Category: Union Territory

Srinagar: Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) General Secretary Ashok Koul Monday said that Gupkar Declaration is an attempt to exploit emotions of innocent people in J&K.

“Some BJP leaders including Ravinder Raina has already issued a statement in this (Gupkar Declaration) regard. Local political parties call it Gupkar Declaration-2. This is nothing but an attempt to exploit the emotions of innocent people in J&K. This is what they had been doing for past 70 years,” Koul told local news gathering agency KINS.

On 22 August, this year, political parties in Kashmir unanimously resolved to fight for restoration of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir as it existed pre-August 5, 2019, saying the measures taken were “spitefully shortsighted” and “grossly unconstitutional”. The resolution was called as Gupkar Declaration-2.

On 23 August, thus year, BJP president Ravinder Raina said the Kashmir-based politicians are day-dreaming for the restoration of Article 370 and Article 35A of the Constitution which is next to impossible.

Koul told KINS that two BJP leaders from Kashmir have also spoke on the Gupkar Declaration and that is the “party line.”
“These political parties who have come up with this declaration are speaking different languages. They are reopening their shops to exploit innocent people,” he said while replying to a query.

Koul said that several BJP leaders have been killed by militants and few are also injured.
“Various BJP leaders have been taken confined to four walls by security forces. Our leaders are frightened but we are struggling with the situation,” he said.

In Gupkar Declaration-2, local political parties reiterated that they are bound, wholly, by the contents of the ‘Gupkar Declaration-1’, a resolution issued after an all-party meeting on August 4, 2019 at the Gupkar residence of NC president Farooq Abdullah.

The resolution at the end of the meet on August 4, 2019, a day before the Centre announced its decision of revocation of J&K’s special status and split it into two union territories, said the parties unanimously resolved that they would be united in their resolve to protect and defend the identity, autonomy and special status of Jammu and Kashmir against all attacks and onslaughts. (KINS)

PTI

Jammu: The Pakistan Army on Monday violated ceasefire twice by targeting forward areas in different sectors along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, a defence spokesperson said.

The Indian Army retaliated befittingly, he said.

He said there was no immediate report of any casualty on the Indian side.

The firing and shelling from across the border first started in Sunderbani sector at 1.30 pm and was followed in Nowshera sector at 4.45 pm, the spokesperson said.

“Pakistan initiated the unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and shelling with mortars in both the sectors,” he said.

Srinagar: Poor rains this season have led to water shortage in many areas of Kashmir and water level of Jhelum has also dropped significantly.

June and July were disappointing in terms of rain wherein deficiency kept mounting. From June 1 to August 24, J&K recorded 245.1 mm of rains against the normal of 424.0mm, resulting in 42% deficient rains.

Now, Kashmir Weather has predicted widespread rains in upcoming days which may drop rain deficiency to some extent.

As per Kashmir Weather, “Moderate to heavy rain/thundershowers and lightning are very likely to occur over most places of J&K on 26 and 27 August. Isolated to scattered rains are also possible on 25 and 28 August.”

“People are advised to avoid trekking, hiking between 26 – 28 August.

“It may cause landslides on the Ramban – Banihal axis.”

“There is also possibility of light snowfall over some higher reaches.”

“This spell of rain will be immensely helpful in pulling down the rainfall deficiency of 42%, which is significantly high.”(ANH)

PTI

Jammu: A woman was among two persons killed, while her husband and two minor daughters were injured when a car skidded off the road and plunged into a deep gorge in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said on Monday.

The accident took place at Daggan top when the driver of the car lost control due to dense fog late Sunday evening while moving from Gool to Judda Arnas, a police official said.

He said the car fell into a 60-feet gorge, resulting in the death of its driver Reyaz Ahmad (24) and Sameena Akhter (28).

Akhter’s husband Mohammad Shakeel and daughters — six-year-old Myra and eight month-old Mehar — were rescued in an injured condition and rushed to hospital, the official said.

Six parties resolve to fight for special status of UT

“Restoration of Article 370 and 35 (A) is next to impossible. These Articles only resulted in a wall of hatred and poor growth and development of J&K,” said J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina.

Party spokesperson Darakshan Andari described the new grouping as “a conglomerate of mafia who are trying to re-open their closed business”.

The coming together of J&K’s six main political parties on the restoration of Article 370 and 35(A) is reshaping the polity of the Union Territory (UT), over a year after the special status of J&K was ended. The BJP, however, reiterated that the August 5, 2019 decisions “can’t be reversed”.

With inputs from The Hindu

Six parties resolve to fight for special status of UT; BJP says August 5 decisions can’t be reversed

The coming together of J&K’s six main political parties on the restoration of Article 370 and 35(A) is reshaping the polity of the Union Territory (UT), over a year after the special status of J&K was ended. The BJP, however, reiterated that the August 5, 2019 decisions “can’t be reversed”.

“Restoration of Article 370 and 35 (A) is next to impossible. These Articles only resulted in a wall of hatred and poor growth and development of J&K,” said J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina.

Party spokesperson Darakshan Andari described the new grouping as “a conglomerate of mafia who are trying to re-open their closed business”.

J&K’s six political parties — the National Conference (NC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Congress, the J&K Peoples Conference (PC), the CPI(M) and the Awani National Conference (ANC) — on Saturday decided to fight jointly for the restoration of Article 370 and 35 (A) under the Gupkar Declaration, a document signed by these parties on August 4, 2019.

Two more regional parties, the J&K Peoples Movement (J&KPM) and the Peoples Democratic Front (PDF), supported it.

“Whosoever will work for bringing Article 370 and 35(A) back will get my support unconditionally. I have been called up by a few signatories to join the collective fight. I will soon come up with the final decision,” PDF chairman Hakeem Mohammad Yasin said.

‘A good step’

PDP patron Muzaffar Hussain Beg termed the declaration “a good step”. “I feel glad to see the political parties assembling on a single platform for the larger benefit of people of J&K.”

CPI(M) leader M.Y Tarigami said he expected more people from all the regions and the communities “to join this process so that the dignity of J&K is restored”.

Senior Congress leader and former Home Minister P. Chidambaram has appreciated the mainstream parties for joining hands.

“Salute the unity and courage of the six mainstream Opposition parties who came together yesterday [Saturday] to fight the repeal of Article 370. I appeal to them to stand resolutely behind their demand. Ignore the uninformed criticism of self-styled nationalists who do not read history but try to rewrite history,” he tweeted.

With inputs from The Hindu

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday reported 666 fresh COVID-19 cases and nine more deaths due to the infection.

Now, the union territory’s COVID-19 caseload has reached 32,647 and the death toll mounted to 617.

The Kashmir Valley recorded 540 fresh cases and the Jammu region 126 in the past 24 hours till 5.00 pm on Sunday, an official said.

The Srinagar district recorded 258 of the fresh coronavirus cases, followed by Jammu (60), he said. This is for the third straight day that Srinagar has recorded more than 200 fresh cases of COVID-19.

So far, Srinagar district has recorded the maximum number of COVID-19 cases at 8,075, which is nearly 25 per cent of the total infections in the union territory.

The union territory’s summer capital has also reported the highest 195 COVID related fatalities so far, which is 31 per cent of the total deaths due to the disease.

As on Sunday, more than 80 per cent of the infected persons in the city have recovered and there are only 1,366 active cases.

Of the nine new deaths, seven were reported from Srinagar and two from Jammu.

Jammu and Kashmir has 7,198 active cases of the coronavirus disease (COVD-19), while 24,832 patients have recovered so far, they said.

Srinagar: The Kashmir Trade Alliance (KTA) on Sunday said the five -month-long lockdown had dented the Valley’s economy by Rs 21,000 crore and the total loss for the last one year to be Rs 45,000 crore, according to an online report released by the Trade Alliance on Sunday.

Trade in the Valley have suffered a total loss of Rs 21,320.64 crore in the last five months as a result of the lockdown caused by the Corona virus in the Valley since March 18. The Alliance says the final report will be released after the lockdown ends. The interim report was compiled after covering the daily trade, business and gross domestic product (GDP) for 2017-18 and the economic outlook.

According to statement issued to KNS reads, According to the report, the agriculture, horticulture, floriculture and agriculture sector suffered a loss of Rs 942.4 crore during the five months of the catastrophic downpour, as a result of which the sector was hit hard in 2019. livestock suffered a loss of Rs. 2234 crore, 40 lakhs. Lockdown proved to be the last nail in the coffin of an already dying Production industry. In total, the sector incurred a loss of Rs. 3161 crore, 60 lakhs during the lockdown period. According to a report released by the Trade Alliance, the lockdown brought construction activities to a standstill, leaving 500,000 people jobless. Construction activities and projects were hit by Rs 2,214.64 crore. Trade Alliance said thousands of people lost their jobs, hotels looked deserted, houseboats were locked and shikara and other tourist activities ceased. Tourist traders were waiting for tourists in 2020, but the lockdown and the situation have dashed their hopes, and in the last five months alone, the sector has lost Rs 1,292 crore, while the hotel and Restaurants also suffered a loss of Rs 760 crore.

A report released by Kashmir Trade Alliance President Ajaz Shahdhar said that the wheels of passenger vehicles have been jammed in the valley for the last five months, while an estimated 60,000 passenger vehicles have been stranded in the valley. There are vehicles, including 32,000 Texis,cabs 6,000 Tata vehicles or minibuses, 12,000 auto rickshaws and buses, a total of 200,000 families dependent on transport. The financial condition of the Drivers and conductors is very dilapidated. The sector has suffered losses of Rs 2888 crore as a result of the lockdown in the last 5 months.

There are millions of shopkeepers in the valley, while in the big shops there are also an average of 2 to 3 salesmen. As a result of shutter down, most of the goods in the shops . they are neither in a position to repay the debt, nor in the position to pay the interest. The shopkeepers lost Rs. 4104 crore during the lockdown. Handicrafts sector has incurred a total loss of Rs. 760 crore during the last 5 months. real estate sector has been affected as 2280 crore loses, while the services sector incurred a loss of Rs. 608 crore.

According to the report, the education sector has so far suffered a loss of Rs. 76 crore.

Rs. 1000 crore has been incurred during the last 3 Eids.The average daily trade in the valley is Rs 140 crore, however, the economy of the valley has reached the brink of collapse as a result of the Corona Lockdown. The business community also suffered irreparable losses during the catastrophic floods of 2014, the same total losses were around Rs one lakh crore, after which the situation broke the backs of Kashmiri traders, leaving millions of people stranded. The closure of this highway for about 35 days resulted in losses of about Rs 3,000 crore to the business community. (KNS)

The monthly bill has been generated by the Power Development Department (PDD) in Jammu and Kashmir Government and handed over to the consumer namely the 181 Battalion, CRPF.

India Today

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Kashmir Valley has gone into a tizzy after one of their Battalion camping in Charare-Sharief has got an electricity bill of a whopping Rs 1.5 crore for the month of July. The monthly bill has been generated by the Power Development Department (PDD) in Jammu and Kashmir Government and handed over to the consumer namely the 181 Battalion, CRPF.

Though the bill is paid by the Jammu and Kashmir Police, it has become a matter of grave concern. ADG of CRPF Zulfiquar Hasan said, “This seems to be a case of a clerical error. We tried to contact the PDD department for an explanation but they are closed over the weekend.”

The Rs 1.5 crore electricity bill. (Photo: India Today)

The hard copy of the bill states that the sanctioned load of 181 Battalion deployed in Budgam district is only 50 KW, with fixed charges as Rs 1500 only. The bill further states that it was generated on August 10 and is payable by August 27. Till then, the CRPF says the matter should be resolved.

With inputs the India Today

Srinagar: Peoples Democratic Front (PDF) Chairman Hakeem Mohammad Yasin on Sunday clarified that whosoever will work for bringing Article 370 and 35(A) back will get my support unconditionally and said those who will oppose it are not “well-wisher” of people of J&K.

Talking to Kashmir News Service (KNS), PDF Chairman said Article 370 & 35(A) was given by Constitution but unfortunately was snatched from us through an “illegal” move. He clarified that whosoever will work for bringing back Article 370 & 35(A) will get my “unconditional” support and whosoever will oppose the special status to J&K, is not a well-wisher of the people.

He was replying to an appeal made by senior Congress leader Prof. Saif-ud-din Soz who urged those mainstream politicians who are still not part of Gupkar Declaration, to join the forum to fighting for Article 370 & 35(A).

PDF Chairman said, “I was not part of Gupkar Declaration earlier but maintained now few leaders have called him to join it but it is possible only after discussing the matter with senior party leaders.

“I have been called few signatories of Gupkar Declaration to join the collective fight but I will clarify here that I will take up the matter with party leaders and soon come up with the opinion”, Hakeem Yasin said.

He maintained that political leaders should come clear and people of J&K should be given concrete program regarding retrieval of special status of J&K under Article 370 and 35(A).

“People should not be kept in dark. They should be given clear and concrete program how to bring special status of J&K back? Political parties should also clear confusions whether they will fight elections in absence of Article 370 & 35(A) or not?, Hakeem Yasin said. (KNS)