Jabalpur High Court declines interim relief to MP state government

A Division Bench of Justice R.C. Lahoti and Justice Sanjay Yadav of the Jabalpur High Court today, passed an Order declining to grant interim relief to the Government of Madhya Pradesh (GoMP) on an application filed by it, seeking modification of the Order of the High Court dated 12-11-2009 in the public interest writ petition filed by Narmada Bachao Andolan on crores of rupees corruption in the rehabilitation of the Sardar Sarovar Project affected families. By the Order of 12-11-2009, the Court had directed that all requisitions and funds for the Justice Jha Commission of Inquiry shall be placed with the Registrar General of the High Court and all grants by the State will also be routed through him. Read more

The GoMP filed an application, taking objection to this Order on false and fictitious grounds that such routing would cause ‘greater delays’ in the disbursal of funds to the Commission and would create complications in the audit and accounts process of the Court. They had also challenged the directive as being inconsistent with the Commission of Inquiry Act.

Medha Patkar, appearing for the Respondent (Narmada Bachao Andolan) pleaded that the application filed by the GoMP is totally misleading and baseless. She briefly placed before the Court the history of violation by the state government in notifying and grating funds, facilities and staff to the Commission from the date of the High Court’s Order appointing the Commission (21-08-2008). It was only after a series of applications were filed before the High Court by NBA and upon the Courts’ intervention that the Commission became functional, at least to an extent.

Ms. Patkar argued that the High Court’s Orders on routing the funds, which were issued by invoking its inherently wide powers under Article 226 are absolutely rational and just, since the Government has been the actual cause of deliberate delay in the disbursal of funds to the Commission. In fact as late as in January, the State Government has imposed a restriction on the Commission with respect to expenses on purchase of equipments and other infrastructure necessary for the inquiry. This itself reveals the Government’s intentions,
as far as its claims of ‘allowing the Commission to function smoothly’ are concerned. Further, the GoMP has challenged the Commission itself by filing a Special Leave Petition in the Supreme Court and has all the while exhibited its hostility towards any independent inquiry in the massive corruption in the R&R process, affecting the very right to life of thousands of oustees.

It cannot be expected anymore that the Government has the political will to allow the Commission to function effectively and it was taking cognizance of this fact and situation that the High Court issued its reasoned and fair orders. It was also pointed to the Court as to how the GoMP has committed contempt of the Court’s Orders. Despite the Order of 12-11-2009 clearly directing that all funding shall be routed through the Registrar General, the Government made some direct payment to the Commission in January 2010. Ms. Patkar also pointed out, with latest information, as to how the Commission’s work has been severely paralysed due to the lack of timely funds, office equipments and a team of special investigators (such as police, revenue and PWD officials), which is again a violation and contempt of the Court’s earlier
Orders.

Upon hearing the parties and recording the pleadings, Court observed that the High Court’s Orders were indeed reasonable and need not be modified. However, the Bench directed the GoMP to file its response to the detailed Reply Affidavit filed by NBA.

Court also declines interim relief on Intervention Application:

The Court also briefly heard an Application for Intervention filed by Mr. Gattulal and two others seeking a direction to the Jha Commission to allow the second instalment of Special Rehabilitation Grant due to them. Ms. Patkar pointed out to the Court that since all the policy matters are pending before the Supreme Court and all issues of corruption before the Jha Commission, the Court’s intervention, until such time that the Commission submits it Report would be inappropriate. She pointed out two Orders of the Supreme Court, one which had directed the state government to prove that the PAFs are actually being able to purchase land through cash compensation and another where in the Court had upheld the PAF’s right to approach the GRA or the Supreme Court itself in case of any grievance.

The Court recorded the submission of Ms. Patkar and directed counsel for the Intervenors to file their response to the Reply Affidavit filed by NBA within two weeks.

Both these applications will be heard on the 9th April, 2009 Senior Counsel Mr. Shekhar Bhargav pleaded for the Government of Madhya Pradesh along with Mr. Vivek Patwa. Mr. Syed Naqvi, along with Mr. Dharmendra Sharma appeared as Counsels for the Narmada Control Authority and Advocate R.N. Singh pleaded the case of the Intervenors.

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"Piles To Smiles" book released at 3rd LCS Convocation

“Piles To Smiles” book was released at the 3rd Convocation of Lucknow College of Surgeons (LCS) by Prof (Dr) Saroj Chooramani Gopal, Vice Chancellor of Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University (CSMMU – upgraded King George’s Medical College – KGMC). Dr Dinesh Sharma, Mayor of Lucknow was the Chief Guest. Read more

“Piles To Smiles” is co-authored by a team led by Professor (Dr) Rama Kant, President of LCS and Professor and Head, Department of Surgery at CSMMU. Dr Suresh Kumar and Dr Arshad Ahmad, faculty members in Department of Surgery at CSMMU, Dr Pooja Ramakant, Senior Resident, Department of Endocrine Surgery, Sanjay Gandhi Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) and Bobby Ramakant, health activist and CNS writer are co-authors of this book “Piles To Smiles”.

“It is surprising that piles or haemorrhoids have not been high up on the public health agenda despite of the incredibly high prevalence and practical approaches to prevent or manage them. According to varying estimates 50-85% of the world’s population suffers from piles or haemorrhoids at some stage in their lives, especially the risk to develop piles alarmingly increases between 50-70 years of age” said Professor (Dr) Rama Kant, who is also a recipient of World Health Organization (WHO) Director General’s Award in 2005 and lead author of this book.

“This book also features a unique non-surgical technique for the management of Piles like Doppler-guided haemorrhoidal artery ligation (DGHAL) and Recto-Anal Repair (RAR). The beauty of this procedure lies in the fact that the patient is discharged within a few hours and is back to work, the very next day” said Prof (Dr) Rama Kant.

“There are known lifestyle and dietary factors that aggravate the risk to piles significantly” added Prof Rama Kant.

Piles are swellings that develop from the tissues that line the anal canal or back passage. The tissue of the anal canal is rich in blood vessels. If these vessels become dilated and swollen, they may project into the anal canal or out of the back passage (known as a prolapse) to form visible swellings.

Piles tend to be caused by factors that cause the blood vessels to swell, including anything that increases pressure inside the abdomen such as constipation, pregnancy or being overweight. Prevalence of piles is higher in pregnant women than in non-pregnant women of the same age group.

The Hindi version of this book “Smiles To Piles” will soon be released by CNS, said the authors.

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A pat on woman's back on International Women's Day (8 March)

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International Women's Day is the story of ordinary women as makers of history; it is rooted in the centuries-old struggle of women to participate in society on an equal footing with men. It is a day to look back on past struggles and accomplishments, and more importantly, to look ahead at the untapped potential and opportunities that await future generations of women. It is a day to be proud of our achievements and to take stock of our failings; to feel the tingling sensation of being part of a period of renaissance, of struggle whose ultimate aim is “Equal rights, equal opportunities: Progress for all.” Read more
For the United Nations, International Women's Day has been observed on 8 March since 1975. In adopting its resolution on the observance of Women's Day, the General Assembly recognized the fact that securing peace and social progress fundamental freedoms require the active participation and development of women; and acknowledged the contribution of women to the strengthening of international peace and security.
For the women of the world, the Day's symbolism has a wider meaning: It is an occasion to review how far they have come in their struggle for equality, peace and development. It is also an opportunity to unite, and mobilize for meaningful change.

Mary Ward, the foundress of the Loreto Order of missionary schools (who was persecuted for fighting for the rights of women) had said 400 years ago that ‘Women in times to come would do great things”. Her prophecy has indeed come true.

It is a matter of pride that, despite strong gender biases existing in certain regions, half the world’s population are women and at least one third of the world’s official labour force is female, doing two thirds of the world’s work. However, it is a shame that they receive only one tenth of the world’s income.

For many of us women life may be hard, difficult and certainly not equal – the inequity being fuelled by ethnic, cultural, economic, political and religious stigmas. There are horrendous realities which many women have to cope with, and which cannot be ignored, even as we revel together in the celebration of womanhood
About 25,000 brides are burned to death each year in India because of insufficient dowries..

In a number of countries, women who have been raped are sometimes killed by their own families to preserve the family's honour. Honour killings have been reported in Jordan, Pakistan, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and other Persian Gulf countries. Women in India are also subject to such killings if they dare to marry outside their caste or religion, against their parents’ wishes.

According to UNICEF, 100 million to 140 million girls and women have undergone some form of female genital mutilation. Today, this practice is carried out in 28 African countries, despite the fact that it is outlawed in a number of these nations. A doctor friend of mine, while recently in Capetown to attend a medical conference, was witness to the horrible ritual of cutting of the clitoris and the stitching of the vagina (with just a small opening left for the menstrual blood to flow) of adolescent girls in Namibia, with full sanction of the village elders.

Rape as a weapon of war has been used in Mexico, Rwanda, Kuwait, Haiti, Columbia, and elsewhere.
Village Devda in Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan in India has earned notoriety for female infanticide. In the last 120 years, this village could marry only two girls (incidentally cousins), one in 1998 and the other in 2010, as there are no other girls to be married –the villagers boast of siring only male children and killing the females as soon as they are born.

But the silver linings in this reprehensible scenario are brave hearts like Inder Singh Bhati and his wife who, 29 years ago, decided against the wishes of the community that their baby girl Jayant Kanwar will live, while everybody else around them killed their daughters. They could not bring themselves to follow the bizarre village ritual with infant girls. ‘‘I don’t remember what we were thinking but it was my wife who took the decision. I supported her,’’ recalls Inder Singh. His relative Panna Singh was encouraged to follow suit and protect his daughter Shagun Kanwar.

So there are storms to be weathered and injustices to be fought. Yet there is enough reason to celebrate. It makes me happy to see a new found confidence, bordering on arrogance, on the faces of the young girls of today, even of the small towns. There is a new fashion of covering the face with a long scarf (dupatta) while riding a two wheeler or even walking. I used to think that they do this to protect them from the harsh glare of the sun and the hot winds. But, no, they are really protecting themselves from the lecherous gaze of the world. They have found a way of appraising others, without being appraised by them; to look at the world without being looked at. It has given them the advantage of anonymity, in a world where their identity is always under scrutiny.

My heart swells with pride as I see the women riding bicycles or flying aeroplanes, and clutching at their cell phones, as they fight everyday battles to get a share of the happiness which is rightfully theirs. Of course they have to do much more than merely use cell phones or ride bicycles, in order to improve their lot. But all this (even an innocuous visit to nearby city mall) is instilling even the village belle with a new confidence, which was hitherto missing. At least she is no longer apologetic about her existence, despite despicable TV serials like ‘Agale Janam Mohe Bitiya Na Kijo’ (do not let me be born a girl in my next birth).

After 14 years of mostly rhetorical and half hearted efforts, the women’s quota bill to reserve 33% seats in legislatures for women is likely to become a reality this year. Dictated more by political compunctions, and less by noble intentions, this is undoubtedly a much deserved bonanza and truly a ‘women’s day gift’. Once passed by the Parliament and ratified by at least 50% of the state assemblies, one in every three constituency will be reserved for women. This is already sending shivers down the spines of many of our male members of the Parliament, as many of them feel the threat of losing their seats and looking at other career options. A national daily newspaper quoted an MP, echoing the mood of the male establishment, rueing that, “When we say ‘YES’, we may well be signing our own death warrants.”

Let us hope that with a female brigade at the helm of political affairs, there will be firmness without harshness; kindness without laxity; and mercy without injustice in the governance of the country.

And as more and more of us get ready to pierce the glass ceiling, we are bound to get hurt and lose a lot of blood. But that is a small price to pay to be able to inhale the breath of freedom and drink deep the cup of empowerment.

We are a heady mix of sensuality and nurturing; naughtiness and caring; exuberance and quietude; palliative and intoxicating. We are women and proud to be so.

My salutations to all women who uphold the dignity of womanhood, and also to those men who respect women and do not feel ashamed to walk alongside them in their journey on this earth.




Shobha Shukla
(The author is the Editor of Citizen News Service (CNS), has worked earlier with State Planning Institute, UP, and teaches Physics at India's prestigious Loreto Convent. Email: shobha@citizen-news.org, website: www.citizen-news.org)

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Till death do us part!

Special on International Women's Day
When Manu (an ancient Indian sage) wrote the Manu Smriti (religious book on Hinduism) in the post Vedic era defining the code of conduct for the Bharatiya Nari (Ideal Indian Woman) little did he realize that Indian women would literally take their role as laid down by him very seriously and that too spanning centuries. Fast forward to the 21st century and meet Priti Saini, who has lived through a nightmare for past three years and all thanks to her better half. But yet she today is living up to the image of a dutiful wife! Read more

So why is Priti with her husband being epitomized as the ideal pair?

Ironically, as she mustered up the courage to fight against the brutality she and her children faced. But thanks to the outdated concepts upon which our legal system works when it comes to marital disputes, today, she has been forced to make peace with the very man who is her perpetrator. And that too when she was close to getting justice she was demanding.

What is even more unbelievable is that she has made peace with her husband despite haunting memories of seven hatchet wounds to her head and an equal number on her body inflicted by goons hired by him as he wanted her dead!

Today she lives with a man who almost became her murderer and both are flaunted as a success story at the family courts in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh!

Their case is flashed before most warring couples who come to seek solutions to their marital disputes by dissolving their marriage, and, told- if the Saini’s can any couple can and live happily ever after!!!

A bit hard to digest, nevertheless, Priti’s story is termed as a miracle even by the lawyers here. The legal eagles sing praises of Priti who they equate with the Sati Savitri (pious woman) of modern age!!!

But then why not with if over 15,000 cases pending at the family courts even one happy ending is a cause for celebration, however brutal it’s history may have been. After all Indian marriages are made in heaven and broken only after death and our legal system truly endorses that dictum, and firmly.

So far so good, but one has to wonder why was Priti and Sudhir’s case so unique that even the courts refused to break the marriage?

As Priti herself puts it, “He is my husband if I did not forgive him who would? Since 2007 we are living apart we needed some time together. When that happened he realized he was wrong so I guess he deserves another chance.”

Good Point, but she was not as submissive when she took the lead to fight for her rights when she was abandoned by Sudhir with three children few years back when he had a illicit relationship which led to the strife in their marriage.

He wanted her dead and he made all the attempts but she survived and watched him stand by and scream ‘ kill her, kill her’ when she was being hacked by the hired killers.

He then hired more men to break in to the house and murder her and their children, but they survived even that. Then he abducted their youngest son but even then she did not come under pressure and give him the divorce he wanted so he could marry his mistress.

An employee of the High Court Lucknow with a mistress who was a inspection officer with the HC as well the duo ensured that every step taken by Priti to counter the attacks on her and her family was negated.

Then her husband went ahead and married the woman he was seeing after forging Priti’s signatures on a fake divorce decree. Their marriage was considered dissolved.

Priti countered even that, and with the courage seen rare in such situations. She appeared before the former Chief Justice of UP, Hemant Laxman Gokhale and asked him to ppoison her and her children so that they would not have to bear torture at the hands of an employee of the Chief Justice’s court.

Her case was then forwarded to the family court.

Recalls Ranjana Dixit, President, Family Courts Lawyers Association, who contested the case, “Every minute Priti would be sitting in the family court I knew she was in grave danger as her husband would be waiting outside with hired killers. He used to constantly call on her mobile and ask her to come outside the court premises. I knew he wanted the killers to identify her so they could finish the job off properly this time. A number of times he threatened me yet we continued with the case and managed to send him behind bars.”
In the meantime time Preeti ‘s self esteem took another blow when she found out that her husband’s mistress was pregnant with his child.

“I was shattered as this was the ultimate betrayal for a wife. But I was even more shocked when I heard that she aborted the child that too at seven months, both of them were so confidently breaking the law and getting away with,” she says.

But things took a dramatic turn in November 2009 when Sudhir was released from jail after 17 months and he came straight home. Preeti in an blink of an eye forgave him when he asked her to take him back as her husband.

A most unexpected turn of events that too when Priti had the upper hand. She had managed to get Sudhir suspended from his post at the High Court Lucknow and was recieving a monthly maintenance through the family court from his salary. So what made her pull back?

Feels Prof (Dr) Roop Rekha Verma, former Vice Chancellor (VC), University of Lucknow and a women’s rights activist, “On one hand women have very limited access to the legal aid and on the other those who do muster the courage to come to court to seek justice are forced to wait for a judgment for so long that their resolve finally breaks. They have no option but to go back to the husband or abusive in laws. I feel a huge attitude change is a must in family courts and in the entire working of the legal system at least to ensure that women get timely and fair justice when they raise their voice against injustice. Cases of marital disputes should not be kept hanging for years but decided as soon as possible only then justice can be done.”

But reasons Ranjana Dixit, “Most disputes fizzle out with time as we know the tedious trips date after date to appear for hearings does bring a good many warring couples to their senses. That’s why as lawyers we don’t push for any immediate action to dissolve the marriage. In my experience I have seen even the worst couples getting back together within two to three years again.”

But she is not the only one in the legal system who believes marriages must not break come what may. A disturbing trend that is fast gaining acceptance now is that it assumed that most marital disputes can be worked out if given space however bitter or brutal the differences?

Adds Dixit, “Never have I seen such a outcome of a case as the Saini’s. When Preeti came to me she was in a very bad condition battered and abused and her life was also under threat by her own husband. He not only had criminal antecedents but was also the secretary of the employees association at the Lucknow High Court. It was a doomed case from the start. A number of times during the case Sudhir made attempts on her life and even abducted his own son to work as a domestic servant at his mistress’s house.But today husband and wife are inseparable. So I think every relationship has a chance if given some space. This case has confirmed what we believed in all along.”

But at what price?

A huge one of course as the message that such a case does send out is that even if women showed tremendous resolve to fight injustice and seek their rights in marital disputes, it will all be in vain as she would eventually have to go back to a man who wronged her in the first place. Sadly women like Priti will never inspire another woman who faces what she has when the final outcome will always be so stereotyped. And Priti realizes that.

“I don’t know what changed my husband. But he has changed and that’s enough for me. When he was to be released from jail I went to my parents asking them to give me shelter as I was afraid he would again try to kill me. But they refused to take me in and asked me never to come back to them. I was again on my own, where would I go? So when my husband pleaded before me to take him back I did,” she avers teary eyed.

A sacrifice only a woman is capable of making however high the price!

Anjali Singh

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UP lags far behind in achieving MDGs

Uttar Pradesh has not only fallen behind in fulfilling the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that it had vowed to achieve  for its citizens at the world forum, it has in fact fallen much below the social development parameters that make up the eight MDGs. The deadline for meeting these goals is 2015 and the state is far behind achieving the goals. Read more

"For example even if all the state resources were properly channelized, the state will only be able to meet its health requirements in 2038," said Manish Kumar Singh, of Uttar Pradesh Voluntary Action Network (UPVAN) while speaking on 'Wada Nibhao' Campaign at the Uttar Pradesh Press Club on Saturday, 6 March 2010 afternoon. Mr. Singh was addressing the bi-monthly Media for Children, organized jointly by UNICEF and Media Nest, a forum working for the welfare of media persons and their families.

He said the campaign was started by UPVAN for making the state accountable in their efforts for realizing the development goals. The organization is monitoring the institutions of governance and would find the realities regarding their commitments towards the citizens.

Speaking about UPVAN, Mr Singh said that it was started in 1993, as a network of civil society groups in safeguarding the rights of the marginalized poor. UPVAN works towards sensitizing all the concurrent emergent issues and having interventions over the state policies towards social change and development. It provides a common platform of about 262 members' organizations, coming from all the 65 districts of the State. Since UPVAN is a coming together of allies (Member Partners) to achieve social synergy it has succeeded in bringing about the ground ability of following issues through the techniques under advocacy programme:-They do social mobilizing, campaigns.

Media 4 Children is a capacity -building platform for journalists writing on development issues. The expert therefore dwelled at length on how NGOs and media can be partners in development. Mr. Singh suggested that as true partners in development media should attempt to bring all these facts out before the masses so that a movement is built up to support MDGs.

He suggested a proper networking between NGOs and media on issues concerning the common man. He said the media must shed its misconceptions about NGOs and try to see the work being done in the field.

Stressing that often the media poses the problems but fails to provide the answers he said it would be much more beneficial if the media can also find those who can provide the answers or solution. Media can focus on those who can act as pressure group to give a healthy end to the problem. But what he specially emphasized was a ‘follow-up’ exercise to issues which would take them to their logical conclusion.

He said that a closer look will reveal that ‘poverty is the crux of the failure of all our policies.

“Media must focus on highlighting poverty –alleviation programmes- the other goals will automatically be met then,” said Mr. Singh in his interaction with the media.

    Speaking at the interaction senior media person, and an expert on RTI Mr. Afzal spoke about the disparity in our education system and how there is a wide gap between the private and government schools’ education.

“Only a miniscule per centage gets quality education and that per centage is from private schools. In short we hold back 99 per cent students from getting ahead and promote the talent of just one per cent,” said Mr. Ansari.

“The nation that neglects its children can never get ahead,” he said adding that it is in the hands of the common citizen to “activate the system that will deliver.”

In his address to the media persons and members of NGOs working for and with children, Mr. Augustine Veliath, UNICEF communication specialist said that Uttar Pradesh must do a re-think and put renewed efforts to fulfill its MDGs in the five years that are left for the deadline of the promise. “If UP does not do well, India will not work well and if India does not do well the world will not be able to achieve its MDGs,” said Mr. Veliath.

Kulsum Mustafa
(The author is a senior journalist and Secretary-General of Media Nest)

Asthma Drug Facility makes affordable asthma medicines a reality

The cost of treating asthma has dropped by nearly half in Beninand El Salvador, thanks to the Asthma Drug Facility (ADF) created by the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union). The two countries are the first to receive deliveries of affordably priced, quality-assured asthma inhalers purchased through the ADF. Read more

Until now, the lowest cost for treating a patient with severe asthma in Benin was 79 euros per year. By ordering through ADF, this cost will be reduced to 48 euros; and, in El Salvador, the savings per patient are even more dramatic – the cost reduces from 83 to 35 euros per year.

Over the past 15 years, helping low- and middle-income countries manage asthma has been one of The Union’s lung health priorities. “These countries identified the prohibitively high cost of asthma inhalers as a key obstacle to providing asthma care”, said Dr Nils E Billo, Executive Director of The Union. “The ADF was established as a practical, affordable solution to this problem”.

Through ADF, low- and middle-income countries can purchase the quality-assured, affordable asthma medicines they need. The ADF has a quality assurance system based on World Health Organization (WHO) norms and standards. It keeps prices down by having a limited competitive process among selected manufacturers based on yearly estimated volumes.

For both countries, the savings are very significant. For example, in Benin, one CFC-free inhaler of Beclometasone 100μg providing at least 200 doses of medicine will cost a patient around 1,400 CFA francs or 2.13 euros. In El Salvador, the same inhaler will cost the Ministry of Health only 1.59 euros. The costs of the medicines purchased through the ADF vary from country to country due to differences in transportation costs, importation taxes, customs clearance costs and other local factors.

For patients, a more affordable price makes treatment possible. “To give you an idea of how expensive it was for the majority of the population to spend 79 euros on asthma treatment, in Benin, a nurse earns only about 92 euros per month”, said Prof Martin Gninafon, manager of Benin’s National Tuberculosis Programme.

Each country has taken a different approach to financing these medicines. To build a sustainable system that can eventually provide all asthma patients with ongoing access to affordable treatment, Benin’s National Tuberculosis Programme has established a revolving fund and cost recovery system for asthma medicines. In El Salvador, the Ministry of Health looks forward to being able to treat more patients for the same budget.

Although the prices obtained through ADF are more affordable than what many countries had before, ADF will continue to encourage further competition among quality-assured products. “We are convinced that the prices of HFA inhalers will further decrease in the near future, since volumes will become substantial and more competition will occur”, said Cécile Macé, Pharmacist and ADF Coordinator for The Union.

Both countries purchased through the ADF not only to obtain inhalers, but also to improve their management of asthma. In addition to the ADF procurement mechanism, The Union offers a technical package for improving the management of asthma in the general health services. Thus, ADF clients order medicines, but also receive training materials, an information system and a technical guide to help them improve their services.

Benin and El Salvador are now implementing pilot studies based their adaptation of The Union’s Management of Asthma: a guide to the essentials of good clinical practice. The staff involved in the project have completed training courses in collaboration with The Union. They will be evaluating patient outcomes and documenting the reduction in emergency visits and hospitalisations that are sure to occur once patients have medicines and proper care.

While El Salvador and Benin look set to make a real change for their people suffering from asthma, other countries that want to start implementing asthma programmes or integrated approaches to respiratory health will also now have an easily accessible source of affordable medicines through the ADF. Asthma is a chronic lung condition affecting some 300 million people worldwide. Once predominantly found in industrialised countries, the incidence of asthma has increased dramatically in low- and middleincome countries over the past 20 years.

“The Union is pleased to bring new hope to those suffering from asthma, especially in this 2010 Year of the Lung”, said Dr Billo. “A principal goal of the Year of the Lung campaign is to raise awareness of lung disease and the solutions that are available to mitigate its effects on the lives of patients, families and communities”.

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Amritlal Nagar Samman to Prof (Dr) Rama Kant

Amritlal Nagar Samman 2010 for healthcare services will be conferred upon Professor (Dr) Rama Kant (WATCH VIDEO), Head of the Department of Surgery at Chhattrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University (CSMMU - upgraded King George's Medical College - KGMC). He is the President of Association of Surgeons of India (ASI) UP and a Governing Council member of ASI. Amritlal Nagar Samman is awarded in the memory of noted Hindi writer Padambhushan Amritlal Nagar, under the aegis of Holikatsava Samiti Chowk, Lucknow, patron of which is Lalji Tandon, Member of Parliament (MP) from Lucknow constituency. Read more

He is the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General's Awardee on tobacco control for the year 2005, and was also awarded the Saraswat Samman on Republic Day eve this year. He is the former Chief Medical Superintendent of Gandhi Memorial & Associated Hospitals (GM&AH), CSMMU.

He was conferred upon the Best Eminent Surgical Teacher Award by Association of Surgeons of India (ASI), UP. Prof (Dr) Rama Kant was honoured with the Begum Hazrat Mahal Quami Ekta Award (1995), Olympian Surgeon Award (1996), National Award from Indian Government's Health Ministry (1997), State Government's Award for his Hindi books (1998 and 2000), among other distinguished awards and recognitions.

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