SRINAGAR: Principal Secretary, Planning & Development, Monitoring, Estates and Information, Rohit Kansal today said that several measures are underway to provide housing facilities to Government employees.

Chairing a review meeting of the Department of Estates here in Srinagar, Kansal directed the officials to ensure timely completion of residential projects in a stipulated time frame. He reviewed the status of residential flats being constructed at Pampore for employees of Jammu and Kashmir.

In order to accommodate and to meet residential requirements of employees, the officers were asked to redesign the construction of flats viz constructing maximum number of 1BHK flats.

Kansal exhorted upon the officers to speed up the tendering process of the pending residential blocks while taking care of the landscape by adopting proper construction techniques.

The meeting was informed that 32 flats would be handed over to the Department of Estates by March 2020. Officers of the estates were directed to go to the site and take over the completed flats.

Kansal directed the officers to resolve issues related to shifting of HT power line at Pampore site and the same shall be done at an earliest and to ensure completion of project by December 2020.

During the meeting, several issues pertaining to the construction of additional accommodation of Circuit House, Srinagar was also discussed threadbare.

Kansal asked the officers of various departments to work in close coordination for timely completion of the development projects, so that cost escalation is minimized.

The meeting was attended by senior officers of Department of Estates, R&B, Department of Housing and Protocol among others.

Srinagar: The special court of National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday extended the judicial custody of suspended Deputy Superintendent (DySP), Davinder Singh by 15 days. Singh was arrested along with Hizb-ul-Mujahideen militants on January 11 this year.

According to the wire service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the NIA’s special court has extended Singh’s judicial custody by 15 days.

On January 23, the special court in Jammu sent suspended Jammu & Kashmir police officer Davinder Singh and three others to 15 days’ National Investigation Agency (NIA) custody on Thursday.

Officials said that the suspended cop was today produced before the special NIA court where his judicial custody was extended by more 15 days.

The suspended cop was quizzed by the NIA for allegedly helping terrorists travel out of the Valley. The probe agency also conducted searches at the cop’s residence in Srinagar’s Indira Nagar.

The NIA is also probing Singh’s involvement with Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and other operational and active militant groups.

Meanwhile, the NIA’s special court in New Delhi dismissed the bail application of former independent legislator from Langate assembly constituency, Engineer Abdul Rasheed Sheikh.

The former MLA Langate, who is also the president of Awami Itehaad Party (AIP) was arrested in a case related to the funding of terror activities in the Valley and is currently lodged in Tihar Jail. (KNO) 

Srinagar: After 17 days, the security forces on Thursday recovered another body from the encounter site in Zantrag, Khrew area of Pampore in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district.

According to wire service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), official sources said that a dead body was found in Zantrag, Khrew Pampore area of Pulwama District, where an encounter took place on January 21 this year in which a top militant, one cop and an Army man were killed.

They said that the people who were walking through the forest area spotted a dead body and informed the police in this regard, adding that the police later reached the spot.

However, the identification of the slain was not ascertained when the report was last killed. Earlier on January 21, an encounter broke out between forces and militants in which a top Jaish-e-Muhammad militant, one cop and an Army man was killed. (KNO)

SRINAGAR:  Peoples Conference (PC) chairman Sajad Gani Lone and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra were on Wednesday released after remaining under detention for 6 months in the summer capital, Srinagar as the centre scrapped Article 370 and Article 35 A, besides bifurcated the state into two Union Territories (UTs) on August 5.

With this, eight detained leaders were released from MLA hostel, which was converted into sub-jail, since Sunday

Official sources said that Mr Lone and Mr Parra were released from MLA hostel on Wednesday afternoon. Mr Lone was a minister in PDP-BJP coalition government from the quota of the saffron party.

However, Mr Parra said that he has been once again placed under house arrest at his residence in Srinagar.

On Tuesday, PDP MLA Aijaz Ahmad Mir and trade leader Shakeel Ahmed Qalandar, who is former president of the Federation Chamber of Industries Kashmir, were released. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Mohammad Yusuf Bhat, three National Conference (NC) leaders — Abdul Majeed Larmi, Mohammad Shafi and Ghulam Nabi Bhat — were released on Sunday from the hostel, where now 15 politicians remained under detention since August 5.

Meanwhile, former minister Abdul Haq Khan, former Congress MLA Haji Abdul Rasheed, senior NC leader Nazir Ahmad Gurezi and Peoples Conference leader?Mohammad Abbas Wani were released last month.

The authorities have been releasing politicians in phased manner. However, sources said that the politicians before release have to give undertaking assuring authorities that they would not indulge in any activity that will hamper law and order.

Hundreds of people, including politicians, activists, separatists and business association leaders, were detained to ‘maintain law and order’ after centre abrogated special status of the state. Three former chief ministers – Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti – were detained. Former IAS topper turned politician Dr Shah Faesal and former minister Naeem Akhtar also remained under detention. Surprisingly no detained leader has challenged his detention.

Dr Farooq, who was in September slapped with Public Safety Act (PSA), remained under detention at his Srinagar residence while Omar and Mehbooba have been lodged in separate accommodations in the city.

New Delhi: Opposition parties led by Congress staged a walk-out in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, protesting ‘detention’ of political leaders, including National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah’, even after six months since

Article 370 was abrogated. Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said three people have been ‘’languishing in jail illegally’’.

His party colleague K Suresh said it has been six months since Article 370 was abrogated.

‘’Senior leaders, including NC veteran Farooq Abdullah, and Omar Abdullah, have been in detention for six months.  Dr Farooq Abdullah is unable to attend the House for past three sessions,’’ he said.

Jammu and Kashmir’s top mainstream leaders Dr Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah of the NC and Mehbooba Mufti of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have completed six months in detention on Tuesday.

Mr Suresh said Dr Abdullah’s rights were being denied and demanded that his welfare and  his presence in the House be ensured.

Members of Opposition parties, including Congress, National Conference and DMK, trooped into the Well and raised slogans like ‘Save India’ and ‘Save Democracy’ during the Zero Hour.

National Conference MP Hasnain Masoodi also stood in the Well.

Some members spoke during Zero Hour amid pandemonium.

As the ruckus continued, Congress leader Mr Chowdhury said they are staging a walk-out in protest.