Chandigarh, February 15
India has the highest cases of TB and HIV among the Southeast Asian countries. The HIV-TB co-infection has become a growing health concern in the continent, claimed Prof Suzanne Crowe, Professor of Medicine, Monash University, Australia.

Dr Crowe was addressing a doctors at a session, “Challenges in Health Care; A perspective on South Asia”, organised by the CII in collaboration with the Department of Community Medicine, PGI, here today.

The head of the AIDS Pathogenesis Research Programme, the Macfarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health, Monash University, said the TB was the most common cause of death in HIV-infected persons in resource-constrained countries.

Expressing concern over the facts that despite having the best pharma companies, manufacturing the best generic anti-retro virals with improved formulation and lower cost, India was applying anti-retroviral therapy to only 7 per cent of the HIV positive persons as yet.

She points out that illiteracy, poverty, stigma, gender and health resource constraints were barriers in HIV prevention in India. Mr Pratap K. Aggarwal, Chairman, CII, Chandigarh Council, claimed that 1,200 doctors, 300 nurses and lab technicians had been trained in this pretext since 2003.

Prof A.K. Gupta, Medical Superintendent, PGI, highlighted the need for extra effort on part of the medical fraternity to check HIV/AIDS.

Mohali, February 15
Simran of Class VI, DAV Public Senior Secondary School, Phase X, brought laurels to the school by winning a gold medal in the first open Inter-School Taekwon Do Championship held at Panchkula, recently.

The other students, who bagged the silver medals in the championship, were Arshdeep, Sachin and Preet Kamal.

Congratulating the players on their performance, Principal Jaya Bhardwaj said more indoor sports facilities would be provided this year.

Chandigarh, February 15
The Chandigarh Administration has transferred 177 employees of the Engineering Department to the Municipal Corporation Chandigarh (MCC) as per the judgement of Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT). Notifications to this effect were issued today.

According to a press note issued here, the MCC came into existence on May 24,1994, and the UT Administrator ordered transfer of some functions from the administration to the civic body in the year 1995 and 1996.

Later, the administration issued notifications for the transfer of employees working with the Engineering Department to the posts transferred to MCC in the years 1996 and 2005 after inviting fresh options. However, these notifications were challenged by employees in CAT and the actual transfer of employees could not be implemented on this account.

While deciding the original applications filed by the employees in the CAT on February 24 last year, the tribunal passed orders for implementing the transfer of employees to the MCC by inviting fresh options from them as on May 25,2006.

To implement these orders, fresh options were invited. In response, 158 employees exercised their option for transferring them to MCC in the first phase, 737 employees in second phase and 225 employees in the third phase.

These employees have been directed to submit their joining report to the MCC Commissioner immediately, a press note added.

Mohali, February 15
Keeping in view an increase in the number of accidents due to over speeding, the District Magistrate, Mr Tejveer Singh, has fixed speed limits for all types of vehicles plying in Mohali and the surrounding areas.

The police has directed to follow the orders given by the District Magistrate. The Municipal Council has been asked to put up speed limit boards in areas falling within the municipal limits and the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority and the Public Works Department has been directed to put up speed limit boards at appropriate places outside municipal limits.

According to orders of the District Magistrate, the speed limit fixed from the tax barrier Balongi to JCT traffic lights, PCL chowk, Kumbra traffic lights to Bawa White House near Phase XI was 45 km per hour (kmph) for two wheelers and heavy vehicles and 60 kmph for light vehicles. The same speed limit had been fixed for vehicles going from Maggu petrol pump towards PTL traffic lights, 3-5 chowk, Chawla chowk, education board traffic lights to the Jagatpura T point. While the speed limit for two wheelers and heavy vehicles on the main roads in the town will be 45 kmph and 50 kmph for light vehicles.

The speed limit from the T-point near gurdwara in Phase VI to the Balongi roundabout will be 45kmph for two wheelers, 50 kmph for heavy vehicles and 60 kmph for light vehicles.