The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

HEALTH

GMCH lab technicians go on strike
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 24
Patients going for treatment to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, could be in for inconvenience as 40 junior laboratory technicians working at the hospital on contract, today proceeded on an indefinite strike, in protest against the non-payment of their salaries by the R.R. Associates.

The junior lab technicians stopped work this afternoon demanding payment of their salaries for the last two months. Attempts by the hospital administration to convince the striking technicians to postpone their decision proved futile.

With the GMCH having only 20 regular junior laboratory technicians, the biochemistry, microbiology, haematology and the blood bank laboratories are likely to be affected by the strike, specially during emergency hours in the night. None of the GMCH officials were available to know the standby arrangements made to tackle the emergencies.

“Ever since the contractor, R.R. Associates, got the contract in June, salaries are invariably delayed till 20th of every month and there have been several occasions when the cheques have bounced,” alleged a representative of the technicians. They said despite the matter being brought to the notice of the GMCH authorities several time no action was taken or warning issued to the contractor.

The technicians said they had brought the matter to the notice of the Director Principal, Prof H.M. Swami, the Medical Superintendent, Dr Raj Bahadur, the Joint Director, Administration. They said it was on the basis of their complaints filed before the Assistant Labour Commissioner, that R.R. Associates were challaned. “We are being taken for a ride by the contractor as despite making EPF and ESI deduction of Rs 571 from a salary of Rs 4020, we have not been given any number of slip about this cut,” they alleged.

The technicians said they would resume work only after the GMCH authorities assured them that they would get their salaries on time. They further demanded that in order to solve this recurring problem, they should be taken directly under the administration.

SPORTS

SD College girls clinch tennis title
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, December 24
GGDSD College, Sector 32, clinched the Panjab University Inter-College Tennis (women) Championship played here today at the Panjab University grounds. In the final, GGDSD-32 downed Punjab Engineering College, Sector 12, 2-0. It was Harsimran Kaur who made the beginning by winning the first singles against Mallika Malhotra 6-2, 6-2. In the second singles, Ritu Bala helped her college in making it a winning bid as she outplayed Harpreet 6-2, 6-4.

In the tie for the third place, the Government College for Girls, Sector 11 got the better of the MCM DAV College for Women, Sector 36, 2-0. In the first singles Khushleen beat Rupal 6-0, 6-0 while in the second singles,Tanya defeated Smrita 6-1, 6-1.

Kabaddi team

A 24-member Chandigarh kabaddi team has been selected by the Chandigarh Kabaddi Association for its participation in the 51st Senior National Kabaddi Championship to be held at Dadar, Mumbai, from December 26 to December 30. The team includes 12 women players. This was stated by Professor Harjinder Singh, secretary of the association. The team is: (men) Dalbir Singh (captain), Jaibir Singh, Satbir Singh, Ramesh Singh, Satish, Amit, Jagdish Singh, Ramesh Kumar, Mohit Rana, Umed, Kanwaljit Singh and Kamalpreet; and Coach Amarjit Singh; women: Meena Kumari (captain), Meena Gill, Vijay, Satinder Kaur, Kuldeep Kaur, Karamjit Kaur, Anupam Sharma, Sunita Paul, Seema, Rina Rawat,Tina Rana and Rimple Sharma; and coach-Pawan Rana.

Karate championship

The Karate-Do Indo-Ryu Association International will hold the inter-state karate-do championship tomorrow at the Skating Rink, Sector 10. In this meet, nearly 150 participants from 10 states from all over India will take part in kata and kumite category. Twelve local players will compete for the black belt category. They are: Ramneek Kaur, Sonia, Aniket, Harpreet, Tarlochan, Varinder, Surinder, Jitinder, Satwinder, Girish, Harvinder, Anshul and Ishwar. This was stated by Sensei R.P. Singh, president-cum-technical director.

Pitch and putt contest

The Chandigarh Golf Association will hold a nine-hole pitch and putt competition for the local schools on December 27 at the CGA range. The competition will begin at 2.30 pm while entries close on December 26. This was announced by Mr D.P. Azad, president of the association.

Noor aims high in skating
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, December 24
Noor Kataria, a class X Student of St Xavier’s Senior Secondary School, Sector 44, is all set to polish her skills in order to become a national-level skater. Noor (16) had taken to speed skating about five years ago at the initiative of her elder sister who herself won laurels in skating few years back. But it was in this July when Noor was motivated by her sister to join roller hockey. Since then there has been no stopping for her. She is also helped by her brother Sahil in learning the finer points of the game.

Noor was spotted at the skating rink of Shishu Niketan Senior Secondary School, Sector 22, this afternoon, when she was practising under the watchful eyes of skating coach Balwinder Singh Johal. Interestingly, she was shooting the ball and her brother a goalkeeper was at the goal post.

Noor said she wanted to be associated with roller sport and that was why she even developed her interest in roll ball event. She helped UT roll ball team in winning a gold medal in the national roll ball meet held at Delhi early this month. In roller skating also, she won medal in the roller bones skating meet held at Sector 10 Skating rink.

Noor said her present daily schedule runs from 7 am to 9 am and from 3.30 pm to 6 pm. She said her school Principal has always encouraged her to do well in the sport.