H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

Suspected case of female foeticide: police, health officials in fix
Mandi, January 6
The Police and the Health and Family Welfare Officials faced difficult situation after the registration of first case of suspected female foeticide against a couple from Nalini village in Sundernagar subdivision here yesterday.

Recall 2005
Year of mixed fortunes for industry
Baddi, January 6
Year 2005 brought a mix of fortunes for industries here. Though the inflow of new units seeking benefits of incentives under the Central industrial package slowed down during the year, it also saw fewer industrial disputes between workers and management.

Staff shortage in district hospitals
Chamba, January 6
Due to the chronic dearth of specialists and staff in the Health Department in Chamba district, 10 health
sub-centres have been locked in Kihar and Tissa medical blocks. The entire district is facing shortage of about 50 per cent posts. Officials of the Health Department on Wednesday said that there was a shortage of eight doctors in the district for the past several months, adding that there was a shortage of eight doctors in the district hospital.

Labourer killed in landslide
Shimla, January 6
One labourer was killed while eight others had a miraculous escape due to landslide during construction of a road in Karsog subdivision in Mandi district today.

Suspected case of female foeticide: police, health officials in fix
Tribune News Service

Mandi, January 6
The Police and the Health and Family Welfare Officials faced difficult situation after the registration of first case of suspected female foeticide against a couple from Nalini village in Sundernagar subdivision here yesterday.

The police has yet to identify and book both an ayurvedic doctor from Sundernagar, who administered the “jari-buti” (drugs) to patient to abort suspected female foetus and an ultrasound owner, who conducted the sex determination test in the case.

A case against the couple has been registered under the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Act, PNDT yesterday, when the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Mandi forwarded a complaint to the SHO, Sundernagar in this regard. The family is poor and has three daughters and the police cannot proceed in the case unless the couple discloses their identity in which they are equally to blame under the PNDT Act. The couple belongs to a village in Sundernagar sub-division. The patient was brought in a critical condition to Mandi Zonal hospital after she was referred from Sudnernagar hospital on December 30. She had undergone a septic abortion and her placenta smelled foul, revealed doctors.

The ayurvedic doctor and the ultra-sound clinic owner are pressurising the couple not to disclose their identity, revealed the sources. The couple is hiding the identity of the quake and clinic owner as they themselves also face three years rigorous imprisonment and fine of Rs 50,000 under the PNDT Act, they added.

The patient and her husband are victims of social mindset as they do not have a son, said Health officials. The couple said they were poor and had three daughters to bring up, educate and marry, they added.

The case stands no scrutiny as there is no record to establish that the aborted foetus was that of female child or not, revealed the Health officials.

The patient was discharged from the hospital today, but the police has yet to record her statement. The quake gave the couple some “jari-buti” (drug) to get rid the foetus, the police said.

Station House Officer, Sundernagar Ashish Sharma said that the patient was mentally upset and still not fit to give her statement. The husband has not named the ayurvedic doctor and the ultrasound clinic owner against whom we can take action. But the case has been registered under the PNDT Act and investigation is on, he added.

Recall 2005
Year of mixed fortunes for industry
Jagmeet Y. Ghuman

Baddi, January 6
Year 2005 brought a mix of fortunes for industries here. Though the inflow of new units seeking benefits of incentives under the Central industrial package slowed down during the year, it also saw fewer industrial disputes between workers and management.

Due to the presence of weak trade unions, industrial activities remained by and large smooth. The biggest feud between workers and management came in the shape of a strike by workers at a Birla unit here. The agitation flared up to the extent that the police had to resort to firing. Besides monetary issues, the workers protested against Birla managements’ high-handedness against them.

Agitation was also witnessed at Parwanoo after the closure of Preview Electronics Limited. Some more cases of agitation were also reported.

Good news came in the form of the Railways starting feasibility study on linking the town with Chandigarh. The possibility of a direct road link between Baddi and Chandigarh also began to look real after Punjab and Haryana governments reiterated their resolve to completing their portions of the road.

With grant of permission to private colonisers to set up housing complexes, solution to housing problem also came in sight. Though the CII proposal to set up housing complexes here could not get the nod of the state government, a good number of private builders were given licences to construct housing complexes in the belt.

The poor condition of roads continued to hurt the local population and the industry. Also, no efforts were made to improve parking problem in the township.

Crime in the belt also rose and the police found itself ill-equipped to cope with it.

Industrialists blamed the local civic bodies of doing little to raise the standard of civic amenities here.

The year-end brought new incumbents to the civic bodies, who now face an uphill task in raising the standard of living in their respective areas.

Staff shortage in district hospitals
Our Correspondent

Chamba, January 6
Due to the chronic dearth of specialists and staff in the Health Department in Chamba district, 10 health sub-centres have been locked in Kihar and Tissa medical blocks.

The entire district is facing shortage of about 50 per cent posts. Officials of the Health Department on Wednesday said that there was a shortage of eight doctors in the district for the past several months, adding that there was a shortage of eight doctors in the district hospital.

Officials confirmed that only one operation theatre assistant was working against the sanctioned strength of seven posts, about 36 posts of staff nurse were lying vacant, while 90 posts of male and female health worker were also vacant. Beside, 62 posts of Class IV employees were lying vacant for long time and the posts of 32 safai karamchari were yet to be filled.

Labourer killed in landslide
Tribune News Service

Shimla, January 6
One labourer was killed while eight others had a miraculous escape due to landslide during construction of a road in Karsog subdivision in Mandi district today.

According to the police, the mishap took place when labourers working on the construction of the Lamsam link road got buried under debris due to a landslide. The deceased has been identified as Randeep Singh. The road was being constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojna.

The other labourers were saved as the villagers rescued them from under the debris. Eight labourers were injured.