Bodies pose no risk of epidemic: Health Director
Neena Sharma
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 3
Perturbed by the disinformation being spread about the dead bodies that surfaced after the natural disaster in Uttarakhand posing health risks, the Department of Health and Family Welfare said that when death is due to the natural disaster, human remains do not pose a risk for outbreak of diseases.

“There is no existing evidence that dead bodies pose a significant public health risk for disease outbreak and any source of disease transmisison will merely be among the affected disaster survivors,” said Dr Y C Sharma, Director, Health and Family Welfare.

Keen to ensure a proper and dignified management of the dead and remove the perception about the cadavers posing health risks, the Director has issued guidelines asking the chief medical officers (CMOs) to disseminate information among the medical staff.

Quoting the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines, he said that there is no evidence that dead bodies pose a significant public health risk for disease outbreaks and any source of transmisison will merely be among the affected disaster survivors.

“Victims of natural disasters generally die from trauma. In this case they died by drowning. Some were hit by rocks, others got buried under debris. Since they did not die of infectious diseases such as cholera, typhoid, malaria or plague, there is no potential risk from the cadavers,” he said.

For the bodies that are found on the ground and floating in the rivers, Dr Sharma has asked the CMOs to follow proper procedures of post-mortem without fear that these would pose a health risk. “However, the doctors performing post-mortem should wear proper masks and take precautions and the bodies should be put in body bags as the rotting bodies discharge gas,” he said.

Dr Asha Singh, Additional Director and nodal officer of the Department of Health and Family Welfare, said sufficient amount of bleaching powder and chlorine tablets had been sent to the affected areas to root out risk of drinking water getting contaminated by faecal material from bodies.

Survey of kids orphaned suggested
Tribune News Service

Dehradun,July 3
In the wake of large number of children being affected by the Uttarakhand disaster, the State Child Rights Protection Commission has called upon the government to undertake a survey of the affected children in the districts of Rudraprayag, Chamoli and Pithoragarh for their proper relief and rehabilitation.

"I have personally written to the Chief Minister drawing his attention towards the affected children so that relief and rehabilitation measures could be initiated," stressed Ajay Setia, chairman of the panel.

He said the survey becomes more important as the state government has pledged to provide for the education of the affected orphan children.

"Besides carrying out the survey, the government has to ensure adequate homes for the disaster-hit children and a policy for their rehabilitation. For this reason a survey has to be carried out in three districts preparing a separate list of the orphan children, handicapped and those who passed away," said Setia.

"Along with carrying out the survey, the government has to ensure a policy for their rehabilitation. For this reason a survey has to be carried out in the three districts preparing a separate list of orphan children, handicapped and those who passed away", said Setia.

The Commission has recommended that Rs 50,000 be given to children who are partially handicapped due to disaster-related injuries, Rs 1,50,000 to those with 40- 80 per cent incapacitating injuries and Rs 3,00,000 to those fully handicapped and an ex-gratia to parents who have lost children. 

SSP: 30 bodies found in Ganga so far
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, July 3
A total of 30 bodies have been found in the Ganga so far. This was stated by Haridwar SSP Rajeev Swaroop here today. However, the identities of only four victims have been established. Those who have identified are Sandeep Singh Bisht, Brij Mohan, both residents of Pauri Garhwal, Amit Singh Parmar of Uttarkashi and Dinesh Singh of Uttar Pradesh.

The SSP said police personnel, a special team of the Indian Navy and the Jal police were carrying out search operations in Haridwar.

Haridwar District Magistrate Nidhi Pandey said 197 persons had been rescued from the flood-hit areas and shifted to safer places.

Nine special trains have been pressed into service and 30 buses sent to Joshimath to bring back stranded pilgrims.

Rescued villagers in camps contract eye infections, fever
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, July 3
Besides contracting some eye infections in the disaster-hit Bangapani village in the Baram valley, rescued villagers at camps in lower places, have started suffering from different ailments. But the medical department has said that the situation is under control as the rescued villagers are being given proper treatment and caution is being kept against any epidemic in these camps.

However, the villagers say that over 30 adults are suffering from a type of eye disease similar to conjunctivitis in which the patients are developing itching symptoms and swollen skin.

“Besides the eye infection, over 50 children living in camps have developed fever and diarrhoea symptoms in Baram Mori and Talla Lunthi villages of the Baram area in the last three days," said Ravindra Parihar, a resident of Tall Lunthi.

The doctors working among the victims have suspected the spread of jaundice and typhoid amongst the villagers as they are not drinking boiled water. Pithoragarh district medical officer has said that the situation is under control as teams of doctors are working in Bangapani and Baram areas from where the complaints of fever were received. “We have deputed ANMs, ASHA and anganbadi workers and a big number of pharmacists and ayurvedic and homeopathic doctors in Dharchula and Munsiyari,” said Dr GB Bisht, chief medical officer of Pithoragarh.

District administration sources said the Army and Air Force helicopters today rescued over 100 people from Tedang, Baling, Jipti in Darma valley and Chota Kailas Mansarowar pilgrims stranded at Gunji and dropped 15 quintals of relief material to the stranded villagers today, taking the total number of rescued villagers in the district to 700. “If the weather conditions are conducive, we will conclude our mission in one day’s time from now,” said an Army officer involved in the rescue work.

They said all helicopters were now based at Dharchula for the rescue work as the cloudy weather conditions were hindering sorties from the Pithoragarh base. “We will rescue all stranded villagers in one or two days, provided the weather condition does not hinder our mission,” said RK Sudhunshu, Commissioner of Kumaon region who is camping in Pithoragarh district headquarters.

20,946 given free medical aid: Negi
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 3
Health Minister Surinder Singh Negi has said that 20,946 disaster-hit people in the state were provided free medical care by the Department of Health and Family Welfare.

He said for the first time, doctors from the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and other charitable institutions, too, lent a helping land. A total of 1,032 persons were admitted in different hospitals in the state and 65 were still under treatment.

He said the Central Government had also provided doctors. “Yesterday, we sent 10 doctors to Uttarkashi, 10 to Chamoli and 20 to Rudraprayag to provide medical care to the affected persons,” he said.

He said a team of three specialists in public health and 11 doctors had been deployed in Haridwar for undertaking DNA samples, wherever cremation would be undertaken.

Councillors will now have a separate chamber
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 3
What a lot of brouhaha could not do, a single meeting of Congress councillors did today. The councillors will now have a separate chamber. So much of politics took place on this issue from the day one when the elected councillors entered into DMC premises, but today Mukhya Nagar Adhikari (MNA) gave his clearance for it. A delegation of Congress councillors, miffed with the bad condition of councillors room, met MNA Ashok Kumar today. Kumar, while paying heed to their demands, assured them of all the possible improvements in the room.

The councillors had been sitting in this room which has an AC but it has not been functioning for the past several months. When the entire premises of DMC was white-washed, this room was spared.

There are no curtains or proper number of chairs. The room has been used for the helpers or lower-rung staff of DMC to relax and chat. The toilet is in a pathetic condition. The demand for a separate chamber for councillors in the room fell on deaf ears. Councillors, too, finally kept quiet, especially on not getting support from BJP councillors in their demand. Despite having the government of their party, these councillors complained that MNA paid no attention to their demands. Today they became enraged and got after the MNA. Ashok Kumar, while sensing the anger seething in councillors, assured them of improving the condition of the room. He said the AC would be repaired within three days. The room which goes without any curtains would be provided a new set of curtains. Name plate Councilors' Room will be hung outside and no other employee would be allowed to sit in the room. The number of chairs would be increased. Not only this, he also assured of providing them with a chamber-like arrangement to have privacy.

He also proposed to whitewash the room, but councillors postponed it in view of the rainy season. However, the room will be given a fresh coat of colour after the rainy season. All the shortcomings in the toilet, too, have been promised to be removed.

B.Ed, law students allowed to take exams from UTU
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 3
Students of the BEd and law courses already registered with Uttarakhand Technical University (UTU) will be allowed to appear in examinations from that university.

This was stated by Governor Aziz Qureshi while presiding over a meeting of Vice-Chancellors of various universities at Raj Bhavan here today.

The meeting discussed the status of the implementation of the decisions taken at a meeting held in August last year, the status of the affiliation of BEd and other institutions with universities, the regularisation of academic sessions and the role of state universities in helping the disaster-affected people in the state.

The Governor, who is also the Chancellor of the state universities, said strict steps would have to be taken to ensure quality in higher education in Uttarakhand.

The procedure of the appointment of VCs and recruiting faculty and other staff would have to be made transparent and free from any pressures. He said VCs should be given independence and their dignity and respect should be protected.

The Governor said he would ensure that the administration in universities was efficient and good.

The Governor said the growing number of colleges, especially BEd colleges, was a matter of concern. For the time being, their mushrooming should be stopped. It was decided that a VC, after informing the Chancellor, would be able to appoint Registrar, Deputy Registrar and Assistant Registrar according to the norms and guidelines of the UGC.

It was also decided that to check the migration of unemployed youth out of the state, skill-oriented courses, vocational education and skill-development campaigns would be launched. Setting up a placement cell was also discussed.

Senior government officials present at the meeting assured the Governor that efforts would be made to solve university-related problems once the relief and rehabilitation work in the disaster-affected areas was over.

They said a detailed project reportfor making all universities and degree colleges online was being prepared.

Among those present at the meeting were Secretary to Governor Arun Dhaundiyal, UTU Vice-Chancellor DS Chauhan, Doon University VC VK Jain, Horticulture and Forestry University VC Mathew Prasad, Ayurveda University VC SP Mishra, Uttarakhand Open University VC Subhash Dhulia, Shridev Suman Uttarakhand University VC US Rawat, Sanskrit University VC Mahvir Aggarwal, Kumaon University Pro-VC HS Dhami, GB Pant Agricultural and University Registrar JP Pandey.

Mansarovar pilgrims may be airlifted to Dharchula
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, July 3
The first batch of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, which will reach the Lipulekh Pass on July 4 after spending eight days in Tibet, is likely to be airlifted from the Gunji camp to Dharchula base camp, as the route beyond Gunji is completely damaged.

According to Indo-Tibetan Border Police sources, the Ministry of External Affairs has been apprised of the poor condition of the route and recommended airlifting of all 51 members of the first batch of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.

“All bridges beyond the Gunji camp have been washed away. We have recommended the cancellation of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra this year, as the trek route has been washed away at 15 places and it is not possible to repair it within a month," said Kedar Singh Rawat, an Indo-Tibetan Border Police commandant. 

Volunteers collect, dispatch truckloads of food, pills
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, July 3
The Akhil Bharatiya Teerth Purohit Maha Sangh has offered tributes to the victims of the natural calamity in the state. Uma Shankar Vashisth, district chief of the Maha Sangh, said shrines should be developed keeping in mind their religious and spiritual aspects.

The Shantikunj Gayatri family has till now sent 11 relief teams to the Garhwal Himalayas and two had reached Kedar Ghati and Munsyari, Pithoragarh. One team is in the Kedarghati region while other has made it base camp at Guptkashi.

Relief management in charge Gauri Shankar Sharma said the two teams comprise 16 volunteers each and they have taken with them with ration kits, utensils and medicines.

More than 20 ration trucks, 3,000 food kits and other commodities have been dispatched to relief areas by Shantikunj, with more than 1,000 volunteers collecting and preparing the relief material in Haridwar.

The All-India Women's Conference, Delhi, in cooperation with the Jagriti All-India Conference Haridwar unit has dispatched ration packets for relief aid via Shantikunj.

The City Congress Committee has sent 60 affected people via trains to their home destinations till date. City unit chief OP Chauhan said in the past 12 days, they have been holding help centres at the bus station.

The Ram Krishan Vivekanand Mission and Braham Mahasabha have distributed food, ration and utenslis in the Lakshar region. Flagged off by local legislator Madan Kaushik, the truck was dispatched in the interior flood-affected places of Lakshar with Mission and Mahasabha activists distributing the relief material.

A former village chief of Dhanpura, Rampal, has provided relief material for the flood-affected areas in Dhanpura. 

ABVP delegation meets Guv, wants to help in relief work
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 3
Office-bearers and student members of the ABVP (Uttaranchal) met Governor Aziz Qureshi here yesterday.

A five-member delegation, led by Madhusudan Joshi, requested the Governor that the government should be directed that the ABVP and other organisations should be involved in relief and rescue works in the disaster-affected areas.

The Governor said in this hour of tragedy, the government was making all efforts to return normalcy in the affected areas. He said all voluntary organisations who wished to come forward to help the victims were welcome to do so.

He said support and public participation would make it easier to face the challenges posed by the calamity. When lists of students are received from the disaster-affected areas, concession in fee and exam fee would be given by the government.

Anshul Chawla, Dr DK Shahi, Dr Ram Vinay Singh and Ramakant Srivastav were among the delegates.

Nishank tells govt to issue white paper on exact death toll
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 3
Former Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has flayed the state government for "confusing" people on the death toll and the number of missing persons in the natural disaster that devastated Uttarakhand.

He has called upon the government to issue a white paper on the issue.

"Everyday we hear new set of figures. The Uttarakhand Minister for Disaster had himself said that the death toll in the disaster could go up to 5,000 while state Assembly Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal had maintained that according to his estimate, the death toll could go up to 10,000. There is no unanimity on the number of missing persons also. We have urged the government to come up with a white paper on this," said Nishank.

Talking to mediapersons, he said the government had not learnt a lesson from the tragedy and continued to function in an ad-hoc manner.

"The government has failed to provide any relief to the villagers of Urgam and Bhyundar valleys and Munsiyari villagers. The government is yet to focus on several villages that remain cut off in Joshimath in Rudraprayag," said Nishank.

"The opposition BJP is the voice of the people and will always raise its voice for the sake of the people. But the Congress government is trying to hide its in competency by accusing the BJP of indulging in petty politics," he said. The former Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank said Congress MLA from Kedarnath Shaila Rani Rawat, Congress MLA from Badrinath Rajender Bhandari and Dharchula MLA Harsh Dhami had been reiterating the same things the BJP had been saying. 

CM updates Guv on relief
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 3
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna met Governor Aziz Qureshi last evening and gave him information about the rescue and relief efforts being made by the government in the wake of the natural disaster.

He also told him about decisions taken and plans of action of the government.

State Cong forms panels for relief work
Tribune News Service

Suryakant Dhasmana, vice-president of the Uttarakhand Congress, addresses mediapersons in Dehradun on Wednesday. Tribune photo: Vinod Pundir

Dehradun, July 3
The Uttarakhand Congress has constituted state level committees for proper conduct of relief works in disaster-hit areas of the state.

Addressing a press conference here today Uttarakhand Congress vice-president Suryakant Dhasmana said state level committees had been set up to conduct speedy relief.

He said a 21 member committee had been set up to ensure full relief and proper rehabilitation, another two committees, one each for Kumaon and Garhwal had been constituted that will also look after relief works.

He said further separate in charges for disaster-hit 5 districts had also been appointed.

He said the Congress Chairperson Sonia Gandhi had from the beginning shown deep concern over the disaster and is constantly monitoring the relief works.

Party spokesman Shilpi Arora who was also present accused BJP of resorting to politics in the name of disaster. She said the BJP's demand to dismiss state government was unjustified and only reveals saffron party's un-concernly attitude towards the disaster.

State Congress General Secretary Vijay Saraswat was also present on the occasion.