Jammu: Former Jammu and Kashmir Minister on Thursday died of suspected Covid-19 in Rajouri district.

Official sources said that the administration has ordered cremation of the deceased as per the laid down Covid-19 SOPs.

He said that the deceased, a resident of Kewal, Budhal in Kotranka sub-division, had recently returned from a religious congregation at Haridwar and since then, he was not keeping well.

“He was taken to a hospital in Punjab but died on way,” the official said.

He said that body has been brought to GMC Associated Hospital Rajouri where further arrangements are made to conduct cremation as per SOPs.

By: Arul Louis

New York:  Warning that the Covid-19 pandemic is a grim reminder of the dangers of climate change, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday announced a global initiative in cooperation with the US to mobilise investments for the greening of the world and promote collaboration to fight global warming.

“Humanity is battling a global pandemic right now and this event is a timely reminder that the grave threat of climate change has not disappeared,” he said at the Leaders Summit on Climate Change convened by President Joe Biden.

“President Biden and I are launching the India-US Climate and Clean Energy Agenda 2030 Partnership. Together we will help mobilise investments, demonstrate clean technology and enable green collaboration.”

Leaders of 40 countries are participating in the summit. They include Presidents Xi Jinping of China and Vladimir Putin of Russia, with whom Biden has an increasingly hostile relationship, but they have put aside their difference in the climate cause.

Biden said: “The signs are unmistakable (of climate change dangers). The science is undeniable. The cost of inaction keeps mounting. The United States isn’t waiting. We are resolving to take action.”

Biden said that the US would cut its greenhouse emissions from the 2005 level by half by 2030.

He announced the first US Climate Finance Plan to promote public sector “to increase the quality and quantity of climate financing” and spur the private sector to contribute to developing countries’ programmes.

He said that the global goal was mobilising $100 billion per year for developing countries to meet the climate challenge.

To help meet this goal, he said that the US will double by 2024 “our annual public climate development finance to developing countries compared to what we were providing during the second half of Obama-Biden administration”.

The US will also “triple our financing for climate application for developing countries by 2024”.

Calling for an end to fossil fuel subsidies, he said he said that it was important to “help developing countries leapfrog to the clean technologies of tomorrow”.

In a subtle dig at the hypocrisy of Western leaders, media and activists who paint India as the third-largest greenhouse gas emitter and demand it cut down emissions, Modi pointed out that each Indian’s greenhouse gas footprint is 60 per cent lower than the world average.

“It is because of our lifestyle is still rooted in sustainable, traditional practices,” he said.

“Today I want to emphasise the importance of lifestyle change in climate action, sustainable lifestyle changes and guiding philosophy of back to basics,” he added.

Modi said that India was doing its part to fight climate change. “Our ambitious renewable energy target of 450 gigawatts by 2030 shows our commitment. Despite our development challenges we have taken many bold steps on clean energy, energy efficiency, afforestation and biodiversity.”

“That is why we are among the few countries whose NDCs (nationally determined contributions to the Paris Climate Agreement goals) are 2 degrees Celsius compatible,” Modi said.

“Climate change is a lived reality for millions around the world. Their lives, their livelihoods are already facing its adverse consequences,” he said.

India has encouraged global initiatives like the International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, Modi added.

“As climate resposnsible developing country, India welcomes partners to create templates of sustainable development in India. This can also help other development countries who need affordable acess to green finance and clean technology,” he said.

Modi was the second non-US leader to speak after Xi at the virtual conference.

Xi said that China was making extraordinary efforts like ending coal power generation in order to reach its cimate change goals.

New Delhi: Expressing concerned at the continuous increase in Covid cases in the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday announced cancellation of his visit to West Bengal on Friday for a string of rallies.

“Tomorrow, I will be chairing high-level meetings to review the prevailing Covid-19 situation. Due to that, I would not be going to West Bengal,” the Prime Minister said, in a tweet.

As per party sources, Prime Minister Modi was supposed to address four rallies in West Bengal on Friday.

“As per the original schedule, two of these rallies were planned at Malda and Murshidabad on April 22 and the other two rallies scheduled in Bolpur and Kolkata on April 24. Concerned with the prevailing Covid situation, all four rallies by Modiji were rescheduled on April 23. Now, as per the Prime Minister’s tweet, he is not coming to Bengal tomorrow,” a West Bengal BJP leader said.

On Monday, the BJP had decided not to hold big rallies in West Bengal and announced that it would instead hold small public meetings of not more than 500 people to be addressed by Prime Minister Modi and senior central leaders. In a statement, the BJP had said that all these small public meetings will be organised in open spaces following all the Covid guidelines.

“Assembly polls in West Bengal are going on and the completion of this constitutional and democratic process is also very important. Keeping this in mind, BJP chief J.P. Nadda, has decided that only in West Bengal, small public meetings of all the central leaders including the Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be held in which not more than 500 persons will be allowed to attend,” the BJP said in a statement.

Srinagar: Rains continued to lash plains while upper reaches including the world famous skiing resort of Gulmarg received snowfall, bringing down mercury in the Kashmir Valley, officials said on Thursday.

A meteorological department official told GNS that Srinagar received 27mm of rain from 0830 hours to 1730 hours while it recorded a low of 8.6°C and day temperature of 9.4°C which was below 12.9°C than the normal in the summer capital of J&K for this time of the season.

Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, received 8.2mm of rain during the time and recorded a low of 4.6°C and maximumum of 9.8°C against normal of 21.1°C, the official said.

Pahalgam, the famous resort in south Kashmir, received 12mm of rain and recorded a low of 3.3°C and maximum of 6.9°C, he said.

Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, received 6.8mm of rain during the time and recorded a low of 3.7°C and day temperature of 11.4°C, the official said.

Kupwara had 9.8mm of rain during the time and recorded a low of 5.0°C and maximum of 7.5°C, the official said. Reports said Sadnatop received 5 inch of fresh snow along with Karnah, Keran and Z Gali in Machil in the north Kashmir district.

Gulmarg, the world famous skiing resort in Baramulla district of north Kashmir, received 21.1mm of rain and snow while it recorded a low of minus 0.5°C against 1.4°C on the previous night and maximum of 0.0°C, the official said.  Reports of snowfall have been also received from Kulan, Gund and Sonamarg areas of Ganderbal district in central Kashmir besides Drass and Leh in Ladakh.

Director Meteorological department Sonam Lotus said that from April 23, weather is most likely to remain dry in Jammu and Kashmir besides Ladakh till the end of the month.

Srinagar: Traffic authorities on Thursday said that only stranded traffic shall be allowed on Jammu-Srinagar highway, the only surface link connecting Kashmir Valley with the outside world.

“Tomorrow (April 23) subject to fair weather and better road condition only stranded vehicles between Nashree and Ramban shall be allowed towards Srinagar. No vehicle shall be allowed from Jammu or Udhampur towards Srinagar,” traffic authorities said in a communiqué.
Meanwhile, Mughal road, the only surface link connecting Poonch and Shopian districts, was closed due to snow accumulation.

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Thursday reserved its verdict on clubbed petition seeking quashing of Regional Transport Officer Kashmir’s circular on March 27, mandating the owners who have purchased their vehicles bearing outside number to apply for a new registration within fortnight.

“Heard. Judgment is reserved” ordered a division bench of Justices Ali Mohammad Magrey and Vinod Chatterji Koul .
The court has already made it clear that pendency of the petitions would not be an impediment for the Transport Authorities to screen the vehicles with non-local registration mark for checking their veracity vis-a-vis the documents and the bonafide entry into the territorial limits Jammu and Kashmir. However, the court has said that such exercise shall be undertaken by the officials of the transport department only.

The RTO Kashmir on Wednesday submitted that the decision to notify the circular was taken in a meeting convened by the Secretary to the Government, Transport Department for ensuring screening of the vehicle which bears the non-local registration.

The government has already filed reply to clubbed petitions, seeking directions to quash RTO Kashmir’s circular dated March 27, mandating the vehicle owners who have purchased their vehicles bearing outside registration number to apply for a new registration as per the provisions of Section 47/50 of Motor Vehicle Act 1988 within a prescribed period of 15 days, failing which action as warranted shall be initiated against them.

One of petitioners have also sought directions also clarify by way of a circular or order on the issue of levying of tax on the vehicles purchased outside J&K if the previous owner of the vehicle has already paid the tax on the vehicle.

The petitioner also sought directions to clarify by way of circular from which period the tax is to be levied on the vehicles.  (GNS)

Srinagar: Three unidentified masked gunmen looted cash from a branch of J&K bank and also decamped with a 12-bore rifle of the guard in north Kashmir district of Baramulla.

Official sources said that three masked gunmen, who were wearing PPE kits, barged into the bank in Pattan and fired few shots. ‘The bank guard tried to resist, but he was thrashed and his gun was snatched from him,’ they said.

They said the gunmen then entered the cabin of the bank manager and fired another three shots there. ‘The gunmen later decamped with the cash from the bank and the rifle of the guard,’ they said.

They said outside the bank, the masked gunmen stopped a vehicle and fled from the spot. ‘I don’t know who they were… they stopped vehicle outside the bank branch and forcibly took the vehicle. My daughter, my son, who was driving the vehicle and my wife… all four us were pushed out of the vehicle,’ the owner of the vehicle told reporters.

Official sources said that a police team has been rushed to the spot and investigation initiated to identify the culprits. ‘CCTV footage of the bank and adjoining areas is being reviewed to ascertain the identity of the accused,’ they added.

Srinagar: The Crime Branch of Jammu and Kashmir Police on Thursday conducted raids at various places in Kashmir in connection with scams worth crores of rupees in J&K Projects Construction Corporation (JKPCC).

Official sources said that the Crime Branch carried out raids at several places, including the apple township of Sopore in Baramulla, Ganderbal and Nishat in Srinagar on Thursday.

J&K administration in April 2019 handed over the investigation of scams in JKPCC to Crime Branch, which has so far conducted several raids across the valley and collected various incriminating material in connection with the fraud.

They said that this was a major step towards eradication of corruption in the organization, stopping and eliminating backdoor appointments and bringing in a culture of transparency, probity and efficiency.

The government appointed a fact finding committee to look into all these allegations after receiving numerous complaints about the functioning of JKPCC, particularly relating to corruption in civil contracts, illegality in appointments at multiple levels and excessive cost and time overruns.

‘The committee looked into the manner of awarding contracts to contractors often on a nomination basis without following transparent tendering procedures, diverting funds from one project to another leading to a large number of incomplete projects,’ they said.

Apart from these, it also looked into irregularities in appointments at various levels, including that of the Managing Director, inefficiency in functioning and huge time and cost overruns in project implementation, reasons for estimates for construction being much higher than those of the PWD.

They said the committee submitted a voluminous report bringing out in detail large irregularities in the operation of the JKPCC and recommended on improving the organization. ‘There are many elements in the findings and observations in the report which are quite alarming and a cause of serious concern,’ the committee said in its report.

For an organisation which is over 50 years old, its operations seem to be riddled with ad-hoc functioning, absence of rules and a lack of systematic procedures, it said.

Keeping in view the seriousness of the matter and the findings of the committee, the government decided a probe by crime branch into execution of construction works and irregular procedures in violation of government orders, they added.