The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

SPORTS

Sector 42 badminton hall needs upgrading
Arvind Katyal

Chandigarh, July 4
Chandigarh has once again got the nod to hold this year’s North Zone Inter-state Badminton Championship which is likely to be held from September 7 to 9.

Unofficially, the Sector 42 Indoor Badminton Hall has been decided as the venue for the championship. But this hall reminds one of the bad experience of the year 2000 when it played host to the Junior National Championships. Then in this three-court hall, only two could be made functional. Though the third one was also prepared hurriedly, but it did not get approval from the UT Sports Department.

Last year, the Chandigarh State Championships were also held here, but arrangements came in for criticism as some of the players received injuries while playing here.

This hall remained a centre of controversy right from its beginning. About 13 years ago, multi-halogen lights were installed here at a huge cost under the supervision of the then Chief Engineer, Mr K.K. Jerath. Installation of these lights was criticised by even the technical officials of the Badminton Association of India. In most of the badminton halls throughout the country and even abroad, there is a practice of installing hanging tubelights as these do not put any glare in the players’ eye while playing.

Wooden flooring of the hall got destroyed due to the faulty design. Moreover the design of the hall is also not good. A national badminton player, who met this reporter a few months back, had commented that most of the space was utilised but very few facilities were actually put into practical shape. There was no residential facility available in the hall. Even the seating capacity was limited. Overall, the whole structure seems to be a white elephant with very few advantages.

ADMINISTRATION

Enforcement panel meeting on July 15
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 4
Recommendations for a new enforcement strategy were today delayed at least for a week with the Enforcement Committee of the Municipal Corporation deciding to hold another meeting on July 15.

The committee at its meeting held today under the chairmanship of Mr Subhash Chawla decided to call the Municipal Corporation Secretary to seek suggestions as to how enforcement in the city could be made more effective.

The committee had been asked by the House to make recommendations to the Mayor, Ms Lalit Joshi, by this week for making the enforcement machinery more effective.

The Enforcement Tehsildar of the Municipal Corporation was called by the Committee to know why the department was not able to completely remove encroachments.

The Tehsildar explained his handicap in dealing with encroachment.

Shortage of staff and low penalties were cited as reasons.

He said that he would require a Naib Tehsildar, 20 Sub-Inspectors instead of four and amendment in the Municipal Corporation Act for increasing penalties for a more effective effort.

The Tehsildar is reported to have said that in the Sector 7 market the material of shopkeepers was so heavy that the Department’s labour failed to lift it and special machines were required for the purpose.

The shortage of labour resulted in only removing one encroachment in a market while others were able to escape the enforcement campaign, he said.

Few takers for commercial sites
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, July 4
The auction of commercial sites in various sectors drew a poor response with just 12 of the 114 sites put on auction being sold today.

The authorities had hoped for a better response, especially after the last successful auction of commercial sites in various sectors in May.

The auction of these commercial sites — booth sites, built-up booths, semi-constructed showroom sites and double-storeyed shop sites in Sectors 11, 12, 20 and Sector 5 of Mansa Devi complex — yielded Rs 4.16 crore, a mere Rs 10 lakh more than the reserve price.

The last auction of commercial sites in Sectors 7, 8 and 11 and Sectors 4 and 5 of Mansa Devi complex had yielded Rs 13.28 crore.

The booth sites and double-storeyed shop sites in Sector 8, right opposite the City Centre, failed to attract any bidders. Even the showroom sites, SCOs , service shop, booth sites in Sectors 12, 12-A and 26 were not sold.

UT Market Committee may hold Apni Mandis
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 4
The Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh may ask the Market Committee of the Union Territory to organise Apni (kisan) Mandis in the city from now onwards. Earlier, the Punjab Mandi Board was organising these mandis.

This was discussed here today in the Apni Mandi Committee of the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh held under the chairpersonship of Ms Pushpa Sharma.

The committee recommended to increase the charge for organising a kisan mandi from Rs 500 to Rs 1000.

The committee also discussed the possibility of exploring the possibility of giving on a commission basis the area adjacent to kisan mandis to local vendors on contract basis.

The corporation has been advised to acquire land adjacent to mandis for giving a separate place for vendors.

The segregation of vendors and farmers will help the corporation realise higher revenue.

The committee, however, will honour farmers of Punjab and Haryana through the Market Committee.