New Delhi, Jun 23: The BJP on Tuesday lashed out at the Congress and said India has not surrendered an inch of its land but it is a matter of grief that the principal opposition party has surrendered its shame.

Addressing a press conference here, BJP spokesperson Samit Patra said, ‘Soniaji, I want to tell you today clearly that our country India has not surrendered an inch of its land.

‘It is a matter of grief that the Congress party has surrendered its shame.’

Dr Patra said ‘there can be no politics and there can be no compromise on the security’ of the country.

He maintained that,’All of us should stand with our army with determination and strength today,’ and stressed that ‘China has not captured our country’.

Taking potshots at Congress president Sonia Gandhi and son Rahul Gandhi, Dr Patra said, ‘If it is captured, it is mother and son’s mind by China after they an MoU signed in 2008.’

In 2008, Rahul Gandhi, then a Congress general secretary, and Xi Jinping, then a senior functionary of Communist Party of China (CPC) and the current President of China, had signed the MoU to facilitate a high-level exchange the two parties to consult each other over important regional and international issues.
Citing the MoU signed by the principal opposition party, BJP president J P Nadda also alleged that Rahul Gandhi was trying to divide the nation and demoralise armed forces. ‘First, Congress signs MoU with Chinese Communist Party. Then, Congress surrenders land to China.
‘During Doklam issue, Rahul Gandhi secretly goes to the Chinese embassy,’ Nadda tweeted and added that during crucial situations, Rahul was trying to divide the nation and demoralise armed forces. ‘Were these Effects of the MoU?’ he has asked.
Dr Patra said he wanted to ask Sonia Gandhi that at a time when the army chief of the country is going to Leh to boost the morale of the soldiers, to say that India has surrendered its territory and has become weak, ‘what kind of fight are you indulging in?’
Attacking India over China, spreading misleading things, lying has become the policy of Congress, he pointed out. It is sad that every kind of conspiracy is being done by Ms Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi on China, Dr Patra said.
Attacking the NDA government at the Centre on the India-China border standoff in Ladakh, the Congress president on Tuesday said that the government has ‘gravely mishandled the situation’.

New Delhi, June 23: India and China do not need outside help in resolving long-standing issues between the two countries, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Tuesday at a virtual meeting of RIC (Russia-India-China) foreign ministers.

Lavrov’s remark comes amid tension between India and China over clashes in eastern Ladakh’s Galwan region last week that left 20 Indian soldiers dead and 76 injured. An unspecified number of Chinese troops were also killed, including a senior commander, in a brutal fight that lasted for several hours.

“I don’t think India and China need any help from outside. I don’t think they need to be helped, especially when it comes to country issues. They can solve them on their own,” Sergei Lavrov said, adding, “this means recent events”.

“New Delhi and Beijing have shown commitment to a peaceful resolution. They started meetings at the level of defence officers and foreign ministers and neither has made any statement to indicate either will pursue non-diplomatic solutions,” he was quoted by a wire agency.

According to the wire agency, India was initially reluctant to join today’s trilateral meeting but agreed following a request from host nation Russia.

Srinagar, June 23: Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane visited Leh to take stock of the ground situation this week.

Army in a statement said General MM Naravane, Chief of Army Staff arrived at the Fire and Fury Corps on a 2-ay visit on Tuesday.

The Army Chief, accompanied by Lieutenant General YK Joshi, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command and Lieutenant General Harinder Singh, General Officer Commanding Fire and Fury Corps, immediately on arrival, visited the Army Hospital at Leh and interacted with the injured soldiers.

General MM Naravane complimented all ranks for their high standard of professionalism and dedication to duty. He urged them to continue to discharge their duties with the same dedication and zeal.

Later in the evening Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, Member of Parliament of Ladakh met General M M Naravane at the Hall of Fame at Leh the statement added.

Missing KU scholar has joined Hizbul Mujhadeen: IGP

Raouf Dar/KNT

Srinagar, June 23: Two militants and a paramilitary CRPF man were killed in a gunfight at Bandzoo village in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Tuesday.

A Police officer said that a joint team of Army’s 55 RR , Police and CRPF launched a cordon-and-search-operation at Bandzoo. “As the joint team encircled the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired upon them. The fire was retaliated by the joint team, triggering off an encounter in which two militants and a CRPF man were killed,” the officer added.

Missing KU scholar has joined Hizbul Mujhadeen: IGP

Meanwhile, Police on Tuesday claimed that missing Phd Scholar Basit Hilal has joined militant outfit Hizbul Mujhadeen.
Basit Hilal who had gone along with his friends in Naranag area of Central Kashmir last week for trekking  has been missing since then. His family are seeking his whereabouts and had even staged a protest at Press Enclave in Srinagar on Monday.
Basit, according to his family, was working in New Delhi and had recently arrived Kashmir after the outbreak of Coronavirus pandemic. He has done his Phd from Kashmir University.
Inspector General of Police Kashmir Zone Vijay Kumar while talking to reporters on the sidelines of wreath laying ceremony of CRPF man Sunil Kala at Humhama Budgam, said, Hilal has joined Hizbul Mujahideen.

148 test positive, tally reaches 6236 

Srinagar, June 23: An 85-year-old COVID -19 positive man in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district died at SKIMS Soura here on Tuesday, taking the death count due to the virus in J&K to 87, even as number of positive cases in J&K reached to 6236 as 148 fresh cases were reported today.

Professor Farooq Jan, Medical Superintendent SKIMS, told GNS, “An elderly man of Kadar Kulgam was a known case of complete heart block with hypertension.  He was on temporary pacemaker. He was admitted to the hospital on June 5 and died at 8:15 am today.”
So far, 87 people have succumbed to the virus in J&K—ten from Jammu and 77 from Kashmir.
Srinagar district with 20 deaths has the highest fatalities followed by Baramulla 13, Kulgam (11), Shopian (10), Jammu (7), six each in Budgam and Anantnag, Kupwara (5), Pulwama (four) while one death each has been reported from Bandipora, Doda, Udhampur and Rajouri.

148 test positive for COVID-19, J&K tally at 6236

Twenty four army soldiers, eight police personnel and four pregnant women were among 148 fresh cases of COVID-19 infection reported in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday. The total number of COVID-19 cases in J&K has risen to 6236. Twenty of these cases were from Jammu division while 128 are from Kashmir, officials said 111 more COVID-19 patients have recovered and were and discharged from various hospitals.

Giving the district wise breakup of the cases, sources told GNS that 45 cases were reported from Pulwama, 28 from Srinagar, 16 each in Kulgam and Baramulla, Kupwara (7), Anantnag(6), five each in Bandipora, Ganderbal, Ramban and Kathua, Reasi (3), two each from Samba and Doda besides Jammu (1).

Sources said that among the cases, 74 were confirmed at SKIMS Soura, 33 at CD and eight at SKIMS Bemina.

Dr. G H Yatoo, Nodal Officer Coronavirus Control Measures at SKIMS told GNS that out of 1497 samples processed at the viral diagnostic lab today, 74 returned positive for the virus.

Professor Farooq Jan, Medical Superintendent SKIMS Soura, told GNS that among them 45 were from Pulwama, 15 from Kulgam, six from Anantnag, five from Bandipora, two from Baramulla and one from Srinagar.

The 45 cases from Pulwama include two males (45, 17) and female (40) from Rahmoo , male (65) and female (60) from Bellow, female (24) from Sangerwani , two males (62, 60) from Kachipora , four males (30, 45, 28, 14) and three females (40, 36, 26) from Tujan, female (40) from Dadoora , three females (40, 14, 35) and male (02) from Awantipora , 13 males (32, 28, 30, 31, 36, 32, 28, 26, 28, 26, 31, 32, 29) from 42 RR Rajpora Pulwama, two males (31, 32) from 43 RR Rajpora , two males (29, 36) from 44 RR Rajpora, two males (31, 31) from 45 RR Rajpora , two males (30, 29) from 46 RR Rajpora , three males (27, 34, 32) from 47 RR Rajpora, 48 RR Rajpora and 49 RR Rajpora Pulwama respectively.

The six cases from Anantnag include male (55) from Gopalpora , male (60) from Donipawa , male (27) from K Kalan , male (68) and female (56) from Cheeni Chowk and male (36) from Janglatmandi. The 15 cases from Kulgam include female (28) from Kaharweth Kulgam, male (80) from Gudder, two males (30, 26) from Bumbrath , male (35) from Kachowhallan, female (25) from Reshipora , female (28) from Okey , three males (35, 45, 24) from Kulgam, male (55) from Chensar , male (30) from DPL Kulgam , female (30) from Rambhama , male (24) from Gopalpora  and Male (55) from Yaripora.

The only case from Srinagar include female (50) from Eidgah while two from Baramulla are male (75) from Jahama and male (70) from Sopore besides five cases from Bandipora include female (37) from Ladwara , male (90) Sultanpora , male (50) from Aloosa and male (21) from Sunderwani.

The cases confirmed at CD hospital include female (30) from Rajouri Kadal Srinagar, five males (26, 34, 35, 30, 34) from PTS Manigam, female (32) from Lolab Kupwara, male (60) from Zaldagar Srinagar, Male (24) from Bemina Srinagar, Male (18) from Yaripora Kulgam, female (30) from Baramulla, male (42) from Trakpora Baramulla, two males (54, 50) from DPL Baramulla, female (30) from Kachwa-Muqam Baramulla, male (38) from Panzla Baramulla, male (50) from Nuran Baramulla, female (37) from Khag Budgam, male (34) from Mirgund Baramulla, male (42) from Awloora, Male (32) from Dangerpora Baramulla, female (70) from Marsary, female (28), male (02) from Rajpora, Male (04) from Qalamabad, Male (45), female (38) from Hangha, female (22) from Mehrajpora Sopore, female (13) from Arampora Sopore, Male (40) from Babayousuf, male (51) from Kathi Darwaza Srinagar, male & female (age & address not available) beside male (70) from Chanapora Srinagar.

Dr Riyaz Untoo, Principal SKIMS Bemina, said that out of 557 samples processed at the hospital’s lab, eight tested positive for COVID-19, six from Srinagar and two from Budgam—male (25) from Chek Kawoosa  and male (40) from Palpora Magam.

The Srinagar cases include male (33) from TulsiBagh,  male (55) from Rainawari,  male (45) from Batmaloo,  male (34) from Bohri Kadal, male (38) from Baramulla and male (40) from Gogo Humhama.

Meanwhile, among the 111 patients discharged today, 51 are from Jammu Division and 60 from Kashmir, officials said. So far 3642 people –873 from Jammu division and 2769 from Kashmir while 87people—77 from Valley and 10 from Jammu have died. (GNS)

Infection tally surges past 4.4 lakhs

New Delhi, June 23: Deaths in India due to COVID-19 crossed the 14,000-mark, reaching 14,011, as the total cases reached 440,215 on Tuesday, Union Health Ministry said. The active cases stand at 1,78,014, whereas 2,48,190 patients have recovered till Tuesday.

The recovery rate is rising and now stands at around 56 per cent as about 11,000 patients recovered in the past 24 hours.

Globally, the total number of coronavirus cases has crossed 90 lakh mark while the death toll has risen to 4.71 lakh, according to Johns Hopkins University.

The World Health Organization has warned that the pandemic was accelerating as economies reopen. The WHO has called for a rapid increase in production of the steroid dexamethasone, which has been shown to have life-saving potential for critically ill patients.

New Delhi, Jun 23: India will hit a peak of 2.6 lakh COVID-19 active cases on July 15, according to the ‘most likely’ scenario, and a peak of 3.9 lakh cases on July 25 as per the SEIR model, a Times Fact-India Outbreak report says.
Tracking the COVID-19 pandemic in India for the past several weeks, the report showcases several pertinent data points which includes India’s possible peak points, state and city wise projections and active cases over a period of time and report follows a sophisticated and vigorous mathematical modelling.
Maharashtra has been projected to hit its peak of 82,723 active cases on July 5 and 1.1 lakh active cases as per the SEIR model, on July 17 while Delhi has been projected to hit its peak of 47,461 active cases and 47,159 active cases on July 4.
According to the report, the State of Tamil Nadu has been projected to hit its peak of 30,247 active cases according to the ‘most likely’ model on July 5 and 32,909 active cases as per the SEIR model on July 6.
Gujarat has been projected to hit its peak of 6,761 active cases according to the ‘most likely’ model and 7,044 active cases as per the SEIR model both on June 29.
The report also said that West Bengal is projected to hit its peak of 7,149 active cases according to the ‘most likely’ model and 10,417 active cases as per the SEIR model both on June 30.
The two metros Mumbai and Chennai are projected to hit their peaks of 37,194 active cases and 21,268 active cases on June 30 and July 3, respectively, according to the most likely model. As per the SEIR model, Mumbai is projected to hit is peak of 38,899 active cases on July 15 and Chennai will reach its peak of 19,054 active cases on July 6, respectively, it added.
Times Fact-India Outbreak Report also said that their models are dynamic and with fresh data drawn from central government, state government bulletins, and daily updates provided by the Health Ministry, the graphs are changed accordingly on a weekly basis, thereby presenting the best projections.

Srinagar, June 23: Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Pandurang K Pole has called for further strengthening and improving the measures taken to fight Covid-19 pandemic in all districts of Kashmir division.

The Div Com said while chairing a weekly meeting convened on every Tuesday to review, monitor and evaluate the coronavirus situation in the valley here today.

During the meeting it was decided to hold more robust contact tracing, revamp the entire containment zone strategy and further strengthen and improve health and medical services.

During the meeting all the Deputy Commissioners of Kashmir division gave firsthand appraisal about the measures undertaken to curb Covid-19 disease in their respective districts besides action taken report of the meeting held on last Tuesday.

On the occasion, the Div Com Stressed on improving target sampling and testing to identify positive Covid-19 cases. He also issued number of directions with regard to containment and management the cases of coronavirus in the valley.

He instructed for taking requisite steps for ensuring all formalities regarding last rights of Covid-19 deceased.

The Div Com asked all the Deputy Commissioners to ensure strict adherence to the Covid-19 guidelines during unlock phase to provide better facilities to people.

The meeting was informed that that Trunaat diagnostic machines have been procured and are being installed at various district hospitals to conduct immediate Covid test of pregnant women, sick patients requiring quick diagnosis and in emergency surgeries, dialysis and other cases where immediate test results are required as the Trunaat machine can generate report just in an hour.

Regarding online consultations done by Department of Psychiatry, the meeting was told that as many  as 1000 free consultations were done by the department during last 6 weeks.

Pertinent to mention that Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir has directed for convening weekly based meetings on every Tuesday to assess and evaluate Covid-19 management and containment measures

Among others, OSD Health & Medical Education Department, Owais Ahmad, VC Srinagar Development Authority, Vikas Kundal, Director Health Services Kashmir, Nodal Officer, Isolation(Hospitals), Lab Coordinator J&K, Nodal Officers Covid-19 of GMC, Srinagar, SKIMS and JVC Bemina were present in meeting,  While as the Deputy Commissioners of all Kashmir districts, Managing  Director NHM and SSPs of Sopore, Hanwara and Baramulla participated in the meeting through video Conference.

New Delhi, June 23: Acting swiftly after Patanjali Ayurved Ltd launched an Ayurvedic drug that purportedly “cures” Coronavirus, the Ministry of AYUSH on Tuesday denied any knowledge of the drug, and asked the firm to stop advertising “the product until the issue is examined”.

In a statement here it said, the Ministry of AYUSH has taken cognisance of news report about Ayurvedic medicines developed for treatment of Covid-19 by Patanjali Ayurved Ltd, Haridwar (Uttrakhand).

The ministry has demanded that the Haridwar-based company “provide at the earliest details of the name and composition of the medicines being claimed for Covid treatment; site, hospitaL, where the research study was conducted for Covid-19; protocol, sample size, Institutional Ethics Committee clearance, CTRI registration and results data of the study and stop advertising, publicising such claims till the issue is duly examined.”

According to an official release, the Ministry has also requested the State Licensing Authority of Uttrakhand Government to provide copies of license and product approval details of the Ayurvedic medicines being claimed for the treatment of Covid-19.

Patanjali founder Baba Ramdev, announcing the launch of the medicine, ‘Coronil and Swasari’ medicine, which he promoted as a cure for Covid-19, said it had been developed after conducting trials and research on 280 patients across the country. However, his claim is yet to be verified.

Taking cognisance of news reports, the AYUSH Ministry said Patanjali Ayurved has been informed that such advertisements of drugs including Ayurvedic medicines are regulated under the provisions of Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954 and Rules thereunder and the directives issued by the Central Government in the wake of Covid outbreak.

The Ministry has issued a Gazette Notification on April 21, 2020 stating the requirements and the manner the research studies on Covid-19 with Ayush interventions or medicines should be undertaken.

Baba Ramdev has, however, maintained that clinical control study was done on 95 patients in Jaipur during which 69 per cent of the patients recovered in three days and 100 per cent of the patients tested negative in seven days.

All necessary permission had been taken from the concerned authorities or authorities to conduct the drug trials on the patients,he added.

However, there is no scientific evidence of any alternative treatment for COVID-19, even though many countries have begun work on a vaccine in right earnest.

Precious Kashmir News
Jammu, June 23: Girish Chandra Murmu, Lieutenant Governor (Chairman, Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board) reviewed the preparedness for Shri Amarnathji Yatra. Though the decision regarding Yatra shall be taken appropriately in due course of time, but he insisted to make sure all basic preparations including Health, infrastructure, ration/LPG supply, power, drinking water, security arrangements, telecommunication, Disaster management etc.
During the meeting, the Lt Governor was briefed by Bipul Pathak, CEO, SASB that the camp at Holy Cave is already established and the snow clearance work is completed. The Base Camp Baltal and the Neelgrath helipad are likely to be ready within next week. CEO further informed that the SASB is making arrangements for the live telecast of the morning and evening Aarti with Doordarshan.

Baseer Ahmad Khan, Advisor to the Lt Governor gave a detailed presentation on arrangements done by various departments. He informed that the 80% work on Baltal track is done. Five out of seven bridges are launched, verification of service providers by Police has been done and they are ready to be deployed. A new helipad at Lower Cave (1.2 km short of the Holy Cave) is being constructed by Pahalgam Development Authority (PDA) for which the Lt Governor asked to get it ready by 30th June, 2020.

Khan further informed the meeting that the requisite arrangements by various line departments are underway and the ground level staff will be mobilized within couple of days.

B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, Chief Secretary added on and asked the SASB and Tourism Department (nodal departments for the Yatra) to put in place all the facilities/ arrangements required for the Yatra.

The Lieutenant Governor further directed that all the rituals with morning and evening Pooja/ Arti shall take place at the Holy Cave with effect from 5th July (Vyas Poornima) to 3rd August (Raksha Bandhan). He exhorted upon all the officers to put in their best efforts to make the arrangements ready for the Yatra and appreciated the work already done.

The meeting was attended by B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, Chief Secretary; Arun Kumar Mehta, Financial Commissioner, Finance Department; Atal Dulloo, Financial Commissioner, Health and Medical Education Department, Bipul Pathak, CEO, SASB; Shaleen Kabra, Principal Secretary to Government, Home Department; and Shri Anup Kumar Soni, Additional CEO, SASB.