Srinagar: The impasse between the administration and meat dealers over meat prices in Kashmir Valley is likely to end as the trade body Kashmir Economic Alliance’s ‘fact-finding’ committee covering meat prices in outside  markets has submitted its report to the authorities.

Led by Farooq Ahmed Dar, Convener of the Committee and Co-Chairman of Kashmir Economic Alliance, the members of the Committee on Monday submitted the report to the Director, Department of  Civil Supply, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution and Divisional Administration. Bi-lingual 18 page report, compiled in Urdu and English features the prices of meat in Delhi, Rajasthan, Ambala and Amritsar markets.

Sources said the fact finding Committee in its report has said that meat retail dealers procure Grade (A) meat for Rs Rs 518 per KG and it is up to the government to add some profit to this amount for these retailers.

Although the price includes the profits of the wholesalers and commission agents of Delhi, the profits of the butchers are not included in the report. The report said that members have followed proper criteria before fixing the rate of the meat.

The report states that Rajasthan’s Sekar Mandi has the best live cattle available, with a very good breed, while Amritsar has sheep and goats of lower quality. According to the report, the average price of meat from Rajasthan Mandi to Kashmir reaches the valley at Rs. 541 per kg, while the average price of meat from Delhi Mandi to the valley reaches at Rs. 527. The price of meat from Ambala to the Valley is estimated at Rs. 516. The average price of meat from Amritsar to Kashmir has been fixed at Rs 490.

Taking into account the prices of meat in all the four markets, the Fact Finding Committee has presented a break-up of the price of meat at Rs 518.5 per kg. It has been mentioned that the same committee members in outside mandis participated in fake bids to find out the real facts, met market traders, discussed with Meat Union officials, of Delhi, Ambala, Rajasthan and  Amritsar.

The fact-finding committee in its report also made recommendations and suggestions to the authorities, including regulating meat industry, raising issues with the concerned States to prevent illegal tax collection outside and mutton dealers have been urged to adopt procedures in the interest of consumers.

Sources said that there are indications that the four-month standoff between the administration and the mutton dealers will come to an end once the administration will take a call on this report. There has been a shortage of meat in the Valley from the past two weeks and most butchers have closed their shops as a mark of protest.

Administration, pertinently, has fixed the retail price of meat in the Valley at 480 per KG and the wholesale price at 450, after which there was a tussle over these rates. Authorities cracked down on butchers violating government prices. Following the intervention of the Kashmir Economic Alliance, the Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Department, on the instructions of the divisional administration dispatched a team to ascertain  prices in outside Mandis, while a team from the Kashmir Economic Alliance, including Traders and Journalists that visited the four  mandis from December 20 to 28. These mandis include Ghazipur Delhi, Sikar Rajhstan, Ambal and Amritsar. (KNT)

Srinagar: Kashmir reports 20,000 burn injuries annually with 15,000 require hospitalisation.

Officials said that most of the burn injuries are not always suicidal but mostly caused by accidents.

“Every year around 20,000 people are treated for burn injuries in Kashmir. Among them around 15,000 are admitted in the hospital,” they said.

Officials said during winters, the case of fire incidents and subsequent burn injuries are very high.

“Leakage of the domestic LPG cylinders are mostly the cause for major fire incidents, besides that Kangri and kerosene are also responsible for burn injuries,” they said. “The elderly are most prone to fire splashes while infants get burn injuries by hot-water-spilling.

Consultant Plastic Surgery at Super Speciality Hospital GMC Srinagar Dr Mir Yasir said that kids constitute more than 50 per cent of the burn incidents.

“Sometimes hot water, tea or milk, gets spilt on kids due to carelessness. These burns are called scaled burns,” Mir said.

Experts said that in case of fire people should stop the burning by removing clothes and irrigating the burns,  extinguish flames by allowing the patient to roll on the ground or by using water or the other fire-extinguishing liquids, wrap the patient in a clean cloth or sheet and transport to the nearest health care centre

“In case burn injuries, apply first aid before ensuring your own safety (switch off electrical current, wear gloves for chemicals etc), don’t apply paste oil, haldi (turmeric) or raw cotton to the burn, avoid prolonged cooling with water because it will lead to hypothermia, don’t open blisters until topical antimicrobials can be applied such as by a health-care provider,” they said.

Head Plastic Surgery SMHS Srinagar Dr Mushtaq Ahmad Professor said whenever a person is burnt, it depends on two factors that is the temperature of the burning agent and the time for which it remained in contact with the body.

“One more thing is to access whether the injured patient can be managed at home or needs to be taken to hospital,” he said.

“Some patients are burnt massively affecting their arms and legs and the infection caused by burns can turn critical and may take healing difficult or even prolong it, experts said,” adding that these injuries may also lead to septicaemia and may also lead to gangrene in fingers, arms and legs.

India reports 70 lakh burn injuries annually with a mortality rate of around 1.4 lakh per year besides that an additional 2.4 lakh patients end up with severe deformities—(KNO)

Srinagar: A special puja was on Tuesday offered at Shital Nath Temple on the occasion of Basant Panchami in the summer capital, Srinagar, after 31 years, the trusty of the religious place claimed.

Migrant Kashmiri pandits assembled at Shital Nath Temple at Kral Khud locality in old part of Srinagar town and performed the puja.

“We performed the puja on the occasion of Basant Panchami for the first time after Kashmiri pandits migrated from the valley in early 90s,” trustee of the temple Upandra Handu told UNI.

He said this is the only temple in Srinagar where puja was held on the occasion of Basant Panchami. “This temple is very special for us. We have been asking government for its restoration since 2010, but nothing has happened so far. We had sought help from the Deputy Commissioner‘s office in Srinagar in 2010 and again in 2018…. But the administration has not paid any heed to our requests,” he alleged.

He said less number of migrant Kashmiri pandits were able to attend the puja due to COVID-19 and chilly weather conditions in Kashmir. “We are planning to hold another havan in the temple in summer and a good number of people are expected to attend it,” he added.

However, a similar havan was held in 2010 by Kashmiri Pandit Sangarash Samiti, an organisation of non-migrant Pandits, in the temple which was reopened after remaining closed for over two decades.

Srinagar: National Conference (NC) leader Hilal Akbar Lone was on Tuesday booked under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for alleged ‘hate speech’ at a rally during District Development Council (DDC) elections in north Kashmir.

Lone, son of NC MP from Baramulla Akbar Lone, was arrested on Monday from MLA hostel in Srinagar, where he was detained since December 25, days after DDC poll results were announced.

Official sources said Lone was on Tuesday booked under UAPA for alleged ‘hate speech’ during DDC election campaigning in north Kashmir. “The NC leader was booked under FIR number 02/2021 under sections 153 A/ 188/ 505 IPC 13 of UAPA registered in Police Station Hajin,” they said.

They said Lone was on Monday shifted from MLA hostel in Srinagar to Police Station Hajin.

On December 25 last year, Lone was detained in Sumbal area in north Kashmri district of Bandipora and then shifted to the MLA hostel here.

Meanwhile, former CM and NC vice president Omar Abdullah lashed out at the centre for booking party leader under UAPA.

“The BJP has a completely different standard when it comes to hate speech from its own leaders. They can call for hands to be cut off, people to be murdered & it’s fine. Hilal Lone makes a speech and anti-terror laws are used to book him,” Omar tweeted.

Reacting to the development, Mehbooba tweeted, “Centre continues to shamelessly book Kashmiri mainstream leaders under UAPA for hate speech’. “The truth is that there won’t be enough room in Indian prisons if their own ministers, lawmakers and noxious IT Cell were brought to book for inciting communal passions against minorities”.

Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday recorded 58 new positive cases of novel Coronavirus.

Of the new cases, 11 were reported from Jammu division and 47 from Kashmir division, thus taking the total number of positive cases in Jammu and Kashmir to 125463.

Moreover, 46 more COVID-19 patients have recovered and discharged from various hospitals including 07 from Jammu Division and 39 from Kashmir Division.

According to the daily Media Bulletin on novel Coronavirus (Covid-19), out of 125463 positive cases, 629 are Active Positive, 122883 have recovered and 1951 have died; 725 in Jammu division and 1226 in Kashmir division.

The Bulletin further said that out of 4892000 test results available, 4766537 samples have been tested as negative till February 16.

Till date 1230241 persons have been enlisted for observation which included 34022 persons in home quarantine including facilities operated by government, 629 in isolation and 107396 in home surveillance.

Besides, 1086243 persons have completed their surveillance period.