The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

HEALTH

Thefts in PGI hostels worry residents
Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 23
Last week, a room on the ground floor of the Nivedita hostel in the PGI was broken into. Fortunately for the occupant, the room had been converted into a make-shift kitchen and the burglers had to go back empty handed.

Several cases of burglary have been reported by girls of the hostel in the past, and quite a few residents have not been so fortunate. Hostel residents, mostly nursing students and the PGI staff nurses, have lost cash, jewellery, cameras and other valuables due to lax security in the hostel.

Easy access of mischievous elements into hostel rooms has led to a fear psychosis amongst the girls. Wondering at the efficiency of the security personnel, many also suspect the latter’s involvement in these incidents. “ We have reported the matter to the officials concerned.. All we have got in return are assurances. Officials tell us to change our rooms and shift elsewhere. More than losing our valuables we are worried about our personal safety,” they say.

When contacted, the PGI authorities admitted that security was one of the major problems hostel residents in the PGI. “Last year as many as 23 thefts were reported from the Nivedita hostel. The hostel has another problem in that it is spread over a large area and the building is very old. Most of the doors and windows have been damaged by termites, providing easy access to miscreants.”

“The incident reported last week probably occurred because the occupant had left a door of the room unlatched. However, security is definitely a problem and all these complaints have been forwarded to the security officer who is looking into the matter,” they add.

The authorities also suspect that the thefts are a handiwork of some insiders who know the lay-out of the hostel well. “ Following spate of such incidents last year, a PGI security personnel was apprehended and stolen goods recovered from him.

Meanwhile, to ensure better security for the residents of the Nivedita hostel, girls on the ground floor of the vulnerable blocks have been shifted to the first floor and a request to raise the boundary wall of the hostel has also been forwarded.

Incidentally, the PGI has its own security set-up with more than 200 security personnel . When contacted, officials of the PGI security staff confirmed that such incidents have taken place and the matter was under investigation. “With more than 15,000 persons visiting the PGI every day, it is tough job for us to maintain security.”

The Nivedita hostel is occupied by about 450 nursing students and staff nurses. Block A is towards the entrance and considered to be the safest. It is mostly occupied by nursing students. Blocks B, C, D, E and F are located further off Blocks C, D and F are towards the roadside and it is from these blocks that burglaries have been reported periodically.

In May this year, eight theft and burglary cases were reported in the PGI hostels. These included one in the main administrative block of the institute, Kairon Block. In other two incidents , similar incidents were also reported from the nursing hostel and the doctor’s hospital adjacent to the new OPD. In the nursing hostel, six rooms in three different blocks were broken into the same night .

Even more surprising are the cases of theft reported from the high-security Kairon Block where the resident doctors have their rooms.. Besides security checks at the third and fifth floors of the building, there are at least two security personnel posted round the clock at the main door of the administrative block.

SPORTS

GMHS-26, Shivalik school win
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, September 23
Government Model High School, Sector 26, in girls section and Shivalik Public School, Sector 41, in boys section, emerged winners on the final day of the Chandigarh Youth basketball Championships played here today at Sector 7 Sports Complex. In the girls final, GMHS-26 defeated Vivek High School, Sector 38, by 10-5. In boys final, SPS-41 outplayed New Public school, Sector 18, at 58-22.

Mr Baldev Singh, SP, UT, gave away the prizes. The three-day meet was organised by the Chandigarh Basketball association.

Barkha, Dheeraj clinch TT titles

Barkha KC of AG Punjab in women section while Dheeraj Arora in men section clinched the respective titles on the concluding day of the 2nd Chandigarh State Ranking Table Tennis Tournament organised by the Rotary Club, Chandigarh Central, and New Public school, Sector 18.

Results: (women) — Barkha KC b Shikha Sharma 11-6, 7-11, 9-11, 10-12, 11-9, 9-11,11-9; men — Dheeraj Arora b Harish Kumar 9-11,11-9, 11-6, 2-11, 11-9, 11-9.

Football tourney

Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 22, will face SAI Sports hostel, Sector 18, in the tomorrow’s final of the Chandigarh Sub-Junior girls Football Championship being played here at Football Stadium, Sector 17.

In the semi-finals played today, GMSSS-22 defeated St Stephen’s school, Sector 45 by 4-2 scored via tie breaker. Both teams were tied at 1-1 in the normal time.

In the other semi-final, SAI-18 defeated Guru Teg Bahadur School, Sector 15, at 6-0. Deepika and Prakash Chaudhary scored two goals each while Suman and Saba Anjum scored one goal each.

Cricket meet

The LIC and Indo-Dutch won by 21 runs and 84 runs respectively against OBC and United India Insurance team in the 2nd Dilwari Cricket Tournament played here today at Gursagar grounds.

In first match, LIC made 156 runs for the loss of six wickets while OBC were all out for 135 runs. In second match, Indo-Dutch team scored 139 runs and were all out while UII team were all out for 55 runs.

AMBALA

Swimming meet begins

The two-day 35th Haryana State Swimming Championship began here today.

In 200m free style (men) Gulzar Mehta was first, Govind was second and Vinod was third. In 200 m free style (boys G I) Harish was first, Vinod was second and Nimit Paul was third. In 200 m free style (boys G II) Harmanjeet Singh was first, Parminder was second and Ajay was third.

In 200 m free style (girls I) Medka was first, Geetika was second and Leena was third. In 100 m free style (girls), Abhilasha was first, Saumaya was second and Pallavi was third. In 200 m free style (boys G III), Manu was first, Dilip was second and Gaurav was third.

Conquering disability
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, September 23
It was an event of a different kind when two veteran spirited tennis players, Pardeep Lal and Jagdish Minna from Delhi, converged on the courts at Total Tennis Academy, YMCA, Sector 11, to prove their strength in spite of being handicapped by playing tennis on wheel chair.

Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Union Cabinet Minister, was the chief guest and was accompanied by his son and MLA from Sunam constituency, Mr Parminder Singh Dhindsa. Later Mr S.S. Dhindsa also announced a grant of Rs 25,000 for the academy.

The game was played with normal tennis rules except that here a player could return the serve of the opponent after two bounces instead of one bounce. The wheelchairs were also specially designed to have maximum movement.

On a brief interaction with this reporter, Pardeep Lal (51) said the wheelchair was recognised world over. Earlier, this event was organised separately but now the World Wheelchair Tennis Association was merged with International Tennis Federation and these organisations look forward to organise more tournaments in future, he added.

He said they play at DLTA Courts, Delhi, and the All-India Tennis Association Chairman, Mr R.K. Khanna, was giving them suitable support.

Jagdish Minna (46) also shared Mr Lal’s views who was employed with Railways, said in 1994, due to diabetic gangrene attack, he had to go in for replacement of his left leg. But he continued with the game. After coming into contact with Mr Lal, he had made it a point to play regular tennis. He said they both took part in various international competitions.

The exhibition match played between them was won by Pardeep at 6-3.

Deco Turf courts opened
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, September 23
An indoor facility with Deco Turf tennis and badminton courts, besides two table-tennis tables, was opened to the public in the Shivalik Public School multipurpose complex at SAS Nagar by Mr Rajan Kashyap, President of the Chandigarh Olympic Association and Chairman of the Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association. Earlier, this 80 ft x 110 ft long hall had badminton courts only.

Mr D.S. Bedi, Director Principal of the school, said in the outdoor sport like tennis the schedule gets disturbed during the rainy season. The indoor hall would now be the answer to all such problems. Mr Kashyap said the tennis events of the National Games would be held in Chandigarh and he would propose to hold some of the matches on these courts. The Deco Turf courts were laid by Syncotts International, USA, and the Indian franchisee based at Delhi, Mr Bedi said. “The courts have seven layers and better cushioned to give comfort to the players”, said Wg Cdr Beyant Singh, chief coach at the CLTA. The city sportspersons should feel proud and kudos to school management for providing this facility to the players, he added. Mr Bedi also said that a hall with capacity of more than 200 would soon have a gymnasium on its first floor. He said the concept of providing the synthetic turf courts was now fast catching up. One outdoor Deco Turf court for tennis would also be added, he said.