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| Friday,
May 25, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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German
proposal to manage hospitals CM
asked to tell of pact with Plan panel Virbhadra
charges baseless: BJP
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PM arrives in
Manali on holiday An unexploited
tourism asset Rafting catching on in Kulu valley Health centres
in Changar ill-equipped HVC blames
govt for ‘starvation suicide’ Minor girl
‘sold’ to man found 6 Army
men scale Mount Everest Development
of Sirmaur ‘ignored’ Demonstration
by LIC employees 54,324
cataract operations performed Worker dies in blast Radiologists
to meet at IGMC
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German proposal to manage hospitals Shimla, May 24 As per the unique proposal the organisation will take over the management of a 100-beded hospital for a period of five years. Besides, providing modern medical equipment, the agency will also improve the managerial and professional skills of the staff. However, the selected hospital will have to be converted into an autonomous body preferably a society, to ensure that there was no interference in its functioning. The agency will directly fund the society for up-gradation of facilities. It wants that the hospital should be selected on merit and it should be the one which required upgradation and served an area which lacked adequate medical services. More importantly, it should be ensured that a political change in the state did not affect it in anyway. As such the choice may fall on any of the hospital in Sirmaur or Chamba, the two most backward districts of the state. Besides, providing modern medical equipment, the agency will also bring in doctors from Germany to serve the institution for fixed periods. A detailed status report of the institution will be prepared at the time of take-over. The upgradation and improvement carried out over the five year period would be documented to enable the government to replicate the experiment in other hospitals. The proposal, if implemented, will held set certain standards for the quality of health service and pave for professional management of hospitals. The agency is already implementing a scheme in Kangra district to promote rational use of drugs and
improve the managerial skills of doctors. In the past funds for development of infrastructural facilities were given to the government which were mostly spent on construction of buildings, purchase of vehicles, equipment and other facilities. No attention was paid to management part as a result of which the desired improvement in quality of health service could not be achieved even after spending hundreds of crores of rupees. The government’s decision to convert some hospitals into societies last year was opposed by the employees. However, as the agency has made it clear that it would make do with existing staff, the government may not face resistance in granting autonomous status to the selected hospital. In fact, the staff of the hospital will get an opportunity to improve their skills and work in a better environment. |
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CM asked to tell of pact with Plan panel Dharamsala, May 24 Talking to mediapersons here today, he said that Hamachalis had the right to know what compromises had been made by mortgaging the interests of the state. “It is as a result of this undertaking that the Planning Commission made a cut of Rs 320 crore in the plan size of Himchal,” he stated. He informed that the Chief Minister while signing the undertaking assured the Planning Commission that Himchal will improve its fiscal management, curtail government expenditure, downsize bureaucracy and impose a ban on all fresh recruitments. “ It is but natural that after the signing of this undertaking, development in the five core sectors of drinking water, roads, health, education and employment generation would virtually come to a standstill,” said Mr Mankotia. Mr Mankotia said that the undertaking would expose the hollowness of the claims being made by the Dhumal government and the people must know the true picture. He demanded that the Chief Minister should provide all details regarding the MOUs signed and the present status of power projects like Parbati, Nathpa Jhakri, Kol and others. He said that complete details of the number of projects and their amount in various fields given to the JP Industries, should be disclosed. Mr Mankotia, said that keeping in mind the grave situation arising out of the severe drought that had hit the state, the government must release the amount of relief given, district wise, throughout the state. The Congress leader informed that the party had drawn up an extensive programme to restore its popularity by inviting senior leaders like Mrs Sonia Gandhi, Dr Manmohan Singh, Mr Madhav Rao Scindia and others to Himachal. |
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Virbhadra
charges baseless: BJP Shimla, May 24 Reacting to the statement of the former Chief Minister that the state Subordinate Service Selection Board had become a captive organisation of the government and was making recruitments on political recommendations, Mr Sharma alleged that it was Mr Virbhadra Singh who made appointments on chits during his regime. The BJP government had set up the board to check political interference, he added. |
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PM arrives in
Manali on holiday Manali, May 24 A helicopter carrying Mr Vajpayee landed at the Snow and
Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE) helipad in Bahang on the
Manali-Leh highway, near here. He was received by former Horticulture
Minister Kunj Lal Thakur, local MLA Chander Sen Thakur, Mr Parveen
Fakey, president, Manali Nagar Panchayat, and Mr Bhag Chand Negi,
pradhan, Vashisht Panchayat. From the SASE helipad, the Prime
Minister was brought in a cavalcade under tight security to his
farmhouse at Prini on the Manali-Naggar (left bank) road where he
would spend his holidays. Earlier, the Prime Minister was accorded a
warm welcome on his arrival at Bhuntar airport in Kulu. He was
received by the Himachal Governor, Dr Suraj Bhan, the Chief Minister,
Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal. |
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An unexploited tourism asset Chamera Lake (Dalhousie) The Chamera lake at the 540 MW hydroelectric project (Stage I) in Chamba district cannot by itself be an independent tourist attraction. It can, of course, serve as an additional attraction for tourists visiting Dalhousie, Khajjiar and Chamba. Residents of the Chamera lake area feel that tourism is the only option left for them to earn a decent living. However, for this there has to be well-planned development of the
region, which has a number of spots with scenic beauty. The Himachal Pradesh Government needs to draw up an ambitious plan to promote tourism in the area. The dam site is at Chaurah and the two tails of the reservoir extend up to Sundla on the Siul and Kiyani on the Ravi. Boat rides on the river can be made popular. Water sports, if introduced in all seasons in the lake, can substantially add to the attraction. Besides, fish farming can be developed in the valley. Poor accessibility to the lake area is a big hurdle in the way of development. An intensive survey has to be conducted for the identification of areas for development where an integrated tourist infrastructure may be provided. The infrastructure includes a proper road network, hotels, restaurants, shops and an affordable transport system. The availability of comprehensive and correct information, the facility for reservation of hotels and guided tours are an “indirect” invitation to tourists. The holding of special functions and festivals, which provide an excellent opportunity for shopping with concessions, are “direct” invitations. The summer and the post-monsoon season in the Chamba valley are pleasant. Tourists can be attracted during these seasons by organising water sports and carnivals. Picnic spots can be developed around the lake. The state’s Department of Tourism has over the past few years organised water sports and constructed ferry points. However, these steps have not been able to draw a large number of tourists. A regional water sports centre needs to be set up at the lake. |
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Rafting
catching on in Kulu valley Kulu, May 24 River rafting has tremendous tourist potential and the number of tourists going for a quick raft trip down the Beas had increased manifold during the past decade. The primary attraction of rafting is that participants need not have had any previous experience of training. Anybody above the age of 14, even with below-average fitness levels, can participate in this exhilarating activity. The Indian Association of Professional Rafting Outfitters (IAPRO), New Delhi, had given technical and safety guidelines pertaining specifically to the Beas in 1992 to the Director, Tourism, Himachal Pradesh. The IAPRO advised that high safety and operational standards be maintained for commercial white water rafting in the Beas. However the department has allegedly ignored these guidelines and there is no check on commercial rafting operations. There have been two fatal accidents in the past 12 years in which three persons were killed. The accidents, which occurred in 1997 and 2001, were allegedly due to negligence and compromise on safety standards. According to the IAPRO, the Beas is potentially more dangerous than the Ganga because of steeper drop in the river gradient and day-to-day fluctuations in the river volume due to excessive melting of snow or heavy rain in the tributory or catchment areas of the upper region. The water temperature is also lower (3-5°C) and the cold conditions can even cause hypothermia. Hence, even experienced guides who have not rafted this river should have two or three familiarisation runs before guiding passengers. Several private companies have tapped the tourist market here and are even attracting foreign tourists. The 11-km stretch between Mohal and Jhiri where commercial rafting is being done is the most popular and relatively safe stretch of the Beas. According to experts, there are class-III and class-IV rapids in this stretch. Rapids are swift currents in a river caused by a steep downward slope in the river bed. A high degree of rafting skill and experience is required to negotiate rapids. The slightest error can result in a major disaster. |
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Health centres in Changar ill-equipped Jaisinghpur, May 24 The upgraded Community Health Centre at the headquarters meant for 20 neighbouring panchayats is run by a single regular doctor at present. It has worked even without a doctor at times and that too for longer periods. A pharmacist has to perform the duties of a doctor in his absence. Shortage of paramedical staff and medicines is always felt at the centre. The Chief Minister, Prof P.K. Dhumal, had announced the upgradation of the health centre here during his first winter sojourn in Kangra. Two years later in October, 2000 the Chief Minister inaugurated a new building at the centre after two or three postponements. Interestingly, the single doctor posted at the hospital at that time joined duty just on the day of inauguration. Three doctors called to the health centre on deputation for the occasion were never seen after that. The Chief Minister also announced converting the health centre into a 30-bed hospital but in reality the centre does not have rooms for even 10 beds. According to the Health Department norms, a community health centre has five sanctioned posts of specialist doctors in addition to that of a Block Medical Officer. But this centre has to content itself with only one sanctioned post of a doctor. The pradhan of the gram panchayat, Mr Raj Pal Dhiman, says whenever there is a mishap in the area, a doctor is sent to the centre on deputation and after a few days the deputationist is called back. Sometimes patients die on the way to Palampur or Hamirpur, he said. The zila parishad member, Mr Jaswant Rana, said the Health Minister, Mr J.P.
Nadda, had announced installation of an X-ray machine last year here but that project remained confined to files like others in the past. The demand to appoint a woman doctor at the centre is yet to be fulfilled. |
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HVC blames govt for ‘starvation suicide’ Shimla, May 24 In a statement here yesterday he said it was ironical that one hand the poor farmers, whose crops has been damaged by drought, were being driven to suicide, on the other the government stores were overflowing with foodgrains. In fact, storage had become a major problem and 158 lakh tonne of wheat was rotting. He said the starvation death had taken place in the home district of Union Food Minister, Mr Shanta Kumar, who had promised to supply foodgrains to 36 crore people on subsidised rates. He said Mr Shanta Kumar’s scheme to provide free foodgrains under “food for work” to raise new forest plantation was a welcome step to prevent the occurrence of such incidents provided it was implemented in time. Mr Rajpal alleged that the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress, were plagued with infighting as a result of which the people were suffering. The Congress was completely silent on the failure of the government on all fronts. |
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Minor girl ‘sold’ to man found Nahan, May 24 Bali Ram has been arrested and is on police remand till tomorrow. Mr Daleep Singh, brother of the girl lodged an FIR in the Shillai police station that his sister had not returned home and they had failed to trace her. On a tip-off, the police raided the premises of Bali Ram and recovered the girl. Police officials said Bali Ram admitted that he had paid Rs 30,000 to three persons of this area who posed themselves as close relatives of the girl, in lieu of his marriage with the girl. One of them has been named Basti Ram of Gajrot. He has obtained interim bail from the court. The two other accused have absconded. After a medical examination, the girl was handed over to her family. The police has registered a case under Sections 363, 366 and 376, IPC. |
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6 Army men scale Mount Everest Manali, May 24 In a press note issued here today Col H.S. Chauhan, Director, Directorate of Mountaineering and Allied Sports, here said Naib Subedar Amar Prakash, Havildar Mohinder Singh, Havildar Neel Chand, Havildar Paldan, Havildar Tsering Bodh and Havildar Bhag Chand had successfully climbed the Mount Everest. They were part of the Indian Army Everest expedition, he added. Naib Subedar Amar Parkash, Havildar Neel Chand and Havildar Tsering Bodh belong to the tribal district of Lahaul and Spiti whereas Havildar Mohinder, Havildar Paldan and Havildar Bhag Chand belong to Kinnaur district. Colonel Chauhan said Naib Subedar Amar Parkash had climbed the Mount Everest for the second time. |
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Development
of Sirmaur ‘ignored’ Nahan, May 24 In a copy of resolution released to the press, the manch has charged the local politicians with ignoring the main issues of the residents of the district. Due to which the Nahan hosiery, Tourist Information Centre and Art College have been closed by the government and the Nahan Foundry has been converted into a departmental workshop, the manch said. The manch has expressed its concern over the deteriorating condition of the ginger growers of the district. It said the ginger crop had continuously been destroyed by the epidemic ‘Rohizom Rot’ and the government had done nothing to help farmers to save the crop during the past 25 years. The resolution also demanded facilities like crop research work and financial help for ginger growers as was being provided to apple growers. |
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Demonstration
by LIC employees Shimla, May 24 According to the employees here, divisional president A.C. Chauhan condemned this step of the government. He said the order dated May 14, 2001, of the government came as a shock to the LIC/GIC employees. This was unwarranted, he added.
UNI |
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54,324 cataract operations performed Shimla, May 24 He said that government was determined to ensure free eye testing of all children studying from six to class X. |
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Worker
dies in blast Nahan, May 24 According to the police, a case in this regard has been registered against the factory owners. The factory situated on the Nahan-Trilokpur road, lacks safety measures. Deceased Shambhu (35) who died on the spot after molten iron fell on him. Both the workers belong to Bihar. |
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Radiologists
to meet at IGMC Shimla, May 24 The Head of the department, Mr N.K. Kaushik said the Indian Radiological Imagin Association would hold a conference here for the first time. He said around 100 participant from all over India were likely to participate in the conference. The conference would discuss the latest developments in their field. |
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