Precious Kashmir

J&K Govt mulls to install water metres

Jammu & Kashmir

19/03/2022

Srinagar: The government is mulling to come up with the water meters in Jammu and Kashmir to ensure judicious use of the water.

The development comes close on the heels of Power Department’s move of installing smart meters across Kashmir including Srinagar. Many areas have already been covered under smart electric meters.

Talking to KNO Chief Engineer, Jal Shakti department, Basharat Jeelani said that the initiative is under consideration, however, it would take time to introduce the water meters here in J&K.

“There are no plans to introduce water meters immediately, but the initiative is under consideration and would take time to implement it on the ground,” Jeelani said. He also said that the water meters will be introduced from capital cities of Jammu and Kashmir.

He added that it would take some more time to come up with the water meters.

The water meters in Jammu and Kashmir would help in ensuring judicious use of water and put an end to the misuse.

J&K Reports 15 Fresh Covid-19 Cases, No Death

Jammu & Kashmir

Nadeem Nadu

19/03/2022

By: Nadeem Nadu

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir reported 15 fresh Covid-19 cases while there was no death due to the virus in the last 24 hours, officials said on Thursday.

They said eight of the fresh cases were reported from Jammu Division and nine from Kashmir Valley, taking the overall tally to 453520.

Giving district wise details, the officials told GNS that Srinagar reported 4 cases, Baramulla 0, Budgam 2, Pulwama 0, Kupwara 1, Anantnag 0, Bandipora 0, Ganderbal 0, Kulgam 0, Shopian 0, Jammu 2, Udhampur 1, Rajouri 3, Doda 0, Kathua 1, Samba 0, Kishtwar 1, Poonch 0, Ramban 0 and Reasi 0.

There was no death reported 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, 38 Covid-19 patients—eight from Jammu and 30 from Valley— recovered during the time. So far 448637 people have recovered, leaving the active case tally at 133— 50 in Jammu and 83 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 23322 doses of covid-19 vaccine were administered during the time in J&K. (GNS)

110 students qualify GATE exam 2022 in NIT Srinagar

City

Precious Kashmir

19/03/2022

110 students qualify GATE exam 2022 in NIT Srinagar

Srinagar: A topper among 110 students of National Institute Technology (NIT) Srinagar have qualified GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test for Engineering) exam 2022 of which the results were declared on Thursday.

Mohit Patidar, a B.Tech student from the Metallurgical and Materials Engineering (MME) Department has secured all India first rank (AIR-1) in GATE 2022 and has brought laurels to the entire NIT Srinagar family.

Ayush Kumar Mall from Information Technology (IT) Department secured AIR-94 whereas Maasil Ahmad Wani from Electronics and Communications Engineering (ECE) secured AIR-255.

Aman Kumar Meena from Chemical Engineering (CE) department obtained AIR-147 and Vishal Ballavadiya from the Mechanical Engineering (ME) Department got AIR-191.

Mohammad Sahil Hussain, Ashutosh Kumar Yadav, and Himanshu Singh Singholiya from MME department had also secured AIR-74, AIR-102, and AIR-174 respectively.

The qualified students comprise 28 students of Civil Engineering, 21 in Electrical Engineering, 16 from the Electronics and Communications Department.

14 in Mechanical Engineering, 10 from the Chemical Engineering Department, 8 from Information Technology, 7 from Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Department, and two students from Computer Science and Engineering Departments have qualified the GATE exams.

Director NIT Srinagar, Prof. Rakesh Sehgal extended warm greetings to the qualifiers and congratulated them for qualifying for the prestigious GATE exam.

“The faculty in NIT is working for the students. They will not leave any stone unturned for the overall development of students. It is a proud movement for the NIT Srinagar and we will continue this dedication in future also,” he said.

Prof. Sehgal urged students to make the best possible use of available resources.

Sudden end to Political Science at Tral School

City

Precious Kashmir

19/03/2022

By: Jahangeer Ganaie

Srinagar: Political Science subject being taught at Higher Secondary School Largam Tral in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district since 2007 has suddenly been stopped by the authorities.

Parents as well as students told KNO that in the year 2007 the Higher Secondary School was established in Largam Tral and since then every year students were opting for Political Science and hundreds of students have studied the subject in this school.

They said dozens of students were looking forward to taking Political Science this year but when they went to the school and opted for political science as one of the subjects, they were asked to either change it or take admission in some other school.

They said that they fail to understand why a subject being taught for the last 15 years has now suddenly been discontinued.

They further added that there are dozens of students in 12th class who have political science as one of their subjects but admission is being denied to 11th class students who want to take political science as one of their subjects.

Parents requested higher-ups to look into the matter at the earliest so that their wards won’t face any problems.

Principal of the school, Gul Mohammad Kumar told KNO that political science was being taught at HSS Largam on an internal arrangement basis but isn’t a sanctioned subject there.

He said that as per government directions the school cannot give admission to students in such subjects which aren’t sanctioned and if so far some mistakes have been committed they shouldn’t happen further.

On being asked what arrangements are being done for 12th class students who have political science as one of their subjects, he said that they are studying it themselves but internal arrangements are being made for them so as to save their career—(KNO)

Shopian youth preserves identity through art

Jammu & Kashmir

Jahangeer Ganaie

19/03/2022

By: Jahangeer Ganaie

Srinagar: A youth from south Kashmir’s Shopian scripts exotic art form, complexion of portrait illustration, poetry and calligraphy in a bid to preserve the identity of Gujjar community.

Hailing from Gujjar community, Mohammad Aslam Anwar (24) of Check Chotipora area of has pledged to preserve cultural identity of his ethnic group through his art work.

Art is a powerful medium to deliver social messages which is why he chose this genre, he said. Anyone can serve society through education but only few can serve through art and culture, he adds.

Aslam, who is pursuing bachelor’s degree in Law at Central University of Kashmir, said that presently brushing portraits, writing poetry in Gojri besides calligraphy is a routine for him.

He said that his participation in district level competitions and bringing laurels inspired confidence in him.

“I have made hundreds of portrait pieces and have received applause,” Aslam told KNO.

He said that since last year, he has been receiving admiration from people all across.

“Till now I have received dozens of awards for art and poetry,” he said.

According to him, youth from his community are talented but they lack opportunities.

Conflict With Wild

Edit
Oped

Precious Kashmir

19/03/2022

There has been a substantial increase in man-animal conflicts over the years, leading to the loss or injury to the precious life. Also, notably the rising incidents of man-animal confrontation allude to disturbances caused in wildlife.

In the last five years alone, at least 40 people have been killed while 430 others were injured by wild animals across Kashmir Valley.

11 people lost lives in 2019, 5 in 2020 and 9 in 2021, as per the official data.

Similarly, 430 people were injured by wild animals in several incidents across the valley and include 120 in 2017 and 85, 87, and 57 in 2019, 2020 and 2021 respectively.

Recently, the wildlife department confirmed that wild animals have been seen in lower areas. Also leopards have been found close to human habitats in Srinagar in the recent past.

Destruction of forests sends wild animals closer to humans. There were reports when the covid-19 pandemic started that the animals carried the virus along with them. The biodiversity in forests harmlessly retains dangerous viruses and other pathogens among a vast pool of wild animals, away from people.

This aspect also underscores the value of maintaining viable ecosystems, and eliminating the entry of the wild animals from entering human surroundings.

There has been reckless exploitation of the environment over the years. Both officials at the helm of affairs and people are responsible. The growing man-animal conflicts serve as a dire warning to all the concerned that there should be no hasty permissions for projects in already enfeebled forests. There is ample evidence that environmental protection confers health protection and forests should be left undisturbed.

If poaching is one aspect of the conservation challenge, the other side of the story is the fast encroachments that threaten to endanger animals and the environment.

There is a need to promote conservation encompassing survival of all as well as diversity of the ecosystem. There is a need to create awareness, as also the action aimed at preventing people from causing disturbances to the wildlife. Also, there is an urgent need for the authorities to sensitise people and also devise foolproof measures to tackle wild animals as and when they venture close to human populations so as to prevent the loss of previous life.

Indoor Stadium Bijbehara functions without electricity, necessary equipments

Anchor stories

Ahmed Shabir

19/03/2022

Indoor Stadium Bijbehara functions without electricity, necessary equipments

Sports enthusiasts demand proper arrangement at facility

By: Ahmad Shabir

Anantnag: Despite throwing open an Indoor Sports Stadium at Nilandrus Bijbehara two months ago, the facility continue to function without power supply and proper equipments required for imparting coaching to the sports enthusiasts, leaving them disappointed.

Indoor sports stadium at Bijbehara was constructed at the cost of crores of rupees with the purpose to promote the various sports activities in the area.

It took the authorities many years to complete the project and was finally thrown open nearly a couple of months ago, bringing joy to the sports lovers.

Scores of sports lovers missed no time to get themselves registered with the facility for various indoor games.

However, the non-availability of the electricity and equipments for various indoor games at the facility has left these sportsmen downhearted.

Scores of local sports enthusiasts, who have registered themselves for taking coaching in different indoor games like netball, volley ball, Judo and badminton rued that the stadium is failing to serve the purpose for which it was constructed.

“Though the lighting system has been installed at the facility on which lakhs of rupees have been consumed but the sports council has failed to get the power connection for the multicrore stadium,” a group of sports lovers told Precious Kashmir.

A local Netball coach, Suhail Ahmad Khan, who is imparting Net ball coaching to over a dozen youth at the stadium, said that due to the absence of electricity, the youth visiting the facility for coaching or fitness drills hardly get an hour for the purpose.

“Since most of the youth who come for coaching return homes by 4:30 and they manage to reach the stadium upto 5 or 5:30. So, we start at 5:30 and close at 6 as it is complete darkness inside the hall by then. Had lighting system been working at the stadium, we would continue till late evening,” Khan said.

He said that whatever equipments are needed for Netball coaching, he has purchased on his own.

“Not a single equipment for Netball is there from sports council. It is failing to serve the purpose,” Khan said.

Though the generator is available there but the youth visiting the sports facility say that the same is not being used to ensure electricity inside the hall for unknown reasons.

However, a source said that the sports council has no fuel to run the generator. “The generator consumes a lot of fuel and we don’t have such a budget to use it,” the source said.

Secretary Sports Council, Nuzhat Gul admitted that the stadium is without electricity but added that they have many a times written to the concerned department in this regard.

“We many a time have written to PDD for power supply,” Secretary said.

Nobody asked Mrs Gandhi to quit, says Azad after meeting Sonia

National

Indo Asian News Service

19/03/2022

Nobody asked Mrs Gandhi to quit, says Azad after meeting Sonia

New Delhi: The Congress’ ‘G-23′ group, which is seeking a party overhaul, seem to have toned down its demand of leadership change with its senior leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, who met party chief Sonia Gandhi on Friday, saying there is no vacancy right now for the post of President and nobody asked her to quit.

“Nobody said Mrs Gandhi should quit.

“She is Congress President, we are leaders of the party, the feedback which is given to restructure organisation is not meant for public… there is no question on the leadership, when Mrs Gandhi offered (to step back), we all rejected it.

“When the party will go for organisational polls, then there will be deliberations.. at that time it will be decided,” Azad told media persons after the key meeting, which lasted for over an hour.

“There is no vacancy of the Congress President.”

Distancing himself from the views of senior party leader and fellow G-23 leader Kapil Sibal on leadership change, Azad noted that Gandhi’s offer has been rejected by all groups, including the one he belonged to, and “we wanted her to continue”.

His remarks bolster indications that the Congress’ internal battle seems heading towards a truce as Gandhis have been proactively reaching out the dissenters with senior party leader Rahul Gandhi, who has been not having a good equation with former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, met him on Thursday and listened to his grievances. Later, Hooda met the G-23 leaders.

Similarly, the Gandhi family is reaching out each person in the G-23 group, who have been demanding a drastic overhaul of the party’s functioning, either personally of through an emissary.

The ‘G-23’ met on Wednesday and issued a statement calling for the Congress organisation to be revamped and accountability of the people involved in the election process.

“We believe that the only way forward for the Congress is to adopt the model of collective and inclusive leadership and decision making at all levels… in order to oppose the BJP, it is necessary to strengthen the Congress party. We demand that the Congress party initiate a dialogue with like-minded forces to create a platform to pave the way for a credible alternative in 2024,” the statement had said.

CAS denies Russia interim relief against ban, World Cup participation almost over

Sports

Indo Asian News Service

18/03/2022

CAS denies Russia interim relief against ban, World Cup participation almost over

Lausanne (Switzerland): The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Friday dismissed the Russian soccer federation’s bid for an urgent interim ruling against the ban to play Poland in a World Cup playoff match on March 24.

The CAS decision means Russia will not be able to play Poland in World Cup qualifying and their hopes to feature at the World Cup in Qatar later this year is almost over. However, it will not be confirmed till CAS makes a final decision.

The ruling follows a similar CAS refusal on Tuesday to freeze UEFA’s ban on participation of Russian national and club teams in European football competitions.

However, in a second blow in just a few days, the FUR failed in its proceedings against FIFA.

Both the decisions ensure Russia would not be allowed to play their qualifier against Poland and effectively end their chance of participating in the World Cup in Qatar later this year, reports dailymail.co.uk

In a statement on Friday, CAS said, “The president of the appeals arbitration division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has rejected the request filed by the Football Union of Russia (FUR) to stay, for the duration of the CAS proceedings, the execution of the FIFA Council’s decision to suspend all Russian teams and clubs from participation in its competitions until further notice (the challenged decision).”

“Accordingly, the challenged decision remains in force and all Russian teams and clubs continue to be suspended from participation in FIFA competitions. The CAS arbitration proceedings continue. A panel of arbitrators is currently being constituted and the parties are exchanging written submissions. No hearing has been fixed yet,” the statement said.

That ruling means Spartak Moscow, the only Russian side left in the latter stages of the Europa League, were not allowed to play their last-16 match on Thursday and their opponents RB Leipzig received a bye.

CAS may yet rule to overturn FIFA and UEFA’s decisions when it makes its full judgment, which would see Russia reinstated.

Home Minister Amit Shah to visit Jammu today

Front

Precious Kashmir

18/03/2022

Home Minister Amit Shah to visit Jammu today

Srinagar: Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to arrive Jammu and Kashmir on Friday for a two-day visit where he will chair a high-level security meeting and also attend several programmes, sources said here on Thursday.

Sources said that Amit Shah is also going to hold a meeting with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and other top officials of the Union Territory.

They said that he is also going to address Raising Day gathering of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) at M A Stadium in Jammu on March 19.

Notably, his visit to Jammu comes at a time after BJP registered emphatic victory in assembly elections in four states including UP and when there is lot of talk going around about holding of assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.

Earlier, it was reported that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) would likely review the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of recent attacks on civilians and security personnel.

A CRPF man Mukthar Ahmad, who was home on leave, was killed by militants in Shopian district on Sunday which was the fourth such attack on security personnel in the last three days. Ahmad succumbed to his injuries on the way to a hospital.

Shabir Ahmad Mir, a Sarpanch, was shot dead by militants in Kulgam on Friday, while the sarpanch of Khanmoh, Bashir Ahmad Bhat was killed two days prior on the outskirts of Srinagar. On March 7, two civilians were killed and at least 35 people, including a police official, were injured in a grenade attack at Amira Kadal in Srinagar.

Meanwhile, security arrangements have been beefed up across Jammu in view of Amit Shah’s visit to Jammu tomorrow. (KNS)

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