Malaria wing yet to be shifted
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, March 9 — The malaria wing is yet to be formally shifted to the Chandigarh Administration, even though the orders to transfer back the wing from the Municipal Corporation to the Administration were passed a few days back.

The malaria wing and the office of the Medical Officer, Health (MOH) were shifted to the corporation when it came into being in November 1995. But subsequently, the Director, Health Services, UT, sought that it be shifted back to the Administration as all national programmes, including prevention and control of malaria, fall under its purview. DHS had pointed out that they are to answer all queries related to these programmes at the Central level but how can they do so if the department functions under the corporation.

Sources in the department reveal, that even though formal orders have been passed, actual shifting will be done in the first week of April as most of the concerned officials are busy with the closing of the financial year.

300 examined at free medical camp
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, March 9 — More than 300 patients were examined during a free medical camp organised in the office of the Accountant-General (A and E), Punjab, Chandigarh here today. The camp was organised jointly by the Staff Welfare Society of the office of the PR A.G (A and E), Punjab and Care Health Society of Chandigarh.

The camp was inaugurated by Dr S.K. Sharma, Director, PGI, and professor and Head of Urology department. Dr Joginder Singh, Director Health Services, UT, was the guest of honour. A team of ten doctors of various specialisations examined the patients for eye, ENT diabetes, dental, gynae and general health problems. Lectures were also organised on the topics of diabetes, diet and stress management. Meanwhile, in a special session organised in the premises of Accountant General (Audit), Punjab, the lady employees of the office had a interaction with Mr Balvinder Singh, the head of the department with regard to the problems faced by them.

SPORT

'States deserve Yashwant stimulus, too'
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, March 9 — The sport fraternity of India should thank Finance Minister, Mr Yashwant Sinha, for granting 100 per cent tax concession to the Indian Olympic Association in the Budget.

This full exemption on the investment made by the corporate sector in sport has received widespread appreciation from various sport experts who commend the sincere approach of the Government of India towards promoting sports.

Mr Sinha had said that while some sport enjoyed abundant funding, others suffered from a lack of adequate support. Cricket and golf are rich in funds, whereas, disciplines like athletics, badminton, table tennis and volleyball, to name a few, are fund-starved.

Some of the top officials of various sport associations in the city were asked about their reactions on the recent announcement.

Milkha Singh, who is now the President of the Amateur Athletics Association of Chandigarh, said he was happy at the decision. He said sponsors always looked out for those sport where they were assured of getting a good mileage. In the present case, only Olympic sport would enjoy these concessions. He said it was one of the best decisions in the recent times when cricket normally took major chunk sponsorships.

With this decision, other sport would also get encouraged. Only, modalities of extending these concessions to the national and state federations would have to be worked out. He said the move would give the desired momentum to athletics.

The President of the Chandigarh Olympic Association and Chairman of the Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association, Mr Rajan Kashyap, said IOA normally, did not invest in the creation of infrastructure directly, so, state Olympic and sport associations could expect benefits. "The CLTA the COA have invested lakhs of rupees on creating the facilities at the Sector 10 courts. These bodies have spent Rs 7 lakh on laying new synthetic surfaces. All the money had to be arranged by the CLTA from its own resources and the IOA had nothing to do in this case. Moreover, tournaments of national and international levels have been organised by the CLTA from its own resources. If the industrial houses are given the desired incentive, it will help improve the sport infrastructure, encouraging sport at grassroot level. It will make the conduct of tournaments viable and will ensure investment in the junior-development programme," he said.

Mr T.C. Gupta, a former Secretary General of the Punjab Olympic Association and Vice-President of Judo and Rowing Federations of India, saud these concessions should be extended to state associations as well. He said IOA was the guardian of sport in India, but, the state association were the backbone of the system.

Mr Gupta who during his tenure as the Deputy Commissioner of Patiala in 1995, had organised nine national-level championships in various sport, said state associations performed bulk of the task of sport promotion in the states. He is also the President of the Punjab Judo Association. He said, in states like Punjab which had 17 districts, incentives to sponsors could beget rich rewards. He said for this reason, it would be best to include state association under the perview of this decision.

Mr D.V. Bhatia, a former President of the Chandigarh Olympic Association and now the Vice-President of the Gymnastics Federation of India, said instead of only for the IOA, the concessions should be for various national sport federations.

The role of the IOA was restricted to holding National Games, sending teams abroad for Asian Games and Olympics, besides other tournaments. National associations were responsible for holding tournaments and funding.

He said in gymanstics, the equipment has to be imported and unless the GFI got adequate sponsorships from the corporate sector, it would be impossible. Only when national sport associations became self-sufficient, that these concession should be opened to respective affiliated units, said Mr Bhatia. He is also the President of the Haryana Tennis Association.

PEC athletics meet opens
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, March 9 — The 53rd annual athletics meet of Punjab Engineering College, Sector 12, was inaugurated at college grounds here this morning by Dr PC Kashyap, Regional Director, Sports Authority of India.

Results of the first day are: 5000 m—Maninder Singh 1, Moj Nath 2, Sandeep Malik 3; shot put—Vivek Lohcheb 1, Kapil Kumar 2, Harpreet 3; high jump—Kartikey Misra 1, Kamlender 2, Shailender 3; 4800 m (cycling) men — Sumeet Pal Gill 1, Janesh Kalsi 2,Tejinder Pal 3; broad jump —Kartikey Misra 1, Ritesh Diwan 2, Rishi Gupta 3; shot put (girls) —Amandeep Kaur 1, Sukhbans Jit Kaur 2, Kavita Sabharwal 3; 800 m—Maninder Singh 1, Sandeep Kumar 2, Vineet Sharda 3; discus throw (girls)—Sukhbans Jit 1, Kavita 2, Amandeep Kaur 3; high jump (girls) — Puja Pushap 1, Ansh 2, Kavita 3; 400 m hurdles — Maninder Singh 1, Arvind 2, Vineet Sharda 3; 1000 m (cycling) — Sumeet Pal Gill 1, Janesh 2, Tejinder Pal 3; discus throw—Vivek Lohcheb 1, Maninder 2, Pradeep Bamal 3; 110 m hurdles —Kartikey Misra 1, Vivek 2, Shailender 3; slow cycling (girls) — Ansh Seedhar 1, Puja Pushap 2, Promila 3.

Under-14 cricket

The Chandigarh Cricket Association, will organise an under-14 cricket tournament from April 24. Entries should reach Secretary of the association at 1466, Phase III B-2, SAS Nagar, or Mr SS Bawa, cricket coach, DAV Senior Secondary School, Sector 8, before March 25. The matches will be played at the Sector 16 Cricket Stadium and PCA Stadium, SAS Nagar.

According to Mr Mohinder Singh, Secretary of the association, teams from Patiala, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Panchkula and SAS Nagar are expected to take part in the tournament. The players must bring with them their original birth certificates at the time of trials, said a press note.

Bridge trials

The Chandigarh Bridge Association will hold trials on March 11 and 12 to select a team of four which will take part in the summer national in bridge, to be held at Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh, in April. According to Mr Surjit Kapoor, Vice-President of the association, the said trials will commence at 2 pm.

Football tourney
From Our Correspondent

KHARAR, March 9 — The Kharar Football Association will organise the fifth Maharaja Ranjit Singh Memorial State-Level Football Tournament from March 10 to 12 near Government Polytechnic at Khuni Majra (Kharar). In this tournament, prominent teams of Punjab will participate and a cultural programme will be presented on the last day.

Guneet, Neelu win golf titles
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, March 9 — Guneet Raikhy and Neelu Chopra returned the best gross scores to clinch the titles in the silver and bronze division, respectively, in the Ladies Medal Round played at the Chandigarh Golf Club on Thursday.

Silver division: Best gross Guneet Raikhy. Best nett Pikka Singh. Bronze division: Best gross Neelu Chopra. Best Nett Charan N. Singh.

Local boxer wins silver medal
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, March 9 — Virender Kumar of Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 20, won a silver medal at the XV National Sub-Junior Boxing Championship in New Delhi which was held from February 23 to 27. Virender, who trains at the Sector 46 Boxing Coaching Centre under Shiv Singh, won the medal in his maiden national-level meet. He participated in featherweight event in the 15-16 age group. In the final, he gave a tough fight to a Madhya Pradesh boxer. In the semi-finals, he punched out a Manipur pugilist.

Earlier, in various Chandigarh State Boxing Championships, Virender has won second positions in sub-junior, junior and senior-level meets in his weight category. He also got the first position in the UT Inter-School Boxing Meet during the session 1999-2000.

A Class XI students of arts, Virender aims to become an international boxer. He praised his coach Shiv Singh for helping him attain such a repute in a short time.

Meet postponed

The Chandigarh Junior and Senior Mountain Bike Championships which were scheduled to be held on March 12 have been postponed and will now be held on March 17 in the forest area of Panjab University. These off-road competitions will have cross country and point-to-point mass-start races. Only Indian-made mountain bikes will be allowed to be used in this one-day meet. According to Mr Rakesh Mohindra, Secretary of the Chandigarh Amateur Cycling Association, the organiser of this meet, on the basis of this competition, a city team will be selected for the National Mountain Bike Championships to be held here from March 24 to 26. Entries close on March 15 at C-80, Sector 14.