Will enable affected youth to settle in careers under self-employment schemes: DC Sgr

Srinagar: In order to formulate the action plan for Rehabilitation of victims of drug abuse and to curb, eradicate the drug menace from the district, the Deputy Commissioner (DC) Srinagar, Mohammad Aijaz Asad Monday chaired a meeting at Meeting Hall of DC Office Complex, here.

Superintendent of Police, Srinagar, Superintending Engineer R&B, Programme Officer, ICDS, Chief Planning Officer, Deputy Director Employment, Deputy Superintendents of Police, Crime/Narcotics, Chief Education Officer, District Coordinator, Nehru Yuva Kendra, Assistant Drug Controller, Nodal Officer Skill Development, HoD Department of Psychiatry/Incharge Drug De-addiction Centre, SMHS, Hospital and other concerned were present in the meeting.

The meeting discussed a proposed action plan in detail for Rehabilitation, Motivation, Career Counselling and Skill Development of affected drug victims by way of providing handholding under different Self-Employment Schemes. The meeting also held threadbare deliberations on the rising trend of drug abuse and measures undertaken by the district administration to break the drug supply chain and cracking the peddling and consumption hotspots to save youth.

On the occasion, the Deputy Commissioner said that a Rehabilitation cum Skill Development & Career Counselling Centre is being augmented in Srinagar for Rehabilitation of victims of Drug Abuse.

He said the centre will be equipped with all requisite facilities including Patientcare, Rehabilitation, Career Counselling, Skill Development Classrooms, Sports etc so that youth of the District would remain far away from the consumption of narcotic substances and simultaneously they are Guided and Rehabilitated by different Self-Employment schemes.

With regard to the launch of the Anti-Drug IEC campaign, the DC asked the Departments of Education, Youth Services & Sports, Nehru Yuva Kendra and other line Departments to submit a schedule of activities and action plans by March 15.

While all City Tehsildars were directed to mobilise local people including youth and Mohalla level influencers for volunteer services in fight against the drug abuse in their respective jurisdictions by highlighting the ill effects of drug abuse.

Similarly, Officers of ICDS and Health Department were directed to launch door to door awareness cum counselling campaigns regarding the menace at ASHA and Aanganwari levels.

The DC said that District Administration Srinagar has launched “MISSION WAAPSI” to eliminate drug menace from the District with the aim to REHABILITATE victims of Drug addiction by providing them dignified LIVELIHOOD through proper handholding and guidance under Government Self-Employment schemes.

The DC emphasised for better coordination among all the line Departments, Stakeholders and Drug law enforcement agencies to keep a check on drug trafficking and related issues and ensure prompt sharing of inputs within all enforcement units so that timely action is taken against the drug peddlers. He further stressed on the need to make joint efforts to break the supply chain and demand for drugs in the District.

The DC also directed the CEO and other concerned to ensure proper vigil in and around the schools to keep check on supply and use of drugs across the District.

The DC also sought cooperation from the family particularly from parents to overcome the menace among the youth which also leads to other social evils and crimes. He said parents have an important role to keep the youngsters away from the use of drugs and also the family support for the affected people could lead them towards normal life once again.

Earlier, HoD Department of Psychiatry/Incharge Drug De-addiction Centre, SMHS, Hospital Dr Yasir shared his Clinical experience in handling victims of substance abuse. He suggested several preventive measures to combat the drug menace and rehabilitating victims of drug abuse.

‘10 firefighters injured, 3 receive higher degree of harm’

DC visits affected families, provides immediate ex-gratia under Red Cross

Srinagar: At least eight houses were gutted in a devastating fire Batamaloo area of Srinagar overnight, officials said on Monday.

In all 24 families were residing in these houses while at least 10 firemen were injured, the officials said. Some firefighters were beaten up also by locals as they demanded them to douse flames in their respective houses.

A Fire and Emergency Department official said that as soon as getting the information late last night, the fire tenders were rushed to Sheikh Hamza Colony Batamaloo. Eight houses were gutted before the firemen brought the flames under control in the congested locality, the official said. “We made best efforts to contain the fire and prevented its spread to other structures as the locality is hugely congested,” the official said.

At most 10 firefighters were injured and three of them received higher degree of harm, the official said. They have been identified as Mohammad Ahsan Malla, Altaf Ahmad Rather and Akshay Sehgal. “Also people beat up a number of firemen as they pleaded and demanded firemen to douse off flames in particular house,” the official added.

Reports said that most of the houses damaged in the blaze were three-storey structures and in all 24 families living in them were affected.

Moreover, on the directions of Deputy Commissioner (DC) Srinagar, Mohammad Aijaz Asad, the officers of District Administration, Srinagar visited Hamza Colony in Batmaloo area to provide immediate ex-gratia relief, assistance to fire victims, whose residential houses were damaged in a massive fire incident.

The officers team expressed sympathy with the affected families on loss of property and provided an immediate ex-gratia relief, assistance in the form of 105 blankets, 63 mattresses, 63 bed sheets and 21 kitchen sets, in addition Rs 1,05,000 were also provided to all 21 affected families each Rs 5000 out of Red Cross as an interim relief.

Similarly, fire also broke out at Abi Nowpora area of the district on Monday in which one house comprising three families also got gutted.

The team of district administration also visited the spot and provided an ex-gratia relief, assistance in the form of 15 blankets, nine mattresses, nine bed sheets and three kitchen sets, besides Rs 15,000 were also provided to all three affected families each Rs 5000 out of Red Cross.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner has also sanctioned Rs 7.26 lakh in favour of the affected fire victims whose houses were damaged in separate fire incidents at Hamza Colony Batmaloo and Abi Nowpora in the district. (With inputs from GNS)

Jammu: Chief Secretary, Arun Kumar Mehta, chaired an online inaugural function of “Capacity Building Programme in Field Administration for Senior Officers of Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service” which started today at Lal Bahadur Shastri National  Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Massorie, Uttrakhand.

Director General, J&K Institute of Management, Public Administration and Rural Development (JK IMPARD), Saurabh Bhagat, attended the inaugural ceremony virtually from Srinagar.

The present batch of JKAS senior officers is the 3rd of its kind. The deputation of these officers for mid career training is part of IMPARD response to the Kashmir Aelamia.

Kashmir Aelamia Declaration is one of the initiatives between J&K IMPARD and Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG).

In addition to 91 officers already deputed for training including this 3rd batch, a deputation of 150 more senior officers has been approved for training at LBSNAA during next financial year.

By virtue of the deputation of 3rd batch of senior JKAS officers, the IMPARD has covered all the 28 Super Time Scale Officers and 63 Selection Grade Officers. A total number of JKAS Senior Officers eligible for Mid-Career Capacity Building Training is 434.

In his Inaugural address, Chief Secretary appreciated the efforts of J&K IMPARD and DARPG in their efforts to get senior JKAS Officers deputed for Mid Career Capacity Building Training at LBSNAA. He had special words of appreciation for V Srinivas, Secretary DARPG, who has been instrumental in the entire exercise of Mid-Career Training for JKAS Officers.

Chief Secretary said that there had been lot of innovations in the field of e-Office, grievance redressal mechanisms such as IGRAMS, CPGRAMS, empowerment initiative of Finance Department which is commonly known as Jan Bhagidhari.

He also appreciated the recently launched Monthly Performance Monitoring System by the J&K government which would go a long way in enhancing efficiency of employees.

Srinagar: President of Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries (KCC&I) Sheikh Ashiq Monday hailed the government’s decision to make Srinagar International Airport as the custodian for import and export of goods from Srinagar to international destinations.

This, according to President, will boost the business and help the business community in these difficult times.

According to KCC&I spokesperson, the president said that a wave of hope has been generated in the community as it was a long pending demand which has been finally met. He hoped that the facility will have positive impacts in the vicinity also and help in economic development and create jobs.

According to a statement, Ashiq said that as the LG administration is working expeditiously and we also seek Srinagar –based direct international flights.

As the airport is now the custodian for the warehousing of international cargo, there should be enhanced direct connectivity between Srinagar and other international airports like Jeddah and Dubai said Sheikh Ashiq.

According to him, earlier, the business community had to first send goods to Delhi or Mumbai and then to International destinations. But after this move and with the GI tagging of many products, if the goods can directly go to Dubai or Sharjah or any international destinations, the local economy will grow multiple folds.

However, he expressed his apprehensions as according to him, if there will be no enhanced direct connectivity, being custodian airport this exercise will be futile.

“Connectivity is the basic requirement for this cargo terminal. We need to have direct connectivity with the rest of the world,” he said.

The President has also requested Jammu and Kashmir LG, Manoj Sinha to push for start of Srinagar-Jeddah flight once or twice a week. It will not only help thousands of people including the Haj and Umrah pilgrims and people working there, but also to boost cargo through exports to that region.Similarly Srinagar-Sharjah flight should be restored also for at least once in a week immediately.

President KCC&I also thanked Srinagar Airport Director Kuldeep Singh for inviting business community to avail this opportunity and make world their market.

By: Nadeem Nadu

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir logged 12 fresh Covid-19 cases while there was no death due to the virus in the last 24 hours, officials said on Monday.

They said nine of the fresh cases were reported from Jammu Division and three from Kashmir Valley, taking the overall tally to 453460.

Giving district wise details, the officials said that Srinagar reported 2 cases, Baramulla 1, Budgam, Pulwama0, Kupwara 0, Anantnag 0, Bandipora 0, Ganderbal 0, Kulgam 0, Shopian 0, Jammu 2, Udhampur 0, Rajouri 0, Doda 5, Kathua 0, Samba 2, Kishtwar 0, Poonch 0, Ramban 0 and Reasi 0.

There was one death reported from Jammu division in the last 24 hours, they said. So far 4750 persons have succumbed to the virus—2327 in Jammu and 2423 in Kashmir.

Besides, they said, 37 Covid-19 patients—15 from Jammu and 22 from Valley— recovered during the time. So far 448493 people have recovered, leaving the active case tally at 217— 92 in Jammu and 125 in Kashmir.

They said there was no new confirmed case of mucormycosis (black fungus) reported today. So far 51 black fungus cases have been confirmed in J&K, the officials said. They also informed that 14872 doses of covid-19 vaccine were administered during the time in J&K.

Srinagar: Government on Monday gave additional charge of the post to two IAS officers in the interest of administration.

According to an order by the government, Abhishek Sharma, IAS, Mission Director, SBM-U 2.0 has been asked to hold the charge of the post of Mission Director, DAY-NULM in addition to his own duties.

Akshay Labroo, IAS, Mission Director, AMRUT 2.0 shall hold the charge of the post of Mission Director, PMAY-U in addition to his own duties, the order added.