Precious Kashmir

Tourist family declines request for postmortem after baby dies in Pahalgam

Jammu & Kashmir

19/07/2021

Pahalgam: A tourist family from Allahabad Uttar Pradesh declined the request of police to go for a postmortem after an 11 months old baby died in Pahalgam Hotel they were staying in.

Police sources said that a 15-member family from Allahabad had arrived in Pahalgam hill station of South Kashmir where 11-month-old baby fell ill. She was taken to Primary Health Centre Pahalgam where doctors declared her brought dead.

The deceased baby was identified as Cherry Sonkar daughter of Gansham Sonkar, a resident of Allahabad UP.

Police sources said that police was keen to go for medico-legal formalities as the mother of the baby had also died couple of months ago.

Sources said that family termed the death of baby as natural and refused to conduct postmortem on baby. (KNT)

Boy drowns to death in Kishtwar

Jammu & Kashmir

Precious Kashmir

19/07/2021

Kishtwar: A boy drowned to death in the river in Kishtwar area of Chenab Valley today.

Local sources said that in order to beat the heat, scores of boys were enjoying bathing in the river near Mughalmaidan.

One of the boys identified as Saqlain Mushtaq, a resident of Brewar Kishtwar failed to make it to the river bank after enjoying a dip.

Locals tried to rescue him, but retrieved him in the state of unconsciousness. The boy was shifted to Sub-District Hospital Chatroo, where doctors declared him brought dead. (KNT)

NC Councilor from Uri joins Congress in Sgr

City

Precious Kashmir

19/07/2021

Srinagar: A prominent National Conference leader Irshad Budoo a Counselor from Uri joined Congress at the Gupkar residence of senior Congress leader Taj Mohi-ud-din in Srinagar on Sunday.

Irshad Ahmad Budoo son of Abdul Aziz Budoo Municipal Councilor Ward 11 was welcomed by senior Congress leader and DDC member from Parinpillan Electoral Constituency Taj Mohi-ud-din along with District president Baramulla and President MC Uri Bharat Kumar.

Taj Mohi-ud-din welcomed the new entrant saying that Congress party is committed to work for an equitable development of all the regions and would take all measures to ensure the welfare of people of Uri.

“Congress Party’s politics is people friendly and the party adheres to the principles which demand sincerity and unwavering efforts to ease out the sufferings of people. The welfare of people is our prime concern,” Mohi-ud-din remarked. (KNT)

Srinagar DCC welcomes Rajni Patil

City

Precious Kashmir

19/07/2021

Srinagar: Srinagar District Congress Committee (DCC) Sunday welcomed the All India Congress Committee’s (AICC) incharge for Jammu and Kashmir Affairs, Rajni Patil.

Patil along with JKPCC Chief G A Mir and Indu Pawar Maahila Congress President visited Dargah Hazratbal shrine where they paid their obeisance. They prayed for peace, progress and prosperity for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

The DCC President Srinagar Haji Abdul Gani Khan along with party members prayed for the peace, unity and the welfare of J&K people.

Congress General Secretary Surinder Singh Channi, Working President Mir Ruvais, Shamima Raina Vice president Mahila Congress, JKPCC General Secretary Shamima Iqbal, Dr Ayub, Shamima Mir, Zulfqar Qureshi, Shamima Sopori, Saira Sameer, Haleem Khan, Muzaffar Shah, Rahila Gulzar Ahmed, Javeed Ahmed, Khursheed Patto and Municipal Coporators Nukul Matto Bashart, Asif Beigh, Ajaz Ahmed and Nazia Sobia were also accompanying them.

1st ODI: Dhawan, Kishan help India thrash Sri Lanka

Sports

Indo Asian News Service

19/07/2021

Colombo: Shikhar Dhawan struck an unbeaten 86 in his first match as Indian team skipper and Ishan Kishan blasted 59 off 42 balls on ODI debut as India thrashed hosts, Sri Lanka, by seven wickets in the first ODI of the three-match series here on Sunday.

The team coached by Rahul Dravid was called a “second-string side” by Sri Lanka’s World Cup-winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga before the start of the tour. And though the hosts were forced to put up a ‘second’ squad after some key players had to be left out due to disciplinary reasons and injuries, the Indians were clinical in executing their plans and won the match without breaking a sweat.

Dhawan led from the front, anchoring the innings as fellow opener Prithvi Shaw and then No. 3 Ishan Kishan blasted the Sri Lankan bowling as India, after restricting the hosts to 262/9 in 50 overs, chased the target with 80 balls to spare.

Skipper Dhawan’s unbeaten 86 came off 95 deliveries as the Indians remained in control throughout, reaching 263 for three in 36.4 overs.

Dhawan and Shaw had set the ball rolling by raising 58 runs for the opening stand before Shaw was caught by Avishka Fernando off Dhananjaya de Silva (2/49). Dhawan continued to keep vigil at the other end as Kishan went about scoring runs and India were in cruise mode.

Earlier, India restricted the Sri Lankans to a modest 262 for nine in their allotted 50 overs thanks to some good work by Deepak Chahar (2/37), Yuzvendra Chahal (2/52) and Kuldeep Yadav (2/48).

Chamika Karunaratne was the top-scorer for Sri Lanka with an unbeaten 43. Many of their players got into double figures but could not post a big score.

Brief scores: Sri Lanka 262/9 in 50 overs (Avishka Fernando 33, Charith Asalanka 38, Dasun Shanaka 39, Chamika Karunaratne 43 not out; Deepak Chahar 2/37, Yuzvendra Chahal 2/52, Kuldeep Yadav 2/48). India 263/3 in 36.4 overs (Prithvi Shaw 43, Shikhar Dhawan 86 not out, Ishan Kishan 59, Suryakumar Yadav 31 not out; Dhananjaya de Silva 2/49).

Monsoon Session may run into rough weather as Oppn gears up to confront govt

National

United News Of India

19/07/2021

New Delhi: The Monsoon session of Parliament, getting underway on Monday, is likely to be bumpy with the opposition gearing up to confront the government over various issues, including farmers’ problems, handling of Covid pandemic, and fuel price hike even as the latter is preparing to get crucial bills passed.
Setting the tone for the session, the government on Sunday held an all-party meeting with the floor leaders of various parties and said it was ready to discuss any issue under the rules.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who chaired the meeting, called for healthy discussions in Parliament and sought the cooperation of the leaders of all political parties.
“As per our traditions of a healthy democracy, issues concerning the people should be raised amicably, and the Government should be given the opportunity to respond to these discussions,” Mr Modi said.
From the government side, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi were among those who attended the meeting.
Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, floor leaders of All India Trinamool Congress Derek O’ Brien, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s Tiruchi Siva, Bahujan Samaj Party’s Satish Mishra and Samajwadi Party’s Ram Gopal Yadav, among others, attended the meeting from the Opposition’s side.
After the all-party meeting, the opposition held a separate party in which several parties announced to move adjournment notices in both Houses of Parliament on Monday over farmers’ issues, RSP leader Premachandran said.
Of the several issues, the farmers’ agitation against the three contentious agri-laws and the unabated rising fuel prices are the most important issues and will be raised by the opposition during the session, he added.
The opposition meeting was attended by leaders of the Congress, TMC, NCP, CPI(M), CPI, IUML, RSP, Shiv Sena and the AAP.
Meanwhile, the Samkyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), which is leading the agitation against the three farm laws, has announced a peaceful march to Parliament tomorrow. During the monsoon session, every day 200 farmers will hold a ‘dharna’ outside Parliament demanding repeal of the three farm laws.
Ahead of the proposed agitation, the Delhi Police today held a discussion with the agitating farmers at the Singhu border which lasted for 45 minutes.
Interacting with the journalists, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait “The routes to be taken by protesters have to be discussed.”
According to reports, seven metro stations are under strict watch and maybe shut if required ahead of the farmers’ protest.
On Friday, the SKM had urged all Opposition Members of Parliament to raise farmers’ demands in Parliament and not stage a walkout.
A release by the SKM said, “SKM issues voters’ whip to all Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members to raise farmers’ demands in both houses of Parliament and not walk out.”
The monsoon session will commence from Monday and continue till August 19. During the 19 sittings of the session, 31 government business items, including 29 Bills and two financial items, will be taken up. Six bills will be brought to replace the ordinances, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister said.
Tribunal Reforms (Rationalisation and Conditions of Service) Bill, Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Bill, Essential Defence Service Bill, Indian Medicine Central Council (Amendment) Bill and Homoeopathy Central Council (Amendment) Bill are listed to be taken up during the session.
The House will see the new Cabinet of the Prime Minister. Over three dozen new faces were inducted into the Cabinet earlier this month in a massive rejig by Mr Modi.
Mr Modi, as per the convention, will introduce his new Cabinet to the members of the House on the first day of the session.
Also, those who became members of the Lok Sabha by winning by-polls that were held along with Assembly polls to four States in April this year will take the oath on Monday.

False Optimism

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Oped

Precious Kashmir

17/07/2021

Barring the last few days, there has been a decline in the number of the covid-19 cases in Jammu and Kashmir. It has led to false optimism that undermines effective use of non-pharmaceutical interventions such as masks and physical distancing.

The pandemic is far from over, with a potentially huge burden of mortality and morbidity to come unless public health measures are used and adhered to.

The Covid data of the past two weeks is a pointer to the persistence of the second wave in several pockets of the country. The positivity rate remains more than 10 per cent in over three dozen districts of the Northeast, the infection graph has been rising in Kerala since June 27, and new hotspots have emerged in Maharashtra.

There are concerns that crowded markets and tourist centres could incubate another surge of the disease.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a video interaction with chief ministers of some states highlighted the point and drew attention to the possible dangers of another wave of the pandemic. He noted that positive cases have been on the rise in Europe and the US with a fast pace, and a similar worrying trend is being witnessed in countries to the east of India like Bangladesh, Indonesia, Thailand and Myanmar.

“This is a warning and big alert to the world and to us. We have to keep reminding people that the coronavirus has not gone,” he said, reiterating his concern about scenes of crowds at many places across the country.

The assertion comes days after Home Secretary, Ajay Bhalla, in a letter to administration of all the states and UTs, highlighted “blatant violation” in several parts of the country, especially in public transport and hill stations. He said massive crowds are also thronging the market places, violating norms of social distancing.

In such a scenario, it is imperative that adherence to COVID Appropriate Behaviour (CAB) is maintained in letter and spirit in all crowded places, such as shops, malls, markets, market complexes, weekly markets, restaurants and ‘mandis, bus stations, railway platforms, stations, public parks and gardens as well as at all areas identified as hotspots for transmission of COVID19 virus.

The government must continue to focus on the five-fold strategy for effective management of COVID-19 i.e. test-track-treat-vaccinate and adhere to COVID-appropriate behavior.

There is also a need for reiterating clear communication of the risks of COVID-19 to the people and unless that is done, stemming the pandemic will be impossible.

PM warns US, Bangla like situation in India if SOPs not followed

Front

United News Of India

17/07/2021

PM warns US, Bangla like situation in India if SOPs not followed

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday interacted virtually with the Chief Ministers of six States having the lion’s share in the total number of active cases of COVID-19 and asked them to take proactive steps to check the spread and any further mutation of the virus.

Six States—Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Odisha, Maharashtra and Kerala—account for nearly 80 per cent of the total active cases and also have a high positivity rate, according to Union Health Ministry data.

“During the last week, 80 per cent of cases, as well as 84 per cent unfortunate deaths, came from the States present in the meeting. It is a cause of grave worry,” said the Prime Minister.

Modi reminded the Chief Ministers of similar trends seen in January-February this year before the beginning of the second wave. “We have to take proactive measures to prevent the possibility of the third wave,” he said.

The Prime Minister underlined the expert’s view that if the cases keep on rising for a long time, chances of mutation increase. “Therefore, we need to continue with the strategy of test, track, treat and vaccinate while putting special focus on micro-containment zones,” Mr Modi said.

He exhorted the Chief Ministers to fill the infrastructural gaps, especially in the rural areas and also asked them to strengthen the IT systems, control rooms and call centres.

The Prime Minister said surge in fresh cases has been witnessed in Europe, the US, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Thailand and some other parts of the world, and warned of a similar situation in India if Covid-19 guidelines are not followed strictly.

The Chief Ministers talked about the steps taken to boost medical infrastructure and discussed post-Covid issues being faced by patients and steps being taken to provide assistance in such cases.

Earlier this week, Modi held an interaction with Chief Ministers of North-Eastern States as many districts in these States were recording a high positivity rate.

India recorded 38,949 COVID-19 cases and 542 fatalities during the past 24 hours. The active cases in the country stand at 4,30,422. (UNI)

26 Hr Sec schools, 6 Edu zones headless in Anantnag

Anchor stories

Ahmed Shabir

17/07/2021

26 Hr Sec schools, 6 Edu zones headless in Anantnag

By: Ahmad Shabir

Anantnag: The educational institutions in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district is painting a grim picture of the education sector as at least twenty six higher secondary schools (HSSs) and six educational zones in the district are headless, thus simultaneously affecting the affairs of these institutions to the hilt.

Anantnag district has a total of sixty three higher secondary schools and twelve educational zones. Out of 63 educational zones, according to figures available, only 37 have heads to look after them while 26 remain headless. Similarly, out of twelve educational zones in the district only six zones have full-fledged ZEOs while six remain without heads.

Zones without heads include Bijbehara, Pahalgam, Aishmuqam, Shangas, Dooru and Verinag. Some of the HSSs which remains headless including HSS Dialgam, HSS Farrah, HSS Srigufwara, HSS Vessu, HSS Y K Pora , HSS Nanil, HSS Kabamarg, HSS Manula, HSS Hakura , HSS Sallar , HSS Khiram and dozen others.

Some of these higher secondary schools and educational zones, according to official sources, are without heads for more than a year while some for months.

These institutions and educational zones became headless after the principals or ZEOs posted there were either promoted to higher positions or retired from services. “But the authorities since then never bothered to fill these vacant posts,” said an official.

Though the authorities have given charge of these institutions and educational zones to the other officers of equal rank, this additional charge arrangement, official sources said, is not working well.

Some of the principals ironically have been given the additional charge of three to four institutions. For instance, the principal higher secondary school, Marhama, according to the data available, has been tasked to look after four higher secondary schools and an educational zone, Srigufwara.

Similarly, an official said, principal HSS Gadole has also been looking after four HSSs. Principal HSS Dooru , too, is looking after three educational institutions.

Principals of two other HSSs, Qazigund and Wanpoo too are looking after two other educational institutions each.

“In the absence of full-fledged principals and ZEOs, administrative affairs in these institutions and educational zones are badly hit. It is not humanly possible for a person to look after four to five institutions and then run the affairs smoothly,” an official in the education department said.

An official working in one of the headless zones rued that in the absence of full-fledged heads, clerks are calling the shots in all the headless zones and other educational institutions. He viewed that tasking one person with the job to run the affairs of three to four higher secondary schools and one or two educational zones having hundreds of schools is not only injustice with these officers but amounts to mockery of education.

Director education, Kashmir, Tasaduq Hussain did not respond to repeated calls from Precious Kashmir.

However, another top officer of the rank of joint director said that filling these vacant posts is not their domain.

“These decisions are taken at a very top level. We are supposed to arrange the DDOs for headless institutions and we do that. And let me tell you it is not only Anantnag district, the scenario is the same or worse in other districts,” the officer said.

2 militants killed, 2 CRPF men wounded in Sgr gunfight

Front

Precious Kashmir

17/07/2021

Srinagar: Two “most wanted” militants were killed and as many CRPF personnel were injured in a gunfight with police and paramilitary forces in Eidgah area of Srinagar, officials said on Friday.

A police spokesman said that acting on specific information about presence of militants, a joint cordon-and-search-operation was launched by police and paramilitary CRPF in Alamdar Colony Danmar Eidgah here.

During the search operation as the presence of militants got ascertained, he said, they were given repeated opportunities to surrender. “However, they fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party which was retaliated, leading to an encounter in the wee hours.”

In the ensuing encounter, he said, two militants of “LeT (self claimed TRF) were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter.

They have been identified as Irfan Ahmad Sofi son of Nazir Ahmad Sofi and Bilal Ahmad Bhat son of Manzoor Ahmad Bhat, both residents of Natipora, Srinagar.

Officials sources told GNS that during the gunfight two CRPF personnel were also injured identified as SI Bupinder Sharma (25) of 21 battalion and constable Unish Ahmad Dar (35) of 73 battalion. Both were shifted to 92 base hospital for treatment, where their condition is said to be stable, they said.

Meanwhile, the police spokesman said the slain duo had been active since December 2020.

“It is pertinent to mention that recently self claimed (militant) outfit TRF shared on social media that Irfan and Bilal had left TRF and joined ISJK.”

As per police records, both the killed militants were part of groups involved in several cases including attacks on Police and security forces.

“They were involved in killing of PSO of PDP leader at Natipora on 14/12/2020, attack on ROP of CRPF 73BN in Lawaypora resulting in killing of 02 CRPF personnel on 25/03/2021, Moreover, on 17/06/2021 they attacked & killed an on-leave police official Ct Javid Ahmad near his residence at Saidpora and on 22/06/2021 attacked & killed Inspector Parvez Ahmad at Menganwari Nowgam while he was on his way to offer prayers in local Masjid.”

They were also involved in killing of a civilian Umer Nazir Bhat at his shop in Main Chowk Habba Kadal on 23 June 2021, the spokesman said.

“It is pertinent to mention that they were also involved in a series of grenade attacks as well as petrol bomb attacks on Police/SF in City Srinagar,” he said, adding, “On 07/05/2021, they carried out a grenade attack on joint party of Police/CRPF at Nawabazar area of Srinagar in which 05 CRPF personnel & a civilian got injured. On 26/06/2021, they carried out another grenade attack on joint party of Police/CRPF at Barbarshah in which one civilian got killed and three civilians got critically injured. They also carried out grenade attack on PP Urdu Bazar on 05/03/2021 and a petrol bomb attack on bunker of SSB at Mehjoor Nagar Band on 26/04/2021.”

The spokesman said that incriminating materials, arms and ammunition including 01 AK-47 rifle, 01 pistol and 04 grenades were recovered from the site of encounter.

Meanwhile, IGP Kashmir congratulated the joint forces of Police and CRPF for the “big success” that led to the killing of two most wanted militants.

IGP Kashmir also said that during the year 2021, so far 78 militants have been killed in Kashmir valley and most of them were affiliated with LeT i.e, 39 out of 78, followed by HM, Al-Badr, JeM and AuGH. (GNS)

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