Category: Union Territory

Srinagar, Mar 31 (KINS): With the alarming increase in Covid-19 cases across the country and especially in Kashmir region, an aggravating factor “Russian poplar” is ostensibly on its way to the valley, which according to the local people can make the elimination of this pandemic almost indomitable.

In May every year, hospitals and doctors in the Kashmir Valley find themselves treating a high number of patients, especially children, with respiratory diseases.

The patients complain of sore throat, cold, cough and fever. While a common cause is pollen shed by various plants, the spike in illness has often been attributed to a phenomenon during this season, the shedding of fluffy cotton-covered seeds by poplar trees, commonly known as “Russian poplars”.

The experts and the local people are suggesting that the cottony pollens can become potential carriers of the deadly virus which has claimed approximately 34000 people worldwide.

One of the senior citizen here in Srinagar, Mohmmad Aslam told KINS “The fluff from Russian poplar is one of the main aeroallergens that causes asthma, eye allergies and other pulmonary diseases”.

Another local, Waseem Ahmad from Bemina Srinagar said, “We have too many of these trees, if the apprehension of spread of Covid-19 through the cottony pollens of Russian poplar proves right, then it will be a catastrophe of unimaginable magnitude.”

“It is seriously a concern for us at this time. Pollen from Russian poplar are as usual a problem, now in times of Covid- 19 spread, concern has increased tremendously among the people,” Showkat Ahmad from Barmullah told KINS.

“The initial symptoms of the pollen resemble somewhat with the covid-19. I believe this will put people in fear and suspicion,” said Hussain from Anantnag.

In 2014, a Srinagar resident approached the High Court with the complaint that his neighbour had planted “Russian poplars” near his home and pollen from the trees was causing allergy in his family, especially his ailing mother and his children. The applicant sought removal of the trees. The court banned sale, purchase and plantation of the female “Russian poplars” in Srinagar.

In May 2015, the court directed all Deputy Commissioners of the Valley to chop “Russian poplars” across Kashmir, saying the health of the general public is of “paramount importance”. “It is a common knowledge that pollen seed of Poplars is adversely affecting health of general public, mostly of elderly people and children. The pollen seed of these trees has given rise to chest diseases in Kashmir, which can become life threatening for them,” the court observed. Citing Article 21, the court also observed: “The right to life can become meaningful, only if a person is healthy.”

In May 2016, the court sought compliance of its order. Following the directive, lakhs of “Russian poplars” were cut down in various parts of the Valley, especially Srinagar city. However, the livelihood of thousands of Kashmiris associated with this tree didn’t let the order be implemented properly. Now the experts suggest that timely pruning may help in combating its allergic properties.(KINS)

Srinagar, March 31 (KINS): As the Covid-19 cases show spurt in positive cases, policemen deployed on strengthen on roads to enforce the lockdown, doctors, para-medics and casual labours continue to risk their lives by serving to the people in one or the other way.

Amid stringent curbs across Kashmir, police man played a vital role by remaining deployed at strength ensuring that lockdown is enforced strictly. At many places, policemen were seen persuading the people travelling in vehicles, boys playing cricket and those busy on gossip lounges.

“We are handling people in a friendly manner and wherever strict action is required, we resort to that as well we have directions to enforce strict lockdown to break the chain,” a police officer, at busy Residency Road, Srinagar told this KINS reporter.
Similarly, doctors and paramedics, who are directly in contact with the patients with flu and Covid-19 infections admitted in various hospitals, are at high risk of transmitting the disease as they have no personal protection equipment like gowns, N-95 masks, shoe covers, etcs.

“Barring a few hosptials in Srinagar, doctors at rest of the hospitals across Kashmir are putting their lives on the line by treating patients with Covid-19 infections without proper protective gear,” said a doctor, who is serving at a peripheral hospital in Kashmir.
Similarly, casual labourers, like safai karamcharis and others too are risking their lives to remaining present on their duties despite knowing the fact how bigger risk they are taken. (KINS)

Passes to be issued to minimal person and on location basis: Div Com

Srinagar, Mar 31 (KNS): Several uptown areas of Srinagar city have reportedly facing acute hardships due to non-availability of milk supplies amid restrictions imposed by government in wake of Covid-19 outbreak in J&K. Meanwhile several milk suppliers appealed authorities to provide moving passes to their vehicles so that they will ensure milk supply in parts of Valley.

According to Kashmir News Service (KNS), it has been reported that in view of current situation in Valley, several areas are surviving without having milk stock and have appealed authorities ensure the service in their areas.

Reports said that several uptown areas of Srinagar city are facing several privations including non-availability of milk supply in their areas.

Several callers told KNS that in wake of current situation when government has imposed “precautionary restrictions” to keep COVID-19 away, residents of several areas are suffering incalculably.

They said shops in their respective areas had already gone out of stock as the lockdown has entered into 13th day on Tuesday.

Musavir Tasaduq, a caller said “Since lockdown has been enforced in Valley, we are unable to receive milk from milk-men as forces demand special moving passes from them which authorities have failed to provide them so far”.

He also said, “People are suffering badly due to continuous lockdown as existing stock in homes have started to finish”.

Meanwhile several milk suppliers told KNS that they are unable to supply milk to consumers in current situation.

“Whenever we tried to move out, we were stopped by forces asked to show special moving passes. We approached administration in this regard but in one or other pretext, our pleas were ignored”, a milk supplier said.

When KNS contacted higher officials they said, “The matter is in their consideration and will be taken up as there are bulk of issues already in queue”.

Pertinently Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir zone Vijay Kumar earlier exclusively told KNS that the matter has already been taken up with administration.

“We have already took up the issue with administration and asked them to ensure free movement of milk suppliers in current situation while issuing passes”, IGP said.

Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Pandorang Pole while talking to KNS said “Vegetable and milk suppliers will be given passes from Deputy Commissioner’s office but maintained it will be for very minimal person and on location basis”.

He also said that stationary and ATM’s are smoothly functioning and to ensure further ease to people, I will take up the issue of mobile ATM’s with J&K Bank officials. (KNS)

Rights group says restrictions can be deadly during pandemic.

Special Correspondent

The Human Rights Watch (HRW), a non-governmental rights group, has called upon India to withdraw restrictions on Internet in J&K and warned that shutting down or restricting access to the Internet could be deadly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“During a health crisis, access to timely and accurate information is crucial. People use the Internet for updates on health measures, movement restrictions, and relevant news to protect themselves and others. Internet shutdowns block people from getting essential information and services,” said Deborah Brown, senior digital rights researcher and advocate of HRW.

“During a global pandemic, when people around the world are isolated and access to information can mean life or death, it’s time to impose a moratorium on Internet shutdowns. Governments should ensure immediate access to the fastest and broadest possible service for all. During this global health crisis, shutdowns directly harm people’s health and lives, and undermine efforts to bring the pandemic under control,” Ms. Brown added.

The HRW named India among four countries, including Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Myanmar, where there are restrictions on access on Internet.

The group pointed out that for many children and others seeking education, Internet was needed to continue learning as schools shutter around the world.

“Internet shutdowns can have a greater impact on women, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals, people with disabilities, and older people who may rely on the Internet for online support services,” the HRW said.

India, it said, had the most Internet shutdowns, with at least 385 ordered since 2012. In Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian government imposed a complete communications blackout in August 2019, which stopped families from communicating and disrupted the local economy. Phone services were gradually restored, but it was only after the Supreme Court found the Internet shutdown illegal in January 2020 that service was partially restored, and only at 2G speed.

It said since COVID-19 had spread to India, people had reported “not being able to access websites that provide information about the pandemic due to highly restricted speeds that make accessing anything beyond text messages nearly impossible”.

“Countries should prioritize their responsibilities under the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and avoid complicity in human rights abuses, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic,” the HRW said.

Internet has been partially restored in J&K. High-speed service is only available on the fixedlines. Only post-paid mobile connections have low bandwidth speed of 2G. Most pre-paid connections have no Internet service available.

Srinagar Mar 31: Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Tuesday has urged health authorities in Kashmir valley to spare hospitals for patients who have severe disease from the novel (new) coronavirus.
“Most people infected with the novel virus do not require hospitalization,” said DAK President Dr Nisar ul Hassan.

“We need to reserve hospital infrastructure and manpower for those who need them. We can’t pile up those who don’t need to be in hospitals and leave no beds for those who actually need them,” he said.
Dr Nisar said patients who are positive for COVID-19 and have mild disease can stay in isolation at home for 2 weeks and contact their health care provider by phone for guidance about clinical management. These patients may just need a Paracetamol and they recover on their own.

“However, older patients and those with underlying medical conditions should be observed in hospitals, even if they have milder illness given the possible risk of progression to severe illness in them,” he said.

“Persons who have history of travel or contact with a confirmed case after screening should be quarantined either at home or at a designated community center. In no case should they occupy hospital beds,” he added.
Dr Nisar said only those patients who have severe disease should get admitted to a hospital so that the work force at hospitals can focus on the most critical cases.

He said mild cases are those who have symptoms of fever and cough, but are stable and have no pneumonia or hypoxia. Severe cases have difficulty in breathing and are hypoxic, and critical cases have respiratory and other organ failure.

Quoting a large study of 44,000 patients from china, Dr Nisar said 81 percent had mild disease, 14 percent had severe disease and 5 percent had critical illness.

“In this study, all deaths occurred among patients with critical illness. While overall case fatality rate was 2.3 percent, the case fatality rate among patients with critical disease was 49 percent,” he said.

“Kashmir valley has, so far reported 43 laboratory confirmed cases and two deaths due to the novel (new) coronavirus,” Dr Nisar added

Six members of 2 Kashmir families including a mother and her two sons suffer from Covid-19 infection

Srinagar, Mar 31, KNT: On 24 March, members of a Tableegi Jamat organized a religious event at Shaheed-e-Milat Masjid here in Eidgah area of Srinagar. A large number of people attended this congregation. Some of the members of this Tableegi Jamat who have already been declared Covid-19 positive stayed for three days at the mosque, located at Rathpora Eidgah.

A boy (name withheld) barely 10 years of age attended this religious event along with his father Munir Ahmed Sofi. The excited boy hugged some of the preachers. As he reached home, he showed symptoms of Coronavirus. There was high viral load with running nose. The family members took him to SMHS Hospital Srinagar on March 28 and on the same day, the hospital authorities referred him to Chest Disease Hospital Srinagar in an ambulance that was provided by the SMHS Hospital. Citing non-availability of the bed as the main reason, doctors at CD Hospital referred this 10 year old boy to JLNM Hospital Rainawari on the very same day. The irony is that hospital didn’t provide any ambulance, as a result, the father of the patient called his brother-in-law who arranged a private vehicle and ferried the Covid-19 suspect in that vehicle from CD Hospital to Rainawari Hospital. The sheer negligence of the hospital strengthened the Coronavirus chain and after father, now the maternal uncle of the boy got involved in the chain.

Relatives of the boy told Kashmir News Trust that at JLNM Rainawari Hospital there was ruckus and no medico was available there and the family on the very same day rushed the boy back to SMHS Hospital.
“The boy was thoroughly examined and the matter was discussed with the Principal and the Registrar. Being a strong suspected case, the doctors at SMHS Hospital referred the boy to SKIMS even writing on the hospital ticket that it is a critical Covid-19 case. Ironically, SKIMS advised the family to quarantine the boy for three days at home citing non-availability of bed as the reason. This happened on March 28.”

The family brought the boy to home and he was quarantined on 3rd floor of the house. “Despite Coronavirus scare, the mother’s love didn’t diminish and she took care of the boy in the room. The boy remained in the home and obviously came into contact with others. When the condition of the boy deteriorated, a local leader from the area, Imtiyaz Ahmed requested Baseer Khan, the Advisor to Lieutenant Governor to intervene. It was on the directions of Khan, that a medical team contacted the family and he was shifted to SKIMS on March 30 and on March 31 he was declared positive for Coronavirus,” the relatives told KNT.
“When SKIMS knew it was a strong suspected case and even SMHS had already declared it be so, why then boy was allowed to go home. Same negligence occurred in the case of the first deceased Covid-19 patient,” the relatives questioned.

Another confirmed case from Goripora Eidgah of Srinagar city shows negligence both on the part of government and the infected person. A man from Goripora Eidgah arrived home from outside State on 13 March. He was neither screened nor taken to quarantine centre. “From 13 March to 29 March, this man roamed freely in Srinagar, especially in Eidgah area. He offered five times prayers in the local mosque and came into contact with hundreds of people,” said a local.
As the authorities tightened its noose on those concealing travel histories, the man went to SKIMS where he was declared positive for Covid-19.

“Imagine the chain this person might have created.”

Similarly, a youth from Bemina Srinagar after arriving in Valley, stayed at home without self reporting. This youth who was declared positive for Covid-19 infection on 27 March infected not only his brother but his mother too and today the mother-son duo was tested positive. Authorities have quarantined all the family members of the youth and also some of the neighbouring families.

Well placed sources told KNT that a youth from Soibugh Budgam who also had attended a religious event outside Jammu and Kashmir, didn’t quarantine himself. He was yesterday declared positive and today, one of the persons, who had come into his contact, was also declared positive. “You can’t break this chain unless you show some sense of responsibility. Avoid people whom you know or don’t know these days. A contact with unknown infected person can land you in the hospital. It is very important to keep yourself aloof from society and stay at home,” said a medico to KNT.

20 villages including Parray Mohala Hajin, Chandergeer Hajin, Batagund Hajin in Bandipora District

Gudoora, Chandgam, Pinglena, Parigam, Abhama,Sangerwani & Khaigam in Pulwama District

Waskura in Ganderbal

Ramnagri in Shopian district.

Mehjoor Nagar, Natipora, Lal Bazar, Eidgah & Shalteng in Srinagar District.

Chadoora in Budgam district of Kashmir division have been declared as Red Zones.

Srinagar, Mar 31: Amid Covid-19 scare, majority of the Newspaper distributors may stop to distribute Newspapers from tomorrow.

Already, 52 patients have been tested positive in Jammu and Kashmir. There is a surge in the confirmed cases across Valley that has panicked the people.

Main distributors including Fayaz Trali, Mudasir Ahmed and Irshand Ahmed with whom over 200 hawkers are associated may not distribute the newspapers from tomorrow.

Irhad Ahmed, one among the three distributors told Kashmir News Trust that “Except Greater Kashmir, Srinagar Times and Daily Aftab, distribution of all other newspapers already hit the stands.”

“We are not willing to distribute the newspapers from tomorrow as our hawkers are scared of touching the newspapers and roaming place to place,” he added.

All contacts of previous positive cases.

Tweets Rohit Kansal:

#JammuAndKashmir
UPDATE : 6 new positive cases confirmed in Kashmir Division. All contacts of previous positive cases. Meanwhile contact tracing continues in both Jammu and Kashmir Divisions. Please cooperate. Let's #Fightittogether @diprjk @HealthMedicalE1 @HealthMedicalE1

— Rohit Kansal (@kansalrohit69) March 31, 2020

Srinagar, Mar 31: One more Covid-19 suspect has been tested positive and this time he is 10 years old boy. Reports said that besides the boy, two more patients have been tested positive on Tuesday.

The number of Covid-19 cases has jumped to 52 in Kashmir Valley.
Reports said that the 10 year old boy (name withheld) from Eidgah Srinagar had come into contact with a person affiliated with Tableegi Jamat who was suffering from Coronavirus when he visited a mosque in the area.

A family member of the confirmed case that the boy had shook hands with a religious preacher in Eidgah mosque and after that he developed symptoms. “We took him to JLNM Hospital Rainawari where from he was referred to SKIMS Soura. A day after, he was admitted in the hospital, his samples were taken and today he was declared positive,” he told KNT.
Nodal Officer for Coronavirus at SKIMS Soura, Dr Ghulam Hasan Itoo said that report about the patient has been sent to the Government and they have to declare about it.

Reports said that a father-son due part of Tableegi Jamat who hail from Bemina have also been tested positive.

A Government official said that Eidgah area will be completely sterilized as there are reports that some of Covid-19 patients who were part of the Tableegi Jamat stayed in different mosques in the area.
Commissioner Srinagar Municipal Commissioner, Ghazanfar Ali told KNT that whole Eidgah area will be sanitized and sterilized.

“Locals informed us that some of the Covid-19 infected persons who were part of the Tableegi Jamat stayed in different mosques in the area and a large number of people have come into contact with them. Our teams will sterilize the area completely,” he said. (KNT)