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WHO alerts countries on new virus

New Delhi (NVI): After detection of a case in Thailand, the World Health Organization (WHO) today issued guidance on how to detect and treat persons ill with the new coronavirus, a strain that has not been previously identified in humans.

According to the WHO, Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV).

Coronaviruses are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted between animals and people.

Detailed investigations found that SARS-CoV was transmitted from civet cats to humans and MERS-CoV from dromedary camels to humans, according to the WHO.

Several known coronaviruses are circulating in animals that have not yet infected humans.

Common signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties.

In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death.

Standard recommendations to prevent infection spread include regular hand washing, covering mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, thoroughly cooking meat and eggs.

Avoid close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness such as coughing and sneezing.

The WHO said it is working with officials in Thailand and China following reports of confirmation of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in a traveller from Wuhan, China, who visited Thailand.

“WHO reiterates that it is essential that investigations of the novel coronavirus continue in China to identify the source of the outbreak and any animal reservoirs or intermediate hosts,” it said.

The possibility of the novel coronavirus cases being identified in other countries was not unexpected, and reinforces why WHO calls for on-going active monitoring and preparedness in other countries, the global health body said.

Given the developments, WHO Director General is consulting with Emergency Committee members and could call for a meeting of the committee on short notice, it said.

Shah for separate policy for clean environment on islands

New Delhi (NVI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah today pitched for a separate policy for maintaining a clean, green and healthy environment in the islands.

While chairing the sixth meeting of the Island Development Agency (IDA) held here, Shah expressed satisfaction at the progress made and called upon all concerned to expedite implementation of the on-going projects for islanders’ benefits.

He further advised to implement suitable strategies for sustainable utilization of fisheries resources available in Exclusive Economic Zone around the islands.

Adequate technology-based facilities need to be provided to enhance fish collection, storage, processing and export of value-added products which would provide more jobs and generate additional income for the islands.

During the meeting, the Island Development Agency reviewed the progress made towards the programme “Holistic development of islands”.

For the first time in the country, under the guidance of IDA, an initiative of sustainable development in the identified islands within scientifically-assessed carrying capacity has been taken-up.

Development Plans with focus on creation of jobs for the islanders through tourism promotion as well as export of seafood and coconut-based products made in the islands have been prepared and are being implemented in four islands of Andaman & Nicobar and five islands of Lakshadweep.

In the second phase, suitable sites in 12 more islands of Andaman & Nicobar Islands and 5 islands in Lakshadweep have been covered.

Model tourism projects both Land-based and Water Villas were planned and bids have been invited for private sector participation.

As a unique initiative, to spur investment, it was decided to obtain clearances for implementation of the planned projects up-front.

All necessary clearances would be in place before bids finalization.

Environment and Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearances have already been obtained for four exemplary tourism projects of Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

For strengthening infrastructure support, projects for improving air, sea and digital connectivity are also being implemented.

Port Blair and another 7 islands in Andaman & Nicobar would get digitally connected through submarine optical fibre cable by June, 2020.

Better communication services would facilitate setting up of Information Technology based and other Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the islands with incentives through Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar Islands Industrial Development Scheme (LANIDS), 2018 notified on January 1, 2019.

The proposed airports in Great Nicobar Island of Andaman & Nicobar and Minicoy Island of Lakshadweep would catalyze the development process in the region.

Disclosure about drones should be made by Jan 31

India

New Delhi (NVI): Anybody possessing drones in India will have to make disclosure about those to the Civil Aviation Ministry by January 31.

The Ministry has provided a one-time opportunity for voluntary disclosure of civil drones and drone operators, which will be applicable from tomorrow, clearly with an aim of ensuring that such aerial objects are not used for carrying out any subversive or criminal acts.

Under the Civil Aviation Ministry’s scheme, the persons in possession of drones are required to submit the information to the government by visiting the Digital Sky portal at https://digitalsky.dgca.gov.in.

Drones and Drones operators will have to obtain Unique Identification Number (UIN), Unmanned Aircraft Operator Permit (UAOP) and other operational requirements as per the guidelines issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) which regulates the use of drones in the Indian Airspace.

The government had observed that some drones and drone operators were not complying with the CAR (Civil Aviation Requirements).

On successful submission of voluntary disclosure of possessing drone, a Drone Acknowledgement Number (DAN) and an Ownership Acknowledgement Number (OAN) will be issued online which will assist in validation of operations of drones in India.

However, the ministry has clarified that the DAN or OAN does not confer any right to operate a drone(s) in India if it does not fulfil the provisions given in the CAR. It warned that ownership of drone(s) in India without a valid DAN or OAN shall invite penal action as per applicable laws.

Indian Navy to get upgraded fuel

New Delhi (NVI): To keep pace with induction of new technology equipment and meet contemporary emission standards, Indian navy will get upgraded fuel, that will also help the force in ensuring interoperability amongst foreign navies during fleet exercises.

According to an official statement, the launch of the new fuel (High Flash High Speed Diesel) HFHSD – IN 512, with revised technical specifications was undertaken.

With this, the country will also provide better quality  fuel than that mandated to all foreign navies under bilateral and multi-national logistics support pacts including LEMOA (Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement).

This effort would also benefit other M/s Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) consumers in the country like Indian Coast Guard and other merchant marine in the coming years.

The achievement would mark a new high with quality fuel available to all foreign Navy ships at Indian ports during exercises with the Indian Navy.

This revolutionary initiative would go a long way in enhancing equipment reliability, performance, reduced carbon footprint, emissions and more importantly would be key enabler in the Navy’s ‘Mission Based Deployment’ on a global scale.

With the advent of technology and refining techniques in the petroleum industry better quality of fuel abiding to more stringent specifications has become a necessity.

Hence, continuous improvement in technical specification for diesels is the primary focus area.

Child marriage biggest barrier to youth empowerment in Jharkhand: Study 

child marriage
Representational/file photo

New Delhi (NVI) At least 12 per cent of girls aged 18-21 had given birth in childhood and one third of those aged 18-21 were married before the age of 18 in Jharkhand, according to a study.

The study ‘The Situation of Adolescents in Jharkhand, conducted by a strategic philanthropy organization Dasra, focussed on areas of their lives, including education, sexual and reproductive rights (SRHR) employability, media access and early marriage.

According to the study, during which 15,963 adolescents and youth (10-21 age group) across 41393 households in 325 villages and urban wards were interviewed in Jharkhand, child marriage and teenage pregnancy continue to be the biggest barriers to youth empowerment in the state.

The report shows high prevalence of child marriage in Jharkhand where 4 per cent of girls aged 15-21 were married before the age of 15, and one third (33%) of those aged 18-21 were married before the age of 18 confirming the findings of National Family Health Survey (NFHS) -4 .

The data also suggests that early marriage is resulting in early child birth. While hardly any of the girls aged 15-21 had given birth before the age of 15.

The report said lack of awareness of contraceptives and health matters is making adolescent girls more vulnerable to Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) and teenage pregnancy.

It also shows that 61 per cent of boys, 52 per cent of married girls and 19 per cent of unmarried had in-depth knowledge of one of the four methods of contraception is both suitable for adolescents and relatively accessible, that is oral pills, emergency contraception, condoms and Intrauterine device (IUDs).

Knowledge that a woman can become pregnant at first sex was far from universal even among married girls; just 8-11 percent of younger boys and girls, 27-28 percent of older boys and unmarried girls, and just half (52%) of married girls reported awareness.

Despite presence of a vast network of frontline Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAS) and Anganwadi Workers (AWWs), only 7-14% of boys, 22-26% of younger girls and unmarried girls aged  15-21 had received any health-related information, counselling, referrals, supplies or services from AWWs or ASHAs during the year preceding the interview.

The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act (RTE), 2009 has made primary education free and compulsory.However, the report shows that many girls, especially married, discontinued their education prematurely.

While the school enrollment has reached 96-99 per cent among all unmarried adolescents in the state, around 12 per cent married adolescents are not enrolled in the school.

Around 93-94 per cent younger adolescents were enrolled in the school when the survey was taken but far fewer 15-21 old boys and unmarried girls were pursuing their education (64%).

The data reconfirms that girls who do not enter the schooling system or drop out prematurely are at greater risk than others of early marriage.

When the survey asked married girls (15-21 age group) reasons for irregular attendance, 60 per cent of them said it was due to household work and 12 per cent of them cited marriage and pregnancy as reasons.

10 to 19 Dasra Adolescents Collaborative, part Child in Need Institute (CINI), Dr. Indrani Bhattacharyya said adolescents face different vulnerabilities with respect to region, geographic location, exposure and traditional customs.

“The outcomes of the report give directions to explore the possibilities to create a safety net around them which will help to promote their agency and self-efficacy. The study also helps to understand the benefits of different schemes implemented by the Government so far,” she added.

Dasra Associate Director Shailja Mehta said that in NITI Aayog’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) India Index 2019, Jharkhand is in the aspirant state category which needs to accelerate their performance towards SDGs. Rapid progress on SDGs can be achieved by nurturing young population to their fullest potential.

“The report recommends that the government and non-profit organizations need to focus on better implementation of the Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK) in the area of health, the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan in the area of education, the National Skill Development Mission and Tejaswini programs in the area of skilling and employability, and, the SAG programme, the Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, and the community based activities of the RKSK in the areas of empowerment and building leadership, ” she added.

All findings of the study point towards a need for empowering adolescents to make decisions related to their lives, education, marriage, health and mobility.

India targetting 500 GW renewable energy mark

New Delhi (NVI): India is targetting 500 GW of renewable energy capacity mark in the coming years, a top official of the government told an international meet.

Anand Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, was speaking at a conference organised by International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in Abu Dhabi, where decision-makers from 150 countries participated.

“In 2015, India set a target of 175 GW of renewables by 2022. We now target 500 GW,” he told the conference.

In 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had set the target of generating 175 GW (giga watt) of renewable energy by 2022.

At the climate change summit held in December last year, the Prime Minister told the world leaders that India was inching towards its goal of 175 GW RE by 2022. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) was reported to have initiated drafting plans and policies to meet the new escalated target.

The thrust on increasing the renewable element of the energy is part of India’s efforts to fight climate change.

Nationally determined contributions (NDCs) embody efforts by each country to reduce national emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change. NDCs are also part of the Paris Agreement which requests each country to outline and communicate their post-2020 climate actions.

Presently, the issues hampering growth of renewables in India are lack of interest of financial institution to fund renewable energy projects, safeguard duty on imported solar panels, ambiguity over goods and services tax (GST) on solar equipment and low investor sentiment due to delayed or non-payment by discoms to clean energy developers.

Vitara Brezza crosses 5 lakh mark in 47 months: Company

New Delhi (NVI): Within just four years of its launch, Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza has crossed five lakh unit sales, the company said today.

Designed in India and premiered at Auto Expo 2016, Vitara Brezza is the most selling compact SUV in the country, a company statement said.

Vitara Brezza, with its glamorous styling, introduced a new design language, replacing the conventional bulky design synonymous with an SUV.

Maruti Suzuki Executive Director (Marketing & Sales) Shashank Srivastava said offering a complete package of class leading features, stylish design, and outstanding fuel efficiency, the most awarded compact SUV, Vitara Brezza gained immense popularity within months of its launch.

“Designed and developed by the team at Maruti Suzuki using Suzuki core technology, Vitara Brezza struck the right chord with Indian customers. The 5 lakh unit sales in just 47 months is testimony of the customer’s increasing preference for stylish and feature packed compact SUV,” he said.

“We extend our gratitude to our customers for their constant support. We are confident that Vitara Brezza will continue to win hearts of customers across India,” he added.

Vitara Brezza has consistently featured in the top ten highest selling cars since its launch. Apart from introducing the concept of a bold and sporty character, it is also the first to bring the concept of dual colour scheme, floating roof and SMARTPLAY infotainment system to compact SUVs.

 The bold design, gloss black alloys, dual tone color, projector headlights complemented by the sporty all black interiors makes Vitara Brezza an ideal choice for customers.

It complies with advanced safety regulations, including pedestrian safety.

The compact SUV comes loaded with new safety features comprising dual front air bags, ABS with EBD, high speed warning alert, ISOFIX child restraint system, reverse parking sensors and front seat belt pre-tensioners and force limiters.

These features are standard across all variants of Vitara Brezza.

 

Railways sign MoU with RailTel for phase 2 of e-office execution

New Delhi (NVI): Indian Railways has signed an MoU with  RailTel, a miniratna PSU under the rail ministry, for the phase 2 of e office execution, aimed at digitising rail operations throughout the country.

The phase-1 of the National Informatics Centre (NIC) e-office execution, project has already been completed.

The Railways has adopted an innovative e-office system that will facilitate a paperless, more efficient, effective and transparent inter-government and intra-government transactions and processes.

E-office implementation is a Mission Mode Project (MMP) under the National e-Governance Programme of the Government of India.

In phase 2, RailTel will register 39000 users over 34 Railway divisions on NIC e office platform by June 30, 2020.

The phase 1 of NIC e-office execution started with a mandate to complete the work by March 2020.

But with a lightning speed of execution RailTel completed the work way ahead of time and successfully created 50000+ users in 58 units of Indian Railways and trained the executives to handle the platform in a span of mere 6 months’ time.

There is an absolute transparency as anything once written on the file is archived. There is also a monitoring mechanism to check as to where the files are held up.

This would enable quick disposal of files and systematic, timely monitoring of pending files.

With the above-mentioned advantages, Indian Railways will be changing the work culture for providing better services to public. e-Office fosters paper-less culture which will not only save operational cost but also reduce the carbon foot-print.

PM congratulates Sayyid Haitham  

New Delhi (NVI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated HM Sayyid Haitham bin Tariq al Said on taking over as the new Sultan of Oman. While congratulating Sayyid, the prime minister hoped for the further strengthening of strategic partnership between the two countries.

On Sunday, PM Modi tweeted, “I heartily congratulate HM Sayyid Haitham bin Tariq al Said on taking over as Sultan of Oman. I am confident that under his leadership, Oman will continue to progress and prosper and contribute to global peace.”

“India has millennia old relations with Oman. We look forward to working hand in hand with HM Sayyid Haitham to further strengthen our strategic partnership.” he tweeted.

Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said (65), was sworn in as the next sultan. He succeeds the late Sultan Qaboos as ruler of Oman. Qaboos had died last week.

UP: Nod to police commissioner system

Lucknow (NVI): In a step towards police reform in Uttar Pradesh, the state government today approved a proposal to set up Commissionerate system in Lucknow and Noida.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath made an announcement in this regard today. Depending on the success of the system, it will be gradually implemented in other districts as well.

1995 batch IPS officer, Alok Singh, has been appointed as Noida’s first Police Commissioner. Sujeet Pandey (1994 batch IPS officer) will helm the Lucknow’s commissionerate.

Under the new system, more powers, including magisterial, will be given to police officers of the Inspector General of Police (IG) rank posted as commissioners.

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