Precious Kashmir

PTTI Vijaypur observes National Voters Day

City

26/01/2022

Vijaypur: Police Technical Training Institute (PTTI) Vijaypur Tuesday organized a pledge taking ceremony in the Institute to observe National Voters Day.

On this occasion, all GOs/Police personnel/ trainees of the Institute took Pledge to uphold the democratic traditions of our country and dignity of free, fair and peaceful elections.

While speaking on the occasion, Khalil Ahmed Poswal, SSP Principal PTTI Vijaypur reiterated that the theme for this year celebration of National Voters Day is “Making Elections Inclusive, Accessible and Participative”.

Principal instructed the staff and trainees to encourage, facilitate and maximize enrolment, especially for the new voters.

Among others, Sajjad Ahmad Khan, Dy.SP (Indoor/PIO), Satish Kumar, Dy.SP (Admn/Outdoor), Inspr. Anil Sagar (RI/CDI), Inspr. Neeraj Kumar, Inspr. Sunil Kumar, Inspr. Anil Kumar, Inspr. Rakesh Bamba, Inspr. Manoj Kumar, Inspr. Rattan Singh, Inspr. Vivek Kalsotra, Narinder Kumar (DI) were present on the occasion.

However, in view of COVID-19 pandemic, all precautionary measures were taken properly.

JK Election deptt observes National Voters’ Day

Jammu & Kashmir

Precious Kashmir

26/01/2022

JK Election deptt observes National Voters’ Day

CS administers pledge to officers

Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Election Department Tuesday celebrated 12th National Voters’ Day on the theme “Making Elections Inclusive, Accessible and Participative”.

In this regard, the department organized a grand UT level event at Nirvachan Bhawan Jammu in which Chief Secretary, Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta, administered the NVD Pledge to all Administrative Secretaries, Divisional Commissioners, District Election Officers, Electoral Registration Officers, Assistant Electoral Registration Officers besides other officers and officials of J&K through virtual mode in view of COVID-19 pandemic.

Administrative Secretaries, Divisional Commissioners, District Election Officers, Electoral Registration Officers, Assistant Electoral Registration Officers and other officers/officials across the UTs of J&K and Ladakh attended the function through virtual mode.

A message of Chief Election Commissioner of India, Sushil Chandra, was also telecast during the function.

Addressing the participants, Chief Electoral Officer, J&K, Hirdesh Kumar, said that the need of the hour is to educate the voters about the ethical and qualitative participation in electoral process as the theme for this year’s NVD, ‘Making Elections Inclusive, Accessible and Participative’, envisages focus on ECI’s commitment to facilitate the active participation of voters during the elections and to make the complete process hassle-free and a memorable experience for all categories of voters.

He further said that the main focus of ECI during the year 2022 is to encourage all kinds of electorates including person with disabilities, youth, women electors, and senior citizens besides ensuring that all are registered so that they can exercise their right to franchise in future elections.

Highlighting the importance of online facilities being provided by Election Commission of India like Voter Portal (www.nvsp.in), Voter Helpline Mobile App, he urged upon the masses to utilize these digital platforms fully by getting themselves easily registered at home avoiding any visit to ERO/AERO offices for the same.

Hirdesh Kumar mentioned about the recently concluded Special Summary Revision of Ladakh where more than twelve thousand new electors were added in the electoral roll including 595 PwDs. The health of Electoral Rolls for Ladakh UT has tremendously been improved after the culmination of Summary Revision with 0.60 EP ratio, EPIC percentage as 94.22 %, 100% PER and 987 gender ratio. As for the J&K UT, he intimated that more than 1.5 lakh new eligible voters were added during the continuous updation of Electoral Rolls since last Special Summary Revision w.r.t 01-01-2019 as qualifying date.

During the function, Chief Electoral Officer felicitated PwD Icon, Election Department of J&K, Chandeep Singh and other PwD participants. The inmates of Blind Home Roop Nagar, Nari Niketan Home, R.S Pura and Physically challenged Home Udheywala Jammu participated in the programme through virtual mode.

Vote of thanks was presented by Additional Secretary, CEO Office, J&K.

Pertinent to mention that Since 2011, National Voters’ Day has been celebrated on January 25th every year, all across the country to mark the foundation day of the Election Commission of India, i.e. 25th January, 1950 and the main purpose of the NVD celebration is to encourage, facilitate and maximise enrolment, especially for the new voters.

LG flags off 34 advanced life support Dial-108 ambulances by BVG India for J&K

Jammu & Kashmir

Precious Kashmir

26/01/2022

Srinagar: On the eve of Republic Day, BVG India Limited, a key player offering emergency response services, has added 34 more advanced life support ambulances to Jammu & Kashmir’s JKEMS 108/102 emergency medical services fleet. With this addition BVG is serving with 511-strong ambulance fleet for Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh Union Territories.

Manoj Sinha, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir flagged off these additional 34 ambulances. H. R. Gaikwad, CMD, BVG India, along with the BVG team expressed gratitude to Manoj Sinha for his kind gesture.

Jammu and Kashmir Emergency Medical Services 108/102 is a Public-Private Partnership venture between the Government of J&K and Ladakh and BVG India Ltd.

BVG India has been serving the National Health Mission, Jammu & Kashmir, and the ambitious initiative of JK Emergency Medical Services (JKEMS) has announced that its world-class emergency response services and JKEMS ambulance services have benefited over a crore of people in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh so far.

The popularly known 102-108 Ambulance services cover a population of more than 1.25 crore spread across 22 districts covering places such as Anantnag, Bandipora, Baramulla, Budgam, Doda, Ganderbal, Leh, Jammu, Kargil, Kathua, Kishtwar, Kulgam, Kupwara, Pulwama, Poonch, Rajouri, Ramban, Reasi, Samba, Shopian, Srinagar and Udhampur among others.

Choudhary Mohammed Yasin, IAS; Mission Director, National Health Mission, J&K, acknowledged Bharat Vikas Group, India, Ltd JKEMS team for serving all Medical Emergencies and Covid patients health system preparedness and response to Covid-19 Pandemic in the UT of J&K.

Hanmantrao Ramdas Gaikwad, Chairman & Managing Director (CMD), BVG India Ltd said that BVG’s pioneered initiatives such as ambulance equipped with defibrillators, ventilators, blood pressure monitoring equipment, pulse oximetry, and medical grade oxygen delivery systems with all life-saving medicines and first in India to provide doctors with ambulances had played key role in saving lives of crore people who were in need of critical medical assistance.”

Over 800 Medical Emergency professionals like Doctors Para Medicos and Filed Administrative Staff, Drivers are serving under Bharat Vikas Group (BVG India) for providing ambulatory services across of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.

MoU signed for ‘financial sustainability’ of Army Goodwill Schools in Kashmir

Jammu & Kashmir

Indo Asian News Service

26/01/2022

Srinagar: Army’s Chinar Corps has entered into an MoU with Indrani Balan Foundation (IBF) on Tuesday for “financial sustainability” of five schools run by it in Kashmir.

These include four Army Goodwill Schools (AGS) at Baraub, Dawar, Balapur and Behibagh in Kupwara, Shopian and Kulgam districts and the Army Goodwill Public School (AGPS) Pahalgam in Kashmir.

The event was presided over by Lt. Gen D.P. Pandey, GOC Chinar Corps along with Punit Balan and Jahanvi Dhariwal of Indrani Balan Foundation.

IBF, a welfare foundation is active in variety of philanthropic work across India.

“The foundation under Punit Balan has vast experience of social work in fields of education, health and sports, which will contribute immensely in improving quality of education as well as self-sustainability of these schools in future,” the Army said.

“In addition, the Foundation had built a new infrastructure for Pariwar School Society for Specially-abled children of Baramulla. This year, the MoU focuses on the four Army Goodwill Schools (AGSs) and Army Goodwill Public School (AGPS) and will entail financial support of Rs. 3,28,00,000 per year for the next five years,” it added.

Earlier in 2021, the Chinar Corps had signed a similar MoU with IBF for financial sustainability of five AGSs of Uri, Wayne, Trehgam and Hajinan in Baramulla and Kupwara districts for five years.

Chinar Corps currently runs 28 Army Goodwill Schools in Kashmir, which educates more than 10,000 students each year. Over one lakh students have passed out from these esteemed institutions. (IANS)

One-way traffic from Jmu-Sgr today

Jammu & Kashmir

Precious Kashmir

26/01/2022

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

“On 26-01-2022, subject to fair weather and better road conditions LMVs(passenger)/ private cars shall be allowed from Jammu towards Srinagar (strictly one way) on Jammu-Srinagar highway,” a traffic department official said, adding, “TCU Jammu shall liaise with TCU Ramban before releasing the traffic.”

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

He said subject to fair weather and better road conditions, HMVs/load carriers shall be allowed from Jakheni (Udhampur) towards Srinagar after assessing the traffic situation on the thoroughfare. He said TCU Udhampur shall liaise with TCU Ramban before releasing the HMVs.

“Security Forces are advised/requested not to ply against advisory/ traffic plan in view of traffic congestion on Jammu-Srinagar highway. They may ply from Jammu towards Srinagar after confirming the status of 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.

Safe return of missing Arunachal teen a priority: Rijiju

National

Indo Asian News Service

26/01/2022

Safe return of missing Arunachal teen a priority: Rijiju

Itanagar: Union Law and Justice Minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday appealed to people to carefully make statement about missing Arunachal Pradesh teenager Miram Taron, who was reportedly kidnapped by Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) a week ago from the Indian territory.

The minister in a statement said : “We are constantly following the case from day one. I appeal to everyone to be cautious in making statements which are not based on facts because the safety and safe return of our Young Arunachal Pradesh youth is the priority.”

“Miram Taron (19) of Jido Village in Upper Siang district, was found missing on January 18 at Shiyung La in Bishing Area. Some people reported that Chinese PLA had taken him into their custody,” a statement released on his twitter handle said.

He said that since the individual was missing from an area close to LAC (Line of Actual Control), Indian Army immediately approached Chinese side on January 19, asking for assistance in tracing and return of the individual, in case he had strayed into the Chinese territory or PLA has taken him in their custody.

“Chinese side assured that they would search for the individual and return him as per established protocol. Later on January 20, the Chinese side intimated that they had found a boy on their side and requested for further details to establish the identity.”

“To assist the Chinese side in corroborating the identity, personal details and photo of the individual has been shared with the Chinese side by the Indian Army. Response from the Chinese side is awaited,” the statement reads.

The Arunachal Pradesh government had also sought the Defence Ministry’s intervention to ensure the safe return of the youth.

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu earlier said that the Defence Ministry through diplomatic channels took up the matter with the Chinese authority.

“I am hopeful that the youth would be released and return to his village soon,” the Chief Minister had told the media in Itanagar.

The Chinese Army reportedly abducted Tarom from the Indian territory where China had constructed a 3-4 km road in 2018.

His friend, who managed to escape, reported the matter to the authorities and brought it to the notice of Tapir Gao, a BJP MP from the Arunachal East parliamentary constituency.

Gao had tweeted about the it last week.

In September 2020, the Chinese PLA had reportedly kidnapped five boys from Arunachal Pradesh’s Upper Subansiri district before releasing them after about a week.

The villagers in the region have to trek through the remote mountainous areas due to the lack of proper roads.

Arunachal Pradesh shares a 1,080-km border with China.

I made retirement announcement too soon, to be very honest, says Sania Mirza

Sports

Indo Asian News Service

26/01/2022

I made retirement announcement too soon, to be very honest, says Sania Mirza

Melbourne: India’s ace tennis player Sania Mirza has said that she’s regretting announcing her decision to retire at the end of the 2022 WTA tennis season.

Sania, last Wednesday, announced her retirement plans after defeat in the first round of women’s doubles at the Australian Open. And her run at the Australian Open came to an end in the mixed doubles quarter-finals on Tuesday, as she and her partner Rajeev Ram lost 4-6, 6-7 to Australian wildcard entries Jaimee Fourlis and Jason Kubler in one hour and 30 minutes.

In a post-match interview on Sony Sports Network, Sania said that her outlook towards tennis had not particularly changed simply because she was playing her last season and that she was still determined to give her hundred percent on the field.

“I made the announcement too soon, to be very honest. I’m kind of regretting it because that’s all I’m being asked about right now,” Sania said. “I am playing tennis to win matches, and until I play, I am going to try and win every match I play. It’s not something (post-retirement outlook) that’s on my mind constantly. I enjoy playing tennis, win or lose.”

Omicron In Community Transmission

Edit
Oped

Precious Kashmir

26/01/2022

The Omicron variant of the coronavirus is in the community transmission stage in India, Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG)— a multi-laboratory, multi-agency, pan-India network that monitors genomic variations in the civid-19, has declared.

While omicron has triggered intense flare-ups, there have been less hospitalizations and deaths. In that sense, the mutant is less virulent than the earlier version. Nevertheless, the INSACOG has stated that further spread of Omicron is expected to be through internal transmission, not due to foreign travelers.

While it is hoped that Omicron spread doesn’t lead to the emergence of yet another deadly variant,

Covid-appropriate behaviour and vaccination are the main guards against all kinds of mutations of the virus.

At the same time, community transmission should not trigger panic as long as the fatality rate remains low. Instead, it has raised the possibility that the third wave of Covid-19 might peak sooner than later. According to a preliminary analysis by IIT Madras, the peak in India is likely to come early next month, while other predictions say it may happen by mid-February. The most Omicron cases so far have been asymptomatic or mild, the importance of home isolation and staying away from crowded public places cannot be overemphasized.

With the next 14 days or so being crucial, the government should go all out to fast-track the vaccination drive. It was on January 10 that the administration began administering booster or precaution dose to healthcare workers, frontline workers and people aged above 60 (with comorbidities). The pace of vaccination rate should be improved significantly. While it may be premature to say that the virus is on its last legs, major relief might be on the cards if it quickly runs its course through the bulk of the population, thus heralding herd immunity. There is need to be vigilant and complacency could prove dangerous as has been warned by the World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus: “it would be dangerous to assume that the highly transmissible Omicron was the last variant to emerge and that the world was in the end game of the pandemic.” On 4 January, researchers confirmed that a new variant of Covid-19 has emerged in France. Named IHU, the B.1.640.2 variant was discovered by the academics at institute IHU Mediterranee Infection. According to the researchers, the new variant contains 46 mutations – even more than Omicron. There is a need to be guarded all the time and keep the guard high.

LG announces 15% reservation for women in J&K Police

Front

Precious Kashmir

25/01/2022

LG announces 15% reservation for women in J&K Police

Says Govt determined to increase reservation further in future

Jammu: On the occasion of National Girl Child Day, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha announced 15% reservation for Women in the non-gazetted posts in the Jammu Kashmir Police. This landmark decision will further strengthen women empowerment in J&K UT.

The Lt Governor added that the 15% reservation is just the beginning and the government is determined and committed to increase it further in the future.

“For women and girls to be agents of change, J&K government is committed to ensure Nari Shaktis’ social and economic empowerment while redressing long-standing inequalities to build a more just and resilient society”, the Lt Governor said.

The step of 15 % reservation for women in JKP will give due representation to women in Police force and will ensure the availability of sufficient women personnel to engage exclusively in the matter of gender-based crimes. The move will lay the foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable society.

Despite several assurances before 2019, the matter of reservation for women in J&K Police was never addressed. At present, without any exclusive reservation, women constitute 3% of the total strength of J&K Police and the numbers will increase after the reservation is implemented in future recruitments.

Empowering girl child Govt’s priority: PM

Front

Indo Asian News Service

25/01/2022

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that his government accords immense priority to empowering the girl child and strengthening Nari Shakti.

In a series of tweets on ‘National Girl Child Day’, the Prime Minister also said that it is an occasion to reiterate our commitment and further strengthen ongoing efforts to empower the girl child. He said, “National Girl Child Day is an occasion to reiterate our commitment and further strengthen ongoing efforts to empower the girl child. It is also a day to celebrate the exemplary accomplishments of the girl child in different fields.”

“In every development initiative undertaken by our Government, we accord immense priority to empowering the girl child and strengthening our Nari Shakti. Our focus is on ensuring dignity as well as opportunities to the girl child,” Prime Minister Modi added.

National Girl Child Day is observed in the country on January 24 every year with an objective to provide support and opportunities to the girls. It aims at promoting awareness about the rights of the girl child and to increase awareness on the importance of their education, health and nutrition and also to promote the girls position in the society.

Another objective of celebrating this day is to promote awareness about the inequalities that a girl child faces and educate people about girl’s education. (IANS)

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