Precious Kashmir

ACB produces chargesheet against Head Constable, SPO in trap case

Jammu & Kashmir

05/04/2021

Jammu: The Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) has produced chargesheet against Sohan Lal Sharma, the then Head Constable and Amit Sharma,Special Police Officer, Police Station Gharota, District Jammu in trap case.

The ACB produced charge sheet in Special Anti-Corruption Court Jammu in case FIR No10/2018 P/S VOJ (now ACB) U/S 5 (1) (d) r/w 5 (2) J&K PC Act 2006 and Section 4-A of J&K P.C Act and 120-B RPC against Sohan Lal Sharma then Head Constable Police Station Gharota, Jammu and Amit Sharma then SPO Police Station Gharota, Jammu (now disengaged)

“The case was registered on the written complaint wherein the complainant alleged that on 10.05.2018, he had purchased a buffalo along with a two days old calf for Rs. 60,000/-.He was taking the animals to his home in a vehicle. On the way he was stopped by some locals of the area.They handed over him to officials of P/S Gharota who came on spot and took him to the Police Station along with cattle and vehicle wherein an FIR was registered against him. The Court has directed to release the cattle in his favour. Investigating officer, HC Sohan Lal of P/S Gharota demanded Rs. 10,000/- as bribe in lieu of release of his cattle,” a spokesman of ACB said.

On receipt of the instant complaint a case FIR No. 10/2018 was registered at P/S VOJ (now ACB) U/S 5 (1) (d) r/w 5 (2) J&K PC Act 2006 and Section 4-A of J&K P.C Act and 120-B RPC, a trap team was constituted and trap was laid down. The accused Amit Sharma then SPO of P/S Gharota were caught red handed while demanding and accepting illegal gratification of Rs. 10,000/- on the directions of accused sohan Lal Sharma then Head Constable from the complainant for release of cattle (Bovine) seized in case FIR No. 45/2018 of P/S Gharota which were not released physically despite of receipt of release order of Court and making the entry of release of bovines in Daily Diary of P/S Gharota Jammu by HC Sohan Lal Sharma.

“After completion of investigation and obtaining prosecution sanction against in service accused public servant, the charge sheet against accused persons namely Sohan Lal Sharma then Head Constable Police Station Gharota, Jammu and Amit Sharma then SPO Police Station Gharota, Jammu (now disengaged) was presented before the Court of Special Judge Anti-Corruption Jammu for judicial determination,” the spokesman said.

The next date of hearing has been fixed on 30.04.2021.

Snow clearance on 85-km long Bandipora-Gurez road completed

Jammu & Kashmir

Precious Kashmir

05/04/2021

Traffic to be restored once weather permits: DC Bandipora

By: Sajid Raina

Bandipora, April 4: The snow clearance operation on 85-km long Bandipore-Gurez road was completed on Sunday by 56 RCC of Border Roads Organisation (BRO) after the road remained closed for winter months due to accumulation of heavy snow along on it.

A BRO official said the snow clearance operation on the road was completed today and he termed it as a great relief for the local population of Gurez as the area was cutt-off for the last six months.

He said the traffic movement on the road will be restored only after the permission of deputy commissioner Bandipora.

When contacted deputy commissioner Bandipora, Dr Owais Ahmad that the snow clearance operation has been completed while the traffic movement on the road will be restored once weather will be favourable.

Notibaly, Gurez area, along the Line of Control (LoC), remains cut off from the rest of the Kashmir valley due to the accumulation of snow along the high peaks through which the road passes—(KNO)

Need uniform approach to fight second Covid wave: Omar

City

United News Of India

05/04/2021

Srinagar: Former Chief Minister of J&K and National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah Sunday urged the government to formulate a uniform strategy to deal with second wave of Covid in Jammu and Kashmir .After administration order closure of schools for couple of weeks due to rise in Covid cases, Omar tweeted, ” Shutting schools up to class 9 in Kashmir for a couple of weeks is the right thing to do but the contrast with the hands-off approach to the crowds of visitors at the tulip garden is too stark to be ignored. A well considered uniform strategy is needed for the 2nd wave of COVID.”

Omar later clarified that he is not opposed to opening of the tulip garden.

“I only want Govt to ensure crowd management, social distancing & mask use. Covid protocol has to be implemented,” he said. (KNS)

CUK chancellor Hasnain chairs 8th Court meeting of university

City

Precious Kashmir

05/04/2021

Srinagar: Central University of Kashmir (CUK), Chancellor, Lt Gen (Retd) Syed Ata Hasnain chaired the 8th meeting of the university Court, specially convened on infrastructure and funding, here at SK International Convention Centre (SKICC) on Saturday.

The meeting took place in the backdrop of various impediments faced by the university in infrastructural development at the allotted site at Tulmulla Ganderbal.

Vice Chancellor, Prof. Mehraj ud Din Mir, Prof. Amitabh Mattoo former advisor J&K Government, Prof. Talat Ahmad, Vice Chancellor, University of Kashmir, Prof. Ashok Aima, Vice Chancellor, Central University of Jammu, Prof. Rakesh Sehgal, Director NIT, Registrar, Director R&D, Deans, Members from across the country participated in the meeting.

Speaking on the occasion, Chancellor, Lt Gen (Retd) Syed Ata Hasnain complimented the university for maintaining teaching, learning and research process despite difficulties on ground. He suggested that university needs to use its departments, especially the Management Studies for researching into the difficulties faced by varsity on campus development and proposing a way forward through professional data based results. Lt Gen (Retd) Syed Ata Hasnain expressed that he shall be available to represent the difficulties faced by the university campus development at different levels of the Ministry and help to resolve the issue along with the university authorities. He said he would use his offices along with the university authorities to find a solution within a stipulated time. Meanwhile, he asked the university to go for requisite Geo technical investigation and also construct whatever is possible. While acknowledging the construction of more than 70,000 sq ft already made by the university, Chancellor, assured of all help possible for constructions at Tulmulla and Watlar.

Vice Chancellor, Prof. Mehraj ud Din briefed members about the events that took place after the taking over of land at Tulmulla to the present date and narrated the number of the communications and verbal discussions made with the Central Ministry, UGC, the then State Government, Divisional and District administration.

Stray dogs bite 10 children in Kupwara village

City

Precious Kashmir

05/04/2021

Kupwara: At least ten children were injured by a pack of stray dogs at Dardapora Lolab in Kupwara district of north Kashmir on Sunday, locals and officials said.

They said that the pack of dogs attacked the children at Lawadi Mohalla of Dardpora, injuring ten of them.

Five of the injured were taken to Sub District Hospital Sogam where from three were referred to district hospital Kupwara for specialized treatment to “grievous wounds.”

“Five children were received at the hospital and three were later shifted to District Hospital Kupwara,” an official at SDH Sogam said.

The injured were identified as Shakir Ahmad, Ashiq Hassan Sheikh, Imtaz Ahmad Bhat, Nalofar and V. Akther.

While three were shifted to DH Kupwara, two others are being treated at the hospital, the official added.

It was passers-by who chased the dogs away otherwise the injuries would have been very serious or even fatal, local residents said.

According to them, the area has many stray dogs and children are afraid to walk alone because of the “menace”. “Al though we have complained many times to the authorities no action has been taken,” the local said. (GNS)

Covid forces ‘Weekend lockdown’, stringent norms again in Maharashtra

National

Indo Asian News Service

05/04/2021

Mumbai: With Maharashtra under the vice-like grip of the lethal coronavirus, the Maha Vikas Aghadi government on Sunday announced a “week-end lockdown” across the state till April end, besides stringent weekdays norms, to combat the pandemic’s resurgence.

The decision was taken at an emergency Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, after he held detailed discussions with all stakeholders over this weekend.

The night curfew, and weekdays restrictions start from April 5 (Monday) and weekend curfew would commence on Fridays at 8 p.m. and end at 7 a.m. on Mondays till April 30, said Mumbai Guardian Minister Aslam Shaikh.

While public transport in Mumbai including local trains would continue to run as usual, all private offices will be closed with emphasis on Work From Home (WFH) to minimise crowds. Those exempted include banks, stock markets, insurance, pharmaceuticals, telecom, water, electricity and disaster management departments.

Fifty per cent attendance norms return to all government offices with clearance of department heads and all meetings to be conducted online.

The new rules and guidelines – clamping curfews at night and stringent restrictions under Section 144 clamped during day – will come into effect from April 5.

Over the last two days, Thackeray held wide ranging consultations with a cross section of society to get their views before toughening the norms.

He also spoke with Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis and his estranged cousin and MNS President Raj Thackeray.

An official spokesperson said that care has been taken not to disturb the state’s economic recovery cycle, not to inconvenience workers and labourers, but ensure that there is no overcrowding anywhere.

All agricultural, industrial manufacturing, production activities will be allowed but private offices, places of worship, restaurants, bars, pubs, cinemas, malls, shopping plazas, beauty parlors or gents salons, beaches, gardens, playgrounds, swimming pools, sports complexes, amusement parks, and other crowded places shall be shut.

Restaurants/bars attached to hotels can remain open only for guests staying there, but food-parcel delivery services shall be permitted from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

However, essentials like grocery, vegetable, milk and medical shops will remain open and all shopkeepers have been directed to get themselves and their staffers vaccinated as soon as possible.

Though public and private transport is permitted, autorickshaws and cabs can take only 2 passengers, and no one standing will be permitted in public or private buses.

Busy on phone, UP nurse gives 2 Covid jabs to woman

National

Indo Asian News Service

05/04/2021

Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh): The auxiliary nursing midwife (ANM), who gave two successive jabs of Covid-19 vaccine to a woman at a primary health centre in Akbarpur area of Kanpur Dehat district, was allegedly busy on a phone call which made her commit the lapse.

Kanpur Dehat Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr. Rajesh Katiyar , who probed the incident, said, “From now onwards, every vaccinator has been asked to deposit his/her mobile phone prior to giving Covid vaccine shot to people.”

According to reports, Kamlesh Kumari, 50, wife of Vipin, a native of Madauli village, had gone to a Primary Health Centre under Akbarpur block on Thursday to get her first vaccine shot.

The ANM Archana, who was busy on a phone call, instead administered her two doses of Covid vaccine.

As soon as the woman’s family members came to know about it, they created ruckus and demanded strict action against the ANM.

When Kamlesh tried to question ANM about two back-to-back jabs being given to her, Archana misbehaved with her and even threatened her, the family alleged.

Senior health officials immediately swung into action and after pacifying the agitating family members of the woman, apprised senior officials, including the district magistrate and chief medical officer, about the alleged negligence.

Kamlesh’s hand developed swelling but there was no other serious side-effect.

Kamlesh was then made to stay back for surveillance for nearly one-and-a-half hours by PHC’s senior medical officer Dr. Rakesh Kumar.

“She was only allowed to go after proper monitoring. Fortunately, she had developed no other serious symptoms,” said Dr. Kumar.

District Magistrate Kanpur Dehat Jitendra Pratap Singh on Saturday said, “I have taken serious note and we are making sure that such incidents are not repeated.”

Lockdown Looms

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Oped

Precious Kashmir

03/04/2021

The novel coronavirus numbers are rising rapidly in the last month in India. It has seen spurt in last eighteen days in Jammu and Kashmir. On April 2, highest single day spike with 517 cases and five deaths due to it were reported. The rising number of cases, more than 4000 in J&K, in last 18 days has brought back the spectre of a lockdown. Some states or UTs have already gone for limited lockdowns in some cities, and the threat of a more stringent lockdown looms large over in the worst-affected ones.
While reviewing the situation, the Cabinet Secretary said that that there has been almost a ten-fold increase in the number of fresh cases reported in February earlier this year and now.
Considering the “deterioration” in the Covid-19 scenario, the Cabinet Secretary emphasized that it is time once again a comprehensive approach of the Governments in the States/UTs is adopted to meet the challenge.
He attributed the sudden rise in cases to complacency in the community as a result of slight improvement in the numbers ending last year. He said vaccination alone was no panacea to the problem and called for strict need for testing, tracing, containment and enforcement of Covid appropriate behaviour. There is need for a clear message from top level to the entire government machinery that all weapons in the armoury are required to be utilized along with vaccination to deal with the problem.
Amid this disturbing scenario, several assessments of the effectiveness of the previous lockdown have already been made. However people and experts are divided if lockdown was only option moving forward. There is need to balance life and living. Economy in Kashmir is looking forward to the post-pandemic period and only hopes that wheels remain in motion. There is need to increase the vaccinations. There is need to hasten up processing of administering the vaccine and it cannot be over emphasized. As such the government needs to speed up vaccination drive and set up more inoculation centres. The Jammu and Kashmir needs covid-19 to be controlled immediately otherwise the prospective season could turn in despair, more so for tourism industry. The government needs also to go for aggressive testing, followed by effective isolation and contact tracing. It is still the best control measure the government has against this pandemic and it is what has been emphasized by the Cabinet Secretary.

Now, officers from civil admin can also be appointed as Director ACB

Anchor stories

Ibni Maqbool

03/04/2021

Now, officers from civil admin can also be appointed as Director ACB

Srinagar: Now, officers from civil administration can also be appointed as head of the Anti-Corruption Bureau(ACB) in Jammu & Kashmir as administration of the Union Territory has ordered that Indian Administrative Service(IAS) officers are eligible for the same.

The administrative council headed by LG Manoj Sinha has cleared a proposal governing conditions for appointment of the Director ACB.

According to the proposal, the Director ACB shall be an officer from IAS/IPS on tenure basis, not below the rank of commissioner secretary to the government/inspector general of police.

”The appointment of the Director, Anti Corruption Bureau shall be governed by the Jammu and Kashmir Vigilance Organization (Gazetted) Service Recruitment (Qualification and Eligibility) Rules, 2009, providing that the Director, Anti Corruption Bureau, shall be an officer from IAS/IPS on tenure basis, not below the rank of Commissioner/Secretary to the Government/Inspector General of Police,” reads an order issued by general administration department.

After the constitution of Jammu and Kashmir State Vigilance Commission, only IPS officers were eligible to be appointed as head of the vigilance organization as the law that governed SVC clearly stated that “no person below the rank of Inspector General of Police shall be eligible for appointment as Director of Anti-Corruption Bureau”.

Before it, IAS officers were also eligible for appointment as head of the State Vigilance Organisation but they were rarely appointed.

In its 47-year-old history, only two officers from civil administration have helmed the prestigious body mandated to investigate corruption charges against public servants.

S.M Desalphine( 16-10-1996 to 22-12-1999 and S.S Kapur( 22-12-1999 to 23-05-2000), both IAS officers, were appointed as commissioner vigilance . All others posted as head of the body from Peer Ghulam Hassan Shah to incumbent Director Anand Jain were from police.

J&K to focus on fast-track vaccination of eligible persons in 4 districts-Jammu, Srinagar, Budgam, Baramulla

Gandhi College faces staff shortage, students suffer

Anchor stories

Gul Owais

03/04/2021

Gandhi College faces staff shortage, students suffer

Srinagar: Shortage of faculty members at Old City’s prominent and oldest educational institute, Gandhi College has come under severe criticism.

The students while talking to Precious Kashmir informed that there are inadequate faculty members in core subjects like Political Science, Economics, Sociology, Environmental Science and other subjects from the past nearly two months.

They said that lack of faculty is only adding to the miseries of the students enrolled there, who are being forced to attend merely two-three classes in a day.

Students said that it seems that we are being deliberately pushed to the wall and kept away from education. “We have already suffered huge academic losses during the past two years and there is a need to ensure every possible support to students at this juncture so that the losses can be compensated,” a student said.

He added that such a “chaotic situation” was not even witnessed during the times of online classes. “We have been approaching the college administration since long, but nothing has been done in this regard,” he said.

The staff members of the College also admitted the lack of faculty members, saying that the less number of faculty members are being forced to give extra classes, but the new faculty members are not being appointed to fill the vacancies.

It is worth to mention here that the College was established in 1942 and is located in Shamaswari area of Fateh Kadal in Srinagar district.

Principal Gandhi College, Assmat Abbas when contacted admitted shortage of faculty members and said that they are following the directions from the higher ups about filling the vacancies.

She said that they have been told to take the guest faculty, but soon when they contacted the persons for guest faculty, they refused the offer as their issue is already pending in the court.

“ We can only follow the directives from the higher authorities,” she said, adding that the Director Colleges and other higher ups are already aware about the issue.

Director Colleges, Prof. Muhammad Yousuf, said that they are not aware about the issue in the College, saying that until and unless the concerned Principal will not inform them about it; it is not possible to get the ground reports.

“Still, I am coming on Monday and will fix a meeting to see what issues the college has been facing,” he said.

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