It may sound surprising. Despite public outcry over infant deaths at government hospitals last year and illegal practice of female foeticide across the state, some of the important health indicators in the state such as death rate, birth rate and infant mortality rate are better than the national average.

However, child gender ratio and adult gender ratio in the state still remains dismal. As per the figures indicated in the Sample Registration System (SRS) issued by the Registrar General of India in its latest report, the comparative position of some important health indicators in the state vis-à-vis the national average altogether tells a different tale.

JAMMU: In order to discuss and finalize the draft Action Plan on climate change, a meeting of Expert Committee was held under the chairmanship of Director Environment, Ecology and Remote Sensing, Jammu, Suresh Chugh here today.

Climate Change Expert, Jagdish Kishwan and Ex ADG, Ministry of Environment of Forests, Government of India was the chief guest on the occasion. Mr. Suresh Chugh informed that as a part of the National Action Plan on climate change, every State has to prepare its own Action Plan for climate change, taking into consideration the local requirements of the State. The draft of State Action Plan has been prepared by the GIZ (A German Firm) consultants IRG Pvt. Ltd in consultation with the stakeholders of the State. He underlined the need to understand the concept of climate change and its impact.

‘State not fully prepared to meet disasters’

With scientists across the globe warning of massive earthquakes of magnitude 8.5 in the Himalayas, the hilly Jammu and Kashmir, which lies in seismic zone IV and V, may witness the worst ever tremors that could cause “immeasurable destruction” owing to “faulty planning” and “ill-preparedness” on part of the state government. Worried over the state government’s “laid-back approach on latent but imminent danger”, experts say the authorities should do holistic planning instead of getting into a fire-fighting mode during a disaster.

The state government has decided to dedicate the year 2013 to its daughters as the gap between male-female ratio continues to be wide in some districtsa such as Jammu, Samba and Kathua even though

The GB Pant Children’s Hospital, which is the only hospital catering to children of the Kashmir valley, is setting up a special facility for the undernourished children of the region.

Srinagar, December 30: The state is losing its green sheen fast as the forest land has shrunk from 20,230 sq km to just 7,590 sq km as per data furnished by the state Department of Forests earlier

JAMMU, Dec 28: The Center has sanctioned 19 new tourist projects involving a cost of Rs 97.36 crore to the State for development and upgradation of tourist related infrastructure in the State.

JAMMU, Dec 28: Reviewing various forest development projects and schemes under execution in Mahore at a high level meeting today, Minister for Forests and Environment, Mian Altaf Ahmed said that al

The first trial run on the 17.5-km rail link from Qazigund in the Kashmir valley to Banihal in Jammu division, which goes through the 11-km-long Pir Panjal tunnel, was successfully held today.

Night soil of over 60 thousand latrines is disposed into open drains without any sewage treatment in Jammu and Kashmir, according to figures released by state's Directorate of Census Operation.