Jammu: Border Security Force (BSF) personnel early on Saturday opened fire on two Pakistani drones after they entered Indian airspace from across the International Border (IB) here, officials said.
Both the drones returned to Pakistani side after the BSF fired around 15 rounds in an attempt to bring them down in the Arnia area of R S Pura sector between 4.30 am and 4.45 am, the officials said.
Pakistan is using drones to drop weapons and drugs with the latest attempt coming at a time when there is peace on the borders in Jammu and Kashmir after India and Pakistan agreed to uphold the 2003 ceasefire agreement from the intervening night of February 24 and 25.
Two drones were spotted hovering in Jabbowal and Vikram border outpost areas in Arnia this morning. Both the drones returned to Pakistani side after the alert BSF personnel fired on them, a BSF official said.
He said the whole area has been cordoned off and a search operation was carried out to ensure that there was no dropping from the drones before returning to Pakistan.
However, nothing objectionable was found on the ground so far, the official of the border guarding force said.
ew Delhi: As the Indian military stepped in with its logistics might to fight the catastrophic second Covid-19 wave, the Army Saturday stressed the need to have a joint national logistics policy.
Integrating logistics of the services with existing national civilian logistics resources will be the major winning factor, Army Vice-Chief Lt Gen. C.P. Mohanty said while addressing a webinar.https://e2a673041813432df69d50ca6f20da34.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html
He said, at the national level, Integrated National Logistics Power through a National Logistics Policy is being deliberated and the nation cannot afford to divorce National Logistics from Military Logistics, especially when war or any major crisis in effect is a national effort.
Speaking on the topic ‘Logistics in the armed forces’, Mohanty said his vision of Operation Logistics is that it has to be completely networked to connect the frontline soldiers and all service providers at the click of a button.
“To do so, it has to be modelled on telemarketing on the lines of Amazon, Flipkart, Big Basket etc. A frontline commander in the thick of the last-paced battle on any front cannot afford to contact multiple service providers overcoming the tedious process of documentation and delivery,” he said.
The officer added that all service providers such as food, fuel, warlike stores, weapons, ammunition, casualty evacuation, medical services, repair and recovery of vehicles and equipment have to be integrated into one large web.
It would involve multiple warehousing facilities, transportation by land, air and water, workshops, hospitals with round-the-clock transparency.
“Outsourcing and military — trade partnership is thus likely to be the future trend in military logistics,” he said.
Mohanty added, the nation today is fighting a war against an unheard of, dangerous, contagious virus.
He said the country has come together and put in place all logistics, infrastructure and resources to overcome this mounting challenge posed by Covid-19.
“As always, the armed forces are pitching in by augmenting health infrastructure, mobilising health resources, providing air efforts, as well as medical and allied support in terms of men and material. They are using their unique skill sets to fill up critical voids wherever called for,” he said.
Noting that the Indian Army is 1.3 million strong, Mohanty said making it operational-ready for all scenarios involve situations ranging from peace to no-war-no-peace to limited conflict to nuclear war across the whole spectrum of conflict.
“Logistics will make the difference in war since it will decide the tempo of operations. Unlike in the civil arena, logistics and supply chain management is more complex in the armed forces owing to the inhospitable terrain and far-flung border areas,” he said.
The vice-chief also noted that in today’s context, Joint War Fighting is the keyword for military planners.
While various commonalities in logistics exist in the three services, synergising them by reducing duplications and redundancies will lead not only to savings, but also to an increased functional efficiency, he said.
Mohanty further noted that as the force looks to enhance the capabilities to meet the dual challenges on our western and northern borders, “we are deeply conscious of the fact that it is with technology alone (that) can prepare ourselves for all scenarios”.
Mukesh Tandon Tribune News Service Sonepat, April 23
Scores of protesting youth farmers on Friday gheraoed the farmer leaders of Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) at Kisan Andolan office at Kundli here.
The protesting youths also sat on dharna there for around two-and-a-half hours and demanded the announcement of the programme for ‘Parliament march’ which the SKM had announced earlier. The SKM leaders pacified the youths and sent them back to their protesting place.https://355639813b5b775ac6fa02ab6991e892.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html
The SKM meeting was also postponed today due to some internal issues.
A meeting of farmer leaders of the 32 protesting farmer groups of Punjab and a meeting of Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) was scheduled for today at the Kisan Andolan office in Kundli.
After the meeting of the leaders of the 32 groups, the leaders of SKM, including Joginder Singh Ugrahan, Gurnam Singh Charuni, BKU leaders from Uttar Pradesh and others, entered the meeting hall but the meeting of the SKM was postponed due to some internal reasons, said Harinder Singh Lakhowal, general secretary, BKU (Lakhowal).
As the SKM leaders came out of the meeting hall, scores of young farmers reached there in trolleys and gheraoed the farmer leaders. They forced the farmer leaders to listen to their demands before going outside the Kisan Andolan office.
The maximum youths among the protesters were from Punjab. Some youths are from Haryana, said sources. Some youths were associated with Lakha Sidhana, gangster-turned-social activist, some belong to Student for Society (SFS) organisations and some youths were associated with Navdeep Singh Jalbera of Ambala.
The youths demanded that the farmer leaders should announce the programme for ‘Parliament march’. The farmer leaders tried to pacify the youths, but they were not ready to hear them out.
After that, the farmer leaders held a meeting at the spot and decided not to talk on any issue with the youths today, said sources. The youths were pacified and sent back to their protesting sites.
Darshan Pal Singh, president, Krantikari Kisan Union and a member of SKM said, “We have pacified the youths that their sentiments are welcome but their way of expressing those is wrong. This is a movement of farmers and no decision will be taken under any pressure.” Their demand would be discussed in the next meeting of SKM, maintained Darshan Pal.
Notably, the SKM had announced the ‘Parliament march’ programme earlier but due to some internal reasons, the programme was delayed by the SKM leaders.
One side of all highways at Delhi borders opened for emergency services: SKM
Delhi Police have not removed the barricades, allege farmer leaders
New Delhi, April 24
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Saturday said one side of all highways at Delhi borders, where farmers have been camping for months to protest the new farm laws, have been opened to ensure free passage for oxygen tankers and ambulances amid the COVID-19 crisis.
However, the SKM alleged, the Delhi Police have not removed the barricades.
This comes days after the SKM, an umbrella body of farm unions spearheading the agitation against the Centre’s three agricultural laws, announced that one side of the highway at the Singhu border will be cleared for giving passage to vehicles carrying oxygen supplies.
In the interest of the nation, the farmers have already opened one side of roads at Delhi’s borders for emergency services, the SKM said in a statement.
Volunteers at Singhu, Ghazipur, Tikri and Shahjahanpur are constantly playing the role of COVID warriors and the emergency services are open at every border, it said.
Though the Delhi Police have not yet removed the barricades, the vehicles coming from or going to Delhi are not facing any problem due to the farmers’ protest. Farmers are helping COVID warriors reach their destinations, it added.
The SKM, the statement said, with the help of some social welfare organisations and doctors, is encouraging farmers to maintain sanitation at the protest sites.
At Tikri border, a team led by Dr Sawaiman Singh is reaching out to the farmers and urging them to take necessary precautions against coronavirus, it added.
On Wednesday, the Delhi Police created a green corridor for a truck carrying oxygen containers from the Singhu border to a private hospital in Rohini that was running out of supply. PTI
he Centre wants to derail the farmers’ struggle by using the pandemic as an excuse.
Tribune News Service Bathinda, April 24
Samyukt Kisan Morcha leader Rakesh Kumar Tikait has alleged the Centre was trying to scuttle the farmers’ agitation by carrying out “operation clean”.
Addressing a farmers’ rally at Karandi village in Mansa, Tikait said: “The Centre wants to derail the farmers’ struggle by using the pandemic as an excuse. We will not relent till the laws are withdrawn.”
“While farmers in Haryana are not facing any problem at procurement centres, in Punjab, the Centre is harassing them with an aim to crush the peasant movement,” he said.
Pak PM Imran Khan expresses solidarity with India over COVID-19 crisis
Pakistan’s Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry also expressed similar sentiments for the people of India
slamabad, April 24
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday expressed solidarity with the people of India battling the deadly wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, saying “we must fight this global challenge confronting humanity together”.
A record single-day rise of 3,46,786 coronavirus cases pushed India’s tally of infection to 1,66,10,481, while active cases crossed the 25-lakh mark, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Saturday.
The death toll rose to 1,89,544 with a record 2,624 more fatalities in a day, according to the data.https://ff72124c73b7583813449fe0bce6b0c3.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html
In a tweet, Khan said: “Our prayers for a speedy recovery go to all those suffering from the pandemic in our neighbourhood and the world”.
“I want to express our solidarity with the people of India as they battle a dangerous wave of COVID-19. “We must fight this global challenge confronting humanity together,” he said on Twitter.
His tweet came after Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi expressed support to the people of India in the wake of a massive surge in COVID-19 cases in the country and extended his sympathies to the affected families.
Qureshi said the COVID-19 crisis is yet another reminder that humanitarian issues require responses beyond political consideration
“We express our support to the people of India in the wake of the current wave of #COVID19 infections that has hit our region hard. On behalf of the people of Pakistan, I extend our heartfelt sympathies to the affected families in #India,” Qureshi tweeted.
Pakistan continues to work with the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries to foster cooperation to tackle the pandemic, he said.
Pakistan has reported 157 coronavirus deaths in the last 24 hours, the highest since last year, while the new number of cases recorded were 5,908, the health ministry said on Saturday.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry also expressed similar sentiments for the people of India.
“In these difficult times our prayers are with people of #India may God be kind and may these difficult times get over soon. #coronavirus,” he tweeted.
The tweets from the Pakistani leaders came amidst some signs of rapprochement in the relations between India and Pakistan over the Kashmir issue.
India’s decision to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019 angered Pakistan, which downgraded diplomatic ties with New Delhi and expelled the Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad. Pakistan also snapped all air and land links with India and suspended trade and railway services.
The militaries of the two countries, in a surprise announcement on February 25, said that they have agreed to strictly observe all agreements on ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir and other sectors. PTI SH/NSA AKJ
Gurdwara’s ‘oxygen langar’ proving lifesaver for Covid patients as govt runs out of supplies in Ghaziabad
“Manav seva, param dharam” (service to humanity is the highest religion) is the core mantra that has been driving Ghaziabad Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (GGPC) vice-president Gurpreet Singh as he has come out with a unique initiative of “Oxygen langar” to help Covid-19 patients amid rising cases across the country.
Amid the second pandemic wave where people are finding it difficult to get oxygen to breathe, Singh Sahib (as he is lovingly called) said, “We have started ‘Oxygen langar’ at the premises of Indirapuram Gurdwara in Ghaziabad and on a daily average for past one week, we have been providing life-saving facility to 70 to 90 persons on demand.”
Singh said since the first wave of the pandemic and following the lockdown in March last year, under the aegis of Indirapuram Gurdwara, they formed an NGO called ‘Khalsa Help International Foundation’ and started helping people in need. “Last year, we provided food to 1,000-1,500 people every day during the lockdown and now sensing the crisis, we decided on starting ‘Oxygen langar’,” he said.
The Covid cases have created havoc in Ghaziabad too like many other parts of the country and this initiative has been brought up to help patients wandering for oxygen supply. For the purpose, the gurdwara has also set up a helpline, 9097041313.
Explaining the process through which the oxygen is provided to the needy, Singh’s son Rumid Singh Rabin (in his 20s), who has been actively involved in the exercise, said, “As soon as the gurdwara receives a call on the helpline number, a car is sent to the patient and as soon as the patient reaches them, they are provided oxygen supply until the person’s oxygen level reaches to the safe level or till hospital bed is not allotted to him or her.” He said for some logistic reasons the services are not provided at the patient’s door.
“Amid this critical situation when many leading hospitals are facing an acute shortage of oxygen, this initiative by the gurdwara is commendable as people are getting immediate relief. A large number of people are already gathering at the Indirapuram Gurdwara for oxygen supply,” said Raghav Pal, a local resident, who got oxygen for his brother at the facility.
Covid has been creating havoc in Uttar Pradesh as the state recorded 34,379 new cases in the past 24 hours, the highest single-day spike. As many as 195 persons succumbed to the virus. Ghaziabad saw almost 1,000 cases in a single day.
Param Vir Chakra recipient Abdul Hamid’s son dies following hospital’s ‘negligence’
The aggrieved family say the hospital authorities did not conduct a Covid test on Ali Hasan (61)
Photo for representation only. Source: iStock.
Kanpur, April 24
The son of a Param Vir Chakra awardee died of alleged negligence in his treatment at Lala Lajpat Rai (LLR) hospital here on Friday, his family claimed.
The aggrieved family said the hospital authorities did not conduct a Covid test on Ali Hasan (61), the second son of Param Vir Chakra recipient Abdul Hamid.
Meanwhile, principal of GSV Medical College RB Kamal said he had been informed about the death. He refused to comment further.
Saleem, Hasan’s eldest son, alleged that his father died due to negligence by the doctors and hospital staff, who allegedly turned a deaf ear to his pleas.
Saleem told reporters on Friday night that his father was unwell for the past two to three days and admitted to LLR hospital on Wednesday (April 21) after complaining of severe cough and difficulty in breathing apart from a dip in the oxygen level.
After admission on April 21, Hasan was put on oxygen support but the facility was removed just after four hours by the hospital saying his health is stable and there was no need of oxygen anymore, Saleem told the media.
After witnessing Hasan’s deteriorating health, they approached the hospital staff and requested them to provide him oxygen, but the request allegedly fell on deaf ears.
The family claimed that they told the doctors that Hasan is the second son of ‘Veer Abdul Hamid’ who had received the country’s highest military decoration posthumously for his bravery during the India-Pakistan war in 1965, but to no avail.
Hasan had retired from Ordnance Equipment Factory in Kanpur and settled here. He is survived by wife, four sons and three daughters. PTI
Indian and French navies to conduct 3-day wargame in Arabian Sea from Sunday
The Indian and French navies will hold a three-day mega wargame in the Arabian Sea beginning Sunday that will feature complex naval operations like advanced air defence and anti-submarine drills.
The 19th edition of the Varuna exercise will showcase the increasing levels of synergy, coordination and interoperability between the two navies, officials said.
The Indian Navy will deploy guided missile stealth destroyer Kolkata, guided missile frigates Tarkash and Talwar, fleet support ship Deepak, a Kalvari-class submarine and a sleet of P-8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft, they said.
The French Navy will be represented by aircraft carrier Charles-de-Gaulle with Rafale-M fighter jets, E2C Hawkeye aircraft and helicopters Caiman M and Dauphin, the officials said.
The French Navy will also deploy Horizon-class air defence destroyer Chevalier Paul, Aquitaine-class multi-missions frigate Provence and command and supply ship Var, they added.
The Indian side will be led by Rear Admiral Ajay Kochhar, Flag Officer Commanding, Western Fleet, while the French side will be headed by Rear Admiral Marc Aussedat, Commander Task Force 473. — PTI
New Delhi: The Air Force has brought four high-capacity oxygen tankers from Singapore and offloaded them at the Panagrh air base in West Bengal, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs said on Saturday. — TNS
J&K announces 34-hr curfew from 8 pm
Jammu: The J&K administration announced a 34-hour curfew from 8 pm on Saturday amid Covid surge. “Complete curfew in the UT from 8 pm on Saturday till 6 am on Monday,” a statement said. — PTI
Long queues outside BHEL for med oxygen
Bhopal: Amid acute shortage of medical oxygen due to Covid surge, vehicles and individuals are queuing up outside BHEL’s plant here to get the empty cylinders refilled with the life-saving gas. — PTI
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