H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

DCI cautions dental college
Shimla, February 9
The Sundernagar-based Himachal Dental College has once again landed in a controversy with the Dental Council of India ordering its management to remove “gross deficiencies” in connection with teaching staff and infrastructure that have been pointed out in a joint inspection report. The report has also recommended to withdraw recognition to the BDS degree of the college if the shortcomings are not removed.

First DLC exchange in HP inaugurated
Kasauli, February 9
A DLC exchange, the first of its kind in the state, was inaugurated at Jagjitnagar, near here, last evening by the General Manager, HP telecom circle, Mr N.S. Gill, Commissioning of this ultra-modern exchange has enhanced the capacity of the lines from the existing 326 to 480 besides providing facilities like the ISDN, video-conferencing, intelligent network services, Internet and other modern facilities to the subscribers of the region.

Teaching of English from class III likely
Shimla, February 9
Despite resistance from the RSS, the Himachal Pradesh Government is likely to start teaching English from class III in the primary schools shortly. The subject is being taught from class IV onwards at present. It is learnt that the Minister of State for Education, Mr Karan Singh, was keen on introducing teaching of English from class I.

Only hollow promises to life-savers
Jaisinghpur, February 9
Six youths, who saved more than 20 persons from drowning in the Beas at Harsipattan on April 14, 2001, have got nothing except false promises from the administration. It may be recalled that six persons had drowned when the boat carrying them capsized due to over-crowding.

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DCI cautions dental college
S. P. Sharma
Tribune News Service

Shimla, February 9
The Sundernagar-based Himachal Dental College has once again landed in a controversy with the Dental Council of India (DCI) ordering its management to remove “gross deficiencies” in connection with teaching staff and infrastructure that have been pointed out in a joint inspection report. The report has also recommended to withdraw recognition to the BDS degree of the college if the shortcomings are not removed.

The executive committee of the DCI is learnt to have noted with “great concern” these shortcomings and has ordered that the management’s application for starting another dental college at Paonta Sahib will be considered only after the deficiencies at the Sundernagar college are removed. The DCI had recently undertaken a special inspection of the Sundernagar college and the report of Dr S.G. Damle and Dr Anni John pointed out the shortcomings in the institute.

The report said the proceedings for the withdrawal of recognition to the BDS degree granted by the university to students of this college would be initiated under Section 16A(4) of the Dentists Act, 1948, if the deficiencies were not removed within a specified time.

The executive committee had ordered that no admission to the BDS course should be undertaken by the college for the current academic year until further orders. However, when contacted on telephone at Chandigarh, Mr Vijay Gupta of Dental College, claimed that most of the deficiencies pointed out by the DCI had been removed. The inspection report had pointed out that 14 members of the faculty were full-time private practitioners at far-off places like Mumbai, Delhi, Mangalore, Allahabad, Gurgaon and Faridabad. Two others were teaching on a visiting basis.

The report said Dr Ravinder Gawankar shown as Professor in the Department of Conservative Dentistry was not present at the time of inspection and was a private practitioner in Mumbai. Dr Sanjay Patil shown as Professor in the same department was also not present at the time of the inspection and documents were not signed by him. Dr Sidharth Pandit was a full-time private practitioner in Mangalore, the report pointed out.

The college had not been constructed on 5 acres earmarked for it and there were no proper facilities for inpatients in the Department of Oral Surgery. There was a shortage of microscopes in the Departments of Pathology and Microbiology and shortage of dissection tables and cadavers. The facilities were poor in the Departments of Pharmacology, Oral Pathology and Oral Biology, it added. It was also pointed out that Bhakra Beas Management Board Hospital at Sundernagar, attached with the college, was not a 100-bedded hospital as was required under the norms of the DCI.

On the basis of the report, the executive committee has decided not to recommend to the Central Government to grant permission for opening a 100-seat new dental college at Paonta Sahib.

First DLC exchange in HP inaugurated
Our Correspondent

Kasauli, February 9
A DLC exchange, the first of its kind in the state, was inaugurated at Jagjitnagar, near here, last evening by the General Manager, HP telecom circle, Mr N.S. Gill, Commissioning of this ultra-modern exchange has enhanced the capacity of the lines from the existing 326 to 480 besides providing facilities like the ISDN, video-conferencing, intelligent network services, Internet and other modern facilities to the subscribers of the region.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Gill said there was an acute shortage of workforce in their department in the state with deficiencies being as high as 40 per cent at various levels and hoped that the ongoing process of recruitment of Junior Telecom Officers would bring some respite. Despite this staff shortage, the department was making all efforts to make available Mobile services by the year-end in the state. The remote areas where it was not possible to grant telephone connections through the land lines would be provided connections through the wireless and local loop.

Enumerating the developments in his department he said about four lakh connections had been provided till now in the state and as many as 90,000 new telephone connections would be granted by the year-end. In addition 2,000 km of optical fibre would also be laid in the state. It was a matter of pride that the tele density in the state was a high seven as compared to the national average of three. The department was also hoping to start WLL facilities at Chail and Nand which would particularly benefit those subscribers having more than one telephone connection. These facilities have already been provided at Solan and Kasauli exchanges.

A number of other telecom officials were also present on the occasion, including Mr S.K. Bose, General Manager, Solan, Mr Rajan Kamboj DGM, Mr V.S. Khushwah DE (Maintenance), Mr Shushil Kumar, SDO, as well as panchayat members.

Teaching of English from class III likely
Tribune News Service

Shimla, February 9
Despite resistance from the RSS, the Himachal Pradesh Government is likely to start teaching English from class III in the primary schools shortly.

The subject is being taught from class IV onwards at present.

It is learnt that the Minister of State for Education, Mr Karan Singh, was keen on introducing teaching of English from class I.

The delay in initiating such a move was also affecting the government’s plans of making children computer savvy because the knowledge of English was essential for this purpose. At present computers could be introduced in the primary schools from class V.

Sometime ago, a proposal for introducing English from class I was rejected reportedly under the pressure of the RSS which wanted Hindi to be given importance. However, the subject was later started to be taught from class IV instead of class VI.

Mr Karan Singh recently visited some primary schools in Madhya Pradesh to acquaint himself with the system of teaching English there. He is learnt to have discussed the matter with the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, after his return.

Only hollow promises to life-savers
Our Correspondent

Jaisinghpur, February 9
Six youths, who saved more than 20 persons from drowning in the Beas at Harsipattan on April 14, 2001, have got nothing except false promises from the administration. It may be recalled that six persons had drowned when the boat carrying them capsized due to over-crowding.

The six youths — Naveen Kumar, Chet Ram, Surinder Kumar, Vijay Kumar, Dinesh Kumar and Satish Kumar — who were incidentally present on the river bank at that time, had jumped into the river and saved more than 20 persons. They told this correspondent that they were unemployed and were assured by the authorities that they would be given jobs in recognition of their bravery. They urged the Chief Minister to look into the matter.

Bus service sought
Our Correspondent

Kangra, February 9
Thousands of residents and students belonging to various communities of Sikhan-da-Talab village in Dehra tehsil in this district, have been awaiting a bus service for decades.

In a representation submitted to the SDM, Dehra, the residents have demanded a bus service from Pundara via boys school, Butailan-da-Naun and Sikhan-da-Talab.