HEALTH

Gen. Mehta launches health scheme
Tribune News Service

Chandimandir, April 5
Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme, which has been planned to provide comprehensive medicare for pensioners, widow pensioners and their dependents, was launched by the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, Lieut-Gen S.S. Mehta, at Command Hospital, here today.

A one-time contribution fee ranging between Rs 1,800 and Rs 18,000 will be required depending upon the pension being drawn. This will ensure total medical cover to the entitled categories of ex-servicemen without any condition on age, disease or type of treatment. The scheme was also simultaneously inaugurated today at other military stations at Ambala, Jalandhar, Bathinda, Amritsar and Faridkot. Over the next five years facilities at these stations will be enhanced.

Application forms will be available at station headquarters; military hospitals; CSD canteens; and Zila\ Rajya Sainik Board offices. Field application forms will be accepted in station headquarters only. It will take three months for processing of the forms and the issue of cards.

General Mehta said polyclinics would be established at 19 military stations located at Shimla, Solan, Patiala, Sangrur, Hisar, Ambala, Chandimandir, Bathinda, Faridkot, Sirsa, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Ferozepore, Kapurthala, Moga, New Delhi, Gurgaon and at 23 non-military stations located at Fatehgarh Sahib, Ropar, Jhajjar, Rewari, Rohtak, Sonepat, Jind, Karnal, Panipat, Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Narnaul, Muktsar, Mansa, Bhiwani, Fatehabad, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Una, Hoshiarpur, Noida and Faridabad. Four types of polyclinics ranging from A to D being planned depending upon the strength of ex-servicemen in the area.

Those who attended the function included Gen V.P. Malik (retd), Lieut-Gen R.S. Dayal (retd), Lieut-Gen P.N. Hoon and retired Army officers, JCOs, jawans and their families.

AMBALA: Inaugurating the scheme at Military Hospital, Ambala cantonment, the GOC of 2 Corps, Lieut-Gen B.S. Thakur, said it would be mandatory for all ex-servicemen after April 1 to become member of this scheme and the charges would be adjusted in their pensionary benefits itself. All others who have retired earlier can also become members by paying a nominal fee.

General Thakur, who was the chief guest at the function, said ex-servicemen helplines were being set up in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh with a view to provide help to ex-servicemen, widows and dependents in solving their problems related to pensionary benefits, medicare, rehabilitation and welfare.

As part of this, the Kharga Ex-Servicemen Helpline was established at Military Hospital. 

PGI to hold panel discussion
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 5
On the occasion of World Health Day, the Indian Public Health Association (IPHA), will be organising a panel discussion on “ Shape the future of life — Healthy environment for children” at the Advanced Paediatric Centre, PGI, on April 7.

The secretary of the association, Prof Rajesh Kumar said it was a matter of grave concern that over five million children, up to the age of 14 years , mainly from the developing countries died every year due to environment-related diseases. “All deaths resulting due to diarrhoea, malaria, vector-borne diseases, acute respiratory infections, injuries due to accidents can be prevented,” said Dr Rajesh Kumar.

He said eminent medical experts in the field of environmental health, paediatricians, representatives of NGOs and experts from the Pollution Control Board would be attending the panel discussion. Over 150 participants would be raising issues of public health concern and create awareness among residents of the northern.

Artificial limbs distributed
Our Correspondent

Zirakpur, April 5
Artificial limbs, tricycles, callipers, hearing aids and other items were given to poor physically challenged persons free of cost by Dr Ramesh Dutt Sharma, Minister for Removal of Grievances, Pension and Cooperation, Punjab, during his visit to the Nevedac Prosthetic Centre in Bhabhat village, near here, today.

The minister interacted with physically challenged persons there. He also assured the trust to continue a grant of Rs 50,000 to it.

The minister presented Col D.S. Vohra Memorial Physically Challenged Achiever’s Award 2002-03 to some persons.

Those who were present included Dr V.J.S. Vohra, Managing Director on the institute, Mr Kewal Krishan Addiwal, former Mayor of Chandigarh and a trustee of the trust and Mr Narinder Sharma, president, Zirakpur Municipal Council.

World Health Day
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 5
“Shape healthy environment for children, shape the future for life” will be the message of World Health Day (April 7) celebrations by the Chandigarh chapter of the Indian Medical Association, according to Dr G.S. Kochhar, chairman of the association.

“The biggest threat to children’s health lurks at the very places, including homes and schools, which should be the safest for them,” he said.

A promising roller hockey player
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, April 5
Sahil Khattar is a new name among the top ranked roller hockey players of Haryana. This 16-year-old Panchkula-based player is also on the threshold of making it to the Indian roller hockey team. Sahil spends almost five hours daily at the skating rink of Blue Bird School, Sector 16, Panchkula, polishing his skills in roller hockey. He has full support of his parents particularly his father, who remains present at almost every match of his son. In the past three years, Sahil has given many wonderful performances.

He took to skating as a student of St Stephen’s School, Sector 45, Chandigarh, in 1998. Initially, he focussed on speed events. Later, when he came in contact with Abhishek Rattan Pal, a National- level skater, his interest shifted from speed event to roller hockey. Finally, he took to this event seriously and in the very first year, he was chosen a member of the Chandigarh schools skating team for the first National School Games in skating held at Moga (Punjab). He was allowed to participate in the under 14 event. He helped Chandigarh secure a silver medal in the games. In December that year, he represented Haryana in the Senior National Skating Championship held at Chandigarh.

Next year, he enabled Haryana to win gold medal in the under-14 event in the National Skating Meet held at Faridabad. Same year, he helped Chandigarh win bronze medal in the National School Games held at Panchkula.

Sahil was also instrumental in helping Haryana win gold medal in the under 14 event in the National Skating Meet at Visakhapatnam in January, 2002.

He has appeared in his class X examinations from Hansraj Public School, Sector 6, Panchkula. He was adjudged best budding player of the year, besides being chosen for the best player of the year award by his school. He is also a good singer.

He said his aim was to participate in professional skating events in countries like the USA. He wanted to pursue studies in commerce stream, he said.

Recalling his performance in the last nationals held at Visakhapatnam, he said he alone scored eight goals out of total 15 scored by Haryana against Jammu and Kashmir in the semi-final. He scored six goals against Punjab in the final, out of total 11 goals scored by his team. He said the visit of Italian coach Baraldi Aldo to Chandigarh last year helped him in removing some of the weaknesses in his game.

He said he was preparing hard for a berth in the Indian team for the Asian Roller Skating Meet to be held in Japan later this year.

Brar, Patnaik to clash in TT final
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, April 5
It will be a clash between Gurmehar Brar and Karan Patnaik in the finals of the under-18 section of the ongoing Total Tennis tournament being played on the St Soldier’s Tennis Academy premises, Sector 16, Panchkula.

In the semi finals played today, Gurmehar got the better of Gursimran Brar 7-6 ( 7-4), 6-1 while Karan defeated Manav Dhawan 1-6, 7-5, 6-4, in a tough tie. Keshav Mahajan sailed in the under-14 final beating Uday Mehra 6-3, 6-1.

In the under-12 semifinal matches played, Samin Bharghav defeated Devin Markanda 8-4 and Ankit Badoni beat Jaivardhan Gupta 8-0. The finals will be played tomorrow at 3 pm.

Cricket tourney: Vishwas Bhalla scored 106 runs in 103 deliveries, enabling Inde-Dutch Systems (IDS) XI defeat Khalsa XI by four runs in the VII UT league cricket tournament being played here at Cricket Stadium, Sector 16. IDS XI scored 242 runs for the loss of six wickets while Khalsa XI could score 238 runs losing seven wickets.

In another tie, On Dot Courier XI beat the Golden Cricket Club by five wickets, the Estate Office Employees Sports Association defeated Axis XI by just one run, Sonnet XI defeated Competent XI by 99 runs, while the match played between Kishangarh XI and Haryana Tourism XI was tied.

Schoolchildren call on Yuvraj
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, April 5
Cricketer Yuvraj Singh today played host to about 30 odd students of Holy Child High School, in Panchkula at his Mani Majra residence this morning. The students, accompanied by staff members of the school, arrived at the house of the cricket star at about 10 am. For the children, it was a dream come true to meet their cricket idol, who had impressed them with his performance in the recently concluded cricket World Cup.

Accompanied by his mother, Ms Shabnam Singh, Yuvraj played perfect host to his young guests. Answering their innocent queries about his career, his hobbies, the hours he puts in for practice and exercise, the kids wanted to know it all — and Yuvraj obliged them willingly.

He told the children to have a set aim in life and work hard towards achieving this goal. He signed autographs for his young visitors on their cricket bats, caps, hands and even on elbows.

Strict action likely against boozer-cops
Rajmeet Singh
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 5
Observing the prevalence of excessive drinking among cops of the city police, the top brass is taking strict action against the erring cops. Ten police personnel have been suspended in the past three months for drinking and creating nuisance at public place. There is an exception when head constable Sat Pal was suspended after an accused escaped from his custody while being brought back to Burail Jail from Kharar courts.

Though the police records show that all suspended cops are either head constable or constable, inquiries reveal that habit of drinking is equally prevalent among the rank and file. The professional conduct of the police personnel is governed under the relevant provisions of the Section 16 of the Punjab Police Rules.

It is learnt that senior police officials at departmental meetings have indicated in clear terms that strict action would be taken against the boozers. Further crackdown against such cops was on the cards, said a senior police official.

A cop, on the condition of anonymity, said senior officials should also think about their welfare. “Already hard pressed with long hours of duty and no source of entertainment, most of the cops take to drinking to relieve stress”, observed a psychologist.

It may be pertinent to mention that a former Inspector-General of Police, Chandigarh, Dr Kiran Bedi, had introduced a provision under which wives or parents of the cops, who were excessive drinkers, were given their salaries. But it appears that the practice has been discontinued.

What the Punjab Police Rules read

Sections 16 and17 of the Punjab Police Rules read that any police officer above the rank of head constable may suspend, pending inquiry or investigation, any enrolled police officer junior to him in rank, who is guilty or is reasonably suspected of misconduct. An officer may be released from suspension only by the gazetted officer empowered to punish him.

CVO told to issue show-cause notice
Tribune News Service

SAS Nagar, April 5
The Secretary, Local Government, Punjab, has asked the Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO), Local Government, to issue a show-cause notice to the Municipal Council here for having failed to get its vehicles registered in time leading to the imposition of penalty of Rs 2.7 lakh to the council.

According to sources, the CVO, Local Government, Mr A.K. Kansal, has been asked by Mr Sarvesh Kaushal, Administrative Secretary, Local Government, to issue a show-cause notice in the matter, and in case the answer to the show cause notice is found unsatisfactory, to ensure that action is taken against the then executive officer of the council for not having registered the vehicles.

Interestingly, some of these vehicles were bought way back in 1993. 

1 suspended over missing file
Tribune News Service

SAS Nagar, April 5
A Senior Assistant of the Punjab State Nurses Registration Council was suspended here today following charges of having lost a vital file in the Council. According to sources, Ms Daljit Kaur was suspended when a file was found missing from her office. According to sources, the file contained information about opening of a new nursing college in SAS Nagar and since the last person to have handled the file was her, she was being considered responsible. The Council’s Registrar could not be contacted for comments.