HEALTH

PGI diagnosed 1,600 HIV cases till 1999
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, March 14 — A two-day workshop on "The collaborative role of NGOs in the implementation of the National AIDS Control Programme'' commenced at the UT Guest House today. It is being organised by the State AIDs Control Society in accordance with the guidelines of the National AIDS Control Organisation.

In her keynote address, the Adviser to the UT Administrator, Mrs Vineeta Rai, advocated a multi-sectoral approach to combat AIDS. She remarked that AIDS was not just a health problem, but a problem of such magnitude that every facet of human life was being affected. The country would have serious socio-economic consequences if HIV/AIDS went unchecked. Hence, every sector of society should be involved in the implementation of the programme, she added.

Highlighting the active role being played by non-government organisations in the first and second phases of the National AIDS Control Programme, she revealed that the very fact that in the year 1999-2000, 27 NGOs were involved in the activities for prevention and control of HIV/AIDS/STDs was encouraging in itself.

She also talked about the other projects undertaken by them for awareness generation. Interactive voice response system with the toll free number 1097, sensitisation programmes for jail inmates, motivation camps for encouraging voluntary blood donation and awareness and health service camps in villages and slums of UT were all endeavours with the collaboration of NGOs.

Mr Rakesh Singh, Secretary Health-cum-Chairman, State AIDS Control, UT, informed that the first case of HIV/AIDS was detected in UT in 1987 but the first case of local population was reported in the year 1992. Every year, the number of AIDS cases has increased and more than 1600 HIV positive cases were diagnosed by the voluntary testing centre, PGI till 1999. Of these, 93 HIV positive cases were from the local population and the remaining from other parts of the region.

The number of full-blown AIDs cases has also shown an increase. In 1999 alone, 137 full-blown AIDS cases were admitted in the three main hospitals of the city namely PGI, GMCH-32 and Sector 16 General Hospital. Of these, eight deaths were reported owing to HIV/AIDS, he added.

Mr Rakesh Singh further informed that seven rounds of Sentinel Surveillance had been successfully completed in order to find out the HIV load among STD patients and three rounds to know HIV load among anti-natal mothers as per the NACO guidelines.

Earlier, the Director, Health Services, UT, Dr Joginder Singh, in his welcome address outlined the objectives of the workshop. There is need to familiarise the participants with the tenets and principles of targeted interventions and to discuss the provision and care and support for people living with HIV/AIDS and their families.

Dr Vanita Gupta, another expert, emphasised the need for early detection and cure of sexually transmitted diseases and reproductive tract infections in the prevention of HIV/AIDS.

Dr N. M. Sharma deliberated on the present scenario of HIV/AIDS in India. Ms Amrita Ahluwalia took an exercise of expectations and selection of repertoire. Dr Rajni Lamba took the post-lunch session on the role of need assessment in target interventions. Later, a review of the proceedings was also held.

The focus of the workshop is to develop new strategies in collaborative efforts between government and non-government organisations.

1680 children vaccinated
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, March 14 — As many as 1680 children were given free Hepatitis-B vaccines at a camp organised by Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh, and Rotary Club, Chandigarh under Swaran Jayanti Shahri Rozgar Yojna Scheme. The camps were organised free for children living below the poverty line in the age group of 0-5 years at Labour Colony No. 4 and Janata Colony No. 25.

According to the district Chairman, the third dose will be administered in the last week of July at the same venue.

SPORT

Oarsmen prepare for Olympics
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, March 14 — A national rowing camp in preparation for the Sydney Olympics in September is in progress here. In all, 14 oarsmen have been shortlisted by the Rowing Federation of India for this 45-day camp. They are staying at the Sector 8 DAV Senior Secondary School. These players have been selected on the basis of the recently concluded national champioship at Pune. An earlier such national camp was held in 1998 prior to the Bangkok Asian Games.

These names of the oarsmen are as follows: Inderpal Singh, Sarwan Singh, Roshan Lal, M. Rahman, Surender Singh, Rampal Singh, Baldev Singh, R.P. Shelka, Jagit Singh, R.K. Pillai, Kamaljit Singh, Johnson Xavier, Kasam Khan and Raghbir Singh.

Coaches — G.S. Sohal, Surender Singh, Jasbir Singh and Ismail Beg. Most of them belong to Services and have been training at Pune as well.

When this reporter visited the venue of the camp, Sukhna Lake, one of the oarsmen, R.P. Shelka, was seen repairing the boat himself.

The Indian oarsmen have been showing a good performance in the past many international tournaments. They won three silver and one bronze medals at an Olympic qualifying meet in Japan in October past year, besides a bronze medal each at the 1994 Hiroshima Asiad and the Bangkok Asiad in 1998. In Asia, China is number one, followed by Japan.

The oarsmen do not have lucrative jobs. Even if they win medals at Asian Games or Olympics, the promotions are not on par with other sportsmen.

These oarsmen were satisfied at the coaching they were receiving. The coaches have helped them improve considerably. They are also satisfied with the facilities available here at Sukhna Lake. They said the lake was one of the cleanest ones in India and had been the venue of many international meets.

They were also happy that the camp had been organised in Chandigarh where the Sports Authority of India had arranged for the stay and other facilities.

They are not able to take their boats to international meets due to huge costs of transportation. The expenditure is roughly Rs 10 lakh and a boat can be bought at about Rs 4 lakh.

Here there are facilities for coxless pair and coxless fours events, but, not for coxless eights. It was said that one or two pairs would be selected for the Olympics.

Oarsmen, however, said strong winds at the lake, sometimes, reduced their speed, but, on the other hand, it made them exert more, giving them a better practice. At present, they practice for three hours in morning and more than two hours in evening. The final selection is slated for next week.

Camp for Santosh Trophy on
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, March 14 — The training-camp-cum-selection-trials of 34 probables selected by the Chandigarh Football Association for the Senior National Football Championship played for the Santosh Trophy is in progress. According to Mr Ravinder Talwar, President of the association, the players were selected on the basis of the Chandigarh State Senior League matches held earlier.

The names of the probables are as follows: Goalkeeper — Mukesh Kumar, Navjot Singh, Kulvinder and Jasmeet; defenders — Sunil, Ranjit, Jasbir, Rajeev, Sanjeev, Shiv Onkar, Deepak, Amrit, Sanjeev junior and Deepak junior.

Midfielders — Charanjit Lal, Anil Saini, Brijesh, Varinder Kanwar, Sanjeev, Sachin, Gurminder, Sukhwinder, Harminder Pal and Narinder; forwards — Mohil, Ajay, Munish, Vinay Kanwar, Rajeev Rattan, Rakesh, Rajesh, Narinder Awasthi, Shiv Shambhu and S. Kumar.

Sport meet: The Himachal Students Association organised their annual sports meet here yesterday where cricket and other indoor games were played. In cricket, Sector 10 DAV-XI beat Rohru-XI by two wickets. The prize distribution ceremony will be held along with the annual function to be organised in April, according ta a press note issued by Mr H.S. Thakur, President of association.

Tennis tourney: The Chandigarh State Lawn Tennis Championship will be held in the Sector 10 stadium here from March 24 to 27. This was stated in a press note of the Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association.

The qualifying rounds will be held on March 22 and 23. The events will include men's and women's singles, boys' and girls' (under-18) singles, boys' (under-16) singles, besides boys' and girls' (under-14) singles. Entries close with the General Manager of the CLTA at Tennis Stadium by March 21 at 6 p.m.

Postponed: The inaugural Salzer Cup League Cricket Tournament has been postponed till March 25 and will now be played on the newly-laid turf at the Sector 5 cricket grounds in Panchkula, which is expected be ready by then.

The tournament will be organised by the District Panchkula Cricket Association. The tournament will be open to non-sport quota employees of government departments, boards, corporations and banks. Entries close at SCF, Sector 4, Panchkula, on March 18.

ADMINISTRATION

PUDA plot owners get extension
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGAR, March 14 — Hundreds of owners of residential and commercial plots allotted in various urban estates of the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) before 1989 have been given a year's extension more to raise constructions on their plots, subject to the payment of a certain fee. Earlier, the deadline was December 12, 1999.

The reprieve has been given by the Housing and Urban Development Minister, Dr Upinderjit Kaur, after the plot owners had failed to avail themselves of the extension given earlier. However, the government had decreased the extension fee from the previous three per cent of the prevailing allotment rate to 2.5 per cent of it in case of residential plots. The plot holders will also have to pay the accumulated extension fee for the earlier period.

In the case of the commercial plots, the Chief Administrator of PUDA, Mr K.B.S. Sidhu, said the extension fee would be based on the auction price. In the previous extension period, it was three per cent of the auction price. Urging the plot holders to avail themselves of the opportunity, PUDA said no further extension would be given after December 31, 2000, after which, the plots would be resumed.

As per the extension fee policy of PUDA approved in 1998, the plots had been classified with respect to the year of allotment. The first three years were given as a moratorium period. The extension fee was fixed for the first ten years with 1989 as the base year. Also owners of the plots for which deadline had ended on December 12, 1997, had been given time till December 1999.

Crushers get 3 months’ time for relocation
From Bipin Bhardwaj

ZIRAKPUR, March 14 — The Punjab Pollution Control Board has granted three months’ time for the relocation of stone crushers in the Zirakpur Nagar Panchayat area. According to a notification issued by the board, these crushers are located in the area and are not complying with existing guidelines.

The units are required to be shifted from the existing sites in view of pollution caused by these. A civil writ petition by the stone crushers in the Punjab and Haryana High Court was dismissed recently.

The decision was taken at a meeting between the representatives of the stone crusher owners and members of the board, chaired by Mr D.K. Dua, Member Secretary, on February 11. The notification states, ‘‘It was decided to grant time of three months from now for relocation of stone crushers. However, in case there are specific orders passed by the honorable High Court, the same will be implemented.’’It is further mentioned that Mr S.K. Sehgal of Bhawani Stone Crusher has stated that all the crusher owners have purchased land jointly at Sanouli village for the purpose of relocation.

He has submitted that the Government should provide them with infrastructure like road, electricity and other basic facilities before shifting from the present place.Mr Sehgal, informed the representatives that the proposed site at Sanouli was within the Central Periphery Zone (CPZ) and relocation in this area could not be allowed. Since the case of industries had been dismissed by the court, stone crushers should relocate at a suitable site and any site in CPZ would not be considered unless it was in the Free Enterprises Zone, he added.

If this was to be allowed, the approval of the District Industrial Centre or the Government of Punjab was desired to ascertain whether the nature of business could be considered for development in such an area.According to sources, 19 crushers are currently functional in the Zirakpur area. Of these, seven have been closed and owners of two have started to dispose of their land by cutting plots following the formation of the Zirakpur Nagar Panchayat. Six stone crushers are being run on lease hold basis.

The owners, say the board’s decision has brought hundreds of workers on the road. The board is not suggesting a suitable site to set up units. ‘‘Though the crusher owners have purchased 34 acres in Sanouli village to set up their units, the place is said to be in CPZ, which has further created uncertainty among us,’’ said Mr Krishan Pal, a crusher owner. Residents of the area, are pleased at the board’s decision and now they would inhale relatively clean air and live in a less polluted environment.

A majority of the crushers are illegally withdrawing power which is one of the major reasons of power cuts in the area, they add. There will be no more power cuts in the domestic power supply in the area now, says Mr Sunehari Lal.The decision is bound to affect the income of the Zirakpur Nagar Panchayat. Revenue earned from the stone crushers was the second main source of the nagar panchayat’s income after godowns and petrol pumps, said Mr Rajiv Sharma of Bartana.

MCC plans complaint centres
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, March 14 — To redress the grievances of the general public in a time-bound manner, the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh (MCC) will come out with the "citizen's charter" soon.

According to sources, the final draft of the charter would be approved in a few days, following which it would be published for the information of public. Detailed information like the officials responsible for the redress of a particular grievance, their telephone numbers and the days required for the job to be done would be mentioned in the charter.

The publication of the charter had been delayed as the civic body wanted to buy computers for the three complaint centres to be set up at Sectors 17 and 35 and Mani Majra. Another reason for the delay had been that the name of Mr I. S. Sokhey, who joined the corporation as Superintending Engineer recently, had to be included in the charter.

To make the complaint centres functional, the civic body is in the process of recruiting three data entry operators, seven clerks and seven peons. Meanwhile, the corporation is reported to be have written to the National Informatics Centre (NIC) to supply it computers and printers and the process is likely to take at least 20 days. It was only after the computers were in place that complaint centres would start functioning, the sources added.

The Centralised Complaint Centre in Sector 17 would be the main centre through which all types of sanctions and permissions will be given. The persons not taking the permissions and violating the rules would be penalised by the nodal officers, who would have the powers to challan the offenders on-the-spot.

And for coordination among the nodal officers, the Finance and Contract Committee (F&CC) will discuss the issue of the purchase of the wireless sets for them on March 15.