HEALTH

Professionals to run canteens in PGI, GH-16
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 24
Patients and their attendants, visiting hospitals like the PGI and the General Hospital, Sector 16, will now have access to good quality eatables prepared by professionals. The UT Red Cross, which runs three canteens in the PGI and two in the General Hospital, will be handing over these outlets to the Institute of Hostel Management and the Food Craft Institute from July 1.

There is also a move to have an outlet in the Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, but this is yet to be finalised. It may be re-collected that the UT Red Cross had given these outlets on a lease to a private contractor a couple of years ago. This lease expires on June 30. Now the UT Red Cross plans to have a memorandum of understanding with the two professional food and catering training institutes, run under the aegis of the Chandigarh Administration. A meeting between officials of the UT Red Cross and the two institutes was held to finalise the working. Once the professionals take over from the present contractor, a menu will be decided keeping in mind the needs of visitors.

The Red Cross runs three canteens in the PGI, including one which is for the exclusive use of doctors in the block which houses the Nehru Hospital. This is the block where all inpatients are admitted and surgeries carried out. Apart from this canteen, another one is run on the level three of the same block. This is for attendants of patients. These canteens have a very high volume of sale as the attendants have nowhere else to go. Another canteen is operating on the ground floor.

The demand of a canteen for doctors is also increasing day by day. Sources said the focus would be to provide high quality snacks, tea and coffee. 

Doppler machine seized
Our Correspondent

Panchkula, June 24
The health authorities today raided a Sector 10 diagnostic centre and seized a coloured doppler machine being used without getting it registered with the department .

Sources in the Health Department revealed that Dr Veena Saluja along with her team raided the centre after confirming that the machine was being run by the owners of centre.

A decoy customer was sent to the centre for the purpose. The employees at the centre charged Rs 150 for diagnosing. The team entered the centre and seized the machine used.

SPORTS

SAI’s endeavour to boost sports
Monica Sharma

Chandigarh, June 24
Continuing with their endeavour to encourage students into taking up sports, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) is awarding national and state-level scholarships to sportspersons studying in schools, colleges, and universities.

The scholarships for the current academic session will be given to all eligible candidates “regardless of their numbers”. “For once there will be no competition among the sportspersons for winning the scholarships,” a SAI official asserts. “All candidates, meeting the eligibility criterion, will be awarded the scholarships”.

Confirming the information, Joint Director of Sports, Dr J.P.S. Sidhu says, “Students in both junior and senior categories will be eligible for the scholarship offered by the SAI on the behalf of the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports”.

Giving details, Dr Sidhu adds, “Junior category students will be given scholarship of Rs 1,800 for the entire session and senior category students, will get Rs 2400”.

Family income and status will not be taken into consideration while selecting the candidates. “That’s the best thing about these scholarships. Even if you belong to a well-to-do family, you will be awarded the scholarship,” an SAI officials said.

The decision to offer scholarships to the deserving candidates is significant as, according to SAI officials, more students will be encouraged not only to take up sports as a career, but also to perform better in the events.

The officials add that sportspersons securing first, second and third positions in individual events at recognised international, national and state-level competitions, conducted between April1, 2002, and March 31 this year, will be eligible for the scholarships. This is not all. Winners and runners-up in team events will be eligible for the scholarship.

Taking into consideration the difficulties being faced by above-19 unemployed women champions, the SAI has also decided to offer special scholarship to those who have secured first, second or third positions in the recognised senior nationals in individual events conducted between April 1, 2002, and March 31 this year.

So kids, if you are interested in getting the scholarships, write to SAI’s Executive Director at Moti Bagh in Patiala. You can also address your letter to the SAI’s Regional Director at Hockey Stadium in Sector 42 for details and prescribed application form. The last date for receiving the application forms, complete in all respects, is September 30.

TT ranking meet from July 11
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, June 24
The Chandigarh Table Tennis Association has decided to hold five tournaments in addition to the regular state championship this year. In July, Ist State Ranking Table Tennis Tournament would be organised at Bhawan Vidyalya School. Second Shri Kishan Lal Saini memorial North Zone Open TT tournament would be organised from July 24 to 27, Manav Mangal School Open TT tournament from August 7 to 9; Prof R.S. Mehta Memorial Open TT Tournament from August 29 to 31; New Public School IInd TT State Ranking Meet from September 26 to 28 and the Chandigarh State TT Championship from October 16 to 19.

The performance of the players in the state ranking tournaments will be considered for selection in the Chandigarh State TT team for participation in the national championship.

Dhruv Pandove tourney: Amritsar were 33 for the loss of one wicket in the Punjab State (under-19) Dhruv Pandove Inter-District cricket tournament at the PCA stadium, SAS Nagar. Gagandeep with 11 runs and Sunny Khosla with two runs were at crease. Earlier, in the first innings, Patiala were all out for 246 runs. Ravinder secured 50 runs, Rupeetinder hammered 54 runs, followed by Gajinder Singh who remained not out with 33 runs. Hardavinder made 22 runs. Sukroon Kalia bagged four wickets for 50 runs. Earlier Amritsar made116 runs in their first innings.

Cricket meet from June 30: The Second Satluj Cricket tournament (under-14) will be held at Satluj Public School, Sector 4, Panchkula, from June 30. Players will be played on league-cum-knockout basis. Players born after September 1, 1989, are eligible to take part. Those interested may contact Jai Kapil at Satluj cricket grounds, Sector 4, Panchkula, at 98142-12773.

UT Sports Dept’s circular annoys shuttlers
Our Sports Reporters

Chandigarh, June 24
Should the regular trainees of any sport discipline be denied the opportunity to play with fellow players in various state-owned coaching centres. It doesn’t seem to be for badminton players if we go by a recent circular issued by the UT Sports Department.

Of the total three coaching centres for badminton in the city, two are being run by the UT sports Department, one at the Sector 42 badminton hall and the other at Home Science College, Sector 10. Third centre, which earlier used to be part of the UT Sports Department, is an independent coaching centre which is thrown open by Panjab University campus authorities and being run at its gymnasium hall. A father of a state-level badminton player questioned the Sports Department’s directive to stop the players to play with players of other centres.

A senior badminton player was of the view that the Chandigarh Badminton Association, UT Sports Department and the Sports Authority of India should coordinate with each other to promote badminton for the cause of the game.