J&K Students’ Association, a body of Kashmiri students’ outside valley has written a letter to Prime Minister Narender Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to restore mobile services in Kashmir valley so that students will be able to contact with their parents and guardians.

In a letter to the Prime Minister and Home Minister, Spokesperson of Association Nasir Khuehami has urged Narender Modi and Amit Shah to take up the matter and to take appropriate steps to restore mobile services in Kashmir valley on humanitarian grounds, so that students will be able to contact with their parents.

In the letter to PM and HM, Spokesperson wrote: I being the plantiff want to turn your noble attention towards my entreaty that, this is with the refrence to the presidential order dated 5th August 2019, where in Article 370 of the Constitution was Nullified. We are signing this Application would like to bring to your kind information a major problem that needs urgent consideration from your side.

Due to the Shutdown and Clampdown Kashmiri Students studying in nook and Cranny of the Country are facing alot problem related to food, Stock and are running out of money. Students are unable to contact their parents and relatives in the valley and are worried. Due to Clampdown and blackout of Internet, Phone and banking services in the state, the students and the dependenr children have not recieved a single penny from their parents, the letter reads.

He wrote that, the fee in the Colleges and universities across the country have not been paid yet by the Students due to Continous Clampdown. With this Students Fear Cancellation Admission. The Survival of the Students’ have also become quite difficult because Students are running out of money and didn’t have penny to buy food and other essential neccessities.

Students are trying to meet their needs by either borrowing from funds or acquaintances. We therefore request you the Following temporary Measures to address their problem till the time banking services get restored. We request your goodself to increase the security for Kashmiri students studying across the country, so that they wont facing any inconvinence. We expect a positive Substantial Response from your side: Restoration of Phone Services, Notify alll the Educational institutes to extend their admission deadline for kashmiri students, Direct Financial Assistance, Arrange of food, Stock and essential Services, Increase the security for Kashmiri students studying across the country, the letter reads further.

In the Letter, Spokesperson requested that appropriate steps be taken and appropriate directions be issued in order to restore mobile Services, and Increase the security for Kashmiri students studying across the country, We shall remain great full.

Srinagar : Political activist Shehla Rashid on Thursday asserted that she stands by her comments about alleged human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir, as she got into an argument with journalists over the issue.

On August 18, Shehla Rashid had claimed that the Indian Army was indiscriminately picking up men, raiding houses and torturing people in Jammu and Kashmir. Asked about evidence for her controversial claims, which drew sharp reactions from the Indian Army, Shehla Rashid said, “I will give the evidence when the Indian Army constitutes an inquiry. I have given you my statement. Has the Army initiated any inquiry?”

“All I have said is based on authentic conversations with people who have come from Kashmir and have absolutely no reason to lie. I have given a lot of statements not just one. People are running out of LPG cylinders, cooking gas in Kashmir,” she said.

The former Vice President of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union said if the Army initiates an inquiry, she will depose before them and “will give them the particulars of the incidents… where they have happened”. “Let them initiate an inquiry and if what I am saying is found to be true, then the Indian Army should given an assurance that the guilty will be punished,” she said.

When asked by a reporter to give evidence for the claims she made on Twitter, Shehla Rashid said, “Why should I give evidence to you? Why shouldn’t I tweet? Has it been banned under the Modi government?”

“You should go to Kashmir and show what’s happening on the ground. Indulging in hooliganism here will not serve any purpose. You are not showing what I am saying. I have not indulged in any rumour mongering. I am absolutely confident. I stand by my statement,” she said.

“There’s torture… gross human rights violations happening in Kashmir. If you want to become the government’s spokesperson, please be. I am not a government spokesperson. Please go and seek a post in the BJP headquarters and contest elections,” she said to one of the reporters.

Agencies

Srinagar : After primary schools, now closed middle schools in Wadi were also opened on Wednesday. By the end of the week, all other schools can also be opened after an overall review of the daily activities of the primary and middle schools and the situation of the plaintiff. This information was given by the Principal Secretary to the Governor, Finance Rohit Kansal.

He said that the prohibition order of the day has been removed from most areas. Normal life is gaining momentum. All ATMs in the valley are smooth. 800 crore has been withdrawn at 734 ATMs in the last 12 days. People are getting out and spending money comfortably. Meaning that the situation is normal in Kashmir. Shops are open and people are shopping.

At the same time, he said that the attendance at the government offices of the valley was better and now the inter district transport facility has also started. Rohit Kansal said that after about 14 days, primary schools were opened in Wadi on Monday. This school opened tomorrow also. The attendance of students and staff is more on Tuesday than Monday. Based on the request and feedback from different sections of the society, it was decided to open the middle school on Wednesday. These schools will be opened in areas where primary schools were open.

The Principal Secretary to the Governor informed that there are 96 thousand landlines in the entire state. 73 thousand of these have been restored. On the closure of the landline in Wadi, especially Lal Chowk in Srinagar city and adjoining areas, he said that BSNL is removing the technical problems faced in this context, but in most places the phone service has been restored.

Agencies

Srinagar, August 22: Governor Satya Pal Malik has condoled the sad demise of mother of IGP Kashmir, Sh. S.P. Pani.

In a condolence message, Governor has prayed for peace to the departed soul and strength to the bereaved family in its hour of grief.

‘Harvest, transportation of horticulture produce being coordinated’

SRINAGAR, AUGUST 21: With the opening of middle schools today, the teachers’ attendance was recorded at 60-80 percent and government offices also witnessed 90 per cent attendance on Wednesday. The attendance of students also improved over the past two days.

This was stated at a joint evening presser here by Director Information & Public Relations, Dr Syed Sehrish Asgar, DIG (CKR) VK Birdi and Director School Education Kashmir, Muhammad Younis Malik.

They said the Government had decided to re-open the middle schools in the areas where primary schools were re-opened on Monday adding the attendance of staff is increasing from past two days at primary schools.

It was also informed that the private schools have also started their primary classes while as all the primary and middle level schools also opened in Jammu division.

It was also given out that DC offices are recording 80-90 per cent attendance of staff while the other government offices witnessed 70-90 percent presence of staff.

The presser was also informed that hospitals, banks are functionally normally, besides ATMs, transport, and other services are adequately operating across the State.

They said review meetings are being held at district and divisional level for harvesting and to transport of horticulture produce to other places. Chief Secretary, B V R Subrahmanyam himself reviewed the transport facilities and establishment of mandies across the Valley. There was no shortfall of transport facilities, the officials informed. The Government urges people not to believe in rumours in this regard, the presser was told.

They also said that there was no law and order incident reported from any area in Jammu and no major law and order incident from Kashmir was reported.

SRINAGAR, AUGUST 21: Governor Satya Pal Malik, in a meeting held at Raj Bhavan this evening reviewed to-date status of security and law and order scenario in J&K and Ladakh.

Sh. K.Vijay Kumar, Sh. K.K. Sharma, Sh. K. Skandan, Sh. Farooq Khan-Advisors to Governor; Sh. BVR Subrahmanyam, Chief Secretary; Sh. Umang Narula, Financial Commissioner to Governor participated in the meeting.

The meeting reviewed the response to the Back to Village programme. To kick-start the follow-up to this programme, Governor directed the Finance Department to place Rs. 5.00 crore  per district and Rs. 5.00 crore per Divisional Commissioner to start works on minimum of one work per Panchayat identified in Back to Village programme. Further the funds released by the 14th Finance Commission to Panchayats so far (Rs. 800 crores) can be leveraged by DCs by incentivizing Sarpanches to spend money on Back to Village works with DCs giving a small matching grant for each work.

Governor was given assessment of the prevailing situation regarding the adequacy of essential supplies and delivery of various public services to the people including electricity, water supply and health care services in Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh. He was informed that there is no dearth of essential commodities and their supply is being ensured to people.

While reviewing the law and order situation and preparedness of the government machinery, Governor emphasised the need for constant alertness, preparedness and synergy among various departments and agencies to enable dealing with emerging situation in a coordinated and effective manner.