Kupwara, June 23
The functioning of at least 28 government departments in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district has been severely hit due to non-availability of heads.

In some cases, the in charge of the department concerned has to look after more than one department, leading to delay in completing administrative works.

Sources in the civil administration said the absence of heads has severely affected the functioning of departments, causing a lot of inconvenience to people.

Some key departments functioning without heads are Horticulture, Agriculture, Social Welfare and Revenue. For the past four months, the post of district horticulture officer, Handwara, which fell vacant following the retirement of the incumbent, has remained vacant.

“The Horticulture Department is without a head for the past four months. Although the higher authorities are aware of this, posting in this regard is yet to be made. Due to this, the functioning of the department is getting affected,” said an official.

The post of Assistant Commissioner Revenue, Handwara, has been vacant for the past two years. “The post of Assistant Commissioner Revenue (ACR), Handwara, which is such an important post, is lying vacant for the past two years. Clients are forced to visit the ACR, Kupwara, for official works. The government should appoint an officer on the post at the earliest for the convenience of people,” said Mohammad Sultan, an official of the revenue department.

The posts of Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) at the Social Welfare Department in Langate, Rajwar, Sogam and Wavoora have been lying vacant for many months. “Posts of the CDPO are lying vacant following the transfer of a few officers a few months ago. New officials have not been appointed as yet. In the absence of CDPOs, the work culture at Anganwadi centres and a few other offices is getting affected,” said a senior employee of the department.

Meanwhile, the Tehsil Office, Kupwara, which witnesses a huge rush of clients, is without a Tehsildar for the past few months. “We are facing a lot of inconvenience due to the absence of the officer. We appeal to the Revenue Minister to fill the post at the earliest,” said Wali Mohammad, a Kupwara resident.

District Institute Education and Trainings (DIET) principal Ashok Kumar has been the in charge of the post of Chief Education Officer (CEO), Kupwara, for the past few months. Employees said the officer was finding it very difficult to handle the workload and they (employees) were facing difficulties in clearing their GP fund cases. “I have been visiting the Kupwara CEO for the past two months but due to his overwhelmingly busy schedule, my GP fund case is still pending. There should be a full-time CEO to handle the cases and the workload effectively,” said Mohammad Shaba from Magam, Handwara.

Planning Officer Khalil Ahmad Pir at DC Office, Kupwara, was transferred and posted as PRO to Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Chowdary Mohammad Ramzan. His earlier post has been vacant for many months and the common man is at the receiving end.

CAPD Minister Chowdary Mohammad Ramzan said he had taken up the matter with the authorities concerned. “I have already apprised the government (about the issue). Vacancies will be filled soon,” said the minister.

Srinagar, June 23
A teenaged girl, who had made a suicide bid about two week ago, succumbed to her injuries at a hospital here last night.

The 16-year-old girl, a resident of Paribal village of Bandipora, had on June 13 tried to commit suicide by setting herself on fire at her residence, a police spokesman said.

She had been admitted to a Srinagar hospital for treatment. The girl died last night at the hospital after succumbing to her burn injuries, the spokesman said.

Srinagar, June 23
Twelve people were injured in different road accidents across the Kashmir valley today.

Nine people were injured when the vehicle they were travelling in collided with another vehicle near Pinglana in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, a police spokesman said. The injured were taken to the Sub-District Hospital, Pulwama.

Two people were injured when the motorcycle they were riding on met with an accident near Kunzer town in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

The injured have been identified as Hilal Ahmad Chopan of Sultanpora and Nazir Ahmad Chopan of Chandoosa. The duo was taken to the Sub-District Hospital, Magam, from where they were referred to a hospital in Srinagar, the police spokesman said.

In another incident, a pedestrian was injured when he was hit by a car at Lawaypora on the outskirts of the city. He has been identified as Mohammad Yousuf Dar. He was taken to a local hospital, the spokesman said.

Srinagar,June 23
The J&K Voluntary Health Association (JKVHA) has started a sustained campaign to ensure prohibition of smoking in public places in the state. Apart from various programmes organised by the JKVHA, enforcement officers of the campaign, including Station House Officers (SHOs), have been imparted training on various provisions of the anti-tobacco Act commonly known as Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act (COTPA ). The association organised a series of these awareness campaigns in various districts of the Kashmir valley in the past one week.

One such programme was organised at Dak Bunglow, Baramulla, under the chairmanship of Baramulla Superintendent of Police (SP) Zubair Ahmed and Additional Deputy Comissioner Manzoor Ahmed Qadri.

Around 15 SHOs were sensitised about their role so that tobacco violations can be curtailed.

They were asked to ensure that the violations are incorporated in the monthly crime reports of the police stations.

The programme was also attended by the Chief Education Officer, Chief Medical Officer, members of civil society, presidents and chairmen of various organisations and trade unions. They assured the JKVHA and the district administration that they would make a joint effort to ensure that all public places in Baramulla specially schools, hospitals, government offices and private establishments, including public transport, would be made smoke-free.

A similar programme for SHOs was held at Pulwama which was chaired by Pulwama Deputy Commissioner Manzoor Ahmed Lone. Besides police officers, the programme was attended by the Chief Education Officer, Chief Medical Officer, Director (Planning), traders, transport unions and representatives of various private organisations.

Shabir Lone, Food Safety Officer, Kashmir, gave a powerpoint presentation to highlight the hazards of smoking and its socio-economic impact. He emphasised the need to make the state, particularly public places, smoke-free,

The Pulwama DC appreciated the initiatives of the JKVHA and asked the participants to help in curbing the violations in this regard.

JKVHA executive director AM Mir, too, talked at length about the the ill-effects and consequences of smoking.

Another programme in this regard was held at Police Headquarters, Bandipora, on Saturday, which was chaired by Bandipora SP Bashir Ahmed Khan.