Category: Union Territory

Positive cases have poured in from all 68 medical blocks of Valley, say officials

Srinagar: The deadly pandemic has engulfed entire Kashmir in a way that not a single medical block is virus free, officials revealed to news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) Thursday.

They said that Covid-19 positive cases have poured in from all 68 medical blocks of Kashmir division and no area is virus free. An official said that Srinagar district which has 13 medical blocks has reported around 4500 positive cases and these cases were recorded in all blocks and zones of the district.

He said that Anantnag district which comprises of seven medical blocks including Achabal, Bijbehara, Larnoo, Mattan, Sallar, Shangus and Verinag has reported 1258 cases so far and no block is virus free.

He said that Pulwama district which once was declared Covid free has four medical blocks including Pulwama, Pampore, Tral and Rajpora and all four blocks have 1363 positive cases and cases are from every block.

He said that Kulgam district has been divided into five Medical blocks— Kulgam, Qaimoh ,DH Pora , Qazigund and Yaripora that have 1491 positive cases which belong to every block.

“Shopian district has 1416 positive cases and these cases are from all three blocks including Shopian, Keller and Zainapora,” the official told KNO

Bandipora has reported so far 678 cases which are from its all three blocks including Bandipora, Gurez and Hajin, the officials said. “Baramulla has 09 medical blocks and 1835 reported cases so far are from every block of the district,” an official said.

Kupwara and Budgam districts have 10 medical blocks each with positive cases 1069 and 1228 respectively and no block in twin districts is virus free, he said, adding that Ganderbal district which has reported so far 387 positive cases and these cases were reported from all four blocks of the district.

Pertinently, out of 19419 positive cases reported, 15201 are from Kashmir which are 78.28 percent of the total positive cases.

Director health services Kashmir Dr Samir Matoo told KNO that there are 68 medical blocks in Kashmir division and positive cases have been reported almost from every block of Kashmir division—(KNO)

Srinagar: Pakistan Army has returned a boy from Kupwara who had crossed over to Pakistan administered Kashmir.

Sources told news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS) that the boy was returned on Thursday morning during a flag meeting between two armies.

“Rayees Ahmad son of Mohammad Yaqoob a resident of Sudpora Kupwara was handed over to Indian authorities on LoC in Teetwal area of Kupwara district,” sources said.

Sources said it was still unknown how he had crossed over to LoC.

A police official said they are investigating the matter. “We are investigating how he crossed over the LoC,” the official told KINS.(KINS)

Srinagar, July 30 (KINS): National Conference (NC) senior leader and Member of Parliament (MP) Mohammad Akbar Lone Thursday said tendering resignation by National Conference (NC) MPs will not resolve any problem.

“What difference our (NC MPs) resignation will make. It will be a sort of protest only if we resign. But we have contested polls and people have elected us. We are adopting other ways to register our protest (against abrogation of Article 370),” Lone said as per news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS).

NC has three MPs that comprises party patron Dr Farooq Abdullah, Hasnain Masoodi and Muhammad Akbar Lone.

NC has been on forefront to defend the special status of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir which was scrapped on 5 August 2019 and was divided in two union territories.

“If our resignation would make any difference, we will do that. But it will not. The resignation of three NC MPs is a solution to nothing,” he said.

He said their resignation would not bring statehood or special status back. “If it can, we are ready to resign. But if it cannot, what is the fun to tender it (resignation),” he said.

Upset over downgrading of Jammu and Kashmir to the status of a Union Territory following abrogation of Article 370, former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said he will not contest assembly elections till full statehood is restored. (KINS)

PTI

Jammu: Wi-Fi hotspots, vertical gardens and wayfinding signages will soon come up in Jammu as part of the measures to make it a smart city, officials said on Thursday.

They said Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor G C Murmu has laid the e-foundation of four projects under Jammu smart city mission.

“In the first phase, there will be a smart vertical garden from below the flyover from Dogra Chowk to KC Chowk at a project cost of Rs 4.5 crore and junction improvement in 10 significant rotaries and crossings in Jammu city at a project cost of Rs 16.25 crore”, an official said.

He said Jammu will have eight Wi-Fi hotspots within the municipal corporation limits and wayfinding signages conforming to IRC standards will be installed at 680 locations in the city.

In a bid to develop Jammu as a smart city, the LG called for the removal of encroachments from markets, public places, and roads on mission mode, the official said.

The lieutenant governor also sought details about the maintenance of parks and gardens in the city and issued directions for their proper fencing and beautification, he said.

Murmu was informed that the administration has undertaken a variety of works and completed sanitation drives and face lifting of Yatri Niwas and Canal Road ,including the flyover at Bikram Chowk, the official said.

A total of 1,200 plants are being planted in different wards of the city under mega plantation drive and a campaign has been launched to remove unauthorized hoardings in the city, he said.

New way-finding signages would be installed across the city in a time-bound manner for convenience of commuters, citizens, and tourists under the Smart City Mission, the officer added.

PTI

New Delhi: The nationwide Unlock 3 guidelines were on Wednesday issued by the government, opening up more activities outside the containment zones, but schools, colleges, metro rail service, cinema halls along with bars will continue to remain shut till August 31 and political and religious gatherings will also remain prohibited.

For the first time since the coronavirus lockdown came into force on March 25, the government has allowed opening of yoga institutes and gymnasiums from August 5 for which separate Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) will be issued by the Health Ministry.

After extensive consultation with states and union territories, it has been decided that schools, colleges and coaching institutions will remain closed till August 31, the Union Home Ministry said on a statement.

However, restrictions on movement of individuals during night (night curfew) have been removed, according to the ministry.

The Unlock 3 guidelines will come into force from August 1 and strict enforcement of lockdown in containment zones will continue till August 31.

Among the prohibited activities are metro rail services, cinema halls, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars, auditoriums, assembly halls and similar places.

Social, political, sports, entertainment, academic, cultural, religious functions and other large congregations will also continue to be prohibited till August 31.

All activities, except these, shall be permitted outside the containment zones.

Dates for opening of these will be decided separately, based on the assessment of the situation, the home ministry said.

Independence Day functions will be allowed with social distancing and by following other health protocols, e.g., wearing of masks etc.

International air travel of passengers has been permitted in a limited manner under the Vande Bharat mission. Further opening up will take place in a calibrated manner, it said.

Urge Govt to come up with alternate solution, say families on verge of starvation

Srinagar: The frequent closure of weekly flea market since past over six months as resulted in the huge losses of worth Rs 4.80 Crore to the vendors leaving their families on the verge of starvation.

The three-km-long market from Tourist Reception Centre (TRC) to Hari Singh High Street (HSHS), including Lal Chowk has been closed since February this year after the outbreak of COVID-19 in Jammu and Kashmir.

The street vendors who were erecting their stalls on the busiest market on every Sunday told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that they have suffered a loss of Rs 4.80 Crores approximately in last four months, adding that each vendor has suffered a loss of Rs 20,000 per month.

“I was earning Rs 5,000 on every Sunday and now it has been over four six months almost when I have not earned a single penny and I don’t even have the other source of income as well,” Showkat Ahmed, a vendor said. “It’s not only me who is facing such a situation, but my family and the people who were directly or indirectly earning their bread and butter from Sunday market have been facing similar situations since the closure of the busiest market.”

He said that there are almost 600 to 700 vendors with almost 1200 ‘beds’, who were earning from Sunday market and have no source left now for earning livelihood,” he said.

It’s not only from the last four months only, but the busiest market is closed for a long time. The market is shut since the abrogation of Article 370 on Aug 5 last.

Abdur Rehman, another vendor said that a meager compensation will not help them to survive, but the government needs to come up with alternate solutions to allow the street vendors to erect their stalls. “We should be allowed to resume our activities on Sundays with strict adherence to the SOPs. We will also follow the health guidelines in spirit, but the government should consider allowing us to resume our activities,” he said adding that their families are already on the verge of starvation and if government won’t listen to their grievances, situation may take an ugly turn and their family members would have no option other than to beg—(KNO)

Pulwama: A 24-year-old youth from Tral area of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district was injured after his mobile exploded in his hands on Wednesday.

An official told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that a youth identified as Irshad Ahmad Reshie, son of Gulam Rasool Reshie of Main Tral got injured when his mobile exploded at his home.

He said that the youth was playing a game on mobile when it exploded due to which he has sustained injuries on his face.

“The injured youth was shifted to a nearby hospital, wherefrom he was shifted to Srinagar’s SMHS hospital for further treatment,” he added.

Medical Superintendent at SMHS, Dr. Nazir Choudhary told KNO that the condition of injured youth is stable—(KNO)

Srinagar: Senior National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said his party stands on Gupkar declaration after New Delhi abrogated Article 370.

“The Gupkar declaration stands. But what it means for the road ahead can only be discussed when all those in the meeting have the freedom to discuss it. Moreover, we have not had a common fight on August 5 decision.

Some of us as individual entities have gone to court to protest the decision, but the PDP has chosen not to challenge it in court. Once all the leaders are out of detention, they can meet and decide on whether to coordinate in the future,” Omar told a national daily The Hindu in an interview.

As per the news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS), Omar said there was an element of gender bias in Article 35-A.

“Yes, I accept there was an element of gender bias in 35A, which could have done with correction. I have within the party discussed there might be a need to widen the scope and involve the civil society to acknowledge the gender bias in 35A and correct it ourselves.

In fact, I often cited the example of the triple talaq ruling. If the Muslim intelligentsia had themselves acknowledged the problem of triple talaq and done away with it without the courts needing to have stepped in, it would have been better.”

“With regard to refugees, those refugees were not State subjects of J&K. A State has the right to choose who its domiciles should be. Other States do the same. Himachal Pradesh, Union Territories (UTs) like Andaman, Lakshadweep and the Northeast have their own domicile laws and J&K chose its own domicile law.

If there was any element of discriminatory nature in the domicile law, the BJP was part of power with (Peoples Democratic party president) Mehbooba Mufti and Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, why did they not do it while in the government?

Why did they have to completely dismember J&K?

Why did you have to completely alter constitutional relationship between J&K and the rest of the country to correct these things?” he said.

The National Conference leader said last year, the people of India were told that Jammu and Kashmir needed to be brought at par with the rest of the country, that one nation can’t have two systems, and that Jammu and Kashmir had suffered because of Article 370, because of militancy and separatism and violence, and also because of poverty, absence of development, and because of corruption.

“One year later, we are forced to ask what has changed?

Are those people who were alienated, feeling any less so?

Is violence any lower?

Has investment suddenly started flowing in?

Is corruption any less and is governance any better?

Has there been a reverse exodus of the Kashmiri Pandits, whom we were told had been held back because of Article 370?

The truth is, not a single claim stands the test of scrutiny,” the former chief minister said.(KINS)

Hilal Ahmad Rather, the Air Attache to France, was born in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.

PTI

Hilal Ahmad Rather (center), the Air Attache to France.

The first batch of five Rafale jets took off from France for India on Monday and are scheduled to arrive at Ambala air force station on Wednesday, nearly four years after India signed an inter-governmental agreement with France to procure 36 Rafale jets for the Indian Air Force under a Rs 59,000-crore deal.

Back in Kashmir, there is one name that has suddenly caught everyone’s attention: Air commodore Hilal Ahmad Rather who saw off the first batch of fighter jets that took off from France.

Hilal, the Air Attache to France, was born in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district. Hilal did his schooling from Sainik School in Nagrota, graduated from Defence Services Staff College. Hilal has won Sword of Honour in NDA.

The Kashmir-born IAF fighter pilot rose from being a flight lieutenant to now an Air Commodore.

He became flight lieutenant in 1993, wing commander in 2004, group captain in 2016 and air commodore in 2019.

The first squadron of the Rafale jets will be stationed in Ambala air base.

The aircraft are expected to significantly boost the Indian Air Force’s combat capabilities at a time India is locked in a tense border row with China in eastern Ladakh.