SPORT

A promising cager
By Arvind Katyal

CHANDIGARH, Jan 31 — Harpreet Kaur, a promising basketball player, who belongs to Todar Majra village near Kharar, and studies in class XII in Dev Samaj Girls Senior Secondary School, Sector 21, aims to be an international star in this sport. She was introduced in this game in 1997 by her school sports teacher, Harinder Singh and Paramjeet Kaur, UT Sports Department coach, moulded her into a fine player.

Harpreet first represented UT in the National School games held at Chandigarh in November 1998 in under-17 section. She took part in the National Youth Basketball Meet held at Chittorgarh (Rajasthan) in December 1999, followed by National School Games in under-19 section held at Dewas (MP) in January 1999. Harpreet said that though she belonged to village located more than 20 km, it was the guidance of her school and the Sports Authority of India training Centre in Sector 18, where she was enrolled as trainee.

Harpreet who wanted to don national colours in this sport, said she also took part in the S. Nachattar Singh Memorial Basketball Tournament held at Kotkapura in November last year. Harpreet said that while playing in the Ishwar Shriman Dev Samaj Basketball Tournament organised for different schools of the city and nearby areas, she was able to score 18 points which won appreciation for many quarters. Harpreet also helped her school won second place in the UT Inter-School Basketball Meet.

Harpreet opines that more training camps at national level should be held and national level tournament may also be conducted so that players were able to get regular exposure.

UT athletics meet
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, Jan 31 — Sakshi of Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 16, among the girls and Surinder Singh of Government Senior Secondary school, Karsan, among the boys, emerged winners each in the 200 metres race in the under-14 section of the UT Schools Athletics meet here today at the Sports Complex, Sector 7.

The winners in other section included: under-19 (boys) triple jump —Vijaypal; javelin throw — Sanjeev; 800 mt — Manoj; (girls) 200 mt —Veena Yadav; 800 mt — Veena Yadav; javelin throw — Mukesh.

under-17 (boys) 200 mt — Yogesh; 800 mt — Jatinder; triple jump — Harminder; (girls) 200 mt — Balwinder Kaur; 800 mt — Reetu.

under-14 (boys) high jump — Karan Rathore; 600 mt — Charandeep; (girls): 600 mt — Gurbaz Kaur.

Women boxing team
The Chandigarh Amateur Boxing Association has selected an eight-member UT Women boxing team for the Ist National Women Boxing Championship to be held at Chennai from February 6 to11. They were selected on the basis of their performance in the recently concluded UT State meet.

The team is: Aarti Negi in 42-45 kg; Harshpreet Kaur in 45-48 kg; Vidushi in 48-51 kg; Manpreet Kaur in 51-54 kg; Shveta Suneja in 54-57 kg; Mandeep Kaur in 57-60 kg; Sachdeep Kaur in 60-63 kg; Jyoti Gupta in 67-71 kg.

Ms Satnam Kaur, Mr D.S. Negi and Mr Balkar Singh will accompany the team as officials, according to Mr C.K. Jerath, Secretary of the CABA.

ADMINISTRATION

Report on dissolution of MC sub-panels submitted
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 31 — The MC Commissioner, Mr M.P. Singh, has submitted a report regarding the dissolution of the nine sub-committees of the Municipal Corporation and the proceedings of the special MC house meeting to the UT Administration.

The UT Finance Secretary, Mr Rakesh Singh, who is also Secretary, Local Bodies Department, said that the report had been sent to the Legal Remembrancer (LR) to get the issue of dissolution of the sub-committees legally examined and the matter is likely to be resolved by tomorrow evening. While the report has been sent by the Commissioner, the proceedings of the special meeting, which are recorded with the approval of the Mayor, are yet to be received and the decision will also depend on that, he added.

Sources reveal the Commissioner has in the report revealed, that Act is very clear that when four members stand in the House and demand voting, it has to be done. Any proceedings conducted on the floor of the House after that, be it dissolution by the Mayor or adjournment, are prima facie against the provisions of the Act and violative of law.

MC Commissioner, M.P. Singh, when contacted, said that the future course of action on the issue will depend on the decision by the Administration. He pointed out that as per the Act, the government has the supervisory powers and the directions issued by it will be binding on the civic body. The issue, which is being examined is whether the dissolution of committees by the Mayor and subsequent reconstitution of committees is as per the law and if the Mayor could adjourn the meeting without the consent of the majority in the House. The decision is awaited.

The BJP-SAD councillors had in a memorandum submitted to the Adviser to the UT Administrator pointed out the irregularities committed by the Mayor in dissolving these sub-committees without allowing voting in the House. The Mayor has no authority to dissolve these sub-committees for the House had earlier through a resolution only empowered him to nominate members to these sub-committees. Secondly, the Mayor adjourned the meeting without the consent of the majority and left the House along with the official. They had subsequently under the deputy mayor passed a resolution withdrawing powers of the mayor to constitute these committees and had also constituted a five-member sub-committee (Mayor, 2 BJP, I SAD, and one nominated) to renominate members to these sub-committees.

Following this, the MC had sought an opinion from the Administration on the issue. Official sources disclose that as per the Act, the Mayor should have allowed voting on the resolution moved by the BJP councillor seeking dissolution of these committees for four of them demanded it on the floor of the House and as per the Act, it is mandatory of him to do so. Secondly, he cannot adjourn the meeting without the consent of the majority.

Mayor Raj Kumar Goyal on his part terms the proceedings conducted by the 14 BJP-SAD councillors in his absence to be “illegal”. He says that the five members sub-committee made by them to constitute the nine sub-committees is invalid for they have no right to do so. He added that he will constitute the same in consultation with the nominated and BJP councillors and give due representation in accordance with the resolution passed in the 37th adjourned meeting of the House.

Only 31 HUDA sites find takers
Tribune News Service

PANCHKULA, Jan 31 — Despite high expectations, the auction of 131 commercial sites in the city was a dampener, with only 31 of these going under the hammer at the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) office in Sector 6 here today.

Though bidders in large numbers were present at the venue, there were hardly any takers for the sites, most of which had been making it to subsequent actions without proving attractive enough for any bids. Against a reserve price of Rs 4.79 crore, HUDA netted Rs 7.87 crore, in which the sites of prime interest were those in Sectors 6 and 7. These included booths with and without basements, as well as SCOs.

The highest bid came for the only three-storey shop-cum-office in Sector 7. It went for Rs 1.21 crore against a reserve price of Rs 45 lakh. This site generated a lot of interest among the bidders. A total of 11 sites were auctioned. Booths with a reserve price of Rs 8.30 lakh went for Rs 21 to 22 lakh. Others were priced between Rs 9.10 lakh and Rs 10.05 lakh. The three-storey SCO with a reserve price of Rs 33.80 lakh went for Rs 44.50 lakh. A corner plot in Sector 10 netted Rs 8 lakh more than the reserve price of Rs 110.50 lakh.

Eleven sites resumed by HUDA for non-payment of dues were also auctioned. There were no takers for the 10 sites in the city centre in Sector 5, supposed to be developed as the hub of commercial activity. None of the sites in Mansa Devi Complex and Sectors 2, 11, 12 and 17 were auctioned. Mr Shrikant Walgad, Administrator of HUDA, said the sites near the petrol pump in Sector 8 would be put up for auction next time in addition to other commercial sites resumed.