Chandigarh, September 19
For carrying out experiments on animals, the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) is coming up with a state-of-the-art animal house complex at an estimated cost of Rs 2 crore.

Stated to be the largest in the country, the three-storied complex will be equipped with ultra-modern equipment for carrying out experiments in experimental medicine, medical microbiology, parasitology, virology, immunopathology, pharmacology and certain other fields.

The complex that will come up next to the existing animal house would be interlinked with the old animal house. Spread over 27,000 square feet the building would be centrally air-conditioned.

Sources in the Department of Experimental Medicine, PGIMER, disclosed that support facility would be at the ground floor, while the first floor would be used for conducting various experiments on animals. The top floor has been dedicated exclusively for the breading of different species of animals.

With the coming up of the new animal house complex, the PGIMER would be able to conducted in-house breeding of the various experimental animals thus adding to the numbers of its own species of animals. Currently the PGIMER animal house has a substantial population of rats, mice, guinea pigs, sheep and rabbits. The researchers of different departments have been conducting experiments on these animals and going in for out-house breeding for them.

The PGIMER has planned the project for the purpose of control and supervision on the experiments of animals guidelines.

Dr Upjeet Kaur, Head of the Department of Experimental Medicine, PGIMER, refused to comments on the exact population and number of animal species in the old animal house and the type of experiments being conducted there. 

Chandigarh, September 19
A total of 32,393 children under five years of age were given polio drops during a door-to-door campaign of the Health Department in the city on yesterday and today.

As many as 1,01,161 children aged less then five years were vaccinated on the first day of the pulse polio campaign on September 17.

Health officials conducted a survey at various places and administered the vaccine to cover every child in city slums.

Health employees, nursing students, anganwari workers and ANMs participated in the campaign.

Chandigarh, September 19
SGGS College, Sector 26, Chandigarh outclassed Gobindgarh College, Alour, 3-0 in the men’s badminton zonal tie during the Panjab University Inter-College Badminton Tournament held at Panjab University campus, here today.

The SGGS’s Sunil Kumar defeated Gobindgarh College’s Ajay 21-08, 21-06. In the second encounter, Ankur beat Tarun 21-14, 21-16 while in the doubles, Sunil and Ankur defeated the Alour’s pair Mohi and Tarun 21-10, 21-04.

Dev Samaj College for Women, Ferozepore, won the Panjab University Inter-Zonal Kabaddi (Women) Championship for the session 2006-07. GN Girls’ College, Muktsar, and Government College for Women, Ludhiana, secured second and third positions, respectively. In the matches played today, GNG College, Muktsar, beat Government College (W), Ludhiana, 66-64 while Dev Samaj College (W), Ferozepore, defeated MCM DAV (W), Chandigarh 41-36.

Other results:

Badminton (men): SCD College, Ludhiana b Govt. College-46, Chd 3-0. Gobindgarh Public College, Alour b Govt. College, Dhudike 3-0. RSD College, Ferozepore b MM DAV College, Gidderbaha 3-1. Govt. College, Sector 11, Chd. b MRS College, Malaut 3-0. SCD Govt. College, Ldh. b SA College, Comm. and Mgt., Ldh 3-0. GGN Khalsa College, Ldh. b RSD College, Ferozepore 3-0. Govt. College-11, Chd b DAV College, Malout 3.

Chandigarh, September 19
Vanshika Chugh of Chandigarh outclassed Ankita Kausahl of Haryana 6-1,4-6,6-2 in the girls’ u-12 prequarter final round of the Monsanto Aita Talent Series Tennis Tournament held at the CLTA, Sector 10, here today.

The fight in the second round of u-16 boys’ doubles between the Chandigarh and Punjab pair ended in a one-sided affair defeat where Garry S. Amor and Harry S. Amor (CHD) beat Kanwardeep Singh and Sukhbanish Behal (PB) 6-2, 6-1.

Chandigarh, September 19
The Municipal Corporation will frame new recruitment and promotion rules for fire officials before filling the vacant posts in the department. The fire wing of the corporation has been without a Chief Fire Officer for the past more than two years.

Two officials had applied for the post of Chief Fire Officer, but they were not found eligible. The corporation had then asked for a panel of names of officers from Haryana, Punjab and New Delhi willing to come on deputation.

According to officials, Punjab and Haryana have no post for Chief Fire Officer. New Delhi has a post of Chief Fire Officer. However, due to lack of any recruitment and promotion rules it is difficult there to bring an officer on deputation to fill the post.

Mr H.S. Khandola, Joint Commissioner, MC, who has the additional charge of the Chief Fire Officer, will frame the rules. According to sources, the rules of various states will be analysed and studied for this purpose. The MC follows the Fire Act in force in Punjab. According to officials in the MC fire wing, there are no set recruitment and promotion rules in Punjab also. In the absence of any rules there is often a discrepancy in the promotion of employees of the Fire Department. s