Srinagar: After witnessing above normal day temperature during the last couple of days, weather turned pleasant as rain lashed the summer capital, Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir, where hailstorm caused damage to fruit crops and vegetables in Pulwama district on Monday.

However, the night temperature improved and settled several degrees above normal in the valley, where light to moderate rain is expected to occur during the next 48 hour at some places.

A Met department spokesperson told UNI that light to moderate rain would occur at some places in the valley during the next 48 hours under the influence of a Western Disturbance (WD), which is active in the region. “The weather is expected to improve from Tuesday onwards though light rain could continue at isolated places in the valley throughout this week.

People in the summer capital, Srinagar, woke up to a sunny Monday morning, when shops and business establishments reopened as the process of partial unlocking started in Kashmir valley after month-long COVID curfew imposed to curtail the spread of COVID-19. The nigh temperature in the city improved about 3 degree from Sunday and settled at 15.4 degree, which is over 3.4 degree above normal. However, as the day progressed, skies were covered with cloudy followed by light to moderate rain, resulting in dip in the maximum temperature.

The spokesperson said that skies would be partly cloudy to very light rain and thundershowers during the next 24 hours in Srinagar, where the maximum and minimum temperatures would settle at 27 degree and 14 degree, respectively.

Intermittent rain lashed at world famous ski resort of Gulmarg, about 55 km from here in north Kashmir, since early this morning, resulting in pleasant weather. Gulmarg has remained deserted since April 29 even as very few tourists have started to visit the ski resort from the last couple of days. The ski resort witnessed a good number of tourists during the winter season though the footfall of visitors declined due to second wave of COVID-19. The night temperature at Gulmarg improved about 3 degree from Sunday and settled at 10.5 degree, which is over 3 degree above normal.

Heavy rain and hailstorm have caused damage to fruit crops and vegetables in south Kashmir district of Pulwama. Many other parts of the valley have also witnessed damage to fruit crops due to hailstorms and heavy rain this month. Horticulture is the mainstay of the economy in Kashmir with lakhs of people associated with this sector.

Rain also lashed the world famous health resort of Pahalgam, about 100 km from here in south Kashmir, which remained deserted since April 29 due to the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic. The mercury at Pahalgam improved about a degree from Sunday and settled at 7.9 degree, which is about 2 degree above normal.

Weather turned pleasant in other parts of the valley as well due to intermittent light to moderate rain.

Experts differ, urge people to take precautions

By: Jahangeer Ganaie

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government decision of partial unlock in the wake of significant dip in death and positivity rate in the UT Monday evoked a mixed response from the medicos with some terming the move as a right step with others stating that the government should have continued with the curfew for a week or two further.

Flu expert and Doctors Association President Dr Nissar ul- Hassan told KNO that the decision of unlock at this stage was “premature as positivity rate and death is still high.”

“It is matter of life and government shouldn’t have come under public pressure to unlock and should have taken decision on basis of data,” he said. “There should have been an unlock when there would have been 10 percent decrease in cases and deaths on daily basis for one week followed by 5 percent decline in another week.”

He said that there should have been unlock when tests being done should have more and positivity rate should have been less than five percent or there should have been four positive cases in one lakh population.

Dr Nisar said genome sequencing isn’t being done at large scale so nobody knows how many variants are presently in the UT. “Authorities are totally unaware about the real situation,” he asserted. “People are being asked every time to follow Covid appropriate behavior but there is still some laxity. Virus can bounce back and whatever we had gained in a lockdown of over a month, can go waste.” He said just few percent population have got fully immunized and most population is still susceptible to Covid-19.

Dr Muhammed Sultan Khuroo, renowned Gastroenterologist and Chairman Covid Advisory Committee told KNO that this is the right time to unlock as government has to think both disease and difficulties people are facing.

“It is guarded and supervised opening as it is partial opening as government is watching situation keenly and lockdown cannot be indefinite,” he told KNO, adding that government must ensure vaccination is done on all fronts and make sure that people follow Covid appropriate behavior.

He said that opening is a dynamic process as government is watching situation keenly and checking trend whether cases are decreasing or increasing and that accordingly decision is being taken.

Dr Khuroo said that government hasn’t given financial assistance to poor people and a partial opening was need of the hour for poor people so that they can earn their livelihood.

He advised public to follow Covid appropriate behaviour in letter and spirit, otherwise “we will back in trouble, so people must follow all precautions.”

“It is a collective responsibility of everybody and somebody should not take Covid appropriate behaviour lightly and action of one person can affect whole society, he said, adding that people should go out only when it is necessary and follow SOPs in letter and spirit,” he said, adding that

“Government should avoid in believing in fake things and get vaccinated whenever, they get time. Doctors who don’t know anything about virus shouldn’t talk about it.”

Dr Saleem Khan Nodal officer for Covid-19 at GMC Srinagar and HoD Community Medicine, he said that lockdown isn’t a permanent solution as it has repercussions as well but people must take care of what “we have gained in during lockdown shouldn’t be spoiled.”

He said that there is an ease in restrictions not an ease in adhering to Covid appropriate behaviour and if people won’t follow precautions cases and deaths can increase further. Dr Khan said that everyone to play a positive role and collectively we have to fight it by adhering to Covid guidelines.

By: Tasaduq Hussain

Srinagar: After getting an offer from world’s one of the prestigious University of Edinburgh for an MSC in advanced technology for financial computing, the Uttar Pardesh born Kashmiri bride is facing immense challenges to fulfill her dreams as she has no money to pay tuition fee.

Darakshan an Uttar Pardesh born girl married to a Pampore based Kashmiri, got an offer from the University of Edinburgh for advanced technology in financial computing.

The University of Edinburgh is counted among the top 20 prestigious universities across the globe with an acceptance rate of 8.3 per cent. Talking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the emotional Darakshan said: “I want to break stereotypes and inspire women to continue pursuing their dreams.”

She said that on her return from the university she wanted to build a technical training institute for women and provide them an equal opportunity. “If given an opportunity, women can excel in any field they want,” she said.

Darakshan said that despite securing a partial scholarship and a partial loan, she is facing challenges in paying her tuition fee. Darakshan is a former student of Jamia Milia Islamia (JMI) and the mother of a child.

“If you can contribute at all, here’s how you can donate towards my education – https://milaap.org/fundraisers/support-darakshan-ali,” Darakshan urged people of the valley and elsewhere, to contributes towards her education fee.

She has urged people to come forward to help her to secure the lifetime dream by going to the University of Edinburgh which will help her to broaden the horizon and meet people from different sections and communities.

She maintained: “I want to inspire all the women in our society to never give up on their dreams, no matter what.”—(KNO)

Handwara: A 21-month-old child was referred to District Hospital Handwara in critical conditions after drowning in a stream at Mawar in Handwara area on Monday afternoon.

Reports reaching GNS said that the family was caught unawares about the minor having fallen into the stream, presumably for nearly half an hour, before it being retrieved from the water body by locals.

Identified as 21-month-old Hurair Ahmad Qureshi son of Parvez Ahmad Qureshi from Audoora Mawar, the minor was evacuated to NTPHC Qalamabad, wherefrom doctors referred him to District Hospital Handwara in critical conditions.

It has been in the meantime learnt that the conditions of the child continue remain critical – on filing of this report. (GNS