Ludhiana, June 26
The fortnightly campaign of the state government has revived thousands of drug addicts. Starting afresh, more than 3,170 addicts are undergoing treatment at 17 de-addiction centres.

Rajat Aggarwal, Deputy Commissioner, Ludhiana, said, “As many as 3,173 drug addicts have come to the centres since June 19, the day the campaign was launched. The number of addicts who have been admitted to the centres is 231.” Today, 836 patients visited the OPDs, 39 were admitted while 81 were discharged. The patients are being treated at three de-addiction centres and 16 de-addiction helping centres.

Ludhiana Civil Surgeon Dr Subhash Batta said, “Those, who are in a critical condition, are treated at the de-addiction centres at Lord Mahavir Civil hospital, Ludhiana, Civil Hospital, Jagraon and Red Cross while at the de-addiction helping centres, the addicts are counselled and given medicines.”

A special team of the Punjab Government visited the centres recently.

The accused in police custody in Ludhiana. Photo: Inderjeet Verma

Ludhiana, June 26
The police arrested three persons and recovered 300 grams of heroin worth Rs 1.5 crore from their possession yesterday.

The accused have been identified as Samsher Singh, alias, Shera, a resident of Majitha (Amritsar), Sonu Kumar, alias Aanda, a resident of Lohara Road, Daba and Amrik Singh, alias Mika, a resident of Daba.

The police nabbed Samsher Singh with 100 grams of heroin at a naka near Guru Nanak Stadium.

The accused is a carpenter and resides in Salem Tabri. He bought the contraband from Amritsar and Ludhiana, the police said.

Sonu Kumar Anda and Amrik Singh Mika were arrested at Canal Bridge of Ishar Nagar. On seeing the police, the duo tried to flee, but was nabbed. Sonu possessed 70 grams of heroin while Amrik had 130 grams of heroin.

Manjeet Singh Dhesi, ADCP (Crime), said six cases had been slapped on Sonu Kumar Anda. He used to work as an AC and fridge mechanic. He has been peddling drugs for the past one year. Sonu and Amrik got the drugs from Dahulewal village at Moga, he said. The police said investigations were on.

Father-son duo held  under NDPS Act

Jagraon: The police have arrested a Jagraon-based financier and his son with 13 grams of heroin and 10 grams of smack.

The accused have been identified as Amar Nath, alias Nathu, owner of Shardha Financiers, Jagraon, and his son Vinod Kumar.

A raid was conducted by a team consisting of officials from Ludhiana and Criminal Investigation Agency (CIA), Jagraon, last evening.

Jagraon DSP Surinder Kumar said they had received a tip-off that the father-son duo was peddling drugs in the area.

A case under the NDPS Act has been registered against the two.

The accused were presented in a local court which sent them to a two-day police remand.

A number of cases have been registered against them at various police stations. 

Ludhiana, June 26
More than 20 diarrhoea cases (between May and June) have been reported from Phambran village, Aman Nagar near the Jalandhar bypass, Giaspura, Fatehgarh Mohalla, Jawahar Nagar and Sherpur.

A five-year-old boy lost his life at Phambran last month. With the onset of summer, the number of patients visiting doctors with stomach ailments has increased. Eating overripe fruits and food can result in diarrhoea, amoebiasis, gastroenteritis and hepatitis (particularly hepatitis A and E).

Although the health department keeps checking the quality of eatables, roadside vendors do not maintain hygiene while preparing food. The vendors are seen selling unhygienic cut fruits near offices that are responsible to prevent the sale of unhealthy food items in the city.

Visit any public place and one comes across ice-cream vendors, cut-fruit sellers, juice shops, ‘nimboo pani’ rehris and ‘chaatwallas’. It is mandatory for the vendors to wear gloves while serving eatables, but they seem least bothered.

“Fruits, if kept under unhygienic conditions, can result in stomach-related ailments,” said Dr Jatin, a city-based general physician.

District Health Officer Dr Abnash Kumar, said: “The Health Department keeps a check on the quality of fruits and juices being sold in the market. Overripe fruits are destroyed by inspection teams.”

“There has been an increase in the number of patients suffering from stomach ailments,” said another doctor from the gastroenterology department of a private hospital. When it comes to taste, residents prefer eating at roadside eateries. They don’t even ask the vendors to wear gloves. Students too don’t think before relishing eatables at such eateries,” he said.

Vendors selling golgappas are often seen flouting norms. “Not only the department, but the residents too should check the quality of food. One should avoid going to roadside eateries where unhealthy and unhygienic food is served. Home-cooked food should be preferred to junk. We should stop playing the blame game and start taking the charge,” said Satwinder Singh, a city resident.

Ludhiana, June 26
On the directions of the chairman of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), Ravinder Singh, the department conducted raids at 223 electroplating and dyeing units across the city.

Around 26 dyeing units and 44 electroplating units were found flouting norms.

An electroplating unit was found using a water tanker to dispose of polluted water. The officials spotted a tanker full of polluted water at the unit. This has laid bare the callous attitude of owner of the industrial unit. A police complaint has been filed against the industrial unit.

“The department will serve notices on the defaulters soon,” said PPCB chief engineer Gulshan Rai. 

Ludhiana, June 26
Even as an executive engineer (B& R) of the Municipal Corporation took samples of material being used for the construction/carpeting of Dugri Road and Ishmeet Road on Wednesday amid protest from his counterpart and supervisory officers, the exercise seems to have proved futile if the track record of the civic body is any indication.

While MC officials claim that samples were taken to monitor and maintain quality control on the work being carried out for carpeting of nine major roads in the city at a cost of Rs 56 crore, the ground reality is entirely different. It was in March 2014 that a sample of material being used for carpeting of Pakhowal Road, one of the nine roads, was taken and sent to Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College. It is a matter of record that the

sample failed the quality test as the quantity of bitumen in it was found almost half than the specified ratio.

Ironically, the whole exercise of taking the sample and sending it for testing was carried out under the direct orders of none other than Mayor Harcharan Singh Gohalwaria. But what followed after the samples failed the quality test amply tells the sorry state of affairs prevailing in the civic body.

Senior officials of the MC confirmed that except issuing show-cause notices to the officials concerned, no further action was taken against them. The erring contractor was roaming scot-free and crores of rupees were released to the construction agency.

An MC official said the contractors undertaking major construction works on the MC’s behalf kept the supervisory civic officials in “good humour”. “The entire exercise of taking samples and getting them tested is nothing but a “friendly match” with predictable outcome,” he remarked.

Jagraon, June 26
The activists of Inqulabi Naujawan Vidiyarthi Manch staged a protest at Jhansi Rani Chowk, Jagraon, against increase in railway fare and bus fare by the central government and state government, respectively.

The union activists assembled at Rani Jhansi Chowk today and raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. Union activist Mandeep Singh criticized the central government for increasing railway fare by 14.2 per cent.

“On the one hand, the NDA led BJP government in the Centre has increased railway fare, on the other the state government has hiked bus fare. This hike by the central government and the state government in the transport fare has further increased the burden on the common people who are already reeling due to inflation,” said Mandeep Singh.

The union activists also burnt the effigy of the Union Government during the occasion. “Both the central and the state government should roll back the hike in the fares. If the government fails to roll back the hike in the fares, we would have no choice but to sharpen our struggle further,” said Gagandeep Singh, a protestor.

The activists also condemned the state government for increasing the fees of MBBS and BDS courses. “The government has failed to provide jobs to the students of Fishery College of Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU), Ludhiana,” said Mandeep Singh.

DC Rajat Aggarwal instructed all the banks not to make excuses while issuing loans to the poor people. He said this while holding a district-level meeting of all the banks. He said that if any bank or bank manager was found indulging in this, his future promotion would be banned along with a departmental action.

Retail Source India has brought good news to the retail garment industry and as Ludhiana is the hub of garment industry, it can open new door of opportunities for those engaged in this sector. 

Lalit Thukral, chairman, Retail Source India in an interview said, “Retail Source India will open new door of opportunities for those engaged in garment retail industry as it is the only show in India that aims at streamlining the entire textile and apparel industry at one platform.” Retail Source India will take place at from July 19 to 21, at Hall Number 14, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. Retailers, wholesalers, distributors from all over India and groups like Reliance Trends, Shoppers Stop, Spencer’s Retail, Bharti Retail, Jabong.com; Flipkart, have already confirmed their participation in the show. 

According to Thukral, the textile and apparel industry is worth Rs 60,000 crore and has vast potential to grow by 15 to 20 per cent every year. He strongly feels that Retail Source India will be a platform for this industry to get organized and leverage the potential of India’s domestic sector. “I commit to all garment manufacturers, retailers, distributors associated with garment retail sector that show will prove to be an excellent platform as it will create new business opportunities and also help in getting retail sector organized which is one of the major hurdles in doing business in this sector.” — TNS

Ludhiana, June 26
The Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU)has rejected the minimum support price (MSP) of kharif crops such as paddy, cotton, pulses and oilseeds and demanded that the prices should be reviewed as per the recommendations of Dr MS Swaminathan Committee.

After discussing the matter with members of the state executive, BKU president Ajmer Singh Lakhowal, who is away to USA, made this announcement on telephone. He said a petty hike of Rs 50 per quintal in the MSP of paddy was a cruel joke with the farmers as cost of farm machinery, fertilisers, farm chemicals, diesel and labour were persistently going up.

Lakhowal, who is considered to be an ally of ruling SAD-BJP and a supporter of NDA said the new government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had disappointed the farmers.

“Specifically, the BJP leaders had assured in their poll promises that farmers will get remunerative price of their produce. But the MSP of different kharif crops announced by the new government has exposed its anti-farmer face,” Lakhowal said. — OC

Ludhiana, June 26
The strike of fishery students at Guru Angad Dev Veterinary University (GADVASU) entered Day 26 here today. Several NGOs extended their support to students whereas the state government has not responded to the demand of the protesting students till date.

Bachelors of Fishery Sciences (BFSc) students have been on strike from the past 25 days and demanding jobs in the fishery sector of the state government. Apart from leaders of several parties a number of NGOs supported the strike of students.

Office-bearers of Maha Sabah also met the protesting students and demanded jobs from the state government for students.

Jaswant Singh Zirkh, general secretary, Maha Sabha, said, “There are 28 students who have passed out of the Fishery College of GADVASU in the last two years. None of them have got a job in the department of the state government. The government had recruited 22 BSc medical students as fishery officers last year. Now those fishery officers have been doing diploma from the Fishery College. Ironically, the students who have degrees have been sitting on roads and the persons who were deputed as fishery officers are getting one year of training.”

“We condemn the policies of the state government to not provide the employment to youth,” Zirkh said.

While the students informed that they would continue their strike till they would not get job assurance from the state government. 

Ludhiana, June 26
Local colleges have adopted preventive measures to stop ragging in the new academic session, following the regulations laid by the University Grant Commission to curbing this menace at higher education level.

However, there is no case of ragging reported in the past few years in the city but as per the recommendations of UGC, various educational institutes displayed anti-ragging boards on college premises and constituted anti-ragging committees to make students aware of this unlawful activity.

Some of the colleges attached the anti-ragging leaflets with admission forms. Various anti-ragging boards can be seen at Punjab Agricultural University campus, Government College for Girls and SCD Government College.

Gurminder Kaur, principal, Government College for Girls, said, “We have adopted all the preventive measures to curb ragging in college. Our college is known for discipline. Not a single case of ragging has been reported in our college till date. But still, following the guidelines of UGC we install anti-ragging boards, distribute leaflets and make every student aware of this unlawful activity. We have also constituted a college-level anti-ragging committee to keep vigil on such acts.”

Amritpal Kaur, professor at a private college, stated, “The trend of ragging is no more prevalent in the colleges due to the provision of strict punishment. The Centre and state government have implemented strict laws in this regard. Moreover, UGC have clear guidelines to curb ragging.” 

Ludhiana: Mridul Bhaskar, a student of Class XI of BVM School, who had appeared in the 13th SOF National Cyber Olympiad, 2014, has secured international rank 2.

 He was honoured by Dipak Mishra, Justice Supreme Court of India, in a function held at Delhi on June 22. He was awarded Rs 25,000, a silver medal, a certificate, a gift hamper, a CD and an annual subscription of knowledge BBC magazine. Students from 27,000 schools spread over 1,350 cities from 16 countries had appeared in this Olympiad. School principal Neelam Mittar, vice-principal Upasna Modgil and members of the BVM Trust congratulated Mridul on his success. — TNS

Ludhiana, June 26
Ludhiana is hub of industrial units but little is known about the condition of the workers working in the industrial units. In some units the workers are forced to work in pathetic conditions and nearly no labour laws exist in these units.

No basic rights, long working hours, low wages and callous approach of the government and administration is making the working conditions difficult for these workers.

“Serious injuries and deaths at workplace are quite common in the industrial areas. Even basic safety measures and regulations are not implemented by the factory owners. The administration and labour department does not take any initiative to fulfil its constitutional obligation of implementing the labour laws in the factories,” said Lakhbir Singh, a powerloom worker.

“Provident fund, employees state insurance, job card, attendance register have no existence here. The labour authorities are not listening to our problems. Even after working overtime we are not given our dues. The basic salary given to us is also below the limit fixed by the government. Whenever anyone raises his voice against the injustice being done to us, he is thrown out of the job,” said another worker, Ram Naresh from a local hosiery unit. The workers have been fighting for their rights for years through the established trade unions but even these trade unions seems to be of little help and they are forced to work under strenuous working conditions. 

Ludhiana, June 26
The district administration and Health Department officials met today to devise a plan for making the city smoke-free.

During the meeting, Additional Deputy Commissioner (G) Baldev Singh instructed gazetted officers and school principals to issue challans to people found smoking in public places, for which challan books have been provided to them.

Discussions regarding the implementation of the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) 2003 were also held.

“No one will be allowed to sell tobacco products within 100 yards of any educational institute. A strategy will be chalked out to make Ludhiana smoke-free at the earliest.

Public will be made aware about the ill-effects of smoking through camps and media,” said Civil Surgeon Dr Subhash Batta.

District Health Officer Dr Abnash Kumar said: “Under Section 4 of the Act, anyone found smoking in a public place can be fined up to Rs 200. Anyone found advertising tobacco products can be fined up to Rs 5,000 and imprisoned for up to five years. Any minor found selling or purchasing tobacco products can be fined up to Rs 200 under Section 6-A and any person selling tobacco products within 100 yards of an educational institute can be fined up to Rs 200 under Section 6-B.”

A recent survey showed that among 6.77 lakh men aged between 30 and 69 years in Ludhiana, nearly 1.09 lakh are smokers, said Dr Anil Verma, district epidemiologist.

Ludhiana, June 26
A new nodal complaint centre and cash counter, constructed at the Giaspura Estate division of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), was opened to public by Rachpal Singh, chief engineer, Central Zone, here today. The new facility would benefit more than 60,000 consumers under the division.

Rachpal Singh said, under the directions of the state government, the power utility was making all possible efforts to redress problems being faced by people and to make the PSPCL a customer-friendly institution.

Claiming it to be a major initiative towards redressing complaints regarding disruption in power supply, the chief engineer said from now on all complaint centres under Central Zone would send a telephonic message to the consumer concerned after registering the complaint and restoring the supply.

“We are also starting online registration of complaints to cut down rush at complaint centres and to save consumers from the hassle of personally visiting or making phone calls to lodge their complaints,” he said.

Asserting that no scheduled power cuts were being imposed, Rachpal Singh said the occasional shutdowns occurred for urgent repair and maintenance purposes.

He said in order to bring qualitative improvement in power distribution network, a modern substation was being constructed at Chaura Bazar while a new 220-kV substation would become operational at Giaspura by next year, when the state was expected to become power-surplus with additional power generation at Rajpura and Talwandi Sabo thermal plants.

Ludhiana, June 26
Dayanand Medical College and Hospital today observed International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking by organising health awareness lecture.

Dr Ranjive Mahajan, head of psychiatry department, said the day was observed to strengthen action and cooperation to achieve the goal of an international society that is free of drug abuse.

“Drug abuse continues to be a serious threat to public health, especially in younger people. Being a border state, Punjab has become a major transit and destination point in drug trafficking. Even jail inmates across the state are hooked to drugs,” said Dr Mahajan.

The Department of Psychiatry at DMCH has all facilities to help addicts shun habit-forming drugs and alcohol. The hospital focuses on relapse prevention, psychotherapy and counselling.

Belan Brigade, a non-governmental organisation, meanwhile, dedicated the day to saving youth from the menace. Organisation president Anita Sharma said the public was sensitising the public on substance abuse and its devastating impact on individuals, families and communities. Today’s activities were preceded by a series of events including door-to-door campaigns, youth dialogues, distribution of pamphlets and information sessions at identified hotspots.

Sharma said active participation of youth, educators, and parents was required to implement evidence-based intervention that prevents substance abuse in colleges and also to offer necessary treatment care and support to the addicts. The gathering discussed why it was important to counsel and rehabilitate all drugs addicts.

Mandi Ahmedgarh, June 26
Contrary to the common perception, youths do not comprise the majority of drug addicts coming to health centres for the de-addiction programme.

While middle-aged and elderly persons outnumber the younger lot opting for de-addiction, it has come to light that most youngsters have fallen prey to the menace seeing their elders.

The tendency has resulted in a situation wherein parents and children have started undergoing de-addiction programmes together.

A youth of Jagera Road area, on the condition of anonymity, admitted that he along with his friends had started consuming liquor when they were asked to make “arrangements” for his father’s guests.

“Once we started consuming liquor and got addicted to it, we started exploring cheaper modes of addiction such as poppy husk,” said the youth.

Today, both the youth and his father are undergoing de-addiction at a private hospital.

Doctors, meanwhile, find the elder lot less responsive to systematised treatment.

Higher dependability on drugs of their choice among elders and lack of willpower is cited as major reasons behind poor response to drug de-addiction programmes.

While opium is reported to be the most popular habit-forming substance among elderly persons from the rich class, poppy husk and “bhang” have enslaved the elderly persons from the lower strata of both urban and agrarian society.

Among youth, majority have taken a liking to pharmaceutical preparations and smack. Smack, being very expensive, has forced its consumers to sponsor their needs through income earned by acting as couriers and peddlers.

Seeing the impact of their addiction on their children, many people are also coming back on the right path.

An octogenarian peasant of Baurhai village and his son said they decided to shun the use of poppy husk as they did not want their next generation to fall prey to the menace. “I understand that my son started consuming the contraband because it was available at home. Now, I have decided to shun it as I do not want my grandchildren to get hooked to it or any other substance,” said the octogenarian.

Acknowledging the trend, Dr Sunit Kumar, chairman of a private hospital, said the number of elderly persons coming to drug de-addiction centres was much higher than the youth. 

Ludhiana, June 26
Male infertility is fast becoming a major health challenge, especially in cities, with significant changes observed in sperm motility and volume in the past two decades.

Dr Arvind Goyal, associate professor of urology at Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, says today more and more couples in India are finding it difficult to conceive.

Medical case studies as well as the rising number of infertility clinics in urban areas are a testimony to the fact.

World Health Organisation’s new reference values for human semen characteristics are markedly lower than those reported in 1999. Meanwhile, some experts from the University of Copenhagen have presented data indicating sperm counts have fallen by about a half over the past 50 years.

“Busy and stressful lifestyles are reasons behind the drop in libido and regular sexual activity among couples,” says Dr Goyal.

“Stress levels are very high among urban population; combine that with poor eating habits and increase in medical conditions, such as diabetes, and you find the key to lack of quality and quantity of sperms. Smoking, tobacco consumption, drinking and obesity are also responsible for this,” he says.

In a study published recently, mobile phone usage has been shown to decrease the semen quality in men by decreasing the count, motility, viability, and normal morphology. The decrease in sperm parameters was dependent on the duration of daily exposure to mobile phones and independent of the initial semen quality.

Dr Goyal says a regular smoker shows a 23 per cent dip in sperm density (concentration) and a 13 per cent decrease in its ability to move.

Evidence suggests that a man who smokes reduces his sperm count, and that this is reversible if he quits smoking. In chronic alcoholics, there is a good evidence for impairment of spermatogenesis and reduction in sperm count and testosterone level.

Another city-based doctor says: “Nearly 30 per cent of adult men in our country are obese. This is likely to have an impact on male fertility.”

Several studies have shown a threefold incidence of obesity in infertile men than in those with normal semen quality.

Ludhiana, June 26
In a surprise checking of PCR cops, a senior officer found a PCR cop in an inebriated condition during duty hours at Bharat Nagar Chowk here today.

The officers conducted a check around 1:30 pm. They examined tow cops at Bharat Nagar Chowk out of which one was found inebriated.

The cop identified as Surinder Singh (42) was on patrolling duty on his official bike. The police officials examined his alcoholic level with an alcoholic meter on the spot. Harjit Singh, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Traffic), confirmed the matter.

Khanna, June 26
Local martial artist Simi Batta has done the town proud by winning two gold medals at the South Asian Karate Championship that concluded at New Delhi’s Talkatora Stadium today.

Talking on phone, Simi’s coach, Rajesh Kumar, said players from seven SAF countries participated in the championship.

Punjab Karate Association president Indervir Sharma, also talking on phone from New Delhi, said Simi won the first gold for India by defeating a Sri Lankan karateka 10-0 in the final of one of the weight categories. In another weight category, she struck gold by defeating a Nepalese player 11-2.