Srinagar, October 28
The Election Commission today issued notifications for 15 Assembly constituencies in seven districts, going to the polls in the first phase on November 25.

The constituencies going to the polls include three in Bandipora district and two in Ganderbal district of the Valley, two constituencies each in Leh and Kargil districts of the Ladakh region and two constituencies each in Kishtwar, Doda and Ramban districts in the Jammu region.

The constituencies going to the polls are Gurez, Bandipora and Sonawari in Bandipora district, Kangan and Ganderbal in Ganderbal district, Leh and Nobra in Leh district, Kargil and Zanskar in Kargil district, Kishtwar and Inderwal in Kishtwar district, Doda and Bhaderwah in Doda district, Ramban (SC) and Banihal in Ramban district. The last date for filing nominations in the constituencies is November 5 while the date of scrutiny is November 7. The last date for withdrawal of nominations is November 10.

The five-phase Assembly elections are scheduled to be held on November 25, December 2, 9, 14 and 20. The counting of votes will be held on December 23.

The term of the present Assembly completes on January 19 next year.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner, Leh, Simrandeep Singh today asked the officials to ensure that there was no violation of the Model Code of Conduct, which had come into force on October 25. District Election Officer, Baramulla, Farooq Ahmad Lone has said all political candidates should open separate bank account not later than a day before the date of the election notification is issued in order to facilitate the monitoring of the election expenditure.

District Election Officer, Kupwara, Itrat Hussain Rafique has nominated 20 Nodal Officers for various activities for the smooth conduct of the elections in Kupwara.

Srinagar, October 28
The recent flooding in Kashmir has rendered 275 schools in seven districts unhygienic and unfit for students. However, a majority of these schools, including the ones run by the government, have been thrown open after flooding.

This has been revealed by the Director, Health Services, Kashmir, in his report prepared after seeking the ground report from the respective Chief Medical Officers in these districts.

The report submitted by the Deputy Secretary, Health and Medical Education, Des Raj Bhagat before the J&K High Court today says Kulgam district tops the list with 91 school building having been rendered unhygienic and thus unfit for holding classes.

Kulgam district is followed by Pulwama district in south Kashmir, where the health authorities have found 52 school buildings unhygienic. These two districts were hit by floods on September 3 and 4, much before Srinagar city was inundated by floods on September 7.

In Srinagar district, the health authorities have declared 50 schools unhygienic; and in Anantnag district in south Kashmir, 33 school buildings have been declared unfit after the floods. Likewise, in Bandipora district in north Kashmir, where dozens of villages were flooded between September 7 and 8, 20 schools have been declared unhygienic.

In Budgam district, parts of which were affected by the September floods, 17 schools have been rendered unhygienic, while in Shopian district 12 school buildings have been declared as unhygienic.

In his status report before the High Court, Bhagat submitted that a majority of the schools “have been thrown open” in the flood-hit Kashmir valley.

After perusal of the report, the Division Bench of the High Court comprising Chief Justice MM Kumar and Justice Ali Mohammad Margay said that how could the authorities permit children to go to these schools, thereby exposing them to infection due to the unhygienic conditions prevailing there.

The Chief Justice observed that he did not permit lawyers and other staff to enter the High Court complex in Srinagar, which was also submerged, until assured by the Roads and Buildings Department and the health officer concerned about the safety and hygiene of the premises.

The same should be the position with regard to the schools affected by the floods, the Bench observed while directing the Director, School Education, Kashmir, and the Srinagar Municipal Corporation to file their respective status reports with regard to the cleanliness and hygienic conditions in the schools affected by the floods by or before October 30, when the matter comes up for further consideration.

Srinagar, October 28
After being informed that students are being charged tuition fees and bus fare for the period during which Srinagar city was inundated, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court today issued notices to the private educational institutions operating in the city.

Among those issued notices today by a Division Bench of the High Court include Tyndale Biscoe, Mallinson, Presentation Convent, Delhi Public School and other educational institutions operating in the city, which were closed during the period city remained submerged.

The Bench passed these orders after being informed by the amicus curie advocate GA Lone that certain private schools in Srinagar, including Delhi Public School Mallinson Girls School, Tyndale Biscoe, Burn Hall, Presentation Convent and others, were charging students for tuition fees and bus fares for September and October, despite the fact that these schools were shut during the floods and were not functioning currently.

He also raised the point that the government has decided to hold school examinations in March 2015 due to unprecedented floods, which were to be conducted in October 2014. He said this decision threatened the loss of full academic year of the students.

Taking cognisance of the averments made by amicus Lone, the Division Bench comprising Chief Justice MM Kumar and Justice Ali Mohammad Margay issued notices to these schools after asking the amicus curies to furnish the list of addresses of these schools to the registry.

In the notices, these schools have been directed to file their responses by or before October 30, when the matter is listed for further consideration. The Bench also directed the government counsel to place on record the Cabinet decision with regard to the conduct of schools examinations in March 2015. 

Srinagar, October 28
Governor NN Vohra, who is the Chancellor of the University of Kashmir as well, has advised the Vice Chancellor of the university to undertake regular critical review of all ongoing research projects to ensure that each project was completed in time and yielded the envisaged outcome.

He said this while reviewing the ongoing research projects of the university at the meeting of the university council held at Raj Bhawan here yesterday.

The Governor emphasised the importance of quality research to maintain the high standards of scholars and the institute. He lauded the achievements of university scholars in securing many international and national fellowships. The Governor also stressed the importance of bringing out quality research-related publications in leading international journals.

While reviewing the status of the ongoing infrastructure development projects in various campuses of the university, it was informed that the south and north campuses had been made functional while construction work was in progress at Kupwara and had almost completed at the Kargil and Leh campuses.

The Council approved the adoption of the UGC guidelines regarding specifications and nomenclature of degrees at all levels of higher education.

Taking in account the damages caused to the infrastructure of higher education in the state by the floods and consequent loss of classwork, the Council approved conduct of annual examinations for undergraduate classes in Kashmir division and the winter zone of Jammu division in March 2015 instead of in October-November 2014. The Council also approved integrated masters programmes which will be launched at Kupwara, Leh and Kargil campuses.

Khurshid Iqbal Andrabi, Vice Chancellor of the university, made a powerpoint presentation on the status of various ongoing research and infrastructure-related projects and those in the pipeline, achievements of the university in varied fields since the last meeting of the Council, introduction of new courses, status of filling up teaching and non-teaching positions at the university.

Those present at the meeting were Mohammad Akbar Lone, Minister for Higher Education, RP Agarwal, former Secretary, Ministry of Human Resource Development, MPS Ishar, Vice Chancellor of the University of Jammu, BR Sharma, Principal Secretary, Planning and Development Department, BB Vyas, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister and Principal Secretary, Finance, Rakesh Gupta, Principal Secretary to the Governor, Sheikh Mushtaq Ahmad, Secretary, Higher Education Department, Neelofar Hassan Khan, Dean, Students Welfare, University of Kashmir, Yasmin Kawoos, Principal, Government Degree College, Bemina, Nasreen Malik, Principal, Government Degree College, Ganderbal, NA Rather, Dean, Faculty of Physical and Material Science, University of Kashmir (KU), Akbar Masood, Dean, Faculty of Biological Sciences, KU, and Zafar Ahmad, Registrar, KU.

Srinagar, October 28
A meeting of the state managing committee of the J&K branch of the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) was held under the chairmanship of Governor NN Vohra, who is the president of IRCS, J&K, at Raj Bhawan here today.

At the outset the meeting observed a minute’s silence in the memory of all those who lost their lives during the recent floods in the state, an official statement said.

Roma Wani, honorary general secretary of the IRCS, briefed the committee about the rescue operations carried out by the IRCS from the very first day of the floods. She also informed the committee about the ongoing relief work and certain initiatives proposed to be taken for the rehabilitation of the flood victims. She said about 2,000 flood-affected families would be adopted by the IRCS, J&K, and a proposal in this regard, has been sent to the national headquarters of the society.

The Governor asked Wani to keep the state committee informed about the outcome of the ongoing work to carry out relief and rehabilitation operations and asked both the Divisional Commissioners to undertake a rapid review of the standard operating procedures of the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) to see how best the work of the IRCS could be fully harmonised with the efforts of the state government.

As regards the advice received from the national headquarters of the Red Cross regarding elections being held to select the persons who would manage the regional and state committees, the Governor advised that a committee comprising the Principal Secretary to the Governor, Principal Finance Secretary, Seema Khajuria, both the Divisional Commissioners and honorary general secretary, IRCS, should evolve a well-considered approach regarding the manner and extent to which the national headquarters’ prescriptions should apply to J&K.

For building the human resource of the IRCS, the Governor urged enlarging and strengthening the corpus of trained volunteers and keeping a reserve of at least 100-150 volunteers per district with a focus on both quality and quantity. The Governor suggested training of young boys and girls of the Bharat Scouts and Guides in Red Cross-related activities. He stressed working out an annual calendar of training programmes for imparting Red Cross-related training in schools, colleges and other institutions of learning.

The committee reviewed the progress of the Red Cross Complex in Srinagar, issue of licences to establish Jan Aushadhi drug stores, construction of blood banks, etc. It also discussed the time-bound issue of new identity cards for the Red Cross volunteers. After all the existing identity cards have been returned, fresh identity cards be issued by the District Superintendents of Police on the basis of lists to be provided by the Deputy Commissioners. It was also decided to institute 10 trophies as annual awards to be given to the volunteers/institutions for work of outstanding nature in Red Cross-related activities.

Mohammad Iqbal Khanday, Chief Secretary, J&K, K Rajendra Kumar, DGP, J&K, BB Vyas, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister and Principal Secretary, Finance, Suresh Kumar, Principal Secretary, Home, Rakesh Kumar Gupta, Principal Secretary to the Governor, Shantmanu, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Rohit Kansal, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Prof Nusrat Andrabi, AM Mir, Prof Mohammad Abdullah Charoo, Seema Khajuria, YV Sharma, members of the state managing committee, Farooq Ahmad Shah, Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Sajad Ahmad Khan, Deputy Commissioner, Pulwama, Bashir Ahmad Bhat, Deputy Commissioner, Shopian, Sarmad Hafiz, Deputy Commissioner, Ganderbal, Farooq Ahmad Lone, Deputy Commissioner, Baramulla, Itrat Hussain Rafiqi, Deputy Commissioner, Kupwara, Nisar Hussain Wani, Deputy Commissioner, Kulgam, Tasaduq Jeelani, Deputy Commissioner, Anantnag, Saleem Ur Rehman, Director, Health Services, Kashmir, and AJ Chaket and RC Puri, honorary secretaries, Regional Red Cross Committee, Kashmir and Jammu, participated in the meeting.

New Delhi, October 28
Stung by the poll eve desertion by Mangat Ram Sharma, the Congress is considering the candidature of his younger son from an Assembly segment in the Udhampur Lok Sabha constituency.

Rajnish Sharma, the younger son of Mangat Ram, former Deputy Chief Minister, is a frontrunner for the Congress ticket from the Bani Assembly constituency in Kathua district.

The party hopes to get back at Mangat Ram by fielding Rajnish and feels that the move will blunt the adverse effect of the former Deputy Chief Minister’s exit from the Congress.

Mangat Ram and his elder son Subhash Sharma joined the PDP two days back. Rajnish’s name was the lead name in the panel shortlisted for the Bani Assembly segment.

The decision was taken Monday at a meeting of the Congress screening committee, which completed the exercise of shortlisting candidates for all 87 Assembly segments.

Among the names are state Congress chief Saifuddin Soz’s son Salman Soz from Baramulla and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad’s brother Mustafa Azad from Bhaderwah, represented by Azad in the past.

There are signals that despite persistent demands from the state’s rank and file to field stalwarts, Azad and Soz may not contest.

Sources said a decision on whether or not to field them would be taken by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, heading the Central Election Committee.

“We have finished screening. The committee will meet to take a final call on candidates,” said Ajay Makan, chairman of the screening panel.

The committee is likely to meet on Thursday to finalise the names even though the sources said names of all candidates would not be declared in one go.

“There are seats where we will like to wait for the BJP to declare its candidates. We have our strategy in place for the rest,” another leader said.

Asked why bigwigs were not in the race for ticket, a source said they were needed to drive the campaign and could be asked to lead important election committees like those related to canvassing and publicity.

Jammu, October 28
Following the death of a youth on railway track, angry relatives blocked the Jammu-Pathankot national highway for hours demanding a high-level inquiry.

According to the Government Railway Police (GRP), Anil Kumar, son of Gopal Dass of Bari Brahmna, jumped in front of the Uttar Sampark Kranti (a train from Jammu-Delhi) near Bari Brahmna last night and died on the spot.

Suram Singh, Superintendent of Police, GRP, said, “According to the statement given by the driver of the Uttar Sampark Kranti train, the youth jumped in front of the train and it is a clear case of suicide. We have registered a case under Section 174 of the CrPC and started investigation.”

But the family members of the youth alleged that he was murdered by family members of his beloved and later his body was thrown on the railway track. Family members and relatives of Anil Kumar blocked the Jammu-Pathankot national highway for hours causing 2 km-long queues of vehicles on both sides of the highway.

Later, the local police and SDM, Vijaypur, reached the spot and assured the protesters of conducting a detailed investigation in the case.

A case has been registered at the Bari Brahmana GRP post under Section 174 of the CrPC and the body of the deceased was handed over to the family after postmortem.

Srinagar, October 28
The Supreme Court-appointed panel, tasked with assessing the ground situation in J&K after the floods, in its report has urged the state government to expedite the assessment of damage to properties. The report notes that the ex gratia in respect of loss of lives has not been fully paid in the state so far.

The Supreme Court appointed five-member panel submitted its report to the apex court and the J&K High Court on October 10. The Supreme Court is expected to take up the matter on October 30 when a PIL on J&K floods is listed.

“The assessment of the damaged properties has so far not been completed in the state. Consequently, the ex gratia in respect of the damage or loss of property has not been granted so far,” the SC panel observed.

“It is required to be disbursed expeditiously to provide succour to the concerned,” the panel has recommended in the report.

Since the flood has also hit large tracts of farmland causing huge damage to standing crops, the panel observed that this loss should be estimated and ex gratia must be paid. The panel in its report has also recommended deputing psychiatrists from AIIMS and other medical institutes to Kashmir for providing counselling and treatment to people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

“This (counselling) can be provided only by trained professionals, who are already insufficient in number in the Kashmir valley and other areas of the state. Psychiatrists from the AIIMS and NIMHANS may be deputed for providing the required counselling and treatment along with the available professionals in the state,” read the panel report. 

Jammu, October 28
The Indian Doctors for Peace and Development (IDPD) handed over medicines for people of the Jammu region affected by floods and also for victims of border firing forced to stay in transit camps exposed to vagaries of nature.

The medicines have been arranged by Dr Jeetender Singh from Nasik (Maharashtra) and Dr Arun Mitra, general secretary of the IDPD.

The IDPD has recently conducted medical relief camps at Srinagar, where eminent doctors from all over the country distributed medicines and other relief material among residents of the city and far-flung areas of the Valley.

Dr SS Soodan, senior vice-president, IDPD, and Dr Rajesh Kumar, in charge, IDPD, Jammu, handed over the medicines to Dr BS Pathania, Director, Health Services, Jammu, and Dr Gurjit Singh, Deputy Director, Health Services, Jammu, for distribution among all affected areas through the respective CMOs.

The IDPD have further offered the services of doctors and relief measures, wherever needed, in future.

Srinagar, October 28
The Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) today organised a special lecture with an interactive session on mental health and effects of flood on society.

The session was organised by the International Centre for Spiritual Studies, IUST, in collaboration with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF - doctors without borders).

Christine M Slagt, Project Coordinator, MSF, highlighted the effects of natural calamities such as floods and earthquakes on the mental health of people.

In her presentation, Slagt emphasised on the strategies need to be adopted during natural calamities.

Organiser of the event, Dr Quraishi gave a detailed account of effects of the recent floods on the mental health of the student community. “It is imperative that consistent counselling sessions are held to help the distressed students,” he added.

He said the event was an initiation to a long-term relationship between MSF and IUST. “In future, we will continue such programmes to help the youth particularly the student community,” he asserted.

Clinical psychologists and mental health counsellors of the MSF had detailed sessions with the students from various departments of IUST which was followed by a question answer session. 

Srinagar, October 28
Intermittent rainfall lashed the city and other parts of the Kashmir valley, while snowfall was witnessed in higher reaches that plunged the temperature and caused a winter-like cold in the region, which is recovering from the devastating deluge.

The rainfall was recorded in most parts of the region and happened intermittently overnight and during the day. A forecast bulletin of the state Meteorological Department said moderate rain and thundershower would occur at many places over the state in the next 24 hours.

The department said the weather was likely to be mainly dry in the region from October 30 to November 2.

An official of the department said snowfall was received at higher reaches of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district and Gulmarg resort.

The day temperature in Srinagar city was recorded at a high of 14.2 degrees Celsius, which is nearly seven degrees below normal and also drop of seven degrees from yesterday’s maximum. The Gulmarg resort in north Kashmir recorded a maximum of 4 degrees Celsius, the official said.

Rajouri, October 28
A delegation of militancy-affected families of Rajouri district, staying at a migrant camp at Talwara since 1998 in Reasi district, held a protest before the office of the Rajouri Deputy Commissioner today. They apprised him about the problems being faced by them.

Led by Jagdev Singh, president, Migrant Union, protesters said about 152 registered migrant families and about 175 unregistered families from Rajouri district had been living in the migrant camp at Talwara.

The family members alleged that they were neglected by the state government and had not been treated on a par with the Kashmiri migrants.

“In 1998, many families from Kotchalwal, Narla Bumbal, Khorbani and other areas in Budhal tehsil became the victims of militancy and many members of their families were killed by militants and forced to leave their homes. Initially, we stayed at Budhal for some time and then shifted to the Talwara migrant camp,” said Jagdev Singh.

He said they had been facing difficulties as they had been denied even the basic amenities. The school opened for their children had inadequate staff, he said.

He said for the past more than five years, the migrants had not been provided sugar through the public distribution system of the state.

“Our main aim to hold a protest in Rajouri was to apprise the Deputy Commissioner of our problems. Despite several representations, neither were our election photo identity cards prepared nor was the our demand to constitute a polling station in Talwara considered,” said Jagdev, a protester.

The delegation met Rajouri Deputy Commissioner Jatender Singh, who assured them of early action on main demands.

Srinagar, October 28
Even though the passport office in Srinagar has been made functional after the floods damaged its office, full online submission of applications has not been restored, making it difficult for the applicants to submit their forms.

More than a month has passed since the floods, but applicants are facing difficulties in paying fee online. “We filled in online forms, but near the option of appointment and fee payment, it did not proceed. I have been trying for a week, but it is getting difficult,” said Shameema of Srinagar.

She had shifted to Delhi after the recent floods. “Either I have to wait for the online procedure to start again or move to Srinagar to submit the hard copy. It is becoming very difficult for flood victims like me,” she added.

The floods on September 7, which inundated most vital government offices in the city, damaged the passport office in Srinagar as well, making its functioning difficult. As a major portion of this government building was under water, the state authorities later shifted the office temporarily to Jammu to continue its functioning.

Passport officer Firdous Iqbal said the office was temporarily shifted to Jammu so that normal functioning was not affected, but had been shifted back to Srinagar so that people did not suffer further by travelling.

“The step of shifting the office to Jammu for some days was for emergency so that functioning did not stop and pending applications could be processed. The office is now functioning in Srinagar, but will take time to make it fully functional,” said the official.

He added that it was impossible to function here due to the flood aftermath and it was only for a week that the office was shifted.

“The functioning of the Regional Passport Office in Srinagar has been restarted and applicants can submit applications for fresh passports in normal category on all working days,” he said.

He added that Tata Consultancy was working on the issue of online payment. “There is some problem in the system and it will be sorted out soon,” the official said.

Srinagar, October 28
The controversy over Public Health Engineering (PHE) Minister Sham Lal Sharma resigning from his post is refusing to die down with the daily wagers and casual employees of the PHE Department today announcing their support for Sharma.

With already charged-up election atmosphere, the PHE employees said they would go door-to-door campaigning against two National Conference ministers, Abdul Rahim Rather and Muhammad Akbar Lone, who they feel are responsible for not allowing the regularisation of their services.

On October 25, Sharma had resigned from all posts citing non-regularisation of daily wagers in his department as the reason.

Without naming them, Sharma had mentioned that two ministers from the National Conference sabotaged the move aimed to regularise around 60,000 daily wagers.

Sajad Ahmad Parry, president of the Jammu and Kashmir Casual and Daily Wagers Forum of the PHE Department, today said Abdul Rahim Rather who headed the cabinet sub-committee constituted in 2009 to settle the issues of government employees deliberately left out the issue of regularisation of daily wagers supported by another NC minister Akbar Lone.

“On October 24, these two ministers in a cabinet meeting again deferred the decision of regularisation of our services. These ministers wanted regularisation of their party workers instead of the deserving employees,” Sajad said.

He added that Sharma had truly fought for their rights and that the employees support him.

“We have been working on a paltry sum between Rs 900 and Rs 1,500 per month, which is far less than even the minimum wages fixed by the state government itself. After the state government imposed a blanket ban on the appointment of daily wagers in 1994, these people were engaged by different departments under different names such as casual workers and need based,” he maintained.

The National Conference, however, dismissed Sharma’s allegations and described his resignation as a mere election tactic. 

Srinagar, October 28
Muhammad Muneem of Highway 61 band fame today premiered his song “Uthangay Zaroor Phirsey”(We will rise again) at Convocation Complex, University of Kashmir, during the day-long event, Yakeen-Ek Naye Kashmir Ka, an event organised by students of Kashmir University.

The song composed by Muneem has been dedicated to the valour and struggle of Kashmiris during the recent floods. Muneem himself was trapped in the floods for days together and he shared his survival story with other students of KU who has woeful tales to tell.

Muneem performs Sufi rock music regularly at cafes in Mumbai and Pune.

The students from departments of KU have also agreed to collaborate with the local mohalla committees in helping raise awareness on the rehabilitation of flood victims as well as helping the victims deal with social, legal and financial issues post floods.

“We have decided that students from the Law Department will help the victims settle their insurance issues, students from management studies will help with finance problems and students from social work studies will be involved in social issues,” said Hinan Mnazoor, a student of the Department of Management Studies.

Jammu, October 28
The J&K MMPC Front today released a book highlighting the problems faced by the refugees from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and other displaced people uprooted from their areas due to conflict with Pakistan in the last six decades.

Baba Swarnjit Singh of Tapasthan Gurdwara Manji Sahib, Una, released the book named “JKMMPC Front”. Written by Choudary Dev Raj, president, Basmati Rice Growers Association, the book highlights the problems of PoJK refugees from Mirpur, Muzaffarbad, Poonch and Chambh.

“The sacrifices that the people of the areas have made during Independence have not been given due respect. The book also speaks about the difficulties the children and youth face because of poverty," he said. “Children are devoid of basic education and youth do not have job to bear the family expenses. It also reflects that neither the government has not taken appropriate steps to mitigate their sufferings, nor any NGO has shown interest to help the needy there,” he said.

Jammu, October 28
The SaMaPa (Sopori Academy of Music and Performing Arts) organised the third fund raiser music concert for the flood victims of J&K.

The concert titled “Concert for Kashmir” was held in collaboration with the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.

Senior maestros of Indian music like Vidushi Sumitra Guha (vocal), Ustad Hashmat Ali Khan (tabla), Vidushi Uma Garg (vocal), LK Pandit (vocal) and Rajindra Prasanna (flute) were joined by Ustad Rashid Mustafa Thirakwa and Durjay Bhaumik (tabla), Bharat Bhushan Goswami (sarangi) and Paromita Mukherjee and Vinay Mishra (harmonium) and others along with Munish Jolly, who coordinated the proceedings of the concert.

Fund raiser concerts have so far helped mobilising around Rs 80 lakh. The series of concerts have been an initiative conceived by the great music legend, Pandit Bhajan Sopori, hailed as the cultural bridge of J&K with the rest of the country, and maestro Abhay Rustum Sopori.

Jammu, October 28
As a part of the observance of the Vigilance Awareness Week, the Power Grid Corporation of India, Northern Region Transmission System-II, organised a vendors’ meet at its regional headquarters here.

The meet was organised to discuss with vendors some of the common issues that haunt them during construction and operation of the transmission system. Senior executives of all the major vendors of the Power Grid attended the meet.

Senior officials of the Power Grid, Northern Region-II, who were present, included Executive Director SK Sharma, Executive Director (Kurukshetra) RK Chouhan, General Manager (O&M), AK Pal and General Manger (Leh Projects) SD Joshi.

In his address, SK Sharma, Executive Director, NR-II, deliberated on major challenges being faced by vendors during the execution of projects. He asked the vendors to work as team players with them and advised them to follow technical specifications of various packages in letter and spirit.

RK Chouhan, Executive Director (Kurukshetra), impressed upon the vendors to take care of their pressing needs in connection with timely execution of projects.

Earlier, Paramjit Singh Chahal, Additional General Manager, Vigilance, Northern Region-II, highlighted the efforts made by the Power Grid, which included process online inspections, web-based complaint system, e-billing and bill-tracking system.

Jammu, October 28
Students of Rich Harvest School (RHS), Bari Brahmana, excelled in the dance talent programme “Jammu Dance Icons” jointly organised by the Nirvana Academy and Dance Revolution Academy at the auditorium of Government Polytechnic College, Bikram Chowk.

Rich Harvest School students participated in the competition under the supervision of Ruchi Charak, trustee, Dr Shivani Singh, Principal, and Kashish Thakyal, dance instructor.

More than 150 students of different schools and institutions took part in the mega dance show. Students of Rich Harvest School — Himani Gupta, Ayush Kumar, Robin Singh Charak, Udita and Vishal Singh — emerged winners in the solo dance category.

The duet dance was won by Akshit and Kshitij, Anshika and Nainreet, Akanksha Sharma and Aditi and Riya Mahajan and Komal Sharma. — TNS

Srinagar, October 28
Over 500 additional companies of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) will be deployed in the state for the smooth conduct of five-phase elections in the state.

“At least 520 additional companies of the central paramilitary forces, including CRPF, BSF, ITBP, SSB, CISF and RPF, will arrive in the state to strengthen the security grid during the elections. They will report in the state within a few days,” said Director General of Police K Rajendra Kumar

The DGP chaired a high-level meeting to discuss and review the security plan and deployment arrangements for the upcoming Assembly elections in the state. The meeting was attended by senior police and central paramilitary officers.

He said arrangements with regard to their stay in different areas and their mobility, healthcare, heating and other required facilities as per the weather requirement have been finalised.

“The additional forces will be fully equipped to maintain law and order and security during the elections,” he added.

The DGP stressed for better coordination among the forces to ensure free and fair elections.

He said joint meetings should be conducted frequently at different levels and the inputs shared so that timely action was taken to deal with any situation.

“The DGP reiterated that anybody indulging in any subversive activity, which can create law and order problem in the electoral process, will be dealt severely,” an official spokesman said after the meeting.

The DGP impressed upon the participants to implement the action plan strictly for the security of candidates and polling booths.

The DGP said six Deputy Inspectors General of Police, three in each zone, have been nominated as nodal officers, who would ensure coordination among different security agencies.

Srinagar, October 28
At a time when the state government’s relief and rehabilitation process has come under criticism for being slow, the gap is being partly filled from unexpected quarters.

A seminary was among the first to react to the calamity and had taken a lead in constructing residential spaces for people who lost their houses in the devastating deluge.

The Darul Uloom Raheemiya, home to 600 students and 75 teachers located in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district, launched a massive operation on the first day of the floods by mobilising a fleet of tractors and boats to rescue stranded victims and provide them food.

Each day, dozens of trucks loaded with ration used to move out from the seminary complex to reach community kitchens across Srinagar, which had faced the brunt of floods, and other submerged parts of the region.

“We started work on September 5,” said Maulvi Hameedullah, coordinating relief and rehabilitation work between Darul Uloom Raheemiya and the Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind, an association of clerics.

“We set up community kitchens and supplied ration to community kitchens established by others as well. In the first week, around 300 trucks were dispatched,” he said.

The seminary distributed 27,000 blankets and 30,000 litres of milk. It set up medical camps for a month wherein 15 doctors treated hundreds of patients everyday. It was being done when the state government and much of its machinery was defunct due to the deluge.

The state government’s response to the floods, which was negligible during the initial days, had been criticised as too little coming too late by victims and opposition parties.

The state government’s interim relief package included a paltry Rs 75,000 as compensation for a fully collapsed house, which was less than 10 per cent of the Cabinet’s proposal submitted to the Centre.

Once rescue and relief operations were over, the seminary and its associate moved to rehabilitation. “We have taken into our hands the construction of 325 houses. So far, 43 huts have been handed over to residents of Mehjoor Nagar. We are repairing the roofs of 23 houses in this locality,” he said.

The seminary is constructing huts in Bemina, Ikhrajpora, Batamaloo, Lal Mandi and Qamarwari localities as well. “This is just the beginning. We want to construct 5,000 houses,” Hameedullah said.

The floods had affected large swathes, including the western and southern parts of Srinagar. The state government’s initial assessment was that nearly 3.5 lakh structures, including houses, were damaged.

Srinagar, October 28
The office timings have been rescheduled ahead of the winter in the Valley. The Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, said the working hours in all government offices and institutions in the Valley, barring educational institutions located within the Srinagar Municipal limits, shall be from 10.30 am to 4.30 pm from November 1.

The timings will continue till March 31 next year. All heads of departments, offices and institutions have been ordered to ensure adherence to the new timings.

Batote, October 28
The hardships for commuters and passengers stranded in traffic jams on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway are likely to continue till the seasonal migration of nomads is over.

The seasonal migration of nomads begins at the onset of autumn in late September and ends by mid-November. The nomads migrate from the upper reaches of the Valley to greener pastures because of decreasing temperature and also due to pastures drying up.

The nomads take the national highway as they move along with their cattle from the higher reaches of the Kashmir valley and Ramban, Doda and Kishtwar districts to the plains of Jammu province.

“Yesterday, it took me four hours to travel from Chanderkot to Batote (the distance between the two areas is 20 km) which has badly affected my business,” said Mohammad Hanief, a resident of Chanderkot.

“I had the bitter experience of my life as it took me and my family 42 hours to reach Srinagar from Jammu on October 17,” said RK Raina, a resident of Jammu, posted at Regional News Unit, All India Radio, Srinagar.

Prof Om Raj Katoch, who teaches at Degree College, Ramban, and takes a bus from Batote to Ramban has been reaching Ramban late since October 16 due to 
traffic jams.

Chief Medical Officer, Ramban, Saifuddinn Khan said: “Since October 16, our ambulances have been taking 24 hours to reach Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu, from Ramban. All ambulances of District Hospital, Ramban, were stranded in Jammu recently.”

“There are many reasons for the traffic jam such as movement of nomads, heavy movement of fruit-laden trucks towards Jammu, rush of Jammu-bound travellers after the floods in the Valley and the onset of the winter,” said Senior Superintendent of Police, Traffic, Sanjay Kotwal.

Meanwhile, Hanifa Begum, 60, of Kaskoot in Banihal, and 3-month-old Arun Singh of Batru in Ramsu died when the ambulances in which they were being taken to Srinagar and Ramban district hospitals on October 17 and October 20, respectively, got stranded in a traffic jam for hours on the highway.

Pulwama, October 28
Flawed assessment by the Revenue Department officials in Pulwama district has irked flood-affected people of the district and many of them have been visiting the Deputy Commissioner’s office with complaints that they have not received any relief.

Many residents of Gulzarpora, Sethar, Qazigund, Goripora and Reshipora Ullar villages of Pulwama alleged that the compensation and relief list was prepared on the basis of hearsay by the Revenue officials.

“In our village, no survey was conducted by the Revenue official concerned. I heard that he had prepared the list in one of the village elders home who has no knowledge about the new families in the village,” said Mohammad Ashraf (35), a labourer, adding that it has been two years since he had separated from his parents.

Deputy Commissioner, Pulwama, Sajad Ahmad Khan, however, said he himself was supervising the relief activities and if there were any flaws in the assessment process, he would try not to repeat them. “We have always asked the civil society to come forward and suggest the best mechanism through which the deserved can get their rights,” he said.