Atwal honoured by  anti-corruption society
Tribune News Service

Fatehgarh Sahib, September 7
Deputy speaker of Lok Sabha Charanjit Singh Atwal was honoured by the Anti Corruption Action Society, Mandi Gobindgarh, during a function held here on Friday. Local political leaders, deputy commissioner  and Fatehgarh Sahib SSP attended  the function.

Atwal said it was quite difficult to find an honest person in politics and administration as everybody wanted to be rich in just few days. People should lead a simple life with principles of honesty, he added. It’s all up to the politicians and bureaucrats to honestly implement various developmental schemes of governments, he said.

Meanwhile, Dr Rattan Singh Jaggi was also honoured at Fatehgarh Sahib by SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar for various religious and social works. Jaggi has written nearly 100 books in Punjabi, Hindi and English languages in the past sometime.

Patiala, September 7
Abhimanya Dahiya of MNSS, Rai, clinched the title in 50m free style event for under-17 boys in the All-India Inter-Public School Swimming Championship, which concluded at the National Institute of Sports (NIS) pool here today.

Dahiya was followed by Raja Bhan Singh of YPS, Patiala, and Suraj Panecha of Daly College, Indore.

Results

800m Free Style (Girls, U-19): Sujata (MNSS, Rai) 1, Preeti Hooda (MNSS, Rai) 2, Kritika Kapoor (Mayo College, Ajmer) 3.

200m Back Stroke (Boys, U-19): Abhishek Chugh (DPS, RK Puram) 1, Amit Kumar (MNSS) 2, Arun Singh (MNSS) 3.

200m Back Stroke, time trial (Girls, U-19): Rini Bharti (DPS, RK Puram) 1, Shardha Dass (Modern School, Delhi) 2, Surabhi Bhargava (MGD, Jaipur) 3.

200m Back Stroke, time trial (Boys, U-17): Viplav Chowdhury (DPS, RK Puram) 1, Mandeep (MNSS) 2, Mudit Kohli (Modern School) 3.

50m Free Style, Final (Boys, U-17): Abhimanyu Dahiya (MNSS) 1, Raja Bhan Singh (YPS, Patiala) 2, Suraj Panecha (Daly College) 3.

50m Free Style, Final (Boys, U-14): Angad Singh (LSS) 1, Sahil Deep (YPS, Patiala) 2, Karan Brar (YPS, Patiala) 3.

Chandigarh, September 7
The counsel for Capt Poonam Kaur, who is facing disciplinary action for professional impropriety, has alleged that the court of inquiry (COI) convened to investigate the complaint of physical and mental harassment made by her, has been misdirected. This has resulted in the victim being made an accused and the accused officers being assigned the role of complainants.

In a petition sent to the defence minister A.K. Antony, the captain’s counsel, Col S.K. Aggarwal (retd) had contended that the COI, convened on the orders of the defence minister, did not investigate the complaint made by her. Allegations by the unit officers against her were instead made the subject matter of the COI.

In July, Capt Poonam, posted with an ASC Battalion at Kalka, had alleged physical and mental harassment by her commanding officer, Col R.K. Sharma, the unit’s scond-in-comand, Lt-Col Ajay Chawla and adjutant Maj Suraj Bhan.

He pointed out that a woman officer of the rank of major was made a member of the COI which was against the Army regulations, as all members of the COI had to be senior to or of equivalent rank to the accused.

The petition stated that the captain was not allowed to examine witnesses in support of her complaint and was denied a just and fair inquiry. Nor was a copy of the COI’s convening order supplied to her, for which she was entitled. He added that allegations of her having an improper association with her driver were nothing but character assassination.

Alleging that the COI was conducted in a partisan manner to help the accused officers, Col Aggarwal has sought that the case be handed over to the CBI for impartial investigations.

Chandigarh, September 7
Mohun Bagan had a big splash in their last group-B encounter as they disposed of Cantonment Senior Secondary School Board of Jalandhar by raining 10 goals without reply in the Sixth Administrator's Challenge Cup All-India Football Tournament for Under-17 at the Sector 17 football stadium here today.

Pritam Singh and Amit Kumar Singh scored three goals each. Pritam found the target in the 5th, 8th and 43rd minutes while Amit Kumar Singh netted in the 28th, 34th and 59th minutes. Gaiham Rongmei contributed two goals in the seventh and 86th minutes. Avik Guha (22nd) and Mahendrajit (67th) scored one goal each to complete the cantonment team's rout.

In a nail-biting group-D encounter, Indian Football Association (IFA), down by a first-half goal, bounced back into the game with a vengeance to snuff out the challenge of Mahilpur Football Academy of Punjab by a 2-1 margin.

Both teams played a cautious game in the start. However, it was Mahilpur Football Academy that forged ahead in the 27th minute. On crossing over, Indian Football Association reorganise their game and with perfect understanding among their strikers, they restored parity in the 48th minute when Deepankar Sarkar found the object with a nicely executed header, after receiving a measured cross from the left flank. Prabhakar Naskar snatched the winners for IFA with a sizzling 20-yard right footer, which brooked no denial.

Later in the evening, three inconsequential matches were played to complete the league phase. Playing at their half pace, hosts Chandigarh Football Academy blanked Madhya Pradesh Football Association by 3-0. Rajinder (27th), Gagandeep (37th) and Sachin (67th) scored one goal each as CFA maintained their slate clear with an all-win record in the five-team group-A competitions.

Rohit Football Academy of Orissa got the better of Steadfast Football Academy of Mumbai. S.K. Ibrahim scored a hat-trick for Orissa team. In all, he scored four goals in the 15th, 33rd, 36th and 75th minutes. R.P. Singh added one goal to the winners' tally in the 67th minute. For the Mumbai team, Parmod (46th and 87th) and Baldev (24th) reduced the margin.

In another match, Tamil Nadu blasted Haryana Football Association by 9-0. S.S. Dhiffan (33rd, 55th, 69th), C. Raja (47th, 56th), Edwin Sydney (65th, 72nd), Akash Ghai (75th) and Santosh (77th) were the scorers.

Chandigarh, September 7
Vishwjeet of Sports Complex, Sector 7, bagged the first position in the boys’ under-14 60m race during the Chandigarh North District Athletics Championship held at Sports Stadium, Sector 46, here today.

In the same category, Rajinder Singh of GMSSS, Sector 19, got the second position, while Sahil Madotra of Sports Complex bagged the third position.

In 200m event, Rajat Pathak of PUC, Sector 14, clinched the first position.

Second position was attained by Surinder of Dev Samaj School, Sector 21, and third place was clinched by Karan Tamar of KBDAVS, Sector 7.

Sahil Madotra of Sports Complex emerged winner in the in 800m event, while Karan Tamar of KBDAVS, Sector 7, and Rajinder Singh of GMSSS, Sector 19, bagged the second and third places, respectively.

Other Results

Long Jump: Arjun of DAVSSS-8 hailed as winner.

100m (Boys’ Under-16): Abhimanyu of DAVSSS, Sector-8, stood winner.

400m: Niranjan of Sports Complex, Sector 7, emerged winner.

800m: Karanveer Singh of Sector 18 stood first.

Discus: Ajay Kundu of GMSSS-19 stood first.

Javelin: Manmeet of NPS, Secotor 18, got title.

Shot put: Ajay Kundu of GMSSS-19 stood first.

Results Of Chandigarh South District Athletics Championship:

Boys U-14:

60m: Simranjeet Singh of St Soldier-28 got first position.

200m: Simranjeet Singh of St Soldier-28 bagged first position.

800m: Gurpreet of Baptist, Sector 45, got first position.

Long Jump: Rahul of St Soldier-28 stood first.

Boys U-16:

100m: Ashish of St Soldier-28 stood first. 400m: Karanbir of Sector-34 stood first.

800m: Gaganpreet Singh of Sector 38 stood first.

1500m: Gaganpreet Singh of Sector 38 stood first.

Long Jump: Ashish of St Soldier-28 stood first.

Javelin: Aatish Kumar of Stepping Stones-37 stood first.

Shot Put: Sidarth of Baptist-45 stood first.

Girls U-14:

60m: Ekta of Sports Complex-46 stood first.

200m: Ekta of Sports Complex-46 stood first.

800m: Kajal of St Soldier-28 stood first.

Girls U-16:

100m: Kiranpreet Kaur of Sports Complex-46 stood first.

800m: Gurleen of Baptist-45 stood first.

Mohali, September 7
The first-ever individual Olympic gold by ace shooter Abhinav Bindra has certainly changed the sports scenario in the town. The fact was evident in the 44th Punjab State Shooting Championship-08 at the Patiala Ki Rao Shooting Range in Phase VI here where the number of shooters has increased much more than that of the previous years.

“You can see a large number of people, including budding shooters and their curious parents, here. I think, Abhinav’s feat has done this magic,” said a participant.

“When I used to tell people that I was going for shooting, they used to ask me whether it was film shooting? But now, it’s not like that,” quips another participant Paramajit Singh. “Everybody out here is feeling motivated and keen to do something in shooting,” says Kunal Mathur.

“With people’s increasing interest in the game, the competition is also getting tougher and that’s a good indication for the next Olympic games, says Amanpreet, an international shooter.

On the other hand, Raja Sidhu, general secretary, Punjab State Association, doesn’t feel any change in the scenario, he says, “The students are motivated, but there is no rise in the number of participants. The change will happen only if facilities are provided to the players.”

He assured that if the government provided the world-class coaching, the medals would rain in the next Olympics.

Chandigarh, September 7
The stage is set for the clash of Punjab teams of India and Pakistan for the third Punjaab Cup Golf Tournament to be played on the par 72 greens of the Chandigarh Golf Club from October 27 to 30.

This will be the third in the series of the annual golf championships which began with the first tournament held in Chandigarh in November 2005.

In 2006, a Punjab team travelled to Pakistan to play in the second annual event on the greens of the Gymkhana Golf Club in Lahore in December.

The third annual event scheduled for 2007 was postponed and will now be played in October this year on the Chandigarh greens.

The championship will be played in four age-groups: Up to 40 years (handicap of six and below), 40 to 50 years (handicap of 10 and below) and above 50 years (handicap of 14 and below).

According to the secretary-general of the Punjab Golf Association, the trials to select the Indian Punjab team will be held on September 27 and 28 at the Chandigarh Golf Club from 8 am onwards.

Only amateur golfers of Punjab domicile can take part in the trials. The golf handicap of those taking part in the trials should be signed by the captains of their respective golf clubs.

The Indian Punjab team will consist of 12 golfers, four representing each 
age group.

Entries can be sent through the golf clubs or directly to the general secretary, Punjab Golf Association, SCO 28 (second floor), Sector 33-D, Chandigarh, by September 20. 

Chandigarh, September 7
Gaganjeet Bhullar from Kapurthala and big names of Chandigarh like Harmeet Kahlon, Harendra P. Gupta and Uttam Mundy will rub shoulders with the cream of Indian golf professionals in the Rs 30 lakh prize money AIS Golf Open to be held on the Golden Greens Golf and Country Club in Gurgaon from September 10 to 13.

Presented by the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), the second edition promises to be a mega affair. The inaugural AIS Golf Open, held in April, 2007, saw participation from top Indian professionals. Jyoti Randhawa won the first edition by a big margin of seven strokes.

The impressive line-up for the second edition includes Gaurav Ghei, Digvijay Singh, Ashok Kumar, Mukesh Kumar, Rahul Ganapathy, Arjun Singh, Gaganjeet Bhullar, Harendra P. Gupta and Harmeet Kahlon to name a few.

Playing host to the event is the Golden Greens Golf Course, one of the designer courses in the national capital region. It is nestled right on the edge of the Aravali range and is surrounded by hills on the three sides. This gives it an amphitheatre-like setting.

Ajay Gupta, tour commissioner, PGTI, said: "The support of sponsors like AIS has helped us to create the best playing opportunities for our professionals. The tournament promises an exciting week of golf as the country's best golfers will be vying for the top honours at what has now become one of the most prestigious events on the Indian golf calendar". 

Chandigarh, September 7
Kewal Kumar of Sector 22 reported that someone had stolen his Maruti car (CH03-6754) during the night intervening August 2 and 3. The vehicle was parked in front of his residence.