Nasir Azam
Srinagar, Oct 5: The administration of Jammu & Kashmir Union Territory is likely to hold panchayat by-polls in nine phases next month, sources told news Kashmir News Observer (KNO).
Highly placed sources told KNO that the government is contemplating to hold electoral exercise in the month of November to fill 13000 Panch and Sarpanch seats. “The notification would be issued on 10th or 11th of this month, which will pave the way for imposition of model code of conduct in all poll-bound villages,” they said, adding that polling could be held between November 1 to 29.
It is worthwhile to mention here that the administrative council headed by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha had last month given nod for holding election to 12168 Panch seats and 1089 Sarpanch berths.
The posts were lying vacant since November 2018 when the elections to the local bodies were held. Most of the seats that will go to polls are in the Valley.
According to sources, both the apex and divisional level committees constituted by the government over holding the polls have submitted their reports to the government.
The apex -level committee was mandated to draw a roadmap and detailed schedule for conduct of elections to vacant panchayats and BDCs.

Precious Kashmir News
Jammu, Oct 5: Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, K.K Sharma today attended 42nd Meeting of GST Council through Video conferencing.
The meeting held under the Chairmanship of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was attended by Finance Ministers of different states.
The Advisor while representing the UT of Jammu and Kashmir put forth views regarding different agenda points discussed during the course of meeting.
He also extended support to the option proposed by the Union Government for meeting compensation requirements of the states.
Financial Commissioner Finance Arun Mehta, Commissioner Sales Tax PK bhat and other senior officers also attended.

New Delhi, Oct 5:  Students can attend schools only with the written consent of parents and provision for flexible attendance by students are among the guidelines issued by the Government for the reopening of schools.

As schools prepare to reopen after a prolonged six-month break, the Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs) were released by the Department of School Education and Literacy here. In its Unlock 5 announcement, the Home Ministry had said that states and Union Territories can decide when to reopen schools and coaching centres.

According to the guidelines, schools should take the consent of parents/guardians before their child/ward begins attending schools and should also offer the option of studying from home, saying that students may opt for online classes, rather than physically attending the same. It provides flexibility in attendance norms.

Precautions for preparing and serving mid-day meal has also been laid down in SOP by the Ministry of Education.

Schools must ensure proper sanitisation of equipment and classrooms and were advised to form task forces for ensuring hygiene and quick response to emergency situations.

Further, physical distancing must be maintained at schools and students and teachers must wear face masks at all times.

The guidelines lays down norms for social distancing, ensuring availability of full-time trained health care attendant/nurse/doctor and counsellor to take care of physical and mental health of the students and regular health check-up of both students and teachers.

On academic aspects related to the delivery of education, schools will be required to make a comprehensive academic calendar for the whole year, focusing on the learning outcomes, following the alternative calendar prepared by the NCERT.

Schools must also ensure smooth transition from home-based schooling to formal schooling.

The guidelines said that the states and UTs can develop their own SOP as deemed fit.

However, it wants focus on the most vulnerable students (homeless/migrated students, students with disabilities, and students directly affected by COVID-19 through a family death or hospitalisation), to prioritise their needs.

Besides, children can also be sensitised about the pandemic and teachers must discuss with the students the clear roadmap of the curriculum, the modes of learning to be adopted (through face to face instruction/ individual assignments or portfolios/group-based project work/group presentations) to be covered, and the time to be taken for the same, dates of school-based assessments, breaks among others.

It said divergent use of teaching resources shall have to be relied upon, keeping physical/social distancing and other safety norms in mind.

Tasaduq Hussain
Ladakh, Oct 5: Election fever has gripped Leh district of Ladakh as political parties have started luring voters through campaigning to secure control over Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Leh.
For 26 constituencies of LAHDC, 164 candidates have filed nomination papers with Chushot being highest with 16 nominations followed by Turtuk 11 and Saspol 10 while as Panamik, Sakti and Khalsi witnessed least nominations of 3 candidates each.
Of the 164 candidates, 44 are independent candidates, 43 belong to Congress and 43 to BJP.
The parties have started the political campaigning in the cold desert for the LADHC election.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) spokesman, Rinchen Namgyal said the the party will stand for constitutional safeguard whether in power or opposition and “our focus will be the basic requirements like development, health, education and so on”.
“We have fielded only 18 candidates out of 26 seats and many BJP men have joined AAP that include a sitting councilor from upper Leh, Mandal president from maximum places and youth presidents have joined AAP in recent days and the approx figure would be nearly 400,” he said.
Tsering Namgyal, one of the candidates of Congress who is also Leh district president for congress, said the party will go with public agendas in the LADHC polls and all that council requires and need to be done also there is nothing concrete about the constitutional safeguard from administration including the jobs.
About the resignation of former CEC, Rigzin Spalbar who was party’s senior leader, he said, there are some personal reason and he has mentioned in the resignation that he will work to strengthen the stand for the demand of 6th schedule but morally and mentally he is with the congress also I reckon he’s still with the party.
To a question about the congress losing foothold in Ladakh, he said, “We are going to the people and telling them what needs to be done. What has been left also the lags of administration and union government in running the region and people do understand us.”
Ashok Koul, general secretary (Org), Jammu and Kashmir Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), camping in Leh for past many days said, “Our agenda for the LADHC election is very clear we have already given UT status to the region and the developmental works also the hill council budget has been hiked from 55 to 250 crore.”
He said they have commenced their poll campaigning under proper guidelines and protocols in view of the Covid pandemic and will continue with the same and people have shown good response to BJP villagers in particular.
To a query about the mass resignation including the sitting councilor, he said there is nothing like that but one has resigned citing no mandate for the election and it happens during election and all those who don’t get a ticket can say anything. (KNO)

Precious Kashmir News

Srinagar, Oct 5:  The Directorate of Tourism, Kashmir in collaboration with the Department of Wildlife Protection and Adventure Tour Operators Association of Kashmir (ATOAK) on Monday organized various activities including Cycling, Trekking and a Nature Walk in the famed Dachigam National Park.

Around 30 enthusiasts and Adventure lovers from various walks of life took part in the events flagged off by Director, Tourism Kashmir, Nisar Ahmad Wani in presence of Regional Wildlife Warden, Kashmir, Rashid Naqash, WildLife Warden Central, Altaf Hussain and President ATOAK, Rauf Tramboo.

A protected area, Dachigam National Park is known for its rich bio-diversity including the world famous and unique Kashmiri Stag (Hangul), Himalayan Black Bear (Haputh) and Musk Deer (Roose Kaet) and other wild animals, plants and bird species.

The serene early morning freshness in Dachigam provided a perfect setting for Cycling, Trekking and Nature Walk. The participants were earlier briefed by Wildlife Warden Central, Altaf Hussain about the Do’s and Don’ts while moving inside the Dachigam Park.

“With Tourism in Kashmir now open and gradually moving towards revival, the Directorate of Tourism, Kashmir has started its publicity campaigns primarily focused on communicating a message that Tourists can come here hassle free, as all COVID related SoPs are in place and enjoy our hospitality and experience  nature in all its beautiful shades and manifestations” Director Tourism, Kashmir said.

Later in the day, the participants assembled at the Nature Interpretation Centre situated inside the Dachigam National Park. Besides the general discussion on Wildlife and importance of biodiversity to Kashmir in general and Tourism in particular, a wildlife documentary on Himalayan Black Bear in Dachigam was also screened.

Speaking on the occasion, Director, Tourism Kashmir outlined the various components of Wildlife and underscored the need to conserve and preserve it.

“Our vast green meadows, enchanting valleys, majestic mountains and our pristine streams and lakes is what brings joy to the visitor and fills him with awe,” Wani said.

Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Oct 5: Cautioning the candidates against getting misled by some unscrupulous elements spreading misinformation regarding the conduct of exams, the J&K Service Selection Board has clarified that the schedule of examination recently issued by the Board, for Accounts Assistant (Panchayats) and Class-IV posts, is tentative and subject to the guidelines of the UT Government which shall be in vogue at the relevant point of time or any other instruction that may be issued relating to COVID-19 pandemic.
The SSB has issued a Tentative Calendar for various examinations vide this office Notice No. SSB/Secy/Sel/2020/3354-62 dated 18.09.2020. In this context, the Board has been receiving lots of queries regarding forthcoming examination of Accounts Assistant (Panchayats) and Class-IV posts.
In this regard, all necessary preparations are underway and respective district administrations are extending their cooperation to the Board.
However, there are lots of activities already going on at the ground level. Therefore, a holistic view is to be taken to ensure secure, smooth and above all fair and transparent examination. The J&K Services Selection Board is determined to hold all the examinations in a time bound manner and release the selection lists without any undue delay. The final dates in this regard shall be notified in due course of time.
Meanwhile, the job aspirants have been cautioned against the activities of some unscrupulous elements who are misleading the gullible candidates using various deceptive means and by spreading misinformation about conduct of these exams. Moreover, candidates are advised to check official website of the Board www.jkssb.nic.in for authentic and verified updates on this account.

Precious Kashmir News

Srinagar, Oct 5:  The parents of the students studying in Jamia Milia University have demanded that the university should arrange the examination centres in Kashmir valley during the prevailing situation due to the COVID 19.

The parents added that the university has scheduled the examination in offline mode at Delhi campus on 2nd and 3rd week of this month respectively.

The parents added that they are very concerned about the life of their wards as they don’t want to send them out of the state at this critical juncture, when the whole world is fighting the Global pandemic through social distancing. They alleged leaving the homes in such times is life threatening.

They appealed the VC of Jamia Milia to announce at least one examination centre in Kashmir.  (CNS)

Precious Kashmir News

Srinagar, Oct 5:  Private Schools’ Association of Jammu and Kashmir (PSAJK) Monday said they are against any fee relaxation to the students, which can have devastating effect on the entire education sector.

“The entire school education sector has been hit hard for last so many years and especially since August 2019 lockdown and subsequent COVID restrictions. Such is the situation of schools that it has become a matter of survival for all of us,” sad G N Var president PSAJK.

“At this point of time how can we support fee relaxation. In fact we had many times met Principal Secretary School Education and presented to him all facts and figures regarding situation of schools. He was kind enough to see the reality and see how fee relaxation can result in closure of schools and loss of employment,” he said.

War said the private schools provide employment to 67000 persons right from bus conductor to school principal and any disruption in fee collection can spell doom for many lives. “We are against 30 % fee reduction. Which sector can survive with such a steep cut in their revenue”.

He urged the patients to deposit the tuition fee of the students.

“We have already agreed to provide concession of upto 50 % in transport fee and we appeal parents to deposit the remaining fee at the earliest so as to keep the transport sector of schools in running shape and not turned in Non Performing Asset. Otherwise schools will have to wind up transport or outsource it to third party which is many times expensive than what the schools charges,” said Var.