Srinagar, Jul 18 : Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday held meeting of its north Kashmir leadership to take stock of the overall functioning of the party affairs and measures needed to strengthen it further.

The party also flayed Congress leader Vikramaditya Singh over his statement on July 13, 1931 martyrs, terming it derogatory, mischievous and reflection of a communal mindset.

Party Vice President Abdul Rahman Veeri held a detailed meet with party’s top leadership over the present political situation and measures needed to be taken to defend core interests of Jammu and Kashmir state.

According to the party spokesman, Veeri presided over the meeting that was held at party’s head office here and was attended by the party’s top leadership from north Kashmir. The meeting, as per the spokesman, discussed in detail the current political situation in the state and the need to safeguard state’s unique position and core interests.

The meeting also highlighted how the PDP while being part of the coalition took drastic and vital measures for the defence of the Article 35-A and the government had engaged the top lawyers of the country for the purpose

Veeri during the meeting emphasised that the need of the hour is to strengthen the party not to go adrift at such a crucial movement of history.

Taking part in the meeting, party General Secretary Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura in his address flayed the statement made by Congress leader Vikramaditya Singh about the July 13, 1931 martyrs, terming his remarks derogatory, mischievous and blasphemous in nature. While castigating Singh over the use of such foul language, Hanjura asked the Congress leader to read the history correctly to get an idea about supreme sacrifice made by the 22 Kashmiris on July 13, 1931.

Hanjura said that the statement has reflected Singh’s vindictive and communal mindset and has exposed how some people in the state love to remain in their feudal fantasies and seek pleasure in witnessing peoples’ rights being trampled with impunity.

The PDP General Secretary also asked Congress party to come clear on its policy vis-a-vis the historic event of July 13, 1931, as according to Hanjura, on one side Congress leaders play theatrics by offering Fateha on martyrs’ graveyard and on the other hand, the leaders of the party ridicule the same martyrs publicly. This is the high time, said Hanjura, that the Congress party must make its stand clear.

Other senior leader who attended the meeting include Javaid Beigh, Noor Mohammad, Abdul Qayoom Wani, Raja Manzoor, Mohammad Khurshid Alam, Gh Nabi Panditpuri, Irfan Sofi, Shabir Ahmad Mir, District Secretary Kupwara Mohammad Afzal , Adv khurshid Shah, besides all District and Zonal Presidents of north Kashmir. 

Srinagar, Jul 18 : Commissioner Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), Khurshid Ahmad Sanai chaired meeting to review the progress of various projects being executed under AMRUT and JTPRF here at Municipal central office Karan Nagar.

During the course of meeting various components of AMRUT including storm water drainage at different places in Srinagar, sewerage and septage, Urban Transportation, Development of Multi level parking and Green spaces were reviewed at length.

It was informed in the meeting that total number of thirty projects have been identified under AMRUT.

Commissioner SMC was also apprised that five projects have got completed including storm water drainage Mallbagh, storm water drainage Gangbugh, Extension of Tulip Garden, Development of Park/ Green space (Bemina Park) Idle Park at Pantha Chowk.

Sanai further reviewed status of reforms under AMRUT and status of NOC’s to be sought from other departments.

He has passed on instructions to speed up with the ongoing projects and ensure timely completion of pending works.

Among others meeting was attended by Joint Commissioner Adm Syed Abul Qasim, Joint Commissioner Works SMC, S.E Drainage circle, Deputy Director P&M SMC, Exn Right River Works, Exn left River Works, Exn CDC SMC, Exn S&D II, Exn MCD, Exn Mechanical SMC, Nodal officers/representatives of SDA, LAWDA, Floriculture Kashmir, UEED and others.

Presides over provincial committee meet

Srinagar, Jul 18 : Party vice president Omar Abdullah today presided over a Provincial committee meet of Kashmir province at party headquarters Nawa-e-Subha, Srinagar.

In the hours-long meet, party vice president applauded the party functionaries for conducting segment wise conventions across the province. The party vice president said the need of the hour was to step up the efforts towards greater interaction with the public across the state.

A range of issues concerning the party and the state were deliberated upon in the meet. Vice president, while exuding confidence into the functionaries said that the need of the hour was to maintain the momentum of parliamentary elections up to assembly elections. He said that there was no scope for smugness and gratification as the challenge ahead of the party was bigger.

Party vice president while exuding confidence into the party functionaries said that acquiring power has never been the party’s goal and the party will continue to highlight the woes of people determinedly. “Serving the people of the state, protecting the interests of the state and upholding the pluralistic visage of our state has been the core of party ideology. It is our duty to highlight the woes of people. We owe a sense of duty to towards the people of the state irrespective of their caste, creed and religious affiliations. The party functionaries should amplify their efforts to raise issues which are distressing people,” he said adding, “The party has gone through worst of times and was subjected to the worst machinations but with the support of people it trounced all those efforts that aim at fiddling with states special character.”

Vice president urged the incumbent governor administration to utilize its resources to reduce the mounting woes of people. Omar said the main agenda of the party is to salvage the people of the state towards safe shores. The need of the hour calls for taking the Naya Kashmir agenda of the party to each doorstep.

Among others party’s general secretary Haji Ali Muhammad Sagar, additional general secretary Dr Sheikh Mustufa Kamal, Provincial President Nasir Aslam Wani, Muhammad Akbar Lone, Abdul Rahim Rather, Muhammad Shafi Uri, Sakina Itoo, Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, Mubarak Gul, Sharief ud din Shariq, Ali Mohammad Dar, Dr Bashir Veeri were also present on the occasion. Besides, district presidents, district-level functionaries, constituency in-charges, YNC functionaries, women’s wing, media cell functionaries also attended the meet.

Also launches J&K State Geo-portal; Web based facility to provide access of organized spatial data to all line Deptts

SRINAGAR, JULY 18: Advisor to Governor, K Vijay Kumar, today inaugurated newly constructed office complex of J&K State Spatial Data Infrastructure (SSDI) in Bemina here. He also launched the beta version of the Geo-portal ‘ssdi.jk.gov.in’.

The State Spatial Data Infrastructure (J&K State Geo-portal) has been established to create infrastructure for availability of and access to organized spatial data and use of the infrastructure at Community, Local, State, Regional and at National levels. The Department of Ecology, Environment & Remote Sensing is the implementing agency of the project in the State.

Head & CEO NSDI P S Acharya, PCCF J&K Suresh Chugh, PCCF/Director EE&RS B Siddhartha Kumar, Director Soil & Water Conservation P K Singh, Director SFRI Om Prakash, Chief Wildlife Warden Suresh Gupta, Additional PCCF Sarvesh Rai, MD JKSFC Vasu Yadav, CCF Kashmir S. F. A. Gillani, Secretary (Technical) K Ramesh Kumar, other senior officers of Forest and its allied wings and officers, staff of SSDI were present on the occasion.

Humayun Rashid, Scientist/Principal Investigator SSDI gave a detailed overview of the State Spatial Data Infrastructure project and its implementation in the state. The project is being funded by DEST, GoI and State Department of Science and Technology.

Regarding SSDI initiative in the state, it was informed that SSDI-JK visualizes a distributed electronic network of data producers and users, development of standards for data collection, collection, and exchange, formulation of procedures and partnerships to ultimately result in creation of a national digital geospatial data framework and development of new relationships that allow organizations and individuals from all sectors to work together to share geospatial data.

The spatial data is important database for making sound decisions at the local, regional and state level, besides, implementation of action plans for infrastructure development, disaster management and business development.

It was told that presently different organizations are generating digital database in different formats which cannot be shared by different user agencies, besides, it leads to duplication of efforts and resources for generating one and the same thing.

To ensure the optimum use of spatial data, NSDI in collaboration with Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) initiated the SSDI project in the state.

The Advisor, on the occasion, also launched JK Geo-portal after which a demonstration of SSDI Geo-portal data and functionalities was also made by the Scientist/Principal Investigator SSDI.

It was told that with the help of this Geo-portal, the organizations can improve knowledge sharing, reduce duplication of efforts, direct people toward the best available data, and improve the overall quality of geospatial data and information. Also, an android based mobile application “POINTGIS” has been developed for data capturing.

The Advisor complimented the Department of Ecology, Environment & Remote Sensing for successfully implementing SSDI-JK project and assured full support of the government for its sustenance.

He asked to replicate the successful SDI models being adopted by the leading states so that the best practices can be incorporated here. He also asked for holding regular training programmes and workshops for all line departments and capacity building programmes for the staff of SSDI.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr P S Acharya stressed on the need for coordination among the line Departments in generating and sharing of standardized geospatial data besides, providing of recurring budget and manpower to reap the benefits of geospatial technology.

Later, the Advisor along with other dignitaries also released a Vision Document of SSDI and GIS-based resource Atlas of Srinagar district.

SRINAGAR, JULY 18: The Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Baseer Ahmad Khan today cleared all pending cases of land acquisition for the Srinagar-Baramulla four-lane project.

The officers apprised the Div Com regarding the status of draft awards, final awards besides the status of disbursement of compensation among other beneficiaries.

During the meeting, a threadbare discussion was held between officers and beneficiaries.

After mutual understanding, compensation was approved in favour of pending cases of beneficiaries whose structures and land would come under the Project.

The Divisional Commissioner directed to demolish those structures along the highway immediately whose owners have already received compensation.

Khan emphasized the need for expediting work on the prestigious project of Srinagar-Baramulla four laning and urged the officers to ensure that concerned departments carry out works within the stipulated time-frame for the benefit of commuters of North Kashmir.

Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Dr Shahid Iqbal, Additional Commissioner Kashmir Tasaduq Hussain Mir, Additional District Development Commissioner K.K. Sidha, Engineers of BEACON, Revenue officers and other concerned officials were present in the meeting.

Kashmir Despatch News

Handwara, July 18 : An employee of the power development department suffered grievous injuries after he received an electric shock while repairing a power supply line in north Kashmir’s Handwara village on Thursday.

Reports reaching Kashmir Despatch said a power department employee identified as Aijaz Ahmed Malla son of Sa-ullah Malla recieved injury while repairing an electric line at Qalamabad area of Langate.

Reports said injured PDD employee was immediately taken to a nearby hospital where from he was shifted to district hospital Handwara for specialized treatment.

A police officer while confirming the incident to Kashmir Despatch said that PDD employee became victim when he was repairing live wire and received a shock and fell on the ground. Officer said that condition of the PDD employee is said to be stable.

Kashmir Despatch News

Baramulla, July 18 : Clashes erupted between protesters and government forces in old town Baramulla on Thursday afternoon, amid a complete shutdown against the killing of local LeT militant at Sopore village yesterday.

Reports reaching Kashmir Despatch said scores of youth hit the streets and pelted stones on deployed forces who in turn fired tear smoke shells to disperse them at old town Baramulla this afternoon.

Adnan chana LeT militant who was slain in a gunfight with government forces at Gund Brath village of Sopore on Wednesday.

Slain Adnan as per police records was C category militant. According to police records he was operating in the areas of Baramulla district and Sopore and was involved in planning and executing several attacks in the area.

Meanwhile Baramulla parts shuts to mourn the killing of Slian militant, while to prevent any law and order problem Deputy Commissioner Baramulla Dr G N Itoo ordered closure of all colleges in Baramulla town as a precautionary measure.

Pertinently, overall situation in the town remained peaceful.

Kashmir Despatch News

Kupwara, July 18 : Six passengers on Thursday were injured in a road mishap in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district.

Reports reaching Kashmir Despatch said an Alto bearing registration number JK09B 3570 skidded off the road at Neetu Top of Karnah sector of Kupwara resulting in six passengers on board were injured and were immediately evacuated to sub district hospital Tangdhar for treatment.

A doctor at sub district hospital Tangdar while confirming this road mishap to Kashmir Despatch said that we received six injured persons and three among them were referred to Srinagar hospital for specialized treatment. Doctor further said that after provided first aid other three were discharged.

A police officer also confirmed the incident to Kashmir Despatch and identified all injured as Azmat (37),Nayeema Imtiyaz (14), Bisma (28), Sonia Begum (27), Reyaz Ahmed (5), Mohud (4). Officer further said that a case has been registered and further investigation has been initiated.