SRINAGAR
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned Farooq Abdullah, Jammu and Kashmir’s five-time Chief Minister, in the fund misappropriation case of the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA). He did not attend on health grounds. The ED had attached a residential property worth Rs 7.25 Crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection to a 2022 investigation against JKCA office bearers, alleging misappropriation of Rs 43.69 crore. JKCA treasurer Ahsan Ahmad Mirza and others were accused of misappropriating funds totalling Rs 51.90 crore, leading to the attachment of properties worth Rs 14.32 crore. Mirza faced prosecution in the Special PMLA Court, and the trial began in March 2022.
Nearly 1900 government buildings in Jammu and Kashmir have rooftop solar power plants and 20000 more will be added by 2025
DELHI
Several petitioners have approached the Supreme Court seeking a review of the December 11, 2023, verdict that upheld the Centre’s decision to abrogate Article 370, granting special status to Jammu and Kashmir. The unanimous ruling by a five-judge Constitution Bench, led by CJI DY Chandrachud, declared Article 370 a temporary provision, permitting the President to annul it due to war conditions. Some of the petitioners have gone for a review petition arguing the Bench reached “erroneous conclusions.” They challenge the verdict’s assertion that the state lost sovereignty post the Instrument of Accession in 1947, deeming it an “error apparent on the face of records.” Normally, it is the same bench that hears the review petition.
The Jammu and Kashmir Police-run Drug De-addiction Centre has treated more than 4500 addicts including 2337 in 2022 and 2321 in 2023.
DELHI
Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Pande expressed “concern” over the situation in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri-Poonch region and outlined measures to counter sabotage. Emphasising a “zero tolerance” policy for human rights violations, he reinforced the need for professional conduct among soldiers. The recent killing of civilians during an Army questioning incident prompted these directives. Gen Pande disclosed the Army’s focus on strengthening human intelligence, collaborating with other agencies, and garnering local support in anti-militancy efforts. The region has witnessed a militancy upsurge in the past five to six months, attributing it to external elements taking advantage of normalising situations elsewhere in Kashmir.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved a proposal to raise four more units of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) Units in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, which is an addition of 12,860 cadets.
ANANTNAG
PDP President and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s car survived a serious accident on the way to Anantnag. Her SUV had a side-swipe collision with a load carrier near Sangam. Her driver and a guard suffered minor injuries but Mehbooba survived safely. Her vehicle suffered extensive damage. National Conference leader Omar Abdullah expressed relief at her safety but called for an inquiry into the circumstances of the accident, emphasising the need to address any security lapses promptly. The accident took place at a time when her party is witnessing the return of the prodigals. Last week, when the party was observing the death anniversary of its founder, Muzaffar Hussain Baig and his wife, returned to the party after about five years. Party sources said some more are on the way. A founding member of the party, Baig got Padma Bhushan in 2020 and he believes Article 370 is a legislation of “history”. At the time of joining, he said: “I never left the party. If you uproot a tree and plant it somewhere else, it will dry up.”
Jammu and Kashmir Health and Medical Education Department has disbursed Rs 37 crore (Rs 18 Cr to GMC Srinagar and Rs 19 Cr to GMC Jammu) under the Up-gradation of existing State Government/Central Government Medical Colleges to increase MBBS Seats to two medical colleges.
DELHI
Jammu and Kashmir’s “most noisy” Governor, Satyapal Malik, has once again justified his decision to dissolve the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on November 21, 2018, citing the need to prevent horse trading. Claiming that the decision was his own and not on the diktats of the BJP government. Though he stood by it, he was tight-lipped about the question of the constitutional legality of the assembly dissolution. Malik shifted the blame on Peoples’ Conference leader, Sajad Lone, and his ambition to ‘indulge in horse-trading’. Malik reiterated that his decision to dissolve the assembly was an attempt to stop any horse-trading. Though he admitted that Mehbooba Mufti had the majority, he said that “several parties were keen that the assembly should be dissolved because they feared that their party members would be weaned away in an attempt of horse-trading. There was increasing threat…….. which is why I dissolved the assembly.” When asked about the legality of the matter, Malik was silent.
Against 12000 berths, the State Hajj Committee has only 7000 applications. In 2023, 14000 applied and only 12000 went for the pilgrimage. In 2022, there were 22000 applications but only 6000 could be sent.
DELHI
A heart-warming story unfolded when Deepak Abbot, co-founder of Indiagold, shared a post on X about selling his watch to a stranger in Srinagar. After the sale, the stranger sent him a generous gift of Kashmiri walnuts and rajma packets, prompting Abbot to express his gratitude and touch the hearts of many. The post, which has garnered over 35,000 views, captured the unexpected kindness between strangers. Users on X were moved by the story, with one individual commenting, “Such heart-warming stories keep me hopeful about humanity.”
NABARD has put Jammu and Kashmir’s credit potential at Rs 37446.04 crore under Priority Sector lending.
NIGHEEN
The Jammu and Kashmir administration has permitted the Hurriyat chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, to travel to Delhi, marking a rare relaxation in his house arrest. Mirwaiz, who was previously detained since August 2019, was allowed to travel due to a medical emergency, as confirmed by the management of Srinagar’s grand mosque Jamia Masjid. “His mother is ailing and he is accompanying him. There is nothing political about it,” one of his associates said.
BANDIPORE
CCTV cameras in Srinagar city are a past now. The Wullar Conservation and Management Authority (WUCMA) has effectively curbed bird poaching activities targeting migratory birds in Wullar, Asia’s largest freshwater lake. It strategically deployed two high-definition CCTV cameras on bird-watching towers in poaching-prone zones, enabling continuous surveillance. Since their installation, there has been no recorded poaching incident, demonstrating their deterrent effect. The cameras aid anti-poaching squads, addressing the challenge of covering the vast lake with limited manpower.
JAMMU
Asha Zaroo, the renowned theatre and radio artist from Kashmir, passed away at the age of 72, leaving an indelible mark on the cultural landscape. Breaking societal norms, she played a pivotal role in bolstering Jammu and Kashmir’s cultural tapestry. With a career spanning over five decades, she excelled in acting, featuring in Doordarshan serials, radio broadcasts, and theatrical performances. Notably, her portrayal of Maa in a TV serial etched her name in the region’s artistic history. Zaroo’s contributions extended to the Young Man’s Cultural Association and the Song and Dramatic Division of the Government of India, earning her accolades for outstanding service to the arts. Asha was born to Late Gulab Nath Zaroo and Arandati Zaroo and the family lived in Zaindar Mohalla, Srinagar. Post-migration, they lived in the Lale Da Bagh locality of Jammu. She played an impressive role in Ghulam Rasool Santosh’s Bout the Bbulldozer.
JAMMU KASHMIR
The democratic fabric of Jammu and Kashmir faces a critical juncture as the terms of nearly 28,000 representatives in panchayats and block development councils (BDCs) came to an end. With the absence of an elected assembly since 2018, municipalities and panchayats were the last democratic spaces in the region. However, the term of municipalities ended last year, and last week, the five-year term of panchayats concluded, leaving only a few dozen members in district development councils and five Lok Sabha MPs as the remaining elected representatives. The BJP-led central government, yet to approve Assembly elections, cites the holding of municipal and panchayat elections as its rationale. Despite the completion of the special summary revision of electoral rolls, the uncertainty surrounding the next municipal and panchayat elections persists due to factors like OBC reservations, delimitation exercises, and logistical challenges. Indications suggest the Panchayat polls will be held after the general elections in 2024.
SRINAGAR
The PCB in Srinagar is known more for the pollution creation than its management. Dr Bilquees Ara, a Scientist at the Pollution Control Board (PCB), was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) for allegedly demanding a bribe for issuing a Consent To Operate (CTO) for a bakery unit in Khunmoh’s Industrial Estate. The ACB acted on a written complaint, asserting that Dr Ara had delayed the CTO application deliberately. The complainant visited her office on January 6, 2023, where she allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 20,000, later negotiated down to Rs 5,000. Opting not to pay, the complainant reported the incident to the ACB, leading to the registration to an FIR. A successful trap operation ensued, resulting in the arrest of Dr Bilquees Ara while accepting the bribe amount.
HANDWARA
Jammu and Kashmir Police achieved a significant breakthrough by dismantling a cheater’s gang involved in a honey trap scheme across North and Central Kashmir. Operating in Baramulla, Bandipora, Handwara, Ganderbal, and Srinagar, the accused exploited unsuspecting individuals by deceitfully promising government jobs, arranging fraudulent marriages, and offering fake inverter schemes. Posing as doctors, engineers, and government employees seeking marriage, the perpetrators manipulated victims using various tactics, accumulating substantial sums, especially from vulnerable segments of society. The gang members are in custody and the investigation will reveal many interesting things.
