14 killed as bus falls into 150-metre deep gorge in Uttarakhand
Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand), Nov 18: Fourteen persons were killed and as many injured Sunday when the bus in which they were travelling fell into a 150-metre deep gorge in Uttarkashi district, an official said.
The private bus was on its way to Vikas Nagar from Jankichatti, near the Himalayan shrine of Yamunotri, when it fell into the gorge near Damta, District Magistrate Ashish Chauhan said.
Twelve people died at the spot and two succumbed at a hospital, he said.
A search and rescue operation by police with the help of locals is underway, the official said, adding that some bodies could be stuck in the bushes.
Six people seriously injured in the accident were flown in a chopper to AIIMS, Rishikesh and Jolly Grant Hospital in Dehradun for treatment, Chauhan said.
Eight others were also brought to Dehradun, he added.
The bus, after plunging into the gorge, landed a few metres away from the Yamuna river, Chauhan said.
The number of fatalities could have been higher if the bus had fallen into the river, he said.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat expressed grief at the loss of lives in the accident and asked the district administration to make all arrangements for the treatment of the injured.
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Maharashtra sets up state vaccination task force to strengthen immunisation programme
Mumbai (PTI): The Maharashtra government has set up a State Vaccination Task Force to strengthen the regular immunisation programme and review the progress of related campaigns, a health department official said on Monday.
The State Vaccination Task Force will comprise at least 29 members and will be headed by the administrative head of the health department, he informed.
The government has also constituted separate district-level and municipal vaccination task forces to improve implementation and address challenges at the grassroots level, he said.
Municipal task forces, chaired by respective civic commissioners, have been constituted in view of the vast urban population in Maharashtra and the role of civic bodies in implementing different health programmes.
The district-level task forces will function under the chairmanship of collectors.
"Complete immunisation of children at the appropriate age is an extremely simple, cost-effective and highly effective measure to reduce child mortality and the prevalence of diseases among kids. Immunisation is a powerful tool for reducing illness in children," maintained the official.
To ensure full vaccination of all children, the state government implements various campaigns from time to time as per the central government guidelines, he pointed out.
"Active participation and cooperation of other relevant government departments are essential (in making these campaigns successful)," according to the official.
The state-level body will review the regular immunisation programme, associated campaigns and vaccine-preventable diseases in detail. It will also conduct focused assessments of high-risk districts and municipal corporations, including vacancies at district, municipal and sub-district levels, availability of cold chain equipment, resource gaps and training requirements, he noted.
The state task force will review allocation and utilisation of funds for immunisation and ensure timely action by officers concerned based on reports from district and municipal task forces and state-level monitoring mechanisms, the official said.
It will also ensure active coordination and participation of other government departments in immunisation drives, while district and municipal task forces will carry out similar functions at their respective levels, the official added.
