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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Cong prepared for upcoming Bagalkote, Davangere South Assembly bypolls: Siddaramaiah
Bagalkote (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday asserted that the Congress is ready for the upcoming by-election to the Bagalkote and Davangere South Assembly constituencies.
Bypolls for the Bagalkote and Davanagere South assembly constituencies are necessitated following the deaths of sitting Congress MLAs H Y Meti and Shamanur Shivashankarappa, respectively.
"The preparations for the bypolls are completed. We are ready for the byelection," Siddaramaiah said in response to a question about the bypolls.
Stating that the Congress high command will decide the candidates for the bypolls, the CM said, "In Bagalkote, late H Y Meti's family members are also strong aspirants. It is not wrong to have aspirations; we (state leaders) will consider all aspects and recommend a candidate. The high command will make the final decision."
The bypoll date may be announced within a week, he added.
The state Congress had recently constituted steering committees for both segments to select candidates and formulate necessary electoral strategies for the victory of party candidates.
In Bagalkote, Congress's Meti defeated BJP's Veeranna Charantimath by a margin of 5,878 votes in the 2023 Assembly polls. In Davangere South, Congress's Shivashankarappa defeated BJP's B G Ajay Kumar by a margin of 27,888 votes.
On the LPG supply constraints, especially commercial cylinders, caused by the West Asia conflict, the chief minister said it is the central government's responsibility to ensure supplies.
"Who should supply gas cylinders? It is the central government. If they supply, the state will ensure distribution. Our Food and Civil Supplies Minister (K H Muniyapopa) has held two meetings (with oil companies). I wrote a letter to the concerned central minister to ensure there is no shortage. It is the responsibility of the Government of India," he added.
To a question regarding the implementation of internal reservation in recruitment to government jobs, Siddaramaiah said he has called a special cabinet meeting to discuss it on March 27 and a final decision will be made there.
There are reports about alleged rifts between SC (Right) and SC (Left) factions within the ruling Congress regarding internal reservation during the recruitment announced for 56,432 vacant jobs.
The state government had recently decided to conduct recruitment based on the reservation order in force before December 28, 2022 (15 per cent for SCs and 3 per cent for STs), due to the stay on the enhanced quota and internal reservation, while continuing to pursue its case in court.
