Shimla, October 28
Countries across the world, particularly those frequented by migratory birds, should promptly have contingency plans in place to cope with the catastrophe that will befall the world when the avian flu merges with human flu. This was stated by Mr John Corder, an avian expert, who is associated with the World Pheasants Association.

“It is a ‘health calamity’ waiting to happen. With the disease spreading to more and more areas, the possibility of a person catching avian flu and human flu simultaneously is increasing with each passing day.

“As and when it happens things could go out of control as the avian virus will then join the human virus and start spreading like ordinary flu. The impending disaster may be just an year away,” Mr Corder, whose services have been commissioned by the United Nations for creating awareness and preparing countries to face the most serious health threat, explained during an exclusive interview to The Tribune here today.

He is in Himachal Pradesh in connection with a project for breeding of the highly endangered pheasant, western tragopan, at the Sarhan pheasant sanctuary. He is providing guidance to the project.

A more damning aspect was that unlike most diseases, which proved fatal for children and the aged, it mostly killed the young. Statistics revealed that 78 per cent of those who succumbed to the disease were up to 30 years of age.

The reason was that the elderly persons, who had a bout of human flu developed antibodies, which enabled them to fight the avian flu better.

The bar-headed geese has the maximum potential to spread the disease as it could fly very high, even higher than the Mount Everest, and covers long distances. The Pong Dam lake in Himachal Pradesh alone played host to over 28,000 bar-headed geese every winter, he added.

Further, it must be noted that not only the migratory birds, which stay put at various water bodies for the winter, but also their dropping carry the virus. If the domestic chicken somehow gets in contact with the droppings of infected flying birds, the disease could be at one’s doorstep.

Since one can not make out whether a chicken is infected, the best precaution is to eat only the properly cooked dishes, preferably boneless as the meat around bones is not cooked thoroughly. One should eat only thoroughly boiled or cooked eggs, said Mr Corder.

Hospitals for avian flu patients should be designated and officials, besides medical teams, security forces be sounded in advance to mange the disease.

Mandi, October 28
Patients had a harrowing time yesterday at the zonal hospital here as the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board (HPSEB) had ‘scheduled’ a complete black-out in the town from 9 a.m. to 4.15 p.m.

HPSEB engineers claimed that they had informed about the power cut in advance through the vernacular press, but the doctors at the hospital had made no alternative arrangements. The blood bank has no generator and till 12 p.m. and the refrigerators used for storing blood were sans any power when this correspondent visited the hospital.

Clerical and nursing staff had not informed Blood Bank incharge Dr J.N. Chauhan, about the problem till then. The blood in the bank has to be maintained at a temperature less than 4°C throughout, but the machines had a back-up for three to four hours to maintain the safe temperature level, a doctor said, adding the generator was restored after sometime.

In the gynaecology ward the staff had a tough time monitoring deliveries in the labour room. Other doctors also faced tough time in operation theatre which was being powered by a generator.

The staff said that there were no auto-switch generators attached to the blood bank OTs and the labour room. The hospital has three generators but only one was functioning while others were being repaired, revealed the staff.

Both the Chief Medical Officer Dr K.C. Sharma and the Medical Superintendent Dr Ms H.P. Malhotra, were out of station, but the officiating MS, Dr R.K. Arora, said that they had no written communication from the board. Over 50 per cent work suffered due to the power cut. The ENT and eye departments did not function as there was no power in the hospital, he added.

The Superintending Engineer, Operation, HPSEB, Mr V.K. Kapret, claimed that they had announced about a scheduled power cut from 9 a.m. to 4.15 p.m. in advance to maintain the transmission lines in the town. Even the main supply to the town was suspended from Bijni power house with due permission from the Power Controller, he added. But this too had been announced, he claimed.

Kangra, October 28
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today said the BJP was creating a mountain of a mole hill on issues. He was addressing a public meeting at Nagrota Bagwan today. The meeting was scheduled to be addressed by Mr Moti Lal Vohra and Ms Ambika Soni who could not attend the meeting.

He said they used the kisan pass books mantra, followed by the creation of districts and the “vishwas” yatra just to mislead people.

He said the allegations of the BJP of regionalism imbalance, casteism and ignoring Kangra district were a figment of imagination. He said Kangra suffered a lot during the BJP rule because of infighting between Mr Shanta Kumar and Prof P.K. Dhumal.

Mr G.S. Bali, Transport and Tourism Minister, tried to clarify that he had not grown politically weak and this public meeting was not to show his strength as claimed by the BJP leadership. He said the day he was told by the Chief Minister to resign, he would do so. He sought a degree college for Nagrota Bagwan which the Chief Minister brushed aside, saying that the project would be included in next year’s budget.

Mr Sat Mahajan, Revenue Minister, also addressed the gathering.

Mandi, October 28
Depositors and shareholders of the crisis-ridden Mandi Urban Bank Cooperative Bank Ltd (MUBCBL) today welcomed the state government’s move to merge the bank with HP State Cooperative Bank Ltd.

The action committee of the Citizens Council, Mandi (CCM), and the MUCBL convened a general house in which depositors urged the government to expedite the efforts for the merger of the bank and take penal action against the defaulters.

The depositors and the shareholders held a protest rally against the defaulters and urged the government to take stern action against them.

The Chairman, HP State Cooperative Bank Ltd, Mr Natha Singh Thakur, earlier stated that he had received direction from the state government to consider the possibility for the merger of the MUBCBL with the cooperative bank. “The depositors’ money is safe”, he added, without spelling out the date for the merger.

Nahan, October 28
Mr Sukh Lal, Assistant Sub-Inspector of police, posted in Una district, was injured here yesterday when a fire came out of a pistol of a cop accidentally. The incident took place at Juida Ka Johar firing range, near Nahan, where police officials had assembled on the occasion of inauguration of a three-day HP Police firing competition, which was inaugurated by Mr S.R. Sharma, Superintendent of Police, Sirmaur.

According to police sources, the incident took place when Assistant Sub-Inspector of the Una police Davender Kumar was reportedly cleaning his pistol. The pistol went off suddenly and hit ASI Sukh Lal in the thigh. He was rushed to hospital where his condition was reported to be the out of danger.

The Sirmdar police has ordered an inquiry into the incident.

Shimla, October 28
A leading businessman, Mr C. Baljees, whose hotelier son was murdered in November 1996 , has filed a police complaint fearing threat to his life.

Mr C. Baljees, in his complaint to the police, said he feared threat to his life as a woman threatened to kill him and his grandchildren and used abusive language over the telephone.

Mr Baljees’ other son is living in Bangalore, where he too runs a hotel. The family owns a leading restaurant and a hotel in the town.

Till date, the sensational murder of his son Harsh Baljees has not been solved despite investigations being handed over to the CBI.

He was murdered near the headquarters of the ARTRAC where he had parked his car in the night.

The police officials hinted that though Mr Baljees had not named anyone directly it appeared to be more of a family dispute over division of property.

The case was handed over to the CBI after the widow of Mr Harsh Baljees filed a writ petition in the Himachal Pradeh High Court that since the police had made no headway in the case, the case should be given to the CBI.

Shimla, October 28
The Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) has received the Greentech Silver award for environmental excellence in the hydro-sector in appreciation of their environment management activities undertaken for the 1500-MW Nathpa-Jhakri hydroelectric project.

Instituted by Greentech Foundation, the award was presented to Mr Tarun Kapoor, Director (Personnel), by the Agriculture and Animal Minister, Government of Goa, Mr Francisco Xavier Pacheco.

This is the third award received by the company from Greentech Foundation for its exemplary works in the field of environment protection.

Kasauli, October 28
Mr Mark Runacres, the Deputy High Commissioner and minister at the British High Commission, New Delhi, today stressed on the need to inculcate respect and integrity towards the country in the minds of the younger generation. He said it was the responsibility of the parents and the teachers to imbibe these values which were gradually eroding in the prevalent circumstances.

He was addressing students, teachers and parents on the occasion of the annual function of Pinegrove School at Sanawar today. He said India would emerge as the largest country in the next 20 years. With a well entrenched value system in its society, it was important to introspect to develop a better value system for the younger generation.

Shimla, October 28
Dr Navinchandra Ramgoolam, Prime Minister of Republic of Mauritius, accompanied by his wife, Veena Ramgoolam, arrived here today.

Mr V.S. Kokje Governor, and Mr Kuldeep Kumar, Industry Minister, received him at the Kalyani helipad.

Mr Ajit Narayan, Director-General of Police, Mr V.C. Pharka, Principal Secretary, GAD, Mr SKBS Negi, Deputy Commissioner, Shimla, and Mr Jog Raj Thakur, Superintendent of Police, were also present at the helipad to welcome him.

Dr Ramgoolam will stay at Shimla up to October 30.