‘6 lakh kids between 12-14 years of age to be vaccinated’

Srinagar: Additional Commissioner to Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Abid Hussain and Director Health Services Kashmir (DHSK), Dr Mushtaq Ahmad Rather on Wednesday launched Covid-19 vaccination for children between 12-14 years of age at Government Girls Higher Secondary School Rajbagh, Srinagar.

The Additional Commissioner said vaccination for children between 12-14 years is need of the hour to protect them and ensure that they are safe and go to school without any problem.

Other officials who were present on the occasion include OSD to Divisional Commissioner and  Divisional Covid-19 Control Room Inchrage, Tahir Magray, epidemiologist Kashmir, Dr Talat Ghani, Assistant Director Family Welfare MCH and Immunization, Dr Masrat, DHO Srinagar, Dr Anjum, ZMO Batamaloo Dr Sameena, spokesperson DHSK, Dr Mir Mushtaq, Medical Officer CMO Office Srinagar, Dr Asifa and Principal Government Girls Higher Secondary School Rajbagh, Dr Mehmooda Khaki besides other concerned officers and officials of health department were present on the occasion.

The Director Health Services Kashmir said the children (12-14 years) will be given SARS-CoV-2 VaVaccine CorBEvax manufactured by Biological E. Lmt Telangana, India.

Giving the details about the vaccination program, spokesperson DHSK, Dr Mir Mushtaq said the targeted population of children between 12-14 years in Jammu and Kashmir is 5,99,700 of which 3,36,758 belong to the Kashmir division.

In his message, Dr MA Rather appealed to parents and the children to come forward and get vaccinated. He said it is safe for the children and it is a precautionary measure in view of any kind of outbreak.

He said they have been able to vaccinate the children 15 to 18 years in a record time that has been hailed by the government. He hoped that they will soon complete the vaccination of children between 12-14 years, for which public cooperation is essential.

The director also thanked public at large and particularly health care workers for their support and commitment for achieving the vaccination target.

Director said health care workers including doctors and paramedical staff were at the forefront to vaccinate people and it was impossible without their support.

“I appeal the people especially in the 12-14 age group to vaccinate them so that we complete this target and help contain the spread of Covid-19,” he said.

He also appealed the school heads of public and private schools, teachers and students to continue to follow Covid-19 Appropriate Behaviour and maintain social distancing.

New Delhi: Prime Minister, Narendra Modi Wednesday said that today is an important day in India’s efforts to vaccinate our citizens and urged youngsters in the 12-14 age group and all those above 60 to get vaccinated.

In a series of tweets, the Prime Minister said; “Today is an important day in India’s efforts to vaccinate our citizens. Now onwards, youngsters in the 12-14 age groups are eligible for vaccines and all those above 60 are eligible for precaution doses. I urge people in these age groups to get vaccinated.”

“In line with India’s ethos of caring for the entire planet, we sent vaccines to several nations under the Vaccine Maitri programme. I am glad that India’s vaccination efforts have made the global fight against COVID-19 stronger.”

“Today, India has many ‘Made in India’ vaccines. We have also granted approval to other vaccines after a due process of evaluation. We are in a much better position to fight this deadly pandemic. At the same time, we have to keep following all COVID related precautions.”

Chairperson, Members of J&K Waqf Board call on Sinha

Jammu: Newly appointed Chairperson of J&K Waqf Board Dr Darakhshan Andrabi Wednesday called on the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha at Raj Bhavan.

Dr Andrabi was accompanied by the new Waqf members- Dr Ghulam Nabi Haleem, Syed Mohammad Hussain, Sohail Kazmi, and Nawab Din.

The Lt Governor congratulated Dr Andrabi for her new assignment. He extended his good wishes to the new Board members for their five year term of managing the Waqf in Jammu Kashmir.

While interacting with the delegation of J&K Waqf Board, the Lt Governor observed that J&K is witnessing rapid development and growth under unprecedented reforms and a new vision.

He impressed upon them to work with dedication & right earnest, and contribute in taking the UT to new heights of socio-economic development.

Jammu: Dr Darakhshan Andrabi was today unanimously elected as the first woman chairperson of the Wakf Board in a maiden meeting held by the newly appointed members here at Haj House.

On the occasion Dr Andrabi said that the responsibility she has been given is pivotal. She maintained that it is not only construction and maintenance of religious places that would be her focus but creation of assets like schools, universities and hospitals as that of Narayana Hospital and SMVDU are also worth emulating.

Terming her work as worship she maintained that the utilities created by the Board would be beneficial to all irrespective of colour, creed or religion. She declared that the protection of Wakf property and its best use is their priority.

She said that the actions of new body are going to be louder than the words. She stated that people are going to feel the difference in the working of the board after its working for some time.

Andrabi thanked Members of the Board for reposing their trust in her and electing her as the Chairperson of the Board.

It was given out that Wakf has been entrusted with looking after of some 32000 properties including shrines and mosques. It was further said that out of these 25000 have been geo-tagged in the last year by the active efforts of concerned Deputy Commissioners and other basic revenue workers. It was also stated that the rest of the properties would be demarcated and geo-tagged soon by the support of the district administrations.

Pertinent to mention here that it was the first meeting of newly nominated J&K Waqf body recently appointed by Ministry of Minority Affairs, GoI. Its term is going to last for five years.The newly appointed members of the board also includes Dr Ghulam Nabi Haleem, Suhail Kazmi, Syed Mohammad Hussain and Nawab Din.

Besides the members the officers of J&K Waqf Board also participated in this meeting.

Srinagar: Government on Wednesday nominated Lieutenant Governor’s advisor Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar as chairman on the Board of Directors of five PSUs and Corporations.

“In supersession of all previous orders on the subject, sanction is hereby accorded to the nomination of Advisor(B) to the Lieutenant Governor, as Chairman on the Board of Directors of PSUs/Corporations of following (five PSUs and Corporations),” reads a movement order.

They include J&K State Industrial Development Corporation Limited (SIDCO); J&K Small Scale Industries Development Corporation Limited (SICOP); Jammu and Kashmir Handicrafts and Handloom Development Corporation Limited and Jammu and Kashmir Cements Limited (IKCL) besides Jammu and Kashmir Industries Limited (JKI).

Bhatnagar holds portfolios of Health & Medical Education, Public Works (R&B), Jal Shakti, Transport, Animal/ Sheep Husbandry and Fisheries, Revenue, School Education and Higher Education, Skill Development.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to give an urgent hearing to a plea by six students who challenged a Karnataka High Court judgement upholding the ban on wearing hijab while in classrooms.

A three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana said: “We will see it.”

It refused to give it an urgent listing. Senior lawyer Sanjay Hegde, appearing for the six students, had mentioned the matter.

The Bench also included Justices A S Bopanna and Hima Kohli. The Supreme Court said the matter will be heard after Holi, which falls on March 18.

The six girl students stated that they won’t attend their classes without the hijab. Hegde requested the court for an early and urgent hearing “as the examinations were approaching” but Ramana declined the request.

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday dismissed the petitions filed by a group of Muslim girl students against the PU Government College for denying them entry with the hijab. The court said that hijab was not an essential practice under Islam and thus does not fall within the ambit of Article 25 of the Constitution. (UNI)

New Delhi: A total 16 Chinese nationals have granted Indian citizenship since 2007 while 10 applications are pending with the government, the Parliament was informed on Wednesday.

As per data available in the online citizenship module, 10 applications of Chinese nationals are pending for grant of citizenship, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply to a question asked by DMK’s Tiruchi Siva on asylum and citizenship requests of communities from China, including Tibetans, Uyghurs, and Mongolians since 2019.

“Only nationality-wise data is maintained. Community-wise data is not maintained,” he said.

Officials in the Ministry, however, said that the government has not offered asylum to the Uyghur community, which faces repression at the hands of the Chinese Communist Party.

The minister also said that all foreign nationals (including asylum seekers) are governed by the provisions contained in The Foreigners Act, 1946, The Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939, The Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920 and The Citizenship Act, 1955.

He also said that India is not a signatory to the 1951 UN Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1967 Protocol thereon and that also the data on requests for asylum is not centrally maintained. (IANS)

Srinagar: Bhaderwah area of Jammu division on Wednesday recorded the hottest day, surpassing all the previous records in the month of March as for the first time, the temperature went above 30 degree Celsius.

Earlier, on 31 March, 2018, the area had recorded 30.0 degree Celsius temperature, which was the all-time highest.

However, as per the details available, the area has recorded 30.4 degree Celsius temperature today, which is the all-time highest so far.

Official figures also said that Jammu, the winter capital of the Union Territory, has recorded the hottest day of the season today at 35.0 degree Celsius.

Pertinently, the weather conditions improved across Jammu and Kashmir while the temperature is witnessing an upsurge from the last couple of days.

According to the details, Srinagar, the summer capital of J&K has recorded 25.4 degree Celsius temperature today. (KNO)

New Delhi: Six days after the Congress’ near washout in five Assembly elections, Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday appointed five senior leaders to assess the post-poll situation in these states.

The leaders would suggest organisational changes after interacting from MLA candidates and important leaders.

Rajya Sabha MP Rajani Patil will oversee Goa, Jairam Ramesh Manipur, Ajay Maken Punjab, Jitender Singh Uttar Pradesh and Avinash Pandey Uttarakhand.

The development comes just one day after the state unit chiefs of these states were asked to tender resignation by the Congress president.

The step came even as the Congress dissenters, called the ‘G23 group’, are meeting at senior party leader Ghulam Nabi Azad’s residence to chalk out their strategy after the humiliating defeat of the party.

Sonia Gandhi in the meeting of the Congress Working Committee – the party’s highest decision-making body — on Sunday offered to step back from the leadership along with Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, but her offer was rejected by the CWC members. (IANS)

Srinagar: The international flight operations resumed at Srinagar airport with GoFirst Airline’s Srinagar-Sharjah flight operating on Wednesday.

A senior officer of the Airport Authority of India said that the flight carried 108 passengers.

“This is also the first international flight after inauguration of the International Cargo operations from our airport,” he said, adding, “This flight will now be regularly operating on every Tuesday and Wednesday at 1945 hours.”

The flight can carry a maximum of three tonnes of cargo to Sharjah, he said.  “The doors have now opened wide for export of our industrial, agricultural, and handicraft products,” he said, adding, “We call upon all the business houses and exporters of Kashmir to make full use of the facility.”

The direct flight connecting the Valley with the UAE, was started on October 23 last year, after being flagged off by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. However, due to the challenges posed by the surge in the Omicron-led Third Wave of COVID19, the direct flight were discontinued in January this year.