Shimla, September 27
Apeejay Stya Group, a leading corporate house, plans to set up a private university of international standards in the hill state to meet the requirement of specialised manpower of the fast-growing knowledge-based industry.

The group has submitted a Rs 100-crore proposal for setting up a university, which will have a tie-up with a leading university of the UK. The group believes that the ongoing globalisation of trade has made it imperative to internationalise education. Hence ,the need for a institution of higher learning with a global outlook.

It will be a unique centre of higher learning with facilities for emphasis on applied research to back up the industries. It will have all the usual faculties, including fine arts, but the focus will be on fast-growing technology areas like biotechnology, information technology and allied disciplines. Unlike existing universities, pilot industrial projects will be set up on the campus to provide hands-on training to students and test the results of research, says Ms Sushma Berlia, president of the group, who was here in connection with the project, while explaining her plans.

She said the Apeejay Education Society, which looked after the educational programme of the group, was already running 27 institutions with 32,000 students on rolls. As such the group had the financial and other resources and requisite experience to set up a world class university and manage it. As the group was into a host of industries and business-related activities, it was aware of the research support and manpower requirement of the industrial sector. In fact, the university would provide an interface between the industry and the academia.

Ms Berlia firmly believes that professional and vocational education was incomplete without practical training. It was for this reason that she planned to have pilot projects on the campus itself.

Keeping in view the state’s potential for tourism, agri-business, hydro power and information technology, appropriate courses would be introduced to ensure that the local people were able to get maximum jobs.

The university would be spread over 50 acres on which an investment of Rs 100 crore would be made over a period of five years. The location would depend on the availability of land. Incidentally, Ms Berlia had her schooling in Shimla and this is one of the reasons for her choosing the hills for setting up her dream project, besides the serene environment. 

Palampur, September 27
The CSK HP Agricultural University has withdrawn the controversial order asking its faculty to give a daily account of every hour spent on the campus to the office of the Vice-Chancellor.

A spokesman of the varsity said the decision was taken by the Vice-Chancellor, Dr D.S. Rathore, after holding a meeting with representatives of the teachers. There had been protests by the teachers against the order as they thought it put a question mark on their credibility.

The VC had issued the circular last week before we went on a visit to Pakistan. He was briefed about the widespread resentment among teachers soon after his return this week.

Kasauli, September 27
Terming the Dental Council of India and the Medical Council of India as bodies run by the mafia and allegedly serving vested interests, the Union Heath Minister, Dr Anbumani Ramadoss, today said there was an urgent need to remove large-scale corruption in these bodies

He was addressing mediapersons after addressing the centenary celebration function of the Central Research Institute here today.

Appalled at their style of functioning, he even castigated the media for showing bias in highlighting their functioning. He said the functioning of these councils would soon be streamlined.

Replying to a question earlier, he said the large-scale grant of permissions to various medical colleges across the country was done after the state concerned issued essentiality certificates. He said some states had a policy of not allowing private colleges but others could open any number of medical colleges if they felt the need.

He said the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, had specially included Himachal in the list of 18 states for the national rural health mission. This mission would strengthen the rural health care of the nation as 73 per cent of the people resided in the rural areas out of which only 25 per cent had access to health care. He said mobile medical units would be set up which provide health care to the poor.

Emphasis would be laid on upgrading the diagnostic laboratories, providing facilities like operation theatre in the community health centres, blood banks, etc.

With a view to safeguard the nation’s traditional knowledge, a traditional RDL digital library had been instituted where as many as 75,000 ayurvedic, 15,000 Unani, etc. and ancient cures had been deciphered in five languages --English, French, German, Chinese and Spanish. The 5,000-year-old system would be revived and a golden triangle scheme whereby the institutes like SCIR, MSIR, etc., had been chosen to scientifically validate the Indian medicine system he said.

Shimla, September 27
With a view to creating awareness on maternal and child health, over 300 delegates from the region attended a symposium organised by the Obstetric and Gynecology Society of Northern India here on Sunday.

Delegates from premier medical institutes like the PGI, Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh, DMC, Ludhiana, Government Medical College, Patiala and Dr Rajendra Prakash Government Medical College, Kangra attended the symposium.

Dr Sarla Malhotra of the PGI spoke about the common problem of uterine fibroids among women and related complications. “Only 0 .2 to 0 .3 per cent of the fibroids are malignant and in case the patient has no problem, these can be left untouched,” she stated.

Symptoms like excessive and irregular bleeding, reproductive dysfunctions along with pain and pressure are indications of fibroid formation, for which there is no specific reason. She said fibroids could be one of the reasons causing infertility and could lead to complications like repeated abortions and premature babies.

She spoke at length about various surgical treatments like abdominal and vaginal surgery, endoscopy and laproscopy. Dr Malhotra said that apart from the latest technique of uterine artery embolisation, gene therapy could provide a lot many solutions to this common problem. “Owing to high awareness levels and the basic facility of ultrasound being commonly available, detection is early.

Dr Anoop Gupta from Delhi said that with advancements in assisted reproductive techniques (ARTs), adoption or remarriage like earlier times was not the only option for childless couples. Compared to 1990 when the success rate of ARTs was merely 5 per cent, now it stands at almost 50 per cent,” he stated.

The fact that many couples spend their life savings on infertility treatment to get a child, it is very necessary to choose the right kind of technique, which would vary from patient to patient,” he stressed.

Dr Gupta said that almost 10 to 15 per cent of couples in the reproductive age suffer from infertility problems. He said apart from a number of medical problems leading to infertility, obesity or smoking could also be detrimental and lead to problems.

Dr Santosh Minhas from Kamla Nehru Hospital spoke about the problem of post partum haemorrhage during the session on labour problems. Dr Rajeev Seam from the department of Radiotherapy, Indira Gandhi Medical College spoke about cervix cancer, the most common problem among women.

Shimla, September 27
Funded by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, cancer detection centres will start functioning in all district hospitals of the state from March.

It is under the National Cancer Control Programme that each district will receive a grant of Rs 90 lakh, spread over a period of five years. This will enable cancer testing facility at the district hospitals. The state has very high incidence of cancer of cervix, breast, lungs, head and neck.

More than 1,400 cancer cases are being reported at the radiotherapy and oncology department of Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) here every year. Keeping in view the high cases, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has launched a pilot project, “Multiple organ early screening and detecting of common cancers”, in Himachal. An initial grant of over Rs 2.50 crore has already been received for the project.

To begin with, the project is being implemented in Bilaspur, Hamirpur and Mandi districts. Presently, field staff is engaged in identifying the population which is to undergo cancer screening. Later, para-medical field staff will be trained and information and education activities will be undertaken.

“With low level of awareness not only among the public but also amidst doctors and medical fraternity, cancer detection is usually at a very advanced stage,” remarked Dr Rajeev Seam, Head of the radiotherapy department at the IGMC. The hospital was the first medical college in the country to have a regional cancer centre, which has been functioning since 1990.

Jari (Kulu), September 27
A joint team of 250 men from the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), the Kulu police and the Customs destroyed over 2600 bighas of cannabis crop worth Rs 20 crore in forest areas of Malunder, Belan and Benogi in Kulu district during its anti-cannabis drive in the area for the past three days.

The team had got inputs from the areas that the Nepalis were either being hired by the charas mafias in the Parbati valley or they were themselves involved in the cultivation of cannabis in forest areas.

“Earlier the Nepalis act as couriers, but now they also run the charas trade on their own here”, revealed the NCB investigation.

The operation exposed lack of coordination among the NCB, the police, Forest and Revenue Departments.

As a result, charas mafias are shifting cannabis cultivation to remoter forest pockets. Since the villages of Pini, Chowki, Balali and Binsu in the Parbati valley lie in the foothills of the Malunder forest, it could not be without local support that Nepalis could have cultivated cannabis in the area.

In June, July the forest team visited the area, but people hiding in the mountain gorge rolled down boulders scaring us away, revealed the forest staff here.

“We informed the Kulu police about the incident and asked for security cover, but team never re-visited areas”, said Mr P.C. Guleria, Range Officer, Jari Forest Range. “We do not know whether they were Nepalis labourers or locals”, he added.

But the NCB said that Nepali labourers had grown cannabis on a big patch of land surrounded by the thick forest. “They cut down trees to make room for the crop, said Mr O.P. Sharma, Superintendent, NCB, zonal office, Chandigarh, at base camp here.

“The forest department never reported its detection to the NCB”, he added.

The NCB’s version is based on an information passed on by shepherds present at Malunder forest grazing the stocks. They told the team that over 16- 18 Nepalis used to come here and rub charas in the areas.

“They had pitched tents here and carry khukhris — a sharp-edged weapon. They disappeared three days ago from here”, the shepherds claimed.

Malunder is located at height of 8000 feet, about 10 km on steep tough trek from Jari village, 40 km from Kulu. “The labourers fled the place before we reached there as they might had known about it beforehand”, said Mr. Sharma.

“We have registered two cases under the NDPS Act in the area. They have taken their tents and baggage along with them”, he added.

On the other hand villagers claimed that they no longer grow “bhang” on private land because they fear that they will be booked.

Though the team has yet to fix the case as to who grew the cannabis, but the destroyed crop would have produced over 5000 kg of charas worth Rs 20 crore this year, claimed Mr Sharma, who also held a “Drug demand reduction” camp at the Senior Secondary School here to make students and teachers aware about the menace of the drug abuse and its consequences.

Superintendent of Police, Kulu district A.P. Singh said the Forest Department never brought the “boulders incident” to his notice. “But we knew that the hybrid cannabis is being cultivated in the Malunder forest and hence we have cut it. It gives high-yielding resin for hashish or charas”, he added.

Sundernagar, September 27
The Sessions Judge, Mandi, Mr A.C. Dogra , yesterday convicted Budh Ram of Radgram in Manali for possessing 2 kg of charas and sentenced him to rigorous imprisonment for 10 years and to pay a fine of Rs 1 lakh. In default of payment of fine the convict has to further undergo imprisonment for two years.

The convict was arrested on March 30, 2004, by a police party at Khotinala in Mandi district from an HRTC bus. Two kg of charas was seized from the bag of the convict. The police had registered a case under Section 20 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substance Act.

The court in its 20-page order held the convict guilty of the offence. The court turned down the plea raised by the convict that the real culprit had fled from spot and he had been implicated falsely.