Prime Minister Narendra Modi has advised GenZ youths not to waste time on reels. He asked them to devote their precious time to reading books. Modi said, "This is the era of reels. Social media influencers often pull you in and take you down certain paths. In this age of shortcuts, let us remember a message often displayed at railway stations: A shortcut will cut you short." The PM said, "Some people have a habit of jumping to railway tracks instead of using the railway bridge. However, if there is a shortcut you should take to get ahead in life, you should read the autobiography of someone you admire."
Modi was speaking at the launch of former President Ram Nath Kovind's autobiography. Nowadays, not only youths, but people of almost all ages spend most of their time watching reels on mobile phones. Adolescents and even small kids have become addicted to mobile phones. Many of them are suffering from behavioural disorders. The old habit of reading books during spare time is fading away. Parents of Gen Z kids must listen to Modi’s advice. Most of them give cellphones to kids instead of books. This is not a good trend.
Justice Varma: Whose cash was burnt in your house?
A three-member parliamentary committee set up by the Lok Speaker under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, has, in its report, said that charges of possessing unexplained cash, disturbing evidence and evasive explanation against Justice Yashwant Varma “are proved”. The committee was set up after nearly 200 MPs pressed for the judge's removal by Parliament. Justice Varma has since resigned but his resignation is yet to be notified by the law ministry. His name still figures in the list of judges of the Allahabad High Court. Normally, when a high court or Supreme Court judge resigns, it is normally considered deemed to be accepted. In Justice Varma's case, the resignation letter was sent only after his removal process began in Parliament and, hence, his resignation has not yet been accepted.
A fire broke out in Justice Varma's official residence in Delhi on March 14 last year, when he was a judge of the Delhi High Court. Fire brigade personnel found a massive amount of half-burnt currency notes inside a storeroom. The then Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna set up a three-member committee to conduct the inquiry. After receiving the report, the CJI asked Justice Varma to resign or face impeachment proceedings. The judge declined to quit. Justice Varma was later transferred to the Allahabad High Court.
The parliamentary panel's report says, "Justice Varma failed to furnish satisfactory explanation on the presence, source or ownership of cash found in the storeroom of his official residence. It also found that the explanation by Justice Varma did not exhibit candour, transparency … It remained evasive and unsatisfactory when tested against the evidence of independent official witnesses and corroborative material." The truth is yet to come out about whose wads of cash were lying in the storeroom of Justice Varma's residence.
Delhi hospitals: Crores worth equipment lying unused. Why?
An audit carried out in 26 Delhi government hospitals reveals crores of rupees worth of costly medical equipment lying unused due to lack of trained technicians or maintenance. The audit was carried out on the directive of the Delhi High Court, which said crores of rupees worth of equipment lying unused in hospitals is “a gross waste of public resources”. A Rs 15.4 crore-worth Cyclotron is lying unused for the last four years in Delhi State Cancer Institute. It was purchased for US$2.5 million (Rs 15.42 crore). The hospital has no technician who can operate it.
More than Rs 10 crore worth of Advanced Imaging Equipment, including Dual-Head Gamma Camera with SPECT, Multi-slice CT and RT Simulation equipment, lie unused in Delhi State Cancer Institute. In its Onco-pathology department, a Grossing Station from KUGEL, Germany, is lying unused. In the lab medicine department, Rs 1.26 crore-worth Biochemistry Analyser is also lying unused. A Rs 19 lakh-worth ultrasound machine in Dr B R Sur Homoeopathic medical college hospital and research centre is lying unused for lack of a radiologist. A Rs 94.82 lakh-worth Medical Oxygen Buffer Tank lies unused in DDU Hospital. Save Life Foundation had gifted this tank in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. DDU Hospital officials said this tank was never connected with the Medical Gas Pipeline System (MGPS).
Delhi Health Minister Pankaj Singh is blaming the previous AAP government for this criminal waste. It is really unfortunate that crores of rupees worth of costly medical equipment are lying unused in government hospitals. Already, there is a lack of good government hospitals, and in hospitals that are functioning, costly equipment are lying idle. Patients wait for weeks to get the chance to get tested on ultrasound and MRI machines.
Just imagine the trauma that cancer patients and those waiting for cornea implants go through. It is really depressing. 400 ventilators and 910 oxygen concentrators were provided to GTB Hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic. All of them are now covered with dust. There must be a full-fledged probe into this criminal negligence. The loss caused to the government must be compensated by auctioning the properties of those guilty. This should be done to set an example for others.
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