Bengaluru, Jan 14 (PTI) The Indian women’s hockey team would look to start the year on a positive note when it tours South Africa for a seven-match series, starting against the hosts on January 16.
India are scheduled to play four matches against South Africa in Cape Town before facing world no.1 Netherlands in three games, starting January 23.
“We are grateful to Hockey India for planning good amount of exposure matches for us in the annual calendar, particularly in a year where we are focused on preparing well for the Asian Games and earning direct qualification for the Paris Olympics,” India captain Savita said.
Savita feels the tour will help the side identify its grey areas and work upon those ahead of this year’s Asian Games.
“These matches against South Africa and the world no.1 side Netherlands will help us raise the level of our game and also at the same time identify the areas we are lacking in. We are well-prepared for this tour following a good two-week camp in Bangalore.
“The players are high on confidence after a good year of hockey in 2022 and we are looking forward to start the season on a good note,” said Savita, who led the team to a historic bronze medal feat at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
Indian women’s hockey team looks to start season on high with tour of South Africa
Congress MP Dies Of Heart Attack During Bharat Jodo Yatra
Ludhiana: Congress MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary died of a heart attack during Bharat Jodo Yatra in Punjab this morning. He was 76.
Santokh Singh Chaudhary, the party’s MP from Jalandhar, collapsed during the foot march in Punjab’s Phillaur. He was taken to a hospital in Phagwara in an ambulance, where he died later.
Rahul Gandhi, who was leading the yatra, left the march midway and rushed to the hospital where the veteran Congress leader had been taken, a party leader said. He is likely to meet Mr Chaudhary’s family at his home in Jalandhar later today. The yatra has been suspended for now.
The Punjab leg of the Congress’ mega foot march began on Wednesday from Fatehgarh Sahib. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said Mr Chaudhary’s death is a “great blow to the party and organisation”.
“Deeply shocked and saddened to learn about the untimely passing away of our MP, Shri Santokh Singh Chaudhary. His loss is a great blow to the party and organisation. In this hour of grief, my heart goes out to his family, friends and followers. May his soul rest in peace,” he tweeted.
DEEPLY SHOCKED AND SADDENED TO LEARN ABOUT THE UNTIMELY PASSING AWAY OF OUR MP, SHRI SANTOKH SINGH CHAUDHARY.HIS LOSS IS A GREAT BLOW TO THE PARTY AND ORGANISATION.IN THIS HOUR OF GRIEF, MY HEART GOES OUT TO HIS FAMILY, FRIENDS AND FOLLOWERS.MAY HIS SOUL REST IN PEACE.
Makar Sankranti: Devotees take holy dip in Ganga in Varanasi
On the occasion of Makar Sankranti on Saturday, thousands of devotees took the holy dip in river Ganga in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
As devotees flocked to the river for the holy dip on the occasion of the harvest festival, a huge crowd was seen on the Varanasi ghats queuing up to offer prayers to the sun god.
To ensure that the tourists take the holy dip safely, bath kunds have been developed on floating jetties. Handicraft, ODOP, GI.
Product stalls have been integrated with the tent city which will act as a sustainable economic platform for the local population.
Makar Sankranti is a festival in the Hindu calendar, in which devotees make offerings to the deity Surya. The day marks the first day of the sun’s transit into the Makara, marking the end of the month with the winter solstice and the start of longer days.
Makar Sankranti, which is one of the most auspicious times in the year that marks the transition of the Sun from Dakshinayan to Uttarayan.
Observed on January 14 every year, the festival is known by various names in different parts of the country such as Pongal, Bihu and Maghi. Devotees in several parts of the country performed rituals at different ghats.
Several Hindu devotees and Naga Sadhus from different parts of the country gathered at Kolkata’s Babu Ghat to take a holy dip during Gangasagar Mela on the occasion of Makar Sankranti.
Jammu-Srinagar highway remains blocked for 2nd day
Jammu, Jan 14: The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway remained blocked for a second day on Saturday due to snow accumulation in Banihal and shooting stones and mudslides at Ramban and Panthiyal, officials said.
Many vehicles, mostly trucks, have been stranded on the highway after it was closed on Friday due to rain and snow.
The highway is the lifeline of Kashmir and the main road link connecting the landlocked valley with the rest of the country.
Kashmir-bound trucks carrying essential supplies and other vehicles pass through the highway, while fruit-carrying trucks from the valley head to the rest of the country through this road.
Avalanche Warning Issued For 10 Districts In Jammu And Kashmir
Srinagar: Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir today issued an avalanche warning for 10 districts which have witnessed moderate to heavy snowfall over the past 48 hours.
The State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) issued a ‘high danger’ avalanche warning for Bandipora and Kupwara districts of north Kashmir and a ‘medium danger’ warning for Baramulla and Ganderbal districts.
“Avalanche with high danger level is likely to occur above 2,000 metres of Bandipora and Kupwara districts in the next 24 hours.
“Avalanche with medium danger level is likely to occur above 2,000 metres of Baramulla and Ganderbal districts in the next 24 hours,” SDMA officials said.
They said avalanches with low danger level are likely to occur in areas 2,000 metres above sea level in Anantnag, Doda, Kishtwar, Kulgam, Poonch and Ramban.
People living in these areas are advised to take precautions and avoid avalanche-prone areas, the officials said.
Two labourers from Kishtwar died on Thursday when an avalanche hit the work site of a construction company in Ganderbal district’s Sonmarg.
The higher reaches of Kashmir have been receiving moderate to heavy snowfall for the past 48 hours. Snowfall started in the plains of the Valley on Friday morning.
India Sees 174 New Covid Cases In 24 Hours
New Delhi: India reported 174 new coronavirus infections in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases to 4,46,80,583.
The country’s active caseload has now declined to 2,257.
India also recorded 5,30,725 Covid deaths so far, with one in Kerala and one in Maharashtra in the past 24 hours.
Snow, rains drench Kashmir, Jammu
Srinagar, Jan 14: Kashmir and parts of Jammu division witnessed snowfall since Friday morning, affecting normal life even as the Meteorological Department predicted dry weather for next four days.
The precipitation and subsequent poor visibility led to cancellation of all flights at the Srinagar International Airport while Mughal Road and other roads leading to border towns remained closed for vehicular traffic.
The snowfall for third consecutive day started early Friday morning at most places in J&K and continued throughout the day intermittently.
MeT officials here said that snowfall started at most places including Srinagar, Ganderbal, Budgam, Bandipora, Baramulla, Kupwara, Pulwama, Shopian, Anantnag, and Kulgam in Kashmir as well as Banihal and Baderwah area of Jammu division Friday morning.
They said it was raining at most places in Jammu including the city since morning.
The MeT officials said that till 2:30 pm, Srinagar received 2 cm, Pahalgam 28 cm, Kokernag 23 cm, Qazigund 10 cm, Kupwara 5 cm, and Gulmarg received 6 cm of snowfall in the 24 hours till 8:30 am on Friday.
They said Qazigund received 3 cm, Pahalgam 3.5 cm, and Kupwara 5 cm of snowfall during this time.
The MeT officials said Bhaderwah received 2 cm rain, Batote 2.7 cm, Jammu 5.6 mm, and Katra 19 mm.
They said that it was likely to stop gradually in plains shortly whereas it may continue over the higher reaches.
“Heavy snow is not expected in the plains,” the MeT officials said.
They said that mainly dry weather is expected from January 14 to 18.
“From January 19 to 20, a fresh Western Disturbance (WD) is likely to affect J&K and adjoining areas. From January 19 to 20, a fresh WD is likely to affect J&K and the adjoining areas,” the MeT officials said.
Delhi’s air quality continues to be “very poor”
The air quality in Delhi continued to be in the “very poor” category with the overall air quality index (AQI) at 337 on Saturday morning.
According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) data, the AQI in the Delhi University area was recorded at 357 while in Pusa, the AQI was 329. The AQI around Delhi airport was 326. In the area around IIT Delhi, the AQI was 337. In Mathura Road, the AQI was recorded at 349 and the Lodhi Road area recorded AQI at 327.
With a cold wave gripping the national capital, the city recorded a temperature of 11.6 degrees Celcius on Saturday morning.
According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), the humidity was recorded at 97 per cent while the Southwesterly wind was breezing at 11.1 km/hour.
Cold wave conditions are likely to re-emerge over North-West India and peak around January 15-16 with minimum temperatures expected to dip, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD).
On January 15, the IMD expects dense to very dense fog likely in some parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi; in isolated pockets over Uttar Pradesh. Dense fog in isolated pockets over Jammu division, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, north Madhya Pradesh and Bihar is also expected with cold day conditions likely in isolated pockets over Uttar Pradesh on January 15.
NDPI urges LG administration to release salaries, regularize services of daily wagers in J&K UT
National Democratic Party Indian (NDPI) president Rajesh Gupta has demanded release of salaries to all employees including adhoc, daily wagers and all other temporary employees of Jammu and Kashmir UT.
In a statement, he said that a large number of adhoc, daily wagers and temporary/need base employees are without salaries thus it would be great injustice if their pending salaries which is a meagre amount is not paid. He urged administration to release their pay.
NDPI Chief expressed hope that J&K government will accede to this genuine and justified demand. Gupta said, “Every month they are made to beg for the release of their own salaries, wages. They are subjected to mental torture as their whole family suffers due to the delay in release of their salary, wages,” he said and added that these people do a lot of hard work without any returns.
NDPI leader urged upon the Lt Governor to release the payment of contractors, teachers and wages of these labourers. He urged upon the administrations to ensure that the people do not face any inconvenience on account of security, traffic management, other basic amenities.
He said that all the concerned departments should work in close coordination and proper measures should be put in place to ensure availability of essentials on reasonable rates in all the areas.
Rajesh Gupta appealed Lt Governor Manoj Sinha to regularize the services of all daily wagers and casual labourers working in different departments in J&K.
Member of Dogra Sadar Sabha assembled in DSS Bhawan Dogra Hall Jammu to celebrate Lohri festival
Member of Dogra Sadar Sabha and All Jammu Civil Society forum including senior citizens dressed up in their traditional attire assembled in DSS Bhawan Dogra Hall Jammu to celebrate Lohri festival and greet each other with affectionate hugs marking the traditional inter-community brotherhood.
The folk core of “Dulla Bhatti” relating the festival how a muslim elder protected hindu girls sundari, Mundari as his own daughters was repeated as reminder to the younger generation, in a climate where the nation is struggling with menace of atrocities on women by anti-social elements.
Th. Gulchain Singh Charak, former Minister and President of Dogra Sadar Sabha J&K (DSS) speaking on the occasion congratulated the members and exhorted all the people of this Duggar region to uphold these pious traditions and unite for noble cause and Dogriyat that impress upon communal harmony
and brotherhood. He further said that all festivals in our country of huge diversities are related to seasons and agriculture and are celebrated together jointly by all communites irrespective of caste, creed or colour.
All the participants joined the celebration around the bonfire and shared traditional Moongphali, Gazak & Rewari and jointly resolved to uphold the “Dulla Bhatti “ example and be vigilant for protection of women talk and young girls in the society.
Prominent among those who participated in the celebrations were Prem Sagar Gupta, Gambir Dev Singh, Syed Amanat Ali Shah, Ravi Singh Salathia , Rajinder Gupta, Pawan Sharma, Ishan Gupta, Amit Pathania, Manish Pathania , Vidiya Sagar, Gurmeet Singh and others.