Shimla, December 9
The total number of deaths in Himachal due to swine flu has risen to six, forcing health authorities to launch a fresh information and education campaign with active involvement of private practitioners and hoteliers, especially in view of the tourist season.

A 56-year-old priest of the nearby Junga area, who had come here to perform a religious ceremony at somebody’s house, succumbed to swine flu at Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), late last night. Besides, the death of woman in Kangra has been confirmed to be due to swine flu as the reports have confirmed the infection.

“The total number of deaths, resulting due to swine flu in Himachal, is now six with two patients each from Solan and Kangra and one each from Mandi and Shimla,” said Dr Vinod Mehta, nodal officer.

He added that the deaths of some of these patients took place at the PGI and Ambala but all six hailed from various parts of Himachal.

The total number of swine flu positive cases, so far, in Himachal is 22. The health authorities are also trying to track down a patient who had been referred to the IGMC from Ripon hospital to get a swine flu test as he showed symptoms of the disease. However, he did not reach the IGMC and could be carrying the infection.

Various hoteliers’ associations all over the state and, more importantly, in tourist destinations like Shimla, Manali and Dharamsala, will be asked to display the symptoms of swine flu in their hotels. This step is being taken in view of the ensuing tourist season around Christmas and the New Year when most hill tourist destinations are packed to capacity. The hoteliers will be provided with contact numbers, including 1800 180 8004, so that in case of emergency, necessary measures can be taken.

Concerned at more persons falling victim to the infection, Principal Secretary (Health), interacted with all 12 chief medical officers (CMOs) and principals of the two medical colleges at Tanda and Shimla through videoconferencing. They have been asked to send in their requirement for any medicine or other equipment to the health directorate immediately.

“With low temperatures enhancing the chances of spread of swine flu, the thrust will have to be on information and education and it is for this reason that private practitioners will be involved so that there is complete surveillance,” said Dr Mehta. He added people were being advised to go to the nearest hospital in case normal flu symptoms do not show signs of improvement by the third day and get a swine flu test on the recommendation of a doctor.

Shimla, December 9
Continuing its “go-slow” policy on unbundling of the state power utility, the state government today extended the time-limit for re-vesting of the assets after restructuring by another six months.

The Centre had fixed the deadline of December 15 for the unbundling of the board and the process was started by vesting the assets in the government five months ago but no further step was taken in the matter. With the deadline approaching fast a company in the name of Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (a private company) was registered early this month but the scheme for transfer of assets was not finalised.

The delay has already plunged the state power utility deep in the red. The debilitating financial health of the utility can be judged from the fact that its overdraft has crossed the Rs 700 crore mark, which was huge in view of the total Aggregate Revenue Requirement (ARR) of Rs 2341 crore approved by the state electricity regulatory commission for 2009-10. With the outstanding long-term debts of over Rs 2,000 crore, the annual interest liability has also touched Rs 200 crore. The decision to grant revised pay scales to employees will put an additional burden of Rs 197 crore, leaving the utility in precarious financial health.

However, the government still does not seem keen to carry out restructuring in accordance with the Electricity Act, 2003 in the right earnest. It is going by the model submitted by the joint front of employees, without segregating the functions of both distribution and transmission, which is against the provisions of the Act in both letter and spirit. The government had sought a clarification in this regard from the Centre which also made it amply clear that state transmission utility has to be separated from the distribution company.

The financial health is worsening as the state is no longer surplus in power as evident from the fact the commission had approved Rs 1310 crore for power purchase for the last year against which the board spent over Rs 1500 crore. Simultaneously, there has been a sharp reduction in the revenues from the sale of surplus power outside the state, which this year has been projected at Rs 266 crore for the current year.

Further, the contra-banking of power under which electricity is being supplied to Punjab and other neighbouring states during summer on returnable basis to meet the demand in winter when the state faces shortage has led to cash crunch. 

Shimla, December 9
The Medical Council of India (MCI) team today took serious objection to the appointments made by the Rogi Kalyan Samitis (RKS) to fulfil the shortage in faculty position and other paramedical staff at Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC).

The team is here to undertake inspection to give the go-ahead for enhancing the number of MBBS seats from the present 65 to 100 at the IGMC.

The MCI has already given its nod for increasing the number of postgraduate seats at the IGMC from 39 to 62.

The MCI team today undertook inspection of various departments including paediatrics and forensic medicine. Not too happy with the appointment of doctors, registrars, demonstrators, nurses and other staff through the Rogi Kalyan Samiti, the MCI team even went to the extent of seeking record of the samitis and the procedure adopted to make the appointments.

“The inspection by the MCI is still continuing and we are very confident that the team will finally give the go-ahead for increasing the seats,” said Dr Surinder Kashyap, principal, IGMC.

He, however, refuted talks of the MCI team being opposed to appointment through the samitis.

Shimla, December 9
The government today approved of a policy for evaluation of educational institutions and the performance of teachers on the basis of results to help improve the academic standards in schools.

Besides grading of schools, the policy also has provision to reward and penalise teachers on the basis of fixed parameters. The policy, approved by the state Cabinet which met here today under the chairmanship of Chief Minister PK Dhumal, provide for grading of schools on the basis of results of the examinations conducted by the State Board of School Education.

Schools with over 80 per cent will be place in grade “A”, between 60 to 80 per cent in grade “B” and between 40 to 60 per cent in grade “C”.

Similarly, the annual confidential report (ACR) of teachers will also be based on results. The teachers, who give more than 75 per cent results, will be entitled to “outstanding” and between 65 to 75 per cent result “very good” ACR. In case the result is below 25 per cent, an explanation will be sought and warning issued.

In case there is no improvement in the following year, the teacher could be transferred. The minimum stay of teacher in a school for evaluation will be nine months. A similar process will be followed for institutions and poor results could lead to a warning and transfer of the principal.

The Cabinet also approved draft of Bill to amend the Rent Control Act to balance interests of the tenants and the landlords and enable reconstruction of old buildings. An existing tenant will be entitled to equivalent area in the reconstructed building for which the new rent could be decided by the rent controller.

It adopted the recommendations of the National Conference on Forestry Solutions: Strategies for Mitigation and Adaptation of the Impacts of Climate Change, held last month in Shimla, on the basis of which the forest department will prepare the state action plan for forestry.

Dharamsala, December 9
The Himachal government will soon implement a scheme for providing various types of documents, including revenue papers, caste and other certificates, to villagers on their doorstep. The state government has already reached an agreement for the purpose with a private company.

This was stated by IPH Minister Ravinder Ravi while talking to mediapersons at Jaisinghpur yesterday. He was there to preside over the district-level “Government on your doorstep” programme launched by the state government.

Though the minister had announced that people-friendly centres would be opened at the village-level, sources said it might take some more time. To provide record as revenue papers to people, the entire revenue data across the state would have to be digitalised. However, the work has been going very slow in many districts that might delay the service announced by the minister.

Ravi also said Kangra district had topped in implementing the Mahatma Gandhi National Employment Guarantee Scheme. An amount of Rs 107 crore was being spent under the scheme, he added.

Kangra Deputy Commissioner RS Gupta, who was also present, said 189 persons came up with their complaints in the programme. A majority of complaints were related to revenue, drinking water, PWD and electricity departments. Most of the grievances were redressed at the spot.

Rest of the complaints have been referred to the respective departments with a direction for compliance within 15 days, he said.

Mandi, December 9
Apart from arresting three Rajpura-based“drug smugglers” in two different cases today, the Mandi police also raided the premises of Jogindernagar government college canteen and arrested one Biri Singh, who runs the canteen. The police recovered 50 gm of charas from his possession, thereby exposing how easily contraband was available for the students.

Acting on a complaint, the police raided the college campus and arrested Biri Singh, a resident of Chhattar, Jogindernagar, under the NDPS Act.