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CISF takes over security of Jammu, Srinagar airports

Jammu (NVI): The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) was handed over the security of the Srinagar and Jammu airports today.

With this, the CISF now provides security cover at 62 airports across the country. The force will, however, continue to handle the outer periphery security at Srinagar airport.

“#CISF took over the security of Srinagar Airport (J&K). Shri M A Ganapathy, Spl. Director-General, CISF, Airport Sector HQrs, New Delhi graced the occasion. With this induction, total airports under #CISF security cover raised to 62,” the force said in a tweet.

The decision to entrust CISF with the responsibility of protecting sensitive Srinagar and Jammu airports was taken last month after Dy SP of J&K Police Davinder Singh was arrested while ferrying two terrorists. Singh was posted as Dy SP in the anti-hijacking unit.

NSA Doval reviews situation in Delhi

New Delhi (NVI): National Security Advisor Ajit Doval today visited violence-hit areas of northeast Delhi and appealed for peace. He said that the situation in the area is “under control” and police is trying their best.

Doval said that he had been sent by Home Minister Amit Shah to review the situation.

The NSA urged all sections of the society to maintain harmony and work to address problems, rather than aggravating them.

Doval said those who love the country should also love their neighbours.

After visiting areas of northeast Delhi, he met Home minister Amit Shah at North Block and apprised him of the situation.

Trump, Modi taking care of business: USINPAC

New Delhi (NVI): Despite reports that the US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi didn’t finalise on a trade deal during the former’s two-day India visit, the two leaders got down to business and were ironing out differences, the US India Political Action Committee (USINPAC) has said.

“During his historic two-day visit to India, Trump and PM Modi got down to business. Despite reports that the two leaders did not announce a trade deal, they are ironing out differences,” USINPAC said in a statement yesterday.

Modi and Trump are known as tough negotiators but both have indicated that they are on a path to a “comprehensive” accord. “Comprehensive trade is what we need,” said Sanjay Puri, Chairman of USINPAC.

“We need to hammer out a long-term trade deal that addresses agriculture, defense, goods and services, tariffs and also includes the needs of small and medium-sized businesses and women-owned enterprises – issues that the Indian American community and PM Modi have been working on since Gujarat and beyond.”

The Committee further said that both countries know that going forward the India-US relationship must be based on more than strategic interests, important as those are. The Trump visit has solidified this understanding and perhaps created new momentum for a 2020 deal, it said.

“Back in Washington, we cannot let up,” Puri said. “The Indian American community is a driving force that can make a good deal a better deal. This is why we continue to be at the forefront of calling for fairer treatment. As I have said before, we have testified at Congressional hearings. Our statements are included in Committee records, and on the House floor. We have galvanized House and Senate members in the US Congress to advance equal opportunity, advancement and inclusion across the spectrum.”

“We thank President Trump and the First Lady for visiting India to see firsthand why India matters to us. We look forward to the Trump Administration and Modi government capitalizing on the momentum brought about by Trump’s visit to India. And, on behalf of the Indian American community, we will continue to do all we can to bring about smart solutions for a long-term trade deal that recognizes the vital importance of the US-India partnership,” Puri stated.

Army Chief visits LoC, asks troops to remain alert for ’emerging’ challenges

File

Mubashir Bukhari

Srinagar (NVI): Amid repeated border ceasefire violations by Pakistan, Army Chief Gen M M Naravane today visited some forward areas along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir and asked the troops to remain alert to meet “emerging security challenges effectively”.

Gen Naravane, who was on his first visit to Kashmir since taking over as the Chief of Army Staff, was accompanied by Northern Army Commander Lt Gen YK Joshi and Kashmir-based Chinar Corps Commander Lt Gen KJS Dhillon when he visited the formations and units deployed along the LoC.

 

He was briefed by senior Army officials on the counter-insurgency operations in the hinterland and alertness of the anti-infiltration grid along the Line of Control (LoC), an Army spokesman said.

During his visit to forward areas, the Army Chief asked soldiers to remain alert for any eventuality. “Be prepared to meet emerging security challenges effectively at all times,” he told soldiers during his interaction on snow-clad heights.

He appreciated sharp vigil and alertness along the Line of Control and high morale of the troops.

The Army Chief was earlier briefed by the Chinar Corps Commander at Badami Bagh Cantonment on the overall situation pertaining to the Line of Control and the hinterland.

The COAS also interacted with senior officials of the administration and Security Forces.  He also met members of the civil society.

SpiceJet plane makes emergency landing

Representational image

New Delhi (NVI): A SpiceJet plane, with 180 passengers and crew on board, made an emergency landing at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata today.

The flight was from Mumbai to Guwahati. All passengers have been reported to be safe.

The pilot of the aircraft suspected a fuel leakage and contacted the Kolkata Air Traffic Control and sought permission for an emergency landing.

After getting permission, the flight was landed at 9 am.

The inspection of the plane showed that the leakage was in the water tank, media reports said.

21 of world’s 30 most polluted cities in India: Report

Ghaziabad is the most polluted city in the world (File photo)

New Delhi (NVI): Delhi is the world’s most polluted capitals in the world, according to a new report which also mentions that Ghaziabad is the most polluted city in the world.

The recent Air Quality Index (AQI) report has also revealed that 21 of the world’s 30 most polluted cities are in India.

World Air Quality Report 2019 compiled by IQAir Air Visual says that afer Ghaziabad, Hotan in China, Gujranwala and Faislabad in Pakistan are the most polluted cities in the world, followed by Delhi at fifth place.

The 21 most polluted cities in India in order of their ranking are Ghaziabad, Delhi, Noida, Gurugram, Greater Noida, Bandhwari, Lucknow, Bulandshahr, Muzaffarnagar, Baghpat, Jind, Faridabad, Coraut, Bhiwadi, Patna, Palwal, Muzaffarpur, Hisar, Kutail, Jodhpur and Moradabad.

However, the report also mentions that Indian cities have shown improvement from last year.

Water recycle and re-use policy need of the hour: UP Singh

New Delhi (NVI): Water security in agriculture is a local problem and requires de-centralized solutions, Secretary of Department of Water Resources UP Singh said today while asserting that water recycle and re-use policy is the need of the hour.

Speaking at the national summit on ‘Investing in Future Through Sustainable Water Use Management in Agriculture’, organised by FICCI, Singh said that currently we use 90 per cent of freshwater in agriculture and irrigation.

“Without improving the water use efficiency in agriculture, all efforts of water use elsewhere will not be meaningful,” he said.

The Water Secretary said that we need to change our mindset and give emphasis on water productivity rather than just land productivity.

He added that we must focus on water footprints, like carbon footprints, and urged the industry to play more active role in the overall development of the sector.

Emphasising on the need of water conservation in agriculture, Singh said that we need to adopt water recycle, and re-use policy in agriculture sector which has provisions for mandates and incentivization.

“The more water we consume, more wastewater is generated. Many states have already started adopting this policy. You need to either mandate people or incentivize people. This kind of policy will have both mandating certain use and providing incentives,” he added.

While highlighting the environment concerns, the Water Secretary said that we must also consider revisiting the current government procurement policy which mainly focuses on wheat and rice. It is important that states and farmers must be incentivized for other crops as well. “Today, we don’t grow crops based on water endowment & topography of that particular area, he added.

Cabinet meeting today: Key takeaways

Union Minister Prakash Javadekar

New Delhi (NVI): The Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi took place here today as the government took some important decisions with respect to Surrogacy Bill, J&K and Scheduled Tribe Population in Lakshadweep.

Here are the top highlights of the Cabinet meeting:

  •  Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2020 was approved in which proposed legislation ensures effective regulation of surrogacy, prohibit commercial surrogacy and allow altruistic surrogacy.

 

  • The Cabinet approved the issuance of an order for adaptation of Central Acts in the Union Territory under Section 96 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 by the Central Government.

 

  •  Three Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) for Cooperation between India and Myanmar on Combating Timber Trafficking, Conservation of Tigers & Other Wildlife and in the fields of Petroleum Products and communications were approved.

 

  • Setting up of a National Technical Textiles Mission with a total outlay of Rs 1,480 crore was approved by the Cabinet Committee. This will position the country as a global leader in Technical Textiles.

 

  •  It also approved amendment of the Laccadive, Minicoy and Amindivi Islands Land Revenue and Tenancy Regulation, 1965. This will grant occupancy rights to the Scheduled Tribe population in Lakshadweep.

 

  •  Amendments to the National Institutes of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship & Management (NIFTEM) Bill, 2019 were made. Bill to provide the National Institutes of Food Technology at Kundli, Haryana and Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu the status of Institution of National Importance approved.

Balakot Anniv: Forces don’t hesitate to cross border now, says Rajnath

RAJNATH-Singh
File Photo

New Delhi (NVI): On the first anniversary of Balakot airstrike today, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said that India has changed its approach against terrorism and ways to counter it.

“I thank Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi for bringing change in India’s approach against terrorism & our ways to counter-terror. The Surgical Strikes of 2016 and Balakote Air Strikes of 2019 are testimony to this change. This is certainly a New and Confident India in making,” he said in a tweet.

The Union Minister added that Surgical Strikes of 2016 and Balakote Air Strikes of 2019 are testimony to this change. “This is certainly a New and Confident India in making,” he said.

Singh also appreciated the Indian Air Force “for its unmatched bravery and courage exhibited during Balakote airstrikes.”

“Our government led by PM Shri @narendramodi has adopted a different approach from earlier governments. Now we do not hesitate to cross the border to protect India against terrorism,” the Defence Minister said in another tweet.

On this day last year, the Indian Air Force carried a cross-border airstrike on terror training camps in Pakistan’s Balakot.

The airstrike was done in response to the terrorist attack on a CRPF convoy on February 14 in Jammu’s Pulwama in which more than 40 security personnel were killed.

Raj: 25 dead after bus plunges into river in Bundi

New Delhi (NVI): At least 25 people were today killed and three others sustained injuries after a private bus fell into Maiz river in Bundi, Rajasthan.

The incident took place in the morning when a bus carrying 30 passengers was going for a wedding and fell into the river on the Kota-Dausa highway in Bundi district, media reports said.

The injured were rushed to a government hospital in Lekhari.

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