Biryani during eclipse row: Jagannath temple servitors seek action against rationalists
Puri (Odisha)(PTI): Servitors of the Jagannath temple in Puri on Saturday wrote to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, seeking punishment for those who allegedly made "objectionable" remarks against gods.
In the letter, the Chhatisha Nijog, the apex servitors' body comprising 36 different groups, said people claiming to be rationalists have hurt religious sentiments of Hindus by ridiculing century-old traditions during the recent solar and lunar eclipses. The particular group of people made slanderous remarks in television channels against Lord Ram and Lord Laxman, it said.
"They even said that rice and chicken can be offered to Lord Jagannath as prasad," it added.
It said the state government will be responsible if there is any major law and order situation in the state.
Copies of the letter were also sent to Chief Secretary SC Mohapatra and Director-General of Police SK Bansal.
Earlier this week, eight people were arrested for allegedly attacking a group that organised a biryani feast in Bhubaneswar during the two eclipses.
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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.
