HEALTH

Union thanks Thakur
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh , June 4
Following reinstatement of its General Secretary, Mr Aswini Munjal, the PGI Employees Union has said that it will continue with its struggle for the cause of workers and fight against corruption. In a press release, the union has claimed that with the cooperation of the Union Health Ministry it can help save at least 25 per cent of the total budget of the PGI.

SPORTS

Camp for skaters in Chandigarh
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, June 4
Hansraj Skating Club once again showed its prowess when its 10 skaters figured in the total 40 skaters selected who attended the first day of the camp here at Chandigarh. As many as 20 girls and equal number of boys were selected last evening by the selection committee of the Roller Skating Federation of India which took note of the skaters’ performance in two-day trials.

Ten skaters from the Panchkula Club comprising of eight girls and two boys will attend 12-day camp to be held till June 15 at Skating Rink, Sector 10. The girls are — Ryesha Rajput, Saruchi Chandel, Anuja Chauhan, Priyanka Sharma, Amrita Singh, Preeti Joshi and Pallavi Kabra. The two boys who made it from Hansraj Club are Nirmal Nanda and Subodh Saggi.

In August next, they will have the chance to take part in the world games to be held at Russia where all the non-Olympic games disciplines will figure. Then in September next the selected skaters will represent India in the 8th Asian Skating Meet going to be held at Chinese Taipei.

When this reporter visited the venue of the camp, the skaters were in high spirits. Ryesha Rajput was quite jubilant and said she was happy to be in the probables and will work hard to make it to the final team.

Priyanka Sharma and Amrita Singh had represented India in 1999 in the Asian Skating Meet held at Shanghai (China) said they had practice whole-heartedly, so they expected coming in final team. Subodh Saggi among boys, who has returned to active skating after few years, said it was all because of Ms Rajni Thareja, principal of the school, who was quite helpful for all the skaters who train there.

Handball tourney

The Maintenance Command outplayed the Southern Air Command by 25-12, while the Eastern Air Command outscored the Training Command at 15-8 with half-time score of 13-5. The Central Air Command defeated the South Western Air Command at 27-23 in the fourth day of the Air Force Handball Championship played here today at 12 wing AF.

Cricket tourney

The Association of Chandigarh Cricket will organise first St Joseph’s Cricket Trophy (under-16) from June 8 at DAV Senior Secondary School, Sector 8. The matches will be of 40 overs duration except the final match which will be of 90 overs. Entries close with Mr Girish Kapoor.

ADMINISTRATION

‘MP fund under-utilised’
Our Correspondent

Panchkula, June 4
A sum of over Rs 1,700 crore of the MP funds has been lying unutilised with the different district administrations in the country. The District Commissioners of different states have hardly taken any step to utilise the fund for which it has been allocated by the Government of India.

This was stated by Mr Ratan Lal Kataria, President of the Haryana BJP and MP from Ambala, while talking to mediapersons here today

Mr Kataria said that Rs 3.28 crore had been spent from the MP funds on 455 development schemes launched by the Panchkula district administration and Rs 40 lakh was yet to be spent.

He alleged that Mr O. P. Chautala had ignored him while taking important decisions. He said though Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, Prime Minister, had directed us to cooperate the Haryana Chief Minister, he had ignored the BJP MPs.

While talking on SYL canal issue, Mr Kataria claimed that the BJP would come in full majority in Haryana and the issue would certainly be solved. The BJP government had already solved the Kaveri issue. The Chief Ministers of Punjab and Haryana should solve the SYL issue as it was in favour of both states.

Admn submits Rs 320-lakh proposal for 4-lane road
Poonam Batth
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 4
To rectify certain structural flaws and to extend the existing stretch of the national highway from the Sector 26 Transport Chowk to the Dhillon theatre chowk in Mani Majra into a four-lane track on either side, the Engineering Wing of the Administration has submitted a Rs 320.45-lakh proposal to the Ministry of Surface Transport for technical approval. The proposal was approved in principle in March this year (dual-divided carriageway).

According to official sources, the work on this project will begin after the money comes from the Central Road Fund. At present, the said road is 33 ft wide on either side. Each lane is 11ft wide and it is proposed to add another lane on each side, making it 44 ft wide four lanes on each side.

Considering the number of accidents on this stretch, the widening of the existing road will be a boon for the commuters as it is expected to reduce the flow of traffic.

A senior official in the engineering wing said that as part of widening of this road, modalities are also being worked out to do away with the 2-3 ft wide central verge passing through this road. Expert opinion on how to remove the verge without weakening the four-lane bridge has been sought from a Delhi-based consultant.

The 0.9 mm expansion joint cantilever, which is between the dual carriageway connecting the box culvert bridge, may not be able to take the heavy load of traffic, after the verge is removed. Hence, the authorities need to look for an alternative whereby they can remove the verge and retain the strength of the bridge.

Sources disclose that the central verge poses hindrance to the commuters, particularly at night, and obstructs smooth flow of traffic.

To ensure segregation of traffic, lanes will be demarcated fast and slow-moving traffic. Senior officials are of the view that since the high-level bridge across Sukhna choe on the Chandigarh-Kalka road is already of four lanes, it makes more sense to have four-lane roads on both sides . The bridge structure, which was under construction for a very long time, has finally been completed at an approximate cost of Rs 3.5 crore and another Rs 1.6 crore on approach roads.

Sources further said that eight laning will further reduce congestion on the busy Chandigarh-Panchkula road, particularly when traffic from the third alternative route towards Panchkula starts flowing on it towards the end of this month.

The Engineering Wing has already started on this alternative route, which will start from St Kabir School, Sector 26, and lead to Modern Housing Complex, Mani Majra and then join the link road turning left near from Mani Majra crossing. This will not only cut short about a kilometre of distance to Panchkula but also reduce traffic congestion on Madhya Marg from Sector 7 roundabout to Dhillon theatre in Mani Majra. Motorists will rejoin the highway to Panchkula at the railway traffic lights.

This link will prove an easy approach for school and college students since majority of educational institutions are located on this belt. The new route will ease the congestion on the main highway towards Panchkula.

Meanwhile, plans are also afoot to construct a 12-lane-wide flyover. The UT Administration, which is to construct this bridge in collaboration with the Railway authorities, has requested that the bridge should be built near Hallo Majra village (behind Ordnance factory) and should be 12-laned instead of 6-laned. Of these, six lanes will cater to incoming traffic, the other six will cater to the outgoing traffic. Thus, the width on the side of the roads will be 66ft. If the project sees the light of the day, this will not only be the widest road of the city but the flyover will also be one of its kind in this region beyond Delhi.

Admn effects interim changes for various departments
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 4
The Chandigarh Administration today effected interim changes for the handling of various departments at the Secretary level. This was done as Finance Secretary Rakesh Singh has proceeded on leave and is not expected to return till June 11, while his tenure in Chandigarh ends on June 14. Meanwhile, the name of Mr Karan. A. Singh, is pending approval at the level of Prime Minister’s Office and he may join before Mr Rakesh Singh’s tenure ends.

Various departments handled by Mr Rakesh Singh have been distributed among the Adviser to the UT Administrator, Ms Neeru Nanda, the Home Secretary, Mr R.S. Gujral and the Chairman of the Chandigarh Housing Board, Mr G.K. Marwah.

As per the orders issued today, the Adviser, in addition to her existing duties, will also be Secretary, Forest, Environment and Engineering. The Home Secretary, will also be Secretary for Finance, Revenue and Excise and Taxation, Local Government, Information Technology, Urban Development. He will also be Chief Administrator and Chief Electoral Officer. The Home Secretary will relinquish the work of Secretary, Industries, Labour, Printing and Stationery, and the same has been handed over to Mr G.K. Marwah.

In addition, Mr Marwah will also be Secretary Health.

Promotion, transfer and posting
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 4
The Chief Judicial Magistrate of Chandigarh, Mr Sant Parkash, has been posted to Gurgaon as Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) while the Member-Secretary of the UT State Legal Services Authority, Mr B.B. Parsoon, has been posted to Ambala, also as ADSJ.

According to an order, UT Legal Remembrancer Satish Ahlawat has been posted from Chandigarh to Hisar on promotion as ADSJ. The Joint L.R. to Haryana Government, Ms Navita Singh, has also been posted from Chandigarh to Karnal as ADSJ. ADSJ B.M. Bedi has been posted to Chandigarh from Hisar as Joint Registrar of Special Cell (Enquiry) on the establishment of the court.

Rewari’s ADSJ S.K. Kapoor has been transferred from Rewari to Panchkula, while Panchkula’s ADSJ Darshan Singh has been posted to Fatehabad. Panchkula CJM Ved Pal Gupta has been posted to Rewari on promotion as ADSJ.