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India’s COVID tally crosses 75-lakh mark, death toll tops 1,14,100

COVID tally
File photo

New Delhi (NVI): India’s coronavirus tally crossed the 75-lakh mark and stands at 75,50,273 with a single-day rise of 55,722 fresh cases in the last 24 hours, Union Health Ministry confirmed.

The country’s death toll has reached to 1,14,160 with 579 fatalities reported during this period.

So far, 66,63,608 patients have been cured and recovered all over the country while active cases stands at 7,72,055.

In worst-affected Maharashtra, the COVID-19 cases climbed to 15,95,381, followed by Andhra Pradesh with 7,83,132 cases, and Karnataka with 7,65,586 positive cases.

Other states with a high virus hit included Tamil Nadu (6,87,400), Uttar Pradesh (4,55,146) and Delhi (3,31,017).

Meanwhile, of the total deaths, Maharashtra tops the tally with 42,115 fatalities, followed by Tamil Nadu with 10,642 deaths.

The death toll in the national capital surpassed to 6,009, while 3,01,716 patients have been cured and recovered so far, the healthy ministry data shows.

As per the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) data, a cumulative total of 9,50,83,976 samples have been tested for COVID-19 up to October 18 with 8,59,786 samples being tested yesterday.

Meanwhile, as part of Unlock 5.0, several states today reopened schools for classes 9th to 12th outside containment zones with strict COVID-19 protocols.

-RJV

 

Earthquake of 3.6 magnitude hits Ladakh

New Delhi (NVI): An earthquake measuring 3.6 magnitude on the Richter scale struck Ladakh in the wee hours today, according to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS).

“Earthquake of Magnitude:3.6, Occurred on 19-10-2020, 04:44:02 IST, Lat: 35.50 & Long: 75.78, Depth: 10 Km ,Location: 110km NNW of Kargil, Ladakh,” the NCS tweeted.

However, there were no reports of any loss of life or damage to property due to the earthquake.

This is the third time tremors have been felt in the past two weeks in the Himalayan region.

Earlier on October 8, an earthquake measuring 4.2 on the Richter Scale hit Ladakh’s Kargil.

-RJV

J&K: Huge number of youths turn up for BSF, CISF recruitment in Srinagar

Candidates undergoing written test. (Pic via arrangement)

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): Scores of youths turned up for the recruitment drive launched by the Border Security Force (BSF) and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at Humhama on Srinagar outskirts for 1,357 posts of constables, officials said today.

The recruitment was done after almost 14 months as due to the situation that arose post abrogation of article 370 on August 5 last year, the process got halted. Covid-19 pandemic also played spoilsport. However, BSF and CISF officials decided to launch a massive recruitment drive to fill its vacant posts today.

Since early morning, long queues of aspiring youths were seen outside BSF headquarters at Humhama near Srinagar International airport. “I have come to join BSF. My all efforts to grab a job in government departments failed. Now I am trying my luck with the BSF’s recruitment drive,” said Adil Rashid Dar, 22, who had come from Pattan area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

Another youth from Srinagar said that he reached the venue at 8 am in the morning and is in the queue waiting for his turn . “I have done Masters in Commerce and I am an athlete. Let’s see what luck has in store for me,” he said, adding that “CISF is my first choice but if I get selected for BSF only, doesn’t matter. What I need is a job to help my family. Our financial position is weak and I want to earn for my family.”

Waiting in long queues, many youth cited financial constraints for joining the forces. “Kashmir has been facing tremendous hardships for the past three decades. Here, we have lot of unemployment and trouble all around. There is lot of unemployment. We have been striving hard to get the jobs, but to no avail. Today, we are sure that at least we will grab the job in BSF or CISF,” said a group of enthusiastic youth in the queue.

Speaking to NVI on the sidelines of the recruitment process, Inspector General of BSF for Kashmir frontier, Rajesh Mishra said that he is happy to see a large number of youths turning up for BSF and CISF recruitment process. “There are total 1357 posts of constables for which 11000 youth applied. Out of 11000, 5800 have been shortlisted for the written test. Such recruitment rallies should take place frequently so that youth get a chance to earn livelihood,” he said.  He said that candidates who will qualify the written test will go through medical and other formalities before joining BSF or CISF.

The IGP BSF said that youth in Kashmir are full of talent and their talent needs to be explored. “Today, it’s a happy moment for us to see youth in large numbers eagerly waiting to join BSF and CISF to serve the nation,” Mishra said.

-ARK

Covid-19 community transmission limited to certain districts: Harsh Vardhan

New Delhi (NVI): Community transmission of the novel coronavirus has occurred in certain districts in a limited number of states but not countrywide, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said today.

Speaking during his weekly programme ‘Sunday Samvaad’, Harsh Vardhan said that in different pockets across various states, including West Bengal, community transmission is expected to occur, especially in dense areas. “However, this is not happening across the country. It is limited to certain districts occurring in limited states,” he added.

Harsh Vardhan was responding to a question was that were other states with community transmission like West Bengal.

The Minister’s statement also comes in the backdrop of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee`s statement that COVID-19 community transmission has started in the state.

Pertinent to mention here that this is the first time the Health Minister has admitted the community transmission after denying the community spread of the infectious pathogen for months.

Harsh Vardhan shared also spoke on the recent spike in COVID-19 cases in Kerala. Noting that between January 30 & May 3, Kerala had reported just 499 cases and 2 deaths due to COVID-19, he said that Kerala was paying the price of gross negligence during the recent Onam festivities when State-wise unlocking of services, along with an increase in inter and intrastate travel for trade and tourism, led to the spreading of COVID-19 cases across various districts.

“Epicurve of Kerala changed completely due to Onam festivities across the State, the daily new cases nearly doubled,” he said.

On China’s claim that the novel coronavirus broke out simultaneously in several countries last year, Dr Harsh Vardhan shared that “there is no evidence that can validate the claims on global multiple focal point for the novel coronavirus outbreak”. He stated that Wuhan, China remains recognized as the first report worldwide.

He also assured that as of yet, no mutation of coronavirus has been detected in India, which is either more transmission efficient or more pathogenic.

The Minister also informed that the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has already released the Phase II of the COVID package to 33 States and Union Territories. The total amount released in the second package amounts to a total of Rs 1,352 Crores. This Phase II grant has been released in tranches during the months of August, September and October 2020, he said.

The Minister assured that there is no shortage in Medical Oxygen. He said that current oxygen production capacity of India is around 6400 MT/Day and the Government is ready to scale up the production capacity in order to meet any further increase in demand arising due to the Pandemic. The Empowered Group constituted by MHA is monitoring the requirement of medical oxygen across India, he said.

Harsh Vardhan further remarked that although there are no intranasal COVID-19 vaccines under trial in India at the moment, Serum India and Bharat Biotech are expected to pursue clinical trials of such vaccines in India in the coming months on receipt of regulatory approval.

-ARK

PM congratulates Jacinda Ardern

New Delhi (NVI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi today congratulated Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern on her resounding victory in elections.

Jacinda Ardern will govern New Zealand for a second term after the Labour party secured a historic landslide victory in the general election yesterday as voters rewarded her for a decisive response to COVID-19.

Taking to Twitter, PM Modi congratulated Jacinda and said that he looks forward to taking India-New Zealand relations to a higher level.

“My heartiest congratulations to the PM of New Zealand @jacindaardern on her resounding victory. Recall our last meet a year ago and look forward to working together for taking India-NZ relationship to a higher level,” PM tweeted.

-ARK

Pak Rangers violate ceasefire along IB in J&K’s Kathua

LoC

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): Pakistani rangers resorted to indiscriminate firing of small arms in Hiranagar sector along the International Border in Kathua district in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said today.

They said that in the wee hours today, Pakistani rangers used small arms and medium caliber automatic weapons to target BSF posts at two separate locations in Hiranagar sector.

“Border guards of BSF effectively retaliated the fire and exchange of fire lasted for around an hour.” the officials added. They said there was no report of loss of life or damage to property.

However, locals of Hiranagar told NVI that panic gripped the entire area as loud sounds of firing were heard by the locals in the morning that remained on till afternoon.

“There was heavy exchange of fire between the two armies. We preferred to stay indoors and locked our livestock too,” said Ravi Das, a resident of Hiranagar, Kathua.

This year so far, over 1,920 CFVs have taken place on the LoC and IB across J&K, which is the highest ever since the past three years. The CFVs gained momentum after August 5, 2019, when the centre announced the revocation of Article 370 that provided a special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

-ARK

With Center’s nod to DDCs, J&K to have three-tier panchayati raj system first time since 1947

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): The stage is all set for the District Development Council (DDC) polls in J&K that will complete the three-tier Panchayati Raj System in the UT, for the first time since 1947.

Yesterday, the Central government amended Jammu and Kashmir’s Panchayati Raj Act, 1989, to establish District Development Councils (DDCs) in all districts in the union territory.

Last time, Panchayati polls were held in the UT in 1975 but the process remained incomplete as elections remained confined to Panchayati Raj act only. Reliable sources told NVI that consultations are on between J&K administration and are on to finalise dates for DDC polls.

The two-tier panchayati elections stand completed in J&K already and DDC polls will complete the three-tier panchayati raj system in the UT.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) last night issued an order under “The Jammu & Kashmir Re-Organisation Act-2019” to amend the Panchayati Raj law.

Under the new mechanism, each district in Jammu & Kashmir will have 14 territorial constituencies for electing members of the district development councils, which will pave the way for establishing three-tier Panchayati Raj system in the Union Territory.

These territorial constituencies will be spread over the areas other than those falling within the limits of municipal corporations, councils and committees.

“For each district there shall be a district development council, having jurisdiction over the entire district excluding, such portions of the district as are included in a municipality or municipal corporation constituted under any law for the time being in force,” read the amendments in the law.

As per the amendments, only elected members of territorial constituencies will have voting rights to elect or remove chairmen of district developments, even as MLAs of J&K UT and chairpersons of block development councils will be members of DDC.

“All members of district development council, whether or not elected by direct election from territorial constituencies in the district shall have the right to vote in the meeting of the district development council,” the law states.

The term of DDCs shall be five years except for holding common elections to all the tiers of the Panchayats simultaneously so that all the tiers have co-extensive terms in the district.

The provision of disqualification for elected members of DDCs shall be similar to those applicable to members of Halqa Panchayats.

According to the law, chairperson or vice-chairperson shall be deemed to have vacated his office forthwith if a resolution expressing want of confidence in his favour is passed by a majority of not less than two third of the directly elected members of the district development council at a meeting specifically convened for the purpose in the prescribed manner on the grounds of gross misconduct, neglect of duty and few other reasons.

The amendments further state every district development council shall comprise of standing committee for finance, standing committee for development, standing committee for public works, standing committee for health and education and standing committee for welfare.

The law further states that every district shall also have a district planning committee comprising of the members of parliament representing the area, members of the state legislature representing the areas within the district, chairperson of the district development council of the district, chairpersons of the town area committees/municipal committees of the district, president of the municipal council/municipal corporation, if any, district development commissioner, additional district development commissioner, district statistics and evaluation officer, chief planning officer and all district level officers shall be ex-officio members of the committee.

The Member of Parliament representing the area shall be the chairperson of the committee, the amendments further reveal. Commissioner Secretary Rural development department J&K Sheetal Nanda said that this will be for the first time that J&K will have a three-tier panchayat raj system in place. “We will get the dates soon as consultations are on. This is a historic step to take the governance at the door steps of people in districts, blocks and panchayats  across J&K,” she said.

-ARK

BrahMos missile successfully test fired from Indian Navy’s stealth destroyer      

New Delhi (NVI): India today successfully test-fired supersonic missile BrahMos from Indian Navy’s indigenously-built stealth destroyer INS Chennai, hitting a target in the Arabian Sea.

The missile hit the target successfully with pin-point accuracy after performing high-level and extremely complex manoeuvres, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

“BRAHMOS as ‘prime strike weapon’ will ensure the warship’s invincibility by engaging naval surface targets at long ranges, thus making the destroyer another lethal platform of Indian Navy,” the MoD said.

The highly versatile BRAHMOS has been jointly designed, developed and produced by India and Russia.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also congratulated DRDO, BrahMos and Indian Navy for the successful launch.

Secretary DDR&D & Chairman DRDO Dr G Satheesh Reddy also congratulated the scientists and all personnel of DRDO, BrahMos, Indian Navy and industry for the successful feat. He stated that BRAHMOS missiles will add to the capabilities of Indian Armed Forces in many ways.

-ARK

CSIR-CMERI develops sustainable Municipal Solid Waste Processing Facility

A landfill in Delhi (Pic: Down to Earth)

New Delhi (NVI): The Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI) under Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has developed a Municipal Solid Waste Processing Facility that has helped in achieving decentralised decimation of solid wastes.

The facility has also helped create value-added end-products from abundantly available redundant stuffs such as dry leaves, dry grass etc, the Ministry of Science & Technology said in a statement.


The primary focus of CSIR-CMERI is to unburden the common households from the segregation responsibilities through advanced segregation techniques. The bio-digestion process adopted has minimum pollution factor.

The MSW facility has been equipped with special capabilities to deal with a diverse range of waste including masks, sanitary napkins, diapers etc. The MSW facility has been with special disinfection capabilities to help break the COVID chain through UV-C lights and hot-air convection methods.

To throw more light on the subject, Prof. (Dr.) Harish Hirani, Director, CSIR-CMERI, Durgapur, deliberated on the issue in his keynote address at programme ‘KrishiJagran’, live-streamed on its Facebook page yesterday. He charted out the historical development of traditional waste processing techniques and demonstrated how the present scenario demands special customized attention towards the processing of Municipal Solid Wastes.

“We have also achieved optimum Energy Sufficiency in the MSW facility by adding the Solar energy technology, which can also feed the surplus Energy Supply onto a Mini-Grid,” Hirani said.

Prof. Hirani said that “ineffective processing of wastes are the root of all diseases as the dumped landfills become the contamination hubs for pathogens, bacteria and viruses. Besides, they also become the cauldron for the emission of methane gas, especially during the churning mechanisms deployed during composting processes. Composting also does not yield impactful economic returns for the entrepreneurs. The mixed nature of wastes in the current scenario can easily lead to infiltration of heavy metals into agricultural produce, through the indiscriminate creation of Composts.”

“Decentralised Waste Management technology developed by CSIR-CMERI can result in drastic reduction of expenditure related to Transportation Logistics and can help reductions in CO2 emissions, by reducing fossil fuel usage. The Scientifically Decentralised Waste Processing Hubs will help multiply outreach for various locations and will also boost the manufacturing potential for the residents of the region.

“This CSIR-CMERI MSW Technology envisions a Zero-Landfill and a Zero Waste City in addition to developing Job-Creation opportunities. This technology will also help create a revived Green Energy reliant India,” Prof Hirani said.

The Institute developed Solid Waste Disposal using Plasma Arc converting wastes into plasma state for proper disposal. The residues generated having good carbon content are used in agriculture as fertilizer and non-usable are utilized to make bricks for construction purposes. Thus, it is creating wealth out of wastes through use of science. The technology pertains to the period 2013-16 and has some cost constraints.

-ARK

Covid-19: Active cases in India below 8 lakh for second day

New Delhi (NVI): The active cases are less than 8 lakh for the second consecutive day in India and stand at 7,83,311. The active cases now comprise 10.45% of the total positive cases of the country.

India continues to report a trend of steadily declining active cases. Following the national trend, 22 States/UTs have less than 20,000 active cases, the Ministry of Health said in a statement today.

13 States/UTs have more than 20,000 but less than 50,000 active cases, while 3 States/UTs have more than 50,000 active cases, as per the Ministry.

The declining trend of the active cases is complemented by the unbroken rising number of recovered cases. The total recovered cases stand at 65,97,209. The gap between Recovered cases and Active cases has crossed 58 lakh (58,13,898).  The national Recovery Rate has further improved to 88.03%.

72,614 COVID patients have recovered and discharged in the last 24 hours whereas the new confirmed cases stand at  61,871.

79% of the new recovered cases are observed to be concentrated in 10 States/UTs.

Maharashtra has contributed the maximum with more than 14,000 single day recovery.

Apart from that, 61,871 new confirmed cases were recorded in the last 24 hours. 79% of the new cases are from 10 States and UTs.

Maharashtra continues to be the State reporting a very high number of new cases with more than 10,000 cases followed by Kerala with more than 9,000 cases, the Health Ministry said.

Apart from that, 1,033 case fatalities have been reported in the past 24 hours.

Of these, ten States/UTs account for nearly 86%. More than 44% of new fatalities reported are from Maharashtra (463 deaths).

-ARK

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