The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

SPORTS

VRV Singh to focus on line and length
Akash Ghai
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 15
When local lad and upcoming fast bowler VRV Singh, has been selected as one of the three cricketers for the prestigious Border-Gavaskar scholarship, but it did not come as surprise. It was expected. VRV Singh had impressed everyone with his performance in the last Ranji Trophy season.

The 6.4 feet tall and well built speedster said controlling line and length and increasing the pace were high on his agenda.

The speedster has been selected for a 45-day camp to be held at Brisbane, Australia starting next week. VRV Singh shares the honour with R. P. Singh (UP) and Satish Pujari (Maharashtra). The Board of Control for Cricket sponsors three promising cricketers for the camp every year.

VRV Singh, who is leaving India on June 18, told this correspondent today: “I will try to gain maximum in the camp. My priorities will be to keep myself tough and fit to give my hundred per cent to cricket”.

When asked that he was counted among the fastest bowlers in the country, VRV Singh and said “my speed has not been recorde yet.

Revealing his plans, VRV Singh said “I want to get a berth in the Indian team on the basis of my performance”. His claim does not seem to be false if his performance in the last season is any indication. He claimed 30 wickets in just six matches of Ranji Trophy with three five- wicket hauls.

The young 20-year-old said “claiming seven wickets for 75, including the prize wicket of star batsman VVS Laxman, against Hyderabad in the Ranji Trophy was my best performance”.

Expressing happiness over the selection of VRV Singh for the camp, his coach Sukhwinder Bawa based in DAV School, Sector, 8 said, “This is the right step at the right time. The intensive training at the camp will help him honing his skills”.

The upcoming fast bowler had represented India in under-19 Asia Cup-2003 at Pakistan and in under-19 World Cup-2004 held at Dhaka.

City Club is dodgeball champion
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, June 15
The First Chandigarh State Dodgeball Championships for men concluded this evening on the ground of Manav Mangal School, Sector 21 here. The two-day meet was organised for the first time in the city by the DodgeBall Association of Chandigarh.

As many as 18 teams drawn from different school clubs took part. Mr Raminder Singh, IAS, Punjab, who was the chief guest, gave away the prizes.

Earlier he was welcomed by president of the local association Gurdip Singh, PCS, and secretary of the Dodgeball Federation of India P.S. Brar.

Results: finals: Chandigarh Club b Star Club 36-34; Third place: Manimajra Shere Club b Manimajra Complex Club 23-19.

The final placings are, Chandigarh club 1, Star Club 2, Manimajra Shere Club 3.

Highway patrol vehicles flagged off
Tribune News Service

Mohali, June 15
The Director General of Police, Mr S.S. Virk today flagged off 19 highway patrol vehicles from Shivalik Public School, Phase VI, here. These vehicles would be manned by four policemen round the clock and are in addition to an existing fleet of 20 such vehicles in the state.

Speaking during a seminar on traffic management that followed the flagging off ceremony, Mr Virk said in order to streamline the traffic, strategic traffic management was the need of the hour and safety rules must be enforced by the traffic personnel with the volunteer cooperation of the public.

He said in our country accidental deaths were more than murders as vehicular traffic was increasing day-by-day whereas roads were not widened or strengthened. He urged police personnel to change their traditional attitude while dealing with the law abiding citizens.

Mr S.K. Sharma, IG, (traffic), said accident prone stretches on highways had been identified in the state where the density of traffic was high, adding that the traffic wing was tying up with a mobile company to introduce a common highway traffic help line number throughout the state. Any one who need help on a highway would call a helpline number and he would be automatically connected to a patrol vehicle nearest to his location, he said.

Mr Sharma said there was an immediate need for paramedical staff to assist the police in case of highway accidents. “Other than these 39 patrol vehicles we have 75 traffic aid posts. We train our men but all we can give the victim is first aid and leave him to the nearest hospital. What is ideally required are ambulances that have medically trained staff to cater to accident victims,” Mr Sharma said.

Mr Sanjiv Kalra, DIG, (Administration), added that the traffic wing had collaborated with an NGO named SAATH (Society for Accident Aid and Traffic Help) for vehicular traffic management in the state. Various activities in the field of training and education had been taken up by the NGO. Traffic education cells (TECs) had been established in all districts where students, drivers and rickshaw-pullers had been educated about traffic rules.

“During the past three months, TECs have organised seminars and workshops in hundreds of schools, colleges and with truck and tempo unions and rickshaw-puller unions,” Mr Kalra said.

Earlier, DGP Virk also inaugurated a traffic exhibition on the school premises and appreciated the work done by the traffic personnel in educating and guiding the students, drivers and road users.

Inspector given clean chit
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, June 15
The DSP (Traffic) has given a clean chit to Inspector P.K. Vashisht, posted in the traffic wing of the police, against whom the SSP ordered an inquiry for allegedly detaining and using filthy language against 24-year-old-woman, a garment designer of Sector 15 on June 7.

DSP Arjun Singh Jaggi said he had verified the incident and found that Inspector Vashisht was innocent. He asked the woman to step out of the vehicle as it was to be impounded. She had violated the traffic rules and had no documents with her. The DSP also added that Inspector Vashisht had not used any foul language against the woman.

Meanwhile, the Inspector, in a press note, stated that such allegations had not only lowered the morale of the upright police officials, but also prejudiced the mind of their superior officers, which in other terms boost the courage of law-breaking elements. Inspector Vashisht also made it a point that the media, too, played a biased role in the entire episode and did not care to listen to his side of the story. The stories against him had been published without his version and without any verification of facts from the spot.

The DSP had earlier also maintained that the woman was rightly challaned for the traffic rules violations and it was she who did not co-operate with the Inspector. There were no complaints against the Inspector and the woman was earlier challaned twice for the traffic rules violations. Her car had been released after she deposited the fine.