New Delhi, Sep 30: The Supreme Court Wednesday refused to postpone UPSC civil services preliminary exam, to be held on October 4, because of COVID-19 pandemic and floods in several parts of the country.

A bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar, B R Gavai and Krishna Murari asked the Centre to consider granting one more chance to those aspirants who may not appear in their last attempt allowed for the exam due to the pandemic.
Secretary led officers visit model tribal cluster villages in Samba
It also refused to consider the plea for clubbing of this year’s exam with that of 2021 saying this will have a cascading effect .
The bench was hearing a plea seeking postponement of the Civil Services Exam for two to three months, so that the flood/ incessant rains recede and the COVID-19 curve flattens.
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) opposed the plea saying all necessary precautions have been taken and adequate arrangements have been made for holding the exam.
The bench said that as some public exams have recently been conducted successfully by the authorities by observing proper protocols, it is possible to conduct the UPSC preliminary examinations.
It added that the grievance of lack of transport facility at 72 examination centres and sub-centres have not been substantiated by the petitioners.
Dealing with the grievances of the aspirants that due to the COVID-19 situation students could not take the coaching and other facilities, the bench referred to the availability of facility of online study material to them.
The top court said that it has impressed upon ASG SV Raju, appearing for the Centre, to explore the possibility of giving one more opportunity to such students who fail to take up the exam in their last attempt.
It said that a formal decision can be taken by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) expeditiously.
On allowing suspected COVID-19 aspirants to take up their exams, the bench said that it is not possible to enter into this arena as a matter of fact medical SoP required that a patient is needed to be quarantined as it may result in exposure of other candidates.
It noted that UPSC has made separate arrangements for students suffering from cough and cold.
On September 28, the top court had asked the UPSC to apprise it about the “logistical arrangements” made for conducting civil services preliminary exams on October 4 in view of alarming spurt of COVID-19 cases as also floods in various parts of the country.

The top court had earlier said that it would take up for hearing the plea seeking postponement of civil services 2020 examinations in view of alarming spurt of COVID-19 pandemic and floods.
It had granted the liberty to the petitioner to serve advance copy of the petition on the Standing Counsel for the UPSC as well as on the Standing Counsel for the Central Agency representing Union of India through email/online.
The petitioners have sought postponement of the Civil Services Exam for two to three months, so that the flood/ incessant rains recede and the COVID-19 curve flattens.
The plea submitted that the UPSC decision to conduct the exam in accordance with the impugned Revised Calendar, violates the rights of the petitioners and those similarly situated, under Article 19 (1) (g) of the Constitution to practice their chosen profession/ occupation of serving the public.
According to the plea this 7-hour offline exam, will be taken by approximately six lakh aspirants at test centres in 72 cities.
Conducting the aforesaid examination across India at such perilous time, is nothing else but putting lives of lakhs of young students (including Petitioners herein) at utmost risk and danger of disease and death. Also, the natural calamities like flood, incessant rain, landslides etc. are likely to directly affect the life and health of the Petitioners and many similarly situated students , it said.
Hence, the impugned Revised Calendar is utterly arbitrary, unreasonable, whimsical and patently violative of the Right to Health and Right to Life of the Petitioners herein and lakhs of similarly situated students, under Article 21, the petition stated.
The plea said the Civil Services Exam, being a recruitment examination, is altogether different from an academic examination and in the event of its postponement; there would not be any question of delay or loss of any academic session.
It said that due to non-availability of exam centres in their home towns, many aspirants are facing unimaginable hardship due to non-availability of or unsafe health conditions in, the PG accommodation/ hostels/ hotels etc., where they are forced to stay with their family members, once they are travelling to an outstation Examination Centre.
It is pertinent to mention here that despite alarming spurt in COVID-19 pandemic, UPSC did not increase the number of Examination Centres, resulting into a situation where many candidates from rural areas will be forced to travel for around 300-400 Kilometres, in order to reach to their Examination Centres and there will be high probability of such aspirants, getting affected while using public transportation for such travel, the plea said.

Tasaduq Hussain

Srinagar, Sep 30: The Government of India has allowed 315 students from Jammu and Kashmir enrolled at different colleges across Pakistan to cross over via Attari Wagah border in Amritsar today.

In an official communiqué, the Government of India on request of Pakistan has allowed 315 students to cross over to Pakistan to resume studies.

The government of Pakistan had earlier communicated with the government of India to allow the travel of 315 Kashmiri students to Pakistan on 30th September having Indian passports.

Pakistan had requested that the students be allowed to cross over to Pakistan via Wagah border-attari on 30th September.

In reply, the Government of India allowed the travel of 315 Kashmiri students to Pakistan on 30th September.

It said, “It is requested that the above mentioned 315 indian nationalists may be allowed to enter into Pakistan (Subject 5o valid passport) through Wagah border on 30th September, 2020 following necessary health security protocol/screening.”

Pertinently, a huge number of students from different parts of Kashmir are enrolled at various Medical Colleges in Pakistan.

It may be recalled that the government of India earlier during the COVID lockdown period made special arrangements for the Kashmiri students for their safe arrival.

Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Sep 30: The guidelines and instructions regarding lockdown measures already in force in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir will continue till October 8, 2020.

According to an order issued here today by the government, the State Executive Committee vide its order numbers 78 and 79-JK- (DMRRR) of 2020 dated 31.08.2020 issued guidelines for implementation of extended lockdown in containment zones (Red Zones) till 30.09.2020 and  reopening of some more activities in areas outside Containment Zones (Red  Zones).

The order further stated that the State Executive Committee, in exercise of powers conferred under Section 24 of the Disaster Management  Act, 2005, has ordered that the said  guidelines/instructions issued vide above referred orders shall continue to  remain valid till 08.10.2020.

Meets Public representatives, deputations at Pampore

Precious Kashmir News
Pampore, Sep 30: Chief Secretary, BVR Subrahmanyam today said that the Back to Village program has become a cornerstone of good governance as it acted as a bridge between government and the people.

He was interacting with the locals during the last phase of Block Divas here at Pampore Block. He said that Jan Abhiyan is aimed at to improve service delivery and redress the public grievances within the shortest possible time and achieve cent percent saturation of beneficiary oriented schemes. He added that the aim of the Jan Abiyaan is to strengthen the roots of good governance in J& K, empower the common people and give direction to new governance model adopted by UT Government.

Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir P.K Pole; District Development Commissioner Pulwama Dr Raghav Langer;   and SSP Awantipora besides other district officers also attended the Block Diwas.

The CS interacted with hundreds of people present at the Block Divas and listened to their issues and grievances. He also distributed sporting kits among School children, income and domicile certificates, KCC cards, Job cards and Labour Cards among the applicants.

He also handed over Baby Kits to newly born girl children under BBBP and gave away sanction letters to young girls under Ladli Beti Scheme; besides wheel chairs, hearing aids, walking sticks among the persons with disabilities.

Several grievances projected by the individuals and public deputations were resolved by the Chief Secretary on the spot.

A delegation of PRIs also met the Chief Secretary and apprised him about the issues confronting them. They also highlighted the economic potential and developmental requirements of the area and sought his intervention in meeting the aspirations of the people.

The Chief Secretary reiterated the commitment of government for empowerment of the Panchayati Raj Institutions in J&K and assured that the issues will be settled in a time bound manner.

Earlier, the Chief Secretary inspected the stalls of different departments put up to showcase the government schemes and educate the people about their scope and benefits in generating employment, boosting farm and Industrial sectors.

Meanwhile, the Block Divas was held in all eleven Blocks of the district Pulwama. The designated officers including ADC Pulwama, ADC Tral and ADC Awantipora and other district and sectoral officers listened to the demands and issues of the people .Many grievances were redressed on the spot and rest were forwarded to the concerned departments for prompt redress through an established tracking system.

Rapid Antigen Test mandatory for Move-employees
Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Sep 30: While chairing a high-level meeting to review the preparations for winter darbar move 2020, the Chief Secretary, B V R Subrahmanyam said that the Rapid Antigen Test is mandatory for the employees moving with the bi-annual darbar move.

Administrative Secretaries of departments of Home, Housing & Urban Development, Power Development, General Administration, Estates, Jal Shakti, Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, besides Divisional Commissioners of Jammu and Kashmir along with IGP, Security, IGP Kashmir, and IGP, Jammu participated in the meeting.

The General Administration Department informed the offices observing a 5-day week shall close at Srinagar on 30th October, 2020 and offices observing 6-day week shall close on 31st October, 2020 after office hours. All the offices will reopen re-open at the winter capital city of Jammu on 9th November, 2020. However, in view of the holidays in the last week of October, this could be modified.

The meeting was informed that adequate arrangements are being made to transport official records and employees on 30th -31st October, 2020, and 7th-8th November, 2020. The security and escort plan, availability of trucks and buses, recovery vans, mobile workshops, health facilities, and ambulances along the highway were discussed threadbare.

The Chief Secretary directed the Traffic Department to ensure hassle-free movement of employees from Srinagar to Jammu. The Divisional Commissioner, Jammu was asked to establish control rooms to monitor move-related transit of record and personnel. He directed the BEACON and NHAI to ensure the good condition of Srinagar-Jammu National Highway. Deputy Commissioner, Ramban was directed to keep a contingency plan ready should there be a disruption of traffic on the highway due to landslides/shooting stones.

The Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs department was asked to ensure hassle-free distribution of ration and gas connections to move-employees through the Aadhar seeded nation-wide portable ration cards. The Chief Secretary impressed upon the concerned to open ration counters in the vicinity of the Government employees’ colonies, besides ensuring the availability of quality and hygienic food to the employees staying in hotel accommodations.

The Chief Secretary also directed the Estates, PHE, PDD, and Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) to inspect residential colonies of the move-employees and ensure complete sanitation, availability of electricity, potable drinking water, and other basic facilities to them. He asked the Estates Department to establish a control room to attend to the requests of employees relating to their residential accommodation and other facilities at Jammu.

He asked Estates Departments to set up additional convenience facilities in the Civil Secretariat Srinagar for employees besides ensuring adequate drinking water facilities and cleanliness.

It was decided that a Mini-Secretariat will be kept functional in Srinagar during the winter season to cater to the needs of Kashmir province and accordingly, the Estates Department was directed to ensure availability of adequate accommodation and facilities at the Civil Secretariat, Srinagar.

Giving due consideration to redressal of grievances and concerns of the people, the General Administration Department was directed to extended visiting hours at Srinagar Civil Secretariat from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm for the general public.

New Delhi, Sep 30: State-run hydro power giant NHPC on Wednesday said its 120 MW Sewa-II power station in Jammu and Kashmir has been shut till March 31, 2021 due to some damage in its head race tunnel (HRT).
The HRT carries water from intake to a power house for electricity generation.
“It is to inform that Sewa-II Power Station (120 MW) in UT of Jammu & Kashmir has been under complete shutdown w.e.f. 25.09.2020 to 31.03.2021 for damage of HRT,” the company said in a BSE filing.
The shutdown will cause tentative loss of 157.4 MUs (million units) in generation (design energy) and 35.61 per cent in NAPAF (Normative Annual Plant Availability Factor), it added.
The Sewa-II power station (3 X 40 MW) is a run-of-the-river project with a small pondage to harness the hydro power potential of river Sewa.
It is located in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir.
The surface power house with installed capacity of 120 MW houses three units of 40 MW capacity each designed to generate 533.53 million units in a 90 per cent dependable year with 95 per cent machine availability.
All the three generating units of the power station were commissioned in June and July, 2010.
The beneficiary states/UTs of this power station are Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Haryana, J&K, Punjab, Rajasthan and Chandigarh.