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Waris Fayaz

Sopore, Mar 20: An old bridge was set on fire in Chankhan area of Sopore town in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district by some miscreants, officials said here on Monday.

An official told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that miscreants during the intervening night of Sunday and Monday set the historic bridge on fire.

He said soon after the incident the fire was put off and teams and police and civil admin reached to the spot. Meanwhile, police have taken cognisance of the incident.

An official of Roads and Buildings department said that the remains of the bridge will be auctioned within 2 days.

Notably, the bridge was declared unsafe for traffic in 1999 and was being used for pedestrian movement only. However, the movement was halted in 2019 when the bridge developed some cracks and one of its pillars collapsed—(KNO)

At least three persons were killed after a bus they were travelling in turned turtle in Awantipora area of Pulwama district on Saturday morning, Kashmirscroll reported.

They said that a bus turned turtle on National Highway near bridge in Gooripora Awantipora in which several persons received injuries.

They said injured were shifted to hospital for treatment, however, three among injured succumbed on way to hospital, identified as Nasrudin Ansari, Raj Karan, and Saleem Ali all residents of Bihar.

Meanwhile, police have taken cognizance.

Srinagar, Mar 18: The State Investigation Agency (SIA) is carrying out raids at multiple locations in central and south Kashmir districts as part of investigation with regard to a case registered at SIA.

Sources told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the sleuths of the investigating agency with the assistance of the local police and the CRPF carried out raids in summer capital Srinagar, Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and other districts.

He said the SIA raided the residence of Sarjan Ahmed Wagay @Barkati son of Abdul Raziq Wagay, a resident of Reben Zainapora in Shopian district.

He said raids are being conducted in connection with a case already registered at the SIA. “The details of the case will be shared later,” he said—(KNO)

Waris Fayaz

Sopore, Mar 17: Residents of Zaingeer in north Kashmir’s Sopore have accused the Jal Shakhti department of providing them unfiltered drinking water from Marbal Nallah. They also said that the water filtration plant has been defunct for years.

Talking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), locals alleged, “We are being forced to consume the raw water from the nallah whose source is polluted, thereby posing health risks. The heaps of garbage are a common scene on the banks of nallah. We use dirty water for years due to which several viral diseases break out here from time to time.”

Ghulam Mohi ud Din Kar, a senior citizen told KNO that every time it rains in the area, the open-source spring and the nallah get polluted and the locals are forced to use the contaminated water. “A water filtration plant at Hardshiva has never functioned. This useless filtration plant has been inaugurated several times by people affiliated with various political organisations; however it is good for nothing,” he said.

Instead of providing us with water from the Marbal Nallah, the department should work on Pahiwar Nallah which is far better than those from which the Zaingeer villages including Hardshiva, Shiva, Dooru, and Dangerpora are getting water supply, Kar added.

The residents have urged Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Deputy Commissioner Baramulla and the concerned department to look into the matter.

Notably, days ago, a test report of the water sample came, which indicated that the supplied water supply to the residents is not suitable for drinking. People were advised to boil the water before consumption.

Meanwhile, despite repeated attempts, AEE Jal Shakhti (PHE), division Watlab could not be reached as the official didn’t receive phone calls from this correspondent—(KNO)

Baramulla, March 16: Valedictory function of Two Days State Level Management Development Programme (MDP) for Doctors / Nursing Professionals, Tutors of Nursing Colleges from Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora districts Organized By Academy of Hospital Administration (AHA), India in Collaboration with Government Medical College Baramulla today concluded at GMC Baramulla.

The Valedictory function was presided over by Deputy Commissioner Baramulla, Dr Syed Sehrish Asgar as the chief guest while as Principal Government Medical College Baramulla, Dr (Prof) Iffat Hussain, Joint Director Planning, Mohammad Yousuf Rather, Chief Medical officer Baramulla, Dr Bashir Ahmad Malik, Medical Superintendent Gandhi Nagar Hospital Jammu, Medical superintendent GMC Baramulla, Dr Parvaiz Masoodi, Doctors, Nurses besides a large number of participants including students were present in the funtion.

Topics of Two Days State Level Management Development Programme (MDP) for Nursing Professionals and Tutors of Nursing Colleges include Medical Negligence, Communication & Soft Skills, Role of Nursing In Prevention of Hospital Infection, Ethical & Legal Issues Related to Nursing Management in Hospitals, Challenges in Management Clinical Services (Accident and Emergency Services Operation Theater), HR & Conflict Management, Disaster Management Role of Nursing Staff, Skilled Based Methods of Teaching and Learning & Bridging the Theory and Clinical Gap, Quality Assurance in nursing.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Sehrish Asgar advised the doctors and nurses to adopt the humble approach while dealing with the patients. She said that the Development of trust enables the patient to comply with the doctor’s guidance, which consequently results in improvement of health.

Dr Sehrish emphasized the
importance of MDP
programmes as it trains the doctors, nurses and other paramedical staff to deal with the patients.

She impressed upon on all
nurses and doctors to further
forward whatever they have
learned to many other in
there down lines and become
master trainers to spread the
message of AHA, which is
continuing education
programme, first of its kind
in Health & Medical
education department.

Other speakers also highlighted the importance of organizing the programme and expressed hope that the programme will benefit the Nursing Professionals and Tutors to a large extent in all the relevant matters.

Meanwhile, the DC distributed the momentos and certificates among the Mangement team members and delegates, besides honouring the speakers and moderators.

Bandipora, Mar 16: Almost the entire staff of the Primary Health Centre (PHC) at Ashtingo in Bandipora district was found absent from their duties and have been put on notice by the Block Medical Officer Bandipora.

As per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), ten out of 12 staff members including two medical officers (MO), two pharmacists, three nurses, one BHW, one driver and one sweeper were found absent during a surprise inspection at PHC by the BMO Dr Masarat Iqbal on 13 March.

A show-cause notice has been served to the employees asking them to explain their position before action shall be taken against them.

He impressed upon the officers to ensure the punctuality of their subordinate staff to ensure effective service delivery.

“During a surprise visit on 13-03-2023 at around 11:00 Am, the officers /officials of PHC Ashtingoo, who were found late on duty are directed to explain their position and why action under rules shall not be initiated against them,” the order said, adding that they shall submit the reply in the office u/sd within a day positively.

“Also their RDA (2 ½ Days salary) will be deducted for the month of March 2023 reads the order,” it said.

Meanwhile, in a separate order, the BMO said that in view of the unauthorised absence from his legitimate duties on 15-03-2023, Dr Saboor Sikandar (Medical officer) PHC Ashtingoo is hereby placed under suspension with immediate effect. “He is directed to report to the office of u/sd with immediate effect,” the order said—(KNO)

Waris Fayaz

Sopore, Mar 16: Despite the education department’s initiative of a special enrollment drive at government schools, the upgraded government boys primary school is witnessing a grim situation as the school is functioning in two rooms only.

Established in 1985, the school functioning in the jurisdiction of Zone Dangerpora in Bomai Tehsil has only two rooms for six classes and has about 60 students, while the school building has already been declared unsafe in the year 2014.

A teacher pleading anonymity at the school told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) the school has three rooms, one for teachers and two for students. Also, the school has only two teachers. “We are facing an accommodation crunch and can’t give proper accommodation facilities to the students enrolled here, ” he said.

“The condition of the school is deplorable as the floors are damaged and windows and tables are broken”, he said. Adding that the building was already declared unsafe.

Iffat, a student said that the government only claims to provide the best quality education to students but you can see here what the quality education government is providing to us.

Due to the dilapidated condition of the school, the students are being forced to study under an open sky, said a local. “The issue has already been brought into the notice of concern in the school education department, but to no avail,” he said.

The school was recently upgraded as the students were merged to this primary school building, however, no additional building has been given to the school, said Ali Mohammed, another resident. ” It is the need of an hour for the school to be shifted as there lies every apprehension of any untoward as students’ lives are at risk due to shambles conditions of the said building”, Ali said.

The residents, however, further added that the school has no fencing of the vicinity and the nallah is approaching nearby, thus having apprehension of any untoward incident.

Zonal Educational Officer (ZEO), Dangerpora told KNO that he is not aware about the building being declared as unsafe. However, there is a provision of a new school building but due to land unavailability it could not be executed.

The ZEO added that the Tehsildar concerned was asked to demarcate the land for the construction of a school building.

Notably, the school education department has started a 10 days special enrollment drive, with the director pinning hopes of the highest number of new entrants in the government schools—(KNO)

Srinagar, Mar 16: National Conference president and MP from Srinagar Lok Sabha seat, Dr. Farooq Abdullah on Thursday said that the Election Commission of India has assured them they will do something soon on their demand of holding elections in Jammu & Kashmir.

Talking to news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the former CM of J&K said that they assured the delegation that they will do something soon on their demand. “They assured everyone that they will do something soon,” he told KNO.

Jammu and Kashmir is without an elected Government since June 19, 2019 when BJP withdrew support to Mehbooba Mufti-led government, citing the deteriorating security situation in the erstwhile state of Jammu & Kashmir.

The two-year long delimitation process was completed on May 5, 2022 when the three-member panel headed by justice (retired) Ranjana Desai unveiled final electoral map of J&K. The voter revision process was also completed on November 25, 2022.

A delegation of regional political parties and national parties met the poll-body today in New Delhi and sought immediate restoration of democracy in the Union Territory.

The memorandum submitted by the parties today to the ECI states that the Panchayat elections and other PRI elections cannot be a substitute to legislative assembly elections and the government or for that matter the ECI cannot avoid and delay assembly elections on that ground—(KNO)

Naidkhai: A tractor went out of the driver’s control and skidded off the road in Gulabwari area of Naidkhai in Bandipora district on Thursday.
The tractor was on his way from Gulabwari to Naidkhia Gulabwari when mishap took place.

Immediately, the quick reaction team of the Indian Army of 13RR swung into action and rescued the driver .
The Army team also towed the tractor back on to the road using a heavy military vehicle.
The tractor was, thus, saved from getting more demage.
Efforts put in by the army personals particularly Subedar Sanjay Yadav of
Army camp Naidkhai were lauded by the villagers who were present on the spot

Zojila pass, Mar 16: The strategic 434 km long Srinagar-Leh highway was thrown open by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) in a record 68 days, officials said Thursday.

Talking to reporters after throwing the highway open for traffic officially, Director General Border Roads Organisation (BRO) Lt General Rajeev Chaudhary, as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), it is always a toughest challenge to throw open Zojila pass. “It was due to the hardwork of BRO officials and men that we were able to throw the pass open in a record number of 68 days. For the past three years, we have been breaking our own records,” he said, adding that first the road was thrown open in 110 days, then in 78 days and now in just 68 days.

“Our efforts will be make the road through in just 60 days (two months),” he said. “BRO officials and men are fully acclimatized and familiar with the area. No equipment was damaged during the road opening process.”

He said the locals who work with the BRO are being provided with adequate wages, shelter and food besides warm clothes. “Some people are with us since 25 years. We are like a family,” the DG BRO said.

He said that early opening of this road helps save RS 7 Crore a day for the government. “This road helps to send defence equipment including guns, bullets and tanks besides troops to Ladakh. Similarly, the early road opening helps give an economic push to the Ladakh region who remain cut-off from the rest of the world for six months,” the DG said, adding that “people of Ladakh can come to Srinagar through this road and carry out their economic activities—(KNO)