HEALTH

Chautala unhappy with health care
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, December 7
The Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Parkash Chautala, has reportedly expressed his anguish on reports about the pathetic health services in the civil hospital at Sonepat.

Taking account of reports showing the deteriorating state of health care in other urban and rural areas of the district, he has directed the authorities of the Health Department to take immediate steps to improve the health services in the district

According to well-informed sources, the Chief Minister, who had visited the Rai PWD rest house last Sunday to inaugurate the polio-immunisation campaign in this district, had expressed his unhappiness at the failure of the civil surgeon to inform the district Public Relations Officer and other officers about his visit to the district.

The Deputy Commissioner, Mr S. N. Roy had also taken a serious note of this lapse on the part of the Health Department authorities and asked them to remain vigilant in future.

Meanwhile, quacks are ruling the roost, exploiting the patients in promising cheap cure for various diseases.

These quacks, posing as “sex experts” work from make shift clinics in hotels and guest houses in the city and elsewhere in the district.

Their visits are regularly announced in vernacular papers and handbills inserted in the newspaper supply. It is alleged that these quacks charge an exorbitant fee on the pretext of having instant cure for many diseases. Most of the quacks claim the medicines prepared by them are based on secret formula which are not known to doctors following the allopathic, homeopathic, Unani or Ayurvedic systems.

It is also alleged that about a dozen such quacks are thriving in the area in connivance with the government health officials.

The authorities of the Health Department have also failed to check the private hospitals, clinics and nursing homes that are charging exorbitant rates but are lacking in basic amenities of health care.

In effect, these institutions had become part and parcel of an effort to exploit the patients in the district. The people in the district are looking to the government to take action against such institutions.

SPORTS

Air India, Indian Airlines fly into semis
Our Sports Reporter

Punjab and Sind Bank take on the Central Industrial Security Force in the first semi-final at 1 pm.

Feroz Ali retains lead in golf
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, December 7
Overnight leader Feroz Ali maintained his lead in the Rs 9-lakh prize money Surya Nepal Masters Golf Tournament at the Gokarna Golf Club course in Kathmandu, according to information reaching here.

Feroz Ali, winner of the tournament in 1996, will go into the final round on Saturday at seven-under 209. Mohammed Maqbool of Delhi moved into the second place as he shot his second successive one-under 71 to tally five-under 211.

First round leader Uttam Singh Mundy was third at 213,while Gaurav Ghei moved to fourth place at two-under 214 with 72. Amit Dube of Noida and twice Indian Open champion Ali Sher shot the day’s best card of three-under 69.

C B Bhandari continued to lead in the amateur section with yet another solid round of level par 72. Bhndari aggregated five-over 221 and opened up an almost invincible lead of 12 strokes over the second placed Raj Pradhan.

Punjabi, Panjab varsities win
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, December 7
Punjabi University, Patiala, edged past Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla 6-4 via the tie-breaker in the SGTB Khalsa College Golden Jubilee North Zone Inter-University Hockey (Men) Tournament at the Khalsa College ground here today. The tie-breaker rule was enforced after the teams shared four goals (2-2) at full time. In another match, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar defeated Jammu University 2-0. Both the goals came in the first half. Sarabjit Singh scored the first goal while Mahabir Singh converted a penalty corner to get the second goal.

Panjab University, Chandigarh defeated Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana 2-0. Amandeep Singh scored once in each half to help Chandigarh gain full points.

Kumaon University moved up the easy way as Punjab Technical University pulled out of the tournament. Saturday’s fixtures: CCS Meerut vs Panjab University (Chandigarh); Delhi vs Kumaon; AMU, Aligarh vs Punjabi University, Patiala; Jamia Milia vs GNDU. The matches will start at 11 am.

Jharkhand, Meghalaya enter Subroto semis
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, December 7
St. Ignatious High School, Gumla (Jharkhand) trounced Blooming Dales High School, Hisar (Haryana) 4-1 to sail into the semi-final of the Subroto Mukherjee Cup (Sub-Junior) Football Tournament at the Ambedkar Stadium here today. Prakash opened the winners’ account in the 14th minute but before the din could die down, Haryana equalised through Devraj in the 16th minute. But Prakash regained the lead for Gumla in the 34th minute. A minute after the start of the second session, Anil Kumar scored the third goal and he himself completed the tally ten minutes later. In the second match, St. John Bosco School, Sohra (Meghalaya) sneaked past Government High School, Pati, Bharwani (Madhya Pradesh) 2-1 to enter the last four. The MP team had taken the lead in the 16th minute through Lalit, and there was no scoring in the rest of the first half. But in the second half, the Meghalaya team struck two goals through Boysterwell in the 52nd minute and Lurphyrnai in the 61st minute. Saturday’s fixtures (Sub-junior quarter-finals): BSL, IV E High School, Bokaro, SAIL vs Gyanodaya Bal Batia School, Lilitpur (Nepal) (1.30 p m); Namchi Sports School, Sikkim vs Government Middle School (3:15p.m.).

SAR Group in quarter final
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, December 7
SAR Group beat HUDCO by nine wickets in the fifth D.G. Phadkar Memorial Cricket Tournament at the Teri Oval. Scores: Hudco: 95 in 22.1 overs (Suresh Negi 17,Mukesh Kumar 15, Himanshu Das 3/23, Amit Bansal 2/9, Lalit Anand 2/15, Rajesh Brown 2/16). SAR Group: 99 for 1 in 9.5 overs (Himanshu Das 33 n o, Rajesh Brown 31, Lalit Anand 22 n o). Himanshu Das was adjudged the man of the match.

ADMINISTRATION

According to the new provisions, the plot owners who build houses with 100 sq metre or more area of roof at plots allotted by the HUDA will have to incorporate modifications on the roof for rain water harvesting. The system of collection, conveyance and dispersion of rain water for harvesting shall be made in such a manner that only clear water is collected, and the entry points of the rain water shall be designed so that these remain covered in normal days. The arrangement for quick filtration must be made with a recharge well located at a distance of not less than 10 metres from any structure handling sewage or wastewater.