Jammu Jan 19 PTI Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday achieved two crore vaccinations landmark against COVID-19 officials said Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha hailed the efforts of the healthcare and frontline workers in battling the odds of tough geographical terrain vagaries of the weather and other impediments to achieve the feat Thanking the people he said Congratulations to the people of the union territory for their cooperation and resolve to unitedly tackle the public health emergency Sinha said Jammu and Kashmir has been the frontrunner among the states and union territories in vaccinating eligible population against COVID-19 The Jammu and Kashmir administration achieved the one crore doses milestone as early on September 18 last year Subsequently on October 14 it registered 100 per cent coverage of the first dose for people aged 18 and above officials said The union territory marked 100 per cent vaccination of both doses on January 12 According to the officials the lieutenant governor has been personally monitoring the public health response in view of the pandemic on a weekly basis It was under his guidance that the union territory government launched a 10-point campaign in November to raise awareness about vaccination and highlight various government schemes being implemented at the grassroots level The Har Ghar Dastak campaign that involved a door-to-door vaccination drive substantially boosted vaccination numbers they said As on date 57 per cent adolescents in the age group of 15-18 have received the first dose while 102020 precaution doses have been administeredofficials said PTI AB CJ CJ

Jammu Jan 19 PTI Displaced Kashmiri Pandits on Wednesday observed January 19 as the holocaust day to mark the exodus of their community members from the Valley in 1990 due to threats and killings by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists Several migrant organisations like Panun Kashmir Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora GKPD Kashmir Pandit Sabha KPS Youth All India Kashmiri Samaj YAIKS Save Sharda Committee SSC and All State Kashmiri Pandit Conference ASKPC held programmes during the day to pay tributes to the victims and to reaffirm commitment to the cause of the Kashmiri Pandits Events were also held at Jagti and Muthi migrant camps here The organisations demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should personally intervene to settle the Kashmir Pandit community living as refugees in their own country for the past 32 years in the valley Panun Kashmir said it has taken a renewed pledge to rededicate itself to the cause of a separate homeland in the valley It was on January 19 1990 when an entire community was forced to leave Kashmir amid calls of cheliv galiv ya raliv leave die or mix a Panun Kashmir leader said The day marks the beginning of the genocide and ethnic cleansing of Kashmiri Pandits on a mass scale that ultimately culminated in the complete exodus of the aboriginal indigenous people that represented a civilisation that was more than 5000 years old he said We are caught in uncertainity We do not know our future We had high hope that the government led by PM Modi will ensure the reversal of genocide by facilitating our return back to the valley But nothing has happened post the abrogation of Article 370 said Sahil Pandita of the Jagti camp Panun Kashmir leader Kamal Bagati said Kashmiri Pandits have suffered genocide ethnic cleansing and exodus despite being the indigenous people of Kashmir and it is the duty of the government to resettle them in their homeland in accordance with their geopolitical aspirations A large group of Kashmiri Pandits from the Delhi-NCR region organised a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi The protest was organised and led by Ravinder Pandita Head of Save Sharda Committee Kashmir He said the government should take practical steps in consultations with the community for its safe return to Kashmir PTI AB AQS AQS

Jammu Jan 19 PTI Two leaders on Wednesday rejoined the Congress here after resigning from the Jammu and Kashmir Apni party a spokesperson of the grand old party said Pranav Shagotra and Irfan Naqib were welcomed back into the Congress fold by Pradesh Congress Committee president G A Mir and other senior leaders at the party headquarters here he said Shagotra a former president of J-K Youth Congress had left the party sometime back and had joined the Apni party founded by former minister Altaf Bukhari He was presently its district president Jammu Naqib was former district Congress president Srinagar before joining the Apni party The two leaders rejoined the Congress along with their supporters and were enrolled as members of the Congress by in-charge district president Jammu Yogesh Sawhney in the presence of the senior leadership the spokesperson said Mir said the leaders were desirous to rejoin the Congress for quite some time They will work to strengthen secularism and will fight the communal fundamentalist and opportunist forces in Jammu and Kashmir he said PTI TAS AB AQS AQS

Jammu Jan 19 PTI Jammu Smart City Ltd JSCL on Wednesday signed an agreement with Shree Balaji Engicons Ltd for the development of right and left banks of River Tawi here on the lines of Gujarats Sabarmati Riverfront The pact was signed and exchanged between JSCL Chief Executive Officer Avny Lavasa and Shree Balaji Engicons Director Vinay Agrawal officials said They said JSCL has achieved a milestone after signing a contract for the development of the Tawi riverfront which has been an ambitious project for the city of temples The work on the project will commence soon to enhance its overall look and open up new avenues for tourism and economic development the officials said The project will add aesthetic value to River Tawi bydeveloping natural purification capability besides sustainable development of environment and urban infrastructure Lavasa said He asked the asked project executing agency to expedite the work and complete the construction work in a stipulated time frame Agrawal said the company will commence work on the ambitious project at the earliest and will complete it within the time frame Under the project a 35-km both side long riverfront is proposed to be completed in two phases The first phase starts from 4th bridge to Tawi Bridge and Phase 2 from Tawi Bridge to Gujjar Nagar Bridge the official said They said the pathways will be constructed on both sides of the river to provide easy access to the public The officials said the project also comprises bank protection of River Tawi with broad salient features of construction of diaphragm walls lower promenade retaining wall embankment construction JSCL is focused on improving the quality of life of people by enabling local development and harnessing technology to create smart outcomes for citizens they said The main components of the Jammu Smart City Projects are city beautification solid waste management IT-enabled infrastructure road and parking improvement disaster and emergency management and civic infrastructure development PTI TAS AB HRS hrs

Jammu Jan 19 PTI Over 5000 hectares of degraded forest area has been rehabilitated during the current financial year by planting about 27 lakh plants in monsoon and autumn seasons while winter planting is in progress a senior official of Jammu and Kashmir Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority CAMPA said Chief Executive Officer CAMPA Sarvesh Rai said a detailed site-specific plan along with their location maps for rehabilitation of a total of 17715 ha of degraded forest has been prepared for the next financial year 2022-23 Rai was speaking at the executive committee meeting of JK CAMPA chaired by principal chief conservator of forests and head of forest force Mohit Gera here Gera gave an overview of the major initiatives of the government including Green JK Drive Har Gaon Haryali creation of livelihood from forests as well as on eco-tourism an official spokesman said Apprising the committee about progress in execution of the current years plan and the proposals for the next year Rai said 5443 ha forest area has been rehabilitated during the current financial year by planting about 27 lakh plants in monsoon and autumn seasons while winter planting is in progressTendering for remaining fencing planting soil conservation nursery and infrastructure works approved for the current financial year has also been completed he said For the next financial year he said a detailed site-specific plan along with their location maps for rehabilitation of a total 17715 ha of degraded forest area has been prepared using CAMPA portal The rehabilitation plan includes protective fencing and planting of about 120 lakh plants Rai said adding the plan includes broadcast of 2518 lakh seed balls and sowing in 4059 lakh patches and 1021 lakh dibbles as low-cost afforestation measures He said soil conservation measures like dry rubble stone masonary crates and water harvesting structuresponds have been proposed to give a fillip to eco-restoration efforts For protection of forest lands from encroachment the meeting was informed that 23500 new boundary pillars are proposed to be erected during 2022-23 The plan includes measures for protection of forests from fire and strengthening of infrastructure by construction of official and residential buildings for frontline staff check posts watch towers and other forest protection infrastructures the spokesman said He said the Social Forestry Department has constituted 4289 Village Panchayat Plantation Committees for planning and implementation of works outside forests for creation of village woodlots avenue plantation and farm forestry The Wildlife Protection Department has proposed measures which include improvement of wildlife habitats soil and water conservation works maintenance of animal rescue centres eco-development activities and development of wildlife related infrastructure the spokesman said He said the department has prepared a special project Mitigation Plan for Kishtwar High Altitude National Park which is being implemented Proposal for modernization of the department includes use of remote sensing and Geographic Information System GIS tools for preparation of digital maps equipment like CCTV Drones Camera traps and GPS for more efficient functioning the spokesman said PTI TAS AB RCJ

Jammu Jan 19 PTI A traders body dealing with essential supplies on Wednesday announced its decision to observe weekend lockdown here to support the efforts of the Jammu and Kashmir administration to contain the spread of COVID-19 infection On January 15 the Union Territory administration imposed complete restriction on non-essential movement during weekends amid a surge in Covid cases In the highest single-day spike this month Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday recorded 4651 fresh cases of COVID-19 taking the total number of infections to 366851 while three deaths pushed the death toll linked to the pandemic to 4575 We are dealing with essential supplies and hence do not come under the purview of the lockdown announced by the administration However given the situation in view of the rising covid-19 cases our advisory committee met and decided to observe the weekend lockdown voluntarily to support the efforts of the administration to contain the spread of the disease President Traders Federation WareHouse Nehru Market Deepak Gupta told reporters here However he said the federation would ensure regular supplies while working for five days from Monday to Friday We have taken this decision in the best interest of public safety We will make it sure that the supply chain is not affected Gupta said He said like in the past two waves of COVID-19 the federation has activated the three war rooms for supply of oxygen ration and medicines and anyone in need of the these items should contact the concerned for the same PTI TAS AB RCJ RCJ

Jammu Jan 19 PTI A 7-year-old boy was buried alive under snow in Jammu and Kashmirs Kishtwar district officials said on WednesdayAccording to Bashir Ahmed his child Mutarif Bashir had gone missing in Tilar village of Madwa area Monday eveningDeputy Commissioner Ashok Kumar Sharma said the child was playing outside his house when snow accumulated on the roof rolled down and buried himThe body was recovered from near the house the officer addedPTI AB SRY