Category: Union Territory

Srinagar: With 14 new cases from the area authorities have decided to declare many areas in Anantnag District as Red Zone, with increased restrictions for Covid-19

Further details awaited

Srinagar: Forteen more persons tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Friday in Anantnag district, taking the number of COVID-19 patients in Kashmir to 411 and Jammu 57.

ACR Anantnag also in his latest tweet confirmed about 14 cases of Postive. The officer wrote in tweet:

Pushroo – 1
Kutheir – 3
Kharpora (Larnoo, Kokernag- Division) – 10

Figures aside, just remember the boundaries are too penetrable.

We can guard it only by being more responsible!

Pushroo-1
Kutheir-3
Kharpora-10
Figures aside, just remember the boundaries are too penetrable. We can guard it only by being more responsible!

— Syed Yasir (@yasirsyedx) April 24, 2020

Srinagar: A pre-dawn encounter broke between goverment forces and militants in Goripora Area of Awantipora in South Kashmir’s Pulwama District on Saturday.

Reports reaching GNS said that a joint team of Police and army’s 55 RR launched cordon and search operation in Goripora.

As the joint team of forces approached towards the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired upon them, triggering an encounter.

A senior police officer also confirmed to GNS about the exchange of firing between forces and militants.

As per the sources two militants are believed be trapped.

Till this report was being filed gunfight was going on.

(GNS)

Growers worried over supply chain due to lockdown

Srinagar: Vegetables growers in Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory are worried as they are unable to sell their produce due to strict lockdown in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic.

Farmers from different areas of Kashmir said that they were earning good by growing crops like Peas and other vegetables earlier, but lockdown is hitting their livelihood badly as they are unable to sell their produce.They said that have suffered very much damage this year due to lockdown and is likely to hit their pea produce as well.

Khurshid Ahmad, a farmer from Pampore area of Pulwama told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), that over thousand households were gaining the share in vegetable market and were eyeing to send peas to different states of India this year.

“We produce pea in April and there remains a very demand of peas in many states of India like Banglore,” he said, adding that this year it seems “we won’t be able to take our produce to local market and can’t even think about to carry our produce outside India.”

He said that in last two years, Patalbagh village which consists of 500 households in Pampore belt has sold pea produce worth Rs 2.3 crore but this year covid-19 lockdown is hitting the prospectus of the vegetable produce.

Another Famer of the locality said that Pampore and its adjacent villages produce pea on over 400 Kanals of land as commercial crop and even a small farmer earns Rs 30,000 to 40,000 per year after selling the pea produce.

“This area is entirely dependent on vegetable produce and no farmer in the area is tempted to grow banned crops like poppy or cannabis,” he told KNO. Vegetable produce is helping whole area in making their economic condition better but the lockdown has kept all the locals in suspense this year.

“Our peas are almost ready and green peas will be remain available for about one month after which they will dry up,” he added. The growers urged the government to ensure supply chain so amid lockdown so that pea and other vegetables reach the markets on time and they are saved from facing losses—(KNO)

Anantnag: A police abducted by militants was rescued while as two militants were killed and a policeman was injured at in a brief shootout at Arwani area of Bijbehera in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district, police said today evening.

A police official told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), that two militants who were travelling along with an abducted policeman, were stopped near a naka laid by the police and the army at Kharpora, Arwani in Bijbehera area of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district. “The militants, however fired at the police naka and tried to flee. They were killed in a brief shootout while as the abducted cop was rescued,” he said, requesting anonymity.

In the exchange of firing, a police man also sustained injury and was removed to nearby medical facilty for treatment.

Sources in the police told KNO that the two slain had recently joined militancy and were affiliated with the Lashkar-e-Toiba outfit. It may be recalled that earlier, a police man constable Sartaj Ahmed Itoo of Sheerpora area of Yaripora, Kulgam district of South Kashmir was abducted by the militants.

Acting on a tip off that the militants along with the abducted cop were travelling in a vehicle, a joint naka was laid where militants opened fire when they were signaled to stop. “This triggered a brief shootout in which two militants were killed. Their identity is being ascertained,” he said—(KNO)

Greets people on the eve of fasting month of Ramadhan

Srinagar: The Divisional Commissioner Kashmir P K Pole Friday said that people should consume packed dates instead of those sold in open and should wash the packet properly before eating them.

Talking exclusively to News Agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Divisional Commissioner Kashmir recommended consumption of packed dates and asked people to desist from consuming those sold in open.

He said people should avail the packed dates in the month of Ramadhan and consume them rather than going for those sold in open in market without any packing. The Divisional Commissioner said in order to maintain hygiene people should buy packed dates and wash them properly before eating and that’s good for health.

He also said that dates have no health related concerns, “Dates sold in open are exposed to dust and become unsafe to eat, people should consume packed dates adopting proper hygiene”, he said.

Meanwhile, Divisional Commissioner also greeted the people on the occasion of Ramadhan and prayed that the month be the harbinger of peace and harmony in J&K—(KNO)

Srinagar: In a startling revelation, a senior doctor at SKIMS Medical College Bemina has claimed he got exposed to COVID-19 patient, but allegedly refused to go for administrative quarantine.

The SKIMS Bemina College has been receiving coronavirus patients since April 3.

On April 11, a senior doctor of the hospital brought into the notice of hospital administration that he got exposed to COVID-19 patient. He told the authorities that he won’t attend duties as he needs to be home quarantined.

After which Medical Superintendent SKIMS Hospital wrote a letter to Principal SKIMS Medical College that a doctor (name withheld) has stated that he has got exposed to COVID-19 patient during duty on April 11 and is under home quarantine.

Subsequently, Principal issued an order, a copy of which lies with news agency KINS, which reads, “As reported by the doctor, that he has got exposed to COVID-19 positive patient in the ward and has started isolation. As per the guidelines laid down for the said purpose in J&K, he has to be shifted to administrative quarantine immediately and accordingly vehicle and security guard with well protected cover to be transferred to the quarantine centre at Zakura as conveyed by the DHO and the Coordinator SKIMS Medical College Hospital.”

After which, the Medical Superintendent SKIMS Medical College Hospital issued another order. The letter a copy of which is in possession of KINS reads, “In reference to letter received from Principal, following staff are directed to ensure transfer of doctor from home to quarantine at Zakura. Deployment monitor will make a vehicle available for the said purpose with the protective gear of driver of the said vehicle. Senior security supervisor SKIMS MCH to depute a security personal with vehicle which will go to pick-up the professor from his residence to quarantine centre Zakura and later provide a report in this regard. On-duty RHA will ensure that the vehicle leaves from hospital premises with the required staff for necessary action.”

A top official told KINS on condition of anonymity that when the vehicle was sent to his home, the doctor surprisingly had said officials he was not exposed to COVID-19. “He wanted to be home quarantined not at Zakura to evade from performing duties. He then communicated to administration that he was not exposed as he was wearing full protective gear. Since then he is coming to hospital for few hours but not going inside wards to see the patients,” the official claimed.
The official said the administration has also sought explanation from the said doctor for “unauthorisedly” giving statements to media about coronavirus as he was not heading the COVID management team at SKIMS Bemina.

Several top officials of the SKIMS Bemina refused to comment on the issue. (KINS)

Srinagar: This is for the first time that Kashmiris will be observing, the revered month of fasting in their own homes in the past over a hundred years.

Even though the lockdown is till May 3 and it’s not clear whether there would be any extension or not, but social distancing seems to be becoming a new norm now.

Officials in the administration told news agency KINS that social distancing has to be maintained for the months ahead and the precautions to be prevent the spread of Covid-19 will remain for long.
However, elderly people in Kashmir assert that they have heard from their fathers and grandfathers that since the Cholera pandemic in early 19th century, this is for the first time that people of Kashmir will be offering prayers in the fasting month of Ramadhan in their own homes.

“I have heard from my father that Cholera pandemic had spread in Kashmir during the rule of Maharaja Hari Singh and people then offered special prayers at Hazratbal shrine after pandemic faded away,” said Abdur Razak Dar, a resident of Harwan.

Razak, 80, said that in his entire life, he has never prayed at his home during the fasting month of Ramadhan. “The feeling of praying every prayer at home is irritating. It’s the month of blessing peace, and seeking repentance and we will be locked in our homes and even have to prayer there only,” Razak told KINS.
He said that Allah is definitely annoyed with the people across the globe and with those living in Kashmir too.

For poet Zareef Ahmed Zareef, it’s so unfortunate for the people of Kashmir to pray at homes in the holy and sacred month. “When Cholera hit Kashmir in early 19th century, there were huge charity given away by the people and mass repentance prayers were held. Massive prayers were held at Hazratbal where people showered praises at the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) amid moist eyes. It was the occasion of Milad un Nabi (SAW), the birth anniversary of Prophet (SAW) and Allah heard theprayers and took away the pandemic,” he said. “But I have heard from my father and his father, that even during such tough times, prayers were held in masjids and big gatherings used to take place amid massive Charity drives.”

For Ghulam Qadir Rather, a resident of Pantha Chowk, he has never seen prayers been offered in homes during fasting month of Ramadhan. “I am touching 80’s, but have never seen people being asked to offer prayers at home. When there is a complete ban on gatherings of all kinds and if someone defies it, police acts swiftly, there is no question of going to masjids in fasting month. But for me, this is for the first time in my life that Kashmiri people will be offering prayers and Taraweeh in their homes,” said Rather. (KINS)

The incredulous remarks of the U.S. President prompted sharp criticism from health experts who warned people against injecting or ingesting disinfectants, which are highly toxic.

PTI

President Donald Trump has suggested the possibility of studying injecting disinfectants into coronavirus (COVID-19) patients or bringing UV light “inside” their bodies to kill the deadly virus, drawing immediate flak from American health experts who urged people not to listen to such “dangerous” advice.

Launching a new scientific study conducted by his department, Homeland Security for Science and Technology Under Secretary Bill Bryan on Thursday said the coronavirus dies at a much more rapid pace when exposed to sunlight and humidity.

“The virus dies the quickest in direct sunlight. Isopropyl alcohol will kill the virus in 30 seconds,” he told White House reporters in the presence of President Trump at his daily briefing on the COVID-19 situation in the country.

Mr. Bryan’s remarks left Mr. Trump wondering if there was a possibility of injecting the chemical into a person infected with COVID-19 as a deterrent to the virus.

“I see the disinfectant that knocks it out in a minute, one minute…And is there a way we can do something like that by injection inside, or almost a cleaning? Because you see it gets inside the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs, so it would be interesting to check that,” the U.S. President told reporters at the press briefing.

Mr. Trump also raised the possibility of using light to combat the deadly viral infection.

“So, supposing we hit the body with a tremendous (force), whether it’s ultraviolet or just very powerful light – and I think you said that hasn’t been checked but you’re going to test it. And then I said supposing you brought the light inside the body, which you can do either through the skin or in some other way. And I think you said you’re going to test that, too. Sounds interesting,” Mr. Trump said to Mr. Bryan.

Mr. Trump’s incredulous remarks prompted sharp criticism from health experts who warned people against injecting or ingesting disinfectants, which are highly toxic.

“My concern is that people will die. People will think this is a good idea…This is not willy-nilly, off-the-cuff, maybe-this-will-work advice. This is dangerous,” Craig Spencer, director of global health in emergency medicine at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center, told The Washington Post.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn, who is also a member of the White House coronavirus task force, warned against ingesting any disinfectants to kill the coronavirus.

“I certainly wouldn’t recommend the internal ingestion of a disinfectant,” Mr. Hahn was quoted as saying by the CNN.

Dara Kass, associate professor of emergency medicine at Columbia University Medical Centre, also asked people to refrain from doing such things.

“Please don’t drink bleach or isopropyl alcohol to remove #COVID19 from your saliva,” she tweeted.

“It’s horrific,” Ms. Kass told the Post.

People who consume such chemicals often die. Those who survive usually end up with feeding tubes, a result of their mouth and esophagus being eroded by the cleaning agents, she said.

Even as experts from the medical community came forward to challenge Mr. Trump’s latest remarks, Deborah Birx, one of the top American public health experts, did not respond to the comments about the light therapy or disinfectant injections.

Her lips pressed in a tight line, Ms. Brix, who serves as the response coordinator for the White House’s coronavirus task force, was silently listening to Mr. Trump’s comments from the sidelines, the Post reported.

Srinagar: Scores of people from different parts of Beerwah in Budgam district on Friday said that the BSNL has failed to provide the Broadband services in their areas .

According to Kashmir News Service Correspondent the residents said that the employees of BSNL in the area are not accepting their forms for new broadband connections as they are being told to visit Budgam exchange for the same, which is not possible due to the lockdown.

The resident of these areas said that “Amid lockdiwn, and suspension of high speed internet in the valley it is becoming impossible for them to work from home due non availability of high speed internet. They said our hope is at broadband but unfortunately BSNL authorities delaying the process of installation of new broadband connection in these areas without reason said Aamir a student from Beerwah.

“After broadband service restoration in Kashmir i have tried to apply for new broadband connection for my existing landline number but BSNL Beerwah is not paying any heed to my requests said Faisal Banday a Freelance Journalist of Beerwah.”it is only because of sloppiness of BSNL authorities that i have so far missed various stories since i could not send them on 2G speed he further added.
When KNS contacted official in charge BSNL Budgam Riyaz Ahmad He said there is proper procedure in the installation of new Broadband connection and it is not possible to fulfil this procedure due to lockdown, further they will try best in solving this inconvenience so that public can not suffer.