The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

Anti-rabies vaccines not available in govt hospitals
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, March 4
Even as the population of stray dogs and dog bite cases are on the rise in the city, the cheap anti-rabies vaccines (ARV) are no longer available in government hospitals and health centres.

With the local municipal council being unable to formulate a policy of catching or sterilising them, the township seems to be taken over by stray dogs, especially during the night hours. Commuters, especially those on two-wheelers, are at risk as these stray dogs run after scooterists or motorists. Data available at General Hospital here shows that the number of dog bite cases have increased from 40 a year in 2002, to 100 a year in 2004.

What is worse is that in case of a dog bite, the cheap anti-rabies vaccines are not available at General Hospital or other government dispensaries. The situation has arisen following the Central Research Institute, Kasauli, no longer manufacturing the vaccine after an apex court ruling, forbidding the use of sheep / goat brain for its manufacture. The township was getting its supply of ARV from Kasauli, and for the past two months, there are no stocks of this vaccine. Earlier a vaccine used to cost Rs 20 for a dose, people now have to shell anything between Rs 270 to Rs 300 for a dose of the expensive alternate vaccines available in the market. The common man is now forced to spend Rs 1,500 on getting these as many as five to six doses of the new vaccines.

250 units of blood donated
Tribune News Service

Mohali, March 4
To commemorate the sacrifices of Shaheed Udham Singh, a blood donation camp was organised by the Shaheed Udham Singh College of Engineering and Technology, Tangori, near here today. Over 250 units of blood were collected during the camp.

The college has been organising blood donation camps as a bi-annual feature since year 2000. Its effort has been commended by the Blood Bank Society, PGI, Chandigarh, for its outstanding achievement as a voluntary donor institute for the 4th consecutive year.

The camp was inaugurated by the Chairman of the institute, Mr J.S. Sidhum and Mr Gurlabh Singh, general secretary. They encouraged the students to come forward for this noble cause. They went around the area and interacted with students while they were registering for donating blood, as also while they were being offered refreshment after the donation.

The Principal, Prof S.K. Girdhar, the coordinator of the camp, Prof M.L. Wadhwa, along with faculty and students coordinators of the NSS supervised the whole arrangement. SUS Polytechnic students also participated in the camp.

SPORTS

Chaos at PCA stadium
Ticket-seekers unhappy with authorities!
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 4
Total mismanagement was witnessed today on the part of the organisers of the high-profile Test match between India and Pakistan, scheduled to start on March 8 at the PCA Stadium, Mohali. The basic grouse of the fans seeking the general block ticket was that the counters at the PCA Complex open for a very short duration.

However, the PCA officials said that all tickets for the general block had been sold out, bothering little to intimate the ticket seekers standing outside the ticket counters for hours together.

Even the exercise of supplying tickets at the ICICI Bank branches seems to be turning futile. It appears that only their regular customers have laid their hands on the ‘prize catch’.

Some fans allege that unscrupulous elements queue up early in the morning to buy tickets only to sell them at hefty rates later. This practice is going on right under the nose of the police.

Amit Muhanti, who had come from Zirakpur, had to return empty-handed despite lining up for the past two days. Raminder Singh of Kharar, who is physically challenged, rues that the PCA had not taken into consideration the plight of those with disabilities.

The ticket seekers were seen shouting slogans against the PCA authorities for their careless attitude towards them.

But the police personnel don’t think that there is any problem faced by the cricket lovers. “The sale is going on smoothly,” they say.

4 special trains between Attari, Chandigarh
Rahul Das
Tribune News Service

Ambala, March 4
Four cricket special trains are going to be run between Attari and Chandigarh to carry Pakistani cricket fans.

Although earlier one train each was slated to run on March 6 and 7, now two trains will run on both the designated dates. The number of trains has been increased following the heavy rush of Pakistan cricket fans who are keen to witness Indo-Pak cricket.

Cricket special trains will be run between Attari and Chandigarh railway stations on March 6 and 7 and return trains will run on March 12, 13 and 14.

On March 6 one cricket special train will leave Attari railway station at 2.15 pm and arrive at Chandigarh at 8 pm. On the same day, another cricket special train will leave Attari railway station at 4.30 pm and arrive at Chandigarh at 9.30 pm.

On March 7 a cricket special train will leave Attari railway station at 2.15 pm and arrive at Chandigarh at 8 pm. A second cricket special train will leave Attari at 4.30 pm and arrive at Chandigarh railway station 9.30 pm.

The trains will depart from Attari and reach Ambala cantonment railway station. At Ambala the train engine will be reversed and then the train will leave for Chandigarh. This has to be done since Chandigarh is located away from the Delhi-Amritsar main line.

On March 12 only one cricket special train will begin the return journey from Chandigarh. The special train carrying Pakistan cricket fans will leave Chandigarh railway station at 11.30 pm and arrive at Attari at 5.30 am.

The next day on March 13 two trains will depart from Chandigarh. One train will leave at 11.30 pm and arrive at Attari railway station at 5.30 am. The second train will begin its journey an hour after the first train has left. The other train will start at 12.30 am and reach Attari at 6.30 am.

On March 14 the last train carrying Pakistan cricket fans will leave Chandigarh. The train will start from Chandigarh railway station at 12.30 am and arrive at Attari railway station at 6.30 am.

For the budgetary convenience of the Pakistan cricket fans, the cricket special trains will have air conditioned, sleeper as well as general coaches.

Railway Protection Force commandant Shanta Ram said that extra manpower is going to be deployed at the Chandigarh railway station when the trains carrying Pakistan cricket fans arrive. “The cricket special trains are going to escorted by the GRP,” he said.

CHANDIGARH (TNS): There would also be arrangements of special buses at Wagah border for the guests from Pakistan in which they could come to Chandigarh. The foreign guests would not have to fish out any charges for this journey whether it would be on buses or in trains.

At Attari station and Wagah border, information centres would be set up by the reception committee of PCA, besides the food counters where the snacks and tea would be served to them free of cost, before boarding the train or buses.

Gavaskar ducks mediapersons’ bouncers
Saurabh Malik
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 4
He faced a googly of questions with humourous strokes on a tricky wicket Guarding himself with a pad of wit from unpredictable bouncers hurled by spectators gathered to meet him, the Little Master pulled some big ones in all directions.

As he stuck to his wicket during a function organised by an electronic company this afternoon, the audience realised that it was impossible to catch legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar on a wrong footing.

Someone asked Gavasakar about his ambition to succeed as bowler after taking the wicket of Zaheer Abbas in a Test match during the fag-end of his career. Master of strokes Gavaskar took no time to reply, “Oh, yes, I was always confident about my bowling abilities. My captains were not. That was the only hitch. They would allow me to ball in the nets because no balls did not matter. In any case, I was the fastest bowler India had before Kapil Dev joined the team”.

Even before the laughter subsided, the audience realised why Gavaskar was so successful during his second innings as a commentator. He was now swinging his wits instead of a bat. There was no doubt about it.

His brain power surfaced once again as a journalist questioned the electronic company’s wit behind terming Inzamal-ul-Haq as “Sultan of Lahore”, even though he belonged to Multan.

Grabbing the mike, Gavaskar helped the organisers from getting leg before wicket. “Don’t you know Haq was the Sultan of Multan before Sehwag scored a triple century? Since then, he is the Sultan of Multan. The title belongs to him.”

That was fine. But Sehwag, Tendulkar and Ganguly... they were all featuring in a number of advertisements. He too used to model for a garment house. But people used to see so less of him on the television. Why was that? Were people not so passionate about cricket and cricketers those days?

Facing your querry with a confident smile, he said, “You saw less of me because there was less of me”. Pointing towards his tummy, he laughed, “I have gained weight recently.” Gavaskar refused to duck when questioned about the allegations of match fixing. “Oh, how am I supposed to know about it? You see, I am not a betting man,” he smiled.

But Gavaskar had some serious things on his mind like good opening by Sehwag and the assistance that would be rendered to him by the pitch. Also, the compilation of columns into an anthology after the success of his autobiography “Sunny Days”.

“I have been approached by someone eager to compile my articles in a book form. So far, I have written 500 of them and am not sure how they can be put together. I am still working out the modalities,” he concluded before walking out of the field.

Dravid, Irfan arrive early
Akash Ghai
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 4
This Baroda man has fallen in love with the City Beautiful. And he has no hesitation in confessing it publicly. “Chandigarh is a very beautiful city, I love to be back here on my second visit”, Irfan Pathan told this correspondent soon after his arrival at Hotel Mountview here today. He was accompanied by vice-captain of Indian team Rahul Dravid, popularly known as the ‘Indian Wall’.

Though, team members and officials denied it, but the arrival of the duo at 2.15 pm sharp and four days before the match is said to be deliberate. “It is an auspicious moment”, a cricket fan was overheard whispering. It is yet to be seen how lucky Chandigarh proves to be for the duo, who appear to have getted well with each other on the pitch. “Dravid is currently the best rated batsman, while Irfan is India’s best bet on handling the ball. They are here to have a good feel of the pitch”, a cricket enthusiast observed.

Mr R.P. Singla, General Manager of Mountview, welcomed the star players with bouquets at the hotel’s reception. Both went straight to their rooms.

At 3.15 pm both players came out in cricket outfits to leave for the PCA grounds. They were accompanied by Indian team coach John Wright, physio John Gloster and physical trainer Greg King. On insisting, Dravid said, “No interview here, please come to the press conference”. While Pathan only talked about the beauty of Chandigarh. However, no one, including John Wright, knew when the press conference would be held.

In the morning, Little Master Sunil Gavaskar was also seen in the hotel lobby. He seemed delighted when he was told that Chandigarh Tribune had covered the news of Prem Parkash ‘Pappu’, the maker of famous Jodhpuri ‘juttis’ with his (Gavaskar) photo yesterday.

Mohali MC to present Rs 2562.92 lakh budget
Our Correspondent

Mohali, March 4
A budget of Rs 2562.92 lakh for the year 2005-06 is proposed to be presented at a special meeting of the Municipal Council scheduled to be held here on March 9.

The budget proposals show an income of Rs 2536.20 lakh. The balance carried forward from the previous fiscal is Rs 26.72 lakh.

The proposed expenses come to Rs 2536.20 lakh. Expenditure on the staff amounts to Rs 740.95 lakh which comes to 29 per cent of the proposed income. Last year an amount of Rs 664.41 lakh had been proposed as expenditure on the staff.

A sum of Rs 1675.25 lakh has been proposed for development works in the town while a sum of Rs 120 lakh has been proposed under the head of contingency expenditure.

The council proposes to take a loan of Rs 200 lakh from a bank for the construction of its office building in Sector 68 here. The work on the construction was in progress and a loan of Rs 45.39 lakh had been taken from a bank last year.

The council expects to earn an income of Rs 1980 lakh from octroi, which is the main source of income of the civic body. Last year the proposed income under this head was Rs 1800 lakh.

The council has proposed to spend only Rs 13.86 lakh more on development works in the town this year as compared to last year. A sum of Rs 350 lakh has been proposed to be spent on the construction of the office building and on paying the installment of the land purchased from PUDA in this regard.

A sum of Rs 325 lakh has been proposed to be spent on power bills related to the supply of water. Another Rs 275 lakh has been proposed for the strengthening of roads while Rs 220 lakh has been proposed to be spent on power bills relating to streetlights.