January 2023

Kupwara, Jan 10 : Two persons were killed while two others were injured in road accident in Hayan area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Tuesday.

An official told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the accident took place near Hayan Trehgam after an Army vehicle collided with a car, resulting in on spot death to two persons and injuries to two others.

He said the injured persons were rushed to district hospital Kupwara for treatment. “The identify of the deceased was being ascertained,” he said.

The official said a case has been registered in the regard and further investigation has been taken up.

Meanwhile, chief medical officer Kupwara Dr Bashir Ahmad also confirmed to KNO that two persons were brought dead to the hospital—(KNO)

Waris Fayaz

Baramulla, Jan 09 : Residents of Hudpora and Wahdatpora villages in Baramulla district alleged that the recently issued electoral roll has come out as a shocker for them as the polling station has been set up far away in an inaccessible place.

According to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the resident moved a representation to the deputy commissioner Baramulla who is also the district election officer, seeking relocation of the polling station.

The station as per the electoral roll has been set up at government middle school Frustdub Gujjar, some 5 kilometers away from the residential area.

“Polling station, apart from being remote for the voters of main village Wahdatpora and Sher Colony is also inaccessible to them – given the tough terrain and steep nallah that separates the polling station from rest of the village,” reads the application.

It also highlighted that the only road leading to the polling station meanders through two villages making the total distance five kilometres to the polling station.

“Setting up a polling station at a faraway and inaccessible place has posed a direct threat to the rights of the residents, particularly to the rights of senior citizens and PWDs, to exercise their franchise,” it added.

The residents, however, have requested the Baramulla deputy commissioner to relocate the polling station from government middle school Frasdub, Gujjar to government secondary school Hudpora, Wahadtpora in the interest of the general public.

Meanwhile, the deputy commissioner, Baramulla despite repeated attempts could not be contacted for the comment—(KNO)

Srinagar, Jan 09 : The parts of Jammu & Kashmir are all set to receive another wet spell from January 11 as a fresh Western Disturbance (WD) would likely affect the Union Territory and adjacent areas from Wednesday afternoon.

Talking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Deputy Director Meteorological department (MeT), Mukhtar Ahmad said that a fresh active WD would likely affect J&K and adjoining areas from 11th January afternoon.

He said that under the influence of WD, there is a possibility of light to moderate rain/snow (Rain in plains & light snow over higher reaches of Jammu division) most likely at most places of J&K.

As per the forecast, he said that the moderate snowfall intensity will be over higher reaches (isolated heavy over higher reaches of Kashmir especially Keran, Machil, Gurez, Tulail, Sonamarg, Gulmarg, Pahlgam, higher reaches of Budgam, Higher reaches of Shopian and Kulgam) with main activity during late 11th night to 12th late night and gradual decrease thereafter.

He said that the surface transportation over higher reaches would get affected during 12th January—(KNO)

Srinagar, Jan 09 : The fire incidents across ten districts of Kashmir have claimed the lives of 112 persons while 35 others have received injuries in the last two years—2021 and 2022, an official data accessed by the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) revealed.

The data said that a total of 4786 fire incidents have been reported during 2021 and 2022 including 2242 in 2021 and 2544 in 2022, which indicates the rise of 302 blaze incidents in Kashmir.

“A total of 1711 structures got damaged in 2021 while 1699 structures suffered damage in 2022,” the data, available with KNO reveals.

In 2021, 75 persons lost their lives in which Pulwama recorded highest casualties at 24 followed by Shopian 22 and Kulgam 12. Five people were also charred to death in Srinagar. The data said that Srinagar and Kupwara have recorded 5 deaths each in the fire incidents. It said that the highest fire incidents have been reported from Srinagar where 448 fire calls have been received by Fire and Emergency Services while Baramulla has recorded 324 fire incidents in the year 2021.

In 2022, 37 people got charred to death including 9 from Kulgam, 6 from Pulwama, 5 from Srinagar, 4 each from Baramulla, Shopian & Kupwara, 3 from Anantnag and one each from Ganderbal and Bandipora. “Of total 2544 incidents, Srinagar has recorded the highest at 547 followed by 402 in Baramulla, 323 in Kupwara and 270 in Anantnag,” the data said.

It added that a total of 57 and 55 vehicles have been damaged in the fire incidents in 2021 and 2022 respectively.

The data, compiled by Joint Director, Fire & Emergency Services, Kashmir Range, further reads that the property worth Rs 7061.60 lakhs and Rs 8523.07 lakhs has got damaged in the year 2021 and 2022 respectively while the property worth Rs 105679.50 lakhs and Rs 85065.53 lakhs were saved in 2021 and 2022 respectively—(KNO)

Baramulla, 09 January:- Today Amod Ashok Nagpure -IPS assumed the charge as Senior Superintendent of Police district Baramulla. On his arrival at District Police Headquarters Baramulla, the new SSP Baramulla was received by ASP Baramulla R K Parihar, DySP DAR DPL Baramulla, Peerzada Aijaz Ahmad -JKPS and Ab Gani Lone, Accounts Officer DPHQ Baramulla where also present on this occasion. The new SSP Baramulla was accompanied by outgoing SSP Rayees Mohammad Bhat-IPS, who handed him the charge.

Later on, after assuming the charge, SSP Baramulla made a round of DPHQ complex and visited all branches, and interacted with officers/officials.

Kulgam: January 09, 2023:- Sahil Sarangal-IPS assumed the charge as Superintendent of Police, Kulgam. On his arrival at District Police Office Kulgam, the new SP Kulgam was received by Addl. SP Kulgam Shabir Ahmad, besides DySP HQRS Kulgam, DySP DAR Kulgam, DySP OPS Kulgam,DySP PC Hatipora and other officers/officials were also present.

The new SP was presented guard of honor by the contingent of Jammu & Kashmir Police of District Police Kulgam.

After assuming the Charge, SP Kulgam convened an introductory meeting with Police Officers of District Kulgam and impressed upon the officers to work with dedication and zeal to fulfill the aspirations of the people.

Salvatore International School became the first private school in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir to roll out the Digital Literacy curriculum of National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology NIELIT, a capacity building arm of Ministry of Electronics and Technology & Information Technology, Govt. of India. This is a watershed moment in school education, as the students will be earning the prestigious skill certificates from a National Level body right from class 5th onwards. NIELIT offers a bouquet of Digital Literacy Courses ranging from ACC to ECC spanning from 20 hours to 200 hours.
NIELIT’s CCC course and O Level (IT) are National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF) aligned courses at Level 3 and 4 respectively and have been made part of essential qualifications by many state/UT governments of the country.
These courses, with a special emphasis on “Digital India” and “Skill India Mission”, are in line with NEP-2020. This initiative also falls in line with the vision of Shri Manoj Sinha, Hon’ble Governor of UT of Jammu and Kashmir who has taken special interest in making UT of J&K a Digitally empowered UT. It would transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy.
Shri Deepak Wasan, ED NIELIT Jammu & Kashmir said that this programme will make students market-ready and job-ready as soon as they pass out from the school itself. The aim is to create competitive and innovative students.
The promoter of the school said that this is an ideal initiative to tap the demographic dividend of the country by providing IT literacy to students from a young age. The curriculum is ladder based, starting from scratch programming to Internet of Things.

Waris Fayaz

Sopore, Jan 09 : Bashir Ahmed War – the man who introduced Kiwi fruit cultivation in Kashmir dies after a brief illness at his residence in Warpura village of Sopore in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district on late Sunday evening.

War, (65), a renowned businessman of Sopore was known for his wit and jovial nature. War has done his LLB degree from Aligrah Muslim University. Being scientifically very sound made him a member of Kashmir’s horticulture board and would often visit to international countries for research.

Bashir Ahmed, as per the family was suffering from a Pneumonia and was on medication, however, on Sunday late evening he complained of breathing complications and was subsequently shifted to SDH Sopore, but breathed his last on the way to hospital.

Various social-policitical organizations including Fruit growers and dealers association, traders federation Sopore, Ex MLA Haji Abdul Rashid Dar and others express grief and sorrow and condole the demis of War.

War, was known as Kiwi man after he established his own Kiwi orchard which got media attention of local, national and internationally and was the talk of the town – thus changing Sopore’s ‘Apple Cultivation’ notion, of which the town is famous for and is being called as the Apple Town.

He had suggested that the Horticulture sector in Kashmir needs a relook for introduction of new varieties of fruits for better use of land and resources.