HEALTH

PPCB harassing us, say docs
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, November 15
The district unit of Indian Medical Association (IMA) has alleged that Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) officials were unnecessarily harassing doctors by quoting vague pleas regarding bio-medical waste disposal.

In a letter to the Chief Minister, members of the IMA have urged him to direct the PPCB to find an amicable solution at the earliest.

The members said the government had awarded a contract to a Hyderabad-based Medicare Incin, at the rate of Rs 2.70 per bed per day. The company was supposed to instal equipment on a piece of land provided by the Municipal Corporation to dispose of the biomedical waste of the whole of state. It was impossible as it would not be able to carry the waste from Fazilka and dispose it of in Ludhiana within a stipulated time. There was every chance that the waste would not be disposed of properly. In such a scenario, the order of the Supreme Court would be followed only in word, they added.

The IMA on its own had awarded a contract to Maridi and Pecma Air Systems. The charges quoted by these companies were less at the rate of Rs 2 per bed per day and Rs 500 for a clinic, instead of Rs 750 per month quoted by the contractor hired by the government. The charges fixed by the companies did not increase with distance, whereas in the case of Medicare, it was increased by about Re 1 per bed per day depending on the distance.

The doctors said they had brought to the notice of the Chairman concerned various discrepancies in the form to be filled for getting authorisation from the PPCB. The Chairman had agreed to change the proforma. But at the next meeting, the doctors were told that the proforma was lying with the member secretary and would be released soon.”Why should we suffer because of PPCB officials’ callous attitude?”, asked one of the doctors.

The PPCB Chairman had told the members that they could hire anybody for disposing of the waste. But at a meeting held at Jalandhar, the members were forced to sign a contract with Medicare, the doctors alleged.

The PPCB has started serving notices to various city hospitals and clinics asking them to instal proper treatment and disposal facilities and apply for authorisation on a prescribed application obtainable from the office of the Environment Engineer, PPCB.

Health talk for industrial workers
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, November 15
Recent research conducted in several countries in the West and China, have shown that taking folic acid daily, even before a woman knows she is pregnant, can reduce the risk of having a baby with serious birth defects of brain and spinal cord up to 75 per cent. This observation was made by Dr Ashok Antony, Professor of Medicine and Haematology, University of Indiana, USA, while talking to industrial workers at Vardhaman Workers Colony, here today.

The main objective of the talk was to educate and spread awareness amongst women workers about the advantages of taking folic acid during conception and pregnancy.

Dr Antony said due to lack of awareness among women in the country, the cases of new borns with neural tube defects were on an increase.

In Punjab alone, deaths due to deficiency of folic acid were 10 out of 1000, highest in the world. In his address, Mr V.K. Goyal, Chief Executive, Vardhaman Spinning and General Mills, said such talks should be held for industrial workers for spreading health awareness. He appealed to the workers to shun smoking, drinking and chewing tobacco products, which led to chronic ailments. Around 500 workers and their family members attended the talk.

Counselling sessions were also organised for the workers and their spouses, educating them about health care, balanced diet, nutrition, mother and child care and awareness about various chronic diseases.

Inter-school athletics meet begins
Our Sports Reporter

Ludhiana, November 15
Guru Nanak Public School, Sarabha Nagar, and GGN School, Civil Lines, shared honours on the inaugural day of the XIth Sahodya Schools Complex Athletics Meet which began at BCM Arya Model Senior Secondary School, Shastri Nagar, here today. GNP School and GGN School secured three and two gold medals, respectively, while Guru Hargobind Public School, Sidhwan Khurd, bagged one gold.

Results: Boys 800 m — 1- Navkaran Singh GNP School, Sarabha Nagar, 2- Manjit Singh (GGMS), and 3- Gagandeep Singh (GNP School, Mullanpur); girls 800 m — 1- Kamalpreet Kaur, GGN School, Civl Lines, 2- GHGP School Sidhwan Khurd, and 3- Sweety of BCM Arya Model School, Shastri Nagar; boys 3000 m — 1- Dalvinder Singh of GNP School, Sarabha Nagar, 2- Inderjit Singh of GNP School, Mullanpur, and 3- Manjot Singh of NSP School, Gill Road; girls 3000 m — 1- amandeep Kaur of GHGP School, Sidhwan Khurd, 2- Navneet Kaur of GGN School, Civil Lines and 3- Neha of KVM School Civil Lines; girls (high jump) — 1- Divya Dhanda of Sacred Heart School, Sarabha Nagar, 2- Sukhraj Kaur of GGN School Civil Lines, and 3- Amandeep Kaur of GHGP School, Sidhwan Khurd; Boys (shot put) — 1- Avtar Singh of GGN School, Civil Lines, 2- Jagvinder Singh of GNP School, Mullanpur, and 3- Atiw Ahuja of Shamrock School, Sarabha Nagar.

Tagore Public School win title

Hosts Tagore Public School, Agar Nagar, here won lawn tennis title for the second consecutive year in the 11th Sahodya Schools Tournament held on Wednesday. In the boy’s singles final, Amit Bansal of Tagore Public School recorded an easy win over his rival Karandeep of BCM Arya School, Model Town, in straight sets, 2-0, 3-1.

In the doubles final, Amit, pairing with Hitesh, beat duo of Amrinder and Karandeep 3-1, 6-4. However, in the girls section, Tagore Public School finished third.

Preparing for marathon

With a silver medal already in his kitty, Harvinder Singh preparing himself for the forthcoming marathon race slated to be held at Piazzale Michelangiolo, Itlay, on November 24. Harvinder had made his country proud by winning a silver medal during Thai Sports Festival, 2001.

Twenty-six years old, computer hardware engineeering diploma holder, local lad, Harvinder Singh hogged limelight finishing runner-up in the Half Marathon organised by Thailand Sports Ministry, Bangkok in September last year. He completed 21 km distance in 1.10:30 hours.

Talking to Ludhiana Tribune, Harvinder Singh said ‘success to a long journey begins with a small step’ and he was quite hopeful to bring laurels to his country by winning a gold medal this time.

Sports meet

The annual arts and sports meet was held in Sacred Heart Convent School, Ludhiana, between November 8 to 15, 2002. Gaganjeet Singh of Class IX and Taran Semi of Class VIII were adjudged as the champions of the year. Rolling trophy in arts and sports were bagged by Yamuna House. Mr Bachittar Singh, DEO (Secondary), Ludhiana, gave away the prizes. The DEO appreciated the management, staff, students and members of the PTA on their contribution towards the formation of a disciplined nation.