Mohali, July 16
Mr D.S. Guru, Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Punjab, yesterday said that the entire Punjab had been covered under the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP).

He stated that RNTCP had been implemented in a phased manner in the state. It was introduced in 2001, during which Patiala was selected as a pilot district. Later in December 2002,Bathinda, Ropar and Ludhiana were covered, whereas in January 2003, the programme was extended to Amritsar, Fatehgarh Sahib, Hoshiarpur, Nawanshahar and Sangrur. The programme was finally extended to the remaining 8 districts in December 2004, thereby covering the whole of Punjab. He added that under RNTCP medicines are provided free of cost to the TB patients.

Dr G.L. Goyal, Director, Health and Family Welfare, Punjab, giving information regarding the treatment under this revised programme revealed that the patient was put under “Directly Observed Treatment Short Course Chemotherapy (DOTS) strategy. As part of this systematic strategy medicines and sputum check-up was done free of cost at the designated Microscopy Centres (MCs). 

Panchkula, July 16
In a novel gesture, members of the Market Welfare Association, Sector 7, today organised a blood donation camp in the market. As many as 38 units
of blood were collected in the camp.

This is the first time that a blood donation camp was organized by the market association. The president of the association, Mr B.B. Kochchar, said that they were approached by the district health authorities recently to organise a blood donation camp. “Though the rain in the morning played a spoilsport, we made a good beginning by encouraging our members to come forward for blood donation,” he said.

Other than the shopkeepers in the Sector 7 market, their employees and family members and many shoppers, too, were encouraged to participate and donate blood. A team of doctors led by Dr Seema Ghai of General Hospital, Sector 6, helped in the blood donation camp.

Refreshments like fruit, milk and soft drinks were served to all those who donated blood. Mr Kochchar said the association would organise such camps at regular intervals.

Chandigarh, July 16
Sidharth Singh of hosts school cornered glory by winning silver medal in the 50 metre back stroke event on the second day of the North Zone Inter DPS Aquatic Meet (under14) being held today at the swimming pool of Delhi Public School, Sector 40.

Ms Sunita Tanwar, principal of the school, said apart from regular swimming events, children were also taking part in various recreational events. The chairman of the DPS Society will be the chief guest at the concluding function.

Results:

50m Breast Stroke: Pumposh Goplani (DPS, Indira Nagar, Lucknow)1, Raunaq Beniwal (DPS, Panipat) 2 and Akshay Sachan (DPS, Azad Nagar, Kanpur) 3.

50m Butterfly: Bhav (DPS, Indira Nagar, Lucknow)1, Satyajit (DPS, Rohtak) 2 and Aman Sareen (DPS, Pinjore) 3.

50m Back Stroke: Tajinder Singh (DPS, Bathinda) 1, Sidharth Singh (DPS, Chandigarh) 2 and Dhruv Gupta (DPS Hardwar) 3.

50m Free Style:

Sachin Tiku (DPS, NTPC Dadri)1, Bhav (DPS, Indira Nagar, Lucknow) 2 and Digvijay Singh (DPS, Jammu) 3.

4 x 50m Free Style Relay: Ishan, Pumposh Goplani, Bhav, Piyush Nayan (DPS, Indira Nagar, Lucknow) 1, Dhiraj Mishra, Abhimanyu, Akash and Sagar Chaudhry (DPS, Agra) 2 and Sachin Tiku, Navneet, Shivam and J. Anurag (DPS, NTPC, Dadri) 3.

Chandigarh, July 16
The infrastructure at the Sector 7 Sports Complex here is being spruced up but plans to have a synthetic track of international standards for athletes have been shelved due to paucity of space to lay an eight-lane running track.

Instead a cinder track is being laid at the complex, the oldest sports complex in the city.

When enquired about why a synthetic track was not being laid, Mr J.P.S. Sidhu, Joint Director, Sports Department, UT, said an eight-lane track was required to hold competitions and the Sports Complex in Sector 7 had the capacity to have seven lanes only. So, it was not feasible there. But there was a proposal to lay the track of the Sector 46 Sports Complex.

The project to lay the cinder track will cost Rs 15 lakh and it will be completed in two months’ time. The work on the track has been stalled because of heavy rain, but it is otherwise good because the cinder would settle well on the ground, said Mr Sidhu.

Appreciating the decision, an athlete said it would give relief to the athletes who frequent the stadium. The track had been in a state of neglect for the past eight years. Its clay had not been replaced since 1999. There were bumps in it and the water used to collect on the tracks. Tracks in this state of condition could be fatal to an athlete who could get a cramp or even muscle pull.

Mr Sidhu says the cinder track will be of excellent quality coal and clay making it safe for the athletes.

There are plans to revamp the gymnasium also. Its wooden floor has already been replaced with cemented floor and other steps are also being adopted to make it the best.

“Landing platforms used by gymnasts are a very important part of any modern gymnastic hall. Filling the platforms with correct density, shape and structure of the foam layers is essential and we are following the international standards in this regard,” said Mr N. Shashi, coach at the complex.

Students can avail of these facilities as they have to pay only Rs 50 a month. However, six months’ advance fee has to be deposited. Facilities for basketball and squash also exist but fee is charged for the latter.

Chandigarh, July 16
The Chandigarh Chess Association will organise the 16th Chandigarh Chess Championship-2005 from July 28 to 31 at Navodaya Vidyalaya School, Sector 25, here.

Four players would be selected from the championship to represent Chandigarh at the National ‘B’ Chess Championships from August 3 to 15 being held at New Delhi.

The entries will close on July 27.

Chandigarh, July 16
Trials to select players for the Chandigarh Cricket Association (CCA) and St. John’s Cricket Academy will be held at St. John’s High School, Sector-26, Chandigarh on July 18 from 3:30 p m onwards. The trials will be held in the age groups of U-12, U-15 and U-17. The trials are open for boys studying in schools of Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali.

Chandigarh, July 16
A basic tennis teachers course (BTTC), organised by the Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association, commence at the CLTA Tennis Stadium, Sector 10, here today. This course, will continue till July 18.

Mr Rajan Kashyap, Chairman, CLTA, said the programme was initiated by All-India Tennis Association with a aim to upgrade the skills of assistant coaches and markers.

“With these basic training skills, the quality of coaching in all is bound to improve. Twenty coaches from Punjab and Chandigarh had turned up to avail of this facility”, said Mr Kashyap.