HEALTH

Process to select GMCH chief set in motion
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 27
The process to select the new Director Principal of the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, has begun, with the Chandigarh Administration inviting applications from senior doctors in Punjab and Haryana, besides the PGI.

At least 12 senior doctors of the region have applied for the post, which falls vacant on June 30, when Prof S.B.S. Mann completes his tenure. Prof Mann is on deputation to the GMCH from the PGI. The post at the GMCH is a selection post, where senior doctors come on deputation and the appointment is made in consultation with the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

The Administration has asked the parent cadres of aspirants to submit an integrity report and the Annual Confidential Report (ACR). The integrity report will provide inputs about whether any vigilance inquiry is pending with the parent cadres.

Sources said the Administration could not employ anyone above the age of 60 years. Thus Prof Mann, despite the fact that he will not retire till the age of 62 in his parent cadre of the PGI, cannot be asked to continue in the GMCH. There was speculation that Prof Mann may continue beyond June 30 as he was on deputation from the PGI and not scheduled to retire till June, 2005.

Well-placed sources clarified that rules of the Chandigarh Administration did not permit for jobs at any level beyond 60 years. If Prof Mann has to continue, it can be re-employment and not extension.

In a separate move, a case has been sent to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs — the controlling ministry for Chandigarh — seeking the raising of retirement age from 58 to 60 for senior doctors.

Union writes to CVC, minister
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 27
With the controversy surrounding the selections and promotions at the PGI refusing to die down, the PGI Employees Union has written to the Chief Vigilance Commissioner, CBI, and the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, detailing the alleged irregularities at the institute.

Addressing a press conference here today, the president of the union, Mr S.P. Bhardwaj, said a copy of the letter had been sent to the CVC and the minister so that the alleged cases of nepotism and favouritism at the PGI could be probed.

Mr Bhardwaj said they had given details of cases in the Cardiology Department and the Engineering Department at the PGI, where certain persons had been favoured. He added that they had given a copy of the letter to the PGI Director a week back.

SPORTS

Nishchey wins tennis title
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, March 27
Nishchey Rawal bagged the under-10 title in the Mount Carmel Total Tennis circuit for juniors which concluded here this evening in Sector 47. Mr Satinderjit Jit Singh, Additional Commissioner, Excise and Customs, gave away the prizes.

Mr Devender Kapoor, Director, Total Tennis Academy, said that the second leg would begin from April 2 at St Soldier’s Total Tennis Academy, Panchkula.

Results: Boys under-10: Nishchey Rawal b Shashank Shekhar 8-2; Boys under-12: Mandeep Gill b Abhairaj Singh 6-0, 6-1; Boys under-14: Yuvresh Bansal b Shail Goel 6-2, 6-1; Boys under-18: Satvir Singh b Gurmeher Brar 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Tribune TT meet

Munish defeated Umesh 21-19, 21-7 and then beat Dharminder 21-19, 21-16 in the seventh Tribune Table Tennis tournament played here today. In other matches of the day, Rajan Raikhy defeated Rajiv Bajaj, then he downed AC Bali and then went on beating Sunil Dutt. In yet another tie, Sukhvinder Sodhi beat Dharminder and Navtej in separate matches. AC Bali beat Arvind and then he defeated Chand Prakash, then Navtej overpowered Shelly while Vinay outplayed Ashu.

Tiger sees future for wrestling
Arvind Katyal

Chandigarh, March 27
Tiger Jeet Singh, the multi-millionaire non-resident Indian based in Canada and man associated with wrestling, has reiterated his commitment to work for the growth of wrestling in India. Tiger Jeet, whose real name is Jagjit Singh Hans, was here in the city for few hours this evening on his way to Ludhiana.

In a brief interaction with Chandigarh Tribune, Tiger Jeet, once the International Ambassador of the WWF, said he had launched his own company, World Wrestling Mania (WWM). Tiger said, however, WWM would take off in November this year in India and he had a lot of development plans for the sport.

A member of the United Nations, Tiger vowed to bring back the lost glory of the sport.

He said he wanted to give India whatever he had earned in wrestling over the years. He said the biggest challenge for the coming generation today was the excessive use of drugs. It was necessary to keep the children away from drugs, which was eating into the society like a termite, he added. Tiger plans to open wrestling clubs along with general health clubs in India. Tiger, who is six feet four inches tall and weighs 243 pounds, lamented that people in India were crazy for cricket, which barely has 15 playing countries, whereas games like soccer, wrestling, etc, where more than 100 countries are involved, drew a lukewarm response.