The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

TB rising, courtesy air pollution
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 22
The pulmonary diseases are increasing at an alarming rate with the increase in air pollution the country is facing and the government has to take preventive measures soon to check it before the situation converted into an epidemic.

Dr Vijayalakshmi, professor and head of pulmonary department, Sri Ramchandra Medical College and Research Institute, Chennai, is here to participate at the National Conference on Pulmonary Medicine Diseases being held at the PGI.

The smoke-related diseases like asthma, TB and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD) are on the rise as the air pollution in the country is taking a heavy toll on the health and lives of people as one third of population is infected with bacterias of tuberculosis (TB) in the country. Among them more than 1.5 crore were at the stage where the treatment is required to contain the infection, informed Dr Vijayalakshmi.

Startling Facts
One-third of population is infected with TB bacteria
60 pc rural women suffer from indoor pollution
Over 4 lakh children die globally due to air pollution
Schools on the highways more affected
One mosquito coil emits smoke equal to 70 cigarettes

The smoke was killing people in the rural areas as well, added the pulmonary expert.

Sixty per cent of women in the villages were suffering from indoor pollution as they were using the wood or coal for the cooking fuel. The continuous exposure to smoke while cooking has increased the risk of lung cancer in these women, said Vijayalakshmi. The schoolgoing children were also found the victim of air pollution.

The studies have found that the children studying at schools situated on major highways were falling prey to COPD and more than 4,00,000 children globally die due to air pollution only.

Another senior consultant chest physician at Institutes of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University Dr J K Samaria cautioning against the use of coils as mosquito repellents said one coil emits the smoke equal to 70 cigarettes.

In case the preventive measures were not taken by the authorities concerned globally the 10 per cent of population in the world by 2030 would be suffering from COPD, added Dr Samaria.

Tobacco behind lung diseases: Kidwai
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 22
Governor of Haryana A.R. Kidwai inaugurated the ninth Joint Annual Conference of the Indian Chest Society and the American College of Chest Physicians (NAPCON 2007) being hosted by the Department of Pulmonary Medicine of the PGI here today.

Dr Kidwai addressed delegates gathered from all over India on the importance of controlling lung diseases which constitute a major health care burden all over the world, including in India. He also laid stress on the need to prevent the diseases through smoking-control measures since tobacco remains the most significant cause and risk factor for most of the lung diseases, such as the chronic obstructive lung disease, lung cancer and others. Incidentally, tobacco use was also the important cause of many other cancers, heart-attacks and brain-stroke.

Prominent among others who spoke on the occasion included director and dean of the PGI as well as the presidents and secretaries of different associations.

The inaugural programme included the release of the conference souvenir, a module of training in management and prevention of chronic obstructive lung disease and asthma, and a book on oxygen therapy prepared by the department.

Golf
Dhillon triumphs among NRIs
Donald Banerjee

Manjit Singh Bath from Chicago caught in a bunker on the greens of the Panchkula Golf Club on Thursday. — Tribune photo by Parvesh Chauhan

Chandigarh, November 22
Inderdeep Dhillon from Australia made the most of the undulating course of the Panchkula Golf Club shooting a four-over par 76 to fire the best card of the day among NRIs on the second day of the Chandigarh Golfing Tour in Panchkula today.

The Australian was among the 35 NRIs who teed off on a gunshot start on the picturesque course located in the foothills of the Shivalik Hills along the Ghaggar which has a good sprinkling of rivulets and water bodies.

Davinder Singh from Singapore finished eight strokes behind the leader in the NRI category which was separated from the main competition with the aim of promoting tourism.

In the general category for golfers competing from within the country Capt T. Prashar from Delhi shot a two-under par 70 to clinch the title for the best card of the day.

He was followed five strokes behind by Raman Sharma of the Panchkula Golf Club.

K.S. Brar, honorary secretary of the Chandigarh Golf Club, clinched the nearest to the pin title when he drove the ball to 22.2 ft from the hole.

Anmol Sharma of the Panchkula Golf Club had the longest drive of 272 yards.

Seven of the opening day's contestants had pulled out on the second day of the competition with 91 golfers, including 35 NRIs, teeing off at Panchkula.

A unique feature of today's competition was the hole in one shot by Chetan Singh on the par-3 second hole. This golfer becomes entitled to a mobile phone as per the advertisement banner put up by HUDA.

As if this was not enough Maninder Patti fired an eagle on the 16th hole.

The competition organised by the Chandigarh Golf Association now moves to the SEPTA course in Chandimandir for the final round which will be teed off at 9 am on Friday.

The final day's play will determine the winner of the Vodafone overall trophy to be given to the golfer logging the best three-day aggregate gross score.

The prize distribution ceremony at Chandimandir tomorrow afternoon will be presided over by the GOC-in-C, Western Command, Lt-Gen T.K. Sapru.

Mr C.S.R. Reddy and Mr J.S. Cheema, president and secretary of the organising committee, said from next year the golf tourism events would be split among NRI and Indian tourists.

While the tourists from India would compete in April, a special tournament for NRIs would be held in November.

The results: NRIs: Inderdeep Dhillon (Australia) 76, Dhanvinder Singh (Singapore) 84; Other category: Capt P Prashar (Delhi) 70, Raman Sharma (Panchkula Golf Club) 75; Longest Drive: Anmol Sharma (Panchkula Golf Club) 272 Yards; Nearest to Pin: K.S. Brar (Chandigarh Golf Club) 22.2 ft.

Four schools make it to kho-kho semis
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 22
Bokaro Ispat Vidayala, Jharkhand, Police DAV Public School, Jalandhar, DAV Centenary Public School, New Delhi, and B.S.P. Senior Secondary School, Bhilai, moved into the semifinals in the girls’ section in the CBSE National Kho-Kho Tournament at Shishu Niketan Model School, Sector 22, here today.

In the boys, section, DAV Public School, Ghaziabad, and DAV Public School, Andhra Pradesh, moved into the semifinal.

Judo: Rahul Singh of Dikshant International School, Zirakpur, emerged winner in the (u-17) 50 kg weight category of the ongoing CBSE National Judo Tournament at IS Dev Samaj Senior Secondary School, Sector 21, here today. Aseem Dube from Indore finished second while Harmanjeet and Aman Vashist shared the third position in the section.

Other results: Girls: (u-17) 44 kg: 1 Harjinder, 2 Suxam Singla, 3 Trivani Tyagi and Sonkashi.

(u-12) 35 kg: 1 Aishwarya, 2 Nimisha Pathak, 3 Simran and Sheetal.

(u-14) 50 kg: 1 Priyanka, 2 Rubal, 3 Renu and Konika Verma.

(u-17) 40 kg: 1 Sanjana, 2 Priyanka Dalal, 3 Archana and Nivea.

(u-19) 48 kg: 1 Bindu, 2 Pallavi, 3 Manisha and Navntan Beniwal.

(u-19) 57 kg: 1 Ashu, 2 Shimona, 3 Snehil and Manisha.

Boys: (u-12) 35 kg: 1 Ajay, 2 Sahil Bawa, 3 Inder Kirat Singh and Pushpinder.

(u-14) 45 kg: 1 Gagan Pathak, 2 Jagmohan Singh, 3 Satyjeet and Rahul Kaushik.

(u-17) 50 kg: 1 Rahul Singh, 2 Aseem Dube, 3 Harmanjeet and Aman Vashist; 60 kg: 1 Atul Ravish, 2 Dheeraj, 3 Nikhil Chaudhary and Sachitanand.

volleyball: Local PML SD Public School got the better of SVN Vidyamandir, Kerala 22-25, 25-18, 25-12, 21-25, 15-11 in the boys category of CBSE National Volleyball Game at the Sports Complex, Sector 46, here yesterday.

In the girls’ section, Guru Gobind Singh School thrashed Central Academy, Ranchi 25-11, 25-06, 25-08.

The other results are:

Boys: Simppins School, Agra b Swasmiratma Vidyamandir, Thane (25-10, 25-11, 25-23), St. Edmunds School, Jaipur b DAV, Karnataka (25-12, 25-14, 25-08), Police DAV School, Amrtisar b BVN School, Gawalior (26-19, 25-15, 25-14), Guru Nanak Khalsa, Chd b AK DAV, Kurukshetra (25-11, 25-09, 25-11), AG DAV School, New Delhi b Kaziranga English Academy, Guwahati (25-14, 25-09, 25-12), Bokaro Ispat School, Bokaro b DAV School, Karnataka (25-12, 25-23, 25-15), AG DAV School, New Delhi b AK DAV, Kurukshetera (25-12, 25-10, 25-17), Police DAV School, Amritsar b PML SD Public School, Chd (20-25, 25-19, 25-16, 25-22).

Girls: Seedling School, Jaipur b St. Joseph Convent School, Bhopal (25-16, 25-12, 25- 21), Bal Bhawan, New Delhi b St. Joseph Convent School, Bhopal (25-15, 25-06, 25-19), Central School, Ranchi b Akal Academy, Philibhit (21-25, 25-22, 25-19, 21-25, 15-09).

PU Campus lift cricket trophy
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 22
Panjab University Campus lifted trophy, defeating MCM DAV College for Women, Sector 36, by 117 runs in the Panjab University Inter College Cricket (Women) at MCM grounds here today.

Batting first, PU campus were165 for 8 wickets in 50 overs. Monu Rana chipped in 37 while Sangeeta hit 33 runs for the winners.

In reply, MCM were all out on 48 in 31.2 overs. For PU, Tanvi and Vinay Shree took three wickets for 6 and 9 runs, respectively while Monu Rana claimed two wickets for 17 runs.

For the third place, Khalsa College for Women, Ludhiana, drubbed DAV College, Sector 10, by 245 runs.

Riding high on an unbeaten ton by Ravinder Kaur (104), Khalsa College piled up 305 for 4 in 50 overs. The other contributors were Hardeep (41), Ramanpreet (39 n.o.) and Sukhwinder (34).

In reply, DAV were packed up for 60 runs in 23 overs. Rajinder was the highest wicket-taker for the winners, finishing 4 for 14 whereas Bhawna and Sukhwinder took 3 and 2 wickets, respectively.

Cycling trials on Nov 25
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 22
Selection trials for boys and girls in the senior, junior and sub-junior categories will be held at Sukhna Lake Club on November 25 to select cyclists for the 61st National Track Cycling Championships to be held from December 3 to 8 in Hyderabad.

Those interested should report with their date of birth certificate. A coaching camp will be held for those selected.

The trials will be conducted by the Chandigarh Amateur Cycling Association.