R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

REGIONAL POTPOURRI

• A repository of Himachal’s culture
• Focus on laparoscopic surgery at meeting

PUNJAB

AHMEDGARH
CONFERENCE: A conference of the PROs of Lions’ Clubs was organised here recently under the chairmanship of Mr S. P. Jindal, District PRO. About 500 members from 142 clubs of the state participated in the conference. Delivering presidential address, Dr N. K. Grover, Chairman, Multiple Council, claimed that the organisation had spent more than Rs 24,000 crore on eye operations only. He maintained that the organisation’s functioning was quite transparent, and the members need not bother much about its future. In total, 14 speakers took part in the declamation contest on ‘Lionism: kal, aaj aur kal’ and ‘Image and reputation of lionism’. Most of them stressed on the need for discipline and willingness to serve the needy among the members of Lions’ Club.

AMRITSAR
BOOKED: The police has booked Manjit Singh, Sawinder Singh and Balwinder Kaur for allegedly demanding dowry here on Monday. In a complaint, Maninder Kaur, had alleged that her in-laws were harassing her for dowry.

DIED: Vir Singh Vir (99), freedom fighter and father of Punjabi poet Amarjit Singh Bhatia, died here on Tuesday.

ARRESTED: The police has seized 296 watches worth Rs 2.50 lakh and arrested Kapil Mehra of the Beri Gate area and Mina of Dhab Wasti Ram in this connection. According to the police, the accused had stolen the watches from a car belonging to a wholesale dealer, Mr Sanjeev Kumar.

HOSHIARPUR
STOLEN: some miscreants allegedly stole a scooter belonging to Sarwan Singh, resident of Tagore Nagar, while he was working in the fields on Tuesday. The police has registered a case in this connection.

CHEATING CASE: A case of cheating was registered against a travel agent here on Tuesday. According to the police, Paramjit Singh of Ahiyapur, took Rs 73,000 from Manmohan Singh, of the same village, on the pretext of sending him abroad.

JALANDHAR
NOMINATED: A city-based physician and member of the Punjab Medical Council, Dr Pawan Gupta, has been nominated Senate member of Baba Farid University of Medical Sciences.

CHECK-UP: Hero Honda Motors will organise a three-day vehicle check-up camp free of cost at Dasehra Grounds in Model Town, from December 27.

LUDHIANA
INSTALLED: Dr J.S. Cheema, former head of the department of chemistry at Guru Hargobind Khalsa College, Gurusar Sadhar, took over the charge as principal here on Wednesday. Dr Cheema has been appointed by the selection committee issued by the DPI and Panjab University after Principal M.S. Khattra who retired last month. Mr Manjit Singh Gill, president of the governing council, was present during the installation ceremony. The teaching staff has hailed the appointment of Dr Cheema.

INTER-CLUB ANTAKSHRI: An inter-club antakshri of the leading ladies’ clubs of the city will be organised at the Dhoda House on December 29. The event will be organised by the Asian Club, Ludhiana. According to a press release, Ms Ruby Fernandez will be the project director and Ms Binny Sehgal project coordinator of the programme. Each club can send two participants. A dance competition will also be held on this occasion. 

CONFERENCE: Dr R.S. Bhatia, consultant chest physician, will be chairing a session on “infections of respiratory system” at the 57th annual conference of association of the Physicians of India (APICON-2002) to be held at Chennai from January 13 to 17, 2002. According to a press release, Dr Bhatia is the only person from Punjab to participate in the conference for his contribution to diabetes and respiratory medicine.

MEDICAL CAMP: Over 407 patients were examined and blood group of 74 patients was tested during the 180th medical check-Up camp organised by Bhai Ghanaya Ji Sewa Sanstha at Gurdwara Dukh Niwaran Sahib here on Monday. Mr Shamsher Singh, president of the sanstha, in a press statement said the tests were done free of cost and medicines free of cost were provided to the patients. Seven persons filled the eye donation forms and 10 filled the blood donation forms on this occasion.

NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS: The Lodhi Club will celebrate New Year on December 29 on its premises. Mr B.M. Mahajan, general secretary, in a press statement on Tuesday said a DJ, dance troupe and comedian Bhotu Shah will entertain the audience on the occasion. There will be a punctuality draw and prizes for best dressed couple, best dancing couple, best dancing male and best dancing female.

MEETING: The Arya College Teachers’ Unit convened a meeting to discuss the non-implementation of pension-cum-gratuity scheme and other demands. Prof Satish Sharma, Prof M.P. Tyagi and Prof Rajinder Bhandari addressed the members and lauded the role of Prof Parminder Singh in organising rallies during college teachers’ struggle. The teachers expressed applause for Prof V.K. Bhandari who courted arrest with 17 other members of the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers’ Union and remained in Burail Jail for 15 days.

NABHA
ELECTED: Mr Pawan Garg and Mr Amardeep Khanna of the Congress were elected senior vice-president and vice-president, respectively, of the local Municipal Council. Sixteen councillors of the Congress participated in the elections while the BJP and SAD did not participate.

DHARNA: The Punjab State Pharmacists Association will stage a dharna at the residence of Punjab Health Minister Baldev Raj Chawla on December 30. The pharmacists are protesting against the non-implementation of their accepted demands. These include a change in designation, the removal of pay anomalies, creation of the post of Deputy Director, Pharmacy and right to prescription in the absence of a medical officer, said Mr Sham Lal Sharma, president of the association.

DENTAL CAMP: A 15-day dental camp, organised by the local Rotary Club and Civil Hospital, concluded here on Wednesday. According to the organising secretary, Dr Manju Bansal, 3,000 patients were examined in the camp. Sixty dentures were distributed by the president of the club, Mr Harish Bansal.

PICNIC SPOT: Punjab Irrigation Minister Jameja Singh Sekhon inaugurated a picnic spot near the local Rohti bridge. The spot would be developed by the Ramgarhia Welfare Youth Club. Mr Sekhon announced a grant of Rs 1 lakh for its development.

PATIALA
CONFERENCES: The Panthic Morcha has initiated a move to hold constituency-wise conferences. It has been initiated by the President of the Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal (Rural), Mr J. Rajinder Singh Tohra. The first conference will be held on January 7 at Patran Mandi, the second on January 8 at Rajpura, the third on January 9 at Samana and the fourth on January 10 at Devigarh.

LECTURE: Punjabi University organised a lecture on globalisation on Wednesday. It had invited Prof Robert Engler from the Palestine and City University of New York to deliver the special lecture. He called the present globalisation incomplete and stressed that presently there was only free movement of capital and many restrictions on free movement of labour.

FORUM CHIEF: At the 11th annual meet of the Patiala Consumers and Telephone Subscribers Forum held here on Wednesday, Mr J.N. Shahi was unanimously elected president of the forum. This was stated in a press note released by the forum. 

INAUGURATED: An underground water tank with a capacity of two lakh gallons and built at a cost of Rs 25 lakh was inaugurated at Rajpura by the Local Bodies Minister, Mr Balramji Das Tandon, on Wednesday. He also laid the foundation stone of water supply and sewage board projects amounting to Rs 5.37 crore. 

DONATION: A community service banking function was organised by the State Bank of Patiala at the Homecome School for the Blind on Tuesday. A donation for purchase of books and repair of the institution’s machines was given by the chief manager of the Patiala branch of the bank. 

CHANDIGARH

XMAS CELEBRATED: The State Bank of Patiala through their Sector 22-B, Chandigarh, branch participated in Christmas celebrations on Tuesday at the Chandigarh Club. Participants were gives gifts and sweets on behalf of the bank. Club members were also made aware of the ATM and anywhere banking facilities introduced by the bank. The function was well attended and gathering showed good response to the schemes provided by the bank.

HARYANA

AMBALA
ELECTROCUTED: A person working in a factory at Kala Amb near Naraingarh was electrocuted on Wednesday. He was brought to the Ambala City Civil Hospital in a critical condition. His face having been scorched badly, he was identified as Rajesh. According to hospital sources, he was out of danger.

FUNCTION: The Jan Kalyan Manch, Ambala City, will organise a function in the memory of Shyama Prashad Mukharjee, founder president of the Jan Sangh, at SA Jain High School on Sunday. According to Mr Vijay Kumar, president of the Manch, Mr Nardev Sharma an advocate, will be the main speaker.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

KANGRA
ELECTROCUTED: A 42-year-old villager was electrocuted at Saproo village in the district on Tuesday. According to the police, Santosh Sharma had climbed a tree where he touched an electric wire he died on the spot. 

REGIONAL POTPOURRI

A repository of Himachal’s culture

The Himachal State Museum is situated on a picturesque hill near Chaura Maidan, about 2 km from Shimla town. This museum was opened on January 26, 1974, in a building “Inveram” having historical importance with a view to acquire and preserve the cultural heritage of Himachal Pradesh. Since then, this institution has been preserving the cultural heritage and working hard to acquire, conserve, and exhibit artefacts. It is an institution of benefit to those doing research as well as visitors.

The art objects displayed at the museum stand as eloquent testimony to life of the past and have their values in their assessment of technological, artistic and religious concepts. Although the museum is small , it represents a complete picture of the state’s heritage.

The museum has about 9,000 art objects. The art objects displayed in its 13 galleries throw light on the history and culture of the people living in Himachal right from the pre-historic period. The museum has a rich collection of Pahari miniatures, wood carvings, stone and bronze sculptures and coins. In addition , the museum has an array of art from other states which provides a study venue for art critics and research scholars.

The visitor can have a view of fiberglass models of extinct wild animals which used to roam the Shivaliks thousands of years ago. Their fossils were discovered at Saketi in Sirmaur district. Sculptures from different states are displayed in the archaeology gallery (see photo) for comparative study of art that flourished in different parts of the country.

Pahari miniature paintings , prevalent in this area during the 16th to 19th centuries, are on display at the painting gallery. These paintings were done on hand-made paper and vegetable and mineral colours used. Apart from these paintings, portraits of rulers are also displayed, which add to the beauty of this gallery.

The Himachal Archaeological Gallery has a unique collection of stone sculptures of different areas of the state, which reflects the artistic skills of this region. Wooden panels and carvings retrieved from old temples and houses are a living example of the traditional wooden art of the state. Rajasthan miniature paintings of different schools are also displayed in the painting gallery.

Bronzes from different areas of Himachal and other states reflects the cultural tradition, craftsmanship of the people.

Coins discovered in parts of the state are displayed chronologically right from the punch mark coin to contemporary coins. In addition, arms and armour of the 18th and 19th centuries and postal stamps issued on auspicious occasions are also on show.

Some rare photographs of Mahatma Gandhi’s visit to Shimla give a glimpse of a bygone era. Paintings of famous artists are a big draw for modern art lovers. Thus, this museum acts as a university and centre for research scholars, academicians and historians.

Focus on laparoscopic surgery at meeting

The Association of Surgeons of India (North Chapter), whose conference concluded at Guru Ramdas Medical Institute and Hospital in Amritsar recently, was a success in more ways than one. More than 300 delegates from the northern states participated.

According to Dr Kuldip Singh, Secretary of the association, live demonstrations of gall bladder stone operations, hernia, appendix, removal of the uterus were done. Dr Pradeep Chowbey, president, Dr Kuldip Singh, Vice-President of the association, Dr Praveen Bhatia, Dr GR Verma and Dr KM Bhandari gave a display of these operations.

During the conference, the programme on continuing medical education was conducted. Dr Ujagar Singh Dhaliwal, director- principal of the institute, organised the conference and welcomed the delegates. Lectures were delivered on head injuries, recent advances in orthopaedic imaging, pancreatic injuries, cardiac surgery in new millennium, nuclear medicine, etc. More than 50 lecturers and papers were read during the conference.

Remembering stalwarts and pioneer surgeons of Amritsar Medical College, lectures and orations were held in memory of Dr Santokh Singh Anand, Dr Yudhveer Sachdev, Dr Eggleston, Dr Jagdish Singh and Dr K.S. Grewal. Dr Kuldip Singh, pioneer of laparoscopic surgery, talked about laparoscopic gall bladder surgery. He pointed out that this innovation had almost replaced the old conventional surgery in the west but in developing countries like India it was still not available to everyone because of limitations. In spite of advantages of this surgery like less pain, early return to work, less complications and discomfort, the complication rate of bile duct injuries had gone up two to three times.

He revealed that only 15 to 20 per cent of the surgeons were trained and certified in the field of laparoscopic surgery while the rest were self-trained. He also pointed out that the number of gall bladder surgeries had doubled because of diagnosis of stones by ultrasonography and the availability of laparoscopic surgery. Even patients without symptoms of stones, when detected on ultrasonography, were subjected to surgery.

Quoting world surveys, he pointed out that only 20 per cent of the patients showed symptoms during their life time. The surgeon had to operate on patients depending on the merit of the case and risk factors like big stones (more than 2 cm), age of the patients and possibility of cancer.

During the conference, the following office- bearers were elected: President Dr US Dhaliwal, Vice-Presidents Dr B.S Sidhu and Dr G. S. Sidhu, Secretary Dr Kuldip Singh, Joint Secretary Dr A.S Grover and Treasurer Dr Ashok Attri.

Contributed by Hari Chauhan and A.S. Prashar