HEALTH

Check-up camp for kids
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 21 — Dr Vikrant Gupta Memorial Foundation will organise a free medical and dental check-up camp for children on its premises, 223, Sector 15-A, on Saturday.

Apart from doctors attached to the foundation, eye and ENT specialists from Government Medical College will also take part in the camp.

The foundation, named after Dr Vikrant Gupta, a young medical student who lost his life in an accident just after completion of MBBS, is involved in social welfare activities, especially in health. April 22 is devoted to conducting medical camps for detection of diseases like cancer and leprosy and for blood donation.

The foundation is also engaged in imparting training to homecare nursing aides for helping the aged, the infirm and those convalescing at home.

SPORT

Wrestlers are our hope: Dara Singh
By Arvind Katyal

CHANDIGARH, April 21 — The Papaji of famous TV serial Hadd Kardi, Hanuman of serial Ramayana, a wrestler of repute and Puttar of Punjab, Dara Singh was in the city today. He had come on the invitation of the Punjab Olympic Association to attend the first meeting of the organising committee of the National Games proposed to be held in Punjab.

At Kisan Bhavan, venue of the meeting, the 72-year-old "young" Bollywood actor said, ''We can become number one in the world in wrestling and hockey."

He said nutrition was essential for sportsmen, but, it was unfortunate that good players came from poor families which could not spend a lot of money on diet. "Another unfortunate thing is that most players who belong to rich families do not have the desire to work hard and end up with poor results."

Dara Singh said, "Boys here have potential and coaches should make them practice well." Dara Singh will also visit Anandpur Sahib, venue of the National Sub-Junior Wrestling Championship which began today.

He said, nowadays, TV serials had become a part of family life and TV artistes had become more popular than movie stars. He said the serial Hadd Kardi on Zee was a blend of humour and education. "It is about family values which are missing in many homes," said Dara Singh. He said his role in the serial had won him praise from many persons and was a departure from his role in Ramayana.

He said he could also be seen in the serial Baap Numbri Beta Dus Numbri on Sahara channel. Here again, he is performing the role of the head of the family.

He said next month, a new movie, Balle Balle America, directed by him, was going to be shot in New York and it would be produced by a person from Jalandhar. The movie is about Punjabi families settled aboard.

‘We need dignified sportsmen ’today’
By Akanksha Sharma
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 21 — Cricket, the only game which imbibed tremendous interest in people, has left them with a feeling of’ betrayal. What we need now to keep sports alive is “dignified sportsmen” who do not believe in possessing honours but in deserving them. The let-down feeling that has come in the people is indeed painful. In a beauty contest a few years ago, a young contestant was asked, whom would she choose as a husband — a cricketer, a film star or a politician. The answer she gave was a cricketer”, because he represented the country, played the game with only one mission to make the country win. This play war does not need bloodshed but it is a tremendous honour to represent country. Now probably she will take more time to reply to the same question.

Ms Asha Sobti, a housewife, is of the opinion that betting in sports is nothing but fraud with one’s own country. Money paid in betting is reasonably high. About 90-95% people get sold. This episode would not affect the interest for the game in kids. The popularity of the game would certainly decrease among the learned people now.

The interest gets killed when one knows the result. The climax is important which does not exist as the results are planned. The cricketers made a bad move for the country and the game. Betting is the worst way of making money, said Mr Suresh Jain, a service man.

Ms Neetu, student, said that its bad that the sportsmen bet and fix up the matches. This is not an act of sportsman spirit. One feels betrayed. Its not a cartoon show, that they have made it. You want your favourite players to win, you pray for them and now the feeling is, this is what you prayed for. This incident is indeed an eye opener.

Amrinder, a university student, said that people will loose interest. It is fine if the friends bet on the game, because this does not harm the players or the game.

Vinay Sharma emphatically said they have betrayed the country. The selection boards like the BCCI should make the selection process more tough. And dishonest players should be thrown out. Betting by the spectators is alright, that’s for fun. But when someone in a responsible position, directly related to sports, bets, its crime.

“Its bad that the cricketer cannot show his talent because of match-fixing. The betting even otherwise is good and bad. “Good, because it creates interest and enthusiasm, and bad, because it is a gamble and, hence, unethical.” said Sukhvinder Singh, a college student.

Rupinder Singh said that betting should be banned for the country’s reputation. There are many ways to develop interest other than betting. The cricketer should not get into all these things at all. To improve the game performance cricketers should be given scoring targets. The targets for scores can be set considering their past performance.

School set to open gymnasium hall
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, April 21 — DC Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 7, Panchkula, is all set to open a huge indoor gymnasium hall on its first floor for badminton, table tennis, yoga, judo and other indoor sport. Mr B.B. Gupta, Principal of the school, said a need was felt to have such a facility as many parents often complained of its absence.

Mr Gupta said the hall was also needed as Panchkula did not have any good sport infrastructure and sportspersons had to travel to Chandigarh for practice. The community centre in Sector 7 of Panchkula, too, is not big enough. It has only badminton facility, but, there also, players do not get enough time to play.

In this complex, every type of indoor-sport facility will be created. The Principal said badminton players of the school had won the All-India CBSE Badminton Meet in Delhi which was a rare achievement. Gaurav and Saurav were the stars of this victory. This international-standard indoor hall will also have a stage for various cultural functions.

Mr Gupta said the inauguration of the hall could take another six months.

"Initially, the hall will be open to students of our school, but later, the facility will be extended to other students," said Mr Gupta. "The money was financed through the resources of the school," he said. He also said a skating rink was also proposed to be built.

Slazer league cricket in last leg
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, April 21 — 3BRD will take on Inde Dutch Systems while High Court XI will take on Haryana Forest Development Corporation in the last leg of the inaugural Slazer Cup League Cricket Tournament which will be played on April 22 at the Sector 5 cricket ground in Panchkula.

In all, 24 teams took part in this two-month-long cricket extravaganza organised by the District Panchkula Cricket Association. In the last league encounter on April 23, Milan Group will play against Kaysons XI and High Court XI will take on Punjab Tractors Limited.

The quarterfinals of the tournament will be held on April 29 and 30, while the semi-finals are scheduled for May 6. The final will be held on May 7.

ADMINISTRATION

Cases withdrawn against Periphery Act violators
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGAR, April 21 — The Punjab Government today formally passed orders facilitating withdrawal of criminal cases registered against the persons who had raised structures in the periphery of Chandigarh up to December 12, 1998, in violation of the Punjab New Capital (Periphery ) Control Act, 1952. The Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) has been authorised by the government to withdraw the cases, around 2500.

However, the constructions raised after the cut-off date would not be regularised, the PUDA authorities have clarified. Stating that the decision was taken at a recent meeting chaired by the Punjab Chief Minister, the officials said the claims and objections in this regard were being scrutinised and prosecution against the violators launched on or before 12, 1998, would be an evidence about the existence of date of structure.

Cautioning the public from exploiting the situation by raising construction in the periphery or purchasing land with a view to raise construction, PUDA has said that an aerial photography of the entire periphery had been done. The Chief Administrator of the PUDA, Mr KBS Sidhu, said demolition proceedings would be initiated against the constructions raised after the cut-off date.

The criminal cases pending against the unauthorised colonisers under the erstwhile Punjab Regulation of Colonies Act, 1975, and the Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation Act, 1995, would be taken to their logical conclusion.

Only yesterday the government had approved a streamlined pro-cedure to issue No Objection Certificate (NOC) for grant of electricity connections in the periphery of Chandigarh. The Additional Chief Administrator (ACA), SAS Nagar, has been authorised to issue the NOCs after scrutinising the documents. The NOC would be entered serially in register, separately for new connections and enhancement of existing load.

The government has clarified that mere issuing of the NOC would not change the land use under Section 11 of the Punjab New Capital Periphery ( Control) Act, 1952, since this power vested only with the state government.

UT clears names of 3 sessions judges
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 21 — The Administration has approved the names of three sessions judges for the Union Territory of Chandigarh. Mr H.S. Bhalla, Bathinda district Sessions Judge will join in place of UT District and Sessions Judge B.S. Bedi who retired last month.

The name of Mr Lakhbir Singh, Additional District and Sessions Judge, Ludhiana, has also been cleared for the UT. He will join in place of Mr G.S. Sandhu, UT Additional District and Sessions Judge, who has retired. Another Sessions Judge to join the district courts is Ms Sneh Parashar, who is at present ADJ, Rohtak.

DC holds meeting on encroachments
Tribune News Service

PANCHKULA, April 21—The Deputy commissioner, Mr SK Monga, held a meeting of the revenue and panchayat officers on the issue of removal of encroachments from village common land.

Mr Monga said the officials should identify the encroachments in the villages by April 26 and the panchayat officers along with the block development officers should identify shamlat land, firni and the like. Also, it was mentioned that the newly formed gram panchayats and sarpanches should help the district administration in identifying the encroachments and removing these.

After April 26, officials along with assistance of the police have been asked to remove these encroachments from the land.

Minister meets panches
From Our Correspondent

ZIRAKPUR, April 21 — The Punjab Government will create a Dalit Welfare Society at village-level for the upliftment of the weaker section of society which will be given all benefits of panchayats.

Capt Kanwaljit Singh, Finance and Planning Minister of Punjab, made the statement while heading a meeting of sarpanches and panches of Banur, Rajpura and Khera Blocks, belonging to the weaker section of society, at Chhat village, about 5 km from here, today.

The minister also directed the Block Development Project Officers (BDPOs) of these blocks to prepare lists of all slums of the downtrodden, so that they could be given drinking water, toilets, waste-water drains and houses there soon.

He also directed the authorities concerned to hold camps in villages so that old-age-pensions forms could be filled in time. Special camps would be held at Lalru, Dera Bassi and Banur for the convenience of old beneficiaries.

Mr Jasbir Singh Bir, Deputy Commissioner of Patiala, urged the sarpanches to spend the financial grants on development works.

Mr S.S. Sidhu, SDM of Dera Bassi; Mr Nishan Singh, BDPO of Rajpura; Mr Ajaib Singh Sooch, BDPO of Khera; and Mr H.S. Bhullar, DSP of Dera Bassi, were also present at the meeting.