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11 families shifted following debris flow
Hospitals throw bio-wastes
into streams
Maliana khud water highly contaminated: NICD
Holi revellers turn violent after
boy’s death
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BJP to submit charge sheet
to Governor
State awards money enhanced
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11 families shifted following debris flow
Palampur, March 3 Because of the heavy rain in the past three days, loose soil and debris thrown by the company has damaged several houses in the village. Last night at about 1 am, large-scale debris hit several houses, forcing the villagers to flee and take shelter elsewhere. All 11 families spent the night in biting cold and rain in the open. Three other villages-Drakkar, Lalani and Danetar-are also in the danger zone. Villagers said large-scale blasting by the company had resulted in cracks in several houses. Besides damage to over a dozen houses, the landslide has blocked several local streams. Half a dozen water supply schemes have been affected. Executive engineer Naresh Sharma said the IPH department had estimated a loss of Rs 22 lakh and the project management had been asked to pay the amount immediately. He had also served a notice on the project management to stop construction till the funds were deposited with the IPH department. Official sources revealed that over 200 hectares of land had been affected by cutting of hills, whereas the company was allowed activity only in 30 hectares of forest land. As regards to felling of green trees, the company had deposited Rs 48 lakh as cost of 730 trees, but at the project site more than 1000 green trees had been damaged. Divisional forest officer AR Reddy, talking to mediapersons said the company had failed to deposit the basic amount of Rs 1.44 crore as net present value with the state government. Therefore, the execution of the project had been stayed by him. He said a team of the forest department had visited the project site and asked the company not to dump the debris and clay into the river Neugal and suspend the construction activities till the payment of Rs 1.44 crore to the government.
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Hospitals throw bio-wastes
into streams
Palampur, March 3 The information gathered by The Tribune revealed that one of the infectious waste generated by hospitals contain live pathogens which needs special treatment and disposal. In the absence of any incinerator, it had been noticed that the liquid waste discarded by the hospitals here find their way into drains, streams and solid wastes are disposed of in municipal dumps. Most of these streams are major source of drinking water supplies in lower areas of Kangra. Official sources reveal that water-borne disease has become quite common here and every fifth persons is suffering from the same. But, the administration and authorities of various hospitals have failed to scientifically dispose of the bio-medical wastes for the past 10 years in the district. In view of the indiscriminate disposal of bio-medical wastes, the central government has decided to regulate it. In 1998, the Bio-Medical Waste Management and Handling Rules-1998, 2001-02, were forwarded to the states by the central government for further action. But, neither the HP Government nor the state pollution control board has taken these notifications and rules framed by the central government seriously. |
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Maliana khud water highly contaminated: NICD
Shimla, March 3 The department of health and family welfare had sent two water samples, taken from the Ashwani and Maliana khuds, to the NICD for testing. The NICD report, which has been handed over to the local municipal corporation, has termed the water quality of the Ashwani khud as excellent while that of the Maili khud as highly contaminated. With almost 40 fresh cases of jaundice being reported in various hospitals, the total number of persons afflicted with the hepatitis infection so far has crossed 800 since the outbreak of the disease in the town. While the situation hasn’t improved the number continues to swell, the health department is trying to play down the figures. The department is now trying to ensure that no case is counted twice in case the same patient goes to two government hospitals for check up. The official figure of people suffering from jaundice with the health department was 766 yesterday. This figure only includes person being treated at government hospitals. A large number of people rely on quacks for treatment of jaundice and at times even doctors recommend going to a quack. As such the exact number of jaundice cases in the town since the outbreak is much higher. The corporation, which is responsible for supplying water to the town, had summoned a two-member team from the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, conducting tests for identifying which hepatitis infection was affecting people in the town. Scientists of the NIV had confirmed that it was a mixed infection with both hepatitis A and E afflicting people. Though sporadic cases of jaundice are coming in from all over the town but the worst affected areas are Vikasnagar, Kasumpti and New Shimla.
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Holi revellers turn violent after
boy’s death
Mandi, March 3 Angry, the residents celebrating the festival of colours, converged on the scene of the accident and damaged the bus
windowpanes. The Mandi Sadar police whisked away an unruly crowd, impounded the bus and arrested the driver. The victim was identified as Pankaj Malhotra (13), son of Mahesh Malhotra, a resident of Sauli Khad. He was celebrating Holi with his friends on the highway that passes through the locality when the Manali-Shimla bus hit him, killing him on the
spot. The angry residents blamed the driver for overspeeding. ASP Rajesh Dharmnai said driver Onkar Singh had been arrested under Section 279, 336 and 304-A, IPC. |
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BJP to submit charge sheet
to Governor
Shimla, March 3 Party sources said names of a few ministers, politicians and senior officials were likely to figure in the charge sheet. The district units of the party will also hand over the memorandum to the DCs and SDMs concerned on the same day. The BJP has also decided to get the charge sheet printed in the form of a booklet and distribute it among people by undertaking a door-to-door campaign. |
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State awards money enhanced
Shimla, March 3 Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh announced the award money had been enhanced from Rs 10,000 to Rs 51,000 with immediate effect at the awards ceremony organised by the language, art and culture department here today. The amount for state academy awards had also been increased from Rs 11,000 to Rs 31,000, he announced. The Chief Minister said the government was committed to extending due honour to artists and writers contributing towards promotion of folk art and culture. |
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