Hoshiarpur, March 10
On account of complete neglect by the state government, the Sports Department of Punjab has lost its real purpose for its existence of promoting games among the youth and making national and international players.

Though the state government had set up an indoor stadium in the Civil Lines area of the city in 1978 (to promote badminton, boxing, wrestling, Judo and other games), and an outdoor stadium in the suburbs in early 1980 (for cricket, hockey, football, volleyball, basketball, wrestling, handball and kho-kho games among the players and athletes), since then, no requisite funds have been provided for maintenance, as a result of which, buildings of both these complexes have developed a number of deficiencies.

Roofs of the rooms leak even after light showers, almost all the window panes have been damaged and walls have developed cracks. Even whitewashes have not been done for a long time.

On account of the dilapidated condition of the office building, the District Sports Department had shifted its office in the adjoining rooms meant for players in the outdoor complex.

The office has been converted into a store and during tournaments, its upper portion is utilised to house outside players.

District Sports Officer Prem Singh said an estimate, of Rs 20 lakh and Rs 5 lakh for renovating the indoor and outdoor stadium, respectively, had been sent to the state government.

As soon as funds were available, the repair of both these complexes would be done.

There was no coach for cricket, handball, hockey, kabaddi, wrestling, badminton and basketball.

However, coaches for kho-kho, volleyball and athletes were available. In the absence of coaches, none of the player of the above said games had ever visited these complexes.

To promote the games, block and inter-block level tournaments were being organised.

The Sports Department, Punjab, had set up a Football Academy at Mahilpur and had opened a football wing in the Government Senior Secondary School, Badon for promoting the game.

Coaches were imparting football training to players there.

Replying to a question, he said there were only two small toilets in the outdoor stadium, which were insufficient for visiting players.

There is no proper parking place in the complex.

Vice President of the District Cricket Association, Ashvani Kapur, criticised the Sports Department for its negative attitude towards the games and lamented that it had never cooperated with the association for the promotion 
of cricket.

Vacant posts of coaches of various games were adversely affecting the games. Only appointments of new coaches could produce the desired results, he added.

Jalandhar, March 10
The Regional Passport Office Jalandhar has been given a word of caution by the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum. It has asked the office not to take undue advantage of the protective provision of sections 16 and 17 of the Passport Act by being insensitive to the emergent situation faced by applicants in the matter of issuance of the passport.

The forum, represented by A.K. Sharma, president, Rakesh Kumari and Darshan Singh, members, passed the statement while hearing a complaint filed by Naveen Mansukhani, a resident of Amritsar. It gave the statement, though it said that the complaint was not maintainable under the Consumer Protection Act-1986 since the functions discharged by the passport office were sovereign in nature and matters concerned with it could not be a consumer dispute.

The complainant said he and his family were residing in West Patel Nagar, New Delhi, and his passport was issued on July 30, 1999, and expired on July 29, 2009. He said in the meantime, he shifted from Delhi to Dera Baba Jaimal Singh, Beas. He said he remained in the job with M/s Furniture Limited, Barbados, from 2002 to 2006.

On January 30, 2008, he moved an application for change of address on deposit of amount of Rs 1,000 as fee. He said he had submitted his old passport along with other documents with the office for he was expecting visa papers from the Barbados Embassy very soon. He said he was given a time limit of 90 days for supplying of passport to him but it was not issued to him despite repeated visits and letters.

The plaintiff said the officials informed that he would be supplied new passport in May, 2008. He said he received the visa from employers from Barbados on May 23, 2008, and was requested to submit passport to the visa authorities for necessary endorsement. He said he was also invited to attend the Sindhi community sammelan on June 26, 2008.

He said he approached the authorities expressing urgency but he was not issued passport due to which he suffered financial loss and mental agony. He said in November, 2008, he was told that the police verification from Delhi was still awaited.

The passport office had resisted the claim and said the complaint was not maintainable under the Act. It further said the passport could not be issued without verification of the police about antecedents of the applicant as he was earlier resident of New Delhi. “Police verification from Dera Baba Jaimal Singh is also awaited. On receipt of verification report, the passport will be issued provided it is not adverse,” the counsel for passport office stated.

Jalandhar, March 10
“My time was running out, as my kidneys had already started deteriorating. I had no idea what was going around me. It was really hard on my son and my poor husband. But I am much better now. I have no rejection signs or any other problem with my new liver. I don’t even use mouthwash if it has alcohol in it.”

Such were the excerpts from the letter written by a resident of Kansas State in United States to the family members of a compassionate organ donor Sudarshan Sachdeva.

Amid the extreme stringent social norms and customs, legal hassles and apathy of authorities to propagate the promotion of organ donation, not only recipients but usually even donors are unable to find the exact authority, society or organisation which they can approach to donate organs after ‘Brain Death’.

Sections of doctors hold the view that inability of the population to perceive the exact meaning of the word ‘Brain Death’ is the core issue.

“Massive campaigns aimed at the propagation of simplified versions of this term can save thousands of lives per year,” said Professor of Urology Dr BS Aulakh, President of the NGO named “Gift of Life Organ Donation Awareness Society (GLODAS), which is working for the promotion of Cadaver organ donation.

“Brain death simply means that the brain remains without blood supply for a few minutes. Once a person is brain dead, it is completely impossible for a patient to be alive. However, pulse and blood supply to other organs still persists. This is the time when an organ donated by a brain of a dead person can enable a better life for someone else”, said Dr. Aulakh.

As per one estimate, nearly 1.5 lakh patients in India alone are in need of kidney transplantation.

Approximately one lakh require heart and liver transplants. All of them can be delivered these organs once cadaver transplantation is promoted.

“This idea was conceptualised in France in 1950s and legalised in India in 1994. However, both private and government institutions failed to use this legalisation for the betterment of mankind as in our country nobody comes forward to tell the bitter truth to the attendants of patients. Pulse and heart beat are considered determinant factors before declaring a patient dead,” he added.

Dr. GP Singh, eminent orthopaedic surgeon, holds the view that if promoted, cadaver organ donations can not only save lives of lakhs of individuals every year, but can also serve the society as a whole. 

Phagwara, March 10
The SDM, Amarjit Pal, has taken a serious notice of the reports of encroachments in the canal areas by several people and instructed the officials of the Irrigation Department to take stern action against them.

Addressing a meeting of the subdivisional-level advisory committees of different departments here today, the SDM also took a serious view of the complaints of residents of nearby Khalwara and Bhularai villages about dry canals. The SDM instructed the official to make arrangements for proper flow of water in the canals as several villagers were being deprived of the canal water for irrigation purposes.

Some members alleged that several people were throwing garbage in the dry canals. The SDM instructed the officials to act accordingly to redress the problems of the villagers. He advised the Irrigation Department officers to plant saplings alongside the canals.

Addressing a meeting of the Cooperative Department, the SDM appealed to the villagers to cooperate with the department to open Kisan Sewa Centres in villages. He said four new computer training centres were opened in nearby Atholi, Gandhwan, Mauli and Darvesh Pind villages to provide computer education to the village girls.

The SDM disclosed that the arrangements were being made to supply cooking gas through cooperative societies in the villages.