HEALTH

102 women operated upon
From Our Correspondent

DERA BASSI, March 16 — A total of 102 women underwent family planning operation at a block-level camp at the local Civil Hospital here today organised by the Punjab Health System.

The women came voluntarily for the laparoscopic operations and were discharged the same day. They were also given free medicines. There was not a single male volunteer.

According to Dr Rameshwar Chander, Civil Surgeon of Patiala, the department had so far conducted 6,782 operations in the district.

Ms Satwant Bhalla, SMO, said among the women operated upon, 40 had two children, 42 had three children and 13 had four children. Six of them had five and one had six children.

Dr Daler Singh Multani, SMO, Lalru, said the department had, for the first time, organised a camp in the block on this scale.

SPORT

National mountain bike contest
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, March 16 — The Chandigarh Amateur Cycling Association is holding the inaugural hero National Mountain Bike Championship from March 24 to 26, Mr Rakesh Mohindra, organising secretary of the championship, announced here today.

The mountain bike racing is fresh, fun and unconventional in relation to other streams of cycling sport. Track and road racing, has emerged as the most popular cycling sport all over the world. It does not take place on mountains alone. A range of terrains, from Alps to city parks, has been used successfully to host World Cup events. the race course should include forest roads, tracks, fields, undulating terrain or gravel paths consisting of water paths and other natural obstacles. It is governed and regulated by the International Cycling Union. It has also been included in the Sydney Olympic games, according to Mr Mohindra.

The Mountain Biking Commission, recently constituted by the Cycling Federation of India, will be responsible for popularising this sport. In the inaugural championship, two types of events will be held. Cross country and point to point races in both elite and novice categories. Indian-made bicycles will only be allowed in the national championship, giving equal opportunity to all riders on similar equipment.

During the national championship, cyclists will be selected to represent the country in the sixth Asian Mountain Bike Championship to be held at Khoa Khiew Beach in Thailand from April 19 to 23.

Mr Mohindra said the inaugural championship will attract more than 200 cyclists from various States and union territories.

Tennis tournament

The Chandigarh Sports Department has decided to conduct Lake Club Open Junior Tennis Tournament from March 30 to April 2 in boys under-12 and under-14 categories and girls under-12 and under-16 categories. Entries close with Mr Baldev Singh, tennis coach, at Lake Club, on March 29.

Bhupinder, Harinder best athletes
From Our Sports Reporter

PATIALA, March 16 — Bhupinder Singh Gora and Harinder Kaur were declared best athletes in the boys and girls sections, respectively, in Government Mahindra College’s annual sports meet, which concluded here today.

Bhupinder Singh Gora was also awarded the ‘best physique’ award at the recently concluded All-India Inter-University Sports Meet held at Anandpur Sahib recently.

Mohindra College have to their credit a lot of sporting achievements this season. Out of the 25 disciplines in which Punjabi University inter-college competitions were held, Mahindra College managed to secure 22 positions.

Out of these, the college was placed first in the disciplines of hockey, badminton basketball, judo, cricket, fencing and powerlifting (all boys). The college teams came second in swimming (boys and girls), fencing (girls), kho-kho (boys), table tennis (boys), cycling (boys and girls), lawn tennis (boys), softball (boys and girls) and best physique (boys), while the college was placed third in the events of wrestling (boys), chess (boys) and table tennis (girls).

College players also gave a good account in various state and national-level competitions. Cricketer Reetinder Sodhi was declared ‘man of the match’ in the final of the recently concluded junior world cricket cup. Sunil Kumar created a new record in the All-India Inter-Varsity Powerlifting Championships in the 82 kg weight category, and along with it also won a gold. In the junior national cycling meet Harsimranjit Singh won a gold.

In the inter-varsity meet at Anandpur Sahib Sumeet Kaur Brar claimed a gold and silver in different events.

Paes en Sport to promote CLTA players
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, March 16 — The CLTA has selected Paes en Sport, one of the top sport companies in the country, for the job of promoting Chandigarh’s promising junior players. Announcing this here today, Mr Rajan Kashyap, chairman of the CLTA, and Dr Vece Paes of Paes en Sport of Calcutta, said a formal agreement had been signed, whereby, Paes en Sport would finalise and implement a comprehensive programme for training as well as tournament play of the selected youngsters of the CLTA, both within the country and abroad. While the selected trainees would continue to have their training-base at the CLTA, the company would secure sponsorship from business houses to meet the cost of the specialised coaching and tournament play.

Dr Paes, who is the father of the Wimbledon doubles champion Leander Paes, and a former hockey international, said with the CLTA’s excellent coaching and infrastructure arrangements, Chandigarh had become India’s most successful tennis nursery. Paes en Sport had accepted the responsibility of refining the skills of players. Dr Paes said he expected to raise substantial financial support for the gifted young players, which would enable them to play in international tournaments in the country and abroad.

He said he had drawn up an integrated programme of physical training, specialised coaching and tournament play for Sunil Kumar, in the first instance. A similar schedule was being finalised for the other players. The highest emphasis would be on physical fitness. While the CLTA’s gymnasium would be upgraded, Dr Paes would visit Chandigarh at least once in every three months to supervise and monitor the training programme. Dr Paes said be believed that with the corporate support, these gifted players would begin to shine at the international level in the coming months. The trainees have authorised the CLTA to enter into a formal arrangement with Paes en Sport for their career promotion.

Dr Paes has also agreed to support the CLTA’s latest venture — the Chandigarh Academy of Rural Tennis (CHART) — under which, about 20 gifted boys in the age group of 9 to 11 from the rural areas of all states in North India, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Chandigarh, would be selected for specialised coaching. Paes en Sport would market the new venture to secure sponsorship for CHART from interested business houses. While the CLTA was already training some talented boys from Punjab in its Rural Development Programme, CHART, as a regional academy, would begin functioning from July 2000.

The most conspicuous thing at the press conference which was also attended by Mr M. Ramsekhar, Honorary Secretary of the CLTA, and Mr Viswajeet Khanna, Treasurer of the CLTA, was the professional approach and commitment of both organisations.

In the past few months, the performance of the junior players of the CLTA has been stupendous. At 16 years of age, Sunil Kumar is the youngest-ever national mens’ singles champion.

Akshay Vishal Rao and Amanjot Singh are the boys’ champions in the under-18 and under-16 age groups, respectively, and Tushar Liberahan, the top-ranked sub-junior (under-14) player has won two international tournaments in Pakistan last month. The CLTA’s collaboration with Paes en Sport is an interesting and imaginative linkage. The results should be forthcoming in the coming months.

Medal of medals trophy for Pikka, Neelu
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, March 16 — Pikka pritpal Singh clinched the medal of medals trophy in the silver division played today between winners of the 13 monthly medal rounds at the Chandigarh Golf Club here today.

Dalbir Sahi finished runner-up.

Neelu Chopra bagged the medal of medals trophy in the bronze section with Kuljit Suri finishing runner-up.

The day was also celebrated as Captain’s day. The prizes were given away by the Lady Captain, Mrs Dalbir Sahi.

The ladies section felicitated Parneeta Garewal for her performance during the year.

Irina Brar was also honoured for being declared India No 1 golfer of the year.

ADMINISTRATION

Additional work for MCC Commissioner
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, March 16 — The Chandigarh Administration, on a request from its Finance Secretary, has transferred some administrative departments to the Commissioner of Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, Mr M.P. Singh.

The Finance Secretary, Mr Rakesh Singh, who is also the Secretary, Engineering, has also been holding the additional charge of Chairmanship of the Chandigarh Housing Board.

In addition,the Finance Secretary has also been the additional charge of Chief Electoral Officer, a position which was previously held by the Home Secretary.

Since the Finance Secretary was overburdened with work, he wanted some departments to be given to the Commissioner.

The Administration today ordered that the Departments of Cooperation, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries, Rural Development and Agriculture should be given to Mr M.P. Singh, who will be the ex-officio Secretary of all these departments.

Earlier, the previous Commissioner of Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, Mr Satish Gathwal, was given the charge of the Departments of Labour, Environment and Forests.