IEP Chandigarh, September 9

“Every year nearly 7 lakh people take their own life and there are many more people who attempt suicide. Suicide occurs throughout the lifespan and was the fourth leading cause of death among 15–29 year olds globally in 2019. Nearly 14% of the world’s adolescents experience mental health problems.”

On the eve of World Suicide Prevention Day while stating this, Dr. Vibha Goel, psychiatrist at IVY Hospital, Mohali said that suicide is a tragedy affecting families, communities and has long-lasting effects on the people left behind a parallel can be drawn between an untreated mental disorder and the risk of suicide.

She further said , “ It can happen impulsively in moments of crisis, or in situations a person is experiencing conflict, disaster, violence, and abuse. A callous, unemotional, insensitive attitude of the society directed towards the suffers is concerning and understanding the myths associated with depression and suicide are of utmost concern.”

One of the most heard of myth is that a mental health condition is a sign of weakness. If the person were stronger, they would not have this condition. To the contrary anyone whosever can develop a mental health condition, she informed.

However, the issues are usually left untreated as they are assumed to be a part of mood swings caused by hormonal fluctuations and a continuous desire to seek attention.

Dr Vibha said that the faulty adjectives and the derogatory remarks used by the family members and other members of the society towards mental health problems leads to increased reluctance in the sufferers to disclose as it might cause social distancing.
It is of fundamental necessity to curb the stigma, abuse and neglect associated with mental illnesses. Anyone, whosoever at whatever position in life can suffer from any form of psychiatric illness, she maintained.  

It is okay to not be okay and also it is okay to reach out and seek help, she said adding pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy are both the recommended modalities of treatment and the pharmacological treatment directed towards psychiatric illnesses is to restore the balance between the neuro-chemicals.

IEP Chandigarh

A National Eye Donation fortnight was celebrated by Govt. of India every year from 24^th August to 8^th September wherein health institutes and other stake holders are encouraged to campaign for mass public awareness for eye donation and to motivate citizens to pledge their eyes after death.  At present, around 1.2 million people are corneal blind in India and current annual transplant number in the country is 25000- 30000. In PGIMER, around 2200 patients are waiting for their corneal transplantation but the hospital gets only 400-500 corneas every year. The objective of this fortnight is to create mass public awareness and to bridge the gap between the demand and supply of cornea.

As a part of this Programme, 38^th National Eye Donation Fortnight was celebrated in PGI from 24^th August to 8^th September 2023 with lecture series on eye donation in schools, colleges and public places for public awareness.  In addition, painting competitions, article writing competitions and other activities were also organized in schools on eye donation.

To mark this year’s celebration an Eye Donation walk was organized on 3.9.2023 from Rock Garden to Sukhna Lake with Mrs. Kanwardeep Kaur, IPS, Senior Superintendent of Police, UT Chandigarh participated as Chief Guest. The objective of this walk to spread the awareness among public towards eye donation after death.

Various competitions like Poster making, Rangoli making and Pencil sketches with the theme of नेत्र दान, महा दान were organized by SNA, UT Chandigarh branch in association with Advanced Eye Centre on 05.09.2023 at National Institute of Nursing Education (NINE) of PGIMER, Chandigarh.  

Dr. Parul Chawla Gupta, Associate Professor of Advanced Eye Centre delivered guest lecture at Dev Samaj College of Education, Sector – 36 B, Chandigarh regarding awareness of Eye Donation on 08.09.2023. The Chief Guest on this occasion was Prof. Surinder Singh Pandav, Head, Advanced Eye Centre, PGIMER, Chandigarh.

The winners of painting competitions were felicitated at Advanced Eye Centre, PGI, Chandigarh at the culmination of the fortnight on 09.09.2023, Prof SS Pandav, Head, Advanced Eye Centre, PGIMER, Chandigarh. The function was also attended by the Cornea faculty of the Advanced Eye Centre comprising of Prof Amit Gupta, Dr Parul Chawla Gupta, Dr Sonam Yangzes, Dr Anchal Thakur and Sh Sanjeev Gupta and other members of Lions Club central, Chandigarh besides other staff of Advanced Eye Centre, PGIMER, Chandigarh.

Besides this, messages of eye donation had been displayed at prominent places including religious places with collaboration of Lions club central, Chandigarh for sensitization of public regarding this noble cause.   

IEP Chandigarh, September 8

The Haryana Government has taken steps to decriminalize certain laws and Acts. The objective of this exercise is to improve the ease of doing business and ease of living for citizens by reducing burdensome compliances prescribed in the Acts/Rules. The exercise aims to simplify, digitize, decriminalize, and rationalize compliances.

While presiding over the meeting regarding decriminalization of Laws/Acts here today, the Chief Secretary, Mr. Sanjeev Kaushal has directed all Administrative Secretaries to submit a report on the decriminalization of laws and Acts in their respective departments within a fortnight. Additionally, the departments have been tasked with reviewing 319 Acts to identify provisions that could be decriminalized.

Mr. Kaushal said that the primary goal is to avoid registering FIRs, imprisoning people, or putting them on trial for minor violations of these laws, which are not serious in nature. Instead of treating them as criminal acts, they may be treated as civil offenses or regulated through administrative measures, fines, or other non-criminal penalties. The goal is to foster a business- and industry-friendly environment within the state, recognizing that certain minor transgressions may occur as part of regular work and should not be categorized as criminal offenses. He said that various departments of the state government have taken this initiative enthusiastically and so far, 28 Acts have been successfully decriminalized.

Mr. Kaushal said that the departments are actively engaged in the exercise and have been conducting an exhaustive analysis of Acts, Rules, Regulations, and Notifications to reduce the burdensome compliances in the state. Since the inception of the “Reducing Compliance Burden Exercise”, Haryana has reduced the burden of over 500 compliances, including the decriminalization of Acts across departments.

IEP Chandigarh, September 8

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has announced the development of an industrial area spanning 100 acres of land under the PADMA scheme in Khanpur village, Hisar. This initiative aims to stimulate Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) units in Khanpur and its neighbouring villages, thereby creating employment opportunities. Under this scheme, the Khanpur village Panchayat will propose to allocate 100 acres of land.

In addition, in response to the requests from Gurana villagers, the Chief Minister has also announced the relocation of the village tehsil from Hansi to Barwala and the shifting of the market committee area to Barwala.

The Chief Minister directly engaged with the people during a Jan Samvad held in Gurana village of the Narnaund assembly in Hisar district today.

Mr. Manohar Lal also announced several development projects including, provision of drinking water supply in Gurana village, construction of a hall and boundary wall at Chhotu Ram stadium, land level improvement at primary and government senior secondary schools in the village, construction of new rooms and halls in schools, construction of a boundary wall, path, and shed at the cremation ground under the Shivdham scheme, establishment of a procurement center in Masoodpur village, construction of Phirni and drainage, construction of a community center in Data village, connecting Sisai village drinking water supply to Bhakra. In addition, approval has been granted for the construction of a road connecting Gurana to Masoodpur provided that farmer made the land available to the Public Works Department at the collector rate. 

The Chief Minister said that upon assuming office in 2014, the government introduced a new system, resulting in the implementation of numerous welfare schemes for the benefit of the people. The practices of nepotism and corruption in government jobs were curtailed, and deserving young individuals were provided with employment opportunities. He highlighted that in Gurana village alone, 55 youths secured government jobs based on their qualifications, with 10 of them appointed in central government roles and 45 in state government positions.

The Chief Minister presented battery-operated vehicles to two differently-abled individuals in Gurana village. Notably, he had on Thursday announced the distribution of battery-operated vehicles, replacing conventional tricycles, to differently-abled individuals in Bahbalpur village in Barwala.

During the Jan Samvad, old age pensions cards were provided to 10 eligible residents of the village. The Chief Minister mentioned that under the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, medical treatment up to Rs. 5 lakh is being provided free of cost to the underprivileged. In Gurana village, 3,290 cards have been issued under this scheme, benefiting 170 individuals with a total of Rs. 62 lakh. He also extended birthday greetings and a gift a resident of the village.

MP Sh. Brijendra Singh, MLA Sh. Ram Kumar Gautam, former Finance Minister Captain Abhimanyu and other dignitaries were also present on this occasion.

IEP Chandigarh

School of Communication Studies, Panjab University marked the  International Literacy Day with an enriching Career Talk event on Media & Communication at Govt. School, Sector 14 West. International Literacy Day, observed annually on September 8th, serves as a global reminder of the importance of literacy and education. Dr. Bhavneet Bhatti, Chairperson, SCS, PU informed that, “This year the theme for day is Promoting literacy for a world in transition and building sustainable societies” she added that, “keeping in mind the same we are making an effort to educate and inspire young minds by acquainting them with career opportunities in mass media.”

Dr. Bhatti along with students from SCS visited the school and conducted various fun activities besides an interactive session for students. In keeping with the spirit of this day, the Career Talk event aimed to empower students with knowledge about the exciting world of journalism and communication. Attendees had the unique opportunity to dive deep into the diverse facets of the media industry. Faculty and students from the field shared their insights and experiences, shedding light on the endless possibilities that await young minds in the realm of mass media.

Activities like ‘reporting from the field’, ‘ an RJ for one minute’ , ‘sell a product’ helped the students learn about fields of journalism, Advertising, Radio and more. Students were encouraged to ask questions, share their thoughts, and explore their interests in media and communication. Further on many fun games like ad-mad, radio jockeying and vlogging were also played. The enthusiastic participation of students and the lively exchange of ideas made the event a resounding success. Students left the event with a newfound appreciation for the world of media and communication, ready to embark on their educational journeys with renewed vigor and purpose.

IEP Chandigarh

Dr Hitinder Kaur Kler who was previously posted as Civil Surgeon Ludhiana has now been posted as new Director Health Services (Family Welfare) Punjab and she joined on her new posting today here at Director Health Office in Sector-34.

Immediately after joining her new posting Dr. Hitinder Kaur Kler thanked Punjab government for showing faith in her and assured Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh to perform her duty efficiently and with honesty. She also assured to take every possible step needed to be taken for providing quality healthcare services to the people of Punjab.

Pertaining to her career in Health Department Punjab, Dr. Kaur joined as Medical Officer in the year 1991. Dr. Kaur is M.D. in Radiology.She was promoted as Senior Medical Officer in 2015 and in June 2021 she was promoted as Deputy Director and was posted as Civil Surgeon Mansa and later after a short stint in Moga she has been serving in Ludhiana district since July 2022.  

After joining here as Director Health Services (Family Welfare) Dr. Kaur exhorted the health staff to work diligently and honestly for the welfare of the people of Punjab.While listing out her priorities she asked the health staff to provide time bound quality services and insisted on quick disposal of matters relating to public. She stressed upon taking necessary steps to provide comprehensive family welfare services to the people of state .She also underlined strict implementation of PC-PNDT act in the state to curb female foeticide. The staff of the Directorate office welcomed the new Director and assured full cooperation.

IEP Chandigarh, September 7

Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Manohar Lal, while taking a dig at the opposition, said that the opposition leaders are not liking the way the present state government is providing the benefits of government schemes to the eligible beneficiaries of the state in a quick and transparent manner. Opposition leaders have even begun asserting that if they were to come into power, they would dismantle the family ID and portal systems. From this it appears that neither they want the development of the state nor the welfare of the people.

The Chief Minister engaged in a direct conversation with villagers during a Jan Samvad held in Mirzapur village within the Barwala assembly constituency in Hisar district today.

Mr. Manohar Lal stressed that instead of merely distributing freebies, the present government is focused on empowering individuals to become self-reliant, enabling citizens to live with dignity. Targeting the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), he said that AAP wants to bake its political bread on the Sutlej Yamuna Link Canal issue, but the state’s residents will not allow their nefarious designs to succeed. AAP leaders talk about offering free services to the people, but the public is discerning.

He said that the current state government has abolished the practice of obtaining jobs through recommendations and financial influence, a system that had been in place for the past decade. Instead, the government has initiated a merit-based approach to job placements through its “Mission Merit.” Mr. Manohar Lal presented data from Mirzapur village, where 56 jobs have been awarded on a merit basis, including 15 Central Government posts. Employment fairs are being organized for eligible families, and out of the 211 eligible families in Mirzapur village, 63 individuals have received loan approvals, with action being taken for the remaining applicants.

To boost self-employment opportunities for women, the Chief Minister said that counter facilities will be made available at the district headquarters to provide a bigger market to the products made by the SHGs.  This initiative will provide SHGs with the opportunity to sell their products one or two days a week, thus expanding their market reach.

Mr. Manohar Lal highlighted that with the Family ID system, 44 residents of Mirzapur village have received pensions sitting at home over the last six months. In reference to the Ayushman Yojana, the Chief Minister informed that over the past year, 251 individuals from Mirzapur village have benefited from the scheme, with the government expending Rs. 1.10 crore on their medical treatment.

During the Jan Samvad program, pensions for old-age individuals were processed on-site for six people, and the Chief Minister personally presented pension cards to each recipient. The program also addressed various demands from Sarpanchs of neighboring villages in Mirzapur. He also announced various developmental projects including establishing a village secretariat in Raipur, a school up to Class XII in Dhani Raipur, community centers in Shikarpur, Mayyad, Dhansu, Nyana, Kharkadi and community centre and rajwaha (water course) in Mirzapur. In addition, he assured the residents of Talwandi Rana village that they would get a way within a month.

The Chief Minister instructed the District Social Welfare Officer to provide electric tricycles to differently-abled individuals with functional hands enabling them to move independently.

MP Mr. Brijendra Singh, Deputy Speaker of Vidhan Sabha Mr. Ranbir Gangwa, MLA Mr. Jogi Ram Sihag, Sarpanches and officials of district administration were also present on this occasion.

IEP Chandigarh, September 7

Haryana Public Health Engineering Minister,  Dr. Banwari Lal will flag off the ongoing Cyclothon for Mahendragarh district from Rao Tularam Stadium, Rewari on September 9, 2023, at  6 am.  The state-wide cyclothon started with the aim of making the state drug-free and will be entering district Rewari on September 8. The Cyclothon is being organised as part of the Haryana Uday Outreach Program.

Sharing more details in this regard Deputy Commissioner, Rewari, Sh.  Rahul Hooda said, on September 8 in the morning at 10 Am the cyclothon will enter district Rewari district via village Jat Sairwas. He further shared that a cultural evening will be organized at KLP College Auditorium in the city and the folk artists will perform on the theme of drug-free Haryana.   He said that Bhajan Party members of the Information, Public Relations, Language and Culture Department and other renowned artists will give a message to the general public, especially the youth, to stay away from drugs.

The Deputy Commissioner said that school students will also participate in the cultural program. During the Cyclothon, the message of drug-free Haryana will be given at various places through posters and banners based on the de-addiction theme, informed the Deputy Commissioner.

He said that Cyclists will start joining the Cyclothon from the main points through which the Cyclothon will proceed in the district. He said that the district administration is making the general public aware on a large scale to participate in the Cyclothon. Rewari district will have notable participation in the Drug-Free Haryana campaign, said the Deputy Commissioner.

IEP CHANDIGARH/JALANDHAR, September 7

          The war against drugs waged on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann got a major breakthrough after Jalandhar Rural Police arrested a big fish drug trafficker identified as Malkiat Singh alias Kali, who sent three swimmers to fetch a consignment of 50kg heroin from Pakistan, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Thursday.

          “Police teams have also seized 9 Kg heroin— a portion of the 50kg heroin consignment, from his possession,” he said while adding that 22.5 kg of the heroin had already been recovered by the Punjab Police taking the total recovery to 31.5 kg.

          The development came in less than a month after the Jalandhar Rural Police had arrested drug smuggler Joga Singh, who swam into the Pakistan jurisdiction to retrieve the heroin consignment and 8kg heroin was recovered from him. Earlier, the SSOC Amritsar had arrested drug smuggler identified as Shinder Singh after recovering 10kg heroin and Rs 1.5 lakhs drug money from his possession. A woman drug smuggler identified as Amandeep Kaur alias Deep Bhai linked to this module was also arrested with 1kg heroin, while, another drug smuggler Shinderpal alias Pappu was arrested with 500 grams heroin from Mehatpur.

          DGP Gaurav Yadav, while terming recovery of this big haul of heroin as the result of vigorous follow-up investigations by the Punjab Police, said that following forward and backwards linkages in this case, Jalandhar Rural Police have arrested the accused drug trafficker Malkiat Kali, who is resident of village Tendi Wala in Ferozepur, from near Boparai Canal Bridge near Goraya and recovered the heroin kept in his shoulder bag.

          Divulging details, SSP Jalandhar Rural Mukhwinder Singh Bhullar said that accused Malkiat Kali revealed that he was in regular touch with a Pak-based drug smuggler identified as Haider Ali, who helped him in smuggle the heroin consignments to India in lieu of hawala operator.

          “Malkiat Kali also revealed that he had sent Joga Singh along with two more persons to Pakistan using a riverine route to fetch the 50Kg heroin consignment, which was equally distributed between his party and Joga Singh’s party,” he said, while adding that further investigations are on, and Police teams are on manhunt to arrest remaining drug smugglers involved in this module.

          A fresh case FIR no. 123 dated 07/09/2023 has been registered under section 21C of the NDPS Act at Police Station Goraya.