With 60 patients testing positive for the H1N1 virus since January 1, against a total of four cases reported during the same period last year, the Health department on Thursday called an emergency

New Delhi: A day after TOI reported about three swine flu deaths in the city, the Delhi government swung into action.

Sixty cases have been reported so far and three patients dead

Delhi Health Minister A. K. Walia on Thursday directed the 17 government and five private hospitals identified for isolation care and treatment facility for H1N1 cases to gear up for timely management and treatment of swine flu, which has already claimed three lives this year. Reviewing the situation with regard to recent spurt in H1N1 cases, Dr. Walia directed that all these 22 hospitals should have arrangements for intensive care facilities and must ensure that their ventilators are ready to meet any required intervention.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Thursday issued a notice to the Union health secretary on a complaint alleging that three big government hospitals in Delhi conducted illegal clinical drug trials on 3,479 children during the last five years.

The commission’s notice cited illegal clinical trials allegedly conducted on 2,056 children at Safdarjung Hospital, 1,023 children in Kalawati Saran Children’s Hospital and 400 children at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital.

New Delhi: H1N1 influenza is back to haunt Delhi after three years. The disease, which gained epidemic proportions in 2009, has claimed three lives so far this year. At least 57 people have taken ill this time around, according to government data.

Path labs and hospitals say there is a sudden increase in the number of patients seeking blood tests and treatment for the disease, characterized
by a sore throat, body ache and upper respiratory infection among other symptoms.

A day after chief minister Sheila Dikshit pulled up the PWD for illegal tree felling in Vasant Kunj, lieutenant governor Tejendra Khanna chaired a meeting with officials from PWD, BSES Rajdhani, DJB and residents of Vasant Kunj on Tuesday.

In the meeting, the LG directed PWD to stop work in the area and come up with a new plan involving minimum disruption, after proper consultation with local residents and RWA members.

One of the longest sewage drains in Delhi — the Najagfarh drain — has become a favoured destination for both migratory and resident birds with over 75 different species flocking there this January.

With gas emissions during manual sewer cleaning recognized as a cause of death that has claimed the lives of many a sanitation worker over the years, Delhi government has finally taken the first st

Says PWD Didn’t Take Permission, Forest Department Told To Take Action

New Delhi: The public works department illegally felled trees for a road widening project, said chief minister Sheila Dikshit on Monday. In fact, she asked the forest department to submit a report on the irregularities and take punitive action against PWD. TOI had highlighted the indiscriminate lopping in Vasant Kunj on Monday.

The Shahdara lake is in line for revival with the Trans-Yamuna Area Development Board giving its consent for the project. The East Municipal Corporation will now undertake the project, which is expected to be completed latest by 2015.

The approval and the beginning of revival project will also help clear any encroachment on the dried up lake. "We have 30.74 acres of land in North Shahdara. The lake will be developed on 10 acres. Four to five acres will be developed as playground for children of the nearby areas. We cannot take away playground from the children who play there," Commissioner of East corporation S S Yadav said.