Following an intensified campaign launched by health department Kashmir 9.96 lakh children below 5 years age were administered Pulse Polio drops today in Kashmir division. For this purpose, an was launched across Kashmir division . In all, 5046 Pulse Polio booths were established with manpower of 20204 belonging to Health, Social Welfare, Education and Non-Governmental Organization besides Aashas. MLA Bandipora Usman Majid took off the pulse polio campaign by giving pulse polio drops to a newly born baby. The District Development Commissioner of Budgam Farooq Ahmad Renzu launched Pulse Polio campaign by administering pulse polio drops to the children early morning. The District Development Commissioner, Kupwara took off the campaign at Sub District Hospital Kupwara by giving pulse polio drops to the children. On this occasion, he said 1.24 lakh children of the district will be covered under the programme at 560 pulse polio centres for which 2240 officials were detailed on duty. In Srinagar and Ganderbal districts, Director Health Services Kashmir, Dr. Muzaffar Ahmad launched the campaign by administering pulse polio drops at Government Gousia Hospital Khanyar and Sub District Hospital, Ganderbal. He said 2928 officials of various departments were deployed on duty for 727 pulse polio centres established in Srinagar and Ganderbal districts. He said 35 mobile teams were also put into service to achieve the target. Director Health Services was accompanied by senior officers of Health and Family Welfare departments. In Pulwama and Shopian districts, 612 pulse polio centres with a manpower of 2448 officials were deployed to achieve the target of 1.12 lakh children under pulse polio campaign. Similarly, the pulse polio campaign was going apace in Anantnag, Kulgam, Baramulla, Bandipora, Leh and Kargil districts. In addition the department of Health Services had also made adequate arrangements in far-flung and border areas like Karnah, Keran, Matchil, Gurez and Uri. The Director Health said that 256 supervisory and mobile teams were monitoring the campaign across the division.

Experts at a two-day workshop organised by the Post Graduate Department of Community Medicine (P&SM) under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) at the Government Medical College here expressed concern over the disturbing sex ratio in some parts of the State. Data compiled by the Directorate of Economics and Statistics of the State government shows that the population of female child is fast deteriorating. In Kathua district, the latest ratio is 796 girls to 1,000 boys in the urban side and 847 females to 1,000 boys in the rural part. The trend in Jammu district, which includes Jammu city, is no different. It is 820 girls to 1,000 boys in Jammu district (urban-rural combine). Udhampur with 873 girls, Rajouri with 901, Poonch with 906, Kupwara with 953, Budgam with 931, Baramulla with 927 and Leh with 934 girls present a grim scenario. Dr. Sabu George, one of the participants in the meet, said: "The latest figures in some pockets of the State are simply alarming, and a cause of concern for the progressive society of the State as well the whole country.' He traced the origin of the malice to the machines used for sex determination. Dr. Yogeshwar, nodal officer, National Rural Health Mission, J&K, however, rued the lack of people's support for the cause. "Though we did start a helpline and issued advertisements in both electronic and print media, seeking the support of people to register complaints against the offenders, no positive response has been received so far,' he said. In the late 90s, just few 100 ultra-sound machines were sold across the country but now around 5,000 such machines are sold every year. Experts also exploded the myth that that the incidence of female-foeticide and abortion of female foetuses after pre-natal sex determination occurred mainly in the rural areas and among the illiterate population. Preference for boy The phenomenon is evenly spread in all sections of society irrespective of caste, colour, region and religion. Shockingly, the preference for a boy is stronger and deep entrenched in the elite, educated, prosperous and urban sections. Hence, the incidents are more frequent in these sections, the experts said, quoting various studies.

How does a country of over a billion people take on the challenge of providing a better life to its citizens?

When Dr Marc Stollreiter, a first-time German visitor to Kashmir, went on a shikara ride on the picturesque Dal lake recently, he was shocked by what he saw beneath its tranquil waters. "We found huge quantities of syringes and needles. We saw mounds of rotting garbage. We saw tourists throwing empty chips packets, plastic bags and the like from shikaras into the lake."

shakuntala, 60, of Chamarpura village in Moradabad district in Uttar Pradesh continues to carry her traditional occupation of manual scavenging. She has no other alternative. On March 18, 2007, the