Srinagar: For the first time since its inception, Border Roads Organisation has kept the strategic Zojila Pass – connecting Drass with Kashmir valley – through for traffic, informed army’s spokesperson in a statement issued here.

“In spite of heavy snowfall at Zojila, BRO Karmyogis, with relentless effort under Project Beacon, ensured opening of the pass and facilitated connectivity to Ladakh region. Zojila Pass located at an altitude of 11643 ft on Srinagar-Sonamarg-Gumri road is the lifeline between Kashmir Valley and Ladakh, reads the statement adding last year Zojila Pass was kept open till 31 Dec 2020, however this year due to concerted efforts of Project Beacon, the Zojila Pass was opened for the first time ever in the month of January.”

“Zojila Pass has its own unique challenges of freezing temperatures and lack of oxygen and frequent avalanches. Due to unrelenting efforts, BRO personnel have ensured trafficability on Srinagar – Sonamarg – Gumri Road across Zojila Pass by employing more than 20 heavy duty equipments including four state of the art Snow Cutters”, the statement reads.

‘Project Beacon has ensured connectivity for strategic requirements of Defence forces and also the local population.’

The Snowfall in last two- three days has resulted in slippery road conditions along Zojila Pass on Srinagar – Leh highway causing disruption to traffic movement.   Detachments of Project Beacon with prepositioned equipments located at Gumri, Bajri Nallah, Baltal, Sonamarg and Gagangir played key role to in opening of the Pass despite the inclement weather conditions, the statement reads.

‘Day and night lose their relevance when six teams deployed at different locations worked 24×7 to keep the road open during extremely challenging conditions. BRO Karamyogis ensured safe passage of 175 vehicles to cross over the pass since 01 Jan 22.’

The efforts of BRO were lauded by the civil administration as well as local population, the statement concluded.

Jammu: The pilgrimage to the world famous Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Cave Shrine was briefly suspended on Wednesday evening due to incessant rains from Katra in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir.

“Due to continuous rains from Tuesday, the pilgrimage to the cave shrine was suspended this evening at 7 PM from Katra base camp,” a Shrine Board official said.

He said that till this time, 19,000 pilgrims had left the base camp for Bhawan, adding, “due to the landslide triggered because of rains, the yatra was diverted from the new track towards the traditional route.”

The battery car service was also suspended in view of shooting stones and landslides on the new route, he added.

Meanwhile, dense fog in the Trikuta Hills forced the authorities to suspend the Chopper service from Katra to Sanjichhat, said an official.

Notably, on the intervening night of December 31-January 1, 12 pilgrims died and 16 injured during stampede at Bhawan due to heavy rush.

Jammu and Kashmir Government has also framed a panel and ordered a probe to ascertain the cause that led to stampede. (UNI)

Srinagar: Kashmir University notified for the information of all the concerned that due to inclement weather conditions, all UG/PG/Professional/B.Ed (External POT) exams of Kashmir University scheduled on 06-01-2022 and 07-01-2022 are hereby postponed.

Fresh dates for postponed papers will be notified separately, Prof Irshad Ahmad Nawchoo, Controller of Examinations said in a statement.

Srinagar: Three Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) militants were killed in an encounter with police along with Army and CRPF in Pulwama district of south Kashmir on Wednesday, police said.

“Acting on specific input regarding presence of (militants) in village Chandgam area of Pulwama, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Police, (army’s) 55RR and 182Bn CRPF in the area,” a police spokesperson said in a statement.

During the search operation, he said, as the joint search party proceeded towards the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party which was retaliated “effectively”, leading to an encounter.

In the ensuing encounter, he said, three militants were killed and their bodies retrieved from the site of encounter. Two among the militants have been identified as Mir Owais of Ashmander Pulwama and a Pakistani national Talha Yasir of JeM. Regarding the third militant, he said, although the recoveries made from the site of encounter indicate him to be a foreigner however his identification is being ascertained.

“As per police records, all the killed militants were part of group involved in several cases including attacks on security forces,” he said. Several cases were registered against identified militants, he said. “Owais was involved in killing of a civilian namely Azad Ahmad Dar of Kangan Pulwama. Talha was mastermind in preparation of Vehicle-borne IEDs besides, involved in attack on civilian at Wanpora area of Pulwama.”

He said “incriminating materials, arms and ammunition including two M-4 Carbine and 01 AK series rifle were recovered from the site of encounter”.

“IGP Kashmir congratulated the joint security forces for conducting successful operation without any collateral damage and also appreciated people of the area for their cooperation with the forces by maintaining calm and not resorting to any kind of violence during the course of operation,” he said.

By: Nasir Azam

Srinagar: The Jammu & Kashmir government has declared 1358 kanals and 6 marlas of land as “strategic areas” for training and operational requirements of the armed forces in Gulmarg and Sonamarg tourist resorts in Kashmir Valley.

A copy of notification issued by the J&K’s Tourism Department reveals that 1034 kanals and six marlas of land at Gulmarg and 354 Kanals at Sonamarg have been notified as strategic areas by the authorities while exercising powers under the Jammu and Kashmir Development Act.

The notification reveals that the land has been declared as a strategic area on the request of Army’s corps commander.

According to the notification, the corps commander shall ensure strict adherence to the environment laws to prevent any environmental hazard. “Corps commander shall ensure that no other applicable law in force in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is observed in breach,” reads the order.

As per the notification, the corps commander shall ensure that the order(s), if any, passed by any court or tribunal is strictly adhered to.

This is the first notification issued by the J&K government to declare any area as strategic area for armed forces after the Ministry of Home Affairs amended The Jammu and Kashmir Development Act-1970 in October 2020 through an executive order under the Reorganization Act.

On June 17, 2020, the J&K administrative council headed by then Lt Governor G.C. Murmu cleared the proposal to amend the J&K Control of Building Operations Act, 1988 and the J&K Development Act, 1970 for notifying “strategic areas” for use by the armed forces and regulating construction through a “special dispensation”.

Subsequently, the MHA amended these laws on October 26, 2020 to provide that  the Government may on the written request of an Army officer not below the rank of corp commander, declare an area as strategic area within a local area, only for direct operational and training requirements of armed forces, which may be excluded from the operation of this Act and rules/regulations made there under in the manner and to the extent specified in the declaration and the government may satisfy itself about the reasons cited for declaring the area as strategic area and will have such area notified accordingly with such conditions as may be required. (KNO)

New Delhi: A Court of Inquiry formed to probe the December 8 chopper crash leading to the death of Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat and 13 others gave a detailed presentation to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday.

The panel, headed by Air Marshal Manvendra Singh with officers of the Army and Navy, also made certain recommendations for VVIP travel in choppers, informed sources said.

IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari and Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar were present during the presentation.

Government sources said a Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) has been mentioned as the cause of the accident, meaning the pilot may have entered an envelope of cloud and got disoriented due to low visibility, leading to a collision and subsequent crash.

The chopper was flying along a railway line on low attitude before entering into thick cloud cover.

The inquiry ruled out sabotage or technical fault as probable reasons behind the crash.

The panel has made certain recommendations to re-look at the Standard Operating Procedures to fly VVIPs.

The inquiry team collected evidence, examined the black box and studied various aspects of aviation while preparing a report.

Gen Rawat died near Coonoor together with his wife Madhulika, his senior most staff officer Brig L S Lidder and Lt Col Harjinder Singh, Naik Gursewak Singh, Naik Jitender Kumar, Naik Vivek Kumar, Naik B. Sai Teja, Havaldar Satpal and pilots flying the helicopter.

The chopper had taken off from the Sulur IAF station and was flying to Wellington. (UNI)

By: Nadeem Nadu

Jammu: The government on Wednesday ordered premature retirement of two officers, officials said on Wednesday.

The exercise was conducted as part of regular process under Article 226(2) of J&K CSRs and followed recommendations of a Review Committees constituted for the purpose.

The officers retired before their actual superannuation include Ashiq Hussain, the then Deputy Registrar,  Cooperative Societies J&K (continuing under suspension) and Showkat Ahmad Wani, the then Driver Grade-I, Motor Garages Department (presently under suspension).

Meanwhile, sources said that the Government has directed the Departments to speed up the  scrutinization of cases of “inefficient, non-performing and corrupt employees” for consideration of their premature retirement under the ambit of Article 226(2) of J&K CSRs. (GNS)

Bandipora: A residential house was gutted in a fire incident in Kehnoosa village of Aloosa Tehsil in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district on Wednesday, officials said.

Officials said that fire broke out in the residential house of Mohammad Ramzan Mir at Kehnusa village following which locals reached the spot and rescued the family members.

They said that the fire fighters reached the spot and doused the flames; however, the house was gutted completely.

Meanwhile, the locals have accused the government of failing to fulfill their demand of establishing a Fire and Emergency Service station in their area.

The locals said that the whole Aloosa Tehsil is dependent on Bandipora fire service station, which is far away from here. “By the time, the fire fighters reach the spot, the property worth lakhs get damaged,” they added.

They requested the Lieutenant Governor led administration and district administration Bandipora to establish a fire station at Aloosa Tehsil so that people here will suffer less in case of fire. (KNO)

Srinagar: A 29-year-old man was killed and another injured when a boulder from hit their car on the Jammu-Srinagar highway near Ramban district on Wednesday.

Authorities identified the deceased person as Adil Bashir son of Bashir Ahmad Reshi, a resident of Gursa Colony Bemina in Srinagar.

Adil Bashir, as per authorities, was killed after an i20 car, he was travelling in along another person, was hit by a rolling boulder near Karol Jaswal bridge in Ramban district this afternoon.

“The identity of the injured person undergoing treatment at District Hospital Ramban is not known so far”, they said. (GNS)