Srinagar: Normal life remained affected in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday for the 26th consecutive day due to lockdown in the wake of the continuing surge in covid-19cases, officials said.

Police and paramilitary forces kept barricades on roads at many places in Srinagar as well as in other district headquarters of the Valley and the Jammu region to prevent the movement of people. However, essential and emergency services are allowed, the officials added.

Most of the shops, and other business establishments remained shut while public transport was off the roads.

In view of the alarming surge in daily cases across the Kashmir Valley, Police said to have enhanced the efforts to implement the Covid-19 guidelines, SOPs and restrictions strictly throughout the valley.

“During the last 24 hours, Police has arrested 184 persons, lodged 94 FIRs and also realized fine to the tune of Rs 1,41,840 from 910 people for violating the guidelines/rules throughout Kashmir valley,” a police spokesman said, adding, “Besides, 44 vehicles were also seized in Shopian for violating guidelines/restrictions.”

On April 29, the administration imposed a curfew in 11 districts in a bid to arrest the surge in Covid-19 cases, which has been since extended to all the 20 districts till 7 am on May 31.

“The special drive against the violators of Covid-19 guidelines/rules continued throughout all the districts of Kashmir Valley to ensure that people adhere to SOPs/ guidelines envisaged by government to curb COVID-19 pandemic,” the spokesman said, adding, “Community members are once again requested to cooperate with the Police in containing the spread of Coronavirus by following the SOPs/ guidelines/ protocols for the safety of the people. The special drive shall remain continue throughout the districts of Kashmir Valley to strengthen the safety measures.” (GNS)

By: Jahangir Sofi

Srinagar: Amid second wave of global pandemic novel coronavirus in Kashmir, the need for the oxygen has risen to higher level, after most of patients were admitted in the hospitals for the life support.

According a local news gathering agency, so far the LG led administration in Kashmir have augmented around 23,375 LPM medical oxygen and is further planning to boost the availability of medical oxygen by furthermore 11,375 LPM by the month of July this year, taking the medical oxygen availability to around 34,750 LPM in the valley.

According to the research and official figures reveals that after the second wave hit the valley, the augmentation of new oxygen generation plants was started on war footing. Four units of 1000 LPM were installed at SMHS hospital taking its total oxygen generating capacity to 5600 LPM, making it valley’s highest oxygen generating hospital, with its earlier capacity of just 1600 LPM only.

The Chest Disease Hospital in Srinagar, which is running on 900 LPM oxygen generation capacity, would be enhanced with 1500 LPM oxygen generation unit, taking the total oxygen generation capacity to 2400 LPM.

In JLNM Hospital a total of 2625 LPM oxygen has been added with earlier capacity of just 300LPM, while as in Super Specialty hospital, which is currently running on 800 LPM oxygen generation would be further enhanced by 1000 LPM, while as in LD hospital, 625 LPM oxygen unit has been installed with earlier stationed oxygen unit of 1300 LPM.

In Bone and Joint hospital a single oxygen generating unit of 625 LPM has been installed with 300 LPM oxygen unit already stationed at the hospital, while as in Kashmir Nursing Home, 1000 LPM has been installed with oxygen generation unit.

In GMC Baramulla, 1000LPM has been added with earlier capacity of 600 LPM, in GMC Anantnag total of 2000 LPM have been added with earlier oxygen availability of 300 LPM, in district hospital Pulwama 1000 LPM oxygen has been added with earlier availability of 300 LPM.

In district Kulgam oxygen unit of 1000 LPM has been added with already stationed 300 LPM nonfunctional oxygen generating unit, in district hospital Shopian oxygen unit of 1000 LPM has been added. In Trauma Centre Bijbehra 500 LPM unit has been added, in district Hospital Ganderbal oxygen unit of 1000 LPM has been added, in Critical Health Centre Chanapora an oxygen unit of 500 LPM has been added while as in critical health centre Kupwara, sub-district hospital Sopore and district hospital Bandipora has got 1000 LPM oxygen generating units each.

According to the Mechanical Engineering Department, a total order of 37 oxygen plants have been placed, of which 21 have been received, and installed. And by the month of July this year, the department is expecting to receive remaining oxygen plants. (KNO)

Srinagar: Persons having comorbidities including obesity, hypertension, diabetes can increase their survival chances by taking precautions and adopting covid related guidelines perfectly and strictly, said Dr Shariq Masoodi, Endocrinologist, SKIMS, Soura, Srinagar.

Endocrinologist, Dr Shariq Masoodi while putting forth his views on the pandemic said that Covid infection is now common among people and majority of the patients recover immediately in home isolation. However, he said that less than two percent of the covid infected patients develop serious complications owing to underlying comorbidities like age factor, obesity, blood sugar, hypertension, cancer or any other disease and some of them may succumb to the infection. Such patients may need critical care including oxygen supply, ventilation and hospitalization.

He maintained that older a person is, more are the chances of getting complicated condition during covid infection.

He also said that vaccination is very important for the people living with any comorbidity and further added that vaccine rarely causes adverse effects.

“Individuals already suffering from any disease should get vaccinated because it will protect them from  further complications in case of getting a covid infection”, he stated.

Dr Shariq said that most of the patients recover at home but it is imperative to monitor pluse rate and oxygen saturation of covid patients with underlying comorbidity disease  at home. “If a person has tendency of sugar and has obesity then  monitor his sugar level, too”, he said while advising about the supervision if patients in home.

He said that steroids including dexamethasone, hydrocortisone and  prednisone  are used to treat severe covid patients admitted in the hospitals. While cautioning about self medication he said, “Steroid is not treatment for everyone because it increases sugar in the body”. These medicines are used only for those patients whose oxygen saturation has decreased and have been admitted in the hospital, he clarified. Only physicians shall prescribe steroids when the need arises, he added.

While reiterating that asymptomatic or mild covid infected persons don’t need  steroids because it will affect their health adversely by increasing sugar which may  ultimately pose threat of other  health issues such as Black fungus or White fungus and Mocurmycosis.

Further, Dr Shariq Masiodi while providing more information said Cytotoxic immunity and acquired immunity of  body helps to fight against fungus infections but prolonged use of steroids decrease these immunities in a person. “Increase in sugar level reduces oxygen saturation in the body which increases acidosis, formation of acids in à body”, he said.

Regarding the measures to control sugar  level, he said there are two types of measures including pharmaceutical and non pharmaceutical. “Non pharmaceutical methods involve change in diet and life style”, he said.

He said that during the lockdown physical activity has decreased so energy required is minimum and  advised to take proteins, vitamin, minerals, fibre and  antioxidant rich food and reduce intake of carbohydrates. He suggested limiting the intake of carbohydrates to 175 gm in 24 hours and exercise frequently.

While providing additional information regarding carbohydrates, he said, there are two types of carbohydrates including complex and refined. The complex carbohydrates are absorbed slowly while refined carbohydrates are absorbed quickly. He stressed to reduce intake of refined carbohydrates such as rice, wheat, bread etc to keep sugar in control.

Srinagar: Deputy Commissioner (DC) Srinagar Mohammed Aijaz Asad Monday said that corona curfew and public cooperation has yielded good results so far in containment and mitigation of Covid-19 virus in the district.

DC said this while briefing the media about the containment and mitigation measures taken by the district administration.

He said all possible measures are being taken to break the chain of corona virus in the district. He said on the directions of Lieutenant Governor, Covid care centers are being established at all 21 Panchayats of the district to ensure Covid related patient care facilities at the door steps of the people living in rural areas.

He said in coming days we have to remain more vigilant to fight the war against Covid-19 and follow the Covid-19 SOPs in letter and spirit.

Meanwhile, DC Srinagar visits various Panchayats, oversees establishment of Panchayat level CCCs

Deputy Commissioner Srinagar also visited various Panchayats in the district to oversee the process of establishment of the Covid Care Centres (CCCs) in various Panchayats of the district.

The DC visited Panchayats of Nowgam-A,  Nowgam-B and Sioteng Panchayats.

Chairman District Development Counci(DDC) Srinagar, Malik Aftab, Vice Chairman DDC, Wani Bilal were also present during the Tour. The concerned Sarpanchs besides Chief Planning Officer, CMO, Srinagar District Panchayat Officer and other senior officers accompanied the DC during his visit.

While inspecting the joint Covid Care Center established at Nowgam Panchayat, the DC was informed that 10 Covid care beds including two Oxygen facilitated beds have been put in place for the Covid affected patients, besides all basic requirements.

The centers have been established in a feasible environment suitable for patients. The DC also visited Covid Center set up at Sioteng Panchayat and took stock of the patient care facilities. He asked the concerned to ensure all requisite facilities to the patients.

Also, DC Srinagar called for intensified vaccination drive for focused and target groups under the age group 18-45  years in the district from Tuesday to break the transmission chain and check the spread of infection.

The DC said this while chairing a meeting with all sectoral officers, senior Health Care functionaries BMO, ZMOs to review the achievements made with regard to ongoing vaccination process in Srinagar,  besides the mitigation measures undertaken to control the second wave of Covid-19.

Commissioner Srinagar Municipal Corporation, Athar Amir, Additional Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Incharge Covid Control War Room, Chief Planning Officer, Chief Medical Officer, SDM East & West, all Tehsildars and other concerned were present in the meeting.

During the meeting various aspects regarding vaccination were discussed threadbare.

It was given out that under vaccination drive from May 25 the target groups under 18-45  years of age, the high risk and vulnerable groups have been identified which include – shopkeepers /dhabawallas, hotel waiters & staff/thela wallas,  services sector, Barbers,  Bakers Meat, Poultry Vegetable sellers, Drivers/ Conductors, Lawyers, Journalists; faculty /staff/workers of the Universities/Colleges; Government employees on COVID duty/or in active field offices Construction workers registered with Construction Workers Board; Tourism sector workers; people with disabilities, widows/single mothers, orphans, and persons with co-morbid conditions.

It was informed that to ensure proper outreach to the prioritized groups, special vaccination centers will be activated in specific locations.

DC directed for setting up additional 50 vaccination centers and immunization teams to expand coverage.

He also stressed on maintaining and updating database of the vaccination being done on daily basis to ensure data is submitted well  in time to concerned quarters.

The DC directed the officers of different Government departments to undertake the vaccination of their subordinate employees on Covid duty to safeguard their families.

He urged upon the general public to cooperate with the District Administration in making the Covid drive successful in the district. He further said that the vaccination is most necessary for fighting against the Coronavirus pandemic

The Commissioner SMC also spoke on the occasion and assured all possible support for success ful vaccination process.

Srinagar: The domicile row was rekindled in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday after advertisements appeared for staff recruitment in hospitals seeking region specific domicile certificates.

After the abrogation of articles 370 and 35A, the permanent resident certificate issued in favor of citizens in J&K had become redundant.

Instead, people were asked to obtain domicile certificates those would suffice for purposes of recruitment etc.

The domicile certificates state that a person is the resident/domicile of J&K although he can be living in any of the two regions of Jammu or Kashmir.

Two 500-bedded hospitals are being built in collaboration with the DRDO in J&K, one in the Jammu division and the other in Kashmir division.

Ironically, two separate advertisements have been issued by the administration seeking applications from doctors and paramedics, one for the hospital coming up in Jammu and the other for the one coming up in Srinagar.

The advertisement for Jammu hospital says “the candidate should be permanent resident/domicile of Jammu division’ while the advertisement for the Srinagar hospital says ‘the candidate should be permanent resident/domicile of Kashmir division.”

The decision has invoked strong criticism with some saying that this amounts to further bifurcation of J&K into Jammu and Kashmir as two separate legal entities.

Legal experts say the categorisation of posts as divisional or district cadre does not mean that the recruitment can be restricted to one specific place.

“A teacher’s post advertised in the district cadre in Kathua district does not debar a candidate from any of the remaining 19 districts from seeking employment as a teacher in Kathua district,” said Bashir Ahmad, a senior advocate. (IANS)

By: M S Nazki

Rajouri: Authorities have restored Mughal road – connecting Poonch and Shopian districts of South Kashmir – after halting the vehicular traffic movement on Sunday evening following a landslide along the thoroughfare at Mansar Morh Peer Ki Gali.

An official said that the road has been cleared of the debris at affected spot and the stranded fruit-laden trucks allowed to ply along the road.

It is pertinent to mention here that the thoroughfare was exclusively thrown open to fruit-laden trucks and movement of Gujjar-Bakerwals. However on frequent appeals from public, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha asked the administration to extend the relaxations for patients referred from Poonch and Rajouri districts to Srinagar hospitals. (GNS)

By: Tasaduq Hussain

Kupwara:  Jammu and Kashmir Police Monday claimed to have busted a narco module, saying that the module was on radar for the past three weeks and more chains and links related to the case will be identified during the investigation.

Police said eight kilograms of Heroin has been recovered from the one arrested person which has a market value of Rs 50 Crore.

Addressing a news conference Senior Superintendent Police (SSP) Kupwara Dr. GV Sundeep said that the busted narco module was in close touch with Pakistan based operatives and the accused apprehended was tasked to smuggle drugs into the valley to extend financial support to the militant outfits in Kashmir.

Flanked by other police officials, the SSP said that this particular narco module was under forces radar for the past two to three weeks, and some suspected places were also searched but finally, on Sunday evening the teams following them were able to apprehend the accused.

He said that the accused has been arrested along with a huge consignment of 8 kilograms of heroin having a market value of Rs 50 crore.

The SSP said that the accused was in touch with Pakistan-based militants and was tasked to extend help to the militants within the Kashmir valley adding that these drug consignments are moved to convert them into money.

He informed that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to probe this case further and more arrests and links of this chain are expected to come to the fore during the further course of the investigation.

The district police chief said that this year infiltration has been very negligible but there have been more attempts to send drugs to make the flow of money without a move of money.

He further informed that a total of 32 First Information Reports (FIRs) have been registered in NDPS acts in which around 40-45 accused people have been arrested.

“In all these cases a total of 28 Kilograms of heroin has been recovered having a market value of RS 129 crore”, he said. (KNO)

By: Bhat Imran

Srinagar: The government is mulling to start regular Tele-Classes for 9th to 12th standard of all major subjects to compensate the academic losses amid COVID-19 lockdown.

Administrative Secretary to the government for School Education Department, B K Singh said that the department was drafting a proposal in this regard and will submit it to the government for approval.

“We are drafting a proposal to start regular Tele-Classes for a whole day for the students of 9-12 classes to compensate the academic losses,” Singh said.

He also said, “As far as Tele-classes for other classes is concerned, we have lined-up the schedule with the concerned Television channel operators and will probably start telecasting from this week only.”

Singh said, “We have not yet estimated the duration of each class but the Tele-classes will be the same like the normal classes. “All classes will be of nearly 3-6 hours a day.”

Last year, the government had engaged skilled teachers to compensate the academic losses of students by delivering onscreen lessons via Doordarshan Channels and other Cable Networks.

During this year, the government started broadcasting education lectures of all major subjects for 9th to 11th standard students via Radio 98.3 Mirchi in association with Samagra Shiksha every day from 2 to pm onwards.

Pertinently, the government on April-15 ordered closure of all private coaching institutes till April-30 in Jammu and Kashmir in view of surge in COVID-19 cases.

However, the government ordered extension for closure of all schools for offline classes’ up to 12th standard till further orders. (KNO)

Srinagar: Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh on Monday chaired a high level security review meeting at Police headquarters in which he took stock of the security situation and also reviewed J&K police’s response to 2nd wave of COVID-19.

The meeting was attended by Special DG CID, R.R. Swain, ADGP Headquarters, PHQ, M.K Sinha, IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar, IGP Headquarters PHQ, Garib Dass, DIG Central Kashmir Amit Kumar, DIG SKR, Abdul Jabbar, DIG NKR, Sujit Kumar, AIG (P&T) Rajinder Gupta and SSP Srinagar Sandeep Choudhary.

According to a statement issued here, DGP while speaking on the occasion directed the officers to augment the security grids to further improve the safe and secure environment for the citizens.

He stressed that the action against the militants and their associates should continue and all the suspicious elements should be kept under check so as to foil their ill designs aimed at disrupting normal lives of the people.

Underscoring the need for the proactive role of the law enforcing agencies, DGP has directed police officers to put in place effective measures for maintaining peace and order in coordination with other security forces.

Singh said that JKP along with other security forces has ensured rule of law after facing tough challenges and have succeeded in maintaining a sense of security among the people. He said that the efforts will continue to strengthen the peace in J&K.

DGP stressed the need of using all the technology and related tools to keep a check on the people who are misusing social media. He directed that a mechanism must be put in place to identify and bring to book all the mischief mongers, who are found using the social media for anti-national and anti-social activities.

He directed the field officers to take effective steps against the drug peddlers so that the menace of drug abuse is eradicated.

DGP directed the officers to maintain close surveillance of such elements trying to disrupt the fast returning peaceful atmosphere and take all measures to neutralise such attempts.

While reviewing the J&K Police response to 2nd wave of COVID-19, DGP stressed for implementing the government directives, advisories, besides assisting the administration to contain the spread of COVID-19. He said that “we are in the critical phase and every possible effort is required to come out of it.”

The senior officers briefed the DGP about the measures put in place for maintaining peace and order and ensuring security of the people. DGP was also apprised regarding J&K Police’s different measure in response to the COVID-19.

Srinagar: Director Information and Public Relations (DIPR), Rahul Pandey condoled sad demise of former Deputy Director Information Fida Ali, who passed away on Monday morning.

In a condolence message, Rahul Pandey expressed deep sorrow and grief over the demise of Fida Ali and remembered him for his contribution to the department.

He offered his deepest condolences to the bereaved family and prayed for peace to departed soul.

Meanwhile, the employees of DIPR also expressed their grief and sorrow over the demise of Fida Ali.

They offered their deepest condolences to the bereaved family and prayed for eternal peace to the departed soul and courage for the bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss.

JDI Kashmir, employees condole demise

Meanwhile, Joint Director Information and Public Relations, Kashmir Division, Haris Ahmad Handoo today expressed deep grief and sorrow over the demise of former Deputy Director Information Fida Ali, who passed away on Monday.

JDIK in this regard convened a condolence meeting in his Office chamber to offer his deepest condolences to the bereaved family and prayed for peace to the departed soul.

Incharge Deputy Director, PR, Kashmir, Mohammad Aslam khan while remembering the former Deputy Director, said that Fida Ali was highly versed, qualified and  repository of knowledge who guided the Information department to new heights as a diversified department.

Meanwhile, the employees, while expressing their grief and sorrow over the demise of Fida Ali, highlighted his role as an honest, compassionate and dynamic officer.

They offered their deepest condolences to the bereaved family and prayed for eternal peace to the departed soul and patience for the bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss.