Chandigarh, October 27
Childhood blindness among premature babies has been emerging rapidly in the country following which the younger section of the society is likely to suffer complete visual impairness in near future.

The cases of childhood blindness, due to retinopathy (ROP), witnessed sharp increase worldwide and nearly 90 per cent of them have been reported in developing countries like India.

Ophthalmologists of the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), claimed that 1 to 2 newborn children were reporting to the hospital every week. Almost 35 per cent babies born at the PGI are premature due to high-risk pregnancies. The percentage is much higher in government hospitals.

Dr Amod Gupta, head of the Ophthalmology Department, PGI, disclosed the facts while interacting with media persons before the pre-conference instruction course-I on the first day of the 20th North Zone Ophthalmological Society conference being organised by the Department of Ophthalmology, PGI, here today.

Dr M.R. Dogra, a professor of the Ophthalmology Department, PGI disclosed that the disease among 90 per cent of the premature babies was preventive provided diagnosed early. He also stressed on the need of neonatal ventilator facilities at various hospitals. If the disease detected at early stage by screening the baby (of four to six weeks), it could be treated with laser techniques, he claimed.

Dr Jagat Ram, professor of the department, claimed that paediatric glaucoma, paediatric cataract, paediatric uveitis and lazy eye have also been proving a major cause of childhood blindness. The problem of cataract among 30 to 50 per cent cases was genetic while in one-third of the cases it develops due to some sort of trauma.

Chandigarh, October 27
A team of the Medical Council of India (MCI) conducted an inspection of the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, here today.

The team comprised Dr Malti Mehra from MCI, New Delhi, Dr A.K. Jain from Lady Harding Medical Collage, New Delhi, and Dr N.K. Gupta from Maulana Azad Medical Collage, New Delhi. The visited various departments and inspected the hospital infrastructure.

The GMCH Director-Principal Dr H.M. Swami and Medical Superintendent Dr Harsh Mohan accompanied the MCI team during the inspection.

Sources said the team visited the emergency ward besides various general wards and laboratories.

Infrastructure in the college building provided for students and teaching staff was also inspected. They also took note of the faculty members and their qualification.

Mohali, October 27
A poor cobbler could hardly believe what was happening to him when he was turned into a VIP for a day as he was suddenly summoned to the PCA Stadium where the ICC Champions Trophy match was being played between Pakistan and South Africa here today.

Jai Ram, who could not have ever dreamt of entering the VVIP block of the stadium, spent nearly three hours there. Jai Ram was excited to see many foreign and cricket players sitting and watching the match.

Sporting a white T-shirt with ICC Champions Trophy written on it, a pair of trousers and slippers, with two bags hung on his shoulders containing his work tools stunned many when he entered or came out of the VVIP block.

While talking to The Tribune, Jai Ram said around 3 p.m. two persons approached him, saying that he had to be taken to the stadium to repair bags of cricket players.

He was brought in a car and later taken into the VVIP block to do what was needed. He said he stitched about 12 bags and had even put a lock and a buckle on two bags.

Jai Ram was coming out of the gate meant for VVIPs when The Tribune team accosted him but certain policemen on duty there objected to The Tribune lensman taking a photograph of the cobbler in front of the gate.

A woman, who was said to be the wife of one of the senior PCA officials, also objected to the taking of photographs of the cobbler.

Chandigarh, October 27
Government Model High School, Sector 37, struck two gold medals in the girls’ under-14 category on the opening day of the Union Territory Inter-School Wushu Championship held at the Sector 42 multipurpose hall here today.

Ritika and Shivani displayed quick reflexes and claimed top positions in the 28 kg and 32 kg categories.

Priya Kaur of Sacred Heart emerged winner in the 36 kg section while Babli of Government High School, Dadu Majra occupied the top place in the 40 kg section. Results: Under -14 girls: 24 kg : 1 Shallu (G.M.S.S.S. Sec.-10), 2 Jyoti (G.M.H.S.Sec.-37), 3 Drishti (Ryan International) and Kajal (G.H.S. Dadu Majra).

28 kg : 1 Ritika (G.M.H.S Sector-37), 2 Himani (G.H.S. Dadu Majra), 3 Tara (G.M.S.S.S. Sec.-10) and Priyanka (G.H.S. Sector-41).

32 kg: 1 Shivani (G.M.H.S. Sec.-37), 2 Shubhani (Ryan International- Sec 49), 3 Anila (G.H.S. Sec.41) and Neha (G.M.S.S.S Sec.10).

36 kg: 1 Priya Kaur (Sacred Heart), 2 Jyoti (G.H.S. Dadu Majra), 3 Sitara (G.H.S. Sec.-41) and Shivani Shetty (G.M.H.S. Sec.-37).

40 kg: 1 Babli (G.H.S.-Dadu Majra), 2 Hema (G.M.S.S.S. Sec-10), 3 Poonam (G.H.S.-Sec.- 41) and Harsimran (G.M.H.S.Sec-37).

Chandigarh, October 27
Mandeep of SGGS Khalsa College, Mahilpur, who netted the ball thrice, proved to be too tough for MCM DAV College, Chandigarh eves and registered a one-sided 5-1 victory against them on the second day of the league matches of the Panjab University Inter College Inter Zonal Football tournament held on Panjab University campus here today.

Arshdeep and Sharanjit were the others who scored one goal each for the Khalsa side whereas Manjeet Kaur scored the lone goal for the losers’ side. The other match between the SGGS Khalsa College, Mahilpur, and the SGHRS College, Chabbewal, ended in a 1-1 draw. Maninder Kaur scored one goal for the SGGS team while Harvinder scored one goal for the SGHRS side.

Meanwhile, MCM DAV College for Women, Chandigarh, beat SGGS Khalsa College, Mahilpur, 5-1, on the opening day of league matches of Panjab University Inter-College Inter-Zonal Football Tournament held at Panjab University campus, here yesterday.

Jasdeep scored four goals while Manpreet scored one goal for the MCM team. Manjeet Kaur scored the lone goal for the losers.

In another match, GHG Khalsa College, Gurusar Sadhar, eves beat SGHRS College, Chabbewal, 2-0. Mandeep and Sukhjit scored one goal each for the winners. 

Mohali, October 27
Not in their usual lathi-wielding style, police personnel were seen going all out to assist the elderly, the handicapped and foreigners outside the PCA cricket stadium while the ICC Champions Trophy match was going on between Pakistan and South Africa here today.

Four vehicles were stationed at different points to ferry the needy to the entry gates of the stadium so that they did not have to face the inconvenience of walking long distance.

Two foreigners, Ms Mary Singh and her daughter, Ms Meera Singh, who hailed from London but were presently staying in Chandigarh, were seen stuck up at the gate number 12 although they were having tickets for gate numbers 5 and 14. The police arranged a jeep for them to reach the right gate.

Mr Naunihal Singh, SSP, said some people from Pakistan had purchased tickets through the Internet on which gate numbers had not been mentioned and as such they were facing entry problem. There were cases where two family members had tickets of two different blocks, but wanted to sit together in one block to watch the match. To tackle this problem, he said, a liaison officer, who was a representative of the PCA, was deputed at each gate.

He said majority of the people were satisfied with the arrangements though some of them complained about shortage of drinking water, dirty seats and high rates of eatables. Some of them also wanted that mobile phones should be allowed inside the stadium.

Meanwhile, the only comfort for the Pakistan team, ousted by unpredictable South Africans from the ICC Champions Trophy at the PCA Stadium here, was that it got tremendous support from the Indian crowd.

Only around 85 Pakistani cricket fans were present to see their men in action. But the lackluster performance put up by their team left them disappointed.

“I had specially come to watch Afridi play, but now I could not express my disappointment in words,” said Feroz Alam, who came here from Saharanpur this morning with his friends.

Muzzafarnagar-based students Shahajad and Mohammad Ulfan were of the view: “We not only wasted our money by coming here, but also our time. It would have been better if we had not come.”