News Kashmir Magazine

Dengue threat

Dengue disease is a serious health concern especially in our country.

mosquito-borne viral disease occurring in tropical and subtropical areas.

Dengue can range from asymptomatic infection or mild illness to severe disease. An estimated 1 in 4 dengue virus infections are symptomatic. Symptomatic dengue virus infection most commonly presents as a mild to moderate, acute febrile illness. Infection with one of the four dengue viruses will induce long-lived immunity for that specific virus. Because there are four dengue viruses, people can be infected multiple times in their life. Early clinical findings are nonspecific but require a high index of suspicion because recognizing early signs of shock and promptly initiating intensive supportive therapy can reduce risk of death among patients.

As a matter of fact,

Jammu & Kashmir is witnessing an increase in dengue cases this year, with 934 cases confirmed so far, officials said. They added that the union territory recorded a steady rise in cases over the past week, with daily counts ranging from 19 to 83.

State Malariologist Dr D J Raina, speaking with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said while the number of cases is increasing, the situation remains under control. He said that out of the 934 cases, 592 are from Jammu, followed by 103 from Samba, 87 from Kathua, 44 from Udhampur, 21 from Reasi, 20 from Rajouri, 23 from Poonch, 20 from Doda, six from Ramban, one from Kishtwar, nine from Kashmir, and eight from other states.

A total of 10,644 tests have been conducted this year, with 934 returning positive results, he said. Comparatively, last year saw 1,300 positive cases out of 10,935 tests conducted. Of the 934 confirmed cases this year, 167 required hospitalization, with 99 patients discharged and 62 still undergoing treatment.

The hope on ground zero is that we contain dengue .

World Suicide Prevention Day

Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one’s own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and cognitive disengagement syndrome), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and substance abuse (including alcoholism and benzodiazepine use and withdrawal) are risk factors.

Suicide is a serious public health issue with wide-ranging social, emotional, and financial ramifications. As per the data, around 700,000 suicides are reported annually on average around the world, which profoundly affects the lives of many. And to curb the unfortunate crisis September 10 is observed as World Suicide Prevention Day annually. The day aims to encourage understanding, sharing experiences and reaching the masses to take action and prevent suicides.

The International Association for Suicide Prevention and the World Health Organization (WHO) together created World Suicide World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) in 2003. Every year on September 10, organizations, governments, and the general public are encouraged to increase awareness of the problem and focus attention on it with the clear message that suicides may be avoided.

World Suicide Prevention Day each year aims to focus attention on the issue, reduce stigma and raise awareness among organizations, governments, and the public, giving a singular message that suicides are preventable. It represents a global commitment to focus attention on suicide prevention. All of us- family members, friends, co-workers, community members, educators, religious leaders, healthcare professionals, political officials, and governments can take action to prevent suicide in the Region.

We in Kashmir too have witnessed a spurt in suicide cases over the past few years and lot needs to be done to save people from committing this cruel and painful act.

A lot needs to be especially done to heal those who are facing crushing depression and stress.

National Sports Day

Sports are very vital for human health. They keep us fit and are also source of entertainment for us. We can also make a good career in diverse sports.

helps us to stay healthy, fit, and active. It teaches us the value of teamwork and encourages us to work hard and never give up. Sports also help us develop discipline, dedication, and commitment, which are essential values for success in life. It is also a great way for people to socialize and make new friends.

We need to bear in mind that sports are integral part of the human life and there is great importance of sports in all spheres of life. Furthermore, Sports help build the character and personality of a person.

The National Sports Day of India is celebrated on August 29 every year. It is a timely reminder for the need for sporting activities in life. National Sports Day 2024 is on Thursday.

States like Haryana, Punjab and Karnataka, among others, organise various sporting events and seminars aimed at spreading awareness about the importance of physical activities and sports in life.

Over the years, the government has also used this day as a platform to launch various sports schemes, including the Khelo India movement, which was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018.

We need to remember that

National Sports Day in India is celebrated on 29 August every year. It is celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand Singh. The day also serves as a reminder for all of us to recall the contributions, determination and extraordinary achievements of the athletes and their influence in shaping societies. The first National Sports Day was celebrated on August 29, 2012 and hence this year marks the 12th anniversary of Rashtriya Khel Divas.

We too in Jammu and Kashmir should take sports seriously and encourage our children to take different sports.

International Youth Day

Youth is season of hope. Youth is the most important segment of the society. Without active participation of Youth no society can progress in right direction.

The young generation simply needs to renew, refresh and maintain the current status of society. When the youth contributes his ideas and energy to resolve social issues, he or she  becomes a capable leader and can also make a difference in the lives of others.

International Youth Day is celebrated every year on August 12 and it aims to raise awareness about the challenges and opportunities faced by young people worldwide.

This day is created by the United Nations and every year the youth organisations and members of the UN Inter-Agency decide the theme.

The UN states: “International Youth Day is commemorated every year on 12 August. The Focal Point on Youth selects a theme for the day often with input from youth organizations and members of the UN Inter-Agency Network in Youth development.”

“It also organizes a virtual commemoration of the Day. The Programme encourages youth around the world to organize activities to raise awareness about the situation of youth in their country,” it adds.

meant as an opportunity for governments and others to draw attention to youth issues worldwide. During IYD, concerts, workshops, cultural events, and meetings involving national and local government officials and youth organizations take place around the world. IYD was designated by the United Nations in 1999 with the adoption of Resolution 54/120.

On International Youth Day we should take every step to make the life of our youth better . Unemployment is one of the major problem faced by the youth of our country and it is hoped that with holistic efforts it would be a thing of past soon.

Wayanad Landslide Tragedy

Wayanad tragedy has struck the pulse of  entire nation,  also pointing out the hazards impacts of climate change.

The extent of devastation caused by landslides in Kerala’s Wayanad is not known yet, as rescue teams have not even reached the settlement first struck by the landslides, Governor Arif Mohammed Khan told NDTV as the death count in the calamity crossed the 200 mark on 31 July.

This year has seen a series of landslides around the world — from Yunnan in China in January to Papua New Guinea in May that killed more than 2,000 to Sulawesi island in Indonesia and Wayanad in Kerala in July.

The death toll from the series of landslides in Meppadi in Wayanad district had reached 276 on Thursday (August 1) morning, with at least 240 people still missing. Some 200 people are injured.

An eminent scientist Soman opined

The scale of the Wayanad tragedy is the direct result of unscientific land use patterns in the affected areas, an eminent scientist said explaining the role of tea plantations in the tragedy. “When the British set up tea plantations in areas of high altitude, they levelled the small gullies through which water flowed downstream, and settled their workers along the river terraces (levelled surfaces formed by sediments deposited by the river). Later, towns developed along these areas.”

“Water has memory, it remembers its course, even centuries after it was diverted. It’s dangerous to attempt to trick nature by occupying the path of a river,” he said.

Soman also pointed to another reason why Chooralmala and Mundakkai were unsuitable for human habitation. The area had experienced landslides of lesser intensity in 1984 and 2020. Soman said that the angular rocks point to the possibility that there had been other landslides too in the past century or before.

As a matter of fact ,

Landslides are natural phenomena that usually occur in mountainous regions with steep slopes. During a landslide, large amounts of rock, boulders,g

 loose mud, soil, and debris roll down slopes and hillsides, gathering great momentum and often taking vegetation or buildings along.

Landslides caused by TRIGGERING FACTORS are intense rainfall, and anthropological activities such as thoughtless changes of land use, road and bridge building, haphazard and unscientific construction, and large-scale destruction of forests.

We too in Kashmir need to take collective steps to save our forests and waterbodies to protect ourselves from landslides.

Supreme Court observations on NEET

The competitive exams atmosphere credibility in the country has been marred by allegations of fraud practices, that has hurt students aspirations. In a series of welcome developments,

The Supreme Court on Thursday, 18 July, 2024 ordered the National Testing Agency (NTA) to publish the results of all candidates who took the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test undergraduate exam (NEET-UG) for the year 2024 on July 20 by noon.

In this regard,

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud however said that the marks should be published without revealing the identity of the candidates.

Earlier, the Bench also comprising Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra had underscored that the fact that the sanctity of the exam was compromised was “beyond question”. It however, maintained that the decision to cancel the exam in its entirety would be last resort as it affected lives of 23 lac.

One hopes all the efforts would be done to restore the faith of the millions of students of our country in the all important career shaping competitive exams.

As a matter of fact, Union government submitted to the Supreme Court that the score cards of 1,563 candidates who were given compensatory marks in the common undergraduate medical entrance examination, NEET-UG 2024, held on May 5, will be cancelled. Another test will be held for them, likely on June 23. Results would be out by June 30 and the counselling for seats can begin by July 6. These candidates will be informed of the actual score, without the grace marks, and they can choose to take another test. If they opt not to sit for the re-test, their scores, without the grace marks will be the final score.

World Youth Skill Day

Youth is the season of hope.  In this hope the real garment is provided by meaningful skills. Today’s world demands much more skills for youth to succeed. In Kashmir too to resolve unemployment youth would have to shift to skill development.

In 2014, the United Nations General Assembly declared July 15 as a World Youth Skills Day (WYSD) to celebrate the strategic importance of equipping young people with skills for employment, decent work, and entrepreneurship. The day provides a unique opportunity for dialogue between young people, technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions, firms, employers, policymakers, etc. The Skill India Mission was also launched on this day, that is on July 15.

15 July is declared as World Youth Skills Day by adopting a resolution by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2014. The main aim of the day is to achieve better socio-economic conditions for today’s youth in terms of challenges  of unemployment and underemployment.

The day also highlights the important role of skilled youth in addressing current and future global challenges. It is known that Skill India is an initiative of the central government which was launched to empower the youth skill and make them more employable and more productive in their work environment.

Last year, The theme for World Youth Skills Day 2023 is ‘Skilling teachers, trainers and youth for a transformative future’. It highlights the essential role that teachers, trainers and other educators play in providing skills for youth to transition to the labour market and to actively engage in their communities and societies.

Youth unemployment is increasing which is the most significant problem facing today’s economies and societies in the world for developed and developing countries alike. According to the latest Global Trends for Youth 2020: technology and the future of jobs, since 2017, there has been an upward trend in the number of youth not in employment, education, or training (NEET).

One hopes our youth in Kashmir gain stronger skills.

Heatwaves in Kashmir

The global warming and climate change has been knocking do8ors in Kashmir too.

Heat Waves are a period of unusually high temperatures as compared to what is normally expected over a region. Therefore, the temperatures at which Heat waves are declared differ from place to place based on the temperature climatology (historical temperatures) of that region.

Heatwave conditions persisted in Kashmir on several days and on  Thursday , 4 July with Srinagar recording a maximum temperature of 35.7 degrees Celsius, six notches above normal and the highest in July in 25 years, officials said.

The city had recorded a high of 37 degrees Celsius in July 1999.

Srinagar was hotter than Delhi (31.7 degrees Celsius), Kolkata (31 degrees Celsius), Mumbai (32 degrees Celsius) and Bengaluru (28 degrees Celsius).

As a matter of fact, Valley of Kashmir has been experiencing rising temperatures and scorching heat over the past few weeks, leading to water shortage in many areas.

On their part, health department has issued advisories to deal with the heatwave conditions. The school education department has already announced a 10-day summer vacation for all schools in the Valley from July 8.

A report published few time

back by Moody’s, titled ‘India: Temperatures Beyond the Heatwave?’, documents that the mercury in reality exceeded the normal heatwave limit. The report suggests that mitigation of heat is the only viable solution.

It further points out that global temperatures are soaring to unprecedented levels as heatwaves are being declared in various countries.

During May alone, more than 200 people had died and some 20,000 had been hospitalised with heat stroke in India. On 1 June, 33 election officials died of heatstroke in the state of Uttar Pradesh,” the report underlines.

The need of the hour is that we in Kashmir take series of steps especially planting more trees to safeguard ourselves from the heatwave .

Importance of Statistics

Statistics is an important field because it helps us understand the general trends and patterns in a given data set. Statistics can be used for analysing data and drawing conclusions from it. It can also be used for making predictions about future events and behaviors.

People who do statistics are referred to as statisticians. They’re particularly concerned with determining how to draw reliable conclusions about large groups and general events from the behavior and other observable characteristics of small samples. These small samples represent a portion of the large group or a limited number of instances of a general phenomenon.

Recently, we marked national Statistics Day.

National Statistics Day is celebrated on June 29 every year to recognize the contributions of PC Mahanalobis. It is not be confused with World Statistics Day, which is a UN-designated day and is celebrated on October 20 every five years .

The significance of Statistics Day is to create public awareness in the young generation about the role and importance of statistics in strategizing, economic planning and policy formulation. The occasion is celebrated as a reminder to learn from the achievements of Professor Mahalanobis in the field of Statistics.

Statistics are not just numbers and facts. You know, things like 4 out of 5 dentists prefer a specific toothpaste. Instead, it’s an array of knowledge and procedures that allow you to learn from data reliably. Statistics allow you to evaluate claims based on quantitative evidence and help you differentiate between reasonable and dubious conclusions.

The need of the hour is that students in Jammu and Kashmir too give due importance to the field of Statistics and keenly study same.

Eid Zeal

Eid zeal, festivity and colours are everywhere. The

Eid-ul-Adha, the greater Eid, which follows the completion of the annual Hajj pilgrimage, at the time of Qurbani (sacrifice).

It is latter of the two Islamic holidays celebrated worldwide each year. It honours the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ismail as an act of obedience to God’s command. Before Ibrahim could sacrifice his son, however, Allah provided a lamb to sacrifice instead.

This command from Allah SWT was a test of Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness and commitment to obey his Lord’s command, without question. Therefore, Eid-ul-Adha means the festival of sacrifice.

Depending on the country, the celebrations of Eid-ul-Adha can last anywhere between two and four days. The act of Qurbani (sacrifice) is carried out following the Eid Salaah (Eid Prayers), which are performed in congregation at the nearest Mosque on the morning of Eid. We are celebrating Eid on 17 June, 2024.

The command from Allah SWT was a test of Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness and commitment to obey his Lord’s command, without question. Therefore, Eid-ul-Adha means the festival of sacrifice.

Depending on the country, the celebrations of Eid-ul-Adha can last anywhere between two and four days. The act of Qurbani (sacrifice) is carried out following the Eid Salaah (Eid Prayers), which are performed in congregation at the nearest Mosque on the morning of Eid.

The act of Qurbani consists of slaughtering an animal as a sacrifice to mark this occasion in remembrance of Prophet Ibrahim’s sacrifice for Allah SWT. This is also known as Udhiya. The days of animal sacrifice total three days, from the 10th to the 12th of Dhu-al-Hijjah.

The sacrificial animal must be a sheep, lamb, goat, cow, bull or a camel; the sheep, lamb or goat consist of one Qurbani share, whereas a bull, cow or camel consist of seven shares per animal. The animal must be in good health and over a certain age in order to be slaughtered, in a “halal” friendly, Islamic way.

As a matter of fact, Qurbani meat can then divided into three equal portions per share; one-third is for you and your family, one-third is for friends, and the final third is to be donated to those in need.

There is lot of renewed zeal and zest on eve of Eid- ul-Adha in Kashmir.