Page 39 - West Bengal

RG Kar impasse: Meeting of agitating medics with Bengal chief secy underway

The second round of talks between agitating junior doctors and officials of the West Bengal government to resolve the impasse due to the RG Kar issue is presently underway for nearly one-and-a-half hours, officials said. Escorted by a pilot police vehicle, the delegation of around 30 medics reached the secretariat around 7.15 pm. The meeting with the Chief Secretary Manoj Pant started around 7.30 pm. Just like Monday when they held talks with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the protesting medics were accompanied by stenographers to record the minutes of the meeting. "We want the issue of safety and security in hospitals to be addressed. The chief minister had announced the formation of a task force, but there is no proper clarity on it. We want the state government to accept our legitimate demands," an agitating doctor said before leaving for the meeting venue. The West Bengal government on Wednesday invited the junior doctors agitating over the RG Kar rape-murder incident for a .

Police delayed seizing belongings of RG Kar accused by two days: CBI

Police delayed seizing the clothes of Sanjay Roy, an accused in the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College, for two days though his role had been established on August 10, a day after the crime, CBI officials said on Wednesday. Roy, a police volunteer, was arrested based on CCTV footage showing him entering the seminar hall of the college at 4.03 am on the day of the incident. His role in the "commission of crime had already emerged" but Tala Police caused an "unnecessary delay of two days" in seizing his clothes and other belongings. It could have resulted in strong evidence against him, the officials said. The central probe agency, which took over the case on August 14 following an order from the Calcutta High Court, has arrested former principal Sandip Ghosh and Tala Police station officer in-charge Abhijit Mondal in connection with the case. Both were found to be evasive in their responses, the officials alleged. The officials also accused the t

Agitating doctors write to Bengal chief secy, seek meeting on issues

Agitating junior doctors on Wednesday wrote to West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant, seeking a discussion on certain key unresolved issues like security in hospitals as a pre-condition for lifting their ongoing sit-in outside the state health department headquarters. The medics shot off an email at 11.19 am with respect to their general body meeting, which concluded early Wednesday morning. The protesters highlighted issues of safety and security inside state-run hospital premises, and details of formulation and functions of the promised task force headed by the chief secretary, as agenda for the proposed meeting. "In reference to our last meeting with the CM, we would like to reiterate that there were certain key points regarding our five-point demand, which were unresolved. Particularly our 4th and 5th points, concerning the development of the healthcare system, safety, security and prevailing threat culture," they stated in the email. Till information last received, the ...

South Bengal faces major flood risk amid heavy rain and dam discharge

The Damodar Valley Corporation has issued a red alert in the region after increasing water discharge to 250,000 cusecs on Tuesday

Agitating junior doctors continue sit-in, seek another meeting with CM

Junior doctors agitating over RG Kar murder early Wednesday said they will continue their sit-in and not join duty, despite the state appointing Manoj Kumar Verma as the new Kolkata Police chief, replacing Vineet Goyal, and removing two senior health department officials, giving in to the medics' earlier demands. According to a statement issued following the conclusion of their general body meeting, which had started around 6.30 pm and went on till well past midnight, the protestors called the state's administrative measures "only partial victory" of their movement. The doctors demanded the removal of the state health secretary NS Nigam, saying they were assured by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during the Monday of an action on it. The doctors said they will send an email to Chief Secretary Manoj Pant after daybreak seeking an appointment with the CM for another meeting later in the day. They also demanded discussions on safety and security of doctors inside hospital premises and

File status rpt on probe into irregularities at RG Kar Hospital: SC to CBI

The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the CBI to submit a status report on the probe into alleged financial irregularities at the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata where a trainee doctor was raped and murdered last month. The top court also perused the status report filed by the CBI concerning the rape and murder incident and said disclosing the status will jeopardise further investigation. Refusing to stop streaming live proceedings in the suo motu case related to the incident, the apex court said it was a matter of public interest and the public must know what is transpiring in the courtroom. A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra perused the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) report and said disclosing the status would jeopardise further investigation. As the hearing commenced, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the West Bengal government, sought the stopping of live proceedings in the case. He alleged

West Bengal economy performs poorly over several decades: EAC-PM paper

West Bengal has experienced a continuous decline in its relative economic performance over several decades, according to a working paper by Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister(EAC-PM). Authored by EAC-PM member Sanjeev Sanyal, the paper 'Relative Economic Performance of Indian States: 1960-61 to 2023-24' said the development of eastern part of the country remains a concern. It said maritime states have clearly outperformed other states, with the exception of West Bengal. Although Bihar's relative position has stabilized in the last two decades, it remains significantly behind other states and requires much faster growth to catch up, the paper noted. Conversely, Odisha, traditionally a laggard, has shown a marked improvement in recent years. "West Bengal, which held the third-largest share of national GDP at 10.5 per cent in 1960-61, now accounts for only 5.6 per cent in 2023-24. It has seen a consistent decline throughout this period. "West Bengal's per capita income

Bengal makes changes in police ranks, health dept after CM-doctors meeting

The West Bengal government on Tuesday removed Dr Kaustav Nayak and Dr Debasish Halder from the position of Director of Medical Education (DME) and the Director of Health Services (DHS) respectively, a health department order said. The order was issued following the meeting between Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and agitating junior doctors on Monday night when Banerjee had promised to remove Nayak and Halder from their positions. Dr Swapan Soren was appointed the new in-charge director of health services and Dr Suparna Dutta officer on special duty of medical education, it added. Nayak was appointed the Director of the Institute of Health and Family Welfare while Halder was posted as the officer on special duty of Public health at Swasthya Bhawan. Junior doctors, who are on 'cease work' protesting the rape-murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at the Kar Medical College and Hospital for the last 39 days, have been demanding the removal of the Director of Health Services, Director

Amid flood-like situation in Bengal, DVC releases water from dams

The flood-like situation in several districts of West Bengal is likely to worsen as the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) has released over 3 lakh cusecs of water from its Panchet and Maithon dams within a span of seven hours, officials said. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had on Monday night said that a flood-like situation was feared in at least seven districts of the state situated downstream after the release of water from dams in neighbouring Jharkhand. Addressing a press conference, Banerjee alleged that DVC was releasing water without informing her government. DVC officials said that 3 lakh cusecs of water was released from 11.30 pm on Monday to 6.54 am on Tuesday. They said that initially 90,000 cusecs of water was released on Monday night but with upstream water flow remaining high, an additional 2.1 lakh cusecs of water was released on Tuesday morning till 6.54 am. Banerjee had on Monday said that Birbhum, Bankura, Howrah, Hooghly, Purba Bardhaman, and parts o

Agitating doctors continue 'cease work', await state's action on ground

Junior doctors continued their 'cease work' stir in hospitals and sit-in near Swasthya Bhawan on Tuesday morning, asserting they will take a final call on withdrawing their agitation only after the state government implements its announcements made on the previous night "in true spirit". The protesting doctors expressed satisfaction over their "partial success" after a meeting with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on the fifth attempt on Monday night. "We have already said that we will decide our next step regarding the ongoing agitation and 'cease work' only after seeing concrete actions on the ground and the progress of the Supreme Court proceedings. "Our aim is to get justice, and while we have achieved partial success, the health secretary has not been removed," a protesting doctor said at the protest site near Swasthya Bhawan, the West Bengal health department's headquarters, on Tuesday. Accepting the bulk of the five-point charter of demand placed by the agitating junior doctor

Mamata Banerjee yields to doctors' demands, removes Kolkata police chief

Despite assurances from the Mamata Banerjee government, the doctors have decided to continue their protests, stating that not all their demands have been met

Mamata warns of potential flood-like situation in 7 West Bengal districts

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday night said a flood-like situation was apprehended in at least seven districts of West Bengal after the release of water from dams in neighbouring Jharkhand. Addressing a press conference, Banerjee said DVC released the water without informing her government. "I have called the Jharkhand CM three times and urged him to regulate the release of water," she said. Banerjee said Birbhum, Bankura, Howrah, Hooghly, Purba Bardhaman and parts of both North and South 24 Parganas districts are already under water. Meanwhile, heavy rains caused by a deep depression have inundated several low-lying areas in the southern districts of the state, officials said. In Paschim Medinipur district, the Shilabati river was flowing above the danger level, they said. Sub-Divisional Officer of Ghatal in Paschim Medinipur Suman Biswas said the administration has stocked relief materials and kept a camp ready if needed. Paddy and jute farmers of Chandrakona block 1 m

RG Kar case: Mamata removes Police Commissioner, protesting medics rejoice

Accepting the bulk of the five-point charter of demand placed by the agitating junior doctors, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced her decision to transfer a section of Kolkata Police and the state health department top brass, including CP Vineet Goyal, from their respective positions. Banerjee also announced the removal of the Director of Medical Education (DME) and the Director of Health Services (DHS) besides the Deputy Commissioner (North Division) who allegedly offered money to the parents of the RG Kar victim. We will announce the name of the new police commissioner after 4 pm on Tuesday after the scheduled hearing in Supreme Court gets over, the chief minister said at the stroke of midnight after concluding her meeting with the agitating junior doctors at her Kalighat residence, barely hours ahead of the scheduled Supreme Court hearing on the RG Kar hospital matter. The decisions were formalised in the minutes of the meeting which was signed by Chief Secretar

RG Kar impasse: Bengal govt, medics finalising minutes of meeting

The West Bengal government officials and the agitating junior doctors are presently finalising the draft minutes of the meeting to address the RG Kar hospital impasse on Monday night, according to sources. After four unsuccessful bids to initiate a dialogue to resolve the more than a month-long deadlock, a delegation of 35 agitating junior doctors arrived at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's Kalighat residence for the crucial talks at 6.20 pm. The meeting, which was originally scheduled at 5 pm, began around 6:50 pm.

Meeting between agitating junior doctors, WB govt begins at Mamata's home

The first round of talks between the West Bengal government and the agitating junior doctors began at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's residence in Kalighat on Monday evening to address the RG Kar impasse. After four unsuccessful bids to initiate a dialogue to resolve the deadlock, a delegation of agitating junior doctors arrived at Banerjee's residence for the crucial talks. The previous attempts to resolve the issue got stuck due to the state government's rejection of the doctors' demand for live-streaming and video recording of the meeting. The agitating medics later agreed to a compromise, now only asking to record the minutes of the meeting and receive a signed copy. The state government accepted this condition, with Chief Secretary Manoj Pant saying both parties will sign the minutes of the meeting and share copies for clarity. Meanwhile, the doctors continued their sit-in outside Swasthya Bhawan, the headquarters of the Health department, for the eight day and the 'cease wo

Mamata invites junior doctors for negotiation meeting 'fifth & final' time

The latest invite by West Bengal's chief secretary follows two previous failed attempts at negotiation between Mamata Banerjee and doctors, held at Nabanna (the state secretariat) and CM's residence

Bengal govt again invites junior docs for meeting at CM's residence today

The West Bengal government on Monday "for the fifth and the final time" invited the protesting junior doctors for talks to end the RG Kar impasse, two days after the dialogue failed to take off over disagreement on live-streaming of the meeting. In an email to the protesting junior doctors, Chief secretary Manoj Pant asked them to reach Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's residence at Kalighat at 5 pm on Monday for the talks. "This is the fifth and the final time we are reaching out to you for a meeting between the honourable CM and the delegates. In line with our discussion the day before (Saturday), we are once again inviting you for the meeting with the CM at her Kalighat residence for discussions with an open mind," he wrote. Pant hoped "Good sense will prevail" as mutually agreed on Saturday that there will be no live-streaming or videography of the meeting given the matter is sub-judice before the Supreme Court. "Instead, the minutes of the meeting will be recorded and signed by

RG Kar ex-principal gave 'deceptive' answers during polygraph: CBI

R G Kar Medical College's former principal Sandip Ghosh was found to be "deceptive" while answering important questions on the rape and murder of a trainee woman postgraduate doctor during his polygraph test and layered voice analysis, officials said. The CBI, probing the case, arrested Ghosh on September 2 in connection with financial irregularities at the hospital. The federal probe agency later added charges of evidence tampering against him. During the investigation, Ghosh was subjected to layered voice analysis and polygraph test. According to a report from Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL), New Delhi, his version has been found to be "deceptive on certain important issues" relating to this case, officials in the know of the developments said. Information revealed during the polygraph test may not be used as evidence during the trial but the agency may gather corroborative evidence which could be used in court, they said. A polygraph test can help in assessing ...

RG Kar issue: Agitating junior doctors continue cease work, demand justice

Agitating junior doctors in West Bengal on Monday continued with their cease work, stating that they wouldremain steadfast in their resolve to pursue justice for the medic raped and murdered at the Kar hospital. The doctors continued their sit-in outside Swasthya Bhawan, the headquarters of the Health department, for the eight day and the cease work for the 36th day and vowed to continue it till their demands - the removal of Kolkata Police Commissioner and senior state health officials are met. "We will continue our cease work till our demands are met. The state government is not serious about resolving the crisis," an agitating junior medic said.. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had on Saturday made a surprise visit to the site where the doctors were protesting and assured them that their demands would be addressed, but the proposed meeting fell through, with the protesters claiming that they were asked to leave "unceremoniously" after waiting for three hours at the gates of the CM

Bengal's healthcare crisis reveals deeper issues in the political system

It reveals more than dysfunction; it unveils a clash of ideologies