Bihar stampede: Action against 8 docs
Patna: After a crackdown against four senior officials for the Dussehra day stampede in Bihar that claimed 33 lives in Patna, it’s now the turn of eight doctors to face the music for neglecting their duties, an official said Tuesday. The action comes two days after Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi visited the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) to meet the stampede victims and found that doctors, including the hospital superintendent, were unavailable. The chief minister was shocked to witness the bad condition of the hospital which was dirty. Following his visit, the health department has decided to take action against the doctors. Health Minister Ramdhani Singh Monday night ordered the suspension of PMCH Superintendent Lakhendra Prasad, who was not present in the hospital during Manjhi’s surprise visit. The doctors from the surgery, orthopaedics and urology departments and four other units in-charge are likely to be transferred, said an official of the health department. “As the health minister has ordered the action against them, the formal notice will be issued any time Tuesday,” the health official said, adding the action against the doctors was taken amid Manjhi’s clear stand to punish those who neglect thier duties. Earlier, Manjhi told reporters: “The doctors were not on duty. I interacted with the stampede victims and other patients. Eighty percent of the prescribed medicines were unavailable and were bought from outside. Only injections are given in the hospital.” (IANS)
Retirement age of scientists may be raised to 62 years
New Delhi: The retirement age of scientists may be raised from 60 to 62 years to help put their acumen to an extended use. Indications in this regard were given by Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh here. “The government is seriously thinking of enhancing the reitrement age of the scientists to 62. The kind of acumen they achieve by the time they reach the age of 60 should be put to use for another two years. We would seriously work on the feasibility of this proposal,” he said. He, however, clarified that the proposal to increase the age of scientists was limited to his ministries. Besides Science and Technology, Singh is in-charge of Earth Sciences, Departments of Atomic Energy and Space and Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions. He is also MoS PMO. Singh added that the proposal of increasing the age of scientists is being deliberated as it requires approvals from different ministries to take the “positive steps”. Currently, the age of Central government employees is 60. Many scientists serve in different ministries other than core sciences. (PTI)
Eight pilgrims killed as bus falls into river in Maharashtra
Machilipatnam (AP): Eight devotees from Andhra Pradesh were killed on Tuesday and 20 others injured when a private bus fell into a river near Solapur district of Maharashtra, officials said. The mishap took place in the wee hours when the victims, all belonging to Machilipatnam town of Krishna district in AP, were returning from a pilgrimage at Shirdi and were proceeding towards Pandaripuram in Maharashtra, Krishna District Collector Raghunandana Rao said. The driver of the bus, carrying about 50 passengers lost control over the vehicle while negotiating a turn, he said. According to the Collector, a special aircraft has been arranged by the Andhra Pradesh government to airlift bodies from Solapur to Gannavaram airport by this evening. The injured have been shifted to nearby hospitals. The deceased were identified as Ch Panduranga Rao (60), M Jaganmohan Rao (57), Lakshmi (45), P Lakshi(55), N.Lakshmikumari (50), Ch Seshumani(45), G Venkateswaramma(45) and Reshma (20). All the victims hail from Chilakalapudi in Machilipatnam town. Further details are awaited. (PTI)
Two schemes for overseas Indians to be merged
New Delhi: India is working on a new scheme that will merge the People of Indian Origin (PIO) and Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) schemes, an official statement said Tuesday. The move follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement on consular and visa issues during his address at the Madison Square Garden in New York Sep 28, while he was on a five-day sojourn to the US. In his address, Modi had said the government will join the PIO and OCI schemes for the diaspora and a new scheme would be announced soon. According to a gazette notification issued Sep 30, all PIO cards are now valid for the lifetime of the card holder, instead of 15 years. “…the ministry of home affairs has issued instructions that PIO cardholders would not be required to report to a police station even if their visit to India exceeds 180 days,” the statement said. The statement added that instructions have also been issued to embassies and consulates that unless there are exceptional circumstances, visas to US nationals should normally be given for 10 years. “Systems are in place to introduce visa on arrival for US tourists in October itself,” the statement said. (IANS)
Vadra’s name raked up to draw ‘political gains’: Congress
Chandigarh: Congress on Tuesday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for raking up the issue of land deal involving Robert Vadra, accusing Modi of trying to draw “political gains” by “defaming” Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law before Assembly polls in Haryana. The party claimed that the land deal issue, raised by Modi in Hisar rally yesterday, would not “harm” it in the polls. “The name of Robert Vadra was taken (by Narendra Modi) just to take advantage during Assembly polls (in Haryana) by defaming him (Vadra) by way of raising land deal issues. “Actually, they (BJP) had nothing against Vadra,” Congress spokesman and former Union minister Rajiv Shukla said while addressing media here today. He was responding to queries on Modi’s statement in Hisar asking Election Commission to take note of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda approving the land deal between Vadra and DLF, alleging that it was done hastily as the Congress faced “certain defeat” in the October 15 polls. He claimed that Haryana government did not give any undue advantage to Vadra. Taking a dig at Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhra Raje, Shukla claimed that she had also raised land deals involving Vadra in Rajasthan during Assembly polls. “Now 11 months have passed (since Assembly polls in Rajasthan), what had she (Raje) done (with regard to land deals involving Vadra),” Shukla asked. Asked whether the land issue raked up by Modi ahead of polls would have any bearing on prospects of Congress candidates, Shukla said, “I do not think, it (Vadra issue) will go against Congress candidates at all. (PTI)