drinking. There are over 500 units supplying such water in the Capital. However, only five companies are licensed, points out the Leader of Opposition in the MCD, Mr Vijender Gupta.

This was disputed by the Commissioner of the MCD, Mr R. K. Mehta, at the Stansding Committee meeting claiming that 15 companies had licence from the MCD. However, he could not name the companies. Even if 15 of them have licences, it leaves out the majority of them without any licence. But they continue to sell bottled ‘mineral’ water that, in reality, has more microbes than minerals in it. Apart from this, there are over 2,700 ‘rehris’ selling contaminated water in the Capital. They do not have any licence. They generally take water from hand pumps or tube-wells. In walled city, most of the rehriwalas sell such water.

All this is happening even as 144 cholera cases have been reported this year in the Capital till April 30 when there were only 50 such cases in the corresponding period last year. In 2000, the reported cholera cases were only 40 and in 1999, 156. This is understandable when besides contaminated water, cut fruits and sugarcane juice are being sold in the open. Vendors of these items are supposed to be carrying licences issued by the MCD but the reality is different. At the moment, there are thousands of unlicensed shops selling cut fruits and sugarcane juice in the Capital. The MCD has no record of such shops, the sources say. The Municipal Commissioner says that the issue will be taken up seriously and the guilty would be punished. 

Employees in hospitals hold agitation, disrupt work
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 2
More than 75,000 health employees of various hospitals in the Capital today observed a two-hour strike, leaving normal operations, mainly in the Out-Patient Department (OPD), crippled and causing inconvenience to thousands of patients. The Joint Council of Health Employees said in a statement that no work was carried out between 0900 hrs and 1100 hrs, a period during which registrations at the OPD are normally done in most of the hospitals. Other administrative work at these hospitals were also adversely affected.

Among the major hospitals where the protest were held were the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Safdarjung, Ram Manohar Lohia, Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narain, Guru Teg Bahadur, Bara Hindu Rao, Kalawati Saran and Sucheta Kriplani.

Besides registration in OPD, the services of laboratories, X-ray, ECG, EEG, Operation theatre, kitchen, laundry, pharmacy and sanitation were adversely affected due to the protest by the class B, C and D employees.

The two-hour protest, which would also be held tomorrow, was joined by health employees of the Central and Delhi Governments dispensaries, child and maternity centres, Red Cross Blood Bank, research and other institutions under the two governments, ESI Clinic, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, New Delhi Municipal Council, Central Accident and Trauma Services, Indian Council for Medical Research and other autonomous bodies.

The health employees were protesting against the non-implementation of an agreement reached between the employees and the governments.

Besides, they are also pressing for filling up of all vacant posts in various health institutions, stoppage and removal of large-scale privatisation in health sector and uniform to all health employees with increased washing allowance. 

SPORTS

A R Gym, Brighto share cricket title
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, May 2
Abhay Ram Gymkhana and Brighto Club played a “tied” match to be declared the joint winners of the third Abhay Ram Gymkhana Cricket Tournament for the BDM Trophy played at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Ghaziabad.

Put into bat, Brighto Club scored 202 for 6 in the allotted 40 overs with Ashish Sharma (64) and Tarun Gupta (52) displaying their batting prowess to emerge the top scorers.

When A R Gymkhana replied, Tarun Gupta produced a deadly bowling spell of 2 for 37 to restrict them to 202 for 8 in 40 overs.

Though Kamal Nigham, Subodh Yadav and Udit Sharma unleashed their batting might, their displays were not sufficient to overtake Brighto’s total. Vishal Tyagi and Tarun Gupta took wickets at regular intervals to keep A R Gymkhana on tenter hooks.

Tarun Gupta was declared the man of the match for his excellent performance. Vishal Sharma was named the best batsman while Sanjeev Rana got the best bowler award.

Sanjeev Tomar was adjudged the man of the series. Both the teams received a cash prize of Rs 12500 each from BDM director Sudhir Kumar.

Scores: Brighto Club: 202 for 6 in 40 overs (Ashish Sharma 64, Tarun Gupta 52, Sanjeev Tomar 2 for 26).

A R Gymkhana: 202 for 8 in 40 overs (Kamal Nigam 49, Subodh Yadav 35, Udit Sharma 33, Vishal Tyagi 3 for 38, Tarun Gupta 2 for 37).

Robin Bisth stars for Poorvi Delhi
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, May 2
A unbeaten knock of 70 by Delhi Under-16 player Robin Bisth and deadly bowling of 3 for 22 by Rachit Pathak helped Poorvi Delhi Club defeat Madan Lal Cricket Academy by eight wickets to enter the quarter-final of the Jayanti Devi Memorial Under-15 Cricket Tournament, organised by the Maharaja Sports Club at the Mohan Meakin ground. Rachit Pathak’s bowling had a big contribution in their win.

Scores: Madan Lal Academy: 184 for 6 in 40 overs (Kavin Gupta 40, Rohan Sahdev 35 n o, Samrat Parmar 32 n o, Rachit Pathak 3 for 22, Vikas Nigam 3 for 23).

Poorvi Delhi Cricket Club: 185 for 2 in 33.4 overs (Robin Bisth 70 n o, Rohan Sharma 36, Samrat Parmar 3 for 26).

Siddarth shines in Chand Khanna’s 8th win
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, May 2
Siddarth Verma fired a strokeful, unbeaten 82 to help Chand Khanna record their eighth consecutive victory when they beat Central Bank by four wickets in an A-I Division match of the DDCA league at the DAV College ground.

Scores: Central Bank: 169 all out in 34.5 overs (Daleep T T 55, Ramesh Verma 33, Gautam Bhalla 3 for 31, Farman Ahmad 3 for 28, Rajeev Uniyal 2 for 28).

Chand Khanna Club: 176 for 6 in 34.2 overs (Siddarth Verma 82 n o, Rajeev Uniyal 54, Daleep T T 2 for 25).

Sonnet Club beat Rajanigandha by six wickets in a Super A Division match at the Ramjas College ground.

Scores: Rajanigandha: 82 all out in 31.5 overs (Kamal Arora 42 n o, Harsh Sharma 4 for 20, Dhruv Mohan 2 for 18).

Sonnet Club: 86 for 4 in 9.5 overs (Suhail Sharma 44, Chetnya Nanda 26 n o, Ajeet Singh 2 for 25).

Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC) beat Air Force by four wickets in a Super A Division match at the Palam A ground.

Scores: Air Force: 194 for 9 in 40 overs (Deepak Bhaskar 51, PMS Reddy 46, Nitish Malik 5 for 33, Fazal Mohd 3 for 26).

ONGC: 196 for 6 in 38.3 overs (Ravi Sehgal 89 n o, Amit Sharma 39, Pankaj Kumar 2 for 31, Jaikishan 2 for 43).

Delhi Police beat Madras Club by six wickets in an A-I Division match at Air Force II ground.

Scores: Madras Club: 167 for 9 in 30 overs (Sanjeev Kumar 57, Hemant Dogra 36, Harvinder Singh 4 for 19). Delhi Police: 168 for 4 in 23.4 overs (Sanjay Verma 42, Sanjay Lohia 36, Rajesh Sharma 36 n o.

Mixed luck for Sri Ram School in B’ball
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, May 2
Sri Ram School of New Delhi recorded yet another impressive victory while the other two prominent Delhi schools, Delhi Public School and Modern School, suffered defeats in the Afzal Khan Memorial Basketball Tournament being played at Doon School, Dehra Doon, according to information available here.

Sri Ram School, who beat Yadavindra Public School, Patiala in the opening match on Wednesday, took Bishop Cotton School, Shimla 44-23 in their stride in the second match.

But later in another match, Sri Ram School went down to Amrit Model School 76-90. Delhi Public School, Mathura Road, who lost to Lawrence School, Sanawar suffered their second defeat when they went down to Woodstock School, Mussoorie 17-62.

Modern School, Barakhamba Road too made a disastrous outing, when they lost to Cathedral School, Mumbai 25-37, and later to Welham Boys School, Dehra Doon 35-57.

In other matches, Amrit Model School, Abohar beat Yadavindra Public School, Patiala 73-24, BKSP, Dhaka beat Doon School, Dehra Doon 57-53 and Yadavindra Public School beat Bishop Cotton School 47-44.

In the quarter-final matches, Woodstock School beat Cathedral School 53-22, Doon School beat Amrit Model School 68-64, Welham Boys School beat Lawrence School 60-42 and BKSP, Dhaka beat Sri Ram School 61-47. In the semi-finals, Woodstock School will take on Doon School while BKSP, Dhaka will clash against Welham Boys School.

Team MRF for Canberra Rally

Team MRF’s dynamic duo are all set to create history with their debut in the challenging Asia Pacific Rally Championship. Reigning Asia Zone champions V Naren Kumar and co-driver D Ramkumar along with Arjun Balu and co-driver R Kumar, both representing Team MRF, will match their driving skills against some of the best rallyists in the world.

Naren and D Ram had won the Indian, Thailand and Indonesian round and the title of the Asian Zone Championship in 2001. Arjun and Kumar experienced bad times as their car was plagued with mechanical problems. However, the pair managed to win the prestigious Chinese round last year.

Both V Naren Kumar and Arjun Balu, currently India’s most exciting rally drivers, will be driving brand new Mitsubishi Evolution VII cars in the Subaru Rally, Canberra—the first round of the APRC during May 3 to 5..

The MRF Team has enter its cars in the Group N (Unmodified) class in the N4 category. Both drivers will be competing for the 2002 FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Cup for drivers of production cars. OSR

IOB, Bangalore  Club advance

Indian Overseas Bank trounced South Central Railway in straight games at 29-27,25-22, 26-19 in just 64 minutes in the fifth National League Volleyball Championships for men and women being played at the textile town of Tiruppur in Tamilnadu, according to information available in Delhi.

In another match, Bangalore Club beat Kolkatta Club 18-26,26-13, 26-16, 26-21 in 93 minutes. Punjab Police were slated to play Karnataka Postal in the third match. OSR