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Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Himachal will be ‘Udta Punjab' in 5 years if govt fails to act: Governor
Raising serious concerns over rising drug menace in the state, Himachal Pradesh governor Shiv Pratap Shukla expressed dissatisfaction over lack of government rehabilitation centres while questioning political will to fight the menace. Himachal Pradesh governor Shiv Pratap Shukla expressed dissatisfaction over lack of government rehabilitation centres while questioning political will to fight the menace. (HT File) 'There is only one Red Cross-run drug rehabilitation centre in Kullu. We have been hearing about identification of land for setting up a centre in Sirmaur but nothing is moving on ground. This shows the seriousness of the government.' Shukla warned that if prompt action is not taken, the state could face a crisis similar to Punjab, often referred to as 'Udta Punjab.' The governor pointed out that the Himachal government has not been proactive in setting up rehabilitation centres. 'The state government should have moved forward to open rehab centres. For a long time, they have been saying that land has been identified and funds have been allocated, but nothing concrete has been done. If this situation continues, Himachal could turn into 'Udta Himachal,' and our generations will suffer,' he warned. 'The government of India has decided to include the efforts being made in Himachal Pradesh against drug abuse in its national programmes. This is both the inspiration of the Prime Minister and my own resolve to make Himachal drug-free.' He added that Union minister Mansukh Mandaviya has announced that these initiatives will be adopted nationwide. 'A proposal named 'Kashi Sankalp' has been passed, which will now go across the country, and I am pleased that the programmes initiated by the governor of Himachal Pradesh are part of this,' Shukla noted. The governor highlighted various initiatives launched and said that students are now required to sign a pledge during admissions, declaring they will not indulge in drug abuse, and the administration reserves the right to take disciplinary action if they are caught. 'Awareness is rising. Parents who earlier ignored their children's drug use are now proactive. Panchayats are informing police about suppliers, and the number of NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) cases has increased significantly,' Shukla stated. According to official data, NDPS cases in the state have increased from 500 in 2012 to over 2,200 in 2023. Citing a survey of 1,150 inmates, Shukla revealed that drug abuse is highest among individuals aged 15–30 years. 'Awareness is the key to reducing demand. If Punjab's government is taking steps, Himachal must act seriously,' he asserted. Shukla also urged all political leaders to unite against drug abuse. 'I have written to deputy chief minister Mukesh Agnihotri, Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur, education minister Rohit Thakur, and other ministers, requesting them to raise awareness and take action at all levels,' he said. Rave parties in Himachal Taking strict note of the rave parties, Shukla said, 'I will call the DGP and will inquire how such parties are taking place. This undermines the efforts being taken to fight drugs.'
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Health
- Indian Express
Don't agree LoP should go with CM to seek funds from Centre: HP Gov
Himachal Pradesh Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla Thursday said that he doesn't agree with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu that Leader of Opposition (LoP) Jai Ram Thakur should go along with the CM to get aid from the central government in Delhi. 'Then why did CM Sukhu not take LoP with him when he went to meet senior Union ministers, including Home Minister Amit Shah, in Delhi last week?' Shukla said while interacting with the media. 'I don't agree with such statements that LoP should go with government leadership to seek assistance from the central government. Central government always gives financial assistance to Himachal Pradesh and other states whenever need arises. There are ministers, including Deputy Chief Minister, PWD and Urban Development Minister and others who said that whenever required, they bring assistance from the Centre. Then what is the point in saying that the Centre is not giving assistance to Himachal Pradesh?' On the prevailing drug issue in the state, Shukla said, 'The kind of response which is expected from the state government and its representatives, especially MLAs, against the drug menace is lacking on the ground. The anti-drug campaigns, which are being witnessed on the ground, are the results of efforts of people, gram panchayats and a push from the Governor House on the ground.' He also expressed dissatisfaction over the lack of government rehabilitation centres. 'There is only one Red Cross-run drug rehabilitation centre in Kullu. We have been hearing about identification of land for setting up one in Sirmaur but nothing is moving on the ground. This shows the seriousness of the government,' he said. 'The state government should have moved forward to open rehab centres. For a long time, they have been saying that land has been identified and funds have been allocated, but nothing concrete has been done. If this situation continues, Himachal could turn into 'Udta Himachal,' and our generations will suffer.' 'The Government of India has decided to include the efforts being made in Himachal Pradesh against drug abuse in its national programmes. This is both the inspiration of the Prime Minister and my own resolve to make Himachal drug-free.' The Governor said that Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya had announced that these initiatives would be adopted nationwide. 'A proposal called 'Kashi Sankalp' has been passed, which will now go across the country, and I am pleased that the programmes initiated by the Governor of Himachal Pradesh are part of this,' Shukla noted. 'Awareness is rising. Parents who earlier ignored their children's drug use are now proactive. Panchayats are informing police about suppliers, and the number of NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) cases has increased significantly.' According to official data, NDPS cases in the state have increased from 500 in 2012 to over 2,200 in 2023. Citing a survey of 1,150 inmates, Shukla said that drug abuse is highest among individuals aged 15–30. 'Awareness is the key to reducing demand. If Punjab's government is taking steps, Himachal must act seriously,' he said. The Governor urged all political leaders to unite against drug abuse. 'I have written to Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, Education Minister Rohit Thakur, and other ministers, requesting them to raise awareness and take action at all levels,' he said. Shukla said that he will take up the matter of rave parties in Kullu-Manali with Director General of Police (DGP) Ashok Tewari. He said this was recently brought to his notice. Many NGOs and green activists filed a PIL in the Himachal Pradesh High Court, seeking a crackdown on the rave parties, especially held in the dense forest areas of Kullu district. Unpleasant moments were witnessed when a personnel of local Criminal Investigation Department (CID) was found sitting among media persons when Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla was interacting with the media at Raj Bhavan. The security staff of the Raj Bhavan called him outside the hall where the interaction was going on and reprimanded him.
Rhyl Journal
01-06-2025
- Health
- Rhyl Journal
At least 31 Palestinians killed while heading to Gaza aid hub, officials say
The witnesses said Israeli forces fired on crowds around 1,000 yards from a new aid site run by an Israeli-backed foundation. Israel's military said in a statement that its forces did not fire at civilians near or within the site, citing an initial inquiry. The foundation – promoted by Israel and the United States – said in a statement it delivered aid 'without incident'. It has denied previous accounts of chaos and gunfire around its sites, which are in Israeli military zones where independent media has no access. 'Aid distribution has become a death trap,' the head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, Philippe Lazzarini, said in a statement. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's aid distribution has been marred by chaos in its first week of operations, and multiple witnesses have said Israeli troops fired on crowds near its sites. Before Sunday, 17 people were killed while trying to reach the sites, according to Zaher al-Waheidi, head of the Health Ministry's records department. The foundation says private security contractors guarding its sites have not fired on the crowds. Israel's military has acknowledged firing warning shots on previous occasions. The foundation said in a statement it distributed 16 truckloads of aid early Sunday 'without incident', and dismissed what it described as 'false reporting about deaths, mass injuries and chaos'. Thousands of people headed towards the distribution site in southern Gaza hours before dawn. As they approached, Israeli forces ordered them to disperse and come back later, witnesses said. When the crowds reached the Flag Roundabout, around 1km away, at around 3 am, Israeli forces opened fire, the witnesses said. 'There was fire from all directions, from naval warships, from tanks and drones,' said Amr Abu Teiba, who was in the crowd. He said he saw at least 10 bodies with gunshot wounds and several other wounded people, including women. People used carts to ferry the dead and wounded to a field hospital. 'The scene was horrible,' he said. Most people were shot 'in the upper part of their bodies, including the head, neck and chest,' said Dr Marwan al-Hams, a health ministry official at Nasser Hospital, where many wounded were transferred from the Red Cross-run field hospital. He said 24 people were being treated in Nasser Hospital's intensive care unit. A colleague, surgeon Khaled al-Ser, later said 150 wounded people had arrived, along with 28 bodies. Ibrahim Abu Saoud, another witness, said the military fired from about 300 metres away. He said he saw many people with gunshot wounds, including a young man who died at the scene. 'We weren't able to help him,' he said. Mohammed Abu Teaima, 33, said he saw Israeli forces open fire and kill his cousin and a woman as they headed towards the distribution site. He said his cousin was shot in his chest, and his brother-in-law was among the wounded. 'They opened heavy fire directly toward us,' he said. An AP reporter arrived at the field hospital at around 6am and saw dozens of wounded, including women and children. The reporter also saw crowds of people returning from the distribution point. Some carried boxes of aid but most appeared to be empty-handed. Officials at the field hospital said at least 21 people were killed and another 175 were wounded, without saying who opened fire. The Health Ministry provided the same toll and later updated it. UN agencies and major aid groups have refused to work with the new system, saying it violates humanitarian principles because it allows Israel to control who receives aid and forces people to relocate to distribution sites, risking yet more mass displacement in the coastal territory. 'It's essentially engineered scarcity,' Jonathan Whittall, interim head in Gaza of the UN humanitarian office, said last week. The UN system has struggled to bring in aid after Israel slightly eased its nearly three-month blockade of the territory last month. The groups say Israeli restrictions, the breakdown of law and order and widespread looting make it extremely difficult to deliver aid to Gaza's roughly two million Palestinians. Experts have warned that the territory is at risk of famine if more aid is not brought in. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on October 7 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251. They are still holding 58 hostages, around a third believed to be alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Israel's military campaign has killed more than 54,000 people, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were civilians or combatants. The offensive has destroyed vast areas, displaced around 90% of the population and left people almost completely reliant on international aid. The latest efforts at ceasefire talks appeared to stumble on Saturday when Hamas said it had sought amendments to a US ceasefire proposal that Israel had approved, and the US envoy called that 'unacceptable'.
South Wales Guardian
01-06-2025
- Health
- South Wales Guardian
At least 31 Palestinians killed while heading to Gaza aid hub, officials say
The witnesses said Israeli forces fired on crowds around 1,000 yards from a new aid site run by an Israeli-backed foundation. Israel's military said in a statement that its forces did not fire at civilians near or within the site, citing an initial inquiry. The foundation – promoted by Israel and the United States – said in a statement it delivered aid 'without incident'. It has denied previous accounts of chaos and gunfire around its sites, which are in Israeli military zones where independent media has no access. 'Aid distribution has become a death trap,' the head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, Philippe Lazzarini, said in a statement. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's aid distribution has been marred by chaos in its first week of operations, and multiple witnesses have said Israeli troops fired on crowds near its sites. Before Sunday, 17 people were killed while trying to reach the sites, according to Zaher al-Waheidi, head of the Health Ministry's records department. The foundation says private security contractors guarding its sites have not fired on the crowds. Israel's military has acknowledged firing warning shots on previous occasions. The foundation said in a statement it distributed 16 truckloads of aid early Sunday 'without incident', and dismissed what it described as 'false reporting about deaths, mass injuries and chaos'. Thousands of people headed towards the distribution site in southern Gaza hours before dawn. As they approached, Israeli forces ordered them to disperse and come back later, witnesses said. When the crowds reached the Flag Roundabout, around 1km away, at around 3 am, Israeli forces opened fire, the witnesses said. 'There was fire from all directions, from naval warships, from tanks and drones,' said Amr Abu Teiba, who was in the crowd. He said he saw at least 10 bodies with gunshot wounds and several other wounded people, including women. People used carts to ferry the dead and wounded to a field hospital. 'The scene was horrible,' he said. Most people were shot 'in the upper part of their bodies, including the head, neck and chest,' said Dr Marwan al-Hams, a health ministry official at Nasser Hospital, where many wounded were transferred from the Red Cross-run field hospital. He said 24 people were being treated in Nasser Hospital's intensive care unit. A colleague, surgeon Khaled al-Ser, later said 150 wounded people had arrived, along with 28 bodies. Ibrahim Abu Saoud, another witness, said the military fired from about 300 metres away. He said he saw many people with gunshot wounds, including a young man who died at the scene. 'We weren't able to help him,' he said. Mohammed Abu Teaima, 33, said he saw Israeli forces open fire and kill his cousin and a woman as they headed towards the distribution site. He said his cousin was shot in his chest, and his brother-in-law was among the wounded. 'They opened heavy fire directly toward us,' he said. An AP reporter arrived at the field hospital at around 6am and saw dozens of wounded, including women and children. The reporter also saw crowds of people returning from the distribution point. Some carried boxes of aid but most appeared to be empty-handed. Officials at the field hospital said at least 21 people were killed and another 175 were wounded, without saying who opened fire. The Health Ministry provided the same toll and later updated it. UN agencies and major aid groups have refused to work with the new system, saying it violates humanitarian principles because it allows Israel to control who receives aid and forces people to relocate to distribution sites, risking yet more mass displacement in the coastal territory. 'It's essentially engineered scarcity,' Jonathan Whittall, interim head in Gaza of the UN humanitarian office, said last week. The UN system has struggled to bring in aid after Israel slightly eased its nearly three-month blockade of the territory last month. The groups say Israeli restrictions, the breakdown of law and order and widespread looting make it extremely difficult to deliver aid to Gaza's roughly two million Palestinians. Experts have warned that the territory is at risk of famine if more aid is not brought in. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on October 7 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251. They are still holding 58 hostages, around a third believed to be alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Israel's military campaign has killed more than 54,000 people, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were civilians or combatants. The offensive has destroyed vast areas, displaced around 90% of the population and left people almost completely reliant on international aid. The latest efforts at ceasefire talks appeared to stumble on Saturday when Hamas said it had sought amendments to a US ceasefire proposal that Israel had approved, and the US envoy called that 'unacceptable'.
Leader Live
01-06-2025
- Health
- Leader Live
At least 31 Palestinians killed while heading to Gaza aid hub, officials say
The witnesses said Israeli forces fired on crowds around 1,000 yards from a new aid site run by an Israeli-backed foundation. Israel's military said in a statement that its forces did not fire at civilians near or within the site, citing an initial inquiry. The foundation – promoted by Israel and the United States – said in a statement it delivered aid 'without incident'. It has denied previous accounts of chaos and gunfire around its sites, which are in Israeli military zones where independent media has no access. 'Aid distribution has become a death trap,' the head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, Philippe Lazzarini, said in a statement. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's aid distribution has been marred by chaos in its first week of operations, and multiple witnesses have said Israeli troops fired on crowds near its sites. Before Sunday, 17 people were killed while trying to reach the sites, according to Zaher al-Waheidi, head of the Health Ministry's records department. The foundation says private security contractors guarding its sites have not fired on the crowds. Israel's military has acknowledged firing warning shots on previous occasions. The foundation said in a statement it distributed 16 truckloads of aid early Sunday 'without incident', and dismissed what it described as 'false reporting about deaths, mass injuries and chaos'. Thousands of people headed towards the distribution site in southern Gaza hours before dawn. As they approached, Israeli forces ordered them to disperse and come back later, witnesses said. When the crowds reached the Flag Roundabout, around 1km away, at around 3 am, Israeli forces opened fire, the witnesses said. 'There was fire from all directions, from naval warships, from tanks and drones,' said Amr Abu Teiba, who was in the crowd. He said he saw at least 10 bodies with gunshot wounds and several other wounded people, including women. People used carts to ferry the dead and wounded to a field hospital. 'The scene was horrible,' he said. Most people were shot 'in the upper part of their bodies, including the head, neck and chest,' said Dr Marwan al-Hams, a health ministry official at Nasser Hospital, where many wounded were transferred from the Red Cross-run field hospital. He said 24 people were being treated in Nasser Hospital's intensive care unit. A colleague, surgeon Khaled al-Ser, later said 150 wounded people had arrived, along with 28 bodies. Ibrahim Abu Saoud, another witness, said the military fired from about 300 metres away. He said he saw many people with gunshot wounds, including a young man who died at the scene. 'We weren't able to help him,' he said. Mohammed Abu Teaima, 33, said he saw Israeli forces open fire and kill his cousin and a woman as they headed towards the distribution site. He said his cousin was shot in his chest, and his brother-in-law was among the wounded. 'They opened heavy fire directly toward us,' he said. An AP reporter arrived at the field hospital at around 6am and saw dozens of wounded, including women and children. The reporter also saw crowds of people returning from the distribution point. Some carried boxes of aid but most appeared to be empty-handed. Officials at the field hospital said at least 21 people were killed and another 175 were wounded, without saying who opened fire. The Health Ministry provided the same toll and later updated it. UN agencies and major aid groups have refused to work with the new system, saying it violates humanitarian principles because it allows Israel to control who receives aid and forces people to relocate to distribution sites, risking yet more mass displacement in the coastal territory. 'It's essentially engineered scarcity,' Jonathan Whittall, interim head in Gaza of the UN humanitarian office, said last week. The UN system has struggled to bring in aid after Israel slightly eased its nearly three-month blockade of the territory last month. The groups say Israeli restrictions, the breakdown of law and order and widespread looting make it extremely difficult to deliver aid to Gaza's roughly two million Palestinians. Experts have warned that the territory is at risk of famine if more aid is not brought in. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on October 7 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251. They are still holding 58 hostages, around a third believed to be alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Israel's military campaign has killed more than 54,000 people, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were civilians or combatants. The offensive has destroyed vast areas, displaced around 90% of the population and left people almost completely reliant on international aid. The latest efforts at ceasefire talks appeared to stumble on Saturday when Hamas said it had sought amendments to a US ceasefire proposal that Israel had approved, and the US envoy called that 'unacceptable'.
