The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

AIDS body of UT yet to get a permanent chief
Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 12
Even as National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) has changed its guidelines for the appointment of project directors (PDs) to state AIDS control societies, the one in Chandigarh is yet to get its permanent project director.

It has been 20 days since the past director left but UT Administration is yet to fill the crucial post with a permanent head.

In an ideal situation, the post of the head of a department as important as AIDS control should have been filled immediately so as to prevent targeted intervention projects for HIV prevention from suffering.

But the appointment is likely to take a while, with three names doing the rounds - the acting project director Dr Suveer Saxena, who has a good chance with his background in microbiology, Dr Vanita Gupta, skin specialist from Government Multi-Specialty Hospital, Sector 16 and Dr Kavita Chavan, a gynaecologist working with Chandigarh State AIDS Control Society (SACS) at present.

As per the changed NACO guidelines, a project director must have 10 years of experience in development field and must stay in the post for three years, unlike in the past when programmes suffered, as the tenure for PD was not specified.

Although open to interpretation, the term ‘development’, mentioned in NACO guidelines, refers mainly to “vast specific experience in HIV/AIDS sector”. Sources in NACO admit they would any day prefer technical hands with HIV treatment experience to other experts. This would also ensure better and more accurate results of HIV surveillance studies, which have been under the scanner of world bodies for long.

Considering this, Dr Saxena stands a fair chance of continuing in office, his asset being his qualification as a microbiologist, who is involved in blood safety, the most important component of HIV/AIDS prevention.

Dr Saxena was heading the voluntary counselling and testing centre (VCTC) and pathology lab at GMSH-16 before he joined SACS as acting project director. He is currently pursuing his fellowship in HIV medicine from Maulana Azad College Medical College, Delhi.

Incidentally, on an all-India level too, there has been an increased stress on appointment of technical hands like microbiologists as project directors. “That’s because they know all about HIV testing and are involved in all stages of HIV awareness/treatment strategies - from blood safety to CD-4 and viral load testing and antiretroviral therapy,” said a source in NACO. Microbiologists are also the ones to do all sorts of accessory tests for opportunistic infections (OIs) in HIV. OIs include TB and herpes.

Also in the race for the top post in Chandigarh SACS are Dr Vanita Gupta and Dr Kavita Chavan, with respective experiences in dermatology and gynaecology.

With their specific experience, they can help with the following two components of HIV prevention/treatment-sexually transmitted infections (STI) and mother to child HIV transmission.

PCA gets serious about fitness
Akash Ghai
Tribune News Service

Mohali, July 12
Fitness is very important for every sportsperson. Taking this seriously, the Punjab Cricket Association is organising a series of preparatory camps for their Ranji players. The camps, which will be held six weeks apart, will focus on strengthening the physical and mental fitness of a person.

“Besides cricketing skills, the other ingredients necessary to become a successful cricketer are fitness, physical endurance and mental toughness. For our Ranji players, chosen by the selection panel of PCA, we are organising a second camp in which we will concentrate on developing physical and mental endurance,” said Punjab Ranji coach Daljeet Singh. The first camp was held from June 1 to 10.

Forty probables will undergo special drills in the camp, which begins from July 16 to 25. The drills will be held under the supervision of specialists.

“For mental strength drills, we are taking the services of Rajeev Nair, a mind-training specialist from Jamshedpur. The fitness part will be supervised by Dr Saranjit Singh. Renowned orthopaedic surgeon Dr M.S. Dhillon will also give tips to the players on sports’ injuries. A total of nine tests will be held to check the fitness of the players. On the basis of these tests, they will be given marks,” said the coach.

The names of the probables are as follows:

Karan Goel, Love Ablish, Gaurav Marwaha, Ankur Kakkar, Ravneet Ricky, Sumit Sharma, Vipan Chauhan, Charanjit Singh, Ravi Inder Singh, Gajinder Singh, Ankur Jund, Sarabjit Ladda, Hardevinder Singh, Mohit Mohindra, Robin Dhillon, Pankaj Dharmani, R.S. Sodhi, Sunny Sohal, Varun Khanna, Dinesh Mongia, Bipul Sharma, V.R.V. Singh, Uday Kaul, Gaurav Gupta, Gurkirat Singh, Karanveer Singh, Siddarth Kaul, Harbhajan Singh, Sarabjeet Singh, Rajesh Sharma, Rahul Sharma, Sumit Kalia, Ishan Malhotra, Amanpreet Singh, Gagandeep Singh, Mayank Sidhana, Bharat Loomba, Tarun Sharma, Manpreet.

Cricket
Trials tomorrow
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 12
Trials to select the district under- 22 team will be held at Government Senior Secondary School, Sector 19 grounds, here on July 14 at 3 pm.

According to Surinder Singh, secretary of the Chandigarh District Association (affiliated with the Haryana Cricket Association), players born on or after September 1, 1985, are eligible to participate in the trials. Players should come in proper white kit.

The team will participate in the Haryana State Inter-District u-22 Cricket Tournament for the Rajinder Goel Trophy, being organised by the Haryana Cricket Association.

Cops with STA pulled back
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 12
The functioning of the State Transport Authority (STA), Chandigarh, has come to a standstill following the withdrawal of police personnel attached with the authority.

No checking has been done on city roads. Eight police personnel who were attached with the authority for field checking have been withdrawn. Though the issue has been taken up with the SSP, the latter has reportedly refused to give the force.

“The force would be given on special checking drive. It is not possible to perform field duties with the police force,” said an official.

The STA is learnt to have taken up the matter with the home secretary.

Goods in market verandahs removed
Our Correspondent

Mohali, July 12
The enforcement wing of the local municipal council removed goods kept in verandahs in market areas during a drive carried out here today.

While the staff on duty was able to impound some goods of shopkeepers, others managed to remove these. The drive was carried out in Phase V and Phase III B2.

The council wants to carry out the drive in a big way to vacate the verandahs meant for the use of the public.

The staff also impounded rehris from different parts of the town being plied in violation of the norms.