Category: Union Territory

Pulwama, Jan 26: Army Commander DP Pandey Wednesday said that militancy is in the state of decline, and this year it will come to its lowest point in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district.

Lieutenant General DP Pandy visited Pulwama district where he interacted with senior citizens and some traders.

While talking to reporters, the Army Commander said that militancy was at its peak in Southern districts like Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian, and Pulwama and this will be in a state of decline this year. He said militancy has come to the lowest point and local militant recruitment in Pulwama has stopped.

“People have come to realize the ill-effects of militancy and there is a decline now,” he said.

Army Commander DP Pandey said that it is the people which have to decide while the army is there for providing security. “Earlier militancy was at zenith in North Kashmir and then we saw how it started in South Kashmir. But this year in Pulwama militancy will decline,” he said. (KNT)

Srinagar, Jan 26: National flag was hoisted atop the historic Clock tower in city’s Lal Chowk on Wednesday, 30 years after veteran BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi did it for the first time.

Social activists Sajid Yousuf Shah and Sahil Bashir Bhat along with dozens of supporters had organized the flag hoisting ceremony at Clock Tower, locally known as Ghanta Ghar, to mark the Republic Day.

The activist used a hydraulic crane elevator to install the national flag on top of the clock tower amidst rendition of the national anthem. Young players from Kashmir Martial Arts Academy also participated in the function.

The participants danced to patriotic songs as hundreds of Police and paramilitary personnel stood guard around the clock tower.

Senior BJP leader had hoisted the national flag at Lal Chowk in 1992 at the peak of militancy in the valley. Elsewhere in the city, thousands of tricolors donned the landscape of several public parks including Pratap Park and Iqbal Park to mark the Republic Day.

This is for the first time that the national flag in such large numbers have been installed in the city.–(PTI)

‘Testing will help prevent spread of virus’

Srinagar, Jan 25: Amid the ongoing third wave of Covid-19, most people either symptomatic or asymptomatic in Jammu and Kashmir aren’t going for testing, thereby, risking the lives of other people, doctors said on Tuesday.

They warned against complacency and urged people to get themselves tested if they observe Coronavirus symptoms while asserting that COVID-19 tests in J-K have increased in the last 15 days but there are still thousands of people who have mild symptoms but aren’t going for tests.

Talking with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) Dr Owais Ahmad from Government Medical College (GMC) Anantnag warned against complacency and said that “more and more people should get themselves tested if they observe coronavirus symptoms”.

“Due to overconfidence, some people think they will recover even after they have symptoms. They do not realise that if they do not get tested in time, they’ll end up infecting many people around them eventually,” he said. “People can avail of testing for free in any government hospital or government dispensaries.”

“There was a lot of panic and even for minor symptoms, people were coming to hospitals. But now, they know that if they have minor symptoms, they think they will recover. There is some taboo attached to it. They think that authorities will put up a sticker outside their home and their neighbors will come to know,” said another doctor.

He said that if a person comes positive now, he is just asked to go for home isolation so that he won’t spread the infection to others which helps in stopping the chain of the virus.

Doctors further added that testing of those who have no symptoms, who show symptoms of infection such as trouble breathing, fever, sore throat or loss of the sense of smell and taste, and who may have been exposed to the virus will help prevent the spread of COVID-19 by identifying people who are in need of care in a timely fashion.

They said that “a positive test early in the course of the illness enables individuals to isolate themselves, reducing the chances that they will infect others and allowing them to seek treatment earlier, likely reducing disease severity and the risk of long-term disability, or death”—(KNO)

Srinagar, Jan 25: Jammu and Kashmir reported biggest ever daily spike of 6570 cases while 14 persons succumbed to the virus in the last 24 hours which is highest single-day toll of the present third wave, officials said on Tuesday.

1555 of the fresh cases were reported from Jammu Division and 5015 from Kashmir, taking the overall tally to 409166, the officials told GNS.

Regarding the deaths, they said, seven each were reported from Jammu division and Kashmir Valley respectively. So far 4627 people have died due to the virus—2260 in Jammu division and 2367 in Kashmir Valley.

On Saturday last, the J&K recorded previous highest daily case count of 6568 since the onset of the pandemic in 2020. The count was breached by two cases today.

Giving district wise details, the officials told GNS that Srinagar reported 1450 cases, Baramulla 396, Budgam 971, Pulwama 107, Kupwara 395, Anantnag 416, Bandipora 243, Ganderbal 295, Kulgam 697, Shopian 45, Jammu 849, Udhampur 121, Rajouri 100, Doda 114, Kathua 81, Samba 112, Kishtwar 12, Poonch 82, Ramban 41 and Reasi 43.

There has been surge in covid-19 cases in J&K since the start of the New Year. On January 1, J&K reported 169 cases, 165 cases on January 2, 178 on January 3, 199 on January 4, 418 on January 5, 349 on January 6, 542 on January 7, 655 on January 8, 687 on January 9, 706 on January 10, 1148 on January 11, 1695 on January 12, 1966 on January 13, 2456 on January 14, 3251 on January 15, 3499 on January 16, 2817 on January 17, 4651 on January 18 and 5818 on January 19 and 5992 on January 20, 5720 on January 21 and 6253 on January 22 and 5394 on January 24.

A number of these cases were confirmed at diagnostic laboratories of GMC Srinagar and include male (32) from Brain nishat, male (70) from Anantnag, female (85) from Sgr, male (70) from Pulwama, male (32) from Sanatnagar, female (32) from Sanatnagar, female (80) from Naseemabagh, female (26) from Hostel, male (58) from Rawalpora, male (28) from Rawalpora, male (70) from Pulwama, male (31) from Baramulla, male (47) from Sgr, female (30) from Baramulla, male (54) from Sgr, male (30) from Shopian, male (70) from Sgr, female (28) from Sgr, male (23) from Sgr, female (53) from Sgr, female (40) from Budgam,female (74) from Sgr, male (33) from SMHS Hospital, male (30) from Pulwama, male (28) from Sgr, female (26) from Bandipora, female (90) from Budgam, male (65) from Ganderbal, male (17 months) from Budgam, female (27) from Sgr, male (45) from Nishat, male (48) from Sgr, male (67) from Sgr, female (60) from Bemina, female (60) from Baramulla, female (85) from Sgr, male (65) from Sgr, female (50) from Sgr, female (75) from Sgr, male (36) from Sgr, female (32) from Sgr, male (50) from SMHS, female (50) from Bandipora, male (56) from Sgr and male (34) from Sgr.

Besides, they said, 3789 Covid-19 patients recovered during the time—1278 from Jammu Division and 2511 from Kashmir. So far 357163 people have recovered, leaving active case tally at 47376—13812 in Jammu and 33564 in Kashmir.

They said there was no new confirmed case of mucormycosis (black fungus) reported today. So far 51 black fungus cases have been confirmed in J&K, the officials said.

They also informed that 36, 620 doses of covid-19 vaccine were administered during the time in J&K. (GNS)

Srinagar, January 25: Suspected militants hurled a grenade on security forces at Hari Singh High street area of Central Kashmir’s Srinagar district on Tuesday.

A top Police officer told GNS that militants attacked by lobbing a grenade towards security forces. However In this incident no one was injured so far as per the reports received.

Meanwhile whole area has been cordoned off to nab the fleeing militants, they said.(GNS)

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday warned the Opposition parties that he would be more dangerous if they forced him to step down as he ruled out granting any concession to them.Responding to a question about the planned long march by the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) on March 23 during live calls by the public, Khan said that the move would fail.
“If I take to the streets, then you (opposition parties) won’t find any place to hide,” Khan said, adding that he would be more dangerous if forced to step down.
The PDM – an alliance of nearly a dozen opposition parties – was formed against the Pakistan Army’s interference in politics and installing “puppet” Prime Minister Khan through a “manipulated” election. PDM President and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl head Maulana Fazlur Rahman has announced that the opposition parties would launch a long march towards Islamabad on March 23 to rid the nation of the “incapable and illegitimate” government of Imran Khan.
Khan also slammed the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif and refused to have any interaction with him. “I get called out for not meeting Shehbaz as he is the Leader of the Opposition.
(But) I see him as the nation’s criminal,” he said.
He accused the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief of evading cases of corruption by not responding to allegation charges.
Khan said that the entire Sharif family would end up fleeing to London where Nawaz Sharif and his two sons were already living.
To a question about the possible return of Nawaz Sharif, he said, “Please come back, we are waiting for you” but added: “He will not come back.
He loves money.
” Sharif has been living in the UK in self-exile since November 2019. He had gone to London after the Lahore High Court granted him bail for four-weeks to get his treatment abroad. He was serving a seven-year term at Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail in a corruption case. Khan said that former military ruler Gen Pervez Musharraf committed the “biggest sin” by granting NROs (National Reconciliation Ordinances) to the Opposition.
—PTI

Our son tested positive at G B Panth, was referred to JVC where officials asked us to visit ward on own risk; Having no option, took my child to ward; later me and my wife fell to Covid too; Docs could have treated my kid in room only; Won’t tolerate such happenings, let parent identify, will take stern action, says Principal JVC

Srinagar, Jan 24: The story of a desperate parents, whose eight-month-old son showed mild symptoms of fever at home on Saturday, who later tested positive for Covid at children hospital G B Panth, Sonwar, Srinagar, where from he was asked to visit JVC Bemina for treatment. At JVC Bemina, the father of the kid was asked by officials to take the child to ward at “his own risk where majority of patients are already positive as the hospital is already a Covid designated one.”

The struggle put in by the kid’s father, Nasir Ahmed, a resident of Srinagar, has taken a lid-off the tall claims of “quality health care and Covid management available for one and all in Srinagar.”

“My child developed mild fever and I decided to take him right away to G B Panth which is a children’s hospital. There, doctors tested my child who was declared Covid positive. Instead of treating him there, I was asked to take my kid to JVC Bemina,” Nasir told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).

He said without wasting time, he took his child to JVC Bemina where he was taken bya surprise. “After waiting for a while at JVC, officials there told me to take the child to ward at my own risk where there are already Covid positive patients. I told them how can I take such a risk as the hospital is already Covid designated,” said Nasir, who had no option other than to get his son checked in the ward.

“Now irony is that after visiting the ward, not just me, my wife also got infected and after testing ourselves, both of us came as positive for Covid,” said Nasir, adding that why it is mandatory to visit the ward in JVC and why there is none to see children at the entry point or a room.

“This happened to me, what would be fate of people who can’t even afford to travel during evening hours incase of emergency.”

Medical Superintendent GB Pant, Dr Nazir Choudhary when asked about the development said that JVC has been designated as the Covid hospital while the children who test positive are being referred to the particular hospital to ensure that the lives of other patients are not put at risk.

However, Principal JVC hospital, Dr Irfan Rubani told KNO that it is an unbelievable incident and the attendant, who has witnessed such a situation, should meet him in person and identify the official so that a stern action is initiated against him.

“It is Covid designated hospital and we won’t allow anyone who is negative to ensure that his health is not put at risk. But, we are here for the patients and will always ensure better treatment to those visiting here. If the official is identified, we will ensure strict action against him,” he said—(KNO)

Every drug becomes poison if overdosed, people should avoid self medication: Experts

Srinagar, Jan 24 : Antibiotics like Dolo, Azithromycin, Nicep, Levocitrezene are selling like hot cakes in Jammu and Kashmir as self medication shows an increasing trend since the emergence of Covid-19 third wave.

Experts and doctors told the local news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that people, whoever, are having any symptoms avoid visiting hospitals and prefer to go to chemist shops and resort to self medication.

They said since the beginning of Covid-19, people have resorted to self-medication but it has increased manifold in the third wave.

They said that the positivity rate currently is very high but around 90 percent of the positive patients are in home isolation and without consulting doctors most of them are resorting to self-medication.

“Taking antibiotics too often or for the wrong reasons can change bacteria so much that antibiotics don’t work against them. This is called bacterial resistance or antibiotic resistance. Some bacteria then become resistant to even the most powerful antibiotics available,” experts said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, up to one-third to one-half of antibiotic use in humans is unnecessary or inappropriate.

The appropriate use of antibiotics — often called antibiotic stewardship — can help to preserve the effectiveness of current antibiotics, extend the lifespan of current antibiotics, protect people from antibiotic-resistant infections and avoid side effects from using antibiotics inappropriately.

Dr Owais Ahmad from GMC Anantnag said that every other person is suffering from flu like illness these days most likely Covid (Omicron Variant) until proved otherwise with common symptoms being itchy, scratchy throat (most common), running nose, fever, dry cough while some people have associated body aches and headache

He said that the symptoms usually resolve within a week but the matter of concern is self medication as people are taking medicines on their own by visiting local medical shops (which otherwise need to be strictly taken under medical supervision).

He requested people to avoid self medications which can be detrimental especially in those who are suffering from chronic diseases like HTN, diabetes, chronic liver and kidney diseases

“Antibiotic resistance is a huge concern amid self medication with antibiotics due to inappropriate dose and regimens,” he said, adding that overdose of antibiotics damages the liver mostly.

Owais said that every patient doesn’t need paracetamol or antibiotics and people should avoid self-medication at any cost which otherwise can prove dangerous as every drug becomes poisonous when it is overdosed.

“People just need to take symptomatic treatment under medical supervision and watch their pulse rate, saturation and respiratory rate,” he said.

“I request people to strictly adhere to Covid Appropriate Behavior (CAB) especially wearing of masks and maintaining physical distance besides that take a good protein diet apart from boosting your immunity by taking ample fruits,” Owais said. “People are also requested to get themselves vaccinated as soon as possible as both morbidity and mortality rates are significantly lower in vaccinated people.”—(KNO)

GENEVA, Jan 24 (Reuters) – The head of the World Health Organization on Monday urged countries to work together to bring the acute phase of the pandemic to an end, saying that they now have all the tools available to do so.

“The COVID-19 pandemic is now entering its third year and we are at a critical juncture,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at a press conference alongside Germany’s development minister Svenja Schulze.

“We must work together to bring the acute phase of this pandemic to an end. We cannot let it continue to drag on, lurching between panic and neglect.”

Tedros said on Monday that Germany had become the agency’s largest donor, without giving details. Historically, the United States has made the biggest financial contribution among member states to the organisation.

Schulze said that the top priority of Germany, which took over the G7 Presidency, is to end the pandemic worldwide and called for a “massively accelerated, truly global vaccination campaign” in order to do so.

The event in Geneva kicks off a week of WHO Executive Board meetings where key aspects of the U.N. health agency’s future are due to be discussed, including Tedros’ bid for a second term and a proposal to make the agency more financially independent. (REUTERS)

Srinagar, Jan 24: The Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) is likely to announce the annual regular results of class 10th and 12th, of Kashmir Division, in the second week of February, an official informed on Monday.

Board of School Education Joint Secretary Prof. Aijaz Ahmad Hakak told GNS that the processes involved are in progress.

“Results are under process and have to undergo several stages before declaration. First stage has been completed and the second one is in process”, he said adding most probably the results of both the classes will be declared in the second week of February if situation arisen due to COVID goes well,” Aijaz added.

Meanwhile, Director Academics BOSE, Dr. Farooq Ahmad Peer also maintained that results will be announced in the second week of February.

Pertinently, the examinations of Class 12th culminated in the 2nd week of December while 10th exams concluded in the first week of December last year. (GNS)