HEALTH

Punjabi version of book released
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 1
Dr Bimal Chhajer, pioneer in non-invasive cardiology in India, released the Punjabi version of his book, "Reversal of Heart Disease in 5 Easy Steps’’, here today.

Dr Chhajer’s book, which explains the intricacies of heart disease treatment after imbibing his experience of treating more than 7,000 heart patients all over the country in the past nine years, is already published in English, Gujarati and Hindi.

On heart problems among Indians, Dr Chhajer said in 1998 alone, about 28 lakh people had died of cardiovascular disease in the country. ``The number is so big that it qualifies to be called an epidemic,’’ said the doctor.

Meanwhile, Dr Chhajer prescribed five major steps for heart patients in India. These are education, diet, stress management, yoga meditation, and exercise. He said education should be adequate and complete, which lead to positive health behaviour. He emphasised on oil-free vegetarian food with lots of antioxidants and fibres. Stress was another area which, the Doctor said, needed to be controlled to a great extent by self-analysis.

Yoga and mediation were another must along with a mandatory walk for at least 30 minutes every day.

Citing reasons for heart diseases, Dr Chhajer said around 98 per cent of the heart patients had coronary blocks, the symptoms of which were only apparent when the blockages crossed about 70 per cent of the coronary arteries. ``Among the causes of these blockages, the main 14 reasons were modifiable and could be controlled with adequate and accurate training of heart patients along with treatment with medical drugs,’’ he said.

Dr Chhajer, in his book, has explained ways of cooking the right food, the basis of food intake and practical aspects of heart disease management.

SPORTS

Cricket tourney
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, July 1
The Chandigarh Cricket Association (affiliated to the Punjab Cricket Association) is organising an under-14 cricket tournament from August 15.

Cricket coach Sukhwinder Bawa, and St Johns High School cricket coach Nagesh Gupta, can be contacted in this connection. Interested teams can call up at 3097423.

ADMINISTRATION

Staff on deputation get breather
Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 1
Thousands of employees on deputation in the Chandigarh Administration can take a breather. The Chandigarh Administration has kept in abeyance the proposed repatriation of doctors to their respective parent cadres of Punjab and Haryana.

The words — “to be kept in abeyance” — have been recorded on the official file on which the names of eight doctors were sent for the first batch of repatriation, said a source.

This means the process of repatriation has been held back. However, it does not mean the orders to repatriate all those who have completed five years stands withdrawn. All departments will continue to send the list of employees and officials who have completed five years.

Sources said in official circles this was seen as the end of the raging controversy over sending back employees to their respective cadres. “Governments do not withdraw their orders, they just sidestep the issue as in this case,” said an official, not wishing to be quoted.

The softening of the stance by the Chandigarh Administration has come about after Punjab reportedly refused to accept any of the deputationists even in a phased manner or in small batches. The Chandigarh Administration passed an order in the first week of May asking all heads of departments to prepare lists of all employed on deputation and send them back and get new staff from the two states.

Capt Amarinder Singh and Mr Om Prakash Chautala, Chief Ministers of Punjab and Haryana, respectively, had then shot off letters to the UT Administrator, saying that no such reversion of employees should take place. The UT Administrator had then replied, saying that the repatriation would be in batches and there was nothing to worry for the state governments. The Punjab CM has now refused to accept any deputationists even in batches. The Haryana CM is said to have not even replied to the letter.

Under the Re-organisation of States Act, 1966, the Chandigarh Administration is bound to take employees and officials on deputation from Punjab and Haryana in a ratio of 60: 40, favouring Punjab.

Admn plea to Centre on Finance Secy
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 1
The Chandigarh Administration has asked the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to allow the UT Finance Secretary, Mr Karan Avtar Singh to continue till his successor joins duty. The tenure of Mr Karan Avtar Singh ends on July 4.

In case the MHA does not send a reply or it replies in the negative, Mr Karan Avtar Singh will go back to his parent cadre of Punjab. The reply is expected by tomorrow. The MHA is, meanwhile, in the process of appointing a new Finance Secretary. With the budget session starting tomorrow, the appointment of the Finance Secretary will be delayed as it needs to be cleared by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet and then ratified by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

The process can take about three or four weeks.

Sources said in case the MHA disallows the Finance Secretary to continue, his work, will, in all probability, be handed over to the Municipal Commissioner, Mr M.P. Singh.

The MC Commissioner, a 1986 batch official, himself is overburdened and as a result work may suffer. The work of Finance Secretary has to be handled by a officer senior to the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Arun Kumar, who is a 1989 batch IAS official. Since a Finance Secretary hears appeals against the decision of a Deputy Commissioner, he has to be senior than the latter.

This leaves Mr M.P. Singh and Mr S.P. Singh, MD CITCO, a 1988 batch official, as the only choices.

The other option is that Mr R.S. Gujral handles the work, sources said.