tribuneindia... Himachal

H I M A C H A L
P R A D E S H

Monday, July 27, 1998

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today's calendar

The new building of the Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla

BJP suffers major jolt
DHARAMSALA, July 26 — The ruling BJP government led by the Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, suffered a major jolt as its attempts to dislodge the Chairman of the Kangra Central Cooperative Bank and the President of the Dharamsala Municipal Council have failed miserably.

Decline in crime rate, says DIG
DHARAMSALA, July 26 — The police has claimed that the law and order situation here is under control and the crime rate had declined as compared to last year.

BJP sets up high-level panel on development
SHIMLA, July 26 — The state unit of the BJP has decided to set up a high-level committee to plan strategy for the development of the state and maintain a close coordination between the party and the government.

Minjar fair begins
CHAMBA , July 26 — The Minjar fair, one of the major tribal carnivals of the northern Himalayas commenced at Chamba today.

Walkout by Congress councillors

109 cases settled at camp
HAMIRPUR, July 26 — As many as 109 out of 210 cases were settled on the spot at a district-level "administration at your doorstep" programme organised at Badhani village 35 km from here, today.

HP's first theatre academy opened
MANDI, July 26 — Himachal's first Drama Academy has been opened in this town by Mr Suresh Sharma, a product of National School of Drama, New Delhi

A hospital that requires re-medication
SHIMLA: If Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) or the state hospital in Shimla is derecognised by the Medical Council of India in coming times, one should not be surprised

Truck crushes two to death

NSUI condemns 'attack' on activists

Bridge to be built near Kaleshwar Mahadev Temple

Ayurvedic doctors seek allowances

BJP sets up high-level panel on development
Tribune News Service
SHIMLA, July 26 — The state unit of the BJP has decided to set up a high-level committee to plan strategy for the development of the state and maintain a close coordination between the party and the government.
The decision was taken at the first meeting of the newly constituted state executive committee held here today. The meeting which was attended by Mr Narinder Modi, all-India general secretary and in charge of party affairs in Himachal, Mr P.K. Dhumal, Chief Minister, and Mr Suresh Chandel, state party president praised the BJP-led government at the Centre in conducting nuclear tests and granting a special assistance of Rs 300 crore to the state. It also appreciated the government's effort to introduce the Women Reservation Bill in Parliament and criticised the Samajwadi Party and the Rashtriya Janata Party for blocking the Bill. These parties, is observed were against granting reservation to women and they were raising obstacles in its passage on one pretext or the other.
It also decided to organise two training camps for workers in the last week of August. Besides, the ministers would undertake extensive touring, covering seven constituencies each, hold meetings of workers and get feedback on the performance of the government during the month of September. This will be followed by the visit of the Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, to all districts in November. He would hold meetings with the district office-bearers to sort out irritants between the party and the government.
Mr Suresh Chandel, president, assigned works to various office bearers. Mr Dele Ram was made in charge of the Kangra parliamentary constituency, Mr Kirpal Parmar of Hamirpur, Mr Chander Sen of Mandi and Mr Khushi Ram, Balnatah who has been made in charge of Shimla will also be the spokesperson of the party. Mr Randgir Sharma, secretary of the party, will be the in charge of state office at Shimla.

109 cases settled at camp
From Our Correspondent
HAMIRPUR, July 26 — As many as 109 out of 210 cases were settled on the spot at a district-level "administration at your doorstep" programme organised at Badhani village 35 km from here, today.
Mr Ishwar Dass Dhiman, State Education Minister, was the chief guest.
More than 500 persons from 10 gram panchayats participated in the camp, the first of its kind in the state.
Mr Dhiman said the main aim of the BJP-HVC combine government was to provide justice to people at their doorstep.
He said such camps would be organised all over the state every month.
During the day-long camp, the medical department team examined as many as 278 persons suffering from various ailments and gave them medicines worth Rs 20,000. Five poor patients were given Rs 1,500 out of the district Red Cross funds.
The Horticulture and Forest Departments distributed plants among participants. About 1 lakh saplings of high-variety grass were also given to them by the Department of Agriculture.

HP's first theatre academy opened
From Our Correspondent
MANDI, July 26 — Himachal's first Drama Academy has been opened in this town by Mr Suresh Sharma, a product of National School of Drama, New Delhi.
Mr Sukh Ram, former Communications Minister, lighted a 'jyoti' to mark its inauguration today in Gandhi Bhavan. He said new vistas had been opened for the budding artistes of Himachal and the neighbouring states.
In the first session 26 students have been selected in the interview from Himachal, Punjab, UP and Rajasthan.
Three-day long drama celebrations continued here under the auspices of the Himachal Pradesh Cultural Research Institute to mark the occasion.
The display of "Mahanagriya Teen Sambad" in which Delhi artistes — Amitab Sirivastav and Amita Misra — did outstanding role was applauded by the viewers. The drama portrayed the present day perverted social life where actions and pretensions of the leaders were poles apart. Dialogues weaved with wit and humour projected the true 'face' of a leader who befooled innocent persons and attained power and prosperity with the crutches of democracy.
The story revolves round a city Mayor.

BJP suffers major jolt
Tribune News Service
DHARAMSALA, July 26 — The ruling BJP government led by the Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, suffered a major jolt as its attempts to dislodge the Chairman of the Kangra Central Cooperative Bank and the President of the Dharamsala Municipal Council have failed miserably.
The no-confidence motion moved by a BJP legislator from Hamirpur, Mr Babu Ram Mandyal, against the chairman of the Kangra Central Cooperative Bank (KCCB), Mr Virender Gautam, lapsed, as it was not moved at a meeting held here yesterday. The BJP supporters had been indulging in hectic lobbying to muster the support of Board of Directors, to be able to oust Mr Virender Gautam, a Congress MLA from Una, from the prestigious post.
The two BJP ministers from Kangra district, Mr Vidya Sagar and Mr Kishan Kapoor, had been camping here to ensure the removal of a Congress MLA, from the post of Chairman of the bank. According to reliable sources, once it was clear that the BJP group had failed to muster support for the ouster of Mr Gautam, it was considered wise not to move the no-confidence motion, brought by Mr Mandyal, and a few other Board of Directors. The Congress circles claimed that they had a majority of 13 of the total 16 elected members. There are a total of 20 members, including the four nominated members.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has come in for severe criticism for its attempts to install their own men as chairpersons of cooperative institutions, local self bodies and the Panchayati Raj institutions. The Chairman of the Himachal Pradesh State Cooperative bank at Shimla was recently replaced by a BJP member. The municipal bodies of Shimla, Hamirpur, Ghumarwin, Poanta Sahib and Dharamsala have also been targetted to bring about a change with the formation of the BJP government in the state.
The attempts of the BJP group to dislodge the President of the Dharamsala Municipal Council also proved futile as those Congress members who had agreed to support a no-confidence motion against Mr Jagdish Pradhan changed their mind. The PCC chief, Mr Sat Mahajan, arrived here yesterday to resolve the differences among members and announced that the crisis was over, as the Congress affiliated members would not be a party to the no-confidence motion, for which a notice has already been given to the Deputy Commissioner. Six of the total 11 members in the body are Congress supporters.
The PCC President, Mr Sat Mahajan, said that it was a very unhealthy trend adopted by the BJP to oust the duly elected heads of cooperative, local bodies and Panchayati Raj institutions. The former Tourism Minister, Mr Vijai Singh Mankotia, also criticised the BJP for trying to install its "puppet" as the Chairman of the Kangra Cooperative Bank.
Expressing their resentment over the attempts of the BJP people to dethrone the duly-elected members, the Congressmen said that this clearly showed how much respect the ruling party had for the local bodies and cooperative institutions.

Minjar fair begins
From Our Correspondent
CHAMBA , July 26 — The Minjar fair, one of the major tribal carnivals of the northern Himalayas commenced at Chamba today.
More than one lakh visitors including tourists from home and abroad are expected to participate in the week long fair.
Mr Kishori Lal, Himachal Industries Minister, inaugurated the historic fair.
The minister highlighted the need to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of the state and called upon the people to pass on their traditions to the coming generations.
Silken minjars (top blossoms of the maize plant) were presented at the local Lakshmi Narayan and Raghuvira temples.
The fair is held to appease the Rain God, Varuna. According to legends prevalent in the region it also symbolises the victory of Chamba's King , Sahil Verman over the king of Kangra.
The people of the region will immerse the silken minjars in the river Ravi on the concluding day of the fair.

Truck crushes two to death
From Our Correspondent
NURPUR, July 26 — An Assistant Engineer of the Himachal Pradesh PWD (Dharamsala division) and his three-year-old daughter died on the spot when they were hit a truck at Kandwal, near here, last evening.
According to sources, the victim who had been travelling in a Maruti van along with his family, had stopped to change a tyre.
His daughter was crushed to death by the truck while she walking on the road. He was also hit by the truck when he tried to save her.
A case under Sections 279 and 304(A), IPC, has been registered against the truck driver, Kuljeet Singh, who has been arrested.

Decline in crime rate, says DIG
Tribune News Service
DHARAMSALA, July 26 — The police has claimed that the law and order situation here is under control and the crime rate had declined as compared to last year.
Addressing a press conference here on Friday, the DIG (Northern Range), Mr I.D. Bhandari, said the figures clearly reflected that the crime rate had declined and all propaganda regarding a feeling of insecurity among people was totally baseless.
He said as compared to 24 murders committed during the first six months last year, 17 murders had been committed this year, out of which 15 cases had been put up in court.
He, however, said the police was facing shortage of staff as posts for some newly-opened police posts were yet to be sanctioned.

NSUI condemns 'attack' on activists
From Our Correspondent
SOLAN, July 26 — The National Students Union of India (NSUI), Himachal Pradesh, has condemned yesterday's alleged attack on its activists by those of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) at Government College, Kot Shera, near Shimla, and has warned that any repetition of such an incident will invite retaliation.
The senior vice-president of the NSUI, Mr Sandeep Kumar, told news persons here today that the incident was sparked by the NSUI's anti-ragging campaign, which had proved to be popular with a majority of the students. He hoped that other students' organisations would help the NSUI eradicate the ragging menace.

Walkout by Congress councillors
From Our Correspondent
SOLAN, July 26 — A group of six Congress councillors in the 13-member Municipal Council here stated a walkout from a council meeting in protest against what it described as "unruly behaviour" by the majority of BJP members yesterday.
Mr Hem Raj Goyal, seniormost Congress councillor, told a Press conference that his group wanted a discussion on certain acts of the council President, Mr Rajiv Bindal, which were "violative"of the established democratic norms at council meetings.
One of the issue sought to be raised by him related to the "surrender" of the council's proprietary right to a big chunk of prime property in the heart of the town to a private party. The Congress members were of the view that the President had not taken the council into his confidence while negotiating the deal. This and other issues were not allowed to be raised at the council meeting, leading to the walkout.

Bridge to be built near Kaleshwar
Mahadev Temple
SHIMLA, July 26 (UNI) — Himachal Pradesh Governor V.S. Rama Devi today visited the famous Kaleshwar Mahadev Temple in Kangra district and paid her obeisance.
She said a bridge near Kaleshwar Mahadev Temple would be constructed for facilitating the visiting pilgrims.She directed the officers concerned to start construction work on the bridge at the earliest.
The Governor announced Rs 10,000 out of her discretionary funds for the construction of the bridge.
She urged the people to contribute liberally for such religious works so that visiting pilgrims did not face any inconvenience. She asked local panchayats and temple committees to provide funds for religious works.
The Governor also visited Chamba-Pattan where she was accorded a rousing reception by the local people.

A hospital that requires re-medication
By Kanwar Yogendra
SHIMLA: If Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) or the state hospital in Shimla is derecognised by the Medical Council of India in coming times, one should not be surprised. The hospital-cum-medical college is in a pathetic state. Some top doctors and administrators are having a great time, middle-rung physicians are frustrated and overburdened, technicians are confused and defeated and patients coming from all parts of the state are suffering and distressed.
A simmering demand for an in-depth inquiry is going on amongst the doctors from a long time. The hospital administration, its day-to-day functioning, policies and purchase mechanism are questioned by every one. The new government has been forced to appoint an HAS officer as administrative director to improve the setup, but how far he will succeed is yet to be seen.
There is a demand for rotation for the top posts of departmental heads. Various professors can head the department for a couple of years like it is practised in the university. Otherwise if appointed for a long time the HODs lose interest in the hospital and become more bureaucratic. "Some HODs in the IGMC have been sticking to their chair for the past 10 to 15 years and are seen more in the Secretariat and less in the hospital", says a junior doctor.
There is extreme pressure on other doctors and a clear dearth of staff at the lower level. For a proper and satisfactory checkup in the OPD, a physician can attend a maximum of 20 patients a day, but in practice he diagnoses 50 to 60 patients a day with almost negligible assistance from anywhere else.
The most surprising activity going on in the IGMC is its "one-man purchase committees". Having no accountability, many irrational and strange decisions are taken by such committees from time to time. Recently, a Rs 60-lakh contract was given to an unknown company to install an oxygen pipeline system of the new building. "The company called PES has never been heard of and we don’t know its full form", say a majority of the doctors when contacted.
An earlier organisation called British Oxygen Company (BOC), which has installed the oxygen and nitrous oxide gas pipeline all over the state and has a maintenance responsibility, has been ignored even after quoting lower rates. Why has this been done? The reasons are known only to one man of the one-man committee when the HOD of the Anaesthesia Department was the sole decision maker.
Medicines and equipment supplied in operation theatres are not up to the mark and are substandard. They are supplied by one particular firm only and there appears to be a compromise in the quality. The firm needs to be changed, say most of the doctors. In one of the illogical decisions, two well-planned operation theatres have been ordered to be dismantled and altered and doctor cabins changed into cath labs. Still there are no emergency theatres in the hospital in case of a casualty. All six theatres are occupied in the forenoon every day by indoor patients. Two emergency theatres planned in the new building have been changed into wards — by whom, is unknown to most of the doctors.

In some fishy deals, some medicines and machines are unnecessarily ordered without any use or utility. A pulse oximeter worth Rs 5 lakh is lying unused. Four Boyl’s machines are also lying in anaesthesia without any use. A Rs 7-lakh Ultima machine has not been used even for a single day so far. A number of expensive operation lights are also lying in the store without use. A centre monitoring station worth Rs 30 lakh is lying totally underutilised and is required only for the recovery room.
When inquired about an ICU in this hospital, the monitoring system and recovery rooms are shown and people are kept in the dark. In reality there is still no ICU in this state-level apex health institution. The plans to start an ICU, the prestige of any hospital, never took off.
On the other hand, some small investments like the one for laser technology (Rs 15 lakh to Rs 20 lakh) in the Ophthalmology Department have never been made by the administration. Even small private practitioners have this technology and cases have to be referred to them. For the phacoamulsification technique or stitchless surgery (also Rs 15 lakh to Rs 20 lakh) the grant has never been given and the patients are suffering. These machines are very important and definitely required in a teaching and referral institute, informs a senior doctor.
There is another nexus operating in the hospital regarding day-to-day local purchases. "These purchases are ordered by some top officials without seeking the requirements from the store", apprise an inside source. Local purchase is done for some specific patients only and not the needy ones. They have to undergo all formalities and the patients whom these officers want to oblige are given some expensive medicines and injections without any effort.
Some fake names are entered on OPD slips, the prescription is written and the local purchase is ordered by the officers concerned, one of whom is not even a doctor. There is no registration, no bed number, no IRDP family proof along with slips. Orders are given to nearby chemists, though the medicines are available in the hospital store.
Medicines and hospital equipment worth Rs 2 crore from Isolation Hospital (which is discontinued now) are not entered or handed over to the people concerned in the IGMC, the apex body.
On many occasions overpurchasing and direct purchasing are done without any requirement. The real beneficiaries are the chemist shops. And that is how one can understand the mushroom growth of these shops on the way to the hospital.
Various medical representatives of these shops and companies are given preference over patients by the doctors in the IGMC. Some of the doctors have acquired huge properties (an HOD from the IGMC is having buildings and property in four places). Some doctors are running hotels in Shimla on the name of their mothers and wives. "They believe in entertaining politicians rather than the patients", says a junior surgeon. "How can they be true to the profession when they are involved in other businesses?" asks another devoted doctor. Some reputed surgeons, like Dr T.S. Mahant have left the hospital in frustration and no respect for profession.

Ayurvedic doctors seek allowances
Tribune News Service
SHIMLA, July 26 — Ayurvedic doctors have demanded that the government should take immediate steps to release non-practicing, rural health and other allowances to them.
In a statement here yesterday Dr Ashok Sharma, spokesman for the Ayurvedic Medical Officers Association, demanded that all allowances at par with the allopathic doctors should be paid to them.