Conference stresses on export of education
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, August 17
There is a big scope for the export of education from India and the Indian universities should be allowed to do so. To achieve this, the Union Government should simplify the procedures.

These recommendation were made today at the three-day conference of Indian universities held in Bangkok from August 10 to 13.

Dr K.S. Aulakh, Vice-Chancellor, Punjab Agricultural University, who participated in the conference, said it was revealed in the conference that the USA was earning $ 12 billion every year by exporting education while the UK earned $ 6 billion and Australia $ 5 billion every year.

Dr Aulakh said the recommendations of the conference would be placed before the general body of the Association of Indian Universities which, after approval, would forward the same to the government.

As many as 35 vice-chancellors of various universities, including four of the agricultural universities, participants in the conference which was sponsored by the Sakai group of newspapers.

Dr Aulakh ,who presented his paper on the use of biotechnology in agriculture, emphasised the use of the same in agriculture to enhance agricultural production.

Dr Aulakh observed that if they succeeded in developing crop varieties which met the international standards and reduced the excessive use of chemicals, the WTO might turn our to be a boon instead of threat to Indian agriculture.

According to Dr Aulakh, there was interaction with the industry and particularly IT industry and it was felt that there was a good scope for the same and the potential in this regard should be tapped.

Prof Pavich Tongroach, Secretary General, Commission on Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Thailand, read the key note address in the inaugural session.

Prof S.F. Patil, President, Association of Indian Universities read the key note in the environment and higher education.

Trust honours 9 students
Our Correspondent

Mandi Ahmedgarh, August 17
Nine students of Government High School, Jartoli, achieving the top positions in annual examinations conducted by the Punjab School Education Board were felicitated and paid cash prizes worth Rs 25,000 by the Lambardar Sampuran Singh Educational Trust at a function organised on the school campus yesterday.

Organisers presented a generator to the institute in memory of Mohinder Kaur, wife of Lambardar Sampuran Singh.

The school authorities, on the other hand, honoured office-bearers of the trust.

According to Sikander Singh Jartoli, chairman of the trust, the organisation had been presenting cash prizes worth Rs 25,000 to the toppers of class X, VIII and Class V.

Sikander Singh (Australia) and Sharanjit Singh (the USA) had established an endowment fund in memory of their father lambardar Sampuran Singh who died six years ago.

Gagandeep Kumar, Kamalpreet Kaur and Manpreet Kaur were felicitated for standing first in their respective classes whereas Jaspreet Kaur, Prabhjit Kaur and Amandeep Kaur got second prizes. Manpreet Kaur (class X ) Sandeep Kaur and Ravinder Kaur were honoured for achieving third position in their respective classes. 

Teachers to hold march from Barnala to Patiala 
Our Correspondent

Doraha, August 17
The Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers’ Union, in its first major action, will hold a protest march from Barnala to Patiala to press upon their long-pending demand for pension and gratuity, the one that was a part of the Congress poll manifesto.

Dr Kuldeep Singh, area secretary, Punjab University, in a Press note released here today said the march would be in the form of a caravan of vehicles carrying banners voicing demands like ‘pension da vada poora karo.

He said, “The march will be initiated from Barnala where Captain Amarinder Singh had earlier met a deputation of the PCCTU to include pension scheme in the Congress poll manifesto.

He further said this one and only significant action may lead to an early and definite implementation of pension and gratuity to the non-governmental colleges of Punjab and Chandigarh.

“Our other demands include the lifting of ban on posts, absorption of staff and working out possible solutions of DPE’s re-designation,” he added.

“The action of August 18 is going to bring out major positive results as we are now being supported by Principals’ Federation in this common cause,” Dr Kuldeep said.

He requested all teachers should make it a point to participate in the rally as it was the right time to voice their demands. 

NSS camp on GNDEC campus
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, August 17
Six-day NSS camp for boys completed successfully at Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College here yesterday. Tree plantation drive, campus cleanliness activities, visit to PAU and old-age home and the patriotic- movie show were the main activities performed during this special campaign.

On the closing ceremony of this camp, Dr H.K.Grewal, Principal of GNDEC, motivated students for the participation in the social activities and explained the role of ethics for engineering students. 

HEALTH

Off-pump surgery by Apollo doctors
Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, August 17
An ''off-pump'' bypass surgery, coupled with internal mammary arterial graft, is one of the most recent advances in which a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) is performed without the use of the traditional heart-lung machine.

Dr K.C. Mukherjee, head of cardiac surgery at SPS Apollo Hospitals here, said recently Dubai-based NRI Kesar Singh had been treated successfully with this innovative procedure.

Mr Kesar Singh (49) had suffered intense chest pain and breathlessness, following which he was rushed to Rashid Hospital in Dubai. Consultants in the hospital, after angiography, diagnosed him with coronary artery disease, along with leakage in the valve.

The patient was told that the total cost of corrective surgery, including valve replacement and bypass, will be around Rs 7 to 8 lakh. In addition, the patient would remain immobile for several months after the surgery.

The patient was advised by his colleagues to seek treatment in India, whereupon Mr Singh discussed his case with Dr Mukherjee. Upon a thorough study of the case, the patient was assured of a minimally invasive, off-pump bypass surgery with a hassle-free, smooth and faster recovery period.

Once Kesar Singh arrived here and was admitted to the hospital, Dr Mukherjee performed a 5-vessel bypass on his beating heart. The malfunctioning valve was conserved and repaired. In the bypass surgery, two arterial grafts of mammary artery were used . Remarked Dr Mukherjee, "The outcome of coronary artery bypass grafting with the arterial grafts are superior method of treatment since venal grafts (using veins) are prone to occlusive disease and atherosclerosis."

After a three-hour surgery during which two units of blood were transfused to him, Mr Kesar Singh was conscious within an hour and after another four hours, he had a cup of tea. The patient became mobile in just 24 hours and was discharged on the seventh day. His total expenditure on the treatment was approximately Rs 1.20 lakh.

Civil Surgeon reviews disease-control programme 
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, August 17
The Civil Surgeon, Dr Sat Pal Sharma, today asked officials of the Health Department to take immediate preventive measures against diseases that break out in rainy season, including malaria and dengue, and to pay particular attention to sensitive localities of the city which had witnessed the breakout of such diseases in the past.

Presiding over a review meeting of medical officers attached to civil dispensaries, urban family welfare units, vaccination, epidemic diseases, food inspection and other national health programmes, he asked the medical and health officials to ensure compliance of the PNDT Act, initiate steps to check food adulteration and focus on the TB control programme.

Dr Sharma stressed that cases of prolonged fever and chest infection should be referred to microscopic unit for sputum test and treatment of tuberculosis (TB) started immediately in case the tests were positive.

He made special mention of reports of pre-natal sex determination tests at some ultrasound scan centres while making it clear that the department was determined to curb the menace firmly.

SPORTS

Take energy food, not drugs, players told
Our Correspondent

Mandi Ahmedgarh, August 17
Showing concern over the increasing use of drugs by some kabaddi players at the national and international level, Mr Rachhpal Singh Hara, vice-president, the Punjab Kabaddi Clubs and Academies Federation, has called upon office-bearers of various sports clubs to check the use of these synthetic products and start conducting dope test to keep a watch over the trend.

While addressing a meeting of office-bearers of selected clubs at M GMN Senior Secondary School today, Mr Hara said it was high time when sports promoters should check the deleterious effects of certain synthetic products that had been used by kabaddi players to increase their stamina.

"Unfortunately the managers of various kabaddi clubs had been administering overdoses of Creatine, Mega-Mass, Body-Grow and Deca-Durabilin to enable their players participate in more number of matches in a short period. But they forget that these products affect the physiology of human body," stated Mr Hara.

Referring to information collected during his recent visit to European countries, Mr Hara claimed that NRIs of Punjabi origin had contributed a lot in maintaining standard of otherwise ignored rural game. He suggested that the players should take energy-providing food instead of spending thousands on harmful synthetic products.