The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

HEALTH

Diabetes cases on the rise in city
Neelam Sharma
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 13
Inactive and sedate lifestyle in the city continues to invite diseases for its residents. High on heart ailments, the residents do not lag in diabetes, with more than 6 per cent of the city residents between 35 to 54 age group and more than 10 per cent of population above 55 years of age suffering from the disease.

According to the five-year long study of the Department of Community Medicine at the PGI conducted from 1995 to 2000, 6 per cent of the males in the city, between 35 to 54 years of age suffer from diabetes while the 5 per cent of the females in the city in the same age group are diabetic.

The incidence of diabetes nearly doubles in the elder age group, where 11 per cent of the male population above the age of 55 years suffers from diabetes and 13 per cent of the females in the same age group complain of the disease.

“India as such is called the sugar bowl of the world for having a high incidence of diabetes. But the Chandigarh city does not lag behind any other city in the country as far as the figures are concerned. One of the main reasons for proliferating diabetic cases is the sedate lifestyle, in take of junk food, obesity and inactive routine. Chandigarh scores high on all these ills,” says Head of Department of Community Medicine, Prof Rajesh Kumar.

Unhealthy eating with increasing dependence on the “energy dense food” or simply put the junk food, is the main reason for increasing lifestyle ailments in the city. Statistics, however, prove the deplorable eating patterns in the city. As high as 51 per cent of the city’s population rely on fried food (paranthas) in their daily diet, (as compared to two per cent in villages), 28 per cent in the age group of 35 to 54 years and 17 per cent above the age of 55 years are regular smokers and more than 40 per cent of the city’s adult population consumes alcohol regularly.

What is, however, worse is that despite such high-energy food intake, 50 per cent of the population above 35 years in the city suffer from “physical inactivity.”

Not surprising then, the 34 per cent of the city’s male population in age group of 35 to 54 years is obese and 53 per cent of the females in the same age group are overweight.

As many as 41 per cent of the males and 54 per cent of the females above 55 years of age are obese.

“Obesity is the single most important reason for plethora of ailments. Unfortunately, half of the city’s adult population is suffering from obesity which in turns invites a number of diseases,” adds the doctor.

Pet hospital and training centre planned for Panchkula
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, July 13
The Haryana Animal Husbandry Department, has formulated a plan to set up an ultra modern Pet Hospital-cum-Training Centre at Panchkula for the diagnosis and treatment of pet animals of the region.

Mr H.C. Disodia, Financial Commissioner, Animal Husbandry, informed that a sum of Rs 1 crore had been earmarked for the purpose. He said the centre would function as a referral clinic for the pet animals where facilities for diagnosis, follow up during the course of disease, evaluation of therapy and pronouncing a dependable prognosis would be provided.

The proposed centre will have modern facilities not only for diagnosis and treatment of pets suffering from various diseases, but will have facilities for hands-on practical training to young entrepreneurs (veterinarians). After such training, they would make a comfortable living as practitioners both within the country and abroad other than having facilities for Holiday Homes for Pets, Sniffer Dog Breeding and Training Centre for pets.

He hoped that by combining all these facilities in one complex it will not only be a one of its kind centre in this part of the country, but will also be a self sustaining unit having a sizable component of quality pet service and a centre promoting self employment.

Sudha Suri to continue as Dean PGI
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 13
The controversy over the post of Dean issue at the PGIMER has been shelved for the time being. The Supreme Court today endorsed the continuation of Prof Sudha Suri as Dean of the institute. According to her lawyer, Suresh Tripathi, told Chandigarh Tribune over phone from New Delhi that the court has said Prof Suri would continue as Dean till the case is decided.

The controversy had arisen over the Dean’s post while the SC in its earlier order had asked PGI to maintain “status quo” in the matter till the case was decided. PGI authorities had interpreted the decision to mean that the Director would take on the additional charge of the Dean as well.

SPORTS

Mass transfers of SAI coaches
Give replacements first, says PU Sports Director
G.S.Paul
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 13
The biggest reshuffle of coaches by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) has invited a lot of flak from the sports fraternity. Most of the SAI coaches functioning in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, J&K and Chandigarh have been transferred to various state coaching centres and SAI training centres or centres run at schools and colleges in the region.

The SAI Corporate Office, New Delhi, ordered the transfer of coaches on July 5 with immediate effect.

Of the 741 coaches transferred by SAI 25 are from Chandigarh. Eight of these coaches are working with Panjab University in various disciplines.

“I am not averse to the idea of transfer but there has to be a system. And in the transfers ordered on July 5 there are no replacements. I am not going to relieve any of the coaches till I get replacements,” said DS Toor, Director, Sports, PU campus.

Since there is no replacement yet in lieu of the transferred coaches it would severely affect the sports schedule for the coming season which is to commence next month.

“We have asked SAI to provide us two additional coaches for cricket and tennis. Instead they have ordered the transfer of the existing lot with no substitution. The crores we have spent on generating the infrastructure will come to a naught,” he added.

Mr Harold Carver, Director-Principal of St Stephen’s School, said: “Ours is among the best sports oriented institutions and we have built up huge infrastructure for gymnastics, shooting and tennis and especially football. We carry out our training on professional grounds, so we cannot afford to go without our coach, Bhupinder Singh. It would be of no use if our coach is transferred all of a sudden and that too, at a time when we need him the most.”

He further said that the 16 young soccer players of St Stephen’s Soccer Academy, were selected for a tour of England and Italy in May last and these players were groomed by coach Bhupinder Singh under whose supervision the school has excelled in football. One of the players Jashanpreet Singh was selected for the under-16 national camp at Kolkata. He also visited UK to play Arsenal Club and manchester United Club. Arshpreet and Simranjeet are the other players who represented India in the under-15 Asian Football Festival in Uzbekistan. All these achievements are because of SAI coach Bhupinder and we cannot afford to loose him as it will be a big setback to the game.

“We have developed a state of the art football academy at Togan where we recently conducted a clinic in which Stephen Constantine from England conducted a workshop to train the football coaches for which we also got appreciation from the SAI officials. If they are ignoring the loads of results of our coach and transferring him, then I am sorry to say that all good will come to a nil and we will have to start from a naught” avers Mr Carver.

According to a retired coach even if the reshuffling was necessary, this was not the time because in July, after the admission session, sports activities get activated. if at this juncture the coaches are reshuffled and that too on a mass scale, it could certainly hit sports activities in the immediate session of 2005-06.

Trials for sports wing seats held
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 13
The selection trials for the allotment of sports wing seats (schools) were held in different disciplines at various schools here today. The trials are being conducted by Sports Department, Chandigarh Administration.

On the second day of the ongoing trials the response was very encouraging as over 250 sportspersons had turned up to take trials for 97 seats in 12 disciplines. The trials are being held under the supervision of coaches of the sports department.

The trials for 10 volleyball seats at Government Senior Secondary School-27, witnessed over 40 participants, which was the maximum number among all disciplines, today.

Gymnastic witnessed the minimum number as only 14 gymnasts took part for eight wing seats at St Stephen School, Sector 45. The gymnastic trials were supervised by the coaches, Madhvi Bharaj and N. Shashi.

The other disciplines, for which the trials held, were Athletics (8 seats) at Government Senior secondary School, Manimajra Town; Basketball (6 seats) at Government Model Senior Secondary School-33; Football (12 seats) at St Stephen School; Handball (12 seats) at Government Model Senior Secondary School-19; Hockey (12 seats) at DAV Senior Secondary School-8; Kho-Kho and Kabaddi (10 and 5 seats) at Government Girls Senior Secondary School-23; Lawn Tennis (6 seats) at St Peters School; Table Tennis (6 seats) at Guru Harkrishan Senior Secondary School-38; Wrestling (7 seats) at Government Senior Secondary School-38 (west).

The selected players will be provided with daily refreshment worth Rs 35 (non-hostlers) and Rs 50 (hostlers) by the Sports Department.

Tomorrow will be the concluding day of the trials.

DPS Society swimming competitions
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, July 13
North Zone Inter Delhi Public School (DPS) Society swimming competitions will be held from July 15 to 17. Giving this information, Ms Sunita Kanwar, principal of the school, said the three-day meet will have events such as 50 metre, 25 metre, butterfly, breastroke, medlay but only in below 14 section. The swimming pool has 25-metre length an has six lanes.

She said nearly 20 DPS schools located in various states in the Northern states like Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan will vie for top honours. The school has made arrangements for board and lodging in the school premises itself.

Ms Kanwar said the participants would also be involved in sports quiz, talent hunt competitions and other recreational sports.

She said the position holder boys will take part in the All India DPS Society swimming meet to be held in Ahmedabad later this year. The tournament will begin at 9 am on Friday.