Demanding vaccine for all in the House, she said several sadhus or religious leaders in the country do not have ‘Aadhar Cards’ or smart phones as they are always moving from one place to another.

She also said that in first phase, people over 60 years have been vaccinated and in second phase persons above 45 years with co-morbidities are getting Covid shots.

Ms Chaturvedi urged that asthmatic people should also be vaccinated on priority basis as they are more prone to this deadly disease.

During ‘Zero Hour’, the BJP Member Haridwar Dube demanded that the Government encourage the tourism industry near around Agra.

He also said that many domestic and foreign tourists come to Agra to visit Tajmahal and and monuments of Mughal era. The other tourist and religious sites like Mathura, and Bharatpur bird sanctuary should also be developed with tourist facilities in these places, Mr Dube demanded.

He also mentioned that during the covid lockdown, many taxi drivers have been badly affected and have reached the stage of starvation.

(UNI)

Major Reshuffle In Police, 25 SSPs, SPs Transferred In J&K

Regional
Kashmir
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Asian Mail

March 19, 2021

Srinagar, March 19 : The Jammu and Kashmir government on Friday ordered transfer of 25 SSPs and SPs in Jammu and Kashmir with immediate effect.

According to Home Department’s order, a copy of which lies with GNS, Rayees Mohammad Bhat (IPS), AIG (P&T), PHQ has been transferred and posted as SSP Baramulla vice Abdul Qayoom.

Dr. Vinod Kumar (IPS), awaiting orders, has been posted as SSP Poonch Ramesh Kumar Angral.

Sandeep Choudhary (IPS), SP Anantnag has been transferred and posted as SSP Srinagar Mohd. Haseeb Mughal.

Chandan Kohli (IPS), SP Rajouri has been transferred and posted as SSP Jammu vice Shridhar Patil (IPS).

Dr. G.V. Sundeep Chakravarthy (IPS), SP Handwara has been transferred and posted as SP Kupwara vice Ambarkar Shriram Dinkar (IPS).

Sudhanshu Verma (IPS), SP Hazratbal, Srinagar has been transferred and posted as SP Sopore vice Javid Iqbal.

Sandeep Gupta (IPS), SP North, Srinagar has been transferred and posted as SP Handwara vice Dr. G.V. Sundeep Chakravarthy (IPS).

Sheema Nabi Qasba (IPS), SP East, Srinagar has been transferred and posted as SP Rajouri vice Chandan Kohli (IPS).

P.D. Nitya, IPS, SP North, Jammu has been transferred and posted as SP Ramban vice Haseeb ur-Rehman.

Tanushree (IPS) has been posted as SP East, Srinagar vice Ms. Sheema Nabi Qasba (IPS).

“Javid Iqbal Matoo, AIG (Buildings) PHQ shall hold the additional charge of the post of AIG (P&T) PHQ,” the order says.

Suhail Munawar Mir, SSP CID SB Kashmir has been transferred and posted as SP Ganderbal vice Khalil Ahmad Poswal.

Shailendra Singh, SSP Crime, Jammu has been transferred and posted as SP Reasi vice Rashmi Wazir.

Imtiyaz Hussain Mir, SSP Security, Kashmir has been transferred and posted as SP Anantnag vice Sandeep Choudhary (IPS).

Sheikh Zulfikar Azad, SP Security, J&K has been asked to hold the additional charge of SSP security Kashmir.

Tahir Saleem Khan, SP Awantipora has been transferred and posted as SP Budgam vice Amod Nagpure, (IPS).

Mohd. Zaid, CO IR-9th Bn has been transferred and posted as SP, Bandipora vice Rahul Malik (IPS).

Mohd. Yousuf, Addl SP, Kulgam has been transferred and posted as SP Awantipora vice Tahir Saleem Khan.

Ramesh Chander Kotwal, SP APCR Jammu has been transferred and posted as SP Kathua vice Shailendra Mishra (IPS).

Shafqat Hussain, SP Railways, Kashmir has been transferred and posted as SP, Kishtwar vice Harmeet Singh.

Paramvir Singh, awaiting orders, has been posted as Additional Secretary (Technical) on deputation to Road Safety Council vice R.K. Bhat, who has been asked, pending investigation in FIR registered against him, to remain attached in the Home Department.

Shahzad Ahmad Salaria, SP West, Srinagar has been transferred and posted as SP APCR, Jammu vice Ramesh Chander Kotwal.

Perbeet Singh, Addl. SP Anantnag has been transferred and posted as SP (West), Srinagar vice Shahzad Ahmad Salaria.

Mubasher Hussain, Addl. SP, Security Kashmir has been transferred and posted as SP (North), Srinagar vice Sandeep Gupta (IPS).

“Shailendra Mishra IPS, Rahul Malik, IPS, Shridhar Patil, PS, Ambarkar Shriram Dinkar, IPS, Amod Nagpure, IPS, Dr. Mohd. Haseeb Mughal, Haseeb ur-Rehman, Abdul Qayoom, Ms. Rashmi Wazir, Ramesh Kumar Angral, Harmeet Singh, Javid Iqbal and Khalil Ahmad Poswal shall report to the PHQ and await further posting orders,” the order reads, adding, “Irshad Hussain Rather, SO to DIG, CKR Srinagar is transferred and posted as SP Hazratbal Srinagar vice Sudhanshu Verma (IPS). (GNS)

Amazon announces 2nd edition of ‘Amazon Smbhav Awards’

India

Asian Mail

March 19, 2021

Mumbai, Mar 19 : Amazon India on Friday announced the launch of the 2nd edition of Amazon Smbhav Awards to celebrate the spirit of businesses, innovators and individuals who have excelled across sectors and have contributed to the development of the Small Business ecosystem in India.

Through these awards, Amazon aims to recognize businesses that have contributed towards building an AtmaNirbhar Bharat and are part of the pillars that are key to building a self-reliant India – SMB Digitization, Startup enablement, Innovation, Skilling & job creation & Exports.

Pranav Bhasin, Director, MSME & Selling Partner Experience, Amazon India said, ‘Innovation and entrepreneurship are key ingredients of building an AtmaNirbhar Bharat. It is this remarkable spirit and the ability to innovate which have helped the small businesses to put up a resilient fight and thrive during the last one year. India’s small businesses have shown the path and have created new benchmarks for others to follow and be inspired. Amazon Smbhav awards is our endeavor to celebrate this ecosystem, comprising of entrepreneurs, Karigars, and the local shops which will help in shaping the vision of self-reliant India.’

Registrations for the ‘Amazon Smbhav Awards’ have begun and will close on March 25, 2021. Shortlisting of applicants will begin on March 28, 2021 and the finalists will be announced in the 1st week of April.

Aspirants who have incorporated their business in India across sectors can apply or be nominated for Amazon

Smbhav Awards across 11different categories. The categories under which aspirants can apply are Small Businesses of the Year, Emerging Brand of the Year, Women entrepreneur of the Year, Karigar SMB of the Year, Handicraft enabler of the Year, Sustainable SMB of the Year, Global SMB of the Year, Innovator of the Year, Job creator of the Year, Smbhav Award and Digital Local shop of the Year. The winners across categories will be announced at Amazon Smbhav 2021 summit that will be hosted from April 15-18th, 2021.

Amazon Smbhav 2021 will bring together important industry and thought leaders for invigorating discussions on way ahead towards creating an AatmaNirbhar Bharat. Amazon Smbhav will be a four-day virtual summit hosted around the theme of ‘Unlocking Infinite Possibilities for Digital India’ across sectors like manufacturing, retail, logistics, content creators, start-ups, brands and entrepreneurs across India. Over 30,000 participants are expected to participate at Amazon Smbhav, learning about best practices and industry trends from over 70 speakers.

(UNI)

COVID-19 may evolve into seasonal disease if it persists longer: UN

India

Asian Mail

March 18, 2021

New Delhi, Mar 18 : Examination of potential meteorological and air quality influences on the spread of Covid-19 has suggested that Coronavirus may become a seasonal disease if it persists for many years, the United Nations said on Thursday.

A 16-member team set up by the UN World Meteorological Organization pointed out that respiratory viral infections are often seasonal, “in particular the autumn-winter peak for influenza and cold-causing coronaviruses in temperate climates.”

“This has fuelled expectations that, if it persists for many years, Covid-19 will prove to be a strongly seasonal disease,” it said in a statement, adding that modelling studies anticipate that transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19 disease, “may become seasonal overtime”.

Cautioning the governments against relaxing the pandemic related guidelines, the team noted that the spread of the illness is so far dependent on government interventions, which includes necessitating face masks, social distancing, and travel restrictions, rather than the weather.

The task team, therefore, insisted that weather and climate conditions alone should for now not be the trigger for loosening anti-Covid restrictions.

“At this stage, the evidence does not support the use of meteorological and air quality factors as a basis for governments to relax their interventions aimed at reducing transmission,” said task team co-chair Ben Zaitchik of the earth and planetary sciences department at The John Hopkins University in the United States.

He pointed out that during the first year of the pandemic, infections in some places rose in warm seasons, “and there is no evidence that this couldn’t happen again in the coming year”.

The experts, who focused only on outdoor meteorology and air quality conditions in the report, said laboratory studies had provided some evidence the virus survives longer in cold, dry weather and when there is low ultraviolet radiation.

But it remained unclear whether meteorological influences “have a meaningful influence on transmission rates under real-world conditions”.

They also highlighted that evidence around the impact of air quality on the virus remained “inconclusive”.

There was some preliminary evidence that poor air quality increases Covid-19 mortality rates, “but not that pollution directly impacts the airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2”.

(UNI)

Google, FB & You Tube need to pay for news content: Sushil Modi

India

Asian Mail

March 17, 2021

New Delhi, Mar 17 : BJP lawmaker Sushil Modi on Wednesday demanded that the Government enact a law to make the tech giants like Google, Facebook and You Tube pay to the Indian print and electronic media for using their news content.

“Media Houses makes heavy investment in gathering news, and they deliver credible information. Advertisement is their main revenue. But a large share of revenue is cornered by these tech giants now, and because of this, print media and TV channels are facing financial crisis,” Mr Modi said.

He further said that the we should follow the Australian model by which they compelled Google to pay for using content of news media, now France and other European countries are also making similar laws. Government should enact a law to compel Google to pay for news, he added.

(UNI)

Revoke sand extraction contract order within 7 days or face ‘agitation’: Apni Party chief Altaf Bukhari to J&K Admin

Regional
Kashmir
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Asian Mail

March 17, 2021

Srinagar, Mar 17 : Expressing serious concern over the shortage of construction material in J&K which has pushed almost 5 lakh people on the verge of starvation, J&K Apni Party chief Syed Muhammad Altaf Bukhari Wednesday urged the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to roll back the sand extraction order and give contracts of extraction and other construction material to J&K domiciles so that they could survive.

Bukhari, however, said if the UT government fails to revoke the sand extraction contract order within seven days, Apni Party leaders will hit streets along with the stakeholders.

Addressing a press conference at party office in Srinagar, Bukhari as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said that it is the prime duty of the Apni Party to rake up the issues linked with the common man. “Today, we are taking up the burning issue of shortage of construction material including sand and Bajri.

The reason is that under the garb of Supreme Court order has given the contract to outsiders, rather big crocodiles,” Bukhari said, adding that it is irony to see that sand tipper that would normally be sold at Rs 4000 or Rs 6000 to a common man is being sold at Rs 18000, that too illegally.

He said that one upon a time there were easement rights for the natives of J&K UT which seem to have blown with the dust. “We urge the government to restore the rights for the J&K citizens so that they continue their livelihood. With the illegal sand extraction and selling of other construction material, 5 lakh people associated with the business across the UT are on the verge of starvation. Today, we urge the government to roll back the sand extraction contract order within seven days or face agitation,” Bukhari said.

He said the Apni Party has a commitment to raise the issues confronting the common man. “While other parties are preferring silence, we can’t sit idle,” said Bukhari, who was flanked with senior party leaders including Muhammad Ashraf Mir, Ghulam Hassan Mir, Rafi Ahmed Mir and others—(KNO)

UN Special Envoy of Secretary-General for Myanmar criticizes bloodshed in the country

World

Asian Mail

March 15, 2021

United Nations, Mar 15 : The Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Myanmar Christine Schraner Burgener has strongly condemned the killing of people in the country and urged the
international community to stand in solidarity with the people of Myanmar and their democratic aspirations.
She condemns the continuing bloodshed in the country as the military defies international calls, including from the Security Council, for restraint, dialogue and full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, according to the statement issued on Sunday.
The Special Envoy has personally heard from contacts in Myanmar heartbreaking accounts of killings, mistreatment of demonstrators and torture of prisoners over the weekend. The ongoing brutality, including against medical personnel and destruction of public infrastructure, severely undermines any prospects for peace and stability. The international community, including regional actors, must come together in solidarity with the people of Myanmar and their democratic aspirations, it added.
The Special Envoy remains in close contact with regional leaders and Security Council members and relies on their continued support towards her efforts to calm the situation, it concluded.
Late Sunday, Myanmar’s Junta imposed martial law in parts of the capital Yangon after clashes were reported between soldiers and protesters, resulting in the deaths of the demonstrators.
At least 38 protesters were killed and 80 others wounded on Sunday as security forces cracked down on unceasing anti-coup demonstrations, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) said.
The death toll in Myanmar’s protests has thus grown to 126 people since the start of unrest in early February, AAPP furher added. AAPP is an independent group tracking the deaths of the violence.
On February 1, Myanmar’s military staged a coup against the State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint’s government, citing fraud in last year’s polls.

DDC delegates meet Lt Governor

Regional
Jammu
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Asian Mail

March 13, 2021

Lt Governor assures full support for strong Three-Tier Panchayati Raj System in J&K

All issues of DDCs resolved amicably

Jammu, March 12: District Development Council delegates today met the Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha here at Raj Bhavan.

The interaction was held in a pleasant and amicable atmosphere.

Reiterating J&K Government’s commitment to safeguarding the interests of DDC representatives, the Lt Governor observed that the three-tier Panchayati Raj system was established to empower the grass-root democracy.

Now, the true democracy is flourishing in the UT, which is not merely about governance but feeling of fraternity, brotherhood, and attitude of respect and reverence towards each other. We have to work together to meet the developmental aspirations of the people. The administration will ensure the three-tier Panchayati Raj system is strengthened in the UT, the Lt Governor told the DDC members.

The delegation comprised of DDC Chairpersons, Vice-Chairpersons, and members including Sh. Bharat Bhushan, Sh. Saraf Singh Nag, Sh. Bari Andrabi, Sh. Irfan Panditpuri, Ms. Nuzhat Ishfaq, Ms. Tazeem Akhter, Sh. Malik Aftab, Ms. Juhi Manhas, Dr. Shamshad Shah, Sh. TS Tony, Sh. Shahnawaz, Sh. Suleman Mir, and Sh. Riyaz Bhat, who met the Lt Governor.

Sh. BVR Subrahmanyam, Chief Secretary; Sh. Rohit Kansal, Principal Secretary, PDD and Information Department, and Ms. Sheetal Nanda, Secretary to the Government, Department of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj were also present during the interaction.

Mehraj-e-Alam: Thousands converge at Hazratbal shrine to have glimpse of Holy Relic

Regional
Kashmir
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Asian Mail

March 12, 2021

12march2021srn4 — SRINAGAR, MAR 12 (UNI) Devotees having glimpse of holy relic of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) at Hazratbal Shrine on the occasion of Mehraj-un-Nabi celebrated with religious fervor and gaiety in the Kashmir valley on Friday. UNI SRN PHOTO 4.

Srinagar, Mar 12 : Amid COVID-19 pandemic and inclement weather conditions, Shab-e-Mehraj, the night of ascent when the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) ascended to the highest levels of heavens, was on Friday observed with religious fervor across Jammu and Kashmir.

Notably, Muslims every year observe the Shab-e-Mehraj on 27th of Rajab (Islamic calendar), the night the Holy Prophet (SAW) embarked on a special journey to meet Allah Almighty, crossing seven skies riding the heavenly ‘al-Buraq’.

The word ‘Mehraj’ is derived from Arabic word Urooj, which means height, or ascension. During Mehraj, the command for five daily prayers (Salaat) was also given to the Holy Prophet (SAW).

Thousands of devotees from the different parts of the Valley thronged Dargah Hazratbal shrine, housing the relic of the Prophet (SAW). However, unlike previous years, no night long prayers were held at Dargah Hazratbal shrine and at the historic Jamia Masjid.

Nonetheless, the devotees offered mandatory Friday congregational prayers at Hazratbal shrine and had a glimpse of the holy relic after all the prayers today.

Emotional scenes were witnessed at Hazratbal shrine when the holy relic was displayed after every prayer especially after the Friday congregational prayers during which they raised their hands for prayer.

Special prayers were held at almost all the shrines and local Masjids here in Kashmir where the religious clerics highlighted the importance of the night and its blessings. The teachings and aspects of the life of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) were also highlighted during the Friday sermons and Ijtimas.

Officials told KNO that it was expected that a huge gathering will be witnessed at Hazratbal shrine, but the congregation in view of the inclement weather conditions remained low. A shrine management official said that they tried their level best to facilitate the devotees amid incessant rains. “Thousands reached the shrine and had the glimpse of holy relic. The holy relic was displayed after every prayer of the day. It will be displayed for devotees tomorrow also (March 13) after every prayer,” he said.

Meanwhile, the traffic department had made arrangements for the smooth passage of the vehicular movement in view of the Shab-e-Mehraj. The department had also issued traffic advisory for smooth passage of the traffic.

The district administration besides appealing for following Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), had made special arrangements for the devotees