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Srinagar: Director Education, Mohammad younis malik said that In order to reopen schools safely and mitigate disease spread, Intensive sensitisation programme has been started ahead of Reopening of schools in the valley.

“Schools remained closed during pandemic phase in valley along with other parts of country and we switched to online mode with every resource whatever was possible with us. As on date with available feedbacks, with some comfortable situation, the government decided to repon schools”, he said.

He also said that school has been reopened in jammu and they are about to reopen schools here in valley as per schedule after the winter vacation ends and the children will be able to attend classes physically in schools.

“As far as preparations are concerned, we have started an in intensive sensitisation programme in collaboration with Divisional covid control room with some of their experts who will sanitize Head of Institutions regarding SOP’S”, he added.

He said “We have to see cleanliness of schools which is very important so that it should not be the cause for Pandemic and all community teachers, students and other stakeholders need to be sensitised.”

“We have some days left to reopen schools and with every possible effort we will try to sensitise all Heads of instutions and will communicate Parents what precautions we have to follow while opening these schools.”he said. (KNS)

Total cases 124,659; death toll soars to 1,941; active cases below 700 in J&K, recovery rate around 98 percent.

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday recorded three more lives deaths due to COVID-19 taking the death toll to 1,941 in the Union Territory while 65 positive cases were reported taking the tally of positive cases to 124,659 in J&K.

Of the exact number of 124,659 cases, 73,070 are from Kashmir and 51,589 from Jammu division. Officials told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that among 65 new cases, 49 belong to Kashmir division while as 16 are from Jammu division, adding that the total number of positive cases in Kashmir division have reached to 73,070 including 71,306 recoveries and 1,219 deaths while as total number of positive cases in Jammu division have reached to 51,589 including 50,743 recoveries and 722 deaths.

The officials said that the total number of active cases in Jammu and Kashmir are 669 including 545 from Kashmir division and 124 from Jammu division.

With 61 more recoveries, the tally of total recoveries in Jammu and Kashmir has reached to 122,049 which is 97.82 percent of the total cases.

“Cases tested positive in J&K include 23 from Srinagar, 03 from Baramulla, 05 from Budgam, 02 from Pulwama, 01 from Kupwara, 06 from Anantnag, 02 from Bandipora, 07 from Ganderbal, 00 from Kulgam and 00 from Shopian in Kashmir division while as 16 from Jammu division include 09 from Jammu, 06 from Udhampur, 00 from Rajouri, 00 from Doda, 00 from Kathua, 00 from Samba, 00 from Kishtwar, 01 from Poonch, 00 from Ramban and 00 from Reasi,” officials disclosed.

Notably, in the last 24 hours three persons who were tested positive for COVID-19 have died, among them two belong to Kashmir division and one to Jammu division.

As per officials figures, 26,262 positive cases including 458 deaths and 25,589 recoveries are from Srinagar, 8,124 including 174 deaths and 7,909 recoveries are from Baramulla, 7,777 including 7,6249 recoveries and 118 deaths are from Budgam, 5,731 including 5,594 recoveries and 88 deaths are from Pulwama, 5,663 including 95 deaths and 5,541 recoveries are from Kupwara, 4,913 including 4,775 recoveries and 86 deaths are from Anantnag, 4,695 cases including 4,614 and 61 deaths are from Bandipora, 4,635 including 4,529 recoveries and 46 deaths are from Ganderbal, 2,697 including 2,618 recoveries and 54 deaths are from Kulgam and 2,573 including 2,508 recoveries and 39 deaths are from Shopian.

In Jammu division, 24,988 including 24,565 recoveries and 371 deaths are from Jammu district, 4,210 including 4,128 recoveries and 57 deaths are from Udhampur, 3,868 including 3,812 recoveries and 55 deaths are from Rajouri, 3,432 including 3,364 recoveries and 64 deaths are from Doda, 3,254 including 3,199 recoveries and 53 deaths are from Kathua, 2,832 including 2,781 recoveries and 40 deaths are from Samba, 2,732 including 2,709 recoveries and 22 deaths are from Kishtwar, 2,502 including 2,454 recoveries and 24 deaths are from Poonch, 2,133 including 2,109 recoveries and 21 deaths are from Ramban and 1,638 including 1,622 recoveries and 15 deaths are from Reasi.

As per the daily information bulletin 1,141,184 persons in Jammu and Kashmir are under observation while 34,333 persons have been kept under home quarantine besides that 669 persons are in isolation.

According to the bulletin, 998,053 persons have completed surveillance period and 106,188 persons are under home surveillance besides that so far results of 4,600,637 samples are available.

Out of 4,600,637 the number of samples tested negative stands at 4,475,978 while as 124,659 have tested positive, among them 669 persons are active, 122,049 persons have recovered and 1,941 persons have died—(KNO)

Service to resume after Govt issues SOPs: Railway officials

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir administration in collaboration with the Railway authorities is mulling to resume the train services by February 17 after a gap of ten months, official sources said.

People from different areas of Kashmir said that public transport is normally functional and now government has also decided to open educational institutions, then why only services have been kept suspended.

“If train service will resume, passengers can skip Qazigund -Banihall portion which remains very slippery in winters and it can reduce traffic jam on national highway as well,” Subzar Ahmad, a resident of Qazigund told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).

Saqib Yousuf, Chief Manager Railways said that once government will come up with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) pertaining to Covid-19, train service will resume in J&K.

He said department suffered losses in crores but decision was taken for wellbeing of people.

A top official in the administration told KNO that train services in Jammu and Kashmir will resume by February 17.

He said that government will come up with SOPs in this regards in next few days.

Pertinently, train services in Jammu and Kashmir were suspended on March 19 last year’s after outbreak of Covid-19.

Notably, Banihal-Baramulla Train services resumed on 11 November 2019 after remaining suspended for around 100 days after abrogation of special status of erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Railway officials had said that railway suffered a loss of around 2 crore for remaining suspended from 05 August 2019 to November 11, 2019 after revocation of special status—(KNO)

Press Trust of India

New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday asked the government to bring a bill in Rajya Sabha proposing restoration of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir.

Speaking during the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Azad said, “I appeal to you, if Jammu and Kashmir has to progress and if we have to fight our enemies at the borders, we need to take our own people into confidence and give them love.”

He said the government should “bring a bill in the House and statehood to be restored” adding that legislative assembly elections must be held after statehood is restored for Jammu and Kashmir.

He said any measure that upsets the people residing in the Northeast and border areas, including Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Punjab, should not be taken.

Referring to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Azad said she taught him that “we cannot fight on multiple fronts with Pakistan and China”.

The Congress leader claimed that the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh are not happy as outsiders can now buy their land and work there, unlike in the past.

Arguing against Jammu and Kashmir being converted into a Union Territory, he also claimed that the law and order situation in Kashmir was 100 times better when it was a state as compared to now, militancy was at its lowest and development works were at their best, irrespective of whichever government was in power in the state.

He alleged that tourism industry in Kashmir was now finished, along with education as schools and colleges are closed for almost two years, while it also lags behind in key parameters like health.

However, Azad congratulated the Narendra Modi-led government for executing the long standing demand that panchayati raj system be implemented in Jammu and Kashmir.

Speaking after him, A Navaneethakrishnan of the AIADMK expressed gratitude to the prime minister for enacting the Tamil Nadu Protected Agricultural Development Zone Act, addressing the apprehensions of farmers in the Cauvery delta.

The Act prohibits all kinds of activities that are harming agriculture in the Cauvery delta, he said, adding that as many as 15 members from both Houses are from the Cauvery delta area.

In 2019, the Centre revoked Article 370 which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated the state into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

Srinagar: Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has reacted to the series of tweets of former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba wherein she alleged that Waheed Parra is being persecuted and tortured.

In a statement to KNT, police stated that: “Recent comments about CID investigations in the public domain through social media are unfortunate for two reasons: for being factually incorrect and making CID officers vulnerable to increased threats and enhanced risks. It is also fraught with the risks of adversely influencing the witnesses and the course of investigation. It is factually incorrect that an under investigation person was tortured. CID investigations are done professionally and as per law.”

“Each and every arrested person is presented before competent court periodically as per law. Every arrested suspect has access to health care and doctors. It is neither proper nor lawful to discuss and pass verdict like remarks in the public domain about ongoing complex investigations.”

“CID is answerable to the courts on all aspects including whether amenities and rights available to a person under custodial investigation and his legal obligations to cooperate in the investigation are being complied.”(KNT)

Hurriyat demands Mirwaiz Umar Farooq’s immediate release

Press Trust of India

Srinagar: The moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference on Wednesday alleged that its leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was still under house arrest and demanded his release.

The amalgam contested Union Minister of State G Kishan Reddy’s statement in Parliament that no person is currently under house arrest in Jammu and Kashmir.

In a statement issued here, it claimed that a police vehicle has been permanently stationed outside the Mirwaiz’s Nigeen residence since August 2019 and he is not allowed to move out.

If that is not house arrest, then what is? If he (Mirwaiz) is not under house arrest, then why is he not allowed to come out of his house? Mirwaiz will complete one-and-a-half years under detention on February 5, the Hurriyat said.

It said instead of such misleading statements’, the authorities should immediately end the house detention of the Mirwaiz and also release unconditionally” others arrested on the eve of August 5, 2019

Replying to a question in Rajya Sabha, Minister of Minister for Home Affairs Reddy said the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have been fully integrated into the mainstream of the nation after the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of the erstwhile state.

The minister said various measures were taken in the interest of security and public order which included preventive detention of certain persons.

“Since August 1, 2019, 613 persons including separatists, overground workers, stone pelters, etc. were detained at various points of time. Out of these, based on regular review and ground situation, 430 persons have been released till date, he said in a written reply to a question.

The minister also said that the Jammu and Kashmir administration has further reported that no person is under house arrest in the UT.

Press Trust of India

Srinagar: The air traffic to and fro Kashmir was affected on Wednesday due to bad weather as most parts of the valley received fresh snowfall, officials said.

The snowfall began during the night and continued at many places when last reports came in, the officials said.

The snowfall affected the flight operations at Srinagar airport in the morning, delaying several flights.

Flight operations were hampered due to accumulation of snow on the runway and poor visibility due to bad weather, the officials said.

While the runway was cleared of snow, the visibility was low about 800 metres — for the flight operations to take place, they said.

The officials said the decision on the resumption of the operations at the airport would be taken after the weather improves.

However, they said, the bad weather caused flight delays and many flights have been rescheduled.

Government amends earlier order

Traffic to move from Jammu towards Srinagar tommorow: Traffic Authorities

Srinagar: The Government of Jammu and Kashmir has amended the earlier order on dry-day on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway stating that the highway will remain closed on Fridays during the month of February for maintenance and repairs of the road.

In a fresh order, a copy of which lies with the News Agency Kashmir News Observer-(KNO), R&B Department under No PW(R&B)/Plan/NH-44/67/2020 dated 03-02-2021, that read: “That every Friday falling on every 5th, 12th, 19th and 26th of February 2021 would be traffic dry day on NH-44 for undertaking major repairs and maintenance works on NH-44.”

Pertinent to mention, in an earlier order the J&K government had modified the previous order and had decided to suspend the Traffic movement on Srinagar- Jammu national highway on every Thursday.

An official also said that that the order has been re-modified and dry day for the month of February will be on every Friday.

“Meanwhile traffic will be allowed tomorrow on Srinagar-Jammu highway from Jammu towards Srinagar”, an official said—(KNO)