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Capital assailed by chikungunya
72 more patients diagnosed with dengue
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Dengue toll mounts to 14 in Noida
Staff shortage ails power department
‘SEZ to benefit Haryana’
Plan to set up body for corporate players in housing sector
Sheila for effective legislation to check female foeticide
‘Chuna’ packets cause serious damage to kids’ eyes: Study
‘Surgery the only solution to cataract’
100-bedded hospital opens in West Delhi
Photos of rare relics in Turkey museum on view at Jamia
Insistence on format for seeking information under RTI Act
BSNL bonanza for consumers
Old woman killed, husband battling for life
‘Husband’ gets 7-yr RI for rape
Three arrested for burglaries
Rs 2.50 lakh looted from traders at gunpoint
With the sun blazing, temperature shoots up
US diplomat gives awards to 60 students at AIT
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Capital assailed by chikungunya
New Delhi, October 10 Senior officials at the Indian Council of Medical Research said health officials were now gearing to tackle chikungunya alongside dengue fever, which has already resulted in the death of 55 persons across the country, including 22 in New Delhi, in the past month. Chikungunya cases were first reported in the city in September, though health officials denied there was an outbreak. Doctors in various hospitals confirmed they had received a few cases of the disease. Both chikungunya and dengue are spread by the female Aedes mosquito and have similar symptoms, which include high fever, joint pain, headache and vomiting. People affected by chikungunya, doctors say, complain of severe joint pain, loss of appetite and high fever. Doctors advise increased fluid intake, nutritious diet and rest for people hit by chikungunya. Health experts have cautioned people against self-medication and ignoring any of the symptoms of the two diseases. Since both the diseases have the same characteristics, it is essential to take the advice of medical experts to rule out misdiagnoses. On its part, the Health Ministry has alerted doctors, instructing them to send blood samples of suspected cases to the National Institute of Communicable Diseases. |
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72 more patients diagnosed with dengue
New Delhi, October 10 Out of the total dengue cases, 651 are from Delhi while 378 have been reported from other states like Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. One person succumbed to the disease at AIIMS last evening, taking the total number of deaths in Delhi to 23. “Seventy-two new cases of dengue were reported in the Capital since yesterday,” Delhi Health Secretary D. S. Negi said. He said the government was continuing its anti-dengue drive, which included intensified fogging and fumigation exercise across the Capital, especially in sensitive areas like Central, Shahdara (North) and Najafgarh zones. Thirty-four persons, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s son-in-law Vijay Tankha, had been discharged in the past 24 hours, officials said. According to official data, this year, there was threefold increase in the number of dengue cases as compared to the corresponding period last year. The number of dengue cases in 2005 was 300 for the corresponding period. Sprucing up its dengue control measures, the Delhi Government yesterday issued instructions for closing down all water fountains, including those at Raj Path and on residential premises. “We have asked the authorities to ensure that water is drained out from all fountains,” Mr Negi said, adding that the MCD’s Zonal Deputy Commissioners were asked to coordinate the activities of sanitation and malaria control to ensure cleanliness in the city. AIIMS, which has the maximum number of patients afflicted with the disease, has also augmented its facilities by drafting additional doctors and creating a new emergency ward for dengue. Delhi accounted for 71 fresh cases yesterday while 61 patients were admitted on Sunday and 81 on Saturday. |
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Dengue toll mounts to 14 in Noida
Noida, October 10 In all, 15 more dengue patients are reported to be in a serious condition in different hospitals. Two more patients, one in Prayag Hospital in Sector-41 and the second in Dadri have been confirmed. After Greater Noida and Dadri, Javer area is also reeling from the impact of dengue now. In Greater Noida, 11 patients are admitted in different hospitals. Nine out of these are confirmed as dengue patients while in Javer, three more patients are reportedly confirmed. The blood samples of about 100 patients have been sent for tests. One suspected dengue patient Gurinder, 32, from Sector-12 Noida had died in Kailash Hospital late at night two days ago. One patient from Railway Road, Dadri, was referred to Yashoda Hospital, Ghaziabad. In Kailash Hospital, Greater Noida, Dr Salil Kapoor said nine confirmed patients are being treated in his hospital. These include Punam from Shahdara, Arti from Bulandshahr, Rakesh, an LG employee, Raghu from Salarpur, Rajiv of Alfa-2 Sector, Tofeeq of Alfa-1 and Sheela from Surajpur. Besides, two patients of Dadri, Dinesh of Bada Mohalla and Lakshman of Railway Road are also admitted to a Ghaziabad’s private hospital. Both have been confirmed dengue patients. Dr Mukesh Kumar, Dr R.K. Thapar, Dr R.A.Khan and Dr S.C. Mahapatra jointly stated that 55 patients were admitted in their private hospital in Greater Noida. |
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Staff shortage ails power department
Faridabad, October 10 The All Haryana Power Corporation Workers Union has asked the government to fill up the posts and grant allowances and bonus applicable to the employees of other power corporations in the state. According to Jagpal Singh Sangwan, the project organizer of the union, the employees of all the 11 thermal power units and one hydro unit have been working under stress due to a heavy workload as there has been no appointment in these units during the past several years. At least two posts of chief engineers and several posts of technical and supporting staff have been lying vacant. Eight thermal units are located at Panipat and three at Faridabad. He said though the available workforce had been trying its best to achieve the targets and the Power Load Factor (PLF) rate, the management did not take care of the welfare of the staff. Giving an example, he said though the PLF rate of the Panipat-based units had been at a record 93 per cent in September this year, the government had neither revised the allowances nor even given the special allowance applicable for achieving the target. The Annual Career Plan (ACP) of the power employees based at both the Faridabad and Panipat units has been hanging in the balance. He said the eight units at Panipat had achieved a record production of about 91 crore lakh units in September, the government had been delaying the matter of promotion, recruitment, allowances and other demands which have been accepted by the authorities in principle in a meeting held recently. It is reported that against the sanctioned posts of about 3,000 for the eight units at Panipat, there are only about 2,250 employees working, thus handling the additional workload of about 750 employees. The shortage of staff and other issues have also been a prominent problem not only at the thermal plants at Faridabad, but also at other corporations, including the Haryana Vidut Prasaran Nigam (HVPN) and Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN). While the performance of the Faridabad units has not been up to the required standards due to the fact that these are old and their maintenance expensive, the factors affecting the work at Panipat have been the problem of staff and the shortage of coal, which has been occasional, claims the union. Though the union claims that the situation in power generation would improve with setting up of more units at Hisar and Jhajjar districts, the policy towards the staff required a bigger change, as things could not improve till there is shortage of manpower. |
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‘SEZ to benefit Haryana’
Gurgaon, October 10 All allegations aired by Mr Bishnoi have no base as the whole Reliance deal is open, transparent and straightforward. It is beneficial to the state exchequers and the public at large, added Dan Singh. Haryana citizens, rather, feel proud that one of the biggest proposed SEZs of the Asia is being set up in Gurgaon and Jhajjar districts of the state. The SEZ would change the whole scenario of corporate and industries not only in these two districts but also in the whole state of Haryana, claimed Mr Dan Singh. He further said that Haryana State Industries and Infrastructures Development Corporation Limited (HSIIDC) would give just 25 per cent land to the Reliance SEZ and remaining 75 per cent land would be brought by the Reliance company from the farmers directly at a market rate. It is the policy of the central and state governments to establish the SEZ, thus no favour has been given to Reliance as alleged by Mr Bishnoi, he added. He said that as Kuldeep Bishnoi has no political issue to fight over with Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, he has engaged himself in concocted allegations. The proposed Reliance SEZ project would be supervised and passed by a number of ministries and departments of Central and state governments ministries, said Dan Singh adding that one person (chief minister) cannot favour any company as alleged by Mr Bishnoi. Mr Bishnoi’s allegations not only tarnish the image of the ruling political party but also benefit the opposition Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), claimed Rao Dan Singh. The successful implementation of various projects and plans for the welfare of the people of Haryana was not digested by some of the politicians with vested interests, as such developmental activities would eliminate them from politics, claimed Rao Dan Singh. He said that some leaders who were although in the Congress but were hand in glove with the leaders of other party. He termed this as bad politics and said that there may be ideological differences in the party but ‘these leaders’ should have guts to come face to face and sort out the issues. He said that the state government would give the land compensation at a rate of Rs 23 lakh per acre for acquiring land for the SEZ whereas in the previous regime, the government has acquired the land at the rate of 2 to 3 lakh per acre. He said that the government was giving utmost priority to safeguard the interests of the farming community and their interests would be protected while acquiring land for the SEZ. He said that out of total land base of 1.09 crore acres of the state, just 0.2 per cent of the area has industrial units. In case of setting up of the SEZ, only one per cent of the area would be covered by industries as a result of industrial development in next 15 years. He said that industrial development was necessary to provide jobs to all. He pointed out that proposals involving an investment of Rs 40,000 crore have been received during the short period of one-and-a-half years whereas a total investment of Rs 41,000 crore was made in the state in last 40 years. |
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Plan to set up body for corporate players in housing sector
New Delhi, October 10 “We are planning a model regulatory authority Bill and will ask the states to follow it. This Bill will include a single-window clearance for private colonisers and protect the interests of end users. The authority will work as a watchdog for private builders,” he said. Mr Maken said the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) had failed to meet the housing needs of the Capital. “The DDA needs to be trimmed. The regulator has to be independent and the builders should be private players,” he said. “The DDA as a planner, as a body, has not been able to do a good job for the last 50-60 years. The DDA is a planner, regulator, builder, all three in monopolistic conditions,” he said, noting that it had only achieved 16 per cent of the housing targets of the 1962 Master Plan for Delhi. Unlike the DDA, which fulfilled the functions of planning, regulating and building, the new regulatory authority should be independent of both the government and private colonisers, he said. Mr Maken said the Ministry was also working toward repealing the Urban Land Ceiling Act, bringing down stamp duty to five per cent and streamlining the Rent Control Act. The Minister also said the floor area ratio (FAR) and the floor space index (FSI) should be liberalised as urban India was in need of space and keeping these restrictions meant eating into the scarce agricultural belt. “If adequate water and power are available and the builders can ensure parking lots in the vicinity, then why restrict the height of the building,” he said, adding that for the new Master Plan for Delhi, to come out soon, FARs in the Capital would be more liberalised. Mr Maken said around 27,000 hectares of “urbanisable” land was available in Delhi, which would be devoted to vertical development and not plotted development. “I am against large-scale land acquisitions. We will allow the private players to purchase land from farmers directly at the market rate to keep the interests of farmers safe,” he said. |
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Sheila for effective legislation to check female foeticide
New Delhi, October 10 Inaugurating a seminar on “Female Foeticide: Role of Voluntary Organisations”, Ms Dikshit announced the government would tackle this problem by not
only supporting and carrying out a comprehensive public awareness campaign but also by bringing
about effective legislation that could help provide a foolproof system of auditing records of ultrasound diagnostic centres. She said modern technology combined with the preference for sons rather than daughters had led to the mushrooming of clinics across India which were frequented by would-be parents for determining the sex of their unborn child. It had also been observed that parents preferred abortion after being told about the possibility of having a girl child. She said young men in Punjab and Haryana were finding it hard to find brides. She also said that it was very unfortunate that more than one crore women died due to abortion. Ms Dikshit further said it was change in the attitude of society alone which could help in overcoming the problem of female foeticide. It was also unfortunate that girls were considered a burden because of the dowry menace. Delhi Social Welfare Minister Yoganand Shastri said women empowerment was top on the agenda today. Women had emerged as a strong segment of society and their contribution in various fields was increasing by the day. Central Social Welfare Board Chairperson Rajani Patil expressed concern over the alarming decline in the sex ratio of the 0-6
age group and said this was a direct consequence of the prevalence of female foeticide in the country. |
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‘Chuna’ packets cause serious damage to kids’ eyes: Study
New Delhi, October 10 In a pioneering study on 21 patients between the ages of five and a half and eight and a half, the ophthalmologists, namely Dr Tushar Agarwal, Dr Rasik B. Vajpyee, Dr Namrata Sharma and Dr Radhika Tandon, have said these plastic pouches of “chuna”, which is an additive to chewing tobacco, cause serious damage to children’s eyes when they burst while being used as toys by children. The findings of the research project, conducted between 1999 and 2003, were presented at the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s annual meeting in 2004 in New Orleans. They have been published in the June 2006 issue of the medical journal, “Ophthalmology”. Talking to The Tribune, Dr Agarwal said since “chuna” pouches were made of thin sheets of plastic they were much more dangerous. Calcium hydroxide paste went directly to the eyes of the patients as they burst at the slightest pressure, he held, adding that these small pouches acquired the character of a toy. Children, unaware of the consequences, took to squeezing these packets. A majority of the patients, who were brought for treatment to the centre, were not tobacco chewers and were thus unaware of the danger, Dr Agarwal said, adding that they were from middle and lower middle class background. The team of doctors has recommended that there is an urgent need to educate the public on the dangers of “chuna” packets. In addition, it should be made mandatory for manufacturers of such products to print explicit warnings on these packets. These warnings should inform users of the danger of bursting the packets on being squeezed and that these packets should be kept out of the reach of children. |
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‘Surgery the only solution to cataract’
New Delhi, October 10 Pointing out that lack of proper awareness and myths related to cataract have aggravated the problem, Dr Sudipto Pakrasi, Director, Micro Eye Surgery, Ashlok Hospital, says surgery is the only solution to cataract and people should take advantage of the fact that the treatment is simple and even provided free by the government from time to time. “India has got global recognition for its booming healthcare sector. It seems ironical that so many blind people are from India. The most hurting fact is that most of these blind people are victims of cataract, which can be easily avoided by taking a timely step or two,” he says. Dispelling myths about cataract, Dr Parkasi says, “For years, people have believed that the best time to go for a cataract surgery is when the cataract becomes ripe (completely white and hard). This belief was based on the fact that earlier the options available for operating on cataract were few and it was easiest to operate on when it was mature. However, advancements in science and technology today have opened a plethora of hi-tech surgical options for cataract surgery at an early stage. Unlike earlier days, the earlier the operation is done the easier it is for the doctor”. He also refutes the opinion that cataract is a disease of the old. “In present times, it is seen that it can also occur in young adults as well as children. Some risk factors that may lead to cataract at a younger age are intense heat or long-term exposure to UV rays from the sun.” |
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100-bedded hospital opens in West Delhi
New Delhi, October 10 Inaugurating the joint health facility of Metro Heart Institute and RLKC Hospital, the Chief Minister said that Delhi government was committed to creating a conducive environment for promotion of health services in the Capital and such 100-bedded hospitals were the need of the hour. The Capital needs such hospitals more, she said and added that the Metro Group of Hospitals were serving the need of the poor. Located at Patel Road near Shadipur Metro Station, this modern multi-speciality hospital would provide state-of-the-art facilities in all major fields of medicine and surgery. Talking to The Tribune, Cardiologist Dr Purshotam Lal, who started the Metro Group of Hospitals in 1997 in Noida, said, “Our joint venture with RLKC Hospital has handpicked faculty which include world renowned doctors and has the latest equipment and diagnostic labs. Just few weeks back only, “We conducted the first free Coronary Angiography camp ever done in the Capital and around,” Dr Lal said and added that the main idea was to set up a trend for other institutions for helping the common man. |
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Photos of rare relics in Turkey museum on view at Jamia
New Delhi, October 10 The exhibition has been jointly organised by the Outreach Programme of the Centre for Jawaharlal Nehru Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia, in collaboration with the Indialogue Foundation. The exhibition has been curated by coordinator Rakhshanda Jalil. The exhibition will be on till October 23 from 9 am till 3.45 pm on weekends. The collection at Topkapi Palace has an amazing history: In 1516, Sultan Selim I began collecting sacred relics and housing them in Topkapi Palace. Turkish sultans after him continued this tradition till the early 20th century. They would gather the relics of the Prophet and others venerated by the Muslims as well as items from religious sites throughout the Islamic world — from Alexandria, Damascus, Mecca and Medina. Currently, there are some 605 items registered at the Topkapi Palace Museum Division of Sacred Relics. The most notable among these include the Prophet’s mantle, standard, sandal, cup, footprint on a stone, swords, bow, a broken piece of his tooth, soil he used for his ritual ablutions and his seal. The collection also includes a cooking vessel of Prophet Abraham, the turban of Prophet Joseph, the sword of Prophet David, a strand of hair from the first Caliph Abu Bakr’s beard, the Koran that is believed to be the one that Caliph Uthman ibn
Affan was reading when he was assassinated, swords of the Prophet’s companions, Fatima al-Zahra’s blouse, veil and mantle, her son Husayn’s robe, his turban and a piece of his mantle, Imam Abu Hanifa’s robe, the head gear
of Abdul Qadir Jilani and Imam Sharani, the bowls of Jalal al-Din Rumi, the lock, keys and cover of the Kaaba and much more. |
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Insistence on format for seeking information under RTI Act a big pain
New Delhi, October 10 Mr Ajit Gupta of Rajouri Garden here had applied to the Director (DWK), DDA Office, Mongolpuri, for some information. He was made to visit the office several times in order to get his application accepted by the PIO who insisted it did not follow the right format. On an appeal by Mr Gupta, the Chief Information Commissioner, Mr Wajahat Habibullah, has ruled that under Section 5(3) of the Right to Information Act it is incumbent upon the PIO to render reasonable assistance to a person seeking information. A similar situation was faced by an applicant while dealing with the DDA in January this year. In the Madhu Bhandari vs DDA case, the CIC had said, “Under the RTI Act, no department is proscribed from designing an application form that facilitates identification and therefore ease of access to information sought. It cannot be treated as a substitute for a simple application as laid down in Section 6 (1). Since a standard application cannot be mandated, it is not covered by prescription of rules but is to be treated simply as an easing of processes. Its absence cannot be the grounds for rejection of an application.” |
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BSNL bonanza for consumers
Faridabad, October 10 The Nigam would provide advance information through SMS alert and the E-Mail regarding the phone bills. It has also offered Pre-Paid fixed line phone service for the STD-PCO operators for the first time in the circle. The General Manager, BSNL, Faridabad, said here today that the Nigam would be sending prior information regarding the bill and the pending payment, if any, to the consumer through the SMS and E-Mail service to those who were having these facilities. He said the consumer could register on the website of the BSNL or provide the mobile number and E-Mail to the office for such a facility. He said any consumer could download the phone bill from the site and contact the office for any clarification. He said the Nigam had also started the scheme of providing fixed line phone service for those who want to start a PCO, for which the consumer would be asked to deposit a certain amount as security deposit and start the work by getting a pre-paid coupon. He said the PCO applicant would have to submit Rs 337 for getting a universal PCO account, which would provide a talk time worth Rs 200, with a validity period of seven days initially. The recharge coupons of Rs 500, Rs 1,000, Rs 3,500, Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 would be made available with the validity ranging from 15 to 90 days. It may be recalled that some of the leading private telecom companies have already provided such a service in the city and these have claimed to capture a fair amount of business that used to go into the account of BSNL before the entry of private companies in the field. The Nigam has also announced to start Wi-Fi service for providing hi-speed wireless Internet facility to the consumers at various places. However, the tariff for such a service would be higher as a coupon worth Rs 400 would provide Internet access for just 1440 minutes (24 hours) and its validity would be for 762 hours only. A commission of 40 per cent would be provided to the host party. Besides the extension of its reconnection scheme, the Nigam has declared to increase the validity period of its mobile recharge coupon of Rs 1,000 to one-year period instead of just four months earlier. The validity period of Rs 300 coupon would be three months instead of one month earlier. |
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Old woman killed, husband battling for life
New Delhi, October 10 Mohan Singh (83) and his wife Surjeet Kaur (70) were rushed to a private hospital in a critical condition late in the night after they were attacked with a kitchen knife at their residence in Chittaranjan Park, the police said. While Surjeet Kaur succumbed to her injuries early this morning, the condition of Mohan Singh is stated to be critical. The two were rushed to the nearby Max Hospital after the elderly gentleman, who was in a blood-soaked condition, came down from his first floor flat at around 10.30 pm and alerted the neighbours before collapsing. They suffered multiple stab wounds on their chest and abdomen, the police added. The couple has a daughter who lives in Greater Kailash. The police believe the assailant was possibly known to the couple as there were no signs of any forced entry. They also found the kitchen knife used for stabbing the two. “We are looking into all angles, including a possible property dispute,” a senior police official investigating the case said. A case has been registered at the Chittaranjan Park police station. |
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‘Husband’ gets 7-yr RI for rape
New Delhi, October 10 Rejecting Ambika Prasad’s plea that he had an affair with the victim, Additional Sessions Judge Vinod Kumar convicted him and said, “I am of the opinion that no married woman shall take the risk of calling her lover inside a small jhuggi when she is sleeping with her three children and her husband is sleeping outside.” “Testimony of the prosecutrix (the woman) and her husband is worthy of credence and defence of the accused is unworthy of reliance,” the court observed. According to the prosecution, Prasad, a resident of Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh, raped the woman on the intervening night of June 13 and 14, 2002, when she was sleeping with her three children inside her jhuggi at Mayapuri in South-West Delhi. Her husband was sleeping outside at the time. Prasad entered the jhuggi and had sex with her. She did not resist, thinking it was her husband. The prosecution said when she smelt alcohol and saw Prasad she raised the alarm. |
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Three arrested for burglaries
New Delhi, October 10 A countrymade pistol along with two live cartridges, stolen goods worth several lakhs and house-breaking instruments were recovered from their possession. The three were arrested from Smriti Van when they were planning to commit a robbery in SFS Flats, Mayur Vihar, Phase III. Their two other accomplices, Lala and Danny, managed to escape. During interrogation, they revealed they used to target premises which were locked. They used to strike between 2 am and 4 am, said a police officer. In another incident, the North-West Delhi police today claimed to have arrested two professional cheats, Randhir and Kedar Nath. The police have also recovered Rs 12,075 from their possession. On interrogation, it is found that they were wanted in many cheating cases even in Mumbai. In yet another incident, the South-West district police today claimed to have arrested a woman, Geeta, from the Dawari area with 589 bottles of illicit liquor. On interrogation, it was established that she was earlier involved in more than 30 cases under the Excise Act. She revealed she used to procure the illicit liquor from Gurgaon and supply it in various JJ clusters of Delhi. |
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Rs 2.50 lakh looted from traders at gunpoint
Bulandshahr, October 10 The villagers of the border village rushed the injured traders to district hospital. One of the victims is reportedly in a serious condition. The traders have filed an FIR against six criminals, but police said the case looked suspicious. Bhup Singh, Neeraj Singh and Krishen Dubey had gone on a tractor-trolley to supply milk to village Darveshpur. They were returning at 9.30 pm with Rs 2.54 lakh collected as old dues. A white Esteem had stopped in front of their tractor in village Darveshpur. Six armed criminals came out and started firing in the air. Later, they beat up Bhup Singh, Neeraj and Krishen Dubey and sped away after snatching Rs 2.50 lakh from the three traders. Bhup Singh was hit with a gunshot and his condition is serious. Shikarpur police in charge said the loot story appeared to be concocted. Both the groups had a clash in which the traders were beaten up. The police, however, did not say anything about assailants firing
gunshots and injuring the traders with bullets and whether guns were licensed or illegal. |
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With the sun blazing, temperature shoots up
New Delhi, October 10 The sultry weather led to a sharp rise in the maximum temperature to 37 degree Celsius from 35.7 degree C yesterday. The minimum temperature also rose to 24 degree C. The Capital has been witness to dry weather over the past 10 days. The dry weather is likely to persist over the next week with the South-West Monsoon withdrawing from almost the entire North-West India following its exit from the remaining parts of eastern Uttar Pradesh. For Delhi, the Weather Office has forecast a mainly clear sky during the next 24 hours. |
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US diplomat gives awards to 60 students at AIT
New Delhi, October 10 Awards were given to 60 meritorious students. It was a momentous occasion for the faculty when the students were honoured with academic awards by their institute. |
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