SRINAGAR, MARCH 11: In a significant step towards integrating legal aid services within the healthcare system and ensuring access to justice for all, a Legal Aid Clinic & Support Centre was inaugurated today at Government Medical College (GMC), Srinagar by Justice Tashi Rabstan, Chief Justice, High Court of J&K and Ladakh & Patron-in-Chief, J&K Legal Services Authority, in presence of Justice Atul Sreedharan, Executive Chairman, J&K Legal Services Authority.

On their arrival, the Chief Justice and Justice Atul Sreedharan, accompanied by M. K. Sharma, Principal Secretary to Chief Justice, were warmly received by Shazia Tabassum, Member Secretary, J&K Legal Services Authority; Tasleem Arief, Principal District & Sessions Judge (Chairman, DLSA Srinagar); Prof. (Dr.) Iffat Hassan Shah, Principal & Dean, GMC Srinagar; Jahangir Ahmad Bakhshi, Joint Registrar (Judicial/Protocol) Srinagar; Sajad-ur-Rehman, Secretary DLSA Srinagar; Superintendent GMC Srinagar; Mohd Ashrif Hakak, Administrator, GMC Srinagar; Medical Superintendent and Senior faculty members of GMC Srinagar; other Heads of Departments, and senior police officers.

Following the inaugural ceremony, a video conferencing session was held between the Superintendent of Central Jail Srinagar, the Medical Officer of the jail, and inmates from the Prison Legal Aid Clinic & Support Centre. The Chief Justice and Justice Sreedharan interacted with jail authorities and inmates to assess their legal and medical concerns, aiming to bridge the gap between incarcerated individuals and specialized healthcare professionals for timely and effective medical interventions.

During the visit, Dr. Bashir Ahmad Sanaee, HOD Neurology; Dr. Naveed Nazir, HOD Pulmonology; and Dr. Showket Ahmad Zargar, HOD Gastroenterology, along with other senior medical professionals, interacted with the jail inmates through the Prison Legal Aid Clinic & Support Centre, addressing their medical concerns and offering expert guidance on their healthcare needs. The involvement of these specialists ensured a comprehensive assessment of health-related challenges faced by incarcerated individuals and their access to necessary treatment.

During the visit, the dignitaries engaged in meaningful discussions with faculty members, legal aid counsels, and medical professionals on the critical role of legal aid in upholding the rights of underprivileged individuals, particularly those in custody. Justice Atul Sreedharan emphasized that the integration of legal aid services with healthcare institutions would facilitate seamless medical assistance for jail inmates while safeguarding their fundamental rights to health and justice.

While interacting with stakeholders, Chief Justice Tashi Rabstan underscored that the establishment of such a Legal Aid Clinic at GMC Srinagar represents a landmark initiative in ensuring access to justice, particularly for those unable to seek legal recourse due to incarceration.
Chief Justice further stressed the importance of strengthening coordination between jail authorities, medical institutions, and legal aid functionaries to provide holistic legal and medical support to inmates.
The event concluded with a firm commitment to ensuring that legal aid remains an integral part of healthcare services, reinforcing the collective resolve to serve the marginalized sections of society.

SRINAGAR: Inspector General of Police Kashmir Zone, V.K. Birdi-IPS, chaired a security review meeting at the Police Control Room (PCR) Kashmir. The meeting was attended by all range DIGs, District SSPs, SO to IGP Kashmir, JDP ZPHQ, SP PC Srinagar, and other senior officers.

The meeting began with updates from the district officers on recent security trends, highlighting the importance of maintaining stability and readiness across the Kashmir Zone. The officers gave presentations outlining the evolving security landscape. The key discussions focused on the need for forward-thinking tactics, seamless intelligence coordination, and active public cooperation to ensure peace and security.

IGP Kashmir stressed the importance of closely monitoring anti-national activities and reinforcing territorial control across all districts He urged officers to intensify area domination exercises and night patrolling in vulnerable areas to fortify the security grid.

Addressing the operational side, IGP Kashmir emphasized the improvement of policing at the Police Station and Sub-Divisional levels, particularly in record building and investigations. He called for high-quality investigations and stressed the importance of consistent follow-up at the trial level.

The IGP also highlighted the importance of building better public relations and prioritizing people-sensitive policing. Addressing public grievances was identified as a top priority, alongside operational duties and crime-related responsibilities.

In conclusion, IGP Kashmir commended the officers for their dedication and reiterated the collective responsibility to safeguard the region. He directed all attendees to submit follow-up action reports within a specified timeframe to ensure the effective implementation of the strategies discussed.

Bandipora, March 11: MLA Bandipora Nizam-ud-din Bhat has expressed dissatisfaction over the government’s replies to his questions in the Legislative Assembly regarding the conservation of Wular Lake.

The government established the Wular Conservation and Management Authority (WUCMA) to oversee the lake’s protection but effective measures were not implemented in previous years, leading to the current crisis.Bhat stressed the urgent need for concrete steps to preserve Wular’s ecological balance and support those dependent on it.

In response to Bhat’s question, the government acknowledged that Wular contributes nearly 60% of Kashmir’s fish production.However, the fishermen population lacks proper infrastructure and basic amenities.The deterioration of Wular has directly impacted fishermen, affecting their livelihoods.

Bhat stressed the need for focused development efforts in both urban and Wular-adjacent areas. He urged the government to expedite Wular’s restoration and ensure fishermen receive necessary support.He expressed hope that strong policy decisions and timely action will help revive the lake and safeguard livelihoods.

With Wular’s critical role in Kashmir’s ecosystem and economy, Bhat’s appeal has brought renewed attention to the urgency of preservation efforts.

Waris Fayaz

Srinagar, Mar 11 : The Jammu and Kashmir government on Tuesday said that 194 road and bridge projects at an estimated cost of Rs 1022.63 crore have been sanctioned for the Union Territory.

In response to a query by MLA Dr Sajad Shafi, minister incharge, said that among 194 projects, it has approved 10 infrastructure projects worth Rs 50.43 crore under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF-XXIX) for Baramulla district in the past two years.

For Uri constituency, the minister said that two road projects were sanctioned under RIDF-XXIX with an estimated cost of Rs 6.45 crore—(KNO)

Sajid Raina

New Delhi, Mar 11 : The Ministry of Home Affairs Tuesday informed the Parliament that there is no plan to create a new police district for Uri in Jammu and Kashmir.

In response to a question by jailed MP Abdul Rashid Sheikh, Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai, informed the Lok Sabha that no such proposal is under consideration.

MP Rashid is in the Tihar jail since 2019 after he was arrested by the NIA under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in a 2017 terror funding case.

A Delhi court on Monday rejected his plea seeking custody parole to attend the ongoing Parliament session—(KNO)