HEALTH

City identified as iodine-deficient area
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 7
More than 9 million persons are suffering from iodine deficiency disorders (IDDs) in the country and out of the 236 districts, Chandigarh is one of the hyper-endemic areas. This was stated by Dr M.P. Manocha, Director, Family Welfare, UT, while inaugurating a workshop cum seminar on national iodine deficiency disorders control programme organised by the Director of Field Publicity, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, New Delhi, here today.

Dr Manocha explained to the participants various forms of iodine deficiency disorders and the reasons why iodine content in our diet had depleted.

SPORTS

Inter-varsity volleyball title for GGS-26
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, February 7
The Guru Gobind Singh College for Women, Sector 26, bagged the Panjab University Inter-college Volleyball (women) Championship for the session 2001-02. The second place went to the Government College for Girls, Sector 11, while Government College, Hoshiarpur, and MCM DAV College for Women, Sector 36, got third and fourth place respectively.

Volleyball tourney

The All India Audit and Accounts Volleyball Tournament (North zone) began here today at the Sports Complex, Sector 7 with inauguration done by Ms Mohua Chatterjee, Principal Accountant General (A&E), Punjab. In the opening match of the day, AG, Punjab, beat AG, Haryana, 17-25, 25-18, 25-14, 25-18 in a thrilling tie. Spikers Anil Nainta, Vijay Ahuja, Gagandeep and Dalip Jairath displayed an attacking play.

In other match of the day, AG, Audit, Delhi, went down fighting to AG, HP, 7-25, 16-25, 16-25. Later in the afternoon, AG, Punjab, got the better of AG, UP Allahabad, 25-21, 25-20, 25-22. The finals will be played between AG, HP, and AG UP, at 3 pm tomorrow.

Annual Athletics Meet

The two-day 47th Annual Athletics Meet of the local Government College of Education, Sector 20, began here today. In the girls section, the winners were, Rupinder, Shruti, Sudeshna, Payal, Kalsang, while in the boys section, the winners were, Kapil, Dinesh, Jasmeir in various sections.

Indian Sports Meet

The Annual Indoor Sports Meet of the local Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, was held today where as many as 300 persons, including students, resident doctors, faculty, nurses and other staff members took part. The events were organised in Table Tennis, carom, chess, badminton and Chinese chekker. Earlier, the meet was inaugurated by Prof S.B.S. Mann, Director Principal of the college, while the function ended with a vote of thanks by Dr C.S. Gautam, secretary sports, GMC, Chandigarh.

ADMINISTRATION

HUDA, MC lock horns over building
Ruchika M. Khanna
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, February 7
The Haryana Urban Development Authority and the local Municipal Council seem to have locked horns over the issue of providing a building for the Municipal Council here. The proposed construction of a slaughter house and meat market, too, hangs fire as a result of this standoff.

Though HUDA authorities have offered to provide land to Municipal Council for constructing a building in Sector 5 here, it comes at an exorbitant price, which the latter is reportedly unwilling to pay.

Sources inform that the issue of constructing a building to house the Municipal Council was discussed during a high-level meeting between the Public Health Department, HUDA and Urban Development Department, held here earlier. It was decided that if plot-holders in Panchkula had been priced for the construction of a Town Hall at the time of allotment of plots, the same be provided by HUDA before the developed sectors are handed over to the council.

Following this, an exercise was carried out by HUDA and it was ascertained that the plot-holders had not been charged for the construction of a Town Hall/ Municipal Office.

It has since been decided that the Municipal Council office will be constructed by the council itself. Reliable sources informed that while HUDA had earlier offered four bays in Sector 4 institutional area for establishment of the office, the latter had rejected this on the pretext that a more centrally located and independent area be identified for establishment of this office.

The Municipal Council has been operating from the Sector 4 Community Centre, much to the annoyance of residents of this sector. The Sector 4 Resident Welfare Association has time and again appealed to the authorities that the Community Centre be vacated by the MC for their own use.

Meanwhile, the issue of constructing a slaughter house and meat market in the township, which was discussed in the meeting chaired by Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, too, has been hanging fire.

It was decided that HUDA would within one year provide the basic infrastructure for a slaughter house and meat market. The HUDA authorities have now asked the District Town Planner and Executive Officer, Municipal Council, to identify a site for the purpose. A suitable site, within the Municipal Council limits here, is now being identified.

It is also learnt that HUDA will have to provide for other basic infrastructure like cremation ground, Transport Nagar, disposal/landfill site for solid waste management plants for proper maintenance and operation of essential services in the town.

No bonus for UT employees
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, February 7
Employees of the Chandigarh Administration will not get bonus as the Government of India has rejected their plea on the matter. Employee unions had been demanding release of bonus and arrears for the past four years. This would have cost to Rs 40 crore to the exchequer.

The Government of India has said since Chandigarh follows the Punjab pattern for salaries and employee service rules, bonus cannot be paid unless the Punjab Government takes the first step and pays bonus to its own staff.