Militants making attempts to disrupt peace in J&K: DGP

Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Apr 21: Advisor to Lt Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, R.R Bharnagar,  and Director General of Police Dilbag Singh on Tuesday chaired the senior police officers meeting through video conferencing at Police Control Room, Kashmir to review the security as also the present ground situation in view of the Covid-19 pandemic, in the Valley.

IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar attended the meeting at Police Control Room and Range DIsG, District senior officers and all Commandants of Kashmir Zone participated in the meeting through video conferencing.

Advisor Bhatnagar appreciated the role of Police and CAPF for the hard work being put in ever since March 22nd in tackling the situation and assisting the civil administration, and Health Department in combating the COVID-19 and ensuring lockdown restrictions to check the spread of the epidemic.

He said Jammu and Kashmir Police along with the other security forces are contributing in a big way and added that all the necessary measures are being taken to contain the spread of pandemic.

Addressing the meeting, the DGP said Jammu and Kashmir Police alongwith the other formations and departments are involved day and night in fight against the pandemic and added that it is important to ensure that government orders and the health protocols are followed on the ground. The DGP asserted that no unauthorized traffic and movement of the people be allowed except in cases where such movement is exempted. He appreciated the efforts of Police Officers and Jawans for providing the necessary help to the people in need at their door step. He also complimented the large number of volunteers who have come forward to assist the police in extending a helping hand to the needy people. He thanked social and religious leaders for their significant contribution alongwith police and administration in sensitizing general people about the dangers of Covid-19 and need for strict adherence to social distancing norms and advising them not to gather or participate in any religious or social congregations. Seeking the reports from the officers with regard to the safety of police personnel, Singh stressed that all the necessary equipment and gears should be provided to the police personnel particularly those deputed at quarantine centres, red zone areas, hospitals, isolation centres should be briefed regarding the preventive and precautionary measures to be adopted during the duty.

Referring to the recent militant attacks, the DGP said that when entire world is making efforts to fight the coronavirus pandemic Pakistan and its sponsored militants are making all out attempts to disrupt the measures being taken to safeguard the lives of the people in J&K and added that even during the present health crisis our forces would continue to consolidate peace while maintaining good security and law and order grids.
He said that Pakistan agencies are engaged with various activities at their launching pads in Pakistan and Pakistan administered Kashmir to push in militants this side both from IB and LoC to further its nefarious designs of disturbing peace and normalcy and lives and livelihoods of the people without bothering about its own people who have become Corona victims.
A recent report suggested that even the militants at their training centres and launching pads in Pakistan and PaK are suffering from Corona Virus infections.

The officers of Kashmir Zone briefed about the measures taken regarding the security and arrangements at various quarantine centres and health protocols in their respective districts.

Advisor Bhatnagar and DGP accompanied by IGP Kashmir also inspected the quarantine centre established in Police Hospital Complex. Superintendent of Police Hospital Srinagar, Bilal Raja briefed about the measures taken for the smooth functioning of quarantine centre.

Earlier, Advisor Bhatnagar and DGP visited 15 Corps Headquarters and discussed the present security situation in the Valley with GOC, Lt. General B S Raju. During the discussion IG CRPF Rajesh Yadav, IG Kashmir Vijay Kumar were also present.

 
Bandipora: 91 positive, 74 Active Positive, 16 recover 1 dead

Srinagar: 79 positive, 54 Active Positive, 24 recover, 1 dead
Baramulla: 44 positive, 41 Active Positive, 1 recovers, 2 dead
Kupwara: 33 positive, 27 Active Positive, 6 recover
Shopian: 22 positive, 20 Active Positive, 2 recover

Ganderbal: 14 Active Positive,

Budgam: 13 positive, 5 Active Positive, 8 recover
Kulgam: 6 Active Positive
Pulwama: 3 positive, 2 Active Positive, 1 recovers

Anantnag: 8 Active positive cases

• J&K tally rises to 368
• 317 in Kashmir, 55 in Jammu
• 15 recover, discharged from hospitals
• 61774 under surveillance; of 8612 suspects, 8244 test negative

  Precious Kashmir News
  Srinagar, Apr 20: Eighteen more people tested positive for COVID-19 in Kashmir on Monday taking the total number of positive cases in Jammu and Kashmir to 368.
  An official said that now the number of cases in Kashmir has risen to 317 and in Jammu the number stands at 55.
  According to the daily Media Bulletin on COVID-19, out of 368 positive cases, 292 are Active Positive, 71 have recovered and 5 have died.

Moreover, 15 more COVID-19 patients have recovered and were discharged today which include 7 from GMC Baramulla, 6 from SKIMS Soura, and 2 from Chest Disease Hospital Srinagar.

Furthermore, till date 61774 travellers and persons in contact with suspected cases have been enlisted for surveillance which include 6463 persons in home quarantine including facilities operated by government, 229 in Hospital Quarantine, 292 in hospital isolation and 20115 under home surveillance. Besides, 34670 persons have completed their surveillance period.

The Bulletin further said that out of 8612 test results available, 8244 samples have tested as negative till April 20, 2020.

Providing the district-wise breakup, the Bulletin said that Bandipora has 91 positive cases wherein 74 are Active Positive, 16 recovered and 01has died, Srinagar 79 positive cases with 54 Active Positive, 24 recovered and  01 died, Baramulla 44 positive cases with 41 Active Positive, 01 recovered, and 02 died; Kupwara has 33 positive cases with 27 Active Positive and 06 recovered; Shopian has 22 positive cases with 20 Active Positive, 02 recovered; Ganderbal has 14 positive cases and all are Active Positive, Budgam 13 positive cases of which 05 are Active Positive with 08 recovered cases; Kulgam has 06 cases and all are Active Positive; Pulwama 03 positive cases with 02 Active Positive, 01 recovered; Anantnag district has 08 positive case and all are Active Positive.

Similarly, Jammu has 26 positive cases of whom 22 are Active Positive and 04 have recovered, Udhampur 20 positive cases of which 14 are Active Positive, 05 recovered and 01 died, while as Samba district has 04 positive cases and all are Active Positive; Rajouri has 04 positive cases, 01 active positive and 03 cases have recovered. Meanwhile, Kishtwar has only 01 positive case who has recovered.

The Bulletin said that the breakup represents districts from which the patients have been traced or are ordinarily residing.

Meanwhile, according to the advisory issued in the media bulletin, COVID-19 is a highly contagious disease which can affect anyone and best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus.

The advisory said that for protection against this disease, people are requested to stay indoors and strictly implement social distancing measures.

People are advised to take basic precautions for personal hygiene; frequent handwashing with soap and water; observing coughing and sneezing etiquettes and wearing mask or face cover while moving out of their homes.

As a precautionary measure, the advisory said, no movement of any kind is permitted in and out of Red Zones designated by the administration.

It appealed people not to move out even in areas other than red zones, unless absolutely necessary to do so. “If at all you have to go out of home, ensure that you wear a mask or face cover. Wearing of face covers/ masks is mandatory in all public and workplaces,” the advisory added.

The advisory informed that all gatherings- religious, social and others continue to be prohibited. While as no inter-district or inter-division movement is permitted.

In case there is a medical or other extreme emergency please apply to the concerned Deputy Commissioner/ Divisional Commissioner for permission, the advisory said.

Basic, essential activities are permitted, except in Red Zones, but all precautions including sanitisation, social distancing, and use of masks is essential.

People, the advisory said, must avoid close contact with anyone that has fever and cough and in case anyone develops fever, cough and difficulty in breathing, seek medical advice promptly.

People should call on Covid-19 helpline numbers so that they can be provided correct medical advice and directed to the right health facility, if needed.

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 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).

Public is advised to strictly follow the advisories issued by the government from time to time and are urged to 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.

Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Apr 20: Strict restrictions on movement and assembly of people to curtail the spread of Coronavirus continued even as people in Kashmir preferred to stay indoors in view of rapid increase in the number of infected cases that has crossed 300-mark on Monday.

Restrictions remain imposed in Kashmir since March 18 to combat the spread of COVID-19 in Kashmir. Main roads in most places in the Valley remained sealed while barriers were erected at other places to check unwanted movement of people.

All roads leading to areas, which were declared as ‘Red Zones’ after several COVID-19 positive cases surfaced from there, also remained sealed.

Bandipora is the worst COVID-19 hit district in the Union Territory of J&K with about 90 positive cases and one death. Of these, over 36 per cent of positive cases have been reported from Dangerpora in Bandipora, prompting authorities to put about 150 people in hospital and administrative quarantine. The rest of the people from Dangerpora have been put in home quarantine.

Officials said that 80 “Red Zones” were identified in Kashmir division and that such areas will remain red zones up to 42 days, unless no new positive case of COVID-19 is detected. “If any new case is detected in these areas, then from that date, the area will again remain a red zone for another 42 days,” they added.

Shops and business establishments remained closed while streets were deserted due to strict restrictions imposed by authorities to curtail the spread of Coronavirus in the Valley.

The streets in uptown and civil lines were deserted as shops and business establishment were closed and traffic was off the roads. Security forces were deployed in these areas, where people alleged that security personnel were not allowing them to move out of their houses.

Similar situation was witnessed in downtown, where people also alleged that they were not allowed to move out of their houses even to buy groceries and vegetables.

The main roads in downtown and SeK remained closed with barbed wires at Nawa Kadal, Rajouri Kadal, Kawdara and Khanyar. Similar road blocks remained erected by security forces at Nowhatta, Rangar stop and Gojwara.

Similar reports of lockdown were received from other parts of the valley, including Kupwara and Baramulla in north, Budagm and Ganderbal in central and Anantnag, Pulwama Kulgam in south Kashmir.