HEALTH

Handicapped get artificial limbs
From Our Correspondent

BADDI, May 6 — The newly constituted Rotary Club of Baddi organised a camp for the free distribution of artificial limbs, tricycles, clippers and crutches here today. The camp was organised with the association of the Rotary Club of Nalagarh, S.S. Jain Sabha, Nalagarh, and Opcar Society, Delhi.

This was the first function of the club and 50 persons were benefited by the camp. Eleven tricycles, six clippers, two wheelchairs and eight crutches were distributed free of cost on the spot.

On the occasion, Mr R.K. Rewari, president of club and CEO of Vardhman Group of Industries, made a commitment that in future more social welfare projects will be undertaken by the club. He thanked the Gram Pradhans and the Principlas of the various schools who worked to make the programme a success.

The Tehsildar of Nalagarh subdivision was the chief guest on the occasion.

SPORT

Empowering women with martial arts
By Shubhadeep Choudhury
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 6 — Romeos in Mahendragarh and Rewari better be careful. Next time anyone of them ogles at a village belle, he may be greeted with a karate chop.

In these two districts, village women in the age group of 18 to 40 years are being given training in martial arts. “Women are being given training in self defence to boost their confidence”, a state government official said.

The martial art training is part of a women empowerment project whose main focus is health. The project, entirely funded by a UN agency (UNFPA), was introduced a month back by the Women Welfare Department. Training in judo and karate has been started.

About 900 villages from Mahendragarh and Rewari districts have been identified for implementation of the project. Select groups of women from these villages will be given training in judo and karate, say the officials.

At present, women animators, one from each village, are being selected and given training in various fields such as account keeping, functioning of the panchayati raj system, etc, at the Women Awareness Management Academy (WAMA). These animators, who undergo a three weeks course in the residential academy, are being given two hours training, on a daily basis, in the martial arts. For the martial arts training at WAMA, coaches come from Rai Sports School at Sonepat.

For the block level training, martial arts experts of the state government’s sports would be engaged, the officials said, and added that in one block in Rewari district the training in martial arts, along with other trainings, had already started. This year, 40 groups, having 15 women in each group, will undergo the training which will be for period of 15 days for each group.

“The animators as well as the other women are showing tremendous enthusiasm for the martial arts training”, the officials said, adding that this was probably because the crash course in judo and karate was something new and also found meaningful by the trainees.

The empowerment project, known at ‘Sanjeevani’, has been a success story so far. “The women covered by this project are instilled with self confidence and they are able to get their works done from wherever they go”, an official said. The official added that the martial arts training would further enhance the confidence of the ‘Sanjeevani’ women.

CITCO official on Japan tour
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, May 6 — Pawan Kapoor, a Sports Officer of the Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Development Corporation Limited (CITCO), yesterday, left for Japan to take part in the Japan Future Tennis Tournament 2000. Players from over 20 countries will take part in the tournament.

Pawan got an entry on the basis of his earlier performance abroad. The tournament will provide him with the vital international exposure. Pawan said he hoped to do well in the tournament and was grateful to his employers, specially the Managing Director of CITCO, Mr Satish Chandra, who arranged the trip.

Under-14 cricket
Karan Kherwal will lead the St Joseph's High School team in an under-14 tournament to be organised by the Panchkula Cricket Association from tomorrow.

The team is as follows: Jai Inder Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Harpreet Singh, Vishav Bhakhri, Vikas Yadav, Hardeep Singh, Simranjeet Singh, Jatin, Ashish, Arjun Malhotra, Kunal Dhawan, Akash Bhalla, Shalinder, Prabhjot Singh and Anirudh.

NICS score 19-run win
From Our Sports Reporter

PATIALA, May 6 — The NICS Cricket Academy scored 19-run win over MES Cricket Club in a league match of the Patiala District Under-12 Tournament at the MES Grounds here today.

The NICS opted to bat first and saw some good performances by Vikram (43) and Gurmeet Dhaliwal (44 n.o.) which helped the team score 153 for 7 wickets in the stipulated 20 overs.

A.P. Bains and Tanmeet Bawa ran through the rival batting line-up as MES Club were all out for 134. Only Mohit (38) showed some resistance and played some good drives.

Brief scores: NICS Cricket Academy — 153 for 7 (Vikram 43, Gurmeet Dhaliwal 44 n.o., Kanwarjit Raina 22, Akbar Johal 17, Harish 19, Sunny 1 for 30, Deepak 1 for 29; MES Cricket Club — 134 all out (Mohit 38, Arjan 21, A.P. Bains 3 for 29, Tanmeet Bawa 3 for 15, Akbar Johal 2 for 25, Harish 2 for 29)

ADMINISTRATION

Look into 'illegal' canteens, DC told
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 6 — Disposing of a writ petition, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, here, has directed the UT Deputy Commissioner-cum-Estate Officer to look into the representation against "illegal canteens" in the district courts and take action within six months.

Pronouncing the orders in the open court, the Bench, comprising Mr Justice R.S. Mongia and M. Justice J.S. Narang observed: "We dispose of this writ petition by directing the Deputy Commissioner and UT Estate Officer to look into the representation and take action thereon in accordance with the law as expeditiously as possible, preferably within six months".

Petitioner Yogesh Vinayak of Sector 15, in his representation to the UT Home Secretary and the Deputy Commissioner, had sought action "illegal" canteens in the District Court. He had also enclosed a copy of a news report in the Chandigarh Tribune on the canteens. The item had stated that the canteens were violating the terms and conditions of allotment by preparing dishes instead of keeping ready-made food.