 |
| Sunday,
November 5, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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Advani
assures scribes on wage board Fresh polio
case in Fatehabad VC urges
students to be tolerant Pregnant
woman dies of hepatitis Docs
reiterate demand on NPA Amar Singh
opens Pandora’s box |
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Erratic
water supply hits sowing Martyr’s father recalls
son’s deeds No arrests
in dowry death case Notice
issued to Bhajan Lal Cong leaders to
meet on Nov 7
|
|
Advani
assures scribes on wage board FARIDABAD, Nov 4 — The Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, has
assured journalists that the Union Cabinet will not bow to any pressure
in the matter of acceptance and implementation of the recommendations of
the Manisana Wage Board for Journalists. He announced that no “injustice”
or “discriminations” would be done in discussions and final
acceptance of the wage board report in the Cabinet meeting and every
effort would be made for proper implementation of the recommendations.
Speaking as Chief Guest at the inaugural function of the 12th
Biennial Conference of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) at
Surajkund Tourists Complex here today, Mr Advani was responding to the
apprehensions raised earlier by the office-bearers of the NUJ that the
government might not find it easy to accept and implement the
recommendations of the new wage board in a fair and acceptable manner
due to pressure and incooperative attitude of the owners and managements
of various newspaper and media organisations.
The Union Home Minister said he was “happy” to be present at the
conference as he himself was a journalist before he entered politics. He
claimed that both politics and journalism were similar type of
professions and passion, vision and action were required to get success
in both. He asked the mediapersons to stick to self discipline and
ethics to minimise the chances of misuse of power.
Mr Advani in his hour-long address admitted that politics had become
a “shortcut” for making quick money through unscrupulous means and a
section of politicians had been busy in commercialising the polity also.
He said professional integrity was the most important in any profession.
He also called for the inculcation of accountability and responsibility
in the fields of journalism, politics and bureaucracy to strengthen the
democratic set up and values in the country.
Mr Advani also recalled the days of Emergency in the country about 25
years ago and said it was perhaps the darkest phase in the history of
the country after Independence. Indian democracy, he said had a great
respect worldwide and it was a matter of pride for the countrymen.
Earlier, while addressing the conference the Finance Minister of
Haryana, Mr Sampat Singh, claimed that the present state government had
taken several measures for the welfare of the journalists. Samajwadi
Party leader Amar Singh proposed the setting up of a Journalists Welfare
Fund at national-level and announced an aid of Rs 10 lakh from his side.
The Union Minister of State for Heavy Industries, Mr Vallab Katheria
asked for better facilities for mediapersons.
The agenda for the biennial session, included discussions on wage
board recommendations, accountability of the media, atrocities on
mediapersons and erosion of the institution of the Editor in print
media.
Shyam Khosla and P.K. Roy were elected president and secretary
general of the NUJ respectively, at the organisation’s 12th biennial
conference here.
Ram Naresh Tripathi (UP), Ajay Daddha (Rajasthan), Rabi Rath (Orissa)
and Y.P. Gupta (Haryana) were elected vice presidents for the period
2000-2002 in the election held last evening, the results of which were
announced today.
Ashok Singhi (Punjab), B.V. Phaskar (Andhra Pradesh), Suresh Pareek (Rajasthan)
and Brajananda Chowdhury (West Bengal) were elected secretaries while 21
others were elected to the national executive of the organisation. |
|
Fresh
polio case in Fatehabad FATEHABAD, Nov 4 — Detection of a fresh polio case in Jandwala
Bagar village of this district has posed a question on the success of
much hyped “intensified pulse polio campaign” in this district and
has set alarm bells ringing for the authorities.
Though the incident occurred in May this year, when a two-year-old
boy Vipin died of suspected symptoms of polio, it came to light only now
when the World Health Organisation (WHO) categorised Haryana in the “middle
burden group” comprising those states where the campaign had failed to
build a “suraksha chakra (security ring). The WHO based its
categorisation on the detection of four fresh cases of polio in Haryana,
including one in Fatehabad district. Though the health authorities,
which have been spearheading the campaign maintained that Vipin’s
death due to polio was still not confirmed, but they, too, were worried
over the developments.
The WHO, on the basis of their performance in the pulse polio
campaign, has divided different states of the country into three zones.
Four states of the country, including Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, have been
kept in the high burdens zone. The agencies involved in the campaign did
not get the expected success in these states. These are high risk
states. Haryana, along with six other states, has been placed in the
middle burden zone after the detection of four cases in the State till
October 14, 2000, other cases were reported from Gurgaon and Panipat.
In Fatehabad case, Vipin, son of a permanent resident of the village
and not a member of nomadic tribe or migrant labour, was administered
polio doses during the campaign last year. The Civil Surgeon, Dr D.R.
Makkar and the District Training Officer, Dr Seema Garg, said it was a
“polio compatible case” and could not be treated as wild virus case”
as no stool test could be carried on the boy. They said Vipin also
suffered from paralysis of limbs and his parents took him to Rajasthan
to get him treated from some quack. When his condition deteriorated he
was taken to Hisar, where he died. As no pathological test on his stool
was done, it could not be said with certainty that the child died of
polio.
But sources in the Health Department said the polio virus called “wild
polio virus” bred in the throat and intestines of the infected patient
and passed out in the faces of the child. The virus then mixes up in
water and infects other children too. The main idea behind the “pulse
polio campaign” was to administer the dose of “polio vaccine” to
all children at the same time. After administration of polio doses, the
“wild polio virus” in child’s body was replaced by “vaccine
polio virus” and that too in much greater numbers. The later virus
makes antibodies in child’s body that prepare it to fight the dreaded
disease.
The sources said till last year, the campaign managers administered
polio drops at specified booths only. Hence many children, including the
kids of nomadic tribes and migrating labour, remained without the dose.
This left these children open to the threat of polio and also led to the
breach in the “security ring” as such children posed a great threat
to others too. Further the health authorities considered, the “herd
immunity” which means immunisation of more than 80 per cent children
of a particular locality be treated as cent per cent immunisation. This
too, left a lot of loopholes in the exercise. The strategy, however, has
been changed this year and the authorities now plans to administer the
doses from door to door.
The Civil Surgeon, meanwhile, said that 535 points had been set up in
the district for tomorrow’s pulse polio drive. He added 110 mobile
teams had also been set up for this purpose. |
|
VC
urges students to be tolerant KARNAL, Nov 4 — Mr R.S. Chaudhary, Vice-Chancellor of Kurukshetra
University, here yesterday stressed the need for creating better harmony
between the traditional value system and the present day technological
advancement.
In his convocation address to the students of Dyal Singh College, Mr
Chaudhary wanted that there should be proper synthesis of the two for
the better growth of mankind. He expressed his apprehension that the
introduction of computer in everyday life had affected the autonomy of
man and curtailed one or the other type of value system.
Mr Chaudhary called upon the students to inculcate the values of
tolerance and work which were needed in the present day life.
The Vice-Chancellor said the present age of information technology
had led to information explosion, especially of commercial interests.
This had led to rising expectations of the people which was not being
matched with available opportunities and as a result this had bred
discontentment among different sections of society.
Earlier, Dewan Gajendar Kumar, president of the Dyal Singh College
Trust Society, while tracing the history of the institution demanded
that the university should grant permission for bachelor’s in
information technology and master’s courses in computer applications
to the college.
Principal S.K. Jain conferred degrees on the passing-out graduates
and postgraduates. |
|
Pregnant
woman dies of hepatitis SIRSA, Nov 4 — Hepatitis-A is reported to have claimed two lives,
including that of a pregnant woman and her stillborn child.
According to information received today, the wife of a resident of
Jankalyan Colony was admitted to the hospital for delivery with
jaundice. The doctors operated on her. The woman died later. There has
been one more death due to jaundice. However, official sources have
confirmed only one.
There have been regular complaints regarding the supply of polluted
water in the district but the Public Health Department hardly pays any
heed to them. Three days before the prevailing situation was brought to
the notice of the Deputy Commissioner during a press conference held in
his office. He was also told about the appearance of a six-inch long
snake from a water tap in a house in the local Housing Board Colony. He
had given necessary instructions to the officials concerned to ensure
proper supply of drinking water.
According to the press release today, the Deputy Commissioner said a
survey was being done by officials of the Public Health Department to
detect leakage in pipes. Till today as many as 10,633 connections in the
local RSD Colony, Multani Colony, Inderpuri Mohalla, Block-D and B of
Anaj Mandi have been checked and the faults detected in them were
corrected. This survey will continue till the polluted water supply is
fully checked and the spread of diseases controlled.
Meanwhile, reports of polluted water supply are pouring in from other
parts of the district too. In Rania, the number of jaundice cases is
said to be on the rise, though the Health Department claims there are no
such patients in the area. Cases are being reported from private nursing
homes. In the open darbar held at Kharian village in the district
complaints of polluted water supply had come up. Similar complaints have
also been reported from Keharwala and Mammer villages. |
|
Docs
reiterate demand on NPA SONEPAT, Nov 4 — The Haryana Civil Medical Services Association (HCMSA)
today expressed its anguish over the failure of the state government to
grant non-practising allowance (NPA) to doctors working in civil
hospitals, dispensaries, community health centres and primary health
centres in accordance with the recommendations of the Fifth Pay
Commission.
In a press note issued here, it warned that if the state government
failed to accept this demand, the association would be forced to launch
an agitation.
The Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Parkash Chautala, the association
pointed out, had announced at the HCMSA annual convention on December 12
last year that the government doctors would be paid enhanced NPA as per
the Fifth Pay Commission’s report with effect from January 1 this
year. But the state government had failed to issue a notification in
this regard so far. Hence, the doctors continued to get NPA at the old
rate, it added.
The association alleged that Mr Chautala had failed to keep the
promise and was reluctant to issue a notification on this issue.
The association appealed to the doctors to remain united and continue
their struggle to force the state government to fulfil their demands. A
meeting of the Executive Committee of the association would be convened
shortly to discuss the issue and finalise the new strategy for the
agitation. |
|
Amar Singh opens Pandora’s box SURAJKUND (Haryana), Nov 4 (PTI) — Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh today stirred a hornet’s nest at a journalists’ conference here when he urged the government to throw open the print media for foreign investment. ‘‘If electronic media can be opened up for foreign investment why not the print media,’’ the outspoken SP General Secretary asked while addressing the delegates at the 12th biennial conference of National Union of Journalists (NUJ), India. Mr Amar Singh, who was also the Chairman of Organising Committee for the conference, said foreign investment in print media was being opposed by newspaper owners who had their vested interests. Print media journalists would also be able to avail the same benefits that their counterparts in electronic media enjoyed once foreign investments were allowed, he said. However, in his address NUJ President Shyam Khosla snubbed Mr Amar Singh saying the organisation had all along been against allowing the foreign investment in print media and it would oppose any such move. ‘‘Giving foreign capitalists a free hand in print media in India will have serious consequences for national security and our polity. Foreigners will be in a position to use the media to distort our national perespective and annihiliate the domestic newspaper industry,’’ he said. While pointing out the newspaper owners were no friends of
journalists, Mr Khosla said, ‘‘But on this issue we will support
them in national interest.’’ |
|
Erratic
water supply hits sowing SONEPAT, Nov 4 — The sowing of Rabi crops, particularly oilseeds,
in Gohana has been hit due to inadequate and erratic water supply.
Farmers who are critical of the Gohana water service division
authorities allege that a majority of officials of the division as well
as the subdivision are not present whenever farmers visit the offices.
A delegation of farmers led by Mr Samsher Singh, sarpanch of Mahra
village, called on the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Sudhir Rajpal, here
yesterday and told him that they had not been getting canal water as the
authorities concerned had not released waters in the Katwal minor.
This had hampered sowing in the villages of Farmana, Ridhao, Majra
and Bilbillan.
The members of the delegation also told the Deputy Commissioner that
the theft of canal water and the failure of the authorities concerned to
check it were the main causes of the erratic supply to the tailend
fields of the farmers.
Mr Rajpal assured the farmers that he would look into their
grievances and try to redress them. |
|
Martyr’s father recalls
son’s deeds AMBALA Talking to The Tribune, the
parents of Captain Gogoi, who have come to Ambala from Assam on the
invitation of Gandhi Memorial National College, Ambala cantonment, where
the Captain was a student, said more than a year after his death they
still felt as if he would come back. “We are always overwhelmed by our
sentiments,” they said. Tears welled up in the eyes of the father of
Captain Gogoi, Honorary Flying Officer (retd) Thagiram Gogoi, when he
spoke about his son who laid down his life at Kargil even as Jintu’s
mother, Mrs Dulu Prabha Gogoi, listened intently with tears in her eyes
about the brave deeds of her son which made them and the country
proud. Captain Gogoi’s father said they had come to Ambala to attend a
function organised by GMN College, in the memory of their son. “I was
posted in Ambala in 1984 and Jintu studied at Kendriya Vidyalaya No II.
Later, he joined GMN College from where he did his graduation. Then he
joined the MSW course at Kurukshetra University,” he said. He said
Jintu was a keen bodybuilder and he was very interested in painting. “As
a matter of fact, we went to KV No II to find out whether some of his
paintings were still there,” he said. “Jintu was selected for training
in 1994 and he was commissioned in the Army on March 11, 1995. He joined
17 Garhwal Rifles,” he said. “My son completed several Army courses
with flying colours. The courses include infantry course at Mhow, YO’s
course at Belgaum, commando course at Belgaum and the winter warfare
course at Pehalgaon,” Captain Gogoi’s father said. Captain Gogoi was
decorated with Vir Chakra for displaying exemplary courage. He was asked
to lead his troops to evict the enemy from Kala Pathar in the Batalik
subsector. There was heavy firing by the enemy. Undeterred and with scant
regard for his personal safety, he directed his men to take cover even as
he sprayed bullets on the enemy. The Captain killed two enemy soldiers
before this brave soldier’s life was cut short during the battle. His
father said that they would begin construction of a memorial this month at
Khumtai village in Golaghat district of Assam. “Besides the statue of
Jintu, there will be a library-cum-information room in the building. My
elder daughter is also planning to start an English medium school in his
memory,” he said. The Principal of GMN College, Ambala cantonment, Mr
I.D. Shukla, said they were planning to institute an NCC trophy in the
memory of Captain Gogoi, who had studied in the college. “It is going to
be called Capt Jintu Gogoi trophy. We are also planning to raise a
memorial at the main gate in the memory of all those students of this
college who have laid down their lives for the nation during wars,” he
said. Mr Shukla pointed out that there had been several gallantry
awardees who have studied at GMN College. “We have a rich association
with the armed forces. The gallantry awardees who have studied in GMN
College include Capt Vijay Ratan, Major Grewal and Major Maken.
Incidentally, at least three Major Generals have been GMN College
students. Also, the first woman officer of the Army, Major Ratna Tewari,
has also been our student,” he said. Rich tributes were paid to
Captain Gogoi at a function held today in the college. A cheque of Rs
51,000 was presented to his parents. The sum had been collected by
students, staff and management of the college. Speaking on the occasion,
the Chief of Staff, 2 Corps, Maj-General T.S. Pathak, said that Captain
Gogoi had laid down his life for the nation but he still continues to live
symbolically within each person who wears the uniform. |
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No
arrests in dowry death case FARIDABAD, Nov 4 — The members of the family of Mr Piara Singh, of
Sanjay Colony here are in a state of shock after they lost Jaswinder
Kaur daughter of Mr Piara Singh. They believe that Jaswinder, who was
married two years back was a dowry victim.
According to information, while the police has registered a case
under Section 498-A and 304-B of the IPC against the husband and
father-in-law of the deceased, the family of the girl has charged that
she was allegedly “poisoned to death” at her in-laws’ house at the
Sarai Rohilla locality in Delhi.
In the FIR lodged with the police, Mr Piara Singh, has stated that
his daughter, who was married to Jitender Pal of East Moti Bagh (Sarai
Rohilla) was being continuously harassed by her in-laws for not bringing
adequate dowry.
He added that his daughter told him after a month of marriage that
she was not happy with the behaviour of her-in-laws. |
|
Notice
issued to Bhajan Lal CHANDIGARH, Nov 4 — Mr Justice N.C. Khichi of the Punjab and
Haryana High Court today stayed proceedings against the Zee TV director
Subhash Goenka in the trial court in a defamation case filed by the
former Haryana Chief Minister Bhajan Lal for broadcasting a news item
regarding CBI raids at his residences in Hissar and Chandigarh.
Mr Justice Khichi also issued notice to Mr Bhajan Lal for November
29.
Mr Goenka in his plea for quashing the proceedings in the trial court
had pleaded that the Chief General Manager and Director of a TV company
could not be held responsible for the broadcast of any news item as per
a ruling of the Supreme Court and the proceedings of the defamation case
filed against him by Mr Bhajan Lal be quashed. |
|
Cong leaders to
meet on Nov 7 CHANDIGARH, Nov 4 — A meeting of Congress leaders from Haryana will take place in Delhi on November 7. The meeting, which will be presided over by the HPCC chief, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, has been convened to ensure full support by the Haryana Congress to Ms Sonia Gandhi for AICC president’s post, a party spokesman here said. All the AICC members from Haryana, ex-PCC presidents, party MLAs , two Rajya Sabha members and other senior leaders from the state have been asked to take part in the meeting, the spokesman said. |
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Lok
Adalat on Nov 9 FARIDABAD, Nov 4 — A lok adalat will be held at the judicial
complex here on November 9. This was stated by the District and Sessions
Judge, Mr Pritam Pal, here on Friday. |
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