The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

Talks on for incinerator facility
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, July 7 — The UT state branch of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) is reported to be simultaneouly negotiating with the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research ( PGIMER) to allow them to use the incinerator for disposing of the hospital waste of various nursing homes in the city. However, the PGI is yet to work out the rates, if they have to allow them to use the spare capacity of their incinerators.

A spokesperson of the association revealed that it had recently also approached the Chandigarh Administration to direct the Sector 16 general hospital authorities to permit them to use their newly installed incinerator. They had subsequently gone and met the DHS, UT, to work out the modalities.

But the spokesperson maintains that the association may not go in for this arrangement as the rates quoted by them are very high. The rates suggested by it are Rs 10,000 per year for private nursing homes with less han five beds, Rs 15,000 for nursing homes with five to 10 beds, Rs 25,000 for those with 10 to 20 beds and Rs 40,000 per year with nursing homes with more than 40 beds, besides the collection charges.

The nursing homes were required to make their own arrangements for the collection of the waste and transporting the same to the hospital for incineration. They could either tie up with the Municipal Corporation authorities for a vehicle or hire the same on contract.

In a representation given recently to Mr P.J.S. Dadhwal, scientist in the Ut Pollution Control Board, they have pointed out that it will not be feasible to use the incinerator facility on these charges.

They have pointed out that in Delhi, the rate of collection and incineration is Rs 3 per bed per day for pivate nursing homes. The rates in the city should be much less since the occupancy of the nursing homes here is lower than that in Delhi.

They have demanded that the Administration should reconsider the charges and reduce them by 50 per cent so that they become more affordable. However, the spokesperson of the assocciation maintains that it will take a final decision after getting the rates from both the institutes.

‘Genome knowledge should not be misused’
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGAR, July 7 — The successful mapping of 97 per cent of genome has opened exciting vistas before the scientific community, and the knowledge gained from the genome project should not be misused.

The observations were made by Prof RP Bambah, a former Vice- Chancellor of Panjab University, and a trustee of The Tribune, at the inauguration of third academic of National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) here today.

He said scientific research had reached a level of advanced stage in the field of gene therapy. Replacement of defective gene through genetic engineering without the side effect to other parts of the body was now possible. Equal advances in the field of organic chemistry and pharmaceutical research had been made.

He called upon physicists, mathematicians, economists, social scientists and policy-makers to work in tandem to address the issues afflicting the world. Congratulating the freshers, Prof Bambah said : “ You, during the course of your training, would benefit from the research done by eminent people and you should pay back the debt to society”.

The Director of the institute, Dr CL Kaul, in his address said the Government of India had awarded the status of “ Institute of National Importance” to NIPER. He said the institute was offering specialised courses for the doctoral programmes.Prof HPS Chawla, Dean of the institute, welcomed the new students.

Earlier Professor Bambah launched the website (http://niper.nic.in) of the institute.

SPORT

Coaches feeling on top of the world
By Arvind Katyal

CHANDIGARH, July 7 — The coaches of the Sports Authority of India, Northern Centre, Sector 42, were quite happy at tomorrow’s award giving ceremony, to be held for the first time here by SAI for its coaches. Nearly 130 coaches of the SAI working in the centre, will receive the cash awards for outstanding performance of their trainees.

Mr B.S. Randhawa, the hockey coach at the Shivalik Public School, SAS Nagar, said it was a good step by the SAI to honour them since at times, they were ignored by the different authorities. Mr Surinder Mahajan SAI badminton coach at Panjab University was of the view that now their trainees would also get motivated when they find their coaches being honoured. He said the main point was not the cash prize, but the manner in which they were being honoured.

Mr Sukhwinder Singh Bawa SAI cricket coach at DAV Coaching Centre was quite thrilled at tomorrow’s award ceremony. He said such incentive to coaches would boost their morale, and also of their trainees, who feel elevated when their coach was considered for award. Mr Mohan Nagreta, volleyball coach, said everyone had the habit of seeing players being honoured, but large number of coaches being honoured was a rare step.

Mr R.S. Kundu, wrestling coach, said, at least some beginning has been made. He hoped SAI will make it a regular feature. He said in his lifetime, he could not never come across such example where they were given the pride of honour. Mr Satpal another badminton coach, who came all the way from Jammu to receive the award, said the amount of cash award was not vital, but they were feeling on top of the world since got the unique opportunity to get honoured.

Only the state-level achievement award were considered for this function, while another big function would be held in New Delhi in the near future for those coaches whose trainees represented India at international level. The coaches today also had a rehearsal at Skating Rink, Sector 10.

The prominent dignitaries expected to attend the function include Union Minister for Sports and Mines, Mr S.S. Dhindsa, Himachal Pradesh Sports Minister, Mr Praveen Sharma, Punjab Sports Minister, Mr Nusrat Ali Khan, Milkha Singh, wrestler Kartar Singh and Olympian Charanjit Singh. The other top-level officials who may not make it to this function are Mr Shanawaz Khan, Union Minister of State for Sports and Mr D.K. Mittal, Director General of SAI.

Work on new cricket turf begins
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, July 7 — The cricket trainees at DAV School Coaching Centre, Sector 8, will have a new turf by the first week of September, according to Mr Sukhwinder Singh Bawa, the SAI coach at the centre. The work on the new turf began here yesterday and in next 10 to 15 days, the first layer of grass would come up, said Bawa.

A visit to the venue revealed that cricketers such as Yuvraj Singh, Dinesh Mongia, Rahul Panta and Vikramjit Singh Sodhi were all practising here.

The school Principal Mr Ravinder Talwar, was taking all pains to see for himself that the school, which once produced cricket players like Kapil Dev, Chetan Sharma, and Ashok Malhotra had a national class pitch and ground of their own.

The clay for the same was transported last year from Ludhiana, which was still lying unused and this time, it was taken from Kharar and nearby areas. He told that after the first layer of grass, clay would be laid again then the second layer of grass would be come as the final product. Moreover, the rainy season would also help.

At present, nearly 100 cricket players daily practised at the centre, which was also the official centre of the Chandigarh Cricket Association. Mr Mohinder Singh, Secretary of the association, had taken the initiative to provide the kits and other incentives to the players.

Mr Bawa also told that like PCA Stadium,SAS Nagar, the provision for pipings, and water drainage underground would also be made. The players were quite excited and they were seen helping labourers after their normal session.

Records broken

Jatinder Singh of Air Headquarters and Maheshwari of Maintenance Command shattered previous records in 94 kg and 105 kg section, respectively, in snatch, clean and jerk and total weight categories on the penultimate day of the Air Force Inter-Command Weightlifting Championship at Lecma Auditorium .

Results: 94 kg: snatch: Jatinder Singh (AHQ) 130 kg 1, Harnam Singh 127.5 kg 2, YS Rana 100 kg 3; clean and Jerk: Jatinder Singh 160 kg 1, Harnam Singh 145 kg 2, YS Rana 125 kg 3; total: Jatinder Singh 290 kg 1, Harnam Singh 272.5 kg 2, YS Rana 225 kg 3; 105 kg: snatch: Maheshwari 132.5 kg 1, Parmod Sharma 130 kg 2, SK Maubi 110 kg 3; clean and Jerk: Maheshwari 170 kg 1, Parmod Sharma 150 kg 2, SK Maubi 147.5 kg 3; total: Maheshwari 302.5 kg 1, Parmod Sharma 280 kg 2, SK Maubi 257.5 kg 3.

Cricket tourney

Veerat XI outplayed Garhwal XI by 40 runs in the final match of the Uttrakhand Cricket tournament played at Cricket stadium, sector 16. Veerat XI made 159 runs for eight in 30 overs while Garhwal XI were all out for 119 runs.

Lake assessed

Mr KPS Deo, President of the Rowing Federation of India had an on-the-spot assessment of the Sukhna Lake, the venue of the Asian Junior Rowing Championship to be held in December this year. He was accompanied by RFI officials, Ms Vineeta Rai, adviser to UT Administrator, Mr Rakesh Singh, UT Finance-cum-Sports Secretary and Chandigarh Rowing Association and Punjab Rowing Association officials.

Boxing calendar drawn up
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, July 7 — The Chandigarh Amateur Boxing Association has drawn up an exhaustive calendar for the coming year, according to Prof C.K. Jerath, Secretary of the association. The calendar was finalised at a meeting of the executive committee of the association held earlier this week under the chairmanship of Mr Satish Chandra, Chairman of the association.

The meeting also approved the list of eight boxers who will represent the Union Territory in the fifth Federation Cup Boxing Championships, scheduled to be held at Chennai from July 11 to 15. The selected boxers are Varinder Singh (light middleweight) captain, Aman (super heavyweight), Vikas Bhardwaj (lightweight), Anand (feather), Sandeep (bantam), Rajbir (fly), Ramesh (lightfly) and Sanjeev (light welter). While Mr Balkar Singh will accompany the team as coach-cum-manager, Mr Jerath will go to Chennai as member of the jury.

Later this month, boxers from Chandigarh will take part in the North Zone Inter-State Boxing Championships, to be held at Hoshiarpur from July 21 to 23. Competitions will be held for junior boys and senior women.

The Chandigarh State Junior Boxing Championships will be held in September and subsequently selected junior boxers from the Union Territory will take part in the National Boxing Championships to be held at Bhiwani (Haryana) in October. The following month, in November, boxers from Chandigarh will take part in the National Games 2000, scheduled to be held in Punjab.

The All-India A.K.Mishra Boxing Championships, which over the years has become a leading tournament of the country, will be conducted in December next. The same month, the association will conduct the Chandigarh Sub-Junior Boxing Championships. This tournament will be followed by the North Zone Inter-State Sub-Junior Boxing Championships, which have been allotted to the association by the Indian Amateur Boxing Federation. Following this tournament, the Chandigarh team will take part in the National Sub-Junior Boxing Championships, scheduled to be held at Chennai in February, 2001.

The Chandigarh State Senior Boxing Championships will be conducted in February next. That will be followed by the participation of the Union Territory team in the senior nationals, scheduled to be held in Mumbai.

ADMINISTRATION

Auction of sites fetches Rs 2.4 cr
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGARJuly 7 — At least Rs 2.40 crore was earned by the Punjab Small Industries and Export Corporation through the auction of commercial sites in Industrial Focal Point in Phase 9 here today. All the 17 sites, both SCO’s and booths — in the proposed ultra-modern complex — put under the hammer were successfully auctioned.

When the auction started at around 11.30 am, some of the allottees of commercial sites who had purchased sites in the proposed ultra-modern complex during the last auction in January 1999, protested against the slow pace of development in the proposed complex.

Demanding that the interest during the period the development works were not completed be waived off, they stated that even after one and half years of the earlier auction, the development works in the area had not been completed.

In today’s auction, the highest bid was attracted by an SCO which was sold for Rs 27 lakh against a reserved price of Rs 13.50 lakh. Another SCO site was sold for Rs 25.75 lakh against a reserved price of Rs 13.50 lakh. The lowest bid in the SCO category was attracted by SCO 5, which was sold for Rs 25 lakh.

In case of booths, the highest bid was attracted by booth 41, which was sold for Rs 8.80 lakh against a reserved price of Rs 5.35 lakh. The lowest bid was attracted by two booths (no.10), which were sold for Rs 8.40 lakh against a reserved price of Rs 5.35 lakh. An official of the PSIEC said the auction was done as per the earlier layout plan of the ultra modern complex.

Nodal officer scheme from July 10
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, July 7 — The much-delayed nodal officer scheme of the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh (MCC) is set to be implemented from July 10.

Under the first phase of the scheme, sectors 8, 16, 20, 22, 23, 27, 32, 44 and Industrial Area (Phase-I) will be taken in hand and a major anti-encroachment drive will be launched in these areas, according to sources.

The MCC has appointed nine sub-nodal officers and nodal officers each for these sectors and they will work under the overall supervision of nine Executive Engineers, who will act as supervisory authorities. They will be authorised to issue notices and fine the defaulters.

From July 10, it will be mandatory to take permission for the storage of construction material, use of municipal land for all kind of functions and erection of hedges and fences. The encroachments on road berms, open spaces and public parks, unauthorised openings on road berms, open spaces and parks and encroachment of public corridors in shopping areas will be removed at the cost of the defaulters. The persons pasting posters on road signages, bus-queue shelters, streetlight poles and tree guards will be challaned.

The sources said the vehicles dumping malba at other places, except 16 sites earmarked by the civic body would be challaned and impounded. Besides, the spillage of water from overhead tanks and washing of vehicles would be checked by the nodal officers and they would also see the maintenance of the various civic amenities.

The nine Executive Engineers would be supervisory authorities on a temporary basis and they would be shifted to the next batch of sectors when they are taken up in due course of time.

UT, MC staff oppose transfers
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, July 7 — Members of the Coordination Committee of the government and MC employees and workers of the UT, Chandigarh, today held a rally at the Chandigarh Housing Board chowk in protest against the “arbitrary and illegal” transfer of UT employees to the civic body.

Raising slogans against the authorities, they highlighted the problems being faced by the employees and non-fulfilment of the assurances given by them by the Chandigarh Administration.

Among the other demands of the committee are the release of bonus, HRA,CCA and DA to daily wage workers, the regularisation of their services, creation of new posts and filling of vacant posts.