B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

Moga scientist initiates new approach to cure Huntington’s disease
Moga, February 12
A Moga-based young scientist has taken up the challenging task to develop medicine for Huntington’s Disease (HD) as no therapeutic agent is currently available for the treatment of this genetic disorder in the world.

                               Dr Puneet Bansal

Jagjit Singh memorial award instituted
Sriganganagar, Feb 12
The Municipal Council here has resolved to institute awards to keep the memory of ghazal maestro Jagjit Singh alive.

Free eye check-up camp organised
Bathinda, February 12
A free eye operation camp was organisesd today during the birth anniversary of Mahant Bhai Tirath Singh Sewa Panthi. 

Mahant Baba Kahan Singh and Baba Jagjit Singh honouring SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar and (left) Jagmohan Singh Makkar at Goniana on Sunday. A Tribune photograph

Drugs driving youth to crime in F’pur?
Ferozepur, February 12
In this land of five rivers, where “Zar, Zoru and Zameen” (Wealth, women and land) have been the reasons behind most of the offences, the lust for drugs is now increasingly driving people, especially the youths, towards the wrong side of the law.

Construction of FoB stopped mid-way
Fazilka, February 12
The construction of foot- over-bridge at Fazilka railway station was stopped without assigning any reason three months back. The commuters have been facing inconvenience in the absence of connectivity between the platforms number 1 and 2.

The incomplete railway foot ove bridge under which the passengers have been crossing the rail track putting their lives at risk. Photo by writer

Workshop on cyber security organised
Abohar, February 12
The two-day workshop on “Cyber security and ethical hacking” concluded at the Radiant Institute of Engineering and Technology (RIET) here on Sunday.

Moga scientist initiates new approach to cure Huntington’s disease
Kulwinder Sandhu
Tribune News Service

Moga, February 12
A Moga-based young scientist has taken up the challenging task to develop medicine for Huntington’s Disease (HD) as no therapeutic agent is currently available for the treatment of this genetic disorder in the world.

Besides, he would also carry out research to make better medicine for the Parkinson’s Disease (PD). The symptoms of both HD and PD are almost similar to each other.

The world’s premier pharmaceutical company Pfizer had already failed in the clinical trials of drug formulation for HD, last year.

The gene of HD was found in 1993 but there has been no breakthrough in treatment for this disease till date.

As the scientists across the world are battling hard to formulate drug for HD, Dr Puneet Bansal, Associate Professor, Indo-Soviet Friendship College of Pharmacy, Moga, has been assigned the task by the union government through the All India Council for Technical Education (ACITE) to develop potential therapeutic agents for these two diseases.

Talking to The Tribune, Dr Bansal revealed that his research aims to exploit the apoptotic and neuro-inflammatory cascades in the pathogenesis of HD and PD and added that no treatment is presently available for HD while for the PD very limited targets are available.

Claiming that he has already established the basic models of these diseases on the basis of behaviour and biochemical evidences, Dr Bansal said that now he plans to establish molecular and cellular evidences and develop novel compounds for HD and PD, which would lead to drug formulation.

In reply to a question, he said that breakthrough is important as there are no drugs presently available, which halts progression or delay the onset of Huntington's disease. “Since I have established basic models of HD and identified an actual target, therefore, there is a ray of hope for me to develop the drug for this disease,” he added.

The young scientist said that he would basically focus on preventing the ‘pre-programmed death of cells and neuro-inflammation in brain, which would help make medicines with specific targets minimizing the side-affects on human body.

WHAT IS HD? It is a genetically caused brain disorder that causes uncontrollable bodily movements and robs people's ability to walk, talk, eat, and think. The final result is a slow, ugly death. Children of parents with HD have a 50-50 chance of inheriting the disease.

WHAT CAUSES HD? It is caused by degeneration of nerve cells, called neurons, in certain areas of the brain. This degeneration causes uncontrolled movements, loss of intellectual faculties, and emotional disturbance. 

Jagjit Singh memorial award instituted
Our Correspondent

Jagjit Singh

Sriganganagar, Feb 12
The Municipal Council here has resolved to institute awards to keep the memory of ghazal maestro Jagjit Singh alive. Jagjit Singh, who was born here on February 8, died at Lilavati Hospital, in Mumbai on October 10, 2011.

While moving the 
resolution during the annual budget meeting of the council, president Jagdish Jandu said, the awards would be given on October 26, the founder’s day of the district town, to outstanding artistes and writers.

A seven-member selection committee will be formed to select the befitting persons for the awards, he added.

The first prize will be of Rs 11,000 and the second prize of Rs 5,100.

Free eye check-up camp organised

Bathinda, February 12
A free eye operation camp was organisesd today during the birth anniversary of Mahant Bhai Tirath Singh Sewa Panthi. The camp was organised with the help of Bhai Ghaniya Sewa Society wherein SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar was the chief guest.

Eye specialists, Dr Ashish Aggarwal, Dr Niti Jain and Dr Hem Lata, examined the eyes of 380 patients. Of these patients, 76 were identified for operation and the same would be carried out at Mata Amar Kaur Vivek eye hospital in Jaito.

The SGPC president lauded the efforts for organising the free eye check-up camp. Jagmohan Singh Makkar, Balvir Singh, Narinder Singh Kalra, Harvinder Singh Grewal and Upkar Singh were among those on the occasion. — OC

Drugs driving youth to crime in F’pur?
Anirudh Gupta

Ferozepur, February 12
In this land of five rivers, where “Zar, Zoru and Zameen” (Wealth, women and land) have been the reasons behind most of the offences, the lust for drugs is now increasingly driving people, especially the youths, towards the wrong side of the law.

The menace of drugs has assumed such alarming proportions that it has transformed the vibrant souls of the Gen-Next Punjabis hollow, hitherto known for their bravely and light-heartedness.

The menacing proportions of the rampant drug abuse can be gauged by the recent incident that took place in village Malluwala under Mamdot police station, where a youth after been denied money for procuring drugs, set his own house ablaze at a time when his entire family members were sleeping inside.

The incident has sent shock waves in the area. The youth, identified as Sukhwinder Singh, has been apprehended though, but the family is still astounded.

Mangal Singh, father of the youth, told the police that his only son Sukhwinder has off late taken to drugs. The father said that a couple of days back when he refused his son money, ostensibly to buy drugs, he left the home in a huff only to return back at night in an inebriated condition with a canister of kerosene with which he set the house and the motorcycle parked outside on fire.

The panic-struck family managed to come out and raise an alarm following which the neighbourers came to their rescue and doused the flames.

The incident is not an isolated one. Several other such cases have been reported in the recent days where the drug addicted youths have taken to the crime route.

In another incident that had taken place in the city recently, a youth had hired contract killers to eliminate his father who had denied him money to buy drugs.

Hardyal Singh Mann, SSP, while admitting that drugs have spread its tentacles amongst the youth in the area, said that the easy availability of synthetic drugs off the shelf at the chemist shops, which are often sold without any prescription, have worsened the scenario.

“The entire mechanism to check the availability of these drugs in the markets has proved ineffective so far as the offenders are generally let off the hook easily,” he said, adding that the drug inspectors at times recommend the suspension of licences but nothing changes on the ground.

Construction of FoB stopped mid-way
Praful Chander Nagpal

Fazilka, February 12
The construction of foot- over-bridge at Fazilka railway station was stopped without assigning any reason three months back. The commuters have been facing inconvenience in the absence of connectivity between the platforms number 1 and 2.

“The problem aggravates when a sudden announcement is made on the public address system that the platform number of the arrival or departure of a particular train is changed at the last moment. The passengers rush towards the changed platform number and have to pass through the railway track putting their lives at risk,” said an aggrieved passenger Daulat Singh of village Ladhuka who had come to board a Ferozepur-bound train.

Notably, at present there is no other way to go from one platform to another except to cross the track which becomes very difficult for women, children and elderly persons.

While many a time, when trains arrive on both the platforms simultaneously, the situation exposes the passengers to mishaps while passing through the rail track.

“The long-pending demand of the people of the area to construct a platform foot overbridge appeared to be fulfilled when the construction of the bridge began in June 2011, but leaving the construction mid-way, the contractors about three months back left without assigning any reason. It is unfortunate,” said Northern Railway Passengers Samiti president Amar Lal Baghla.

He demanded immediate completion of the foot over-bridge.

The basic structure of the foot over-bridge has been completed but work on laying a slab on the bridge surface and steps is yet to be completed.

Surprisingly, when this correspondent tried to find out the reason for deferring the construction work from the Additional Divisional Rail Manager, Ferozepur, Inspector of works, Engineering Department officials and Station superintendent, Fazilka, Ashok Setia, all were evasive in citing the exact reason for it.

Workshop on cyber security organised
Our Correspondent

Abohar, February 12
The two-day workshop on “Cyber security and ethical hacking” concluded at the Radiant Institute of Engineering and Technology (RIET) here on Sunday.

Jaipur-based Igneus Technologies conducted the workshop. Experts Hitesh Chaudhary and Satyendra Singh dwelt on different aspects of cyber security.

The RIET registrar Sanjeev Bajaj said they would readily offer our services to the state investigating agencies in the cyber crime cases.

Chairman Tara Singh Ahuja and secretary SS Sidhu lauded the visiting experts for their valuable contribution in spreading cyber security skills and cyber crime investigation.