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  • FFP responsible for Hepatitis C in Hemophiliacs: DAK

    ‘DAK will file a PIL in High Court’
    Srinagar: President Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) Dr Nisar ul Hassan today in a statement said that it is shocking and at the same time alarming that out of 90 haemophiliac patients screened 35 are positive for Hepatitis C virus infection and 4 of them have died.
    According to a DAK statement issued to KNS, these haemophiliac patients have contracted this deadly virus because of contaminated fresh frozen plasma (FFP), a blood product, which they receive on demand during bleeding.
    Blood Banks in valley screen blood and blood products by either card method or enzyme immunoassay which can give false negative results thus blood bank pool is a huge source of hepatitis-c virus transmission. The introduction of nucleic acid technology (NAT) for screening blood and blood products in rest parts of the world has prevented transfusion related hepatitis-c infection.
    Hepatitis-c virus infection causes cirrhosis of liver, hepato cellular carcinoma and death. These hepatitis c positive haemophiliacs have been denied treatment by government thus depriving them from their fundamental right to which government has an obligation.
    There are around 250 haemophiliac patients in the valley and most of them are permanently disabled because of non availability of factor VIII and factor IX in hospitals. These coagulation factors are to be given prophylactic ally rather than on demand to prevent haemophilia related complications. Haemophiliacs can live a normal quality life if coagulation factors are given to them on regular basis.
    “DAK will file a public interest litigation as it is a colossal human tragedy. Haemophiliacs are victims of government apathy. State has failed in their duty by not providing Medicare services to haemophiliac patients. DAK will claim criminal prosecution to the culprits involved in this heinous crime and compensation to the victims.” (KNS)

  • 300 CCTV cameras being installed at polling booths

    Move aimed to ensure rigging free polls
    Srinagar: In a significant move to ensure free and fair polling during the forthcoming parliamentary elections in Jammu and Kashmir- first time in the state, more than 300 CCTV cameras are being installed at the rigging sensitive polling booths.
    Sources told KNS that some opposition parties in the state including main opposition PDP had written to Election Commission- raising apprehensions of the possible interference by the state machinery during polls.  The parties had urged the commission to ensure that the polling booths be kept under the surveillance so that rigging could be avoided.
    Sources confirmed further that the Office of the chief election officer Jammu and Kashmir had issued advertisement, asking the companies to submit their tenders for the installation of CCTV cameras at various polling booths of the state.
    Tender of the Srinagar based private company has been approved and the said firm has been informed to start the project in this regard.
    The reports stated that 300 CCTV cameras are being installed at various polling booths in the state.
    The officials added that to ensure no rigging, no political interference, and misuse of authority by the poling staff- the installed of CCTV cameras have great significance.
    The reports informed further that the procedure will be followed during the assembly polls also that are scheduled to be held by the end of this year.   (KNS)

  • SKIMS curtail attendants’ visiting hours

    People aghast; Director says move aimed for better healthcare
    Srinagar: The attendants of the patients admitted at SKIMS Wednesday expressed serious resentment over the decision of the hospital authorities of disallowing the entry of the attendants inside state’s only multi specialty research institute.
    According to the details received by KNS, the authorities at SKIMS have curtailed the number of attendants entering the institute on daily basis. The reason the officials stated was that the normal functioning of the hospital was getting badly affected and extra rush inside the crucial wards was disturbing the treatment of the patients.  
    Expressing resentment by the said decision, the attendants told KNS that the authorities have taken the step in the most ‘anarchical’ approach and the same is an attempt to make the attendants suffer at large.
    The attendants while protesting against the hospital order stated that they have come from valley’s far flung areas and only after reaching at the hospital gate- their entry is being rejected. “If the hospital authorities had to implement the order from today- they should have informed the masses via print and electronic media so that people coming from far off areas could have been informed.”
    Meanwhile, Director SKIMS told KNS that visiting hours for the attendants have been restricted from 3.30 pm to 5.30 pm and no visiting passes shall be issued after that. By 6.pm, the hospital authorities must be able to vacate the attendants who see their patients during the visiting hours. “This all has been done in the interest of smooth functioning of the hospital and for the better patient care. The general public is appealed to cooperate with the SKIMS authorities so that we provide a better health care for their patients,” said Showkat Ahmad Zargar, Director SKIMS.(KNS)

  • Over loading in School buses

    Rules being thrown to wind in Kashmir
    Srinagar: The private schools across Srinagar are violating the rules in a broad day light with the students being packed to capacity in the school buses and state authorities acting as ‘mute spectators’, accused parents.
    On Wednesday, the delegation of parents hailing from various areas across Srinagar told KNS that their children are being physically tormented by the school authorities due to the over load in the school vehicles, ferrying children to and fro  from home to school.
    “It is the physical torture that is being inflicted upon our children on the daily bases- the over load in the school buses has become the order of the day,” said Mukhtar Ahmad, a Barzulla resident.  He added that the parents have reported the matter to the state authorities at several times but no concrete action on ground is being done.
    Another aggrieved parent stated that across Srinagar- the school buses are violating the traffic regulations as well as the education rules by over loading the buses with the school children.  He accused that the children are being physically tortured and that no steps are being taken by the government to end the crises if such serious nature.
    Also concerns are being raised by various civil society groups in valley over the over loading of school vans ferrying the children of lower classes. They however appealed the parents to restrain from sending their kids in these vans to schools. Pertinently, after the SRTC stopped to ferry school children, the private schools functional in valley purchased the vehicles in personal capacity. When KNS tried to contact Director Education Kashmir, his cell phone was continually switched off.
    Meanwhile, Superintendent of Police (SP) traffic for Srinagar Haseb-ur-Rahman told KNS that the traffic department is continually monitoring the situation and whosoever is found violating the traffic norms- stern action is being taken on ground. He added that last year traffic department fined various school buses and vans against the charges of overloading and that same is being pursued this year as well. “We appeal parents to resister complains so that the overloading in busses and vans ferrying school children could be ended at an earliest.” (KNS)

  • JKLF visits educational institutions, apprising students of ill effects of elections

    Malik expresses sorrow over Nadaf’s demise
    Srinagar: “JKLF Public awareness program asking people to keep away from Indian elections continued today and various JKLF leaders and activists visited many educational institutions of Islamabad district and upraised students of the bad effects and consequences of participating in Indian elections,” a spokesman of JKLF has said in a statement issued to KNS.
    He added that led by Mushtaq Ahmad Ajmal JKLF leaders Siraj Ud Din Mir, Bashir Ahmad Kashmiri, Mohammad Ishaq Ganai, Javed Ahmad Malik and Abdul Sattar visited many colleges, and higher secondary schools and met students in groups and individually. “Leader’s appraised the students from the evil and bad consequences of the Indian elections and besides talking to them distributed written material about the same among students.”
    The spokesman said that while speaking to the students at higher secondary Islamabad degree college for women Islamabad etc JKLF leaders said that the main aim and objective of elections organized by India and held under Indian constitution is to prolong the slavery of Kashmiris, to legislate new tyrannical and oppressive laws against people of Jammu Kashmir and to subject Kashmiris to torture and repression.
    “Therefore participation in these election on any name and pretext cannot be termed but as enmity with Kashmir and Kashmiris. Leaders said that every nation safeguards its own interests and it is the duty of every Kashmiri to recognize and safeguard the interest of Kashmir .leaders while deliberating upon the bad consequences of these elections said that participating in these is actually undermining the interests of our oppressed nation and every honorable Kashmiri should therefore refrain from such practice.”
    The spokesman said that leaders said that youth are reckoned as the back bone and jugular vein of nations and it is these young men and women which change the course of history and futures of the nations. “Therefore it is the duty of Kashmiri youth to refrain themselves from these elections and also apprise their elders from its bad effects.”
    Meanwhile JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik who is in Delhi has expressed his heartfelt grief and sorrow over the sad demise of Ahmadullah Nadaf of Gogji Bagh. Terming the death of Nadaf who was a famous trader and social worker of Kashmir as a personal loss, Malik paid tributes to deceased and his family for their religious and social works. (KNS)

  • Jamat-e-Islami will vote for PDP: NC

    Srinagar: National Conference Wednesday claimed that Jamat-e-Islami will support opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in the forth coming polls and all its cadres are on tenterhooks to make PDP’s win sure.
    “JeI is another face of PDP and during the polls, it is Jamat that has directed its cadres in valley to vote for PDP.  They have done it earlier and they will repeat the same at present also,” said Additional General Secretary Shiekh Mustafa Kamal.
    He added that JeI has always been at war with the National Conference and history bears witness to the fact that it has always created hurdles for NC when it comes for the representation of peoples’ aspiration at large.
    “They (JeI) will not leave any stone unturned when it comes to work against NC and its interests,” said Kamal, adding that earlier it was Hizb, the armed wing of JeI that killed several NC leaders at various places in Valley and when they tasted defeat on political and armed front- they began aiding PDP that was established for the eradication of NC from the political spheres of Jammu and Kashmir.
    Substantiating his claims, NC’s senior leader stated that the flag of Muslim Muthida Mahaz (MMM) during 1987- of which JeI was the main component and PDP’s flag is one. “What more you need to know about the equations of PDP and JeI.”
    Commenting over the recent statement of JeI Chief Mohammad Abdullah Wani about Modi, Kamal stated that it is JeI’s indirect support to Modi. “Both are the extremist elements- once PDP wins in Valley- it would be the win of BJP in New Delhi.” (KNS)


  • AAP steps into Omar’s bastion, launches door to door campaign

    Srinagar: Failing to garner huge gathering, Aam Admi Party (AAP)Wednesday started its door-to-door poll campaign in Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah’s bastion, Ganderbal ahead of upcoming parliamentary elections.
    AAP’s candidate for Srinagar constituency, Dr. Raja Muzaffar Bhat, for the first time stepped in Omar’s bastion and started its poll campaign from the town where two senior National Conference leaders have revolted against the party recently.
    Witnesses said there were around 150 people present during Bhat’s address.
    “Later he (Bhat) started door to door campaign in the area from Behama and Dhudarhama,” witnesses told GNS.
    Lashing out at ruling NC, Bhat said the party has failed to fulfill the promises of masses, and “they are again fooling people.” “In 2008, NC in its election manifesto made 10-15 promises. The first promise they made was that we will restore had promised to restore Autonomy to the state. They promised Autonomy in 1996 as well as in 2002 but never fulfilled it. In 2008, they promised the withdrawal of AFSPA but failed to repeal it. They promised Truth and Reconciliation Commission to investigate the killings and human rights violations since 1990 including disappearances and fake encounters but emerged as a total failure in all its pledges,” Bhat, a former RTI and PDP activist, said, adding that NC patron Farooq Abdullah is again befooling people in the name of Autonomy.”
    Castigating Omar Abdullah for sticking to his chair despite killing of youths in 2010, the AAP candidate said: “He (Omar) is hand in glove with Congress and its leaders just for chair. Today, he is accompanying Ghulam Nabi Azad while he files nomination papers. He also failed to get Kashmir’s power share from National Hydel Power Corporation (NHPC). He himself accepted on the floor of Assembly that he failed,” Bhat added. 
    The former RTI-activist-turned politician said that AAP is not a political party but “a movement”. “We want more and more people especially youth to get connected with AAP so that the struggle against corruption and dynastic rule should be carried forward.” (GNS) 

  • PDP emerged as BJP’s creation: Farooq

    Mehboob Beg files nomination papers as NC-Congress Coalition Candidate
    Srinagar: Senior National Conference (NC) leader and member Parliament Dr. Mehboob Beg Wednesday filed his nomination papers from Anantnag Parliamentary Constituency as the NC-Congress Coalition Candidate. He was accompanied by NC President Dr. Farooq Abdullah, State Congress Chief Professor Saif-ud-din Soz besides Senior Congress Leader Taj Mohiuddin, NC Provincial President Nasir Aslam Wani and others.
    Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Farooq Abdullah urged the workers of both parties to work in unison with dedication and cooperation to ensure the victory of the coalition candidates with bigger margins than last time. “These parliamentary elections would see a direct contest between secularism and communal, divisive figures who want to gain power by polarizing the people of this country,” Farooq said, adding that BJP seems to be openly helped by the PDP.
    He said that Narendra Modi was an authoritarian politician who had shown grave contempt for his BJP mentors like L. K. Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Jaswant Singh and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. “He (Modi) is a man who can disrespect, insult and humiliate his mentors and seniors can never be sympathetic towards the people he dreams to govern,” Abdullah said.
    Terming PDP as a creation of BJP, Farooq said the party teamed up with BJP during the Amarnath Land Row in 2008 to divide the people of Jammu and Kashmir along religious lines. “It was PDP whose ministers were responsible for transferring the land in Pahalgam to the Shrine Board. To hide their guilt, they blamed the then Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad for their own mischief and sabotaged his government in mid-term. In the following years Mehbooba Mufti’s open and shameful admiration of Narendra Modi proved that 2008 was a combined BJP-PDP covert operation,” he said.
    Terming NC-Congress coalition as an ideological association to safeguard the secular fabric of this country, NC president asked the workers to work with each other to keep communal forces and their proxies like PDP at bay. “The present NC-Congress Coalition Government in the State had ushered the State into an era of unprecedented growth, transparency and accountability and had empowered the common-man by bringing governance to his doorstep,” he said.
    Dr. Mehboob Beg asked the workers to inform the people about his performance as a Member of Parliament and compare the same to that of Mehbooba Mufti when she was an MP. He said that NC leaders had utilized their MP funds transparently and effectively to the ultimate benefit of their constituents.  
    Others who were present on the occasion included leaders of Youth National Conference and National Conference Students Union (NCSU). (GNS)

  • Eve teasers arrested in Batamaloo

    Srinagar: Srinagar police apprehended two eve teasers in Batamaloo area today.
    A police party of Batamaloo today apprehended two eve teasers in Batamaloo area. A case FIR number 28/2014 under section 294 RPC was registered against the duo. Both the accused have been arrested. During investigation it was found that one of the accused is a notorious stone pelter having four cases against him. People of the area hailed the police action.

  • Missing girl found dead in south Kashmir

    Srinagar: Police recovered the body of a missing girl near a stream at Kulgam, in south Kashmir and started investigation to ascertain the cause of her death, police said on Wednesday.
    Police was informed by some locals that a body of a girl is lying near a stream in D H Pora Kulgam. Police party rushed to the spot and recovered the body of the girl. The body was later identified as Rohi Jan daughter of Bashir Ahmad Palla resident of Sail Kanan, D H Pora. The girl was reported to be missing since March 31, 2014.
    Police have started the investigation proceedings under section 174 CrPC to ascertain the cause of the death. The body was sent for post mortem and after the completion of all medico-legal formalities, the body was handed over to her next of kin for last rites.