HEALTH

Handle crackers with care: docs
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, November 2
It happens every year. After Divali, scores of patients are rushed to city hospitals from all over the region with serious eye injuries. In some cases, the eyes are saved due to endless efforts by the doctors, but some are not that lucky. Doctors say such incidents can, however, be checked if preventive measures are taken.

Youngsters should not play with crackers in the absence of their elders — that’s the first and foremost measure you should take say doctors. “The presence of elders is must if you are playing with dangerous crackers,” says Dr M.M. Goyal. “The youngsters should be strictly prohibited from launching rockets and igniting anars if the elders are not there to supervise”.

A Reader in the PGI says, “Precaution should be taken to ensure that bottle is not tilted before a rocket is launched. The misguided missile can injure some one residing in the house next door”.

He adds: “In a large number of cases, injuries are caused because crackers, held in the hands, explode. This practice should be strictly checked lest it leads to the burning of hands”.

Describing Divali as a festival causing “white poisoning, yellow poisoning and black poisoning”, doctors further add that “it leads to excessive consumption of white sugar, inhaling of toxic gases emitted due to the burning of crackers, along with black smoke”.

Care should also be taken to ensure that the crackers are not pushed into glass bottles or kept in boxes just before these are ignited. According to another senior doctor with the PGI, two years back a patient was admitted to the hospital with injury sustained after a bottle, in which he had pushed the ignited cracker, exploded.

Alcohol should not be consumed before playing with crackers is another warning issued by the doctors. “Divali and whisky go side by side. Many people just cannot think of celebrating the occasion without a few drinks,” says the PGI doctor. “And after getting drunk, they go out and ignite crackers forgetting all about the precautions they should be taking”.

Doctors add that in cases of major injuries self medication should be strictly avoided. “The injured should be rushed to hospital without delay,” the PGI doctor warns. “In cases of minor injuries, ointment should be liberally applied to the wound”.

Besides crackers, precaution should also be taken while consuming sweets. “Most of the sweets contain more of sugar and less of Khoya. Otherwise also you have no way of knowing about the quality of khoya being used. This is not all. Sweets should be consumed within a day or so. These are kept in the refrigerators for one-two weeks”.

SBI staff donate blood
Our Correspondent

Panchkula, November 2
Twenty officers and staff members donated blood here today at a camp organised by the State Bank of India, Staff Training Centre, for the benefit of soldiers fighting for the country.

The blood units were later donated to the Command Hospital, Western Command, in Chandi Mandir. Earlier, Mr SK Mishra, DGM, and Circle Credit Officer of the bank, inaugurated the camp. A team led by Col NS Mani from Blood Bank, Command Hospital, conducted the camp. 

SPORTS

DC model win laurels
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, November 2
DC Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 7, captured the overall championship in the CBSE North Zone-II Badminton tournament which concluded today at Panchkula. DC Model School won titles in under-16 boys and under-14 girls section. In under-19 boys section, DAV Public School, Amritsar, clinched the title. Wg Cdr Satish Bhatia, former international badminton player, was the chief guest and gave away prizes to the winners. Earlier, last evening, girls team championship was held.

Today’s results: boys under-19: DAV Public School, Amritsar — 1; DAV Senior Secondary School, Sector 8, Chandigarh — 2; DC Model Senior Secondary school, Sector 8, Chandigarh — 3.

Boys under-16: DC Model School, Panchkula — 1; Hansraj Public School, Sector 6, Panchkula — 2; Ajanta Public School, Amritsar — 3.

Under-14 boys: Greenland Public School, Ludhiana — 1; Apeejay Public School, Jalandhar — 2; Hansraj Public School, Panchkula — 3.

Slow cycling: Baljeet Singh in junior section and Vishwas in senior section emerged winners in the Avon Slow Cycling Competition held today in the KB DAV Centenary School, Sector 7, Chandigarh. In junior section, Pawandeep and Aditya secured second and third place, respectively while in senior category, Saurabh and Vipin bagged second and third place, respectively.

Volleyball meet: Government Model High School, Sector 26, clinched the under-17 boys volleyball title in the UT Inter-School Volleyball Championship for the third consecutive year. Earlier, yesterday, GMHS-26 had won the under-14 boys volleyball title. Today in the final, GMHS-26 defeated Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 16 by 3-0. The team was coached by Mr Dharamvir Singh.

Admn issued notices on petition
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 2
In just over four years after a Mumbai businessman was implicated in a false rape case allegedly at the behest of his business rival, Mr Justice M.M. Kumar of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued notices to the Chandigarh Administration authorities on a petition seeking the initiation of Contempt of Court proceedings for failure to take action against the complainant.

The case had hit the headlines in 1998 after the Mumbai-based businessman, Kerman K. Mistry, had told the police that he had never visited Punjab and Chandigarh during his life time. The businessman had added that a “false and fabricated” first information report was registered as a result of manipulation by his rival.

He had added that his petition for quashing the FIR in the matter was rendered infructuous after prayer for the cancellation of the case was made in the final report. It was further suggested that proceedings against the prosecutrix under Section 182 of the Indian Penal Code may be initiated, the petitioner had submitted.

Counsel for the petitioner added that UT Home Secretary, Senior Superintendent of Police and other respondents were requested to initiate proceedings against the prosecutrix as she was responsible for the planting of a false case against him. He added that the respondents had wilfully, intentionally and deliberately not initiated any action against the prosecutrix. 

Order to improve streetlights ahead of Divali
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 2
Mayor Lalit Joshi and Chairman of the Electricity Committee Jitender Bhatia here today asked officials to improve streetlighting by tomorrow ahead of Divali. The instructions were given after a visit by the two throughout the city themselves to check the functioning of street lighting along with other officials. The visiting team found certain poles in southern sectors not functioning. The Mayor said maximum number of lights should be activated by tomorrow.

Earlier, they visited the district court to examine the demand of lawyers to give more space for parking.