Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir got its first real-time air-quality monitoring station with inauguration of first ever Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Station (CAAQMS) at JKPCC headquarters Rajbagh, Srinagar by Chairman J&K Pollution Control Committee, Suresh Chugh, here on Wednesday.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Member Secretary, JK PCC, B.M. Sharma; Regional Director, JK PCC Jammu, Dr. Nadeem Hussian; Regional Director, JK PCC Kashmir, Rafi Ahmad Bhat; Legal Advisor JKPCC; FA/CAO JKPCC; scientists, district officers of JK PCC and other staff of Kashmir region.

The inauguration was followed by a detailed presentation by Subrat K. Kant, DGM of M/s Environment SA, which has provided the equipment and is looking after the operation and maintenance.

Terming it as a major achievement of J&K PCC, Chairman thanked all the officers and the entire team for putting in their best efforts in successful installation and commissioning of the station which saw many hiccups and delays due to Covid19 pandemic.

The CAAQMS, which was put on trial run for two months before its inauguration, is a highly sophisticated equipment that gives real time air quality data of a particular area especially the key parameters like PM10, PM 2.5, NOX, SOX, Ozone which determine the air quality of that area. The installation of CAAQMS has been mandated in all the non-attainment cities across India including Jammu and Srinagar.

Chairman informed the gathering that the air quality monitoring network shall be established and later extended to all district headquarters of J&K in due course of time. Further, two similar stations are going to be established in Jammu province.

During the presentation, it was informed that the air quality data generated by CAAQMS has been linked with CPCB portal (https://app.cpcbccr.com/AQI_India/) and the Air Quality Index has been made public enabling any person sitting in any corner of the world to access the Air Quality of Srinagar city.

Srinagar: Divisional Commissioner (Div Com) Kashmir, Pandurang K Pole Wednesday chaired a meeting of officers to review the progress on beautification work of Srinagar roads and other important locations.

The meeting, among others was attended by Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, CE PWD, CE Beacon, JD Tourism, JD Planning, DFO Srinagar and other concerned.

At the outset, Div Com stressed on speedy completion of beautification work on Batamaloo-Tengpora, Parimpora- Narbal, Boulevard  Airport road and other important locations.

The Div Com instructed concerned to expedite work on footpath constructions, road medians, plantation including Austrian poplars, installation of tree guards, grills, colouring of grills and other works at all identified locations in Srinagar.

He also instructed on removal of grass, damaged tree guards and iron grills besides bush cutting at all required places.

The Div Com called for black topping of all roads and immediate fixing of potholes and pits and smooth surface levelling at all identified locations.

Stressing on making roads look presentable, he said flower pots with variety of flowers be placed along the IG Airport Road, Zero Bridge, Foot Bridge and other locations on priority and instructed concerned to ensure proper upkeep and maintenance.

Srinagar: The Border Security Force (BSF) troops fired and repulsed a flying object along the international border in the Arnia sector of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Wednesday.

“On intervening night of 13/14th July, a blinking red light was observed by own troops in Arnia sector at about 9.52 p.m. at height of 200 metres on own side,” the BSF said.

“Alert troops fired from their position towards red blinking light , due to which it returned back. Area being searched . Nothing found so far.”

Jammu is witnessing an increased drone activity.

On July 2, a quadcopter was repulsed by the BSF in the Arnia sector.

On June 29, drone activities were thwarted by the army troops at Ratnachuk-Kaluchak military area in Jammu. On June 27, there were two bomb blasts at the Jammu airforce station which security agencies suspected were carried out using drones.

Srinagar: Weatherman on Wednesday forecast “generally cloudy weather with occasional brief spell of rain” for now and “next good rainfall spell” from July 19-21 in Jammu and Kashmir.

“Light to moderate rain with thunderstorm and lightning will occur at many places of Jammu especially Poonch, Reasi, Rajouri and at scattered places of Kashmir. Overall, weather will remain generally cloudy with occasional brief spell of rain,” Director Meteorological Department Sonam Lotus said.

“Next good rainfall spell is likely during July 19-21,” he said.

The weather department has issued an advisory for possibility of flash flood especially in Poonch, Rajouri and other vulnerable spots as “land is already fully saturated.”

Meanwhile, a Meteorological department official said that Srinagar received 1.3mm of rainfall in 24 hours till 0830 hours and recorded minimum temperature of 18.9 degree Celsius against 18.1 degree Celsius normal for this time of the year.

Jammu recorded 25.8mm of rain, highest across J&K, during the time, the official said.

He said that the winter capital of J&K recorded a low of 22.4 degree Celsius against the normal of 24.8 degree Celsius for this time of the year.

With 19.6mm, Batote witnessed second highest rainfall in J&K during the time and recorded minimum temperature of 15.2 degree Celsius against 17.6 degrees Celsius normal for this time of the year.

Katra recorded 13.8mm of rain, Kathua 0.0mm, Banihal 1.2mm, Bhaderwah 7.2mm, the official said.

In Kashmir Valley, he said, Pahalgam received highest rainfall of 13.7mm of rain followed by Gulmarg, the world famous skiing resort in north Kashmir which had 8.8mm of rain and was the coldest place in J&K as it recorded low temperature of 10.0 degree Celsius against 11.8 degree Celsius normal for the area during this time of the season, he said. Pahalgam, the famous tourist destination in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, recorded 12.9 degree Celsius against normal of 12.1 degrees Celsius, the official said.

Qazigund, the gate town of Kashmir, received 3.2 mm of rain and recorded a low of 16.5 degree Celsius while Kokernag had 1.4mm of rain and recorded a low of 18.2 degree Celsius, he said.

Kupwara town received 1.4 mm of rain during the time and recorded a low of 16.9 degrees Celsius, the official added. (GNS)

By: Faizan Wani

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir’s Forest department has retrieved more than 27000 kanals of forestland from illegal occupants in the past three years.

Documents revealed that the department has got 27513. 16 kanals evicted from encroachers since 2018-19.

In 2018-19, 8416 kanals have been retrieved from illegal occupants, 4912.1 kanals in 2019-20 and 14184.16 in 2020-21.

Apart from retrieving 27000 kanals in the past three years, the department has also evicted encroachments from 2837 kanals of forestland from April 1, 2021 to June 10, 2021.

The document also claims that illegal entries of 47934 kanals of forestland have been cancelled till June 1, 2021.

According to the documents, the cancellation of the illegal entries of forestland in the Revenue records has been taken up by the department with the concerned deputy commissioners.

“With the concerted and joint efforts of the functionaries of the Forest department and the Revenue authorities, the illegal entries of about 47934 kanals and 12 marlas of forestland have been cancelled as on June 1, 2021,” reads the document.

It is pertinent to mention that the Forest department has taken different administrative and legal measures in the past three years to prevent encroachment of forestland and retrieve the land from illegal occupants. (KNO)

Srinagar: Senior Congress leader Mir Ruvais Wednesday urged Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to ensure that the green gold is saved.

Ruvais in a statement issued here said that the man-wild encounters are creating new anxieties in the Valley. “It’s sad that the forest department has not been yet awaking from deep slumber in safe guarding the green gold, which the shameless timber smugglers are destroying for their own benefits, causing there by massive loss to the public,” the statement said.

Mir said causing damage to the environment and biodiversity by bootleggers and the deliberate carelessness by the officials of forest department has compelled the wild animals to go the habitations where human loss has been reported.

“Proper action has to be taken to prevent leopards from coming towards human settlements, encroachment of jungles and deforestation should be stopped on a war-footing basis to prevent these wild attacks,” he added.

By: Sajidah Yousuf

Srinagar: The Government on Wednesday said that it will start a three day virtual COVID care programme for the Civil Secretariat employees in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Union Territory by the “Art of Living Foundation”.

Additional secretary to the Government Rohit Sharma in this regard issued an order, which reads that the 45 minutes COVID care programme on “Immunity Boost and Prevention with Meditation, Breath and Yoga” will be held for three days starting from 16th to 18th July over the Zoom platform.

Mohit Raina, Under Secretary to the Government, General Administration Department shall liaise with the Art of Living Foundation for conducting the programme for the Civil Secretariat employees. To attend the programme employees have been asked to register themselves in the programme without any charge.

“This is for information of all employees working in various Departments of Civil Secretariat that the Art of Living Foundation shall be conducting a 45 minute COVID care Programme on “Immunity Boost and Prevention with Meditation, Breath and Yoga” for three days, 16h to 18th July 2021 from 7:15 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. over the Zoom platform for the employees of Civil Secretariat”, it reads.

Manoj Kumar Dwivedi IAS Commissioner/Secretary, General Administration Department, J&K, received a letter from the Foundation last month which states that the foundation wants to conduct Covid Care Programs on “Wellbeing and Immunity” of employees.

As per the notification, the three different programs for Covid Care that the Art of Living offers will conduct include, “Immunity Boost & Prevention with Meditation, Breath &Yoga, Home Isolation Care with Meditation Breath and Yoga and Post Covid Rehabilitation with meditation Breath and Yoga for non-Covid, Covid positive with mild or moderate symptoms and for post Covid ”.

“This initiative is also aimed at providing efficient tools and techniques that make the participants stress free and relaxed,” it reads. (KNO)

By: Nadeem Nadu

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir reported 161 new covid-19 cases while two persons succumbed to the virus in the last 24 hours, officials said on Wednesday.

They said that 38 of the fresh cases were reported from Jammu division and 123 from Kashmir Valley, taking the overall tally to 319152.

Regarding the deaths due to the virus, they said, both were reported from Jammu division and none from Kashmir, taking the fatality count to 4360.

Providing the district-wide details, the officials said that Srinagar reported 42 cases, Baramulla 23, Budgam 8, Pulwama 10, Kupwara 7, Anantnag 4, Bandipora 13, Ganderbal 9, Kulgam 7, Shopian 0, Jammu 17, Udhampur 3, Rajouri 3, Doda 4, Kathua 1, Samba 0, Kishtwar 3, Poonch 5, Ramban 1 and Reasi 1.

Moreover, they said, 358 more COVID-19 patients have recovered—161 from Jammu Division and 197 from Kashmir Valley. So far 312556 people have recovered while 4360 people have succumbed to the virus, leaving active cases at 2236 in J&K—925 in Jammu and 1311 in the Valley.

There was one new confirmed case of mucormycosis (black fungus) reported today and thus the cumulative number of confirmed cases rose to 32 in J&K. (GNS)

New Delhi: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the increase in the Dearness Allowance to Central Government employees and Dearness Relief to pensioners from 11 per cent to 28 per cent of the basic pay or pension with effect from July 1.

The announcement comes as a relief to the government employees as the government had announced a four per cent increase in DA and DR in the last year’s budget but was unable to implement it due to the Covid pandemic.

The increase in the DA and DR is expected to cost the government approximately Rs 34,400 crore and impact around 48,34,000 central government employees and 65,26,000 pensioners, Anurag Thakur, the Minister of Information and Broadcasting said in a press briefing.

The DA and DR installments are due for four periods–January 1, 2020, July 1, 2020, January 1, 2021, and July 1, 2021.

“The rate of dearness allowance and dearness relief for the period 1st Jan 2020 to 30 Jun 2021 shall remain 17 per cent,” Thakur said. (UNI)

Mumbai: Kashmiri singer-songwriter Rahi’s new song “Jhoome” has garnered around 800k views on YouTube since it was launched barely a day ago. The video of the soulful number, penned and composed by Rahi, also features actress Kanika Mann, and has been shot across Kashmir Valley by Danish Renzu, director of the acclaimed film “The Illegal”.

“I’d never miss a chance to capture the true essence of Kashmir. Indie pop is about emotions and ‘Jhoome’ describes the way I feel about this beauty! I hope with this song, I’m able to make people across the country live vicariously through me and sway with joy a little,” says Rahi, about his experience of recording the song and shooting its video.

“The moment I heard the song, I couldn’t keep myself from being a part of it. We kept singing it,” says Kanika, and then adds in jest: “I think I should drop a cover!”

“With Rahi, his heart is with Kashmir. In times where everyone is confined to their homes, Rahi manages to teleport us with his pure melodies, and a voice to fall in love with,” says Gaurav Wadhwa, co-founder and CEO, Big Bang Music, label that launched the song.