Doda, Feb 4: A team of scientists from the Geological Survey of India (GSI) reached Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda on Saturday to analyse the Joshimath-like situation in the district as nearly two dozen structures reported subsidence.
One of affected structures collapsed on Friday.
After Uttarakhand’s Joshimath, cracks appealed on the walls of some houses in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda, prompting administration to evacuate and shift families to safe location.
According to locals, cracks have appeared on as many as 21 structures. “21 structures were affected yesterday. Zone of influence is limited to the same, as observed today morning,” SDM Amin Zargar said.
The SDM further informed that the situation was under control and that the Geological Survey of India shall submit a report to the government after the completion of its study.
“The situation is being regularly monitored by Dy Commissioner of Doda and his senior officers. Situation is under control. Government sent a team from the Geological Survey of India and they are conducting their studies. They will submit their report to the government. The people have vacated the area,” he said.
According to officials, cracks had started appearing in a house in December last year and have now started to aggravate.
“Cracks were reported in a house in December in the Doda district. Till yesterday, six buildings developed cracks, but now these cracks have started to increase and the area can be seen sinking as several structures in the area have developed cracks,” Athar Amin Zargar said on Friday.
Meanwhile, the locals expressed their apprehensions and demanded an appropriate shelter to keep themselves and their children safe.
“We are very much scared to stay here. We cannot even sit inside our home because the entire area has developed cracks. We seek an appropriate place to stay and provide protection to the children,” said a local. (Agencies)
Zone of influence limited to area: Jammu official on cracks in Doda houses
J-K: LG Sinha welcomes Union Minister Anurag Thakur for Khelo India Winter Games
Jammu, February 4: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday welcomed Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur at Raj Bhawan for the Khelo India Winter Games mascot, theme song, and jersey launch.
Notably, the mascot, theme song and jersey launch of the third edition of Khelo India Winter took place on Saturday at the Lieutenant Governor’s House Raj Bhavan in Jammu. The Winter Games are scheduled to be held from the 10th to the 14th of this month.
“Today welcomed Hon’ble Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Anurag Singh Thakur Ji @ianuragthakur at the Raj Bhawan,” LG Manoj Sinha in a tweet.
The Khelo India Winter Games is supported by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and is organized by the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council as well as the Winter Games Association of Jammu & Kashmir.
Approximately 1500 athletes across the country will participate in the games that will take place in Gulmarg and will be played across nine sports events. The first edition of the Khelo India Winter Games took place in 2020 and hosts Jammu and Kashmir have come on top in both editions of the games so far. (ANI)
Narendra Modi emerges most popular global leader in US firm survey
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been pegged as the world’s most popular leader with an approval rating of 78 per cent as per a survey by a US-based consulting firm ‘Morning Consult.’
As per the rating PM Modi’s ratings trump those of other leaders including US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The poll surveyed 22 global leaders for the ratings. The “Global Leader Approval” survey is based on data collected from January 26-31 this year, said the Political Intelligence research firm which collated a seven-day moving average of adult residents in each country, with sample sizes varying by country.
PM Modi garnered 78 per cent of approval ratings, way ahead of US President Joe Biden, who received 40 per cent ratings. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez.
Obrador, came in second with 68 per cent ratings and Swiss President Alain Berset occupied the third position with 62 per cent approval rating.
The year 2022 has been a phenomenal year in the history of India’s foreign policy, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi whose advice “this is not an era of war” to Russian President Vladimir Putin found an echo across the world.
The Russia-Ukraine war has put the world on the brink of World War III, with every country choosing sides. However, PM Modi put his faith in United Nations and chose the side of peace, asking both countries to solve the problem through “dialogue and diplomacy.”
In September, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit, PM Modi said, “now is not the time for war” — a statement welcomed by the US and other Western countries.
India’s strategy in a multipolar world appears to be avoiding great-power competition and forging its own, nonaligned path.
According to the data shared on the the US-tracking firm’s website, 78 per cent of people approve of PM Modi while 18 per cent disapprove of him. PM Modi’s approval rating has recently increased, standing at 79 per cent in the third week of January.
The list is updated regularly with US President Joe Biden currently ranking number seven. Out of the 22 countries, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, South Korean President Yoon Seok-youl and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida ranked among the last three in the list.
The newly elected far-right leader Giorgia Meloni of Italy, the first female Prime Minister of the country is placed in 6th place with 52 per cent ratings.
The survey also featured Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in 4th place with a 58 per cent approval rating.
Brazil’s newly elected President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was placed at number 5 with 50 per cent ratings, the Canadian Prime Minister was at number 9th position with 40 per cent approvals and UK’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was in 12th position with 30 per cent approvals.
GST council to meet on February 18
The 49th meeting of the GST Council is scheduled to be held in New Delhi on February 18, 2023, according to a tweet posted by the council.
The GST Council meeting will be chaired by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The 49th GST Council meeting is likely to take up issues relating to taxation on ‘pan masala’ and ‘gutka’ companies, setting up of appellate tribunals, and GST levy on online gaming, casino, and horse racing.
The 48th Meeting of the GST Council was held on December 17, 2022, through video conference, under the chairpersonship of the Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
It introduced several recommendations related to GST tax rate changes, trade facilitation measures, and measures for streamlining compliance with goods and services tax (GST).
UKPSC Paper Leak: 9 booked in Uttarakhand recruitment exam paper leak case
In Uttarakhand Public Service Commission’s Junior Engineer and Assistant Engineer exam paper leak case, a case has been registered against nine people including two section officers of the Commission. After SIT investigation, this case has been registered at the Kankhal police station in Haridwar on the instructions of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. Out of the nine accused, six people including a section officer of the Commission and his wife are already in jail in connection with the Accountant Recruitment Examination case.
The Chief Minister said that those who make irregularities in recruitment will not be spared. Mr Dhami said that on receiving complaints in the JEE AEE examinations, orders for an immediate inquiry were given. He said strict action will be taken against whoever is found involved in these. In the past too those involved in irregularities in various recruitments have been sent to jail. Shri Dhami said, such a system is being made so that the examinations are conducted in a transparent manner. He added that a strict anti-copying law is being brought.
Body of Shopian woman who jumped into Jhelum in Srinagar recovered
News agency Kashmir Dot Com (KDC) reported that following the incident, a rescue team immediately rushed to the spot and launched searches. Later a team of river police and SDRF jointly recovered the body.
A river police officer identified the body as Marifa Jan (25) wife of Amir Ahmad Hajam, a resident of Nayad Gund Shopian.
Meanwhile, police have taken cognizance of the incident and further investigation is going on.
Dr. Jindal of SMVDU Delivers a Talk on ‘Geopolymer Concrete’ (GCEON-2023) at CSIR Chennai
Dr. Bharat Bhushan Jindal, Faculty, School of Civil Engineering, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, Katra, delivered an invited lecture on “Geopolymer Concrete utilizing Industrial Waste and Recycled Aggregates for Environmental friendly construction” in the online advanced course on “Geopolymer Concrete” (GCEON-2023) held on 2nd and 3rd February 2023 at CSIR- Structural Engineering Research Centre, CSIR Campus, Chennai. Dr. Jindal discussed the effects of the ever-increasing population which results in increased demand for infrastructure development and impacts the manufacturing of cement at a gigantic scale.
The issue and concern of global warming due to the increased greenhouse gases in the environment because of the cement manufacturing process was shared with researchers across India. Dr. Jindal also emphasized the issue of various agricultural and industrial waste materials and demolition wastes and their utilization in the development of Geopolymer Concrete which is expected to replace conventional cement concrete in the future. The lecture was well-received by participants and research aspirants. Research scholars and budding civil engineers were made aware of the significance and scope of research in geopolymer concrete.
Jammu & Kashmir snowfall update: Another avalanche hits Afarwat, none hurt
Srinagar, Feb 4: Two days after two polish skiers were killed and 21 people including 19 foreigners were rescued, a fresh avalanche occurred in Affarwat Gulmarg on Saturday morning. So far, police said, there are no reports of any loss.
“Area has already been notified as a Red Zone and is restricted for any movement,” a police spokesperson said in a tweet. “Tourists are once again advised not to venture and cooperate with Police,” he added.
Quoting sources, GNS reported that details are being collected if there was any person at the spot when the avalanche struck the area. Initial details, they said, suggest that there was no one at the spot when the incident happened.
On February 1, a massive avalanche hit the upper reaches of the famous ski resort, leading to the death of two Polish skiers and trapping 21 other people including 19 foreigners and two local guides who were rescued from the slopes that had been declared a “no go zone”.
Anurag Thakur to attend Khelo India Winter Games mascot, theme song, jersey launch in Jammu
Jammu, February 4: Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur launched the Mascot, Theme song and Jersey for the 3rd edition of Khelo India Winter Games in Jammu today. The Winter Games are scheduled to be held from the 10th to the 14th of this month.
Honourable Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur will be present alongside the Honourable LG of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha and other dignitaries. The Khelo India Winter Games is supported by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and is organized by the Jammu & Kashmir Sports Council as well as the Winter Games Association of Jammu & Kashmir.
Maha Four held for illegal storage of hazardous chemicals
Thane, Feb 4 (PTI) Police have arrested four persons from Bhiwandi in Maharashtra’s Thane district for allegedly storing hazardous chemicals worth nearly Rs 44 lakh without permission, an official said on Saturday.
The arrest was made following a raid conducted on February 1, he said.
“During the raid conducted at a godown at Purna locality in Bhiwandi, the police team found hazardous chemicals stored and there were some tankers parked nearby,” the official of Narpoli police station said.
Offences were registered against five persons, and four of them, including workers and tanker drivers, were arrested, he said.
The owner of the godown is on the run, the police said.
The value of the chemicals found stored at the godown and tankers is Rs 43.63 lakh, they said.
The accused were booked under the Environment (Protection) Act and the Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemical Rules, the police said.