IMA writes to minister against PUDA officials
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, January 6
The district unit of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has written to the Minister for Jails and Urban Development, Mr Malkiat Singh Birmi, that the officials from PUDA were harassing doctors in the Jamalpur area.

In a letter to Mr Birmi today Dr Gursharan Singh, president, IMA, Ludhiana, said that recently two persons claiming to be officials from PUDA entered the premises of the doctors and misbehaved with them. When asked, the "officials" failed to produce any I-cards. "This led to a heated exchange and the doctors were unnecessarily defamed. Their hospitals and nursing homes have been functioning for more than 20 years. Earlier, many political parties had promised to declare these buildings as authorised ones," said Dr Gursharan Singh.

He urged the minister to formulate a regular policy for allotment of land to doctors at a minimal price so as to make the treatment easily affordable.

SPORTS

Schedule of Punjab rural sports
Our Sports Reporter

Ludhiana, January 6
Despite the cold wave in the region, the organisers of rural sports have started chalking out the schedules of the festivals which are slated to begin in the last week of this month in different parts of Punjab. With a number of NRIs having arrived, the dates of these festivals are being finalised. The dates of some of the festivals have been announced by the organisers.

Ghaloti sports: The annual sports festival to be organised by the Sant Baba Ishar Singh Sports Club of Ghaloti at the playground of Rara Sahib will be held from January 23 to 25. According to Master Bhupinder Singh, president of the club, during the three-day festival, competitions in hockey, kabaddi (all open), kabaddi (academy), kabaddi (weight category), volleyball, dog races and athletics will be held.

The winners (hockey) will get a prize of Rs 15,000, while the runners-up will receive a prize of Rs 10,000. The kabaddi (all open) winners will receive a prize of Rs 51,000 and the losers Rs 41,000.

Phallewal sports: The 75th annual sports festival organised by the Dashmesh Sports Club of Phallewal village will be conducted from January 24 to 26. According to Mr Mohan Singh Grewal and Mr Jassi Phallewal, president and press secretary, respectively of the club, the main attraction of this festival would be bullock-cart races, kabaddi, volleyball, football and athletics.

Kamalpura sports: The much talked-about sports of the Malwa region, annual sports festival at Kamalpura village, will be held from January 28 to 31. Mr Amarjit Singh, president of the organising club, said that kabaddi (all open), football, hockey, kabaddi (weight) and athletics would be the main disciplines of the festival.

Bilah sports: According to the sarpanch, Mr Harjinder Singh Channi, the annual sports festival at Bilah village, near here, will be held from February 1 to 4 during which the competitions will be held in kabaddi (open and weight), volleyball, athletics, bullock-cart race and dog races.

Jarkhar sports: The 18th Mata Sahib Kaur Gold Cup Hockey Tournament and the rural sports at Jarkhar village will be held at Mata Sahib Kaur Stadium, Jarkhar from February 5 to 7. According to Mr Daljeet Singh and Mr Depinder Singh Dimpy, during this festival, a state-level basketball tournament will be the main attraction. Besides, competitions in kabaddi, volleyball shooting, volleyball smashing and handball (boys and girls) will be held.

Hockey star Dilip Tirkey, kabaddi hero Inderjit Phallewal, Channa Alamgir will be felicitated by the organisers on the concluding day, Mr Singh said.

Dhruv enters semi-final
Our Sports Reporter

Ludhiana, January 6
Top seed Dhruv Verma faced a stiff challenge from Ayush Kumar before romping home victorious 4-3 to enter the semi-final (junior section) on the penultimate day of the Punjab State Open Snooker Championship being held at the Sutlej Club here today. In the other junior section match, Ankur managed to scrape past Navjot Ghai 3-2.

In the senior section, Dhruv Verma and his father Achint Verma won their respective matches to adavnce into the next round. Dhruv Verma blanked Varn Kapania 3-1; Achint Verma beat Ayush Kumar 3-1; Sidharth defeated Deepu 3-0; G S Gulati beat Montu Malik 3-0; Ayush Kumar beat Sunny Behal 3-0; R Sethi beat Jatinder Singh 3-1; Ashish Dhanda defeated Sidharth 3-1; Amit Yadav beat Naresh Yadav 3-2; Sanjeev beat G S Gulati 3-2; Ruby beat Naveen 3-2 and Sheetal Verma beat Jose M 3-0.