Bed strength increased at APC
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 21
Under the second phase of the Advanced Paediatric Centre (APC), the PGI, apart from increasing the existing bed strength, has introduced injection and ambulatory services.

Under the second phase, the bed strength will be increased to 300 from the existing 180. “ The bed strength will be gradually increased and as such we have raised the number from 36 to 60 in the general paediatric ward and six to 12 in the intensive care unit,” said PGI officials.

The injection and ambulatory services would be useful for children who do not require hospitalisation, but need to be monitored for some time after being given drugs or injections. These services were made functional from yesterday.

With the Central Expenditure Finance Committee according approval to the APC second Phase, additional faculty, resident doctors, staff nurses and other para-medical staff will be recruited. “Laboratories are being made functional and as the equipment is installed, the staff strength will also be increased,” they added. In fact, out of the sanctioned strength of 134 nurses for the second phase, 33 have already joined.

Even though there are 140 beds in the various wards of the APC and an additional 40 at the neonatal ICU in the hospital, there are occasions when there is shortage with patients from the entire region being referred to the PGI. 

SPORTS

Mandeep, Ashish win badminton tournament
Our Sports Reporter

Panchkula, January 21
The final day of the VIIIth Tara Chand Memorial All-India Junior Ranking Badminton Tournament brought cheers to Chandigarh’s Mandeep Singh and Haryana’s Ashish, who romped home with boys under-16 and under-13 titles, respectively. The four-day tournament ended this evening at the newly built badminton hall in sports complex, Sector 3, Panchkula.

Mr L.M. Mehta, Secretary to Government of India, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, was the chief guest and gave away cash awards to the tune of Rs 2 lakh to the winners of various events. Mr Mehta appreciated the efforts made by the Haryana Badminton Association in conducting this national-level junior meet.

Mr N.C. Wadhwa, Chief Administrator, HUDA, and Mr DS Dhesi, Commissioner , Sports and Youth Welfare, Haryana spoke on the occasion.

In the boys under-16 final, Mandeep Singh, the dark horse of the tournament, toiled hard in overcoming a stiff challenge of GM Nandish of Karnataka 15-12,15-13. Mandeep was good in every department of the game and did not allow his opponent to surge ahead at any point. Ashish, who bagged the under-13 title, also faced a tough resistance from Nependra Singh of UP in a three-game thriller with scores of 15-11,14-17,15-9. Earlier, Prerak Sharma of Haryana, an upcoming player of Panchkula, too, played a valiant game with Ashish before losing.

Nishad Dravid of Maharashtra clinched the under-19 title when he overpowered Mayank Behl of Punjab 15-13,15-6 in the final.

Other results are: all finals: Girls under-13: IRD Sharwani (AP) b Jancy James (AP) 11-8,11-3; girls under-16: Saina Nehwal (AP) b Abontika Deka (Asm) 11-8,6-11,11-8; Girls under19: Aditi Mutatkar (Mah) b B. Srilakshmi (AP) 11-9,11-8.

ADMINISTRATION

F&CC okays privatisation of 123 public toilets
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 21
The Finance and Contract Committee of the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh here today privatised the maintenance and operation of 123 public toilets and 47 mobile toilets across the city to herald better upkeep of the public conveniences.

The issue has been hanging fire for four to five years amidst complaints of extremely bad condition of toilets, allegations of anti-social elements camping there for gambling and drinking.

The committee, which met here today, under the Chairmanship of the new Mayor Subhash Chawla, who was earlier also a member of the committee, cleared the terms and conditions of maintenance and operation of the public toilets with a condition that the contractor would make around 40 to 42 abandoned toilets operational within three months.

The terms and conditions will now be placed before the House for the final approval. The privatisation will also bring relief to the Municipal Corporation and the people as it will relieve the Medical Officer, Health staff, of duties on these places to make available more staff for cleaning in sectors.

The committee also approved the installation of eight boosters and five deep bore tubewells at the cost of Rs 1.3 crore, mostly in the areas that were affected by cholera, to augment water supply in these areas.

The clearance of these water augmentation measures was taken on the basis of the report on spread of cholera which said the paucity of drinking water in the affected areas had led to digging up of pits which had caused contamination of water.

The committee directed officials to make these boosters and deep bore tubewells operational by April ahead of the next crisis season in these areas.

The committee also approved armed security to water works of the city suggested by the Administrator, Lieut-Gen J.F.R. Jacob (retd) during his visit to water works.

STD, fax and photocopy operators working from domestic areas has got a relief with the committee deciding not to charge them commercial rates.

The committee also resolved to seek a grant of Rs 1 crore for interest liability on GPF of employees from the government.