Jammu: Two soldiers were killed in accidental firing in J&K’s Rajouri district on Thursday, police said.
Police sources said the soldiers were killed in an accidental firing incident near the Line of Control in Hanjanwali area of Rajouri.
“A police team has rushed to the spot to ascertain the details of the incident. Preliminary reports indicate that it was an incident of accidental firing,” a source said. (IANS)
Srinagar: As many as 18 sheep were killed and over a dozen injured in two stray dogs’ attacks in J&K’s Ganderbal district on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday.
Locals in Watlar village of Ganderbal district said stray dogs barged into the cowshed of Abdul Gani Bhat at night and killed 14 sheep.
Over a dozen others were injured in this nocturnal attack. Around 30 sheep were in the shed when the dogs attacked.
“The dogs then attacked another cowshed in this village belonging to one Ghulam Qadir and killed 4 sheep while injuring 3 lambs”, locals said.
Locals alleged that Municipal Committee Ganderbal has done nothing to check the stray dog population that has grown exponentially over the years.
“Women and children are now scared to even come out of their homes”, locals said.
In the first week of this month, stray dogs had attacked a flock of sheep in Gund area of the same district in broad daylight and killed 10 sheep. (IANS)
By: Jehangeer Ganai
Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Winter Games Association (WGA) Thursday announced the postponement of skiing championship slated for January 17 in Gulmarg in the wake of Covid outbreak at the picturesque tourist resort.
WGA president Muhammad Abbas Wani said that skiing championship that entails Alpine skiing, Nordic skiing and Snowboard, was scheduled to kick-start from January 17 at Gulmarg.
“Teams from north, central Kashmir and South Kashmir were supposed to take part in the skiing championship. In view of the Covid outbreak in the tourist resort as some boys have tested positive, we have deferred the event that would otherwise stretch till February,” WGA president said.
He said that they will wait for the government nod and also take precautionary if the championship resumes. “If the championship resumes, players will have to undergo proper testing and no player will be allowed to participate without parental consent,” he said, adding the safety of players is of utmost importance and they won’t take risk by allowing to play amid pandemic outbreak.
The postponement of skiing championship comes at a time when around 70 students and officials, who were part of the skiing camp at Gulmarg organized by Jammu and Kashmir Youth Services and Sports (YSS), tested positive for Covid-19. (KNO)
Srinagar: In wake of the surge in Covid-19 cases in Jammu and Kashmir, Authorities at Srinagar International Airport here have decided to fine Rs 500 from the people found without face masks and also follow the rule of no mask no entry.
Director Srinagar Airport, Kuldeep Singh said that COVID-19 disease is spreading at a rapid pace and the infection is more in crowded areas.
“All our passengers are requested to please maintain social distance at the airport and also wear masks at all times. We follow the rule of No Mask No Entry,” he said, adding that they have decided to fine Rs 500 if any passengers remove their mask.
He added that the time of entry to the airport is maximum three hours before flight departure, but some passengers are coming 7-8 hours before flight, which increases crowds at the airport and thus simultaneously increases the risk of infection as well.
Director also appealed the passengers to reach the airport only upto three hours before flight and that the entry to the airport shall be given only upto three hours before flight from today. “This is necessary to control the congestion at the airport because we want to reduce the chance of infection,” he said and appealed people to cooperate with the security staff in maintaining access control at the airport. (KNO)
Srinagar: Jammu-Srinagar highway, the only surface link connecting Kashmir Valley with the outside world, shall reopen for one-way for traffic tomorrow (Friday), officials said here on Thursday.
“(On Friday) subject to fair weather and better road condition Only LMVs Passengers shall be allowed from Srinagar towards Jammu (strictly one way) which will be allowed to move via Maitra route,” a traffic department official said. “These vehicles shall be allowed from Navyug Tunnel (Qazigund side) from 1100 hrs to 1400 hrs (Subject to change depending on the road position then).”
He said no traffic is possible via Mehar because of continuous shooting stones at Slide point.
“Bus/Mini Bus/Tempoo Traveler etc. will be not allowed as capacity of a bridge on Maitra road do not support these vehicles,” he said, adding, “Action under Rule shall be taken against the vehicle who will violate the advisory.”
The thoroughfare remained shut on Thursday and on Wednesday it was closed shortly after traffic was restored for movement of stranded passenger light-medium vehicles (LMVs) this afternoon.
On Friday last, the Highway got blocked and remained closed for three consecutive days due to heavy snowfall and landslides at several places. The road was partially thrown open for stranded vehicles on Monday after clearing landslides and improvements in the weather.
Meanwhile, Mughal Road, connecting Shopian with Poonch and Rajouri districts, remained closed for vehicular movement in view of snow accumulation at Peer Ki Gali.
Also, Srinagar-Sonamarg-Gumri road remained shut for vehicular movement in view of snow accumulation on Zoji la axis and has been closed till further orders. Kishtwar-Sinthan road also remained closed in view of snow accumulation, the traffic department official said. (GNS)
By: Nasir Azam
Srinagar: Chief Engineer Kashmir Power Development Corporation Limited (KPDCL) Aijaz Ahmed Dar Thursday said that the expenses of all the injured linemen of the department has been borne by the department and in the fresh case too, the department is duty bound to bear medical expenses of injured lineman of Kulgam district.
He said the department is working to provide golden health cards to its all employees including linemen and that they are covered under Welfare Fund Scheme (WFS) for meeting health expenditures.
“In the fresh case of lineman Shabir Ahmed Dar, who was injured at Bogund, Kulgam on Sunday, the department will take the responsibility of all his medical expenses,” Dar said.
Shabir is working as a daily wager in the power department. The Chief Engineer in the past, expenses of all the employees were injured due to electric shock or while repairing lines, were borne by the department.
The Chief Engineer KPDCL said that they will implement set Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) aggressively and procure latest equipment to minimize accidents and injuries to its staff including linemen while repairing the lines, transformers etc.
He, however, said that at times, department tries to raise funds for the family help of injured employees and not for medical help. “With new strategy in place, there will be a significant fall in accidents and injuries to employees in line of duty henceforth,” the CE said. (KNO)
Sopore: Three residential houses were damaged in the two separate fire incidents in north Kashmir’s Baramulla and Bandipora districts, officials said on Thursday.
Officials said that the fire broke out from a structure and engulfed the surrounding building during which two residential houses were damaged in the blaze.
“After receiving information, fire tenders rushed to the spot and started an operation to douse the flames and prevented it from spreading further with the help of locals. However, two residential houses were damaged,” they said.
The officials said that no injury or casualty has been reported in the incident, while the exact loss could not be ascertained yet.
Similarly, this evening another residential house was gutted in a fire incident at Achoora village of Gurez tehsil in Bandipora district.
According to officials the double-storey house belonging to Zabullah Lone, a resident of Achoora was gutted in the fire incident. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. (KNO)
Srinagar: Police in Budgam claimed to have solved a theft case within 24 hours by arresting the accused person and recovered stolen property worth lakhs of rupees.
Police Station Budgam received a complaint from one Mohammad Hussain Malla a resident of Paller Budgam wherein he stated that gold ornaments worth Rs 1.5 lakhs have been stolen by some unknown persons from his house, a police spokesman said.
He said a case under relevant sections of law was registered at Police Station Budgam and investigation was initiated.
During the course of investigation, many suspects were called for questioning but one of the alleged suspects identified as Ajaz Ahmed Rather son of Showkat Ahmad Rather a resident of Dangerpora Sumbal Bandipora confessed his involvement in the commissioning of crime, Police spokesman said.
He said, on his disclosure, stolen property including four golden rings & 10 ear rings were recovered.
The accused has been arrested and shifted to a police station where he remains in custody, he added.
Srinagar: Amid massive surge in COVID-19 cases in J&K, the authorities at Cluster University Srinagar said that they will continue to hold the examination of different courses in offline mode, thereby risking the lives of students as well as employees.
A local news gathering agency received several distressed calls from students demanding postponement of exams till the COVID situation improves.
As per Media reports, Ghulam Shah Badshah University (BGSBU), Rajouri postponed the examination of the BBA 5th semester scheduled on January 14 and 19. Also, authorities at the University of Kashmir (KU) have already deferred the examination till further orders while the Jammu University (JU) also ordered for postponement of all the examinations.
A delegation of Cluster University students said that authorities at CU should put on hold all the scheduled exams keeping in view the arising situation due to the massive spurt in Covid-19 cases and possible indications of onset of a 3rd wave.
They said that authorities are risking lives of students as they can also switch all the scheduled/ongoing offline exams to virtual/online mode for the safety of the students and attending staff, as health needs to be prioritised ahead of anything.
“So as to ensure minimum in person presence as already ordered by the Hon’ LG, its high time to conduct the exams in online mode so as to save the precious academic year(s) of students and at the same time ensuring their safety,” they said.
Meanwhile, Controller Examination at Cluster University, Khursheed Ahmad said that they will continue to hold all scheduled exams in offline mode. “The recently issued guidelines of SEC, which are in place have no mention of exams, so will conduct the exams in offline mode,” he said.
“Incase, we will receive any directives from government to postpone/conduct exams in online mode, we will act accordingly,” he added. (CNS)
By: Jahangeer Ganaie
Pampore: The residents of Baddalo Khrew area of Pampore hamlet in Kashmir’s Pulwama are up against the government for failing in providing basic facilities to the area.
The people of the area said that they have been facing a shortage of drinking water for decades but no attention is being given towards the issue.
“We are forced to drink contaminated water in absence of potable water and our repeated pleas to concerned officials are falling deaf on their ears,” they said
Locals said that there is no proper road connectivity to the area due to which they are suffering.
The locals said that unscheduled power supply is prevalent in the area besides a school in the area has only one teacher.
They added that during emergencies like delivery cases, they are suffering a lot in absence of proper road connectivity.
Locals said that they have brought the issues in notice to higher ups several times but to no avail.
They said that the area has been neglected for the last 70 years and they don’t have any hope now as for decades the promises made with them are proving hoax on ground.
Locals urged LG and District administration to look into the matter and provide basic facilities to the area so that they too can live their lives happily.
Tehsildar Ishtiyak Mohidin acknowledging the problems said that he would take up the issues with the district development commissioner.
Ishtiyak said that a water tanker will be sent to the area on a daily basis as a temporary arrangement and for construction of the borewell, he has already talked with the concerned department.
“Despite being poor, few households have been kept in APL category which will be also looked into and for road construction and staff shortage at the school, I will talk with concerned BDO and ZEO,” he said. (KNO)
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