HEALTH

Cocktail of chemicals being served to colonies along Hindon
Parmindar Singh

Ghaziabad, September 5
Health and district authorities are playing with the health of people in colonies on both sides of the Hindon. They are forced to drink water contaminated heavily with dangerous elements and metals.

The water being supplied in Shyam Park extension and Rajinder Nagar is found to have 850 TDs (total solids). Some persons in these areas have gone in for boring wells on their premises. However, this hasn’t solved the problem as water so pumped up is found to have 1,150 TDs.

Even after using water purifiers, residents have not been able to get wholesome potable water. The purifiers only segregate bacteria from the water, leaving chlorine and nitrogenous elements behind.

The dyeing, printing and nickel-plating units in the area are solely responsible for contaminating the underground water in these colonies. These units are discharging the chemically polluted water into deep ditches dug up in the area. This water when mixed with the underground water makes the whole water table contaminated.

According to observers, the administration is taking this phenomenon rather lightly. Ravi Saxena, an expert of a German firm that specialises in purifying water, said that according to a study by the Environmental Protection Agency, the presence of antimoni elements in water leads to high blood pressure and cholesterol. These in turn can lead to cancer and a variety of other serious ailments. While barium leads to high blood pressure, asbestos causes intestinal diseases and cadmium can affect the kidneys.

Chromium gives rise to allergic dermatitis while copper leads to gastrointestinal distress. Cyanide can lead to dermis and thyroid ailments; fluoride in excess can affect children’s teeth and gums. Zinc can retard the mental and physical growth of children; sulphur causes dehydration while thallium can cause hair loss.

According to this survey, with the contaminated water people in colonies across the Hindon are forced to drink, one cannot even think of a healthy life. The Ghaziabad Nagar Nigam should get the water samples tested in laboratories and then make serious efforts to improve the quality of water in the area. The district administration also cannot shirk its responsibility, Ravi Saxena added.

Free medical check-up camp at Lajpat Nagar
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 5
The Delhi chapter of the Scindia Old Boys Association (SOBA), the alumni association of Scindia School, Gwalior, is organising a free medical check-up and blood donation camp at MCD Hospital in Lajpat Nagar II on Sunday between 8 am to 1 pm.

Announcing the camp, Mr Surendra Malhotra, president of the Delhi Chapter, said: “As a part of our charter, the SOBA is committed towards working for the uplift of the society. This commitment comes from active participation in the Social Service League.”

The blood donation camp is being organised in association with the Heart Care Foundation of India. Over 150 alumni members have already confirmed their willingness to donate blood.

Dr K. K. Agarwal, president of the Heart Care Foundation of India, said: “It is heartening to know that associations like the SOBA are coming forward to organise a voluntary blood donation camp. Though this is our first partnership, we hope to continue this in future towards having more numbers of voluntary donors contributing blood.”

The medical camp is primarily meant for residents in the colonies and JJ clusters in and around Lajpat Nagar.

SPORTS

Air Force sail home in comfort, top group
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, September 5
Defending champions Indian Air Force, New Delhi scored a facile 3-0 victory against New Delhi Heroes in a Group B match of the Delhi Soccer Association Senior Division League at the Ambedkar Stadium on Friday.

The Airmen took the lead in the 29th minute when Harbhajan Minhas bulged the net with a powerful shot. The Airmen kept up the momentum in the second half too, and enhanced the lead through R Thapliyal in the 78th minute while outside-left L Danny completed the tally in the 82nd minute.

Air Force top Group B as they have earned 19 points from 7 matches. Heroes have completed their engagements securing ten points.

The match between Indian National and Moonlight Club was abandoned in the 68th minute following heavy rains. The stadium got flooded and the Moonlight players protested at the ground condition, which was upheld by match referee Abdul Saleem. National were leading by a lone goal when the match was abandoned. Manjit Singh scored the goal in the 17th minute.

The remaining part of the match—15 minutes to be precise — will be played on Saturday at 6 pm at the Ambedkar Stadium.

City Club defeated Mughals 1-0 at the Nehru Stadium. City Club have secured 13 points from seven matches while Mughals have earned six points from seven games.

Saturday’s fixtures: Simla Youngs vs Shahdara (2.30 pm); Hindustan vs Delhi Police (4.30 pm)— Ambedkar Stadium.

Indian teams for World Korfball Championship
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, September 5
India will field the boys and girls teams in the seventh World Korfball Championship to be held in Netherlands from October 27 to November 9.

The Indian teams were selected after a coaching camp held at the Indira Gandhi indoor stadium from August 17 to 30.

A final camp will be held at the Indira Gandhi indoor stadium from October 7, and the teams were scheduled to leave for Netherlands on October 19.

Sixteen teams will take part in the World Championship, including Britain, Netherlands, Germany, Chinese Taipei, Australia, Belgium, Japan and Poland.

The teams: boys: Rajesh Saini (captain, Rajasthan), Lalit Kumar (Haryana), Ankur Mukhariya (Uttar Pradesh), Dharmendra Verma (Madhya Pradesh), Anil (Himachal Pradesh), Narinder Pal (Haryana), Sushant Aggarwal (Uttar Pradesh), Rahul Pal (Delhi). Standby: Prem Saini (Rajasthan).

Girls: Reena Singh (UP), Sandhya (Delhi), Sunita Singh (HP), Megha Singh (UP), Bharti (MP), Rashmi (Delhi), Isha Chabra (UP) and Vaishali (MP). Stand-by: Kumudhini (AP).

Haryana Korfball Association president Dharam Vir will be the manager while Mrs Pallavi Mohan will be the deputy manager.

Mr Mukesh Kahndelwal will be the chief coach.

Deepak Kumar bags another gold

New Delhi, September 5
Deepak Kumar Singh of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) maintained his golden streak when he annexed the 200m individual medley title with a new meet record time of 2:14.55 secs, which erased the old record of 2:16.16 secs in the 52nd All India Police Aquatic Championship at the Talkatora swimming pool on Friday.

CRFP defeated BSF 10-4 to canter away with the water polo trophy. Punjab Police took the third position. OSR

Kumble joins polio mop up campaign
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, September 5
Cricket star Anil Kumble took time off from the national camp presently on in Bangalore to provide a big boost to the second phase of the polio eradication campaign.

The polio mop up will take place in ten districts of Karnataka and three districts of Andhra Pradesh between September 7 and 9. This is in the light of fresh outbreak of a few fresh cases of polio around Bellary and Raichur in Karnataka and Anantpur and Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh.

Kumble offered an analogy between cricket and polio: “If we want to win the battle against polio, we must get ten on ten. We cannot leave any wicket standing. In order to win the match against polio, every single child must be immunised. I encourage the health department, communities and partners to ensure that Karnataka scores a perfect ten in the upcoming mop up round”.

Raveena to tee-off in charity golf
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, September 5
Hindi film actress Raveena Tandon will be the star attraction in the Daksh Prayas Golf Tournament to be held on September 7 (Sunday) at the Classic Golf Resort in Gurgaon. The tournament will feature a number of leading film actors like Arjun Ramphal, Suresh Oberoi, Neha Dhupia and Meher Jessia.

The tournament will be flagged at 7 am by former Indian cricket captain Kapil Dev. Proceeds from the tournament will go towards bringing alive a new health institution and looking after the educational needs of the under privileged children.

ADMINISTRATION

Policemen suspended for beating up advocate
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, September 5
Following complaints of beating up an advocate of the local Bar Council by policemen, the Superintendent of Police, Mr P. S. Ahlawat, has ordered the suspension of the police chowki incharge and a Havaldar. Moreover, the police chief has asked the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Mr Arun Singh Nehra, to conduct an inquiry into the incident.

According to information, advocate Rajinder Singh Malik, was asked to show the documents of his scooter by an ASI and a Havildar while he was returning to his home late on Wednesday evening. When advocate Malik did not have all the required papers, he was allegedly taken to the Gohana road police chowki, where he was beaten up. He was released later in the night.

The incident was immediately reported to Mr Prem Atri, the president of the District Bar Council. Later, the advocate was taken to the hospital where he was given treatment. A MLR was issued to the advocate by the doctors on duty.

The incident was reported to the District and Sessions Judge on Thursday, and an emergency meeting of the Bar Council was later convened. The council expressed its “serious concern” over the high handedness of the police. A delegation of the council met the Superintendent of Police in the evening and submitted a complaint demanding action against the guilty policemen. The District and Session Judge also reportedly talked to the police chief about the incident.

Taking note of the complaint and the nature of the incident, the Superintendent of Police ordered the suspension of the police personnel involved in the incident.