Chandigarh tops the country in voluntary blood donation

Chandigarh tops the country in voluntary blood donation (VBD) with a rating of 85%. Moreover, the collection through VBD has risen to 90% during January to March, 2010. UT is followed by West Bengal with 78%. Also, city's blood collection is more than the consumption. Chandigarh blood transfusion services have also been declared the best in the country by National AIDS Control Organisation.

In city, approximately 70,000 units of blood is required per year. In the last financial year (2009-10), 75,350 blood units were collected, of which 85% was through voluntary blood donation.

Dr MS Bains, UT director, health services, said, "Chandigarh is number one in voluntary blood donation (85%), whereas the national average is 76% and neighbouring states have scored less than 75%."

Dr Vanita Gupta, project director, State AIDS Control Society, said, "This year, Chandigarh has touched 90% for voluntary blood collection, making it the hub of the largest proportion of voluntary blood collection in India." She said VBD was the safest source of blood transfusion. The target set by the government was 100% voluntary donation and Chandigarh was approaching it.

HIV positivity in blood collected in India is 0.3% and in Chandigarh it is 0.2%. To reduce this number, Chandigarh State AIDS Control Society and Chandigarh State Blood Transfusion Council are promoting voluntary non-remunerated blood donation.

Dr Gupta said, "There are nine parameters to measure blood safety in the country. These parameters are units of annual blood collection, voluntary blood donation and annual blood donation camps, among others. To meet these parameters, the target of 600 blood donation camps was also fulfilled." Till March 31, of the 21,183 units collected, 19,083 units came through VBD, making it 90%. Only 2,100 units were from replacement donors.

-=- Chandigarh is officially India's cleanest city -=-

Chandigarh has emerged as the number one city in terms of sanitation in the National Rating Exercise, government said on Monday.

Announcing this, Urban Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy listed Mysore at number two, Surat at number three and the NDMC area of New Delhi in the fourth position.

"The purpose of this exercise is to recognise better performers as well as to encourage other cities to perform better. The idea behind the exercise is to galvanise action in states and cities towards better sanitation," Reddy said.

Policy rating of 423 cities which covers 72 per cent of the urban population was undertaken. The country was divided into five zones for the purpose and each city was scored on 19 indicators.

Officials said the cities were classified into four colour categories of red, black, blue and green.

"The rating of cities creates a baseline which can be used to measure progress in respect of sanitation in our cities and is expected to encourage cities to perform better in years to come," a senior official said.

None of the cities were rated as "Green" the best category in the exercise. However, four cities -- Chandigarh, Mysore, Surat and NDMC area in New Delhi -- were in the Blue category.

Reddy said he will be writing to all the chief ministers of the states to prioritise sanitation.

"I hope the ratings today will indeed mobilise all stakeholders to prioritise and take action for improving sanitation," the minister added.

In the vicinity of Chandigarh this is my place..and the Garden above is where I daily go for a jog...Just 100 meters from my home...

Mansa Devi

Mansa means desire and Meri Maiya who fulfills the desire of HER devotees, is popularly known as Mansa Devi. Mata Mansa Devi Temple at Panchkula is a symbol of Himalayan culture and faith. The shrine located on the foot hills of Shivalik is an epitome of age old tradition of ‘Shakti’ worship in northern India. Himalaya being the abode of Shiva and his consort’shakti’ became centre of shakti worship. In the vicinity of Panchkula there are numerous Shakti worshipping centers known by their names such as Chandi, Kalika, Mansa, Bhima etc. Hence, mythological speaking,Chandigarh-Panchkula region undoubtedly continued to be living legends of shaktism where its practices are in vogue. However, the present temple which stands a witness to the exciting past of the Shivalik region is about two hundred years old. The archeological treasures unearthed from Chandigarh-Panchkula region throw eloquent light on the history and culture of the area from the prehistoric to the recent times.