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Wednesday,
August 29, 2001, Chandigarh, India  
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Posting
norms of medical staff to be reviewed RS seat:
race begins for ticket Order on
power tariff likely by Oct-end Civic
amenities elude Chakkar residents |
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Governor
for more scholarship schemes Four
held with 124 deodar sleepers HP plans to
create more jobs
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Posting norms of medical staff to be reviewed Shimla, August 28 The problem has been compounded by the fact that those appointed prefer not to serve in the far-flung areas where their services are required the most. The “influential” doctors invariably get themselves posted in zonal and subdivisional hospitals and other convenient urban areas. Even many of those appointed on a contract basis have managed to get themselves posted at the station of their choice. A survey conducted by the Health Department in Mandi district revealed that of the 44 primary health centres and 13 civil dispensaries, 10 were without any doctor. On the other hand, doctors were in excess of the requirement at district and subdivisional hospitals and even in some urban primary health centres. In a bid to rationalise the postings, the department revised norms and decided to post only one doctor at the primary health centres, which had only up to 60 outdoor patients daily and no indoor patients. Accordingly, doctors found surplus as per the revised norms were redeployed in institutions which were without doctors. To ensure that those posted joined duty, the department filed a caveat requesting the state Administrative Tribunal not to stay transfer of any doctor without hearing it. The strategy has worked and of every 10 doctors, eight have joined. Mr Vineet Chaudhary, Health, Secretary, said the department now proposed to extend the revised norms to the entire state. Besides doctors, norms for postings of paramedicals would also be revised so that the minimum required staff could be provided in the health institutions located in the interior areas. The government has also decided to approach the Medical Council of India (MCI) to get the number of seats at the local Indira Gandhi Medical College increased to 100 from the present 65. An eight-member committee, headed by Dr Asha Goyal, Director of Medical Education, has been set up to assess the requirement of staff and equipment and other infrastructural facilities as per the norms of the MCI. The committee will submit its report within a month. Efforts are also on to secure recognition from the MCI for the postgraduate courses in paediatrics, pathology, ENT, pharmacology, micro-biology and forensics started a few years ago. |
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RS seat: race begins for ticket Shimla, August 28 However, in the BJP, both groups led by the Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, and the Union Minister, Mr Shanta Kumar, have started making serious efforts for the ticket for their respective candidates. The Congress camp is not very active in the process as it is in a minority in the Assembly which is the electoral college for the Rajya Sabha seat. There was cross-voting from the Congress camp during the election for the two Rajya Sabha seats earlier and the party has failed to identify the “black sheep”. Activists of the Shanta Kumar group point out that their claim is justified as they were denied the ticket for the two Rajya Sabha seats which fell vacant during the past three years. While the BJP gave one seat to Mr Anil Sharma, who is the son of the HVC chief, Mr Sukh Ram, the other seat was given to Mr Kripal Parmar, who is a loyalist of Mr Dhumal. Although the election for the seat is still far ahead, yet many activists of these parties have started claiming the ticket. The Agriculture Minister, Mr Vidya Sagar, is reportedly staking his claim for the BJP ticket from the quota of Other Backward Classes. But the biggest hurdle in his way appears to be the fact that two MPs, Mr Shanta Kumar and Mr Kripal Parmar, already represent the Kangra area in Parliament. While Mr Shanta Kumar is in the Lok Sabha, Mr Parmar is a member of the Rajya Sabha. BJP activists from here are also claiming the ticket and they have pointed out that the Shimla Lok Sabha seat being reserved for the past seven elections, someone from this area should be given a chance to contest the election this time. The Shimla (reserved) seat is being represented by Mr D.S. Shandil of the HVC. Mr Radha Raman Shastri, former Speaker and supporter of Mr Shanta Kumar, is a front runner for the Rajya Sabha ticket. However, the Dhumal camp is likely to project the candidature of Mr Sandipni Bhardwaj, Mr Chander Mohan or someone from the Solan area. Mr Shastri was in the race in the last election too, but his name was not even included in the panel which was sent to the Central Election Committee of the BJP from here. However, the main political parties are expected to cautiously go on the matter and try to avoid any dispute because the Assembly elections are also drawing nearer. |
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Order on power tariff likely by Oct-end Shimla, August 28 The Board had filed the application on April 30 and the commission was expected to make announcement regarding tariff in the third week of September. However, the commission found that there was no mention of minimum guaranteed standards and generation, transmission, distribution and supply of power had not been filed separately. The Board sought a waiver for separate filing of transmission and bulk supply on the basis of an order passed by the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Authority. However, the commission rejected its contention and held that separate filing was essential for determining the tariff. Consequently, the tariff order may be announced only by the end of October. The board has submitted the guaranteed standards, besides filing the generation transmission and distribution of power. The commission has invited objections and will start public hearings only after receiving the replies of the Board to the objections. The process will take at least three weeks. The guaranteed standards and benchmarks, if implemented, will improve the services. For instance, in case of failure of main fuse on the distribution line, the restoration in urban areas will be done within six hours if the complaint is received between 9.00 a.m. and 9.00 p.m. and within 12 hours if complaints are received in the night. In case of rural areas, such faults will be rectified within 24 hours. In case of power breakdown, the supply will be restored within 24 hours in cities and towns and within 48 hours in rural areas. The Board will announce power shutdowns for maintenance work 24 hours in advance. Investigations of complaints regarding low voltage will be completed within a month. Days have been fixed for consumers seeking meeting with officers. The meetings will take place twice a week at the subdivisional level, once a fortnight at circle and once a month at the Chief Engineer level. New low tension power connections to medium industrial units will be provided within three months. For small industrial units and for agricultural needs, connections will be provided within two months and domestic consumers will have the connection within a month. |
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Civic amenities elude Chakkar residents Shimla, August 28 Although the locality has now become part of the main town yet the basic amenities are lacking in few parts of the locality. The locality in the suburbs of the state capital is a picture of neglect due to the reported indifference of the authorities concerned. Heaps of garbage can be seen lying around the dustbins provided by the corporation. The residents allege that they themselves clean their localities as no corporation employee visits the old localities. Garbage is not removed on a regular basis. Water supply in the area is irregular and inadequate. Residents of lower Chakkar alleged that even in monsoon they were depending on the water tanks. “We have to face many hardships due to the irregular supply of water. Sometime water comes after three days and that too for short time”, alleged a resident. Basic facilities like street lights, sewerage are lacking in the locality. Boileaganj to Chakkar, do not
function properly. The tussle between the Congress-controled Municipal Corporation and ruling BJP party is making people’s life miserable. The retaining wall near Senior Secondary School Chakkar has not been constructed for the past two years. Despite repeated complaints, no action has been taken by the authorities concerned. |
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Governor
for more scholarship schemes Hamirpur, August 28 The Governor stressed the need for more educational facilities in the remote areas of the state like Kinnaur, Lahaul Spiti and Chamba. He said nothing would be achieved without providing adequate staff, buildings and other infrastructure in the schools and colleges. Mr Ishwar Dass Dhiman, Education Minister, said the state government was spending a sum of Rs 8.25 crore every year besides a sum of Rs 5 crore being spent under the Centre-sponsored schemes. |
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Four held with 124 deodar sleepers Solan, August 28 Mr S.Z.H. Zaidi, SP, said the truck and a Maruti van, which appeared to be piloting the truck, had been impounded. All four occupants of these two vehicles — Babu Ram, Gita Ram, Sunjay Kumar and Hemant Kumar — have been arrested. He said the sleepers, valued at Rs 4 lakh in the market, bore the marks of the Himachal State Forest Corporation. The truck driver was not carrying a permit, he said. |
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HP plans to create
more jobs Shimla, August 28 He urged party workers to devote more time to the “Vikas Jyoti Yatra” programme. The present government had taken several decisions to benefit various sections of society over the past three years and the latest was to give back the shamlat land to farmers, he said. He said the “doublespeak” of the Congress on the issue of user charges was also exposed by Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal by placing various notifications imposing the charges, issued during the Congress regime, in the Vidhan
Sabha. |
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Cremation
of Havildar today Kangra, August 28 His last rites will be performed at his native village,
Bhoura, in the Palampur sub-division tomorrow with full state and military honours. |
Cop
accused of
blocking path Shimla, August 28 |
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Truck union factions patch up Nurpur, August 28 The factions led by Mr Rashpal Singh and Mr Dharminder Fauji had an altercation over the management of the union. The political interference had further increased the tension between the factions. Mr Dharminder Fauji and Mr Rashpal Singh said the dispute had been settled amicably. They also said the cases filed in courts relating to the dispute would be withdrawn. |
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