Sacred Heart students display talent in classical dance
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, December 9
In an age where children are getting increasing hooked to western music and dances, Sacred Heart Senior Secondary School, BRS Nagar, is in the process of preserving Indian dances and folk songs by organising regular competitions.

In this zeal, an inter-class dancing competition was organised today that drew good response from students vying with each other for the honours. The school Principal, Sister Sobal, said apart from orienting children to the native dances the other objective was to harness their talent by catching them young.

She said an attempt was made to identify and nurture the art of rhythm and movement at this tender age, so that the students get enough time to develop the art of dance.

The competition was conducted in four main categories: Bharatnatyam solo, Bharatnatyam group, folk solo and Hindi group dance. Eminent artistes Suresh, Satpal Singh and Rita Gupta, adjudged each category. The entire effort was the hardwork of Ms Johny Alphanso, an artiste with creative thoughts and vision.

The results are: Bharatnatyam solo: 1 Charu Sachdev, 2 Akansha Chugh and Aanchal Agnihotri, 3 Ishwarjot Kaur; Bharatnatyam group: 1 class V-C 2 class V-E, 3 class V-A; Folk solo: 1 Sharon Babva V-B, 2 Twinkle Khanna V-D, 3 Radhika Sharma V-E; Hindi group dance: 1 class V-D, 2 class V-A, 3 class V-E and V-B; best dance: Ankansha Chugh V-B; best participating team: Class V-E.

From Schools
Drug awareness week concludes
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, December 9
The-week-long observance on drug awareness in Spring Dale Senior Secondary School concluded here today. During the week, the students created awareness against ill effects of drug addiction by holding poem recitation contests, speeches, staging plays and finally by taking out a rally with placards on the concluding day.

The play opened with an effective couplet ‘Mushkil se kiye they kabu, bhiter ke bhediya, do ghoont bhitar kya gayee: azaad ho gaye’ highlighted how the use of drugs mars the good prospects in the life of a student, an employee and a common citizen

Ms Avinash Walia, Director of the school said “We together have to act as crusaders to fight against drugs.”

Dance competition: GMT Public School organised a solo dance competition for students of nursery to class 111. Ms Ravi Sehgal, Principal and Mr Harbans Singh, administrator awarded the students. Mr Kashmir Singh Thind, Director, congratulated the students on their performance.

Competitions in Punjabi language held
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, December 9
As part of the celebrations of the Punjabi Week, the Punjab Language Department held a state-level poetry recitation and literary competitions at Punjabi Bhavan here today.

Mr Rakesh Pandey, State Science and Technology Minister, was the chief guest. He said one could express one's deepest thoughts in one's own mother tongue and hence steps should be taken to promote the Punjabi language.

He also gave away prizes to the winners of the competitions. He commended the efforts of the department for holding the function and giving students a chance to encourage their talent.

Poet Gurbhajan Gill said such competitions provided a platform to students to bring out their talent. Ravinder Bhattal said the department had done a good job by holding such a competition at the state level.

Present on the occasion were Ms Harjeet Kaur, Deputy Director of the department, Mr Harpal Singh Sidhu, District Language Officer, Inderjit Hasanpuri, Kartar Singh Kalra, Ashwani Jaitley, Gurdyal Singh Kanwal, Ajit Singh Sikka and others.

The results of the competitions are as follows:

Kavita gyan: 1 Simrata Sharma of Dashmesh Public School, Faridkot, 2 Sammerdeep Kaur of Guru Nanak Senior Secondary School, Amritsar, 3 Deepak Gogna of Government Senior Secondary School, Kapurthala.

Poem recitation: 1 Gurmeet Kaur of Sahibzada Academy, Ropar, 2 Ranjeet Kaur, of Akal Academy, Balbera, 3 Prabjot Kaur of Dilwahan International School, Dilwahan.

Story telling competition:

1 Mandeep Kaur of Major Ajaib Singh Senior Secondar School, Jeewan wala, Faridkot, 2 Sargun Kaur Arora of DAV Public School, Ludhiana, 3 Shamiksha of Holy Heart Public School, Fathehgarh Sahib.

Essay writing competition:

2 Manjot Kaur of Government Senior Secondary School, Amritsar, 2 Rajkamal Kaur of Dashmesh Public School, Faridkot, 3 Jasbir Kaur of Government Senior Secondary School, Ludhiana.

COURTS

Journalist gets justice after 7 yrs legal battle
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, December 9
After a prolonged legal battle for about seven years, Harbir Singh Bhanwer, a local senior journalist, got justice to get ejectment of his house C-194, Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar, here. Mr Jaspal Verma, Civil Judge-cum-rent controller, passed an ejectment order in his petition.

In his petition field under East Punjab Urban Rent Control Act 1949. Bhanwer stated that he had rented out his newly constructed house to Central Bank of India. Pointing out he had retired as Senior Staff Correspondent of The Tribune from Amritsar on August 31, 1998, he pleaded that he needed this house for personal necessity. However, the tenant and sub-tenant opposed this petition. The rent controller accepted the petition and passed an ejectment order two days ago.

Meanwhile, Bhanwer today filed a caveat in the court of the District and Sessions Judge requesting that he be called and heard before granting any relief interim or otherwise, if an appeal was filed by the respondents against the said ejectment order.

Nine more file nominations for Bar poll
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, December 9
Nine more aspiring contestants today filed in their nomination papers for the different posts of the District Bar Association (DBA), with the Returning Officer, Mr S.K. Pathak. The annual elections of the association will be held on December 20.

Mr Vijay B. Verma alongwith his supporters filed nomination papers for the post of president of the association. He is the second candidate to stake claim for the presidentship of the DBA.

Three candidates filed nomination papers staking claim for the prestigious post of secretary of the association. Mr Harpreet Singh Makkar alongwith his large number of supporters including Mr Govind Puri, Mr Ripan Chadha, Mr B.K. Rampal, Mr Varinder Sharma, Mr Harpreet Singh, Mr K.G.S. Suri and Mr Rajesh Battish filed in the nomination papers.

Mr Sanjiv Malhotra along with his supporters Mr Sudesh Mahajan, Mr A.M. Thind, Mr P.K. Jain, Mr P.K. Ghai, Mr Pardeep Arora, Mr S.P. Sharma also filed nomination papers for the same post. Apart from them, Mr Arun Khurmi also filed nomination papers for the post of secretary.

For the post of vice-president; Mr Sunil Dutt flanked by supporters Mr Vijay Mahendru, Mr Surinder Kashyap, Mr Sunil Gupta, Mr Ravdeep Atwal, Mr Didar Singh, Mr Sunil Chawla, Mr Dharminder Sharma and Mr Stevon Soni filed nomination papers. For the same post, Mr Baldev Singh Arora also filed their nomination papers.

For the post of finance secretary; Mr Sandeep Punni and Mr R.P. Rawal filed in their nomination papers. Whereas for the post of joint secretary; Mr V.K. Goel filed his nomination papers.

CULTURE

Govt ignoring Punjabi film industry, says Preeti
Our Correspondent

Mandi Ahmedgarh, December 9
The Punjabi community being conversant with the Hindi language has resulted in economic and aesthetic setback to those producers who undertook producing Punjabis films and serials as an endeavor to preserve cultural heritage and abstain from obscenity, claims Preeti Sapru, a Hindi-turned Punjabi actress who is currently working on a serial, assigned to her by the Prasar Bharti.

While talking to Ludhiana Tribune at Ahata Naubhar, a site selected for the shooting of select scenes from "Ik Mian Do Talwaran," Preeti said, "Unlike the southern state, where common people understood only their regional language and were dependent on films in their own dialect, the Punjabis easily understood Hindi and as such relished Hindi films. Lack of concern for the promotion of cultural heritage on behalf of successive governments made the condition of Punjabi producers so critical that they stopped getting distributors."

She got disappointed after shifting to Punjabi films when she found that traditional costumes worn by female actresses were far different from the sense of original scripts. "Having inherited concern for my culture I had shifted from Hindi to Punjab films, hoping that would save us from obscenity and glamour, but the reality turned to be poles apart," the actress said.

Though she understood that producing a serial might not be economically feasible and profitable project, she was pleased to serve the society by presenting a creation that would combine cultural heritage, patriotism and entertainment simultaneously.

The serial is based on a novel authored by a renowned Punjabi writer, Nanak Singh, and reflects recapitulation of Gadar movement showing contemporaries of Kartar Singh Sarabha played by Manpreet Singh and Viri played by Satinder Satti. The serial, directed by Adip Tondon, will show the consequences of traitors like Sube Singh who had sacrificed national interests for petty gains.

HEALTH

Drug abuse on rise among teenagers: expert
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, December 9
Drug abuse among teenagers has assumed alarming proportions and calls for drastic corrective measures at different levels. Experimentation with alcohol and drugs during adolescence is very common.

These views were expressed by Dr Paramjit Singh Khurana, consultant Neuro-Psychiatrist and drug de-addiction specialist at Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital here.

He says teenagers have been seen using a variety of drugs and psychotropic substances like heroine, smack, opium, codeine, cough syrup, proxyvon capsules, injections, tobacco, alcohol, cocaine and at times some lethal addictions like iodex on bread, petrol fumes, insecticides and even shoe polish.

"Use of illegal drugs is increasing, especially among young teens. The average age of first drug abuse is around 15 years. The use of smack and alcohol in high school is also increasing at an alarming rate."

Dr Khurana says unfortunately, teenagers often fail to see the link between their actions today and the consequences tomorrow. They also have a tendency to feel indestructible and immune to the problems that others experienced. Use of alcohol and tobacco at a young age increases the risk of using other drugs later.

According to Dr Khurana, adolescence is a time for trying new things. The youngsters use alcohol and other drugs for many reasons, including curiosity, because it felt good, to reduce stress, to feel grown up or to fit in. It is difficult to know which youth would experiment and stop and which of them would develop serious problems.

He observes that those at greater risk for developing serious alcohol and drug problems included teenagers with a family history of substance abuse, those who are depressed, have low self-esteem, and those who have a feeling of being isolated.

"Drug use is associated with a variety of negative consequences, including increased risk of serious drug use later in life, school failure, and poor judgment, which may put teens at risk for accidents, violence, unplanned and unsafe sex, and even suicide."

He emphasises that parents can help through early education about drugs, open communication, good role modeling, and early recognition if problems are developing. Citing reasons for addiction, he says there can be a variety of reasons like attempt to escape the stress and strain of modern life, over-expectations in life followed by under-achievements, easy availability of drugs and alcohol, peer pressure, affect of satellite TV channels on the youth, increased pocket money to children, busy parents and less interaction among family members, irrational use of pain killers and their over prescription by unqualified doctors and social acceptance of alcohol.

According to Dr Khurana, parents ought to keep an eye for warning signs which may manifest as fatigue, repeated health complaints, red and glazed eyes, and a lasting cough, personality change, sudden mood changes, irritability, irresponsible behavior, low self-esteem, poor judgment, depression, and a general lack of interest.

He, however, adds that some of the aforesaid warning signs can also be indicative of other problems. "The parents may recognise signs of trouble but should not be expected to make the diagnosis. An effective way for the parents to show care and concern is to openly discuss the use and possible abuse of alcohol and other drugs with their wards."

Consulting a physician to rule out physical causes of the warning signs is a good first step. This should often be followed or accompanied by a comprehensive evaluation by a psychiatrist, Dr Khurana adds.

State ophthalmology conference in city from today
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, December 9
The two-day 9th annual conference of the Punjab Ophthalmological Society (POS) — Drishti 2005 — will get under way at Silver Oak Gardens and Resorts here on Saturday. The state meet will not only have distinguished guest speakers from all over the country and nearly 300 delegates from every nook and corner of the state, but for the first time, there will be a live global webcast of the deliberations through a dedicated 2 mbps broadband Internet connection provided by the BSNL.

Giving more details during a news conference here today, Dr G.S. Bajwa, executive president of the society, said Dr Ravinder Singh, Vice-Chancellor, Baba Farid University of Health Science, would be the chief guest and Dr Dhanwant Singh the guest of honour at the inaugural function. The POS will present a life time achievement award to Dr Ranbir Singh of Amritsar.

Dr Rajinder Singh and Dr Deepak K. Gupta, both organising secretaries of the conference, were also present on the occasion.

There will be a live ophthalmic debate on small incision cataract surgery (SICS) between Dr K.P.S. Malik and Dr Harbans Lal from New Delhi, which would be moderated by Dr Rajinder Singh. Two orations would be delivered by Dr Amod Gupta from PGI, Chandigarh, and Dr Namrata Sharma from the R.P. Centre of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi.

Dr Bajwa said key speakers would include Dr Rasik B. Vajpayee from AIIMS, Dr Daljit Singh, Dr Davinder Sood, Dr Ravijit Singh, Dr Harbans Lal, Dr Ruchi Goel, Dr Kamaljit Singh, Dr Tejas Shah, Dr Kapil Vohra, and Dr Rajbir Singh.

Another highlight of the conference, said Dr Bajwa, would be a symposium on uvea, an important part of the eye, which would have galaxy of speakers, including Dr Amod Gupta, Dr S.P. Garg, Dr Vaishali Gupta, Dr Mamta Aggarwal, Dr Rajbir Singh and Dr Pardeep Venkatesh.

On the arrangements for live telecast of the conference, Dr Rajinder Singh and Dr Deepak Gupta said the same would be available during official hours of the conference at the website, www.posindia.org.

CMCH para-medic gets ambulance training in UK
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, December 9
Ms Anupam Rachana Singh, a para-medic and nurse at Christian Medical College and Hospital here has added a lot to her knowledge and experience after a three-week long training and fact-finding mission in the UK.

During her stay in Exter (England) she was attached to the Westcountry Ambulance Service (WAS) and worked extensively on a front line ambulance, rapid response vehicle and the air ambulance. She also had hands-on training as nurse practitioner and paramedic with the ambulance unit.

In an informal interaction with mediapersons here last evening, Ms Anupam remarked that her training stint with WAS was a dream come true and an unforgettable experience. “I was trained on use of advanced medical equipment and working of the air ambulance. During a day with the air ambulance staff, we provided first aid to four persons and air lifted two other to the nearest hospitals.

Sharing her experience, she told that while the ambulance services in India had their limitations, the situation was entirely different in the UK because the services were funded by the government. “In the UK the work of ambulance services is amply supplemented by voluntary car drivers who offer their services and vehicles to ferry patients to and from hospitals so that the ambulances can be kept free for emergencies. These drivers do not get paid anything except for the mileage allowance.”

Mr Gerald Carpanini, Instructor Para-medic and Ambulance Services from WAS, presently training the CMCH nurses and para-medical staff, who had organised the visit of Ms Anupam to the UK, was also present on the occasion. He informed that WAS was one of the leading ambulance services in the UK with a staff of more than 500 trained personnel, four air ambulances and a fleet of 50 ambulance vehicles serving three states.

According to Mr Carpanini, unlike in India, the ambulance services in the UK were more like mobile mini-intensive care units, which were fully equipped to deal with most of the medical emergencies. He said during his stay at the CMCH, he had already trained two batches of paramedics for ambulance services, besides holding a number of road shows for AMARS services of the CMCH.

SPORTS

Rally taken out on the eve of Asian Cycling Championship
Our Sports Reporter

Ludhiana, December 9
Ludhiana residents today witnessed a rally of a different kind as more than fifty students from Teja Singh Swatantar Senior Secondary School along with the members of the Indian cycling contingent for the forthcoming 25th BSA Asian Cycling Championship slated to begin here at Punjab Agricultural University velodrome, took out a rally. The rally was taken out to spread awareness about this mega event to be held from December 11 to 18.

The cyclists gathered at Guru Nanak Stadium where Ms Amrit Kaur Gill, SDM (East) and the organising secretary of this mega event accompanied by Mr Gianinder Singh, District Sports Officer, Ludhiana, Mr Amritpal Singh Mavi, Senior Sports Officer and Sukvir Grewal, former international hockey star were present to welcome them.

The rally was flagged off by Sukhvir Grewal and the cyclists zipped through the busy Ferozepur road before reaching PAU campus where they were provided juice and fruits by the members of the organising committee. After a brief halt there, the cyclists returned to the Guru Nanak Stadium via Mall Road.

Talking to Ludhiana Tribune, the students who participated in the rally said they were overjoyed to join the members of the Indian cycling team. Sulakhan Singh who reached the stadium first expressed happiness when he said he had pedalled out the established stars. Similar views were expressed by others including Waryam Singh, Amit Kumar, Manpreet Singh, Iqbal Singh and Ramandeep who said, they had a great time while taking part in the rally.