Nadeem Nadu

Srinagar, Aug 5: J&K on Thursday reported sixteen more deaths related to COVID-19, taking the fatality count due to the virus to 444—409 in Kashmir and 34 in Jammu division.

Official sources told GNS that among them includes a 55-year-old Naib Tehsildar from Shopian, and two paramilitary CRPF men and an elderly man, from Kupwara district, who died on the way while being shifted to Srinagar.

“It’s with huge grief that we share the demise of our Naib Tehsildar, Wachi Maqbool Wani Sb after he lost his battle against Covid y’day at SKIMS. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un. He was a gentle, hardworking man & an asset for the Distt. May Allah SWT grant him Jannat.Aameen,” Deputy Commissioner Shopian Yasin Choudhary said.

Two of the deaths were reported from Kupwara and include a 75-year-old from Rawalpora Kralgund   who admitted at SMSH Hospital Srinagar where he died while other—  a 70-year-old from Bagath Mohalla Drugmulla who tested positive today and died near Pattan while he was being shifted to Srinagar hospital on referral for further treatment by a local hospital, a senior official from the district told GNS.

Three deaths were reported from Pulwama district and include a 70-year-old from Monghama Tral was sampled on July 27 and tested positive subsequently, a 58-year-old woman from Gusoo and 60-year-old from Kadlabal Pampore.

Two of the victims belong to Jammu and one to Rajouri district who had died few days back at SKIMS Soura and was included in today’s list.

Regarding one of the victims from winter capital, sources told GNS that a 44-year-old man from Jhullaka Mohalla who was suffering from multiple ailments and had tested positive for COVID-19 died last night in the GMC Jammu. “Admitted on August 5, the man was diagnosed with Hypertension, TYPE 2 diabetes mellitus and bilateral pulmonary infiltrates, said a senior doctor at GMC Jammu.

Among others, the others victims include a 55-year-old patient from Chitragam, an 82-year-old man from Nowgam Srinagar, an 80-year-old male from Malbagh Srinagar and a 75-year-old man from Bandipora who was operated for Stomach Cancer died at SKIMS Bemina. “Admitted on Aug 4, he was also suffering from pneumonia and was shifted to ICU yesterday and died today at 6.00 p.m,” a senior doctor

A 33-year-old paramilitary CRPF trooper from 179 Batallion who was admitted on August in “critical condition of severe Pneumonia and respiratory failure” died today at 4.30 p.m. at the hospital, one among the exclusive facilities for the management of the covid-19 patients.
Another 50-year old CRPF man died at CD hospital in Srinagar late this evening.

Two deaths were reported from Baramulla district including a 63-year-old man from  Baramula who was having hypertension, community acquired pneumonia. Admitted on  July 31, the sexagenarian died today at SMHS hospital, a senior doctor there said.

Regarding other death from the north Kashmir district, sources said the victim was a  60-year-old from Dogba Sopore and died at local SDH. She was admitted on July 31 with “hypertension, T2DM, and with bilateral CAP” and died due to “cardiopulmonary arrest” at 9 p.m. today. Also a 65-year-old man from Budgam died to the virus, the officials said.

With these deaths, the overall tally has risen to 444 in J&K, 34 in Jammu and 409 in Kashmir.

Nadeem Nadu

Srinagar, Aug 6: Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday reported 499 fresh covid-19 cases including 91 travelers, taking the total count of infected persons past 23000.

Among the fresh cases, 73 cases were reported from Jammu and 426 from Kashmir Valley including 34 from CRPF, two from BSF and six from BB Cantt.

Giving district wise breakup, sources said that Srinagar reported 113, Baramulla 44, Pulwama 9,

Kulgam 20, Shopian 8, Anantnag 73, Budgam 52, Kupwara 17, Bandipora 49, Ganderbal 41, Jammu 51, Rajouri 5, Ramban 1, Kathua 6, Udhampur 2, Samba 5, Poonch 1 and Kishtwar 2.

In Kashmir, Srinagar tops the list with 5699 cases followed by Baramulla with 2041 , Pulwama 1743, Kulgam 1572, Shopian 1500, Anantnag 1490, Kupwara 1181, Budgam 1438, Bandipora 914, and Ganderbal 603.

In Jammu division, Jammu district has 1412 cases, Rajouri 751, Ramban 575, Kathua 565, Udhampur 595, Samba 467, Doda 299, Poonch 252, Reasi 198 and Kishtwar 159. With the new cases, the tally overall has risen to 23454—18181 in Kashmir and 5273 in Jammu.

A number of cases were confirmed at CD hospital and SKIMS Soura, they said.

The CD cases include female (55) from Nawab Bazar, female (50) from Pulwama, male (32) from Alochibagh, male (28) from Momin Abad, male (35) from Shopian, male (50) from Srinagar, male (35) from Nowshera, male (34) from Botshah Mohalla Lal Bazar, male (53) from Hawal, female (28) from Nowshera, male (58) from Lal Bazar, male (90) from Ompora Budgam, female (30) from Bemina, male (48) from Hawal, male (30) from Jawahar Nagar, female (45) from Rainawari, male (27) from Pattan, male (65) from Khanyar, male (23) from Illahibagh, female (70) from Mirgund Pattan, male (70) from Pinjoora Tangmarg, female (73) from Nowshera, male (70) from Rawalpora, male (65) from Batamaloo, male (23) from Hawal, female (NA) from NA, male (55) from Batamaloo, male (38) from Mehjoor Nagar Srg, female (60) from Safakadal, female (59) from Kursu Srg, male (30) from Hyderpora Srg, female (60) from Buchpora Srg, female (71) from Lalbazar, male (35) from Buchpora Srg, male (42) from Hazratbal Srg, two females (60, 25) from Rawalpora Srg, female (35) from Chanapora Srg, male (50) from 44 Bn Crpf HMT, male (41) from Aali Kadal Srg, male (45) and female (40) from Mehjoor Nagar Srg, male (35) from Habak Srg, male (80) from Jawahar Nagar Srg, male (56) from Barsoo Pulwama, two males (75, 50) from Bemina Srg, male (26) from Srinagar, female (60) from Tral, female (77) from Dalgate Srg, male (65) from Kupwara, female (70) from Salia, male (70) from Waghama, female (65) from Sadiqabad, male (02) from Budgam, female (60) from Kupwara, male (85) from Nawakadal Srg, male (NA) from Panzgam Kupwara, female (65) from Rajbagh Srg, female (58) from Telbal Shalimar.

The Anantnag cases include male (35) from Verinag, male (60) from Anantnag,  male (50) from Wanpoh, male (65) from Sarnal Anantnag.

The Shopian cases include male (38) from Shopian.

The Pulwama cases include male (31) and female (35) from Tral Pulwama.

The Budgam cases include male (25) from Baharampora, male (26) from Sonpah, male (46) from Choon, male (22) from Dalwan Ch Sharief, male (50) and female (30) from Kralpora Chadoora, male (65) from BK Pora Chattergam, female (26) from Zinipora, female (33) from Nowgam Railway, female (34) from Ichigam, female (23) from Migrant Colony Shiekhpora Ompora, male (35) from Ompora, female (30) from Baghi Mehtab, male (43) from Ompora, female (36) from Yachgan, male (27) from Check Post, female (17) from Heewader, male (60) from Wulna Ichigam, female (60) from Mamath, female (24) from Putlibagh, female (20) from Shunglipora, female (33) from Sholipora, male (32) from Housing Colony Ompora Budgam, female (40) from Ompora Budgam.

The Kupwara cases include male (41) from Karnah, female (45) from Halmatpora, male (28) from Lolab Kupwara.

The Baramulla cases include male (32) from Manasbal, male (40) from Pattan Baramulla.

The Bandipora cases include male (29) from Nowpora, male (63) from Gurez Bandipora.

The Srinagar cases include male (32) from Barbarshah, male (35) from Hawal, male (38) from Baghi Mehtab, female (50) from Soura, female (41) from Padshahi Bagh, male (44) from Soura, female (54) from Safakadal, female (48) from Nowshera, male (68) from Mallabagh, female (15) from Noorbagh, female (55) from Dargah, female (65) from Fateh Kadal, female (45) from Harwan, male (60) from Dalgate, female (35) and male (65) from Nowpora, male (40) from Elahibagh, male (21) from Buchpora, male (68) from Dirshkadal, female (60) from Safakadal, male (61) from Noorbagh, male (65) from Kathidarwaza, female (58) from Shamiswari, male (42) from Rainawari, male (70) from Alamgiri Bazar, male (65) from Nowpora, female (55) and two males (30, 60) from Chanapora, male (16) from HMT Srinagar.

The Ganderbal cases include female (28) from Dammol, male (75) from Wakoora Ganderbal.

The CRPF cases include two males (48, 39) from 23 Bn Crpf Karan Nagar Srg, four males (39, 47, 35, 39) from 21 Bn Crpf Dalgate Srg, six males (50, 27, 28, 37, 56, 29) from Gc Crpf Rambagh Srg, two males (34, 30) from 29 Bn Crpf Rawalpora Srg, male (39) from 49 Bn Crpf Karan Nagar Srg, male (35) from 117 Bn Crpf Wazirbagh Srg, male (35) from 184 Bn Crpf Sonwar Srg, six males (24, 31, 26, 36, 26, 51) from 73 Bn Crpf Bemina Srg, ten males (35, 35, 30, 28, 27, 28, 24, 24, 24, 40) from 44 Bn Crpf Zainakote Srinagar.

The BSF cases include two males (30, 39) from Ch Bsf Humhama Srinagar.

The BB Cantt cases include six males (30, 29, 46, 25, 33, 30) from BB Cantt Srinagar.

Moreover, 464 more COVID-19 patients have recovered and were discharged from various hospitals—105 from Jammu Division and 359 from Kashmir Valley. (GNS)

More than 50000 cases recorded in a day, tally crosses 20 lakh mark 

New Delhi, Aug 6: India saw yet another massive spike of 56,282 COVID-19 cases for the eighth consecutive day on Thursday, while 904 more people lost their lives.

The total number of cases now stand at 19,64,537 while the death toll has risen to 40,699.

The tally includes 5,95,501 active cases and 13,28,336 cured/discharged/migrated.

As per Union Health Ministry data, India has reached 66.31 pc recovery rate and while the death rate has declined to 2.07 per cent.

A total of 2,21,49,351 samples have been tested for COVID as per the Indian Council of Medical Research till Wednesday.

On a brighter note, the number of recovered cases have exceeded the active ones by 7,32,835.

As a percentage of total cases, the active cases a have seen a significant drop from 34.17 per cent on July 24 to 30.31 per cent as on Thursday.

As a result, the Case Fatality Rate (CFR) has been low when compared to the global average and has been progressively falling. The Case Fatality Rate stood at 2.07 per cent.

In the 24-hr spike in active cases, maximum 3,810 was reported from Maharashtra, followed by Andhra Pradesh 1,322, Tamil Nadu 968, Bihar 908 and Assam 807. Among daily recoveries, Andhra Pradesh topped the charts with 8729 cured and discharged.

Under the ‘Whole of Government’ approach, the public and private sector resources are combined towards the Covid-19 response and management under the Centre-led strategy. Focused implementation of “Test Track Treat” strategy by the Union and state/UT governments, ramped up hospital infrastructure and testing facilities, and emphasis on treatment of the hospitalised patients through the Standard of Care protocol advised by the Centre have effectively ensured that mortality of Covid-19 patients is contained.

Meanwhile, Centre has released Rs 890.32 crore as the second installment of the COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health System Preparedness Package to 22 states/UTs, including Telangana, Karnataka and West Bengal.

The other states include Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim, an official statement here said.

The amount of financial assistance is based on the Covid-19 caseload in these states/UTs.

Srinagar, Aug 5: Suspected militants on Thursday shot dead a BJP Sarpanch at Vessu village in Qazigund block of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district.

Official sources said the militants fired upon the Sarpanch identified as Sajad Ahmad Khanday near his residence at Vessu, leaving him critically injured before fleeing. He was shifted to GMC Anantnag, they said. Medical Superintendent GMC Dr Mohammad Iqbal Sofi said that Khanday was brought dead to the hospital.

This is the second attack of its kind in less than 48 hours as a BJP Panch Arif Ahmad was critically wounded after militants fired upon him at Akhran Qazigund on the evening of August 4.

Police in a statement issued here said that “Sarpanch was accommodated in secured migrant camp Vesoo but today he went to his house without informing police.”

“Today at about 0930 hours Kulgam Police received information about a (militant) crime incident at Vessu area where (militants) had fired upon a BJP Sarpanch. Senior police officers reached at the crime spot,” a police spokesperson said, adding, “Preliminary investigation revealed that (militants) fired upon the BJP Sarpanch identified as Sajad Ahmad Khanday son of Ali Mohammad resident of Vessu Kulgam due to which he got injured. He was shifted to nearby hospital for treatment where he succumbed to his injuries,” he said, adding, “The Sarpanch was accommodated in secured migrant camp Vessu but today he went to his house without informing police.”

Police have registered a case in this regard under relevant sections of law, he said. “Investigation is in progress and officers continue to work to establish the full circumstances of this (militant) crime.”

Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Aug 6: Police on Thursday filed a case against chairman of BDC Boniyar, chairman MC Baramulla and a councilor for “house trespass and “assault” on two women councilor with intention to “outrage their modesty” in a hotel at Affarwat in Gulmarg.

The FIR—06/2020 was filed in police station Gulmarg on a complaint filed by the two women councilors (name withheld) that the chairman BDC Boniyar Bilal Ahmad Mir, Chairman MC Baramulla Omar Azhar Kakro and Ashiq Hussain Ganaie (councilor) came to their hotel room and abused their children and attacked them physically at around at 11:30 p.m., a police officer told GNS.

The case has been registered under IPC section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty” and 452 (House-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint.”

SSP Baramulla Abdul Qayoom told GNS that there was some altercation between the two sides. A case has been registered in this regard and investigation taken up, the SSP added.

If convicted, they face imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both under section 354 IPC. For house trespass, a convicted can be imprisoned for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.

Target of Rs 20,000 crore of benefits fixed, Secretaries asked to monitor regularly

Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Aug 6: The Chief Secretary, B V R Subrahmanyam, in a marathon meeting today, reviewed the steps taken and progress being made under various verticals of Atmanirbar Bharat Abhiyan, by the eight Task Forces created for the purpose.

The Task Force on Investment, Industrial Revival and Growth informed that the District Mineral Officers have been directed to use District Mineral Fund for supplementing the medical testing and screening, whereas, the MSMEs are being pursued to get registered on Government e-Marketplace (GeM) and Treds portal. Further, under ‘vocal for local global outreach program’, products like JK handicrafts/handlooms, silk, Pashmina, Basohli paintings, carpets, etc. have been identified to be promoted through design interventions, raw material support, common facility centres and marketing support.

Chief Secretary directed the Task Force to fix monitorable targets and fast track the disbursement of financial assistance under existing Credit Linked Guarantee Scheme and collateral/ guarantee free loans for business including MSMEs.

The Task Force on Bank, Finance, Credit Revival and Growth informed that interest subvention and prompt repayment incentives on crop loans as well as that of dairy cooperatives have been extended, whereas, the special credit facility for street vendors with an initial working capital of upto Rs. 10,000 has been launched. Chief Secretary asked the Task Force to identify certain Public Sector Enterprises which can be privatized.

The Task Force on Reforms for Growth informed that ‘One Nation One Ration Card’ scheme has been rolled out and its nation-wide portability with be ensured in near future. Regarding ‘Ease of doing Business’ reforms, it was mentioned that 14 out of 18 parameters have been achieved and work on remaining is under progress.

The Task Force on Improving Health Systems informed that ‘e-Sanjeevani tele-consultation’ services will be introduced in 7 hubs & 300 spokes. In terms of capacity building of healthcare personnel, 34,083 workers were trained on DIKSHA platform for effective COVID response. Meanwhile, efforts are being made to open 1,068 health and wellness centres to provide Primary Health Care at grassroots level, besides, laboratory networks are being strengthened in 2 provincial and 13 district level hospitals. Additionally, for ‘infectious disease blocks’ are also being established at 2 GMCs, 5 Associate Hospitals and 13 District Hospitals.

Chief Secretary asked the Task Force on Welfare of the Poor including Migrants and Destitutes to take up construction of units for affordable rental complex for urban poor under PMAY. It was mentioned that distribution of rice and pulses to 71.4 lakh souls and 16.4 lakh souls, respectively, under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana and disbursement of ex-gratia of Rs. 1000 each to 1.45 lakh  poor senior citizens, widows and Divyangs, under PM Gareeb Kalyan Yojana, have been achieved. Moreover, Rs. 63.60 crores has been disbursed to 1.56 lakh registered BOC workers in 3 instalments of Rs. 1000 each, whereas, Rs. 4.53 crore was disbursed to 3,022 Self Help Groups under JK Rural Livelihood Mission.

The Task Force on Enhancing Technology and Quality of Education informed that for increasing use of ‘e-Paathshala’, it is being targeted to provide 6 lakh tablets for students from class 6th to 12th and 1.25 lakh tablets for teachers. Under ‘PM e-Vidya programme’ radio sets are being targeted to be provided in every Panchayat, whereas, under ‘Manodarpan’ district counselling resource centres will be established in each district.

The Task Force on Farmers and Fishermen Welfare informed that 100% saturation has been achieved in issuance of Kisan Credit Cards, and efforts are afoot to get the local fruits and vegetables included under ‘TOTAL Operation Green’ for extending the assistance of 50% subsidy on storage and transportation of agro products to the stakeholders.

Administrative Secretaries of departments of Finance, Health & Medical Education, Housing & Urban Development, School Education, Agriculture Production & Farmers’ Welfare, Power Development, Industries & Commerce, Labour & Employment and Planning Development & Monitoring participated in the meeting.

Precious Kashmir News
Jammu, Aug 6: The landholders of Jammu and Kashmir would soon get digital land titling as the government is close to finalize Request For Proposal (RFP) for digitization of the land records under Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme  (DILRMP)

An ambitious Project to provide digital land titling guarantee to the land holders of Jammu and Kashmir has been launched by the UT government by floating Request For Proposal (RFP) in Public Domain under Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme  (DILRMP).

The Project includes Data Entry/Re-Entry/Conversion of all textual Records, Digitization (Vectorisation) of Cadastral Maps, (Mussavis), Survey/re-survey with the usage of CORS Net based methodology for updation of Land Records, integration with Record of Rights (RoR), together with Training and Capacity Building of the Revenue staff.

For ensuring that the Project is completed in a time bound manner, proposals for outsourcing the entire work to competent and experienced IT and GIS companies have been invited.

In J&K, an empowered Agency viz; Jammu and Kashmir Land Record Management Agency (JaKLaRMA) headed by Financial Commissioner, Revenue, J&K as its Chief Executive Officer, JaKLaRMA convened series of hectic meetings with the Union Ministry of Rural Development, Department of Land Resources, Government of India and Government of Union Territory approved the work of digitization of Land Records for the entire UT of J&K.

The Agency formulated a Request For Proposal for inviting IT and GIS  Solution provider for outsourcing the activities involved in the Implementation of Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme  (DILRMP) in the UT of J&K. The RFP after approval of the Technical Committee of the JaKLaRMA was floated in public domain for inviting online proposals through JK tenders e-Portal. The RFP was also uploaded on Official Website and published in the local and National Dailies. The last date for submission of proposals was fixed on 27.06.2020.

In response to RFP, three proposals were received online up to the Proposal Due Date and time from M/s  RAMTeCH Software Solution Pvt. Ltd. Rudrabhishek Enterprise Pvt. Limited (REPL) and Geovista Technologies Pvt. Ltd.

All the three Proposals received were downloaded from JKtenders e-Portal www.jktender.gov.in on 04.08.2020 in the presence of Dr. Pawan Kotwal, Financial Commissioner, Revenue/CEO, JaKLaRMA, J&K by the Technical Committee of the JaKLaRMA headed by Commissioner Survey and Land Records, J&K at (11:00 IST) after following all the conditions circulated by CVC Government of India. The representatives of the aforesaid bidders were also present while downloading the proposals.

The Evaluation Committee met on 04.08.2020 at 11:00 IST under the Chairmanship of Commissioner S&LR, J&K (Ex-Officio Additional CEO, JaKLaRMA) and opened the pre-qualification bids  in presence of Dr. Pawan Kotwal, Financial Commissioner, Revenue/CEO, JaKLaRMA, J&K, Members of the Committee and representatives of all the three bidders. The bids were checked by the Evaluation Committee as per the format for pre-qualification bid and found in order as per the terms and condition of the RFP and declared qualified for Technical Evaluation.

The Evaluation Committee again met on 05.08.2020 at 12:00 IST under the Chairmanship of Commissioner S&LR, J&K (Ex-Officio Additional CEO, JaKLaRMA) opened technical proposals and downloaded online documents of the three bidders and evaluated them. The proposals were evaluated by the Committee on the basis of technical parameters laid down in the RFP in presence of the representatives of the aforesaid bidders. The Evaluation Committee after evaluation of the proposals declared all the aforementioned three bidders technically qualified. Thereafter, a Technical Presentation on technical parameters in term of RFP was made by the representatives of the aforesaid bidders. After over viewing the presentations of three bidders and the Technical Documents on the basis of the RFP, Technical Committee decided to open the Financial Bid on 06.08.2020 at 12:10 pm.

The Committee again met on 06.08.2020 at 11:00 IST to open and evaluate the Financial Bids of the technically qualified bidders. The Financial Bids were opened at 12:10 pm in the presence of Dr. Pawan Kotwal, Financial Commissioner, Revenue/CEO, JaKLaRMA, J&K and the representatives of the aforesaid technically qualified bidders. The online Evaluation of the bids was made and a comparative statement was drawn which depicted M/s Geovista Info technologies Pvt. Ltd. emerged to be (L1), Rudrabhishek Enterprises  Limited (L2) & M/s RAMTeCH Software Solutions Pvt. LTd  (L3). The contract shall be awarded to the qualified bidders after completion of all the codal formalities within shortest possible time.

The Members of the Technical Committee present were Syed Shahnawaz Bukhari , Commissioner S&LR, J&K (Chairman), Rishpal Singh, Additional Commissioner (C) (Member Secretary)Dr. Mushtaq Ahmed, Regional Director S&LR, Jammu (Member), Mohd Qasim Wani, Regional Director S&LR, Srinagar (Member), Ashok Kumar, FA/CAO, Revenue Department , J&K (Member), Dr. Humayun Rashid, Scientist (F) Remote Sensing Department (Member online), Imran Sofi, Project Manager IT Department (Member online), Tarsem lal Sharma, Former Director Survey of India (Co-opted Members),Tarsem Chand, Consutlant, JaKLaRMA to assist Evaluation Committee, besides representatives of the Bidders were also present included Krishan Mohan, Geovista Infotechnologies, Pvt. Ltd., Vikram Jasrotia, Kuldeep Singh, Surindra Nath Das , Rudrabhishek Enterprises  Limited (REPL), Dr. Harish Sharma , REPL, Dr. R.K Singh Rana, RAMTeCH Software Solution Pvt. Ltd., Gyamendra Kumar, RAMTeCH Software Solution Pvt. Ltd., Dhananjay Kumar,  RAMTeCH Software Solution Pvt. Ltd.

450 hotels, guest houses haven’t received any guests since COVID-19 outbreak: KHAROF
Gul Owais

Srinagar, Aug 6: Since July 13, when Jammu and Kashmir administration opened up the Union Territory for tourism, nearly 200 tourists have arrived in Kashmir.
Director Tourism, Kashmir, Nisar Ahmad Wani told Precious Kashmir  that over 200 tourists from visited the Valley during the past more than 20 days.
“Today five tourists from outside J&K arrived in Kashmir,” Wani said, adding that everyday five to ten tourists have been arriving in the Valley.
The J&K Government on July 13 had reopened the Union Territory for the tourists. The tourists were asked to undergo mandatory COVID-19 tests and follow other Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) in letter and spirit.
Wani said that the arrival of over 200 tourists from outside J&K so far is not although cheerful for the tourism sector, but the process to woo the visitors is going on with full zeal. “The department has also started organizing webinars and other related programmes to encourage the tourists to visit Kashmir,” he added.
Pertinently, the tourism sector has been witnessing huge losses since August 3 last year, when the government issued an advisory, asking tourists present in the Valley to pack their bags and leave Kashmir immediately ahead of the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5.
The restrictions and unrest which followed hit the tourism sector hard and no activity was witnessed during the following months. The government withdrew the “travel advisory” to Kashmir three months after the revocation of Article 370 and opened up the Valley for tourism again.  Situation couldn’t sustain for a long as the outbreak of deadly COVID-19 led to the cancellation of bookings thus resulting in the huge losses to tourism players in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Director Tourism said that the situation due to the COVID-19 is preventing tourists from visiting Kashmir. “Out of ten districts in Kashmir, nine have been declared as red zones. It is obvious that the people are taking precautions and are not visiting any place due to the ongoing pandemic. But efforts are on to woo the tourists,” he added.
“COVID-19 pandemic has to end for tourism industry to get revived,” the Director Tourism added.

Abdul Wahid Malik, president of Kashmir Hotels and Restaurant Owners Federation (KHAROF) said that around 450 hotels and guest houses registered with their association haven’t received any tourists since the COVID-19 outbreak.

He added that their hotels are deserted and no tourist is present there. “We have been informed that the tourists from outside J&K are arriving in Kashmir. But, our hotels are still waiting for the guests,” he added.

Srinagar, Aug 6: As many as 504 separatist leaders, who had been detained following the abrogation of Article 370 provisions a year ago, were released after they signed bond of “good behaviour”, Jammu and Kashmir Police chief Dilbag Singh said on Thursday.

Singh also said out of the 350 separatist leaders and stone pelters who had been sent to jails in other states, only 50-60 continued to remain behind bars and the rest were released.

“A total of 504 separatist leaders belonging to Hurriyat Conference and Jamaat-e-Islami (JK) and others have been released so far after they signed good behaviour bond,” he told a wire agency here.

Those who sign “good behaviour bond” are bound to maintain peace and not indulge in any violent or separatist activities after being released from jails or home detention.

The Director General of Police (DGP) said after the abrogation of Article 370 provisions on August 5, 2019, a total of 5,500 youths were detained by security forces and all of them were let off after three-four days following counseling and taking assurance from their parents that they would not indulge in any violent acts like stone pelting in future.

However, he said, cases were against 1,200 other youths for indulging in violent acts.

Singh said about 144 boys, who were under 18 years old, were also detained last year for indulging in violence and currently just 17 of them are in remand homes set up under the Juvenile Justice Act.

He said at least 16 youths, who joined the ranks of the militants, have returned after persuasion of police and family members and no action has been taken against them as they were not involved in any violence so far.

Referring to those who were sent to jails outside Jammu and Kashmir, the police chief said about 300 were released as their custody period under the Public Safety Act (PSA) was over and it was felt that their further detention was not required.

“We will review the cases of other 50-60 people when their prison terms come to an end,” he said.

Talking about the future strategy to deal with militancy in Jammu and Kashmir, Singh said there was a need to enhance technical surveillance along the border with Pakistan so that militants could not enter India and efforts should be made for de-radicalisation of the youth.

In addition, there should be programme for skill development for the youth and all development aspirations gaps should be filled, he said.

New Delhi, Aug 6: Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday conducted raids at multiple locations in connection with a money laundering case related to alleged bank fraud against Hilal Rather, son of former Jammu and Kashmir minister Abdul Rahim Rather.
According to officials the probe agency raids were conducted at 16 locations in Kashmir, Jammu, Delhi and Ludhiana and collected more evidences in connection with the case.

ED has registered a money laundering case against Hilal Rather and others, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) following the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Income Tax Department investigation against Hilal Rather in connection with a Rs 177-crore alleged bank fraud scam.

The CBI has said in the complaint registered against Hilal Rather that he allegedly

entered into a criminal conspiracy with the then officials of the J&K Bank to get loans of over Rs 177 crore violating the Bank rules and guidelines.

Hilal’s father Abdul Rahim Rather is a National Conference leader and was former Finance Minister in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.