New Delhi, Aug 11: The Centre on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that a special committee has decided to provide 4G internet services on trial basis in those areas of Jammu and Kashmir which are “less sensitive”.

The Centre also informed the top court that trial of 4G internet service will be done in one district each in Jammu and Kashmir division after August 15.

“The Committee has decided that access to 4G internet in Jammu and Kashmir will be given in calibrated manner and the outcome will be reviewed after 2 months,” Centre told the SC.

Internet services were suspended in Jammu and Kashmir on August 5 last year – hours before the Centre announced the abrogation of provisions of Article 370.

While the 2G services on postpaid mobile phones and broadband and lease-line services were restored months later, the 4G services continued to remain suspended.

On May 11, the top court had ordered setting up of a “special committee” headed by the Union home secretary to consider pleas for restoration of 4G internet services in Jammu and Kashmir, saying national security and human rights needed to be balanced in view of the fact the union territory has been “plagued with militancy”.

In July, the Centre and Jammu and Kashmir administration told the Supreme Court that a special committee had been constituted to consider the issue of restoration of 4G Internet services in the Union Territory.

On August 7, the top court had asked the J-K administration to explore the possibility of restoring 4G services in certain areas of the Union Territory.

Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Aug 11: Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha has extended his warm greetings to the people of J&K on the auspicious occasion of Shree Krishna Janamashtami.

In his message of greetings, the Lt Governor observed that Lord Krishna was an epitome of virtues like “selflessness, truth and justice” and this festival is the celebration of life and teachings of Lord Krishna enshrined in Shrimad Bhagvad Gita, which inculcates in us the spirit of selfless service and righteousness towards building a harmonious society.

The Lt Governor hoped that this auspicious occasion would further strengthen the social harmony and amity in J&K.

He urged the people to celebrate the festival in adherence to all the SOP’s and guidelines issued by the Administration.

He prayed for the peace and prosperity in the UT and extended his best wishes for the well-being of the people of J&K.

Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar while extending his greetings said that Lord Krishna’s message of standing up for righteousness against evil, working for universal well-being and focusing on responsibilities rather than rewards is inspiring for all.

Advisor Bhatnagar  appealed  the people to follow necessary guidelines put in view of the global pandemic of the COVID 19 while celebrating the occasion and advised them to strictly follow the concept of Social distancing.

Advisor Farooq Khan in his message maintained that the life and teachings of Lord Krishna have a universal message as they signify the triumph of virtue over vice and righteousness over evil.

The Advisor also prayed for the peace, progress and prosperity of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Advisor Baseer Khan said that the festival celebrates the life and eternal teachings of Lord Krishna like discipline, knowledge, and selfless action.

He added that on this occasion, we should rededicate ourselves to the teachings of Lord Krishna and work for the creation of a peaceful, harmonious and enlightened society.

Chief Secretary, B V R Subrahmanyam in his message said that Lord Krishna’s teachings of harmony and righteousness have guided our nation towards peaceful co-existence, adding that the festival celebrates the spirit of selfless service.

He urged people to take precautions, maintain social distance and follow safety protocols during festivities and celebrations in these difficult times of COVID-19 pandemic.

Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, August 11: Jammu and Kashmir police on Tuesday said it will carry out DNA sampling for matching the same with three militants killed in encounter in Shopian on July 18, a day after three families from Rajouri claimed that their kin were missing since the gunfight in the south Kashmir district.

In a statement the police also announced that it will also “investigate all other aspects as per the law in due course of time.”

“The district Police Rajouri have been approached by some families yesterday claiming that their kins had gone to Shopian for labour work and contacted on phone on July 17. As per families when they didn’t contacted them after July 17 they lodged missing report at PP Peeru on 10/8/2020,” a police spokesman said, adding, “Meanwhile Social media reported that the militants killed in an operation at Shopian on July 18 are reportedly their kins.”

The spokesman said that apropos to its earlier press note by it regarding the operation, Police had “provided sufficient time for identification of dead bodies at PCR Kashmir Srinagar.” However, he said, the bodies could not be identified and they were buried in presence of Magistrate after conducting post-mortem and lifting DNA samples.

“Taking cognisance of the claim by the families and media reports, Shopian Police will examine the claimants and carry out DNA sampling for matching purpose. Besides identification, Police will also investigate all other aspects as per the law in due course of time.”

Meanwhile, the spokesman said, Army has also taken notice of the family and social media claims regarding the operation and “initiated investigations.”

On July 18, police in a statement had said that three militants were killed in gunfight with joint team of police, army and CRPF in Shopian district on an input by army.

“On a specific input by 62RR about presence of (militants) in village Amshipora area, an operation was launched by them in the area,” a police spokesperson had said.

During search,  he had said, the militants fired upon Army and encounter started. “Later on police and CRPF also joined. During encounter three unidentified militants were killed,” he had said in the statement, adding, “Bodies of all the killed three (militants) were retrieved from the site of encounter.” However, he said, the identification and group affiliation of the slain was being ascertained.

“Incriminating materials including arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter,” he said.

All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other militancy-related incidents, he had said.

“The bodies have been sent to Baramulla for their last rites after conducting medico-legal formalities including collection of their DNA,” he had said.

He had said a case FIR No. 42/2020 under relevant sections of law has been registered at Police Station Hirpora and investigation has been initiated into the matter.

Raouf Dar

Srinagar, Aug 11: Advisor to Lieutenant Governor Farooq Ahmad Khan Tuesday said some people on social media call Shopian encounter a fake encounter to “deteriorate situation” in Kashmir.

“Some people call Shopian encounter a staged or fake encounter in an attempt to deteriorate the situation in Kashmir. We will defeat all the conspiracies of those who want to deteriorate the situation in Kashmir.There are some reports about the missing of three persons. Enquiry has been started and everything will be clear very soon,” Khan told reporters in south Kashmir as per news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS).

On July 18, the army said three militants were killed in the higher reaches of Shopian in South Kashmir. However, no further details were shared. Families in Jammu region’s Rajouri have filed written complaints saying three men involved in labour work were missing from the same area. The army claimed that it is inquiring into an encounter by its troops in a South Kashmir village following complaints by families who have reported some men missing.

Junaid Shah

Srinagar, Aug 11:  The Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Shopian Amrit Pal Singh Tuesday said that the families of three missing persons of Rajori have not approached the Shopian police for the investigations.

The Army has said that it started an investigation into an encounter in which “three militants” were killed in Shopian village in July, it attributed its investigations to the “social media” inputs that the “encounter” was fake.

Three weeks after the Army claimed to have killed “unidentified” militants in an “encounter” in South Kashmir’s Shopian, three families in Jammu region’s Rajouri have come forward and have filed written complaints saying three men involved in labour work were missing from the same area.

Talking to news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS) over phone SSP Amrit Pal Singh said, “How can we rely on social media claims, until and unless the family approaches us,” the SSP said.

He added: “We had lodged FIR as per our related incident and the Rajori police lodged as per their’s” he added. However the SSP further refused to comment over the issue.

The three families lodged a missing persons’ complaint about them at the Peeri Police Post in Rajouri’s Kotranka tehsil on Sunday, amidst social reports that three alleged militants killed by security forces in an encounter in Amshipora on July 18 were labourers from Rajouri district.

They gave the names as Imtiyaz Ahmad, 20, and Ibrer Ahmad, 16, of Dharsakri village, and Mohammad Ibrar, 25, of Tarkasi village — both villages in Kotranka tehsil.

In a statement, defence spokesperson Rajesh Kalia had said, “We have noted social media inputs linked to the operation at Shopian on 18 July 2020. The three terrorists killed during the operation have not been identified and the bodies were buried based on established protocol. The Army is investigating the matter.”

Srinagar, Aug 11: Amid sudden increase in militant attacks on political activists and sarpanchs, mostly associated with Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), leading to resignation by over a dozen local leaders and workers, the administration has identified a number secure places to accommodate those who are facing threat.

Over a dozen local leaders and workers have so far publically announced their disassociation with the BJP while some others have resigned as panches and sarpanchs in the valley, including south, north and central Kashmir districts.

However, senior BJP leaders, including Ashok Koul, have already taken up the matter of security of BJP local leaders, workers and panches and sarpanches with the local administration without getting any response so far. After the killing of BJP sarpanch Sajad Ahmad Khanday at Vessu Qazigund in south Kashmir district of Kulgam on August 6 and critically wounded another sarpanch Arif Ahmad Khan a day before, Koul wrote a letter to national president of the BJP J P Nanda requesting his immediate intervention so that ground level political workers could feel secure and continue their work for the weaker and downtrodden people of the society. Only on Monday a BJP local leader who was injured in militant firing a day earlier died in the hospital evoking condemnation from other political parties.

Official sources told UNI that it was not practically possible to provide individual security to thousands of panchs, sarpanchs and political activists in the valley, where over 12000 panchs and sarpanch and chairman urban local bodies are vacant. Dozens of others have also resigned due to threat perception, they said.

Keeping in view the threat perception and other factors, the government decided to provide secure joint accommodation for sarpanches, panches and other ground level workers who are facing threat. A number of places were identified and large number of these activities were accommodated with proper security arrangements to foil any militant attempt to cause any harm to them.

But, sources said, many BJP sarpanchs and panchs or workers were attacked after they left these secure places without informing police or any other security agency in that area. Arif Khan was shot dead by militants after he left security zone for his house, sources said adding they are becoming the easy target of militants under these circumstances.

During the past 24 hours hundreds of sarpanchs and panches besides political workers have been shifted to secure accommodation in south and North Kashmir. A number of hotels were hired to accommodate these people, sources said adding similar safe zones will be created in other areas of the valley, where ground level workers of different political parties are facing threat perception.

The National Conference (NC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Congress and other political parties were alleging that security of their leaders and workers were withdrawn despite threat. Now the BJP is raising concern about the security of their cadre after recent attacks in Kashmir valley.

However, senior BJP leaders, condemning the attack on their leaders and workers, said they will not be cowed down and their ground level activists will continue to work for the betterment of people.

Srinagar, Aug 11:  Religious places and places of worship within the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir will re-open from August 16, 2020, the J&K government informed on Tuesday.
The government has made the installation and use of Aarogya Setu App as mandatory for all visitors. However, it said, touching statues, idols or holy books will not be permitted. In fresh guidelines, the Jammu and Kashmir government said:

Whereas, the State Executive Committee vide its order dated 04.08.2020 has issued new guidelines on lockdown measures which are in effect till August 31, 2020.

Whereas, the new guidelines, at Para 03 (v), permit the opening of religious places for the public, subject to a separate SOP for the said purpose.

Now, therefore, in the exercise of powers conferred under section 24 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the instructions annexed with this order are hereby issued by the State Executive Committee for the opening of religious places/places of worship within the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir w.e.f 16.08.2020 till further orders.

Any deviation from this order shall attract penal action under the Disaster Management Act, 2005

Srinagar, Aug 11:  The Jammu and Kashmir administration has informed the High Court that none of the 16 National Conference leaders, for whom the party’s president Farooq Abdullah and vice president Omar Abdullah had filed a bunch of habeas corpus petitions seeking their release, had been detained and that they were free to move “with certain precautions” as deemed fit for their security.

Filing responses to the pleas before the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, senior additional advocate general Bashir Ahmad Dar said it was “not only surprising but shocking as well” as there was neither any legal proceedings underway nor was being contemplated.

The similarly worded replies, which have been vetted by the Inspector General of Police (Kashmir Range), however, said that in wake of constitutional amendments carried out in August last year, “it was apprehended that inimical elements may disturb the peace” and the leaders “may provoke them to cause aggravation in the disturbance”.

However, no order of detention either under preventive detention law or substantive law was issued against any of the leaders, it said, adding they were free to move with certain precautions “as deemed fit” for their security.

The reply said that the petitioner being a categorised person has been advised not to visit any vulnerable areas without informing the authorities concerned and reasoned that it was to ensure proper security.

The Abdullahs had filed 16 petitions on July 13 for 16 NC leaders contending that they were being held in “brazen violation” of constitutional guarantees of right to liberty.

The writ petitions filed under Article 226 of the Constitution lists NC general secretary Ali Mohammed Sagar, provincial president Nasir Aslam Wani, senior leader Aga Syed Mehmood, party’s chief spokesman Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, among the leaders being detained at their residences illegally and wrongfully without serving them grounds of detention.

The leaders have been forcibly restricted by police personnel stationed outside their residences for the past 11 months.

Other leaders for whose release the petitions have been filed were Abdul Rahim Rather, Mohammad Khalil Bandh, Irfan Shah and Sahmeema Firdous, Mohammad Shafi Uri, Chaudhary Mohammad Ramzaan, Mubarak Gul, Dr Bashir Veeri, Abdul Majeed Larmi, Basharat Bukhari, Saifudin Bhat Shutru and Mohammad Shafi.

The senior Abdullah has filed the habeas corpus petitions for seven leaders while his son has filed for the remaining nine.

The Abdullahs, who were first taken into preventive custody on August 4 night last year and then detained under the stringent Public Safety Act for several months, have pleaded that the detainees be set at liberty.

The Abdullahs were detained hours before the Centre’s nullified Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and split the state into two Union Territories.

The reply of the home department said the petitioners being protected persons were well within the charter of duties of the administration to ensure their safety and security.

“In view of the strong inputs regarding overall security atmosphere prevailing in Jammu and Kashmir and also designs of enemy country to destabilise the security situation and law and order, an advisory thereof was also issued by the security headquarters advising all the protected persons to take precautions and not to venture out un-necessarily,” it said.

“…it is emphatically denied that currently or in the past any detention order is in the force against” the leaders and the administration was functioning “strictly within the parameters of law”, it said.

There is no infringement or brazen violation of the law as claimed in the petition.

“The respondents have shown utmost respect of the law of the land,” it said and pleaded for dismissal of the petition with costs.

The party leadership moved the high court after the petitions of these detained leaders to the Home Secretary of Union Territory on June 30 seeking removal of restriction on their movement and set them at “absolute liberty” remained unanswered.

The party, before moving the high court, had expressed hope that the legal system will come to the rescue of the leaders, who have been suffering for no fault ever since the abrogation of provisions of Article 370, Article 35 A on August 5 2019.

Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Aug 11: Government has accorded sanction to Merging or subsuming of the Engineering Wings of fifteen Departments and Organizations in Public Works (R&B) Department from December 1.

The departments including Tourism Department and Tourism Development Authorities; School Education Department; Higher Education Department; Skill Development Department; Agriculture Production & Farmer Welfare Department; Department of Horticulture; Animal, Sheep Husbandry and Fisheries Department; Floriculture Department;  Hospitality & Protocol; Estates Department; Disaster Management Relief, Rehabilitation & Reconstruction Department; Department of Forest, Ecology and Environment; Transport Department; Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura and Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Medical College, Bemina.

“The civil works in the Departments/Organizations whose engineering wings are being subsumed shall be executed only through Public Works (R&B) Department/ Jal Shakti Department/ Power Development Department or JKPCC, w.e.f 01.12.2020.”

Further, the powers of the prioritization/identification of works and accord of administrative approval shall continue to vest with the user Administrative Departments or concerned authority as the case may be, a government order said. “The practice of reserving a proportion of projects for Self Help Groups of Engineers is abolished forthwith.”

The Public Works (R&B) Department shall examine the role of JKPCC taking into consideration economics of working of JKPCC since its inception and based on such review seek approval of Competent Authority with regard to the continuation of JKPCC or otherwise.

“The mandate of specialized wings of SIDCO and SICOP shall be clearly delineated by Industries and Commerce Department and these wings shall restrict their activities to the redefined mandate.” (GNS)

Precious Kashmir News

Srinagar, Aug 11:  Financial Commissioner Revenue, Dr Pawan Kotwal, Tuesday launched 1st Census of Water Bodies of Jammu and Kashmir during a function which was attended by Director Planning and Tehsildars of District Srinagar and Budgam.

The Census of Water Bodies will capture information on important parameters of water bodies like their number, size, condition, type of use, storage capacity etc irrespective of their use both in rural and urban areas of Jammu and Kashmir so that a sound data base on water bodies could be worked out for effective planning and policy formation besides a useful reference for the researchers.

Census of Water Bodies will be controlled and monitored at central level by the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejunvation, GoI and by the office of Financial Commissioner, Revenue at UT level.

Financial Commissioner, while highlighting the importance of the census, informed that the Development departments viz. Agriculture Production Department, Horticulture Development and PHE and Irrigation and Flood Control Department will be immensely benefitted by it  will play a significant role in planning for  future.

Meanwhile, mobile phones required for capturing the online data of water bodies were also distributed among the Tehsildars.

Pertinently, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on examination of Demand of Grants of the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, GoI recommended conduct of Census of Water Bodies along-with Minor Irrigation Census in order to capture information on important parameters of water bodies.

Accordingly, Census of Water Bodies is being conducted along with 6th Minor Irrigation Census.

In the Census of Water Bodies, a water body  defined as all natural or man-made units bounded on all sides with some or no masonry work used for storing water for irrigation or other purposes will be treated as water bodies. A structure where water from ice-melt, streams, springs, rain or drainage of water from residential or other areas is accumulated or water is stored by diversion from a stream, nalla or river will also be treated as water body.

Besides, filling of Water Body Schedules by the field functionaries, the provision for capturing photographs along with its latitude and longitude is also kept in this Census.