Shaharbeen News Service Kashmir is a news service which covers, gathers, writes, and distributes news to newspapers, periodicals, radio and television broadcasters, government agencies, and other users. We at SNS Kashmir believe in fair and independent journalism to inform our masses or subscribers and readers about the happenings around the world. The prime focus of the news gathering and reporting is focused on Jammu and Kashmir state.
Uri: A man who sustained serious burn injuries in a fire incident at Sultan Daki yesterday succumbed to his injuries at SMHS hospital Srinagar on Monday.
As already reported five persons, including three members of a family, had suffered injuries after a blaze broke out of a haystack at Sultan Daki Uri. The injured persons included Sajid Ahmad, Abdul Rasheed, Roshi Begum, Wahid Ahmad and Mafad Ahmad were immediately hospitalised yesterday. However Sajid Ahmad (25) who had sustain serious burn injuries was reffered to SMHS Srinagar for advanced treatment where succumbed to injuries at this afternoon. While confriming the death, an official said,”Abdul Rashid his wife Roshi Begum and son Wahid Ahmad are under treatment at the hospital.”
Elections deferred in Baramulla as PAGD candidate and her supporting members abstain from voting to protest against ‘horse-trading’
DEO Baramulla issues fresh notice, election rescheduled on 13th February
Inayat Qayoom/Reyaz Rashid
Baramulla/Kupwara: DDC Chairman Election in Baramulla was deferred after PAGD candidate and her supporting members decided not to participate in the voting alleging horse-trading in Baramulla.
Election authorities in Baramulla were forced to defer the elections as PAGD candidate and her supporting members abstain from voting as they allege the election was being managed by horse-trading.
Senior Congress leader and DDC member from Uri Taj Mohi-ud-din told Kashmir Images that there were apprehensions of horse-trading which proved true as one of the independent candidates was forced to support Safeena Beigh backed by Apani Party and People’s Conference.
“We abstain from voting to send the message loud and clear that we are one and are against any horse-trading,” said Taj-Mohi-ud-din.
Sources said all seven members assembled in Baramulla at some location where they decided against going to the Dak Bunglow for voting. They further said only seven members including Chairman Candidate Safeena Beigh, People’s Conference, Apni Party and an independent member had turned up at Dak Bunglow.
Later, District Election Officer Baramulla Mohammad Aijaz Asad, issued notice to defer the DDC elections.
The notice reads that the meeting regarding election for DDC chairperson and vice-chairperson in Baramulla that was scheduled on Monday has been adjourned due to lack of prescribed quorum.
According to District Election Officer Baramulla Mohammad Aijaz Asad, out of 14 DDC members only 07 members were present during the stipulated period for establishing quorum.
Further DEO has issued a fresh notification in accordance with the sub-rule (6) of 108-ZN of Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Raj Rules, 1996 wherein the said election for the office bearers shall now be conducted on 13th of February, 2021 in dak bungalow at 11:00 am.
Meanwhile, in light of extant Rules in place, DEO has also cautioned that action, under rules, shall be initiated against any DDC member who remains absent from the meeting scheduled on above mentioned date. Pertinent to mention that Rules in this regard empower DEO to initiate action against those members who fail to attend subsequent meetings.
In the the election for Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of District Development Council (DDC), Kupwara which was also held on Monday at DC office Kupwara, in presence of District Election Officer (DC Kupwara), Imam Din.
There are 13 DDC members in the district out of which 09 DDC members made their presence in the scheduled election, which fulfilled the quorum limit of 2/3rd majority.
On the occasion, People’s Conference candidate Irfan Sultan Panditpori and Independent candidate, Haji Farooq Mir submitted their nomination forms for Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson respectively and were declared winners unopposed.
Later, the District Election Officer Kupwara, administered oath to the newly elected Chairperson and Vice Chairperson.
SSP Kupwara, Shri Ram Ambarkar; ADC Kupwara, Nazir Ahmad Lone; Dy. District Election Officer, Bashir Ahmad Bhat and concerned election staff were present at the occasion.
Pertinently, Apni Party decided to abstain from voting in the elections for chairperson and vice-chairperson of District Development Council (DDC) Kupwara while the party backed independent candidate Safeena Baigh for DDC chairperson .
In a statement issued here, Shoaib Lone, Apni Party District President Baramulla said that while the party support Mrs. Baigh in the elections but it will abstain from voting for the post of vice chairperson in district Baramulla scheduled to be held on Monday.
“Apni Party has taken these decisions to safeguard the interests of the people in district Kupwara and Baramulla. We have reiterated time and again that Apni Party stands for the interests of the people and we cannot support the people who have always been hoodwinking people through their misleading slogans,” Lone calimed.
Sopore Police in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district Monday claimed to have arrested a three-member gang of pick pockets.
The trio whom police identified as Nisar Ahmad Mathanji, son of Abdul Subhan Mathanji of Ashtangoo Bandipora, Danish Manzoor Ganie, son of Manzoor Ahmad Ganie of Putkha Muqam Sopore and Waseem Ahmad Sofi son of Abdul Gani Sofi of Seer Jagir Sopore were picked up for questioning following continuous reports of pick pocketing and theft at crowded places of main town Sopore for the past couple of days, a police statement said.
During sustained interrogation, the trio confessed to the crime which led to the recovery of stolen property.
Earlier, Police Station Sopore had registered two different FIRs into the matter. (KNT)
The number of militant violence cases and stone-pelting incidents in Jammu and Kashmir have reduced drastically in 2020 in comparison to 2019, said Union Minister of State Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy on Monday.
Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Reddy said 27 people were injured in ceasefire violations by Pakistan in 2019 while the number came down to 71 in 2020. He also informed that the infiltration attempts also dropped to 99 in 2020 from 216 in 2019.
“A total of 157 militants were neutralised in 2019 and 221 were eliminated in 2020. There were 594 cases of militant violence in 2019, which reduced to 244 in 2020. There were 327 stone pelting incidents in 2020 as compared to 2,009 such incidents in 2019,” he said.
“127 people were injured in ceasefire violations by Pakistan in 2019, in 2020 only 71 people were injured. In 2019 there were 216 attempts of infiltration and in 2020 there were 99 such attempts,” the Union Minister added.
Militant violence cases and stone-pelting incidents dropped in Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019 that gave special status to the erstwhile state. Jammu and Kashmir was also bifurcated into two union territories- Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
Meanwhile, on Monday, Rajya Sabha passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2021. The bill is aimed to merge the Jammu and Kashmir cadre Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officers with that of the Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram, and Union Territory (AGMUT).
The bill was introduced by Reddy in the Upper House on February 4 to replace Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021. The President had promulgated the ordinance to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, the Central Government had informed in its gazette notification in January.
The ordinance amended Section 13 [Applicability of Article 239A] and Section 88 [Provisions relating to All India Services] of the Act. The Rajaya Sabha has been adjourned till Tuesday. (ANI)
Questioning the ruling NDA on whether it wanted permanent UT status for Jammu and Kashmir, Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday batted for restoration of its statehood, saying development had halted, there was an increase in unemployment and industries were closing, making survival difficult in the region.
The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said, “I want to ask Home Minister Amit Shah if the present cadre was working well then what was the need to merge it? You had promised that the statehood will be restored….But bringing this bill creates suspicion that GoI wants to keep J&K permanently a union territory.”
Opposing the Statutory Resolution and Legislative Business (Bill for Consideration and Passing) – the Jammu and Kashmir (Amendment) Bill 2021 as the first speaker, Azad said it was perhaps his last speech in the House and he didn”t want to use harsh language but contrary to the government”s tall promises behind converting J&K into UT, development had been stalled, industry couldn”t enter and unemployment was on the rise.
Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy had earlier moved a motion for considering the bill and a statutory resolution on the draft law in Rajya Sabha.
The senior Congress leader said Article 370 had only two conditions — outsiders couldn”t buy land or work there which had been in place since the time of Raja Hari Singh.
Saying that only small chunks of land were there due to the region being mountainous and full of forests, he said on scrapping of Article 370 many MPs were elated to buy land but he had told them that land was too costly there and “even I couldn”t afford to buy” it.
The earlier law ensured locals had jobs but now no new industries were coming up and even existing firms were shutting operations, he said, adding seven districts out of 10 in Jammu province had no industry and no proper rail connectivity.
“No new industry is coming up at present… Of the 12,997 industries in Jammu, only 5,890 are functional, while 7,160 i.e. 60 per cent are closed… development remains stalled… It is only on TV and not on roads,” he said.
The condition of national highways is dilapidated and ceasefire violations have risen causing severe damage to land and property, he said and added that water supply was in shambles, while power tariff had risen abnormally to Rs 350 per unit from Rs 90 per unit.
Tourism had taken a toll on account of months-long curfew earlier and then due to COVID-19 pandemic, schools, colleges and universities were closed and no salaries were being given to teachers.
Had there been elected representatives they could have taken responsibility and addressed the issues, he said.
Drawing Home Minister Amit Shah”s attention towards PhD and MPhil qualified 3,000 teachers, he said they were living from hand to mouth, barely being given Rs 3,000 a month and were on probation for 7 years. He said no where does this happen.
“Give attention to such issues …probation happens for six months…Had there been Assembly they should have gone there with their plight but they are forced to come to me…they can”t afford milk for infants on such a meagre salary,” Azad said.
He said likewise 15,000 medical assistants and pharmacists were jobless.
“Give statehood and conduct elections,” Azad demanded and said it is a border region and both the enemies — Pakistan and China — are sitting on our heads, and under the circumstance the government should strive to win the hearts of locals and strengthen its hands.
He said people of Kashmir had always been with India and recalled how Kashmiris, including women and children, resisted Pakistan”s bid to capture the region in 1948, till the Indian Army reached there.
Azad also said that though it was Muslim-majority state, the executive remained largely Hindus and urged the government not make “Kashmir a guinea pig for experiments.”
While participating in the debate, BJP”s Dushyant Gautam said that political parties in the state were exploiting the people under the guise of Article 370.
AIADMK”s A Navaneethakrishnan said the state requires more all India services cadre officers to implement the development schemes in the Union Territory.
“It is for a good purpose … these amendments has been brought on. I welcome it and support this bill,” he said, adding that considering it is a border state, with threats from Pakistan and China, J&K should remain under the direct control of the Union Government.
Manoj Kumar Jha of RJD wanted to know whether the changes proposed under the bill were temporary or permanent in nature. He also wanted to know from the government whether there had been any increase in fresh recruitment in militancy in the valley after the change of J&K”s status.
Ashok Siddharth of BSP also supported the bill, however, said earlier 50 per cent of the state cadre KAS officials were elevated to IAS cadre but after this, their elevation would be reduced to only 33 per cent and this should be looked into.
Sushil Kumar Gupta of AAP said the government should take steps to normalise the situation in J&K and restore its full statehood as promised earlier.
Shamsher Singh Manhas of BJP said UTs of J&K and Ladakh have several development schemes which are getting implemented.
“This is the only area where three AIIMS have been granted. One each for Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. It has also got one IIT and IIM,” he said, adding a new ring road for Jammu is also being constructed. (PTI)
The Delimitation Commission for Jammu and Kashmir has convened first meeting with Associate Members at its office in New Delhi on February 18 to discuss delimitation of Assembly constituencies in the Union Territory.
Official sources told the Excelsior that Justice (Retired) Ranjana Prakash Desai, chairperson of the Delimitation Commission, has called meeting of the members at Hotel Ashoka, where it has set up its office, in New Delhi, at 11.30 am on February 18.
Besides Justice Desai, a retired Judge of Supreme Court, the Delimitation Commission members include Sushil Chandra, Election Commissioner and KK Sharma, State Election Commissioner (SEC) Jammu and Kashmir. The Associate Members, who have been invited for the meeting, are Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Dr Jitendra Singh, Dr Farooq Abdullah, Jugal Kishore Sharma, Mohammad Akbar Lone and Hasnain Masoodi, all Lok Sabha members from Jammu and Kashmir.
When three National Conference MPs were nominated as Associate Members of the Delimitation Commission, the party had announced that it will dissociate itself from the Commission.
Significantly, the Delimitation Commission meeting comes just days ahead of the end of one-year term of its chairperson.
The Commission was constituted by the Union Ministry for Law and Justice on March 6, 2020. The Ministry had mentioned that term of the chairperson of the Commission will be for a period of one year, which will expire on March 5, 2021.
However, this is first meeting of the Delimitation Commission with Associate Members.
The Commission hasn’t visited Jammu and Kashmir so far.
The Commission was mandated to delimit the constituencies of the Union Territory in accordance with the provisions of Part V of Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019 and Delimitation Act, 2002. While splitting Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories through the Reorganization Act, the Union Home Ministry had increased Assembly seats of Jammu and Kashmir by seven taking total seats to 114-24 of which are reserved for Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) while election will be held for 90 seats.
Erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir had 111 seats including 24 reserved for PoK while elections were held for 87 seats. With creation of Ladakh as Union Territory, four seats of the region were reduced and the Assembly was left with 83 seats.
However, with increase of seven seats, J&K UT will have an Assembly of 90 seats. Two Women MLAs will be nominated to the House, which was the position earlier also.
In the previous Assembly, Kashmir had 46 seats, Jammu 37 and Ladakh four. Delimitation of the Assembly constituencies was last held in 1994-95 during the President’s Rule when seats of the erstwhile State Assembly were raised from 76 to 87. Jammu region’s seats were increased from 32 to 37, Kashmir’s from 42 to 46 and Ladakh’s two to four. However, the delimitation was freezed in 2002 by the then National Conference Government headed by Dr Farooq Abdullah in lines with the decision taken by then Central Government headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Elections to the Legislative Assembly will be held only after delimitation of Assembly constituencies is completed.
The delimitation of Assembly seats has become necessity as it would be treated as new Assembly altogether with reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
The Scheduled Castes enjoyed reservations in the previous State Assembly also where seven constituencies were reserved for them including Chhamb, Domana, RS Pura, Samba, Hiranagar, Chenani and Ramban, all in Jammu region, while STs had been denied political reservations.
“The STs will get political reservations for the first time in the history of Jammu and Kashmir,” sources pointed out.
It may be mentioned here that seats reserved for SCs had to be rotated after every two terms but in the erstwhile J&K State Assembly, four elections were held on the same reserved seats without rotating them. The Delimitation Commission could now reserve seats in different areas for the SCs, they said.(By Daily Excelsior)
Baramulla DCC Chairman Elections deferred as PAGD candidate and her supporting members abstain from voting to protest against ‘horse-trading’
Reyaz Rashid
Baramulla: DDC Chairman Election in Baramulla was deferred after PAGD candidate and her supporting members decided to abstain from voting in protest against alleged horse-trading in Baramulla.
Election authorities in Baramulla were forced to defer the elections as PAGD candidate and her supporting members abstain from voting as they allege the election was being managed by horse-trading.
Senior Congress leader and DDC member from Uri Taj Mohi-ud-din told SNS Kashmir that there were apprehensions of horse-trading and it proved to be same as one of the independent candidates was forced to support Safeena.
“We abstain from voting to send the message loud and clear that we are one and are against horse-trading,” said Taj-Mohi-ud-din.
Sources said only the seven members assembled in Baramulla at some location where they decided against going to the Dak Bunglow for voting.
Meanwhile sources that only seven members including Chairman candidate Safeena Beigh, People’s Conference, Apni Party and an independent member had turned up at Dak Bunglow. Official sources said that they have deferred the elections.
Residents of border town Uri in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district have alleged ‘faulty process’ opted by the local administration in issuing the Pahari Speaking People (PSP) certificates.
Locals told news agency KNS that the due process is not being followed by the administration while issuing the PSP certificates, thereby make them suffer immensely.
“I applied for the Phari certificate in July. The basic formality I was told to do was to get the report of Lambardar and Chowkidars, but I don’t know why tehsil officials asked him to say that it was given by mistake. I am now asking them what are the parameters that were adopted earlier by him and what are the parameters now. However, no other method is adopted to verify who is Pahari, there are many files of the same nature pending, neither they are rejected nor PSP is issued,” said Iqbal Banday, a local.
Another local resident Zeeshan Budoo of Lagama village of Uri. said that he and his sister have applied for PSP scholarship many times and were always recognized by the PSP member as well while issuing the certificate. “Even in 2019 tehsil office itself issued us certificate for scholarship, but once the reservation was announced they have started denying the reservation without any legal backing,” said
Erfan Raina, a Journalist from Uri said that he was surprised that officials in Uri lack basic understanding of law. “The definition of the Pahari speaking person under S. O 127 is a person belonging to the Pahari community, caste or clan,” he said, adding that when his first cousin is a member of the Pahari speaking community whose tehsil office has issued the certificate, how can he be denied the same. “Are they defeating or killing the first line of the definition of law itself.”
Bashir Bhat, a social and political activist belonging to BPL category said, “Larger demand of Paharis was ST and SC category and it is given on the basis of caste, how is this possible that Bhat caste in Gingal area is Pahari and someone residing in Garkote isn’t.”
He also added that if they see the recent selection list of accounts assistant of SSB many people belonging to Hindu community were selected under PSP, but the observation of then DC Baramulla Dr G. N Itoo excluded this reservation for Hindus and Sikhs unnecessarily.
Meanwhile, Nazir Ahmad, Coordinator J&K RTI Movement said it’s very unfortunate that not a single written communication has been made to higher ups, seeking any clarification.
“Usually, officials in the tehsil office Uri are dodging applicants by saying there is deficiency in law. Why do officers posted in Uri expect someone from locals to visit Jammu to take up this matter with LG or the principal secretary that there is any deficiency in law,” he said. (KNS)
Voting for DDC Chairpersons/VCs in Baramulla-Kupwara Apni Party to abstain from voting in Kupwara; to support Ms Safeena Baigh in Baramulla
Safina beigh (File photo )
SNS KASHMIR
SRINAGAR, FEBRUARY 8:
Apni Party has decided to abstain from voting in the elections for chairperson and vice-chairperson of District Development Council (DDC) Kupwara while the party will support the candidature of Ms Safeena Baigh, the independent candidate for the post of chairperson DDC Baramulla district.
In a statement issued here, Shoaib Lone, Apni Party District President Baramulla said that while the Party will support Mrs. Baigh in the elections but it will abstain from voting for the post of vice chairperson in district Baramulla scheduled to be held today.
“Apni Party has taken these decisions to safeguard the interests of the people in district Kupwara and Baramulla. We have reiterated time and again that Apni Party stands for the interests of the people and we cannot support the people who have always been hoodwinking people through their misleading slogans,” Lone added.
Fire tender meets mishap damages another house, driver sustains serious injuries
Property and belongings worth lakhs reduced to ashes, people demand compensation and relief to victim families
Reyaz Rashid
Baramulla: Two residential houses were completely gutted while as a driver of fire service department sustained serious injuries when a fire tender skidded off the road and rolled down smashing another residential house in Shah Hamdan Colony old town in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district
Witnesses said that fire engulfed two residential houses belonging to Abdul Hamid Najar and Noordin Gojree of Shah Hamadan Colony Qadeem Eidgah old town Baramulla in which the houses were completely destroyed and goods worth lakhs of rupees were reduced to ashes.
“Fire broke out all of sudden in wee hours around 5:45 AM from the trace of a residential house which spread to another house in jiffy causing huge damage. As we tried to extinguish the fire but it went out of control, reducing the both the house and goods worth lakhs of rupees into ashes,”said house owner Abdul Hamid Najar
Soon after the fire broke out, locals informed fire service department and a fire tender was rushed to the spot but unfortunately the road is in bad condition and fire tender skidded off the hilly road and rolled down on another house damaging another residential houses of Ali Mohammad War son of Ghulam Mohammad War of Shah Hamdan Colony.
Cause of fire couldn’t be established immediately and investigation into the matter is going on.
The fire tender was also badly damaged in the mishap and the fire tender sustain serious injuries due to which has been GMC Baramulla.
People demanded immediate relief and compensation to the affected families as both the families including the one damaged by fire tender belong to poor people.
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