Chandigarh: A team of specialists from Park Hospital, Mohali, highlighted the growing burden of brain stroke in India and stressed the need for greater public awareness, early recognition of symptoms and timely medical intervention during a press conference held here on Tuesday.
The team comprised Dr. Sandeep Sharma, Group Director – Interventional Radiology; Dr. Gaurav Dhawan, Senior Consultant – Radiology; Dr. Sandeep Kaur, Consultant – Neurology; and Dr. Anil Sofat, Consultant – Neurosurgery.
Speaking at the press conference, Dr. Sandeep Sharma said, “Stroke is emerging as a major public health challenge worldwide. India reports an estimated 1.5 to 2 million new stroke cases every year, and the actual number could be higher, as many patients may never reach healthcare facilities. Thousands of stroke cases occur across the country every day, yet only a small proportion of patients receive timely, appropriate treatment.”

Dr. Sandeep Kaur attributed the rising incidence of stroke in India, in part, to a lack of awareness about the condition, its risk factors and preventive measures. She emphasised that educating people about stroke symptoms and the importance of seeking immediate medical attention could help reduce the risk of severe disability and death.
Highlighting the seriousness of the condition, Dr. Gaurav Dhawan said, “Stroke continues to be a major public health concern, causing a substantial burden of death and disability. Despite its serious consequences, it often remains under-recognised, making awareness and timely intervention critical.”

Explaining advances in stroke management, Dr. Anil Sofat said that mechanical thrombectomy, a specialised minimally invasive procedure available at Park Hospital, Mohali, can offer a treatment option for selected patients with acute ischaemic stroke, even up to 24 hours after symptom onset, depending on clinical assessment and brain imaging.
The experts emphasised the importance of recognising stroke symptoms through the BEFAST approach, which stands for Balance, Eyes, Face, Arms, Speech and Time. Sudden loss of balance, vision disturbances, facial drooping, weakness in one arm or slurred speech may indicate a stroke and require immediate medical attention.
Dr. Sandeep Sharma stressed that time is critical in stroke treatment, as millions of brain cells can be lost every minute when blood flow to the brain is interrupted. He urged people to seek emergency medical care immediately if stroke symptoms appear, even if they subside after a short time.
He further emphasised that prompt assessment and appropriate treatment can significantly improve the chances of recovery and help minimise long-term complications.

Tips to reduce the risk of stroke:
· Control blood pressure
· Maintain a healthy weight
· Exercise regularly
· Follow a balanced diet
· Limit alcohol consumption
· Manage diabetes
· Treat atrial fibrillation
· Quit smoking
· Stay informed
· Follow medical advice

Panchkula, October 26: Purushottam Das Rungta Charitable Trust, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), organised its 238th ‘Ann Bhandara’ in Industrial Area, Phase 1, Panchkula. On the occasion, food was distributed among needy people, workers employed in the industrial area and passersby.

Amitabh Rungta, founder of the Trust and a social worker, said, “Bhandaras and community kitchens are symbols of service, compassion and humanity. They have the power to help ensure that no one goes hungry. Providing food to someone is not just an act of charity but also an important way of upholding human dignity.”

The NGO organises an ‘Ann Bhandara’ or community kitchen every week. This initiative reflects the Trust’s commitment to providing meals to those in need and continuing its service to society.

Apart from food distribution, the Trust also focuses on various social welfare activities, including girls’ education, women’s empowerment and support for persons with disabilities. The distribution of wheelchairs to persons with disabilities is another important initiative in this direction. These efforts aim to promote education, dignity, inclusivity and equal opportunities for underprivileged sections of society.

Through its continued humanitarian initiatives, Purushottam Das Rungta Charitable Trust is working to strengthen the spirit of service, cooperation and compassion in society. It also aims to encourage collective participation in building a more inclusive and humane society.

Chandigarh/ Kurukshetra October 25 2026:

Guest teachers from across Haryana gathered at Taj Park in Kurukshetra today in response to the call given by the Guest Teachers Joint Struggle Front Haryana Pradesh and began a Nyay Yatra towards Chandigarh to press for their long-pending demand for regularisation of services. The teachers started their march from Taj Park urging the Haryana government to initiate the regularisation process in accordance with court orders.

Carrying banners and posters highlighting their demands the guest teachers raised their concerns peacefully and called upon the government to address their long-pending issues. They said they had been playing a significant role in strengthening the state’s education system for several years but had yet to receive permanent service security and the benefits of regularisation. Despite performing similar responsibilities they continue to work under a temporary arrangement.

Morcha President **Krishan Dharshool** said guest teachers had been serving in government schools across Haryana with dedication and sincerity for many years. He noted that they had continued to educate students and support the smooth functioning of the education system even under challenging circumstances. However the issue of regularising their services remained unresolved.

He said the Nyay Yatra had been launched to secure justice for guest teachers and bring their legitimate demands to the attention of the government. The morcha’s principal demand is that the Haryana government take the necessary steps to regularise eligible guest teachers under the three-year policy introduced in 2014. He appealed to the government to respect the orders of the Hon’ble Court and expedite the regularisation process.

Krishan Dharshूल said the yatra was not merely a protest but a struggle for the dignity future and rights of guest teachers. He added that after serving the state for years teachers deserved a clear and positive decision regarding their future. He warned that if the government failed to address their demands promptly the agitation would be expanded.

**Maina Yadav President of the Women’s Wing** said women guest teachers were participating in the struggle with equal determination. She pointed out that prolonged temporary employment had caused financial and mental stress for teachers and urged the government to take their concerns seriously and provide relief at the earliest.

Morcha General Secretary Raghu Vats said guest teachers had served responsibly in schools located in remote and rural areas of the state. Considering their contribution to education he urged the government to formulate a concrete policy for regularising their services.

Morcha spokesperson **Kuldeep Jharoli** said the Nyay Yatra would help convey the concerns of guest teachers to the state government and administration. The office-bearers reiterated that they would continue their struggle peacefully and democratically until a positive decision was taken on their demands. They appealed to the government to resolve the issue through dialogue rather than allowing the situation to escalate.

Guest teachers from various districts of Haryana participated in the march from Taj Park in Kurukshetra demonstrating unity and reiterating their demand for regularisation. They said they were not seeking any special favour but wanted recognition of their years of service along with their rightful entitlements and security for their future.

The first halt of the Nyay Yatra has been scheduled at Shahabad where the teachers will hold a meeting to discuss the next course of action. The yatra will then proceed towards Chandigarh. According to the morcha participants will inform people and the administration at various locations about their demands during the journey.

The Guest Teachers Joint Struggle Front Haryana Pradesh appealed to the state government to take an early decision to secure the future of guest teachers and initiate concrete action towards regularising their services. The teachers expressed hope for a positive response but maintained that if their demands continued to be ignored they would be compelled to intensify their agitation.

Panchkula, October 25 : With a continued focus on improving sanitation standards, strengthening civic infrastructure and ensuring better public spaces, the Municipal Corporation Panchkula has intensified its field-level monitoring through a comprehensive schedule of inspections across municipal areas.

Commissioner, Municipal Corporation Panchkula, Sh Vinay Kumar has been consistently undertaking field inspections to assess ground realities, review civic services and ensure accountability among officers and field staff. This sustained, hands-on approach has been contributing to a steady improvement in cleanliness and civic management across Panchkula, with renewed emphasis on maintaining these standards consistently.

As part of this ongoing exercise, the Commissioner has issued a detailed schedule of inspections covering key sectors, beginning with Sector 28 on October 27 and extending to Sector 7 on December 9, 2026. The inspections will cover sanitation arrangements, road maintenance, waste management, ongoing development works and the overall upkeep of public spaces.

The directions mandate that roads, berms, green belts, open spaces and adjoining areas remain free from accumulated garbage, construction and demolition (C&D) waste, horticultural waste and silt. Officers have also been instructed to ensure proper manual and mechanised sweeping, drain cleaning, timely lifting of waste, removal of unauthorised dumping points and clearance of Garbage Vulnerable Points (GVPs).

Special emphasis has been placed on road maintenance, with engineering officials directed to address potholes, damaged surfaces, uneven patches and other defects promptly to ensure smoother and safer commuting for residents.

To strengthen accountability, the concerned engineering, sanitation and enforcement officials have been directed to remain present during inspections and ensure compliance with prescribed standards. Officials will also be required to maintain updated records of ongoing development works, administrative approvals and proposed estimates.

The Commissioner has made it clear that cleanliness and sanitation arrangements must be personally supervised by the concerned officers and that any negligence, absence of field staff or non-compliance with instructions will be viewed seriously, with responsibility fixed as per rules.

Appealing to residents to complement the Corporation’s efforts, MC Panchkula urged citizens to adopt responsible civic behaviour and make cleanliness a shared responsibility. Residents have been encouraged to refrain from littering, avoid dumping garbage or construction waste in public spaces, segregate waste at source, use designated disposal systems and discourage the use of single-use plastics. Active cooperation from citizens, market associations and Resident Welfare Associations will be crucial in sustaining the improvements being achieved on the ground.

The inspection programme reflects MC Panchkula’s commitment to moving beyond routine supervision towards sustained, result-oriented field monitoring. By regularly reviewing conditions on the ground and following up on deficiencies, the Corporation aims to ensure that improvements translate into a cleaner, better-maintained and more liveable city.

A clean Panchkula requires both responsive civic administration and responsible citizens. With sustained monitoring by the Municipal Corporation and active public participation, the goal is to make cleanliness a lasting civic culture across every sector of the city.

Chandigarh: The MK Bhatia Group, known for gifting cars to employees around Diwali, is introducing a new element to its employee reward initiative this year. In addition to recognising top performers, the group has announced a lucky draw that will give eligible employees across different levels an opportunity to win a car.

Under the initiative, employees who have completed at least 18 months of service with the group’s companies will be eligible to participate in the lucky draw. The opportunity will extend across ranks, from security guards to senior officials, broadening access to a reward traditionally associated with exceptional performance.

The group has announced one car as part of the lucky draw, while its practice of rewarding top-performing employees with cars will continue.

The initiative highlights a broader approach to employee recognition, acknowledging that an organisation’s growth depends on contributions from people at every level. While performance-based rewards recognise individual achievements, the lucky draw offers other eligible employees an opportunity to share in the festive celebrations.

The move adds a dimension of inclusion and employee participation to the group’s Diwali gifting tradition, placing the focus not only on performance but also on recognising the wider workforce.

Rohtak, October 25

Former Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition, Bhupinder Singh Hooda has stated that every section of society is troubled by the BJP government. Farmers, workers, government employees, traders, SCs , Backward classes, women, the poor, and people in both rural and urban areas are all suffering due to the misdeeds of this administration.
Speaking to journalists at his residence, Hooda said the BJP is failing to manage anything, be it the economy, law and order, or the power supply system. He remarked that the state government is directly responsible for the power supply breakdown that persisted across the state for three days. This is because the government sought to impose the burden of expensive electricity on a large segment of the population, including farmers, solely to benefit a private company.
“When we first learned about the privatization of power distribution in Gurugram and Nuh, we immediately expressed our concerns. I personally raised this issue in the Legislative Assembly, but the government, intent on favouring private companies, deliberately chose to ignore it. The entire state has had to pay the price for this,” he said.
“Who will compensate the people for the losses they suffered over these three days,” he questioned.
Hooda stated that the government’s intentions were flawed from the very beginning, despite his demands, they failed to oppose the privatization at the time. However, now that the employees have demonstrated their unity, the government is merely putting on a show of standing with them.
“We suspect that the government might still push forward with this decision to benefit a private company, but the Congress party will oppose it on every platform. If power distribution falls into private hands, the subsidies currently provided to farmers will be eliminated,” he said.
“Under this government, the condition of farmers is already dire. Even today, farmers’ produce remains unsold in the mandis. Despite repeated demands, the government has shown no urgency in procuring paddy and Bajra, nor has the procured produce been lifted from the mandis in a timely manner. Farmers are bearing the brunt of this as their hard work, spanning several months, has been ruined by rain on two separate occasions. Across the state, hundreds of thousands of metric tonnes of paddy have been submerged in water, causing massive losses to both farmers and arhtiyas,” he added,
Hooda said the government is deliberately attempting to avoid procuring farmers’ produce at the Minimum Support Price (MSP), effectively forcing them to sell their crops to private agencies at lower prices. Due to this stance by the government, farmers are being compelled to sell their paddy at Rs 400 per quintal below the MSP, and pearl millet at Rs 800–900 per quintal below the MSP, he added.
The former Chief Minister reiterated that the situation in Haryana has been steadily deteriorating under the BJP government. During its tenure, the Congress party had made Haryana the nation’s top-performing state in terms of per capita income, per capita investment, job creation, and law and order. In contrast, the BJP has pushed the state to the top spot in terms of unemployment, corruption, crime, distress, and oppression.
A report by NITI Aayog indicates that Haryana’s financial condition has worsened to such an extent that it now ranks 14th out of 18 states. Furthermore, the central government’s Social Progress Index identifies Haryana as the most unsafe state in the country.

Chandigarh: Oasis Group today announced the launch of its brand ‘Aaghaaz’ in Chandigarh during an event attended by prominent personalities of the city.

Speaking during the launch event, Deep Malhotra, Chairman of Oasis Group, said, “Aaghaaz is built on a strong Indian foundation, and we believe its growing appeal comes from the authenticity of its roots and the thought behind its identity. Our vision is to create a brand that celebrates Indian artistry while connecting with contemporary audiences. Bringing Aaghaaz to Chandigarh, a city with a distinct cultural identity, is an important step in that journey.”
“Aaghaaz reflects our belief in celebrating Indian artistry with a contemporary perspective. With the festive season beginning, we want to celebrate what matters most—spending quality time with family, friends and loved ones,” said Gaurav Malhotra and Gautam Malhotra, both Directors at Oasis Group.

Meanwhile Oasis Group’s growing portfolio reflects its presence in India’s evolving consumer market. All Seasons, one of the Group’s established brands, has emerged as one of India’s fastest-growing brands, with sales exceeding 25 million cases across the country. This milestone underscores the Group’s experience in building brands and expanding its footprint in a competitive market. The Chandigarh launch comes as the festive calendar brings people together for family gatherings, reunions and social celebrations.

CHANDIGARH

In a remarkable act of humanity amid profound grief, the kidneys of a 20-year-old woman who lost her life in a road accident have given two men, aged 38 and 32, a new lease of life at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh.

Karanvir Kaur, daughter of Jagdeep Singh, a resident of Mulowal village in Punjab’s Sangrur district, had completed her Class XII education, cleared the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) examination and was preparing to go abroad to pursue her dreams. However, her aspirations were tragically cut short following a road accident on October 15.

After receiving treatment at hospitals in Dhuri and Ludhiana, Karanvir was brought to PGIMER on October 16. Following the prescribed medical evaluations, she was declared brain-stem dead on October 21.

Amid the unbearable pain of losing his young daughter, her father took the courageous decision to donate her organs. His consent enabled both kidneys to be transplanted into two patients at PGIMER, giving them an opportunity to look forward to healthier lives.

Recalling his daughter’s dreams and the family’s devastating loss, Jagdeep Singh said the decision to donate her organs was driven by the hope that her life could continue to make a difference.

“Every parent dreams of seeing their child grow, fulfil her aspirations and build a future of her own. Karanvir had cleared IELTS and was preparing to go abroad. We had so many dreams for her. Accepting that she will never return is a pain beyond words. But if a part of my daughter can live on through someone else, and two families can have a reason to smile again, her life will continue to make a difference,” he said.

“We have lost our daughter, but we hope her gift gives others the opportunity to live, dream and look forward to tomorrow,” he added.

Expressing gratitude to the bereaved family, PGIMER Director Prof. Vivek Lal said Karanvir’s family had demonstrated extraordinary courage and humanity by choosing organ donation at a time of immense personal grief.

“While nothing can compensate for the loss of their young daughter, her legacy will live on through the lives touched by this precious gift. We hope this noble gesture inspires more families to consider organ donation,” he said.

Prof. H. S. Kohli, Head of the Department of Nephrology at PGIMER, said kidney transplantation could offer patients with advanced kidney disease greater independence and an improved quality of life. He noted that the availability of a suitable donor organ remained a major challenge and thanked Karanvir’s family for making transplantation possible for two patients.

Prof. Ashish Sharma, Head of the Department of Renal Transplantation at PGIMER, said kidney transplantation required careful donor-organ assessment, surgical expertise and close coordination among multidisciplinary medical teams. He emphasised that every transplant began with the generosity of a donor family.

Despite the unimaginable loss of his daughter, Jagdeep Singh chose to give two men, aged 38 and 32, an opportunity to rebuild their lives. The family’s decision, he said, reflected the life-changing impact of organ donation.

Dr. Navdeep Bansal, Transplant Coordinator at PGIMER, said organ donation required sensitive counselling, timely coordination and cooperation between donor families and medical teams. He said Jagdeep Singh’s decision, despite his profound grief, demonstrated the extraordinary difference one family could make.

Dr. Vijay Tadia, Nodal Officer, ROTTO North, said Karanvir’s story highlighted the life-saving potential of organ donation. He encouraged families to discuss organ donation openly and raise awareness so that more patients awaiting transplants could receive a second chance at life.

Although Karanvir’s dreams of travelling abroad and building a future were tragically cut short, her father’s decision has given two other individuals an opportunity to pursue their own journeys.

Her story stands as a poignant reminder that even in the face of unimaginable loss, organ donation can save lives and keep hope alive. Through the gift of her kidneys, Karanvir’s legacy will endure in the lives of two men who have received a renewed opportunity to live, dream and look forward to tomorrow.