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  • 18-year-old girl dies, GMC Baramulla orders burial as per Covid-19 protocol

    Srinagar: An 18-year-old girl with symptoms of novel coronavirus died “on arrival” to GMC hospital Baramulla on Friday.

    While doctors have taken her sample for coronavirus, her body was handed over to the family but asked to strictly follow protocol for Covid-19 patient.

    Medical Superintendent GMC Baramulla Dr Syed Masood Bukhari told GNS that the 18-year-old from Khuroo Langate Handwara died of a heart attack.

    “She died on arrival,” he said. On inquiring, he said, “the girl as per the family had high fever and breathlessness from last ten days and she was taken to Handwara hospital. However, the family thought to take her to GMC Baramulla.”

    The swab sample of the teenager for coronavirus have been taken and sent for test, he said.

    “We have handed over the body and all measures as are taken for a COVID-19 patient would have to be adhered to,” he said, adding, “We counseled the family for the importance of conducting last rites strictly as per Covid-19 protocol. We have also informed deputy commissioner Kupwara, as well as BMO, concerned regarding the last rites as per the Covid-19 protocol.” (GNS)

  • COVID-19: No prayers in Masjids, shrines as Kashmir marks 1st Friday of Ramadan

    Lockdown persists for 38th day

    Srinagar: For the first time in the holy month of Ramadan, the Masjids and shrines across Jammu and Kashmir witnessed no buzz with all the religious places remaining closed for over one month now in wake of deadly Coronavirus outbreak.

    No mandatory congregational prayers were witnessed in any Masjid or shrine on the first Friday here, witnesses told news agency–Kashmir News Observer (KNO), adding that even Dargah Hazratbal and historic Jamia Masjid, which otherwise remain flooded with devotees remained closed today for prayers.

    The authorities as well as the religious clerics have appealed people to offer prayers at home to prevent the deadly virus from spreading, which claimed eight lives so far and left 614 people infected.

    The Masjids and shrines in other districts besides Srinagar also remained closed for the prayers. The religious places have been closed amid lockdown across India, called by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in wake of Coronavirus.

    Unlike previous Fridays in Ramadan, no stalls were seen installed outside the Masjids and shrines as well as in the markets where people were usually seen buying essentials and Attar, Miswak, Cap and other things.

    Witnesses said that the lockdown continued to remain in force for 38th straight day in Jammu and Kashmir with authorities continue to deploy police and paramilitary troopers on roads to enforce the lockdown strictly.

    They said the large contingent of forces were deployed on ground, who had erected concertina wires and put temporary barricades on the roads at many places, thus thwarting the vehicular as well as pedestrians movement in the respective areas.

    It is worth to mention here that 105 red zones have been declared by the government so far, where the entry and exit of people is strictly being restricted and monitored.

    The markets across Jammu and Kashmir continued to wear deserted look while as the business establishments and educational institutions including Schools, Colleges and Universities remained closed in the Union Territory –(KNO)

  • Laborers struggle to feed families amid lockdown

    Srinagar: As world observed Labour Day on Friday, thousands of laborers in Kashmir are struggling to feed their families amid COVID-19 lockdown.

    Labour Day or International Workers’ Day is observed each year on the first day of May to celebrate achievements of the working class. The day, also called as ‘May Day’, is also observed as a public holiday in many countries.

    Amid this thousands of laborers in Kashmir including daily wagers in various government departments are finding it hard to feed their families.

    “This lockdown has put a laborer like me in deep trouble. It is very difficult for laborers to feed their families,” Mohammad Shafi, who was selling footwear on a footpath in Srinagar, told news agency KINS.

    These days he is sitting idle at home. “I debited Rs 1000 from one of relatives that have been exhausted,” he added.

    The safaikaramcharis of SMC who are forefront to contain the COVID-19 are also without salaries for months.
    “We are without salaries for last three months. In times of plague, the safaikaramcharis are working day and night. We are struggling to feed our families,” one of the safaikaramcharis said.

    A non-local laborer Shahid said he has not a single penny in my pocket.
    “We don’t have money even to buy medicines. My father and mother are worried about me. We won’t die by coronavirus but by hunger,” said visibly upset Shahid.

    Similarly, daily wagers of J&K Cements are without salaries for months. “Our officials are getting their monthly salaries. Nobody is concerned about us. We can’t tell you how we feed our families,” one of the daily wagers of J&K Cements said,

    wishing not to be quoted by name.
    Satish Kumar, a labourer from Uttar Pradesh has been working in Kashmir for last eight years. He is lodged in one of government buildings in south Kashmir.
    “Our families are worried about our safety. I have seen 2010 and 2016 lockdown but this time it is scary to stay here. We are even not able to make a video call to our families due to low internet speed. We want to leave for our home as soon as possible. We want to survive to see the faces of our family members,” Kumar said in an anxious tone.

    He said some locals helped them and provided food. “But everyone is running for his safety. If anyone gets infected, he can disseminate it to others. We (laborers) are prone to get infected as we don’t sanitize ourselves. How can we avoid any possible transmission of the virus when we are not able to maintain any distance,” he asked.(KINS)

  • Maruti Suzuki Reports Zero Sales In A Month For First Time Ever

    Maruti Suzuki said last month it will continue to support central bank and state governments and followall advisories in combating COVID-19.

    Reuters

    Maruti Suzuki India, the country’s largest carmaker, on Friday reported zero domestic sales last month. That marked the first time ever that Maruti Suzuki posted zero sales in a month in the domestic market. The company said all its production facilities were closed in compliance with the government orders. The country continues to remain in a nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which has pushed business into a standstill.

    Here are 10 things to know:

    1. In a regulatory filing, the auto maker said that the nil sales included sales to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

    2. The coronavirus-triggered lockdown has crushed demand in the country’s auto industry, already struggling with falling sales that forced many auto manufacturers to trim their production.

    3. In March 2020, Maruti Suzuki’s domestic sales had dropped 47.9 per cent to 76,976 vehicles. The company, however, said that the March 2020 sales were not comparable with the corresponding period a year ago due to the suspension of operations during the month in line with national policy.

    4. Maruti Suzuki suspended operations from March 22.

    5. Industry body Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers’ data showed last month that domestic passenger vehicle sales dropped 51 per cent in March. SIAM said the country’s automobile sector witnessed one of its sharpest decline in domestic sales during the month due to subdued demand, further aggravated by the COVID-19 outbreak.

    6. In April 2019, Maruti Suzuki India had sold 134,068 vehicles in the domestic market. Its total sales – including domestic sales and exports – were at 1,43,245 vehicles that month.

    7. As of Friday morning, total coronavirus cases in the country rose to over 35,000, including 1,147 deaths.

    8. Maruti Suzuki said last month it will continue to support central bank and state governments and follow all advisories in combating COVID-19, and is fully committed to the safety and well-being of its employees, business partners and customers.

    9. Concerns about the economic fallout from the coronavirus outbreak have spooked the markets and businesses across the globe.

    10. Maruti Suzuki shares are down 27.24 per cent so far this year, as against a 18.27 per cent fall in the benchmark S&P BSE Sensex index. In April, the stock recovered 25.01 per cent, following a 31.77 per cent plunge in the previous month.

  • Anti-Muslim incidents bound to attract negative attention abroad; need to change domestic reality, says Tharoor

    The 57-member prominent international Mulim grouping, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), recently accused India of “Islamophobia”.

    PTI

    Asserting that incidents and comments against Muslims were bound to attract negative reactions abroad, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Friday said it is more important to change the domestic reality than do damage control, while referring to India’s criticism in the Arab states over alleged “Islamophobia”.

    What matters is not what the government says but how it is perceived because of what it does, or let others do, Mr. Tharoor said, and alleged that the Modi government has “shamefully failed” to curb the appalling behaviour of many of its “most rabid supporters”, including some in high positions.

    “Let us not forget that ‘Ramzade/Hara…..’ comment came from a minister, and the latest remark from a BJP MLA in UP telling people not to buy vegetables from a Muslim vendor,” Mr. Tharoor said.

    His remarks were an apparent reference to 2014 comments reportedly made by Union Minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, and the recent controversy triggered by Uttar Pradesh BJP MLA Suresh Tewari who allegedly asked people not to buy vegetables from Muslim vendors. The BJP on Tuesday issued a show cause notice to Tewari for his remarks.

    In an interview to PTI, Mr. Tharoor alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has, throughout the last six years, been too slow to “condemn his party’s bigotry and has condoned overt expressions of Islamophobia from his own camp”.

    “The attitude that India loves Muslims so long as they are outside India, but insults them at home, is not tenable in a world of instant global communications. The mounting number of incidents and statements against Muslims in India was bound to attract negative attention abroad,” the former Union minister said.

    His remarks came in the backdrop of angry reactions from UAE royal princess, Kuwait government and other leading citizens from various Arab countries after some people blamed Muslims for spreading COVID-19 in several parts of India following a spurt in coronavirus cases linked to Tablighi Jamaat meet at Nizamuddin.

    Also, the 57-member prominent international Mulim grouping, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), recently accused India of “Islamophobia”.

    Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava on Thursday dismissed all such allegations and highlighted Prime Minister Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s regular conversations with their counterparts from the region in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, to stress the closeness in ties.

    Responding to the criticism in Gulf nations and by the OIC, Mr. Tharoor said the backlash is not surprising.

    “While I welcome the PM’s and the Foreign Minister’s attempts at damage control, it is far more important to change the domestic reality than to issue reassuring statements,” the MP from Thiruvananthapuram said.

    Asked about plea by several Indians stuck in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and his request to the prime minister and the external affairs minister to expedite their evacuation, Mr. Tharoor said every nation has a responsibility towards its citizens.

    He claimed that the government’s argument is that a large number of travellers from abroad would place an unsustainable degree of strain on the country’s healthcare and quarantine facilities.

    “If that was true 40 days ago, it is no longer true now. We must bring our own citizens back. It is not just a matter of their rights, but of what’s right — morally, emotionally and constitutionally,” the Congress leader said.

    Mr. Tharoor also demanded that in these difficult times of the pandemic, the Centre must give the State governments their dues.

    It is shocking that GST dues have not been paid despite States, and the Congress calling for this for more than two months, he said.

    “Give the States their own money, so they don’t have to beg for resources to combat the virus. In addition, yes, extra support will be needed for those states facing a larger COVID-19 burden,” Mr. Tharoor said.

    “The ordinary people of our country also need financial help so they can help themselves. We have been calling for ₹7,500 to be put into every Jan Dhan account. This is far from happening, several weeks after we suggested it,” he said.

    Asked about Kerala doing well in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and whether other states need to emulate its model, Mr. Tharoor said Kerala has been a model state in terms of its social development indicators for a long time, but the practices and systems it has built up take generations to entrench.

    Kerala spends a large portion of its state resources on health care and public education, promotes literacy and women’s empowerment, and gives village-level local authorities autonomy and funds, he said.

    Other states should emulate it, but it will take them a long time to reorient their current practices to get there, he added.

  • Ensure Uttar Pradesh borders are sealed to stop entry of ‘coronavirus carriers’: Yogi Adityanath to officials

    The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh said the State government is committed to the welfare of labourers and has initiated a number of measures in their interest.

    PTI

    Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday asked officials to ensure that Uttar Pradesh’s borders remain sealed so that people who maybe “coronavirus (COVID-19) carriers” cannot enter the State. He gave the directions at a review meeting.

    “It should be ensured that the borders of the State remain sealed. There should be alertness in border areas. No one should enter the State without permission as there is a possibility that they can be coronavirus carriers,” an official release issued in Lucknow quoted Mr. Adityanath as saying.

    He said the State government is committed to the welfare of labourers and has initiated a number of measures in their interest. “The government is taking steps to ensure return of labourers stuck in other States in a phased manner,” he said.

    The Chief Minister reiterated that four lakh migrant labourers from Delhi and 12,000 from Haryana have returned to the State safely. He said directives have been issued to ensure that those coming to the State undergo a health check-up and are sent to home quarantine for 14 days with a ration kit.

    Mr. Adityanath also gave directions to increase pool testing and procure quality testing kits. As of Thursday, the number of coronavirus cases in Uttar Pradesh stood at 2,211 and the death toll due to the infection was 40.

  • Srinagar among four JK districts declared as Red Zones by MHFW

    12 districts classified as orange zones, 4 as green zones

    Srinagar: Government of India on Friday declared four districts in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir as Red Zones in a bid to contain the spread of Covid-19.

    According to an order issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, copy of which lies with news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), four districts of JK have been classified as Red Zones.

    As per the order four districts which have been declared as Red Zones include Srinagar, Bandipora, Anantnag and Shopian. These districts have been classified as hotspots/red zones based on the cumulative cases reported and doubling rate.

    As per the order, 12 districts have been classified as orange zones which include Baramulla, Kupwara, Ganderbal, Jammu, Udhampur, Kulgam, Budgam, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri, Ramban and Reasi while four districts have been classified as Green Zones which include Pulwama, Kishtwar, Doda and Poonch—(KNO)

  • Massive search operation launched in Rajwar forest area of Handwara

    Handwara: Government Forces have launched a massive search operation in Rajwar, Bhavan Watsar forest area of North Kashmir’s Handwara town.

    Sources told KNT that the search operation was started after inputs about the movement of militants in the forest area. Soldiers from 21 Rashtriya Rifles and Special Operation Group have cordoned off a massive chunk of the forest.

    An official confirmed that a search operation has been launched in Rajwar forest area. He said the forest is very dense but the operation is underway to track down militants.

    In past as well, the Rajwar forest area witnessed many encounters between militants and government forces.

    In the first week of April, five militants and five soldiers were killed in Keran gunfight in the same district. (KNT)

  • All service matters of UT employees of J&K and Ladakh will be heard and disposed off in CAT bench: Centre

    Centre, clarifies, says, “All service matters of UT employees of J&K and Ladakh will be heard and disposed off in CAT bench in J&K itself”

    Srinagar: The central government Friday clarified that neither the petitioner nor the lawyer need to go to Chandigarh for filling petitioner appearing before the tribunal related to service matters of employees.

    The statement available with news agency KINS reads, “In the wake of the news reports appeared in a section of media that “GoI shifts all service matters of employees of J&K and Ladakh UTs to Chandigarh CAT, it is clarified that neither the petitioner nor the lawyer need to go to Chandigarh for filling petitioner appearing before the tribunal related to service matters of employees.

    The statement further said “the term Chandigarh circuit is being misinterpreted to mean that the petitioner/lawyer would have to go to Chandigarh, which is not so. All service matters of Central Government and UT employees of J&K and Ladakh will be heard and disposed off in CAT bench in J&K itself”.

    “It is reiterated that earlier also, the CAT bench used to hold its sittings in Jammu & Kashmir to dispose off service matters related to Central Government employees of J&K. The only difference now is that it will also be disposing off matters related to UT employees and therefore will have more frequent sittings in UT of J&K”.

    “The registration of cases can also be done locally either online or in the secretariat office of CAT to be set up locally after the UT Government provides appropriate facility. Disposal of cases through CAT in UT of J&K will ensure fare and objective delivery of justice” it reads.(KINS)

  • Covid-19 | Samples of young girl taken after her death at SMHS Hospital

    Srinagar: A young girl has died at SMHS Hospital Srinagar. Her samples have been taken to ascertain whether she was a Covid-19 patient or not. The girl is 21 year old and was admitted at SMHS Hospital after she developed acute chest infection.

    Sources told KNT that a girl (name withheld) wife of Nadeem Ahmed Dar of Kokarnag developed acute chest infection and she was brought to SMHS Hospital Srinagar.

    Hospital sources said that girl died during wee hours and her body was shifted to mortuary at Government Medical College Srinagar.

    Medical Superintendent SMHS Hospital, Dr Nazir Chowdary told KNT that the samples of the deceased girl have been taken. “We are waiting for the report,” he said while confirming the death of the young girl. He however, said that he doesn’t know the cause of the death.

    Nodal Officer for Coronavirus, Dr Saleem said that only the doctor who treated her can say the reason of her death. He said that it is a norm to collect swabs for Covid-19 whosoever dies in the hospital.

    Another doctor who wished not to be named said that she had developed complications after delivery and thus was brought in the hospital. (KNT)