HEALTH

GMCH Geriatrics Dept now open
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, July 3 — The Geriatrics Department of the Sector 32 Government Medical College and Hospital is open every Saturday now. This department is the first of its kind in the region, with only the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi having a special OPD for senior citizens.

There is a registration counter for senior citizens at the GMCH reception office now. Earlier, in the absence of a geriatrics department, senior citizens had to run around like the other patients for treatment and consultation.

The Director Principal of the GMCH, Dr V.K. Kak, said, "The department will have a urologist and, eventually, an ENT consultant, an ophthalmologist and a psychiatrist as well. Because a balanced diet is essential in old age, the unit will also have a doctor from the Department of Dietetics."

Dr Kak said most common ailments would be treated in the department itself, however, for specialised and sophisticated treatment, cases would be referred to the departments concerned.

SPORT

Pakistan win circle-kabaddi Punjab tour opener
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, July 3 — The Pakistan circle-kabaddi team played the first match of its Punjab tour at the Phase VI Shivalik Public School in SAS Nagar today. More than 3,000 persons, most of whom had come from the satellite towns of the city, witnessed the hour-long thriller. Pakistan beat India, 59-46, after leading, 32-21, at the halftime.

Pakistan had earlier lost a five-match series in Haryana to India, 3-2. These matches were organised by the Amateur Circle Kabaddi Federation of India.

Mr Sucha Singh, PWD Minister of Punjab, was the chief guest. The other present on the occasion included international wrestler Kartar Singh and a former MP Ms Satwinder Kaur.

The winners were given Rs 51,000 in cash, while the runners-up got Rs 31,000. "Mr G.S. Grewal, Deputy Commissioner of Ropar, and his team deserve praise for organising the match at a short notice," said the ACKFI officials.

The match began at 6 pm and ended at 7.20 pm. Both teams showed a remarkable touch and their agility and style were at their best. However, in both halves, teams had minor tiffs with each other, which prolonged the match.

The captain of the Pakistan team, Omar Hayat Gill, one of the best circle-kabaddi player in the world, thrilled the spectators with his style of play.

Chaudhary Mohammad Ismail, Manager of the Pakistan team, and Chief de Mission of the Indian team, Mr J.P. Sharma, were also there. The teams will play their next match at Khanna (Ludhiana) tomorrow.

Most of the Indian players were of Punjab. This was in contrast to the team composition in the Haryana series.

The teams were as follows: Pakistan — Mohammad Akram, M. Hussain, M. Ahmed, M. Imran, Shabir Hussain, Imtiaz Alam, Omar Hayat Gill, Mansoor Ahmed, M. Javed, Asif Mohammad, Javed Ali, Qasim Ali, Noor.

India: Manjit Singh, Ajmer Singh, Inder Singh, Mohinder Singh, Ranjit Singh, Sarabjit Singh, Anil Kumar (captain), Kala Singh, Malkiat Singh.

Swimming contest

Adhiraj bagged four gold medals in different events in the swimming competition held at Gymkhana Swimming Pool, Panchkula, last evening. He won in under-12 freestyle (50 metres), backstroke (25 metres), under-14 freestyle (100 metres) and under-14 butterfly (25 metres). In girls, Jimmy clinched two gold medals in under-12 freestyle and backstroke in 50 metres.

Results:under-8 freestyle-25 mts: Anurag 1, Jivesh Sood 2, Raghav Jain 3; under-10 freestyle-25 mts: Abhinav Katyal 1, Dhruv Sharma 2, Vicky 3; under-12 freestyle-50 mts:Adhiraj 1, Yaman 2, Rishoo Mittal 3; 25 mts:Adhiraj 1, Dhruv Sharma 2, Rishoo 3; under-14 freestyle: 100 mts: Adhiraj 1, Dhruv Chaudhary 2. under-14 backstroke-50 mts: Jaibir 1, Dhruv Chaudhary 2, Adhiraj 3; under- 14 breaststroke 50 mts: Dhruv Chaudhary 1, Jaibir 2, Adhiraj 3; under-14 butterfly-25 mts: Adhiraj 1, Dhruv Chaudhary 2, Rishoo Mittal 3; under-17 freestyle-200 mts: Mohit Bhutani 1, Anuj 2, Adhiraj 3; under-17 breaststroke-50 mts: Pankaj 1, Mohit Bhutani 2, Pawandeep 3; under-17 butterfly- 50 mts : Mohit Bhutani 1, Adhiraj 2, Anuj 3; girls: under-10 freestyle-25 mts: Ravina 1, Apurva 2, Sanya 3; under-12 freestyle-50 mts: Jimmy 1, Aanchal 2, Sakshi 3; under-12 backstroke-50 mts: Jimmy 1, Ravina 2, Aanchal 3.

Vohra is CHA Secy
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, July 3 — Mr YN Vohra has been unanimously elected Secretary of the Chandigarh Hockey Association to fill the vacancy caused by the death of its Founder Secretary, Surinder Nath Vohra.

In the meeting chaired by Mr Chander Shekhar, President of the CHA, the members stood in silence for two minutes in the memory of SN Vohra. In another decision, the House decided to name the All-India Gurmit Memorial Hockey Tournament as SN Vohra’s All India Gurmit Memorial Hockey Tournament.

Mr YP Vohra, the new Secretary has plenty of experience in sports administration. He was the Founder Secretary of the Chandigarh Olympic Association and the President of the Chandigarh Hockey Umpires Association. He was a first-class hockey player and played with Bakshish Singh, Udham Singh and Balbir Singh, among others. He thanked the members for reposing confidence in him and promised that he would strive hard in improving the standard of hockey in the city. 

ADMINISTRATION

Durbar of instant justice
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, July 3 — The air of the DGP durbar, which has now become a regular feature of Mr SPS Rathore’s itinerary, is unmistakably feudal. Mr Rathore sits majestically on a chair, surrounded by the IGs, the DIGs and the SPs on the elevated verandah at the police headquarters at Panchkula, while those who come to bring their grievances to his notice crouch on the floor, covered by jute mats, underneath the verandah.

Nevertheless, the durbars seem to be emerging as an effective forum for people who want to have direct access to the DGP. Like the previous durbars, today also a large number of police personnel turned up with petitions who wanted the DGP to come to their rescue in matters related to promotion, reinstatement and, of course, transfer.

A total of about 120 cases were heard by the DGP today, of which more than 50 per cent were from police personnel, with uniform and without, or from the family members of police personnel. Most of those who wanted transfers for themselves or for their sons left satisfied as the DGP instantly ordered for their transfers as per their choice. A lady, who was suspended from her job in the Police Department, but had subsequently won the case, was asked to be reinstated by the DGP.

The civilians, who had gathered for making complaints directly to the DGP, had a number of things to say about the local police officials. A villager from Dabwali said that the local SHO had planted opium on the person of his son and fabricated a case against him. Mr Rathore asked the IGP concerned to look into the matter. A villager from Shahbad said that his daughter was being harassed by her in-laws. He said that when he wanted the SHO to have a complaint registered in this connection, he asked for Rs 5,000. The DGP asked the villager to write his complaint in the form of an affidavit and instantly ordered that the SHO be transferred to the Police Line.

In the end even those who did not get instant justice, seemed to have left as happy soul. Lal Singh, a villager from Chhachhrauli, whose complaint was that crop grown by him was cut by some anti-social elements while the local police unwilling to do anything about it, said that he was happy that at least someone had heard his problem.

There was also a darvesh among the crowd, whose complaint was that a plot of land belonging to him had been appropriated by his chela. The DGP assured him that his complaint would be looked into. Later talking to TNS, the holy man, who claimed that he was 109 years old, said that Mr Rathore was really concerned about the wellbeing of ordinary folks.

Most of the people said that they had learnt about the durbar through newspaper reports and landed up at Panchkula to have an audience with the DGP.

MC to channelise nullah
Tribune News Service

LAKHNOUR (SAS NAGAR), July 3 — The SAS Nagar Municipal Council has come to the rescue of residents of Lakhnour village who have been suffering for the past several years on account of dirty water nullah passing through the village. The villagers who had almost lost the hope of living a healthy life due to toxic waste being discharged into the nullah.

The villagers have now heaved a sigh of relief with the council taking up the task of channelising the portion of nullah passing through the village. Sources in the council said at least Rs 9.68 lakh had already been sanctioned and the channelisation work was expected to commence soon.

Mr Sampuran Singh, a resident of the village, said : “We are forced to fetch water from distant sources as the water sources in the village are contaminated and the supply of the Public Health is very erratic. Complaints of skin problems, stomach ailments, vomiting, sensation and falling hair were common among the villagers.

A sample of the nullah water taken by environmentalists had revealed disturbing information. The ground water to a level of 80 feet had been contaminated and traces of toxic industrial water like fluorides, cyanide, nickel, lead and other dangerous elements were found in the nullah water. The district administration had repeatedly been approached by the villagers.

An official of the council said as the work was outside the limits of the council a special sanction had been taken.

Work on model sub-sectors from today
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, July 3 — The Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh (MCC) will start the process of developing model sub-sectors in the city tomorrow.

According to sources, two sub-sectors-18-C and 46-C will be developed in the first phase. The environment and City Beautification Committee, at a recent meeting, had decided to develop seven model sub-sectors to educate the residents about which structures were allowed outside the houses.

The need for developing the sub-sectors had been felt on account of the increasing encroachments in the city.

The Mayor, Ms Shanta Abhilashi, honoured students, who had excelled themselves in sport and studies, at a function organised by the Residents Welfare Association, Sector 23-D, last night.