JAMMU: N N Vohra, Governor, has called for urgent utilization of eco-friendly technologies for the sustained protection of environment and ecology.

The Governor said this while receiving a detailed presentation by a team of senior scientists of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on bio-digester based eco-friendly toilets, at Raj Bhavan, here last evening. The Governor observed that there is need for urgently utilizing the valuable technology developed by the DRDO for an eco-friendly solution to treat human wastes. He said that this technology should be adequately publicized for enlarging awareness about its utility. He observed that possibilities could be explored for installation of these bio-toilets at various important tourist spots for eco-friendly treatment of human wastes.

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has directed the government to take necessary steps for banning gutkha, pan masala and other tobacco products in the state and file a compliance report in this regard within a week. The directions were issued today by a Division Bench comprising Justice JP Singh and Justice Muzaffar Hussain Attar.

The bench is hearing a PIL filed by Sajjad Gilani on behalf of the Jammu and Kashmir Voluntary Health and Development Association, wherein a ban has been sought on the manufacture and sale of gutkha and other smokeless tobacco products in the state.

Paramedics fear virus can spread; docs say rules being followed

The admission of a critical patient hit by swine flu has created a scare at Kashmir’s leading hospital as the man suffering from the communicable virus is being treated in a common ward instead of being put into quarantine. Kashmir’s only tertiary care hospital Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) has been treating a resident of central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district at its surgical intensive care unit for the last five days.

The J&K Government has said that it is considering banning the use of gutkha, pan masala and tobacco products in the state. The views of the Finance Department are being sought as the ban involves huge financial implications.

This has been indicated by the government in its response to a public interest litigation before the J-K High Court which has sought a ban on the manufacture and sale of gutkha and other smokeless tobacco products in the state.

Nestled deep within snow-clad mountains, the people of Takiya Magam talk in whispers. They talk about a disease they know little about. Of the 4,000 inhabitants of this village in south Kashmir, 300 have been found to be suffering from Hepatitis C.

The state Health Department has started screening the villagers and has already taken blood samples of more than 1,300 people. "We have sent the samples to the NCDC (National Centre for Disease Control) for genotyping to find the exact strain," Director, Health, Saleem-ur-Rehman told The Indian Express. "As a precaution, we have decided to test all the villagers, and everyday our team collects more than 100 samples."

Panel recommends measures to avoid health hazards

JAMMU: Painting a gloomy picture vis-à-vis management and disposal of bio-medical and other wastes in the Government and private hospitals, a six member committee constituted by the Government has arrived at a conclusion that laid down rules are being thrown into winds in majority of the health institutions right from segregation of waste at source to its final disposal. The panel has recommended slew of measures to the Government so that situation is brought under control before it leads to grave health hazard.

Unable to find a concrete solution to curb the recurring fatal road accidents, which have claimed 4,500 lives in the last four years, the Roads and Buildings (R&B) Department has decided to approach the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for improving the conditions of roads in hilly areas of the state.

The Transport Department has also decided to minutely look into the functioning and performance of the Regional Transport Officers (RTOs), Assistant Regional Transport Officers (ARTOs) and other officials concerned. The department has decided to penalise them for their laxity or negligence.

Laying stress on conservation and protection of rich bio-diversity of Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah today emphasized the need for rejuvenating the depleted forests and raising massive plantation on vacant available areas.

"Protection of forest wealth and rejuvenation of degraded forests are all the more necessary to maintain ecology, restrict climate change, save water bodies and fauna and flora of the State", he said asking for full utilization of Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) initiative in this regard.

PHE, ERA to be implementing agencies

JAMMU: Rs 600 crore ambitious water supply scheme for Jammu is on anvil and the Summary Appraisal Report (SAR) of it is under process. According to highly placed sources, under the new scheme, the piped water from river Chenab will be brought to Jammu for catering to the needs of the people of the city and its suburban areas.

Looking for new ways to deal with the rising ecological challenges in urban areas of the state, the Omar Abdullah government is sending out delegations of MLAs on study tours across the country.