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No swine flu case in Kashmir
Girl tests positive for swine flu
Samples tampered with, not drawn from two Shopian victims
Central University
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Politicians warned against non-serious approach
Jobs for Kashmiri Pandits
Discussion on budget begins
11 power projects under execution
3 brothers kill man for injuring father
3 killed, 5 hurt as bus plunges into gorge
Ad hoc staff continue stir
Waterlogged roads see traffic jams
253 detained under PSA
Ultra killed in Baramulla
House mourns death of Sagar’s mother
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No swine flu case in Kashmir
Srinagar, August 11 RS Chib, Minister for Medical Education, and Sham Lal Sharma, Minister for Health, said here that no case of swine flu had been reported from Kashmir so far. The Director, School Education, Kashmir, has issued instructions to all school heads to allow students and staff members showing flu-like symptoms such as fever, cough or a running nose and difficulty in breathing to stay at home for seven to 10 days. The Director said in case of students staying in hostels, the educational institutions should not only monitor their health status, but also that of care providers. Educational institutions should report cases showing symptoms of the virus to the local health officers or health centres immediately for further monitoring, she added. She said given the current magnitude of the spread of the H1N1 virus and the fact that it was currently fairly mild, the closure of educational institutions on account of any student of staff member falling ill with the flu-like symptoms was not recommended. The Director said in the first place, the schools should discourage tours of the students to affected places. In case students had proceeded to the affected places on unavoidable tours, on their return if any one of them showed the symptoms of the flu they should be advised to abstain from attending school and be allowed to stay at home for seven to 10 days. Ministers RS Chib and Sham Lal Sharma told a press conference today that the government had taken all necessary measures for screening, surveillance, isolation and treatment of swine flu cases. These include the screening of national/international flights. The rapid monitoring/response teams consisting of trained medical and paramedical staff deployed at the airports in Jammu, Srinagar and Leh were screening all individuals arriving from foreign countries. Isolation wards had been set up at Jammu, Srinagar and Leh airports. So far, 30,736 passengers coming from various states and countries had been screened for the virus. |
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Girl tests positive for swine flu Jammu, August 11 The 22-year-old girl, a resident of Nanak Nagar, had come to her house here on vacation on Saturday last and showed symptoms of suspected swine flu. Her blood samples were taken and airlifted to the NICD the same day. The report of her blood samples, which reached the state health authorities around 10.30 pm yesterday from the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD), New Delhi, showed she tested positive for swine flu. Confirming this to The Tribune, Dr Ramesh Gupta, Medical Superintendent, Government Medical College (GMC), said the girl tested positive for the H1N1virus, but she had mild symptoms. A team of doctors examined her at the hospital this morning and in the wake of her rapidly improving condition decided not to keep her in the isolation ward of the GMC, he added. The doctors felt that it would be more convenient and safe for the patient to get treatment at her residence, Dr Gupta said. He said the day the girl reported at the GMC with the symptoms of suspected swine flu, the doctors had put her on Tamiflu. However, it was reliably learnt that the family of the girl decided not to hospitalise her and took her home. Official sources said the girls’ parents were also angry that the name of their daughter appeared in a section of the local media. However, Dr Gupta said the blood samples of two others -- a 25-year-old youth from Kathua town, who had returned from Bangalore, and another youth from the old city here, tested negative.
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Samples tampered with, not drawn from two Shopian victims
Srinagar, August 11 CFSL gave its sealed report to a team of the state police yesterday and it clearly states that DNA profiles of the samples, sent in the form of slides, do not match with the profiles of two women’s blood and viscera, sources said. DIG Rouf-ul Hasan of the special investigation team(SIT), which is probing the alleged rape and murder of two women, told The Tribune that the report had been received but refused comment over its content. The SIT will tomorrow present the report to the High Court, which is supervising the investigation. Police sources confirmed the sensational disclosure of the report. “The probe is back to square one. I am not sure we will ever get to know now as to what happened to the two unfortunate women,” a senior official said. The report has again thrown up questions over the conduct of the police and, especially doctors, and is bound to be used by many, including separatists, as yet another evidence of official attempts to hush up the case. The SIT is likely to question Dr Nighat Shaheen, who was suspended by the government following her indictment by the Jan Commission, as she had certified the samples which were first sent to FSL, Srinagar, and then to CFSL, New Delhi. She had also told the angry crowd outside hospital on May 30 that both women were raped, sparking riots. The report also says that the profiles of sperms found in these samples do not match with those of four arrested cops, but this becomes irrelevant in the light of tampered samples purportedly of victims. Officials said samples are generally sent in the form of vaginal swabs but Dr Shaheen instead sent these in slides, normally prepared by forensic experts, not doctors. Moreover, she sent only one slide each of both victims and they were tainted with chemicals when FSL tested them to find evidence of sperms. FSL then expressed its inability to draw DNA profiles from these tainted samples. CFSL, however, managed to do that using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique, a modern technology available only in some top labs. An official said two extreme motives could be possible behind sending the wrong samples. It was done to substantiate the allegations of rape as these samples did carry sperms and in belief that DNA profiles of the victims could not be drawn, or to hush up the case and save the accused. And there could also be a genuine mistake due to the highly charged and violent atmosphere under which doctors worked on May 30, when both bodies were found. PTI adds: Besides, the investigating team was yet to carry out an exercise over the mysterious letter purportedly written by a classmate of Aasiya, claiming that she might have been murdered by her own family members. The letter was received at a police station in Shopian, claiming that the two were on friendly terms which was not liked by her brother, Shakeel. The writer had claimed that he had met Aasiya on the fateful day of May 29 along with Neelofar at the nearby orchards that evening. However, they were spotted by Shakeel, prompting the two women to run away from the area, the letter said. When contacted, Shakeel said he was ready to appear before the investigating agencies. |
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Central University
Jammu, August 11 While addressing a press conference here today, Pavitra Singh, convener of the CUAS, said the andolan samiti in its core committee meeting decided to make people aware about the issue by starting an awareness campaign. Pavitra Singh said the samiti activists would distribute pamphlets among people and stickers would also be pasted on vehicles to spread awareness about the central university. The samiti convener further said besides this campaign, the samiti members would burn the effigies of the ministers every day. In order to ensure peaceful celebration of Janamashtami and Independence Day, the samiti members would not have any activity on these days, he added. Meanwhile, students of all city colleges boycotted classes under the banner of the CUAS today and held a two-hour protest in front of Science College.
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Politicians warned against non-serious approach
Udhampur, August 11 “Politicians are supporting our cause half-heartedly as they could not get any political benefit from this agitation immediately”, a student agitator said and recalled that during last year’s Amarnath land row all politicians had supported the struggle as the Assembly elections were round the corner at that time. “It is unfortunate that politicians of the Kashmir valley were united on their cause but our representatives are divided while taking up the issue of central university in the Assembly”, rued Ravinder Singh. Students feel that pro-Jammu political groups have enough strengthen in the Assembly to take up this issue but they were not seriously taking this issue in the House. Meanwhile, a meeting of the agitating students today decided to support all calls of the Central University Andolan Samiti
(CUAS). Students warned Congress and NC leaders against playing with the
sentiments of people of the Jammu region.
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Jobs for Kashmiri Pandits
Jammu, August 11 President of the Panun Kashmir Ajay Churngoo rested his doubts about the employment package, questioning whether the offer incorporate the 6,000 jobs which have been offered under the PM Package and also about the nature of jobs, whether these would be government or private. “The cards will be open in a couple of days when we will get the whole detail about this package. It will also become clear whether it has been related to the return of Kashmiri Pandits to the valley. If this will be the case, then Chief Minister Omar Abdullah will defy his own statement where he has said he would not make return compulsory but voluntary for them,” he said. Sunil Fotedar, president of the Vision Kashmir, said the offer of 15, 000 jobs to the Kashmiri Pandits was merely an eyewash. He said: “The government did not think anything about a major chunk of community comprising of those who have become overage waiting for jobs. Instead of giving 37 years as cut-off age, the government should give relaxation of seven years.” The offer should not become another inane exercise like the announcement made by the PM for providing jobs at Akhnoor, KN Pandita, president of the Jammu Kashmir Nationalist Movement, said. He said: “It has been one year since the PM made the remark, but nothing moved from mere words. The government needs to take public into confidence by revealing all ingredients of the package.” AK Dewani, president of the Jammu Kashmir National United Front, too called the offer of employment a mere numerical exercise to allure rehabilitation. But almost all of them welcomed the bonanza of medical insurance to Kashmiri Pandits where 50 per cent grant is subject to a maximum of Rs 5000 from the Government on Family Medical Insurance Scheme per family in favour of those who are receiving cash relief. A budgetary allocation of Rs 10 crore has been made. |
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Discussion on budget begins
Srinagar, August 11 Initiating the discussion, former Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig (PDP) said as the Budget was termed as a vision document, it was imperative for the government to give it a practical shape and transform the entire development scenario of the state. He said the government should lay stress on the development of two backward districts of Kupwara and Rajouri as the two had been reported by a recent statistical survey as the most illiterate districts of the state. He said the government should also give due attention on addressing the problem of unemployment as it had assumed alarming proportions. Senior BJP leader Chaman Lal Gupta expressed hope that the Finance Minister would fulfil the aspirations of common masses. However, he maintained that the state received funds amounting to Rs 3 lakh crore from the Centre since 1947, but a little progress had been achieved on the ground. The real issues like proper education for children, uninterrupted power supply etc. must be ensured on priority to bring the state out of clutches of backwardness. |
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11 power projects under execution
Srinagar, August 11 The work on three power projects under the central sector which include Uri-II Hydel Project (240 MW), Numo Bazgo Hydel Project (45 MW) and Chutak Hydel Project (44 MW) was also going on satisfactorily being executed through the NHPC. Omar said the state government did not have any role in the execution of these projects. However, the slow pace of execution of power projects of Bursar (1020 MW), Pokal Dul (1,000 MW) and Kishan Ganga HEP (330 MW) had been taken up with the Union Ministry for Power. Shabir Khan, Power Minister, said the Centre launched the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Viduyati Karan Yojana (RGGVY) scheme in April 2005 to electrify all un-electrified villages and hamlets in the country. He said under this scheme various works had been taken up in Udhampur, Kathua, Jammu, Leh and Kargil through the NHPC. He said in other districts the tendering process had been either completed or was under process. The Minister said till May, 309 villages and 9,525 hamlets of the state were un-electrified, besides 3,15,976 household of BPL category were also to be electrified under the scheme. |
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3 brothers kill man for injuring father
Jammu, August 11 Official sources said Satpal Singh, aka Sucha, 37, of Andrad Mandi in Gurah Salathia, had a tiff with Rattan Singh in the village over a trivial issue last night. Tempers ran high and Satpal pushed Rattan, who sustained a minor injury in the head. They said Rattan, a retired driver from the Public Health Engineering Department, returned home and narrated the incident to his three sons. Infuriated over the incident, Rattan’s sons barged into the house of Satpal around 11 pm when he was taking a bath, the sources said. They added the trio attacked Satpal with sharp-edged weapons (kirch) and fled. The assailants have been identified as Paramjeet Singh, Ram Singh and Inderjeet Singh. As the news of Satpal’s murder spread this morning, around 100 persons, including family members of Satpal, placed his body on the highway and blocked it for over two hours. The sources said shouting slogans against the Vijaypur police the protesters demanded the arrest of the three accused immediately. They also accused the Samba district police of trying to hush up the case. However, civil and police officers, including Subhash Singh, Tehsildar, Samba, Shiv Kumar, ASP, Mushtaq Ahmed, Assistant Commissioner Revenue, and Jatinder Sambyal, SHO, Vijaypur, rushed to the protest site. They pacified the protesters and assured them that the accused would be arrested soon. Thereafter, the blockade was lifted and the body was cremated. The autopsy on the body was conducted this morning. Satpal, a petty labourer, is survived by his wife and three minor children. The sources said though the three accused were still at large, the police picked up their father. A case under Section 302, RPC, was registered against the trio at Vijaypur police station. However, Raghubir Singh, Samba district SSP, could not be reached despite repeated attempts. Meanwhile, a 35-year-old man was run over by Jehlum Express train and killed near Ujh Bridge in the Rajbagh area of Kathua district this morning. |
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3 killed, 5 hurt as bus plunges into gorge
Udhampur, August 11 Ramban SP Mubassar Latiffee said the accident occurred when the bus driver lost control over the vehicle while negotiating a blind curve. The bus was on its way to Srinagar
from Jammu. Three passengers, including the driver of the bus, were killed on the spot. Two of the deceased have been identified as Mudassar Rehman of Ramban and bus driver Mohammad
Rashid. The injured, including Kamal Kishore of Tosham, Bhiwani, were immediately shifted to Ramban hospital. |
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Strike hits life in valley
Srinagar, August 11 The police put almost all senior Hurriyat (M) leaders, including Abdul Gani Bhat and Bilal Lone, under house arrest as they had planned to hold protests. Several leaders were picked from the party headquarters in Rajbagh where they had gathered to chalk out their programme. Shops were mostly closed in Srinagar and the main streets and commercial hubs like Lal Chowk and Residency Road wore a deserted look as traffic remained off the roads. A number of government offices had poor attendance, though employees were ferried to some places like the civil secretariat. |
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Ad hoc staff continue stir
Jammu, August 11 President of Ad hoc, Contractual and Consolidated Employees Association (ACCEA) Garu Ram said: “Though we hail the Finance Minister for framing a regularisation policy for the ad hoc and contractual paramedical staff, we have decided to continue with our strike on August 12 as well and next course of action would be decided tomorrow.” Meanwhile, except for emergency services, the functioning of OPD, general wards and operation theatres remained affected due to the strike that resulted into inconveniences to patients at main referral Government Medical College Hospital (GMCH) and its associated hospitals. |
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Waterlogged roads see traffic jams
Jammu, August 11 Vehicular traffic in low lying areas was disrupted due to the accumulation of rainwater on main roads. Waterlogged roads caused traffic jams at many places. Almost all main roads in the city were waterlogged, particularly at Jewel Chowk, which is the busiest chowk and from where transport is available to various destinations of Jammu city. Moreover, passengers had a tough time boarding and alighting from minibuses. Filth and garbage washed away with rainwater chocked drains at many places. “Rainwater gets splashed on pedestrians by vehicles,” said DN Koul, a resident of Bohri. Vikey Sharma, who was driving a two-wheeler near Gandhi Nagar, said, “Muddy rainwater on the roads make it impossible for two-wheeler owners to drive safely.” |
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253 detained under PSA
Srinagar, August 11 They said the detainees from the state, who had been booked in cases registered in the state, were detained in jails here. Some foreign detainees were detained in jails outside the state. Following the review of PSA cases, 44 recommended detainees had been released this year so far, while 21 were released last year. Those detained under the PSA include separatist Hurriyat Conference chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Ghulam Nabi Sumjhi, Ashraf Sehrai, Masarat Alam Bhat, Shabir Ahmad Shah, Nayeem Khan, Mohammad Ahsan Dar and Asiya Andrabi. |
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Ultra killed in Baramulla
Srinagar, August 11 The police said a joint team of 32 RR of the Army and the police launched a search operation in the area, leading to the killing of a militant in an encounter. Sources said the militant was likely to be Qasim of the JeM. Search in the village is on for other terrorists, they said. An AK assault rifle, some ammunition and grenades were recovered from the slain militant, sources said. |
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House mourns death of Sagar’s mother
Srinagar, August 11 Governor NN Vohra, expressed grief over the death of Sagar’s mother and prayed for eternal peace to the departed soul. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Deputy CM Tara Chand, Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone and other ministers and MLAs also expressed grief. Tara Chand visited the residence of the minister. |
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