The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

Toilet charges in PGI resented

Chandigarh, October 21
Thousands of patients coming to the PGI will now have to pay to use the refurbished toilets, complete with tiles and hand driers, as Sulabh International has reportedly been entrusted with the task of maintaining the toilets in the Nehru hospital.

“For the past three days, Re 1 is being charged from the patients who wish to use the toilets in the A- Block of Nehru Hospital,” complained the employees in the PGI. The boards of Sulabh International, which had been put up outside the toilets, were removed today after the PGI employees expressed their resentment against the move. For the past four days since Friday, the charges are being made from the public.

Surprisingly, even the PGI employees were initially asked to pay to use the toilets, but later a line was added on the board, saying that the facility was free for the staff.

“It is surprising how the administration has given the contract to Sulabh International when so many poor patients come here moreover, with almost 800 safai karamcharis in the PGI, why should the public pay for it?” asked an employee.

Meanwhile, seeing the resentment amongst employees and the patients, the toilets were once again locked today. Interestingly, the toilets had been kept locked for many days after the renovation work was complete, as the authorities felt that expensive fixtures had been used, which needed proper maintenance. — TNS

SPORTS

Neelu, Dhillon win Captain’s Day Golf
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 21
Neelu Chopra and Brig PPS Dhillon won the title in the Captain’s Day Golf Tournament at the Chandigarh Golf Club.

Captain’s Day is a major event in the Golf Calendar of the Chandigarh Golf Club. Not only is a one-day tournament for club members played on this day but contests like nearest to the pin, longest drive, bunker play and ladies putting are held. All club members who have won prizes in the previous months in the various club tournaments or scored hole-in-one are given their trophies and certificates.

This year the Captain’s Day tournament on Sunday consisted of a one day scramble tournament in which 232 golfers took part. The format of the tournament comprised two members making one team with the better ball being kept in play. Each team played against a handicap figure which was calculated by adding the handicaps of both playes and dividing it by two. In this scramble tournament the winners were Neelu Chopra and Brig PPS Dhillon.

Jaideep S. Grewal and Sukhpal S. Sangha finished runners-up and the third spot was taken by Mrs Dimple Minocha and Maj-Gen S.S. Randhawa.

In the nine-hole category played by senior members the winners were Maj-Gen HC Sachdev and Col MS Padda. Brig Satjit Singh and Manmohan Singh finished second with SS Dhaliwal and Mrs Saroj Joti — occupying the third place.

Longest drive winners:

Gents: Under 50 — R.S. Bedi; 50 to 65 years — Brig PPS Dhillon; 65 to 75 years — Maj-Gen SS Randhawa;

Above 75 years — Col Iqbal Singh; PRO category — Gurbaaz Mann.

Ladies: Below 50 — Mrs Pauline JM Singh; 50 plus — Mrs S. Ratia.

The nearest to the pin contest was on the 14th hole which is a par 3. The results: Bobby Pascricha ( 4 feet 6½ inches) 1, Aashu Bajaj 2, MM Puri 3.

In the contest of bunker play each contestant was given to hit two shots from the bunker. In this category the winner was Girish Virk who sank the ball from the bunker in his first attempt. The runner-up was Himmat S. Mahal.

For non-golfing ladies there was a putting competition. In this the winner was Mrs Rachna and the runner-up Mrs BS Bains.

After the prize distribution ceremony in the evening, upcoming playback singer Ritika Sahni presented her songs. The super charged hi-fi system provided clear and peppy music. Ritu’s music had members rushing down the wooden dance floor which creaked and made its own music. In the backdrop was laser and strobe lights which added to the charm. Channel V veejay Mini Mathur compered the show.

ADMINISTRATION

PUDA reminders fail to move forest officials
Our Correspondent

SAS Nagar, October 21
Officials of Punjab’s Department of Forests, Ropar district, have failed to assess the cost of dried-up trees here in order to enable the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) to put them to auction.

Residents have been complaining that the dried-up trees have been posing a threat to life and property and must be felled.

The PUDA authorities had requested the Kharar Forest Range Officer on July 27 to get the cost of the trees determined. Four reminders were later sent to the officer in this regard but to no avail.

The latest letter was sent on October 9. The copies of the letters were also sent to the Divisional Forest Officer, Ropar. Surprisingly, officials of the Forest Department said today that their offices had received no such letters from PUDA authorities.

The dried-up trees in various phases were identified after which PUDA officials had asked the Forest Department to measure the girth of each tree to assess the cost as these had to be auctioned.

It is learnt that PUDA wanted to undertake plantation work after uprooting the dried-up trees during the monsoon and had sought an early assessment of the cost.

There are around 125 dried-up trees in the town, according to a survey undertaken by the PUDA’s Horticulture Wing. The maximum number of such trees (31) is in Sector 61, including a 30-year-old mango tree near Amb Wala Chowk.

There are 24 dried-up trees in Sector 66, 18 in Sector 54, 16 in Sector 59, 12 in Sector 55, 10 in Sector 71, five in Sector 56, and three each in Sectors 53, 63 and 64.

Mr S.S. Bhatti, Divisional Forest Officer, Ropar, told Chandigarh Tribune his office had not received any request from PUDA.

He said the Forest Range Officer, Kharar, had also denied receiving such letters. He said assessing the cost of trees after their girth had been measured was not a lengthy process. Such a request could not have been kept pending.

He said a request for assessing the cost of only 57 trees had been received from PUDA on August 1 and after completing the work a report was sent back to the Divisional Engineer (Horticulture), PUDA, on September 22.

Admn decision on kerosene
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 21
The Chandigarh Administration today decided to allow people whose dwellings were demolished during recent anti-encroachment drives to draw kerosene for two more months.

The permission is for the people who may be holding cards of below poverty line (BPL) and also for those who do not have such cards. The Administration has issued instruction to the people who were residing in the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Colony, Sector 49, and Palsora Colony, which were demolished by the Estate Office.

Also the Administration has asked all such people to get their addresses changed on their ration cards by November 30, 2003, from the office of the District Food and Supplies Officer, as the issuance of kerosene will be withheld after the said date.

29 police personnel promoted
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 21
Twentynine police personnel were today promoted, three as inspectors, nine as assistant sub-inspectors (ASI) and 17 as head constables.

Sub-Inspectors (SI) Nanak Chand, Mangi Ram and Gulshan Kumar have been promoted as Inspectors. Head Constables Nand Lal, Thoru Ram, Bachiter Singh, Hans Raj, Zavid Parvez Khan, Sem Singh, Gurdeep Singh, Surinder Singh and Randhir Singh have been promoted as ASIs.

Constables Balwan Singh, Pritpal Singh, Dibag Singh, Kuldip Singh, Kuldip Singh, Sukhdev Singh, Randir Singh, Karamjit Singh, Satnam Singh, Narinder Singh, Ram Pal, Chuhar Singh, Ajmer Singh, Sumer Singh, Ranbir Singh, Ram Phal and Amrit Pal have been promoted as Head Constables.

The promotion of ASIs to the posts of sub-inspectors will be done before the festival, Inspector-General of Police Rajesh Kumar told the Chandigarh Tribune here today.