JAMMU, FEBRUARY 23: Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Farooq Khan will convene public hearing at Convention Center, Canal Road, Jammu on February 24 (Monday) from 10 am to 12 noon.The public deputations and individuals, who wish to bring their grievances and demands into the notice of government for redressal, can meet the Advisor at the said venue.
Tribal Research Institute to work for preservation of JK’s tribal culture
SRINAGAR, FEBRUARY 23: In order to preserve and promote tribal cultures, Jammu and Kashmir is all set to establish its own Tribal Research Institute (TRI) by next fiscal year—which would be focusing on to promote tribal practices and their art, culture and languages.
“Tribal Research Institute (TRI) is coming up in Khimber, Srinagar —which would be a centre of excellence to focus on studying and promoting tribal practices and their art, culture and languages in Jammu and Kashmir,” said, Secretary Cooperative and Tribal Affairs, Abdul Majid Bhat during Public Grievances Camp at Banquet Hall, Srinagar.He underlined the need for preserving cultural practices and languages in order to preserve the rich cultural heritage of indigenous people and the traditional wisdom that dates back several generations. He said that Government was taking collective, conscious and concerted efforts to preserve tribal cultures of Jammu and Kashmir.
Bhat said that the TRI would work as body of knowledge and research, support evidence-based policy, planning and legislations, capacity building and disseminate information, among others.
Bhat said Tribal Welfare Department initiated a slew of initiatives to promote language and cognitive language skills among tribal population children at the primary school level in these regions.“Currently we have 17 new hostels coming up for tribal students, while as 19 others are already functional,” Bhat informed. He said that under several schemes, the Government covers students and the tribal population of the regions—including Rajouri, Poonch, Kishtwar, Gurez among other areas.He informed that 480 residential accommodations have been already provided to the students in several places in Jammu and Kashmir.
Domicile law for J-K coming ‘very soon’: Jitendra Singh
Jammu: In a bid to address the concerns of the local populace after the revoking of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status last year, Union minister Jitendra Singh on Saturday assured the people of the Union Territory that the domicile law is coming “very soon” which would be followed by the Land Act.
He also announced that more than the promised jobs will be provided to the youth after the notification of the rules is worked out.
“The domicile act is coming very soon, which will be immediately followed by the Land Act,” the minister of state in the Prime Minister’s Office said.
Many parties have been demanding enactment of a domicile law for Jammu and Kashmir to protect the interests of landowners and the unemployed youth after the erstwhile state lost its special status following nullification of Article 370 by the Centre.
Singh was addressing a function after signing of a major scientific collaboration agreement between CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, and IndusScan, a Canadian pharmaceutical company, here.
Describing the signing of the MoU as a “historic moment”, the minister said Jammu and Kashmir’s journey to become a part of India’s five trillion global economy has started from the four walls of IIIM.
“…Prime Minister Narendra Modi is saying again and again that we would have the same kind of focus on Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh as we did for North-East which saw major transformation over the last five years. Those who have doubts about it would see all this happening in a short while of time,” he said.
The minister said this is possible because the “earlier embargoes have been removed” and the Union Territory is directly reporting to the Centre.
“Many of the politicians have become unemployed…heard yesterday one of them raising the issue of jobs to the local youth. I want to tell that more than the promised jobs will be advertised but as per the rules and in an impartial manner. We are waiting for a notification of the rules to come out,” he said.
Alleging brazen disregard for the concerns of the educated unemployed and underemployed youth by the incumbent government, National Panthers Party Chairman and former minister Harsh Dev Singh had said not a single post, out of the promised 50,000 jobs, had been advertised for filling up in the new UT after the abrogation of Article 370 provisions.
“Everything will be done. It will not be like when your government was in power and ruined the future of the youths by backdoor appointments and corrupt practices. The youth who were provided jobs have turned 35 years but are still waiting for their regularisation,” the Union minister said.
He said the jobs will be provided under rules which will be in the best interest of the youth and those who have been deprived of it.
Asserting that India is going through “one of the best phases under the leadership of Modi”, he said a lot of development had taken place over the last five years and the country is looking forward to become a part of the global economy.
“On the one hand India is eyeing five trillion economy, don’t you want that Jammu and Kashmir should also be part of that. It is possible only when our youth reaches such a stage to live up to the parameters which are followed globally and therefore, even if some of us have any doubts, confusion and skepticism or still unconvinced, ask themselves that don’t you want your children to be part of five trillion economy.
“If you understand it, I think all the murmuring and whispering which is generated from thoughtless minds will vanish away,” Singh said.
The minister said Jammu and Kashmir is also under the process of a new industrial policy and a new scientific policy.
“The greatest disadvantage that has happened from Jammu and kashmir remaining in isolation because of Article 370 is that we become lazy and lethargic. We learnt to live on easy freebies,” he said.
9 dead, 5 injured in Kathua mishap
Jammu, Feb 22 (KNO): At least nine persons were killed while five others sustained injuries on Saturday evening after the passenger vehicle skidded off the road and fell into a deep gorge in Kathua district of Jammu region.
The accident took place in remote Mallar village in Kathua district at around 5.30 PM, officials told wire service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).
Officials said that a passenger vehicle was on its way to Nailo village this evening when it met with an accident, adding that the vehicle skidded off the road and fell into 300 feet deep gorge in Kathua district after the driver of the vehicle lost his control over the vehicle.
Soon after the accident took place, the administration and police launched a rescue operation, the officials said, adding that nine among them including three women have lost their lives while five others have sustained injuries.
They said the injured have been shifted to the hospital for treatment, adding that the condition of the injured persons is stated to be stable.
The rescue operation was going on when the last reports came in.
240-250 militants active in Kashmir: DGP
Srinagar: The number of listed militants in Kashmir has come down to less than 250, while 25 terrorists were killed by security forces in nearly a dozen operations in the first two months of this year, Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police Dilbag Singh said here on Saturday.
He also said there has been confirmation of only three militants infiltrating into the Valley through the International Border so far this year.
“The number of listed militants has come down from what it was earlier. Around 240 to 250 listed militants are there in the valley,” the DGP told reporters at a press conference here.
He said in the last two months, the number of reported and confirmed infiltrated militants is three.
“One of them a JeM militant was killed in an operation in Tral recently, Singh added.
He said nearly a dozen successful operations have taken place till now in 2020, which included 10 in the Kashmir valley and two in the Jammu region.
“Till now, 25 terrorists have been killed in these operations. Nine terrorist operatives have been arrested in the valley, while three or four in Jammu. More than 40 OGWs (overground workers) — who were involved in promoting and supporting terror activities in some form or the other — have been arrested,” the DGP said.
Referring to the misuse of social media through virtual private networks (VPNs), Singh said more cases had come to the fore and police was acting tough against them.
“More cases of misuse of social media have come to the fore. Waseem Dar, a resident of Handwara, was arrested for posting some irresponsible content on (social) media with intent to instigate the public sentiment. We are taking notice of such incidents and action will be taken,” he said.
Remain vigilant in view of Trump’s visit to India: APSCC to Sikhs in Kashmir
Srinagar: A Sikh organisation on Saturday asked the community members in Kashmir to remain vigilant ahead of US President Donald Trump’s visit to India, saying such high profile visits bring back memories of the 2002 Chattisinghpora massacre when unidentified gunmen killed 36 Sikhs.
“The visit of a high profile foreign personality especially that from the US leads to fear psychosis and panic among the Sikhs living in the valley. The whole India seems to be busy in making preparations for Trump’s visit, but for Sikhs of Kashmir, the visit has brought with it the fears that the members of the community are yet again on the radar,” All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) chairman Jagmohan Singh Raina said in a statement here.
“The Sikhs are feeling insecure and they fear that something untoward might happen on the eve of the US President’s visit,” Raina added.
He said the scars inflicted on Sikhs of Kashmir during the visit of former US President Bill Clinton were afresh even after 20 years.
“Although 36 Sikhs of Chattisinghpora, Anantnag, were killed in March 2000 during Clinton’s visit, till date the people who carried out the crime are yet to be identified.
“It is highly unfortunate that neither the government of India nor the successive state governments have reached to any conclusion with respect to identifying the killers of the Sikhs. The people at helm have just been making claims and truth of the matter is killers continue to roam free,” Raina said.
The APSCC chairman said the episode of Chattisinghpora was followed by a “fake encounter at Brakpora in Anantnag district and thereafter 10 persons were killed after security forces opened fire on the people protesting against the fake encounter”.
“There was fear among the Sikhs living in north and south villages of Kashmir on the eve of Barack Obama’s visit as well,” he said.
Raina demanded a fair, thorough and impartial probe into the Chattisinghpora incident so that the killers are brought to book.
2 militants killed in Bijbehara encounter
Srinagar: Two Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militants were killed in a gunfight with security forces in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday night, police said.
They have been identified as Naveed Ahmad Bhat alias Furqaan, a resident of Qaimoh in Kulgam, and Aqib Yaseen Bhat, a resident of Wanpora Qaimoh, also in Kulgam, Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police Dilbag Singh told reporters here.
Singh described the encounter, which took place at Sangam in Bijbehara area of south Kashmir, as another successful counter-terrorist operation by security forces in the valley.
The DGP said Naveed Ahmad Bhat had joined the LeT outfit in 2018 and was involved in a number of terror incidents.
“Seven FIRs stand registered against him. He was involved in carrying out attacks on police and security forces camps, firing on civilians, threatening and intimidating people and shopkeepers and pasting posters post the abrogation of Article 370, Singh said.
He said Aqib Yaseen Bhat was active since June 2019 and was also involved in a number of terror incidents.
The gunfight took place during the night and some arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of the encounter.
In a separate incident, the DGP said, police have arrested a self-styled commander of Hizbul Mujahideen outfit from Baramulla district in north Kashmir.
“Acting on specific information, Baramulla police arrested a Hizbul Mujahideen commander Junaid Farooaq Pandit, a resident of Pattan area. A pistol and 30 rounds have been recovered from him,” the top cop said.
Singh said Pandit was tasked to undertaking selective killings like the recent incident at Narbal on the outskirts of the city here on February 5 when militants fired at a team of security personnel. Two militants and a CRPF jawan were killed in the incident.
DC Srinagar holds extensive appraisal of land encroachments in Shalteng tehsil
SRINAGAR, FEBRUARY 22: Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary Saturday attached Tehsildar Shalteng till further orders.
The attachment of the officer was ordered after DC’s inspection of the functioning of the Shalteng tehsil office – and that of revenue records of Patwar halqas of the tehsil – during which several discrepancies were observed therein.
The inspection revealed glaring negligence and discrepancies in the functioning of the office necessitating the attachment of the Tehsildar.
The DC who held an extensive appraisal of land encroachments in the tehsil on the occasion observed and took a serious note of the office’s poor record of it and the Tehsildar’s lax approach towards it.
Meanwhile during the inspection Dr Shahid also reviewed the status of removal of encroachments from government and common lands in the tehsil. The action plan for removal of encroachments was also discussed on the occasion.
The DC also reviewed the status of ongoing process of expunging illegal entries – vis-a-vis occupation of government and common lands – from revenue records of the tehsil.
He reiterated strict instructions to officers to compile a complete list of all encroachments in the tehsil and remove all illegal entries from revenue records thereof.
During the visit Dr Shahid also went around the tehsil visiting several sites and took a firsthand appraisal of encroachments on kacharai land and action taken for retrieval thereof.
On the occasion he authorised earmarking of a patch of government land in Bemina area for building of permanent offices for Sub Divisional Magistrate West and Tehsildar Shalteng which are operating out of a rented accommodation at present.
The DC also visited Zianakote area of the tehsil on the occasion and took stock of developmental scenario thereof. He authorised development of a park and drainage in a residential area there thus setting a process for redress of these long-pending demands of the locals into motion.
Meanwhile the charge of the Tehsildar Shalteng has been assigned to Tehsildar Recoveries — who has been directed to set timeline for re-creation of revenue maps of villages, audit of revenue records and measures to be taken for safeguarding government and common land in the tehsil.
Dr Shahid also directed for issuing fresh eviction notices to illegal occupants of kacharai land in the tehsil. He directed all Patwaris to furnish actual status of encroachments after ground inspection and to initiate action against them.
Militant arrested in Baramulla: Police
Srinagar, Feb 22: Police in Baramulla today claimed to have a arrested a Hizbul Mujahideen militant along with arms and ammunition.
Police official said that on receiving a credible information from some reliable sources that active militant of HM outfit Junaid Farooq Pandit @ Abu Talha resident of Hamray Pattan, is moving in the area of Pattan.
“Upon this, Police Baramulla established multiple Nakas on National Highway from Pattan to Renji with Army 29 RR and CRPF 176 Bn. At Tapper, during Naka checking 1 suspect person on seeing Naka checking tried to flee towards Kreeri Road however, the alert Naka party tactfully chased and apprehended him. Upon preliminary interrogation, he revealed his identity as Junaid Farooq Pandit son of Farooq Ahmad Pandit resident of Hamray Pattan, who is an active militant of HM outfit,” police official said.
“On his personal search, 1 Chinese Pistol, 2 Pistol Magazines and 13 Pistol Rounds were recovered from his possession. A formal case under relevant sections of law has been registered in police station Pattan and investigation has been taken up,” he added. (KNS).
DC seeks short-term, long-term proposals for beautification of Jammu
JAMMU, FEBRUARY 22: Deputy Commissioner Jammu, Sushma Chauhan today asked the officials to prepare comprehensive short-term and long-term policies for beautification of the city.
The Deputy Commissioner conducted an extensive tour to review the beautification of Jammu city and its peripheries through focused interventions of various departments in landscaping by plantation of flowers and ornamental trees around main bridges, rotaries and flyovers.
The Deputy Commissioner asked the concerned departments to work in synergy to complete the beautification works within a month while maintaining good quality of the works.
Town planners were directed by the DC to provide creative inputs for designing plans for beautification of elevated corridors and free spaces available in the city.
SE PWD (RnB) Ravinder Mansotra, DFO, Urban Forestery Sunil Singh, JE PWD (RnB) Landscape Sami Pandita besides other officers of the concerned departments accompanied the DC during the tour.
A detailed discussion was held regarding various ways for plantation and beautification of Jammu city. The concerned officers informed the DC that beautification of the city included plantation, earth cutting and filling, surface dressing, grill fencing, removal of damaged trees, fixing of tree guards, landscaping, etc.
“The beautification works will be carried out at Gandhi Nagar, Gujjar Nagar, Satwari Chowk, Amphala Chowk, Dogra Chowk, Jaggo Darbar, Bantalab and other areas of city,” officials told the DC.
Besides these works, fixing of ornamental iron benches at various spots, supply of high insensitive prismatic reflective sheets, supply of plants for centre verges, installation of underground tube well for supply of water to plants at Vikram Chowk and supply of equipments for landscaping were also discussed during the city tour.
