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Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Kiwi planting material now available in India

Kiwi Garden in Kashmir
World'd most expensive fruit Kiwi or Chinese gooseberry (Actinidia deliciosa) is grown widely in

Kiwi is mostly grown in the mid hills of Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Sikkim, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Kerala. Having been very newly introduced in the country estimates of area and production have not yet become available. he fruit has high nutritive and medicinal value. It is a rich source of vitamin B & C and minerals like phosphorus, potassium & calcium.

Fruits are consumed fresh or combined with other fruits in salads and deserts. It is also used for preparation of squash and wine. Kiwi can be grown in areas experiencing 700-800 chilling hours (no. of hours during which temperature remains at or below 70 C during the winter season).

The plant can be grown at 800-1500 m. above m.s.l. A rainfall of about 150 cm. /year is sufficient. The rainfall should be well distributed during the growing period. The plant does not withstand strong winds and frost during the growing period because of its vigorous vegetative growth, large leaves and viny habit. In summer, high temperature (> 350 C) and low humidity may cause scorching of leaves. Sun scald and heat stress are the main problems in its cultivation in lower areas. New Zealand, Italy, USA, China, Japan, Australia, France, Chile and Spain.

Kiwi Plants are available at

The Jammu and Kashmir Medicinal Plants Introduction Centre
"Ginkgo House", Aziz Abad,Nambalbal, Pampore PPR JK 192121
Ph: 09858986794/01933-223705
e.mail: jkmpic@gmail.com
http://jkmpic.blogspot.in

Colonel M N Rai In, killed in Jammu and Kashmir

Colonel M N Rai
Indian Army on Wednesday paid glowing tributes to Colonel M N Rai, who died fighting militants in

By: Mohsin Bhat (http://writerasia.blogspot.in)
"Col Rai always led from the front in multiple operations that he carried out in 2014 and also in 2015. He combined bravery with compassion and people in Tral knew him very well for his several initiatives," General Officer Commanding of the Srinagar-based Chinar Corps Lt Gen Subrata Saha told media persons after the wreath laying ceremony at Badami Bagh Cantonment in Srinagar.

Army on Wednesday paid glowing tributes to Colonel M N Rai, who died fighting militants in Jammu and Kashmir, recalling his efforts to reach out to youths in the militancy-hit region and said such sacrifice only strengthens its resolve to fight elements inimical to peace.

Kashmiri Saffron Call to : 09858986794

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Kashmiri Saffron Call to : 09858986794

Copy and WIN : http://bit.ly/copy_win
Jammu and Kashmir, recalling his efforts to reach out to youths in the militancy-hit region and said such sacrifice only strengthens its resolve to fight elements inimical to peace.

"Col Rai always led from the front in multiple operations that he carried out in 2014 and also in 2015. He combined bravery with compassion and people in Tral knew him very well for his several initiatives," General Officer Commanding of the Srinagar-based Chinar Corps Lt Gen Subrata Saha told media persons after the wreath laying ceremony at Badami Bagh Cantonment in Srinagar.
"The supreme sacrifice of the brave men only strengthens our resolve to fight all elements inimical to security of Kashmir," he said as friends and colleagues recalled the contribution of Rai, one of the senior-most officers to be killed in last one year.
Rai, 39, commanding officer of 42 Rashtriya Rifles, and head constable Sanjeev Kumar Singh Special Operations Group of Jammu and Kashmir Police were killed during the encounter in Tral in Pulawama district yesterday, in which two militants were also gunned down.
Saha said once the house where the militants were hiding was cordoned off, the father and brother of one of the terrorists approached Rai claiming that the ultra wanted to surrender. But even as Rai gave them an opportunity to do so, the militants came out of the house firing indiscriminately leading to the gunbattle.
The officer's swift actions prevented many civilian casualties during the operation, Saha said and noted that Rai had taken "a number of initiatives for the positive engagement of youth like organising cricket and football tournaments".
"Clearly under his leadership, we could say that the narrative in Tral was changing. He earned the admiration of all the administration for his meticulous planning and we have seen how Tral turned out to vote," Lt Gen Saha said.
Rai was conferred the Yudh Seva medal on the eve of Republic Day for outstanding contribution in planning and conduct of operations including a gun battle with militants in south Kashmir last year.
Saha said the security in the Kashmir Valley was being ensured with a "colossal effort" by the army and added it was a collective responsibility of all the concerned agencies to keep the local youth away from militancy.
To another question about casualties among high-ranked officers of the army during the anti-militancy encounters, Lt Gen Saha said it was because Indian army officers always led from the front.
"Clearly because traditionally and as per our ethos, Indian army officers always led from the front and it is a matter of pride for us that we have officers of such calibre and such commitment who, even at the rank of the commanding officer, very senior rank, chose to fight from the front with their men at all times," he said.
Saha also said the army would always give an opportunity to the militants to surrender wherever such a situation comes up.
"We have been giving this opportunity wherever the parents or relations do come up to try and say that they would like to ask their son or relation to surrender. So in all fairness, we try to give them this opportunity and I would not try to add any further motives to that," he said.
Praising Rai, Saha said, "he was always in the frontline, leading his men to deliver exceedingly well. Even in the operation yesterday, soon after the cordon was established, the commanding officer was in-charge right in the front when he was approached by the father of one of the slain terrorist that his son would like to surrender.
"He asked him to go ahead and get him to surrender. At the same time, the terrorist's brother also approached and under these circumstances, both militants rushed out of the house that they were hiding in and fired rampantly," he said.
The army commander said it was to the credit of the very quick response and very quick thinking of Col Rai that he retaliated immediately and in a very brief and intense gunbattle, the two militants were killed.
"If it were not for his quick response, quite clearly, there could have been causalities on the civilians who were there in the vicinity along with his brother and others.
"So, it is the very swift response of Col Rai and the men under his command, that the terrorists -- one of them a district commander and the other one quite a young recruit -- both were eliminated," he said.
He said pro-active actions are being taken by the army to ensure that the security conditions remain stable and to ensure that the mandate which has been given by the people comes in a situation of high security stability.
"I have always maintained the way to keep the local youth away from militancy is to have them proactively engaged, to have them positively engaged.
"You are perhaps aware of the number of initiatives taken, especially sports activities, to keep them positively and proactively engaged but really it is a collective responsibility and every agency has to come together to be sure that the youth do not stray into the ranks of militancy," he said.
Saha said the families of both Col Rai and head constable Singh "were uppermost our prayers today. We stand by them in this hour of grief and all times to come."
Col Rai's body is being flown to Delhi and it will be kept at the Delhi cantonment crematorium.