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Amid lockdown, many arrested for violating Govt orders

Srinagar: Amid lockdown, the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory continued to witness closure of all the Masjids and shrines on third consecutive Friday in wake of the deadly Coronavirus outbreak.

No large congregation was witnessed at any Masjid or shrine across Jammu and Kashmir with all the religious places remaining locked for fourth straight week, witnesses told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).

All the religious places across the Union Territory including Dargah Hazratbal and historic Jamia Masjid in Old City area of Nowhatta remained locked throughout the day.

The religious places remained closed amid the continuous lockdown across the Union Territory for the 25th straight day today with police and paramilitary troopers remaining deployed on the roads here.

The roads as per the witnesses were sealed by the forces by erecting concertina wires, which halted the vehicular as well as pedestrians’ movement throughout the day.

Besides, officials said that those who violated the government’s prohibitory orders issued under section 144 CrPC were booked by the police throughout the day.

In north Kashmir’s Bandipora district, 16 persons were arrested for violating the government orders. “Before being arrested, a minor stone pelting incident also took place in Ganistan area of Bandipora following which a mild force was used to disperse them,” police officials said.

They said after the incident, 16 persons were arrested for violating the government orders, adding that nine shops were also sealed in the distrct for violating the government orders.

In South Kashmir, Kulgam police has arrested 14 violators and seized two vehicles for defying prohibitory orders.

In Police Station Qazigund, two persons were arrested who were found defying prohibitory orders and seized two vehicles bearing registration number JK03H-6131 and JK01F-5370, police said, adding that a case under FIR number 93/2020 under section 188,269 IPC has been registered .

In Police Station Kulgam, at least five violators were arrested and a case under FIR number 65/2020 under section 188,269 IPC has been registered.

In Police Station Qaimoh, seven violators were arrested and a case under FIR number 17/2020 under section 188,269 IPC has been registered – (KNO)

Srinagar: In view of the prevailing health situation because of outbreak of COVID-19, the District Magistrate Srinagar Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary has ordered extension of restrictions enforced under order issued on March 25 in the district till May 03.

Issuing an order under Section 144 of CrPC the DM has ordered that there shall be complete restrictions on public movement and operation of business and other establishments in the district all through this extended period.

The order states that in view of the situation in the district with various areas notified as COVID-19 containment or red zones which add up to large part of the district it is imperative that the ongoing restrictions remain enforced until required.

It states that the order is in line with the revised lockdown guidelines in the MHA Government of India order issued on April 15 which excludes areas notified as COVID-19 containment zones from exemptions that it allows after April 20.

It states that the order is also as per instructions of the J&K State Executive Committee (SEC) which has issued a detailed SOP to follow in the COVID-19 red zones.

The order states that as in the past the essential services will be allowed to move with movement passes being issued to them based as per requirement. It instructs heads of departments to ensure no misuse use of passes issued to their staff for the purpose of delivering services.

It states that while healthcare officers and frontline workers associated with COVID-19 containment efforts in the district have been provided passes their movement as and when required will be allowed on production of valid IDs along with duty slips issued to them by their concerned HODs.

The order states that all movement passes issued from the office of the District Magistrate from March 20 will continue to remain valid till May 3.

Violations of instructions as given in this order will attract strict proceedings and action under Section 188 of IPC and Section 51 of NDMA

Srinagar: Founder & vice chairman of Kashmir Road safety foundation demands financial assistance to drivers and conductors of Passenger Transport vehicles viz a viz Auto-rickshaw drivers, Maxicab drivers, drivers and conductors of Mini buses, deluxe buses, etc.

Speaking to Kashmir Today, Er. Junaid said ” I request LG of UT J&K and Transport Minister, Govt of India to kindly implement an order wherein they provide financial assistance of ₹ 5,000/= per person. As everybody is aware due to lockdown they are not able to move for earnings.”

Praising maxi cab drivers who are standing with State Disaster management Authority in this Life threatening situation. Mr Nazir added “Transport department have reserved runds in “Passenger Welfare Fund” Account head. With consent from Finance department they should utilise the same for welfare of the people dealing with this sector of trade. In this juncture I request Govt. should support the transport community of UT J&K”

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir recorded death of a septuagenarian and 14 new novel coronavirus cases on Friday. While death toll has mounted to five, the overall tally of the COVID-19 cases in Jammu and Kashmir has gone up 328.

Official sources told GNS that among them nine are from Bandipora, three from Shopian and two from Kupwara district.

Of these cases at least 270 were added this month alone. From the time the first COVID-19 case was announced in J&K on March 09, it took about three weeks for the cases to reach 50-mark. It took the next five days to cross 100-mark, subsequent five days to cross 200-mark and few days to reach 300-mark.

From 52 reported cases by the end of last month, the J&K reached a cumulative tally of 106 cases on April 5.

Till date, the officially confirmed tally stands at 328—54 in Jammu and 274 in Kashmir. Five people have died due to the deadly infection in the J&K while 38—9 in Jammu and 29 in Kashmir divisions have recovered and discharged, leaving the active cases in Kashmir to 241 and 44 in Jammu. (GNS)

Srinagar: All education institutions and training institutes in Jammu and Kashmir shall remain closed till May 3, the government ordered on Friday. However, the government has ordered the resumption of all the offices from April 20 as per the manner provided by it.

“All the offices dealing with essential supplies/services shall be fully functional….,” reads the order issued by the government, a copy of which lies with GNS

“All the Educational Institutions/Training Institutes shall remain closed till 3rd May 2020.”

In all other offices, officers of the level of Under Secretary and above have been asked to regularly attend offices from April 20. “33% of Non-Gazetted staff shall attend office as per roster to be devised by the respective Head of offices,” it added.

The staff, workers of Forest Department operating and maintaining zoo, nurseries, wildlife, fire-fighting in forests, watering plantations and patrolling have been asked to “work as usual.”

“The Head of offices shall take necessary steps for implementation of instructions with regard to social distancing, face masks and sanitizing the workplaces in their respective Offices, as per guidelines,” it said, adding, “Arrangements for issuance of passes shall be made by the General Administration Department for Civil Secretariat Employees and by the Deputy Commissioners in respect of officers/officials working in their respective jurisdictions.” (GNS)

“Security update by Zoom and few precautions make it a safe platform”

Govt playing with careers by continuously suspending 4G services

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Srinagar: Condemning government attitude of suspending 4G services, Private Schools Association of Jammu and Kashmir (PSAJK) today said that educational institutes can’t wait endlessly for the situation to normalise and this is the reason schools started the initiative of online classes through social media to compensate for the loss of students.

The Association said that desperate times need desperate solutions and the social media is our only hope to keep our students engaged. “With COVID-19 positive cases emerging every single day all over the world, there is a bleak chance that the normal life would be resumed in a near future. One of its biggest impact has been on the schools and students have been at the loss,” said G N Var president PSAJK. “But we cannot just sit and do nothing. Like the schools all around the world we too started the online classes on social media platforms and it will continue despite limitations of low internet speed.”

The Association said that majority of schools have started online classes on platforms like Microsoft Teams, Skype, WhatsApp, FaceTime, and Google Meet, and the response has been good. “We have been receiving some complaints to Zoom but the company has updated its security and continued with our own few precautions, Zoom is a good platform for online classes,” said Var.

Regarding MHA advisory on Zoom, the Association said that it has been banned mainly for official meetings and the main reason is its routing of traffic through China. “Many of our schools have invested heavily in different professional educational softwares, which are both secure and compatible for classes, but that needs high speed 4G internet and government is in no mood to give that to us,” said Var. “We even went to Supreme Court for restoration of 4G but still nothing is happening. It seems government is playing with the career of lakhs of students.”

Reiterating that Zoom is a secure platform PSAJK asked all of its users to follow guidelines issued by the National Cyber Coordination Centre, which using the platform without any worry.

The guidelines are

1) The user ID and password for each meeting should be regularised, which means you should enter new credentials for each meeting.

2) Set up a waiting room for video meetings by default, so that there can be no unauthorised access by strangers.

3) Also, you are recommended to disable “Join” before enabling “Host” for a video meeting.

4) As far as screen-sharing is concerned, it should be done by Host only. The recording should also be restricted.

5) The Host should disable the “Allow removed participants to rejoin”.

6) The file transfer option should be limited or, better, disabled for certain video meetings that you think may not require file sharing.

7) The Host should lock a video meeting after checking all the participants have joined in.

8) The video meetings, when complete, should be ended rather than being just left by the host, as well as the participants.

Srinagar: An elderly patient from North Kashmir’s Sopore hamlet passed away due to Covid-19 infection here at JVC SKIMS Bemina hospital in Kashmir capital Srinagar.With the death of the patient, the toll in Jammu and Kashmir has touched to 5. Four persons have died of Covid-19 infection in Kashmir, while one died in Udhampur. Medical Superintendent JVC SKIMS, Bemina, Dr Shafia Deva told KNT that a Covid-19 patient who was admitted in the hospital after he was declared positive died this afternoon.

“An elderly man from North Kashmir was admitted in our hospital on April 2 and today he died,” she said.

Divulging information about the patient, Principal JVC, Dr Reyaz Untoo told KNT that the patient was suffering from acute chest problem. “Before getting admitted here at JVC SKIMS Hospital on 2 April, he was under observation at Chest Disease Hospital Srinagar. The patient hailing from Armpora Sopore was 76 year old and had a clinical history. He was a chain smoker, suffering from acute chest problem and besides being a Covid-19 patient, the elderly deceased person was asthmatic and was also having blood-pressure history,” Dr Untoo said. The total number of positive Covid-19 cases in Jammu and Kashmir stand at 314, with 54 reported from the Jammu region while 260 are from Kashmir.

Among the 314 Covid-19 cases Srinagar has highest rate of active as well as recovery cases. 11 patients from Srinagar has recovered from this disease and at present there are 64 cases. 10 patients from North Kashmir’s Bandipora have also recovered followed by Shopian 2, Udhampur 4, Budgam and Jammu 3 while one patient each has recovered in Pulwama, Rajouri and Kishtwar.

Srinagar has 65 active positive cases followed by Banipora 54, Baramulla 41, Kupwara 25, Shopian 12, Ganderbal 14, Budgam 9, Kulgam 5, Pulwama 2, Anantnag 1, Jammu 23, Udhampur 15, Rajouri 2 and Samba 4.

Among the 314 positive cases, 272 are active, 38 have recovered and 5 have died due to this lethal infection. (KNT)