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Sport can join youth to normalcy: Kashmir Football Club owner

Sandeep Chattoo speaking at the round table conference.

Srinagar (NVI): Football is in the blood of Kashmiris and the sport can bring about a change, which will be for generations to see.

This is the assessment of Sandeep Chattoo, co-owner of Real Kashmir Football Club (RKFC), which he conveyed to a group of foreign envoys visiting Kashmir to assess the situation here arising from the abolition of Article 370.

During a roundtable with the diplomats, Chattoo gave a broad outline of the journey of RKFC and the way it had engaged with the youth in the valley.

“While many speakers ahead of me have talked about many issues, I have a different narrative. The first and foremost is to get to interact and engage with the youth of the valley. And for that, I believe that sports is an umbilical cord which joins youth to normalcy. I am proud to be the pioneer of such a club which ended the stalemate after August 5, 2019 developments,” he said.

Chattoo said there were concerns in the security establishment whether a football match should be permitted to be played but eventually managed to get the permission and the rest is history.

He requested the government to step in and help every club which is involved in promoting sports among the youth in Kashmir.

“Though there are many kind of sports but I firmly believe that football is in the blood of Kashmiris. I am sure football can bring around a change and that change will be for generations to see,” Chattoo added.

He also had a separate interaction with Walter J Linder, Ambassador of Germany, Grahame Morton, Charge d’Affaires of New Zealand High Commission and Emmanuel Lenain, Ambassador of France.

MEA’s tribute to late minister Sushma Swaraj

Sushma Swaraj

New Delhi (NVI): The Ministry of External Affairs today decided to rename the Pravasi Bhartiya Kendra in New Delhi as Sushma Swaraj Bhawan and Foreign Service Institute as Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service.

This is a solemn tribute to the to the invaluable contribution of former External Affairs Minister and stalwart Sushma Swaraj to the Indian diplomacy, the cause of the Indian diaspora and the ethos of public service.

The announcement is made on the occasion of her birth anniversary on February 14 in honour of the legacy and decades of public service she has done for the country.

J&K have been allocated two AIIMS hospitals: Jitendra Singh

Jammu (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir is the only union territory in India to have been allocated two AIIMS hospitals, one in Jammu and other in Kashmir, MoS for PMO Jitendra Singh said today.

Speaking on the “Bhoomi Poojan” ceremony of the AIIMS building in Jammu, Jitendra Singh today said that nine medical colleges have also been sanctioned in Jammu and Kashmir in addition to the two AIIMS.

He also thanked the Prime Minister for his focus on development in the Union Territory on the same lines as that of the development and success story of the North Eastern States.

“New work culture of the government working for welfare of the people beyond vote bank politics has greatly benefitted the people,” he said.

“The government had approved the proposal for establishment of AIIMS at Jammu at Vijaypur, District Samba under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) in January 2019,” he informed.

“The foundation stone of AIIMS, Jammu was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 3 last year,” he said.

“It is estimated to be built at a cost of Rs. 1661 crores, the project is being executed by CPWD. It is projected to be completed in 30 months by August, 2022. It has a total build up area of 22,315 sqm,” he said.

“Once completed, AIIMS Jammu would be a 750 bed hospital with super specialty Departments.It shall also have a medical college and a nursing college,” he added.

“The AIIMS will be a green building incorporating the state of the art equipment and technology, he further added.

WHO to accelerate research and innovation for COVID-19

Representative image

New Delhi (NVI): The COVID-19 outbreak is a test of solidarity — political, financial and scientific, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said as it convened a global research and innovation forum to mobilize international action in response to the new coronavirus outbreak.

“Harnessing the power of science is critical for bringing this outbreak under control,” WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

“There are questions we need answers to, and the tools we need to develop as quickly as possible. WHO is playing an important coordinating role by bringing the scientific community together to identify research priorities and accelerate progress,” he said.

The meeting, hosted in collaboration with GloPID-R (the Global Research Collaboration for Infectious Disease Preparedness) brought together major research funders and over 300 scientists and researchers from a large variety of disciplines. They discussed all aspects of the outbreak and ways to control it.

Participants discussed several areas of research, including identifying the source of the virus as well as sharing of biological samples and genetic sequences.

Experts built on existing SARS and MERS believe that coronavirus research and identify knowledge gaps and research priorities in order to accelerate scientific information and medical products most needed to minimize the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak.

The meeting is expected to produce a global research agenda for the new coronavirus, setting priorities and frameworks that can guide which projects are undertaken first.

“Understanding the disease, its reservoirs, transmission and clinical severity and then developing effective counter-measures is critical for the control of the outbreak, to reduce deaths and minimize the economic impact,” Soumya Swaminathan, WHO Chief Scientist said.

This will also fast-track the development and evaluation of effective diagnostic tests, vaccines and medicines, while establishing mechanisms for affordable access to vulnerable populations and facilitating community engagement.

“The WHO R&D Blueprint is a global strategy and preparedness platform that drives coordinated development of drugs and vaccines before epidemics, and allows the rapid activation of R&D activities during epidemics. It speeds up the availability of the diagnostics, vaccines and treatments and technologies that ultimately save lives,” added Michael Ryan, Executive Director, WHO Health Emergencies Programme.

Setting clear global research priorities for the novel coronavirus should lead to more efficient investments, high-quality research and synergies among global researchers.

Prez presents colour to INS Shivaji

New Delhi (NVI): President Ram Nath Kovind today presented colour to the INS Shivaji, a premier Indian Navy training establishment in Lonavala, Maharashtra.

Speaking on the occasion, the President today said that INS Shivaji has distinguished itself with stellar service to the nation over the years. It has a proud record of professional excellence, and has discharged its responsibilities with distinction.

“The nation salutes it for its dedication and devotion to duty.We are all proud of achievements of INS Shivaji and appreciate its remarkable contribution to the Indian Navy,” he said.

“Nation’s maritime interests are usually also linked to its economy and the well-being of its people,” he added.

He noted that about 90 per cent of our trade, by volume, is handled by sea routes.

“Enhances the role of the Indian Navy not just in national security but also in economic security, and thus in the wider process of nation building,” he said.

The President said that as a leading power, India plays a crucial role in shaping the global paradigm with respect to international security, trade and commerce.

“India’s rise in the international order has been fuelled by many factors including the capabilities and valour of our armed forces,” he added.

He expressed confidence that INS Shivaji would continue to excel and grow in stature and accomplishments while discharging its role and responsibilities with professionalism and competence.

‘Apiary on Wheels’ for promoting bee-keeping

New Delhi (NVI): ‘Apiary on Wheels’, a unique concept for maintaining and servicing bee boxes and live bee colonies across India, was launched today.

While flagging it off, Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Nitin Gadkari said bee keeping looks easy but has many intricate difficulties which only a beekeeper would understand.

“It will make the migration easy, the maintenance easy, easy feeding of bees and it will also help the bees to sustain even in extreme summers,” he said.

“KVIC has been continuously evolving new ways so as to make this process more easy and less laborious,” he added.

Highlighting the benefits of the Apiary on Wheels, KVIC Chairman VK Saxena said, “it is a holistic approach to address the challenges faced by the beekeepers. It is designed so as to reduce the labour and cost of maintaining and upkeeping Bee Boxes and live bee colonies across India.”

Saxena termed the initiative as an example of ‘out of the box thinking’ which KVIC has adopted to benefit maximum number of people in India and help generate livelihood at the doorsteps.

“Apiary on Wheels is a platform which can carry 20 Bee Boxes from one place to another without any difficulty,” he informed.

“Two large wheels on either side of the Apiary on Wheels and 4 separate compartments with independent doors, having 5 bee boxes each help the platform to remain intact without disturbing the live bee colonies,” he said.

“This is also connected with a solar panel system which automatically triggers a fan inside the compartment as soon as the temperature reaches 35 degree centigrade or above,” he said.

“Not only this, the Apiary on Wheels also has sugar drips which helps to feed the bees in the summer season,” he said.

“It is like an attachment which can be easily connected with a Tractor or a Trolley and may be pulled to any suitable destination,” he said.

“Specially, in summers, the beekeepers usually adopted crude methods to feed the bees and many bees used to die in the process,” he added.

“This concept of migration, cooling with the help of solar panels and sugar drips with zero risk to the lives of bees, will prevent any damages to the bee boxes or bee colonies and help produce quality honey,” he further added.

As a pilot project the Apiary on Wheels will be placed near the mustard farms near the Delhi border under the supervision of local bee keepers and KVIC and after successful implementation the concept will be replicated on a mass scale across India.

 

 

Goyal pitches for promotion of home-made handicrafts

New Delhi (NVI): The government must work on a mission mode to protect and promote home-made handicrafts and artisans across the country, Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal said here today.

Speaking while inaugurating the 20th ‘Hunar Haat’, Goyal said the Ministry of Minority Affairs along with the Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Tribal Affairs in coordination with Ministry of External Affairs must work to promote artisans and their art of making handicrafts to an international level.

“Artisans and their art are our tradition and pride of nation,” he added.

Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that ‘Hunar Haat’ has proved to be a “Mega Mission” of “Empowerment of Indigenous Legacy” of artisans.

He further said the Ministry of Minority Affairs is strengthening Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s  “Dream Project” to provide opportunity and market to the country’s rich heritage of arts/crafts.

“The Ministry of Minority Affairs is doing a historic task of preserving and promoting the magnificent heritage of the skilled people of every corner of the country and providing them national and international market,” he said.

The ‘Hunar Haat’ is being organised by the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs at India Gate Lawns, Rajpath, New Delhi.

Based on the theme of “Kaushal Ko Kaam”, it is being organised till February 23, where master artisans, craftsmen and culinary experts, including more than 50 per cent women, from across the country are participating.

It has more than 250 stalls have been set up where master artisans, craftsmen and culinary experts from across the country are participating.

They have brought with them indigenous exquisite handmade products.

In which hundreds of people associate with these artisans in production of these handmade products.

Naqvi said ‘Hunar Haat’ has become a “Mega Mission” of indigenous Craft, Cuisine & Culture and economic empowerment of master artisans, craftsmen.

“About 3 lakh master artisans, craftsmen & culinary experts have been provided employment and employment opportunities through ‘Hunar Haat’ in the last about 3 years and these beneficiaries include a large number of women artisans,” he said.

He also informed that so far, ‘Hunar Haat’ events have been organized at various places in the country such as Delhi, Mumbai, Prayagraj, Lucknow, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Puducherry and Indore.

The next ‘Hunar Haat’ will be organized at Ranchi from February 29 to March 8 and in Chandigarh from March 13 to 22.

In the coming days, ‘Hunar Haat’ will be organized in Gurugram, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Dehradun, Patna, Bhopal, Nagpur, Raipur, Puducherry, Amritsar, Jammu, Shimla, Goa, Kochi, Guwahati, Bhubneshwar, Ajmer and other places.

 

Two lakh infants born with Congenital Heart Disease every year: Doctor

New Delhi (NVI): Around 2 lakh children are estimated to be born with Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) every year in India, according to a senior doctor of Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Hospital.

CHD is considered to be a major contributor for infant and child mortality cases. Around 8 to 10 per 1,000 infants are born with CHD globally.

Around 20% of the newborns suffering from critical form CHD require intervention in the first month of their birth, otherwise this disease can prove fatal, says Doctor Prabhatha Rashmi, Pediatric Cardiac Surgery HOD of Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Hospital.

The cause of this heart disease is multi-factorial. Genetic factors play an important role and they can be syndromic or chromosomal. Consanguinity (ancestry) plays a role too. Environmental causes such as maternal infections like rubella, medications mothers’ take during their pregnancy for conditions like epilepsy, maternal diseases like diabetes and advanced age of parents.

Early detection of CHD and timely intervention is of paramount importance to tackle it. CHD can be detected during pregnancy through foetal echo.

A proper systematic clinical examination has a good sensitivity in picking up CHDs in newborns. A detailed cardiac ultrasound (echo) by a trained pediatric cardiologist forms the cornerstone of CHD diagnosis.

Prabhatha Rashmi said, “Various aspects have to be considered if we want to reduce this burden. A comprehensive approach towards maternal and child health care should be embraced. Frontline health workers should be trained to work at grass root levels to aid earlier detection of CHD and refer to tertiary centers for treatment. Certain preventive measures can be adopted such as appropriate pre-conception counselling & fetal echo screening. Screening of all newborns and infants for heart abnormalities, awareness building amongst the general public through social media and amongst physicians and pediatricians, are important steps.”

She also added that the government and charitable organisations should take the lead so that Paediatric Cardiac facilities can be accessed by the lower socioeconomic strata. More philanthropy and corporate social responsibility participation will help reduce this societal burden.

Panchayat polls in J&K from March 5

Mubashir Bukhari

Jammu (NVI): By-election to over 12,500 vacant panchayat seats in Jammu and Kashmir will be held from March 5 to March 20, Chief Electoral Officer Shailender Kumar said here today.

Addressing the media, he said polling will be held in eight phases.

He said that from now onwards, the Model Code of Conduct is enforced and it will be implementable in all the places where elections are being held.

The first phase of polling will take place on March 5, while the second phase is scheduled for March 7. The third, fourth and fifth phase of voting will take place on March 9, 12 and 14, respectively. The EC has scheduled sixth, seventh and eighth phases for March 16, 18 and 20.

“Panchayat elections for vacant posts of every block will be held using ballot boxes. It will be conducted in eight phases,” Kumar said.

“There will be eight phases of elections. For Jammu division, it is four phases and for Kashmir division, it is eight phases,” he said.

Kumar said that no request has been received over the conducting of polls in Ladakh Union Territory.

“Union Territory of Ladakh has not yet sent us a request for the conduct of elections so we have not included Ladakh. In any case, Ladakh is snow-bound and it is very cold out there. So, it is not feasible to have an election at this point in time,” he said

Panchayat elections were conducted in November-December 2018 for 4483 Panchayats with a Sarpanch for each Panchayat Halqa and 35029 Panches in Jammu and Kashmir. However, over 60 percent Panchayat seats are lying vacant in the new Union Territory.

Out of 20093 Panch and Sarpanch seats, only 6162 Panches and 1366 Sarpanches were elected in Kashmir. Around 12565 constituencies are lying vacant.

In Jammu, 15800 Panches and 2289 Sarpanches were elected where 166 seats are lying vacant. In Ladakh, 45 seats are lying vacant.

National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party had boycotted both Panchayat and Urban Local Bodies (ULB) polls. While Panchayat polls were held on non-party basis, the ULB elections were held on party basis. Later elections for Block Development Council were also held in Jammu and Kashmir.

Foreign diplomats reach Jammu

Mubashir Bukhari

Srinagar (NVI):  After meeting various delegations in Srinagar, including politicians, the group of 25 foreign diplomats today reached Jammu to have a meeting with Lieutenant Governor, GC Murmu. The diplomats are on a two-day visit.

This is the second batch of foreign diplomats visiting Jammu and Kashmir in the last one month. Earlier, a group of 15 diplomats visited in January.

The diplomats will also hold meetings with Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir, Justice Gita Mittal, district administration officials and civil society members of Jammu division.

Before flying to Jammu, the delegation was briefed by Army officials at Badami Bagh Cantonment in Srinagar.They were also briefed by Chinar Corps Commander Lt General KJS Dhillon regarding the security situation in the valley.

The group comprises envoys from Afghanistan, Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, the European Union, France, Germany, Republic of Guinea, Hungary, Italy and Kenya.

Envoys from Kyrgyztan, Mexico, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Rwanda, Slovakia, Tajikistan, Uganda and Uzbekistan are also part of it.

On their arrival, the members of delegation were taken on a Shikara ride in the infamous Dal Lake.

This is the second batch of foreign envoys visiting the Union Territory in the last one month.

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