Precious Kashmir

IGP Singh reviews training arrangements for probationary officers

Jammu & Kashmir

10/07/2020

Precious Kashmir News

Udhampur, July 9: Dr S D Singh Jamwal, IGP Security J&K/Director Police Academy on Thursday reviewed the various aspects of training programme of the probationary deputy superintendents of police and probationer sub- inspectors at Police Academy Udhampur.

IGP Singh issued necessary directions to the officers as well as trainers regarding the training of these officers. He said the probationer DySPs and probationer SIs were deputed to their parent units for performing general duties after suspension of their basic training programme in March this year following outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.

He said their training programme is being will resume from July 12, 2020 at the Police Academy Udhampur as per the directions/guidelines received from the Government of India Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).

He further said that the training programme shall be conducted strictly as per the guidelines issued by the DoPT and all precautionary and preventive measures shall be put in place at the earmarked places viz-a-viz places of stay, indoor block and training slots.

DSEK to start state of art Model School in Kashmir

Jammu & Kashmir

Precious Kashmir

09/07/2020

Precious Kashmir News
SRINAGAR, JULY 08: Department of School Education is all set to start a state of the art model school, equipped with all the facilities as per latest global needs in Kashmir division.
As per an official handout, Director School Education Kashmir, Mohammad Younis Malik said that the Government has taken up the erstwhile National School Karan Nagar Srinagar for the purpose and the school will start functioning as a model school.
Giving the details, Malik said that the model school will come up with all the modern teaching learning facilities which will be at par with any reputed private school of the country and the facilities will include teaching through smart class rooms, CT laboratory, Model Kindergarten, laboratories for Physics, Chemistry, and Biology besides language labs.
He said that the school which is known as National School Karan Nagar is now the property of the School Education department and the government has decided to set up a model school here and provide free quality education to the students.
The Director said that the school will enroll students from Kindergarten up to 12th class and the admission process is likely to take off in near future.
The Department of School Education has so far started Kindergarten in 91 schools of Kashmir division and to provide free quality education to maximum number of students, the department is going to start 200 model Kindergarten schools in all districts in near future.
The model KG schools will be established in all districts catering all the students including those living at the toe end.
Meanwhile the Director has reiterated that the department is committed to provide free and quality education to all the students enrolled in government run schools.

Occupation of bungalows by former Ministers: High Court seeks status report in four weeks

City

Precious Kashmir

09/07/2020

Srinagar, July 8, KNT: In a significant order of wide public importance, a Division Bench of J&K High Court comprising Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Sanjay Dhar directed AAG Aseem Sawhney appearing for the J&K Govt (Estates Department) to file a status report within a period of four weeks in the petition highlighting illegal occupation of Ministerial Bunglows and A-Type Kothis by former Ministers and legislators in Jammu and Srinagar.
After hearing Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed with Advocates Muhammad Zulkarnain Chowdhary, Supriya Chouhan and Muzzaffar Ali Shah appearing in the PIL filed by social activist Prof. S.K. Bhalla, the Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Gita Mittal through Video Conferencing issued notices to the Secretary to the Government of J&K, Hospitality and Protocol; Estates Department and Civil Aviation; Director Estates, J&K and Deputy Director Estates, Jammu which were accepted by AAG Aseem Sawhney. The Division Bench also issued notice in the Miscellaneous Petition and further directed the AAG to apprise the court about the view taken by the J&K Govt in the instant matter.
When this PIL came up for hearing through Video Conferencing today before the Division Bench, Advocate Sheikh Shakil Ahmed vehemently argued that despite the fall of BJP-PDP Government in June 2018, the erstwhile Ministers and Legislators did not vacate the Ministerial Bungalows and A-Type Kothis both at Jammu as well as at Srinagar and their illegal occupation continues till date and the Estates Department miserably failed to get the official accommodations vacated.
Advocate Ahmed according to news agency KNT further submitted that the Ex-Ministers/Ex-MLAs lost their entitlement to remain in the Ministerial Bungalows and A-Type Kothis after they ceased to be public men but the Estates Department failed to discharge its duties solely for the reason that the illegal occupants belong to a party which is in power in the Centre.
After considering the submissions of Advocate S. S. Ahmed, the Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Gita Mittal issued directions to the Government to file a status report within four weeks and further directed in the Miscellaneous Petition to apprise the court about the view taken by the Government in the instant matter. The Division Bench further directed the Registry to re-notify the instant PIL on October 7, 2020. Amicus Curie Monika Kohli was also present at the time of hearing through Video Conferencing. (KNT)

Lt Governor interacts with public delegation from Ganderbal

Jammu & Kashmir

Precious Kashmir

08/07/2020

PRECIOUS KASHMIR NEWS

SRINAGAR, JULY 08: Lieutenant Governor, Girish Chandra Murmu today interacted with a public delegation from Ganderbal District here at the Auditorium Complex, Raj Bhavan and took stock of the grievances and developmental aspirations of the people of the area.
Sh. BVR Subrahmanyam, Chief Secretary; Sh. Arun Kumar Mehta, Financial Commissioner, Finance department; Sh. Atal Dulloo, Financial Commissioner, Health and Medical Education; Sh. Dheeraj Gupta, Principal Secretary to the Government, Housing and Urban Development department; Sh. Pandurang K. Pole, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir and senior officers were present on the occasion.
Delegation led by former MLA, Sheikh Ishfaq Jabbar, comprising of people from different walks of life including Municipal Committee President, PRI representatives, traders, senior citizens, fruit growers, representatives from business associations and civil society members apprised the Lt Governor of various developmental issues and other issues of public importance of Ganderbal district and sought his intervention in resolving the same.
Demands pertaining to land acquisition for four laning of Pandach Beehama road; functioning of Unani College and Hospital; development of Lar Marg/ Mohand Marg as tourist destination; development of various play fields & parks; upgradation of PHC Lar; execution of work on 93 MW New Ganderbal Hydro-electric Power project; establishment of Women Degree College at Lar; upgradation of High Schools.

Mughal gardens, other parks reopen after 4 months

City

Precious Kashmir

08/07/2020

Srinagar, July 8: Very less number of people visited Mughal gardens and other parks, which were reopened from Wednesday after remaining closed for about four months to curtail the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.
The gardens and parks in the Union Territory were reopened from Wednesday despite no letup in the number of fatalities and upward spiral in new COVID-19 cases in J&K, where so far 146 patients have died due to the virus while about 9000 people have been infected. However, authorities said that all the visitors have to strictly observe the already given protocols and medical advises related to Covid-19, including wear face masks, use hand sanitizers and maintain social distancing norms both inside and outside these picnic spots. Very few people, who were wearing facemask, could be seen visiting Mughal gardens, situated along the boulevard road on the bank of famous Dal Lake, during the day after a gap of about four months in Srinagar, where the maximum temperature settled at 31.9 degree, which is about 2 degree above normal. However, the number slightly increased in the evening. The floriculture department has set up thermal screening at the entry gates of all these gardens.

Misappropriation Reports In Centrally Sponsored Schemes In Tangmarg, Poor Unattended, Influential Benefitted

Jammu & Kashmir

Precious Kashmir

08/07/2020

Aadil Dar

Tangmarg, July 08: Leaving the deserving beneficiaries of Indira Gandhi Awas Yojna, locals in north Kashmir’s Tangmarg area have raised question over the functioning of Rural Development Department. They appealed higher authorities to intervene into the matter and make officials accountable in this regard.
According to Kashmir News Service (KNS), locals of Ganibaba Tangmarg locality have raised fingers over functionality of RDD. They alleged that the concern department is leaving the real beneficiaries of central sponsored schemes like Indira Gandhi Awas Yojna and granting its benefits to blue eyed families.
Reportedly a poor family of Mohammad Shafi Thokar son of Mohammad Akbar of Ganibaba Tangmarg has never received any assistance under IAY, a central sponsored scheme.
IAY, which is also knows as Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awaas Yojana (PMGAY), was a sub-scheme of the Rural Landless Employment Guarantee Programme (RLEGP) and a social welfare programme that was first launched by Rajiv Gandhi in 1985. It was the flagship housing programme of the Ministry of Rural Development and worked toward constructing houses for the below-poverty-line (BPL) population in rural parts of the Country.
Thokar, who is surviving a below poverty line life, raised several question over the functioning of Rural Development Department (RDD) and alleged that only those families and persons having influence and approach to officials are getting benefits from such Centrally Sponsored Schemes. He said the real beneficiaries have been miserably left and unattended.
Thokar, who is living in a muddy house along with his family, said that no official has so far visited him and provided any help in tough times.KNS

Advisor Baseer Khan directs speedy completion of CCS, PMDP schemes

Jammu & Kashmir

Precious Kashmir

08/07/2020

Reviews power sector Reforms, implementation of CSS in Kashmir
Srinagar, July 8: Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Baseer Ahmad Khan today directed speedy implementation of various Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) and Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP) in Kashmir division meant for augmentation of power infrastructure including increasing transmission capacity and reducing Transmission and Distribution Losses.
The Advisor passed on these directions during a review meeting convened to discuss power sector reforms and implementation of various centrally sponsored schemes in Kashmir.
The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary Power Development Department, Rohit Kansal; Managing Director Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL), Mohammad Aijaz and other senior officers of the Power department.
Officers from Jammu attended the meeting through video conferencing.
The schemes currently being executed include Restructured Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme (R-APDRP), Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS), Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DUGJY), Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP- Urban), Gas Insulated Systems (GIS) and several other schemes.
While reviewing the progress and targets of the schemes, the Advisor directed speeding up their execution for the greater good of the society.
He maintained that officers should hold regular meetings to remove the bottlenecks, if any, and regular monitoring be carried out so that these schemes are completed within the stipulated timeframe.
He also directed them that they should make judicious use of the resources available with the department for maximum benefits besides more reliable distribution infrastructure is to be created. Emphasizing the need for repair workshops at divisional and district levels, the Advisor directed the officers for speedy completion and upgradation of these workshops at an earliest so that the damaged transformers are repaired at these workshops which would in turn lower the financial costs.He also directed them that massive enforcement drives be launched to report huge power consumption and power theft and action taken accordingly. MD KPDCL presented a detailed presentation about the progress.

LG renews pledge to fight corruption, ACB given free hand

Anchor stories
Front

Afaq Bhat

08/07/2020

Afaq Bhat
Srinagar, July 8: Lieutenant Governor, G C Murmu, has once again asked the Anti Corruption Bureau to intensify its campaign against the corrupt elements in Jammu and Kashmir.
According to the media reports LG recently chaired a high level meeting in the summer capital and directed the ACB officials to expand the ambit of their investigations to catch the big fishes involved in corruption. The LG also stressed on taking serious action against the corrupt officials in any department without any further delay.
An analyst while talking to Precious Kashmir said, “Corruption in J&K has always been a cause of concern. The LG giving free hand to ACB has led to many corrupt elements being nailed during the past few months.”
He said, “Former political regimes also launched many drives against the corrupt elements but the desired results couldn’t be achieved due to one or other reason. Now, there are no political pressures and the ACB can finish the tasks which were left unaccomplished in the past.”
An observer said, “The ACB has become very active in the recent times and it appears that it takes a very serious note of the complaints of corruption which are filed by the people on daily basis.”
Reffering to the arrest of Hilal Rather, son of former Finance Minister of J&K, and senior National Conference leader, Abdul Rahim Rather, the observer said, “The ACB by acting against a big fish for his alleged involvement in loan fraud case has set a precedent. There are still many big fishes that are roaming scot free and they need to be nailed.”
Another analyst said, “J&K’s reorganization seems to have made the officials and others realize that they cannot get away with everything and they will be held accountable. The political masters who used to shield these elements have themselves become irrelevant. They too are being asked to come clean on the huge wealth they have amassed.”
He said, “People who used to believe that they are above the law have been cut to size and are being asked to explain how come they have become so rich. In order to save themselves most of the politicians have gone into a silent mode and are hoping that no questions are posed to them.”
It’s in place to mention here that J&K’s reorganization has automatically extended the jurisdiction of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into J&K and doesn’t need any permission from the government to take action against any suspect. The CBI has been asking the people to approach them in case some official or anyone else seeks illegal gratification from them.

and praised the efforts being put in by the ACB in curbing the Corruption in the J&K UT.

Infections, Deaths Peaking

Edit

Precious Kashmir

08/07/2020

Covid-19 infections and the death toll continue to rise alarmingly. In the last three weeks alone, at least 82 people have died while more than 3600 new cases were added up to the tally in Jammu and Kashmir.
In the times of unlock 2.0, the statistics would show, not only in J&K but globally including India, the pandemic is spreading very fast. As if the summer heat has invigorated the virus, June alone accounted for 60% of all cases reported so far.
In fact, the acceleration of fresh cases began in the first week of May and increased sharply in June.
It is important to note that dithering on testing, tracing, isolating and treating will inevitably lead to uncontrolled spread and increased deaths. There is a threat that it may undermine the past and present efforts to contain the pandemic. The figures seem overwhelmingly high and give a sense that the pandemic spread, in absence of vaccine or drug, cannot be controlled. However, China, Italy and Spain have demonstrated that it is possible to bend the curve through a comprehensive approach that is centred on testing as well as taking precautions. The people in these countries seem to more sensitivity as against their counterparts in this part of the globe including Jammu and Kashmir as is indicated by the public behavior in markets and on the roads. Hardly anyone seems to be following standard safety measures which pose a challenge to all as a society. Recent researches by scientists and WHO’s acknowledgment of the airborne nature of the virus makes wearing masks and maintaining required hygiene more imperative. Life is precious, so is the family. In combination, they are the most prized possession for every individual. The question for the administration, and also for the people is to understand collective apathy towards the consequences of the pandemic. The Government has time and again issued guidelines and even warned to penalize those who observe them in breach. However, there is a lack of action against offenders. Barring few challans here and there, the administration has been found wanting to enforce the guidelines especially as regards wearing of the masks. The administration and people must comprehend that the price of negligence is huge. It can bring about a catastrophe. Allowing the virus to spread rapidly is fraught with danger and its consequences, beyond any shadow of doubt, could be disastrous. The government needs to act in the manner as is required of it to meet the challenges while people are advised to follow the advice.

COVID-19 claims 6 more lives in Kashmir, J&K tally mounts to 149

Front

Nadeem Nadu

08/07/2020

135 die in Valley, 14 in Jammu; Srinagar on top with 36 deaths
Nadeem Nadu

Srinagar, July 8: Kashmir on Wednesday reported six deaths COVID-19 deaths, taking the fatality count due to the virus in J&K to 149.

Talking to GNS, Medical Superintendent CD hospital Dr Salim Tak said one among those who died at the hospital was a 44-year-old from Sopore town of Baramulla and other, a 75-year-old, was from Batamaloo Srinagar.

The quadragenarian was suffering from bilateral pneumonia and had acute respiratory failure and was on ventilator, Tak said.

“The young man was admitted to the hospital on June 27 and died today,” he said.

Regarding the septuagenarian from Batamaloo, Dr Tak said that he was suffering from chronic kidney disease, hypertension, hypothyroidism and had bilateral pneumonia. He died a day after he was admitted to the hospital, Dr Tak added.

Earlier, hours after a 65-year-old man from Nadihal Baramulla died at a hospital here, his sample for COVID-19 returned positive. The sexagenarian was admitted to SMHS hospital on July 6, officials said.

“He had bilateral pneumonia. The patient was very critical,” Medical Superintendent of SMHS hospital Dr Nazir Choudhary said. “He died last night and his sample for COVID-19 came out to be positive today,” he added.

Also, a 70-year-old woman from Shopian died at the hospital here, two days after she was admitted. The septuagenarian with Community Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) also died last evening, Dr Choudhary said.

Meanwhile, sources said that 51-year-old woman from Narbal Magam Budgam who died yesterday and was sampled at SMHS hospital tested positive today.

Previously, a 36-year-old woman from Nehru Park Srinagar died at SKIMS Soura here, six days after she tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

Professor Farooq Jan, Medical Superintendent SKIMS Soura said the woman died due to “cardiopulmonary arrest” at 2:40 a.m.

“She was a known case of hypertension with T2DM,” he said. The young woman had ‘post renal transplant’ in 2016 and she had reported to hospital’s emergency on June 28 with complaints of shortness of breath, Professor Jan said. “She was admitted and a preliminary diagnosis of pneumothorax was made and covid-19 sample was taken which came out positive on July 2. The patient had B/L Intercostal drain in place,” he added.

With these deaths, 135 people in Kashmir and 14 in Jammu division have died so far due to the virus.

Srinagar district with 36 deaths has the highest fatalities followed by Baramulla (30), Kulgam (17), Shopian (14), Anantnag (12), Budgam (11), Jammu (8), Kupwara (7), Pulwama (four), Bandipora (three), Doda (2) while one death each has been reported from Ganderbal, Poonch, Udhampur, Rajouri and Kathua.

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