MERC TIMES ﻮر य ﯽ اﻟﻨ गम ﻟ ोत ﺖ ا ﻤ ٰ ा ﻠ ﻈ म ﻟ ो ا ﻦ स ﻣ म त U N IR IV M ER H SITY OF KAS Vol 13 | Issue 01 | Pages 08 | JUNE 15, 2020 ﻮر य ﯽ اﻟﻨ गम ﻟ ोत ﺖ ا ﻤ ٰ ा ﻠ ﻈ म ﻟ ो ا ﻦ स ﻣ म त U N IR IV M ER H MERC TIMESSITY OF KAS MEDIA EDUCATION RESEARCH CENTRE UNIVERSITY OF KASHMIR No Internet, No Studies: Plight P4 of Kashmiri Students amid Full on Story Pandemic MERC TIMES 1 COVID-19 lockdown affecting Tosa Maidan - The King of Parents Concerned Over Cell phone INSIDE {STORIES} mental health of children Meadows Addiction of children Amid COVID-19 Lockdown P 02 P 06 P 07 MERC TIMES ﻨﻮر मय MEDIA EDUCATION RESEARCH CENTRE, UNIVERSITY OF KASHMIR ﯽ اﻟ ग ﻟ ोत ﺖ ا ﻤ ٰ ा ﻠ ﻈ म Vol 13 | No 01 | JUNE 15, 2020 ﻟ ो ا ﻦ स ﻣ म त U N IR IV M ER H SITY OF KAS COVID-19 lockdown affecting mental health of children Badar Bashir shows no interest and feels irritated at times”, “My daughter was diagnosed with anxiety said Sheikh Uzma, a mother of a ten-year-old after her grandmother’s death. Her cousins and Srinagar boy studying in fifth standard. school friends helped her to cope up. However, Mehnaz Malik, a mother of two children due to prolonged lockdown she is feeling alone s Covid-19 continues to pose an said, “I had devised a schedule for my thirteen- and craving for face-to-face interaction”, said existential threat to human lives year-old twins studying in seventh standard to Maria Ali while feeling worried for her sixteen- compelling people to cage themselves keep them busy. But, they don’t follow it and year-old daughter. insideA their homes. The mental health of behave differently.” Many psychologists have advised the parents school-going children is raising concerns Parents are trying to spend more time with to keep a close check on the behavior of their among the parents. their children and keep them busy in their children and not let them feel isolated or left out. The schools in Srinagar reopened on March household chores and hobbies. They have suggested to set up a robust routine 01, after a three-month long winter break. “As soon she finishes her school work, I make for children to keep them equally involved in However, due to the threat of Covid-19, they sure to take my daughter out for gardening. studies as well as other activities since physical were ordered a closure as soon as classwork had I planted several flowers with her and she activity is critical for their development. begun. As a result, the majority of children in started liking it. Sometimes, her mother “Parents should involve their children in Srinagar are experiencing a prolonged state of teaches her baking to keep her involved, said stretching exercises, indoor games, craft, books, physical isolation from their friends, teachers, Rashid Ahmad, a father of twelve-year-old girl and ask them to help in simple household extended family, and other community networks. studying in sixth standard. activities”, said Isha Malik, RCI registered The parents are worried and facing the He further said that parents should make clinical psychologist and owner of Mind Spa, challenge of finding a way for productive their children a priority during these times and a therapy page on social media. learning and sound mental well-being of their must take utmost care of their mental health. “Encouraging positive thinking and children. This isolation is taking a heavy a toll on incorporating new activities in between the “My son is not studying since the closure children already experiencing some sort of routine such as solving a puzzle, or family game of his school was announced. Although, I try mental health issues such as anxiety, trauma, time would also prove fruitful for the children”, my best to keep him busy in his studies, but he obsessive compulsive disorder, depression. she added further. Dara Residents Aghast Over Absence of Proper Sanitation Umer Mukhtar summers as people young and old find Dara “Adventure Tourism can make this place an ideal place to beat the heat. a global talk and help us to stimulate the Srinagar But the negligence of the people visiting economy of Kashmir but if people remain has left the Dara localities concerned as they self-centred and keep on polluting their nhabitants of Dara, Harwan of Srinagar allege that beauty of this place is harmed by environment this is not going to happen,” have expressed strong resentment against irresponsible behaviour of the visitors. said a group of youth from Northern Ibexes visitors and administration for failing “Ghulam Rasool, 48, a local resident who trekking club. Ito protect it as heaps of scattered garbage is frequently visits the upper reaches of Dara “Such amount of garbage on these hills is looting the charm of this place. while talking to MERC Times said, not only harmful to the local surroundings Fifteen kilometres away from the city “Before 2016 this place was not known but can also damage the fauna of this place,” centre lay the majestic Dara trekking site. to many people but now we are witnessing said Umar Nissar, 30, a professional trekker Dara hills are one of the approachable routes enormous rush of people who throw waste who has conquered highest peaks like Frozen to Mahadev Peak which is considered as anywhere relentlessly and make it look as a Lake. one of the highest peaks in Kashmir. People garbage point,” “Animals like bears sometime eat these from all walks of life especially trekkers are “I request people to act sensitively towards polythene bags and wrappers which endangers often seen enjoying and making their way up places like these as they list in blessings from their life,” Nissar added. through the gigantic hills of Dara. our Allah”. Rasool added. Locals alleged that the authorities too seem MERC TIMES Children could be seen jumping into the Meanwhile not only the local population to be giving a dumb ear to this issue as they water enthusiastically as mercury starts to seems concerned but the trekkers visiting tried to reach them several times but met no rise. The hills are accompanied by huge and Dara are equally aghast on the current response. lush green trees which shelter this place from scenario. The present state of Fakeer Gujri Dara Hills could turn into a story of neglect sun and keep it under shade mostly. That is trekking route (another name of Dara Hills) and melancholy if proper measures are not 2 why this place witnesses a huge rush during has left trekkers frustrated and disappointed. taken for its conservation. MERC TIMES ﻨﻮر मय ﯽ اﻟ MEDIA EDUCATION RESEARCH CENTRE, UNIVERSITY OF KASHMIR ग ﻟ ोत ﺖ ا ﻤ ٰ ा ﻠ ﻈ म ﻟ Vol 13 | No 01 | JUNE 15, 2020 ो ا ﻦ स ﻣ म त U N IR IV M ER H SITY OF KAS No Internet, No Studies: Plight of Kashmiri Students Sheikh Mustafa The local alleged that they been Ban on high speed internet was imposed continuously seeking resolution to this since August 5 last year and it has been Srinagar issue but the authorities are unwilling to more than a year now but still there seems act. The area confirms Airtel subscriptions no indication that the government is mid Pandemic students of of about 1700-2000 but they have to walk anywhere close to restore the service fully in Lachipora mount a dangerous hill out a minimum of two kilometers to get a Kashmir, even after Coronavirus pandemic. to fetch some connectivity and call connected properly. The worst hit areas Government’s defence, order after order of attendA online classes. are Jala, Gawas,Dachawar, Rawatpora and continuing the 4G ban, is that it is necessary Following the Coronavirus Pandemic watheeri. to ensure peace in the region. where the world is becoming a slammer “The students here miss their classes when and ghost - town, as global leaders urge it is raining outside while others belonging people to stay indoors and work from home. to different areas remain connected. It Students from Lachipora have to tread two adds to the already existing frustration in kilometers through dangerous mountainous students,” Sheikh Gowhar, another local routes in order to get some connectivity and student said. attend the online classes. A Panchayat Member wishing not to be Educational institutions started going named said, “We approached and pleaded online following Covid-19 lockdown but, before higher authorities time again so that it had also sparked a public debate on a tower is instilled but met a numb response Most of the inequality. As many underprivileged students every time,” times I miss such as that from Lachipora village of north Farooq Ahmad Mir, a PHD scholar from my classes Kashmir’s Baramulla district continue to Lachipora said, “It is very unfortunate that due to the poor suffer due to lack of connectivity. Situated at we have to suffer so much even in this post connectivity and a distance of 100 Kilometres from Srinagar modern era where the entire world has also because in the bosom of mountains and huge lush turned into a global village and here are we of the distance green trees, Lachipora is a village in Boniyar wailing for the sake of connectivity,” I have to cover to catch some block in Baramulla district of the erstwhile “we especially students request higher MERC TIMES state of Jammu and Kashmir.