Changes in lifestyle leading to diseases
Tribune News Service

SAS Nagar, October 10
Dr R.J. Dash, a former head of the endocrinology Department, PGI, who has now joined as a medical consultant at the Silver Oaks Hospital here said today that the changes in lifestyle was leading to a whole new range of diseases among the people of the region.

Talking to newsmen here today, he said growing prosperity, higher income levels and increasing mechanisation had made people more comfort seeking which in due course led to serious diseases, like diabetes, blood pressure, cardio vascular diseases, thyroid and obesity.

He said that all these diseases were highly expensive and most people could not afford them unless they had plenty of resources. Therefore, the best treatment for such disease was prevention. This could be easily achieved through diet control and regular physical exercises, he said.

300 kids  examined at medical camp
Tribune News Service

SAS Nagar, October 10
A medical check-up camp was organised for students of DAV Public School here today. Dr Pankaj Arora, an ENT specialist examined the children.

All students of the junior wing were examined during the camp and advised about what they should eat and drink during the change of season. Some students were even prescribed medicines. More than 300 students were examined by Dr Arora during the course of the day.

20 selected for cricket academy
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, October 10
Twenty youngsters, with five standbys, were selected in the below-19 year age group from among 188 youngsters in the one-day cricket trials held at the Sector 16 cricket stadium here today. These boys will be trained at the first ever cricket academy to be launched by the Chandigarh Administration under the banner of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

There was a massive response to both under-17 and under-19 age groups, with more than 200 appearing in the under 17 section.

The selection committee comprised Mr Ravinder Chadha, Mr Surinder Singh ‘Baijee’, Mr Mohinder Singh, Mr Rakesh Jolly and Mr Arun Tuli. Mr Vivek Attray, Nodal Officer Cricket, UT Administration, said this was the first step taken by the Administration to boost cricket in the city.

He said the academy would start functioning from October 12 and Mr S.S. Bawa and Mr Harish would assist in coaching. He said the BCCI had also asked the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) to make available a coach for the academy.

The selected players are: Vijay Kumar, Sarul Kanwar, Sukhjinder, Karan Sharma, Harpreet, Sahil Jain, Raj Angad, Michael, Harjeet, Rubal (wicketkeeper), Rakesh (wicketkeeper), Japneet Singh, Prashant, Pritpal, Sumandeep, Saurav Arora, Bharat Sharma, Karan Kherwal, Pardeep and Sunil.

Cricket camp

The Panchkula District Cricket Association in collaboration with the JR Institute of Cricket Technology, Barawla, will hold a cricket camp for below-17 year players at Barawla. The camp will begin on Saturday. Training will be imparted by Ramakant Achrekar, who has produced such cricketers as Sachin Tendulkar, Ajit Agarkar and Sanjay Bangar.

Golf tournament

Fifty entries have been received for a golf tournament to be held for the CGA golf range members and their dependents, at the Forest Hill Golf and Country club. The tourney begins on Saturay. Mr D.P. Azad, President, Chandigarh Golf Association, told Mr J.S. Cheema, vice-president of the Indian Golf Federation, will inaugurate the meet while Mr B.S. Sandhu, CMD, Forest Hill Golf and Country Club will give away the prizes.

Softball meet

The MCM DAV College for Women, Chandigarh, won the Panjab University Inter-College Softball (Women) Championship for the year 2003-2004. Guru Nanak Girls College, Ludhiana and the Government College for Girls, Sector 11, Chandigarh, second and third respectively.

Neha, Uday in AITA meet finals
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, October 10
Neha Singh and Uday Karan Puniha, both unseeded players, made it to the final of the under-14 girls’ and boys’ sections, respectively, on the penultimate day of the AITA Junior Talent Series Tennis Tournament at the Sector 10 tennis stadium, here today.

Neha outclassed second seed Sanjana Kapoor of Delhi, while Uday Karan surprised second seed Yuki Bhambri, also of Delhi, in three gruelling sets in the semifinal matches.

Semifinals (girls under-14): Inayat Khosla (Chd) b Sanjana Kapoor (Delhi), 7-6 (2), 7-6 (6); Garima Vatwani (Delhi) b Alisha Talwar (Pb), 6-1, 6-0.

Boys (under-14): Vijayant Malik (Chd) b Akshay Kohli (Delhi), 6-3, 6-2; Uday Karan Singh Puniha (Chd) b Yuki Bhambri (Delhi), 7-6 (4), 3-6, 7-6 (2).

Girls (under-18): Neha Singh (Chd) b Sanjana Kapoor (Delhi), 6-0, 6-3; Neha Rana (Delhi), b Alisha Talwar (Pb) 6-7 (7), 6-4, 6-0.

Boys (under-18): Jitin Bishnoi (Chd) b Arjun Talwar (Chd), 6-0, 6-4; Sanam K. Singh (Chd) b Jitender Mehlda (Delhi), 6-1, 6-1.

Girls (under-18, quarter- finals): Neha Rana (Delhi) b Amrita Seth (Chd), 2-6, 7-5, 6-1; Alisha Talwar (Pb) b Navjot Saini (Pb), 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.

Boys (under-18, quarter-finals): Sanam K. Singh (Chd) b Paras Thakur (Chd), 6-3, 6-2; Jitender Mehlda (Delhi) b Gursher Singh Harika (Chd), 6-2, 7-5.

Rural sports meet

The annual rural sports meet organised by the Pendu Cultural Society, Mohali, began at the Phase XI grounds, SAS Nagar, here on Friday.

The results: dog race: Parminder Singh Badla (dog-steve) 1, Jeet Dhanaula (dog-power) 2, Kanwajit Singh (dog-shooter) 3.

Kabaddi (below 42 kg): Jhamat village 1, Rabon village 2; below 47 kg: Dulon Kalan 1, Mullewal 2.

Tomorrow kabaddi matches will be held in the below 52, 57 and 62 kg sections. Bullock cart races will also be held.

All IT offices to come under one roof
Rajmeet Singh
Tribune News Service

Benefits Save lakhs of rupees being paid for rented accommodations Accommodate all public dealing offices of the department in the city Save the harassment faced by tax payers and the income tax lawyers Improve intra-department communication.

Chandigarh, October 10
Senior citizens and physically challenged income tax payers in the city will not have to run from one office of the Income Tax Department to another to file their returns. Offices of the Income Tax Department in the city, scattered all over the city, would function under one roof.

To accommodate all public dealing offices of the Income Tax Department, running from rented premises, the Ministry of Finance has released funds for the construction of a new building in Sector 17. The new building will come up at a short distance from the Central Revenue building housing the office of the Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, North-West Region.

To expedite the construction of the building, the Chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes is scheduled to lay its foundation stone on Sunday. Sources in the Income Tax Department said the Administration had allotted around 2.5 acres of land, adjoining the SBI building in Sector 17 at a cost of Rs 9 crore. It is learnt that funds to pay the entire cost of the building had been recently released by the Finance Ministry.

A senior officer of the department said the government was paying in lakhs for seven offices being run from rented accommodations. Inquiries reveal that the office of the Commissioner, Central Information Branch (CIB), Regional Training Institute of Income Tax Department, Commissioner’s office of Range I and II — both accommodated in four buildings, Income Tax Tribunal office would be shifted to the proposed building. The timeframe to complete the proposed building is yet to be announced.

Every year at the time of filing of returns the tax payers have to run from office to another. The buildings, housing the office of the assessing officers from Range I to VI are located on the top floors and there was no provision of lifts for the tax payers. Moreover, the offices were located in different parts of Sector 17 — which means that tax payers would have to pay parking fee each time they visit a office an Income Tax office.

As a stopgap arrangement, the department hires accommodation for accepting income tax returns. Another affected segment of income tax lawyers say that the functioning of Income Tax courts under one roof would save their energy. “We have to run from one office to another in connection with the cases our clients.

The new building will also improve the intra departmental communication, said an Income Tax Officer.