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4 states join hands to fight foeticide
Sarabjit’s daughter appeals for mercy
Patients suffer as trauma centre
fails to function
Martyr’s parents to move international court
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DC orders to form anti-ragging squads
State seeks central aid
HC upholds sentence
Foundation stone of yard laid
Remand extended
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4 states join hands to fight foeticide
Shimla, July 25 The decision was taken at the state-level conference on “Beti Anmol Hai” organised by the Health and Family Welfare Department, here today. The fact that the sex ratio in the state was the worst in border areas close to Punjab, Haryana and Announcing that the problem of imbalance in sex ratio would be tackled jointly, Chief Minister PK Dhumal said this would encourage interaction between neighbouring states and districts to ensure cross-border vigil and action against violators by way of having joint-monitoring teams. Punjab Health Minister Lakshmi Kanta Chawla and Haryana Chief Parliamentary Secretary Dr Krishna Pandit also attended the fucntion. The CM gave a clarion call to every section of society, including NGOs, religious preachers, social, political leaders and health workers to join hands in changing the mindset of people towards the birth of girl child and eradicate misconceptions in the minds of people. He said the joint efforts would help secure attitudinal change in society to eliminate male preference and ensure rigorous implementation of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Acts Technique, 1994, (PC & PNDT). Dhumal said consistent efforts of the sate government had yielded encouraging results as the female sex ratio in the age group of zero to six years of age, which was 851 in the year 2001, had improved to 924 in the year 2008 and was likely to improve further by the end of the current year. He said pre-natal tests had been completely banned in Himachal and a reward of Rs 10,000 would be given to any person imparting information about the same. An additional development grant of Rs 5 lakh was also being provided to the gram panchayat with best female birth ratio at the district level, he added. Dr Chawla said preference for male child and certain misconceptions in society despite best education and open environment was responsible for female foeticide. She gave references from ancient scriptures where women was revered and considered as the most powerful part of the social system. |
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Sarabjit’s daughter appeals for mercy
Shimla, July 25 Today, Swapandeep Kaur, 19-year-old daughter of Sarabjit who is facing death sentence in Pakistan, launched a nationwide signature campaign from “Dev bhoomi”. “My father who unknowingly crossed over into Pakistani territory on August 28, 1990, is innocent and the last thing he deserves is a death penalty,” she said here today while making a fervent appeal to the Indian populace to ensure their participation in the efforts being made to get Sarabjit released. Being barely a month old when her father left home, Swapandeep, who recently met him in Pakistan, said if maximum possible people sign on the mercy appeal, pressure could be built on Pakistan to release him. Even though a conservative target of 1.25 lakh signature has been set, she is confident that support will pour out in much larger number for him. It is the Global Human Rights Council which has taken the initiative of launching a signature campaign seeking Sarabjit’s release. “I will be visiting Pakistan in September end to present the mercy appeal before President Zardari along with the signature campaign from all over India,” said Arvind Thakur, chairman of the council, who has been granted permission to visit Pakistan and meet Sarabjit and all those pleading his case. Thakur said, unfortunately, the Kasab case proceedings were having a negative impact on the efforts being made to seek mercy for Sarabjit. “Even though no parallel can be drawn between Sarabjit and Kasab case, to my utter surprise even those Pakistani lawyers who were helping us are now backing out,” he added. “The penalty for the crime he has committed by crossing over into Pakistan is not even an iota of what Sarabjit has already suffered and efforts must be put in to at least get his sentence converted into life imprisonment,” he said. Speaking on the occasion, Sital Kaler, coordinator, South Asian Human Rights Group of Canada, appealed that efforts must be stepped up to save Sarabjit’s life. “We have appealed to Pakistan by seeking help of several organisations internationally and also ensured that he had a defence lawyer,” he said. |
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Patients suffer as trauma centre
fails to function
Mandi, July 25 More than 15 patients turn up daily, but there is no “dedicated” casualty and trauma services for them. Though the government had started round-the-clock emergency services at each zonal hospital, they had no dedicated staff of doctors as over 300 posts were still laying vacant, said sources. The proposal to set up the trauma centre for which all arrangements — a blood bank, trauma ward and an ICU room — were made, has been dumped deep in bureaucratic files since 2006, rued doctors. Despite the fact that trauma and casualty cases are on the rise due to mishaps on the Mandi-Sundernagar-Aut stretch and Jogindernagar-Mandi and Mandi Sarkaghat roads, the state government has yet to address needs of the patients. Dr JN Chauhan, general secretary, HP Medical Officers’ Association, blamed the bureaucracy for presenting a wrong picture of requirement of doctors to the government. Mandi CMO DK Arora said a proposal to set up the trauma centre here was sent to the government in 2006. But the centres, instead, started functioning at Kullu and Bilaspur hospitals. Deepak Shanan, Principal Secretary, Health, said he was not aware about the trauma centre proposal for Mandi, but had directed the hospitals at district headquarters to start 24X7 emergency services. The hospitals had enough staff to meet the demands of patients, he claimed,
rejecting the HPMOA’s charge that there was bureaucratic delay. |
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Martyr’s parents to move international court
Kangra, July 25 Dr NK Kalia, Surab’s father, said today that his son laid his life fighting for the nation and the Indian government failed to take up the matter with the international forum against the Pakistani army. They had received more than 3 lakh e-mails, 40,000 letters and thousands of telephone messages in support of their demand of an international action against Pakistan for torturing and murdering their son on June 6, 1999. He said the then Army chief told him that it had no role to play in this regard as it was a matter between two nations. He said he had lost all hopes that the Government of India would do anything in this regard, so had decided to fight himself on the international level.
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DC orders to form anti-ragging squads
Kullu, July 25 Now, with directions from the apex court, the administration has also initiated action and formed an anti-ragging committee and an anti-ragging squad. Deputy commissioner BM Nanta yesterday convened a meeting of principals of all government colleges, private nursing and vocational institutions in this district and advised them to constitute anti-ragging committees and anti-ragging squads in their respective institutions. He asked hostel wardens to ensure their presence in the hostel and keep a vigil on activities of the students. SP KK Indoria, on the occasion, said the police had been deputed in colleges to prevent ragging. Present on the occasion were ADM Vinod Kumar, SDM Amrit Lal Sharma, college principals of Kullu, Banjar, Aani and Haripur and heads of other institutions of this district. |
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State seeks central aid
Shimla, July 25 The demand was made by the Himachal Panchayati Raj and Rural Development Minister Jai Ram Thakur who called on Union Rural Development Minister Dr CP Joshi at Krishi Bhawan in New Delhi today. He said while daily wages for labourers under NREGA had been fixed at Rs 100 per day by the Centre, the state government had enhanced the wages of labourers from Rs 100 to Rs 110 with effect from March 2009. “The wages in tribal areas has been further increased by 25 per cent and as such the minimum wages in such areas for labourers has been fixed at Rs 138 per day,” he said. He pleaded the minister to reimburse the entire additional expenditure being met by the state on account of revised daily wages by providing additional Central assistance. He also urged for covering the Panchayati Raj Training Institute (PRTI) at Baijnath under extension training centre (ETC) scheme and provide liberal assistance for its proper utilisation. |
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HC upholds sentence
Shimla, July 25 According to the prosecution, the accused, Kamaljit, visited the anganwari centre of the victim and said some objectionable words to her. He further questioned as to who appointed a member of this caste as an anganwari teacher and also thrashed her. The victim reported the matter to the Hamirpur DC, who asked the DSP (headquarters) to take a strict action. The matter was also reported to the gram panchayat president. The gram panchayat summoned the accused, but he did not turn up. A case was registered against the accused and the prosecution produced six witnesses to prove the guilt. After this the then Session Judge, Dharam Chand Chaudhary, awarded the accused three years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of
Rs 25,000. |
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Foundation stone of yard laid
Kullu, July 25 The government had floated many schemes for the benefit of farmers which would generate employment scope for the rural youth, he added. The government was also giving 25 to 50 per cent subsidy on seeds, fungicides, pesticides and agriculture implements. More than 8,000 farmers had been given soil health cards in the state, he added. OP Verma, managing director, HP State Marketing Board, said more than 30.3 lakh tonnes fruits and vegetables were marketed through 46 operational marketing yards in Himachal Pradesh. |
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Remand extended
Hamirpur, July 25 He was arrested by the police for accepting a graft of Rs 10,000 from a society president last Monday at Hamirpur and is in custody since then.
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