Chandigarh, October 2
PGI doctors successfully fixed a cervical spinal plate with screws made by biodegradable material here yesterday. With this, the PGI has become the first institute in the northern region to use biodegradable material implants in the spinal surgery.

The patient is a doctor and had sustained a neck injury at Jammu.

The use of biodegradable material in the surgery provides the necessary biomechanical stability of conventional spinal implants, without the problems seen with metal implants such as long-term loosening, implant migration and imaging interference due to metallic solid mass of the implant, said Dr Raj Bahadur, orthopaedician and additional medical superintendent, PGI.

In fact, orthopaedic surgeons have been using metals to fix bones and joints since 19th century, said Dr Raj Bahadur, adding that nowadays titanium-made stainless steel plates and screws, and rods were being used.

Stainless steel implants are incompatible with the MRI, which one requires during follow-up of the patient after surgery, said the ortheopaedician.

Stainless steel and titanium implants have the problem of loosening, breakage and removal or repositioning.

On the other hand, biomedical implants allow postoperative radiographic evaluation because of their radiolucency.

With a modulus of elasticity closer to that of human bone and with their gradual resorptive properties, biodegradable implants offer the advantage of stabilising the motion segments, while, over a period, allowing a greater transfer of load to the host spine implant resorption, he said.

Chandigarh, October 2
New Public School (NPS), Sector 18, emerged the winners in both boys’ and girls’ categories of the 10th CBSE Cluster XII Inter-school Basketball Championship, which concluded on the school premises, here today.

In the boys’ category, the hosts outplayed SD Public School by 46-24. Amanjot and Evraj scored 15 and nine points, respectively, for New Public School while Sparsh scored nine points for SD, who were the runners-up.

In the girls’ category, the hosts once again thrashed IS Dev Samaj, Sector 21, by 53-29. Varsha scored 15 points for the winning team and Harpreet scored six. On the other side, Rakhika and Itika scored four points each for Dev Samaj eves, who turned out to be the runners-up.

Meanwhile, DAV Model School, Sector 15, emerged the second runners-up in the boys’ category while Carmel Convent were the second runners-up in the girls’ category.

Atul Khanna, director of Strawberry Field World School, and Rakesh Malik, assistant director, Campus Sports, PU, were the chief guests.

Chandigarh, October 2
Vivek High Asian Cricket Academy beat Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 35, in the final of the Friendship Cup by nine wickets.

The tournament was organised by the Vivek High Asian Cricket Academy at Vivek High School.

GMSSS-35 won the toss and decided to bat. The team got bundled out for 66 runs in 15.2 overs. Vivek academy’s Karan Kherval took four wickets, conceding nine runs. He was well-supported by Ravi Raj, who took three wickets for just 14 runs.

In reply, the Vivek team achieved the target in just 4.3 overs. A.P. Singh played an unbeaten knock of 33 runs. Umesh Khera also chipped in 20 runs.

Karan Kherwal of Vivek High Asian Academy clinched both man of the match and best bowler awards while Rocky Ratta of Twenty20 Cricket Association of Punjab was awarded the man of the series title as well as the best batsman tag. However, Parveen of National Cricket Academy got the best catch award.

Brief scores

GMSSS-35: 66 all out in 15.2 overs (Bhajan 20, Narinder 10, Karan Kherval 4 for 9, Ravi Raj 3 for 14).

Vivek Academy: 68 for 1 in 4.3 overs (A.P. Singh 33 n o, Umesh Khera 20).

Chandigarh, October 2
Uttar Kshetra clinched the table tennis trophy in the u-17 and u-19 boys’ categories in the 20th Vidya Bharti National Games and Sports Meet, which concluded at Sharda Sarvhitkari Model School, Sector 40, here, today.

Former MP Satpal Jain was the chief guest. More than 500 participants from all over India participated in the meet. A cultural programme was organised to mark the concluding function. A colourful performance by bhangra artiste was the highlight of the function.

Results

Table tennis (boys’ u-14): 1 Rajasthan, 2 Dakshin Kshetra, 3 Pashchim Uttar Pardesh; u-17: 1 Uttar Kshetra, 2 Dakshin Kshetra, 3 Paschim Uttar Kshetra; u-19: 1 Uttar Kshetra, 2 Purav Uttar Pradesh, 3 Rajasthan; girls’ u-14: 1 Madhya Kshetra, 2 Paschim Uttar Kshetra, 3 Uttar Kshetra; u-17: 1 Uttar Kshetra, 2 Paschim Uttar Kshetra, 3 Rajasthan; u-19: 1 Madhya Kshetra, 2 Uttar Kshetra, 3 Purvi Uttar Kshetra.

Badminton (boys’ u-14): 1 Purvi Uttar Kshetra, 2 Uttar Kshetra, 3 Paschim Uttar Kshetra; u-17: 1 Purvi Uttar Kshetra, 2 Madhya Kshetra, 3 Uttar Kshetra; u-19: 1 Rajasthan, 2 Uttar Kshetra, 3 Madhya Kshetra; girls’ u-14: 1 Rajasthan, 2 Uttar Kshetra, 3 Madhya Kshetra; u-17: 1 Uttar Kshetra, 2 Rajasthan, 3 Paschim Uttar Kshetra; u-19: 1 Rajasthan, 2 Uttar Kshetra, 3 Madhya Kshetra.

Basketball (boys’ u-14): 1 West Uttar Kshetra, 2 East Uttar Kshetra, 3 Rajasthan; u-17: 1 Uttar Kshetra, 2 Rajasthan, 3 Madhya Kshetra; u-19: 1 Madhya Kshetra, 2 Uttar Kshetra, 3 East Uttar Kshetra; girls’ u-14: 1 Rajasthan, 2 Uttar Kshetra; u-17: 1 Rajasthan, 2 Uttar Kshetra, 3 Madhya Kshetra; u-19: 1 Madhya Kshetra, 2 Uttar Kshetra, 3 West Uttar Kshetra.

Chandigarh, October 2
Going by the claims of the Haryana Cricket Association (HCA), organisers and Chandigarh administration, elaborate arrangements are being made to provide basic facilities, including inexpensive food items, drinking water and well-maintained toilets in each block.

“We are making arrangements for lunch, snacks, mineral water and other necessary things in each block of the stadium. Eatables would be made available on market prices,” said additional deputy commissioner of the city I.S. Sandhu. Besides this, a water tanker would be provided in every block for those, who did not want to spend money on drinking water, added Sandhu.

To check overcharging, the administration and HCA has finalised the rates of all eatables to be provided by the contractors on the match day. Giving details, HCA office-bearer Surinder Singh Baijee said, “The contractors would have to display price list at every counter. If anyone found selling items more than the displayed rates, Immediate action would be taken against him.”

Apart from this, two medical teams equipped with necessary medical paraphernalia, would remain at the stadium during the match to provide medical assistance to any spectator if needed.

Meanwhile, a state-of-the-art big LCD screen has been set up at the stadium to facilitate viewing by the spectators. Besides, an electronic scoreboard would be erected in a day or two.

On security front, the Chandigarh Police has geared up for the mega event. Talking to TNS, Chandigarh IG S.K. Jain said a total of 2,500 police personnel would be deputed for security in and around the stadium.

“A security ring with pickets would be established around the stadium to keep the persons without ticket at bay. No one without ticket would be allowed to enter inside the ring. Police personnel in plain clothes would also be deputed in every block to check the activities of miscreants,” said IG Jain. Besides this, patrolling would be intensified on the city roads during the match, added Jain.

Chandigarh, October 2
New Public School (NPS), Sector 18, and Rotary Club Chandigarh will conduct the second Chandigarh State Ranking Table Tennis Tournament under the aegis of the Chandigarh Table Tennis Association from October 5 to 7 at the Sector 23 table tennis hall here.

The competitions will be held in the boys’ and girls’ singles (born on or after January 1, 1987), junior boys’ and girls’ singles (born on or after January 1, 1991), sub-junior boys’ and girls’ singles (born on or after January 1, 1994) and cadet boys’ and girls’ singles (born on or after January 1, 1996) categories.

According to association secretary Patanjli Kumar, only registered players of the CTTA are eligible to take part in the tournament. Entries may be sent to Harish Kumar (9815038384) or Narinder Saini (9872813151) before 6 pm on October 4.