Page 48 - West Bengal

Doctors issue 24-hour ultimatum over medic's murder, threaten hunger strike

Junior doctors protesting the recent rape and murder incident at RG Kar Medical College & Hospital on Friday issued the state government a 24-hour ultimatum to meet their demands, warning that they will begin an indefinite hunger strike if unmet.The protest took place at Esplanade, where a junior doctor, Parichay Panda, said, "Our demand is simple. We've given the government time to improve the safety and security of hospitals. However, the government has failed to do so. They even admitted before the Supreme Court that only a few measures have been implemented."Panda further noted that the government is unwilling to engage in discussions."If our demands are not fulfilled within 24 hours, we will begin an indefinite hunger strike tomorrow. Some of us will remain here, while others will continue serving the people of West Bengal," he added.On Wednesday, undergraduate and postgraduate students, junior doctors, and interns from North Bengal Medical College and Hospital in Siliguri .

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Junior docs call off 'total cease work', threaten to launch hunger strike

Agitating junior doctors demanding justice for the RG Kar medic on Friday evening called off their 'total cease work' at state-run medical colleges and hospitals but threatened to launch a hunger strike till death if their demands were not met by the West Bengal government within 24 hours. "We are calling off our 'total cease work'. But we will continue our sit-in protest. We will give the state administration 24 hours to fulfill our demands or else we will start a hunger strike till death," an agitating doctor, Debasish Halder of Kolkata Medical College and Hospital, said. Holding clocks in their hands, the doctors reiterated their demands including the directive to form a central enquiry committee for disciplinary proceedings against alleged perpetrators involved in "threat culture" in all medical colleges of West Bengal, among others.

RG Kar case: WB junior doctors likely to call off 'total cease work' today

West Bengal's agitating junior doctors are likely to call off their "total cease work" on Friday and resume normal duties soon after, while continuing their demonstrations demanding justice for their murdered colleague at RG Kar hospital and improved safety measures in medical facilities. After holding a governing body meeting throughout Thursday night, the junior medics decided to hold a rally on Friday afternoon, during which they are likely to announce their decision to withdraw the "total cease work," a source said. However, they plan to set a deadline for the state government to implement their demands, after which they will launch a "indefinite fast" until their promises are fulfilled, he added. "The governing body meeting concluded this morning. We have decided to suspend the total cease work for now, but our demonstrations will continue. We are mindful of the large number of patients relying on state-run hospitals every day," one of the agitating doctors told PTI. Their sen

WB panchayat dept asks DMs for detailed report on roads damaged by floods

The West Bengal Panchayat Department has asked all district magistrates (DMs) to submit an immediate report on the condition of rural roads damaged by recent rains and floods, a senior official said on Friday. P. Ulganathan, secretary of the Department of Panchayats and Rural Development, has written to the DMs requesting a detailed report on the extent of road damage in rural areas, the official added. In addition to the roads, the department also requested information on the condition of culverts and other infrastructure that were affected by the floods. "The department has sought a quick report on how many kilometres of roads in rural Bengal were damaged, the type of damage and their present condition. The letter has also asked the DMs to mention how many culverts were affected in the floods," the official told PTI. The DMs were also asked to assess the cost of repairing the roads and replacing the damaged culverts, along with an estimate of the expenses required for the ...

RG Kar case: WB's doctors hold meeting to decide future course of action

Agitating junior doctors in West Bengal went into a huddle late on Thursday to decide their future course of action after a section of senior medics urged them to reconsider their 'complete cease work' in light of the sufferings of ordinary patients. The junior doctors renewed their 'cease work' on October 1 after an attack on medics by a patient's family at the state-run College of Medicine & Sagore Dutta Hospital in the last week of September. Aniket Mahato, one of the agitating doctors, told reporters, "We will hold a general body meeting at R G Kar hospital shortly. It may take time, but we will inform you of our decision by early tomorrow morning." Asked if they would consider a partial withdrawal of the agitation due to the ongoing sufferings of patients, the flood situation, and the upcoming Durga Puja festival, Mahato responded, "We will discuss everything. We need to assess the current situation since our demands for security have so far not been addressed by the ...

'Cease work' by medics affects healthcare services in Bengal hospitals

Healthcare services in West Bengal's government-run hospitals were affected for the third consecutive day on Thursday as junior doctors struck work demanding justice for the rape-murder victim post-graduate trainee at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital and security at their workplaces. This is the second time that junior doctors at state-run hospitals in Bengal went on a 'cease work' over their demands. The medics went on a cease work after the body of their colleague was found at R G Kar Hospital on August 9. They partially returned to work on September 21 after 42 days, resuming essential services after the government promised to address most of their concerns. However, alleging that the government did not fulfil its promises, the doctors went on a cease work again from Tuesday. "The government has not yet invited us for talks over our demands," Aniket Mahata, one of the doctors leading the agitation, told PTI. The doctors have also expressed concern with the pace of the CBI .

RG Kar case: North Bengal Medical College holds torch-light rally

Meanwhile, doctors from private hospitals lit earthen lamps at Ganga Ghat in Kolkata as a mark of protest against the same incident

Rs 60,000 cr investment opportunity by railways in Bengal, says Vaishnaw

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday announced that there is a Rs 60,000-crore investment opportunity by the railways in West Bengal. He highlighted that 61 projects are currently pending in the state due to issues related to the handover of land to the railways, emphasising that the completion of these projects requires the TMC government to rise above politics. "Rs 60,000 crore investment opportunity by the railways exists in West Bengal," Vaishnaw said after inaugurating several railway projects and train services at Sealdah station. He added that such investments will only be feasible if the state government cooperates. Vaishnaw also mentioned that there are 26 km of Metro railway projects where work cannot proceed due to land-related issues. Speaking to reporters here after a Swachh Bharat event at Braithwaite & Co Ltd, where he also conducted an inspection of the PSU, Vaishnaw stressed the need to prioritise the welfare of people. "Development is the need of the .

Junior medics resume cease work, crippling West Bengal's healthcare

Junior doctors in West Bengal resumed an indefinite 'total cease work' on Tuesday, escalating protests over the state government's "failure" to address key demands including enhanced hospital security, a day after the Supreme Court emphasised the need for medics to perform essential duties. The junior doctors in West Bengal had partially resumed duties on September 21 after a 42-day protest over the rape and murder of a woman doctor at RG Kar Medical College on August 9. Following an all-night governing body meeting, they have resumed their strike on Tuesday just ahead of Durga Puja, crippling medical services across the state. Despite the state's acknowledgement of two demands - establishing a State-Level Redressal Committee and reconstitution of Patient Welfare Committees at hospitals by Tuesday evening - junior doctors deemed these measures insufficient. As junior doctors resumed their agitation ahead of Durga Puja, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in a veiled appeal to the medic

Kolkata RG Kar case: Doctors resume 'indefinite strike', list 10 demands

Kolkata rape-murder case: Junior doctors resumed their indefinite 'total cease work' on October 1 and criticised the Central Bureau of Investigation for the slow pace of their inquiry

Bengal junior doctors resume 'total cease work', to hold march on Oct 2

Agitating junior doctors in West Bengal resumed their indefinite 'total cease work' on Tuesday to press for various demands, including ensuring their safety and security at all medical establishments. The junior doctors had on September 21 rejoined their duties partially at government hospitals after a 42-day protest. They were on a 'cease work' agitation to protest the rape and murder of an on-duty woman doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. "We do not see any positive approach from the state government to fulfill our demands for safety and security. Today is the 52nd day of the protest (since August 9) and we are still being attacked and there is no attempt to keep the other promises made during the meetings with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. In the given situation, we are left with no option other than opting for full cease work, starting today," Aniket Mahato, one of the agitating junior doctors, told PTI. "Unless we see clear action from the state ...

RG Kar case: West Bengal junior doctors resume strike over safety concerns

The junior doctors restarted the strike after an eight-hour meeting, outlining 10 key demands, including better hospital security and improved health infrastructure

WB: 4 detained after junior docs protest at Sagore Dutta Medical College

West Bengal Health Secretary Narayan Swarup Nigam also visited the hospital to meet with the junior doctors and nurses

West Bengal govt to discontinue Kolkata's 150-year-old tram service

Tram services in Kolkata are being terminated due to traffic issues, except for one route from Esplanade to Maidan

Bengal docs to resume 'ceasework' post SC hearing of RG Kar case on Monday

The medics alleged that the attack at Sagore Dutta Hospital have shown the state government has "totally failed" in keeping their promises to provide them security

Docs' cease work stir at WB hospital continues after patient kin's assault

Junior doctors and nurses continued their 'cease work' agitation at state-run Sagar Dutta Hospital in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district on Saturday in protest against assault on staffers by the relatives of a patient. The staffers of the hospital located in Kamarhati near Kolkata launched the 'cease work' protest late on Friday after some of them were allegedly beaten up by the relatives of the patient who died during treatment. Three junior doctors along with three nurses and healthcare workers were injured in the incident, a junior doctor said. The junior doctors and nurses subsequently called for a 'cease work' stir demanding better security arrangements. The condition of the patient, a middle-aged woman who suffered from acute breathing problems, was critical, he said. "The patient was admitted to the hospital on Friday with breathing difficulties. Her condition was not good and healthcare workers attempted to administer oxygen but it was too late and she died. But her

RG Kar case 'frightening', women need safer working conditions: Kiran Rao

Filmmaker Kiran Rao, whose 'Laapataa Ladies' has been chosen as India's official entry for the 2025 Oscars, said that she stands firmly with those who raised their voice demanding justice for the deceased medic of RG Kar hospital. On the sidelines of a programme of Ladies Study Group of the Indian Chamber of Commerce here on Friday, Rao told PTI that the August 9 incident was "regrettable and frightening". "I stand in solidarity with all the women, all the people who have come out on the streets of Kolkata and protested and raised their voice to have safer working conditions for women," she said. "Students, doctors and everyone in society stood in solidarity and protested, I am with them," Rai said. About the selection of 'Laapataa Ladies' as the country's official entry for the Oscars next year, Rao said the choosing of the film is itself is an award. The movie, which was released on March 1 this year, tells the story of the misadventures of two young brides who get lost from the

CBI awaits 3D laser mapping report to pinpoint RG Kar crime scene

The CBI is awaiting the final report of the 3D laser mapping of the emergency ward building of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital to ascertain the exact location where the trainee doctor was tortured and killed, a senior CBI officer said. The officer, speaking on conditions of anonymity, told PTI that the central agency is hoping to demonstrate deliberate tampering of evidence once the 3D mapping report is complete. The seminar hall is merely a shadow of the actual crime scene and the 3D mapping has provided some confirmation of this. We expect the final report to validate our findings," the officer said. The findings are likely to be submitted by the CBI in its next hearing on the status report of its investigation to the Supreme Court on September 30, another source in the agency confirmed. The CBI is probing into the alleged rape and murder of the medic at the RG Kar hospital following a Calcutta High Court order. A specialised team of the agency conducted the 3D mapping o

West Bengal to hire 12,000 police officers for enhanced hospital security

The recruitment process is set to commence on September 30, following discussions with leaders from medical colleges and hospitals