Monitoring committee reports

Private Hospitals reluctant to give free treatment to poor

Delhi Government constituted Monitoring Committee of which I am a member has inspected Maharaja Agarsen Hosital, Punjabi Bagh and Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Karol Bagh on Saturday 10.12.2011. At the time of inspection, only six EWS patients against 38 EWS beds were admitted in Maharaja Agarsen Hospital. All these six EWS patients were referred by the Government Hospitals. The Committee advised the hospital to appoint a social worker to increase the number of patients in the I.P.D. and O.P.D under free category. In Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, the Committee found that 65 EWS patients against 68 EWS beds were admitted. The Committee observed, "Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in general is doing a good job for the EWS patients and the Nodal Officer in particular is doing an excellent job. The Monitoring Committee expects that the good work is continued."

During the inspections, it has been observed that barring very few hospitals, all other hospitals are reluctant to provide free treatment to EWS patients. In one of the recent cases, a EWS patient was referred by Hindu Rao Hospital to Sunder Lal Charitable Hospital, Ashok Vihar for free treatment but the Hospital denied treatment on the pretext that the patient did not have BPL card (BPL card is not a legal requirement. What required is that the family income should not more than Rs.6422/- per month and the patient or his or her relative has to simply declare it on the declaration form required to be supplied by the Hospital. In case, a patient is referred to private hospital for free treatment by a government hospital, the government hospital gets such declaration filled up and send it to private hospital along with the patient). Sunder Lal Hospital by denying free treatment to the patient has committed contempt of the Hon’ble High Court and a petition in this regard would be filed soon by the Social Jurist, A Civil Rights Group on whose petition the High Court issued directives for providing totally free treatment to the EWS patients by all the 43 identified private hospitals to the extent of 10 IPD & 25 % OPD. There are around 800 free beds in these 43 private hospitals with state of art facilities which need to be optimally utilized for the benefit of the poor of this country.
Ashok Agarwal, Advocate 
(M-09811101923)
Contact at juristashok@gmail.com

A special report on sports related facial injuries

Alarming rise in Ludhiana
Survey conducted by Dr. H.S.Sethi
Ludhiana//10th December, 2011//Shalu Arora
Sports– related facial injuries have been found to be on an alarming rise in the recent past. This was reported based on a survey conducted by Dr. Harsimran Singh Sethi of the Department of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry, Christian Dental College, CMC Ludhiana. The study was carried out under the able guidance of Prof (Mrs).Namita Singh and Prof. Abi M. Thomas.
The survey conducted among 2000 athletically active school children aged 8 – 11 years selected from various schools of Ludhiana revealed a sports related facial injury occurrence of 26.65%.The survey further found that out of the 1162 injuries encountered among 533 injured participants, 55% involved bruising of face followed by dental injuries (30%) and cuts (15%). It was seen that 14% of the involved participants suffered dental (teeth) injuries including fractured, loosened and completely knocked out teeth.
Teeth are supposed to be the hardest structure of the whole body and an injury especially to the front teeth creates a feeling of symbolic loss which the child has to carry on with him for the rest of the lifetime. So the doctors recommend use of properly fitting dentist-made protective equipment i.e. mouthguards especially among children involved in high risk contact sports. The doctors further recommended the sports instructors in the schools to make the children and the parents aware of such protective devices so that the incidence of such injuries can be reduced or at least decreased in severity and the children can safely enjoy the healthy benefits of sports activities.
In another study conducted by Dr. Rajesh Kumar, Assistant Professor, Christian Dental College, to know the awareness of school teachers to manage injuries happening to the oral structures in the schools,it was found that nearly 90% of the teachers were not aware of the first aid treatment in such cases.
Following this, Dr. Rajesh Kumar and others did a commendable job of educating teachers and physical health instructors of 10 schools in Ludhiana in the first aid management of such injuries including sports injuries.
According to Dr. Laxman Kumar, Associate Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, “any trauma which involves facial region, if not attended in time, will have long term effects in appearance and in function (chewing and speech)”.
Dr. Abi M. Thomas, Principal, Christian Dental College emphasized that after first aid treatment, it is very important to refer the patient to a specialized dental setup like Christian Dental College, where a highly qualified team of specialist dental personnel’s is available for management of such cases including specialists in other areas of dental concern.

Workshop on Common Eye Disorders

100 General Practitioners attended the workshop
Ludhiana//9th December,2011//Shalu Arora and Rector Kathuria

The Department of Ophthalmology, Christian Medical College & Hospital, Ludhiana organized a Workshop on Common Eye Disorders in the Hospital Auditorium on 9th December 2011 in collaboration with CBM, an International NGO. Approximately 100 General Practitioners from NIMA (National Integrated Medical Association) and AIIMA (All India Integrated Medical Association) along with others attended the workshop.
Giving information regarding this workshop, Dy.Medical Superintendent and Head of the Eye dept. Dr.Nitin Batra said the focus was on the Awareness and Primary management of Common Eye Disorders like Diabetic Retinopathy, Pediatric Cataract, Computer Vision Syndrome, Glaucoma and Lids and Ocular Surface Disorders.
The chief guest, Dr. Kim J. Mammen, Associate Director, CMCL, welcomed the guests and, encouraged them to participate in similar workshops in the future. The guest of Honor Dr. Kanwal Masih, Medical Superintendent,CMCL, acknowledged the spirit of the participants.

Parents moved a petition against an unaided school

Hearing on Monday December 12, 2011

Parents through Advocate Ashok Agarwal have today moved a petition before the Delhi High Court seeking directions against the St. Lawrence Convent Secondary School to forthwith stop discriminating against those students who have not made payment of Rs.400/- per month each in the name of smart class and to allow them to attend classes along with those students who have made payment for smart classes and to revert back to old pattern which was in practice before 17.10.2011, prohibit the school from demanding fees on account of Smart Classes without first getting permission from the Directorate of Education, as required under Section 17(3) of the Delhi School Education Act, 1973 and direct the Director of Education, Govt. of NCT of Delhi to enquire into the allegations of humiliation, harassment and insult subjected to the students who did not make payment on account of Smart Class by the authorities of the respondent school as mentioned in the complaint dated 17.10.2011, 20.10.2011 and 24.10.2011 and to take appropriate action against the erring authorities of the respondent/school in accordance with law.

The matter is likely to be heard by the Hon’ble High Court on Monday, 12.12.2011.   

CMC was always in the forefront-Dr A G Thomas

Punjab is developing as the hub of medical tourism 
Ludhiana// 8th December, 2011//Shalu Arora and Rector Kathuria

Patient Randhir Singh Notra in happy mood with Dr. H S Bedi

Punjab is slowly developing as the hub of medical tourism in North India after New Delhi. In view of the excellent cardiac surgery results of CMC Hospital–a number of NRI patients are being referred as a part of medical tourism. Not only are the services up to International standards but the cost is much less. 

The latest patient referred was Randhir Singh Notra from Dubai. His healthcare provider - Fathima Healthcare Management Services– UAE – after doing a thorough background check– decided to refer Mr Notra to Dr Harinder Singh Bedi– Head of Cardio Vascular Surgery at the Christian Medical College & Hospital in Ludhiana. Dr Bedi told that Mr Notra had severe heart disease and underwent a minimally invasive total arterial beating heart bypass.

Mr Notra said that he was extremely satisfied with his treatment at CMC . He felt that the quality of the doctors, the paramedical staff, the technology available was on par with the best in the West. Additionally the compassion and care that he saw being given to all patients was priceless. Added to this is the fact that the same therapy in the West would cost about 10 times more. His healthcare provider had told him that Dr Bedi was a world leader in the beating heart technology which gives a safe and long lasting therapy to heart patients. Dr Bedi has his name in the Limca Book of World Records for innovating in the field of beating heart surgery.

Dr Abraham G Thomas–Director of CMC Hospital  reiterated that the CMC being one of the oldest Institutes of India was always in the forefront on imparting quality medical care to not only people of this region but also patients from all over the country and abroad.

Civilians subject to an unjust military trial

Don't let Jalila and Mahdi face their appeal hearing alone
Be there by writing a letter

	The nightmare faced by two teachers in Bahrain. It's why we Write for Rights.
	The terrifying threats. "We can do anything to you.Anything." Mocked, tortured, threatened. Forced to sign a confession, without even being allowed to read it. Civilians subject to an unjust military trial. This is the story of two former leaders of the Bahrain Teachers' Association, Jalila al-Salman and Mahdi 'Issa Mahdi Abu Dheeb, who were arrested and ill-treated during this spring's protests in Bahrain. Jalila and Mahdi are among the 15 cases featured in Amnesty's Write for Rights Global Write-a-thon this year. Write a letter for Jalila and Mahdi, and other urgent human rights cases -- join thousands of others worldwide to Write for Rights this December. Your letters are urgently needed. Next week marks a key milestone in Jalila and Mahdi's case. One day after International Human Rights Day on December 10th, Jalila al-Salman and Mahdi 'Issa Mahdi Abu Dheeb face an appeal hearing. Why are these two teachers considered so "dangerous"? Because their trade union called for a teachers strike during Bahraini protests this spring -- protests seeking reform of a government that has used torture and excessive force against its own citizens. Jalila and Mahdi have seen the horrific behavior of Bahrain's government firsthand. Mahdi spent 64 days in solitary confinement, where he says he was tortured. And when Jalila demanded a lawyer after her arrest, she says the authorities rebuffed her with the chilling words: "Who said you would have a lawyer in here? It's us, only us. And we have the permission to do anything to you to [get] the testimony we want." After unfair trials before a military court, Jalila was sentenced to three years in prison, and Mahdi was sentenced to ten years. It's clear that Bahrain's authorities have no regard for human rights. Don't let Jalila and Mahdi face their appeal hearing alone. Be there by writing a letter. It's not too late -- join us to Write for Rights. Thank You, Michael O’Reilly Senior Director, Individuals at Risk Campaign Amnesty International USA		Send hope to Bahraini teachers Jalila al-Salman Your letters could make the difference for two teachers in Bahrain who are facing an appeal next week. Help us sway the Bahraini authorities.Will you write letters that can save lives?

Airman Saves Musical Treasure

A tale straight from an adventure book By Air Force Capt. Amy Hansen Air Force News Service WAKE ISLAND AIRFIELD, Wake Island, Dec. 6, 2011 - In a tale straight from an adventure book, contractors on this tiny Pacific island recently stumbled upon a vinyl record collection with an estimated value between $90,000 and $250,000. Air Force Master Sgt. John Solane, a 611th Air Support Group Detachment 1 contracting quality assurance specialist, looks at a Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers Band album at Wake Island Airfield. The yellow sleeves in the storage areas around Solane contain AFRTS-distributed records, which are copyrighted to protect the artists who gave the military authorization to use their recordings for overseas broadcast for free. U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Amy Hansen  The 611th Air Support Group's Detachment 1 is making a comprehensive effort to preserve the nearly 9,000 vintage vinyl records and ship them to their rightful owner, the American Forces Radio and Television Service in Alexandria, Va., according to Master Sgt. Jean-Guy Fleury, the detachment's infrastructure superintendent, who took over the project from the former Detachment 1 commander, Maj. Aaron Wilt.No digging was required to access this treasure, as the records were cataloged and neatly organized on shelves in a small room on the second floor of the airfield's base operations building. The door was conspicuously stenciled with the name of a radio station, KEAD, and a "Restricted Area Warning" sign, which kept most people out. "That's a locked room, normally, but people in my department have known the records were there for years," said Colin Bradley, the communications superintendent with Chugach Federal Solutions Inc. CFSI is the contractor that manages operations on Wake Island with the oversight of Air Force quality assurance personnel. "Because of the completeness of the collection, I assumed it was quite valuable," Bradley said. "I have not run across a collection that well preserved or that intact in my career. It's a little time capsule." The collection includes a variety of vinyl albums and records specially made for military audiences, as well as some commercially available records. "In 1942, the American Forces Radio Service was starting to get American music out to the troops overseas," said Larry Sichter, the American Forces Network Broadcast Center's affiliate relations division chief. "Some of the radio productions were original, like GI Jill and Command Performance, and have significant value." The exact operational dates of the low-powered AM station on Wake Island remain unclear, but Bradley shared his estimate. "I would guess that [KEAD] started in the '60s, due to the dates on the records," he said. According to a 2007 Internet entry by Patrick Minoughan, who was stationed on Wake Island from 1963 to 1964, KEAD was operating in 1963. "On the second floor of the then-new terminal building was a very small AFRTS radio station," Minoughan wrote. "AFRTS had no personnel there, but sent in monthly shipments of music. While I was there, one of the communications guys named Steve Navarro would do a daily show for a couple of hours. When it was unattended, anyone could go in and play the records, which were broadcast on the island." AFRTS was able to get permission to use the work of many artists, and later actors, for free, Sichter said. Therefore, the records were copyrighted and only to be used for their official purpose of entertaining the troops overseas, and then returned to AFRTS. Since Wake Island Airfield is on a 1,821-acre atoll located about 2,000 miles west of Hawaii and 2,000 miles east of Japan, it is possible that the cost and logistics of returning the records to the mainland were prohibitive when the radio station was shut down, officials said. So now, about 30 years after the last record was spun on KEAD, Fleury is spearheading the operation to ship the records back to AFRTS. He has estimated that it will take about 75 16-inch-by-16-inch boxes, and about $10,000 worth of specialized material to properly pack up the records. AFRTS is providing the materials and Detachment 1 will do the packing, he said. The records will be used to fill any gaps in the American Forces Network's local museum, Sichter said, and the rest of the collection will be entered into either the Library of Congress or the National Archives to become a permanent piece of U.S. history, accessible to all. �

Related Sites: American Forces Radio and Television Service

NORAD Gears Up to Track Santa Claus

on Christmas Eve the children of the world look to NORAD 

By Cheryl Pellerin American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, Dec. 5, 2011 – For the 56th year running, the North American Aerospace Defense Command will add the job of tracking the global flight of Santa on Christmas Eve to its mission of North American aerospace warning and control. The North American Aerospace Defense Command based at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., will again track Santa Claus on his annual Christmas Eve flight to deliver presents to children around the globe. Courtesy graphic   "NORAD stands the watch protecting the skies of North America 365 days a year, but on Christmas Eve the children of the world look to NORAD and our trusted partners to make sure that Santa is able to complete his mission safely," said Army Gen. Charles H. Jacoby Jr. Jacoby commands NORAD, as well as U.S. Northern Command, both based at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado. The NORAD Tracks Santa mission “is a duty to the children of the world,” he added, “and a privilege we've enjoyed for 56 consecutive years.” From a NORAD video of the 2010 Santa flight, a military specialist looks up from a bank of computer screens: “Sir,” he says, turning to look at the camera, “we’ve picked up ‘Big Red’ on the radar. He’s entering from the northeast. “Recommend fighter escort as he transitions over North America,” the specialist adds, as the video shows an F-16 moving down the runway. This year, the NORAD Tracks Santa website went live Dec. 1 and features a Countdown Calendar, a Kid’s Countdown Village with holiday games and activities that change daily, and video messages from students and troops from around the world. The website is available in English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese and Chinese. For the first time, using free apps in the Apple iTunes Store and in the Android market, parents and children can use their smart phones to count down the days until Santa and his reindeer take off from the North Pole to deliver presents to kids everywhere. Facebook, Google+, YouTube and Twitter also offer tracking opportunities. Santa followers can type “@noradsanta” into each search engine to get started. And that’s not the only technology that goes into the Santa tracking mission. To track the big man in red, NORAD uses radar, satellites, Santa cams and fighter jets. A NORAD radar system called the North Warning System consists of 47 installations strung across the northern border of North America. On Dec. 24, NORAD monitors the radar systems continuously for indications that Santa Claus has left the North Pole. The moment radar indicates a lift-off, satellites positioned in geo-synchronous orbit at 22,300 miles from the Earth’s surface are equipped with infrared sensors, which enable them to detect heat. Rudolph’s bright red nose gives off an infrared signature that allows the satellites to detect Santa’s sleigh. NORAD starting using the Santa cam network in 1998. Santa cams, according to NORAD, are ultra-cool, high-tech, high-speed digital cameras prepositioned at many locations around the world. They use the cameras once a year to capture images and videos of Santa and his reindeer. In the air, Canadian NORAD pilots flying the CF-18 fighter will intercept and welcome Santa to North America. In the United States, American NORAD fighter pilots in F-15s, F-16s or F-22 Raptors will fly alongside Santa’s airborne sleigh pulled by his famous reindeer: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and Rudolph. Once data is collected on Dec. 24, it is pushed into Google Maps and Google Earth so families all over the world can follow Santa. Thanks to these systems and technologies, starting at midnight Mountain Standard Time on Dec. 24, visitors to the NORAD Santa website can watch Santa’s progress around the globe. It all started in 1955 when a Sears media advertisement directed kids to call Santa Claus but printed a telephone number that rang through to the crew commander on duty at the Continental Air Defense Command Operations Center. The colonel on duty told his staff to give all children who called in a "current location" for Santa Claus. The tradition continued when NORAD replaced CONAD in 1958. “The [NORAD Tracks Santa] effort,” Jacoby said, “could not be carried out without the superb assistance of numerous government and nongovernment contributors.” Sponsors of this year’s program include Acuity Scheduling, Big Fish Worldwide, Carousel Industries, the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Council, General Electric, the National Tree Lighting Ceremony, RadiantBlue Technologies Inc., thunderbaby studios, the U.S. Coast Guard Band, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Band, Visionbox, and the West Point Band. Returning sponsors include the Air Force Academy Band, Analytical Graphics Inc., Air Canada, Avaya, Booz Allen Hamilton, Colorado Springs School District 11, the Defense Video & Imagery Distribution System, the Federal Aviation Administration, First Choice Awards & Gifts, Globelink Foreign Language Center, Google, the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, Meshbox, the Naden Band of the Maritime Forces Pacific, Naturally Santa’s Inc., the Newseum, OnStar, PCI Broadband, the Space Foundation, tw telecom, Verizon and UGroup Media. “It is the generosity of these contributors, the hard work of the more than 1,200 volunteers who man the NORAD Tracks Santa Operations Center, and vigilance of the Canadian and U.S. forces who work at NORAD that guarantees the program's success each and every year,” Jacoby said.

Biographies: Army Gen. Charles H. Jacoby Jr. Related Sites: NORAD Santa

It is a matter of absolute shame

Chandigarh// December 5, 2011//Bureau Report: 

The disgraceful incident of Akali Sarpanch manhandling a lady teacher, epitomizes all that is wrong with Shiromani Akali Dal. It shows, party’s arrogance, insensitivity, brutality, rudeness and cowardice. It is a matter of absolute shame that the Akali Dal representative slapped someone who deserved respect on three counts i.e. she was a citizen, a woman and a teacher!.
Worst, it happened in front of the police force and other employees of the government who stood by doing nothing. Even after many hours of the incident, the government did not take any action. The fact, that the Sarpanch had the impudence to file a police complaint against the teacher and the government has not taken any action against him, shows that there is no remorse on either side.

The so called anger of the manhandler is beyond comprehension. The lady teacher was merely expressing her anger against patently unjust policies of the government. As a citizen she is entitled to do that. In fact, citizens inability to reach the government and express their grievances leads to such situations, where they are left with no options but with a slim hope that of conveying their demands when they meet their reprsentatives during the latter’s public appearances. But there too, the so called leaders are surrounded by a battery of police personnel who ruthless push and shove everyone away.

The PPP strongly condemns the incident and calls for strictest possible action against the sarpanch and the police officials on duty who kept on watching the whole incident without intervening even when the lady was being brutally thrashed. What is also staggering is the silence of Mrs Harsimrat Kaur Badal. The incident happened in her public appearance and as a woman, a Member Parliament and as a member of the ruling family of the state, she should have empathized with the gross injustice and inhumanity involved in this incident. Instead of taking prompt, stern and exemplary action, she has chosen to observe perfect silence.

A government and leaders, who cannot show respect and dignity to its citizens, has no right to represent its people.

Patriotic color in Sanjha Morcha's welfare schemes

Shaheed Bhagat Singh rozgar yojna
Neta Ji Subhash Chander Bose health insurance 
Manpreet Singh Badal promised many benefits

File photo:The Spis News

So as to ameliorate the living conditions of those inflicted with life threatening diseases like diabetes and cancer, Manpreet Singh Badal, President of People's Party of Punjab (PPP) today promised to offer an insurance of three lakh rupees.
Addressing a rally at Ropar on Sunday, the PPP President said that if voted to power, the PPP will offer insurance of upto three lakh rupees for those belonging to ecnomically weaker section, suffering from such dreaded diseases. Manpreet said that it's government will spend 200 crores on this project which will be termed as "Netaji Subhash Chander Bose" health insurance scheme.

Manpreet added that certain belts of Punjab, especially Malwa area has Punjabis suffering from water borne diseases including cancer. As a fallout of contaminated water, people living in this area are suffering from cancer and other life threatening diseases.

Manpreet said that the PPP will not only offer insurance upto three lakhs but also ensure that the menace of contaminated water is removed from Punjab. This is not the first scheme that Manpreet has promised to make available for those belonging to economically challenged sections.

Manpreet in the recent past had promised to offer one lakh jobs for youths each year under the Shaheed Bhagat Singh rozgar yojna. Also, he had promised that PPP will get a fixed deposit of Rs 5,000 in the name of a newly born girl child in Punjab. The fixed deposit will be made available after twenty years.

Manpreet SIngh Badal said that if Punjab has to rise, the people living in the Punjab and those who remain deprived from basic amenities owing to financial constraints need to be empowered and made self dependent.

He said that not only jobs will be made availabe to youths but also PPP's endeavour will be to make the public independent by providing small business opportunities for Punjabis.

He added that PPP will also guarantee that the Police force serves the public and is not reduced to a political tool.

The completion expected in June 2013

Arlington National Cemetery Breaks Ground for Columbarium By J.D. Leipold Army News Service WASHINGTON, Nov. 30, 2011 - Arlington National Cemetery began its first major construction project in nearly eight years today with a ground-breaking ceremony for a 20,000-niche columbarium that will extend the life of the cemetery's inurnment space to 2024. Officials break ground for a new 20,000-niche columbarium at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., Nov. 30, 2011. The columbarium, scheduled for completion in June 2013, will extend the life of the cemetery's inurnment space to 2024. U.S. Army photo by J.D. Leipold  A columbarium is a structure that holds urns containing cremated remains.Construction on the cemetery's ninth columbarium begins in January, with completion expected in June 2013, said Army Col. Victoria Bruzese, the cemetery's chief engineer. The new structure will dwarf the previous eight columbariums, she added, the largest of which contains 8,000 niches and the smallest 3,000. "This will be 540 feet long, 116 feet wide, and at its highest elevation about 11 feet tall," Bruzese said following the ground-breaking. "We'll have more than 20,000 niches, which gives us the ability to have three to four inurnments within each niche -- service member, spouse, children -- so we're looking at more than 60,000 inurnments, so that's significant." The new columbarium will be almost the length of two football fields. Kathryn Condon, executive director of the Army National Cemeteries Program, told the audience of mostly cemetery grounds-keepers and staff workers that construction of the new columbarium would "extend the life of our inurnment space out to 2024." Officials also plan to expand the cemetery's grounds on two sides by another 70 acres. That will further extend the cemetery's ability to handle inurnments, burials and possibly mausoleums out to the 2050s, Bruzese said. She noted the biggest challenge to overcome will be the lack of attention paid to the infrastructure over the years. "There are two expansion opportunities here on the horizon -- our Millennium Project, which is a 30-acre combination of land we acquired from Fort Myer and the National Park Service, and already existing [cemetery] land that will increase our in-ground and niche burial capability," Bruzese said. The second expansion includes a 40-acre plot that's now occupied by the Navy Annex on the cemetery's south side. Bruzese said she requested the chief engineer position at the cemetery following a deployment to Afghanistan. One reason she cited was that her father and her grandfather are inurned there. "But when I heard about the challenges going on here, I wanted to be part of the solution," she said. "I think that's what you'll find with anybody who's on the staff here. ... They want to be part of the solution in returning the dignity and honor not only to the cemetery, but [also] to the veterans who lie here." �

Related Sites: Arlington National Cemetery

Biden Trip Marks New Alliance with Iraq

By Cheryl Pellerin American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, Dec. 1, 2011 - Troops may be leaving Iraq by year's end, but meetings yesterday between Vice President Joe Biden and Iraqi leaders promise continuing civilian engagement between the two sovereign nations, a senior administration official said in Baghdad. Vice President Joe Biden talks with troops after a ceremony at Victory Base Complex, Iraq, Dec. 1, 2011. The ceremony commemorated the sacrifices and accomplishments of U.S. and Iraqi service members. U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Cecilio Ricardo  After co-chairing a meeting of the U.S.-Iraq Higher Coordinating Committee with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, Biden held separate meetings with Maliki, President Jalal Talabani and Speaker Osama al-Nujaifi."They covered a broad array of issues in these meetings, including the transition to a civilian lead in Iraq for the United States [and] the security relationship going forward," the official told journalists traveling with the vice president. "They talked about the resolution of some of Iraq's remaining international issues," he added, including obligations under Chapter 7 of the Charter of the United Nations placed on Iraq after its 1990 invasion of and war with Kuwait, and its current relationship with Kuwait. Biden and the Iraqi leaders, the official said, also discussed regional issues, including those involving Syria, Turkey and Iran. On the topic of Iran, the vice president "made clear something that we've made clear repeatedly, which is, one, we fully expect Iraq to have a relationship with Iran," the official said. "There's a long border and a long history [between the countries]," the official added, "and that is fully understood. But what is not acceptable and not understood would be to in any way allow Iran to use our presence in Iraq as a target." The United States has committed in the past not to use Iraq as a staging ground to act against other countries, he said, and that includes Iran. "Reciprocally," he added, "it is fully our expectation that the government of Iraq not allow Iraq to be used as an area to target U.S. personnel." Biden and the Iraqi leaders also discussed Arab-Kurd relations, internal security -- especially the need to keep pressure on violent extremist groups -- and Maliki's visit in Washington with President Barack Obama later this month. "All of this is very powerful evidence that the United States is not disengaging from Iraq," the official said. "Rather, the nature of our engagement is changing from what has been a military lead to a civilian lead." The United States has "moved, as the vice president put it, from the security agreement that governed our military operations in Iraq to the strategic framework agreement, which is the basis for this comprehensive new relationship." As is the case at other embassies around the world, the official added, an Office of Security Cooperation has been established in Iraq to help Iraqis acquire and then learn how to use military equipment they buy from the United States. In Iraq, that office will include 157 people assigned to the U.S. embassy and under the authority of the ambassador, he said, and some who might come in on individual contracts for two or three months at a time to help the Iraqis train on U.S. equipment. "What we're talking about going forward as possibilities of training beyond the Office of Security Cooperation includes things like ... doing ongoing training of Iraqis outside of Iraq in other countries [and] integrating Iraqis into regional exercises," the official added. Today at Al Faw Palace at Camp Victory, Iraq, Biden spoke at an event hosted by the Iraqi government and held to honor the sacrifices of U.S. and Iraqi forces. "History will record that the liberation of our country was not only an important turning point in Iraq, but it was an important beginning for the region," Talibani said, referring to events of the Arab Spring. Maliki thanked former President George W. Bush for signing the U.S.-Iraq status of forces agreement, which established the parameters for U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq. He also thanked Obama for seeing the agreement through. "Because of you and the work those of you here have done, we are now able to end this war," Biden said, adding that the Iraqi people have not and will not yield again to any kind of external domination. Biden was presented with a medal called a "shield of commitment," as were Army Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, commanding general of U.S. Forces Iraq, Jeffrey D. Feltman, assistant secretary of state for near eastern affairs, and ambassadors from other countries who fielded coalition forces. After the ceremony, Biden met privately with troops for photos before traveling to Erbil in northern Iraq, 50 miles east of Mosul. There Biden met with Kurdish Regional Government President Masoud Barzani at the official's ceremonial residence before boarding his aircraft for Ankara, Turkey, the first stop on a four-day trip to Turkey and Greece.

Related Sites: U.S. Forces Iraq Photo Essay: Biden Attends Iraq's Day of Commitment Ceremony Related Articles: Joint Statement Affirms Strong U.S.-Iraq Partnership

Left rally and demonstration against FDI

Rally also condemned Pb Govt’s welcome to the FDI

Ludhiana//Kalyani Singh and Rector Kathuria// December 1, 2011

The district unit of Communist Party of India (CPI)  and CPI (M) held a rally at the Railway Station Ludhiana followed by demonstration to the Clock Tower Chowk to protest against the decision of the union cabinet to allow 51% FDI in retail as it is going to hit hard the small producer, trader as well as the consumer. This has been done at a time when the Parliament is in session and this decision has been taken without taking the Parliament into confidence. This is in complete violation of democratic principles. The reaction is obvious as not only the opposition or the UPA allies but a section of the congressmen have also opposed the decision. Various speakers addressing the rally warned that as per the latest reports the GDP  growth rate has further gone down belying all the claims of economic growth by the government; and rupee is continuously falling to its lowest ever. The decision to allow FDI in multi brand retail sector will further jeopardize the economy of our country. The speakers also condemned the Punjab Government’s welcome to the FDI when most of the states have opposed it. The international experience has shown that with the entry of these big players in the retail business the small businessman is hit hard as it is unable to compete with the big fish. Their sales have gone down in all such areas around the globe. In India 33-60% of the traditional fruit and vegetable retailers reported 15-30% decline in footfalls, 10-30% decline in sales and 20-30% decline in incomes across the cities of Bangalore, Ahmedabad and Chandigarh, the largest impact being in Bangalore, which is one of the most supermarket penetrated cities in India.

There is also loss of jobs. The experience in Vietnam has shown that the supermarket expansion also leads to employment loss in the value chain as compared to 18 jobs created by a street vendor, 10 by a traditional retailer and eight by a shop vendor in Vietnam, a supermarket like Big C needed just four persons for the same volume of produce handled.

The small farmers will be hit  as supermarkets will buy only ‘A ‘grade produce, that too on open market-based prices, and only a part of the output of farmers, who end up going to an APMC mandi to dispose of the remaining/rejected produce. Moreover there will be no commitment to buy regularly as they do not want to share the risk of growers. What is the guarantee that they will buy from the farmer at prices higher than they are being offered to them now?

So far as the role of FDI-driven food supermarkets in containing food inflation is concerned, the evidence from Latin American (Mexico, Nicaragua, Argentina), African (Kenya, Madagascar) and Asian countries (Thailand, Vietnam, India) shows that the supermarket prices for fruits and vegetables and other basic foods were higher than those in traditional markets. Even if it is accepted that supermarkets are able to offer lower prices, the low-income households may face higher food prices because of reasons of distance from supermarkets, and higher prices charged by supermarkets in low-income areas. How will these super markets solve the problem of food security and security of livelihood of the peasants of our country the speakers asked?

Those who addressed the rally include Com Kartar Singh Bowani-Distrtict Secretary CPI, Com. Sukhwinder Sekhon-Secretary CPI(M), Dr Arun Mitra, Com O P Mehta – City Secretary, Com Jatinder Pal singh, Com Jagdish, Com Gulzar Gorea, Com Ramesh Ratan, Com. Vijay Kumar, Com Gurnam Sidhu, Com  Gurnam Gill, Com.Mewa Singh Raikot, Com Raghbir Singh Venipal, Com Tersem JOdhan, Sukhminder Singh, Ragbir Singh, Dev Raj, Amarjit Mattu, Sudey Singh, Manjit Singh, Mahinder Parsad Dubey

Combined Force Captures Taliban Leader

From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command  News Release KABUL, Afghanistan, Nov. 28, 2011 - A combined Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban leader and some suspected insurgents in the Marjah district of Afghanistan's Helmand province yesterday, military officials reported. The insurgent leader was involved in narcotics trafficking and roadside-bomb attacks and other operations in the province, officials said. In other Afghanistan operations yesterday: -- A combined force detained two suspects during a search for a Taliban facilitator in the Kunduz district of Kunduz province. The facilitator distributes roadside bombs and directs attacks against Afghan forces. -- A combined force captured a Taliban leader and some suspects in the Dand district of Kandahar province. The leader distributed roadside bombs for use in attacks throughout the area. -- A combined force detained several suspects and seized 50 blasting caps, a bottle containing high-explosive material, a rocket-propelled-grenade container, a video camera, six videotapes, wiring and a hand-held radio in the Dilah district of Paktika province. �

Related Sites: NATO International Security Assistance Force

Marine Gives Back to Community

By Marine Corps Cpl. Andrew D. Johnston

2nd Marine Division

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C., Nov. 25, 2011 - An active duty Marine Corps noncommissioned officer was recognized for his outstanding service to the city of Jacksonville, N.C., during a Nov. 22 ceremony at the municipality's town hall..

Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Daniel G. Stoy, assigned here to the 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, received a standing ovation when he received the city's Outstanding Veterans Award.
Stoy, who earned three Purple Hearts from wounds he received in Iraq, serves as the sergeant-at-arms for the Military Order of the Purple Heart, Beirut Memorial Chapter 642.

Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Daniel G. Stoy, a Hudson Falls, N.Y., native and infantry unit leader with 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., receives the Outstanding Veterans Award presented by the city of Jacksonville, N.C., at the municipality's town hall Nov. 22, 2011. Stoy was recognized for his outstanding work in the community. Courtesy photo

"Each of the different veteran chapters here in Jacksonville was allowed to put up one nominee for the award, which is basically for your service in the community," said Stoy, who hails from Hudson Falls, N.Y. "This the first time that The Military Order Of The Purple Heart has had an active duty member up for the award in two or three years.

"Basically [the award is for] all of the volunteer work I've done after the tornados hit," he added. "I had my whole [team] out there working with me."

Some tornados struck the Jacksonville area in late summer, Stoy said, destroying homes and leveling businesses. He gathered up a group of Marines to help out.

"If there is any time that we need help, Staff Sgt. Stoy always gets his troops for us," said Verl H. Matthews, senior vice commander of the local Purple Heart Chapter. "He asks for volunteers and he and his guys always come and help.

"These guys are some of the hardest workers," Matthews continued, "and I just got done signing about 20 appreciation letters this morning. He has just done so much for us and the community."

Stoy, a married father of three children, said he juggles his duties as a Marine, a community volunteer and husband. He said his wife makes it all work.

"I wouldn't have been able to do this without the support of my wonderful wife," Stoy said. "She has fully supported me in everything. She's here taking care of the home front while I'm out volunteering. It's that basic love and your basic husband and wife support -- she has been great."

Stoy said was very humbled to receive the award. He attributes his love for community service to his late father.

"It feels good to be honored like this because my father, who just passed in October, always used to tell us, 'What you give is what you get,' so it meant a lot to get it," Stoy said. "Between the balance of work and the balance of volunteering it was tough. But just being able to see the looks on people's faces, when you're out there helping just makes it all worth it in the end."

School to refund fee (property tax) to parents

Delhi Govt. told Delhi HC

23.11.2011

Coram: Hima Kohli J

Delhi Government Counsel today informed the Court that a show cause notice dated 8.11.2011 has been issued to the school management asking them to refund the fee charged from the parents on account of property tax. The Court directed the Delhi Government to take final decision within 2 weeks and based on the decision, action should be taken against the school. CAG has also been asked to file their reply to the writ petition. The case was adjourned to 29.02.2012.

On the last date of hearing i.e. 03.10.2011 the High Court had issued notices to the St. Lawrence Convent Public School, Delhi Government and CAG on the petition of the parents filed through Advocate Ashok Agarwal challenging the action of the school in arbitrarily increasing fees and other charges in the academic years 2010-11 & 2011-12 under various heads including that of property tax. “The school had subjected the hapless parents to pay Rs.429/- per student on account of property tax which was impermissible in law”, submitted Mr. Agarwal.

OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION

DISTRICT EAST, ANAND VIHAR, DELHI-110092

No.DE.47/D.D.E (E)/Pr. Branch/2011/1400                                        Dated: 08/11/11

SHOW CAUSE NOTICE

1.     Whereas, various complaints against St. Lawrence Convent Public School, Geeta Colony received sin the District made by President St. Lawrence Convent School Patents Welfare Association reg.severe fee hike by the school.

2.     Whereas, the school charged property tax from the parents due to the demand raised by MCD against the school. This is not in accordance with Govt. rules. The school accepted to withdraw the decision of charging property tax from next quarter of fee. The school should refund the property tax charges so far immediately in addition to aforesaid decision.

3.     Whereas, SMS charges are optional for parents. The school should clearly notify it to parents that these charges are optional and should not force it on parents.

4.     Whereas, the increase in the school fees in the year 2011-12 in about 30-50% which is not justified. The school fails to produce justification and minutes of meeting of SLMC in which it is approved in presence of Govt. Nominee. The enormous increase in the fee in not justified. The increase upto 10 to 15% may be allowed and rest of the fee hike should be withdrawn immediately.

5.     Whereas, the fee charged under head Physical Education charges, maintenance charges, are not justifies. The sale of school bags, school uniform, holding marriges and other commercial activities in the school affiliated to CBSE are not acceptable under DSEAR, 1973 & should stopped.

6.     The school should develop a system of redressal of grievances of parents and complaints as to uphold its image and noble cause of imparting education.

The manager/HOS of the school is therefore directed to submit explanation on the above mentioned deficiencies observed by the team members within 2 days, failing which action as deemed fit shall be taken against you under DSEAR Act, 1973.

(Neelam Verma)

Dy. Director of Education/RDE (East)

To

The Manager/HOS,

St. Lawrence Convent School,

Geeta Colony,

Delhi.