Statescape — Chidambaram flays states for wasting Central funds

NEW DELHI: Government has constituted a 36-member Scientific Advisory Committee to the Cabinet (SAC-C), with C N R Rao, president of Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore, as its chairman.

The committee includes secretaries of science departments and selected socio-economic ministries. Eminent scientists, academicians, technologists, industrialists, social scientists and non-government organisations also form part of the committee, an official release said here today.

With the constitution of the committee, government will now have a three-level apex structure to coordinate science and technology activities in the country.

UP Govt suspends 50 doctors

BASTI: The Uttar Pradesh government has suspended 50 doctors on charges of dereliction of duties recently, State Health Minister Ramapati Shastri said. The present government is committed for improving health care services in the hospitals and any indiscipline by any of the employees would not be tolerated, Shastri told newsmen here yesterday.

Admitting that various hospitals and the primary health centres lacked medical staff, the minister assured that all those who worked hard, would be suitably rewarded.

CAG indicts pollution control board

CALCUTTA: The ambient noise level in Calcutta metropolis is the highest (more than 75 decibel) among all metropolitan cities in India and the State Pollution Control Board (PCB) has failed to ward off its harmful effects, according to a report by the Comptroller and Auditor-General (CAG) of India.

The CAG report, ending March 31, 1996, said that polluted air beyond the margin of safety in eight stations in Howrah and Calcutta caused respiratory ailments to the local people and affected vegetation. The PCB, it said, failed to commission the equipment for instant monitoring of ambient air quality, procured in 1987 at an investment of Rs 16.29 lakh.

Commandos desert camp with arms

IMPHAL: At least three former activists of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak, who had surrendered arms and were presently engaged in counter-insurgency operation as Manipur police commandos have deserted their camp yesterday. Two AK-47 rifles, one self loading rifle and several live rounds of ammunition were also missing. One carbine sten gun was also missing from the 1st Manipur Rifle quarter guard here.