Punjabi varsity grabs 240 medals in one year
Gagan K. Teja
Tribune News Service

Patiala, August 22
Punjabi University, Patiala, cracked remarkable performance by mustering a total of 240 medals in various individual and team events in last year’s all-India inter-university sports competitions.

The tally included 145 gold, 72 silver and 23 bronze medals. Of these, 132 gold, 64 silver and 21 bronze medals were grabbed in the individual events, while 13 of university teams cornered gold, eight silver and two bronze medals.

While presiding over a meeting of the university sports committee, vice-chancellor Dr Jaspal Singh declared to spend over Rs 70 lakh on construction, renovation and refurbishing of various buildings and creating new infrastructure. While giving details of the projects, Dr Jaspal Singh said the new projects included the construction of a new weightlifting hall at a cost of Rs 20 lakh, two cushioned synthetic tennis courts costing Rs 20 lakh and two clay court enclosures which will incur an expenditure of Rs 10 lakh.

The Gymnasium Hall will be upgraded with an eight-layered cushioned floor, equipped with acoustics make-up, which will require another about Rs 20 lakh, he added.

Director, sports, Dr Raj Kumar Sharma disclosed that 17 of the university sportspersons established new records in cycling, powerlifting and weightlifting events, while seven were declared as best players. In addition to this, the university players also unleashed superb performances in various national and international level competitions.

They cornered first position in the South Asian Universities Hockey Championship, held at Amritsar while representing Association of Indian Universities (AIU).

Two of the university athletes also pocketed silver medals in the Asian Indoor Athletics Championship and one in the South Asian Federation Games, Dr Sharma said.

Kalka-Shimla rail traffic suspended for second day
Our Correspondent

Kalka, August 22
The rail traffic on Kalka-Shimla section remained suspended on the second consecutive day today due to the maintenance work on bridge no-21 on the Sukhna River near HPMC factory.

All five trains plying between Kalka-Shimla had to be cancelled today, said official sources. Ajay Kochhar, station superintendent (SS) of Kalka railway station, told The Tribune that around 200 labourers of the engineering department of IOW and PWI department from Kalka, Chadigarh, Sirhind and Rajpura have been deployed and two material trains were sent for the maintenance of the bridge. The base pillars of the bridge were damaged yesterday due to heavy rain, which caused suspension of the trains on Kalka-Shimla rail section.

Divisional rail manager (DRM), Ambala, H.K. Jaggi, who also visited the spot today to take a stock of the repair work, said there were enough labourers and material for the maintenance work. However, he added that the swift flow of the river was causing hurdle in the repair work and it would take 8 to 10 hours for the maintenance of the bridge. Passengers at Kalka railway station had to adopt the road transport to reach their destinations due to cancellation of train tickets.

According to Kochhar, more than 58 passengers who have reserved their seats in 241 up Shivalik and 251 up mail trains were given their refund.

Elections to 4 MCs before Sept 15
Tribune News Service

Kharar, August 22
The Punjab State Election Commission has directed deputy commissioners of Mohali, Muktsar, Moga and Gurdaspur to get MC elections in their respective areas conducted before September 15.

Acting on Supreme Court's directions, the PSEC issued a notification today late evening directing the four deputy commissioners to prepare lists of voters and booths. The commission also directed the DCs to appoint returning officers (RO) and assistant returning officers (ARO). DCs have forwarded the notifications to concerned SDMs.

The exact date of holding MC elections of Kharar (Mohali), Muktsar, Moga and Sujanpur (Gurdaspur) will be issued in a new notification by the PSEC.

As many as 95 MCs went to poll in Punjab on June 30 except the aforesaid ones. These MCs were elected in 2003 and their term expired in March 2008.

Director, local bodies, issued a notification on January 21, 2007, stating that since the elections to 94 municipalities were due in March 2008, no increase in the municipal limits be made in any part of the state.

However, Punjab government directed the four MCs to send proposals for increasing their municipal limits through delimitation and invited objections for the same. While some municipal councilors from Moga filed their objections, government announced MC elections in state barring the four MCs. Following this, the Moga councilors approached Supreme Court that directed PSEC to conduct elections without waiting for delimitation of constituencies, if not already done.

SAD (A) condemns attack on mosques
Tribune News Service

Fatehgarh Sahib, August 22
The Fatehgarh Sahib unit of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) today condemned the communal attack allegedly launched by the RSS, SAD (Badal) and the BJP on masjids in Amritsar.

SAD (A) president Simranjit Sing Mann said in a press release it is appalling that in the city of Amritsar, where the Gurus have taught tolerance and brotherly love, such a dastardly act was committed.

“We promise our Muslim brethren that we will not tolerate any attack on their freedom to practice their religion and enjoy a peaceful co-existence in Punjab. Our party has spoken to the DC and SSP of Fatehgarh Sahib in connection with this attack.

The party men have also spoken to the home secretary who has given the assurance that nothing wrong would happen in Fatehgarh Sahib,” Mann said.

The party president further said that they feel the communal atmosphere being created by the SAD (B), BJP and RSS is very dangerous to the law and order situation of Punjab. It is also a highly explosive issue for regional and global peace, he added.

Make treasury office functional, say residents
Our Correspondent

Bassi Pathana, August 22
Though conceding to the demands of the residents, the government has sanctioned sub-treasury office for the sub-division headquarter town and also issued the required infrastructure, but due to lack of required space and staff the office could not be started yet. The heads of many social organisations of the town headed by Kulbhushan Malhotra, council president, and Manoj Banda today submitted a memorandum to deputy commissioner in this regard.

While talking to The Tribune, they told that the residents of the town, particularly employees, have to face much difficulty as they have to travel to Fatehgarh Sahib for petty work related to the treasury office as there is no treasury in the town. The residents gave many representations to the government and ultimately it bore fruit and sub-treasury was sanctioned for town by completing all legal formalities. But the office has not yet started as the local administration has not taken any interest.

Residents said in the old building of tehsil office, so many rooms were lying vacant and sub-treasury could be started there. They urged the deputy commissioner to take interest in starting sub-treasury office.

Bal film festival begins
Tribune News Service

Ropar, August 22
Bal film festival by the Children’s Film Society India (CFSI) began here today. Two cinema houses in city -- Kalyan Cinema and J.R. Theatre -- are showing four children centric films at the festival. These films include Sixer, Neel Parvat Ke Paar, Bhago Bhoot and Gilli Gilli Atta.

Kalyan Theatre has a capacity of 530 seats while J.R. Theatre’s has a capacity of 600 seats. For the first time the CFSI will be paying Rs 500 to each cinema per show. Also children will not be charged anything for the shows. The fest will continue till August 30.

Deputy commissioner B. Purushartha inaugurated the fest. Special shows will be run on Sunday wherein any child can watch these movies for free.

SPORTS

Johl misses cut by two strokes
Chandigarh challenge ends in Brunei Open
Donald Banerjee

API TT Tourney
Nonit wins sub-junior title
Tribune News Service

City boy selected for Italy shooting tourney
Sandeep Rana

Chandigarh, August 22
After Abhinav Bindra’s great feat, there is one more shooter who has made the city proud.

Smeet Singh, a student of XII of DAV Model School, Sector 15, has been selected for the 5th Grand Prix Shooting Championship to be held in Italy from August 27 to September 1.

For three consecutive years, this champ won the Punjab state gold medals in juniors’ category in skeet and his scintillating performance in nationals brought him for the trials for Asian shooting championship in Kuwait last year. “I was made a part of the Indian squad in Kuwait and thus I played my first international in 2007 in Kuwait and in the same year I became Punjab champion of seniors under the international rules of ISSF," says Smeet Singh.

This is not the only feather in his hat, the shooter by winning the silver medal in juniors at the 51st national shooting championship in December last year became the youngest Indian skeet player to play the senior top-6 of India. “I played the Asian clay shooting championship held in Jaipur in the month of February this year where along with Maan Singh and Sheraz Sheikh I won the Asian clay team gold medal for India,” he adds.

“I am participating in 5th Grand Prix Shooting Championship in Italy with Maan Singh from Delhi in skeet event and we both are very hopeful to shoot well there. My aim there would be to better my old performances and get into top ranks. I want to win the Olympic gold medal and I am trying that I get a quota place in the London 2012 Olympics. In my event, from last 20 years, no Indian player has participated in the Olympics,” he quips.

Sports council concludes evidence against PCA
Akash Ghai
Tribune News Service

Shooting meet from today
Our Correspondent

Patiala, August 22
The Patiala District Rifle Shooting Championship will be held at the Army shooting range, near primary wing of the Army school, on August 23 and 24.

Shooters desirous of taking part in the meet should contact Maj G.S. Bhullar, general secretary, of the Patiala District Rifle Shooting Association at his residence at 10, Doctor’s Enclave on August 22 to get their entries confirmed.

Two selected for ball badminton team

Axis Bank Scam: EOW registers case
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 22
The economic offences wing (EOW) of the Chandigarh police has finally registered a case in the over Rs 1 crore Axis Bank scam in which three persons duped nine residents.

The EOW also registered a case against Gulab Chand Thakur, an employee of GE Capital Business Process Management Service Private Ltd Company, for misappropriating Rs 2.22 crore.

In the first incident, Ajit Singh, Palwinder Singh and Gurwinder Singh cheated nine persons on the pretext of sending them abroad.

According to police sources, the accused placed an advertisement in newspapers, inviting those who wanting to go abroad. A total of 16 persons contacted them. To win their confidence, they told them that the money would only be taken when they would reach their destination. All victims were told to open accounts in Axis Bank with an instruction not to reveal anything to the bank staff. Out of 16, only nine persons opened the account.

Gurwinder Singh also opened an account in his name at the Mani Majra bank branch. The victims were instructed to issue cheques and give them to their family, to be delivered to the accused after they touched foreign soil.

Somehow, the trio managed to get the cheques from the victims and fled. The police had registered a case on the complaint of MP Singh.

In the second incident, Gulab Chand Thakur, who was on employee of GE Capital Business Process Management Company at Sector 34, which is a collection centre of credit cards bills being paid through drafts. He had been working in the company for over two years and handled all payments. He used to deposit drafts in his account as well as the accounts of his accomplices, whom he gave 50 per cent of the amount. Some of his accomplices were employees of the company, sources said.

Former associate editor’s house burgled
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, August 22
The burglars took away cash and goods worth more than Rs 5 lakh after breaking in a house at Himshikha Colony at Pinjore near here last night. No family member was at home at the time of the incident as the owner of the house, K.P. Sinha, was undergoing a treatment at a hospital in Mohali.

Sinha, a former senior associate editor of The Tribune, lives in the house with his wife Uma Sinha. Their lone son stays abroad.

The theft came into light in the morning when a maid noticed the backdoor of the house opened while locks were intact on the front gate. She told Jai Gupta, a neighbour, about it who reached the spot and informed the police. A dog squad was called in and finger prints were taken from the spot. However, the dog squad could not pursue after some distance.

Uma, who was with her husband at the hospital at the time of the incident, reached her home by noon and informed that the things missing include gold weighing more than 300 gram, $ 1,000, and a DVD.

15-yr-old maid commits ‘suicide’
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, August 22
Ruckus was created at Sector 14 by family members and relatives of 15-year-old Manju who died under mysterious circumstances at PGI in Chandigarh today. The parents alleged that Manju was killed by a family living in Sector 11, where she was employed as a housemaid.

Hundreds of relatives and neighbours of Manju vented their anger against her employer by shouting before cremating her body in the evening.

The deceased was a daughter of Ram Bhajan, a labourer living in the hutments near market of Sector 14. She was staying with the family of A.L. Arora, where she was employed as a maid, said Manju’s mother Lajjawati.

Manju went to tie Rakhi to her brother last Saturday. However, Aroras took her back in the evening against her wishes. Lajjawati alleged that it was only the next day that they were informed that she had been admitted to PGI.

While Aroras could not be contacted as the house was found locked, the police officials said prima facie it was a case of suicide. However, nothing could be confirmed till the postmortem report is available and investigations are completed, said the police.

3-yr-old killed in mishap
Our Correspondent

Mohali, August 22
A three-year-old boy was killed when a speeding car hit into a stationary rickshaw here today.

According to the police, Sahib, son of a rickshaw puller, was playing on the rickshaw parked on the roadside when the driver of the car lost control of the vehicle near Singh Shaheeda Gurdwara, Phase VIII. After hitting a tree, the car rammed into an electricity pole before colliding with the rickshaw. The car turned turtle and the driver managed to escape from the spot, leaving the car behind. The child died on the spot after which the body was taken to civil hospital, Phase VI, the police said. A case was registered against the driver.

Retinal disease common in premature babies
Anuja Jaiswal
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 22
A study by the ophthalmology department of the PGI has said 41 per cent of premature babies here suffer from retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), a disease that affects the retina, causing permanent blindness.

The problem gets compounded among babies born before 34 weeks with less than 1.7 kg birth weight.

In such cases, doctors get less than a month to prevent blindness and the key to success lies in timely detection of the disease.

Unfortunately, in the absence of early screening in the country, the rate of childhood blindness is increasing. But hope comes from the PGI through its project “RETCAM” --- a specialised mobile camera unit which can capture the image of retina and provide laser treatment accordingly.

Recently, the ophthalmology department had conducted a study on 210 premature babies with less than 1.7 kg weight.

It found that about 41 per cent infants were affected with the disease, which can be prevented if detected at the right time, Dr Amod Gupta, head of the department, said.

Dr M.R. Dogra said: “We can not let babies go blind for want of retina experts in under-served areas. The idea of installing this unit is to screen all babies and offer quick treatment. Every infant should be examined when he or she is 3-4 weeks old. Out of the 12,000 practising eye specialists, only 1.5 per cent can treat childhood blindness.”

A baby could be treated in an incubator also with the help of laser. About 35 per cent of children in the PGI were delivered premature and ran a high risk of developing ROP, Dr Amod Gupta, head of the eye department, said.

“A trained technician or nurse will capture and send images of the retina to a retina specialist. The expert examines and interprets the images before rushing a team to treat the baby,” he said. As ROP was a condition where abnormal retinal blood vessels developed in an infant resulting in scarring, retinal detachment and blindness, laser was used to destroy avascular retina and restore vision. It was nearly 90 per cent successful in restoring vision,” he added.

Painless delivery first choice with most city women
Anuja Jaiswal
Tribune News Service

Award for PGI cardiologist
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 22
Dr Sreenivas Reddy S., assistant professor, department of Cardiology, PGIMER, has been awarded the Bharat Jyoti Award for meritorious achievements and services in cardiology by the India International Friendship Society.

The award was given by former minister of planning, Government of India, Rajasekharan during a conference on “Economic growth & national integration” in Delhi recently.

Dr Reddy (32) is the youngest member of the faculty of PGIMER. He was a research associate in stem cell therapy project in acute myocardial infarction sponsored by department of biotechnology, ministry of science and information technology, from August, 2007 to January, 2008.