HEALTH

Osteoporosis camp from today
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 28 — The Department of Orthopaedics, GMCH, Sector 32, is organising a two-day osteoporosis camp beginning on March 1.

According to Prof Raj Bahadur, Head of the Orthopaedics Department, GMCH, this will be the third camp of its kind. The department, in its earlier camps, had screened more than 200 high risk patients for osteoporosis.

The disease is mostly seen in the elderly population when the bones are weak and prone to fractures from trivial injuries.

Earlier, the disease was common only in the developed country but with the life expectancy increasing in India, there has been an increase in the cases of osteoporosis, adds Prof Raj Bahadur. If detected in time, the disease can be treated with drugs and change in life style.

ADMINISTRATION

HUDA auction in Sec 8 a success
Tribune News Service

PANCHKULA, Feb 28 — The HUDA auction of commercial sites proved to be a success as 22 of these in Sector 8 here fetched Rs 11.58 crore today. This was against a reserve price of Rs 7.33 crore and the highest bid was upto Rs 78.40 lakh.

However, only about half of the total sites on auction were sold. The bidders paid HUDA Rs 31.73 crore for 61 out of the 125 sites.

There were, however, no takers for the 36 sites in Sector 25, though there was a demand for the SCOs and double-storey shops with basements.

A large number of bidders thronged the HUDA office today. The auction of the SCO sites in Sectors 8 and 9 consumed most of the time.

The highest bid was for a three-storey corner SCO with basement that had a reserve price of Rs 56.59 lakh and went for Rs 78.40 lakh. Prices of similar sites ranged between Rs 66 lakh and Rs 70.90 lakh.

The auction of two-storey shops with basements also fetched HUDA a substantial amount, as bids were between Rs 35.10 lakh and Rs 30.11 lakh against the reserve prices of Rs 12.68 lakh and Rs 11.06 lakh for corner and other shops, respectively.

In Sector 9 as well, the auction elicited tremendous response from buyers. A three-storey corner SCO with basement fetched Rs 77 lakh against a reserve price of Rs 56.59 lakh. The other adjoining 11 shops facing the main commercial area in Sector 5 also brought in about Rs 8 crore.

Small shops also attracted many bidders, the highest bid being Rs 44.60 lakh against a reserve price of Rs 22.12 lakh. The lowest bid for the same site was Rs 42 lakh.

In Sector 20, the SCO auction fetched almost Rs 8 lakh, much more than the reserve price.

For nine sites, the highest bid was Rs 54.80 lakh against a reserve price of Rs 46.80 lakh. Some sites in this sector failed to invite bidders, while those in Sector 25 had no takers.

SP office’s phone disconnected
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGAR, Feb 28 — Financial constraints faced by the Punjab police appears to be now hitting at its telecommunication network in the town. The telephone connection at the two police stations and in the office of the Superintendent of Police, SAS Nagar, have been disconnected by the Telecom Department due to non-payment of bills running in thousands of rupees.

Sources in the Telecommunication Department said over Rs 57,000 was due with the Police Department on account of the payment of telephone bills of the Phase 1 police station ( 670810), Sohana Police Station (262006) and the SP office (670755). It was not the first time the phones had been disconnected, said telecommunication officials.

While the police officials say Police Control Room (PCR) No. 100 was functional and the public could use it. However, the residents lament that at times the PCR number was out of order and they had to travel to the police station to inform about an incident. The much touted police-public coordination appears to the worst hit by the disconnected telephones.