Jammu: Additional Director General of Police for Jammu zone, Mukesh Singh Friday said that Starlink satellite train was seen over sky in areas of Jammu which people mistook as mysterious light of an aerial object and there was no need to panic.
ADG of Police, Mukesh Singh told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that Starlink train of satellites have been seen in sky in areas of Rajouri and Poonch.
“The mysterious light are of satellite of starlink train category, “said ADG Singh said.
Pertinent to mention here that Elon Musk starlink satellite train is a category of satellite which are often seen in the sky.
Earlier, on Friday evening, panic gripped in areas of Rajouri, Poonch and others parts of Jammu zone too after locals spotted mysterious lights in air. People mistook it as a drone while security forces were also put on high alert—(KNO)
‘Booster shots could keep the new Covid variant at bay’
Srinagar, Dec 03: With India reporting two cases of Omicron, Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Friday warned of higher rates of reinfections due to the new variant in persons who have recovered from Covid-19 infection.
“The risk of reinfection from the Omicron is higher than for any previous variants,” said DAK President and Influenza expert Dr Nisar ul Hassan.
Quoting a new study published in the preprint server medRxiv on Thursday, he said Omicron variant is three times more likely to cause reinfection compared to the Delta variant.
The DAK President said the study was based on data collected through South Africa’s health system on about 2.8 million confirmed coronavirus infections between March 2020 and 27 November, 2021 including 35,670 suspected reinfections.
“The authors detected a significant increase in reinfections since the first known case of omicron,” he said adding the reinfection risk profile of omicron was substantially higher than that associated with the beta and delta variants during the second and third waves.
“The study provides the first epidemiological evidence for Omicron ability to evade immunity from prior infection,” said Dr Nisar.
He said while those who had Covid-19 could get sick again with the new variant, vaccine still appears to offer protection against severe disease,” he said
“People who are unvaccinated should get the vaccine and those who have received both doses of Covid-19 vaccine should get the booster shot,” he added.
General Secretary DAK Dr Arshad Ali said booster doses would help broaden individual’s immune response against different variants of Covid.
“The higher levels of antibodies could keep the new variant at bay,” he said,
Spokesperson DAK Dr Riyaz Ahmad Dagga said while the current Covid vaccines still protect against the circulating variants, antibodies naturally wane over time, so booster dose is needed to ensure that the protection is maintained against the new variants.
“A booster shot is to increase the body’s antibody response to a virus after the immune system has been primed by the initial vaccination,” he said.
Many Countries like US and UK have started administering booster doses.
“We were devastated with Delta. Let us not give this virus a chance again,” he said adding that government should consider the booster shots now and not wait for the next iteration of the virus.
Returnee from Saudi Arabia on Wednesday has tested positive for COVID-19. Foreign travellers to be quarantined for 7 days in J&K. .
As a precaution against Omicron, all foreign travellers to Jammu and Kashmir will compulsorily be RTPCR tested on their arrival and even the negative travellers will be sent for quarantine of 7 days.
They will be re-tested on the 8th day, while the COVID positive travellers will be sent to institutional isolation centres (designated health facilities) for 15 days and their samples will also be sent for genome sequencing at ICMR designated testing laboratories.
A Kashmir resident who returned from Saudi Arabia on Wednesday has tested positive for COVID19 and has been isolated at DRDO COVID19 Hospital in accordance with the fresh guidelines. Meanwhile, 60 people were put under quarantine during the 24 hours preceding this report.
After J&K Government initiated the implementation of mandatory quarantine and testing of all travelers with a history of visit to outside the country on December 1.
60 people have been sent to various public and private facilities.
Sticker of ‘Home Quarantine’ shall be pasted outside their residence.
Divisional Commissioners of Kashmir and Jammu, Pandurang K Pole and Raghav Langer today reviewed testing, mitigation measures in light of the fresh worldwide alert due to the new COVID-19 variant Omicron.
The Divisional Commissioner directed the concerned officers to assess data from Air Suvidha Portal for early detection of incoming travellers from countries listed at-risk. State Surveillance Officer was told to share the lists with CMO’s and field surveillance units on real-time basis.
The CMOs were asked to paste stickers of ‘home quarantine’ on the gate of foreign travellers during the observation period of 8 days.
The Divisional Commissioners directed the district administration of entry point districts ie Kathua, Jammu and Reasi (in Jammu) to notify the Government and Paid quarantine centres to deal with any future situation.
The Divisional Commissioner directed for ensuring compulsory RTPCR testing of all foreign travellers at the air, road and rail entry points and to hold them up till the negative report is not reached.
They also stressed the need to ramp up random RAT testing of domestic travellers at the Airport, Lakhanpur and Katra as a preventive measure. All passengers landing at the Srinagar airport will be tested.
Deputy Commissioner Kathua was told to activate a separate testing counter for persons having a history of foreign travel besides putting in place all requisite arrangements for quarantine facilities at Lakhanpur that is the entry point into J&K from Punjab.
The health department was directed to designate separate wards for positive patients with a foreign travel history and to ensure that they are not mixed with the local positive cases without foreign travel history.
It was informed in the meeting that DRDO Hospital Jammu would be the designated facility for containment of positive cases having foreign travel history.
Langer stressed strengthening surveillance and directed the Deputy Commissioners to ensure that proper mechanism is being followed at Airport, Lakhanpur, Katra and Jammu Railway stations and south portal of Navyuga tunnel at Ramban.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Commissioner Jammu, Anshul Garg; SSP Jammu, Chandan Kohli; Director Airport, Director Health Services, State Surveillance officer, Nodal officer Divisional control room and other concerned officers while Deputy Commissioners of Kathua, Reasi, Ramban, MD NHM participated in the meeting through video conferencing.
A statement by the SKUAST-K said the “feat is the result of the steadfast commitment of teachers, researchers, administration, students and auxiliary staff of the University who equally toiled hard to improve the ranking of the University from 24th in 2018, 9th in 2019 and now 6th in 2021”.
Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology, Kashmir has been ranked sixth best state agriculture university at the all-India level.
As per an official handout, the SKUAST-K has improved its ranking by three spots in 2021 from the ninth best in 2020. The ranking was released today by the Education Division of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi during the Agricultural Education Day, which is commemorated on December 3 every year.
With the 6th rank, SKUAST-K has joined the elite group of agriculture universities of the country like PAU and Pantnagar agriculture university. SKUAST-K has secured 10th position in the all India ranking of agricultural universities and four national-level agricultural research institutes under ICAR in the composite score of research, teaching, extension and academics, the statement said.
The ranking was released by Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Kailash Choudhary at the ICAR headquarters in New Delhi.
A statement by the SKUAST-K said the “feat is the result of the steadfast commitment of teachers, researchers, administration, students and auxiliary staff of the University who equally toiled hard to improve the ranking of the University from 24th in 2018, 9th in 2019 and now 6th in 2021”.
Vice-Chancellor Prof JP Sharma expressed his gratefulness and praised all Officers/Deans of Subject Matter Faculties/Heads of Research Stations/Units/Centres/Institutes, students, teaching and non-teaching staff “who equally have made it possible by their earnest, clear and professional attitude, the University arose as one of the leading and forerunner Agricultural Universities in the country”.
Prof Sharma avowed that the university has still to continue its strenuous efforts in touching the new heights and improving its ranking further to be among the top five agriculture universities of the country.SKUAST-K has secured Rs 30-crore funding in 2019 for its institutional development under the World Bank-ICAR funded National Agriculture Higher Education Project (NAHEP).
Besides building the best infrastructure, the three-year project is aimed to develop SKUAST-K as a model agricultural higher education institution and build next-generation human capital to drive the knowledge-based and technology-driven agri-economy of Jammu and Kashmir and the country.
The Uttar Pradesh government has told the Supreme Court that the closure of industries would affect the sugar cane and milk industries in the state and that UP is in the downwind, the air is coming mainly from Pakistan. To this, CJI NV Ramana joked, so do you want to ban industries in Pakistan?
On this argument of the UP government, Chief Justice NV Ramana joked that he wants to ban industries in Pakistan. At the same time, in the contamination case, the Center told the Supreme Court that a five-member working group had been formed.
At the same time, during the hearing on air pollution in Delhi today, the CV said that we have seen some sections of the media trying to show that we are villains. We want to close the schools. You (the Delhi government) said that we are closing schools and starting to work from home, but look at today’s newspaper.
The AQI in Ghaziabad (331), Gurugram (309), and Noida (315) remained in the ‘very poor category. The 24-hour AQI in Delhi stood at 429 on Thursday. An AQI between zero and 50 is considered good, an AQI between 51 and 100 is considered satisfactory, between 101 and 200 is moderate, between 201 and 300 is poor, between 301 and 400 is considered very poor and an AQI between 401 and 500 is considered poor. Considered in the severe category.
– Agencies
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Kashmir Today staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Srinagar, Dec 3: Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid Srinagar has strongly protested against the authorities’ decision of continuously barring Muslims from performing important religious duty of offering Friday prayers at the largest place of worship in Jammu and Kashmir, the Jama Masjid Srinagar.
The Anjuman in a statement said that once again today the men, women and elderly people who came from various parts of the Valley were deprived from offering Friday prayers at the Jama Masjid Srinagar.
It is the 43rd time this year and 17 consecutive Friday since Juma prayers have not been allowed in the Jama Masjid Srinagar while Muslims have not been allowed to offer congregational Friday prayers.The pulpit and mihraab of the grand mosque are silent which otherwise used to reverberate with the voices of Qaal Allah Wa Qaala Rasool (SAW), it said.
Expressing outrage over the dictatorial behaviour of the authorities, the Anjuman said the Jama Masjid Srinagar was being kept closed for worship under a nefarious plan which was extremely painful for the Kashmiri people and also a sheer interference with religion. Such measures expose the hollow claims of the proponents of the so-called democracy, it said.
We and the people of Jammu and Kashmir are unable to understand that on the one hand, all the places of worship of the followers of different religions have been opened for the performance of their religious rites; while on the other hand, the Jama Masjid Srinagar is being subjected to vengeance, which is extremely regrettable and reprehensible.
The Anjuman has stressed upon opening of the Jama Masjid Srinagar and releasing its head Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Dr Moulvi Muhammad Umar Farooq who continues to be under illegal and arbitrary house arrest since 5 August 2019.
In continuing with its efforts to cover 100% rural households with functional tap water connections under Jal Jeevan Mission by 2022, the UT of J&K has provided 4.62 lakh tap water connections in two years.
In the first phase of the roadmap devised by the Mission Directorate, Jal Jeevan Mission J&K, two Districts — Srinagar and Ganderbal which includes 11 Blocks, 383 Panchayat and 925 Villages were covered with 100% piped water tap connections.
The ambitious flagship programme Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) was launched on August 15, 2019.
Under JJM, the UT of J&K has set a target to cover all the 20 districts of UT by September 2022.
According to the data of the Jal Shakti Department, Out of 18.35 Lakh rural households, 5.75 Lakh (31.36%) were connected with piped water connection at the start of the mission i.e., 15th August 2019. Jammu and Kashmir have covered 10.37 Lacs (56.51%) households with tap water connection till date and out of which 2.22 lakh tap water connections have been provided during the year 2020-21.
Jal Jeevan Mission has mobilised all its men and machinery in the ongoing 2nd phase, to cover 11 districts, which includes 153 blocks, 1952 Panchayat and 3254 villages with 4.91 Lakh Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTCs).
During the last leg of the JJM in J&K, 7 districts involving 121 blocks, 1660 Panchayat and 2623 villages shall be covered with 3.12 Lacs functional household tap connections.
A senior official of the Jal Shakti Department said the objective is to cover 100 per cent of households in a time-bound manner while ensuring the functionality of already provided connections.
In line with the appeal by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to further improve ‘ease of living’ in rural areas by providing facilities like financial inclusion, houses, road, clean fuel, electricity and toilets, the Jal Jeevan Mission aims to provide drinking water to every rural household, by 2024.
Srinagar, Dec 2: Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU) Jammu & Kashmir headed by the incarcerated Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has expressed serious concern over the media reports about some Kashmiri Covid orphans being sold in the markets of India by a local NGO, terming it extremely shameful and disgusting.
As per media reports, many children who became orphans during Covid-19 pandemic were being sold outside Kashmir at 75,000 to 100,000 rupees.
According to a joint issued by the MMU which is a conglomerate of the leading religious, milli, social and educational organisations of Jammu & Kashmir, this was revealed in a media investigative report on a man named Asrar Amin, who runs an NGO ‘Global Welfare Charitable
The MMU said, “It is a matter of great sadness and shock that our Kashmir Valley which has been the land of saints and sages, such types of social evils and crimes against humanity are taking place here. It is a moment of introspection for the entire nation of Kashmir in general and for the leaders and scholars, imams and conscious citizens in particular.”
The Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema strongly condemned such heinous act and demanded strict action against the individuals and institutions involved.
This is not a time to sit idle, but the need of the hour is to launch a full and organised campaign at all levels to accelerate overall reform and create awareness in the society in accordance with the teachings and guidance of sunnah , the MMU said, adding that society needs to be aware of such vices and counter them.
The organisations which are part of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema include Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid Srinagar, Darul Uloom Raheemiyah Bandipora, Mufti Azam’s Muslim Personal Law Board Anjuman-e-Shari’a Shiaan, Darul Uloom Bilalia, Anjuman Nusratul Islam, Anjuman Mazharul Haq, Jamiat ul Aima Wa Ulema, Anjuman Imam Wa Mashaikh Kashmir, Darul Uloom Naqshbandia, Darul Uloom Rasheediya, Ahlul Bayt Foundation, Madrasa Kanz Ul Uloom, Pervaan-e-Wilayat, Auqaf Islamia, Muhammadi Trust, Anjuman Anwar ul Islam, Kaarvaan e Khatm e Naboowat and other organisations and leaders of the contemporary religious, milli, social and educational associations.
New Delhi: The number of militant incidents in Jammu and Kashmir during a period of 841 days after Article 370 was revoked dipped to 496 from the 843 cases reported in a same span of time prior to the abrogation, the government informed Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said during April 16, 2017 to August 04, 2019, 843 terrorist incidents were reported in Jammu and Kashmir in which 86 civilians and 78 army personnel were killed. During the period August 05, 2019 to November 22, 2021 (841 days after the abrogation), 496 terrorists incidents have been reported from Jammu and Kashmir in which 79 civilians and 45 army personnel have been killed, he said. “The overall statistics shows that there has been decline in terrorist attacks on civilians and army in Jammu and Kashmir,” Rai said. In response to a separate question, Rai said during the last 12 months from December 2020 to November 2021 (up to November 26), 14 militants have been apprehended and 165 militants have been killed. He said during last year, October 2020-21, 32 security forces and 19 Jammu and Kashmir police personnel were “martyred”. The minister said a total of 251 militant incidents have been reported between October 2020 and October 2021. Rai said the incidents of infiltration and militant attacks have decreased significantly since 2018 in Jammu and Kashmir. In 2018, 143 incidents of ‘Estimated Net Infiltration’ were reported from Jammu and Kashmir which had dipped to 141 in 2019, 51 in 2020 and 28 (up to October 30, 2021, the data provided by the minister in his response showed. In 2018, 417 militant incidents were reported in Jammu and Kashmir which had decreased to 255 in 2019, 244 in 2020 and 200 (up to November 21, 2021, it showed. PTI
Investigation has found that many Kashmiri children who lost either one or both parents to Covid-19 are being ‘sold’ by individuals and organisations running illegal adoption rackets.
Children who lost their parents to the pandemic might be falling prey to illegal adoptions, and possibly trafficking, as an India Today investigation found several unscrupulous elements offering Covid orphans for sale.
According to a Lancet study, around 1.16 lakh children in India may have lost a parent to the disease from March 1, 2020, to April 30, 2021. The breakdown showed an estimated 25,500 children losing their mothers, some 90,751 their fathers, and 12 both parents to Covid-19.
(L-R) Aijaz Ahmad Dar, Asrar Amin and Mannan Ansari
An assessment by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) suggests around 3,620 children lost both their parents, some 26,176 lost one of them and 274 children have been abandoned in the country since the pandemic struck.
Following tips that illegal adoptions might be taking place to exploit the vulnerabilities, India Today’s special investigation team found several people linked to shady organizations trading Covid orphans.
CIRCUMVENTING ADOPTION LAWS
On the face of it, Asrar Amin ran an NGO in Kashmir called Global Welfare Charitable Trust, which claims to be working for children and family welfare.
But when India Today’s SIT reporters probed him at a hotel in Delhi, he offered Covid orphans under his care for Rs 75,000 a child.
“We have so many orphans with us. But if one wants a Covid orphan, there’s no problem,” he said. “Kashmiri children are really beautiful, Mashallah!”
Asrar Amin, chairman of the Global Charitable Trust
Amin demanded Rs 1.50 lakh for a pair of Covid orphans.
“So two children can be adopted for Rs 1.50 lakh, right?” asked the reporter.
“Yes. I am not taking this money for myself. It’s for my trust,” the NGO head replied.
Child adoption in India is tightly guarded, with set criteria for adoptive parents.
As a result, only 3,000 to 5,000 children are officially adopted every year on average, government data shows.
In the US, the child adoption number goes up to 1.35 lakh annually.
But people like Amin, India Today’s probe found, are willing to offer Covid orphans without paperwork.
“You must be adopting a child for some reason. There’s no need for paperwork in that situation. But if you still insist, you can do it,” he said.
“But what if there’s a problem tomorrow?” the reporter asked.
“That’s my headache. I’ll handle. I’ll say you never met me. I don’t know you,” Amin replied.
Mannan Ansari, who manages a placement agency in Delhi’s Taimoor Nagar, admitted being a baby broker as he placed Covid orphans up for illegal adoption.
“Is there a child up for adoption, a child who lost parents to Covid?” the undercover reporter asked Ansari.
“I will help you,” he answered.
Mannan Ansari of a Delhi-based private placement agency
As the conversation progressed, Ansari let his hair down. He not only advised illegal adoption but also offered an infant whose father died from Covid.
“Just a couple of days ago a woman from Sarita Vihar thought about it,” Ansari said, adding she wanted to give her child for adoption.
“They were asking for Rs five lakh. It was a six-month-old child,” he continued.
“Fatherless?” the reporter inquired.
“Yes, fatherless. No need for any paperwork. Just do some minor formality so that they don’t demand the child back. Just do a mutual agreement for that.”
LIFTING NEWBORNS FROM HOSPITALS?
The SIT probed further and found another NGO operator from Pampore in Kashmir offering newborn Covid orphans, some even lifted from hospitals, for adoption.
Aijaz Ahmad Dar of the Noble Foundation nonprofit told India Today’s investigative reporters in New Delhi that he would involve hospital doctors in stealing the orphaned newborns.
“Suppose there’s a newborn. We’ll get that baby lifted right away,” he said.
Aijaz Ahmad Dar of the Noble Foundation
“Like a Covid orphan, a newborn whose mother died from Covid in the hospital?” the reporter investigated.
“That’s what I am saying. We’ll take some gynaecologists, some MD (qualified doctor), whom I know, in confidence. We’ll ask them how much money they would want if there’s a death,” Dar said. “We’ll talk to them to give us any orphan who has lost his/her mother. We’ll tell them not to send the baby to any orphanage but give it to us. We’ll update. God willing, we’ll have a child whose parent died from Covid.”
He demanded Rs 10 lakh for such a child.
“How many orphans are you in contact with in general?” asked the reporter.
“At least 500-600. From eight to ten years in age,” Dar replied.
Asrar Amin, chairman of the Global Charitable Trust
Mannan Ansari of a Delhi-based private placement agency 
Aijaz Ahmad Dar of the Noble Foundation