Kashmir.Watch

Category: Union Territory

  • Want to handhold tailors who procure Khadi material for masks from KVIB: Dr Hina Bhat

    Srinagar, March 30: Khadi and Village Industries Board(KVIB) decided to buy the masks from tailors or boutique owners who can make them with the Khadi material procured from it.

    Vice-Chairperson KVIB Dr Hina Bhat said the initiative has been taken to fulfill the increasing demand of masks in J&K.

    “Khadi material masks are considered as best masks. We particularly encourage those who have availed loan to setup their income generating units through PMEGP scheme. It is opportunity for them to help their state as well as earn extra income. We have sufficient raw material to distribute among the tailors of the J&K,” she told KNS.

    However she said that KVIB would provide Khadi material to any tailor in the J&K and procure their product for distribution among public (KNS)

  • Negligence: Clinical history of Soiteng suspect shows he is not Covid-19 positive

    Srinagar, Mar 30, KNT: in a sheer negligence either on part of the hospital administration or the government, a Covid-19 suspect was declared positive yesterday though his clinical history and hospital records at Chest Disease Hospital clearly shows that the patient is a suspect and his test report is awaited.

    A youth ( name withheld) from Soiteng Lasjan area in Srinagar outskirts was declared Covid-19 positive yesterday and shortly after the announcement, Government quarantined his family members and also his neighbouring family.

    Srinagar Municipal Corporation in his tweet declared him as the resident of Mehjoor Nagar but in another tweet he apologised and said the patient is from Soiteng Lasjan and the area will be sterilized.

    There was panic in the area as the news broke about him. Ironically, the hospital administration asked the patient today to get shifted to Ward number 5- the ward that has been exclusively reserved for Covid-19 suspects.

    “I told him why they are shifting me to Ward 5, where Covid-19 suspects admitted can be infected due to my presence. I was shocked when they informed me, I am not Covid-19 positive and the test report is still awaited,” the patient told Kashmir News Trust over phone and questioned, how can a patient be declared Covid-19 positive without waiting for test result.

    The patient said he is in shock and doesn’t know whether to weep or laugh. “Why I was declared positive when the hospital record shows my report is still awaited. Who is to be blamed,” he said.

    He told KNT that he self reported in the hospital after coming into contact with deceased Covid-19 patient from Sopore who was residing in Srinagar. Doctors say I am asymptomatic, and not a positive case.

    ‘The negligence on part of hospital or the government cost his family and they are going through severe mental agony, he told KNT.

  • Non-coordination of health officials leave suspected coronavirus patients in lurch

    Srinagar March 30 (KINS): Authorities have left suspected coronavirus people and their families in a lurch due to non-coordination between concerned health officers.
    On Monday, many suspected cases of coronavirus were brought to SKIMS Soura in ambulances from Ganderbal and other areas.

    However, these people were waiting whole day to get admitted there.
    “After bringing here, we are told they can’t admit us here. We don’t know where to go. We are being treated as dogs here,” a resident of Lar Ganderbal told Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS) over phone.
    “We even tried to approach the police but were not allowed by hospital administration. Nobody is listening to us. We have been left to the mercy of God,” a resident of Zakoora said.
    Medical Superintendent SKIMS Soura, Dr Farooq Jan said SKIMS was receiving a lot of patients for isolation.

    “We are sending them to Health Services Department. We are trying to create a space then will take them back. We already have more than 100 patients in isolation. We have space here but can’t convert this tertiary care hospital into COVID-19 hospital. Government has already designated CD Hospital, JLNM Hospital and JVC Bemina as COVID hospitals and these people should be taken there,” Farooq told KINS.

    He said SKIMS would receive only complicated COVID patients. “We can’t take people for quarantine here. People have to understand difference between SKIMS and a hotel. We have to treat other patients also. We are following guidelines of the government,” he said.

    Chief Medical Officer Srinagar told KINS that she was facilitating the things for coronavirus suspect people.
    “I am following directives of higher authorities. You better talk to Dr Waseem, who is divisional coordinator,” she said.
    Surprisingly, Dr Waseem’s mobile was switched off.(KINS)

  • First batch of students completed quarantine period allowed to go home on Monday

    Srinagar, March 30 (KINS): First batch of students who had completed incubation period of 14 day in quarantine were allowed to go their homes on Monday.

    Hundreds of Kashmiris especially students with recent travel histories to outside countries were put under quarantine in various hotels in Srinagar and in other districts.

    On Monday, around 80 people most of them students who were quarantined at a hotel on Boulevard were allowed to go home.

    “From Monday we started allowing people to go home who completed incubation period of 14 days. More students will be allowed to go home on Tuesday who will complete incubation period,” an official said.
    He said spaces opening up after the students are allowed to proceed to their homes will be sanitized and reused.

    Similarly, people who completed incubation period in other districts were also allowed to go home on Monday.

    As a precautionary measure to limit the spread of coronavirus, hundreds of travelers, including students, who arrived Kashmir from other countries, primarily from Bangladesh, were isolated soon upon their arrival and then shifted to the quarantine facilities.

    Under the plan, the administration had requisitioned over 65 well-equipped hotels and government accommodations as quarantine facilities in Srinagar. (KINS)

  • Medical staff at greater risk of severe disease from coronavirus: DAK

    Srinagar Mar 30: Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Monday said doctors, nurses and paramedical staff are at greater risk of developing severe disease if they get infected with the novel (new) coronavirus.
    “The novel virus seems to hit health care workers harder than others who contract the disease,” said DAK President Dr Nisar ul Hassan.
    Dr Nisar said at least 41 health care workers have died in Italy and more than 5,000 medical personnel including doctors, nurses, technicians, ambulance staff and other health employees have been infected by the virus since the outbreak there began.
    “At the epicenter of the novel coronavirus pandemic, Chinese officials have reported that nearly 3,400 health care workers have been infected with 22 deaths.”
    “We don’t know what is making them sicker than other patients. May be it is due to the higher dose of the virus they are receiving,” he said.
    Dr Nisar said health care workers, especially the frontline are at the highest risk of exposure to the virus.
    “Medical staff in high risk areas like ICU have more exposure to infection as the severely ill are more infective, and also they do the higher frequency of medical intervention and aerosol-generating procedures like intubation and respiratory/ airway suctioning,” he said.
    Dr Nisar said it is imperative to protect doctors, nurses, paramedical staff and medical students because they are out there saving lives.
    “Medical staff must remain safe because if health care workers collapse, the health system will shut down, and people will die,” he said adding that “extensive protective gear is the best way to safeguard clinical staff who treat COVID-19 patients.”
    Dr Nisar said health care workers must self-monitor, report signs of illness and not engage in patient care while exhibiting respiratory symptoms.
    “Many health care workers have medical conditions that elevates risk of severe infection and death. Such work force should be redeployed away from high risk sites,” he added.
    “With COVID-19 crisis likely to stretch over weeks to months, ensuring that health care workers get adequate rest and are supported as health care professional and as an individual will help to keep them going,” said Dr Nisar.

  • Govt revokes PSA detention of 31 persons lodged in J&K jails

    Srinagar, Mar 30: In a major development, the government of Jammu and Kashmir has revoked Public Safety Act (PSA) detention of 31 persons languishing in different jails of Union Territory.

    Highly placed sources disclosed to wire service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), that government has revoked PSA detention of 31 persons lodged in different jails of the Union Territory.

    “Of them, 11 are lodged in Kotbalwal, 14 in Srinagar central jail, 4 in Rajouri and two in Kathua,” sources disclosed—(KNO)

  • Four more tested positive in Kashmir, toll mounts to 45 in JK

    Srinagar, Mar 30 (KNO): Four more persons have been tested positive for deadly Coronavirus in Kashmir, taking the total toll of cases to 45 across Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory.

    According to wire service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), government spokesman Rohit Kansal in a tweet informed that four persons were tested positive in Kashmir Valley, adding that two among them are resident of Srinagar while the other two are from South Kashmir’s Shopian district.

    “Four more cases detected positive in Kasmir. 2 each from Shopian and Srinagar. All contacts of previous positive cases. Contact tracing working on ground,” Kansal tweeted.

    Earlier in the day, three people in Jammu division were tested positive, which took to the toll to 41. With more four persons tested positive, the total toll of positive cases across the Union Territory has mounted to 45

    – (KNO)

  • Forces flex muscles on KNO staffer at Qazigund

    Qazigund , Mar 30: Kashmir News Observer staffer was ruthlessly thrashed by forces in Qazigund area of south Kashmir on Monday morning.

    According to wire service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Umaisar Gul who reports from Kulgam was ruthlessly thrashed by the forces while on way back to his home from Qazigund hospital early today morning.

    Narrating his ordeal, Umaisar said that he was on way back to home from the hospital when a few CRPF and police personnel stop him and petrol pump in Qazigund and thrashed him without any provocation.

    He said that the forces personnel pounced on him and beat him ruthlessly, injuring him badly. Umaisar has received severe injuries in his left arm and has been given first aid at nearby hospital. Umaisar said that he was not stopped by the forces when he was going toward Qazigund hospital from home.

    “But when I was returning back I was stopped by them and thrashed without any provocation. They didn’t even listen to me. They also didn’t even let me show my ID card. The incident happened at around 10:30 am, “he said.

    Meanwhile, Kulgam journalist association has condemned the force’s brutality and demanded a strong action against the personnel involved in this — (KNO)

  • Six Coronavirus patients among 37 people admitted in isolation wards of SKIMS

    Srinagar, March 30: At least 37 people including six coronavirus patients are admitted in isolation wards of Shar-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Soura.
    Official said 181 samples of suspected people have been tested at SKIMS Soura. However reports of 31 people are awaited.

    “Thirty seven patients are in isolation wards including six patients whose tests have been tested positive for coronavirus,” Medical Superintendent SKIMS Soura Dr Farooq Jan told Kashmir Indepth News Service.
    Similarly, he said 65 people are in quarantine at SKIMS Soura. (KINS)

  • Coronavirus: Kashmir Muslim woman donates savings for Hajj to RSS affiliate

    Agencies

    NEW DELHI, March 30: A Muslim woman from Jammu and Kashmir has donated her savings of Rs 5 lakh, meant for the Hajj pilgrimage, to the RSS-affiliated ‘Sewa Bharati’ after apparently being “impressed with the welfare work” done by the outfit amid the lockdown due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.Khalida Begum, 87, who saved Rs 5 lakh for Hajj, was forced to defer her plans for the pilgrimage due to the lockdown.Hajj is the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, the holiest city of Muslims.

    “Khalida Begum ji was impressed with the welfare work done by the Sewa Bharati in Jammu and Kashmir during the tough time the country is passing through due to sudden outbreak of COVID-19 and decided to donate Rs 5 lakh to the organisation,” Arun Anand, head of RSS media wing Indraprastha Vishwa Samvad Kendra (IVSK), said.

    The woman wants that this money should be used by the community service organisation Sewa Bharati for the poor and the needy in Jammu and Kashmir. She had saved this amount for performing Hajj, plans for which she deferred due to the present situation, Anand said.

    “Khalida Begum ji was among the first few women in Jammu and Kashmir who got educated in a convent. She is the daughter-in-law of Colonel Peer Mohd Khan, who was president of the Jana Sangh,” he said.

    Jana Sangh was also an associate of RSS and later became the Bharatiya Janata Party.

    Anand said despite her age, she had been very active in welfare works for the women and the downtrodden in Jammu and Kashmir. Her son, Farooq Khan, a retired IPS officer, is presently serving as an adviser to the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor.

    Meanwhile, since the lockdown was announced, Sewa Bharati volunteers across the country have been providing food and other essential items to the needy. The Sangh-affiliate’s volunteers were seen on Saturday managing crowd and providing food to them at the Anand Vihar bus terminal in Delhi.