TOP STORY OF THE DAY

COVID-19: 55 days on, GMC Jammu fails to enhance testing rate 5/18/2020 11:18:33 PM Early Times Report Jammu, May 18: Even 55-days after COVID-19 pandemic broke out in the country the Government Medical College Jammu has failed to enhance the sample testing rate despite the Government of India and the J&K administration providing all the support. Sources told Early Times that Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India in 2013 had sanctioned VRDL Lab for research purposes at GMC Jammu. It was done to strengthen infrastructure of viral diagnostics. “After the pandemic reached India in March this year all such laboratories were brought under the ambit of ICMR for the purposes of diagnosis of COVID 19. Initially the testing capacity—when the VRDL lab started at GMC Jammu— was nearly 60 sample per day. Despite having full-fledged Department and manpower in place the VRDL lab at GMC Jammu is only able to test 600 to 800 sample in a day. There is huge mismatch between sample collection in the Jammu Division, which is presently 4000 to 5000 nearly and testing capacity,” sources said. They said, “If we draw a parallel betwe...   READ MORE

FRONT PAGE STORIES

Shortage of technicians at VRDL lab slows down testing rate We are training people: HoD Microbiology 5/18/2020 11:17:51 PM Early Times Report Jammu, May 18: Many posts of technical staff are lying vacant in the VRDL lab at Government Medical College Jammu, sources told Early Times. They said, “The Government of India had sanctioned these posts long ago. But till date these have not been filled. Shortage of technicians is also hampering the smooth functioning of the lab.” Referring to the fire incident in the department of Microbiology on May 6, following which the testing of COVID-19 samples remained suspended for five days the sources said, “The fire incident raised questions about the working style of the Microbiology department as the machines which caught fire are required at very basic step of RNA...   READ MORE   For BJP leaders Jammuites are like their ‘slaves’; have no option except voting for them 5/18/2020 11:17:40 PM Early Times Report Jammu, May 18: As Congress in J&K has virtually become carbon copy of Hurriyat Conference, “arrogant” BJP is of the view that people of Jammu have no option but to vote for the party in assembly elections, whenever held in the Union Territory (UT) of J-K. During an interview with a media channel, ex-MLA of BJP from Jammu East, Rajesh Gupta arrogantly said that people have no option but to vote for his party whenever assembly elections held in J-K. Although later he tried to clarify, his language is a clear indication that all BJP leaders have become so arrogant that people of Jammu are like their slaves and they have no option but to vote for them whether they w...   READ MORE   Exhibiting inefficiency, DSEJ fails to transfer teachers in last four years 5/18/2020 11:17:34 PM EARLY TIMES REPORT JAMMU, May 18: The office of the Director School Education Jammu (DSEJ) has failed to perform a routine work of issuing transfer orders of teachers for the last around four years, signalling towards inefficiency or helplessness of officers at the helm of affairs to execute a routine work. The teachers working in various districts of Jammu province informed Early Times that barring few influential teachers and masters, majority of the teaching fraternity in the School Education department has been awaiting for the last over two years for their transfers but the department concerned has failed to execute the same. The last transfer orders of teachers were issued by ...   READ MORE   BJP leaders mock lockdown norms, no social distancing maintained at protest 5/18/2020 11:17:23 PM EARLY TIMES REPORT JAMMU, May 18: Giving a damn to the appeal of Prime Minister Narender Modi to the citizens of country of maintaining social distancing to fight against COVID-19 during lockdown, the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) leaders and workers today openly violated this norm during a protest held in Jammu. Moreover, the protest demonstration was staged in open defiance of the Section 144 of CrPC which has been imposed to prevent the spread of coronavirus. As per reports, the BJP OBC ...   READ MORE   Three deaths in a day push number of COVID-19 victims to 16 in JK, 106 fresh cases reported Positive cases 1289, active cases 664, recoveries 609 5/18/2020 11:17:10 PM Jehangir Rashid Early Times Report SRINAGAR, May 18: The death toll due to Corona Virus in the union territory of Jammu & Kashmir reached 16 as three more COVID-19 patients died today. At the same time 106 more persons including 55 police personnel and five doctors tested positive for the Corona Virus today. Reports said that a 75 year old male patient from Hillar area of Kokernag in Anantnag district, 65 year old female patient from Souch area of Kulgam and a 75 year old lady from Koker...   READ MORE   Unabated nepotism in CLUJ JU’s retired staff engaged without notification 5/18/2020 11:16:39 PM EARLY TIMES REPORT JAMMU, May 18: The administration of Cluster University of Jammu (CLUJ), reportedly ignoring recruitment rules, has engaged around 14 retired officers/officials of University of Jammu (JU). Sources informed Early Times that different yardsticks were adopted by the administration of CLUJ while making recruitments. “For the appointment of Junior Assistant (JAs) on contract basis the University issued notification and recruitment done through entrance basis for period of 89 days”, sources said, adding that that too for meager monthly salary of Rs 12000, on the other side special privileges were given to retired staff of JU. “For retired JU official for the post of Secti...   READ MORE   J&K Govt notifies domicile rules for jobs, other privileges 5/18/2020 11:16:29 PM Early Times Report Jammu, May 18: The Jammu & Kashmir government on Monday issued a notification specifying the conditions for obtaining domicile certificates necessary for applying for government jobs and other privileges in the Union Territory. The domicile rules notified now replace the erstwhile J&K permanent resident rules that stood abrogated along with the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A. The notification has been issued in exercise of powers confirmed by Article 309 of the Constitution of India read with section 15 of the Jammu & Kashmir Civil Services (Decentralisation and Recruitment) Act, 2010. The details of the notification were shared with the media by govern...   READ MORE   7 fresh positive cases in North Kmr, 4 recovered today in Bpr and Bl’a Two villages declared as Red zones 5/18/2020 11:16:23 PM S Tahir-ul Haq EARLY TIMES REPORT BARAMULLA, May 18: As many as seven fresh positive cases were reported today in north Kashmir districts, while as four have recovered of Covid-19 in Bandipora and Baramulla respectively, whereas two villages have been declared as Red zones. According to the media bulletin Bandipora has 137 positive cases including 2 reported today with 8 Active Positive, 128 recovered including 3 reported today, 1 death, while as Baramulla has 119 positive cases including 1 reported today with 35 Active Positive, 81 recovered including 1 recovery today, 3 deaths and Kupwara has 101 positive cases including 4 reported today with 53 Active Positive, 48 recovered. Mea...   READ MORE   In Anantnag, gynaecologist operates COVID positive patient at private Nursing Home 5/18/2020 11:16:10 PM Saahil Suhail EARLY TIMES REPORT ANANTNAG, May 18: A gynaecologist, working here at Maternity and Child Care Hospital Anantnag, has allegedly operated a coronavirus infected patient at a private Nursing home. According to details, the gynaecologist operated pregnant women without waiting for the report of her sample. The pregnant women was sampled as per the laid down COVID protocol and had tested positive along with other eleven pregnant women on Saturday. “The district administration has decided to test every pregnant woman in Anantnag. Under this process the patient was also sampled. On 16th of this month, the patient also tested positive for coronavirus however the doctors inclu...   READ MORE   Govt pays opposition political workers in Kashmir Rs 78 cr per year 5/18/2020 11:15:58 PM Agencies New Delhi, May 18: The Modi government pays political workers of the opposition parties in Kashmir Rs 78 crore per year, in continuation with the policy of its predecessors at the Centre. In the last 30 years, the Central government has spent Rs 2,340 crore on three mainstream parties in Kashmir under security related expenditure. These startling revelations have been made based on official documents obtained by an organisation, Reconciliation Return and Rehabilitation Migrants (RRRM), headed by Satish Mahaldar, under the Right to Information Act (RTI). According to the 26-page document, a copy of which IANS has accessed, 5,000 ''political workers'' are registered with the...   READ MORE   Admin needs to change course of action to address people’s problems : Munish Gupta Uncarpeted roads, poor drainage irk residents of Lane No 15, Sector 7, Guru Nanak Nagar 5/18/2020 11:15:01 PM EARLY TIMES REPORT JAMMU, May 18: Editor-in-chief, Early Times, Munish Gupta, has slammed the authorities for failing to provide basic civic amenities at Lane Number 15 in Sector 7 of Guru Nanak Nagar area due to which the residents there are facing a lot of inconveniences. Munish said that pathetic condition of inner roads and insanitary conditions prevailing in Lane Number 15 of Sector 7, Nanak Nagar are glaring examples of administrative apathy. “Residents of Lane Number 15 in Sector 7...   READ MORE   No end to woes of commuters on Srinagar- Jammu National highway 5/18/2020 11:13:22 PM ISHTIYAQ AHMAD Early Times Report SRINAGAR, May 18: There is no end to the woes of commuters who have to travel on the Srinagar- Jammu National Highway, the only road connecting Kashmir with rest of the world. Every day commuters face the risk due to landslides at several places. With a wide stretch at many places and several landslide-prone points on the road, commuters are left with no choice but to risk their lives while traveling on this Highway every day. On Saturday two people were killed and eight injured when a massive landslide hit highway at Ramban. Over the years, dozens of people who were traveling on this road lost their lives. In March this year, several people lost thei...   READ MORE   17 including 7 of family kept in isolation at Kishtwar, 1 in Doda Kishtwar, Doda reported first COVID +Ve cases 5/18/2020 11:13:16 PM Asif Iqbal Naik Early Times Report Kishtwar, May 18: After four months since the outbreak of deadly COVID 19, Kishtwar and Doda Districts today reported first positive cases with travel history of Ludhiana and Delhi respectively. As per the details available with Early Times, the Kishtwar positive case arrived from Ludhiana via rail at Jammu where the authorities collected his sample at railway station Jammu and later dispatched him and others to home. The official sources told the Early Times that the positive youth is around 20 year old and arrived at Kishtwar along with 17 others via bus and were first kept at an isolation center at JNV Shastri Memorial School from where they were ...   READ MORE   20 kanals of forest land retrieved from encroachment in Nagsini Kishtwar 5/18/2020 11:12:18 PM Asif Iqbal Naik Early Times Report Kishtwar, May 18: In its continuous drive against the encroachment on forest land, after retrieving 10 kanals of forest land in Compartment No. 61 of Marwah Forest Division. A fresh encroachment bid was foiled by the officials of Nagseni Range & headed by RO Nagseni in Compartment No. 20C/N under the overall supervision of DFO Kishtwar Sagar Singh recovered 20 kanals of forest land from encroachment. It is pertinent to mention here that, acting swift...   READ MORE   PDD provides special power supply lines to influential in Poonch 5/18/2020 11:11:55 PM Rajesh Tandon Early Times Report Poonch, May 18: The residents of Mohalla Kamsar of Ward 5 Poonch are forced to live in dark as their power distribution transformer is lying damaged for the last five days and the local Junior Engineers of PDD have provided special line to influential throwing other in lurch. Sources told Early Times that instead of replacing damaged transformer, the officials of Power Development Department have given special power supply line to some influential people of the area including a former MLA. “Although special line is meant for judges and for some senior official dignitaries but not for former MLAs, but here in Mohalla Kamsar, special connection has been gi...   READ MORE   JE Rural Development Department, contractor inflate bill of work done 5/18/2020 11:10:49 PM Ajay Sharma Early Times Report RAJOURI, May 18: A Junior Engineer of Rural Development Department (RDD) along with a local contractor of Barnara village of Sunderbani Tehsil in this border district are all set to cause loss of lakhs to the state ex-chequer by showing inflating bills of a work carried out in the village. Sources told Early Times that the Panchayat of Nallah, Vill. Barnara allotted the work of leveling the ground of Government High School to a local and the total estimate of the work was two lakh rupees. The contractor hired a JCB and carried out the work at the estimated cost of Rs. 40,000. However, the contractor along with a Junior Engineer of RDD inflated the estimat...   READ MORE   Rs 2,340 crores paid to political workers of Kashmir in 30 years: Reconciliation Return & Rehabilitation Migrants 5/18/2020 9:38:20 PM Jehangir Rashid Early Times Report SRINAGAR, May 18: Chairman Reconciliation Return & Rehabilitation Migrants, Satish Mahaldar has claimed that the government of Jammu and Kashmir is annually dispersing an amount of approximately Rs 78 crores to political workers in Kashmir. He said that document with them shows that the government in J&K has been paying the National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party and the Congress workers for the past 30 years. He said the document has 26 pages and has 5,000 names of political workers mentioned. “These leaders and workers have been getting the money from the J&K coffers every month and every year since 1990. And the amount totals a whopping Rs ...   READ MORE

CARTOON CORNER

E-PAPER PREVIEW

LOCAL NEWS

Internet gag enters into its longest ever period in Jammu history Sarita Chauhan inspects facilities at quarantine centres Sarita Chauhan inspects facilities at quarantine centres Making all efforts to ensure safety of health workers: JK govt Anti Corruption Bureau unearths scam in Cooperative Bank, arrests accused DB sets-aside Writ Court’s direction to grant provisional admission in PG course COVID-19: CIC to hear J&K appeals through video, audio conferences Stuck in Katra, Nepalese family wants to return home Man urges his brother, other militants to shun violence, return home Lt Guv assures full support for effective functioning of Ladakh university DLCW distributes sanitary kits under ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ SSP Jammu honours "We The Human"; launches COVID19 hygiene program 4 Hydel Power Projects worth Rs. 189.85 Crore cleared by DLSWCC of I&C J&K landslide deaths:FIR against construction firm for negligence Move aimed at Integrated Dairy Development: Navin Choduhary Ujh Project: Little water to Pak, Kathua to get maximum share after modified DPR: Jitendra Carcass of leopard with bullet injuries found in Doda Traders ignored while announcing economic package: Traders Federation NPP leader opposes decision of making quarantine centres in residential areas BDC, Chairman, Ramban distributes ration among 700 families Power employees criticizes Union govt proposal to privatize sector AAP-JK castigates LG administration for alleged lip-service Start direct special trains for stranded J&K residents in other states: Rana Sadak Ki Ghatnayian staged No congregation prayers in J&K on Eid-ul-Fitr, Shab-e-Qadr, Jummat-ul-Vida: MMeU BJP asks opposition to play constructive role Spell of rain, thunderstorm in J&K: MeT Masks distribution in full swing at Udhampur SCON to help border villagers Restore JK Bank selection, re-instate terminated health employees: Harsh J&K to get Ula, Uber type Radio Taxi service soon: Samoon Govt evacuates 57648 JK residents through Lakhanpur, 12,825 reach through special trains   READ MORE THIS SECTION

OTHER STORIES

Pak violates ceasefire in Rajouri With 4,970 new cases, India coronavirus COVID-19 tally crosses 1 lakh mark CRPF man, cop injured in Srinagar gunfight Transmit words into actions LESSER KNOWN MUSEUM OF JAMMU The Need for Reforms   READ MORE THIS SECTION

ARCHIVE SECTION

Monday, May 18, 2020 Sunday, May 17, 2020 Saturday, May 16, 2020 Friday, May 15, 2020 Thursday, May 14, 2020 Wednesday, May 13, 2020 Tuesday, May 12, 2020

STOCK UPDATE

BSE Sensex NSE Nifty

CRICKET UPDATE