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Srinagar: Kashmir Valley reported two more deaths due to covid-19, taking the fatality count due to the virus in J&K to 129, officials said on Sunday.

Among them, a 40-year-old man from Baramulla died at CD hospital, one of the exclusive facilities for the management of the covid-19 patients in Valley, while another, a 70-year-old man from Anantnag district passed away at SKIMS Soura.

Medical Superintendent CD Hospital, Dr Salim Tak, told GNS that the patient, a resident of Sangrama Sopore area of the northern Kashmir district, was suffering from bilateral pneumonia. “He was shifted from SMHS hospital to CD hospital on June 27,” he added.

Medical Superintendent SKIMS Soura, Professor Farooq Jan, told GNS that the septuagenarian was admitted in ward 2A of the hospital on July 3 with bilateral pneumonia with Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).

“His sample for covid19 was collected on the same day and came out positive on July 4,” he said, adding, “The patient was on NIV support and his attendants had given negative consent for intubation. The patient expired at 10 p.m. on July 4.” The body was kept in mortuary overnight, he said.

With the deaths, 129 people have succumbed to the virus in J&K— 115 from the Valley and 14 from Jammu division.

Srinagar district with 30 deaths has the highest fatalities followed by Baramulla (23), Kulgam (16), Shopian (13), Anantnag (11), Budgam (100, Jammu(8), Kupwara (7), Pulwama (four), Doda (two) while one death each has been reported from Bandipora, Ganderbal, Poonch, Udhampur, Rajouri and Kathua. (GNS)

India Today

The stand-off between the Indian and Chinese armies in eastern Ladakh is now in its ninth week. A conversation between the two foreign ministers, three rounds of Corps Commander-level talks, other discussions at the diplomatic and military levels have failed to break the impasse. On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the “enemies of India have seen the fire and fury of our forces”, and warned that “India’s commitment to peace should not be seen as its weakness”.

What options are available to India to restore status quo ante on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the region?

OPTION 1: Evict the Chinese by force, destroy what they built

The most straightforward course of action would be for Indian soldiers to push out the Chinese from the new areas that they have occupied in the last eight weeks, and destroy all the infrastructure China has built on the Indian side of the LAC.

This, however, will almost certainly lead to military escalation and in a full-blown war. Even the limited attempt to evict the Chinese from the observation post near PP14 on June 15 led to the clash in which 20 Indian soldiers and an unspecified number of Chinese lost their lives.

In the areas where the Chinese have come over to the Indian side of the LAC, the Indian Army may not be well disposed, due to constraints of terrain or infrastructure, to execute such a precisely targeted operation successfully. Also, some of the areas that the Chinese have entered are claimed by both countries, with no agreement over the alignment of the LAC. This will make it difficult for New Delhi to garner international support for its move.

A map of the Ladakh region. (Express)

OPTION 2: ‘Quid pro quo’ tactic

There are areas on the LAC that are not strongly defended by the Chinese, where Indian soldiers can move in and occupy a swathe of Chinese territory. At the negotiating table, the two sides can then exchange the occupied territories, and restore status quo ante. This option has been discussed at the highest levels — most noticeably in the 2012 policy document ‘Non-alignment 2.0’ — and is believed to have also been war-gamed by the military. According to strategic affairs analyst Ashley Tellis, the 2013 Chinese incursion in Depsang was reversed within three weeks after the Indian Army moved to the Chinese side in Chumar, and did some construction of their own. In the negotiations that followed, the two sides agreed to return to their earlier positions.

The ‘QPQ’ option exists even now, as the entire LAC from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh cannot be physically defended by the Chinese army. But such proactive options have a certain window of opportunity, which may have been lost after eight weeks of tensions. Also, it carries the risk of military escalation, as the Chinese may misread it as a larger military attack, or see it as a provocation.

PROBABILITY: Unlikely, but possible.

OPTION 3: Hold the line and negotiate

In this scenario, the Indian Army “holds the line” by deploying in strength along the LAC to ensure that the Chinese do not ingress deeper. This stops the Chinese at their current positions, while preparing Indian defences and allowing for a buildup of troops for any eventuality that may arise. The forces also get time to build up arsenal and stocks through import of critical material.

Talks are held simultaneously, including, if required, at the highest political level, to ensure the Chinese side returns to status quo ante. These are backed up by non-military moves against the Chinese, in the economic and trade domains, as has been witnessed recently. It allows New Delhi to demonstrate its resolve to the Chinese, while signalling to the world that it is a responsible power that would not be reckless.

With inputs from India Today

PTI

Jammu: The J&K ACB on Saturday indicted four government officials, including an SDM, for allegedly extracting a bribe of Rs 60,000 for clearing a private individual’s claim for compensation against damages to trees on public land in a road construction work.

The ACB made the indictment in a charge-sheet filed in an anti-corruption court of a special judge.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau filed the charge-sheet after the completion of the probe and other relevant formalities, an ACB spokesperson said.

He said the accused in the 2011 case include former Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Mahore, Mohammad Hanief Malik, erstwhile Forester Abdul Majid Bhat, Arnas’ ex-Naib Tehsildar Vijay Kumar Sharma and ex-Patwari Abdul Rashid.

The spokesman said the case was registered in 2011 on the complaint of Dansal-Mahore resident Ghulam Nabi of Reasi district.

He had claimed that Rashid and Malik had demanded and accepted Rs 60,000 and other gods from him for the release of compensation amount for the damage caused to the trees in their land during the construction of an approach road from Duga Dansal by Konkan Railways during 2006-07.

He had also alleged that the officials were demanding another sum of Rs one lakh for the release of the compensation amount.

The spokesperson said during the probe it transpired that Ghulam Nabi and his father Hussaina had claimed the compensation for damage to some trees caused during the construction of the approach road.

The probe, however, further revealed that the land belonged to the Forest Department and was in illegal possession of Nabi and his three brothers, he said.

During the probe, it was established that the then Patwari had prepared a fake assessment report in favour of Hussaina and his sons Jamal Din and Bag Hussain regarding the damage to the trees due to the construction of the road by Konkan Railways, despite the actual loss being that of the government.

Rashid had then demanded and accepted Rs 60,000 and other edible items from the complainant, while the ex-Naib Tehsildar countersigned and authenticated the fake assessment report prepared by the Patwari, the spokesperson said.

He said Majid being the employee of the Forest Department and in-charge of the block knew that the loss was caused to the government but prepared the assessment report and facilitated the processing of the fake compensation case.

He said Malik, the then SDM, Mahore as supervisory officer forwarded the fake assessment report for the release of compensation without ascertaining the facts regarding actual damage, thereby becoming instrumental in fraud.

Srinagar: Hailing from Budgam, Adil Ahmad, whose father is suffering from liver disease, had to see a doctor in Srinagar. He had 12th number and was told to reach the clinic at 7 in the morning in Srinagar. Knowing that it was not possible to reach early in the morning, he stayed at a relative’s house in Srinagar.

“We are forced to visit private clinics despite there being a selective ban on doctors in Kashmir,” he said, who is a carpenter by profession.
He said that there was no accountability on doctors. “Doctors in Kashmir prefer private practice over government hospitals,” he told news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS).

There are scores of doctors who see patients at the private clinics and write prescriptions on plain papers to avoid trouble, which don’t carry their names and other details.

“If a doctor entertains a huge number of patients at his private clinic, with his tired mind what justice can he deliver to patients at hospital,” a retired SKIMS doctor questioned.

The government has banned private practise of principals, medical superintendents, deputy medical superintendents, CMOs and HoDs in government medical colleges, govt dental colleges, and associated hospitals in J&K.

According to the norms they are supposed to be stationed at their respective places. In contrary, some of them bluntly violate the norms.

A senior faculty in one of the hospitals writes prescriptions on plain papers. “He can’t do private practice as per the rules. Despite that he indulges in private practice,” an official said.

The private practice stands banned for SKIMS doctors since they get monthly non practicing allowances. The government had imposed a blanket ban on the private practice of doctors at SKIMS after the latter launched an agitation during 2003-2004 demanding they should be treated at par with their counterparts from AIIMS, New Delhi, vis-a-vis salary and other benefits.

These doctors had given sworn affidavits at the time of joining the hospital that they accept the SKIMS rules and will not indulge in private practice. Despite that a good number of doctors resort to private practice.

A strong lobby of the doctors was stopping the government from taking action against them despite authorities being well aware of the medicos who do private practice.

Government has told doctors several times that they have to choose either between keeping their job or private practice and any violation of the directions will be viewed seriously.

In 2011, former chief minister Omar Abdullah had also warned the SKIMS doctors to shun private practise.

“I know who you are; I know your names and the addresses of your clinics. Please, don’t force me to issue an advertisement in the newspaper and seize your clinics,” Omar had warned.

However, till date there seem no visible results on the ground as these medicos are openly running their private clinics and some even work in private hospitals.

In 2017, the government framed a committee for banning private practice of doctors. Principal Secretary, Health and Medical Education Department was appointed as chairman of the committee while Director Health Services Kashmir, Director AIDS Control Society, and Additional Secretary, Health and Medical Education Department, its members.

Earlier, a Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly panel in 2012 called for imposition of ban on private practice of government doctors, particularly those posted in the government medical colleges and their associated hospitals.
A Committee of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly in 2015 also asked the government to ensure complete ban on private practice of doctors during office hours and closure of all unregistered medical shops and illegal sex determination centres in J&K.

It has been learnt that some of these doctors are using hospital premises and facilities to treat their private patients.(KINS)

Our men on job, norm violators facing law: RTO Kashmir

Srinagar: The transporters who have resumed their work amid COVID-19 pandemic are taking the passengers for a ride in the Valley.

Pertinently, the Jammu and Kashmir government raised the passenger fare in public transport by 30 per cent.

However, the local passengers from different parts of the Valley told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the Sumo drivers who have resumed their work are charging exorbitant fare to them.

The passengers said that the public transporters have been giving different reasons for charging the exorbitant rates, adding that most of the time fare varies between Rs 20 to Rs 40.

“We can’t deny the fact that transporters have suffered huge losses. But, the public transporters should not compensate their losses by taking the common people on ride,” Ali Muhammad, a local residents from Srinagar said.

It is worth to mention here that the transporters resumed their activities after almost eleven months here. The transporters have suffered huge losses due to the shutdown and subsequent lockdown since August 5, 2019 in Jammu and Kashmir.

The passengers here have appealed the concerned authorities to look into the matter.

Meanwhile, Regional Transport Officer (RTO) Kashmir, Ikramullah Tak told KNO that the complainant (passenger) should at least forward the registration number of the particular transporter so that action will be initiated.

“Our teams on the ground have been taking strict action against the norm violators while driving licenses of many drivers were also seized after they were found violating the norms,” Tak said, adding that any person having a complaint should contact the office directly and action will be taken immediately.

“People can even WhatsApp us their complaints vis-à-vis exorbitant charges,” he said—(KNO)

Each Tipper with brick load costs Rs 30,000, Govt in slumber

Srinagar: Amid Covid-19 pandemic, the brick kiln owners have resorted to price hike in Kashmir valley as one tipper load of bricks costs around 30, 000 as against the original price of 18, 000 per 3, 000 bricks.

Locals told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the brick kiln owners have been selling bricks at exorbitant rates and they are selling “B Grade” bricks as “A Grade” at a price of around Rs 30, 000 per 3000 bricks.

They said that the normal price which was fixed by the government was Rs 18, 000 per 3000 bricks i.e. one tipper load but the brick kiln owners are selling the same now at Rs 30, 000 to Rs 33, 000

Malik Javid, a local from Budgam village said that brick prices are skyrocketing and common people can’t even afford to buy bricks at such exorbitant rates. “A tipper load i.e. 3000 bricks would cost Rs 18, 000 before Covid-19 pandemic but now the same is being sold at more than Rs 30, 000 which is in violation of the government fixed rates,” he said.

Meanwhile, the brick kiln owners told KNO that they have suffered huge losses from the last two years and due to Covid-19 they couldn’t make their brick kilns operational but had to pay the laborers their dues for no work.

They said that they operate their kilns on rented space and have to pay them in any situation.

A brick kiln owner from Budgam who wished anonymity said that as admin is busy with Covid-19, some brick kiln owners have huge stock available with them but they are deliberately creating scarcity to make money.

He said that the official rate per 3000 bricks is only Rs 18, 00 but some brick kiln owners are taking undue advantage of the lockdown and have started robbing people by selling a tipper of load bricks at more than Rs 30, 000.

He also said that a brick kiln owner can make up for the loss by increasing the amount to Rs. 4,000 but not to Rs 30, 000 per 3000 bricks.

Meanwhile, district magistrate Budgam has warned the owners not to indulge in unfair trade practices and overcharging.

In an order he said that strict action as warranted under law shall be initiated against those culprits found involved in charging exorbitant rates for construction materials like bricks, sand , stones and other related material—(KNO)

PTI

Jammu: Two suspected drug peddlers were arrested after over three kilograms of poppy straw was recovered from their truck here, police said on Saturday.

Driver Vinod Kumar (28) and his helper Rachhpal Singh (29), both residents of Gurdaspur in Punjab, were coming from Udhampur when their truck was checked at Jehda near Manwal Friday night, a police official said.

He said 3.2 kg of poppy straw was recovered from a polythene bag kept inside the cabin of the truck.

A case under NDPS Act was registered against the arrested persons and further investigation is on, the official said.