PM credits people of Gujarat as Gir lions population up by 29% in 5 yrs
New Delhi (NVI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi today lauded the people of Gujarat for community participation that has enabled a significant rise in the population of Gir lion and said that over the last few years, there has been a steady rise in the species’ population in the state.
Taking to Twitter to share the information, the PM said that the distribution area of Gir lions has also up by 36 per cent.
Gir forest, located in Gujarat, PM’s home state, is the last abode of the Asiatic lion in the world. According to the Gujarat forest department, the number of Asiatic lions in the Gir forest region has increased by almost 29 per cent to 674.
“Two very good news: Population of the majestic Asiatic Lion, living in Gujarat’s Gir Forest, is up by almost 29%.
Geographically, the distribution area is up by 36%. Kudos to the people of Gujarat and all those whose efforts have led to this excellent feat,” he tweeted.
Two very good news:
Population of the majestic Asiatic Lion, living in Gujarat’s Gir Forest, is up by almost 29%.
Geographically, distribution area is up by 36%.
Kudos to the people of Gujarat and all those whose efforts have led to this excellent feat.https://t.co/vUKngxOCa7 pic.twitter.com/TEIT2424vF
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 10, 2020
He said that a number of positive factors have contributed to the increase in numbers including community participation, emphasis on technology, wildlife healthcare, proper habitat management and steps to minimise human-lion conflict.
“Over the last several years, the Lion population in Gujarat has been steadily rising. This is powered by community participation, emphasis on technology, wildlife healthcare, proper habitat management and steps to minimise human-lion conflict. Hope this positive trend continues!” PM said in another tweet.
Over the last several years, the Lion population in Gujarat has been steadily rising. This is powered by community participation, emphasis on technology, wildlife healthcare, proper habitat management and steps to minimise human-lion conflict. Hope this positive trend continues!
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 10, 2020
The population estimation of Asiatic lions is conducted at an interval of every five years. The last population estimation exercise was conducted in May 2015, which pegged the lion numbers at 523.
According to the Gujarat Forest Department, “Poonam Avlokan (full-moon night estimation exercise)” conducted on night of June 5 and 6 this year showed that the lions” population had reached 674, a 28.87 per cent increase. It was the highest growth rate recorded so far, the official release said.
The forest department added that the 15th Asiatic Lion Population Estimation was scheduled during 05-06 May, 2020, but owing to the present COVID-19 situation, it was not conducted as planned.
Time to be more vigilant, terrorists planning attacks due to heavy losses: J&K DGP
Srinagar (NVI): J&K Director General of Police Dilbagh Singh today said that it’s time to be more watchful as the terrorists were planning to step up violence in Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of heavy losses caused to their cadre and the forces were fully prepared to foil all their plans.
Singh was addressing during his visit to the J&K Police Cargo building in Srinagar today. The DGP accompanied by IG Kashmir inaugurated a newly constructed Mess-cum-Barrack block at Police Component (Cargo) Shergarhi Srinagar for jawans. SP Cargo Shri Tahir Ashraf and other officers and jawans were also present on the occasion.
Soon after the inauguration, the DGP interacted with the officers and jawans in the elite Cargo unit of J&K Police. He complimented various police districts and units who along with Army and CRPF carried out successful operations against terrorists, responsible for the killings of locals and attacks on security forces involved in maintaining and strengthening a peaceful environment.
Lauding the role of CAPFs including BSF, SSB, CISF, ITBP, and especially CRPF, the DGP exhorted its field commanders and all ranks and expressed his compliments and gratitude to them all. “JKP shares its sacrifices and laurels with them. Together we will achieve our mission of having a peaceful and happy era for the people we serve here and who have lost so much due to evil designs of a hostile untrustworthy neighbor,” the police chief said.
He expressed anguish over the three civilian killings by the militants and assured that the culprits would be brought to justice for which efforts are on. In all these cases, the militants have been identified and they would be exposed to people for their inhuman acts of violence, he said.
He congratulated a boy who even after joining militancy realised the futility of the wrong path, has come back, and reunited with his family.
He urged all ranks of Police, Army, andCAPFs to be people friendly and compassionate during the conduct of various duties while being equally tough with the perpetrators of violence and combating militancy forced on the people by Pakistan and its agencies. “The commitment, devotion and synergy among JKP and different security agencies is paying rich dividends and we shall continue to have oneness in our thoughts and actions while upholding the security and sovereignty of our country,” he said.
“We are committed in providing a more peaceful atmosphere for the people of J&K,” he said, and added that Pakistan sponsored militant outfits shall be dealt with adequate responses.
He said that with the least collateral damages in most of the operations, Police and security forces are displaying their discipline and professionalism in handling such situations.
The DGP said that it’s the time to be more watchful and alert as the militants and their handlers across have plans to stir and step up violence and acts of violence against members of the civil society and security forces to take out their desperation to recent losses to militant cadres. He said that security grids be geared up for suitable responses in highly sensitive areas.
He said everyone must respect people’s genuine concerns and needs and seek their cooperation in working jointly and in partnership in “our day to day challenges especially now when Covid 19 has emerged as a major threat.”
He said the of social and religious leaders in motivating and convincing people to observe Covid 19 protocols, especially during the festivals of Baisakhi, Navratri,holi month of Ramzan followed by Eid ,was highly significant and we express our thanks to them in particular and the people and youth in General and urge their continued support and cooperation in future.
Referring to the welfare measures adopted for jawans and officers of J&K Police, the DGP said that Police Headquarters is taking every step in improving the building infrastructure whether it is at workplace or living place. He said that J&K Police organization is working out with the competent authorities to build additional infrastructure and to provide better facilities for its personnel.
“We are also trying to extend more services to people in terms of Cyber Wing, Women Police stations, Anti Narcotic Task Force etc,” he said.
Later in the afternoon, the DGP inaugurated Jammu and Kashmir Police Security camp created to add additional space for the police ranks for special duties during Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra and other contingency requirements of deployments and accommodation on some special occasions at Pantha Chowk. IGP Kashmir Shri Vijay Kumar, SSP Srinagar Dr Haseeb Mughul, SP West Shri Shahzad Salaria and other jurisdictional police officers were present on the occasion.
J&K: 28 CRPF men, 2 soldiers, 19 heath workers among 161 new Covid cases
Abid Bashir
Srinagar (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir today recorded 161 new Covid-19 cases that include 28 CRPF men, 2 Indian Army soldiers and 19 health workers, taking the overall tally to 4,507.
Officials said that among the new 161 new cases that were detected in J&K, 54 were tested positive at SKIMS, 37 at CD Hospital, 28 at JVC Bemina, 19 at Army’s Command Hospital, Udhampur and rest at other hospitals.
Among 161 new cases, 115 belong to Kashmir division while as 46 are from Jammu division, officials said, adding that the total number of positive cases in Kashmir has reached 3522 including 1403 recoveries and 46 deaths while the total number of positive cases in Jammu has reached 985 including 268 recoveries and 5 deaths.
The officials said that the total number of active cases in Jammu and Kashmir are 2785 including 2073 from Kashmir and 712 from Jammu.
Cases that were tested positive in J&K today include 7 from Anantnag, 28 from Kulgam, 10 from Srinagar, 2 from Budgam, 18 from Kupwara, 37 from Shopian, 8 from Baramulla, 4 from Bandipora and one from Pulwama in Kashmir division while as 46 from Jammu division include 4 from Jammu district, 2 from Ramban, 19 from Udhampur, 2 from Kuthua, 12 from Poonch, 6 from Samba and one from Doda.
Officials from CD hospital said that out of 846 samples tested at the hospital, 37 were found positive including two soldiers and 28 CRPF men of 90 BN.
Assistant Commandant and CRPF spokesman (Operations) in Kashmir, Junaid Khan said that 28 CRPF men who were tested positive for Covid-19 were the contacts of CRPF man who was tested positive for covid-19 and later died at SMHS. He further added that all MHA protocols are being followed in treating these positive patients.
District Magistrate Udhampur, Dr Piyush Singla said that 2 doctors and 17 para-medical staff members tested positive. “All of them were high-risk contacts who attended the delivery of a pregnant positive lady and were already under quarantine,” he said. Defence sources said that two soldiers were also tested positive today, who were already in quarantine.
As per officials figures, 566 positive cases including 7 deaths and 161 recoveries are from Kulgam, 495 including 10 deaths and 122 recoveries are from Baramulla, 489 including 12 deaths and 151 recoveries are from Srinagar, 469 including 305 recoveries and 5 deaths are from Anantnag, 440 including 171 recoveries and 4 deaths are from Shopian, 375 including 232 recoveries and 3 deaths are from Kupwara, 229 including 136 recoveries and 1 death is from Bandipora, 211 including 79 recoveries and 2 deaths are from Budgam, 190 including 20 recoveries and 2 deaths are from Pulwama and 58 including 26 recoveries are from Ganderbal.
In Jammu division, 242 including 105 recoveries and 3 deaths are from Jammu district, 172 including 23 recoveries are from Ramban, 150 including 35 recoveries and 1 death is from Udhampur, 123 including 49 recoveries are from Kathua, 85 including 9 recoveries from Poonch, 57 including and 12 recoveries are from Rajouri, 43 including 2 recoveries and 1 death is from Doda, 23 including 05 recoveries are from Reasi and 21 including 04 recoveries are from Kishtwar.
As per the daily information bulletin, 2,23,480 persons in Jammu and Kashmir are under observation while 40,954 persons have been kept under home quarantine besides that 2785 persons are in hospital isolation while 32 persons are under hospital quarantine. According to the bulletin, 123,683 persons have completed surveillance period and 55,975 persons are under home surveillance besides that so far results of 241,891 samples are available.
Out of 241,891 samples, 237,384 tested negative while 4507 have been tested positive. Among them, 2785 are active and 1671 persons have recovered while 51 persons have died.
DR Congo displaced face deadly consequences due to lack of Covid-19 funds
New Delhi (NVI): UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has warned that chronic underfunding is threatening hundreds of thousands of lives in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where surging violence and COVID-19 are exacerbating already dire conditions for millions of forcibly displaced people.
UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch, in a press briefing at Geneva yesterday warned that without an urgent injection of cash, underfunding will have a devastating impact on critical lifesaving humanitarian programmes.
“Our activities to assist and protect the refugees and the displaced are only 20 per cent funded of the US$168 million needed,” he said.
As of June 7, DRC has recorded 4,105 confirmed cases of COVID-19 – the second largest number in the Southern Africa region. At the same time, surging violence is uprooting hundreds of thousands more people in the east of the country, according to the agency.
“This gap is undermining provision of aid response to the multiple humanitarian emergencies, leaving many vulnerable without food, water, shelter, health and hygiene facilities amid a rapid spread of COVID-19 across the country,” he added.
As of now, DRC has recorded 4,259 confirmed cases of COVID-19 – the second largest number in the Southern Africa region.
In addition to this, surging violence is uprooting hundreds of thousand more people in the east of the country.
Furthermore, Congo also hosts over half a million refugees – mainly from Rwanda, Burundi, the Central African Republic (CAR), and South Sudan.
Babar Baloch further said, “UNHCR is forced to make difficult choices that result in many of those in dire need not getting the assistance they require. We are working to help the most vulnerable to the extent possible, minimum standards in health, water and sanitation, education and other basic needs are often hard to meet with limited resources available for all populations.”
Meanwhile, currently available funding also limits UNHCR’s interventions to support the 1,20,000 refugees from the CAR living outside of camps, who constitute about 70 per cent of refugees from CAR in the DRC.
Among the most affected refugees are Rwandan refugees, who had been living in communities now displaced by successive waves of violence in North and South Kivu. The fund crunch has also hampered efforts towards finding lasting solutions for these refugees.
Baloch also informed that, “Continued underfunding also undermines UNHCR’s shelter programmes, and specifically its work to decongest displaced sites and hosting areas. More funding is needed to provide durable housing solutions which will contribute to reduce public health risks.”
The risks of further spread of COVID-19 is aggravated by displaced families who are unable to return home due to the ongoing violence, and who often live in overcrowded displacement sites or with impoverished host families.
COVID-19 recoveries exceed active cases in India for first time: Health Min
New Delhi (NVI): For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in India, the number of recovered COVID-19 patients has exceeded the total active cases in the country by a margin of 1,573 cases, Union Health Ministry said today.
According to the Ministry, the number of active cases in the country stands at 1,33,632, while 1,35,205 people have been treated and discharged.
As many as 5,991 patients have been cured of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours. The recovery rate now stands at 48.88 per cent, it said.
In addition to this, the number of tests conducted by ICMR has exceeded 50 lakhs, it stands at 50,61,332 today.
ICMR has continued to ramp up the testing capacity for detecting the novel coronavirus in the infected persons. The number of government labs has been increased to 590 and private labs has been increased to 233 (a total of 823).
Central Teams are being deputed in six cities of Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Chennai Kolkata, Delhi and Bengaluru, to provide technical support and handhold the State Health Departments and Municipal Health Officials to review public health measures being undertaken for COVID-19.
Nepal reports 279 new COVID-19 cases; tally reaches 4,364
New Delhi (NVI): Nepal reported 279 new cases of coronavirus today, taking the national tally to 4,364, according to local media reports.
The country’s Ministry of Health and Population said, “Of the infected, 4,055 are males and 309 are females.”
In the last 24 hours, 257 males and 22 females from Morang, Chitwan, Sunsari, Jhapa, Udaypur, Nawalpur, Sarlahi, Kapilvastu, Nalwaparasi West, Palpa, Pyuthan, Rupandehi, Banke, Bardiya, Saptari, Dailekh, Jajarkot, Surkhet, Darchula, Kailali, Dadeldhura, Dhading, Dhanusha, Gorkha Nuwakot, Rautahat, Sindhupalchowk, Siraha, and Kanchanpur districts.
At present, 72 of the 77 districts and all the Provinces have witnessed the transmission of COVID-19 virus in the country, as per media reports.
The ministry also said that, 257,962 samples have been tested for coronavirus in Nepal so far. Of these, 1,00971 samples were tested through the PCR and 156,991 through the RDT.
So far, 15 people have died of coronavirus in Nepal.
At present, 674 people have been cured form the virus and discharged.
58 more flights added to help Indians stranded in Gulf: Hardeep Puri
New Delhi (NVI): As part of the Vande Bharat mission, 58 more flights have been added to help stranded Indian citizens in the Gulf countries, Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said today.
The number of flights have been increased from current 107 to 165 with immediate effect till the end of this month, he said.
“58 more flights added to evacuate stranded & distressed Indian citizens from Gulf countries between now & 30th June 2020,” Puri tweeted.
58 more flights added to evacuate stranded & distressed Indian citizens from Gulf countries between now & 30th June 2020.
Starting immediately, number of flights from Gulf under phase-3 of Vande Bharat Mission now increased from originally planned 107 to 165. pic.twitter.com/gJ3Wyze3we
— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) June 10, 2020
“Starting immediately, number of flights from Gulf under phase-3 of Vande Bharat Mission now increased from originally planned 107 to 165,” the minister added.
In another tweet Puri said that more than 70 thousand citizens have returned & nearly 17 thousand flew out of India on VBM (Vande Bharat Mission) flights till date.
“In addition nearly 110K people flew out & 55K citizens returned on more than 730 charters on foreign & Indian carriers permitted by DGCA. Permission for more such flights is in process,” he added.
More than 70K citizens have returned & nearly 17K flew out of India on VBM flights till date.
In addition nearly 110K people flew out & 55K citizens returned on more than 730 charters on foreign & Indian carriers permitted by DGCA.
Permission for more such flights is in process.— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) June 10, 2020
Earlier on Monday, the minister had said that till now, more than 66,000 people had been brought to India by Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express in 365 flights as part of the Vande Bharat Mission.
Apart from this, the Civil Aviation minister has said that India will take a decision on resumption of flights as soon as countries cease restrictions on entry of foreign nationals.
Bangladesh COVID-19 death toll exceeds 1,000 mark
New Delhi (NVI): Bangladesh saw the highest number of single day new cases and deaths. A whopping 3,190 new cases were reported, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 74,865.
The country also recorded a total of 37 deaths due to the novel coronavirus during this period, raising the death tally to 1,012, according to United News of Bangladesh.
Notably, the country crossed the 1,000 mark in death toll within 91 days after recording the first death on March 11.
So far, a total of 15,899 people have recovered from the deadly contagion, after 563 more patients made recovery.
The detection rate of new patients was recorded at 1.91 per cent today.
Against the total number of detected cases, the recovery rate is 21.24 per cent and the mortality rate is 1.35 per cent in the country.
Afghanistan COVID tally crosses 22,000; death toll 405
New Delhi (NVI): Afghanistan witnessed a rise in coronavirus cases with 684 new cases, taking the overall tally to 22,143 across the country, according to Afghan media reports.
In the past 24 hours, 18 patients have died due to COVID-19 virus in the country.
Among the fresh cases, Kabul was on the top of the list with 393 new cases, followed by Herat with 96 positive cases.
Other provinces reporting cases were Kandahar (13), Nangarhar (95), Badghis (6), Nimruz (25), Parwan (3), Kunduz (8), Farah (12), Kunar (18), Zabul (4), Badakhshan (4) and Uruzgan (7)
The Afghan Ministry of Public Health said 2,975 people have recovered while 405 from the respiratory disease in Afghanistan.
So far, 50,658 people have been tested for COVID-19 in the country, as per media reports.
Meanwhile, Dr Ahmad Jawad Osmani, acting health minister said, “There are still a lot of management problems at the hospitals,” and added that, the coronavirus is expanding in the country.”
“We are working on a list of medications that we need to fight the coronavirus,” said Osmani, who also pledged that the problem of market prices of medical supplies would be addressed.
He further added that, “We are going to change our test methods for the coronavirus and we will provide details about it tomorrow.”
