Whistleblowers can get security from govt
New Delhi: Whistleblowers or people exposing corruption can get security from the government, the Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday. The government has authorised Chief Vigilance Officers (CVOs) of ministries or departments of the central government as designated authority to receive any written complaint or disclosure on any allegation of corruption or misuse of office in respect of any employee working under them. If the designated authority in the ministries or departments, either on the application of the complainant, or on the basis of the information gathered, is of the opinion that the complainant needs protection, the designated authority shall take up the matter with the Central Vigilance Commission for issuing appropriate directions to the authorities concerned, it said. “The Commission, after receipt of such reference from the designated authority, takes up the matter with the Ministry of Home Affairs, the nodal agency, to undertake the responsibility of providing security cover to the genuine whistleblowers,” Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Jitendra Singh said in a written reply. The Home Ministry, in turn, asks individual state governments to examine the threat and provide security cover, if needed, he said. “On the advice of Ministry of Home Affairs, state governments have appointed nodal officers in respective states and details about these officers have been communicated to the Commission for referring the matters to them,” the Minister said. (PTI)
Three-year-old kid brutally beaten by home tutor
Kolkata: The police is on the lookout for a middle-aged woman home tutor who is accused of brutally beating a three-year-old kid, the police said. The incident came to light on Wednesday morning after a CCTV footage showed the tutor mercilessly beating the kid in a Lake Town home. “We have received a complaint and are on a lookout for her,” Officer in Charge of Lake Town Police station Ashok Sen said. According to the complaint lodged by the kid’s family, the tutor was given appointment just a few days back. The tutor later apologised and requested the kid’s family not to inform the police. But later on, her husband came and threatened them not to lodge a complaint, forcing the family to file a police complaint later. (PTI)
Take stock of encephalitis situation in WB: Member to govt
New Delhi: The issue of people dying in West Bengal due to encephalitis echoed in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday with some members alleging the state government was not doing much to control the situation. Raising the issue during Zero Hour, BJP member from Darjeeling S S Ahluwalia said the state government was not doing anything even as many people were dying. The government should set up a high-powered committee to look into the matter and also send a special medical team to the state, he said. Congress member Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said many people have died and many more are infected. There is not enough medical facilities to deal with the situation, the member said.Urging the Union Health Ministry to take stock of the situation in West Bengal, he said the state government was “apathetic” on the matter. Trinamool Congress member Sultan Ahmed said the state government has taken up the encephalitis matter seriously. Jagdambika Pal (BJP) drew the attention of the government to the growing problem of the disease in eastern Uttar Pradesh. (PTI)
Minor boy crushes two persons to death
Ahmedabad: Two persons were killed and four others injured on Wednesday when a 14-year-old boy allegedly ran his car on them when they were sleeping on a footpath here, police said. “A minor boy crushed down two persons and injured four others in the wee hours today while they were sleeping on the footpath at Vaghjibhai’s chwal in Danilimda locality, after he lost control over the speeding car,” M F Sheikh, police inspector, Danilimda police station said. The victims were identified as Salim Rashidkhan Pathan (40) and Rashida Munshifa Sheikh (40) from Danilimda area and were labourers, he said. “Soon after the accident, the boy ran away from the spot, but was later nabbed by the police. He was driving a Hyundai I-20,” Sheikh said. Injured persons were admitted at a nearby hospital, while the bodies of the deceased have been for post-mortem. Further probe has been initiated, he said, adding that the boy’s parents are also being interrogated. (PTI)