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Srinagar, Jan 11: As swine flu raises its ugly head once again in Kashmir valley with sixty-nine positive cases and seven deaths so far this season, Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Friday advised people to take precautions to protect themselves from getting flu.
“Simple precautions would help prevent the spread of flu,” said DAK President and flu expert Dr Nisar ul Hassan in a communiqué.
He said covering your mouth and nose while coughing or sneezing and washing your hands with soap and water will keep you and people around you healthy and well.
“People should avoid touching their eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands,” he added.
“If you are down with flu, stay home for at least 24 hours after you’re symptom-free (unless you need to receive care),” Dr Nisar said.
He said wearing a mask will prevent transmission of flu virus from infected person to others as well as protect caregiver from picking up an infection.
Dr Nisar said people should drink plenty of fluids and take adequate sleep and eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.
“Swine flu, also known as H1N1 virus is a contagious viral infection of respiratory tract that spreads from person to person through the inhalation of respiratory droplets. Symptoms of flu include fever, cough, sorethroat, runny nose and bodyaches,” he said.
“Elderly, children under the age of five years, pregnant women and those with underlying health conditions are prone to develop serious complications from flu,” he informed.
“It is not too late to get a flu shot. It can be given as long as the flu is circulating. If you haven’t yet, go get it,” suggested Dr Nisar.
“If you are vulnerable to severe flu, see your doctor as soon as flu symptoms start, as early treatment with antiviral drugs can help prevent complications,” he said.

KOLKATA — National Conference president Farooq Abdullah has said that lasting peace can be achieved in Kashmir only through dialogue and the Centre should hold talks with the Hurriyat leaders.

Referring to Army chief Bipin Rawat’s comment a day earlier on engaging with Taliban without any preconditions, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Thursday said if the Army could suggest it, then the Centre should also talk with the Hurriyat leaders to solve the Kashmir issue.

Speaking at a discussion on “J&K The Road Ahead”, organised by the Centre for Peace and Progress here, Abdullah said the leaders of Hurriyat have Indian passports and in the past, leaders such as former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee have held dialogue with them.

“The Army and use of force can never be a solution to the Kashmir crisis and lasting peace can be achieved only through dialogue,” he told the gathering which included retired senior army officers and academicians from the city.

Expressing hope that dialogue on the Kashmir issue could start after the Lok Sabha polls, Abdullah said each election has divided the country instead of uniting it.

“There is mistrust between Delhi and Kashmir and an atmosphere of hate has been created in the country,” he said.

Rawat had Wednesday said that at a time when the US and Russia are reaching out to the Taliban in Afghanistan, the terror outfit should be engaged with but talks should be held without any preconditions.

The Army chief’s comments at the Raisina Dialogue, on engaging with Taliban, were the first such public remarks by a senior functionary of the government.

Former Army chief Shankar Roy Chowdhury, taking part in the discussion, raised the issue of resignation of Shah Faesal, an IAS officer who topped the civil services examination in 2009.

“We are shocked to hear about his resignation. He should not have resigned,” Roy Chowdhury said.

“One positive thing that has surfaced from Kashmir in the past few years is that youths from the region have joined the Army and taken up government jobs in large numbers,” he added.

Srinagar: A day after quitting the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Shah Faesal, who topped the exam in 2009, on Thursday said his next course of action will depend on what the people of Kashmir, especially the youth, want him to do.

Faesal said he received both abuse and adulation over his decision to quit the government service but he had “totally expected this”.

“As of now I have quit the service. What I am going to do hereafter also depends on what people of Kashmiri want me to do. More so the youth,” he wrote in Facebook post.

Faesal asked people if they have any ideas for him before he takes a final decision about his future.

“If you are ready to come out of Fb/Twitter and show up in Srinagar tomorrow (Friday), we could think this through together. My choice of politics will be decided by real people not Fb likes and comments,” Faesal added.

The MBBS degree holder said he would share the venue details after he knows who all are coming to meet him.

“Let’s see out of those hundreds and thousands how many are ready to walk the talk. Type yes in the comments below. Don’t tell me later that I should have asked the youth first,” he said.

The former IAS officer is widely tipped to join the National Conference but his Facebook post has given rise to more speculation.

Faesal had resigned Wednesday, protesting against the “unabated” killings in Kashmir and a “lack of sincere reach out” from the Union government.

The 35-year-old said his resignation was also to protest “the marginalization and invisiblisation of around 200 million Indian Muslims at the hands of Hindutva forces reducing them to second-class citizens; insidious attacks on the special identity of the state and growing culture of intolerance and hate in mainland India in the name of hyper-nationalism”.

Without naming it, Faesal launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led government at the Centre, saying the “subversion of public institutions like the RBI, the CBI and the NIA has the potential to decimate the constitutional edifice of this country and it needs to be stopped”. PTI

For a year now, fully equipped four-bedded ICU for influenza cases defunct at CD Hospital

ZEHRU NISSA

A swine flu patient inside an isolation ward at Srinagar’s SMHS hospital was Thursday struggling for life for want of a ventilator even as a fully equipped ward meant for similar influenza cases is lying unused for a year without any medical staff to run it.
Reflecting the callous and unacceptably sorry state of affairs, an H1N1 positive patient is unable to get a ventilator anywhere in the two hospitals of the Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar “equipped” with isolation wards, even as his condition continues to deteriorate.

At SMHS Hospital, authorities have isolated a four-bedded ward for H1N1 and other influenza cases where three patients were admitted on Thursday. Two of them were in a critical state and battling for life, a doctor said.
The doctor said the isolation ward can manage “just isolation” without any life-support machines, which are often needed for critically sick influenza patients.
The absence of ventilators was proving costly for the critically sick swine flu patients, the doctor said.
“They are dying. Their life perhaps could be saved if they had ventilator support well in time,” the doctor said, adding a patient’s relatives were running from pillar to post for three days in a bid to save her life.
She had been kept on an Ambu Bag, a basic device used to assist breathing, for three days and was shifted to a medical ICU ventilator only when it fell vacant on Thursday evening.
“However, another patient,” another doctor said, “is still without any life support despite clear indication.”
A four-bedded isolation ward equipped with ventilators and other critical equipment has been ready since a year at the Chest Diseases Hospital in the city under GMC Srinagar. But it has not been made operational.
An official at GMC Srinagar said this ICU, meant for H1N1 and other influenza patients, was not functional because no staff has been allocated by GMC Srinagar to run it.
“That ICU (at CD Hospital) could have saved lives of these patients if it was operational,” the official said.
According to the source, although CD Hospital could arrange doctors for the ICU, but it required GMC to post staff from its department of anesthesia to run the critical care facility. The administration has not even bothered to post nurses, technicians or other staff to run the unit.
The ICU and a laboratory meant for influenza patients was set up at a cost of Rs 5.63 crore in 2015 when scores died due to N1H1 infection.
Principal GMC Srinagar, Prof Samia Rashid acknowledged the CD Hospital ICU for H1N1 cases could not be made functional for paucity of staff.
“When that facility was commissioned, no simultaneous staff creation was made to run it,” Prof Rashid said, adding it would be made functional from “coming Monday (January 14)” by arranging staff internally.

The Story Was Published in Greater Kashmir Largest Circulated Daily Of Jammu Kashmir

‘We are ready to deal with all challenges, our adversaries hatching conspiracies to disrupt peace in Kashmir’

Gulmarg: The northern army commander lieutenant general Ranbhir Singh today said that in 2018 they conducted a series of successful operation based on the tremendous flow of human intelligence and that “our adversaries will try to push infiltrators into this side and radicalise local youth through social media in 2019.”

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of snow festival at Gulmarg here, Singh who is the GoC-in-C of northern command based in Udhampur said that in 2018 army launched surgical operations resulting in the killing of 250 militants, while 50 militants surrendered and five were apprehended.

According to KNO correspondent, the army commander said: “Despite successful anti militancy operations and non initiation of combat operations(NICO) in the fasting month of Ramadan, the state witnessed successful and peaceful elections—local bodies and panchayat polls.” He said due to very robust counter infiltration grid at the loc, most of the infiltrators see either killed on the LoC on close to the fence.

Asked what would be the challenges for year 2019, he said that the adversaries will try to push in more militants and also radicalise the youth. “Radicalisation was there in 2018. And our adversaries will try to radicalise the youth in 2019 again.” He said social media continues to be a challenge and “steps are being taken to address the issues and challenges put forth by the social media.”(KNO)

Basant Rath also said that the Indian media fails to understand the core issue of Kashmir.

New Delhi: IPS officer Basant Kumar Rath on Thursday said that the stonepelters in Jammu and Kashmir are his people and he cannot disown them. While addressing a gathering at India Today Mind Rocks, Basant Rath also said that the Indian media fails to understand the core issue of Kashmir.

“Kashmiri people are my people… can’t demonise them. People by nature are people. They have emotions and feelings, you [have to] treat them well,” he said.

Giving an example of his family, the IPS officer said that he never liked his father in the terms of the authority he had in his family structure but that “does not mean I am not his son.”

“Just because somebody doesn’t agree with you [the government], you can’t demonise them.”

“Kashmir has a history — We have to respect the sentinments and the people there. There is a gap between the politicians speeches and bureacrats’ work on ground.”

Speaking on religion, Basant Rath took a dig at politicians and said, “It [religion] is not important for the people but for the politicians.”

In November 2018, Basant Rath was transferred after he allegedly had an online spat with Srinagar Mayor Junaid Azim Mattu. Rath likened Mattu to a cabbage after the latter suggested that jobs were more important than wetlands.

“Wetlands are precious and a vital part of our ecosystem. Only a cabbage will think otherwise,” Basant Rath had tweeted.

“Alok Kumar, IPS (JK-1997), IGP Security, J&K is transferred and posted as IGP, Traffic, J&K vice Basant Kumar Rath. Basant Kumar Rath, IPS (JK-2000), IGP Traffic J&K is transferred and attached in the office of commandant General Home Guards/Civil Defence/SDRF till further orders,” the J&K government order read. (India today)

Says ‘real people will decide my choice of politics’

Srinagar, Jan 10: The record maker IAS topper, Shah Faesal who resigned from country’s elite service on Thursday appealed youth to meet him and put forth their ideas before him for future course of action, saying his choice of politics will be decided by real people’.
Shah Faesal resigned from the country’s elite service on Wednesday to join politics, the step which was welcomed by the mainstream political leaders and pro-freedom leaders.
In a detailed Facebook post, the top IAS officer invited the youth to show up and suggest their ideas for future course of action.
“It has been a storm of abuse and adulation. Hundreds and thousands of people reacted to my resignation in hundreds and thousands of ways. I totally expected this,” he wrote on Facebook.
“As of now I have quit the service. What I am going to do hereafter also depends on what people of Kashmiri want me to do. More so the youth. I have an idea how I can do it. I am sure you have ideas too and you want me to factor those ideas in before I take a final decision,” Faesal said.
“If you are ready to come out of Fb/Twitter and show up in Srinagar tomorrow, we could think this through together. My choice of politics will be decided by real people not fb (Facebook) likes and comments. I will share the venue details after I know who all are coming. Let’s see out of those hundreds and thousands how many are ready to walk the talk. Don’t tell me later that I should have asked the youth first. Thanks,” he said. (KNS)

Rajouri, Jan 10: An army officer and a Border Security Force (BSF) man were injured in an attack carried out by Pakistan army in forward area of Rajouri district on Thursday.

Official sources told GNS that today at about 13:45 hours, a joint team of Indian Army 15 JAKLI and 59 BSF launched a search operation in forward area of Village Tarkundi.

During the search operation, bullets were fired from forest area on operation party as a result of which Major Joginder Ihirwar and Head Constable Ali Mumtaz of BSF were seriously injured.

Both the injured were taken to a nearby health facility where from critically wounded army major was airlifted to military’s command hospital in Udhampur.

Station House Officer (SHO), Manjakote Barkat Qureshi said that the duo were injured apparently due to firing by Pakistan army. (GNS)

Rafia Mukhtar’s poems narrate how a society misplaces the worth of a girl’s character; and how she emerges as a writer

Anantnag, Jan 10: Instead of playing with toys during her childhood, Rafia Mukhtar would spend most of her times in household chores as she liked it. Due to some family issues, she spent six important years of her life away from her parents. Some months back, she wrote the book – a poetry collection ‘Her Castle of Dreams’.

Rafia’s poems narrate: “a tumultuous journey of a girl until she becomes a woman; how a society misplaces the worth of a girl’s character and judges her on the basis of dogmatic and awry views. Through her book, she intends to help young girls understand how they can shape their lives and realize their dreams”.

Born in a middle-class family in Vessu Qazigund, in Anantnag district, Rafia was admitted in a government girls’ school – a few steps away from her ancestral house.

By the time Rafia was studying in Grade V, Rafia’s father Mukhtar Ahmad Ganaie was not able to work due to health issues and her family decided to move to Anantnag town to start a business.

“I used to be surprised when my classmates would talk about their aims and dreams. I had no idea what these two words meant,” recalls Rafia.

Rafia said that with the passage of time, she developed interest in writing and started her literary journey.

She further said that besides these hardships, she evolved more and more with each passing day.

Every day, her father would give her Rs 20 which she would save.

Rafia said that she was inspired by her struggle with depression and wrote ‘Her Castle of Dreams’.

She had done her Bachelors in Arts from Government Women’s College, Anantnag. Every time she struggled a lot to keep going with pace.

Rafia realized that she had become perceptive and observant. After spending time in college and with her family, she would rush to her room and pen down her thoughts and observations. Her quotes were more related to the state of women in her surroundings, nature, and of course about her struggle.

Rafia further revealed that when she finished her bachelor’s degree, the first question that crossed her mind was ‘what next’. “I was confused about what to do. I had no aim, no dreams.”

She then secured admission in Rehmat Aalam College and completed her B.Ed. Along with her regular studies; she kept jotting down her thoughts.

She would keenly observe the treatment of women in society and how women suffer and struggle to keep their identity alive.

“Writing gave me some solace and eased my depression. I no more used to take medicines,” she said.

She said after finishing her college, she decided to earn for her family and herself and she got herself a teaching job. In the meantime, she joined the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and started studying economics.

She chose Himalayan Bells Preparatory School because she was aware of the state of the education system in a village, and quality teaching would help the students in the villages to build their perspective.

Rafia said her family had started receiving a marriage proposal for her and they asked her to give it serious thought.

“It was tiring for me to think about marriage. First, they kept me away from themselves during the most important stage of my life, and now this. I didn’t accept it,” said Rafia. “I started having nightmares about marriage which would disturb my sleep. With these thoughts, I have spent many sleepless nights for months but I utilized them in writing fervently.”

Finally, in May, one of Rafia’s friends asked her to meet Professor Syeda Afshana at Kashmir University, and show her poems and quotes to her.

Syeda asked Rafia to give it a theme as she had written about nature and women. She started working on her poems after school, almost through the night. She wrote everything in her diary, and in October, she was ready to show it to Syeda.

Syeda was impressed with her work and asked her to format it for printing. However, she was confused about how to go about it. She remembered she was connected on Facebook with another female writer Insha Khawaja, the author of ‘Finding the Lost You’.

Rafia texted Insha who suggested that she write a preface and dedication of her book, type it and design it.

After Rafia wrote the preface, she typed and designed her complete book. She decided to title the book ‘Her Castle of Dreams’ and got it published on December 11, 2018.

Her book reflects the pain she witnessed, recalling how at the young age she learnt cooking.

“How early my little hands can cook,” she says in one of the poems.

And adds: “I was born to giggle and fun”, “Don’t force me to wear the meaningless crown”.

She refers to how a girl is treated, and how she is only taught and prepared to settle in her in-laws’ house. In her poem ‘I’m not a burden’, she says, “I’m not a burden but a gift of nature”, and “Nurture me well I’m not a stranger”.

Her book ends with a poem “Fairy Ma’am” which was a gift to Rafia from grade II students on Teachers Day. The poem says, “Early morning birds call us sweetly, Rafia ma’am teaches us nicely.” (GNS)

Srinagar: Amid fresh snowfall in the Valley, the weatherman on Thursday predicted snow and rains till January 13. Deputy Director Meteorological department (MeT), Dr Mukhtar Ahmad told KNO that there is possibility of snowfall as well as rains across the Valley from Thursday evening.

He said that the Kashmir including plains as well as higher reaches would receive moderate snowfall on January 12 saying that on Jan 10 evening to Jan 11, there is possibility of light snowfall across the Valley.

Dr Mukhtar said that the weather across the Valley would start improving from Jan 13 (Sunday). It would be the second snowfall in the month of January following the two month-long dry spell across the Valley from November.

The fresh snowfall on Jan 03 brought life to standstill in the Valley as all the major roads remained closed for the traffic while as the air traffic was also suspended for more than 24 hours here.

As the MeT has predicted fresh snowfall, the divisional administration has claimed to have taken adequate measure to tackle the situation that will rise in the aftermath of snowfall.

Several meetings at divisional as well as district levels were held from last three days in which the officials were directed to gear up for the fresh snow spell across the Valley and ensure basic amenities to the people. (KNO)