Kashmir.Watch

Category: Union Territory

  • People cancel weddings in Kashmir amid COVID-19 scare

    Srinagar, April 9: Amid coronavirus scare, people are cancelling scheduled weddings in Kashmir.

    As there is coronavirus scare, the disease that has gripped the world, claiming thousands of lives across the GLOBE, there has been increasing number of cases in Kashmir too.

    There is complete lockdown in Kashmir to contain the coronavirus. At the same time, people also prefer to cancel their weddings to halt spread of the disease.

    It was nearly after a decade that someone from Mohammad Shafi’s family in Pampore is getting married.

    His lone son-Shabir Ahmad was scheduled to get married on April 4. Bhat’s family however decided to cancel his wedding.

    “We had decided to cook five-quintals of meet on his wedding. But we cancelled his wedding in view spread of COVID-19,” he told Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS).

    “We did not want any gathering at our home even our close relatives so we cancelled his weddings,” he said.

    Mohammad Sharif, a resident of Ganderbal’s, whose daughter was scheduled to get married on March 30.

    But his family also cancelled his weddings. “We all have to maintain social distancing and stay at home this is the only way to protect ourselves,” he told KINS. “We decided to cancel wedding of my daughter. We did not want even groom to come out of his home and come to our home with few guests so we cancelled the weddings,” he added.

    Valley weddings are elaborate affairs with extravagant feasts; exotic dishes are prepared for days together at homes of bride and groom.

    Last year too after abrogation of Article 370, scores of marriages were either postponed or the Nikkah ceremonies were held with simplicity.

    (KINS)

  • Either Apologise or Step Down: SDSJK To DC Bandipora

    Srinagar: Society of Dental Surgeons J&K (SDSJK) strongly condemns the inhuman & indecent behaviour shown by DC Bandipora who has misbehaved with the health care workers of Block Hajin, Bandipora.

    Terming this act inhuman and barbaric SDSJK President Dr Imtyaz Banday said that during the current Covid Crisis when whole world is appreciating the role of health care workers, DC Bandipora has come out as strong exception and demoralized the whole health care workers of J&K who otherwise are working tirelessly to treat Covid patients.

    SDSJK demands he should step down or seek apology immediatedly for this unparlimentarian behaviour.

  • “At times my son insists me to keep him in Lap, but I deny with tears”, Father of 10 year old Covid-19 patient

    Srinagar, Mar 09: Emotions run high in the Isolation ward here in Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Soura, as a father refuses to leave his 10-year-old son alone.

    The boy was tested positive for Covid-19.

    “At present I am going through the worst time of my lime. “I am trying to keep distance from my son here in same room but at times my son insists me to keep him in lap, but I deny with tears,” the father told Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS) over phone from SKIMS.

    My daughter is in quarantine along with my wife at another place. She calls me oftenly and says

    “Baba mujay apnay pass lelo yahan mama roti hain”

    “Dad take me there, mom is crying, and then my daughter also starts crying”, this makes me to sob too.

    He said how he can leave his son alone in the ward. “He is too little to be left alone,” the father said.

    My brother-in-law came to visit us keeping at least 20 feet distance. All of sudden when my son saw him, he cried “MAMU, I want to go to home”

    Then my brother-in-law cried and rest was tears and tears.

    “Kya pata kab milana ho, Apnay bacho kai saath agar na milay tou Jannat mai Zaroor. Aur mere betay ka khayal rakhna”

    “We don’t know when we will meet again, if we won’t meet here we will meet in paradise, take care of my son”

    My wife told me over a telephone line.

    He said he has no complaint against administration, doctors, Paramedical staff and others in SKIMS, Soura Hospital. “All are doing tremendous job here. The doctors are cooperative and so are the paramedical and other staffers,”

    “I hope my son will get well soon and we all will be together at home again. I appeal people to take covid-19 as a tremendously serious issue”.

    The 10-year-old boy was tested positive for the coronavirus however all the family members were tested negative.

    Authorities had quarantined the father, mother, and sister of the Covid-19 patient shortly after he was tested positive.

    According to the father of the boy, his son had hugged a Tableegi Jamaat member in Srinagar on March 21 and for at least a week he showed no symptoms. Suddenly, the boy complained of high fever on March 28. On the same day the doctors had advised him for 2 week home quarantine.

    However after KINS exclusively reported the ordeal of father and his son, on March 29.

    The on March 30 a medical team reached his residence along with an ambulance, admitted him in SKIMS, Soura where his tests were done, which came positive on March 31. (KINS)

  • 11 family members of deceased Covid-19 patient test positive 

    Bandipora, April 15: Eleven family members of 3rd deceased Covid patient from North Kashmir’s Bandipora were tested positive for Coronavirus on Thursday.

    The patient from Gund Jahangir area of Bandipora district breathed his last a couple of days after ago at SMHS Hospital. Shortly after his death, police was asked to lodge an FIR against a private hospital owner for negligence as the patient had arrived there amid when other patients especially neonates were present in the hospital for treatment.

    The said hospital has been sealed and turned into a quarantine centre.
    All the family members and neighbours of the deceased Covid-19 patient were quarantined and their samples were collected. Today 11 family members including little children were tested positive.

    Nodal Officer for Coronavirus Shahnawaz Bukhari confirmed to KNT that 11 members including 6 women tested positive belong to a single family.

    The news sent shockwaves among general public in Hajin Belt.
    Sources told KNT that out of the 24 confirmed cases that surface today, 12 are from Bandipora, and 8 are from Tangmarg.

    This is not the only case when family members of any confirmed case were tested positive for Covid-19. Earlier two little kids of Natipora Srinagar man were tested positive. In Tangmarg as well, a couple of family members including a teacher as well of a deceased Covid-19 patient were tested positive.

    In Bemina also the son with a travel history infected his mother and brother.

    “We have to learn from the emerging situation and behave like responsible citizens. The situation is grave and alarming and yet people venture out from their homes and queue up near shops and waste time in gossips in every locality,” President Doctors Association of Kashmir, Dr Nisar-ul-Hasan told KNT.

  • Doctors in Hajin allege misbehaviour by DC Bandipora, announces “Strike”

    Hajin, Apr 09: As Covid-19 spreads rapidly throughout the Kashmir, Doctors in Hajin block have gone on strike after DC Bandipora allegedly misbehaved with their senior colleagues at Hajin today. The doctors alleged that they were abused by DC Bandipora when he was on a visit to Hajin block

    While speaking to wire service—Kashmir News Observer(KNO), Dr Muzafar Zargar said that it the second time that the DC Bandipora misbehaved with the staff. He said, despite Hajin Block is working day and night during present Covid-19 crisis, but the block are not getting an effective cooperation from district administration.

    He said the entire medical staff of the block will keep their strike on till the futher investigation is taken place by the higher authority. They raised slogans against DC Bandipora demanded his immediate suspension forthwith.

    The disease is spreading throughout Kashmir during these days and we doctors and medical staff, work very hard to stop its spread despite this we are being mistreated.

    The Deputy Commissioner Bandipora, Shabaz Mirza, did not respond to repeated call from this reporter to seek his comments about the said matter. It is pertinently mentioned here that Hajin block of Bandipora is still leading the Covid-19 disease so far while as the number of cases in the block is increasing day by day.

    When contacted Block medical officer(BMO) Dr. Ajaz Hajin told—KNO that he is also a part of this protest, and strike will not end until and unless the matter is taken into consideration by higher authorities—(KNO)

  • 24 More Positive in Kashmir; Toll 184

    #COVID19
    #Jammu&Kashmir

    24 more positive in Kashmir.

    32 in Jammu

    Toll: 184

    All are contacts. A result of aggressive testing.

  • Coronavirus lockdown: Invoke Essential Commodities Act to curb black marketing, Home Secretary tells States

    Offences under the Act are criminal offences and may result in imprisonment of seven years or fine or both

    PTI

    Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla wrote to all State Chief Secretaries on Wednesday to ensure the availability of essential goods by invoking the provisions of the Essential Commodities (EC) Act 1955.

    Offences under the EC Act are criminal offences and may result in imprisonment of seven years or fine or both. The State and Union Territory governments may also consider detention of offenders under the Prevention of Black-marketing and Maintenance of Supplies of Essential Commodities Act, 1980, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said.

    “I would urge you to personally take urgent steps to ensure availability of these commodities at fair prices for public at large,” Mr. Bhalla said in his letter.

    These measures include fixing of stock limits, capping of prices, enhancing production, inspection of accounts of dealers and other such actions, a statement by the MHA said.

    Loss of production

    “There have been reports of loss of production due to various factors, especially reduction in labour supply. In this situation, there is a possibility of inventory building/hoarding and black marketing, profiteering, and speculative trading, resulting in price rise of essential goods. The States have been asked to take urgent steps to ensure availability of these commodities at fair prices for public at large,” the MHA said.

    Earlier, with an order issued under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the MHA had allowed manufacture/production, transport and other related supply-chain activities in respect of essential goods such as foodstuff, medicines and medical equipment.

    Further, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution is authorising States and Union Territories to notify orders under the EC Act, 1955 by relaxing the requirement of prior concurrence of the Central government up to June 30, 2020.

    On Tuesday, Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed the status of essential commodities and issued directives to take swift and strict action against hoarders.

  • Police flex muscles on violators in Tral Police not enemy of people: SDPO

    Tral, April 9: Police Thursday flexed muscles on people who in violation of prohibitory orders were queued up in front of various outlets in South Kashmir’s Tral town.

    Reports said that people in large numbers in Tral town were seen gathering at different places and most of them were busy in gossips on shop fronts.

    A team led by Station House Officer, Tral, GM Rather swung into action and charged on people with canes. Reports added that people after facing lathis dispersed and went back to their homes.

    SDPO Tral, Dr Ajaz Malik told KNT that action was become inevitable in wake of Covid-19 outbreak. “It is in the interest of people to stay indoors and don’t venture out unnecessarily,” he added.

    “Except exigencies, people should not assemble at one place and venture out,” he added.

    Malik said that police is not enemy of people but are enforcing lockdown for their welfare and wellbeing. (KNT)

  • Funeral of militant: People who violated prohibitory orders will be booked: SP Sopore

    Sopore, April 9: Police have started identifying those who participated in the funeral of a slain militant in Sopore in violation to government’s prohibitory orders. Pertinently, thousands of people participated in the last rites of a slain militant Sajad Nawabi of Jaish-e-Muhammad who was killed in Armpora Sopore gunfight.

    Superintendent of Police Sopore told KNT that the participation of large number of people in the funeral of slain militant not only violated the set guidelines issued by the government in wake of Covid-19, but it also exposed the entire population in the area to the pandemic. He said that an FIR vide number 70/2020 under section 188 has been registered in this regard and videos of this procession are being checked and those who participated in it are being identified. He said there is already a lockdown in Sopore and people are again requested not to venture out in any circumstances barring medical exigencies. He said those who participated in the funeral completely violated the government order and will face the music. (KNT)

  • Kashmiri Dies Of COVID-19 In UK, Doctor Son Appeals All To Stay Indoors

    Srinagar, April 9: A retired government employee from Kashmir who had tested positive for the novel coronavirus has died in Kent in the UK.

    The retired employee of the Sales Tax Department, originally a resident of Solina and at present Jeelan Abad Peerbagh Srinagar had tested positive for the dreaded disease and lost the battle for life after 12 days at a hospital in the UK.

    Dr. Zia Rasool Bhat (Dental Surgeon) told Global News Service (GNS) over the phone that his father, now deceased, and mother traveled in November last to the UK where two of their sons are settled.

    “My two brothers, both doctors, are settled there. He along with mother reached there on 27 November last year. My brother had contracted the disease and it got transmitted to my father as well as my mother but unfortunately, my father could not survive as he died yesterday,” he said, adding, “He was buried as per his will there. After completing the formalities, the burial took place today.” He also informed that his mother and brother have recovered.

    Dr. Zia also appealed people to pray for the departed soul and urged all to take all precautionary measures by staying indoors, religiously following hygiene measures as advised by the authorities.

    “It is a deadly disease and has no cure. One can imagine the dangerousness of the disease from the fact that Europeans and other big countries are struggling against it not to speak of India or Kashmir. Save your own being, kids, and kin by staying indoors,” Dr. Zia said.

    Meanwhile, Dr. Javid Qanungo, Secretary Indian Dental Association, J&K, expressed grief over the demise and extended condolence to the bereaved colleague and his family on behalf of the entire Association. “We stand by with our colleague in this hour of grief and may the departed soul rest in peace. Also, pray Almighty Allah to give courage to the bereaved family to bear the loss.” (GNS)