2 killed, attack on BJP leader in UP
Sambhal (UP): Two persons were murdered and a local BJP leader was attacked in separate incidents in the city, police said here on Saturday. District president of BJP Yuva Morcha (youth wing of BJP) was attacked by some unidentified persons Friday in Chandausi area, police said. Sudhir Malhotra was attacked when he was returning home last night, police said, adding that he sustained injuries. He is stated to be out of danger, they said. In another incident, Mukeem (30) was allegedly stabbed to death by Iliyas and his accomplices in Nala locality when he was returning home after having dinner last night, police said. The reason behind the murder is stated to be old enmity, they said. In a separate case reported from Sikandarpur Sarai village in Hayat Nagar area, Rifazul (35) was found murdered in his field yesterday. His family members suspect a land dispute to be behind the killing, police said. No arrests have been made so far, however, police have lodged FIRs in these cases. (PTI)
‘Reconstruction plan for Kedarnath shrine’
Dehradun: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat on Saturday announced an elaborate reconstruction and rehabilitation programme for Kedarnath shrine and surrounding areas including erecting protective walls around the famed temple. The reconstruction plan will be carried out in two phases, the Chief Minister told reporters on his return from a visit to the Himalayan shrine and areas close to it which bore the brunt of last year’s natural calamity in Uttarakhand. “We can’t wait any longer. Our objective is to protect the shrine from any perceived threat of floods,” Rawat said. An inner wall and an outer wall will be erected around the shrine to guard it against any natural calamity and the work will begin in the next 4-5 days, he said. Besides this, the plan also includes rechannelising Mandakini and Saraswati rivers immediately and rebuilding a new township at Linchauli, located at a distance of 4-5 km from the Himalayan shrine. The PWD and irrigation departments have been assigned the task of rechannelising the rivers, he said. The Chief Minister said he has also initiated talks with stakeholders to explore whether the annual char dham yatra can be conducted throughout the year considering its potential to boost tourism. The proposal was pending since N D Tiwari’s tenure as chief minister, he said. However, he clarified that he had no intentions to break with the centuries old traditions in this regard and any progress will be made only with the consent of all stakeholders. (PTI)
Documentary on economic, health impact of tobacco
New Delhi: In a bid to highlight the harmful impact of tobacco use, the ministry of health and family welfare along with the World Lung Foundation has unveiled a documentary that shows the effect of tobacco on the lives of Indian citizens. The documentary named “The Price We Pay”, launched on the eve of World Tobacco day (May 31), features interviews of several victims of tobacco-related diseases. Patients and their families speak about how poverty can inflict a family when the main breadwinner dies due to such diseases. The Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS-India) identifies that 27.5 crore people consume tobacco in India. The four minute video also calls for increased taxes on tobacco to check tobacco use and to implement strong tobacco control policies such as hard-hitting graphic health warnings. Speaking on the occasion, Nandita Murukutla, country director, World Lung Foundation said: “The ministry of health and family welfare continues to be a strong ally in the fight against tobacco in India and the new film gives them another way to counter the misconception that tobacco use is benign”. (IANS)
Modi asks countrymen to say ‘no’ to tobacco
New Delhi: On the occasion of World Tobacco Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday asked the countrymen to say ‘no’ to tobacco and lay the foundation of a healthier India. “On World No Tobacco Day, lets pledge to spread awareness on the risks of tobacco consumption & work to reduce tobacco consumption in India,” he tweeted. “Tobacco not only affects those consuming it but also people around. By saying ‘no’ to tobacco, let us lay the foundation of a healthier India,” he added. Painting a grim picture of the loss caused by tobacco consumption, a recent statement by the health ministry had put the total economic costs attributable to all diseases caused by it in India in 2011 at a staggering Rs 1,04,500 crore. The figure of 1.04 crore was more than the combined expenditure incurred in 2011 by the Central and state governments on health care, it had said. (PTI)
Girl’s brilliance with spade and pen alike
Ranchi: Lauding Julia Minz for cracking into top 10 in the Class XII examination notwithstanding supplementing her family’s income through manual labour, Jharkhand HRD Minister Geetashree Oraon today assured her all support for higher studies. “It’s a big achievement. Incredible! Other girls will definitely take inspiration from her feat,” Oraon told PTI here today. Minz, a resident of Bero, about 40 km from Ranchi, accomplished ninth position (Arts) among the top 10 in the state when Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) announced the Plus-II examination results yesterday. “The girl overcame her father’s death early in life and focused on studies. She deserves kudos. I told JAC yesterday to explore how we can extend support to children from the weaker section in future,” the minister said. “Our social welfare department will ponder over how to help financially the weaker sections of the society to help them carry forward their studies,” she said. Besides pursuing her studies, Minz reportedly worked with her mother as a manual labourer in Bero block of Ranchi district to supplement the family’s earnings. (PTI)
Woman sells newborn daughter
Kolkata: Forced by abject poverty, a woman sold her newborn daughter for Rs.13,000 to a childless couple in West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district, an official said Saturday. The baby born May 25 has been now rescued and is in the care of the district Child Welfare Committee. “The mother is a slum dweller and begs for a living. She sold the newborn – her fourth child – for Rs. 13,000. After we got to know about it, we traced the baby and she is now under the care of CWC,” an official of the district social welfare department told. “While the mother, and the couple who bought the child have not been arrested, we have submitted a report about the incident to the district administration which may take suitable action,” added the official. (IANS)