The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

NEIGHBOURHOOD

Govt committed to creating jobs, says Akali leader
Our Correspondent

Bassi Pathana, January 3
The SAD-BJP government is committed to creating employment avenues for the youths as it promised in its poll manifesto. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal as well as Sukhbir Badal, acting president of SAD (B), were making efforts to introduce self-employment schemes for the youths and inviting multinational companies (MNCs) to the state, said Gurwinder Singh Bhatti, a senior Youth Akali Dal leader and son of Sirhind MLA Didar Singh Bhatti, while inaugurating the awareness camp organised by the youth wing of the party here today.

Bhatti said youths played an important role in the development of society and nation. He added that due to the wrong policies of the previous Congress government, the youth of the state became frustrated as no jobs were provided to them. He further said the Chief Minister had announced to start recruitment in all departments. As many as 17,000 teachers were being recruited. He urged the youths to avoid drugs, work for the betterment of society and to wage a war against the social evils.

Prof R.S. Uppal highlighted the achievements of the Akali government and said Sukhbir Badal was taking great pains over the bright future of the youths. He said many MNCs had assured to organise job fairs for the recruitment of the trained youths.

Kidnapped boy escapes
Our correspondent

Kunal, a boy from Patiala, who rescued himself from kidnappers, at a police station in Ambala on Thursday. — Tribune photo by Kamal Sachar

Ambala, January 3
Kunal, alias Hannyy, a student of Guru Nanak Public School, Patiala, who was allegedly kidnapped on Wednesday, surfaced in Ambala Cantonment this morning.

Kunal told the Railway police that last evening three persons sitting in a car stopped him and forcibly pushed him in their car on knife point while he was going on his bicycle in Patiala. On the way to Ambala, they enquired the details of his family members, he added. Kunal’s father runs a lottery business in Patiala.

The boy further said today morning when the kidnappers were taking tea at the Ambala Cantonment railway station, he managed to flee from their clutches. He narrated the incident to some railway officials present there, who informed the Railway police. Ram Chander, an ASI of the Railway police, chased the kidnappers but they managed to flee. The Railway police then informed the Patiala police, which sent a police party led by ASI Piyare Lal to Ambala to bring Kunal back to Patiala.

Daler case adjourned till March 25
Tribune News Service

Patiala, January 3
The court of P.S. Rai, judicial magistrate (first class), today adjourned the case pertaining to Daler Mehndi and his accomplices till March 25.

Daler Mehndi, Shamsher Singh and Dhyan Singh were present in the court today while Daler’s fourth accomplice Bul Bul Mehta moved a personal exemption application, which was allowed by the court. Prosecution witnesses - Bakshish Singh, Pyar Singh and Balwinder Singh - had been issued summons which have been returned unserved to the court.

An application was, however, moved by them that they could not take the summons as they were not feeling well. Daler has been allegedly taking people abroad in an illegal manner along with his troupe following which a complaint was moved against him by Bakshish Singh.

50 pc people need eye care: Survey
Tribune News Service

Patiala, January 3
According to a random survey conducted by a team doctors of the eye department of Government Rajindra Hospital, here, more than 50 per cent people have weak eyes and they need to have special care.

The survey was conducted on 7,708 persons from all age groups and from all walks of life, out of which 4,163 patients had weak eyes and needed lenses and proper eye care. The survey team concluded that people were suffering from more than one eye ailment and at least 160 people were suffering from glaucoma.

The study also concluded that 517 people (6.7 per cent) had weak eyes due to high incidence of blood sugar and 313 people were found to be suffering from conjectivitis. While 613 people had problems related to retina, 471 people (6 per cent) had problems due to displacement of their lenses.

When contacted, a team member said the survey would be useful in providing information to eye patients about their problems.

Pallavi Aggarwal bags silver, bronze
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, January 3
Pallavi Aggarwal, who won silver and a bronze medal in the All-India CBSE badminton championship held at Indore (MP), was awarded Rs 3,100 (individual) and Rs 2,100 (team). The District Badminton Association, Panchkula, honoured six players, who brought laurels to the district by performing well in the recent National badminton championship.

Rajender Kumar Kataria, IAS, deputy commissioner, Panchkula, and the president of the badminton association was the chief guest, who also distributed cash rewards to the budding players.

While addressing the media, Rajender Kataria said, “We have the talent and the best facilities, but still the game is far behind. Due to communication gap, good talent is getting wasted”.

The players who have been awarded are: Akshit Mahajan, who won a gold medal in the 53rd National School boys’ category under-17, which was held at Vashi (Mumbai), has been awarded Rs 5,000 (individual) and Rs 3,100 (team). Deepak Khatri, who won a gold medal in the 53rd National School boys’ category under-17 held at Vashi (Mumbai), has been awarded Rs 3,100 (team). In the girls’ category, Kannu Priya, who won a gold medal in the Women National Badminton sports festival held at Vashi (Mumbai), has been awarded Rs 5,000 (individual). Pallavi Aggarwal, who won silver and a bronze medal in the All-India CBSE badminton championship held at Indore (MP), was awarded Rs 3,100 (individual) and Rs 2,100 (team). Jyoti Rawat and Jyoti Nashier both won a silver medal in the All-India CBSE badminton championship held at Indore (MP), was awarded Rs 2,100.

Naveen registers convincing win
Tribune News Service

A player returns a shot during St. Peter open Tennis Tournament in Chandigarh on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

Chandigarh, January 3
Priyanka won the finals of the under-18 girls’ category, defeating Arshee Khosla in the 3rd St. Peter open Tennis Tournament being played at St. Peter School, Sector 37, here today.

Other results: Boys U-10, Finals: Abhijeet Singh b Paramveer Singh (6-1, 6-7,6-2)

Boys’ u-12, Finals: Jatinder Singh b Sachin(6-0,6-4), Boys U-14, Finals: Udai Singh Mann b Bhavtaran Singh (7-5,7-5), Boys U-18, Finals: Naveen Shanker b Aiman(7-5,6-3), Men’s, Finals: Devbir Singh b Lt Col S.S. Soam, SM (Army), Men’s 35+ Singles, Finals: Lt Col S.S. Soam, SM (Army) b M.S. Dhillon.

Girls U-12, Finals: Nikita Sharma b Harkirat Kaur Bains, Girls U-14, Finals: Priyanka b Ashima Garg.

Acupressure comes to patients’ rescue
Pradeep Sharma
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 3
Ayurvedic acupressure, a unique alternative system of medicine, is coming to the rescue of patients suffering from certain diseases.

In fact, run under the aegis of the Sital Das Charitable Trust, the ayurvedic acupressure dispensary at the Guru Ravi Dass Bhavan in Sector 20 is doing a yeoman's service in curing diseases less than a month of its operation.

According to Punjab cadre IAS officer Sujata Das, the dispensary employs two doctors trained from the Acupressure Research Centre, Allahabad. In fact, acupressure through micro-magnets, half mm in size, is used to apply pressure on various points on the fingers for treatment, Sujata Das told The Tribune here today.

She claimed that the method had some success in the treatment of various types of cancers, including that of tongue, blood, throat and breast. The other diseases where the recovery has been impressive included diabetes, loose motions, arthritis, high blood pressure and dementia, she added.

One of the patients R.C. Chaudhary, who suffered from obstructive jaundice, claimed that he used to run high fever when he was under treatment at the PGI here and AIIMS, New Delhi. However, when he started treatment at the dispensary he was feeling much better and his appetite has also improved, he asserted.

Meanwhile, enthused by the response, Das wants to create awareness about the treatment techniques by organising health awareness camps at different places in the city. The first camp will be held at the Shiv Mandir (Ram Darbar) on January 6. The other venues would be At Sector 34 gurudwara (January 13), Mansa Devi temple (January 14), Police Lines (January 20) and the ITBP Camp, Hallo Majra (January 27).

Pneumococcal infections are preventable: Expert
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 3
Heavy smokers with diabetes should not ignore high fever accompanied by productive cough. They could be infected with life-threatening pneumococcal infections, which kill over 1.6 million persons in the world, including thousands of adults and elderly in India, every year.

Prof S.K. Jindal, head, department of pulmonary medicine, PGI, says the vaccination could go a long way in reducing the mortality rate among the high-risk population. The vaccine cost is not much as it is available at about Rs 1,000 per dose. Doctors say streptococcus pneumonia is the most common cause of community-acquired pneumonias.

Pneumococcal disease amongst adults and elderly can be prevented with the use of appropriate pneumococcal vaccine.