HEALTH

Discussion on problems of adolescents
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 1 — A wide range of adolescent problems ranging from emotional disturbance to behavioural patterns to skin and other related health issues and their solutions were discussed at an interaction organised by the Chandigarh Administration and the Indian Academy of Pediatrics to commemorate the first teenagers day here today. The function was held in the auditorium of the Advanced Pediatric centre.

Delivering the inaugural address, the adviser said that adolescents represented almost one-fifth of our total population but ironically their various needs and concerns remained largely relegated to the background. It is understood that only about 5 per cent adolescents sought professional help for their problems and that too during dire emergency or in case of acute problems, she remarked.

Mrs Vineeta Rai emphasised that parents and teachers should try and understand physical and emotional problems of their children and then guide them during this critical period.

The panelists pointed out that the problem arose when teenagers wished to express themselves but due to social pressures were unable to do so. This was perhaps the reason why behavioural problems, violent behaviour, accidents, homicides, suicides were on the rise among the younger generation. Besides, health problems recorded as adult problems in the past were now being seen in the adolescents also such as high blood pressure, ischaemic heart disease and obesity. This was mainly due to drastic change in the lifestyles and food habits of adolescents. Even the problems of alcoholism, cigarette smoking and drug abuse were quite common among them.

The panelists included Prof B.N.S Walia, Prof Savita Malhotra, Prof Bhushan Kumar, Prof Lata Kumar, Dr Atul Sachdeva and Dr Mangala Dogra.

Answering a question, Prof Sativa Malhotra said that healthy relationships between boys and girls should be encouraged as they were meaningful. Parents and teachers should not just attach sexual connotations to these friendships. however, they should caution them to keep safe distance.

A few adolescents present at the discussion asked questions related to skin problems, particularly development of acne and black heads on the face. Dr Bhushan Kumar, Head of the Dermatology department, explained the causes of these problems and how they could be avoided, particularly by consulting physicians at regular intervals. Dr Walia, former PGI director, pointed out how teenagers neglected their skin and advised them to start visiting the dermatologist at an early age to avoid complications.

Parents asked their queries regarding their children's aspirations to pursue higher studies and whether they should succumb to their desires or not and a few other related to their emotions and behaviour. Dr Atul Sachdev called upon the parents to sit and discuss with them their problems and provide them an environment where they could confide, discuss and fall back upon. Answering a question, Dr Mangala Dogra said that parents should just tell their children to put in their sincere efforts and not bother about the results.

While discussing the gynaecological problems, including high pregnancy rate among girls, Dr Dogra emphasised that parents should try and explain the process of human reproduction, the normal anatomy of organs, safe and unsafe sex. Mothers should also warn them against having early sex and the complications associated with pregnancy. A few panelsists were in favour of introducing sex education in schools. Questions related to fashion were also answered.

The panelists appealed to the parents, teachers and society as a whole to concentrate on their problems and ask the state governments to enact certain laws such as age for drinking, smoking, wearing of helmets, enforcing use of seat belts, and set up centres where adolescents, who hesitated to talk to their parents, could go at the time of need.

Among those present were DR V.K. Kak, Director-Principal, GMCH-32, Mr Vivek Atray, Director, Information technology, the DHS, UT, Dr Joginder Singh, and the Director, family welfare, Dr M.P. Minocha.

‘All diseases linked to frustration, agony’
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 1 — Whenever Jasvinder faced someone in authority, he would almost suffer a nervous breakdown. “In fact, I would get so confused that I suffered palpitation and pain in my heart.” The profession Jasvinder was in, he knew that medicines alone would not help and that he had to see a psychoanalyst.

Jaswinder was introduced to Mr Bhag Singh Sandhu, a psychotherapist, by his relative. Mr Sandhu, using psychotherapy through dream analysis, besides a simple formula of inhalation of positive thoughts and exhalation of negative ones, managed to bring about a tremendous change in him.

Jaswinder says that today he is a different man than he was about a year back. “The treatment took about two months. Today I feel good, very confident and totally at ease,” he adds.

Dr Sandhu says he is a self-taught man. “I am a psychoanalyst, not a psychiatrist. You do not need to have a degree for this. It is god’s gift to me. In fact, all over the world, psychoanalysts are mostly without any formal degrees. I do not prescribe medicines, only convey.”

The 78-years-old psychoanalyst says all diseases, whether mental or physical, are linked to frustration and agony. “This problem can be dealt best with dream analysis. It is not only curative, but preventive as well.”

Dr Sandhu claims that he studies the contents of the dreams and thereby reaches the core of the problem the patient has. “I probe into the subconscious and try to pierce through the various layers of the mind. The person may have some dreams as a result. By studying their content, I analyse the problem and reach the solution.”

Dr Sandhu says majority of the problems that youngsters face, in one way or the other, have a root in suppressed sexuality. Psychotherapy treats contempt and anger as the number one culprit. He says dreams are associated with character and mental status of the person. This is one reason why their analysis can be made the basis of treatment of diseases like diabetes, ulcers, hypertension, arthritis, cervical spondilitis and back pain.

Science seminar
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 1— The State Institute of Education, Sector 32, organised a state Science Seminar in collaboration with National Council of Science Museums, New Delhi. As many as 10 students from various schools participated in the seminar.

Arun Gupta from Shishu Niketan School , Brahm Kiran and Shubinder from Government Model Senior Secondary School were adjudged the best speakers on the occasion.

SPORT

DAV boys win sub-junior basketball tourney
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, Aug 1 — Boys of DAV Public School, Sector 8, won the UT Sub-Junior Basketball Championship which concluded here today in DAV Senior Secondary School, Sector 8. In the final, DAVPS-8 beat Shivalik Public School, Sector 41, 31-22. The halftime score was 12-6 in favour of DAVPS-8. The final match had been interrupted due to rain yesterday.

DAV boys were accurate in their shooting and SPS boys had a good coordination on the court throughout the match. The tallest player among both teams, Ravinder, scored 19 points which proved vital for his team's victory.

Another boy, Rishab, also tackled the opponents with ease and scored four points. Tarun also scored 4 points, followed by Sahil who scored 2 points for the winners. For the losers, Harmanpreet Singh scored 10 points, followed by Gurveer who scored six points, Ravneet who scored four points and Devinder who scored two points.

Ms Sumati Kanwar, Principal of the Sector 21 Dev Samaj Girls Senior Secondary School and a former basketball player, gave away the prizes to the winners. Yesterday, the Sector 16 Government Girls Coaching Centre had won the girls' title.

The teams: DAV — Abhinav, Rishab, Harneet, Tarun, Ankur, Varun, Manik, Rahul, Prabel, Sahil, Ravinder and Sushant.

SPS-41: Jagdeep, Harmanpreet, Surya Vasta, Devinder, Gursimranjeet Singh, Gurveer, Navneet, Jatin, Ravneet, Rishi Rana, Zubir Goel and Aditya Goel.

Meanwhile, the Chandigarh Basketball Association has selected the UT men's team to play against the visiting Athletes in Action XI of the USA on August 3 in DAV Senior Secondary School, Sector 8.

The visiting team will play another match against the Punjab team on August 4 in the Sector 7 Sports Complex.

The team: Varish Sharda, (captain), Pardeep, Gurpreet Singh, Vikas Rai, Harkanwar Singh, Nirpinderjit Singh, Dinesh, Sukhvir, Harminder Singh, Amrish Kumar, Harjot and Amit Kakran. Baje Singh and Manjit Singh will be the coach and manager of the team, respectively. Mr M.M. Malhan and Mr Amarjit Singh will be the referees.

Boxers shine: The Chandigarh team did well at the recently concluded sixth Federation Cup Boxing Meet in Chennai. Kuldeep Singh won a bronze medal in the seniors' light heavyweight section and Rita Thakur won a bronze medal in the flyweight category.

In the Northern India Boxing Meet held at Hoshiarpur from July 27 to 29, Dharam Singh won a silver medal in the flyweight section. Parveen won a silver medal in the welterweight category and Rajbir Singh won a bronze medal in the light middleweight class. Kanwar Balraj Singh won a bronze medal in the light heavyweight category.

In the women's section of the meet, Geeta won a gold medal in the featherweight class and Navneet Kaur got a silver medal in the light welterweight section. Sangeeta won a bronze medal in the flyweight section and Anita got a bronze medal in the light flyweight category.

Dharam Singh was adjudged the best loser in this tournament, according to Mr C.K. Jerath, Secretary of the Chandigarh Amateur Boxing Association.

TT tourney: The second Manav Mangal Open Table Tennis Tournament will be held from August 12 to 14 in the Sector 23 hall, according to Mr Sanjay Sardana, Principal of the school.

The events will include cadet boys' and girls' singles, sub-junior boys' and girls' singles, junior boys' and girls' singles and men's and women's singles.

Entries close on August 9 in the Sector 23 hall, Manav Mangal School, Sector 21, Chandigarh, and Manav Mangal School, Sector 11, Panchkula.

Badminton meet: The Junior National Badminton Championship will be held from November 15 to 23 at Chandigarh, according to Mr Gian Chand Gupta, President of the Chandigarh Badminton Association. This was decided at the special annual general meeting of the Badminton Association of India held in Delhi on July 30. Mr Gupta said earlier the CBA had proposed December 19 as the possible date.

Another decisions taken at the meeting was the suggestion regarding rules made by the committee constituted by the BAI for further promotion of the game. Colonel Parmar told that institutions like SSCB and PSCB were given direct affiliation with the BAI. Regarding the age criteria for juniors in the light of High Court judgement, it was decided to constitute a special committee to streamline the system of determining the correct age of juniors. In two separate judgements last year, the higher class of the player vis-a-vis his age was allowed by the High Courts of Gujarat and Kerala. Rules of BAI specify that class should not be beyond a particular limit for different events. For example, a player taking part in mini (under-13) should be a student of Class VIII or less and a player taking part in under-10 should be a student of Class V or less.

In the draw released for the North Zone inter-state badminton championship, to be held in Delhi in the last week of September, Chandigarh will play against J&K in Narang Cup for boys. It will meet Delhi in Shafi Quereshi Cup for girls and face Himachal Pradesh in Rahimtollah Cup for men in their first rounds.

Carrom championship: Gurinder Singh and Nidhi Patwal clinched the sub-junior boys and girls singles titles in the Chandigarh state carrom championship at St Stephen’s School. In a one-sided final, Gurinder overpowered Rahul Nanda 25-5, 25-4. Nidhi had to tough time against Eveleen in three games 25-1, 17-19, 25-1.

In junior boys, Ramanpreet, Taranpreet, Paramdeep and Devinderjit reached the last four. Second seed Dhruva Chakarvorty and third seed Sumit Chakarvorty were beaten. In girls, Shikha Nanda, Puneet Lamba, Sakshi Bawa and Pallavi Piplani entered the semi-finals.

Results: sub-junior boys:final-Gurinder Singh b Rahul Nanda 25-5, 25-4; sub-junior girls: final: Nidhi Patwal b Eveleen 25-1, 17-19, 25-1; junior boys (QF)- Ramanpreet Pahwa b Anu Papneja 25-1, 25-12; Taranpreet Pahwa b Amandeep 25-6, 16-25, 25-6; Paramdeep b Sumit 23-25, 25-12, 25-24; Devinderjit Singh b Dhruva Chakarborthy 21-25, 25-11, 25-08; junior girls: QF-Shikha Nanda b Nidhi Patwal 25-0, 25-9; Puneet Lamba b Eveleen 25-0, 25-01; Sakshi Bawa b Bhawna Sachdeva 20-21, 15-9, 19-16; Pallavi Piplani b Shikha Thakur 25-4, 25-1; men singles: QF-Gagandeep Singh b Paramdeep 25-6, 25-12; Tejinder Harry b Ajay Gupta 25-22, 13-25, 25-23; Ramanpreet Pahwa b Rozario Sampson 25-18, 25-14; JR Dhir b KS Patwal 25-1, 25-10; women singles: QF — Anjali Negi b Sanju Bisht 13-10, 15-4; Bhanu Jain b Veena Dumra 19-20, 18-9, 25-2; Puneet Lamba b Shikha Nanda 9-25, 17-16, 20-18; Saroj Chandel b Kamlesh 25-8, 25-4. men doubles: SF — Gagandeep and Rozario b BS Negi and Sanjay Negi 10-25, 25-1, 25-12; KS Patwal and JR Dhir b Devinderjit and Paramdeep 25-10, 25-14.

ADMINISTRATION

ISBT (Sec 43) to issue bus passes
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 1 — Concessional bus passes will now also be issued at the new Inter-State Bus Terminus (ISBT), Sector 43. The counter will remain open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., a press note issued by the Director, Transport, Chandigarh Transport Undertaking, said today.

Tax collection through cheque launched
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 1 —The Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, Ms Surinder Pal Kaur, today launched the new scheme of income tax and direct tax collection through cheque at the Punjab and Sind Bank in Sector 17-B here.

At a function, the Chief Commissioner received the first cheque from a tax-payer, Ms Arvinder Swani, and handed it over to the bank towards her tax payments.

Speaking on the occasion, she hoped that the new scheme of collecting tax through the computerised bank branches of the public sector banks would go a long way in facilitating the tax-payers to pay the tax easily. It would also improve the tax collection , she added.

Mr Harinder Pal Singh, Zonal Manager, Mr SMS Sodhi, Chief Manager of the branch office, and Mr G.S. Rein, Chief Manager, Zonal Office, were also present on the occasion.