Category: Union Territory

Srinagar: If you have healthy levels of vitamin D, you are less likely to get severe disease from the novel coronavirus, said Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Friday in a communiqué.

“Having adequate levels of vitamin D reduces your risk of dying from Covid-19,” said DAK President Dr Nisar ul Hassan.

“People with low levels of vitamin D are at increased risk of dying if they contract the novel virus,” he said.
Quoting a study published in Irish Medical Journal, Dr Nisar said countries like Spain and Italy, though sunny have high rates of vitamin D deficiency and have experienced some of the highest Covid-19 infection and death rates in the world.

“These countries do not fortify food or recommend supplementation with vitamin D and people avoid sun,” he said.

“Conversely, countries like Norway, Finland and Sweden despite less sunlight exposure have higher vitamin D levels and have lower Covid-19 infection and deaths,” Dr Nisar said.

“The high levels of vitamin D found in these Nordic countries are due to consumption of cod liver oil and vitamin D supplements and possibly less sun avoidance,” he said.

Dr Nisar said vitamin D deficiency is widely prevalent in Kashmir valley because of less exposure to sunlight.
“Deficiency is more prevalent in elderly and in people with underlying medical conditions and they are the ones who are prone to complications and death from Covid-19,” he added.

Dr Nisar said majority of Covid-deaths occur as a result of cytokine storm, a hyperinflammatory condition caused by an overactive immune system which severely damages the lungs and leads to acute respiratory distress syndrome and death.

“Not only does vitamin D enhances our innate immune system, it also prevents our immune system from becoming dangerously overactive,” he said.

Dr Nisar said the best way to ensure that people have adequate levels of vitamin D is to take the vitamin supplements at currently recommended levels.

“The recommended daily vitamin D supplement intake is 400-800 International Units or 10-20 micrograms, but during this Covid crisis a supplement containing 1000-2000 IU daily would be reasonable,” he said.

“Vitamin D can also be obtained from eating foods such as fish, egg-yolk, mushrooms and cheese,” said Dr Nisar.

Srinagar: A special NIA court in Anantnag has denied bail to a cleric, farmer by profession, who was arrested on March 3 this year, 726 days after leading funeral prayers of a militant from his native village, Damhal Hanjipora in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.

The funeral of the militant Amir Tantray, killed in an encounter with joint team of police and army on 25 October 2018 at Arwani Bijbehara, was held next day.

As per prosecution, when the militant’s body was brought to his native village, the people of the area assembled. “The accused Mohammed Iqbal Bhat being cleric and one another cleric namely Tariq Ahmad headed and performed funeral of the deceased militant. In the meanwhile few miscreants raised anti-national slogans and raised slogans in favour of the Pakistan. They also instigated the youth for providing assistance in carrying out the militant activities,” the prosecution said as per global news service.

On receiving the information, the prosecution said that a case (FIR No. 107/2018) for the offence under section 153 RPC, 13 ULA(P) Act and 2 PINH was registered with Police Station D.H.Pora and investigation commenced.

“During the course of investigation statement of witnesses were recorded under section 161 Cr.PC. The accused was also found to have perpetrated the crime and as such he was booked in the offences and was accordingly arrested on 03.03.2020. The accused is under proper judicial remand,” the prosecution said, contending that accused “is involved in heinous offences against the sovereignty and integrity of the country.”

On the other hand, the accused, Mohammad Iqbal Bhat, said he is a farmer by profession and one of the peace-loving citizens who has been “falsely implicated.”

Bhat said he is a respected persons, most particularly in the area where he resides and does not having any previous criminal record.

Surprisingly, Bhat said he received a telephone call from Police Station D.H. Pora that an FIR has been lodged against him and asked him to appear before the police. On approaching the police station on March 3 this year, he said, police detained him.

“On over all analysis of the matter in its totality, I am of the considered opinion that applicant/accused has failed to establish a reasonable and cogent ground for grant of bail at this stage and as such in view of the preceding analysis, there appears to be no merit and substance in the bail application of the applicant/accused,” said Special Judge (Designated Court Under NIA) Additional Sessions Judge Anantnag Khalil Ahmad Choudhary and accordingly dismissed the application being “devoid of any merit.” (GNS)

PTI

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Girish Chandra Murmu on Thursday conveyed his greetings to the people of the union territory on the occasion of Jumat-ul-Vida.

He observed that Jumat-ul-Vida has a great spiritual significance and is an auspicious occasion.

Murmu said he hoped this occasion would be a harbinger of brotherhood, amity and harmony among the people and prayed for peace, progress and prosperity in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Concerned Citizens’ Group (CCG), headed by former Union Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha, sought the release of all political detainees in Jammu and Kashmir on Eid-ul-Fitr.

“Many senior political leaders, including a former Chief Minister [Mehbooba Mufti], continue to be in detention in several cases under the draconian Public Safety Act. Meanwhile, there are attempts to incubate artificial political processes – through the village and local body elections and facilitating the launch of a new political party. However, these processes have failed to fill the political vacuum,” the CCG said in a statement. It wanted the Centre to release all those detained since August last.

The Union government had also used the lockdown to implement domicile laws for the Union Territory that should have been debated by people’s representatives and affected citizens. “Do not use the lack of a legislative Assembly to push through policies with long term consequences,” it said.

‘Restore 4G Net’

The CCG demanded the restoration 4G Internet in J&K to alleviate the problems of businessmen, traders, healthcare professionals and, most importantly, students so that they do not lose an academic year.

“The communication lockdown – permitting only 2G Internet, premised on the assumption that faster Internet speeds help terrorists — is causing havoc not only in banking, trade, business and healthcare but in the field of education as well. The 2G technology cannot sustain online learning, which is a ready option being used in the rest of the country. The problem is particularly acute for students who have returned home because of the pandemic from universities and colleges in the rest of India. They cannot attend online classes and webinars or submit assignments. They may not be able to appear for online end-semester examinations which universities and colleges plan to hold soon,” it said.

The other members of the group are former National Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah, Air Vice-Marshall (Retd.) Kapil Kak, senior journalist Bharat Bhushan and Sushobha Barve.

With inputs from The Hindu

Srinagar: Kashmir Valley on Thursday reported second death due to covid-19 after samples of an elderly woman from Bemina Srinagar, who died at a hospital here yesterday, returned positive for the novel coronavirus.

Earlier, around noon, a 70-year-old woman from Parisabad Budgam, who had tested positive for the disease few days ago, died at the CD hospital, one of the facilities exclusively meant for the management of the Covid-91 patients.

Officials said that the 80-year-old woman from Usmania Colony Bemina Srinagar was admitted in SMHS Hospital here with “bilateral pneumonia and hypertension” on May 19 and was kept in Isolation Ward.

“She died on May 20 evening and was kept in GMC Srinagar mortuary. Her COVID test report came today as COVID-19 positive,” Dr. Salim Khan, nodal officer for COVID-19 at the Government Medical College Srinagar told GNS.

Earlier a 70-year-old woman who was initially admitted in SMHS Hospital on May 15 and tested positive for COVID-19 later, died at CD hospital. She was shifted to CD Hospital Srinagar on May 18 with restrictive lung disease and COVID pneumonia, Dr. Salim Khan said. “She died around noon in ICU of CD Hospital after sudden cardiac arrest,” he added.

With two deaths, the toll due to the coronavirus in Jammu and Kashmir has risen to 20—18 from Kashmir and 2 from Jammu division.

The death of the octogenarian has taken Srinagar district’s toll to 6, highest in any district, followed by Baramulla 4, Anantnag 4, Budagm 2 while one death each has been reported in Bandipora, Kulgam, Udhampur, and Jammu. (GNS)

Srinagar: 21 policemen and an intern doctor were among the 59 fresh cases of the COVID-19 infection in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday. With these cases, the overall tally has mounted to 1449—1238 in Kashmir and 211 in Jammu. Among them 745 are active cases—140 in Jammu and 605 in Valley while 684 patients have recovered—69 from Jammu and 615 from Kashmir while 20 others have died.

Officials said that Kulgam district reported 21 cases, Anantnag 12, Kupwara 7, Srinagar 5, Budgam 4, Kathua and Ramban 3 each, Ganderbal 2 while Jammu, Kishtwar and Doda reported one case each.

Dr. Salim Khan, nodal officer for COVID-19 at the Government Medical College Srinagar, told GNS that 33 samples out of over 700 samples tested at Microbiology Lab of CD Hospital here returned positive for the pathogen.

Among the samples which returned positive, 21 were from District Police Lines Kulgam, 11 from Anantnag including 2 pregnant women besides an intern doctor from Psychiatric Disease Hospital, he said.

Sources said the policemen who have tested positive are aged between 25 to 59 years and are residents of different parts of Valley.

Police said all the 21 were already in isolation from March 18 in a compound separated from DPL Kulgam by 3 kilometres.

“The officials were all part of a special pool of 60 personnel created as a reserve exclusively for Covid-19 duties at Quarantine and isolation centers, for handling Covid-19 patients and potential carriers and for acting as substitutes for police stations in case of covid breakout in a particular unit,” police said in a statement.

The samples of the officials were being taken from time to time as a precautionary measure, it said. “When one such sample turned positive four days ago, Health authorities were requested to take samples of all the officials present in the reserve,” the police said, adding, “There is no need to panic as all the officials have been and are in isolation and were never put on public interface duties such as nakas, police stations, etc.”

Nodal officer for coronavirus control at SKIMS, Dr G H Yatoo, told GNS that 14 test samples returned positive for the pathogen. However sources said that three among them pertained to those who had previously tested positive and samples were sent for retest.

Professor Farooq Jan, medical Superintendent of the hospital, told GNS that the seven among the samples which returned positive were received from CMO Srinagar and includes 26-year-old from Maisuma, 21-year-old from Bemina and seven from Kaweri, Reshigund and main Kupwara, all travelers with history of travel to Delhi, Ambala, Dehradun and UP. He said two samples were received from DH Ganderbal and include 37-year-old from Ganderbal and 22-year-old youth from Safapora. The three other samples were from DH Pulwama and include 60-year-old man and two women—one aged 20 and other 50—from Chatabal Kulgam.

Meanwhile, four samples out of 400 tested at SKIMS testing lab returned positive. They include 3 males—2 from Soibug and one from Naru besides a female from Loolipora areas Budgam district. Also, sources said an operation (LSCS ) was performed on a Covid positive pregnant female from Anantnag at the hospital. “Both mother and child are ok,” a doctor at the hospital said.

Seven cases were reported from private Lab—two from Kathua, one each from Haryana, Jodhpur Rajasthan, Dyala, Kishtwar and Anantnag.

With these fresh cases, Anantnag now has 264 COVID-19 patients, highest in all districts, followed by Kulgam (192), Srinagar (174), Bandipora (137), Baramulla (129), Kupwara (125), Shopian (109), Jammu (68), Budgam (62), Kathua (40), Udhampur (33), Ramban (30), Ganderbal (27), Pulwama (19), Samba (16), Rajouri (8), Kishtwar (7), four each in Poonch Reasi and one in Doda.

The government said six more COVID-19 patients have recovered and were discharged from various hospitals and include three from Jammu division and three from Kashmir Division.

Additionally, till date 125866 travellers and persons in contact with suspected cases have been enlisted for surveillance which included 33586 persons in home quarantine including facilities operated by government, 57 in Hospital Quarantine, 745 in hospital isolation and 21893 under home surveillance. Besides, 69565 persons have completed their surveillance period. (GNS)

INDIA-PAKISTAN tensions have erupted amid reports of clashes and “heavy shelling” in the disputed region of Kashmir.

By Bill Mcloughlin | Express (UK)

According to reports this evening, there has been heavy shelling in the region. It has not been confirmed whether there have been any casualties as of yet. The clashes are alleged to have taken place in the Poonch district of the Jammu and Kashmir region.

Within the Poonch district, the exchange of fire happened along the Line of Control – which separates the two states – in the Balakote sector.

According to the Kashmir Walla, Pakistani troops allegedly shelled Indian Army posts.

The Indian Army then retaliated leading to the clashes.

The region has been the epicentre of the dispute between both India and Pakistan.

On Tuesday morning, 15 houses were destroyed after police and paramilitary forces killed two alleged militants in the Kashmir Valley.

The raid occurred in the city of Srinagar which also saw a policeman and paramilitary trooper injured.

Earlier this month, further violence was reported in the town of Handawar in the region.

Two officers were killed in the town before three men of the Central Reserve Police Force were killed in a separate attack.

India has persistently accused Pakistan of supporting militants in the Jammu and Kashmir region.

Last year, a bomb killed 40 Indian paramilitary police officers.

The attack was the deadliest on Indian forces in Kashmir since the insurgency against India’s partial rule began in 1989.

Following the militant attack, tensions sparked between the two countries as both states came close to all-out conflict.

Following the militant attack, India conducted airstrikes on what it termed as militant camps.

Pakistan retaliated with its attack on which led to an Indian fighter jet being downed.

Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was captured by forces before being returned in a peace gesture.

Despite tensions de-escalating since the conflict, Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned Pakistan could be defeated in 10 days if a conflict sparks once again.

He said: “Pakistan has already lost three wars.

“Our armed forces will not take more than 7-10 days to make Pakistan bite the dust.”

Last year Mr Modi revoked the special status of the region under Article 370 of the constitution.

Under this measure, the region was given partial autonomy in order to formulate its own laws and was a point whereby relations worsened.

(Except for the headlines, this story has not been edited by Kashmir Today staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Srinagar: With large gatherings being prohibited and social distancing rules in place to prevent deadly covid-19, people here in Muslim- majority Kashmir region will have a low key on Eid al-Fitr this time.

Many of Ramzan rituals and traditions were already disrupted due to the physical distancing norms and the lockdown.

During the lockdown, the people here have changed the way they observe their faith as places of worship have been closed to the public and social distancing rules have been in place.

Eid ul Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, and is celebrated with Eid prayers, family gatherings and a feast. The Eid, is expected to fall on May 24 or 25.

But as large gatherings are prohibited and social distancing rules are still in place, Eid celebrations will look very different this time.

Ajaz Ahmad lives in HMT Srinagar with wife Afroza and their young daughter, Alisa usually, they spend Eid day with both of their families.

“Normally on Eid day, we go to the mosque for Eid prayers. Then we spend our time by visiting to our parents, and seeing other relatives before a big get-together at home. But on this EID, the family-of-three will stay at home and make it about Alisa,” he told news agency KINS.

Usually the Eid al Fitr celebrations are held in various gardens here in Srinagar, but due to coronavirus, these celebrations won’t be enjoyed this time.

On Eid day at famous Mugal Gardens and on the banks of Dal lake, the events attracts several people where a funfair is held alongside food vendors, family games, activities and more.

Shabir Ahmad of Bemina said: “Usually I go to Pratap park with my children to celebrate the Eid. This year I have told my kids that we won’t be able to celebrate like the way we used to. I don’t like it but we should listen to Government instructions to save lives. When we get back our normal lives we can celebrate, but now, we just have to wait,” (KINS)

By: Xulkarnain Dev

“We must accept finite disappointment, but we must never lose infinite hope.”– Martin Luther

Watch Video:

A Poem by Arfa Farookh

King Here’s my video – “I Wish to see you Again”, taking you on a beautiful journey about all the places and all things I miss the most during this time when the world is going through a very serious pandemic situation, and most of us face a lockdown. But Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all the darkness. Caught in these memories by moments, I play them back and forth, Play them all over again. I know when this is all over, We’ll get out of our rooms, hold each other’s hands and walk out of the gloom. And I know, that’s when I will see you again!

Disclaimer: This video is not a work by Kashmir Today Staff.

No copyright infringement intended.

J&K makes domicile certificate mandatory for admissions to educational institutions, professional exams

The J&K administration on Wednesday scrapped Permanent Resident Certificates (PRCs), which defined “State subjects”, and made the domicile status certificate a basic eligibility condition for admission to educational institutions and professional examinations in Jammu and Kashmir.

“It has been decided that the requirement of ‘Permanent Resident Certificate’ wherever prescribed for admission into educational institutions shall be replaced with ‘Domicile Certificate’,” an order issued by the General Administration Department (GAD) said.

The government spokesperson said it has been ordered that any candidate appearing for any entrance test conducted by the Jammu and Kashmir Board of Professional Entrance Examination (J&KBOPEE) must possess a domicile certificate.

“General Eligibility for Admission: Any candidate interested in appearing in any entrance test, conducted by the Board, must possess Domicile Certificate issued under the Jammu and Kashmir Grant of Domicile Certificate (Procedure) Rules, 2020 and such age and qualification, including of category certificate and experience, as prescribed by the Government for such course from time to time,” the notification stated.

Earlier, the J&K government notified the Jammu and Kashmir Grant of Domicile Certificate (Procedure) Rules, 2020 on May 18, 2020 and allowed non-locals under different categories to register for domicile certificates in J&K, which was barred prior to the August 5, 2019 decision to end the region’s special status. These non-locals, according to the government, are allowed to apply for the government jobs in the UT.

The spokesperson said that with the enactment of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019 a series of Constitutional changes have been affected.

“In terms of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization (Removal of Difficulties) Order, 2019 any reference by whatever form to ‘permanent residents of the State or hereditary State subject’, wherever they occurred in any Act or notification issued or rules, orders made thereunder, stands omitted with necessary grammatical variation,” said the order.

With inputs from The Hindu