Srinagar, April 02: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Government of India has asked the Jammu and Kashmir’s security grid not to “lower the guard in times of Covid-19 pandamic and to carry out operations on the basis of specific intelligence inputs about presence of militants in a particular area”.
The directions from the MHA to continue the anti-militancy operations have put the speculations to rest that the J&K security forces had put the anti-militancy operations on a halt in view of the pandemic Covid-19 that has already claimed two lives while as 70 cases have been tested positive in the J&K UT.
Sources in the MHA revealed to Kashmir Indepth News Service(KINS) that there are clear cut directions that anti-militancy operations can’t be kept on a hold as that may allow the “militants to re-group and instead all the security agencies operating in the J&K UT have been strictly advised to go after militants”. The security forces have been directed to work more on technical and human intelligence while going after the militants.
“For a time being, Cordon and Search Operations (CASOs) are being ignored in view of the Caronavirus,” a senior official disclosed. “But there is no truth in the reports that anti-militancy operations are on a hold. We are working on leads and wherever we get inputs about militant presence after assessing intelligence or leads, we will launch operations.” the official said.
Pertinently, no encounter was reported in Kashmir ever since the first case of Covid-19 Pandamic was witnessed in Srinagar area on March 18. However, suspected militants carried out two attacks in Southern Kashmri where first a civilian was shot at who recently succumbed at SKIMS Soura and the latest on April 01 at Damhal HanjiPora Kulgam where two civilians were shot at who later died on the spot.
A senior security officer told KINS that cases have been registered in both the incidents and investigations are on.
Asked whether the flow of information about militant presence had gone down due to the Caronavirus scare, he said: “Anti-militancy operations are on and will be conducted on the basis of specific intelligence. We don’t want to create unnecessary trouble for the people who are facing a big challenge in the form of Covid-19. We have not lowered the guard and all installations are maintaining the alert to foil all the bids by militants. We will take on militants whenever we have credible leads. We are avoiding unnecessary CASOs, patrolling, searches etc in view of the Covid-19.”(KINS)
Category: Union Territory
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Continue anti-militancy ops after intelligence inputs, about militant presence: MHA tells J&K forces
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Provided accommodation to nurses who have asked for: Principal GMC Sgr
SRINAGAR, April 2: With hospitals facing tough times to deal with COVID-19, authorities on Thursday claimed they have provided accommodation to nurses and paramedics who have asked for.
Principal Government Medical College Srinagar Dr Samia Rashid claimed they have provided accommodation to nurses and paramedics who have asked for.
“We have arranged accommodation not only for doctors but also to those nurses who come forward. There are 30 rooms available at circuit house for staff of microbiology and nurses,” she told Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS) over phone.
Dr Samia said it was not possible to arrange buses for entire staff of GMC Srinagar associated hospitals.
“Six buses are plying on various routes. But we have to be little careful and keep social distancing,” she said.
Asked there were complaints that five nurses were sharing one room at CD Hospital, Dr Samia said she was not aware of.
Her reaction came a day after KINS reported how nurses in Kashmir are fighting valiantly against coronavirus in absence of protective gear.
“We are not given proper protective gear. We are risking our lives but we have to fight this battle together,” said a nurse at CD Hospital Srinagar.
The nurse said they were facing shortage of accommodations. “At least five nurses have to share one small room adjacent to ward. We have to share washroom with attendants. Nobody is concerned about us,” another nurse has said.
Parveena Khan, president of the nurses association has said government needs to protect nurses who work 24×7 in hospitals.
She said hospitals can run smoothly only when nurses are given protective gear. “We can fight COVID-19 only when we nurses are properly protected. But there is no accommodation for nurses. We too are part of same society. Health should be our priority but with facilities,” she added.(KINS) -
Kashmir has 95 ventilators for 80 lakh people Junaid says it is ‘collective report card’ of 16 successive Govts
Srinagar, April 2: Mayor Srinagar Municipal Corporation Junaid Azim Mattu said the “collective report card of 16 successive governments was Kashmir has 95 ventilators for 80 lakh people”.
“We have 95 ventilators for 80 lakh people!! That’s the COLLECTIVE report card of 16 successive J&K state govts! Let us INTROSPECT!” he tweeted.
“THEY ask about the preparedness of the healthcare sector in Kashmir? CD Hospital established in 1880! SMHS 1948! Lala Dad 1959! SKIMS 1977! We have 95 ventilators for 80 lakh people!! JLNM – (1889 Old Mission Hospital?) SKIMS Medical College – Dr. Guru and co initiated without pretty much any institutional assistance! Govt later took over and upgraded – yes. Bones and Joints – Old ‘Fever Hospital’ Perhaps 1940s? B&J has TWO ventilators. A surgical hospital!,” he said.
Meanwhile a senior doctor at Shar-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Soura Srinagar, said, “God’s forbid, if the virus spreads in Kashmir, our health system is in poor state. We are not in a position to deal with any eventuality and there will be a crisis situation,”
The doctor said there are only few ventilators available in isolation wards where patients with symptoms of coronavirus are kept. “The ventilators are already occupied by patients in cardiology and wards of other departments. Patients having coronavirus symptoms can’t be shifted to ICU as they have to be isolated. Our hospitals are most poorly equipped across India,” the doctor said.
Doctors have also have raised concerns about the lack of proper and adequate personnel protection gears and safety equipment like N95 masks, PVC coated gowns and ventilators in hospitals. -
One in 13 tests in Kashmir positive for coronavirus
Srinagar Apr 02: Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Thursday said nearly one in every 13 test samples in Kashmir valley are coming out positive for the novel (new) coronavirus.
“Overall, country has about one in 22 tests positive for COVID-19,” said DAK President Dr Nisar ul Hassan.
“As of April 02, Kashmir valley has tested 678 samples, of which 53 (7.8 percent) were positive,” he said adding “overall, in India of 42,788 samples, 1, 965 (4.5 percent) cases were tested positive.”
Dr Nisar said the reason for our higher percentage of test results coming positive could be because of more target testing or the testing rate is high than rest of the states. It is also possible that the number of cases in the valley are more than other parts of the country.
“Kashmir has 7.57 cases per one million which is higher COVID-19 case density than most states in India,” he added.
Dr Nisar said in comparison to India, as of March 25 about a quarter of all tests in Italy, about a sixth in Austria and a tenth in UK were positive for COVID-19.
“74,386 of 324,445 tests (23 percent) in Italy, 6001 of 35,995 tests (16.7 percent) in Austria, 65,497 of 484,062 tests (13.5 percent) in US and 9,529 of 97,019 tests (10 percent) in the UK were positive,” he said.
Dr Nisar said more testing rates in other countries could be the reason for higher number of cases.
“India performs 18 tests per one million, Italy has testing rate of 5,268 tests per million and South Korea conducts 6,931 per million population,” he said.
Dr Nisar said we need to expand testing as that is only way to know the actual burden of the disease in the community.
“More than 80 percent of coronavirus cases are mild and they don’t turn up and go unreported. We need to find them and test them,” he said
Dr Nisar said there are few reported cases in the valley who had no history of travel or contact which gives us an early indication that the infection is spreading untraced in the local community.
“We need to switch from restrictive to wider testing to know if there is community spread,” he said.
“Under new guidelines, anyone with symptoms compatible with the novel coronavirus, irrespective of travel or contact history qualifies for diagnostic testing,” said Dr Nisar. -
Priya Sethi serves food to needy during lockdown at Jammu.
Jammu, 2nd April: On the directions of BJP National president JP Nadda and BJP UT president Jammu and Kashmir Ravinder Raina,former minister and incharge Ladies Helpline Covid19 J&K; Priya Sethi today serves free food to needy to mitigate sufferings of poor people who got affected due to lockdown in view of COVID-19 at CPO chowk Panjtherthi, Jammu along with Corporator Anil Masoom, Sunita Didwal, Sunita Sharma, Deepak Ji.
Former Minister Priya Sethi said as our President BJP J&K has directed us to donate ration to 9 needy families on the eve of Rama Navami so we decided to feed 109 people who are very poor and are in need of food this time because of this lockdown and added that as united we can fight the corona.
While providing food to needy at Jammu, former minister Sethi said that on the instruction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP party senior leaders it is our duty to help the needy in this time and that is why we are trying to provide all necessary assistance to needy families in our vicinity and around.
She added that all our party workers are ensuring the possible help to these needy families and to reach them all over the newly created union territory.
We are distributing the ration and relief too to the People who are most affected by lockdown during this covid 19 effect at different places of Jammu.
Priya Sethi while distributing the food to needy at Jammu appealed the people to cooperate with the Government and maintain social distancing and not to come out of their homes to contain the spread of virus, as without cooperation of citizens it would be hard to achieve desired results besides making India free from COVID-19 .
She further said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 24th of this month announced a 21-day lockdown in the country to deal with the coronavirus pandemic and He said this is an essential step to fight coronavirus decisively and added that saving lives is priority as of now.
Priya Sethi said that Humanity is our identity and feeding the needy is our responsibility, together we will win. -
Domicile law unacceptable, will have serious repercussions: Grand Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam
Srinagar, April 02 (KNO): Kashmir’s Grand Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam Thursday lashed out at the Government of India for announcing the domicile law at a time when entire world is facing the challenge of Covid-19, Kashmiris were again “back stabbed.” Islam said new domicile law is totally unacceptable for the people of Kashmir.
Talking to wire service—Kashmir News Observer(KNO), Islam said that the new job law is totally unacceptable to people d will have serious repercussions.
“The Government of India GoI choose timing when Pandemic has engulfed entire world. This is backstabbing and we totally oppose it” , Islam told—KNO. He said keeping top jobs for outsiders and peon and class IV jobs for Kashmir is a sheer injustice—(KNO)
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Domicile law part of process aimed at changing J&K’s demographic character: Hurriyat (M)
Srinagar, April 02 (KNO): Hurriyat Conference (M) in a statement today, said that the process to change the demographic character of Jammu and Kashmir started in August 2019 is being systematically carried forward and the recent domicile order issued by the Government of India is part of that plan.
In a statement to Wire Service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), such orders are meant to facilitate the inflow and settlement of people from outside the state into J&K to turn the local residents of the state into a minority.
The statement said that these attempts not only undermine the efforts for peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue , but are an assault on the prospects of employment and growth of our youth and future generations of Jammu and Kashmir and their rights and an attempt to erode the unique cultural heritage of the regions .
The Hurriyat said that since August 2019 all such orders by GOI and the manner in which they are being thrust and implemented on people of J&K has been deeply distressing and painful for the people to say the least.
The statement said the timing of the order is unbelievable and suspect. At the time when the severe calamity of Covid 19 has struck the entire world and the whole world is battling its survival , such an order was issued. People of J&K as elsewhere in the world , are under lockdown due to this grave medical emergency , and can’t even raise their voice against such an order to show their resentment, it said.
Hurriyat appealed to the global community and people with a conscience in India, to wake up to what is happening in J&K and respond to our situation in the light of ethics and principles of justice.
It reiterated that the internationally acknowledged issue of J&K has to be resolved peacefully as per the wishes of its people and between India Pakistan and the people of entire J&K the three parties to the conflict—(KNO)
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Test of first Covid-19 patient admitted at CD Hospital found negative
Srinagar: The test report of first patient admitted in Chest Disease Hospital Srinagar for Covid-19 has been found negative.
The patient (name withheld) was in hospital quarantine from past 15 days and today his test was found negative. Head of Department, Chest Disease Hospital Srinagar, Dr Naveed Shah confirmed to KNT that the first patient tested positive for Covid-19 has been tested negative. He however didn’t divulge information about the location and name of the patient.
He added that quarantine is the best remedy to combat this lethal virus. “We have to maintain social distance at any cost and stay indoors,” he added.
Meanwhile, Kashmir’s first positive case, the 65-year-old woman from downtown Srinagar is completely cured and is back home where she would now follow the mandatory quarantine of 14 days or 28 days as advised by the doctors. (KNT) -
U.S. agrees to buy ventilators, medical supplies from Russia
The move comes after a telephonic conversation between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin
The United States has agreed to buy from Russia ventilators, medical supplies and other personal protection equipment needed to treat patients infected with COVID-19, a top official has said, as the country wrestles with the coronavirus pandemic that the White House has warned could kill up to two lakh people during the next fortnight.
The move to buy from Russia comes after a telephonic conversation between U.S. President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on March 30.
Morgan Ortagus | Photo Credit: AP “As a follow-up to the March 30 phone call between President Trump and President Putin, the United States has agreed to purchase needed medical supplies, including ventilators and personal protection equipment, from Russia, which were handed over to FEMA on April 1 in New York City.” State Department Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said on Wednesday.
Both the countries have provided humanitarian assistance to each other in times of crisis in the past and will no doubt do so again in the future, she said.
“This is a time to work together to overcome a common enemy that threatens the lives of all of us,” she added.
“The countries of the G20 agreed last week to work together to defeat the coronavirus, and we are working closely with these countries and others to ensure that critically needed supplies get to those in need,” Ms. Ortagus said.
The United States is committed to the global fight against COVID-19, she said, adding that the US is a generous and reliable contributor to crisis response and humanitarian action across the world.
“But we cannot do it alone,” Ms. Ortagus noted.
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Govt constitutes committee to examine seniority issue of JK Administrative service
Srinagar, Mar 01: The government today constituted committee to examine the seniority issue of the members of the jammu and Kashmir administrative service. The government order in possession of KINS reads:” in supersession of government order no 304-JK(GAD) of 2020, sanction is hereby accorded to the constitution of a committee to examine in detail the seniority issue, of the members of the Jammu and Kashmir Administrative service, appointed to the time scale of Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service w. e. f 01.01.2004 to 01.12.2008, and work out the possible options for finalizing the seniority list on a normative basis. The order further reads that the committee shall submit it’s report with one month.(KINS)