Srinagar: Amid threat from Coronavirus and absence of any regulation from authorities, transporters have started fleecing passengers bound for Kashmir from other parts of India.
Reports said that Kashmir bound passengers who are traveling back from different parts of India,because of the Coronavirus threat are now being looted by transporters.
The transporters in Jammu, Ramban, Banihal fleece these passengers and charge hefty sums from them.
Sources told Kashmir News Trust that though transport department has issued a proper list directing transporters to charge fixed fare from passengers, but the Jammu, Dehli and Chandigarh based cab drivers have violated the norms and are looting these passengers at will.
Not only this, the drivers in Ramban, Banihal and Jammu are also fleecing the passengers by charging fares against the norms of transportation department.
“It is not only land transport but even airlines are fleecing passengers. These airlines have started taking advantage of the situation,” said Muhammad Rafi.
A couple of students in Delhi who wish to return Kashmir said that they are stranded as no cab driver is ready to accept nominal fare. They appealed Government to look into the matter.(KNT)
CORONAVIRUS: TRANSPORTERS FLEECE KASHMIR BOUND PASSENGERS
Court quashes the detention of Bar Secretary under PSA
Srinagar: State High Court Monday directed the government to release High Court Bar Association General Secretary Muhammad Ashraf Bhat. Bhat is currently facing detention under Public Safety Act at Srinagar Central Jail. He was arrested in October 2019 after Tehsildar issued his detention order vide number 107/151 and subsequently, PSA was slapped against him. Court sources told Kashmir News Trust that Advocate Zafar Qureshi challenged Bhat’s detention under PSA.
Non-local domestic helper found dead in Srinagar
Srinagar: A 55-year-old non-local man allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself at Bemina area of Srinagar City on Monday. Reports reaching GNS said that Kaloo Kami (55) son of Saila Kaloo of Machpara, Kalchini, Alipora West Bengali, hanged himself inside a residential house at Iqbalabad area of Bemina where he was working as a domestic worker. The family members of the house, after spotting him hanging inside the room, immediately rushed him to the nearby hospital where doctors declared him brought dead, they said. A police officer when contacted also confirmed the incident. Kaloo, who was a domestic worker by profession and it was not immediately known as to why he took this extreme step. (GNS)
Mass marriage initiative by Aash brings smile on faces of Kashmir’s poor brides
Srinagar: In a world where people can’t stop thinking about themselves, Qurat-ul-Ain Masoodi, a young woman has pledged to live for others.
She has started a mass marriage initiative through Aash, a voluntary group, aimed to help those orphan and economically challenged people for whom marriage has become more of a burden rather than a religious and social obligation, as they cannot meet the unrealistic standards that the society has set for marriage nowadays.
“I went for a visit to Budgam for some awareness program related to my NGO where I came to know about two orphan girls who needed help for their marriage,” Masoodi told in an interview.
She further after lot of struggle, she conceived the idea of Aash, which means “hope.”
The journey of Aash began in 2018 with its first mass wedding season in a poverty stricken village of Ring Zabal, Khan Sahib Badgam where many girls got married. “They provided these girls with wedding dresses, jewelry and all the other items,” said the Sarpanch of that village, requesting not to be quoted by name.
After its first successful season Aash began yet another endeavor in 2019, this time arranging mass wedding in Srinagar. “Unlike the previous season this one proved to be bit more difficult owing to the unrest in the valley”, she said. “We had to do a door to door collection of brides and grooms as there was communication gag in the valley.”
When asked about fund raiser scheme she said that Aash is completely a people driven organization. “We get money (charity) from local people and some Kashmiri businessmen,” she told.
With about 100 marriages to its name from its two previous successful seasons Aash is now well on its way for a third season in 2020 expecting to increase the number of weddings per season from fifty to more hopefully—(KNO)
Coronavirus Scare: Spreading false information will invite trouble for WhatsApp group Admins
Srinagar: District magistrate Doda Dr Sagar D Doifode has issued on order on Monday which said that no whatsapp group administrator or any person is allowed to upload any false information or unconfirmed fabricated news or rumour with regards to conformation of positive Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in district Doda unless and until confirmation from the district administration or any higher authority.
According to the wire service the order is in “view of a speedy remedy for proper maintenance of law and order and prevention of any disturbance to public tranquility in the district, District Magistrate Doda.”
“Violation by any whatsapp administrator or any person shall be liable for action under Indian Penal Code in case any untoward incident/law & order situation disturbance to public tranquility arises due to uploading/ spreading of any false unconfirmed, fabricated news with regard to confirmation of positive Novel Coronavirus,” the order said.
The order further said the rumours are being flashed through social media platforms like whatsapp, Facebook, Instagram for confirmation of positive Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in District Doda, as a result “general masses in the area may panic which may lead to law and order problems.”
“Whereas it is imperative to prevent the circulation of such false/ unconfirmed news/information and rumours through WhatsApp groups and other social media platforms including Facebook etc,” the order said.
The order said that masks and sanitizers are essential items to combat the Novel Coronavirus and all the proprietors of medical shops as well as wholesalers of medical agencies/ stockists of such items functioning in District Doda shall ensure that there should be no hoarding or no extra charging of these items in case of any violation by any retailer/ wholesaler/ stockiest will be liable for imprisonment and all the (Station House Officers) SHOs’ in district Doda are directed to take strict action against such violators under the relevant section of law—(KNO)
Police registers case as youth allegedly thrash traffic cop in Pulwama
Pulwama: A youth on Monday allegedly thrashed traffic police men in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district, officials said, adding that police has registered a case against the involved youth.
According to wire service a police official said that a youth identified as Musavir Ahmad Bhat of Dalipora Pulwama, who was riding a motorcycle without helmet was intercepted by the traffic policemen.
Soon after he was questioned for not wearing the crash helmet, the youth allegedly started thrashing the officials present there. The traffic policemen who were thrashed by the youth were identified as Bilal Ahmad and Shahnawaz.
A senior police while confirming the incident said that case has been registered in this regard and further investigation has been taken up—(KNO)
6th-sem Cluster University students cries for datesheet
Srinagar, Mar 16: Students of Cluster University Srinagar on Sunday appealed authorities to conduct their 6th semester examination for UG courses as conduct of PG entrance examination by Kashmir University is approaching. They impressed upon concerned authorities to take early measures for safeguarding the crucial year of students.
Talking, Ateeb Bashir a student of the University urged authorities to issue at least tentative datesheet so that students can fulfill the required formalities for admission in PG courses by KU which is just few weeks away.
He said, “students studying in B.A/B.Sc/B.Com, batch 2017 have gone through psychological distress as university authorities have kept deep mum over issuance of date sheet”. “If University authorities will stick to its policy, it will lost crucial academic year of students”, another student told.They appealed concern authorities to look into the issue and take efforts for safeguarding crucial year of student community without any delay. While talking to KNS, Abdul Hamid Sheikh, Registrar & Controller of Examination, Cluster University, said that University tried to conduct pending classes of students so that their syllabus would be accomplished, but amidst COVID-19 threat, we can’t say anything concrete. Current situation has undo our plans.
When asked about any concrete solution to concern students, he said “I think students might miss PG exams but still we will try to convince Kashmir University authorities to defer PG entrance examination”. (KNS)
FB user booked for ‘sensitive remarks’ in Rajouri
Rajouri: Jammu and Kashmir police on Monday booked a Facebook user for posting ‘sensitive remarks’ on the social media platform.
According to wire service a senior police officer said that a case under FIR 133/2020 under section 153-A has been registered in Police Station Rajouri.
He said that investigation has also been started into the matter.
Area Dev contractors demand release of works payment
Srinagar: Scores of Contractors of Pulwama district on Monday staged protest demonstration here in press enclave against the Command Area Department (CAD).
The protesting contractors said that they were cheated by the department as no money has been released yet for their works done. They questioned the policy of the department for getting works done by contractors and later delaying the payment.
They contactors said that they are visiting the concerned office repeatedly and except assurances nothing is being done to address the issue .KNS)
JKAP visits fire affected families in Budgam
Srinagar, Mar 16: Jammu Kashmir Apni Party on Monday expressed deep shock and grief over the death of a youth namely Omar Abdullah Malik who was caught in ablaze while trying to save his neighbors in central Kashmir’s Budgam district three days ago and urged administration to provide ex-gratia relief to the fire affected families.
According the JKAP leader while visiting the affected families voiced his disappointment over the apathetic attitude of the administration saying that the affected families have neither been approached by any official from the district administration, neither has the police conducted any inquiry into the incident.
“I have been told that the gas cylinder used by the family of Ghulam-u-Din Bhat s/o Ghulam Mohammad Bhat r/o Wadwan Budgam was provided by Sona Traders Karan Nagar and the cylinder was defective. I have been told that the police is yet to register any case in the matter so far and neither any inquiry has been conducted into the mishap that resulted into death of a post graduate youth and severe injuries to five others,” the JKAP leader Muntazir Mohi-ud-din said in a statement.
He urged the Lieutenant Governor G C Murmu to intervene into the matter and take stern action for dereliction of duties.
“It is ironic that the district administration seems so much engrossed in some ‘highly important’ issues that loss of a precious life and five men being in critical condition hardly mattered to it. This is why no ex-gratia relief has been extended to the two fire affected families who are living under open sky for the last four days,” he added.
JKAP leader demanded that the police should take cognizance of the matter and conduct a thorough inquiry into the matter. “The police should conduct the probe into the circumstances which led to the explosion and taken the same to logical conclusion in a time bound manner.”
He said that the fire affected families told him that the gas cylinder used for the first time by the affected family was defective. “I am told that there was leakage in that sealed cylinder which was used by the family and as some family member started ignition, the cylinder exploded resulting into massive fire. Under company rules, HPCL through its gas agency is bound to pay compensation to the affected families,” he further said.
He also demanded immediate relief from the government for the five men namely Khurshid Ahmad Najar, Showkat Ahmad Bhat, Dost Mohammad Mir, Abdul Rehman Bhat and Hilal Ahmad Bhat who sustained severe injuries during the incident. (KNS)
Advisory Regarding COVID-19 Adhered in Letter and Spirit: Secy DLSA
Srinagar:In a significant move to provide free legal services, facilitate amicable settlement of the disputes and reduce pendency of cases in courts amid the growing concerns of COVID-19 outbreak, National Lok Adalat was today organized here at District Court Complex by District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) Baramulla under the chairmanship of Sub-Judge Baramulla Faizan ul Haq Iqbal.
The National Lok Adalat comprised of 2 special benches, one for taking pre litigation cases of J&K Bank, J&K Grameen Bank and other pre litigation civil cases while another for post litigation matters including cases of BSNL, SBI etc. As many as 234 cases of varied nature were taken among which 54 cases were settled amicably on the spot besides Rs 7,74,000, that was realized as settlement amount.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Iqbal, who is also the Secretary DLSA, said that the event was organized keeping in view the health advisory issued by the government with regard to the COVID-19. He said that all the guidelines as envisaged in the advisory were complied in letter and spirit and maximum restraint on the gathering of people was imposed. (KNS)
