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[ad_1] The pilgrimage to the Himalayan shrine of Amarnath located at a height of 3,880 metres in south Kashmir will start on June 30 after a two year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 43-day yatra (pilgrimage) will end on August 11, shrine authorities said on Sunday. The decision on the schedule of the pilgrimage was taken at the 41st meeting of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) chaired by Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha at the Raj Bhavan here, an official spokesman said. The pilgrimage to the cave shrine would start simultaneously from both the routes, the Pahalgam track in Anantnag district and the Baltal track in Ganderbal district, while online registration will start from April 11. The annual yatra to the shrine was cancelled midway in 2019 ahead of abrogation of Article 370 in August that year, while only a symbolic yatra was observed during the past two years due to the outbreak of COVID-19. “Today chaired board meeting of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board. The 43-day holy pilgrimage will commence on 30th June with all Covid protocols in place and culminate, as per the tradition, on the day of Raksha Bandhan. We had in-depth discussion on various issues also on the upcoming yatra,” Sinha tweeted. Giving details of the meeting, the spokesman said the board has decided to put in place a daily route-wise pilgrims ceiling of 10,000, excluding yatri’s who would travel by helicopters. The board has also decided to extend the free-of-cost battery car service for pilgrims at the 2.75-km-long Baltal to Domel stretch, he said. Addressing the meeting, Lt Governor Sinha called on officials to be proactive and ensure elaborate arrangements for conducting a smooth yatra as large number of devotees are expected to arrive to pay their obeisance at the cave shrine, housing the naturally formed ice-shivlingam. “Government is introducing RFID system for pilgrims to track their movement en-route to ensure their well-being,” he said.Sinha laid special emphasis on providing best-in-class health facilities to all the visiting devotees and service providers, strengthening telecommunication channels for yatris, besides use of latest technological measures to achieve optimal synergy between different government departments and agencies. Jammu and Kashmir Director General Police Dilbag Singh briefed the board about the security arrangement plan for the yatra. He said besides mountain rescue teams, the Jammu and Kashmir Police will also set up camps of health and medical care for yatris. Chief Executive Officer, SASB, Nitishwar Kumar gave a brief overview of the route map of the shrine and various services being made available by the board enroute and at the holy cave. “The key preparations have been made for this year’s yatra. With increased capacity for accommodation, new Yatri Niwas Bhawans, augmented health facilities, upgraded tracks, telecommunication facilities, heli services, SASB app, year-long insurance for ponywaalas, many unique initiatives have been taken for the benefit of yatris and service providers,” he said.Several suggestions and inputs were given SASB members and these included sustained media campaign for facilitating people with all information regarding the yatra vis-a-vis on how to avail yatra services, dos and don’ts and mandatory heath checkups, the spokesman said. Lt Governor Sinha during the meeting also directed officials for sending special invites to akhada parishads and acharya parishads for facilitation of pilgrimage for seers. He said all suggestions made by the board members will be acted upon by officers of the administration and the SASB. Sinha directed the officers to complete all the ongoing infrastructure upgrade works by May-end. “All utilities on the routes (to the shrine) should be ready and made functional well before the commencement of yatra,” he said. The lieutenant governor stressed on ensuring world-class sanitation arrangement on the track and in yatra camps. The board will also enable live telecast of morning and evening aarti (prayers) for devotees across the globe. The ‘Shri Amarnathji Yatra’ app has been made available on Google play store to get real time information about the yatra, weather and for availing several services online, the spokesman said. [ad_2] Source link

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[ad_1] Analysis-Impermanence nation: Canada's growing reliance on temporary residents to meet labor needs [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] By Nitasha Badhwar Water is a critical part of our environment but the last century saw surface and ground water quality deteriorating due to human-related activities such as mining, livestock farming, industrial, municipal and agricultural waste disposal, soil erosion and heavy metal pollution. In countries that are water-stressed this has a huge impact. India, one of the 17 countries facing the highest levels of water stress in the world has seen unprecedented strain on water resources in recent years. The reasons for this are many. The changing pattern of the Indian monsoon reflecting global climate change is one, but mismanagement of the water resources is another key factor. While India has one of the largest irrigation systems globally, it has high levels of inefficient water use. Agriculture in India that clocked a share of 20% of GDP in 2020-21 for the first time in 17 years is extremely inefficient in its use of water even as it uses up 80% of all water resources in the country. Depletion of the groundwater with extraction being more than recharge also contributes to the water stress. The total water demand in India is expected to rise by over 70% by 2025, a huge demand-supply gap is expected in the coming years. Three-quarters of Indian districts with around 64 crore people, are hotspots for water-related disasters. To avoid this situation, it will be necessary to make significant investments in sustainable technologies to avoid climate induced economic losses. This will include investments in water infrastructure, an aspect that is neglected at present. If action is not taken now, the situation is likely to deteriorate further by 2050 with demand exceeding supply leading to a likely 6% loss in GDP. The past three decades have seen a deterioration in the canal system of irrigation accompanied by an increased reliance on groundwater. Increasing private investment in the tapping of groundwater and construction of wells in cities and small towns has led to 75% of the water economy dependant on self-supply. This is leading to pollution, contamination and decay of rivers, water bodies, wetlands and groundwater resources with resulting shrinking of per capita availability of water and water resources. Action needs to be taken immediately to strengthen the water infrastructure with strong policies and regulations accompanied by robust investments. It is only then that that gap between availability and utilization, demand and supply of water resources can be bridged. Another aspect that can help India manage its water resources is the use of sustainable technologies such as renewable energy for power. Energy is one of the basic needs of life with the need for energy increasing day by day. The consumption of fossil fuels has resulted in serious ecological problems with climate change becoming a threat to not just natural habitats but the health of all living creatures. Tackling this with energy from renewable resources rather than fossil fuels has led to a focus on renewable energy for sustainable growth. In addition to being clean energy, solar and wind power require zero or little water use enabling India to meet its power needs without carbon emissions or consuming water. In a country with a growing population and farms and industries competing for the scarce commodity, renewable energy can help to better manage the limited water resources. Studies show that India can reduce its water consumption intensity by more than 25 percent just through meeting its renewable energy targets1. Solar power is also capable of enabling access to clean water in areas without basic clean water. This has been successfully demonstrated in Indonesia, a country that owns considerable water resources but lacks safe fresh water in most of the remote areas. A small-scale water treatment system powered by solar thermal or PV comes at a low capital cost with the added benefits of ease of operation and low maintenance. With WaterAid’s water quality index (WQI) ranked India at 120th among 122 countries around the world. An independent water regulatory authority must be set up that monitors water usage, treatment and recharging by industry. There is a need for more incentives at the policy level to implement and scale-up waste water treatment to save groundwater. It is hoped that the development finance institution proposed in India’s recent budget will result in a visible change with innovative structuring of financing options for strengthening the water economy! (The author is co-founder and chief strategy officer Sunpower Renewables. Views expressed are personal and not necessarily that of FinancialExpress.com) [ad_2] Source link

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[ad_1] Russia hits Ukraine's Lviv with cruise missiles, defence ministry says [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] Over 1,400 large companies have to refinance Rs 5 lakh crore next fiscal, but the ongoing global crisis following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in the form rising inflation risks and the resultant likely spike in interest rates, is unlikely to cause any trouble for them given their strong balance-sheets and stable earnings, says a report. According to an analysis by India Ratings, the top 1,423 non-financial, debt-heavy corporates have to refinance as much as Rs 5 lakh crore next fiscal, but the refinancing risk is manageable despite a challenging environment owing to the tightening monetary policy condition, volatile commodity prices and rising geopolitical risks. Total refinancing requirement is estimated at Rs 5 lakh crore in FY23 on a blue-sky scenario, marginally up from Rs 4.98 lakh crore in FY22, the agency said, but added that the quantum will go up 33 per cent to Rs 6.6 lakh crore in FY23, based on a hazy-sky scenario. The blue-sky scenario assumes growth in revenue and operating margins, while the hazy-sky scenario assumes a moderation in both along with an increase in working capital requirements. The agency expects refinancing risks to ebb in FY23, largely driven by healthy earnings in the past two years and a significant deleveraging by many debt-heavy entities. Under the blue-sky scenario, it estimated that 85 per cent of the refinancing requirement is likely to be for the top 100 corporates based on gross debt, which have a better credit quality than medium- and smaller ones. In terms of ratings, 75 per cent of the refinancing is for AA-rated or better entities. The report expects refinancing worth Rs 3.6 lakh crore of the total Rs 5 lakh crore can be refinanced by with an interest coverage ratio of 1.5x and above, indicating high probability of refinancing. For the remaining Rs 1.3 lakh crore debt, for which interest coverage is below 1.5x and/or have negative operating margins, may find the going tough given the still cautious approach of lenders. The debt heavy sectors like oil, power, capital goods and iron & steel will have an estimated refinancing of Rs 2.32 lakh crore or 47 per cent of the total requirement, in FY23 and the report does not expect these entities to face any challenges in refinancing given their superior access to the markets and strong financial health. The report, however, does not see much impact on these companies due to the ongoing war in Ukraine and concludes that war will have only a moderately adverse impact on companies top line, input costs and, subsequently, cash flow and working capital requirement, that too if the war lingers on for long. [ad_2] Source link

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[ad_1] Australia flags move on high fuel prices as election nears [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] DC vs MI: The Delhi Capitals will face off against record winners Mumbai Indians in Match 2 of Tata IPL 2022 at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai. This match, the first of a double-header, will start at 3.30 PM. DC VS MI SQUADS The Delhi Capitals begin their campaign for a first Indian Premier League (IPL) title against the five-time champions. The Capitals’ juggernaut came very close to winning the title last season before capitulating against the Kolkata Knight Riders in the Qualifier. The Mumbai Indians, on the other hand, failed to make it to the playoffs. Since then, both the squads have undergone significant changes following the mega auction earlier this year. Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant will continue to lead their sides, while Ishan Kishan, the most expensive buy of the mega auctions, will return to the Mumbai fold. The Indians have also managed to retain their core of senior players with Kieron Pollard and Jasprit Bumrah in the squad. On the road for the whole of #IPL2022, and the DC family is ready to ???????????????? ????????#YehHaiNayiDilli | #DCvMI #TATAIPL | #IPL | #DelhiCapitals | @RishabhPant17 @PrithviShaw @akshar2026 @imShard pic.twitter.com/j0DOi8Ey2G — Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) March 27, 2022 The Capitals, on the other hand, will be without Mitchell Marsh, David Warner, and Anrich Nortje for the first few games. However, the Delhi franchise still has several talented young players. Shardul Thakur, Prithvi Shaw, and Axar Patel will walk into any team in the IPL and form the backbone of the Capitals’ setup. Under-19 World Cup winners Yash Dhull and Vicky Ostwal are also in the squad. DC VS MI HISTORY The two sides have faced each other 30 times in the IPL, with the Indians having the edge with 16 wins to the Capitals’ 12. DC VS MI TOP FANTASY PICKS: Rovman Powell has impressed the coaching staff members in Delhi’s practice sessions and warm-up matches. The team’s biggest hitter, the Capitals’ fortune will depend on the Caribbean muscleman in the IPL. India skipper Rohit Sharma will once again lead the Mumbai Indians and is expected to star this season as well. He has scored 5,611 runs in 213 IPL matches and could be an essential pick for the season. Hitman ची बैठक ????‍♂️????#OneFamily #DilKholKe #MumbaiIndians @ImRo45 pic.twitter.com/9jSJwCzXKM — Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) March 26, 2022 Tim David was part of the Royal Challengers Bangalore squad last season, but failed to make an impact. The Singapore-born batter was snapped up by the Indians during this year’s auction as the record winners look to add depth to the squad. David has immense experience in franchise T20 leagues and has scored 1,965 runs in his 89 matches at an average of 33.87. Retained by the Mumbai Indians for a whopping Rs 15.25 crore, Ishan Kishan will be expected to step up and shine. The keeper-batter can hit the ball long and could be the game changer for the Indians. India international Jasprit Bumrah has been the leading bowler in the country by a mile over the last few years. With a stunning 130 wickets in 106 IPL matches, Bumrah will lead the Indians’ attack once again. [ad_2] Source link