Srinagar: Authorities on Sunday decided to keep the schools and higher educational institutes including coaching centers closed in Jammu and Kashmir till further orders.

However, the educational institutions have been “permitted to seek personal attendance of vaccinated staff/students for administrative purposes and Independence day celebrations subject to limit of 25 and strict adherence to Covid Appropriate Behaviour.”

The decision was taken at a review meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Arun Kumar, who is also Chairperson State Executive Committee.

The meeting was attended by the additional Chief Secretary, Health and Medical Education, Principal Secretary to Government, Home, Divisional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, Superintendents of Police and other officers of Jammu and Kashmir.

“All school and higher educational institutions, including coaching centers, shall continue to remain closed for onsite / in-person teaching, till further orders,” reads the order.

However, the educational institutions are permitted to seek personal attendance of vaccinated

Staff or students for administrative purposes and Independence Day celebrations subject to limit of 25 and strict adherence to Covid Appropriate Behaviour, the order added

All Deputy Commissioners have been asked to intensify testing by making optimum use of available RT-PCR and RAT capacities. There shall be no drop in testing levels

The government also reiterated that there shall be no weekend curfew in any district of Jammu and Kashmir. Also, night curfew shall continue to remain in force in all districts from 8 pm to 7 am, the order said.

“The maximum number of people permitted to attend any indoor/ outdoor gathering shall be restricted to 25,” it reads.

All Deputy Commissioners have been also asked to focus on the positivity rates of the medical-blocks under their jurisdictions.

“Intensified measures, related to Covid management and restriction of activities, shall be undertaken by the DCs in these Blocks,” the order reads, adding, “There shall be renewed focus on Panchayat level mapping of cases and effective micro-containment zones shall be constituted wherever unusual spike of cases is noticed.”

The deputy commissioners, the government said, shall keep active track of the positivity rates in the Blocks and consider implementing stricter control measures in closed clustered spaces like Public or Private Offices, community halls, malls, bazaars etc in case weekly positivity rate goes beyond 4 percent in these Blocks.

“The three – “T” protocol of testing, tracking and treating, besides vaccination, needs to strengthened in these Blocks. The proportion of RT-PCR tests in the total mix should be scaled up, on best effort basis, to 70 % or more, excluding travelers.”

The government also asked the District Magistrates to strictly ensure that there was full compliance to COVID appropriate behavior and defaulters are firmly dealt with under relevant sections of the Disaster Management Act and the Indian Penal Code.

“The District Magistrates shall constitute joint teams of Police and Executive Magistrates for intensifying enforcement of Covid Appropriate Behaviour,” it said, adding, “The joint teams shall submit daily report regarding activities carried out by them and their assessment of compliance level. DCs will intensify the campaigns for ensuring COVID appropriate behavior. Dedicated IEC, including Public Announcements through mobile vehicles must be undertaken.” (GNS)

Mahoba: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch Ujjwala 2.0 from Uttar Pradesh on August 10 ahead of assembly elections again, after launching the scheme 1.0 from UP in 2016 that led to a big 2017 assembly win.

A repeat is now being attempted as the prime minister will launch the second edition of the scheme from Mahoba in the rugged Bundelkhand on August 10, six months before UP votes in 2022.

UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the new Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri will be in Mahoba for the launch of the second edition of the scheme while PM Modi will speak via video link, officials here on Sunday said.

The prime minister is expected to stress how lives have been changed in UP with the free LPG connections under Ujjwala scheme and how his government helped the needy by sending free refills to the beneficiaries during the Covid pandemic along with the free rations.

Around one crore families would get benefitted in Ujjawala 2.0 scheme in the country, sources said.

An LPG cylinder connection through the PM Ujjwala Yojana launched in 2016 from Balia in Uttar Pradesh by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is what had emerged as a major reason behind BJP’s big win in the Uttar Pradesh elections in 2017 and the excellent BJP performance from the state in the 2019 general elections as well.

Over 1.47 crore families in UP, covering nearly half the state’s population, got these connections by 2019.

That a cylinder rings a bell in Uttar Pradesh got reinforced in the Covid times as well after the Centre announced last year that three free refills would be given to each Ujjwala scheme beneficiary in the country during the pandemic.

A total of 2.71 crore free refills have been accounted for in UP in the last one year by the 1.47 crore beneficiaries, out of the 14 crore free refills given country-wide to the Ujjwala beneficiaries. The refills are otherwise offered at subsidised rates to Ujjwala beneficiaries across the country.

PM Modi travelled to Balia in UP on May 1, 2016, to launch the country-wide scheme under which eight crore people in the country got free LPG connections. This was just a few months before the 2017 assembly elections in UP which the BJP swept. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections too, the scheme had rung a bell among the electorate in Uttar Pradesh as per the internal assessment of the party as the state was the biggest beneficiary of the scheme given its population, getting over 1.47 crore LPG connections.

Ahead of the 2022 UP elections, the PM has now chosen the state again from where to launch the second edition of the Ujjwala Scheme. One crore more LPG connections will be released country-wide under the extended scheme, and UP is again expected to account for the maximum connections amongst all states. (UNI)

New Delhi: Congratulating Indian contingent for their stupendous performance at the Tokyo Olympics which concluded on Sunday evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that this is the time to keep working to further popularize sports at the grassroots so that new talent emerges and gets the opportunity to represent India in the times to come.

India is coming home with its biggest ever medals haul at a single Olympics with seven medals (1 Gold, 2 Silver and 4 Bronze), bettering the London 2012 Olympics (6 medals, 2 Silver, 4 Bronze) by one medal.

“The Indian contingent personified the best of skill, teamwork and dedication. Every athlete who represented India is a champion,” the Prime Minister posted on Twitter.

Modi also thanked the government and people of Japan for hosting a well organised games.

“To host it so successfully, in such times, gave out a strong message of resilience. It also demonstrated how sports is a great unifier,’ the Prime Minister said.

International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach declared the Games closed after the French flag was raised inside Olympic Stadium for the transition to Paris 2024. This Olympics featured 33 sports made up of 339 medal events, with karate, surfing, skateboarding and sport climbing making their debuts. (UNI)

Srinagar: Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Pandurang K Pole Sunday called for immediate access cutting of all encroached patches, a move to discourage encroachment of wetlands in Kashmir.

Div Com said this while chairing a meeting of concerned officers on conservation of wetlands in Kashmir.

Stressing on conservation of wetlands, the  Div Com reviewed the progress made with regard to demarcation, land transfer, installation of boundary walls, geo coordinate, pillars and removal of encroachments of wetlands including Wullar, Hokersar, Gilsar, Shalabugh, Hygam, Krechoo, Dal, Anchar and Manasbal lakes.

He emphasized on expediting anti- encroachments drives in all wetlands and instructed on access cutting of all encroached patches to disallow illegal paddy farming and other plantations.

Div Com directed concerned DCs to take stringent action including registering FIRs against the offenders indulging in repeated encroachments.

He also called for installation of proper sewage treatment and carrying out of swift  de-weeding at all identified spots is carried out.

Div Com lays stress on no dumping of garbage is allowed and demarcation of all pending areas be completed including installation of boundary pillars to prevent illegal encroachments on wetlands.

Emphasizing on carrying out beautification work on wetlands, he instructed for massive awareness generation on the importance of wetland conservation.

Among others, the Deputy Commissioners of Bandipora, Ganderbal, ADDC Budgam, ADC Pulwama and Baramulla attended the meeting through videoconferencing.

While as Director Rakhs and Farms, CED Wullar Conservation, Regional Wildlife Warden Kashmir, CE I&FC, RD SPCB, ADC Srinagar, JC SMC and various other concerned officers attended the meeting.

Srinagar: Police in Jammu and Kashmir’s Budgam district said on Sunday that it has arrested a government teacher from whose possession 103 bottles of banned drug, codeine were recovered.

Police said they intercepted a vehicle in the Wadwan area of Budgam district and during a search of the vehicle, 103 bottles of codeine were recovered.

“During questioning, it was revealed that the driver of the vehicle, Syed Irfan-ul-Haq who belongs to the Khayam locality in Srinagar city, is a lecturer in the school education department.

“Both the accused and the vehicle have been taken into possession and a case under the NDPS act has been registered”, police said.

It must be mentioned that if proved in the court of law, the accused can be punished for 10 years rigorous imprisonment and a fine up to Rs one lakh under the narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances (NDPS) act 1985. (IANS)

By: M S Nazki

Jammu: Success continues to elude rescuers as there was still no trace of 19 persons who went missing following a cloudburst at Honzar Dachan in Kishtwar district as rescuers continued the operation on Sunday.

Eight women among 19 persons went missing following the cloudburst and subsequent flash floods in the remote village on intervening night of July 27 and 28.

On Monday last, Director General of Police Dilbag Singh had an aerial survey of the village. He also chaired a high-level meeting during which, among others, he stressed the need for intensifying the rescue operation to trace the missing persons.

Authorities have pressed teams of NDRF and SDRF for carrying out the rescue operation.  Several teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) with “sophisticated equipment” were earlier involved in the operation along with other rescuers from police, Army and local volunteers, the officials said.

Success has been eluding the search teams after seven bodies were recovered and seventeen persons rescued in injured condition after the calamity on Wednesday last.

The missing persons include Saja Begum (60) wife of Ghulam Mohidin, Khursheed Ahmed (31) son of Mohammad Iqbal, Fida Hussain (26) son of Mohammad Ramzan, Mohammad Sharif  (40) son of Ghulam Rasool, Almina Tasbassum (22) daughter of Mohammad Iqbal, Mata Begum (45) wife of Lala Tantry, Ghulam Mohammad (70) son of Ghulam Rasool, Fazal Hussain (18) son of Rustom Ali Chopan, Tariq Hussain (50) son of Nazir Ahmed, Zarina Begum (40) wife of Tariq Hussain, Mata Begum (45) wife of Ghulam Rasool, Fatima Begum (56) wife of Ghulam Ahmed, Bashir Ahmed (45) son of Rustum Ali, Begum (45) wife of Abdul Rehman, Sharifa Begum (38) wife of Ghulam Mohammad, Shakir Hussain (22) son of Ghulam Ahmed, Ghulam Ahmed (65) son of Abdul Aziz, Zubaida Banoo (25) daughter of Ghulam Ahmed and Khalid son of Haji Gami.

The police have also started a community kitchen since last Saturday to provide meals to affected people of village Hounzar. The police said to have erected tents to provide the temporary shelter at the site. (GNS)

Pays obeisance at Sheikh Noor ud Din Noorani’s (RA) shrine

Kulgam: Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Pandurang K Pole, Sunday visited District Kulgam where he paid obeisance at shrine of Sheikh Noor ud Din Noorani (RA) at Chimmer Noorabad.

He also took stock of facilities available here for devotees and also met shrine management.

Earlier, the Divisional Commissioner visited Pachanpathri meadow in DH Pora where he witnessed a cricket match between two local teams. He also interacted with players   as well as local residents.

After interacting with local youth, Div Com assured better sports facilities in the area.

He said that the Govt is committed to promote sports and facilitate youth with all required facilities to showcase their talent in different sports categories.

Appealing youth to play sports, Div Com stated that indulging in sports activities was not only mantra to remain fit and healthy but is also helpful in staying away from unhealthy practices including drug addiction.

Locals apprised the Divisional Commissioner about the scenic beauty of area having vast potential for tourism promotion besides raising various issues and demands with him.

Locals demanded putting up various basic facilities and other tourism related infrastructure in the area.

They also demanded for inclusion of Panchanpathri, BadiBehak and other areas on the tourist map.

The demands raised by locals also included installation of towers for cellular network and upgradation of road connectivity particularly one leading to Pachanpathri meadow at an earliest.

Speaking on the occasion, the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir said that the Government intends to develop and augment facilities at new tourist destinations in Kashmir to boost tourism sector.

He assured locals that all their genuine demands shall be looked into on priority.

Visits hospitals in south, central Kashmir

Srinagar: Director Health Services Kashmir, Dr Mushtaq Ahmed Rather on Sunday took an extensive tour to south and central Kashmir hospitals to take first hand appraisal of health care facilities and arrangements in view of possible third wave.

A spokesperson of DHSK said the aim of the tour was to take a first-hand appraisal of the patient care particularly the functioning of ICUs, NICU, PICU, SNCUs, HDUs and establishment of addiction treatment facilities (ATFs).

After starting from Srinagar, Director visited SDH Pakherpora and Charar-e-Sharief to see the work on under-construction two buildings which are being given finishing touch by the concerned executive agencies before the inauguration.

Director was accompanied by Controller Stores DHKS, Chief Accounts Officer DHSK, Deputy Director Planning, concerned CMOs, BMO other officials of various executing agencies.

At Pakherpora and Charar-e-Sharief, the director took review of the building and directed the executive agencies to give finishing touch of the hospitals buildings on priority so that they are inaugurated soon by the government.

Later, the director visited Shopian and took review of NICU, PICU, HDU, addiction treatment facilities (ATFs) and inspected all sections of the hospital.

Director also paid a visit to District Hospital Kulgam and took stock of the health care arrangements being provided to people.

He also visited the fair price shops in these hospitals and directed Medical Superintendents; CMOs to keep Jan Aushadhi Centres open 24/7 for the public good.

He visited the fair price shops in these hospitals and directed the shop owners to give 10% discount on medicines to patients.

The director directed healthcare workers to work with zeal and zest for patient care.

He also visited Trauma Hospital Bijbehara and reviewed all the health care facilities.

Pertinently, on Saturday evening, the director also paid a visit to DH Pulwama, NTPHC Kakapora and SDH Pampore where he took review of NICU, PICU, HDUs, and interacted with the staff.

By: Nadeem Nadu

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir reported 122 fresh covid-19 cases even as three persons succumbed to the virus in the last 24 hours, officials said on Sunday.

They said 43 of the cases were reported from Jammu Division and 79 from Kashmir Valley, taking the infection tally to 322550 in J&K.

Providing the district-wise details, they said, Srinagar reported 29 cases, Baramulla 9, Budgam 15, Pulwama 6, Kupwara 3, Anantnag 1, Bandipora 4, Ganderbal 8, Kulgam 4, Shopian 0, Jammu 9, Udhampur 3, Rajouri 6, Doda 11, Kathua 2, Samba 0, Kishtwar 10, Poonch 2, Ramban 0 and Reasi 0.

Meanwhile, three persons succumbed to the virus—two from Jammu and one from Kashmir. So far 4389 people have fallen victim to the pathogen in J&K—2150 in Jammu division and 2239 in Kashmir.

Moreover, the officials said that 129 more COVID-19 patients have recovered, 47 from Jammu Division and 82 from Kashmir Valley.

So far, 316761 people have recovered, leaving the number of active cases at 1400—578 in Jammu and 822 in Kashmir.

There was no confirmed case of black fungus reported today. So far 37 black fungus cases have been confirmed in J&K, the officials added.

As government informed the people that the best way to protect themselves from COVID-19 is by maintaining physical distance of at least 2 meter from others, frequently cleaning hands with an alcohol based hand sanitizer or washing them with soap and water and following good respiratory etiquette and hygiene.

As a measure for social distancing in public places and workplaces wearing a face cover is compulsory.

The government said early detection of COVID-19 can prevent the spread of disease “so we need to be responsible for the well-being of ourselves and everyone around us,” it said, adding, ““Not disclosing symptoms could put life of individuals and their families at risk. In case of symptoms like fever, cough and difficulty in breathing report early. Do not fear, call COVID-19 helpline numbers and seek medical advice”. (GNS)

By: M S Nazki

Jammu: Navy divers and others continued operation for the sixth day on Sunday to trace pilot and co-pilot of a helicopter of Indian Army’s aviation corps which crashed near Ranjit Sagar Dam in the Basohli area of Kathua, officials said.

The helicopter crashed around 1020 hours on Tuesday. Later teams of Police and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) rushed to the site and started rescue operations. However the success eluded them till evening when the operation was called off due to darkness.

On Wednesday, army pressed navy divers into service to find out the missing pilots. “There was no trace of the missing pilots as rescue operation by army and navy divers continued,” the officials said.

So far some helicopter parts were recovered along with a helmet, two big size bags and one shoe, the officials said.

The operation was suspended on Sunday evening and would be resumed on Monday morning, the officials said. (GNS)