Asthma in children on the rise
Tribune News Service

Mohali, December 5
“Asthma is fast becoming a common chronic problem in children. However, there are misconceptions and a stigma attached to it. Not only patients but doctors too are in the dark about its diagnosis and management.”

This was stated by Dr Gaurav Gupta, a child specialist who addressed patients during an asthma awareness camp organised at the Phase III B-II mandir here today.

The camp began with a film depicting the problems being faced by a school-going child with asthma. Dr Gupta suggested that it was not only due to pollution but also due to change in diet and exercise patterns.

He stressed the need to build up the child’s immunity as an important component of asthma treatment. Addition of natural foods in regular diet like honey, turmeric powder (haldi) and chyawanprash help in building the immunity of asthmatic patients. Cold weather, dust, pets, cigarette smoke and stress are some of the triggers, which should be avoided.

Contrary to the common perception, it was stated that inhaled medicines should be used for the treatment of asthma, as these are not only the most effective, but have no major side-effects. The use of inhalers and dry powder inhaler devices was demonstrated by experts during the camp.

While asthma may not be curable, it is easily controlled with medicines and if certain precautions are taken to avoid the triggers, any asthmatic can enjoy a happy and normal life. Dr Gupta spoke on the stigma attached to the diagnosis of asthma. By labelling the child as having weak chest or bronchitis and not asthmatic does no good to the child. The knowledge of the disease is the first step to control it, he added.

More than 100 donate blood
Our Correspondent

Panchkula, December 5
Over 100 persons donated blood at a blood donation camp organised by the Vishvas Foundation in the premises of B.K.M. Vishvas School, Sector 9, in the city today.

Rishi Kumars and Sadhvis, including the organiser and general secretary of the foundation, Sadhvi Neelima, Vishvas, donated blood. Donors were given a light refreshment, a certificate and a memento.

Doctors from the Department of Transfusion Medicine, PGI, rendered their services to the donors at the camp.

The organisers said this first venture was turned out to be quite successful. They would be organising such camps in the future also, they added.

SPORTS

Netherlands Ambassador visits Sukhna rowing course
Arvind Katyal

Chandigarh, December 5
“I am still fit and energetic enough to do rowing, because all these years I restrained myself from the influence of drugs.” This was commented by 61-year-old Eric F. Ch. Niehe, Ambassador of Royal Netherlands to India. Eric, who is a former international rower of repute, was on a day’s visit to Chandigarh for the ongoing Agro Tech fair.

His passion for rowing brought him to the Sukhna rowing course. He preferred to visit Sukhna Lake to have date with rowers, officials and of course to himself have a feel of the course.

He was accorded a warm welcome there. Mr K.P.S. Deo, president of the Rowing Federation of India (RFI), and Mr T.C. Gupta, senior vice-president of the federation, welcomed the guest and gave a detailed account of Indian rowers performance and future plans. A memento was also given to Mr Eric on this occasion.

Eric standing at seven feet had won bronze medal in the World Cup Rowing Championship in 1966 in Mexico while representing the Netherlands. He also represented his country in various other international tournaments.

A native of the Hague, Eric began his rowing career in late 1950’s. The sport according to him, gave him too much to learn in life. He said the values they learnt in sport were applicable even today when he managed his office team in Delhi.

He was accompanied by his rower friend Kloosterman from the Netherlands. He said even today all of his sports colleagues were good friends of his and were always in touch with each other. In the Netherlands, there were excellent rowing facilities and lot of youngsters were coming up, he added.

His parents helped him grow as a sportsman, he said. Unless parents come forward to motivate their wards, sport cannot grow, be it India or the Netherlands, he added. He advised local rowers Gurpeeet Kaur, Gurnoor Kang, both international players, who were present at the course, to be passionate about the sport they were into.

Praising the 2,000 m-long Sukhna course after having a feel of it for around 30 minutes, he said, he missed the same kind of facility in Delhi. During his stint as the Ambassador of Hungary, he was able to win their National Veterans Rowing Championship. Eric wondered why India with a gigantic population of more than 106 crore was nowhere near the top ranked sport nations of the world. He hoped that with the Rowing Federation of India making concerted efforts to give exposure to players, India might be able to win laurels in the times to come.

Jitin bags double crown in tennis meet
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, December 5
Jitin Bishnoi claimed double crown in the men’s section in the Chandigarh Open Tennis Tournament that concluded at the Tennis Stadium, Sector 10, here today. In the men’s singles final, he beat Akash Sharma 6-2, 6-2, while in men’s doubles, he, in partnership with Saurabh Singh, bagged the title by beating Robin Kumar and Akash Sharma, 0-6, 6-3, 7-5.

Earlier, Inayat Khosla had won the women’s singles title by beating Alipt Sandhu, 1-6, 6-4, 6-0.

In this five-day meet, more than 200 children participated in different events.

Meanwhile, the CLTA will induct batches of trainees in the age groups of four to 11 years from January 1, 2005. The trials will be conducted on the CLTA premises in the last week of December. Those interested may get their names registered with the general manager, CLTA.

Tennis tourney: Mehak Thakur of Satluj Public School, Sector 4, Panchkula, clinched the under-14 girls’ title in the fourth Satluj Open Tennis Tournament that concluded here on the school premises on Sunday.

Mr Krit Serai, Principal of the host school, gave away the prizes.

Results: under-14,boys — Anshul Kadian b Sarthak Chauhan, 2-0; under-14 girls — Mehak Thakur b Astha Thakur, 3-2; under-10, boys — Karan Singla b Jatin Garg, 4-2; and Apurva Kadian b Astha Thakur, 3-0.

Soccer team: A 22-member under-17 girls’ football team will participate in the Second National Sub-Junior Football Championship to be held at Dandigul (Tamil Nadu) from December 9 to 24.

The team is: Meenu Sharma, Kanika, Satpreet, Sawari, Neeta, Lata, Manju, Saniya, Prabhsimran, Ishita, Aditi, Gurpreet, Payal Saini, Nisha, Sudha, Sugandha and Himani.

Kavita adjudged best athlete
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, December 5
Kavita of CL DAV Public Senior Secondary School, Sector 11, Panchkula, was adjudged best athlete in the All-India Mahatma Hansraj Aryan Zonal Girls Sports Meet that concluded at DAV Public School, Sector 11, Panchkula, today. The four-day meet was held under the aegis of the Arya Vidya Sabha, New Delhi. The overall trophy was won by Jharkhand zone, while Punjab bagged the overall championship trophy for games.

The results: basketball — Uttar Pradesh 1, Delhi 2; Volleyball — Punjab 1, Jharkhand 2; handball —Jharkhand 1, Haryana (Chd,Pkl) 2; kho-kho — Punjab 1, Delhi 2; badminton — Punjab 1, Jharkhand 2; table tennis — Haryana (Chd/Pkl) 1, Jharkhand 2; gymnastics — Punjab 1, Haryana 2.

School games: Chandigarh spikers will take on Uttar Pradesh in the final of the 50th National School Games being held at Gwalior. As per information reaching here, in the semi-finals played today, Chandigarh got the better of Punjab, 3-0 (25-13, 25-20, 25-16) and Uttar Pradesh beat Rajasthan, 3-1.

The city cycle polo team that will take part in the Junior National Cycle Polo meet to be held at Durg (Chhattisgarh) from December 8 to 12. — A Tribune photograph