Calls for timely completion of project

Jammu:  Principal Secretary, Power Development Department, Rohit Kansal, chaired a meeting to review progress on electrification of Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link, USBRL.

Kansal had an elaborated discussion on several vital issues related to the project like laying of 132 KV transmission line between Katra-Reasi, Ramban-Sangaldan, Budgam Grid Sub-Station-Railway TSS, Mir Bazar-Qazigund and Delina-Baramulla besides land acquisition and department clearances were also deliberated upon.

He was apprised that although the electrification project was hindered by Covid pandemic and by unexpected geological surprises in Katra-Reasi line yet much of it has been completed.

Principal Secretary said the project is of national significance and all the bottlenecks and hurdles need to be removed with inter agency coordination ensuring project completion within stipulated time. ‘Timely completion of the prestigious railway project by 2022 is our only priority’, he maintained.

It is pertinent to mention that the works from Reasi to Banihal are being executed by Konkan Railways Corporation Limited, while the rest are being taken care of by IRCON Limited.

Kansal asked the executing agencies and the Power Development Department for resolution of the most pressing issues including payment to contractors. He also set deadlines for completion of the project which were amicably accepted by all stakeholders present at the meeting.

Those present at the meeting included Managing Director (Transmission), JKPTCL Jammu; Chief Engineers JKPTCL from Jammu and Kashmir; Director Finance and Secretary Technical and Deputy Director Planning from JKPDD besides Chief Engineer; RK Hegde; Chief Engineer(Electrical) and AEE, JV Kane from KRCL.

Jammu: Rahul Pandey assumed the charge of Director, Information & Public Relations here Monday.

Immediately after assuming the charge, he convened a meeting of officers in which he highlighted the need for further strengthening the activities and core competence of the Department.

Pandey underscored the need for involving modern and new media platforms to spread awareness about Government activities and its welfare programmes.

He also inspected different units of the Department and interacted with the officers and employees.

The employees of the Department on the occasion pledged their support to the Director Information in running affairs of the Department.

‘Ceasefire agreement positive step, conscious call by India, Pak’

Srinagar: The past year has been one of the most peaceful in Kashmir with all parameters of violence on a decline as people want it to be so, a top army officer said on Monday, rejecting suggestions that Covid pandemic has led to the “quiet” situation.

General Officer Commanding (GoC) of Srinagar-based 15 Corps, Lt Gen B S Raju also said the ceasefire agreement on the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan is a conscious call by both the countries and the task at hand is to make it successful.

“2020 has been one of the most peaceful times. The situation in the valley remains fairly normal. All the parameters of violence — be it stone-pelting, agitations or bandhs — have shown a dip,” Lt Gen Raju told reporters here.

Raju, who will take charge as the new Director General of Military Operations (DGMO), said while many people would want to believe that the situation in the valley was “quiet” due to the COVID pandemic, “it is not (the case)”.

“It is quiet because people want it to be quiet. If something good is happening, it is because the people want it to be,” he said, adding, “We have lots of hopes from the year 2021”.

Acknowledging that there have been isolated incidents, the GoC said there were elements who want to generate violence.

“They get directions from within and across (the LoC) to attack. There was this Krishna Dhaba attack recently. It was only done to convey a message to the arriving EU delegation that the situation is not peaceful and that things are not normal. It was terrorism in a classic manner,” he said.

The Army officer was referring to the February 17 attack on Akash Mehra – son of the owner of ”Krishna Dhaba” which is a popular eatery in the high-security Durganag area. The attack took place on the day a 24-member delegation of envoys had arrived on a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir.

Mehra succumbed to injuries at a hospital here on Sunday.

Lt Gen Raju welcomed the reiteration of the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan, terming it a positive step and a conscious call by the two nations.

“The ceasefire agreement is a positive step and a conscious call by both the countries. The task at hand is to make it successful,” he said.

He, however, said that infiltration by militants from across the LoC was still a challenge.

“Infiltration is still a challenge, but we are up to it. We will try to keep things under control and keep the population safe. We hope the situation along the borders remains calm,” he said.

The GoC said the ceasefire helps to check infiltration.

“Our ability to check and control infiltration improves when there is a ceasefire,” he said.

Asked as to how the Indian Army would respond to any ceasefire violation from the Pakistani side, the Lt Gen said the Army was not trigger happy and would raise the issue through a proper mechanism.

“We have an established mechanism both at the local level as well as in Delhi.

“Definitely, we will give it the best shot. We will not be trigger happy. In case there is some problem, in case there is an incident, we will tell the other side, we will speak to them,” he said.

He said the ceasefire would have no major implication in the hinterland other than by helping check the infiltration.

On Pakistan using new routes for infiltration of militants and arms, Lt Gen Raju said if the desire from the other side is there, it will keep pushing and finding new ways.

“But, if they have done this (ceasefire agreement), then we will slowly disincentivise them from doing other things as well,” he added.

To a question about the reports of Taliban-style ”sticky bombs”, the Army officer said “inducting anything new available is an ongoing process in the valley and we will adopt a proper strategy to do our job”.

The GoC said the Army reduced its footprints in north Kashmir last year and it is an ongoing process.

“When the violence goes down, the methodology changes,” he said.

Asked about the emergence of new militant outfits, the GoC said “a militant is a militant” and the name of the outfit does not matter.

“We are doing a lot of good work to stop recruitment even as there is continuous social media-based propaganda from the other side,” he said.

Srinagar: A crucial meeting between the government and the mutton dealers of Kashmir failed to break the ice as the two sides couldn’t find out a solution to end the stalemate.

The administration held a meeting with the mutton dealers and other traders regarding the rates of mutton in the Valley on February 27. “The reports compiled by the Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA) and the government itself were not considered for fixing the fresh rates,” the mutton dealers said.

They said that the reports submitted by the government officials and the traders should have been considered. “It seems that the government is thrusting its decision on us despite going through the facts” .

President Mutton Dealers Association, Mehraj-ud-Din said the government officials have submitted a report to the department in which they have stated that the Valley is receiving mutton at the cost of Rs 497 in wholesale while KEA has mentioned the amount as Rs 518. “There are different wholesale rates coming to the fore and the government is sticking to its rigid policy and is trying to thrust its decision on them”.

He said the government in a meeting although increased the rate from Rs 480 to Rs 515, adding that the new rates too are not favorable for the mutton dealers and thus simultaneously rejected it as well.

“We want that the reports submitted before the government should be considered to bring a lasting solution in this regard,” he said, adding that the next meeting has not been fixed yet—(KNO)

Srinagar: Hours after the highway connecting Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh with Kashmir, was put through for traffic after remaining closed since January Ist, 2021 on Sunday, the 434-km-long Srinagar-Leh was again closed due to fresh snowfall and avalanches.

Though the Beacon claimed that road was reopened on Sunday about one and half months earlier, a traffic police official told UNI Monday that Srinagar-Leh highway remained closed due to accumulation of fresh snowfall and avalanches at several places Sunday.

Officials said one C-17 flight will operate between Leh and Jammu while two C 130 between Srinagar and Leh on Monday to airlift the stranded passengers, who could not travel due to closure of the highway.

The Beacon project officers at Sonamarg had declared the highway open for traffic yesterday after the accumulation snow was cleared one and half a months earlier.

However, traffic official said there were two snow avalanches on the highway yesterday. One avalanche occurred at Sonamarg in central Kashmir district of Ganderbal near Army convoy ground, they said, adding there was no report of any loss of life or damage to property.

He said the Beacon has pressed into service sophisticated machines to clear the accumulated snow, particularly at Zojila pass, and avalanches at Sonamarg.

Once the snow is cleared and green signal is received traffic will be restored on the highway, he said adding the highway will remain closed till further orders.

This is for the first time the highway remained open till December 31st last year. During the previous years the highway was being closed from November till April or May every year.

To appoint President, four members

Srinagar: The administration has initiated the process for revival of the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, which was abolished days before the reorganization of erstwhile state of J&K into two Union Territories.

To begin with, the government has set the ball rolling for appointment of the body’s President and four members.

Documents in possession of news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) lay bare that the department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs has invited applications from suitable and interested candidates for appointment to the President and members of the Commission.

According to the department of FCS& CA, the applicant applying for the post of President shall be the person who is, or has been a judge of the High Court, the persons to be appointed as members shall possess experience of at least 10 years as presiding officer of a district court or any tribunal at equivalent level or combined service as such in the district court and tribunal.

The members shall also have special knowledge and professional experience of not less than 20 years in consumer affairs, law, public affairs, administration, economics, commerce, industries, finance, management, engineering, technology, public health or medicine.

According to rules governing these appointments, the President and members of the State Commission and shall be appointed by the State Government on the recommendation of a Selection Committee comprising chief justice of the High Court or any Judge of the High Court nominated by him, secretary in charge Consumer Affairs of the State and nominee of the chief secretary of the State.

These appointments would be made under the Consumer Protection Act-2019, the law enacted by the Parliament.

It is worthwhile to mention that J&K abolished its own consumer commission days before re-organisation of the State into two UTs. The State law under which it was set-up was repealed by the Parliament in August 2019 when it approved the Jammu & Kashmir Re-organisation Act—(KNO)

Srinagar: A driver from Srinagar was found dead under mysterious circumstances in his truck on Srinagar-Jammu national highway on Monday morning, an official source said.

They said a driver identified as Manzoor Ahmad Lone, son of Abdul Rehman Lone, resident of Dalgate Srinagar, was found unconscious in his truck near the Jawhar tunnel on the highway this morning.

However, he was immediately taken to Banihal hospital where he was declared brought dead.

The cause of his death was being ascertained, they said Lone was on way to Srinagar from Jammu.

They said subsequently, a case under 174 CrPc has been registered and further investigation has been taken up. (UNI)

Srinagar: A tourist from Madhya Pradesh (MP) died due to a heart attack in a Srinagar hotel on Monday, official sources said.

They said a tourist identified as Pankaj Gupta, son of Ashok Gupta from MP was found unconscious in his hotel room in Srinagar this morning.

However, he was immediately rushed to a nearby private hospital where he was declared brought dead.

The police have registered a case and initiated proceedings. (UNI)

Awantipora: Choas continues to prevail at the toll plaza Chachkoot as drivers from different areas alleged that they are forced to pay toll even after waiting for more than three minutes which is against the rules of national highway.

As per the rules of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) if a vehicle is delayed for more than 3 minutes at a toll plaza, then one needn’t pay the toll tax.

However, drivers alleged that they were forced to wait for over 10 minutes and still have to pay the toll.

“There is a total waiting time of three minutes if the three minutes waiting exceeds, then there is a provision that passes the vehicle free of cost but that isn’t happening on the ground,” said Shabir Ahmad a sumo driver from Anantnag.

Drivers said that even those who are living in 20 kilometres of radius and have been exempted from paying toll are also forced to pay toll.

Drivers from different areas of Kashmir said that those who haven’t availed Fastag facility yet are paying 2 times toll than they used to pay earlier.

They said that the government claimed that Fastag will save their time, however, so far everything is going on in the opposite way as it takes so much us to cross toll plaza due to traffic jam.

People who are trying to get the Fastag facility also said that they have to wait for hours to get to this facility due to heavy rush.

It is noteworthy that all the 12 lanes at Toll Plaza K.koot, Awantipora on NH-44 has been equipped with FASTags.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways before two weeks announced that all lanes in the fee plazas on National, Highways shall be declared as ‘’FASTag lane of the fee plaza’’ from midnight of February 15, 2021.

Accordingly, as per NH Fee Rules 2008, any vehicle not fitted with FASTag or vehicle without valid functional FASTag entering into the FASTag lane of the fee plaza shall pay a fee equivalent to two times the fee applicable.

The high tech-initiative is internet-based aimed at promoting fee payment through digital mode, saving precious time and fuel consumption. It provides for a seamless passage through the fee plazas.

It can be even ordered online through a mobile application, and prepaid payments can be made online as well.

Javaid Ahmad, Manager of the concerned toll plaza acknowledged that as per national highway rules, they have to leave vehicle free of cost if they wait for three minutes but some drivers are creating mess who without any issue start fighting with the staff.

He said that once everyone will get Fastag facility such things won’t happen.