Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today inaugurated the state’s first trauma centre at the Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) and Hospital, Shimla. The centre has been built at a cost of Rs 33 crore.

Sukhu said that the establishment of this trauma centre would strengthen emergency services in the state and provide improved healthcare services to patients in critical situations. It had been equipped with facilities similar to those at AIIMS, New Delhi.

“The centre will utilise advanced machinery and modern technology-equipped beds for patient care. As many as 30 dedicated doctors, 80 nurses, paramedical staff and technicians have been deployed at the Trauma Centre, ensuring round-the-clock services,” he added.

Sukhu said that his government’s efforts to reform the health sector were yielding positive results. “In the first phase, the IGMC and Tanda medical college will be equipped with all modern facilities within a year. The other medical colleges will also be provided high-quality healthcare equipment,” he added.

He said that in the past one year, 720 posts of various categories had been approved for the IGMC. “The government is planning to conduct walk-in interviews for MD and senior resident doctors. Additionally, 200 new posts of doctor will soon be filled with more recruitment planned to meet international standards,” he added.

He said that an advanced MRI machine would be installed at the IGMC at a cost of Rs 27 crore and tenders had already been issued for robotic surgery equipment and CT scan machines for the state’s medical colleges. “A PET scan machine worth Rs 20 crore will be installed at the cancer hospital in the IGMC. The state government has also signed an agreement with AIIMS to streamline the procurement of medical equipment,” he added.

The Chief Minister also participated in the closing ceremony of the three-day annual programme ‘Stimulus-2024’ at the IGMC. He announced a grant of Rs 10 lakh for the students and said that Rs 5 crore each would be provided for the construction of two hostels for undergraduate students at the hospital, which would be completed within 18 months.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday inaugurated the state’s first Trauma Centre at Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMC) Shimla, built at a cost of Rs 33 crore.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said the establishment of this Trauma Centre, equipped with facilities similar to those at AIIMS in New Delhi, would strengthen emergency services in the state and provide improved healthcare services to the patients in critical situations.

“The centre will utilise advanced machinery and modern technology-equipped beds for patient care. As many as 30 doctors, 80 nurses, paramedical staff and technicians have been deployed at the Trauma Centre, ensuring round-the-clock services,” the Chief Minister added.

Sukhu said his government’s efforts to reform health sector were yielding positive results.

“In the first phase, IGMC and Tanda Medical College will be equipped with all modern facilities within a year. The other medical colleges will also be provided high-quality healthcare services,” he said.
The Chief Minister added, in the past one year, 720 posts of various categories had been approved for IGMC Shimla.

“The government is planning to conduct walk-in interviews for MD and senior resident doctors. Additionally, 200 new posts of doctors will soon be filled, with more recruitment planned to meet international standards for doctor-to-patient and doctor-to-nurse ratios,” he said.

CM Sukhu added that an advanced MRI machine would be installed at IGMC at a cost of Rs 27 crore, with tenders already issued for the procurement of robotic surgery equipment and CT scan machines for the state’s medical colleges. Additionally, a PET scan machine worth Rs 20 crore will be installed at IGMC’s Cancer hospital. The state government has also signed an agreement with AIIMS to streamline the procurement of medical equipment.

The Chief Minister also participated in the closing ceremony of the three-day annual programme ‘Stimulus-2024’ at IGMC. He announced a grant of Rs 10 lakh for the students and said that Rs 5 crore each would be provided for the construction of two hostels for undergraduate doctors at IGMC, which will be completed within 18 months.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has taken exception to Union Health Minister JP Nadda’s remarks that the Congress government in the state could not survive without the Central Government’s assistance even for a day.

He yesterday said that the revenue deficit grant and a share in taxes were the right of Himachal Pradesh and not doles. He added that the Union Minister should know that there’s a federal system in the country and the Central Government did no favour to Himachal Pradesh by extending assistance to it.

“From where does the Central Government get taxes? It gets its money by collecting taxes from states. So, the Central Government is not doing any charity, it’s the right of people and the states to get assistance from it,” Sukhu said while inaugurating a new OPD block of the Cancer Hospital in Shimla.

A few days ago, Nadda had said in a rally in the state that the Congress government was financially dependent on the Central Government. “The Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG) and our share in central taxes are our rights. So, it was inappropriate for the Union Minister to make such comments,” Sukhu added.

He said that the state government was providing funds from its own resources to improve the health infrastructure, which the BJP government had mismanaged. “The state government has allocated Rs 200 crore each to the medical colleges in Chamba and Hamirpur from its own resources. We are also recruiting doctors and nurses to provide better healthcare services to the people of the state. The Union Government is not providing these funds,” he added.

The Chief Minister said that Nadda falsely accused the state government of imposing ‘toilet’ tax. “BJP leaders have been making such allegations to influence the Haryana elections. No such tax has been imposed, yet it became a national news,” he added.

A local pilot and a tourist had a narrow escape after losing their route during a tandem paragliding flight in Bir Billing, Himachal Pradesh. The duo, pilot Ajay Thakur and tourist Yogesh, took off from Billing yesterday but failed to land at the designated site in Chogan due to bad weather and poor thermals.

Fortunately, the experienced pilot managed to land safely at an alternate location near Thathi village in Baijnath subdivision, at an altitude of 7,000 ft. The stranded pair used their mobile phones to contact volunteers from Bir Billing Paragliding Association (BPA), who launched a successful rescue operation last evening.

Official sources praised the pilot’s expertise, citing his familiarity with the challenging Dhauladhar terrain. “A major mishap was averted thanks to the pilot’s experience,” they said.

However, local travel agents and hotel owners expressed concerns about the lack of proper safety measures in place for paragliding activities in Bir Billing. “The state government has failed to ensure adequate safety protocols, making paragliding a risky affair,” they said.

The Municipal Commissioner’s Court here on Saturday directed the president of Muslim Welfare Committee and Himachal Pradesh Waqf Board to demolish the top three unauthorised floors of the mosque located at Sanjauli area in the state’s capital within two months

During the hearing of the case, the Commissioner asked the Muslim Welfare Committee and Waqf Board to bear all the expenses of the demolition.

The decision regarding the remaining two floors of the mosque will be taken on December 21.

Bhoop Singh Thakur, the advocate who is representing the Himachal Pradesh Waqf Board in the case, told mediapersons that the court has passed orders to demolish the top three floors of the mosque.

“We had already offered to demolish the unauthorised floors of the mosque on September 12 and we have no objection with the order. We are ready to demolish the unauthorised floors,” said Muhammad Latif, president, Sanjauli Mosque Committee, after the hearing of the case.
Advocate Jagat Paul, who is representing the locals, said that the Commissioner — during the hearing — said that as per the memorandum submitted by the president of Muslim Welfare Committee, they had offered to demolish two-and-a-half floors of the mosque, after which the court ordered the demolition of three unauthorised floors.

Earlier, the Commissioner also dismissed the application of the local residents of Sanjauli, who wanted to be the third party in the case, after a detailed argument.

The case that is being heard in the Commissioner’s Court since 2010 came into focus when Hindu outfits started to raise the demand of its demolition after a fight between a local and people of a minority community in Malyana.

Hindu outfits have staged massive protests in Sanjauli and across the state through which they demanded that all the illegal mosques within the state should be razed and proper verification of unidentified migrants should be ensured.

The Devbhoomi Sangharsh Samiti that has been vocal against unauthorised mosques in Sanjauli has welcomed the court’s decision. However, the committee has made it clear that their movement against the illegal mosque would continue till the structure is not demolished completely.

Bharat Bhushan, convener, Devbhoomi Sangharsh Samiti, in a press statement issued here today alleged that the entire mosque is illegal as it has been constructed on government-owned land. Therefore, the entire structure should be razed.

Now, we are waiting for the next hearing that is scheduled for December 21. We are hopeful that the decision regarding the demolition of the entire illegal structure will be taken during the next hearing,” he said.

The samiti also expressed gratitude towards two Cabinet ministers Vikramaditya Singh and Anirudh Singh for raising the issue during the monsoon session of the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly that was held during August and September.

Artistes from 21 countries will take part in this year’s International Dasehra Festival in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh’s Chief Parliamentary Secretary Sunder Singh Thakur said.

After chairing an ambassadors’ meet to discuss the participation of various countries in this year’s festival in New Delhi on Thursday, Thakur said ambassadors, excellences and heads of mission from various nations will meet Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on October 18 in Kullu to hold bilateral talks on various points of interest.

Representatives from these countries will set up stalls during the festival while cultural troupes will perform during an international folk dance festival to promote cultural exchange and foster harmony, goodwill and understanding, according to a statement issued here on Friday.

Thakur also briefed diplomats and representatives of various embassies about the event’s preparedness, including logistics and travel support to be extended to the visitors for their participation in the Dasehra festival.

An overview of the event was also provided, the statement said.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has categorically denied imposing ‘toilet tax’ in the state.

Interacting with the media in New Delhi on Friday, he said such claims are baseless and should not be used for political purposes.

He said, “In light of the Haryana elections, the BJP is either playing the religion card or raising the toilet tax issue. No one should try to politicise issues purely for political gains, especially when the allegations are far from reality,” he said.

Sukhu said that prior to the Vidhan Sabha elections in 2022, the then BJP government had introduced sops worth Rs 5,000 crore, including provision of free water (in rural areas) in a bid to get votes. Despite these measures, the people of the state voted in favour of the Congress, he added.

He said free water was being provided to even five-star hotels, adding that the current government had taken steps to rationalise the water subsidy and decided to impose minimal charges of Rs 100 per connection per month in rural areas.

As a child, Pinki Haryan, along with her parents, begged on the streets and scavenged for food in garbage dumps in McLeodganj. Twenty years and a medical degree later, she is now burning the midnight oil to clear an exam that will make her eligible to practise medicine.

It was in 2004 when Lobsang Jamyang, a Tibetan refugee monk and the director of Dharamshala-based charitable trust, spotted Haryan begging. Days later, he visited the slum cluster at Charan Khud and recognised the girl.

Then began the uphill task of convincing her parents, especially her father Kashmiri Lal, to let her pursue education. After hours of persuasion, Lal agreed.

Haryan got admission into the Dayanand Public School at Dharamshala and was among the first batch of students at a hostel for destitute children set up by the charitable trust in 2004.

Ajay Srivastava, president of NGO Umang Foundation, who has been associated with Jamyang for 19 years, said initially, Haryan missed her home and parents but kept her focus on studies, which she realised was her ticket out of poverty.

Soon enough, the results were proof of her dedication.

She passed the senior secondary examination and also cleared the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate) for admission to undergraduate medical courses, Srivastava said.
However, the doors of private medical colleges remained shut for her due to the exorbitant fees. With the help of the Tong-Len Charitable Trust in the United Kingdom, she got admission to a prestigious medical college in China in 2018 and has returned to Dharamshala recently after completing her MBBS, Srivastava said.

After a wait of 20 years, Haryan is a qualified doctor raring to serve the destitute and give them a better life.

“Poverty was the biggest struggle since childhood. It was painful to see my family in distress. As I got into school, I had an ambition to become successful in life,” Haryan told PTI.

“As a child, I lived in a slum so my background was my biggest motivation. I wished for a good and financially stable life,” she added.

Sharing a childhood memory, Haryan recalled that during her school admission interview as a four-year-old, she expressed her ambition to become a doctor.

“At that point in time, I had no idea what work a doctor does, but I always wanted to help my community,” said Haryan, who is preparing for the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) to become eligible to practise medicine in India.

Haryan, whose brother and sister have enrolled in a school after drawing inspiration from her, credited Jamyang for her “slum-dweller to doctor” success story.

“He (Jamyang) had a vision to help the destitute and poor children. He was the biggest support system I had while I was in school. His belief in me was a big inspiration to do well,” she said, adding that there were several others like her who have made it big in life due to the support from the trust.

Meanwhile, Jamyang said he had set up the trust in the hope of imparting basic education to the destitute children so that they can lead a respectful life.

“I did not realise that these children were so full of talent… They have become role models and are inspiring others,” he said.

Srivastava said Jamyang believes that children should not be treated as “machines to earn money”. Instead, he says that they should be encouraged to become good human beings.

“He has dedicated his entire life to the children living in slums. Several of them, who once languished in the streets, were adopted by him and have today become engineers, doctors and journalists,” Srivastava said.

Having rested for about 10 days following ill health, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today addressed an election meeting in poll-bound Haryana. Sukhu remained confined to his residence for 10 days but attended to official work and met ministers, MLAs and officers.

Sukhu had to cancel his tour of Jammu and Kashmir on September 23 after he was suddenly taken ill. He is likely to leave for New Delhi after the campaign in Haryana.

Before leaving for Haryana, the Chief Minister said that the BJP was trying to mislead voters in Haryana by making false claims that the Congress had not fulfilled the guarantees it had made to the people of Himachal before to the 2022 Assembly elections. “We have already fulfilled the first guarantee of restoring the old pension scheme (OPS),” he added.

He said that his government had given the minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 30 for maize and Rs 40 per kg for organically grown crops. “If my government had not done good work, the people of the state would not have given six of the nine Assembly seats, on which byelections were held, to the Congress,” he claimed.

The Chief Minister said that there was no communal tension in the state and the people of all religions, regions, castes and communities were living in peace and harmony. “It is absolutely wrong on the part of some people to try to get political mileage by fanning communal tension,” he alleged.