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Air Quality Commission directs all industries in Delhi to switch over to PNG

Air Quality Commission directs all industries in Delhi to switch over to PNG
(Representational/file photo)

New Delhi (NVI): The Air Quality Commission today directed all identified industries in the national capital to switch over to Piped Natural Gas (PNG) by January 31, as industrial sector is one of the major contributors to air pollution in Delhi-NCR.

According to an official statement, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in NCR and adjoining areas reviewed the progress of switching over of Industries operating in Delhi to PNG with the Delhi government, Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) and Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL).

About 1,644 of industrial units spread across 50 industrial areas in Delhi had been identified to switch over to PNG, the Ministry of Environment said in a statement.

“Though sizeable number of industries are using PNG, the commission stressed the need to switch over to PNG by all identified industries in Delhi considering the fact that industrial sector is one of the major contributors to air pollution in Delhi and National Capital Region (NCR),” it added.

IGL and GAIL were impressed upon to complete the pipeline network, metering and associated infrastructure.

Furthermore, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), IGL and Delhi government were also asked to work in close coordination with the industrial units so as to target completion of infrastructure works and complete switch over to PNG, by all the identified industrial units in Delhi by January 31, 2021, the ministry said.

DPCC was also directed to inspect and identify the industries using unapproved fuels and to take stringent penal action in case of non-compliances, it added.

-RJV

New Covid strain: Centre issues revised SOPs for flyers from UK

Travel ban
Representational/ file image

New Delhi (NVI): The Union Health Ministry today issued revised Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for people coming to India from the United Kingdom or transited through the country, following the discovery of a new strain of coronavirus in the UK.

In a statement issued, the Health Ministry said that the SOPs for epidemiological surveillance and response is in the context of the new strain in the UK.

The Ministry said that according to the European Center for Disease Control (ECDC), the new variant of the virus is estimated to be more transmissible and affecting the younger population. “This variant is defined by a set of 17 changes or mutations,” it said.

“One of the most significant is a mutation in the spike protein that the virus uses to bind to the human ACE2 receptor. Changes in this part of the spike protein may result in the virus becoming more infectious and spreading more easily between people,” the Health Ministry said in a statement.

The guidelines come a day after the government decided that all flights originating from the UK to India shall be temporarily suspended till 31st December (11:59 pm).

Under the new guidelines, all passengers coming from abroad will be required to declare travel history for the past 14 days and fill up the self-declaration form to be screened for COVID-19. Apart from that, States are directed to get the list of returnees.

As per the new SOP, UK passengers travelling from Dec 21-23 would be subjected to RT-PCR test on arrival and passengers testing positive shall be isolated in an institutional isolation facility earmarked by states. “Also, samples will be collected and sent for genomic sequencing,” the Ministry said.

“Contacts of the suspect case are the co-passengers seated in the same row, three rows in front and three rows behind along with identified cabin crew,” it added.

It added that the existing treatment protocol can be followed for people who test positive for the older strain of the virus.

In case a person is infected with the mutant strain, they will be kept in a separate isolation unit. “While necessary treatment as per the existing protocol will be given, the patient shall be tested on 14th day, after having tested positive in the initial test,” the document read.

Also, in case the sample is found positive on the 14th day, further samples may be taken until his two consecutive samples taken 24 hours apart are tested negative.

Furthermore, the ministry said that people who test negative in RT-PCR tests at the airport would be advised to stay in home quarantine.

All concerned airlines will ensure that before check-in, the travellers are explained about the SOPs, it added.

-RJV/ARK

Canada’s Ontario announces province-wide lockdown as covid cases hike

Coronavirus cases

New Delhi (NVI): Canada’s most populous province, Ontario, is set to enter a “hard lockdown” as it experiences an alarming rate of new coronavirus cases.

The lockdown will be put in place for southern Ontario from December 26 until January 23, but will lift for northern Ontario on January 9.

“Thousands of lives are at stake now,” said Ontario’s premier, Doug Ford, as he announced a slate of new restrictions that go into effect on Boxing Day. “If we fail to take action now, the consequences could be catastrophic.

On Monday, the province recorded 2,123 new cases of Covid-19 – the seventh day in a row of cases above 2000. In late summer, Ontario was recording single-digit cases.

Toronto, Canada’s largest city, had already closed restaurants for indoor dining but schools remained open. All high schools in Ontario will now be closed for in-person learning until January 25. Elementary schools will be closed until January 11.

Canada now has more than 77,000 active cases across the country and 14,228 deaths.

-CHK

Cold wave sweeps Delhi, likely to stay for next 4 days: IMD

Representative pic

New Delhi (NVI): Cold wave conditions are likely to stay in parts of the national capital for the next four days as the minimum temperature is expected to drop further, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

Moderate to dense fog is also predicted during the period, the IMD added.

The minimum temperature was recorded at 5.4 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, Safdarjung Observatory, which provides representative data for the city said.

Reportedly, the observatory had recorded a minimum of 3.4 degrees Celsius on Sunday, the lowest this season so far.

The minimum temperature had increased slightly to 5.5 degrees Celsius on Monday under the influence of a fresh Western Disturbance (WD) affecting the upper reaches of the Himalayas.

Meanwhile, the maximum temperature settled at 23.5 degrees Celsius, two notches more than normal.

In addition to this, the air quality in Delhi has dipped into ‘very poor’ category on Tuesday, according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR).

-CHK

Baloch leader found dead in Canada, ISI hand suspected

Prominent Baloch activist Karima Baloch who was killed suspectedly by ISI in Canada recently (File Pic)

New Delhi (NVI) In yet another suspected political assassination carried out by Pakistani intelligence agency ISI, prominent woman Baloch leader Karima Baloch has been found dead in Toronto in Canada, hours after she went missing in mysterious circumstances.

Karima, former Chairperson of Baloch Students Organisation (Azad), had taken refuge in Canada to escape the wrath of Pakistani authorities, especially the Army and its notorious intelligence agency ISI.

The leader, who was named by the BBC as one of the world’s 100 most “inspirational and influential” women in 2016, was last seen on December 20, 2020, at approximately 3 p.m, according to Balochistan Post.

The Toronto police had said that Karima was last seen in the Bay Street and Queens Quay West area in Toronto, it said.

Karima Baloch was instrumental in highlighting at international fora the plight of Baloch people under the repressive rule of Pakistan. She has also raised the issue of Balochistan in United Nations sessions in Switzerland.

Baloch people are struggling for freedom from Pakistan since the region was forcibly occupied by Pakistan in 1949.

The disappearance and death in mysterious circumstances leads to suspicion about involvement of ISI.

“The death of activist #KarimaBaloch in Toronto, Canada is deeply shocking and must be immediately and effectively investigated. The perpetrators must be brought to justice without recourse to the death penalty,” Amnesty International tweeted.

Karima’s case has striking similarities with an incident in Sweden in March this year when Baloch refugee and journalist Sajid Hussain went missing from Sweden and his body was found from a river days later.

His family, friends and acquaintances claim that he was murdered and ISI hand was suspected.

Reporters without Borders (RSF), a Paris-based journalists’ organisation, alleged that Mr Hussain’s mysterious disappearance and subsequent death could have been organized by the Pakistani intelligence agencies – ISI and MI – due to his work as a journalist.

WHO says new COVID strain in the UK ‘not out of control’

WHO says new COVID strain in the UK not out of control
WHO's emergencies chief Michael Ryan

New Delhi (NVI): The new strain of coronavirus discovered in the United Kingdom is not yet out of control and can be controlled using existing measures, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said.

WHO’s emergencies chief Michael Ryan made this statement after the UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock said that the mutant coronavirus strain is ‘out of control’ which lead to global panic and concern.

Ryan in a media briefing stated that, “We have had a much higher (contamination rate) at different points in this pandemic and we’ve got it under control. So this situation is not in that sense out of control. But it cannot be left to its own devices,” he added.

Claiming that the existing measures in place are correct, Ryan said, “We need to do what we have been doing, we may just have to do it with a little more intensity and for a little longer to make sure we can bring this virus under control.”

He further added, “In some senses, it means we have to work harder. Even if the virus has become a little bit more efficient in spreading, the virus can be stopped.”

Separately, WHO Chief Scientist Soumya Swaminathan also claimed that a mutant strain could already be existing in other countries, according to the reports.

“I suspect that as more countries look at their data, they might find this variant or a related variant might already be there. The UK is one of those countries that is doing a lot of whole genome sequencing and is, therefore, able to track this very closely in real-time,” Swaminathan said.

However, she added that it was still too early to conclude anything about the new strain, the reports said.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson earlier had said that the new coronavirus variant in the country is 70 per cent more transmissible than the existing strain. But he stressed there’s no evidence to suggest it is more lethal or causes more severe illness.

Meanwhile, concerned by the new coronavirus strain in England, around 30 countries have shut there flights to and from the UK to contain the spread of virus.

-RJV

Army signs MoU with BoB for customized banking services

Army signs MoU with BoB for customized banking services
Lt Gen Ravin Khosla and BoB Executive Vikramaditya Singh signed MoU in the presence of Lt Gen Harsha Gupta

New Delhi (NVI): The Indian Army has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bank of Baroda (BoB) for customised banking services to Army personnel’s through “Baroda Military Salary Package”.

The MoU was signed by Lt Gen Ravin Khosla, DG (MP&PS) and BoB Executive Vikramaditya Singh Khichi, in a meeting chaired by Lt Gen Harsha Gupta, Adjutant General Indian Army, said the Ministry of Defence in a statement

According to the statement, the MoU lays down the basis on which banking services would be provided by Bank of Baroda to serving and retired personnel of Indian Army.

Under the ‘Baroda Military Salary Package’, services will be offered Army personnel through the bank’s network of over 8,200 domestic branches and around 20,000 business correspondent touchpoints, it added.

The package also offers very attractive benefits including free personal accidental insurance cover, permanent total disability cover, partial disability cover and air accident insurance cover of sizeable amounts.

Also, higher education cover and girl child marriage cover on death in case of serving personnel.

Other offerings under the package include unlimited free ATM transactions at all bank ATMs, waivers or concessions on various service charges in retail loans, free remittance facility through RTGS/NEFT, free Demand Draft/Banker’s Cheque, substantial discount in locker rentals, and various additional benefits in usage of cards, the statement added.

-RJV

No one will be left behind due to one’s religion: PM at AMU centenary celebrations

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

New Delhi (NVI): The country is on the path where no citizen would be left behind because of their religion and everyone would get equal opportunities so that everyone can fulfil their dreams. Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas is the mantra behind it, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said.

Addressing the AMU on its centenary celebrations, PM Modi said, “The country is marching forward on the path where every citizen would get the benefits of development happening in the country without any discrimination.”

“The country is on the path where every citizen should be rest assured about their constitutional rights and their future,” he added.

The PM added, “In the last 100 years, AMU has also worked to strengthen India’s relations with many countries of the world. The research done here on Urdu, Arabic and Persian languages, research on Islamic literature, gives new energy to India’s cultural relations with the entire Islamic world.”

During his virtual address, he said the institution represents mini-India and has 100 glorious years of excellence in education.

“People tell me that the AMU campus is like a city in itself. We see a mini India among different departments, dozens of hostels, thousands of teachers and professors. The diversity which we see here is not only the strength of this university but also of the entire nation,” he said.

“History of education attached to AMU buildings is India’s valuable heritage. I often meet AMU alumni during my foreign visits, who very proudly say that they’ve studied from AMU,” he added.

The Prime Minister stated, “In its 100 years of history, AMU has crafted and polished millions of lives, giving them modern and scientific thinking and inspiring them to do something for the society and the nation.”

In addition to this, lauding the contributions of AMU in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic, the PM said the institution conducted free tests, made isolation wards and created plasma banks.

The PM also hailed the university’s contribution to the PM Cares Fund. “All this shows the seriousness of fulfilling your obligations towards society.”

Focusing on the state of education of Muslim girls, the PM said, “The school dropout rate among Muslim girls was more than 70 per cent and this situation persisted for 70 years. In these circumstances, the government started Swachh Bharat Mission, built toilets in villages and toilets for school-going girls. Now, this (dropout) rate has fallen to nearly 30 per cent.”

During the event, Modi released a postal stamp as part of the centenary celebrations of the University. AMU Chancellor Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin and Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank are also present at the event.

Notably, this is the first time in over five decades that a prime minister attended an AMU event.

-CHK

State-wise details of Covid-19 cases in India

COVID-19 states
(Representational/file photo)

New Delhi (NVI): The total number of coronavirus cases in India has crossed 1 crore-mark and currently stands at 10,075,116 after 19,556 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours, according to the Union Health Ministry data.

The country’s death toll stands at 1,46,111 after 301 new fatalities were reported during the same period.

In worst-hit Maharashtra, the COVID-19 cases increased to 18,99,352 followed by Karnataka with 9,10,241 cases, and Andhra Pradesh with 8,78,937 cases.

Total positive cases in States/UTs:

Andaman and Nicobar Islands- 4,888

Andhra Pradesh- 8,78,937

Arunachal Pradesh- 16,652

Assam- 2,15,510

Bihar- 2,46,568

Chandigarh- 19,128

Chhattisgarh- 2,68,477

Dadra and Nagar Haveli– 3,363

Delhi- 6,17,808

Gujarat- 2,36,259

Goa- 50,143

Haryana– 2,58,197

Himachal Pradesh- 52,623

Jammu and Kashmir- 1,18,495

Jharkhand- 1,13,198

Karnataka- 9,10,241

Kerala- 7,09,292

Ladakh- 9,286

Madhya Pradesh- 2,32,319

Maharashtra- 18,99,352

Manipur- 27,684

Meghalaya- 13,258

Mizoram- 4,133

Nagaland- 11,858

Odisha- 3,26,596

Puducherry- 37,762

Punjab- 1,63,378

Rajasthan- 2,98,996

Sikkim- 5,576

Tamil Nadu- 8,07,962

Telangana- 2,82,347

Tripura- 33,188

Uttarakhand- 86,765

Uttar Pradesh- 5,75,621

West Bengal – 5,38,343

State/UT wise total death toll:

Andaman and Nicobar Islands- 62

Andhra Pradesh- 7,078

Arunachal Pradesh- 56

Assam- 1,020

Bihar- 1,358

Chandigarh- 310

Chhattisgarh- 3,199

Dadra and Nagar Haveli- 2

Delhi- 10,304

Goa- 723

Gujarat- 4,241

Haryana- 2,832

Himachal Pradesh- 885

Jammu and Kashmir- 1,844

Jharkhand- 1,011

Karnataka- 12,016

Kerala- 2,843

Ladakh- 125

Madhya Pradesh- 3,490

Maharashtra- 48,801

Manipur- 337

Meghalaya- 134

Mizoram- 7

Nagaland- 73

Odisha- 1,839

Puducherry- 627

Punjab- 5,212

Rajasthan- 2,626

Sikkim- 124

Tamil Nadu- 11,995

Telangana- 1,518

Tripura- 380

Uttar Pradesh- 8,212

Uttarakhand- 1,426

West Bengal- 9,401

However, a total of 96,36,487 people have been cured and discharged. The total active cases stands at 2,92,518 in the country.

-CHK

PM expresses happiness over rise in India’s leopard population

PM expresses happiness over rise in India's leopard population
Prime Minister Narendra Modi (File photo)

New Delhi (NVI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi today expressed happiness over the increasing population of leopards in India, which improved to 12,852 in past four years.

PM Modi also congratulated all those who are working towards animal conservation in India, following the release of the “Status of Leopard in India” report.

Taking to Twitter, the Prime Minister wrote, “Great news! After lions and tigers, the leopard population increases. Congratulations to all those who are working towards animal conservation. We have to keep up these efforts.”

This comes after the Union Minister Prakash Javadekar released the “Status of Leopard in India 2018” report on Monday.

Javadekar also took to Twitter in this regard and wrote, “India now has 12,852 leopards. More than 60 per cent increase in population has been recorded over the previous estimate which was conducted in 2014.”

He released the report and said the increase in tiger, lion and leopard numbers over the last few years is a testimony to the conservation efforts and of the fledgling wildlife and biodiversity of the country, the Ministry of Environment said in a release.

According to the data, India’s world record tiger survey also estimated the population of leopards and the tiger range was found home to 12,852 leopards. They occur in prey rich protected areas as well as multi-use forests.

A total of 5,240 adult individual leopards were identified in a total of 51,337 leopard photographs using pattern recognition software. The statistical analysis estimates the leopard population at 12,800 leopards within the tiger’s range.

Notably, the states of Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra recorded the highest leopard estimates at 3,421, 1,783 and 1,690 respectively, the release added.

-RJV

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