Bhat Imran
Srinagar, Nov 11: The Directorate of School Education Kashmir (DSEK) on Wednesday decided to de-recognize the private schools that are found violating the government orders.
The decision as per the sources was taken after it received frequent complaints pertaining to denying of access to education by some private schools were pouring in the department.
It has been learnt that DSEK has decided that it will de-recognize all those private schools of Kashmir division that are denying access to the education to those poor students who are not able to pay their fee in the backdrop of COVID-19 lockdown.
In this regard, DSEK issued a circular that reads, “The new academic session 2020-21 is near to commence from the first week of December and it is receiving complaints from the parents that the private school management is not issuing assessment cards of the academic session 2019-20.”
The circular states that the DSEK earlier this year has already warned the private schools to charge only tuition fee from the students on a monthly basis for the lockdown period.
“It is again impressed upon to the recognized private schools to adhere with the instructions issued earlier and now and in case any violation or non-seriousness is found, strict action shall be initiated against the particular school in terms of relevant provisions of law including the de-recognition without further information,” the circular reads.
Earlier in August, a series of stories had appeared in newspapers pertaining to withholding of salaries of the private school teachers following which the school education department stated that it will cancel the recognition of such unaided private schools that were withholding the salaries or were mulling to terminate its staff members during the COVID-19 pandemic—(KNO)
DSEK warns of de-recognising pvt schools violating Govt orders
Bar cancels election, forms ad hoc committee
Srinagar, Nov 11: The Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association (JKHCBA) on Wednesday cancelled its yearly elections and created an ad hoc committee.
The development comes days after authorities barred the association from holding any elections until it clarified its position on terming Kashmir a disputed territory. The JKHCBA was also asked to submit its relevant documents to the Srinagar deputy commissioner, including the article of association and registration papers.
“Due to the imposition of prohibition by the district administration on holding JKHCBA polls for year 2020-21, a meeting of the bar association’s general committee was conducted to deal with the situation arising out of the impediments created in conduct of the elections,” an official of the association said.
He said that an ad hoc committee — comprising of contesting candidates, election body and former elected body of the association — was created during the meeting. “The committee, which will be headed by advocate Nazir Ahmed Ronga as its convener or chairman, will look after the affairs of the association until a new body is elected,” he said, adding the notification for the conduct of the election stands recalled.
He said another committee, headed by senior advocate Zaffar Ahmad Shah, was created during the meeting which will look into the issues raised by the district administration.
District Magistrate Srinagar Shahid Choudhary on Monday issued three notices to the president of the bar association, asking them to explain its Constitution which terms Kashmir a disputed area.
KPDCL seeks police assistance to stop ‘power thefts’ in Kashmir
Sumaya Jan
Srinagar, Nov 11: The Kashmir Power Development Corporation Limited (KPDCL) has sought assistance from the police department to stop power theft in Kashmir.
There have been severe power cuts since the Durbar shifted to Jammu. People in some areas complain that they are being supplied electricity for six hours in a day.
The increase in power curtailment both in metered and non-metered areas of the Valley has evoked strong public outrage.
“Ours is a non-metered area and there are around eight hour power cuts in a day,” Mohammad Altaf, a resident of Mehjoor Nagar said.
Similar complaints are also pouring in from metered areas where there are abrupt power cuts around six to eight hours in a day. “We witness frequent power cuts from the last few weeks. We are bound to get 24 hour electricity supply as per the rules but the Power Department often resorts to power cuts of around six-hours in a day,” Nazir Ahmad, a resident of Shalimar said.
People said when meters were installed in their areas, the department had promised round-the-clock supply.
A KPDCL official said if people use electricity judiciously and pay as per the consumption then there won’t be power cuts.
“We are trying to adhere to the curtailment schedule as approved by the government,” he said.
Government has issued a power curtailment schedule according to which there is a three-hour curtailment for metered feeders and four-hour non metered feeders.
The KPDCL officials have written a letter to district administrators seeking police assistance during the inspections to stop power thefts
“This is to bring to your kind notice that our field staff has been manhandled at various places in the past while carrying out inspections and were forced to withdraw inspection halfway. As such, it is requested to kindly extend necessary magisterial and Police support to the inspection squads constituted at different levels for tackling any law and order problems and to achieve the desired outcomes without any hindrance,” reads one of the letter written to police.
The official said the department has taken several measures to stop misuse of electricity in the Valley.
“We have formed various teams who are conducting inspections to stop power pilferage. Various departments including police have been told to give assistance to stop power theft. All those who resort to power pilferage will be heavily fined besides that FIRs will also be lodged where power theft grossly take place,” the official said.
As per the official figures of the Power Department, the peak power demand during the winters is 2100 MWs as of 2019-2020 against the agreed load of 1520 MWs. (KINS)
IGP visits Baramulla, reviews security situation
Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Nov 11: Inspector General of Police Vijay Kumar Wednesday visited North Kashmir’s Baramulla district along with IG CRPF Kashmir Ops Sector Deepak Ratan and held a detailed security review meeting with district SSsP and commandants of Armed Police/CAPF of North Kashmir at District Police Office Baramulla.
Besides, he took stock of security arrangements put in place to ensure peaceful forthcoming DDC elections.
IGP Kashmir held a detailed security review meeting with officers of police, Armed Police and CAPF. He also took extensive review of the arrangements put in place for ensuring peaceful and smooth forthcoming DDC elections.
He stressed on the officers to ensure synergy, better coordination and communication among all the forces working at the ground level. He also urged upon the officers to strengthen the general security grid of the area to ensure upcoming elections are held in a peaceful atmosphere.
Besides all districts SSsP were instructed to generate specific intelligences and conduct anti militancy operations along with SFs.
CUK VC chairs 6th, 27th meetings of PMB and UBC
Precious Kashmir News
Ganderbal, Nov 11: The 6th meeting of the Planning and Monitoring Board (PMB) and the 27th meeting of the University Building Committee (UBC) of the Central University of Kashmir (CUK) were held at Tulmulla Campus of the varsity on Wednesday with Vice Chancellor Prof. Mehraj ud Din Mir in chair.
Addressing the participants present both offline and online mode, Vice Chancellor, Prof. Mehraj ud Din Mir said the varsity is leading and marching ahead on all academic fronts including research, teaching-learning, timely conduct of examination and declaration of results when compared with other central universities established with it.
“The university has been successful in maintaining and sustaining its academic and examination calendar despite turbulent conditions in the Valley,” he said adding that in spite of the country wide lockdown due to outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic, the varsity completed the syllabi of the students, pursuing various programmes in the CUK, by continuously conducting online classes, distributing the teaching learning material and also has a distinction of holding offline End Semester Examinations recently for which, centres were established in degree colleges of almost every district of the Jammu and Kashmir, for the benefit of the students.
He said the university successfully conducted the Central Universities Common Entrance Test (CUCET-2020) in which as many as 8500 students participated in the test centres set up across Kashmir and Ladakh region.
He said keeping in view the success of the programmes launched by the university, the varsity is launching more programmes including Masters in Social Work, M.A Kashmiri, B.PEd. and B.A Honours in Urdu from the academic session.
Prof Mir said the university plans to establish an information centre for the visually impaired library users, and has also received proposals from various departments for upgradation and creation of new facilities for the students.
ACB produce charge-sheet against engineers, contractors
Srinagar, Nov 11: The Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) produced chare-sheet in a local court against then Executive and Assistance Executive Engineers and contractors under Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA).
A spokesman of the ACB said Wednesday evening that ACB produced charge-sheet against Mohammad Riyasat and Khazir Mohammad, the then Executive Engineers and Ghulam Nabi, the then AEE Public Health Engineering (PHE) Sub Division Khansahib and beneficiary Contractors for illegal extension in works at Budgam.
Anti Corruption Bureau produced Charge sheet in Case FIR No 13/2017 P/S VOK (now ACB), under section 13/2017 U/S 5(1) (d) r/w 5(2) J&K PC Act, Svt-2006 and Section 120(B) RPC against the accused in the Court of Special Judge Anti-Corruption Srinagar, he said.
He said the case was registered on the basis of outcome of the verification conducted by Vigilance Organization Kashmir (Now ACB) into the allegations levelled in complaint lodged by Allaqa Behbood Committee, Budgam, which revealed that the then Executive Engineer, PHE Division Budgam, Khazir Mohd, during the execution of works for construction of Chowkidar Quarter including construction of Sand Filtration Plant at Doodhpathri for WSS Doodhpathri (NABARAD) has extended the work to the tune of Rs 32,18,095 arbitrarily in violation of codal procedure in favour of blue eyed contractor on the recommendations of the then AEE against the actual advertised cost of Rs 4.41 lakh.
Similarly, an extension of Rs 27.99 lakh was accorded by Mohammad Riyasat, the then Executive Engineer during the execution of work of construction of Spring Protection Work at head site WSS Gujjar Basti Lanilab(NRDWP) in favour of contractor, Rashid Mohi-ud-Din on the recommendation of then AEE against actual advertised cost of Rs 4.41 lakh.
He said by acting in this manner, the engineers and officials in league with each other and with beneficiary contractors, and by abuse of their official positions to confer undue pecuniary advantage in favour of two contractors have given the total extension of Rs 60.17 lakh, for these two works without complying with the requisite codal formalities under the alibi of urgency.
He said all the accused persons were presented before the Special Judge Anti-Corruption Srinagar for further legal action. Further trial of the case will proceed in due course, he said adding the next day of hearing is December 16, 2020.
Admin initiates drive to retrieve state land in Langate
M R Elahi
Langate, Nov 11: The Tehsil Administration Langate of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Wednesday started a drive to retrieve the government land from those who illegally encroached it and raised structures.
On the directions of Tehsildar Langate Mohammad Ramzan, a team was constituted comprising of several officials, who demolished several structures included a shed that were built illegally on government land.
“The office had received complaints that few elements have encroached state land. A team was constituted in this regard who started a retrieval drive and demolished several structures”, Tehsildar Langate M Ramzan said.
He said the drive will remain continue so that occupied land will be retrieved from the illegal occupants. He warned those encroached state land to cooperate with the government or face tough action. (KNS)
LAWDA seals under construction structure at Gagribal
Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Nov 11: The Enforcement Wing of Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA) Wednesday sealed an under construction structure in Gagribal area.
The construction was being raised in violation of norms and was earlier demolished as well. However, the violation was reported again and was sealed this time.
Meanwhile demolition/ anti encroachment drive is being conducted by the department under the supervision of Vice Chairman LAWDA from the last two days.
During the drive a number of illegally raised constructions were demolished and encroachments were removed in the areas of Harwan, Shalimar, rainawari, dalgate, saderbal and Lone mohalla Nowpora which includes 09 single storeys, 04 second storeys, 04 plinths. One structure was also sealed in the area of Buchwara Dalgate.
Meanwhile, Vice Chairman LAWDA has warned that those people involved in raising illegal constructions shall be dealt with strictly and FIRs shall be registered against them.
He said after receiving reports about these illegal constructions and encroachments, the Enforcement wing of LAWDA immediately swung into action and launched a demolition drive in and around the lakes.
Cyber police recovers 20 missing mobile phones in Srinagar
Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Nov 11: The Cyber Police has recovered and handed over 20 missing mobile phones worth lakhs of rupees to their rightful owners in Srinagar.
Official sources said that in order to extend the services to the general public and to redress their grievances, Cyber Police Kashmir is receiving applications/reports from various persons about missing of their cell phones.
“This is apart from various online frauds, scams and other Cyber related crimes which are being reported in Cyber Police Station Kashmir Zone on routine basis,” they said.
They said a constant 24×7 effort is being made by Cyber Police Kashmir through special teams to investigate such crimes besides tracing missing mobile phones by using advanced technological and conventional methods. “Cyber Police therefore remains on the forefront in helping the citizens in various technological challenges being faced by the citizens in their day to day life,” they said.
“Cyber Police Kashmir was successful in its efforts by tracing 20 such missing smart cell phones of various makes and models worth lakhs of rupees and were accordingly handed over to the rightful owners on Tuesday at Cyber Police Station Headquarters Srinagar,” they said.
DDC Polls: Breaking Political Stalemate
Last week, in a significant move, the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration announced to “unitedly fight” the upcoming District Development Council (DDC) elections in Jammu and Kashmir. The reason, as per it was to prevent “too sacred space to be marauded or molested by the invaders.”
Significantly also, the Congress party decided to jointly contest the polls with the People’s Alliance even as it skipped the recent meetings of the grouping.
Whether jugglery of words or otherwise, the decision by the alliance comprising among other major political parties like National Conference, People’s Democratic Party, J&K People’s Conference and Communist Party of India (Marxist), holds the potential for melting the ice that had formed overall political activity in the Jammu and Kashmir since 5 August last year. It could not have been easy to arrive at this decision even as the powers given to the DDCs are vast. In fact, the DDCs have become the kind of mini-assemblies and one way of look at the decision would suggest that the people alliance wants to control them to enhance its political clout. The decision also holds importance in the context that the elections are being conducted in a union territory, something these parties want to be rolled back as also returning the J&K its special status.
The eight-phase polls will start from November 28 and were announced all of a sudden with the constituencies of the districts yet to be delimited. The people’s alliance took many by surprise by its decision given the statements by leaders like Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba that they won’t be personally taking part in the elections unless the statehood was returned. This seemed to indicate that the alliance was loath to fight elections as some quarters had expressed apprehensions that this would normalise the revocation of Article 370. The decision despite odds seems to be in realization that staying out of the political process was not the solution.
Whatever the outcomes—both in terms of final tally as well as participation by the people, the entry of the People’s Alliance will surely make it interesting, even as a hard-fought contest, one in which neither the BJP nor the newly incubated J&K Apni Party can take anything for granted. The coming weeks are going to get interesting.
