Minister for Health, Medical and Family Welfare, C. Laxma Reddy, surely likes to take a hands-on approach. The other day, while participating in the launch of the pentavalent vaccine, the Minister’s enthusiasm to interact with patients was there for all to see.
Initially, according to the plans of the health officials, the administration of the pentavalent vaccine was to be taken up by a trained healthcare worker while the Health Minister was supposed to handover the cold box vaccine carrier. Since the vaccine was not oral and had to be given in the form of injection, the health officials figured that a nurse would be ideal for the job.
However, the Minister, who is a Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery (BHMS) , made sure that he himself participated in the whole process of administering the vaccine and not just simply handover the cold box. The Minister’s willingness surprised one and all including the large number of mothers who came to the programme along with their infants. The mothers simply hurried and lined-up in front of the Minister for the vaccine shots for their children. After a while, the Minister quite politely decided to handover with administration of the vaccine to healthcare workers.
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Metro Rail
A few months is a long time in politics and also for the metro rail project coming up in the city. It looked really bad when L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad’s (L&TMRH) letter to the newly elected TS Government about their proposal to pull out because of ‘uncertainty’ as well as ‘lack of support’ from the Government, was leaked to a section of the media.
But, all that is in the past. Construction work is chugging on and both the Government as well L&TMRH are gung ho about the elevated public transport system being built in a unique public, private partnership mode. “Forty per cent of the first phase of commercial phase (1.1 million sq.ft) coming up at three locations has been booked. It reflects the confidence in the TS Government, Hyderabad and us,” proudly declared L&TMRH officials.
True, the Metro Rail officials had some “doubts” about the projected passengers post bifurcation of the united A.P. but the last one year has put all these to rest. “Hyderabad is poised to be the best city in living standards,” they exclaimed.
GHMC in reverse orientation mode
A team of elected representatives and GHMC officials these days are touring Delhi and Nagpur to study the sanitation and garbage disposal methodologies practised there. This just goes to show how things have gone wrong in the city in the last few years.
For, Hyderabad was once hailed a pioneer in sanitation initiatives taken up by the GHMC. Measures such as night sweeping, large workforce deployed to ensure the streets are swept clean by the morning hours and use of mechanised sweeping machines had civic bodies from other States coming here for a study. The civic body efforts also ensured that Clean City Award kept coming to Hyderabad.
But alas, sanitation drives went for a toss and teams from here are going to other cities these days. And critics point out that the zeal of the civic body in collecting taxes has gone missing in taking care of city.
‘What we say is being taken seriously’
How impressed government officials are with the present ruling party after a year is anyone’s guess, but some water board officers are singing praises of the powers that be these days.
That can perhaps be attributed to the fact that over the last six months, wheels have been rolling and project works are being executed with an aim to finish them on time. “Ever since the Telangana State government was formed, what we say is being taken seriously, and funds for projects are also being provided in time,” mentioned a senior HMWSSB official, seeking to remain anonymous.
The official explained that apart from seeking project reports, reviews of ongoing works are being done regularly, unlike the previous governments. “Back then, the government of the day would interact with us once in a while, but now, after the Krishna phase-3 project is completed, we are expecting the Godavari project also to kick-off soon,” he said beaming.
M. Sai Gopal, V.Geetanath, T.Lalith Singh, Yunus Y. Lasania