Latest news with #Rs1.5
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Health
- Express Tribune
Punjab takes over long-stalled hospital project
Following years of federal inaction, the Punjab government is set to revive the long-abandoned Rawalpindi Mother and Child Hospital project under its Annual Development Programme (ADP). The revised plan envisions the completion of the facility as a state-of-the-art Children's Hospital, with the project's cost now escalated to Rs9 billion. PHOTO: EXPRESS The long-delayed Rawalpindi Mother and Child Hospital project — under construction for the past 22 years and with its cost rising from Rs1.5 billion to Rs9b billion — has now been transferred from the federal to the Punjab government, which will construct a Children's Hospital instead. The status of the project has been revised, and it has been decided to complete the unfinished building and establish a Children's Hospital instead. The Punjab government has issued a notification to include the project in its Annual Development Programme (ADP) and to prepare a new PC-1 for its execution. The foundation stone of the hospital was laid by two former Prime Ministers, Shaukat Aziz and Imran Khan. In addition, the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Saqib Nisar visited the site just 23 days before the 2018 general elections and announced that the project would be completed under the supervision of a special cell of the Supreme Court. According to the notification issued on June 16 by the Secretary, Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department, Punjab, Dr Hina Sattar, Head of Paediatrics at Rawalpindi Medical University, has been appointed as Project Director for the establishment of the Children's Hospital under the ADP. She will coordinate with Assistant Professor Dr Masood Sadiq, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Child Health Sciences, Lahore, to prepare a revised PC-1 for the project. It is worth noting that former federal Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed had facilitated the foundation-laying of a 200-bed Mother and Child Hospital by then Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz during the federal government formed after the 2002 elections. At the time, the total estimated cost of the project was Rs1.5b. However, the project remained incomplete during the five-year tenure of that government. While the main structure was constructed, critical work, including finishing, renovation, machinery installation, and recruitment of human resources, was never completed. From 2008 to 2017, the project remained abandoned. Then, on July 1, 2018 — just 23 days before the general elections — then Chief Justice Saqib Nisar, along with Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, visited the site and announced that the SC's special cell would now oversee the project's completion. Later, after the PTI came to power following the 2018 elections, then Prime Minister Imran Khan visited the site once again and reiterated the promise to complete the hospital. Despite significant progress during PTI's three-and-a-half-year tenure, the project still could not be completed. The construction eventually halted, and the partially built structure began to deteriorate due to weather and neglect. Now, the project — previously under federal jurisdiction — has officially been handed over to the Punjab government, which will provide the funding and complete the project as a Children's Hospital under a new PC-1.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Nashik Road railway police arrest four involved in stealing mobile phones
Nashik: The Nashik Road Government Railway Police (GRP), in a joint operation with the Railway Protection Force (RPF), have arrested four individuals accused of stealing mobile phones from train passengers. The authorities have recovered stolen mobile phones valued at Rs1.5 lakh from the suspects. The arrests followed an increase in passenger complaints regarding mobile phone thefts on trains between Mumbai and Bhusawal. A GRP official said, "On Tuesday, two railway passengers registered a complaint about their mobile phones being stolen during their travel from Mumbai to Bhusawal. Based on this information, the GRP and RPF took action to track them down with the help of CCTV footage at the railway station. " The official added, "We tracked the suspects to platform 4. The police approached them and inquired about them being present at the station. Since they could not provide satisfactory answers, they were taken to the police station where they were asked about their whereabouts and purpose of visiting Nashik." The suspects have been identified as Jassim Salim Sheikh, Rahul Shimpi and Abdul Latif Halim Khan — all residents of Thane district. "Five stolen mobile phones valued at Rs80,000 were recovered from them," the official said. A fourth suspect, who was trying to sell a stolen mobile phone, was also arrested on Monday. He has been identified as Sunil Ambhore, a resident of Washim.
Gulf Today
a day ago
- Gulf Today
Hotel fined Rs1.5m for dumping sewage waste into Attabad Lake in Pakistan's Hunza Valley
The Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) administration in Pakistan has imposed a fine of Rs1.5 million on a hotel for allegedly dumping sewage waste into Attabad Lake of Hunza Valley. The development came a day after a foreign tourist and vlogger named George Buckley posted a video on his Instagram page, claiming that sewage water was being pumped out by the hotel into the Attabad Lake In the video, Buckley could be seen standing next to the lake with a friend and saying: "We found out some information through a local that the sewage is actually being pumped into the water.' US vlogger George Buckle could be seen standing next to the lake with a friend outside the hotel in this screengrabe. The tourist also showed muddy water being mixed into the lake. The post gained significant traction on social media, prompting a response from the hotel. The hotel dismissed the claims in a social media post today, saying, "This lake has been home for us for the last six years. To dump sewage water into the lake would be like desecrating our own house. We have never nor will we ever dump a single litre of wastewater into Attabad Lake.' The post also said that the muddy appearance of the water near the hotel was due to adjacent water streams carrying mud, rocks and minerals, which mixed with the lake water. "This phenomenon is known as confluence, where two separately flowing water bodies meet. If one of the water bodies is high in turbidity, then this causes a muddy/cloudy water surface at the point of confluence.' Buckley responded in the comments section of the hotel's video, saying, "The only document you have provided to me and the public that looks into this environmental issue was the report from July 2021. I've asked 3 times to see an inspection report after that date conducted by the EPA and local government (which was suggested to be done quarterly in the 2021 report), yet you have provided nothing over the last 17 hours since I asked the first time.' He also said that the property smelled "badly of sewage,' adding, "Nothing that a natural occurrence like the silt runoff would create, not even close.' GB Environment Department Director Khadim Hussain said the administration had taken action against the hotel on a complaint made by a foreign tourist alleging that waste from the hotel was being dumped into the lake. "The administration has imposed a fine of Rs1.5 million and sealed a large part of the hotel consisting of 30 rooms from where the sewage water had entered the lake.' According to Hussain, after the video went viral on the internet, the GB chief secretary took immediate action and sought a report from the Hunza deputy commissioner, resulting in a 15-member team inspecting Attabad Lake. Hussain said there was "evidence that water pollution had been found when human waste from the hotel entered the lake'. "The hotel administration was repairing the sewage line at the time when the waste had entered the lake, but there was no major pollution. The fine was imposed on the hotel for negligence.' He said that a report will be sent to the chief secretary on Wednesday to decide further steps, adding that the matter will be heard at the magistrate's court for legal proceedings. He further said that "strict action was taken against the hotel in October 2024 for causing water pollution.'
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Thieves snack and relax, rob home of Rs1.5cr
Lucknow: In what seems more like a script from a dark comedy, Lucknow has witnessed yet another bizarre and audacious burglary in Jankipuram where thieves helped themselves to chips, dry fruits and air-conditioning before vanishing with ancestral jewellery and cash worth nearly Rs1.5 crore, while leaving behind a licensed firearm. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The incident came to light when the family returned from Bengaluru on Wednesday. The burglary took place at the residence of Durgesh Kumar Mishra, nephew of former Kharagpur Jagir village head Brijendra Kumar Mishra alias Lubbu Mishra. Durgesh, a petrol pump owner, travelled to Bengaluru with his wife Aarti, younger brother Ram Manohar Mishra, sister-in-law Neelam Mishra, and other family members to visit his sister Sarita on May 28. Upon returning on Wednesday, the family was shocked to find the latch of the main gate broken. Though the lock appeared untouched, the inner door was forced open. Durgesh told police that the burglars seemed to know the house well. "They broke open locks in every room, searched meticulously and took only cash, gold and valuable items — leaving a gun untouched," he said. The forensic team found a half-smoked bidi near the door and an intact bidi on the sofa, which have been sent to a laboratory for analysis. The dog squad sniffed a key from one of the looted wardrobes and led investigators approximately 500 metres away to the house of one Kamlesh Mishra in the northern direction, where it stopped. Police suspect the thieves parked a getaway vehicle near Kamlesh's residence and fled after committing the crime. CCTV footage from the vicinity is being collected and reviewed. "The level of planning and time taken suggest the thieves knew the family was out of town. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now It could be someone close," an officer said. On the basis of suspicion, three individuals have been detained and are being interrogated. Former village head Brijendra Mishra told reporters that Durgesh planned to stay in Bengaluru for a few more days, but an unexpected tragedy forced his return. "Durgesh's brother-in-law died in an accident, which is why the family returned earlier than scheduled. Otherwise, this theft may have gone unnoticed for longer," he said. Additional commissioner of police (ACP), Aliganj, Dharmendra Kumar Raghuvanshi said, "Multiple teams, including DCP crime and the local police, are working to trace the burglars. CCTV footage from the area is being compiled. We expect a breakthrough soon."
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Datke demands urgent drain cleaning in Central Nagpur
Nagpur: Central Nagpur MLA Pravin Datke on Tuesday criticised the civic administration for its failure to complete desilting of key drains ahead of monsoon. The BJP leader, accompanied by former corporators and party functionaries, reviewed flood-mitigation efforts in a high-level meeting with Municipal Commissioner Abhijeet Chaudhari and civic officials at Nagpur Municipal Corporation's headquarters in Civil Lines. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Datke directed NMC to prioritise cleaning operations in areas like Hatti Nala, Rahatekarwadi Nala, Jamdar School vicinity, Lendi Talao stretch, and the drain near Raman Science Centre. "Water stagnation and garbage blockages in these drains have become a recurring nightmare for citizens. Immediate action must be taken before heavy rains arrive," he told officials, warning of public backlash if negligence continues. The meeting also exposed broader civic failures. BJP city president and former Mayor Dayashankar Tiwari criticised the administration for disbanding a zonal desilting team that earlier handled stormwater drains in narrow Central Nagpur lanes. "Now a centralised team is overburdened, and our zones are neglected," he said. Tiwari also criticised the delay in procuring a Rs1.5 crore 'octopus' sewer machine sanctioned during his tenure, lamenting that NMC continues to rent equipment instead. "Public suffering has peaked, and there's no grievance redressal in the absence of elected corporators," said Datke. "For three years, civic basics are being ignored. If issues aren't resolved within a month, we will take to the streets," he warned.
