ESI hospitals face major vacancies

New Delhi : ESI hospitals across the country are facing a large number of vacancies, parliament was informed Monday.

This is due to frequent turnover of medical manpower, non-availability of technical staff and non filling up of vacancies by states, Minister of State for Labour and Employment K. Suresh told the Lok Sabha.

ESI hospitals in Andhra Pradesh accounted for the most number of medical vacancies (318) followed by Delhi region (314), Gujarat (243) and West Bengal (241).

On the paramedical front, the maximum vacancies were reported in West Bengal (955) followed by Andhra Pradesh (731), Delhi (612) and Gujarat (587).

ESI hospitals face major vacancies

New Delhi : ESI hospitals across the country are facing a large number of vacancies, parliament was informed Monday.

This is due to frequent turnover of medical manpower, non-availability of technical staff and non filling up of vacancies by states, Minister of State for Labour and Employment K. Suresh told the Lok Sabha.

ESI hospitals in Andhra Pradesh accounted for the most number of medical vacancies (318) followed by Delhi region (314), Gujarat (243) and West Bengal (241).

On the paramedical front, the maximum vacancies were reported in West Bengal (955) followed by Andhra Pradesh (731), Delhi (612) and Gujarat (587).

Musharraf sent to judicial custody for 14 days in Bhutto case

Islamabad : Former military ruler Pervez Musharraf was today sent to judicial custody for a fortnight by a Pakistani anti-terrorism court in the Benazir Bhutto assassination case.

The court in Rawalpindi had said at the last hearing that Musharraf should be produced for today's hearing but he was
not presented before the judge for security reasons, said chief prosecutor Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ali of the Federal
Investigation Agency.

Though Musharraf was remanded to judicial custody for 14 days, the 69-year-old former military strongman will be held
at his plush farmhouse at Chak Shahzad on the outskirts of Islamabad, which has been declared a 'sub-jail'.

The anti-terrorism court adjourned the case till May 14.

At the last hearing on April 26, Musharraf had been remanded to the physical custody of the FIA for four days so
that he could be questioned by investigators probing Bhutto's assassination.

Referring to the FIA's decision not to produce Musharraf in court today, chief prosecutor Ali told reporters that the
Interior Ministry has issued an order which said that the former President 'faces the highest level of security threat'.

'Due to this very reason, he was not presented in court but he was sent on judicial remand,' he said.
The FIA's joint investigation team had completed its investigation against Musharraf and gathered 'solid evidence'
that 'directly connects the accused with the commission of the offences with which he has been charged', Ali said.

'Musharraf has tried to shift liability and responsibility on others but there is solid evidence which proves he is guilty,' he said. PTI

Musharraf sent to judicial custody for 14 days in Bhutto case

Islamabad : Former military ruler Pervez Musharraf was today sent to judicial custody for a fortnight by a Pakistani anti-terrorism court in the Benazir Bhutto assassination case.

The court in Rawalpindi had said at the last hearing that Musharraf should be produced for today's hearing but he was
not presented before the judge for security reasons, said chief prosecutor Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ali of the Federal
Investigation Agency.

Though Musharraf was remanded to judicial custody for 14 days, the 69-year-old former military strongman will be held
at his plush farmhouse at Chak Shahzad on the outskirts of Islamabad, which has been declared a 'sub-jail'.

The anti-terrorism court adjourned the case till May 14.

At the last hearing on April 26, Musharraf had been remanded to the physical custody of the FIA for four days so
that he could be questioned by investigators probing Bhutto's assassination.

Referring to the FIA's decision not to produce Musharraf in court today, chief prosecutor Ali told reporters that the
Interior Ministry has issued an order which said that the former President 'faces the highest level of security threat'.

'Due to this very reason, he was not presented in court but he was sent on judicial remand,' he said.
The FIA's joint investigation team had completed its investigation against Musharraf and gathered 'solid evidence'
that 'directly connects the accused with the commission of the offences with which he has been charged', Ali said.

'Musharraf has tried to shift liability and responsibility on others but there is solid evidence which proves he is guilty,' he said. PTI

Kerala Police collect Rs.1.5 million as fine from smokers

Thiruvananthapuram : The Kerala Police have collected around Rs.1.5 million as fine after stepping up vigil in the past five months against those smoking in public places, according to information available on the website of the state police.

'A total 9,885 people were fined across 20 police districts, netting Rs.15.75 lakh (Rs. 1.57 million). For the sake of administrative convenience, 14 districts in the state have been grouped under 20 police districts,' said the website www.keralapolice.org.

The fines were collected from Oct 1 last year to Feb 28 this year.

The ban on smoking in public places was found to be most strictly enforced in Ernakulam rural where 3,793 people were fined.

Kannur district came in second with 3,172 people penalised for smoking in public places.

With no case reported in October, police consistently stepped up their vigil in Kannur and collected Rs.6.34 lakh between November and February.

The fines collected in Idukki district also showed an upward trend. From six cases of violations in the district in October, the number rose to 65 cases in February.

Sale of tobacco products to minors has also invited police action with 1,248 people fined and Rs 2.26 lakh collected from violators from across the state, according to the website.

Smoking is prohibited in public places in India under Section 4 of the provisions of the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act (COTPA) 2003.

Five killed in Thailand bridge collapse

Bangkok: At least five people were killed and 45 injured, five of them seriously, when a bridge collapsed in Thailand's central province of Ayutthaya Sunday evening, local media reported.

The 31-year-old suspension bridge, located in Tha Rua district over the Pa Sak river, collapsed in the middle as its main cables that support the deck snapped, Xinhua reported.

Many people were walking and riding by motorcycles across the 120-metre long bridge. The toll was expected to rise since more people were feared to have been trapped under the debris.

Five killed in Thailand bridge collapse

Bangkok: At least five people were killed and 45 injured, five of them seriously, when a bridge collapsed in Thailand's central province of Ayutthaya Sunday evening, local media reported.

The 31-year-old suspension bridge, located in Tha Rua district over the Pa Sak river, collapsed in the middle as its main cables that support the deck snapped, Xinhua reported.

Many people were walking and riding by motorcycles across the 120-metre long bridge. The toll was expected to rise since more people were feared to have been trapped under the debris.

Kerala Police collect Rs.1.5 million as fine from smokers

Thiruvananthapuram : The Kerala Police have collected around Rs.1.5 million as fine after stepping up vigil in the past five months against those smoking in public places, according to information available on the website of the state police.

'A total 9,885 people were fined across 20 police districts, netting Rs.15.75 lakh (Rs. 1.57 million). For the sake of administrative convenience, 14 districts in the state have been grouped under 20 police districts,' said the website www.keralapolice.org.

The fines were collected from Oct 1 last year to Feb 28 this year.

The ban on smoking in public places was found to be most strictly enforced in Ernakulam rural where 3,793 people were fined.

Kannur district came in second with 3,172 people penalised for smoking in public places.

With no case reported in October, police consistently stepped up their vigil in Kannur and collected Rs.6.34 lakh between November and February.

The fines collected in Idukki district also showed an upward trend. From six cases of violations in the district in October, the number rose to 65 cases in February.

Sale of tobacco products to minors has also invited police action with 1,248 people fined and Rs 2.26 lakh collected from violators from across the state, according to the website.

Smoking is prohibited in public places in India under Section 4 of the provisions of the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act (COTPA) 2003.

Haryana schoolboy shot dead by classmates

Rohtak : A teenaged school student was shot dead allegedly by his classmates in a town in this Haryana district Sunday, police said. A mob later went on a rampage setting a car on fire and vandalising the house of an accused.

Nitin, 15-year-old Class 10 student, was allegedly shot dead by four classmates during a religious function in Meham town, 80 km from New Delhi, early Sunday, police said.

Police officials said the killing was the fallout of an old rivalry between two groups of young boys.

'Nitin tried to save his friend Ankur who was being assaulted by the other group outside the venue of a jagran (religious function). A scuffle ensued and one of the accused brought a home-made weapon and Nitin was shot,' said a police official said.

The young boy was taken to a hospital but was declared dead by doctors.

Police arrested three of the four accused later on Sunday.

Family members and supporters of the killed boy staged angry protests outside the Meham police station and even blocked a road for some time.

Haryana schoolboy shot dead by classmates

Rohtak : A teenaged school student was shot dead allegedly by his classmates in a town in this Haryana district Sunday, police said. A mob later went on a rampage setting a car on fire and vandalising the house of an accused.

Nitin, 15-year-old Class 10 student, was allegedly shot dead by four classmates during a religious function in Meham town, 80 km from New Delhi, early Sunday, police said.

Police officials said the killing was the fallout of an old rivalry between two groups of young boys.

'Nitin tried to save his friend Ankur who was being assaulted by the other group outside the venue of a jagran (religious function). A scuffle ensued and one of the accused brought a home-made weapon and Nitin was shot,' said a police official said.

The young boy was taken to a hospital but was declared dead by doctors.

Police arrested three of the four accused later on Sunday.

Family members and supporters of the killed boy staged angry protests outside the Meham police station and even blocked a road for some time.