Precious Kashmir

Even in COVID times Info Deptt withholds advt payments

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02/09/2020

Even in COVID times Info Deptt withholds advt payments

Local dailies at verge of closure, officials unmoved
Afaq Bhat
Srinagar, Sep 1: Amid COVID-19 pandemic the Information Department in Kashmir has not released the payments of the government advertisements to the newspapers since April this year.
The daily newspapers, which were included in the list of essential services soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the lockdown-I in March this year, are struggling to survive in the Valley.
During the past six months, advertisement flow to local newspapers in Kashmir has been cut by nearly 50% and the payments have not been released. One day before Eid-ul-Adha, the department had released the payment for the month of March, 2020 and after that the department went into oblivion.
The COVID-19 lockdown has hit every industry very hard and many people have lost their jobs during the past six months due to financial activities coming to a halt. Somehow local dailies in Kashmir have managed to hit the stands and keep people informed about the developments taking place during the pandemic times.
When COVID-19 pandemic broke out Prime Minister Nraendra Modi had made a fervent appeal to businessmen and entrepreneurs not to go for jobs cuts and ensure that their staff doesn’t suffer. He had given clear cut instructions to the government departments to help the businesses and industries so that they could survive in these difficult times.
In the COVID-19 times the government advertisements distributed by the Information Department are the main source of revenue for the Kashmir based local dailies as the private advertisements have disappeared due to most of the business houses facing huge losses. The Information Department withholding the payments in difficult times has pushed the newspaper owners and staff members in Kashmir to an edge. Instead of coming for the rescue of the media houses, the department has not paid any attention towards the financial crunch being faced by the dailies getting published in Kashmir.
The indifferent attitude of the department has triggered financial crisis within the media organizations. This has led to the salaries of staff members getting delayed due to which many people have been forced to change their profession. The Information Department not releasing the payments of the advertisements has led to more people becoming unemployed.
Many small newspapers have winded up their offices and have said goodbye to journalism. A few media houses that are working against all the odds are managing the show by one or other way. If the department keeps on turning a blind eye towards newspaper industry in the Valley it can lead to closure of more publications and will add to the army of unemployed professionals.
When contacted Joint Director Information Kashmir Harris Handoo told Precious Kashmir that “there is no paucity of funds” and the department is on the job to clear the payments. “Within a week or so payments will be released,” he added.

Amid pandemic traffic police sending more people to courts

Anchor stories

Gul Owais

02/09/2020

Amid pandemic traffic police sending more people to courts

Cops prefer court challans over compound fines
Gul Owais
Srinagar, Sep 1: At a time when the assembly of people is strictly restricted to prevent the COVID-19 from spreading, the traffic policemen are allegedly issuing court challans to violators, which leads to overcrowding in courts, thus increasing the risk among people to get infected.
The commuters who were challaned at different places in Srinagar on Tuesday told ‘Precious Kashmir’ that the policemen seem obsessed with court challans. “I urged the traffic cops to impose the fine on spot but they didn’t listen to my pleas and imposed a court challan,” said a lady doctor, who was fined near LD hospital here.
She said that she is posted at Vessu Qazigund in south Kashmir and now she will have to travel to Srinagar again on September 15, 2020 to get her RC released. “They didn’t show any respect either towards me being lady or being a doctor. They just handed over the challan to me and showed no sympathy,” she added.
She said that near Lal Ded hospital in Srinagar; a number of commuters like her were seen stopped. “After being stopped, many among us pleaded before the cops to provide us with the compound challan only. But, the cops present there issued a court challan to almost all of them,” she added.
A doctor who was coming from SKIMS Soura after performing COVID duty was also challaned. He said that he was ready to pay the fine in violation of traffic norms, but the cops have issued him a court challan, thus adding to his miseries.
The commuters stated that amid the ongoing pandemic, it is not possible for them to visit the courts to avoid the gatherings. “Already, the rush of people remains high in the courts and by issuing the court challans, the traffic police department is increasing the rush of litigants, thus increasing the chance of getting infected with the virus,” they said.
Another commuter, who was also challaned a few days back, said that he couldn’t visit the court to pay the amount as fine and release the Registration Certificate (RC) of his vehicle. “I am very sacred of the ongoing pandemic. It has claimed over 700 lives so far. It is better to stay inside rather than visiting any place where the crowd remains high,” he said, adding that he used to go anywhere in his car only but since the court challan was issued to him, he has not come out of his home to stay healthy.
“It would have been better in case the traffic cops who are performing their duties would have issued compound challan to all the violators during the pandemic to ensure that the people will not suffer and the flow of litigants would not increase at the courts,” he said.
The commuters appealed to the concerned department to consider issuing compound challans only so that the crowd at the courts is avoided.
Meanwhile, IGP Traffic, T Namgyal said that it depends upon the people how they will pay the fine. “We have both the options available and it depends upon the violators to choose one among them,” he said.

After fresh clashes in Ladakh, India puts ball in China’s court

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Precious Kashmir

02/09/2020

After fresh clashes in Ladakh, India puts ball in China’s court

Expect Beijing to restore peace in border areas: MEA

New Delhi, Sep 1: In the backdrop of fresh clash between troops of two Himalayan nations in Pangong Tso areas in eastern Ladakh, India on Tuesday said it expects Chinese side to sincerely abide by the understanding reached earlier and earnestly work to resolve the situation and restore peace and tranquility in the border areas.
In response to a media query on the recent developments in the India-China Border Areas, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, “The Indian side is firmly committed to resolve all outstanding issues along the LAC in the Western Sector through peaceful dialogue.”
In this context, “we expect the Chinese side to sincerely abide by the understanding reached earlier and earnestly work with the India to resolve the situation and to restore peace and tranquility in the border areas,” he said.
On August 29-30 night, China’s People Liberation of Army (PLA) carried out provocative military movements to unilaterally change the status quo.
Indian troops pre-empted the PLA activity on the Southern Bank of Pangong Tso Lake, undertook measures to strengthen its positions and thwart Chinese intentions to unilaterally change facts on ground.
Indian Army in a statement had said, “the Army is committed to maintain peace and tranquility through dialogue, but is also equally determined to protect its territorial integrity.”
The two neighbouring nations have been closely engaged through diplomatic and military channels over the past three months to resolve the situation along the India-China border.
“It would also be recalled that earlier the two Foreign Ministers and the two Special Representatives had agreed that the situation should be handled in a responsible manner and either side should not take any provocative action or escalate matters and ensure peace and tranquility as per bilateral agreements and protocol,” Srivastava said.

He further added that the Chinese side violated the understanding and engaged in provocative military maneuvers in the late night of 29th and on 30th August in an attempt to change the status quo in the South Bank area of Pangong Lake.
“The actions and behavior of the Chinese side since earlier this year along the LAC has been in clear violation of the bilateral agreements and protocols concluded between the two countries to ensure peace and tranquility on the border. Such actions are also in complete disregard to the understandings reached between the two Foreign Ministers as also the Special Representatives,” he said.
“We have taken up the matter of recent provocative and aggressive actions with Chinese side through both diplomatic and military channels and have urged them to discipline and control their frontline troops from undertaking such provocative actions,” the spokesperson said.

Both sides position tanks within firing distance

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Precious Kashmir

02/09/2020

Both sides position tanks within firing distance

New Delhi, Sep 1: The ensuing border tensions between India and China along the LAC (line of actual control) in eastern Ladakh remained jittery with both sides mounting their tanks within each other’s firing distance at Pangong Tso lake.
According to sources, Indian and Chinese armies’ tanks have been stationed within the firing distance of each other amid ongoing military talks that continued for the second (consecutive) day on Tuesday, September 1.
Chinese armoured vehicles and battle tanks are positioned near the foothills of ‘Kala Top’, which is occupied by Indian forces, sources added.
China has stationed light and heavy tanks in the area, which are said to be within engaging distance of Indian positions.

Meanwhile, Indian forces at Kala Top are armed to the teeth with full artillery and tank support. The further movement of Chinese tanks and machinery has been halted because of dominant positions held by India’s Special Frontier Force (SFF) at Kala Top as well as army units on other adjoining heights.
In the meantime, an Indian tank regiment is already positioned in the plains — south-west of the flashpoint between Spanggur Tso and Chushul.
Brigade Commander-level talks between India and China have been on since 9 am (Tuesday, September 1) at Moldo to alleviate the situation after the defence ministry said on Monday (August 31) that the Chinese army undertook “provocative military movements” to “unilaterally” alter the status quo on the southern bank of Pangong Tso lake on the intervening night of August 29 and 30.
However, Indian soldiers foiled the attempt (by Chinese troops), which is also the first major incident in the area after the Galwan Valley clashes on June 15 in which 20 Indian Army personnel were killed and reportedly over 40 Chinese had also died. (NDTV)

COVID-19 claims 14 more lives, J&K toll 719

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Nadeem Nadu

02/09/2020

COVID-19 claims 14 more lives, J&K toll 719

525 new cases reported, tally crosses 38000 mark

Nadeem Nadu

Srinagar, Sep 1: Jammu and Kashmir reported 14 more COVID-19 deaths in last 24 hours, taking the overall fatality count to 719 in J&K, officials said on Tuesday.

They said that among them, two deaths were reported from Jammu division and 12 from Kashmir Valley.

Regarding the deaths from Valley, they said, five were reported from Pulwama, two each from Srinagar, Ganderbal and Budgam besides one from Bandipora.

They said a 50-year-old woman from Wislapora Budgam died at SKIMS Soura, five days she was admiited to the tertiary care hospital.

A 55-year-old woman from Batpora Budgam who was admitted on 29 August, died at SMHS Hospital, they said

A 65-year-old man from HMT Srinagar who was admitted to SMHS hospital on August 26 as a case of Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), hypertension and bilateral community acquired pneumonia, died on Tuesday, they said.

A 72-year-old from Eidgah Srinagar was brought to SMHS hospital this morning and was declared brought dead by the doctors, they said, adding, “He was covid-19 positive”.

A 70-year-old from Sumbal Bandipoa, who was admitted to the hospital on August 31 as a case of bilateral CAP died today, they said

A 66-year-old woman from Mansbal Ganderbal, admitted SKIMS Soura on August 27 died today, they said.

A 60-year-old man from Ahan Ganderbal, admitted on August 24 died this afternoon. “He was suffering with bilateral CAP and died due to cardiopulmonary arrest,” a doctor at the tertiary care hospital told GNS.

Officials said that five deaths were confirmed from Pulwama and two from Jammu division with one of the victim—67-year-old man from Samba district.

The five deaths from Pulwama include 75-year-old man from Khangund Satoora, 78-year-old man from Tral Payeen, 62-year-old man from Mandoora, a 50-year-old woman from Panzoo and 65-year-old man from Pinglish.

With these deaths, officials said, 719 people have succumbed to the virus in Jammu and Kashmir so far. Among them, they said, 649 were from the Valley while 70 others from Jammu division.

Srinagar district with 223 deaths tops the list followed by Baramulla (100), Budgam (62), Anantnag (50), Pulwama (54), Kupwara (49), Jammu (47), Kulgam (35), Shopian (28), Bandipora (26), Ganderbal (23), Rajouri (5), Doda (4), Poonch (4), Kathua (4), Udhampur (2), Samba (2) and Ramban (1).

COVID-19: J&K records 525 new cases, tally crosses 38000 mark

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Nadeem Nadu

02/09/2020

COVID-19: J&K records 525 new cases, tally crosses 38000 mark

Nadeem Nadu
Srinagar, Sep 1: Fifty-one travelers were among 525 covid-19 infections reported in Jammu and Kashmir in last 24 hours, taking the overall tally to 38223.
Among the cases, official sources told GNS that 241 were confirmed from Jammu Division and 284 from Kashmir including four pregnant woman and three minors.

Giving breakup of the cases, they said, Srinagar reported 95 cases, Pulwama 36, Budgam 17, Baramulla 14, Anantnag 26, Bandipora 28, Kupwara 23, Kulgam 9, Shopian 2, Ganderbal 34, Jammu 121, Rajouri 19, Kathua 28, Udhampur 4, Samba 12, Doda 13, Poonch 20, Reasi 12 and Kishtwar 12.

A number of cases were confirmed at SKIMS and CD hospital diagnostic laboratories.

The CD cases include male (29) from Budgam, male (80) from Nowgam, male (68) from Sumbal, male (48) from Pampore Pulwama, female (60) from Bemina, female (56) from HMT Srg, male (NA) from Kupwara, male (65) from Aribal Pulwama, male (40) from Pulwama, male (30) from Gulabad Srg, two males (50, 65) from Lal Bazar, female (42) from KP Bagh Srg, male (31) from Srinagar, female (60) from Iqbalabad Bemina, female (55) from Safa Kadal, male (NA) from P/S Parimpora, male (40) from HMT, male (40) from Buchpora Srg, male (35) from Sonwar, male (42) from Eidgah Srg, female (48) from Rainawari Srg, two males (73, NA) from NA, female (NA) from Alamgiri Bazar, male (31) from Noor Bagh, female (44) from Eidgah Srg, male (20) from HMT Srg, NA (NA) from Bemina, two females (28, 50) from Lal Bazar, male (NA) from Mahrajgunj, male (45) from Sopore, male (28) and female (25) from Lal Bazar Srg, male (NA) from Gurez, male (65) from Kupwara, female (22) from Putashy Bandipora, female (39) from Khaja Gilgit Sopore, female (30) from Chankhan Sopore, male (23) from Upper Ashpeer Sopore, female (60) from Irkumoo, female (23) from Watnard, female (29) from Halmullah, male (27) from Halsidar, male (27) from Malikpora Verinag, female (40) from Kupwara, female (85) from Karan Nagar, male (65) from Awantipora, male (38) from Breng, male (54) from Hiller Arhama, female (37) from Shangus.

The SKIMS cases include male (41) from Khalwan, male (55) from Verinag Anantnag while those from the Srinagar include male (36) from Rainawari, two males (28, 21) from Natipora, male (55) from Kanimazar, female (34) from Soura, male (48) from Pattan, female (62) from Buchpora, female (45) from Srinagar, male (68) and female (50) from Buchpora, male (55) from Soura, male (32) from Nowshera, two females (30, 26) from Shalimar, female (35) from Lal Bazar, male (25) from Hyderpora, male (35) from Gilikadal, male (55) from Hawal, male (60) from Illahibagh Srinagar.

The Budgam cases include male (27) and female (28) from Zoogu, male (40) from Zempora, female (25) from Machipora, male (24) from Utligam Beeru, male (1M) from Huroo, male (26) from Hoshroo Chadoora, female (55) from Hayatpora, male (30) from Beerwah, female (09) from Nowgam Banipora Budgam, male (60) from Wathora Budgam.

The Ganderbal cases include female (70) from Ganderbal.

The Kupwara cases include two males (31, 27) from Spg Dist-Kupwara, female (25) from Hayhama, male (27) from Regipora Kupwara.

The Ramban cases include female (07) from Banihal Ramban.

The Kishtwar cases include two females (70, 31) from Kishtwar.

The CRPF cases include male (28) from IGP Office Humhama Budgam.

The BSF cases include male (29) from CH BSF Humhama Srinagar.

Moreover, they said, 469 more COVID-19 patients have recovered and were discharged from various hospitals—111 from Jammu Division and 358 from Kashmir Valley.

Monitor every COVID-19 patient kept in home isolation: Div Com to officers

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Precious Kashmir

02/09/2020

Sumaya Jan
Srinagar, Sep 1: Authorities have directed officers to monitor every individual kept in home isolation on a daily basis and form WhatsApp group of COVID-19 patients in Kashmir.
Jammu and Kashmir last month revised its guidelines and declared that all asymptomatic Covid positive cases would be in-home isolation.
As per the guidelines, Covid positive cases would be allowed home isolation with conditions free Oximeter, compulsory Arogya Setu App and proper isolation space with a poster outside the house.
Now Divisional Commissioner Kashmir has issued a directive which says that home isolation of positive patients has increased responsibilities of administration as it has to monitor each and every individual patient kept in home isolation on a daily basis.
“All the patients should be visited on a daily basis, in order to keep track of the positive patients, regular phone calls during mornings and evenings shall be made from the Control Room and the same shall be recorded on a register maintained for the purpose. A WhatsApp group should be made with all the Covid positive patients put on home isolation at the block level to monitor their health status. Any patient who develops symptoms shall be immediately shifted to Covid Health Facility,” the directive reads.
The Divisional Commissioner Kashmir directed all the districts to ensure the availability of Oximeters to every Home Isolated positive patient so that they are able to monitor the essential parameters. “After the home isolation period is over, the oximeters shall be taken back and used for subsequent patients,” he said.
In a modification in the protocol for positives of Covid- 19 infection and their contacts, Jammu and Kashmir Government had revised home isolation guidelines to permit such patients for home quarantine who are asymptomatic with no comorbidity and are not vulnerable otherwise.
An order issued by Health and Medical Education Department in this regard had asked Divisional, District as well as designated institutions and hospitals which include SKIMS Soura, Srinagar, Govt. Medical Colleges of Jammu, Srinagar, Anantnag, Baramulla, Doda, Kathua and Rajouri and Director Health Services Kashmir/Jammu to follow the revised guidelines.
All such patients shall be permitted for home quarantine provided they have separate room available in their home; have downloaded Aarogya Setu application on their phones; besides such patients will be provided with Oximeter to monitor their oxygen saturation and in the event of drop of the Oxygen level below 90% they shall immediately be hospitalized; a poster shall be pasted outside their home displaying therein that the resident has been quarantined and reach out teams shall be constituted by the Directorate of Health Services, Jammu / Kashmir to monitor health status of the patient.
“Further, it is permitted to dispense with present practice of administrative quarantine of contacts of COVID positive patients. All asymptomatic contacts of COVID-19 patient will be allowed home quarantine and tested on the sixth day of the contact,” the order had said. (KINS)

Opening up without COVID-19 control could prove disastrous: WHO

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Precious Kashmir

02/09/2020

Geneva, Sep 1: Countries with significant active spread of coronavirus must prevent amplifying events, as opening up without the virus being under control would be a “recipe for disaster”, the World Health Organization said on Monday.
WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus recognised that many people are getting tired of restrictions and want to return to normality eight months into the pandemic.

The WHO fully supported efforts to reopen economies and societies, he told a news conference, adding: “We want to see children returning to school and people returning to workplaces, but we want to see it done safely.”

“No country can just pretend the pandemic is over,” he said. “The reality is this virus spreads easily. Opening up without control is a recipe for disaster.”
“Explosive outbreaks” have been linked to gatherings of people at stadiums, nightclubs, places of worship and other crowds, where the respiratory virus can spread easily among clusters of people, Tedros said.
“Decisions about how and when to allow gatherings of people must be taken with a risk-based approach, in the local context,” he said.

Barring B’pora all districts in Kashmir classified red-zones

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Precious Kashmir

02/09/2020

Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Sep 1: The Government has classified all districts of Kashmir excluding Bandipora and Ramban district of Jammu division as red zones following the assessment of COVID-19 situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
To classify red, orange and green zones in J&K, the Department of Disaster Management, Relief Rehabilitation and Reconstruction’s State Executive Committee took review of the novel coronavirus situation while taking into account trends in new cases particularly the recent spike in new cases in view of the continuous movement of people travelling to J&K and between provinces or districts with tremendous risk of further spread.
The emphasis was given on the need to control further spread of the covid-19 while highlighting risk of perception of the health department in each district.
Accordingly, the Government has declared the entire Kashmir division excluding Bandipora as a red zone.
Similarly, Jammu division’s Ramban district has also been kept in the red category unlike rest of the districts of the division.

COVID-19: All residents within 50-meter radius of micro containment zone to be tested in Srinagar

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Precious Kashmir

02/09/2020

Srinagar, Sep 1: To ascertain the exact spread of the disease in the district, the government has decided to conduct COVID-19 testing of all residents of localities where 5 or more positive cases have been reported.
The decision comes in the wake of soaring number of positive cases in the district and is aimed at containing further spread of the disease. It follows a comprehensive review of the prevailing situation surrounding COVID-19 and the existing containment efforts in the district.
Under this new micro containment plan, localities where 5 or more COVID-19 positive cases have been reported will be notified as containment zones with a reduced radius of 50-75 meters.
In these micro containment zones, which will replace the existing 200-meter zones, all residents within this reduced radius will be tested for COVID-19 using the rapid antigen testing or RAT.
Testing teams will visit each notified containment zone and conduct testing of all members of all households within these micro containment zones. Thanks to rapid antigen testing which will be used during this entire exercise the test results will be declared and shared on the spot.

Each micro containment zone to be notified will be closed at the perimeter to restrict entry and exit until their number of positive cases go below 5 as part of a comprehensive new containment and surveillance plan. The aim of closing off these zones is to contain spread of the COVID-19 disease out thereof.

In localities where the number of COVID-19 positive cases are below 5 only those households – and their contacts – will be tested where a positive case has been reported and that restrictions will remain restricted to those particular households.

Deputy Commissioner Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary said the perimeter of COVID-19 containment zones in Srinagar has been revised and reduced in order to streamline and make more efficient the containment efforts in the district.

He said the decision to conduct testing of all households within a notified micro containment zone has been taken in view of the spike in and soaring numbers of COVID-19 infections in the district.

Dr Shahid has urged all residents of localities notified or to be notified as micro containment zones to support the district administration in the containment efforts being intensified in the district to reduce the number of infected cases and contain the spread of the disease.

Meanwhile the district administration has de-notified at least 17 areas earlier notified as containment zones after reduction in their COVID-19 positive cases.

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