Inaugurates 20 power distribution projects costing Rs 41 cr at Bajalta, Jammu

Jammu: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinah Tuesday inaugurated 20 Power distribution projects costing Rs 41 Cr at Bajalta, Jammu.

The Lt Governor said that these projects will address peak season shortage and ensure sustained economic activities.

Additional capacity augmentation will bridge the major gap in the electricity requirements of Jammu, Udhampur, Reasi, Poonch, Rajouri and adjoining areas, he added.

Our aim is to make the power department of J&K UT self-sustaining and reduce power theft which is proving to be cancer for this sector, the Lt Governor said.

I appeal to the people to help the administration in controlling theft, reducing wasteful consumption, cutting down losses and reporting the offenders to the authorities, added the Lt Governor.

It is the need of the hour to install smart meters to ensure that people of J&K get good quality & reliable power, address the needs of poor, rural areas, agriculture and industrial sector, and usher in an era of uninterrupted power supply.

Highlighting the remarkable progress attained by the UT in power sector, the Lt Governor observed that the unprecedented achievements in power generation, transmission & distribution sectors in the last one year have completely overhauled J&K’s power infrastructure which remained dilapidated for several decades.

The government is planning to invest Rs.12,000 Cr for capacity augmentation, upgrading the transmission and distribution systems to remove all supply constraints, strengthen electrification assets and deliver electricity through underground wires in the capital cities of Jammu & Srinagar.

The UT Government is working on detailed plans in a systematic manner for achieving reliable, quality, and sustainable power supply. We will generate 2500 MW additional electricity by 2024 to ensure energy security for the people of J&K UT, added the Lt Governor.

Last year, 60 MW capacity augmentations were achieved in the region. By March 31 this year, additional 200 MW capacities will be added in our energy basket, he further added.

We are addressing the shortage of infrastructure with renewed vigor with focus on inclusiveness and bridging divides. Our growth model has multi-dimensional objectives to produce a wide-spread flow of benefits, ensuring access to essential services for all sections and expansion of quality employment, said the Lt Governor.

For the first time in decades, the Government is focusing towards capacity augmentation of Grid Sub-stations in J&K, with augmentation work on 21 Sub-Stations completed last year and another 21 will be completed by 31 March, 2022. Work on upgradation of Gladni Grid sub-station which is considered as the Mother Grid station of Jammu division will also be completed by next month.

Moreover, 134 out of 188 sub-projects of power transmission and distribution have been completed and the remaining 54 are in the final stage of completion. New projects worth Rs 400 crore were started for strengthening the transmission sector, added the Lt Governor.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has laid a solid foundation for a better future, rapid economic and sustainable growth of Jammu and Kashmir, the Lt Governor said.

The present dispensation with its citizen-centric policies and reforms in every sector has empowered the people of the UT. We have also changed the Land use policy to empower farmers. Gair Mumkin Khad land issue has been resolved to benefit the people of the UT, the Lt Governor further added.

The Lt Governor congratulated the officials of the Power Development Department, and the people of the region for the new power projects.

Bharat Bhushan, DDC Chairperson Jammu, while speaking on the occasion, hailed the UT Government for working in a focused manner to ensure sustainable growth and development of every sector.

Nitishwar Kumar, Principal Secretary to Lt Governor and Principal Secretary, Power Development Department made his valuable remarks on the newly inaugurated power projects.

Shiv Anant Tayal, Managing Director, JPDCL presented the Vote of Thanks.

The power distribution projects under Centrally Sponsored Schemes inaugurated today includes new 33/11 KV Sub stations at Bajalta, Rajinder Nagar, Nardani & Kishanpur Kathar and installation of additional power transformers at Bhalwal & Tanda in Jammu; 33/11 KV Sub-station at Harni and installation of additional power transformers at Surankote & Jaran Wali Gali, Poonch; Installation of additional power transformers at Sunderbani, Kangri, Dhanwan, Mogla, Kotranka & Nowshera and augmentation of Sub-station Dangri , Rajouri; 33/11 KV Sub stations at Majalta & Kud and augmentation of Sub-station Jakhani, Udhampur and 33/11 KV Sub-station at Dadua, Reasi.

Mukesh Singh, ADGP Jammu; Dr RP Singh, Chairman JKPCL; Jagmohan Sharma, Chairman JPDCL; DDC members, Chief Engineers and officials of PDD, besides people from different walks of life attended the inaugural ceremony.

New Delhi Feb 15: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will deliver the inaugural address at “The Energy and Resources Institute’s” (TERI) 21st edition of World Sustainable Development Summit at around 6 PM on Wednesday, the official statement said on Tuesday.

The three days World Sustainable Development Summit is TERI’s annual flagship event which will be held from February 16th to 18th. The theme for this year’s summit is “Towards a Resilient Planet: Ensuring a Sustainable and Equitable Future”.

“The Summit will discuss a wide range of issues including climate change, sustainable production, energy transitions, global commons and resource security” it said.

Earlier, the Director General, the Energy and Resources Institute, Dr Vibha Dhawan, said, “TERI’s World Sustainable Development Summit is one of its kind to be convened by a developing state and it invites political leaders, science experts, researchers, academics, and civil society campaigners from across the globe.

“For over 20 years, this summit has successfully garnered varied views on sustainable development and climate action through brainstorming deliberations aimed at sensitizing political establishments and civil society to act” he said.

Dhawan said, “We have so far hosted over 25,000 delegates in this series of the summit. We are looking forward to this year’s 21st edition of the summit and the active participation of all stakeholders.”

The three day summit will be attended by Luis Abinader, President of the Dominican Republic, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, Amina J Mohammed, Deputy Secretary General, United Nations, heads of various intergovernmental organisations, Ministers/ Envoys from more than a dozen countries and delegates from over 120 countries.

Hyderabad: India is home to at least 20 per cent of the global childhood cancer burden, with nearly 75,000 kids getting cancer every year, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Non-communicable diseases, including cancer, account for nearly 50 per cent of the total deaths among children aged between 5 years and 14 years and this situation can be improved by ensuring there is an enhanced awareness about the problem and ensuring access to quality healthcare for all, say doctors on International Childhood Cancer Day on February 15.

Most common types of childhood cancers are leukemias, brain cancers, lymphomas, and solid tumours like neuroblastomas and Wilms tumours. The burden of childhood cancers is high in low- and middle-income countries where the health system is weak and contributes to cure rates of less than 30 per cent due to significant barriers in early diagnosis, inability to accurately diagnose, poor access to health care facilities, and inability to initiate treatment promptly.

Dr Srikanth Soma, Consultant Surgical Oncologist, SLG Hospitals, said: “In spite of drastic improvement in cancer care services over the past few decades, India continues to have a low success rate when it comes to curing childhood cancers completely. That is because most of the malignancies brought to the notice of doctors are at advanced stages. Lack of awareness, treatment refusal, and financial constraints are among the prime reasons for this delay in seeking right medical care.

“Another major problem is that childhood cancer care services are currently available only at tertiary health centres in major cities, forcing a majority of India to depend on these few centres.”

Dr Narender Kumar Thota, Consultant Medical Oncology & Haemato Oncologist & Stem Cell Bone Marrow Transplant Specialist, KIMS Hospitals, said: “(As many as) 1.6 to 4.8 per cent of all cancer in India is seen in children below 15 years of age and the overall incidence of 38 to 124 per million children, per year, is lower than that in the developed world.

“The considerable inter-regional variation in incidence and mortality rates across India suggests a possible deficiency in ascertainment of cases and death notification, particularly in rural areas. Unlike adult malignancies, childhood cancers do not have a known cause in a majority cases. Only 10 per cent cases are due to genetic reasons. Childhood cancers cannot be prevented nor identified through screening.”

According to Dr Revanth Reddy, Consultant Surgical Oncologist, Aware Gleneagles Global Hospital, financial support through the government-promoted health insurance and holistic support through philanthropic organisations have improved treatment adherence and outcome.

“Moving forward, the focus should be on strengthening the cancer registries for capturing nationwide data, improving awareness of childhood cancer among caregivers and healthcare workers for early recognition and improving accessibility of childhood cancer care services beyond major cities,” he said.

Symptoms of childhood cancers generally include unexplained weight loss, persistent pain in bone, joints or legs, lumps/mass in the abdomen, chest, neck or pelvis, excessive bruising or bleeding, prolonged fatigue, whitish appearance of the pupil etc.

In infants and children less than one year, neuroblastoma appears to be one of the most common cancers while in children between 1-4 years leukemias are common, and in children aged between 9-16 years, bone cancers are common.

Treatment for such cancers would include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or a combination depending on the nature of malignancy and its stage of presentation. Doctors say focus should be on improving awareness about childhood cancers and its symptoms among parents and healthcare providers and improving healthcare access to remote areas. India needs to have a policy framework specifically to address childhood cancer care, they added. (IANS)