Private hospitals remain shut in Odisha
Bhubaneswar, May 25: Healthcare services were affected in Odisha as thousands of private clinics, hospitals and diagnostic centres remained closed on Friday, officials said.
Hospitals across Odisha supporting the 24-hour ceasework strike called by the All Odisha Private Medical Establishment Forum (AOPMEF) demanding several amendments to the Odisha Clinical Establishments (Control and Regulation) Act were closed.
Medical practitioners of private hospitals and clinics staged demonstrations demanding amendment of the Odisha Clinical Establishments Act.
According to the new rules, the conditions for registration of private clinics and hospitals have been made more stringent.
The AOPMEF is demanding amendments in the Act, especially the one that requires the establishments to adhere to fire safety norms.
Clinics will have to get a fire safety certificate from the fire department and a no objection certificate from the pollution control board.
"More than 90 per cent of private clinics and hospitals are unregistered due to the stringent conditions in the Act. If the government does not renew the registration by relaxing the norms, we have no other way but to shut down," said Ajoy Kumar Mishra, president of the forum.
Meanwhile, the Health Department has asked all government health institutions including government medical colleges and hospitals to be ready to meet the emergency situation arising due to the strike.
The leave of all doctors and workers has been cancelled and more paramedical staff and doctors have been appointed in the casualty, trauma care and women and maternal care departments, said Director of health services B. Brahma.
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Power tariffs under BESCOM to rise from May 1
Bengaluru (PTI): Power bills for consumers under the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) will go up from May 1, following an order issued by the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) on Friday.
The hike comes after KERC allowed the BESCOM to recover a revenue deficit of Rs 2,068 crore incurred in 2024-25, from the consumers.
As a result, for every unit of electricity consumed in 2024-25, the customers will be charged an additional 56 paise, it said.
"BESCOM shall calculate, for each of the active consumers of FY2024-25 the amount to be recovered based on their actual energy consumption during FY2024-25. Such amount shall be recovered during FY 2026-27 in equal monthly instalments, to be called as 'FY25 True up Charges', commencing from the first meter reading date falling on or after 1 May 2026 and concluding with the reading date ending on 30 April 2027," the order said.
"It is further ordered that BESCOM shall maintain a separate head of account, allocated for the purpose, to record the adjustment of the said amount to ensure full recovery of the deficit," it added.
Similarly Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation Limited (CESC) has also recorded a revenue deficit of Rs 121.71 crore and can collect an additional 15 paisa per unit for consumption in 2024-25, official sources said.
