SPORT

Rajeev enters last eight
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, Aug 16 — Rajeev Bhardwaj made it to the last eight of the handicap snooker event of the YMCA Open Billiards and Snooker Tournament today. The tournament is being played in the Sector 11 YMCA hall. He defeated Tejinder in two straight frames.

In the first frame, Tejinder offered some resistance in the beginning, but Rajeev recovered well to win the frame, 68-45. In the second frame as well, Rajeev managed to gain lead near the end and won, 48-39.

In the open snooker matches, Vishal Gupta easily defeated B.K. Arora in two frames. The first frame was well-contested and it came down to the last black ball. Arora tried to play a safe shot, but ended up giving a sitter to Vishal who did not make any mistake and won the frame, 54-53.

In the second frame, Arora lost his concentration and gave an easy 53-30 victory to Vishal. In another match of the same event, Aman Bhasin beat Sanjay Kaushal, 55-18, 51-28. In both frames, Aman displayed fine potting skills and a good cue-ball control.

Cricket trials: Trials to select the under-19 Panchkula district cricket team for the Haryana State Inter-District Trophy will be held on August 17 at the Sector 5 coaching centre in Panchkula. This was announced by Mr Sandeep Moudgil, Secretary of the PDCA.

Players born on or after September 10, 1981, are eligible to take part in the trials. Participants should bring with them their original birth certificates.

Panchkula will play its first match of the tournament against Chandigarh on August 24.

Junior basketball meet begins
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, Aug 16 — Bhavan Vidyalaya, Sector 27, beat Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Sector 8, 30-5, on the first day of the UT State Junior Basketball Championship at the Sector 46 Sports Complex here today. The halftime score was 14-3 and Rajita scored most points (24) for Bhavan Vidyalaya.

In the boys' matches, Vivek High School, Sector 38, defeated St Stephen's School, Sector 45, 26-20, with the halftime score being 13-9. Vikas and Aman scored 11 and six points for winners, respectively, while Harbinder scored 12 points for the losers.

In another match, New Public School, Sector 18, beat Shishu Niketan School, Sector 22, 37-5, with the halftime score being 22-3. Vikram scored 11 points for the winners, while Balwinder and Naveen scored five points each for the losers. Vikas scored three points and Mohit scored two points for the losers. AKSIP School, Sector 41, got a walkover against Government High School, Sector 26.

ADMINISTRATION

Preventing theft with electromagnetic meters
By Geetanjali Gayatri
Tribune News Service

PANCHKULA, Aug 16 — The Electricity Department is all set to replace regular meters with electromagnetic ones in the industrial, commercial and residential areas of the city. The process is already under way in the industrial area.

An official of the department said the move was designed to reduce electricity pilferage. Over 5 per cent of theft is reported every year. "The new meters cannot be manipulated. Either they will work or they will not and there are no two ways about this,'' he added.

The electromagnetic meter also gives a more accurate reading. "The new instruments will reduce complaints of fast running meters, which were a constant source of harassment to the consumers,'' he informed.

Moreover, teams under junior engineers of respective sectors have been constituted to identify the load in the area. They have been conducting surveys since the beginning of the month. The department blames consumers with air-conditioners in residential areas as responsible for the frequent power breakdowns.

"The procedure for regularising additional load after the installation of ACs is that the resident applies for the same to us. After studying the load of the area, we grant approval, if there is a feasibility. However, no resident takes permission. The exercise is also bound to bring the erring consumers to book,'' he said.

Though work has been initiated in the industrial area where all regular meters will be replaced, commercial establishments in the city will be targeted next, along with those houses which have defective meters. This will be followed by houses where air-conditioners have been installed.

With as many as 40,000 consumers who may be brought to book, the process of replacement is likely to take a couple of months. Meanwhile, all meters in working condition replaced by the electromagnetic ones will be diverted to subdivisions in rural areas where power consumption is low.

Once the new meters become operational in the city and the extra load requirements are regularised, the problem of frequent breakdowns will become almost negligible and the Electricity Department will also be able to pocket its dues without being hoodwinked.