Kashmir.Watch

Author: hamid

  • BSNL launches free of cost ‘Work from Home’ broadband plan

    The move could also help BSNL in converting its landline users to broadband users and to better compete with private players like Airtel and Jio and other internet service providers.

    NEW DELHI: State-run telco BSNL has also introduced a promotional standalone broadband plan ‘Work@Home’ for free of cost to all the existing its landline customers that don’t have broadband in all the circles. The move comes at a time when people increasingly start to work from home to contain the spread of Covid-19 or coronavirus.

    The move could also help BSNL in converting its landline users to broadband users and to better compete with private players like Airtel and Jio and other internet service providers.

    “Amid various mechanisms being adopted by Govt for containing the spread of Coronavirus COVID-19, BSNL has announced its program to promote work from home initiative,” said Vivek Banzal, Director CFA, BSNL Board.

    He added that the broadband service is being offered free of charge for one month to all citizens across the country, who have BSNL land line and do not have any Broadband, so that they can use this service either to work from home, educate from home , buy grocery online from home or anything that can minimize the need to move outdoor for availing essential needs.

    “After expiry of promotional period, existing customers under above plan shall be migrated to regular Broadband plan as per their usages,” the telco said in a circular.

    The plan is offering up to 10 mbps down speed and the data has been capped at 5 GB per day and once the data limit has been exhausted, data speed will be capped at 1 mbps.

    The plan is valid across all circles, including the Andaman and Nicobar circle. The plan offers free email access with 1 GB of free storage.

    BSNL said that no installation and security deposit charges will be levied to existing landline connections under this plan.

    BSNL said that its Bharat Fiber partners will be given an option to offer above plan in their jurisdiction under Fibre category.

    “Customer premise equipment (CPE)/Modem shall be customer owned for existing BSNL’s landline (i.e. not having Broadband) customers only,” it added

  • No reports of Covid-19’s airborne spread: WHO

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Monday denied the claim made on social media that the Covid-19 could be airborne.

    In a statement, Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO (Southeast Asia), said, “Airborne spread has not been reported for Covid-19. Based on the information and on our experience with other coronaviruses, Covid-19 appears to spread mostly through respiratory droplets, for instance produced when a sick person coughs, and close contact.”

    “This is why WHO recommends maintaining hand and respiratory hygiene.”

    The Chinese authorities had reported that there could be a possibility of aerosol transmission in a relatively closed environment with prolonged exposure to high concentration of aerosols, like in ICUs and CCUs in hospitals, but more investigations and analysis of epidemiological data was needed to understand this mode of transmission, the WHO official said.

    Addressing the media at WHO headquarters on Monday, Maria Van Kerkhove, Infectious Disease Epidemiologist and Covid-19 Technical Lead of WHO, said Covid-19 was not airborne. “It spreads via droplet and contact transmission,” she said.

    For healthcare workers, WHO had always recommended droplet precautions, except when performing aerosol generating procedures, where we recommend airborne precautions, she said.

    When diseases and viruses are transmitted as very small particles by air currents, it’s called airborne germ transmission. In this case infection is transmitted from one person to another by droplets of moisture expelled from the upper respiratory tract through sneezing or coughing. It’s known as droplet infection.

  • 28 girls from Islamic University of Science & Technology, Awantipora Quarantined

    28 girls from Islamic University of Science & Technology, Awantipora were undergoing internship at CIPHET, Ludhiana. A mandatory training period in their University Academic Course.

    Due to the pandemic COVID-19 and Health Emergency Alert across the nation, students were informed to leave the CIPHET, Ludhiana campus.

    Inmates of Gujjar Bakerwal Hostel Pulwama have no facilities

    During their journey back to Valley they were frisked at Lakhanpor Checkpost.

    Although didn’t possess any foreign travel record and passed the thermal screening test very well, but still they being kept under quarantine at “Gujar Bakarwal Girls Hostel, Kathua” which the students complaint is in shambles.

    Speaking with Kashmir Today students complained that they couldn’t even enter the alloted unhygienic rooms and preferred to stay in Buses only.

    Students request Srinagar administration to look into the matter and get them safely back into the Valley were they are ready to stay in Quarantine if so required.

  • Former Trump adviser: US could have more coronavirus cases than other countries in a week

    By: Peter Sullivan | The Hill

    Tom Bossert, a former homeland security adviser to President Trump, warned Monday that the United States could soon have the highest number of coronavirus cases of any country in the world.

    “Sadly, the numbers now suggest the U.S. is poised to take the lead in #coronavirus cases,” Bossert wrote on Twitter.

    “It’s reasonable to plan for the US to top the list of countries with the most cases in approximately 1 week,” he added. “This does NOT make social intervention futile. It makes it imperative!”

    Tom Bossert, a former homeland security adviser to President Trump, warned Monday that the United States could soon have the highest number of coronavirus cases of any country in the world.

    “Sadly, the numbers now suggest the U.S. is poised to take the lead in #coronavirus cases,” Bossert wrote on Twitter.

    “It’s reasonable to plan for the US to top the list of countries with the most cases in approximately 1 week,” he added. “This does NOT make social intervention futile. It makes it imperative!”

    Sadly, the numbers now suggest the U.S. is poised to take the lead in #coronavirus cases. It’s reasonable to plan for the US to top the list of countries with the most cases in approximately 1 week. This does NOT make social intervention futile. It makes it imperative!

    — Thomas P. Bossert (@TomBossert) March 23, 2020
    Bossert and other experts have been calling for actions meant to stop gatherings of people to slow the spread of the virus. Several of the hardest-hit states have now closed businesses like restaurants and bars and called on people to stay home in an effort to slow the spread of the virus.

    The United States currently has more than 35,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus, according to a tracker from Johns Hopkins University, the third-highest of any country, behind China, with 81,496, and Italy, with 59,138.

    Part of the reason for the climbing U.S. numbers is that testing is ramping up somewhat after an extremely slow start, so more existing cases are being identified.

    Another factor is that recent actions to close businesses and slow the spread of the virus take time to show up as having an effect in the numbers, as it takes time for people to notice symptoms and get tested.

    Tom Bossert, a former homeland security adviser to President Trump, warned Monday that the United States could soon have the highest number of coronavirus cases of any country in the world.

    “Sadly, the numbers now suggest the U.S. is poised to take the lead in #coronavirus cases,” Bossert wrote on Twitter.

    “It’s reasonable to plan for the US to top the list of countries with the most cases in approximately 1 week,” he added. “This does NOT make social intervention futile. It makes it imperative!”

    Sadly, the numbers now suggest the U.S. is poised to take the lead in #coronavirus cases. It’s reasonable to plan for the US to top the list of countries with the most cases in approximately 1 week. This does NOT make social intervention futile. It makes it imperative!

    — Thomas P. Bossert (@TomBossert) March 23, 2020


    Bossert and other experts have been calling for actions meant to stop gatherings of people to slow the spread of the virus. Several of the hardest-hit states have now closed businesses like restaurants and bars and called on people to stay home in an effort to slow the spread of the virus.

    The United States currently has more than 35,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus, according to a tracker from Johns Hopkins University, the third-highest of any country, behind China, with 81,496, and Italy, with 59,138.

    Part of the reason for the climbing U.S. numbers is that testing is ramping up somewhat after an extremely slow start, so more existing cases are being identified.

    Another factor is that recent actions to close businesses and slow the spread of the virus take time to show up as having an effect in the numbers, as it takes time for people to notice symptoms and get tested.

    Still, Surgeon General Jerome Adams warned Monday morning that the numbers are getting worse.

    “The numbers are going to get worse this week,” Adams said on “CBS This Morning.”

    “Things are going to get worse before they get better. And we really need everyone to understand this is serious, to lean into what they can do to flatten the curve,” he said.

    “Unfortunately, we’re seeing New York is approaching Italy,” Adams added. “Why? Because the numbers that you see of cases reflect what happened two weeks ago. Too many people are waiting too long to really take these 15 days to stop the spread initiative seriously.”

    (This story has not been edited by Kashmir Today staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

  • Kashmiri students in Bangladesh asked to leave; they urge J&K govt, MEA to evacuate them

    Will take up issue with GoI: Baseer Khan

    Srinagar, Mar 23: While the government has suspended international flights in India in wake of coronavirus pandemic, scores of Kashmiri students in Bangladesh say they have been asked to leave. They appealed External Affairs Minister to intervene and also issued an appealed to west Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to open borders for them and let them to India so that they can go home.

    “We are around 80 students from different colleges, stuck here (in Bangladesh) and have been asked by the administration to evict the hostel with immediate effect,” a student of Eastern Medical College Comilla told GNS over phone.

    “We urge the Government of Jammu and Kashmir and Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Government of India to take immediate measures in bringing us back to Kashmir,” the student said, flanked by others, said.

    The students said that in wake of suspension of international flights in India, they must be allowed to enter India through border. “We urge Chief Minister of West Bengal to let us in through border.”

    When contacted, Advisor to LG Baseer Khan said he will look into the matter.

    “I will take up the issue with the Government of India as well as authorities in Bangladesh and will put in all efforts to bring these students back at the earliest,” Khan said. (GNS)

  • KEA, KTMF support Govt lockdown

    Ask essential service customers to maintain social distance

    Srinagar, Mar 23: The Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA) and the Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation (KTMF) Monday welcomed the government decision of lockdown in Jammu and Kashmir till March 31 in the wake of coronavirus pandemic.

    According to wire service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), in a joint statement, the KEA Media Head Farhan Kitab said: “Amid this global crises, the JK government has taken the right decision and the right moment and we as responsible citizens not only need to welcome it but help in its successful implementation to keep the deadly coronavirs away.”

    Kitab appealed the organizations affiliated with the KEA to adhere to the government order in letter and spirit. “The lockdown is for the collective cause of humanity and we need to respect its enforcement.”

    Kitab appealed that only the shops selling essentials remain open and observe safety protocol like use of sanitizers. The KTMF acting President Manzoor Bhat has appealed the customers coming to shops selling essentials to maintain social distance.

    Bhat also appealed Advisor Baseer Khan to make administration ensure that shops selling essentials remain open throughout the day so that there’s no undue rush of shoppers in the evening hours.

    Bhat appealed the people to every precaution to stay away from this deadly disease. The KTMF and KEA have hailed the Lieutenant Governor GC Murmu and Chief Secretary in particular for implementing the lockdown

  • Tral resident booked for keeping non locals in his home without screening

    Srinagar March 23 : Police has registered a case against a resident of Tral in Pulwama district for keeping non locals in his house without screening.
    Sources said the Tral resident had kept 31 non locals in his house without proper screening.
    A police official told Kashmir Indepth News Service that he had transported them to Valley without screening or medical formalities.
    Police on Monday carried out a raid. He was arrested and booked under sections 188 for violating 144 crpc section in the subdivision Tral and 34 Disaster Management Act.

  • Before 1947, thousands of lives were devoured by epidemics in J&K

    Inspection posts were set-up at Kohala bridge, Domel, Uri to screen visitors, there was hardly any house where deaths were not reported: British medico on 1892 cholera

    Srinagar, Mar 23: Amid scare over outbreak of Coronavirus, a throwback at history reveals that thousands of lives have been devoured by deadly epidemic diseases in Jammu & Kashmir before 1947.

    According to records accessed by the wire service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the deadly epidemics frequented J&K before 1947 due to imported diseases, unsanitary conditions and absence of adequate health facilities. Harvey, who was deputed by the British India, to the investigate deadly epidemic cholera of 1892 in J&K, writes that past history of cholera in Kashmir is imperfect and no information can be obtained from state records.

    “Twenty thousand persons are said to have died of it in Srinagar, the capital, in 1846. There was severe outbreak in 1867 after the great fair at Haridwar and another bad epidemic in 1879. In 1888, 10000 people are estimated to have died, of whom 3500 were in Srinagar,” reads the record note of sixth general meeting of British Medical Association held in Nottingham in July 1892.

    About the 1892 epidemic, Harvey says the first case in Kashmir was reported on April 24 at Domel( Gilgit- Baltistan) where the two roads from Pindi and Hazara met.

    He says that 5376 deaths were reported in Srinagar in 1892 due to the deadly disease. “The total number of registered cases in Srinagar was 8928 and of deaths 5736, out of population of 124000,” he states.

    According to him, the highest number of cholera cases was recorded in Srinagar on May 23 and highest number of deaths on May 28. “Every part of the city suffered and there was hardly a house where there was not one- or many- dead, while families were swept away,” Harvey states.

    According to records, the plague of 1903-1904 also devoured several hundred lives in Kashmir. A.M. Mitra, then Chief Medical Officer of Kashmir, states that first case of plague came to Kashmir in 1903 from Rawalpinidi. “There were arrangements for examination of travelers coming to Kashmir from Jammu and from Rawalpindi. One case, very probably of plague, coming from Rawalpindi, died near Uri, 60 miles from Srinagar, on 8th October 1903 and was cremated there. Soon after this elaborate arrangements for disinfection of clothes by disinfector were about to be made at Uri when on the 13th November a Tonga with a veiled native woman and two servants passed Uri.

    In this Tonga came the first case of plague in Kashmir. The inspectors failed to detect the disease. The order to them was to take the temperature of every traveler(sic).

    Their subsequent report showed that all the occupants of the tonga at the time of inspection had normal temperature,” he says. He says the plague lasted in Kashmir from November 1903 to August 1904.

    “In the city of Srinagar its duration was for one and a half month only; the total number of cases were 56, all fatal. In the districts there were altogether 1,443 cases with 20 recoveries,” Mitra writes,according to KNO.

    As per records, whenever epidemic broke out, the authorities would observe quarantine measures to prevent spread of the disease in J&K.

    The government would set-up inspection posts at Kohala Bridge (gateway of Muzaffarbad, Domel (Gilgit Baltistan), Baramulla, Uri to screen those entering Jammu and Kashmir, the records In 1875, 1,385 persons were detained at Kohala post for eight days to prevent outbreak of cholera in J&K—(KNO)

  • Observe complete civil curfew till April 1: KCCI to people

    Srinagar March 23: Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries (KCCI) has appealed people to observe complete civil curfew till April 1 2020 to stop spreading of Corona (Covid 19) virus in J&K.
    “We have taken pledge to be alongside with government administration to eradicate this virus from J&K. But Government needs to take some steps immediately for ensuring smooth lockdown,” President KCCI Sheikh Ashiq said in a statement to Kashmir Indepth News Service. “They need to ensure that ample foodstuff , baby food ,medicines etc are available in the localities and people shouldn’t strive for it . They should immediately restore 4G internet so that people would get updated information and advisories regarding this Pandemic,” the statement said.

    He said government should provide free ration at doorsteps to the people under BPL categories.He demanded extention of dates for filing legal compliances and other statuary reports by at least a quater or till situation gets normal.

    “Moreover we request all the essential item shops and stores not to indulge in black marketing by escalating prices .Though our offices will be closed as a part of our lockdown initiative but our emergency contact numbers : +91 9596533799 +91 7889389263+91 9419040620 +91 9419004218,” the statement said.

    Moreover KCCI has urged business community in particular and public at large to come forward with their contributions and donations in The KCC&I Relief Trust for helping poor and needy patients to procure medicines and other necessary items. “THE KCCI RELIEF TRUST,ACCOUNT NO. 0005010100007306IFSC CODE : JAKA0CHINARJAMMU & KASHMIR BANK LIMITED,RESIDENCY ROAD, SRINAGAR. We also urge our people not to come out unnecessarily or assemble on the roads or in grounds during the time the GOVT advisories are in place. We would also like to salute our doctors, paramedical staff , Govt administration and others for working tirelessly day and night to save precious lives,” the statement added.

  • Restore 4G internet services to help student learns from home: PSAJK

    Srinagar/ March 23 : The Private Schools’ Association Jammu & Kashmir on Monday expressed it’s deep anguish over the crippling blockade of high speed 4G mobile internet services which has put into suspension mode the initiative of google class room teaching for students offered by private schools in valley presently under lockdown like several other parts of the country.

    In a statement issued on Monday the President Kashmir Private School Association Jammu & Kashmir (PSAJK) G N Var said as private schools show their readiness to shift to online lesson plans, they’re running into the limitations of our broadband networks. He claimed that since broadband is out of reach for thousands who need it for online classes, Saying that students were deprived of the right to class room teaching for seven long months due to unprecedented lock last year also, Var said classes exclusively online through apps and software like Zoom and Google Classroom is the only option for the schools till they reopen. He said that high speed internet facility at home is the only way to help students to learn remotely and demanded immediate restoration of 4G mobile internet services, adding that “students without broadband would be able to get online lessons with cellular mobile devices”. He urged the government to restore 4G mobile internet services immediately to help school systems with a large population of students who need to learn from home