JKSSB has been asked by the High Court to appoint 1446 paramedics after dismissing the petitions filed by those who have been working against these positions for many years.
KATHUA
In an interesting revelation, the Jammu and Kashmir Police Chief, Dilbagh Singh said they have recovered a ‘perfume bomb’ from a school teacher turned militant. The recovery took place while investing in the twin Narwal blasts of January 21, 2023, and the outcome included solving four terror attacks—three on the outskirts of Jammu City and another at Katra. The teacher was identified as Mohammad Auraf Sheikh alias Arif, 32, son of Ghulamudin, a resident of village Pagihalla in the Baransal area of Gulabgarh(Reasi), who was posted at Government Middle School, Pagihalla(Mahore) but living at Peerbagh Colony at Sunjuwan in the rented accommodation of a Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP) Inspector. He had been living in the cop’s accommodation between December 2021 and March 2022 and from December 1, 2022, to January 2023 and the cop had not informed the concerned. Hired as ReT in 2010, and his services were regularised in 2016.
DGP said Arif was in touch with Pakistan-basedLashkarcommander Mohammad Qasim, a resident of the village Angralla (Reasi) district, and was introduced by his maternal uncle Qamar Din of Baransal, Doda, who is settled in Karachi. His job was to collect drone-dropped IEDs and sticky bombs from the International Border in Jammu, Samba and Kathua. The teacher had burnt almost every single thing that could have proved as evidence against him but he was still caught. Police said he admitted that he planted two sticky bombs, each weighing 450 grams, beneath seat number 3 of the bus, above the petrol tank, on May 13, 2022, in which a few Vaishno Devi pilgrims were killed and mostly survived injured.
The government has allotted Rs 62 crore, to be spent over five years for the cultivation of Medicinal Aromatic Plants on 5000 kanals of land spread across 28 clusters, creating over 3000 jobs and 28 enterprises.
GULMARG
Two Polish skiers were washed away by a debilitating avalanche at Gulmarg’s Afarwat skiing slope when 21 skiers were taken by surprise. While the rescue patrol rescued 19 skiers and their two guides – Fayaz Ahmad Sheikh and Mushtaq Ahmad Mir, the bodies of Krzysctof, 43, and Adam Grzech45, were retrieved from under a mound of snow. With powdered snow, Gulmarg is the best destination for world-class skiing outside the Alps. The spot is crowded with skiers these days. This season, Kashmir witnessed its seven major avalanches. While four avalanches hit Gurez, two hit Sonamarg earlier. In one of the avalanches at Sonamarg, two labourers working on the Zojilla tunnel were killed. Incidentally, most of these avalanches were captured live. One mobile owner actually captured the last moments of one of the two ill-fated skiers. The last major avalanche in Gulmarg was on February 8, 2010, which killed 17 soldiers.
As per a study, around 6.5 per cent of women in Srinagar started experiencing domestic violence during Covid-19-induced lockdowns.
DODA
After mass migration from Uttrakhand’s Joshimath due to its feared sinking, a similar tragedy almost struck a village located on the banks of Chenab River, where 21 residential structures developed cracks in Thathri tehsil of Doda since December last year. More than 111 people from 21 homes declared unsafe were shifted away from the Nai Basti village. The administration is yet to know the cause of land erosion and a team from the Geological Survey of India (GSI) has been rushed to the spot.
Jammu and Kashmir’s government inaugurated 94 sports infrastructure projects worth Rs 46 crore under CAPEX and JKIDFC
SRINAGAR
Against the backdrop of tracing a fake posting and appointment order, the School Education Department has ordered verification of the genuineness of the 2009 batch and other appointees of which orders have been issued by the government. The order came after a fraudster was found serving the department for more than 13 years by producing fake postings and appointment orders.
Jammu and Kashmir’s government is spending Rs 146 crore to promote niche crops as unique heritage.
SRINAGAR
Following a Delhi Court order, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) attached the Hurriyat office in Srinagar. In an order, Shaliender Malik, additional sessions judge, New Delhi district, had ordered the attachment under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act-1967. The court, however, had added that the attachment in itself does not mean that there is any pre-trial conclusion regarding that property. The Court further said that among the different allegations and evidence, it was also the case that the office of APHC was the place where meetings were held to strategize different protests, funding activities of stone pelting on security forces, recruiting of unemployed youths to carry out unlawful activities as well as terrorist activities to create unrest in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir to wage war against the Government of India.
57 schools and roads were recently renamed in memory of eminent persons and lain soldiers.
SRINAGAR
Nearly 656309 hectares of State and Khacharai land were retrieved during the ongoing anti-encroachment drive in eight districts of Jammu and Kashmir. On January 9, the administration had asked the DCs to ensure that all encroachments on state land, including grazing land and that granted under the Roshni Act, are removed by January 31. The major chunk of 2,75,867 hectares of land was retrieved from encroachers in Rajouri, followed by 1,44,613 hectares in Reasi, 1,22,277 in Poonch, 47,552 hectares in Kishtwar, 33,000 Kanals in Bandipora, 15,000 in Kathua, 14,000 in Ganderbal and 4,000 in Kupwara districts so far. In line with the government’s assurances that big fishes are on target, 40 kanals of land were retrieved from a hotel in Srinagar that belongs to close relatives of former CM Farooq Abdullah. In Anantnag, the boundary wall of the residence of former minister Peerzada Mohammad Sayyed (Congress) at Dahmal Khoshipora was demolished. However, while many high profiles people were targeted, the Lal Chowk Srinagar’s Aftab market witnessed the sealing and then subsequent reopening of two dozen odd shops.
India’s 2023-24 budget has allocated Rs 35,581.44 crore to Jammu and Kashmir, mostly as central assistance. It is slightly lower in comparison to allocations of Rs 44,538.13 crore in the last budget.
JAMMU
Delhi Police has arrested Sudershan Singh Wazir, Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Sikh United Front and his two associates Harjinder Singh Raina and Jagpal Singh for their alleged involvement in the murder of NC lawmaker and trader Tarlochan Singh Wazir on September 3, 2021. Sudarshan was summoned by police to Delhi and booked under Section 120-B IPC. The recent arrests in the case were based on the disclosures of Harpreet Singh, a prime accused in the murder.
NABARD estimates Jammu and Kashmir has credit potential worth Rs 34082 crore in the priority sector in 2023-24.
LADAKH
Engineer Sonam Wangchuk, Ladakh’s change-maker and the man on whose life the Bollywood blockbuster, 3 Idiots is based, was on a “symbolic carbon neutral climatic fast” (read hunger strike) for five days. His protest was for an extension of the Sixth Schedule to Ladakh, full statehood and other demands already propounded by the region’s political leadership. His protest became global news as the Leh administration restricted him to his Himalayan Institutes of Alternative Ladakh (HIAL). Now the region’s leadership wants him to be part of the negotiations with Delhi. The Magsaysay Award winner’s statement shocked the government: “I didn’t think I would ever say this, but I am saying that we were better off with Jammu and Kashmir than today’s UT [Union Territory]. I would also tell that tomorrow’s UT would be better and golden.”
In the last three years, Budgam district witnessed the seizure of 1120 vehicles for “illegal missing” and they were fined to the tune of Rs 17,357,156.
BIHAR
Last week, social media was dominated by a young Kashmir lady who had converted to Hinduism for marrying Lalu Singh, a resident of Begusarai, Bihar. She emerged on the social media scene after her in-laws refused to adopt her and wanted her to go back home. She had fled home twice and was sent back by her in-laws but this time she refused and went public. Later, a possible police intervention helped her reunite with her husband.
Against a loan of Rs 400 crore to various power projects owned by Adani group, almost Rs 255 crore is still unpaid.
DELHI
In his Mann Ji Baat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said to many Kashmier winter pictures look like a fairy tale. “During winters, people also enjoyed snowfall in the mountains. Some pictures came in from Jammu and Kashmir which captivate hearts in the entire country,” Modi said. “People are saying that picture of a beautiful snowfall, white sheet like snow all around looks like a fairy tale. They comment that these pictures are not of any foreign nation but that of Kashmir in our own country.” Then he became a Kashmir brand ambassador: “Seeing these pictures, you too must be thinking of going on a trip to Kashmir. I would like you to go there yourself and also take your friends along. Besides snow-capped mountains along with natural beauty, there are many more things to see and know in Kashmir.” Then, he moved to snow cricket and termed it an “exciting game”. He added; “Winter Games were organized in Syedabad, Kashmir. Kashmiri youth make cricket even more amazing in the snow. Through this, there is also a search for young players in Kashmir, who will later play as Team India. In a way, this is also an extension of the Khelo India Movement.”
In the last 20 years, Kashmir recorded 2357 Asiatic black bear attacks on humans till 2020.
SRINAGAR
Kashmir’s handicraft basket will now have a Quick Response (QR) code alongside the GI labelling. The initiative aimed at fair trade practice is taking place at a time when the handicraft sector is exhibiting a strong revival with exports in the last nine months crossing Rs 729 crore, for the first time after 2019. Now, 13 Kashmir crafts including six handicrafts already having GI will have distinct QR codes. These include Kashmir Pashmina, Kashmir Sozni, Kani Shawl, Kashmir Walnut Wood Carving, Kashmir Papier Machie and Khatamband. In the case of Kashmir Pashmina’s GI labelling has been redeveloped and has been integrated with the QR-Code certification module.
From 23 procurement spots, the agriculture department has purchased 33600 tons of paddy from 6,549 farmers in Jammu and Kashmir for Rs 68.88 crore.
