HEALTH

MINZ CASE
PGI told to file reply in 10 days
Tribune News Service

The issue regarding headship of the General Surgery Department is likely to come up for discussion even at the PGI Governing Body meeting, scheduled to be held in Delhi on December 12. Unconfirmed sources, said the Standing Finance Committee meeting to be held on the same day in Delhi, has been postponed as the Union Health Secretary, who is the Chairman of the body is going abroad.

Is PGI ‘ego clash’ hitting academic panel work?
Pratibha Chauhan
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 10
Is it the ego clash between the PGI Director, Prof S.K. Sharma, and Dr R.J. Dash, head of the Standing Academic Committee, which is hampering the work of the important body, which has not been able to hold a meeting for the past one year ?

“Despite the repeated orders of the Health Ministry to appoint Dr Dash as Chairman of the Standing Academic Committee , there has been a controversy over the matter and even now PGI authorities have sent a note to the Health Minister to recast the committee,” revealed a senior doctor. The matter came up for discussion at the last institute body meeting held on September 29.

The former Health Minister, Mr C.P. Thakur, had initially appointed Dr Manmohan Singh as chairman of the academic committee, but the latter desired that since he did not have expertise in medical matters, someone else may be given the post. “ In fact the then Health Secretary, Mr J.A. Chowdhury , had requested the Health Minister to appoint someone else as the chairman as Director PGI had said that a number of issues had piled due to the delay in holding of the meeting,” revealed a source.

In his letter to the minister, the Health Secretary had clearly pointed out that it was necessary for a replacement to be appointed expeditiously as chairman, academic committee, as work was suffering.” It is surprising that the Director, Prof Sharma, who wanted an immediate replacement early this year, has not held a single meeting of the academic committee, ever since Dr Dash has been made the chairman,” said a senior official.

In fact, the former Health Minister, Mr C.P. Thakur, in his letter dated March 15 , had expressed displeasure that his orders had not been implemented regarding appointment of Dr Dash, and asked Secretary, Health, to direct the PGI Director to implement his orders immediately. “ I am informed that my orders have not been implemented till date because of the confusion that a Professor of the institute cannot be chairman of the academic committee when the Director is a member-secretary. Both Dr P. Venugopal at AIIMS and Dr Dash at the PGI have been in service at the two institutes long before the incumbent Directors,” Dr Thakur had said in his letter.

In fact, Dr Thakur had gone to the extent of saying that when Dr Dash and Dr Venugopal , both internationally renowned doctors had no qualms in working under their junior as Director, then why should the Directors not be members of advisory bodies headed by them. “ It is simply a question of ego, as a result of which the institute has had to suffer as the standing academic committee is a very important body,” observed a senior faculty member.

The academic committee looks after important issues like creating new departments and posts, selecting residents , giving research grants and holding entrance examination to MS and MD courses.

SPORTS

Czech badminton team visits DAV school
Our Sports Reporter

Radek, the coach of the Czech badminton team said we could never imagine that in India and at Chandigarh sportspersons get this type of facility in a school. He said in our country, the schools do not have access to such special facilitiies, though various sports centres were equipped with such facilities.

Primary school tournament

A three day annual primary school tournament of the UT Education Department began today and was inaugurated by Mr D.S. Mangat, DPI Schools, UT. Later the players were also introduced to Ms Asha Sharma, District Education Officer, UT. In the kabaddi matches Government Primary School, Burail defeated Government Primary School, Palsora by 47-17 while Government Primary School, Manimajra defeated Government Primary School, Palsora Colony by 48-23.

Cricket tournament

Atma Ram Kumar Sabha School, Patiala and DAV Senior Secondary School, Amritsar, got the better of Sargodha National Public School, Ludhiana, and MDSD Higher Secondary School, Kapurthala, by 153 runs and 105 runs, respectively, in the PCA-Parle cricket tournament played here today at Chandigarh and SAS Nagar.

Scores: Ist tie: ARKS, Patiala-236 runs for nine in 40 overs (Ankur Jand 46, Tarun 30, Anil 24, Bhupinder 22, Sandeep 24, Tejinder 24, Lakshay 19 n.o., Amarjeet 2 for 61, Gurmeet 2 for 38, Sushant 2 for 26). SNP School, Ludhiana 83 runs for nine (Pankaj 16, (retd hurt), Sushant 15, H Pavitar 2 for 19, Nirmal 2 for 12,

IInd tie: DAVSSS, Amritsar 213 runs all out in 45.4 overs (Harmanjeet 91, Mayank 63, Tarun Sharma 4 for 34, Baljinder 3 for 47, Abhinav 2 for 31). MDSD Higher Secondary School, Kapurthala: 108 runs all out in 40.4 overs (Rameshwar 29, Dharamvir 13, Jatinder 3 for 19, Tarun 2 for 11, Karan Davesar 2 for 21).

32nd National Games

A 12-member UT wrestling team, including four women, will take part in the 32nd National Games to be held in Hyderabad from December 13 to 20. The men team: Inderpal Singh, Baljit Singh, Rakesh Batra, Vikas, Gurpreet Singh, Rajinder Singh, Manjit Singh and Ranjit Singh. Women: Manisha Kumari, Madhulika, Sarabjit Kaur and Meena Dogra. H.S. Bansal and Arjan Singh will accompany the team as the manager and the coach, respectively.

Carrom meet

Harbinder, Vinay, Bhupinder and Anil entered the doubles final of the Tribune Carrom tournament played here today. In the singles event, Vijay and Jaspal made it to the final.

Results: (doubles) Harbinder and Vinay bt Rajinder and Chand Parkash 25-10; Bhupinder and Anil Bhardwaj bt Vijay and Monu Sharma 24-20.