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Srinagar, Feb 27: Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha on Monday said that with the implementation of various central government schemes, Jammu and Kashmir will soon achieve its target of ensuring round-the-clock electricity.

Talking to the reporters here, Sinha, as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said that the power generation, distribution and transmission capacity has been increased in the past three years.

“We have increased 56 per cent capacity of distribution and generation in the three years compared to what we had in the past 70 years,” he said, adding that with the Rs 152 crore project in Kashmir, the capacity of power distribution will be increased further.

“At present, Rs 5000 crore wiorth central government schemes are there to strengthen the distribution grid in J&K. With the support of NTPC, REC, others including the installation of smart meters, J&K will soon achieve its target of 24*7 electricity to the consumers,” he said—(KNO)

Waris Fayaz

Sopore, Feb 27: The old Chankhan bridge known as Bakhshi bridge built in 1953 over river Jehlum in Sopore town lies in shambles.

The 260-metre bridge as per the locals had the historical and architectural value but the department concerned failed to take measures to protect it from getting damaged.

The bridge was built during the tenure of the then J&K prime minister Ghulam Muhammad Bakhshi and was declared unsafe for traffic in 1999. It was used for pedestrian movement only. However, the movement was halted in2019 when the bridge developed some cracks and its middle pillar collapsed.

Locals told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that since the bridge collapsed in the 2021, the remaining bridge (worth in lakhs) was left in shambles and the material due to the negligence of the concerned authorities continue to flow within Jhelum.

They also alleged that people during evening hours are stealing the material including the wood and iron.

“The historic bridge which earlier was connecting the town with rest parts of the valley was having the Deodar woods which is now seen flowing with the waters of jhelum. We have been demanding it be developed into a foot bridge to no avail,” Syed Fayaz, a local said.

“If there would have been an auction of the remains of the bridge, the amount may have been used for the construction of the small footbridge,” he said.

The locals however, urged the LG Manoj Sinha to direct the Deputy Commissioner Baramulla to do the needful as the ‘officials in the town are taking them for a ride’.

An assistant executive engineer, roads and buildings (R&B) division Sopore, Er Danish told KNO that they have taken up the matter with the concerned including local administration and forest department.

However, he said that the remains of the bridge would go for an auction soon and the call for a footbridge would be taken later—(KNO)

Bandipora 27 February: A day after Kashmiri pandit Sanjay Sharma S/O Kashinath Sharma R/O Achan was killed in Pulwama district, protests were held Bandipora ,Sumbal ,Gurez area of North Kashmir’s Bandipur district valley on Monday calling for a stop to the”bloodshed”. While the biggest candle light vigil was held in in Bandipora where political leaders of some parties took part in the protest march in the town , similar marches were held in Gurez and Sumbal areas .

While condemning the attack, protesters said, Killing unarmed, vulnerable and peace loving persons is nothing to be endorsed.
Meanwhile Civil society, traders’ bodies and shop keepers associations have condemned the killing of innocent Kashmiri pandit( JK Rev).

Shopian:-A minor girl has been allegedly raped by her brother in law in the Zampathri area of Shopian.

An official told The Kashmiriyat a 13-year-old girl (name with held) was raped by her brother in law in the Shopian district, following which the relatives of the minor girl registered a complaint with Police.

In their complaint the family alleged that the minor girl was impregnated by her sister’s husband who later planned to kill the newborn after the delivery.

Upon receiving the complaint, the Police arrested the accused who has been booked under the relevant sections of law, he said.

“The police took swift action and arrested the accused. The investigation is going on, the other accused, if found, will be arrested soon,” a senior police officer from Shopian said.

Srinagar, Feb 27: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said that 40 per cent of the J&K population will have to pay no property tax and the remaining 60 per cent have to pay nominal amount between Rs 600 to Rs 1000 maximum amount per annum. He said that tax amount fixed is one-tenth of the tax being paid by Shimla, Ambala and Dehradun.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function at SKICC here, the LG as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said in J&K, 2, 0, 3,680 households are less than 1500 Sq feet.

“Fourty per cent people won’t have to pay the tax. Eighty percent of the 2,0,3680 households will have to pay nominal amount of Rs 600 only while rest will have to pay a nominal amount of Rs 1000 as property tax per annum. This amount is one-tenth of the tax amount being paid by Shimla, Ambala and Dehradun,” the LG Sinha said.

About the commercial including shops, the LG said that 1,01000 shops are in J&K of which 42 per cent shops are less than 100 sq feet. “These shops will have to pay less than Rs 700 per anum. 76 per cent of the total shops of 1,1000 shops will have to pay very minimum amount as the property tax,” he said, adding that the amount collected will directly go into the accounts of Municipal Corporations and utilized for the development of the areas where tax will be collected.

“I urge the common people of J&K to come forward and help build a better J&K,” the LG said.

Pertinently, the J&K government announced imposition of property tax in the UT from April 1. The move evoked sharp criticism from the cross section of the society and the political parties, who demanded immediate rollback of the order—(KNO)

Srinagar: The Jammu Kashmir Nationalist People’s Front (JKNPF), while condemning the killing of a Kashmiri Pandit employee, said this is a cowardly act and killing innocent people has no justification.

Sanjay Kumar Sharma, 40, a Kashmiri pandith by profession and bank guard from Achan in Litter village, had stepped out of his home to buy groceries when terrorists fired at him. He was taken to the district hospital, but he died on the way. He is survived by his wife, Sunita Sharma, 38.

The JKNPF leadership said that Pakistan’s infected minds didn’t like the selfless and honest work that Kashmiri pandits are doing, and by targeting the minority community with such dastardly and heinous acts, Pakistan itself is exposing they are the enemies of peaceful atmosphere of Kaahmir.

Condemning the incident, Shri Sanjay Kumar, a party patron, said: “It was a desperate attempt by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists to fail the ongoing peace process in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

He said the killing of an innocent Kashmiri pandit in Pulwama was barbaric. “It’s nothing but an act of frustration and has let down the head of Kashmiriyat in shame,” he added.

Party president Shiekh Muzafar said, “It is a conspiracy of Pakistani terrorists and their followers to turn the Kashmir valley into a graveyard, but our police, paramilitary forces, and the Army are determined to root out terrorism and bring peace to the valley.”

While expressing her deepest condolences to the bereaved family and solidarity with them at this time of grief,

Violence in any of its manifestations is unacceptable and will yield nothing except death and destruction.

Waris Fayaz

Sopore, Feb 27: The unavailability of doctors at Mother and Child Hospital in Sopore area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district has triggered a protest as patients face inconveniences.

Reports reaching the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said patients held a protest against hospital authorities, as no doctor was present there to attend them.

They said the protesters had blocked the road near the hospital for hours, halting traffic for hours together and was later cleared after police intervention.

Meanwhile, one of the patients alleged they have been waiting since 8 am and no doctor is available at the hospital.

“It is not the first time, we have been always witnessing such incidents here. The concerned authorities don’t even bother to address this grave issue,” he said.

Meanwhile, an official said they have arranged a doctor as the doctor who was supposed to be there was on some training—(KNO)

According to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Director of School Education Jammu (DSEJ) said that those teachers are termination from services on basis of qualification certificates acquired from Un-recognized Boards.

The official communique in this regard reads, “A committee was constituted to review the pending regularization cases of RETs.”

“The committee member in meeting held on February-07-2023, observed that 23 RETs of different districts of Jammu Division have acquired their qualification from the Boards which have not been granted equivalence by the J&K Board of School Education, Jammu as these boards have not been recognized by the Council of Boards of School Education (COBSE) in India,” it reads.

The communique further reads that the committee has recommended the termination of services twenty three RETs as per immediately as they do not possess the requisite qualification certificates.

“Now, therefore in view of the recominendations of the committee, the concerned Chief Education Officers are directed to disengage the services of those twenty three RETs as per immediately,” DSEJ said—(KNO)

Feb 26 (KNO): Jammu and Kashmir police Sunday said that terrorists involved in the killing of a Kashmiri Pandit Bank guard in Achan area of Litter hamlet of South Kashmir will be tracked down and neutralized soon.

Talking to reporters, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, South Kashmir range, Rayees Muhammad Bhat said unknown terrorists fired at a bank security guard from Pandit community at Achan area of Litter. “We are acting swiftly and investigating the matter. The terrorists involved in this heinous crime will be tracked down and neutralized soon,” Bhat as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO)

The slain was identified as Sanjay Pandith son of Kashi Nath Pandit of Achan area of Litter, Pulwama district. Meanwhile, Kashmiri Pandit Sangarsh Samiti (KPSS) in a tweet said: “Govt and BJP4India canot handle 75 lakh Kashmiri Population and want to control PoK and Balochistan. Kashmiri Pandits are killed like dogs in Kashmir and @HMO India and @office of LG J&K sensor the information that Kashmir most dangerous place for KPs in this world.”—(KNO)

Waris Fayaz

Srinagar, Feb 24 : The Jammu and Kashmir police here on Friday said that in a major breakthrough against drug suppliers in Kupwara district, two hardcore narcotic smugglers were arrested, while as around 4.5kg of heroin like substance were recovered from their possession, even as the officials said, both the smugglers were having close contact with handlers across the LoC in this illicit trade.

A senior police official said that based on specific inputs generated by them, five packets of heroin-like narcotics weighing around 4.588 Kilograms were recovered in two separate cases from Karnah area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara.

He said, that one suspect namely Farooq Ahmad Shah son of Raqeeb Hussain Shah a resident of Panjatara Karnah was picked up for questioning in a case FIR No.17/2023 U/S 8/21-29 NDPS Act registered in Police Station Karnah and based on his due confession, Kupwara Police along with Army’s 06 JAK Rifles recovered three packets of heroin like narcotics substance weighing 2.674 Kgs from a hiding place, which was searched in presence of the Executive Magistrate.

Similarly, Raja Aftab Alias Babu son of Raja Ghulam Akbar of Teethwal, another suspect in a case FIR No. 18/2023 U/S 8/21-29 NDPS Act of PS Karnah was detained for questioning upon his confession, two packets of heroin-like narcotics substance weighing about 1.914 kgs were recovered.

Officials told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), that both the persons are hardcore narcotic smugglers and had received these consignments from across the Line of Control (LoC) to promote drug addiction to earn quick money and to further the cause of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.

Babu’s one of the brothers is already facing trials in a narcotic smuggling case filed at Nagrota police station in Jammu in the year 2018. We suspect his brother Zahoor Ahmed who is currently residing in Pak occupied Jammu Kashmir after crossing the LoC illegally supplying narcotics to Aftab alias Babu, he said.

Both the arrested smugglers were in close contact with the handlers across the Line of Control (LoC) and were involved in this illicit trade, officials added. “We are investigating the cases and more arrests are likely”, they said—(KNO)