 |
|
|
Drug Dept headless, 400 samples await test
BJP to protest against price hike
Dharamsala hospitals bury bio-medical waste
Distribution of uniforms among poor students withheld
Body of college student found |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
Drug
Dept headless, 400 samples await test
Solan, June 14 Dr A.K. Wasuja, who retired on April 30 after putting in 38 years of service, has not been able to relinquish charge with no one to take over. The Health Department has neither considered his case for an extension nor posted anyone to replace him. The lab, which is the only one of its kind in the state, tests samples of drugs sent by drug inspectors from various chemist shops and manufacturing units across the state. The inspectors rue that their working had been adversely affected. Neither had instructions been issued to them to stop sending drug samples for testing nor have they received test reports for the past more than a month, confided an official. The Director, Health, Dr M.L. Mahajan, while confirming this said the department was seized of this crucial vacancy and the post would soon be filled up. He said such appointments often took time. It is noteworthy to mention that the department had not bothered to look for a suitable substitute well in time. This has brought the entire testing mechanism to a halt. The fact that this crucial post has to be filled in accordance with the provisions laid down in the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, the requisite qualifications have to be taken into account. A proposal to elevate the Food Analyst in this place could not materialise as he has been appointed as per rules of the Food Act. Interestingly, a proposal to grant extension to Dr Wasuja could not materialise as despite recommendation from the directorate the proposal has not been forwarded. It was reliably learnt that the Chief Minister had also directed the authorities concerned to present the case before him for consideration. This proposal was mooted in the light of exceptional service record of Dr Wasuja, who has been honoured by the Chief Minister for refusing a bribe of Rs 10,000 and exceptional developmental work carried out by him in his 38-year long career.
|
|
BJP
to protest against price hike
Hamirpur, June 14 Concern was expressed over the alleged deteriorating law and order situation in the state. The fact that warrants had been issued against an AGDP of the state and the Chief Minister was protecting him, indicated that the law and order situation was not good in the state, it was said. It was decided that the organisational elections for electing presidents at the mandal, block, district and state levels would be completed by October 31. Members were told that the membership of the party had been open since April 9. The process for giving primary membership would be completed by June 30 and that for active membership by July 15. Demonstrations would be held in all 68 assembly segments of the state and traffic would be blocked on the issue of hike in the prices of petro products and basic commodities. It was pointed out during the meeting that after Uttranchal, Himachal Pradesh was now being targeted for conversions and the state government should pass a legislation in this regard, as proposed by the Rajasthan government.
|
|
Dharamsala
hospitals bury bio-medical waste
Dharamsala, June 14 Even though the Dr Rajendra Prasad Medical Government Zonal Hospital had bought an incinerator some ago, it has been out of order for the past many months. The hospital has tied up with a private firm for disposing of bio-medical waste for the time being. The Health Department has also been approached by a Pathankot-based firm, which has offered to carry the bio-medical waste of all civil hospitals and primary health centres in the district to Pathankot and then destroy it using scientific methods for a daily price of Rs 4.20 per bed. Dr J.S. Chandel, Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Kangra, said effective disposal of bio-medical waste was definitely a cause for concern and the issue would be discussed with the health directorate. “Even though the proposal by private firms is under consideration, a functional incinerator at the zonal hospital would be a better option as it would be cost-effective and bio-medical waste from the Civil Hospitals can also be transported here for disposal”, he said. The use of incinerator was mandatory for hospitals having a capacity of over 200 beds. Since the civil hospitals in the district, that fell under the jurisdiction of the Health Department, were 100-bedded, deep burial methods to dispose of bio-medical waste after proper segregation was being followed. A Senior Medical Officer at a Civil Hospital, however, admitted that the deep burial methods were prone to infections. “The waste can be separated but the infected needles and blades would remain intact even after burial. We have raised the issue with the Health Department, but the answer was that the waste from our hospitals could be scientifically destroyed only after the incinerator at the zonal hospital becomes functional. “In fact, there is even shortage of land for deep burial of the waste and nobody would allow us to do this on their land”, he said. “It is alright to bury degradable waste but even a piece of bandage used for wiping infected blood has to be properly destroyed in an incinerator”, said a senior doctor at the zonal hospital. While the zonal hospital has a sanctioned capacity of 400 beds, there are hospitals in Palampur, Nurpur, Kangra, 50-bedded hospitals in Jwali and Baijnath and 30-bedded in Garli. A spokesman for the zonal hospital said the incinerator was being repaired and would be fixed soon. The Medical Superintendent was not available for comments.
|
|
Distribution
of uniforms among poor students withheld
Kangra, June 14 Mr Shiv Prasad Baba, Kangra district president of the Primary Teachers Association, told The Tribune today that uniforms, notebooks and slates for poorest of the poor students of this block were purchased from last year’s budget in March this year, but had been dumped in the store of the Block Education Office since then. He said he was not aware of the reasons why these uniforms and other things were not distributed when nearly three months had passed of the current academic session. The Deputy Director of the Primary Education, Mr Omkar Chand, when contacted, said that he was not aware of the reasons for the delay in the distribution of these uniforms. Information gathered by The Tribune revealed that the Education Department was waiting for availability of the local MLA for the distribution of the uniforms. However, because of the inordinate delay in the distribution of notebooks and uniforms, the poor parents have managed to purchase these items on their own. A poor parent said: “I had been waiting for the past two and half months for uniform for my son. When it was not distributed I borrowed one for my son.” Meanwhile during a survey conducted by The Tribune it was found that there were a number of primary schools in this block without teachers, and teachers from the nearest centres were deputed there on day-to-day basis. Mr Shiv Prasad Baba, district president, confirmed the report and said that government primary schools at Gatarna, Surani, Janyiankhad and Bala Salol were without any teachers on regular basis and it was on the day-to-day basis that the teachers were deputed there. The schools were left without regular teachers because of promotion, transfers and suspension of teachers. He said he had requested the Director of Education to fill these posts, but without any response. When contacted, Mr Omkar Chand said there were no regular teachers in these schools. However, arrangements had been made to teach students on regular basis. He said that he had directed the BEO, Kangra, to depute teachers in these schools on monthly basis instead of daily basis A Tribune survey revealed that in Government Primary School, Takipur, there is one teacher for 90 students and Government Primary School, Bandal, has two JBT teachers for 93 students, whereas there is one JBT teacher for 119 students in Government Primary School, Birta, one teacher for one student in Government Primary School, Khajurna, and one teacher in Government Primary School, Sammela, for 80 students.
|
|
Body
of college student found
Mandi, June 14 The villagers, who had gathered at the spot, demanded a police probe into his death. The boy has been identified as Anil Kumar, who lived in Gadidhar. His nose was bleeding and his bag was lying nearby, the police said. The police has ruled out any foul play in his death. It suspected that he fell from the hillside after he consumed some drug, possibly a dose of charas, as there was no mark or injury on his body. The police has recovered a packet of “bidi” and a couple of small rolls of charas from his pocket and bag. The police has registered a case under Section 174 of the CrPC.
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
