One more swine flu death in Mumbai, toll 29

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PUNE/MUMBAI: Even as two more woman died of swine flu in Pune and Mumbai, raising the nationwide toll to 29 with Pune being worst hit with 13 fatalities, the district authorities in Pune announced on Monday that the closure of educational institutions and cinema halls would be extended to August 23.

Of the three suspected deaths of the flu in Mumbai, one pregnant woman died of swine flu on Monday. So far, three persons have fallen victim to H1N1 virus in the financial capital of the country. In Pune, Bina Gonsalves (36), who was admitted to Sassoon hospital on August 15 in a critical state, collapsed late on Sunday night. She was a confirmed case of swine flu.

Pune district collector Chandrakant Dalvi said though the number of deaths in the city had come down over the last three days and the number of people visiting screening centres had also fallen, the number of suspected patients was still high.

"Guardian minister Ajit Pawar and divisional commissioner Dilip Band took the decision to keep schools, colleges, tuition classes, theatres and multiplexes closed till August 23. Earlier, schools and colleges were to stay shut till August 19," Dalvi said.
To check the spread of the H1N1 virus, the district administration has decided to rope in army medical establishments to upgrade screening and treatment facilities, besides making more beds available.

"The defence establishments have extended full co-operation," Dalvi said. The army medical establishments in the city include the Military Hospital, Khadki; Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC); Military Hospital (cardio-thoracic centre) and the Cantonment General Hospital. AFMC and Command Hospital spokesperson Lt Col Abhijit Rudra said: "The proposal to extend medical amenities to civilians has been discussed and we are looking at extending help".

Dalvi said the current bed capacity for the swine flu patients in various state government and municipal corporation hospitals is 466. "Our aim is to increase it to 1,000 beds in the next few days," he said.

The collector said 8,155 patients were screened on Monday, far less than the figures for Saturday (27,288) and Sunday (13,442). Also, there were only 687 suspected cases reported on Monday as against 1,374 cases on Saturday and 1,094 on Sunday. Twenty-four fresh positive cases were reported on Monday, bringing the total number of such cases to 598.

‘‘As of today, there are 243 patients admitted in different hospitals in the city,’’ Dalvi said. ‘‘Of these, 54 are H1N1 positive and 189 are suspected cases. Eight patients are on the ventilator — two at Sassoon hospital and six at Sahyadri hospital,’’ he said.

TOI

Centre trying to deploy its forces in States: Mayawati

NEW DELHI, Aug 17: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati today apprehended that the Centre was contemplating direct deployment of its forces in States facing long-term law and order problem and termed it as a “matter of concern”. “It seems the Centre is considering a right to directly deploy security forces in States. Similarly, the Centre is considering direct intervention in States which face long-term problem of law and order,” she said. This was a “matter of concern”, Mayawati said at the meeting of chief ministers on internal security here. Mayawati said the Constitution gave vast rights to the Centre in relation to State Governments. “But if the Centre gets rights to deploy security forces directly, it will be able to interfere in state matters without responsibility,” she added. The Chief Minister’s speech was read in absentia by State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Lalji Verma. (PTI)

India leads world in road deaths: WHO

NEW DELHI: In a dubious distinction for the country, the World Health Organization has revealed in its first ever Global Status Report on Road Safety that more people die in road accidents in India than anywhere else in the world, including the more populous China.

Calling road fatalities an "epidemic" that will become the world's fifth biggest killer by 2030, the report said while rich nations had been able to lower their death rates, these were sharply on the rise in the third world. It said 90% of deaths on the world's roads occur in low and middle-income countries (21.5 and 19.5 per lakh of population, respectively) though they have just 48% of all registered vehicles.

The statistics for India are chilling. At least 13 people die every hour in road accidents in the country, the latest report of the National Crime Records Bureau reveals. In 2007, 1.14 lakh people in India lost their lives in road mishaps — that’s significantly higher than the 2006 road death figures in China, 89,455.

Road deaths in India registered a sharp 6.1% rise between 2006 and 2007. However, road safety experts say the real numbers could be higher since many of these accident cases are not even reported. "There is no estimate of how many injured in road accidents die a few hours or days after the accident," points out Rohit Baluja, member of the UN Road Safety Collaboration and Commission of Global Road Safety representing Asia.

The report, based on 2006 and 2007 statistics collected from 178 participating countries, said globally over 1.2 million people die in road accidents every year and 20-25 million people suffer non-fatal injuries.

Baluja said both central and state governments, while pushing for construction of more highways and roads, were doing precious little to make them safe. "We don't have scientific traffic engineering which forms the basis of road safety improvement practised in US and UK since 1930s. This still remains a matter of consultancy in India as we are yet to have our own traffic engineering wings," Baluja adds.

In fact, the report shows while only 3,298 people died in road accidents in UK in 2006, the figure, at 42,642, was much higher in the US.

The report pointed to speeding, drinking-driving and low use of helmets, seat belts and child restraints in vehicles as the main contributing factors. In 2004, road accidents was the top ninth cause of death in 2004.

"Speed is the main reason behind accidents. An increase in average speed is directly related to both the likelihood of a crash occurring and to the severity of crash consequences. A 5% increase in average speed leads to an approximately 10% increase in crashes that cause injuries and a 20% increase in fatal crashes. Zones of 30 kmph can reduce crash risk and injury severity and are recommended in areas where vulnerable road users are particularly at risk," the report said.

Only 29% countries had managed to reduce traffic speed in urban areas and 10% have been effective in managing it. The report stated traffic calming measures were lacking in areas with no traffic segregation.

A brief analysis of the NCRB report points to Andhra Pradesh having the highest share of deaths due to road accidents (12%) followed by Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh (11% each).

Interestingly, contrary to the popular view of trucks being a major killer on roads, the report shows these to be the biggest victims of mishaps - 23,991 occupants of trucks and lorries lost their lives in 2007. This was followed by occupants of two-wheelers.

TOI

Demand for Indian flags lukewarm

New Delhi, Aug 14: Independence Day is only a day away but the usual fervour for tri-coloured flags is missing this time. Sales of miniature Indian flags at traffic signals and those meant to adorn desks and dashboards are down. The Khadi Gram Udyog is moaning that the demand has fallen by about 20 per cent. “The demand is down by 20 per cent compared to last year. The demand has not picked up though we are so close to August 15,” a Khadi Gram Udyog official told IANS.

Indian flags in khadi sold at Khadi Gram Udyog’s outlets are hugely popular. “We get our supply from a foundation in Maharashtra. Generally the demand for the flag shoots up before Republic Day and Independence Day. This time it is different,” the official added. A sweeping look at the capital’s roads and the number of tri-coloured fare in the arms of the street children at traffic signals back the point. Miniature flags made of plastic and other products cost between Rs 5 and Rs 20. Rajashri Das, an office-goer who like every year bought a flag stand for her car’s dashboard, said: “It’s surprising that the number of small flags and other Independence Day fare is not seen as much this time. A boy I bought the flag stand from said the demand for the flag was not much.” Rinky, a street kid who buys flags and other fare from the wholesale market and sells it at a traffic junction in south Delhi’s Moti Bagh area, said: “Not many people are buying things from us. But I am sure that the sales will pick up on August 15 like they do every year.”

Commander K V Singh of the Flag Foundation of India, which promotes the national flag, however insisted that the demand for the national flag had not dipped. But he admitted that neither had it risen. “The demand has been constant. We have supplied 1,300 flags in the last two weeks and there have been demands from Haryana, Bangalore and Mumbai, besides Delhi,” Singh told IANS. “If there is a shift it is this that people now prefer flags in fabrics that are cheaper compared to khadi flags that are more expensive. Having said that I still can’t say that the demand for the flag has risen,” he added. However, many tourists are buying the Indian flag. “Whether they buy it as a souvenir or otherwise, there are a lot of foreigners who have been buying the Indian flag. And why not? Our flag is so beautiful that it is worth being kept as a memoir,” said the official of Khadi Gram Udyog in Connaught Place, the very heart of the capital. (IANS)