Precious Kashmir

Nowshera Residents Appeal Div Com To Ensure Uninterrupted Electricity

City

30/03/2020

BY: Nadeem Khwaja

Srinagar: Residents of Nowshera and adjoining areas Sunday appealed Divisional Commissioner Kashmir to ensure uninterrupted power supply in the area.

Residents of Nowshere, Bimyar, Challa, Limber Babagali of Tehsil Boniyar District Baramulla expressed strong resentment over frequent long cuts in power supply in the area.

They said the local at several occasions approached concern authorities in this regard but unfortunately authorities didn’t pay heed to our requests.

“We are facing acute shortage of power supply from last three-months but concern department is not in a position to solve this problem”, local told.

They also said “There is a single pennal in concerned Grid Station Nowshera, Boniyar. The Honb’le Deputy Commissioner Baramulla directed officials to install another pennal but no heed was paid on his directions and thus the community is suffered lot of inconvenience due on deliberate negligence of concern department”.

They further said the earth problem is another cause of darkness in the area but not a single action has been taken over the issue despite of bunch of requests forwarded to the PDD staff.

They appealed Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Pandorang Pole to take serious note of the negligence of PDD officials and ensure uninterrrupted power supply in the area in wake of COVID-19 outbreak when there is a dire need to get updated from the directives of administration. (KNS)

Labourers sent to quarantine after trekking snow-covered passes to reach home in JK

National

Precious Kashmir

30/03/2020

Labourers sent to quarantine after trekking snow-covered passes to reach home in JK

Jammu :A group of 24 labourers were sent to a quarantine facility in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday after they returned by foot from Kashmir, trekking the snow-covered high altitude passes over the past two days, officials said.
They were seen moving down from south Kashmir Shopian district to Thanamandi via Poshana along the old Mughal road and were subsequently taken to a medical unit at Dogrian for preliminary examination, a defence spokesman said.
Mughal Road, which connects the twin districts of Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu with Shopian district of the valley, usually remains closed for winter months owing to heavy snowfall along the Peer Ki Gali.
The snow clearance operation is underway and the road is expected to be thrown open for traffic next month.
Army educated the group about the preventive measures, symptoms and care for coronavirus. Thereafter, they have been sent to a quarantine facility established by the civil administration in Surankote (Poonch), the spokesman said.
Officials said the labourers set out for their village on Friday and braved inclement weather to reach Thanamandi.
All of them are in good health. They have been taken to the quarantine facility as a precautionary measure, a police official said.

Heavy rains, landslide damages 35 houses in Chenab

National

Precious Kashmir

30/03/2020

Heavy rains, landslide damages 35 houses in Chenab

BY: Syed Aijaz

Srinagar,Mar 29 : The heavy rains in Dalwas Batote in Chenab have created large scale havoc and damaged around 35 residential houses.
Reports said that 35 residential houses got damaged due to landslides and heavy rainfall in the area.
It also said that all families were evacuated safely from their houses and no one was hurt in the incident.
Earlier four houses were also damaged in Chandoosa area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Sunday.
The house owners whose property got damaged due to landslides and heavy rains have appealed authorities to take effective measure for their rehabilitation in wake of COVID-19 outbreak.
Meanwhile officials of distriict administration visited the spot and review the situation.(KNS)

Man found hanging on a tree branch in Rajouri village

National

Precious Kashmir

30/03/2020

Rajouri, March 29: A man was found hanging on a tree branch in Kangri Beri Pattan village of Sunderbani in Rajouri district of Jammu on Sunday after which police have started investigation into the matter.
Deceased has been identified as Vinod Kumar son of Surjit Kumar resident of Kangri village of Sunderbani in Rajouri district.
Officials concerned said that the man’s body was found hanging with a tree in Beri Pattan village on Sunday morning after which police team rushed to the spot. “Investigation have been started into the matter,” said police—(KNO)

Landslide damages 4 houses, cowshed in Baramulla village

Jammu & Kashmir

Precious Kashmir

30/03/2020

Landslide damages 4 houses, cowshed in Baramulla village

BY: Arshad Farooq

BARAMULLA, Mar 29: Due to land sliding four houses and a cowshed got damaged on Saturday late evening and with the result it has created panic among the locals of Chandoosa area in this north Kashmir district.
Sources said that, there was incessant rain from past few days, and with the result landslide occurred on Saturday evening that damaged four houses and a cowshed in Chandoosa area of Baramulla district.
Yes four houses got damaged in which two houses were completely damaged, while as two other houses and a cowshed got partially damaged, said sources.
Sources identified the owner of the houses of whose buildings got damaged as Bashir Ahmad Chachi, Abdul Rashid Chachi, Mohammad Rafiq Chachi and Abdul Majeed Chachi all sons of Ghulam Mohammad Chachi residents of Chandoosa, Kandi in Baramulla district.
Soon after the incident all family members were rescued by locals safely and no one was hurt in the incident, and after the incident the district administration was informed and they also reached well in time for their rescue operations, sources informed.

Stranded Kashmiri students appeal Govt to evacuate them from various countries

City

Precious Kashmir

30/03/2020

Srinagar: Thousands of Kashmiris stranded in various countries are living under constant fear and have appealed Union and J&K government to organise a rescue flight amid the ongoing travel ban enforced by India to control the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
Thousands of Kashmiri students in Ukraine, Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan and several other countries are stranded there because of travel ban in view of coronavirus.
In Kyrgyzstan, over 800 Kashmiris students are stranded.
A female student from Jalalabad University Kyrgyzstan said they were running out of money.
“We don’t know how to feed ourselves under these circumstances. Nobody is concerned about us,” she said, appealing Indian government to raise issue with the Kyrgyzstan.
A Kashmiri female student who is a pursuing medicine from Medical University at Osh in Kyrgyzstan said they have been left at the mercy of God.
“We have been under complete lockdown. But nobody is asking us about food or water. We feel unsafe here and are being treated unwell. Nobody is concerned about us,” She said they live under constant panic because of increasing number of coronavirus cases at Osh, as the city has been epicenter of coronavirus there. “Please take us out from here. We want to go home and be in quarantine there,” she said.
The students they have been vacated from university hostels.
“Our hostels have been turned into quarantine centers. We are putting up in private accommodation. We are running short of money. We don’t know how to feed ourselves,” they said.
In Ukraine, at least 200 Kashmiri students are stranded. Mohammad Aasif Tariq, who is studying medicine at Sumi State University in Ukraine said they have been lodged in a crowded hostel room.
“We are around 500 Indian students who have been lodged in large hostel. There are around 200 Kashmiri students studying in various universities of Ukraine. (KINS)

As world fear of coronavirus, Uri residents on LoC in Kashmir scared of shelling

City

Ishtiyaq Ahmed

30/03/2020

Srinagar: Hundreds of people in north Kashmir’s Uri sector fear for their lives these days. Not because of coronavirus but by constant shelling across the border.
As there is coronavirus scare, the disease that has gripped the world, claiming over 20,000 people across the world, hundreds of Uri residents in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district are fearing for their safety due to shelling across the Line of Control.
On Thursday when world was concerned over the coronavirus, residents of Uri from Hajipeer sector-which is close to LoC- were living with fear.
“There was heavy shelling on Thursday. No was able to move out of homes that day. Since then shelling still goes slowly. It is very unfortunate when countries are fighting against Covid-19, some people are fighting to each other with guns and bombs on LoC,” said Bashir Ahmad, a local.A large number of cattle in border villages gets killed or injured whenever there is a ceasefire violation.
“Even if we manage to save ourselves, we are unable to save the animals,” he said.
Several locals either serve in the army or in the police force, while many others engage in farming and grazing of animals, like sheep and buffalo.A senior official said shelling takes place in Hajipeer sector from across the LoC .The Uri subdivision comprises around 1.25 lakh people; in case of any ceasefire violation, more than 40,000 people from border villages are directly affected. The town is surrounded by the LoC on three sides. Urusa, Silikote, Shoura, Churunda, Tilawari, Chakara, and villages from Hajipeer area — Budna, Alawadi, Kamalkote, Morthal, Dardkote, Ishem, and Gowalta — bear the brunt of the skirmishes between the two countries.
While residents have been demanding 30,000 bunkers, which can give them a safe place to hide during shelling or other calamities, the Uri administration had submitted a proposal some years back to construct bunkers. But nothing has been done so far.
Uri is 76 miles from Srinagar and 42 miles from Muzaffarabad. The mountainous region surprisingly doesn’t have dense shrubbery and the houses built on the hillocks on both sides of the border have small patches of land, which residents have turned into vegetable gardens. However, Pakistan Army on the other side of hillocks is just 200 metres away.
Fifteen years ago, in 2005, an earthquake rocked Uri in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, a region where locals already live in fear, hanging on to their dear lives, amid sporadic shelling at the LoC.
After the earthquake, late president APJ Abdul Kalam, along with a group of Union ministers also visited Urusa village to take stock of the devastation.(KINS)

Privacy In Times Of Pandemic

Edit

Precious Kashmir

30/03/2020

Privacy has been declared as a fundamental right by the Supreme Court and many would hardly differ that it needs to be adhered to in letter and the spirit, even during times of a pandemic.

There are reports that the name and address of some persons who tested positive for coronovirus or are in quarantine in Jammu and Kashmir were circulated on social media, making them vulnerable to discrimination.

It must be borne in mind that in 1897 Indian nationalist, teacher, and an independence activist Bal Gangadhar Tilak was punished by the Bombay High Court for sedition under Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code to report on the plague– the first such conviction in colonial India – against the backdrop of a serious plague epidemic in India, one which would eventually reach pandemic proportions. It was held to be a deterrent against those who would encourage people to thwart the government’s efforts at curbing the plague.

On the other hand, china and other countries at the contemporary juncture forced its citizens to report their health conditions in a bid to contain the scourge. There is no denial that being informed is being prepared. The reports which mention that this infected person belongs to a particular area is fine as it allows the people from entire locality to be guarded but specifically mentioning the name and address of the patient should never be encouraged.

On March 15, the J&K Government rightly placed under suspension medical superintendent of Associated Hospital Rajouri for disclosing name of person who was recognized at that point time as a potential coronavirus (Covid-19) patient in the district.

As per protocol, if any suspect case comes under tracking, it is imperative for the Health Department to keep the same person firstly either in Home Quarantine or in quarantine ward established in Hospitals, till incubation period and samples are to be sent at designated laboratories for further diagnosis.

Due to the disclosure of privacy of the suspected case, panic was spread among his relatives and friends who met him, after his arrival. There are reports that families of the people who are infected face discrimination.

Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, etiquettes & Ethics) Regulations, 2002 stresses that confidence concerning Individual or domestic life, entrusted by patient to a physician and defects in the disposition or character of the patients observed during medical attendance should never be revealed unless their revelation is required by the Laws of the State or Union Territory.

Under Rule 7.14 of the Regulations 2002, it is imperative that the registered Medical practitioner shall not disclose the secret of patient, that have been learnt in the exercise of his/her profession except 1 in a court of Law under order of presiding Judge or in circumstances where there is serious identified risk to a specific person or commodity and in notifiable disease. A care must be taken by one and all including government functionaries and people in general to maintain the privacy of the patients or suspected case.

JLNM hospital fiasco Govt takes action against doctors

City

Precious Kashmir

29/03/2020

JLNM hospital fiasco Govt takes action against doctors

Srinagar: Government today terminated a doctor and suspended another for showing negligence in their duties towards Covid-19 suspects admitted at JLNM Hospital Rainawari in Srinagar.

Directorate of Health Services Kashmir issued a formal order regarding the two doctors.

“You were asked to attend your duties immediately, keeping the view the prevailing disaster the Covid-19 outbreak in Valley which you failed to comply with and it created lot of inconvenience to the patients and hospital administration. Hence your contractual services hired as Microbiologist are hereby terminated with immediate effect,” the order reads about the microbiologist.
Another doctor has been also suspended. She has been identified as Dr Safina Gul, the daughter of NC leader Mubarak Gul.
Earlier it was reported that ruckus was created at Rainawari Hospital this morning when attendants of Covid-19 suspects protested against the non availability of doctors and lack of facilities in the hospital.
They damaged equipments and broke windowspanes and doors.
Notably, some of the Covid-19 suspects had left the hospital but were brought back by authorities.(KNS)

Testing in J&K highest in country-nearly 10 % of surveillance cases being tested

Jammu & Kashmir

Precious Kashmir

29/03/2020

Testing in J&K highest in country-nearly 10 % of surveillance cases being tested

Admin monitoring situation proactively; 11 exclusively COVID hospitals earmarked, 35000 quarantine facility created across UT: Kansal

JAMMU, MARCH 28: Principal Secretary, Planning, Development & Monitoring Department, Mr Rohit Kansal, who is also the J&K Govt Spokesperson, today said that the administration is closely monitoring and reviewing the situation and proactively taking a number of steps to combat COVID-19 pandemic.

However, he appealed the people to report travel history and cooperate with the government in breaking the chain of the transmission.

Director Information & PR, Dr. Syed Sehrish Asgar and Mission Director NHM Bhupinder Kumar were also present during the occasion.

In an online briefing with the media persons, he said that public cooperation is of critical importance in breaking the chain of transmission.

He said that like in the rest of the country Jammu and Kashmir too has seen a spurt of cases in the last week or so. He informed that the total number of cases in Jammu and Kashmir has reached 28, of which active cases are 25 including 21 in Kashmir and 4 in Jammu division.

“Our teams have been consistently and aggressively trying to trace out the contacts and test them. This will cause some inconvenience and this is where we need support and cooperation of the Public. He further said that tracing out contacts and testing them is of critical importance in breaking the chain of transmission.

Giving further details, he said “We have found out that 11 of the positive cases in Kashmir division could be traced to a single religious congregation. Another 6 cases could be traced to another group which had travelled to Saudi Arabia. We are also getting reports that one of the positive patients had suppressed his travel history to Dubai. This is extremely dangerous for the family, the community and finally the entire UT” and appealed the people not to hide travel history and self report and cooperate with the government.

“While we have been aggressively tracing out contacts, we have also been reviewing our capacities and facilities. We now have an administrative quarantine facility of over 35000 beds in Jammu (6500), Srinagar (10000) and individual districts(1000 each) spread over large locations” he added.

He further informed that the government has identified and earmarked 11 hospitals, 8 in Kashmir and 3 in Jammu division as exclusive COVID hospitals and as a result the government have earmarked 2400 treatment beds-1300 in Kashmir and 1100 in Jammu for the purpose. “We are also preparing to upgrade capacity to include 1000 more quarantine beds. On the request of the medical fraternity, the health department has also made arrangements for hotels both in Jammu and Kashmir for exclusive use of medical professionals engaged in treatment,” he added.

He said that the Health department is also engaged in procurement of all required material and equipment including masks, Personal Protection Equipments (PPEs) and ventilators.

Kansal also listed the steps taken in order to alleviate the difficulties being faced by the people in the emerging situation.

“The administrative council has already met under the Chairmanship of the Lt Governor and announced a series of steps to alleviate the problems of the people, especially the poor and the destitute. These include immediate release of Rs 1000 each to workers registered with Building & Other Construction Workers Welfare Board for purchase of one month’s advance ration under Mid-Day meal, release of two installments of old age, disability and family pension to all the 7.7 lakh pensioners and additional coverage of all 1.7 lakh pending cases, “he informed.

He further said that “To help the destitute, slum dwellers and migrant labour, ration packets containing essential edibles are being prepared and supplied through the DCs and urban local bodies. In addition, Rs 50 crore has been released to supplement already for the containment of COVID-19 to the districts, PHE department, ULBs for quarantine facilities.

“The administration has also fully geared up to implement all the welfare measures announced under the PRADHAN MANTRI GARIB KALYAN PACKAGE. Distribution of ration both the normal ration and free ration as provided under PMGKAY has already been started. Preparations for implementing other components are also being finalized,” he added.

He also mentioned that the supply lines of essential commodities including drugs are fully in place. There is no shortage of any kind of essential commodity in procurement level and facilitation passes have been issued in this regard. He therefore urged general public not to hoard any sort of commodity and avoid panic.

He said that the Resident Commission in Delhi has established a dedicated 24X7 helpline centre to assist students, patients or any other residents of J&K facing difficulties due to the lockdown. The numbers are 011-24611210, 2461108 and 24615475.

For the assistance of the labourers and residents of UT residing in different parts of the country, the administration is starting a dedicated labour helpline; an appeal has been made to all the State governments to take care of people from other states. Similarly in J&K, the administration is taking caring measures of all such people who may happen to be residing in the UT of J&K.

An appeal has also been made to all the religious leaders, for instance the grand Mufti of Srinagar has made an appeal regarding holding prayers at home. He also urged to maintain social distances and stay at home besides follow all the advisories issued from time to time to win this battle.

“These are extraordinary times. We are grateful that we are getting unprecedented understanding and cooperation from the people at large. We would like to reassure the people that the entire administrative machinery is constantly and closely monitoring the situation and taking all necessary steps” he reiterated.

He further solicits the support of everyone in reporting cases, following advisories and in cooperating with the administration even though it may be uncomfortable at times.

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