Precious Kashmir News

Srinagar, June 22: Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Baseer Khan today visited several locations of Srinagar city to assess the ongoing development and renovation initiatives launched by the Tourism Department.

During his visit, the Advisor directed the executing agencies to expedite the pace of work on various projects for their timely completion. He stressed upon the officers for constant monitoring of these projects so that tangible results are achieved on the ground.

He was accompanied by various officers of Tourism and other allied departments. During his visit to monitor the renovation and up-gradation of the stone building at Old Secretariat he directed the authorities to fast pace the renovation works and complete the pending works within the stipulated time frame. The overall renovation cost of the building amounts to 1.33 Crore and is being executed by the tourism department.

The monument has been declared as a protected monument and  restoration works are being done to restore it to its pristine glory.

The Advisor also inaugurated 125 KVA Diesel Generator set at the Tourist City Centre at TRC here in presence of Director Tourism Kashmir, Nisar Ahmad Wani. The DG Set would overcome the power peak demand shortages of TRC. He also inspected the high-end tourist bus, parking space at the Centre and bio-toilets.

While speaking on the occasion, he directed the concerned authorities to take accurate steps in order to make best use of the bio-toilets. He said that proper locations should be identified in order to make optimum use of these toilet facilities.

Later, the Advisor also visited the Shikara ghats along the boulevard road that are being beautified and developed for easy to approach for tourists and Shikarawalas.

He also directed the authorities that any upgradation and modification works of the ghats should be competed at an earliest for attracting maximum number of tourists to these spots.

He also directed the authorities that other pending ghats should be projected in the next plan.

He was informed that tourism department had made 22 ghats that are being developed and made easy to approach for tourists.

On the occasion, Advisor Baseer Khan also interacted with the Shikarawalas who projected their grievances and gave them a patient hearing.

He also visited the Hazratbal Shrine and inspected the various projects that are being executed there under Prime Minister’s Development Package.

The ambitious project for the development of the revered Hazratbal Shrine and its adjoining areas on the banks of the Dal Lake aims to construct tensile structures for prayers during summer and monsoon, four-laning of ‘Dargah’ entrance, illuminating the shrine complex, separate ablution spaces for male and female, dormitory for devotees, parking complex and library.

The Advisor was informed that works are going in tandem and will be completed within the stipulated time frame.

He was also informed that the separate ablution spaces for male and females will be completed within a period of four months.

The Advisor also visited Nigeen Club and inspected the works going on there under the PMDP and directed the concerned to pace up the works of parking places, paths and other works.

During his visit, he impressed upon the officers to work in synergy with each other to remove any difficulties coming in the way of progress of the works.

Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Jun 22: Expressing discontent over the Union Territory (UT) government’s move to station various pivotal departments in winter capital, Jammu, National Conference (NC) on Monday said the irrational decision speaks volumes about the revulsion present ruling dispensation nurtures for the right of people of Kashmir.

Senior NC leader and Member of Parliament (MP) from Baramulla, Mohammad Akbar Lone in a statement here this evening said that previously the government had halted the Annual Darbar Move citing COVID-19 in April and that since then successive orders emanating from government have only added to the confusion on ground, perplexing administration and festering unaccountability within administration.

“The traditional Darbar Move is less climatology driven and more symbolic that affords a sense of empowerment to the people in the two diverse regions on either sides of Pir Panjal range to striking of unity and amity between different ethnic groups living across the length and breadth of J&K”, he said.

“Regrettably everything which symbolized Kashmir’s due say in the administration has been obliterated and done away with. The incumbent administration has made Jammu the salient space of public authority and governmental action. Stationing all important departments in Jammu has put an end to the participative feeling of Kashmiri people. The step has added an insult to injury, as if stripping Kashmir of its special constitutional character wasn’t enough”, he said.

Lone said, “The successive democratic government of the state too held that shifting the highest seat of power to and fro from Jammu to Srinagar will give impetus to development in the two diverse and geographically disconnected regions of J&K. This imprudent diktat ordered many departments to remain stationed at Jammu sans logic. What is more upsetting is that Departments like Health and disaster management have been made to stay put at Jammu secretariat, given the fact that the present precarious times required these departments to shift to Kashmir in view of the spike in COVID-19 related cases”.

He said the government has chosen not to do it, for the reason better known to it. It is not just an affront against the people of Kashmir and their rights and privileges, it also gives a lie to the claims of the government on ensuring parity between the two regions. Extending the working of Darbar at Jammu had already affected the development prospects in Kashmir, the new diktat has compounded the problems of people multifariously. There is utter confusion on ground about the working of secretariat, people are confused as to where they should go to get their problems addressed,” he said.

“Such decisions will perceptibly echo on ground in terms of unaccountability and organizational breakdown. Kashmir’s health sector is entirely dependent on the government. There is no vibrant and effective private sector to address the patient rush that has seen surge in wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic. The order will inadvertently hit the morale of ground workers, frontline staff associated with the concerned departments,” he added.

Lone said that there is no convincing reason for the government to station these offices in Jammu permanently given the fact that all the departments traditionally moved to Srinagar with the shifting of Darbar Move to Srinagar. “The move will fester alienation in Kashmir”.

He said shifting the department enabled people here to seek redressal of their problems at their door steps. How will the poor and deprived visit Jammu to get their issues redressed? Who is going to pay for it? The focus of the governments should have been to assuage the problems of people resulting from COVID-19 crises; on the contrary the government is pushing them to undue trepidation,” he said while demanding immediate shifting of all departments to Srinagar Secretariat. He sought the immediate roll back of the order at an earliest.

>Hectic deliberations are on to finalise SoPs, picnic spots will be re-opened after sometime: Advisor Baseer Khan
 > Tour operators welcome move, say high time to revive ailing industry

Abid Bashir

Srinagar, June 22: Jammu and Kashmir government is mulling to re-open tourist spots and gardens across Union Territory soon as hectic deliberations are on to frame Standard Operating Procedure (SoPs) for smooth entry of people.

This will be for the first time that the tourist spots will be thrown open after the outbreak of pandemic—Covid-19.
Talking to KNO LG’s Advisor Baseer Khan said he has recently chaired a meeting to look into the possibility of re-opening tourist spots. “We have started work on framing SoPs for throwing open tourist spots across J&K,” the LG’s Advisor said. “Thorough deliberations are going on over the issue,” he said, adding that the final decision is expected over the issue soon.

The LG’s Advisor, however, said there would be country-wide SoPs for re-opening of tourist destinations.

Reliable sources said that once the country-level SoPs would be doled out, the J&K administration would discuss the same and decide whether there was a need for any modification. On March 14, J&K government had announced closure of schools, parks, picnic spots a week ahead of the pandemic outbreak in Kashmir.

A senior official in the Tourism department said that since industry has borne the brunt of the situation in Kashmir and needs an immediate push, re-opening of tourism spots in Kashmir will help revive the industry. “SoPs are in an initial stage. Re-opening of picnic spots and gardens in Kashmir will take place in the weeks ahead for sure,” he told KNO, adding that, “there would be detailed deliberations with all the tourism stakeholders including Shikarawalas, houseboat owners, hotel and restaurant owners etc before the final announcement would be made.”

Pertinently, the tourism industry of Kashmir is on the verge of collapse as it has received a severe jot since August 5 last year when the Government of India asked all tourists and pilgrims to vacate Kashmir. While all eyes were set on this year’s tourism season, Covid played a spoilsport. “We are ready to follow all SoPs. Let the government announce opening of tourist spots in Kashmir including Srinagar. We will ensure strict implementation of SoPs and guidelines. We are on the verge of starvation and our families are suffering too,”  Wali Muhammad, Kashmir Shikara Walas Association president told KNO. He said if things don’t improve in the weeks ahead, time is not far that there would be no Shikara in the famous Dal Lake.

“Many of us have already sold their boats just to survive. We haven’t seen any tourists since last year. Tourists are our main source of livelihood. No tourist mean no earning,” he said.

402 persons have registered so far: Nodal officer; Officers deputed to Wagah border

Tasaduq Hussain

Srinagar, June 22: The government is set to evacuate the residents of Jammu & Kashmir who were stranded in Pakistan due to lockdown being  imposed in both the countries to control spread of COVID-19.

Talking to news agencyKNO Preeti Sharma, Manager J&K House, Amritsar, who is also nodal officer for evacuation of J&K residents stranded in Pakistan,  said that all arrangements are being put in place to ensure safe  evacuation of  J&K residents.

“As many 402 persons from J&K have registered for their return,” she said, adding that the  number will go up as more people are registering themselves for return through Wagah Border.

“The first batch will comprise of 250 persons while second batch will consist of 152 persons,” she said, adding that number is expected to increase as majority of those stranded belong to J&K

“On first day only J & K residents will be evacuated and 90 percent of those who will return on second day are residents of J&K,” she said.

To a question whether there would be a separate COVID-19 protocol for those being evacuated from Pakistan, she said they would have also to follow the protocol already unveiled by the administration of the Union Territory.

Meanwhile, the authorities today ordered  that two officers of Hospitality & Protocol Department are deputed  to Attari ( Wagah Border), Amritsar,  Punjab w.e.f.24.06.2020 for receiving the returnees coming from  Pakistan by road through Wagah Border on 25.06.2020 onwards.

Those deputed to Wagah border are Aamir Chowdhary (Asstt. Director, Directorate of Hospitality and Protocol ) and  Muneeb Umar (Asstt. Director, Directorate of Hospital and Protocol .

They have been directed  to coordinate with Preeti Sharma, Nodal Officer for facilitating return of those stranded in Pakistan.

>Family accuses hospital admin of negligence
>No negligence on our part; will still probe allegations: MS LD hospital

Srinagar, June 22: Massive protests rocked the lone maternity hospital of Srinagar—Lal Ded—against the alleged negligence of a pregnant woman resulting in her death. The hospital administration, however, refuted the allegations of medical negligence stating that the deceased was a “high risk patient” and died of a cardiac arrest and that her samples for COVID testing have already been taken.

Witnesses told KNO that family members and other attendants of the deceased woman assembled in the premises of LD hospital and alleged that Rubeena, wife of Mushtaq Ahmed Bhat of Lolpora, Tangmarg in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district died for want of blood. “Hospital administration failed to arrange blood for our patient despite our all cooperation. Had the hospital administration arranged blood in time, our patient would have been saved,” alleged the family members of deceased woman.

The woman was shifted to LD hospital on the intervening night of June 21 and 22. “The doctors at LD told us that she needs blood. We volunteered to give our blood in exchange of the group our patient had, but all efforts failed. The hospital administration said they would arrange the blood but they couldn’t with the result our patient died for want of blood,” the family members of the woman told KNO

Medical Superintendent Lal Ded hospital, Dr Shabir Ahmed said that the woman was a “high-risk patient” and was treated on time. “Unfortunately, she died of cardiac arrest. Her samples were also taken for Covid-19 sampling. As per the protocol, her samples were not taken two weeks prior to the delivery date by her concerned district or village level health facilities,” the doctor said.

He accused the family members of the deceased woman of vandalizing the hospital property after doctors took her samples for COVID mapping. “The family members should wait and not jump the gun and put into risk their lives and others too. Let the results of samples taken from the woman come. If result comes positive, then she has to be laid to rest at per the COVID guidelines,” the doctor said.

As far the allegations of negligence, the hospital administration has noted the points and “we will investigate the issue and if anyone is found involved, action will follow.”—(KNO)

Other youth who were with Hilal must be questioned, how they went on trekking on a huge mountain range without a guide: says Uncle 

Nasir Azam

Srinagar, June 22: Family members and the relatives of a young Srinagar youth, who was pursuing doctorate in Kashmir University and went missing during trekking on June 13, staged a peaceful protest and appealed to all the security agencies and Lieutenant Governor administration and police to take concrete steps to trace their son.

Amid slogans of “we want justice”, “no connection with militancy” the family members of Hilal Ahmed Dar son of Late Ghulam Mohiudin Dar, a resident of Bemina, Srinagar assembled at press colony Srinagar for the third time since their son went missing while trekking at Naranag area of Ganderbal district of Central Kashmir.

“Our son is innocent. He has no militant connection or any other link. We make a fervent appeal to the heads of all security agencies in Kashmir to help trace our son,” Nisar Ahmed, Hilal’s uncle, told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO). “Check his phone records of 20 years. He has nothing offensive against him. He was working in private company in Gurgawon and had come home in the wake of virus.”

He urged the government to question the other five youths, who were part of the trekking group, whether they had any authorized guide with them. “How come they went for trekking on a huge mountain range of Naranag,” Nisar said, adding that the “fake news” was circulated yesterday, that Hilal was killed in an encounter at Zoonimar-Kadikadal. We are grief stricken since then. We have not been able to eat a single morsel of food. We condemn the fake news and news channels, whosoever spread the fake news about Hilal getting killed in gunfight.”

Hilal’s brother, Yasir, who was also part of the protest, said that he has been trying to get the whereabouts of his brother since past many days. “We have been camping in Naranag. Yesterday, we got news that my brother was killed in an encounter, but that was fake news. The fact is that my brother was part of a six member group who went for trekking on June 13. Five youth returned and my brother didn’t,” he said.

Yasir said that if any security agency has picked his brother, they should release him for the “sake of humanity.”

Other family members of missing Hilal said that the LG led administration must direct all the security agencies to trace their son on humanitarian grounds. “He is an orphan. His parents died long back and has been brought up by his uncles. He has no connection with militancy. We urge the government to put in best efforts to trace him out,” they said, while hold placards displaying, “Our son is innocent, trace him out,” and “our son a scholar not a militant.”

The family members of missing scholar have been moving from pillar to post since June 13 but so far there is to clue or whereabouts of Hilal. A police officer said that they have not been able to find Hilal so far neither is any militancy link coming to fore. “The five other youth who were along with Hilal are also being questioned. They are cooperating with the police and even helped to take police to the exact spot where the 26-year-old scholar was last seen,” the officer said—(KNO)

Jammu, June 22: Lieutenant Governor, Girish Chandra Murmu today approved the financial assistance to the tune of Rs 10 lakh each in favour of next of kins (NoK’s) of Vipin Zadoo and Vimal Zadoo, both residents of Jammu, who had collapsed while cremating the dead body of their uncle, a COVID patient, and died at the cremation ground.

Meanwhile, financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh was also approved in favour of NoK’s of Kamal Kumar S/o Ludar Mani R/o Chapati Kalan, Hira Nagar, Kathua District who died in a quarantine centre in Kathua.

Out of Rs 30 lakhs, Rs 8 lakh each have been approved from Lt Governor’s Discretionary Grant, while Rs 2 lakh each from J&K Relief Fund.

LG approves Rs 1 lakh each to NoK’s of Paddar road accident victims

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Governor, Girish Chandra Murmu also approved the financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh each in favour of next of kin (NoK’s) of victims of road accident which occurred near Slipor Morh in Block Paddar of Kishtwar District.

The accident took place when tipper with six persons viz Sandeep Kumar, Rajesh Kumar and Rakesh Kumar, all residents of Kadhail; Ravinder Kumar and Jabar Singh, both residents of Jar and Manjeet Kumar R/o Sazar, skidded off the road resulting in the causalities.

Precious Kashmir News/UNI
Srinagar, June 21: Three Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) militants were killed in a gunfight with security forces here on Sunday.
A police official said that an encounter ensued after security forces launched a major Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) in Zoonimar and Zadibal areas this morning.  “After sealing all exit points, police through public address system made announcements asking militants to surrender. However, when there was no response, security forces tightened cordon around particular houses in the area,” he said, adding “Later people in the adjacent houses were asked to leave for other areas.”
He said as security forces moved towards those houses, militants hiding there, fired at them with automatic weapons. “The security force retaliated triggering an encounter,” he said, adding all three trapped militants were killed.
Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, told reporters that “Three militants were trapped in a house. We got to know of their identity though our sources and called their parents who appealed to them to surrender. We gave them over two-and-half-hour hours to surrender. But they did not relent.”
Another official said that to prevent any law and order problem, large number of security forces were deployed in Downtown, uptown and civil lines since this morning. In number of areas security forces had closed roads with barbed wires. Mobile internet of all cellular companies was suspended.