70 sarpanches, panches resign in J&K district

Sources said the panches had been resenting the alleged interference of the administration in their functioning for a while.

Neighbours gather at the houe of a sarpanch in Jammu. (Express Photo by Arun Sharma)

At least 70 sarpanches and panches have resigned en masse in three blocks of Ramban district of Jammu & Kashmir, upset over allegedly being sidelined by the administration. They submitted their resignation to their respective Block Development Council (BDC) chairpersons Friday.
Official sources said over half a dozen sarpanches and 30-35 panches in Ramsu block, and nearly 17 sarpanches and panches in Banihal block have resigned. Likewise, over a dozen sarpanches and panches have resigned in Ukhral block, said Ramsu Block Development Council chairperson Shafiq Ahmed Katoch.

Sources said the panches had been resenting the alleged interference of the administration in their functioning for a while. Minister of State for Rural Development Niranjan Jyoti’s vsit to Ramsu block’s Krawa panchayat as a part of the Centre’s public outreach programme was the last straw as the district administration invited neither the local sarpanch nor those of nearly half a dozen neighbouring panchayats. Many panchayat heads and members held a demonstration close to the venue.

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4650 Corona positive cases detected in J&K

4650 Corona positive cases were detected in Jammu & Kashmir today, the data revealed.

1463 cases were recorded in Jammu division and 3178 in Kashmir division.

Meanwhile, 37 deaths reported in J&K. 25 reported in Jammu division & 12 deaths reported in Kashmir.

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A record 2204 people tested positive for Corona in J&K

A record 2204 people have tested positive for Corona in the Jammu and Kashmir as per the government's latest daily figure for last 24 hours on Wednesday.

It was the highest daily number reported in the Jammu and Kashmir thus far, the officials said. Also, 13 people have succumbed to the virus— 10 from Jammu division and three from Kashmir, taking the total toll to 2084, the officials said.  

They said 905 cases were confirmed from Jammu Division and 1299 from Kashmir Valley, taking the total tally to 152442. 

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Covid 2nd wave: Teenager from Budgam among 13 casualties in J-K

The second wave of Covid-19 has started to prove more lethal and infectious than the first wave as a 19-year-old woman from Budgam with no Comorbidities died just within a week after contracting the virus, at a Srinagar hospital on Wednesday.

Dr Nisar ul Hassan, a flu expert and the President Doctors Association Kashmir while talking to news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said that the second wave of the Covid-19 is proving to be more lethal as it is more infectious than the first wave and there is need to ramp up genome sequencing.

He said that the teenage woman from Budgam had a five day history of breathlessness and was admitted at SMHS on April 15 with severe bilateral pneumonia.

 

“On the very next day she developed acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and was put on a ventilator,” the doctor said. “Despite giving the best, her condition deteriorated and she died today.” The virus had damaged her lungs, kidney and other organs. “She is the youngest Covid victim of current year,” he said.

Dr Nisar said that the second wave is behaving differently and is attacking multiple organs other than lungs. “More and more young people are being admitted in hospital with no underlying problems but their condition is severe,” he said.

In the first wave of Covid-19, it was effecting only elderly people and patients with comorbidities but this wave has started to affect young people and there is a need to check the presence of mutant variants by ramping up genome sequencing.

He said that in many cases, RTPCR is coming negative for Covid-19 but CT is showing virus, so there need to samples of positive patients as well as suspected patients for genome sequencing—

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Teenager dies by suicide in central Kashmir

Srinagar: An eighteen-year-old boy allegedly died by suicide after consuming some poisonous substance at his home in Shogpora village of central Kashmir’s Budgam district on intervening night of Tuesday- Wednesday night.

An official told that the youth identified as Danish Ahmad Kumar son of Farooq Ahmad Kumar resident of Shogpora village consumed some poisonous substance at his home. He was immediately rushed to nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival, the official said.

Meanwhile, police have taken cognizance of the incident and have registered a case under various sections of law and taken up further investigations in this regard, the official added.

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Universities, Colleges Closed Till May 15, Market Associations Asked to Stagger Opening Timings.

Srinagar, April 18 (GNS): The government on Sunday ordered closure of all universities and colleges for imparting on-campus / in-person education to the students in Jammu and Kashmir till May 15. 

“All Universities and Colleges in J&K shall remain closed for imparting on-campus / in-person education to the students till 15.05.2021,except for the courses/programs that require physical presence of students on account of laboratory / research / thesis work and internship etc,” Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha’s office said in a tweet .

The government also asked market associations are encouraged to voluntarily try to stagger opening timings and schedules to reduce crowds.

“In this regard, necessary cooperation and support of the local Bazar / market associations may also be taken.

 Strict action will be taken if anyone is found in violation,” the LG’s pffice said in another tweet.

All District Magistrates have also been asked to put in place an effective mechanism to ensure COVID appropriate behaviour in all crowded markets and shopping complexes and Malls.

In another tweet, the LG’s office said that all passengers or travelers coming to J&K, whether by rail, road or air, will have to compulsorily undergo a COVID-19 antigen test through any of the prescribed methods as per the protocol of the GoJK. 

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J&K reports 1145 fresh covid-19 cases, 3 deathsThere are 10910 active positive cases in J&K—4251 in Jammu and 6659 in Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir reported 1145 fresh covid-19 cases, the second highest single day spike in the infections this year so far, even as three more people succumbed to the virus in the last 24 hours, officials said on Saturday.

They said 503 of these cases were reported from Jammu Division and 642 from Kashmir Valley, taking the overall infection tally to 145166.

Providing district wise details, the officials told GNS that Srinagar reported 319 cases, Baramulla 112, Budgam 55, Pulwama 30, Kupwara 17, Anantnag 26, Bandipora 17, Ganderbal 44, Kulgam 21, Shopian 1, Jammu 264, Udhampur 22, Rajouri 28, Doda 9, Kathua 47, Samba 35, Kishtwar 5, Poonch 9, Ramban 4 and Reasi 80.

Regarding the fresh deaths, they said two were reported from Jammu and one from Kashmir, taking the overall toll to 2051 in J&K.

Moreover, they said, 852 more COVID-19 patients have recovered—373 from Jammu Division and 479 from Kashmir Valley. There are 10910 active positive cases in J&K—4251 in Jammu and 6659 in Kashmir, they said.

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Avoiding excessive use of heating gadgets will ensure better power supply during Ramadhan: CE PDD

Avoiding excessive use of heating gadgets will ensure better power supply during Ramadhan: CE PDD

Recorded 1631 MWs, highest ever on 15 April during Sehri time

Srinagar April 17: Chief Engineer power development department, Aijaz Ah Dar on Saturday urged people to desist from using heating appliances lavishly during Sehri and Iftaar time for the purposes of uninterrupted power supply to consumers. KPDCL at present is supplying around 16% more energy as compared to last year. Morning peak (sehri time) load touched 1631 MWs on 15 Apr. which is the highest load recorded ever (avg. being around 1500 MWs) CE PDD said.

Consumers are requested to rationalize their load & avoid using heating gadgets at Sehri and Iftaar time in order to avoid unscheduled cuts.

He said that extra load on power feeder during peak times is the cause of power breakdown in many areas across Kashmir.

Chief Engineer's statement on frequent power breakdown comes a day after ‌ people from many North and South Kashmir complained that the Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) has failed to adhere to the power schedule even in the holy month of Ramadan, leaving the residents across Kashmir valley to suffer.

People in few parts of Srinagar have complained of inadequate electricity, saying that the department has failed to ensure adequate electricity even in the holy month of Ramadan.

 

'We are facing erratic power cuts despite being assured adequate electricity in the ongoing holy month of Ramadan,' says a local from North Kashmir

'The department has even failed to ensure the electricity during Sehri and Iftari time,' another local from central Kashmir said.

However the slight drop in temperature has resulted in additional load on system

Chief engineer PDD, Aijaz Ah Dar while speaking to KNS, said that the people should make judicious use of power during month of Ramzan to have uninterrupted power supply.

Compared to last year, we are supplying 47 lac additional units of energy means supplying additional 200 MW of power round the clock.

He said that the department during the winter was running 700 Megawatt down to meet the actual demand of consumers during winters. “There needs 2200 Megawatts in valley but we are only providing 1500 Megawatts. At this moment the demand is still 1950 MWs. This is forcing us to go for curtailment, he added.

This may be true that some areas may have power cuts during Iftar or Sehri time, but we are trying best to have sufficient power supply to everyone. I again request people to make judicious use of electricity, he added. 

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Three LeT militant associates arrested; incriminating material recovered: Police

Police on Saturday claimed to have arrested three militant associates of Lashker-e-Toiba in Central Kashmir's Budgam district.

In a statement, the police said that Budgam Police along with 53RR have arrested three militant associates linked with outfit LeT and recovered incriminating materials from their possession.

The statement further said that they have been identified as Adil Ahmad Dar, Tahir Ahmad Bhat both residents of Narbal and Ghulam Mohd Gojre  resident of Kawoosa Khalisa.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the arrested militant associates were providing shelter, logistics and other material support including transportation of arms and ammunition of the militants of militant outfit LeT in Magam, Narbal and Beerwah areas of Budgam, they said.

All the three arrested militant associates have been in touch with the PaK militant commanders through various social media platforms as well as they were also in constant touch with Lashkar e Toiba self styled militant commander Mohd Yousuf Dar @kantro & Abrar Nadeem Bhat.

Incriminating material including ammunition and posters of militant outfit LeT were recovered from the possession of the arrested militant associates, they said. 

Accordingly, a case FIR No. 51/2021 under relevant sections of law has been registered in Police Station Magam and investigation into the matter has been initiated, reads the statement.

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Ahdoos Hotel Shuts After Owner, Several Staffers Test Covid Positive

Srinagar- Ahdoos Hotel in Srinagar has shut its activities after several of its staffers besides the owner tested positive for novel Coronavirus infection here on Saturday.

Manager Ahdoos Hotel – one of the prime lodging in summer-capital- said that they had several guests recently about whom they were informed having tested positive for the infection through RT-PCR at Srinagar Airport, reported news agency GNS.

“It was as such deemed proper by the management to test the staffers serving the infected guests”, he said adding that “On taking samples, several of them (staffers) have tested positive for the infection.”

All of the infected staffers have been home-quarantined and largely asymptomatic, he said.

It has been, in the meantime, independently learnt that owner of the Hotel Ghulam Hassan, with underlying co-morbidities, has also tested COVID positive.

“We have decided to close all the activities at the Hotel as well as at the Restaurant wing as a precautionary measure till the conditions improve”, the manager said

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Hurriyat faction condemns Mirwaiz’s continuous detention

A factor of All Parties Hurriyat Conference, headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, condemned his continuous house detention and said that “it is extremely unfortunate”.

In a statement, the pro-freedom faction said that the Mirwaiz’s detention has “deeply hurt the sentiments of the Muslims of Kashmir”.

“Even on the first Friday of the blessed month of Ramadan, the pulpit of the historic and central Jamia Masjid Srinagar continues to remain silent, as Mirwaiz e Kashmir Mohammed Umar Farooq continues to be kept under arbitrary house detention by the authorities,” the Hurriyat faction said.

 

It has been more than twenty months now since Mirwaiz Umar Farooq is detained at his home.

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