Precious Kashmir

Beijing Olympics-bound Arif Khan thanks Govt for recognising winter sports

Sports

31/01/2022

Beijing Olympics-bound Arif Khan thanks Govt for recognising winter sports

New Delhi: Arif Khan, set to represent India this Winter Olympics in the Slalom and Giant Slalom events, is in a good state of mind ahead of the games. Representing the nation is something he has always dreamed of and he is now ready to set his best foot forward.

“It has been my dream to introduce the sport to Indians. I am happy to have inspired the youth in my own way by becoming that one person from the mountains to represent this country in the Winter Olympics. Many people are more aware now that there is an opportunity for mountain skiing in India,” Arif said in a press conference facilitated by the Sports Authority of India (SAI).

“We have mountains, snows as well as free ride Alpine Skiing in Gulmarg. In the next 4-5 years, if we get a few more slopes and infrastructure, we can become the next big destination for Winter Sports. We can utilise the Himalayas for sport and tourism purposes. This is just the beginning. It feels great to represent 1.3 billion people. My dream is always to inspire people, especially in the Jammu and Kashmir valley. I still try to improve myself. Right now, I am very proud to carry the India flag in the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics this year,” Arif added.

Arif, inducted into the Target Olympic Podium Scheme, was recently approved an amount of Rs 17.46 Lakh by the Sports Ministry towards training in Europe and procurement of equipment, ahead of the grand event in China.

“It was great to get the support of SAI as a part of the Target Olympic Podium Scheme,” Arif continued.

“It helped me buy the equipment, pay the bills of the coaches. The financial support felt really good. Everyone in my Skiing fraternity is happy that the Government is recognizing the sport. The Govt has so many plans for the development and infrastructure up-gradation for Winter sports. I would like to thank all the stakeholders who are helping this cause and have assisted in my training too.”

Arif is set to compete in Beijing on February 13 and 16 in the two events he has qualified for.

Looking ahead to the main event, he says, “I have been training for the last two years very seriously. I want to be in the top 30 in the World in the Winter Olympics. Even a slight mistake while going down the hill can make or break you in the competition. But I personally feel in the last 1 year, my training has been very good and I have improved a lot.”

Weekly flea markets remains closed for 3rd straight week

City

United News Of India

31/01/2022

Weekly flea markets remains closed for 3rd straight week

Srinagar: The traditional Sunday market in Srinagar wore a deserted look due to the weekend lockdown restrictions on non-essential movements being strictly enforced in Jammu and Kashmir to curtail the rise in COVID-19 cases on Sunday, official sources said.

The weekly flea market continued to remain closed for the third straight week. Sunday market where thousands of vendors usually put their stalls from Tourist Reception Centre to Residency road, Lal Cwhoak, Amirakadal and Hari Singh High Street in the city centre selling all day-to-day items including fresh and second hand clothes was off due to the COVID-19 restrictions.

The stalls at Makkah market on Moulana Azad road were also shut. Several other roads including down town and Shar-e-Khar wore a deserted look in view of the restrictions.

Security forces have barricaded many roads in the city to enforce strict restrictions. Security forces were deployed in strength at places to enforce the lockdown.

Reports of complete lockdown were also received from all major towns and district headquarters of Kashmir valley.

The 64hour-long weekend lockdown begins on Friday from 1400 hours to Monday 0600 hours.

Jammu and Kashmir has seen a rise in day-to-day COVID-19 cases during the past few weeks forcing authorities to impose weekend restriction on non-essentials movements in the UT.

The authorities in Jammu and Kashmir imposed a weekend lockdown on January 15 and it was later extended by 16- hours from Friday 1400 hours to Monday 0600 hours on January 21 following a rise in COVID-19 cases. (UNI)

Cheater arrested in Srinagar: Police

City

Precious Kashmir

31/01/2022

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir police arrested a person who was allegedly fleecing people on the pretext of providing jobs in Airlines at Srinagar Airport, police said.

Police Station Shergari received a complaint on January 29, 2022 from one Umar Ali alleging that he has been cheated on the pretext of providing a job at Srinagar Airport for that he had paid an amount of Rs 93,900 to the tout.

Subsequently, police registered a case and initiated investigation into the matter.

During the investigations the accused identified as Mushtaq Ahmad Janjoo a resident of Frestwar Khansahib Budgam was arrested with the help of technical support from cyber police, the police said and added an amount of Rs 58, 800 was also recovered from him.

It was revealed that there are several other persons who have been cheated on the pretext of being provided with jobs by the accused. Investigation of the case is on, the police added.

Sgr-Jmu highway to remain open for either sides today

Jammu & Kashmir

Precious Kashmir

31/01/2022

Sgr-Jmu highway to remain open for either sides today

Srinagar: Jammu-Srinagar highway, the only surface link connecting Kashmir valley with the outside world, shall remain open for both way traffic on Monday, officials said.

“On 31-01-2022, subject to fair weather and better road conditions LMVs(passenger)/private cars shall be allowed from both sides on Jammu-Srinagar highway viz Jammu towards Srinagar and vice-versa. TCU Jammu/Srinagar shall liaise with TCU Ramban before releasing the traffic,” a traffic department official said in a statement.

He said Traffic Control Unit Jammu/Srinagar shall liaise with TCU Ramban before releasing the traffic.

He said cut off for LMVs/private cars from Nagrota (Jammu) will be at 0700 hours to 1200 hours, from Jakheni (Udhampur) at 0800 hours to 1300 hours and from Navyug Tunnel (Qazigund side) 0900 hours to 1300 hours “(subject to change depending on the road position then)”

He said no vehicle shall be allowed before and after cut off timings.

Regarding HMVs/Load carriers, he said, “subject to fair weather and better road conditions, they shall be allowed from NAVYUG Tunnel (Qazigund side) towards Jammu after assessing the traffic situation on highway.” He said TCU Srinagar shall liaise with TCU Ramban before releasing the highway.

Meanwhile, Mughal Road, connecting Shopian with Poonch and Rajouri districts, remained closed for vehicular movement in view of snow accumulation at Peer Ki Gali.

Also, Srinagar-Sonamarg-Gumri road remained shut for vehicular movement in view of snow accumulation on Zoji la axis and has been closed till further orders. Kishtwar-Sinthan road also remained closed in view of snow accumulation, the traffic department official said.

Theft case solved, accused held in Sgr: Police

City

Precious Kashmir

31/01/2022

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Police claimed to have solved a theft case and arrested the accused in Srinagar on Sunday, police said.

Police Station Safakadal received a written complaint on October 26, 2021 from Sajid Basheer Khan a resident of Malik Sahib Safakadal in downtown Srinagar and a proprietor of Cell City Mobile shop that a theft has taken place in his shop at Safakadal, in which mobile phones of various brands were stolen.

A case under relevant section of the law was registered and investigation taken up, the police said and added during the course of investigation few suspects were questioned and one Rafeeq Ahamed Shah, a resident of Gadoora Ganderbal was arrested.

On his disclosure recovery of the stolen items including mobile phones was made, the police said.

The case is under investigation and more arrests and recoveries are expected, police added.

Man with 12 Bore rifle detained in Kishtwar

Jammu & Kashmir

United News Of India

31/01/2022

Jammu: A man was detained by the police after he was found carrying a 12 Bore rifle in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir here on Sunday.

Officials said that a police team headed by Station House Officer, Police Station Chatroo, Parvaiz Khandey under the supervision of Deputy Superintendent of Police, DAR, Zia Haq and under the overall guidance of SSP Kishtwar Shafqat Hussain, on Saturday noticed a person moving about in a suspicious manner and who was on the way from Nanzala Balana towards the forest carrying a rifle.

“The man was intercepted by the patrolling party who tired to escape but the police team chased him and managed to apprehend him,” said the spokesman.

He said that during questioning the accused disclosed his identity as Dewan Chand a resident of Nanzala Sigdi.

“He was asked to produce the documents of the weapon but failed to do so following which he was taken into custody and the weapon was seized,” he said.

A case was registered and investigations started. (UNI)

Thanamandi-Surankote road closed after landslides

Jammu & Kashmir

Precious Kashmir

31/01/2022

By: M S Nazki

Poonch: Landslides near Maggi led to the closure of Thanamandi to Surankote road on Sunday official sources said.

They said there were landslides at Maggi in Thanamandi area of Rajouri district around noon following which the traffic on the thoroughfare was halted.

Station House Officer (SHO) Thanamandi Shoket Ahmed said that efforts are underway to clear the thoroughfare of the debris and restore the traffic. (GNS)

Body found in Sempora, Panthachowk

City

Precious Kashmir

31/01/2022

Srinagar: Body of a middle-aged person was found from river Jhelum near Sempora Panthachowk in outskirts of Srinagar, officials said.

Reports said that a male body was found by locals in river jehlum at Sempora Panthachowk who accordingly informed the police about it.

The deceased identified as Habib Ullah Lone(55) a resident of Suthsoo Kallan Chadora.

A police official also confirmed the recovery of the body and said that a case has been registered in this regard and further investigations taken up.

Govt mulls CCTV surveillance at forest check posts across J&K

Anchor stories

Ibni Maqbool

31/01/2022

Govt mulls CCTV surveillance at forest check posts across J&K

Gadgets to be purchased from CAMPA funds in next fiscal

By: Ibni Maqbool

Srinagar: In a move aimed at strengthening forest protection infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir, the authorities are mulling to install Close Circuit Televisions (CCTVs) at forest check posts in different places in the Union Territory.

Documents in possession of The Precious Kashmir reveal that J&K’s Forest department has proposed to purchase CCTVs for their installation at forest check posts in 2022-23.

“In order to strengthen forest protection infrastructure, installation of CCTVs in forest check posts and infrastructure for joint control rooms are proposed,” reads minutes of the 28^th executive committee of Jammu & Kashmir Jammu and Kashmir Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) held on 18^th of this month under the chairmanship of Dr. Mohit Gera, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF).

According to the documents, the procurement of equipment like CCTV, drones is part of the CAMPA’s Annual Plan of Operations (APO) for 2022-23, which will be submitted to the Government of India after Chief Secretary-led steering approves it.

“For modernization of the functioning of the Department, the proposals under APO 2022-23 include use of remote sensing and GIS tools for preparation of digital maps and procurement of equipment like CCTV, drones, camera traps and GPS,” the minutes of the meeting state.

It is worthwhile to mention that the executive committee has approved APO 2022-23, with a total outlay of Rs 297.65 crore and recommended for placing it before the steering committee for approval.

Reduce Anaemia Problem

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Oped

Precious Kashmir

31/01/2022

Nearly 46 per cent of girls in India under the age of 15 are anaemic, as per a report released last week. Overall scenario is no good either. Over half the women and children in India are anemic, which means they have a lower than normal number of red blood cells or hemoglobin, shows data from the 2019-2020. A diet low in iron, folic acid and vitamin B12 causes this deficiency.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines on anaemia, prevalence of 40% and above is considered as a severe public health problem for a country.

According to National Family Health Survey-V (2019-20) Phase-I data in respect of 22 States and UTs, the State/UT-wise prevalence of anaemia in pregnant women is around the WHO considered ‘severe public health problem’.

As per the survey, five States/ UTs namely Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Manipur, Meghalaya and Jammu and Kashmir have anaemia prevalence less than 40%. Jammu and Kashmir has the lowest 20.7(less than 11 gm/dl) but there is no room for complacency.

The Government of India, in 2018, launched the Anaemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) strategy under POSHAN Abhiyaan with the target for reducing anaemia in women, children and adolescents in life cycle approach. The strategy aims to cover children 6-59 months, children 5-9 years, adolescents 10-19 years, women of reproductive age (15-49 years) pregnant women and lactating women through newer interventions. There is need to effective focus on strengthening supply chain, demand generation and putting in place monitoring mechanisms. The primary reason for the anaemia is said to be iron deficiency.

As per experts, if there is very poor compliance for oral iron, it could be given in the injection form at an interval of four weeks along with other necessary professionally prescribed interventions for better compliance. Iron fortification of foods also improves intake, as per the experts.

The government formed laid schemes and efforts are made to meet the challenges through various means including providing Iron and Folic Acid supplementation to the pregnant women during ANC and providing incentives to front line workers for identification and follow-up of pregnant women with severe anaemia. However there is need to for ensuring strict compliance besides providing training and orientation of medical officers and staff nurses on the AMB guidelines.

The administration needs to create field level awareness through community mobilization activities, focusing on anaemia in women and addressing the issues related to it.

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