In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic in Jammu and Kashmir, the Health & Medical Education Department has taken an initiative to augment the existing oxygen generation capacity in 37 major hospitals of the UT by way of installation and commissioning of additional 84 medical oxygen generation plants having capacity of 71650 LPM.

44 oxygen generation plants (39350 LPM) have been installed and made operational so far. The remaining 40 oxygen generation plants (31750 LPM) are in the process of installation and likely to be installed by July 2021. Before April 2021, the oxygen generation capacity of the UT of Jammu and Kashmir was 15082 LPM only.

30 Oxygen generation plants (13300 LPM) are being installed in 30 CHCs/SDHs, 15 each in Jammu and Kashmir division under World Bank Funding. The installation of these plants is also in progress through J&K Economic Reconstruction Agency.

Considering further demand and need to make the oxygen generation facility available in all Tertiary Care Hospitals/District Hospitals and some major CHCs for tackling the second wave and possible third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Jammu and Kashmir approached the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, GoI for providing additional Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) plants to the UT under PM CARES Fund.

The Government of India sanctioned additional 32 PSA plants of 24850 LPM, 13 for the Kashmir division (13550 LPM) and 13 for the Jammu Division (12350 LPM), thereby raising the total no of PSA plants to 146. The UT of Jammu and Kashmir shall have the capacity of generating oxygen to the extent of 1.26 lakh litres per minute after installation of additional 102 PSA plants including 32 sanctioned under PM CARES Fund by the Government of India.

As the harrowing second wave of the coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc, the state government of Haryana has come up with a new strategy to help needy families. In the wake of the pandemic, the government decided to provide a financial assistance of Rs 600 crore to 12 lakh families, (Rs. 5000 each family) that have been affected by the pandemic. Addressing media personnel on the completion of 600 days of BJP-JJP led government, the Chief Minister of Haryana Manohar Lal said that ruling faction is putting it’s best to provide all kind of assistance to families below poverty line and in continuation to thus, above scheme has been brought into existence.

Besides this, a relief package of Rs. 150 crore was also announced for small shopkeepers. Meanwhile, a discount of 25 per cent was provided to 600 farmers purchasing e-tractors. It also has been decided to waive off the entire property tax for the first quarter of the year 2021-22. With this, a financial burden of about Rs. 150 crore will be borne by the Urban Local Bodies Department. Besides, Motor Vehicle Tax for the first quarter of the year 2021-22 will not be levied on vehicles carrying passengers. Due to this, the financial burden of about Rs. 72 crore will be borne by the department. Ex-gratia grant on death, treatment and hospitalization will also be given to the eligible people which amounts to Rs. 50 crore.

Thus, Manohar Lal has announced an economic package of more than Rs 1,100 crore for the affected sections of the society.

Apart from above, the State Government has started a new programme ‘Drone Corporation of Haryana’. Under this, 100 drones will be procured in the first phase and 100 drones in the next phase. After this, whichever department would need a drone for conducting aerial survey, that work would be done by ‘Drone Corporation of Haryana’.

The coronavirus outbreak and the subsequent second wave have brought all the spheres of life to an unprecedented halt. The education sector has also suffered a lot. Parents who paid high fees to enroll their children in private schools are today—since they cannot affort to pay exorbitant fees anymore— lined up for the admission of their children in a municipal schools.

Due to low income, parents cannot afford to pay fees in private schools. Fees were reduced by 25 percent last year however, the fees have not been reduced this year. In addition, school administrators have proposed to the FRC to increase fees. As a result, there is a possibility of a huge increase in school fees. Parents believe that the same education is being provided free of cost to children in government schools. Amid all this ruckus, parents have now turned their backs to private schools an are running to admit their children in government ones.

In the current situation, parents say, it is difficult to educate children by paying expensive fees. Online education is currently being dispensed in all school, so is the case with the government run institutions.

Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation School Board Chairman, Virendrasinh Tomar, said that at present the admission in English medium schools of the corporation has increased. As on August 31 last year, 18,216 students had taken admission. Then in the first 10 days of this year alone 17,500 students have taken admission. Last year more than 3,500 students (from 2nd to 8th standard) got admitted to corporation schools. Parents are constantly inquiring for admissions. We will run the classes in two shifts as required and admit all the students as much as possible, the authorities said.

The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to stay own order directing the demolition of houses of 10 thousand families who built houses unauthorisedly in forest land in the Khori village of Faridabad. However, The Top Court said those entitled to rehabilitation as per the Haryana government’s 2003 scheme would be entitled to benefit.

The Top Court has ordered the eviction of encroaches from forest land long back and refused to take into account a new plea against demolition. The Supreme Court also asked Faridabad Municipal Corporation to implement the court’s June 7 order directing the demolition of unauthorised houses on forest land within six weeks.

This Court had already recorded the assurance given by the Corporation that action against unauthorized structures standing on the forest land will be taken by following due process and in accordance with the law, including to examine the claim of the occupants for re-habilitation as per the existing Rehabilitation Scheme. That assurance has been reiterated and is so recorded in this order as well, the Court Said. We make it clear that the pendency of this matter will not come in the way of the Authorities to proceed against the unauthorized structures standing on the forest land in conformity with the statement recorded hitherto, the court added.

The apex court on June 7 had directed the State and the Faridabad Municipal Corporation to remove “all encroachments” in the Aravali forest area near the village, saying “land grabbers cannot take refuge of rule of law” and talk of “fairness”.

It had also sought a compliance report from the State government officials after removing all encroachments from the forest land near Lakarpur Khori village in Faridabad district within six weeks.

The top court was hearing a plea seeking a stay on the demolition of residential structures in the village.

Mumbai: Western Railway is resorting to drones to avoid disruption of local train operations during monsoon. Through these drones, Western Railway is monitoring the drains in and around the tracks, so that if there is any chance of water filling during the rains, then it is removed as soon as possible to prevent it from going on the tracks.

In the drone video, it can be seen how the drains between the Western Railway tracks are being monitored. The drain is clearly visible in this video and the water continues to flow out of the same path. The Western Railway is monitoring the Borivali and Virar sections similarly through drone cameras, as these two sections are prone to flooding during the rains. To monitor the drains through drones, Western Railway has set up two teams that have been formed, which keep a constant watch.

The drone being kept by the Western Railway over the drains also seems to be beneficial. If there is a choke-up somewhere with drone monitoring, then it is cleaned immediately. The drains of the areas around the railway premises come under the BMC, so if there is some problem, BMC takes immediate action with the help of the railways. Not only this, but people are also unwilling to throw garbage in the railway premises due to the fear of being captured in the drone camera.

Officials explained that the ARGs will notify them of heavy rain while also giving a warning of potential waterlogging on railway tracks. Sumit Thakur, Chief Public Relations Officer at WR said, “Through this system, we will be able to monitor rainfall measurement without human intervention, online and on a real-time basis as machines will transmit data directly to our control room. We will take action immediately if any problem occurs and by collaborating with the authorities of these areas, required help and action will be put in place.”

As for preparedness measures, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has trained the Quick Reaction Team (QRT) and the Flood Rescue Team (FRT) of the Railway Protection Force (RPF). Officials said that five mechanised rescue boats have been deployed with strategic positioning bracing for any scenario.

As a result of this, even when the traffic on Central Railway and roads came to a standstill last week due to torrential rains, trains were running normally on Western Railway. Central Railway is also preparing to introduce heavy-duty water pumps starting June 2021 to allow quick draining of stormwater and consequently ensure the uninterrupted functioning of railway services.

In fact, during the monsoon for the last 3 years, the Borivali and Virar sections of Western Railway used to get waterlogged on the tracks due to a few minutes of rain, which directly affected the local and it came to a standstill. Learning a lesson from this, Western Railway is trying to take every step this year, so that the operation of local trains remains on track.

There has been an incessant stir in the politics of Bihar for the last few days. The battle for supremacy is going on in Lok Janshakti Party at this time. The factions of Pashupati Paras and Chirag Paswan are face to face. Amidst all the controversies, Pashupati Paras has been elected as the new president of the party on Thursday.

This decision was taken in the meeting of the party’s national executive led by Pashupati Paras in Patna on Thursday. Four MPs of the Pashupati Paras faction Mehboob Ali Kaiser, Veena Devi, Chandan Singh and Prince Raj were also present in this meeting.

After being recognised as the party’s leader in Loksabha, Paras and his group on Tuesday removed Chirag as party president in an ‘emergency meeting’ held at Paras’s residence in Delhi. They cited the “One Man, One Post” principle for the removal of Chirag. Nevertheless, on the contrary, Paras has taken over two posts—he is now a Loksabha leader and as well as the party’s president.

Paras is expected to meet Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in a courtesy call. Chirag Paswan has accused Nitish’s party JD(U) on Wednesday for facilitating the split in his party.

In Patna, this meeting took place at the residence of Lok Janshakti Party’s working national president Suraj Bhan Singh. Suraj Bhan was given the responsibility of conducting the election of the party’s president.

Pashupati Paras had reached Patna only on Wednesday, on Thursday he was nominated for the post of president. When no other leader protested, he was elected the new national president of the party. Earlier, he was also elected the leader of the parliamentary party.

On the other hand, Chirag Paswan has also declared his trusted Raju Tiwari as the new president of Bihar State LJP, claiming to be the national president of Lok Janshakti Party. Both the Pashupati Paras faction and Chirag Paswan have staked a claim on the LJP, and in such a situation, it is considered certain to go to the Election Commission or the court.

It is not clear when and how the war between uncle and nephew will end. But Pashupati Paras has clearly said that now his return is difficult. Lok Janshakti Party Parliamentary Party leader Pashupati Paras has said that there is no question of going back on the path which he has now walked.

Five MPs, including Pashupati Paras have taken a different stand. Pashupati Paras has been elected as the leader of the parliamentary party on behalf of the five, which has been approved by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.

However, Chirag Paswan made it clear in the press conference the previous day that only the president of the party can choose the leader of the parliamentary party. So all the decisions are wrong. Chirag Paswan says that earlier he wanted to settle the fight at home, but now he is also ready to fight a legal battle.