Chandigarh, December 14
An internationally renowned nephrologist, Dr K.S. Chugh, Emeritus Professor in the PGI, has been conferred with the “LifeTime Achievement Award” by the Indian Society of Nephrology (ISN).

Mohali, December 14
Government Institute for Mentally Retarded Children, Sector 32, defeated Jeevodhaya Special School, Nagpur, by five runs and won the final of the first ever All-India Open Cricket Tournament at PCA Stadium, here today.

The Nagpur team won the toss and chose to field. GIMRC had set a target of 94 runs (18 overs, 6 wickets). Nagpur in the initial stage showed promise but the GIMRC team gave a good performance in fielding and won the match by five runs.

Sunita Dogra, a gifted child and recipient of the President’s award, gave away the winner’s trophy to the GIMRC team and the runners-up trophy to the Nagpur team. The ‘man of the series’ award went to Vijay who scored 55 runs and took 17 wickets in six innings. Gurpreet was declared the best batsman who made 90 runs in the tournament. Ajay, who took 18 wickets, was adjudged the best bowler.

“These special children are least bothered about the results and just enjoy playing the game. The aim of such tournaments is to create awareness and increase their acceptability among the common masses”, said Joint Director, GIMRC, Sector 32, Chandigarh.

Chandigarh, December 14
DAV Public School, Sector 8, Chandigarh, is all set to host the biggest table tennis event titled the CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) National Table Tennis meet involving more than 500 paddlers in three age groups under 14, under 16 and under 19 from December 19 to 22 at the Sector 23 T T Hall.

Disclosing this here today, Ms Sarita Manuja, Principal, of the host school, said the event was going to be held for the first time in the city. More than 100 schools would participate from all over the country in both boys and girls section. She said all these years, DAV Public School had been performing well in the Inter-school TT competitions and many players from their school had won laurels at the national level. Nadia Saini, Dev Saini, Chetan, Barbie, Aishwarya, Naina Suri, Manik, Mayank Kapoor are some of the few players of the school who have won many titles in various tournaments at the regional and national level.

Ms Manuja said when they were earlier offered to host the North Zone CBSE TT meet by the head office, they instead requested them to allot the National meet. She said prior to the zonal level meets, we had cluster-level TT meets in 16 clusters comprising various states and union territories.

Ms Manuja said we are going to have teams from the Gulf region and teams from Saudi Arabia will also take part. The Gulf region have separate TT meet for the CBSE affiliated schools at zonal level. She said the above tournament will be conducted with the help of technical officials from the National Institute of Sports, Patiala, and other local qualified personnel.

She said the girls teams will be lodged in their school, while boys teams and officials will stay in the sports hostel and guest house of Panjab University Campus.

Subsidised food has been arranged at both the places for the convenience of the participants. She said it was going to be a mega event and apart from team championship winners in each groups, the winner and runners-up in all three events in boys and girls section will also be declared.

Chandigarh, December 14
“In emergency situations like the one that arose because of Sehwag’s absence due to illness, Irfan has done well and promoting Irfan as one down or as an opener time and again will definitely give him more confidence and help him grow as an opener,” remarked Navjot Singh Sidhu, former cricketer, who was in Chandigarh today.

Revealing the secret of his energy, he replied instantly ‘meditation and concentration’. On the BCCI’s proposal to change the diet schedule of cricketers, he opined that it was the need of the hour in it in the wake of changing pattern of the game. “Now it is a power play and we need to have low fat and diet rich in nutrients for our players”.

Sidhu burst on to the national scene during the 1987 World Cup. His scores of 73, 75, 51, 55 and 22 signalled the beginning of a long successful career. On the tour of Pakistan in 1989-90, Sidhu had three fifties in the Tests, including 85 at Karachi and 97 at Sialkot and he hammered four fifties in five innings against the Australians in 1997-98,

Eventually, in a career spanning 51 Tests and 136 one-day internationals, he cracked eight sixes against Sri Lanka in 1993-94. Sidhu’s finest moment in Tests was his 201 against West Indies in 1996-97.

As a commentator, Sidhu emerged successful and in the years to come he will be remembered for being the best Indian opening batsman in the post Gavaskar era.

Chandigarh, December 14
The Finance and Contract Committee of the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh at its meeting yesterday decided to organise the New Year Shopping Festival at Sector 22-D from December 25 to January 15.

The corporation proposed to construct an air-conditioned marriage palace with sufficient infrastructure in Sector 51. The committee decided to construct community centres in the next financial year.

The corporation proposed to take up an energy-saving streetlight project. The project will be implemented using state-of-the-art technology and is likely to save 25 per cent energy.

The committee passed various agendas, including RCE for strengthening of V-4 road in Sector 19, supply of uniforms to sweepers, RCE for V-4 road in Sector 4, waiving of rent of the Sadhna Society in Manimajra, implementation of latest standard proforma of agreements by the engineering wing, recast RCE for construction of internal roads and streets of Burail.

The corporation has prepared some new projects for the next financial year to be incorporated in the next year’s budget. It plans to take up the work of providing proper parking space for the buses at one or two locations away from the residential/commercial areas where facilities like toilets, booking counters, dormitory for drivers, etc, will be provided. A reference in this regard was made to the Department of Urban Planning and the department has earmarked two sites, one in Sector 41 and the second in Manimajra.

A budget provision has also been made in the budget outlay proposed for the year 2006-07. A parking fee will be levied for the use of such facilities. It has planned to develop another exhibition ground with proper facilities and has been proposed to convert the existing circus ground into exhibition ground after providing boundary wall and toilets on the pattern of Parade Ground, Sector 17.

It has been planned to upgrade the facilities in markets of two sectors in the coming financial year. A multi-level parking has also been planned in Sector 17, behind the Sahib Singh block. The zoning plans have been received from the Department of Urban Planning. It is proposed to construct the multi-level parking on B.O.T basis in the next financial year.

The corporation proposed to construct two concrete roads, one of these will be in Sector 17 and the other in a southern sector. In order to de-congest the traffic before institutions like schools, temples and gurdwaras, it is proposed to widen V-5 roads from the existing 24 ft to 33 ft width. The work of widening of V-5 roads will be taken up at least in three sectors in 2006-07. The streetlights from the Khuda-Lahora chowk to the Transport chowk, Sector 26, will be replaced.

The corporation is presently operating around 168 tubewells for drinking water supply. Another 32 tubewells are likely to be commissioned by March 2006.

The meeting was chaired by Ms Anu Chatrath, Mayor, Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh, Mr P.S. Aujla, Commissioner, MCC, Brig. Sant Singh, Mr. P.C. Sanghi, Mr Vijay Singh Rana, Mr Subhash Chawla, Ms Lalit Joshi, members, F&CC and officials of the corporation.