HEALTH

MC directive on stagnant water
Monica Sharma

Chandigarh, July 6
The Health Wing of the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh has asked city residents to ensure that there was no stagnant water on their residential premises.

The decision to seek cooperation of the residents is significant as, according to sources in the Corporation, the residents, indifferent towards stagnant water accumulated after heavy rainfall, are exposing themselves to health hazards.

Sources add that in a large number of cases the residents are doing little to drain away water collected in ditches in front lawns and kitchen gardens of their houses and even from small pots and other utensils lying all around their houses.

“Every morning, while leaving for work, residents see water accumulated at various places in and around the houses,” says a corporation officer, but they hardly do anything to ensure its drainage.”

“This is not all. Most of the residents discontinue using desert coolers, or, at least switch off water pumps, once monsoon hits the city, but they forget to drain the water stored in the cooler tanks. The water lying stagnant in the tanks,” allows a breeding ground to mosquitoes,” he says.

The officer adds: “And when the ignorant residents switch on the fan, mosquitoes enter the room and target them.

Not all mosquitoes spread malaria, but the ones that do can play havoc. Before you realise, you are in the grip of malaria, he says.

So what should the residents be doing? “If nothing else, they should ensure against the presence of stagnant water in their residences,” says the official. “They can do so by draining coolers and filling up the pits and ditches. Useless utensils should also be thrown out of the house, or at least inverted so that water does not accumulate in these.”

“Another thing the residents can do is to put some kerosene into the stagnant water. “Kerosene, being lighter than water, forms a layer on the surface making it impossible for the mosquitoes to breed”, he says.

Writer’s sweet victory over cancer
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 6
The disclosure that he had blood cancer did plunge Justice Surinder Singh (retd) into depression, but not for long. He found it better to befriend something that he could not fight.

To help cancer patients like him cope up with the disease, he wrote a multilingual book on his struggle with it. The book, ‘Transcending Sorrow Through Dhayana’ was released here today. The Head of the PGI Department of Internal Medicine, Dr D.R. Vij, released the book.

The disease has, in no way, prevented Justice Surinder Singh from leading a normal life at the age of 78; he does not miss his morning walk at the Sukhana. Take half a cup of laughter and another half of tears; mix it well and drink it; that’s what life is — is his philosophy of life. “It was indeed shocking to learn that I had leukemia, but I took it as a sign from God to show the path to others in similar situation,” he says.

His wife, too, needs a constant medical attention, but even that has not upset his cheerful self. Mr Singh has, in the past, written 13 books of poetry, short stories and spiritual thoughts and distributed these free of cost. “At the release of my 13th book — ‘Of Repose and Rapture’ — everyone said 13 was an unlucky number; within a few days of it, doctors told me that I had cancer,” he says.

Justice Singh realised that the remedy lay not in drugs, but in meditation. “Through a constant ‘sadhana’, the body and the mind can be trained to continue working without being affected by any fluctuation.

Anything that happens to the body, sends disturbing waves to the mind, creating not only diseases, but also hurdles for the healing process,” he said.

Mr Singh said sacrifice was the way to achieve the highest state of ‘ananda’ or happiness, which taught one to remain with oneself while simultaneously living with the outside world. Ever since he has been told about his disease, he has been trying to lessen the sufferings of others to get blessings that heal. “Such healing gives you energy and immunity to fight for life,” he says.

He is trying to revive ‘Khayal’ — a forum for bringing together writers of Hindi, Urdu, English and Punjabi. This multilingual body, with no office-bearer, is being funded totally by him.

The Head of the PGI Department of Internal Medicine, Dr D.R. Vij,who released his latest book, also gave a talk on cancer.

A former principal of the Jalandhar Government College of Education was the chief guest at the release function.

Good health week from July 8
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 6
Celebrating its first anniversary, the Fortis Heart Institute will observe “good health week” from July 8, where the focus shall be on total health of the family.

During this period, the executive preventive health check up , which normally costs Rs 2000, will be done for merely Rs 1000, up till July 13. During this period five seminars will be organised for the general public on topics like stress management, preventive heart disease, eye care, deaddiction and healthy diet. These seminars shall be free of cost , while the registration will be on first come basis. According to Dr R.V. Karanjekar, medical director, Fortis Health Institute , with the work environment becoming more and more stressful, people were ignoring their health. He said that in order to stay fit, early diagnosis and management of any ailment was must.

BCCI plans grading system: Banga
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, July 6
The vice-president of the Chandigarh Cricket Association, Mr G.S. Banga, has said that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has planned a grading system amongst the top ranking Indian players after the conclusion of the England tour. If the team wins the series, players would get extra benefit but if they lose half of the money will be deducted from the money already given to the players. To gain entry into the Indian team, performance, fitness and hardwork are the key factors, he added.

Banga said even the likes of Srinath and Anil Kumble, had to sit out thus making it difficult for the selectors to choose a best possible side. Citing an example from the tri-nation series being held in England, he said, a regular wicket-keeper was dropped to include Yuvraj Singh, who finally proved a match winner.

Basketball association row

The controversy relating to the affairs of the Chandigarh Basketball Association took another twist when Col A.S. Judge, president of the association categorically rejected his removal from the post. In a press note issued today, he alleged that Mr D.S. Bedi, had interfered in the smooth working of the association.

Karate trials

The Amateur Karate Association of Chandigarh will hold the selection trials on July 7 at 8 a.m. at MDAV High School, Sector 22, to select the Chandigarh Karate team for the 18th National Karate Championship going to be held in Chennai from August 2 to 5. 

House panel for bylaws on debris collection
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 6
The Finance and Contract Committee (F&CC) of the Municipal Corporation has recommended the framing of by-laws to collect debris through contract and to create a nursery of fragrant flowers in 5 acres of land around the Daddu Majra dumping ground.

The committee chaired by the Mayor, Ms Lalit Joshi, yesterday discussed the Act Taken Report on budget and monthly review of expenditure but members postponed the discussion till the next meeting for want of ‘satisfactory’ information.

The corporation officials had provided information but not enough to have a detailed peep into each head of expenditure.

The bylaws would be framed by the next committee meeting.

The committee members decided to visit Ludhiana to see the results of people-government partnership before handing over the sanitation work to the Sector 21 Citizen’s Welfare Association.

An entry fee for the Sector 8 community centre was not allowed to be collected by the governing body but it was allowed to devise other collection modes.

The community center of Sector 21 community centre would be renovated instead of being transferred to the Citizens Welfare Association.

A new formula for Sector 8 community centre had been devised which would send Rs 500 to the municipal corporation and the collection above it would be given to the governing body.

The committee approved a consultant for a project to tap gas for domestic supply and generating power from the sewage plant.

Another consultant for adding 15 to 18 MGD capacity to the Digian sewage treatment plant was approved.

The committee recommended for House the new rates of Rs 2,500 and Rs 2,000 instead of Rs 7,500 and Rs 5,000 as taxi parking charge.

The committee directed the officials to remove illegal taxi stands within 15 days.

It passed augmentation of street lights in Sector 32.

The garbage bins would now be numbered and sealed bids would be invited for the auction of condemned material of the Medical Officer Health Department and for parking sites of KC and Nirman theatres.