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Srinagar: Amid continuous lockdown across Jammu and Kashmir, the government on Saturday said that fresh guidelines is being formulated and will be issued on June 08.

Talking exclusively to news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, P K Pole said that the future course has not been decided yet, but a new guideline is being framed.

He said that the guidelines will be made public on June 08, when the ongoing phase of lockdown will come to an end in Jammu and Kashmir.

“The fresh guidelines will be compiled till Monday following which it will be made public,” he said.

About Amarnath Yatra, the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir said the government said that the final call in this regard has to be taken by the Shrine Board. “The shrine board will have to take a final call regarding the Amarnath Yatra keeping in view of the prevalent situation due to COVID outbreak,” he said—(KNO)

Locals apprehensive about them of being Covid carriers, Dist Admin to look into the issue

Srinagar: The sudden arrival of non-local street vendors in Srinagar areas has made the srinagarities apprehensive about them being covid carriers.

According to news agency KINS, many residents of Srinagar questioned the authorities to check how a large number of non-J&K street vendors have managed to set up stalls selling juice, fruit and also fried vegetables etc on city roads.

“This is really a cause of worry. At a time, when entire Kashmir is fighting the pandemic, these non-locals have arrived in large numbers. We are not against their arrival, but the question is have they been tested anywhere for the Covid-19? Can’t they be potential virus carriers,” asked waseem Ahmad, a local resident of Jawahar Nagar area of Srinagar.

Non-J&K residents could be spotted at Jehangir Chowk area of Srinagar.

Many of them were selling fruit, coconut and juice on small carts. One of them identified himself as Ravi Kumar. When asked when did he arrive in Srinagar, he said that he never left the city and was in Srinagar only. His assertions surprised many local vegetable and fruit sellers.

“I haven’t left Srinagar since last year and I am living in a rented accommodation with other people from Bihar,” Kumar said.

He said at least nine people including him are living in a rented room at Rajbagh area of Srinagar.

An elderly man who identified himself as Ghulam Muhammad Khan, present on the occasion, said God knows whether Ravi is lying or speaking truth. “Kashmir is sitting on a Covid bomb. I myself saw many non-JK residents selling juice at Chattabal and Safa Kadal areas,” Khan said and left.

An official told news agency KINS that there has been a robust system for screening of all arrivals be that locals or non-locals at the airport as well as on the Srinagar-Jammu highway. “We will still check through our special teams how these non-locals have started setting up their carts in Srinagar parts,” the official from the Srinagar administration said. (KINS)

Ganderbal: At least five troopers injured after a Pump Action Gun went off accidentally at a CRPF camp at Dignibal area of Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district.

Dignibal area falls under the jurisdiction of police post Nagbal.

Sources told news agency KNT that a Pump Action Gun fire accidentally went at E-Coy 21 Battalion of CRPF at Dignibal in which 5 troopers were injured.

The injured were immediately shifted to their main Battalion Headquarter located at Dalgate Srinagar.

Sources identified that injured troopers as Head Constable Sanwar Mal, Constable Harendar Singh, Constable Utpal Kant, Constable Hanvipul Kumar and Constable Amarjeet Singh.

CRPF Spokesperson Pankajh Singh feigned ignorance about the incident. “I have not knowledge about the incident. It may have happened but I don’t know anything,” Singh told KNT.

PTI

Udhampur: An overnight downpour damaged a key bridge in Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Saturday, as authorities announced its closure till the completion of necessary repair work.

A major portion of the Birwan bridge on old Jammu-Srinagar national highway near Udhampur got washed away by the heavy rains, the officials said.

They said though the bridge was already under repairs and was only open for one-way traffic for the last three months, the latest damage rendered it unsafe.

Udhampur District Development Commissioner Piyush Singla immediately ordered closure of the bridge for vehicular traffic and asked the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) to speed up restoration work.

The traffic was diverted to Jammu-Srinagar national highway due to the closure of the bridge, which is connecting over two lakh population besides being vital for the movement of security forces, the officials said, adding all Udhampur-bound traffic has now to cover additional 18 km to reach the district headquarters.

The BRO, which is looking after this road, has moved its men and machinery to ensure early restoration of the bridge, the officials said.

They say they are under distress with some of them facing medical emergencies, visa issues and others running out of money and other means.

PTI

Around 800 Kashmiris stranded in Dubai due to the COVID-19 outbreak have arranged two chartered flights for their return to the Valley and urged the Indian government to expedite the clearance for their landing in Srinagar.

They say they have been appealing to the Centre to evacuate them to the Valley as they were facing severe problems surviving there without jobs

They say they are under distress with some of them facing medical emergencies, visa issues and others running out of money and other means.

Sajad Ahmad, one of the stranded Kashmiris, said that so far only one flight under the government’s Vande Bharat Mission has been operated from Dubai.

The first flight under the mission was in May and another is scheduled for June 11 in which about 150 of them are being brought back, he said.

“My visa has been cancelled by the company because of coronavirus. It has been three months without any salary. Now I do not have any money left,” he said.

Another Kashmiri, who did not wish to be identified, said most of them have no sources of income and they depend on some well-to-do Kashmiri families there who are providing them food.

“There are many medical emergencies including pregnant women. Many people have lost jobs, some have visit visas and we have no sources of survival left now,” he said, appealing for help.

They said they have now arranged two chartered flights from Dubai to Srinagar and want the government to expedite the procedure for approving their landings at the airport here.

“We have somehow managed, by pooling money, to arrange and then secure an approval for non-stop chartered flights to be operated by Fly Dubai on June 9 and 10. The dates are pending approval by the authorities in Dubai and Srinagar airports. All other formalities have been completed,” Aamir Rafiq, who is among those stranded in Dubai, claimed.

Officials at the Srinagar airport also said the airport authorities have been approached regarding the chartered flights.

However, a decision on them has to be taken by the ministries of external affairs, defence, civil aviation, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Airports Authority of India in consultation with the civil administration here, they said.

“This is not something directly under the authority of Srinagar airport. For any international flight, the approval of the MEA is a must. Then, since this airport is a defence airfield, the approval of MoD (Ministry of Defence) is also required,” an official at the airport said.

He said the permission of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the DGCA is also required for such a flight to land at any airport in the country.

“After securing the permission from these four, it goes to an apex team which includes AAI and Air Force for slot availability. Then, the civil administration is required to approve the flight landing because it is COVID time and it has to be checked whether they can handle the flight on a given day and time or not,” he said.

The official said the Srinagar airport has no problem in permitting the flights to land once the required approvals are secured.

Military spokesperson claimed that it was the eighth Indian quadcopter to be shot down by the Pakistan Army troops this year.

PTI

The Pakistan Army on Saturday claimed to have shot down an “Indian spying quadcopter” allegedly intruding across the Line of Control (LoC).

Military spokesperson Major General Babar Iftikhar said that the mini copter violated the country’s airspace in Khanjar sector of the LoC.

“The quadcopter had intruded 500mts on Pakistan’s side of the LoC, he said in a statement.

The perils of post-370 diplomacy

The spokesman claimed that it was the eighth Indian quadcopter to be shot down by the Pakistan Army troops this year.

Last month, two such quadcopters were downed, the first on May 27 and the second on May 29 after they allegedly intruded deep inside the Pakistani territory, he said. India has dismissed previous such claims by the Pakistan Army.

The ties between the two nations strained following the Balakot strike when the Indian Air Force jets bombed a Jaish-e-Mohammed training camp in Pakistan on February 26 last year to avenge the killing of 40 Central Reserve Police Force personnel in the Pulwama terror attack on February 14.

Pakistan retaliated on February 27 by attempting to target Indian military installations. The ties further nose-dived after New Delhi abrogated Article 370 that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir in August last year. Pakistan downgraded diplomatic relations with India and expelled the Indian High Commissioner.

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir reported the third death due to covid-19 on Saturday as 70-year-old man’s swab sample returned positive for the virus, hours after his death at SMHS hospital here. His death has taken the overall fatality toll due to the virus in J&K to 39.

A resident of Handwara area of north Kashmir Kupwara district, the septuagenarian was brought to the hospital around 2:30 to 3 a.m. on Saturday and died within an hour after admission, Medical Superintendent SMHS hospital Dr Nazir Choudhary told GNS.

“He had multiple problems and died of bilateral pneumonia,” he said. The hospital authorities, sources said, had kept the body in mortuary and would be handed over as per covid-19 protocol, sources said.
Earlier in the day, a 70-year-old man from Shopian and another 62-years-old from Jammu succumbed to the virus.

Medical superintendent CD hospital Dr. Saleem Tak told GNS that 72-year-old man from Shopian was shifted to CD hospital yesterday. “He had underlying symptoms and died today,” he said.

Dr. Kirti Bhushan, deputy medical superintendent GMC Jammu, said that the elderly woman from Miran Sahib Jammu was admitted on 24 May and tested positive subsequently. “She was suffering from heart and orthopedic problems,” he added.

With the latest fatalities, the death toll due to the virus in J&K has gone up to 39. So far Srinagar district with nine deaths due to the virus has the highest fatalities, followed by Baramulla seven, Anantnag five, Kulgam four, three each in Shopian and Jammu, two each in Budgam and Kupwara while one death each has been reported from Bandipora, Doda and Udhampur. (GNS)

Srinagar: The 1st-semester students of Institute of Technology (IOT), University of Kashmir on Saturday expressed anguish over the varsity’s decision to conduct online examination amid the COVID19 lockdown.

Aggrieved Bachelor of Technology students told news agency KINS that they are “forced” to appear in online exams despite having not read or covered the required syllabus due to COVID19 lockdown.

“The authorities at IOT are showing no respect to the guidelines. We are forced to appear in online external examinations. This dictate is a cause of our mental agony and distress,” said aggrieved students.

They added that they have been asked to appear in online exams on 15 June, this year and in viva subsequently.
Amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, most of the Universities across the country have announced to promote students to the next semester without having to appear for exams 2020.

Kashmir University had also decided to promote undergraduate students on the basis of internal evaluation to be done by the colleges. KU had taken the decision in a meeting convened by Dean College Development Council, KU with College Principals and Director Colleges J&K.

However, the B.Tech students said that “authorities at IOT are floating all norms and are issuing dictates to helpless students.”

Meanwhile students in a text message to KINS said, “ As everyone is aware of the trauma that Kashmiris have undergone post-August 5 and with pandemic adding more to the miseries, the academics has already suffered through one way or the other. Be it the turmoil or reduced low speed data, we have been victimised. Our main campus has promoted both UG and PG students on the basis of internal assessment but unlike main campus and other varsities we have been rendered helpless and are being harassed”.

“Our department is stubborn for conducting exams in the form of MCQ’s and Viva which is completely impossible for us in such traumatic situation with 2G internet facility. In addition to all this when students try to reach higher authorities they are being harassed”.

Students further alleged, “When we contacted a senior official of Zakura Campus to address the matter he issued threats and warned of serious and strict action. Our careers are being put at stake. We request that our Viva and MCQ exam be cancelled”
When KINS contacted Dean School of engineering university of Kashmir, Syed Muzafar Andrabi, he said that external online exams are held to make assessment of students’ performance. “It is the merit achieved in this exam that would determine how many marks could be awarded to the student while promoting him to next semester,” he said.

He added that students don’t need to come to the examination centre but will be provided question papers via virtual mode at their respective homes. “They have to submit answer sheets back through via virtual mode too,” he said.

He said that the authorities understand the present circumstances and that every decision is being taken for the benefit of the students. “I appeal to students not to make any issue out of it but rather concentrate on their studies,” he said.

Syed Muzafar Andrabi denied the allegations that any student has been threatened by the authorities. (KINS)