SRINAGAR, Nov 25: In view of the increasing cold conditions and freezing temperatures prevailing in the valley, the Director of School Education Kashmir (DSEK) has proposed the the Government to announce winter vacation for all educational institutions beginning from December 1.
Director School Education Kashmir in a letter has proposed to the Principal Secretary Government of Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory that the health of children is our primary concern and it is proven that the children are more prone to heat loss in cold climates. Children exposed to extreme cold for too long can get frostbite or even life threatening hypothermia.
The children are also at an increased risk of exercise induced asthma and cold exposure can cause specific acute and chronic physiological responses, the letter said.
It said that acute physiological responses including shivering can reduce heat loss and increase heat production.
In view of increased cold weather conditions and sub zero temperature in Kashmir division which adversely affects schooling, in such circumstances it is proposed that winter vacations for the upcoming winter may announce, the letter further said.
It has proposed that upto 5th standard the winter vacation may announce from December 1, 2022 to February 28th 2023, upto 8th standard from December 5 and upto 10th standard from December 10, 2022 to February 28, 2023 respectively.
Kashmir valley continues to experience cold conditions with the minimum temperatures recorded below freezing point all across on Thursday disrupting normal activities. (AGENCIES)
DSEK proposes winter vacations for schools in phased manner from Dec 1
Tunnels across major passes in Ladakh in offing; to cost Rs 5,000 cr
Leh, Nov 24: The Ladakh administration is planning to build tunnels at cost of Rs 5,000 crores across major passes in the union territory to improve internal connectivity, and has hired consultants for the mega task, a senior official said on Thursday.
Situated at an average altitude of over 11,000 feet, Ladakh, which literally means ‘land of high passes’ is a place like no other. The passes offer breath-taking views and gateway to beautiful valleys nestled in the Himalayas.
The Ladakh’s famous Khardung-La pass is also known as the highest motorable road in the world, and the tourists need to pass through it while going to Nubra Valley.
“The government of Ladakh is contemplating to build tunnels across major passes to improve internal connectivity in the union territory,” Commissioner-Secretary, Ladakh Public Works Department (PWD) Ajeet Kumar Sahu said.
He said that the consultants have been hired to prepare detailed project reports (DPRs) of tunnels across Khardung La, Fotu La, Namika La, and Key-La passes.
An all-weather tunnel enhances connectivity between valleys for facilitating the movement of the military, civilians, and tourists in the region, he said.
The tunnel on Key-La pass will be alternative path to dangerous Changla pass, which will make travel to world famous Pangong lake easy and shorten it by one-and-half-hours, the Commissioner-Secretary said.
The survey and feasibility study is being conducted by Rail India Technical and Economic Services (RITES), which has been assigned to prepare DPRs of the tunnels, he said.
“The construction of these tunnels will lead to faster, safer, and smoother movement of internal traffic resulting in the all-around economic development of Ladakh”, Sahu said.
The proposed 5.5 kilometre long Khardung-La tunnel, will also help increase the safety of travellers due to bypassing of areas prone to landslide and avalanche, Sahu said.
Besides, it would also protect the Khardung glacier, which is a major source of water for Leh town, from receding due to the increase in heat emitted by automotive vehicular movement, the official said.
The consultant agency for the project shared that the proposed bypass tunnels at the Fotu La and Namika La passes will reduce the travel distance from Kargil to Leh by around an hour besides providing safety in traffic movement due to the accumulation of snow and icing on road during winters, he said.
“The expected increase of traffic in winter after the opening of the Zojila tunnel also necessitates the construction of these tunnels as it serves as a strategic route for logistic supply to Ladakh. These tunnels are expected to boost local business activities, employment opportunities, and tourism in the region”, Sahu said.
As per the RITES, preliminary survey and testing on all locations have been done and certain options have been worked out on the tunnel alignments, he said.
“Those are being examined technically as well as through a cost-benefit analysis. Some pending testing would be done in the next working season to clearly assess the geological formation of these passes,”the Commissioner said.
Sahu has asked the RITES to send the initial report before December 31 so that required approvals are obtained in advance. (AGENCIES)
Workshop on “ON FARM MULBERRY CULTIVATION PRACTICES” concluded at Poonch Campus
Poonch November 24 : The two days Workshop on “ON FARM MULBERRY CULTIVATION PRACTICES” concluded at Poonch Campus.
Prof. Dipankar Sengupta, Director Poonch Campus in his address thanked the local administration for their support and cooperation in making this event a successful one, and also congratulated all the staff and students for participating in the event.
Prof. Dipankar Sengupta thanked all the faculty members of the Department of Sericulture, organisers, Special Invitees, Chief Guests, Convener, Teaching and Non-Teaching Staff and Students of Poonch Campus and students of other educational institutions.
Dr. Jyoty Angotra, Lecturer, SKCGDC, Poonch, presented a detailed speech as a feedback note on the workshop and congratulated all the staff, organisers and participants for the huge success of the workshop.
On day second, the first session started with the lecture on Mulberry plant and its commercial utilization by Ms. Sumya Kapoor. She detailed the commercial and medicinal values of mulberry.
During the practical session Dr. Muzafar Ahmad Bhat and Ms. Sumya Kapoor, demonstrated the selection and preparation of land for mulberry cultivation.
Dr. Suraksha Chanotra, Incharge Department of Sericulture and Convener of the Workshop, conducted practical on Pruning and Traning of the mulberry, its time, significance and methods.
Moreover, Dr. Chanotra explained to the students about how to identify different diseases of mulberry. She further demonstrated the preparation of the cutting and plantation system of mulberry.
In the second session of practical exercises, Dr. Rubia and Ms. Kalpna Sudan, Lecturer, Department of Sericulture, explained the precautions and management strategies related to mulberry cultivation.
Mr. Shazad Ahmed Khan (Senior Leader) also graced the function and appreciated the director Poonch Campus. He hailed the efforts of faculty for organising the workshop.
Dr Rubia Bukhari Campus Officer on behalf of Poonch Campus, thanked all the participants, faculty members, local administration and the media for their support and cooperation in making this event a successful one.
The Workshop concluded with the formal Valedictory session, during which Dr. Suraksha Chanotra presented a brief summary of the two days workshop. She briefed all the exercises and practical’s to the participants.
Formal vote of thanks was presented by Ms. Sumya Kapoor.
RTI portal to help people access information about SC operationalised
NEW DELHI, Nov 24: A portal for filing RTI applications to help people access information about the Supreme Court was operationalised on Thursday.
At the outset of the hearing, the CJI, who was sharing the bench with Justices Hima Kohli and J B Pardiwala, said the portal will start functioning soon.
“Before we start with the mentioning (of cases), I wanted to say that the RTI portal is ready. It will start working in 15 minutes. In case, there are some problems, please bear with us. If there is some problem, get back to me…I will be more than happy to look into it,” the CJI said.
The bench headed by the CJI had been hearing a plea filed by law students Akriti Agarwal and Lakshya Purohit seeking a mechanism to file RTI applications online in the apex court.
Earlier, the CJI, while hearing the PIL on November 11, had said that the portal was “practically ready” for launch.
The online portal will streamline responses of the Supreme Court under the Right to Information Act.
Earlier, RTI applications with respect to the top court were being filed through post only. (Agencies)
SC agrees to form constitution bench on issues related to polygamy, nikah-halala
The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to form a constitution bench to conduct proceedings on pleas related to polygamy and nikah-halala, practised among Muslims.
A bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said that it will form a new bench to deal with the issues. The court direction came when advocate Ashwini Upadhyay this morning mentioned the plea seeking to ban Nikah Halala and Polygamy.
Advocate Upadhyay informed the court that two judges -Justices Indira Banerjee and Justice Hemant Gupta– have been retired and a new bench has to be formed.
The five-judge bench of justices Indira Banerjee, Hemant Gupta, Surya Kant, MM Sundresh and Sudhanshu Dhulia were hearing the matter.
The court was dealing with a petition seeking the declaration of polygamy and nikah-halala, practised among Muslims, as illegal and unconstitutional.
The practice of nikah-halala requires a divorced woman to marry someone else, consummate the marriage and then get a divorce in order to again marry her first husband under Muslim personal law.
On the other hand, polygamy is the practice of having more than one wife or husband at the same time.
Lieutenant General Asim Munir appointed as Pakistan’s new Army chief
ISLAMABAD,: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday chose Lt Gen Asim Munir as the new Army chief (COAS) to replace incumbent General Qamar Javed Bajwa.
Bajwa, 61, is scheduled to retire on November 29 after a three-year extension. He had ruled out seeking another extension.
Lt Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza had been picked as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC). Both officers have also been promoted to four-star generals.
The CJCSC is the highest authority in the hierarchy of the armed forces but the key powers including mobilisation of troops, appointments and transfers lie with the COAS which makes the person holding the post the most powerful in the military.
Information minister Marriyum Aurangzeb tweeted the announcement on the next army chief on Thursday morning. “The summary about (appointments) has been sent to the President,” she wrote.
Defence minister Khawaja Asif told the media after the appointments that the “advice” had been forwarded to President Arif Alvi, adding that all matters had been settled according to the law and the Constitution. He hoped that the President would not make the appointments “controversial” and would endorse the advice of the premier.
New COAS (Chief of Army Staff) Lt Gen Munir is from the Frontier Force Regiment, and has led the nation’s elite spy agencies- the Inter-Services Intelligence that focuses on security and military intelligence.
He has served under Bajwa’s direct command in the often-troubled northern areas that border Afghanistan, China and India.
Imran Khan had removed Munir as ISI chief within eight months of his appointment and replaced him with an officer considered close to him.
Lt Gen Munir was due for retirement on November 27. But now with his appointment as army chief, he will serve for another three years. (Agencies)
Velidictory function of Weeklong sports and cultural event in Bhadarwah Jail
By King RJ
Bhadarwah:Nov 24- Weeklong sports and cultural competitions for inmates concluded at District Jail Bhadarwah.
The event was aimed at to de-stress the inmates and to inculcate sportsman spirt among them to help them make better human being.
The mega event was organized by Jail authorities in collaboration with Department of Youth Services and Sports for inmates in District Jail Bhadarwah.
ADC Bhadarwah Dil Mir Choudhary was the chief guest on the valedictory function. Superintendent District Jail Bhadarwah Mushtaq Malla presided over the function.
Earlier on last day of the event, final of volleyball was played and lastly music/singing bonanza was held. All the winner and runner up teams in Volleyball, Circket, Luddo, Chess and Carom competition were awarded with trophies and medals.
ADC Bhadarwah Dil Mir Choudhary advised inmates to take part in education, music, sports & skill programmes during their stay in jail to make jail life fruitful and less stressful.
He also appreciated the efforts of jail authorities especially Superintendent Jail Bhadarwah for providing such opportunities to jail inmates to know their talent.
Superintendent Jail Mushtaq Malla in his closing address highlighted the importance of sports and other reformative programmes in jails keeping in view the high percentage of young inmates between age group of 18-35 years & further said that these programmes need to be conducted regularly for inmates reformation and rehabilitation.
On the occasion a cultural bonanza was also held, in which inmates presented their talent in singing and enthralled participants with Punjabi, Hindi, Kashmiri and Bhadarwahi songs. SP Jail also sung a Gazal on the occasion.
Others who were present on closing ceremony include ERO Bhadarwah Campus Arif Haleem Khateeb, Zonal Physical Education Officer (ZEPO) Vijay Kumar and others.
Jail inmates were very excited about the event and expressed their gratitude towards Superintendent District Jail Bhadarwah for the initiative.
They also hope that such programmes would be regular feature in future as well.
Cold intensifies across J&K, Ladakh
Srinagar, Nov 24: Cold conditions prevailed in Jammu and Kashmir with all the meteorological stations in the Valley recording sub-zero temperatures.
Quoting a MeT department official, news agency GNS reported that Srinagar recorded a low of minus 0.8°C, the same as on the previous night. The temperature was 0.9°C below normal during this time of the year for the summer capital so far, he said.
Qazigund recorded a low of minus 2.0°C against minus 1.6°C on the previous night. The temperature was 2.1°C below normal for the gateway town of Kashmir, he said.
In Pahalgam, the mercury settled at minus 4.4°C against minus 4.8°C on the previous night and it was 2.0°C below normal for the south Kashmir resort, he said.
Kokernag recorded a low of minus 1.0°C against 0.3°C on the previous night and it was 1.6°C below normal for the place, he said.
Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 2.4°C against minus 3.8°C on the previous night. It was 0.3°C below normal for the world famous skiing resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, the official said.
In Kupwara town, the mercury settled at minus 2.4°C against minus 2.9°C on the previous night, the official said. It was 1.9°C below normal for the north Kashmir place, he said.
Jammu recorded a low of 9.1°C against 9.0°C on the previous night. It was 2.4°C below normal for J&K’s winter capital, he said. Banihal recorded a low of 10.0.°C (7.6°C above normal), Batote 7.3°C (2.5°C above normal), Katra 9.6°C (0.1°C below normal) and Bhadarwah 3.0°C (0.9°C above normal)
In Ladakh, Kargil recorded a low of minus 10.2°C, Leh minus 9.0°C and mercury in Drass, the world’s second coldest place after Siberia, settled at minus 12.0°C, the official said.
The MeT department has predicted mainly dry weather for next 24 in J&K and said that no large change was expected till the end of this month.
Rahul plans ‘save democracy’ mega rally at Ambedkar’s birthplace on Constitution Day
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, whose Bharat Jodo Yatra entered Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday, will address a mega rally at Mhow in Madhya Pradesh, the birthplace of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar on Saturday, the Constitution Day.
Priyanka Gandhi, who is in Indore, may also join the rally, ANI quoted sources. In his address, Rahul will highlight the need to “Save Constitution Save Democracy” as he launches an attack on the Modi government in the centre.
Besides Priyanka, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge will also join Rahul on Saturday. According to the report, Kharge has changed his plans to reach Mhow on Saturday though he was earlier scheduled to be in Gujarat on the day.
The new Congress president’s Gujarat schedule has been moved to Sunday and Monday, where he will oversee the last leg of the party’s campaign. He will hold a press conference on Monday.
Meanwhile, the Yatra had entered Bodarli village in Burhanpur district on Wednesday wherein a large number of Congressmen carrying the tricolour in their hands joined the foot march.
Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole handed over the tricolour to his Madhya Pradesh counterpart Kamal Nath to formally launch the 12-day-long yatra here. The Yatra will cover a distance of 380 km before entering Rajasthan.
On reaching the state, Rahul lashed out at the ruling BJP government in Madhya Pradesh, stating “all democratic routes are shut” in the state.
“What I want to say is, we started the Bharat Jodo Yatra because all democratic avenues are shut. The Lok Sabha, the electoral route, the press — everything is closed. All the institutions — the RSS/BJP have cornered them, filled them with their own men. The judiciary is under pressure. The courts are under pressure. So we thought there is only one option. Hit the road, embrace the people, listen to the farmers, listen to the labourers, the small traders, and join them,” he added.
Rahul added that the yatra was against hatred, violence and fear being spread in the country. He also targeted the central government on the issues of unemployment and inflation, Gandhi alleged, “The BJP first spreads fear in the minds of youth, farmers and labourers and when it sets in, they convert it into violence.
Former chief ministers Kamal Nath and Digvijaya Singh too have joined Rahul in the Yatra. Others include the Leader of the Opposition in the MP Assembly Govind Singh, and former union ministers Suresh Pachouri and Arun Yadav.
SC questions appointment process of EC Arun Goel, AG for Centre asks court to “hold its mouth”
New Delhi, Nov 24: The Supreme Court on Thursday questioned the process adopted for appointing Arun Goel as an Election Commissioner (EC), and said his file got clearances in “haste” and with “tearing hurry”.
As the apex court observed that the file pertaining to Goel’s appointment was cleared with “lightning speed”, the Centre through Attorney General R Venkataramani asked the court to “hold its mouth” and requested it to look into the matter in its entirety.
“What kind of evaluation is this? Although, we are not questioning the merits of Arun Goel’s credentials but the process,” a five-judge Constitution bench headed by Justice K M Joseph said.
The top-most law officer told the bench, which was making a volley a comments on the issue, “Please hold your mouth for a while. I request to look into the issue in entirety”.
It perused the original file of Goel’s appointment as an EC, which was placed before the bench by the Centre in pursuance of Wednesday’s direction given by the top court.
The bench said 1985-batch IAS officer Goel got voluntary retirement from service in a single day, his file was cleared by the Law Ministry in a single day, a panel of four names were put up before the prime minister and Goel’s name got the nod from the President within 24 hours.
The bench is hearing a batch of pleas seeking a collegium-like system for the appointment of ECs and the Chief Election Commissioner. (AGENCIES)