HEALTH

UT refuses cash to Eye Bank
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 16
Facing with a severe financial crunch, the Chandigarh Eye Bank Society is finding the going tough. The UT Administration has refused to bail it out by declining a Rs 2 lakh annual grant-in-aid.

Despite their efforts to generate awareness on eye donations the society is facing a lot of problems as they do not have enough money to pay their employees, including a social worker and a technician. They have not been getting the grant for the past five years.

It was in 1997 that on the orders of the Adviser to the UT Administrator, the society was given a grant-in-aid of Rs 4 lakh for buying a van and for its informative and education activities. The Chandigarh Eye Bank Society, which came into being in 1992, has the Adviser as its president.

“Though it had been clearly stated in the letter in 1997 that Rs 2 lakh would be given to the society as the annual grant, the same has not been given,” rues a member of the society. He added that a mere Rs 50,000 had been provided by the Red Cross Society to them in 2001.

The society approached the Adviser in March with a request that the grant-in-aid may be given to them. It was on his directions that the Director, Social Welfare Board, wrote to the Deputy Commissioner on September 9 that a grant-in-aid of Rs 2 lakh should be released to the society.

“We were shocked when the DC refused to release the money, stating that it was not his responsibility to give money to the society despite the written orders of the Director, Social Welfare,” said a member of the society. The social workers alleged that the DC behaved in a rude manner. Members of the society had met the DC yesterday.

The monthly expenditure of the society works out to be over Rs 25,000, which includes wages, transportation charges, telephone bills and cost of publicity material. Due to paucity of funds the society has only one social worker, who also substitutes for a driver also. “Since we only have one social worker it becomes difficult when he is on leave. The other social worker left the last year job as we had no money to pay his wages,” said another member.

When contacted the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Arun Kumar, who had refused to release the grant-in-aid to the society yesterday, said he was considering releasing Rs 1 lakh. “Though there is no provision for a grant-in-aid but we are considering giving them Rs 1 lakh as donation in recognition of their services,” he added.

PGI Prof to receive award
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, September 16
Dr Pratibha Singhi will be presented the Medical Scientist Award for 2002-03 in Udaipur on September 17 by the Dr Shurvir Singh Trust for her outstanding contribution to medical sciences, especially in the fields of pediatric neurology and neurodevelopment.

Dr Singhi is presently working as Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER). She is also working on an Indo-UK project on seizure semiology in children with neurocysticercosis. In addition to her work at the PGIMER, she has also been the honorary consultant for Prayas, the rehabilitation centre for disabled children in Chandigarh.

She was awarded the James Flett Award and the gold medal of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics. She was the national convener of the Childhood Disability Group of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics from 1996-2000 and is presently its adviser. She was awarded the Nehru Chair Award of the M.S. University at Baroda in 2001. She received the Asian Research Award.

SPORTS

Harleen nets 3 titles in badminton championship
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, September 16
Harleen Kaur won three titles while H. Sarda Devi and Mandeep cornered two each in the 15th Chandigarh State Badminton Championship, which concluded today at the badminton hall, Sector 42.

Ashish Sharma of AG, Punjab picked up the men single’s title after a marathon battle in the evening in which he toiled hard to beat fancied Deepak Sidhu in three sets. Earlier, Deepak and Vivek grabbed the men double’s title by defeating Gurjeet and Ashish Sharma in straight sets.

H. Sarda Devi was too good for Mala Gaba and won the women single’s title with ease. Later, she along with Isha clinched the women doubles title.

Harleen bagged her triple crown in the girls, under-16 singles, as well as doubles and under-19 doubles title.

Mr M.C. Sethi, president of the Chandigarh Badminton Association, gave away the prizes and trophies to the winners.

Sanjay Judge and Dr Bedi proved their mettle in the veteran (above 35) doubles section when they got the better of Ravinder Talwar and Vijay in three sets. In the veteran doubles (above 45 section) HVPN player Virinder Mehta and M.P. Dogra showed their prowess.

The results for finals in the men section are — men singles: Ashish Sharma b Deepak Sidhu 14-17, 15-10, 15-6; doubles: Deepak Sidhu and Vivek b Gurjeet and Ashish 15-8,15-12. Women singles: H. Sarda Devi b Mala Gaba 11-5,11-1. Doubles: H. Sarda Devi and Isha Sharma b Mala and Bhavna 11-4,11-2.

Under-19 (boys): Vikas Kundu b Puneet Bansal 15-10,15-9; doubles: Robin and Neeraj b Puneet and Narinder 15-6,15-11. Under — 16: Mandeep b Oscar Bansal 15-6,15-3; doubles: Mandeep and Oscar b Vikas Kaul and Munish 15-7, 15-12.

Girls (under 16): Harleen b Samridhi 11-4,11-8; doubles-Harleen and Astha b Samridhi and Seema 11-2,11-9. Under-19 (singles): Mala Gaba b Harleen 11-1, 11-7; doubles: Harleen and Kanika b Mala and Samridhi 11-7, 11-8

Veteran singles (above 35): Kuldeep Singh b Dr Bedi 17-16,15-10; doubles: Sanjay Judge and Dr Bedi b R Talwar and Vijay Pundit 4-15, 15-13, 15-10. Above-45 doubles: Virinder Mehta and MP Dogra b S Nagpal and Dharminder Rastogi 15-3,15-4.

Above-60 singles: S.S. Garg b M.C. Sethi 15-10, 15-12; doubles: M.C. Sethi and Cecil Parvez b S.S. Bedi and G.S. Garg 15-9, 15-7.

Hockey tournament

DAV Senior Secondary School, Sector 8, Chandigarh, and SGGS School, Sector 35, moved ahead by beating, Government Model Senior Secondary School (GMSS), Sector 35, and Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 44, by 4-1, and 3-0, respectively, in the Pre-Nehru Hockey Tournament for Chandigarh schools played here on Tuesday at the GMSSS, Sector 35.

In the first tie Kamalpreet, Sarwan, Jagjeet and Subeg Singh scored a goal each while in the second tie Harjit Singh, Supinder Singh and Harjit Singh were the scorers.

Basketball trials

The Chandigarh Basketball Association will hold the youth state basketball championship from September 30 to October 2 at New Public school, Sector 18. Players born on or after January 1,1987 were eligible to take part.

The players will be selected for the 20th National Youth basketball championship to be held in Kangra from October 14 to 20. This was stated by Mr Jugraj Singh, general secretary of the association.

Kabaddi final

DAV Senior Secondary School, Sector 8, outplayed Multipurpose DAV Senior Secondary School, Amritsar, by 69-63 to win the kabaddi final at the All-India Mahatma Hansraj Tournament played here on Tuesday.