NEW DELHI, Sept 14: Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) is set to run special trains for the devotees planning to visit the holy shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi in Jammu and Kashmir. It has announced the launch of ‘Navratri Special Tourist Train’ for Katra Mata Vaishno Devi. Two special AC trains will run under the Bharat Gaurav initiative which will be operated by IRCTC with effective from September 30. According to reports, Indian Railways has also made arrangements for the stay, food, and travel of devotees in this special tour package. (Agencies)

New Delhi, September 14: President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday said that the tragic road accident in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch was ‘deeply distressing’ and wished for the speedy recovery of the injured.
“The loss of lives in a tragic road accident in Sawjian, Poonch is deeply distressing. My thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery of the injured,” a tweet from Rashtrapati Bhavan stated

SRINAGAR, Sept 14: Police on Wednesday said that a notorious criminal was arrested with the assistance of UP police from UP, who was operating fake account in the name of IPS officer Tanu Shree.
Shopian Police on twitter wrote “Notorious criminal involved in operating fake Twitter handle in the name of Tanu Shree IPS SSP Shopian and demanding money and sharing objectionable updates on Twitter has been arrested from District Pratapgarh UP with the assistance of UP Police”.(Agencies)

On October 2, electric train will start moving on the 137 kms long Banihal-Baramulla corridor of Jammu and Kashmir rail link.

Indian Railway officials said that work on the project was going on since August 2019.

The mandatory principal chief electrical engineer (PCEE) inspection of the electric rail link will take place on September 26 and on Gandhi Jayanti, the project will be inaugurated, the railway officials said.

“Trials on Baramulla-Budgam part of the 137-Kms long electric train link have already been completed while the trial on the remaining Budgam-Banihal portion will be carried out on September 20”, sources said, adding that the project cost of the electric train link from Banihal to Baramulla is Rs 324 crore.

The electrification of the Banihal-Baramulla rail link will reduce air pollution and is expected to bring down the operational cost by 60 per cent.

The 75-day-long ongoing Coastal Clean Up Campaign received a huge boost as a number of Chief Ministers, Governors, Film and Sports personalities pledged their full support to the longest and largest beach cleaning campaign in the world titled “Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar”.
The information was given by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences Jitendra Singh today while addressing a press conference to brief the progress of the ongoing 75-day Coastal Clean-Up campaign launched on 5th July, 2022. Three days ahead of “International Coastal Clean-up Day” on 17th September 2022, massive people’s support is also pouring in for the campaign spearheaded by the Ministry of Earth Sciences and supported by other Ministries and Civil Society Groups in the country.
Minister informed that the campaign has entered the mode of the whole of Government approach plus the whole of country participation. A cleanathon, which was organised at Juhu Beach n Mumbai, saw a large number of participants.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed keeping India’s coasts clean as he praised the efforts of volunteers to remove garbage from the Juhu beach in Mumbai. Responding to a video posted by Dr Singh about the clean-up at the beach, PM Modi tweeted, “Commendable… I appreciate all those involved in this effort. India is blessed with a long and beautiful coastline and it is important we focus on keeping our coasts clean”.
Dr. Singh said that apart from the active cooperation of Ministries of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Jal Shakti, Health and Family Welfare, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, External Affairs, Information and Broadcasting, organisations and associations like National Service Scheme (NSS), Indian Coast Guard, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Seema Jagran Manch, SFD, Paryavaran Sanrakshan Gatividhi (PSG), along with other social organizations and educational institutions are participating in the clean-up campaign.
The MPs of coastal states also pledged full support to the first-of-its-kind and longest-running coastal clean-up campaign in the world and they also advised the Ministry of Earth Sciences to undertake a variety of activities by involving local NGOs, he added.
The Minister told the media persons to support this noble mission of achieving the target to remove 1,500 tonnes of garbage, mainly single-use plastic from the sea coasts on “International Coastal Clean-up Day” on 17th September 2022, which incidentally is also the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated as “Sewa Divas” in the country. He called upon all to join the massive clean-up drive on 17th September to be carried out at 75 beaches across the country with 75 volunteers for every kilometre of the coastline. He also added that this year’s event also coincides with the celebrations of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav in the 75th year of the country’s independence.
Dr Singh reiterated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken a lead in the cleanliness campaign and has motivated the entire nation to keep the 7,500 Kilometres long coastal line of India clean, safe and healthy for mankind.
It is notable that last month, Dr Jitendra Singh interacted with 46 Deputy Commissioners/District Magistrates from 9 Coastal States and reviewed the ongoing countrywide 75-day Coastal CleanUp campaign and asked them to assist in this mass campaign. He is also going to write to each of them to make the event on 17th September a memorable one. The Minister said, the District Collectors can create a sustainable campaign and truly build a crescendo by involving all sections of society as the “Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar” campaign is the longest and largest beach cleaning campaign in the world, which has already caught the imagination of the masses and nation.

Poonch: Chairing a high-level meeting to review the development projects and overall functioning of the district administration of Poonch district, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on his visit to Poonch on Tuesday directed the officials for speedy implementation of the schemes and execution of the projects.

An official spokesman in a statement issued here said that while taking stock of the implementation and progress of the development works and saturation of welfare schemes in the Poonch district, the LG instructed the authorities to work cohesively for ensuring the prompt delivery of public services, especially to the underprivileged, tribals, and those living in villages and border areas.

“People’s grievances should be addressed promptly by all the departments,” he directed the officials.

The LG reviewed the status of digitisation of land records, Amrit Sarovars, Jal Jeevan Mission, e-services, One District One Product, PM Kisan, power scenario, Mission Youth, entrepreneurship and employment generation programmes, and Block and Thana Diwas.

The LG directed the officials to lay a special emphasis on the education sector and dedicated efforts to increase enrolment in schools.

He stressed ensuring effective implementation of youth-oriented schemes and programmes and directed doubling the efforts for engaging youth in sports-related activities.

The LG also passed directions to organise debates, essay writing, and painting competitions on the theme of ‘truth and non-violence’ in educational institutions across the district in commemoration of the birth anniversaries of Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri.

Stressing on developing agriculture and allied sectors, he called for giving special focus on improving farmers’ income and strengthening Farmer Producer Organisations in the district.

Enquiring about the impact of lumpy skin disease in the district, the LG directed an extensive vaccination campaign.

Deputy Commissioner Poonch Inder Jeet gave a detailed PowerPoint presentation on the overall developmental scenario in the district.

He said that the district had taken up 1412 works under district capex and 80 percent of projects were expected to be completed by October 31.

DDC Chairperson Poonch Tazeem Akther; Chief Secretary Arun Kumar Mehta; Principal Secretary to LG Nitishwar Kumar; ADGP Jammu Mukesh Singh; Divisional Commissioner Jammu Ramesh Kumar and Secretary to the Government, Tribal Affairs Department Shahid Iqbal Choudhary also attended the meeting.

Jammu, Sep 14: The Meteorological (MeT) department on Wednesday said that sky in Jammu amd Kashmir would be clear, while pleasant, autumnal sunshine in the Valley will continue for the next 24 hours.

“Weather is likely to remain dry in Jammu and Kashmir during the next 24 hours. Pleasant autumn sunshine will continue in the Valley”, an official of the MeT department said.
Meanwhile, Srinagar recorded 14 degres Celsius, Pahalgam 9.2 and Gulmarg 7.5 degrees as the minimum temperature this morning.

Drass town in Ladakh had 4.8 degrees, Leh 7.2 and Kargil 15, while Jammu registered 24.5 degrees, Katra 22.8, Batote 17.2, Banihal 13.8 and Bhaderwah 15.8.

Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti accused the BJP of trying to divert people’s minds from unemployment and inflation to communally sensitive issues.

“The courts had ruled that 1947 status quo of religious places should be maintained. BJP has failed to eliminate unemployment, poverty and inflation. So, they want to distract people’s attention. Court’s ruling support this BJP narrative,” Mufti told ANI. Varanasi Court on Monday dismissed a plea of the Anjuman Islamia Masjid committee challenging the maintainability of the suit filed by five Hindu women seeking worshipping rights in the Gyanvapi mosque compound.

District Judge AK Vishvesh delivered the verdict in the Gyanvapi Shrinagar Gauri dispute case and posted the matter for further hearing on September 22. “The court rejected the Muslim side’s petition and said the suit is maintainable. The next hearing of the case is on September 22,” said Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, representing the Hindu side in the Gyanvapi mosque case.

“It’s a win for the Hindu community. The next hearing is on September 22. It’s a foundation stone for the Gyanvapi temple. Appeal to people to maintain peace,” said Sohan Lal Arya, petitioner in the Gyanvapi case.

The petition was filed by five women seeking permission for daily worship of Hindu deities whose idols are said to be located on an outer wall of the Gyanvapi mosque, which is located close to Kashi Vishwanath temple. Following this, a Varanasi court ordered the survey of the mosque complex.

Following this, a local Varanasi court ordered a videography survey of the complex in May. The survey work was completed on May 16 and the report was presented in the court on May 19. After the videography survey claims were made by the Hindu side that a structure, resembling a Shivling was found in the mosque complex but the Masjid committee contested that it was a fountain and not a Shivling.

The court rejected the Muslim party’s petition and said the suit is maintainable. The next hearing of the case is on September 22.