Over 1,380 people rescued by army in flood-hit Manipur, Tripura
Kolkata, June 15: A total of 430 persons have so far been evacuated from flood-affected areas of Manipur and more than 950 rescued in Tripura by Assam Rifles and Army personnel, a defence statement said here on.
"So far, a total of 430 citizens have been evacuated from Irong, Maibam, Uchiwa, Arapati, Kiyamgei, Achanbigai and Mongjam villages of Thoubal, Imphal East and Imphal West Districts of Manipur by columns of Assam Rifles and Indian Army with operations still on," it said.
More than 950 have been rescued from Kailashahar, Indiranagar, Fatikroy, Santail, Kumarghat in Tripura and as of now, more than 2,000 people are being sheltered at relief camps in the state's Kailashahar.
"A total of six columns are operating in the state after responding to request from civil administration," an official spokesperson said.
In addition to the relief and rescue operations, maximum possible assistance is being provided to the civil administration by Assam Rifles and the army in terms of establishing shelters, relief camps, distribution of emergency rations, drinking water supply and repair of embankments, the statement said.
A large number of medical teams have been deployed to cater to the affected populace in these two states reeling under the effects of the flood, it added.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
'Low-quality' catheters supplied to West Bengal govt hospitals at high price, probe ordered
Kolkata (PTI): The West Bengal health department has launched a probe into the supplies of allegedly low-quality and locally made catheters at a high price to several government hospitals, posing a risk to the lives of patients undergoing treatment in these facilities, officials said.
Such central venous catheters (CVCs) were allegedly supplied to at least five medical colleges and hospitals in the state, defying allocation of international standard-compliant CVCs, they said.
The distribution company, which has been accused of supplying these catheters to government hospitals, admitted to the fault but placed the blame on its employees.
"We started checking stocks some time back and found these locally made CVCs in my hospital store. These catheters are of low quality as compared to those allocated by the state. We have informed the state health department," a senior official of the Calcutta Medical College and Hospital told PTI.
Low-quality catheters were also found in the stores of other hospitals, which indicates "possible involvement of insiders in the scam", a health department official said.
The low-quality CVCs were supplied by a distributor in the Hatibagan area in the northern part of Kolkata for the last three to four months, he said.
"Such kinds of local CVCs are priced around Rs 1,500 but the distributor took Rs 4,177 for each device," the official said.
A CVC is a thin and flexible tube that is inserted into a vein to allow for the administration of fluids, blood, and other treatment. It's also clinically called a central line catheter.
"An initial probe revealed that the distribution company Prakash Surgical had supplied the low-quality and locally manufactured catheters to several government hospitals instead of the CVCs of the government-designated international company.
"All the units will be tested and a proper investigation is on to find out who benefited from these supplies," the health department official said.
The distribution company blamed its employees for the supply of inferior quality catheters.
"I was sick for a few months. Some employees of the organisation made this mistake. We are taking back all those units that have gone to the hospitals. It's all about misunderstanding," an official of the distribution company told PTI.
According to another state health department official, a complaint was lodged with the police in this connection.
Asked about how many patients were affected by the usage of such low-quality CVCs, the official said, "The probe would also try to find that out".
According to sources in the health department, some of the staff of the hospitals' equipment receiving departments and some local officials of international organisations might be involved in the alleged irregularities.
