HEALTH

Bureaucrats misled govt, say PCMS doctors
Tribune Reporters

Ludhiana, July 29
Responding to the call given by the Punjab Civil Medical Services (PCMS) Association, doctors of the district observed a dharna led by state unit President, Dr Hardeep Singh ,at Civil Surgeon’s Office here. They were protesting against the orders of the Punjab Government to abolish non- practising allowance, compelling them to practise privately.

Addressing the gathering, Dr Hardeep Singh, state unit President, said the government was misled by the bureaucrats about the basics of NPA and figures had been miscalculated. Without any forethought, the state government had decided to implement the decision from August 1

“The association has always opposed the corrupt practises and absenteeism among the doctors, but the laxity on the part of the bureaucracy encouraged these elements. This could be judged from the departmental inquiries against such elements. The government was wrongly guided and all innocent doctors were being punished.” ,he said

Dr Balwinder Kumar, General Secretary of the district unit of the association, told that doctors were compelled to practise privately to collect money from the pocket of the common man, in which government was going to become one- thirds shareholder. He said doctors of the district would participate in the state-level dharna at Matka Chowk, Chandigarh, on August 5.

FATEHGARH SAHIB: The local unit of the PCMS Association, on Tuesday organised a protest rally against the decision of the Punjab Government regarding NPA.

Dr Balwinder Singh, district unit president of the association and convener of the Joint Action Committee, said the association would continue its agitation till the decision was withdrawn .

He urged the Chief Minister ,Capt. Amarinder Singh ,to call the doctors for talks as early as possible to discuss the consequences of allowing private practise to government doctors. He said the move was anti- people and a brainchild of the bureaucracy which had an anti -doctor attitude.

SPORTS

Green Land School paddlers bag title
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 29
Green Land Senior Secondary School, G.T. Road, Ludhiana blanked Alpine International Public School, Civil Lines, 3-0 to win the table tennis title (boys u-19). However, in the u-14-year category, Green Land School paddlers got the better of Bharatiya Vidya Mandir Senior Secondary School, Shaheed Udham Singh Nagar, 3-0 on the second day of the zonal schools tournament being played at various venues today. In the u-17, Alpine International Public School beat Bharatiya Vidya Mandir School in an identical fashion (3-0) to lift the title.

In the u-19-year category, Green Land School’s Sahil drubbed Karanjot of Alpine School 11-7, 11-5 and 11-2; Atul beat Nishant 11-8, 11-5 and 11-6, while Abhay managed to scrape past Nitish 11-7, 11-8 and 13-11. In the u-14-year section, Manpreet of Green Land School defeated Sumit of BVM School 1-7, 11-8 and 11-7; Abhijit routed Jageep 11-3, 11-7 and 11-9 and Dharminder proved too good for Rishi whom he beat 11-6, 11-1 and 11-2.

In the basketball final (u-14), Green Land Senior Secondary School pipped Pothohar Khalsa School 17-14 to bag the title while in kho-kho (u-14), Kundan Vidya Mandir School and in kabaddi, Government High School, Talwandi Kalan, beat Vishavkarma School in (u-19 years), 31-22; Government School, Dhat, beat Government School Betwal (u-17) 63-16 and Talwandi Kalan School defeated Jangpur School 33-16 to win the trophy in the u-14-year category.

Giving excellent performance, students of Bharatiya Vidya Mandir Senior Secondary School, Shaheed Udham Singh Nagar, Ludhiana, reached the finals of football u-19 and u-14 boys, volleyball u-19 and u-14 years, badminton u-14 and basketball u-17 years.

In the semifinals (football u-19 years) BVM players prevailed over Government Senior Secondary School, Hambran, 1-0, while their u-14 year team got walk over Government Senior Secondary School, Mullanpur. In the final ( in both categories) slated for tomorrow, BVM lads will take on Government Model Senior Secondary School, Punjab Agricultural University.

In volleyball, BVM School spikers outplayed Government Senior Secondary School, Gobind Nagar, in the u-14 as well as u-19-years category to assure themselves berths in the final. And in the final they take on Pothohar Khalsa School. In badminton, Bharatiya Vidya Mandir School boys (u-14) outclassed Tagore Public School, Atam Nagar, to advance into the final . In the final, they will clash with Green Land Senior Secondary School.

In basketball, BVM School (boys u-17), scored an emphatic victory 26-14 over Government Multipurpose Senior Secondary School, Ludhiana, to set up the title clash with Pothohar Khalsa School.

ADMINISTRATION

Applications invited for bravery awards
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, July 29
The district administration has initiated the process of inviting applications for the National Awards to children constituted by the Indian Council for Child Welfare, Government of India, from children, who have performed extraordinary acts of bravery during last year.

According to the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Anurag Verma, the process has already started and any child between the age of six to 18 years, who has shown bravery during the period between July 1, 2002 to June 30, 2003 can apply through the District Security Office of Deputy Commissioner.

Mr Verma said the prescribed application forms can been obtained from the ICCW Headquarters or Social Security Office of the district. He said the form is to be accompanied by the FIR or police diary filed with the police station, newspaper clippings regarding the incident and certificate of date of birth.

He said the forms and supporting certificates should be recommended by two of the competent authorities nominated by ICCW, who include, General Secretary, president of the State Council of Child Welfare, Principal/ Headmaster of school of the applicant, Collectors or government official of equal rank, head of police department at district or state level and Head of Panchayat or Zila Parishad.

The Deputy Commissioner said the national awards, included Bharat Award, Geeta Chopra Award, Sanjay Chopra Award, Bapu Gandhi Award (three) and general awards. He said these awards are presented just before Republic Day by the Prime Minister of India and the recipients are felicitated by VVIPs like the President, Vice-President as well as various organisations.

The recipient of the coveted ‘Bharat Award’ (instituted in 1987 for the most extraordinary act of bravery) receives a gold medal, a citation and a cash award. The other awardees receive a silver medal, a certificate, a cash award and gifts are given by the Philanthropic Organisations, he added.