Girl gymnasts suffer for want of coach
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, December 7
Resentment prevails among four city girl gymnasts as they have been denied their right to take part in the 45th Junior National Gymnastics Championship to be held at Hyderabad from December 10 to 14. Three girls in rhythmic and one in artistic event were selected by the Chandigarh Gymnastic Association along with the boys team for the said games. But the association has now stated the unavailability of any woman coach as the reason for not sending girls’ team for the nationals as a result the sports career of these players is at stake.

A parent of a selected girl said the secretary of the CGA, Mr S.S. Budhwar, had asked for the confirmation by each selected player on December 1. After five days, he has written to respective principals of the players that since the two women coaches Madhvi Bharaj and Neelam Sharma have declined to accompany the team, they would not be sending girl players for these games.

However, parents maintain that the coach accompanying the boys’ team can be asked to take care of the girls’ team also. The parents were even ready to give in writing that they would take responsibility of their wards.

The girl players, who belong to different schools in the city, and the Principal of DAV Model School, Sector 15, Ms R. Sachdeva, today requested Mr Budhwar to send the girls’ team, but in vain, said one of the parents. They have now decided to meet the Secretary Sports, Mr S.K. Sandhu, tomorrow.

When contacted, Mr SS Budhwar said it was a question of girls’ team, and he could not take any chance. As women coaches had intimated him late, so was helpless in the matter, he said.

Abhinav, a versatile player
Arvind Katyal

Chandigarh, December 7
Abhinav Sharma, a Class IX student of St John’s High School, Sector 26, is gradually maturing into a versatile athlete. Fifteen-year-old Abhinav has got outstanding achievements in athletics, football and cricket.

He began playing cricket about four years ago. After playing at inter-school and national school level, he also toured England for playing minor county matches. But in England, he fell in love with soccer and last year, after coming back from abroad, got deeply involved in learning finer tactics of soccer. Now he has got a place in the Chandigarh football team. He took part in the north zone and national league soccer meets. He says it is not difficult to play any sport if one is physically fit.

Not satisfied with his achievements in cricket and football, he has recently made mark in athletics. He was adjudged best athlete in the under-16 section in the annual sports meet of St John’s school.

He won gold medal in 400 m, 100 m, 200 m and long-jump while he got silver medal in 1500 m, triple jump. He also took part in the Chandigarh State Athletics meet.

Hockey tourney
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, December 7
Western Air Command (WAC) won the Air Force Hockey Tournament by beating Maintenance Command, 2-1, in a thrilling final played here today at Sector 42 hockey stadium. At half time, both the teams were levelled at 1-1.

The first goal was scored by Mukesh of WAC in very first minute.

It was followed by an equaliser by Rajbir through a penalty corner in 50th minute. In the 77th minute, Mukesh of WAC scored another goal. 

ADMINISTRATION

MC demands share in building fee
Our Correspondent

Mohali, December 7
The local municipal council has demanded that the civic body should be given 75 per cent of the building fee and extension fee collected by the Punjab Urban Planning Development and Authority (PUDA) as the council had limited sources of income.

In a letter to the Director, Local Government, Punjab, sent on December 2, the council stated that HUDA was giving 75 per cent of the building fee and extension fee to the Municipal Council, Panchkula. Similarly, PUDA should also adopt the same pattern and give 75 per cent of the money collected by way of building fee and extension fee to the local civic body.

It waa brought to the notice of the Director that the only source of income of the council was octroi. House tax had not been imposed in the town and neither the council had any property of its own from where it could earn an income by way of rent. Expenditure on providing basic facilities to the residents of the town was increasing day by day but there was no proportionate increase in the income of the civic body.

It was further pointed out that while preparing proposals for the development of the town, sites for public utility buildings were earmarked. The council should be given land for the construction of the office building free of cost by PUDA as this building, too, fell in the category of public utility buildings.

The council said 2 acres of land was allotted for a cattle pound by PUDA. The council was carrying out construction work in the area. But the civic body would not be able to use the place till the overhead power cables were not removed from the area. A number of letters had been written in this regard to officials concerned but to no avail.

The Director was told that the council was given land on a temporary basis near Sohana for the dumping of garbage but the possession of the land had so far not been given to the civic body. PUDA had told the council that it would hand over the land after developing it. PUDA was to construct a boundary wall in the area and also make provisions for the supply of water.

But in October PUDA informed the council that owners of the land had filed a writ petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court which had then ordered a status quo.

The council said PUDA never handed over the entire sector for maintenance to the civic body which created problems for the residents. PUDA had failed to earmark sites for a meat market and a truck stand. 

SDM writes to EO on tower issue
Tribune News Service

Mohali, December 7
In what would be the first of its kind, orders passed by an Sub-Divisional Magistrate, the local SDM, has asked the Estate Officer, Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA), to explain why a contempt notice should not be issued against him. According to a letter issued by the SDM to the Estate Office the PUDA officer has been told that contempt would follow for the non-compliance of quasi-judicial orders passed by the SDM.

Sources stated that the SDM, Mr M.L. Sharma, had two months ago passed an order to the EO, PUDA, Mr Darshan Singh, to ensure the removal of a communication tower established on the top of a residential house in phase II. The SDM had declared the construction of this tower on the top of the house as illegal and order the regulatory authority, in this case PUDA, to initiate action against the tele-communication company and the owner of the house.