The rally, which was flagged off by Roopnagar Civil Surgeon Dr Rajinder Singh Saggu from Kharar Civil Hospital campus, culminated at Vikram Public School, after passing through the main bazaars and streets of the township.

Volunteers of social, religious and educational institutions of the township, as well as doctors and staff of Kharar Civil Hospital also took part in the rally, in which children raised slogans of pukaare baal aatma, polio ka khaatma.

Meanwhile, hectic preparations are on for the successful implementation of the second phase of the fifth leg of the polio IPPI programme in the entire Roopnagar district on November 21.

The district administration has set up 783 centres in urban as well as rural areas of the district for immunising over 1.27 lakh children below five years of age.

The civil surgeon said 1,566 teams have been formed for immunising the children by going from door-to door.

Rally for polio eradication held
Derabassi: Some 8,000 children from 12 different schools of the township today held a rally and formed a human chain to promote the eradication of polio. The event was organised by the Rotary Club in association with the Punjab Health Department.

Children holding banners, placards and posters formed a 2 km-long human chain starting from DAV High school to the Ramlila Ground on the national highway. Speaking on the occasion, Patiala Deputy Commissioner Jasbir Singh Bir lauded the efforts of the school children and those involved in organising the event in standing up for the cause. The Deputy Commissioner then flagged of a cycle rally of the Rotarians and the students of Government High School, Ambala.

Others who were present on the occasion included Dera Bassi Sub Divisional Magistrate S.S. Sidhu, Patiala Civil Surgeon Dr Rameshwar Chander, Executive Officer Jai Kishan Sharma, Local Rotary Club president Bhupinder Saini and others.