Category: Union Territory

In a small village of Kunan in North Kashmir’s Bandipora district, people carried a-48-year-old female patient on their shoulders for about a kilometer due to lack of road connectivity.

Hapatnar-Babagund a small hamlet is located about one kilometer from Kunan village of the district where as per official record, 23 families live- all below poverty line (BPL).

Locals told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that a female diabetic patient, Shama-Parveen was suffering from pain in her right hand due to infection, but the village does not have about a kilometre of road.

“So we had to carry her on our shoulders to Kunan. From there we drove the patient to the district hospital Bandipora,” they said.

People who carried the patient on their shoulders said, on the way to the road, the three of them were taking turns carrying the patients on their shoulders.

Junaid Qureshi, the patient’s son, said that there is still no proper road in his village which highlights the lack of basic facilities, even in an emergency situation, in the village.

“When we reached the district hospital, doctors told me that I was lucky to arrive early and immediately my mother was shifted to Srinagar for advanced treatment,” he said.

Meanwhile, locals appealed district administration Bandipora to pay due attention to their area so that their sufferings and miseries will come to an end.

In a video which has also gone viral on social media, three persons can be seen ferrying a patient on their shoulders and are walking on a path full of small rocks to reach the Kunan main road.

Meanwhile, an official from district administration when contacted said that he will look into the matter. An official, however, said that the hamlet is already connected with nearest Bandipora-Arin motorable road, and the same will be repaired very soon if required.

KNO

Srinagar, Aug 18: Jammu and Kashmir reported 100 new coronavirus cases while one person succumbed to the virus in the last 24 hours, officials said on Wednesday.

They said 26 of the cases were reported from Jammu Division and 74 from Kashmir Valley, taking the overall case tally to 323682.

Regarding the death, they said, it was reported from Jammu, taking the fatality count to 4399—2160 in Jammu and 2240 in Kashmir.

Providing the district-wise details, they said, Srinagar reported 24 cases, Baramulla 5, Budgam 6, Pulwama 5, Kupwara 9, Anantnag 4, Bandipora 4, Ganderbal 9, Kulgam 7, Shopian 1, Jammu 5, Udhampur 4, Rajouri 5, Doda 6, Kathua 0, Samba 1, Kishtwar 5, Poonch 0, Ramban 0 and Reasi 0.

A few of these cases were confirmed at diagnostic laboratory of GMC Anantnag and include male (34) from Arwani Bij, male (39) from Jadipora Kulgam, two females (15, 12) from Banimullah Kulgam, female (35) from Yaripora, female (35) from Manihal, male (35) from Khanpora, female (30) from Buchroo, male (40) from Batengoo, male (55) from Check, two males (58, 20) from Shirpora, female (59) from Bebrada, male (25) from Katapora, male (30) from Yaripora, male (21) from Gaziabad Ang, male (30) from Damhal Ang.

Moreover, the officials told GNS that 132 more COVID-19 patients have recovered—32 from Jammu Division and 100 from the valley. So far, 318157 people have recovered, leaving active cases at 1125—466 in Jammu and 659 in Kashmir.

One fresh confirmed case of mucormycosis (black fungus) was reported today, they said. Thus far 42 black fungus cases have been confirmed in J&K, the officials added.

TWO MORE ACCUSED PERSONS AGAINST WHOM “THERE IS AMPLE EVIDENCE ARE EVADING ARREST AND BOTH OF THEM WILL BE ARRESTED SOON

Srinagar, Aug 18: The Counter Intelligence Kashmir (CIK) wing of the J&K Police on Wednesday arrested six persons including separatist leader Zafar Akbar Bhat and a woman from north Kashmir’s Baramulla in case registered in July last year in connection with the alleged racket of selling Pakistan-based MBBS seats and of other professional courses by Hurriyat leaders and using part of the money generated for militancy.

In a statement issued today, the CIK identified the arrested persons as Mohammad Akbar Bhat alias Zaffar Bhat, Chairman Salvation Movement, son of Abdul Jabbar, resident of Usmania Colony Baghi-Mehtab in uptown Srinagar, Fatima Shah, wife of Nisar Ahmad Shah of Palhalan, Pattan in north Kashmir’s Baramulla, at present 172, Nundreshi Colony near Sham Lal Pump, Bemina in Srinagar, Mohammad Abdullah Shah, son of Ghulam Ahmad Shah of Kulpora Salkoot in north Kashmir’s Kupwara, Sabzar Ahmad Sheikh, son of Bashir Ahmad Sheikh, a resident of Nowgam, Shangus in south Kashmir’s Anantnag, Altaf Ahmad Bhat, son of Abdul Jabar Bhat of Shakarpora Bagh-i-Mehtab in Srinagar, presently in Baheria town of Karachi in Pakistan and brother of brother of accused Zafar Akbar Bhat and Manzoor Ahmad Shah, son of Ghulam Ahmad Shah of Kulpora Salkote in Kupwara, at present Gulmohar Colony, near High Court Rawalpindi in Pakistan and brother of accused Mohammad Abdullah Shah for “being a part of the inward and outward supply chains at one stage or the other and where credible evidence could be collected and brought on record.”

Two more accused persons against whom “there is ample evidence are evading arrest and both of them will be arrested soon, ” the CIK said.

It further said that there are two accused individuals involved in the instant case FIR, who ex-filtrated to Pakistan during early 1990s for illegal arms and ammunition training and have settled down on the other side and “played a key role on behalf of ISI in facilitating matter pertaining to admissions under this category for this set of Hurriyat linked persons on Indian side” and were “part of nefarious design of pumping money into the militancy and other terrorist related activities”.

The CIK said that Police Station CIK in Srinagar had information through reliable sources “that several unscrupulous persons including some Hurriyat leaders were hand in glove with some educational consultancies and are selling Pakistan-based MBBS seats and seats in other professional courses in various colleges and universities”.

The information on the basis of which criminal investigations had been started into the case registered last year “also suggested that the money collected from the parents of the aspiring or potential students was used, at least partly, to support and fund terrorism and separatism in different ways, ” the CIK said.

While investigating this case vide FIR number 05/2020 under section 13, 17, 22A, 40 Unlawful Activities Prevention Act read with section 4 of Prevention of Money Laundering Act, many significant facts emerged and came to be established, it added.
“During investigation it surfaced that MBBS and other professional degree related seats in many cases were preferentially given to those students who were close family members or relatives of killed terrorists.

There were also cases where the quota allotted to individual Hurriyat leaders were sold to anxious parents desiring to obtain MBBS and other professional degrees in one way or the other,” the CIK said.

Police said that more than 80 cases pertaining to the seats in academic years between 2014-18, were studied in which either the students or their parents were examined.

Besides, searches of about a dozen premises in the valley had been undertaken to look for evidence of collection of money and its further usage, police said.

“Analysis of digital records and paper receipts as well as records pertaining to bank transactions revealed that a sizeable portion of the collected money was kept aside for personal use.

Evidence also came on record to show that money had been variously put into channels that ended up in supporting programmes and projects pertaining to terrorism and separatism.

For example, payment for organising stone pelting also could also be traced and brought on record,” it said.

“Examination of witnesses, corroborated by other circumstantial evidence, also indicated that many families who approached Hurriyat leaders to avail the programme of ISI that aimed at incentivising terrorism by compensating the family of slain terrorists, by way of providing free of cost MBBS and engineering seats were disappointed as monetary consideration was given precedence over the intended objective of the ISI programme”.

Police said that investigation has revealed that on an average the cost of a seat ranged between 10 to 12 lakhs.

“In some cases, the price was brought down on Sifarish of Hurriyat leaders. In other words, depending upon the political heft of a Hurriyat leader who intervened, concessions were extended to the aspiring student and his family, ” it added.

“On the basis of available evidence, a conservative estimate indicated that the money involved could be around Rs. 4 crore per annum, on the basis of the fact that allocation of seats for distribution by individual Hurriyat leaders where around 40 seats for MBBS programme every year. It could be more. This aspect is still open and a matter of further investigation”.

The investigation, as per the CIK, “has also revealed that both at the time of collecting the money from the parents as well as channelling it for use by terrorists and separatists,

intermediaries were used to layer the transactions”.
“For example, in some cases money was received through educational consultancies to conceal the end-use, ” it said.

Srinagar: Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid on behalf of its head Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who is under house arrest for more than two years now has paid glorious tribute to the Martyrs of Karbala especially Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) – the beloved grandson of the beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW) – for their great and historic sacrifices.

The Anjuman in its tribute said that to safeguard the thought (belief), teachings and basic tenets of Islam, Hazrat Imam Aali Muqaam (RA), on 10 Muharram-ul-Haram 61 Hijri, along with his brave associates expressed such valour and sacrifice which will continue to guide the entire humanity till the last day.

Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) by refusing to surrender before tyrants (falsehood) set an example which acts as torchbearer for those striving for truth (Haq), till the Day of Judgement, the Anjuman said, adding that the exemplary sacrifices of the Martyrs of Karbala will always guide the Muslims as Imam Aali Muqaam’s (RA) martyrdom in the scorching desert of Karbala is a glorious chapter in the history of Islam and humanity.

The best way to pay tribute to Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and the Martyrs of Karbala is to stand firm against all kinds of Baatil – the hegemonic powers whose thought and ideology are in contravention to the principles of humanity and morality – and to always keep the flag of Haq (truth) and justice flying high.”

Meanwhile, it was a tradition since centuries of the Mirwaizeen to visit Alam Sahib Shrine in Narwara and highlight the significance of Muharram-ul-Haram and pay tribute to Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and the Martyrs of Karbala.Mirwaiz Umar Farooq too used to visit the shrine and throw light on Ashura but due to his continuous house detention, all this could not be possible this year as well the Anjuman said

Srinagar, Aug 18: Former chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday said that the politicians, journalists and activists are being punished for speaking truth in ‘Naya Kashmir.’

Talking to media persons after her mother was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) today, as per the news agency–Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Mehbooba said that the agencies that were meant to do serious work, have been used against the politicians.

“It’s only chronology as soon after I showed reluctance to meet Delimitation Commission and staged protest on August 05, summons were issued on the other day,” she said.

Meanwhile, Mehbooba’s mother Gulshan Nazir was today questioned for nearly three hours in connection with a money laundering case.

The ED had issued a notice to her mother, asking her to appear before its office in Srinagar on August 18—(KNO)

Srinagar, Aug 18 : A police officer who led a team of uniformed men to lathi-charge journalists while discharging professional duties here has been removed from his position,
DGP Dilbag Singh said on Wednesday. Also several other cops have been transferred or attached, official sources said.
The DGP had ordered SSP Srinagar to take immediate action against the police officer for “undesirable behavior.”

“The police officer has been removed from his position,” the top police officer told GNS.
Meanwhile, official sources told GNS that three cops have been attached to DPL and six others have been transferred.

PHOTO: FAISAL KHAN

Police had resorted to lathi-charge against journalists covering protest attempts by Shia mourners on 8th Muharram at Lal Chowk. Camera of a photojournalist was damaged also.

Earlier, the DGP said that he took serious view of undesirable behaviour by the police officer with some media men in Srinagar yesterday. He had asked SSP Srinagar to take immediate action against the erring police officer.”
(GNS)

Srinagar, Aug 17: On the first day of its visit here the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Subordinate Legislation today held threadbare discussion with J&K administration on several issues related to the waste management rules laying special emphasis on Swachh Bharat Mission and cleanliness of rivers and lakes in J&K.

The delegation is lead by its Chairman,Pratap Singh Bajwa and 11 other Rajya Sabha members namely Smt Vandana Chavan, Sh. Dushyant Gautam, Dr Vikas Mahatme, Sh. Surendra Singh Nagar, Sh Ram Vichar Netam, Dr Amar Patnaik, Dr Banda Prakash, Sh GVI Narsimha Rao, Sh Tiruchi Siva, Sh Pradeep Tamta, and Sh Vivek K Tankha.

The committee was briefed by the Chief Secretary, Dr Arun Kumar Mehta about the historical steps taken by the administration during the past couple of years. The CS informed the visiting delegation that the UT has fully adopted the 73rd and 74th amendments of the constitution bringing governance to the grassroots level.

The Chief Secretary also apprised the committee that for the first time District Development Council (DDC) elections had been conducted with a large participation of people giving the vibrant and people friendly Council to them.

The CS further revealed that the UT has the distinction of being an open defecation free region besides having the robust system of door to door collection of municipal waste in the municipal areas.He gave out that all the recruitments including class IV are now entrusted to recruitment board.

Dr Mehta also mentioned that there is proper rule of law in the UT now and institutions have been strengthened at every level. He claimed that every public penny is accounted for with the help of error-free mechanism that has been put in place. He said that with the help of IT tools like BEAMS and EMPOWERMENT portal the public is kept abreast with the expenditure made by the administration.

He also made out that around 4500 youth clubs under Mission Youth started functioning in J&K from the 15th of Aug. He said that unemployment in J&K is being tackled holistically here with its percentage decreasing to nearly 11% despite covid pandemic. He further gave out that it is the endeavour of this government to slash it down under 5% in future.

The Chief Secretary also revealed that around 9514 projects worth Rs 3900 crore have been completed in J&K with 6167 projects within a year only. He said that each project has to be now mandatorily e-tendered here brining total transparency in the system of award of contracts and quality of work executed.

In a separate presentation made by Principal Secretary, H&UDD, Dheeraj Gupta to the committee the compliance of J&K to different rules related to waste management were deliberated upon. It was said that J&K has formulated and implemented the policy and strategy for solid waste management (SWM) besides devised an action plan and bylaws for the same. He gave out that tenders for bio-remediation of 9 polluted rivers has already been floated.

He further presented that in compliance to Biomedical Waste Management rules the UT has constituted the State level Advisory Committee and District level Monitoring Committee. Similarly action has been taken regarding implementation of Construction &Demolition Waste Management Rules, e-Waste, Plastic Waste Management Rules and Hazardous & other Waste Management Rules.

In his presentation the Commissioner Secretary, Forests, Sanjeev Verma presented the status of cleanliness of various water bodies here including lakes and rivers. He presented the studies of 4 lakes including Dal, Wular, Mansar and Surinsar lakes. He divulged that the PH, Oxygen Demand, and Biological oxygen demand are all within permissible limits in these water bodies. Further he informed the committee that the desilting, deweeding and extraction of lily pads is going on at a brisk pace.

The Commissioner Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) explained before the Parliamentary Committee that the Corporation is catering to about 1.55 million population having nearly 1.84 lakh households. He mentioned that the corporation is scheduled to collect about 526 tonnes of waste daily. He gave out that 60% municipal area is serviced by door to door collection from households.

He also said that SMC is working on an innovative idea of ‘Sunday for Srinagar’ to clean areas that are neglected or vulnerable for garbage accumulation. He further made out that SMC has poultry waste collection service in all 74 wards besides providing service of construction & demolition waste service on minimal charges by applying online.

The Commissioner also said that to tackle the menance of polythene pollution SMC is currently running a 6R campaign of reduce, reuse, recycle, remove, refuse and report. He revealed that the corporation deals with the waste on scientific lines as they have 3 scientific cells established at Achan land fill site.

The Commissioner also said that around 9 lakh tonnes of legacy waste is treated through bio-mining and bio-remediation technique. He revealed that the corporation has tendered out waste to energy project besides had signed an agreement for power purchase to be generated from this plant.

The Parliamentary Committee appreciated the measures taken by the UT administration in achieving certain goals and fulfilling the parameters of Swachh Bharat Mission. They said that ‘Sunday for Srinagar’ initiative is an impressive idea and should be adopted nationwide.

The Committee exhilarated upon the officers that the efforts needs to be doubled so that next time Srinagar comes up as a cleanest hill station instead of its current ranking of 36th.

Earlier the Parliamentary Committee enquired from various oil companies like IOCL, BPCL, HPCL, ONGC and GAIL about the codes of practice for emergency response and disaster management plan. They asked about the SoPs and other checking put in place at all their installations here to avoid exigencies. It was said that the companies have a robust safety system in place that has a chance of 10 errors out of million operations only lower than the mechanism employed at nuclear plants.

The Committee also had detailed discussion with the representatives of banks operational here. They enquired from the representative of RBI, SBI, J&K Bank, UCO Bank, Union Bank and Canara Bank about their compliance with priority sector lending. Each of the bank provided details regarding the credit provided to sectors like agriculture, horticulture, handloom and handicrafts etc.

The committee members asked several clarifications from the banking representatives and asked them to give equal importance to small ticket businesses. They asked for giving priority to these sectors while disbursing loans as they contribute majorly to employment generation after agriculture and allied activities.

Later the Committee members also visited the interiors of the dal lake and took first hand appraisal of the cleanliness measures taken by the Lakes and Waterways Authority. The committee then visited the Swerage Treatment Plant (STP) at Laam, Nishat and asked about the scientific method of treatment of waste there.

7 killed alone in Kulgam in last one year, Govt must take measures to prevent attacks on our workers: J&K BJP

Srinagar, Aug 17: At least 21 BJP workers were killed in different militant attacks in Jammu and Kashmir in the last two years, figures revealed on Tuesday.

As per the details available with news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), 23 BJP workers including some leaders were killed by militants in separate attacks in J&K in the past two years.

Official sources said that in the last one year, seven BJP workers were killed in Kulgam district alone.

Pertinently, in the last ten days, four persons including a minor son of a BJP leader, were killed in three separate attacks on BJP workers/ leaders. The latest killing took place on August 17, when militants killed BJP’s constituency in-charge Javaid Ahmed Dar son of Mohammed Abdullah Dar was shot dead in Brazloo, Kulgam.

On August 12, a two-year-old child was killed while six others were injured after a grenade was lobbed towards the house of BJP Mandal president Jasbir Singh in Rajouri town.

On August 9, BJP Kishan Morcha District President Kulgam Gh Rasool and his wife Jawhara Banoo who was also a panch and affiliated with BJP belonging to Redwani Kulgam were killed by militants in Lal Chowk Anantnag. On June 02 , BJP leader and president MC Tral Rakesh Pandita was killed by militants in Tral. Nine BJP leaders, workers were killed in four months across Kashmir, officials said.

On October 30 last year, three BJP workers namely Fida Hussain, who was BJP’s Yuva Morcha General Secretary, BJP worker Umar Ramzan, both residents of Y K Pora, Qazigund and Umar Rashid, a resident of Sopat in Devsar area of Kulgam, were killed. On September 23 last year, Block Development Council (BDC) chairman Khag affiliated with BJP Party namely Bupinder Singh of Budgam was killed by militants at his ancestral village Dalwach, Budgam.

Last year, on August 09, BJP’s OBC District President Abdul Hamid Najar was killed when he was on a morning walk in Ompora, Budgam. On August 06, BJP Sarpanch Sajad Ahmad Khanday was shot dead by militants near his residence at Vessu, Qazigund.

Last year on 04 August, a BJP Sarpanch was shot at and injured during a militant attack in Akhran area of Kulgam, however, he survived.

Last year on July 08, three members of a family including BJP State executive Committee member Sheikh Waseem Bari, his father Bashir Ahmad and brother Sheikh Umar who were also office bearers were killed by militants at their residence in Bandipora

Meanwhile, BJP on Tuesday said that frequent killing of BJP workers is a matter of grave concern.

BJP spokesman Altaf Thakur said that it is a matter of serious concern and it is high time for police to book culprits and provide safe and secure accommodation to BJP workers and activists in South Kashmir. “Measures need to be taken to prevent attacks on BJP leaders,” he said—(KNO)

Srinagar, Aug 17: Jammu & Kashmir reported 83 new coronavirus cases while one person succumbed to the virus in the last 24 hours, officials said on Tuesday.

They said 38 of the cases were reported from Jammu Division and 45 from Kashmir Valley, taking the overall case tally to 323582.

Regarding the death, they said, it was reported from Jammu, taking the fatality count to 4398—2159 in Jammu and 2240 in Kashmir.

Providing the district-wise details, they said, Srinagar reported 17 cases, Baramulla 5, Budgam 3, Pulwama 4, Kupwara 4, Anantnag 2, Bandipora 2, Ganderbal 3, Kulgam 3, Shopian 0, Jammu 9, Udhampur 0, Rajouri 8, Doda 7, Kathua 1, Samba 0, Kishtwar 5, Poonch 5, Ramban 0 and Reasi 3.

A number of these cases were confirmed at diagnostic laboratory of CD hospital here.

The CD cases include male (60) from Hazratbal Srg, female (60) from Rajbagh, female (60) from NA, male (55) and female (20) from Dalgate, male (45) from CD Hosipital Srg, male (60) and female (55) from Basant Bagh, male (53) from Hyderbal, female (50) from Narwara, female (17) from Kanyakumari, male (90) from Soura, male (45) from Mill Stop and male (27) from Nigeen Srg.

Moreover, the officials told GNS that 153 more COVID-19 patients have recovered—58 from Jammu Division and 95 from the valley. So far, 318025 people have recovered, leaving active cases at 1158—473 in Jammu and 685 in Kashmir.

There was no fresh confirmed case of mucormycosis (black fungus) reported today. Thus far 42 black fungus cases have been confirmed in J&K, the officials added.

Srinagar: The Kashmir Press Club has condemned the assault on the media persons by the police, who were covering a Muharram procession in Srinagar today.

The club demands that the police authorities take action against the concerned policemen involved in the incident and sensitise their rank and file to respect the media freedom.

Scores of media persons were on Tuesday thrashed by the policemen when they were performing their professional duties at Jahangir Chowk in Srinagar.

The media persons, including photojournalists were covering Muharram procession at Jahangir Chowk today, when the sleuths from Shergari Police Station beat them to the pulp “without any provocations”.

Observing that the media persons were performing their professional duty, the Club in its statement termed the police action as uncalled for and unfortunate.

The Club reiterates that the police authorities need to respect the freedom of the press as enshrined under the Constitution and ensure strict disciplinary action against the guilty policemen involved in the incident.