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.

Jahangeer Ganai

Srinagar, Sep 30: The J&K police Wednesday said that the bodies of slain trio from Rajouri who were killed in Amshipora, Shopian in a “stage managed encounter” on July 18 this year, will be exhumed and handed over their families after following legal procedure while as Rajouri administration has called the families of slain trio for consultations tomorrow.

“Since DNA samples (of slain trio) matched with their families, three bodies will be exhumed and handed over to families after due process of law,” Inspector General of Police (Kashmir range), Vijay Kumar told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).

The development comes just a day after DGP Dilbagh Singh said that police probe into the Amshipora encounter was in a final stage. There has been an immense pressure from the families of slain trio that the bodies of their loved be exhumed and handed over to them since DNA samples have matched and the investigations by police and army have already proved that their son were killed in a “fake encounter.”

“We have been called by the Rajouri administration for consultations. We demand immediate exhumation of bodies of our sons, compensation and punishment to those involved in fake encounter,” said Muhammad Yousuf, father of one of the youth killed in Amshipora gunfight.

The Army had ordered a Court of Inquiry into the encounter last month after the three families came forward to say the youths were cousins — one of them was reportedly 16 years old — who had gone to Kashmir for work and not been in touch since July 17 night.

On September 18, the army said that “the Dos and Don’ts of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) as approved by the Hon’ble Supreme Court have been contravened” in the course of the operation.

The Army did not elaborate on exactly how the Armed Forces Special Powers Act was exceeded and the guidelines were contravened, but said that disciplinary proceedings under the Army Act will be initiated against those found prima facie answerable.

“The inquiry has prima facie indicated that the three unidentified terrorists killed in Op Amshipora were Imtiyaz Ahmed, Abrar Ahmed and Mohd Ibrar, who hailed from Rajouri,” the statement had read—(KNO)

Tasaduq Hussain

Srinagar, Sep 30: He was just two –years- old when he lost his father. He landed up in an orphanage at Srinagar. He battled poverty and other odds and finally “dodged destiny” to reach where he is today.

This is the tale of 24-year-old Gazi Abdullah of remote mountains Gundna area of Doda, who qualified the prestigious KAS examination, whose results were declared by the Public Service Commission on Wednesday.

Narrating his struggle and hardships, Gazi Abdullah said he was two- years- old when he lost his father Muhammad Abdullah Bhat.

“I was only two years old when I lost my father. I had no one to support me financially and emotionally other than my mother, Nageena Begum,” he told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) over phone.

Gazi spent seven years of his childhood at an orphanage in Bemina area of Srinagar

“I came to orphanage when I was studying in 5th class. I remained there till I passed 12th class examination,” he said.

After clearing 12th class examination, Gazi shifted back to Doda as he could not manage to study in Srinagar due to financial constraints.

“I had no option than to go back to Doda. I enrolled myself at a local government degree college in Doda,” he said, adding that he used give tuitions to finance his studies.

After completing his graduation, Gazi qualified an entrance test conducted at Aligarh Muslim University.

“Recently I completed my post graduation course in Botany at AMU,” he said.

Gazi said he started preparations for the KAS examination after getting admission in PG course.

“I had a dream to qualify KAS examination. I could not have qualified the prestigious examination without support of my mother. She supported me and encouraged me to excel in life despite being uneducated,” he said.

Srinagar, Sep 30: The government on Wednesday extended ban on high-speed mobile internet in all but two districts of Jammu and Kashmir till October 21.

“Inputs from the law enforcement agencies suggest that concerted efforts continue to be made by Pakistan, with the help of separatists/anti-national elements within the J&K to facilitate infiltration of (militants), which depends heavily on high speed internet as also propagate (militancy) by misuse of social media through circulation of provocative audio/video content, fake news, and coordination of (militant) activities, which too rely upon high speed mobile connectivity,” Shaleen Kabra, Principal Secretary Home Department said in an order.

“During the last fortnight, there have been a number of (militant) incidents and recovery of huge cache of arms/ammunition, and, apprehending disruption to public order, with the larger aim of causing disaffection and discontent against the State, the mobile data services had to be completely suspended, though for limited durations, in some areas of the Kashmir Valley.”

He said that keeping in view, the situation requires close monitoring including in the districts of Ganderbal and Udhmapur.

Considering the position and reports of the law enforcement agencies, inter-alia bringing out the necessity of speed related restrictions on mobile data services to prevent its misuse, the Pricipal secretary ordered that directions issued on September 08 shall continue to remain in force till October 21 October unless modified.

Lucknow, Sep 30: A special CBI court here on Wednesday acquitted all the 32 accused, including former deputy prime minister Lal Krishan Advani, in the demolition of 16th century Babri Masjid in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992, on lack of evidence.
Special Judge S K Yadav said the anti-social elements were behind the razing of the Mosque and the Central Bureau of Investigation failed to establish a link between the accused and these elements.
He said newspaper cuttings and its photographs cannot be termed as evidence. “Also, the video cassettes produced as evidence were unsealed. There were no negatives of the photographs, while the video scenes were unclear,” Mr Yadav stated.

“How can I punish anyone on the basis of photographs or newspaper cuttings?”, Mr Yadav questioned.
As per the court, stone pelting started behind the Babri Mosque at around 1200 hrs on December 6, 1992.
‘VHP president Ashok Singhal wanted to save the structure as there were deities inside and hence, he had asked all the Kar Sevaks to bring water and flower in their both hands, so that they do not get involved in the razing of the Mosque,’ the Judge said.
Yadav mentioned the witness Anju Gupta, a former police officer, produced by the Central Bureau of Investigation, who had admitted that several criminals and dacoits were among the Kar Sevaks.
‘The prosecution could not prove the link between the accused and the anti-social elements involved in razing the Babri Mosque,’ the court said.
Yadav asserted that all 32 accused have been acquitted on the basis of laxity on proving their guilt under Section 65 of the Evidence Act and claimed that anti-social elements were behind the demolition.
As per the reports, as soon as the verdict was announced, the courtroom roared into “Jai Shri Ram” slogan. The court had asked all the accused to be present inside the courtroom.
All were inside except L K Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Kalyan Singh, Uma Bharti, Satish Pradhan and Mahant Nritya Gopal, who attended the proceedings via video-conferencing.
It was also the last working day of Judge Yadav, as he retired today. His tenure was earlier extended by a year.
The CBI counsel, on the future course of action, told reporters in Lucknow, that the judgement would be studied and the next step be decided.
‘After a copy of today’s verdict is received, it would be sent to the CBI headquarters where it would be studied by the legal department and a decision on filing an appeal would be taken as per its suggestion,’ CBI counsel Lalit Singh said.
The judgement was criticised by Muslim bodies, several parties in Opposition, including the Congress, Left and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).
Calling the verdict unfair and unjust, the All India Muslim Personal Board asked the CBI to file an appeal against the acquittal.

AIMPLB General Secretary Maulana Mohammad Wali Rahmani, in a statement here said, ‘Whatever may be the reason for acquittal, but this is also a fact that many of us have seen videos and photos of demolition and it is in open’.
Expressing anguish, All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi called the verdict “obnoxious” and said the Central agency should appeal against it.
Speaking to mediapersons, Owaisi said, “This judgement satisfies the collective consciousness of Hindutva and its followers and ideology”.
He questioned that if the accused were not guilty, then how come the Mosque was grounded.
‘Was it some sort of magic that on December 6 the Masjid was demolished? Who called for the assembling of the people over there? Who made sure that they entered over there?,’ he asked.
The Congress called the verdict a violation of constitutional spirit.
‘Acquittal of all accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case runs counter to the Supreme Court Judgement and Constitutional spirit,’ the Congress said.
‘Every Indian, who has innate faith in the Constitution, expects Centre and the state government to appeal against the special court decision in the Babri case,” it added.
Communist Party of India (Marxist) Sitaram Yechury termed the judgement as complete travesty of Justice.
“All charged with criminal conspiracy to demolish Babri Masjid acquitted. It self imploded? The Constitution Bench headed by then CJI had said that demolition was an ‘egregious’ violation of law. Now this verdict! Shame,” he tweeted.
However, L K Advani wholeheartedly welcomed the verdict.”The judgement vindicates my personal and BJP’s belief and commitment toward the Ram Janmabhoomi movement,” Mr Advani said.
“I also feel blessed that this judgement has come in the footsteps of another landmark verdict of the Supreme Court given in November 2019, which paved the way for my long cherished dream of seeing a grand Shri Ram Mandir at Ayodhya, the foundation laying ceremony of which was held on August 5, 2020,” he added.
Murli Manohar Joshi said he was overwhelmed as the court looked into all facts.
The Supreme Court, in its historic November 9, 2019 judgement on Title Suit, had noted that demolition of Babri Masjid was a “calculated act”.
‘….the entire structure of the Mosque was brought down in a calculated act of destroying a place of public worship…..The Muslims have been wrongly deprived of a Mosque, which had been constructed well over 450 years ago,’ a five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi noted in its verdict.

New Delhi, Sep 30: Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday said that re-opening of schools, colleges, education institutions and coaching institutions would be decided by the States and Union Territories (UTs) as they have been given the flexibility to take a decision after 15th October 2020 in a graded manner.

According to the fresh guidelines, the States Governments would take decision in consultation with the respective school, institution management, based on their assessment of the situation. However, the online or distance learning shall continue to be the preferred mode of teaching and shall be encouraged.

Where schools are conducting online classes, and some students prefer to attend online classes rather than physically attend school, they may be permitted to do so whereas students may attend schools institutions only with the written consent of parents as directed in Unlock 4 guidelines.

“States /UTs will prepare their own SOP regarding health and safety precautions for reopening of schools/ institutions based on the SOP to be issued by Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), Ministry of Education, Government of India, keeping local requirements in view”, the MHA’s new guidelines said.

Schools, which are allowed to open, will have to mandatorily follow the SOP to be issued by Education Departments of States, UTs, it added.

Department of Higher Education (DHE), Ministry of Education may take a decision on the timing of the opening of Colleges, Higher Education Institutions, in consultation with Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), based on the assessment of the situation. However, online/ distance learning shall continue to be the preferred mode of teaching and shall be encouraged.

The Higher Education Institutions only for research scholars (Ph.D) and post-graduate students in science and technology stream requiring laboratory and experimental works will be permitted to open from October 15, 2020, with the condition that the Head of Institution will satisfy herself/himself that there is a genuine requirement of research scholars (Ph.D) and post-graduate students in science and technology stream for laboratory/experimental works.

For all other Higher Education Institutions such as State Universities, Private Universities, they may open only for research scholars (Ph.D) and postgraduate students in science and technology stream requiring laboratory, experimental works as per decision to be taken by the respective State/UT Governments.

Kansal chairs 4th BoD meeting of JKPC

Precious Kashmir News

Srinagar, Sept 30:  Principal Secretary, Power Development and Information Departments, Rohit Kansal who is also the Managing Director of Jammu and Kashmir Power Corporation Limited (JKPCL) Wednesday chaired the 4th Board of Directors meeting of Corporation at Civil Secretariat here.

The meeting was attended by Directors of Board including DG Audit and Inspections, Fayaz Ahmad Lone; Chief Engineer (Trading) JKPCL, Mohammad Yousuf Baba while as Joint Secretary, Ministry of Power, GOI, Mritunjay Kumar Narayan and Additional Secretary, Science and Technology Department, Shafiq Ahmad, participated in the meeting through video conferencing.

The BoDs held a detailed discussion on infusing the liquidity in Power Distribution Companies (DISCOMs) besides other impediments faced by the Corporation for effective service delivery to the public.

The Board also discussed in detail the plan for utilizing the component of funds received under Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan besides roadmap for implementing various features enumerated for power sector in this Self Reliant India Campaign.

The Board decided to raise more than Rs 11,000 Crores for liquidating the power liabilities accrued till June 2020 under Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan. This measure is going to relieve the department of the liabilities and interest accruing from it and infuse new lease of life into its subsidiary companies constituted after dis-bundling of the Power department.

The BODs also approved for engagement of a Company Secretary for managing activities and other financial affairs of Corporation  for a period of six months initially for managing the affairs of the Corporation professionally. The Board besides approved appointment of new members into the Board as directors to bring multiple opinions and professionalism into the working of the company.

In another move the department also requested the GOI for enhancing the allocation of power supply for winter months as the region faces a deficit of 1200-1400 MWs during that period. The department asked for an additional 1500 MWs for meeting the demand of extra power supply from thermal and gas power plants.

The department has enhanced its handling capacity to a greater extent as a network of grid stations has been inaugurated during current year. It was given that the measure is going to address the power woes of this region during peak winter months.

Later the meeting also took review for winter preparedness of the department here in Valley. It was given in the meeting that sufficient number of transformers have been stored besides the network of LT/HT has also been strengthened to withstand the weather vagaries of this harsh season.

Irfan Ahmad

Srinagar Sept 30: The non completion of three major projects has been hampering the economic growth of the Kashmir, which often remains cut off from rest of the country during winters.

The Valley is incurring heavy losses due to closure of Srinagar-Jammu  Highway, the only road connecting region with rest of the world.

At the same time, the government has failed to complete major developmental projects in Kashmir, which could have helped Kashmir to remain accessible with the rest of the world, and helped its economy to grow.

It has been 16-years since the centre approved construction of tunnel on the Mughal Road, but the project is yet to see the ray of the light.

The project was approved in 2004, when the PDP shared power with Congress in the erstwhile state. The proposal was for a seven-kilometer long tunnel between Zaznar and Chathapani at 3000 meters altitude on the 230-year-old Mughal road. However, the work is going at snail’s pace due to which the 84-kilometer road remains close every year for almost five months.

“The construction of the tunnel would have made the Mughal Road all weather road,” an official of Roads and Development Department.

He said there has been undue delay in construction of the tunnel, which would have enable round-the-year connectivity on historic Mughal Road.

The Mughal Road, which goes through Shopian to Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu, lies close since November every year.

“Whenever there is any downpour the highway remains closed. Had the government constructed the tunnel on Mughal Road, it would have saved us from losses,” said Bashir Ahmad, a fruit grower from Shopian.

Similarly, the construction of 4-laning Srinagar-Banihal road link has missed multiple deadlines. The four-laning Jammu-Udhampur link has been completed long ago and work on the expansion of road beyond Udhampur is underway. But the Srinagar-Banihal four laning is yet to be completed.

The  railway line up to Udhampur on Jammu side was completed a long ago but rail network sanctioned in 1995, which would connect Kashmir with other states, is still far from completion. In the past 25 years, this project has faced cost overrun of over Rs 25000 crore. The Jammu-Srinagar railway link was declared a “national project” in 2002 by Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s government and August 15, 2007 was fixed deadline for its completion.

A senior official said the process for completion of all developmental works has been expedited.  (KINS)