195 persons donate blood
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 6
As many as 195 volunteers donated blood at a camp organised by the Panjab University Non-Teaching Employees Federation on the campus here today. The camp was organised in memory of Kalpana Chawla, who perished in the Columbia space shuttle tragedy recently.

Prof V.S. Malhotra, one of her teachers, described her as an “extra ordinary” student. “She has become a role model for others after making exemplary contribution to space research”, he said.

Mr Jagmohan Singh Kang, a minister in the Punjab Government, lauded the efforts of the organisers and announced a financial aid of Rs 21,000.

Others who were present included Prof Paramjit Singh, Registrar, Mr Gopal Krishan Chatrath, Dr Baljeet Kapoor, Prof R.D.Anand and Dr(Mrs) Neelam Marwaha.

Chandigarh defeat Andhra
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, March 6
Spirited veteran paddlers of the city led by former national players Patanjali Kumar, Tilak Raj and Balbir Singh Virdi today romped home in the team championship for men (above 50 years) in the 10th National Veterans Table Tennis championship being played here at Sector 23 TT hall. Chandigarh defeated Andhra Pradesh in a nerve wrecking final with scores being 3-2.

In the team championship for men (40 years and above) Punjab bagged title by trouncing Delhi 3-0, while in 60 years and above category Delhi defeated Maharashtra 'B' 3-2. In the team championship for women final (above 40 years) Maharashtra emerged winners by outplaying West Bengal 3-1.

Earlier in the above 50 years final, in the first singles, Balbir Virdi lost his tie with GVSV Rao of Andhra Pradesh 2-11, 5-11,14-12, 9-11. In the second singles, however, Engineer Tilak Raj levelled the tie by defeating D. Suren of Andhra Pradesh with scores being 11-6, 12-10, 6-11, 7-11, 11-4. Chandigarh got 2-1 lead when Patanjali Kumar overcame a stiff resistance from Devender Nath of Andhra Pradesh and won in three straight games at 11-6,11-2,11-9. But in the fourth singles, Tilak Raj went down fighting to star player of Andhra Pradesh, GVSV Rao with scores being 11-4, 8-11, 9-11, 11-8, 8-11. In a crucial tie, Balbir Singh Virdi gave the much-needed boost when he got the better of D Suren at 12-10, 3-11, 11-9, 11-6.

Earlier in the semi-finals, Chandigarh prevailed upon Maharashtra 3-2 while Andhra Pradesh beat Tamil Nadu 3-0.

Rajinder best sports boy: The annual sports meet of Government Polytechnic for Women, Sector 10, was held today. Earlier the meet was declared open by Mr Puranjit Singh, Chief Engineer, UT Administration, while Mr Inderjit Singh Sandhu, Additional Deputy Commissioner, UT, gave away the prizes. Mr Vivek Attray, Director, Technical Education, UT, also graced the occasion. Ms Usha Mahajan, Principal of the institute, gave a brief account of the sports activities.

Various team events, including cricket, throw ball, basketball, table tennis, badminton, carrom and chess were also held. Then there were various athletic events like 100 metres, 200 metres, 400 metres, 4x100 metres relay, shot put, discus throw and javelin throw.

Rajinder Singh was adjudged the best sports boy. In 200 metres race, Navneet secured first place. In badminton, Roshita won singles and partnered with Mandeep to win doubles title. Sunanda bagged the singles TT tie while Aruna Singh and Anjali secured doubles title. Seema won the carrom singles title.

Sharma enters final: S.M. Sharma overpowered O.P. Kathuria in a one-sided tie to advance in the finals of the above 45 years section of the Arjun Singh Memorial Total Tennis championship being played here at YMCA, Sector 11. Sharma will now face AK Kaushal in the finals. In the above 35 years section, Harish Saini outplayed TPS Mann to make his way to the final.

Updesh, Jaspal best
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, March 6
Updesh and Jaspal Singh were adjudged best athletes among women and men, respectively, in the annual athletic meet of Chandigarh College of Engineering and Technology, Sector 26, which concluded here today.

Various other winners in different events are: 110 metres hurdles (boys): Bakshish Chand; 400 metres: Ranjit Singh; high jump-Jaspal Singh; 800 metres: Ranjit Negi; javelin throw- Jaspal Singh; 5000 metres: Rajan; 1500 metres- Ranjan; long jump-Jaspal Singh; hammer throw-Gurpreet Singh; Pole vault-Jaspal Singh; 3000 metres-Ranjan; shot put-Vikas Dahiya; 100 metres-Arun Kumar; 400 metres hurdles-Bakshish Chand; triple jump-Jaspal Singh; 200 metres-Bakshish Chand. 

4 PUDA employees suspended
Tribune News Service

SAS Nagar, March 6
Four employees of the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA), including a Superintending Engineer, have been suspended following an inspection of a road in Sector 80 here.

The road, according to a press note issued here, was detected to have been constructed at a level which was higher than that approved.

The inspection was conducted in all the sectors from Sectors 76 to 80 and the level of an 80 feet road was found to be raised by 2 feet beyond the approved level, thereby carrying out excess earth work.

This irregularity has caused PUDA financial loss and an inquiry has been marked to ascertain the exact amount of loss. Those suspended include Sohan Singh, SE (Civil), J.J. Kumar, D.E. (Civil), Amar Singh Randhawa, SDE (Bridges and Roads) and Manohar Singh JE (Civil).

Meanwhile, the Diploma Engineers Association in a release issued here today has criticised the suspension of its president A.S Randhawa, senior vice president and zonal secretary and termed it “illegal”. It has been further claimed that there was not any irregularity or lapse on the part of its members who have been placed under suspension and the facts have been concealed by the PUDA Administration.

A delegation of the association is also stated to have met the Punjab Minister for Housing and Urban Planning and apprised him of their position.