HEALTH

Tandon for extended health cover
Tribune News Service

LUDHIANA, Sept 2 — The Punjab Minister for Local Bodies Balramji Das Tandon today stressed the need for better health cover for the masses and exhorted the voluntary and charitable institutions to join hands in this task. He said the government had a vital role to play in providing comprehensive and affordable medical facilities to the people, particularly in remote and rural areas.

Addressing a function at Dr B.L. Kapoor Memorial Hospital, after laying the foundation stone of a new casualty and OPD ward here, the minister said the government hospitals in the state were being modernised and equipped to provide latest diagnostic and treatment facilities under a Rs 422 crore World Bank-aided project. The Punjab Medical Systems and Health Corporation had undertaken construction of several new hospital buildings while the existing hospitals were being renovated, upgraded and equipped with modern machinery and diagnostic aids so that the rural population could also avail of good medical facilities.

The minister remarked that the cost of treatment was becoming prohibitive and out of reach of the majority of population. “This is where voluntary, social and charitable institutions can alleviate the suffering and pain of those who were unable to pay for the expensive medical facilities.”

Mr Tandon announced a grant of Rs 1 lakh for the hospital. He also assured that the annual grant provided by the Municipal Corporation to the hospital, which was suspended for some time now, would be restored after necessary formalities.

Senior BJP leader and member of Rajya Sabha Lala Lajpat Rai, speaking at the occasion, called upon the doctors and the nursing staff to serve the patients with dedication and a missionary spirit.

President of the hospital managing committee Mohan Lal Jhanji, welcomed the minister and other dignitaries.

The new casualty and OPD wards of the hospital would be built at an estimated cost of Rs 30 lakh for which major contribution had been made by philanthropist H.D. Dumra.

Prominent among those present at the function were vice-president of the managing committee Mohinder Singh, district (urban) president of the BJP Harbans Lal Sethi, Chairman of the Improvement Trust M.M. Vyas, Joint Commissioner of Municipal Corporation J.S. Heer and others.

SPORT

Lifter misses Arjuna Award again
From A Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Sept 2 — He won the weightlifting gold thrice in the Commonwealth Games, besides being the national champion for a record seven times. He represented the country 21 times in international events.

Parvesh Chander Sharma began his career in 1976. He stood fourth in the 1982 Asian Games in New Delhi. Dissatisfied by his performance, he worked harder and won the gold medal in the 1985 Western Samoa Commonwealth Games. He also won the gold medal in 1988 Malta games. His best record in the games, 153 kg in the 60 kg clean-and-jerk event, was in Auckland.

He won the Youth Weightlifting Championship in Iran and the Indo-Bulgaria Meet in Bangalore in the same year. He received Maharaja Ranjit Singh Award in 1985. Despite his achievements, he has not received Arjuna Award.

He is working in the Railways as a Chief Ticket Inspector at the Ludhiana station. He had left the game because of injury, but he contributes to the game by training young men. He is giving training to 30 professional sportspersons in his club. He does not take a single penny from youngsters for training.

He is the Secretary of the Ludhiana Weightlifting and Body Building Club and discontented with the sport policy of the government. Parvesh says, “The Indian sportspersons need more facilities and equipment of international standards if they have to compete in major events.”

He said all other sport, except cricket, were being ignored in India. He said if all sportspersons were treated like cricketers, the performance of Indian athletes in international events would improve. “If we can perform well with such meagre facilities, you can well imagine how good we can be with added incentives,” he said.

CBSE National Games schedule
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Sept 2 — The CBSE Inter-School National Games will be held from the second week of October.

According to the CBSE authorities, the venues and dates for the events are as follows: Badminton tournament will be held from December 19 to 22 at Indian High School, Dubai (UAE); volleyball from December 11 to 12 at BSP Senior Secondary School, Sector 10, Bhilai, Madhya Pardesh; basketball from December 12 to 15 at Delhi Public School, Bhilai; football from November 8 to 12 at DAV Public School, Thermal Power Colony, Panipat; table tennis in December's first week at Smvidya Vidyapeeth, Vijaywara, Andhra Pardesh; kho-kho from November 23 to 26 at Sardar Patel Vidyla, Lodhi Estate, New Delhi; judo from October 29 to 31 at Aggarwal Public School, Indore; handball from October 13 to 15 at Degree College of Physical Education, Amarawati; and skating will be held at Kailash Behl DAV Centenary Public School, Sector 7-B, Chandigarh. The date for the skating tournament will be announced later.

The CBSE Intra-Cluster Games of the Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir cluster will be held from the first week of October. The venues and dates for the events are as follows: athletics from October 18 to 20 at MGM Public School, Jalandhar; basketball from October 6 to 8 at DAV School, Amritsar; kho kho on October 11 and 12 at Police DAV Public School, Jalandhar; and table tennis from September 30 to October 2 at Guru Harkishan Senior Secondary School, Amritsar.

SAD Academy win title
From Our Sports Reporter

LUDHIANA, Sept 2 — SDP Sports Academy defeated LDCA XI by five wickets in the final of the cricket tournament organised by the State Bank of India, Civil Lines branch at the SDP College ground here yesterday.

Batting first, LDCA XI made 143 for 6 in their stipulated 25 overs. Tavish Gupta and Varun Gupta contributed 50 and 28 runs respectively.

SDP Sports Academy achieved the target in the 24th over after losing five wickets thanks to some fine batting by Ashim Jindal who hammered 53 runs off 44 balls and Karan Lethi who scored quick 36 runs in just 17 balls.

Brief scores: LDCA XI - 143 for 6 in 25 overs (Tavish Gupta 50, Varun Gupta 28, Ashim Sehgal 2 for 28, Mohit Mangal 1 for 20 and Abhishek 1 for 21).

SDP Sports Academy: 147 for 5 in 23.5 overs (Ashim Jindal 53, Rattan 26, Karan Lekhi 36, Tarun Kanish 1 for 41, Sanjeev Behl 1 for 28, Tavish Gupta 1 for 21 and Bharat Batra 1 for 22).

Khalsa school creates record
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Sept 2 — Khalsa Senior Secondary School for Girls, Civil Lines, created a record by winning the basketball in the girls under-19 category for the third consecutive year in the Ludhiana district Senior Secondary School Tournament that concluded on August 30, this year.

The local Khalsa Senior Secondary School defeated Guru Nanak Public School, Sarabha Nagar, by a margin of 10 points. The score of the final match was 17-7.

TT meet from Sept 8
From Our Sports Reporter

LUDHIANA, Sept 2 — The 10th edition of the Prithipal Singh Memorial Open Table Tennis Tournament will be held here at Punjab Agricultural University from September 8 to 10, according to Mr Kirpal Singh Sagar, president of the tournament organising committee.

More than 300 players, including some national and international players from Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, J&K, Chandigarh, Haryana, Delhi and Punjab, are expected to take part in this three-day tournament.

Competition in four categories — cadet boys and girls, sub-junior boys and girls, junior boys and girls, women and mens singles would be held. Attractive prizes will be given to the competitors.

Entries close on September 6 with Mr Jaspal Singh, table tennis coach, PAU

Sports bodies mourn Grewal’s death
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Sept 2 — Mr. R.S. Gill, Insepector-General of Police (Patiala Zone), president, Punjab Basketball Association (PBA) and other office-bearers of the PBA have mourned the untimely death of Mr Amarjeet Singh Grewal, a great sports lover and organiser. In a separate statement Mr S.S. Channy, president of the Punjab Handball Association (PHA) and other office-bearers of the PHA have also expressed their grief over the death of Mr Grewal.

ADMINISTRATION

Senior police officers may be transferred
Tribune News Service

LUDHIANA, Sept 2 — The Home Department is seriously contemplating the transfers of two senior Border Range officials as well as the transfers of atleast four Senior Superintendents Of Police in the state.

The issue of transfers came up during a closed door meeting held here today between Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, the Home Secretary, Punjab, the Director General of Police, Mr Sarabjit Singh and the Inspector General of Police, Headquarters, Mr N.P.S. Aulakh. Highly placed sources informed that this meeting was unsheduled and the DGP, who was in Phillaur last evening was specially called to Ludhiana for it.

It is learnt that the issue of transfers of the IG and the DIG Border Range, as well as the SSP, Amritsar, was discussed in detail. In fact, during a recent meeting of the Home Department officials in Chandigarh, also attended by the DGP Sarabjit Singh, the issue of transfer of these officials was discussed for immediate action.

While earlier it was believed that the Chief Minister would wait for a fortnight before finally ordering the reshuffle, today’s meeting is a clear indication that the transfers would be ordered soon.

Sources also inform that today’s meeting also discussed the issue of the transfer of the SSP’s of Ludhiana, Khanna, Gurdaspur and Patiala Senior Superintendents of Police. It is learnt that the reshuffle of the police chiefs of Ludhiana and Khanna came up as a result of the rise in the crime graph of the two police districts.