NEIGHBOURHOOD

Ultrasound centre raided
Suman Bhatnagar

Ambala, December 13
Officials of the health department raided a diagnostic centre here for allegedly violating the Pre-conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, 1994.

The officials were accompanied by a police party.

The officials verified the licence, equipment, records of F forms, consent forms, MTP and ultrasound records of the centre.

They sealed three ultrasound machines. Cash was also recovered from the centre. Deputy CMO Sangita Goel was also present during the raid.

As per information, the police received complaints that sex determination tests were conducted in the centre. The health department was also aware of it. During the raid, Shilpa, a pregnant woman, said she had paid Rs 15,000 to an agent whom she had met outside the centre for getting the sex determination test done. Shilpa has two daughters.

She added that the medical report had indicated a male foetus, but when she asked the doctor to give it in writing, the latter refused to do so. On the other hand, the doctor while refuting all allegations, said a conspiracy was being hatched against her.

The doctor, along with eight staff members, was taken to the police station.

No case was registered against the centre till the filing of this report.

Ambala, December 13
The police has nabbed a gang of thieves involved in a number of two-wheelers thefts. The gang after stealing a two-wheeler dismantled it and sold it to scrape dealers.

The accused have been identified as Madhusoodan, Milan Singh, Naval Kishor, Raja and Nail Singh. They have confessed to have committed the crime.

Chandigarh, December 13
In what is being seen as a watershed in the Save Sukhna campaign, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed an interstate committee — comprising experts and advocates — to decide the issue of demarcating the lake’s catchment area.

As the case came up for resumed hearing, the Bench of Chief Justice MM Kumar and Justice Rajiv Narain Raina directed the committee to “decide the issue with regard to the demarcation of the catchment area”.

The committee comprises members of the Survey of India, the States of Punjab and Haryana, along with lawyers ML Sarin, Rajiv Atma Ram, Sanjay Kaushal and Tanu Bedi.

The development is significant as the High Court has already banned till further orders building activity of any kind in the catchment area falling in the states of Haryana and Punjab.

As a direct consequence of the orders, Haryana’s ambitious plans of allowing housing colonies to come up in Sukhna Lake’s catchment area have been grounded — at least for the time being.

Going deep into the Sukhna Lake conservation issue, the High Court had also asked Haryana and Chandigarh to ensure continuous flow of water from the catchment area to the reservoir.

The Bench, this morning, also asked the Union Ministry of Forest and Environment to nominate a committee member not below the joint secretary’s rank.

Going into the background of the controversy, the Bench asserted the issue had been debated since long. The State of Punjab had been claiming that the catchment area stood demarcated by official notification on March 15, 1963.

On the other hand, amicus curiae or the court’s friend Tanu Bedi had been arguing on the necessity of demarcating the area as “nobody was clear as to what the true catchment area is”.

The Bench added that a map prepared by the Survey of India was also on record.

Speaking for the Bench, Justice Kumar asserted that another committee, comprising nine members, had also been constituted, headed by UT Conservator of Forests, with Superintending Engineer, Circle-II, as member convener.

The other members were UT deputy forest officer, along with the representatives of Punjab and Haryana governments.

Justice Kumar observed in the open court that the progress in the matter was “very slow and tardy”; and asked UT senior standing counsel Sanjay Kaushal to take up the issue with the Conservator of Forests to ensure frequent convening of meetings.

Justice Kumar suggested that the meetings be attended by Sanjay Kaushal, Rajiv Atma Ram and Tanu Bedi. The case will now come up for hearing on February 21.

Only in August, the High Court had ruled that the situation was worsening; and ruled in favour of appointing an officer responsible for its conservation and maintenance.

Chandigarh, December 13
The police today arrested a supporter of the BJP for posing as a member of the election commission and threatening a Sector-22 resident for supporting a rival party.

Mohali, December 13
An LCD was stolen from the waiting room of a dialysis unit at the Phase VI Civil Hospital here this morning. It was installed a few months ago on the inauguration of the unit by the former Health Minister, Laxmi Kant Chawla.

Sources said the LCD was stolen last night and the CCTV cameras installed at various exit points failed to record anything. The police took a look at the CCTV footage, but could not find any clue.

Chandigarh, December 13
Continuing his winning spree, in-form player Rishab Sharda routed Manveer Sodhi while another local lad Rajdeep Koura failed to overcome his rival in the match of boys’ (U-12) category during the ongoing St. Stephen’s school CLTA-AITA Talent Series Tennis Tournament, being held at CLTA complex, here today.

In the match of pre-quarterfinals category Rishabh Sharda beat Manveer Shohi 4-2 and 4-0 while Calvin Golemit of Sikkim defeated Rajdeep Koura in straight sets 4-0 and 4-0.

In girls (U-12) category, the local player, Aastha Malhotra, thrashed Garima Mann 4-0 and 4-1 while Harleen Kaur from Punjab routed Sahejpreet Kaur 5-4(2) and 4-2.

While in the Girls’ (U-16) group pair of Itika Sharma and Gurleen Kaur defeated Arshpreet Kaur and Harleen Kaur 6-3 and 6-2.

Results: Boys’ (U-12): Sanchit Sikka (UP) b Savneet Bajwa 4-0, 4-1; Asav Kumar (CHD) b Ritik Mohapatra (CHD) 4-2, 4-0; Abir Hiranandani (CHD) b Vikshit Verma 5-3, 4-5(2), 4-1; Sabrang Sandal (CHD) b Akshit Chabra (CHD) 4-0, 4-2; Abhimanyu Rozra (HAR) b Ishan Anirudh 4-0, 4-2; Sarvesh Maria (PB) b Anmol Rattan Kamboj (CHD) 4-0. 4-2; Boys’ (U-16): Rahul Seth (CHD) b Sachit Malhotra 6-3, 1-6, 6-4; Mritunjay Badola (UA) b Mayank Sharma (CHD) 3-6, 6-2, 7-5; Kabir Manrai (CHD) b Samrat Rana (CHD) 6-2, 6-3; Digvijay Pratap Singh (CHD) b Manjot Singh 6-3, 6-3; Karandeep Singh (PB) b Rohit Kumar (HAR) 6-2, 6-4; Santbir Singh (CHD) b Sachit Sikka (UP) 6-4, 6-2; Parasdeep Singh Virk (HAR) b Abhinav Mahajan (CHD) 7-5, 6-2; Girls(U-12): Prinkle Singh (J&K) b Hanshika (CHD) 6-3, 6-2; Alisha Menon (PB) b Arshpreet Bajwa 5-4 (4), 4-0; Nimrat Kaur Kang (PB) b Jahanavi Shivram (HAR) 4-2, 4-1; Tanya Batra (CHD) b Shivi Singla 4-0, 4-0; Seerat Sidhu (CHD) b Akshita Singh (CHD) 4-0, 4-0; Rubani Ahluwalia (CHD) b Itika Sharma (RAJ) 4-2, 4-1; Girls( U-16): Bhavya Wadhawan (CHD) b Arushi Kakkar (CHD) 6-1, 6-4; Karishma Mehta (UP) b Seerat Sidhu (CHD) 6-0, 7-6 (3), 6-1; Nimrat Walia (CHD) b Yashi Saksena (UP) 6-2, 6-0; Ayushi Gupta (UP) b Rahat Manrai (CHD) 6-2, 6-1; Prinkle Singh (J&K) b Seerat Pannu (PB) 6-2, 6-3;Gayatri Kumariaha (CHD) b Alisha Menon (PB) 6-0, 6-1; Nikita Bishnoi (CHD) b Saryu Sawatantra (PB) 6-0, 6-0; Charvi Saxena (CHD) b Mehakdeep Kaur (CHD) 6-1, 6-2; boys’ doubles (U-12): Manveer Shohi and Yuvraj Kooka b Kanav Khurana (CHD) and Ishan Arora (CHD) 6-1, 6-1; Rishabh Sharda (CHD) & Calvin Golmei (SKM) b Ragahv Chadha (CHD) and Rajdeep Koura (CHD) 6-0, 6-1; Sahej Sidhu (CHD) and Akshit Chabra (CHD) b Daksh Marwaha and Karan Bhalla 6-2, 6-4; Laksh Vohra and Vikshit Verma b Chaitanya Chaudahry Arman Singh 6-1, 6-2; boys’ (U-16): Kabir Manrai (CHD) and Anmol Singh Sandhu (CHD) b Rahul Verna (CHD) and Durgesh Aggarwal (UP) 7-5, 6-2; Santibir Singh Bhangoo (CHD) and Sachit Malhotra b Nikhil Sandhu (CHD) and Annumanat Bains (CHD) 6-2, 6-2; Jagdeep Singh (CHD) and Krishana Rajpoot (CHD) b Shivam Khokhar and Rupesh Khokhar 6-1, 6-3; Ramanjot Singh (CHD) and Raunaq Marwaha b Saurabh Prashar and Zorawar Sandhu 7-6(0), 6-3; Abhinav Mahajan and Yogesh Dogra b Ankur Chaudhary and Harish Bera 7-5, 6-0; Prinkle Singh and Seerat Sidhu b Yashi Saksena and Rubani Ahluwalia 6-1, 6-1.

Chandigarh, December 13
The Chandigarh boxing team of Women secured second place in the recently held 6th Women North India Boxing Championship for Women, held from December 9 to 10 at Hoshiarpur in Punjab.

During the championship, Haryana bagged the title while the local women’s team secured runners-up place.