Ahmedabad COVID-19 hospital fire leaves 8 patients dead
Ahmedabad: A blaze in the wee hours at a private hospital here has left eight COVID-19 patients dead, a fire brigade official said on Thursday.
The victims include five men and three women, who were being treated at the ICU ward of the COVID-19 designated Shrey Hospital in Navrangpura area of Ahmedabad, the official said.
Fire broke out around 3.30 am on the fourth floor of the four-storey hospital, he said. Around 40 other COVID-19 patients at the facility were rescued and shifted to a civic hospital in the city, he said.
"Eight coronavirus patients admitted in the ICU ward of Shrey Hospital have died due to the fire, which has been doused," said an official of the Ahmedabad Fire Department.
Primary investigations revealed that the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit, police said.
"Forensic experts have arrived at the site for a detailed investigation," said Assistant Commissioner of Police L B Zala.
Shrey Hospital is among the around 60 private hospitals designated as COVID-19 hospitals by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation.
Municipal Commissioner Mukesh Kumar, who reached the spot soon after the fire broke out, said an electric short circuit led to the blaze, which spread in the ICU ward within minutes.
Principal Health Secretary Jayanti Ravi also reached the spot and assured a thorough probe into the incident. Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has ordered an inquiry into the incident.
In a statement, the CMO saidthe probe will be conducted by two IAS officers, Additional Chief Secretary in Home Department Sangeeta Singh and ACS in Urban Development Department Mukesh Puri.
They have been asked to submit a report in three days, the statement said.
With 1,073 new coronavirus positive cases, Gujarat's COVID-19 tally reached 66,777 on Wednesday. The number of deceased has gone up to 2,557, an official said.
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Karnataka School Edu Dept prohibits children from being made to dance to obscene songs
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka School Education Department has issued a circular strictly prohibiting children from being made to dance to obscene songs in educational and cultural programmes.
It stated that such dances would negatively impact students' mental health and moral values. It will create indiscipline and harm the sanctity of education.
"All the Deputy Directors (Administration) of the state's School Education Department have been asked to take strict measures to prevent children or students from dancing to obscene songs in all government, aided and unaided schools in the state," the office of the commissioner of the School Education Department said in a recent circular.
"If it is found that children are being made to dance to obscene songs, appropriate action will be taken against the headmaster or management of such school," it added.
The department also listed certain measures in this regard, which include: strictly prohibiting children from being made to dance to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes; selecting songs that are inspiring, positive, instilling national pride in children and reflecting the greatness, dignity, values, culture, and morality of the state.
Stating that the school headmaster and management are responsible for selecting songs and dances for cultural programmes, it said, they should also ensure that students wear decent clothes in dance or cultural programmes.
