Nasir Azam

Srinagar, June 26: Jammu & Kashmir’s senior bureaucrat Navin Kumar Choudhary has become the first All India service officer of Jammu & Kashmir cadre to obtain domicile certificate in the newly carved out Union Territory.

Kumar has obtained the certificate from authorities of Revenue department in Jammu under a rule that empowers those residing in J&K for 15 years to get domicile certificate.

“I don’t want to comment on personal matter,” he told KNO.

The domicile certificate was issued by tehsildar Bahu, Rohit Sharma. “This is to certify, Shri Navin K Choudhary son of Shri Deokant Choudhary resident of at present Gandhi Nagar Jammu is a domicile of UT of J&K,” reads the domicile certificate issued to him.
Choudhary, a 1994-batch IAS officer, is from village Majhoulia in  district Darbhanga, Bihar.
The domicile certificates granted by the authorities are only valid for appointments in government jobs and have nothing to do with immoveable property including land.
The domicile rules were framed under the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Decentralisation and Recruitment) Act-2010 which deals with recruitment process in government sector.
Under the law, children of central government employees, All India Service officers, public sector undertakings, statutory bodies, central universities and recognized central research institutes who have served in J&K for 10 years are entitled for reservation in jobs.
Those living in the Union Territory for 15 years are also entitled for this reservation. The IAS officer is Principal Secretary of Animal Husbandry and Fisheries department.
He is also holding additional charge of administrative secretary of Agriculture, Horticulture and Cooperative departments.

Srinagar, June 26: The government on Friday ordered major reshuffle in the department of Forests, Ecology and Environment by transferring 23 officials across the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory.

According to the order, a copy of which lies with KNO, Jyotsna, IFS (JK 2013), Divisional Forest Officer, Photo Interpretation Division, Jammu is transferred and posted as Divisional Forest Officer, Reasi vice Anil Kumar Atri. Harpreet Kour l/c Special Secretary (Technical) shall hold the additional charge of DFO, Photo Interpretation Division till further orders.

Abhijeet Joshi, l/c DCF, Divisional Forest Officer. Social Forestry, Jammu is transferred and posted as Joint Director, Soil & Water Conservation, Jammu against available vacancy.

Priyanka Sareen, DCF (M&E), Social Forestry is transferred and posted as Divisional Forest Officer, Agrostology vice Hitashi Sharma.

Hitashi Sharma, l/c DCF, Divisional Forest Officer, Agrostology is transferred and posted as Divisional Forest Officer, Social Forestry, Jammu vice Mr. Abhijeet Joshi.

Vijay Kumar, I/C DCF, Divisional Forest Officer, Working Plan Mahore is transferred and posted as Wildlife Warden, Kathua vice Rajan Singh. He shall also hold the charge of DFO Working Plan, Mahore till its completion.

Abhinav Ramyotra, l/c DCF, Divisional Forest Officer, Samba is transferred and posted as Divisional Forest Officer, Social Forestry, Udhampur against available vacancy.

Shaveta Deonia, l/c DCF, Divisional Forest Officer. Seed Division, SFRI, Jammu is transferred and posted as DCF, (M&E) Social Forestry, J&K vice Priyanka Sareen.

Mehnaz Anjum Malik, ACF, West Circle is transferred and posted as Divisional Forest Officer, Seed Division, SFRI Vice Shaveta Deonia.

Rajan Singh, ACF, Wildlife Warden, Kathua is transferred and posted as Divisional Forest Officer, Ramban vice Anwar Aftab Shah

Shahzad Choudhary, ACF, Wildlife Warden, Jammu is transferred and posted as Dy. Director, Forest Protection Force, Batote vice Vijay Kumar Kohli.

Anil Kumar Atri, ACF, Divisional Forest Officer, Reasi is transferred and posted as Wildlife Warden, Jammu vice Shahzad Choudhary.

Mohinder Singh, ACF, Dy. Director, Forest Protection Force, Doda is transferred and posted as Divisional Forest Officer, Mahore vice Farooq Iqbal. The charge of Dy. Director Forest Protection Force, Doda shall be looked after by Chander Shekhar, Divisional Forest Officer, Bhaderwah in addition to his own duties

Som Dutt Khajuria, ACF, Assistant Soil Conservation Officer, Jammu is transferred and posted as Divisional Forest Officer, Samba vice Abhinav Ramyotra.

Farooq Iqbal, ACF, Divisional Forest Officer, Mahore is attached in the office of Chief Conservator of Forests, Jammu till further orders.

Jagdish Lal, ACF, Dy. Director, Forest Protection Force, Reasi is transferred and posted as Dy. Director, Forest Protection Force, Udhampur relieving Dy. Director, Forest Protection Force, Jammu of the additional charge of the post Sawroop Chander on medical leave, is attached in the office of CCF Jammu. His salary shall be drawn from the overall cadre strength of the ACF.

Uzma Hamal. Ic ASCO with Joint Director, Soil and Water Conservation, Central Office is transferred and posted as Assistant Soil Conservation Officer, Jammu vice Som Dutt Khajuria.

Junaif Nazir, 1/c ASCO with Joint Director, Soil and Water Conservation, Central Office is transferred and posted as Assistant Soil Conservation Officer, Budgam against available vacancy

Farhat Sidiq, l/c Assistant Soil Conservation Officer, Baramulla is transferred and posted as Assistant Soil Conservation Officer, Kupwara vice Javaid Ahmed Malik who will report in the office of CCF, Kashmir for further posting

Vijay Kumar Kohli, Range Officer Grade -1. Dy. Director, Forest Protection Force, Batote is transferred and posted as Technical Officer with Conservator of Forests, Chenab Circle.

Anwar Aftab Shah, Range Officer Grade – I Divisional Forest Officer, Ramban is transferred and posted as Dy. Director, Forest Protection Force, Reasi vice Jagdish Lal.

Shafqat Ahmad Sofi, Range Officer Grade-I attached in the office of PCCF (HoFF), J&K is transferred and posted as Project Officer, Soil Conservation and Flood Control Division, Pohru relieving Divisional Forest Officer, JV Baramulla of the additional charge of the post.

Arshad Ali Qadri, Range Officer Grade – I, attached in the office of PCCF, Jammu is transferred and posted as Assistant Soil Conservation Officer, Baramulla vice Farhat Sidiq.

Zubair Ahmad Shah, I/C DCF, Conservator of Forest, Srinagar Circle shall hold the charge of Joint Director, FPF Kashmir in addition to his own duties relieving Waseem Farooq Mir of the additional charge of the post. One post of ACF and equivalent is transferred in the Administrative Department of Forest, Ecology and Environment for withdrawal of the salary of Waseem Farooq Mir posted in the office Chief Secretary, J&K to deal with NGT matters, vide Government Order No 123-JK(GAD) of 2020 dated 22.01.2020, till the time the post is held by Waseem Farooq Mir.

“This order shall not confer any preferential right on the Officers to hold posts on a substantive basis or daim promotion, which shall be made strictly as per rules. The order is without prejudice to and is subject to the outcome of any Writ Petition pending in any court of law,” the order under number 74-JK(FST) of 2020, dated 26-06-2020, reads.

Jaisalmer, Jun 26: After the Ladakh stand-off, China is now putting all it’s focus on the International Border adjoining Jaisalmer, in a bid to ‘encircle’ India through the Pakistani soil.

China, which has major oil and gas projects in Pakistan, is also helping its ‘all-weather friend’ to build road networks close to the Indian border adjoining Jaisalmer.

Over the past months, China was helping Pakistan to build new airports, in the shadow of these projects. The recently-built Kadanwari Airport is close to Munabao village in Barmer district and Shahgarh Bulge of Jaisalmer.

Apart from this, a new airport is being constructed at Mithi across the border in front of Gujarat and efforts were being made on the western border to build a network of railway lines and roads in the name of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

While providing ammunition and weapons to Pakistan, China is also trying to strengthen it’s strategic position along the Rajasthan border.

According to sources, China has invested more than Rs 30,000 crore in the Pakistan border with India. China has created its own territory inside Pakistan to thrive and protect its companies, where even the Pakistan nationals cannot go without asking.

More than 30 Chinese companies are engaged in construction work, in addition to oil and gas exploration on the 1,025 km border with Rajasthan.

The border of Pakistan with India is occupied by big companies, including the state-run China National Engineering Company, among others.

China is running its largest oil and gas project in the Thar Desert. Even a part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor passes through the border area, on which China has spent nearly a 100 billion dollars so far.

Jahangeer Ganaie

Srinagar, June 26: Jammu and Kashmir Friday witnessed a surge in COVID cases again as 213 cases including five BSF men, three policemen and five minors tested positive, taking the total number of cases to 6762.

Officials told—KNO that among new 213 new cases that were detected in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday, 74 were tested positive at SKIMS, 70 at CD hospital, 13 at JVC Bemina, 34 at Army’s Command Hospital Udhampur and rest at other hospitals. 

Among 213 new cases, 155 belong to Kashmir division while as 58 are from Jammu division, officials said, adding that the total number of positive cases in Kashmir division has reached to 5266 including 3088 recoveries and 80 deaths while as total number of positive cases in Jammu division has reached to 1496 including 992 recoveries and 11 deaths.

The officials said that the total number of active cases in Jammu and Kashmir are 2591 including 2098 from Kashmir division and 493  from Jammu division.

With 113  more recoveries, the tally of total recoveries in Jammu and Kashmir has reached to 4080 which is 60.33  percent of the total cases. 

“Cases tested positive in J&K include 07 from Kulgam, 10  from Srinagar, 18 from Shopian, 63 from Baramulla, 5 from Anantnag, 17 from Kupwara, 1 from Bandipora and 23 from Pulwama in Kashmir division while as 58 from Jammu division 40 from Udhampur, 5 from Kuthua, 7 from Rajouri, 3 from Reasi, 2 from Poonch and one from Samba,” officials disclosed.

Dr G H Yatoo Nodal officer for covid-19 at SKIMS said that 71 samples, were tested positive at SKIMS on Friday. 

“71 new cases include 24 from Pulwama, 18 from Shopian, 09 from Baramulla, 06 from Anantnag, 05 from Kulgam, 02 from Srinagar, 01 from Kupwara and 6 from CRPF/BSF battalions,” He said. 

The patients include 3 policemen from DPL Pulwama, 5 minors and 6 from CRPF/BSF battalions include a CRPF personal from 45 battalion Sempora and 5 BSF personals from 102 Battalion Trehgam Kupwara. 

Dr Reyaz Untoo, Principal JVC Bemina said that out of 590 samples tested at the hospital, 13 all belonging to Budgam were tested positive. 

Lt Col Inam Danish Khan from Army’s Command Hospital Udhampur said that 34 from Udhampur were tested positive at the hospital.

As per officials figures, 751 positive cases including 11 deaths and 494 recoveries are from Kulgam, 795 including 22 deaths and 234 recoveries are from Srinagar, 704 including 518 recoveries and 10 deaths are from Shopian, 627 including 6 deaths and 456 recoveries are from Anantnag, 748 including 14 deaths and 359 recoveries are from Baramulla, 508 including 369 recoveries and 05 deaths are from Kupwara, 284 including 238 recoveries and 01 death are from Bandipora, 409 including 172 recoveries and 04 death are from Pulwama, 358 including 186 recoveries and 07 deaths are from Budgam, 82 including 62 recoveries are from Ganderbal.

In Jammu division, 322 including 255 recoveries and 07 deaths are from Jammu district, 257 including 160 recoveries and 01 death are from Udhampur, 213 including 154 recoveries are from Ramban, 211 including 128 recoveries are from Kathua, 135 including 69 recoveries from Samba, 120 including 93 recoveries and one death are from Poonch, 101 including 01 death and 37 recoveries are from Rajouri, 72 including 54 recoveries and 01 death are from Doda, 40 including 26 recoveries are from Reasi and 25 including 16 recoveries are from Kishtwar.

As per the daily information bulletin, 271,009 persons in Jammu and Kashmir are under observation while 39,303 persons have been kept under home quarantine besides that 2591 persons are in hospital isolation while 31 persons are under hospital quarantine.

According to the bulletin, 181,320 persons have completed surveillance period and 47,673 persons are under home surveillance besides that so far results of 338,903 samples are available.

Out of 338,903 the number of samples tested negative stands at 332,141 while as 6762 have been tested positive, among them 2591 are active and 4080 persons have recovered and 91 persons have died—(KNO)

New Delhi, Jun 26: People, across the world fighting the pandemic, are yet to get the medicine, but they should not be ‘misled’ by drugs claiming to be COVID cure without scientific standards.

This was observed by experts belonging to medical and other major fields on Friday, a day after Maharashtra and Rajasthan banned the sale of Patanjali’s new drug.

Incidentally, the Ayush ministry has directed Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali Ayurved to stop advertising and publishing its claims about its recently launched Covid-19 treatment medicines.

The ministry has maintained that it was neither aware of the facts of Patanjali’s claims nor cognisant about the scientific study carried out on the formulations.

Meanwhile, Patanjali director Balkrishna said-” We are not saying the medicine is specifically for Covid-19.”

The ministry has now asked Patanjali to provide it with details of the medicines and results data of the study.

“This is a welcome move as finding an effective treatment for Covid is serious business. All medicines and vaccines have to undergo rigorous trials and scientific validation processes. Therefore, one should be extremely wary of drugs being proclaimed as Covid cures without going through Government approved processes,” medical experts maintained.

They said such unverified cures would end up doing more harm as people may avoid scientific treatment protocols and go for these so-called magic potions, thinking they are thereby protected from infection. With more than 4.5 lakh Covid cases and counting in India, the experts pointed out, “The last thing we need is people falling for unapproved drugs and becoming super-spreaders”.

Informatively, the Ayush ministry had issued a circular to states on June 2 to take necessary action against instances of misleading information, fake claims and misbranding of products in relation to Covid control, pointing out the regulatory framework for alternative medicines has been weak.

“Ayurveda may embody ancient Indian medical wisdom. But, it’s an application in the 21st century must adhere to recognised scientific protocols. This is no time for alchemy”, the experts observed in unison.

> Have put our main servers in isolation, data safe so far, says PDD Chief Engineer
> We have started investigations: SSP Cyber Cell Tahir Ashraf

Nasir Azam

Srinagar, June 26: For the first since cyber war gained speed across the globe, hackers launched a cyber-attack on the Power Development Department of Jammu and Kashmir on June 26 forcing the department to put off its all major servers. There is however, a good news, that all the billing data and customer records are safe both in Kashmir and Jammu regions.

Terming it as a cyber-attack, Chief Engineer PDD Kashmir Aijaz Ahmed told KNO that on June 24, servers started misbehaving. “Our technical teams observed something fishy, that somebody was trying to enter into website. We have put down four major servers to prevent further loss of data. All other computers having customer data and billing records too have been shut.”

The CE PDD said that so far the data retrieved suggests that all data is safe. “We have 55 servers in Kashmir and 45 in Jammu. So far luckily, all data is safe,” he said.

He said the issue has been taken up with the Cyber Cell police. “Their teams came to our server station and suggested that we must put off the rest of the servers too.”

Senior Superintendent of Police Cyber Cell Tahir Ashraf told KNO that there has been a Cyber-attack on the PDD servers and that they have initiated a preliminary inquiry and will investigate,” he said.

‘Results to be declared by July-15’

Bhat Imran

Srinagar, June 26: After cancelling the 10th and 12th standard examinations in wake ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, the Central Board of School Education (CBSE) on Friday said the students of twin classes will be evaluated on their performance of previous papers for which the examination has been already held.

The CBSE authorities also said that the results based upon the previous performance will be declared by July-15.

In a notification available with KNO, CBSE controller of examinations, Sanyam Bhardwaj said that that keeping in view the requests received from various State governments and the changed circumstances as on date examinations for classes 10th and 12th which were scheduled from July-1 to 15 stands cancelled.

He said that the assessment of the performance of students in the cancelled examinations will be done based on the assessment scheme as suggested by the competent committee of the CBSE for declaration of result for both the classes.

“Results based upon the assessment scheme will be declared by July-15 so that candidates can apply and seek admissions in higher education institutions in India and abroad based thereon,” Bhardwaj said.

He, however, also said that “for 12th standard, CBSE will conduct an optional examination in the subjects whose examinations were scheduled to be conducted from July-1 to 15 as soon as conditions are conducive as assessed and decided by the Central Government.”

Bhardwaj said that the candidates whose results will be declared based on the assessment scheme will be allowed to appear in these optional examinations to improve their performance if they wish so.

“However, the marks obtained by a candidate in these optional examinations will be treated as final for those who have opted to take these examinations,” he said.

The CBSE controller of examinations also said that “for candidates of 10th standard, no further examinations will be conducted and the result declared by CBSE on the basis of assessment scheme and that will be treated as final.”

The notification also reads that the results of students of both 10th and 12th standards, who have completed all their examinations, will be declared based on their performance in the examinations.

“The students who have appeared in the examinations in more than three subjects, the average of the marks obtained in the best three performing subjects will be awarded in the subjects whose examinations have not been conducted,” CBSE notified.

Bhardwaj said that those students who appeared in the examinations in only three subjects, the average of the marks obtained in the best two performing subjects will be awarded in the subjects whose examinations have not been conducted.

“There are very few students of 12th standard mainly from Delhi who have appeared in the examinations in only one or two subjects. Their results will be declared based on performance in the appeared subjects and performance in internal, practical or project assessment,” he said.

Bhardwaj said that these students will also be allowed to appear in the optional examinations conducted by CBSE to improve their performance, if they desire to do so, “Result of these students will also be declared along with other students”, he added.

Doda, June 26: At least five persons including two minors were killed in a road accident that took place in Raggi Nallah area of Doda district on Friday.

Police officials told KNO that a vehicle bearing registration number (JK19-6674) was on way to Doda from Ramban when it skidded off the road and plunged into a deep gorge.

The officials said that the debris of vehicle has fell in the river water. “Five persons including two minors have died in the accident, “Officials said, adding that the bodies of minor children have been retrieved from the gorge whereas bodies of other three are being retrieved.

As per the officials, the deceased have been identified as Tasleema Begum, 30, wife of Shah Nawaz Gool, her sons Sahir, 6 and Shahzeb, 3, of Salbala Gool, Muhammad Asif, 24, son of Ghulam Ali of Dedda Gool Ramban and Kamran Mushtaq, 12, son of Mushtaq Ahmad of Dedda Gool.

Precious Kashmir News
Jammu, June 26: Jammu and Kashmir government today sanctioned the re-constitution of Board of Directors of J&K Women’s Development Corporation.

An order issued here by the General Administration Department in this regard said that in supersession of Government Order No. 252-JK(GAD) of 2020 dated 18.02.2020, sanction is hereby accorded to the re-constitution of Board of Directors of J&K Women’s Development Corporation.

The composition of the reconstituted Board is Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor (In charge Social Welfare Department) is Chairman while as Administrative Secretaries of  Finance Department, Social Welfare Department and Planning Development & Monitoring Department; Chairman-Cum-Managing Director, National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation (NHFDC) New Delhi; Managing Director, Backward Classes Finance & Development Corporation (NBCFDC) New Delhi; Chairman-Cum Managing Director, National Minorities Finance & Development Corporation (NMFDC) New Delhi; Managing Director, J&K Women’s Development Corporation are its Directors. Non-official members shall be nominated by the Chairman, the order added.

Jammu, June 26: The Government today nominated Administrative Secretary of Revenue Department as Nodal Officer for all NH-44 related issues.

The General Administration Department’s order said that it is hereby ordered that Administrative Secretary, Revenue Department, shall be the Nodal Officer for coordinating and sorting out all issues relating to the Government of Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir to ensure timely completion of the four laning of National Highway-44 from Jammu to Srinagar.