HEALTH

PGI’s animal house in deplorable condition
Pratibha Chauhan
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 18
Hundreds of animals to be used as guinea pigs at the altar of medical research are languishing at the PGI’s animal house due to paucity of funds, staff and other infrastructure.

Owing to the deplorable conditions of their captivity, doubts have been creeping among the medical fraternity about the efficacy of the research findings through vivisection of these invariably sick animals.

A total of 45 sheep, 53 rabbits, 45 guinea pigs, 850 rats and1950 mice housed in the four-decade old animal house are being looked after by a staff of 10 persons including cleaners and attendants. “Since the annual allocation for feeding and up keep of these animals has been heavily slashed from Rs 8 lakh in 1998 to Rs 5 lakh in 2002, every department is fishing out money to feed the animals it is experimenting on,” revealed a source.

Despite repeated pleas by the concerned officials, four air-conditioners sanctioned last year in June have not been given, no green grass is being given to the sheep and the staff never sent for training to handle animals. “In fact, two months back all guinea pigs here died due to infection and now we have got a stock of 50 from Hisar, which have been kept for breeding,” disclosed an employee.

Even the local Animal Ethics Committee (AEC) constituted by the Chennai-based committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CPCSEA), had raised objections regarding the shabby manner in which the animals had been kept. They had pointed out that the cages were not padded, temperature and humidity levels were not being maintained while there was water all over the floors.

“Seeing the pathetic condition of the animal house we have directed the PGI to immediately get a new building and till that comes through it must take care of things like cage size, feed, record keeping, sanitation, pest control, and ventilation as experiments conducted on healthy animals will automatically give better results,” remarked Ms Payal Sodhi, member AEC.

“The CPCSEA, Chennai, which clears all protocol and projects regarding experiments to be conducted on primates has in the recent past not cleared any project at the PGI to be conducted on monkeys,” disclosed another AEC member. In fact, two years back we had rescued four monkeys from the PGI animal house and sent them to Hanuman Vatika, near Delhi, said Ms Sodhi.

The Head of Experimental Medicine at the PGI, Dr S. Majumdar, said the animals were being kept in good condition within the limited funds and resources.” Under the 10th Five Year Plan, we have sent a proposal for construction of a Rs 2.40 crore fully air-conditioned animal house to the Union Health Ministry and once the approval is received, work will begin,” he informed.

Years back, Maneka Gandhi had noted with disgust the plight of animals at the PGI in her book, “Heads and Tales”.

A decade down the line conditions at the animal house still remains grim and it might take years before the new animal house will come up.

SPORTS

Kapil to boost city cricket
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, April 18
Kapil Dev has vowed to make the local cricket scenario more sponsorship oriented. He was here to attend the annual general meeting of the UT Cricket Association (UTCA) held today. Kapil, general secretary of the UTCA, however, remained over the issue of the affiliation of the UTCA with the Board for Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). It was later learnt that Kapil will be discussing the pending issues of the affiliation with the President of the BCCI, Mr Jagmohan Dalmiya, in a couple of days.

Kapil stressed the need to make cricket more organised in the city and said he has already talked up to various sponsors on giving fillip to cricket in the city. On the question of holding national-level tournament in the city, Kapil said, yes, it can be organised but one need at least Rs 10-15 lakh to make it more viable.

Kapil was all praise for the young talent in the city and said the city has the capacity to produce more international class players. A souvenir of the UTCA was also released by Kapil Dev.

Earlier, Col AS Judge, president of the UTCA, announced the opening of regular coaching cricket centres at three different places in the city: in Shivalik Public School, Sector 41, Punjab Engineering College, Sector 12, and third centre to be identified anywhere in Mani Majra.

Later, Mr S.S. Bawa, secretary, UTCA, said the basic aim was to spread cricket in all corners of the city. The three centres will, however, start functioning from May onwards.

“Volleyball team put up a good show”
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, April 18
Bir Singh Yadav, coach of the Indian volleyball team, has made the city and his employer, the Chandigarh police, proud. The Indian team has won the 4th Asian Youth Volleyball Championship that concluded a few days ago at Vishakhapatnam. Narrating his experience with the Indian team, Bir Singh said the team’s performance was superb with Iran, the defending champions, in the final when they outplayed them 3-1. Bir Singh said at present the Indian team was well balanced. Bir Singh said in the 3rd Asian Volleyball Championship held two years ago, India finished seventh and so could not qualify for the World Youth Volleyball Championship. But this time, India had got the first place and the top three teams would become eligible to take part in the World Youth Volleyball Championship to be held at Bangkok (Thailand) from July 5 to 11.

More facilities at Lake Club
Arvind Katyal

Chandigarh, April 18
The new look Lake Club in Sector 6, Chandigarh, is all set to provide more sports facilities to the public in near future. On a visit to the club, one can notice that playing arenas for billiards and table tennis are being given an aesthetic touch. The added sports facilities, along with host of other benefits, will be available to about 1,300 members as well as non-members in select sports disciplines.

Lieut-Col M. Berry, general manager of the club, told Chandigarh Tribune that at present there was an unprecedented rush of enquiries from people willing enjoy swimming at the club. He said, in swimming, they had facilities both for members and non-members. In case of swimming, rowing, tennis, they had sports membership apart from an option for the existing members to avail themselves of the facility, he added. He said the hall for cue sports had been renovated. “The club has separate hall for table tennis .

Facilities for chess and carrom have also been provided,” he said. He said the club had two tennis courts. Squash courts would be ready in another few months, he added.

On the question of persistent demand of club members to keep swimming pool open throughout the year, he said they would think over the demand. He said a regular qualified coach for swimming and a marker for cue sports had already been appointed.

He said General Jacob would formally inaugurate enhanced facilities at the club next week.

UT federation warns of stir
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 18
The UT Subordinate Services Federation (SSF) has condemned the unresponsive attitude of the Chandigarh Administration towards the demands of UT employees.

According to Ramesh Kumar Chandolia, president of the federation, the employees transferred to the Municipal Corporation should be treated either on deputation or they should be repatriated to the Administration. It may be mentioned that the Administration had made its intentions clear to retrench its surplus staff, at present working in the MC on deputation.

The other demands of SSF include grant of bonus pending since the past five years, filling the vacant posts, giving appointments on compassionate ground, regularisation of daily wage earners and stalling privatisation of public sectors, like electricity and transport.

Criticising the Heldea Report on the privatisation of power sector, the SSF leader said it would put an adverse affect on the service conditions of the employees of the Electricity Department.

The SSF also demanded immediate release of instalments of dearness allowance due since January, 2003. Mr Chandolia warned that if their demands were not fulfilled and the employees of UT Administration were not merged into the MC, as per the CAT orders, they would be forced to resort to an agitation.