Moscow, Jan 17: The coronavirus vaccine developed by the Chumakov research center of the Russian Academy of Sciences may be rolled out for civilian circulation in March, Development Director Konstantin Chernov told the Rossiya 1 channel.
The Chumakov center is currently completing phase 2 clinical trial for its inactivated vaccine. The Russian public health watchdog said earlier in the week that the vaccine is expected to receive an authorization in the coming days.
“Ours [vaccine] is to be expected to enter civil circulation, probably around March,” Chernov said.
According to the scientist, the new vaccine will be “the most comprehensive”.
“Over 50 different proteins have so far been detected in the virus. When we present an organism with the entire spectrum of everything that is there, we expect that our protection will be more comprehensive,” he explained.
Russia has so far registered two homegrown COVID-19 vaccines — Sputnik V, developed by the Moscow-based Gamaleya Institute, and EpiVacCorona, created by Siberian research center Vector. In December, the country launched a large-scale coronavirus vaccination.
Russia to roll out 3rd Covid vaccine in March
Surgical strikes inside Pak gave confidence to people: Amit Shah
BELAGAVI, Jan 17: The surgical strikes carried out by India inside Pakistan after the militant attacks in Uri and Pulwama had given public the confidence that the nation’s borders are safe under the Narendra Modi led BJP government, Union home minister Amit Shah said here on Sunday.
A determined government had responded fiercely to the militant attacks in Uri and Pulwama in Kashmir between 2014 and 2019, he said.
“The BJP government carried out surgical strikes inside Pakistan twice and eliminated militants there,” Shah said.
These strikes gave confidence to the public that the nation’s borders are safe because Modi is the Prime Minister and the country is ruled by the BJP, he said, speaking at the Janasevak Samavesha, a public meeting to greet BJP backed candidates who won the recent Panchayat polls in Karnataka.
Out of a total of 5,470 villages, party backed candidates won in 3,142 villages, he said.
Referring to the ongoing Covid-19 vaccination drive, launched nationwide on Saturday, he said both vaccines are safe and the exercise was being monitored personally by the Prime Minister himself. (Agencies)
More Bird flu cases in many states
New Delhi, Jan 17: More cases of Avian Influenza have been confirmed in several districts of the country including Latur, Parbhani, Nanded, Pune, Solapur, Yavatmal, Ahmednagar, Beed and Raigad districts of Maharashtra.
The flu was also confirmed in the poultries of Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh, Surat, Navsari and Narmada districts of Gujarat, Dehradun district of Uttarakhand and Kanpur district of Uttar Pradesh.
The Pigeon and brown fish owls in Najafgarh and Heron in Rohini have also been tested positive for Apvian influenza in Delhi.
The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairy said the central teams formed for monitoring the situation in the affected areas of the country have been visiting the affected sites and conducting epistemological studies.
“States have been requested to rethink their decisions to impose a ban on sale of poultry and poultry products and allow selling of poultry and poultry products sourced from the non-infected areas and states”, the Ministry urged in an official statement.
However, it also reiterated that consumption of well cooked chicken and eggs is safe for humans and the consumers should not pay attention to baseless rumours that has proven unscientific and often lead to confusion.
Timely action by firemen prevents major fire in Srinagar
DG F&ES announces reward for FS personnel
Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Jan 17: “Two residential houses caught fire Sunday morning at a highly congested Nawa Kadal area in Srinagar. The Fire & Emergency Service (F&ES) personnel responded immediately and swung into action. They were able to contain the fire, with the help and cooperation of Police and especially the local youth. There were at least 20 to 25 adjoining houses, which could have engulfed in the fire, but the timely action by Fire Service personnel helped to isolate and contain the fire in the wooded attic portion of the two houses and didn’t allow fire to spread,” a spokesman of Fire and Services said.
Noor Alam Khan, Sub Officer, from Fire Service HQ was amongst the first responders and he coordinated with Joint Director F&ES Bashir Ahmed Shah and the Fire Service personnel were able to contain the fire. Earlier, a similar fire incident had occurred at Namchabal, near Fatehkadal and Alamgari Bazar, where Fire Service personnel rushed immediately and ensured that fire was contained in only one house and didn’t allow fire to spread, as the area was also highly congested.
Taking note of the swift action by Fire Service personnel the Director General F&ES Dr. B. Srinivas announced cash reward and commendation certificates, in favour of the first responders and assured that whenever such swift and appreciable action is taken, the Fire Service personnel will be suitably rewarded.
DG Fire also expressed his gratitude to the local volunteers who assisted the Fire Service personnel in containing the fire.
Srinivas, who is also Commandant General CD, HG and SDRF appealed to youth to voluntarily get associated with Civil Defence and learn fire-fighting and first-aid skills, so that they can assist the Fire Service Teams and can become an integral part of community rescue teams.
F&ES Department cautioned people that while using gas Bukharies care should be taken that Gas cylinder is removed from the room, before sleeping, otherwise gas leakage can occur resulting in fires and if the gas heater is kept burning it can cause depletion of oxygen, resulting in health hazards.
SC-appointed panel on farm laws to hold first meeting
New Delhi, Jan 17: The Supreme Court-appointed committee on the three new farm laws is scheduled to hold its first meeting on January 19 at Pusa campus here, one of its members Anil Ghanwat said on Sunday.
The Supreme Court had on January 11 stayed the implementation of the three laws, against which farmers are protesting at Delhi borders for over 50 days now, till further orders and appointed a four-member panel to resolve the impasse.
Bhartiya Kisan Union president Bhupinder Singh Mann, however, recused from the committee last week.
Apart from Ghanwat, agri-economists Ashok Gulati and Pramod Kumar Joshi are the two other panel members.
“We are meeting on January 19 at the Pusa campus. Only members will meet to decide the future course of action,” Ghanwat, President of Shetkari Sanghatana (Maharashtra), told PTI.
One of the four members has backed out of the committee. If the apex court does not appoint a new member, the existing members will continue, he said.
The committee has received the terms of reference and will begin the work from January 21 onwards, he added.
Asked about the government holding parallel talks with protesting farmer unions after the setting up of the SC panel, he said, “We have no issue if a solution is found and the protests end from either (efforts of) our panel or from the government’s separate talks with the protesting farmer unions.”
“Let (Government) them continue the discussion, we have been given a duty and we will focus on that,” he added.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Monday the pleas relating to the controversial farm laws and the ongoing farmers’ protest at Delhi borders. It may take into account the matter of recusal of the member from the panel.
The top court would also hear the plea of the central government, filed though the Delhi Police, seeking an injunction against a proposed tractor march or any other kind of protest by farmers that may disrupt the Republic Day celebrations on January 26.
So far, the government has held nine rounds of formal talks with 41 farmer unions but has failed to break the logjam as the latter have stuck to their main demand of a complete repeal of the three Acts.
In the last meeting, the Centre had suggested that the unions constitute their own informal group to prepare a concrete proposal on the three farm laws for further discussion at their next meeting on January 19 to end the long-running protest at various Delhi borders.
Police bust fake Lashker module in Sopore
Baramulla, Jan 17: Police claimed to have busted a fake Lashkher-e-Toiba (LeT) module of extortionists in apple township of Sopore in this north Kashmir district, a police spokesman said on Sunday.
He said recently police received a complaint from a person that he has received a letter on the letter pad of LeT, demanding Rs 50,000 for the outfit since it was in a dire need of funds for carrying out various activities.
However, after the complaint was received, FIR No 11/2021 under sections 13 ULPA, 452, 393,120-B, 511 of the Indian Penal Code was registered at Police Station Sopore.
During the course of investigation, it came to fore that three persons identified as Ishfaq Ahmad Reshi, a driver, Mumtaz Ahmad War, an Imaam of a mosque, and Abdul Qayoom Ganie, a mason, all residents of Warpora mastered a plan to collect money from the complainant.
He said that all three arrested were arrested and upon interrogation, the three revealed how they were blackmailing the general public and prominent businessmen of the area by sending a letter on the letter pad of LeT. Spokesman said that they recovered a letter pad and a stamp from their possession.
During their further questioning they confessed that their area of operation was not confined to Warpora and they have extorted money from residents of main town Sopore also. He said that Police had identified eight persons who had been looted by them.
IGP Kashmir visits Hazratbal
Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Jan 17: Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir range, Vijay Kumar on Sunday paid obeisance at Hazratbal shrine, which houses the holy relic of Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
Kumar prayed for peace and prosperity of the people of Union Territory (UT) Jammu and Kashmir in the shrine, where some devotees were also present.
IGP entered the shrine without security and remained inside for some time.
700 far flung villages being equipped with fire extinguishers in Kashmir
Srinagar, Jan 17: Announcing that about 700 far flung and remote villages besides all panchayats of five border towns would be equipped with fire extinguishers, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, P K Pole stressed the need for involving community for fire safety in the valley.
Director Disaster Management J&K Aamir Ali said Pole said that in Kashmir most of the houses are made up of wood which is vulnerable to fire so it is important to frame area specific solutions for all hazards including Fire because accessibility is an issue.
Pole was speaking at a Webinar on Fire Safety Measures in Winter which was jointly organised by National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM), Institution of Engineers (India) J&K State Centre, Srinagar in collaboration with J&K Fire and Emergency Services, SDRF, Divisional Administration Kashmir and State Emergency Operation Centre.
The webinar was inaugurated by Dr B Srinivas, Director General, Fire & Emergency Services and Commandant General CD, HG and SDRF.
Pole appreciated Fire & Emergency Services for doing an excellent work but suggested that in far-flung areas it become a challenge due to the difficult terrain and the localities become vulnerable to fire.
He issued instructions to Director Rural Development (RDD)Kashmir to procure 2 to 3 multipurpose Fire extinguishers, for all Panchayats of Karnah, Keran, Machil, Gurez and Tulail blocks and also around 700 far-flung villages in hilly areas which have limited road access in winters.
These Fire Extinguishers shall be procured by the RDD and placed at the disposal of the respective Panchayats. Volunteers shall be identified in each Panchayat and they will be imparted fire-fighting training, so that it strengthens the Community level Disaster Management teams and encourages them to be part of the Disaster management set-up. He directed that fire extinguishers shall immediately be procured by the Heads of Department and installed in all Government offices.
He directed that Ghats on River Jhelum shall be identified by Joint Director Fire Services, where facility shall be made available for drawing water by mobile pumps, in case of any fire incident in the locality. He appreciated the organisers for holding this most important webinar.
The panelists included RC Sharma, Former Director Delhi Fire Service, Ravi Kumar Panditta Commandant 7th Bn, NDRF from Bathinda Punjab, and Bashir Ahmed Shah, Joint Director F&ES Kashmir.
2 firemen, civilian injured in Watal Kadal blaze
Srinagar, Jan 17: Two Fire & Emergency Service (F&ES) personnel and a civilian were injured during a firefighting operation in Watal Kadal locality of Srinagar on Sunday, local news agency GNS reported.
Massive fire erupted in a residential house in Watal Kadal locality this afternoon.
Officials said that a civilian, identified as Shabir Ahmad, and two firemen –Firdous Ahmad from Sopore and Bashir Ahmad from Tral were injured during the firefighting operation and were shifted to SMHS hospital for treatment.
SMC’s EW conducts market checking in Srinagar
Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Jan 17: The Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) Enforcement Wing Sunday conducted visit in various areas including Nawhatta , Pandaan, Safa Kadal, Darich Kadal, Batamaloo Bemina, Qamarwari , Tengpora to check the rate lists of various food items offered by vegetable sellers , poultry and mutton sellers.
On the occasion, many food outlets and restaurants including bakery shops and other confectionary were fined with a total amount of 15000 recovered for selling stale and adulterated food.
Strict directions were passed to maintain hygiene and quality of food to be prepared and served to public.
All the stale food items were sealed for its proper disposal on the occasion(KNS)
