Precious Kashmir

DC Sgr visits Dastgeer Sahib shrines, reviews Urs arrangements

City

25/11/2020

Precious Kashmir News

Srinagar, Nov 24: Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, Tuesday morning visited the shrine of Dastgeer Sahib at Sarai Bala to take stock of the arrangements made for the Urs of the revered saint Hazrat Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jeelani (RA).

During the visit, DC sought details of arrangements different departments have made for the annual Urs observation.

He also interacted with the shrine management and local representatives of the area where the shrine is located.

Senior officers of line departments accompanied him on the occasion. The officers briefed the DC about the arrangements their respective departments have made to ensure smooth observance of the Urs.

On the occasion, DC also visited the surrounding market of the Sarai Bala area and interacted with the representatives of the local market association.

The representatives apprised the DC about urgent developmental needs of the market and sought his intervention in fulfilling them. The representatives appreciated the installation of CCTV cameras in the market area.

Later, a meeting of senior officers of concerned departments was held at DC Office Srinagar to review the Urs arrangements of the revered saint made at Dastgeer Sahib Shrine at Khanyar and Jenab Sahib Shrine at Soura, attended by, among others, CEO Wakf Board and senior officers from KPDCL, Jal Shakti, SMC, Health, F&ES, RTO, SRTC, Traffic.

The meeting was informed that curtailment-free schedules for power and water supplies have been devised for the shrines and the surrounding areas on the occasion of the Urs.

It was also given out that thorough traffic regulation plans on the routes to the shrines have been devised for the occasion of the Urs on Thursday.

Traffic to dozens of remote areas remain suspended in north Kashmir

Jammu & Kashmir

United News Of India

25/11/2020

Srinagar, Nov 24: Traffic to dozens of far-flung and remote villages, including border towns of Keran, Karnah, Tanghdar and Machil, remained suspended for the second successive day on Tuesday due to slippery road conditions following accumulation of fresh snow.
Meanwhile, the border town Gurez and its adjoining areas in Bandipora remained cut off from rest of the valley since November 14 due to accumulation of about three to four feet of snow.
“Dozens of far-flung and remote villages, including Machil, Kernah, Keran and Tanghdar, remained cut off for the second successive day on Tuesday due to slippery road conditions following accumulation of fresh snow,” an official of Police Control Room (PCR), Kupwara, told UNI over phone on Tuesday.
He said Sadhna top and Phirkiyan pass received about 1.5 feet of fresh snowfall while about 8 inches of snow was accumulated at Z gali.
This is the third time that traffic was suspended to these far-flung and remote border areas due to snowfall this month. The traffic to Machil, Kernah, Keran and Tanghdar was restored last week after remaining suspended for several days due to slippery road conditions.
An official of Police Control Room (PCR) from Bandipora said Gurez remained closed for traffic since November 14. “Razdan pass, connecting Gurez, Neeru and dozens of other areas near LoC with district headquarters Bandipora, also received fresh intermittent snowfall since Sunday night hampering the snow clearance operation,” he said.
He said Razdan pass received 1.5 feet of fresh snowfall while other places, including Dawar and Tulail Valley, recorded a foot of fresh snow. “It is highly unlikely that traffic on Bandipora-Gurez road will be restored any time soon,” he added.

PAGD candidate refuses to stay at hotel

Jammu & Kashmir

Precious Kashmir

25/11/2020

Raja Bilal

Budgam, Nov 24: The People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) candidate from Soibug Budgam refused to stay at a ‘secure’ hotel after filing his nomination papers for DDC elections.

Nazir Ahmed Wani alias Javaid Iqbal, a PAGD candidate filed his nomination papers in presence if ANC senior vice president Muzafar Shah and Peoples Movement Chairman Javaid Mustafa Mir.

Shah said shortly after filing his nomination papers, Iqbal was asked by policemen to accompany them. “Our candidate flatly refused. It was an attempt to stop our candidate from canvassing”.

Javiad also asked policemen to allow their candidate to campaign.

After exchange of discussion, authorities allowed PAGD candidate to canvass and to live at his choicest place.

A police official said that it is in the interest and security of the candidate to stay at government chosen secure places. (KNT)

DGP visits Arnia border Jammu, rewards BSF men

Jammu & Kashmir

Precious Kashmir

25/11/2020

Precious Kashmir News

Jammu, Nov 24: Director General of Police Dilbag Singh Tuesday visited Arnia sector of Jammu District where he presented rewards to the BSF personnel of 42 BN and also inspected the Sai Police post.

The DGP was accompanied by IGP Jammu, Mukesh Singh, IGP BSF N. S Jamwal, DIG BSF S. Surjeet Singh, SSP Jammu Sharidhar Patil, Commandant 42BN, Amardeep Singh.

The DGP first visited BSF 42 Bn post Budwar where he presented rewards to the BSF personnel who were part of the operation in which a huge consignment of drugs were recovered in September.

Speaking on the occasion, the DGP appreciated the efforts of the personnel involved in that operation and said that busting of this drug racket had given a big jolt to the ugly and nefarious design of Pakistan. He said that Pakistan is using drones to drop weapons in our part and added that forces need to be very alert to foil this evil design as well. He said that with the collective efforts and greater the synergy between Jammu and Kashmir Police and BSF, a cross-border tunnel was detected in Samba and added that joint efforts are must to achieve desired and notable results in the future.

The DGP then visited Police Post Sai where he took stock of the working of the police station. He while interacting with the police personnel instructed them to discharge their duties with utmost dedication and honesty in reducing the crimes. He stressed upon them to be more alert and expose the elements, involved in the drug trade and other crimes in the border area. He directed them to act strongly against drug trade and people involved in it. The police and BSF officers briefed the DGP during his visit to these posts.

It needs to mention that a couple of days ago DGP Dilbg Singh alongwith Mukesh Singh, IGP BSF N. S Jamwal visited Regaal Sambal where he patted the Deputy Commandant Deepak Rani of BSF 48 Bn and rewarded the BSF party for detecting the cross border Tunnel.

Basant Bagh residents protest against water scarcity

City

Precious Kashmir

25/11/2020

Precious Kashmir News

Srinagar, Nov 24: The residents of Basant Bagh area in Srinagar on Tuesday held a protest against the water scarcity in their area and blocked the traffic on the main route.

Large number of people including men, women and children assembled near main road at Basant Bagh and blocked the vehicular traffic.

They were raising slogans against the PHE (Jal-Shakti) department, for the poor water supply in their area.

They said the water is not being supplied to the area by the PHE department.

They requested the administration to look into the issue and ensure resumption of water supply to the area as soon as possible.

The protestors called off the dharna after police officials assured them that their problems will be taken up with PHE authorities. (CNS)

Covid-19 Vaccine

Edit

Precious Kashmir

24/11/2020

Chief Secretary, B V R Subrahmanyam on November 23 formally announced COVID vaccine is expected to be available soon. The announcement comes close on the heels of the Pharma major AstraZeneca announcing that an interim analysis of clinical trials of its COVID-19 vaccine in the UK and Brazil showed that it was 70 percent effective on average, becoming the third drug maker to announce promising results to contain the deadly virus.

The vaccine, developed with the University of Oxford, showed 90 percent efficacy in one dosing regimen when the vaccine was given as a half dose, followed by a full dose at least a month later.

Earlier multinational, Pfizer, announced promising results from its ongoing phase-3 trial of a potential COVID-19 vaccine. Also Moderna, the U.S.-based biotechnology firm, indicated similar news from human trials (phase 3) of its m-RNA vaccine.

The results are a sign that the vaccines are successful in their primary job of protection though their efficacy at curbing disease the transmission was still to be evaluated. The results were at infancy given the fact that announcement by these companies were not in a scientific journal, implying that a review by independent experts was pending. Every vaccine candidate that passes a significant loop is a win for humans as it opens the way to new practices and ways of applying science that would have been otherwise improbable in the pre-pandemic world. There is a need to be prepared as the new vaccine seems to be around the corner. The Chief Secretary of the J&K making the announcement as well as underscoring the need to maintain efficient coordination between various implementing agencies including District Administration, Police, ULBs, PRIs, and Health Department is a welcome development and need to be worked upon to ensure it was available without hassles as and when it was finally available.

The vaccines have surely raised hope about the potential end to the nearly year-long pandemic which severally affected lives and the livelihood.

As per the experts the vaccines which are based on a novel technology that uses the synthetic messenger RNA to activate the immune system against the virus are expected to become available for public use next month. It is important that preparations are made and efforts should be made to make it available to the vulnerable lot in the first instance.

As DDC polls come near, people change turfs

Anchor stories

Afaq Bhat

24/11/2020

As DDC polls come near, people change turfs

Afaq Bhat
Srinagar, Nov 23: With just a few days left for the first phase of the District Development Commission polls to be held in Jammu and Kashmir the political parties are trying to garner as much support as they can to make their presence felt on the ground.
An analyst while talking to Precious Kashmir said that during the past few days we have witnessed some people joining here and there. “The trend of people changing their turfs is prevalent more in Jammu region than in Kashmir. But in the Valley also some joinings have taken place.”
He said, “The political parties in Kashmir are aware of the fact that the DDC elections are not any major polls but this exercise will set the tone and tenor for the forthcoming democratic exercises that will be held in near future.”
An observer said that people changing their parties is nothing new and it has been happening for the past so many years. “Just few years ago Jammu region was the bastion of Congress Party but as on date the party is finding it hard to even establish its foothold in the region. The people who used to swear by their affiliation with the Congress party have shifted their loyalties to other parties and have moved on.”
He said, “Politics is all about greener pastures. The Kashmir based parties that have come together and have formed Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) are aware of the fact that they cannot stay away from the power for long as the power binds everyone together.”
“The emergence of the PAGD and its decision to contest the DDC polls is a setback for the newly floated parties which were under the impression that they can make their base stronger by pulling in more and more people with the promise of power,” the observer added.
Another analyst said, “ The forthcoming DDC polls will decide how the people will react to the situation if they come out to vote in large numbers it will change the political scenario completely, but if they stay back then anyone can win these elections.”
A politician said, “The forthcoming polls are a litmus test for the political parties and all the political formations are making an attempt to woo the voters. However, the prevailing inclement weather in Kashmir is making things difficult.”
He said, “The DDC polls are just a beginning; these are not an end. Revival of political activities in Kashmir is a step towards empowerment. Let’s not read too many things between the lines.”

Sports Scams: Fact finding committees, task force go missing

Anchor stories

Precious Kashmir

24/11/2020

Sports Scams: Fact finding committees, task force go missing

Vishal Bharti
Jammu, Nov 23: Despite Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha’s loud and clear warning to the corrupt, the ‘Fact Finding Committees’ and the ‘Sports Task Force’ announced by the previous governments to check alleged irregularities and scams in sports, remain mere announcements.
However, all eyes are on LG Sinha headed Jammu and Kashmir Administration to see whether he revives these committees and constitute the Task Force or not.
The then J&K Governor Satya Pal Malik has framed ‘Fact Finding Committees’ on the basis of several complaints received by his office and the grievance cell with regard to alleged irregularities and scams in J&K Sports Council and Department of Youth Services and Sports–the government run bodies.
Meanwhile, former Advisor to the Governor K Vijay Kumar, who held the sports portfolio– during an interaction with the media on December 12, 2018 had announced to frame ‘Sports Task Force’ in the presence of then Governor Malik.
“As many irregularities and scams in Sports Council and DYSS have been brought to the notice of respective dispensations but, major action is yet awaited,” reliable sources told UNI.
They said, “LG Sinha has already issued clear directions to every Department of his Administration that neither the corrupt nor the corruption will be acceptable to him and so, we appeal him to constitute a committee to find alleged irregularities and wrongdoings in the Sports Council and DYSS.”
A former employee retired from one of the government run Sports bodies when contacted here told UNI on condition of anonymity, “From illegal promotions to equipment purchasing, infrastructure, utilisation of funds, bungling in seniority lists, commission to release funds to sports associations, and many more such allegations, everything needs to be probed.”
He further said that some of the employees allegedly have also been given undue benefits in promotions despite being ineligible, adding, “some of them as per reports are also facing corruption cases but still managed to stay within the Council on prominent posts.”
The Then Governor Malik on October 5, 2019, to tighten noose against the malpractices and curb the corruption, constituted a fact finding committee to look into scams and irregularities into the J&K Sports Council besides other developmental projects from the period of 2010 to 2018.
As per official spokesman, acting on large number of complaints received by the (then) Governor and the Government from various quarters regarding irregularities in the functioning of different departments, the Government had decided to constitute the ‘Fact Finding Committees’ headed by senior officers to go into these alleged irregularities, if any.
He said that that the ‘Fact Finding Committees’ were framed to look into irregularities in illegal appointments and other scams in J&K Sports Council and added, “each ‘Fact Finding Committee’ was to be headed by a senior officer and he had to submit its findings in a time-bound manner”.
The Committee had to examine illegal and irregular appointments in J&K Sports Council to inquire into it, if any, in the J&K Sports Council and the Department of Youth Services and Sports from 2010 onwards and identify those responsible for irregularities, if any.
“The Committee was to be chaired by the Principal Secretary (Home) and included Secretary, Youth, Services and Sports,” he added.
Pertinently, around 20 political appointments were made in the J&K Sports Council in nearly one decade from 2010 to 2019.
As per sources, complaints of embezzlement of funds, purchase of substandard equipment/kits/gadgets, defunct sports associations getting annual grants, and many more, are lodged with the government.
Moreover, then Advisor K Vijay Kumar on December 12, 2018, had also announced introduction of ‘Sports Task Force’ in Jammu and Kashmir to keep check on utilisation and distribution of funds.
Chief Secretary BVR Subramanium was also present in the event.
“Some Associations, the Federations of which have been de-affiliated by the Central Government, are still receiving grant-in-aid from J&K State Sports Council, throwing constitution into the winds,” sources said adding, “alleged nexus between some officials and members of some Associations cannot be ruled out as they have mastered themselves in dealing with the affairs of the Sports Associations for vested interests.”

COVID-19 claims 12 more lives, 351 test positive in J&K

Front

Nadeem Nadu

24/11/2020

COVID-19 claims 12 more lives, 351 test positive in J&K

Death toll mounts to 1641, case tally at 106889; 99827 recover till date

Nadeem Nadu/ Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Nov 23: Jammu and Kashmir reported 12 more COVID-19 deaths in last 24 hours, while 351 more people tested positive for the virus, officials said on Monday.
They said that death toll in J&K due to COVID has mounted to 1641, while 106899 people have tested positive for the pestilence in the union territory till date.
Among those who succumbed to the virus today five were from Kashmir and seven were from Jammu division, officials added.
The victims from Valley include man from Charar-e-Sharief , woman from Laisoo Kulgam. Man from Shahlaal Kupwara, and two men from Srinagar’s Eidgah and Dalgate areas, they said.

Regarding the victims from Jammu division, they said, three were from Udhampur, two each from the winter capital of J&K and Samba district.
With these deaths, the total fatality count in the Valley has reached 1079 and 562 in the Jammu region.
Srinagar district with 405 deaths tops the list followed by Jammu (291), Baramulla (159), Budgam (99), Pulwama (86), Kupwara (81), Anantnag (77), Doda (52), Bandipora(50), Rajouri (49), Kulgam (49), Udhampur (42), Ganderbal (37), Shopian (36), Kathua (35), Samba (26), Poonch (22), Ramban (18), Kishtwar(16), and Reasi (9).

JK reports 351 new cases, 99827 recover so far
Meanwhile, the Government on Monday informed that 351 new positive cases of novel Corona virus (COVID-19), 185 from Jammu division and 166 from Kashmir division, were reported on Monday thus taking the total number of positive cases in Jammu and Kashmir to 106899.
Moreover, 608 more COVID-19 patients have recovered and discharged from various hospitals including 214 from Jammu Division and 394 from Kashmir Division.
According to the daily Media Bulletin on novel Corona virus (Covid-19), out of 106899 positive cases, 5431 are Active Positive, 99827 have recovered and 1641 have died; 562 in Jammu division and 1079 in Kashmir division.
The Bulletin further said that out of 2831855 test results available, 2724956 samples have been tested as negative till November 23, 2020.
Till date 767082 persons have been enlisted for observation which included 19512 persons in home quarantine including facilities operated by government, 5431 in isolation and 45989 in home surveillance. Besides, 694509 persons have completed their surveillance period.
Providing district-wise breakup, the Bulletin said that Srinagar has 22429 positive cases (including 79 cases reported today) with 1419 Active Positive, 20605 recovered (including 143 cases recovered today), 405 deaths; Baramulla has 7259 positive cases (including 16 cases reported today) with 482 Active Positive, 6618 recovered (including 70 cases recovered today), 159deaths; Pulwama reported 4997 positive cases (including 10 case reported today) with 152 active positive cases, 4759 recovered (including 24 cases recovered today), 86 deaths; Kulgam has 2579 positive cases (including 03 case reported today) with 66 Active Positive, 2464 recoveries (including 10 cases recovered today), 49 deaths; Shopian has 2305 positive cases (including 04 case reported today) with 71 Active Positive, 2198 recovered (including 02 cases recovered today) and 36 deaths; Anantnag district has 4507 positive cases (including 04 cases reported today) with 144 Active Positive, 4286 recovered (including 41cases recovered today), 77 deaths; Budgam has 6728 positive cases (including 23 cases reported today) with 303 Active Positive and 6326 recovered (including 18 cases recovered today), 99 deaths; Kupwara has 5076 positive cases (including 17 cases reported today) with 511 Active Positive, 4484 recovered (including 26 cases recovered today), 81 deaths; Bandipora has 4343 positive cases (including 04 cases reported today) with 171 Active Positive, 4122 recovered (including 18 cases recovered today), 50 deaths and Ganderbal has 4104 positive cases (including 06 cases reported today) with 230 active positive cases, 3837recoveries (including 42 cases recovered today)and 37 deaths.
Similarly, Jammu has19844 positive cases (including 98 cases reported today) with 578 active positive cases, 18975 recoveries (including 102 cases recovered today), 291 deaths; Rajouri has 3381 positive cases (including 03 cases reported today) with 99 active positive cases, 3233 recovered (including 07 cases recovered today), 49 deaths; Ramban has 1851 positive cases (including 10 cases reported today) with 115 active positive, 1718 recoveries (including 55 cases recovered today) and 18 deaths; Kathua has 2687 positive cases (including 04 cases reported today) with 64 Active positive, 2588 recovered (including 14 cases recovered today), 35 deaths; Udhampur has 3322 positive cases (including 20 cases reported today) with 400 active positive cases, 2880 recovered (including 08 cases recovered today) and 42 deaths; Samba has 2374 positive cases (including 06 cases reported today) with 141 Active Positive, 2205 recoveries and 28 deaths; Doda has 2970 positive cases (including 23 cases reported today) with 174 active positive cases, 2744 recoveries (including 20 cases recovered today), 52 deaths; Poonch has 2371 positive cases (including 02cases reported today) with 69 active positive, 2280 recoveries (including 06 cases recovered today), 22 deaths; Reasi has 1418 positive cases with 64 active positive, 1345 recoveries and 09 deaths while Kishtwar has 2354 positive cases (including 15 cases reported today) with 178 active positive cases and 2160 recoveries (including 22 cases recovered today) and 16 deaths.

According to the bulletin, among the total 106899 positive cases in J&K, 10599 have been reported as travellers while 96300 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 1306 COVID dedicated beds, 1170 Isolation beds with 996 vacant beds and 136 ICU beds where 74 beds are vacant in Jammu division while there are 2345 COVID dedicated beds, 2197 Isolation beds where 1724 beds are vacant and 148 ICU beds where 115 are vacant beds in Kashmir division. There are total of 3651 COVID dedicated beds, 3367 Isolation beds with 2720 beds vacant and 284 ICU beds with 189 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.
People can also call on toll-free national helpline number 1075; J&K COVID-19 Helpline Numbers 0191- 2549676 (UT level Cell), 0191-2520982, 0191-2674444, 0191-2674115 (For Jammu Division), 0194-2440283 & 0194-2430581 (For Kashmir Division) for support,

COVID-19: India clocks fresh spike of 44,059 cases

Front

United News Of India

24/11/2020

COVID-19: India clocks fresh spike of 44,059 cases

New Delhi, Nov 23: India has registered a fresh spike of 44,059 COVID cases, taking the country’s tally to 91,39,866, Union Health Ministry update said here on Monday.

Active case load has increased by 2524 since Sunday, and the country currently houses 4,43,486 active cases of nCoV.

Talking of the fatalities , 511 more lives were claimed by the highly contagious virus since Sunday, with the death toll mounting to 1,33,738.

There were 41,024 COVID patients who have recovered from the virus spread during the past 24 hours, the government data update said.

The total recoveries so far have now reached 85,62,642 across the country.

According to the ICMR , the total COVID tests done till date since the beginning stand at 13,25,82,730.

In percentage , active cases are now 4.85 per cent, discharged at 93.68 per cent and the deaths 1.46 per cent of the total nCoV case count of the country.

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