NEIGHBOURHOOD

Varsities get ` 51-lakh grant for sports
Gagan K Teja
Tribune News Service

Patiala, September 22
Declaration of the much-awaited sports policy has raised the hopes of players and sportspersons in Punjab, as they now look forward to a better infrastructure and facilities as promised by the government to make Punjab one of the most sought-after states in the field of sports.

Punjab has always been a forerunner in sports, but in recent years it had slipped from the position it once enjoyed due to financial crisis. Punjab sports fraternity had been eyeing a better sports policy since long to grab the position it once enjoyed and with the arrival of this policy, they are hopeful about the improvement.

The policy has got thumbs up from the coaches and players as well. Though a few persons feel that there is always a chance to improve, but on the whole, they are happy that this is a new beginning for sports in the state.

“This is for the first time that the sports policy has been formed in the state, which in itself is a big achievement,” said district sports officer Jasbirpal Kaur Brar.

Expressing delight over the decision of sanctioning a grant of Rs 51 lakh for creation and upgradation of sports infrastructure to the state universities to win Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy and Rs 31 lakh and Rs 21 lakh for second and third, respectively, director sports of Punjabi University, Patiala, Dr Rajkumar Sharma said.

He said: “Universities and players work hard, but sometimes due to budget constraints, certain problems crop up. Though we try our best not to let anything come in the way of players’ progress, but this grant will help us in improving the facilities and infrastructures.”

Even players have lauded the efforts of the government stating that the decision of sanctioning more money on district-level to hunt new talent would make things better.

Archer Gagandeep Kaur said there were many talented players in villages, but due to lack of facilities and finances, they were unable to make it to higher level.

Pargat Singh, director sports, Punjab government, said: “We have sent the proposal to the finance department and the decision will be taken soon. The finance minister Manpreet Badal is positive about these appointments and I am hopeful that our demands will be fulfilled.”

Fatehgarh Sahib, September 22
A delegation of the Punjab State Aided-School Teachers Union led by president Gurcharan Singh Chahal today met Punjab education minister Upinderjit Kaur.

Gurcharan Singh said the minister agreed to release remaining nine-month grant-in-aid to these schools immediately. She also agreed to issue 15 per cent house rent allowance for teachers of the aided schools of Bathinda district.

The union accepted the education minister’s suggestion that JBT teachers would teach up to Class VIII and trained graduation teachers will teach till Class X.

“We have also been assured by the minister that the pending demands of pension for teachers, gratuity, new pay scales as per the fifth pay commission and fulfillment of all vacant posts would also be filled soon,” said Ravinder Joshi, union press secretary.

Joshi said the minister assured to take up the pending demands with the Chief Minister to get these fulfilled soon.

He said the teachers would be forced to agitate against the government if the government failed to give due benefits.

Kalka, September 22
On the directives issued by the Panchkula court, the Kalka police has registered a case against seven railway officials, which include RPF personnel, IOW, Kalka, and three railway TTs.

A case under Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against IOW Gurpreet Singh, head constable, RPF, Satbir Rana, constable Ramesh, in charge, RPF, Ajay Jyoti Sharma and TTs Darshan, Ramesh and Kamal.

Sources further revealed that Manoj Kumar, a resident of Khatik Mohalla, Kalka, had filed a suit in Panchkula court following which the Kalka police had taken the initiative to lodge an FIR in this context.

Manoj had alleged in his complaint that his father Tara Chand had took contract of car parking of Kalka Railway Station for three months and a person, Shammi, was deputed for parking collection.

On June 27, IOW Gurpreet Singh parked his car (CH-03S-6969) at the said car parking. He was issued a parking slip. But instead of paying parking fee he slapped Shammi and threatened Shammi of dire consequences. It was also alleged in the complaint that all above said accused started beating Manoj when he intervened in the matter.

Subsequently, his arm was fractured. He was admitted in the Civil Hospital, while Shammi was detained by the RPF police. He further alleged that despite of his medical examination the police failed to register an FIR against the accused and he was forcibly discharged from the hospital.

His father Tara Chand on June 30 had also submitted a written complaint to the police and urged to register a case. Complaints and telegrams were also sent to DGP, Haryana, SP, Panchkula, home secretary, Haryana, but to no avail. Manoj further alleged that GRP on June 28 registered a case false case against him on the complaint of Gurpreet Singh on the basis of fabricated medical reports. However, official sources of the RPF, Kalka, denied all allegations.

Patiala, September 22
A majority of educational institutes in Punjab were conducting programmes where students are learning fundamentals of science by performing various experiments. These activities help in inculcating scientific innovations among students. These were the views expressed by Dr Neelam Gulati Sharma, joint director, the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology, after inaugurating the three-day camps on astronomy and astrophysics at Multani Mal Modi College, Patiala.

She informed that the year 2009-10 had been declared as the international year of astronomy, as many astronomical events were falling this year.

Mobile planetariums have been installed in 12 districts of Punjab to understand the mysteries of astronomy through scientific ways. She appealed to the teaching faculty to make science interesting, so that the students feel motivated to join research in the field of science.

College principal, Dr Satish Bhardwaj welcomed the chief guest and told about the scientific activities performed in the college. Dr Arvind Rannaday, a scientist at Vigyaan Prasar, New Delhi, delivered a talk on practical astronomy.

As many as 80 students from five colleges of Patiala are participating in this workshop. Camps coordinator, Dr Rajeev Sharma told the main objective of the camps was to popularise astronomical physics among the students.

Dera Bassi, September 22
The health department has organised a state-level medical check-up camp and a workshop on family welfare here at Lalru Civil Hospital under the National Rural Health Mission Scheme.

During the camp as many as 365 patients were examined and medicines were given to them.

A team of specialist doctors checked the patients. Civil surgeon Dr PK Sridhar said needy patients would be sent to big hospitals for treatment.

Later MLA Jasjit Singh Bunny said good health was the need for the development of any nation. Health services should be reached to the needy people, he added. He praised the health department for providing best health services at Dera Bassi.

He assured that funds would be provided to develop the health infrastructure in the area. SMO Dera Bassi Dr Meena Hardeep Singh and district health officer Jai Singh also attended the workshop. — OC

Panchkula, September 22
“Rape is the second heinous crime after murder and gangrape comes somewhere in between. It is a step higher than rape for which law itself has provided minimum punishment for not less than 10 years,” said Additional District and Sessions Judge Ritu Garg in her detailed order while awarding 10-year imprisonment to 13 accused in the Kalka gangrape case.

The judge in her order said, “In my view, no mercy should be shown in such cases.”

“A woman who has been raped lives with emotional and physical scars of the incident for the rest of her life. In case of gangrape, the situation becomes even worse. The outraged woman in almost all cases feels nauseated because of what she has suffered. The irony is that it is the outraged woman who has to bear the disgrace of having been raped for the remainder of her life rather than the rapist. It is onerous for the offended woman to bring charges against the offender in such a case as in such a situation she has to re-live the noxious experience throughout the trial and has also to suffer the humiliation of defense,” the order further reads.

The incident took place on October 26 last year in which at least 14 persons were involved.

“Minor contradictions here and there are possible seeing the large number of accused. As it is, it is not possible to identify such a large number on the basis of tutoring outside the court. Had this been the case, she would have faltered much more and could not have clearly identified thirteen of the accused,” the order further reads.

Chandigarh, September 22
Pankaj Mittal, a 32-year-old resident of Sector 37, allegedly jumped to death from the second floor of his house this afternoon. The police said Mittal was under depression and was taking treatment for the past five years. Pankaj wife, Radhika, told the police that her husband had gone on the terrace to smoke. After a while, she spotted him lying listless in a pool of blood at the ground floor. The police was informed.

Pankaj, who sustained severe head injuries, was rushed to the PGI, where he was declared brought dead. He was taking treatment from the psychiatry department of the PGI. He used to run a grocery shop in Sector 15, which he had given on rent two year back.

Panchkula, September 22
Burglars broke open locks of about six Army flats in the Army Group Housing Society No 79 in Sector 20 here this morning.

Even though the exact loss could not be ascertained, the thieves reportedly took away Rs 2,000 and two pairs of earrings from one of the flats.

They had broken locks of flat Nos 401 to 403 and 201 to 202 and 304 in U-1 and U-2 blocks, respectively.

Nirmal Singh, owner of flat No 401, said he had moved out of the flat at around 10 am to purchase some grocery items from the market. He said his children returned from the school at about 12.30 pm and after finding the doors open, informed him. He said within a few minutes, he reached his flat and found the whole house ransacked. He said he immediately informed the society president, who further informed the police.

Another resident Inder Lal Taneja (75) of flat No 201 said he had gone to the dispensary located in the society complex at around 10.30 am and was shocked to see his house ransacked when he returned at 11.35 am. He said his wife had gone to attend some religious function in the society, while his son and daughter-in-law were away for their jobs.

SHO Inderbeer Singh said it seemed to be the handiwork of some persons of the society itself, who were well versed with the location of the flats and the persons living therein. He said about 20 private security staff had been engaged by the society and it was impossible for an outsider to make such a daring attempt, and that, too, in broad daylight.

A police team accompanied by a dog squad arrived on the scene. A team of the Central Forensic Science Laboratory also arrived at the site and took fingerprint samples from the ransacked houses. The police has registered a case under Sections 454 and 380 and the investigations were on.

Chandigarh, September 22
Local boxers are making their presence felt at the national circle with bagging as many as 42 medals this year.

Dr CK Jerath, general secretary of the Chandigarh Amateur Boxing Association (CABA), said this was the highest number of medals bagged by the boxers in a year since the inception of the association in 1977.

“This is also the highest number amongst all sports bodies in the city in a single calendar year,” claimed Jerath.

Jerath said at the annual general council meeting of CABA today, the association had decided to honour all achievers.

In the meeting, it was also decided to host the 18th AK Misra All-India Boxing Championship in February 2011.