Srinagar, July 26:  Lieutenant Governor G C Murmu has that his administration has informed the Union Home Ministry that J&K has no objection in restoring 4G internet services, and that high-speed internet connectivity would not pose any problem.
He has also said that Media policy will be re-checked and Information Department cannot decide what content is fake, anti-national.

“We have been making (a) representation for this… I feel that 4G will not be a problem. I am not afraid how people will use this. Pakistan will do its propaganda, whether it is 2G or 4G. It will always be there… But I don’t see an issue,” LG Murmu told Sunday Express.

To another question on the J&K Information Department’s Media Policy 2020, which empowers the DIPR (Department of Information and Public Relations) to examine media content for fake news, plagiarism and unethical or anti-national activities, Lt Governor Murmu said, “I will check this, this is not required. There are relevant IPC/ CrPC and other laws for this.”

The policy, implemented by the Information Department on May 15, 2020, said, “DIPR shall examine the content of the print, electronic and other forms of media for fake news, plagiarism, unethical or anti-national activities.” Any individual or group indulging in this shall be de-empanelled, it said.

“A suitable mechanism with specific ToRs (terms of reference) shall be set up by the DIPR for monitoring the above and ensuring adherence to the guidelines,” it said.

LG Murmu said the policy was primarily revised to give space to the electronic and social media. “Advertisements were given only to print and local media – patronage. People haven’t done anything for electronic and social media,” he said.

He emphasised that other things in the policy were normal. “If you see the Government of India or other states’, the accreditation policy depends on circulation, readership, etc. The policy follows the same things… there is nothing discriminatory,” he said.

The Lieutenant Governor said that the DIPR did not have the capacity to decide whether a news is “anti-national.”

“This obviously, only the agencies can check. We can delete this also (from the revised media policy). They (DIPR) only have to do the checks required for accreditation, but not facts… if there is such a situation, they will get it checked from agencies. What is ‘anti-national’ is a parameter of law… the Supreme Court has given judgements on this from time to time… Again, agencies or police will have to do (look into this),” he said.

“I have already told the Information Department to re-check all this,” the LG  said. (Courtesy Indian Express)

Precious Kashmir News

SRINAGAR, JULY 26: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today showered praises on two women Sarpanchs of J&K and a MC President for their earnestness and dedication towards Corona control measures in their respective areas.

In his address, the PM said that the rural masses have shown the way to entire nation in the prevailing corona crisis. He said instances of villagers’ making continuous efforts in the fight against Corona Virus are pouring in from all over the Country.

Recounting the achievements of the elected representatives of Jammu and Kashmir, the PM said that it has been learnt that the Sarpanch of Trewa Gram Panchayat, in Jammu, Smt Balbir Kour has established a 30 bed quarantine centre in the Panchayat Ghar with the facility of adequate water supply inside and on the way leading to the centre. He said that the Sarpanch is making painstaking efforts to ensure sanitization of the centre and adjoining areas by personally carrying out spraying along with other volunteers with a big Tank mounted on her back.

The PM also mentioned about the Woman Sarpanch Zatoona Begum Ji of Panchyat Chontliwar, Ganderbal, who along with other PRIs, decided to join the fight against CoronaVirus and at the same time created earning opportunities for the locals hit by the pandemic.  “She distributed free masks and ration in the entire area and provided seed and apple saplings to save the local farmers from any difficulty” the PM said.

Narrating further, the PM also mention the good work of Municipal Committee president of Anantnag, Mohammad Iqbal towards Covid Control measures. He said Iqbal required a Sprayer for sanitization of his area. “And when he came to know that it can be procured from other city at Rs 6 Lakh, he made his own machine costing just Rs fifty thousand” the PM said.

He said there are numerous such inspiring instances pouring in from across the country.

411 recover discharged, 9928 treated successfully  

Precious Kashmir News

Jammu, July 26: As many as 615 more people tested positive for COVID-19 in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday taking the total number of positive cases in the Union Territory to 17920, officials said.
They said of the fresh cases 479 were reported in Kashmir and 136 in Jammu.

Moreover, 411 more COVID-19 patients have recovered and discharged from various hospitals, 41 from Jammu Division and 370 from Kashmir Division.

According to the daily Media Bulletin on novel Corona virus (Covid-19), out of 17920 positive cases, 7680 are Active Positive, 9928 have recovered and 312 have died; 23 in Jammu division and 289 in Kashmir division.

The Bulletin further said that out of 581707 test results available, 563787 samples have been tested as negative till July 26, 2020.

Additionally, till date 354869 travelers and persons in contact with suspected cases have been enlisted for observation which included 44429 persons in home quarantine including facilities operated by government, 12 in Hospital Quarantine, 7680 in hospital isolation and 40180 under home surveillance. Besides, 262256 persons have completed their surveillance period.

Providing district-wise breakup, the Bulletin said that Bandipora has 632 positive cases (including 41 cases reported today) with 213 Active Positive, 410 recovered (including 14 cases recovered today) and 09 deaths; Srinagar has 4002 positive cases (including 209 cases reported today) with 2331 Active Positive, 1583 recovered (including 65 cases recovered today), 88 deaths; Anantnag district has 1176 positive cases (including 25 cases reported today) with 353 Active Positive, 802 recovered (including 74 cases recovered today),  21 deaths; Baramulla has 1772 positive cases (including 14 cases reported today) with 545 Active Positive, 1164 recovered (including 56 cases reported today), 63 deaths; Shopian has 1390 positive cases (including 27 cases reported today) with 473 Active Positive, 897 recovered (including 11 cases reported today) and 20 deaths; Kupwara has 1035 positive cases (including 17 cases reported today) with 344 Active Positive, 674 recovered  (including 30 cases recovered today) and 17 deaths; Budgam has 1128 positive cases (including 88 cases reported today) with 495 Active Positive and 611 recovered cases and 22 deaths; Ganderbal has 349 positive cases (including 31 cases reported today) with 146 active positive cases and 197 recoveries (including 48 cases recovered today) and 06 deaths; Kulgam has 1445 positive cases (including 02 cases reported today) with 447 Active Positive and 972 recoveries (including 56 cases recovered today) and 26 deaths and Pulwama reported 1219 positive cases (including 25 cases reported today) with 592 active positive cases and 610 recovered (including 16 cases recovered today) and 17 deaths.

Similarly, Jammu has 860 positive cases (including 37 cases reported today) with 359 active positive cases and 486 recoveries (including 04 cases recovered today) and 15 deaths; Udhampur has 394 positive cases (including 06 cases reported today)   with 94 active positive cases, 299 recovered and 01 death; Samba has 374 positive cases (including 10 cases reported today) with 171 Active Positive and 202 recoveries and 01 death; Rajouri has 557 positive cases (including 33 cases reported today) with 432 active positive cases and 123 recovered and 02 deaths; Kathua has 465 positive cases (including 05 cases reported today) with 162 Active positive and 302 recovered (including 04 cases recovered today) and 01 death; Kishtwar has 106 positive cases with 69 active positive cases and 37 recovered (including 03 cases recovered today); Ramban has 487 positive cases (including 15 cases reported today) with 238 active positive and 249 recoveries (including 09 cases recovered today); Reasi has 103 positive cases (including 02 cases reported today) with 48 active positive and 55 recovered (including 10 cases reported today); Poonch has 184 positive cases (including 14 cases reported today) with 46 active positive and 137 recoveries (including 02 cases recovered today) and 01 death while Doda has 242 positive cases  (including 14 cases reported today) with 122 active positive cases and 118 recoveries (including 09 cases reported today) and 02 deaths.

According to the bulletin, of the total 17920 positive cases in J&K 3977 have been reported as travelers while 13943 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 metre 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 handwashing 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 dialling 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).

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.

New Delhi, Jul 26: India has recorded a spike of 48,661 Novel Coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, taking the tally past 13.85 lakh cases on Sunday, the Health ministry said.

On a brighter side, 36,145 people were cured and discharged during the same duration, signifying further improvement in the rate of recovery in the country. The total recoveries so far have now reached 8,85,577.

The cured and discharged COVID cases have exceeded the active cases by 4,17,695, as per the data released on Saturday.

‘Over the past few months, the way the country fought against Corona unitedly, has proven many apprehensions wrong. Today, the recovery rate in our country is better compared to other countries; the mortality rate in the context of Corona in our country is much less as well, compared to most countries.

‘Of course, the loss of even one life is saddening, but India has also succeeded in saving the lives of millions of her people,’ Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his ‘Mann ki baat’ radio show.

The National Capital continued to record more fresh recoveries, compared to the infections, as the city’s recovery rate further improved to 87.95 per cent on Sunday.

Delhi now has 1,14,875 recovered patients till date, after adding 1,807 to the list in the past 24 hours, the state’s Health Bulletin said.

However, the fatalities due to the virus in India have now reached 32,063, after the country recorded a sharp spike of 705 deaths reported due to the pandemic in the past 24 hours.

Meanwhile, a total of 1,62,91,331 samples have been tested for COVID as per the Indian Council of Medical Research till Saturday.

According to the Health Ministry, the confirmed cases of the pandemic across the country stood at 13,85,522, while the actual case load at present on India, which are the active cases of the viral infection, presently stand at 4,67,882, according to the government data.

The update stated that a total of 11,811 active cases have been added to the tally in the past 24 hours.

Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, July 26: The Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Sunday said not all patients who have recovered from COVID-19 infection can be plasma donors as many people do not develop anti-bodies in their blood that is needed to fight against novel Coronavirus.

“Many recovered patients do not develop enough antibodies in their blood that is needed to fight against the novel coronavirus. Even recovered patients with adequate antibody response lose their antibodies within 8 weeks of time,” DAK President and influenza expert Dr Nisar ul Hassan said.

Quoting a Chinese study, he said more than 30 per cent of recovered Covid-19 patients had low levels of antibodies. “6 per cent of cases had no detectable levels of antibodies,” he added.

Dr Hassan said similar findings were observed by doctors at India’s first convalescent plasma bank at Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences in Delhi. “Three out of 10 people who had recovered from COVID-19 infection were found to have less than the desired antibody levels,” he said.

“An antibody titer of at least 1:160 in the plasma of a donor is considered to be adequate for transfusion,” he added.

Dr Hassan said even recovered patients with adequate antibody response lose their antibodies within 8 weeks of time. “We should be looking for antibody levels in the recovered patients before they donate plasma to ensure that they are the right candidates for donation,” he said.

“But, Kashmir hospitals transfuse donated plasma to patients without knowing the antibody titer,” he added.

The DAK president said while some patients showed improvement following plasma therapy, the condition of some other worsened. “Those patients who improved received at least one additional therapy including antiviral, antibiotic or steroid,” he said.

Dr Hassan said lack of antibodies in recovered Covid-19 patients has implications. “It puts the recovered patients at the risk of being infected again which would bring us back to square one, where everyone is at risk of infection,” he said.

“This will also affect the herd immunity which is one way to stop the virus from spreading in the population,” he said.

“Vaccine developers may need to pay particular attention to this. If the real virus could not induce antibody response, the weakened version in the vaccine might not work in these patients either,” Dr Hassan added.

‘India can never forget circumstances under which Kargil war took place’

New Delhi, July 26:  Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas, saluted the valour of Indian soldiers and called upon countrymen to observe restraint in speech and conduct as it should not adversely affect the morale of the soldiers and harm the country.

The Prime Minister also said that in present times, war is fought not only on the border but also on many fronts, in which every Indian has to decide his or her role.

Modi, addressing his monthy broadcast “Mann Ki Baat” on AIR on Sunday, told the people, “in times of war, whatever we say or do has immense bearing on the morale of the soldier, ever vigilant at the border, as well as the morale of his family.”

He urged that all should do everything to bolster the strength of our soldiers more than thousand-fold and uphold the dictum”Sanghe Shakti, Kalau Yuge” meaning that there is strength in unity in the present era.

He warned that without realising, “we encourage certain things on social media that are detrimental to the country. There are times when we keep forwarding things out of sheer curiosity. Despite knowing that it is wrong, we keep doing it.”

But these days, battles were fought not just on borders; they were fought within the country too, on many fronts simultaneously. And every countryman had to decide his or her role in that. “We too should determine our roles, fully bearing in mind soldiers fighting on the borders under the harshest conditions,” he added.

In the event of war, what was said had a strong impact on the morale of the soldier on the border and that of his family. “We should never forget this… and that is why our conduct, our demeanour, our speech, our statements, our limits, our aims… whatever we do and say, must distinctly be conducive to enhancing the morale and honour of our soldiers.”

The Prime Minister said sometimes we promoted such things on social media without understanding it, which caused great harm to the country. Sometimes there was curiosity. We know this is wrong, but still keep doing it.

He said, “Nowadays, wars are not fought only on the borders, they are fought simultaneously on many fronts in the country as well, and every countryman has to decide his role therein. We must also decide our role, remembering the soldiers who are fighting in difficult conditions on the borders of the country.”

Recalling Kargil Vijay Diwas, Mr Modi said 21 years ago on this day, the Indian army hoisted the flag of India’s victory in the Kargil war. India can never forget the circumstances under which the Kargil war took place. Pakistan had dared to seize Indian land and tried to divert attention from their own internal strife.

He said, “India was striving for good relations with Pakistan at that time, but it is the nature of the wicked, to be hostile to everyone for no reason.” That is why in response to India’s friendship, Pakistan tried to stab it in the back, but, after that India’s valiant army showed its might, the whole world saw the might it showed.”

“The enemy sitting on the high mountains and our armies fighting from below, our brave men … but the victory was not of the height of the mountain – but the high courage and true valour of the armies of India.”

He recalled that at that time he had the privilege of going to Kargil and seeing the valour of our soldiers, which was one of the precious moments of his life.

He said, “Today, on behalf of all the countrymen, I bow to these brave men, as well as the brave mothers who gave birth to the true sons of Mother India.”

He urged the youth of the country to tell each other, the stories associated with the Kargil victory, about the sacrifice of valiant mothers. He advised that people should get information about our brave mighty warriors and take inspiration from it.

The Prime Minister said just as Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi had said that if anyone ever had any dilemma about what to do, then he should think about India’s poorest and helpless person. He should think that what he is going to do will be good or not for the person. Similarly, former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee also said that before taking any important decision, let us think, whether our move is in accordance with the honour of the soldier who sacrificed his life in those inaccessible hills.

In the Mann Ki Baat programme, PM Modi also narrated the recording of the above quote of the late Prime Minister.

Jammu, July 26: On the occasion of ‘Kargil Vijay Diwas’, Lieutenant Governor Girish Chandra Murmu on Sunday paid homage to the gallant Indian Army soldiers who fought in the Kargil war.

“I salute the unparalleled valour and sacrifice of our soldiers who valiantly fought in high altitude of Kargil to liberate the Indian territory from the infiltrators”, he said.

The Lt Governor observed that the supreme sacrifices made by our brave soldiers for safeguarding the territorial integrity of the country will continue to inspire the generations to come.

Kargil, Jul 26: Army on Sunday paid rich tribute to the soldiers, who laid down their lives in the 1999 war, on the 21st anniversary of Vijay Diwas at Kargil War Memorial in the border town of Drass.

The Kargil Vijay Diwas celebrations were muted this year, with just wreath-laying ceremonies at war memorials in Drass and the national capital on Sunday, in view of COVID-19 pandemic.

Defence Ministry spokesperson Colonel Rajesh Kalia told UNI that a grateful nation remembered the heroes of Operation Vijay, on the 21st anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas, which is celebrated every year on July 26. “The occasion commemorates the glorious victory of the Indian Armed Forces against the Pakistan Army intruders in the Kargil, Dras and Batalik Sectors in 1999,” he said.

Lieutenant General Harinder Singh General Officer Commanding Fire & Fury Corps laid a wreath at the iconic Kargil War Memorial in Dras on the occasion, on behalf of the nation and paid tribute to the gallant heroes.

On this day every year, Vijay Diwas was celebrated across the country with special programme in Ladakh. However this year due to COVID-19 pandemic, the celebrations were confined to wreath laying ceremony. Last year, the Vijay Diwas was celebrated with the theme of ‘Remember, Rejoice and Reward’.

On July 26, 1999 Indian troops evicted Pakistani intruders from Indian boundary. As many as 527 Indian soldiers had to make the supreme sacrifice during the three-month long war. The war memorial in Drass has around 500 tombstones with the names of the soldiers inscribed on them.

Srinagar, July 26:  Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir range, Vijay Kumar on Sunday said that no one from Srinagar district was in militant ranks currently after the killing of a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant Ishfaq Rashid in an encounter on Saturday in the city outskirts.

Two LeT militants, including a top commander active since 2018, were killed by security forces in an encounter which ensued after a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) was launched at Ranbirgrah Panzinara in Srinagar outskirts on Saturday.

“After killing of LeT militant Ishfaq Rashid Khan yesterday, no resident of Srinagar district in terrorist ranks now,” IGP Kumar said.

Khan, a resident of village Sozeith, Srinagar, was one of top LeT commanders active since 2018 and was wanted in many militancy related cases. Another militant killed in the encounter was identified as Ajaz Bhat, a resident of Pulwama.

Srinagar, July 26: Militants on Sunday attacked a security force naka party in south Kashmir’s Shopian district, official sources said here.

They said unidentified militants attacked a checkpoint of CRPF and J&K police at Shugloo in Shopian this morning. “No one was injured in the attack,” they said, adding the militants managed to escape from the spot.

They said additional security forces have been rushed to the area and a massive search operation has been launched to nab the attackers. “Checkpoints have been established within 3 km radius from the attack site and all the vehicles, particularly two-wheelers are being checked before allowing them to move forward,” they added.