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The government has ordered termination of services of four more teachers for unauthorised absence.

According to an order issued by the Directorate of School Education Kashmir, services of Ashaq Parvez Mir of Kupwara, Mohammad Saleem Dar of district Budgam, Shazia Shafeeq, Teacher, HS Gundishath, Kupwara and Fatima Jameel, teacher, HS Padshahibagh, Srinagar have been terminated.

According to the order government has invoked Article 113 of J&K Civil Service Rules (Volume I) of 1956 and Rule 30(VII) of J&KCCA rules 1956 for their removal from government services.

As per the order, Ashaq Parvez Mir, Teacher, UPS Kachree, Kupwara remained un-authorizedly absent from duties from 06 May 2012 and “despite providing of enough opportunities to resume his duties by the Drawing & Disbursing officer concerned neither he responded the notices nor resumed his duties.”

According to order, the teacher was again provided opportunities on 06 July 2021 (through a joint show cause notice) and was asked to present himself before the Directorate along with statement of defense within 07 days failing which action as warranted under rules shall be initiated against him without serving any further notice.

The issue was placed before the Designated Committee in its meeting held on 11/12/2021 and after examining the case, the committee took the decision to process for termination under Article-113 J&K CSR of 1956.

“Now, therefore, pursuant to the decision of the committee, Mr. Ashaq Parvez Mir, Teacher, UPS Kachree, Kupwara is hereby removed from the Government service in terms of Article 113 of J&K Civil Services Rules (Volume I) of 1956 and Rule 30(V11) of J&KCCA rules 1956”, stated the order, a copy of which lies with GNS.

The termination order issued to Mohammad Saleem Dar, Teacher, GMS Aripanthan, Budgam states that he applied for six month leave along with station leave permission for completion of his Ph.D programme but in anticipation of sanction of leave/station leave permission he left the station and as such remained absent from his legitimate duties from 27 March 2015. The incumbent was provided opportunities by the DO concerned to resume his duties which he failed to avail, the order reads.

Likewise, Shazia Shafeeq, Teacher, HS Gundishath, Kupwara has been removed from the Government service in terms of Article 113 of J&K Civil Services Rules (Volume I) of 1956 and Rule 30(VII) of J&KCCA rules 1956.

In a similar order government also ordered the removal of Mtr. Fatima Jameel, HS Padshahibagh, Srinagar from the government services after she was found un-authorizedly absent from her legitimate duties from 1 March 2016.

As per the order she was provided enough opportunities to resume her duties by the Drawing & Disbursing officer concerned neither she responded the notices nor resumed her duties.

The issue was placed before the Designated Committee in its meeting held on 11/12/2021 and after examining the case the committee took the decision to process for termination under Article-113 J&K CSR of 1956.

“Now, therefore, pursuant to the decision of the committee, Mtr. Fatima Jameel, HS Padshahibagh, Srinagar is hereby removed from the Government service in terms of Article 113 of J&K Civil Services Rules (Volume I) of 1956 and Rule 30(VH) of J&KCCA rules 1956”, stated the order.(GNS)

Police in Ramban launched a wide scale search operation to locate a Lucknow family believed to have gone ‘missing’ along Srinagar-Jammu highway at Ramsu, since Friday morning.

SSP Ramban Mohita Sharma told GNS that the search operation was launched after a family from Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh informed through social media that their relatives on way to Kashmir had gone incommunicado after purportedly ‘getting stuck at Ramsu area on Friday morning in the aftermath of a huge landslide along the highway.’

“The relatives have said that after receiving the messages through WhatsApp about them getting stuck, there has however been no communication with them for almost three days now”, she said.

The kin, the official said, have identified the ‘missing persons’ as Mehmood Ali Khan (65), Darakshan (52) and Shavez Khan (26).

“We have launched a wide scale search operation in and around the specified site to locate the missing persons”, she added. (GNS)

As J&K braces up for light rains and snowfall till January 19, night mercury recorded an increase even as it stayed below freezing point with Srinagar recording a low of minus 1.2 °C on Sunday.

A meteorological department official told GNS that the minimum temperature in the summer capital of the J&K was up by more than three degrees Celsius than previous night’s minus 4.5°C.

Kashmir is presently under the grip of 40-day long harshest period of winter, known locally as ‘Chillai Kalan, which started from December 21. It is followed by a 20-day long ‘Chillai Khurd’ and a 10-day-long ‘Chilla Bachha’.

Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 7.0°C against minus 9.5°C on previous night, he said. The temperature was 0.7°C above normal for this time of the year in the famous resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

Pahalgam, the famous resort in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 5.4°C against minus 11.4°C last night, he said.

Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 3.4°C against minus 7.6°C on the previous night, he said.

Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 4.5°C against minus 7.2°C on the previous night, the official said.

Kupwara town in north Kashmir recorded a minimum of minus 2.1°C against minus 5.0°C on the previous night, the official said.

Jammu recorded a low of 8.4°C against previous night’s 7.7°C which is 1.3 °C above normal for the J&K’s winter capital during this time of the year, he said.

Banihal recorded a low of 4.0°C, Katra 5.4 °C and Bhaderwah saw a minimum of 0.5°C, the official said.

Ladakh’s Leh recorded a low of minus 15.2°C against last night’s minus 16.8°C while mercury at automatic station in Kargil settled at minus 18.6°C. Drass, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia, recorded a low of minus 27.6°C against last night’s minus 17.4°C, official said.

Weatherman has said that there was no forecast of any major rain or snow till the end of January in J&K.

“Under the influence of feeble Western Disturbance, weather most likely to remain generally cloudy with possibility of very light to light rain/snow in plains of J&K during 16-19th and light to moderate snowfall over higher reaches,” an official of the MeT department said in a statement to GNS. “As of today, there’s no forecast of any major rain/snow till ending January (accuracy 60-70%) .” (GNS)

A massive fire has broken out inside ‘Sherwani Hall’ in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

Reports reaching GNS said that the fire broke out around 2:15 PM this afternoon inside the structure –used as banquet hall for political and social functions.

A Fire and Emergency Department official confirming it told GNS that men and machinery were on job to contain spread of the blaze. (GNS)

Body of a Kashmiri MBBS student, who died in a Bangladesh College on Wednesday, reached her native village in Budgam on Saturday, officials said.

An official told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the body of Seema Zehra, a resident of Zabar Mohalla in Central Kashmir’s Budgam district, reached her home on late Saturday evening where her last rites were performed.

Seema was a 2nd year student at Addin Sakina Medical College Jessore , Bangladesh and died on January 12 at her College campus.

Arrangements were made to airlift the body from Bangladesh to Srinagar after Jammu Kashmir LG Manoj Sinha assured the family of all possible help to bring back the student’s mortal remains, the officials said—(KNO)

The upsurge in Covid-19 infection continued unabated in Jammu and Kashmir as 3251 new cases have been reported while four persons succumbed to the virus in the last 24 hours, officials said on Saturday.

They said that 1129 of the cases were reported from Jammu Division and 2122 from Kashmir Valley, taking the overall tally to 355874.

There were also four deaths in the last 24 hours, two each from Jammu division and Kashmir Valley. So far 4561 people have succumbed to the virus and include 2218 in Jammu and 2343 in Kashmir.

Giving the district wise details of the fresh cases confirmed in J&K, the officials told GNS that Srinagar reported 624 , Baramulla 471, Budgam 416, Pulwama 67, Kupwara 137, Anantnag 228, Bandipora 117, Ganderbal 21, Kulgam 37, Shopian 4, Jammu 685, Udhampur 125, Rajouri 34, Doda 24, Kathua 59, Samba 93, Kishtwar 29, Poonch 35, Ramban 3 and Reasi 42.

A number of cases were confirmed at diagnostic laboratory of CD hospital here and include male (32) (NA) from Rawalpora, female (52) (NA) from Chewa bandipora, male (45) (NA) from Brain nishat, female (30) (NA) from Indranagar, male (24) (NA) from Baramulla, female (45) (NA) from Baramulla, male (50) (NA) from Balgarden, male (36) (NA) from Rainawari Sgr, female (33) (NA) from Peerbagh, female (20) (NA) from Sikkim, male (30) (NA) from Kulgam, female (35) (NA) from Tangmarg, male (45) (NA) from Sgr, female (57) (NA) from Sgr, male (58) (NA) from Sgr, female (41) (NA) from Sgr, female (26) (NA) from Sgr, male (62) (NA) from Sgr, female (33) (NA) from Batamaloo, female (32) (NA) from Sgr, female (28) (NA) from Karanagar, male (36) (NA) from Soura, male (36) (NA) from Qamarwari, male (53) (NA) from Lalbazar, female (47) (NA) from Lalbazar, female (30) (NA) from Lalbazar, male (38) (NA) from Batamaloo, male (38) (NA) from Batapora budgam, male (32) (NA) from Pathar masjid, female (51) (NA) from Bemina Sgr, male (56) (NA) from Shah mohalla Sgr, male (45) (NA) from Kulgam, male (35) (NA) from Lawaypora, male (70) (NA) from Budgam, female (13) (NA) from Handwara, female (18) (NA) from Vilgam, female (45) (NA) from Magam, female (36) (NA) from Sirajpora magam, male (15) (NA) from Ahgam rajwar, female (40) (NA) from Nutnusa, male (30) (NA) from Nishat, male (40) (NA) from Rainawari, female (36) (NA) from Lalbazar, male (34) (NA) from Khaniyar, female (55) (NA) from Jawaharnagar, female (29) (NA) from Baghat, male (64) (NA) from Baghat, male (25) (NA) from Nawakadal, female (36) (NA) from Habakadal, male (26) (NA) from Chattabal, female (30) (NA) from Sgr, male (35) (NA) from Sonwar, male (52) (NA) from Rajbagh, male (38) (NA) from Hawal, female (52) (NA) from Dalgate, male (34) (NA) from Baghat, male (42) (NA) from Lalbazar, female (27) (NA) from Rawalpora, female (46) (NA) from Rawalpora, male (54) (NA) from Sonwar, female (42) (NA) from Chadoora, male (42) (NA) from Bemina, male (25) (NA) from Sogam kupwara, male (60) (NA) from Pulwama, male (70) (NA) from Shangus anantnag, male (26) (NA) from Rawalpora, female (33) (NA) from Khrew, female (21) (NA) from Nowgam, male (56) (NA) from Shivpora, female (27) (NA) from Safakadal, male (40) (NA) from Bandipora, female (30) (NA) from Haft chinar, female (65) (NA) from Sgr, female (31) (NA) from Goggi bagh, female (25) (NA) from Sogam kupwara.

A number of cases were confirmed at diagnostic laboratory of District Hospital Pulwama and include female (24) from Heff shirmal, female (25) from Nowgam, female (30) from Wahipora pulwama, female (30) from Tikken pulwama, female (30) from Gongoo pulwama, female (30) from Khandaypora pulwama, female (35) from Tikken pulwama, female (43) from Karimabad, female (60) from Imamsahib shopian, male (55) from Poshwani pulwama, male (62) from Karimabad, male (40) from Karimabad, female (45) from Hyderpora Sgr, female (16) from Narbal pulwama, female (40) from Narbal Pulwama.

Besides, they said, 390 Covid-19 patients recovered during the time—239 from Jammu Division and 151 from Kashmir. So far 338453 people have recovered, leaving active case tally at 12860 —5690 in Jammu and 7170 in Kashmir.

They said there was no new confirmed case of mucormycosis (black fungus) reported today. So far 51 black fungus cases have been confirmed in J&K, the officials said.

They also informed that 62407 doses of covid-19 vaccine were administered during the time in J&K. (GNS)

• Light Rain/Snow expected in plains of J&K during 16-19th January and Light to Moderate snowfall over higher reaches: Sonam Lotus (Director MeT)

Former law minister Syed Basharat Bukhari tested positive for COVID 19

Officials said that at least six doctor have been tested for COVID-19 today. “The affected doctors might have contracted virus while examining the patients at the hospital,” he said.

Notably, Sopore has reported nearly 500 positive cases within a weeks time, including 15 Municipal Council officials.