The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

Immunisation schedule announced
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 24
The Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) released its immunization time table for the current year at a function held in PGI. The experts have recommended the following vaccines:

BCG — from birth to 2 weeks; OPV — at birth; again at 6, 10 and 14 weeks; 15-18 months and then at 5 years of age; DTPwc/DTPa at 6, 10 and 14 weeks; 15-18 months; 5 years; Hepatitis B — at birth, 6 and 14 weeks or birth; 1 and 6 months or 6, 10 and 14 weeks; Hib — 6, 10, and 14 weeks; 15-18 months; Measles — 9 months plus; MMR — 15 to 18 months; Typhoid — 2 years + revaccination 3-4 years; TT — 10 and 16 years; two doses of TT for pregnant women.

The Academy also announced its new vaccines as Varicella — above 1 year, Hepatitis A — above 1 year, besides announcing the vaccination schedule in adolescents:

Tetanus toxoid boosters at 10 and 16 years; Rubella vaccine — one dose to girls at 12-13 years of age, if not given earlier or MMR vaccine — one dose at 12-13 years of age if not given earlier. Hepatitis B vaccine is to be given in three doses at 0, 1 and 6 months, if not given earlier while typhoid vaccine is to be administered every three years. Varicella vaccines will have to be given in one dose upto 13 years and in two doses at four to eight weeks interval after 13 years of age, if not given earlier.

Hepatitis A vaccine — two doses at 0 and 6 months.

Rallies mark World TB Day
Our Correspondent

Mohali, March 24
A rally was organised by officials of the Health Department in connection with the World TB Day here today. The rally, which started from the Primary Health Centre, Phase III B 1, was flagged off by Dr Sunalini Suri, SMO, in charge of the Civil Hospital. Nearly 50 students of Mata Sahib Kaur Institute of Nursing took part in the rally which culminated at Gurdwara Amb Sahib in Phase VIII. The participants distributed pamphlets on the way.

Kharar: A rally was organised in connection with the World TB Day which was flagged off by Dr Maninder Jeet Singh, SMO, In charge of the Civil Hospital.

Staff and students of Victor Nursing College participated in the rally. They distributed pamphlets on the way and also told people about the disease.

SPORTS

Indo-Pak wrestling meet on March 26
Tribune News Service

Mohali, March 24
The bonhomie between India and Pakistan continues and now it’s time for wrestlers of the two nations to wrestle with each other. An Indo-Pak wrestling championship will be held on March 26 at Singhpura village, near Kurali, 15 km from here.

In the contest, eight and 12 bouts will be held for the international championship and national championship, respectively. All the bouts will be held on mat, set up on the ground of the local gurdwara. These bouts will be conducted under international rules.

Addressing mediapersons, Mr Kartar Singh, Director, Sports, Punjab, and a wrestler of repute, said that as many as eight wrestlers from Pakistan and 12 from India were taking part in the tournament, which would be held in two rounds of five minutes each with one-minute rest time.

The major attraction would be the contest between ‘Bharat Kesri’ Palwinder Singh Cheema and ‘Rustum-e-Pakistan’ Bashir Bhola. The winner would be awarded with a cash prize of Rs 51,000, said Mr Kartar Singh who is a Padamshri awardee.

“To encourage these games, the government is determined to extend every kind of help to the centres and academies, where such kind of games are being promoted”, assured Kartar Singh. At present there are almost 100 centres in Punjab where facilities of international standards were provided for budding wrestlers, he said.

However, ‘Bharat Kesri’ Palwinder Singh Cheema was of the opinion that to compete in international bouts our wrestlers should start practice on mats as it is altogether different from the wrestling on soil. “In the international bouts, conducted on mats, wrestlers have to show speed, technique and power in limited time but in soil competitions speedy performance is not required as the competitors have a long time to display their skills. So the wrestlers, who practice on soil, could not compete in international bouts”, he explained.

To encourage the participants, Ms Seema Jain, Deputy Commissioner, Ropar, and Mr Surinder Pal Singh, Senior Superintendent of Police, Ropar, would turn up to the venue.

Kho-Kho association office-bearers
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, March 24
Mr Harjit Singh, and Mr R Sharan have been re-elected President and General Secretary respectively the Chandigarh Kho-Kho Association for a further period of four years. The other office bearers are, Senior Vice-President — Ravinder Talwar, Vice-Presidents — Paramjit Singh and Brij Lal Chawla,Joint Secretary — H Gulati, Satish Gandhi and Sanjeev Sharma. Treasurer —Shelly Walia. members — KS Bharti, Jayant, Paramvir Duggal, KS Bhatia, JP Paul, Jagdish Bains, Narsi Das. Press Secretary — PS Brar.

Volleyball tourney: The Chandigarh State Junior Volleyball Championships in boys and girls section will be held on March 30 and 31 in the Sports Complex, Sector 7. Players born on or after January 1,1987 will be eligible to take part. The two day meet is being organised by the Chandigarh Volleyball Association. Entries close with Mr Suresh Kumar, Volleyball coach on March 28.

Nominated: Mr RS Yadav, an international panel Grade-A umpire and General Secretary, Panchkula District Carrom Association, has been nominated as chief referee for the 34th Senior National and Inter State Carrom Championships to be held at Mumbai from March 29 to April 3.

Bisht wins IA&AD table tennis champ
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 24
Joginder Bisht of Delhi Audit won the North Zone Indian Audit and Accounts Department (IA&AD) Table Tennis Men Championship held at Table Tennis Hall, Sector 23, here today.

Bisht has won for the ninth time defeating Amit Shrivastava of AG (UP) Allahabad, in a well-contested match at 11-6, 11-9,12-10, 11-13, 9-11, 11-5.

Joginder started the game at good note and won the first game very comfortably at 11-6. In the second game, Amit Shrivastava resisted aggressively but lost the game at 9-11. It was a neck-to-neck fight in the third game but Joginder could manage to win the game again at the deuce at score of 12-10 and having a comfortable lead of 3-0.

Shrivastava fought back with zeal and won the fourth and fifth game at 13-11and 11-9, respectively, bringing the tie at 3-2. In the sixth game, Joginder took the early lead of 4-2 and won the game at 11-5 and the title at 4-2.

The senior most player of the tournament Patanjali Kumar of AG (Haryana) retained the veteran’s men title by defeating Rakesh Joshi of AG (UP) Allahabad, by 7-11, 11-7,11-6 and 12-10. Earlier, Patanjali Kumar defeated Rajiv Sharma of AG (Punjab) in straight sets at 11-9, 11-7 and 11-8 whereas Rakesh Joshi defeated Devender Bakaya of AG (J&K) in a well contested match at the score of 8-11, 9-11, 11-7,11-6 and 12-10.

AG (UP) Allahabad won the team championship by defeating AG (HP), Shimla, in a close fight at 3-1.AG (UP) lost the match. The prizes were distributed by chief guest Mr Nand Lal, Accountant-General (A&E) Punjab while Mr Mohinder Singh AG (A&E) Haryana presided over the function.

Mr Ashwani Attri AG (Audit) Haryana was the guest of honour of the event. Patanjali Kumar and Harish Kumar of AG Haryana , Joginder Bisht of Delhi Audit and Amit Shirivastava of AG (UP) have been qualified for the All India IA&AD Men Single event to be held here from March 26 to 28.

ADMINISTRATION

Staff seek justice from CAT
Rajmeet Singh
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 24
The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), set up to redress service-related grievances of the employees, is being approached by its own staff for justice. Pleading seniority in service, over 20 employees of the 17 tribunal benches across the country have in the past approached their respective benches or have gone to a higher court in the pursuit of fairness.

In one specific case, Mr Rajpal, a photocopier operator approached the Chandigarh Bench of the tribunal after he was not given the next grade after working against the same grade for 12 years. Despite directions to the concerned authorities to comply with the orders, he has not been given the next grade and now he has filed a miscellaneous application (MA) for execution. After exhausting the existing channel, he plans to approach the higher court.

Enquiries reveal that most of the cases have been filed as the authorities concerned have not been able to fix the seniority of the Group B and Group C employees, ever since the CAT Group B and C Miscellaneous Posts Recruitment Rules, 1989, were notified.

Due to the confusion over the seniority list, a number of employees have in various benches challenged promotion of their colleagues on the pretext of date of joining, date of absorption, date of seniority or on some other basis.

Officers in CAT reveal that the tribunal was established in 1985, but since there were no recruitment rules regarding the appointment of staff, it followed model recruitment rules of department of Personnel and Training (DOPT). A number of employees came on deputation when the tribunal came into existence.

But after the recruitment rules were notified, bench-wise seniority of Group B and C employees was fixed. The problem arose after some of the employee approached their respective benches seeking seniority on the basis of their date of joining or from the date of absorption in the tribunal.

Mr Gobind Ballabh, a Section Officer, approached the Bench seeking seniority on the basis of joining. He was allowed relief by the Principal Bench at Delhi. Against the orders of the Bench, Mr Ramachandran, another Section Officer, went to the Supreme Court which refused relief to Mr Ballabh. The apex court observed that the seniority of those holding analogous post in their parent department should be fixed keeping in view their length of service. On the basis of this judgment, over 15 cases were filed by the CAT staff in the Guwahati, Delhi, and Chandigarh and Cochi Benches.

In another case, Mr M.K. Goel, a Lower Division Clerk (LDC), who was not absorbed in the tribunal as he had not completed one year period of deputation, was absorbed on the orders of the Principal Bench in 1993. He was absorbed from November 1, 1989, after he again approached the tribunal for the relief from the back date.

In yet another case, Mr NK Bala Chandran Pillai, a Upper Division Clerk, got seniority from the date of joining. Another LDC, Mr Gurmel Singh, promoted as Upper Division Clerk at Chandigarh was denied seniority by the Principal Bench which even went to the Supreme Court. However, the apex court allowed relief to Mr Singh.

Mr Waryan Singh, a driver in the Chandigarh Bench, sought that he be given seniority equivalent to a staff car driver. His appeal is pending with the High Court after he was given full service benefits from the due date.