HEALTH

Rise in TB cases in town
From Gautam Dheer

PANCHKULA, March 23 — The world community will observe March 24 as the International Tuberculosis Day. The day draws the attention of the people towards the rising incidence of the disease and the need for finding durable preventive measures.

Talking about various tuberculosis eradication programmes, the Chief Medical Officer of Panchkula, here yesterday, said an overlap between the HIV-AIDS and TB infections continued to result in TB deaths. Statistics reveal that 60 per cent of the HIV cases also have TB and about 30 per cent of chronic TB infections and high-risk cases lead to the detection of the HIV.

A substantial rise by about 25 per cent in the TB cases in the district, has made the local health authorities devise preventive programmes to check the increase. An independent TB centre which is proposed to begin functioning in Sector 12-A within a few months will have all the requisite facilities like equipment, drugs and documentation.

The CMO said a District TB Officer had been appointed for the purpose. The preventive programme will aim at reducing the number of "drop out" cases in the treatment of the disease which was 213 in the district.

The Health Department has planned to have an adequate stock of Rifpacin — a drug used for treating TB, which is generally scarce to get and as expensive as Rs 450 in the market. Sources said the district recorded 373 X-Ray positive, 14 sputum positive and 27 extra-pulmonary (other than the chest) cases of TB from January 1999 to December 1999.

An estimate revealed that worldwide, over 2 billion persons are infected with TB, 30 million with the HIV and 6 million with both, said the CMO. The root cause of TB, Dr H.C. Nagpal, said was the changing demography, neglect or inadequate case-detection, diagnosis and cure along with congested inhabitation. Special drives in this regard would be undertaken to minimise its transmission, he added.

''Individuals with low immunity due to a heavy intake of drugs or steroids are more vulnerable to get infected. The bacteria in the sputum causing TB, gets destroyed in the open sunlight. However, slums and congested areas where sunlight is scarce, are potential grounds for the transmission of infection,'' he said.

Haryana to spend Rs 1,353 crore on education
From Our Correspondent

PANCHKULA, March 23 —With a view to improving the existing system of education and enhancing its quality, the Haryana Government will spend Rs 1353 crore during 2000-2001.

This was revealed by the Deputy Chairman, Planning Board, Mr RS Chaudhary, at the 20th annual convocation of Government Degree College, Kalka, held here yesterday.

Graduate and post-graduate degrees were awarded to 169 students of the college. The chief guest, Mr RS Chaudhary, said that the money allocated to promote education in the state would aim at setting up of eight new engineering colleges and other technical institutes in the state.

Thirty new courses would be shortly introduced in 17 non-government aided colleges in the state. The government had forwarded a list of 19 colleges for grants from the University Grants Commission (UGC), he added.

Mr Chaudhary said that extensive computer education would be started in all schools and colleges. To promote the cause of women’s education, he said, that 164 women’s cells had been established in as many colleges in the state.

SPORT

National cycling meet begins today
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, March 23 — The first Hero National Cycling Championship organsied by the Chandigarh Amateur Cycling Association begins here today. The participants will inspect the course in the morning, after which, it will be open for a practice session. Mountain biking will be introduced for the first time.

The telecom team includes the past year's National Games road champion, Ranjit Metai. The teams of Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Railways and the Punjab police have already arrived. As the mountain biking events are being held for the first time, cyclists are learning all aspects of the sport like obstacle (water patches, sandways), zig zag paths and periodic passes incorporated on the race track. The organisers have arranged for their stay at the Sector 42 Sports Complex.

A cycle rally will also be conducted on the ocassion. Mr S. Munjal, Managing Director of Hero Cycles Limited, will flag off the rally from the Sector 42 Hockey Stadium at 8 am tomorrow. The cyclists will also be presented with surprise gifts by the sponsors.

Cricket tourney: In all, 24 teams will take part in the inaugural Salzer Cup League Cricket Tournament to be organised by the District Panchkula Cricket Association at the Sector 5 ground at Panchkula from March 25.

The teams have been divided into the following eight pools: Pool A — Western Command, 3 BRD, Haryana Seed Development Corporation; Pool B — Haryana Warehousing Corporation, National Insurance Corporation and Indo-Dutch Systems; Pool C — Punjab Financial Corporation, United India Insurance Corporation, Punjab Engineering College; Pool D — Canara Bank, Federal Travels, Kapoor Industries; Pool E — BBMB, Oriental Bank of Commerce and Central Warehousing Corporation; Pool F — High Court, Haryana Forest Development Corporation and Haryana Tourism Corporation; Pool G — HSIDC, Punjab National Bank and LIC; Pool H — JAL, Milan Group and Fitwell.

In the league phase, each team will play once against the other two and the pool winner will qualify for the quarterfinals. On the opening day, National Insurance will play against Indo-Dutch Systems, while Western Command will take on Haryana Seed Development Corporation.

Athletics meet: The annual athletics meet of Dev Samaj College for Women, Sector 45, was held where Ms Mridula Oberoi inspected the parade and presided over the function. Gurpreet Kaur Sahota of BA-I was adjudged the best athlete of the meet. Her father, Gurdas Sahota was an athlete of repute some years ago.

Basketball matches: On the opening day of the UT Sports Department intra-mural basketball matches being played at the Sector 46 Sports Complex, the UT coaches' team beat the SAI coaches' team, 41-14, with halftime score being 16-5.

For the winners, those who scored included Iqbal Singh 21, Dr Suresh Kumar 8, Sarabjeet Singh 6, Devinder Singh Kohli 4 and Harish Sharma 2. Those who scored for the losing team included Mohinder Lal 10, Amrik Singh 2 and Dr Amra Chauhan 2.

In this three-team league-cum-knockout tournament, the tomorrow's match will be played between the SAI coaches and the UT ministerial team.

Best athlete: Harpreet Singh was awarded the best athlete trophy for the year 1999-2000 in the first annual athletics meet of the Institute of Engineering and Technology, Phase III, Industrial Area, SAS Nagar, at the grounds of Government College in Phase VI of the township.

The meet was declared open by Mr Gurcharan Singh, Chairman of the Kandi Friends Educational Trust, while the closing function was performed by Dr M.S. Grewal, Principal of the Sri Sukhmani Institute of Engineering and Technology, Dera Bassi. Mr Jaspal Singh of Rajdhan Timbers at SAS Nagar, donated the best athlete trophy.

The winners of various events were as follows: 800 m — Harpreet Singh, shot put — Ajay Sharma; girls — Nidhi Gautam; 400 m (boys) — Harpreet Singh; long jump (boys) — Surinder Singh; girls — Vandana Sareen; relay race (girls) 4 x 100 m — Navneet Sohi, Akhita Saini, Amrinder Kaur and Nidhi Gautam.

Boys — Ashwani Tandon, Surinder Oberoi, Rockey Uppal and Arvinder Singh; 100 m (girls) — Akhita Saini; 100 m (boys) — Harpreet Singh.

In the badminton event (1998-99), the singles award was won by M. Sreekar and Nitin Mahajan was the runners-up. Nitin and Sahil Chopra also claimed the doubles title. The 1999-2000 award in singles went to Nitin Mahajan, while Vikramjit Singh was the runners-up and M. Sreekar third. In the girls' section, Nidhi Gautam got the first position, while Bandai Bari stood second and Vandana Sareen third.

UT league: The UT Cricket Association will hold the IVth UT League Tournament from April 9. Matches will be played on every Saturday and Sunday at the Sector 16 Cricket Stadium, Gursagar Ground, Punjab Engineering College, Sector 12, and the PGI ground. Entries close on April 2 at Cricket Stadium, Sector 16.