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Ahmedabad fire: PM pays condolences

Fasal Bima Yojana
Prime Minister Narendra Modi

New Delhi (NVI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the death of eight people who died in the fire that broke out at a private hospital in Ahmedabad, Gujarat today morning.

PM Modi also said that the administration is providing all possible assistance to those affected due to the fire.

“Saddened by the tragic hospital fire in Ahmedabad. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to CM Vijay Rupani Ji and Mayor Bijal Patel Ji regarding the situation. Administration is providing all possible assistance to the affected,” the prime minister tweeted.

The Prime Minister’s Office has announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the next of kin of those who have lost their lives. Rs 50,000 as compensation will be given to those injured in the accident.

Fire broke out around 3.30 am today at Shrey Hospital in Navrangpura area of Ahmedabad.

The eight victims include five men and three women, who were being treated at the ICU ward of the COVID-19 designated hospital.

At least 40 other COVID-19 patients at the facility were rescued and shifted to a civic hospital in the city. The cause of the fire is being ascertained.

-RJV

BJP leader Manoj Sinha appointed LG of J&K

Manoj Sinha
File Photo: LG J&K Manoj Sinha

New Delhi (NVI): Senior BJP leader and former Union Minister Manoj Sinha was today appointed as Lt Governor of Jammu and Kashmir to succeed Girish Chandra Murmu who resigned abruptly last night.

Sinha is a 61-year-old leader from Uttar Pradesh and was the Minister of State for Railways and Telecom in the Modi government.

A Rashtrapati Bhawan statement said the President has accepted the resignation of Murmu as Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir and has been pleased to appoint Sinha to be the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir with effect from the date he assumes charge of his office.

Murmu resigns as J&K Lt Governor

New Delhi (NVI): Girish Chandra Murmu, the first Lt Governor of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, resigned tonight amidst speculation that he was tipped to be the next Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).

Murmu, a 1985-batch IAS officer from Gujarat cadre, had been appointed as first LG of Jammu and Kashmir on October 25 last year, just before the erstwhile state became UT on October 31.

Retired bureaucrat Rajesh Mohar and current CAG Rajiv Maharishi are said to be tipped to succeed Murmu in J&K, according to sources.

The sources said the new LG is expected to take charge tomorrow evening.

The development coincided with the first anniversary of abolition of Article 370 and bifurcation of J&K state into two Union Territories—J&K and Ladakh

Murmu, who hails from Odisha, had worked closely with Prime Minister Narendra Modi for over a decade when the latter was Chief Minister of Gujarat and is considered his confidante.

He was the Expenditure Secretary in the government of India since March last year before being sent to J&K. Previously, he was Special Secretary, Revenue, in the Ministry of Finance.

Earlier, he has served as Principal Secretary to the Gujarat Chief Minister when Modi held the post.

J&K: 90 travelers among 559 fresh Covid cases, tally at 22,955

Representational Image

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir today recorded 559 fresh cases of COVID-19 pandemic including 90 travelers, taking the total number of positive cases in the union territory to 22,955.

With 559 new cases, the tally of positive cases in J&K has reached to 22,955 including 17,755 from Kashmir and 5,200 from Jammu division.

Officials said that among 559 new cases, 463 belong to Kashmir division while as 96 are from Jammu division, adding that the total number of positive cases in Kashmir division has reached to 17,755 including 11,980 recoveries while as total number of positive cases in Jammu division have reached to 5,200 including 3,264 recoveries and 31 deaths.

The officials said that, the total number of active cases in J&K are 7,285 including 5,380 from Kashmir division and 1905 from Jammu division.

With 388 more recoveries, the tally of total recoveries in Jammu and Kashmir has reached to 15,224 which is 66.40 percent of the total cases.

Pertinently, Srinagar district alone has 5,590 positive cases which is more than the total number of positive cases in Jammu division where total cases are 5,200

“Cases tested positive in J&K include 106 from Srinagar, 29 from Baramulla, 105 from Pulwama, 27 from Kulgam, 07 from Shopian, 07 from Anantnag, 41 from Budgam, 02 from Kupwara, 44 from Bandipora and 41 from Ganderbal in Kashmir division while as 96 from Jammu division include 61 from Jammu, 08 from Kuthua, 05 from Rajouri, 12 from Udhampur, 05 from Samba, 03 from Poonch and 02 from Kishtiwar, ” officials said.

As per the officials figures, 5,590 positive cases including 141 deaths and 3,094 recoveries are from Srinagar, 1,997 including 73 deaths and 1,531 recoveries are from Baramulla, 1,733 including 951 recoveries and 24 deaths are from Pulwama,1,552 including 1,337 recoveries and 29 deaths are from Kulgam,

Likewise, 1,492 including 23 deaths and 1,256 recoveries are from Shopian, 1,417 including 28 deaths and 1,129 recoveries are from Anantnag, 1,386 including 900 recoveries and 33 deaths are from Budgam 1,163 including 957 recoveries and 21 deaths are from Kupwara, 865 including 539 recoveries and 16 deaths are from Bandipora and 560 including 331 recoveries and 07 deaths are from Ganderbal.

Moreover, in Jammu division, 1,361 including 714 recoveries and 21 deaths are from Jammu district, 746 including 485 recoveries and 02 death are from Rajouri, 574 including 442 recoveries and 01 death are from Ramban, 559 including 427 recoveries and 01 death are from Kathua, 593 including 372 recoveries and two deaths are from Udhampur, 462 including 287 recoveries and 01 death are from Samba, 299 including 218 recoveries and 02 deaths are from Doda, 251 including 155 recoveries and 01 death are from Poonch, 198 including 60 recoveries are from Reasi and 157 including 104 recoveries are from Kishtwar.

As per the daily information bulletin, 379, 311 persons in Jammu and Kashmir are under observation while 43,206 persons have been kept under home quarantine besides that 7,285 persons are in isolation.

According to the bulletin, 284,790 persons have completed surveillance period and 43,604 persons are under home surveillance besides that so far results of 679,415 samples are available.

So far, results of 6,79,415 samples are available out of which 656,460 have tested negative while 22,955 have been tested positive. Among positive cases, 7,285 are active and 15,244 persons have recovered.

-RJV

J&K: Pak resorts to heavy mortar shelling along LoC in Poonch

LoC

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): Pakistan’s army yet again resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation in Mankote sector of Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district, by firing mortars and small arms as J&K marks the first anniversary of Article 370 roll back, defence officials said.

They said at around 6 pm, Pakistani rangers fired mortars and small arms in a bid to target Indian army posts at Mankote sector in Poonch. “The own troops gave a befitting reply,” a defence official said adding that exchange of fire remained on for almost an hour. “There was no report of any loss to life or property,” he said.

Locals living adjacent to the Mankote sector in Poonch district said initially a few sounds of loud bangs were heard but within no time, the entire area started witnessing big bangs as there was a heavy exchange of mortars between Indian and Pakistani armies.

“We were out with the livestock and some of us were busy in the fields. We ran for safety after hearing intense exchange of fire,” said Ranjeet Kumar, a resident of Mankote sector.

Defence sources also said that, Pakistan started intense shelling post abrogation of Article 370 last year and continues to resort to frequent unprovoked ceasefire violations in both the regions of Kashmir and Jammu since last year.

“The Indian army has been giving a befitting reply to Pakistan every time it violates ceasefire. This time we were expecting some misadventure from Pakistan as it’s the first anniversary of Article 370 roll back today. Our troops are alert across LoC and are keeping a watch on every attempt made by the neighbour be that ceasefire violation or an infiltration bid,” they said.

As per official records, since January this year, over 1,775 ceasefire violations have taken place in J&K, majority of them in Poonch, Rajouri, RS Pura, Keran, Tangdhar, Machil and Uri sectors of the J&K Union Territory.

An army official said that it is the Pakistan army that violates the 2003 CF pact every time. “We are always giving them a befitting response. There have been casualties on both sides,” he said, adding that “this year so far, there is a surge in CFV from across the LoC.”

Pertinently, after a long gap of over three decades, the government in the Jammu and Kashmir has once again started construction of community bunkers in villages close to Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir.

However, NVI was the first to break the story about construction of community bunkers in Uri, Tangdhar and Gurez sectors of north Kashmir’s Kupwara, Bandipora and Baramulla district. The construction of almost 140 bunkers was started after massive protests by the locals living close to the LoC and their threats of migration from the villages.

-RJV

Karnataka launches nation’s first mobile Covid-19 testing lab

Karnataka's Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar inaugurated nation's first ICMR approved mobile RT-PCR testing lab

New Delhi (NVI): Karnataka’s Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar today inaugurated nation’s first ICMR approved mobile RT-PCR Covid-19 testing lab in the state, which could help ramp up testing in Karnataka.

The lab has been approved by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and can do about 9,000 RT-PCR (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) tests per month.

“This is a unique lab having all safety features and capable of producing 100 per cent accurate results within four hours,” said Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar.

The Indian Institute of Science (IISC) had developed the lab and handed it over to the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS).

Moreover, the results from this mobile lab will be made available within a period of four hours. Apart from Covid-19, the lab can be utilized for testing H1N1, HCV, TB, HPV, HIV etc.

The mobile lab, can also be used for molecular diagnostic-testing and will be deployed in coronavirus hotspots with immediate effect.

Karnataka recorded 6,259 new cases in the last 24 hours, taking the state’s case load to 1,45,830.

-RJV

Vice President’s family donates Rs 10 lakh

Vice President Venkaiah Naidu

New Delhi (NVI): Vice President Venkaiah Naidu and his family today donated Rs 10 lakh both for aid of the ongoing fight against COVID-19 and construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

Vice President’s wife Muppavarapu Ushamma Naidu took the initiative in pooling contributions from their family.

She sent a cheque of Rs 5 lakh to the PM CARES Fund in support of the fight against COVID 19 and another cheque of Rs 5 lakh to Shri Ram Janambhoomi TeerthKshetra Trust in support of the construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya that begun today with the Bhoomi Pujan.

Earlier in March, Naidu had donated a month’s salary to PM CARES Fund and had also announced to donate 30 percent of his salary every month towards efforts to fight the Covid pandemic.

-CHK

COVID-19 lockdowns halve human-related seismic vibrations across globe: Study

New Delhi (NVI): As much of the world has been grounded to a halt in 2020 due to the spread of the novel coronavirus, researchers from Imperial College London have delved into what these lockdowns have meant for human-caused Earth vibrations, leading to the discovery of what they say is the longest and most pronounced quiet period of seismic noise in recorded history.

Seismic activity doesn’t just come from earthquakes, volcanoes and landslides. Everyday human activity also gives rise to vibrations that travel through the ground as seismic waves, something we call “anthropogenic noise”.

The new study, published in Science, centers on seismic noise generated by vibrations in the Earth. While these can come from natural phenomena like earthquakes and volcanoes, they can also be generated by human activity such as travel and industry.

It was found that seismic noise dropped by an average of 50 percent in 77 countries between March and May 2020. The seismic lockdown effect was even observed in remote areas and in boreholes several hundred metres below the ground.

These vibrations are measured by seismometers, and by looking at data taken from stations around the world scientists can track declines in human-generated seismic noise.

The largest drop in anthropogenic noise was seen in dense urban areas such as New York City and Singapore. But the reduction was also observed in quieter locations such as Germany’s Black Forest and the small city of Rundu in Namibia.

There was a strong match between how much seismic noise fell in a particular area and the change in the amount of human movement recorded there, as measured using mobile phone data made publicly available by Google and Apple.

This correlation means open seismic data can act as a broad proxy for tracking human activity almost as it happens – as people reduce their movements, seismic noise quickly decreases.

-CHK

India contributes $15.5 million to India-UN Development Partnership Fund: UNOSSC

New Delhi (NVI): India contributed USD 15.5 million to the India-UN Development Partnership Fund, highlighting the country’s commitment to support fellow developing nations in their developmental priorities across all the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

During a ceremony, held within social distancing guidelines, at the Permanent Mission of India to the UN, the Permanent Representative of India, T S Tirumurti, handed-over the cheque of USD 15.46 million to the UNOSSC Director, Jorge Chediek.

The UNOSSC in a statement said, the India-UN Development Partnership Fund is managed by the UNOSSC and is implemented under the leadership of partner developing countries leveraging the strengths of United Nations Agencies, Funds and Programmes.

The tranche of USD 15.46 million includes USD 6 million to the overall fund, in which all developing countries are eligible for partnership, and USD 9.46 million dedicated to Commonwealth countries.

“The India-UN Fund has accomplished remarkable results in its initial years,” said Jorge Chediek, Director of UNOSSC and Envoy of the Secretary-General on South-South Cooperation, adding that, “India’s renewed commitment to continue growing the fund, its portfolio of impactful projects and its partnership network is true South-South solidarity and a demonstration India’s leadership in combatting the challenges facing the world’s most vulnerable.”

Since the funds’ inception in 2017 to this day, 55 projects and proposals have been approved with a total contribution of USD 41.8 million towards a USD 150 million multi-year pledge to the India-UN Development Partnership Fund.

The UNOSSC further said that, the call for solidarity among countries of the South has found a magnified echo in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As developing countries across the world struggle to prevent their achievements in public health, poverty reduction and social wellbeing from being set back, the need for mutual support and cooperation is greater than ever, it added.

-RJV

India records highest single-day COVID-19 recoveries at 51,706

New Delhi (NVI): India has recorded the highest ever single day COVID-19 recoveries at 51,706, according to the Ministry of Health. India’s total recoveries from COVID-19 have touched 12,82,215, more than twice the active cases.

With the highest ever single-day increase in recovered patients in the last 24 hours, the recovery rate has seen a high of 63.8 per cent increase in recovered cases in the last 14 days, the Health Ministry said in a statement.

This indicates that the COVID-19 response and management driven by the Centre’s “TEST, TRACK, TREAT” strategy is yielding the desired results, it added.

The ministry further said, the aggressive testing along with ramped up hospital infrastructure by collective efforts of the public and private sectors has ensured the increasing recovery Rate which has improved from 63 per cent to 67 per cent in the last 14 days.

“Coordinated implementation of “Test, Track, Treat” strategy by the Union and State/UT governments has ensured that the CFR has been low when compared to the global scenario and it has been progressively falling,” the ministry said.

As of today, the Case Fatality Rate (CFR) stands at 2.09 per cent in India.

Meanwhile, the gap between recovered patients and active COVID-19 cases has reached nearly 7 lakh, with consistent increase in recoveries.

Due to the record highest daily recoveries, the active cases have reduced to 5,86,244 (less than 5,86,298 recorded yesterday) and all are under medical supervision, the ministry added.

-RJV

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