Introduction to KashmirForum.org Blog

I launched the website and the Blog after having spoken to government officials, political analysts and security experts specializing in South Asian affairs from three continents. The feedback was uniformly consistent. The bottom line is that when Kashmiris are suffering and the world has its own set of priorities, we need to find ways to help each other. We must be realistic, go beyond polemics and demagoguery, and propose innovative ideas that will bring peace, justice and prosperity in all of Jammu and Kashmir.

The author had two reasons to create this blog. First, it was to address the question that was being asked repeatedly, especially, by journalists and other observers in the U.S., U.K., and Canada, inquiring whether the Kashmiri society was concerned about social, cultural and environmental challenges in the valley given that only political upheaval and violence were reported or highlighted by media.

Second, the author has covered the entire spectrum of societal issues and challenges facing Kashmiri people over an 8-year period with the exception of politics given that politics gets all the exposure at the expense of REAL CHALLENGES that will likely result in irreversible degradation in the quality of life and the standard of living for future generations of Kashmiris to come.

The author stopped adding additional material to the Blog once it was felt that most, if not all, concerns, challenges and issues facing the Kashmiri society are cataloged in the Blog. There are over 1900 entries in the Blog and most commentaries include short biographical sketches of authors to bring readers close to the essence of Kashmir. Unfortunately, the 8-year assessment also indicates that neither Kashmiri civil society, nor intellectuals or political leadership have any inclination or enthusiasm in pursuing issues that do not coincide with their vested political agendas. What it means for the future of Kashmiri children and their children is unfathomable. But the evidence is all laid out.

This Blog is a reality check on Kashmir. It is a historical record of how Kashmir lost its way.

Vijay Sazawal, Ph.D.
www.kashmirforum.org

Saturday, May 31, 2008

First it was spurious drugs and now it is tainted blood

The depth of depravity is directly related to the age of the victim - in this case the baby is yet to be born and already merchants of death are dancing in the major maternity hospital in Srinagar

4 Charge-Sheeted in Lal Ded Blood Scam

Srinagar: The crime branch of the state police has filed a charge sheet against four employees said to be involved in a sensational case of adulterating blood in the blood bank of the Lal Ded hospital.

The crime branch has asked people to exercise extreme caution in obtaining blood from the Lal Ded blood bank.

The crime branch had received complaints that blood stored in the lal Ded blood bank was being mixed with an agent known as saline and then provided to patients.

On investigations, the crime branch found that two employees, technician Muhammad Amin and nursing orderly Nazeer Ahmad Bhat were involved in the case.

The duo were said to have been dividing a blood unit into two parts, adding saline and then giving it to patients needing transfusion.

The sensational racket had come to light on September 11, 2007 when a doctor refused to use a blood sample saying that it was adulterated.

On being tested, the blood was found to have an Hb value of 4.7 and mixed with saline.
The crime branch found that the blood had been collected on August 18, and blood from the same bag number had been given to another patient on September 5.

The investigations also revealed that two units of blood under bag numbers 1734 and1737 had been obtained through technician Muhammad Sadiq, and nursing orderly.

Both units were of the same blood group, and on testing proved positive with the deadly Hepatitis B virus.

The crime branch said that actually only blood unit number 1734 had been collected, and then divided into two parts, making a false entry under number 1737 after adulterating it with saline.
All the four employees were arrested for endangering human lives, and yesterday charge-sheeted before a magistrate.

(Kashmir Observer)

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