12% dowry cases in Gujarat fake

Ina country where thousands of women lose their lives to dowry harassment,Section 498 A (women subjected to cruelty by her husband and in-laws) of theIndian Penal Code comes as a weapon to fight this injustice. However, around 12per cent of the cases registered under the section in Gujarat are fake,according to data provided by Union Women and Child Welfare Department. This isabove the national average of 10 per cent. Though the number of casesregistered under Section 498 A has gone down in the past years, registration offake cases has not seen any dip.

BREATHE AT YOUR OWN RISK

The city has reported five deaths in 19 incidents involving illegal dumping of toxic waste in open drains in the past two years. But GPCB has no mechanism in place to protect lives or environment

Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB), which is tasked with protecting the environment, has reduced itself to being a sitting duck.Devoid of mechanism in place to monitor illegal dumping of hazardous chemical waste in the city's industrial areas, the pollution control body depends on citizens and local bodies for assistance. At least five people have lost lives and several affected in as many as 19 incidents involving illegal dumping of toxic waste over the past two years.

Smugglers strike gold at city airport

With two cases in 2012 to 51 cases in2014, Ahmedabad airport is at number 8 in number of gold smuggling cases across country in 2014

Curbs on the import of gold has been eased, yet there has been an unprecedented jump in cases of gold smuggling at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in the past year.Ahmedabad stood eighth in the number of gold smuggling cases registered at airports across the country in 2014, according to the Anti-Smuggling Unit under the Department of Revenue in the Ministry of Finance.

Triumph of good over bad

Meet chemist who blew whistle on sale of stolen medicines

It was an alert pharmacist who reported a nurse to a patient's family when she came to the store to sell stolen medicines. If not for 33year-old Yogesh Maru the theft of medicines prescribed to a 75-year-old patient admitted to UN Mehta hospital's ICU would have gone undetected. It could have possibly complicated the patient's health condition had her family not found out that medicines meant for her were being stolen and sold off.

Maru, who has been working at Dev Medical Store near the hospital for three years, could have simply bought back the medicines from the accused nurse. But he suspected something fishy about the whole thing and, like a dutiful citizen, promptly reported the matter to the patient's son.

UN MEHTA NURSES `STEAL PATIENT'S MEDICINES, TRY TO SELL THEM TO CHEMIST'

Medicinesgo missing from 75-yr-old patient's bedside; surface 5 hours later at a chemist'sshop. Chemist alerts patient's son, alleges two nurses tried to sell thosemedicinesHospital institutes inquiry

In what could be just a tip of the iceberg, a shocking case of alleged theft and sale of medicines meant for patients has come to light at UN Mehta Institute Of Cardiology & Research Centre. The alleged theft was reported by the son of a 75-year-old patient who was admitted to the hospital with cardiac problems and lung infection. The accused nurses are likely to be suspended or terminated if the hospital's inquiry committee finds them guilty.

Swapping and saving

Six kidney patients get new lease of life as Institute of Kidney Diseases and Research Centre sets record with first non-simultaneous domino kidney swap transplants under one roof in a week.

In a series of surgeries spaced over a week, doctors at Institute of Kidney Diseases and Research Centre (IKDRC) performed six kidney swaps as part of a domino kidney transplant process involving six families. According to the centre, this is the first time six non-simultaneous kidney swaps have been performed in the country. All the patients are reportedly responding well to the transplants.

Interestingly, the donor-recipient sets came from two Muslim families and four Hindu families, confirming the belief that humanity and life transcends boundaries of religion.

Using math to fill gaps in face recognition tech

Software developed by a GU forensic researcher uses complex mathematical calculations to enhance distorted CCTV images within seconds

In the age of video surveillance when cops depend heavily on CCTV and video footage to nail culprits, Gujarat University forensic science researcher's new facial recognition software, which boasts of enhancing even a blurry image to help in facial recognition, has come as a boon.

Up in smoke

Severalof the 60 CCTV cameras installed in city’s industrialunits to monitorpollution lie defunct; GPCB issues notices, takes no action
Thick smoke rises menacingly from the chimney of an industrial unit in the city. It spreads to nearby areas, permeating the respiratory tracts of unwary Amdavadis and increasing their mortality by causing respiratory infections and diseases, lung cancer, and other cardiovascular diseases. This could easily have been prevented had Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) properly implemented its plan to install CCTV cameras to keep a watch over industrial units and monitor emissions.

Swine Flu Testing - New labs fail to match WHO biosafety levels

In a bid to step up its battle against swine flu, the state government ordered the construction of three new testing laboratories but neither of the labs meet international safety precautions. As per WHO, laboratories that culture influenza A (H1N1) viruses should have biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) -but none of the testing laboratories in the state register more than level 2 in biosafety. Moreover, two of these laboratories do not have the equipment that helps diagnose the virus strain.

This year, 122 people have succumbed to swine flu while 2,000 are currently being monitored. Taking into the consideration the increasing number of swine flu cases and with Kutch and Jamnagar recording 25 per cent of the total number of swine flu cases, the state health department, in February, announced construction of three laboratories in Kutch, Jamnagar and Bhavnagar. Each lab was to be built at the cost of Rs 25 lakh each.However, none of the labs measure up to biosafety level 3 (BSL-3).

50% Gays married, 14% were sexually abused as 7-yr-olds

Strap: Study conducted on 410 homosexuals in the cityreveals that around 50 per cent got married to hide their sexual orientation asthey feared social stigma; 14% sexually abused at age 7 or 8
Mrs and Mr Jignesh Mehta (name changed) were envied by many for their perfect love life. They were best friends in college and got married in 2010. Everything was fine till a third person walked into their life. What hurt Mrs Mehta was a secret her ‘best friend’ hid from her for years.  “I am a gay. I love you but I also love him,” he told his wife one night.  That was the last time they had a private conversation. Every meeting later was in the presence of divorce lawyers. Two years later, they parted ways.