Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Apr 28: A divisional level single window clearance committee was held under the chairmanship of Director Industries and Commerce Kashmir wherein four projects worth Rs 67.26 crore under horticulture sector were cleared.

The meeting was attended by General Manager DIC Pulwama, representatives of PDD and PCB.

The projects include establishment of Controlled Atmosphere Stores and manufacture of concrete poles as a support system to apple orchards at IGC Lassipora and Industrial Estate Khrew respectively.

The establishment of these units will open a new era of opportunities at the level of employment generation plus being beneficial to the apple growers at large.

Presently there are 30 CA Stores with a storage capacity of 1.5 lakh metric tons. With an annual production of 1.9 million metric tons more storage capacity is required so that apples are stored and pumped in the market during off season to fetch better prices.

The meeting was informed that more such proposals are in pipeline and the storage capacity is going to increase to about 2 lakh metric tons by the year end.

Apple being an important economic asset of the valley, the post-harvest benefit to a grower becomes inevitable. The facility of Controlled Atmosphere Stores has taken a frontline in the valley with many entrepreneurs coming forward for establishing the same.

Further advances in Controlled Atmosphere Technology has a dramatic effect on apple produce logistics and has opened up the markets which earlier were unavailable for fresh and processed apple products.

Pertinently, 3 lakh apple growers across the valley are associated with this critical sector which involves around half-a-million households dominating the horticultural industry and has an important role in the economic wellbeing of Kashmir.

Precious Kashmir News/UNI
Srinagar, Apr 27: Three militants were killed in an encounter with security forces at Lower Munda in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Monday.

An Official said that militants fired at security force patrolling party at Lower Munda in Qazigund on Srinagar-Jammu National Highway this morning.

They said the security forces retaliated triggering an encounter. “Additional security forces from nearby camps were rushed to the area to foil any attempts by militants to escape,” they said.

Defence Ministry spokesperson Colonel Rajesh Kalia said that three militants were killed in the exchange of fire.
6 civilians injured in blast near encounter site

Meanwhile, six civilians were injured in a blast near an encounter site at Lower Munda, where three militants were killed in a gunfight with security forces this morning.

Official sources said that a shell exploded at the encounter site resulting in injuries to six civilians, who had assembled there after the gunfight ended.

”The shell was left behind during the gunfight between militants and security forces,” they said, adding the injured were immediately taken to a hospital from where one of them was referred to a hospital in Srinagar.

They said the people had assembled at the encounter site when security forces were withdrawn from the area after the encounter ended.

Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Apr 27: A militant associate was killed and an Army officer was injured in an encounter in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district, while others managed to escape, a police spokesperson said here on Monday.

Giving details about the encounter, the spokesperson said in view of inputs regarding militants planning to abduct and murder police personnel, exhaustive domination was being carried out by joint forces of Kulgam Police, RR and CRPF from the last few days.

‘On Sunday at around 2000 hrs, one such patrolling party of joint forces was attacked by militants numbering four to six in between villages Chehlan and Asthal at Lower Munda in Qazigund on Srinagar-Jammu national highway in south Kashmir,’ he said.

He said the security forces retaliated, ensuing in an encounter. ‘An Army officer received fire arm injuries in the initial exchange of fire,’ he said, adding that two to four militants were also wounded during the encounter.

The exchange of firing stopped at around 2200 hrs, he said, adding that due to expansive area of search, undulating terrain and total darkness, it was decided to carry out search of the area after first light. ‘When search started in the morning, the body of an unknown militant associate along with a pistol and a grenade was recovered. Besides, six SIM cards were also recovered from his pocket,’ he said.

He further said, “A trail of blood was found outside the search area, which proved that apart from the killing of the militant associate, one or more militants were injured. The search for injured militants is continuing.”

Precious Kashmir News

Srinagar, Apr 27: The COVID-19 cases continued to rise unabated in J&K as 23 more persons, including 22 from Kashmir and one from Jammu, tested positive for the virus on Monday, taking the total number of infected people to 546 in the Union Territory.

An official on Monday said that 22 more people tested positive for Coronavirus in Kashmir division while one new case was reported from Jammu. “Anantnag recorded the highest number of six new COVID-19 cases, followed by Baramulla and Shopian with five cases each,” he said, adding three more persons were tested positive for COVID-19 in Bandipora, one each in Kupwara, Srinagar and Budgam.

He said one case was reported Reasi in Jammu.

With this, he said the total number of infected persons has risen to 546. “Out of 546 positive cases, 488 are in Kashmir and 58 are in Jammu,” he said, adding that 375 are active positive and 164 have recovered so far.

As many as 169 patients, including 167 from Kashmir and two from Jammu, were tested positive for the infection last week in J&K.

As many as 118 people, including 111 from Kashmir and seven from Jammu, were tested positive for COVID-19 between April 13 to 18.

Meanwhile, 138 people, mostly from Kashmir, were tested positive for COVID-19 in J&K between April 6 and April 12. Thirty-three new positive cases, including 28 from Kashmir and three from Jammu, were reported on April 4 and April 5, making it one of the highest jumps in the COVID-19 infected persons in J&K.

J&K recorded first death due to COVID-19 on March 25, when a 65-year-old man from Hyderpora died due to the infection at Chest Disease Hospital. Then, on March 29, a 50-year-old man, a resident of Tangmarg, passed away at CD hospital.

Earlier this month, a 54-year-old Bandipora resident, who was tested positive for the infection, died at SMHS hospital. Later on April 8, a 61-year-old woman from Udhampur died at Government Medical College (GMC), Jammu. A 70-year-old patient died on April 17 due to Coronavirus in Kashmir valley. A 70-year-old man, a resident of Baramulla, on April 18 died due to Coronavirus in Kashmir valley.

Tasaduq Hussain

Kupwara, Apr 27: The COVID-19 has now targeted a 6-year-old at Anderhama area in north Kashmir’s Kupwara taking total tally of positive cases to 48 in the district.
Deputy Commissioner Kupwara, Anshul Garg told KNO that a 6-year-old from Red Zone Anderhama under hospital quarantine has tested positive for coronavirus. He said that immediate family members already tested positive earlier and hence, no contact tracing required.
However, testing of contacts of all recent positives continues to break the chain, adding that total number of active cases for Kupwara stands at 40 now.
Pertinently, in entire district of Kupwara, 48 people have tested positive for novel coronavirus of which 8 have recovered so far with no fatality as on date—(KNO)

 Srinagar Apr 27:As Kashmir valley focuses excessively on COVID-19,Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Monday said it is harrowing time for people with other diseases and conditions.

“Patients with non-covid health problems face immense hardships,” said DAK PresidentDr Nisar ul Hassan.

“People are not getting health care for other problems,” he said.

Dr Nisar said patients with acute or chronic illness who regularly need to see their doctors are not doing so.

“It is not just fear that is keeping people out of hospitals, but the perception that hospitals are closed for all non-covid patients,” he said.

“Patients are told that there are no resources and staff to provide care for non-covid patients and that everything is deferred,” he added.

Dr Nisar said we have come across with many instances of patients not seeking medical attention even for emergencies. Many people are dying at home – and some of them have treatable condition.

“We see patients with heart attacks, strokes presenting late with all complications leading to delayed intervention and recovery,’ he said.

“Also, patients with acute abdominal conditions like appendicitis, cholecystitis due to gall stones present late with perforation, peritonitis and sepsis, needing emergency surgery and prolonged stay in ICU because of delay in seeking treatment,” he added.

Dr Nisar said patients with diabetes and hypertension present acutely with complications because they don’t seek medical attention early in case of abnormal levels.

“Cancer patients are coming with spread of their disease because cancer surgeries have been postponed,” he said.

Dr Nisar said we must understand that amid the outbreak, people still get heart attacks, strokes. Babies will still be born and appendixes will still burst.

“Health authorities need to get the message out that hospitals are taking care of non-covid patients and they have system in place to protect them,” he said.

“As we fight covid-19, health care providers should make sure that other patients are seen in hospitals. The pandemic toll will be much worse if it leads people avoid care for other life-threatening, yet treatable conditions,” said Dr Nisar

Half Gund-Qaiser in quarantine, count crosses 53 in Gund-Jahangeer

Sajid Maqbool

Bandipora, Apr 27: Three more people in Bandipora, who had close contact with previous cases, tested positive for deadly COVID-19 on Monday, taking the toll in Bandipora to 126.

An official told news KNO that three more cases were found positive, who belong to Gund-Jahangeer. “Total number of cases in the district now stands at 126 of which 103 are active while 22  people have been discharged so far. A patient has also died due to Covid-19 in Gund-Jahengeer village of Hajin,” he said.

He said that out of the total 123 cases, 84 were reported from Hajin medical block and 42 from Bandipora block. In Gundjhangeer over 51 patients have been tested positive and in Gund-Qaiser over 26 people have been tested positive so far.

Deputy Commissioner Bandipora Shahbaz Ahmad Mirza informed that the survey is being conducted to break the chain of Coronavirus in the district. He said in the level one, 300 Booth Area level Group (BAG) teams have been constituted comprising of a Booth Level Worker, Anganwari Worker and  Aasha worker. He said the teams will visit every household and shall enquire about the well being of every individual, HE said the teams will update the health status of every individual on mobile app “Swasthya Nidhi App”.

An official said that “more than 250 people in Gund-Qaiser village Covid-19 hotspot were placed under administrative quarantine and the rest of the villagers have been quarantined in their homes after the number of patients in this Kumar-Mohalla Gund-Qaiser village was increasing day by day.

He said that the ” village has been sealed off by the authorities, and everyone who lives there put into quarantine. The authorities conducted a house to house survey and screened over 2000 people in the village.

“All essentials will be supplied to them. We have sent our teams to distribute masks to residents, conduct surveys and anybody with a cough or a fever is being tested for covid-19. We are now testing more and more people every day.”

The first case in Gund-Qaiser was reported on 04 April. The 32-year-old male patient, who had arrived from Delhi, was treated at Srinager hospital and discharged, officials said.

They said that he alone met to 15 people. And of the nine members in his family, six have tested positive. Meanwhile, an atmosphere of fear and terror has been created among the people of entire Bandipora district.

Many residents said that situation seems to be turning from bad to worse.  (KNO)