Month: July 2022

Categories
-Top News USA

Death toll from Kentucky floods rises to 25

Three state parks were opened the next day for those who lost their homes to take shelter…reports Asian Lite News

The death toll from the heavy flooding triggered by torrential rain in eastern Kentucky has increased to at least 25, including four children from the same family, state Governor Andy Beshear announced.

With at least a dozen more people reported missing and certain areas remaining inaccessible, Beshear expected the death toll to rise further.

It would probably take years for communities affected by the floods to rebuild, the Governor was quoted as saying.

Kentucky Power said that 16,000 customers remain without power throughout the state as of Saturday. On July 28, Beshear had declared a state of emergency for all of Kentucky and called in the National Guard to assist the hardest-hit parts.

Three state parks were opened the next day for those who lost their homes to take shelter.

Flooding also hit parts of West Virginia and Virginia states. West Virginia Governor Jim Justice has declared a state of emergency for six counties.

President Joe Biden has approved a disaster declaration, announcing federal funding to assist in recovery efforts. Flood warnings have remained in regions across eastern Kentucky.

More storms are coming after a break in the bad weather, as rivers in Kentucky will peak this weekend, according to a forecast by weather-forecasting service agency AccuWeather.

ALSO READ: US rules out Blinken-Lavrov meet in Cambodia

Categories
-Top News USA

US finds it’s hard to shun Russia

U.S. officials say Russia is trying to shore up the few alliances it has left — some of which are American adversaries like Iran…reports Asian Lite News

The Biden administration likes to say Russia has become isolated internationally because of its invasion of Ukraine. Yet Moscow’s top officials have hardly been cloistered in the Kremlin. And now, even the U.S. Is talking to them.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has been meeting with world leaders, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose country is a NATO member. Meanwhile, his top diplomat, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, is jetting around the world, smiling, shaking hands and posing for photos with foreign leaders — including some friends of the U.S.

And on Friday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov about American detainees and Ukraine.

Blinken would not discuss the specific details of the call but said he had pressed Lavrov to accept a “substantial proposal” the U.S. has made for the release of jailed Americans Paul Whelan and Brittany Griner. The Russian Foreign Ministry said Lavrov “strongly suggested” to Blinken “returning to a professional dialogue in the mode of quiet diplomacy” on any efforts at American detainees ’ release.

The phone call and the handshakes cast doubt on a core part of the U.S. strategy aimed at ending the Ukraine war: that diplomatic and economic isolation, along with battlefield setbacks, would ultimately force Russia to send its troops home.

Even as he announced plans for the call two days earlier, Blinken continued to insist Russia is indeed isolated. He argued the travel of its top officials is purely damage control and a reaction to international criticism Moscow is facing for the Ukraine war.

U.S. officials say Russia is trying to shore up the few alliances it has left — some of which are American adversaries like Iran. But countries that are ostensibly U.S. partners, like Egypt and Uganda, are also warmly welcoming top Russians.

And after making the case since February that there’s no point in talking to Russia because Russia is not serious about diplomacy and cannot be trusted, the U.S. has conceded it needs to engage with Moscow as well.

The public outreach to Lavrov combined with the announcement of a “substantial proposal” to Russia to win the release of Whelan and Griner took many by surprise.

The Blinken-Lavrov conversation was the highest-level contact between the U.S. and Russia since Feb. 15, before the Russian invasion, and could set the stage for possible in-person discussions, although administration officials say there are no plans for that.

The Kremlin presumably reveled in the fact that the U.S. is now seeking engagement and will likely delay the process of arranging a call to gain maximum advantage.

“They are going to drag this out and try to humiliate us as much as they can,” said Ian Kelly, a retired career diplomat who served as U.S. ambassador to Georgia in the Obama and Trump administrations. “I don’t think it goes along with (the administration’s) overall policy.”

Kelly saw Blinken’s interest in the call as “counterproductive to our broader effort to isolate Russia.”

“Other countries will look at this and say, ’Why shouldn’t we deal with Lavrov or the Russians more broadly?’” he said.

Already, Western appeals to convince Asian, African and Middle Eastern nations to shun Russia appear to have been ignored as Lavrov travels around the world.

Still, on Wednesday, Blinken played down the importance of Lavrov’s globetrotting. He said it was a response to the cold reception Russia has gotten to Ukraine-related wheat and grain shortages now plaguing large portions of the developing world, particularly as a United Nations-backed agreement to free up those supplies has yet to be implemented.

“What I see is a desperate game of defense to try somehow to justify to the world the actions that Russia has taken,” Blinken said. “Somehow trying to justify what’s unjustifiable.”

U.S. and European officials point out that Russia has come under heavy criticism for the Ukraine invasion and the food and energy security shortages that have resulted.

Biden administration officials, including Blinken, have noted with satisfaction that Lavrov chose to leave a recent meeting of G-20 foreign ministers in Indonesia after listening to a litany of complaints from counterparts about the global impact of the war.

Despite that, there is no sign Russia will be excluded from major international events such as the ASEAN Regional Forum next week, the United Nations General Assembly in September or a trio of leaders’ summits in Asia to be held in November.

Russia continues to maintain close ties with China, India and numerous developing countries throughout Asia and Africa. Many depend on Russia for energy and other exports, though they also rely on Ukraine for grain.

India hasn’t shunned Russia despite its membership in the so-called Quad with the U.S., Australia and Japan. With a longstanding close relationship with Russia, India has boosted energy imports from Russia despite pressure from the U.S. and Europe, which is moving away from Russian gas and oil.

India, for example, has used nearly 60 million barrels of Russian oil in 2022 so far, compared with only 12 million barrels in all of 2021, according to commodity data firm Kpler.

On the other side of the coin, the Philippines, a U.S. treaty ally, this week scrapped a deal to purchase 16 Russian military transport helicopters due to fears of possible U.S. sanctions.

The Russian foreign ministry has gleefully countered the assertions of Russia’s isolation by tweeting photographs of Lavrov in various world capitals.

Among the photos: Lavrov at the the G-20 meeting in Bali with the Chinese, Indian and Indonesian foreign ministers; in Uganda with President Yoweri Museveni, a longtime U.S. partner; and in Egypt with President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi, also a U.S. partner, whose country every year receives billions in dollars in American aid.

ALSO READ: US rules out Blinken-Lavrov meet in Cambodia

Categories
Business

Ola electric see sharpest drop in EV 2 wheeler sales

At its peak, before the fire episodes rocked the nation, Ola Electric had sold 12,705 EVs in April and 9,258 in May..reports Asian Lite News

Hero Electric has piped Okinawa Autotech, Ola Electric and Ather Energy in selling maximum number of EV two-wheelers in the month of July, with Ather Energy and Ola Electric suffering biggest drop as customers delay purchasing EVs amid battery fire incidents and government probes.

According to the latest VAHAN data, Ather Energy sold a mere 1,095 EV two-wheelers (till July 30) from 3,829 in June, registering the biggest drop among the EV manufacturers.


At its peak, before the fire episodes rocked the nation, Ola Electric had sold 12,705 EVs in April and 9,258 in May.

Hero Electric led the EV two-wheeler market in the country with registration of 8,474 vehicles, up from 6,504 in June.

It has sold 52,559 vehicles this year, indicating an uptick in its vehicles.

Okinawa was second with selling 7,717 EV 2-wheelers in July, up from 6,984 it sold in June. The company has so far sold 54,835 EVs this year (till July 30).

Ampere Vehicles Pvt Ltd which sold 6,542 vehicles in June saw a drop in July to 5,980 vehicles, with a total tally of 39,769 sold this year, according to the VAHAN data.

Last month, Ola Electric said they were prepared to see the impact of supply chain constraints, especially on cell shortage.

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari last week told Parliament that all those EV two-wheelers companies have been served show-cause notices whose vehicles caught fire owing to battery issues.

He said that the Ministry had constituted a committee of experts to suggest safety standards for batteries, battery components, and related systems.

Based on the information of fire incidents available, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has issued a show-cause notice to the CEOs and MDs of the concerned two wheeler electric scooter manufacturers, to explain the reasons as to why the relevant sections of the Motor Vehicles Act should not be invoked against them.

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), which comes under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, said this week that it issued notices to four to five EV two-wheeler makers in the light of several complaints raised by the consumers over battery explosions and fire incidents.

The CCPA received several complaints from the EV two-wheeler buyers.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has also been informed. A DRDO probe had revealed defects in battery cells as well as battery design in nearly all EV fires.

Ola headed for massive layoffs

As Bhavish Aggarwal-led Ola aims to ramp up its electric vehicle (EV) business, media reports have claimed that the ride-hailing platform is laying off around 1,000 employees from across verticals.

According to reports citing employee records, verticals like mobility, hyperlocal, fintech, and Ola’s used car operations have included in the layoff process.

However, according to sources close to the company, these layoffs may impact less than 500 employees and not 1,000, and “are a result of restructuring in the Cars and Dash businesses”.

The company currently has nearly 1,100 employees in its core ride-hailing business.

Senior executives at the SoftBank-backed company were recently tasked with identifying team members who can be asked to leave based on performance.

Ola is planning to cut costs amid a challenging funding environment and global downturn.

The company aims at “leaner and consolidated teams” to keep its “strong profitability intact”.

The rilde-hailing major recently shut down its used vehicle business Ola Cars, as well as its quick-commerce business, Ola Dash, as the company shifted focus on its electric two-wheeler and car verticals.

Ola, which has delayed its IPO plans, has also applied brakes on its global investment plans.

The company aims to invest more towards its electric car, battery cell manufacturing and financial services businesses.

Ola Electric, amid several high-profile exits and falling sales, is also facing scrutiny over faulty batteries in its electric two-wheelers, along with other EV players like Okinawa Autotech, Pure EV, Jitendra Electric Vehicles and Boom Motors, by the government.

Alarmed at the unabated EV fire incidents, the Centre has sent show-cause notices to EV manufacturers, warning them why a penal action should not be taken against them for delivering faulty electric two-wheelers to the public.

ALSO READ: Jet Airways ready for its reincarnation

Categories
Sports

Bindyarani Devi win India’s fourth medal

In a desperate attempt in her third and final chance, Bindyarani lifted 116 kg in her final clean and jerk effort, to break the Games record and move to 202 kg and claim the silver medal…reports Asian Lite News

Bindyarani Devi won India a fourth medal on a successful day at the Commonwealth Games weightlifting arena in Birmingham, bagging a silver medal in the Women’s 55 kg weight class.

The 22-year-old from Manipur lifted a total weight of 202 kg with a superb attempt of 116 kg in her final turn in clean and jerk to leapfrog England’s Fraer Morrow (198) and finished just 1kg adrift of Nigeria’s Adijat Adenike Dlarindye, who ended with a total of 203 kg, a Games record.

Bindyarani, who managed a best effort of 86 kg in the snatch category, placing behind the Nigerian 92 kg and the English girl 88 kg, came back strongly in clean and jerk, which is her stronger side as she made up for the gap with two superb lifts.

She started the clean and jerk with 110 kg in the first attempt while the Nigerian girl failed to lift the same weight. Adijat lifted 110 kg in her second attempt and then added one more kg to her total, while Bindyarani Devi failed to clear 114 kg. That pushed the Indian weightlifter from Imphal to third position as England’s Morrow 109 kg to move up to a total of 198 kg.

In a desperate attempt in her third and final chance, Bindyarani lifted 116 kg in her final clean and jerk effort, to break the Games record and move to 202 kg and claim the silver medal.

This was Bindyarani’s first medal in the Commonwealth Games.

Earlier on Saturday, Mirabai Chanu won gold medal in women’s 49 kg, Sanket Sargar took silver in men’s 55 kg and Gururaja Poojary bagged a bronze medal in men’s 61kg as India started its medal hunt with four medals from the weightlifting arena.

ALSO READ-Asia Cup shifted from Sri Lanka to the UAE

Categories
Business

Apple CEO optimistic on 5G future

In an earnings call with analysts after posting robust June quarter results, Cook said 5G has been an accelerant…reports Asian Lite News

As India sets eyes on a mass-scale 5G adoption with kicking-off spectrum auction, Apple CEO Tim Cook has said that the 5G penetration is still low around the world, a reason that makes him optimistic about its future.

The installed base of smartphones with 5G capabilities has crossed 5 crore (50 million) in the country, and 5G smartphone shipment share reached 29 per cent of overall shipments in the second quarter (Q2), which was the highest ever, according to Counterpoint Research.

In an earnings call with analysts after posting robust June quarter results, Cook said 5G has been an accelerant.

“The 5G penetration, particularly if you look at it globally, is still quite low. In some geographies, it’s obviously higher, but around the world, 5G penetration is still low. And so I think there’s reason to be optimistic,” he noted.

According to experts, the 5G spectrum auction, that has seen bids worth Rs 1.5 lakh crore in three days of auction, and commercial availability will accelerate 5G smartphone adoption among users.

India is looking to deploy 5G services in the first half of 2023 with key cities.

“Eighty per cent of the iPhone sales come from its five models in India. Apple has a strong 5G-ready portfolio and brands upgrade rate and ecosystem stickiness is best in the industry,” Counterpoint Research Director Tarun Pathak told.

It means that “potentially all 4G iPhone users will jump over 5G and are likely to stay within the Apple ecosystem, a good trend for the company,” he added.

In India, Apple grew 63 per cent (on-year) in Q2 driven by a smaller base in Q2 2021 due to the Covid second wave. It remained the top-selling brand in the ultra-premium segment (Rs 45,000 and above or $650).

“Increasing ‘Make in India’ capabilities for both local consumption as well as exports, offline push through multiple promotions and consumers’ brand preference in the Rs 50,000 and above segment helped Apple retain its edge in the premium segment,” according to Counterpoint.

The opening of its own e-store, iPhone SE 2022 and offers on other models will further drive Apple’s shipments in the coming quarters, it added.

ALSO READ: Apple’s India revenue doubled

Categories
UAE News

At least 60 protesters injured after storming Baghdad’s Green Zone

The demonstrators breached the fortified barriers around the Green Zone, the INA said. The highly-secured Green Zone in the capital is home to several government buildings and diplomatic missions…reports Asian Lite News

At least 60 protesters were injured in the Green Zone in central Baghdad after clashing with security forces on Saturday, the Iraqi Ministry of Health said in a statement.

Security forces used tear gas, water cannons, and rubber bullets to try to disperse thousands of protesters who broke into the parliament building for the second time this week, according to local media reports.

Supporters of powerful Iraqi cleric Moqtada Sadr flocked to Tahrir Square in the capital on Saturday to protest against the nomination of Mohammed Al-Sudani as the new prime minister of Iraq, the Iraqi News Agency (INA) reported.

The demonstrators breached the fortified barriers around the Green Zone, the INA said. The highly-secured Green Zone in the capital is home to several government buildings and diplomatic missions.

Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi urged security forces to protect the demonstrators and called on the protesters to refrain from using violence, adding that the clashes would only serve to escalate the situation, INA reported.

“Continuing the political escalation increases the tension and does not serve the public interests. The security forces have a duty to protect official institutions and emphasized the need to take all legal measures to maintain order,” Al-Khadimi said in a statement.

Protests in the capital have been ongoing since Wednesday despite several calls from Al-Kadhimi urging demonstrators to “immediately withdraw,” according to INA.

The stalled elections have deepened economic woes in the country that has been struggling to handle the months-long political deadlock.

ALSO READ-Iraq, Saudi discuss Iranian-Saudi talks in Baghdad

Categories
Africa News

Ethiopia’s plan to fill reservoir opposed by Egypt at UN

It is the affirmation of Egypt’s legitimate rights to defend its national interests, he said, adding: “I see that the tone has become more powerful than before.”…reports Asian Lite News

Egypt said it had protested to the UN Security Council on Friday against Ethiopian plans to fill the reservoir of a controversial Nile dam for a third year without agreement from downstream countries.

The multibillion-dollar Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile is set to be the largest hydroelectric scheme in Africa but has been at the center of a dispute with Egypt and Sudan ever since work began in 2011.

Egypt “received a message from the Ethiopian side on July 26, stating that Ethiopia would continue filling the reservoir of the Renaissance Dam during the current flood season,” a Foreign Ministry statement said.

In response, Egypt wrote to the UN Security Council “to register its objection and complete rejection of Ethiopia’s continuation of filling the Renaissance Dam unilaterally without a deal.”

Mohamed Nasr Allam, Egypt’s former irrigation minister, told Arab News that the Egyptian move is a step on the right path. “We have moved from complaining to demanding that the UN Security Council play an active role in this case.”

It is the affirmation of Egypt’s legitimate rights to defend its national interests, he said, adding: “I see that the tone has become more powerful than before.”

Mohamed Mahmoud Mahran, a specialist in international river disputes and a member of the American Society of International Law, said if the UNSC sees a threat to international peace and security in connection with a conflict, it must intervene immediately to maintain security.

“The Renaissance Dam threatens the lives of over 150 million Sudanese and Egyptian citizens. If no agreement is reached and Ethiopia acts unilaterally, and if the UNSC doesn’t intervene, it could lead to unprecedented scenarios and spark a regional war.”

ALSO READ-Ethiopia, AfDB sign two grant financing deals

Categories
Afghanistan Asia News

UK admits mistakes over Afghan animal charity case

The FCDO admitted that internal communication mistakes caused some staff to believe that Johnson had intervened…reports Asian Lite News

The government has acknowledged mistakes and admitted regrets over the evacuation of animal charity workers from Afghanistan.

As Taliban forces approached Kabul last August, Nowzad charity chief Pen Farthing organized an evacuation of dogs from the Afghan capital after appealing directly to the UK government.

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office was questioned afterward over the role that Prime Minister Boris Johnson had played in the reallocation of evacuation resources. The government denied that he had personally ordered the case to be prioritized.

However, the Foreign Affairs Committee claimed earlier this year that several senior officials believed that Johnson intervened in the case to secure the evacuation, and that there was no “plausible alternative explanation.”

The FAC’s report said that despite failing to meet the official criteria for evacuation, Nowzad charity employees were granted aircraft seats “at the last minute after a mysterious intervention from elsewhere in government.” However, Nowzad staff eventually ended up traveling to Pakistan.

The FCDO admitted that internal communication mistakes caused some staff to believe that Johnson had intervened.

A spokesperson said: “The government acknowledges again that the way the decision to call forward Nowzad staff for evacuation was made was exceptional. It agrees that, in this particular case, more care should have been taken within the FCDO in how the decision was communicated to staff.

“It acknowledges again that an error in the way the decision was communicated internally left some FCDO staff believing that the prime minister had made the decision.

“The FCDO agrees with the committee on the importance of accurate record keeping, even in a complex, fast-moving crisis such as this.”

ALSO READ-Flash flood kills 10 security personnel in Afghanistan

Categories
-Top News UK News

UK businesses expect zero growth in next 3 months

The United States shrank in both the first and second quarters of this year, meeting one commonly used definition of recession…reports Asian Lite News

British businesses do not expect any growth over the next three months, as a surging cost of living squeezes consumer demand, a monthly survey showed on Sunday.

The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) said members reported above-average growth in the three months to the end of July – slightly faster than in the three months to June – but expect this to peter out in the months ahead.

“As firms and consumers continue to be buffeted by rising prices, private-sector activity has slowed to a near standstill,” CBI economist Alpesh Paleja said.

The Bank of England is widely expected to announce its biggest interest rate rise since 1995 on Thursday, raising rates to 1.75% from 1.25% to tame inflation that is already at a 40-year high of 9.4%.

However, the BoE has warned that Britain’s economy is likely to contract later this year, when a 40% jump in regulated energy tariffs hits consumers in October, and has forecast the economy will contract slightly next year.

The United States shrank in both the first and second quarters of this year, meeting one commonly used definition of recession.

Last week the International Monetary Fund forecast Britain would see the weakest growth of any major economy other than Russia next year.

The CBI said its monthly output balance, based on surveys of manufacturers, services companies and retailers, rose to +8 for the three months to July from +5 for the three months to June. July’s expected balance for the next three months was zero, up from -3 in June.

Manufacturers expect current slow growth to persist, while consumer services and retail businesses see a fall in sales, and business services expect growth to slow, the CBI said.

“This is unsurprising, given that strong inflation has been pushing real wages down sharply, and consumer confidence is at an all-time low,” it added.

ALSO READ-Business fails to take off at Gwadar port

Categories
Lite Blogs

Nightmare in Paradise

This dilapidated road heading towards the village is an evidence of poor connectivity in the area, which has adversely impacted access to health facilities for the residents…reports Sameer Ahmad

Poru Kalnag village in the Kokernag area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district is around 40 km from the district headquarters. A remote area located on a hillock, this village has around 250 households with a population of 1,100. Overlooking the beautiful mountain range of Pir Panjal, the view here may be scenic but the village lacks even the most basic facilities, especially health care. The fact that there is no road connectivity to nearby hospitals and medical centres further compounds the situation.

“The village has witnessed the deaths of at least 10 people en route to the hospital. The government has forgotten us, and failed in delivering even basic health care. There is no proper road connectivity and patients and their attendants are forced to walk 6 km to get to the main road before they get transport to reach the sub-district hospital, which is 12 km away,” says local resident Qasim Boker.

This dilapidated road heading towards the village is an evidence of poor connectivity in the area, which has adversely impacted access to health facilities for the residents.

Narrating an ill-fated incident, Boker said” “In 2010, Mirza Akhter, a 30-year-old mother of two daughters, died on the way to the hospital. Before that, she had led a normal life. It was a hot summer day and she began experiencing chest pain. Her family members tried to get her to the nearby hospital on a cot carried by the locals. Unfortunately, she died before even reaching the road. Had there been proper health facilities here, she might have survived.”

“In 2018, Bibi Boker (27), who was suffering from kidney failure, died on the way to the hospital. In 2021, Abdul Aziz Lone (60) and Mohammad Abdullah Bimla (70) both died on the way to the hospital due to high blood pressure,” added Boker.

“We are only being given hollow assurances”

Since Poru Kalnag village is located on hilly terrain, it also witnesses the frequent movement of wild animals. Locals find it very dangerous while treading the hilly routes in the dark, in case of medical emergencies.

“In 2019, local resident Ghulam Nabi Lone lost two children in a single incident. His sons, Arif Ahmad (22) and Sameer Ahmad Lone (19), died after they slipped into a deep gorge near the village. Their neighbours tried to ferry them to the hospital on cots but unfortunately, both of them died on the way,” Aijaz Ahmad (28), a village panchayat member, informed.

So grim is the situation here that the residents find themselves struggling for even the most basic facilities.

“We don’t even have a medical store here, leave alone a proper health centre. Even for basic check-ups such as blood pressure or blood sugar, we are forced to walk for miles. It gets worse during the harsh winter. School children, senior citizens and patients are the worst sufferers of this neglect by the local authorities. The government is falsely claiming to have connected all the villages with the tehsil and district headquarters,” Bokar pointed out.

“We visited several administrative offices and apprised higher officials about our grievances, but all our pleas have fallen on deaf ears as no one is taking our plight seriously. We are only being given hollow assurances,” Ahmad added.

“In case of emergencies, there is every chance of fatality”

Chief medical officer (CMO) of Anantnag, Doctor Mohammad Zagoo informs us that the Government of India has launched the National Health Rural Mission (NRHM) to address the health needs of the vulnerable sections of society. He explains that under the public health umbrella, the sub-centre serves as the first level of contact with a community of 5,000 people. For a lower population of 1,000, the first responders are Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA), who provide medical aid to the needy, especially to women and children.

Maryam Bibi (45), an ASHA worker in the village, is witness to the miseries of the people. “The residents face a lot of hardship in summer as well as in winter. In the event of a snowfall, which could be three to four feet high, approaching the main road takes hours due to the slippery conditions. I mostly deal with pregnant women in this area and have so far, helped out in at least 400 deliveries at their homes. In case of medical emergencies, there is every chance of fatality as the patients do not reach the hospital on time,” Maryam informed 101Reporters.

Maryam Bibi, an ASHA worker, has facilitated over 400 deliveries in and around the village of Poru Kalnag.

“In 2018, Parveena Banoo (28) a pregnant lady went into labour, and as the family was carrying her towards the hospital, she delivered twins on way. One of the babies died immediately due to the lack of proper medical attention during the delivery. There are many such horrendous tales of deaths, but who listens to the woes of such ill-fated people,” she added.

“All medical facilities available”, claims BMO

Meanwhile, Doctor Gowhar Ali, block medical officer (BMO) of Kokernag, claimed: “We treat almost every patient at the sub-hospital in Kokernag, as nearly all the facilities are available. We conduct general surgeries, deliveries, lower segment caesarean section (LSCS) and, if needed, patients are kept under observation too by admitting them into our health facility.”

Dr Ali also supervises the sub-district hospital at Kokernag.

Local politician and advocate Mohammad Saleem points out that the right to health is a fundamental right that has been granted by the Constitution of India to every citizen of this country. “As a political worker, I will raise the issue with the administration,” he promised.

Even in these modern times, people from far-flung areas are dying due to lack of basic health care. The government claims to have done a lot in terms of developing health facilities in rural areas, but in villages like Poru Kalnag, when people fall seriously ill, they’re not sure if they will even make it the hospital,” Saleem commented on the dismal state of affairs.

ALSO READ-Kokernag suffers without water