Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Aug 15: Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha hosted an ‘At Home’ at the SKICC, here this evening, to celebrate the 74th Independence Day.
Justice Gita Mittal, Chief Justice of J&K High Court; Judges of the High Court; Advisors to the Lt Governor; Sh. BVR Subrahmanyam, Chief Secretary; Lieutenant General BS Raju, GOC 15 Corps; Sh. Dilbag Singh, DGP; Vice Chancellors; former Legislators; senior Civil, Police and Army officers, ex-Servicemen and leaders of various social and political organizations were among the prominent persons who attended the ‘At Home’.
Family members of deceased Sajad Ahmad Khandey, Sarpanch Vessu, Anantnag and Political Activist, Sheikh Waseem Bari who were killed by the militants, besides Inshah Bashir, Wheelchair Basketball Player were among the special invitees for the function.
The Lt Governor expressed his heartfelt condolences to the members of the bereaved families.
While interacting with the family members at Raj Bhavan, the Lt Governor assured them that the Government will extend all possible assistance to the families of the slain men who laid down their lives while upholding the democratic values.
BVR Subrahmanyam, Chief Secretary was also present on the occasion.

Shamim Wani, Anand Jain among recipients
Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Aug 15: Government has announced Lieutenant Governor’s Gold Medal for honesty, integrity and meritorious public service for the year 2020.

The officers who have been nominated for the medal are Dr Mohit Gera, IFS, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, J&K; Anand Jain, Director, Anti Corruption Bureau, J&K; Dr Shamim Ahmad Wani, Special Secretary, Finance Department; Vikas Sharma, KAS, Director, Geology & Mining, J&K; Indu Kanwal Chib, KAS, Deputy Commissioner, Reasi; Abdul Salam Mir, KAS, Director Sheep Husbandry, Kashmir; Ram Savak, KAS, Director Horticulture, Jammu; M. Y Itoo, Director General Budget, Finance Department; Rajeshwar Singh, JKPS, Senior Superintendent of Police, AIG, Personnel, Police Headquarter, J&K; Dr Shashi Sudhan Sharma, Prof & HoD Department of Micro Biology, GMC, Jammu and Dr Anjum Farhana, Prof & HoD Department of Micro Biology, GMC, Srinagar.
The award carries a Gold Medal, Rs. 51,000 cash, a citation and a certificate.

Srinagar, Aug 15: Mobile internet services of all cellular companies were restored after remaining suspended for about five hours as a precautionary measure on the 74th Independence Day, which was celebrated across the country on Saturday.
Broadband and fixed line internet was working normally in Kashmir, where two policemen were killed and another was injured in a militant attack in this summer capital on Friday.
Official sources said that mobile internet of all cellular companies, including Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), were suspended as a precautionary measure at around 0700 hrs on Saturday in the valley. “The services were restored at around 1200 hrs after ID celebrations were over in the district and tehsil headquarters in the valley, including Srinagar, where the main function was held at S K Cricket Stadium,” they added.
However, the suspension of mobile internet service badly affected journalists, working in the field, as they were unable to file stories from the spot.
In the past, authorities used to suspend cellular service as well on this day in the valley, where militants used mobile phones to detonate Improvised Explosive Devises (IEDs).

Nadeem Nadu
Srinagar, Aug 15: Jammu and Kashmir reported 12 more COVID-19 deaths on Saturday.
Official sources said that among the deaths two each were reported from Jammu, Srinagar, Kupwara, Bandipora, Baramulla and one each from Ganderbal and Pulwama.

Regarding deaths from Jammu, they said, both were reported at Government Medical College Jammu and includes a 62-year-old man who belonged to Simbal More and a 50-year-old who was resident of Simbal RS Pora.
Regarding the sexagenarian, they said, he was admitted on August 13 and was diagnosed with altered sensorium, a medical condition characterized by the inability to think clearly or concentrate. “While he died on August 13, he was sampled for covid-19 which came out to be positive,” they said.

Regarding the 54-year-old, they said, he was brought dead to the GMC hospital and his sample also returned positive for the virus posthumously.
Regarding the casualties from Baramulla, they said one of them was a 25-year-old who was in ICU at SMHS Hospital here. A resident of Sopore, she was suffering from “PIH and post LSCS Sepsis,” they said, adding, “She was admitted on August 14 and died at 1800 hours today.”
Another fatality from north Kashmir district was a 70-year-old woman from Pattan who also died at SMHS Hospital along with a sexagenarian from Chanapora Srinagar. Another Srinagar resident was a 78-year-old woman, a resident of Shalteng who died at SKIMS Bemina, they said.
“She was a known case of Hypertension and was also suffering from pneumonia with respiratory failure. She had a sudden cardiopulmonary arrest and was managed according To ACLS protocol,” a doctor at the hospital told GNS, adding, “Despite all efforts she could not survive and was declared dead at 1.25 p.m. on August 15”.
Regarding the deaths from Kupwara, sources said, one of them was a 52-year-old woman from West Bengal “A/P 102 BN.BSF Trehgam.”

“She was a kidney failure patient who was referred from Drugmullah army hospital to SMHS on August 13 where from she shifted to CD hospital,” they said, adding, “She was declared Covid 19 positive after death.”
The other casualty from the frontier northern Kashmir, they said, was a 70-year-old woman from Kralpora who died at hospital in Srinagar, three days after she was admitted and subsequently diagnosed with multiple ailments.
As regards deaths from Bandipora, they said, one of them was a 65-year-old admitted to SKIMS Soura on August 8. A resident of Hajin, she was diagnosed with “hypertension, T2DM with severe covid pneumonia,” they said, adding, “She had a cardiopulmonary arrest 12:45 a.m. today.”
The other fatality from the district was 40-year-old woman from Sari Dangerpora village of Sumbal who was declared positive for covid-19 after her death at a hospital here, they said.
Regarding Ganderbal fatality, official sources told GNS that the 55-year-old woman was from Tengpora area and died at SKIMS Soura, five days after she was admitted to the hospital. “She was admitted on August 10 and was diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia and respiratory failure,” they said.

Regarding Pulwama fatality, they said, the 28-year-old woman from Marhang area of the south Kashmir district sampled on August 13 and her test returned positive posthumously at CD hospital laboratory today.
With these deaths, officials said, 532 people have succumbed to the virus in Jammu and Kashmir so far—491 from the Valley and 41 from Jammu division.
Srinagar district with 171 deaths tops the list followed by Baramulla (88), Budgam (38), Anantnag (37), Kulgam (31), Pulwama (36), Kupwara (34), Shopian (24), Jammu (29), Bandipora (20), Ganderbal (12), two each in Rajouri, Doda, Poonch and Udhampur besides one each in Ramban, Samba, and Kathua. (GNS)

734 discharged from hospitals, 20676 recover till date
Precious Kashmir News
Jammu, Aug 15: As many as 532 more people tested positive for COVID-19 in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, thus taking the total number of infected persons in the Union Territory to 28021, officials said.
They said of the fresh cases 424 were reported in Kashmir and 108 in Jammu.
Moreover, 734 more COVID-19 patients have recovered and discharged from various hospitals, 130 from Jammu Division and 604 from Kashmir Division.

According to the daily Media Bulletin on novel Corona virus (Covid-19), out of 28021 positive cases, 6818 are Active Positive, 20676 have recovered and 527 have died; 41 in Jammu division and 486 in Kashmir division.

The Bulletin further said that out of 785475 test results available, 757454 samples have been tested as negative till August 15, 2020.
Additionally, till date 411618 travelers and persons in contact with suspected cases have been enlisted for observation which included 42074 persons in home quarantine including facilities operated by government, 6818 in isolation and 46533 under home surveillance. Besides, 315666 persons have completed their surveillance period.
Providing district-wise breakup, the Bulletin said that Srinagar has 6790 positive cases (including 110 cases reported today) with 1618 Active Positive, 5001 recovered (including 368 cases recovered today), 171 deaths; Baramulla has 2387 positive cases (including 36 cases reported today) with 566 Active Positive, 1734 recovered (including 40 cases reported today), 87 deaths; Pulwama reported 2029 positive cases (including 13 cases reported today) with 478 active positive cases, 1516 recovered (including 115 cases recovered today), 35 deaths; Kulgam has 1698 positive cases (including 10 cases reported today) with 206 Active Positive, 1461 recoveries, 31 deaths; Shopian has 1564 positive cases (including 11 cases reported today) with 92 Active Positive, 1448 recovered, 24 deaths; Anantnag district has 1748 positive cases (including 39 cases reported today) with 347 Active Positive, 1364 recovered (including 33 cases recovered today), 37 deaths; Budgam has 1754 positive cases (including 40 cases reported today) with 506 Active Positive and 1210 recovered (including 25 cases recovered today), 38 deaths; Kupwara has 1498 positive cases (including 39 cases reported today) with 357 Active Positive, 1108 recovered (including 14 cases recovered today), 33 deaths; Bandipora has 1382 positive cases (including 81 cases reported today) with 633 Active Positive, 731 recovered (including 09 cases recovered today), 18 deaths and Ganderbal has 894 positive cases (including 45 cases reported today) with 424 active positive cases, 458 recoveries and 12 deaths.
Similarly, Jammu has 1907 positive cases (including 64 cases reported today) with 750 active positive cases, 1128 recoveries (including 41 cases recovered today), 29 deaths; Rajouri has 780 positive cases (including 02 cases reported today) with 126 active positive cases, 651 recovered (including 15 cases recovered today), 03 deaths; Ramban has 624 positive cases (including 01 case reported today) with 34 active positive, 589 recoveries (including 16 cases recovered today), 01 death; Kathua has 655 positive cases (including 10 cases reported today) with 114 Active positive, 540 recovered (including 04 cases recovered today), 01 death; Udhampur has 646 positive cases (including 04 cases reported today) with 96 active positive cases, 548 recovered (including 07 cases recovered today), 02 deaths; Samba has 559 positive cases (including 13 cases reported today) with 169 Active Positive, 389 recoveries (including 13 cases recovered today), 01 death; Doda has 334 positive cases (including 03 cases reported today) with 40 active positive cases, 292 recoveries (including 03 cases reported today), 02 deaths; Poonch has 321 positive cases (including 05 cases reported today) with 90 active positive, 229 recoveries (including 30 recoveries today), 02 death; Reasi has 270 positive cases (including 05 cases reported today) with 149 active positive, 121 recoveries (including 01 case recovered today) and Kishtwar has 181 positive cases (including 01 case reported today) with 23 active positive cases, 158 recoveries.
According to the bulletin, of the total 28021 positive cases in J&K 5444 have been reported as travelers while 22577 as others.
The Bulletin said that the breakup represents districts from which the patients have been traced or are ordinarily residing.
The bulletin has informed the people that, the best way to protect themselves from COVID-19 is by maintaining physical distance of at least 2 meter from others, frequently cleaning hands with an alcohol based hand sanitizer or washing them with soap and water and following good respiratory etiquette and hygiene.
As a measure for social distancing in public places and workplaces wearing a face cover is compulsory.
The bulletin again explained that early detection of COVID-19 can prevent the spread of disease so we need to be responsible for the well-being of ourselves and everyone around us. “Not disclosing symptoms could put life of individuals and their families at risk. In case of symptoms like fever, cough and difficulty in breathing report early. Do not fear, call COVID-19 helpline numbers and seek medical advice”.

Advisory has further exhorted upon the people not to step out of home, unless absolutely necessary. “If you have to move out for unavoidable reasons, ensure that you wear a mask and practice social distancing, personal hygiene and frequent hand washing with soap and water.”
In case of any emergency people can avail free ambulance services 24×7 at their doorsteps by calling on toll-free number 108 while as pregnant women and sick infants can avail free ambulance services by dialing toll-free number 102.

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, guidance, and response to health-related queries on Novel Corona virus Disease (COVID-19).
The bulletin has informed that the Directorate of Indian Systems of Medicine, J&K is distributing AYUSH Medicines having immunity boosting, immuno-modulator, anti-oxidant, rejuvenator, anti-stress, metabolism regulator, anti-allergic, anti-pyretic, anti-tussive, bronchodilator, etc properties during the COVID-19 pandemic. The department so far has provided medicine to 7. 94 lakh people that include various frontline workers, senior citizens, PRIs, police/paramilitary personals and general masses. Moreover, preventive measures and Yoga therapies are also being advised to the people to take care of lifestyle/mental disorders so that physical and mental health is ensued during this pandemic.
Public is advised to strictly follow the advisories issued by the government from time to time and rely only on the information released by the government through the daily media bulletin to print and electronic media.

People are also advised to refrain from spreading rumours and pay no heed to them at the same time.

India’s tally crosses 25 lakh mark

New Delhi, Aug 15: The country’s COVID-19 tally surpassed the 25 lakh mark with 65,002 fresh cases on Saturday, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured the people that three vaccines for the deadly virus were in different stages of testing.
According to the ministry, the total number of positive Novel Coronavirus cases stood at 25,26,192, including 6,68,220 active ones.
According to PM Modi, three Corona vaccines were being developed in India and large-scale production would begin, “once we get the nod from scientists”.
‘Our roadmap to bring the Coronavirus vaccine to all Indians in the shortest possible time is ready… Today, three vaccines are in testing stages in India. As soon as scientists give a green signal, the country will begin large scale production,” he added, while delivering his Independence speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the 74th Independence Day.
As many as 996 more patients died in the past 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 49,036.
India has scaled another peak, posting the highest recoveries of Coronavirus cases in a single day, so far with 57,381 patients discharged in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of recoveries to 18,08,936. The country’s recovery rate was at 71.61 per cent.

Sumaya Jan
Srinagar, Aug 15: In a major concern, the contact tracing has been just one to four persons in different districts of Kashmir.
This has been revealed in a recent communication to officers of the health department by Divisional Commissioner Kashmir P K Pole.
“Target for contact tracing should be 8 to 10 persons per case, but it is only 1 to 4 in different districts. The Divisional Commissioner Kashmir directed that all the district contact teams shall act more pro-actively and trace at least 7 contacts for each positive person,” a government document reads, a copy of which lies with news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS).
A senior official said the government was concerned that the rate of contact tracing was less in Kashmir. “If any person is positive, we are able to find only one or two persons whom he or she has contacted. The failure to found the contacts has become a cause of concern for the administration,” the official said.
Jammu and Kashmir has recorded over 28,000 positive cases and majority have been reported from the valley.
Till August 14, the government said 409414 travelers and persons in contact with suspected cases have been enlisted for observation which included 41737 persons in home quarantine including facilities operated by government, 7027 in isolation and 47531 under home surveillance. Besides, 312599 persons have completed their surveillance period.
A government advisory says that the best way to protect themselves from COVID-19 is by maintaining physical distance of at least 2 meter from others, frequently cleaning hands with an alcohol based hand sanitizer or washing them with soap and water and following good respiratory etiquette and hygiene.
As a measure for social distancing in public places and workplaces wearing a face cover is compulsory.
The advisory explained that early detection of COVID-19 can prevent the spread of disease so we need to be responsible for the well-being of ourselves and everyone around us. “Not disclosing symptoms could put the life of individuals and their families at risk. In case of symptoms like fever, cough and difficulty in breathing report early. Do not fear, call COVID-19 helpline numbers and seek medical advice”.
Advisory has further exhorted upon the people not to step out of home, unless absolutely necessary. “If you have to move out for unavoidable reasons, ensure that you wear a mask and practice social distancing, personal hygiene and frequent hand washing with soap and water.”(KINS)

New Delhi, Aug 15: The number of people in India who have recuperated from Covid-19 went past 18 lakh on Saturday with a record 57,381 patients discharged in 24 hours pushing the recovery rate to 71.61 per cent, according to the health ministry data.
India’s ‘test, track and treat’ strategy has achieved another peak with 8,68,679 Covid-19 tests done in a 24 hours taking the cumulative tests done till Friday to more than 2.85 crore, the ministry said.
Twelve states and union territories have reported their recovery rates above the national average. In 30 states and UTs, the Covid-19 recovery rate is more than 50 per cent, it highlighted.
Delhi has the highest recovery rate of 89.87 per cent followed by Tamil Nadu at 81.62 per cent, Gujarat 77.53 per cent, Madhya Pradesh 74.70 per cent, West Bengal 73.25 per cent, Rajasthan 72.84 per cent, Telangana 72.72 per cent and Odisha 71.98 per cent.
With more patients recovering and being discharged from hospitals and home isolation, the total number of recoveries have surged to 18,08,936.
“The gap between the number of recovered patients and active Covid-19 cases has increased and crossed 11 lakh (11,40,716 today). This is a result of coordinated efforts of the Centre, state and UTs which has led to a continuous increase in average daily recoveries,” the ministry said.
There are 6,68,220 active Covid-19 cases, the actual caseload of the country, which is 26.45 per cent of the total cases. They are under active medical supervision, the health ministry said.
Focus on effective treatment in hospitals, supervised home isolation, use of non-invasive oxygen support, improved services of the ambulances for ferrying patients for prompt and timely treatment, upgradation of clinical management skills of doctors treating Covid-19 patients have in tandem resulted in seamless efficient patient management, it said.
“This has ensured that India’s Case Fatality Rate (CFR) is maintained below the global average. It is on a continuous positive slide and currently stands at 1.94 per cent,” the ministry said.
Graded and evolving response has resulted in a testing strategy that steadily widened the testing net in the country. To keep up with this strategy, the testing lab network is being continuously strengthened which now consists of 1,465 labs of which 968 are in the government sector and 497 private.
India’s Covid-19 tally reached 25,26,192 on Saturday with a spike of 65,002 cases, while the death-toll climbed to 49,036 with 996 people succumbing to the disease in 24 hours, the health ministry data updated on Saturday 8 am showed.

‘Statehood only when last gun of militants will fall silent in J&K’
Abid Bashir
Srinagar, Aug 15: Bharatiya Janata Party J&K General Secretary Ashok Koul Saturday stirred a row by calling mainstream leaders other that those with the BJP as frogs, stating that “let election time come, all the political leaders will come out to join the fray.”
“Prime Minister Narendera Modi has announced the elections will be held in J&K and there will be ministers and chief minister. We too want polls to take place in J&K. Delimitation exercise is already on and when that will end, Assembly polls will be held,” Koul said while talking to reporters after unfurling tri-colour at BJP headquarters in Srinagar on the eve of 74th Independence Day.
Asked some mainstream leaders have stated that they won’t contest polls, Koul said they had claimed the same earlier too when panchayat polls were held. “They didn’t contest panchayat polls, but joined poll fray in Parliamentary election. I bet when poll bugle for the Assembly will be blown, all these mainstream leaders will come out of their homes like frogs and join the poll pray,” Koul said as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO)
Koul said that Prime Minister Narendera Modi announced about holding Assembly polls in J&K from the Red Fort. “We need to be ready about the new political process,” he said.
Koul while felicitating the people of J&K on the eve of 74th Independence Day, he said there are no “ifs and buts as far as Assembly polls are concerned.” Asked about the restoration of statehood, he said that GoI is committed to restore the state status to the J&K. “But for that all guns should fall silent.
Yesterday, two policemen were killed. What was their fault? One of the slain policemen was supposed to get engaged today,” Koul said. “When people would start moving on rounds without fear, statehood will return.”
About the security concerns of BJP workers, he said government and the police have already taken some steps and more will be done in the days ahead. On why internet was snapped on I-Day eve even when J&K is now a UT, he said that 2-G is working fine and when last gun of militants will fall silent and separatist activities would stop permanently, “statehood and 4-G should be restored on the very day.” (KNO)