HEALTH

Night vendors back to business; authorities helpless
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, September 4
Nullifying the efforts of the UT Health Department and other authorities to make the city secure against cholera and other water-borne diseases, roadside vendors offering banned products have started to surface late in the evening.

They can be seen in markets even roundabouts, in the city selling prohibited products. In Sectors 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 30 and 38, outside Kumhar colony and other slums, one can see them pouring banned flavoured milk in glasses or scooping ice creams. Fear of the authorities is the last thing on their minds as they stand under the streetlights, openly violating the rules everyday after 8 pm.

The reason being the enforcement staff of the health department, besides the other authorities, seldomly conduct surprise checks after sunset.

The staff, however, are not to be blamed for this. “We are facing an acute shortage of staff,” says a senior Health Department official. “Throughout the day, we are busy carrying out raids on different locations to crackdown on the manufacture of banned products, besides taking other measures to ensure that food is not prepared in unhygienic conditions. No wonder, we have very little left to carry out raids after 8 pm”.

He adds: “Taking advantage of limited resources, these vendors come out of the slums and colonies where they reside and sell banned products to hapless residents”.

The Estate Office authorities, as well as the staff of the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh, should be directed to take action against the unlicensed food vendors, the officer says.

He asserts that unlicensed vendors are mostly under the control of Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh or the Estate Officer. “The PFA cell can only take samples and challan the unlicensed food vendors,” he adds. “So far as the remedial action is concerned, the powers to issue licences lay with the MC”

Referring to a detailed report prepared by the Director Health Services, the officer says the Prevention of Food Adulteration enforcement staff were meant to concentrate on cases of “serious” and “large-scale” food adulteration affecting the health of consumers.

“In case the PFA enforcement staff were directed to take samples from unlicensed food vendors, besides “rehri” and “phariwallas”, it would not be possible for the Health Department to implement the directions on the letter issued on May 3 by the Central Government on tackling serious adulteration”, he concludes.

The MC authorities, on the other hand, claim that it is not possible for them to spare officials for the purpose as they too are short of manpower. “Our enforcement staff have to look after other violations also,” says a senior MC official.

Chandhok to attend conference in Malaysia
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 4
Having earned the distinction of being the only doctor in the world who has introduced homoeopathy in international sports, city based Dr B.S. Chandhok, has been invited to present a paper on “Acceptability of Homoeopathy as Sports Medicine” at a conference to be held at Malaysia.

Dr Chandhok, who is presently the Medical Officer at the Government Homoeopathic Dispensary, Mohali, was the first doctor in the world who took homoeopathy to the field of sports during the Davis Cup International in the year 1993. Since then he has been a member of medical teams attached with the Indian tennis and cricket squads for international matches.

Dr Chandhok, has been invited to present a paper at the 6th International Conference on Homeopathy and Complementary Medicine to be held at Kuala Lumpur on September 8. Infact, the Chairman of the Malaysian Homoeopathic Medical Council , Dr Sri Nick Omar, was very keen that Dr Chandhok, presents his paper so that it can boost research and development of homoeopathy worldwide. He will be the only government doctor from India, to present a paper at the conference.

The organisers of the conference felt that the paper would not just be confined to the use of homoeopathy in sports but for its research and development, worldwide.

Adolescent health programme
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 4
The Department of Paediatrics of Government Medical College and Hospital in Sector 32 organised “ Adolescent health awareness programme”, at Government College, Sector 46, here today.

A team of doctors led by the head of the Paediatrics Department , Dr Veena Parmar, conducted general check-up of students. The students were asked to fill up a questionnaire on Health status assessment”, containing 119 queries on health awareness.

Mr Rajesh Kumar and Mr Roshan Lal Dhaiya from the Department of Psychology were the in charge of the programme.

SPORTS

Gagandeep wins carrom tourney
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, September 4
Gagandeep Singh lifted the men’s singles title in the XII Chandigarh State Carrom Tournament which concluded here on Wednesday at St Stephen’s School, Sector 45, by defeating K.S.Patwal of the Survey of India 24-14, 25-8.

Other results: Finals — Boys doubles (junior) — Dhruva and Gurinder beat Taranpreet and Piyush Sood 25-08, 25-11; Boys doubles (sub-junior) — Taranpreet and Nikhil Patwal beat Viren and Pranjal Sood 25-04, 25-0. Men’s doubles — K.S. Patwal and Jagdish Dhir beat BS Negi and Sanjay Negi 25-22, 23-25, 25-23. Women doubles — Anjali Negi and Pallavi Piplani beat Sushila Prashad and Shikha Nanda 23-03, 24-12. Girls doubles — Nidhi Patwal and Suguna Dewan beat Shikha Nanda and Pallavi Piplani 20-16, 5-25, 25-21. Girls doubles (sub-junior) — Pallavi Piplani and Simridhi Piplani beat Komal Sodhi and Hitu Mahajan 22-8,18-9. Men’s singles final: Gagandeep Singh beat K.S.Patwal 25-14, 25-08.

Shooting championship

Harmandeep Sidhu and Priti Sharma of Chandigarh bagged gold medals in the 12th GV Mavlankar Shooting championship which concluded on September 1 at Coimbatore. The Chandigarh team won three gold, three silver and three bronze medals.

Harmandeep won two gold medals in Air Rifle Open sight (NR). Priti Sharma won one gold and one silver in .22 Std Rifle Open sight (NR). Other shooters who excelled include Roopmeet Mann in Air Rifle Peep Sight (NR) in sub-junior women.

Snooker event

Aman Bhasin surged ahead in the senior pool and junior snooker event in the Chandigarh Snooker and Pool Championship played here on Wednesday. In the senior snooker championship, Sandeep Duggal, Sumit Talwar, Deepak Goel and Sandeep Sharma won their respective matches. In the junior snooker event, Ashish Gupta, Aman Bhasin and Sumit Talwar easily beat their opponents. In the senior pool event, Kamal Kant, Sumit, Aman and Sameer Bhalla were victorious. In the junior pool event, Gagan Makkar and Gaurav Nagpal were the winners.

Handball championship

SGGS College, Sector 26, Chandigarh, defeated GGDSD College, Sector 32, 45-33 on the second day of the Panjab University Inter-college Handball Championship played on the PU campus grounds on Wednesday. In other league matches of the day, SGGS College, Sector 26, beat PU campus 43-32, while GGDSD College and PU campus, both went down fighting to Government College, Ludhiana, 31-36 and 37-24, respectively.

SPS, DAV lads in final

Sanjay Public School, Sector 44 beat Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 19, 7-0 in the first semifinal of the Chandigarh Junior Boys Football Championship for the Mahatama Hans Raj DAV Trophy at football stadium, Sector 17, today.

In the second semifinal DAV Senior Secondary School Sector 8 beat Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 16, by an identical margin.

Sanjay Public School made many dangerous moves and right striker Mandeep Singh scored the first goal in the 10th minute. Chetan Thakur scored the second goal with an angular shot in the 27th minute. He was followed by Mandeep who scored the third goal in the 33rd minute.

After the lemon break, Sanjay school forwards added four more goals in the 52nd, 55th, 60th and 65th minutes through Chetan Thakur, Mandeep Singh, Rahul and Mandeep Singh.

In the second semifinal DAV Senior Secondary School were leading by 2-0 at half time. Right striker Vinay of DAV scored the first goal in the 10th minute with a fine header on a cross by right winger Jaswinder. However, Government Model Senior Secondary School boys conceded the second goal in the 24th minute when right winger Jaswinder collected a stray ball and rushed towards the rival goal post. He beat the rival goalkeeper with his powerful shot. After the lemon break DAV boys added five more goals in the 40th, 43rd, 45th, 47th and 52nd minutes and the scorers were Vinay, Jaswinder, Vinay, Harpinder and Vinay.

Haryana Yoga at Ambala

The 18th Haryana State Yoga Championship will be organised by the District Yoga Association and District Olympic Association, Ambala, from September 6 to 8 at War Heroes Memorial Stadium, Ambala Cantonment under the aegis of the Haryana State Yoga Association, according to the president, Haryana State Yoga Association.

The competitions will be held in the age groups of 8 to 11 years, 11-14, 14-17, 17-21, 21-25, 25-35, 35-45 and above 45 years both for men and women.

More than 500 competitors from all over Haryana will participate in this championship.

Entries close will Mr Ashok Kumar Aggarwal, secretary-general, Haryana State Yoga Association, at Panchkula.