New Delhi, June 20
While preparedness is on around the world to fight cases of influenza A (H1N1) or swine flu, the Capital’s scientific fraternity maintains that the biggest hurdle in combating the health crisis is lack of effective engagement of all sections of society.

And given the fact that a majority of people in our country are still unaware of H1N1, the government should resort to non-pharmaceutical measures like awareness drive, public lecture as vaccination is a long-term measure, suggest researchers.

“Instead of focusing more upon developing vaccines, which won’t be helpful as a short-term measure, India should find out strategies to reach to maximum number of people and apprise them of the correct health perspective as vaccinating every person won’t be practical,” says Sunil. K. Lal, who is a senior scientist in International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB).

However, head of virology group of ICGEB, Shahid Jameel opines, “For limiting the transmission, the government should employ both medical as well as non-medical means. Before developing vaccine what is more important is identifying the virus, which is yet to be studied, and the task might take four to six months. It is a long-term step, which requires concerted efforts and participation from all countries.”

Though the National Institute of Communicable Diseases has sprung into action by sounding alert through national campaigns via mass media, many researchers and a cross section of civil society point out at loopholes in the current surveillance and management system.

While many like N. K Arora of International Clinical Epideomology Network Trust feel that the government is heading in the right direction and the past experiences of outbreaks have come out handy and enabled India to tackle the disease, which is mostly imported with very few indigenous cases.

Another section feels that a wide communication gap on the status and scenario of the current disease between the government and public at large may spell out dangers; besides till now lack of engagement of private players and to some extent even health workers have to show greater commitment. There were cases of paramedics, refusing to assist patients of influenza A, witnessed in Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital.

But, what is more important is that the government has to come up with a better combative methodology, like it’s presently carrying on at its international airports. In this context, Arora citing his own experience appreciates the strict filtering of passengers at Indira Gandhi International Airport.

With the surfacing of three fresh positive cases of swine flu in the Capital, there are 15 confirmed cases in various designated hospitals here. Out of the three new cases, one is the outcome of an indigenous infection—a woman who was infected during her stay with her sister and nephew, and with this Delhi has registered the maximum number of human-to-human transfer cases.

A Delhi health department official informed, “The other two include a five-year-old boy who returned from Canada two days back and was diagnosed positive for the virus today at the Yellow Fever Hospital, and the third case is that of a 27-year-old male who also flew from Canada and is presently quarantined at the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital.”

New Delhi, June 20
Vijender Gupta, member of the MCD’s standing committee today accused Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit of creating obstacles for the development works being undertaken by the civic body in Delhi.

Gupta said that the Delhi government was trying to cut Rs 400 crore from the councillor’s local area development fund and this cut would throttle the MCD and seriously effect city’s development.

Gupta said that the MCD was a local self government created by an Act of the parliament, and under Section 74 of the Indian Constitution, no authority could take it over. The section calls the government to strengthen local bodies, but the Delhi government was working against the spirit of the constitution, he said.

Gupta further said that each of the 272 municipal councillors was given Rs 2 crore for the development of their respective wards and majority of the councillors utilised their entire funds. But as the councillors were not empowered to spend funds in unauthorised colonies, some could not use their entire funds.

New Delhi, June 20
The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) is, reportedly, running in loss due to its existing fare structure and issuance of various concessions. But the authorities concerned are not taking interest in recovering the loss.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jagdish Mukhi said this today. He claimed the DTC was suffering a loss of Rs 6,166.26 crore. This has affected the purchasing of buses and the recruitment process. He questioned when the DTC was running in loss then how could it purchase costly low-floor buses.

However, the annual report of the DTC states that the corporation had released an equity capital of Rs 494.30 crore till 2007-08 (Rs 117 crore during 1997-98 and Rs 337.30 crore during 2007-08). Of them, 487.30 crore was for the procurement of buses and Rs 7 crore was for carrying out infrastructural development.

Meanwhile, the corporation has submitted its 11th Five Year Plan to the Delhi government for approval of 300 diesel buses, 1,471 standard CNG buses, 2,200 air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned low-floor buses and 1,100 low-floor buses. These vehicles will ply on road before the commencement of 2010 Commonwealth Games.

The DTC’s balancesheet has earmarked Rs 351.70 for buses, Rs 33.85 crore for the development of bus depots and Rs 1.14 crore for auxiliaries.

The corporation’s audit report points out it has to recover Rs 7.15 crore from ADWEL advertising agency.

The DTC has to recover Rs 75.63 lakh from outsource agencies too. The corporation had imposed a penalty on outsourcing agencies for delay in the supply of requisite number of drivers after the business dealings were ceased. It has to recover Rs 2.92 lakh from sundry debtors.

New Delhi, June 20
Delhi University (DU) has started admission process for the professional diploma courses after the first round of undergraduate admissions got over.

The first in the line is Post-Graduate Diploma in Computer Applications (PGDCA), a popular course in the university, for which the admission process will open on June 22.

Bulletin of information and the application form can be collected from the department of computer application on all working days against bank draft of Rs 125 for the SC-ST candidates and Rs 250 for others, drawn in favour of registrar, University of Delhi and payable at New Delhi.

Any graduate with more than 50 per cent marks can apply for the diploma. They should have studied mathematics till class XII.

Forms would be available between 9.30 am and 1 pm and from 2 pm to 4 pm. The course has separate last dates for depositing the form by hand or by post. Students can deposit the forms by hand by July 9 till 4 pm. The forms would be received by post till June 30.

Entrance examination would be held on July 11 between 10 am and 12 noon. The department has also arranged for a counselling session, which would be held on July 15 at 10 am.

The head of the department informed that SC-ST candidates would be allowed relaxation of 5 per cent marks in minimum eligibility requirements. For obtaining application form by post, the bank draft along with a self-attested stamped envelope should be sent to office incharge, Room No. 113, department of computer science, faculty of mathematical sciences, University of Delhi.

Ghaziabad, June 20
A man suspected of involvement in the Frontier Mail blast in 1997 committed suicide by hanging himself in his prison cell in Ghaziabad.

The deceased, Shakeel, was lodged in Dasna Jail of Ghaziabad when the incident took place on Friday. A Delhi court had convicted him to 10 years’ imprisonment in another terror-related case in 1998. He was transferred to Dasna Jail in 2006 and the Frontier Mail blast case was pending against him, the police said.

Shakeel was a resident of Pilkuwa in Ghaziabad district and according to family sources was under great stress as he felt that the Frontier Mail blast case was taking too long.

“On Friday, he hung himself in his cell,” a police officer said.

“When we came to know about the incident, we took him to a government hospital where doctors declared him brought dead. Warden Taj Pal Yadav has been suspended,” the police officer said.

Two persons were killed and 22 injured in the Frontier Mail blast in Ghaziabad in 1997. — IANS

Ghaziabad, June 20
A trader from the Sahibabad police station area was kidnapped and forced to withdraw Rs 3.40 lakh from his bank account through ATM and cheques at gunpoint on May 13. Shockingly, an FIR in this regard was registered by the police after 43 days and that too on the order of the SSP of Ghaziabad Akhil Kumar.

The victim, Sunil Kumar of Sunder Nagar Colony in Loni, runs a business in Vaishali. On May 13, he went to meet his partner Ashwani Kumar at his residence in Shalimar Garden Colony. He came out of his house around 9 am and was carrying his ATM card, a pay order and two cheques.

It was then that four car-borne criminals abducted him from near Ashwani’s house and took him to Connaught Place in New Delhi. The criminals, at gunpoint, got the amount of cheques and pay order transferred to their bank account.

The abductors then brought Sunil to Navyug Market in Ghaziabad and beat him up to know the password of Ashwani’s ATM card. After withdrawing the cash, the criminals dumped Sunil on roadside and sped away.

Sunil lodged a complaint with the Sahibabad police station, but his many trips to the station did not bear any fruit.

Later, on SSP Akhil Kumar’s orders, Sunil was able to lodge an FIR against Sachin Maheshwari and Yatin Bhatti, both residents of Kavi Nagar in Ghaziabad, and four other unidentified persons.

Noida/Gt Noida, June 20
Two students riding a bike died after they were knocked down by a canter near Mamura cut in Sector-62 Noida here.

They victims have been identified as Gavinder Yadav, 16, and Pankaj Punjabi, 18, of Garhi Chowkhandi.

On getting the news of the deaths, residents of Garhi Chowkhandi reached the government hospital where the boys were pronounced dead. The boys were the students of Sri Krishna Inter College.

Pankaj Punjabi was the only son of his parents and belonged to Jalandhar, while Gavinder hailed from Chowkhandi village.

The boys were going to Mamura market on Friday when the accident took place. At Mamura cut a canter coming from Sector-18 hit their bike. They were grievously injured and succumbed to their injuries after some time. The canter driver fled after the accident.

The area where the accident took place is a congested one. There is no streetlight in the area. The traffic police blames the Noida Authority for not installing streetlight in the area in spite of the police’s written requests.

In another accident, a Delhi University (DU) student riding a bike was killed by a canter near Galgotia College in Greater Noida. The deceased was a resident of Jaitpura village.

The victim, Chander Deep Sharma (26), was doing Ph.D in biotechnology from DU. He was going to Galgotia College to buy a form. A canter coming from an underpass side hit Chander’s bike near Galgotia College leaving him seriously injured. Chander was taken to the Sharda Hospital in Greater Noida where doctors declared him brought dead. The canter driver is absconding.

While in Rabupura, an eight-year-old child Govind of Kallupura village was crushed by a Tata-407. He died on the spot. The child who had come from Bulandshahr by bus with his mother was crossing the road when the accident took place. Here too the driver fled leaving behind his Tata-407.

The villagers jammed the road demanding compensation for the victim’s family. They also demanded that a speed-breaker be constructed on the road.

New Delhi, June 20
Being an only parent is as challenging for men as it is for women. From attending office to cooking to looking into matters like homework, single fathers have to do it all and they say it’s not a cakewalk for them.

For 50-year-old Sunil Joshi, a Delhi-based professor, the world fell apart when his wife succumbed to a disease in 2004, leaving behind two daughters, then aged 11 and seven, respectively.

“I was devastated. After her death I faced difficulties in raising my daughters. It was an experience that just fell on me all of a sudden because of the circumstances,” said Joshi.

“However, the support of my family always helped me to cope with the tragedy. My sister supported me the most. She made sure that we find it easier to move on and cope with the loss,” he added.

For 53-year-old K.K. Bhalla there has been no social life ever since he divorced his wife.

“I get up at 4.30 in the morning...prepare breakfast and lunch for both me and my son, who is 12 years old and goes to school. When I come back, I prepare dinner too,” said Bhalla.

“As far as major difficulties are concerned, I feel I havn’t faced any, but yes my social life is nil. I don’t go out for late night dinners because of my son who needs my attention.”

Bhalla got married in 1991 and his divorce came through two years ago. While his son lives with him, his 14-year-old daughter stays with his wife. Bhalla will share his experiences on the TV show ‘Zindagi Live-Single Fathers’ to be aired on IBN7 on Sunday.

The day-to-day problems notwithstanding, these single fathers say they don’t feel the need to tie the knot again.

“The question of my second marriage did arise, but I put my foot down. When you get married as a bachelor, what is important for you is compatibility with your partner. But when you have a child and you decide to get married, you have to think about your child’s comfort level with your new spouse. I didn’t want to take a chance,” said Bhalla.

Manoj (39), who works in the healthcare sector and has two daughters, also shot down the option of second marriage.

“After I lost my wife two years ago to brain tumour, the thought of marrying again never crossed my mind. My family too supported my decision,” said Manoj.

In their effort to play the role of both father and mother, single fathers say what keeps them going is the support of their children.

According to 41-year-old businessman Vijay Wadhwani, his 12-year-old daughter has been a pillar of support after he separated from his wife four years ago.

“She has become more understanding and mature. She has started doing a lot of her work on her own and supports me as much as she can,” he said.

Bhalla said: “Children of broken homes always mature faster. My son understands everything, even certain things that boys his age don’t. He tries to solve his problems on his own, so that he doesn’t trouble me.”

But don’t children feel the need for a mother?

“Initially, my daughter did ask me and felt the absence of her mother. I told her that we are separated now and can’t live together. So she would have to make a choice. She did and said she would like to stay with me,” said Wadhwani.

Joshi said: “No one can take my wife’s place in my children’s lives...Though they miss her, they don’t feel the need to have a new mother.” — IANS