Srinagar: The government on Monday formed a committee for expeditious forest clearances of re-aligned sections of Jammu-Srinagar Highway.

The committee is headed by Principal Secretary to Government PW (R&B) Department and its members include Commissioner Secretary to government, Department of Forest, Ecology and Environment, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, J&K, nodal officer FCA, Forest Department, and Regional Officer, NHAI, Jammu.

“The Committee shall review progress on fortnightly basis to resolve bottlenecks in granting forest clearances for the project through ARIVESH portal and shall be serviced by the Public Works(R&B) Department,” reads the order.

The panel has been formed days after a committee headed by Chief Secretary Arun Kumar Mehta was formed for reviewing progress of projects on monthly basis and for taking timely decisions for resolution of bottlenecks in the construction of re-aligned section of Ramban-Banihal on Jammu-Srinagar highway.

Besides the Chief Secretary as chairman, the members of the committee includes principal secretaries to government Revenue, PW(R&B) department, commissioner secretaries of department of mining and department of Forest Ecology, & Environment besides Divisional Commissioner Jammu, according to a government order.    “The Committee shall be serviced by the PW(R&B) Department.” (GNS)

Srinagar: Police on Wednesday claimed to have solved a murder case by arresting four accused in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

Police in a statement said that on 31st July one lady namely Fahmeeda Begum wife of Aijaz Ahmad Pandith resident of Khawajabagh lodged a complaint in Police station Baramulla that her husband namely Aijaz Ahmad Pandith @ Bilal son of Muhammad Ismail resident of Khawajabagh went to the bank of river Jhelum for sand extraction along with one local namely Firdous Ahmad Ganie of Khawajabagh.

However after sometime mother of said Firdous Ganie reached the house of applicant and informed her that Bilal and Firdous who had crossed river Jhelum to Chakloo side have been attacked by some residents of Chakloo.

The police spokesperson further said that in the attack Bilal has probably been taken away by the attackers while Firdous managed to escape and reached home. On this a case FIR No.175/21 U/S 364 IPC was registered and investigation taken up. During the course of investigation, the survivor namely Firdous Ganaie was interrogated and he stated that during the intervening night of 30/31 of July midnight, he along with deceased Aijaz Ahmad Pandith while extracting sand from river Jhelum near Chakloo were attacked by residents of Chakloo (4 in number) from among whom the said survivor identified two attackers as Bashir Ahmad Wani son of Ahad Wani and Mudasir Ahmad Sheikh son Ghulam Hassan both residents of Chakloo Baramulla.

The statement of the said witness was substantiated during investigation of the suspects and other evidences, they said.

Accordingly the alleged accused were arrested on 2nd August and the accused confessed to the crime and stated that the deceased namely Aijaz Pandith @ Bilal and the survivor Firdous  Ganie residents of Khawajabagh used to take away sand from Chakloo side of river Jhelum and on fateful night the accused along with two other accused namely Fayaz Ahmad Shah son of Abdul Ahad Shah residents of Banyari Hajin Sumbal, District Bandipora and Basit Aziz Payar son of Abdul Aziz Payar resident of Chera Koot Sogam, District Kupwara laid an ambush near the place of occurrence and when the deceased along with survivor started extracting the sand the accused pounced upon the deceased and the survivor and took  the deceased with them while as the survivor jumped into the river, they added.

After taking the deceased, one of the attackers namely Mudasir Sheikh hit the deceased on head with an agricultural tool spade and then thrown into the river and drowned. The weapon of offence stands recovered on the disclosure and identification of accused, they said.

The dead body of the deceased was recovered from river Jhelum near Khanpora Bridge on  2 August after strenuous searches and efforts of police, SDRF & Marine Commandoes, they said.

After fulfilling legal formalities the dead body was handed over to family for last rites. All the four accused stand arrested, reads the statement.

By: Bhat Imran

Srinagar: The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Wednesday said that the department will vaccinate all staff as well as the students of above 18 years of age in schools and colleges before the reopening of the institutions.

A communiqué issued by the CMO Baramulla reads that the vaccination drive for teaching, non-teaching staff and college students will be done before reopening of colleges.

In this regard, the CEO has asked the official of the respective departments to provide the line list of teaching, non-teaching staff and enrolled students of above 18 years.

The Communiqué states, “Provide list of the staff and students so that the drive is completed before reopening of the schools and colleges in the district Baramulla. The drive may start from August-04 as higher offices are particular for the same.”

The CMO however while specifying the particulars that needs to be vaccinated said that the details of the same shall be submitted by Deputy Chief Medical Officer Baramulla.

Among the staff and students, the CMO asked them to provide details of the total number of teaching, non-teaching staff of the college.

The CMO said that the total number of students of over 18 years needs to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Earlier, the Directorate of Health Services Kashmir (DHSK) has said that it will vaccinate all faculty members and students of educational institutes before the resumption of physical academic activities.

DHSK has requested the educational institution authorities to take action at earliest. (KNO)

Srinagar: At least 32 cft of illicit timber was seized at two separate places in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Wednesday, officials said.

They said forest Protection Force along with territorial staff of the forest department seized 22 cft of illicit timber in compartment 100/K near Narsar village falling in Forest block Ophiasian of Kuthar Forest Range Anantnag.

The seizure, they said, was made during routine patrolling by the FPF and staff of the forest department.

Deputy Director Forest Protection Force Anantnag, Nawab Ahmad Magray, said that the “culprit” in the case has been traced out and FIR stands lodged in the police station Utrusoo against one Tariq Ahmad Malik of Narsar Utrusoo.

Meanwhile, he said, based on specific information, a team of forest protection force seized 10 cfts of kail Timber from the premises of a bandsaw owner identified as Ghulam Rasool Mir of Mir Danter Harnag. He said an FIR (351 of 2021) stands lodged in the police station Anantnag. (GNS)

Bijbehara: Two teen aged girls have gone missing from Bijbehara village in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district.

Both girls are 14 years old and are the residents of Gadhanjipora village of Bijbehara town of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district.

Police sources said that fathers of these teen aged girls-Ali Muhammad Dar and Farooq Ahmed Dar filed written complaints at police station Bijbehara stating their daughters Saima Jan alias Sweetie and Simran Jan are missing from their homes since Monday (2 August).

Police took cognizance of these missing reports and registered an FIR vide number 222/2021 under relevant sections of law.

Police have constituted a team to trace these missing young girls.

Families have also appealed general public to help them in tracing these two girls. (KNT)