10 killed in avalanche in Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan region
Islamabad (PTI): At least 10 people of a nomadic tribe were killed and 25 injured when an avalanche hit the Gilgit-Baltistan region in Pakistan on Saturday, police said.
According to the police, 10 people, including three women were killed in the calamity in the Shunter Top area of Astore district in the mountainous region.
"Rescue work was launched with the help of locals and later the Pakistan Army soldiers also joined the operation," the police said.
As many as 25 people of Gujjar family were travelling along with their cattle from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to Astore when they were hit by the avalanche, Dawn News quoted rescue officials as saying.
The injured persons were taken to District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital Astore, where the condition of 12 was critical.
Earlier, Deputy Inspector General of Police for the Diamer-Astore Division, Tufail Mir, said rescue teams were facing challenges in reaching the affected area due to its remote location and difficult terrain.
Force Command Northern Areas, a military formation of the Pakistan Army, provided helicopter service, relief items and paramedical staff to assist with the rescue operation, but they could not be flown "to the site due to bad weather conditions".
The district administration is closely monitoring the rescue operation while an emergency had been imposed in DHQ Hospital Astore and Combined Military Hospital Skardu, the official said.
Chief Secretary Mohiuddin Wani confirmed the mishap and said rescue teams were working in the affected area.
Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Khalid Khurshid Khan expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and instructed local authorities to initiate rescue operations.
He called upon the secretary interior, director general of GBDMA (Gilgit Baltistan Disaster Management Authority) and other officials to look into the incident immediately.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in a tweet expressed deep sorrow over the loss of precious lives in the avalanche, adding that such incidents were increasing in Pakistan due to the effects of climate change.
"The whole world has to fulfil its responsibility to protect developing countries like Pakistan from these harmful effects," he said.
Five out of 14 world peaks above the height of 8,000 metres are located in the region. In addition to this, Gilgit-Baltistan has over 7,000 glaciers and often witnesses avalanches, landslides, and glacial lake outbursts.
In a tragic incident in 2012, at least 129 Pakistan Army soldiers and 11 civilians lost their lives when a massive avalanche hit their camp in the Gayari area, some 300 kilometres northeast of Skardu district.
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Vijayendra slams Cong govt over alleged medicine shortage, irregularities in health dept
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka BJP president B Y Vijayendra on Wednesday hit out at the Congress government over alleged medicine shortages, large-scale irregularities and disruption of services in the health department.
The situation had deteriorated to such an extent that doctors were forced to protest on the streets, he claimed.
Addressing a press conference here, he said the Siddaramaiah-led government lacked the will to resolve pressing public issues and accused it of indulging in "blame politics" instead of governance.
"Due to the irresponsibility of this Congress government, the health department itself is in the ICU. There is a severe shortage of medicines in government hospitals. The 108 ambulance services are facing severe problems. Doctors have been pushed to the streets to protest. The Congress government celebrates 1,000 days in power with achievement conventions, but it has failed to solve real problems," he said.
He criticised the state government for allegedly shutting down Jan Aushadhi centres located on government hospital premises, claiming that needy patients are suffering as they are not getting medicines.
"For the past two months, government doctors themselves have been advising poor patients to buy medicines from private pharmacies because medicines are unavailable in hospitals," he alleged.
Vijayendra further alleged that the state government has reportedly not cleared Rs 143 crore in dues to institutions providing CT scan and MRI services.
"As a result, needy patients in rural and urban areas are unable to access these services. Pregnant women are facing hardships. Doctors are forced to protest on the streets...This government claims to be one that delivers on its promises. But does it have even the slightest concern for how poor people are struggling in the healthcare sector," he alleged.
The BJP state president claimed that the Congress government under Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and its deputy D K Shivakumar is not pro-poor; instead, it is a government that supports middlemen.
"Who is responsible for the medicine shortage in government hospitals and medical colleges? The state government and the concerned ministers are responsible. According to information available to me, under pressure from influential individuals, irregularities are taking place in medicine procurement. Instead of purchasing medicines through authorised central and state agencies, the government has moved to fragmented district- and taluk-level tenders," he claimed.
He further alleged that due to commission demands of 15-20 per cent, many companies and public enterprises are not participating in tenders, worsening the system.
Vijayendra claimed that the Karnataka State Medical Supplies Corporation's procurement system has been sidelined, leading to an artificial shortage of medicines.
He also alleged that a private individual from Mangaluru is controlling the state's medicine procurement system, supplying medicines to most government hospitals.
"This has led to market prices being inflated. Medicines costing Rs 100 are reportedly being purchased for Rs 300. I will provide more documents and evidence in the coming days," he claimed.
He also alleged that staff associated with the 108 ambulance services have not been paid salaries for the past eight to nine months.
"The government must take responsibility and reform the system instead of protecting middlemen," he added.
