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Bhatnagar named Advisor to J&K LG

Jammu (NVI): Former CRPF Director General Rajiv Rai Bhatnagar was today appointed as Advisor to Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor.

Bhatnagar is a retired IPS officer of 1983 batch from Uttar Pradesh cadre.

The Advisor, according to communication from the Union Home Ministry, shall assist the Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in effective discharge of his functions.

The appointment will be effective from the date from which he assumes charge.

Previously, Bhatnagar has served as Director-General of the Central Reserve Police Force.

He was also the Director General of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).

Panel to deal with elephant deaths caused by anthrax

New Delhi (NVI): The Environment Ministry has constituted an expert committee to finalise a Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) to deal with issues related to death of elephants caused by anthrax and herpes virus.

Anthrax is one of the most fatal diseases impacting elephants. It is a bacterium that causes high fever, shivering, ulcers, and swellings. This disease may be spread through contaminated water or soil. The average lifespan of elephants is about 65 years of age or more.

The committee has been constituted to deal with anthrax and EEHV (Elephant endotheliotropic herpes virus) cases pertaining to elephants.

The ministry has also consulted veterinary experts and National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) on the committee report for finalizing the SOP.

The main objective behind the preparation of SOP by the expert committee is to ensure that carcasses of elephants suspected/diagnosed with anthrax are disposed off in a scientific as well as transparent manner to prevent any spread of anthrax to other wildlife populations.

The SOP shall be useful to the field staff of the Forest Department in elephant range Forest Divisions and other areas where elephants are likely to be affected by anthrax/suspected anthrax.

A document released by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in this regard, has also suggested authorities who will be held responsible for implementation of SOP, and line of action required in dealing with cases of suspected anthrax in elephants.

Other contents of the detailed document include: Mapping spatial distribution of anthrax zones, continuous monitoring, videography of elephant necropsy and test of confirmation of the disease.

Anthrax and herpes cases in elephants have been reported across the world as well as in the country. The breakout of these deadly diseases poses threat to the bio diversity as well as human beings.

In October last year, the Forest department in Odisha struggled to get a hold of outbreak of herpes virus among captive elephants in the state. The hemorrhagic infection was reported to have spread to other parts of the state. Elephant Endotheliotripic Herpes Virus (EEHV), as it is known, has been in the past, reported in Kerala, Maharashtra and Assam.

In October 2019, the Botswana government said that more than 100 elephants died in a span of two months because of a suspected anthrax outbreak, reported news agency Reuters. The landlocked country in Southern Africa is home to almost a third of Africa’s elephants, around 130,000.

‘139’ to be the only number for railway enquiries

New Delhi (NVI): Indian Railway has integrated helplines into single number 139 for the passengers for quick grievance redressal and enquiry during their journey.

This has been done to overcome the inconvenience over multiple helpline numbers for grievances and enquiry during railway travel.

As the new helpline number 139 will take over all the existing helpline numbers (except 182), it will be easy for the passengers to remember this number and connect with Railways for all their needs during the travel, the railways said in a statement.

All these Railway grievances helplines are being discontinued, 138 (for general complaints)1072 (for accidents and safety)9717630982 (for SMS complaints)58888 / 138 (for clean my coach)152210 (for vigilance)1800111321 (for catering services)

The Helpline 139 will be available in twelve languages. It will be based on IVRS (Interactive Voice Response System).

There is no need of a smart phone to call on 139, thus, providing easy access to all mobile users.

For security and medical assistance, passengers will have to press 1 which will immediately connect the callers to call centre executives, for enquiries, passengers will need to press 2 which will connect to a sub-menu depending on the requirements.

While passengers can press 3 for catering complaints, 4 will have to be pressed for general complaints.

For vigilance-related complaints, the digit 5 will have to be pressed; for queries during accidents, passengers will need to press 6,for status of complaints, passengers should press 9 and then press * to talk to a call centre executive.

Delhi’s minimum temp dips a bit

New Delhi (NVI): The minimum temperature in Delhi dropped a notch to 7.0 degree Celsius today from 8.0 degree Celsius recorded yesterday.
The maximum temperature today is expected to be around 23.0 degrees celsius, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The weatherman stated that the flow of chilly northwesterly winds stopped due to the easterlies which are comparatively warm and humid in nature.
Delhi and neighbouring Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurgaon and Faridabad have been witnessing severe cold conditions over last one week.
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‘Cold day’ conditions are declared when the day’s maximum temperature is below normal by more than 4.4°C.  A ‘severe cold day’ is when mercury remains more than 6.4°C below normal through the day.
Meanwhile,  the overall air quality in the national capital today remained in the “very poor” category.
According to System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR),the Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital stood at  333 which falls in the “very poor” category.
The worst affected areas are Dhirpur, Delhi University, Chandni Chowk, Pusa, Lodhi Road, Mathura Road, IGI Terminal 3 and the neighbouring Noida.

Rs 15 cr reallocated to J&K for clearing dairy scheme cases

Jammu (NVI): The Centre has reallocated Rs. 15 crore subsidy to Jammu and Kashmir for clearing the Dairy Entrepreneurship Development Scheme (DEDS) cases pending with banks.

At least 970 DEDS units have been established during the current fiscal and there are around 2115 cases pending with banks for disbursement.

This was stated at a meeting held here by Principal Secretary Animal, Sheep Husbandry and Fisheries, Asgar Hassan Samoon, who directed clearance of all the pending cases under DEDS on a fast-track basis.

Samoon emphasized the role of DEDS in poverty-alleviation, employment generation and to achieve self-sufficiency in milk and milk products.

All Chief Animal Husbandry Officers and Lead Bank Managers were directed to clear all pending cases within a fixed timeline.

A Sub-Committee under the Chairmanship of Samoon has been constituted to examine the reasons underlying slow rate of sanction of DEDS cases by banks and suggest measures to improve it for better livelihood options.

The Committee will also recommend measures to improve the implementation of DEDS to make dairy sector more remunerative.

It will study different models of insurance coverage being provided by various companies in livestock sector especially in Himachal Pradesh and Uttrakhand and their adoption in Jammu and Kashmir.

Delhi Book Fair starts, theme based on Mahatma Gandhi

New Delhi (NVI): The 28th edition of New Delhi World Book Fair 2020 (NDWBF), with the theme based on Mahatma Gandhi, began here today.

Human Resources Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nisank’ inaugurated the fair, whose theme is ‘GANDHI: WRITERS’ WRITER’, saying, “we are celebrating 150 years of Mahatma Gandhi in times when we need him the most.”

He said the world today is facing several challenges including terrorism and “The world, the nation, the society and all individuals, need Gandhi because of his vision and his philosophy of peace and non-violence.”

The Minister said the books help youth of India to come across new thoughts.

“We are in the midst of ocean of books and this ‘Mahakumbh’ of books is filled with thoughts, the thoughts which give power to humanity. This book fair is a place where people meet each other, and generate and share new thoughts and ideas,” he said.

The Minister urged publishers to promote books and the habit of reading as people are moving away from books, and a book fair like the NDWBF ensures that books and reading is preserved and increases.

He also appreciated the fact that the New Delhi World Book Fair is arguably Asia’s biggest book fair and he was hopeful that this fair would soon become the world’s biggest book fair.

LeT militant arrested, grenade attack on CRPF

Srinagar (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir Police today said it has arrested a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant who had escaped from an encounter some time back.

Nisar Ahmad Dar, a resident of the Hajin area of Bandipore district in north Kashmir, was arrested by the Special Operations Group.

Imtiyaz Hussain , SSP Security Kashmir in a tweet said, “Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Nisar Dar arrested by J&K Police & Security Forces. He had escaped from an encounter in Kullan Ganderbal in which one Pakistani terrorist of proscribed terror outfit was killed. This dreaded terrorist was wanted in many terror crimes.”

Meanwhile, suspected militants hurled a grenade at Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in Kawdara locality in Srinagar today.

However, there was no immediate report of any casualty or injury.

Children’s deaths: Central team in Kota

Jaipur (NVI): A multi-disciplinary central team, including top paediatricians, has reached Kota in Rajasthan where it is assessing the reasons for the death of 107 children in government-run J K Lon Hospital over the last one month.

The team of experts has been sent to carry out a joint gap analysis along with the state government in terms of clinical protocols, service delivery, manpower availability and equipment for maternal, newborn and paediatric care services in the Kota Medical College.

A joint action plan is to be developed based on gap analysis for providing required technical and financial support to Kota Medical College through National Health Mission and State Medical Education Department.

Fire-fighting apparatus being upgraded in Srinagar as part of Smart City project

Srinagar (NVI): Work is underway on developing Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir as a Smart City, which involves improvement in services.

As part of the programme, the fire service apparatus in Srinagar is set to see major upgradation with all stations across the city being strengthened through a host of measures.

The project includes strengthening of all 23 fire stations and their integration and development of over 100 fire hydrants at different locations the aim being to strengthen the fire and emergency response apparatus across the Srinagar city.

It also includes enhancing capabilities of each fire station through equipment with requisite fire-fighting apparatus including fire tenders of different capacities and sizes.

The latter involves procurement of 15 small-size fire tenders, which are being introduced here for the first time to enable access to congested locations where normal-size tenders cannot reach.

Large fire tenders with 7500-litre capacities are also being procured as part of the project for enhancing relevant capabilities of the fire service department of the district.

Other major components of the project are development of a smart control room and setting up of a trusted wireless apparatus at 80 different locations.

Strengthening of fire service response mechanism for areas in and around the Dal Lake

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Temperature rises in Delhi

New Delhi (NVI): Delhi witnessed further respite from chill today as the minimum temperature rose to 8.0 degrees celsius from 7.6 degrees Celsius recorded yesterday.
The maximum temperature  today is expected to be around 23.0 degrees celsius, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The weatherman stated that the flow of chilly northwesterly winds stopped due to the easterlies which are comparatively warm and humid in nature.
It also forecast that there are chances of rainfall in Delhi in the next 72 hours due to which mercury may fall further. It may also lead to a slight reduction in pollution.
“Not just Delhi, but neighbouring Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurgaon, and Faridabad are also facing severe cold conditions,” IMD stated.
‘Cold day’ conditions are declared when the day’s maximum temperature is below normal by more than 4.4°C.  A ‘severe cold day’ is when mercury remains more than 6.4°C below normal through the day.
Meanwhile,  the overall air quality in the national capital today remained in the “very poor” category.
According to System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR),the Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital stood at  327 which falls in the “very poor” category.
The worst affected areas are Dhirpur, Delhi University, Chandni Chowk, Pusa, Lodhi Road, Mathura Road, IGI Terminal 3 and the neighbouring Noida.
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