Kashmir.Watch

Category: Union Territory

  • Non-local workforce working in Kashmir defy social distancing

    Srinagar, Mar 24, KNT: The locals from Chandrigam area of Tral town Tuesday staged a protest alleging that no action is being initiated against the house owners who have rented their houses to non-local labourers in large numbers. The protesters said that there is every possibility of Covid-19 breakout in the town as these non-local labourers are staying in dozens together at one place.

    “At one house there are 20 labourers while 30 are staying in another house. When we are laying thrust on social distancing, how that is possible if scores of labourers stay in one room. Government and police should initiate action against these landlords,” said a protester to KNT.

    Reports said that a large number of non-local labourers are staying together in rented buildings in different parts of Kashmir including Pulwama, Baramulla, Ganderbal, Srinagar, Budgam and other towns.

    A couple of days back, locals in Pulwama also staged protest against the influx of non-local workforce. They said that large number of non-local labourers is staying at a rented building.

    Locals in Nihalpora area of North Kashmir’s Pattan are too staged protest alleging that a large number of non-locals are working in a ply factory. The locals said no medical test or screening of these labourers have been done. “These people came from West Bengal some five days back and nobody asked them to undergo any medical test,” they said and sought intervention of authorities. (KNT)

  • One more test positive for covid-19, tally jumps to 4 in Kashmir

    Suhail Khan

    Srinagar, March 24 (GNS): One more person, a 22-year-old, has tested positive in Kashmir for coronavirus, taking the number of covid-19 patients to seven in Jammu and Kashmir.

    A senior doctor at SKIMS told GNS test sample of one person, admitted in GMC Baramulla, came out to be positive.

    “His sample had been sent to SKIMS for test and it came out to be positive,” the doctor said, adding, “The patient is said to have come from outside J&K three days ago.”

    Earlier, in the day two people, who had arrived from Saudi Arabia and New Delhi recently, tested positive for COVID-19.

    As of now, four persons have tested positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Kashmir Valley while the tally of such patients in the entire J&K has gone up to 7. Three cases were reported from Jammu earlier this month. The government informed that one among the patients has recovered. (GNS)

  • 1st COVID-19 patient treated successfully: DC Sgr

    Srinagar, Mar 24: Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Shahid Iqbal Chowdhary on Tuesday claimed that the first COVID-19 positive patient has been treated successfully at SKIMS Soura.

    Taking to micro blogging social networking site twitter, he wrote, “Srinagar’s first COVID-19 Positive case successfully treated: Director SKIMS.

  • Coronavirus: DAK calls for ban on sale of hydroxychloroquine without prescription

    “The arthritis drug that has been found to be effective against the novel coronavirus falls under the schedule H of the Drugs and Cosmetic Rules, which means it can be sold only under prescription.

    Srinagar Mar 24: Following the approval of arthritis drug, hydroxychloroquine for the treatment and prophylaxis of the novel (new) coronavirus, Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Tuesday has called for ban on the sale of the drug without valid prescription from a registered medical practitioner.
    “Chemist shops should refrain from selling the drug without doctor’s prescription,” said DAK President Dr. Nisar ul Hassan.

    “The arthritis drug that has been found to be effective against the novel coronavirus falls under the schedule H of the Drugs and Cosmetic Rules, which means it can be sold only under prescription,” he said.

    “However, regulations for pharmacies are lax and violations are rampant. The drug is sold widely over the counter without prescription,” he added.

    Dr Nisar said after the reports that hydroxychloroquine cures the new virus, people are rushing to pharmacies and hoarding the drug.
    “I urge people not to go and find the drug, because they will be taking it out of the hands of those who need it most,” he said.

    “It has also been seen that some doctors are writing so many prescriptions of the drug for themselves and their families and stockpiling these medications. We need to take steps to stop these inappropriate prescriptions,” he added.

    Dr. Nisar said ICMR has recommended hydroxychloroquine as preventive medication for healthcare workers involved in the care of suspected or confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus and for household contacts of laboratory confirmed cases.

    “The recommendation came after a French study showed promising results for hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for novel virus, and when used with Azithromycin, it significantly reduced viral load,” he said adding that 100% of patients treated with hydroxychloroquine were virologically cured at day 6 of treatment.

    Dr Nisar said though the sample size was small, the results were encouraging.

    “It is, therefore recommended that the new virus be treated with the combination of hydroxychloroquine and Azithromycin to cure the infection and to prevent the transmission of the virus to other people to prevent the spread of the new virus,” he said

    “Both drugs are in use for decades. While hydroxychloroquine is given for lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis, Azithromycin is an antibiotic used for the treatment of number of bacterial infections,” said Dr Nisar.

  • Omar’s release a “welcome step”: Sarah Hayat Shah

    Srinagar, Mar 23: National Conference (NC) Additional Spokesperson Sara Hayat Shah on Tuesday hailed the decision of Government of Jammu and Kashmir who revoked PSA detention order of former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
    Talking to Kashmir News Service (KNS), Shah termed the release of NC vice-president a “welcome step” by the authorities and appealed further release of all political and other Kashmiri detainees lodged in and outside J&K jails.
    She added, Government should not hesitate to take steps that will strengthen roots of democracy in J&K. Like Abdullah’s, Government should allow all political prisoners lodged in and outside jails including PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti, ? JKPC chairman Sajad Gani Lone? NC leader Ali Mohammad Sagar, JKPM chief Dr Shah Faesal, and others to walk home.

    She also said, “As COVID-19 struck the entire country, authorities should ensure return of all Kashmiri prisoners into Valley so that their relatives could see a glimpse of them without any inconvenience and trouble. (KNS)

  • 4G: ‘Internet services upgradation as per situation’: K Vijay Kumar, senior security advisor MHA

    Srinagar, March 24: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Tuesday said its response to the demand for restoration of high speed internet services in Jammu and Kashmir is much “calibrated” and the internet services in the UT are being upgraded according to the needs.
    It, however, added that the final call will be taken by the government of J&K UT after assessing the situation on ground and getting security clearance of all concerned.
    Talking to Kashmir In-depth News Service (KINS), exclusively over phone from New Delhi, K Vijay Kumar, who was advisor to the former Governor in J&K Satya Pal Malik, and is now senior security advisor in the MHA on J&K affairs and left-wing extremism, said: “Our response to the issue (restoration of 4-G services) is steadily calibrated. Internet services are being upgraded according to the needs,” he said.
    “They (Govt in J&K UT) have to look at various parameters like society, environment, situation to lower down restrictions,” he said, adding that the J&K UT government is taking certain steps for lifting curbs like releasing detainees.
    Kumar suggested to talk to Home Secretary as he was not directly linked to comment on the issue.
    The high speed internet services were snapped across J&K prior to the GoI’s announcement on August 5 last year in the wake of roll back of J&Ks’ special status and slicing of erstwhile state into two UTs—J&K and Ladakh.
    Of late, at a time when J&K is under tight grip of fear triggered by the pandemic Covid-19 with Kashmir witnessed one positive case and Jammu three, the demand for restoration of 4-G services have gone shriller with even top officials from the government demanding it as a means to know various methods being adopted by the global community to fight the Coronavirus.
    Last week, when National Conference patron Dr Farooq Abdullah was released after J&K government revoked is PSA detention, he too demanded restoration of 4-G services. Today, when J&K government released his son and former chief minister Omar Abdullah after 232 days, he also vociferously sought restoration of 4-G services for learning the means to fight Covid-19. Earlier, Srinagar Municipal Corporation’s Mayor Junaid Azim Matoo too had urged government to restore high speed internet services.
    Top officials from the police and administration had been maintaining that the if high speed internet would be restored, there were apprehensions that vested interests and anti-peace elements both within the UT and across the LoC would utilize it to foment trouble in J&K by spreading radicalization campaign and fake propaganda.(KINS).

  • No fresh positive case of coronavirus detected at SKIMS: MS

    Srinagar March 24: Medical Superintendent SKIMS Soura Dr Farooq Jan said only one patient of coronavirus is admitted at the hospital so far.
    “We have only one positive case at SKIMS who was detected last week. No fresh case has been detected here so far,” he told Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS).
    Two more positive cases were detected from Srinagar on Tuesday taking the number to three. However, MS said they were not detected at SKIMS.
    ” 2 more cases reported positive in Srinagar. One has confirmed travel history outside India. Full details regarding the second being ascertained,” Rohit Kansal said here in a tweet. (KINS)

  • Urgent Appeal: Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid Srinagar Appeal to people to stay at Home and offer Namaz at home as  Covid 19 pandemic spreads

    Srinagar: In the light of Islamic teachings and as is a precedent in Islamic history during such times , Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid appeals to people to offer Namaz at home, as the corona virus pandemic spreads. The Anjuman has already suspended all congregational prayers at Jama Masjid Srinagar for the time being

    As the world battles Covid 19, Muslim communities around the globe like others, are also carefully considering how best to continue with our religious activities, while trying to minimise the spread of the coronavirus. With the increasing rate of transmission, the number of deaths, and limited medical facilities available, all Islamic scholarly and medical advice points towards the curtailment of social contact as the key towards reducing the spread.

    Hence It is our public duty as Muslims to protect one another from harm, and it is evident the most effective way to do this now is to avoid social contact as much as possible. This includes in all walks of life, whether social, work or the mosques. It has become imperative that this extraordinary step is taken to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all as is being done in many Muslim countries.

    Anjum Auqaf on behalf of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq who continues to be under house arrest, urgently requests people to undertake these measures needed in such unprecedented times and put our trust in Allah and his mercy and pray for the safety and protection of mankind in this grave crisis.

  • COVID-19: 2 More Persons Test Positive, Kashmir Cases Rise To 3

    Govt Urges People Not To Panic, Follow Shutdown, Other Measures Strictly

    Srinagar, March 24 (GNS): Two people, who had arrived from Saudi Arabia and New Delhi recently, tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, official sources told GNS.

    As of now, three persons have tested positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Kashmir Valley while the tally of such patients in the entire J&K has gone up to 6. Three cases were reported from Jammu earlier this month.

    A senior officer in government also confirmed to GNS that two persons have tested positive and urged people not to panic. “We are dealing with the situation and people are requested to strictly follow the shutdown and other precautions such as maintaining hygiene and social distancing strictly,” he added.

    Sources said that as part of the procedure, the samples of the duo were sent to an outside laboratory for cross-checking purposes and at both laboratories, the tests came out to be positive.

    They said one of them is a resident of Natipora Srinagar and had returned from Saudi Arabia on March 16 in the same flight (443-Air India) which was boarded by the 67-year-old woman who tested positive on March 18, becoming the first COVID-19 case in Kashmir. The Natipora resident is 57-year-old and had reported to the CD hospital only a couple of days backs, causing a great deal of worry administration.

    The other person is said to be a resident of Hyderpora Srinagar, aged around 65-years, who had returned from New Delhi recently after being part of a ‘Tablighi Jamaat’ attended by people from Indonesia and Malaysia.

    As already reported by GNS, the duo was yesterday moved to separate isolation facility at CD hospital, which has since been converted into a Covid hospital along with two other hospitals—SKIMS Bemina and JLNM Rainawari. (GNS)

    —
    Warm Regards,
    Global News Service (GNS)
    Magarmal Bagh, Srinagar, Kashmir (J&K)
    *Phone: 0194-2480152, 9419049145

  • Desperate plea for evacuation from families of Kashmiri students stranded in different parts of India

    Srinagar, Mar 24, KNT: Anxious family members of scores of Kashmiri students stuck in various parts of India Tuesday plead with Lieutenant Governor GC Murmu to promptly arrange for their evacuation from different cities almost in lockdown.

    Dozens of anxious parents were seen waiting at Srinagar Airport for the return of their children but were shocked to learn that flights are not going to land at the Airport.

    “My daughter was supposed to land at Srinagar Airport from New Delhi, but here IndiGo officials are telling me flights have been cancelled. Another official said that Srinagar bound IndiGo flight can’t be landed as they are only few passengers,” Ghulam Mustafa from Srinagar told Kashmir News Trust.

    There was ruckus at the Srinagar Airport as the anxious parents were seen inquiring about the arrival of flights. “Some flights landed at the Airport but some were cancelled. It is total chaos here and nobody knows what to do,” said another parent, Ghulam Nabi.

    A large number of students are stranded in different parts of India. On late Monday evening, Kashmir students stranded at Bengaluru Airport staged a protest seeking evacuation form the city. Reports also said that over 25 students studying at Lundhiana City University staged protest and are seeking evacuation.

    Sajad Ahmed Khan, a student from Kupwara, who studies at Ludhiana City University, told KNT that they are starving as due to lock-down food is not available to them. “We appeal Jammu Kashmir Government to evacuate us,” he said.

    Reports said that over 70 Kashmiri students are stuck at Benapole, on India-Bangladesh Border. Their colleges have been shut and they have to return. With country in lockdown, they need to cross-over and reach Valley, but they seem to be helpless. India has already declared that it is going to suspend all the domestic flights from Wednesday.

    28 girls from Islamic University of Science & Technology, Awantipora were undergoing internship at CIPHET, Ludhiana. A mandatory training period in their University Academic Course. Due to the pandemic COVID-19 and Health Emergency Alert across the nation, students were informed to leave the CIPHET, Ludhiana campus and now are stuck at Kathua.

    Kashmiri students studying in different colleges have been asked by concerned college authorities to stay in hostels. However, these students are unable to procure the food due to unprecedented lock down. (KNT)