More than 40.50 lakh students in Uttarakhand would be administered Albendazole tablet on National De-worming Day on August 10. The mission director of National Health Mission (NHM), Yugal Kishore Pant told the media persons on Wednesday that all the children aged between one to 19 years would be administered the Albendazole tablet in the schools and Anaganwadi centres of the State on the National De-worming Day. The children who would remain absent or are ill on the day would be covered on the mop up day which would be held on August 17. Pant added that the objective of the drive is to make children free from them from helminth diseases and thus improve their physical and mental health. He informed that 24056 teachers and 19807 anganwadi workers have been given training for the drive.
The director general ( DG) health services, Dr T C Pant said that Albendazole is universally accepted and practiced solution to prevent diseases spread by helminths. He said that apart from the students of the Government schools, the drive would also include the children studying in private schools. The programme officer, Dr Amit Shukla said that Albendazole is very safe medicine and chances of adverse reaction following its administration are very less. He added that symptoms like pain in stomach, vomiting and nausea can happen in children infested with the helminthic disease following Albendazole administration. The medical experts are of the view that de-worming helps in increasing attendance of students up to 25 percent in the schools.
Taking serious cognisnace of the special land acquisition officer (SlAO) not adhering to court orders in the case of a petitioner not being compensated for land acquired nearly 38 years ago, the high court of Uttarakhand has sought a clarification from the SlAO. Further, the high court has also ordered an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into all the past cases of land acquisition compensation redressed by the Dehradun SlAO in the past.
According to the case details, Dehradun resident Bhav Harihar lal’s land at Majra Raipur was acquired in 1981 by the UP housing and development board. A building was constructed on the land and sold to another party. However, the petitioner was not given compensation for the land. In the past he had approached the high court which had ordered in 2006 that the due compensation be paid to him.
The housing and development board had filed a special leave petition against this order in the supreme court which was dismissed, despite which the petitioner was not compensated. The petitioner had filed a fresh appeal seeking compensation for the land as per the new land acquisition rules. The board had in the past communicated its agreement to the court. The court had directed the SlAO to announce award of the land and provide it to the family of the petitioner. For this, out of the Rs 24 crore sought from the board, a sum of about Rs 6.45 crore had been deposited with the SlAO but the officer concerned neither passed the award nor provided the amount to the next of kin of the petitioner. The single bench of justice lok Pal Singh, prima facie found this to be a case of contempt of court and has sought an explanation from the SlAO. Further, the court has directed a CBI inquiry of all land acquisition compensation cases disposed of by the then SlAO. The case is next set for hearing on October 10.