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Chandok questions Bhogal’s bona fides Mukhi takes Sheila to task on pro tem speaker BJP seeks CM’s intervention on DVB staff dues Hospitals release mercury, unaware of its health risks |
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Power pangs: Faridabad industry feels the pinch Shopping malls: Footfall only, few buyers at showrooms
Drive against sex test clinics to be intensified Nine auto-theft cases solved, two nabbed Robbery cases solved DMA celebrates Doctor’s Day
Private institute seeks continuation of affiliation Faridabad
district voters’ list being revised
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Chandok questions Bhogal’s bona fides New Delhi, July 1 He expressed surprise at non-stop protests against him even when the Akal Takht, the highest seat of Sikh temporal authority, was seized of the matter. “I don’t understand the real motive behind these protests when I’ve issued a public apology already over the Siropa episode and said in my statements that I would appear before the Akal Takht,” he added. However, Mr Bhogal, who denied Mr Chandok’s charges against him, said the DSGMC chief should immediately resign. “All his claims are rubbish,” said Mr Bhogal, who had lost the DSGMC 2002 elections. He also denied the graft charges. Mr Bhogal has alleged that Mr Chandok was refusing to admit that he had honoured Mr Tytler. He claimed that he has photographic evidence to prove that Mr Chandok did present a Siropa to Mr Tytler. Mr Bhogal has also claimed that Mr Chandok has refused to acknowledge receiving any letter from the Akal Takht. Mr Bhogal said that the matter was now before the Akal Takht and that Mr Chandok has to appear before the highest seat of the Sikhs on July 15. Meanwhie, the victims of the 1984 riots joined the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in holding a sit-in to seek the ouster of DSGMC chief. The president of the party’s unit in Delhi, Mr Avtar Singh Hit, said the sit-in would continue till Mr Chandok was removed from his post. After beginning the sit-in at the office of the DSGMC, Mr Hit said he wanted all people who offer prayers at the Gurdwara to be aware of the reality.
Hospital staff
ill due to non-potable water: BJP The BJP has alleged that patients and staff of Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital have taken ill of jaundice because of the poor quality of water that is supplied in the hospital. Leader of Opposition in Delhi Legislative Assembly Jagdish Mukhi has in a letter to Health Minister Yoganand Shastri attributed the incidence of the disease to the callous attitude of the officials concerned. |
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Mukhi takes Sheila to task on pro tem speaker New Delhi, July 1 Mr Mukhi told media persons that a Pro Tem Speaker is appointed only for a few days till a full-fledged Speaker is elected but in the case of the Delhi Legislative Assembly, Pro Tem Speaker Prem Singh, who is also president of the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee, was continuing in the post for months. He said that in the Budget Session of the Assembly beginning July 20, his party will corner the Sheila Dikshit Government on the CAG report that has made adverse remarks against the government for favouring the private distribution companies. This, he said, was decided at the meeting of the BJP Legislature Party, which met earlier in the day. Mr Mukhi said a delegation of the office-bearers also called on Lieutenant Governor Banwari Lal Joshi and apprised him of the basic problems of the people of Delhi like potable water not being available to 50 per cent of the population, shortage of electricity due to mismanagement by the private distribution companies, etc.
BJP seeks CM’s intervention on DVB staff dues The BJP has sought Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit’s intervention in the matter of payment of arrears to the employees of the erstwhile Delhi Vidyut Board. Some 7,000 employees had opted for the voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) but were still to receive the payments due from the private distributors of electricity. Delhi Pradesh BJP President Harshvardhan has said that the Chief Minister had assured the employees concerned of getting the private distribution companies to release the legitimate payments within two weeks. That was after the employees sat on a fast unto death almost a month ago to press for their demands. Mr Harshvardhan claimed that 17 of the employees had died in the interim and several more were not getting the desired medial attention because of their poor financial conditions. The delay in the release of arrears to the employees, he alleged, was rendering many of them a victim of untimely death. The president of the Delhi Pradesh BJP claimed that the private distribution companies were not bearing the medical expenses of the serving employees who are terminally ill. This, he claimed, went against the terms of the contract entered into by the government and the private companies at the time of unbundling of the DVB. Meanwhile, in a separate press release, the president of the Delhi Pradesh BJP greeted the doctors on the occasion of Doctor’s Day. An ENT physician himself, Mr Harshvardhan said that doctors must fulfil their clinical obligations and devote themselves wholeheartedly to the task of nation-building. |
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Hospitals release mercury, unaware of its health risks New Delhi, July 1 In a study, conducted by the Toxics Link, involving five hospitals in the Capital and about 40 dentists, it was found that mercury, a potent neuro and nephro-toxic, that is commonly used in thermometers and blood pressure machines, is posing a big threat to health in the city. The report, ‘Lurking Menace –Mercury In the Health Care Sector’, is a startling compilation of how the health care system in the city is oblivious of the threat that mercury poses to life. It also points out that according to conservative estimates Delhi would be releasing around 51 kg of mercury each year trough dental practices alone. The city’s total release would come from hospitals, dental clinics, crematoriums and laboratories. “There are no laws and guidelines governing the release of mercury and no one seems accountable. Hospitals are the second largest users of mercury and close to 70 tones of it is being used in the health care sector. Besides there is a scattered release in the city”, pointed out Ravi Aggrwal of Toxics Link. It was further pointed out that mercury cannot be disposed of easily. Its properties of bio-accumulation and bio-magnification make it hard to get rid off. “If flushed out in the sewers, it can enter the food chain and even if it is put in incinerators it can damage health. The fumes released can also severely affect health”, said Aggarwal. Citing the ill effects of mercury, Aggarwal said, “Since it easily passes through the placental barrier, even a small amount ingested by the mother can cause serious harm to the foetus”. Thermometers, blood pressure machines and dental amalgams used by dentists were all pointed out as potent sources of mercury contamination. “Nurses in hospitals and even dentists seemed unaware of the risks of exposure to mercury. While most nurses told us that they throw the mercury in the garbage, some said they put it in incinerators”, said Ratna of Toxics Link. The healthcare system in the country seems to have paid little heed to the need to shift from mercury-based devices to safer alternatives. “World over countries are phasing out mercury. We still use mercury thermometers despite knowing that they are not as accurate as digital ones”, said Aggarwal. He added: “Dentists actually follow the practice of using mercury for dental amalgams, they touch and mull the mercury with their hands, thereby exposing not just their patients, but themselves to the risks of mercury contamination”. The study also points out that chronic mercury exposure can seriously impair fertility, with the unborn child and nursing infants being the worst affected. Poor muscular coordination and nerve conduction, kidney ailments and skin sensitisation are few other damages that can occur due to exposure to mercury. Stressing the need for putting mercury import on the restricted list, ban medical waste incineration and all open sale of mercury, Aggarwal said that there is an urgent need to phase out mercury as in countries like Sweden and Austria. |
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Yet another Pakistani is going ga-ga about Indian doctors New Delhi, July 1 Huma suffers from Ostegenesis Imperfecta, a congenital disease in which the bones are ill developed and break easily. Since the age of six, Huma has been immobilised a dozen times due to fractures but she has not forgotten how to smile. Visibly comfortable in the deluxe room in the hospital, Huma takes life as it comes and makes the most of the television by watching Hindi films. Her attitude to her disease is inspiring as she talks of everything except her left leg. ``I’m more worried about Kashmir than about my leg,’’ she exclaimed with a chuckle. The operation of limb lengthening by the Ilizarov method and the post-operative treatment needs a lot of patience as the orthopeadic surgeon tries to ensure the standard target of 1 mm growth everyday. In Huma’s case, the disparity in the length of the limbs is 5 cm. Her left leg is shorter than the right leg. In ten days, it is possible to achieve a growth of 1 cm. Professor P.K. Dave, Chairman, Advisory Board and Head, Department of Orthopaedics at the hospital, is satisfied with the progress in the case a month after the operation. Professor Dave says that the orthopaedic surgeon examines Huma everuday to check whether the foot is moving properly and whether there is any sensory loss. He also rotates the nut by 1 mm everyday to achieve the desired length. He says that if the patient complains of any sensory disturbance, the orthopaedic surgeon does not rotate the nut for a few days. Dr Awadhesh Pandey, Orthopaedic Surgeon who assisted Professor Dave during the hour-long surgery, told TNS that they pass a wire through the bone and then connect the Ilizarov ring to the wire. ``After making a transverse cut in the bone(Osteotomy of tibia), we finally connect four connecting rods through the Ilizarov rings and make a Ilizarov fixator. Three days after the surgery, we start diatracting the rods by moving the nuts one mm everyday till we have achieved the desired length. We do an X-ray of the leg every week to see if the desired length has been achieved.’’ Huma, who hails from Multan, came to Delhi with her father, Profesor Humayun Akhtar, former Commissioner Income Tax in May end for treatment at AIIMS. Having undergone treatment after two major surgeries at the institute for four years (1992-’96) for multiple deformities of spine, Huma and her father headed straight to AIIMS to meet her old surgeon and former Director of AIIMS, Professor P.K. Dave. They were told that Professor Dave had moved to Rockland Hospital. When they met Professor Dave, he offered them all help and asked them not to worry about the cost of treatment. They heaved a sigh of relief when they were told that Huma would benefit by the commitment made by the hospital to Pakistan government to bear the expenses of spinal operations of five children. Over the years, Huma has learnt to cope with the disabling condition of Ostogenesis imperfecta with multiple deformities of spine and limb. With her father’s tireless efforts, Huma has succeeded in completing her postgraduation in Urdu and B.Ed. She has also used her computer skills to design and compose matter for her anthology of verses in Urdu. The book was published by Hamraaz in Pakistan. Fed up with wrong treatment by doctors in her home country, Huma and her father think that Professor Dave has been like God to them in providing relief. |
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Power pangs: Faridabad industry feels the pinch Faridabad, July 1 Then, there are about 6,000 ancillary units and most of these are engaged in manufacturing auto components. These units have an in-built ‘heat treatment’ facility, which require uninterrupted flow of power. While the large units have their own ‘heat treatment’ facilities, the majority of the medium and small scale units, which are engaged in electroplating and manufacturing steel, medicines and auto parts, need to get the job done from specialised units, which provide the heat treatment facility. If the disruption persists, then the ancillaries may not be able to provide the services required by the large and medium industry on time; and, as a result, the parent units may be forced to procure those services from units located in other parts of the country. The local ancillaries would lose out in the process, having a domino affect. According to a local entrepreneur, though most units had in-house generators, there was hardly any unit that could deploy the generator continuously for hours. Moreover, a generator affects the production tempo, leading to production cuts and loss of efficiency levels. According to the President of the Manufacturers Association, Faridabad, Mr Navdeep Chawla the power crisis had started taking a toll on the industrial and commercial activity in the district and claimed that it could lead to a huge loss, if the situation did not improve soon. Faridabad was a hub of ancillary industry and power supply was like oxygen. A team of the MAF would soon meet the senior officials of the Power Department and the district administration in this connection. The General Secretary of the Faridabad Small Industries Association (FSIA), Mr Rajiv Chawla, also expressed concern over the power scenario. He said, the delay in the arrival of Monsoon could have aggravated the problem, but the lingering of such a crisis could have far-reaching affect, especially on SSIs, which provide employment to over 1.22 lakh persons. The SSIs are the lifeline of many large and medium sized units in the region. Faridabad has 246 large and medium sized units and 11,226 small scale industries, which provide employment to 1.70 lakh persons. There are about 16 MNCs and 99 export oriented unist. Spread over 18 industrial sectors and regions, the units contribute crores to the national and state exchequer. The power cuts range between 10 and 12 hours each day. |
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Shopping malls: Footfall only, few buyers at showrooms Gurgaon, July 1 Gurgaon has four prominent malls — MGF Metropolitan,, DLF City Centre, Sahara and MGF Plaza — all in half-a-km radius. Another 20 malls are in the pipeline and are expected to be fully operational within three years. The masses do visit the malls, but not for shopping as most goods are beyond their reach, observed a showroom owner in Metropolitan Mall. More than 80% of the shops are feeling the pinch of declining sales and have started offering all kinds of concessions to the buyers. Leading retailers at DLF City Centre — Kalpana,, Planet M, Springwell Mattresses, Ethnic Home, Barista, Konica, Vivid Home Style, and Koutons — are offering major discounts to attract the customers.. However, on Saturday and Sunday, people belonging to all sections of the society throng the malls. According to a conservative estimate of an employee of Big Bazaar in Sahara Mall, more than 30,000 persons visit the malls at weekend. No wonder big companies want to showcase their products and new launches at the malls. Recently, General Motors organised a roadshow at City Centre, showcasing its newly launched cars “Chevrolet Optra” and “Opel Corsa Sail”. The cinema halls in two malls also draw crowd at weekend. On Saturday and Sunday, houses are full, whereas on weekdays the stalls are almost empty. On the fourth day of a new release starring Amitabh Bachchan in Hall no. 5 at PVR, which has a capacity of 266 seats, hardly 90 persons had come to see the movie as it was Tuesday, not Saturday or Sunday. PVR has seven halls and DT has three halls. Recently, PVR was offering one ticket free with a purchase of two. Both DT and PVR are running a limited number of shows as there are few visitors who can buy tickets priced at Rs. 150 per head. The rates and rents of different services on Saturday and Sunday are fully exploited by the managements of these malls. |
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Call for freedom of sexual choice New Delhi, July 1 Today’s demonstration was held for the immediate abrogation of the 1860 law to ‘express solidarity’ against injustice meted out to lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people who practise their orientation. The protestors, calling it as a negating of equal rights and seeking protection for all and the breach of rights as enshrined in the Constitution, said the archaic and oppressive law be repealed as it violated human rights of individuals. Demonstrating under the aegis of ‘Voices Against Section 377’, the demonstrators also spoke against the ‘silence’ around issues of sexuality and homophobia in Indian society and called upon the Central government to initiate steps to end discrimination under Section 377. Drawing the government’s attention to the petition filed by the ‘Naz India Trust’ against Section 377 in the Delhi High Court, whose next hearing falls on July 7, they asked it to ‘read down’ the Section which would imply that consensual same-sex sexual activity between adults and in private would no longer be a criminal offence. The government, on the other hand, defends the legal provision, prohibiting unnatural sexual acts, saying it has been applied to cases of assault where bodily harm is intended or caused and its deletion could open floodgates of delinquent behaviour and misconstrued as providing unchecked licence for the same. |
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Drive against sex test clinics to be intensified Gurgaon, July 1 Just a couple of days ago a team of the Health Department raided a nursing home, Rama Hospital, while its doctors were allegedly aborting a three-month-old foetus. The instruments used in the operation have been confiscated. The hospital has also been served a show-cause notice. According to the Chief Medical Officer, Gurgaon District, Mr Dharamvir Saharan, the department will take strict action against the culprits and intensify its campaign against such practices. In the past six months, the department has raided several private nursing homes and clinics and taken cognizance of about six violations of the PNDT law. The raids are a laudable step when one considers that Haryana is lagging behind the national average in male-female ratio. However, there are many who feel that the authorities can detect violations of law, if they earnestly train their eyes on the nursing homes. The popular notion is that most of the private nursing homes have formed a kind of union. They have developed an excellent intelligence network to evade detection for their violations of the law. This could be because former govt servants are running most of the private clinics or nursing homes. Also, there are a good number of serving doctors from Gurgaon and other parts of the state who have opened up private clinics and nursing homes in Gurgaon while continuing with their government assignments. So, they get prior information of impending raids. Or, in case there is a raid and a violation is detected, the case is watered down to dilute the sentence. |
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Nine auto-theft cases solved, two nabbed New Delhi, July 1 However, when the occupants were asked to produce the papers they could not provide the same. The duo were identified as Naresh, alias Babbal, alias Manjeet (29), a resident of Palwal, and Raj Kumar (26), a resident of Faridabad. During interrogation, the accused disclosed that they used to work for the Mukhtiar gang. Recently, after getting separated from the gang, they started committing auto thefts in different parts of South Delhi and Noida. They chose to operate in South Delhi, since it was easy for them to escape. |
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Notorious criminal arrested New Delhi, July 1 Based on a tip-off that the accused would be coming to Jahangir Puri to meet his contact, the police, on June 30, at around 9 pm nabbed him near the Mukarba Chowk. The accused had been absconding since 1999. The accused once submitted his fake death certificate through his wife during a trial in the Bahadur Garh court and later appeared in the same court for some other case.
Robbery cases solved With the arrest of Dalip Kumar (23), resident of Mangolpuri, the Crime Branch has claimed to have solved two cases of robbery and burglary. The sleuths also recovered a loaded pistol from his possession. The sleuths nabbed Dalip after receiving a secret information that he would be coming to Ashok Vihar area at around 10.30 pm last night.
DMA celebrates Doctor’s Day Mrs. Gursharan Kaur, wife of the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, emphasised on the need to empower girl child on the occasion of Doctor’s Day celebrated by the Delhi Medical Association (DMA) here today. Inaugurating the conference she said it was through empowerment of the girl that the country could progress. |
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Private institute seeks continuation of affiliation New Delhi, July 1 Mr. Justice S. K. Kaul issued notice, returnable on August 2, to the State Government’s Department of Training and Technical Education on a petition by Shoshan Unmoolan Parishad that runs Nanak Training Institutes at three places in the Capital. The institute moved Court after the SCVT declined to grant affiliation this year, even though it had been granting affiliation for the past 10 years and told the society to get its affiliation from the National Council for Vocational Training. Thereafter, the NCVT was approached but the national body also refused to grant affiliation on the ground of lack of infrastructure, especially space, with the institute. Continuity was sought in affiliation by the institute for the sake of thousands of students currently undergoing training in stenography, tailoring and computer applications with it.
Lajpat Nagar residents upset Rampant unauthorised constructions in Lajpat Nagar, G block, are adding to the traffic and sewerage related problems. Blaming the builders for encroachments and unauthorised constructions, the residents said building laws were being flouted with impunity. |
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Faridabad
district voters’ list being revised Faridabad, July 1 The DEO’s office will welcome queries
and suggestions, pertaining to any irregularities in the list or
problems relating to polling booths. He said the work of preparing the
fresh list of voters in all villages, residential localities, mohallas
and colonies will start from July 1 and continue till September 10.
While the initial new list will be published on September 15, the office
will continue to entertain claims and objections till October 15. Even
with regard to location of polling booths, the residents and their
associations can file claims and objections from September 18 till
October 10; the DEO’s office will dispose of all claims and objections
by Dec 1 next. |
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New Delhi, July 1 |
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