SPORTS

Cricketing facilities impress Bucknor
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, December 7
The world famous cricket umpire from West Indies, Steve Bucknor, today paid a visit to a new cricket academy, J.R. Institute of Cricket Technology, at Barwala, about 15 km from Panchkula, near here today. While praising the kind of facilities provided at the academy and interest taken by its promoter, Shanti Swarup Sharma, the umpire said it would help the game in getting the desired growth. It may be recalled that Bucknor had umpired the just concluded India-England Test match at SAS Nagar.

He was also introduced to the member of the Punjab Cricket Club and Godrej CC, who later played a cricket match as part of the late Jagdish Raj Sharma memorial cricket meet. Bucknor wished if he could create such facilities at Jamaica and said the efforts were marvellous.

Bucknor has the distinction of umpiring 63 Test matches and over 90 one-day internationals. He said it was a rare honour bestowed on him to visit the academy. He further said cricket tought one to be straight in life. The Test cricketers, Dinesh Mongia and Reetinder Sodhi, were also present on the occasion.

Cricket meet

On the second day of the J.R. Sharma Memorial Cricket meet played at Barwala, near Panchkula, the Punjab Cricket club defeated Godrej Cricket Club by seven wickets. Brief scores: GCC—114 runs all out (Rahul Arora 50, Rakesh Jolly 16, Vipul Sharma 15, Lakhbir Singh 4 for 20, Sanjay Mahajan 3 for 15, Navdeep Singh 2 for 18). PCC: 115 for 3 in 27.1 overs. (Rakesh 31, Pankaj Dharmani 29 n.o., Ankur Kakkar 27, Dinesh Mongia 10).

Sanjeev wins billiards title

Sanjeev Dhawan captured the billiards open title by outplaying Deepak Goel in a two-hour pulsating duel in the Haryana State Billiards and Snooker Meet here at Sector 34 today. Dhawan won at 530-469. Amit Arora after winning his five frame encounter with Rajeev had to undergo another five frame match with Inder Johl, but he made it to the finals. In the first snooker open tie, Sunny Bhalla edged out Anil Sharma 56-48, 56-40, 47-50, 67-30.

Weightlifting tourney

The 13th senior/3rd junior men and 5th women weightlifting championship began here today at the Coaching Centre, PU campus. Thirty seven women weightlifters are taking part in the event.

The results are: women: below 48kg — Ms Rina 1, Himani Sharma 2, Seema 3; below 53 kg — Anita 1, Shashi Bala 2, Daljit Kaur 3; below 58 kg — Gita 1, Ashima 2, Sonia 3; below 63 kg — Madhulika 1, Premlata 2, Urmil3; below 69 kg — Munshadi Khatun 1, Sarbjit Kaur 2, Rajwana 3; below 75kg — Jagdeep Bawa1, Parween Kapur 2, Ruchi 3; above 75 kg—Jasvir 1, Tania Tandon 2, Harpreet Kaur 3.

DAV, SAI clubs emerge winners
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, December 7
DAV Club, Sector 10, in men’s section and SAI Club, Sector 18, in women’s section emerged winners in the final of the Chandigarh State Senior Basketball Championship played here this evening at the Sports Complex, Sector 7.

In the men’s final, DAV cagers had to fight to overcome a stiff challenge posed by Sports Complex-46. The final scores went in favour of DAV Club cagers at 60-59. The half-time score was 27-25 in favour of the winners.

In women’s final, SAI Club-18 played valiantly and crushed GCG Club-11and by 20-9.

In the men’s final, both the teams were on even terms and it could have been anybody’s match. But the outside tips by their respective coaches did create flutter on many occasions and players also lost their temper. After trailing by 22-27, DAV boys then surged ahead to finish 28-27 at half time. The second half saw DAV maintaining the lead till 38-34, but at this juncture some fine play by SC-46 men levelled the score at 38-38. SC-46 men continued with their lead and rose to 51-44. Then there were some class moves by Harjot and Amrish that helped in taking the scores of the DAV to 56-58. But finally, DAV Club outplayed SD Club-32.

Harjot was the top scorer with 19 points along with Neeraj who also scored 19 points. Amrish netted 11 points while Amit Kakria 7 points. From losers side, Gurpreet netted 22 points, Jaspreet 15 and Sunil Pal 12 points.

In women’s section, SAI Club-18 saw Kamaldeep scoring 10 points, Gunveen 5 points while Harpreet Kaur 4 points. From losers side, Pushpa netted 5 points, Hemlata and Ranjeeta netted 2 points each.

Nominated

Mr Rakesh Bakshi, secretary, Chandigarh Football Association, has been nominated as Match commissioner at the 38th Junior National Football Championship for Mr BC Roy Trophy to be held at Jaipur and Jodhpur from December 15 to January 3, 2002. This was conveyed to Mr Bakshi by the secretary, All India Football Federation, Mr Alberto Colaco. 

ADMINISTRATION

PUDA demolishes 26 structures
Tribune News Service

SAS Nagar, December 7
As part of the ongoing drive against unauthorised construction activity in the periphery, the enforcement (periphery) staff of the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority demolished at least 26 unauthorised structures in the Zirakpur-Dera Bassi-Banur belt and Nayagaon during the past two days.

The drive was led by the SDE (Periphery) and four junior engineers.

The yesterday's drive started at Pir Machhela village, near the Panchkula border, and went on to Kishanpur, Sanauli, Nagla, Bhankarpur, Meerpur, Mubarakpur, Chat, Haripur, Gulabgarh, Banur and Tangori.

At Tangori, the construction activity being done by the management of Shaheed Udham Singh Engineering College was stopped. Certain structures on the outskirts of Dera Bassi were also removed.

Today, the enforcement staff demolished 13 structures in Adarsh Nagar, Nayagaon.

Civic body looks forward to bail-out package
Tribune News Service

SAS Nagar, December 7
The Local Government will have to dole out over Rs 15 crore to the SAS Nagar Municipal Council during the next 12 months to compensate the civic body for the financial loss incurred by it after the abolition of octroi.

For the month of December alone, the state government will have to release around Rs 1.24 crore — if the income from octroi earned in the corresponding month in 2000 is taken into account.

Officials of the civic body said the Local Minister had repeatedly said that each civic body would be given the sum, which the respective civic body had collected in the corresponding month last year. The civic bodies have already provided the month-wise figure of octroi collection.

Though the undertaking by the state government in the Punjab and Haryana High Court to release the funds to the civic bodies by the 15th of each month has raised hopes of the octroi employees, they apprehend that the arrangement being worked out by the government could be shortlived till the general assembly elections.

Giving details of the month-wise income from octroi, an official of the civic body said for the month of January, the figure was around Rs 1.42 crore.

For the months of February and March, the octroi collection was around Rs 1.10 crore and Rs 1,29 crore, respectively.

Before the abolition of octroi, at least 90 per cent of income of the civic body was from octroi collection — the town being an industrial hub and a projected IT destination.

In the octroi wing, the monthly salary of 50 employees, including eight daily wagers, was around Rs 9 lakh.

The civic body does not levy other type of taxes like house tax, commercial tax and fee to clear the lay-out plans of houses. Councillors of the civic body demand that around Rs 2 crore could be earned by imposing the tax at a rate of 10 per cent of the rental value of the property concerned. Strengthening of the tehbazari wing could also add to the income, said Mr Amrik Singh, a councillor from Phase XI.

Monthly income from octroi during the period (from December 2000 to November 2001).