Asks them to ensure smooth observance of festivities  amid Covid second wave

Jammu:  Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha chaired a meeting with all Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendents of Police of the Jammu Division to review the developmental scenario, law and order situation, besides assessing the Covid containment and mitigation efforts across the districts, at the Civil Secretariat here today.

Outlining the agenda of establishing a transparent, efficient, pro-people administrative set up across the Union Territory, the Lt Governor called upon the district officers to be sensitive towards the issues, problems and needs of the common public. He also exhorted them to make on-ground assessment of area-specific developmental needs of the district and formulating realistic District Development Plans that touch the lives of ordinary citizens and focus on the broad contours of enhancing employment, augmenting health and education sector, besides ensuring availability of basic amenities of a progressive society.

At the outset, the Lt Governor was briefed by every Deputy Commissioner and Senior Superintendent of Police regarding the COVID situation in the district viz. – the status of testing, containment, vaccination, availability of oxygen and required medicines etc;  progress on the establishment of offices, staff, residences and security of DDCs and other PRIs; progress of works taken up under Back to Village programme; status of Languishing projects; status of available online services among certain specific issues of the districts.

While reviewing the preparations made by the districts regarding the ongoing festival season, the Lt Governor directed the officers to ensure proper supply of water, electricity and ration items to the public so that people can observe their religious activities smoothly.

Taking stock of the mechanism put in place by different districts to deal with the second wave of Covid and the progress of vaccination drive, the Lt Governor called for intensifying the testing, besides vigorous tracing and tracking of Covid contacts.

The Lt Governor directed the Health Department to share all data related to Covid with the Deputy Commissioners so as to facilitate district-wise achievement of vaccination and other targets. “Scale-up the vaccination drive in all the Districts by sensitizing people and providing every possible assistance”, he added.

The Lt Governor also took a district-wise assessment of the availability of medicines, oxygen supply, and number of beds. He also called upon the officers to make dynamic plans as per the evolving situation.

While taking stock of the status of online services, the Lt Governor impressed upon the Deputy Commissioners for implementation of latest online technologies and best practices in citizen-centric governance for improving the public service delivery, and making the administration effective, transparent, accountable, and citizen-friendly.

The Lt Governor directed the Deputy Commissioner, Poonch for constructing Toilets on Mughal road and asked him to identify viable spots for the same at the earliest. He also directed the Deputy Commissioners of other districts for proper maintenance and upkeep of Community toilets that are coming up along the National Highway.

Regarding the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) SEHAT scheme, the Lt Governor asked the Deputy Commissioners to speed up the registration process and called for the promotion of the scheme in each and every district for public welfare. “Ensure 100% coverage and delivery of SEHAT cards to the public”, he asserted.

The Lt Governor also took stock of the district-wise availability of minor minerals and directed the concerned officers to speed up pending allotments, besides taking immediate action against all those indulging in overcharging.

While interacting with the Senior Superintendents of Police of various districts, the Lt Governor directed them to keep a strict check on illegal mining of sand and minerals, the menace of drug abuse, bovine smuggling besides facilitating the public through various public welfare initiatives. He further directed Kathua district officers to ensure hassle-free movement of travelers in and out of UT at Lakhanpur.

Underlining the importance of Block Diwas, the Lt Governor directed the officers to use the platform optimally for public service delivery and redressing public grievances. He instructed the officers to chalk out rational plans with adequate publicity before organizing the Block Diwas so that maximum number of people could benefit from it. He also asked them to audit the grievances received and settled in their respective districts.

The Lt Governor also directed the district officers to lay specific thrust on identification of beneficiaries under the MUMKIN scheme, developmental needs of border villages, utilization of funds under Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA), implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission, and ensuring employment of locals in all major projects going on in their respective districts.

Sh. BVR Subrahmanyam, Chief Secretary; Sh. Arun Kumar Mehta, Financial Commissioner, Finance Department; Sh. Atal Dulloo, Financial Commissioner, Health and Medical Education; Sh. Nitishwar Kumar, Principal Secretary to the Lt Governor; Administrative Secretaries; Divisional Commissioner Jammu; IGP Jammu; Director, Information; and DCs & SPs of Jammu Division were present in the meeting.

Srinagar: A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) officer died on Thursday after he slipped and fell from a building in south Kashmir district of Shopian.

Official sources said that an Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI), identified as Shyam Singh, was critically injured after he slipped and fell from a two storey building at Reshipora in Shopian.

“The injured, who was with 178 battalion of CRPF, was rushed to a local hospital from where he was referred to S K Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura in a critical condition,” they said.

However, they said the officer was declared dead at SKIMS. “After completing all the legal and medical formalities, the body of the deceased would be sent to his native place for last rites,” they said.

They said a case has been initiated and investigation has been initiated into the incident.

Srinagar:  Rain lashed Kashmir Valley and parts of Jammu division, bringing mercury down, even as the local meteorological department here on Thursday said that the ‘erratic weather’ will continue till the weekend.

A meteorological department official told GNS that Srinagar received 3.3mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours till 0830 a.m. while the minimum temperature settled at 7.8°C against 9.4°C on the previous night in the summer capital of J&K. The mercury was 0.2°C above normal for this time of the season, he said.

Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, received 0.8mm of rain and recorded a low of 6.2°C against 7.8°C on the previous night, the official said.

Pahalgam received the highest rainfall of 26.4mm while the famous resort in south Kashmir recorded a minimum of 2.9°C against 4.2°C on the earlier night, he said.

Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, received 3.8mm of rain and recorded a low of 5.5°C against previous night’s 7.5°C, the official said.

Kupwara received 1.0mm of rain while the north Kashmir district recorded a low of 6.6°C against 7.0°C on the previous night, the official said.

Gulmarg, the world famous skiing resort in north Kashmir, received 10mm of rain and recorded a low of 0.5°C against minus 2.5°C on the previous night which was 1.5°C, the official said.

Jammu district received 0.0mm of rain, Banihal 0.4mm, Batote 4.4mm, Katra 0.0mm, Banihal 2.6mm and Kathua 0.0mm, the official added.

Director Meteorological department Sonam Lotus said that erratic weather shall continue till the weekend.

“Expect light to moderate rain/snow on higher reaches at many places of Kashmir and at scattered places of Jammu.”

He said rain will be accompanied by thunderstorm, lightning and hail at isolated places.

“During lightning, stay inside any shelter and stay away from trees, metallic wire etc.”

The weather department has also issued ‘yellow warning for “isolated thunder/lightning with gusty wind 30- 40-kmph” for both Jammu and Kashmir divisions till April 18. There are four types of colour codes signifying the level of caution: green which means no action, yellow—situation to be watched), amber –government agencies need to be prepared for severe weather and red –action needed by the agencies.

Jammu: The School Education Department (SED) has completed the process of transfers of around 1200 Lecturers for which applications were received on line for the first time.

As per a communique from SED, the proposed transfers have been put to websites of department and directorate for the comments and suggestions.

Pertinently, this exercise has happened for the first time with proper and transparent way mechanism.

The communique also said that 1700 lecturers have been promoted to Sr lecturers while as 1200 lecturers and ZEOs will be promoted to Principal on 22nd April.

By: Jahangir Sofi

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir High Court Thursday adjourned the case of re- registration of non-JK vehicles and listed it for the hearing on April 19.

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court had sought the response of the Government by April 15 over the matter after the case was heard on  April 7.

The circular was challenged in the Jammu and Kashmir High Court by Petitioner Advocate Zahoor Bhat through his counsel questioning the legal sanctity of the circular issued by RTO Kashmir.

While hearing the matter earlier on April 7 the single bench court of Justice Ali Mohammed Magray had asked, if RTO is the authority to seek the re-registration of non-JK registered vehicles and had sought the response of the Government on the matter by or before April 15 so that the controversy is set at rest.

In support of his submissions, the senior counsel Faisal Qadri had also referred to and relied upon the judgment of the High Court of Karnataka delivered in case title Jagdev Biradar vs State of Karnataka.

During the proceedings on the matter on April 7, 2022, senior counsel Faisal Qadri for the petitioner Advocate Zahoor Bhat, invited the attention of the Court to section 46, 47 and 50 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, to indicate that the scheme of law provides that when a motor vehicle registered in one State has been kept in another State, for a period exceeding twelve months, the owner of the vehicle shall, within such period and in such form containing such particulars as may be prescribed by the Central Government, apply to the Registering Authority, within whose jurisdiction the vehicle then is, for the assignment of a new registration mark.

While hearing the matter on April 7 by a Single Bench Court headed by Justice Ali Mohammad Magray, the Court had observed,  “Prima facie there appears to be a consensus over the fact that while adhering to the provisions of law, the Competent Authority can seek such response from the owners whose vehicle remains in the State other than the one from where the vehicle is purchased for a period exceeding 12 months, but the question is raised as to who that Competent Authority is?”

“Feeling it appropriate”, the court asked that to file their response so that the controversy is set at rest by or before April 15.

“The appearance of the Advocate General in the matter is expected to take care of the apprehension that the senior counsel for the petitioner has projected vis-à-vis seizure of the vehicles at the hands of the Police under the garb of the impugned circular,” the April 7 Court order reads.

Regional Transport Officer (RTO) Kashmir had ordered the people in the valley to re-register their vehicles bought from outside Jammu & Kashmir with Nine per cent as fresh Tax amount for the remaining life of the vehicle within fifteen days, failing which the enforcing agencies will act.

The government has filed the response directed earlier by the Court on 7 April 2021.

Meanwhile legal experts and taxation experts had also questioned the legal sanctity of the circular issued by the RTO Kashmir. (KNO)