Month: January 2022

Following heavy snowfall in Himachal Pradesh, many roads including four national highways have been closed and a number of power supply and water supply schemes disrupted.

The State Disaster Management Authority, in its press note, informed, “Due to heavy snowfall, 731 roads including four National Highways closed, 1365 power supply schemes disrupted, 102 water supply schemes disrupted and 3220 electricity supply schemes were disrupted, out of which 1,955 have been restored.”
The India Meteorological Department today informed that very dense fog was reported at isolated places including Kalpa area of Himachal Pradesh where the visibility dipped down to 50 metres.

“At 0830 hrs IST of today, Very Dense Fog reported at isolated places over WP (Agra 00 km), Madhya Maharashtra (Mahabaleshwar 25 m) and dense fog Punjab (Bhatinda 50m), HP (Kalpa 50m), Uttarakhand (Mukteshwar 50m) and Jharkhand (Ranchi 50 m) and Delhi (Palam 800m and SFD 1200m),” tweeted the weather agency.

The Regional Meteorological Centre in Shimla said the temperature in the city dropped down to minus one degrees Celsius.

Several parts of Himachal Pradesh today received fresh snowfall. The Mcleod Ganj area of Dharmshala witnessed snowfall, apart from Himachal’s capital city Shimla. (ANI)

India on Monday reported a decline in the daily COVID-19 infections as the country logged 3,06,064 new COVID-19 cases with a positivity rate of over 20 per cent, said Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

As per government data, new infections were 27,469 less than that reported on Sunday. However, the daily positivity rate rose to 20.75 per cent from 17.78 per cent yesterday.
Notably, 14,74,753 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours while 18,75,533 tests were conducted on Sunday.

The ministry has said that India’s active caseload currently stands at 22,49,335. It accounts for 5.69 per cent of the total cases.

The government data shows that 439 people succumbed to the virus in the last 24 hours. The death toll is now at 4,89,848. The case fatality rate is 1.24 per cent.

With 2,43,495 people recovering from the infection in the last 24 hours, the cumulative recoveries mounted to 3,68,04,145.

The weekly positivity rate is presently at 17.03 per cent.

As per government data, Karnataka has the highest number of active cases with 3,57,826 infections, followed by 2,97,115 active cases in Maharashtra and 2,65,349 in Kerala.

Meanwhile, in the ongoing COVID-19 vaccination drive, 162.26 crore vaccine doses have been administered so far.

With the administration of more than 27 lakh vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, India’s COVID-19 vaccination coverage has reached 1,62,26,07,516 as per provisional reports till 7 am today, the ministry said.

So far 81,80,165 precaution doses have been administered to eligible beneficiaries. Of these, 27,40,418 were given to healthcare workers, 26,87,668 to frontline workers and 27,52,079 to those above the age of 60 years with comorbidities. The administration of precaution dose began on January 10.

In the vaccination drive for children aged between 15-18 years, 4,19,32,411 vaccine doses have been administered. Their vaccination drive commenced on January 3 this year.

India’s nationwide vaccination drive was started on January 16, 2021. (ANI)

Schools in Mumbai on Monday welcomed students of all classes as they reopened with stringent adherence to COVID-19 protocols.

Students were welcomed by teachers at Sadhana Vidyalaya High School, Sion area with enthusiasm.
Principal of the school, Swaroop Sawant told ANI, “We have welcomed students in our school today. We are strictly following the COVID-19 protocols. Social distancing is being maintained and the hands of students are being sanitised.”

“Classes via virtual mode will also continue,” the principal said.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Aditya Thackeray has said that parents are free to make their own decisions in this regard and should send their children to school.

Thackeray on Sunday told reporters, “Even though we are re-opening schools from tomorrow, it is not compulsory for students to come to school. Parents are free to make their own decisions in this regard and should send their children to school only if they feel it is safe.”

The schools in Mumbai have been closed since January 4.

Maharashtra on Sunday reported 40,805 new COVID-19 cases thereby taking the total tally of infections to 75,07,225. As many as 44 fatalities from this virus were logged in the last 24 hours, the state health department said. Of the fresh cases in the state, Mumbai logged 2,550 new COVID-19 cases. On January 16, Mumbai reported 7,895 new cases. (ANI)

A blanket of dense fog engulfed the national capital on a cold Monday morning leading to poor visibility.

As per the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the minimum temperature in the city was recorded at 10.5 degrees Celsius at 7 am today while the maximum is expected to touch 14.9 degrees Celsius.
The IMD said that northwest India is expected to witness another cold spell from January 24 onwards, owing to several western disturbances that caused heavy rainfall in northern plains and snowfall in the hills.

Isolated or scattered light rainfall very likely over parts of Delhi today, the weather department has predicted. It also said that dense fog conditions are very likely in isolated pockets over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh-Delhi, West Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan during next two days and cold day conditions over these areas on January 24.

Cold wave conditions likely in isolated pockets over these areas during January 25-27

As the cold day conditions prevailed, homeless people took refuge in a night shelter at Ganesh Nagar.

“We provide tea and rusks in the morning, along with lunch and dinner. There’s a capacity of 10-15 people here. We are adhering to COVID-19 protocols,” said a caretaker here.

Delhi has been witnessing rainfall over the last two days and the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) informed that the overall air quality index has been recorded at 145, an improvement into the ‘moderate’ category.

“AQI today improved significantly to ‘moderate’ due to scavenging and wet deposition of particulate matter by yesterday’s rain. Rain is likely to continue today leading to further improvement of AQI to ‘lower end of moderate’ or ‘satisfactory’,” said the SAFAR bulletin.

SAFAR added, “A dust storm originated from Gulf region headed towards Gujarat coast and parts of Maharashtra, however, it is unlikely to affect air quality of Delhi due to prevailing influence of western disturbance and associated intermittent drizzle/rain. From January 24th onwards fair weather conditions are likely to prevail with normal emissions from anthropogenic activity partially offset by moderate ventilation resulting in gradual accumulation of pollutants bringing AQI back to ‘moderate’ or ‘poor’.”

As per the government agencies, an AQI between zero and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 and 500 ‘severe’. (ANI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar (PMRBP) awardees today at 12 noon via video conferencing.

According to a press release by the Prime Minister’s Office, digital certificates will be conferred on PMRBP awardees for the years 2022 and 2021 using Blockchain Technology.
Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar is given as recognition to children residing in India, above the age of 5 years and not exceeding 18 years (as on August 31 of respective year) with exceptional abilities and outstanding achievement in 6 fields of innovation, scholastic achievements, sports, arts and culture, social service and bravery, which deserve recognition.

“This year, 29 children from across the country, under different categories of Bal Shakti Puraskar, have been selected for PMRBP-2022. The awardees also take part in the Republic day parade every year. Each awardee of PMRBP is given a medal, a cash prize of Rs 1 Lakh and a certificate. The cash prize will be transferred to the respective accounts of PMRBP 2022 winners,” said the press release.

These awards are conferred by President Ram Nath Kovind in a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhawan. The Prime Minister also interacts with these awardees every year.

The children along with their parents and concerned District Magistrate of their respective district would join the event from their district Head Quarters. (ANI)

By Sahil Pandey

A senior epidemiologist at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi on Sunday said SARS-CoV-2 which is commonly known as COVID-19 is heading towards an endemic stage.

Endemic is a stage where cases are confined to a particular geographical location and the cases are constantly present in low numbers in that specific area.

“Looking at the COVID-19 vaccination status and the natural infection, we can say that very soon, the majority of us will be getting an infection. And then this virus will convert into the endemic virus,” Dr Sanjay Rai told ANI here.

The AIIMS senior epidemiologist also remarked that those who recovered from the COVID are the best-protected people as of now based on the scientific evidence followed by vaccinated persons.

“COVID-19 is RNA virus and the virus has mutated thousands of times. Although, the variant of concern are only five like alpha, beta, gamma delta and currently, Omicron which is a very fast transmitting disease. So very fast transmission is taking place all over the world,” the health expert said.

“The overall severity is less so the majority of us will get this infection. Based on the current scientific evidence, we can see those who recovered from the COVID they are the best-protected person as of now, then the second-best protective person is those who had the vaccination,” he added.

Dr Rai also said that Omicron spread is happening in the country and mainly in metro cities like Delhi and Mumbai because of the population density although in rural areas and eastern part of India progression of the virus is slow.

The Omicron variant of COVID-19 is in the community transmission stage in India and has become dominant in multiple metros where new cases have been rising exponentially, the INSACOG has said in its latest bulletin.

The INSACOG, in its January 10 bulletin that was released on Sunday, said while most Omicron cases so far have been asymptomatic or mild, hospitalisations and ICU cases have increased in the current wave and the threat level remains unchanged. (ANI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the hologram statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at India Gate here on Sunday.
In order to commemorate the 125th birth anniversary of the great freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and as part of the year-long celebrations, the government has decided to install a grand statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at India Gate.
Till the work on the statue is completed, a hologram statue of Netaji will be present at the same place
The statue, made of granite, shall be a fitting tribute to the immense contribution of Netaji to our freedom struggle and would be a symbol of the country’s indebtedness to him.
The hologram statue will be powered by a 30,000 lumens 4K projector. An invisible, high gain, 90 per cent transparent holographic screen has been erected in such a way that it is not visible to visitors.

The 3D image of Netaji will be projected on it to create the effect of a hologram. The size of the hologram statue is 28 feet in height and 6 feet in width.
During the programme, the Prime Minister will also confer the Subhas Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskars for the years 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 in the investiture ceremony. A total of seven awards will be presented during the ceremony. (ANI)

Afghanistan’s Ministry of Education said schools will be opened from spring this year.

Officials at the Ministry of Education (MoE) said it will reopen schools for all age groups, both girls and boys, at the beginning of the new solar year, according to Tolo News.

In the meantime, residents urged the government to take steps to reopen schools and universities for Afghan girls.

Earlier, US special representative to Afghanistan Thomas West said girls’ education was an important aspect that will attract international investment.

Further, MoE Education officials said that they will decide over girls’ schools without considering external pressures, adding that schools were closed temporarily across Afghanistan and will be opened in the coming spring.

“If the international community and US pay the salaries of teachers or not, we, as the government, will open schools in the spring and this decision does not link with the demands of the US and international community,” said Aziz Ahmad Reyan, head of the Publication and Public Relations of the MoE.

On the other hand, Ahmad Taqqi, spokesman of the ministry said that ministry of higher education is making efforts to open universities very soon.

Earlier, most of the schools and universities were closed in Afghanistan after the takeover by the Taliban in Kabul last August. (ANI)

China vies for a foothold in Afghanistan through humanitarian aid to Northern Province as the war-ravaged country continues to face restrictions in getting assistance from other international donor agencies.

Taliban officials on Saturday said that they have started receiving the delivery of humanitarian assistance from China, according to Khaama Press.

Further, the Taliban’s Ministry of Refugees and Repatriates said that the relief assistance comprises 440 tonnes of rice that will be distributed to impoverished people in ten Northern Provinces.

The recently arrived shipment is part of the humanitarian aid that has been pledged by China to the Afghan people.

The spokesperson of the Ministry Abdul Mutalib Haqqani said that priority has been given to provinces that are most affected by recent snowfall and where there is a risk of closure of roads.

Officials of the Ministry have also said that other shipments of humanitarian assistance will also reach Afghanistan in the coming days.

Earlier, China had sent winter clothes, foodstuff, medicines, and COVID-19 vaccines to Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover, according to Khaama Press.

By providing aid to Afghanistan, China would like to include Taliban-led Afghanistan in joining the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) infrastructure project.

China has proposed the construction of the Peshawar-Kabul motorway as an extension of CPEC in Afghanistan. (ANI)