Category: Union Territory

‘Five people died of virus in Kashmir, 2 in Jammu since Wednesday’

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a surge in Covid-19 deaths as seven people died of the deadly virus in the UT in the past 24 hours, health officials said on Thursday.

Of the seven deaths, five were recorded in Kashmir and two in Jammu region, taking the total number of COVID deaths in the UT to 71 so far.

Officials told news agency—Kashmir News Observe (KNO), that the patients who died at SMHS include a 70-year-old man from Baramulla, 65-year-old from Batamaloo, 70-year-old from Budgam, 89-year-old from Nawa Bazar, Srinagar and 65- year-old from Shopian in Kashmir division and who patients who died at GMC Jammu include 65-year-old from Tallab Tillo and 68 year old from Akhnoor.

Dr Nazir Choudhary, Medical Superintendent SMHS confirmed that five patients, who were tested positive for Covid-19, died at SMHS in last 24 hours.

He said that all were elderly and were having underlying problems like Hypertension, Pneumonia and respiratory issues.

Officials from Jammu said that a 65-year-old man from Bohri Talab Tillo was under treatment at isolation ward in GMC Jammu died on Wednesday evening.

“The person was under quarantine in a paid quarantine facility after his recent return from New Delhi,” officials told KNO

“He was also showing some symptoms including high fever and his another family member was also positive for Coronavirus,” the officials said.

The second person who died due to Coronavirus is a man from Kote-Garhi area of Akhnoor in Jammu district.

“Man was undergoing treatment for some ailments and was tested positive on Tuesday with his treatment was on in hospital where he breathed his last on Wednesday evening,” officials said.

With seven more deaths, the death toll in J&K has reached to 71 including 62 from Kashmir division and nine from Jammu division.

Srinagar district with 17 deaths has the highest fatalities followed by Baramulla 12, eight each in Kulgam and Shopian, six each in Anantnag, five in Kupwara, three in Budgam, two in Pulwama and one in Bandipora in Kashmir division while as in Jammu division, 6 are from Jammu district and one death each has been reported from Doda, Udhampur and Rajouri—(KNO)

PTI

Islamabad: The Pakistan Army has said that at least four civilians were killed in alleged firing by the Indian security forces along the LoC.

Spokesperson of the Pakistan Armed Forces. Major General Babar Iftikhar, said that the firing targeted the civilian population in Nikial and Bagsar sectors along the Line of Control.

Indian Army troops initiated unprovoked CFV (ceasefire violations) in Nikial & Bagsar sectors along the LoC targeting civilian population, he said in a statement.

Four civilians including a woman in Ratta Jabbar and Lewana Khaiter village were killed while another was injured, the officer said.

The spokesman further said that the Pakistan Army troops responded effectively to the Indian firing .

A cordon-and-search operation was launched in the morning by the forces at Meej in the Pampore area

PTI

An encounter broke out between security forces and militants in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, June 18m 2020, police said.

A cordon-and-search operation was launched in the morning by the forces at Meej in the Pampore area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama after receiving specific information about the presence of militants, a police official said.

He said the operation turned into an encounter after the militants fired upon a search party of the forces.

A gunfight is underway and further details are awaited, the official said.

PTI

Srinagar: Two COVID-19 positive patients, both senior citizens, from Shopian and Baramulla districts of Jammu and Kashmir died here on Wednesday taking the number of fatalities due to the coronavirus in the union territory to 65, officials said.

A 65-year-old man from Feripora area of Shopian, in south Kashmir, died of cardiopulmonary arrest at around 4 am on Wednesday at SKIMS hospital Soura, the officials said.

They said the patient was admitted to the hospital on Monday with complaints of fever and shortness of breath, and was diagnosed with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder.

The patient was on non-invasive ventilation and his son who was attending to him had given negative consent for intubation, the officials added.

In the second fatality of the day, a 70-year-old patient from Khanpora area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district died at SMHS hospital here this evening, the officials said.

They said the patient was admitted to the hospital on Monday and his sample returned as positive for the coronavirus on Wednesday.

The patient had bilateral pneumonia, they added.

PTI

Jammu: Pakistani troops shelled various forward areas along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district on Wednesday, promoting the Indian Army to give a befitting reply, officials said.

“At around 7.15 pm, Pakistani Army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and resorting to intense shelling of mortars along the LoC in Sunderbani sector of Rajouri district,” a defence spokesperson said.

“The Indian Army is retaliating befittingly,” he said.

Firing and shelling between the two sides were continuing when the last report came in, officials said.

PTI

Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir administration was conferred with three prestigious Deen Dayal Upadhyay Sashaktikaran Puraskar (DDUPSP) awards for its outstanding contribution to the socio-economic development of the gram panchayats, a spokesperson said.

The awards conferred by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj were given to three different panchayats of the Rajouri and Pulwama districts, he said.

Rathal and Badakana in Rajouri and Meej in Pulwama district were adjudged the best performing panchayats in recognition of their work in improving the delivery of services to the public like sanitation, natural resource management, maintaining record, construction of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (Gramin) houses, data management, implementation of agriculture-related schemes and electricity coverage, he said.

Jammu and Kashmir administration was earlier awarded three different national awards by the Union Ministry under Nanaji Deshmukhh Rashtriya Gaurav Gram Sabha Puraskar (NDRGGSP), Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) Award, Child-friendly Gram Panchayat Award appreciating the good work done at different levels in the union territory, the spokesperson said.

Hailing the efforts of the department, in general, and sarpanchs of these panchayats, in particular, the secretary, department of rural development and panchayati raj, Sheetal Nanda said, these panchayats have adopted best practices in all the parameters, including providing piped water to the residents, maintaining records, giving scholarships to eligible students, providing employment to poor and marginalised residents.”

She urged other panchayats of the union territory to emulate their best practices for the benefit and welfare of the people, the spokesperson said.

Nanda congratulated sarpanchs Sobia Shaheen, Abdul Rehman, and Naseer Ahmad Khanday, he said.

The secretary also hailed the efforts of two district panchayat officers — Abdul Khabir and Mir Nasrool Hilal Jerri — for their tireless dedication in achieving this feat.

PTI

Leh: There were 38 more novel coronavirus cases in Ladakh, taking the tally to 687 on Wednesday, the Health Department said.

The number of active cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is 594 — 479 in Kargil and 115 in Leh — and seven more people were discharged, taking the total recoveries to 92, officials said.

Twenty-seven of the 38 new COVID-19 cases were from Kargil district and 11 in Leh district, the department officials said.

Meanwhile, Gyal P Wangyal, chairperson of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh, and his deputy Tsering Sandup met Lt Governor Radha Krishna Mathur, requesting for complete lockdown for at least two weeks amid the rising COVID-19 cases.

Wangyal apprised Mathur about a meeting of the LAHDC with various stakeholders, in which all were in favour of a lockdown, the official said.

HC Warns Govt Of ‘Punitive’ Action If Report Not Filed By June 23

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir High Court has warned authorities of “punitive” action if the report by an expert committee on aspects relating to the Russian Poplar trees including the impact of the pollen and fluff from these trees on the spread of the novel coronavirus was not filed before it by June 23.

Hearing a Public Interest Litigation, a division bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Vinod Chatterji Koul warned the authorities after Additional Advocate General Aseem Sawhney said that he has received oral instructions that the needful has been done by the General Administration Department.

“It is truly unfortunate that we have not been informed about what is the ‘needful’ which is done,” the court said, adding, “In case the action taken report is not filed before us before the next date of hearing, we shall be constrained to take a strict view of the matter and pass punitive orders against the authorities concerned”. The case has been listed for fruiter consideration on June 23.

Last month, Additional Advocate General Amit Gupta had informed the court that the General Administration Department has taken a view on the report submitted by the Expert Committee and the same stands forwarded to the Department of Law and the Forest Department for compliance.

“Neither report of expert committee nor the decision taken thereon has been placed before us,” the court had said previously and sought the same.

Headed by Dr. Mohit Gera (IFS), Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and HoFF, the members of panel included Farooq Ahmad Gillani (Chief Conservator of Forests, Kashmir), Dr. Mushtaq Siddiqi (Vice-Chancellor, Islamic University of Science & Technology), Dr. Naveed Nazir Shah (HoD, Pulmonary Medicine, Government Medical College, Srinagar), Zubair Ahmad Shah (Conservator of Forests, Srinagar), Dr. Tariq. H. Masoodi (Dean, Department of Forestry, SKUAST, Kashmir) and Mehraj-ud-din Malik (Regional Director, Social Forestry, Kashmir).

The panel was formed following the Court’s order on April 10 last, directing the Chief Secretary to constitute it to examine the impact of the pollen and fluff from the poplar trees and the desirability of felling poplar trees amid coronavirus pandemic.

The court had passed the orders days after almost all deputy commissioners in Kashmir ordered axing of the “female” poplar trees.

“Significantly a grave error is pointed out which is to the effect that female poplar trees have been directed by the authorities to be felled on account of the “pollen” generated by them. This by itself is a basic mistake,” the court had observed.

“Pollen is generated by the male of the specie and not by the female tree. Therefore felling of the female of the Species would not have any impact,” the court had said as per GNS.

It was also pointed out, the court observed, that the fluff carries the seed and not pollen.

“The two reports brought to our notice refer to views of several experts doubting the correctness of the statement that the fluff generated by the poplars could be effecting respiratory diseases or would impact spread of the COVID-19 infection,” the court had observed, adding, “The Committee which is constituted would examine all aspects relating to the matter including the impact of the pollen and fluff from the poplar trees, the desirability of felling poplar trees (also called Russian Poplar) and related issues.

The Committee, the court had said, shall suggest all necessary steps, including felling of trees, if necessary.

The Secretaries, Health and Forest Departments, were directed by the court to take a “considered view” on the committee’s report and place the same before the Chief Secretary for consideration at the earliest. “The final recommendations shall be placed before us at the earliest (now before June 26),” the court added. (GNS)

Srinagar: Indian film director, producer and screenwriter who is known for his works in Hindi cinema has expressed his desire to make a bollywood movie on the life of ‘controversial’ police officer Basant Rath.

Basant Rath is 2000 batch IPS officer who belongs to the Jammu and Kashmir cadre.

“Some day I wish to make a film on the life of this enigmatic poet/ police officer. Janam din mubarak Basant. People like you are so hard to find,” Mahesh Bhatt tweeted along with a photograph of Rath with the caption.

Basant Rath according to news agency KNT is known for his candid comments and behavior. His tweets always attract the attention of his foes and friends alike. Sometimes, his tweets offend even his friends.

He became a house hold name in Jammu and Kashmir after assuming charge of traffic department.

In2018, Rath was removed from his post as IGP, Traffic as he got involved in a major brawl with former Srinagar Mayor Junaid Matoo whom he called a ‘cabbage’, probably for his remarks on wet lands. (KNT)

PTI

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has convened an all-party virtual meet on June 19 to discuss the situation on the India-China border, his office said on Wednesday.

Twenty Indian Army personnel including a colonel were killed in the clash with Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh on Monday night, the biggest military confrontation in over five decades that has significantly escalated the already volatile border standoff between the two.

“In order to discuss the situation in the India-China border areas, Prime Minister @narendramodi has called for an all-party meeting at 5 pm on 19th June. Presidents of various political parties would take part in this virtual meeting,” the PMO tweeted.