Matter referred to Financial Commissioner: Advisor Bhatnagar

Jahangir Sofi

Srinagar, Jan 18: With Covid-19 pandemic still looming around, and fresh cases and deaths being reported on a daily basis in Kashmir, GMC Srinagar has issued the orders of winter vacations in most of its departments.
The order issued by Government Medical College Srinagar regarding the winter vacations for doctors has raised a lot of questions.
Talking to KNO Advisor to Lt-Governor for Health and Medical Education Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar said that he has referred the matter to Financial Commissioner to look into, and moreover the situation on the ground does not seem to be so alarming.
“In case of any emergency doctors can be recalled for the duty,” he said.
Pertinent to mention that Government Medical College Srinagar (GMC) issued an order for winter vacations for GMC Srinagar and it’s Super Specialty Hospital for the year 2021 under the office order NO 179-GS of 2021 dated 09-01-2021 which mentioned the winter vacations for doctors from 18-01-2021 to 31-01-2021in the first half and from 01-02-2021 to 14-02-2021 in second half.

Precious Kashmir News
Jammu, Jan 29: The Government on Monday informed that 82 new positive cases of novel Corona virus (COVID-19), 36 from Jammu division and 46 from Kashmir division, were reported today, thus taking the total number of positive cases in Jammu and Kashmir to 123425. Also one COVID-19 death was reported from Jammu Division.
Moreover, 194 more COVID-19 patients have recovered and discharged from various hospitals including 123 from Jammu Division and 71 from Kashmir Division.
According to the daily Media Bulletin on novel Corona virus (Covid-19), out of 123425 positive cases, 1111 are Active Positive, 120392 have recovered and 1922 have died; 716 in Jammu division and 1206 in Kashmir division.
The Bulletin further said that out of 4274813 test results available, 4151388 samples have been tested as negative till 18th January, 2021.

Till date 1017231 persons have been enlisted for observation which included 32836 persons in home quarantine including facilities operated by government, 1111 in isolation and 61558 in home surveillance. Besides, 919804 persons have completed their surveillance period.
Providing district-wise breakup, the Bulletin said that Srinagar has 25830 positive cases (including 13 cases reported today) with 220 Active Positive, 25157 recovered (including 23 cases recovered today), 453 deaths; Baramulla has 8064 positive cases with 61 Active Positive, 7831 recovered (including 03 cases recovered today), 172 deaths; Budgam reported 7715 positive cases (including 07 cases reported today) with 53 active positive cases, 7547 recovered (including 04 cases recovered today), 115 deaths; Pulwama has 5671 positive cases (including 02 cases reported today) with 66 Active Positive, 5517 recovered and 88 deaths; Kupwara has 5626 positive cases (including 05 cases reported today) with 67 Active Positive, 5465 recoveries (including 05 cases recovered today), 94 deaths; Anantnag district has 4852 positive cases (including 02 cases reported today) with 52 Active Positive, 4716 recovered (including 02 cases recovered today), 84 deaths; Bandipora has 4679 positive cases(including 01 case reported today)with28 Active Positive and 4590 recoveries (including 09 cases recovered today), 61 deaths; Ganderbal has 4578 positive cases (including 13 cases reported today) with 76 Active Positive, 4456 recoveries (including 23 cases recovered today)and 46 deaths; Kulgam has 2680 positive cases (including 01case reported today)with 40 Active Positive, 2586 recoveries (including 02 cases recovered today)and 54 deaths while as Shopian has 2551 positive cases (including 02 cases reported today)with53 active positive cases, 2459and 39 deaths.
Similarly, Jammu has 24665 positive cases (including 26 cases reported today) with 160 active positive cases, 24138 recoveries (including 82 cases recovered today), 367 deaths; Udhampur has 4184 positive cases (including 04 cases reported today) with 70 active positive cases, 4057 recovered (including 14 cases recovered today)and 57 deaths; Rajouri has 3863 positive cases with 06 active positive, 3802 recoveries (including 05 cases recovered today) and 55 deaths; Doda has 3426 positive cases with 15 Active positive, 3347 recovered (including 05 cases recovered today)and 64 deaths; Kathua has 3248 positive cases (including 01 cases recovered today) with 07 active positive cases, 3190 recovered (including 02 cases recovered today) and 51 deaths; Kishtwar has 2729 positive cases with 03 Active Positive, 2704 recoveries (including 05 cases recovered today);22 deaths; Samba has 2823 positive cases (including 02 cases reported today)with 91 active positive cases, 2692 recoveries (including 10 cases recovered today)and 40 deaths; Poonch has 2477 positive cases with 24 active positive, 2429 recoveries and 24 deaths; Ramban has 2128 positive cases with 11 active positive, 2096 recoveries and 21 deaths while Reasi has 1636 positive (including 03 cases reported today) with 08 active positive cases, 1613 recoveries and 15 deaths.
According to the bulletin, among the total 123425 positive cases in J&K, 11460 have been reported as travelers while 111965 as others.
The Bulletin said that the breakup represents districts from which the patients have been traced or are ordinarily residing.
The bulletin added that there are 1321 COVID dedicated beds, 1185 Isolation beds with 1153 vacant beds and 136 ICU beds where 113 beds are vacant in Jammu division while there are 2345 COVID dedicated beds, 2197 Isolation beds where 2100 beds are vacant and 148 ICU beds where 134are vacant beds in Kashmir division. There are a total of 3666 COVID dedicated beds, 3382 Isolation beds with 3253 beds vacant and 284 ICU beds with 247 vacant beds in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Central Government is continuously monitoring the evolving situation of Covid-19 in the Union Territory and is providing all necessary support towards effective containment of the spread of Covid-19 and better clinical management of positive cases.

Srinagar, Jan 18: Two minor children of a Bakerwal family allegedly died due to severe cold during the last 48 hours in south Kashmir district of Kulgam.
Official sources said that a Bakerwal family, a resident of Reasi in Jammu region, had setup their makeshift tent at Devsar, Kulgam in Kashmir, which is witnessing harshest winter in decades. “A 10-year-old boy, identified as Sahil Zubair, developed sever hypothermia and died late on Saturday night inside the tent,”’ they said.
They said during the intervening night of Sunday and Monday the 6-year-old daughter of the same family passed away inside the tent due to chilly weather conditions.

Washington, Jan 18: President-elect Joe Biden said on Sunday that on his first day in office, he planned to issue a number of executive orders, which included rescinding the controversial travel ban on several predominantly Muslim countries issued by his predecessor.
Ron Klain, Biden’s incoming White House chief of staff, said in a memo that the new US administration will launch a spate of reversals of policies implemented by US President Donald Trump over its first 10 days in office, Al Jazeera reported.
Among these also include new coronavirus prevention efforts, rejoining the Paris climate change accord, and immigration legislation allowing for millions to gain citizenship.
Shortly after taking office in 2017, Trump issued an executive order that banned travellers from seven Muslim-majority nations from entering the United States citing national security concerns.
That order was, however, reworked several times amid legal challenges and a version of it was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018.

Srinagar, Jan 18: An elderly woman died on spot after she came under a mound of snow that came crashing from the roof of her house in Kashmir capital Srinagar.
The incident occurred on Sunday night at Kani Devar Hawal area of old Srinagar city.
Sources told KNT that a 50-year-old woman ventured out from her house when she came under snow. She felt unconscious and died on spot.
“Despite this, she was shifted to SKIMS where doctors declared her brought dead,” family sources said.
The deceased was the wife of Muhammad Yasin Rangreez Shah. Her funeral was held today and was buried at her native graveyard.
This is the second death in Srinagar that has been reported since January 3 when massive snowfall lashed Kashmir Valley.
Earlier, a CRPF officer on guard duty in the house of National Conference leader Syed Muhammad Akhoon at Habak Srinagar died when he came under snow falling from a roof top. (KNT)

‘Even Google maps capture all your data and store it’

New Delhi, Jan 18: The Delhi High Court on Monday remarked that WhatsApp is a private app and the users are free to remove the application from their phone and move to another platform if they are not agreeing with its terms and conditions while hearing a petition against the messaging apps’ new privacy policy.
A bench of Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva was hearing the petition filed by lawyer Chaitanya Rohilla through his counsel Manohar Lal, in which the petitioner contended that the Facebook-owned Whatsapp will “take away the choice of users” by sharing their data with third-party apps related with the two social media giants once the new WhatsApp privacy policy comes into effect from February 8, 2021.

The bench asked the petitioner if he had read the terms and conditions of any mobile application he use.
“You would be surprised as to what all you are consenting to”. “Even Google maps capture all your data and store it,” the court said adding, “it’s a voluntary thing Mr Lal, don’t accept it. This is a private App. Don’t join in.”
The bench also pointed out that WhatsApp had deferred its plan to implement the new privacy policy until May.
The court further said it could not understand what data would be leaked according to the petitioner and since the issue requires consideration, it will be listed on January 25 due to paucity of time on Monday.
With the bench of Justice Pratibha M Singh recusing herself last week from the WhatsApp privacy policy case, the petition seeking an immediate injunction against the messaging company’s updated terms was taken up by the bench of Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva on Monday.
In his plea, Rohilla had said, “WhatsApp is discharging a Public Function despite being a private entity. In the prevalent Covid-19 pandemic times, confidential proceedings, such as that of the mediations, are being conducted by WhatsApp. For instance, the District Legal Services Authority, Mediation and Conciliation Centre, Gurugram, uses WhatsApp to conduct mediation proceedings (Video Conference) through WhatsApp.”
“WhatsApp has made a mockery out of our fundamental right to privacy while discharging a public function in India, besides jeopardising the National Security of the country by sharing, transmitting and storing the users data in some other country and that data, in turn, will be governed by the laws of that foreign country”, the plea read.
It had also sought for a direction to the Centre to lay down guidelines in exercise of its powers under the Information Technology Act to ensure that WhatsApp does not share any user data with any third party including Facebook.

Nasir Azam

Srinagar, Jan 18: The Jammu & Kashmir Government has accorded sanction for prosecution of jailed separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act-1967 in a six-year-old case.
The Home Department of the Union Territory has sanctioned prosecution of Shah, who is chairman of Democratic Freedom Party, for commission of offences punishable under section 13 ULA(P) Act.
“Now, therefore, in exercise of powers conferred by sub-section 02 of section 45 ULA(P)Act, 1967, the government hereby accord sanction for launching prosecution against the abovementioned accused for commission of offences punishable under section 13 ULA(P) Act in the case FIR No. 52/2015 of police station Sumbal,”reads an order issued by Home department.
According the order, Bandipora police had received a reliable information on March 28, 2015 that Shah after conclusion of Friday prayers had addressed a public gathering raised slogans against the sovereignty and integrity of India.

“During investigation, it was revealed that that the accused after Friday prayers had appeared in Naidkhai and raised anti-national slogans and also instigated the youth of the area against the sovereignty and integrity of India,” reads the order. The Home department of J&K UT is the competent authority to grant sanction in the FIRs registered under the ULA (P) Act.
Shah was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in July 2017 in a money laundering case dating back to 2005. Since then, he is in jail—(KNO)

‘People can use poultry products by taking precautions’

Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, Jan 18: No case of Bird flu has been reported as of now in Jammu and Kashmir as the samples that were sent outside J&K for testing have tested negative, officials said on Monday.
Anil Arti Wildlife warden Jammu told KNO that the samples that were sent for testing from Jammu have tested negative and we have no case of bird flu here.

He said samples which have tested negative include the samples which were taken in Udhampur after 153 birds had mysteriously appeared there.
He said that we are keenly monitoring the situation but as of now no positive case has been reported in J&K.
Joint director poultry and nodal officer for bird flu in Kashmir division Dr Mushtaq Ahmad Shah said that the samples which were taken at three places including Dal Lake, farm of the department and Pulwama have tested negative.
He said later few samples were taken also and their result is yet to come, however, so far no case of bird flu has been reported in J&K.
He said that people can use cooked poultry products easily and there is no need to worry.
It is pertinent to mention here that authorities in J&K also sounded high alert after bird flu cases were reported from nine states of India and said that measures are put in place to tackle the situation in case of bird flu.
Besides sounding alert, monitoring committees led by district chief animal husbandry officers have been constituted to keep vigil.
Moreover, doctors in J&K also cautioned people not to eat raw poultry parts or raw eggs, however, cooked poultry is safe to use.
They also advised that people associated with slaughtering, De-feathering and eviscerating of birds must take precaution to avoid any contraction of the virus.

Opening of Bailey bridge big relief to people in Valley: NHAI
Jahangir Sofi
Srinagar, Jan 18: The opening of Bailey bridge on Srinagar Jammu Highway has brought a big sigh of relief for people travelling on the road.
Frequent closure of Srinagar Jammu Highway often leads to the scarcity of essential commodities in the valley. The highway remained closed for a week, for traffic movement when the retaining wall of a bridge collapsed in Kela Morh in district Ramban.
To restore the road connectivity, NHAI roped in BRO to launch Bailey bridge which was completed in 60hours.
Traffic authorities said 1048 vehicles carrying essential supply were allowed to play towards Kashmir valley.
Divisional Commissioner Kashmir P K Pole said there is no scarcity of essentials in the valley.
“Adequate stock of Vegetables, LPG, Petroleum and other products are available in the valley,” he said. “With the opening of Bailey bridge, the traffic is also restored on Srinagar Jammu Highway.
ADGP Traffic T.Namgyal said the top priority was to arrange an adequate supply of essentials in Kashmir Valley.
“BRO was asked to launch Bailey bridge, apart from essential supplies towards a valley which included, gas, petroleum, food, other important commodities stranded vehicles in Kashmir are also being allowed to move towards Jammu,” Namgyal said.
“The work on the bridge is going on at Kela Morh in district Ramban, and it will take some days for concrete to settle”, he said..
Meanwhile, Project Director NHAI Purshotam Kumar said the opening of Bailey bridge is a big relief to the people travelling on Srinagar Jammu National Highway—(KNO)

Tasaduq Hussain
Jammu, Jan 18: Besides the alarming rise in heart attacks among the young people, the suicide tendency across Jammu and Kashmir is showing a surge with over a dozen cases were reported in Jammu division in 12 days in the ensuing year.
Reports said in the past two weeks nearly 15 suicide cases have come up in the Jammu division only while the Kashmir valley also witnessed a surge in cases.
Experts said that every year over 75 lakh people across the globe commit studies with India’s share at 17 per cent.
Mental health experts said suicide cases have increased in both Kashmir and Jammu division as compared to past figures.
Valley’s renowned mental health expert Dr Arshid said media has a very important role to play and motivate people to approach the medical experts for treatments rather than portraying the scary stories forcing people to take extreme steps which that become a tool for many others.
“We know of hundreds of people who come for treatment after developing suicide tendencies but after the treatment, most of them live happily. Anybody having such thoughts such should seek help immediately since it’s a momentary thing,” he said.
Sharing experience of a 15-year-old patient, Arshid said the patient was suffering from serious depression but after the treatment is living a normal happy life.
“Life is very precious don’t waste it, seek treatment, ” he said.
Dr Rakesh Bamal, a Physiatrist at Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu, said that suicide is the second-largest cause of death among people across the globe and it’s believed that it will surpass and become first in the next 10 years (2030) across the globe.
He said the suicide cases among students are showing a surge as there is an increase in stress level in them.
“There are many reasons behind suicide including mental health, depression, disorder even those who are indulged in drugs have a high suicide tendency rate besides physical illness in an individual,” he said. “Many factors also include social reasons as well as financial loss, love affair, exam failure, and others.”
Suggesting people to adopt a healthy lifestyle, Bamal said that people must take good care of mental health as the post-Covid scenario may have been a reason for more suicide cases.
He said that family members need to be vigilant and try to understand the change in their members.
“People need to do relaxation activities and when required they must approach the medical professionals for the consultation immediately without any delay,” he said. (KNO)