Category: Kashmir

Rajouri: Minister for Health and Medical Education, Sakina Itoo, has confirmed that the recent fatalities in Badhal village of Rajouri are not attributed to any communicable disease. Addressing concerns about the “unexplained illness” that has claimed 15 lives, she assured the public that the situation is being closely monitored.

Investigations Rule Out Epidemic Threat

In a press statement, Minister Itoo emphasized that all investigations and sample analyses suggest the illness is neither bacterial nor viral in origin. She highlighted that samples were thoroughly examined by some of the nation’s most reputed laboratories, including:

• National Institute of Virology, Pune
• National Centre for Disease Control, New Delhi
• National Institute of Toxicology and Research, Lucknow
• Defence Research Development Establishment, Gwalior
• Microbiology Department of PGIMER, Chandigarh
• ICMR-Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory, GMC Jammu

“The tests have conclusively shown no viral or bacteriological etiology, eliminating the possibility of a communicable disease outbreak,” she stated.

Timeline of Events

The first incident occurred on December 7, 2024, when a family of seven fell ill after attending a community meal. Tragically, five lives were lost. Subsequent incidents included:

• December 12, 2024: A family of nine was affected, leading to three fatalities.
• January 12, 2025: Another community meal resulted in ten individuals falling ill, with six children requiring hospitalization.

Government Action

The government has taken swift measures to address the crisis and uncover its root cause. These include:

1. Immediate Response: Deployment of medical teams and the food safety department to collect food and water samples.
2. Healthcare Initiatives: Organizing medical camps, establishing mobile medical units, and conducting door-to-door screenings.
3. Rapid Investigation: Toxicological analysis by CSIR-IITR detected toxins in multiple biological specimens.

Minister Itoo, accompanied by other cabinet members, visited the affected area to oversee relief efforts and ensure comprehensive healthcare facilities. Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo chaired meetings with health authorities, district administration, technical experts, and police to strengthen fact-finding efforts.

National Coordination

Secretary of the Department of Health Research, MOHFW, and DG ICMR, Dr. Rajeev Bahl, held a video conference to strategize and rule out the possibility of an epidemic.

“The government remains committed to uncovering the cause of these tragedies and preventing further incidents,” Minister Itoo added.

Public Reassurance

Despite the tragic loss of lives, authorities assure that there is no public health threat. Investigations are ongoing, with the government’s focus on ensuring the safety and well-being of the affected community.

 

Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Ramesh Kumar, and Additional Director General of Police, Anand Jain, today visited MA Stadium to review the arrangements for the upcoming Republic Day 2025 celebrations. The visit was aimed at ensuring that all preparations for the UT-level national event are in place for a smooth and successful celebration.

Accompanied by senior officials from the Police and Civil Administration, along with Heads of Departments (HoDs) from various line departments, the duo closely examined the arrangements being made for the grand event. The visit involved a detailed inspection of the venue and a review of the roles and responsibilities assigned to different departments involved in organizing the celebration.

Coordination and Preparedness
The Divisional Commissioner was briefed by the concerned departments about their specific preparations. Stressing the importance of coordination, he emphasized the need for seamless collaboration among all involved departments to ensure the flawless execution of the event.

“It is essential that all arrangements be completed well in advance to ensure that Republic Day celebrations proceed smoothly,” said Ramesh Kumar during the review.

The officials took a detailed look at key aspects, including security arrangements, infrastructure setup, crowd management, and other essential services, to ensure that the event is both safe and memorable for all attendees.

Final Preparations
The Divisional Commissioner and ADGP directed the concerned departments to expedite their preparations and ensure everything is in place ahead of the celebrations. The teams were also reminded to remain vigilant and prepared for any contingencies to ensure the event proceeds without disruptions.

In a strong message of readiness and resolve, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi emphasized the importance of preventing incidents like the Galwan Valley clash during the 77th Army Day celebrations in Pune. Addressing the nation, he assured that the situation along the northern border remains stable but sensitive, with the Indian Army fully prepared to handle any challenges.

“Whatever was done in Galwan should not get repeated,” the Army chief asserted, highlighting the necessity of a cohesive “whole-of-nation” approach. He stressed the role of diplomatic, military, and internal security efforts to ensure no surprises emerge in the future.

Northern Border: Securing the Nation

General Dwivedi highlighted the Army’s focus on modernizing equipment and developing critical infrastructure along the northern border. He stated, “The northern borders are safe because the Indian Army is deployed with the required strength to hold the fort.”

The Eastern Ladakh standoff with China, which began in May 2020, had strained relations between the two nations. The deadly clash at Galwan Valley in June 2020 was a stark reminder of the challenges along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). However, a recent agreement on patrolling and disengagement of troops has marked a significant breakthrough in reducing tensions.

Line of Control: Vigilance Continues

Turning to the Line of Control (LoC), General Dwivedi noted that the ceasefire is being maintained, though infiltration attempts persist. He praised the sustained efforts of security forces in Jammu and Kashmir, which have significantly reduced violence in the region.

Modernizing the Force

“We will continue on the path to make the Indian Army a modern, agile, adaptable, technology-enabled, and capable force,” the Army chief stated. The parade showcased cutting-edge platforms, including a fly-past by three Su-30 aircraft, alongside innovative advancements such as marching ‘robotic mules.’

Historic Army Day in Pune

For the first time, Pune hosted the Army Day Parade at the Bombay Engineers Group (BEG) and Centre under the Army’s Southern Command. The city’s rich heritage was highlighted as the Army chief described it as a “place of valour since the Maratha rule.”

The celebrations included unique milestones:

• An all-girl National Cadet Corps (NCC) contingent.
• An all-woman Agniveer contingent from the Corps of Military Police (CMP).
• The debut of robotic mules in the parade.

A Tribute to Legacy and Innovation

The 77th Army Day celebrations in Pune reflected the Army’s deep connection with the nation’s heritage and its commitment to future readiness. As India looks ahead, the unwavering vigilance and modernization efforts of its Army stand as a testament to its resolve to safeguard the nation.

Jammu, Jan 15: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today chaired a series of meetings to review and discuss implementation of proposed urban planning schemes and policies aimed at transforming the urban landscape of Jammu and Kashmir to bring about planned development in urban areas.

During the meeting, the Chief Minister was briefed on the Land Pooling Policy, including its background, guiding principles, and objectives. Under the land pooling policy, developers or private land owners shall come together to pool their land and obtain authorization for development.

While authorising development, the concerned urban governance agencies shall keep sufficient land for development of infrastructure, wide roads, parks, open spaces and other amenities and the remaining land would be returned to the landowners which they would share proportionately among themselves.

The benefits of land pooling for various stakeholders would be that the value of land increases for the landowners and better infrastructure gets created as compared to the irregular land plots pooled by the landowners developing that land parcel.

This would help in creation of infrastructure as a sustainable alternative to conventional land acquisition methods. The scheme is aimed tobe a win-win situation for both the government and various stakeholders, including individual landowners and real estate developers.

The meeting also delved into the Transferable Development Rights (TDR) Policy, focusing on its broad contours, objectives and mechanisms. The potential use of TDR for heritage properties, ensuring their preservation while enabling urban growth was also discussed. Under TDR scheme, for the land surrendered by a land owner or a developer free-of-cost for public purposes such as road widening, public passage, for conservation, heritage and other infrastructure development, shall be granted a non-financial compensation in the form of a TDR certificate specifying the Built-Up Area (BUA) or Floor Area Ratio (FAR) given to a land owner or developer which he can utilize in remaining part of his property or build elsewhere and even monetize by selling TDR to any other developer or user in receiving areas.. This would allow developers to build over and above the permissible Floor Area Ratio (FAR) for the land surrendered in congested areas.

The concept of Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) was also discussed, with emphasis on its objectives to promote sustainable urban mobility and to ensure planned development around public transport stations. The stipulations of TOD would facilitate compact, walkable urban spaces around transit hubs.

Separate discussions were held on proposed services under Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWM) for municipalities and urban local bodies across Jammu and Kashmir. Presentations by Housing & Urban Development department outlined strategies for collection, transportation and processing of solid waste.

Chief Minister exhorted the Housing & Urban Development Department to initiate implementation by taking up projects under Land pooling, TDR & TOD to create few success stories which would infuse confidence among stakeholders to adopt these urban planning strategies for overall development of our cities.

Besides, the meeting discussed management of waste disposal facilities, cleaning of roads, drains and waterbodies on Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.

A presentation on the challenges of solid waste management in Udhampur district depicted dumping of daily waste at landfills resulting in choking of drains and water channels.

Proposed solutions discussed included waste segregation, recycling mechanisms, and pollution control machinery to tackle these pressing issues effectively.

Representatives of the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID) also delivered a separate presentation. The discussion focused on infrastructure development projects across Jammu and Kashmir.

The meetings were attended by Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary to the CM Dheeraj Gupta, Principal Secretary Finance Santosh D Vaidya, Commissioner Secretary Housing & Urban Development Department Mandeep Kaur, and other senior officials. Officers based in Srinagar participated through video conferencing.

Sham Lal Sharma, Member of Legislative Assembly from Jammu North, met with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today to discuss matters of public interest and development in the region.

In addition, Mahant Rohit Shastri, President of Shri Kailakh Jyotish & Vedic Sansthan Trust, also called on the Lieutenant Governor to deliberate on issues related to cultural and spiritual development.

Several other delegations met with the Lieutenant Governor, including:

• Dr. Nawang Tundup, President of the Himalayan Buddhist Cultural Society Paddar, who discussed initiatives for preserving and promoting the region’s Buddhist heritage.
• Gurmeet Singh Bajwa, President of the Border Welfare Committee R.S. Pura, who highlighted concerns of the border communities and sought support for welfare initiatives.
• A joint delegation from the Healthy and Drug-Free Youth Association and the All India Young Blood Organisation, which presented their proposals for youth empowerment and campaigns against drug abuse.

The meetings underscored the administration’s commitment to engaging with various stakeholders to address pressing concerns and foster inclusive development across Jammu and Kashmir.

As part of the ongoing three-day orientation program for newly elected MLAs, Member of Parliament Lok Sabha N. K. Premachandran today shared his experiences with the legislators of Jammu and Kashmir. Premachandran emphasized the importance of thoroughly understanding the rules governing legislative and financial business.

The program’s second day was attended by the Speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Abdul Rahim Rather, along with various legislators and dignitaries. Discussions focused on the legislative process, including Private Members Bills and financial business topics such as the Demand for Grants. Premachandran provided a detailed explanation of the foundational concepts of the legislature.

Session Highlights

In the second session, Joint Secretary Santosh Kumar delivered a presentation on “Executive Accountability through Questions in Legislature.” He covered critical aspects, including:

• Question Hour in Lok Sabha
• Short Notice Questions (SNQ)
• Questions directed to Private Members
• Notice and Examination of Questions

Director of Lok Sabha, Partha Goswami, elaborated on the objectives of executive accountability through questions and other parliamentary devices. He also explained the Speaker’s role in maintaining order and facilitating the proceedings.

Director of PRIDE Lok Sabha Secretariat, P. K. Mallick, gave an insightful lecture on “Information Management in the Legislature.” He detailed the functions and responsibilities of information management, including:

• Information Resources and Knowledge Management
• Serving the Informational Needs of Parliamentarians
• Enhancing legislative efficiency through effective information systems

Interactive Sessions

The legislators actively participated in the sessions, raising queries about legislative procedures and processes. These queries sparked in-depth discussions, providing valuable insights and practical knowledge to the newly elected representatives.

The orientation program continues to serve as a comprehensive platform for equipping MLAs with essential skills and knowledge to navigate their legislative responsibilities effectively.

Dr. Farooq Runyal Leads GMC Doda to Another Milestone with Advanced Eye Surgery

Doda, January 10, 2025 – The Department of Ophthalmology at Government Medical College (GMC) Doda has successfully performed an advanced eye surgery known as Phakic Refractive Surgery for spectacle removal and correction of high Myopic Astigmatism. The groundbreaking procedure was conducted on a 23-year-old female patient with -8.50D Myopia and -4.5D Astigmatism, marking a significant achievement for the institution.

The surgery was skillfully performed by Dr. Farooq Runyal, Consultant Ophthalmology, and ably assisted by Dr. Kirandeep Kour Raina (Senior Resident), Dr. Asma Majid (Medical Officer), along with Mr. Yasir Butt and Mr. Ayub Lone.

Phakic Refractive Surgery involves the insertion of an implantable collamer lens (ICL/IPCL) inside the eye without removing the natural lens. This innovative procedure eliminates the need for spectacles and is recognized for being safe, reversible, successful, and painless. The surgery is performed under topical anesthesia, ensuring maximum comfort for the patient.

The patient expressed immense satisfaction and joy at being able to get rid of heavy spectacles, marking a transformative change in her life. With the success of this surgery, GMC Doda aims to perform similar procedures on a routine basis, further enhancing its capabilities in advanced ophthalmic care.