Panchkula, November 23
A three-day regional-level workshop on programme implementation plan under the National AIDS Control Programme, Phase III (NACP-III), for Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh concluded here today.

It was hosted by the Haryana AIDS Control Society.

Ms Urvashi Gulati, Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary, Department of Health and Medical Education, Haryana, appreciated the efforts made by the four states in preparing the five-year plan.

She stressed the need to provide services like blood bank, prevention of parent-to-child transmission, voluntary counselling and testing centre under one roof for better utilisation.

She also emphasised the importance of creating awareness in prevention and control of HIV/AIDS.

She appreciated the efforts of Dr Sudhakar Rao, Dr Bhagwan Parshad, Dr Kurien, Dr Naveet Wig, Mr Raj Kumar, Ms Vibha, Dr Shashi Kant, who 
were the facilitators for the workshop and had provided inputs and guidance to the participating states.

The workshop began on November 21. The objective was the preparation of the programme implementation plan (NACP-III) by the participating states, based on the guidelines given by NACO. The NACP-III will be implemented from April, 2006.

Chandigarh, November 23
The Centre for Adult, Continuing Education and Extension (CACEE), Panjab University, is organising a series of lectures for university students and faculty on HIV/AIDS in connection with International AIDS Day that falls on December 1.

The centre organised a seminar on “Social implication of HIV/AIDS and the role of women” at the Department of Sociology, PU. The objective was to channelise the potential of the youth for constructive purposes.

CACEE programme coordinator Renu Gandhi said 50 per cent of all new HIV infected persons were the youth (around 7,000 young persons become infected every day). “It is necessary to change social taboo of sex as an ugly and dirty sin. The youth should be given sex education so that they can take informed decisions, Renu said.

Dr Kiran Preet, Reader, Department of Sociology, appreciated the efforts of the centre and talked about the societal and biological implications of AIDS.

Stanzin Dawa (BBC Young Achiever) from Gandhian Studies said the services for young people in relation to HIV/AIDS should be “youth friendly”. Attention should be paid to issues such as confidentiality, convenience, caring and counselling, cost and community support.

Chandigarh, November 23
Chandigarh Football Academy, Sector 42, St Stephen’s School-45, DAV Senior Secondary School, Sector 8, and Shivalik Public School-41 made it to the last four of the Chandigarh Mini Under-14 Boys Football Tournament for the Shivalik Trophy being organised by the Chandigarh Football Association at Football Stadium, Sector 17 here, today.

Shivalik School team outplayed Vivek High School, Sector 38, 3-0 to advance to the four-team round robin league to decide on the positions.

Shivalik lads could have won the match by an even bigger margin had they capitalised on all chances that came their way.

Earlier, St Stephen’s School outplayed St Kabir School, Sector 26, 5-0 in a one-sided match.

St Stephen’s owed their triumph to Vikas who netted three goals. Vikas scored his first two goals with header. Jony Kumar went on to score Stephen’s third goal with a fine dribble. Vikas made it 4-0, while Jony Kumar scored the fifth goal.

In the third encounter, Chandigarh Football Academy proved too good for Ryan International School, Sector 49, whom they routed 4-0.

Vikramjit put the CFA into lead and further consolidated it by scoring another goal in the 32nd minute.

Rajbir scored the third goal with a brilliant shot. Balwinder got the fourth and final goal for Chandigarh Football Academy.

The first league match will be played tomorrow between St Stephen’s and DAV Senior Secondary School at 10 am followed by the second league fixture slated between CFA and Shivalik Public School.

Panchkula, November 23
Panchkula is set to host the 32nd All-India Power Boards Badminton Tournament to be organised under the banner of the All-India Electricity Sports Control Board (AIESCB) from November 25 to 28.

The four-day meet is being organised by Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam Limited at Sports Complex Badminton Hall, Sector 3.

According to general secretary, AIESCB, Maha Singh, a record number of 21 teams were expected to take part in the meet. He said the 31st edition of the meet was won by Punjab while Haryana were declared runners-up.

He said apart from state units, teams from private power sector companies like Reliance Energy, AP Transo, AP Genco, Tata Group, Mumbai will vie for top honours.

The teams taking part are: Haryana, Punjab, BBMB, Orissa, AP Transco, AP Genco, Reliance Energy, Maharashtra State Electricity Board, Calcutta Electric Supply Undertaking, Kolkata, Kerala, Delhi Electricity Board, Tata Supply, Madhya Pradesh State Electricity Board, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Uttaranchal and Assam.

The matches will be played in team championship as well as in individual events in both singles and doubles in men section only.

Mohali, November 23
Even as the outgoing President of the Municipal Council, Mr Kulwant Singh, listed the achievements made during the five-year tenure here today, Mr Darshan Singh Sandhu, SDM, Kharar, has been given the additional charge as the Administrator of the civic body.

The term of the elected body expired today and Mr Sandhu took over as the Administrator.

Mr Kulwant Singh, who was accompanied by a number of councillors of the ruling group, addressed mediapersons in the newly-constructed Municipal Bhawan in Sector 68. He said that the council which did not own any immovable property five years ago was able to acquire property worth crores of rupees during his tenure. Giving details he said, that the civic body now owned 16 acres of land for dumping garbage and for a cattle pound. For the past 21 years the offices of the council had been functioning from rented accommodation but now the civic body owned its own office building built according to international standards at a cost of Rs 9 crore.

He said that the council had earned an income of about Rs 90 crore during the past five years. Out of this amount about Rs 50 crore were spent on paying salaries of employees, water and clearing power bills. More than Rs 40 crore were spent on development of the town. A sum of Rs 12.44 crore was spent on strengthening and maintenance of roads, Rs 5.77 crore were spent on the construction of footpaths, Rs 5.38 crore were spent on the development of parks, Rs 5.37 crore on the construction of the office building, Rs 4.16 crore on construction of new curb channels and road gullies, etc.

Mr Kulwant Singh said that garbage dumping points and bus queue shelters were constructed on modern lines, the choked sewer and storm water lines were cleared, new tubewells were sunk, a library was constructed in Phase X, green belts were developed and roads widened for the convenience of residents . However, the council was not able to provide satisfactory service as far sanitation was concerned. He said that public cooperation was a must to maintain proper sanitation in the town.

The outgoing President appealed to the residents here that in the coming municipal elections they should vote only for candidates who had a positive bent of mind and would contribute to the development of Mohali.