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July 24, 2006
Strict conversion rules in the offing in Madhya Pradesh
INDIA NEWS, JULY 22, 2OO6
Bhopal - People in Madhya Pradesh opting for conversion will now have to inform district officials about their decision a month in advance or else face at least three years’ imprisonment, according to the proposed amendments to the state’s Freedom of Religion Act.
The amendments, already approved at a recent cabinet meeting, are soon going to become a law in the state, official sources said.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the necessary bill is likely to be presented in the current session of the state assembly that ends July 28.
‘Yes, a bill to amend the Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act might be presented in the assembly’s current session,’ Chouhan told IANS.
‘The existing law provides that a person should inform the district authority within a month of changing his religion but as per the new provision in the offing, he will now have to inform one month in advance,’ said a senior minister.
‘Also the religious head who would conduct the ‘conversion proceedings’ would have to inform the district administration 15 days in advance.’
On the alleged harassment of Christians in the state, Chouhan said strict action would be taken whenever such cases are reported.
‘There is no harassment; justice is meted out to all. There is no discrimination on the grounds of religion or community,’ he said.
However, protesting the proposed bill, the Madhya Pradesh Christian Association alleged that the government was trying to interfere with the religious freedom of minorities.
Indira Iyengar, president of the association, said the government was bringing amendments to the anti-conversion bill to encourage communal forces.
She urged Governor Balram Jakhar to return the bill when it reaches him.
Iyenger denied allegations that Christian missionaries in the state were converting tribals forcibly.
‘The community is being implicated in false cases. It is facing increasing attacks - over two dozens this year alone - by Hindu outfits mostly on false charges of converting tribals to Christianity.’
‘We are worried about the increasing number of attacks,’ said Anand Muttungal, spokesperson of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Madhya Pradesh.
‘I fail to understand why law enforcement agencies are not acting against the perpetrators.’
The governor too is reported to have written six letters to the state government seeking investigation into the reports of violence.
The home department, however, has either given a clean chit to the attackers or denied that the incidents ever took place, the minority organisations allege.
Posted by bhola at 08:55 PM | Comments (0)
July 18, 2006
Bird flu vaccine offers protection above 90%, immune response good
R. PRASAD, THE HINDU, JULY 18 2006
Bhopal laboratory is now studying the duration of protection
# Vaccine tested for safety, other parameters
# Little chance of bird flu after vaccination
CHENNAI: The development of an avian influenza vaccine by the Bhopal-based High Security Animal Disease Laboratory brings India on a par with China, Pakistan, Indonesia and Thailand. The vaccine, which uses killed H5N1 virus, can be used during a H5N1 bird flu outbreak, says H.K. Pradhan, Joint Director of the laboratory.
The immune response is good and the protection offered by the vaccine has been found to be above 90 per cent. The laboratory is now studying the duration of protection. ``According to the literature, the immunity [protection] can last up to six months," says Dr. Pradhan. It can be further increased with a booster dose. This aspect is being investigated.
The vaccine has been tested for safety, dosage, adjuvant and the route of inoculation. ``We found the intra-muscular [route] to be better." There is little chance of bird flu occurring after vaccination as the vaccine uses a killed virus to elicit good immune response.
Homologous vaccine
The vaccine developed is a homologous one. It is considered superior to the heterologous vaccine, in which other viruses similar to H5N1 are used to control the spread of the virus.
The vaccine was developed in a short duration because the laboratory has been working on bird flu for the last six years. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research entrusted the job to the laboratory after the first outbreak in India this February and it was completed 10-15 days ago.
"We had the viruses collected during this year's outbreak and the cell lines taken five years ago," says Dr. Pradhan.
The vaccine can be used immediately after an outbreak to control the spread of the virus as well as for vaccination in anticipation of an outbreak. However, vaccination before an outbreak is generally not advisable as the vaccine has its own limitations.
Ideally, poultry in a five-km radius of the place of outbreak has to be killed and vaccination done on birds in a 5-10 km radius or more.
"This is called the ring vaccination."
The cost and the licensing of the technology for commercial production are yet to be worked out, says Dr. Pradhan.
Posted by bhola at 05:47 AM | Comments (0)
July 15, 2006
Madhya Pradesh nursing home fined for negligence
INDO ASIAN NEWS SERVICE, JULY 14, 2006
Bhopal, July 14 (IANS) A private nursing home in Bhopal and two of its doctors have been asked by the Madhya Pradesh Consumer forum to pay a Rs.100,000 fine for alleged post-operative negligence resulting in the death of a patient.
Phool Chand Soni admitted his wife Sarla to Ayushman Hospital following swelling in her uterus and respiratory trouble.
'Investigations revealed a tumour in her uterus. Since the tumour was not malignant and the possibility of cancer was ruled out, the doctors advised that an operation would cure her. She was operated on May 20 by Maya Pathak of the hospital, and Ravi Gupta of Sanjeevani Hospital also attended to her', said Soni in his complaint to the forum.
While some of the stitches were taken off after 12 days of the operation, the patient was told that the rest of the stitches would be taken off later. But Soni alleged that the nurse took off the stitches the next day, which led to pus formation in the area of surgery.
When this was brought to Pathak's knowledge, she said there was nothing serious and the wound would cure in two-three days. Despite Sarla's worsening condition, she was discharged from the hospital June 16.
She was then taken to another hospital where she was detected to be suffering from bacterial infection and she died July 22.
The tribunal said that the patient had died of bacterial infection due to lack of post-operative care and it held the hospital and the doctors involved in the operation responsible for Sarla's death.
It ordered them to pay a compensation of Rs. 100,000 to the family of the deceased either jointly or separately within 30 days, failing which they will be liable to pay interest at the rate of nine percent to the kin of the deceased.
Posted by bhola at 12:30 AM | Comments (0)
July 13, 2006
Madhya Pradesh imposes total ban on cow slaughter
Bhopal, July 13 (UNI): The Madhya Pradesh government has imposed total ban on slaughter of cow progeny, including bulls and oxen.
The State Cabinet at its meeting presided over by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan here yesterday decided to amend the MP Agricultural cattle protection Act 1959.
Henceforth, only buffaloes could be slaughtered with certain conditions. The earlier provision for slaughter of cow, calf, bull and oxen with permission from comptetent authority had been scrapped, official sources said.
Posted by bhola at 10:39 AM | Comments (0)
People lose limbs for insurance money they never get
SANJAY SHARMA, INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE, JULY 12, 2006
Jabalpur, July 12 (IANS) A racket involving doctors, lawyers and cops who conned people into losing their limbs by promising them insurance money has surfaced in Madhya Pradesh.
According to the police, about a dozen people who were victimised by the 'gang' have been identified.
Bhoura Prajapati, 35, was undergoing treatment for a leg allergy at the government hospital in Jabalpur, about 300 km from state capital Bhopal, when he was approached by a person who advised him to go to a private hospital.
Prajapati was also told that he would get Rs.10,000 from the government if he complained that an unidentified vehicle had hit him.
'When they came to me and told me about better treatment and compensation money from the government, I thought it was a godsend opportunity. Now I realise that I was trapped,' said a despondent Prajapati.
'I was taken to the private hospital for treatment and given an injection at night. When I woke up in the morning I saw my leg had been amputated. The private hospital is also part of the fraud,' he claimed.
Informed sources said people involved in the racket used to get in touch with those undergoing treatment in government hospitals, befriend them and then advise them to go in for supposedly better treatment for which they would pay.
Once a person agreed to opt for treatment at a private facility, he was admitted and asked to sign a complaint that he had been hit by an unknown vehicle. People were told this was necessary so as to get compensation from the insurance firm.
Policemen involved in the scam would then act with uncharacteristic alacrity, finding the unidentified vehicle with promptness because it actually belonged to one of the gang members. Now a third party claim was put up with the insurance company with a lawyer's help.
The claim money obtained was shared among the culprits, leaving the victim to fend for himself.
Another victim, Sarwan, 48, too said he was lured by the promise of better treatment and compensation amount. He too fell into the trap and had to pay with his right leg.
In all, eight such cases have come to light, police sources said.
Insurance company officials said that they investigate thoroughly before a claim is settled but pointed out that claimants often challenged 'unfavourable' decision in court and succeed in getting orders in their favour on the basis of the 'managed' legal and medical documents.
'If the medical and legal documents are complete and approved by the court, we have no option but to pay,' said R.S. Vaidyanath, divisional manager of Oriental Insurance Co.
Jabalpur Bar Association president R.K. Singh Saini admitted that a few lawyers were involved in the scam.
'Notices have been sent to these lawyers and strict action will be taken if they fail to submit a satisfactory reply,' Saini told IANS.
Posted by bhola at 10:37 AM | Comments (0)
July 11, 2006
Bhopal lab develops bird flu vaccine
XINHUA NEWS, BHOPAL, JULY 11, 2006
The High Security Animal Disease Laboratory in Bhopal of India has developed a vaccine for avian flu, reports local newspaper The Pioneer, Tuesday.
The vaccine was developed following the outbreak of avian influenza in certain parts of western Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra, early this year, the newspaper said, quoting official source.
Field trials have shown positive results so far. Formal announcement about the record achievement would be made in a week.
The Agriculture Ministry of India last March provided 80 million rupees (about 1.8 million U.S. dollars) to develop the vaccine.
Posted by bhola at 01:41 PM | Comments (0)
July 04, 2006
Madhya Pradesh: Hindu extremists burn down Pentecostal church
ASIA NEWS, JULY 3, 2006
This is the second place of worship to be destroyed in the same district. Bibles found inside were also burned. The Catholic Church has expressed solidarity and concern about what happened.
Bhopal (AsiaNews) – A group of fanatical Hindus have set a Pentecostal Church on fire in Madhya Pradesh, destroying bibles that were inside and threatening to kill the pastor. The incident took place during the afternoon on 30 June in Shivani, in the southern district of Harda.
The extremists broke into the place of worship with torches in hand and set fire to a table which had 150 bibles and hymn books on it. The pastor of the church, Jaidi Khan, escaped unharmed, but he was powerless to stop the razing of the church, which happened shortly afterwards.
“We are worried about the number of attacks that are taking place in Madhya Pradesh. It is to be noted that in the past few months, they have increased, to the extent that extremists raped two young women to force them to abandon their Christian faith,” said Fr Anand Muttungal, spokesperson for the Catholic Bishops Conference.
“However, persecution has always strengthened faith and Christian communities: we will stand together to fight this violence.”
The Archbishop of Bhopal, Mgr Pascal Topno, expressed “shock and dismay” over the incident, but urged the community not to lose the courage that has characterised it for so many years.
A.P. Meman, a member of the Council of Indian Christians, said: “The Union Minister for Minority Affairs has been approached to send an investigating team to Madhya Pradesh to discover who is responsible for the burning down of the second church in the same district.”
Posted by bhola at 12:20 AM | Comments (0)
July 01, 2006
No rains despite frog marriages
SANJAY SHARMA, INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE
Bhopal, July 1 (IANS) The bride and groom are dressed, sprinkled with turmeric and vermilion and taken in a procession to the nearest pond for their 'honeymoon' with fervent prayers that the amphibian marriage would bring much-needed rain. But no showers are anywhere in sight in Madhya Pradesh.
This is the scene in Chhindwara district where villagers are busy organising and attending the weddings of frogs.
'Frog weddings are a tradition here. These weddings are being held in some village or the other in the district because of the monsoon being delayed,' said a villager.
People in rural Chhindwara, 300 km from Bhopal, and in several other parts of the state believe that it will rain if they 'please' the frogs by getting them married.
'Even in this hi-tech era, we have a strong belief in this tradition. It may seem like superstition. But once we perform the weddings we get good rains,' Kukku Bai, former president of the Khapa village council, told IANS on telephone.
A frog marriage was performed in the village Wednesday.
A mahurat (auspicious time) is first set for the wedding. The bride and groom are then dressed in clothes dipped in turmeric. Villagers sprinkle the 'couple' with turmeric and vermilion and then take them out in a procession.
Three women release the couple into a nearby pond at the end of the wedding. Prayers are recited and flowers showered into the pond. The couple is left to begin the 'honeymoon' and the village is hopeful the effort will bring on the rains. So far, however, the ritual has not led to rains.
That has not hit the expectations anyway. The entire village is invited to the ritual.
'We are all agriculture-dependent people and this is the time to start farming. So for a good crop we need good rains, and for that we perform frog marriages,' said Beni Prasad, a farmer from village Khapa.
'For ages now we have followed the belief that if we perform these weddings we will have a good monsoon. If we get the frogs wedded, then Varuna, the god of the oceans, will bless us with rains,' he stated.
'We have performed the wedding and are hopeful that rains will soon lash our village,' said Parvati Bai, a villager.
Similar rituals have been performed in Chandangaon, Baredi, Ramakona, Borgaon, Pipla and other villagers to please the rain gods.
The weatherman has predicted that the monsoon is likely to hit the state Sunday.
In June, Chhindwara had only 34 mm rainfall, whereas the normal requirement for sowing crops is 100 mm of rain.
'This is the first time in the past 30 years that the rains have been so scanty throughout June,' said C.K. Jain, an official of the agriculture department.
Posted by bhola at 11:07 AM | Comments (0)