Confusion in schools over Gurpurb holiday
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 5
Confusion prevailed in some private schools in the city over the holiday on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh. Though the Education Department had declared it a holiday in government schools, there were standing instructions to declare the holiday in private and public schools.

To be on the safe side, most of the schools decided to declare it a holiday. No holiday was declared at Dev Samaj School, Sector 21, here as a compensatory holiday had already been given earlier. The Principal of the school, Ms S Kanwar, said that on the request of the teachers and students, the winter break was extended to January 3. The holiday was given in advance in the interest of the students.

At KB DAV School, Sector 7, confusion prevailed over the holiday. The school Principal, Ms Madhu Behl, said there was no information from the administration. After the school opened in the morning, the school authorities declared it a holiday. She said , “We made our best efforts to arrange school buses for the students so that they reached their homes”.

MBA interviews from February 4
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 5
Candidates have been shortlisted for admission to MBA, MBA (IB) and MBA (HR) courses of the University Business School, Panjab University, on the basis of CAT 2004. The result has been put up at the UBS notice board, PU mail library and the university website: ubschandigarh.org.

Group discussion and personal interviews for the admission to the MBA courses of UBS will start from February 4. Separate letters are being sent to all short listed candidates through registered post. The sports category results will be declared later, a statement issued by the Chairman of the UBS, Prof Satish Kapoor, said.

Meeting held: The university authorities have sought two days time to consider holding of a re-exam for the Ph D aspirants before giving a final decision in this regard. Representatives of candidates, seeking a re-exam for the entrance test for Ph D in Hindi, met the Dean University Instruction, Prof J.K. Gupta, to discuss the issue.

The president of the Students Organisation of Panjab University (SOPU), Sunil Kumar, a Ph D aspirant, and the representative of Hindi Department, Gurpreet Singh, met Prof Gupta and urged him to consider their demand of holding a re-exam.

HEALTH

GMCH to take action against erring shop owners
Posters of private doctors advertising free camps
Neelam Sharma
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 5
Private doctors have found the GMCH, Sector 32, premises for carrying out their advertising campaigns. While the posters of private doctors, openly advertising about their free medical camps for various ailments are put in the shopping complex in the hospital, the authorities are now talking about taking stern action against the practice, which they admit “has put the hospital in bad light.”

The fluorescent posters, for instance, of Dr Bedi’s clinic which recently organised a free osteoporosis camp, are still pasted all over the shopping complex within the block B of the hospital when this correspondent visited the place today. The advertisements are asking the patients to come to the camp for free treatment of various ailments. This despite the fact that the hospital itself is offering treatment for all diseases listed in the posters and claims to have been providing the best of the treatment to the patients.

The Director-Principal of the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Prof H. M. Swami, when contacted by Chandigarh Tribune, said, “We are planning to write a stern letter to the shop owners asking them who has given them permission to put up the posters advertising the private doctors’ clinics and camps. If need be, I would also serve a legal notice on them.”

The Director-Principal, however, agrees that the propagation by the private doctors so openly in the hospital does put the GMCH in bad light, especially when the hospital is offering all the treatment on its premises.

The director also added, “A few months ago, we had observed that the some private diagnostic laboratories were soliciting our patients from within the hospital itself. Then also we had to write a stern letter to the companies to stop this illegal practice.”

Free medical camp for Bapu Dham residents
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 5
The Chandigarh police is organising a medical camp for the residents of Bapu Dham colony, the transport area and the grain market at the Bapu Dham police post here tomorrow. Apart from this, the police is also starting a youth club to strengthen the links between the people and the police.

The camp will be inaugurated by Inspector-General Rajesh Kumar. Eye specialists and dentists will be available in the camp. Medicines and check ups will be free for all. The police will also provide free spectacles to the needy.

The camp and the sports club are being supported by the transporters and grain market agents in the area.

SPORTS

Crucial year for skaters
Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, January 5
The year 2005 is going to be a crucial year for the skaters as they would get the opportunity to take part in three international tournaments. This was stated by Mr Pradeep Ganeriwal, president, Roller Skating Federation of India. He said the 11th Asian skating meet would be held in South Korea, World Speed Championship to be held in China at the August end and World Artistic meet by October end in Italy.

He said the RSFI has also launched its website www.skatingindia.com. Mr Ganeriwal said the RSFI has also decided to computerise the records of every participant at the 42nd national meet held at Faridabad in December last.

Mr Ganeriwal said the sport skating had been getting adequate government support regarding the financial grants and said he had been promised that more impetus would be given to the sport since our skaters were performing better at international level. He was optimistic that the Chandigarh Administration would come forward to give due status to skating by according sport gradation to the local skaters which help them in getting admission in various professional courses. He said already many states, including Punjab and Haryana were according sports gradation to its players. Mr Ganeriwal said the RSFI has also tied up with a sports manufacturer for sponsoring the sports kit to their national skaters.

He said Chandigarh has been allotted 43rd Senior National Skating Championship to be held at KB DAV Centenary School, Sector 7 and Sector 10 skating rink, from December 6 to 11.

He said the national camp to prepare the Asian skating meet in both boys and girls would be held at Ludhiana from January 26 to February 10.

Ms Madhu Bahl, another key member associated with the RSFI, said in the near future the school would have its own speed track of international standard which would help nurture more speed event skaters from this region.

ADMINISTRATION

DC’s order to discotheque owners

Chandigarh, January 5
DC Arun Kumar today told the managements of discotheques that maintaining law and order within their premises was their duty. He said that to maintain peace, all owners would have to engage private security, check all members for weapons and there should be no serving of drinks to a person losing his/her balance. He also said that all guards with VIPs must be in uniform and should have the permission to carry weapons. TNS