Chandigarh: Max Hospital Mohali on Monday showcased its advanced AI and 3D technology in knee replacement surgery.

Talking to the media, Dr. Tarandeep Singh Gill, director–ortho  & joint replacement said thatAI enables us to achieve a level of precision that was previously not possible, leading to better functional outcomes and faster recovery. This technology-driven approach is enhancing surgical precision, improving patient outcomes, and enabling faster recovery, said Dr Gill.

Chandigarh: Ahead of the Municipal Corporation Elections scheduled for December 2026, the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) expanded its organisational presence by officially launching its Chandigarh Unit on Sunday.

The announcement was made by Trilok Tyagi, National General Secretary of the party, during a press conference held at Chandigarh Press Club. Several leaders and supporters also joined the party on the occasion. Tyagi was accompanied by Prabudh Kumar, National Secretary, Dilpreet Singh, State Convenor, Punjab, Vinay Pradhan, Incharge, J&K, OD Tyagi, State General Secretary, UP, Narinder Chikara, State General Secretary, Haryana and anjit Singh Mohali, State President, Punjab and others.

Addressing the media, Tyagi said the initiative was part of the party’s strategy to strengthen its organisational structure and expand its political footprint beyond its traditional strongholds. He said the party organisation is now active in 14 states across the country and will formally establish its organisational structure in Chandigarh, while special focus will also be placed on strengthening the party’s voice in Punjab.

He further informed that after its strong presence in western Uttar Pradesh, the party has expanded its base in Punjab and Haryana and is now looking to make its mark in Chandigarh. The party had recently contested elections on all seats in Jammu & Kashmir as part of its expansion strategy.

Regarding the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation elections, Tyagi affirmed that the party is preparing to contest the elections. He informed that a formal announcement of the executive body will be made soon and intensify the membership drive.

Raising issues related to Punjab, Tyagi said farmers suffered heavy losses during recent floods but have not yet received adequate compensation. He said the party will seek a meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to raise farmers’ concerns and rights. He also expressed concern over the rising number of cancer cases in Punjab and said the government should address the issue on priority. In addition, he said the party will work towards promoting small-scale industries in the state to generate employment opportunities at the local level.

Those who joined the party on the occasion included Vidya Shankar Pathak, Ramayan Kushwaha, Uma Shankar Shukla, Sunil Kumar Pandey, Sudhir Goyal, Vikas Pathak and Harish Vashisht, along with several notable leaders from Azad Samaj Party and Bahujan Samaj Party.

Tyagi further said the party is also planning organisational expansion in the Union Territories of Puducherry and Ladakh. Responding to a question regarding the alliance with NDA and upcoming elections, he said organisational expansion is being handled by the party organisation, while alliance decisions are taken by the party leadership at the apex level.

The launch of the Chandigarh Unit is being seen as a key organisational expansion move ahead of the Municipal Corporation elections, with the party expected to build its base among urban voters, traders, employees and migrant communities from Uttar Pradesh and Haryana residing in Chandigarh.

RLD was founded in 1996 by former Union Minister Ajit Singh, son of former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh. Tyagi emphasised that the party’s core ideology focuses on farmers’ rights, rural development, social justice, federalism and secular politics.

Chandigarh: The continued non-implementation of High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) on vehicles registered prior to April 1, 2019 is emerging as a serious issue, leading to duplication of number plates, misuse of vehicle identities and harassment of innocent citizens.

The absence of tamper-proof number plates has created opportunities for criminals to use cloned vehicle numbers and making it difficult for enforcement agencies to track vehicles involved in crimes.

International road safety expert Dr. Kamal Soi, Chairman, Raahat – The Safe Community Foundation and Society for Corruption Free India (SCFI) while addressing this issue during a press conference held at Chandigarh Press Club had expressed deep concern over the situation and termed it alarming for public safety and law enforcement.

Dr Soi is also a Member of the National Road Safety Council under the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH), Government of India, where he contributes to road safety policy, transport reforms and accident prevention strategies across the country

He stated that today an innocent vehicle owner can receive a police notice or face legal trouble for a crime he never committed simply because his vehicle number has been duplicated and misused. He said this is not just administrative negligence but a serious injustice to law-abiding citizens.

Dr. Soi further pointed out that Punjab, being a sensitive border state, already faces serious challenges related to drug trafficking, terrorism and organized crime. Such a weak vehicle identification systems directly compromise national security and public safety.

He also highlighted the unchecked proliferation of unauthorized dealers and illegal vendors who are openly affixing fake or non-compliant number plates. Duplicate number plates and HSRP-like plates are easily available through online platforms and local markets, defeating the purpose of a secure registration system.

According to him, this lack of enforcement has resulted in rampant duplication of vehicle numbers, criminals operating with cloned identities, harassment and legal trouble for innocent vehicle owners and loss of credibility of the vehicle registration system.

In a corrective step, the Transport Department has now expanded HSRP affixation for pre-2019 vehicles through authorized automobile dealers across the state via the SIAM digital platform.

Dr Soi advised that an applicant should visit the official website www.siam.in to enter their vehicle details, choose an authorized dealer and than select a convenient date and time slot. The payment must be made online to ensure transparency and avoid any cash dealings. Once the appointment is confirmed, the HSRP can be affixed at the selected dealership. This system is secure, transparent and effectively eliminates the role of illegal operators.  

HSRP plates also incorporate retro-reflective technology that enhances visibility up to 200 meters at night, improving road safety.

Dr. Soi urged the Govt and enforcement agencies to take immediate and strict action, including crackdown on unauthorized dealers, monitoring online sale of duplicate plates, strict enforcement with penalties and time-bound implementation to achieve 100% HSRP coverage.

Chandigarh:

A Single Theme Workshop on Neonatal Neurological Disorders will be held at the Advanced Pediatric Centre, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), on 4th and 5th April 2026. The workshop will be conducted by the Newborn Unit, Department of Pediatrics.

The workshop will be inaugurated by Prof. Vivek Lal, Director of PGIMER. The Chairperson of the Organizing Committee is Prof. Praveen Kumar; the Organizing Secretary is Prof. Sourabh Dutta; and the Joint Organizing Secretary is Dr. Jogender Kumar. Other faculty members include Dr. Naveen Jain from Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) and Dr. Naveen Gupta from New Delhi; Prof. Deepak Chawla, Prof. Suksham Jain, and Dr. Supreet Khurana from Government Medical College, Chandigarh; and Dr. Sajan Saini, Dr. Bijaylakshmi Behera, Prof. Naveen Sankhyan, Dr. Arushi Saini, Dr. Anupriya Kaur, Dr. Chirag Ahuja, and Dr. Bharti Sharma from PGIMER.

Neonatal neurological disorders include diseases affecting the nervous system of newborns, primarily the brain. There was a time when the primary focus of newborn specialists was to save the lives of premature babies or full-term babies born with asphyxia. With significantly improved survival rates today compared to a few decades ago, the focus has shifted from mere survival to ensuring “neurologically intact survival.”

“Neurologically intact survival” refers to surviving into childhood and adulthood as a mentally and physically normal individual who can function independently and contribute to society. There is little value in expending enormous family and societal resources to save a newborn baby if the child grows up with severe disabilities such as intellectual impairment or cerebral palsy and remains dependent on caregivers throughout life.

A systematic analysis of data from low- and middle-income countries published in 2021, including India, reported that the average survival rate of babies weighing less than 1 kg was about 30%, with approximately 20% of survivors having abnormal neurological development. Data from major centers in India suggest that very to moderately premature babies have nearly five times the risk of brain disorders compared to full-term babies, and about 35–40% of babies weighing less than 1 kg either die or develop serious brain impairments.

Newborns are particularly vulnerable to neurological disorders because their brains are delicate. In premature babies, the brain is prone to internal bleeding due to fragile blood vessels, white matter damage due to inadequate blood supply or inflammation, and impaired growth and development. In full-term babies, brain injury may occur due to birth asphyxia, metabolic disturbances, or severe jaundice.

Significant advances have been made in the prevention, diagnosis, management, and follow-up of neonatal brain disorders in recent years. These include therapeutic hypothermia (external cooling of the brain) for selected asphyxiated babies, newer anti-epileptic medications, advanced ultrasound and MRI techniques, bedside EEG monitoring, improved recognition and prevention of factors leading to bleeding and white matter injury, diagnosis of complex metabolic disorders using sophisticated laboratory techniques, optimization of antibiotic duration for brain infections, and establishment of standardized follow-up protocols for early detection of cerebral palsy. Together, these advances have contributed to improved neurologically intact survival. Strategies to protect the vulnerable brains of premature babies begin well before birth and continue for months afterward.

Keeping these considerations in mind, the Neonatal Unit of the Department of Pediatrics has organized this two-day workshop dedicated entirely to neonatal brain disorders. The workshop will be highly practical and hands-on. It will include three practical workstations focusing on therapeutic hypothermia, EEG recording, and neuroimaging (ultrasound and MRI). There will also be six real-life clinical case discussions highlighting the management of newborns with serious neurological conditions.

The participants are pediatric specialists with a special interest in neonatal care. Lectures on the first day will cover the basics of neurological examination in newborns (which differs significantly from that in adults and older children), an approach to the stuporous neonate, and the diagnosis and management of brain injury due to asphyxia, intracranial hemorrhage, and white matter injury. The second day will include lectures on the management of neonatal seizures, hydrocephalus, preventive strategies, neonatal stroke, brain injury due to hypoglycemia or severe jaundice, and long-term follow-up.

Simple measures that the general public can adopt to promote neurologically intact survival include regular antenatal check-ups, adherence to medical advice during pregnancy, exclusive breastfeeding, prevention of infections, and seeking immediate medical attention if a newborn shows abnormal movements, lethargy or severe jaundice.