Chandigarh Research Articles

An Integrated Framework for Allocation of New Emergency Response Facilities in Developing Nations

Developing countries are majorly resource-constrained societies which do not have the financial power to invest in meeting all infrastructure needs. Although there are multiple types of emergency response systems (ERS), the most important ones are the basic essentials—fire, medical and police. Along with emergency response planning for man-made emergencies in an urban scenario, there is a gap in the recent literature about integration of basic ERS into a single framework. We propose a novel framework that first evaluates the existing ERS in place and then provides solutions for improvement with the inclusion of additional facilities at optimal locations. Keeping in mind dynamic congestion patterns and land use resource constraints in different areas of the urban space, the proposed facilities are labeled as either permanent or floating. We also propose three different schemes, each with two competing strategies that cater to a specific type of constraint common to developing nations. Through comparison of system performance metrics like first response time, area coverage, and average response time, the ERS pre- and post-implementation of the framework are compared to check for degree of improvement. A case study of the framework is shown using the city of Chandigarh in India as an example. The framework proposed in the paper takes into account the growth and compactness of urban spaces and can be used to continually assess and improve ERS in mixed use urban spaces after fixed periods of time.

Arnold Chiari Malformation - A hospital based autopsy study

In Arnold Chiari II malformation the cerebellar tonsils are displaced inferiorly through the Foramen Magnum into the upper cervical spinal canal. It is a complex anomaly with skull, dura, brain, spine and cord manifestations. This study was conducted on 400 fetuses obtained from department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh. Arnold Chiari malformation was noted in 10 out of 300 (3.33%) fetal autopsy cases. All cases were associated with meningomylocele. In our study we found that 7 cases were showing cerebellar tonsilla rectopia and 3case of type II. Arnold Chiari Malformations can be prevented by preconceptional folic acid and Vitamin B 12 supplementation.

Physico-chemical characterization of municipal solid waste from Tricity region of Northern India: a case study

An integrated solid waste management system is an effective method for controlling the huge volumes of solid waste generated in urban locales in India. The success of the integrated solid waste management system depends upon the amount and type generated from different sources for better facilitating of the appropriate management system. In this context, characterization studies are often performed on urban solid waste generated to enable suitable decision making for proper management of solid waste generated. The paper presents the characterization of urban solid wastes generated from the Tricity region of Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula in India. The present study characterizes the physical and chemical properties of the Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) generated in all the three study locations for different socio-economic groups. In general, the MSW generation from the Tricity of Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula account for approximately 680 tons per day (TPD) of solid waste (380 TPD in Chandigarh, 150 TPD in Mohali and 150 TPD in Panchkula). The characterization of the three cities indicates that MSW generated from all the three cities have high proportions of biodegradables [52% Chandigarh (CHD), 46.7% Mohali (MOH) and 42.6% Panchkula (PKL)] with inert fraction as (27% in CHD, 28.6% in MOH and 28.46% in PKL). The calorific value of the MSW generated varies from 1929 kcal/Kg for CHD, 1801 kcal/Kg for MOH and 1542 kcal/Kg for PKL with average moisture content of about 50% in CHD, 46% in MOH and 40% in PKL. Chemical characterization results of MSW reveal variation in elemental carbon with carbon fraction reported being 34.18% in CHD, 33.8% in MOH and 31.9% in PKL city. In the context of the characterization study, the paper also proposes suitable alternatives to the existing MSW management practices including composting, vermicomposting, setting up of a formal recycling unit and installation of bio-methanation plant along with the existing refuse derived fuel (RDF) plant as a comprehensive process for handling the municipal solid waste generated in the Tricity region.

Substance use and dependence in the Union Territory of Chandigarh: Results of a household survey using a multistage stratified random sample.

Background:Substance misuse is a global health and social problem with major adverse consequences. A number of regional studies on prevalence of substance use and dependence have been carried out in India; but methodologically robust data from Chandigarh are sparse.Methodology:A house-to-house survey was carried out to estimate the prevalence of substance use and dependence in an adequate multistage-stratified random sample in the Union Territory (UT) of Chandigarh, using standardized instruments and predefined measures. Two thousand individuals (1000 each from urban and rural sites) from 743 households were interviewed.Results:Lifetime use of any substance was reported in 21.26% households (8.01% of all respondents; 13.6% males and 1.01% females). Current use was reported in 6.55% of respondents. Prevalence rates of both lifetime and annual/current substance dependence were 2.96% (4.74% for males and 0.72% for females). Alcohol (6.72%) was the most common substance to be ever used by respondents, followed by tobacco (3.34%), opioids (0.17%), and hypnotics (0.04%). Lifetime dependence rates were found to be 1.76%, 2.28%, 0.04% and 0.17% for alcohol, tobacco, hypnotics, and opioids, respectively. None reported the use of cannabinoids, inhalants, or stimulants. Substance users were more likely to be married, employed, and in higher income group as compared to those who never used substance. Only 3.78% substance users had ever sought treatment for the same.Conclusion:Substance use is prevalent in the UT of Chandigarh, with a higher prevalence in males. Substance users hardly ever seek treatment for substance use. This highlights the need of awareness and community-level services for the treatment of substance use disorders.

Pattern and prevalence of substance use and dependence in the Union Territory of Chandigarh: Results of a rapid assessment survey.

Background:Substance misuse is a matter of major public health concern in India. House-to-house survey, though an appealing method to generate population-level estimates, has limitations for estimating prevalence rates of use of illicit and rare substances.Materials and Methods:In this rapid assessment survey (RAS), respondent-driven sampling was used to recruit substance-using individuals from the field. Size of the substance-using population was estimated using the “benchmark-multiplier” method. This figure was then projected to the entire population of the Union Territory (U.T) of Chandigarh. Focused group discussions were used to study the perceptions and views of the substance users regarding various aspects of substance use.Results:Prevalence of any substance dependence in the U.T of Chandigarh was estimated to be 4.65%. Dependence rates on opioids, cannabinoids, and sedative hypnotics were found to be 1.53%, 0.52%, and 0.015%, respectively. Prevalence of injectable opioids was calculated to be 0.91%. Injectable buprenorphine was the most commonly used opioid, followed by bhukhi/doda/opium and heroin. A huge gap was found between the prevalence rates of substance-using population and those seeking treatment.Conclusion:RAS can be a useful method to determine the prevalence of illicit and rare substances. Our survey shows that the use of substance including that of opioids is highly prevalent in the U.T of Chandigarh. The findings of this survey can have implications for policymaking.

A Comparative Study of Locus of Control in Underachievers and Normal Achievers

The current study aimed at estimating a percentage of underachievers in the sample of school students across the city of Chandigarh. It also aimed at studying self efficacy in underachievers in comparison to normal achievers. A sample of 105 students of class tenth, hailing from intact middle class families formed the sample. After initial identification of underachievers, both the groups were compared for the extent of externality. t ratio was found to be highly significant depicting that underachievers are high on the construct of externality.

Audit of Emergency Obstetric Referrals- A Pilot Study From Tertiary Care Centre of North India

Objective (s):The aim of the study was to find out the characteristics of emergency obstetric referrals, to evaluate the lapses in the existing referral system and to suggest the plausible solutions to improve the obstetric health care delivery system in India.Materials and methods: This prospective descriptive study was carried out in the Department of Obstertrics and Gynaecology PGIMER Chandigarh India from September 2012 to December 2012.All the obstetric emergency referrals to our institute, a tertiary care centre in North India were critically reviewed for reason for referral, adequacy of care provided before referral, lapses in management, factors behind suboptimal care and remedial measures are suggested.Results: There were 232 emergency referrals available for analysis. Of these 76% patients were referred directly to the institute, the highest level in referral chain in the region. Mean age was 26yrs, 28.6% of the patients were illiterate. In 75.5% of cases, the management of obstetric emergency before referral was suboptimal or poor. In 16% of cases patient failed to seek medical help timely despite emergency. In 40% of cases there was undue delay in referring or failure to provide even the basic care. Anticipated premature delivery and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy were the most common diagnosis at referral.Conclusion: Results from this pilot study shows that in spite of the most extensive health care infrastructure and so- called hierarchal referral system, there is gross inadequacy in referral system in India.Bangladesh J Obstet Gynaecol, 2015; Vol. 30(1) : 25-29

EFFECT OF SCHOOL AND HOME ENVIRONMENTS ON CREATIVITY OF CHILDREN

In the present study an attempt has been made to find out the effect of school and home environments on creativity of children. A sample of 200 ninth class adolescents studentsfrom100government and100privateschools wasdrawnfromChandigarh city of India . The study revealed that government school students of Chandigarh city have higher creativity except in elaboration as compared to private school students . The mean scores also show that the girls as compared to boys have higher level of creativity. The significant t-values show that the creative stimulation, cognitive environment dimensions, permissiveness dimensions of school environment effects the creativity of school children to a certain extent. There also exists a significant difference between children of rich and poor home environments on all the dimensions of creativity.

Gender based Analysis of using Virtual Learning Environment

Objectives: To perform a gender analysis on the usage of Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) of simulation based e-learning in the field of Software Engineering in specific reference to the dynamic complexity, a modeling framework for Software Engineering Simulation based e-Learning Environment (SESeLE) tool is needed and has been proposed. Method/Statistical Analysis: A questionnaire based survey has been carried out twice on the learners enrolled in Computers and Information Technology based courses at tertiary levels in and around the city of Chandigarh in north India. The learners were provided an interactive single-learner environment of the SESeLE which was accessible through the internet by using a standard web-browser. In all, 392 students of tertiary level were included as subjects and were made to respond twice on the issues like their practical knowledge of software handling, interest and knowledge in software project management and impact of e-learning on their knowledge in software project management through questionnaire survey. The questionnaire was first got filled up from the subjects without any exposure to the SESeLE and subsequently after a training session on the SESeLE. ANOVA test was performed to find out the significant differences in various learning styles on post-training test scores overall and in both male and female students as well. Findings: This study is unique and one of its own kind. It has been used to analyse the impact of using VLE tools by the learners/students on their learning and also for the gender analysis on various parameters. The web based learning style has been found to be the most preferred learning style among female students and the second most preferred style of learning among male students. Reading textbooks was not significantly popular among female students as compared to male students. About half of the students agreed to participate in any kind of seminar on software project management. The post-training test score on the knowledge about typical patterns observed in software project management issues has been found to be significantly higher from pre-training test scores. No significant difference has been found among the average response of the male and female students on all issues related to their Interest in Software Project Management. The post-training test scores of male and female students on both the issues of simple and difficult software project management were significantly different; the pre- and post-training test scores of the students on both the issues were different significantly; and lastly, significant difference was found between the post-training test scores on both the issues among students categorized according to their preferred choice of learning. Application/Improvements: It will be interesting to evaluate, in future, the effectiveness of SESeLE for the learners.

Consumer Preferences and Purchase Decision-making for Micro-packs— An Empirical Study

This study offers and validates a comprehensive approach to explain and predict the beliefs influencing consumer needs and the motivations behind their purchase decisions. The study aims at understanding the consumers purchase intentions on the basis of responses given by the respondents. In order to attain these objectives, a sample of 500 respondents belonging to three cities of Punjab: Jalandhar, Amritsar and Ludhiana; and Union territory of Chandigarh was drawn. Non-probability convenient sampling was adopted for selecting the respondents. It was however found that reasons such as ‘a big pack is difficult to store’ and ‘difficult to handle’ primarily lead them to prefer a micro-pack. ‘Advertisement on print and electronic media’ was the most preferred source of information and ‘past performance’ of a micro-pack was the most significant attribute while making a purchase decision. ‘Wide assortment of a single brand’ emerged as the most persuasive effort undertaken by retailers for building customers perceptions towards a brand. A store that was the most ‘Neat and tidy’ was the most favoured one. Respondents expressed that in case of an unfortunate purchase, they preferred to ‘forget about it’ and switched to another brand when they were ‘impressed by the advertisement of a new brand’.

A Study of Parking Accumulation in Chandigarh City Centre

A Study of Parking Accumulation in Chandigarh City Centre

Increasing Life Span of Government Housings of Chandigarh – A Need-Based Approach to Retrofit Through Prototype Study of E-Type Housing

This paper describes a project undertaken by the authors during their post-graduate studies at the University of Shefield. The intent of the project was to identify building(s) that need up-gradation/retroit, establish why retroit is required, what kind of retroit is needed and which techniques to employ, using a case-sensitive approach. However, the scope of this paper is limited to the irst two objectives of the project and the recognition of retroit techniques is left open-ended so as to leave room for future debates and deliberations.The city of Chandigarh has always been highlight prominently on India’s architectural heritage map. Various buildings designed by Le Corbusier and his team (comprising Pierre Jeanerette, Jane Drew and Maxwell Fry) are like jewels (to be treasured) on this map. Still, ever since these buildings, especially the government housings, came into existence, no systematic procedures have been undertaken to analyse and assess their deterioration with time and usage. Passing down the streets of Chandigarh, one would observe how drastically the housings have been modiied, and in some cases, have lost their original appeal.The paper is essentially drafted in three parts. The irst part illustrates the conditions and political background in which these buildings were designed, so as to better understand the essence of this architecture. The second part tries to comprehend the current state of one of the many types of the Government Housings present in Chandigarh – the ‘House Type E1’ in Panjab University. Lastly, the authors use various scales, like present seismic byelaws and Computer Aided simulation tools, to evaluate how the given housing now fares in terms of structural stability and thermal & visual comfort.

Economic Burden of Hospitalization Due to Injuries in North India: A Cohort Study.

There is little documentation of the potential catastrophic effects of injuries on families due to out of pocket (OOP) expenditure for medical care. Patients who were admitted for at least one night in a tertiary care hospital of Chandigarh city due to injury were recruited and were followed-up at 1, 2 and 12 months after discharge to collect information on OOP expenditure. Out of the total 227 patients, 60% (137/227) had sustained road traffic injuries (RTI). The average OOP expenditure per hospitalisation and up to 12 months post discharge was USD 388 (95% CI: 332–441) and USD 1046 (95% CI: 871–1221) respectively. Mean OOP expenditure for RTI and non-RTI cases during hospitalisation was USD 400 (95% CI: 344–456) and USD 369 (95% CI: 313–425) respectively. The prevalence of catastrophic expenditure was 30%, and was significantly higher among those belonging to the lowest income quartile (OR-26.50, 95% CI: 6.70–105.07, p-value: <0.01) and with an inpatient stay greater than 7 days (OR-10.60, 95% CI: 4.21–26.64, p-value: <0.01). High OOP expenditure for treatment of injury puts a significant economic burden on families. Measures aimed at increasing public health spending for prevention of injury and providing financial risk protection are urgently required in India.

Spatial and temporal variations of urban heat island effect and the effect of percentage impervious surface area and elevation on land surface temperature: Study of Chandigarh city, India

Significant surface urban heat island (SUHI) has been observed in the Chandigarh study area from the analysis of five years land surface temperature (LST) data from 2009 to 2013. UHI intensity over the study area varies with seasons. Average annual UHI intensity from 2009 to 2013 varies from 4.98K to 5.43K and overall average UHI intensity has been observed to be 5.2K. The maximum value of UHIindex has been found to be 0.93. Pixels with average value of UHIindex more than 0.90 have been considered as hot spots (HS). The relationship of LST between percent impervious surface area (%ISA) and elevation has been investigated in the present study. Parameter like %ISA which represents the extent of urbanization has been used for the UHI analysis and its relationship with LST has been found to be season independent. Positive relationship has been found between LST and %ISA with a consistent rising trend. In the mean LST and %ISA relationship, it has been observed that the coefficient of correlation of winter season is 0.81 which is slightly higher compared to monsoon and summer seasons. Normally the temperature falls with increase in altitude. But in this study, as the elevation increases, rising trend of LST can be observed. Negative relationship between LST and Elevation scatterplots has been observed in high altitude areas during monsoon season compared to summer and winter seasons. Besides other factors elevation also plays a significant role in LST dynamics and spatial distribution of LST.

Nutritional status and school eating pattern of adolescents

Diet plays a very important role in growth and development of school going adolescents, during which the development of healthy eating habits is of supreme importance. There is a dual burden of under nutrition and over nutrition in this age-group. Nutritional needs during adolescence are increased because of the increased growth rate and changes in body composition associated with puberty. The dramatic increase in energy and nutrient requirements coincides with other factors that may affect adolescents' food choices and nutrient intake and thus, nutritional status. The present study assessed the nutritional status and Schooleating pattern of adolescents studying in Schools of Chandigarh City. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used in this study. A quantitative survey was carried out using a pre-tested self-administered structured questionnaire among 280 students from the age group of 13 to 15 years studying in government and private schools of Chandigarh City. Demographic profile of the study participants revealed that, out of total, 30.71 per cent (86) were girls, and 69.29 per cent (194) were boys. Results of anthropometric measurements revealed that overweight, obesity and underweight was seen in 7.9 per cent, 6.4 per cent and 36.8 per cent of adolescents, respectively. Overweight and obesity was seen more in girls (11.6 % and 9.3%, respectively) as compared to boys (7.9 % and 6.9%, respectively). Underweight was more observed in boys (41.2%) as compared to girls (29.1%). Study revealed that majority of adolescents prefers to eat in school canteen even after having their packed lunch. The main reason was the influence of their peer groups. Fast food and aerated beverages were most preferred food items consumed from the school canteen. Increase trend in overweight, obesity and under nutrition in early adolescent was due to the change in dietary pattern and consumption of junk food in school. The factors responsible for this is the quest for independence and acceptance by peers, increased mobility, greater time spent at school and/or work activities, and preoccupation with self-image, contribute to the erratic and unhealthy eating behaviour that are common during adolescence. During adolescence, young people are in a transition period when they gradually take over the responsibility for their own eating habits. Knowledge is one of the factors necessary for a healthy transition of responsibility. The incidence of malnutrition can be reduced through appropriate nutrition education and intervention programs involving adolescents, their parents and teacher in the school.

Attitude Determinants of Income-Tax E-filing Facility:A Study of Major Cities of Punjab (India)

In India, each year a large number of returns are e-filed and the administration is making efforts to bring all returns online gradually. The success of any e-governance initiatives, however, depends upon the importance that people place on particular project in terms of its usability. The present paper is an attempt to explore the attitude determinants of income-tax e-filing facility usage by the respondents of Punjab and union territory of Chandigarh. The Exploratory Factor Analysis results reveal that nine factors namely; safety of use, performance expectancy, habit, price and legal motivation, knowledge and social influence, effort expectancy, value consideration, facilitating conditions and comfort play a vital role in the use of e-filing facility. The policy-makers should provide adequate safety measures for building confidence of users. The Government should motivate respondents (through less technical legal procedures) for a continuous use of e-filing so that it helps them in saving time and other costs and becomes a habit for them.

Kanwar Lal Sahrawat (1941–2016)

The agricultural scientist Kanwar Lal Sahrawat (KLS) expired on 3 February 2016. Born on 7 November 1941, KLS had his early education in Rajasthan. He obtained his basic degree in science from Punjab University, Chandigarh in 1962 and moved to the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi for his M Sc and Ph D degrees. After graduation he started working as an analyst (1962–67) at the Hindustan Insecticides Ltd, New Delhi and also as an assistant (1967) at the Indian Standards Institution, New Delhi. He was involved in setting up the soil chemistry laboratory at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in Hyderabad, India...

SCOPUS reflected study of selected research and higher education institutions (HEIs) of Chandigarh: a city of education and research

SCOPUS reflected study of selected research and higher education institutions (HEIs) of Chandigarh: a city of education and research

Determinants of Persistent Anemia in Poor, Urban Pregnant Women of Chandigarh City, North India: A Mixed Method Approach.

Maternal anemia continues to be a public health problem in India, despite existence of multipronged governmental programs to combat it. This study explores the determinants of persistent anemia in poor pregnant women in an urban population in Chandigarh, India. A mixed method approach was used to examine the causes of maternal anemia. Three focus group discussions with pregnant women from different socioeconomic groups and 2 with female health workers were conducted to explore their perceptions and beliefs about maternal anemia and iron folic acid (IFA) tablets in urban settings in 2009. This was followed by interviews of 120 pregnant women about their nutrition knowledge and practices. Food frequency questionnaires were used to estimate daily consumption of nutrients. Finally, a follow-up survey in health clinics explored issues of stock-outs of IFA. Sixty-five percent of respondents had hemoglobin less than 11g/dL and were anemic. Only 35% respondents obtained free IFA through public health programs. While 53% of respondents knew that they should eat green leafy vegetables, only 8% reported daily consumption of these vegetables. Focus group discussions highlighted issues around lack of food, especially for slum women, and low decision-making power in the household. Stock-outs of IFA in facilities often pushed women to purchase IFA from chemist shops. Clear gaps emerged in pregnant women's knowledge and practice regarding diet and IFA tablet use. Lack of control over decision-making due to their low status of women was also hindering IFA use and healthy eating.

Consumer Behavior Towards Mobile Phone Operators in North India

Introduction: The market is a very important place to study the behavior of consumers and also provide useful insights what a consumer requires in a product. Telecommunication revolution has indeed swept the country and the future looks even more prospective. Since the Indian mobile phone operator market is overcrowded, customers have many choices of mobile phone operator.Research Methodology: A sample of 300 was taken from North India. The term North India refers to Seven North India States of Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and the Union Territory of Chandigarh. Analysis was done with the help of SPSS 21. Statistical tools used are descriptive analysis, Correlations, Regression, Factor Analysis, T-Test.Finding: Study finds that various factors influence customer preference and satisfaction towards mobile service provider. Factors like Quality, Price, Promotion, affects customer satisfaction. Effect of these factors can be responsible for changing of current service providers. The study also helps us to know what are the major factors of dissatisfaction among the people after using a mobile operator.Originality: The research is original and studied an important topic of Consumer behavior towards network operators.