Srinagar, Feb 16: Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Tuesday said Covid-19 vaccine is more effective when the second dose is given 12 weeks after the first shot as longer interval between the doses gives more protection.

DAK President and influenza expert Dr Nisar ul Hassan in a statement here this afternoon said there is evidence that a longer interval between the first and second dose of Oxford vaccine provides a stronger immune response.

“A study published in Lancet has revealed that the vaccine efficacy was 82.4 percent among those who received the second dose after an interval of 12 weeks, whereas the efficacy was only 54.9 per cent among those with an interval of less than 6 weeks”, he said adding the first dose was 76 per cent effective from day 22 to 90 days post vaccination and the protection did not wane during this initial three month period.”

“Delaying the second dose would allow more people to get the first dose sooner and would save more lives,” DAK President said and added that “If enough people get vaccinated quickly, we will achieve the herd immunity sooner that would bring an end to the ongoing public health crisis.”

“While the longer interval between the doses is beneficial in terms of building a broader and long lasting immune response, India continues to administer the second dose of Oxford vaccine – Covishield at 4 week interval,” he said.

“The study also showed that a single dose of the vaccine significantly reduced the transmission of the virus with 67 percent reduction in positive swabs among those vaccinated,” Nisar said.

“It is the first clinical evidence so far that Covid-19 vaccine provides the sterilizing immunity that prevents the inoculated person from being able to infect others.”

“This new finding is significant because it will enable us to lift the social distancing measures and lockdowns more rapidly than would otherwise be the case,” he added.

Srinagar: Police in Jammu and Kashmir has seized 61 vehicles, attached houses and shops and recovered cash in 46 militancy related cases.

A police spokesman said JKP Headquarters has accorded permission in 46 cases for seizure and attachment of various moveable and immovable assets of individuals or associations to restrict the militant activities in Jammu and Kashmir.

He said police alongwith the other forces and investigation agencies is fighting the challenges of the militancy at various fronts.

While the number of militants belonging to different outfits were killed in the sustained operations, the handlers are using motor vehicles and the proceeds of militants for furthering their evil designs, he said.

The spokesman said following the due procedures of the law Police has in last couple of years or so accorded sanction for seizure and attachments of four wheelers, motorcycles, cash, land houses and shops through different orders to ensure that the militant activities are under check.

Under this Act 61 vehicles, which included two trucks, one tipper, four Alto 800 cars, two Hyundai Creta, one Maruti Echo, one Baleno, four Santro, one Asta, two Wagon R, one Mahindra Quanta, one Auto (Tata Zip), two Maruti Swift, 18 Motor Cycles, 5 Scooty, two Auto load carrier, three Alto K10, one Maruti 800, one Load carrier (207), two Tavera, one Ambulance, one Tata Tiago, one Ford Figo, two Echo ambulance, one I20, and one Dutson. These include the Creta car belonging to Sofi Fahmeeda Associate of Assiya Andrabi, Dukhtaran-e-Milat chief.

He said cash of rupees 370000, cheque worth 50 thousand rupees has also been seized.

Besides immovable property which has been seized includes five houses including the house of Mehmooda Begum mother-in- law of Assiya Andrabi, six shops belonging to Nazir Ahmad Wani of Pulwma in case FIR number 39/2020 under section 18, 19, 39 ULA (P) Act. and one Kanal, six marlas of land.

In 2021 so far, PHQ has accorded sanction for seizure of eleven vehicles which include six four wheelers and five two wheelers. The permission for seizure has been granted under section 25 Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967.

Section 25 Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967 provides for the more effective prevention of certain unlawful activities of individuals and associations, and for dealing with militant activities, and for matters connected therewith.

New Delhi, Feb 16: The Indian Army on Tuesday released images and videos to show Chinese forces were continuing to disengage from north and south banks of the Pangong Tso lake. Last week, both nations announced they had reached an agreement to withdraw forces from Pangong Tso as part of an effort to end the standoff in Ladakh that began last year.

The videos shared by the Indian Army showed Chinese forces dismantling tents and bunkers erected in the region, and personnel walking down a hillside to board trucks.

Chinese earth-movers were also being used to remove built-up structures that had been erected after the standoff began. News 18 reported, “200 Chinese tanks have receded more than 100 kilometres in a span of merely eight hours. The PLA has dismantled its jetty, helipad, tents and observation points and everything it had constructed after April 2020 between Finger 4 and Finger 8.”

According to sources, the “first phase” of the disengagement will be complete in 15-20 days.

They said the strategic heights India occupied in the south bank of Pangong Tso would be the last to be vacated in the first phase.

According to the agreement on Pangong Tso, once disengagement is complete in the region, commanders of both nations will meet within 48 hours to hold talks on pulling back from other disputed areas.

Jammu: The government Tuesday decided to replace all the wooden poles and barbed wire in Jammu division. It has kept aside a sum of Rs 500 crore for the same. These revelations were made by Principal Secretary, PDD, Rohit Kansal in the meeting chaired by him to review summer preparedness of the department to ensure reliable power supply to Jammu division during summer months.

Kansal enunciated that safety and welfare of ground level workers is paramount. He said that each human life is valuable and needs to be safeguarded at every cost.

He directed to enhance substantially the personal and systematic safety by the department so that happening of accidents are avoided to a larger extent.

The meeting was attended by Managing Directors of JKPTCL, JPDCL, Director Finance, PDD; Secretary (Technical), PDD; Spl Secretary, PDD; Chief Engineers, Superintending Engineers, Executive Engineers of all the allied corporations of Jammu division.

Kansal said to extend the welfare and well being of its workers Power Development Department (PDD) would insure each of its field worker including DRWs, PDL and TDL persons for life and any possible injuries.

He asked the officers of JPDCL to ensure that all the transformers wanting repairs should be kept available before the onset of summer months.

He exhorted upon them to replace damaged transformers within 24 hours in urban areas and up to 48 hours in rural areas.

He urged them to augment the capacity of their workshops to cater to the needs of daily and additional damages received by the department during the season. He asked them to make best use of time available with them so that the department is prepared to deliver on expected lines during summer.

Kansal further directed the officers to strengthen their grievance redressal mechanism so that people are able to reach to higher officers on real time basis. He advised them to increase their reach on social media like twitter etc so that the necessary complaints reach to them directly.

He asked the officers to provide meritorious solutions to public instead of passing the buck. He directed for taking proper note of grievances and directions from LG office so that they are solved and implemented well in time.

Kansal asked them to make necessary procurement of material and labour during these months so that department is readily braced to face the challenge. He asked them to create an ecosystem of efficiency so that every due action follows a systematic path by default.

The Principal Secretary asked them to work for enhancing their capacity to meet the deadlines. He stressed on making the system robust so that every project created gives appropriate result. He asked them to integrate every new asset fully into the system so that outcome is on expected lines. He directed the companies to work in synergy with each other.

He asked to establish round the clock call centres so that everybody is able to register their complaints with ease and get feedback about them. He asked them to liaise with the IT professionals for realising this objective as per the best practices found anywhere.

Kansal asked the department to expedite the expenditure of funds as the financial year is about to end. He made them aware that future projections would be proportional to the expenditure registered this year. He asked them that their efficiency would be gauged by it. He implored them to create plans with prudence as no midway changes could be made. He asked them to keep in mind all the exigencies and people’s demands while formulating the same.

The Principal Secretary asked the Transmission company to gear up their efforts to deliver the projects well on time. He asked the executing agencies to complete the Grid Stations at Kathua and Samba at the end of March, 2021. He further asked them to complete the transmission works being created for the Jammu-Udhampur-Baramulla railway line expeditiously as per the desire of the Prime Minister is to see it getting completed soon.

Srinagar:  Incharge Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary Tuesday said school transport will operate as usual from March 1 when schools reopen across Kashmir division.

He said this after chairing a meeting with representatives of private schools associations in which concerns surrounding operation of school transport were discussed in detail.

Speaking during the meeting in which Director School Education Mohammad Younis Malik was also present Shahid said the government understands the concerns surrounding school transport charges and assured that these will be addressed and resolved in a manner that suits both parties.

He said the students cannot be denied the transport service while concerns surrounding the matter are to be resolved which he assured will be done soon.

Director School Education while speaking informed the meeting that the fee fixation and regulation committee of the government is assessing the matter and assured that concerns of private schools surrounding transport fee structure will be resolved soon.

Representatives of associations of parents of school children were also present in the meeting. While taking note of their concerns the Dr Shahid assured them that school transport will remain available as usual as schools in Kashmir reopen from March 1.

Regional Transport Officer Kashmir Akramullah Tak and Additional Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Mohammad Haneef Balkhi were also present in the meeting.

Meanwhile, schools in Kashmir will reopen for the first time after the outbreak of COVID-19 in March 2020.

Srinagar: The PDP chief and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti’s close aide and senior party leader Mansoor Hussain Sohrawardhy on Tuesday resigned from the basic membership of the party, citing ‘strong political and personal reasons’.

In the resignation letter to the PDP president, Mansoor, who is the former general secretary of the party, said it had been a great learning experience for him and that he will remain forever indebted for her (Mehbooba Mufti’s) support and guidance.

He said it is very painful moment for him to say goodbye to the institution that made me what he is today.

“However, at this stage of life due to strong political and personal reasons, I am unable to continue my association with the Party. Please accept my resignation from the basic membership of the party,” Mansoor said.

“But then I am sure that the experiences gained here will forever stay with me and I will always continue to be your well-wisher. My best wishes are always there for your future journey,” he added.

New Delhi:  India is following a human-centric approach to furthering global good and this approach is based on a healthy balance of welfare, well-being and wealth, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday.

Addressing celebration of 75 Years of Shri Ram Chandra Mission, the Prime Minister said that in today’s fast and stressful life when the world is fighting lifestyle-related diseases and pandemic, ‘Sahaj Marg’, ‘Heartfulness’ and Yoga are like a beacon of hope for the world.

Referring to India’s handling of coronavirus pandemic, the Prime Minister said that alertness of 130 crore Indian became an example for the world and the household wisdom and Yoga-Ayurveda played a big role in this.

He said Ayushman Bharat scheme has more beneficiaries than the populations of America and many European nations.

“India is following a human-centric approach to furthering global good. This human-centric approach is based on a healthy balance of welfare, well-being and wealth,” he said.

Speaking on India’s focus on wellness, the Prime Minister noted that the Indian idea of wellness goes beyond merely curing disease and there has been extensive work on preventive healthcare.

“The popularity of Yoga is known to you all. This importance to wellness is aimed at ensuring our youth stay fit. And, they do not have to deal with lifestyle-related diseases. When the world needed medicines for COVID-19, India is proud to have sent them all over. Now, India is playing a central role in global vaccination. Our vision for wellness is as much global as it is domestic, he said.

The Prime Minister said India’s public welfare schemes have touched many lives and referred to measures related to universal sanitation coverage, smoke-free kitchens, banking the unbanked, access to technology and housing for all.

“Even before the global pandemic came, the country had increased the focus on wellness,” he said.

Kupwara: Urging party cadre to put up a spirited peaceful fight for restoration of constitutional rights, former Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday said Jammu and Kashmir acceded and not merged with the Union of India.

Put up a spirited struggle for restoration of constitutional rights of the state that were taken away illegally and unconstitutionally on August 5, 2019 while continuing to advocate the resolution of the core issue of J&K through dialogue and reconciliation as envisioned by Party’s late founder Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, she said.

Addressing the first district level workers convention of the party after her release in the border district of Kupwara, Mehbooba asserted that PDP would use all peaceful, democratic and constitutionally accepted means to fight for restoration of special status  and resolution of the issue of J&K underlining that the violent means have never yielded any good.

“We were robbed of our legitimate rights by means of a constitutional fraud and we would fight for their restoration by all peaceful and acceptable means. And in our struggle, we should not lose sight of the fact that not only have violent means not delivered ever but have even delegtimize the struggles that by peaceful means were all genuine and legitimate,” Mehbooba siad.

Reminding those trying to create a false equivalence of J&K with other states in the union of India, Mehbooba underlined that J&K had not merged but acceded to India with a promised special constitutional status.

“Ours was a special case where in a Muslim majority state acceded to a secular India and not merged with it subject to certain guarantees including a special constitutional status. But New Delhi trampled upon the very special status that formed the foundation of this accession. This was not only illegal and unconstitutional but unethical as well. But we are not ready to accept and normalize this betrayal. We would continue to fight till our rights are restored,” she added.

Srinagar: A parliamentary panel has asked the Centre to submit the details of investment proposals received for the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir since its creation.

In its report tabled in the Parliament earlier this month, the department-related parliamentary standing committee on Ministry of Home Affairs has asked the Centre to apprise it about details of the projects undertaken/ proposed for creating necessary social and physical infrastructure for attracting new industries and entrepreneurs in Jammu and Kashmir.

“The committee also desires to know about the details of investment proposals received for the UT of J&K since its creation,” reads the report.

J&K was downgraded into a UT from October 31, 2019 after Parliament enacted Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Act-2019.

The Committee has reiterated its recommendation of setting up a planning board and investment promotion agency in J&K in a stipulated time to formulate investment plans and coordinate with the industries from various sectors and countries to increase investment in J&K.

In its earlier report, the committee emphasized the need for proper physical and social infrastructures like land, capital, storage, roads, railways, air connectivity communication, power, skilled, workforce to attract new industries and entrepreneurs into J&K.

“The committee also recommends setting up a Planning Board and investment promotion agency in J&K in a stipulated time to formulate investment plans and coordinate with the industries from various sectors and countries to increase investment in J&K. The MHA should also hold periodic meetings with the Planning Board for guidance and addressing the issues with the concerned Ministries of the Government of India,” read the recommendations made by the panel in its report last year.

The 31-member panel is headed by Anand Sharma of Congress. It comprises of 10 Rajya Sabha members and 21 Lok Sabha members—(KNO)

Jammu:  Principal Secretary, Skill Development Department, Asgar Hassan Samoon, Tuesday stressed upon introduction of international job skills for enhancing skill of local youth for gainful employment in Germany, Netherland, United Kingdom, Sweden and Switzerland offering huge job opportunities in trades like Health Associate, Health Care Worker, Operator and Assemblers, Machine and Plant Operators, ICT Professionals, Science and Engineering Technicians to upscale existing courses like Mechanic AC Refrigeration, Mechanic Motor Vehicle, Electrician, Mechanic Consumer Electronics, Information Technology and Electronic System Management, Software Application, Mechanic Computer Hardware, Welder, Plumber, Draughtsman Civil, Fashion Design and Technology, Interior Decoration and Designing, Instrument Mechanic in 52 ITIs and 22 Polytechnics.

Samoon, while addressing a meeting of senior officers, suggested introduction of  new courses like Production Horticulture supervisor, Mobile Plant Operator, Machinery Manager, Heavy Truck and Lorry Driver, Registered Nurse, Hospitality Manager, Electrician, Electrical Automotive, Plumber, Mechanical Automotive, HVAC, Healthcare, Retail and Hospitality having global demand in Singapore, USA, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Golf Countries, Germany and Japan.

It was decided in the meeting to establish a placement center in each district. It was informed that for  recruiting permanent faculty on fast track basis  all vacancies shall be referred to SSRB and JKPSC and DPCs shall be held immediately. Besides, the department shall fast track updating of recruitment rules to speed up promotions.

It was informed that the School Education Department shall be approached to deploy 85 trained teachers of Physics, Math, Chemistry and English for teaching in ITIs/Polytechnics against vacant positions.

The meeting was attended by Director Skill Development, Sajad Hussain Ganie, Additional Secretary, SDD, Director Finance, SDD, representatives of Finance Department and other concerned officers.