Chandigarh, January 16
The bone-chilling cold and long wait in open for registration has been adding to the pain of scores of patients who visit the General Hospital (GH), Sector 16 here, from various sectors of the city and surrounding areas for the past over two months.

Courtesy, the hospital management that has shifted its registration counters in the open courtyard from the in-door lobby.

Interestingly, the GH authorities have hardly given any thought to erecting any makeshift shelter or made any alternate arrangements from protecting the patients from the cold weather. Worst affected are the ailing children, elderly and physically challenged persons who have to wait for long hours to take their turn.

Mr Narinder Singh from Ropar, who had been bringing his handicapped brother to the hospital for the past one year, lamented that the registration counter had been shifted towards the outer-side of the building in December.

“The hospital authorities should at least make alternate arrangements for the patients who come in chilly weather from far flung areas for treatment,” he rued.

“Neither of the city hospitals have registration counters facing court yard. Even the private hospitals, dispensaries, Sector-32 hospital, the PGI and the ESI Hospitals have in-house registration counters. “The UT Administration-run hospital that claims to have multi-specialties has no shelter for protecting its patients from the biting cold or sweltering heat,” claimed Surinder Bhatia, a Ram Darbar resident.

Mr Kanhyia Lal, an elderly patient from Kharar, lamented that the hospital authorities instead of relieving the pain of senior citizens have compounded their problems.

“Even though the UT Administration has upgraded the hospital to a multi-speciality hospital, yet not even a single speciality is offering services to the patients visiting the hospital,” he complained. Enquiries revealed that hospital authorities made additional windows for the registration of patients after renovating the previous counter that was facing a lobby of the Emergency Block.

Employees at the registration counters said the counters were shifted in the courtyard two months ago. “We are just following the directions of the management,” a clerk on a registration counter said.

Dr Usha Bishnoi Kapoor, Medical Superintendent of the hospital, was not available for comment.

Chandigarh, January 16
A cowboy hat covering an essentially smiling face and a handful of documents - the look does not go along with his claims. As he talks about discovering in Himachal Pradesh a “rare herb that possesses anti-HIV properties”, you find it hard to believe him. But as R.S. Guleria pulls out documents to show he has been bestowed with 'Himachal Kesri' award for his “tremendous contributions to the field of Ayurveda”, you cannot help but listen.

In Chandigarh just four days after he was presented the award by Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh at a function in Dharamsala, Mr Guleria - President of the Herbs Antique Research Botanical (HARB) Society - says before his discovery, scientists thought the extraordinary herb 'Swarnkshiri' or 'Argemone Mexicana' had been wiped out of India.

Claiming that the scientist community is eagerly studying the herb to achieve a viable anti-AIDS medicine, he says HARB society plans to undertake large scale cultivation of the herb in the state itself. As of now, the society members are growing 316 documented herbs and another 50 herbs on 1500 acres across the state.

The society, he adds, is also growing 28 herbs for producing anti-cancer medicines. The area under cultivation, chiefly comprising wasteland, is expected to triple itself in another 12 months. In another three months they plan to come out with medicines that can cure not only “stress, diabetics, asthma, arthritis, stomach and heart ailments, but also lever and sexual problems”.

Giving details, he says the anti-AIDS herb is basically found in America . The plant is two to four feet high, has sharp thorns. The flowers, yellow in hue, bloom between December and March. Its seed oil is beneficial for skin diseases. For fighting malaria, the herb is consumed in lime juice solution. Application of its roots is beneficial in case of scorpion bite. Its juice, along with milk, is also given to leprosy patients and is known to provide strength.

Mr Guleria says he took upon himself the task of preserving herbs after a local Himachali administered herbal drops in his eyes some five years ago. For first half an hour, everything around him was dizzy. Even the medicine’s benefits were obscure. But then his constant headache disappeared. Visualising the advantages of the aromatic plant, the idea of coming up with an herbal garden started to grow on him. Soon the man behind the ‘herbal revolution’ in the state formed HARB Society.

Mohali, January 16
DAV Senior Secondary School, Chandigarh, clinched the PCA Parle winners’ title defeating Government Multi-purpose School (GMPS), Patiala, in the final by massive 203 runs. The PCA Parle Super League-cum-Knockout match was played at the PCA pitch here today.

The GMPS, Patiala, won the toss and elected to field first. DAV School scored 264 for 7 in 50 overs. Ankit Kaushik scored a fine knock of 62 runs in 88 balls. Shahnawaz slammed an unbeaten 59 runs off 47 balls. Shivam Khurana scored 55 runs in 56 balls and Naveen contributed 33 runs in 56 balls. On the other hand, Sahil Sachdeva claimed three wickets at the cost of 42 runs, while Kamal took two wickets for 37 runs for the GMPS, Patiala.

In reply, the GMPS could not face the precise bowling attack of DAV bowlers and could manage only a meagre score of 61 for 9 wickets in 34.4 overs. The trio of Rahul Chara, Rohit and Sohaarb proved to be wreckers-in-chief for them. Rohit claimed two wickets at the cost of two runs only, Rahul Chara claimed three wickets for just four runs. Sohaarb claimed two wickets for 24 runs. Sandeep Singh (16), Gurmukh (11) and Arjun (10) were the main scorers for the GMPS.

The local cricketer, VRV Singh, gave away prizes to the winners. DAV’s Ankit Kaushik was declared ‘Man of the Series’.
Brief Scores: DAV : 264 for 7 in 50 overs; Ankit Kaushik 62, Shahnawaz 59 n.o., Shivam Khurana 55, and Naveen 33; Sahil Sachdeva 3/42, and Kamal 2/37.

GMPS, Patiala: 61 for 9 in 34.4 overs. Sandeep Singh (16), Gurmukh (11) and Arjun (10); Rahul Chara 3/4 Sohaarb 2/24, Rohit 2/2. Man of the Match awards were given as below:

League matches: DAV, Chandigarh, vs Sain Das School, Jalandhar; Shivam Khurana (DAV, Chandigarh). Sain Dass, Jalandhar, vs Hindusabha, Amritsar; Nitesh (Sain Dass, Jalandhar). GMPS, Patiala, vs KVM, Ludhiana; Jaspinder Singh (GMPS, Patiala).

GMPS, Patiala, vs Greenfield, Mohali; Kamalpreet (GMPS, Patiala). DAV, Chandigarh, vs Hindusabha, Amritsar; Rahul Chara (DAV, Chd). KVM, Ludhiana, vs Greenfield, Mohali; Akhil Aggarwal (KVM, Ludhiana). Semifinals: KVM, Ludhiana, vs DAV, Chd; Ankit Kaushik (DAV, Chd), GMPS, Patiala, vs Sain Das, Jalandhar; Sandeep Singh (GMPS, Patiala). Final: GMPS, Patiala, vs DAV, Chandigarh; Shivam Khurana (DAV, Chd).

Chandigarh, January 16
Defending champion Jitender Kishore won the men’s singles title in the over 60 age category in the sixth Patiala District Veterans’ Table Tennis Championship which concluded at Patiala on Sunday. He beat S.R.Duggal 11-2, 11-3, 11-5. Chander Sachdeva and D.P.Sarwal were joint third.

Dr Suman Gupta beat Sunita Singla 11-3, 11-5 to win the women’s title. In the above 40, Amanjot Singh(PSEB) took the title beating Sanjiv Ahluwalia, also of PSEB, 11-6, 11-8, 11-9. Dr Vinay Jain of Modi College won the over 50 title, beating R.S. Phul (PSEB) 11-9, 9-11, 11-5.

Mr Sanjiv Joshi, Chief Manager, Managing Director Secretariat, State Bank of Patiala, distributed the prizes. Some veteran ‘ping pong’ plyers were also honoured. 

Chandigarh, January 16
As many as 16 teams have confirmed their participation in the inaugural under-19 (boys) limited overs Inter-School Admini strator’s Cup Cricket  Tournament. The Chandigarh Sports Department is organising the tournament from January  18 to 25.

The 30 over a side matches will be played at the Sector 16 Cricket Stadium and St John’s High School ground in Sector 26.

The schools, which have sent their entries are: Guru Nanak Public School, Sector 36, DAV Senior Secondary School A and B teams, Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 35, Stepping Stones, Sector 37, Sanjay Public School, Sector 44, Government Model SSS-22, Government Model SSS-23, Government Model SSS-19, Government Model SSS-46, Government Model SSS-32, DAV Model School, Sector 15, Government Senior Secondary School, Sector 27, Nav Bal Niketan, Sector 27, St Stephen’s, Sector 44, and Shivalik Public School, Sector 41.

Meanwhile, the organising committee today reviewed the arrangements for the smooth conduct of the tournament.

Mr J.P.S. Sidhu, Joint Director, Chandigarh Sports Department, who presided over the meeting at the Sector 42 Sports Complex, today gave final instructions to the members of the organising committee.

“The tournament will be played under the ICC rules and regulations. For the technical aspects, we have deputed qualified umpires and scorers”, said Mr Sidhu.

On the opening day, the bowling machine will become operational. The Chandigarh Sports Department has imported the bowling machine from the United Kingdom for the benefit of the trainees of the Sector 16 Cricket Stadium.