HEALTH

Kapil donates blood
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 21
A former Indian cricket team captain, Kapil Dev, inaugurated the first anniversary celebrations of the Rotary and Blood Bank Society Resource Centre here today. He also donated blood on the occasion.

A regular blood donor since the late seventies, Kapil, while talking on the occasion, said: “You do not lose anything as your body replenishes the donated blood in less than 24 hours, while your blood can actually help save the life of someone else”.

Commenting on the trade of selling blood, he said it was unsafe and unhygienic and should not be allowed. The real solution to this social problem was that blood should be donated voluntarily regularly.

He advocated that residents of the city should take the lead in setting up an example for blood donors. The sportspersons should also donate blood as well as motivate others to donate blood, he added.

Speaking on the occasion, Ms. Kanta Sarup Krishen, honorary general secretary, Blood Bank Society said: “Unlike the other centres, we do not ask for replacement donors. The centre is open round-the-clock and anyone can walk in and get blood by paying the nominal fees”. She further informed that the center is offering free help to the needy. Mr Baldev Aggarwal, president, Rotary Club of Chandigarh informed that the Rotary Club had donated medical equipment to the centre.

The special inauguration anniversary week will continue till June 26. All the blood donors during the week will get special certificates personally signed by Kapil Dev. There will also be a special lucky draw on June 26 and all the donors during the week will eligible for the draw.

City tops in blood collection per bed
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 21
The State Blood Transfusion Council in collaboration with voluntary organisations organised 280 blood donation camps collecting nearly 49,146 units during 2004. This was informed at a meeting of the governing Body of the UT, State Blood Transfusion Council, UT held today under the chairmanship of Mr Krishna Mohan, Home Secretary.

The council has also collected 22,114 units of blood during the current year up to May and has organised 151 camps with the help of voluntary organisations.

The city is among the top four states of the country where voluntary blood donation is above 70 per cent. The collection of blood per bed is highest in the city.

Mr Mohan said the Administration had initiated the process for inter-linking the blood banks through the Internet.

SPORTS

Upgradation of facilities at shooting range ordered
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 21
With a view to developing the full potential of shooters of the region, Gen (retd) S.F. Rodrigues, Governor of Punjab and UT Administrator, today ordered the upgradation of the facilities in the Patiala-ki-Rao shooting ranges complex in Sector 25.

The decision follows a detailed study covering technical, safety and related aspects by professionals in the field.

Presiding over a meeting of senior officers of the administration, comprising the Home Secretary, Inspector General of Police, Senior Superintendent of Police, Chief Engineer, Director (Sports) and office-bearers of the Chandigarh Rifle Association, the Administrator observed that the shooting range had sufficient space and an ideal location.

He said developing it imaginatively, after incorporating all safety measures, would add another dimension to the sports landscape in the city. He said people of the region had a great interest in the discipline and this shooting range, with a well-built infrastructure, can be a great asset.

General Rodrigues emphasised that the activities in the shooting range must be carried out and coordinated in a professional manner. A periodical monitoring and balance sheet auditing should be done to ensure its functioning and proper use.

He said a responsive coordination group, with the involvement of experts and dedicated people in the field, must be put in place, besides finding ways and means for generating adequate resources for its upkeep and maintenance.

He said the administration would provide required funds and other technical and infrastructural support.

The Patiala-ki-Rao shooting ranges complex is the only shooting complex in the country which has all the pistol and rifle ranges located at one place, including 10 m, 25 m, 50 m rifle and pistol, 300 m long range and trap and skeet.

Two successful national shooting championships were held at this range in 1975 and 1979. At present the 10 m, 25 m, 50 m pistol and rifle ranges are functioning while 300 m long range and trap and skeet are non-functional. The shooting ranges presently are being used by the Chandigarh police for training police personnel.

Aquatic sports to be promoted at Sukhna
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 21
The Chandigarh Administration has decided to utilise the potential of water sports activities at Sukhna Lake to develop aquatic sports in the city. It has charted out a plan to enhance such facilities for the people of the city.

The sports activities include para sailing, water jet skiing, canoeing, angling, kayaking and yatching. This will serve not only as the sports activities for the people but also provide recreation.

The Administration is strengthening the infrastructure at Sukhna Lake to fully equip the place for water sports activities. A series of steps have been undertaken to cater to all segments of people.

While a speed boat is being made available for the convenience of the skiers, nearly 20 kayaks and canoes alongwith carbofibres oars for rowing are in the process of being procured. These boats and equipment will be made available to various institutions for training, skill imparting as well as competitions at state and national levels.

The Administration will also introduce parasailing once Sukhna Lake is desilted and a non-disruptive clear pathway of at least 2-km length is made available.

Wushu meet from today
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 21
The Wushu Association of Chandigarh is hosting the 5th Sub-junior Wushu Championship from June 22 to 24 at the Sector 10 Skating Rink here. This is for the first time that the sub-junior nationals in this Chinese martial art is being organised in the city.

“As many as 450 boys and girls from 29 states and Union Territories will be seen in action in this three-day meet,” said Mr Anand Kacker, general secretary, Wushu Association of India, while addressing a press conference held at the Lake Club here today.

The president of the Wushu Association of Chandigarh, Mr K.S. Bharati, said the competitive routines were based on different styles of techniques and movements and this was for the first time that the players would perform bare hands, sword and broadsword as short apparatus and spear and cudgels would fall into the long apparatus category.

So far teams from Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Goa, Gujarat, Tripura, Mizoram, Bihar Delhi, UP, J&K, Haryana, Punjab, Pondicherry, MP, Rajasthan, Orissa, Tamil Nadu and Arunachal Pradesh under the leadership of Mr Rajbir Singh have arrived.

The Wushu Association has introduced insurance cover for all players and is for the first time in the history of Wushu competitions in India that the competitors have been insured.

“This Chinese martial art has been accepted as an official event at the 11th Asian Games in Beijing (China) in 1990, and is recognised by the International Olympic Committee,” he added.