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Srinagar: After resuming cable car service for tourists visiting Gulmarg, the government is reopening the 2nd Phase of Gulmarg Gondola, Kongdoori to Apharwat, for commercial operation on 10th of October, 2020, Saturday.

The concerned authorities have informed that this second phase shall be operational only on weekends that is Saturdays and Sundays for the time being while the operation of Gondola for first phase that is Gulmarg to Kongdoori will continue to remain functional on daily basis.

Meanwhile, all necessary preventive protocols and SOPs regarding COVID-19 like social distance, sanitization of cabins before and after boarding and deboarding of passengers, wearing of masks, temperature checking etc. are being strictly adhered to.(KINS)

Srinagar: Joint Directorate of Information Kashmir Division has expressed grief and sorrow over the sudden demise of Ex. Assistant Information Officer Maqsood Hussain Reshi, who breathed his last on Wednesday, October 07.

In this connection, a condolence meeting was convened here under the chairmanship of Joint Director, Information Kashmir, Haris Ahmad Handoo wherein he lauded the role of the ex. Officer of the department.

The Joint Director in his address expressed deep sorrow and grief over the demise and offered sympathies with the bereaved family and prayed for eternal peace to the departed soul.(KINS)

Hospitals charging genuine amount from patients, allegations baseless: Owners

Srinagar: Amid ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the people across the Valley, who visit the private health institutions here, have alleged that they are being charged hefty sums for surgeries, thus fleecing the hapless patients.

Talking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), a lady patient, who is scheduled to undergo a surgery after some days at a private hospital, said that she was asked to keep Rs 40,000 ready for the surgery following which the procedure will be started.

“I am not the only case, who has been asked to keep the amount ready, but there are many patients who were there in the queue and have been asked to keep the hefty sum ready for the surgery,” she said.

She added that she would have preferred to visit the government hospital instead of a private health institute, but the ongoing pandemic is compelling the hapless patients to visit the private hospitals where unfortunately, the poor patients are being left to lurch at large.

Another patient, who has also got a date for the surgery told KNO that he was asked to get Rs 80,000 ready for the surgery, which will be conducted probably in the next week.

He added that such a behavior of fleecing the patients will only leave poor patients to suffer. “The government hospitals are filled with the COVID patients and people don’t want to visit these hospitals at this juncture to keep themselves away from the virus. But, the poor patients due to the behavior of private hospitals are being forced to enter the danger zone (Government hospitals) for surgery related issues,” he added.

The patients later appealed to the government to intervene into the matter and ensure the charges being collected from them will be reduced so that poor patients can also afford to visit the private hospitals.

Meanwhile, Dr. Muzaffar Jan, owner of Modern Hospital told KNO that charging sum solely depends upon the surgery.

“There are many components involved like, room charges, theatre charges, medicine charges, anesthetic charges and surgeon charges. We are not collecting the charges as per will, but charge as per the procedure. Charges of theater are Rs 3500 per hour while room can be taken by the patient as per the comfort. We don’t force anyone to take the room as per our choice. We are collecting genuine sums from the patients,” he said.

He added that in most of the cases, Rs 22,000 to Rs 35,000 are being charged from the patients for the surgery, which include, room charge, surgeon charge, anesthetic charge, medicine and other charges as well.

Dr Imran, owner of Florence hospital in Srinagar, couldn’t be contacted for the comments as he didn’t receive the repeated phone calls from this reporter—(KNO)

Srinagar: J&K Bank Chairman and Managing Director R K Chhibber today held an interaction with a Kashmir Youth Entrepreneurs Federation (KYEF) delegation led by its President Babar Chowdhary at Bank’s Corporate Headquarters.

Executive President Arun Gandotra and Special Secretary to the CMD Karanjit Singh were also present in the meeting.

Urging young entrepreneurs to be the agents of positivity, the CMD said, “Young entrepreneurs are our future. Be messengers of positivity. J&K Bank will always encourage and support aspiring entrepreneurs to realize their ambitions and dreams.”

The CMD said that young entrepreneurs, women in particular, have shown keen interest in recently launched schemes for them.
“In line with the LG’s directions, the bank created special desks for youth and women entrepreneurs at all its zonal offices/Business Units to counsel them and facilitate their commercial ventures.

We have seen tremendous response from the young entrepreneurs. We have received as many 3552 applications in the first five days out of which 529 cases have been disbursed and 1000 have been sanctioned,” the CMD said.

The CMD said that various recommendations from the working committee, of which he was a member of,were considered favorably by the UT of J&K government.

“The committee inter alia recommended that eligibility criteria for 5 % interest subvention should benefit maximum business accounts.

The government of UT of J&K was considerate enough to devise the economic package in such a way that majority of business accounts would be eligible for that. The 5 % interest subvention is going to be a game changer and would go in a long way in revival of business in the UT,” he said.

KYEF President hailed the J&K Bank for its entrepreneur-friendly schemes saying, “Youth want to work in a meaningful way and they look upto J&K Bank for support and encouragement.

J&K Bank CMD has been on forefront in making sure young entrepreneurs are encouraged and setting up of special desks for young entrepreneurs and women is a praiseworthy decision. Supervision of the progress by the CMD personally is a real booster for the aspiring entrepreneurs.”

The delegation also felicitated R K Chhibber for his extension as the CMD of J&K Bank.
The KYEF delegation included Head Women Wing Farkhanda, Joint Secretary Yasir Mufti, members Zubair Zargar, Rehan and Hilal Ahmad Bhat.(KINS)

Srinagar: Union minister Jitendra Singh on Thursday said the Vande Bharat train from Delhi to katra, home to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, would resume soon.

He said the matter of resumption of train to Katra in Jammu and Kashmir ahead of Navratri festival was discussed with Railway Minister Piyush Goyal.

“Discussed with Railway Minister Sh @PiyushGoyal. #VandeBharatExpress train from Delhi to #KatraVaishnoDevi to resume soon. This should be a reassuring piece of information for pilgrims from across the country planning a visit to Holy shrine during #Navratri festival,” Singh tweeted.

Singh, the Minister of State for Personnel, is Lok Sabha member from Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur constituency.

Train services in the country, which were halted in late March due to coronavirus-induced lockdown, are being resumed in a graded manner. (KINS)

Srinagar: Mirwaiz Umar Farooq led All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) Thursday reiterated its call to release all political prisoners detained in jails in J&K and elsewhere in India.

In a press statement, APHC said that “thousands of Kashmiris including Hurriyat leaders and activists, young boys, journalists, lawyers and traders and ordinary Kashmiris are languishing on one fictitious charge or other in jails in J&K or outside such as Tihar, Agra, Kotbalwal, Jodhpur, Amphalla, Haryana Jails.”

“Neither are they being tried in courts nor any legal proceedings initiated. Their arbitrary detention is just being prolonged. Many among the prisoners are those who are being detained even after serving their sentences,” the APHC said.

It added that the he mental and physical condition of many among the prisoners is a matter of concern, while the fear of contracting the Covid 19 virus in cramped up spaces of jail is a constant fear among the prisoners and their families.

APHC said that all political prisoners should be released including those under arbitrary house detentions. It appealed to human rights groups, civil society member’s legal fraternity both in India and outside to raise its voice against these targeted detentions.

“The atmosphere of fear intimidation unaccountability and uncertainty pervades every sphere of life in J&K to silence dissent and demands. In such a situation one must be patient but not lose hope,” read the statement.
It added that “APHC stands firm on its principles and rights of the people of J&K.”

It also demanded the immediate release of its chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq who is under house arrest since August last year.(KINS)

Srinagar: On the 15th anniversary of earthquake which hit Kashmir in 2005, experts have called for earthquake resistant constructions.

On October 8, 2005, a massive earthquake hit and created destruction across Kashmir.
Kashmir has been witnessing frequent earthquakes. As per the details of Meteorological Department Kashmir accessed by news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS) that over 140 earthquakes have been reported in the last one decade.

JK is vulnerable to disasters. At least 13 districts out of 100 districts in India have been identified as ‘multi hazard districts’.

In connection with the 15th anniversary of Kashmir earthquake-2005, a webinar on challenges, resilience and mitigation was jointly organized by National Institute of Disaster Management and The Institution of Engineers (India), Jammu & Kashmir State Centre, Srinagar, in collaboration with the Divisional Administration, Kashmir & Indian Red Cross Society, J&K Branch Srinagar.

The webinar was inaugurated by Pandurang K. Pole Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, who stressed on the need to enforce building codes and implement building bye laws in J&K, not just in urban areas, but also in rural areas, so that all new constructions are earthquake resistant.

He stressed on the need to utilise the local traditional construction knowledge, as well as new technologies to make all structures safe. He proposed that a few important buildings will be identified as life-line buildings, on a pilot-basis, in vulnerable districts, for their retrofitting in order to make them earthquake resistant. He emphasised on ensuring that all engineered and non-engineered structures are made earthquake resistant.

He also shared his experiences as District Magistrate of Latur Maharashtra, and spoke about the Latur Earthquake of 1993, where the affected villagers were shifted to new locations instead of repairing and reconstructing in-situ the existing damaged structures, and instead ex-situ new safe structures were taken up, adhering to all planning processes, which proved to be a best practice in the State.
He impressed upon all the Officers and participants to ensure that appropriate measures are taken to make J&K safe.

Er. Aamir Ali, Chairman IEI J&K State Centre, Srinagar welcomed the participants and said that 2005-earthquake was the severest earthquake encountered in our lifetime, which resulted in massive destruction on both sides of the Line of Control. He said that post earthquake, innovative and effective relief & rehabilitation measures were taken by the Government to establish Institutional mechanism, to deal with disasters, including setting up of State Disaster Management Authority, Divisional & District Disaster Management Authorities and State Disaster Response Force.

However, the lessons learnt from the earthquake of 2005 were not effectively implemented to enhance capacities to minimise risk and vulnerability due to earthquakes. The panellists included Kamal Kishore, Member National Disaster Management Authority, Dr. Vineet K. Gahalaut, National Geophysical Research Institute Hyderabad, Tinny Sawhney, Aga Khan Development Network, Dr. Rajendra Desai, National Centre for People’s Action in Disaster Preparedness Ahmedabad & Dr. C.V.R Murthy, Professor IIT Madras.

Kamal Kishore, Member NDMA discussed challenges faced in Institutional mechanism for financing reconstruction, rehabilitation and recovery. He emphasised on utilising appropriate technology for owner driven constructions and ensuring quality checks and control.

He further suggested that while considering resettlement of populations from vulnerable areas, their livelihood should also be considered. He also spoke about capacity building for earthquake resistant structures, and scaling up training of engineers and masons for servicing the demand. He suggested that post disasters not only structures should be built back better, but also the livelihood and social equity in economic terms of the affected population.

Dr. Vineet K. Gahalaut from National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad described the damage pattern of Kashmir Earthquake-2005, and defined variability in earthquake processes in the Himalayan region, with special reference to earthquake processes in Kashmir Region. He highlighted about strain accumulation, subsurface structures, scenario generation, building code enforcement, retrofitting and outreach.

Tinny Sawhney from Aga Khan Development Network, shared her experiences about challenges faced during reconstruction & rehabilitation after the Kashmir Earthquake. She mentioned about the masons training programme for earthquake resistant construction techniques and technical assistance & monetary subsidy given for reconstructing earthquake resistant structures. Dr. Rajender Desai explained how low-cost earthquake resistant technologies and retrofitting of existing structures can be achieved.

The webinar was moderated by Er. M. Aaquib Sultana Waheed Deva, Honorary Secretary, IEI-JKSC. The webinar was attended online by senior Government Officers from various Departments, including experts, professionals and more than 300 participants from the community etc.(KINS)