Kashmir.Watch

Category: Union Territory

  • Covid-19: 14-yr-old Sopore girl tested positive, family kept under quarantine

    Sopore: A 14-year-old girl was tested positive in Amargrah area of Sopore in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Friday while as the whole family has been kept under quarantine.

    Reports said after tested positive, the administration has kept all of her 17 family members under quarantine to contain the spread of Coronavirus in the area. Hospital authorities told—KNO that a 14-year-old girl was one among the COVID-19 positive victims who were diagnosed on Thursday.

    The official said the girl had come in close contact with a COVID-19 victim of Gund Jehangir Hajin area of Bandipora, adding that a team of doctors visited their residence in Amargrah Sopore and instructed them about do’s and don’ts of quarantine.

    Notably, with the 14-year-old girl, the number of positive cases from Sopore has mounted to four so far –(KNO)

  • Covid-19 takes toll on marriages in Kashmir

    People postpone marriages scheduled in April, majority of marriages re-scheduled for Oct-Nov

    Srinagar, Apr 10: Apart from the tourism industry which has taken a beating due to the outbreak of Covid-19,marriages in Kashmir has also taken a heavy toll as it has foprced postponement of marriage ceremonies in the valley.

    According to wire service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Covid-19 outbreak has taken a heavy toll on marriages in Kashmir as spring season was also considered as marriage season in the valley.

    “But due to the situation arising out of Covid-19, marriages have been cancelled or postponed in many parts of Kashmir valley. Marriage season usually starts from April in Kashmir but due to the arrival of Ramadhan at the end of April month, some marriage ceremonies were preponed, however, the outbreak of Covid-19 led to postponement or cancellation of these marriage which were scheduled to be held this month,” said Fatima, a match maker from Srinagar.

    She said that as marriages in Kashmir is a festival in itself where hundreds of people area invited and maintaining social distancing (the only way to curb the spread of Covid-19), would have been a tough ask.

    “So to avoid large gatherings and prevent the spread of this deadly virus it is better to postpone or cancel thescheduled marriages in the larger public good,” Fatima said.

    While some people chose to perform Nikkah in a simple way having only a few family members invited but some had no choice to postpone or cancel the marriages.

    Muhammad Sultan, a resident of Sonwar said the marriage ceremony of his daughter was scheduled to be held today but due to the outbreak of this virus he had to postpone the marriage.

    He said that they have now rescheduled the marriage in July this year with the hope that this pandemic would be over and normal life in the valley is back on tracks.

    Nisar Ahmed, a resident of Pampore who had scheduled marriage of his two sons in the month of April had to postpone the ceremony to July this year—(KNO)

  • Sopore cop rescues woman who tried to commit suicide

    Sopore: A 40-year-old woman was saved by Jammu and Kashmir police cop at Chankhan Sopore area of north Kashmir’s Barmulla district on Friday after she tried to commit suicide by jumping into river Jhelum.

    According to wire service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), a Jammu and Kashmir Police man identified as Nazir Ahmad Bhat, who is posted at Police District Sopore told—KNO that he was driving a car and suddenly saw a women on top of bridge, trying to commit suicide. “I hurriedly stopped my car and grabbed her,” he said.

    He further said that he asked her so many questions but she refused to answer any among them. “I am married and survived by three children and my husband is a shopkeeper,” the cop quoted her as saying, adding that she according to her was in depression and was the reason for her to commit suicide.

    The cop further stated that he handed over her to Police Station Watergam where they contacted her family –(KNO)

  • SMC Mayor, Private Schools Association at loggerheads over fee waiver for students

    Srinagar: Mayor Srinagar Municipal Corporation Junaid Azim Mattu and Private Schools are at logger heads over fee waiver for students.

    Few days back Mattu wrote a letter to District Development Commissioner Srinagar, proposing a category-wise fee waiver for private school students.

    “To keep in view the cascading economic impact of the current situation, you are requested to instruct all the private educational institutions in Srinagar to implement a category-wise monthly fee waiver for private school students,” he said in the letter, a copy of which lies with KINS.

    He also said there should be no fee waiver for those kids whose both parents are salaried government employees or registered private firm employees (and there has been no withholding of salary from an employer in the present lockdown).

    “30% waive off in monthly fees in case both parents are self-employed or business owners with IT returns showing a collective annual income of more than Rs. 600000. 40% waive off in monthly fee in case one parent is salaried, government or registered private firm employee (and there has been no withholding of salary from employer) or one parent is self-employed or business owner,” he said.

    He also proposed waive off fee in other categories.

    On this District Development Commissioner responded, “In follow up to our discussion on the issue, we are initiating a process to reach out to the stakeholders and evolve a mutually workable mechanism. Will keep posted.”

    However, this has not gone well within the Private Schools Association.

    In a statement on Thursday its President G N Var termed the recent move by Mayor SMC and certain officials in the administration to publicly discuss “ill-planned fee waiver strategy as diversionary tactics to hide their failure in controlling COVID-19 spread”.

    “At the time when all of our energies should be focused on controlling the spread of COVID-19, Srinagar Municipal Corporation Mayor shoots a letter to Deputy Commissioner Srinagar demanding an ill-conceived fee waiver plan be put into place. We fail to understand what is going on in the minds of people at the helm of affairs. World is battling of the biggest health tragedies and in our part of world some are happy to play politics amidst it. Perhaps they know that schools are soft targets, they garners more news coverage and will help them appear some sort of saviours to general public,” said Var. “We see it as a diversionary tactic aimed to hide their failure, which is evident everywhere. They hope nobody will question them about how they are dealing with this epidemic situation.”
    The Association termed the letter and its content as a way to befool people and an attempt to take away attention from the inefficiencies of the administration. “For almost a month our educational institutes are shut down and we are in a lockdown. Our Association was one of the first to offer our schools, their vehicles and other resources to government to use in the fight against coronavirus. We started a charity programme to help families in distress, besides trying to teach students at home. Every section of the society is doing its bit to help ward off the disease,” said Var.

    Reacting to War, Mattu Friday said, “I suggest a fee waiver for children of daily wagers, single parents and self-employed parents from private educational institutes and some rag-tag pvt schools’ association says I’m doing this to garner publicity and hide the administration’s failure against #Covid19. Has never been a proponent of interfering into free market economics-even private educational enterprises. However if you can’t waive the monthly fee for children of parents who are struggling to put food on the table in this crisis please anticipate a heavy hand now.”

    He claimed he would not allow “this motley crew of clearly self-seeking individuals and institutions to fleece parents in the midst of this lockdown”.

    “What the administration does is for the administration to decide but beware SMC can enact and enforce a lot of laws within the city limits.”

    “Sitting with officers and legal team today to now ensure that daily-wage earning and self-employed parents of children are NOT fleeced while they try to survive this lockdown. And I assure the private schools association – there will be enforcement of every single regulation,” he added. (KINS)

  • Centre provides ₹ 90 crore to J&K Police for purchase of modern weapons in two years

    Srinagar: Centre has provided around ₹ 90 crore to Jammu and Kashmir police for purchasing of modern weapons, bullet proof jackets and upgraded infrastructure in police stations in the last two years.
    Government of India in 2017 initiated a scheme ‘Modernization of Police Forces (MPF)’ to build required infrastructure for police in states and union territories.

    Sources said Centre provided Rs 769 crore and Rs 811 crore to states and union territories for 2018-19 and 2019-20, respectively.
    Jammu and Kashmir police has received around Rs 90 crore during these years, they said.

    The new Union Territory is only behind Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra which received Rs 131 crore and Rs 98 crore, respectively.
    The objective of the scheme is to gradually reduce the dependence of states and union territories on the Army and Central Armed Police Forces, sources told Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS).

    They said scheme was started so that Jammu and Kashmir police was able to control internal security, law and order situations and equipping police forces adequately including strengthening their training infrastructure.

    A senior police official told KINS that Jammu and Kashmir has purchased modern weaponry, bullet proof jackets and helmets under the scheme over the last two years.

    “Jammu and Kashmir has also been able to purchase equipments for forensics, cyber cell and raised height of walls in police stations to provide secure police stations,” the police official said.

    He said that special focus has also been on technical upgradation including extensive installation of Close Circuit Television Sets (CCTVs) around police stations and in Srinagar city.

    “All these measures are being taken to combat militancy. Government wants JK police to be well equipped and better trained to deal with the situation,” he said.

    There are around 100,000 police personnel in Jammu and Kashmir who have been dealing with the law and order situation and fighting militancy in the valley.

    Earlier, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India had criticized J&K government for providing “poor infrastructure and lack of basic facilities for the state police force that needs it the most in the country”.(KINS)

  • Panic grips people of Sgr as Covid-19 positive cases soar to 51

    Srinagar: The Covid-19 has put Srinagar among the high-risk zones as the summer capital records 51 positive cases so far since the outbreak of pandemic on March 18.
    With eight fresh cases being reported today itself, seven of them non-local visitors, a fresh fear has gripped entire district.

    Official figures suggest that in Srinagar alone, 51people have been tested positive so far of which seven are non-local visitors. The figure is highest among all districts of Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory (UT).
    Even though Deputy Commissioner Srinagar tweeted: “Eight positive cases today sounds panicky but it’s not. This is a classic tracing success story: Found a group of non-locals visitors, acted fast, quarantined. 7/8 fare from group, 8th their local contact. Please help report.”
    However, DC’s tweet triggered a massive debate on the Facebook with many questioning as to how the group entered Srinagar and where from they entered. “If Government claims robust system in place, where from this group entered into Srinagar which is a high risk zone amid strict lockdown. Had they entered earlier, when they were not sent back,” posted a Facebook user.

    Many residents in Srinagar said that situation seems to be getting bad to worse. “If the pace of positive cases continues to rise the same way, time is not far, Srinagar would turn into Italy or France. We many die inside our homes,” said Nisar Ahmed, a resident of Chattabal area that has already been declared a red zone.

    “We pray to God to save Kashmir from turning into second Italy or France. We can’t fight this pandemic if it spreads further, we are hapless people.”

    Yesterday, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Shahid Iqbal Chaudhary and Senior Superintendent of Police for Srinagar, Haseeb Mughal stated that from Friday, there would be strict lockdown across Srinagar and all the passes issued by the district administration would be invalid.
    The administration’s decision to enforce strict lockdown comes close on the heels of spurt in the Covid-19 positive cases in J&K.

    “Despite the fact that we are fighting an invisible enemy, people are not cooperating with us. Even on the eve of Shab-e-Baraat on Thursday night, we were forced to register four FIRs as some people insisted to hold night-long prayers in mosques,” the SSP had said. “People must understand that it’s not a militancy issue or a law and order problem. We are fighting an invisible enemy in form of Covid-19.”

    In Thursday’s presser, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar said that 800 people didn’t reveal their travel history on time. He said had those people cooperated with the administration on time, perhaps the situation would have been different so far. The DC Srinagar also stated that the next four days were crucial to decide which way the situation is heading. (KINS)

  • COVID-19: DAK calls for use of rapid kits for mass testing

    “Rapid antibody testing will help detect cases faster on a mass scale in the community,”

    Srinagar: Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) On Friday called for use of rapid antibody testing kits that would help greatly in the conduct of mass testing for the novel (new) coronavirus in Kashmir valley.
    “Rapid antibody testing will help detect cases faster on a mass scale in the community,” said DAK President Dr Nisar ul Hassan.

    “Mass testing will help us to know the actual number of cases. It will help us to detect the undetected cases in the community,” he said.

    “There is a high percentage of people who have infection, but have mild or no symptoms, and they go unnoticed because they are not tested. To pick up these cases it is vitally important to do community screening,” he added.

    Dr Nisar said the rapid antibody testing will show how much of the population is now immune to the disease. Such data is key to make the right decision about the need for severe containment methods such as “lockdowns”.

    “The test can help determine if a person has been infected with the virus even after the virus is no longer present,” he said.

    Dr Nisar said the rapid test can also help to identify recovered patients who could donate their antibody-rich serum to help treat critically-ill patients.

    “The test will enable us to determine who among healthcare workers have developed protective antibodies and are safe for vital work,” he said adding “detection of antibodies in high risk individuals such as elderly and those with medical conditions could help them to relax.”

    Dr Nisar said the antibody test uses a few drops of blood to determine whether a person has antibodies against the novel virus.

    “It is different from the current PCR diagnostic test that determines active infection through nasal or throat swab.

    Antibody test is a point-of-care test and does not need any sophisticated equipment or highly trained manpower. Anyone, anywhere can use it.

    While the results of PCR tests take 12 to 24 hours, the rapid test results will be available in just 15 minutes,” he said.

    “The key to South Korea’s success to combat and curb the outbreak of coronavirus was because of early push towards mass testing,” said Dr Nisar said.

  • 7 non-locals test positive for Covid-19

    Srinagar: Out of 18 positive cases that surfaced in Kashmir today, only one is from Srinagar.

    District Development Commissioner Srinagar Dr Shahid Iqbal Chowdary said that 8, Covid-19 patients in Srinagar sound panicky, but it is not. “This a classic tracing success story. We found a group of non-local visitors, acted fast and quarantined them. Out of 8 persons only one is from Srinagar who has come in contact with this non-local group.

    Sources told KNT that a group of 7 visitors from Kerala, part of Tableegi Jamat were present in Srinagar. A local youth from Chatabla area was in touch with them. As the administration came to know about it, they were quarantined and today their tests were found positive.

    There are 207 confirmed cases in Jammu and Kashmir, out of which 168 are from Kashmir among which 7 are non-locals. (KNT)

  • Civil secretariat to remain functional in both capitals, to re-open in Sgr on May 4

    Kashmir based staff to work from Srinagar; Jammu-based staff from Jammu

    Srinagar: In an unprecedented move, the Jammu and Kashmir government on Friday ordered that civil secretariat will remain functional in both the capitals of Union Territory from May 4.

    As per wire service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), an order issued by General Administration Department, the move offices will re-open in Srinagar on May 4. But at the same time, the civil secretariat at Jammu shall remain functional and the move employees shall work “as is where is basis i.e. Kashmir based staff will function from Srinagar and Jammu-based staff shall function from Jammu.

    This arrangement will be reviewed after assessing extent and spread of COVID-19 after June 15. It is worthwhile that Kashmir News Observer had exclusively reported two days ago that government is mulling to keep civil secretariat functional in both the capitals without disturbing records or shifting staff—(KNO)

  • 3 positive cases reported from far flung Tanghdar

    65 suspects test negative in Bandipora

    Kupwara, April 10: For the first three positive cases of Covid-19 were detected in far flung Tanghdar area of Kupwara district.

    District Development Commissioner Kupwara, Anshul Garg told KNT that 3 positive cases were reported from Tanghdar and they were traced by the Surveillance Teams and are linked to the Delhi hotspot.

    He said that all these three persons were in Delhi and now have been put under quarantine at Tanghdar and are being shifted to Covid-19 hospital Kupwara.

    Anshul Garg added that people who came with the contact with these confirmed cases are being traced.

    Meanwhile, 65 persons in Bandipora are tested negative for Covid-19 today. Those who have been tested negative hail from Hajin, SK Bala and Asham Bandipora.

    An official said that so for 302 tests have been found negative in Bandipora while there are 37 positive cases. The official added that 25 reports are still awaited. (KNT)