News Kashmir Exclusive With the global and national coronavirus cases once again getting out of hand , we are undoubtedly in third wave of pandemic in India. The cases of Coronavirus are definitely on rise in Jammu and Kashmir too .We are undoubtedly witnessing a steep rise in the cases of Coronavirus both in Jammu and Kashmir as well .On January 13, 2022, 1966 new positive cases of COVID, 889 from Jammu division and 1077 from Kashmir division, have been reported today, thus taking the total number of positive cases in Jammu and Kashmir to 35016. Also, 05 Covid deaths have been reported; 02 from Jammu Division and 03 from Kashmir Division. Delhi saw the biggest-ever daily spike in Covid infectionsThursday with 28,867 new Covid cases as the positivity rate surged to 29 per cent, indicating that for every three tests conducted, one person is testing positive.Experts are urging masses to adhere to masks and sanitizers once again .With the detection of few cases of Omicron in Kashmir valley, Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Wednesday advised people to take precautions to protect themselves from the new variant of Covid-19. “Simple precautions would help prevent the spread of the variant,” said DAK President and Influenza expert Dr Nisar ul Hassan. . “Masks act as barrier, trapping and filtering out virus particles from the air we breathe,” he said. “If the infected person wears a mask, that reduces the risk of infection to those around them. If the uninfected person wears a mask, that reduces the risk of infection to them from the infected person,” he added. The DAK President said people are advised to avoid crowding and gatherings. “Crowding puts you at higher risk of getting Omicron and it increases the chances for the virus to spread in the community,” he said. “If you are down with respiratory symptoms, self isolate and get tested,” said Dr Nisar. “If your test turns positive, report to the health authorities for tracing your contacts,” he said adding contact tracing is an important tool to prevent the virus from spreading in the community. General Secretary DAK Dr Arshad Ali said vaccine remains the single best tool against Covid-19 and its variants including Omicron. “Fully vaccinated people have significant protection against Omicron infection, serious illness and death,” he said. “Those who are unvaccinated should go and get it now. People who are eligible for boosters should take them as soon as possible to protect themselves, their families, loved ones and the community,” he added. Spokesperson DAK Dr Riyaz Ahmad Dagga said Omicron is more contagious than delta which devastated us in the second wave. We don’t know how Omicron will impact our senior citizens and immunocompromised. “Even though Omicron causes less severe disease, the sheer number of cases could once again overwhelm our hospitals,” One hopes that we in Jammu and Kashmir are awake about the rising number of Coronavirus cases once again in Jammu and Kashmir .
After the Soviets bailed out of Afghanistan in 1989, the U.S. decided that it had little stake in what happened in the country and the region. Virtually all government assistance ceased. America decided to let the Afghans sort out their differences and left Pakistan, erstwhile partner in the jihad against communism, to fend for itself in coping with the fallout of the decade-long Afghan conflict. What America got in Afghanistan was a bloody, anarchic, fratricidal civil war, the rise of the Taliban and the settling in of Al-Qaeda. Please note, Al Qaeda was in Afghanistan before Taliban. All those countries later complaining about them supported them at the time of the Soviet invasion.
Over the past few months, the UN has repeatedly warned that Afghanistan is on the brink of the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. More than half the country is facing “acute” food shortages. According to the UN, almost 24 million people in Afghanistan about 60 per cent of the population suffer from acute hunger, and about 8.7 million Afghans are coping with famine.
Last month, Afghan demonstrators marched through the streets of Kabul towards the US shuttered embassy, calling for the release of billions of dollars in assets frozen by Washington and its allies. “Our main demand is that the United States should release our assets as soon as possible,” the protest organizer as quoted. “This is the wealth of the nation, not of any single person, group or government.” The protesters chanted anti-US slogans and held banners reading “Let us eat” and “Give us our frozen money.”
As the harsh winter sets in, situation could be even worse, “The children don’t have warm clothes and it’s becoming very cold. Hunger and destitution seem to kill more Afghans than all the bombs and bullets of the past two decades. In late December, the UN Security Council and the United States gave aid agencies a green light to scale up life-saving assistance without fear of breaking sanctions. But the point is humanitarian aid is the only a sticking plaster – liquidity must be injected into the economy to revive business, trade and livelihoods, and frozen money released to pay for crucial services.
An increase in poverty is inevitable in Afghanistan. The UN Development Programme reports that 97% of civilians could plunge below the poverty line by mid-2022. According to a local official of the World Food Program (WFP), 60% of those living in the northern provinces of Afghanistan are currently suffering from hunger and this figure will likely increase in the months ahead. Aid organizations such as Doctors Without Borders have warned of an “impending humanitarian crisis.” There is currently a severe economic crisis in the country. Many civilians, including former employees of NGOs and the previous Afghan government, are either unemployed or have no hope of earning a living.The unskilled and manual labour workforce has now minimal or no income at all. Alarmingly, farmers have suffered losses due to drought, winter is fast approaching and medical supplies are running out in the country’s remote provinces. These incidents take place when the price of raw materials has risen sharply. Millions of children are likely to be malnourished as a result of the growing economic crisis. Delegates of the 57-nation Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) met on December 19 in a special session in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad to set up a humanitarian trust for Afghanistan as the country faces a harsh winter where millions could starve. The conference was the largest international summit on Afghanistan since the Taliban deposed the US-backed Afghan government in August.
The OIC vowed “to unlock the financial and banking channels to resume liquidity and flow of financial and humanitarian assistance.” Pakistan’s foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi announced the development fund and said it would be set up under the auspices of the Islamic Development Bank, although it’s unclear whether the effort will succeed.
Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan warned millions could starve and chaos could engulf the country if the situation is not addressed urgently. “Unless action is taken immediately, Afghanistan is heading for chaos,” Khan said. Khan urged the U.S. to “de-link” aid to the Afghan people from the Taliban government his nation helped install in Kabul. He suggested Western ideals of human rights may not match the reality on the ground and cautioned, “Every society’s idea of human rights is different.” While concerns mount about the level of crisis facing Afghanistan, the international response has lagged. Western governments are reluctant to assist the Taliban out of fear of providing legitimacy. In a statement, the meeting’s participants said permitting Afghanistan access to frozen currency reserves abroad would be essential to preventing economic collapse. Representatives from the U.N, U.S, E.U. and Japan all observed the conference. It was left unclear how much the humanitarian fund would hold. Afghanistan’s acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi told delegates, “We cannot ignore the danger of complete economic meltdown.” More than 20 million Afghans face starvation since the Taliban overran the capital Kabul in mid-August. The near-total collapse of Afghanistan’s banking system has complicated the already intricate matter of delivering humanitarian aid.
It is obvious to everyone that the financial crisis is shaking the entire world, East and West. It is a serious event that is giving the politicians, decision makers, prominent thinkers and economist’s sleepless nights. It is a huge calamity that is very complex and has many implications, which explains the great turmoil being experienced by economists and politicians, and it also explains why so much is being written about it, analysing it from different points of view. They are in a state of great confusion, and some of them have started to blame one another for what has happened. Poverty is one of the calamities either to a specific person or a family or a society. Poverty has negative effects on people’s beliefs and conduct. Immoral behaviour becomes widespread to a large extent because of poverty, as a means of meeting people’s needs, so theft, murder, prostitution and other harmful things become widespread. Undoubtedly these things have a negative effect on individuals and societies.
When armed conflict breaks out or natural disasters strike, entire communities are affected, disrupting their day-to-day lives and long-term development prospects. Humanitarian aid is designed to save lives and alleviate suffering during and in the immediate aftermath of emergencies, whereas development aid responds to ongoing structural issues, particularly systemic poverty, that may hinder economic, institutional and social development in any given society, and assists in building capacity to ensure resilient communities and sustainable livelihoods. Both humanitarian and development aid are related, and different forms of aid often have both humanitarian and development components. There is no doubt that the world has an obligation to help. To help any country or any society irrespective of Religion, Creed or Colour, all you need to do is just be human. Just imagine the plight of those small kids right now who don’t have food, accommodation, warm clothes. The world has to support Afghan people and carry out their humanitarian obligations. Suhaibbhatt85@gmail.com
The global pandemic of Coronavirus has caused much havoc in the world since past few years with millions dying and crores getting infected .Despite vaccination Covid is still a threat and there seems to be light at end of dark tunel now .
The Omicron variant of Covid-19 is “almost unstoppable” and everyone will eventually be infected with it, a top government expert told recently NDTV. Booster vaccine doses won’t stop the rapid spread of the virus, he added. ”It makes no difference. The infection will occur. It has occurred all over the world regardless of this,” he said about the booster doses.Stressing that Covid is “not a frightening disease anymore” as the new strain is milder and is leading to much less hospitalisation, he said that it’s a disease we can deal with. ”… we are dealing with quite a different virus. It’s much milder than Delta, as you all know, not only that, it is practically unstoppable,” Dr. Jaiprakash Muliyil, epidemiologist and chairperson of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the National Institute of Epidemiology at the Indian Council of Medical Research, said, adding that Omicron presents itself just like the cold.
Claiming that natural immunity through infection could be lifelong and that’s why India has not been as badly affected as many other countries, he said that 85% of the country was already infected before the vaccines were introduced in the country and hence, the first dose was essentially a booster dose. ”Well, there is a philosophy world over that natural infection doesn’t impart any lasting immunity. Now, that is a philosophy which I think is wrong,” he said. Pointing out that no medical bodies suggested booster doses, Dr Muliyil said they won’t stop the natural progression of the epidemic. Arguing the same against the testing of asymptomatic close contacts of Covid patients, he said the virus doubles infection in just two days, so even before the test detects its presence, the infected person has already spread it to a large number of people. “So even when you test, you are far far behind. It is not something that will make any difference in the evolution of the epidemic,” he said.
“We have not suggested booster dose so far from any of the bodies of the government. To my knowledge, the precautionary dose was just suggested, because there are reports that certain people, mostly in the age group above 60, did not respond to two doses,” he said. “A majority of us will not know we have been infected, probably more than 80% will not even know when we have it,” he said.One hopes that Omicron marks end of covid .
The writer is PG student University of Kashmir The deadly COVID 19 has struck again & this time with a new variant called Omicron.It has created a lot of panic among people & preparations to fight this deadly disease has started.The re-imposing of lockdown in some places has started & masks are again put on by people.What is very important to know is that how much is the Govt prepared to fight this disease if God forbid the case’s started mounting like last year & death’s occurred.As we saw last year that Govt hospitals were not fully equipped for this disease & the patient’s were left in terrible conditions & most of the times we saw deaths taking place.The last year must not have a repetition this time because we can’t have people dying in large numbers & in abysmal conditions.I am hopeful that the Govt has learned from it’s grave mistakes & preparations must have tripled compared to last year.All the Hospitals must be given much & more support for fighting the disease & all necessary things must be forwarded so that the battle against COVID-19 would be stronger.This year Govt shouldn’t come up with measures which have been repeated often providing no good result but a substantive measure needs to be brought into place to strongly fight this massive disease.It needs a lot of labour,equipments & awareness everyday.The health services by Doctors,nurses & other’s is always commendable but they must have the necessary tools to fight it & every Govt Hospitals must have a better & best facility for every COVID patient.The awareness about this disease must be done everyday.As we know that the cases have started rising & Govt has initiated it’s new initiatives of closing down schools & coaching centres,the premonition is that if the cases continue to rise,another lockdown is in the offing & we would have a last year COVID like situation.We can’t say that it wouldn’t happen but at least we can try to fight it at our places like being fully conscious of it & ensuring that we would leave no room for it to attack us because our preparations are full.We must know it in togetherness that it’s time to defeat COVID-19.
Keep Working on Your Dreams: Faizan Zaroo, Mir Sabeen GulrezAfter finishing his education, a young man started a business selling clothing under the name “Smart Jeans,” but quickly realized that he should start his own management company under the name “Markus Kraft.”Faizan Zaroo, 31, is an entrepreneur who changed the lifestyle of living by giving comfort with new colors.While sharing his journey to News Kashmir, he said the name “Arika” comes from an Arabic word that means, “Sofa or Couch”, and in Sanskrit, it means “beautiful” (living). The name itself is self-explanatory, as our mission is to serve as lifestyle specialists. That’s why I named it “Arika Living.”From clothing to glamour, I was always involved in art and lifestyle, which landed me a job in Banglore as a store manager and marketing expert for a renowned brand. My job wasn’t satisfying my hunger to achieve what I used to dream, so I left my highly paid job and started to work on my dream, which I always dreamt of, the dream which soon became a reality in the form of Arika.The market is flooded with imported products via online or offline channels, but the issue of not being satisfied with the products has always been a question of being asked. Is what the customer is getting worth it or not? Besides business, our aim is only to uplift the craftsman as the products that have been selling online from different parts of the world are a loss to our manufacturers and the people related to art and craft.We at Arika have tie-ups with all small and big manufacturers all over India, which makes our products and quality much better than anyone else in the current market.We have masters who have personalized the art of lifestyle furniture and interiors. We provide end-to-end furniture customization according to the needs and lifestyle of customers, which gives our clients a hassle-free experience.The biggest hurdles I faced in launching Arika in Banglore were.Well, it wasn’t easy to set up in Bangalore. I faced many disagreements and rejections from the manufacturers and clients, but I didn’t give up on my dream. I spent all my savings on building a chain of suppliers and manufacturers from Banglore, now presently in Kashmir and still expanding widely throughout. It wasn’t easy without a team. A few of my friends joined Arika and helped me out with social media marketing and other important things. Not only social media, but digital as well as print helped me a lot to expand my business.I am very thankful to all who supported me throughout, but out of all the odds, the biggest support was my brother, Zubair Anjum Zaroo, who supported me in my tough times and stood beside me like a wall. It wasn’t easy for me to survive in Bangalore because the state is very expensive in every aspect. I was all alone and had to shop from the lower end to the higher end. This all wasn’t easy without the support of my family and friends, and to my surprise, those who rejected me initially were the ones who stood by my side when I was struggling. That was the moment when I realised that I should fulfill the dream not only for me but for those who are with me during my rainy days. I didn’t let them down, but, Alhamdulillah, I came up with something even stronger and shined.The main difficulties Arika faced in Kashmir were that we started in Kashmir just 7 months ago and we have 50-60 successful clients till now in Kashmir and lots of clients and queries coming in every day. The manufacturers in Kashmir weren’t supportive. The craftsmen were very expensive; hence I opened a small manufacturing unit at my home with all the possible machines with my profits just to give quality and affordable prices to my clients in Kashmir. In Kashmir, we have a dynamic sales and design team. Rouf Zargar, who is our manager in Kashmir, and other designers and craftsmen like Romi, and others.Let me explain something about Arika, its Mission,Vision and values.If we talk about Arika’s Mission , its only mission is to provide premium quality,service and variety of furniture designing and interior solutions.Arikas’s Vision: Is to be best premium furniture company in India.And last but not least if we talk about Arika’s Values, its values is to create effortless experience for consumers and uplifting craftsman.It was my team who worked hard for the brand Arika and I am very thankful to all of them. I would like to mention some of my team members, for whom my life is indebted. I would like to introduce my first employees, like Gurpreet, who is working as a social media and marketing expert. It was Gurpreet who worked without a salary for four months. It would be an injustice to Fayiq Rashid, who is working as a sales and marketing expert if I didn’t mention him.For those who want to get in touch with Arika, you can contact us via social media like Instagram and Facebook with the name Arikaliving.
Dr Suhaib Ashraf BhatOmicron (B.1.1.529) Variant: On November 24, 2021, South Africa reported the identification of a new SARS-CoV-2 variant, B.1.1.529, to the World Health Organization (WHO). B.1.1.529 was first detected in specimens collected on November 11, 2021 in Botswana and on November 14, 2021 in South Africa.IHU( B.1.640.2) variant: France detects new COVID-19 variant ‘IHU’, more infectious than Omicron. The new variant — B.1.640.2 — which has been detected in 12 patients near Marseille, contains 46 mutations, making it more resistant to vaccines and infectiousAs the world was struggling with delta variant one thing become crystal clear, More Covid-19 variants are likely to come. So what do we know about omicron and IHU?Omicron (B.1.1.529) Variant: The Omicron variant of COVID-19 has been called a variant of concern by WHO based on the evidence that it has several mutations that may have an impact on how it behaves. There is still substantial uncertainty regarding Omicron and a lot of research underway to evaluate its transmissibility, severity and reinfection risk. When a virus is circulating widely and causing numerous infections, the likelihood of the virus mutating increases. The more opportunities a virus has to spread, the more opportunities it has to undergo changes. New variants like Omicron are a reminder that the COVID-19 pandemic is far from over. It is therefore essential that people continue to follow existing advice on preventing the spread of the virus, including physical distancing, wearing masks, regular hand washing and keeping indoor areas well ventilated. The Omicron variant has now been detected in many countries around the world. WHO reports that Omicron is probably in most countries, even if it hasn’t been detected yet.Is the Omicron variant more severe than other COVID-19 variants? Early findings suggest that Omicron might be less severe than the Delta variant, but more data is needed and WHO warns that it should not be dismissed as “mild”. Studies are ongoing and this information will be updated as it becomes available. It is important to remember that all variants of COVID-19 can cause severe disease or death, including the Delta variant that is still dominant worldwide, which is why preventing the spread of the virus and reducing your risk of exposure to the virus is so important. Omicron is spreading more quickly than other variants. Based on the information available, WHO believes it is likely that Omicron will outpace the Delta variant where there is COVID-19 transmission in the community. However, being vaccinated and taking precautions such as avoiding crowded spaces, keeping your distance from others and wearing a mask are critical in helping to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and we know these actions have been effective against other variants. Researchers are looking into any potential impact the Omicron variant has on the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines. Information is still limited, but there may be a small reduction in the effectiveness of vaccines against severe illness and death, and a decline in preventing mild disease and infection. However, WHO reports that so far it
looks like the currently available vaccines offer significant protection against severe disease and death. It is also important to be vaccinated to protect against the other widely circulating variants, such as the Delta one. When it’s your turn, make sure to get vaccinated. If your vaccination involves two doses, it’s important to receive both in order to have the maximum protection. WHO reports that early evidence suggests that previous infection could offer less protection against Omicron in comparison to other variants of concern, such as Delta. Information is still limited though. While people who recover from COVID-19 may develop some natural immunity to the virus, till now there is no data how long it lasts or how well you are protected. Vaccines offer more reliable protection. Are children more likely to contract the Omicron variant? Research is ongoing into Omicron’s transmissibility and we will come to know soon. However, people who are mixing socially and those who are unvaccinated are more susceptible to contracting COVID-19. The most important thing you can do is reduce your risk of exposure to the virus. To protect yourself and your loved ones, make sure to:Wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth. Make sure that your hands are clean when you put on and remove your mask. Keep a physical distance of at least 1 metre from others. Avoid poorly ventilated or crowded spaces.Open windows to improve ventilation indoors.Wash your hands regularly.
Several scientific projections have claimed that the peak of India’s ongoing surge will take place between January last week and February first week. As Dr Sudhakar said in other countries it has been observed that the wave, driven by Omicron, rose very quickly, followed by a quick dip. In South Africa, where the variant was first detected is also believed to be over the wave. Niti Aayog member (health) Dr VK Paul acknowledged the global scenario and said that it is a fact that surge driven by Omicron in other countries has come down quickly but that cannot be conjectured about India as the characteristics of a surge depends on many factors including vaccine coverage. “Like in the UK, Denmark, it is receding now. In South Africa too, it stayed for a month. But we can’t say anything clearly as it depends on our population density, vaccination coverage. So we can’t extrapolate that this wave will come down soon, but we can say what we are seeing. IHU: IHU( B.1.640.2) variant: As the world grapples with the highly mutated Omicron variant France detects new COVID-19 variant ‘IHU’, more infectious than Omicron. The new variant — B.1.640.2 — which has been detected in 12 patients near Marseille, contains 46 mutations, making it more resistant to vaccines and infectious. Even as the world battles the uptick in COVID-19 cases owing to the Omicron variant, scientists in France have found another variant. The discovery of the variant, dubbed B.1.640.2, was announced in a paper posted on medRxiv. Called IHU, as of now, the strain was discovered by academics based at the IHU Mediterranee Infection on 10 December.Here’s what we know so far of this new COVID-19 variant: • Researchers say that it contains 46 mutations — even more than Omicron — which makes it more resistant to vaccines and infectious.• Some 12 cases have been spotted so far near Marseille, with the first linked to travel to the African country Cameroon.• Tests show the strain carries the N501Y mutation — first seen on the Alpha variant — that experts believe can make it more transmissible• According to the scientists, it also carries the E484K mutation, which could mean that the IHU variant will be more resistant to vaccines.• It is yet to be spotted in other countries or labelled a variant under investigation by the World Health Organization. Omicron dominant variant:Currently, Omicron is the dominant coronavirus variant in France, joining other European countries like the United Kingdom and Portugal with surging case numbers over the past few days. France’s public health agency had recently said that “62.4 percent of tests showed a profile compatible with the Omicron variant”. The Omicron variant of coronavirus has stoked average daily confirmed cases to more than 160,000 per day over the past week, with peaks above 200,000. “The tidal wave has indeed arrived, it’s enormous. In an attempt to battle this surge, French MPs have proposed legislation that would require most people to be vaccinated against Covid-19 to enter public spaces such as bars, restaurants and long-distance public transport. It is expected to come into force on 15 January after passing through the upper house Senate. However, The World Health Organization said that there is little reason to worry it. Abdi Mahmud, a COVID-19 incident manager with the WHO, said that the organization has monitored the new variant since November, but it has not spread far enough to raise concern.Conclusion: It is obvious to everyone that the financial crisis is shaking the entire world, East and West. It is a serious event that is giving the politicians, decision makers, prominent thinkers and economist’s sleepless nights. It is a huge calamity that is very complex and has many implications, which explains the great turmoil being experienced by economists and politicians, and it also explains why so much is being written about it, analysing it from different points of view. They are in a state of great confusion, and some of them have started to blame one another for what has happened. This crisis requires some explanation in order to highlight some important aspects that have to do with it.The crisis is real: It has led to the collapse of major banks and financial institutions; international stock markets have declined, trillions of dollars have evaporated, billions have disappeared from the financial markets, many countries in the world have hit rock bottom, millions have lost their wealth, be it in the form of shares, savings or investments; the investments of the American people in the stock markets have lost $4 trillion. This crisis has become like a tsunami, striking the economies of almost every country. Economy and money are the main foundation of Western society, and when they were content with that and forsook the laws of Allah swt, “Allah swt struck at the foundation of their building, and then the roof fell down upon them, from above them, and the torment overtook them from directions they did not perceive” [al-Nahl 16:26]. What we are seeing today of large scale destruction is about to utterly destroy them. The economic structure that they boast about and think will protect them has become the cause of their turmoil and decline. The calamity has come to them from above and from below. They thought that their financial system was perfect but from that system has come that which they never expected. “and the torment overtook them from directions they did not perceive”. Oppression, transgression, sin, disobedience to Allah swt and denying the rights of others are all causes of calamities befalling people at both individual and group levels, and even at the global level on occasion, as we are seeing in this crisis which involves calamities one after another. One should note that the destiny of falsehood is to weaken and diminish. No matter how high it rises, there will come a day when it will inevitably be brought low. This is one of the laws of Allah swt that never changes. “It is Allah swt’s promise that nothing rises in this world but He will bring it down.May Allah swt make things easy for us. Aameen suhaibbhatt85@gmail.com
News Kashmir Exclusive The heavy snowfall is seeming to make a come back in the valley of Kashmir since last few winters . At one time the winters of Kashmir had gone total dry .Now , again this year due to snowfall and weather upheaval the masses are facing problems . The traditional road links are getting closed . The airport too has witnessed many cancelled flights .After witnessing two days of disruption, with as many as 79 flight cancellations, 35 out of 45 scheduled flights arrived at the Srinagar International Airport on Thursday 6 January, 2021 as Kashmir saw a significant improvement in weather conditions.The prices of essential commodities get increased which causes much hardships to the masses of Kashmir .In a bright development though , The Chief Secretary, Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta on Tuesday chaired a meeting to review the winter preparedness, supply, and stocking of essential commodities across the Kashmir Division and snowbound districts of Jammu province including Kishtwar, Doda, Poonch, and Rajouri.One hopes that meetings are implemented on ground zero with action so as that masses get relief . The power crisis is a big issue for people of Kashmir and this winter too many areas are facing the problem of power shutdowns .Often in winters, The need of the hour is to strengthen the roots of Administration further so that we meet such heavy snowfalls with better preparedness.As heavy snowfall blocks roads in Kashmir, local youth are often seen lifting snow on their own .Sentiment on ground is the year 2022 some are hoping for better preperation to deal with any heavy snowfall . Some areas witness quality power supply despite heavy snowfall while on the other hand some areas have not seen impressive power supply and this reality needs to change . Drinking water supply was also hit hard in many areas during last winter and the reality needs to be changed towards betterment this winter season .. The phenomenon of frozen taps has emerged as biggest challenge of this winter and previous winters .One hopes administration would take holistic view of these serious issuesIt is quite clear that due to lack of facilities the winter in Kashmir is not much enjoyable experience .
Transparency in Development Projects in Jammu and Kashmir
Ensuring Transparency has been a serious issue in the execution of developmental projects. But now the winds of positive change. As matter of fact , The Government recently maintained that it has taken path-breaking initiatives to promote transparency in execution of developmental projects across Jammu and Kashmir. These initiatives are unique in the country which provide latest updates on the projects with geo-tagged photographs and other project-related information. A statement issued here said that J&K Government launched web portal ‘EMPOWERMENT (Enabling Monitoring and Public Overview of Works Being Executed and Resources for Meaningful Transparency)’ or ‘Janbaghidari’ which enables citizens to overview works/projects being implemented in their areas and become a partner in the process of development with the features of providing timely feedbacks and suggestions for improving expenditure outcomes. The portal contains details of all UT and District Capex projects implemented in Jammu and Kashmir from 2020-21. The said website can be viewed on www.janbhagidari.gov.in.In addition to this ,This web portal also contains links to MGNREGA, PMAY and SBM with real-time information on their implementation in Jammu and Kashmir. Similarly, progress of PMGSY is available on the website of J&K PWD through the given link on the Ministry’s website. Moreover, the details for the projects executed during the past two years are available on various public platforms including the official website of the Finance Department, Government of Jammu and Kashmir and can be publicly accessed on the url https://jakfinance.nic.in.One hopes that this transparency in projects in Jammu and Kashmir would continue.
Owais Ah Shah is pursuing Master’s in Pol Science from KU.
The college education in Kashmir has been touted as a cafeteria approach for it’s much talked about “Credit Based Choice System”.Students are asked to choose among a variety of subjects their own subject’s of interest.This new scheme of college education has brought much good change in the recent past.Its amply clear that student’s have variety of things on the menu & the best thing that tickles their fancy falls on their side.It’s very important for us to understand that the capital initiative which has been placed before has to some good extent improved the college education of student’s & succeeded in making it a quality education.It’s very healthy exercise that the college education under CBCS has witnessed a massive shift & by this capital & calibrated approach,a new dawn has broken in the colleges.Student’s are now choosing their skill enhancement courses precisely & profoundly to suit their own interests & which they find is their fascination.Every student feels this approach to be an excellent exercise.The best possible thing to make it more colourful is to bring some more changes in it & make students clear that the courses which they are opting in their bachelor’s will help them for a best & bright future ahead.The course’s should make a difference in the students education & their ideas to make & shape their future should get a new direction. The principal question is that do these skill enhancement course’s really help student’s or is it like the old scheme of things brought in place & removed later.Its very important to understand that the course’s are bringing much positivity among student’s & more consciousness seems to have developed.The variety of subject’s on platter helps students to pick & choose.Its an additional support to the core subject’s & a great cerebral exercise.I am very optimistic that such course’s would help student’s if they choose these subject’s by thinking over them & submerging themselves in it.The student’s must reflect on these course’s & see them as an essential part of their education & make best use of them which would make them to do wonders in their lives.In a nutshell,college education would become an idea that would captivate imaginations if capital approaches like these are given more practicality & are embraced well.
Year 2021: 311 structures gutted in fire related incidents in Srinagar People leaving heating gadgets unattended, which is main cause of fire: Officials Sabeen Gulrez, Mir Srinagar : Last year, the Srinagar vicinity witnessed a gush of fire incidents, with properties worth millions gutted into the ashes due fire incidents. Not only this, but also huge number of vechicles, transformers, shops, and shopping complexes were gutted in fire related incidents. The data compiled by the Fire and Emergency department in Kashmir said that last year 2021 has received 371 fire calls, of which 05 were rescue calls and another 10 were false calls, making the total number of calls they received 386. The structures involved are (311) While dousing the fire, the property involved is (70499.63), the property damaged is (2483.06), and most importantly, the property saved is (68016.57). The total number of injured people is 12. There were 58 shops destroyed in the fire, as well as 15 shopping complexes.The number of vehicles gutted is 18 while the number of electric transformers is 28. A senior official told News Kashmir that sometimes it’s the negligence of people that fire incidents take place as they are leaving electric gadgets unattended which causes fire. Some senior residents, from the city areas told News Kashmir that awareness camps should be held in schools, colleges, and universities as we are grown old and can’t help but think that the new generation should be trained regarding these mishaps occurring during broad daylight and even sometimes at mid-night. So if, God forbid, anything bad happens until the rescue team arrives, they should try to control it so that precious lives can be saved.
A couple from Chanapora (name withheld) narrated their ordeals to News Kashmir they said ” in the month of November, when their mother-in-law expired, they were planning her Rasme Chahrum (usually known as Fateh Day for Muslims). Our preparations were underway, and we were prepared because many guests usually arrived on this day In Kashmir, there is a tradition of serving tea (Nun Chai) and bread to guests, which is a normal custom in Kashmir,” We completed all preparations on the third day, which was late at night.We switched off the lights and went to sleep as some guests and relatives were already in the house because of the mourning, at around midnight, the lady told News Kashmir, I woke up to use the washroom when I suddenly saw some flashing light from outside. I got worried and just peeped out of the window. To my surprise, it was from our third floor that was already gutted by fire. I started screaming and crying loudly for help.” She said the relatives who were in deep sleep got up and, in a rush, started coming down the stairs. In this hustle, my children, who were sleeping in their room, left, We started crying for help, In a rush, we started dialling 100, which is a helpline number for police. While we tend to overlook the fact that 101 is a helpline number for calling fire and emergency services. She added after many efforts, somebody from the neighbours’ dialled the correct number, Without wasting time, the fireman came to douse the fire. Suddenly, it came to my mind that my children were still lying on the bed. I started shouting, “Please go and save my kids.” At that time, the fire had already spread and it was impossible to reach the kids. Suddenly, one fireman, without wasting time and looking for his life, managed to reach them and save my three sons and my daughter. Fire could have damaged everything. We couldn’t have saved a single room as the fire was spreading in a tremendous way. But I should be thankful to the Fire and Emergency Department, which without wasting time came and saved the precious lives of my children. I can never forget that grisly night which could have taken everything from me, especially my own kids. That moment even comes to my dreams still and haunts me, telling the husband while recalling the incident. ” This year in the downtown area,Safa kadal waniyar, a shrine was damaged in a massive fire. Official sources said that the shrine got fully damaged in the massive blaze that broke out due to a short circuit. Divisional Fire Service (DFO) Srinagar Bashir Ahmad told News Kashmir that it is not like that the fire incidents are increasing day by day. We know that every year in winter, the number of fire incidents increases just because we keep ourselves warm by using certain gadgets electrically operated in which we use gas heaters (bukhari). Sometimes we keep these appliances open without caring for them; likewise, we leave them unattended. These are the reasons why these incidents occur. Even every year in the summer, we leave the appliances unattended. That’s why these incidents occur. “Even yesterday I was going through some figures and after ascertaining the facts from the past, I thanked Allah that this year we didn’t find more incidents,” said Bashir Ahmad. The officer also appealed the general public not to keep their heating gadgets unattended.
